Cora Cooks

Shrimp Scampi

2018-02-05T16:54:00.001-06:00

Well, hello there! Cora here! And if you are reading this post on Cora Cooks, it means I have been successful in remembering how to blog!

So many things have happened over the last three+ years that have kept me from blogging -- some good and some not so good. Those are stories for another time. Today I just had to give this a try, mainly because I made this wonderful Shrimp Scampi last night for dinner and took a photo -- and it just felt right!

Thanks to Pinterest and many, many busier bloggers, I was able to find several good Scampi recipes for inspiration yesterday and then create one of my own from Damn Delicious. It was our Super Bowl Shrimp Scampi.

Some things never change though, there are lots of notes-to-self in my recipe that seem to border on too-much-information. What can I say? It is what works for me, after so many years of cooking and mostly winging it. I cook without recipes, but occasionally need to write up the finer points in copious notes. That is what happened last night. This was so good, I took a photo, wrote it down, -- and here we go again!

I will have to say up front I used giant Royal Red shrimp for my Scampi and that may have created most of the satisfying magic ... but then there was the butter ... and the wine ... and the lemon ... and the red pepper flakes ... so who knows, maybe it is just new Studio kitchen magic.

Yeah, that is right! I've got a giant new Studio where the magic happens for my cooking classes. But it is truly a totally creative space for everyone -- a friend's quilting group, luncheons for bridge groups, cooking parties, and all kinds of other craftiness -- my own sewing, knitting, jewelry making, etc. -- and now, I guess, my blogging too! We will just have to see if I can keep up.

Full disclosure time though. If I had planned to share this recipe, I would have made it during the daytime, to take advantage of all the natural light I had built into the Studio kitchen! Now I need to take advantage and cook earlier in the day. The Shrimp Scampi was not even planned for dinner.

My blog, after all these years, is still a work in progress. The Index and Print links need some serious attention. But first, I will require some self-teaching moments to become familiar with all that has happened while I've been otherwise occupied -- creatively speaking.

So bear with me. Please come back again. I want to share photos of my Studio -- but while you wait, maybe try the Scampi!

SHRIMP SCAMPI

Serves 4 - 6

1 – 2 lbs. raw shrimp* - peeled and deveined and thawed, if frozen

(approximately 1 lb. shrimp +/- for 4 -- more people = more ingredients)

sea salt & pepper

½ -- 1 cup olive oil

8 tablespoons butter, divided (more, as needed)

1 -- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 – 2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning (Litehouse Italian Herb Blend)

1 – 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 – 2 lemons – cut in half

1 – 2 cups white wine – or to taste

½ – 1 lb. (more or less, as needed) cooked spaghetti, keep warm

Garnish – chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan, lemon wedges

1. Prep all ingredients – this goes quickly! Cook spaghetti, drain and hold in covered pot with small amount of cooking water. Rinse shrimp and dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper.

2. Heat large skillet on medium; add olive oil and sauté shrimp, turning once until cooked through and color just turns to opaque white – Do Not Overcook! Remove cooked shrimp to a plate and leave oil in pan to make sauce.

3. With same skillet on medium-low heat, add ½ of butter to olive oil left from shrimp; add garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes to skillet and heat for 1-2 minutes – Do Not Let Garlic Brown!

4. Squeeze lemon juice into pan, add white wine and whisk to blend – be sure to taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Add remaining butter; whisk to blend hot mixture.

6. Place cooked spaghetti into skillet; toss with tongs to coat with sauce. Leaving sauce in skillet, lift spaghetti out of pan and place into a large flat bowl.

7. Return shrimp to pan to reheat briefly in warm sauce; pour shrimp and remaining sauce on top of spaghetti.

8. Serve immediately - garnish with parsley or additional Italian herb seasoning and red pepper flakes, freshly grated Parmesan, lemon wedges.

*I used extra jumbo Royal Red shrimp – use any size large, extra large, jumbo, or extra jumbo of your favorite shrimp, based on availability and amount needed for number of guests to be served.
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5-Star Apple Pie

2014-11-24T16:08:00.000-06:00

Note:
This is my own 5-Star Apple Pie, adapted from a recipe for Grandma Ople's Apple Pie I saw on Allrecipes. My research shows that the original has 21,000+ pins on Pinterest ,and 6154 reviews and 8157 ratings with an overall 5-star review on Allrecipes. Wow!

Pies are high on my favorite dessert list and fruit pies are at the top of my favorite pie list.

But ... when I pie recipe has such glowing recommendations from people who have actually made the pie and felt compelled to add another recommendation ... well, that is a pie to try!

So this is my pie a la Grandma Ople's recipe. Of course, I have altered it just a bit, based mostly on a couple of reviews I read on Allrecipes. I have no doubt the recipe, as written, is superb -- 8,000+ people don't take time to review and/or rate a recipe unless it is really, really good.

But you know how experienced cooks tend to be too -- good can be great and great can be greater with a little tweak here and there. Nothing personal, mind you, just creative expression.

So ... this is my own personalization:

a well-vented top crust instead of a lattice top ... I like lots of crust
add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the sauce mixture ... reduce to 1/2 teaspoon next time
add 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg to the sauce mixture ... good
add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the sauce mixture ... a little more depth of flavor
mix the sliced apples with most of the sauce mixture before pouring into crust ... definitely loved every apple slathered in the sauce mixture!
brush reserved sauce mixture over the top crust before baking ... also a good idea
place pie on large baking sheet (I hate even the threat of burned sugar glazing the interior of my oven) ... no mess at all
next time ... reduce the amount of water slightly ... too much liquid pooled after slicing ... probably from very fresh, moist apples

5-Star Apple Pie

adapted from Grandma Ople's Apple Pie - allrecipes.com

pie dough for double crust 9-inch pie
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons water
8-10 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, quartered, sliced crosswise

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and water. Bring sauce mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reserve a small amount of sauce mixture and set aside.

Place the bottom crust in glass pie plate.

In a large bowl, pour remaining sauce mixture in saucepan over apples and stir to coat evenly. Pour apples over crust in pie plate; distribute apples to mound slightly in the middle to fill evenly to sides.

Cover apples with top crust and crimp edges with fork. Make slits in top crust to vent pie. Brush top crust with reserved sauce mixture, being careful not to let it run over edges.

Place pie on large baking sheet, if desired. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 40-45 minutes, or until top is nicely browned.

Cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature. Top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

My test results ... all of those pie-bakers/pie-eaters are right! It is an excellent apple pie. It is very easy to make. It is a delicious apple-y tasting pie with Granny Smith apples.

A true winner of an apple pie that will become my first choice for apple pie baking in the future.

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The Best Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

2014-08-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

A true email story about Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles:

Cora to Joan:

The other day I was craving bread and butter pickles and, when I saw pickling cucumbers at the farmer's market, I decided to satisfy that craving. I located the recipe immediately in my obsessive recipe filing system and set out to gather the ingredients. Somewhere along the way, the recipe disappeared! I looked for hours, then days, to no avail. Gone! When I mentioned it to Mother, she remembered the recipe and said she still had a copy. The next morning she called to read it to me. Finally! I set out again to collect the ingredients and a bowl. Of course, there under the bowl in the pull out cabinet drawer, was the original copy of the recipe! Now I am enjoying my bread and butter pickles even more than I thought I would. And so I say, "Thank you so very much for sharing your recipe with Mother and me so many years ago!" They are the BEST!

Joan to Cora:

Save that recipe! I cannot find mine. We used to serve those pickles as a vegetable side dish and eat a load of them. Maybe it is the sugar that makes them so good. Thanks for telling me you like them too.

All I have to add to the story is the testimonial of my friend and neighbor, Jim, who consumed the entire container I dished up and delivered to him. While we enjoyed one of this summer's incredibly pleasant evenings out under the big tree in Jim's backyard -- aka The Martini Lounge -- Jim ate every single pickle in the container I gave him and then, as he handed it back, he said, "You can fill it up again."

And just tonight, when I talked to my husband, who is out on a trip, he told me he had shared the pickle story with his First Officer and assured him he could get the recipe on my blog. Uh, oh! I've been so busy making pickles, eating pickles, sharing pickles and emailing about pickles -- I forgot to tell you the story!

So here goes ... and if you should copy this recipe and lose it, you'll know exactly where to find it -- right here.

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

8 cups sliced and packed pickling cucumbers - 6 to 8 small

5 medium onions, sliced

1/8 cup pickling salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup water

1. Wash, dry and slice cucumbers in 1/4" slices

2. Peel onion, cut into quarters and slice in 1/4" rings

3. Place a layer of cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with a little pickling salt

4. Add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little more pickling salt

5. Alternate layers of cucumbers and onions until all are used

6. Let stand for 2-3 hours

7. Drain, but don't rinse

8. Combine remaining ingredients in large pan and bring to a boil

9. Add cucumbers and onions, lower heat and simmer 5 mins - Don't Boil

10. Spoon cucumbers, onions and liquid into jars or plastic containers with tight fitting lids and store in refrigerator

Pickles are best after a day or two in the refrigerator and will keep for several weeks -- if they last that long!

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Simple Homemade Boursin

2014-08-06T16:17:00.000-05:00

Planning easy and delicious meals for house guests can sometimes be a challenge, but I have a helper for just such an occasion - a hefty computer file of my go-to recipes. Fast. Easy. Crowd-pleasers. Oh, and delicious! First and foremost -- everything must be delicious.

You know the recipes I'm talking about, don't you? They are on wrinkled bits of paper or stained recipe cards in your files. Most have someone's name scribbled on them to identify the person who gave you the recipe. These are the good ones you bring out for parties, a night with the girls, the neighborhood block party, holidays, a friend in need of comfort food and ... house guests. They are the best worry-free, no-brainer, everybody-likes-this recipes that never let me down.

With company expected next week, I clicked through my favorite, signature, go-to recipes - Cora's Classics. I had a difficult time choosing - there were so many yummy choices. Today, I ended up making a list of ingredients for some dishes for next week and a couple of good ones we would enjoy anytime - even without company.

Because no trip to the grocery store is complete without forgetting something, I didn't think of this recipe for Boursin until after I returned home. Not to worry though, I actually had these ingredients on hand. Just add crackers, crisp apple or pear slices and a glass of wine -- perfect!

I'm kind of excited now that the sorting, choosing and planning are finished. I love that I've taken a little time to put all these recipe favorites together in one place. Now I'll be ready for a relaxing visit with friends.

Do you have a file of favorites that help you plan meals for house guests? What about breakfast ideas? I could use a couple of new breakfast recipes in my file, if you have some to share.

BOURSIN

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese OR goat cheese, softened

1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste with a bit of salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme*

1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram*

1/8 teaspoon dried dill

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix ingredients together with mixer, food processor (pulse) or by hand with fork. Spoon into a small bowl; cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and serve with crackers and sliced fresh fruit.

These herbs (in the ribbon-tied cellophane bags in the photo) are some I ordered from Spartan Table, an Etsy shop owned by Jehny Koniditsioti of Sparta, Greece. Her family grows olives there and they also harvest the herbs that grow wild. They offer sea salt, olives, olive oil and new items being added all the time.

Boursin makes a cute gift basket with crackers, a small spreader and perhaps a packet of mixed herbs.
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Mediterranean Spiced Apricot Almond Rice

2014-06-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a restaurant will open up in our small college town and draw most of us out of our humdrum eating habits, at least for a while. But, all too often, the popularity and the newness wear off, and before long, the restaurant is forced to close.

Other times, though, a small local eatery fills a gap and times things just right to sustain that early success and actually survive. That's the story with Pita Alley, a self-described Turkish food - Mediterranean food - Sandwich Shop. The lines ran out the door when they opened in 2011, and have tapered off slightly to a steady stream of international students and professors hungry for home, and the rest of us who love gyros, shawarma and such.

For me, it is the "and such" that pulls me back to Pita Alley. Well, that and the jolly colorful decor, which is a bright spot in a strip center that is almost as old as I am. The menu is not overly ambitious, but everything is good, the portions are a gracious plenty and the service is friendly. I love Greek-style pita (the flat kind, not the pocket kind) and that's what they use. I also love tzatziki, hummus, dolma, tabouli, gyros, char-grilled chicken and baklava. I wish their Greek salad were larger, with more of the good stuff, plus cucumbers and mixed with crispy iceberg or leaf lettuce, instead of soft baby greens -- all in a big bowl, not a plate. And served with grilled pita wedges. Always have a dream!

But the dish than lingers on my mind is their rice. The menu describes it as a side dish of basmati with a mild blend of spices, topped with almonds and raisins. Ever the flavor detective, I have made my own version a couple of times and come so close to their spice blend, that I am very satisfied with my homemade version. I used dried apricots in place of golden raisins, and jasmine rice just because I love the flavor and flowery aroma. At home, the rice is especially good with grilled chicken or fish, but I've been thinking about adapting it into a cold rice salad for summer.

I'll still be at Pita Alley for favorites that I'm not even going to try to duplicate at home. Gyros, that would be you!

Mediterranean Spiced Apricot Almond Rice
Spice Blend - equal parts of the following, or to taste:
     Cumin
     Cinnamon
   Cardamom
   Ginger
   Granulated Garlic
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup slivered or chopped almond
1 tablespoon Spice Blend
1/2 cup diced dried apricots - if too dry, soften with hot water and drain before chopping
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, refrigerated overnight, broken up with a fork

Mix Spice Blend and set aside. Press precooked and refrigerated rice with fork to separate grains. Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add almonds and Spice Blend; stir until everything is blended with seasonings. Stir in apricots and add rice; continue to stir over heat until well blended and heated through. Cover with tight-fitting lid to keep warm until ready to serve. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Thyme

2013-11-19T16:58:00.001-06:00

I just pulled this big bunch of leeks from my garden! (BTW, leeks appear to be another crop that thrives on benign neglect!)

Now the big question is -- do I wait until next week to make these delicious potatoes with leeks and thyme for Thanksgiving dinner? ... or, do I make them tomorrow, because I just can't wait?

The first time I made them was a test for a cooking class. It was love at first bite, especially the smooth, sublime flavor of leeks sauteed in butter, punctuated with fresh thyme -- not at all brash or pungent, as onions or garlic can sometimes be.

The cooking class students who have made them since then also love them, including how easy they are to prepare. It is always very satisfying too get emails a few days after a class, saying they actually prepared the entire menu to rave reviews at home -- especially the mashed potatoes!

During this busy holiday season, isn't it nice to have a recipe that is just a little bit different and special for company dinner? These potatoes will not steal the show from Tom Turkey, but they will add to the enjoyment of the meal -- including that of the smart cookie, who prepares them ahead of time!

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Thyme

adapted from Gourmet magazine
3 pounds russet (baking) potatoes (about 6)

6 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced and chopped, washed well, and drained
4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or combination of milk with half-and-half or heavy cream, as desired)

In an large pot, combine potatoes with cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring water to a boil and simmer potatoes until tender, 35-45 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, in a heavy skillet cook leeks in 4 tablespoons of butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot. Dry potatoes over low heat, shaking kettle for 1 minute. Cool potatoes just until they can be handled and remove skins. While potatoes are still warm, mash by hand, until smooth, but with small chunks remaining. In a small saucepan, heat milk and cream until mixture just comes to a boil. Stir milk mixture into potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Spread potato mixture in a buttered 4-quart shallow baking dish. Cover and chill potato mixture for 1-2 days - improving flavor and saving time. Preheat oven to 350° F. Dot potato mixture with more butter and bake, covered with foil, in middle of oven, until heated through and butter is melted, about 15 minutes.
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Hummus -- Ho-hum to Yum

2013-10-07T17:30:00.000-05:00

Hello again!

After devoting a few months to my "special project" I'm beginning to ease back into other things like ... I took a big walk on the wild side recently and made my own hummus. I know! I'm sure I'm the last person on earth to make it myself instead of buying it already prepared and, yes, it is kind of embarrassing, but maybe it's happened to you too.

You know how sometimes you mean to try making a recipe for something you like and it seems simple and you really would enjoy eating it a little more often, but for some reason you just never get around to it? Well, that's my story with hummus.

Well, that and the somewhat ho-hum flavor of plain old hummus, but after I got over wanting it to have a bigger flavor and finally accepted it for what it is -- a deliciously light, healthy, nutritious, easy-to-make food that can be used in oh-so-many ways, I was ready to make it myself. It's hummus and that ho-hum flavor is part of it's charm. And it's also an invitation to make it yourself - creating a personal hummus statement that pays homage to the "centuries old taste" or embraces bigger, bolder flavors to add a little personality-punch. Goodness knows, I love to tinker with a recipe.

The ingredients are easy enough to keep on hand. OK, I confess I didn't keep tahini around before making hummus myself, but when I found it available in small amounts at my co-op, I was much more inclined to give it a small space in the fridge. And while I admit I don't mind the addition of tahini, I don't miss it if left out, especially if I add garlic, roasted peppers, olives, basil, cumin or a big squeeze of lemon. Now that's some good eating!

As a dip with pita wedges and raw vegetables, hummus can't be beat. My favorite though, is to spread it all over a plate and top it with a mountain of tender crisp vegetables, roasted to a light golden brown for a caramelized crunch. Our local vegetarian/vegan restaurant, the Longbranch Coffeehouse, serves this and calls it Vegetable Kalaya. I'm not sure what "kalaya" means, but since I've just gotten around to making my own hummus, it could be a while before I look it up. I just know it is delicious and a great way for me to eat smart - er.

What's your favorite hummus recipe or dish? I would love to try other versions, now that I've taken the plunge.

And FYI, I am beginning to like the flavor of fresh chopped cilantro added to some of the new foods I enjoy. Either it doesn't taste like soap anymore (but it still kinda does), or I've just learned to like soapy herbs. Yeah, I even like to keep a bunch in the fridge. It definitely is an "old dog, new trick" sort of thing for me!

Hmmm, I wonder what's next?

Hummus

A deliciously light hummus with sour cream or yogurt plus lemon juice for a bright flavor balance. For a little more depth of flavor, feel free to adjust the proportions and make additions to suit your own tastes. So easy!

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoon good extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon tahini

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1-2 tablespoons water, if needed

Place all ingredients (except water) into a food processor. Pulse several times to chop garbanzos and mix ingredients and then process for several minutes for desired creamy texture. Stop processing a couple of times to scrape sides of bowl, as necessary. If mixture is too thick, drizzle in a little of the extra water, while continuing to process. Feel free to vary the proportions to accent your favorite flavor ingredients. Makes about 2 cups.

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Good Morning Muffins

2013-09-27T12:25:00.001-05:00

Hello there! How have you been?

Me? A little Pinterest pinning, of course. And learning new recipes. Mostly discovering new things, reorganizing old things, re-prioritizing important things. Food blogging time has ended up on the back burner for a while. Just the natural ebb and flow of life.

Beautiful tablescapes

May meant a trip to Oxford, MS for a perfect weekend wedding. A.m.a.z.i.n.g. weather -- mild temps and low humidity. I'm all about dry, fluffy hair and crisp linen outfits. Absolutely beautiful rehearsal dinner under a tent on the lawn at William Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak, followed by a simply elegant wedding and lively reception Lots of Southern food at every event and two good restaurant discoveries. A visit to the famous Square Books nurtured the bibliophile in me -- I just love it there! I never would have guessed I was in normally hot and drippy Mississippi over Memorial Day weekend. A truly marvelous Mississippi weekend.

Two days - two bracelets

I was in New Hampshire in June to learn beading from a friend of a friend who visits once a year and is an accomplished bead weaver -- an a.m.a.z.i.n.g bead weaver, in fact. Two friends came along for a delightful learning opportunity and a relaxing great time with old and new friends -- and eating lobster!

Summer is also prime time for company at Prairie Wood. Fourth of July was the 9th annual cookout for my family and my dear friend Robin and all of her family -- two lifelong friends, two families and forty of us for the four generation Fourth! Beautiful weather, good food and lots of fun, as usual.

Granny glasses would look better

Also in July, I had a makeover. I was channeling my inner child of the 70s for a few weeks -- but not because I thought wearing a bandana would make me young again. I had another little kissed-by-the-sun spot removed on the top of my head. Sixteen stitches! Put a hat on your children and grandchildren every single day -- sunscreen in your hair is too messy. Lucky for me I live in a college town and there are more than a few hippies left from my bandana-sporting college years, so I was not as noticeable as I might have been elsewhere. Anyway, the stitches and bandana are gone now, but I'm left with a tender pink spot on top of my head that will always require a cover -- or bandana -- when I go outside.

Annual 17th Street Barbecue dinner

August means the annual visit with our good friends Dannie and Bill from NC. Cooking, eating, talking, laughing, Pinterest pinning, Etsy shopping, beading, pool floating, Martini Lounging with the neighbors, -- and an unseasonably mild August night, complete with a fire for S'mores. Also a day trip to St. Louis jammed packed with something for everyone -- Lumiere casino, Viviano's Market on The Hill, Lady Bug Beads and the Apple store. Last stop -- a meet-up with #1-son and his girlfriend for dinner at The Block in Webster Groves -- a butcher shop and a restaurant in one ... more delicious details to share soon!

Otherwise -- I've been creating a healthier lifestyle with all that a change for the better involves. Making the commitment and learning to create new healthy, palate pleasing meals. Time consuming. Mind boggling sometimes.

Room for new smaller sizes

Good news - lots of great blogs with tons of delicious ideas just a click away. Down side -- lots of great healthy eating and lifestyle bloggers are already out there. Not necessarily a place where my novice voice has much to add. Up side -- I'm content to try new recipes, stay focused, track my progress and enjoy each and every subtle change and measurable success. Best news - while learning to navigate that old-dog-new-tricks conundrum, I've revisited the less-is-more philosophy. It's so very satisfying to have to downsize clothes twice in one season and it's been a great incentive for clearing out and reorganizing my closet!

And even though I may not have been blogging about everything on Cora Cooks, I've added new dishes to my culinary repertoire, new crafts have been attempted and old ones rediscovered. Staying busy at something not food related is definitely key to a healthier lifestyle success.

Today I suddenly decided it was time to share a little - beginning with some really good muffins. I have been making them almost every week and they have become part of the new line-up for breakfast, but are even good enough for a snack or dessert too. Dense, chewy, moist, fruity, easy, convenient to store and microwave-reheatable, without turning into little hockey pucks. Best of all -- they are only 4 or 5 Points Plus (P+) for Weight Watchers (WW), depending on optional additions. And I haven't even touched on all the options! Nuts! -- why haven't I tried nuts?

That's just a bit about what's up around here. I know some serious make-a-living-blogging friends would not agree with taking such a long leave of absence from blogging, but it's not a job for me -- it's journaling, exploring, contemplating and connecting. And along with the less-is-more lifestyle, I firmly believe in letting enough be good enough for me.

So if it's OK with you, I'll just ease back into blogging with more healthy lifestyle cooking, the occasional special treat recipe and some creative non-food crafting and shared thoughts. Maybe I'll add some books I'm reading or would like to read. Anything is possible. Clearly, I have not lost my ability to create a too-long post.

For now, I'll just share these muffins, as evidence that I am alive and well ... and still cooking. I think I'm going to have to add food photography skills to my list of lifestyle improvements after seeing this picture. Instagram small screen photos are so much more forgiving.

More to come.

Good Morning Muffins

GOOD MORNING MUFFINS

My Basic Muffins:
2 cups All-Bran cereal
1 ¼ cups skim milk
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 mashed banana
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

My Optional Additions*:
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup dried cherries
¼ cup dried, shredded coconut
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix All-Bran and milk in a small bowl; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir All-Bran and milk mixture; add egg whites, vanilla, applesauce, banana and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, kosher salt and cinnamon. Add shredded carrots, dried cherries, coconut and optional chocolate chips to flour mixture and toss to coat. Add dry ingredients to All-Bran mixture; stir just until blended. Spoon muffin batter into greased muffin tin. I use Baker's Joy to spray. I also use and ice cream scoop to put batter into muffin pan. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes. Test with toothpick to be sure they are baked through. Allow muffins to cool. Store In a zip bag in refrigerator or freezer. Microwave for 30 second if refrigerated, or a bit longer if frozen. Makes 12 regular muffins.

*5P+ as written here. To choose your own favorite optional ingredients, remember to re-calculate the recipe for Weight Watcher Points Plus.

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Homage to Cheddar Bay

2013-04-27T19:03:00.000-05:00

There they were in my email. A recent post by Brown Eyed Baker for Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits made at home, from scratch no less.

I rarely eat at Red Lobster, but even I know about the just-one-more-I-promise power of these appe-teasing biscuits.

And I rarely bake, thus limiting my desire to consume all manner of miraculous transformations of flour, sugar and fat. Life is just easier if the temptation is not there!

But sometimes ... it just has to be done. After a day of Pinterest probing and pinning and some long overdue email thinning, dinner was going to be a big bowl of boiled and chilled shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce and some large portabella mushrooms, stuffed with spontaneously chosen ingredients and baked. Then I saw these tempting biscuits from BEB and I had to join the legions of my fellow bloggers who have made them before me.

I liked the fact that BEB's Michelle took the time to create her biscuits from scratch, rather than using a packaged biscuit mix. The result is so light and tender and flaky and garlicky and cheesy and warm and ... well, you get the picture. And, of course, I made a couple of minor tweaks of my own, out of necessity and being careful not to stray too far from the successful ratio of the BEB's wet-dry-fat formula.

Imagine my lack of surprise to find I had no buttermilk on hand. Therefore, I mixed up some 2% milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar -- and it worked fine. The garlic powder jar was no help either, but I did locate a jar of "granulated" garlic and subbed it in equal amounts -- and it worked fine too. For all I know, it is nothing more than garlic powder, but "granulated" gives it a bit more panache, don't you think. And I'm still trying to figure out why a woman without garlic powder or buttermilk would have a big bunch of fresh Italian parsley in the fridge -- but I did. So there!

My Favorite Husband at three biscuits! And they're nice sized at that! I, on the other hand, only ate ~~one~~ ... OK, two ... but only because I am making myself count WWP+ and I was afraid to see the point count for three biscuits. I was also afraid to see the total for two, but that did not occur to me until after the second one was history. Love the flexibility of WW and those weekly points to use at my discretion -- or in this case, indiscretion.

HOMEMADE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or powder)
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup, minus 1 tablespoon, cold milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Brush-on Topping:
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (or powder)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick baking mat.

In a large bowl, measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, kosher salt and granulated garlic. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese.

Melt the 1/2 cup unsalted butter and cool for about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, stir together the cold milk and vinegar. Add the melted butter and stir until the butter begins to form small clumps.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and blend with a rubber spatula until all the dry ingredients are completely incorporated and just until the mixture forms into dough.

Use cooking spray or cooking oil to grease a 1/4-cup measuring cup. Scoop the dough with the cup and drop onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping about an inch between the balls of dough. Bake the biscuits about 12 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

While the biscuits are baking, melt the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter for the topping. Add the chopped parsley and granulated garlic; stir until well blended.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush the tops immediately with the butter mixture. Allow the biscuits to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. You can store leftovers in an airtight container of zip bag for 2-3 days -- if they last that long!

Makes 10 (7pt+) biscuits, but could make 12 (6pt+), if using a smaller scoop.
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Mini Corn Dog Muffins - Food for Fun

2013-02-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

Sometimes food is just so cute and so simple and, more importantly -- so much FUN!

If you've seen them on Pinterest and found yourself remembering corn dogs at the state fair, then you need to know that these cute little corn dog muffins taste just like the deep-fried state fair dogs on a stick. No fuss, no muss and no vat of fat!

I used a little box of my favorite fast and easy cornbread mix and spooned the batter into prepared mini muffin pans. Next I sliced some hot dogs into 1-inch pieces and gently pressed the pieces into the muffin batter. Into the oven they went to bake for just a few minutes.

Of course, your favorite homemade cornbread recipe should work just fine, but I might suggest adding just a spoonful of sugar to give the batter a more authentic fair flavor.

Slather on a little mustard, or ketchup if you must, but make mine mustard, please. Ketchup is for french fries and mustard is for corn dogs.

But ... follow all the rules and you will miss all the fun! Like the also perfect pairing of french fries and mayonnaise.

Chili and corn dogs are the perfect pair to warm up winter's chill. And it's OK to give into temptation -- spear them on a fork and plunge them into the chili

For the whole state fair in February experience, you know what's for dessert, don't you -- Fiddlesticks, of course!

Save gourmet for another day.

Today is for food for fun and fun for food!

MINI CORN DOG MUFFINS

Cornbread Recipe or Mix
2 - 3 Hot Dogs
Mustard and Ketchup, if desired

Preheat oven and prepare muffin pans according to cornbread recipe or mix instructions. Spoon into muffin pan so each is about 1/2 - 2/3 full. Slice hot dogs into 1-inch pieces and place one into the center of each muffin. Bake according to directions, until slightly browned on top. Serve alone or with chili or soup.
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Ukrainian Beet Salad

2013-02-08T16:39:00.001-06:00

Not long ago, we had a visit from, Jerry & Sally and Mike & Libba, good friends from MFH's earliest days with the airlines.

MFH was a new-hire at Eastern Airlines when he was jump-seating back home to California from Miami one day to visit us. Jerry was a pilot on the flight and, as soon as he discovered MFH was a new-hire recently assigned to Boston, Jerry called for a flight attendant to come up to the cockpit. That flight attendant was Sally and, as it turned out, she had a house not far from the airport in Boston, where she rented rooms to pilots in need of temporary lodging.

Are you keeping up?

So, MFH was flying home to California for Grant's first birthday. When he arrived, he was excited to see us, of course -- but he was most eager to share his good news. He told me he had found a place to live in Boston that we could actually afford, while I stayed in California, working and trying to sell our house. When he got back to Boston, he would be moving in with a flight attendant -- and -- I was really going to like her.

I promise! That is exactly what he said! Do I really need to tell you that I was a little less than excited.

All I could think of was the book Coffee, Tea or Me?, written by Trudy Baker in the late 60s and, by the way, still available from Amazon used books for $.02 -- which is just about what I thought the future of our marriage was worth at that moment!

There I was, taking care of a house, a pool, a baby and a fulltime job -- which btw was supporting our little family during this career change -- while he, apparently, was off in Miami, being indoctrinated into a lifestyle that seemed to be ... well ... just a little different than I expected! And then, this BOMBSHELL!

He was moving in with a flight attendant.

And that was supposed to be a good thing!

Because I would LIKE her?

We were most certainly at the beginning of the end!

As it turns out ... and damn lucky for him too ... he was right about Sally. Renting a room from her was the perfect way to begin his airline career and make friends. There were so many people in and out of her house all the time that he soon knew lots of pilots and a few flight attendants too. And almost always had someone to share meals with, which is important when you travel for a living.

And he was also right about me liking her. Sally has become a dear friend. We love the same things -- shopping, decorating and cooking. She is probably the best cook I know -- absolutely fearless in the kitchen, whether cooking for one or one hundred, and is devoted to fresh ingredients, impeccable seasoning and uncomplicated preparation.

So back to her visit and the salad she made for dinner one night.

This salad recipe is one Sally learned from Annya, a Ukrainian exchange student who came to live with them for a year, as a high school student in 1994. Well, since then, she has graduated from high school and college, gotten a job, gotten married and is now a U.S. citizen -- but that's a story for another day. Annya has shared several family recipes with Sally over the years and we're always happy to sample them and get a taste of Ukraine. I'll admit, the idea of mixing these ingredients does sound a little unusual at first, but we were pleasantly surprised to find the odd combination made for a delicious new way to enjoy fresh beets. And that's a good thing for beet lovers and a nice change of pace from a lettuce salad.

Note to self: Ask Annya if they really use Hellman's mayonnaise in Ukraine, or that's just Sally's adaptation.

ANNYA’S UKRAINIAN BEET SALAD

2 ½ lbs. fresh beets (2 ½ cups roasted shredded beets)

½ cup chopped prunes

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts

¼ cup sour cream

¼ Hellman’s mayonnaise

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash beets; coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 2 – 2 ½ hours. Cool beets and remove skins. Grate beets into medium size bowl; add chopped prunes and toasted walnuts. Mix sour cream and mayonnaise and stir into beets. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until serving.
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Potato Pavé

2013-01-05T15:49:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Potato Pavé.

Well, I don't give it to you, exactly. Someone gave it to me. I'm sharing it with you, in a journalistic and photographic way.

Well, in a cell phone photographic way, since I did not anticipate the successful results and was not properly prepared to take a well-lighted kitchen shot. I just reached for my trusty iPhone and took a quick one without white lights, my Canon or a tripod.

This all began when my neighbor, Jim, showed up at my door the other day with a chilled, foil-wrapped brick in hand. He told me I was in for a treat and instructed me on the preparation of the potato brick.

I waited until My Favorite Husband returned home from a trip and then pulled two Allen Bros. filets from the freezer - thanks, again, Steve and Lisa - to serve with the potatoes. Or maybe that should be the other way around ... I served the potatoes with the steaks.

As instructed by Jim, I brought up Martha Stewart's website and located her feature of the Thomas Keller recipe for this classic French preparation for Pomme Pavé.

Heavy cream, very thinly sliced potatoes and cubes of butter are layered in a pan and chilled. After chilling, the potato slab is sliced into smaller bricks. The bricks are then placed, very carefully, in a skillet with oil, crushed garlic and fresh thyme leaves and sauteed until crispy brown. The potato brick is then flipped over, careful as you go again, and crisped on the second side.

Voila! Potato Pavé.

Let me assure you that my ease in preparing my potato bricks is due to Jim's careful preparation of Thomas Keller's recipe from his cookbook, The French Laundry Cookbook. The recipe is not complicated, but the success is in the detail. My only contribution / alteration to the process was using light olive oil, rather than the canola oil called for in Keller's recipe. Sorry, but canola oil leaves a weird aftertaste in my mouth.

I was torn between using a cast iron pan or heavy aluminum non-stick. In the end, I chickened out and went with the non-stick, but a well-seasoned cast iron would be my choice next time. I'll also cut them into smaller bricks, perhaps 2-inches square. I'll probably use a mandolin to slice the potatoes too. Jim's knives and knife skills are way better than mine, so the mandolin will give the thin and even slice required.

The potatoes paired perfectly with the Allen Bros. filets. That was my idea, and perfectly executed, as well, I must say. More on that later.

If you are looking for something delicious to prepare for a special occasion, especially for meat and potato lover, I can highly recommend Potato Pavé. I'm not sure Jim delivers everywhere though, so you and Thomas Keller's recipe are on your own. It's a little over six weeks until Valentine's Day, just in case you want time to make a trial run.

Let me also suggest it might be a good idea to prepare them a day ahead, or at least several hours, and keep refrigerated until time to saute. My brick sat in the refrigerator for a couple of days and worked beautifully. The rest is, as they say, easy ... and delicious!

Snow for Christmas and Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

2012-12-31T19:24:00.000-06:00

It's been a quiet Christmas-to-New-Year week around here. Snow fell on Christmas night and left a gorgeous heavy white frosting on everything. So warm and cozy to sit inside reading and cooking.

While I've been relaxing, the slow cooker has been in high gear, making a new pot of soup everyday -- Pat's Easy Vegetable Soup, Clam Chowder (recipe coming soon) and a really delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
1 quart chicken broth or stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/2 cup leeks, sliced and chopped
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bone and shredded
1 8-oz. bag of Amish-style egg noodles (such as Essenhaus Thin Homestyle Noodles or Mrs. Weiss' Kluski)

Add the broth, soup and chopped vegetables to the slow cooker and cook on Low for 3-4 hours. Add the shredded chicken and egg noodles and raise heat to High; continue to cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot. Makes 6-8 meal-size bowls of soup.
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Tonight, I've made Chili in the slow cooker for New Year's Eve. I'm also making Corn Dog Muffins - another Pinterest-inspired recipe. The Corn Dog Muffins sound fun, so I'll let you know how it goes.

We really know how to ring in the New Year around here, don't we!

Happy New Year to all of you

from snowy Southern Illinois!

The Point on Arrowhead Pond

View from the Front Porch of the Swing at the Dock

Winding Walkway

A Man and his Christmas Gift

Bent Birch

Little Cabin in the Woods


Peace for the New Year

Almost-My-Own Signature Brownies

2012-12-18T00:24:00.000-06:00

Hands down, The-Best-Brownie-Ever.

I still adore my mother-in-law's brownies ... very similar to these ... but these are ~~even~~ way better.

I owe a forever debt of gratitude to my dearest friend, Robin. She had best friend status way before these brownies, but when she included them as part of my Christmas present a few years ago, that status became Dearest Friend For Life. Now that I think about it, they may have been a whole family gift ... I just don't remember sharing. Sorry family.

Anyway, I've been in love with them ever since then. If I was still six years old, I would not hesitate to say, "I want to marry them!"

Fortunately, though, I am a bit older, and I can make a batch whenever I want. More fortunately, I guess, with age comes wisdom, so I know better than to bake them without having a specific purpose in mind for sharing my brownie bounty. Bake, cool, cut ... and then out of the house!

Sometimes, I freeze them, just so I can't eat even one without due consideration. Otherwise, I'm telling you, there could be trouble. Step away from the brownies!

After I cut up two dozen yesterday to stack on a pretty Christmas plate for dessert to take to a luncheon, I shared one over a cup of coffee with my friend, Sonnet. It was, after all, a special occasion ... Wednesday .... brownies for breakfast day ... right?

Still lots of brownies left in the pan ... lots! Did I mention this recipe makes a sheet-load of brownies? That's a half-sheet pan by standard kitchen measure. I made Sonnet take some home to her family. No real arm-twisting required. Still lots of brownies left.

At the luncheon, I was besieged by requests for the brownie recipe and chastised for never putting it on Cora Cooks.

It's not my original recipe ... even if I have claimed it for my Signature Brownie Recipe. Nor did it require significant adaptations to be absolutely perfect. I always give credit to Barefoot Contessa, for her inspiration to use the Chocolate Glob recipe in the SoHo Charcuterie Cookbook to create these brownies ... and then sell them at her Barefoot Contessa shop in the Hamptons ... and then including them in her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook* ... so I could bake them to wide acclaim ... and now share them with you (at least, those of you who have not discovered them already!)

Isn't that just the way of all good recipes? From one person to another ... and another ... and another ...

... and now you know.

By the way, Outrageous Brownies make perfect Christmas gifts! Hint, hint!

Barefoot Contessa's OUTRAGEOUS BROWNIES - link to recipe posted on Food Network Website

Cora's Notes for baking Outrageous Brownies:

Measure out all ingredients first - seriously! Both the flour and chocolate chips are split up to use at separate times and it helps to have everything already divided.
Use a heavy, commercial sheet pan. This is a lot of heavy brownie batter and the heavy pan helps. If you don't have one already, you will love yourself for buying it.
I grease the pan with a combination of butter (for flavor) and Crisco (to avoid burned butter taste.)
Do not even think about leaving out the instant coffee granules. In fact, I add a pinch to other chocolate recipes to really bring out the chocolate flavor. That being said, if the chocolate with coffee granules flavor is too intense, you could try using a smaller amount of coffee, before omitting it all together.
I prefer roughly chopped walnuts, but pecans or without nuts are perfect too.
DO NOT OVERBAKE! The time given works perfectly in my Viking oven.
Refrigerate whole pan of brownies after cooling and before cutting with a heavy knife - they will come out of the pan looking picture-perfect.
Two-inch squares are perfect for chocolate lovers, but don't be afraid to cut them a bit smaller for mere mortals.
Package and freeze any brownies you will not eat or share in a day or so, to keep them at optimum flavor.

* More of my favorite and most excellent recipes from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - this cookbook truly is a keeper!

Crab Cakes

Gazpacho

Perfect Roast Chicken

Salmon with Fennel

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Fennel

Homemade Applesauce

Outrageous Brownies

Pecan Squares (as good as the Brownies!)

Croissant Bread Pudding (I have adapted this one to include my Amaretto Sauce recipe on top - more later)

Jolly Holiday Snack Mix

2012-12-01T19:03:00.001-06:00

OK, here it is!

In response to actual requests from friends and blog followers I don't even know, I have created this, the second in a series of seasonal munchies to give or to keep -- Jolly Holiday Snack Mix.

Give the readers what they want!

Nothing was spared to come up with the best mix possible. In fact, My Favorite Husband and I combed the shelves of the grocery for every imaginable ingredient to bring home to the test kitchen.

First I made a mix with kids in mind -- see the second picture below. Marshmallows for snowballs, teddy grahams for toys, cheese crackery penguins for cute cold-loving creatures, pretzels for snap, heart-shaped white pretzels for sweet love and mini oreos for obvious reasons! That's not all, but you get the idea - not that kids will, but it's a mom/teacher thing.

Then I hauled out the ~~big~~ - make that huge mixing bowl and started emptying ingredients into it for the serious snacker mix. Stirring was a challenge! The end result - well, half of the end result - can be seen in the jar pictured above. That's 2 gallons of cripsy, crunchy, sweet and salty holiday delicious-ness! And it is heavy!

The actual recipe, as written, contains a switch-er-roo or two, made to tweak the mix you see in the jar. We put our personal quest for absolute perfection aside, in the interest of time and the fear of losing even more counter space to another jar of the stuff. Four gallons to divide and share with everyone we know is e-n-o-u-g-h!

I know it is unlikely that any of you would study the jar to find the slight differences between what you see vs. the recipe, but it's that whole honest disclosure thing. Just take my word for it and follow the list, make your own substitutions for personal preferences, if you wish, and you'll be very happy - and satisfied.

Just a final note - or two - or several:

I love the flavor of the Oatmeal Squares much, much more than the Chex cereals in this mix. Save the Chex for a big batch of the classically awesome Original Chex Mix.

I like using individual cans of nuts vs. mixed nuts, just to preserve the individual flavors better. Call me picky!

Any old pretzel would probably work, but I do love the light, crisp snap of the Snyder's Snaps. Hey! Great name!

Red Craisins or dried cherries are a no-brainer for their jolly color! Same for yogurt raisins, although chocolate covered would also work and - well - then that would be more chocolate!

Mini Oreos and Nutter Butters are just too cute and too good to leave out, as are red and green M & M's - duh! Choose as many flavors of M & M's as you like - they all look the same, so there is that little element of surprise in every bite! Kind of like the presents under the tree ... you already got that, didn't you?

And with the Oreo cookies and M & M's for chocolate, I would be happy with a double dose of Cinnamon Teddy Grahams. Cinnamon is a nice spice for Christmas.

For my money though, the best single ingredient is the butterscotch chips. They add a nice flavor note and the yummy aroma is so darn good when you open the jar - well, you'll see!

So, there you have it! A well-considered blend for holiday snacking and treat sharing, even if all you care about is how good it tastes.

Enjoy the season! Remember to snack responsibly!

JOLLY HOLIDAY SNACK MIX

Ingredients:

Quaker Oat Squares (or Chex cereals) - 2 boxes

Cinnamon Teddy Grahams
Chocolate Teddy Grahams
Cheez-Its
Snyder’s Pretzel Snaps
Mini Nutter Butters
Mini Oreos
Snyder’s Pretzel Dips – White Crème
Dry Roasted Peanuts
Salted Cashews
Salted Almonds
Craisins or Dried Cherries
Yogurt Raisins
Hershey’s or Nestle’s Butterscotch Chips
Christmas Red & Green M & M’s – use one or more of Plain, Peanut, Peanut Butter and/or Mint

Make:
Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Store in airtight container.

Share:
This is a great combination for lots of flavors associated with Christmas. Add or delete items as you choose. One batch makes lots!

Fill decorated cellophane gift bags for: teacher, mailman, hairdresser, hostess gifts, house guests, party favors, children, grandchildren, class parties, neighbors and friends.

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See You In September ... When the Summer's Through

2012-10-18T18:59:00.002-05:00

When I found this lovely green pitcher on a recent treasure hunt, I just knew it would be the perfect vessel for flowers in the room we live in -- the kitchen, of course.

Then, a few days later, I chanced upon this bouquet at the local Kroger floral department.

Store-bought flowers are often an expense reserved only for a special occasion. And I have a personal issue with the season-less, engineered quality of many hothouse floral arrangements. I don't want to be a flower snob here, but seriously. No daffodils in July. No daisies for Christmas. No unnatural spray-on color carnations ... and definitely no spray-on glitter. Puh-leez!

That being said, I am a sucker for vivid floral harmony, so kudos to the supermarket for this bright bunch that hit the right note with me on that ordinary day in late September ... right flowers, right colors, right price.

And with the perfect pitch of that gorgeous green vase ... I was right, wasn't I?

If I close my eyes, I can just imagine gathering them, one by one ... the stragglers of a late summer garden somewhere.

That's my story.

Enjoy the flowers.

Cue the music ...

Baked Spinach Casserole

2012-09-27T00:14:00.001-05:00

This casserole has to be one of my all-time favorites ... so easy and so delicious. I first enjoyed it at a buffet dinner served along side perfectly roasted slices of rare beef tenderloin and some sort of potatoes ... but the spinach truly was the star of the meal. Simple, sophisticated ... a perfect signature dish.

For the life of me, I have no idea why I don't make Baked Spinach Casserole more often!

Last week, though, I remembered how much I love it and served it to out-of-town guests who were staying with us for a too-short two day visit. I invited two more couples to join the six of us for what turned into a potluck dinner. But, of course I invited friends who love good food as much as we all do and they also always offer to bring a dish. Love them!

Dinner included grilled and sliced ribeye steaks seasoned with my favorite Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning and olive oil, the baked spinach casserole, Nancy's decadent mashed potato casserole with all kinds of yummy stuff in it, an unusual and delicious roasted beet salad Sally made from my best friend Annya's recipe and two of Gail's perfect apple pies with vanilla ice cream ... a sensational summer-into-fall meal!

Yes, the roasted beet salad recipe is coming soon.

No, we did not eat two entire pies!

In the meantime, here is the spinach casserole recipe, with just a few adaptations to the original from Epicurious.com. I like to mix it up early in the day, or even the day before, and refrigerate before baking. Bring to room temp before baking, or simply leave it in to bake a few minutes longer, if straight from the fridge. If it finishes baking earlier than the rest of the dinner, cover with foil until serving time. Easy AND forgiving -- a signature dish that should be enjoyed more often, for sure!

The picture above shows the casserole in the raw, before baking, so you can see the generous cheese to spinach ratio. Also, once baked, it is ... well ... just a flat green landscape in a baking dish ... with a tiny bit of brown around the edges. The original version includes cracker crumbs baked on top, probably to jazz it up a bit, but I find that to be an unnecessary addition. I know, not like me at all to turn down a crumb topping, but sometimes ... every now and then ... I do skip a few calories here and there. Now, if you were to cover the whole thing with buttered Ritz cracker crumbs or nice crunchy Panko ... now that might bring me right back to the crumb topping version.

You decide for yourself. I am only here to suggest recipes and guide you to good things, some of which -- like Baked Spinach Casserole -- are good for you too!

Just a couple more ideas I've considered, but have not tried yet:

I think this would make a great quiche baked, pretty much as is, in a tender, flaky crust.
As an appetizer, it could be mixed up and rolled into little round balls and baked to serve with picks as a pick-up party food.
Or, how about baked inside layers of buttery phyllo, like an Italian sort of Spanokopita.
Maybe baked in an oblong dish and cut into squares or rounds, topped with poached eggs and covered with a light, lemony Hollandaise and sprinkled with some of that crispy, toasted Panko.
One more ... I might add some herbs ... basil, oregano and/or thyme ... for a flavor twist.

If you like this as much as I do, I hope you won't let it languish with the other recipes you save ... get it out and serve it to anyone and everyone. And I won't be surprised to see a few more new and interesting signature versions popping up in the Comments below.

That's what Comments are for, you know.

Now eat your spinach ... and enjoy every bite!

BAKED SPINACH CASSEROLE

(adapted from Epicurious.com)

4 large eggs

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

3 cups grated Fontina cheese (about 12 ounces)

OR blend of Gouda, Monterey Jack and/or Fontina cheeses

1/3 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons oil reserved from tomatoes

2 cups finely chopped onions

4 large garlic cloves, minced or 2 tablespoons prepared chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon (scant) pepper

several drops of Tabasco to taste

freshly ground nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Beat eggs in large bowl to blend. Mix in spinach, then cheese and tomatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil reserved from tomatoes in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until onions just begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add to spinach mixture. Mix in salt and pepper, Tabasco, and nutmeg. Transfer to prepared dish. Bake spinach mixture until set in center, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Autumn Snack Mix

2012-09-13T23:16:00.000-05:00

Lately, autumn themed snack mixes have been everywhere, especially on Pinterest. After seeing several variations, I collected my own favorite ingredients and mixed up an enormous jar full to keep on the kitchen counter.

I like the nuts and crunchy stuff, but I added plenty of candy corn and Reese's Pieces for some sweet to balance the salty. My store did not have any fall color M&Ms, but I'll search some out tomorrow. I also decided I should have bought some candy pumpkins and Cocoa Puffs for better balance, as well as the chocolate crunch factor.

The jar looks so seasonally jolly on the counter! Generous scoops went into some clear bags brightly colored with a scattering of fall leaves and tied with bits of leftover ribbon in a mix of season colors. Perfect for instant hostess gifts and snacks for all the house guests we are expecting over the next two weeks -- or a "just because" treat for friends and neighbors.

Fast, simple and festive for fall ... or autumn ... or whatever you call it! Don't you just love the temperatures ... the colors ... the change in the angle of sunlight light ... and the anticipation of a whole new season of yummy foods?

Enjoy!

Autumn Snack Mix

Stir together your favorites from the following:

Small Pretzels
Oatmeal Squares Cereal
Chex Cereal
Cocoa puffs
Caramel Popcorn
M & M's
Reese's Pieces
Malt Balls
Raisinets
Candy Corn
Candy Pumpkins
Lightly Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts
Goldfish Crackers
Cheez-Its

Store in a large airtight container or scoop into gift bags or containers to share.

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Flip Flops in Paradise

2012-08-31T11:30:00.001-05:00

Due to technical difficulties, Cora Cooks has been lost in cyberspace for a while, but we are back on line and up and running again.

Check back for more posts coming very soon!

In the meantime, I'm still clinging to the last few days of summer with this wreath I crafted with inspiration from Pinterest, of course -- where else?

In fact, with free time on my hands, I've sort of gotten back into crafts. There are so many wonderful ideas and I've pinned ALL of them to my many, many boards. Too many boards? Really?

Can there be too many boards ... or too many pins? Just look at this wreath and tell me which pins to leave out and I'll think about cutting back.

Yeah, right!

Oh, I almost forgot, the wreath is simple to make: 1 large grapevine wreath, inexpensive kid-size flip flops in bright colors, tops cut from stems of bright fake flowers, a suitable wooden sign to span the diameter of the wreath (I got mine at Hobby Lobby) and a hot glue gun. That's it! Thanks again, Pinterest and my Wreath Pinboard.

Creamy Corn & Tomato Salad

2012-06-22T20:56:00.001-05:00

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One of the true delights of summer is the appearance of fresh corn at the farmers market. I can make a meal of hot-from-the-pot-corn-on-the-cob with a knob of butter and some salt and pepper. Seriously. More corn than one should probably consume at one sitting. It's just that good, isn't it?

In second place, though, is skillet fried corn. Mmmmm ... diced onion, red pepper and corn cut fresh from the cob, sauteed in a cast iron skillet with a little butter and/or olive oil until it is juuuust crispy-crunchy brown. Oh yeah, I could eat the entire skillet full. And maybe I have, once or twice.

And until I had this salad, I would have said those were the only best ways to eat fresh corn. But I would have spoken too soon.

Several years ago, we attended a very lovely wedding reception held under a big tent and an even grander starry sky. That's where I tasted corn salad. There is not one other thing on the menu I remember, so enchanted was I by this corn salad. I remember thinking, at first, it was a peculiar dish to serve at a wedding reception. But then, with the next bite and the next, I decided it was a truly inspired decision. I was smitten, to say the least, with yet a third to-die-for corn dish.

For years I have searched for the recipe to duplicate the dish I enjoyed so much that night. I never quite hit on it -- until this one, inspired by that memory and a fistful of close-but-no-cigar recipes. It needed to have sweet bits of red tomato, cool white cucumber, spring green onions and cheese mixed stirred into sunny yellow corn -- and a creamy dressing.

So this is it -- or as close to it as I have come so far. And because this corn salad was a hit at the Father's Day Cookout last week, I've finally decided to blog-i-fy it here today.

Don't even think I'm finished fiddling with it though. It is very good and it is very close to the taste I remember, but it doesn't quite have the familiar feel of a warm Mississippi night or the canopy of stars above me when I tasted it ... not quite yet.

If you are familiar with anything similar to this corn salad, please, please comment and share. Or, if you have some notion of how to make it creamier, without losing the other flavors, do tell.

Because I want it to be just. that. perfect. again.

Of course I do.

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CREAMY CORN & TOMATO SALAD

24 ounces fresh corn, cut from the cob (or frozen corn)

1 ½ cups shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup peeled and diced English cucumber

1 cup sliced green onion

1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, diced

¾ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ tablespoons cider or white vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt, to taste (for table salt, use less)

Cut fresh corn from the cob; cook in boiling water, drain and cool. (If using frozen corn, follow package directions for cooking.) Blot cooked corn with paper towel to remove excess moisture. In a large bowl, combine corn, cheddar cheese, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and toss to blend. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar and sugar with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour mayonnaise mixture over vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Taste and add salt, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until serving – a few hours, or overnight.
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April Has Run Away With May and June Is Back Again

2012-06-18T15:46:00.001-05:00

My Favorite Husband liked this card so much he had it framed

Where do I go when I'm not here sharing cooking and crafting stuff?

Good question ...

Here is the truth. Many days I am still here but ... my energy level is not ... my creative process is unreliable ... my ability to organize is non-existent ... my follow-through is hit-and-miss ... and I'm not good for much of anything.

It comes and goes though, and thanks to some serious short term meds I've been taking for a springtime allergy-induced upper respiratory infection, I've had the most welcome side-effect of feeling good ... thinking more clearly ... working more efficiently ... and ... whatever else I could squeeze into a few serendipitous fatigue and pain free days. The cloud with the silver lining. Well, except I still have the coughing and wheezing of a lifelong smoker - which I am NOT! I expect the mild winter and the resulting early blooming season have taken a heavy toll on spring allergy sufferers.

Still, it is so nice to be able to pull it all together again ... even for a few days ... and a very pleasant reminder of how good it feels to feel good ... and how nice it is to be able to get a lot done for a change.

Enough about that though.

Sometimes when I'm away from here, it's because I am ... actually away on a trip -- like in Atlanta, having a long anticipated visit with our friends, Dixie and her husband, Jack. I fell completely in love with their "rustic, woodsy, campy" lake house! The gardens and setting are beautiful and Dixie tells me she has worked on the gardens even more since we were there. And the inside is filled with so many beautiful things, including this charming miniature saddle Dixie's grandfather made long ago from parts of a hand-tooled leather handbag -- so authentically detailed and well done! It was inspiring to see all the treasures Dixie has collected to make their home so cozy and inviting. I made tons of mental notes and took a few pictures - some I'll be sharing a little later.

April in Atlanta - This is the little saddle made from an old hand-tooled leather purse and them turned into a lamp.

Sometimes when I'm away from my computer and this blog, I'm really just in the back yard -- like I was when we had a special birthday party for my friend Nancy. We gathered a few friends and enjoyed an evening of making individual pizzas in the brick oven. That brick oven makes great pizzas and is a real party magnet! Nancy is older than I am, by the way, but I won't say which birthday she was celebrating -- because mine is just around the corner! Look closely at the second picture below and you might be able to figure it out!


Still April - Happy Birthday Nancy!

And since almost everyone in our high school graduating class is having the same big birthday this year -- funny how that works -- a bunch of us threw ourselves a big birthday party over Memorial Day weekend. The temperatures were hellish, but we sat around in the shade, ate barbecue and talked all afternoon and into the night -- and the next day too. If you look closely at the group shot, you will see that Sue will never be too old to pass up a bunny-ears-photo-op. Gotta love her for staying so young at heart!


May - Happy Birthday CCHS Class of '70!

There is always something going on around here, some planned and some unexpected. And before you know it, April has run away with May and June is back again.

We had really great food at Dixie's house, but this dip was one of my favorites. Not only is it E-A-S-Y, but avocado lovers won't be able to get enough of it! The recipe says to add the avocados right before serving, but I was going to let it sit in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before serving, so I added them to the bowl with all the other ingredients and pressed plastic wrap over the surface of the dip -- not the bowl! -- so air would not cause the avocados to brown while the flavors blended together. Worked perfectly! I've added notes to Dixie's recipe indicating changes that I made. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN AND AVOCADO DIP

1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup light olive oil

2 tomatoes, chopped (I used 2 medium tomatoes)

¼ cup red onion, diced (I used ¾ cup)

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 can Mexicorn, drained (optional – good with or without)

2 avocados, diced and added just before serving (I used 4 small Haas avocados)

tortilla chips (I like Scoops)

In a medium size bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar and dressing mix. Add the tomatoes, red onion beans and corn to the dressing mixture bowl. Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow flavors to blend. Dice and add avocados just before serving with tortilla chips. Note: I added the avocados when I made the dip, pressed plastic wrap over the dip and sealed it against the inside edge of the bowl and placed it in the refrigerator to marinate for a couple of hours. Looked fine (avocados still respectably green and delicious steeped the oil and vinegar marinade. Makes enough to serve 12 or more people.

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Vinegar Coleslaw

2012-06-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

Good barbecue is all about personal taste, as well as, tradition and style. That's why the term is usually preceded by a location or a name, or both. That's the tradition. Where it came from and who made it. And more often than not, personal preference is mostly about where you've been and how much barbecue you ate there. A particular kind of barbecue becomes a part of you over time, like an accent when you learn language. Talk about it or order barbecue and you reveal where and how you learned to speak barbecue. And you may not even be aware how much you love it, until you go somewhere else and eat the local version of barbecue. Sometimes it feels like you're not even talking the same language!

Now some people claim to love all barbecue and I guess there is some truth to it, but when pressed on the subject, it won't be long before their personal bias toward a particular tradition and style is obvious from the way they describe any other barbecue. There must be some measure of perfection before any other barbecue can be declared "too sweet" - "too dry" - "too smoky" - "too stringy" - "too chunky" - "too-too-too" fill in the blank.

When you speak barbecue, the nuances say it all -- the accent, if you will. Some of us will even go back to the process of making the barbecue to explain what we like and why. Like all the way back to the pig, and only the pig! -- whole pig, butts or shoulders. And the fuel for the fire -- wood, charcoal or gas. And the temperature and duration of cooking -- low and slow or ... well, however else you might think you can cook it. And the flavoring -- before, during and/or after cooking -- rub, sauce, mop and/or simply smoke. And the cut of the meat for sandwiches when it's done -- pulled, sliced, chunked or chopped. And the handle for the sandwich -- bread, bun or roll, regular loaf or Texas size, plain or buttered, raw or toasted. And the base of the sauce -- tomato, mustard, mayo or vinegar -- sweet, hot or mild. And served-sauced or sauce-your-own. And don't forget the condiments -- chow, mayo slaw, vinegar slaw or pickles.

See what I mean -- drawl, clipped, twang, nasal, broad, flat ...

My personal barbecue tradition is -- whole pig, cooked over wood charcoal, low and slow, just pig, just smoke, chopped, plain cheap grocery store white bun, and I like to add the vinegar and red pepper sauce myself, thank you very much. And one more thing -- I like slaw on top of the pork, but I go back and forth between mayo slaw or vinegar slaw.

Lately I've been liking this vinegar slaw a lot. It is perfect for barbecue -- any kind of barbecue -- on the sandwich or on the plate!

I told you mine, now you tell me yours! How does my personal favorite Eastern North Carolina style barbecue compare to your own favorite regional tradition?

VINEGAR COLESLAW

1 large bag coleslaw cabbage mix

1 cup red bell pepper, finely sliced, 1-inch long pieces

½ cup carrot, finely sliced, 1-inch long pieces

½ cup red/purple onion, finely sliced, 1-inch long pieces

Dressing:

½ cup sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

⅓ cup light olive oil

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

Mix dressing ingredients in a large bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, red bell pepper, carrot and red/purple onion. Toss to coat. Place entire mixture in a plastic zip bag and refrigerate for several hours before serving. Turn bag several times to distribute dressing evenly.

Delicious served on or alongside pork barbecue sandwiches -- especially Eastern North Carolina Barbecue!
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Sunny Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze

2012-04-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

A little mid-week serendipity in a year that already seems longer than three months. Any amount of serendipity is a good anytime - but most especially now!

It has been one thing after another around here since January:

two smallish car repairs for the Expedition - both times on road trips;
one big car repair for the Beetle - new AC compressor for unusually hot spring;
several visits for dental work - all for one troublesome tooth;
a broken weed-eater - just as the weed-eating season begins;
a malfunctioning outdoor grill - admittedly, so old I remember picking it up in a minivan we owned six cars ago - and we keep cars forever! - see repairs above;
three visits from the refrigerator/freezer repairman - what began as a broken ice maker and a new seal on the refrigerator door, is still a broken ice maker plus a faulty thermostat and/or compressor for the refrigerator;
and, last night, a dying battery made the house alarm start beeping at 2 a.m. - why oh why do these batteries never die during the waking, daylight hours?

The alarm battery episode was the final straw!

Calgon, take me away!

Today will be better - even if I have to bake something! So, while sifting through some recipes for a dinner club dessert, I came upon this oh-so-simple lemon cake in my grandmother's recipe box. She loved all things lemon and saved this recipe, handwritten on a check deposit slip.

Serendipity!

Just what I needed! - something to break this string of annoying little trials and tribulations of the past few weeks. I baked some lemony sunshine in my Williams-Sonoma sunflower pan and placed it on a heavy cut glass sunflower cake pedestal. Too much sun? I think not!

Warm, sunny memories.

A comforting hug-in-a-cake.

Bright days ahead.

BEEMA’S LEMON CAKE with LEMON GLAZE

1 box Duncan Hines lemon cake mix

1 small box instant lemon pudding mix

4 eggs

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1⅓ cups water

¼ cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients together and pour batter into greased and floured 13 x 9-inch baking pan or Bundt cake pan. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes. Cool slightly. Poke holes in top of cake with a toothpick or fork and cover with glaze.

Lemon Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

juice of two lemons

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

water to thin

Mix all ingredients together to pouring consistency and pour over cake.

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Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2012-04-02T23:43:00.001-05:00

Hello again!

Just look at these jolly pie birds! They're part of a small collection within my larger chicken and rooster collection. I just love the bold size and rich distinctive colors. I purchased several of these a few years ago, but lost track of the ceramic artist who made them. I saw some similar pie birds on Etsy the other day and I'm seriously considering a couple of new additions to this little chorus.

While I decide which birds will join the flock, here's a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie that's really easy to put together, with my favorite simple, no-fuss homemade crust. For convenience -- and a bit of a shortcut -- I mix canned cream of chicken soup with sour cream for a rich creamy sauce to go with the diced chicken and fresh frozen vegetables.

If homemade crust is not your thing, just roll out a good store-bought refrigerated crust and make a homemade sauce.

Or go for total convenience with the soup-sour cream sauce AND store-bought pie crust.

Or totally homemade with homemade pie crust and homemade sauce.

Any way you make it, comfort, thy name is Chicken Pot Pie, sung by a cheery pie bird trio.

EASY Chicken Pot Pie

2 pie crusts - homemade or store-bought

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3-4 cups diced, cooked chicken breast

1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

--> Preheat oven to 350°. In a 9-inch pie pan, prepare one crust as directed on package.

2. Mix cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cooked chicken, frozen mixed vegetables and thyme; pour into the pie crust.

3. Cover pot pie with second crust; crimp to seal edges and cut six small slits in top with the point of a sharp knife.

4. In a small bowl, beat egg and water. Brush egg mixture over top crust.

5. Bake pot pie until top crust is brown, about 35-45 minutes.

6. Cool slightly before cutting to serve. Makes 6 servings.

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Grilled Pimento Cheese, Bacon and Pepper Jelly Sandwich

2012-01-22T22:15:00.020-06:00

This sandwich combination has been on my mind for a couple of months, so today when I decided that I was past due for delivering a blog recipe ... and it was lunch time ... I finally did something about it.

Of course, I practically had to start from scratch, although I did have bread, cheese, bacon, mayonnaise AND jars of chopped pimentos and pepper jelly. What do you mean your pantry does not contain staples like chopped pimentos and pepper jelly?

I decided not to deviate too far from my basic recipe for pimento cheese, but did incorporate one addition -- Howard's Sweet Pepper Relish. And of course, the two most important ingredients, on which this whole culinary adventures turns -- crisp bacon and pepper jelly.

Just so you know, I have often made my own pepper jelly, but have turned to prepared brands lately because of the high price of red peppers at the grocery store. Growing my own is an option, and maybe even a necessity, if the price remains high this year.

Anyway, the recipe adaptation I used for today's pimento cheese is written below, along with the directions for making the sandwich -- even if recipe is an exaggerated term for adding bacon and pepper jelly to a plain old pimento cheese sandwich. Others have created something similar, but I do not recall having seen it anywhere, before it popped into my very own head.

Just a note for those who think using store-bought pimento cheese is a shortcut. Yes, it is. You will save five minutes, because that's about how long it takes to make the far superior version for yourself, right in your own kitchen. 'Nuff said. Do as you will.

Here's what I did:

Homemade Pimento Cheese

adapted from Frank Stitt's Southern Table

3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (I usually use packaged Kraft or Sargento
shredded sharp cheddar cheese)
1 oz. cream cheese, softened (low-fat, if you prefer)
8-oz. jar diced pimento
1/2 c. mayonnaise (Hellman's, Duke's or Homemade only!)
Cholula or Tabasco hot sauce, several shakes (or to taste, or not at all)
1 - 2 tbsp. Howard's Sweet Pepper Relish

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Keep in refrigerator for several hours, or until ready to use for sandwiches, crackers, celery sticks or eating from a spoon.

Grilled Pimento Cheese, Bacon and Pepper Jelly Sandwich

2 slices good white or whole grain bread
Homemade Pimento Cheese
2 slices crisp bacon
red or green pepper jelly (store-bought or homemade)
butter (the real stuff is all I use, but you use what you want)

Lay out two pieces of bread. On one piece of bread, spread a generous, but not ridiculous, amount of pimento cheese. Break bacon into 4 pieces and place on top of pimento cheese. On second piece of bread, spread a fairly thin coating of pepper jelly. Place pepper jelly side on top of pimento cheese-bacon side of bread. Heat griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. When surface of pan is hot, melt some butter in the center of the pan and place the sandwich right on the melted butter. Cook until first side of bread is golden brown and crispy. Remove sandwich with a spatula and melt more butter in pan. Flip sandwich as you place right on melted butter. Continue to cook over medium heat until second side is golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat, slice in half and place on plate. Eat it while it's hot! And by the way, one sandwich could very possibly serve two people. It is a rich sandwich experience.
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