Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love everything about the day and the menu.  This year it was just the four of us. We enjoyed a few quiet days together with lots of good food.  Every year we make a simple citrus/herb/olive oil turkey.  This year, our sides adjusted to meet our new allergy needs.  



sweet potato mash
Cornbread
cranberry sauce
orange, lemon rosemary turkey
onion garlic sauteed greens
lemony garlic sauteed greenbeans
roasted brussel sprouts
millet cranberry squash bake
carrot, beet and apple slaw with dill and lemon
crustless pumpkin pie
cranberry ginger scones
gluten free, dairy free pumpkin pancakes
pumpkin spice donut holes

appetizers while turkey is in the oven

Lentils Two Ways

things can go array in the kitchen, pockets didn't
turn out, so topped with leftover basmati rice in a pinch

It is Sunday morning, 11:00, and my Thermomix is cooking up some simple lentils.  I am hungry for lunch already. Even after a bowl of oatmeal and bacon. Baby Brother is napping after being up a lot last night. Big Brother is out with Papi on his new blue bike with pedals and training wheels. So It's the perfect moment to have some alone time in the kitchen with a mug of rooibos while I prepare two make-ahead lunches: a lemon-basil lentil salad and veggie coconut lentils to top soaked brown rice.  The best part is having extra lentils to freeze for later use.  

This coconut lentil and veggie filling is a Jude Blereau recipe.  I recommend her cookbook for good background reading on wholesome food: Wholesome Food For Children. The recipe includes this lentil filling in spelt pocket pies; however, my first attempt at the pocket pie dough, leaving out the sesame of course, was a total disaster.  It was 1:00, I was starving in that-hungry-breastfeeding-way, and the dough wasn't working out.  So, on top of leftover rice it went and all was fine in the end.  It's much easier on top of leftover rice anyway.  No spelt anymore with Baby's wheat allergy.  I'm bitter about this, as I love baking with spelt flour. I left out the corn and added peas instead.  I have always preferred peas over corn.  I also topped with some cilantro since everything is better with cilantro.   I have begun to triple this recipe, because I like to get an extra meal out of it, and to use up whatever greens are in the fridge.  

Click here for both lentil recipes:

Coconut Lentil and Veggie Pocket Pies
Bragg's Liquid Aminoes are wheat- free and last time a checked, safe from sesame cross-contamination.
There are coconut aminoes if looking for soy-free. Or you can use coconut aminos if there is a soy allergy or sensitivity.

Lentil Salad with Basil and Lemon (here you will find the instructions for making batch of  lentils in your Thermomix)

Click here for more on soaking the brown rice

Happy Birthday Cake

As soon as Big Brother passed the egg challenge-meaning he successfully ate 16 bite-sized pieces of french toast- in our allergist's office-we started picturing cheesecakes, custards and all things eggy as delicious instead of downright scary. At the same time, we started to discuss what kind of cake he wanted for his upcoming Birthday.  Tres Leches had quickly become his favorite so we went to Whole Foods to order a giant one to share with his friends.  He picked out what he wanted on the cake: "Happy Birthday Simon" with train tracks where he could place Thomas and his passenger cars.  

Now, fast-forward a few weeks to dairy allergy diagnoses for Baby Brother.  What to do now?  This lovely Tres Leches seemed too dangerous so a conversation about a different cake was in order.  I couldn't imagine 20 children and their parents covered in three kinds of milk with allergic baby in the mix.  What would you have done?  I spoke with some friends in order to come up with a solution. I then decided to take a Sunday morning trip together to look at vegan options.  Whole Foods carries a vegan chocolate cookie cake (contains wheat!), but Big Brother wanted nothing to do with it at first. I thought that it would be a good idea to take home a piece to see if he liked it.  The planned worked and he was actually excited to have a chocolate cookie cake for his party.  Phew!  

Arroz Con Pollo A La Española

The Thermomix simplifies this classic and always perfect meal: a big pot of Spanish chicken and rice. This, to me, is the perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family. No cheese, gluten, eggs, nuts, seeds....so perfect for all of us.  I usually have a pasture raised chicken cut up in pieces in the freezer along with the bones to make a batch of TM stock prior to using it in rice dishes such as this one; make two things, clean one bowl!  I will post the recipe in English at some point if asked.  Click, here, for the original recipe in Spanish.  I add in some onion and celery for flavor.  Oh, and some chorizo too :)

Ingredientes: 
100gr de aceite de oliva virgen extra
2 dientes de ajo
500gr de pechuga o contramuslos con piel cortados en dados
150gr de pimiento verde cortado
150gr de pimiento rojo cortado
1 zanahoria cortada en daditos o láminas
850gr de caldo de ave o agua
1 pellizco de pimentón dulce
Azafrán al gusto 
Sal/pimienta
350gr de arroz bomba
120gr de guisantes

Preparación:
Pon en el vaso el aceite y los ajos y trocea 5 segundos en velocidad 6. Calienta 3 minutos, Varoma, Velocidad 1.


Añade el pollo en taquitos y rehoga 5 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda y velocidad cuchara.


Agrega los pimientos y si quieres 1 zanahoria picada y cebolla y apio en trocitos pequeños y sigue sofriendo 6 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda y velocidad cuchara.


Vierte dentro del vaso el caldo de ave, el pimentón dulce, el azafrán o curry y la sal y cocina 9 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda en velocidad cuchara.


Echa el arroz y chorizo precocido por último programa 13 minutos, 100º, giro a la izquierda y velocidad 1. Cuando falten 3 minutos para acabar el tiempo,incorpora los guisantes por el bocal. Deja reposar unos minutos y sirve calentito.

A Tasty Pair: Roasted Pears and Turnips

I really enjoy the combination of Pears and Turnips.  Why not roast them together with grated ginger, salt pepper and olive oil. 20 minutes before done, baste with some local raw honey. Simple and Delicious.  Everything fresh and local.  I am anxious on Saturday mornings this time of year to go get a big basket of these pears to use during the weak.  I also like to get lots of sweet potatoes  and then top with garlicky greens; a good way to use those turnip tops! Big Brother gave thumbs up to the roasted pear but declined to try the turnip: "I'm not going to try that". Maybe after the 20th time?  

Some good allergy-friendly sides to serve:  1) these roasted pears and turnips 2) sweet potatoes topped with bacon and garlicky greens 3) blanched and sauteed lemon and garlic green beans.  

Coconut Waffles for Big Brother's 5th Birthday

Big Brother wanted waffles for breakfast to celebrate his 5th Birthday.  We stacked them up festively on a cake stand and put a candle on top.  It was a nice way to start his special day.  Check out the recipe here.  These dairy-free waffles include both wheat and egg.  Big Brother can have all three: dairy, egg and wheat.   At this moment in time, we had just discovered Baby Brother's dairy allergy so the recipes includes wheat.  Just a few days later, we found out about the wheat allergy as well.  For a few weeks, after  passing the egg food challenge in our allergist's office, we had a quality of life improvement with breakfast out in restaurants and french toast at home.  But it is once again tricky again for fear of Baby Brother coming into contact with allergens both outside and inside the home.  How would you handle the situation?  We allow Big Brother to drink cow milk with meals and cheese on his  wheat bread at school.  In order to prevent cross-contamination nightmares, wheat will not be in our home expect for frozen Whole Food's sprouted whole wheat bread for his sandwiches and goat cheese from the farmer's market for spreading.  We will also have cubed cheddar for him so that I don't have to cut it myself and contaminate.  Of course, rules are in place and both serious hand and mouth washing are in place.  But the allergens remain in saliva!  So kisses after milk are prohibited.  Not an easy job as a parent.  What do you think?

Saturdays: Planning Week's Menu Around Local Fruits and Veggies

Working Backwards: beef and veggie stirfry, braised pasture-raised chicken {precut in 8 pieces from Whole Foods-I call that "fast food"} and greens with olives, tomatoes and soaked brown rice, chicken curry with carrots and broccoli, lentils two ways: coconut veggie and lemony basil salad, pear compote for steel cut oats, waffles and pancakes, sweet potato topped with bacon and greens and raisins, sweet potato maple frosting for vegan and gluten-free birthday cake, local grass-fed garlicky skirt steak paired with: sauteed green beans, grilled little green pepper boats stuffed with tomatoes/garlic/olives, and roasted turnips drizzled with local raw honey (from CSA basket). Delicious oranges for wedges and orange/basil dressing for quinoa lunch salads.  Maybe some kale chips with roasted chickpeas for snacking.  

On Saturdays after returning from the market, lunch is whatever was for dinner the night before.  This way, I am freed up to I wash and store veggies so that meals are less of a hassle during the week. Big Brother can play with Dad and Baby Brother, while I can relax in the kitchen and listen to podcasts. Then, this time of year, it's cool enough to enjoy a mid-afternoon neighborhood family walk.  

Orange Curried Pumpkin Soup To Fight the Allergic Blues

picture taken one-handed while
holding Baby 

I spent the morning at Whole Foods with a new set of allergic criteria to keep in mind for meal and baking planning.  Yesterday, we confirmed avocado and wheat allergy for Baby Brother.  Of course, I have been a little wound up.  I find that taking my stress to the kitchen and making a little bit of a mess is how I deal with new allergic findings.  I have already made a batch of quinoa flour and molasses cookies and now I write as allergic Baby Brother naps and my Thermomix cooks up a batch of Curried Pumpkin soup. I love making soups and coconut curries with my CSA veggies and the Saturday morning goodies we regularly get at Urban Harvest.

Today's soup is my typical butternut squash/pumpkin soup, but inspired by the Naturally Nourished Ocotober Newlsetter from Urban Harvest Market.  The author, a local regsitered dietician, describes her curried pumpkin soup as "your food-as-medicine prescription".

Next time, I'll experiment with polenta croutons as a way around the typical sprouted whole wheat ones 've been making until now.  Perhaps with some Thermomix GF Foccacia? That is on my to-do list.  I'm even thinking that some Terra Chips wouldn't be bad on top.  But just not the Mediterranean variety of Terra Chips, they have sesame oil!

A little "ode to my Thermomix": Entire soup prepared start to finish all in my Thermomix bowl!  One bowl to clean, besides the cutting board! And a delicious and nutritious lunch to enjoy before Baby Brother wakes up from nap.  I can always serve in a mug if need be and enjoy while he plays.  

Allergy note:  Baby has his own chopping board, the Epicurean to be exact. I chopped up the butternut squash on his chopping board and the rest of the ingredients on my daily everyday use board.  Baby's board is only used for the foods eaten and tolerated up until now.

What to use and What to do: 

Place small onion and small nub of ginger into TM bowl and chop for 5 second on speed 7

Add tbsp coconut oil with tablespoon curry powder and extra dash of turmeric.
Sauté 3 minutes at 100 on speed 1

Add in 500-600 grams butternut squash, carrot, celery, apple.  Chop 15 seconds speed 7

Add combination, whatever you have on hand really, of 500 grams of TM homemade chicken stock/bone broth and/or canned coconut milk (carton kind has carrageenan and I don't know if I want my family eating that. click on and will direct you to ordering by case on Amazon). You can always make your own coconut milk in your Thermomix. Throw in a bay leaf or two along with some cilantro (could add the cilantro stems with the onion and ginger in first step).  Cook for 20 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.  

Remove bay leaf, add handful spinach or kale.  You can add a little more coconut milk if desired along with a few tablespoons of raw, unfiltered honey/maple syrup).  

Blend for one minute going from speed 1-9, or until you reach desired consistency. Garnish with some basil, cilantro or chives/scallions.  Great way to use roasted squash or pumpkin seeds.

Saying Goodbye To Dairy

a warm cup with pumpkin pie spice

After reacting to big brother's milky kiss, we have confirmed that Baby is allergic to milk. Despite, immediate and religious hand washing and face washing after eating, big brother managed to pass along milk protein to Baby's skin via a loving kiss.  I know, very sad to have to police affection between brothers.  

I have to admit that I have been dwelling on what we can no longer eat, the daily dangers of milky kisses and touches, and how truly stressful it can be to adapt to the sudden deletion of a favorite food group.  At the same time, I know that I can handle this challenge.  I have done it before and I can do it again.  Thank you, Thermomix, for being there for me during my allergic journey in kitchen!  I am sure that my Thermomix will be an even more essential kitchen companion now with a   dairy allergy to contend with.  Instead of buying coconunt and rice milk, I will be able to make it myself.  Better ingredients and less cost.  Here is my first attempt at homemade rice milk this past weekend.  I do not necessarily mind the sludge leftover with using just the Thermomix straining basket. Maybe I'm just too tired to notice or delighted with the idea of making my own rice milk.  Perhaps I'll give it a go with cheesecloth next time to get a smoother batch. Here is the link to the original recipe: http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/06/rice-almond-milk.html This is one of my favorite sites for Thermomix recipes and for learning about ingredients.

My version uses sweet brown rice soaked overnight with apple cider vinegar and maple syrup as the sweetener.  I also added in some homemade pumpkin pie spice to celebrate November. 

Another place for instructions and for the good idea of using dates to sweeten: http://tebasileskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/06/brown-rice-milk.html

For an index to many milks:
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/14176/dairy-free-soy-rice-nut-milk-recipes.html 
For how to strain with cheesecloth:
http://www.kerstenskitchen.com.au/2012/07/making-rice-milk-using-thermomix.html

Sesame in Candy Corn? Who Knew?

I wouldn't want my child eating this scary list of chemicals as is.  But look at the last ingredient: Sesame Oil.  I wonder why?

Spelt Oat Scones

Love the shape!

These are super easy to make.  My little guy and I make them on Saturday afternoons while Baby naps. We have them for breakfast on Sunday mornings before heading to the pool.  I love that we share this time together.  He likes to press the Thermomix buttons and to spread out the dough into a giant circle and then cut into triangles.  We sometimes use honey as the sweetener.  Today we used Sucanat.  We use whatever milk we have lots of in the fridge.  I like that you can easily adapt the recipe to fit allergic needs:  coconut oil instead of butter and coconut milk instead of dairy.  No matter which way we make them, a little sprinkle of sugar on top is always nice. For original recipe, go to Tebasiles Kitchen.

What you need:

175 g spelt
75 g rolled oats
60 g sucanat or honey
1/2 tsp glutenfree baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
90 g chilled butter or coconut oil
160 g milk, Rice Milk or cream/water


What to do:

Heat oven to 220 °C / 450 °F

Mill spelt for 1 min 30 sec / speed 10

Add oats, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt and pulse with closed lid function 3 x Turbo

Add butter or coconut oil and pulse 7-8 x Turbo

Add liquid and pulse 5-6 x Turbo

Soak dough in the bowl until oven reaches the required temperature

Place the dough in a circle on cookie sheet, greased or lined with parchment paper

Cut the dough with a spatula in 6-8 wedges and separate them slightly, or use a scone pan
Brush with liquid and sprinkle with some sugar (opt.)

Bake for 13-17 minutes

Watermelon Ice

I cut up a giant watermelon at least once a week during the summer.  Sometimes, on day three, I freeze what is left and then pull for watermelon ice on a hot day. Well, every day is hot here! Simple directions: Put frozen watermelon with mint and basil in Thermomix bowl. Turn dial up until you get desired texture.

Splendid Table Explores Eggless Mayonnaise

I love cooking along to the weekly Splendid Table podcast.  

Listen to today's segment on eggless mayonnaise: 

http://www.splendidtable.org/story/new-milk-mayonnaise-sidesteps-egg-allergies-contamination

Splendid Table one of my simple Sunday pleasures along with sipping tea and reading Weekend Meditation: http://www.thekitchn.com/listening-to-the-basil-weekend-meditation-192417.  

I am reminded that I have yet to post a favorite avocado mayo that uses milk.  

Salmorejo: A Favorite Hot-Day Lunch

I store in reused glass yogurt jar
fun entertaining in small glass

Nothing takes me back to Spain on a hot summer day more than Salmorejo.  We just love this tomato and bread based puree from Andalusia.  Salmorejo is not to be confused with Gazpacho, another wonderful cold Spanish soup.  Unlike Gazpacho, Samorejo does not have any chunks of vegetables.  It is smooth and creamy with a nice kick from the garlic and sherry vinegar. The texture is added on top: croutons, bits of jamón, pieces of hardboiled egg.  We leave out the egg and switch it up with some tuna.  Our little one is still not so sure he wants to give it a try. He thinks it is tomato sauce! What kind of bread should a sesame-allergic family use?  We feel safe with baguettes from most bakeries.  I always form a relationship with the bakers at my local Whole Foods.  I have discovered that the baguettes are often baked off separate from the seeded bread and then go right into the brown bag. Of course, this is not true if the bakery has seeded baguettes!  We purchase our jamón serrano from Central Market here in Houston.  In Toronto, we enjoyed the local Niagara prociutto-style ham from St. Lawerence Market.  On another allergy note, vinegar has sulfites so use caution if you have sensitivity or allergy.  

For recipe in Spanish: http://www.mithermomix.com/recetario/primerplato_salmorejo.htm

          

ready for fridge, serve cold!

What you need:

2 garlic cloves

1 kilo of tomatoes (no need to remove seeds since Thermomix takes care of this!)

1 teaspoon of salt

100 grams of bread chunks, we use baguette (great use of stale bread)

150 grams of best Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 1/2 MC)

20-30 grams Sherry Vinegar

Toppings: ham, croutons, tuna

What to do:

Let the peeled garlic fall through the top to be chopped by the blades while machine is running at Speed 7

Stop the machine and add the tomatoes with the salt.  Program 2 minutes, progressing speed 5-7-9

Add the bread and vinegar and mix 20 seconds, speed 6-8.  

With the MC tilted, let the olive oil drizzle in slowly until incorporated.  I'm not certain of what speed, but choose 4-6

Put directly in fridge and serve cold.

Coconut Chicken and Veggies

for our little guy

This is a favorite weekday dinner.  Great flavor, and everyone enjoys it.  I make my version rather tame for our little guy. Dad adds some heat to his own plate. I love how my Thermomix streamlines dinner.  Everything perfectly cooked and served hot.  And I could do all this while nursing and playing Chutes and Ladders.  We were just saying over dinner how wonderful it is to eat dishes at home that we used to eat out of the house.  No need to explain allergies to server and chef.

how did i ever manage with out you, Thermomix!

What you need:
500-750 grams pasture fed chicken thighs, diced
400g can of coconut milk (or make your own, recipe on superkitchenmachine.com) or 250 g coconut milk and 150 Thermomix chicken broth.
knob of ginger
2 cloves garlic
1  onion
zest and juice of 2 limes
Coconut oil (we use Artisana raw, extra virgen)
1 tsp Ground coriander, 1/4 tsp chili powder or some curry powder/curry paste.
250 grams of veggies: broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, zucchini, cabbage)

• fresh cilantro and frozen peas to add in when finished cooking 

What to do:
Place garlic, ginger and onion (can add cilantro stems)in TM bowl and chop on Speed 7 for 3 seconds

Add coconut oil and spices and saute on 100C for 3 minutes on speed slow

Add chicken thighs and brown for 3 minutes on Varoma temperature on reverse

Add coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice and zest to the chicken mixture. I'm thinking of some kaffir lime leaf for next time

Place veggies on one or both layers of the Varoma and put it in place to steam

Cook everything on Varoma temperature, on speed reverse for 15-17 minutes (I cut big carrot circles and use the broccoli stems so needed more time than originally thought)

Pour chicken mixture into a thermoserver, something I do not have.  So I place in my glass square container with lid. (at this point you may wish to add a thickener such as cornflour or potato starch into the sauce if you prefer it thicker)

Make rice, just don't clean bowl before since there is no need!  The Thermomix is smart and efficient!  Keep Varoma trays on top until cooked to desired doneness.
*Although, if someone at table is allergic to something in the curry, then the rice and veggies will then be dangerous.  This is a good example of cross contamination.  The rice and veggies would have to be cooked separately and with other precautions as well!

I took several recipes and combined to suit my family's taste buds. One good one for reference is:http://hotpinkchilli.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/coconut-lime-chicken/

dinner!

Steamed CSA Veggies

This week I am making Thermomix steamed veggies dressed in a garlic, basil and lemon vinaigrette.  I enjoy them warm or even room-temperature.  A great side to go with some form of protein on the grill.  Or even in a composed salad on a hot day, leaving out the hard-boiled egg from the past and enjoying some tuna or salmon instead.  Tía Pame brought us some ventresca and olive oil from Spain, perfect! For our Fourth of July barbecue, I will combine steamed Yukon Gold Potatoes with chopped scallions, celery and herbs in a mayo-less dressing.  For some mayo-less potato salad ideas: http://everydayallergic.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-mayo-in-these-potato-salads.html
                       

               


What you need: 

750 g potatoes (up to 750g) cut into chunks (skin can be left on)
2-3 carrots cut in rounds
2 handfuls of green beans 
*any veggies will work!
500 g water

What to do: 
Weigh 500 g water into TM bowl

Place potatoes into steamer basket and insert basket into TM bowl

Place all hard vegetables in the bottom part of Varoma

(corn,pumpkin, sweet potato, etc)

Place green beans on Varoma tray, add last 7-10 minutes depending on how cooked you want them.(broccoli,peas, beans,asparagus, etc) 

Place Varoma into position.  Steam Varoma Temp/20 min/Speed 2

For original instructions: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/steamed-vegies/84504


** For Mashed Potatoes, once cooked tip potatoes in the TM bowl add Milk, Butter, Salt, Parmesan etc. and follow method from the Every Day Cookbook Page 83.  Do not over process.

Baby's First Foods: Butternut Squash

perfect puree

Great timing! we got a small butternut squash in this week's CSA basket.  It is super simple to turn the squash into puree with my Thermomix.  I have a few sets of instructions for purees.  I will be posting a simple guide, "Comidas Infantiles", in English that I made from my mother-in-law's Thermomix book in Spanish. Her Thermomix is the previous model. Basically, [20 minutes/100 degrees/speed3] and then [puree 20 seconds speed 6] Today, I followed how to make simple purees from What Caroline Cooked. See here: http://whatcarolinecooked.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/baby-food-6-8-months.html

What you need:

350g organic fruit or vegetable of your choice, peeled, seeds removed and roughly chopped

1 MC water

What to do:

Place fruit or vegetable into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds/speed 4.

Scrape down sides and add water

Cook for 10 minutes/varoma/speed 1  (I ended up adding more water and cooking 5 minutes longer!)

Puree for 20 seconds by slowly turning dial to speed 9

Place into serving dish, cool slightly and serve.

                    

Perfectly Cute CSA Squash

Cleaning your Thermomix: avoiding cross-contamination

all clean and ready to puree!

Tomorrow I will prepare butternut squash as my baby's first food.  I want to make sure that no traces of this morning's oatmeal remain.  I know that his rashes could be an indication of true food intolerance or allergy.  So, I best be careful and avoid any cross-contamination with thorough cleaning.



I learned these methods here:
http://tickofyum.webs.com/apps/blog/show/17146017-cleaning-your-tmx-bowl

Basic Cleaning:  Put 50-100g of vinegar and 500g of water into your TM bowl, and cook on 100oC for 10 minutes, speed 4.  

Super Cleaning: Put 500ml of white vinegar and 5 g of dish soap into your thermomix bowl and cook on 100oC for 6 minutes on speed 4.  This will FROTH up amazingly - it's meant to.  LEAVE IT sitting in the froth until it all cools down. Then, add a good dose of baking soda and rub down with a clean sponge.  Now do the same to the blade, scrubbing with your little blade brush, which you will find at: http://thermomix.superkitchenmachine.com/collections/all/products/thermomix-silicone-spatula

Afternoon Date Shake

An absolute favorite afternoon pick-me-up. And so easy to make! I always have dates in the refrigerator to serve to guests instead of nuts.  Perhaps a small bowl of dates, small bowl of unsulphered dried apricots with some roasted chickpeas.

What you need:
3/4 cup of whole milk (I like Mill-King Creamery)
1/2 cup ice
1/3 cup of pitted dates (bagged Whole Foods, I avoid bulk due to fear of cross-contamination with scoop or "that" hand that reaches in bins to "try")

What to do:
Place ingredients in Thermomix bowl and blend on speed nine until frothy. 

Fresh Cream Becomes Butter and Buttermilk

So far, the best low-temp pasteurized heavy cream I can find easily here in Houston is from Mill-King Creamery.  We have been enjoying their milk over the past few months: http://www.mill-kingmarket.com/mill-kingmarket.com/Mill-King_Market.html I pick it up at Whole Foods or Revival Market. This is the first time I have attempted separating cream into butter and buttermilk since moving here last year.  In Toronto, I bought fresh cream in glass bottles almost weekly at the local markets with the idea that I could turn one product into several: butter, buttermilk, and whipped.  I paid a Toonie, or 2 dollars, deposit which I got back when I returned the bottle after use.  I regularly stored the buttermilk in the same, original glass bottle as the cream, and the butter in two glass bowls: half for immediate use in the fridge and the other half in the freezer to be pulled as needed.   Since the cost of butter was higher than I was used to, purchasing the cream and making fresh butter was more than worth the effort.  But then again, it's no effort at all with the Thermomix to make your own butter weekly! A week after posting, I came across "Meeting the Moment" in a weekly favorite food mediation:http://www.thekitchn.com/meeting-the-moment-with-apricot-jam-weekend-meditation-190983 and I began to reflect on how my Thermomix also facilitates being able to be "present for the delights that are inherent in this activity, they register more deeply and become a brighter, more significant thread in my emotional makeup."   
See how I use my butter in the rustic tart posted below.  Also:
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/oat-and-spelt-crackers.html
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/buttermilk-scones.html  (along with buttermilk!)
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/oat-squares.html

VIDEO RECIPE:http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2012/17213/how-to-make-butter-thermomix.html                                                                            

Good reading on making your own butter and culturing the cream first:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-butter-and-cultured-butter-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-194372

So interesting:http://www.splendidtable.org/story/how-to-make-buttermilk-good-enough-to-drink