I rarely eat leftovers. I'll reheat and re-eat anything that improves from sitting overnight: soup (but not potato soup), lasagna, jambalaya, gumbo, etoufee... But sometimes I cook extra with plans to magically transform the leftovers into something entirely different and, occasionally, extraordinary. Last night Nick poached salmon; I had him cook extra so we could make salmon cakes tonight. The recipe that follows simply boils the salmon with the vegetables, which is not a big deal, but it made me feel smart to have planned ahead. You can also use leftover mashed potatoes with great results. Feel free to substitute leftover cooked chopped chicken for the salmon-- it's a great way to use up those leftovers in the fridge!
Dressed-up salmon cakes
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
View it in the Moosewood recipes archive:
http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com/
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Why I want a Viking gas range
Okay, I guess it doesn't have to be a Viking... but a gas stove would have been a godsend. We spent the first half of the week in Benton to attend Nick's grandad's funeral. Food highlight-- McClard's barbecue! (We all thought it fitting. Grandad loved McClard's.) We returned to a cold, electricity-less house, so I haven't had a homecooked meal all week (unless you count the generous casserole spread prepared by the ladies at Hot Springs Baptist Church). Imagine my joy when we returned home from eating supper out last night and our power was back on! Nick was kind enough to cook the meal I had planned. He's such a good husband. We forgot to take a picture, but trust me, it was pretty.
Elegant oven-poached fish Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
serves 4-6 prep: 15 mins bake: 20-30 mins
1 1/2 pounds thick fish fillets
2-3 leeks, sliced and rinsed well*
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
3/4 c dry white wine
2 T capers
2 ts chopped fresh thyme (1/2 ts dried)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
cooked brown rice or orzo
*For this dish, prepare about 2 cups of sliced leeks, using only the tender white bulbs.
Preheat oven to 425.
Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and set aside.
Spread the sliced leeks on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Scatter the tomatoes over the leeks and pour on the wine. Arrange the fish on top and sprinkle with the capers, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cover and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish is done when the thickest part is easily pierced with a knife.
Serve each portion on a bed of rice or orzo and spoon some of the pan juices and vegetables over each serving.
We used salmon and 1 can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato and wine (because we're out of tomatoes and wine). We served our salmon over saffron chive couscous, but I think it would have been better over plain couscous or orzo. We cooked extra salmon to use tomorrow in salmon cakes.
Elegant oven-poached fish Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
serves 4-6 prep: 15 mins bake: 20-30 mins
1 1/2 pounds thick fish fillets
2-3 leeks, sliced and rinsed well*
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
3/4 c dry white wine
2 T capers
2 ts chopped fresh thyme (1/2 ts dried)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
cooked brown rice or orzo
*For this dish, prepare about 2 cups of sliced leeks, using only the tender white bulbs.
Preheat oven to 425.
Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and set aside.
Spread the sliced leeks on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Scatter the tomatoes over the leeks and pour on the wine. Arrange the fish on top and sprinkle with the capers, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cover and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish is done when the thickest part is easily pierced with a knife.
Serve each portion on a bed of rice or orzo and spoon some of the pan juices and vegetables over each serving.
We used salmon and 1 can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato and wine (because we're out of tomatoes and wine). We served our salmon over saffron chive couscous, but I think it would have been better over plain couscous or orzo. We cooked extra salmon to use tomorrow in salmon cakes.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Cravings
So, I've been craving my friend Blake's red beans and rice. It's not traditional Louisiana red beans and rice (because of the tomatoes), but it's yummy! He kindly shared his recipe with me, and now I'm sharing it with you.
Blake's red beans and rice
I melt one stick of butter in a pan and add maybe four cloves of garlic and one onion chopped. I let that cook for a little bit then add one pound of sausage, some times I use sage sometimes just regular. Once that has cooked through I add a chopped up bell pepper and some chopped up andouille sausage...let that cook down and then I add salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, two or three bay leaves, and a little garlic powder, just to make sure it has that flavor. Then I do a couple of turns of the pan of Southern Comfort. I have also used Jack Daniels and then just added a little sugar to make it a little sweet. I let that cook until you can't smell the alchool. Then I add two cans of red beans with the juice and one large can of diced tomatoes (I know that red beans an rice usually doesn't have tomatoes, but i like it that way). I let that cook and taste and adjust as needed. Then I have Danae...haha...make a pan of rice and I serve it separte with a scoop of rice in the middle and a spoonful of mixture over it.
Note: We have a running joke about rice because Blake and I, who are excellent cooks, cannot cook plain white rice to save our lives. So any meal requiring rice requires the services of either Danae (Blake's wife) or Nick.
Blake's red beans and rice
I melt one stick of butter in a pan and add maybe four cloves of garlic and one onion chopped. I let that cook for a little bit then add one pound of sausage, some times I use sage sometimes just regular. Once that has cooked through I add a chopped up bell pepper and some chopped up andouille sausage...let that cook down and then I add salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, two or three bay leaves, and a little garlic powder, just to make sure it has that flavor. Then I do a couple of turns of the pan of Southern Comfort. I have also used Jack Daniels and then just added a little sugar to make it a little sweet. I let that cook until you can't smell the alchool. Then I add two cans of red beans with the juice and one large can of diced tomatoes (I know that red beans an rice usually doesn't have tomatoes, but i like it that way). I let that cook and taste and adjust as needed. Then I have Danae...haha...make a pan of rice and I serve it separte with a scoop of rice in the middle and a spoonful of mixture over it.
Note: We have a running joke about rice because Blake and I, who are excellent cooks, cannot cook plain white rice to save our lives. So any meal requiring rice requires the services of either Danae (Blake's wife) or Nick.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Let them eat (vegan chocolate) cake!
Prelude: When we were in Asheville last summer, we stopped in this little bakery downtown. Their cupcakes were so delicious that the next day we went back for more! The guy working there offered us a sample of vegan chocolate cake, which was delicious. I was intrigued by the idea of vegan baking, but had not gotten around to trying it myself.
Melinda called last week to ask if I could make 2 dozen cupcakes for BCM lunch which is, of course, today. No problem. I just wish I could help serve BCM lunch-- always a good time! Except, of course, that there's always a problem. Last night as I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I realized that I had totally forgotten about cupcakes. No cake mix in the house! And only 1 stick of butter... Oh, no! I lay awake awhile plotting how to run to Wal-Mart while Nick fed Bella breakfast, or even to just leave early enough before Bible study to stop and pick up some (inferior to homemade) cupcakes. Then I had a brilliant idea-- why not bake vegan cupcakes? No butter needed.
Brilliant idea was almost a disaster, because, it turns out, I'm runnning a little low on flour, too. (What have I been thinking with the grocery list?) Anyway, I had enough, and the cupcakes turned out beautifully. There were only 18-- oops! Not quite the requested 2 dozen. So, I didn't get to try one. However, the batter was delicious and the smell as they baked was heavenly. I think I'll have to make a batch for us tonight!
Recipe and notes:
Deep Chocolate Vegan Cake (from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics) serves 8 (or makes 18 cupcakes)
prep: 1 mins. bake: 25-30 mins. (15-20 was sufficient for the cupcakes)
1 1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1/2 ts salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c cold water or chilled brewed coffee
2 ts pure vanilla extract
2 T cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 375. Generously oil an 8-inch square or round nonreactive baking pan and dust with a little sifted cocoa or line the bottom with parchment.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, soda, salt, and sugar. In another bowl, combine the oil, water or coffee, and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well blended and smooth.
Add the vinegar and stir briefly; the baking soda will begin to react with the vinegar right away, leaving pale swirls in the batter. Without wasting any time, pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 mins.
I used a medium scoop to fill my cupcake liners. I probably could have used the large scoop, but the batter did rise quite a bit. Really somewhere between medium and large would have been perfect. I didn't time the baking, just checked the cupcakes when they smelled done. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Melinda called last week to ask if I could make 2 dozen cupcakes for BCM lunch which is, of course, today. No problem. I just wish I could help serve BCM lunch-- always a good time! Except, of course, that there's always a problem. Last night as I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I realized that I had totally forgotten about cupcakes. No cake mix in the house! And only 1 stick of butter... Oh, no! I lay awake awhile plotting how to run to Wal-Mart while Nick fed Bella breakfast, or even to just leave early enough before Bible study to stop and pick up some (inferior to homemade) cupcakes. Then I had a brilliant idea-- why not bake vegan cupcakes? No butter needed.
Brilliant idea was almost a disaster, because, it turns out, I'm runnning a little low on flour, too. (What have I been thinking with the grocery list?) Anyway, I had enough, and the cupcakes turned out beautifully. There were only 18-- oops! Not quite the requested 2 dozen. So, I didn't get to try one. However, the batter was delicious and the smell as they baked was heavenly. I think I'll have to make a batch for us tonight!
Recipe and notes:
Deep Chocolate Vegan Cake (from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics) serves 8 (or makes 18 cupcakes)
prep: 1 mins. bake: 25-30 mins. (15-20 was sufficient for the cupcakes)
1 1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1/2 ts salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c cold water or chilled brewed coffee
2 ts pure vanilla extract
2 T cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 375. Generously oil an 8-inch square or round nonreactive baking pan and dust with a little sifted cocoa or line the bottom with parchment.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, soda, salt, and sugar. In another bowl, combine the oil, water or coffee, and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well blended and smooth.
Add the vinegar and stir briefly; the baking soda will begin to react with the vinegar right away, leaving pale swirls in the batter. Without wasting any time, pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 mins.
I used a medium scoop to fill my cupcake liners. I probably could have used the large scoop, but the batter did rise quite a bit. Really somewhere between medium and large would have been perfect. I didn't time the baking, just checked the cupcakes when they smelled done. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Half-full or half-empty?
Nick's title suggestion. He informed me that's not so much referring to the pizza stone as our stomachs with the pizza half-eaten. We love pizza. It's a default meal at our house. So, why don't I just keep the ingredients on hand? I don't know. But tonight, as usual, Nick and I both though pizza sounded good for supper. So... to the store I went. The cashier was intrigued by the unidentifiable cheese I was buying (a ball of fresh mozzarella), so I had to explain that it makes pizza so much better than the preshredded kind. She looked doubtful, but politely inquired if my pizza crust was really good and crispy. I replied that I make my own, so, yes, it is indeed delicious. I don't think I converted her to making pizza at home rather than ordering it from some delivery place, but maybe... Anyway, as she was ringing up my mozzarella and tomato sauce (for Nick to make the pizza sauce) and fresh mushrooms and bell pepper-- not to mention the tofu and bamboo shoots for sweet-and-sour-- I noticed the folks behind me piling Banquet frozen dinners on the conveyor belt. The contrast was almost too much. Needless to say, the cashier was pretty sure where my groceries ended and theirs began. And I left the store as quickly as possible so I could laugh. No offense to those of you who depend upon processed food for survival-- I just forget sometimes that my food habits are not the norm.
For the record, I'm convinced that frozen pizza is a racket, just like Jell-O no-bake cheesecake, or frozen cheesecake for that matter. Nick reminds me, though, that that's for another post.
I don't use a recipe for my pizza crust, but I'm posting the one I used until I no longer needed it. It's actually Emeril Lagasse's muffaletta pizza; it's not vegetarian and it's not what we ate tonight, but it is amazing. I'll let Nick write about his pizza sauce, which also is amazing.
Recipes and notes:
I don't use a recipe for my pizza crust, but I'm posting the one I used until I no longer needed it. It's actually Emeril Lagasse's muffaletta pizza; it's not vegetarian and it's not what we ate tonight, but it is amazing. I'll let Nick write about his pizza sauce, which also is amazing.
Recipes and notes:
Muffaletta pizza
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/muffuletta-pizza-recipe/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/muffuletta-pizza-recipe/index.html
I use rapid rise yeast, so I don't wait long at all for my crust to rise. I use King Arthur flour, which really does make a difference. I bake on a 13" round Pampered Chef baking stone. The pizza picture was topped with Nick's sauce, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms-- which Wal-Mart now sells open stock!-- black olive tapenade (which I tossed with the vegetables), mozzarella, and freshly grated Parmesan. Like Nick's sauce, the cheese easily covers 2 pizzas.
Nick here:
I often make the pizza sauce for our pizza. No need to buy a pizza from any pizza chain. Nor is there a need to buy a jarred sauce from a store. It is easy to make it for literally pennies. A small can of tomato sauce is the starting place...about $0.50. Pour it in a small bowl, add a clove of minced garlic, some crumbled dried oregano. If you don't have fresh oregano growing in your backyard, you are missing out, so buy one this March and stick it in the ground...in the meantime, you can stop by, and I will share my fresh oregano...I have fresh and dried. I dry it at the end of the season, and have it year round. Also, add some rosemary chopped up finely....buy a rosemary plant this spring too, another herb everyone needs in their yard. Add a little salt and pepper, whisk together, and presto! you have pizza sauce. One small can makes enough sauce for approximatley 2 pizzas. The sauce gets better if you let it sit overnight.....usually, we use it right when I mix it up, and then leave it a couple days for the second pizza.
All that is a complicated way explaining how to make something really simple. To put it more simply, mix the following ingredients together:
1 can tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh or dried oregano (homegrown if you have it)
1 tablesspoon fresh rosemary
if you don't have the herbs above, use italian seasoning.
Salt, pepper
Done!
After you have had a pizza with good mozzarella and homemade sauce, you will probably never want another chain pizza again.
Nick out.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Dinner with a "pescatarian"
Our friend Catherine is home from a brief stint in Slovakia, and we were thrilled to spend last evening with her! For the new year, she became a "pescatarian"-- in other words, she eats like we do! (Mostly veg, plus fish.) In honor of her resolution and being back in the South, dinner was pecan-crusted salmon, squash casserole, and peach cobbler.
The dessert has its own story. Calhoun Bend is really close to home, so anytime I feel a little homesick, I break out the Calhoun Bend food. (It's available at Kroger on the baking aisle, top shelf.) The peaches (as well as the pecans and squash for the meal) were put up from our CSA. The ice cream wasn't special, but the package boasts "Real Vanilla Bean Specks." We found that rather amusing.
Recipes and notes:
Pecan-crusted fish (Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)
serves 4 prep: 20 mins bake: 30 - 45 mins
4 firm fish fillets (5-6 oz each)
3/4 c buttermilk
3/4 c finely ground pecans
3/4 c bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 T minced fresh parsley
1/2 ts dried thyme
1/2 ts paprika
1/2 ts salt
pinch of cayenne
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil baking pan.
Rinse the fish and place it in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the fillets. In a separate shallow dish, combine the pecans-cayenne.
One at a time, remove the fillets from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drain off, and then dredge in the pecan mixture to coat all sides. Place each coated fillet in the baking pan.
Bake for 30-45 mins, depending upon thickness of fillets, until the topping is lightly browned and the fish is tender and flakes easily with a fork.
Instead of parsley-cayenne, I used Emeril's Original Essence; of course, I did not measure. I think I accidentally left out the garlic, too. I served the salmon with sweet-spicy tomato sauce that I put up this summer.
Squash Casserole (Savannah Country Cookbook) serves 6
1 large onion, chopped
4 T butter
3 c cooked squash, drained, with all water squeezed out
1 c crushed Ritz crackers, plus additional for topping
1/2 c sour cream
1 c grated Cheddar cheese
1 ts House Seasoning (1 c salt, 1/4 c black pepper, 1/4 c garlic powder)
Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and mix all ingredients together. Pour into buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Again, I used Emeril's Essence instead of recommended seasoning. I also did not mix any cracker crumbs into the casserole. Incidentally, Bella loved this dish! (She also liked the fish, and the cobbler.)
Peach cobbler
1 quart frozen sliced peaches, thawed
cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar
butter
1 pkg Calhoun Bend peach cobbler mix
milk
Spread peaches in baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Dot with butter. Combine cobbler mix and milk according to package directions. Pour batter over peaches. Stir to combine. Bake according to package directions. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
The dessert has its own story. Calhoun Bend is really close to home, so anytime I feel a little homesick, I break out the Calhoun Bend food. (It's available at Kroger on the baking aisle, top shelf.) The peaches (as well as the pecans and squash for the meal) were put up from our CSA. The ice cream wasn't special, but the package boasts "Real Vanilla Bean Specks." We found that rather amusing.
Recipes and notes:
Pecan-crusted fish (Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)
serves 4 prep: 20 mins bake: 30 - 45 mins
4 firm fish fillets (5-6 oz each)
3/4 c buttermilk
3/4 c finely ground pecans
3/4 c bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 T minced fresh parsley
1/2 ts dried thyme
1/2 ts paprika
1/2 ts salt
pinch of cayenne
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil baking pan.
Rinse the fish and place it in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the fillets. In a separate shallow dish, combine the pecans-cayenne.
One at a time, remove the fillets from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drain off, and then dredge in the pecan mixture to coat all sides. Place each coated fillet in the baking pan.
Bake for 30-45 mins, depending upon thickness of fillets, until the topping is lightly browned and the fish is tender and flakes easily with a fork.
Instead of parsley-cayenne, I used Emeril's Original Essence; of course, I did not measure. I think I accidentally left out the garlic, too. I served the salmon with sweet-spicy tomato sauce that I put up this summer.
Squash Casserole (Savannah Country Cookbook) serves 6
1 large onion, chopped
4 T butter
3 c cooked squash, drained, with all water squeezed out
1 c crushed Ritz crackers, plus additional for topping
1/2 c sour cream
1 c grated Cheddar cheese
1 ts House Seasoning (1 c salt, 1/4 c black pepper, 1/4 c garlic powder)
Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and mix all ingredients together. Pour into buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Again, I used Emeril's Essence instead of recommended seasoning. I also did not mix any cracker crumbs into the casserole. Incidentally, Bella loved this dish! (She also liked the fish, and the cobbler.)
Peach cobbler
1 quart frozen sliced peaches, thawed
cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar
butter
1 pkg Calhoun Bend peach cobbler mix
milk
Spread peaches in baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Dot with butter. Combine cobbler mix and milk according to package directions. Pour batter over peaches. Stir to combine. Bake according to package directions. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Two of my favorite Sunday meals
Okay, so pasta carbonara is not vegetarian. But it is quick and always delicious. So, when I don't know what to fix for Sunday lunch, this is usually one of Nick's suggestions. I guess it would be veg if I omitted the pancetta...
I love breakfast for supper, especially on Sunday nights. My favorite is biscuits and eggs with tomato gravy. I usually get either disgusted or intrigued looks when I mention tomato gravy. Here's the story: My Mamaw Octavia makes biscuits every morning for her in-town (Jonesville, LA) kids. (At least she used to; I'm not sure whether she still does.) On Sundays, she makes a big breakfast, including sausage or tomato gravy, or both. Tomato's my favorite, so when I'm home long enough to make it to J'ville, she fixes it just for me! (She also made a pecan pie for me and sent it to me at Thanksgiving. I found out later she also made one for my cousin Laura Beth. Considering that she makes pecan pies for really special people like George Jones, I'm thinking Laura Beth and I must rate pretty high!)
Recipes and notes:
Cajun carbonara
pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
spaghetti or fettucine
cream
2 eggs
Parmesan, grated
Tabasco
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
parsley, finely chopped
Cook pasta according to label directions.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, fry pancetta until almost crispy. Reduceheat, add garlic, cook 1 min. more, being careful not to burn garlic. Drain pancetta and garlic on paper towels.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and cream, using enough cream to make enough sauce to coat pasta. In other words, the amount of cream depends on the amount of pasta. When eggs and cream are well combined, add spices.
When pasta is al dente, drain. Return to pot. Immediately stir in egg/cream sauce, stirring constantly to prevent egg from curdling or scrambling. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Tomato gravy
equal parts oil (or bacon grease) and flour (I usually use 1/4 - 1/3 c)
1 can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
water
Tony's
onion and garlic powders
Tabasco
Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Slowly add flour, stirring until blended and smooth. Continue stirring until roux is medium brown, a little darker than peanut butter. Carefully add tomatoes and enough water to thin, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. (You want the gravy a little thin because it will thicken as it cooks.) Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Season to taste, remembering that peppers and Tabasco get hotter as they cook. Cook until gravy reaches desired thickness. Serve over biscuits.
I love breakfast for supper, especially on Sunday nights. My favorite is biscuits and eggs with tomato gravy. I usually get either disgusted or intrigued looks when I mention tomato gravy. Here's the story: My Mamaw Octavia makes biscuits every morning for her in-town (Jonesville, LA) kids. (At least she used to; I'm not sure whether she still does.) On Sundays, she makes a big breakfast, including sausage or tomato gravy, or both. Tomato's my favorite, so when I'm home long enough to make it to J'ville, she fixes it just for me! (She also made a pecan pie for me and sent it to me at Thanksgiving. I found out later she also made one for my cousin Laura Beth. Considering that she makes pecan pies for really special people like George Jones, I'm thinking Laura Beth and I must rate pretty high!)
Recipes and notes:
Cajun carbonara
pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
spaghetti or fettucine
cream
2 eggs
Parmesan, grated
Tabasco
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
parsley, finely chopped
Cook pasta according to label directions.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, fry pancetta until almost crispy. Reduceheat, add garlic, cook 1 min. more, being careful not to burn garlic. Drain pancetta and garlic on paper towels.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and cream, using enough cream to make enough sauce to coat pasta. In other words, the amount of cream depends on the amount of pasta. When eggs and cream are well combined, add spices.
When pasta is al dente, drain. Return to pot. Immediately stir in egg/cream sauce, stirring constantly to prevent egg from curdling or scrambling. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Tomato gravy
equal parts oil (or bacon grease) and flour (I usually use 1/4 - 1/3 c)
1 can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
water
Tony's
onion and garlic powders
Tabasco
Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Slowly add flour, stirring until blended and smooth. Continue stirring until roux is medium brown, a little darker than peanut butter. Carefully add tomatoes and enough water to thin, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. (You want the gravy a little thin because it will thicken as it cooks.) Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Season to taste, remembering that peppers and Tabasco get hotter as they cook. Cook until gravy reaches desired thickness. Serve over biscuits.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Weekend meals
Today for lunch we had black beans and yellow rice, and sweet potato quesadillas. I didn't quite follow the recipe, but they were yummy just the same. Supper was spaghetti squash with pesto and peas. Below is the link to the recipe that inspired supper. I cheated on that one as well, using pesto that Nick made and froze this summer. The sticker on my squash informed me that spaghetti squash is "the fun squash." I was mildly amused by the fact that my spaghetti squash came from Mexico.
Recipes and notes:
Sweet Potato Quesadillas (from Simply in Season) yields 8 quesadillas
1 12/ c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Saute in large frypan in 1 T oil until translucent.
2 ts dried oregano
1 ts each dried basil, marjoram, chili powder
1 1/2 ts ground cumin (optional)
pinch of ground red pepper
Add and cook another minute.
4 c sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
Add and heat through, frequently stirring to prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8 tortillas
1 c sharp cheddar, shredded
Spread about 1/2 c filling and 2 T cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides. Fold tortilla in half. Place on oiled baking sheets. Brush tops with oil. Bake in preheated oven at 400F until brown, 15-20 mins. Serve with sour cream and salsa.
I omitted the garlic and caramelized the onion in a little butter instead of oil. I used different spices: onion, garlic, and chili powders + salt and pepper. I stirred the caramelized onion into the sweet potatoes, spread on tortillas, and probably used more cheese than recommended.
Pasta Pesto and Peas
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pasta-pesto-and-peas-recipe2/index.html
Pesto is one of those things I'm always glad I have on hand. Don't feel inspired to cook? Boil some pasta and toss it with pesto. Or stir it into tomato sauce for pizza. Or serve it with crostini for a quick appetizer. Of course, you can buy it jarred at the grocery store, but it's easy to make, and when the basil is out of control in the summer, it seems like a waste to not use it. (Plus, it's much cheaper to make your own.) Pesto also freezes really well. I've read that you can freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop the cubes out into freezer bags. We freeze it in snack-size ziploc bags, then put the small bags inside a freezer bag. To defrost, I place a bag in a bowl of hot water while I'm cooking my pasta.
To prepare the spaghetti squash, I sliced it in half lengthwise, scooped out the seeds and pulp, drizzled the halves with olive oil, and baked at 400 degrees until the flesh was tender. I think that was probably about 30 minutes, but, as my mom would say, I have no concept of time. When the squash is tender, use a fork to scrape it out of the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and serve as you would pasta. (Try it with marinara and turkey meatballs.)
Recipes and notes:
Sweet Potato Quesadillas (from Simply in Season) yields 8 quesadillas
1 12/ c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Saute in large frypan in 1 T oil until translucent.
2 ts dried oregano
1 ts each dried basil, marjoram, chili powder
1 1/2 ts ground cumin (optional)
pinch of ground red pepper
Add and cook another minute.
4 c sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
Add and heat through, frequently stirring to prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8 tortillas
1 c sharp cheddar, shredded
Spread about 1/2 c filling and 2 T cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides. Fold tortilla in half. Place on oiled baking sheets. Brush tops with oil. Bake in preheated oven at 400F until brown, 15-20 mins. Serve with sour cream and salsa.
I omitted the garlic and caramelized the onion in a little butter instead of oil. I used different spices: onion, garlic, and chili powders + salt and pepper. I stirred the caramelized onion into the sweet potatoes, spread on tortillas, and probably used more cheese than recommended.
Pasta Pesto and Peas
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pasta-pesto-and-peas-recipe2/index.html
Pesto is one of those things I'm always glad I have on hand. Don't feel inspired to cook? Boil some pasta and toss it with pesto. Or stir it into tomato sauce for pizza. Or serve it with crostini for a quick appetizer. Of course, you can buy it jarred at the grocery store, but it's easy to make, and when the basil is out of control in the summer, it seems like a waste to not use it. (Plus, it's much cheaper to make your own.) Pesto also freezes really well. I've read that you can freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop the cubes out into freezer bags. We freeze it in snack-size ziploc bags, then put the small bags inside a freezer bag. To defrost, I place a bag in a bowl of hot water while I'm cooking my pasta.
To prepare the spaghetti squash, I sliced it in half lengthwise, scooped out the seeds and pulp, drizzled the halves with olive oil, and baked at 400 degrees until the flesh was tender. I think that was probably about 30 minutes, but, as my mom would say, I have no concept of time. When the squash is tender, use a fork to scrape it out of the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and serve as you would pasta. (Try it with marinara and turkey meatballs.)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Not for the lactose intolerant
Last night we ate a very late dinner of potato soup and rosemary cheddar biscotti. The soup was supposed to be Florentine, but, alas, I cooked all of the spinach with the orecchiette and butterbeans for lunch, so... it became potato soup with leeks, herbs, and cheese (plus quite a bit of butter and milk). And I got to use my new toy-- an immersion blender! (Thanks, Rob & Marty!) The soup was such a departure from the recipe that I'm not going to post the recipe. I only made one substitution in the biscotti-- rosemary for thyme-- and it was so delicious that Nick, Meghan, John and I ate almost an entire batch!
Notes and recipe:
Savory Cheddar Thyme Biscotti (from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)
yields 12 biscotti prep: 20 mins bake: 35 mins
1/2 c butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 ts minced garlic
1 ts minced fresh thyme
1/2 c grated Cheddar cheese
2 c unbleached white flour
1 1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and eggs with an electric mixer or whisk. Mix in the garlic, thyme, and cheese. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients. Fold in until the dough is uniform. Press together with lightly floured hands.
Use a spatula and your floured hands to scoop the dough onto the oiled baking sheet. Form the dough into a 12x3-inch diameter log shape; then press down on the log, flattening it to a thickness of about an inch. The flattened log should be about 14x4 inches.
Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25-30 mins, until the dough is firm and just slightly brown. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the log to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice on the severe diagonal into about 1-inch pieces. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes on each side, using tongs to flip them gently. Cool completely on a rack and then store in an airtight container for us to 2 weeks.
I use King Arthur flour. Crazy as it sounds, we can really tell a difference in pizza crust, bread, etc. My biscotti turned out a little crumbly, so I wouldn't recommend tongs to move them. I used a serrated bread knife for slicing and baked the biscotti on a Pampered Chef baking stone. (Speaking of Pampered Chef and biscotti, TPC has a really great orange almond biscotti recipe; I'll post it soon.) Cool completely and store? Good luck with that. We ate them straight from the oven!
Notes and recipe:
Savory Cheddar Thyme Biscotti (from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)
yields 12 biscotti prep: 20 mins bake: 35 mins
1/2 c butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 ts minced garlic
1 ts minced fresh thyme
1/2 c grated Cheddar cheese
2 c unbleached white flour
1 1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and eggs with an electric mixer or whisk. Mix in the garlic, thyme, and cheese. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients. Fold in until the dough is uniform. Press together with lightly floured hands.
Use a spatula and your floured hands to scoop the dough onto the oiled baking sheet. Form the dough into a 12x3-inch diameter log shape; then press down on the log, flattening it to a thickness of about an inch. The flattened log should be about 14x4 inches.
Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25-30 mins, until the dough is firm and just slightly brown. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the log to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice on the severe diagonal into about 1-inch pieces. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes on each side, using tongs to flip them gently. Cool completely on a rack and then store in an airtight container for us to 2 weeks.
I use King Arthur flour. Crazy as it sounds, we can really tell a difference in pizza crust, bread, etc. My biscotti turned out a little crumbly, so I wouldn't recommend tongs to move them. I used a serrated bread knife for slicing and baked the biscotti on a Pampered Chef baking stone. (Speaking of Pampered Chef and biscotti, TPC has a really great orange almond biscotti recipe; I'll post it soon.) Cool completely and store? Good luck with that. We ate them straight from the oven!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Dinner and dessert
Wednesday night supper was easy and delicious. Nick picked up some fish from the store, so we had orange roughy with cornemal chipotle crust (Moosweood New Classics) with Southwestern mashed potatoes. I had some cilantro paste (Gourmet Garden Herb Blend, lots of varieties in produce section at Kroger-- very handy in dead of winter) and black olive tapenade in the fridge, so I added a little of each and some grated cheddar to my regular mashed potatoes and voila!
Dessert was homemade hot chocolate. I rarely eat (or drink) chocolate because I was allergic to it as a kid, but for some reason I've been craving a really good cup of hot chocolate. Nick was kind enough to pick up some half-and-half as well, and was rewarded for his effort.
Notes and recipes:
Fish with cornmeal chipotle crust serves 4 prep time: 10 mins baking time: 25 mins
4 firm fish fillets (5-6 oz each)
1 T canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 1/2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 T fresh lemon or lime juice
1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/4 ts dried thyme
1/4 ts salt
1/2 c cornmeal or 2/3-3/4 c cornbread crumbs
lime wedges
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a large baking dish for the fish. Rinse the fillets, pat dry, and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the chipotles, oil, citrus juice, garlic, thyme, and salt and stir well. For a very smooth result, whirl all of the sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or mini-processor.
Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl and place the cornmeal in another shallow bowl. Dip each fish fillet in the sauce: the thicker the coat, the spicier the fish will be. Then dredge the fillets on all sides in the cornmeal and arrange them in the prepared baking pan in a single layer.
Bake uncovered for about 25 mins, until the fillets are golden and flake with a fork. Serve with generous wedges of lime.
Don't be tempted to add more peppers without tasting first! Chipotles are quite spicy, and seem to get hotter when cooked.-- I added a sprinkle of Tony Chachere's to my cornmeal. Also, my crust seemed a little dry, so when the fish was almost done, I drizzled it with a little olive oil; back in the oven while the potatoes finished. -- My mom always adds a little onion and garlic powders to mashed potatoes (well, really to just about everything), so I do, too.
Hot chocolate (from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/hot-chocolate-recipe/index.html
I used 1 bar of Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate instead of a mixture of bittersweet and milk chocolates. I also substituted cocoa powder for the espresso powder, which was good, but I'm thinking the coffee would have made it spectacular. And maybe some orange...
Dessert was homemade hot chocolate. I rarely eat (or drink) chocolate because I was allergic to it as a kid, but for some reason I've been craving a really good cup of hot chocolate. Nick was kind enough to pick up some half-and-half as well, and was rewarded for his effort.
Notes and recipes:
Fish with cornmeal chipotle crust serves 4 prep time: 10 mins baking time: 25 mins
4 firm fish fillets (5-6 oz each)
1 T canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 1/2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 T fresh lemon or lime juice
1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/4 ts dried thyme
1/4 ts salt
1/2 c cornmeal or 2/3-3/4 c cornbread crumbs
lime wedges
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a large baking dish for the fish. Rinse the fillets, pat dry, and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the chipotles, oil, citrus juice, garlic, thyme, and salt and stir well. For a very smooth result, whirl all of the sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or mini-processor.
Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl and place the cornmeal in another shallow bowl. Dip each fish fillet in the sauce: the thicker the coat, the spicier the fish will be. Then dredge the fillets on all sides in the cornmeal and arrange them in the prepared baking pan in a single layer.
Bake uncovered for about 25 mins, until the fillets are golden and flake with a fork. Serve with generous wedges of lime.
Don't be tempted to add more peppers without tasting first! Chipotles are quite spicy, and seem to get hotter when cooked.-- I added a sprinkle of Tony Chachere's to my cornmeal. Also, my crust seemed a little dry, so when the fish was almost done, I drizzled it with a little olive oil; back in the oven while the potatoes finished. -- My mom always adds a little onion and garlic powders to mashed potatoes (well, really to just about everything), so I do, too.
Hot chocolate (from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/hot-chocolate-recipe/index.html
I used 1 bar of Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate instead of a mixture of bittersweet and milk chocolates. I also substituted cocoa powder for the espresso powder, which was good, but I'm thinking the coffee would have made it spectacular. And maybe some orange...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Menu changes
First, a confession. I didn't cook at all yesterday. Actually, I did bake a pan of jambalaya which I had frozen for a friend, but I don't think that counts as cooking. Nick did sound a little jealous as we drove to deliver it. "Wow, that smells really good..." So, I'm posting my jambalaya recipe. I got it from my dear friend and fellow foodie Randall Wight; it's his Cajun grandmother's recipe. You can include celery, but she left it out because he doesn't like it. (Don't you just love recipes that have a story?) I modify it a little; the italics are mine. We make it every year for Mardi Gras.
My weekly menu is always flexible. Sometimes I switch days, sometimes I completely change meals... depends on my mood. Monday night, instead of making cornbread, I tried Paula Deen's cornmeal dumplings (from Savannah Country Cookbook). In spite of heeding her advice not to stir the pot, some of my dumplings disintegrated into my butterbeans, which made the dish rather ugly, but nicely thickened the cooking liquid. Most of the dumplings held together, and we all-- Bella included-- enjoyed our one-pot meal. The leftover butterbeans will become orrechiette with butterbeans either tonight or tomorrow...
Notes and recipes:
link for cornmeal dumplings
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/turnip-greens-with-cornmeal-dumplings-recipe/index.html
Jambalaya
1 stick butter
2 c raw rice
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion
2 (can) French onion soup
1 (can) cream of chicken soup
1 (can) cream of celery soup
1 pkg sausage (not the breakfast kind), sliced, browned
2-4 chicken breasts (as needed or desired), cut bite size
Melt butter in rectangular baking pan. Add everything else. Mix well. Bake 1 1/2 -2 hours at 375 (until rice is done).
I add 1 rib celery, chopped. In large skillet, saute sausage, bell pepper, onion, and celery until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Don't saute the chicken, or it will be overcooked. Instead of cream of chicken soup, I use cream of mushroom; generic is fine. My favorite thing about this recipe is mixing everything right in the pan-- brilliant! I feel like a cheater every time I make this (no roux for me), but my friends who love Cajun food (namely David McElhaney, Harry Hurst, and Blake Sandusky) rave about it.
My weekly menu is always flexible. Sometimes I switch days, sometimes I completely change meals... depends on my mood. Monday night, instead of making cornbread, I tried Paula Deen's cornmeal dumplings (from Savannah Country Cookbook). In spite of heeding her advice not to stir the pot, some of my dumplings disintegrated into my butterbeans, which made the dish rather ugly, but nicely thickened the cooking liquid. Most of the dumplings held together, and we all-- Bella included-- enjoyed our one-pot meal. The leftover butterbeans will become orrechiette with butterbeans either tonight or tomorrow...
Notes and recipes:
link for cornmeal dumplings
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/turnip-greens-with-cornmeal-dumplings-recipe/index.html
Jambalaya
1 stick butter
2 c raw rice
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion
2 (can) French onion soup
1 (can) cream of chicken soup
1 (can) cream of celery soup
1 pkg sausage (not the breakfast kind), sliced, browned
2-4 chicken breasts (as needed or desired), cut bite size
Melt butter in rectangular baking pan. Add everything else. Mix well. Bake 1 1/2 -2 hours at 375 (until rice is done).
I add 1 rib celery, chopped. In large skillet, saute sausage, bell pepper, onion, and celery until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Don't saute the chicken, or it will be overcooked. Instead of cream of chicken soup, I use cream of mushroom; generic is fine. My favorite thing about this recipe is mixing everything right in the pan-- brilliant! I feel like a cheater every time I make this (no roux for me), but my friends who love Cajun food (namely David McElhaney, Harry Hurst, and Blake Sandusky) rave about it.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Menu for the week
M: red & green sopa seca (Moosewood New Classics)
butterbeans & cornbread
Tu: orecchiette w/ butterbeans (Moosewood)
pasta Genovese (Jamie Oliver)
W: Ethiopian lentil bowl (Simply in Season)
fish w/ cornmeal chipotle crust (Moosewood), Southwestern mashed potatoes
Th: red taters w/ green Grannies (Simply in Season), cheese omelet
Middle Eastern lentils and pasta (Moosewood)
F: sweet potato quesadilla (Simply in Season)
potato Florentine soup, cheddar thyme biscotti (Moosewood)
Sa:
Basque skillet beans (Moosewood)
I don't always use recipes-- really, I don't. It's just that I've gotten a couple of new cookbooks recently and I'm trying to familiarize myself with them. Also, I get really excited and just have to try some of the recipes... Then some become favorites, like Jamie Oliver's pasta Genovese and Nigella Lawson's lemon risotto. For dishes like those, I no longer need the recipe.
Speaking of new cookbooks, I think I'm going to order a couple more this week. I saw a great deal on Cat Cora's Cooking from the Hip, which has been on my wish list for awhile. More about it when it arrives...
butterbeans & cornbread
Tu: orecchiette w/ butterbeans (Moosewood)
pasta Genovese (Jamie Oliver)
W: Ethiopian lentil bowl (Simply in Season)
fish w/ cornmeal chipotle crust (Moosewood), Southwestern mashed potatoes
Th: red taters w/ green Grannies (Simply in Season), cheese omelet
Middle Eastern lentils and pasta (Moosewood)
F: sweet potato quesadilla (Simply in Season)
potato Florentine soup, cheddar thyme biscotti (Moosewood)
Sa:
Basque skillet beans (Moosewood)
I don't always use recipes-- really, I don't. It's just that I've gotten a couple of new cookbooks recently and I'm trying to familiarize myself with them. Also, I get really excited and just have to try some of the recipes... Then some become favorites, like Jamie Oliver's pasta Genovese and Nigella Lawson's lemon risotto. For dishes like those, I no longer need the recipe.
Speaking of new cookbooks, I think I'm going to order a couple more this week. I saw a great deal on Cat Cora's Cooking from the Hip, which has been on my wish list for awhile. More about it when it arrives...
My mistake
The potato soup was quite good. However, I realized why I don't normally use turkey bacon. I remembered that last time I did, it made awesome bacon bits... wrong. Apparently my memory is off, because turkey bacon doesn't crumble at all. So, I chopped it, stirred it into the soup, and it was fine.
Pesto pizza for lunch, leftovers for supper... I'll try to post my menu for the week either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Pesto pizza for lunch, leftovers for supper... I'll try to post my menu for the week either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Cabbage and noodles
I had half a head of cabbage in the fridge. That was the starting point for tonight's delicious dinner. I decided to try cabbage and noodles from Moosewood Restaurant New Classic. Short ingredient list, few steps... oh, wait. Cook time: "at least 1 hour." Since I don't even start dinner until Nick gets home from work (so it will be hot for him, but mostly so he can entertain Bella), that might be a problem. So, I checked an old favorite, Ina Garten's sauteed cabbage (Barefoot Contessa Parties!). I remembered correctly-- saute for 15-20 minutes. That's more like it. So, I combined the recipes. And it turned out great. Now, mind you, I haven't had the slow cooked 1 hour version, but Nick and I were both impressed with the quick version. The optional sour cream makes it stroganoff-esque, but it's also delicious without the extra dairy.
Notes and recipes:
Since this is a new recipe and-- believe it or not-- I've never cooked with paprika, I did measure the paprika. Since I was not making a full recipe, I reduced the amount to 1 T. I used 3 T of butter (what was left of a stick).
Cabbage and noodles serves 4 total time: at least 1 hour
2 c thinly sliced onions
1/4 c unsalted butter
1 1/2 T paprika
8 c finely shredded cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 ts salt
12 oz fine or medium-wide egg noodles
freshly ground black pepper to taste
dollop of sour cream (optional)
In a pot with a tight lid, cook the onions in the butter on medium heat until golden, about 15 minutes. Add the paprika and saute for a few seconds more. Stir in the cabbage, add the salt, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring now and then. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very soft and brown.
When the cabbage is almost done, cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain them and toss well with the cabbage mixture. Add a generous amount of pepper and, if you like, top with a dollop of sour cream.
Sauteed cabbage
1 small head of white cabbage, including outer green leaves (2 1/2 pounds)
2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 ts kosher salt
1/2 ts ground black pepper
fleur de sel to taste (optional)
Cut the cabbage in half and, with the cut-side down, slice it as thinly as possible around the core, as though you were making coleslaw. Discard the core.*
Melt the butter in a large saute pan or heavy-bootomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, kosher salt, and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and begins to brown. Finish with another sprinkling of kosher salt or fleur de sel. Serve hot.
*Be green; compost it.
Planning meals
Normally I do my menu planning on Sunday evening, grocery shopping on Monday morning. This week has been a little off due to a teething toddler and unexpected dinners with friends. (I do so love dinner with friends!) So, I've got a head start on next week's menu and grocery shopping!
Unfortunately, I forgot to add to the grocery list the ingredients for the meal I'll be preparing for our annual New Year's get-together with the Lavenders and Skinners-- loaded baked potato soup. So, back to the store today...
Notes and recipes:
Originally, I was supposed to prepare lunch, so I was going to try a crockpot potato soup recipe which could cook tonight while we sleep. Hopefully, the crock would also keep it warm while we drive to Stuttgart! Change in plans means I'm preparing supper, so I guess I can skip the overnight simmering and just make my regular baked potato soup. Both recipes are from Southern Living.
Loaded Potato Soup prep: 15 mins cook: 5 hrs 20 mins yield: 8 servings
(from Southern Living Annual Recipes 2006)
4 lb new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
1 small onion, chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
1 pt half-and-half
toppings: shredded Cheddar, crumbled bacon, green onion slices
1. Layer sliced potatoes in a lightly greased 6-qt slow cooker; top with chopped onion.
2. Stir together chicken broth, salt, and pepper; pour over onion. (Broth will not completely cover potatoes and onion.) Cover and cook on HIGH 3-5 hours or until potatoes are tender. Mash mixture with a potato masher; stir in half-and-half. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 more minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated. Ladle into bowls, and serve with desired toppings.
Baked Potato Soup prep: 15 mins cook: 1 hr 12 mins yield: 10 c
4 lg baking potatoes
2/3 c butter
2/3 c all-purpose flour
6 c milk
3/4 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
1 1/2 c (6 oz) shredded Cheddar, divided
12 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
4 green onions, chopped and divided
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1. Wash potatoes, prick several times with a fork.* Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until done; cool. Cut potatoes in half lenghtwise; scoop out pulp, and reserve. Discard shells.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
3. Stir in potato, salt, pepper, 1 c cheese, 1/2 c bacon, and 2 t green onions; cook until heated (do not boil). Sprinkle servings with remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
*Very important step; otherwise your potatoes might explode!
You can reduce the baking time almost in half if you microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes. I don't have a microwave anymore, but that's what I used to do. Also, when baking potatoes, we make our extra delicious by drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with kosher salt before baking. Wrap in foil; place on baking sheet or bar pan (so you don't have to place and remove each potato individually. Bake.
Of course, I rarely measure seasonings. In this recipe, I substitute Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning for salt and pepper. I use sharp or extra sharp cheddar, preferrably white because the orange color kind of scares me, and I grate it myself because it tastes better that way. I'll be using turkey bacon because one of my eaters is allergic to pork; I also like how it crumbles. When chives are in season, I'll use chives from our herb garden instead of green onion. Low-fat milk and sour cream are fine, won't affect texture really, but fat carries flavor, so full-fat will taste better.
Unfortunately, I forgot to add to the grocery list the ingredients for the meal I'll be preparing for our annual New Year's get-together with the Lavenders and Skinners-- loaded baked potato soup. So, back to the store today...
Notes and recipes:
Originally, I was supposed to prepare lunch, so I was going to try a crockpot potato soup recipe which could cook tonight while we sleep. Hopefully, the crock would also keep it warm while we drive to Stuttgart! Change in plans means I'm preparing supper, so I guess I can skip the overnight simmering and just make my regular baked potato soup. Both recipes are from Southern Living.
Loaded Potato Soup prep: 15 mins cook: 5 hrs 20 mins yield: 8 servings
(from Southern Living Annual Recipes 2006)
4 lb new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
1 small onion, chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
1 pt half-and-half
toppings: shredded Cheddar, crumbled bacon, green onion slices
1. Layer sliced potatoes in a lightly greased 6-qt slow cooker; top with chopped onion.
2. Stir together chicken broth, salt, and pepper; pour over onion. (Broth will not completely cover potatoes and onion.) Cover and cook on HIGH 3-5 hours or until potatoes are tender. Mash mixture with a potato masher; stir in half-and-half. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 more minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated. Ladle into bowls, and serve with desired toppings.
Baked Potato Soup prep: 15 mins cook: 1 hr 12 mins yield: 10 c
4 lg baking potatoes
2/3 c butter
2/3 c all-purpose flour
6 c milk
3/4 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
1 1/2 c (6 oz) shredded Cheddar, divided
12 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
4 green onions, chopped and divided
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1. Wash potatoes, prick several times with a fork.* Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until done; cool. Cut potatoes in half lenghtwise; scoop out pulp, and reserve. Discard shells.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
3. Stir in potato, salt, pepper, 1 c cheese, 1/2 c bacon, and 2 t green onions; cook until heated (do not boil). Sprinkle servings with remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
*Very important step; otherwise your potatoes might explode!
You can reduce the baking time almost in half if you microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes. I don't have a microwave anymore, but that's what I used to do. Also, when baking potatoes, we make our extra delicious by drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with kosher salt before baking. Wrap in foil; place on baking sheet or bar pan (so you don't have to place and remove each potato individually. Bake.
Of course, I rarely measure seasonings. In this recipe, I substitute Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning for salt and pepper. I use sharp or extra sharp cheddar, preferrably white because the orange color kind of scares me, and I grate it myself because it tastes better that way. I'll be using turkey bacon because one of my eaters is allergic to pork; I also like how it crumbles. When chives are in season, I'll use chives from our herb garden instead of green onion. Low-fat milk and sour cream are fine, won't affect texture really, but fat carries flavor, so full-fat will taste better.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year's resolutions
I hate New Year's resolutions. No, actually, I hate failing at my New Year's resolutions. Every year: exercise more, eat less, read more, write more, think more, talk less, do more for others... You get the idea. But as Nick and I sat down to dinner tonight, I decided to try to blog about one of my passions-- food. I'm a terribly inconsistent journaler; always have been. Maybe I'll do better at this one; maybe not. Anyway, my hope is that blogging will encourage me to cook more and eat out less, and that my blog will inspire and help you to do the same. So, what is my New Year's resolution this year? To eat better, in every sense of the word. For me, that means eating fresh, local products as much as possible, eating more fruit, and savoring every bite.
I love food traditions. In fact, I would consider New Year's a waste of a holiday except that there are special New Year's foods! As a good Southern girl, I believe in eating black-eyed peas for luck, greens for fortune, and pork, though I'm not really sure what it's supposed to symbolize. So, what did I fix for supper? Purple hull peas that I'd shelled and put up this summer, and Paula Deen's steak and greens (made with the last of the venison from my freezer, and a mixture of mustard and turnip greens from the grocery store-- I miss our CSA), and polenta. (I normally serve cornbread with greens and peas, but we were out of eggs.) Not exactly the meal my Mamaw Octavia cooked today, but a delicious nod to tradition just the same.
Notes and recipes:
You can search for and print out the steak and greens recipe on Food Network's website or find it in The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.
For one quart of peas, I chop and saute 1/2 a yellow onion and 3 slices of bacon. (I know... not vegetarian.) When the bacon is crisp and onion browns I add the (frozen) peas. Add enough water to cover. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, and 2 Trappey's hot peppers. (Find them on the vinegar, olive, etc. aisle.) You can add more peppers-- tonight I added 4-- but start with 2. They don't look like much, but they are spicy!
I love grits. My husband does not. He does, however, like polenta. Polenta is, basically, Italian grits. I always thought the cornmeal was specially ground for polenta, so I've been buying it in the special little Italian section of the grocery store. According to Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook, though, you can use regular (not self-rising) cornmeal to make polenta. So, I tried it. Bring 1 1/2 c water to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Stirring constantly, gradually add cornmeal. (A spiral sauce whisk works great and helps prevent lumps.) Add more water if needed. When cornmeal looks thick and smooth, add salt, pepper, and butter.
I love food traditions. In fact, I would consider New Year's a waste of a holiday except that there are special New Year's foods! As a good Southern girl, I believe in eating black-eyed peas for luck, greens for fortune, and pork, though I'm not really sure what it's supposed to symbolize. So, what did I fix for supper? Purple hull peas that I'd shelled and put up this summer, and Paula Deen's steak and greens (made with the last of the venison from my freezer, and a mixture of mustard and turnip greens from the grocery store-- I miss our CSA), and polenta. (I normally serve cornbread with greens and peas, but we were out of eggs.) Not exactly the meal my Mamaw Octavia cooked today, but a delicious nod to tradition just the same.
Notes and recipes:
You can search for and print out the steak and greens recipe on Food Network's website or find it in The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.
For one quart of peas, I chop and saute 1/2 a yellow onion and 3 slices of bacon. (I know... not vegetarian.) When the bacon is crisp and onion browns I add the (frozen) peas. Add enough water to cover. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, and 2 Trappey's hot peppers. (Find them on the vinegar, olive, etc. aisle.) You can add more peppers-- tonight I added 4-- but start with 2. They don't look like much, but they are spicy!
I love grits. My husband does not. He does, however, like polenta. Polenta is, basically, Italian grits. I always thought the cornmeal was specially ground for polenta, so I've been buying it in the special little Italian section of the grocery store. According to Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook, though, you can use regular (not self-rising) cornmeal to make polenta. So, I tried it. Bring 1 1/2 c water to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Stirring constantly, gradually add cornmeal. (A spiral sauce whisk works great and helps prevent lumps.) Add more water if needed. When cornmeal looks thick and smooth, add salt, pepper, and butter.
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