Aprons Required

We've Got Crabs!!!

2011-08-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living on the water......is crabs! We live on a small creek off the intracoastal waterway, and the crabbing is amazing! Dennis usually has a pot off of our dock and then one or two off of the neighbor's bulkhead. Last night he put out 3 pots and by 4 pm today we had almost two dozen crabs!

In our area EVERYONE loves to gather around a picnic table and eat crabs, and I've been eating them for years......but I've never loved them more than I do now that I've learned how Dennis does his crabs! It's different that the way most do theirs....and it makes all the difference in the WORLD to me!

I always had extra paper towels next to me to soak up the yellow stuff.....I didn't like how it looked, what it reminded me of, nor the bitter taste it had. But Dennis gets rid of all of that BEFORE he cooks them!

He puts them all in his sink on the dock....then he plucks them up one by one.....

.....pulls off the top shell....

....then he plucks off the lungs......

Then he uses the hose at full force to clean out the insides.....the stuff that looks gross.....and tastes as bad.......

This is usually my job....or Shelby's if she's here. What cracks me up is how he lines them all up as they are being cleaned.....kinda like this:

He is also meticulous about how he arranges them in the pot....kinda like this:

He gets his pot of water, beer and vinegar going.....

....while he carefully layers them with Old Bay Seasoning.

Once the water/beer/vinegar starts boiling, he puts on the pot and cooks the crabs for just about 12 minutes.....almost ALWAYS they come out perfect, but I'm just not brave enough to put "always" and then yours don't turn out......umm....that's a disclaimer, I suppose.

But I will tell you that once they're done, they're delicious.....all of that beautiful white meat.....

.....and NO yellow stuff! Yummmmmmm............

Ceviche and Fish Tacos.......By Evan!

2010-11-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought.....the child that wouldn't try ANYTHING new....the one who only liked cereal, hot dogs, pizza, spaghetti and chicken (and yes, we told him ALL meats were chicken)....hated all things vegetable.....now will try anything....and wants to be a chef!!! I know!! Who WOULD have thought?

Evan has been anxious to show me his new found skills in the kitchen, so he came over one evening with his girlfriend, Emilia, to cook dinner with me. He was especially interested in making a ceviche....particularly a Peruvian style ceviche like the one we'd had at Side Street Cantina in Virginia Beach....but with Evan's own twist.

He started his slicing and dicing.....

Cucumber.....

The fish.....we chose tilapia....

Red onion and cilantro.....

and his twist.....avocado! He then juiced his limes...

Then added the vegetables, shrimp and fish for a good soak....just long enough to "cook" the fish....

It was delicious....in fact, it was so delicious that we just ate....no photos.....just eating...

To go with the Ceviche, Evan wanted to make Fish Tacos for us and we had plenty of fish, so why not? I helped out by making a Pico de Gallo with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice and garlic...I also added a little chili power and a tiny touch of sugar.

Evan did the rest.....he prepped all of his toppings....

He sliced the fish, tossed it in melted butter and coated it with blackening seasoning.....then cooked it...

It was a rather simple dish, but what I enjoyed most was watching Evan prepare it.....he is precise in his intentions and movements....organized in his thoughts and actions.

He has a clear vision of how he wants his dishes to look and taste, but his real joy is sharing his food....and hoping that it makes you happy....

....and it does....

So, was I surprised when he called me only a couple of weeks later to announce that he wants to be a Chef? No....not at all.....I'd been hoping he would figure that out for himself....and he did! I'm looking forward to watching him grow in this new realm! And I'm expecting some great things from him......food related and not. Note to Evan: I'm proud of you! Go and get what you want and deserve.....and keep the passion!

Product Review - Tyler Florence - Classic Pot Roast Sauce

2010-09-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

The fall happens to be my favorite time of the year....I love the colors, the weather, the holidays AND the food! Don't get me wrong.....I'm almost as exited in the spring with the anticipation of the warmer weather, beautiful flowers and the fresh vegetables to come! But there's something about the fall that just makes me a little bit more excited. I love cooking rich soups and thick stews.....and this is just the weather for it!

I was at the grocery store on Friday and found a beautiful, marbled roast beef and thought, "It's not quite cool enough.....but I can crank up the AC!!!". I threw it in the basket....then headed down the aisle to get my fave french onion soup mix (Mom's recipe....we've all had it!), and I saw on the shelf the name "Tyler Florence". If you know me, you know that he is one of my favorite chefs. If I'm planning to cook something, I always check out "Tyler's Ultimate" to see if he has made that dish before I move on.

So I grabbed the jar.....and it was Tyler Florence's Classic Pot Roast Sauce......

...I had to have it....and it would be perfect for that roast already in my basket. But then I'm just not a fan of ready made sauces....I really prefer to make them from scratch (although I've been known to buy ready made spaghetti sauce....and I have my fave....a different post!), but roast beef sauce? Oh well, it has his name on it....I'll try it!

I let Dennis taste it and he liked it, although I wasn't so sure. It didn't taste bad, but it did seem to have that "ready made" taste to it......oh well, I paid a pretty penny for it, I was going to use it....even it it ruined my beautiful, well marbled roast beef.

So, I salted and peppered one side of the meat, while heating olive oil in my Dutch oven....

...threw it in the pan, salt side down, then salted and peppered the other side.

I was looking for a really good sear because I knew that would definitely help this sauce to shine....

Yea....that's what I'm talking about!! Once both sides had a good crust on them, I pour the sauce over the meat, as directed on the bottle.

Ummm......make sure you stand back...and pour slowly.....

Yep....spot cleaner required!

As per the instructions on the bottle of sauce: "Add sauce, cover, turn temp down low; enjoy amazing aromas while it cooks." OK....I'll do that! While it cooked I went down to visit with a neighbor and when we came back......yep....the aromas were amazing! I was starting to have hope that this was going to be delicious after all!

The meat was starting to get quite tender, so I added my vegetables....

....carrots, onions and two week old celery. Yes, you heard that right! My celery had been in my refrigerator for two weeks! And no, it wasn't limp....it was just as crisp as the day I put it in the fridge! How you say? Well, wrap your celery in aluminum foil!

My neighbor, Carol, lives alone and there are only two in our household, so we sometimes buy something and split it.....and two weeks ago she handed me half of some celery she had bought...and it was wrapped in aluminum foil!! She explained that it would last much longer....and she was right! These are the kinds of tips you get when you talk about food all of the time!

Now back to the pot roast......was it at delicious as a sauce by Tyler Florence might promise? Yes....it was awesome....rich and thick.....and NO pre-made taste. It tasted as delicious and rich as Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. Would I buy it again? Probably.....although it is a little pricey, it is delicious!

Although what I will probably do more often is try to duplicate his sauce.....the front of the bottle says, "Earthy Porcini Mushrooms Take Pot Roast To A Whole New Level"......so the next time I make pot roast, I'll add porcini mushrooms. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Do you have a favorite pre-made sauce?

Mussels In Red Sauce

2010-08-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, dear blog, I have missed you!!! It's not that I don't cook anymore.....or take pictures of what I cook either! It's just been a busy spring and summer in my mortgage world and I just haven't had a spare moment to spend time with you! But today I was determined to start emptying my picture files and filling yours up!

So, yesterday was a "Cola" day....and I did what I most love to do and visited my fave mall....MacArthur Mall in Norfolk! I visited all of my favorite stores and bought nothing! So, to soothe my woes and rest my feet, I stopped in at Kincaids for a glass of wine and a bite to eat. It was after 3, so I hit happy hour!! I had a glass of chardonnay and a bowl of mussels in red sauce.....and it was fabulous!!!!

On the way home, I stopped at Harris Teeter to grab some grub for the week and they had mussels for $3.99 a bag, so I decided to try to duplicate this recipe sometime this week! Well, Dennis saw the mussels in the fridge this morning and got excited, so I decided to try them today! Mussels two days in a row? Score!

I gathered my ingredients.....mussels (of course!), garlic (fresh!!!), basil (homegrown), onion, oregano (not fresh....mine didn't survive for some reason!), crushed red peppers,olive oil, red wine and San Marzano tomatoes (believe it or not, I'd never cooked with them before!).

I diced the onions (I guess it was about 1/3 cup)....

and crushed 6 cloves of garlic.

I heated my beloved dutch over, poured in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let that heat....then I added the onions and garlic and let them cook slowly, while stirring....just until they are softened. I then added about 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red peppers and let those flavors blend.

Next I opened the can of San Marzano tomatoes....(oh wow! They ARE fabulous!)....poured those in and let them warm up a bit...then I added about 1 cup of the red wine and let the sauce simmer on low for about 1/2 hour.

While the sauce was doing its thing, I did mine.....I cleaned and sorted through the mussels. Make sure you throw out any mussels that will not close when tapped and also scrub them well and rinse several times.

I also picked some fresh basil.....

....and diced into a chiffonade by stacking the leaves.....

....rolling them up.......

...and slicing them into thin strips.

Now back to the sauce.....I added the basil at this point....

..time to add the mussels.....

....and settle them into their warm bath!

I let them cook on a low simmer for about 10 minutes.....then I scooped them into a bowl and added minced fresh parsley....

....poured a glass of wine and savored every last mussel....ummmm....morsel!!!

I love mussels and typically make them with white wine, garlic, shallots and butter....but this was delicious!!! I'll make these again...and again...and again!

Quick and Classy Cassoulet

2010-04-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

The daffodils around the house are a stark reminder that warmer weather is around the corner,

although the nights are still pretty chilly! So, what comes to my mind? Food.......yes, food. Winter food is my favorite.....summer food is all about simplicity.....light dishes and lots of grilling, even though the winter doesn't stop us from that!

But I knew that time was running out for making my cassoulet and if I didn't make it soon, I'd be getting some strange looks from this guy that I live with! So, on what may have been the last cool day of the year I started cooking this one pot wonder at noon.....I cut the bacon (about 4 or 5 slices) into what the French call a lardon (hey, it's diced/cut up bacon, but you have to admit that lardon sounds much nicer....

either way, they look pretty much the same, although in France it isn't smoked.....but you try finding unsmoked bacon in Virginia! Hmm.....I think that could be against the law...maybe.

Anyway, while my bacon was frying, I started prepping my mirepoix, also known as a "holy trinity"......carrots, celery and onions (about a cup of each...or so)!

I lightly sauteed them with garlic (about 4 cloves)....

and set them aside, along with the bacon.

Next, it was time to prepare the meats. I used bratwurst (I used 5 links) and cut it into chunks...

....and browned it and set it aside.

Then I cut up boneless chicken thighs (I used 5 thighs) and browned them....

....at the last minute adding some leeks (I'm a Leek Lover!).

Once the chicken was browned, I added the sausage back in, a nice sized sprig of thyme and two bay leaves. Then I used about 1.5 cups of chicken stock and about a cup of brandy and let that simmer for about 15 minutes. This allows the alcohol to cook off, since this dish is covered for baking.

Next I added two tablespoons of tomato paste....

...and a can of diced tomatoes....

Then I added in the bacon....

Then I layered the vegetables on top of the meat mixture....

...then I layered on top of that 2 cans of cannellini beans....

....covered and put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 2 hours.

After two hours, take it out and uncover.

I used about 5 slices of fresh bread, some butter (I found FRENCH butter....awesome!) and chopped fresh parsley....I put the bread in the food processor and ground it until fine,

added the butter and parsley and mixed it until it held together when pressed.

and spread it on top of the cooked mixture,

then put it back in the oven until lightly browed. When I served it, I added chopped green onions, just because I like the freshness....

We really enjoyed this dish and it just as delicious as leftovers! Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

2010-03-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

San Antonio, Texas is one of my favorite places to visit....and now my beautiful daughter, Shelby, lives there! The Tex-Mex food I've had there is wonderful! A few years ago I had an opportunity to visit on a company trip and I took a cooking class at Aldacos Sunset Station with Blanca Aldaco, the high energy owner and chef. The best part was we got to eat the same dish we were learning how to cook, the Chicken Enchiladas Verdes. Oh yea.....she also taught us how she makes Margaritas....from scratch!

Wanna know how I made them? Well, I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs....I just like the texture and moistness of the thighs versus the chicken breats. But the quick/easy way is to buy a rotisserie chicken and use that! Ummmm......

First you salt and pepper the breasts, place on a baking sheet......

......baked them at 350 degrees until they were golden brown......

...then I shredded the meat using two forks.

While the chicken was baking, I made the verde sauce. A verde sauce is made with tomatillos....

Tomatillos are actually a fruit, but you can find them in the tomato section in the produce department. It is surrounded by a paper-like husk, which is easy to remove. But you will notice a stick feel to the skin.....just rinse them under running water....comes right off.

Put the tomatillos (about a pound), one quartered onion, 4 or 5 garlic cloves, 1 bell pepper, quartered, a jalepeno or serano pepper, diced, salt to taste and 1/2 bunch cilantro (optional) into water. Note: I didn't have any peppers, so I used a small can of diced green chiles, which I added after cooking everything else.

Cook them until they are tender.....

.......and set them aside to cool. Once they have cooled, put them in a blender or food processor....

and blend until smooth. At this point, I added just a little cumin, since I didn't have any cilantro on hand. Set the sauce aside and start assembling your enchiladas. Just put a bit of the shredded chicken into the tortilla (I use the flour tortillas).

Place them side by side in the casserole dish.

The recipe actually calls for covering them with the sauce, but I think it tends to make them a little more soggy than I prefer, so I cover them with the cheese first....

....then I covered them with the sauce....

...then I baked it at 350 degrees until they were browned and bubbly....

They were delicious.....but no way are they better than the ones I had at Aldacos.

\ It's now a tradition.....we go there everytime I visit San Antonio now. Now it's just as much for the unbelievable pear cactus margarita....

.....and the tres leches cake......

....which we dove into before I could even think to take a picture!

So if you're ever in San Antonio, make sure you venture off the Riverwalk just long enough to go to Aldacos Sunset Station to try the chicken enchiladas, the cactus pear margarita and the tres leches cake......or make them yourself! They're fun to make and more fun to eat!

What's For Dinner?

2010-02-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

If you haven't yet tried this recipe for pork loin, you're really missing out on something! It's absolutely my fave pork recipe and it's always a "go to" recipe when I don't have a clue what I'm going to fix for dinner. Well, last night was one of those nights! It was the last day of the month, which is always a busy time for mortgage bankers. I realized around 4 o'clock that I hadn't taken anything out for dinner.

Phew.....back in the back of the freezer was a pork loin! Voila! Dennis did the butterflying of the loin....like this:

I filled it and covered the top with the stuffing and placed it in the baking dish. Then I surrounded it with cut red potatoes that I had tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper. I added a few of the thyme sprigs and baked it in the oven.

I decided to make cabbage to go with the pork and potatoes....one of my favorite meat/vegetable combinations.....and I love cabbage!

My cabbage cooking technique comes from a dear friend and colleage, Tammy Long, a Realtor with Rose and Womble. She is a fabulous cook......she entertains alot and I can't imagine anyone turning down an invitation to one of her events....not only for the fun and warmth they add to their gatherings, but for the fabulous food!!! (I hope I have this recipe right!)

I start by chopping the cabbage...

and the garlic....

the tossing the cabbage with olive oil.

Add salt and pepper...

and saute' on medium until it starts to soften (sometimes I add a little water to help the softening process...it helps to steam the cabbage without it browning, which is yuk)...then add the garlic...

...and cook until done to your liking.

The pork loin turned out great! The new butterflying method worked so much better!

Dinner was wonderful! Thanks, Tammy and Dennis!!

And I Hay-ulped!!

2010-02-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

If you've been thinking that I cook everything from scratch, well then I've been misleading you....unintentionally, of course!

My work keeps me very busy from the time I open my eyes ....and sometimes until I close them! Sure, I take breaks to grab a bite, but many times I'm making a sandwich while talking to a client, and eating while doing data input. I do love when I have the time to make something new and adventurous for dinner, but the time to do that doesn't always exist. Often I find myself looking at the clock only to realize that I haven't planned anything, haven't taken anything out of the freezer, or haven't gone to the grocery store for dinner!

This happened just last night.....I had a Monday/Friday and it was 6 o'clock when I felt the rumble in my stomach....uh oh! But this time I was ready! I had gone to Harris Teeter the night before, and had a little time to browse the aisles, which is rare (I'm usually a get in, get what I need, get out kinda girl). I happened to notice something I hadn't seen/thought of in many, many years.....

Shake 'N Bake!!! I remember when this stuff first came on the market....I guess I was around 10 or 11....and my Mom thought it was the greatest invention ever! I think it was originally produced for pork chops.....they were delicious. That's about all I really remember, other than that commercial with the little girl helping her Mommy make dinner, exclaiming, "It's Shake 'N Bake, and I helped (pronounced hay-ulped)". Of course, I looked everywhere for that commerical on the internet....no luck. There were a few in YouTube, but this was my favorite:

Anyway, let's get back to dinner last night....I made Chicken Parmigiana....with Shake 'N Bake! It was quick, easy and delicious!

I used some chicken cutlets that are pre-sliced and cleaned....put them in the bag with the SNB mix, then put them on a parchment lined baking dish and let them sit for about 20 minutes.

This helps the coating to adhere well. (TIP - it's a pain to get parchment paper to lay flat on the baking sheet - just wet it first and it will stay flat)

While they were setting up, I started my sauce. Yep....premade sauce! My favorite is Harris Teeter's brand - Traditional. But I add a few things that the shelf sauces just don't have.....more garlic (I love Gourmet Garden's tube herbs-the garlic is delish!), more oregano and basil and red wine. I let this simmer while I prepared everything else.

I baked the chicken at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then topped them with mozzarella cheese and broiled that for about a minute or so...just long enough for the cheese to melt. Then I put the chicken over pasta, topped with my sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Before

After

It was delicious...and much more so than ordering take out pizza or Chinese food...and it was quick and easy! Seeeeee......I'm not a fancy cook, really I'm not. I just love to spend time in my kitchen and I love trying new recipes.....and I love ingredients, whether they are quick and easy or dishes made from scratch!

Shrimp Shrimp.....

2010-02-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

.....oh wait....with a side of lobster!

The other day I walked into the kitchen to find one of my favorite cookbooks on the counter opened to a shrimp recipe. " Hmmm.......guess this is what he wants me to make with those shrimp that are defrosting in the sink.", I thought. Then he walked in and said, "This is what I'm making for dinner tonight.". What??? Did I hear you correctly?? YOU are making dinner? Really? Wow! That's awesome!

I left the kitchen and he later appeared with my delicious dinner! We both enjoyed it, but as we always do over a plate of food, we critiqued it....add a little this or that. And since there were quite a few shrimp left, he decided to make it again a couple of nights later.....and this time I was there to document it for the blog!

I became his sous chef for the evening, doing all of his prep work. I gathered all of the ingredients that were listed in the recipe, plus the two we'd decided to add (more on that later).

Since there wasn't quite enough shrimp, and we had a lobster tail leftover from Valentine's Day, I chopped it up and added it to the shrimp I had peeled and deveined. I also juiced the lemon, diced the green onions, shredded the parmesan

and minced the garlic!

Once everything was prepped, Dennis came in and set up his work area.....

...ummmm....yeah.....he prepped the drink! He heated the pan and added his olive oil....then put in the shrimp and lobster...

....and sauteed them until just before they were done.....then he added the garlic, lemon juice and green onions.....

Ummm.....took a sip...or two....

...added salt and pepper, then cooked until done...

He then added the butter and allowed that to melt, poured it over hot pasta and topped with the grated parmesan cheese...

It was delicious and it took only about 20 minutes from prep to finish!

The recipe is from the Williams Sonoma "Fish" cookbook and is as follows:

Shrimp Sauteed with Lemon and Garlic

4 tablespoons of olive oil (Dennis found that he needed to add a little more)

1 1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (we had about a pound of shrimp and then added a small lobster tail, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 green onions, diced (we used more...about 4 or 5)

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley (we left this out)

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 whole, fresh lemon)

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until pink on one side, about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over with tongs, add garlic, salt, pepper to taste, toss. Then add green onions, parsley and lemon juice. Toss again and transfer to a warmed platter. Serve.

Our Variations: We added about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter at the end of cooking, poured it all over hot pasta, then topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Quick, easy, delicious.......VOILA!

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

2010-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge fan of Alton Brown's Good Eats! Although I watch alot of the Food Network's chefs, he is one of my all time favorites. Most chefs walk you through the recipe while they make it, but Alton gives you the science and the history behind the dish....and he's funny!

Last week I happened to tune in to one of his older segments about classic recipes that aren't as prevalent anymore. This one was a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. I haven't had one of those in years! Dennis watched it with me and said it was also one of his old favorites, so we decided to make it over the "snowed in" weekend.

I started by boiling my eggs.....Alton used an electric coffee pot, which keeps the water under a boil and doesn't overcook the egg. I don't HAVE an electric coffee pot....and I sure wasn't going to buy one just to make boiled eggs. So, I used my old standby way of boiling eggs.

I start by putting my eggs in cold water, then I bring it just to a boil....turn it off, take it off the burner and cover the pan.....

....then let it sit for 15 minutes.

While the eggs were "not boiling", I prepared my spinach....

I listened to Alton on this one and bought the bunched spinach.....I usually buy either the loose or the bagged. I wasn't so happy with my spinach. That's a huge bunch, and I barely got enough for two salads...either it was yellowing or it was gooey. I cleaned what I managed to salvage by putting it in a colander and tossing is under water....

....then I laid it out on a clean dish towel.....

Since I don't have a salad spinner (is that a foodie sin?), I pulled up the four corners and did the "airplane" with my arm (aren't you glad I don't do video?) so they would be nice and dry. It worked....a little....I still had to pat them a bit to make sure they were good and dry.

Meanwhile, I had four slices of bacon baking in my "baby oven" at 400 degrees until they were crispy.

Then I crumbled them and hid them....otherwise someone I know would have scoffed them up before I could finish the salad!

Now that all of the components were ready (eggs peeled and sliced, too), I started my dressing. Alton says to use 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease....what? I don't have that much....I used center cut bacon! Sooooo, I scraped what I had out of the pan and into a saucepan on low heat. I had about 1 tablespoon.....then I added 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and whisked that in, followed by 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (Maille, of course)...whisked all of that together. Hmm....I really needed the other two tablespoons of bacon fat. Oh well....I just added 2 tablespoons of olive oil and whisked it in...tasted.....yes! Crisis averted.....even when I try to follow a recipe, I can't!

While the dressing is still warm, I poured it over the spinach leaves and tossed. Then I put them in the salad bowls, added the eggs, bacon and sliced red onion...salt and pepper and VOILA!

It tasted just like I remembered...delicious.

Of course, now that I'm writing this post and reviewing Alton's recipe, I realized I forgot the mushrooms....yes, he sliced and added mushrooms. Oh well....we didn't miss it, so I'll just add them the next time, which I'm sure will be soon!

I Dream of Snow Cream!!!

2010-01-31T13:47:00.000-08:00

Even the slightest hint that we might be getting snow will remind me to check the pantry to make sure I have condensed milk....and that goes as far back as I can remember. My mom always made snow cream when there was enough snow. Sure, I remember the old saying that you should only use the second snow of the season, but I just can't figure that out. Then again, it's rare for us to get a "first snow" that will offer enough to make the rich, delicious stuff, so I'm not going to put myself through the torture of having to wait for a second fall.

Of course, you want to get your snow from the deepest area possible....snow had drifted on our deck, so that was perfect! Scrape off the top layer...then gather your snow.

Generally, you'll need twice as much snow as the amount of snow cream you want to make, but that really depends if you have a light snow, or a wet snow.

The only ingredients are condensed milk (no, not evaporated milk...), sugar and vanilla...and, of course, the snow.

There are some recipes on the internet that call for eggs, but I figure I'm taking enough risks eating the first fallen snow....better not take additional risks by eating raw eggs!

I start by mixing my ingredients, other than the snow. For this batch I used a half can of the condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and about a 1/4 cup of sugar...

Mix the ingredients, then start adding your snow, a little at time, tasting as you go along. I think I used about 4 or 5 cups of snow...

.....and it yielded about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of snow cream....

.....and I ate it while I did this post.....yummmmmmmmm!!

There are alot of reasons why I love snow, but this one ranks right up at the top of the list.......

French Potato Salad - My Re-creation

2010-01-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you follow my other blog here, then you will recall the French potato salad that Dennis had while we were in Paris:

It truly was one of my favorite things that I ate in Paris....so different from any potato salad I'd ever eaten (what, no mayonnaise?).

So, after blogging about it, I decided it was time to do some research. As usual, I searched the internet for "French Potato Salad" and I search through my cookbooks......the one that sounded like it would taste most like what I tasted was the one from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Pommes de Terre A L'Huile or sliced potatoes in oil and vinegar dressing.

Of course, I changed it up a little....that's just how I roll. Instead of cooking the potatoes whole, as she calls for, I peeled them and cut them into slices.

I did this because I felt that I would get mmore evenly cooked slices. Then I put them in boiling salted water and cooked them at just below a boil until they were just barely fork tender. Once they are done, put them in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and 1/4 cup of vermouth (white wine is fine!) and gently toss them to cover. Let them sit while you make your dressing.

For my dressing, I used 2 tablepoons of red wine vinegar...then added 1 tablespoon of Maille Old Style Whole Grain Dijon Mustard.

...Julia's recipe calls for prepared mustard...yuck! Besides, it's clear from the picture of what we had in Paris that it's a whole grain mustard...and I just like the Maille brand the best.

Once I whisked those together, I added a little salt, then whisked in 4 tablespoons of olive oil (I used extra virgin, but I think the light olive oil or even vegetable oil might work a little better).

I then added chopped chives and peppercorns, drained my potatoes and prepared my plate!

It looks close enough and it tasted great....but we both agreed that it wasn't quite right! After we ate our dinner, I put the rest of the potatoes in with the rest of the dressing and left them on the counter. The longer they sat, the better they tasted! So, if you try this recipe, make them in advance and allow them to marinate.....it was as close as I could get to what we had in Paris. I'd also like to try adding more chives and pink peppercorns, instead of the red.

I'd love to hop a plane and go back and taste them again....but since I can't even remember where we ate, that's useless. I'll just stick with this recipe!

Running with the Devil......

2010-01-26T23:02:00.000-08:00

.....yes, I love Van Halen, but this post really has nothing to do with him....or that song. This is actually the finale to the "belated" birthday dinners. The request? Deviled Crab! I have to admit that the stuff I've seen in the little foil fake crab looking tins has never peaked my interest. Sure, I've eaten them, but I just don't remember eating them.....and usually that's a reason that I don't normally cook something.

Soooo, when he asked for Deviled Crab, I asked why. He didn't have an answer....it was just the first thing that came to his mind. So, since I was the one who forgot his birthday, I went along with it. I searched the internet and every cookbook I had for recipes.....it's just that they all seemed to be variations of regular crab cakes, but with bell pepper.

I have always loved bell peppers, but why eat the green ones, when you can have the beautifully ripe red ones....so that's what I decided to go with. And since I already had some roasted red peppers in the fridge.....done!

I got all of my ingredients together....diced onions, celery, garlic and the most beautiful crab I've seen in a while. It was unbelievably fresh for this time of year.

I started by sauteeing the onions and celery in a half olive oil and half butter, later adding the garlic so it wouldn't cook too much and become bitter. Then I added the peppers. I set them aside to cool.

Meanwhile, I combined mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, mixed well and poured that over the crab. Then I took two slices of fresh bread and ground it in my mini processor, then added all but about 4 tablespoons of it to the bowl.

Next add the celery, onions and pepper (called a Holy Trinity....at least it is with green peppers) and mix well. I put the mixture into my single serving baking dishes.

I then melted about a tablespoon of butter in the pan I'd cooked the trinity mixture in and added the breadcrumbs....then put them over the crab mixture.

I baked them at 350 degrees until the tob was golden brown and they were cooked through. We grilled asparagus that had been tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and grilled.

It was a delicious dinner and he enjoyed it. So when I asked what he thought? "It tastes kinda like crabcakes!" I agree! But it was good!

Bon Appetit!

A l m o s t Parfaite (perfect)!!!!

2010-01-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

If you happen to follow my other blog, you might remember this.....

...this was the first dish Melinda ordered in Paris....braised endive with ham and a bechamel sauce with gruyere cheese! The only bad thing about it was that I didn't order it (AND I ended up with a cheese and ham omelet that was overcooked and had NO cheese!).

So, I've been dreaming of this dish since that day and I've been through every recipe in my cookbook gallery and on the internet. In the end, I decided to use a version of Julia Child's recipe, especially since I'm currently reading the "Julie/Julia Project" blog. Of course, "use" a recipe for me means that I'm going to use most of the ingredients and possibly the process.

Julia's recipe calls for 12 (yes, a dozen!) endives....she must have been cooking for quite a crowd! I bought 4....

....and sliced them in half lengthwise,

... melted butter in my pan and cooked them on medium high, just until they start to turn brown.

Then I added a half cup of vermouth and a half cup of chicken stock

and let that cook down until there was only a couple of tablespoons left in the pan. Meanwhile, I made a "round" of waxed paper, which will be used to cover the endive as they bake.

Remove the pan from the stove, cover the endive with the waxed paper and the lid to the pan, then bake at 350 degrees for one hour (I know....long time, huh?). Then you remove the pan, take off the lid (not the waxed paper) and cook for an additional half hour. When they come out, they look like this:

I couldn't resist eating one, even though I still had the bechamel sauce to make....

....it was delicious!

Next I rolled each one in thinly sliced ham....since I only had a few slices of deli ham, I wrapped the others in prosciutto. Then I started the bechamel sauce. You make a buerre manie, which is made by mixing together equal parts of softened (not melted) butter and flour, then add to the pan....

....heat the pan and allow this mixture to cook just for a minute or two, then add milk (I'll tell you now that I used half and half because I only had skim milk - mistake - should have used half of each of those because my sauce was just toooo thick!)...a little grated nutmeg, then allow to thicken. Then add grated gruyere cheese.

Pour over the ham and endive,

top with a little more cheese, then bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and brown on the top.

Although my sauce was a bit too thick, the flavor was there! I was immediately transported back to my first morning in Paris!

I will make this again.....

Hurry!!!! Chicken Curry!!!

2010-01-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

Yep, I'm still making "belated" birthday dinners.....but I am getting there! The other day I realized I had some chicken breasts that had been in the freezer for a while and needed to cook them. I don't keep many meats in the freezer other than chicken and hamburger, although I will freeze steaks if I happen to get a great buy on my favorite cut (tenderloin...ahhh!), but I'm very careful to wrap them in plastic wrap very tightly and them place them in freezer bags.

Soooo.....back to the chicken breasts! I went through several of my cookbooks (I do have a few!) and was drawn to several chicken curry recipes. After having heard Dr. Oz say we should eat curry 2-3 times a week, I decided to start that day!

The first thing I did was slice my chicken into slices....it's easier to do if the chicken hasn't completely thawed.

Next I seasoned the chicken. I had seen a couple of recipes that called for seasoning with Garam Masala seasoning, which I had discovered a few months ago. I made some from scratch, but I have seen it in the grocery stores. Here's the recipe, if you want to make your own:

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons cardamom seeds

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon, broken up

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon saffron (optional)

Put all but the nutmeg and saffron into a dry, heavy skillet over medium low heat.....stir occasionally as they toast....about 10 minutes. Place them into spice mill, coffee grinder or food processor and grind to a powder, then add the nutmeg and saffron and stir. It keeps for about 3 months covered in an airtight container.

I used about 2 tablespoons of the Garam Masala, and tossed it to cover the chicken and set aside for about 30 minutes.

Put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a hot skillet, then add the chicken and brown.

Set them aside and start to prep your vegetables. I used 1/2 large onion, sliced, and some beautiful multi-colored tomatoes I had bought for a salad which I cut in half. I also diced up 4 cloves of garlic and 3 medium sized red potatoes, diced.

OK....you noticed that there aren't any potatoes on that cutting board. Truth? It was a last minute thought....they were in a bowl on the counter and I couldn't resist cutting them up and throwing them in.....I wasn't sure they'd work too well, especially since I was putting all of this over rice. Argh....alot of starch! Soooo, I didn't take a picture....so I wouldn't have to tell you that it was a mistake. Now? It wasn't a mistake, but it wasn't fabulous either, although adding them did help to thicken the sauce.

So, back to the recipe.....I put the onion and diced/minced garlic into the pan with the drippings from cooking the chicken, just to soften.

Then I added a cup or so of chicken stock and the potatoes, along with a teaspoon of curry powder. (Hey look....I DO have a picture of the potatoes!)

While these were cooking (just too soften - be careful not to make mush out of the potatoes, which I do from time to time!) I made my saffron rice. You're most welcome to "google" saffron rice, but I've been making Mahatma's Saffron Rice for years! I'm not real sure my kids ever ate white rice, now that I think about it!

It's very inexpensive, easy to make....and so buttery delicious!

After the potatoes, onions and garlic have cooked, and the chicken broth has cooked down and thickened, add the chicken back to the mixture and toss...then add the tomatoes and toss lightly.

Once the tomatoes are warmed, put the rice on a plate or in bowl, top with the chicken mixture and VOILA (I love the French language, even if I only know a few words!)

This might seem like it's a time consuming recipe, but it really isn't. It's very quick to make and if you make plenty, you can have it again a day or two later....remember, Dr. Oz says you should have curry 2-3 times per week! I guess I need another curry recipe. I'll get back to you on that!

Belated Birthday Dinner.....

2010-01-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

You may not have heard.....I forgot his birthday. I know. Bad. So, I've been trying to make it up to him, although he actually got a bit of a kick out of it. I always try to cook something special for everyone's birthday, even if we decide to go out to the birthday boy's/girl's fave restaurant.....but Dennis has so many faves, it was hard to decide. So, I started with Veal Parmigiana....he loves it!

I went to Harris Teeter to shop....they usually have the better products to cook with, especially when it comes to fresh ingredients. And their cheese counter is pretty good for a grocery store! But I was surprised that they didn't have freshly cut veal. They had packaged pieces.....yep, I bought 'em.

They were actually nice pieces, although a little small. I decided to pound them into paillards (yup...French word!), which are thin slices. I use a zip top bag for this, mainly because it's a little thicker than clear wrap and doesn't seem to fall apart.

Dennis came into the kitchen just as I was about to pound......

Once they were pounded into thin slices, I set up my dipping station.....2 eggs with a little water (beaten), flour (salt & pepper) and Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese....you dip into the flour first, then the egg, then the bread crumbs. Place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to the coating to "set up", which helps it to adhere to the meat and not fall apart in the pan when you're browning them.

While they were set aside, I started my sauce....and the camera battery died....and the other battery was dead....and I had to get the sauce done. My sauce is very simple.....I put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a heated pan, add my diced/crushed garlic and let it soften. Then I add a small can of tomato paste and turn the heat down low.....this allows the paste to carmelize/roast a bit and the flavors deepen. Next I add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes....about a teaspoon of sugar, fresh basil and red wine (white wine works, too!)....then I just let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes (to let the alcohol evaporate), then cover and leave on low until ready to use.

So....I waited about 45 minutes for the battery to charge and then started the veal. I put about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, then just browned them on medium high heat. Remember, they have been pounded into thin slices....you want to brown them very fast, since they go into the oven next!

While they were browning, I grated my Parmesan cheese and set aside.....I have to leave the grater out in case Dennis reappears in the kitchen. If he sees freshly grated Parmesan on the counter, you'll have to grate more....guaranteed.

After the veal was all browned, I put them onto parchment paper on a baking sheet....laid fresh mozzarella over the tops (Note: I tried this new stuff in the grocery store....fresh mozzarella sheets.

While it was better than the grated stuff in the zip top bags, it was expensive and a bit of a pain to deal with....I'm still in search of great mozzarella. I'll let you know when I find it!).

Now here is where the recipe gets a little personal. Alot of recipes call for you to pour the sauce over the veal, then cover with the mozzarella. I don't do it that way.....I just coated and fried those suckers. They have a nice crispy outside and covering them with sauce will ruin that! So, I cover them with the cheese....bake in the oven at 400 degrees or more, just until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven....place the veal over pasta and cover with my rich, delicious sauce! Then I sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top....add freshly baked bread and VOILA (French word for Italian food...I know)....Belated Birthday Dinner #2!!!

Water Who?? Waterzooi!!!!

2010-01-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

I know....it doesn't sound like something you'd want to eat, does it? But it is! It's a stew/soup (or "stoup", as Rachel Ray would say!) that originated in Ghent, Belgium and was originally made with fish. Julia Child actually called it, "the most interesting recipe I've clipped" and featured it on one of her shows, so that was "French" enough for me.

I didn't get the chance to cook while in Paris....we stayed so busy sightseeing and came in too late in the evenings to have time to cook. So, I haven't gotten the "French cooking" out of my system yet. Oh well....it's a great excuse to go back, right?

I found the recipe while stalking some blogs on Friday and was pretty sure I had what I needed.....since today was cold and it was Sunday, it was the perfect day to try my hand at this "stoup"!

It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but it's really quite easy to make and you can have dinner ready in about 45 minutes or so....and it's all in one pot (of course, you'll need a crispy baguette to go along with it!).

You'll need a nice sized leek, 4 stalks of celery (I also use the very center leaves....I like it a little rustic and there's so much flavor there!), carrots, extra dry vermouth, butter, eggs, chicken stock/broth, onion, tarragon (fresh or dried) and heavy cream.

I started by cutting the onion, leek, celery and carrots into small 2 inch pieces, then diced about 2 tablespoons of fresh tarragon (1 tablespoon of dried).

Heat a Dutch oven and melt 2 tablespoon of butter....then add the veggies and tarragon and cook on medium low until somewhat translucent.

Take out 2/3s of the veggies. I sliced my chicken breasts and laid half of them over the first layer of veggies....covered them with 1/3 of the veggies, then added the rest of the chicken and covered it with the remaining veggies.

The next step is to combine 1 cup each of extra dry vermouth and chicken stock and pour over the chicken and veggies to cover.....add more (1/2 of each) if necessary. Then simmer on medium low until the chicken is done....about 20 minutes.

Then drain the liquid from the chicken and veggies. In one separate bowl, beat 6 egg yolks to combine. In another bowl, mix together 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch (ooops....I didn't have cornstarch, so I used 2 1/2 teaspoons of flour...mix WELL and strain through a strainer so you won't have lumps). Combine the two mixtures,

then add the broth 1/2 cup at a time until you've added 1/2 of the broth. Then pour the rest in and pour over the chicken and veggies.

Simmer on low (watch it here....if you cook it at too high or too long, the cream will curdle) until the sauce thickens.....the VOILA!

Waterzooi!

It really is a delicious soup! The flavor is amazing! I think that the next time I make it, I think I will use cut chicken instead of the breasts.....and I think I will brown them off first....just for added flavor. I'll let you know how it goes! In the meantime, you have to try this recipe....it's wonderful!

Yule Loggin'......

2009-12-27T18:43:00.000-08:00

We were blessed to be able to share in Melinda's Christmas eve tradition and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with 30 of her friends and family! She always makes Lobster di Frivolo, which is a time honored tradition in her family. It is, by far, fabulousity at its best!

I had been doing alot of "surfing" about the delicious treats we'd find in Paris and came across lots of information about the Bouche de Noel (Yule Log), which is served on every French table at Christmastime....I'm told not having one is equivalent to not having a turkey at Thanksgiving!

I was concerned that we wouldn't get the opportunity to enjoy this tradition since we are arriving in Paris after Christmas, so I decided to make one to take to Melinda's house for Christmas eve. At first, I was overwhelmed with the recipes, but after doing considerable research, I realized this was something I could do IF I put all else aside....it was worth the effort.

The Bouche de Noel is a genoise cake (sponge cake) with chocolate mousse or buttercream inside and covered with chocolate ganache. It is light, fluffy and a little rich, but not too much!

My end result looked "okay".....but there are changes I would make. I thought my genoise cake was too dry, so I've updated the recipe to add more moisture. I also didn't think I had enough chocolate ganache to completely cover the log, so I'm doubling the recipe the next time.

So, without further ado, here is the process that I followed (with updated recipe):

The first thing you need to do is prepare your sheet pan by spraying with Pam, the cover with parchment paper, which I buttered and coated in sugar (it's something I learned from Mom and it really does keep the cake from sticking).

The next thing you need to do is beat the eggs.....the recipe I had called for 4 eggs, but I think you'd do better with 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks. You'll need to beat them for 5 to 7 minutes until they are thick and pale and have doubled (or tripled!) in bulk. Then I added my sugar (3/4 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, then add 1 tablespoon of good quality vanilla. Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in 3/4 cup of sifted cake flour, 1/4 cup at a time.

Then drizzle 5 tablespoons of melted butter (cooled a little) and carefully fold that in. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes....make sure it doesn't overcook....that's when it really gets dry!

While that was cooking, I started making my chocolate mousse filling. I used Martha's recipe, which can be found here. You start by melting the chocolate (semi-sweet) in a glass bowl set in the top of a pot with water at a slow simmer.
Then you wisk in the egg yolks and set aside. Put the egg whites in the mixer with the cream of tarter and whisk until they have stiff peaks.....fold in about a third of them to the chocolate mixture, then fold the rest. Clean the mixer bowl and beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks and fold that in....then set in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
Don't forget that cake in the oven!!!

Once the cake came out of the oven, I spread a clean dish towel over the counter, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar and turned out my cake onto it....make sure you loosen then edges of the cake from the pan first! Then, using the towel to help, roll up the cake and let it cool. Now for the ganache!

This part is EASY! Again, I used Martha's recipe, but I suggest doubling it.....you won't need it all, but it will give a better coating than what I had.

Chop up the bittersweet chocolate into pretty small pieces, then heat the heavy cream until it just comes to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk to blend.....set it aside to chill and get back to that cake!

Time to fill it! Carefully unroll the cake and spread the chilled mousse over the top to about an inch from the sides and bottom.....roll.....back to the fridge! Once it's chilled, cut off about a 6 inch piece and trim the ends at an angle.......coat the larger piece in ganache, add the smaller piece, then coat that with the ganache and VOILA.....Bouche de Noel!

You can decorate it any way you like.....from what I've seen on the internet, France has gotten quite creative with the ones they make now....most don't even resemble a log! At the last minute I decided to brave making the meringue mushrooms. They were also easier than I thought....but make LOTS....some just won't turn out quite right!

Again, I admit that I was a little intimidated at first....ok, alot intimidated. But I'm glad I did it....it was delicious! I still hope that there are still some in the windows of the boulangeries in Paris. If so, I'll let you know how they taste!

Loafin' Around.....

2009-12-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

When the cold weather sets in, it always takes me back to my childhood comforts.....the flannel nightgowns trimmed in eyelet lace that my mother made for me, the soups on the stove, the fresh cannister of cocoa that always appeared in the pantry ready for cold, windy days, the cans of condensed milk ready for snow cream......and meatloaf!

I have to admit that I wasn't always a fan.....I'd have rather she used it to make plump, juicy hamburgers! The meatloaf my Mom made was full of oats, breading and lots of onions topped with lots of ketchup....and I've never been a ketchup fan!

Well, the cold weather has set in and it seems that meatloaf has also conjured up some memories for Dennis. He was craving meatloaf! After requesting this entree (?) several times, I finally caved in and decided to serve it up.....my way!

I try very hard to stay away from carbohydrates (most of the time I fail!), so I went to work trying to figure out how I could pull off this meatloaf without it being so dry......and without the globs of ketchup (which lasts much longer around our house now that the kids are on their own).

I had some ground beef, but decided to make a run to the store for some ground pork to add to it. I also scouted out what I had in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.....mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions and roasted red peppers from the pantry....score! The vegetables should help keep the meatloaf moist versus using oatmeal!

Now....what to do about the ketchup! While at the store scouting out the ketchup section, I noticed chili sauce....lots more flavor and not so sweet......score #2.

I used my food processor to grind up the veggies semi-fine and added them to the meat along with an egg.
Then I formed it into a loaf on top of parchment paper on my baking sheet.....baked it until it was somewhat firm (nothing worse than firm, dried out meatloaf!) and served it up. It was a hit!

Since I made so much, I decided to take half and freeze it.....NOT a score!

There was plenty for dinner.......but, as I found out later, not enough for a meatloaf sandwich the next day (not for me, mind you.....remember, I TRY to eat bread only on special occasions....like weekends at Melinda's cabin and holidays!)

Since I'm not so much a meatloaf lover, I wasn't quite sure it was a hit until it was served.......it got rave reviews.....along with requests for more! I have to admit, for meatloaf it was awesome.....the best I've ever had!

Oh-my-lette.........

2009-12-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

I've been making omelettes for years! I try to keep my carbohydrates down, so it's really the perfect breakfast for me. So......last night I couldn't sleep and stayed up late watching a PBS program: Julia Child Memories: Bon Appetit!. I really was expecting 2 hours of Julia's shows, which I had been wanting to see again. Now, you do get to see portions of her shows, but it's really an info-merical to sell the DVDs of her shows, while at the same time raising monies for the PBS network (I'm all for that! I love PBS).
When Julia did the "omelette" segment, I thought, "How interesting can this be? I already know how to make omelettes." But.....I was wrong. I learned several little things that could make my omelettes a little easier to make and ensure they always come out right, because sometimes they just don't.....then I tell everyone they're eating scrambled eggs!
After sipping on a cup of coffee this morning, I decided to try my hand at her techniques! Guess what!!! They were perfect.......high heat (I always cooked mine slowly).....add a tad (I think that's what she said)of butter and let melt, add two eggs beaten with 1 teaspoon of water, let it sit for a few seconds, then move the pan in a circle until it's just about set....then move the pan up and down on the burner until it gathers in one corner......flip the omelette upside down on the plate and voila!
Then she did an omelette buffet with all kinds of fillings. She had spinach, mushrooms, fried liver (?) and lots of veggies and cheese. I usually use cheddar, but she used swiss cheese. This morning's omelettes had swiss cheese, sauteed shallots and mushrooms with bacon on top.I also made some hashbrowns for Dennis. .Great way to start the day!

Here's the video of her making an omelette:

Ooey....Gooey!!!!

2009-11-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

For Melinda's birthday, I made her a carrot cake....but not just ANY carrot cake! I made her an Ooey Gooey Carrot Cake!
I had made an Ooey Gooey Butter cake one time before, and there are so many variations that I knew there had to be one for Carrot Cake. I found a couple, but as always, I have to put my own spin on it. They called for adding carrots and pecans to the topping, which just didn't sit right with me. The topping is like the cream cheese icing on a regular carrot cake....and we don't put carrots and pecans in that!
Anyway, my neighbor and friend, Carol, had a taste of it and as Thanksgiving got closer, she asked me to make one for her family Thanksgiving dinner.....a chance to cook? I'm in!!!
You need a springform pan, which I buttered then coated with sugar (Cola Tip there...cakes come out clean EVERY time...and the sugar and butter a nice candied coating on the cake, making it very easy to ice without a crumb coat). Then you mix together a cake mix....but not just ANY cake mix! The recipes on the internet called for a spice cake....what? I used the Duncan Hines DECADENT Carrot Cake mix. It comes with a packet with dried carrots and raisins in it. Anyway, put the cake mix and the packet contents into the mixer....I added about a cup of chopped pecans. Then add one stick of melted butter and one egg.Mix....it will be about the consistency of cookie dough. Put the dough into the pan and, using your fingers, spread it to coat the bottom of the pan.>Next you need to make the "icing" or "topping". You mix 1 pound of confectioners sugar, 1 stick of butter, 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2 eggs in the blender (didn't take a pic of this! Dang!) and pour it over the top of the cake mix mixture.

Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes. The center will be a little jiggly, but it will be nicely browned on the top.This is one recipe you have to promise me you'll try....take it to your company picnic...but make sure to take plenty of copies of the recipe!!!

Let's get cooking!

2009-11-25T05:07:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! If you ask me, the day before Thanksgiving is more work than the day of......running around to get last minute ingredients and trying to get everything organized so that the cooking will go smoothly. The day of is a piece of cake! It's just cooking!
But some of the cooking actually does start the day before. In fact this recipe must be started at least 24 hours before! This year we're sharing Thanksgiving at Melinda's house, so I don't get to make everything I normally make, but I'll share the making of the things I am cooking....or not cooking....as in Cranberry Relish! No cooking is involved there!
I grew up eating the jellied cranberry sauce and had absolutely no idea that the real thing could be so much more delicious....then Diana Brown moved here from Detroit and her mother opened up my culinary world. She cooked things we didn't really make here in Virginia and one of the first I tasted was her Cranberry Relish....it's been at my table ever since. It's really simple.....
I took 2 bags of fresh cranberries and chopped them up in the food processor.Then I added the juice of one juicy orange (or two not so juicy oranges)
and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I processed the mixture until everything was fine and chopped evenly.
Put into a covered contained and set in the refrigerator......as the sugar and orange juice reduce the bitterness of the cranberries, you may need to adjust the sugar. I usually save about a half cup of cranberries, just in case I got it a little too sweet. You never can tell....depends on the sweetness of the cranberries you're using.
Well, I have to get up and get moving.......I'll be back later with more Thanksgiving Prep though, ok? See you later!

A Classic and an Update.......

2009-11-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

I was thumbing through my cookbook to make sure I have everything I need for our Thanksgiving Feast, which we're sharing at Melinda's house this year. I guess YOU could guess that I watch alot of food shows, right? Well, one of my favorites is America's Test Kitchen on the PBS channel.
Well, I watched one show this weekend about their "flip" on Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.....which is a MUST HAVE at our Thanksgiving table. Typically, you roast your head of garlic in the oven, right? And you boil your potatoes, right? Well, this completely cuts out those two steps AND adds tons more flavor....here's the concept:
1. You mince 12 cloves of fresh garlic and saute on medium low in 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon sugar until they just start to turn the color of straw.
2. Then add 1.2 cup water and 1 1/2 cups milk.
3. Then add 3 pounds of russet potatoes which have been sliced into 1.4 inch slices.
4. Turn down heat to low and let cook for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until soft.
5. Once they're cooked, mash them right in the pot, add 12 tablespoons (I know!!!) of butter and an additional 1/2 cup of milk and VOILA!!!
The concept is to not lose the flavor of the potatoes by boiling them in the water AND intensify the garlic flavor in the potatoes by cooking them with the garlic. I just love this idea.....and I'm changing how I make my garlic mashed potatoes this year....I'll come back and add photos later!
Note: You can find the basics to the recipe here and the full recipe by signing up there. And here's a picture of their potatoes (only because I hate blogs with no pictures and I don't have any yet...again, I'll add them later.

One thing I'm NOT changing is my dressing/stuffing. I can't count how many times I've thought about adding sausage, nuts, apples, etc., but once I smell that turkey cooking, I can't imagine eating it without my classic stuffing/dressing recipe. Here's the recipe straight from my own cookbook.....it's just like my Mom's, except that I DID add leeks (I love them!):
1 pounds dense country white bread (these days I get my freshly made bread cubes already baked at Farm Fresh....in the bakery department!!
6 tablespoons butter (plus additional for greasing baking dish) (I also think I up this every year for flavor....can't resist!)
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celery diced
2 to 3 teaspoons dried sage (more if you're using fresh)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme or marjarom (or use 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning)
3 cups turkey or chicken stock
3 eggs
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, stirring until lightly browned and crisp, stirring once or twice. Transfer them to a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a skillet and lightly saute the celery, onions and leeks...about 7 minutes. Then add the herbs, mix well and add to the bread cubes. Add the stock 1 cup at a time until the bread is moist, but not soupy.
Note: At this point you can cover and refrigerate until time to bake for your dinner.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the eggs, pour over the prepared mixture, then pour into the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the top.
Note: I usually make an extra large batch of this because I HAVE to have some stuffing in my turkey. Until I can add pictures of this process, here is a copy of last year's turkey!
Check back in a couple of days for this pictures of the making of this stuffing....

Prime Time!

2009-11-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

In our family, we're pretty specific as to what proteins we eat at our particular holiday meals. Of course, we have turkey at Thanksgiving and prime rib at Christmas....tenderloin for New Years....ham at Easter! With the holidays just around the corner, I decide it was time to start posting about the foods I love to eat during the holidays. AND since prime rib is on sale at Farm Fresh right now, it seemed appropriate to start with that! So, here we go with Prime Rib 101:

I do NOT normally recommend purchasing a boneless rib roast, as roasting with the bones adds flavor, but tonight we had a boneless prime rib, which meant I'd have to work a little harder to add extra flavor!

I started off with making slits in the top of the prime rib....down far enough to add portions of cloves of garlic.

Then I drizzled the top with extra virgin olive oil and poked the garlic pieces I'd cut into the slits...

...add salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and bake for 1 hour (30-45 minutes for pieces under 5 pounds), then turn the overn down to 325 degrees and cook until your meat thermometer reads 135 degrees (medium rare).

I added some fingerling potatoes to the pan so they would reap the flavor from the roast.

While you're enjoying your meal, you'll get "bonus bites" when you have a slice that includes one of the garlic cloves......SCORE! If you're planning to make a prime rib during the holidays, check out this great website for added information on making yours the best ever! I hope your holidays are the best ever!!!

I also made some horseradish sauce to go with the meat.....delish!

Soups on.....again!

2009-11-11T13:56:00.001-08:00

We have company.......in the form of a nor'easter! It's rainy and windy....and chilly! Seemed like a perfect day to make some clam chowder!
The only thing was that I'd wished I'd thought of it yesterday......when it wasn't raining.So, I headed up to Harris Teeter to get a few things that I didn't have.....which was most of what I needed. I bought:
3 cans of minced clams (believe it or not, the Chicken of the Sea brand is awesome!)
1 box of chicken stock (I use Wolfgang Puck's organic chicken stock....buttery and delicious!)
1 bottle clam juice
1 package low fat, center cut bacon
1 leek
3 ears of fresh corn (and it was sweet....in November?)
3 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes
1 pint heavy cream

So....that means that the only thing I had at home was the celery. How's that for a not-so-well-stocked pantry?

I rarely use a recipe for my soups.....I just dump it in. It's really hard to mess up soup, but I'll do my best to give you accurate measurements of what I did today.

First, I diced 1/2 of the package of bacon and fried it and set it aside.

I wiped out all of the bacon fat....just too heavy for this soup to me. Then I added 1 tablspoon butter and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.......add the leeks and celery and cook to soften.

While that was going on, I cut the corn off of the cob

and diced up the potatoes into rather small cubes. Once the leeks and celery are done, add everything.....the bacon, corn, potatoes, leeks, celery..

..and add the clam juice, clams, then chicken broth (just enough to cover). Simmer on low until the potatoes have softened. Then add the heavy cream and VOILA.......Clam and Corn Chowder!

NOTE: The bottom of my dutch oven is not dirty....promise. It is just well worn. That, my dears, is my most fave possession....my LeCrueset dutch oven. Dennis gave it to me several years ago for Christmas....it was all that I wanted. It has never left my stove since then. It stays on the stove and I use it all the time. They make versions now that are alot less expensive and are equally as good....I've bought Shelby one and as her girlfriends get married, they get one, too. I love it more than I love my knives.....and I love my knives!