Once Upon a Plate

Honey Sesame Chicken (Slow Cooker) and two other things . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 10:30:00 +0000

First of all:

Thank you - for leaving kind messages and emails for

positive thoughts, prayers and good wishes as we ushered

our sweet Black Labrador from this life.

Please accept my deepest thanks.

Your kindness and understanding has been so appreciated.

A little more about our pal at the end of this post.

Second of all:

Blog connection problems!!

With NO thanks to Blogger/Google. :(

There has been a snafu with my domain name onceuponaplate1.com.

I am attempting to retrieve it, but in the meantime I've reverted

to "www.onceuponaplate.blogspot.com", so if you have had

difficulty getting feeds or connecting with my blog -- that is why.

If you can change your address book/connection to 'www.onceuponaplate.blogspot.com'

we'll be able to keep in touch.

Thank you!!

And enough of that business.

~*~*~*~*~

Ah, this difficult time and dreary weather seemed to cry out for comfort food,

so when I happened upon this recipe I knew I wanted to try it.

Originally found at Baby Center (click), it was adapted by a another blogger

Tessa @ Handle the Heat (click).

Both versions looked good but

I wanted to pump it up slightly to give it more of an Asian edge,

which we prefer, so I added a couple of tweaks to suit our taste.

The original recipe called for boneless/skinless chicken breasts...

but for slow cooking I prefer boneless/skinless chicken thighs ~

they are more flavorful and can stand up to slow cooking more successfully

than breasts. Thighs remain moist and tender during the long cooking period.

I followed Tessa's (Handle the Heat) recipe fairly closely,

but I did make these changes:

- I tossed a couple of slices of fresh ginger into the slow cooker

- I used the ketchup called for in original recipe,
(if you are avoiding corn syrup use an organic brand that does not include it.)

(Or do as Tessa did and substitute tomato sauce.)

- Increased the garlic to 3 cloves, minced

- Increased the cider vinegar to 3 teaspoons (1 Tablespoon)

- Added a couple of splashes of Dry Cocktail Sherry

(may substitute Mirin instead~ Japanese cooking wine for the sherry)

- Increased the sesame oil to 2 teaspoons

- Along with the scallion garnish I added fresh Cilantro sprigs

As always, I recommend you adjust the seasonings to your own taste, of course. :)

I hope if you try this recipe you'll love it. It reheats and freezes well
(sans the garnishes), so you can make ahead and have it on hand.

Simply warm it up and sprinkle with the fresh garnishes.

Serve over rice, noodles, or your favorite grain.

It's also a fabulous filling for lettuce leaves or small sandwich buns.

You can find both recipes via the links above ...

I believe you will like this method of preparing chicken.

~*~*~*~*~*~

(© original oil by John Silver, UK)*
Original is available, click the above link to learn more.

My Pal

The good news is the Veterinarian was 'off' in her estimate of
the amount of time our pup had remaining.

Our boy actually enjoyed an additional several weeks of a good,
happy life beyond what was predicted, tail wags and all.

We made every effort to make sure he enjoyed each moment,
doing things he liked, eating well, going for rides in the car,
sleeping comfortably, being loved; he was able to remain
free of pain and discomfort until the very end.

May we all have it so when it's our time.

Here is to 14 splendid years of love and companionship.

Not a mean bone in his body . . . he was a good boy.

The tough decision was made Monday morning February 3rd ~

he was such a wonderful dog, very much loved,

is sorely missed and will remain forever in our hearts.

~*~*~*~*~*~

* ©The Art of John Silver,

Fine Artist, U.K.

Please visit Mr. Silver's site, JSFA (The Fine Art of John Silver)
(http://www.johnsilverfinearts.com/) to see more of his exquisite work.

You may order prints, originals, or contact to

perhaps commission an original painting.

Shipping is available worldwide from the UK.*

For more information:

http://www.johnsilverfinearts.com

http://john-silver.artistwebsites.com

http://www.johnsilverfinearts.co.uk

Disclaimer: Mr. Silver has no idea who I am;

I receive no compensation for recommending his work.

I'm just a fan, entirely captivated by his incredible talent.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thank you for coming by today friends!

I wish you peace and happiness.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Roasted Carrot and Fresh Ginger Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 17:45:00 +0000

Here's a comforting* soup you can pull together when
there is practically nothing in the refrigerator or pantry...
and you are busy. With other things.

Besides being healthful and budget friendly,
the additional bonus is that it goes together quite quickly.

All that is required are a few carrots, an onion, clove of garlic,
bay leaf, chicken or vegetable broth or stock, oil/butter,
salt and pepper ~

and fresh ginger (which I always have on hand for

cooking and use in smoothies.)

*I've been needing extra comforting recently,

and I'll explain why at the close of this post . . .

The method goes like this:

Peel and cut the carrots into large chunks, toss with oil and

roast in hot oven until tender.

Sweat chopped onion in a large pot, when translucent add minced garlic and

minced ginger for just seconds. Add broth/stock to pot, then bay leaf

and roasted carrots carrots. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil,

then reduce to a simmer, cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Using either a blender (or an immersion blender) puree the

contents of the pot until silky smooth.

At this point you can stir in some heavy cream to make it creamy,

or a tiny amount of Harissa sauce (to make it spicier),

a little finely grated orange zest

Garnish as desired; here are some suggestions:

For each individual serving:

Shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds ~ (Pepitos)

a little lump of butter

finely chopped chives

finely grated orange zest

a small dollop of sour cream

toasted chopped nuts of your choice

buttery, crisp croutons

a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe you

can get it here.

~*~*~*~*~*~

You may be familiar with the seasoning Harissa,

the North African spicy red paste (or sauce),

if not here is the kind I use. (If you cannot find it locally, it's available

from amazon.com.) It is really convenient to keep

a tube in the refrigerator to add a good, deep spicy

flavor to all kinds of dishes. You can also make your own,

but I don't use it that frequently so the tube version is the

way to go for me.

Word of warning ~
Do taste whatever brand you choose before
adding it to your recipe ~ it is potent!!

~*~*~*~*~

I've been a little distracted lately,

my old faithful friend ~ my Black Labrador dog whom I've had

since he was just a little over 2 months old

has been having some health issues, surgery, etc.

It was non cancerous, he healed very nicely.

He has been doing well for over a year.

and behaves much younger than his 13 years.

Friendly, full of life and character, but so gentle and easy-going.

Sadly we recently learned he has bone cancer in his

foreleg... it is inoperable and the Dr. estimates the blasted

cancer will take over within 4 to 6 weeks. He is doing fine

at this time, on pain meds, and we will not allow him to suffer.

Lots of extra TLC being showered upon him now, while he's with us.

Too soon 'THE' decision must be made,

thus, the gray cloud hangs overhead. :(

Being "dog people", the news has affected us deeply ~

spending much more time with my pal, and not

so much the internet, or other things.

If I've neglected visiting your blog, or responding

to your lovely comments, emails, etc. I hope

you'll understand. I'll try to do better.

Thanks for listening (reading!)

Thank you for stopping by today friends,
enjoy each minute of the day.

xo ~Mari

Antipasto in Crispy Bite Size Salami Cups

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 00:15:00 +0000

When I saw this idea for an appetizer on

the Columbus® Facebook page, I knew I

wanted to try it out. Of course I tweaked it just a little.

A San Francisco tradition established in 1917

Columbus® products have been a favorite in my

family for years and years. I particularly have fond

memories around holiday time when our dad would buy and

bring home big sticks of salami from San Francisco on the train--

for gifts and snacking.

(His job was in San Francisco and he commuted each weekday

to and from our home on the SF Peninsula for dozens of years.

It was always treat to meet him at the train station at 5:25pm as he

stepped down from the train, neatly

dressed in suit and tie ~ briefcase in hand . . .

especially on the days when he had those big

paper-wrapped sticks of salami tucked under his arm! )

To make the 'cups' the pre-sliced Genoa Salame

works best because the diameter is larger than regular

salame so it is easier to work with

(the slices tend to shrink when baked.)

To bake, pre-heat oven to 375ºF. Tuck one slice

of salami into a small mold and press in.

I used these little Brioche molds but mini-muffin pans

work very well too. I found that sandwiching the

salami slice between two molds helps them hold their

shape while baking.

If you have 2 identical muffin pans, put the

salami in the cups of one and carefully stack and press the

second pan into the first, which will help keep the

salami in place while baking.

Alternately, you can make small 'balls' out of aluminum foil and

place/press each of them down upon the salami slices in each mold ~

then bake. Personally I feel that is really wasteful,

and would just skip this recipe and serve antipasto

on a platter or plates instead.

Bake for 10 minutes or so. The salami will begin to

hold the shape of the mold as it begins to crisp in the

oven. It's best not to over-bake or the salami cups

may shatter when it's time to fill them.

(Hint: Place the molds or muffin pans on

a parchment or silicone lined rimmed baking sheet to catch

any drippings.)

When baked, remove from oven, allow to cool a moment,

it's helpful to turn molds or muffin pan upside down

to finish cooling. Before they are completely cool

remove the 'top' mold or muffin pan.

You can make the "cups" a few hours up to one day

ahead, storing in air tight container.

Next, choose the fillings for the cups,

just gather your favorites from

items found on the antipasto platter.

I chose:

Black olives (brined), pitted and sliced in half

Pepperoncini, sliced

Roasted red pepper, sliced into small pieces

Marinated artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces

And some cheese goes really well in these cups.

I used the tiny, fresh 'perline' mozzarella ("pearls"),

but you can just cut other mozzarella into small

cubes. Or use another favorite cheese.

The cups themselves are rather salty and I think the

mozzarella is a good smooth contrast to the saltiness of

the other ingredients.

There are plenty of other options for fillings,

here are just a few:

Garbanzo beans (from the can, or home-cooked)

Sun dried tomato slivers

Pimento stuffed olives / other olives

Tiny cocktail onions

Small chunks of tuna or slivers of anchovy

Feta or Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Scallions (thinly sliced)

Grape or Cherry tomatoes (sliced)

Fresh red or green bell pepper (slivered)

Marinated mushrooms (drained, and sliced if large)

Golden or brown raisins, (a few in each cup adds a nice contrast of flavors)

Bits of fresh parsley or basil leaves

Capers

Sliced tiny pickles

Slivers of red onion

Thin slices of carrot

Truly, whatever strikes your fancy.

~*~*~*~*~

How do you spell it?

Salami or Salame?

You be the judge ~

it seems there are varying thoughts here in the U.S.

One explanation from Wikipedia. (click)

photo credit: wikipedia

Antique Hungarian Salami Poster

Use your favorite brand of Salami in the recipe ~ I prefer the Genoa

type simply because of it's larger size; uncooked the kind I used

is about 3 1/4-inches in diameter, after being put in the mold

(plus shrinkage during baking) the cups are about 2 1/2-inch in

diameter measured from the widest points at the top of

the salami "cups".

If you make these, I hope you like them.

Thank you for stopping by, your comments make my day!

~Mari :)

(Full disclosure: No recognition or reimbursement of any kind

has been received from Columbus® products for featuring

their products in this post. I just happen to like their products.)

Chicken Enchiladas (Slow Cooker Mexican-style Chicken Meat and Seasoning Mix)

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 21:10:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing my favorite Mexican-Style chunk/shredded

chicken that can be used in a variety of ways.

The good news is ~
It can be made in your slow cooker.
You can make just what you need
or make plenty as this freezes really well.
Just portion into freezer safe containers or plastic bags
in the amount you'll need for each meal.

Use it for filling for:

or in

Mexican-style Chicken Salads
Mexican-style casseroles
Mexican-style Soups (Caldo de Pollo)

Nachos

Chilaquiles
Mexican Sandwiches Tortas

Spanish-Portuguese-style Migas

Empanadas

Colombian and Venezuelan-style Arepas
In omelettes and frittatas
Also really good served warm over rice with melted cheese.

To season the chicken you can use a commercial

packet of Taco seasoning ~ but I really recommend making

your own.

It's very simple, just combine the dry ingredients (you probably already
have them in your spice collection.)
This tastes much better than the commercial version
and you know just what goes into the seasoning you make.
You can control the degree of spiciness you prefer,
as well as the salt content.
Plus you can avoid preservatives, chemicals and artificial colors.

For the Taco seasoning mix recipe Click here.
I always quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight jar
and keep it with my spices.

To cook the chicken using the slow cooker:

Click here for the Mexican-style Chicken (Slow Cooker) recipe

You can use the chicken pieces you like best. Some prefer
boneless chicken breasts, but I prefer using bone-in, skin-on for
the extra flavor those pieces provided. (After the chicken is cooked
the bones and skin are easily discarded, then I skim any excess
surface fat with a spoon ~ or you can chill the boned/skinned cooked
chicken and broth and lift the solidified fat from the broth.)

If you are using 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts,
this can usually be ready in less than 3 hours.
But this depends upon the amount of chicken you are cooking,
the size of your slow cooker and if using boneless chicken
or not.

When using other pieces, I do cook longer to compensate for the

thicker pieces and bones, beginning on high for a couple of hours, then
shifting to the low temperature setting.

I cook until the chicken is very tender, until it easily be pierced,
and using forks or your fingers, can easily be removed from the bones

(but I make sure not to overcook so it remains moist and

flavorful, not dry and stringy.)

You can see that if I'm going to freeze some of the meat, I don't really shred it, but leave it in chunks.
The quality seems better when frozen in larger chunks
(If I use it shredded, I do so just before adding to the recipe.)

Here it is again, already to eat or use in your favorite recipes, skinned,
boned, broken into large chunks after cooking.
I de-fat the delicious, flavorful broth and spoon some over
the chicken that will be eaten that day.

I divide the remainder, spooning it over the cooked, chunked chicken
in each container before freezing.

Besides being ready to use in your favorite recipes,
it is delicious served over rice, or rice and beans.
You can use some of the broth to flavor the cooking liquid for your
rice and beans, too.
I divide the remainder, spooning it over the cooked, chunked chicken
in each container before freezing.

The recipe for the seasoning and directions for slow cooking the chicken
can be found here.
(Again, I always increase the amounts so I can have plenty of left-over chicken and broth to freeze.)

I don't freeze many things besides homemade soups/broth, marinara,
and pizza/bread dough, but I do freeze this. It is so handy to have on hand,
and tastes delicious even after freezing.

And here it is transformed into simple Chicken Enchiladas ~
for this version, I just warm some to the cooked chicken in a pan with
some broth, dip the corn tortillas in hot oil (until they are flexible) and
drain them on paper towels. While still warm I fill the tortillas with
the chicken meat and roll them*.

Secure with a toothpick if necessary and
place in baking dish (or place them in baking dish,
seam side down so they do not unroll.) Spoon some enchilada
sauce** over and sprinkle lightly with shredded cheese.
Cover very loosely with foil and warm in a preheated 350ºF oven
until hot throughout and cheese garnish has melted. This
only takes about 5 to 10 minutes if you've filled the tortillas
with warm chicken.

*May add shredded cheese with the chicken filling, but I didn't this time.

**For the Enchilada Sauce you may~

Used a canned commercial enchilada sauce; your favorite brand.

Here is a Red Sauce recipe I've shared in the past.

My favorite way for sauce

when making this version of enchiladas:

Use some of the broth from cooking the chicken--
chop a fresh onion, saute in a pan with hot oil until tender,
but not browned. Place the cooked onion in the container of
a food processor or blender,
add some of the broth from the cooked chicken along with
some jarred salsa (choose your favorite brand.)
Whiz until smooth, adding chicken broth to make it desired
consistency ~ taste and adjust seasonings.

Tip:

To serve~

You might want to offer the following at the table, for
those who want to make them "supreme":

grated or crumbled cheese --your favorite kind
sliced or diced avocado --or guacamole
diced/chopped tomatoes
fresh cilantro
sliced green onions
pitted black olives, sliced or halved
sour cream,
salsa or hot sauce

I hope you enjoy!

Fig-Prosciutto Crostini with Brie, Walnuts & Rosemary

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:30:00 +0000

Some of the popular flavors of Fall, all combined into an

easy, tasty appetizer or snack The combination of

sweet and salty is practically irresistible!

If you have fresh figs, you could slice them in place

of the fig jam ~ substitute thin apple slices, or pears

for the sweet base if you like.

The recipe is really versatile ~ you can substitute any

favorite jam or preserves, a different cheese and

other toasted nuts (or leave them out entirely.)

It's one of those easy recipes that you can put together

on a moments notice for unexpected guests.

I added the prosciutto, toasted walnuts and the

rosemary needles as a garnish (after broiling the bread --spread

with the jam and topped with a piece of Brie) ~

but if you want to assemble ahead with no last minute work,

you could simply layer the toppings on the bread slices and

bake in a hot oven until the jam is bubbling and the cheese is melted.

The prosciutto becomes a little crisp,

and the rosemary takes on a delicate, toasty crunch.

Cut the bread about 1/2-inch thick, then add the toppings. The texture is
best if you do not toast it first ~ just add the toppings and broil until the
jam is heated and the cheese is melted.

No need for an actual recipe, this one is

particularly easy to remember.

Other suggestions you might like:
Apricot, Raspberry, Peach jam, or a smear of honey;
other toasted pine nuts~
pecans, sliced (or chopped) almonds, or macadamia nuts.
Goat cheese, cream cheese, Gorgonzola or Blue, etc. ~

There are all kinds of possibilities . . .

Instead of serving as an appetizer or
snack, substitute them for the cheese course after a special dinner.

Mix it up and try this idea with your own favorite toppings ~

I believe you'll enjoy.

Thank you for stopping by

today, friends!

xo~Mari :)

30 Minute Flavorful & Healthful Split Pea Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 00:02:00 +0000

Home Made, from scratch Split Pea Soup in 30 minutes?

Yes. You can have one of the best you've ever tasted on the table in about 30 minutes or less - - - If you use a pressure cooker.

Made with ingredients you probably have on hand in the fridge and pantry. (Bay leaves are missing in the pic.)

You can make this with bacon, kielbasa, ham, or leave the meat out entirely ~ use vegetable stock or water and have a vegetarian version.

Click here if you would like the recipe.
I like to garnish each bowl/dish with toasty croutons and a bit of crumbled bacon (or finely diced ham or sausage.)
One of my favorites! It is so good ~ a warming and filling meal on a chilly, blustery day.

Without the pressure cooker the recipe usually takes a couple of hours. But the pressure cooker allows me to whip up dishes that I wouldn't normally even consider on short notice ~ it opens up all kinds of possibilities. Which, in turn, helps me to be more flexible with meal planning.

So yes, I'm a pressure cooker fan!

Of all the brands and types I've tried (dating back to my Vegetarian days back in the 70's) my favorites are the stove top models, particularly Swiss made Kuhn Rikon Duralon® brand.
As soon as I began cooking with these, I donated my self contained, countertop electric model to charity, (and also said good-by to the old fashioned, hissing stove top versions -- you know the ones, with their obnoxious 'rocker' mechanisms.)
The New York Times named the Kuhn Rikon the Mercedes-Benz of pressure cooker, with good reason. It's stylish, classic, good looking, and performs seamlessly!

Click here for : My favorite Pressure Cookers

Of course, you can get by with just one (most experts suggest going with about a 5 to 6 quart version) for your first, as most traditional p/c recipes are written for that size.

I have several for convenience, and it would be difficult to give any one of them up, I use them ALL.
The larger ones for making big batches, for company ~ or to make plenty for freezer meals; good for making homemade stock, canning food, too.
The mid-size (5 to 6 quart are a good choice for all around everyday cooking.)
I like the 3.7 quart for cooking smaller portions (for 1 to 4 people), and I use it all the time for cooking vegetables, soups, and rice, and other side dishes. (My electric rice cooker is designated for charity as well.)

Here are some of the main reasons I love cooking with pressure cookers, Kuhn Rikon brand in particular:
You can prepare in minutes meals/dishes that take hours by traditional methods. Stainless steel (not teflon lined, or aluminum based) Extra safety designs built in Ease of operation/use Nearly silent operation (amazing!) Vitamin retention Flavor retention Besides time, they save energy. Swiss design, and built to last.
Excellent for campers and boaters, too!

And more from the Kuhn Rikon product description:

18/10 stainless steel that won't interact with food.

Solid thermal aluminum sandwich in bottom for even browning and rapid heat absorption.

Five over-pressure safety systems, UL listed; automatic locking system; spring-loaded precision valve.

Saves time and 70 percent of energy normally consumed while cooking; 10-year warranty

~*~*~*~*~

Some of the foods I favor making in the pressure cooker:
Braised dishes; Short Ribs, Stews, etc. (They always come out with full flavor, tender and juicy.) Pork, Lamb Chicken Your own wholesome homemade stock in minutes Chili Pasta Sauces Soups Fresh vegetables Vegetarian recipes White Rice Brown Rice Risotto (delicious, and perfectly cooked) in 7 minutes! Polenta Grains Beans/legumes (pre-soaked) Pasta Casseroles Potatoes Yummy Desserts

Here's a closeup of a handy guide that's included on the lid of the 3.7 quart Anniversary edition, to give you an idea of the time savings:

Love that! :)

~*~*~*~*~
By using different techniques, almost anything you cook can be adapted to preparation in a pressure cooker. It's easy, just requires common sense ~ and here is one of my favorite websites to help you get started:
Hip Pressure Cooking

Check out Hip Pressure Cooking's video to see how you can make risotto in 7 minutes:

Am I a fan of modern pressure cooking? An emphatic ~ Yes!
I'll be sharing a few of my favorite recipes in the near future . . . you just might want to get your pressure cooker out of storage and give them a go! ;)

Happy Cooking, friends!
~mari :)
P.S. The opinions expressed here are my own, the Kuhn Rikon people have no idea of who I am. But I am very pleased with their pressure cookers, and am happy to share the good news with you.

Pasta with Cauliflower-Tomato Sauce (Slow Cooker Friendly) & Crunchy Bread Crumbs

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:01:00 +0000

Michele Scicolone, one of my favorite cookbook authors,
posted a Spicy Cauliflower Pasta Sauce made in
the slower cooker on her Facebook page a few days ago ~
it sounded interesting and I had the small head
of cauliflower on hand . . . I'm sure you can guess the rest!

As usual, I was compelled to change it a little to suit my
own taste, although you may like it just as Michele posted it.
It's healthful, low in fat and vegetarian friendly.
Plus it's easy on the budget.

I'll post Michele's way, plus my changes over on my

recipe blog so you can make it the way you like.

Michele's original recipe calls for

a small head of cauliflower, a large can of crushed tomatoes,

water, olive oil, garlic, a little dried oregano, salt and red pepper flakes.

During the last few minutes I added some chopped, marinated

artichoke hearts, and some brined capers. (I also had a bit

of Trader Joe's Artichoke Tapenade left over so I stirred

that in as well . . . you know, waste not - want not.)

Since we're not so keen on really spicy food any longer,

I cut the amount of red pepper flakes and only added

the tiniest pinch. Perfect!

For the crumb topping :

Bread crumbs, a little olive oil, anchovy fillets, and

freshly ground black pepper. (Please don't let the

anchovies put you off ~ as they truly enhance this dish!)

If you don't have anchovies on hand (or cannot

tolerate them), you can substitute fresh garlic and a little

sea or kosher salt instead. But I prefer the anchovies,

and I promise you, you'll barely notice their presence

because they are cooked in a little olive oil until they nearly

dissolve and the flavor mellows, enhancing the oil,

then added to the crumbs and sauteed gently until the

crumbs turn crisp and golden brown. Yum!

This is an excellent condiment on other pasta dishes and

steamed/sauteed vegetables or grilled chicken/fish, too.

I always make extra and store in an airtight container in

the fridge, ready to use and it keeps almost indefinitely

in the fridge, even longer in the freezer.

I think it would be safe to say that you and those you

cook for would probably have to favor

rather assertive flavors to really enjoy this dish...
Kraft Mac and Cheese® it's not. ;)

I thought it was very good; quite low in fat

(but not lacking flavor.)

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe,
please jump on over to my recipe blog
right here.

Thank you for stopping today ~
I love your comments!

~Mari :)

Postcard ~ from Home

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 18:53:00 +0000

It's drizzly, foggy Sunday ~
Perfect for a cozy French Toast Brunch in front of the fireplace at my house.
I hope you are having a beautiful, peaceful and blessed day too, friends.
~mari xo

S'mores Halloween Treats ~ Ghastly Ghost Peeps®

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Frighteningly simple to make ~ when Mary @ Home is Where the Boat is

first featured these, I knew I wanted to add them my repertoire too.

So a friendly shout out and a big thank you to Mary.
Please go visit her blog, you're in for a treat!

The ingredient list is as follows: A box of Ghost Peeps®, you'll need

12 'ghosts' to make enough for an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Butter, sugar,
pinch of salt, your favorite brownie recipe or boxed mix. About 1/2 cup chocolate

morsels, and 36 chocolate mini-morsels.

I hope you can see the layers here, on the bottom of the baking dish;

Graham cracker crumb crust, the brownie layer, chocolate morsels,

and topped off with the golden 'ghosts'.

Apparently ghosts are frightened of spiders.

Cutting between the 'ghosts' you have a perfect serving size for dessert.

They are quite RICH tasting, so maybe you'll want to share,

half, as I did. (But probably not with any sort of Araneae.)

Happy Haunting!!

I hope you receive treats, no tricks this Halloween. :)

If you would like a printable copy of the instructions, you'll find it on
my recipe blog HERE.

Thank you for stopping by today~

Happy Halloween!!

Smoky Cheddar Spritz Crackers

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 17:40:00 +0000

As we were growing up our mother would make Spritz Butter Cookies almost every year during the holidays, and also cheese 'straws' throughout the year. Maybe your mom or grandmother did as well?

My sister and I followed the same tradition as we started our own families, we would decorate the cookies in all sorts of pretty ways and sometimes with colored cookie dough ~ They are a perpetual favorite and always look so festive on the cookie tray.

Sadly, my cookie press finally went kaput after many years of use, so when I saw good reviews about this set made by OXO I was compelled to replace my old Mirro metal version. Plus, I fell for the pumpkin disk in the Autumn set. :)
OXO's great reputation and all of the unique disk motifs, its' ease of use and care sold me.

The press comes with 12 decorative disks; all of the traditional ones I remember -
snowflake, heart, wreath, tree, buttercup, daisy, etc. as well as some, new to me (all really cute!) :
shell, sunflower, fleur de lis, bear (little teddy bear!), leaf, butterfly
See more about the press and other disks below.

~*~*~*~*~

Of course you can use any cookie press or disk to make these delicious cheese straw crackers, follow your favorite recipe or choose the one I favor (it's over on my recipe blog, link below.)
This is my favorite recipe for a savory cracker using the cookie press.

Like most all Spritz-type cookies the recipe is really simple, just a bit more involved than a shortbread dough.
But for the cheese crackers I jazz mine up a little by adding 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder and 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric (it adds a very subtle warm flavor and nice color.)
Sometimes I mix it up by using Smoked Paprika (as I did this time) instead of plain sweet paprika. If you like them spicier, increase the amount of cayenne pepper, or hot paprika.

Tip for crispy crackers:
I like these crackers to be crisp, but not brown, so after baking and cooling all of the batches, I place them in a single layer on the baking sheets and place in a 175ºF oven for a several minutes until they dry out a little, they will crisp even further after cooling. Keep an eye on them while they're in the oven so they don't turn dark.
Alternately you can place in your oven set to 'warm', or the lowest temperature available and do the same.
Either way you choose, do watch them as ovens vary.
When the crackers are crisp, I turn off the oven and leave the oven door open just a bit until the crackers are completely cool, then store in airtight containers for up to a week or so.
These are really good served on the cheese/fruit tray or along with soup or a salad. They make a nice gift from the kitchen, too.
If you give them a try, I hope you enjoy!
A printable version of the recipe and tips can be found on my recipe blog by clicking this link.

~*~*~*~*~
Additional Disks for the OXO Cookie Press
Also available separately are two sets of additional seasonal disks, (six disks in each set):
OXO Good Grips Cookie Press ~ Autumn or Springtime ~ Disk Sets
The Autumn set includes: Spider, Web, Owl, Turkey, Leaf and Pumpkin
The Springtime set includes: Cherry Blossom, Rose, Love, Double Heart, Shamrock, Bouquet

(You can click the link above to learn more)

Thanks for coming by today, friends.
Bon Appetit!
~m.

Note: The folks at OXO don't know who I am, (no compensation from them.) I'm just sharing a product I like... I hope you like it, too. :o)

Spooky Eye-Popping Soup for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:45:00 +0000

I saw this presentation on Home is Where the Boat is, a wonderfully creative blog by my friend Mary. If you're not familiar with Mary's blog I urge you to go visit, you're in for a treat!

For the Spooky Eye-Popping Soup I made a recipe similar to this one; I used half lean ground beef and half Italian sausage, fusilli instead of tortellini, omitted basil leaves ~ I used a couple of pinches of dried oregano instead, and chopped the vegetables into small dice just so the 'eyes' would get most of the attention.

If you would like an even simpler soup you may like this one, directions for making the eyeballs can be found here as well. I simply used bite size mozzarella (bocconcini) and placed thin slices of stuffed green olives on them to resemble pupils and irises.

It's a fun and flavorful soup to help get everyone in the mood for Halloween.

Thank you for stopping by today friends ~ Have a BOO-tiful week! :)
~mari xo

Korean-Style Minced Beef Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Oh my, this is a MUST share!
I found the recipe on my long-time friend's (gorgeous) blog; La Table de Nana, by Monique. She shared with us that she had discovered it on The English Kitchen blog by Marie.
Both Marie and Monique are blogging cooks that I admire, it helps that our tastes in food are quite similar. If either of these two ladies give a recipe high marks, I know it will be popular at my house too.

This recipe is very flavorful and it goes together in just minutes (a quick meal, especially if you steam some rice just before you begin to cook the beef.) The bonus is ~ it's budget friendly!
I just tweaked the original recipe a little bit:
- I increased the amount of fresh ginger, -Added a little very dry sherry (not cooking sherry) just before adding the soy sauce -Added a teaspoon of white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) with the soy sauce (it piques the flavor just a bit.)

Click image to learn more. Option to purchase if you cannot find it locally.
I used Sambal Oelek (fresh ground chili paste) instead of the chili flakes
The original recipe suggests serving it with sticky rice (which would be perfect, and would make it easier to eat with chopsticks) I had Jasmine rice, so that's what I chose.

For garnish I added some julienned carrots, a sprig of cilantro and a wedge of fresh lime, along with the sliced scallion in the original recipe.
If you like food with an Asian flavors, I am quite certain you will love this one.

If you would like the recipe, please hop over to Marie's blog, and say hello ... Here is the link. or
(http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/03/korean-beef.html)
Many thanks to Marie and Monique for sharing this KEEPER! I'll make this one again and again ~ (it would make a wonderful filling for lettuce wraps too.)

I hope you'll give it a try. Thank you for coming by today ~ Cheers!

Crispy Herbed Chevre with Heirloom Tomatoes ~ PLUS Easy Herb Batter Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:30:00 +0000

We're getting down to the nitty gritty; the very last of the tomato season here. After this it will be the hothouse variety until next season.

I like to treasure these last few colorful remnants of summer in the most simple way, to let their natural sweetness shine.

This presentation is similar to what Chef Jonathan Waxman introduced way, way back at the beginning of California Cuisine, in the 1970's. Long before PCs were a household commodity I remember clipping newspaper and magazine recipes which featured this exciting nouveau style of preparing food ~ I think most of us "of a certain age" did the same.

Practically unheard of here prior to that time, fresh goat cheese became all the rage, thanks to Laura Chenel in Sebastopol, CA. She was America's first commercial producer of goat cheese in the US. I remember meeting Laura around 1980 as she introduced her newly published cookbook (featuring, of course, goat cheese) at one of the first Williams-Sonoma stores to branch off from the original store in nearby Sonoma, California.
Those were exciting times ~ though we now take the concept of California Cuisine rather casually, it is important to remember that it was the start of a food revolution, heavily influencing the way we eat today.

I love the colors of a mix of tomatoes! But any kind of fresh, ripe tomatoes you have will do, slice the larger ones and just half the cherry or pear tomatoes.

Fresh and vibrant, this salad exemplifies the roots of California Cuisine. Chef Jonathan's method is very simple; get the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes adorn them simply with salt and pepper, lemon juice and your favorite nut oil, such as walnut, hazelnut, etc.
Blend a couple of teaspoons or more of freshly minced herbs into the goat cheese very well, then form the herb cheese into patties (about 2 ounces each), one per each serving. Dip in beaten egg and then in plain breadcrumbs which have been seasoned with salt and pepper. (You can use Panko crumbs if you like.)
Chill the patties or at least 1/2 hour in the refrigerator, (they will hold together during cooking a little better if you chill them even longer.) When thoroughly chilled bake them on a buttered baking sheet @ 375ºF for about 8 minutes, or brown them in a little oil in a frying pan over medium high heat for a few minutes on each side, turning once, until they are nicely golden brown.
Place on plates or a platter, arrange the tomatoes around the patties, sprinkle with herbs of your choice, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze lemon juice or a little of your favorite vinegar over and drizzle with nut oil sparingly.
Serve and enjoy while the cheese is still warm.

~*~*~*~*
Fast and Easy Herb Batter Bread
As an accompaniment I baked up some Herb Batter Bread, it's from Sunset Magazine from about the same era.
It's a really easy yeast bread, so if you've ever felt intimidated by yeast breads ~ try this one, it's practically fail proof!
It goes really well with soups or salads, and any other simple meal.

I cannot count the number of times I've made this bread, but you can probably guess by the condition of my 1971 edition of the Sunset book. (It cost a whopping $1.95 then.)
Back then fresh artisan bread wasn't readily available as it is today and homemade bread like this was a treat.
You can mix it all up in your stand mixer, or by hand it is not difficult and there is no kneading required.

I usually would bake the bread batter in a round cake pan, but this time I baked it off in a little rectangular pan. (About 6.5-inches x 10-inches)
I substituted about 80% of the all-purpose white flour with whole wheat flour.
It goes together quickly and is a fantastic recipe to have baking when your loved ones or guests arrive at your home. The aroma is so enticing!
Although we didn't know it then, the batter is very similar to a foccacia dough (which I didn't even know about years later.)
When it comes out of the oven the top is brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with a little coarse salt to heighten the flavor of the herbs.

You can use any herbs you like, fresh or dried. In addition to the herbs I usually always add some minced dehydrated onion to the batter.
A little butter melting on the baked, warm bread, and you just about have heaven on a plate!

It makes a really good little luncheon dish, or light supper, and brings back a flood of memories of my early cooking days.

~*~*~*~*~

If you try either or both of these, I hope you'll love them!
If you would like a printable copy of the Herb Batter Bread, hop on over to my recipe blog ~ HERE.

Thank you for coming by today, I really appreciate your comments.
See you next time~ ~Mari :)

Postcard ~ Near Home

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 16:45:00 +0000

A Glorious Autumn Afternoon along the river.
Wishing you a very good week ahead, friends!

~mari :)

No Trick ~ Healthy Treats!

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:01:00 +0000

Elise, over at Simply Recipes recently shared a Cinnamon-Sugar version of these baked sweet potato jack-o-lantern treats, and I knew I wanted to try them right away.
They are fairly easy to do, but just a bit time consuming ~

First of all, try to find uniformly cylindrical shaped sweet potatoes that are of a good sized diameter.

Photo: Columbia University

Peel the potatoes and slice crossways into 1/4-inch thick slices. You can cut the pumpkin shapes out with a pumpkin cookie cutter, but my pumpkin cookie cutter was too large so I used an exact-o craft knife (a very sharp paring knife would work, too.)

Next you can cut shapes out to represent eyes, nose and mouth*... make the expressions spooky and scary if you dare.
I wanted gentle faces to please the youngest among us. :D
*You can skip this step if you want to, because it is fiddly work ~ and definitely best left to adults to do.

Lay the pumpkin cut-outs on a parchment (or silicone-mat) lined baking sheet. Elise instructs to bake them (as is, no oil or butter) in a very hot oven for about 35 minutes until they are golden brown.

I did not want them to discolor much, so I brushed them lightly on both sides with melted butter*, baked, uncovered for approximately 5 to 10 minutes (until the bottom edges begin to bubble and become a little crisp.) Then I loosely tented the pan with aluminum and baked them in a 375ºF oven, for about 10 minutes until the sweet potato cut-outs were tender, but still holding their shape. Remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 5 minutes if you would like the texture to be a bit firmer. The baking time will depend upon your oven, the moisture content and thickness of the sweet potatoes, so watch and adjust accordingly.
*(you can use your favorite oil if you prefer)

I would be perfectly happy serving them just like this ~ but maybe your young ones would like them a little sweeter. In Elise's version, she instructs to dip them into melted butter and then cinnamon sugar to coat.

This version is moist and tender, easy for young ones to eat. I simply sprinkled cinnamon sugar over and placed them on a rack and allowed them to set up a bit. These are best served the day they are made.
If you want them drier and a little chewy, I suggest you bake them in a hot 425ºF oven for longer, until they take on some color and dry out a little, then dip them in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar, the way Elise suggested.

An 'almost' guilt free snack ~ I hope you enjoy !

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.
xo~mari

Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:50:00 +0000

There are still some tomatoes on the vine, but our first frost is just around the corner . . . might as well face it, we're feeling the nip of Fall in the air. We've already been lighting up the wood stove to take the chill off of the mornings and evenings.
And as much as I detest the shorter days and less sunlight, there are some things I do love about Fall. Baking is one of them.

It is a welcome excuse to crank up the oven and bake at this time of year and the payoffs are plentiful:
Warm kitchen... delightful aromas... comforting, cozy atmosphere... good food to look forward to... satisfied tummies... Happy memories...
All of the above make for warm fuzzies and a happy family. :)

In summer we have all kinds of fresh fruit to keep a sweet tooth satisfied, in the cooler months we must become a little more creative. Apples, pumpkins, pears and preserved fruit to the rescue, and soon the citrus will become more abundant. I've been baking some apple sweets which I'll share soon, but in the meantime . . .

This is a simple little sheet cake, you can use canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling), or cook your own pumpkin or squash. Since I had a can of pumpkin open for another recipe, I decided to make this little cake. It doesn't take many ingredients and it goes together quickly.

The original recipe yields a 9x13-inch cake pan, but we don't need that much cake at once so I made a half recipe and baked it in a 9x9-inch pan. If a 9x9-inch cake is still too much for you, you can bake it, then divide it in half, wrap well and freeze the half and enjoy the other half immediately. When you want to serve the remainder, thaw and spread the frosting on when it's completely thawed, or just sprinkle with powdered sugar.

The frosting is made with pure maple syrup, cream cheese butter and powdered sugar and a little vanilla extract. The maple flavor is very mild, if you like it more pronounced you could add some maple flavor extract . . . but I try to avoid the artificially flavored stuff, so I don't.
I reduce the sugar amount by a bit, because I don't care for overly sweet things, and if you reduce the cream cheese by a tablespoon or so, the maple will be a bit more prominent.

I serve the toasted chopped pecans in a little dish with a spoon, on the side since many people have trouble digesting them. This way it makes everybody happy.
Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, and it makes a fine little dessert. If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's over on my recipe blog . . .
Click here.
Thank you for stopping by ~ I would love if you would leave a comment so I know you've visited!
Blessings!
~mari :)

The Butcher's Pasta Sauce ~ From the Slow Cooker

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 21:05:00 +0000

There is no doubt that I love those quick pasta sauces that can be put together at a moments notice, especially in the warmer months when fresh produce is abundant.
However, when the temperatures drop I usually long for the deep flavors of a slow cooked sauce, the kind of sauce that can simmer on the stovetop for a couple of hours while the flavor develops. The kind mom and grandma used to make.
That's fine if you have a leisurely day to check on the sauce while it's cooking and give it a stir every so often, adding more liquid if necessary.
Sometimes we don't have that luxury of time -- that's what makes this recipe stand out; long simmered flavor without having to babysit it.

Slow Cookers ~ you may love them or not, there is no doubt they are a convenience.
In years past I could count on one hand the recipes I really loved made in the slow cooker. Too many times the food cooked in these units tasted and looked like bad cafeteria food ~ left on the steam table for far too long mushy, gray and not much in the way of flavor.

My slow cooker aversion took a turn around with the introduction of the more modern slow cooker cookbooks, like this one from Michele Scicolone.

Click image to learn more

"The Italian Slow Cooker"
Michele is a genius when it comes to what type of recipes really benefit from slow cooking. Instead of just dumping ingredients into the cooking vessel, sometimes a little prep takes place stovetop to get the recipes started. This one extra step makes all the difference in the world when it comes to a superior finished dish. So worth it!

I've had the book for a while ~I've shared another favorite from book a while back; "Spicy Tuscan-Style Sausage Ragu". Very, very good.)
The book covers everything from soups, sauces, risotto, polenta, grains, seafood, eggs, poultry, meats, veggies and beans, plus desserts. She offers special techniques that assure perfect results even with the most delicate ingredients like eggs, fish, and tender desserts.
The one I'm sharing today is The Butcher's Sauce, a recipe from Puglia. The unique thing about this recipe, and the reason for it's name ~ as Michele explains is that it is made of any kind of meat you happen to have, either fresh or in your freezer. (A good way to use up raw scraps of this and that such as a bit of raw ground beef, a pork chop, a sausage or a chicken breast.) Just chop the meat up in your food processor and proceed with the recipe. I have the basic recipe over on my recipe blog.

photo: Doris Italian Market
Usually served with orecchiette, cavatelli or any chunky pasta. I used perciatelli (pronounced: "pear-chuh-TELL-lee" as it is known in Naples.) Almost everywhere else, the cut is refered to as bucatini. About twice as thick as spaghetti and hollow as you can see from the photo.

This one is a keeper, friends! And like most tomato based cooked sauces, it freezes very successfully ~ you can double batch easily if you have a very large slow cooker.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it over on my recipe blog HERE.
Please come see what's cooking for Foodie Friday!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~Mari xo

Cheesy "Pizza" Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 19:45:00 +0000

I didn't want to serve the same ol' steamed, or stir-fried broccoli, then I remembered a recipe similar to this one, by Daphe Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter), from her lifestyle/cooking book "Relish"
Click image to learn more about the book. It's a perfect choice for college students, young singles and newlyweds. I'm none of those and I like it too. :)

Daphne's version is even more simple than the one I devised (no roasted tomatoes/garlic/red onions or mozzarella in her version) but this one is a lot more flavorful, in my opinion.

By now, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I love cooking intuitively ~ that is with a basic recipe in my head, and then letting the creative juices flow! This is another one of those, and you can adjust it to suit your own taste.

Easy and flavorful, here's what you'll need for the basic recipe:
Cherry or Roma Tomatoes Salt, Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil (or oil of your choice)
Dried oregano leaves 1 or 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Red pepper flakes Half an onion, slivered Fresh Broccoli Spears Grated Mozzarella Cheese Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Optional: Lemon wedges Fresh oregano or basil leaves (Extras ~ see below)
Method:
Place rack in center of oven, preheat to 400ºF.
Wash and cut in half a couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes, or as many as you want to make a single layer~ (you can use quartered Roma tomatoes or a similar variety; tomatoes that are not too juicy work best in this recipe.) In a shallow baking dish toss them with some olive oil, sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Place pan in oven and roast tomatoes for 10 to 12 minutes (make take longer, depending upon your oven and the baking dish you are using.) Scatter 1 or 2 sliced garlic cloves, half of a slivered onion (white, yellow, red/purple), a couple of generous pinches of dried oregano, and a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes (optional), give a stir to coat with oil and continue roasting for 10 to 12 minutes ~ it's okay if some tomatoes begin to char.
While tomatoes are roasting, steam broccoli spears until just crisp tender. Remove tomato pan from oven, arrange broccoli over tomatoes, add a little s & p if desired, sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese (as much or as little as you like), sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and place back in oven, or under hot broiler until cheese is melted and begins to bubble. Remove from oven allow to cool for a moment, sprinkle with a few fresh oregano or basil leaves. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Add any of these optional ingredients if you like: (to be added during second half of roasting tomatoes, or upon serving, as garnish):
sliced or halved flavorful black olives roasted red pepper slivers or pieces marinated mushrooms sliced green onions (scallions) cured anchovy fillets marinated artichoke hearts cooked Italian sausage crumbles, torn prosciutto, etc. ~ almost anything goes!

Colorful and tasty, it makes a fine main course or a great side dish for simply prepared meat, poultry or fish.
Gluten-Free and Vegetarian friendly, too.

Bon Appétit! And thank you for visiting today!

xo~mari

Field Trip ~ Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Each year we look forward to Art along the River in the town closest to our rural home; chalk artists from near and far are engaged by local businesses to create their magic on the street on a Saturday and Sunday in October. Once again the event didn't disappoint.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous, sunny and warm with a bit of a breeze (you'll see some evidence of this by a few autumn leaves that came to rest momentarily on some of the chalk art.) The event is attended by people of all ages, and plenty of dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Capturing the artwork with the camera is a bit of a challenge with all of the people also interested in getting a look, and the shadows cast by buildings and trees but I think this will give you a little glimpse. There were many more in various stages of completion, and along the sidewalks on each side of the street children are encouraged to create with chalk on smaller squares set aside just for them. I hope you enjoy!

The following was one of my favs . . . and note to self: The ones in the shade make the most vivid images.

A quick bite for sushi at a favorite spot, then home for an evening in front of the fire, (the temps are getting very chilly at night, the duvets went on the beds this weekend ~ ahhh!)
It was a very enjoyable day after spending Saturday outdoors preparing the gardens for winter sleep.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend too. Thank you for stopping by!
~mari xo

Witches Brooms ~ Foodie Friday Mysterious Ingredient Club

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 20:47:00 +0000

This is my second entry for Foodie Friday's second Mysterious Ingredient Club sponsored by Rattlebridge Farm.

Michael Lee West, owner of Rattlebridge Farm generously supplied each participant with these spooky Halloween sprinkles by Wilton to do with as we might ~

I decided upon these 'Witches Brooms' cookies as my additional entry this week.

If you would like to make them you'll need:
Pretzel Rods, cut to about 4-1/2 inches Cookie dough (I made Maple sugar cookie dough) Peanut butter cookie dough, or any other smooth dough would work. Probably you could use store bought, too. Chocolate Morsels Butterscotch or Peanut Butter Morsels A little solid shortening

To assemble: Form the dough into approximately 1-1/2-inch balls. Press each ball into the cut end of the pretzel rod. Flatten slightly, then press fork tines into dough, to represent broom straws. Bake according to cookie recipe directions. Remove cookies from pan and place on a rack to cool.
When completely cool, melt chocolate chips with shortening (2/3 cup chocolate chip to 2 teaspoons shortening is enough for 20 cookies*) Spoon chocolate over lower part of broom handle and top part of broom bristles, leaving bottom of bristles uncovered. Allow to cool and firm up.

Melt butterscotch chips with shortening. (1/3 cup butterscotch chips to 1/2 teaspoon shortening*) Drizzle over chocolate. Allow to stand until firm before storing in airtight container.
*You may need to add a little more melted shortening to make the melted chocolate and butterscotch chips the right consistency for drizzling.
EDIT: Back to post the cookie recipe for those who want it ~
Makes 20 cookies (I must have made my broom parts too large because the recipe only produced 14 when I made them.)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 2 Tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 10 pretzel rods (about 8-1/2" long), cut in half cross-wise (I noticed the pretzel rods I bought were only about 7-inches long, you want the cut rods for the broom handle to be between 4 and 4-1/2 inches long.)
Heat oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into 20 (1-1/4" balls).
Then just proceed with the directions above.
Happy baking!!

Please come on over to our host Michael Lee West's blog Rattlebridge Farm see what's going on for this Foodie Friday!

Thank you for stopping by friends!
Blessings, ~ mari

Foodie Friday ~ Mystery Ingredient Club!

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 15:46:00 +0000

Happy Foodie Friday featuring our Mystery Ingredient hosted by Michael Lee West at Rattlebridge Farm.
Michael generously sent each of the Mystery Ingredient Club participants Wilton's Creepy Sprinkle Lab:

4 vials filled with assorted sprinkles in a lab stand!
Oh, the possibilities are endless~ I decided upon Bark Candy with a Halloween theme.

I built the bark layers upon cinnamon graham crackers, then spread melted white chocolate over the crackers and sprinkled with peanut butter-filled pretzels, Marcona salted almonds, mini-dark chocolate morsels, M & M candies, and the Wilton Sprinkles.

If you assemble the layers in a shallow sheet pan, it's easy to move it to the refrigerator in order to hasten the chocolate firming up. As soon as it's set up remove from the fridge and break into large chunks then random smaller chunks.

The topping possibilities are seemingly infinite ~ (you can use dark chocolate as the base if you prefer) sprinkle broken-up: leftover Halloween candy cookies candy bars mini marshmallows any kind of nuts sweetened breakfast cereal mini crackers (such as goldfish or small cheese crackers) popcorn, etc.

Have fun with it and enjoy!

I'm sending a big thank you to Michael Lee West for her hospitality and generosity ~
Please come visit Foodie Friday to see what's cooking this week.

Thank you for stopping by today!
~mari

Summer Squash Soup ~ Creamy, Comforting and Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:56:00 +0000

Here I go again with another super easy 'no need for a recipe' recipe. This is how I cook 80% of the time these days. I don't do a lot of more complicated recipes much anymore ~ I think I got that well out of my system while in my 20's and 30's. And that was, ahem, a 'while' ago . . . :o)

Photo: Hirt Seeds
Frost and freezing temperatures will soon be upon us, so this week we harvested the last few summer squash ~ mostly yellow crookneck. We are promised a few warm days before October weather really kicks in, but today is a chilly one so I decided to make some soup (again.)
You may have made this or something similar before, it's embarrassingly simple to make but I love it for that reason and it tastes so good.

And to go with: (not low fat...) But we're being so good with the soup, we can afford it, right?!

Cheese Toasts
I always like to serve a little "something" alongside soup, this time cheese toasts made from a few slices of baguette, I mixed some grated swiss and parmesan cheeses with a tiny bit of mayonnaise to moisten, then stirred in some fresh thyme leaves. Just bake or broil until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Garnish with a few more fresh thyme leaves if desired.

To make the soup: Wash and trim the stem and blossom ends from the squash, chop into chunks, put in a large pot with your favorite stock or broth (I used organic chicken stock from the carton), use vegetable stock if you want to make it vegetarian friendly. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot and allow to simmer until the squash is very tender, you can add more stock if necessary. (You're going to need more later when it's time to blend.) This time I also added a peeled, thinly sliced carrot just for a little extra nutrition.
While the squash is simmering saute a chopped onion (or a half an onion if you prefer) in a pan with little butter or oil of your choice. Just cook them enough to make them tender and translucent ~ to save calories I usually add a little chicken stock or water to the pan rather than additional butter or oil if they seem to be drying out during cooking.
Once the squash is very tender add the sauteed onion and more stock to a blender container (I use the Vitamix™ just on the regular blend mode) whiz until the mixture is velvety smooth. You may need to do this is a couple of batches, and do be careful if the ingredients are hot.
A food processor would probably be my second choice if you do not have access to a blender. You could probably use an immersion blender, but it will take a lot longer, and the mixture will not be as creamy.
If you're feeling decadent you can add some milk, half & half, or heavy cream while blending. I think it's just delicious without.
Add salt and pepper to taste. May be made ahead, simply reheat when you're ready to serve.

This time I toasted a few hazelnuts/filberts, rubbed them in a fresh kitchen towel to remove the pesky brown skins, then chopped coarsely and added a sprinkling of chives as a garnish.
If you have a chance to try it, I hope you like it as much as I do.
Thank you for stopping by, and for leaving any comments you would care to share ~ they always make my day!
~mari

Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons ~ A Tribute to Marcella

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 23:16:00 +0000

Hello Friends~ It was with much sadness that we fans of Marcella Hazan learned of her passing on Sunday morning, September 29th.
I cannot begin to express how I admired Marcella and appreciated how much she shared with us through the years.
With thoughts of Marcella I wanted to share one of the first recipes of hers that I ever made so many years ago after watching her prepare it on television in San Francisco.

This is a repeat of a post that I published a couple of years ago, the chicken remains one of my all time favorites.

From the moment I heard of this method of preparing a roast chicken well over 20 years ago, this has remained one of my family's favorites. It is definitely my personal favorite, and if I could only roast a chicken using one method for the rest of my life ~ this would be it! It's that good.

If you are fortunate enough to get a chicken with skin entirely intact (no tears, or holes) ~ near the end of roasting time the skin will puff up dramatically and have become crispy while the chicken beneath the skin remains juicy and succulent ~ as this one did. (But by the time I got the camera out it had deflated, no worry though because the chicken is delicious just the same.) Perfectly flavored whether served from the oven, or at room temperature.

It's a classic and simple recipe from one of my favorite cooking teachers and cookbook authors, Marcella Hazan.

One whole chicken, two lemons, salt and a little freshly ground black pepper produce some of the most succulent pieces of chicken you may ever taste. I love Marcella's recipes, and although some may seem to be quite an undertaking because of the length ~ please don't let that put you off. It simply appears so because Ms. Hazan is such a great teacher that she explains each step and exactly why they are necessary to produce the desired results, which is enormously helpful, especially for a new cook.

The method is simple ~ rinse the chicken well, inside and out. Allow to drain for a few minutes after rinsing, then blot dry with a cloth or paper towels. Remove any visible bits of fat in the cavities of the bird and salt generously, inside and out. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Roll the lemons between your hands or on a counter to help release the juice. Poke the lemons many times with the tines of a fork or a wood pick. Place the pricked lemons inside of the cavity of the chicken and secure with a couple of tooth or food picks. I tie the legs together with a bit of twine to help keep the chicken compact and the lemons in place. Then roast, at first breast down, then turn over to continue roasting until done~ the chicken is self basting, no need to add fat or to baste.

Serve along with the succulent juices ~ and you'll probably taste one of the best roasted chickens you've had in your life.

Hint...Hint...Hint:

Sometimes the skin of the chicken breast will stick to the pan during the first part of baking (as the chicken is roasting breast-side-down.)
To prevent this~
I cut a small piece of parchment baking paper, brush with olive oil or butter and place it on the roasting pan beneath the chicken breast where it makes contact with the pan. When it is time to turn the bird over to continue baking (when breast side is UP) just remove the parchment paper. Yay! No stick, and NO torn chicken skin.

Forever grateful to Marcella Hazan for all she has shared! I have several of her books, which I value highly ~ here is the first I ever purchased and I recommend it.

~*~*~*~*~
You probably noticed I roasted the chicken in one of my favorite cast iron skillets. Not fancy at all, but of all the roasting pans I have... stainless, porcelain, Le Creuset or Staub ~ I reach for my Lodge cast iron skillet almost every time for small roasted meats like this - just as my parents and grandparents did before me. It's just large enough to add a few potatoes and/or carrots around the meat while roasting.
Readily available almost everywhere (amazon.com has a good selection) Lodge Logic-- comes already pre-seasoned. Just hand wash it and it is ready to use. I love my collection of great quality cookware ~ but I would never part with any of my black cast iron ... they heat evenly and are indestructible workhorse pieces in my kitchen.
The actual recipe:

I haven't asked for permission to share the exact recipe, but you can find it HERE on the Internet. If you try it, I hope it becomes one of your favorites, too.
Thank you for stopping by today ~ and I would love it if you would leave me your thoughts or any comments, I cherish each one.

~ Rest in heavenly peace, dear Marcella. ~

Rustic and Hearty Tuscan-style Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 19:17:00 +0000

When damp, chilly weather arrives we crave warming soup at my house, and this one is right up there among the top favorites. I've shared this one before and I understand it's similar to, (or a copycat version of) Toscana soup as served at the Olive Garden restaurant. I can't vouch for that as I've never had it there.
Even though I enjoy soup at any time of year, I only make this particular recipe when the temperatures are cool ~ it's very hearty and filling, almost like a stew.

As you can see, the ingredient list is simple; no exotic items and surprisingly, for such a flavorful outcome, you don't need to add extra seasoning except for some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I always increase the amount of veggies in the recipe as I prefer this soup chunky, and we all know they are good for us. :)

You can have this on your table within about 30 minutes. It's wonderful eaten straight after cooking it, and as with most soups it is fabulous reheated the next day. When reheating I usually add more of the greens just to liven up the color a bit.

It won't win any prizes for beauty, but for what it lacks in visual appeal it more than compensates in satisfying flavor. I hope you'll give this one a try, it has to be among my top favorite 5 soups --- maybe in the top 3.
You can get the printable copy of the recipe over on my recipe site.

I'm so happy you came by to visit, have a lovely day!
~ mari

Acorn Candy Kisses

noreply@blogger.com (Mari @ Once Upon a Plate) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 10:00:00 +0000

These are pure fun! And a good project for the kiddos ~ you can "glue" the pieces together with thick Royal Icing, a little melted chocolate or peanut butter.
If you can find the "Pumpkin Spice" Hershey's Kisses they make the acorns a bit more realistic as they are a light caramel color. I couldn't find them in my area this year so I used a mix of plain milk chocolate kisses along with some of the caramel filled type (really good, but sweet ~ I like them because the caramel filling is liquid, not chewy.)

I am really happy you stopped by and thank you for any comments you would like to leave. I appreciate each one and I would love to come visit your spot on the internet.

Happy Autumn!