Wives with Knives

Moving Day ~ My Last Post at Blogger

2011-06-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today was moving day and I am happy to tell you that
I have settled into my new home.

This is my final post at this address.

I hope you will follow me to my new site and re-subscribe to get new feed updates, update links,

and re-follow using Google Friend Connect.

If you are kind enough to have Wives with Knives in your blogroll

please update the address so you will

receive notice of future posts.

click on:

www.wiveswithknives.net

Thank you so much for your help

in making this transition a success.

The Simplest Brioche ~ A Classic French Bread Even I Can Make

2011-06-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

I've tried, but I always come back to the same conclusion: I am not ~~a great~~ even an average bread baker. I know I didn't get the right gene from my mother, a great baker who could make lighter than air sweet rolls and breads of all kinds. I've tried many times and have never been totally happy with the results so when I planned to make croque monsier last weekend I called several bakeries around town that might make a brioche loaf. Apparently this isn't a bread customers want because I couldn't find a single store that carried it. So I did some searching and found this recipe that isn't pages long at Tartine Gourmande, a wonderful site that is beautifully written with stunning photography. I urge you to stop by for a visit. I know I will be spending lots of time browsing through her recipe files.

Don't let any ideas about brioche being difficult to make scare you away from trying this recipe. The dough may seem heavy when you start combining ingredients but the long kneading and double rise produce a light, airy loaf with a wonderful eggy aroma and taste. Brioche isn't considered a bread in France but rather a viennoiserie which is slightly different because it has more fat and sugar content and is more like a pastry.

The Simplest Brioche
Printable Recipe

8-3/4 ounce (1-2/3 cups) all purpose flour
2-3/4 ounce butter, at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon dry Baker's yeast
2 tablespoons fine sugar
1/3 cup warm milk
1 pinch salt
1 egg yolk for glaze

In a bowl mix the flour with the yeast; make a hole in the middle.

Add the warm milk mixing with the tops of your fingers (if using a stand mixer, pour the milk slowly and steadily while mixing with the hook attachment.

Add the sugar and pinch of salt, then add the soft butter, piece by piece, waiting each time that each piece is absorbed.

One by one add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Work the dough until it is elastic and detaches from your fingers easily (or from the bowl of the mixer).

Cover and let rest in a warm place, away from drafts, for 2 hours, until it doubles in size.

Work the dough again for 10 minutes, then divide it into four balls. Place them in a greased rectangular mold and cover. Let rise for another hour. I used a 10 inch Pullman loaf pan but a traditional pan with sloping sides works well too.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the brioche with the egg yolk mixed with a dash of sugar. With a pair of scissors make small cuts at the top of each ball. Please in the oven to bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove, unmold and cool on a wire rack.

I didn't take the extra steps of forming the dough into balls and snipping the top just before baking. You can see how to do it if you go to Tartine Gourmande. I simply shaped it and put it into the pan because I wanted a square shape to the loaf. Croque monsier is a very rich sandwich so I wanted to make small ones.

Brioche is the proper bread for croque monsier and any other grilled sandwiches. Even slightly stale slices make excellent toast or French toast.

I like a straight sided loaf pan when I bake bread for sandwiches. You can find a good selection here if you are interested in purchasing this style. I have no connection with this company and receive no compensation from any sales and simply want to pass along this source.

Vinegar Glossed Chicken

2011-06-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to prepare chicken and when I saw this recipe on How to Cook A Wolf I bookmarked it immediately. Linda raved about this delicious and easy to prepare dinner and said that her family loved it. I saw this recipe again when Mari at Once Upon A Plate seconded Linda's opinion that the sauce on the chicken is so good it should be illegal. How could I resist a recipe with that kind of recommendation? I followed their meal plan and served Vinegar Glossed Chicken with creamy polenta and roasted vegetables. In the photo the chicken pieces are ready to come out of the skillet, but I was interrupted at this point and this is the only picture that I was able to take. Sometimes it just doesn't work out to take extra time to photograph plates that are ready to go to the table. This dish is so good that I chose to post it anyway despite the photography shortage. At any rate, you get the idea of how beautiful the glaze is and how nicely the chicken pieces brown. The secret is to not disturb them while they are browning. If you take a few minutes to visit Linda and Mari you will see their scrumptious meals and beautiful photographs. This dish is truly company worthy.

Vinegar Glossed Chicken

1 cup best-quality red wine vinegar
3-4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

At least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before cooking combine the vinegar, garlic and rosemary to marinate chicken.

Thoroughly season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat and swirl enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Don't crowd the chicken; leave space around each piece. Work in batches if necessary. You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan. Don't move them. It takes a few minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn't stick. Brown all sides; this can take up to 10 minutes per batch. Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken. Place all the browned chicken back into the skillet.

Add chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, simmer, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture. Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegr evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat with some extra broth.

It's Friday again and I'm linking this post to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Portland's Rose Festival on Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

Portland Rose Festival

Grand Floral Parade

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Farmers' Market Finds: Daikon - Let's Pickle It!

2011-06-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

Even after growing up on a farm and many, many visits to farmers' markets over the years I can still go to the market and find produce I haven't tried before or sometimes even heard of. I'm always looking for something new to post about and I think it will be fun, and a good learning experience, to seek out these unusual and sometimes strange fruits and vegetables, prepare them in some way or another, and then write about them. I am an adventuresome cook but often get stuck in the rut of going to my old standby recipes that I don't have to think much about. So hopefully we will learn something new together.

Daikon, the largest vegetable crop in Japan, is a common ingredient in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking and is a year around vegetable in most markets, but my guess is that many cooks never try it because they don't know what to do with it. Daikon looks like a large carrot, 8-12 inches in length, and is peeled just the way you would peel a carrot. It has crisp, spicy flesh that is delicious eaten raw in salads and is a healthy, low calorie addition to relish plates. I used a little more than half of one daikon for my pickles and just sliced up the remainder for a delicious little snack. It is also used in many cooked dishes, especially stir-fry.

This is one of those deceptive little recipes that doesn't look like any thing special, but, trust me, it is delicious. The sweet and sour pickling liquid pairs perfectly with the sweet and spicy flavors and the crunch of the daikon and carrot. I served this over the weekend along side Asian grilled chicken and everybody loved it. Pickled carrot and daikon radish are the traditional relish topping on banh mi, a Vietnamese baguette sandwich made with meats, cucumber, cilantro and daikon and carrot pickles.

Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon Radish

1 10-12 inch daikon radish, peeled and julienned
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until sugar dissolves.
Combine the daikon and carrots and put into a glass jar or covered container, pour the liquid over, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. This will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week.

My grandmother used a similar sweet and sour brine for cucumber slices. A chilled bowl of them was on our dinner table every night through the summer months. Isn't it interesting how some tastes and images stay with us forever?

Trying new things is what keeps cooking interesting and what better source for the strange and unusual is there than a large farmers' market. Wonder what I'll find next week.

Corned Beef Hash Eggs Benedict...and some very big news!

2011-06-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Big News at Wives with Knives

For many reasons I have decided to move Wives with Knives

to a new home. I know I have a big challenge ahead and the learning curve will probably

be painful, but it is the right thing to do and I'm ready to take it on.

I hope you will follow me to my new site and re-subscribe to get new feed updates,

update links, and re-follow using Google Friend Connect.

Your friendship means so much and I would be very sad to lose you in the shuffle.

The move will take place in the next week or two so stayed tuned for specifics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Corned Beef Hash Eggs Benedict really doesn't need a recipe. It's a combination of simple ingredients that go together quickly and the result is delicious. I had a nice piece of cooked corn beef in the freezer (deli corned beef works too) which I cut into medium sized pieces. In a skillet I browned chopped onion, cooked cubed potato and a diced yellow bell pepper in olive oil until they started to brown, then added the corned beef and heated until everything was hot. Season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.

Toast an English muffin and top with a generous serving of hash. Add a poached egg (you will find excellent directions on how to make perfect poached eggs here) and top with hollandaise sauce, the real thing, or a quick. easy version of hollandaise sauce if you are in a hurry. A zesty horseradish cream sauce is delicious with the corned beef if you are in the mood for a little zip in your breakfast. For this I start with a basic bechamel sauce and add a spoonful or two of creamed horseradish to taste to the thickened sauce. This dish is so simple to put together and the few minutes it takes to prepare a creamy flavorful sauce are well worth the effort.

Surprise Dad on Father's Day with something delicious from the kitchen. This version of Eggs Benedict would get his special day off to a grand start.

This post is linked to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Asian Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Slaw

2011-05-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

The most frequently viewed recipe on my blog by a mile is Thai Chicken Slaw, an Asian style coleslaw recipe that I posted almost 2 years ago. Its fresh, crunchy and full of flavor and I make it often. It was on my menu list for the holiday weekend, but I forgot chicken when I went to what I swore was my last trip to the grocery store so just went with what I had in the fridge and created a new version of one of my favorite dishes. I substituted shrimp for chicken and added mango, avocado and cilantro to the shredded cabbage. I had a partial head of cabbage so used that, but a bag of cabbage slaw from the market works as well if not better. The cabbage mixture can be assembled a few hours ahead. Add shrimp, fruit and dressing just before serving.

One of the nice things about this recipe is that there are no set rules. Add a little more of one thing, less of another. Barbecued pork can be substituted for the shrimp, use cashews instead of peanuts, add pineapple instead of mango. I've given you 2 dressing for the slaw: one a light vinaigrette and the other is a creamy style dressing. Either one is delish.

Asian Shrimp and Mango Slaw

4-6 cups shredded cabbage
1-2 carrots, julienned or grated
6 radishes, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 pound shrimp,cooked
1/2 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 avocado, diced

Asian Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
juice of l lime
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoon sesame oil or to taste
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup oil

Combine all ingredients except oil. Slowly whisk in oil.

Creamy Asian Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

It sounds like we are finally going to get some summer-like weather around here this week. I haven't even planted my flower pots yet and plan today to buy my red geraniums, white petunias and blue lobelia if I can get anywhere near my local garden center. We are definitely coming into salad season and I hope you will give this recipe a try. It's so versatile and easy to assemble. Add some crusty bread, a little dessert and a nice white wine and you have a delicious meal that will get rave reviews!

Individual Rhubarb Pudding Cakes

2011-05-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Are you as excited as I am when your local farmers' market opens in the Spring? On opening day I make a beeline for my friend's booth where I will find heaping baskets of gorgeous crimson rhubarb stalks and baskets of the first strawberries of the season. I have strawberry rhubarb pie on the brain and can't wait to get home to roll out the pie crust and assemble this luscious pie. My friend Ann, at Thibeault's Table, make the best rhubarb pie, and you can check out the recipe and visit her wonderful blog by clicking this link. Ann has several great rhubarb recipes plus the best pie crust you will ever taste so be sure to stop by for a visit. When you prepare rhubarb use the stalks only. The sometimes gigantic leaves of this plant are poisonous.

Rhubarb season is short but you can enjoy this delicious fruit (actually it is a vegetable) year around because it freezes so well. It can be prepared either in a dry pack or in a sweetened fruit syrup, using either sugar or artificial sweetener like Splenda. The added sugar helps retain color and shape and it improves the rhubarb's flavor. You will find excellent freezing directions here if you want to stash some of this delicious ~~fruit~~ vegetable so you can enjoy it through the long winter months when fresh Spring fruits are just a memory. I think freezing rhubarb in a light sugar syrup in vacuum sealed bags is the way to go and there are excellent instructions on how to do this at the above link.

If you like to give homemade gifts at the holiday now is the time to think about making rhubarb liqueur. One of my long time market customers gave me this recipe for Danish Rhubarb Liqueur that has been passed down through her family and it has become a holiday tradition in my home too. A little bottle of this is beautiful tucked into a gift basket for family and friends and is the perfect cordial to serve after a special holiday meal.

I have several excellent rhubarb recipes (check my sidebar for some of my favorites) that I use over and over (not much creativity going on here) but when I found this recipe for individual rhubarb pudding cakes at Eggs on Sunday I was pretty excited about it because it reminded me of a recipe my Grandmother used to make every Spring. What is it about individual servings that is so appealing? Is it that we think somebody made something especially for us, that what is on our plate is for us and nobody else? What I do know is that everybody loves them. My Grandma's cakes were a little more custardy, but these cakes have a wonderful texture and soak up the syrupy rhubarb liquid perfectly. I like them best warm out of the oven so if you plan for them to be done baking about half and hour before dinner is served your timing should be just right.

Individual Rhubarb Pudding Cakes
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar, divided
3 cups fresh chopped rhubarb stalks
1 cup all purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Butter 4 individual 1-cup ramekins (or an 8 inch square baking dish).

Mix together the water, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then add the 3 cups rhubarb. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

In another bowl whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined - you will have a thick batter.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the rhubarb syrup mixture. Divide the remaining rhubarb mixture among the dishes, then spoon the batter evenly into each ramekin over the rhubarb. Drizzle the remaining rhubarb mixture over the top of the batter in each ramekin. Bake (I usually put my ramekins on a small sheet pan) until a tester inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Cool slightly on a rack before serving. I topped my cakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I have a sad weakness for vanilla soft serve ice cream from Dairy Queen so that's what I used as a topper. The melting ice cream mixed with the rhubarb syrup and the result was....heaven in a bowl.

It's Foodie Friday again. I hope you will visit Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum.

Market Notes - Spring Has Sprung At One of the Country's Great Farmers' Markets

2011-05-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

A typical Spring Saturday morning at

Beaverton Farmers' Market.

The weather is cool, there are a few clouds in the sky.

Music is playing.

Smells of roasting nuts, German sausages,

barbecued ribs and kettle corn fill the air.

Shoppers wait for the 8:00 a.m. opening bell to ring

so they can visit the market's 200 vendors and

fill their bags and carts with local produce,

cheeses and breads, honeys, jams, pastries,

meats and seafood, flowers and nursery stock,

meat pies, oven baked pizza, homemade soups -

the list of options is a long one.

Rhubarb Pie Anyone?

Organic Greens from Denison's Family Farm.

Fresh Dungeness Crab from the Oregon Coast

One of my favorite Spring Market photos

Radish Mountain

Plant starts for vegetable gardens

Freshly Baked Cinnamon Rolls

Early Season Strawberries

Loaves of Apple Cinnamon Bread

This is my booth at the Beaverton Farmers' Market.

Many of you have asked me to post a photo.

My dear friend, Sandie, helps me every Saturday and

here she is, poised and ready to hand out samples of

freshly roasted, still warm, sugar and cinnamon glazed almonds.

I'm linking this post to Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Please visit Mary's site to see all of this week's beautiful mosaics.

I've also linked up today with Anne at Quickeasycheaphealthy. I just discovered her beautiful blog and hope you will stop by to meet her.

Date Pinwheel Ice Box Cookies

2011-05-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

This recipe for date cookies goes back to my earliest memories of my Mother's kitchen. I can so clearly see her standing at the counter with a rolling pin in her hands, forming the logs that she wrapped in waxed paper and put into the refrigerator to chill. Yesterday I took a small plate of these cookies to my Mom when I visited her in her assisted living community, and when she saw these little date spirals her eyes lit up and she had a big smile because she recognized them too. We shared a few long ago memories of days when we lived on a farm and she could see me from the kitchen window racing my horse as fast as I could go the full length of the pasture near the house. I rode bareback in those days and it was a miracle I didn't kill myself. It seems funny to both of us now.

So...I hope you enjoy these delicious cookies. If you like dates you will love this recipe. It's been a favorite in my family for over fifty years. Often old recipes are the best because there are memories attached to them.

Date Pinwheel Ice Box Cookies
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Date Filling

Thoroughly cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture. Chill. Divide dough in half.

On a lightly floured surface roll one part in 12x 8 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Trim edges of the dough. Spread half of the Date Filling over dough. Begin at long edge, roll like a jelly roll. Repeat with remaining dough. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and chill for several hours. Slice 1/4 inch thick. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.

Date Filling:
In saucepan combine 1 pound pitted, chopped dates, 1/2 half cup sugar, and 1/2 cup orange juice. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens and becomes spreadable. If it gets too thick add a more orange juice. If you like nuts add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts.

I'm linking my post today to Michael Lee's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Travel Notes - Do They Really Park That Way?

2011-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

I hope you aren't thinking

Oh no, not another post about Paris!

Yes, I'm afraid so.

I'm still on a high after a wonderful trip

and love sharing some of the highlights of my adventure with you.

Getting around the city is so easy

and here are several ways to take in the sights.

The view from the river is wonderful.

Sightseeing buses are inexpensive and convenient.

This one picks up and drops off across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral.

Bikes are available to rent all around the city.

You can ride one for as long as you wish

and then drop it off at any bike stand.

I've shown you this photograph before and I still think it is funny.

Parking spaces are scarce so drivers are very creative about where and how they park.

There is a lot to be said for small cars.

Yes, they really do park this way...all the time.

We saw a car pinned in like this front and back.

The driver bumped into both cars until she had pushed them far enough away

so she could get out of the space. Bang...bang...bang.

More of the same.

There is nothing wrong with this driver's parking skills.

I just liked the car.

Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of Paris life.

bonne journee

French Bistro Carrot Salad

2011-05-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

If you think you are not a big fan of the ordinary carrot this simple recipe may change your mind!

We didn't see many salads or vegetable dishes on the cafe and bistro menus in Paris, but there was one vegetable that is so popular it appears everywhere: freshly grated carrot salad or salade de carottes rapees." This ultra simple salad is often served as a garnish the way we would serve a small dish of coleslaw here at home. You can find it in the take-out sections of high-end food shops and in the packaged food section in corner grocery stores. That's how popular it is! Sometimes you are served a small pile of naked carrots, nothing else, and sometimes there will be a wedge of lemon alongside. Occasionally the julienned carrots are dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.

I didn't think much of this salad when I first tried it. Often I just left it on my plate, but over time I began to appreciate what a perfect, light, refreshing, flavorful side it is. Although it doesn't need much I do like the shredded carrots tossed with a teaspoon or two of my favorite vinaigrette right before serving.

My Favorite Vinaigrette

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

chopped fresh herbs (flat leaf parsley in this version)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper.

Slowly whisk in olive oil until dressing has a creamy consistency.

Add chopped herbs.

Since carrots are the star of this recipe it is important that they are the freshest, best quality carrots you can find. Not a difficult search if you have a farmers' market close by where you can purchase carrots that were in the ground a few days before market day. I like to grate a dozen peeled carrots, keep them in the fridge, and dress them with a few drops of vinaigrette when I'm ready for lunch or dinner. I grate them with the coarse disk in my food processor or use the largest holes in my box grater. I think the coarse size keeps the carrots crisper and fresher tasting longer. A julienne peeler works nicely as well if the carrots are peeled just before serving. I've seen versions of this so simple salad that contain raisins, avocado, beets, and celery root to name a few, but I think it is the absolute best when prepared in this no-frills way.

Now that I'm used to a small serving of salade de carottes rapees with my meals my plate looks bare without it. Often I'm happy with a little plate of salade, a slice of baguette and some cheese for lunch. This wonderful salad will have a prominent place on our table through the coming summer when our menus build around grilled and barbecued meats, burgers and grilled dogs. Carrot salad along side a scoop of potato salad is so colorful and appetizing on any plate. I hope you will give this recipe a try. It's such an easy way to add a very healthy vegetable to your menus. And if your family and friends want to know why they have carrots on their plates tell them that's the way the French do it. So there!

Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Maple-Espresso Glaze...Again

2011-05-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

It looks like Blogger didn't totally eliminate this post, just the text and comments disappeared. At least they left the recipe and photographs, which I appreciate. If you left a comment yesterday I read it and thank you for you stopping by.

This is a delicious, dense pound cake that combines the flavors of chocolate chip cookies and maple bars. If you like those sweet treat I know you will love this cake! Let's hope that is the end of problems with Blogger.

Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
with Maple-Espresso Glaze

CAKE:
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups golden brown sugar, lightly packed
2-1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons (or more) whipping cream
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter 12-cup bundt pan. Spray pan generously with nonstick spray. Dust pan lightly with flour.

Mix chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of the flour in medium bowl. Sift remaining flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt into another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract and maple extract. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons cream and espresso powder in medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more cream by 1/2 teasponfuls if glaze is too thick to drizzle. Spoon glaze over top of cake; let stand at room temperature until glaze is firm., about 1 hour.

NOTE; Mixing a little flour in with the chocolate chips before adding them to the batter helps the chips stay suspended in the batter and distributed throughout the baked cake. This little trick isn't perfect, but it helps.

I'm joining Michael Lee today at Designs by Gollum for another fabulous Foodie Friday.

Paris Shopping - Cookware

2011-05-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

The first stop on our Paris tour is E. Dehillerin, a two century old professional kitchenware shop

at 18 et 20 rue Coquilliere at Le Halles. This is essentially a restaurant supply store

and much of their stock isn't suitable for the home cook but they do carry enough home sized

items that we felt like we were in foodie heaven.

Two years ago my daughter and I bought copper pots here and we love them for their beauty and functionality so came back on our recent trip to buy more. They have every size and shape you could imagine

and narrowing down our choices took time. There are several large cooking stores in the area but

Dehillerin has the best selection of almost everything and is the most reasonably priced.

It is very expensive to have items shipped home so I recommend buying what will fit into your suitcase.

I've read complaints about their customer service, but we were more than happy with the help we received.

Emile introduced himself when we arrived and stayed with us for the several hours it took to pick out pots, utensils, bakeware, and knives. He even arranged for a taxi to take us back to our hotel so we didn't have to wrestle with the Metro with all our heavy bags.

Dehillerin is famous for its copper and it is sold in every size and shape imaginable. The pots are lined in either tin or the more durable stainless steel. Copper is a small part of their inventory and you will find just about any other imaginable contraption to wash, cut, boil, steam, bake, mold or serve food.

Be sure to carefully look over the display on the landing of the staircase to the basement.

We found Revol lion's head bowls for a small fraction of the price at home

and perfect shallow dishes for our favorite creme brulee.

Stainless steel food containers, bread and cake pans of all sizes,

hundreds of tart pans and rings, funnels, cookie cutters

Knives, peeler, serving utensils, silicon molds,

decorative baking tins,

pastry tips and bags, spatulas, whisks

measuring cups of every size,

ladles up to 1 gallon size (can you imagine how much that must weigh?)

pan liners, pie plates, scoops,

cooling racks

Knives, knives, knives, and more knives

The gigantic, restaurant size pots are in the basement.

They are fun to look at and to imagine what might be simmering away in them

in the famous restaurants around the city.

If you visit Dehillerin be sure to go down to the basement and look around.

The building is old and so very interesting.

I would love to take a peek at what is up this staircase.

We took a little shopping break and had a wonderful lunch

at a cafe next door to the store.

This gave us time to talk over our possible purchases so we didn't make any mistakes.

Its hard to fight that impulse of wanting to buy everything,

you know what I mean?

the "I may never get back here again so I better buy it while I can" train of thought.

In the end we were prudent, bought only what we could carry home,

and are thrilled with all the great memories we have of our unbelievably fun

shopping day in Paris.

bonne journee

Souffle Roulade with Spinach-Mushroom Filling and Tomato Coulis

2011-05-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

I had planned that my first post after my break would be about my trip to Paris. I'm still on a high from that whirlwind week and have been looking forward to sharing it since our wheels touched down in Portland two weeks ago. But I realized as I began to prepare this delicious souffle roll for the weekend that many of you may be looking for a new and different recipe for Mother's Day brunch or dinner and would enjoy this dish as much as we do. It does take some time to prepare, but all of that can be done ahead of time and the end result is more than worth the trouble. Don't be put off by the lengthy directions. The steps are easy and the spinach filling will hold the souffle together if it has any little cracks. I like to serve this with baked ham and a fresh fruit salad, and any leftovers are delicious, rewarmed, with a simple green salad for lunch the day after.

I found this recipe in an old Gourmet Magazine from the 1970's. It's been one of our favorites for many years and I hope it will become one of your favorites as well.

Souffle Roulade with Spinach-Mushroom Filling

and Tomato Coulis

2-1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

10 egg yolks

10 egg whites

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons butter

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Grease a 10x15x1 inch baking pan and line with waxed paper or baking parchment. Grease the paper.

Heat milk in a small saucepan. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne paper. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the hot milk gradually. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce the heat. Simmer for 1 minute, constantly stirring.

Beat the egg yolks in a bowl till blended. Whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks into the hot milk mixture. Cook for 1 minutes, whisking constantly, do not boil. Let stand until room temperature.

Beat the egg whites in a mixer bowl until stiff but not dry peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the remaining egg whites into the yolk mixture. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and soft but firm to the touch. Cover an additional 10x15-inch pan or large wire rack with a dish towel and top with waxed paper. Invert the souffle immediately onto the waxed paper. Peel off the paper lining the bottom of the souffle. Roll in the towel from the long side as for a jelly roll. Let stand until cool.

Microwave the spinach in a microwave-safe dish just until thawed. Microwave for 1 minute longer; drain and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Saute the shallots in 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated, stirring constantly. Stir in the spinach, dry mustard, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream cheese and lemon juice. Let stand until room temperature.

Unroll the souffle roll gently. Spread with the spinach mixture and roll to enclose the filling. Place the roll in a lightly buttered baking pan. It can be tightly covered at this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours Bake, covered tightly with foil, at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

Reheat Tomato Coulis in a saucepan. Arrange the roll on a serving platter. Cut into 1-1/2 inch slices. Drizzle some of the Tomato Coulis around and over the slices. Serve with remaining sauce.

Tomato Coulis

4 pounds fresh tomatoes

2 cups minced onions

1/4 cup finely minced shallots

1/4 cup olive oil

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or tarragon, or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil or tarragon

Peel and seed tomatoes and coarsely chop. Saute the onions and shallots in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender but not brown. Increase the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes or until excess liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in spices. Let stand till cool.

Click here for a PRINTABLE RECIPE.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

to all the wonderful women in my life:

Mothers, Grandmas, Daughters, Sisters, Cousins, Aunties,

Best Girl Friends and dear Blogger Friends everywhere.

I hope Mother's Day is a very happy and special day for us all.

I'm so happy to be blogging again and am looking forward to the opening of my Farmers' Market this weekend. Spring is finally here after a long, difficult winter, and within a few weeks the market will be full of local fruits and vegetables, artisan breads and cheeses, meats, pastries, flowers, and dear friends and neighbors.

I went to Chicago in late March to meet my new great-grandson, Kemper Matthew, and was thrilled to pieces to hold our precious new baby. Kemper, along with his mama and Oma, is coming home to Portland this August where we will gather together five generations of our family. My mother, at 88, is in excellent health and can't wait to meet her new little great-great-grandson. Amazing, isn't it?

My daughter and I spent a week in Paris in April. I came home revitalized, enthused about cooking, eager to use my new copper pots, and feeling like I truly had an adventure. When I bought macarons at Laduree two years ago I never dreamed I could figure out how to make them myself. I hope I have the same good fortune when I try to master the kouglof from that same famous patisserie. Imagine a sugar crusted brioche soaked in orange flower syrup. So good I don't even know how to describe it.

I have many photos and stories that I'm looking forward to sharing with you over the summer. I missed blogging during my break and realize how much enjoyment it brings to my life (also how much time I spend at my computer). Many, many thanks to those who shared Paris travel tips with us. You helped make our trip a very special one.

bonne journee

Taking a Blogging Break...See you Mother's Day Weekend

2011-03-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

It's time for Wives with Knives to take a little break from blogging. I have a new great-grandson, born on Valentine's Day, whom I haven't met, and I am helping my mother adjust to life after my father passed away recently. Everything is going along well, but big changes take time and I want to be available whenever I'm needed. I'm going to Chicago in a few weeks to meet great-grandson, Kemper Matthew, then my daughter and I are going on to Paris for a short vacation. By the time I return home my farmer's market will be ready to open and, hopefully, life will return to some sort of comfortable routine. I will miss all my bloggie friends so will stop by to visit you as time permits but won't be posting again until the farmers' market opens on Mother's Day weekend.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all.

My Mama's Corned Beef and Cabbage

2011-03-08T06:40:00.000-08:00

Corned beef and cabbage is one of my favorite meals so I prepare it several times around St. Patrick's Day and always freeze extra prepackaged pieces of corned beef for future use. Dinner with traditional cabbage, potatoes and carrots is everybody's favorite and the leftovers are so, so good in sandwiches and corned beef hash. Cooking the perfect corned beef is a simple process: just cover it with water and simmer in a large pot until tender. I tried the crock pot method for the first time and I doubt I'll ever cook one on top of the stove again.

I put lots of peeled carrots, 2 chopped onions and a handful of parsley sprigs on the bottom of the pot, laid the corned beef on top, sprinkled on the spice packet and added enough water to cover. I set the temperature on high for two hours, then turned it to low for an additional 7 hours. The crock pot works so well because the water never boils, it just gently simmers.

When the meat is ready to serve I trim the fat off the top and spread it with a mixture of 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, a dash of cloves and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Place under the broiler until the sugar is melted and crusty. You will be amazed at how much flavor this adds to the corned beef. This was my mother's trick and I couldn't imagine serving corned beef any other way.

Save out a tablespoon of the sugar mustard mixture, add a tablespoon or two of melted butter and toss with the carrots just before serving. I pour a little melted butter over the cabbage and pass a cruet of cider vinegar for those who like that combination of flavors. Arrange meat slices and vegetables (I add boiled new potatoes too) and serve.

Last year I found this fantastic horseradish sauce at How To Cook a Wolf. Linda's recipe is perfect with corned beef and cabbage and I love it with prime rib as well. This delicious sauce and the sugar-mustard glaze on the corned beef will add a whole new dimension to this traditional Irish dinner.

Horseradish Cream Sauce...from Linda at How to Cook a Wolf

This makes 2 cups of sauce. The recipe can easily be halved or quartered, as needed.

3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup prepared horseradish, drained
2 T. Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Whip cream in bowl until it forms soft peaks. Combine mayonnaise, horseradish, and mustard in another bowl. Fold in whipped cream. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well, and transfer to serving bowl.

Mark March 15th on your calendar

Bring your St. Paddy's Day post and join the fun

at Cuisine Kathleen's

St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl

Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

2011-03-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

Cheesecake is one of my family's favorite desserts. We love the creamy richness of cheesecake with its three pound of cream cheese and half a dozen eggs, but more often than not it is just too much after a big meal so big slices are sent home with everyone to enjoy the next day. There is no problem with that but our favorite part of a family meal is sitting around the table after the dishes are cleared and coffee is poured and we get down to the real business of what is going on in our family. It's then when we like a little sweet - something light but with enough flavor to hold its own against a cup of espresso or a small glass of Bailey's Irish Cream.

This wonderful cake has all the flavor of the most decadent cheesecake and the texture of a light souffle. It is a delicious, easy to make replacement for the heavy cake everyone is too full to enjoy after a big meal and it's perfect served with the fresh fruits that will start appearing soon in our local markets. It is so light in fact that you will probably be asking for seconds before you finish your coffee. I hope you will give this cake a try and surprise your family with a new favorite dessert.

Japanese Souffle Cheesecake...a favorite recipe from Wives with Knives

For a printable copy of this recipe please click here

5 ounces/140 grams sugar

6 eggs, separated

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 ounces/50 grams butter

8 ounces/250 grams cream cheese

3 ounces/100ml milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

2 ounces/60 grams cake flour

1 ounce/20 grams cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt cream cheese, butter and milk in the microwave. Mix well and cool. Fold in flour, cornstarch, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest and mix well.

Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar and whip until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into a prepared 8-9" spring form pan and bake at 325 degrees F in a water bath for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until set and golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then remove the sides of the pan. The cake will start to shrink if left in the pan. Carefully remove strips of parchment paper. Let cake cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

To Prepare the Spring Form Pan: Lightly spray the pan with cooking spray and line the sides with a strip of parchment paper 1 inch higher than the sides.

I use my digital scale to measure ingredients for this recipe. Small amounts of ingredients are called for and with my scale I'm sure that I am measuring accurately.

This soft, souffle-like cake cuts well, but the slices aren't picture perfect like heavier cheesecakes. Next time I will use small spring form pans and make individual servings. I think it would work baked in paper lined cupcake pans too. This is delicious with a fresh fruit sauce or sliced strawberries or peaches. I've even made it a day ahead with no loss of quality.

******

I'm late to the party this week at Designs by Gollum

where Michael Lee is hosting her wonderful

Foodie Friday

event. Better late than never...right?

Parisian Blogger Getaways

2011-03-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Before I tell you about my dear friend, Mimi's, wonderful blog

Bonjour Romance

I want to thank those who sent such comforting and caring good wishes

to me and my family during the past two weeks. My dad had been ill for some time

but his turn for the worse and rapid decline and death came as a shattering shock to all of us

who dearly loved him. His strength of character, love for his family, and endearing sense of humor

will be sorely missed. Thank you so much for your prayers

and very kind words during this trying time.

You may already know Mimi at Bonjour Romance.

I have followed her blog since I began blogging almost three years ago.

Mimi lives in Paris (can you even imagine such a thing?)

and she and her husband have a travel agency, Paris Travel Group.

They are offering a new service specially designed for bloggers:

Parisian Blogger Getaways

Tailor Made Tours for Bloggers in Paris

My daughter and I are planning a trip to Paris next month
and Mimi is helping us plan our itinerary.

If you are in the "dreaming about it" stage or
are beginning to plan your trip to the glorious City of Lights
do visit Mimi at Bonjour Romance and Paris Travel Group.

If you crave all thing French the way I do you will also enjoy
Mimi's new on-line magazine, Belle Inspiration.
The March issue will be out soon. I can't wait.

Egg Foo Yong

2011-02-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

When I was a child the only fast food we knew was Chinese take-out. There were no drive through windows or pizza delivery services back then and ordering dinner from the neighborhood Chinese restaurant was a special treat. We got the usual items: pork chow mein, fried rice, sweet and sour pork, fried shrimp and my favorite egg foo yong. In addition to the food being absolutely delicious, the array of dishes was extra special because it was food my mother never made at home. This is a great recipe because, no matter what bits of veggies and proteins you add, it's always good. My favorite additions are chopped shrimp and lots of water chestnuts.

If you have the ingredients ready these wonderful pancakes go together in minutes. This is one of my favorite meatless meals and would be perfect if you are looking for new ideas for Lent.

Egg Foo Yong

Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1-1/2 teaspoon sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and and soy sauce. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, stir into the skillet and boil till thickened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

3/4 cup chopped raw shrimp, mushrooms or leftover chicken

1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped celery or bamboo shoots

2 cups bean sprouts

2 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more for dipping

5 large eggs

1 or 2 thinly sliced Thai chiles, chili garlic sauce or Sriracha chile sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add the scallion and cook for about 15 seconds, or until aromatic. Add the shrimp, water chestnuts and celery. Cook for about 45 seconds. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the soy sauce and cook for another minute until the bean sprouts have wilted.

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cooked mixture and combine well.

Pour enough oil to film the bottom of a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, Ladle about 1/4 cup of the egg mixture to form 4 inch pancakes. Evenly distribute the veggies with a fork. Gently fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Between batches replenish the oil and adjust the heat to prevent burning. Spoon mushroom sauce over the pancakes and pass thinly sliced chiles and hot sauce.

My family is having some medical issues right now and my blogging in the next few weeks may be sporadic. My dad is very ill and my mother needs assistance so much of my time will be spent with them. I'll visit as often as I can but may not have the time to leave a comment if my time is short. Any prayers that you may send our way will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for stopping by today.

A Good Sandwich is a Beautiful Thing

2011-02-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

Question: What do you have when you combine:

One crusty jalapeno-chedder Kaiser roll

slices of crisp red onion

very tasty hot house tomatoes

thinly sliced tri-tip that has been perfectly seasoned

and grilled to medium rare

fresh, crisp leaf lettuce

Artichoke-green chili mayo

Answer: A Sandwich Good Enough for Company

I love, love, love a good sandwich.

Freshly baked bread filled with the best ingredients

held together with something wonderful from the

vast condiment selection in my fridge.

ARTICHOKE-GREEN CHILI MAYO

Mix 1 tablespoon chopped artichoke hearts

and 1 tablespoon chopped green chilis into

3 tablespoons mayo.

This is delicious on french fries, by the way

I love to barbecue but never spent much time thinking about developing skill at it until I met Larry at Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings. He prepares perfectly cooked, mouth watering prime rib and steaks of all cuts (and the best breakfasts you have ever seen) and with his generous help I've ventured into the BBQ and grilling world. I don't cook a lot of meat so when a roast comes off the grill or out of the oven and it's perfectly cooked I get pretty darn excited. Larry said that he doesn't cook a lot of trip-tip so he sent me over to Patio Daddio's for a lesson in cooking that particular cut of meat. I seasoned my tri-tip just the way Daddio suggested and it was delicious. The last few slices went into these tasty sandwiches.

Larry has been so generous and helpful in answering my questions about different cuts of meat and how to properly cook them. With his help I have prepared prime rib several times using different roasting techniques and have found the method I prefer so my family can expect to find this wonderful treat often on the table for Sunday dinner.

It's still rainy season here in the Northwest and the patio where I keep my barbecue isn't covered so I won't be doing a lot of grilling until the weather clears up in early spring. In the meantime I'm researching recipes and technique that I will use this summer. I have a gas grill but think I want to try cooking over hot coals to get the flavors of the wood chips and smoke. Do you consider yourself a grill meister? If you do, won't you please share some tips with a friend who is very eager to learn?

It's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum

Won't you please stop by to visit?

Luscious Lemon Bars

2011-02-15T07:20:00.000-08:00

Here I am once again sharing one of Ina Garten's wonderful recipes with people who are already know Ina well and use her cookbooks regularly. It just so happens that many of my favorite recipes are Ina's creations and when I want to make lemon bars, for instance, I wouldn't dream of searching out a new recipe when I have one that I consider perfect. "What makes these bars so special?" you might ask. The answer is easy...it's the rich, buttery crust that doesn't fall apart when the bars are cut, the intense lemon flavor of the silky smooth filling, and the perfect crust to filling ratio. If you think I might be exaggerating about these bars just click on Ina's recipe on Food Network and read some of the three hundred five-star reviews.

Lemon Bars

Printable Recipe

For the Crust:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Filling:

6 extra large eggs, room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2 inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2 inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

*******

I have wonderful news to share today. We have been blessed with a new family member

who arrived yesterday, Valentine's Day.

Meet Kemper Matthew, born at 6:40 PM on Valentine's Day.

My granddaughter, Katie, and her sweet baby boy are doing well.

Chopped Chicken Salad

2011-02-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

In my kitchen this salad never turns out the same twice. The great thing about it is that it's the perfect way to use all the little bits of this and that that accumulate in the fridge over the course of a week. You can tell what was on the menu around here last week by looking at the ingredients in this "everything but the kitchen sink" salad. I used romaine because I bought a large bag of it at Costco and wanted to use it up. I usually use iceberg because I like the crispness in contrast to to the meats, cheeses and vegetables that are the main part of this salad. Add croutons if you have some (I didn't) or chopped egg, cucumber, red onion... you get the idea. This recipe for vinaigrette is delish and I hope you will give it a try. It's creamy in consistency and clings perfectly to the ingredients in the salad.

Chopped Chicken Salad

Vinaigrette:

1 egg yolk - I use farm fresh organic eggs so don't have a problem with this. If you would rather not use a fresh yolk just leave it out. It does add a rich creaminess to this dressing.

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup olive oil

Chopped Salad:

4 ounces garbanzo beans, lightly chopped

1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup basil leaves, chopped

1/2 cup artichoke hearts, cut into large pieces

1/2 cup radishes, sliced

1 cup mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated

12 ounces cooked chicken breast, diced

8 ounces dry wine salami, diced

8 ounces plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup provolone cheese, diced

3 green onions, thinly sliced

To Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a food processor combine the egg, Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, dry mustard, oregano, sugar, vinegar and lemon juice. Process to blend. Slowly add the olive oil, processing until emulsified. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

To Prepare Salad: Combine all salad ingredients and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Serve immediately.

This post is linked to the Foodie Friday

celebration at Designs by Gollum. Michael Lee is a fantastic host

and invites you to join in the fun.

An Artist in Montmartre

2011-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

A peek over the shoulder of an artist in Montmartre

Wordless Wednesday