tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11599209849151732012024-03-13T15:43:55.344-04:00Kath - What's for Dinner Tonight?Stories from the intersection of food and familyKathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-67022297996011308732013-11-27T16:12:00.002-05:002013-11-27T16:12:42.895-05:00Dairy Free Pumpkin PieYou read that right - DAIRY FREE PUMPKIN PIE.<br />
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First, though, happy almost Thanksgiving and happy Hanukkah to all my friends for whom tomorrow will be Thanksgivikkah. <br />
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Everyone in my family loves pumpkin pie. Of course, we can no longer eat it here, what with Em's dairy allergy. A couple of years ago I made one with soy milk. One word: yuck. Soy milk just doesn't bake well - it gets sweet, plus it has a weird, slightly plastic after-taste no amount of ginger and cinnamon was able to cover. We did not love it. I don't know what happened last year - I think I was just too busy to bake, but this morning, as I was sitting around thinking about how much I missed pumpkin pie, I had a thought: rice milk.<br />
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Good idea, yeah? Except the rice milk you can buy at whole foods and other such places is produced in a factory that also produces almond and hazelnut milk. Guess what else my daughter is allergic to? Yep, you got it.<br />
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But, as I was thinking about it, it occurred to me that it would be pretty easy to make my own rice milk.<br />
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Which is what I did:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZtMfUfY0hKjAyk2xaT9ucJzMqjU8kF7X8hZHzDakwf3OaX2ShZ248anPFnQYF3ChGOGoul30uhDUQqNZDH6X86qhUY8mKlHEQ24ZL3UXpGPVi20hBbJeUTKV8cTeNFMO1YUKW_sU3vA/s1600/IMG_1587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZtMfUfY0hKjAyk2xaT9ucJzMqjU8kF7X8hZHzDakwf3OaX2ShZ248anPFnQYF3ChGOGoul30uhDUQqNZDH6X86qhUY8mKlHEQ24ZL3UXpGPVi20hBbJeUTKV8cTeNFMO1YUKW_sU3vA/s320/IMG_1587.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's not that hard, actually. Never occurred to me before. Here's how you do it (this makes quite a bit):</div>
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2 Cups of long grain white rice</div>
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8 cups of water</div>
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1 tsp table salt</div>
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Get out you Dutch Oven or a stock pot and heat it up on the stove. When it's hot, toast your rice in the pot until it becomes fragrant, but before it browns - about 1-2 minutes. Then, add your 8 cups of water and bring it all to a boil. Put a lid on it, turn it down and let it simmer for 15 minutes, then turn the whole thing off and let it sit another 10 minutes. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFI5AKIvzZEQv3HwsMMhGsnMXyiUE3cD9BYx7NCmWodHZhxSrYUwuNR5YsbAOOOGusyq94Gx-Hj5VWvSzH8hX70eIO2vA1_J-ucBKWl-LdFFbjj-jvcWP9oxUOd_Ifbow3LVOZHAH1rc/s1600/IMG_1586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFI5AKIvzZEQv3HwsMMhGsnMXyiUE3cD9BYx7NCmWodHZhxSrYUwuNR5YsbAOOOGusyq94Gx-Hj5VWvSzH8hX70eIO2vA1_J-ucBKWl-LdFFbjj-jvcWP9oxUOd_Ifbow3LVOZHAH1rc/s200/IMG_1586.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what it looked like when it was<br />
finished blending</td></tr>
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Remove the lid and give it a stir. It should be pretty watery. Put two cups of this rice into a blender, I have a Vitamix knock-off which does a pretty good job of whirring things up - add another 1/2 cup to a full cup of water if your rice is too thick to blend - but it will make your rice milk taste a little watery. Add 1/4 cup of honey to this and blend again. A lot of websites suggest you strain this mixture, however, I felt like it was all nice and thick the way a can of condensed milk would be. Put this batch aside, and then repeat the process with the remaining rice. Put all in a container in a fridge except about 1 of cup which you'll use for the pie. The rice milk should last a week or so. Not sure if you can freeze, but I don't actually see why not. I'll experiment and let you know.</div>
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OK, now for the PIE.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MITfRD3-MUGJVUd3SQKE2dt7ELEGZr3acdpDBi5_MkmgtO_dt8IMKqhciRtsuPm_tfPpnd-r2MeHWloOpGrBwnpc9IfWg23BqpGoZ9yLuj4869Ira72IERCFJIP7vwz7gCEiapnTPg4/s1600/IMG_1585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MITfRD3-MUGJVUd3SQKE2dt7ELEGZr3acdpDBi5_MkmgtO_dt8IMKqhciRtsuPm_tfPpnd-r2MeHWloOpGrBwnpc9IfWg23BqpGoZ9yLuj4869Ira72IERCFJIP7vwz7gCEiapnTPg4/s400/IMG_1585.jpg" width="400" /></a> <b>Here's what you need:</b><br />
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For the crust:<br />
2 Cups finely ground ginger snaps*<br />
4 TBLSP grape seed oil<br />
1 TBLSP honey<br />
*(do this in your food processor - the number of snaps you'll need will vary by the size of the snap - I used vegan snaps from Whole Foods - but most ginger snaps are vegan - and you can get packages of them from the grocery)<br />
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For the filling:<br />
1 15oz can of pumpkin puree<br />
1/3 cup of brown sugar<br />
1 tsp of ground ginger<br />
1 tsp of cinnamon (you can use 1/2 a tsp if you don't like your pies too cinnamon)<br />
1/2 tsp table salt<br />
3 eggs, beaten<br />
3/4 cup of rice milk<br />
1/2 cup of maple syrup<br />
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<b>Here's what you do:</b></div>
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This first part is for the crust - </div>
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Place your gingersnaps, oil and honey in a food processor and whir it up. Turn the mixture out into a pie plate and press into place.</div>
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Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vB5Qp8zOjMy1rn_ok0gFMyjG9bJbAErvLSIgIsDIW2eNRXhKCjjQ05On50bI0pM-cyuG4wOwnKYFkHIGTHbyDyLOYUYEHiWwGdvvF0ZKDFnWNujjoWOmh4UZzA3ay8d2-BpA6OLw8aY/s1600/IMG_1584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vB5Qp8zOjMy1rn_ok0gFMyjG9bJbAErvLSIgIsDIW2eNRXhKCjjQ05On50bI0pM-cyuG4wOwnKYFkHIGTHbyDyLOYUYEHiWwGdvvF0ZKDFnWNujjoWOmh4UZzA3ay8d2-BpA6OLw8aY/s320/IMG_1584.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then, in a large bowl, stir the pumpkin, spices, salt and sugar together. Whisk in your eggs, then whisk in the rice milk followed by the maple syrup. Pour all into your prepared pie crust. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then turn your oven down to 350 and bake for 40 - 45 minutes. </div>
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While it's baking clean your kitchen: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear Lord, what a mess.</td></tr>
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After 40 or so minutes, check the pie, if it's really jiggly, give it another 5 - if it's not, take it out and let it cool. Once my pie is cooled off, I'm putting my pie in the fridge because we will be eating it tomorrow, on Thanksgiving. </div>
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Enjoy - Happy Turkey Day!</div>
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Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-34832556068265184002013-11-01T10:44:00.000-04:002013-11-01T10:44:11.863-04:00So you can find me....<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11172051/?claim=6k56bnrqksp">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br />
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We'll see if this works -Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-42353350082013930062013-10-20T19:09:00.002-04:002013-10-20T19:09:51.238-04:00I'll Take ManhattanLast week when I posted about my husband's perfect Manhattan - what I didn't post was the recipe for it. <br />
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I'm still apologizing to so many people for that -<br />
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So, to redeem myself, here goes:<br />
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This is for one drink - double everything for two.<br />
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First, you need 2 oz of Rye. We are fans of Bulleit. If you don't have, or can't find Rye, Bourbon will do. (Personally, I'm a fan of a Rye Bourbon combo - but I'm not a purist like my husband...)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThHaPIBAEpaeRz96cBA7SRsx-8qSaCWFBQlT5HaytUr1y_pHzeJ736rzFMOb34R4u9WYOKQyQ2GbsnxVmdtla6WPVJNzTbXwf2vqG62Qf3b1eawkQzL6DkXYgXU52s2AhlxjAB5bNp6s/s1600/IMG_1474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThHaPIBAEpaeRz96cBA7SRsx-8qSaCWFBQlT5HaytUr1y_pHzeJ736rzFMOb34R4u9WYOKQyQ2GbsnxVmdtla6WPVJNzTbXwf2vqG62Qf3b1eawkQzL6DkXYgXU52s2AhlxjAB5bNp6s/s320/IMG_1474.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Then you need sweet Vermouth - 1 oz:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLNA7WG83y3ZgGhq2v-lEGLRJ-mVALO1rif09dy8USbVsxYgwmGOgV1s89o4Iaxim4FK6lWq93Bg4S3XWQKoTLGO86nNmGah_6zKIa1lbJUQMH5u_EQMHqBnOS-VxnDCiJDrxe27HtFI/s1600/IMG_1477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLNA7WG83y3ZgGhq2v-lEGLRJ-mVALO1rif09dy8USbVsxYgwmGOgV1s89o4Iaxim4FK6lWq93Bg4S3XWQKoTLGO86nNmGah_6zKIa1lbJUQMH5u_EQMHqBnOS-VxnDCiJDrxe27HtFI/s320/IMG_1477.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU2RUy9k8-3AUS6a0wB1sQ3OkGCQR3hvNggkieC0g_yQvFGfM0-cOmue8CG2c2c5fKrY8Or-IOU4s9NnQDuYDwsUVp7RfBB4QazVhsQA8ynWL21id0V0HTXXFe0tdVXjMf3ikGIaU5vE/s1600/IMG_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU2RUy9k8-3AUS6a0wB1sQ3OkGCQR3hvNggkieC0g_yQvFGfM0-cOmue8CG2c2c5fKrY8Or-IOU4s9NnQDuYDwsUVp7RfBB4QazVhsQA8ynWL21id0V0HTXXFe0tdVXjMf3ikGIaU5vE/s320/IMG_1478.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I just realized that in these pictures my husband is making 2 drinks. I'm going to stick with my recipe for one though - mK?</div>
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Next - the all important Maraschino Cherry. Drop one in the bottom of your glass along with a smidge of cherry marinating liquid.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFSIbn3D6IG88PHLEw9adL1gijj8y8no9mjLJStkAD2B0mB1vNgs0JvAeP85yNU5kLDaUDDwfsEXwwxX0Hev9I5jxZ-zas85QqHp_TJNwvWdc9baZ5Oy6L1xn8AlBmeH3hCIC9goiY4w/s1600/IMG_1480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFSIbn3D6IG88PHLEw9adL1gijj8y8no9mjLJStkAD2B0mB1vNgs0JvAeP85yNU5kLDaUDDwfsEXwwxX0Hev9I5jxZ-zas85QqHp_TJNwvWdc9baZ5Oy6L1xn8AlBmeH3hCIC9goiY4w/s320/IMG_1480.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOx7XZb9w1dVnqc4gPLL7sFLpJolLuzpKsu1rG8p23-d4GDDryjMew2xd9TW1Hchh6SX5M4uMWGpVrfw9gux3tqcbMkNzkyy25aTSkh8DsU_LiQ42KFPDP1mtC0DHS8uYy1AbCKga39k/s1600/IMG_1485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOx7XZb9w1dVnqc4gPLL7sFLpJolLuzpKsu1rG8p23-d4GDDryjMew2xd9TW1Hchh6SX5M4uMWGpVrfw9gux3tqcbMkNzkyy25aTSkh8DsU_LiQ42KFPDP1mtC0DHS8uYy1AbCKga39k/s320/IMG_1485.jpg" width="240" /></a>Get yourself some ice in your shaker<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_pf0Ums4MuZlbyaiu4WVjj337MxvVIuuG9GrTBZa0j53Y38N6QJOla7b-VFMhsQyUT5Ut4L-6lbMVbWHN0BdBKMuKmmxBJsxaGX9jtwpk0FS2dReu6BjBDamKxP8L6-HKjdZ2xeS2zs/s1600/IMG_1481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_pf0Ums4MuZlbyaiu4WVjj337MxvVIuuG9GrTBZa0j53Y38N6QJOla7b-VFMhsQyUT5Ut4L-6lbMVbWHN0BdBKMuKmmxBJsxaGX9jtwpk0FS2dReu6BjBDamKxP8L6-HKjdZ2xeS2zs/s320/IMG_1481.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And shake that puppy up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0z-KBTVSTqgezdaocGtgcFhm1KQQ1g637ndkr9BbAc5OnLUlfx4CGznKWAQE5X-ND4I5xmUJTzVTDlTRWpfrG0rUdlnEbldXBZ53pnVEpHHhHJ3veiQPQvCAUl7YDaKNOEOIjr_mlFU/s1600/IMG_1489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0z-KBTVSTqgezdaocGtgcFhm1KQQ1g637ndkr9BbAc5OnLUlfx4CGznKWAQE5X-ND4I5xmUJTzVTDlTRWpfrG0rUdlnEbldXBZ53pnVEpHHhHJ3veiQPQvCAUl7YDaKNOEOIjr_mlFU/s320/IMG_1489.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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That's all there is to it. </div>
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Now, excuse me, I need to drink it while it's still ice cold. </div>
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<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-4619251315324727902013-10-13T21:29:00.001-04:002013-10-13T21:31:24.026-04:00It's Good to Go Retro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLWe0ilSKskY1U8SuELa6_-LnKxuyl9VDajiCsqMd404HmLf8-01GPQCShOMtnr0dey9qSlUUGHBSANCThaZqyLOz2NqyYvMN9fLJyo5alDfwqV3IlStkDt7QxomfK6P-HzXUPOSjMYg/s1600/IMG_1353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLWe0ilSKskY1U8SuELa6_-LnKxuyl9VDajiCsqMd404HmLf8-01GPQCShOMtnr0dey9qSlUUGHBSANCThaZqyLOz2NqyYvMN9fLJyo5alDfwqV3IlStkDt7QxomfK6P-HzXUPOSjMYg/s320/IMG_1353.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
You wanna know what that is? <br />
<br />
THAT, my friend, is a perfect manhattan. She's a beauty, isn't she? This is what my husband had waiting for me when I got home after a long weekend of talking about writing at the Philadelphia Stories Conference. Yes, I had a glass of wine at the final cocktail party, which was cold and good - but coming home to a super icy one of these babies is exactly what the doctor ordered. (Mixed cocktails = mixed metaphors - everyone knows that)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMW2pniADDg1c1HF3Vht5_ayetVox4RblmXi8KOd1dtwe58SgP9d9K34F84wtvvCJWjbWcUBuh-y27c051jxjXb5uSBq39Pb-Vw-r71BWJBlTjz-WHKv3X4b38_aYVnpZCLEuVM9p3SOE/s1600/IMG_1354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMW2pniADDg1c1HF3Vht5_ayetVox4RblmXi8KOd1dtwe58SgP9d9K34F84wtvvCJWjbWcUBuh-y27c051jxjXb5uSBq39Pb-Vw-r71BWJBlTjz-WHKv3X4b38_aYVnpZCLEuVM9p3SOE/s320/IMG_1354.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It's so perfectly shaken you can't even see the lovely little maraschino cherry nestled at the bottom. </div>
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Do you want to know what goes great with a perfectly shaken manhattan with a lovely little maraschino cherry nestled at the bottom?</div>
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This:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOe1LC5Ovx_chh0ZLkfN7lXX-h5rb-Jd6XJr4nrBaC3bAfRro1HMw1AZKZcFY3rybMkUUbKAE5tJJT0aSUaDjgoxuW7-JvAXFPn4qu-zJP5OyiokSqTbqI2TpZfHbn2ODgTyD7fmo-U/s1600/IMG_1405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOe1LC5Ovx_chh0ZLkfN7lXX-h5rb-Jd6XJr4nrBaC3bAfRro1HMw1AZKZcFY3rybMkUUbKAE5tJJT0aSUaDjgoxuW7-JvAXFPn4qu-zJP5OyiokSqTbqI2TpZfHbn2ODgTyD7fmo-U/s320/IMG_1405.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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That's right - Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt. You know what I love about this stuff? They got the apostrophe right, yet still went with the "K" instead of the "C" in "KRAZY" If that doesn't scream 1970s I don't know what does. </div>
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That's because it's retro man! Just like my perfect little manhattan served in my wee cocktail glass I bought last year at the flea market.</div>
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Right now we are having a Jane's renaissance in our household. I didn't realized how much I missed this seasoning until I started using it again. Mixed-up salt was our go-to seasoning in the 1970s when I was a (extremely little, seriously, very young) kid. We called it Krazy-Janes and it had pride of place on the avocado green lazy-Susan in the middle of the dinner table. I have no idea why we stopped using it. There's nothing at all in it that offends: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and "herbs". Recently I found it on the spice shelf at Acme - and now we put it on everything. Forget that $14 jar of fleur- de - sel! Krazy-Jane's is about $1.99 and lasts forever!</div>
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And can I tell you something else about Krazy-Jane's? It hales from <a href="http://www.janeskrazy.com/story.asp" target="_blank">Overbrook PA</a> - Is that the same Overbrook that is less than a mile from my home? I don't know, but I hope so. Click on "Overbrook" to see the most charming picture of Krazy-Jane's creator Jane Semans. </div>
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Jane's is good on everything - scrambled eggs, lasagne, roasted chicken, bacon. (Of course, bacon!) - but this is what I consumed when I got home, a little parched, a little peckish from a weekend talking about writing:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvmGOihsja-uO02HgCBY-Qyp_PYAPiEhXtqDuEwwOLHhqxzoyEsR5qbUEf4fcxbXpIb-TV3QHpdCJE-52sSW6qKzzzS0_laMYMBv_5Y9B94oy34e206dp64DKBEhzOSl2f_KM6C4Ab_4/s1600/IMG_1401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvmGOihsja-uO02HgCBY-Qyp_PYAPiEhXtqDuEwwOLHhqxzoyEsR5qbUEf4fcxbXpIb-TV3QHpdCJE-52sSW6qKzzzS0_laMYMBv_5Y9B94oy34e206dp64DKBEhzOSl2f_KM6C4Ab_4/s320/IMG_1401.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeA_fMhBt9GeWCINuMnEY3VCDF2R-apNmMSo2D7zeCuynadIpkSUoweB1VBhSF2K2-HYO6shexapK1-RwoFCl3705KaPIz7_8mY0GEIz0iGfV-LsBGKnzKMK2j5GvWEcct1JFwNIypjM/s1600/IMG_1406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeA_fMhBt9GeWCINuMnEY3VCDF2R-apNmMSo2D7zeCuynadIpkSUoweB1VBhSF2K2-HYO6shexapK1-RwoFCl3705KaPIz7_8mY0GEIz0iGfV-LsBGKnzKMK2j5GvWEcct1JFwNIypjM/s320/IMG_1406.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Perfect manhattan, heirloom tomato, goat cheese, water cracker and a sprinkling of Krazy Jane's. Comfort, man, that's what it's all about.Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-31632772186151594822013-09-05T21:10:00.000-04:002013-09-06T22:23:21.628-04:00Vegan! (except for the bacon)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndBvll-qn0HUnEvsJ_te2ZPj1Y3MNe3g893yqkJHT_8ynG8ClMbykwpDmi7AJ81sHmfya0lx_Fa5zaMUU9DCLddnjOYH7Dersp47TYpmuzDur6CNVvodw-Faqzg9bQwcbqlRS9pyVMh8/s1600/IMG_1362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndBvll-qn0HUnEvsJ_te2ZPj1Y3MNe3g893yqkJHT_8ynG8ClMbykwpDmi7AJ81sHmfya0lx_Fa5zaMUU9DCLddnjOYH7Dersp47TYpmuzDur6CNVvodw-Faqzg9bQwcbqlRS9pyVMh8/s320/IMG_1362.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I feel like I've written posts like this before. I so want to be vegan - I do! Really! It seems so virtuous - so healthy - like all my past sins will be atoned for if I could just eat <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/new-superfood-next-kale-trendy-health-food_n_3745978.html" target="_blank">kale and tumeric</a> not much else... <br />
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Then I open the freezer and I find the Wegman's bacon I stashed there in July just before our <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg472/Blu-news2/Sreenshots%2520Q3-Q4%25202010/NLEuropeanVacation07.jpg&imgrefurl=http://highdefnews.blogspot.com/2010/08/national-lampoons-european-vacation-blu.html&h=1080&w=1920&sz=206&tbnid=dUVmDEClPMhuJM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=155&zoom=1&usg=__2_I-TScOY-0bKBYiY7zUZYtn1dc=&docid=CnpbpieokFrnLM&sa=X&ei=EyIpUruoMfO-4AOw9IHYCw&ved=0CEsQ9QEwCQ&dur=114" target="_blank">European Vacation </a>and I loose all control. Before I know it, I'm defrosting it in the microwave and heating the cast iron skillet in a 400 degree oven...<br />
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It was a beautiful evening at the farmer's market. The organic veggie farmer and I discussed the stunning Swiss chard, with it's emerald city leaves and citron stem. He had garlic too - and an heirloom style tomato, and oh-my-god: Swiss chard pesto spaghetti with a fresh tomato sliced on top. I couldn't get home fast enough.<br />
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Roughly chopped chard, dropped into the Cuisinart, along with a small handful of cilantro I happened to have. 3 cloves of rough chopped fresh garlic. Half a lemon squeezed in, half a lime, 1/4 cup of olive oil, pinch of sea salt, two or three grinds of pepper and a pinch of sugar to cut the bitterness. Whirred it all up.<br />
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I thought it was great.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRWVHOlKDVKcMDLXT-ZHDlks67UqusRVQmqyjbbdNwr504QSiSuG4tf9ABNteM13ndBrab_4FaqBlo7E2L2nOxS4DvCFbZTACWg968SKTA8faiVVCU1VvxSTKrWQ-Gsghf6aPJS5OxPI/s1600/IMG_1361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRWVHOlKDVKcMDLXT-ZHDlks67UqusRVQmqyjbbdNwr504QSiSuG4tf9ABNteM13ndBrab_4FaqBlo7E2L2nOxS4DvCFbZTACWg968SKTA8faiVVCU1VvxSTKrWQ-Gsghf6aPJS5OxPI/s320/IMG_1361.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Smith took a taste - and he was - polite- but not enthusiastic.<br />
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That's when I heard the call of the bacon.<br />
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The thing to do is to cook the bacon in your big cast iron skillet then take the bacon out, let it drain on a paper towel, and when your pasta's ready, drain it and drop it into the skillet to soak up all that beautiful bacon fat. Then stir in the pesto, slice the tomato and throw it on top. Almost vegan! Seriously! Almost!<br />
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Finish it with another pinch of fleur de sel and a dash of really good balsamic vinegar. You won't regret the bacon. Chard and bacon kind of cancel each other out - don't they? I think they do.<br />
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<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-72518655629630723842013-04-23T22:10:00.000-04:002013-04-23T22:48:58.304-04:00Dairy and Tree Nut Free PESTO with cauliflower and roasted Cauliflower (or, the best meal I've made this week...)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3sWvmBBVFP9Ib9rMJASIUFCjr4dANpDZIH1jKmsUiQSC7EzKVdeZCf620102JnvMYXIP8TxfyPuBb06P5J96yD2EGlwz98N10x261IN6bUCqNj44TPXQnmB3Fu6ouApc1rGOpjJIX-I/s1600/IMG_0235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3sWvmBBVFP9Ib9rMJASIUFCjr4dANpDZIH1jKmsUiQSC7EzKVdeZCf620102JnvMYXIP8TxfyPuBb06P5J96yD2EGlwz98N10x261IN6bUCqNj44TPXQnmB3Fu6ouApc1rGOpjJIX-I/s320/IMG_0235.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's difficult to convey how high this is -<br />
however, this is the highest shelf in my<br />
kitchen. I also feel I need to let you know<br />
I am 5'2"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Cuisinart food processor is a very large appliance when you have a smallish kitchen. I've seen people who have actual "sheds" for this appliance - little cubbies with roll-down fronts kind of like old fashioned roll-top desks. Others have fancy-pants lower cabinets with a little lift that magically glides the heavy Cuisinart from the lower shelf to a spot that's counter level. But I do not have such a kitchen. I have a simple apple green kitchen with butcher block counters and my Cuisinart stays out on said counters for weeks at a time until I get sick of looking at it at which point I take it apart and stick it in an upper cabinet because clearly if I haven't used it in weeks, I'm not going to use it for more weeks. The damn thing is heavy and the only free cabinet space for it is way up high and involves a step stool. Yesterday, I put it away. Today, I thought of a recipe and needed to use it.<br />
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Isn't that always the way it is?<br />
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Sigh.<br />
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One of the more difficult thing about being a dairy and tree nut/seed free home is proper basil pesto. I do make basil/olive oil/garlic pesto - and it's fine - but I miss that wonderful grittiness that parmesan and pine nuts add. Without them, well, it's just sauce.<br />
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So I was thinking about it this afternoon when I should have been grading papers. And it suddenly occurred to me that I could get that grittiness if I used uncooked cauliflower or broccoli. Not a lot - but you know how when you chop cauliflower up for roasting and there's always these little bits left, too small for the roasting pan, but it kills you to throw them away, because it's horrible to waste that much food but unless you let the dog eat it, how else are you going to use it?<br />
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Well, I propose that you scrap all that yumminess up and deposit it right into that Cuisinart you just struggled to get down from that upper shelf. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpkxb2FzmEWM0JEpzuiPtRfSdwhwFKsmS2AOMLrZMlvZsp5DboxovTM5NMthORJSlH1sEkMkSETNnGDKQrzyyaCm6DlgoCAIiT5rFy8G7thuc-hLSPovcowGPRr0xvxPw2PSliUhU940/s1600/IMG_0236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpkxb2FzmEWM0JEpzuiPtRfSdwhwFKsmS2AOMLrZMlvZsp5DboxovTM5NMthORJSlH1sEkMkSETNnGDKQrzyyaCm6DlgoCAIiT5rFy8G7thuc-hLSPovcowGPRr0xvxPw2PSliUhU940/s320/IMG_0236.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoWoi-Br-G9ELv5C1qcJydJtUTrmBcFwlabpp9nTq_qWq2tUrVs6w4wjOorixJrrjqj6KtpXarTxUyH2opCmAN5ha30dYbTwcWX7cEfoy2PspIFwfe6tEAkQdx_oMpCTMlP4n8BGnddQ/s1600/IMG_0237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoWoi-Br-G9ELv5C1qcJydJtUTrmBcFwlabpp9nTq_qWq2tUrVs6w4wjOorixJrrjqj6KtpXarTxUyH2opCmAN5ha30dYbTwcWX7cEfoy2PspIFwfe6tEAkQdx_oMpCTMlP4n8BGnddQ/s200/IMG_0237.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
Then add some garlic and basil, maybe a little cilantro and some lemon juice and spin it up and throw it on top of some pasta and you will have some pesto that is a lot like the traditional kind - but without all the things that gives your 16 year old daughter violent stomach aches and hives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpjhFQhYeNBzG9J1oc8kFfXPEHf2Omvc5ewqrRC28kc-zVhcKVH8PZLlJfeFsoIjDyIFv3_F3QsswzQvTewxxmU2RspeyGzyU6pBn45d3ZkMWHH3Cd-lZj5Ls2i7vzSXZyRKPYUT1vJs/s1600/IMG_0238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpjhFQhYeNBzG9J1oc8kFfXPEHf2Omvc5ewqrRC28kc-zVhcKVH8PZLlJfeFsoIjDyIFv3_F3QsswzQvTewxxmU2RspeyGzyU6pBn45d3ZkMWHH3Cd-lZj5Ls2i7vzSXZyRKPYUT1vJs/s320/IMG_0238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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YUM - but - I know what you're thinking - what about the rest of that large head of cauliflower? You toss it with olive oil and sea salt and a turn or two of pepper and roast it of course. While it's roasting, prepare your pesto, cook your pasta, put it all together in a bowl and<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZE9T3AETAGL6y_VzpHqELG_TL2UDLPPPytEMcgwuoPuW_i7q7xk-6CGkl8P5kh6OPX6os7dE_zhKVWZDWKOMMIqNRDv4_MzYMAfwiPVd-Whn1iBMpqdzLAGdH1cedK1UppjCK32wfiI/s1600/IMG_0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZE9T3AETAGL6y_VzpHqELG_TL2UDLPPPytEMcgwuoPuW_i7q7xk-6CGkl8P5kh6OPX6os7dE_zhKVWZDWKOMMIqNRDv4_MzYMAfwiPVd-Whn1iBMpqdzLAGdH1cedK1UppjCK32wfiI/s400/IMG_0241.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
ta-da! <br />
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One of my most favorite meals this month:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7OZR9shexEbiCaAwcNIVG7OwrlxaF3NafyE54N86GWMqOAuFXcpaZnjRZbAVNsTtHCzTp8f2oKIMfiqX9buY89_cnfefzErvuPecNPSc-d9uLnPLM29SHP0sooNxpayBpNzQdvlbPfs/s1600/IMG_0242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7OZR9shexEbiCaAwcNIVG7OwrlxaF3NafyE54N86GWMqOAuFXcpaZnjRZbAVNsTtHCzTp8f2oKIMfiqX9buY89_cnfefzErvuPecNPSc-d9uLnPLM29SHP0sooNxpayBpNzQdvlbPfs/s400/IMG_0242.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
Here's the recipe:<br />
<br />
1 clove of garlic<br />
1 large bunch of basil (about 2 cups of leaves)<br />
1/2 a bunch of cilantro (about 1 cup - stems removed)<br />
1 large head of cauliflower chopped into large pieces except for 1/4 cup of florets chopped very small and all the little crumbly bits left on your cutting board<br />
juice from 1/2 large lemon or 1 small lemon<br />
1 tsp of sea salt (or to taste)<br />
black pepper to taste<br />
<br />
1/3 cup + 2 TBLSP of extra virgin olive oil<br />
<br />
1 lb of spaghetti or angel hair pasta<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.<br />
<br />
Put a very large pot of salted water on the stove to boil for the pasta.<br />
<br />
Toss cut cauliflower (except for the 1/4 cup of small pieces) with 2 TBLSP of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and a turn or two of pepper from a pepper mill and put them on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment, or into a large cast iron skillet and put into the oven for 20 minutes.<br />
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Meanwhile, place the cauliflower bits, garlic clove, basil, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the Cuisinart and whir it all up until it is smooth. (Stop and scrape down the sides if need be.) When the pasta is cooked, drain it reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to pot, add the pesto and the pasta water and stir until everything is all incorporated. Put the pasta and pesto in a bowl and top with your roasted cauliflower. Season to taste - and squeeze a little lemon on top if you like.<br />
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Everyone loved it tonight - and it was truly one of the best dinners we had in a long while. (It's been a tough semester...)<br />
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<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-22848909196086640942013-03-16T17:16:00.000-04:002013-03-16T17:16:06.733-04:00Cookbooks I have known...I have a friend, a wonderful guy and an excellent cook, who eschews cookbooks. He believes it isn't cooking, it isn't creative, if you're not figuring it out or making it up as you go along. And I like his perspective, I do, and he makes some really delicious food and it's always a lot of fun to talk to him about food, and technique. <br />
<br />
However, about the cookbooks? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpumn-gyl4UIfSocuh1ULPO1KKoM4kchY45onyIypn93oQirr7-T8f1Je0TiRTZvoDsFfO40RI3BB37WUySQLQs458iPLoIuNWufPUk8mVqFuAcu-hTlrgPDnIzWcIJwPk-FBF4yBB3w/s1600/IMG_0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpumn-gyl4UIfSocuh1ULPO1KKoM4kchY45onyIypn93oQirr7-T8f1Je0TiRTZvoDsFfO40RI3BB37WUySQLQs458iPLoIuNWufPUk8mVqFuAcu-hTlrgPDnIzWcIJwPk-FBF4yBB3w/s320/IMG_0123.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsgeZ4Y2W5hO1npP8cLjmlV_O2AilCKUCKXu3Wc7HkW6kB_RqpQg0VAvWLhXeyXbhSSzg4g1tJCd8zyKSoBxpp1CY5vVmMD4-J1WSKn1mLe-TyE87lPstDpSbayb1AWgEzq1kMvxcLlc/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsgeZ4Y2W5hO1npP8cLjmlV_O2AilCKUCKXu3Wc7HkW6kB_RqpQg0VAvWLhXeyXbhSSzg4g1tJCd8zyKSoBxpp1CY5vVmMD4-J1WSKn1mLe-TyE87lPstDpSbayb1AWgEzq1kMvxcLlc/s200/IMG_0125.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVWx5DHfSfw0wE6iV7D0TbN-WCLNTiaTKGNMa5Q0ABAzgn9i-ik2wvGeTK-Y_ofWkOY29Cuict0zjdazolp0fbw0-edU2iZqoJqWNofE87toIv8FxQbqqReJERA7mDXcM0TmqVw0ALlA/s1600/IMG_0124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVWx5DHfSfw0wE6iV7D0TbN-WCLNTiaTKGNMa5Q0ABAzgn9i-ik2wvGeTK-Y_ofWkOY29Cuict0zjdazolp0fbw0-edU2iZqoJqWNofE87toIv8FxQbqqReJERA7mDXcM0TmqVw0ALlA/s200/IMG_0124.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP_-mVyvkkJmmWre7IyHH8ee-RO1Bpsw-D1fJ8s2JfwIjr96kNe-cfFCKGRn-XV2cMcMuYsPhbRHsC4I-dZxXqq40ur2F7gHI12FjNxnLme37k_DbjxzMJklEDQoVa2x-GNk1OO7tQXw/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP_-mVyvkkJmmWre7IyHH8ee-RO1Bpsw-D1fJ8s2JfwIjr96kNe-cfFCKGRn-XV2cMcMuYsPhbRHsC4I-dZxXqq40ur2F7gHI12FjNxnLme37k_DbjxzMJklEDQoVa2x-GNk1OO7tQXw/s320/IMG_0126.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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That's not even all of them. There's more. So many more. <br />
<br />
I also collect essayists and food memoirists such as MFK Fisher, Elizabeth David, Mark Kurlansky, Harold McGee, Judith Jones, Ruth Reichel, Gabrielle Hamilton...<br />
<br />
(Years ago, my husband said to me, if you come home with one more pair of shoes, I'll know you want a divorce - He really could say the same thing to me about cookbooks these days. )<br />
<br />
(not that I'd be able to stop - more likely, I'd hide my addiction a bit better...)<br />
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Anyhoodle...<br />
<br />
I think I've said this before, but I often take a cookbook to bed with me and read it like a novel. I love them, especially chatty ones. My first chatty cookbook was that famous one by Peg Bracken, "The I Hate to Cook Book" - which was out on the counter in my mother's kitchen throughout my childhood. I remember sitting belly to counter on the creaky old yellow stool skipping the recipes, but completely engrossed by Mrs. Bracken's practical, funny and self deprecating take on life as a woman in the 60s and 70s' suburbs. My mom swore by her recipes. I swear by her voice:<br />
<br />
"<i>Speaking of cooking, incidentally, and I believe we were, one of its worst facets is grocery shopping. When you hate to cook, a supermarket is an appalling place. You see so many things that they are all a blur, and you finally end up with a glazed look and a chop."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Though I don't hate to cook, certainly anyone who reads this blog with any regularity can see from the above quote why I love her.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4W7_gIxL4ui3nVvscJlditNUlJU9QyRieC_dMZxfqjRFrqDazqnDuAZdj_h5jSDV5_M50yPE-cEHwZJDd56DlovC0ddVftWEH3vUJj-SChocny912AyGuU8J23KnmdGQs6uC6qYTK4s/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4W7_gIxL4ui3nVvscJlditNUlJU9QyRieC_dMZxfqjRFrqDazqnDuAZdj_h5jSDV5_M50yPE-cEHwZJDd56DlovC0ddVftWEH3vUJj-SChocny912AyGuU8J23KnmdGQs6uC6qYTK4s/s200/IMG_0108.JPG" width="200" /></a>That said - I tend to use a cookbook (or two) as a jumping-off place for my own creations. I believe I mentioned in my last post that I'm currently addicted to <i>The Smitten Kitchen</i> -by Deb Perleman. She's apparently addicted to pizza - and I recently made pizza with her <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/01/pizza-and-the-limits-of-diy/" target="_blank">dough recipe</a> (although I used 2 tsp of sea salt instead of table salt). This dough is very easy to double or even triple - which is what I did. But since we don't eat cheese these days, I decided to make calzones. Meatball calzones because, in honor of Emma's dairy allergy, I recently bought a book by Silvana Nardone called, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Isaiah-Gluten-Free-Dairy-Free-Delicious/dp/1606521659/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280149713&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Cooking With Isaiah</a>- </i> and she'd put a large sticky on the page with meatball subs. And meatball subs are good - but -<br />
<br />
meatball <i>calzones</i> are better. MUCH better -<br />
<br />
You don't need cheese for meatballs - although a lot of recipes have you drowning the breadcrumbs with a splash of milk and adding parmesan for flavor and binding. I've made meatballs without these ingredients for a while now. You do need breadcrumbs and eggs for texture/binding and something that has some moisture in it - which is why people add milk. <br />
<br />
I don't. I add sautéed frozen spinach.<br />
<br />
If you want to make Silvana's meatball subs, <a href="http://www.silvanaskitchen.com/gluten-free-toaster-oven-meatball-subs/" target="_blank">here's her recipe</a>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjzf-_ZxvhVdeEiRHYiFhKiR4nE-GNDN6rkIgbE4oxCJgDToaYXJKr_YmwILJprxhG-Js-p5vFAezBFrsOgvKrGj06ebTnXQEQkPO8tkc8xGX4FqLkaJxgNNY8OMXJ-HINI2uPaHJnJk/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjzf-_ZxvhVdeEiRHYiFhKiR4nE-GNDN6rkIgbE4oxCJgDToaYXJKr_YmwILJprxhG-Js-p5vFAezBFrsOgvKrGj06ebTnXQEQkPO8tkc8xGX4FqLkaJxgNNY8OMXJ-HINI2uPaHJnJk/s200/images.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEchB5M5Ov8vrKkf7qBGZd8Mr1X5ZSlI6QASoCATmE3bqzfhT0iHNasRRN-pIPCq-bgrPQ7iZA-jNX11Rr0QA-A4WnnYlUE2ODOCl0lXWx7qdBwFVcl58olGbMRpXiWMUPaJfJpeZ24s/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ritz Crackers are nice because they have a fairly unique flavor - <br />which gives the meatballs an extra depth one wouldn't expect.</span></a></td></tr>
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Mine are similar - except no milk, and since we aren't gluten free (yet) - and since I rarely have Rice Krispes in the house - I used Ritz Crackers instead of breadcrumbs. (This is where I get all Peg Bracken-y. I feel strongly that one should never, ever, rush out into the cold for an ingredient not in the pantry when another perfectly good substitute might be lounging around. If you don't have Ritz, use saltines and cut back dramatically on the salt. If you don't have saltines toast some bread and crumble it up - if you don't have toast then - god bless you.... ) And, of course, I'm way too lazy to add tomato sauce. My best friend is a jar of Rao's.<br />
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Wow. I've really been going on here - time to wrap this up and get to the food. The last thing I'll say - when you are making the pizza dough for your calzone - make lots extra. Cut the dough into 3rds and wrap two of the portions up in plastic, put them in a large ziploc or container and let them hang out in the refrigerator. Then, check out my next post - I'll tell you what I did with my extras. This dinner takes some time - therefore it is best made on a Sunday afternoon - a glass of wine at hand and a decent playlist going.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU0prFAf4ZnLL_ZBH44rtFgMKXY8ueGphw__J4H1pEn54uB7UPMwaLWOxilM14mL2r-7EPKvp9y4aTs0wGLdZ8s9Zg2MEyw1MLs029uZJwNZlrX6WE6nGJKrp_HVtNxgCqvqiatSlAy4/s1600/IMG_0117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU0prFAf4ZnLL_ZBH44rtFgMKXY8ueGphw__J4H1pEn54uB7UPMwaLWOxilM14mL2r-7EPKvp9y4aTs0wGLdZ8s9Zg2MEyw1MLs029uZJwNZlrX6WE6nGJKrp_HVtNxgCqvqiatSlAy4/s320/IMG_0117.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
First: make the pizza dough. You can make Deb's, or you can do this:<br />
<br />
1 cup of pretty warm water<br />
2 tsp of yeast<br />
1 TBLSP of brown sugar<br />
3 cups of bread flour<br />
1 TBLSP sea salt (I use fleur de sel) or 1 tsp of table salt<br />
1TBLSP olive oil<br />
<br />
Heat your oven to 200 degrees for 10 minutes then turn it off. Dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the warm water. Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl, dump the yeast mixture in along with the olive oil and stir it up with a rubber spatula. Or you can put everything in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook and let it all run. Either way, mix it up until everything is incorporated and comes together in a ball. If it's in the mixer, let it run for 5 minutes. Otherwise dump it out on a floured counter and knead until it is smooth - 3-5 minutes. No need to get fussy with this. If kneading annoys you, don't do it. Wipe out the large bowl, spray it with oil, put the dough back in, spray the top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap and stick it in the warm oven for an 1/2 an hour to an hour (or more - I am often distracted by shiny things such as George Takei posts of Facebook or Kelly Oxford tweets)<br />
<br />
<b>Meanwhile</b>... make yourself some meatballs<br />
<br />
Saute the following:<br />
1 stalk celery diced<br />
1 small yellow onion diced<br />
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1 clove of garlic diced and crushed<br />
1 cup of frozen spinach<br />
<br />
Let this mixture cool and put it in a bowl with<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 cup of crushed ritz crackers</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qRvFEPndwygTRLSSeRYstqWsyZ1G1Kqi-d571GvLxPz295xzIR3tVdkIRMTP8BSGfA8hBHYNd6tgXWDmVLGcCYklQl5uT-4PUZLooZcTmGD8NZWonE2pLpOuL2nx3HCO0jiRISFhC4Q/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qRvFEPndwygTRLSSeRYstqWsyZ1G1Kqi-d571GvLxPz295xzIR3tVdkIRMTP8BSGfA8hBHYNd6tgXWDmVLGcCYklQl5uT-4PUZLooZcTmGD8NZWonE2pLpOuL2nx3HCO0jiRISFhC4Q/s320/IMG_0152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Add </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1lb of ground turkey or hamburger (if adding turkey, use a mix of thigh and breast)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 tsp Worcestershire sauce</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 TBLSP of sea salt or a tsp of table salt.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Grind in some pepper</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1 egg lightly beaten</span><br />
Squish it up with your hands. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5mW0MxZmI-58fgzrApXjirhjDCcLjZpVcZJK5z8TvRFv1Mfa8igdZVDRZVxs2eQ_PO8MugdfpyCj6ULaJ_cB3o8udaP4e8qonSmGXsukG1kkSd1fWMIqI4n1GZ0KidGhv-KXhBkiU-s/s1600/IMG_0156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5mW0MxZmI-58fgzrApXjirhjDCcLjZpVcZJK5z8TvRFv1Mfa8igdZVDRZVxs2eQ_PO8MugdfpyCj6ULaJ_cB3o8udaP4e8qonSmGXsukG1kkSd1fWMIqI4n1GZ0KidGhv-KXhBkiU-s/s200/IMG_0156.jpg" width="150" /></a>form a bunch of small meatballs - whatever you like. I sometimes use a 1 inch ice cream scoop so they're all about the same size.<br />
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Saute the meatballs in a pan with a few swirls of oil so that the outsides brown a bit.</div>
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TAKE YOUR DOUGH OUT OF THE OVEN (I cap this because I have forgotten to do this many times myself. If you are one of the lucky people who have 2 ovens, obviously you don't need to do this) -<br />
<br />
And preheat to 350<br />
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Pour your Rao's or any other kind of sauce you have - (or a can of crushed tomatoes if that's all you have) and put it in a 350 for 20 minutes.<br />
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When the meatballs are cooked, and your dough is all raised, you're ready, take the dough out of the bowl, cut it into 3rds, wrap 2 of the thirds in oil sprayed plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator for another day. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbFTQwS17nJ3poHF4M6bHdZP7E23kcDFCdu8a33pSG5RsNcBWZXH0ZPMiUtnMBBLDTf0UVYmzq7jahli-gyRD8Fdqtyia5Qu3vO6GOpf6SpHq5p2LosuYY2toT2nBNgYaHIS1L-YZiqk/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbFTQwS17nJ3poHF4M6bHdZP7E23kcDFCdu8a33pSG5RsNcBWZXH0ZPMiUtnMBBLDTf0UVYmzq7jahli-gyRD8Fdqtyia5Qu3vO6GOpf6SpHq5p2LosuYY2toT2nBNgYaHIS1L-YZiqk/s320/IMG_0118.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Roll your dough out flat and sprinkle a little olive oil on top. Pick it up and flatten it out again on a parchment lined jelly roll pan. <br />
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Put your meatballs right in the center. If you don't have a dairy allergy, this is when you can add<br />
<br />
1/2 cup of mozzarella<br />
1/2 cup of ricotta or crumbly goat cheese (my preference)<br />
1/4 cup parmesan<br />
<br />
Fold the dough in half, and squish the edges together. Cut a few slits in the top so steam can escape and stick it back in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until it is all a lovely brown and crusty. You'll have to let it sit a bit before cutting into it - but this should be easily sliced into 3-4 calzones depending on how hungry your horde is.<br />
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<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-50753603809106921852013-02-13T14:25:00.002-05:002013-02-13T14:25:34.505-05:00Honk If You Like New DriversSo, I have one of these now:<br />
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When my nephew started driving, my sister cried. The first time he left the driveway for a solo outing, she felt nauseous, a little shaky, and even though I wasn't there at the time, I like to imagine she ran to the liquor cabinet and thew back a bit of tequila once her son cleared the fence posts.<br />
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Many of my friends have new drivers in their households these days. Many of my friends a just a little freaked out by this fact.<br />
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But not me. I'm ecstatic.<br />
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Why? Because when I first got my driver's license I was very happy to drive anywhere my mom wanted me to go. And that anywhere <i style="font-weight: bold;">included the grocery store</i>. I think you see where I'm going now. Once she has her license, I figure I've got about 2 months before she figures this out. Two months where I can casually say, hey, feel like driving to the store for me? And then equally casually, hand her a list...<br />
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Today, after reading a facebook message from an old high school friend that I've recently reconnected with, I began to long for lunch. He wrote beautifully about the lunch he'd made himself - and, because he lives is Switzerland now he ate all sorts of delicacies I can't get here. Well, that's not true, I can get them here, but they won't be the same. Years ago when my husband and I were on our honeymoon in, yes, Switzerland, we became completely besotted with the cafe au lait we were served with breakfast every morning at out hotel restaurant. When we got home we went immediately to <a href="http://www.mcnultys.com/" target="_blank">McNulty's </a>- down on Christopher Street and bought a pound of Swiss roast beans which we lovingly ground ourselves, placed in our French Press, and over which we poured water just off boil. After waiting the required four minute brewing time, we heated a little milk, poured the coffee, gently added the hot milk and prepared to relive our exquisite Swiss breakfast experience.<br />
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It was very depressing. The coffee was too bitter, the milk too weak and we realized that what we had was nothing like our honeymoon - (<i>not</i> going to make the pun I could easily make here) - coffee. Why? <i>BECAUSE WE WERE NO LONGER IN SWITZERLAND</i><i style="font-weight: bold;">. </i>Sure, this is an easily made point, but what I'm really saying is that the coffee we were served was probably roasted nearby, the milk was full fat, unpasturized, and we could see the cow grazing out the hotel window. Things taste best when they are locally obtained. I'm just saying. I love the local. (and JJ, I know you agree) If my daughter were home (and if she had her official license - which she won't have for another few months - not until she's gotten at least 60 hours of driving under her belt) - I'd send her out for some locally made goat's milk cheese from the cheese shop downtown. (You thought I'd never get back to that original point didn't you... ) and I'd make myself a local version of what my friend ate.<br />
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But, it's starting to do this:<br />
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And I am just too lazy. </div>
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I've got eggs, I've got some lettuce, I've got a bit of dijon with some tarragon. I've got a hoagie roll which I can toast. </div>
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And now, I've got lunch:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD_kTBQRIMuZw9f_OG7j7tzfiBnaj00n9s6UfbJdfjT0glltEJUQeWiU1ZQYM33WzP-0JxXHPrOy5fcpl0__KLc4DlpJJBL-jt3u3eyl4xcY6y7hFz9v3KTMBDOdDh7i1E8mRnDQX_ZQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD_kTBQRIMuZw9f_OG7j7tzfiBnaj00n9s6UfbJdfjT0glltEJUQeWiU1ZQYM33WzP-0JxXHPrOy5fcpl0__KLc4DlpJJBL-jt3u3eyl4xcY6y7hFz9v3KTMBDOdDh7i1E8mRnDQX_ZQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-24786275644394611482013-01-19T10:51:00.000-05:002013-01-19T10:51:07.068-05:00Eggs - They're What's For DinnerLast night the girls were out with friends and it was just Smith and me hanging out - always a little bitter sweet, you know? Now that Em is 16, we are very aware of the all too brief time we have with her living in our home. However, it's nice to be just the two of us. Now if we can only come up with things to talk about other than our kids...<br />
<br />
Anyway - at about 7:30 Smith says, "what are we doing for dinner?" Often on a Friday we like to go down to the Pub, have a burger and a martini and hang out with Tom the bartender, but we are thinking about a trip to Europe this summer and we are trying to save our dimes (as my grandfather used to say). So, I trudged to the kitchen. You all know I love to cook, particularly something grand and delicious (my new favorite cookbook is <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/book/" target="_blank">The Smitten Kitchen</a> - I'll try to write more about that later) - but when it's just the two of us, sometimes the most I feel like doing is open a box of raisin bran and pour the milk. Smith's default is a very large PB&J. But it was cold out (finally!) and something warm was called for.<br />
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Oh, the last time I've been to the grocery*? 8 days ago. Which meant I had a pack of bacon, a dozen eggs and a bunch of frozen stuff. <br />
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Easy peasy.<br />
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Because this is what I made:<br />
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Eggs...mmmm... bacon... - wait, what's that green stuff? Yes. Spinach. And under those eggs? YES - frozen sweet potato and regular potato TATER TOTS. Mashed into a hash. </div>
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Here's what I used:</div>
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6 strips of bacon</div>
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grapeseed oil - as needed</div>
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1 cup of frozen tater tots (regular)</div>
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2 cups of frozen sweet potato tater tots</div>
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1 cup of frozen spinach</div>
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tabasco</div>
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salt</div>
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pepper</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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Here's what I did:</div>
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Swirled a bit of grapeseed oil into my smaller cast iron skillet * and threw 2 strips of bacon in. Cooked it to crispy then removed it from the pan and let it drain on paper towels. Then I threw my 3 cups of tots in the bottom of the skillet (add a bit more grapeseed oil if your bacon hasn't thrown off enough fat) and just let them sit there over a medium to low heat. After they defrosted, and once they started to brown, I mashed them in to the bottom of the skillet. This is when I added salt, pepper and several drops of Tabasco. Cook until they are brown on the bottom then scramble them up - which in my opinion creates the perfect hash - crispy and not-crispy at the same time. </div>
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Meanwhile, I preheated my oven to 450 and swirled some more oil in my big big big cast iron skillet and threw in the remainder of my bacon. (Cooking bacon in the oven reduces clean up - I hate splatter because I'm lazy.) Cooked the bacon in the oven.</div>
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In my third cast iron skillet (who needs All Clad when you can get pre-seasoned <a href="http://www.lodgemfg.com/" target="_blank">Lodge</a> cast iron skillets for about $25 at the hardware store?) (Ok, I do have a couple of All Clad pans - but I swear to you I use my cast iron more frequently.) (Moving on.) swirled more grapeseed oil, dumped the cup of frozen spinach in and let it sauté a bit until it became unfrozen. Then I made a little space right in the center and cracked in the two eggs. Splashed a little more Tabasco around and let the eggs sit until they cooked. Smith likes his very runny, so I took his out early. I like mine cooked to a slightly runny stage - so mine hung out. </div>
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Put a layer of hash down on the plate and gently place the eggs/spinach on top. Once your bacon is cooked, you can either crumble it over the whole thing, or let it hang out on the side. I know I've been lax about posting - but Smith pointed out to me post greedy silent consumption that this is exactly the kind of meal my blog is about.</div>
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Anyway, this kind of dinner should also promote a long and harmonious marriage - even if you have nothing to talk about once the kids have left the nest...</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">NOTE:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* I'm conflicted about blindly going to Whole Foods these days in light of <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19053.cfm" target="_blank">this</a> and <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/01/16/169413848/whole-foods-founder-john-mackey-on-fascism-and-conscious-capitalism" target="_blank">this</a> - I appreciate that he supports sustainable farming and small businesses - but he seems a little nuts. I've heard this for years, but I must admit I turned a blind eye because there really isn't anywhere else yet to buy things like grass-fed or hormone free meat and poultry in my neighborhood. Plus the organic produce in grocery stores like Giant are not of the same quality and are much more expensive than WF. Does the good outweigh the bad? ... sigh. I hate knowing too much. This is why I hate the internet sometimes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* I use grapeseed oil because it has a lower flash point - and because bacon fat burns at the drop of a hat I believe (probably erroneously - but whatever) that the grapeseed oil prevents the bacon from burning. I like really crispy bacon, but there is a line that is sometimes hard to catch between bacon that's super crispy and burnt.</span><br />
<br />Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-84356816215757254232012-06-09T13:39:00.000-04:002012-06-09T13:39:25.436-04:00It's Not Easy Baking without Butter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I miss my butter. Creamy, salty, comforting. I've been perusing vegan cookbooks and blogs (my favorite right now is this one: <a href="http://www.theppk.com/" target="_blank">Post Punk Kitchen</a> because these women can write - they always tell a nifty story when describing their recipe odysseys) - and the savory is great, I do not miss butter there. However, baked goods are frustrating me. They come out too sweet for my taste buds because there is no fat to cut the sugar. When I cut back on the sugar, cakes and cupcakes become tough. I've tried substituting brown sugar, honey, molasses, but baked goods still come out, at least for me, with that sweetness that goes right to the frontal lobe and gives me a headache. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But my dairy allergic girl loves her sweets and so I persist. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">There must be some sort of an answer (well other than a lobotomy). And for me, that answer is the incredible little egg. Which is why I'll never be a vegan. Well, that and bacon. (I once had a friend who became a vegetarian except for pancetta fried up all crispy and who can blame her?)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The other day I was looking through a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nigella-Express-Recipes-Good-Food/dp/1401322433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339251874&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Nigella Lawson</a> cookbook when I stumbled across a banana muffin recipe that used OIL and EGGS instead of butter and I hit my head Homer Simpson style emitting a big "DOH." The mashed banana and the oil created a lot of moisture. I substituted some brown sugar for half the white sugar which also adds moisture. And, because I didn't have any overripe bananas, I substituted applesauce, and a yummy dairy free muffin was born. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Here it is:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>INGREDIENTS:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1/2 cup canola oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1 2/3 cups flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1/2 cup white granulated sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1/2 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1 tsp table salt (not kosher or sea)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1/4 tsp cinnamon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce (OR: mashed very ripe banana, or a combo of both)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">1 cup of non-dairy <a href="http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/chocolate-for-baking/mega-chunks/" target="_blank">Enjoy Life Chocolate Mega-chunks</a> (if you don't want chocolate you can use any other kind of chip, butterscotch, peanut butter, or you can use blueberries or raspberries, but if you use fruit please see my note below)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>HOW TO:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drop some cupcake liners into a cupcake pan. This recipe makes about 12 cupcakes. (I always use liners, and when I don't have liners, I cut up parchment into squares, line the squares up over the </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Whisk oils and eggs together so they create a nice foamy emulsion. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In a separate bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients, then mix in the eggs/oil. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2WuHO9GGSbXExzyu2UJlFpANXHnStiqBE7r8fX-tKWmi5Cn6XYZEHsfbQOUc6EIHe9KZLz6086ZeHXgrnp5Zfl-by7acdy_QwO4OamfjOh6rpyqoET9VTe63FSHflEGAp-9sqXcQISo/s1600/photo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2WuHO9GGSbXExzyu2UJlFpANXHnStiqBE7r8fX-tKWmi5Cn6XYZEHsfbQOUc6EIHe9KZLz6086ZeHXgrnp5Zfl-by7acdy_QwO4OamfjOh6rpyqoET9VTe63FSHflEGAp-9sqXcQISo/s200/photo-3.jpg" width="149" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Using a wooden spoon, mix in the applesauce (or bananas or whatever). After that carefully fold in the chips. (Note: if you are using blue berries or raspberries don't add them now, wait until you are filling the muffin cups drop half of the batter into the muffin cup, sprinkle 3 or so blue or raspberries then top with another scoop of batter)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I like to use a 2 inch ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups - but you want to fill each cup almost to the top. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-17524562139593673202012-04-11T20:23:00.000-04:002012-04-11T20:23:26.487-04:00Dear Lord, It's April (stolen stir fry with curry)I just realized my last post was in February - where I promised to write about my recipe for bread sans the beer. Well, I'm still working on that. I've been trying to bake a bread that's higher in protein so I can feel good about sending my daughters out the door in the morning with nothing more than a piece of toast in their hands. I've been experimenting with adding things like eggs instead of oil, quinoa flour for half the white flour, whole wheat and then the pretty good King Arthur white whole wheat flour - but I can't quite get the crunchy crusty crust I'm looking for with my substitutions. And you know what, dear readers? You deserve perfection, and dammit, I'm going to give it to you - I refuse to post until I like the bread myself, and, perhaps even more challenging, until my <i>daughters</i> like my bread. So there. My bread still lives in the land of the experiment. I wish I had one of those test kitchens like Martha Stewart and Chris Kimball have, but I don't. I have a kitchen that has to make breakfast, lunch and dinner for my hungry horde. And I don't have time to mess around for hours on end. That's all I'm going to say about it for now. I'm not bitter. Not at all.<br />
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However, last night I will admit to making a darn good stir fry - and I'm hoping I haven't posted this one here before - or something like it. If I have forgive me - it's because I'm still wrapped up in bread -<br />
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I took the basics from a Cooks Illustrated recipe for a <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=5943" target="_blank">Stir Fry with Curry Sauce</a>, and then, because once again I didn't have most of the ingredients, substituted all sorts of things. If you want the un-bastardized recipe, go to the link - but you can make it my way too -<br />
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<b>1/4 - 1/2 lb or so boneless chicken breasts </b>*see note<br />
<b>1TLBS soy sauce</b><br />
<b>1TLBS Marsala wine </b>(cuz that's what I have - Cooks calls for sherry - I almost never have sherry. A dry white wine would not be out of place here either.<br />
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Sauce:<br />
<b>3 TLBS soy sauce</b><br />
<b>2 TLBS Marsala wine</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp refined sugar</b><br />
<b>2 TLBS low sodium chicken or veg broth</b><br />
<b>1 Tsp of curry</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Garam Masala</b> (ok, so here's part of where Cooks and I differ - they call for 2 tsp of curry - but I happen to have this jar of garam masala - which, I just want to point out that my auto correct wants to correct to gram nasal - you could happily go with the curry, or add another spice of some type)<br />
<b>1TBLSP of grated fresh ginger</b>. I keep a knobby ginger root in my freezer and just grate it frozen when I need it. <br />
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Vegetables<br />
<b>1-2 TBLSP of Canola or Peanut or Grapeseed Oil </b>(all these oils can take high heat - I don't recommend olive oil, which can't)<br />
<b>1 sliced spring onion</b> - kinda looks like a scallion on steroids, has a lot of the properties of a leek, but with a nice little fresh oniony bite<br />
<b>1 carrot, sliced</b><br />
<b>1 - 2 cups of a frozen vegetable medly</b>, thawed in a sieve under running water. I used green beans, peas, broccoli and cauliflower- garbanzo beans would be good, what ever you have . Most people have broccoli.<br />
<b>1 clove of garlic chopped fine</b><br />
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First - put the chicken in a bowl and toss with the soy and marsala and just leave it there to marinate while you get every thing else together. (this works great with raw shrimp too)<br />
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Then make the sauce - dump all the ingredients into a bowl or a measuring cup.<br />
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Chop all the stuff that needs chopping. Thaw all the stuff that needs thawing. <br />
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Take out a skillet or maybe a wok if you have one (I don't). Get the skillet super hot so it's smoking a little. Swirl the 1st TBLSP of oil in the pan and dump all the chicken and the marinade into the hot pan. Make sure the chicken is all spread out so that every piece gets a nice sear. If you have a lot of chicken you should do this in batches. Let it sit 30 seconds or so. Stir and let it sit again. It should be cooked through after 2-3 min. Take it out of the pan and put it in a clean bowl to sit. Pour in another TBLSP of oil, let it get hot, tip your onions and carrots in, stir them for a while, until the onions are almost translucent. Tip in all your veggies, stir them for a minute or so, then add your garlic. Let this cook about 30 seconds, then return the chicken to the pan, and stir the sauce over all of it. Cook about 30 seconds more, and serve ASAP - it's not good if you let it get cool. Serve with rice or rice noodles. <br />
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So sorry I don't have a picture. It all got eaten pretty quickly.<br />
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*Note: so, these days, because I'm feeling cheap, I try to make one pack of 4 boneless chicken breasts last over several meals. One pack is about 2 whole breasts divided - and comes to about a pound or pound & 1/2 or so. For this you can use as much or as little (or none) chicken as you like. For this recipe, plumped the whole thing up with vegetables. OF COURSE you can leave the chicken out all together and just go with veggies - And OF COURSE you can substitute Shrimp for the chicken. In fact I think shrimp would be OUTSTANDING in this and I wish I'd thought of it last night because I have tons of frozen shrimp in my fridge and shrimp is one of my favorite foods ever.Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-91992353976456508082012-02-13T23:17:00.000-05:002012-02-13T23:17:37.801-05:00So, Bread... part 1 of 2, maybe 3I have twenty student papers to read and so I feel it is high time I blog about bread.<br />
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I bake a loaf of bread almost every week and I think I've finally gotten pretty good at it. This is the <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2009/06/best-bread-ever-according-to-my.html" target="_blank">bread</a> I used to make pre- Em's dairy allergy - which is excellent bread unless you happen to be allergic to milk. And this is the <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/11/bucket-of-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">bread</a> I used to make before I started making my current recipe - also very good - particularly if you want to make a huge batch of bread and hack bits of dough off throughout the week. Click on the words "bread" if you want to make my former recipes.<br />
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Because THIS is my new bread, and I must say, if I do say so myself, it is spectacular. How do I know it is spectacular? Because my friend Mark practically begs me to make it for him; because my friend Laura asked over the weekend if I could give her a bread making tutorial; because I make a loaf here at home and it's practically vaporized within an hour of emerging from the oven. So, it's not just me tooting my own horn...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASb1oWWDJjNxnDgKp5pMtS3b55QKH6LakKb3asXLCc7RirnrIDYRsphEqU3ovMXsKXhRgcu49LXZNHdaBKfH4s2v7ns021WMby1CnH-2R_FJHuTm-JFQR376OFRnxV5mRGMizZCkSYJM/s1600/_1292396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASb1oWWDJjNxnDgKp5pMtS3b55QKH6LakKb3asXLCc7RirnrIDYRsphEqU3ovMXsKXhRgcu49LXZNHdaBKfH4s2v7ns021WMby1CnH-2R_FJHuTm-JFQR376OFRnxV5mRGMizZCkSYJM/s400/_1292396.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdPB3bH9jgFSpaDYGFFQvO4UKUFU8NhMsk3e9X8ENRuhVQ4d0lEyVd8DlG7S4bOSkh089CWzfra9vTsdWVMYgF8_doHglyLOori-WcWkTj6axgaH3_bOOjl-TIo89PzL5QtNVkGeXhCA/s1600/_1232389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdPB3bH9jgFSpaDYGFFQvO4UKUFU8NhMsk3e9X8ENRuhVQ4d0lEyVd8DlG7S4bOSkh089CWzfra9vTsdWVMYgF8_doHglyLOori-WcWkTj6axgaH3_bOOjl-TIo89PzL5QtNVkGeXhCA/s320/_1232389.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Here's another view - fresh from the oven. It's too bad I'm such a terrible photographer, because these loaves are so much prettier in real life. I seriously need to take a class and figure out some better lighting.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Ok, to begin: if you are going to bake yourself the bread pictured above, you need a few things:</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfFdP65yh0TBkcksfuLN1tPIxlvRei7Mjdi10ljiPowOiLOSE2as-Ggr3MmFiBLllB_3WkE3RlXv7A4GSwGPJbwoy3d37-3ujKmVovGEjWOLg3chGqC5qyu8fAH8Zc_-CMrCYiPKuPZM/s1600/_2122410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfFdP65yh0TBkcksfuLN1tPIxlvRei7Mjdi10ljiPowOiLOSE2as-Ggr3MmFiBLllB_3WkE3RlXv7A4GSwGPJbwoy3d37-3ujKmVovGEjWOLg3chGqC5qyu8fAH8Zc_-CMrCYiPKuPZM/s200/_2122410.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">this is one of them. This is called the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sassafras-2575-Superstone-Covered-Baker/dp/B00004S1DW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329170820&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Sasafrass Superstone Bread Baker</a>; it's name alone should make you want whip out your credit card. </span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br />
However, it is $54 on Amazon and unless you have a husband who is willing to give it to you as a gift, you don't really need it, particularly if you happen to have one of these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitfmgYk-NvnnLo_wrq97b0Gmhn_umxnHDTRjN1SgPyPZ2SdrG6FdlDb70TOrkQE9hios3HKLCZzNGcrg3EBZtPXlhDnsehqm-SgxT4j17zvNDvh3_-iW2gwziTJpZMQGBkf8a4oEe3cY/s1600/_2122413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitfmgYk-NvnnLo_wrq97b0Gmhn_umxnHDTRjN1SgPyPZ2SdrG6FdlDb70TOrkQE9hios3HKLCZzNGcrg3EBZtPXlhDnsehqm-SgxT4j17zvNDvh3_-iW2gwziTJpZMQGBkf8a4oEe3cY/s320/_2122413.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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A Dutch Oven is a beautiful thing. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">This Dutch oven was given to me as a wedding gift</span><br />
and is now about [redacted] years old. It is in incredible shape and I use it for soup, bread baking, boiling potatoes, stew, braises, the list goes on.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Unfortunately, they cost a small fortune. So don't buy one, because you can use ANY deep, oven proof pot as long as it has a lid.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAJX__ef7InOmMnE4JjAfMHnBcjYKh-rd7ZxqLClEF6D3dHQWbLW_2gJyPgiGM43pFJhFoBn-AR5mKWo88a73pjmtFPxFW0UgJYEAPcAOo-8sgU-PfIu_kmVMLK464zrFBlG9Hv8VXZM/s1600/_1292392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAJX__ef7InOmMnE4JjAfMHnBcjYKh-rd7ZxqLClEF6D3dHQWbLW_2gJyPgiGM43pFJhFoBn-AR5mKWo88a73pjmtFPxFW0UgJYEAPcAOo-8sgU-PfIu_kmVMLK464zrFBlG9Hv8VXZM/s320/_1292392.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Here's another hand-dandy little item I use all the time. It's a dough scraper and you can buy a cheap plastic one at Target, which works very well - or you can order your flour from the King Arthur Flour website and get one for free (which is, obviously, how I got mine...)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4vDp78dYaAEBGhMXriGRqzCTqiS4_9E6QhacXO0WdG9bbjmQFtI1t9KDe5XoeFQQUgp6Tz9XWROt8HlHqYAId7F9G5pcKMHlT6b8jb6dSsh2zqB8UpPQg-yfc6J66pbIxw8uEAbcc-8/s1600/spatula" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4vDp78dYaAEBGhMXriGRqzCTqiS4_9E6QhacXO0WdG9bbjmQFtI1t9KDe5XoeFQQUgp6Tz9XWROt8HlHqYAId7F9G5pcKMHlT6b8jb6dSsh2zqB8UpPQg-yfc6J66pbIxw8uEAbcc-8/s200/spatula" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't You?</td></tr>
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You need a large bowl and a rubber, though sturdy, spatula. I like this one:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">And, finally, you need parchment paper and plastic wrap. Parchment can be found in the grocery store not too far from the plastic wrap. Parchment is essential for this bread. You cannot do without it. Sorry. That's just the way it is. However, it comes in handy for so many things. I always line my cookie sheets with parchment when I make cookies - do this and you'll never again wreck your manicure chipping baked on chocolate off your favorite pan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ok, moving on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OSl5i2RMjfsJ-HGb5M-F3itPXNU0UXsUGICuJwuZ8Xw8ZYtLlI1q2-K82dit5Tc9S2sQO9gKuK5phCddsLK6tIdErkIawiFZlBIvBXyLRUqe0GmboRy-UagrOeOAVa2D8F_Lkqe8wsI/s1600/_2122415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OSl5i2RMjfsJ-HGb5M-F3itPXNU0UXsUGICuJwuZ8Xw8ZYtLlI1q2-K82dit5Tc9S2sQO9gKuK5phCddsLK6tIdErkIawiFZlBIvBXyLRUqe0GmboRy-UagrOeOAVa2D8F_Lkqe8wsI/s320/_2122415.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>Gather your ingredients:</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">4 cups of flour. I don't care if it's bread flour, or all purpose flour. Either will do. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1 TBLSP Olive or canola oil -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1 TBLSP Kosher or sea salt. This is important - don't use table salt - it's too fine, and it doesn't add flavor the way kosher or sea salt does. HOWEVER - I'm all about availability - if you started this recipe and you don't have kosher or sea salt - DO NOT run out for it. Use table salt, but use ONLY 1tsp - that's right a teaspoon - this salt is so fine a teaspoon is all you need.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1/2 tsp of Yeast. You might think this is not enough - but it is. You can get the little individual packets - although for this particular bread you don't need a whole packet - (is usually about 2 1/4 tsp). You can buy a jar of yeast too - but keep that in the freezer and take it out when you need it - it will last longer that way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1/4 cup of hot water: Turn on your tap and let the hot water run. When it is hot, but not so hot that you can't hold your hand in the running water, it is just right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">2 TBLSP Brown sugar - yeast loves to gobble up sugar, and brown sugar gives your bread nice flavor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Beer. Go to your refrigerator and take out a beer. (I will be posting a recipe for bread sans-beer - but this one ain't it) It should be a fairly flavorful beer - a stout, or something with a lot of hop to it (see what I did there...? Hop to it? Oh, never mind) It needs to be something tasty that you yourself would enjoy drinking. (Unless it's Lite beer. Please don't use Lite beer. I know some of you enjoy drinking it, - not naming names - <strike>Ginny</strike> - Plus, anything spelled incorrectly is not good. That's a rule I think we should all live by.)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1 TBLSP cider vinegar. Yep, that's right, vinegar. Vinegar gives your bread that <i>almost </i>but <i>not quite</i> sour dough quality that will have your friends scratching their heads wondering why your bread always tastes so good while their bread is merely ok. </div><div><br />
Spray Oil: - you use this to spray the bowls as well as the top of your bread.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESYwVADBVzv7mFJ-rm8CjZkfWpoSwmjuiq6q-DB3wgABtR4-jge-d_wWeXsPewtb65Kw4_yr6c2K4ctpuHm451qjb6deIedj0yWOLKgb8STQggjlp4rADvnLRcPqrsWqR5PeDXq_WoNc/s1600/_2122414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESYwVADBVzv7mFJ-rm8CjZkfWpoSwmjuiq6q-DB3wgABtR4-jge-d_wWeXsPewtb65Kw4_yr6c2K4ctpuHm451qjb6deIedj0yWOLKgb8STQggjlp4rADvnLRcPqrsWqR5PeDXq_WoNc/s200/_2122414.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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OK - you ready? Here we go:<br />
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1. dump the flour and salt in a bowl. Whisk it a bit to incorporate.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAh1wj8sBZEMACzVCPwLgN39KGk7IJ95QNiCPhdeHSXg6097zIA2b6LgZ1OIinAuHl8QlxkBteP8iHahDH-pkK426JitluSLa8oS9nDkiiRrnomDal888WZBGxPhyphenhyphenjWqcd8jbs-B_crA/s1600/_1222370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAh1wj8sBZEMACzVCPwLgN39KGk7IJ95QNiCPhdeHSXg6097zIA2b6LgZ1OIinAuHl8QlxkBteP8iHahDH-pkK426JitluSLa8oS9nDkiiRrnomDal888WZBGxPhyphenhyphenjWqcd8jbs-B_crA/s320/_1222370.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmpNOORWX-tU6zj-l_97dQlY6fkMkVyd2CIknTx8us61VULzWoHxAMkDgBozL89OLxxL8n2AdhoGTcJyoZE0zscTocSD6ZmQZ3Be5UKDeAw6fMDffI6C00fvShDZ-zR7qbs8qlqKU_g8/s1600/_1222377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmpNOORWX-tU6zj-l_97dQlY6fkMkVyd2CIknTx8us61VULzWoHxAMkDgBozL89OLxxL8n2AdhoGTcJyoZE0zscTocSD6ZmQZ3Be5UKDeAw6fMDffI6C00fvShDZ-zR7qbs8qlqKU_g8/s320/_1222377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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2. mix the brown sugar and hot water in a measuring cup. Add the yeast. Let it sit a bit and watch the yeast do its thing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-HsvsYVv8ywn4U0yDmEosaL9hDa2P0O7vJsiS8IhYa3UJURSsdoTO4HBdp0-rGDcZmtaJc3JhCCiMdVs2FciGPw3x1dhn-na0fhtmje7_CgxH9F7wM_zr0PXe1uNrJY6SFVA0vqLWh8/s1600/_1222380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxc-ks9mS-l4cefikYqByhyphenhyphenjKtwytPoMJ5iQzeGkESD2j93HyIirPpBMs2hi-b1sw4hvkQ-1RgE2unXEdSOM4F6oJbfQZHcHSmPA8k6REcaqUM5lSNvY8ZihWGNJ2Hb-ZwMJBzYqCkwA/s1600/_1222384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxc-ks9mS-l4cefikYqByhyphenhyphenjKtwytPoMJ5iQzeGkESD2j93HyIirPpBMs2hi-b1sw4hvkQ-1RgE2unXEdSOM4F6oJbfQZHcHSmPA8k6REcaqUM5lSNvY8ZihWGNJ2Hb-ZwMJBzYqCkwA/s320/_1222384.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>3. BEER. Beer usually comes in 8 ounce bottles. Use the whole thing. Or, measure out 1 cup. Dump it in the flour mixture. Add the oil and the yeast/sugar mixture as well as the vinegar. <br />
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Using your rubber spatula, mix this all together. If it seems too dry, add more water, 1/4 cup at a time. The key is that this dough should be pretty wet. Not so wet that it's watery, but wetter than you think it should be.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-HsvsYVv8ywn4U0yDmEosaL9hDa2P0O7vJsiS8IhYa3UJURSsdoTO4HBdp0-rGDcZmtaJc3JhCCiMdVs2FciGPw3x1dhn-na0fhtmje7_CgxH9F7wM_zr0PXe1uNrJY6SFVA0vqLWh8/s1600/_1222380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-HsvsYVv8ywn4U0yDmEosaL9hDa2P0O7vJsiS8IhYa3UJURSsdoTO4HBdp0-rGDcZmtaJc3JhCCiMdVs2FciGPw3x1dhn-na0fhtmje7_CgxH9F7wM_zr0PXe1uNrJY6SFVA0vqLWh8/s320/_1222380.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvayPgVmufSpTl7JIR9RWKVWFiT5zIk9vlFUcHofdeutqrkmfYsSVIn16V10I_mxZS_48D-Othw365O-yzwxLhUSizcR0CyzMJBeRj7RSUqVfZSxlLqyIDaz3eNV-HKqRleRgWwTcos4E/s1600/_1222386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvayPgVmufSpTl7JIR9RWKVWFiT5zIk9vlFUcHofdeutqrkmfYsSVIn16V10I_mxZS_48D-Othw365O-yzwxLhUSizcR0CyzMJBeRj7RSUqVfZSxlLqyIDaz3eNV-HKqRleRgWwTcos4E/s320/_1222386.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It's hard to see how wet this is - but the key is that it will stick to your hands when you pick it up. However, you should be able to pick it up all at once. If it's too wet it will just ooze out of your fingers in a very yucky way.<br />
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YOU DO NOT KNEAD THIS BREAD. Just leave it there in the bowl. You can spray the bowl a bit, as well as the top of your bread with some oil. Cover the whole bowl with plastic wrap.<br />
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NOW, preheat your oven to 100 degrees. When it reaches 100 set your timer for 10 minutes. After ten, turn off the oven, and put your bread in it.<br />
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And here is the most important part of the whole thing: LEAVE YOUR BREAD IN THE OVEN OVER NIGHT. Yep, I mean it. Just let it sit there in your oven for as long as you can. There's nothing in the dough that can spoil, in fact the longer it sits, the better it will taste. I once left my bread sitting around for about 24 hours. It grew faster than teenager - and I was able to divide it up and make 2 loaves. It also tasted fantastic. If you're not going to bake your bread after 24 hours, skip the whole oven heating thing and just stick your bread into the refrigerator. In fact, if you are at all squeamish about letting your bread dough sit around in the fresh air, you can put it in your fridge over night. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__NTr2UQVDVYdkBQCxJ_UL6qZWJNY2aVx5HgS90Lk7lRewM04RIE-9_-LEA5sqDXZRH1zK6v3Asxr3RWigFnK-1n30chguaBbibCNBqPf6sAJ-Jq4upOe3vOyacb_kpM4JxsUlHYzQK8/s1600/_1222387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__NTr2UQVDVYdkBQCxJ_UL6qZWJNY2aVx5HgS90Lk7lRewM04RIE-9_-LEA5sqDXZRH1zK6v3Asxr3RWigFnK-1n30chguaBbibCNBqPf6sAJ-Jq4upOe3vOyacb_kpM4JxsUlHYzQK8/s320/_1222387.JPG" width="320" /></a>If you don't have plastic wrap, you can cover the bread with a clean damp dish towel.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG-I9DvyzDldDsj28c2DqBdzg9ITAoT72Arj2wArfILue41RooX0z0iUtC1tn1Q7W0k4Br1aAc30F8fS0WkpYXIDbIuziViS0kB2h0RZgGEMkoGzfOBFPfkVtND1pelSg6g-DNdaoCeY/s1600/_1292391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG-I9DvyzDldDsj28c2DqBdzg9ITAoT72Arj2wArfILue41RooX0z0iUtC1tn1Q7W0k4Br1aAc30F8fS0WkpYXIDbIuziViS0kB2h0RZgGEMkoGzfOBFPfkVtND1pelSg6g-DNdaoCeY/s320/_1292391.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After your bread has hung out for as long and you feel like letting it hang out (and, indeed, it can be baked after only hanging out for an hour or two) - your dough should look like the picture above. It will get kind of lumpy, and much larger. Dump it out onto a floured surface and roll it around a bit, forming it into a nice loaf the shape of the thing you will be baking it in. I shaped mine here in a loaf, but if I were going to bake it in the Dutch Oven, I'd have shaped it a ball. This is where your bread dough scraper will come in handy because the dough is still very wet. The scraper will also help you get any bits of dough and flour left behind off your counter before it turns to cement. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
Get yourself a piece of parchment, spray it with a little oil and put your bread dough right in the center. Spray it again with oil, and cover, again with plastic wrap. Let it sit an hour or so. Although if you are anxious or particularly hungry for bread and butter, you don't have to wait that long. You can let it sit as you let your oven preheat. Unless you have refrigerated the dough - in which case you really should let it come to room temperature before baking it.<br />
<br />
After your bread has sat for an hour, preheat your oven to 350.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4II1_xsRjg-lu-zyxgnrgMP5WKOf8g4NNW0CGStOI46t925xWjjguDPvGw8x3i4xqHO03_qvw04cRp5bKx3WzluJj7YiUyyl7M5n2bEq1hhJeNC6lMYIyJz9-1GI0NlzcNRE3NegZ4WY/s1600/_1292395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4II1_xsRjg-lu-zyxgnrgMP5WKOf8g4NNW0CGStOI46t925xWjjguDPvGw8x3i4xqHO03_qvw04cRp5bKx3WzluJj7YiUyyl7M5n2bEq1hhJeNC6lMYIyJz9-1GI0NlzcNRE3NegZ4WY/s320/_1292395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of preheating, when you go to preheat your oven, stick the Dutch Oven or your <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sassafras-2575-Superstone-Covered-Baker/dp/B00004S1DW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329170820&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Sasafrass Superstone Bread Baker</a> in the oven to preheat as well. <b>This is Very Important</b>. Preheating the bread baker helps your bread get all steamy and not dried out in the center.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the oven slash your bread with a sharp knife, pick it up using the parchment and plonk the bread dough, parchment and all into your baker. Put the lid on, shut the door to your oven and set your timer for 35 minutes. It is totally fine if the parchment hangs out over the lid - it won't catch fire or anything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA605SAHS7GOljlRHZ_eOpKaFhP8_tr2nHQS1cR7d-EeVE6PxrHOCN09skUDGlwrAW75K1CNF6wGidWSAwF2XZIe8Ftr-SCgM0_p-TuDqbgAhEiAmdBhS0T1z4DnsP8gAIjV_GmQzyv4/s1600/_2122406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinA605SAHS7GOljlRHZ_eOpKaFhP8_tr2nHQS1cR7d-EeVE6PxrHOCN09skUDGlwrAW75K1CNF6wGidWSAwF2XZIe8Ftr-SCgM0_p-TuDqbgAhEiAmdBhS0T1z4DnsP8gAIjV_GmQzyv4/s320/_2122406.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take the lid of the baker off after 35 minutes, put your bread loaf back in the oven without the lid and bake another ten minutes or more - make sure your bread is all goldeny and cracked and delicious looking.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09P90544UdU6fiTTo8VNd2jKThGbV_vPyRkZvFQiP_nl2nqIt4bWVkRODHWUKuLH-9xk-BgvDUdzQJBYEySN4xxO2JMwmtBNb1wsKQMlr2DOTFNxsabZoY0GWzPdt45ktcbXG92ZZDfQ/s1600/_1292396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09P90544UdU6fiTTo8VNd2jKThGbV_vPyRkZvFQiP_nl2nqIt4bWVkRODHWUKuLH-9xk-BgvDUdzQJBYEySN4xxO2JMwmtBNb1wsKQMlr2DOTFNxsabZoY0GWzPdt45ktcbXG92ZZDfQ/s320/_1292396.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how the parchment looks just fine after baking with the bread in the oven?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfeq_9R40B9YR_cClVUbluygqY912FdxUiS9X3QO-45YioJ37vgDKv1PbFeYhzn6TL3SNxCju6EaC4u2N2Xk03n2sGY0NZ8hb6Chs1sBCosNFcSQFIhAKKUeG6qmigtv3uVpleP8Kmak/s1600/_1292398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfeq_9R40B9YR_cClVUbluygqY912FdxUiS9X3QO-45YioJ37vgDKv1PbFeYhzn6TL3SNxCju6EaC4u2N2Xk03n2sGY0NZ8hb6Chs1sBCosNFcSQFIhAKKUeG6qmigtv3uVpleP8Kmak/s320/_1292398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And it's insides will look like this. <br />
<br />
Now, go ahead. You can do this - it is fantastic bread. And, as I believe Marc Bittman said, even the worst home baked bread is better than the best store bought...<br />
<br />
But yours won't be bad - I promise.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Next post I'll give you my recipe for beer free bread -<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitfmgYk-NvnnLo_wrq97b0Gmhn_umxnHDTRjN1SgPyPZ2SdrG6FdlDb70TOrkQE9hios3HKLCZzNGcrg3EBZtPXlhDnsehqm-SgxT4j17zvNDvh3_-iW2gwziTJpZMQGBkf8a4oEe3cY/s1600/_2122413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-71258714973273839562012-02-07T14:56:00.000-05:002012-02-07T14:56:57.956-05:00Don't Tell The Kids...But <i>this</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s1600/tofutti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s320/tofutti.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">is my new favorite ingredient. See what it says there, yes, it's "<i>Milk Free" - </i>but do you know what's in it? </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's right, tofu. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You know what it tastes like? Not sour cream because its:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="webkit-fake-url://59961C88-E0FB-442F-919F-411866595DEB/image.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="159" src="webkit-fake-url://59961C88-E0FB-442F-919F-411866595DEB/image.tiff" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ok, that's hard to read, but it says, better than sour cream - </td></tr>
</tbody></table>And more importantly <i>- NOT TOFU - </i> not one bit. I'm sure you don 't believe me, but if you are going dairy free, as we have recently had to do - try this stuff! It will blow your mind...<br />
<br />
I believe that I mentioned in an earlier post how much we are all missing mashed potatoes and how I was not so thrilled at the prospect of mashing potatoes with this:<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YCixfSkjDQYlO77oLiXhnVEvEffLmdp6rIywX59xB6fMGEACC63w-Yhc7XMbQNoiQQpvPcpUZ3qa6WQztaQ99eguULp0tXVSBuJcB3VuvsemgThNKfQ8MxlyZqqqODbIVtG8aGUN3Wk/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YCixfSkjDQYlO77oLiXhnVEvEffLmdp6rIywX59xB6fMGEACC63w-Yhc7XMbQNoiQQpvPcpUZ3qa6WQztaQ99eguULp0tXVSBuJcB3VuvsemgThNKfQ8MxlyZqqqODbIVtG8aGUN3Wk/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">HOWEVER - if you mash your potatoes with some of the (<i>gasp</i>) margarine, along with about a 1/4 cup of chicken stock and a 1/4 cup of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s1600/tofutti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s200/tofutti.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i> </i><br />
<br />
<br />
the mashed potatoes come out fluffy, creamy, and amazingly good. I made my brand new dairy free mashed potatoes to go with the ribs I had cooked up in my slow cooker for about 6 hours and my family ate them and NO ONE knew they secretly harbored tofu. And people weren't just eating them politely. They were not moving the potatoes around on their plates to make it look like they had eaten them - NO, they <i>scarfed</i> the potatoes - even my teens scarfed the potatoes. <br />
<br />
<br />
AND THEN, when I was trying to use up all the ribs - because I had made quite a few - I took all the meat off the bone, sauteed up some onions, carrots and a bit of frozen spinach, dumped the meat into the pan when the onions and carrots were softened and the spinach had cooked down, tossed the meat around, added a bit more barbecue sauce (I'm a fan of <a href="http://www.stubbsbbq.com/index.php" target="_blank">Stubbs</a> jarred sauce when I don't have time to make it, which is more frequent than I'd like to admit) and once again, I threw in about a 1/4 cup of<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s1600/tofutti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c8oWZVPWuqGZ7o1zSC9htcYxIuRmUbAe3YPT6O5fLSdgWIvv3lyzcgHrIwsgUOT1a5VVpIzDAZ_c24knkf9VTdlDfShCqpTZ5rcTo0yEvi_pDxC1W0vmYvFq8_EOrJfMDtVEBmlvKdA/s200/tofutti.jpg" width="200" /></a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I served my little pork rib mixture over rice and it was glorious. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So far I have used Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream in muffins that called for yogurt, and in frosting instead of cream cheese, and on top of my chili because, though I like sour cream, <i>THIS</i> is <i>BETTER THAN SOUR CREAM</i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just don't tell the children, 'cause if they find out, they will never eat mashed potatoes again... and dammit! I like my mashed potatoes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-59192445038765766682012-01-22T11:15:00.000-05:002012-01-22T11:15:37.590-05:00A Pretty Salmon and Rice DishWe've been addicted to Dr. Who on Netflix. For Smith and Mad it's the stories, the space travel fantasy, gadgets (who wouldn't want a sonic screwdriver - or a TARDIS - who wouldn't want a TARDIS?) - but for me it has everything to do with this guy:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBo3HDJwIULxGDF7JjtaD-omL2wVofRehOb2FtFGluCO2LIJ9CUX03U8YHnhCp2yIs41QGyD6FfAeqBFfXo8eWoAq9VBxjTQZ62uk3H7WDgsePXCbhoZSyiNVOSWLqbE-P-fgB9W74HA/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBo3HDJwIULxGDF7JjtaD-omL2wVofRehOb2FtFGluCO2LIJ9CUX03U8YHnhCp2yIs41QGyD6FfAeqBFfXo8eWoAq9VBxjTQZ62uk3H7WDgsePXCbhoZSyiNVOSWLqbE-P-fgB9W74HA/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
Yeah.<br />
<br />
But the Doctor regenerated, as the Doctor does, and we're on to this guy:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhEocOxbExSe4LTbud08PWJedu1pn-l7CrnPg21jCEADiao5ArFdLGwV8YwnBsdUgAg4aHGxHoemarrXAT0NTFrj3945I4xbMoDURevdrRMN_3Ix0WXab2scAOj_bWlyT_2GdnObKNRY/s1600/11th_doctor_wal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhEocOxbExSe4LTbud08PWJedu1pn-l7CrnPg21jCEADiao5ArFdLGwV8YwnBsdUgAg4aHGxHoemarrXAT0NTFrj3945I4xbMoDURevdrRMN_3Ix0WXab2scAOj_bWlyT_2GdnObKNRY/s320/11th_doctor_wal_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This guy has great energy and he's funny, and Mad thinks he's cute, despite the Flock of Seagulls hair... But he's no<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBo3HDJwIULxGDF7JjtaD-omL2wVofRehOb2FtFGluCO2LIJ9CUX03U8YHnhCp2yIs41QGyD6FfAeqBFfXo8eWoAq9VBxjTQZ62uk3H7WDgsePXCbhoZSyiNVOSWLqbE-P-fgB9W74HA/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBo3HDJwIULxGDF7JjtaD-omL2wVofRehOb2FtFGluCO2LIJ9CUX03U8YHnhCp2yIs41QGyD6FfAeqBFfXo8eWoAq9VBxjTQZ62uk3H7WDgsePXCbhoZSyiNVOSWLqbE-P-fgB9W74HA/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
AmIright? Sigh. <br />
<br />
What does Dr Who have to do with salmon and rice? Nothing, except that since I'm now only <i>mildly</i> obsessed with Dr. Who (as opposed to <i>completely</i>) I thought I might use some of the spare space in my brain cooking up something new for dinner. We haven't had salmon in a while and they were running a special on wild caught Coho at the grocery and so I bought a pound. And I only had to sell one kidney to do it.<br />
<br />
Usually, I just throw salmon in a pan dressed with a bit of olive oil and some lemon, but, due to the extra brain space, I was feeling a bit creative and I came up with this:<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7tG15kfF3j5_dcn90qChBvU2afUQ3R0pqgUuhkxKsdSuwqqD6hoR7RcOVbWtdfO18AC5nGP2nBCvUTb8LHLWqYuOrkz9dpT5WJQRYqPu-eqKEa4bH53YvOaUeiqjtn_q7xW0_DuhFBY/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7tG15kfF3j5_dcn90qChBvU2afUQ3R0pqgUuhkxKsdSuwqqD6hoR7RcOVbWtdfO18AC5nGP2nBCvUTb8LHLWqYuOrkz9dpT5WJQRYqPu-eqKEa4bH53YvOaUeiqjtn_q7xW0_DuhFBY/s320/salmon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looked prettier in real life - I need to take a photography class</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
It's pretty, right? Obviously, not as pretty as:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YabKVygB_f-_5PIIqK-9OqQ82YqNs7jvkkziMzEzlZ0UBjxj4vFEaLJfDvF-rKlvEXP8nUwpwZE7cVJeDzrHmYhJmnM_mw0H6vnjgH-CECapfvoMGghbxbGnMEYw1-Qd62slLQVmyPY/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YabKVygB_f-_5PIIqK-9OqQ82YqNs7jvkkziMzEzlZ0UBjxj4vFEaLJfDvF-rKlvEXP8nUwpwZE7cVJeDzrHmYhJmnM_mw0H6vnjgH-CECapfvoMGghbxbGnMEYw1-Qd62slLQVmyPY/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
But, enough said. The Doctor moved on, and I will too...<br />
<br />
Here's my recipe:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Pretty Salmon and Rice:</b><br />
<br />
1TBLSP Olive oil<br />
1 small or 1/2 of a large yellow onion thinly sliced<br />
1 cup of arborio rice (or, a long grain brown rice if you have it)<br />
2 cups of cauliflower florets<br />
1 cup of golden raisins<br />
1 large or 2 small carrots thinly sliced<br />
2 stalks of celery, sliced<br />
2 teaspoons of curry powder<br />
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock- if canned use low sodium)<br />
1 large orange - zested and juiced - my orange gave me about 1 cup of juice<br />
1 TBLSP of parsely, or cilantro or even basil if you like<br />
1 - 1 1/2 lbs of salmon filets - for God's sake, buy what's on sale. Or go to Trader Joes and get some frozen filets and thaw them under running cold water<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 F<br />
<br />
Heat a lidded skillet or a Dutch oven on a medium flame, when it's hot, swirl in your olive oil then throw in the onions and saute until translucent. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes translucent looking as well. Add the cauliflower, raisins, curry powder, carrots, celery, 1/2 of the orange zest and juice from 1/2 the orange (1/2 cup). Add the chicken stock. Cover your pot with foil or parchment, and then put the lid on (this keeps the steam and flavor in the pot) and put the whole thing in the oven for 25 minutes. (If you are using a long grain brown rice, it will take a lot longer to cook - closer to an hour. Also, in this house, we like our rice very mushy. If you're looking for something more al dente, take it out after 15/20 minutes.) <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, season your salmon on both sides with salt, pepper and the other half of the orange zest. Squeeze the other half of the orange over top. When the timer for the rice goes off, take the pot out, and taste your rice - adjust the seasonings adding Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Place your salmon on top of the rice. Put the whole thing back in the oven, uncovered this time, and bake until the salmon is cooked through: 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of your filet, and how well done your like your salmon. (Quite well done in this house - but most people like it to still be a bit pink in the center.)<br />
<br />
Let your salmon sit for a minute before serving. Then sprinkle it with some chopped parsley or cilantro, depending on what you have. I had neither, as you can clearly see from my photo. However, if I'd had one or the other I'd have sprinkled and my salmon dish would have been even prettier. (Although, David Tennant, you will always be prettiest...)<br />
<br />
A salad with a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and a splash of sherry vinegar would taste good with this. Or you can saute some frozen green beans in olive oil until they are cooked through - finish with fleur de sel sea salt and fresh pepper.<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-66537930082609583102011-12-12T22:47:00.000-05:002011-12-12T22:47:42.927-05:00Eat Mor Chik'nDon't you get sick of chicken? I don't know when it happened that the only acceptable protein is chicken. Is it because they aren't cute? Beef has a bad rap because it's all fatty and clogs your heart. Ditto bacon. Leaner pork is ok, but everyone is always afraid it's going to cause parasites or something. Fish is expensive. People don't shoot squirrels or possum for themselves; and if I tried to serve rabbit I think my children would disown me. Actually, they might try to have me arrested. Bunnies are cute. Cows and pigs are cute, fish is expensive (plus: mercury). Chickens, well, they are loud, smelly, and peck your feet.<br />
<br />
Ok, I don't actually know that for sure because I haven't truly spent a lot of time with chickens. When my mom was growing up in Kentucky, there were chickens running all over my grandfather's gentleman's farm. And when my grandfather was growing up in West Virginia - a lot of what his family ate came straight from the yard - what they grew and what they raised. I think it's a little sad that I am most intimate with chickens when they are already sliced into a cutlet and wrapped in plastic. But what can you do. I don't live in the country. The farmers I know, I know because they are standing under a tent in the parking lot of the GSB building once a week. Selling stuff from a truck. <br />
<br />
I'm going off on a rant here - and it's doing this post no good whatsoever because the meal I made last night was indeed chicken, pre-sliced into a cutlet and dressed with ingredients that are either slightly exotic or out of season, or both. So much for my holier-than-thou-I-only-shop-at-farmer's-markets attitude. Because the reality is, my kids ate it and asked for more - Which means that this recipe is a keeper and I'm going to make it again. <br />
<br />
I took a Martha Stewart recipe and bumped it up a bit. The original is in the December issue of Martha Stewart Magazine. If you have time, marinate it longer - I really only had time to throw the ingredients on it and let it sit out on the counter for an hour while I cooked up some rice.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6snUtlsNRaHkOjQKh_jlNPqwI3xkPzXP1fQ2NtAi0UZgNH4qftN2ZKIxwlPV_PFHDiXyR9Mtzm5AGdtGJDR_2H29FojVgB9v2rPMRkKfIqHnPXI-6yR1l2mbZ9dhwXhjMDHddeZnp_s/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6snUtlsNRaHkOjQKh_jlNPqwI3xkPzXP1fQ2NtAi0UZgNH4qftN2ZKIxwlPV_PFHDiXyR9Mtzm5AGdtGJDR_2H29FojVgB9v2rPMRkKfIqHnPXI-6yR1l2mbZ9dhwXhjMDHddeZnp_s/s320/chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do not like this picture, it's too shiny. Food shouldn't be this shiny.</td></tr>
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Lime & Basil Chicken<br />
<br />
2 limes - juice one and a half for about a 1/4 of lime juice. Slice the last half for garnish<br />
1/4 cup of grape seed oil<br />
2 tblsp of lower sodium soy sauce<br />
1 shallot, thinly sliced<br />
1 tbslp of brown sugar<br />
1 tsp of dried basil<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
some grindings of pepper<br />
8 thinly sliced chicken cutlets (or you can take 4 boneless chicken breasts and with a very sharp knife, slice them in half length wise)<br />
1/4 cup of white wine (something slightly sweeter - but not too sweet)<br />
1/4 cup of chicken stock<br />
1/4 cup of fresh basil - (which I didn't have - however I did have the cool frozen basil from Trader Joe's - which comes frozen in these great little cubes - I used about four of those) plus a bit extra for garnish.<br />
<br />
<br />
Mix the first 8 ingredients (limes through pepper) in a shallow dish - and then place the chicken in the dish flipping and swishing them until they are covered in marinade. Let them sit at least an hour, or, if you're more organized than I am, mix it all up in the morning before you head out for your day so they are all nice and marinady when you get home.<br />
<br />
Then, heat your saute pan until it is very hot. Drop 3 or 4 cutlets in the pan (don't over crowd the pan, it's ok to do all this in sections). Turn the heat to medium and sear the cutlets on one side for about 4 minutes. Then flip them and sear for another 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Let the chicken rest in a bowl where all their chickeny juices can collect.<br />
<br />
When all the chicken is cooked and relaxing in the bowl, pour the wine and chicken broth into the pan along with the marinade. Don't worry, you are going to cook the marinade - in fact start scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the marinade come to a boil, stirring all the while. Reduce it down so that it is about half the amount, add the basil, and then return the chicken to the pan, cooking to heat it through over a lower heat. Serve the whole thing over a nice steaming bowl of rice. You can sprinkle some of the lovely basil over all, which I didn't do because I didn't have any. I did, however, lovingly place a sliced lime right on top of your cutlets. Very pretty. And it keeps the cows happy...Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-247194809646177512011-12-02T23:41:00.000-05:002011-12-02T23:41:06.417-05:00Steak & Potatoes -<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_yBpwQUxsrlY9mVME4yZSkTPXej6yGwY2WpnjGUOOqR88Lh0XYCBbbvAZFlIBLNgpEXTHcmGY6jDT7GzqG688cOmNAEwPvFD2zTme5j1oQ0DtsCJHlyW1poAWwHFWyz_ggKlZHZqOQk/s1600/london-broil-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_yBpwQUxsrlY9mVME4yZSkTPXej6yGwY2WpnjGUOOqR88Lh0XYCBbbvAZFlIBLNgpEXTHcmGY6jDT7GzqG688cOmNAEwPvFD2zTme5j1oQ0DtsCJHlyW1poAWwHFWyz_ggKlZHZqOQk/s320/london-broil-a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did not take this picture which is why it looks so good...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So, the other day, I called my friend Laura and invited her to the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/">movies</a>. I wanted to see if she could drop everything and run to a 6pm movie with me, but she couldn't, so we planned on seeing a later show - 8:45 in Center City. It was Sunday, and I decided I'd make dinner for the family - I grabbed some steak, and sliced some potatoes, and sauteed some green beans. Then one daughter came home and started talking to me about the <a href="http://www.Hugomovie.com/?gclid=CPjU_aaC5awCFcp65Qodu20bMg">movie</a> she'd just seen, and my husband began a conversation with me about what we were going to do with the leaves outside and my older daughter came down and declared that she wasn't going to eat, and then there was <i>that</i> fight. At about 7:45 I got the dinner on the table. We all sat down, and I played some Christmas music, and we all started talking about - actually, I have no idea what we were all talking about - but it was just one of those shiny moments that happen when you are completely involved - then the phone rang. It was 8:28. On the other line was my friend Laura who I was supposed to have picked up at 8:15. She said, don't tell me you forgot. But I did! I had actually completely forgotten that she and I had made a plan <i>to do something FUN not two hours before</i>. <br />
<br />
This is my life - in a nutshell. I have no ability to attend. I'm like a freaking magpie - something - <i>anything -</i> shiny distracts me. I cannot hold a thing in my head: not plans I've made, not conversations I've had, not important things I'm supposed to do. Maybe it's age. I'm getting on up there, much to my own disbelief. Maybe it's because I have a lot on my plate with teaching and kids and - ok that's it, just teaching and kids - that seems to be enough. But even if I make a plan for something <i>fun</i> - if it's not bright and shiny and <b>right in front of my face </b>- it flies out of my mind like a goose flees winter.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"></div>This is why I like simple foods like steak and potatoes. It is the only thing that I can make when I am mightily distractible that I can do, and do fairly well, with out, well, as my 15 year old likes to say (a little too often) totally f*ing it up. Throw the stake in a hot saute pan, on a hot grill pan, or on a hot grill outside. Set the timer. Flip the steak. Reset the timer. Take the steak off and let it rest in a bit of marinade (I like to reverse marinade because who has the foresight to marinade earlier in the day). Flip it. Let it sit in the marinade a bit longer. It's that easy. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH2c_ITuuqxCnKaWNKpppHb4wtuXyIg_d12lXYZZ-yDJatTDDia-L0FE1oOLBrO-qtfUFB_KTshuSE2-nUOqjv5XEOgDHIrTkJF3siu8qT00gHbxGEOTAa9IsFC6WLJRmsBTmEEyo7u8/s1600/IMG_2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH2c_ITuuqxCnKaWNKpppHb4wtuXyIg_d12lXYZZ-yDJatTDDia-L0FE1oOLBrO-qtfUFB_KTshuSE2-nUOqjv5XEOgDHIrTkJF3siu8qT00gHbxGEOTAa9IsFC6WLJRmsBTmEEyo7u8/s200/IMG_2230.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cutest freaking sous chef in the world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Potatoes are easy like this too - I always seem to have potatoes kicking around my kitchen. (Literally kicking around because some times my sous-chef likes to stretch her long paws up into the bowl on the counter just to see what she can get - and what she usually gets is a potato which she doesn't really like, but hey, she's a dog, and it's food, so she kind of takes a few bites before leaving it under the table where it gets kicked across the room a few times before some one thinks to pick it up.) <br />
<br />
<br />
And while your steak rests and your potatoes rest you can toss some fresh green beans in a pot of salted water. Or frozen green beans in a pot of salted water. Or if you're feeling ambitious you can throw said fresh or frozen green beans in a saute pan with salt, water, a little olive oil and a crushed clove of garlic and let all that simmer on a low heat until the water has evaporated, at which point in time you give the whole thing a lazy stir so the oil salt and garlic get properly incorporated with the beans. But that's it. That's the whole effort - and a desultory effort at that.<br />
<br />
This is the kind of food where all you have to do is set the timer on your iPhone while you drift into the family room to watch the last half of How I Met Your Mother (which the 15yrold is obsessed with) or Adventure Time (an obsession of the 13yrold) or X Files reruns (the husband). You can make this dinner if you are reading a really good book you can't put down which means you can only cook with one hand because you're holding the book with the other. <br />
<br />
And this is the kind of meal I make when I have about 30 papers to grade, and I've been distracted by all <i>sorts</i> of shiny (ie movies with my friend... cleaning out the refrigerator ... organizing necklaces in my jewelry box) and I have to return said papers to students tomorrow. At 8am.<br />
<br />
I'm making a lot of steak, potatoes and green beans these days.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My Favorite Steak</b><br />
<br />
about 1 1/4 lb London Broil steak<br />
garlic - as much as you happen to have<br />
thyme, or tarragon, or parsley, or cilantro - what ever.<br />
1/3 or so of olive oil. Or grapeseed oil, or canola oil<br />
1/4 cup of lemon juice, or red or white wine or balsamic vinegar - or any other acidy liquid you have hanging about. My favorite is lemon juice, but red wine is also awesome. And if you use red wine throw in a splash of Worcestershire sauce - you won't regret it.<br />
1 TBlsp of Sea Salt, or 1 tsp of Kosher salt or table salt<br />
LOTS of fresh ground pepper.<br />
<br />
Heat your pan super hot. Turn on the fan over your stove. Oil the steak, dash with a bit of salt, but not too much. Grind some pepper over the whole thing. Slap it in the pan. (Or grill). DO NOT TOUCH IT FOR 7 MINUTES. Then flip it over DO NOT TOUCH IT FOR 5-7 MINUTES depending on how well done you like your steak and how thick the whole thing is. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile dump the rest of the ingredients in a dish that will fit the steak. Whisk it all up. When the steak is done, plonk it in the dish and turn it so that both sides have been dredged in marinade. Tent with foil and DO NOT TOUCH IT FOR 10 MINUTES. Flip the steak and let it be while you finish making the rest of the meal, setting the table, and drinking your Manhattan.<br />
<br />
Cut your steak thinly and on the bias.<br />
<br />
<br />
Potatoes:<br />
Here's one way to do 'em -<br />
New potatoes or Yukon Golds, quartered<br />
Sea or Kosher salt<br />
about 1/8th to 1/4 cup of olive oil<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 400 or so. Dump the potatoes in a roasting pan, a cast iron skillet or a jelly roll pan. Swirl with olive oil and salt. Roast for 20 min.<br />
<br />
OR slice your potatoes into match sticks, and do the same thing, only don't roast as long. Matchsticks will be cooked in 10 minutes<br />
<br />
<br />
Green Beans - I don't actually need to tell you how to cook green beans, do I?Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-12209749346580348432011-09-30T11:46:00.000-04:002011-09-30T11:46:22.213-04:00Best. Lunch. Ever.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqK2jlCNUrsohCYV8oVwxdWhK4ZNsSLKMLjVUhvxS0vDvmnDZvrkXf-LrWU0by0y1E7AJgSAvwJ5JN8u6pMwqWy3JERIOpv9sUz9sHEzXQ9E-1PE7YkZobFCU6iNNlBYzQcrJcp2tyVGk/s1600/IMG_1127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqK2jlCNUrsohCYV8oVwxdWhK4ZNsSLKMLjVUhvxS0vDvmnDZvrkXf-LrWU0by0y1E7AJgSAvwJ5JN8u6pMwqWy3JERIOpv9sUz9sHEzXQ9E-1PE7YkZobFCU6iNNlBYzQcrJcp2tyVGk/s320/IMG_1127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sometimes it has very little to do with cooking and everything to do with what you have on hand. Sure, you could call this a melted cheese sandwich with a bit of preserves on top. But if that's all you see, then what we have here is a failure to communicate.<br />
<br />
Because this a melted cheese sandwich made from fresh Okracity cheese from <a href="http://www.stoudts.com/">Stoudts</a> - hand made cheese with, yes, roasted okra dotted throughout it. I bought it from the cheese lady at the Farmer's market yesterday. This cheese sandwich is also made from my own <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/11/bucket-of-bread-dough.html">bread</a> and topped with cranberry chutney that I picked up when traveling in Maine this summer.<br />
<br />
<br />
And THIS was my breakfast yesterday:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLESMJDBD2j6YE7LAJcYapR_HXW7OspEUbHSuxBwsQsv7yeT5hBNnXJfTKrQx9EOogas6RPD7Nyg0ZkE6Jzq2cx938bSih3XcCt4TDRJOEPn4SGxUVs8PZR1XeCfdkAM4JtlXt7YaypmM/s1600/IMG_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLESMJDBD2j6YE7LAJcYapR_HXW7OspEUbHSuxBwsQsv7yeT5hBNnXJfTKrQx9EOogas6RPD7Nyg0ZkE6Jzq2cx938bSih3XcCt4TDRJOEPn4SGxUVs8PZR1XeCfdkAM4JtlXt7YaypmM/s320/IMG_1128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I'll admit, I'm a fan of the bread and cheese combo for the small meals. What you see here, is a cup of coffee from local a <a href="http://onevillagecoffee.com/">coffee roaster</a>, my <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/11/bucket-of-bread-dough.html">bread</a> (again) and a bit of locally produced goat cheese from Whole Foods. Perfection.<br />
<br />
I'm always making stuff like this for myself on the weekends - a little hummus on crackers with some minced parsley and squeeze of lemon. Avocado slices on a toasted English Muffin with a sprinkling of sea salt, maybe a thin slice of tomato. A little leftover Rao's Spaghetti sauce, straight from the jar with a bit of fresh basil straight from the yard, maybe a little cheese, or not, on top of toasted pita, thinly sliced bread, or just some water crackers. Bread, goat cheese, pumpkin butter. Sliced grapes, feta, and chopped haricot vert salad. Maybe with a can of chopped drained tuna thrown in...<br />
<br />
Whatever you have. Smith has gotten into the habit of waiting to see what I'll make myself, before he goes to his default, PB&J. Sometimes he sticks with the standard (particularly if what I'm putting together involves olives), sometimes he takes what I've got, and adds his own touch. The big dinners are important, sitting together at a table with your spouse and children, or your fiends is an important part of the day, but it is the small meals, often eaten alone, which make up the majority of our dining experiences. And these, in my opinion, should be tasty, created from the foods you love. Pure comfort even if it's five minutes in the middle of the busiest part of the day.Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-77224114923044751112011-09-16T10:44:00.000-04:002011-09-16T10:44:14.713-04:00Pancakes (Dairy Free) <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8tJPSkvVstMBlDuy6A8xiKNCv6GGF3gzHSkDkISyh3i9RSRINlc5XvuHpqyEkicw6PyIorK6baFL6gosV-xilSBF0rtUYdW8xZ-rMnMNFeoTxNdv7sS8Tkc57-gOmKhW9yM6zifwz_0/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8tJPSkvVstMBlDuy6A8xiKNCv6GGF3gzHSkDkISyh3i9RSRINlc5XvuHpqyEkicw6PyIorK6baFL6gosV-xilSBF0rtUYdW8xZ-rMnMNFeoTxNdv7sS8Tkc57-gOmKhW9yM6zifwz_0/s400/IMG_1110.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB9u2zxsOEboWLmJGeBx2-0nOvNqZUAiNq22bPZm1OlvVDJx2ChHXL2Bfm-xCdoFaR79Pb4TpIau66PPGac8E2dxJg8WQIw7NoLfCM5VBNGqwMwQFy0HagChCmDc6r1YgVZAKbt-fReA/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB9u2zxsOEboWLmJGeBx2-0nOvNqZUAiNq22bPZm1OlvVDJx2ChHXL2Bfm-xCdoFaR79Pb4TpIau66PPGac8E2dxJg8WQIw7NoLfCM5VBNGqwMwQFy0HagChCmDc6r1YgVZAKbt-fReA/s200/IMG_1096.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poison</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So for the past, oh, 3 years or so, our Emm has eaten a Van's Chocolate Chip Waffle for breakfast. Van's Waffles are the best frozen waffles you can buy. They toast up crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside and have an excellent vanilla taste. And because I don't allow my kids to have syrup on their waffles on a school day, I gave her maple flavored yogurt to dip her waffle in.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you read my previous post, you already know the disaster that created. </span><br />
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The third ingredient in Van's Chocolate Chip Waffles? That's right, Non Fat Milk. And yogurt. She doesn't even like yogurt, I just made her eat it because I thought it would be better for her than maple syrup. It's like when they were children, and they'd be all, Mommy my feet hurt, and I'd be like no they don't we just bought you new shoes, but they'd complain and complain and you take them to the shoe store and it turns out their little feet have grown two solid sizes and you've been jamming their feet into those now tiny shoes. It was like that. Only worse. A lot worse. Yeah, so I don't feel badly about that AT ALL.<br />
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We started giving her oatmeal for a quick breakfast, but on weekends we are serious fans of pancakes. (With a side of bacon, of course.) And I always made pancakes with buttermilk and butter - but I wanted to see if I could make them dairy free - and still have them taste good. I started out using vanilla flavored soy milk and the dreaded earth's best margarine (again, previous post for what I think about THAT stuff) - and the pancakes were passable - but didn't get that nice crust we liked that came about when you buttered the pan. Plus, the soy milk, no matter how much you try to hide it with vanilla flavoring, to me just tastes off. There is an aftertaste. I know lots of people like it, and I'm certainly not hating on the whole soy industry - it's just - for us, well, ew. Plus in all my breast cancer research, there is a link between soy and hormones and breast cancer, so the girls and I are probably better off not drinking it. So we switched it out for vanilla flavored rice milk - and that was great. No weird after taste - but I was still left with, ok I'm just going to say it, flaccid pancakes. Ew. <br />
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I don't know why it took me so long, but I finally switched the margarine out for good old canola oil, and LOW AND BEHOLD, the perfect pancakes. Add to them some dairy free chocolate chips and they were amazing. Plus, no stomach ache. And the other family members loved them. So happiness all around.<br />
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I like to mix the dry ingredients for my pancakes and just leave it sitting in a jar so that it takes me a fraction of the time to make breakfast in the morning. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8rk-uXb3nlhD627cqlyXnb_lzhrQ9TLQUAklPF5nkTfqtvGOjs_HnZBQlIbpT2sFVvnnzt3Q4KeY2fsl3KEYy253NpJha6Jm3Z2BZ_iWhMR9DpACwPcEwVSuE78ZAAy8cuwvaDgyBrI/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8rk-uXb3nlhD627cqlyXnb_lzhrQ9TLQUAklPF5nkTfqtvGOjs_HnZBQlIbpT2sFVvnnzt3Q4KeY2fsl3KEYy253NpJha6Jm3Z2BZ_iWhMR9DpACwPcEwVSuE78ZAAy8cuwvaDgyBrI/s200/IMG_1098.JPG" width="148" /></a>To do this scoop<b> 4 cups of all purpose flour, 3 TBLSP of baking powder, 2 tsp of baking soda, a scant TLBS of sea or kosher salt and 2 TLBS of sugar </b>into a large jar and put the lid on and shake it up. If you want to get fancy, you can divide this mixture into two smaller jars and drop a vanilla bean into one and an orange peel in the other - which will gently flavor your pancakes. Or get crazy and drop in a cinnamon stick.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu-yMyEyENFD77s7ZlN7dCAtto3dz7dsaIwkqxAXMzoDLwDLMsTOcwQij9xqFqKr7xvOTLkdEBe30Wu4caFKHyt-lO6AAI_K8I_bmOIg4A01VwrHxFL9rp2zSY2t5ksYqCjZFiKYhKtE/s1600/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu-yMyEyENFD77s7ZlN7dCAtto3dz7dsaIwkqxAXMzoDLwDLMsTOcwQij9xqFqKr7xvOTLkdEBe30Wu4caFKHyt-lO6AAI_K8I_bmOIg4A01VwrHxFL9rp2zSY2t5ksYqCjZFiKYhKtE/s200/IMG_1100.JPG" width="200" /></a>Then, when you are ready to make your pancakes, <b>break 1 large egg into a large bowl. Add 1 cup of vanilla flavored rice milk and 1TLBS of canola or other lightly flavored oil </b>(grapeseed is good, but olive oil is too strong) to the bowl and give it a good whisking. <b> </b><br />
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<b>Then dump in 1 cup of the pancake mixture.</b> If you mixture is plain, add 1 tsp of vanilla before mixing it. If it is already flavored, leave it be. Play around - have fun - go nuts with the flavors. Mix it up until it is only marginally lumpy. If it looks too dry, add more rice milk. I don't like my batter too dry.<br />
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While you are doing all this, you should be preheating your pan or griddle. Just before you make you pancakes - add a swirl of canola oil (this is usually a couple of tblsps) - Cook the pancakes over medium heat until the bubbles burst, then flip 'em. I find that if I cook them on to high a heat they burn quickly, probably because of the oil - but do be sure your pan is good and hot before you add the oil. Then turn the heat down to medium when you add the batter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM1vkyRgJw0GUehBY7wrQaQelnGEZiitgCoqWVqBMQlcOtpNDvDPFz8GcmXz3OIZ7l7PAbGOcJ0WpAvff3EYkNEuh3dvHkFACA-o7LTiFucRRAVBw-Rt6d7c_32nPHq6kBwbIDIpBQ54/s1600/IMG_1125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM1vkyRgJw0GUehBY7wrQaQelnGEZiitgCoqWVqBMQlcOtpNDvDPFz8GcmXz3OIZ7l7PAbGOcJ0WpAvff3EYkNEuh3dvHkFACA-o7LTiFucRRAVBw-Rt6d7c_32nPHq6kBwbIDIpBQ54/s200/IMG_1125.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
We are big fans of adding chocolate chips. Emm has become addicted to these Enjoy Life Mega Chunk chocolate chips which are dairy, wheat and nut free. A handful of these sprinkled on top of the pancake while it cooks, before you flip it - takes it from darn good to spectacular.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpN1JRaQrSqKxLblv0LX4k7ZPWawYTppzFjngsCkCRaXf_rKq3rcmZWeMawGmA7-UcM_XTGIYZ7RPza74LTXmPjySvIeziCXM860o9cZQ2hBwfnMu6lZE0uyMnEF7H_4iH8uujPg4nO8M/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpN1JRaQrSqKxLblv0LX4k7ZPWawYTppzFjngsCkCRaXf_rKq3rcmZWeMawGmA7-UcM_XTGIYZ7RPza74LTXmPjySvIeziCXM860o9cZQ2hBwfnMu6lZE0uyMnEF7H_4iH8uujPg4nO8M/s200/IMG_1099.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fBRG_GfMCcGM7G6cEpqHP88Fth7OvDQgKJI7Yu7V9S-0M0XdQ0Gvu78EN7ayXplRicO8S_RFwwVGyRpBlrZtgi5eWi3oJDBKvJtEvF463Wi6-K0RqpX0DnLK5aIWU4uuMnIu_tBmPrI/s1600/IMG_1122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fBRG_GfMCcGM7G6cEpqHP88Fth7OvDQgKJI7Yu7V9S-0M0XdQ0Gvu78EN7ayXplRicO8S_RFwwVGyRpBlrZtgi5eWi3oJDBKvJtEvF463Wi6-K0RqpX0DnLK5aIWU4uuMnIu_tBmPrI/s320/IMG_1122.JPG" width="239" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Heavenly - dairy (and stomach ache) FREE</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Ond5rqYr6fOfWnwtaSlj2btcwurcebdBKvpvIeI5zROqTlDwD4IpNuih_MjRHSJ-2YSYk51C6YPNrpKGNdr3pjbhr3Y5dvIyn5We6v9RMbi353p6cGOMI30sVfPS3lsstCUvdudfog/s1600/IMG_1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Ond5rqYr6fOfWnwtaSlj2btcwurcebdBKvpvIeI5zROqTlDwD4IpNuih_MjRHSJ-2YSYk51C6YPNrpKGNdr3pjbhr3Y5dvIyn5We6v9RMbi353p6cGOMI30sVfPS3lsstCUvdudfog/s400/IMG_1119.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-32152252002066882972011-09-10T17:43:00.000-04:002011-09-10T17:43:42.956-04:00Goodbye Yellow Brick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YV2zgy8Zbg3D55mIXszvF-7qsOm5LS31oD402HOTpXleG6ZIL36CBY1_LnuYhyNQybXskv-8oYPt6Ulpkr0EzVOG4SRJpikuvsxOg6OhWccm-0kiYjp27XTlhyNHbBYCu0JD3A-TqyM/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YV2zgy8Zbg3D55mIXszvF-7qsOm5LS31oD402HOTpXleG6ZIL36CBY1_LnuYhyNQybXskv-8oYPt6Ulpkr0EzVOG4SRJpikuvsxOg6OhWccm-0kiYjp27XTlhyNHbBYCu0JD3A-TqyM/s640/IMG_1060.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div><br />
Yes. That yellow brick. After 2 years of agonizing stomach aches, innumerable blood and skin tests, one endoscopy and a truck load of prescription strength Prilosec, we have our answer: Em is allergic to dairy.<br />
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</div><div>OH. MY. GOD. I was kind of hoping for something simple, like corn. It's not like corn is in everything... oh wait. Actually, it is.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So, my heart is breaking. Of course on the bright side, we'll all probably lose a few pounds here since I won't be adding tablespoons of butter to everything a la Paula Deen. On the dark dark dark side: mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are a staple in our house. I know one can mash up potatoes with chicken stock (in fact, I usually boil my potatoes in a combination of chicken stock and and water), but to get them super super creamy you need butter. A lot of butter.<br />
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Want to know what is NOT going to cut it for the mashed potatoes? This:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm7dXi8bz0o0q0bw6sVUG-3Fb_ZuqbDlHSZMcB-_twA74AO-2HGzzbxd5ppfHa118yxJJmVKjEXflyyySXSlBYvUqxdq3NZCnrx7rvlmyFHcgQOHZseTzg9ztpUYObFmaKrhIx6HQ39c/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm7dXi8bz0o0q0bw6sVUG-3Fb_ZuqbDlHSZMcB-_twA74AO-2HGzzbxd5ppfHa118yxJJmVKjEXflyyySXSlBYvUqxdq3NZCnrx7rvlmyFHcgQOHZseTzg9ztpUYObFmaKrhIx6HQ39c/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div>This would be margarine. I don't care that it's in gold packaging, I don't care that it is organic margarine (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) it's margarine and it sucks. <br />
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Years ago, in the late 70's when my parents and the parents of everyone else I knew was on a heart-healthy-health-food kick and consuming enormous amounts of margarine (...if you think it's butter but it's not...) - I remember my grandfather taking a stand. Margarine was simply not allowed in his house. My grandmother would plead, "But, Jimmy, our arteries..." and my grandfather would have none of it. "That stuff'll kill you," he said plainly. This was a man who salted his cantaloupe half each morning. Who drank a Co-Cola every day, and a cocktail every night. Sure he only lived briefly into his seventies, but he LIVED. You know? I miss that guy.<br />
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So, margarine isn't in the genes. And I think olive and other expeller pressed oils are fine - and can be used in a lot of things in place of butter (see my next post which will be on truly yummy dairy free pancakes) but - oh - dear - the mashed potatoes. <br />
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No recipe in this post, just mourning here. Just mourning...<br />
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</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-12767673679350872572011-07-11T15:19:00.000-04:002011-07-11T15:19:06.273-04:00Sauteed Pork With Brussel Sprouts Leeks and Apples, Plus, Creamy Polenta<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfP4T0xMPwADS4jXe9TUsa1Yo1fP9eJbUS-KYRvUCwjAaphRk1kkWICg-K4H2nyb-gbNGpfntlk_LhPWdPTKkYzeIxUD_-35t18jqSQ1oFGNifm7456H493KCik8p5YcmwcSEn2UjKi8/s1600/IMG_0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfP4T0xMPwADS4jXe9TUsa1Yo1fP9eJbUS-KYRvUCwjAaphRk1kkWICg-K4H2nyb-gbNGpfntlk_LhPWdPTKkYzeIxUD_-35t18jqSQ1oFGNifm7456H493KCik8p5YcmwcSEn2UjKi8/s200/IMG_0684.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">OK - here's the picture of my latest creation. Right off the bat I want to say that my daughter Mads took a much more appetizing picture - but I'm a spaz and I couldn't find the thingy to connect to the camera and the laptop to upload the pictures so I had to upload the ones I took with my phone. Hopefully, you get the idea that this was delicious and not at all slimy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This was really fun to create. It started with Ina Garten's recipe for creamy polenta found on page 182 of her book, <i>How Easy Is That?</i> - I was thumbing through it yesterday looking for ideas for meals this week before heading out to the grocery store. I love polenta - but no one else in my family likes it as much as I do - still every now and then I just need to make something I like, right? Polenta is pure comfort food. I think it's because I spent a lot of time in Kentucky in the summers and my cousin Martha was fan of grits back then. Plain grits with melted butter. I remember trying them for the first time in my Aunt's kitchen. She had that crazy green and white trellis wall paper in her breakfast room that a lot of people had in the '70s. And she had this beautiful chandelier over the breakfast table that was white and shaped like vines and flowers. Martha made the grits for me, and at first I thought they were tasteless. And gritty. (Hence, grits - probably - right?) But then that butter melted in, and I added more salt, and I was hooked. I cannot pass up grits if it is on a menu. Nor can I pass up grit's Italian cousin - cheesey, creamy Polenta. Fuggeddaboutit. The best. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y3b3KYamXpfOn5XH-FB_i6fEnEepUnNgm6-O5388tM6nY7bFvIfJX9yYzKhkuDUgAy1t5piprM0dBOPqwKekkGOm8ELxqjxIbhTNwxmN55AvnLdG9sGTYskVHO0Mx56qsTOfyPnhTJ8/s1600/IMG_0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Y3b3KYamXpfOn5XH-FB_i6fEnEepUnNgm6-O5388tM6nY7bFvIfJX9yYzKhkuDUgAy1t5piprM0dBOPqwKekkGOm8ELxqjxIbhTNwxmN55AvnLdG9sGTYskVHO0Mx56qsTOfyPnhTJ8/s200/IMG_0686.JPG" width="150" /></a>Then I had this idea that the pork sirloin I'd bought would be tasty with the polenta - AND I had this thought that my sage outside - sitting pretty on my deck was getting a bit large and could do with a trim. And it dawned on me that those things would taste nicely together - polenta, sage, pork... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course when I went to make the <s>grits</s> polenta, I did not have most of the ingredients - despite going to the grocery store less than an hour before firing up the stove. (see "spaz" in the 1st paragraph) Ina calls for chicken stock. I had beef stock. Ina calls for parmesan - I had nought but a rind, dammit. But I always have goat cheese. And of course, when I was at Whole Foods, I intended to pick up some sort of vegetable to go with the pork and polenta but, as usual, I got distracted by something shiny and forgot - So, did what I always do and winged it. Had about a 1/4 bag of frozen Brussels Sprouts and a 1/4 bag of leeks in the freezer - which I threw in after cooking the pork. Wanted to make a wine sauce to deglaze the pan - no wine - only beer. Used that. Then I thought it looked like it needed plumping up, so I added the apple and it was a home run.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Sauteed Pork, With Leeks, Apples and Brussels Sprouts over Creamy Polenta</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>For the Polenta:</b> </div><div style="text-align: left;">(I made this to serve 4 people, three of whom claimed they didn't like polenta all that much - this recipe is easily doubled. Doubled it should serve 4-6)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup olive or canola oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">10 or so whole sage leaves</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 Cups of Beef Broth (low sodium in you have it - you can also use chicken stock, homemade or not - you know me, I'm all about using what you have)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 minced garlic clove </div><div style="text-align: left;">4 fresh sage leaves</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup of polenta or stone ground grits</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kosher salt to taste (I think I used a tsp & 1/2 of it)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Freshly ground pepper to taste (probably about 1/2 a tsp - I love pepper)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup of creme fraiche - (I can't figure out how to make that look French - but you know what I'm talking about) - or you can use sour cream - but creme fraiche is better - </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 of goat cheese (instead of the parmesan - ! And better! Who doesn't love goat cheese, right Ina?)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">First, heat the olive oil until it is very hot, and drop your sage leaves in a few at a time until they are crispy. Take them out and let them drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the sage leaves are crispy. Set this aside. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In a medium sized pot heat the broth, garlic and sage leaves until the broth has hit a rolling boil. Slowly, whisking constantly, add the polenta and continue to whisk until it is all absorbed. Switch your stirring implement to a spoon and keep stirring until the broth is absorbed and the polenta is thick. Take your polenta off the heat and whisk in the creme fraiche and the goat cheese. Adjust your seasonings. My seasonings were a bit salty because my beef broth was NOT low sodium, so I had to add more creme fraiche until it tasted right. This is never a bad thing. More creme fraiche is only ever a good thing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL3xK1PVp21vsYBudLXBxtutTsUq6chwqrxbcVdau5OCpaM3EgbSdWqHpFX5KRr7lnZB3jjTml2c-PLO22ovf-c4xZ3qMe1Ic8a8aYTfZWzsogDt7_zVR40LnndzAgHYj3HlXUkFlVQY/s1600/IMG_0681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL3xK1PVp21vsYBudLXBxtutTsUq6chwqrxbcVdau5OCpaM3EgbSdWqHpFX5KRr7lnZB3jjTml2c-PLO22ovf-c4xZ3qMe1Ic8a8aYTfZWzsogDt7_zVR40LnndzAgHYj3HlXUkFlVQY/s200/IMG_0681.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>For the Pork: </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">4 bonless sirloins of Pork cut into 1/4 inch strips. ( I have to confess, I don't know how much pork I had - I threw the package away before I wrote it down. Suffice it to say, I had 2 packs of 2 sirloin cuts of pork - maybe a lb all together? I don't know (refer back to "spaz"))</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/8 cup or so of olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 TBLSP of fresh sage, minced</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 large apple, cored and cubed</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups frozen Brussels Sprouts </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup frozen leeks (you can get these at Trader Joes! Yay!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup beer (I used a darkish Mexican style beer - but something more stoudt-ish would be good too)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 TBSLP butter - I used my salted Kerry Gold - because that's all I had (What DID I buy at Whole Foods yesterday, you must be asking yourself, and the answer is, I don't know. Sigh.)</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt and pepper to taste</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat the oil in a sautee pan or cast iron skillet until it shimmers. Add the pork in batches and sautee it until it is lightly browned - just about 3-4 min a batch. Take it out of the oil and let it sit - repeat until all the pork is cooked. Add the frozen leeks and brussels sprouts (I didn't even bother to try and defrost them - if you have fresh ones of these things, you might need to pre-cook the sprouts a minute in a pot of boiling water or a microwave because they'll never cook here otherwise - fresh leeks you can just chop and throw in) - add the beer and scrape up all the browned bits from the pork. When the leeks are nice and wilty and the sprouts are pretty much defrosted in the middle, add the apples to the mix, then return the pork and any of the accumulated juices to the pot. Stir all this around until the pork is heated through - about 5 or so minutes - take one of your pieces out to check it - then stir in the butter and add salt and pepper to taste. With a slotted spoon, remove the pork and sprouts, but try to leave some apple chunks behind. Let your sauce simmer, and smash the bits of apple right in to thicken it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Serve the pork over the polenta - Remember that sage you fried? Pour a bit of the oil over each serving and crumble your fried sage leaves on top. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The sad thing is that I made the polenta fully expecting to have leftovers for lunch today - and darn my family - nothing is left. (insert frowny face here.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I believe this counts as a full meal because it included starch, protein and vegetable - even the dairy - all on one plate - which should make Mrs. Obama very happy. OH - one thing we DID buy at Whole Foods - a very delicious strawberry rhubarb pie, which we ate for dessert. Mmmmmm.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-56839443863171296542011-07-05T17:14:00.001-04:002011-07-11T09:36:50.625-04:00LET THEM EAT CAKE! - Oops - wrong revolution, Still: CAKE!Red Velvet. I'm still perfecting it - so I'm not going to put the recipe up yet, but I couldn't possibly let a great title like that slip through my fingers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMbfZ2fD9aheez3vx_uR_osaE_GvgugOORXIFciGgqN0OMxmFDABoRa_CgaHSep6xuwrVI9QnUnMvZG-eXcYEBmkZLDCGg0ZtC2BQgxB8Et98-huwem4rZ9PVeojNtwTI0XWP9dHCeY8/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMbfZ2fD9aheez3vx_uR_osaE_GvgugOORXIFciGgqN0OMxmFDABoRa_CgaHSep6xuwrVI9QnUnMvZG-eXcYEBmkZLDCGg0ZtC2BQgxB8Et98-huwem4rZ9PVeojNtwTI0XWP9dHCeY8/s400/IMG_0668.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here she is - a grand old Lady:<br />
<br />
My cake decorating skills leave a lot to be desired, I know. Usually I'm a little better, but I was rushed last night because the girls had their own plans for fireworks and the like and I was trying to get at least one daughter (and her friend) to eat a hamburger so I wouldn't have to receive the, "Mom, I've got a bad headache can you pick me up NOW," call. I hate that call - because if they'd only listened to me and had a little food...<br />
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Who am I kidding? They don't listen to me. They're 12 and 14. In ten years they might be ready to listen to me but until then I do my best to speak through their father (for whom they still have a bit of respect.)<br />
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We had fun this Fourth. Mads, her dad and I went to the usual parade - with the ooompa loompa band:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZC3FjU7LuvMyOWrLjmh4CEqTl-yTn3cy2xy91UhxHOmCdRpLLXmnYgqSAhg80MkL9CzwCBDoN-OhK9gdEzmaD_UvfixKwsJ8mSnpK3L8LaedUTWkQfldMkuyNGh0rd2OgpnBmLbJ9e58/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZC3FjU7LuvMyOWrLjmh4CEqTl-yTn3cy2xy91UhxHOmCdRpLLXmnYgqSAhg80MkL9CzwCBDoN-OhK9gdEzmaD_UvfixKwsJ8mSnpK3L8LaedUTWkQfldMkuyNGh0rd2OgpnBmLbJ9e58/s320/IMG_0670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">they old timey cars:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzesgxh8otty3M3C93YAvM_mc1SUgZ4iC_J1i5PND2KwvNcIFNqBnZrNHpJ1rshDOtJrfgAt8oU4TYjUEoVs6sP8Qe6Pfx4biQowoCXCkhmgQzpCF9k5McgSML9aTJfm7G9ySMeV_ZR3M/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzesgxh8otty3M3C93YAvM_mc1SUgZ4iC_J1i5PND2KwvNcIFNqBnZrNHpJ1rshDOtJrfgAt8oU4TYjUEoVs6sP8Qe6Pfx4biQowoCXCkhmgQzpCF9k5McgSML9aTJfm7G9ySMeV_ZR3M/s320/IMG_0671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-klhk8z1KKPtHIsQRwZwpTNk9igPxwIJbimMXh-CkBG3ZYQYMDWWm5SLYgRgwX-VLxFT6d_LlWE-3_GK6xiegZfIJAyFlPdcpd8qEIJB8RkCdBOghqT0VbwyFSgOKSqIN3r3ijG280U/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-klhk8z1KKPtHIsQRwZwpTNk9igPxwIJbimMXh-CkBG3ZYQYMDWWm5SLYgRgwX-VLxFT6d_LlWE-3_GK6xiegZfIJAyFlPdcpd8qEIJB8RkCdBOghqT0VbwyFSgOKSqIN3r3ijG280U/s320/IMG_0673.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Bo12eGnVWgZSYX7XF9oDbqjjHJuJmbNR6H234Qe5wfrdAalSuFSxDGh6qwvXlqfM2UzLmMIlp71nKxe0U7UKY261MoOhzoQF1OTqkCtVy-wgIHgN2z9747UHEL49HI-61a5r1D5uP8s/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Bo12eGnVWgZSYX7XF9oDbqjjHJuJmbNR6H234Qe5wfrdAalSuFSxDGh6qwvXlqfM2UzLmMIlp71nKxe0U7UKY261MoOhzoQF1OTqkCtVy-wgIHgN2z9747UHEL49HI-61a5r1D5uP8s/s320/IMG_0672.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Plus your usual panoply of kids on bikes, floats made by parents featuring their infants, politicians (some more smarmy and blown dry than others) - police cars and fire trucks. The guy on stilts was there, as he is every year as well as the creepy, yet still somehow cool horse drawn hearse from the historic grave yard that borders our town. This is the very same hearse used in the 1800s to carry those who could afford it to their eternal resting places:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu63WBZ_CjFb_PmsIZkdYG5HjpQkOkD3Ig2ZIMakjatUnt7T3OVJUJ9ve5sZqPO-_yOKrb2bhlwyU1Wm6Nxr3ml5aPGN9E1TU0gGNsUfoXFXH78hKSkuW2febr21r5yG6dO1I8Z6OcOs/s1600/IMG_0675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu63WBZ_CjFb_PmsIZkdYG5HjpQkOkD3Ig2ZIMakjatUnt7T3OVJUJ9ve5sZqPO-_yOKrb2bhlwyU1Wm6Nxr3ml5aPGN9E1TU0gGNsUfoXFXH78hKSkuW2febr21r5yG6dO1I8Z6OcOs/s320/IMG_0675.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See what I did here - used my camera+ to make it LOOK old timey</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGek7h1IAi_KrmPjAGZgL7OLo3E0MANm36J7FNPsFN4xOpMkAxohjTbPd1S59QklXdHdZbXaduG0HRGZXyWlry9Tqcub7lw1DMEsrF9nCXbDTxpcmk5hfTdgUMrPbuukFCrlJDpa5GQg/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGek7h1IAi_KrmPjAGZgL7OLo3E0MANm36J7FNPsFN4xOpMkAxohjTbPd1S59QklXdHdZbXaduG0HRGZXyWlry9Tqcub7lw1DMEsrF9nCXbDTxpcmk5hfTdgUMrPbuukFCrlJDpa5GQg/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">even though I took these pictures yesterday- because I'm clever that way. (Love those horses)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Any way - even though I'm still working on my red velvet cake recipe (because frankly the one above was a bit dry) - I'll give you the method - (because everyone has this recipe) - for creating my awesome cream cheese frosting with which I frosted my July 4 cake:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Super Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 cups of powdered sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter room temp</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">tsp of good vanilla (the best you can afford)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">pinch of salt (just regular old table salt, not sea salt)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 package of cream cheese - room temp as well - chopped up into bits about a table spoon in size</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sift the powered sugar. Sift it again. And just to be on the safe side, sift it one more time. The main thing here is no lumps. At all. I mean it. If you see a lump sift it. Put your butter in a standing mixer if you have one - although a hand held is fine, it's just more boring because you have to whip the heck out of the butter - you just leave it in the bottom of the mixer getting all whipped up by the mixer until it's light and incredibly fluffy - then add the sugar about a cup at a time - letting it get all whipped into the butter before adding more. When all the sugar is whipped add the vanilla and pinch of sugar then add the cream cheese a block at a time until it is all incorporated and very very whipped. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every time I write the word whipped I keep thinking that there's got to be a joke in there somehow involving Paris Hilton or a Kardashian - but I can't do it because I'm not a guy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway - when all your cream cheese is incorporated and, well, whipped, you will have the lightest most yummy cream cheese frosting ever. And if you want to make it chocolate, just swap out 1/2 cup of cocoa powder for 1/2 cup of sugar and sift, sift, sift and mix like mad. People will love it. Even if your cake is a little dry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy 4th. Yay US.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-12013706411570535692011-06-30T19:03:00.000-04:002011-06-30T19:03:42.427-04:00Soup to Nuts. Actually, Halibut or Pork Chops with Pesto, Rice Salad, Grilled Vegetables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVzxhbHsKmeibHLiWhKwx1yQAlZlE2C4Rei8mQVhYJU25mvyrrCFvhgXY-_67Q0wd6jOzn5KJG6-NTA1IwpNMb2rmXC0PwSiEX957O46ci00NT_GLdaljWkDOIQw6eHqf-Bt4PUwbRWg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVzxhbHsKmeibHLiWhKwx1yQAlZlE2C4Rei8mQVhYJU25mvyrrCFvhgXY-_67Q0wd6jOzn5KJG6-NTA1IwpNMb2rmXC0PwSiEX957O46ci00NT_GLdaljWkDOIQw6eHqf-Bt4PUwbRWg/s320/photo.JPG" width="197" /></a></div>Prepare yourself. This is an insanely long post. Here's a picture of the result, just as a little teaser...<br />
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My mom loves my blog - but she wants more. More than just one recipe for one dish. And she doesn't want to search around my blog picking and choosing, she wants me to do the work for her. And I guess since she raised me, and I guess since I spent umpteen years yelling for her to please bring me a glass of water/sandwich/cookie/toast when she was folding laundry in the basement and I was watching TV in the family room which was three steps from the kitchen, I might owe this to her.<br />
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So, Mom, this post's for you.<br />
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I love to make my dad fish for dinner because my mom is either allergic to or dislikes most all creatures from the sea and so, obviously, rarely cooks anything fishy for him at home. On Father's day this year I bought a lovely piece of Halibut from the fish market, as well as some really gorgeous pork chops for my mom and my girls. My husband, the other dad at the table, was planning on having a little of both. It was win win for everyone.<br />
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Here's what I did -<br />
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First, made a bit of <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/09/basil.html">pesto</a>. This I did on Saturday because we were having our friends Mark and Barry over and Mark has made it clear that he just might love my <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/09/basil.html">pesto</a> a little more than he loves me - which is ok because my pesto is freakin' good, if I say so myself. If you click on the words <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/09/basil.html">pesto</a> in this or the above sentence, you will come to my recipe for both <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/09/basil.html">pesto</a> and pork chops with <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2010/09/basil.html">pesto</a>. OR you can make it the way I made it last Saturday - because I seem to make pesto differently every time.<br />
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Pesto:<br />
1 to 2 cloves of garlic<br />
1 large bunch of basil - cleaned and stemmed<br />
1 large bunch of parsley - cleaned<br />
zest of 1 lemon<br />
juice of 1/2 a lemon (or to taste)<br />
juice of 1/2 a lime (or to taste)<br />
1/8 cup of freshly grated parmesan<br />
1/8 cup of freshly grated pecorino romano<br />
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil - (or more, just splash it in until it is the consistency you like)<br />
sea salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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whir the garlic, basil and parsley (use the parsley stems - they have flavor which I learned from watching PAULA DEEN on the food network - I believe it is required to write her name in all caps) and the lemon zest and juices in your food processor or blender. Add the cheese, whir it up again. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until it is at the right consistency. Give it a taste and add pepper but only add salt if it's absolutely necessary.<br />
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On Sunday morning - I rubbed this pesto all over the chops and put them back in the fridge. If I'd had my wits about me, I'd have done this Saturday, however my wits were not about whatsoever and were probably taking a much needed holiday with a gin & tonic out behind the shed. (The children are on summer break, need I say more...)<br />
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Also on Sunday morning, I cooked a batch of basmati rice for the rice salad I wanted to serve at dinner. I always cook rice the same way - I think most people have their own fail safe rice recipe - but if you don't - this is mine:<br />
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<ul><li>boil 2 cups of water, add a tablespoon of oil or butter and 1 cup of rice, cover your pot, turn it down and simmer for 15 min. Turn the heat off, DON'T TOUCH THE POT, let the rice sit covered for 10 min or more. Open up the pot and fluff with a fork.</li>
</ul><div>When the rice was done, but while it was still hot, I added 1/2 cup of frozen peas and half of my vinaigrette. This is important, because you want the peas to unfreeze, but not to cook, and you want your vinaigrette to be absorbed by the still warm rice. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's the vinaigrette I used - it was the same one I used for my last post (<a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2011/06/back-to-farmers-market.html">back to the farmer's marke</a>t - click on the <a href="http://kath-whatsfordinnertonight.blogspot.com/2011/06/back-to-farmers-market.html">link</a>) - I used marjoram for the herb. Then I refrigerated the rice.</div><div><br />
</div><div>My mom and dad came over around 5ish, and we all sat around and outside getting eaten by mosquitos until we couldn't stand it no more - and then every one went in and my husband fired up the kettle grill. I have to say, right now, that he is becoming the master firemaker. It is an art form and a beautiful thing to see. He banks most of the heat on one side of the grill so there's a hot side and a cool side, and he's my hero for that. I sliced two zucchini lenghtwise, trimmed my spring onions, and cut the peppers in half tossed all of it in olive oil, and grilled them first while the fire was very hot. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Meanwhile, I slathered my beautiful halibut with my pesto and let it, and the chops sit out a while so they could come to room temperature.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Took the veg off the grill, sprinkled them with this pear/balsamic vinegar that I bought last month at Garces Trading Co. and let them sit.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHBo6DIgErGcMGGiJkeiOSU4sCMfOBfV_KoJG1oelcyVV3LnkkP9zGp9VYfeA2IENMHQOgs4JfrY_T15eQ2_70cz-l8CEM5fJpU940up685FoCuPXTxsO0-L0OXSOXUWJXAgCuMhZgcw/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHBo6DIgErGcMGGiJkeiOSU4sCMfOBfV_KoJG1oelcyVV3LnkkP9zGp9VYfeA2IENMHQOgs4JfrY_T15eQ2_70cz-l8CEM5fJpU940up685FoCuPXTxsO0-L0OXSOXUWJXAgCuMhZgcw/s200/IMG_0561.JPG" width="148" /></a></div><div>Ran back inside, chopped up some basil and cherry tomatoes and parsley and tossed all that into my now cold rice salad. Poured the remainder of my lemon vinaigrette over it. Tossed it. Tasted it. Added a pinch or two of sea salt and a bit more pepper.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Back outside, I put my pork chops on the grill - on the side without the heat - 5 min a side because they were rather thick. Then 1 min on each side over the very hottest part of the grill to get the good grill marks. Pork goes on a platter to rest covered with foil while ...</div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJTUXmsEx_1jybOvsjE_EuKsPAVEZ0qsNW4D6Ii0u2pmugeTdUUHaLKU9CrkgR5pe7yeCIlR1Fam0TwZMZ_AGqQAW5u3i_gTH9Krv6YcxRvqTbLT8OuPboY9rnNj664v02YwBDyWQ4BY/s1600/photo-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJTUXmsEx_1jybOvsjE_EuKsPAVEZ0qsNW4D6Ii0u2pmugeTdUUHaLKU9CrkgR5pe7yeCIlR1Fam0TwZMZ_AGqQAW5u3i_gTH9Krv6YcxRvqTbLT8OuPboY9rnNj664v02YwBDyWQ4BY/s320/photo-17.jpg" width="239" /></a>... Finally -cook the halibut. You have to clean the grill first with a crumpled up piece of foil because if anything at all is on your grill the fish will stick and that's the end of it. Use your tongs and rub the grill with the foil, then wad up as many paper towels as you can stand to use and oil the grill. Then oil the fish, even though it's already smeared with pesto - </div><div><br />
</div><div>I grilled the flesh side for about a minute - then flipped it and grilled it another 7 or 8 min on the skin side. By this time the fire was much cooler, so I grilled the fish pretty close to the coals.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Whew. Fish rice salad, grilled vegetables. Happy Dad, Happy Husband/Father of my children. Both girls and their Nana happily gnawing on pork chops - It was all good.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ice cream for dessert - got my Dad's favorite - butter pecan - everyone else got chocolate. </div><div> </div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-89146653757322242962011-06-17T22:52:00.000-04:002011-06-17T22:52:14.567-04:00Back to the Farmer's Market!Beautiful beets at the farmer's market last week. I think they were called bullseye beets because they were crimison on the outside, but white like radishes on the inside with a little red bullseye when you cut them in half. I cut them up tossed them in sea salt and olive oil and threw them on the grill along with some tender broccolini - then I dressed the whole thing up in lemony vinaigrette. Here are the results:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeZ0zFDAbd4lxmTm3kpdrM4FkX5ydATRgvAJ9SnNUg0Egan2blVsJETn69JbfBCR00R4tIjPzi1cN2EJOltU9iX-Z9AkW8vQ4N6ZffENB5HEoYerKvn-fK-30dSjAp2EYSl36h1Tmx6A/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeZ0zFDAbd4lxmTm3kpdrM4FkX5ydATRgvAJ9SnNUg0Egan2blVsJETn69JbfBCR00R4tIjPzi1cN2EJOltU9iX-Z9AkW8vQ4N6ZffENB5HEoYerKvn-fK-30dSjAp2EYSl36h1Tmx6A/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a truly terrible picture, out of focus and you can't really see how beautiful the beets and broccoli looked together. Dang.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>I love the vinaigrette I make. I can eat it by the spoonful. Or if I have fresh bread, by the loaf-ful.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Throw a crushed or minced garlic clove in the bottom of a measuring cup. If you happen to have been to Trader Joe's recently, and they have this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRgAKvK7YsBPpoFhru3APFX7aK0lTJX0QNs7XItGOY5IFC3KrJR1o1xsW9TL7n2u9KDfp3UPPxFHlH74b0wa5JqaEplKJHbb_lM2SMZ_QFbeeaISC_thfC5WwzwOAwHNP6mC6bqHd1v0/s1600/garlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRgAKvK7YsBPpoFhru3APFX7aK0lTJX0QNs7XItGOY5IFC3KrJR1o1xsW9TL7n2u9KDfp3UPPxFHlH74b0wa5JqaEplKJHbb_lM2SMZ_QFbeeaISC_thfC5WwzwOAwHNP6mC6bqHd1v0/s200/garlic.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><div>...then you are in luck my friend. I love this stuff - it's pre-crushed garlic in these little squares that you keep in the freezer and you plonk into whatever you happen to be making - such as vinaigrette. </div><div><br />
</div><div>On top of the garlic, spoon some dijon or a nice grainy country mustard - anywhere from a tsp to a tblsp - depending on your taste. Grate in a bit of lemon rind, then squeeze in half the lemon. Chop some herbs - tarragon is good - I am growing thyme and marjoram in my sad little garden (yes, the one with the one with the very hungry caterpillar eating my fennel - as pictured below) which is what I threw in my vinaigrette. (Left the caterpillar outside. It's still eating my fennel.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3Uiyipjz6HuPS7GfOJyBAtSafu5trP3LA5qOOv7i7BDxDODR7rFWTvrN3aoyJDuqka_ITXv3K861-Yflur4TeScCph6SxLrKBmD5pQN5o87WRAUqisXePUZfS1A1kqEPKysVhCG09JY/s1600/catepillarphoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3Uiyipjz6HuPS7GfOJyBAtSafu5trP3LA5qOOv7i7BDxDODR7rFWTvrN3aoyJDuqka_ITXv3K861-Yflur4TeScCph6SxLrKBmD5pQN5o87WRAUqisXePUZfS1A1kqEPKysVhCG09JY/s200/catepillarphoto.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stir your ingredients all around with a baby whisk or a fork. Pinch in some salt and pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of sherry vinegar then 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil. I like my vinaigrette on the tangy side. You can play around with the lemon juice too. Add more salt and pepper if you need to as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ64Z_eUsk7kmIfT5W8pbK72Av4_PvSf1IFyP3lDyRlOkBNjtDsqRCfOIxnzwtP8oY56P-_jQbJkHFivg98h-ghZzbeouWHA-pKHVSQd3mcQ7Qw358DmL5zy4FaNk8phwteiPTocCXgKY/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ64Z_eUsk7kmIfT5W8pbK72Av4_PvSf1IFyP3lDyRlOkBNjtDsqRCfOIxnzwtP8oY56P-_jQbJkHFivg98h-ghZzbeouWHA-pKHVSQd3mcQ7Qw358DmL5zy4FaNk8phwteiPTocCXgKY/s200/IMG_0561.JPG" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">there's my cute baby whisk!<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pour it all on top of what ever you like, salad, a steak fresh from the grill, roasted potatoes, or, in this case some still crispy beets and brocollini hot off the grill. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I promise, this vinaigrette will make you so happy you won't care about the garlic breath you'll have the next day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, this has been a long way of saying I'm so glad the Farmer's Market is back in business for the season.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-14963701075629240072011-05-30T14:24:00.000-04:002011-05-30T14:24:08.313-04:00This is What Happens When Mom Gets a Full-Time JobI know you're wondering what happened to me. Give you this Thanksgiving teaser and then fall off the face of the earth for a while. To brine or not to brine? - Give you the answer? Well, first, let me sing you a song of meatballs and jarred sauce. <br />
<br />
Because this is what happens when mommy gets a job:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHMBNeH5EwQuSkftqDM2hJtx91JtAlp91QQ5gZ29dooBcN5mFrPpnG8VJHwT58wh6Oq_zvPUA-1sZoAXkW78pJiNZwZeoAz8_JoG4ggiYB4oUwLSlkaxV58RHsclEhal4-I4i3pR-tMA/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHMBNeH5EwQuSkftqDM2hJtx91JtAlp91QQ5gZ29dooBcN5mFrPpnG8VJHwT58wh6Oq_zvPUA-1sZoAXkW78pJiNZwZeoAz8_JoG4ggiYB4oUwLSlkaxV58RHsclEhal4-I4i3pR-tMA/s320/IMG_0585.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Trader Joe's and take out. </div><br />
That's right, right after Thanksgiving was the run down to finals at the University, and then, job over. I'd already been informed that there were no jobs for me there. I'd sent out resumes galore and had gotten no response, I was looking forward to a leisurely spring filled with lots of time and monetary anxiety. Lots of monetary anxiety. <br />
<br />
I prepared and read finals. Christmas showed up. I created a decent Christmas - and I wanted to blog about it - I really did - but I was paralyzed with anxiety about my future jobless existence and looming bills.<br />
<br />
So my advice is to be careful what you wish for - Cuz I got me, at the last minute, not one but 3 classes. And when I say the last minute, I mean I was hired with less than one week to prepare for 2 of the classes and 24 hours to prepare for the other. Yeah, you read that right, 24 hours. So, as an old employer of mine used to say, I was behind the airplane (yeah, it makes no sense, yet the image has stayed with me). And I remained behind the airplane an entire semester. Which meant that including the month I was paralyzed, I have not contributed to my blog for 6 months. <br />
<br />
That's a long time to leave people hanging and wondering about brine.<br />
<br />
So let me talk about Trader Joe's for a minute. I love the freaking party meatballs there. And here's a tip, if you have a leftover jar of Rao's Marinara, and a left over jar of Newman's Own Alfredo Sauce, and 3 cups of leftover cooked pasta and a bag of those party meatballs, and if you dump them all into a large and wide sauce pan and heat the whole thing, your daughter will tell you it's the best meal you've ever made. Never mind you create fantastic recipes OUT OF YOUR HEAD - 2 kinds of jarred sauce and mushy pasta will win every time. Here's some more good things (hello Martha) about Trader Joe's. The pot stickers. They are amazing with rice noodles and a little soy sauce. And those suckers can be cooked up in less than three minutes with a glass of wine in one hand. You know what else is good from there? This pizza with artichokes and goat cheese. Kids eat the plain pizza, Smith and I chow that one. I could go on, because we spent the last six months alternating Trader Joe's food, with rotisserie chicken and frozen vegetables and take out from Elevation Burger - because I had lessons to plan, man!<br />
<br />
I'm coming out of it now. The girls have a couple more weeks of school - all the grades have been turned in for one of my classes, and I just have a couple more weeks for the other 2. I made dinner - a real freaking dinner - the other night for the first time in ages. (more about that later) - and Smith and I are finally starting to <s>organize the crap we've been throwing in</s> straighten the guest room. <br />
<br />
And so, to brine:<br />
<br />
In the end, the brine won. I brined and roasted turkey number one - and it was succulent and tasty and before I could take a picture of it, it was reduced to this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6uPLffyXXxEaQyCwcu0JQ0XIXhY0sgwxJVNgAntGknhaVag7Q0Mb2emy8ghU34Reh0k5yk0p56SvCF3YqLJbEViEVBKSOAs5TmJJgxGbaWmyJOlkIbFrG-myUsU1dG45QexRPbwrHnQ/s1600/PB250629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6uPLffyXXxEaQyCwcu0JQ0XIXhY0sgwxJVNgAntGknhaVag7Q0Mb2emy8ghU34Reh0k5yk0p56SvCF3YqLJbEViEVBKSOAs5TmJJgxGbaWmyJOlkIbFrG-myUsU1dG45QexRPbwrHnQ/s320/PB250629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The grilled turkey also <i>tasted</i> incredible, but it was dry. It looked better though, crispy and a little charred, it had an excellent smoky quality and it took a lot less time to grill than I anticipated. - I think maybe this year, I'll brine <i>and</i> grill the turkey. Then again, this year, we are thinking of bagging the whole Thanksgiving thing and heading to Disney World.Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159920984915173201.post-62086455539503452172010-11-23T18:51:00.000-05:002010-11-23T18:51:41.815-05:00To Brine or not to BrineI like to imagine Shakespeare all done up in a frilly little apron with a chef's toque balanced on his head trying to decide<br />
whether 'tis nobler for the bird to suffer overnight<br />
<dt>The salt and herbs of outrageous fortune (particularly when purchased from Whole Foods)</dt><br />
<dt>Or to baste, thrice, upon a skin rubbed with butter </dt><br />
<dt>And, by opposing the brine, end one step of prep. To baste, to brine--</dt><br />
<dt>No more--and by basting to hope we end</dt><br />
<dt>The dry bird, and the thousand natural gacks</dt><br />
<dt>That dried out flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation</dt><br />
<dt>Devoutly to be wished. To baste, to brine--</dt><br />
<dt>To baste--perchance to forget to baste: ay, there's the rub,</dt><br />
<dt>For in that dearth of basting what chalkiness may come</dt><br />
<dt>When we do shuffle out the mortal fowl,</dt><br />
<dt>Must give us pause. </dt><br />
<dt><br />
</dt><br />
<dt>Tonight, I cook the brine:</dt><br />
<dt><br />
</dt><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGApOic9kT0AtoZxanX9ty_CngYDhzHrDXPqvbGRDhR4PXSkIvNozcn5HjM2l8xNINVcx1XmimG2J6k6FEzXa9vXho_9Xoi05FaNNbjgf2VDB_YQETsX0y5ZPMwZeFHUhoVof_BJKni8U/s1600/IMG_2851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGApOic9kT0AtoZxanX9ty_CngYDhzHrDXPqvbGRDhR4PXSkIvNozcn5HjM2l8xNINVcx1XmimG2J6k6FEzXa9vXho_9Xoi05FaNNbjgf2VDB_YQETsX0y5ZPMwZeFHUhoVof_BJKni8U/s320/IMG_2851.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my pretty brine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am using a brine for chicken I found in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ad-Hoc-Home-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579653774/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290555306&sr=8-1">Ad Hoc At Home</a> - by French Laundry dude Thomas Keller - I haven't changed it at all - so I probably can't just reprint it without getting sued (not that so many in the world read this blog - In reality I'm probably quite safe). However, the important thing to know is that you should use 10 oz of kosher salt - (I use Davids because it doesn't have any anti-caking agents in it, it's just pure salt), one quart of water and 1/2 a cup of honey. Then throw in whatever herbs or other flavor agents you choose. (garlic, lemons, parsley for example...) All this is for a 10 - 12 lb bird.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You have to cook your brine the day before you brine your bird because it has to cool thoroughly before you dunk your bird in it. Then don't let the bird sit in the brine more than 12 hours or your turkey will taste like a plate of table salt. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm also planning on cooking a 10lb turkey the regular way (I have 20 people coming, and, perhaps more alarming, 4 of them are teenaged boys) - although I'm going to butterfly that bird, and cook it upside down for an hour before flipping it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll let you know which turns out better - perhaps Hamlet's poultry ponderings will be answered anon...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><dt><br />
</dt>Kathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10629741817917614953noreply@blogger.com1