Savoury Table

A Treat for My Valentine: Pan de Polvo Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:01:00 +0000

I feel so fortunate to have grown up in such a culturally rich part of the country; the biggest by product of this being the wonderful food that I grew up eating. Chicken fried steak, enchiladas, tacos, kolaches and great barbeque were so abundant that I took them for granted as a kid.

It was not until I got a little older that I started to realize that food being great was not a given, even in Texas. Then as I started to pay for it myself I realized that there were people who couldn’t or wouldn’t cook well and would gladly take your money for it with no apologies. What a disappointment that was. It was about this point that I began to really miss and appreciate the wonderful home cooking that I had been eating my entire life.

Thankfully it wasn't long before I realized I wasn't the only one that felt this way about simple, down home food. I even worked for a caterer who encouraged his cooks to make their pies and breads far less than perfect to send a message to diners that everything they were eating was lovingly made by human hands. He was a real challenge to work for, but the man knew what people wanted.

One of the things that was ever present on the tables at his catering events were a selection of little homemade heart shaped bite size cookies and chocolates. Usually the first things to go were the cookies known as pan de polvo or Mexican wedding cookies. I have also seen cookies very similar in other cultures with names like Sandies and Danish wedding cookies. Whatever you want to call them they are good.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought that maybe I would start planning what I would treat my Valentine with this year. I did consider making some of these little cookies but I really want to do something unexpected this year. That’s when I had a brainstorm. I decided to make pancakes for my boys with the cinnamon and anise flavors of pan de polvo.

Don’t be put off because Valentine’s Day is on a weekday this year. This recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast since you can prepare the wet and dry ingredients the night before and store them separately, combining them just before cooking the next morning. Besides, the longer the milk tea steeps the more flavorful the pancakes.

Pan de Polvo Pancakes

This recipe starts out by making a "tea" with the milk and spices. If you are making this ahead, make the first step and let the tea steep covered in the refrigerator overnight for a stronger flavor or remove the spices before refrigerating for a milder flavor.

1 ½ cups milk

2 – 2” cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican vanilla is my favorite)

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 ounces chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Place the milk, cinnamon sticks and star anise in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep until the milk is completely cool. Remove the cinnamon and star anise. Add the oil, egg and vanilla, stir well; set aside until ready to use.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. While stirring constantly, slowly add enough of the milk “tea” to form a mixture that resembles thick paint.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Wipe pan with an oil soaked paper towel. When the pan is hot pour enough of the batter to form a 4” pancake. While watching closely, cook pancakes until bubbles form and begin to pop on the surface of the pancake (approximately 2 minutes). Swiftly and carefully flip pancakes over to cook the other side for approximately 1 – 2 minutes or until they are golden brown. Transfer to serving plates.

Combine powdered sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Transfer to a small screen strainer or shaker and sprinkle over pancakes. Top with equal amounts of the toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

*If pancakes are too brown or start to burn before bubbles start to pop, reduce heat in small increments until a golden brown color is reached.

Serve with warm maple syrup.

Makes 12 – 4” pancakes.

An English Chip Shop Favorite: Mushy Peas

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:37:00 +0000

I often extol the virtues of English food in an attempt to counteract the bad reputation that it has earned over time. Oh sure, just like any country’s cuisine, some of England’s unsavory food reputation has been well deserved, but let us not forget that we have Slim Jims and Spam ourselves.

As you can tell from reading my blog I am a real lover of unassuming, plain old simple cooking. In England this spans the gamut from toad in the hole to bread and butter pudding. Somewhere in between are some of my favorites, steak and ale pie, sticky toffee pudding and fish and chips.

Most every little village in the UK has their own jewel in the crown, the local fish and chip shop. In addition to great fried fish, there are usually a few sides available here as well, most notably big chunky chips, and very often mushy peas and baked beans. While baked beans are a big favorite a lot of times, it’s the mushy peas I really love with my fish and chips.

In the UK mushy peas are most often prepared with marrowfat peas. Marrowfat peas are peas that are allowed to mature and dry in the field instead of being harvested in their youth like garden peas. You may recognize them as the peas used to make wasabi peas. I found these giant super plump peas (sans wasabi coating) impossible to find here in the Denver area, so I set about replicating them with what I could find.

I started out my hunt for the perfect American mushy pea recipe with frozen peas. I cooked them per the package instructions, leaving a bit of the cooking liquid in the pan to add some additional moisture to my recipe. I mashed them and whipped them around a bit and what I landed up with was pretty good, but it missed the mark.

Next I tried soaking and cooking dried peas. I must admit from the start here that I found my plain old dried peas (not split peas which taste ok, but get too mushy) at my favorite rainy day hang out, my local Asian market. You might have to do a little hunting to seek even these out, but it is worth the trouble if you are looking for great stateside mushy peas.

Dried Whole Green Peas

I soaked my peas overnight (or at least 8 hours) and then cooked them for close to 3 hours to get the right tenderness. I removed the transparent skins that cooked to the top and then mashed them just a tad as they were already starting to breakdown. I was so proud of myself for not spooning in a bunch of seasonings as I did have some fresh bacon drippings sitting right next to the pot. I had to remind myself that it was simplicity I was after here not a spice rack full of ingredients.

The end result was the closest thing to English chip shop mushy peas on this side of the Atlantic. Although time consuming, this was really a simple recipe. So if you love mushy peas as much as I do, or if you’d like to try something new, give this super simple recipe a try.

Mushy Peas

1 cup dried whole green peas

6 – 7 cups water, divided

1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Sort through the peas, place in a large sauce pan and cover with 3 cups of water. Soak peas in water overnight or at least 8 hours.

Drain peas and cover with enough of the remaining water to cover by an inch or so. Add salt to the peas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow boil, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook until peas are soft, approximately 2 – 3 hours.

Remove the cover and stir well. Mash the peas until about 50% of them are mashed. Continue cooking to reduce the amount of liquid until the peas have the consistency of loose refried beans. Add pepper and just a squeeze of lemon juice if desired to brighten the flavor. Serve immediately.

Serves 4, or in our case 2

*Some recipes call for baking soda to be added to the cooking water to help speed up the breakdown of the peas. I've also read that some think it cuts down on the gassiness of the peas. I can't verify either of these theories as once I read it breaks down the beneficial thiamine (Vitamin B1) in the peas I just left it out. I'll leave this experiment up to you.

Abby Dodge's Bake Together Peasant Boule and My Italian Inspired Pull Apart Bread Variation

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:22:00 +0000

When I first joined in the monthly Bake Together I knew that Abby Dodge’s name rang a bell but I couldn’t put my finger on the exact reason. I knew that she has contributed to many cookbooks and magazines but it was something more than that. It gnawed at me and took me awhile to pin point it, but I finally realized that I have been cooking with her for quite some time now without even realizing it.

About 12 years back I was going through a pretty rough time. We had recently moved back from the UK and were just getting settled back into our lives with my family when my father was diagnosed with cancer. I was devastated to say the least. My stepmother, sister and I jumped in and banded together to accompany him to his treatments and doctors’ appointments. This included many long days driving back and forth to Houston and winding our way through M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

It seemed like I was always on the road which left my husband and children at home keeping things running on their own. At first I would come home feeling proactive and optimistic about his treatment and their results, and would cheerfully throw something together for supper or bring home something fun from Houston.

Sadly, as the months passed it became obvious that he was going to lose his battle and preparing meals became a chore instead of something I enjoyed doing for my family. Those were dark, sad days and putting on a happy face, much less being creative in the kitchen, became all but impossible.

As in all good families when one member weakens the others take up the slack, so my husband and children took over cooking for me and began making our meals from a children's cookbook that my daughter and I had purchased a few months earlier. Even on the saddest of days I couldn’t help but be uplifted by the pride on my children’s faces knowing that they had done something nice for me. These simple little meals and the delight that preparing them gave my children saved many days for us.

The little cookbook they cooked from was The Kid’s Cookbook written by Abby Dodge for Williams Sonoma. Even though my husband and children made many recipes from this book, without a doubt our favorites were Abby’s smashed potatoes and couscous salad which we still make to this day. So, here I find myself all these years later cooking with Abby again. Thank goodness it is now under much better circumstances.

This month’s #baketogether features a recipe for a peasant boule. As usual Abby encourages the participants to put their own twist on her recipe. I changed this recipe up by adding some herbs and Parmesan and using a method that I have seen many other bloggers use lately and made mine a pull apart bread. The bread is delicious and the shape turned out fun and easy to eat. Thanks for another great recipe Abby, and I just have to say that even though I have known your work for years, it is really nice to finally meet you.

For Abby's original recipe, please click here.

My twist on Abby's peasant boule is an Italian style buttery, cheesy, herbed pull apart bread. To achieve my results, just follow my easy variation as follows:

Prepare the original recipe as directed up to the point of the first rising.

After the first rising, punch dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface to an approximate 16" x 16" square. First I melted 3 tablespoons of salted butter and spread it evenly over the top of the dough. I then sprinkled mine with about 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese and 2 - 1/2 teaspoons of my favorite Italian seasoning. Gently press in the cheese and herbs with a quick rolling of the rolling pin.

With a pizza cutter, cut the dough in six equal size strips. Stack the strips one on top of the other and cut in 6 equal portions in the opposite direction making 36 squares.

Place the squares end to end in a greased loaf pan and let it rise for an additional 20 - 30 minutes. I used a standard 9" loaf pan shown here. I do wish my loaf pan would have been a bit bigger or I would have had 2 smaller pans in which to divide the dough. Even though mine turned out just great, I imagine that it would have been a bit lighter with a bigger pan.

Bake bread in a preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. I misted my oven with water once when I put my bread in the oven and again after 5 minutes to make my bread a bit crustier. I love this but it is totally optional.

This bread turned out soft, fluffy and crusty. The pull apart (or I should say, peel apart) style of the bread made it something just a bit different and fun for our weeknight spaghetti supper.

A Really Good Egg: Soft Boiled Eggs with Crunchy Ham and Cheese Soldiers

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:16:00 +0000

I don't know what my deal is lately with egg dishes, but if you'll bear with me while I do one more, I think you'll really like it.

I’m not a big breakfast eater. Oh sure I love a big cooked breakfast with a mimosa or a cup of strong coffee with friends at a restaurant, but short of that not so much. I certainly don’t enjoy cooking it or cleaning up the mess afterwards.

I usually don’t get hungry anyway for a couple of hours after I get up in the morning; then I usually just dig through the fridge for some leftovers of some sort and heat them up. Since there’s not always enough leftover ravioli and diet Dr. Pepper for everyone in the house, sometimes I just have to break down and crack an egg or two. So, to fix this little problem I have found an answer that seems to work for everyone.

My solution is a quick little breakfast recipe that is my take on an English favorite, soft boiled eggs with strips of toast for dipping called soldiers. The difference here is that instead of cooking them in the toaster, I slow cook my soldiers in the oven so they are crunchier than usual and then top them with grated cheese and ham or bacon. This is a little bit heartier than plain old soldiers and for some reason my family thinks that I go to a lot of trouble to make them. Works for me.

Soft Boiled Eggs with Crunchy Ham and Cheese Soldiers

Soft Boiled Eggs

A really great boiled egg depends on a couple of factors. As you may know, I live at 6,300 feet so water boils at a lower temperature here which means I need to boil my eggs a bit longer than those living at a lower altitude.

I always use large eggs that need to boil a bit longer, so you may have to adjust your boiling time for that too if you are using smaller or larger eggs than I do. Before carefully dropping my eggs into enough rapidly boiling water to completely cover them, I set them out to allow them to come to room temperature. This helps speed things up a bit to compensate for the other factors that slow down the cooking. You also get more consistent results when you time your eggs when you start with room temperature eggs.

I cook my eggs for 5 minutes which produces a nicely soft boiled that I find to be just right. Some people like them cooked a bit more, some a bit less. I advise starting at 3 minutes and working your way up a minute at a time until you find what is just right for you. I highly recommend spending a couple of dollars on a kitchen timer so you get the same results every time. My kitchen timer is my favorite gadget.

Hard Boiled Eggs (since we are on the subject of boiling eggs)

These are a bit easier since the timing takes much less precision. I put my desired amount of eggs into a pan and pour in enough cold water to cover the eggs completely. I then put the pan over a medium high heat and bring to a rolling boil. I boil for 5 minutes, cover and remove from the heat and set aside long enough for the water to cool completely. Voila! Peel and enjoy.

Crunchy Ham and Cheese Soldiers

1 slice of your favorite bread (I love a heartier bread like oat and nut and if it is a bit stale, all the better)

2 teaspoons butter, softened to room temperature

1 heaping tablespoon sharp grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon ham or bacon (julienne sliced)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Butter both sides of the bread. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 10 – 12 minutes or until it is brown on the bottom. Flip bread over and cook for an additional 10 – 12 minutes on the other side. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese then the ham; set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to broil. Return the toast to the oven and cook, watching very carefully, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Trim crusts and slice into strips. Serve immediately with a soft boiled egg.

This recipe serves one but is easily increased to serve as many as you like.

Scotch Eggs for My Favorite Clock Setter

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Most people I know look forward to changing their clocks and falling back in November regaining the hour they lost months earlier. Personally, I hate it. I wish "they" would just leave things alone because I can’t stand changing my clocks. My aversion to this usually leaves all of our clocks displaying the correct time, with the exception of five or so displaying the old time, which always belong to me.

Even though I planned to get around to changing them eventually, I really had some good excuses for not doing it. The two clocks in my car need a paperclip or toothpick to poke a little tiny button to change them, which I never seem to remember unless I’m already driving. Then there's my wrist watch which requires some secret combination of winding and pulling that apparently only a sadist named Tag Heuer really knows for sure how to do.

The projection clock on my side of the bed is a real tricky one because it has to be set twice; once for the main display and once for the display on the ceiling. Experience tells me that getting both of them in sync for an entire 60 seconds at once is a physical impossibility.

Compounding this problem is the fact that the projection display loses about a minute every other day forcing me to do some serious calculations before arriving at an approximate time. First I have to subtract the hour I neglected to fall back to before adding the 23 minutes or so that the clock has lost to arrive at the approximate time. Phew! Try doing that kind of math at 13:72 in the morning when you are half asleep.

Finally there’s the clock on my oven, the most obstinate of all. Changing it requires a confounding sequence of tones and buttons that makes Tag Heuer’s look user friendly. I have stood at my oven for no less than 10 minutes pushing buttons and resetting without resolution before just walking away in disgust. Where are the instructions you might ask? As best as I can recall I put them somewhere for safekeeping until I got around to filing them in their proper place and now they’re gone. They are around here somewhere and some day I’ll get serious and look for them.

Since we had extra family time around here over the holidays, Mr. H, armed with paperclips and internet instruction booklet printouts, took pity on me and set my clocks as a stocking stuffer of sorts. Thanks to him I can now easily tell the exact time when my college student butt dials me at 1 am.

Since Mr. H did something special for me, I decided to do something special for him. While living in the UK, we learned to love many dishes that aren't so popular here in the US. We really miss mushy peas (recipe coming soon), really great fish and chips to go with the mushy peas, Yorkshire puddings (pretty much impossible to make at 6,300 ft.), and Scotch eggs, just to name a few. Scotch eggs are one of the easier recipes to replicate because the ingredients (or similar ingredients) are readily available, but the preparation isn't so easy so I don't prepare them very often. They are time consuming and tricky, but worth it for the occasional treat.

I use my deep fryer to cook mine, but if you don't have one you can pan fry them too; just be aware that you will have to fry them until they reach a dark walnut brown and then allow them to rest until cool to ensure that they are cooked through. I also like to serve mine with spicy mayo (not very English at all) which I believe adds another flavor layer to this already addictive dish.

Scotch Eggs

Before making these I always say a little prayer that I can find very small, easy to peel eggs so I don't get too frustrated. Also, I know that this might sound like a lot of sausage but don't skimp because if you get the sausage too thin they have been know to split open in the fryer, and even though deep fried boil egg is interesting it is not the desired result. I have eaten these before when the yolk is slighty soft and they are fantastic. I'm still working on that.

1 pound of your favorite sausage meat (I like sage, but plain and Italian hot or regular are great too)

5 small to medium size eggs, hard boiled and peeled

2 beaten eggs, optional (I like mine without, but it will give your finished eggs a thicker crust)

1 cup breadcrumbs

Divide the sausage into 5 equal portions. Pat them out into thin patties that are big enough to wrap around the boiled eggs. Place each patty in the palm of one of your hands. Center the boiled into the middle of the sausage patty and mold the sausage meat around it, pressing it gently with cupped hands to seal it; set aside.

Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or plate. At this time if you are using them, dip your eggs into the beaten egg before rolling each in the crumbs to cover completely; set aside.

Preheat a deep fryer or place a medium size frying pan over medium high heat and pour enough oil into it so it is 1” deep. When the oil is hot place each egg into it and fry until they are a deep brown on all sides. Remove from the oil and transfer to paper towels to drain. Cool to room temperature. These can also be baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

Serve at room temperature plain, with Spicy Mayonnaise (recipe follows) or with a salad and fries. These are great for snacks, picnics or lunchboxes.

Spicy Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons hot sauce (I like sriracha)

Squeeze of lime

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Mix all ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

Happy New Year 2012!: Ham and White Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Well, happy New Year everyone! I hope you all went out and partied like it’s 1999. As for me and Mr. H, we stayed home last night and watched the Twilight Zone marathon and texted with our 17 year old. I know, pretty pitiful huh?

After going to bed last night at 10:00 (that’s 12 o’clock Miami time), I woke up this morning refreshed and ready to start the new year off right by my mopping my floors (the glamour never ends around here). To fortify myself I had a wonderful breakfast of leftovers from last night (this is where it gets good).

You might remember that we were given a Honey Baked ham from some very thoughtful neighbors for Christmas. We have eaten on that ham for the past week without getting tired of it at all. We had finally eaten it down to the point where it was no longer spiral sliced, so last night I cut the remainder of the ham off of the bone, chopped it and made a soup supper for us.

This was such an awesome, easy supper I knew that this had to be my first post of the New Year. I served it with some French bread and butter and lots and lots of sparkling wine which was fantastic! So, for all of you out there trying to use up that Christmas ham, and from the length of the line in front of the Honey Baked store I know that there’s lots of you out there, this one’s for you.

Leftover Christmas Ham and White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 medium size sweet yellow onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1 – 1/2 to 2 cups chopped ham

2 cups chicken broth

2 – 15.5 ounce cans great northern or navy beans, drained and rinsed (or feel free to cook your own from dried if you have the time or energy)

1 large bay leaf

1 large sprig fresh rosemary, optional (because dried rosemary tends to be "woody" if I don't have fresh I prefer not to use it)

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Pour oil into a large saucepan over medium high heat. When oil is hot and shimmering add the onions, celery and carrots; sauté until the onions are slightly transparent.

Add the garlic and the ham to the vegetables and stir for a minute or two before adding the broth and beans. Mash the beans slightly with a potato masher, mashing about one half of them. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and pepper.

Bring the contents to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp to the bite and the broth has thickened slightly.

Remove from the heat, discard the rosemary and bay leaf. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

#Baketogether with Abby Dodge: Chocolate Meringue Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:16:00 +0000

About a month or so ago Barb over at Creative Culinary encouraged me to join her in a blogger activity called #Baketogether led by cookbook author, recipe developer and Fine Cooking contributing editor, Abby Dodge. The premise is simple, Abby chooses the recipe and then the participants join in by baking their version of it and blogging about it. The recipe for this month was Abby’s own recipe for the gorgeous Chocolate Meringue Cake that graced the December 2009 cover of Bon Appetit Magazine.

After joining up, I have to admit that even though I am a seasoned cook I was a bit daunted by the many steps that this recipe called for. Always up for a challenge I did what I often do and put off it to almost the very last day.

So, day before yesterday I dove right in by making the meringues. I wanted to put my own stamp on the recipe so I decided to add malt powder to flavor them. Malteser cake sounds great no? No matter how hard I tried, as soon as I folded the malt into the beaten egg whites they would fall. After discarding one batch, I decided just to go with the second attempt and see how they turned out. After 4 hours my flat meringues came out of the oven. Even though they weren’t as fluffy as I would have liked, they tasted just delicious so I decided to use them.

The other components of the cake weren’t as involved as I thought, just a bit time consuming, but worth every minute. This cake is a real stunner with its crispy meringue layers, moist cake and rich and buttery buttercream. I did make the components the day before I assembled it so I wasn’t rushed or tired when it came time to decorate. This also gave me plenty of energy to wipe the buttercream and meringue dust off of my dog who is always at my feet when I am cooking.

I am so glad that I took part. Not only did I discover a new special occasion recipe (my family was starting to really get tired of chocolate birthday cupcakes), but we are going to say goodbye to 2011 in style with this gorgeous cake. Thanks for the recipe Abby and thanks Barb for inviting me to join in!

For Abby's original recipe, please click here.

Feeding the Visiting Masses: Cheeseburger Po'boys

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:07:00 +0000

We don’t travel much at the holidays anymore. When I was a little girl we always stayed at my grandmother’s farm with our extended family, but that was just a 2 hour drive from home not the 19 hours we face now. When our children were small we gladly made the 20 hour trek across the Atlantic to hang out with my parents for the holidays, and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything, but since my father’s passing it just isn’t the same.

These days we feel like we have put in our time on the highway and up in the air and prefer hanging out together baking cookies, taking in movies, playing games and waking up in our own beds. Mr. H and I relish every moment because we know it won’t be long and our children will have their own families and our house may not be their primary holiday destination. I guess when that happens we’ll hit the road again, but for now our home fires are burning.

When it comes to our holiday menu, I have it made this year. Since one of my dear friends had the good taste of giving me a gift certificate for a Honey Baked ham, I have decided to pretty much take the day off. I’m planning on making some easy side dishes and drinking too many glasses of sparkling wine and calling it close enough.

Even if I hadn’t been blessed with this wonderful gift, I find that the main event is never really hard to plan; it is all the other meals surrounding it that usually pose the problem. I bet you could ask 100 people on the street what they are having for Christmas dinner and they could tell you down to the last detail, but ask the same people what’s for dinner tonight and you would get the old deer in the headlights stare.

Last night my daughter’s boyfriend came over for supper and to exchange gifts with her. Since they are college students and will pretty much eat anything that won’t eat them first, feeding them is not a difficult assignment. I love having them hang out with us, so I wanted to do something really fun. I decided to make a new (or new to me) recipe from my old favorite Holy Cross Lutheran Church Cookbook.

I had been meaning to try this recipe for years and finally jumped off and made it a few weeks ago. The results were so simple and good that I knew I had to share it with you. I’m just sorry that I didn’t post it sooner so you’d have an easy option for the meals leading up to the big one on Christmas Day, but there’s always New Year’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday.

No doubt this recipe was probably originally made by the Bruins family (who are credited with the recipe) to feed a hungry youth group assembly and I don’t blame them because it would be just perfect for that. It is simple, economical and can be easily adjusted to feed an army of adolescents or a house full of hungry relatives staying at your house at Christmas.

Cheeseburger Po'boy

1 – 1/2 pounds 85/15 ground beef

1 small sweet yellow onion, very finely chopped

1/4 of a medium bell pepper (I like red or orange), very finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons powdered beef bouillon (or crushed bouillon granules)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

1 French batard or baguette

6 slices American, cheddar or Swiss cheese

To Serve, traditional cheeseburger toppings like, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, ketchup, mayo or chipotle flavored mayo (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, bouillon, pepper and egg in a large bowl; set aside.

Slice bread in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Separate halves and scoop out insides to hollow out. This should give you about a cup to a cup and a half of breadcrumbs.

Add bread crumbs to the meat mixture. Without overworking the meat, mix the ingredients together until they are well combined. Fill the hollowed out bread halves with equal amounts of the meat mixture, packing meat slightly into the bread.

Wrap bread in foil covering only the bottom and the sides leaving the meat exposed. Place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. About 5 – 10 minutes before the end of the baking time, top with an even layer of cheese and return to the oven to melt.

Remove from the oven, cut into 3 - 4” wide slices and serve with toppings.

Chipotle Flavored Mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper with adobo sauce from the can

Mix ingredients well before serving.

Cheeseburger Po'boy with Chipotle Mayo

Something Wonderful This Way Comes: Herb and Mustard Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with English Style Crispy Roast Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:24:00 +0000

I grew up eating turkey for Thanksgiving and just as often as not, turkey for Christmas. So, multiply my years on this earth times two and you have about 10,000 turkeys that I have eaten over my lifetime. This doesn’t even take into account all of the sliced deli turkey for turkey sandwiches, hot turkey on toast and turkey chef salads I’ve eaten. No wonder I’m sick to death of turkey.

Now that I’m all grown up and running the holiday show around here, I decided to break with tradition and cook something totally different this last Thanksgiving. Well, I have to be honest and say that I did have a safety net since we were having lunch with our neighbors and I knew that she would be baking a turkey (that turned out to be a work of art by the way). Taking this into account, I felt free to get really creative.

Since I was saving ham for Christmas and goose was just taking it too far, I decided to prepare a pork loin. I really wanted this to be a kicked up, tricked out pork loin so I searched the internet high and low for a recipe that would make it something really special. After much perusal, I decided on a Dijon mustard and herb stuffing. I added my own touches by wrapping it in bacon, browning it in a skillet and baking it in hard cider. Whoa! The result was one of the best meat dishes I have ever eaten, and need I remind you that I have eaten 10,000 turkeys (give or take).

When I made this the first time I had a three and a half pound loin that fed all four of us with enough leftovers to send my daughter home with some and a couple of sandwiches for me and Mr. H. The one shown here is right at a pound and a half which I found to be just the right size for a meal for four.

Herb and Mustard Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

1- 1/2 pound pork loin

1 large clove garlic, crushed

1 – 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (or ½ teaspoon rubbed sage)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

4 – 5 slices thin hickory smoked bacon

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 cup hard cider

Butterfly pork loin as shown; lay it flat (cut side up) on a clean dry surface. Spread garlic all over the loin. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the garlic. Smear the mustard over the top with the back of a spoon; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, parsley, sage, thyme,chives and tarragon. Sprinkle the herb mixture over the mustard. Roll the loin up as shown.

Starting at one end of the stuffed loin, wrap a piece of the bacon around to secure it, being sure to tuck the loose end of the bacon under itself to hold it in place. Stretching the bacon slightly as you wrap, overlap bacon slices at the ends securing them with a toothpick. This process not only flavors the bacon but it also holds it together so it should be securely wrapped.

Wrap the prepared loin in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the oil into a medium size skillet over medium high heat. Brown the bacon wrapped loin on all sides until it is golden brown.

Place the browned loin in a baking dish that is not too much bigger than the loin itself. Pour the cider over the top. Cover with foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let rest for approximately 15 minutes before carving and serving.

To get started you'll need to butterfly the loin. First you press the meat firmly with the palm of your hand to stablilize it. With a very sharp knife make a slice into the loin at 1/3 of the thickness on the bottom. Carefully follow the 1/3 thickness all the way to the opposite end of the loin, rolling the meat as you go, until have a flat piece of meat.

Season the meat well with salt and pepper before spreading it with the mustard and the herbs.

Starting at either end, roll the meat up cigar fashion.

Wrap the loin with slices of bacon, securing them at the end with toothpicks. Wrap the loin in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight if possible.

Remove the loin from the plastic and brown on all sideds in a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Place the loin in a baking dish before adding the cider, covering and baking for one hour.

After baking, keep the meat covered and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing in into 1/2 - 1" slices.

To make this this meal really special I decided that it needed some English style roast potatoes that turned out to be the perfect pairing. I can only imagine finishing this meal off with some sautéed savoy cabbage or broccolini. To seal the deal, I have to let you know that each serving of the loin with potatoes came in at less than $2 per person. Elegance on a budget. I doesn't get any better than that.

English Style Crispy Roast Potatoes

1 large russet potato for each of your diners (I used 4), peeled and cut into large bite size pieces

1 teaspoon salt or enough to make the water nice and salty

1 ounce of cooking oil (or pan drippings if you aren’t saving them for gravy) per pound of potato (I used 1/4 cup for my potatoes)

Coarse salt for serving if needed

Place chopped potatoes in a large saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover with about an extra 1” on top. Place over a medium high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes; drain.

While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour the oil into a large baking dish; set aside.

At this point you’ll need to rough the edges of the potatoes up a bit. I have a screen type strainer so after I drain my potatoes I toss them around in it a bit which does the trick. If you don’t have a strainer like mine, after draining pour them back into the saucepan, cover it and shake them a bit to roughen them up; set aside.

Place the baking dish into the hot oven and heat the oil until it is smoking. Remove the dish from the oven, making sure to close the oven door behind you and pour the potatoes into the hot oil. When the oil is hot enough, you will be rewarded with a nice loud sizzle. Working quickly and carefully, stir the potatoes around in the hot oil doing your best to cover them in oil before replacing the dish back in the oven.

Bake the potatoes in the oven uncovered for approximately 40 minutes, stirring them two or three times during the baking time. Remove from the oven and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. I love serving these with chopped fresh rosemary sprinkled over or with malt vinegar and ketchup for less formal occasions.

Serves 4

A Blast from Christmas Past: Creamy Dried Beef Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:27:00 +0000

I had popcorn for lunch today so I’m just a little bit hungry this afternoon. The problem with eating light is that sooner or later I find myself eating cold spaghetti bolognese with a side of left over fried chicken straight out of the fridge, undoing any bit of good that I have done earlier in the day. Then the remorse sets in.

This time of year it is especially hard because I try to eat several lean little snacks during the day so I can enjoy a heartier meal with my family in the evening. What makes it a challenge is all the fun little snack foods that I have hanging around for my children while they are home from school. For some reason theirs always looks better than the bowl of edamame with my name on it. You know, when you are really ravenous it is impossible to skip the fudge all together. Just a pinch doesn’t have many calories does it?

Yesterday I made a bowl of dip for this post thinking that my family would run through it before my hunger pangs got going. Well, they did pretty well on it, but unfortunately left enough for me to satisfy my cravings and blow my diet again today. I guess there’s always tomorrow.

This time of year I always get a bit sentimental and start blowing the dust off of old recipes that I enjoyed while growing up. The dip recipe I am sharing today is one that my mom used to make for holiday parties and I always loved it. It is really a blast from the past for me and if you aren't already familiar with it, I hope you'll give it a try. If you grew up eating it too and have forgotten about it, this is my Christmas present to you.

Creamy Dried Beef Dip

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 of an orange bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 of a small yellow onion, finely diced

1 fresh jalapeno, finely diced

1 large garlic clove, crushed

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup soured cream

1 heaping tablespoon of coarsely chopped pimento stuffed Spanish olives (I've also used chopped artichoke hearts, yum)

1 – 2.5 ounce jar sliced dried beef (I found mine in the same aisle as all the other nutritious meat like Spam and Vienna sausage), sliced into thin strips and then in half

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Melt butter in a medium size saucepan over medium high heat. When butter is melted and begins to sizzle, add the bell pepper, onion and jalapeno. Sauté vegetables until the just begin to soften; add garlic and sauté for one minute longer.

Reduce heat to medium and add the cream cheese, Parmesan, soured cream, olives, dried beef, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if desired), mix well. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer stirring frequently.

When the dip is heated through it is ready to serve or it can be placed into a 325 degree oven and baked for approximately 15 minutes or until it is slightly brown on top. My husband likes it best at room temperature so you can serve it many ways. I love to serve mine with thinly sliced and toasted French bread, sliced fresh vegetables and fruit or with rye crisps and crackers.

Divas in the Crisper Drawer: Hot Chicken and Bacon Salad with Mixed Greens

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:15:00 +0000

I have to make kind of a sad admission. I have to be honest and admit that most of the time my vegetable bin is no more than a wasteful refrigerated composter. I buy nutritious fruits and vegetables with the greatest of intentions, but all too often they languish at the bottom of my crisper in a macabre brown liquid that I mop up every time I can muster the courage.

It is really the green leafies that pose the biggest problem for me. While root vegetables are patient and stoic, quietly waiting for me to become inspired in my own good time, the delicate greens are not quite as forgiving. Like temperamental divas, their beauty seduces me in the grocery with a fresh and lovely appearance promising me and my family crisp salads and silken soups, but they are an impatient lot and problems soon follow. It seems like only a few days after bringing them home they are disappointingly limp and wilted.

The other day feeling like we haven’t had enough vitamins after our Thanksgiving carb fest, I drove to Whole Foods and went to town not only bringing home an expensive bag of divas, but divas with a pedigree and an organic certification. That night a forgotten family obligation sidelined my plans as well the next night and the next, all the while my impatient greens were wasting away in the bottom of my fridge.

Several days later while sifting through my fridge looking for a piece of ginger, I ran across a precious bunch of spinach teetering on the crossroads of life and liquefaction. Oh I hadn’t forgotten about it, it haunted me everytime I opened the fridge, but like Scarlet O’Hara I just preferred to think about it tomorrow. I guess that makes me a bit of a diva myself.

Determined not to throw away one more bunch of expensive produce, I washed it and removed the wilted bits, throwing the rest of it into a large pot over medium heat. Stirring occasionally I let it cook for a couple of minutes before adding some toasted sesame seeds and a splash of rice vinegar and some salt and pepper. Crisis averted this time.

When I am on my toes and my greens are fresh and crisp, there is nothing I like better than a good salad. I love salads all year long, but find that my guys crave something on the hot side in the winter. Inspired by an old recipe for spinach salad and one from one of my favorite little restaurants in Nottingham, this salad is hot and hearty and perfect for a cold winter's night. Serve this with a loaf of crusty French bread and a glass of your favorite wine and you will have an elegant feast.

Hot Chicken and Bacon Salad with Mixed Greens

1 large head red leaf lettuce

6 ounces baby spinach leaves

2 ounces arugula (optional)

6 slices bacon, chopped

2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced and then sliced in half across

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 large clove garlic

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons light olive oil (optional)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Wash and dry greens well; set aside.

Place bacon pieces in a medium size frying plan set over medium high heat. Fry bacon until it is golden brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain; set aside.

In the same frying pan with the bacon drippings, sauté the chicken until it is cooked through, approximately 5 – 8 minutes. A minute or so before the chicken is done add the thyme, sage, salt and pepper; stir well. Transfer the chicken to a separate plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.

In the same frying pan sauté the onions for a couple of minutes until they are wilted. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. Add the chicken and bacon back to the pan and heat for 2 minutes or so stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar. Cook to heat through being careful not to break the tomatoes up too much.

Divide the greens evenly among four plates. Top the greens with equal amounts of the chicken and bacon mixture. Serve immediately.

To change things up a bit I have added chopped avocado, artichoke hearts, sliced mushrooms, bleu cheese crumbles and grated Parmesan. This is a really good base salad that you can make you own by adding your favorite ingredients.

Serves 4

Christingles, Christmas Tingles and a Giveaway from Wayfair.com

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Thanks to all my followers, existing and new who participated in this giveaway from Wayfair.com. Random.org chose the number 21 which means Christina Gould is my winner. Congratulations Christina! Please check back for future giveaways.

Now that my Thanksgiving dishes are done I think it is safe to start talking about Christmas. I do love Christmas, I just wish that retailers would quit exploiting it by trying to kick start it in October. I know that they are just trying to make a buck, but I can’t help but feel that I’m being a little bit strong armed. Between all of the shopping hype and the Santa Claus images everywhere, the true meaning of Christmas too often gets lost in the melee.

When we lived in England and my children were small, the little village school they attended would host a Christingle service at the beautiful 14th century church at the top of the hill every year. My words cannot express how lovely this little stone church is every day, but during the holidays its beauty defies description.

St. Mary's Church, Plumtree, Nottinghamshire

The Christingle custom began in Germany in 1747 by Bishop Johannes de Watteville as a fresh and lively way to explain the meaning of Christmas to the children in the Moravian church. He gave each child an orange wrapped in a red ribbon with a prayer that read “Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these dear children’s hearts”, and the Christingle service was born. In 1968, John Penson of the Children’s Society of the UK brought this custom to the Anglican Church in England. This soon became a well-loved tradition with children eagerly making their own Christingles each year.

To make a modern Christingle you first take four toothpicks and poke them through soft candies or dried fruit symbolizing the bounty of the earth. A red ribbon representing the blood of Christ is then wrapped around the center of a large juicy orange, symbolic of the earth. The red ribbon is then either secured in four equally spaced places by the gumdrop skewers, representing the four seasons of the year, or the ribbon can be tied and the skewers placed higher above it. Finally a hole is cut in the top of the orange where a lit candle is placed celebrating Jesus as the light of the world.

For our service in England our children were then dressed in white robes, their candles were lit and they carefully entered the darkened church singing carols cradling their oranges in their tiny cupped hands. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and not a Santa Claus in site. This is one of my fondest memories of Christmas. Oh yeah, I am happy to say that to everyone's great relief, no one's hair was set on fire during any of Plumtree School's Christingle services.

It has been a long time since my children fashioned a Christingle so I am very thankful for my blog for giving us a reason to relive this beautiful memory. The scents alone from the components of this little project made us smile. If you have a child in your life and feel so inclined, this is a fun and meaningful activity to share with them.

To celebrate the season, I've fashioned a drink that incorporates some of the wonderful flavors that that are so prevalant this time of year. My "Christmas Tingle" is a blend of cider and orange juice with a hint of cinnamon schnapps. This recipe was recently tested at a holiday high school friend reunion at my house and the college girls gave it three enthuastic thumbs up, so I feel quite confident about passing it on to you. It is wonderful in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions so everyone can enjoy it.

Christmas Tingle

3 parts hard or sparkling non-alcoholic cider

1 part orange pineapple juice

Splash cinnamon schnapps (I used clear Goldschlager so my drink may not be as colorful as yours), or if making non-alcoholic, 1 small cinnamon stick

Fill a large highball glass with ice. Pour cider into glass, top with orange pineapple juice and schnapps; stir well and garnish with an orange slice, cranberries or cherries.

For the non-alcoholic version: Pour sparkling cider into a large ice filled glass, add a splash of orange pineapple juice and a cinnamon stick; stir well. Garnish with an orange slice.

Now, for my newest giveaway from Wayfair!

As you may recall, in the past I have held several giveaways for CSN merchandise and gift codes. Recently I was made aware that CSN is now rebranding itself, moving its smaller sites into one big site they are calling Wayfair.com. I really love shopping this site as it has everything from kitchen area rugs, toys and cookware to lighting, pet furniture and baby stuff.

To help everyone discover their new site, Wayfair.com has offered to give me a one time $70.00 shopping credit* to give to one of my lucky US followers. You choose an item totalling $70.00 from their site and they will ship it directly to you. To receive one entry you must be a public follower of my blog and leave a comment saying so. To receive extra entries follow Savoury Table on Facebook, Twitter or sign up to receive my posts by e-mail or RSS feed (just click on the symbols at the top right of my page). If you vote for my daughter's recipe contest entry for Salmon Croquette Sliders (just a simple click, no registering or logging in) you'll get an extra entry as well. State each entry as a separate comment. I will let Random.org choose my winner on Sunday, December 4th around noon mountain time. Good luck!

*Correction from earlier statement of shopping code.

A French Inspired Lunch at the Omni and a Recipe to Go: Butternut Squash Soup with Frangelico

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:44:00 +0000

About a week ago I was invited by Barb of Creative Culinary to join her for lunch at the Meritage Restaurant in the Omni Interlocken Hotel in Broomfield, Colorado. The hotel’s Executive Chef David Harker along with forty-four other Omni chefs and culinary leaders had recently returned from a discovery trip to France and were ready to unveil their new menu, and we were more than happy to be their guinea pigs.

On the menu were some selections from their “Simmer Saute Sante the Flavors of France” feature which is now being offered at most of their locations. Expecting to briefly meet Chef Harker and his staff and then to be left to ourselves, Barb and I were pleased to learn that he would not only be preparing our entree at our table, but would also be staying with us to explain each course to us as it was presented.

Our lunch started off with grilled flatbread with black garlic and fig puree and topped with French Roquefort and grilled apples, served with micro greens . . . divine. After licking our plates, we were presented with a bowl of butternut squash bisque accented with Frangelico. I must admit that I am not a huge butternut squash lover, but the slightly nutty flavor of the hazelnut liqueur was a delicious compliment to the sweetness of the butternut squash, making this one of my favorite dishes of the luncheon.

As if things could possibly get any better, we were then served a decadent buttery serving of foie gras on a crispy toast round with fruit. No matter how you feel about it, foie gras holds a prominent place in French cuisine and I do know why, because this was delicious. Next we were served the entrée that Chef Harker had been preparing this entire time, New York Strip Steak with Sauce au Cognac et Poivre Noir. This incredibly tender and juicy prime steak was served with a sampling of crispy duck confit served with roast potatoes and vegetables. Shall I say it again? Divine!

To finish this wonderful meal, we were served an assortment of delicate sweets including absolutely perfect French macarons and a silken pot de crème. Top this with a huge latte and impeccable service and someone could have stuck a fork in us because we were done and totally spoiled. Thank you Chef Harker, your staff and the Omni Interlocken for a completely delightful afternoon.

If you'd like to sample these dishes for yourself, this special menu and two overnight packages are available until the end of the year. The “Simmer Sauté Santé” package will offer guests at select hotels and resorts an exclusive culinary immersion weekend. The “French Toast!” package that is offered only over New Year’s Eve, enabling guests to enjoy an authentic French dinner with Champagne to celebrate the New Year, breakfast with a Champagne cocktail and a late check-out on request. Both packages range from $299 to $700. For availability, menus and more information please click here.

If you can’t make it to the Omni for a special meal yourself, the culinary team was kind enough to forward the squash bisque recipe on to me to make at home. Totally easy to make and really budget friendly, this soup will give you a bit of simple luxury anytime in your own kitchen. Even if you can’t serve it with foie gras, I am here to tell you from experience that it is also fabulous with a chicken salad sandwich.

Butternut Squash Bisque with Frangelico

1 medium size butternut squash (approximately 3 pounds)

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons golden raisins

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup cream

1/3 to 1/2 cup Frangelico liqueur (depending on your preference)

1 pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Wash squash well. Split down the middle lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, transfer to a bowl and set them aside.

In each squash cavity, place half of the raisins and half of the butter. Turn the squash cavity side down in a large baking dish (This is what the recipe said and a real trick at that, but it can be done. Just don’t worry if half your raisins spill out, it will be ok). Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over the squash. Cover and place in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until it is fork tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and cool. Scoop out the pulp from the squash shells and transfer to a large saucepan. Place the squash shells, raisins and the liquid from the baking dish in a large pot with the remaining chicken stock; simmer covered over low heat for approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Ok, don't anyone tell Chef Harker I said this, but at this point if you don't have any Frangelico, you could substitute it by stirring in a tablespoon or so of peanut butter towards the end of the cooking time. It won't taste exactly the same but pretty close.

Strain squash shell broth into the saucepan with the pulp; puree with an emersion blender or in the bowl of a countertop blender. Return to the saucepan and add the cream and Frangelico. Place back over medium heat and reheat to piping hot. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with a drizzling of cream, crème fraiche or sour cream. If using cream, beat just a bit to thicken so it floats on the top instead of sinking. The taste is the same, it is just prettier.

Makes approximately 6 cups which easily serves 4

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

New Found Freedom and Fantastic Festival Food: Natchitoches Meat Pies

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:19:00 +0000

I talk to my daughter at university probably three times a day. No, I don’t make her, I am just that fun. She calls me first thing in the morning to let me know she’s alive (I do insist on this one). She calls me at lunchtime because she’s wondering what I'm up to, then she calls me at night to let me know that she’s all buttoned down and going to bed. Then we start all over again the next day. She’s a good girl and I love her more than I can say. Thank goodness for cell phones and her good taste in the people she wants to talk to.

When I was her age there were no cell phones. If my parents couldn’t find me when I went underground they’d either have to hire a detective or wait it out. When I think about what they must have gone through worrying about me it makes me realize how spoiled I am always (well, almost always) being able to contact my kids when I want.

When I was in my early twenties my newly found, all-grown up freedom and I went to Natchitoches, Louisiana (pronounced NACK-uh-tush) with a group of friends for the town’s annual Christmas Festival of Lights. In all the excitement I forgot to call my parents and tell them I was leaving town, so by Sunday night when I got back home to Houston the National Guard was on high alert. Man, they were mad! Now that I have a couple of children of my own, I know how frantic they must have been when I forgot to call and tell them I’d be gone for three days. Oops!

The weekend started out when one of my friends somehow got the keys to his family’s weekend house in Louisiana. As I remember it, it was a rustic little place on the edge of a swamp nestled among the cypress trees with the snakes and alligators. We had planned a wonderful weekend of drinking, dominoes and festival making. The only kink in this plan was that the septic tank was broken so there was no working bathroom in the house. Not good a good situation with four women who are drinking beer. Since we all refused to go outside and use the restroom in the bushes (see photo below), we spent most of the weekend driving to the closest gas station with a public toilet.

Louisiana's outdoor restroom attendants

Since every time we turned around we were running to town anyway, we spent a lot of time hanging out at the festival eating. You might be familiar with the town and this festival and not know it. The movie Steel Magnolias was filmed here and the festival they show in the movie is this one. They have every Christmas scene you can imagine fashioned from lights and placed on one side of the Cane River which runs through the center of the historic part of town. The fireworks show which is on the opening weekend of the celebration, is so spectacular that even the fluorescent yellow nacho cheese sauce that I sat in in my new wool coat to watch them couldn’t kill the fun.

Like many festivals around the country, the food here is delicious mainly because it has been perfected over the years by generations of amateur home cooks. Even though great food abounds, the one dish they are most proud of and famous for is their meat pies. They love them so much that they even have their own separate celebration for them in September. These pies are made from a simple recipe of ground beef and pork with Cajun flavors wrapped in a soft dough and deep fried. How can you go wrong with this combo?

Those meat pies were so good that I have never forgotten the flavor and have planned on making them for years now. Well, this is the year and I'm happy to tell you that they were really simple, the hardest part being rolling the dough, but even at that not a deal breaker. This recipe made 16 pretty large pies but I think it would also be great to downsize them a bit and make 24 smaller ones for party appetizers. This is really a great base to expand on or change. I could see where this recipe could be easily altered to make Mexican, Asian or Italian versions, so I hope you’ll have fun experimenting with it. I know I will.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound 80/20 ground beef

1 pound ground pork (I tried it with pork sausage and it was great)

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 small bell pepper, finely chopped (green is more traditional but you can use any color that you like)

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (my own addition)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for preparing surface

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

Pour vegetable oil in a large frying pan set over medium high heat; brown meat in oil. Add the onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are soft, approximately 5 minutes; add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add thyme, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste before sprinkling 1 tablespoon of the flour you borrow from the dough ingredients over the meat; stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.

Sift the remaining flour, salt and baking powder together into a large bowl or in the bowl of a food processor (this makes quick work of this step); process or cut in shortening by hand until it looks like cornmeal. Stir the eggs and milk together before slowly mixing into the flour mixture; mix well to form a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Dust a clean dry surface with flour. Roll each dough portion into a ball. Place each ball on the floured surface one at a time before rolling it into circle about 6 – 7” in diameter. Spoon approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture onto one side of the circle, leaving a 1” clean edge all around. Brush edges with a little warm water. Fold the circle over the meat mixture matching the edges, forming a semi-circle. Fold the edges in half up towards the meat leaving a 1/2" edge. Press the edge with the tines of a fork to crimp. Repeat with the remaining meat and dough.

Heat deep fryer oil or pour enough oil into a medium size frying pan to come up to a 1” depth in the pan; heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering place 1 – 2 pies in the pan and fry to a golden brown on each, approximately 3 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature.

A Steaming Hot Bowl of Blasphemy: Shortcut Pho Bo

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:58:00 +0000

I run with a pretty tough crowd. I run with a very talented bunch of food bloggers. Don’t believe me that it's tough? Well, these are the kind of people that grind their own cornmeal, brew their own vinegar, smoke their own bacon and make their own cheese. Scared yet? They are also masters of HTML codes, camera shutter speeds, ISO settings and social media platforms. Try hanging out with them for a while. If you don’t already have an inferiority complex, you’ll acquire one soon enough.

I don’t know for sure, but I’m willing to bet that most of them don’t even own a can of condensed soup or a cake mix. I have to admit that I don’t own much condensed soup either, but I do secretly love a Sock-It-To-Me Cake made with a Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix or a spoon bread casserole made from a box of Jiffy Cornbread, so shoot me. I don’t normally use these shortcuts, but sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

The other day I was close to my favorite Asian market and stopped by to buy lots of stuff that I don’t need. They had beautiful fresh Thai basil and some paper thin rib eye steak so I was inspired to make pho. For those of you who haven’t had a pho restaurant (pronounced “fuh”) pop up in your neighborhood, it is really no more than simple Vietnamese noodle soup.

Pho Saigon Pho Bo

Pho bo (beef noodle soup) is traditionally made with stock from slowly boiled beef bones, star anise, ginger, onion, cloves, cinnamon and garlic, you can usually order it with anything from very thinly sliced rib eye and flank steak to tripe and tendon. Pho ga (chicken noodle soup) is made the same way but with the one obvious difference. The flavorful broth is then poured over a generous helping of rice noodles and is served with a plate of your choice of sliced jalapenos, basil, cilanatro, chopped green onions, lime wedges and bean sprouts for garnish. We just love the stuff.

Being super excited after finally finding the proper noodles from the hundreds of thousands of noodles they had there, I headed home to get cooking, forgetting all about those slowly boiled bones at the root of its goodness. After arriving home and making the grand announcement, “I will now make the best pho you have ever eaten everyone!” the bone thing struck me. Bummer!

By this time it was 5 pm, my family was hungry and we were all set on pho, so I pulled out one of my favorite shortcuts, beef bouillon. Not saying a word to anyone about my predicament, I added the bouillon to a pot of water along with some seasonings and spices, simmered it for awhile and voila! This pho tasted just like the authentic stuff that the stone faced Vietnamese man at Pho Saigon serves us. Hmmmm, could it be that he uses shortcuts too? After tasting his and mine I’m inclined to think so because they are identical.

I am now going to pass my recipe on for shortcut pho and let you decide if you miss hours of stewing and stirring. My easy version here can be ready in less than an hour, so please forgive me once again my talented blogger friends, but I think this is a recipe that even the purists will have to admit is pretty good.

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

As you can tell, my soup looks a little bit cloudy and no matter how hard I tried I could not get rid of it. I chalk this up to the meat sitting in the broth overnight before I could photograph it. If you serve this right after you cook it you shouldn't have this problem. Trust me though it is still delicious cloudy or not.

8 ounces rice stick noodles, plus warm water for soaking

6 cups water

2 tablespoons beef bouillon powder or granules

2 star anise (I used 1/8 teaspoon anise seed)

1 large garlic clove sliced into fourths

1 medium size onion, cut into fourths

1 – 1” piece of cinnamon stick

1 – 1” piece of fresh gingerroot

2 cloves

1 pound very thinly sliced beefsteak (if slicing by hand, slice partially meat partially frozen with a very sharp knife)

1/2 pound fresh beansprouts

4 sprigs basil (Thai or Italian are both good)

4 large green onions, thinly sliced

2 large fresh jalapenos, thinly sliced

1 small bunch cilantro

Sriracha chili sauce

Hoisin sauce

Soy sauce

Prepare noodles according to package directions. My noodles required soaking in warm water for 1 hour before boiling so read the package directions carefully to avoid eating at midnight.

Pour six cups of water in a large stockpot. Add beef bouillon, anise, garlic, onion, cinnamon stick, gingerroot and cloves. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so. Remove the spices with a spider or slotted spoon and discard; keep warm and set aside until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soaked noodles and boil for 1 – 2 minutes or until soft. Drain noodles and rinse. Divide the noodles equally among 4 large bowls.

Just before serving, add desired amount of the steak into the broth for a medium well doneness. Pour over the noodles. If you prefer rare to medium rare steak add the meat to the broth once it has been poured over the noodles and immediately before serving.

Serve piping hot with the remaining ingredients on the side to add to the soup as you like.

Serves 4

Celebrating Three Years and One Hundred Posts with Star Olive Oil Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:54:00 +0000

This is a pretty special post for me. Just a hair over 3 years and 100 posts ago I started writing this blog on a whim. Remembering how much I missed recipes from home while I was living in the UK, I thought I’d adapt some new and forgotten American style recipes for those living there now and my English friends who wanted to try something new. My goal was to feature recipes that are not only accessible and delicious but something that would push readers into their kitchens and want to follow me on my cooking journey.

So here I am all this time later, still trying to find that perfect post and that perfect dish that will rock the home cooks world. Well, I may never find it, but I’m having a great time trying. I hope you’re having a good time too, because it is you and your comments that keep me cooking and writing. Over the last 3 years you have seen me laugh and cry through teenager trouble, the loss of a dear friend, anniversaries and vacations just to name a few. I can’t thank you enough for hanging in there with me.

About a week ago I was invited by fellow blogger Barb Kiebel of Creative Culinary to join her and the folks from Star Fine Foods for dinner and a tasting of their wide range of olive oils. I was quite happy to join them as I have been cooking with their products for several years now. I find the ones I have tried to be not only delicious but quite affordable as well. I most often use their light olive oil and balsamic vinegar for my everyday cooking, but also infuse their extra virgin oil with herbs and spices for dipping, and of course for making homemade salad dressings.

The evening was wonderful and our dinner was over the top delicious. The chef from Ototo restaurant here in Denver and his staff artfully designed each course incorporating Star products into every one. From the first course to the last, and each one in between (oh those pistachio encrusted lamb chops), their creative dishes garnered oohs and aahs throughout the dining room. Great ingredients skillfully prepared are a thing of beauty. Thank you Star for a wonderful evening.

As with every great party I’ve attended, the gift bags were the cherry on top of a wonderful evening. Bursting with an assortment of Star’s oils and a jar of their colossal olives known as cannonballs (my new addiction), we were warned to hold them from the bottom or suffer slippery heartbreak on the way to our cars. Thankfully mine made it all the way home without so much as a drop spilled so I now have plenty of oil to play with.

We’ve already dipped our weight in rustic bread into green pools of deliciousness, so it is time to do something a bit different. Stepping out of my box and finally having an excuse to use my new sale priced ice cream freezer, I’m going to recreate part of our dessert on this wonderful evening, Olive Oil Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce. Ototo paired theirs with a hazelnut soufflé but I really don’t feel like this dessert needs anything more than a little sauce for interest, if that.

Olive Oil Ice Cream

I know that this recipe sounds a little bit strange, but I am encouraging everyone reading this who owns an ice cream freezer to make it for your next dinner party, because it is a stunner. It does have a distinct olive oil flavor that confused my senses at first, but I quickly settled into loving it. It is without a doubt the creamiest, densest, smoothest ice cream I’ve ever eaten. Pair this with some salted caramel sauce (recipe follows) and you have an incredible dessert that will impress your guests. Don’t worry; all the ingredients are very affordable and widely available.

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 cups half and half

6 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I love Mexican vanilla)

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place sugar, cream and half and half in a medium size heavy gauge saucepan over medium high heat. Bring mixture to a simmer.

Place eggs in a medium size bowl, beat well. Slowly add approximately 1 cup of the hot mixture to the egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Slowly add the egg mixture back to the milk mixture in the saucepan. Bring the mixture back up to a boil before reducing heat to keep at a simmer. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until thickened to the point that it will coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and olive oil. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any egg solids. Transfer to a covered jar or container with a lid. Refrigerate 12 – 24 hours.

The next day, place the ice cream mixture in the freezer bowl of an ice cream freezer. Freeze until it is creamy. If needed transfer ice cream to a freezer container and leave to freeze for a couple of hours until firm.

Makes a little less than a quart.

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon hot water

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 – 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I keep the salt on the light side so I can sprinkle more on top, but feel free to add more to taste if you like)

Place the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium size heavy weight sauce pan set over medium high heat. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium. At this point stop stirring and just let the mixture boil using a wet pastry brush to brush down any crystals that accumulate around the edge of the pan. Cook until mixture is a medium brown.

In a small bowl, combine the instant coffee with the hot water; stir well and set aside.

Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream, butter and salt (do this step carefully as the sugar mixture will bubble up). Whisk until everything is completely combined. Add the coffee; stir well. Serve while warm or at room temperature.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

I love sprinkling a little Murray River Salt over the top, but Kosher salt will work too.

Austin, Homemade Tamales and a Refreshing Tequila Cocktail

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Last week Mr. H and I celebrated a monumental anniversary. We have now been together almost half of our lives. I must admit that when we got married we rationalized the whole thing by telling ourselves that if this marriage thing didn’t work out, we could always get divorced. I know that sounds harsh but for two confirmed singles as my husband I, we couldn’t make any kind of committment without seeing a back exit somewhere. I actually think that this rationalization has been the secret to our success all these years. We both know that if we aren’t thoughtful and loving to each other, the whole thing could be easily called off and that would be a tragedy of epic proportions.

Leading up to our big anniversary we both started throwing out ideas about how and where we could celebrate. We talked about replaying our honeymoon but we heard that Acapulco is now occupied by drug lords and thugs so that was out. Since we are still actively parenting, the idea of leaving our 16 year old son home alone wasn’t even a consideration (we’d rather take our chances with the drug lords and thugs). Then we thought about just having a nice dinner out and calling that good enough. Well, it wasn’t good enough, so we compromised and decided on a romantic trip for three to Austin.

Austin holds a special place in all of our hearts. Not only was our son born there, when my husband and I first met this is where we escaped when we needed to get away from the small town we were living in at the time and have a little fun. Austin has a fun, funky, off beat feel to it as evidenced by their unofficial motto “Keep Austin Weird”. I mean seriously, what is not to love about that?

On this particular trip we had plans to turn our son over to our beautiful and hip niece, her handsome boyfriend, and our super cool, suave and good looking nephew on a fun night out and enjoy an elegant highbrow supper somewhere in this gorgeous foodie city by ourselves.

Well long story short, we landed up hanging out with them drinking Shiner Bock and eating nachos for so long that the old folks couldn’t even consider putting on a tie and high heels to go and eat a steak. Instead we tagged along with them in search of a good bowl of queso and a taco for our son. An hour or so later, as we sat outside on a picnic table under a beautiful starry Texas sky lit by the neon light of the Torchy’s Tacos sign, we both realized how lucky we were to be right there eating tacos with such a wonderful group of young people who really wanted to be with us. Now that is something to celebrate.

After only two nights and three action packed days, we sadly boarded our plane and headed back home to Denver leaving behind cold Texas beer, great Tex-Mex food, unbelievable barbeque and loved ones that we miss every day. So thanks Austin for helping us celebrate our anniversary. There is just no place I would have rather been.

Usually after we return home from a really fun trip I try to keep the memories alive by preparing foods that we discovered while we were gone. When we got home this time I decided to work on a recipe that I have been threatening to prepare for a longe time now, homemade tamales. Over the years I have heard horror stories about groups of women working on tamales around the clock before finishing. I never could understand what took so long but I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to find out. Well, I finally bought all the ingredients and jumped in. It did take me six hours from start to finish but I got four dozen of the best tamales that I have ever eaten and they were a lot cheaper than the $18.00 a dozen ones that they sell at our local farmers’ market.

Shredded Pork Tamales

I admit that this is a bit involved but it is really easy once you get the hang of it. I've tried to explain it as best I can but if you get confused for any reason, please just e-mail me. I am happy to answer any questions if I can.

The most time consuming step in the whole process is spreading the masa mixture on the corn shuck. There is a learning curve here, but once you get the hang of it it starts to go a bit faster. I made one dozen green chili and cheese as an experiment and three dozen shredded pork. I really can’t tell you which one was better, they were both great. Next time I think I’m going to try some chicken and green chili. As you can tell, the filling possibilities are limited only by your own imagination so use this as your basic recipe and get creative with your favorite ingredients.

3 – 3 -1/2 pound pork roast

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons mild chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

48 – 50 corn shucks

3/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening

6 cups masa harina

1 - 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 – 6 cups chicken broth

Place pork roast, bay leaf, water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a covered slow cooker; set on low and allow to cook for approximately 6 – 8 hours or until it is fall apart tender. I did this the night before just before I went to bed and it was ready and waiting for me the next morning. Alternatively, place the ingredients in a covered baking dish in a moderate oven or in a covered pan over a low heat on top of the stove and cook for approximately 2 – 2-1/2 hours or until it is tender.

Remove the meat from the cooker (reserving juices) and cool completely before shredding with two forks. Sprinkle meat with the chili powder, cumin and the chopped cilantro; toss to mix well. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Set aside.

Place the corn shucks in a large bowl filled with warm water and soak until ready to use (at least 20 minutes).

In a very large bowl, whip the lard or shortening on medium for 1 minute until it is fluffy; set aside.

Mix together the masa harina and baking powder in a separate large bowl.

Strain the meat drippings into a large pitcher. Add enough of the chicken broth to measure 6 cups.

Add the masa mixture and broth to the lard in alternating batches until all the ingredients are completely combined. This will make a thick(ish) but smooth mixture. Add salt to taste.

To assemble the tamales, remove a corn shuck from the water and shake to dry. Each shuck should be approximately 8” long by 6” wide. If the shucks are too wide, tear off excess. If they are too small overlap a couple of them. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of masa in the middle of the shuck and spread evenly from the middle to measure about 3 – 4” wide by about 6” long. Spread masa to the edge at the top (wider part of the shuck) Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture down the middle of the masa in a strip lengthwise. Fold over to encase the meat then roll slightly to close. Fold excess shuck from the bottom up towards the tamale. Repeat with the remaining masa and meat.

I find it easy to stack the tamales in bunches of 12 and tie them snugly at the top and the bottom with pieces of cotton string. I think this stabilizes them and keeps them standing during steaming.

Place a steamer basket in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Pour enough water in the Dutch oven to come within about 1/2 - 1” of touching the steamer bottom.

Stand tamales upright on the steamer basket with the folded edges toward the bottom. Place the pot over medium heat, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a nice vigorous simmer; cover and steam tamales for approximately 60 minutes, checking steamer water occasionally and adding more if needed. Remove pot from the heat and carefully remove tamales.

Eat tamales immediately or place in freezer bags and freeze for later. Reheat tamales in the shucks.

Makes approximately 48 tamales.

Since this is a story of celebration, I thought I’d also add a cocktail based on one that I discovered in one of those on board airplane magazines. Developed by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame and Pura Vida Gold tequila distiller Stewart Skloss, “The Gibbons” sounded intriguing to me so I thought I’d give it a try. Their original recipe is a blend of Mexican sparkling mineral water, reposado tequila (“rested” tequila which is stored in oak barrels for 2 + months and has a smoother flavor than younger tequilas), fresh lemon and lime juices and jalapeno slices.

Personally, I prefer a slightly sweeter cocktail so my version which I'm calling "The Savoury Gibbons" contains some added simple syrup and just a touch of muddled fresh cilantro to add some herbal notes. This drink turned out to be a wonderfully refreshing accompaniment to a big plate of my fresh tamales.

The Savoury Gibbons

1 small bunch fresh cilantro

1 – 1/2 ounces simple syrup (recipe follows)

1 – 1/2 ounces tequila (your favorite of course)

Juice of 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lemon

Juice of 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lime

1 – 2 slices of jalapeno or Serrano pepper

Ice

Splash of sparkling water

Place cilantro in the bottom of a highball glass. Muddle the cilantro until the aroma is released. Pour in the simple syrup, tequila, lemon and lime juice and pepper slices; stir well. Add the ice and a splash of sparkling water. Serve.

Makes 1 drink

Simple Syrup:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

Place sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently until all of the sugar is dissolved. Cool. Store unused portion in the refrigerator.

Looking for other great cocktails? Join Barb @Creative Culinary for her happy hour Friday cocktails. There's always something great in her blender!

http://www.creative-culinary.com/red-chile-martini

Toast the Movie and Steak and Ale Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:37:00 +0000

"There is something quietly civilizing about sharing a meal with other people. The simple act of making someone something to eat, even a bowl of soup or a loaf of bread, has a many-layered meaning. It suggests an act of protection and caring, of generosity and intimacy. It is in itself a sign of respect."

- Nigel Slater

Sundays in the fall always seem to bum me out a bit. I’m not a football watcher like my square eyed husband, so if I don’t feel like raking leaves or cleaning out closets I usually try to find a movie to spend my afternoon with. I have always loved going to movies alone so this is really a welcomed treat for me.

In case you haven’t noticed there isn’t anything playing at the theater right now. I’ve already seen 50/50 (really good), The Way (a bit long with unlikeable characters) and Dream House (ok, but with a convoluted ending) so there wasn't much that appealed to me. Usually when I can’t find anything at the mainstream theaters, I hit the artsy ones because there is always something there I haven’t seen.

On this particular Sunday I chose a movie called “Toast”. Toast is the true story of Nigel Slater, who is a well-respected English food writer; self-described as a “cook who writes” Nigel has authored some seven cookery books without so much as a culinary degree or restaurant affiliation. He is a self-made man who triumphed over the early death of his beloved mother (whose meager culinary specialty was toast, hence the name), a distant and cold father, and a jealous and competitive stepmother.

We walk with Nigel through his sad childhood and, as the movie crawls to its climax during his teenage years, we find Nigel and his stepmother, who is a great cook by the way, competing for his father’s attention and approval by constantly feeding him their competing culinary creations. It is this constant cooking and eating that eventually leads to his untimely death, or so the movie insinuates. In the end, Nigel comes to the realization that even though he loathes the woman, this competition helped him to discover his love of cooking and his life's vocation.

Even though the movie was slow at times, I did love seeing all of the English food references. Fish and chips, savory meat pies and smoked haddock to name just a few, brought back memories of the English soul food that we learned to love while we lived there, but have gradually faded from our suppertime repertoire. English food often gets a bum rap, but I’m here to tell you that prepared properly these simple honest dishes cannot be beaten.

Even though the movie features a lemon meringue pie bake off, it made me really hungry for my favorite savory pie, steak and ale. Nothing is better than tender steak, mushrooms and onions in dark ale gravy wrapped in tender and flaky puff pastry. Because this can be prepared well in advance and baked at the last minute, this is a wonderful dinner party dish. Pair this with some mashed, steamed or roasted root vegetables and some Brussel sprouts and you have an elegant easy seasonal meal that everyone will love.

Steak and Ale Pie

Many recipes call for a top crust only but I like my pies to have a bottom and top crust. If you want to go with just the single top crust, brush the rim of your baking dish with beaten egg and press the edges of the pastry down on the dish to seal before baking.

2 pounds beef steak, cut into bite size cubes

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium size onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pound button mushrooms, cut into quarters

1 small bunch fresh thyme

1 large bay leaf

1 – 15 ounce bottle brown ale or dark beer

1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules

2 large carrots, cleaned and cut into 1” long segments

1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Flour for dusting

1 egg, beaten

Toss beef and flour together in a large bowl; set aside.

Heat oil in a large stockpot set over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until it is soft, add garlic and stir for one minute longer before adding the mushrooms; stir well.

Add the beef bouillon and cook, stirring frequently until the meat is brown and just cooked through. To the meat add the thyme, bay leaf and ale. Stir well and bring to a simmer, allowing the foam from the ale to settle. Add the bouillon granules; stir well and bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low, covering and simmering for 1 – 2 hours or until meat is tender (depending on the cut you purchase). About 30 minutes before the beef is done, add the carrots to the pot to cook. At this stage the sauce should be thick and glossy. If needed, simmer uncovered until desired consistency is reached.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dust a clean dry surface with flour. Lay one sheet of the thawed puff pastry down on the floured surface and roll out until it is big enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9”deep dish pie pan (with 1” hanging over the sides) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pie pan. Roll out the remaining puff pastry sheet to fit over the top of the pie. Trim to 1” excess hanging over the edge. Tuck the excess over and under the bottom pastry to make it even with the edge of the pie pan. Crimp the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork to seal.

Place into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Be sure to check the pie after 30 minutes. If it looks like it is getting too dark cover it loosely with foil for the remainder of the baking time.

Remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot.

Serves 6

A Treat for Mr. Procrastination: Garlic Noodles with Crispy Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:52:00 +0000

My husband is home today doing taxes. Some months ago Mr. Procrastination filed his last extension so he can no longer put it off. Today is the day. Over the course of the last few hours he has transformed from a calm, rational, light hearted, loving husband and father to a raving lunatic, and it is not just me that thinks so. There’s a woman at the bursar’s office at Colorado State University that would probably be happy to back me up on this.

He has called upon God several times today in a very loud voice to no avail. It is a good thing he doesn’t seem to be listening, for if he had been the US government in its entirety (with a special shout out to President Obama), Microsoft, JavaScript (for some unknown reason), Comcast Cable and the whole of Dell computers would be burning in hell (or worse) as we speak.

My frightened little dog is stuck to me like glue. He doesn’t understand what is wrong with Dad, but he’s making sure that he’s not swept up in the tornado. So Scruffy and I are going to escape this madness by going to Whole Foods. This is a place where I have taken refuge from screaming kids, sullen teenagers and sulking husbands for years now. I know we are safe there.

Scruffy can take a nice little nap in the car on this beautiful cool day and I am going to linger in the seafood section for a bit. Our Whole Foods always has great shrimp, so I think I’ll make Mr. Procrastination a dish that he loves, Garlic Noodles with Crispy Shrimp. That will surely put him in a good mood . . . I think. Then it will all be ok until next April when the whole thing starts all over again.

Garlic Noodles with Crispy Shrimp

My neighbor turned me on to these noodles a few years ago when we called in a to go order to P.F. Chang's. It was love at first bite. After trying a few recipes on the internet and tweaking them a bit I was able to come up with a version that we really like. I love this shrimp version best, but even the basic vegetarian recipe is a real treat.

Crispy Shrimp

1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped into bite size pieces if needed

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 – 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cantonese Sauce

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon (if using dried bouillon heat water to hot before mixing)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons white wine or Mirin

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Garlic noodles

3/4 pound thin spaghetti

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 teaspoons crushed garlic cloves

3 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 English cucumber, sliced in 1/8” thick slices across then into julienne strips

Mix together the shrimp, soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium size bowl ; cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.

Mix water, chicken base, sugar, wine, oyster sauce, salt and cornstarch in a medium size bowl; set aside.

Boil spaghetti according to package instructions; drain and rinse then toss with 1 tablespoon of the cilantro; set aside.

While the spaghetti is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves and sauté for one minute. To the garlic and oil, add the sugar, white vinegar and pepper flakes; stir well and cook for an additional 15 seconds or so. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil; set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a medium size frying pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the shrimp and fry on each side until brown and crispy, approximately 1 minute on each side or until slightly opaque. Transfer to paper towels to drain; keep warm.

Reheat the garlic and sugar mixture in the large stock pot over medium heat. Add the drained noodles and toss to coat. Pour the Cantonese Sauce over the noodles and toss once again. Divide the noodles among 4 large bowls. Top with equal amounts of the cucumber, remaining cilantro and shrimp. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 – 6.

*For a vegetarian version, omit the shrimp altogether or substitute it with a scrambled egg.

Dusting Off an Old Favorite Flavor Combination for Halloween or Bonfire Night: Company Red Chili and Orange Cinnamon Rolls Plus Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:55:00 +0000

As much as I hate to face it, summer is slipping away. The leaves are turning and there is an unmistakable chill in the air in the early morning. My dog is starting to look like a mini lion with his coat bulking up to protect him from the cold temperatures to come. He doesn’t need me to buy him one of those silly pet Halloween costumes, he grows his own.

When I was a kid in Texas autumn was my favorite time of year. Freed by the oppressive heat of summer and unencumbered by the dread of snow shoveling and mag chloride erosion, pumpkin patches and cheap acetate boxed costumes ushered in the beginning of the holiday season for me. Mmmm, I can still smell the scent that would build up behind the thin sweaty plastic masks on those balmy Texas Halloween nights.

Years later when we moved to England, our Halloween celebrations that had laid dormant for years were reborn. Hungry for anything fun and familiar to share with our children, other American mothers and I would ban together and throw holiday parties that out did anything we ever had at home. Now, even though our children are grown I think we all still really enjoy these holidays more than we ever did before our time in England.

I’ve told you that my friend Karen and her husband Chris in Nottingham host a village shindig for Halloween every year that is quite the occasion. My own Halloween celebration here in Colorado pales by comparison, but usually consists of some really fun food with no consideration for nutrition, calories or cholesterol count. Even though we really enjoy our queso dip, chips and about 100 peanut butter cups each, my son requested something different this year, so I decided to oblige him.

This past weekend I had a brainstorm and went to work on an old favorite from elementary school, cinnamon rolls and chili. Don’t recoil if you’ve never tried this combination. I’ve noticed from doing research on the internet that this is not just a Texas thing. I read comments from people all over the nation reminiscing about how much they loved this sweet and salty lunchroom combination. Well, my son said he wanted something different and I can assure you this is right up his alley.

Trying to improve on perfection, I went out on a limb and embellished my cinnamon rolls by adding some orange zest, forgetting about what a cinnamon roll purist my son is. Well, Mr. Picky turned his nose up at these delicious rolls so I quickly mixed up the ingredients for a recipe that I’ve been wanting to try for a while, Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins. These really saved my son's day and I must admit I don’t know which I liked better with the chili. So, if you are having a big village party or an intimate little dinner for three and one lion dog, treat your Halloween guests with these new tricks.

Company Red Chili

1 – 1/2 pounds lean stew meat (or chili meat if preferred)

1 small onion, very finely minced

1 – 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes

2 cups beef bouillon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cocoa

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon masa flour (or 1 tablespoon fine corn meal in a pinch)

Place all of the ingredients except for the masa in a slow cooker set to high for approximately 4 hours or low on 6 hours, stirring occasionally if possible. Alternately place ingredients in a large saucepan set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil before reducing heat to low, covering and simmering for approximately 1 – 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 15 minutes or so before serving, stir in the masa to thicken and add an authentic Mexican flavor.

Being a Texan, I just don’t believe that good chili has beans in it, but if you must, drain a can of pinto beans and add them to the pot just long enough to heat them through. You may also add some cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon at a time if you want some heat. I really highly recommend that you buy a package of masa for this recipe. I know that they are really big and it's not something you use often, but split a bag with a couple of friends and store it in the freezer. As directed this chili will be mild and mellow.

Makes approximately 6 cups, enough for 4 people

Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter

3 -3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon butter, melted

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixer bowl and let sit for approximately 5 minutes or until foamy; add orange zest, orange juice, sugar, salt, egg, butter and 1 1/2 c of the flour.

Beat 30 seconds on low, scraping bowl constantly; increase speed to medium, beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally (if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, this makes for easy work). Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. With stand mixer on low, knead dough for 5 minutes or until it is very smooth and elastic, or turn dough out onto floured surface and knead 5 minutes.

Place dough in a large greased bowl and turn over to coat with oil on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (dough is ready if an indentation remains when dough is touched).

Punch dough down and on a lightly floured surface roll into a 16x9" rectangle; set aside.

For the filling, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

Spread dough with the melted 2 tablespoons butter (leaving a clean 1” border along one of the long edges) then sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter.

Beginning at one of the long sides, roll dough up jellyroll fashion, ending with the clean edge. Pinch edge of dough to seal well. If necessary, gently stretch dough slightly to make a 16” long roll. Cut roll into 16 slices about 1" wide. This is best done with a long piece of thread or dental floss that is slipped halfway under the roll and crisscrossed over the top. Then take the opposite ends of the floss firmly in your hands and quickly pull in the opposite direction to cut.

Cut dough in half, then cut the halves in half until you have 16 equal size pieces.

Place slices an inch or two apart in a greased oblong baking pan, 13x9x2", or in greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.

Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven until rolls are golden brown, about 20 -25 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while rolls are hot.

For the glaze mix together confectioner's sugar, milk, orange zest and vanilla; drizzle evenly over hot rolls.

Makes 16 rolls

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Resist the temptation to add more hot dogs than what are called for here as the muffins have a tendency to crumble if you stir in too much.

1/3 cup shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten at room temperature

1 – 1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup corn meal (polenta can be used)

1 tablespoon honey

3 ounces brick style medium cheddar, sliced into 1/4” cubes

4 hotdogs, split lengthwise then across in 1/4" thickness

Non-stick cooking spray

1/3 cup vegetable or light olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream shortening and sugar; stir in egg and milk. Mix flour with the baking powder and salt before adding it to the shortening mixture. Add the corn meal and honey, stir just to combine. Fold in the cheese cubes and hot dog pieces.

Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour about 1/2 teaspoon of the oil into the bottom of each muffin section. Place prepared pan into the preheated oven and heat oil for approximately 5 minutes or until oil is hot and smokes slightly. This will make the muffins crisp on the bottom.

Remove pan from the oven and quickly spoon enough of the batter to fill each section about 2/3 full. Bake in the hot oven for approximately 15 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and the middle springs back when pushed with a finger.

Makes approximately 16 muffins

Happy National Cookie Month: Tate's Bake Shop Giveaway and My Homemade Nice Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:01:00 +0000

There are some changes going on here at Eat Drink Wash Up and unfortunately it is causing some problems with this giveaway. Since it is more than difficult right now for new followers to sign up I am suspending this stipulation for this contest. Please feel free to sign up if you would like and you are able, but if not you are still eligible to win this giveaway by just leaving me a comment. I am so sorry for this inconvenience. Remember you can earn extra entries by liking Tate’s Bake Shop on Facebook or following them on Twitter (please see links in post). Thanks again for stopping by.

I was happy to be contacted by Tate’s Bake Shop the other day about partnering with them on another giveaway for their cookies. Some of you may remember back in December that Tate’s furnished me with an assortment of their signature thin and crispy cookies and a copy of Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook to give to one of my followers. I fell in love with their cookies and have really enjoyed the recipes that I have made from the cookbook.

This time they are introducing their Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate chip cookies which won gold at the Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC, so when they offered to send me a complimentary box of cookies to review, I quickly took them up on it.

I happened to be gone the day the cookies arrived and fortunately there were no identifying symbols on the outside so my two guys must have thought it was a box of bras or something and stayed away from it. Imagine their delight when I got home and opened the box and it was full of Tate’s new cookies.

Even though he had stuffed himself during an afternoon long cashew bender, Mr. H loved these new cookies so much he managed to down several and give them an official thumbs up before retiring to the sofa with a bit of a stomach ache. Never fear, the next morning he was back to his old self and ready to take his revenge on a couple dozen more. He’s hooked.

My son and I were bit harder to win over. We are both milk and semi-sweet chocolate lovers so we still prefer those, but don’t get me wrong these are delicious. I would have to say that if you like dark chocolate and a little less sweetness, you owe it to yourself to give these cookies a try.

Whether you are a dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate lover, Tate’s has a cookie you’ll love on their website. Since it is National Cookie Month, they are celebrating by giving you a 15% discount on your purchase at tatesbakeshop.com if you enter the discount code COOKIE at checkout.

If you’d like to be entered for the giveaway which contains three packages of Tate’s Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate cookies and a signed copy of Kathleen King’s Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook, you must be a public follower of my blog and leave a comment saying you'd like to be entered. If you’d like to sweeten your chances of winning, you can earn extra entries by liking Tate’s on Facebook or following them on Twitter. If you do so, please state this in a separate comment to increase your chances. Random.org will choose my winner around noon Mountain Time on Monday, October 10th. So sorry, but this offer is good for my U.S. readers only.

Tate's Bake Shop Giveaway (Package includes 3 packages of Dark Chocolate Cookies and a signed cookbook, but sadly does not include my sweet little toast rack)

Since this is National Cookie Month, I thought I'd share a recipe for one of my favorite cookies with you. Whenever I make a trip to the UK I usually come back with a suitcase full of biscuits, crisps and chocolates that we really miss. Always at the top of my list are some little cookies called Nice Biscuits. These crispy little cookies are perfectly sweet with a subtle coconut flavor and they are just thing when you are in the mood for a light bite of something sweet.

Since I can't wait until my next trip to England to satisfy my craving for these biscuits I decided to make my own. I found the base for this recipe over at The Green Jackfruit but still had to Americanize it a bit to make it easier to bake. These cookies should be very light in appearance but still be baked long enough to be crispy. They are the perfect accompaniment for tea or coffee.

Nice Biscuits

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature

Pinch of salt

4 – 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

4 tablespoons cold water

Place coconut in the bowl of a blender or mini food processor. Process until the coconut is the consistency of very coarse cornmeal; set aside.

Cream butter, salt and 3 – ½ tablespoons of the sugar in a medium size bowl with an electric mixer.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the coconut. Add 1/3 of it at a time to the butter and sugar at a time, mixing very well after each addition.

Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and the water 1 tablespoon at a time until it makes a stiff dough. Remove from the bowl and form into a log about 3” in diameter; wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten the log on four sides to make a square (although no matter how hard I tried once baked they turned out oval). Place in the refrigerator and chill for approximately 4 hours or until it is very firm and chilled through.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap and slice with a very sharp or serrated knife in 1/8” slices. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and sprinkle the top of the cookies with ½ of the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the cookies are light brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle with the remaining sugar; let cool completely before serving.

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

One For Miss Eva: Buttery Toffee Apple Popcorn Balls

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:35:00 +0000

Shortly before my daughter went back to university the two of us celebrated the end of summer with one last girly day at the movies. She’s a big reader and loved the book “The Help” and was really excited when the movie finally came to theaters.

I won’t do a full blown movie review here so I’ll just say that it was a very entertaining story with a feel good ending and the bad guy (uh, girl) got hers in the end. What did strike me was how it took me back to my childhood in Houston, Texas.

When I was a little girl we had a maid named Miss Eva who would come to help my mother whenever she could afford it. We weren’t rich or even wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but every now and then when my parents were a little flush Miss Eva would come to help out.

True to the theme of the movie, Miss Eva loved us and treated my sister and me like we were her own. She would wash, dry and fold our clothes, and let us help her put them away. She would then carefully iron our little cotton dresses while watching her favorite “stories”, never losing her temper with the thousands of questions we would ask her during the most dramatic parts.

On a couple of really special occasions, she would babysit us at night. These were really special times because Miss Eva would then get to cook for us. We loved it because not only was she a great cook but she loved spoiling us with her specialty, pink and blue Karo syrup popcorn balls.

I don’t really know if this was truly her specialty or if it was because we always had the simple ingredients on hand, but this was the pinnacle of our evening with her. She would mix up the ingredients then butter our hands and let us form a ball or two before finishing them herself. Once we were full of popcorn, corn syrup and food coloring, we would crawl up in her roomy white uniform covered lap and watch a Don Knotts movie until bedtime.

Miss Eva passed when I was about 15. Even though we had moved away and hadn’t seen her in several years, I was heartbroken when my mother told me the news. I can still hear her sweet soft laugh, smell her subtle rose like perfume and taste those special popcorn balls. So this one’s for you Miss Eva. My tastes may be a bit more sophisticated these days and my popcorn balls a little bit fancier than yours, but they definitely took root in those that you cooked for us all those years ago.

Buttery Toffee Apple Popcorn Balls

These popcorn balls are super gooey and sticky. Beware if you have loose fillings because this caramel will certainly remove them for you.

2 bags microwave popcorn (I like Pop Secret Homestyle)

2 ounces pecan halves

1 – 2.5 ounce bag crispy apple chips (I found Seneca brand in my grocer’s produce section)

4 ounces butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules, crushed to a powder with the back of a spoon

Pop popcorn according to package directions; carefully open popped corn and pour in a large bowl. Shake bowl to force all of the unpopped kernels to the bottom. Transfer popped kernels to another large bowl that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Discard unpopped kernels and old maids. Set popcorn aside to cool.

Place pecan halves in a non-stick frying pan set over medium heat; dry toast pecans until they are a golden brown and aroma is released; transfer to a plate to cool. Coarsely chop the nuts; set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, condensed and instant coffee granules. While stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a bowl. Add a candy thermometer to the pot and cook until it reads 235 degrees while continuing to stir constantly.

Carefully drizzle about 1/2 of the hot toffee mixture over the top of the popcorn. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nuts and apple chips over the top of the caramel. With two large spoons that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, toss the popcorn to work the bottom kernels to the top. Drizzle the remaining caramel on top of the popcorn followed by the remaining nuts and apple chips; toss again to coat as much of the popcorn as possible.

Now, here’s the tricky part. You have to form the balls while the caramel is still warm but, not so hot that your hands burst into flames. I burn my hands EVERYTIME that I make these, so you might want to get the burn cream ready or just have caramel corn and not form the balls at all. It’s up to you. If you are going to form balls, you might want to use plastic gloves that have been sprayed with non-stick spray or I have seen where people cover their hands in plastic bags.

If you are going to form the balls, grab a small handful and press gently and firmly between your cupped hands to make the balls. I like to make them on the smaller side so they are easier to eat. Let cool and store in an air tight container.

Makes about 16 medium size popcorn balls

A Day in the Country: Italian Style Creamy Fingerling Potato and Sausage Soup with Asiago Tomato and Bell Pepper Bruscetta

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:56:00 +0000

As of today we have less than a week of summer left and I’m starting to get a bit anxious about my tomatoes. Even though they are heavily laden with fruit, my prized heirloom plants are starting to look pretty tired. To spur them on, everyday I walk past them and give them a cheery, “Hurry Up!” but they don’t seem to be listening.

I am mostly concerned about the future of the smallest of the green tomatoes that dangle from their long leggy vines. It is looking more and more like I will have to eventually pick many of them and ripen them upside down on my countertop instead of watching them transform to their dark ruby goodness on the vine. Oh well, that will work too.

In stark contrast to my lazy green tomatoes, now is the perfect time to hit the farmers’ markets for corn, carrots, potatoes and colorful peppers of all kinds. As I found out with a couple of friends last week, the pick your own farms and roadside markets are brimming with serious cooks, happy young families and perfect produce. Be warned though; if you mean business and plan to do some serious picking,visit these places at toddler naptime or bring a flask of vodka to soothe your frazzled nerves.

As per usual, I got swept up and went totally overboard buying everything I put my hands on. I am happy to report that my wild and crazy shopping spree cost me less than $20.00. Life is good.

So, for the past two days it has mostly been a vegetarian’s paradise around my house. The first night I just steamed up a plate of mixed veg and sliced some of those aforementioned heirlooms and we gorged ourselves on simple goodness. Last night was much the same throwing some leftover patty pan squash (the yellow round ones with the green ends in the middle left of the photo) and purple bell pepper strips on top of pizzas that we cooked on the grill. Correction, life is very good.

For supper tonight I’m going to add a little meat to our menu. I’m planning on making a soup by browning off some Italian sausage and then mixing in some exquisite little fingerling potatoes (bottom right in the photo) I have been hiding in the back of our vegetable bin. I’m going to pair this with some bruschetta for a perfect late summer meal. So, before it’s too late, grab a carrier bag and hit the closest farmers' market for some seasonal treasures of your own.

Italian Style Fingerling Potato Soup with Asiago Tomato and Bell Pepper Bruschetta

Fingerling Potato Soup:

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage

1 small sweet yellow onion, sliced into thin strips from end to end

1 large garlic clove, crushed

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 – ½ cups chicken broth

1 pound fingerling (or new) potatoes, cut in bite size pieces

1 bay leaf

1 – 2” piece of fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 – 1/2 cups half and half

Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown sausage in a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. When it is starting to brown, add onion and cook until they are wilted and transparent; add garlic and cook for one minute longer, stirring frequently.

Sprinkle flour over the top of the sausage mixture and quickly stir in. At this point the mixture will be very dry in appearance. While stirring, slowly add the chicken broth; stir until it comes to a boil. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, rosemary and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low, covering and simmering until the potatoes are fork tender, approximately 30 – 40 minutes.

Add the half and half and salt and pepper and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary stem and bay leaf. Serve piping hot.

Makes approximately 6 cups which will feed 4 hungry people

*This soup is also great with the addition of a little chopped chard and/or sliced mushrooms.

Asiago Tomato and Bell Pepper Bruschetta:

12 thin slices of a French baguette (or any small rustic bread loaf)

1/3 cup olive oil or softened butter

6 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese (or any other flavorful cheese)

2 large tomatoes, seeds and membranes removed and chopped into small pieces

1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped bell pepper (any color you like)

1 teaspoon very thinly sliced and chopped fresh basil

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1/2 – 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mist or brush olive oil or butter on both sides of the bread. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the bread starts to brown. Remove from the oven, turn over and sprinkle with the Parmesan; return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and brown around the edges.

While the bread is toasting, place the tomato, bell pepper, basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper in a medium size bowl. Toss to combine.

Spoon equal amounts of the tomato mixture on top of the toasted bread or serve on the side.

The Dreaded Expiration Date: Peach Kolaches

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:03:00 +0000

For years before I became so knowledgeable about food (ok well, kind of sort of knowledgeable about some food) I collected spices like some people collect decorative spoons. I had all types of spices, herbs and roots just in case I ran across an exotic curry or something that I just had to prepare at the spur of the moment. I even had some spices in my cupboard that were aged five years or more.

Then one day I read that every six months you should purge your stale spices and buy new. If that wasn’t bad enough I noticed that a new box of baking soda I had just purchased was only good for 3 more months. You’ve got to be kidding me! We’re not the Kennedys! I can’t afford that, so I refused to conform. Ok, I’ll be honest I must admit that there is nothing like the taste of fresh cinnamon, but I still just can’t bring myself to throw away that ground thyme that I bought the week before my son was born sixteen years ago.

Nowadays “The Man” puts expiration dates on EVERYTHING. Before, I always trusted the sight, smell and taste test to see if my ancient can of green beans was still good. Really, we never used to even think about canned goods or dried noodles going bad. If the can wasn’t rusty, moldy or puffy, we called it dinner. Those were the days boy.

It kills me to admit it, but I finally succumbed to this expiration date peer pressure a few years ago. I hate to think about all of the food that I have thrown away because of these menacing dates, mumbling all the while about how ridiculous it is, but better safe than sorry.

If you're like me and don't really know what to think, click here for more information about the shelf life of the foods we eat, and decide for yourself whether or not you should eat that two year old canned ham in your cupboard. I’ll tell you what; you just might be surprised at the answer.

What caused me to get on my soap box you might ask? Well, I recently helped a neighbor can some peaches which reminded me of some preserves that I canned last year. Out of curiosity I Googled food safety guidelines for home canned goods and realized that if I don’t use my preserves within the next 2 days, they will probably kill my family. Ok, I’ll get cooking, but I still don’t know if I believe it.

So, how to use 3 half pints of peach preserves is the question I now find myself searching to answer. In my opinion, the answer is obvious, peach kolaches. Brought to south central Texas by Czech immigrants, these soft doughy pastries are great for breakfast, with coffee or for dessert. Akin to open face jelly doughnuts, but far superior by comparison, these pastries are a great reason to use up any ingredients with a looming expiration date.

Kolaches

1 - .25 ounce envelope fast acting dry yeast

1 cup of warm milk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter (5 – 1/3 tablespoons), melted and cooled

1 egg, beaten

3 – 1/4 to 3 – 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour (I used 2 cups all-purpose and 1-1/2 cup of bread flour with great results)

1/2 pint jar peach (or your very favorite) preserves

Cinnamon Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Sprinkle yeast over the warm milk in a large bowl or better yet, the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with a dough hook. Let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.

Add the sugar, salt, butter and egg to the milk mixture in the bowl and stir until the mixture is combined. Slowly add the flour, one quarter at a time until it is completely mixed in and dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes.

Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and spray the top with more cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a cotton towel. Place in a warm, draft free space and let rise until double in size, approximately 1 hour.

Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 16 equal portions. Roll portions into balls and place in a greased baking dish (you may have to use 2 pans to fit all the dough). Don't worry about crowding them just a bit as they will bake together, making soft edges that my family loves.

With the back of a tablespoon or your fingers, make an indention in the middle of each ball of dough. Fill each indention with a heaping teaspoon of preserves. Sprinkle the tops with Cinnamon Streusel Topping.

Cover with additional plastic wrap and let rise again for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place risen kolaches in the preheated oven and bake for approximatey 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Makes 16 nice size kolaches

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons slightly softened butter

Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium size bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork, pastry blender or your hands. The mixture will look like coarse sand. Sprinkle over the top of the kolaches. Freeze any unused topping for use later.

A Lazy Sunday: Sauteed Collard Greens and Blueberry Lime Buttermilk Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Harris) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:09:00 +0000

I am writing this post on the day before Labor Day, but you will be reading it shortly after.

It is a beautiful day here in Colorado. The temperature is in the 70s and there's not a cloud in the sky. The only disturbance is a soft cool breeze gently blowing through the Aspen trees in my backyard. In my world all is well and everyone is happy.

There is a serenity in the air on this lazy Sunday. Soon all of the remembrances of that horrible day in NYC 10 years ago will stir our memories and remind us that our happiness is fragile; but today the world is quiet and we are free to savor days like this and appreciate them for the great gift that they are.

On this particular beautiful day I plan to slice some heirloom tomatoes from my patio garden, sauté some collard greens and bake a pie. I will enjoy these blessings with my favorite people in the whole wide world and we will laugh and drink glasses of wine.

Since you can’t be here to share this gorgeous day and good food with us, I’d like to give you a couple of these wonderful recipes for you to make on your own. The first recipe is for sautéed collards. Even if you don’t think you like these greens that can admittedly be a bit bitter, this recipe mellows the bitterness and accents the flavor which results in a savory side dish that everyone on my guest list loves.

For dessert we will enjoy a family favorite, my version of buttermilk pie. I’ve added some blueberries for sweetness and some lime for a bright fresh twist. Please don’t be put off by the buttermilk in this recipe, it adds a tartness that kind of reminds me of cheesecake but it is easier to prepare and no cream cheese is harmed in the making of it. You will LOVE it, I promise.

Sautéed Collard Greens

3 slices bacon
1/2 medium size onion, roughly chopped
1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 pound collard greens (approximately 10 ounces once stalks are removed)
1/2 cup chicken bouillon, water or white wine
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce (such as Tabasco Chipotle)

Place bacon in the bowl of a mini food processor and process until it is finely ground or finely chop by hand. Place bacon in the bottom of a large saucepan that is set over medium high heat. Cook until it is browned, stirring frequently.

In the same food processor, add onion and garlic and process until they are finely ground. Add to the pan with the cooked bacon and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the onions are soft and transparent, stirring frequently.

While the onions are cooking, wash and dry the collard greens. Remove the large spines from each leaf. Lay the collards in a flat stack one on top of the other. Roll them up cigar fashion. With a very sharp knife, slice the collards in 1/2” wide pieces across, then once in the opposite direction. Add to the bacon and onions in the hot pan and sauté, stirring frequently for approximately 5 minutes. Add the water to the collards. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Cook for an additional 5 - 15 minutes (and up to 30 for softer greens) stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Remove the lid from the collards, add the salt, pepper, vinegar and hot sauce; stir well. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Blueberry Lime Buttermilk Pie

1 – 9” pie crust
3 eggs, room temperature
5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Zest from 1 lime
2/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line prepared pie crust with foil then fill with beans or pie weights. Place in the preheat oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes.

In a large bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer set on medium until frothy. Slowly add the melted butter, then the sugar and flour, beating well to combine. While continuing to beat, add the buttermilk, salt, lime juice and lime zest.

Remove the pie weights or beans and foil from the pie crust. Sprinkle the blueberries over the bottom of the crust before pouring the pie filling over the top.

Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 - 60 minutes (higher altitude cooking like mine may take the full 60 minutes) or until the filling is set in the middle and golden brown. Be sure to check frequently towards the end of the baking time and if the top begins to brown too deeply or burn, cover loosely with foil.

Remove from the oven and cool before serving. This pie is great served warm with vanilla ice cream or room temperature with heavy cream or just plain. I think this pie is best served on its first day out of the oven, so baking any more than a couple of hours in advance isn't advised for optimum flavor and texture.