Oh, fishy, fishy, fish...that went wherever I did go.

I love fish. I don't know why we don't have it more. Oh...yes, I do. It's expensive, and I'm always afraid I'm going to cook it wrong. I worry that it'll either turn out raw, or more likely, I'll over-correct and make it dry and rubbery, and then all that money will be wasted. But in a brave moment at the supermarket the other day, I bought a pound of Atlantic cod that looked good and was on sale (merely exorbitant, down from truly outrageous). Now what to do with it?

I surfed the web, and the first recipe I found for baked cod was this rather simple, cracker crumb-topped affair, where the fish is bathed in white wine, butter, and lemon, that looked easy and tasty. And it turned out GREAT! As an quick side, I steamed some of my favorite Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's (Israeli couscous, baby garbanzo beans, orzo, and red quinoa) with some sauteed shallot and green peas, as we had a deliciously, satisfying dinner in thirty minutes for about $3.50 a person. Not too shabby! The baked cod recipe--which can be made with any firm, white fish--is definitely a keeper and worthy of going into our regular dinner rotation.

Baked Cod with Cracker Crumb Topping
(Source: adapted from AllRecipes)

4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 sleeve buttery round crackers such as Ritz®, crushed (I used some thin buttery cracker crisps like Cabaret)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 pound thick-cut cod loin (I used 2 half pound fillets)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 lemon, juiced (the other half cut in wedges)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place two tablespoons butter in a Pyrex baking dish in the oven to melt as it preheats (about three minutes). Meanwhile, melt another two tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir the crushed crackers into the melted butter and toast the crumbs in the pan for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the granulated garlic, lemon pepper, and the chopped parsley and green onion.

Remove baking dish from oven and coat both sides of cod in the melted butter. Pour the white wine all around the fish and squeeze half a lemon over the fillet(s). Place the cracker topping evenly on top of the fish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. (I had to cover the baking dish loosely with foil for the last ten minutes to keep it from getting too brown.) Serve with lemon wedges.

"I'm making crabby snacks and homemades!"

As I do every year in January, I have been scrambling to see as many Golden Globes and Oscar nominees as I can before the awards shows and before winter break is over and I have to return to the grind. I'm doing pretty well, having seen eight of the nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. The one I saw most recently was Silver Linings Playbook, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Interestingly, all four of the main characters were nominated for acting Oscars as well, including Jackie Weaver (previously nominated for her deliciously malicious turn in Animal Kingdom). 

Weaver plays a much more sympathetic character in Silver Linings Playbook, as the sweet, well-meaning mother who is always trying in vain to get her son (Bradley Cooper) and his father (Robert DeNiro) to see eye-to-eye. The only place they come close to connecting is in front of the television, rooting for their beloved Philadelphia Eagles. And every time they play, the mother encourages Bradley Cooper's character to stay and watch by enticing him with her "crabby snacks and homemades!"

Naturally, I was intrigued about what these tasty treats might be, so I Googled them when I got home, and some helpful librarian on a random message board cited the relevant passage from the novel on which the movie is based. Crabby Snacks, as it turns out, are toasted English muffins topped with a crab and cheese spread mixture (not Velveeta, but like the inside of a holiday cheese ball...very 1970's chic), baked until melted and bubbly and then cut into bite-sized pieces.

The book does not mention "homemades" per se, but it does describes the mother making her special "homemade" three-meat pizzas (ground beef, sausage, and chicken). So that's probably what the line refers to. However, two other reasonable theories that I garnered from online discussions include:
1) Either she's making several homemade dishes for game day, or
2) It refers to homemade noodles that many Italian families (especially in Philly and South Jersey) make on Sundays, and which would certainly go well with that homemade braciole she makes in the movie.

As today was a big day for the football fan at my house (though her beloved Patriots lost their bid for the Superbowl...boo hiss), I decided to try my hand at the Crabby Snacks. And though I did not make either meaty pizzas or braciole with noodles, I did make a wonderful Italian wedding soup, with homemade meatballs. I have two comments on the recipe below, which was inspired by Ina Garten's version.

First of all, though escarole is traditional, I added kale to the soup, because I had it on hand (isn't it beautiful?). Chard or fresh spinach would have been fine, too--whatever you've got. Secondly, though tiny dried pasta is typical, I used tortellini because it would hold up better in the leftovers, and because it might help to convince my roommate that soup can be hearty "real food." Tee hee.

Crabby Snacks
(Source: adapted from a post on LTH Forum)

6 English muffins, split
1 (5 or 6 oz.) jar cheese spread, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
a few shakes hot sauce, to taste
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (or 2) tablespoon(s) freshly chopped parsley
1 (6 or 7 oz.) can crabmeat, drained, flaked
*I also added a can of baby shrimp, optional
sliced green onions and/or tomatoes for garnish, if desired

Heat oven to 350°. Arrange split muffins, cut side up, on a baking pan lined with foil. Toast for a few minutes in the oven while it's preheating until the muffins start to turn golden around the edges.

In a medium bowl, mash the cheese spread with butter, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, onion powder, granulated garlic, pepper, and parsley. Stir in the crabmeat (and baby shrimp, if using). Spread evenly over the split, toasted muffins.

Return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Cut into quarters and serve warm, garnished with green onions and/or diced tomatoes, if desired.

Makes 48 crabby bites.


Crock Pot Italian Wedding Soup
(Source: inspired by Ina Garten, via Food Network)

For the soup:
two tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt, to taste

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
2 links Italian sausage (scant half pound?)
1/2 cup Italian herb bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan (or Romano or Asiago), plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
2 tablespoons chicken fat or olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lb. package frozen tortellini (or one cup small dry pasta, such as cavatelli, acini di pepe, pastina, or orzo)
half a large bunch of fresh kale, stems removed and chopped (=several cups, chopped)

In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and saute the onion, carrots and celery until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and white wine and cook for another couple of minutes. Put this veggie mixture into the crock pot along with the chicken stock and the rest of the herbs and seasonings for the soup. Cook on high for two or three hours (or four to six on low).

Meanwhile, using gentle hands, mix together all of the ingredients for the meatballs and use a cookie scoop to form about 40 on a Silpat- or parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until lightly browned. Reserve until the soup has cooked long enough for the carrots to be just shy of completely tender. Then remove the bay leaves, add the frozen tortellini, and continue cooking on high for another 30 minutes or so, until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the meatballs and the chopped kale and cook for a few more minutes, just until the kale has wilted and the meatballs have heated through.

Serve with a garnish of grated Parmesan (or hard Italian cheese of your choice).


 

Who needs Carrabba's anyway?

As I have whined about many times before on this blog, I live in a tiny city in rural northern New York, and we don't have a lot of popular chain restaurants like one might see advertised on t.v.  So when I saw a recent commercial for the new seasonal specials at Carrabba's, including their Beef Brasato, my mouth started watering, my wheels started turning, and I headed to the kitchen to try to create something similar.

Now I am aware that the beef featured at Carraba's is short rib, and that would be just as awesome and can easily be substituted in the recipe below, but my roomie had purchased a chuck roast for us that I needed to use. Also, I threw in some potatoes to make this a one-pot meal, but you could always omit them (and chop the carrots, parnips and garlic and cook with the onions and celery), and then serve the deliciously tender meat and savory "gravy" over pasta, like the orzo in the Carrabba's special entree. This is a very versatile dish!

However you choose to make it, this turned out to be a luscious Italian spin on my regular pot roast that made me quite a bit less bitter about the paltry restaurant offerings in my little 'Burgh. Plus, it's an easy dish to make--it just takes a long braise time in the oven--and even with an expensive cut of meat, you're still big money ahead over going out to eat. This will feed four hearty eaters for less than $20--you can't even get four fast food meals for five bucks a person these days. So again I say...who needs Carrabba's?

Beef Brasato (Italian-Style Braised Beef)

4-5 lb. chuck roast
salt, pepper, granulated garlic (a teaspoon of each, more or less)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
2 large parsnips, scrubbed and cut into chunks
2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into chunks
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Sprinkle the roast liberally with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the roast on all sides in two tablespoons of the olive oil. Remove the roast and set aside. Add the onions and celery to the pan and cook for a few minutes in the rendered fat from the roast. Deglaze the pan with the red, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the tomato paste, beef broth, and herbs until throughly combined. Add the roast back into the pot and turn over in the sauce. Cover and place in a 325 degree oven for about three hours or until fork tender.

About halfway through the cook time, toss the potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and garlic cloves with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon pepper. Remove the roast from the oven, uncover, flip the roast, and then add the veggies to the pot, tucking them down around the edges and into the sauce. Cover and return to the oven for the remaining hour and a half until the roast and veggies are sufficiently tender.

First post-op meal a success!

She would be loathe to admit it, but my roommate has been giving me attitude about the lack of home-cooked food around here during my post-operative convalescence. So I ventured bravely into the kitchen today to try and prepare a proper dinner. I had a package of half-frozen chicken thighs in the outside fridge to contend with, but what to do with them that didn't require a lot of cut and chop? Once again, I turned to Pinterest for something easy and tasty. I found a recipe claiming to yield THE BEST CHICKEN IN THE WORLD! I don't know about that, but it was really scrumptious, and super-simple.

Maple Dijon Chicken
(Source: Witty in the City, via Pinterest)

You can use 4-6 boneless skinless breasts, but I used eight bone-in thighs that I sprinkled liberally with black pepper and granulated garlic (as is my way). Mix together 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup real maple syrup, and two tablespoons rice wine vinegar. Poor that over the chicken, turning the pieces to coat, and bake at 425 for 40-50 minutes, flipping the chicken in the sauce once halfway through cooking. When it's done (=165 degrees), sprinkle with a little chopped fresh rosemary (I used dried--it's winter!). Serve the chicken with some of the pan sauce spooned over each piece.

When I make this chicken again--and you can bet I will--I'll make pasta or rice on the side to soak up even more of the yummy sauce! But I had a hankering for potato salad, despite the difficulty that I would have in using a peeler with my recovering hand. I also had a desire for a really lemony, garlicky hummus (because I saw Kathy Najimy make some on Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off). So in flash of  what turned out to be culinary brilliance, I asked myself why the two couldn't be deliciously combined? As it turns out, they can!

Hummus Potato Salad

3 lbs. peeled waxy potatoes, cut into chunks, boiled in salted water until just tender, then cooled
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or 2, for the faint of heart)
4 scallions, ends removed and chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley,  stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
1/2 cup prepared vinaigrette (I used a champagne variety--something light in flavor)
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of cayenne, optional
salt, to taste

Combine the cooked and cooled potatoes with the chickpeas, garlic, scallions and parsley in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the prepared vinaigrette, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Pour the dressing over the rest of the ingredients in the big bowl, stir gently to combine, and add salt to taste. Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled.

One good hand is all you need to make some tasty treats!

I have been suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome maybe from as far back as my college days when I worked in a salmon cannery in Alaska, cleaning fish all summer. But it's gotten so bad over the past few years that I can't even sleep through the night because of it. So I decided to finally do something about it. I suppose there's never a great time for surgery, but I do have most of January off, enough time (I hope) to have my dominant hand done and recover in time to start grading papers again. I had the procedure done on Thursday, and with the help of some strong narcotics, the pain isn't too bad, and--TA-DAH!--I've been sleeping like a baby!

What I haven't been doing, of course, is cooking. I can move my fingers and pick up very light things, but I can't grasp anything with any amount of strength or pressure. However, I can stir with my left hand and sort of guide things with my right. It ain't much, but it's enough to make some seriously gourmet rice krispie treats like these, inspired by a version I came across on Pinterest.

The original recipe called for regular Rice Krispies, but I used Cocoa Krispies (Cocoa Pebbles would have been even more awesome) plus a half cup of mini chocolate chips to amp up the chocolatey goodness. It also called for TWICE as much of the caramel topping, but that sounded like you'd have to have a lot of insulin on hand for that! A thin layer of tender caramel was plenty sufficient, plus I added a scant cup of macadamia pieces for crunch. Very decadent but not difficult to make, even if you're one-handed.

Browned Butter Cocoa Krispies Treats with Macadamia Caramel Topping
(Source: adapted Pots and Pins, via Pinterest)

Rice Krispies Treats:
4 tablespoons butter
1 package (10 oz.) regular marshmallows or 4 cups of mini-marshmallows
6 cups Cocoa Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles
pinch of coarse salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips     
      
Caramel:
1 cup white sugar (next time, I'd use brown sugar here)
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 (1 stick) cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup macadamia pieces

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.  In a large pan, over medium-low heat, melt butter. Cook until the butter starts to foam, smell nutty, and turn golden brown. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Pour in Cocoa Krispies, salt, and mini chips and stir gently until the cereal is evenly coated. Scoop mixture into prepared baking dish and using a lightly buttered spatula or buttered fingers, press down firmly into baking dish. 

In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, half cup of cream and the butter.  Stirring often, bring to a boil, over medium heat, then pour in remaining half cup of cream.  Heat without stirring to 242 degrees (soft ball stage) or until a small abount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball when removed from water. This will take about 20 minutes or so; watch so it doesn't boil over.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and nuts.  Immediately pour over Cocoa Krispies.  Allow caramel to cool completely, then cut into bars or squares.

My dog is a bad citizen. (Sung to the tune of Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" in my head.)

This past summer, my roommate and I decided to take simultaneous dog training classes outside on "The Oval" on the old Air Force base. I took the little demon, Dollop, through the STAR Puppy class, which she miraculously passed, and I had Cyd take the old man, Grady, through the Canine Good Citizen/Therapy Dog class, just for fun.

He had beginner training waaaaay back in the day, but nothing since. Still, I figured he knew all that stuff. And he did! He passed every element of the CGC...and then because it was outside on the grass, he stopped to pee on some weeds during the loose lead walking exercise and failed the test because of it. Poor guy! For eight years, we teach him to go outside for a walk and pee on the grass, and when he does what he's learned, he's declared a bad citizen! BOO HISS!

Therefore, I re-enrolled him in the CGC/TDI class that began this evening. And he did perfectly--I'm so proud of my sweet old boy (pictured left doing a down-stay). However, this year, the Therapy Dog test has been changed a lot and is much more difficult. So I'm not sure he's going to pass that part, but if he can just finish the CGC, that'll be good enough for me. Wish us luck!

The other downside of the re-taking the class is that it's awfully late, from 8-9pm. So before I left the house tonight, I wanted to throw something easy together for dinner so that my roomie wouldn't starve before I got home.  Naturally, I turned to a trashy Pinterest recipe that claimed I could fashion a tasty Mexican casserole out of a deli roaster and a bag of Doritos. Sounded dubious, but DANG, if it wasn't pretty darned good, especially garnished with some guacamole. Lowbrow but luscious is my review.

Mexican Doritos Casserole
(Source: Domestic Chicky, via Pinterest)

Serves 4-6

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheese (or more if you are a cheese hound)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (I used the jalapeno and cilantro variety)
1/2 packet taco seasoning (I used one tablespoon taco seasoning plus 1 teaspoon cumin,1 teaspoon dried oregano, and some black pepper, to taste)

1 cup corn relish, optional (had this open in the fridge, threw it in, wise move!)
regular-sized bag of Doritos (I used Nacho Cheese)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except Doritos.

3. In a greased two-quart baking dish, put a layer of crushed Doritos (about two cups), then a layer of the chicken mixture. Repeat once more, ending with a layer of chicken mixture. Top with more shredded cheese, cover, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until bubbling hot. (I baked mine without the cheese for 30 minutes, uncovered it, added the cheese topping, and finished it uncovered for five minutes.)

Might be taking that 12 Days of Christmas thing a bit too seriously...

One would assume that all the holiday baking est fini, n'est-ce pas? AU CONTRAIRE, mon frère! The lady who won one of my silent auction prizes at a benefit concert back in September is having a game night or card party or some such tonight, and she ordered small platters of sweet treats for the event. She specifically asked for those pretzel Rolo treats that are (aside from unwrapping all of the Rolos) super-easy and quite yummy--especially when topped with a cinnamon almond. Then I also made this white chocolate peanut butter krispie candy from a recipe I found on Pinterest, and lastly, the Pioneer Woman's minty brownie bites. Initial taste-testing proved more than satisfactory (tee hee), but I hope the party hostess agrees.

For the pretzel Rolo treats, you simply unwrap some Rolo candies, place them on top of small pretzels, and bake in a 300-degree oven for three or four minutes, until the Rolo is soft but not melting to the point of losing its shape (yes, I realize that I screwed up that part on mine...oh well). Then remove them from the oven and immediately place a toasted pecan (or in my case, a cinnamon almond!) on top of the Rolo and press down lightly. Let the treats cool, and that's it! At Christmas, you might also choose to use red and green M and M's for the tops of the treats. Use your imagination!


White Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispie Candy
(Source: Plain Chicken, via Pinterest)

2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup peanut butter
2 pounds white chocolate chips (2 12-oz packages plus 1 1/3 cups)

In a large bowl, combine cereal, peanuts and marshmallows. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and peanut butter on High for 1 minute and then in 30 second intervals until fully melted. Stir chocolate into cereal mixture. Mixture will be slightly runny. Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. Let set until firm, 2 hours. Store in an airtight container.






Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Mint Brownie Bites
(Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks!)

50 whole Andes Mints, unwrapped
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 whole eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 tablespoon butter
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray mini muffin pan generously with baking spray. Melt unsweetened chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Remove from microwave and stir in 8 Andes mints until all melted. Let cool slightly.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream one stick of butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the cooled chocolate mixture slowly, mixing until it's combined. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add mint extract, then mix again.

Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop batter into mini muffin tins. Bake until done, about 13 to 15 minutes. Turn upside down out of pan and allow to cool.

Combine 25 unwrapped Andes mints in a bowl with the tablespoon of butter and chopped bittersweet chocolate. Microwave and stir until melted and smooth. Dip the brownie bites in the chocolate, concentrating on the top "cone" part. Allow to set for a few minutes. Chop the remaining Andes mints and sprinkle them on the top.

Set in the freezer for 10 minutes if you need them to set right away. Yum!

*I think one ounce of bittersweet chocolate must be a typo, as I used about a cup of bittersweet chocolate chips melted with one tablespoon of butter and the 25 Andes mints, and it was just barely enough to dip the 24 brownie bites that this recipe yielded for me.

Lucky Lentil Soup for the New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone! The Mayans were wrong, thank goodness, and I hope we're all feeling blessed that we're still on the planet...as we should every day. But to up the chances of even more blessings in 2013, the old tradition is to eat foods with lots and lots of small pieces that symbolize--like many coins--bounty and wealth in the coming year. In the south, they eat Hoppin' John with black-eyed peas, but the Italians favor lentils and sausage for their New Year's supper. (My theme certainly seems to be Italy this holiday season.)

I found a simple soup recipe (on Pinterest, of course) that looked wonderful, and naturally, I put a few of my own twists on it and made it ever better. And then, of course, I adapted it to be made in the crock pot so that I could lounge about all day with my BFF, enjoying a marathon of the second season of Homeland.



Crock Pot Lentil, Tomato, and Sausage Soup
(Source: adapted from David Rocco, Canadian House and Home, via Pinterest)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, rinsed and diced
2 fresh chili peppers, chopped (I used one ginormous jalapeno)
2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 4!)
2 (15-oz.) cans diced tomatoes (I used a garlic and rosemary variety)
1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound Italian sausage
1 bunch parsley, stems removed and leaves chopped

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add onion, celery, and chili pepper. When softened, add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes.  Add tomatoes and juices from the tins. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into smaller pieces.

Add the tomato mixture and rinsed lentils to the crock pot.  Pour in the vegetable or chicken stock and add the diced carrots and seasonings. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10. Toward the end of cooking time (last 30 minutes or so), brown the sausage, breaking into small chunks, and add to the soup along with the chopped fresh parsley. Add more broth to thin the soup if necessary.

Garnish with a sprinkle of Italian cheese blend or Parmesan or Romano.

Time for a little more junk food before you begin that P90X workout resolution!

SHEESH! How did it get to be New Year's Eve already? It kind of snuck up on me. So late in the afternoon, I dashed to the grocery store in my pajamas (covered mostly by my coat), snow boots, and a festive tuke, along with the rest of the inhabitants of the North Country, to pick up party provisions. Of course, our party involves me watching my beloved Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper on CNN while my roommate is already snoring over there on the loveseat! Tee hee.

But I did prepare a couple of  Tex-Mex recipes that I found on Pinterest for our snacking and dining pleasure this evening. Both were easy to make, though one was just okay and the other was quite good and worth making again.

For our snack, I made something they called "Cowboy Caviar." It's comprised of two cans of (drained) Mexicorn, one can of Ro-tel (regular or hot), two cups shredded cheddar, six sliced green onions, and one cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream. After I combined these things, I tasted it, and it was kind of bland, so I added a teaspoon of both granulated garlic and ground cumin, quite a few shakes of hot sauce, a tablespoon of lime juice, and a can of ranch-style beans. That made it much tastier, though still not anywhere near the best version of this kind of thing. Plus, I didn't like how the shredded cheese gets kind of slimy in the dip. I would not make this again. I would make this or this instead.

Then for our dinner, I made some easy buffalo chicken taquitos that were pretty yummy. The only changes I made were to use the whole package of cream cheese, buttermilk instead of regular milk, and BBQ rub instead of Mrs. Dash and Cajun seasoning. I got a dozen the size of burritos, which were great for a meal, but for an appetizer or party snack, I would use less filling in each tortilla and roll them into skinnier taquitos.







Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
(Source: Real Women of Philadelphia via Pinterest)

2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I used 1 1/4 teaspoons BBQ rub instead of Mrs. Dash and Cajun seasoning)
4 ounces cream cheese (I used one 8 oz. package)

1/3 cup Frank's hot sauce

1/3 cup milk (I used buttermilk)

4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (I used a deboned deli chicken)
12 soft taco flour tortillas
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small sauce pot over medium low heat, melt butter. Add Mrs. Dash, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for one minute. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and completely combined with butter and spices. Whisk in hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5 – 8 minutes. Add salt to taste. Combine chicken and sauce.

Lay out a tortilla; fill with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup chicken and two tablespoons of mozzarella cheese. Tightly roll up taquito and place on a greased baking sheet; repeat until chicken is gone. Brush taquitos with vegetable oil on all sides. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes; rotate them every five minutes, until golden brown. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks (optional).

Snowpocalypse 2012 Calls for More Soup!

Since I was still pretty much snowbound yesterday until our plow guy came and dug out the driveway in the very late afternoon, I spent the day at home, shovelling paths for the dogs to get out to potty and for us to get to our cars, tending the fire, cleaning the kitchen, and doing some neglected piles of laundry. I also unearthed a chicken from the back freezer, thawed it out, and proceeded to cobble together a very cozy and satisfying cauldron of homemade chicken noodle soup.

There was no recipe per se, but it was pretty traditional, with the exception of one special secret ingredient: fresh lemon juice! I loved that lemony turkey soup after Thanksgiving so much, that I thought to try it with chicken soup. The lemon does something wonderful to cut through the richness of the chicken fat and freshen up all the flavors. We ate steaming bowls of this soup with some awesome open-faced roast beef melts on the side: grainy bread grilled in a pan with a little butter, melted Swiss cheese, a sprinkle of granulated garlic and black pepper, a schmear of my homemade cranberry mustard, and thin slices of our Christmas roast beast crisped up in the same pan. YUM!!

Lemony Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken and stock:

1 whole chicken, water to cover
2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
2 stalks celery, rinsed and cut into large chunks
1 whole onion, ends removed and cut into large chunks (peels and all)
4 cloves garlic, whacked with a knife
bundle of fresh herbs--thyme, oregano, and rosemary, tied with string
12-15 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 or 3 tablespoons chicken soup base
Soup:
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, rinsed and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely diced
2-3 tablespoons chicken soup base, to taste
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground celery
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley (or half a bunch of chopped fresh would be better!)
half a "family-sized" bag of wide egg noodles (or one regular-sized bag)
salt, to taste
juice of two lemons
2 cups half and half, optional

To make the chicken and stock, in a large stock pot (eight quarts, I think--I like to use my pasta pot with strainer insert), place the chicken and cover with water. Add the other stock ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour, or until the legs start to pull away from the body of the bird. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool, then strain the rest of the veggies and bits from the broth.

To make the soup, add the onion, celery, carrots, poblano pepper, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are sufficiently tender, about ten minutes. Bring the soup back to a rapid boil and add the noodles. Cook according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, remove the skin from the cooled chicken and debone it, then break the meat into large chunks. Sprinkle with about a half teaspoon of salt, and squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix it all together gently with your hands, checking for any bits of bone or gristle you may have missed. When the noodles are tender, turn off the heat and stir in the chicken and the half and half, if using. Taste to correct seasonings and serve piping hot with another garnish of fresh parsley if you have some on hand.

The Book of Ruth (Chapter One: Her Special Dressing)

My dear friend Ruth spent her Christmas vacation in Grayton Beach, Florida with her lovely new hubby (lucky gal!).  And being the resourceful sort--and my hero--she travelled there with a crock pot in tow. For their Christmas Eve Dinner in said crock pot, she made a roast, new potatoes, carrots, and baby onions.  On the side, she also prepared "Ruth's homemade dressing," what a Southerner like herself calls "English peas," and a pumpkin pie for dessert.

It was the dressing that intrigued me most, though. Ruth says it's a big favorite with her family and friends at Thanksgiving, and her new hubs reportedly had three helpings for his Christmas breakfast! Tee hee. So I asked her for the recipe, and she explained her basic methodology which I have translated into a more precise recipe below--my take on it, anyway. This dressing is yummy, and easy enough to prepare on a weeknight alongside a roast chicken; who says we have to wait until the holidays roll around again? However, I made this for our lunch today to celebrate Cyd's early (snow day) release from work. YAY!


Ruth's Cranberry-Pecan Dressing

1/2 cup (one stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or more, to taste)
1/2 bag of Pepperidge Farm stuffing (not the cornbread, the herbal)
2 teaspoons rubbed or ground sage or ground sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or more, to taste)
one can (or more) low-sodium chicken broth (I used one can, and I should have used a little more--it was a smidge dry for my tastes)
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil, "to the moisture consistency that one desires," as Ruth says

In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery until tender. Stir in the chopped pecans and cook for a few minutes until the nuts are fragrant and just starting to brown.

In a large bowl, mix the stuffing, seasonings, and craisins. Add the sautéed veggies and pecans, then moisten everything with chicken broth. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and then add the dressing back to the skillet. Even it out, but don't compact it.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until a little crispy on top, 30 minutes or so.

An Italian Christmas...postponed.

I had a long day yesterday, preparing and delivering cannoli, attending a friend's holiday dinner, delivering gifts to two other households, and finally, attending midnight mass which for Episcopalians, starts more sensibly at 11pm. Not only did I not have time to prepare a full-on Christmas feast, my roommate was rockin' a pretty nasty chest cold (I had it last week, so I might be to blame...sorry, Cyd), and she didn't have much of an appetite.

So we decided to postpone our special dinner until tonight. I did make one dish ahead yesterday afternoon, and the roast beast had an extra day to marinate, so it worked out great. I just sort of made up the meat marinade as I went along, starting with my usual--olive oil, balsamic, cracked black pepper, salt, and a ton of freshly-minced garlic. But then I added the juice of a lemon and a handful of rosemary twigs. It smelled very fragrant and distinctly Italian, which ultimately provided inspiration for the rest of the meal.

Last week, I was listening to my favorite Sirius radio program, "Cocktails with Patrick," and the host called his mom to chat with her on the air about her Christmas plans. At some point, Patrick's mother made an off-hand remark about this green bean dish that she makes with Boursin cheese that was really good, and that's all I needed to hear!

The problem was, I forgot to buy Boursin cheese, and I remembered that detail on Christmas Eve, after all the stores had already closed. So in desperation, I made a home version from Paula Deen that was actually a pretty close clone and very tasty and worked perfectly in my green bean recipe!

Homemade Boursin Cheese
(Source: adapted from Paula Deen via food.com)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Put the cream cheese and butter into the bowl of a food processor. (You could use a mixer or blender if you don't have a food processor.)
2. Add the seasonings and process until completely blended and smooth.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.

I found another food.com recipe that I loosely followed for what is sort of a more upscale version of green bean casserole, though almost as easy to prepare, and without the mushy canned green beans and cream o'crap soup. This recipe is a keeper and could very well become a holiday staple around here.

Green Bean Mushroom Bake
(Source: adapted from food.com)

2 lbs. green beans

4 tablespoons butter, divided

2 large shallots, thinly sliced 

8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup white wine

1 (5 1/4 ounce) package boursin garlic and herb spreadable cheese (or half of the homemade)

1/2 cup dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs (I used lemon and garlic panko)

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1. Over high heat, bring pot of salted water to boil. Add beans. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes. Coat 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Drain beans; reserve. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  2. In large skillet, melt two tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, three to four minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, until softened, one to two minutes. Add wine; cook two minutes. Stir in Boursin cheese; cook until melted. Toss with beans; transfer to baking dish.  3. Melt remaining two tablespoons butter. Stir in bread crumbs and Parmesan; sprinkle over green beans. Cover lightly with foil*. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden, 10 minutes.
*At this point, you can refrigerate and bake the dish the next day. It might just take a little longer to heat through from cold.

It is usually my way to go an English route with the roast beast and make a Yorkshire pudding. But with the Italian-flavored meat marinade and the parmesan green beans and mushrooms (not to mention, cannoli for dessert!), it would seem the universe wanted me to round out the Italian theme with some risotto. However, after I had started to prepare the dish, I realized that I was out of arborio rice! Ugh. But I ran across something called "volcano rice" in my pantry (an Asian blend of white, brown, and red rices). Could I use it to make risotto, I wondered? As it turns out, you can!

The only downside is that it takes twice as long to cook, so you have to hang out by the stove for about an hour, stirring. But I used half vegetable stock and half beef au jus, and with the somewhat nutty rice, the risotto ended up tasting like a really delicious mushroom, beef, and barley soup, but the consistency was that of rice with a rich gravy that perfectly complemented the roast!

Beefy Volcano Risotto
1 quart vegetable stock plus 1 quart beef stock (low-sodium)
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup volcano rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable and beef stocks to a boil with the bay leaf. Keep the stock warm over very low heat.

In a large skillet or braiser, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about two minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring until opaque, about three minutes. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed, about one minute. Avoiding the bay leaf, add one cup of the warm stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock one cup at a time and stirring until it is absorbed between additions.

The rice is done when it's al dente and creamy, about 55 minutes total. Season with black pepper (and salt, if necessary).

And Lo, I Bring You Tidings of Great Potlucks which Shall Be to All People: A Christmas Epistle

I have had no fewer than FOUR holiday gatherings within a week's time, and I had to prepare something to take along to each of them! So for the first two events, I simply bought double the ingredients to make two batches of crock pot Hawaiian (pineapple) meatballs, that are always a big hit at parties.

Hawaiian/Pineapple Meatballs

4 pounds frozen (1/2 or 5/8 oz.) meatballs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger (I use the kind in a tube)
6 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons soy sauce (I love the new Ponzu/citrus-flavored variety
6 tablespoons white vinegar (I like to use rice wine vinegar, too)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
squeeze of sriracha
1 large (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
2 sweet peppers, cut into thin strips (optional, but pretty--use red and green for Christmas!)

Add meatballs to the crock pot when ready to make the sauce. Heat the oil on medium high and saute for the garlic and ginger for a few minutes in a saucepan. While that is cooking, in a bowl, whisk together the corn starch, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, black pepper and sriracha. Add the slurry to the saucepan and whisk constantly (so that the sauce does not get lumpy) until it thickens. When it is thick, remove from the heat and stir in the pineapple and peppers. Pour this mixture over the meatballs in the crock pot. Mix up the meatballs and sauce. Cover and heat on low for at least two hours. It will sufficiently stay 4-5 hours on low heat with an occasional stir.

Then, of course, there was the fabulous annual Padula Cookie Exchange to attend. The theme this year was a Colonial Christmas.

As for my contribution to this lovely spread of cookies, I decided to make something easy but impressive-looking.  Since two of the guests are partial to Parisian pastries (ooh, dig that groovy alliteration!), I turned to the Barefoot Contessa and her simple method for making palmiers or elephant ears. Now, if you made your own puff pastry from scratch, these cookies would be extremely complicated and time-consuming (and even tastier, no doubt).  But if you start with Pepperidge Farm, you'll be done in a jiffy! You can make them just with sugar, or add cinnamon, or I decided to add a hint of cardamom and ginger to make a tasty chai-spiced pastry.

Chai-Spiced Palmiers or "Elephant Ears"
(Source: adapted from The Barefoot Contessa, via Food Network)

1 cup sugar, divided

pinch kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and kosher salt and pour it over a flat surface such as a wooden board or marble slab. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar mixture.

Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the spices and spread the mixture evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling; it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, lightly roll the dough until it's a 13-inch square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. Fold the sides of the square toward the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold one half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 38-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake the cookies for 6 minutes, or until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

The last event of this festive week was a winter solstice party at Woven Meadows Farm. The evite instructed us to bring along our favorite winter cookies to share. I recalled these particularly excellent chocolate pistachio shortbread trees from a previous cookie exchange (recipe here), and though I was none too keen on rolling out dough and cutting out a bunch of cookies, I wondered if I could make them as slice and bakes? As it turns out, you can! I just divided the dough in half, rolled each part up in plastic wrap, chilled it, then sliced and baked the cookies. Once they cooled, I dipped the cookies halfway in chocolate and rolled the edges in ground pistachios. Pretty and pretty yummy!

Just when you thought this eternal post was over, I have one more holiday item to share. It was not for a party, at least not one that I attended. You see, back in September, my choir held a benefit concert and silent auction. The items that I contributed to the auction were two gift certificates for two desserts of the winner's choice. One of the gals who won one of the certificates decided to cash in on Christmas Eve. And she wanted cannoli, which I have never made before. I did not feel confident enough to make the shells, plus, I couldn't find the molds which are in a box somewhere.

So yesterday afternoon, my roommate and I drove down to Albany to check out the new Trader Joe's and do a little last-minute Christmas shopping, and we also hit up an authentic Italian bakery called Bella Napoli. They sold me two dozen cannoli shells for $0.69/apiece, and they were perfect! All I did was dip them in chocolate and pistachios (a culinary motif this year, it would seem), and then prepared a delicious fresh ricotta filling. I may have purchased the shells, but the ricotta was homemade with milk from my farm share, and that made all the difference. lease note: If you prepare these for an event, make the filling advance, but don't stuff the shells until right before your party. If they sit around longer than two or three hours, the shells will become soggy. You have been warned.

Cannoli Filling

whole milk ricotta made from a half gallon of milk (a generous two cups)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or sweeten to taste)
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of one small orange or large tangerine (very fine)
1 tablespoon ground pistachios
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

In the bowl of a food processor, blend the ricotta until very smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange or tangerine zest and blend again. Stir in the pistachios and chocolate chips and chill the mixture until ready to fill the cannoli.

70's Flashback: Skillet Lasagna

Dear readers of a certain age (40 or above), do you remember Hunt's Skillet Lasagna? My mom was a single, working mother, so she often turned to such packaged convenience foods during the work week to get a quick dinner on the table.And the skillet lasagna, with its little packet of a ricotta cheese like substance that I alway got to squeeze on top, was my favorite. Sadly, they don't make it anymore (and even if they did, it probably wouldn't hold the same appeal as it did for my childhood palate), but I have a recipe that produces something much better--all the flavors of lasagna without all the fuss, and easy enough to throw together on a weeknight! (You're welcome.)

























Skillet Lasagna
(adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Pasta Revolution and from the blog, Pink Parsley)
Serves 4 to 6

3 (15 oz.) cans petit diced tomatoes, with juices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes (I omitted this because I used hot Italian sausage)
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 lb. Italian sausage, crumbled (or ground beef, if you prefer)
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths (or better yet, 10 oz. pantacce pasta)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil (optional)

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sausage or ground beef to the skillet. Cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's no longer pink.

Scatter the pasta in the skillet, then pour the tomatoes and their juice over the top. Stir and cover. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20-24 minutes (if you don't stir it, the pasta will clump together and stick to the bottom and sides of the skillet).

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler (I had mine on 450 degreees).

Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in half the mozzarella and parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the ricotta. Dot the remaining ricotta over the noodles in tablespoons, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh basil (if using), and serve.