Cooking in the Kudzu Kitchen

Summer Pasta Salad

2011-07-14T15:00:00.004-05:00

Or, what happens when you clean out the refrigerator.

That's a handful of whole-wheat penne, half a cucumber, some broccoli that was just before getting wimpy and having to be tossed, and a few grape tomatoes from the garden. I sliced the garden-fresh squash and cooked it on the grill pan and tossed the whole thing with some red pepper Italian dressing and some Parmesan.

That was a fast and tasty side for a Saturday lunch of turkey sandwiches. It's about too hot to cook much else.

Watermelon Blueberry Popsicles

2011-06-29T17:01:00.004-05:00

Puree 3 cups of chopped seeded watermelon (from a two-pound watermelon). Add a bit of powdered sugar, if you like, and a couple of tablespoons of fresh lime juice, which I left out because I didn't have any limes.

Pop a few blueberries into the popsicle molds before filling with the watermelon mixture. That's it!

I made a version based on Ellie Krieger's recipe in So Easy cookbook, a book I like. Just a little bit. :-)

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

2011-06-29T16:48:00.003-05:00

Crumb Topping:

1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line with muffin cups with liners.

Crumb Topping: Mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/8 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of butter with a fork in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the vegetable oil, egg, and milk. Fold in the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full.

Sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Any leftovers freeze beautifully. I made another batch because we had good fresh blueberries on hand that I didn't want to go to waste.

Star Spangled Cookies

2011-06-28T17:51:00.006-05:00

Aren't these fun? Easy, too!

Sugar Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar*
1 egg
2 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt

* After I scraped the seeds from a vanilla bean for the Watermelon Sweet Tea Granita, I put the vanilla bean in a jar with sugar. It smells so good - sweet and vanilla-y! I used the vanilla sugar for these cookies.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat until fluffy.

Add vanilla, sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate. (Dough can be refrigerated for several days.)

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350°.

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutter. I used a 2 1/2-inch star cookie cutter.

Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges.

Cool on pan for a minute or two, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

This recipe yielded something like 30 cookies.

I love this part...the cookie glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant 1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring (or you can use more vanilla, or a 1/2 teaspoon of almond or lemon extract if you prefer)
red and blue food coloring

Before you start, place a couple of wire racks on top of baking sheets. It will make cleanup easier later; any drips and dribbles from the cookies lands on the baking sheets and not on your counters. (Some concentrated food pastes can stain!)

Put the water in a small bowl and gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Stir until smooth. Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide the glaze among three shallow dishes. Pie plates work great.

Tint one container of cookie glaze red, one blue, and leave the last one white.

Dip the cookies in the glaze and shake gently to remove the excess. Place the cookie on a wire rack to harden, which takes several hours.

This amount of cookie glaze covered all the cookies I made just right - I didn't run out and didn't have tons of left over. Just the right amount!

If you make these, I'd love to see your pictures!

Blueberry-Almond French Toast Bake

2011-06-20T13:47:00.004-05:00

That was our Father's Day breakfast.

The recipe is from Ellie Krieger's cookbook, So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week.

Cooking spray
1 whole-wheat baguette (about 18 inches long, 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
8 large egg whites
2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, spreading it around so the liquid saturates the bread. Scatter the blueberries evenly on top and sprinkle with the almonds and brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the baking pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

It was good although I'd A) macerate the berries in a bit of sugar first and B) Add some butter in there somewhere. It needed just a touch.

Per Serving:

Calories 270; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 2.5 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 0.75 g) ; Protein 16 g; Carb 35 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 220 mg; Sodium 280 mg

Shrimp-Artichoke Salad

2011-06-13T10:12:00.004-05:00

I made this for book club and it was a hit. It's an old garden club, bridge club staple that I haven't made in years. I'd forgotten how good it is.

2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 (6.9-ounce) box chicken-flavored rice
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound boiled, peeled shrimp
3 green onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, diced (optional - I leave it out as I don't care for celery)

Prepare the rice according to package drections, omitting the butter. Let cool.

Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving half the liquid from one jar.

Combine the reserved artichoke liquid, mayonnaise, and curry powder in a medium bowl, stirring well.

Add the cooked shrimp, green onions, cooled rice, and artichoke hearts, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately, although the salad tends to get better after a few hours' chill in the refrigerator.

Serves 6 to 8.

Recipe from Absolutely A La Carte.

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

2011-06-09T16:17:00.004-05:00

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup milk
8-9 ounces Cool Whip
Chocolate-cookie pie crust
Peanuts
Reese’s peanut butter cups
Chocolate frosting or syrup

Cream together cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and peanut butter. Add milk and fold in Cool Whip.

Pour into the pie crust. Garnish with peanuts, peanut butter cups, and chocolate frosting or syrup. Cover and freeze for at least one hour. Keep frozen.
Very sweet and very rich!

Roasted Red Pepper Bread

2011-06-01T10:46:00.002-05:00

I love the cookbook (and web site) Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

The Roasted Red Pepper Fougasse is my favorite recipe from it so far.

Preheat the oven to 450F for at least 20 to 30 minutes, with a baking stone and a broiler tray in place to catch water for steam later.

Roast a red pepper or do what I did and open a jar of them.

Roll out one pound of any dough you like, to 1/8-inch (I used the Olive Oil Dough from the book). I’d generally use a non-enriched dough here (no eggs or fat in the dough mix). Try to form an oval or rectangle. Assemble right on a liberally flour-dusted pizza peel or on parchment paper for an easier slide into the oven.

Slit one side and lay out the peppers on the other side (with their outer, peeled surface facing up).

Sprinkle with thyme and coarse salt to taste. The salt is crucial to bring out the flavor of the roasted peppers. Use a pastry brush to paint a little water around the edges to help make a good seal.

Fold the slitted half over the peppers and crimp it to the dampened side. If the edges don’t meet nicely, just trim off the extra with kitchen shears.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with more thyme.

If you’re not using parchment paper, make sure that the fougasse is moving well on the pizza peel; if not, nudge some additional flour underneath using a spatula.

Slide the fougasse onto the hot stone. Quickly add 1 cup of hot water to the broiler tray and close the oven door. Bake at 450 F for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. If you rolled the dough thicker than 1/8-inch, it will need more baking to develop nice color and prevent an over-moist interior crumb next to the peppers.

Makes a beautiful appetizer!

Olive Oil Dough

2011-06-01T10:32:00.001-05:00

Olive Oil Dough
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes 4-1lb loaves.

2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast
1-1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in the flour without kneading. I used my stand mixer with dough hook, but you can use a spoon.

Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and colapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

Watermelon & Sweet Tea Granita

2011-05-31T11:04:00.004-05:00

I bought the copy of Fine Cooking magazine for its cover: a gorgeous photo of strawberry shortcake that was so luscious I could all but smell the strawberries. The recipe for the watermelon granita was lagniappe.

I made it for my book club last week and it was delicious.

1/4 vanilla bean
1 Tbs. good-quality loose black tea, such as English Breakfast (I used a Lipton tea bag)
2/3 cup boiling water
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
3 cups puréed watermelon (from about 4 cups diced, seeded watermelon)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Note:
I didn't detect much tea flavor in the finished product. I bet you could use lemonade or other fruit juice in place of the tea, if you don't happen to have any tea on hand.

Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Put the vanilla seeds and tea in a small bowl (save the pod for another use). Add the boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Add the sugar and stir gently to dissolve.

Or just add a bit of vanilla extract to 2/3 cup strong sweet tea.

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon purée, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Strain the tea mixture into the watermelon mixture and stir to combine. Pour into a 9x9-inch metal baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. After 1 hour, stir and scrape the mixture with a fork, repeating every 30 to 40 minutes, until the mixture has an icy shard-like consistency, about 3-1/2 hours total.

To serve, scrape the granita into chilled bowls, and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream (if using).

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 35; Fat (g): 0; Fat Calories (kcal): 0; Saturated Fat (g): 0; Protein (g): 0; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 0; Carbohydrates (g): 9; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 35; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 0;

Shortbread

2011-05-26T13:38:00.007-05:00

I really get nothing in compensation for going on and on about how often I refer to Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. Pretty much everything I've ever cooked from it has turned out wonderfully.

I like, too, the fact the cookbook has recipes for things like popcorn. It's not hard to do but I never can remember how much oil and is it 1/2 cup popcorn kernels? That book has the answer.

This shortbread is simple to make, can be made ahead, and has limitless variations. Shortbread can be dunked in coffee or dipped in semisweet chocolate. It's hard to go wrong with shortbread.

2 sticks unsalted butter; softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 and 1/2 cups flour
scant 1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until combined
Add the egg yolk and vanilla, scraping sides of bowl if neccessary, and beat until combined.

Stir in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until combined. The dough will be sticky.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

The dough can be rolled out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out with cookie cutters, like sugar cookies. Or you can use a knife to cut dough into strips (like ladyfingers) or triangles. At this point, I like to slide the cookies in the refrigerator to chill for a bit longer. It helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.

Bake until the cookies are just firm, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

Shortbread keeps well at room temperature. A batch makes a great gift!

Homemade Pizza

2011-05-24T10:10:00.002-05:00

I love pizza. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to make it at home.

This recipe is from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, one of my favorite go-to cookbooks.

Pizza Dough

Makes: Enough for 1 large or 2 or more small pies

Time: 1 hour or more

You won’t believe how simple it is to make pizza dough at home. And because the dough freezes very well (at least for a couple of weeks), it’s even practical to whip up a batch for one or two people and tuck the rest away for another day.

To make pizza dough by hand or with a standing mixer, follow the directions, but use a bowl and a heavy wooden spoon or the mixer’s bowl and the paddle attachment instead of the food processor. When the dough becomes too heavy to stir, use your hands or exchange the mixer’s paddle for the dough hook and proceed with the recipe.

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and the oil through the feed tube.

2. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If it is still dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds. (In the unlikely event that the mixture is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time.)

3. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time short if you’re in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 6 or 8 hours.) Proceed to Step 4 or wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or a zipper bag and freeze for up to a month. (Defrost in the bag or a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature; bring to room temperature before shaping.)

4. When the dough is ready, form it into a ball and divide it into 2 or more pieces if you like; roll each piece into a round ball. Put each ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rest until they puff slightly, about 20 minutes.

Saturday Night Dinner

2011-05-03T14:15:00.003-05:00

Our tradition is that on Friday nights, if we're home, we cook boudin on the grill. That's what we have for dinner: sliced, grilled boudin, squares of sharp Cheddar sprinkled with our creole seasoning, and saltine crackers. It's good eating!

Saturday nights Jeffrey cooks on the grill again but this time it's more of an actual meal. This past weekend, he grilled chicken breasts in a sun-dried tomato pesto marinade, new potatoes, and fresh green beans.

I chopped up the leftover chicken and added it, along with a handful of home-grown romaine, to my favorite Greek pasta salad.

More springtime cookies

2011-04-21T13:51:00.003-05:00

It's not hard to beat a good sugar cookie, especially when it's frosted, decorated, and packaged for fun.

I made my favorite sugar cookies (recipe below) and frosted them using the all new icing glaze I came across. Love that icing. Best thing since sliced bread.

Classic Sugar Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until fluffy.

Add vanilla, sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate. (Dough can be refrigerated for several days.)

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350°.

Roll small pieces of dough into balls and place them on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges.

Cool on pan for a minute or two, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Now comes the fun part: decorating them with the magical cookie glaze.

Icing Glaze for Cookies

2011-04-21T13:28:00.008-05:00

I love to bake rolled cookies. I love decorating them, too.

But I don't really enjoy making royal icing. It's a high maintenance ordeal: one batch to outline and do detail work, another batch to fill the cookies. It seems like a fair amount of trouble.

Plus royal icing doesn't taste good. It doesn't taste bad, exactly, but it's not good, either. It's kind of like fondant in that way: pretty to look at, not so much to eat.

This icing recipe is it. Easy, I mean, super easy. The icing dries hard enough so that cookies can be packaged in cellophane bags or stacked. The color stays true after the cookies dry, too.

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk or water (I used water. I'm always leering of leaving anything that has dairy product out at room temperature for any amount of time.)
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
assorted food coloring

Put the water or milk in a small bowl and gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Stir until smooth. (I had to add another teaspoon or two of water.) Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide the icing into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity.

Place wire cooking racks over paper towels. Dip cookies into the icing and place the cookies on the wire racks. Any excess icing will drip onto the paper towel.

While the icing is still wet, you can embellish them with sanding sugars and sprinkles. You can spoon a bit of other colors onto the cookie and use a toothpick to swirl the colors around. It makes a marbelized-tie-dyed effect.

The cookies need to dry several hours before they will be hard enough to package or stack.

But you can eat them right away.

Queso Chicken, Black Beans, & Rice

2011-04-18T10:47:00.002-05:00

I think everyone was skeptical about this dish but it was really tasty. We should have known: Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta? Winner winner chicken dinner.

Queso Chicken Black Bean and Rice Casserole

2 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp. olive oil
medium onion, diced
1.5tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles)
8oz Velveeta 2%, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked brown rice
2-2.5 cups chopped grilled chicken
4 handfuls of multigrain tortilla chips, crushed

If not using leftover grilled chicken and rice, start by grilling your chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves) and cooking your rice according to package directions (make enough for approximately 6 servings).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook one to two minutes more to soften. Add cumin and chili powder and mix together.

Add the black beans, combine to distribute seasoning. Next, add Ro-Tel and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add the Velveeta and grilled chicken to the pan, stirring occasionally to let the cheese melt.

Grab about four handfuls of chips, place them in a plastic bag and let your kid smash them for a couple of seconds.

In a 9x13" pan, pour the rice and spread on the bottom of the pan, evenly distributing.

Pour the black bean, chicken, queso mixture on top of the rice. Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of that.

Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Serves 8

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

2011-04-07T14:37:00.020-05:00

Perfect for filling Easter baskets!

Start with your favorite sugar cookie recipe.

The one I use:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 to 3 cups sifted flour (2 1/2 to start, because the dough will pick up flour during rolling)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.

Add vanilla, sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
Cover and refrigerate. (Dough can be refrigerated for several days.)

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350°.

Roll out cookies and put them on baking sheets. I like to put cut-out cookies in the fridge to chill for a bit so they’ll hold their shape while baking. I slide them in the fridge and then turn on the oven to preheat. By the time the oven is ready, the cookies are chilled just about the right amount of time.

The copper cookie cutters come from Kitchen Collectables. Their web site has step-by-step lessons, recipes, and lots of fun baking supplies.

Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges.

Cool on the pan for a minute or two, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Start with a batch of royal icing to outline the cookies. It can also be used for detail work, such as polka dots, stripes, writing a monogram or name on a cookie.

1 pound confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder*
4-6 tablespoons warm water
2 teaspoons flavoring (such as vanilla, lemon, butter, or almond)

*Meringue powder is available at cake decorating supply shops as well as many craft stores and large discount stores.

Sift powdered sugar into large mixing bowl. Add meringue powder and combine. With mixer running on medium, add about 3 tablespoons warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add desired flavorings and additional water as needed.

To outline cookies and pipe details, icing should be fairly stiff. After outlining and piping, simply return any unused icing to the bowl, mix, and add more water until icing is thin enough to spread or pour easily.

Tip: Royal icing is like glue. When it dries, it’s like really, really hard glue. In fact, royal icing is the “mortar” that’s used to build gingerbread houses. So when you’re not working with an icing that’s in a pastry bag, store it upright in a drinking glass, into which you’ve first put a dampened paper towel in the bottom. Rest the tip on that and it won’t dry out.

Next make a batch of royal icing that is "flow consistency." To make flow consistency, add water a tablespoon at a time, until the icing falls from a spoon about the same way cake batter does. It needs to be good and thin.

Divide the icing into bowls and use food coloring to tint each bowl the colors of your dreams. Spoon a bit of icing in the center of each cookie and use an offset spatula to get it even.

To quickly fill in large portions of cookies that have been outlined, fill a squeeze bottle (like ketchup and mustard come in at hamburger joints) with icing and use it to fill in the areas. This is a quick method, great especially if you are making a large quantity of cookies. Be careful not to overfill the cookie, causing the icing to run over the “dam” created when you outlined the cookies.

Now we can get creative. While the icing is still wet dust some with colored sugar or sprinkles. Add small dabs of icing to the base color and use a toothpick to swirl the colors around - it will produce a marbelized look.

Use the outline consistency icing to layer on stripes or polka dots.

Allow cookies to dry completely, several hours. After they are dry, cookies can be stacked or wrapped in cellophane bags.

Place a bit of Easter basket grass in the bottom of a cellophane bag and top with the cookie. Tie with ribbon. I love this part.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2011-04-05T13:20:00.009-05:00

Amanda and Keith introduced Jeffrey and I, so when we hosted a wedding shower for them I wanted it to be special. Amanda's favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies. I went about constructing a cupcake:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. It's chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed in a cupcake, topped with a chocolate chip cookie. Genuis!

I didn't invent the idea. I looked online and merged several different recipes and variations to come up with it. First bake cupcakes. I used a box of yellow cake mix. Because I'm fancy that way.

While they're cooling, mix up the chocolate chip cookie dough filling, which has no egg.

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

Next bake the garnishes - cute little miniature chocolate chip cookies.

Miniature Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll bits of dough to make tiny cookies.

Bake, reversing position of cookie of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Possibly try one. Or two. Just for quality control.

Top with frosting: Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon honey

Melt butter and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer. When mixture starts to stiffen, stop mixer and add honey.

Continue to beat until light and fluffy.

Spread immediately and store cake in refrigerator.

Use a piping bag to swirl on the frosting. Or slather it on with an offset spatula.

Top with a miniature chocolate chip cookie and sprinkle with miniature chocolate chips.

The cupcakes were a hit. There were none left over and I have orders to make more soon.

Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese

2011-03-28T10:05:00.003-05:00

3 zucchini (about 1/2 pound each), sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces reduced-fat soft goat's cheese
1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup basil leaves

Discard the outermost slices of zucchini and brush the rest of the slices with the oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender.

In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, parsley leaves and lemon juice, mashing with a fork.

Put 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture about 1/2-inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a few spinach leaves and 1 small, or half of a large basil leaf. Roll up and place seam side down on a platter. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.

From The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger

Lunch Out

2011-03-21T10:39:00.004-05:00

Far from fancy.

Turkey, cheddar, and spinach on sourdough with Lay's chips and a cold can of Diet Coke.

Salad with roasted red peppers, goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts.

Yet it was extraordinary: sitting outside for lunch, enjoying the spring weather, the blue skies, the Bradford pear in bloom. Incredible.

Spaghetti Sauce over Spaghetti Squash

2011-03-10T11:07:00.003-06:00

Every couple of weeks we have spaghetti, what The Child calls "Jeffrey 'sghetti." It's usually a mixture of ground turkey and ground beef, sauteed, fat drained off, and tossed with a jar of some kind of marinara-florentine sauce.

Ever since we discovered spaghetti squash, we've taken to serving the sauce over the cooked squash. I don't know that we've ever told The Child he was eating a vegetable (in addition to the spinach in the sauce) rathe than pasta. He hasn't seemed to notice the difference.

Roasting spaghetti squash and shredding it with a fork is little trouble. Eating the squash in place of pasta is an easy way to get in more vegetables.

Salmon with Sweet & Spicy Rub

2011-02-28T19:23:00.003-06:00

Another recipe from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for Healthy Living. We enjoyed it and Garlic-Roasted Cauliflower and steamed green beans tossed with a bit of salt and butter.

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar. I like the bolder flavor.)
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
dash teaspoon salt
dash teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin and any pin bones removed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Coat your grill or a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat.
While the grill is heating, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Brush each salmon fillet with half of the olive oil, then rub each fillet with about half of the spice mixture.

Grill the salmon, flesh side down, until charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook another 5 to 6 minutes for medium doneness. For well done fish, cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve immediately.

Garlic-Roasted Cauliflower

2011-02-28T19:18:00.004-06:00

I believe this is this is the first cauliflower I've had that wasn't raw and on a platter with Ranch dip, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. It made for a nice change of pace for a side dish.

1 head of cauliflower
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
Parmesan cheese
fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the garlic cloves into quarters and put them in a medium mixing bowl. Add olive oil.

Manhandle the head of cauliflower so that you break it into bits, then cut them into smaller pieces. Add the cauliflower to the garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and add more olive oil, enough to coat.

Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes or until tender.

Squeeze a bit, just a bit, of fresh lemon juice onto the cauliflower and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Ellie Krieger's Oven-Fried Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Macaroni & Cheese

2011-02-25T08:55:00.004-06:00

Another hit from the cookbook, The Foods You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

(I halved the recipe so it would serve four.)

about 10 sleeve whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg white
1/2 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.

Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.

One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

This was really tasty but the next time I make it, well, I'm going to drizzle each piece of chicken with just a little bit of melted butter. It won't take much but it will make a big difference.

The pasta was Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. The broccoli was the beloved Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts from Ina Garten. LOVE.

Ellie Krieger's Energy Bars

2011-02-24T19:40:00.004-06:00

From The Foods You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

1 cups oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup raw whole almonds
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup powdered dry milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Greese a 9×9 baking dish.

Place all of the ingredients except for the syrup and eggs in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Add the syrup and both eggs and continue to pulse until they are mixed in. Transfer the mixture into your baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

Let cool for about 20 minutes.

I sliced these up, wrapped them in twos, and put them in the freezer. I'm thinking an energy bar with some Greek yogurt would make a great mid-morning snack.

Again with the creamy roasted red pepper pasta

2011-02-21T17:10:00.003-06:00

A day after that I heated up the pasta and stirred in some romaine.

I made a panini with semolina bread, sharp cheddar, and honey roasted turkey. It was right tasty. And it used up all the leftover pasta.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Redux

2011-02-17T09:43:00.003-06:00

There's nothing I love more than taking leftovers and making something good from them: frugal and tasty!

I warmed up leftover Fettucinne with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper-Feta Sauce, added some grilled asparagus and part of a grilled chicken breast leftover from the weekend and had a scrumptious lunch.

Ginger and Sesame Dressing

2011-02-15T19:28:00.004-06:00

The Thai-Asian salad dressing of my dreams!

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Process until smooth.

From epicurious.com

Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce

2011-02-13T20:04:00.003-06:00

Another Ellie Krieger recipe from her cookbook, The Food You Crave.

One 1¼ pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat and silverskin
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground or crushed
2 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup dry red or dry white wine
salt to taste

Slice the tenderloin open lengthwise, being careful not to cut through to the other side. You want to split the meat into one large, flat piece. Spread the mustard over both sides of the meat and rub in the pepper, pressing gently so it adheres well. Cut the meat accross into 4 even portions.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Put the tenderloin in the hot pan and cook, turning once, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 150 degrees Fahrenheit, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the broth and wine to the pan and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced to about ½ cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meat, season with salt, and serve.

Fettuccine with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper-Feta Sauce

2011-02-13T19:58:00.003-06:00

Ellie Krieger is my new hero. I love this dish. It was easy and creamy and good. Not like healthy-good but truly, really, "Oh,-wow-this-is-good," good.

•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
•2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
•1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
•1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
•1 cup crumbled feta cheese or a 6-ounce block
•1 pound whole-wheat fettuccine
•Salt
•Freshly ground black pepper
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon, if needed. Sauce should cling nicely to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining feta cheese.

Serves six.

Recipe by Ellie Krieger, from her wonderful cookbook, The Food You Crave.

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Chocolate Brownies with Dried Cherries and Pecans

2011-02-10T19:57:00.004-06:00

A day or so before baking, soak 3/4 cup dried Bing cherries, roughly chopped, in 1/3 cup coffee liqueur, such as Khalua

6 (1-ounce) squares of semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the chocolate squares and the butter in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, pecans, and cherries until well blended.

Spread into greased 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Or into a dozen or miniature heart-shaped pans.

Bake 22 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack.

You can melt a handful of candy disks in a zip-top bag in the microwave, snip off one corner with a pair of scissors, and drizzle over the brownies.

These make neat teachers' gifts: put a brownie heart, drizzled or no, in a clear plastic bag, tie with ribbon, and attach a little card. This won't happen at our house until sometime Sunday, otherwise I'd post a picture.

Espresso Chocolate Shortbread

2011-02-10T19:48:00.004-06:00

Recipe by Dorie Greenspan
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (plain, or a toffee variety), finely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

Makes 32 cookies

Miniature Muffalettas

2011-02-07T16:52:00.007-06:00

These were a hit at the Mardi Gras party! They are tasty and easy to put together ahead of time. About 10 minutes before the guests were due to arrive, I slid them in the oven. They were just right - the cheese good and melty, the bread nice and toasty - when everyone got there.

30 Dinner rolls
4 ounces Genoa salami
4 ounces ham
4 ounces Provolone cheese
1 (8-ounce jar) olive salad
Sesame seeds
1 egg, beaten
a slug of milk

Split dinner rolls in half. You can use frozen roll dough that you thaw and bake if you are so inclined. I love ya’ll and all but that’s not what I did. Wal-Mart dinner rolls to the rescue!

Put 1 deli-thin slice ham, a piece of salami, about half a slice of Provolone, and one teaspoon of olive salad on each roll.

Cover sandwiches and refrigerate. Place something kind of heavy on them, like a cast iron skillet or a couple of books, to smash them down. Chill for several hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush sandwich rolls with beaten egg and milk. Generously sprinkle sesame seeds over the tops.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperatures. If there are any leftovers, they reheat wonderfully the next day for a snack.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2011-02-07T16:51:00.003-06:00

We've posted a gumbo recipe before but we've made a few changes here and there to get to this one. We really like this version. Gumbo seems such a cold-weather dish so we're always excited when the weather turns cool: it's gumbo weather!

1 pound of chicken thighs (Thighs are really flavorful but you can also use chicken breasts, a whole hen, or turkey.)
2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces (We've used smoked turkey sausage, venison sausage, in addition or instead of andouille, combinations of all three - it all works.)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 white onions, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
2-3 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown over medium high heat. Brown the sausage, pour off fat, and reserve meats.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is almost the color you prefer – anything from peanut butter to chocolate milk to coffee will do. This gives the arms a good workout (you’re welcome!). Make a figure eight pattern while you stir to help prevent lumps and uneven cooking.

Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.

Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil and cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.

Add the chopped green onions and parsley. At this point, if possible, let the gumbo cool and refrigerate overnight or freeze. It seems to taste better if it has time to sit for a bit.

Serve over rice.

Recipe can be doubled or tripled. Make your friends happy by giving quart containers of frozen gumbo for Christmas gifts.

Ultimate Garlic Bread

2011-02-07T16:43:00.002-06:00

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place a bulb of garlic in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Pull the foil up around the garlic bulb, sealing it in. Roast for about one hour. Remove from oven and let cool.

(Smells so good!)

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add one or two garlic cloves, cut in quarters. Let heat, nice and low, while you're getting everything else ready.

Combine 2-3 tablespoons softened butter with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Combine and then add the roasted garlic. (To get the garlic out, just squeeze it from the cloves.) Mix that up real good and stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. If you want to, right along in here you can drizzle in some of that garlic-infused melted butter.

Use cheese-butter mixture to fill the bread loaf. Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with that melted garlic butter. Wrap in the loaf in aluminum foil and freeze, refrigerate, or go ahead and bake.

To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 12 minutes.

Makes enough filling for one to two one-pound loaves, depending on how generous you are with the filling.

Goes great with soup!

Surprise Balls

2011-02-07T07:01:00.000-06:00

We had a little lagniappe (a little something extra) for each guest to take home. To make a surprise ball, gather together crepe paper, little toys, and candy.

Start with the biggest gift, in our case a bottle of bubbles, and wrap crepe paper around several times. Begin adding the toys and candy here and there as you wrap.

When the balls are unwrapped, all sorts of little happies fall out. Big fun!

We sealed ours with stickers I made.

The ones we made aren't quite as shapely and pretty as the ones NotMartha did but still - they were fun.

Braised Italian Chicken with Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Olives

2011-01-11T10:50:00.001-06:00

From Fine Cooking magazine.

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and each cut into 3 uniform pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup pitted, quartered Kalamata olives

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, and lightly dredge the chicken in the flour.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large Dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering hot. Cook the chicken in two to three batches (to avoid crowding the pot) until well browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer each batch to a plate as it finishes, and if the pot looks dry between batches, add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil.

Return the chicken to the pot, add the green beans, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until it almost completely evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

Add the olives, and continue simmering with the lid ajar until the chicken and green beans are very tender, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions
The dish is complete as is, but nice with a crusty bread, or keep it Italian and serve Garlic-Parmesan Bread.

Nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on four servings; Calories (kcal): 500; Fat (g): 27; Fat Calories (kcal): 250; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 44; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 14; Carbohydrates (g): 17; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1060; Cholesterol (mg): 150; Fiber (g): 3;
photo: Scott Phillips

Sausage, Cannellini, and Spinach* Soup

2011-01-10T13:12:00.000-06:00

(*original recipe calls for kale, which we didn't have so we used spinach)

1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (1-1/2 cups)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped (3/4 cup)
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbs. tomato paste
2 large cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 quart homemade or lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth
Two 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz. Lacinato kale, center ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 4 firmly packed cups)
1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (1x3 inches; optional)
1-1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 lb. sweet or hot bulk Italian sausage, rolled into bite-size meatballs

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add the broth, beans, kale, and Parmigiano rind (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sausage meatballs, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Add the sausage to the soup and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes more to meld the flavors. Stir the cider vinegar into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.

The broth was so good. We used homemade chicken stock, and that may have been why. This soup was easy, inexpensive, and really tasty.

The next time we make we're going to make a few changes:

- andouille sausage. We used mild Italian and the soup could have used a little more flavor. Plus I don't like fennel at all, which the Italian sausage had in it.
- um, kale, as the recipe calls for, if we can find it anywhere.
- possibly dried beans instead of canned.

Variations:To serve 1 vegetarian and 3 meat lovers: Use vegetable broth for the soup. Reduce the sausage to 1/2 lb. and cook the meatballs in the same fashion. After stirring the cider vinegar into the soup and seasoning to taste, set aside 1-3/4 cups of the soup for the vegetarian before adding the meatballs.

Calories (kcal): 430; Fat (g): 18; Fat Calories (kcal): 160; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 20; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 48; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 1160; Cholesterol (mg): 25; Fiber (g): 12;

Macaroni and Pimiento Cheese

2011-01-06T19:22:00.002-06:00

This is a marvel - a rich, creamy cheese sauce that is made from low-fat milk. No butter, no cream, and it is so very good.

1/2 (16-oz.) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of paprika

Preparation:

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

2. Whisk together flour and 1/4 cup milk. Add flour mixture to remaining milk, whisking until smooth.

3. Bring milk mixture to a boil in a large skillet over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth. Stir in cheese and next 4 ingredients until smooth. Stir in pasta, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Easy Skillet Green Chile Mac 'n' Cheese: Substitute 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese for Cheddar cheese and 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles, undrained, for diced pimiento. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Per serving: Calories 251; Fat 7.3g (sat 4.6g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.1g); Protein 11.6g; Carb 34.1g; Fiber 1.5g; Chol 22mg; Iron 1.7mg; Sodium 491mg; Calc 229mg

Easy Skillet Whole Grain Mac 'n' Cheese: Substitute 1/2 (13.5-oz.) package whole grain penne pasta for regular. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Per serving: Calories 215; Fat 7.9g (sat 4.4g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.9g); Protein 11.1g; Carb 29.8g; Fiber 3.8g; Chol 22.4mg; Iron 1.5mg; Sodium 444mg; Calc 222mg

Recipe from Southern Living

Roasted Green Beans and Onion

2010-12-06T09:53:00.002-06:00

When I began roasting vegetables (like broccoli with pine nuts) it was like a whole new world opened up. It's amazing how slow heat and aromatics can transform a vegetable.

Take the plain ole green bean.

Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees. Arrange fresh green beans (about one pound or so) in a single layer on a baking sheet. Top with a chopped onion, yellow or white, your choice. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put in the oven and that's it! Stir a few times and let roast for 20 to 25 minutes.

Any leftovers can be folded into a pasta dish the next night.

Beef Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash

2010-11-10T13:41:00.002-06:00

From Fine Cooking magazine

When I made this last night for dinner, I skipped entirely that first part about the garlic bread; we had some in the freezer so I baked that instead.

I love the use of spaghetti squash instead of pasta - it makes a nice change. I thought the sauce could have used about an hour or two more cooking time to give it more depth. Next time, I'll use some Roasted Tomato Sauce from our freezer or a jar of our favorite kind from a store.

Overall, thumbs up! Everybody at our house liked it.

1/4 baguette, halved lengthwise
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
6 medium cloves garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small (2-1/2-lb.) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
One 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the bread cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush it with the butter. Peel and chop the garlic. Divide the garlic in half and sprinkle one-half with a generous pinch of salt. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mince and mash the garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. Spread each piece of bread evenly with garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden-brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Cut each piece in half to make 4 pieces total, and cover with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, arrange the spaghetti squash in a single layer in the bottom of a large, wide pot. (Don’t worry if the squash halves don’t lie completely flat in the pot.) Add 1/2 inch of water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender enough to shred when raked with a fork but still somewhat crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.

While the squash cooks, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, the remaining chopped garlic, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; cook, stirring to break up the meat, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and discard the fat if necessary. Add the tomatoes, basil, and 1/4 cup water; stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

With a fork, rake the squash flesh into strands, transfer to plates, and season to taste with salt. Ladle the beef ragù over the squash and garnish with the Parmigiano. Serve with the garlic bread.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-10T13:28:00.003-06:00

The traditional twice-baked potato reinvented using the sweet potato, perfect for fall meals.

4 sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup fresh pineapple or 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest
splash of almond flavoring or Amaretto
nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.

Scrub sweet potatoes and bake until tender, probably 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool.

Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out insides. Place the cooked sweet potato in a large bowl. Add the salt, butter, drained pineapple, orange zest, and almond flavoring or Amaretto. Stir well and put mixture back in potato shells or, if you'd rather, in a greased casserole dish. Top mixture with a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg.

Can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for a day or two. Bring to room temperature before baking.)

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Brown Sugar and Pecan Brussels Sprouts

2010-11-10T13:25:00.002-06:00

1 ½ pounds fresh Brussel sprouts or 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons butter
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Core fresh Brussel sprouts and steam them until just soft.

If using frozen packages, cook them according to the package directions or: bring 1 cup water to boil and add the Brussels sprouts. Return to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes, until sprouts are tender. Drain and set aside.

You can slice each sprout in two, which will help them soak up more of the yummy sauce.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, pecans, nutmeg and salt over low heat until the butter is melted.

Toss Brussels sprouts with pecans. Just before serving, pour the buttery sauce over the Brussels sprouts, tossing to coat. Serve warm.

This tasty way to serve Brussels sprouts has won over real Brussels sprouts haters.

Serves 6.

Loaded Alfredo

2010-11-03T06:54:00.006-05:00

Also from Cook This, Not That*. We had this last for dinner and it was a hit! We used homemade pasta, which helped, but it would be good with the suggested whole wheat pasta, too.

It wouldn't have bothered me if the sauce had had a bit more body to it. Next time, I may use 1 cup of whole milk, and probably add a bit of Asiago cheese to it.

While we were eating dinner, we thought of lots of versions of this - smoked sausage and crawfish tails. Shrimp and asparagus instead of chicken and broccoli would be another. It would be a great dish to use up bits and pieces from the fridge. We often have grilled chicken, grilled asparagus, roasted green beans left over from various meals.

Our son loved it, too. We'll be making it again.

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
8 oz cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well) - We used two grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine (we like Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)

How to Make It:
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming. Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have lightly caramelized. Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and the chicken mixture, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.63

In comparison, consider the same dish at The Olive Garden:
1,220 calories
75 g fat (47 g saturated)
1,350 mg sodium

*Love this book.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

2010-11-01T13:38:00.005-05:00

Easy weeknight dinner

from Cook This Not That

12 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp red-pepper flakes - the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons, which was very spicy - next time I'll use a scant 1 teaspoon

4 oz dried spaghetti
1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano or thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red-pepper flakes, olive oil, onion, garlic, and oregano or thyme, and cook until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes.

Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Add the shrimp to the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, add as much of the sauce as you'd like, and garnish with parsley.

Hot Delta Dip

2010-10-20T10:23:00.002-05:00

Creamy and full of flavor, everyone at the shower enjoyed this dip. Donna, one of the hosts, made it by tweaking a recipe that belonged to her Aunt Imogene.

3 8-oz pkgs of cream cheese
1 small jar (2.25 ounce) of Armour's dried beef finely chopped
1 bunch of green olives finely chopped
1 4 oz can of mushrooms--drained and finely chopped
1 small (2.4 oz) can of chopped ripe olives (the kind that's already chopped in the can)
3 teaspoons of Accent---that's the original recipe, and nobody needs that much msg, but it sure did spike the flavor...I used about 2 teaspoons of Tony's instead.

In the original Aunt Imogene recipe, all of that is mixed together and rolled into a ball which may be rolled in chopped pecans and served cold with crackers.

Since we wanted a hot dip, Donna used half of the cheese ball mixture and added:

3/4 cup of sour cream
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon butter, though I think the butter should have been only for the pecans.

Top with 3/4 cup of pecans sautéed in butter, though I roasted mine in a 250 degree oven for about twenty minutes.

Refrigerate until ready to use, then bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Miniature Pumpkin Pies with Streusel Topping and Vanilla Buttercream

2010-10-19T10:44:00.004-05:00

I made these for the bridal shower. They were a hit, the little pockets of creamy pumpkin topped with crunchy brown-sugary goodness. I really liked them, especially since they could be made ahead of time. All I had to do the morning of the shower was pop them in the preheated oven.

Thinking about the holidays: A batch of these, frozen, would make a great gift for someone who likes to entertain. She could stash them in her freezer and have on hand for last-minute guests.

For the miniature pies:

refrigerated pie pastry, homemade or purchased; I don't judge
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll the pastry dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter, cut 2.5- or 3-inch circles and press into miniature muffin tins. (I can't remember if I greased them or not. Maybe I sprayed them with Pam.)

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into pumpkin mixture.

Fill each pastry-lined muffin cup about 1/2 to 2/3 with the pumpkin mixture.

To bake and freeze for later:
Cover with freezer-grade aluminum foil and freeze. To bake, remove from freezer and bake without thawing as directed below.

To bake and enjoy now:
Bake for about 8 minutes, remove from oven, and top with the streusel mixture:

Streusel topping:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon butter, chilled
1 cup chopped, roasted pecans

Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the roasted pecans and toss the mixture. Top the little pies with a bit of the streusel mixture.

Bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the pastry begins to turn golden. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Vanilla buttercream:
1 stick butter, softened
4 cups or so of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk

Cream the butter and add the confectioner's sugar a cup at a time. Add the vanilla and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it's a good, thick consistency. Pipe or dollop onto cooled pumpkin pies.

This icing was a bit sweet. The next time I make these I'll make a cream cheese frosting. Or leave off the frosting altogether; the miniature pumpkin pies are really good on their own.

Yields about 4-5 dozen miniature pumpkin pies

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2010-10-19T10:24:00.003-05:00

I served these, stuffed with ham slices, at a bridal shower over the weekend. They would also be tasty served with pepper jelly.

If you have leftover sweet potatoes, this is a good way to use them up. The biscuits can be frozen, pulled out, and baked off quickly. They're great for a fast, hot breakfast or to go alongside a roasted pork tenderloin for dinner.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the shortening until pieces of shortening are pea-sized or smaller. Mix in the sweet potatoes. Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into circles and place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. If desired, brush biscuits with melted butter and a bit of grated nutmeg.

To freezer and serve later:
Bake biscuits for about six minutes. Let cool completely before packing in freezer zip top bags. Biscuits can be baked frozen.

To bake and enjoy now:
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Black & Orange Cookies

2010-10-12T19:04:00.006-05:00

Or brown and orange cookies.

Some people call these cookies monkey poop or cat poo. In our house, we call them "those chocolate things that you cook on the stove with the peanut butter and oatmeal."

Black & Orange Cookies is catchier, don't you think?

To make:

2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 stick butter

Combine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to boil. Continue to boil, stirring, for one minute. Remove from heat and add:

1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
2 cups oats (See - they have oats. They're totally healthy.)

Combine well and drop by teaspoons onto wax paper or parchment paper or silpat. The mixture will be soft and wet (like monkey poo!) and will set up in a few minutes.

For Halloween, I used orange candy melts.

Craft stores and large discount stores carry them. They are orange-colored, not orange-flavored.

Put about 1/2 cup in a microwave-safe bowl.

Heat in the microwave until melted. You know your microwave best; mine took about a minute at half power, stopping every 20 seconds or so to stir well.

Ladle the melted candy in a zip-top bag and snip the very end of one corner. Drizzle the candy onto cookies and let sit.

If kids will be at the Thanksgiving table, these would make a good dessert as long as they can eat peanut butter. Kids may prefer monkey poo cookies to pumpkin pie. You could drizzle cookies with red, yellow, and orange candy melts for a fall look. Or top with sprinkles while the cookies are still wet. Go crazy with it.

Halloween Cupcakes

2010-10-08T13:43:00.003-05:00

I love this time of year.

I made cupcakes for my son to take to school to share. Really, I wanted to experiment with chocolate spider webs as garnish for a cake. If I was going to do that, I'd need to get them out of the house fast. So. Good snack for the 3rd grade.

To make:

Bake your favorite cupcakes a day or two ahead.

Cover a couple of baking sheets with wax paper or parchment paper. Or silpats. Just cover them, to help make cleanup easy later.

In the meantime, melt some chocolate or almond bark, which is what I used. It's cheap and melts easily. I used three squares that I cut off the block 'o almond bark.

Spoon the melted chocolate into a zip-top bag. Snip the very end off of one corner. We're crafting a pastry-bag-type implement.

Make circles with the melted chocolate.

Draw "spokes" out from the center to the edge of the farthest circle.

But Keetha! They look like wagon wheels! Not spider webs!

I found that four circles looks more spider web-ish than three. I was going for the affect rather a literal interpretation of a spider web.

Let the chocolate harden up, which takes just a few minutes. When the cupcakes are frosted, peel up the chocolate spider webs.

For the buttercream:

Cream together two sticks of unsalted butter. Add 5 to 6 cups of powdered sugar and a couple of teaspoons of vanilla. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it's the consistency you want. Then tint with food coloring or food paste color.

My cupcakes have orange frosting - really - only it looks yellow in the photos.

Happy Fall!

Chocolate Cake with Coffee Meringue Buttercream

2010-09-12T18:10:00.005-05:00

The icing is so good that I wish I could slice each one of you a piece of this cake, right here, right now.

It is my favorite of the three cakes I made for Jeffrey's birthday.

For the cake, I made one from a mix - devil's food, I think. It was good - chocolately and tender.

This buttercream is heaven - satin. It's rich and very buttery but not so very sweet. It's the bomb.

The recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum's The Cake Bible.

Coffee-Flavored Classic Buttercream

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee, dissolved in 1 teaspoon of boiling water

Have ready a greased 1 cup heatproof glass measure near the range.

In a bowl beat the yolks with an electric mixer until light in color.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan (preferably with a nonstick lining) and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is boiling. Stop stirring and boil to the soft-ball stage (238 degrees). Immediately transfer the syrup to the glass measure to stop the cooking.

If using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the syrup into the yolks in a steady stream. Don’t allow syrup to fall on the beaters or they will spin it onto the sides of a bowl. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the yolks with the mixer turned off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. For the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the glass measure. Continue beating until completely cool.

Gradually beat in the butter. Then add the vanilla and finally, the coffee. Place it in an airtight bowl. Bring to room temperature before using. Rebeat to restore texture.

The icing can be made ahead. It will keep at room temperature for six hours, refrigerated for one week, and can be frozen for eight months. And let me tell you: I had icing leftover so it will go in the freezer. I will be dreaming up ways to use it, besides sticking my face into the container and eating it all.

Coconut Cake

2010-09-12T14:05:00.010-05:00

This is what Jeffrey wanted as dessert following his birthday dinner of lasagne on Saturday with the family.

1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cream of coconut
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or use butter, parchment paper, and more butter) two eight- or nine-inch cake pans. Or two six-inch cake pans plus about a dozen cupcake rounds.

Combine all ingredients and mix for two minutes. Pour into prepared pans and bake according to package directions.

Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. At this point, I split the layers in two (because the more layers, the more frosting in between), wrapped them well and put them in the freezer for a week.

Frosting
8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream of coconut (there should be just that much left in the can, if not, use milk)
4 cups confectioners sugar
shredded coconut*

Unlike last time, we could not get our hands on a fresh coconut. Instead, we got dried, unsweetened coconut from Fresh Market. We freshened it up by making a simple syrup of sugar and water and pouring it over the dried coconut. It got plump and sweet.

To assemble:
I toasted a couple of cups of the dried coconut at about 325 degrees, watching it v-e-r-y closely, and stirring often.

I spread icing on a cake layer and topped it with the sweetened coconut.

And repeated, until all four layers were stacked.

I frosted the sides of the cake and then the top with the remaining icing.

Per request, I pressed the toasted coconut into the sides of the cake. This way, it looks like the famed coconut cake at The Peninsula Grill in Charleston, South Carolina.

German Chocolate Cake

2010-09-12T13:34:00.003-05:00

This the cake pictured here on the right, a tower of chocolate, pecans, and coconut.

The Husband's birthday was Tuesday. I asked him what he wanted for dessert on his birthday-birthday (as opposed to last Saturday's birthday celebration in Starkville and this past Saturday's birthday celebration at home with family). He asked for German Chocolate Cake.

I found this recipe online. It bears a striking ressemblance to the one printed on the box of Baker's sweet chocolate.

1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet
chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites

Filling:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon shortening
1 (1 ounce) square semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans. For my cake, I baked it in two 6-inch cake pans and used the leftover batter to make German chocolate cupcakes. Winner!

I buttered the bottom of the cake pans, then lined them with parchment paper circles and buttered them, too. Probably overkill but I've had that sickening feeling that comes from turning a cake out and half of it plop out and the other half stick to the pan. Parchment paper helps ensure that doesn't happen.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks, one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk and stir. Add another third of the flour mixture, the rest of the buttermilk, and then the rest of the flour mixutre, mixing until just combined.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack.

*The cupcakes took about 25 minutes or so to bake. Honestly, I can't remember how long the six-inch cakes took. I baked them until the batter was just beginning to pull away from the pans.

After the cakes were cool, I split both layers in half, so that there would be more layers to separate with lots of that pecan-coconut filling.

To make the Filling: In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, which takes way longer than it should. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread.

Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. In a small saucepan, melt shortening and 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until smooth and drizzle down the sides of the cake.

I laid it on thick - the filling, I mean. I still had some leftover, which I topped a few of the cupcakes with.

The Birthday Boy liked it!

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts

2010-09-09T11:08:00.002-05:00

I first saw this recipe at Ezra Pound Cake. It's a weeknight staple.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics – Ina Garten

1 (12-oz) bag of broccoli florets
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoon basil, julienned
Salt and pepper to season

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are lightly toasted. It takes only a few minutes so stay close.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and toss with lemon zest, remaining olive oil, pine nuts, and chopped basil.

Serves about 4. I add any leftovers to a salad the next day.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Lunchbox Bars

2010-08-26T13:20:00.001-05:00

I came across this recipe last year and it's been a standard ever since. When I make a batch, I freeze most of them so that I can one out for my son's snack at school. Or a snack for me. It's a Cooking Light recipe and has oatmeal. It's totally healthy.

Cooking Light's Lighten Up Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars

1 cup packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups butterscotch morsels (about 8 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and egg. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture; stir with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Place 3 cups oat mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Set aside.

Place sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch morsels, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 1 minute or until butterscotch morsels melt, stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in walnuts. Scrape mixture into pan, spreading evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture, gently pressing into butterscotch mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Place pan on a cooling rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely.

I stack two bars and wrap them in cling wrap. This way, I can pull out just two if that's all I need. If I need just one butterscotch oatmeal bar, I somehow manage to consume the other one, too.

I put those packages in a freezer zip-top bag.

Then my freezer is stocked with homemade goodness.

Pesto Chicken Salad

2010-08-18T14:07:00.003-05:00

A couple of days this week I've had pesto chicken salad sandwich on focaccia with roasted red peppes and goat cheese for lunch. It was one of the sandwiches where I thought, "OH. SO GOOD." after every bite. I love those.

Every time I make pesto I wonder why I don't make it all the time. It's really - truly - easy. Whirl fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil* in the food processor. The last bit I made I poured into ice cubes and froze until solid. Then I put the ice cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer, ready in small portions for when I have a hankering for pesto.

Like for lunch this week. I thawed out two cubes of pesto and added the pesto to a spoonful of mayonnaise, about 1/3 to 1/2. I mixed it up and added some shredded chicken breast we'd cooked on the grill Sunday night. I refrigerated it overnight and daydream about it during the day.

* Mark Bittman cautions against adding the Parmesan cheese if you're going to freeze the pesto. He says when you're ready to use the pesto, thaw it and then add cheese.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

2010-08-16T16:43:00.009-05:00

This may be the second-best thing I've made all summer. It, too, is a tomato dish.

Roasted Tomato Sauce
Based on a recipe from Pasta & Co. By Request

3 pounds of tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
8 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup fresh basil leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 medium onions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Core the tomatoes, and slice in half horizontally. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in a casserole dish.

Put the basil or rosemary, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor equipped with a steel blade. Process until the garlic is finely chopped.

Pour the mixture over the tomatoes

and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until the tomatoes collapse and begin to caramelize. Your house and kitchen will smell amazing the entire time. Stir the tomatoes ever so often.

In the meantime, roughly chop up two onions and saute over medium heat in a bit of olive oil.

When they onions have some color to them, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat as low as it will go, cover the onions, and let them be.

When the tomatoes are cooked down, remove from the pan from the oven.

Puree the sauce, plus the caramelized onions, through the food processor.

We had some the next day on pizzas and it was lovely. I froze the rest.

I plan to hit the farmer's market tomorrow for more tomatoes. This time, I'll double the recipe. I'm going to make as much of this as I can while the fresh tomatoes are still good. Just think: lasagne, all kinds of pasta, pizza, so much you can do with this sauce.

The original recipe says it yields 4 1/2 cups. I got right at 3 1/2 cups of sauce. Maybe I should triple it, now that I think about it. I want lots of sauce in the freezer to enjoy this winter.

Tomato Tart

2010-07-11T17:43:00.003-05:00

It's true love!

Up until I made this tart, I didn't like tomatoes, not even a little bit. Not on a burger or sandwich or salad. Now, though...

For Tomato Tart:

pie pastry
1 garlic bulb
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese, divided
handful fresh basil leaves
2 to 3 tomatoes tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

For the pie pastry, make your own if you are so inclined.

The recipe I use is my mom's:

Combine a cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut in 1/2 cup shortening (it's not a bad idea to refrigerate the shortening first) and add ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Stir with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Roll out on lightly floured surface.

Or use a refrigerated pie pastry.

Either way, press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch square tart pan (the kind with a removable bottom although you could bake this in a 9-inch round pie pan, too). Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cut off the top of a bulb of garlic and place it on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle garlic bulb with olive oil and fold in aluminum foil to seal.

Bake for 35 minutes. Unwrap garlic and let cool. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves onto the bottom of the baked piecrust. Smear it around and moan about how good it smells.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup fontina cheese over the roasted garlic.

Slice the tomatoes and place on folded paper towels. Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes. The tomatoes look so pretty just like that.

Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

Eat and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Good stuff!

Supper from the grill

2010-07-06T10:34:00.001-05:00

Pork tenderloin, asparagus, and potatoes. Everything but the pinot noir was readied on the grill.

Roasted Chicken

2010-06-08T17:16:00.001-05:00

Jeffrey roasted a terrific turkey for Thanksgiving. It was so good, we got requests to make the same dish the same way for Christmas.

Over the weekend I used the brine recipe for chicken, which we roasted for Sunday dinner. Winner! We'll be making it again.

We served it with Parmesan-roasted white asparagus, which we won't have again - I like the green color better - and pasta salad.

Sunday night

2010-05-24T11:04:00.003-05:00

Last night we had grilled pork chops, grilled asparagus, and rice with fresh parsley for dinner.

For whatever reason, I'm not a huge fan of pork chops. They always seem to be a little dry and lacking in flavor.

These, though: Jeffrey injected them with red wine and topped them with a compound butter of unsalted butter and fresh rosemary. The pork chops were wrapped in bacon. Basically, you got your pork, butter, and more pork in the form of bacon.

It's a winner.

Dinnertime

2010-05-21T14:16:00.001-05:00

For dinner Monday night Jeffrey seared tuna steaks. He rubbed them down with a bit of olive oil, then topped them each with a bit of redfish seasoning and Greek seasoning, then seared them in a pan of hot olive oil and a bit of butter.

I made Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts that I saw at Ezra Pound Cake's website. It was really tasty; I'll make it again. My eight-year-old son gobbled it up.

Summer Citrust Shrimp with Parmesan Vermicelli and Grilled Green Beans

2010-05-19T10:02:00.001-05:00

Saturday in between baking and decorating a cake I marinated shrimp for dinner. I used the recipe Jeffrey came up with last summer.

Jeffrey grilled skewers of shrimp and a grill-pan of green beans tossed with olive oil and Cavender's Greek seasoning.

I cooked vermicelli and tossed it with softened butter, freshly grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley from our garden. It was really tasty. Something about that shrimp went so well with the pasta. I was hoping we'd have some leftover green beans I could put on a salad this week but we ate every last one.

Mom's Birthday Cake

2010-05-18T13:40:00.006-05:00

We celebrated my mother's birthday with a big Sunday dinner. We had Shrimp and Gravy over Asiago cheese grits.

For dessert I baked and decorated a cake. After the last time, I made a box from a mix. And it was good.

While the cake cooled, I mixed up the icing:

1 stick butter, room temperature
about 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
a few tablespoons of milk

I creamed all that together.

After the cake was completely cooled, I coated the cake with a thin schmear of icing. This is the crumb coat.

It's not pretty but it is effective.

After I got it on, I put in the fridge to set up. The icing hardens a bit, making the cake much easier to thoroughly frost.

I sketched out an idea of how I wanted the cake to look.

Mixed up frosting in various colors - love that part - and got to decorating.

It's far from perfect but it made Mom happy and tasted pretty good.

Shrimp and Gravy for Supper Club

2010-05-03T09:09:00.001-05:00

I emailed a friend and mentioned we were hosting supper club. The friend lives in Naples, Florida. Geographically, Florida is southern. Obviously. Every other way, it's really not; I shouldn't have been surprised when she emailed back and asked, "What's a supper club?"

Our supper club gets together about once a month. One couple hosts the dinner party and prepares a meal for the guests, about 20 people.

For our turn, we had Smoked Catfish Pate and fruit and cheese for appetizer. Good thing, too, because everyone arrives about 7:00 and we had so much fun visiting and catching up that it was 8:45 before we sat down at the table to eat. (Bad hosts! Bad! Note to self: next time, ask everyone to get there around 6:00.)

We had a green salad with brown-sugared pecans and sweet and sour vinaigrette.

The main course was Charleston-Style Shrimp and Grits over Asiago-Cheese Grits with Caramelized Onion.

Rhodes's rolls with honey orange butter

were on the table and lemon cheesecake with coffee for dessert.

Shrimp and Gravy
The Husband found this recipe online and we made a few adjustments to it.

3 slices bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chicken stock
1 green onion, chopped

Fry bacon over medium heat and remove to paper towels to drain. Add the butter to the bacon grease. (I ask you: were any prettier words ever written? Add butter TO the bacon grease!) When the butter melts, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over it and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the roux is dark brown. Reduce heat if it starts to scorch.

Add the chopped onions and bell pepper when the roux is dark brown. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the shrimp in a large bowl with the seasonings and remaining flour. Pour in to the pan with the onion and bell pepper, stirring frequently for one minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and reduce heat to low. Cook just long enough to thicken the broth, being careful not to overcook. You don't want the shrimp to get tough!

Spoon out grits onto a plate and top with a ladle-full of the shrimp and gravy. Top with crumbled bacon and chopped green onion.

Asiago Cheese Grits wtih Caramelized Onion

2010-05-03T08:57:00.001-05:00

Also known as: the bomb.

Asiago Cheese Grits with Caramelized Onion

1 medium yellow onion, sliced
Olive oil
4 cups water
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups grits
1/2 pound asiago (or fontina) cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook onion on medium until brown. Add salt and pepper, cover, and reduce heat. Let cook until good and golden brown.

In a large pot, over medium heat, combine the water, milk, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.

Stir in the grits.

Cook for 1 hour and about 15 minutes, stirring often.

Remove the pan from the heat

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and onions.
Serve immediately or spoon into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for several days. To serve let come to room temperature, and heat at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

Nutella Pinwheels

2010-04-29T10:58:00.005-05:00

Two of the easiest, tastiest, most convenient products: Nutella spread (chocolate and hazelnut near the peanut butter at the grocery store) and puff pastry.

True love!

Follow package instructions to thaw puff pastry sheet, roll out slightly on a lightly floured surface. Then spoon over the Nutella. Nom nom nom.

Roll up lengthwise, let chill for easier slicing, and cut into spirals. If you have hazelnuts on hand, you can chop a handful and sprinkle on top.

It doesn't matter if the pinwheels aren't pretty.

They bake up nice.

Nutella Pinwheels are perfect make-ahead treats, too. Roll up, wrap well, and freeze. They're good to have in the freezer so they'll be handy if you have a sugar and carb emergency. Thaw the puff pastry logs slightly at room temperature, slice, and bake.

Disappointing yet delicious-sounding: Homemade Yellow Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

2010-04-19T18:13:00.008-05:00

It's not even that pretty, just a poky little cake.

I understand that when cake mixes first came out, ads touted their efficiency qualities, how they'd make things easier for the little woman in the kitchen.

No woman wanted to that woman, the one talked about in the coffee klatch because she is too lazy, too selfish, and too cold to her husband and her poor children to make a cake from scratch.

Food marketers wised up and changed their ads so that they emphasized the yumminess that was cake from a mix; then cakes baked from a mix became something special and delicious, not just the same old, same old that any woman can mix up.

I'll tell you; I was raised mostly on cake mix cakes. They're good! Yes, they are.

I'll tell you something else; I've never baked a homemade from scratch cake (that wasn't chocolate) that tasted good. They're edible but only just. They always turn out packy and dense and unappetizing.

I like to bake. I like to sift flour and get out my measuring cups and measuring spoons. I enjoy getting to use a whisk. I like having that red box of Swans Down Cake Flour in the kitchen.

When I offered to bring a dessert for my mother's house for Sunday dessert, I decided to bake a homemade cake for fun.

Baking it was fun. Eating it? Not so much.

The cake was packy and dense and unappetizing, like the others I've made. They're all different recipes but I have to wonder if I'm doing something wrong.

I have this recipe saved and no idea from whence it came.

All-American, All-Purpose Yellow Cake

Butter and flour for preparing cake pans
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Remove butter and eggs from refrigerator about 2 hours before starting recipe. Heat the oven to 350*F (175*C). Adjust oven rack to the middle position.

Butter two 9-inch cake pans, cover the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment, butter the parchment and coat the pan with flour, shaking out the excess.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 30 seconds. Continue beating and gradually add the sugar. Beat until light-colored, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. The mixture should appear thick and dull. If it appears separated or grainy and shiny, the butter and/or eggs were too cold. To remedy this, wrap the bowl with a kitchen towel soaked with hot water and continue mixing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.

4. Add about 1/3 of both the flour mixture and milk and beat on low speed or by hand until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and then the remaining flour and milk in two batches, beating between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir by hand to finish.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Twist the pans back and forth on the work surface to distribute batter and then smooth surface with a rubber spatula. Place pans in oven a few inches apart, and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the pans 180 degrees after 15 minutes. Check the cake after 22 minutes. The top of the cake should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, and a cake tester should come out clean. The cakes should start shrinking back from the sides of the pan.

6. Remove the pans to a cooling rack. Let rest for 5 minutes. Run a small knife or metal spatula around the sides of the pans and invert cakes onto lightly greased racks. Remove parchment paper.

These cakes smelled so good while they're were cooling - all luscious and vanilla-y.

Reinvent cakes onto cooling rack. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled.

Makes one 2-layer cake; serves 12.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
dash salt
milk

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave if you know your microwave well.

Chocolate + cream cheese. How could that go wrong. I ask you.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Pour the melted chocolate over the cream cheese.

Mix on medium speed until well blended. Add the vanilla and salt and slowly stir in the confectioners sugar.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and increase mixer speed to medium-high. Slowly add a tablespoon or two of milk if needed.

This should have been dreamy but it wasn't. While I was shopping for the ingredients I had an inkling that bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate would be better. I should have paid attention to my intuition. It was trying to help.

This frosting I would make again. The cake, I doubt it. Seriously.

Coconut Cake

2010-04-05T13:54:00.014-05:00

Sunday afternoon at my grandparents were spent around the dining room table. From the time I was a little girl, I remember being drowsy with good food, sunlight streaming in through the curtains, the hum of grownups’ voices. The women talked about garden club meetings, recipes exchanged in the grocery store, bridge club, bake sales, funerals. When a coconut cake was mentioned, it was with hushed and reverent tones.

I didn’t – and still don’t - like coconut so I didn’t understand the awe associated with coconut cake.

When I was old enough to bake myself, I still didn’t get it. How hard could it be? What was the big deal?

Now I get it. I see what the big deal is. I know why baking a coconut cake using fresh coconut is a very big deal indeed.

I learned this Saturday when I made one to celebrate Easter.

The Husband poked the three “eyes” of the coconut and drained the coconut water.

He used a chisel and a hammer to crack the coconut open.

That took some doings.

Finally, success!

That was the easy part. The halves then had to be broken into pieces. The Husband broke the halves into shards. Next you’re supposed to peel off the shell. Just peel it off.

It didn’t go that smoothly. You had to take off small pieces of the shell, bit by bit. It was about as efficient, fun, and easy as peeling off old, stubborn wallpaper.

We grated the coconut and lost count of how many times we scraped knuckles and fingers on the grater.

For all that work The Husband did, this is how much coconut he got:

Seems like a lot of sugar for a dime.

I traced a six-inch cake pan onto parchment paper and cut around the circles.

I love cake pans. So pretty and shiny.

I buttered the bottoms of two six-inch cake pans, lined them with the parchment paper circles, and buttered the parchment paper. (I keep the wrappers sticks of butter come in for just this purpose.) That may be one extra step too many but that way, I don't have to worry about the cake sticking to the bottom of the pan, no matter what.

The cake:

1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cream of coconut
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line about two dozen cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine all ingredients and mix for four minutes. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake according to package directions and cool on wire rack.

(This yielded enough batter for two six-inch round cakes and about a dozen cupcakes.)

I let the cake cool a bit before brushing the tops of the cake layers and cupcakes with the reserved drained coconut water.

While the cake soaked up the coconut water I did the first round of unloading the dishwasher, loading it back, and washing the mixing bowl and my favorite measuring cups.

The frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream of coconut (there should be just that much left in the can, if not, use milk)
4 cups confectioners sugar
shredded coconut

The fun part: icing the cake.

And the cupcakes

The cakes got a thin layer of icing, a crumb coat. I refrigerated the cake for a few minutes to let the crumb coat set up. I took it from the fridge and slathered on the icing. With the crumb coat nice and chilled, the rest of the frosting goes on smoothly and easily because I don't have to worry about snagging a bunch of unslightly crumbs and dragging them into the icing. The icing is topped with the grated coconut.

Those flecks of brown are from the paper-thin layer surrounding the coconut. The fact that it’s not pristine white shows that an actual coconut was used and should be viewed as a good thing, a sign of authenticity.

Is what I tell myself anyway.

The Husband, who loves coconut cake, and the reason I made the cake, loves it. My grandmother said she thinks that’s the best coconut cake she’s ever had. High praise.

Easter Cupcakes

2010-03-30T10:26:00.006-05:00

Perfect for Easter: spring-colored tie dyed cupcakes with cream cheese icing.

I love cake. I love icing.

For the icing, I mixed together 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 8 ounces of cream cheese. I stirred in confectioners' sugar by the spoonful. I'm not sure how much - probably about a pound (1 box). I added a couple of teaspoons of vanilla.

After frosting two dozen cupcakes, I had plenty left over. I covered and refrigerated the leftover icing and plan to ice sugar cookies later this week with it.

Creole Catfish Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

2010-03-23T13:45:00.002-05:00

For dinner Sunday night I made Creole Catfish Cakes. Similar to crab cakes, only these have broiled, flaked catfish. I had only two fillets and about half a dozen leftover shrimp in the fridge, so I added that shrimp, too. I'm a gambler; fish, shrimp, it all works, right? In this case, it did.

The version I made:

2 catfish fillets, broiled
about 6 medium shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined
3 tablespoons butter
about 1/3 - 1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cups finely chopped bell pepper - Make sure the bell pepper is minced. I always forget and leave it chopped rather than minced and the pieces too big for the patties.
1/4 cups finely chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
3/4 cups fresh bread crumbs

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour. Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, while the roux bubbles. Add the milk slowly, continuing to stir until the cream sauce is thick, 10 to 12 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and mustard, mixing well.

Flake the catfish fillets into a bowl. Add the cream sauce and the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Use the fish mixture immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Using a large spoon, make cakes with the fish mixture and coat them completely with more fresh bread crumbs. Using a heavy skillet, sauté the patties gently in 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter, until they are browned. Keep warm in a low oven while you continue cooking the cakes, adding more oil and butter as needed.

Serve with remoulade (or comeback) sauce.

Serves 2-3.

Recipe courtesy of Classic Catfish Cookbook.

Parmesan Asparagus

2010-03-23T13:43:00.001-05:00

With the Creole Catfish Cakes we had asparagus with Parmesan cheese, a recipe from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything cookbook.

Simply steam asparagus, which I usually do in the microwave. Put asapragus in a cold water bath to stop it from cooking, then lay in a single layer in a caserole dish. Top with a few pats of butter and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake until cheese is good and melted.

Out of Nothing at All*

2010-03-16T09:04:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought a bag of peppers - one red, one yellow, one orange - at the store because they looked so pretty. And were on sale.

They had been sitting in the fridge ever since, hoping I wouldn't let them ruin and go to waste. Jeffrey and I talked about stir fry, then about stuffed peppers. He liked the idea of stuffing them and reminded me of the leftover boudin we'd grilled a couple of nights before.

So I did and I have to tell you that these peppers were really, really good. Easy, too!

I cooked about 2/3 cup rice in the rice cooker. While that was going, I chopped a piece of an onion that was in the fridge and sauteed it in olive oil. I chopped the boudin (about 3/4 pound, maybe) into small pieces and shredded some white cheddar, not sharp white for any particular reason except that's what was in the fridge already opened. There was spinach in the vegetable crisper so I tore a few leaves and mixed that in, too.

At some point, I preheated the oven to 375 degrees.

I halved the peppers and cleaned out the seeds. I set them aside in a lightly greased casserole dish.

When the rice was done, I tossed it, the sauteed onion, boudin, and most of the cheese together. I reserved about 1/3 cup of the shredded cheese.

That's when I realized I needed something tomato-ey to bind this all together. Luckily, there was a half a jar of basil tomato sauce in the fridge so I spooned out some of that along with a couple of tablespoons of red pepper pesto and mixed that all together.

I filled the peppers with the mixture and baked them for about 30 minutes. I put a few tablespoons of water in the bottom of the pan and I don't know why I did that except it seems like I'd seen a recipe for stuffed peppers where it called for doing that.

So it's not the prettiest dish -

When the peppers were done, I topped them with the remaining cheese. Easy, made from leftovers, and everyone liked it. Win, win, win.

* With apologies to Air Supply.

Have you seen that movie with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, where he's the 80s music has-been? The intro of that movie, the faux 1980s music video that's cheesy beyond befief? I think it was based on this Air Supply video. Solid gold.

Paninis at Home

2010-03-09T09:26:00.004-06:00

Ever since I had the best sandwich ever a couple of months ago, I've been experimenting with paninis, particularly ones with grilled vegetables on nice, crispy, toasty bread. Nom nom nom nom

I've roasted eggplant and portabella in the oven, which works very well - just brush the veggies with a bit of olive oil. I've used leftover grilled asparagus. Several times I've used leftover vegetables from the vegetable fajitas at the local Mexican restaurant (It seems curious to me that they use lots of broccoli and squash in the fajitas. It's that strange or is it just me? Somehow, I would expect only peppers and onions.)

Always included is roasted red peppers and goat cheese. Something about the combination of those two, combined with heat that melts the goat cheese, surrounded by crispy yummy bread, equals magic.

Love the panini.

I don't have one of those panini presses, a grill pan on the stovetop works fine.

I just spread one slice of bread with butter while the grill pan is heating over medium heat. Fill the sandwich with veggies and use a cast iron skillet to press it all down. I cook it for 2 to 3 minutes each side.

I've typed panini so many times it doesn't look right anymore. Panini panini panini

Ravioli Stuffed with Grilled Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese

2010-03-04T11:34:00.003-06:00

That is a really long recipe title. Maybe I shouldn't try to get every ingredient in the dish name.

We haven't made homemade pasta in a while. Since before we moved.

No wonder it felt like we hadn't had homemade pasta in a while; it had been a while!

I shredded chicken Jeffrey had grilled while an onion caramlized on the stove.

We mixed the chicken and oinion with goat cheese and roasted red pepper.

Then it was time to mix up the pasta.

(The pasta recipe bears a startling resemblance to the one for the tortellini.)

3 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the eggs and oil to combine.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and salt. Add the flour and process until the mixture forms a ball.

If the dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour. The dough should be smooth, elastic, supple - not dry.

Remove the dough from the food processor and cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

Divide dough into fourths. Wrap three pieces in plastic wrap to prevent dough from drying out. Set aside at room temperature. Flatten the remaining piece in a rectangle about the samd width as the pasta machine rollers. Flour the rollers of the pasta machine!

Roll the dough through one time. Fold the rectangle into thirds and feed it through 6 to 8 more times, folding it into a rectangle each time.

Tighten the rollers of the pasta machine one notch and feed through without folding. Repeat, tightening the rollers one notch each time. Repeat the process for the remaining three pieces of dough. Along in there, you may need to dust the rollers with flour to keep the dough moving smoothly through the rollers.

Lay the dough out on the ravioli plaque and fill. Top with a sheet of pasta dough and use a rolling pin to press the pasta onto the plaque.

It makes lots of pasta.

We froze what we didn't cook so we can enjoy it another night.

Fresh pasta doesn't take long to cook - just a few minutes in a large pot of salted, boiling water.

We enjoyed ours with a jar of roasted garlic sauce, salad, and red wine.

On the grill

2010-02-20T19:41:00.002-06:00

- 2 bone-in chicken breasts
- 1 pound marinated shrimp, skewered
- 2 applewood-smoked-bacon-wrapped beef filets
- 1 pork chop
- spinach and mozzarella chicken sausage

We'll have chicken chicken for homemade ravioli tomorrow night, chicken for chicken salad sandwiches this week, shrimp for salads through the week, sausage to snack on with sharp cheddar, and a pork chop because WHY NOT.

Boudin With Jambalaya Grits

2010-02-02T13:55:00.002-06:00

Most nights when we get up from the table I say, "That was good," or "I enjoyed it."

After this meal, I said, "Well, that was gross."

Jeffrey didn't find it gross but he didn't find it tasty, either.

I've had this recipe for a while. Last week when thinking about what we'd have for dinner, I went through my stash of recipes, the ones I print after watching something on the Food Network, the ones I tear out of magazines, and decided this was the week for Boudin with Jambalaya Grits. It's Mardi Gras time, right?

The recipe says it takes 30 minutes to prepare, which I knew was crazy talk. I could look at the recipe and know that all that chopping would take longer than that. It took me a full hour and a half. (I'm not fast in the kitchen and I like that; the kitchen is a place where I like to enjoy and savor and take my time.)

As I began cooking, after reading the recipe twice, a few things seemed odd.

First the ingredients, nothing too bizarre here:

2 pounds fresh boudin sausage links
Water, to cover
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 ounces small diced chicken
Is that chicken cooked or raw? What would you think? Is it a small chicken diced? Joking; I know that means small-diced chicken but it should be punctuated like that. It's more clear! Then again, would you dice raw chicken meat? I can't say I ever have.
Essence, recipe follows
Oh, please. I used our cajun spice mix.
4 ounces small diced andouille or smoked sausage
4 ounces small diced ham
5 cups milk
1 cup veal reduction
Veal reduction? Seriously? Funny. My neighborhood store doesn't carry that.
2 cups grits
1 cup grated white cheddar (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the boudin sausage and poach for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sausages are firm. (Gross! Boiling boudin. Ugh. I know lots of places in Louisiana do it but that sounds - and was indeed - gross.) Drain and set aside.

In medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, peppers and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Season the chicken with Essence. Add the chicken and saute to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (So the chicken was supposed to be raw? I poached a bone-in chicken breast instead.) Add the sausage and ham and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and veal reduction (or chicken stock for us poor folk who live in the country) and bring the liquid to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and stir in the grits. (What? In the pan with the sauteed vegetables, the sausage, and the chicken? Really? Good thing I used the big saute pan even though the recipe says to use a medium saucepan.) Stir for 30 seconds, then add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Cook, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the grits are tender and creamy. (Four or five minutes. Are these instant grits? Because I don't have those in my house. We used stone-ground grits from Charleston, South Carolina, the way they should be. Cook for five minutes??) Stir in the green onions. In a saute pan, heat the remaining oil. Pan sear the boudin sausage (Thank goodness. Images of that boiled boudin just...no.) for 2 minutes on each side.

To serve, mound the grits in the center of each plate. Lay two links of sausage on top of the grits. Spoon the sauce over the sausage and serve.

For all I know, instant grits would have been good in this recipe. When I've cooked with stone-ground grits before they were creamy and rich and the resulting dish reminded me of the best risotto. This? Not so much. Not at all.

I stirred the mixture and frowned at it. Jeffrey asked what I thought about it. I told him it looked like a big ole pan o'gruel; the opposite of appetizing.

The dish had little flavor. It needed lots of seasoning that the recipe didn't call for. I added more than what it said and it was still very bland. Tasteless.

If I were going to make this again, and I don't think I will, but if I was - I'd do the vegetables and meats as the recipe says with the exception of not boiling the boudin. Gah. I'd cook some rice and stir the vegetable-sausage ham mixture into the rice and serve, with or without grilled boudin.

Overall, I thought the meal was a waste of good sausage and honey baked ham.

Chicken Pie

2010-01-19T11:18:00.004-06:00

While the pie bakes it smells buttery and savory; birthday smells. It’s a special dish, not something one whips up on a weeknight for fun. It’s not fast. While not particularly hard, the recipe has several steps.

That’s what it makes it special and what makes it taste of birthday – it’s trouble. There is love in that chicken pie. My mother’s hands rolling out the pastry – how many times have I watched her do that while she and I stood in the kitchen chatting. I helped or watched her cook while we talked.

1 1/2 - 2 pound chicken
water
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 to 1/3-cup ice water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 boiled eggs
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch dish and set aside.

Cook the chicken in enough salted water to cover chicken until tender, but not until meat falls off the bones. Remove chicken from bones, shred into small pieces, and set aside; reserve broth.

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening and add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough.

Cut the dough into long strips, about an inch or two wide, to line the sides of the casserole dish.

Put half of the chicken pieces over bottom of pan. Cut half of the stick of butter in small pieces and place the butter over the chicken. Layer the chicken with egg slices and salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the chicken pieces. Pour chicken broth over chicken.

Roll out the remaining dough; cut into strips and put over the top. Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and dot the pastry with the butter.

Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Gumbo

2010-01-18T11:23:00.004-06:00

It's winter and I know that because we're cooking gumbo. Jeffrey and I spend lots of Sunday afternoons in the kitchen making gumbo. We cook a big batch and freeze it. There's nothing easier than pulling it out of the freezer and cooking a pot of rice to go with it.

Chicken, Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo

· 1 pound of chicken thighs (Chicken thighs have more flavor but you can also use chicken breasts, a whole hen, or turkey.)
· 2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces (We've used smoked turkey sausage, venison sausage, in addition or instead of andouille, combinations of all three - it all works.)
· 1 cup oil
· 1 cup flour
· 2 bell peppers, chopped
· 2 white onions, chopped
· 4 ribs celery, chopped
· 3 tablespoons of minced garlic
· 2-3 quarts chicken stock
· 2 bay leaves
· 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
· 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
· 1 bunch of green onions, tops only, chopped
· 2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
· Filé powder to taste

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown over medium high heat. Brown the sausage, pour off fat, and reserve meats.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is almost the color you prefer – anything from peanut butter to chocolate milk to coffee will do.

Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.

Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil and cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.

Add the shrimp, chopped green onions, and parsley. Heat until shrimp is pink.

Serve over rice.

Recipe can be doubled or tripled; it freezes well.

Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce

2010-01-18T11:20:00.002-06:00

I did a cooking demonstration over the weekend and this was the dessert I served. Everyone seemed to love it!

Bread Pudding

1 (1-pound) loaf of French bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice bread into cubes and place in a 9 1/2 x 13” baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter and top with pecans.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, and spices until well-mixed. Pour over bread, making sure all the bread cubes are soaking in the egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Praline Sauce
I haven't tried it yet but I bet this would be good with a slug of good bourbon added to it.

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans

In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter over low heat. Cook and stir praline sauce until sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and pecans. Serve praline sauce warm over bread pudding or ice cream.

Tomato Canapes

2010-01-11T10:10:00.004-06:00

Our friend, Sherrie, made these tasty little appetizers for New Year's Eve. She also made this really good salad and a delicious potato casserole. One day soon I'll post about those, too.

Tomato Canapes

These are good. Make a lot: The batch that Sherrie made disappeared in about two seconds.

3/4 cup finely diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons finely diced onions
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon The Lady's House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 package mini phyllo shells
1/2 cup packed shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons real bacon pieces, or more as needed (recommended: Hormel Real Bacon pieces)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the diced tomatoes in a colander. Sprinkle with the onions, basil, and House Seasoning, and toss to coat. Allow to drain, stirring occasionally. Fill each phyllo shell with a scant tablespoon of the tomato mixture. Stir together the mozzarella and mayonnaise. Frost the top of each shell with a scant tablespoon of the mozzarella mixture. Sprinkle each shell with 1/4 teaspoon of bacon pieces. Bake the filled shells for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot. These may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until serving time.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Chocolate Caramel Chews

2009-12-15T10:00:00.002-06:00

Another hit from Rose's Christmas Cookies.

These little squares are rich with a deep caramel flavor. The cookie base has oatmeal and brown sugar in it and the topping has toasted walnuts. Indulgent! Just right for the holidays.

Caramel Topping:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup (use a greased liquid measuring cup)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Cookie Base:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 (3-ounce) bars semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Caramel Topping:
In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan combine the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling. Stop stirring and continue boiling until the mixture caramelizes to a deep amber (candy thermometer will read 370 degrees) (Twice I cooked the caramel to 370 – using a different candy thermometer each time – and twice I burned the caramel. Mine was plenty amber-looking by 355 to 360 degrees.). Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and cream, using a long-handled ladle to pour the cream gradually to avoid spattering. Lumps will form but they will dissolve with further cooking.

Return the caramel to the range and continue boiling on medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.

Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared cup and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour (caramel should still be pourable). Stir in the vanilla extract after 10 minutes

Cookie Base:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides only of a 9x13” pan. (I lined a 9x13” metal baking pan with parchment paper and lightly greased it. That way, after they baked, I could just lift the whole batch from the pan. Much easier.)

Beat together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until well mixed. At low speed add the melted butter.

Press the mixture into the prepared pan and pat it in to coat the bottom evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on the chocolate pieces and walnuts. Drizzle the caramel mixture evenly on the top and return the pan to the oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling.

Allow the chews to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use a small metal spatula or pancake turner to dislodge the sides and invert the chews onto a plastic-wrap covered cookie sheet. Reinvert it onto a cutting surface and cut it lengthwise into 4 strips (each about 2 inches wide). Place on paper towels for at least 15 minutes to absorb the excess butter.

I had to read that twice and both times, I thought, “Huh?”

Or do what I did: I lifted the batch from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. I used two cutting boards to do the inverting and reinverting.

These little suckers are rich and I cut them in much smaller pieces; mine were more like 1 ½ inches by 1 ½ inches and that was just right.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature, each layer separated by wax paper.

Keeps about 3 weeks at room temperature or several months refrigerated or frozen.

Icebox Cookie: Orange Sable Cookies

2009-12-14T13:39:00.003-06:00

From Martha Stewart. Hers are much prettier than mine. That's okay; they all taste good.

1 1/4 cups whole blanched almonds
1 cup confectioners' sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (2 to 3 oranges)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sanding or granulated sugar, for rolling

Place almonds and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal; set aside.

Place butter and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. On low, add almond mixture; beat until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add egg and orange juice; combine. Add flour; combine.

Place two 12-by-16-inch pieces of parchment on a clean work surface. Divide dough in half. Form a rough log with each half; place on parchment. Fold parchment over dough; use a ruler to roll and press dough into 1 1/2-inch-diameter logs. Wrap. Chill for at least 3 hours.

If desired, finely chop candied ginger and put in a wide, shallow container. Place chilled cookie dough roll in the ginger and roll, pressing ginger into the dough. I also added a sprinkle of crunchy raw sugar, too.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Spread sanding sugar in a baking pan. Unwrap logs; roll in sugar to coat. Cut into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds; place on sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake until edges turn golden, about 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Bake or freeze remaining dough.

Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Rose's Crescents

2009-12-07T17:04:00.000-06:00

These cookies may not be the showiest cookies on the table. No sparkles or glittering red and green sugar. But one bite...

They are delicate and melt in the mouth. I wish I had one right now.

After baking they do a little roll in a bowl of superfine sugar with a hint of cinnamon is perfect. I had thought about adding a bit of freshly grated nutmeg to the mixture but didn't; the first time I make a recipe I like to go exactly by the directions before I add my own touches and twists. I'm glad I didn't add anything else - it was just right.

Recipe from Rose's Christmas Cookies, a fabulous cookbook.

Cookies:
2/3 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/3 cup sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) softened unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups of flour

Topping:
1/2 cup superfine sugar*
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

*Make your own superfine sugar by whirling granulated sugar in the food processor a bit.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Soften the butter. Grind the almonds very finely. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almonds, butter, and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour and salt and beat them into the mixture on low speed until incorporated.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide the dough into 8 portions. Work with 1 section at a time, keeping the remainder of the dough refrigerated. Knead the dough between floured hands until malleable. Pinch off a portion and roll it into a 3/4-inch round ball. On a lightly floured surface roll each ball into a cylinder with tapered ends, about 3 inches long by 1/2-inch thick. Form each cylinder into a crescent shape and place on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.

Cool the cookies on sheets for 10 minutes. While still warm, lift cookies from the baking sheet and dip them, one at a time, in the cinnamon mixture, turning gently to coat all over. Finish cooling the cookies on wire racks.

Cookies keep 1 month at room temperature, 1 month refrigerated, or several months frozen.

Makes 5 dozen.

Toffee

2009-12-02T11:20:00.002-06:00

You may have seen this toffee recipe before, like last year at Christmas.

It's a classic.

1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped blanched almonds (or coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts)
1 cup unsalted butter (do not substitute)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

Butter a 9x13” pan. Sprinkle half of nuts in greased pan and set aside.

Melt butter, sugar, and water together over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often until temperature reaches 300°. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and let harden. Sprinkle chocolate over the top and let stand for 5 minutes. Spread chocolate over the top and sprinkle with additional chopped nuts while chocolate is still warm.

Let cool completely and break into pieces.

Keeps well in an airtight container. Can also be frozen; wrap well and place in airtight container.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

2009-12-02T10:41:00.002-06:00

I make these year 'round although Christmas seems especially appropriate for cookies.

What I like about these is that you can mix up the dough, shape into a log and slice and bake the cookies or you can roll out the dough and use cookie cutters. This cookie dough works with you. You can pinch off a bit, shape it into a ball, and roll it in sugar before placing it on the baking pan and gently smooshing it down.

2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa
4 tablespoons instant coffee
heaping 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

If you’d like to make your own slice and bake cookies, after dough is well chilled, shape into a log shape, about two inches or so in diameter. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in aluminum foil and place in a freezer zip-top bag.

When ready to bake, slice off rounds about 1/4-inch thick and place on ungreased baking sheet. No need to thaw first.

Dough can also be rolled out on a lightly floured surface and cut out with cookie cutters.)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake for about 8 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on baking sheet; remove and cool completely on wire rack.

Praline Pumpkin Torte

2009-11-29T13:24:00.005-06:00

Between October and December, if my mother needs a dessert suggestion she knows she will hear this from me. I love this cake.

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Cake:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, which I never have so I use a combination of cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, cream. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into three well-greased 9-inch round baking pans. Sprinkle with pecans; cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture and beat just until blended. Carefully spoon the batter over the brown sugar mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cakes for 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Place one cake layer, praline side up, on a serving plate. In a mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Spread one-third of whipped cream over cake. Top with second cake layer and spread with one-third of whipped cream, and repeat with the third layer. Sprinkle with additional pecans if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serves 12 to 14.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

2009-11-26T19:48:00.004-06:00

From Ezra Poundcake, this pie is deep and rich and went perfectly with coffee after the holiday meal.

Toasting pecans with cinnamon - that is genuis!

I made one change in the recipe; there was not a bottle of dark Karo syrup to be found anywhere in town so I used 1/2 cup molasses for the 1/2 cup dark corn syrup instead. It complimented the bourbon nicely.

Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Spiced Sugar Glaze

2009-11-24T11:03:00.004-06:00

I made this cake a couple of years ago and likely vowed not to ever make it again. I killed my garbage disposal by stuffing sweet potato peel in it.

This time the process went much more smoothly. I love this cake: the glaze is toffee-like and the cake is moist with a great texture and tastes of the holidays.

Recipe from the novel Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray.

Cake:
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup dark rum, plus more if needed
3 cups flour, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for salting the water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 large sweet potatoes
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup toasted nuts, such as pecans or walnuts (optional)

Glaze:
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon reserved rum from cake recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted Bundt pan.

2. In a nonreactive bowl, soak raisins in the rum for at least 30 minutes. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices.

3. Peel sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks, place in salted water, bring to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and let dry for a few minutes, then mash coarsely. Measure 2 cups of sweet potatoes and reserve.

4. In a mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the eggs to break them up, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vegetable oil and vanilla. Drain the raisins, reserving the liquid. Add 1/4 cup of the rum to the batter. Add the sweet potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined.

5. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk (start and finish with the flour). Fold in raisins and nuts, if using. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack.

6. While the cake is cooling, make the glaze: Mix the sugar, butter and cream in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue to boil until the mixture thickens somewhat, 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add about 1 tablespoon of reserved rum (add fresh rum, if needed).

7. Set the cake and cooling rack over a baking sheet. With a toothpick, punch holes all over the cake. Pour 1/3 of the glaze over the cake. Wait 15 minutes, then pour the remaining glaze on top. You must glaze the cake while it's hot. Allow cake to cool completely.

Roasted Asparagus and Onion Risotto

2009-11-19T13:02:00.003-06:00

We tweaked a recipe for Asparagus Risotto and came up with this one, where we roast the onions and asparagus together. I think roasted or caramelized onions are one of the best things under the sun and this risotto has become our go-to side dish recipe. It tastes rich without being heavy and is the perfect side for roasted chicken and makes a great Sunday night meal.

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
7 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (We often use closer to 1/2 cup cheese.)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put asparagus and onion pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and maintain at a simmer. Spray large heavy skillet with cooking spray and add rice. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then add the wine and cook until absorbed.

Stir in 1 cup simmering broth. Cook until broth is almost completely absorbed, stirring frequently, then add another cup of simmering broth. Repeat until only about 1/4 cup of broth remains (discard remaining broth)*, which should take about 20 minutes.

Add roasted asparagus and onion; heat through. Remove from the heat; add the butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and serve to appreciative eaters.

*This note is from the original recipe. It's odd, isn't it? One time we made it and didn't need that last bit of chicken broth. One time we used it all. Just do what feels right.

Tie-Dyed Cupcakes

2009-11-13T09:43:00.004-06:00

The Child's birthday is today and we took cupcakes to school for the class snack. I saw this rainbow-cupcake idea at the Cupcake Queen blog a few weeks ago. It's genuis - so easy and so effective.

Start with a box of white cake mix and divide it into how many colors you want, remembering to reserve some white. Next time I'll probably let more cake batter remain plain white for more contrast.

Plop a bit of each color into the cupcake liners.

Swirl around a bit using a spoon.

Bake!

Frost and top with sprinkles.

For the frosting, I mixed 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with about 3 cups of sifted confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and enough milk (probably 4 tablespoons) to make it smooth and spreadable. Good yet very sweet.

I'm sure The Child's teachers will be thrilled with all that sugar the kids ingest!

Salmon with Maple-Lemon Glaze

2009-11-10T19:05:00.004-06:00

This recipe was in a spring issue of Cooking Light. That particular issue is still in my cookbook holder. The cover is bright and cheery and the magazine has a number of dishes I kept meaning to make, like this one. We tried it one night last night and it is delicious. Easy and tasty.

Fresh: Finish the fish under the broiler to caramelize the glaze into a tasty browned crust. Serve with roasted potato wedges and peas.

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Refrigerate 10 minutes, turning bag once.

3. Remove fish from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute.

4. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over. Brush marinade evenly over fish. Broil 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Fried Peach Pies

2009-11-09T17:40:00.003-06:00

The pastry recipe my mother swears by, the one her mother also used, is the one in the classic red-and-white checked Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook:
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water
Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until pieces are pea-size, being careful not to overwork the dough.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball, again, not kneading the dough. Messing with the dough too much causes gluten to form, which is good in bread but not so much in pie pastry.

At this point, you can refrigerate the dough while preparing the filling.

Peach Pie Filling

Place the dried peaches (2 6-ounce packages) in a medium saucepan and add enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let cook until most of the water is evaporated and the peaches are tender. Use a potato masher to mash.

Drain off the remaining water and taste. Depending on how sweet you like your peaches, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar. I'd add just a dash of cinnamon here but that's just me.

(My grandmother also makes a mean fried apple pie that she puts apricots in the filling. Talk about good.)

Make the fried pies:

On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out circles about 5 to 6 inches in diameter.

Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each and fold over dough to make a half-moon shape. Use a fork to crimp the edges together.

In a black skillet (or other heavy pan) heat 1 inch of canola or vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Cook pies for about 2 minutes per side. Let drain on paper towels.

Apple, Walnut, and Gorgonzola Crostata

2009-11-01T07:55:00.003-06:00

From an episode of Giada at Home:

Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/8 cup dark brown and 1/8 cup white sugar. Dark brown sugar has such a caramely flavor.)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the crust: In a food processor combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is finely chopped and the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the mascarpone cheese and lemon juice and pulse a few times. Add the ice water and run the machine just until the mixture is moist and crumbly, but does not form a ball. Do not over mix. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Press into a disc, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the filling: Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, walnuts, and Gorgonzola.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside of a 12 by 17-inch baking sheet and place on a work surface. Place the chilled dough on the parchment paper. Roll the dough out into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Lift the parchment paper and transfer to the baking sheet. Spoon the apple filling into the center of the dough. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round. Pleat the edge of the pastry and pinch to seal any cracks in the dough.

Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the beaten egg. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

This was right tasty but when I make it again I'll do a few things different:
* Use a different apple. Granny Smiths are tart. Tart, tart. I'd use a combination of Golden Delicious and Red Rome.

* Dust the pastry with a sprinkling of raw sugar before baking. It'd give the crust a nice, sugary crunch.

* Still with the apples...I'd up the sugar to about 1/3 to 1/2 cup even using a sweeter apple.

* I'd add just a touch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Paula Deen's Caramel Nut Pound Cake

2009-10-31T15:55:00.001-05:00

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Lightly toast pecans in preheated oven on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Thoroughly grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan. I used to use a paper towel to spread the shortening on. Now? I just dig in with my fingers. It seems faster that way.

Cream butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed on
mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Pour batter prepared pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10
minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if you like.

I mixed up a glaze of sifted confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla, and the cake so didn't need it. It's plenty sweet on its own.

Candy Corn Bark

2009-10-29T09:11:00.005-05:00

All sweet, all sugar -- perfect for Halloween.

16 Halloween-colored chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped
1 1/2 cups broken small pretzels
1 1/2 pounds white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 cups candy corn

(If I were making this for me, I'd add chopped peanuts since I think nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts) enhance pretty much any sweet dish. Since it's for kids who may or may not have peanut allergies I didn't add any. If I were making this for me, I'd also use semi-sweet chocolate instead of white chocolate since white chocolate is not chocolate at all. It's candy and that's great but it's not chocolate.)

Line a medium-ish sized baking sheet with parchment paper, waxed paper, or a silpat.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Or melt it in your microwave if you know your microwave really well and you're on good terms with it. I put the chopped white chocolate in a bowl and microwaved it for about 20 seconds, then stirred, then another 20 seconds, then stirred, repeat, repeat. White chocolate can burn - it gets all clumpy and gray looking - in a second so watch it closely. Take it out before it's completely melted and stir it for a bit and it should be fine.

While you're negotiating with the microwave, spread the pretzels and cookie pieces on the prepared baking sheet.

Pour the melted chocolate over the pretzel and cookie pieces. Spread with a spatula (don't worry about getting it smooth) and top with candy corn. Let sit until it hardens and and break or cut into pieces.

I filled clear cellophane bags with a few pieces and tied them with orange and black raffia, which I then failed to take a photo of. The kids seemed to like them at the Trunk or Treat.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2009-10-26T14:06:00.003-05:00

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups dark brown sugar*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash each of nutmeg, ground cloves, and ginger**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I ended up using most of the entire can.)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple, chopped in a fairly small dice (I almost grated the apple instead. I wonder how that would have turned out?)

* The original recipe called for white sugar but I live on the edge and I substituted brown sugar and dark brown sugar at that. I think it gives a deep, rich flavor to this type of autumnal baked goods.

** Pumpkin pie spice was what the original recipe called for but I don't have a tin of Pumpkin Pie Spice in my cupboard. I don't see the point of buying a container of something I'll use maybe three times a year. So I used a combination of cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and nutmeg. I have no idea how much of each. Just toss in some of your favorite seasonal spices.

Streusel topping:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line 18 or so*** cupcake cups with paper lines.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, and spices. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.

Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes.

I used Granny Smith apple, which was pretty tart. Next time I'll try another baking apple.

Also, next time I'd add some toasted walnuts or pecans to both the batter and the streusel topping.

*** This recipe made 24 muffins, although the original recipe said it would yield 18.

Sunday Supper: Soup and Cornbread

2009-10-19T08:56:00.005-05:00

Winter Soup

1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
28 ounce can tomatoes
2 15-oz cans tomato sauce
1 large potato chopped in small dice
2 16-oz packages frozen mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon salt (That seems like a lot of salt but it seems to need it. You can cut back on the amount, of course, and add other seasonings.)
1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or water)

Brown meat in large pot. Add onion, bell pepper and celery – cook until soft. Add other ingredients and simmer 3 or 4 hours. Freezes well.

If the recipe sounds familiar, it's a reprint from last season. It's easy and tasty and makes a big pot full of soup. Three of us ate it for dinner last night and we put up five containers in the freezer for other Sunday night suppers.

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

2009-10-13T10:08:00.002-05:00

We saw an episode of Giada at Home over the weekend and decided to give this one a try at our home.

I don’t like meatloaf and haven’t since I was about four years old. But I loved this: flavorful and easy and so good. We filed it away under “keeper.”

Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped garlic- and herb-marinated sun dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk (I used skim because that’s what I had.)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (We used a mixture of ground white and dark meat.)

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

Make-ahead dishes are the bomb. This one we could mix up a day ahead and the next day when we got home, all we’d have to do is pop it in the oven.

Maybe the blue next time

2009-09-15T19:07:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I was at a Fresh Market to get some tuna steaks.

And to smile at the display of flowers, to flinch at the prices of produce, to ogle the bread display, and mostly to wander around and daydream.

The customer in front of me asked the seafood counter lady if they had redfish.

She looked in the display case and there was no redfish.

"No red fish but we do have salmon," she said helpfully.

Because salmon is you know, salmon-colored, which is kind of close to red.

BLESS HER HEART.

I glanced at the customer, who looked confused.

She said, "What about grouper or catfish?"

I'm thinking the seafood counter lady was thinking, "Hell, that fish is white."