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how i spent my summer vacation

24 Aug

so summer is over – at least by the looks of my schedule – the kids are back to school and the aspen trees are almost empty so fall must be lurking around

so here I sit in peace and quiet ready to get back into the swing of things

We did manage to get some great things done in August -

I mastered the granny -

This bit of charred pork was transformed in to some serious South Carolina style pulled pork

We took the kids to tour the museum I worked at while I was in college…

where I learned that aluminum is no longer in style…

this would be less of an issue if I didn’t have the same cake carrier in red in my house.

I decided that next party I throw will be a tea and scissors party

We also managed to sneak in some swimming lessons.

This…

became this…which means I’m one step closer to a workshop

and yes that pun was totally intended.

csa stir-fry

7 Jul

It seems I’m finally getting things right.

At least when it comes to stir-fry.

I have been practicing every week with veggies from our CSA.

The spouse is thrilled.

And lulu and cj look great with their chopsticks in hand.  Of course, she will only eat the rice and he uses them to pick up crackers.

But to be honest, I’m afraid if I don’t get this recipe written down I will forget it by the time the CSA veggies start rolling in again next spring.

And I most certainly don’t want to forget my secret ingredient, because nothing says stir-fry like Noilly Prat.

csa stir-fry

1 pound ground pork

some form of chopped garlic (I’ve been using garlic scapes lately)

chopped onion

shredded greens (bok choi, cabbage, or kale)

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup vermouth

1 Tablespoon sugar

extra vegetables are nice too (like peas or broccoli)

If using extra vegetables, blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then set aside.

In a very hot, large skillet or wok, brown the pork with the garlic, onion, and some black pepper.  Stirring constantly, add sesame oil and vegetables.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add greens.  Cook for another couple of minutes, until greens wilt down a bit.  Add soy sauce, and vermouth.  Stir well.  Add sugar.  Cook for about 3 more minutes.

Serve over rice.  We also like it with a drizzle of sweet and sour sauce on top.

This can also be used to fill egg rolls.

Sometimes I forget the sugar.

first snowcone of summer

8 Jun

School is out which means the kids are home and looking for something to occupy their time.

I broke down and bought a snowcone maker last week.  I figure it will fill a couple of afternoons, right?

I skipped over the syrup in the store and went with a homemade version instead.

strawberry syrup

3 cups strawberries (hulled)

3/4 cup sugar

Place strawberries in saucepan and mash to a pulp.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Push mixture through a sieve (you should have about 3/4 cup juice)

Return the juice to the pan and add the sugar and mix well.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and pour through sieve again.

Skim any foam that may have formed.  Chill before using.

Syrup can be stored in fridge, covered for up to a week.

confession time

27 Jan

I love overly processed, overly orange, overly salty cheese, or as is says on the package  - cheese food product.

I think easy cheese on triscuits is delish, toasted cheese sandwiches really are better with velveeta, and cheez whiz the king of the process cheese foods, well, the king.

But, I know better than to eat those sorts of things, so I don’t buy them, well, I do usually have a tiny box of velveeta because they really do make the best toasted cheese sandwiches, but not the others.

Months ago, I ripped a recipe for pimento cheese out of a magazine because it looked like it could be tasty – promptly lost the recipe – decided half way through my grocery shopping that I needed to make it – bought a jar of pimentos and some cheddar cheese and hoped for the best.  I didn’t have the right ingredients for any recipe I found on the internet so I created this.

homemade cheese whiz – who knew?

pimento cheese spread

1 eight ounce package cream cheese

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1 two ounce jar of pimentos drained

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon fresh crack black pepper

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Keeps chilled in air tight container for 4 days.  Best and easier to spread if allowed to warm a bit before serving.

happily ever after

27 Mar

Once upon a time there was a girl who was planning her very first dinner party. She set a menu of ricotta ravioli with a fresh tomato sauce. On the side there would be roasted sweet potato and butternut squash with a balsamic sauce and sea salt. Little did she know, she was unable to make pasta. Though she tried and tried, each time she was left with a floury, crumbly mess. That night her friends dined on delivery pizza and roasted sweet potato and butternut squash and it became known as the ravioli incident.

Eight years later…

This very same girl has been challenged by Daring Bakers to make lasagne from beginning to end, all by hand. ugh

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

She gathered up her confindence and took a deep breath…

The recipe that follows is what I used. For the original challenge recipe, be sure to check out the official Daring Bakers site.

spinach egg pasta

makes equivalent of 1 pound of dried pasta

3 eggs (the original recipe said 2 eggs but after my first attempt I needed to add one)

6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

You can make a well with the flour, but I learned during the ravioli incident that wells and I can’t seem to make it work.

Place flour in a bowl and make a little well for the egg and spinach.

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Using a fork gradually beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides will collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump

except mine looked like this

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I reminded myself to be daring and take another shot at it. I bumped the eggs up to three and this time I didn’t squeeze all the water out of the spinach.

AND

look what happened – you can see the color difference between leaving a bit of spinach water instead of really squeezing it dry.

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Kneading -

With the aid of a scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove and bits for hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. It’s consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it relax at room temperature for 30 minutes to 3 hours.

After finding success with the 2nd batch I went back and added another egg to the first and was able to knead it as well.

Stretching and Thinning -

If using a regular rolling pin, divide the dough into quarters. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins out, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

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Repeat the two processes as the disc become larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can see your hand through it and colors. Cut into rectangle about 4 x 8 inches. Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

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These were hanging on my bed. They seemed fairly dry at bedtime so I placed them flat on some racks over night. Oops. They had enough moisture in them that they curled. They cooked up without any problems.

country style ragu

Prep time 30 minutes – cooking time 2 hours

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1 small carrot, minced

4 ounces Italian sausage

12 ounces ground chuck

2 ounces finely chopped Porsciutto di Parmi

2/3 cup dry red wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

2 cups milk

4 roasted Roma tomatoes, chopped

salt and pepper

This sauce can be made 3 days ahead, kept in the fridge, or can be frozen for up to 1 month.

browning the base -

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. (Have large bowl at hand for when browning is complete) Add pancetta and minced vegetables and saute, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.

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Mix all the meats together and stir into the pan. Slowly brown over medium heat. Stir often. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown.

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Reducing and simmering -

Place the brown meats in the bowl and set aside. Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the browned meats back into the skillet.

Stir 1/2 cup stock into the skillet and let bubble slowly, for 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another 1/2 cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the skillet and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes. Cook uncovered at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

ragu

bechamel

prep time 15 minutes

4 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons flour

2 2/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and hint of nutmeg.

bechamel

assembling the lasagne

large pot of water

9 x 13 baking dish

1 recipe spinach pasta

1 recipe bechamel

1 recipe country style ragu

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop about 4 pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, 4 minutes if you have dried it. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cooled, lift out and dry on a layer of towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

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To assemble, spread a thin layer of bechamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of overlapping sheets of pasta over the bechamel. Spread a thing layer of bechamel (about 3 – 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of ragu.

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Sprinkle with layer of grated cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with bechamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

I had enough of each of the sauces to do 8 layers.

Baking and serving -

Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping, It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

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The lasagne was enjoyed by the girl and her spouse.

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It was declared throughout the land that not only could the girl make pasta, but she had made the best lasagne that either of them had ever eaten.

And they all lived…

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baby it’s cold outside

23 Dec

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It has been unreasonably cold around here lately, and my old house is having a hard time with it.  In an effort to combat the chill I have been drinking more coffee and cocoa than usual.  This is recipe has evolved over the years into something of a tradition around here.  When the first chill of Fall hits the air I make a batch and do my best to keep the giant Ball jar filled until Spring.

 

cocoa mix

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Dutch cocoa

2 1/2 cup powdered milk (any will do, but I found some at my co-op that is super fine so it dissolves much better and makes a smoother drink than supermarket powdered milk)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered creamer (flavor of choice)

1 teaspoon vanilla powder

4 ounces chopped chocolate

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mix all of these together until fully incorporated

 

 

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Store in the container of your choice. 

Put a kettle of water on and bring to a near boil.  To mix place 2-4 heaping spoonfuls in an empty cup.  The amount depends on how strong you prefer your cocoa so you’ll have to do some playing around to find your number.  Bummer huh??  Pour a bit of hot water in and stir to dissolve cocoa, when mixed you can add more water.  Top with marshmallows or freshly whipped cream. 

Another great thing to do is put a scoop or two into a freshly brewed cup of coffee for a great mocha.

cup-of-cocoa-with-whip-cream

Thanksgiving – before I forget

3 Dec

I spent twelve years working retail, during that time I started to dread Thanksgiving more with every passing year.  Thankfully, I have been out of “the biz” for a few years now and every year I look forward to the holidays a bit more.  This year it seems I have completely blocked all the pushing and shoving and those extra special customers who seem to have lost any sense of how to treat others.  In fact I even went shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  Granted it was just one store, but hey, I got myself back out there again.

This year, I was excited to be hosting my family for the first time.  Also a bit nervous because we generally don’t like the taste of store bought turkey.  We usually have wild turkey, but that wasn’t going to be an option this year.  I went to the co-op and picked up a free range bird and hoped for the best.

The day before I did a salt rub with kosher salt and a mix of herbs and pepper that I bashed together.  Then I put it back in the fridge in a big roasting bag.  The next morning I took it out of the bag and rinsed off the salt.  I made an herb mustard butter with scallions, sage, and thyme.  That went under the skin and all over the outside of the bird.pb260445

 

Then I surrounded the bird with our family’s favorite dressing.  It’s made with a loaf of wheat bread, torn into bits, a chopped onion, a couple of ribs of chopped celery, pepper, poultry seasoning, some rubbed sage, and a couple cups of chicken stock.

pb260447The texture of the turkey was great.  I think most of those store bought turkeys out there are a bit mushy and kind of wet.  I’m sure that is the fault of the brine that the processors inject into it to make it moist, but I find that texture unpleasant.  I don’t want to eat wet turkey.  This turkey had a texture more like a wild bird.  I hesitate to say it was stringy, at the risk of putting someone off the idea of going with a free range bird, but the meat held together differently, more like an actual turkey.  There was no mush, it had a nice bite to it, and the flavor was great.  It was enhanced by the herb butter rather than the herb butter being the stand out flavor.

The dressing was great too.  The meal was rounded out with cranberry sauce, “pinky” salad, spinach salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, sweet potato and parsnip gratin, and finished with ground cherry pie, pumpkin pecan pie, and homemade ice cream.

Oh, and potato chips because Lulu thought a proper Thanksgiving feast should include potato chips.

Who was I to argue?

itty bitty baby bells

4 Nov

Every now and then we get a little surprise on pick up day at our CSA.  It could be feeding sweet corn to the chickens, or to holding the new baby kittens, or a fun new vegetable to take home.  Granted my kids would rather bring home a baby chick or sweet little kitten, but I was excited to find these heirloom baby bells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are only about an inch tall. 

 

 

 

 

 

I had been thinking about a restaurant we used to go to that always served great hummus.  My favorite was the roasted red pepper and I just had to give it a try.  So, I roasted the little babies for my hummus.  Not the most noble use, but it was delicious. 

I roasted them on a parchment lined tray in a 400 degree oven.  It only took a few minutes for them to puff up and char.  After they cooled, the skin peeled off quickly and they were ready for the dip.

roasted red pepper and white bean hummus

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 flat leaf parsley leaves

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove

1/4 – 1/2 cup roasted red peppers

salt and pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Mix everything except the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a course paste.  With the machine running, gradually pour in the olive oil until the mixture is creamy.

We love to eat this with fresh vegetables and either soft or baked pita wedges.  To bake them, cut the wedges and place them on a cookie sheet.  Brush with olive oil and spinkle with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, flip all the wedges half way through.

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this is not the daring bakers recipe

29 Oct

I was not a Daring Baker this month.  I was a little overwhelmed with things around here and did not complete this month’s challenge.  Check out the blogroll to see all the amazing pizzas made by Daring Bakers who know how to get their act together. 

As for me, the Daring Baker slacker, I make pizza at least once a week, usually on Tuesday night.  I have tried many different pizza dough recipes, but always find myself coming back to this one.  I have used it for over eleven years now, so at this point I have a hard time switching.  It’s quick – if your short for time you only have to let it rest/rise for 10 minutes before shaping it.  Plus it makes enough for 2 large pizzas, so if you only need one, the extra dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and foil and frozen.  The night before I need it, I thaw it in the fridge and it’s ready to go.  When I’m feeling ambitious I will make extra batches so I have plenty in the freezer. 

Our toppings usually consist of the basics.  For sauce I either use a homemade marinara, or a half jar of something organic.  Both kids love pepperoni, CJ has a new found love of sausage, but nothing remotely “slimy”.  So I carefully section off the pizza, some pepperoni, some pepperoni and sausage, some pepperoni, sausage, and fresh tomato (this falls into CJ’s “slimy” category).  Usually I use a mix of aged cheese – mozzarella, sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and Parmesan.  Sometimes I spring for the fresh mozzarella when I want to change things up a bit.  I know – I’m really living on the edge here.  This time I was lucky enough to have a beautiful heirloom tomato.  I chopped it into big chunks and kept it to my side of the pizza.  It was delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The recipe for the dough is adapted from the book, Masterpiece recipes of The American Club.  The American Club, in Kohler, Wisconsin, was built in 1918 as a residence hall for the immigrants who worked at Kohler Co.  Now it is a five star resort with a collection of great restaurants.  Plus, all of the rooms and suites are outfitted with the most beautiful Kohler fixtures.  The spouse and I went there for our honeymoon and loved the pizza at Cucina.  This was one of the first recipes I made as a newlywed.  Then it was a special treat, now I have made it so many times I could make it in my sleep. 

pizza dough

3 1/2 cups flour (I use 3 cups white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (optional)

1 package (1/4 ounce) dry yeast

1 1/4 cups water (120 degrees)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon honey

In a large bowl combine the flours, yeast, garlic, and salt.

In another bowl mix water, olive oil, and honey.  Add to flour mixture and mix until it comes together in to a bowl.

Place dough on floured surface and work dough until smooth (about 7 minutes).  I have been known to throw it at this point.  It does help with shaping, and the kids think it’s real cool.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes in a warm place.  Divide dough in half (this will make 2 large pizzas) and roll to desired size.

Pre-bake crust for 4 minutes in a 500 degree oven.  Top with desired toppings and bake for 8 – 10 minutes until done.

I usually bake smaller pizzas directly on my pizza stone.  For the larger ones, I use a cookie sheet sprinkled with a little corn meal to keep it from sticking.

 

Sunday dinners

21 Oct

Bedrest.  

Before I had children I thought it would be an ideal situation.  Laying around all day long catching up on all the reading and sleep that nobody ever gets caught up on.  Then when I was pregnant I realised laying around with all that extra belly probably wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  I was lucky to never have to do bedrest with my babies. 

However, a friend of ours has been put on bedrest for 10 weeks.  She already has a busy little boy at home so lots of people are chipping in to help out.  We have signed on to make Sunday dinners. 

This past Sunday we served up grilled barbecue chicken with coleslaw, corn muffins, and chunks of fresh watermelon. 

I absolutely love the barbecue sauce on this chicken.  It’s adapted from Ina Garten’s book, the barefoot contessa.  Actually all three of these recipes are from this book.  It’s become my go to book when I just can’t decide what to make. 

This chicken works just as well baked as grilled.  I love it baked, but the spouse loves is grilled.  Since we are running out of nice days to grill we took advantage of the weather and fired up the grill.  We were so busy delivering and eating we forgot to take a pic of the finished chicken.  Oops.

Barbecued chicken

2 whole chickens, cut into quarters and marinate in half of the barbecue sauce for a couple of hour our overnight in the fridge.

barbecue sauce

In a saucepan over low heat pour in 1/2 cup canola oil. 

Add 1 chopped onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic and saute for 10 to 15 minutes.

When the onions are translucent, add

1 twelve ounce can of tomato paste

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup honey

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup brown mustard

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool and store in fridge.

When it’s time to cook the chicken discard the used marinade and place the chicken on the grill over medium heat.  Cook for about 45 minutes and be sure to turn them a couple of times to cook evenly. 

Serve with the extra sauce on the side.

We used the leftover for quesadillas.  The were delicious.

 

corn muffins

makes 18 – 20 muffins

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup cornmeal

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter melted

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In bowl of mixer, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, mix milk, melted butter, and eggs.  With the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just blended.  Spoon into the paper liners and bake for 30 minutes.

vegetable coleslaw

1 pound green cabbage

1/2 pound purple cabbage

6 carrots

2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup brown mustard

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons celery seed

1 teaspoon celery salt

salt and pepper

I used the wide blade of my food processor to slice the cabbages and the grating blade to grate the carrots.  Then put all the shredded vegetables in a large bowl and set aside.  In another bowl mix the mayo, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seed, celery salt, salt and pepper.  Pour this over the veggies and stir gently to coat them. 

We picked up a watermelon at the CSA on Saturday.  Lulu, being a lover of all things pink, was a little unsure about a yellow watermelon.  One taste quickly won her over. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were also Espresso brownies for dessert, but they will have to wait for another day.  CJ finally recovered from his bout with pneumonia and is back to school, but now I have so much to catch up on around the house.

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