Blueberry Nut Bread

Think this is my entry for sweetnicks' a.r.f./5-a-day tuesday. Please check out her site on tuesday for the roundup of everyone's tasty a.r.f. treats!!!

Blueberry nut bread ............. ahhhhhhhh tis the season for those ARF blueberries , wow!!!

Seems they are everywhere. And now they are in my kitchen in the form of this blueberry bread. Annie over at Mixed Salad Annie made some fat friendly muffins that looked quite tasty, but we had just had some muffins. So a bread popped into me teeny little brain. Husband enjoys it toasted under the broiler then spreads it with a walnut cream cheese spread.
The following recipe is from a Bed & Breakfast that husband and I stayed at in Venice, Florida several years ago.

Ingredients
3 cups all- purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
***3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
**1/3 cup orange juice
3 cups blueberries
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts/ pecans)

Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, sugar, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, beat eggs, milk, vanilla, melted butter, orange extract and orange juice.
Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until flour is thoroughly moistened. Add the blueberries and the nuts. Stir thoroughly but gently. Pour into a well buttered mini loaf pans and set aside for fifteen minutes. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the loaves test done.
Makes 4 mini loaves or one very large loaf. Remember, if you do the large loaf the cooking will be a lot longer (around an hour and a quarter)

**I used cranberry juice because I had some dried cranberries I was also going to add to the mix
*** I remember the woman that made this bread saying I didn't have enough white sugar so I completed the 3/4 cup with brown sugar.

Anyone ever do this?

Support your local tomato

For the past year we've been visiting the Thursday Farmer's Market in the town next door. Only about 20 miles but hey, one does get lazy. In Bakersfield, our Saturday morning visit to the local was less than a mile. So when I heard lil old Simi Valley was getting their own and it is less than a mile from me, I was thrilled.

I was less that thrilled with the vendor turnout but am not giving up hope this being the first day and all. Not the variety I was looking for and it's not organic but it is fresh and close and I can still find my way to the Thursday showing.

I am so willing to pay more for fruits and veggies that have been picked locally. I found some gorgeous beefstake tomatoes and peaches that were firm but not still green.

If you have a local farmer's market, support it, even though it might be a bit puny, give them the encouragement to have more. The crap they push in the big mega-markets these days is a shame. Picked too early to have any flavor and travels enough to have bonus miles. I understand that two heads of lettuce vacationed to Rome on the miles they racked up.

Is there such a thing as fool proof pie crust???

Well we are gonna see, cause I am the perfect person to test this.

There is a pie crust that is written up in the latest issue August/September 2006 of Cook’s Country. On the cover, which is graced by some pretty gorgeous peaches I might add, it states NO-FEAR PIE DOUGH flakiest pat-in-pan crust ever.

Well heck sakes that’s for me, cause I am crummy at pie crust. I am not afraid to admit that, cause I had a mother, a grandmother and a mother in-law that could make excellent pie crust. And sister moon puts out a very good crust as well. So why the heck would I need to try and make crust. I didn’t try, I didn’t even observe their techniques. Well I’m sure y’all know the end of that story. The fine pie dough makers of the family are no longer with us, with the exception of sister moon, y’all know she’s still here. But she lives 3000 miles away.

So when I got this issue of Cook’s Country I was quite excited to see a no fear pie dough even existed. There are many of us, I am convinced, that just can’t seem to get it together when constructing a precious pie crust. Why the heck do ya spose they invented Pillsbury already made in a package let it come to room temp, pie crust.

By the way Cook’s Country magazine is the little sister to the ever popular Cook’s Illusrated that is related in a big way to America’s Test Kitchen.

In the meantime who out there is a hesitant pie crust maker. Share your secrets if you care to. And if you want, share your hits and misses.

Well I’m gonna try this Cook’s Country pie dough and I will be happy to pass along to you the yay’s and the nay’s………………….stay tuna’d

If you can't stand the heat; don't cook

In honor of my thermometer exploding (it really didn't but sure feels like it could) I made gazpacho for dinner the other night. I loved it. It was icy cold and spicy (see me additions) and darling husband was nice enough to finish a small bowl but turned it down the next day for lunch. Can't hit it out of the park every night.


I snagged this recipe from a wonderful little Tapas cookbook from dear friend Tia Di. I've tried a few recipes but this is a favorite. Of course I didn't make it exactly like the recipe. I only had two tomatoes so I used 3/4 of can of Muir Glen chopped tomato and fire roasted chilies. This give it a bit more kick. I also did a bit of fancy design on the top with cream. I tell you, it's the heat.



Gazpacho
1 garlic clove
a pinch of coarse salt
1 slice white bread, crusts removed
4 ripe juicy tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 small cucumber, peeled and seeded, plus a little extra for garnish
1 tablespoon Spanish sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and ground black pepper

Mash the garlic and salt together.

Put the bread in a saucer with a little water and let soak. Put the garlic, bread, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and vinegar in a blender and purée until smooth. Keeping the machine running, add the oil in a slow and steady stream. Add salt, pepper to taste, then add the sugar.

Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl, adding more salt, pepper, and vinegar if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator overnight and serve in small bowls or glasses with a little chopped cucumber on top. Serves 4

guess who got an ice cream maker?

...and just in time, because it's freakin' hot! there will be more many more ice cream posts from the little bird to come in the near future, but here's the tasty frozen treat that i made for a summer sunday afternoon: cantaloupe sorbet.



we got our bi-weekly installment from the tierra miguel csa on wednesday and there was a lovely cantaloupe in our share. i cracked it open this morning for breakfast and it was the juiciest cantaloupe i have ever seen. and the taste was so amazingly sweet. all that juice gave me the idea to make a sorbet. here's the recipe that i cobbled together (experimenting from the recipe for the margarita granita that i made on saturday):

1 c. simple syrup (equal parts sugar & water, briefly boiled, then cooled)
1/2 c. cantaloupe juice
1/2 c. pureed cantaloupe
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. vodka

freeze in an ice cream maker and then remove to the freezer for a few hours.

the final product looks creamy like sherbet, but i assure you it there is no milk (the cantaloupe itself was a very light color). the end result was chilly, melon-y goodness, sweet but balanced by the acid in the lemon juice, and a perfect scorching afternoon treat. the official taste tester tried his obligatory spoonful and promptly demanded several more spoonfuls.

only after i was recovering from the brain freeze did i realize that cantaloupe is an anti-oxidant rich food and that i had a perfect entry for sweetnicks' a.r.f./5-a-day tuesday. do be sure to check out her site on tuesday for the roundup of everyone's yummy and good-for-you a.r.f. treats!

Farmer's Market visit

Was able to get a few things there yesterday. The cantaloupe tastes like little sugar balls they are so sweet. So thinking that would compliment my gorgonzola cantaloupe salad - think I'll resurrect that little gem.

Blueberries are a favorite and these I noticed were Carolina grown as are the peaches. So thank you to the Carolina's for growing some wonderful goodies.

Now should I have blueberries with my
cereal or cereal with my blueberries?


Another thought is that I came across somewhere in my food blogland travels, a recipe for blueberry chipotle BBQ sauce. Thought that might have a possibility. I'll share when I find it.
stay tuna'd....................

If you have a recipe for Blueberry Chipotle BBQ sauce e-mail it to us and we'll post it.

Lebni entertain you

Little bird and I did a little shopping at a few of the local stores and after shoes, clothes and wine purchases I showed her our best kept secret the Valley Produce Market. This wonder store is an ethnic market with so many different cultures recognized it would be hard to list.

What she introduced me to was Kefir cheese, also known as Lebni, which is made from yogurt with the whey removed. It has the consistency of cream cheese with less fat and salt and a slightly tangy flavor. She sprinkled some oregano and smoked paprika over and then drizzled olive oil. We had it on flax flat bread which we also bought at the market.

On the left is some hummus that she also fixed and to that she added some smoked garlic. Both of these snacks were well received by her dad, then we all had a nap. Great Sunday.

Deep-Dish Peach and Berry Pie

Awhile back I posted a photo of some wonderful peaches I had purchased as well as nectarines, as the farmers market. Well those particular peaches didn’t last long with the husband cause he enjoyed most of them on his favorite treat of ice cream. OK I go back to the farmers market get more peaches and come home and make this delicious pie. I did make a nectarine cream sauce that is to die for – I’ll share soon.

Tell me what is your favorite summer pie?

Deep-Dish Peach and Berry Pie
Adapted from Good Housekeeping magazine

Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: About 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon I added a tad of fresh nutmeg also

Fruit Filling:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 pounds ripe peaches (about 5 medium), pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 cups assorted berries (1 cup each blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries) I used frozen assorted but you could use your choice.

DIRECTIONS:
This is a standard pie crust - so use your favorite recipe

Prepare Crust: In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and 1/4 cup sugar. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add 1/2 cup cream and stir with fork until dough comes together. Gather dough into a ball and place on lightly floured sheet of waxed paper. With floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 9-inch round. Slide waxed paper onto cookie sheet and refrigerate dough until ready to use. In cup, mix cinnamon and remaining sugar.

Prepare Fruit Filling:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place cookie sheet lined with foil in oven. In 4-quart saucepan, stir sugar, water, and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves; stir in peaches. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat; gently stir in berries. Pour filling into 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate.3. Immediately, while filling is hot, remove dough round from refrigerator and, using waxed paper, invert dough over fruit mixture. Peel off paper. Cut 4-inch X in center of round; fold back points to make square opening. Brush dough with remaining cream; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.4. Bake pie on foil-lined cookie sheet 35 to 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly in center. If crust is browning too quickly, loosely cover pie with foil after 25 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack.

Infused Oils

I use a lot of infused oils some of my favorite to use in salads, dippings for bread and cooking in general. Infused oils are wonderful as it can add a lot of flavor to your cooking.
I am a cilantro fan and thought why not try making a cilantro oil.
To use as an accent for many of my Mexican food recipes.
Tthis is so easy to make.

Cilantro Oil
2 cups of fresh cilantro
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
I use almost all of the cilantro with the exception of the thicker ends of the stems. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend till quite smooth. The mixture will be runny not like a paste. Place the mixture in a fine sieve and place the sieve over a glass container. If plastic it will probably stain your container. Sore in the refrigerator and will keep for about 2 weeks.
The above recipe makes about one third cup or so. But you do not need much because the flavor is quite intense.
Drizzle oil in a spicy tortilla soup, on carnitas for soft tacos, or maybe on a salad. Try making an infused oil yourself – you’ll be glad you did.

But if you don’t like cilantro check this out!!! www.nocilantro.com

Cole Slaw

There are hundreds of events out there in the food blogland. I wish I could participate in each and everyone of them…..highly unlikely. But Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging is one I would like to concentrate on. I visit Kalyn’s regularly and certainly enjoy her many visitors from around the world and the special entries they provide.
So thanks Kalyn and thanks to all who have provided recipes and ideas I have been able to use, I thought it was time to participate.

We are very fond of cole slaw in all it’s many version. But in the summer I seem to enjoy a lighter version. And this slaw can be adapted to many tastes

The version I made today I left out the yellow peppers and added an avocado. I have also added cannellini beans to this slaw.

Asian Style Cole Slaw
6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow or green bell pepper,
diced3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
4 green onions, sliced crossways
fresh cilantro to your taste
sliced almonds toasted

Prepare the following dressing and add just before serving:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar2
tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic

Mix salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
Toss with dressing just prior to serving to retain the crunchiness of the slaw.

Tag, you're it

Jeff at C for Cooking has tagged us for the virus... I mean, the 5 things meme... so here goes from the three of us:

Five things in our freezers
Doodles: chicken, Limoncello, chicken stock, cilantro pesto, frozen lemon yogurt
Mooncrazy: coconut popsicles, lots o chicken, ham bone, ice pack, and Limoncella.
Maltese Parakeet: chopped spinach, chicken breasts, new ice cream maker bowl, ice pack, and half-eaten ben & jerry's pints (apparently, i need to buy some limoncello/a!).

Five things in our closets
Doodles: too many shoes, t-shirts that I have had way too long, jeans, shirts and some skinny clothes I'm hanging on to by a thread.
Mooncrazy: hangers, more hangers, American flag, step stool, and vacuum.
Maltese Parakeet: 8 million pairs of black shoes, enough ucla stuff to start my own bear wear store, holiday decorations (dia de los muertos and christmas), craft supplies and Maltese flag.

Five things in our cars
Doodles: lots of loose change(?), many CD's, toothpicks, water bottle, my large insulated bag for transportating cold stuff during the summer.
Mooncrazy: Old lottery tickets, bottle of water, many cds, Trader Joe's bag, and coupons for the market.
Maltese Parakeet: thomas guide, sunscreen, spare flip flops in case i get a pedicure, mints, and pink our lady of guadelupe shopping bag.

Five things in our purses
Doodles: more of that dreaded loose change, PBEtouffee business cards, phone, several lip gloss, dental floss
Mooncrazy: phone, lip gloss, nail file, lots of change, and business cards
Maltese Parakeet: the crackberry, asthma inhaler, lipstick (clinique tenderheart), [ahem] spare plugs, and valet key for my car (btw, when did we get business cards?!).

Five people we'd like to tag: no pressure!
Sylvia
Annie
Lea
Laura Rebecca
Christine

Coolest hot dog on Weekend Dog Blogging

I'll apologize for anyone who's looked at this photo and fallen from your chair laughing but take no responsibility for any injury.

Buddy loves the Mustang, which is now on loan from Little Bird, and because I was afraid of an eye injury I found him a pair of "Doggles."

Check out the other foodie dogs on Sweetnick's Weekend Dog Blogging.

cooking with Nutella

This is for the Jeff over at “C for Cooking” blog. He recently expressed a fondness for Nutella so I thought I would share a fcouple recipes I have found. Nutella is a creamy, hazelnut chocolate spread…….now who ever invented this I bow to you – this stuff is dangerous.
It just so happens that Giada DeLaurentis is a big user of Nutella. The girl has a sweet tooth and it annoys me she is just no bigger than a minute. OK back to the task at hand……..Nutella recipes.

Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
This is an adapted version of a recipe that Giada has in her book

1 can pineapple slices…………thoroughly drained and patted dry
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Nutella
6 tablespoons whipping cream
Olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts

Prepare the outdoor barbecue to medium-high heat. If you do not have a barbecue, you can use an indoor grill pan set to medium high heat. Lightly oil the grill. Grill the pineapple slices until heated through and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes per side. It's important to leave the pineapples on the grill, untouched so that you can create the grill marks.
While the pineapples are cooking, whisk the mascarpone and vanilla in a small bowl to blend. Set aside.
Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl and stir to combine. Place in a microwave on high for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds to blend well. Alternatively, you can combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small saucepan, set over low heat, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Heat until satiny smooth and easy to pour, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the pineapple slices to a large platter. Drizzle the warm chocolate-hazelnut sauce over. Dollop the mascarpone mixture atop. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.
I have used pistachio nuts in place of hazelnuts.Now I’m wondering how it would work with firm peaches. Must try that.

When I first saw this I thought a Nutella Sandwich……no way!
But try this when you are feeling a bit decadent……….nice big glass of milk………….hellloooooo!!!
6 slices (1/2-inch-thick) ciabatta bread 1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the bread until toasted, about 2 minutes per side. Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over 1 piece of toast. Top with the second piece of toast.

Now I'll just waddle on over to the Nutella site and see if they have any interesting ideas.
Ya know Nutella would be good drizzled over my peach crepes………………….stay tuna’d

Retro Recipe Challenge-Pickled Beets with eggs

Taking part in Laura Rebecca's Kitchen's "Retro Recipe Challenge #2" made me think of Picnics in Indiana in the '50s. So I searched the old cook books for something appropriate. This is from my mother-in-law Ann's "Better Homes and Gardens new cook book" printed in 1953.

I couldn't bear to make the Crown roast of Spam with potatoes so I thought I'd do the beets as I remember our mom bringing them to picnics when I was a kid.

I brought them to a 4th of July BBQ and no one really got into them. Oh well, I like them though I had to tweek the recipe a bit, don't I always!

Pickled Beets
About four medium cooked beets, and reserved cooking liquid
1 cup vinegar
1 cup cooking liquid
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Heat to boiling and pour over 2 cups sliced cooked beets. Let stand overnight.

I added the eggs but could not find a recipe for them.
Remove beets and add about six hard-cooked eggs. Refrigerate overnight. Serve together.

Now this recipe was not sweet enough for my taste so I added more sugar.

Recipe management software program

Teddy Bear Picnic..........
Well it did not happen.........it rained here yesterday for six solid hours. As you can see "Willard" isn't looking too happy.
We'll save it for another day

But I have a question for y'all... about recipe management software programs?
Does anyone have one? How do you store your recipes? When you find a recipe do you print it out and save it or do you as many others do have them in folders on your computer. Or some have tons and tons in the favorite file....guilty person raising her hand here.

So what's the secret to good recipe management? I will be sure to post all response or any info that copes our way here at PBE..........stay tuna'd

a little bit of the absurdity and some funny stuff

I know this is a food blog - I haven't a clue as to how I stumbled on this site but today I'm taking my teddy bear on a picnic even if it's in the backyard. I'll take some snaps I promise.

But on July 20th I am celebrating the Moon Landing as I'm sure sister moon will be as well. And on July 12th I am gonna make my very first pecan pie. But that is week two of July and there will be NO nudity while baking my pie!

Lot's a food items on the list, maybe sister moon, little bird and I can come up with something and have a cook-off for a certain date............stay tuna'd!!!

You say potato and I say, damn good

I've been to two parties in the last seven days that required me to make potato salad and as always it met with rave reviews. Everyone always asks for the recipe and when I tell them they say, what no mustard/pickle relish/fill in your favorite item?

If I give them the recipe they'll put in mustard, pickle relish or their favorite item and then tell me, hey, it wasn't the same as yours. Of course not. The reason you like mine is you don't like all those extras but I'm going to give the recipe anyway. Our mother/Grandmother Lorna made this and I never saw her make anything different.

Potato Salad

boiled russett potatoes
boiled eggs (don't boil them to death, no one likes grey around the yolks)
diced celery
minced onion (just a little onion, more like a suggestion than an ingredient)
Best Foods mayonnaise
salt and pepper (this is last for a reason--don't salt until you taste)

Mix everything together and refrigerate. I can't tell you how much of the above items to use. I just start with the potatoes and add everything to look and taste. Don't use red potatoes or Miracle Whip and then tell me it didn't taste like mine. Just what is Miracle Whip anyway?

a teaser...........from Georgia

I am thrilled to bits....just bought the first freestone Georgia peaches and nectarines.

So I must come up with a plan for these delectable treats.
First thing that comes to mind for the peaches would be Grandma Pruce's peach pie....oh god it was golden.
But I'm not a terrific crust maker so the jury is still out.
I think I might make nectarine cream for some crepes cause we are doing a brunch thingy tomorrow.
stay tuna'd

the forgotten fruit.............

Last week I purchased a plantain at the farmer’s market. I had not made fried plantains in ages. And probably because they are fried and a tad fattening ….hello two strikes. But I had one and it was beginning to yellow so it was nearly past its prime. Off I go to hunt for my favorite recipe for fried plantains. It happens to be Alton Brown’s

Sometimes prior to frying I sprinkle with chipotle flakes or after frying dust lightly with the smoky paprika that sister moon is takling about.

My snap of the dish shows the carmelization but also shows that they are somewhat burnt, I like them like that then again others may not.

If this recipe does not appeal to you google fried plantains and you may come up with thousands if not a bajillion site. But here is a site that is quite informative on the sweet plantain.

So when you want a tasty morsel that leans toward the a bit high in the calorie count whip up a plate of fried plantains…………..they go great with pork carnitas tacos.

deep in the heart of texas

so i found myself in san antonio for a conference a few weeks ago. on a friday night, we decided that we needed some barbecue, so we took a $40 one way cab ride to the edge of town to go to the famous rudy's. it was worth the trip. a combination gas station, mini-mart and outdoor restaurant, the menu is simple: pork ribs, baby backs, brisket and a few sides with the unique texas accompaniment...slices of white bread. the meat is cooked in a dry rub and you add as much sauce as you like at the table. they had tubs of cold sodas and shiner bock in ice...if you went to college in texas or know someone who did, you know and love shiner bock.

anyway, here's my meal:



i had the pork ribs, with pinto beans and a pickle on the side plus peach cobbler for dessert...and, of course, two shiner bocks! as you can see, dinner is served very casually, a soda bottle crate is your tray, and you enjoy your feast outside on picnic tables loaded down with bottles of barbecue and hot sauce and dine to the tune of the latest country hits. it was hot at 9 pm and even hotter because the oak fired barbeque pit was about 10 feet from our table. we left the place about as smoked as the brisket they served.

here's my friends marty & taleen enjoying their ribs:



aren't they cute? needless to say, we all stood out for what we were, liberal lawyers in the middle of texas hill country! true to texas form, everyone was quite friendly even though we obviously didn't fit in. we bought some spice rub and bottled sauce in the mini-mart and i picked up a t-shirt that features a red-white-and-blue ribbon and the slogan "rudy's barbecue, remember our troops, freedom isn't free." que americana.

Pork Rillettes

While poking around some new-to-me food blogs I found the Laughing Gastronome and some different foods I've never heard of. One was Pork Rillettes which was described as a coarser pate and served about the same way. I am intrigued but need to know what one of the ingredients would be here in the states, skinless and boneless fatty pork belly. Anyone have a clue if that is uncured bacon? I don't think it would be salt pork, seems like too much fat.

I did find a conversion chart that might be helpful for bloggers wanting to try some recipes from other countries. Also, take a look at Emma's site, she's got some great pix of her dishes and some entertaining descriptions. She also has a pickled onion recipe that I can't wait to try.

The Laughing Gastronome: pork rillettes

Prosciutto and Carrot Bundles

I saw Giada DeLaurentis make these and thought how easy and good those would be. But they look kinda odd on my poppy plate.


Not having any balsamic vinegar or basil, I changed the recipe some.
Instead of the dressing she used I used an asian dressing and cilantro instead of basil.

Prosciutto and Carrot Bundles
2 carrots, shredded,about 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
4 slices prosciutto
4 whole fresh basil leaves
In a medium bowl, toss together the carrots, vinegar, olive oil, and pepper.

Lay out the 4 slices of prosciutto. Top each with 1/4 of the carrot mixture. Place a basil leaf on top of each and roll the prosciutto up and around the basil and carrots. Secure the bundles with toothpicks and serve

Hazardous to your health

Do check out Sweetnicks new site it looks wonderful. She also has some fun foodie news. Now here's our Weekend dog blogging with a tale.

First Buddy would like to wish all his fans a happy 4th of July. Don't forget to wear sun screen and be safe with the fireworks, remember the little doggie ears need protection. This handsome pix of Buddy was taken by his Aunt Doodles.




And now, the tale:

Our Mother/Grandmother Lorna was a great "basic" cook. Most of what she did was without a recipe because she'd cooked them so often. We all had our favorites. What she could throw together at a moments notice was pie and she excelled at that for sure. The one important thing I learned about pies is the bottom crust has to be set before the filling bubbles or you'll have a doughy mess on the bottom. Yuck, done that so crank up that oven for the first 15 minutes for sure.

The following recipe she acquired while standing in line at the market. I always laugh at this but you'd have to know her. This I've used in a number of variations and yesterday it won an award. We attended a early 4th bbq and every one was encouraged to bake an apple pie. I made a rustic apple tart and used momma's dumpling sauce and came away with first place. Not too bad, there were seven other contenders. Thanks, mom.

Lorna's Apple Dumplings

Pie crust for a nine inch pie
2 large Granny Smith apples
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons Karo syrup
1/2 cup apple sauce
Cook until slightly thickened

Roll crust into 4 circles. Divide apples, brown sugar and cinnamon among pastry circles. Pull up sides of crust and pinch together. Place in 8 inch square baking pan. Bake 350 until done. Cool and spoon hot sauce over dumplings, serve warm.

My Rustic Apple Tart was pastry dough in a 12 inch circle topped with sliced apples I'd sauted in a bit of butter then added sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice with zest, and nutmeg. Dusted this with flour and cooked it all until it thickened a bit.

After mounding the apples on the dough pull up the sides about two inches and brush with egg wash, dust with sugar. Bake pretty hot for about 15 minutes, 425; then 350 until done. This was baked on parchment paper on a cooky sheet.

You Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine #2

Over at Sweetnicks this month's theme for You Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine #2 is your Spice collection. Sister Doodles said I had a special place for the spices but as you can see they are not well organized. Sigh. I know, I know but I'm hoping to get some tips from some of her other participants. I do need help!

Warning!!! no spice organizational skills

Check out sweetnicks for the "I'll show you mine"....this month...spice colection!
This is a lot of fun because you know as well as I do we all love to look in each others cabinets..and thanks to cate, we can do it without leaving our computer.
This is what you get when you do not communicate with your husband when he is remodeling your kitchen. It seems we talked about everything else but "honey where are you going to put your spices"!

So let this be a lesson to y'all...plan your spot for storing your spices. Sister moon just remodeled her kitchen and I know housing her spices was very important item on their kitchen re-do.

Yes I know there are literally a bazillion things I can purchase and organize my spices......but we are fixin to move and right now it is not at the top of my list.

Trust me my next new home will have a fine home for my spices and I'll be thrilled to share it with y'all................stay tuna'd!

Fresh is best

Don't you feel better when you have fresh herbs? I sure do. A little container on my counter filled with rosemary or basil or anything fresh makes me smile.

Help! when does blue cheese goes bad

Ok, I'm all ready to do Doodles cantaloupe salad but I check the blue cheese and it's been in the fridge for a while. I think a month. So how the heck to do tell if it's bad. Is there a mold in there that shouldn't be? Does it smell different? Will I kill my darling husband if he eats it? (not done with the remodel yet and can't afford to find a new guy right now)

Someone tell me--please--because I've got a cantaloupe getting riper.

Did you get enough ARF today

Try to get over to Sweetnicks ARF/5-A-Day Tuesdays round-up today, she's got some tasty entries.

Don't know how this one got past me but the deadline for Show me yours, I'll show you mine #2 is coming up, June 30. Last month was refrigerators and was fun to see what everyone else holds dear in the cold box. This month is spice collection. Hey, it gives you an excuse to get rid of some of those spices you've been holding on to for way to long.

an unusual pairing...........

edited to add

Pop on over to Grab Your Fork who happens to be hosting DMBLGIT...there are a record number of entries this month. I am in awe at some of the photos.

While visiting the tasty food blog bakingsheet , nic introduced us to a wonderful summer treat. And like a lot of things it reminded me of another summer treat that I sometimes actually crave, the worlds healthiest food says so right here, Cantaloupe

We are somewhat fortunate living here in Florida that we get cantaloupe more often than most areas of the country. But these melons are the best RIGHT NOW!!!

I had this dish at a posh eatery in South Beach several years ago. I immediately went home and re-created this dish to my taste, as the original version had chopped mint thru out. I am not a big mint lover other than those green gummy mint leaves or oh yeah a Mojito'

Doodles adapted version of a cantaloupe salad


1 cantaloupe ………..as seen in the photo I used a melon baller

½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

¼ cup toasted pecan pieces

a sprig or 3 of parsley

squeeze of half a lime or more if you so desire

Combine all of the ingredients in a glass serving bowl because it looks so pretty. This salad can be prepared in the morning and then assembled at the last minute as I don’t think the gorgonzola would like sitting in the lime juice.

ENJOY!!!


Next I am waiting patiently for the wonderful Georgia peaches to arrive………..stay tuna’d

Wrinkly and green

I don't go out of my way to cook healthy though I did at one time. Just got out of the habit. I have been trying to come up with some new ideas for green beans since good friend George's beans have come in. He supplies us with an assortment of veggies each summer. Mostly what he grows goes to his church and I always feel a bit guilty but what the heck, they are so fresh. I always look forward to a beet or three about this time.

I'd eaten roasted green beans at friend Blondie's house and wanted to try them myself but also had these darling baby carrots and a shallot hanging around so I added some minced garlic, oil and cut the carrots about the size of the beans. On a cooky sheet, salt and pepper and into a hot oven, 425 for about twenty minutes, just until they start to wrinkle and the shallots get nice and carmelized. When they came out of the oven I grated some fresh lemon over the top.

This was so good and pretty healthy. I guess low fat too, I only drizzled the veggies with olive oil. When the lemon zest hit the hot veggies it smelled great. What can smell better than carmelized onions, garlic and lemon? It might have needed a spice and I was thinking thyme but to be honest the sweetness of the carrots was really enough.

An FYI

Maybe you do this, but I just wanted to share and/or remind you that most of your major markets have their own web sites with a lot of very good info, recipes etc.

My market is PUBLIX They have a wonderful site that I tend to refer quite a bit.
So maybe your local market has a site you can refer to and if not I'll be happy to share my PUBLIX site with you.

A not so new cooky

Ever since the little bird talked about my ancient cooky cookbook I've been thumbing through the darn thing looking for an different cooky. I found a cooky that replaces butter or shortening with whipping cream. Now that is different.

Do chill the dough and work in small batches as it is very soft. They suggest making small cuts on the sides of the cookies but I couldn't figure out a reason. They don't spread but do puff up.

I love this rolling pin, it's my grandmothers and I know, there are lovely French pins that are supposed to be great to roll out dough but I love this one. I think Emily Prucilla would be glad to know someone is making good use of it.


Don't over bake these or they become dry and tough. They're texture is light and cake like, very tasty. It's suprising to try something new.


Austrian Cream Cookies
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
3 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of vanilla

Beat eggs until light. Add sugar gradually; blend in cream and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt, stir in. Chill at least one hour.

Roll dough out on floured surface. Cut into two inch squares. Bake 375 for 10-13 min, barely browned edge. Cool then frost.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Salad weather has hit the west coast, too

Seems everyone is getting into summer cooking so armed with some leftover couscous I put together my twist on a tabbouleh salad. Quick and easy would be the heading; it took me no time at all to prepare.

Because I tend to cook what's in my fridge this salad had cilantro and smoked paprika rather than the traditional mint and parsley. I've just discovered this Spanish spice and can't believe how great it goes with my style of cooking. I love the smoky flavor of chilpotle but don't always want the heat. This product solves that dilemma.

Recipe (it's more like a suggestion of what to do)

About a cup of cooked couscous.
Chopped onion, tomato, cilantro and cucumber (whatever looks pretty).
Lemon juice and olive oil, almost equal parts (heavier on the oil).
Pepper and smoked Spanish paprika.

I feel the lemon takes the place of the salt but add some if you wish. Toss this together and let all the flavors get to know each other in the fridge for about an hour.

I served this with a bbq'd baby back ribs, some olive oil and chopped garlic soaked bread; toasted on the grill, and a glass of Chalone Vineyard's 2004 Pinot Noir outside on the patio.

Chalone is becoming a favorite of mine in the 10-15 buck-a-bottle range. If you can get a bottle of the '03 Syrah grab a few, it is quite delicious.

Ah, summer has come to Southern California.

Easy Lunch......another salad

I was inspired to make this Orzo Chicken Salad dish because I had seen a fellow blogger’s post http://www.cforcooking.com/

I remember saying how refreshing that looked,
great meal for a hot summer day. And hot and sticky it has been here in Southwest Florida.

Husband is not the most adventurous eater but is a willing participant most of the time.

Cooked orzo early in the a.m. and allowed to cool, left over chicken chopped, finely chopped red bell pepper, sliced yellow bell pepper, julienne zucchini, carrots, chopped spring onion, roma tomatoes chopped. Right now tomatoes in our area are not great so roma’s were my best option. For the dressing I used Paul Newman’s Sesame Ginger Dressing. It has a good bite of ginger. http://www.newmansown.com/index.cfm Check out the web site they have their products and several tasty recipes I noticed.

Next time I would add chow mein noodles, slivered almonds or the like. But not having either, I took some flat bread crackers, brushed them with olive oil, sprinkled a bit of sesame seeds, salt and pepper on them and put them in a 450 degree oven for a few minutes. The crackers complimented the salad because I think something crunchy was needed.

Think I'm going to find out how husband does with lettuce wraps. I found a recipe I would like to try just need to tweak it a bit. Stay tuna’d………………….

A borrowed salad............

Well not really but I was stuck for dinner...........it's waaaay too hot for anything other than a salad. But not just any salad, I remembered Kalyn's appealing salad on her blog the other day. Ok I have the fixings for that however a more substantial meal was in order for the husband. I had just been to ~Laura Rebecca's Kitchen~ reading up on her upcoming Retro Food Challenge and there they were staring me right in the face Black Pepper Shrimp. Dang I got shrimp in the freezer.......thaw those little guys out and dinner is on it's way.
I used a bit more garlic than was recommend, cut back on the butter a tad and added roasted red peppers. I never can leave well enough alone.
But this shrimp with Kaylyn's Restaurant Quality Salad at Home......... very tasty.

So ladies thanks for bringing these recipes to my attention, you are so right it's all in the ingredients.

Roasted beet and onion salad

Just having roasted beets in the fridge is enough but onions too? Oh heaven. This is spinach with roasted pearl onions and beets and an orange juice reduction dressing. The recipes are from Napa Style.

Trim but don't peel the beets and pearl onions, toss in olive oil and season. Start beets in 400 degree oven for about an hour then add onions until they are all fork tender. Peel both and keep in fridge. Try not to eat the onions, they are quite yummy all by themselves.

Dressing: over medium heat reduce 2 cups orange or tangerine juice to about 3/4 cup. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Remove from heat and strain.

Return to pan and reduce until mixture has a syrup-like consistency; about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and strain again. Let cool to room temperature. Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil. Adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate for up to 1 1/2 weeks. It's a great dressing.

Next time I'd add some orange wedges but this was served as is without any complaints.

Speaking of Italian food..........

My dear husband will eat anything with marinara sauce on it, spaghetti is his favorite. But Norm is also quite fond of stuffed shells. I have made them many times over the years but this is really my go to recipe that I adapted from a Betty Crocker cookbook. This recipe is for a crowd or a party and since there are only two of us most times for a meal, I make the whole recipe and divide into containers and freeze. I do not bake them prior to freezing.
god I need a new camera cause I'm not liking these snaps.


1 box jumbo pasta shells not sure but think there is at least 30 in the box
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced 5 cups marinara sauce I use the jar sauce whichever one happens to be your favorite
2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup shredded Asiago
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 large egg yolks
3 Tbls chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 Tbls fresh basil leaves
2 Tbls olive oil plus extra for oiling the baking sheet
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside.

Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. The shells will continue to cook in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and sauté until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.

In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell.
This is where I divide up the shells and freeze them with out the sauce. But if you are going to make the whole recipe ........Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella. parmesan cheese, and the asiago. If you wanna just use mozzarella and parmesan cheese it's okey dokey yummy.

Mangia!

I rediscovered a little restaurant in the San Fernando Valley last night, Pomodoro. I was meeting a friend for a drink and early dinner and we walked into PF Chang's but it was way too noisy for any conversation so I suggested we try Italian. It was close and I was silently praying it was still good.

I'd like to say it was an old fashioned type of Italian restaurant with red vinyl booths and Sinatra music playing but it isn't. It's bright and open and has been there less than five years. We found a corner booth and two glasses of Sangeovese. After the waitress came back for the third time we decided to look at the menu.

Friend had a Mista salad; many greens and salad things with gorgonzola and balsamic dressing and Ravioli di Magro; ricotta and spinach ravioli with gorgonzola sauce. I settled with Tortellini alla Panna; braised beef and pork tortellini with prosciutto, sage and cream. I passed on the salad.

Both of our dinners were delicious. Mine was just "touched" with a cream sauce with a subtle sage flavor and lightly crisped prosciutto. Friend's plate was cleaned. We passed on dessert and waddled out.

Pomodoro has 45 stores California and a few in Arizona and though I'm death on chain's I like this one. The service was great and if you've read any of my "bad service" reviews you'll remember I'm fussy about that. Now, if they can only get some Sinatra music.

21600 Victory Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA., 818-340-2400

csa update

all's well on the western front. we've been enjoying the spoils of our first bi-weekly installment of our half share in the tierra miguel csa. long suffering husband and i have been snacking on the avocadoes with impunity. they're usually such a rare treat, but they're in my fruit bowl and i have six (well, had six), so they must be eaten! our favorite thing is to halve an avocado, take the pit out, squeeze some lemon juice on (also from our farm box) and eat with a spoon. breakfast of champions! good and good for you (good hdl cholesterol)!

we had some people over on sudnay night and i had the opportunity to use a few more of the ingredients...and belabor the guests about the concept of the csa. costco had fresh, wild, copper river salmon filets, so i put those in the convection oven (always makes for a nice crispy top). that's not eating local, i know, but i love me some copper river salmon and a glass of pinot noir! never fear, we used our csa veggies for the sides: roasted carrots (a little olive oil and salt and then in the 425 degree oven on convection) and couscous with grilled zucchini. the carrots were actually quite good. [that thunk you just heard is mooncrazy is falling over as she reads this, as she knows how i feel about cooked carrots.] speaking of the lunachick, for dessert, i made the not quite rhubarb pie that she found on nic's bakingsheet. it was dead simple and the general consensus was yum! especially when served warm with some vanilla ice cream. who knew rhubarb tasted so good? it wasn't even around long enough to get a picture!

anyway, so far so good on the csa experiment. i can't recommend it enough. in closing, i'd like to add that everyone should please go see the inconvenient truth movie and make a pledge to yourself to make a change in your life, just a little something, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help stop global warming. i'm sick to death of these hurricanes terrorizing my aunt doodles in florida. [but feel free to keep polluting, because, apparently the global dimming caused by air pollution is actually keeping the global warming from going completely out of control. oy.] thanks!

Chop chop, time's a wastin'

The end of May was hilarious here at Chez Moon. So busy I had to hire a sous-chef.

Our step-
mother/grand-
mother Mary came to visit just in time to help with Little Bird's birthday party. I have no shame, I put everyone to work in my kitchen. She was a quick learner and as she put it, "... chopped more onions than she has in her whole life."

Not only was she a big help in the kitchen she cleaned the bathrooms before the guests arrived. I don't think too many sous-chefs do that, too.

Dinner alone..........

I don't often have dinner alone, but knowing that husband was going to be otherwise involved.
I could have went for take out but that's kinda ordinary.

I thought why not prepare something that I knew wouldn't be husbands first choice. Nothing fancy for me but tasty. I put together a grilled cheese sandwich of fresh ciabatta bread, fresh mozarella cheese, fresh basil and a thinly sliced tomato. They were so yummy I had two........ and while watching a movie I even had dessert of lemon sorbet with fresh blueberries.

Oh boy, weekend dog blog time

Here's my addition to Sweetnick's weekend dog blog. Our darling Buddy in his favorite car, a convertible 65 Mustang. He loves sitting in the back seat.

He's on his way to his favorite bbq joint, "It's in the Sauce" in Ventura, California. Yup, that's the name of the place and they make the best smoked meat sandwiches. I favor the chicken while Buddy and darling husband gobble up the tri-tip. I've never had anything else because I can't get past the chicken! Someday, I'll try the ribs, maybe.

Don't expect anything fancy, they only have four tables outside and if it's raining, eat in the car. They are at 2050 E. Main St, Ventura, Ca., 805-652-1215

Oh Betty, do not forsake us in our time of need

Since I'm the original owner of the book my daughter Little Bird referred to in her Retro Recipes Challenge post I thought it necessary to show the book as she described.

I didn't receive this as a wedding present but as a bonus for sending in box tops from cake mixes and bisquick and the like. Married in 1970 I was eager to become a woman in her own right when I redeemed the coupons for this book and a book on entertaining. The latter has gone missing and a good thing, it would have pushed our feathery little feminist over the edge. We have come a long way and thanks to some of the women in our lives for breaking ground. Maybe not loud but definitely proud quietly making inroads in stereotypes.

Cookbooks in our house become a repository for all things. As I paged through this one I found recipes, now yellowed, torn from magazines or newspapers. One doesn't have a date but the reverse has broccoli for 49 cents a pound. Some recipes I remember but some I can't think why I saved. A few from the pages of Bon Appetit in the late seventies complete very dated photos. Did we really dress that way? A recite for a long gone appliance, a photo of a friend, and my favorite, a recipe written on the back cover in my mother's hand for some "hot" cookies made with pepper cheese and dry mustard.


What is necessary, ever so often, is to look back to that mother, aunt, or cookbook that might have influenced your life and celebrate just how far we've come, then roll up your sleeves and push the envelope just a little farther. Someone in the future is depending on you.

Lorna Eley's Hot Cookies
2 cups hot pepper cheese shredded, room temperature
1/2 Oleo (butter)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix with hands, thoroughly
Make into a log and refridgerate until firm
Cut as thin as possible and bake until very lightly brown 350 oven. 10-12 min.

a new adventure

so, i, little bird, am apparently becoming quite the bo-bo (that's bohemian bourgeoisie for those of you not keeping track). we got a civic gx (natural gas car) last year, i started taking the bus to work at least once a week, and i just joined a csa. what's a csa? well, i'm glad you asked!

csa stands for community supported agriculture. basically, you buy a share (or, in my case, a half share) in a local farm and, in return, you get a regular delivery of food from the farm. it's all good. you're supporting farmers, eating local, getting fresh fruit and vegetables and eating seasonally and usually the farms are organic and sustainable. you can find a csa near you by checking out the local harvest site.

i joined the tierra miguel csa and i just got my first delivery today:



yum. as you can see, i got lemons, oranges, avacados, lettuce, baby spinach, leeks, a giant onion, some garlic, red potatoes, carrots, radishes, zuchinni and rhubarb!

so, as doodles would say, stay tuna'd, and join me on this csa adventure. first up, what to do with rhubarb!

retro recipes challenge

laura rebecca's kitchen is hosting the retro recipe challenge and i just couldn't resist, because i knew exactly what cookbook i was going to draw my recipe from.

growing up, my mom (you know, mooncrazy) had this cookbook called "betty crocker's cooky book." i think she got it as a wedding present in 1970 and i know she still has it. this cookbook was so cool. it had a red hard-bound cover with a picture of all different kinds of colorful cookies laid out on it. it really stood out on the cookbook shelf, especially to a kid. the leaves of the book were bound by wire rings (kind of like a spiral notebook) which gives it the advantage of laying flat while you are trying to cook from the recipe. genius, i tell you. i loved the hell out of that cookbook and i definitely credit it as one of the primary influences for my love of cooking. this book was much loved and well worn. i think the cover's come off and many of the pages have grease stains and flecks of dried on cookie dough as indicators that they were our favorite recipes, used time and time again. the mark of a good cookbook, indeed. i so totally wanted to spirit this thing out of the house when i left the nest, but i just couldn't. don't get me wrong, i liberated all sorts of other things (dad, still missing the white album?), but this was somehow sacred plus mom would know it was missing immediately, so it stayed on the shelf.

well, anyway, one day last year i was browsing the cookbook section at barnes & noble (like ya do), and i saw "the cookbook" on the shelf! i couldn't believe it, was there one leftover from 1963? not exactly. as it turns out, they issued a "facsimile edition" in 2002. it is exactly the same. i had to own it. it was like 25 bucks, which i'm sure is 10 times what it cost in 1963, but it had to go home with me. i took it home and read it like a novel.

this cookbook is so intiguing to me, not only because of my fond memories of my nascent culinary sensibilities, but also on a sociological level. re-reading it in my 30's, i take a much different view of this cookbook than i did when i was a kid. today, i see it as a snapshot of the past...as our country viewed itself in 1963. the styling is straight early 60's white middle america, totally camelot, totally leave it to beaver. the narrative and subtext scream out, "stay-at-home, white donna reed-june cleaver-laura petrie mom, making snacks for the kids when they get home from school and elegant dessert bites for swank in-home entertaining of the husband's boss." it also has a nostalgic americana section, dedicated to the best cookies, sorted by decade from 1880 to 1930 and by half-decade from 1930 to 1963. there is a "heritage cookies" section that features "[r]ecipes we know and use today [that] came from 'round the world to the thirteen isolated colonies of america." apparently "around the world" in 1963 meant "northern europe." reading the cookbook today, i see it as an advertisment for a certain cultural norm or aspiration that was trying to be sold to the people of this country in the 50's and 60's. it smacks of an instrument of social control through the communication and challenge to conform to preferred social values: white, upper-class, exclusionary values. when people reminisce about how great the 50's were, i often add, "yeah, if you were a white man." this time capsule cookbook has become a measuring stick of sorts for me and when i drag it out, it reminds me of how far our society has come in terms of inclusion and equality and how much farther we have to go. that being said, it has some damn fine cookie recipes.

so, i enter this retro cooking challenge with eyes wide open. there are some things that were just plain cool in the 50's and 60's, with good reason to celebrate them. but there were a lot more things that were definitely not cool so let's not get totally caught up in the nostalgia without giving a thought for the changes that sorely needed (and still need) to be made in our country. i therefore intend this cookie recipe as a political act: an independent, educated, professional woman in the new millenium appropriating a recipe from a book that was used as a tool of opression against the women who came before her.

[sorry for the diatribe, i was a communications study major in college and now i'm a lawyer. i can't help it.]

so, anyway, i thought i'd try the french lace cookie. it was listed in the best recipe for the 1960 - 1963 period and i thought it looked totally jackie kennedy. our country was so in love with her and her "sophisticated french ways" at that time, and i think this recipe reflects that. the french lace cookies is kind of like a tuile, it uses a really thin batter and spreads out really thin on the baking sheet, but this one bubbles up and the leftover holes make it look lacy and crenellated. it's actually quite a pretty little cookie. here's the recipe:

1 c. flour
1 c. finely chpped nuts
1/2 c. corn syrup
1/2 c. shortening
2/3 c. brown sugar (packed)

preheat oven to 375. blend flour and nuts. bring corn syrup, shortening, and sugar to boil in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. remove from heat; gradually stir in flour and nuts. drop batter by level teaspoonfuls about 3" apart on lightly greased baking sheet. bake 5 - 6 minutes; remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet. makes about 4 dozen cookies. for the "lace roll ups" variety, roll into a cylindrical shape while they are still warm. for "peek-a-bows," tie with a "gaily colored ribbon." [their words, not mine.]

Something different........and yummy!!!

Giada DeLaurentis, who happens to be one of my very favorite chefs on the Food newtwork……..anyway, the theme was a wine tasting I believe and one of the items she made was
Tortilla strips with and Italian twist.. I thought well that’s kinda different.


Parmesan Tortilla Crisps
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with aluminum foil. Whisk the oil, oregano, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until warm. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow ingredients to infuse the oil.. Brush the oil mixture over both sides of the tortillas. Stack the tortillas and cut them into 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips in a single layer over the baking sheets. Sprinkle the cheese and salt over the strips. Bake until the strips are golden brown and crisp, about 12~14 minutes.

Good idea – very tasty!! But you know me I must put a Mexican spin on it – they are corn tortillas for heavens sake.
So I followed the recipe as above BUT instead of oregano I used Chipotle pepper flakes, left out the ground pepper and in the oil I added some fresh crushed garlic. Warm that as stated above and let it set to infuse the flavors. Brushed the tortillas as instructed but I bumped the temp up to 400 degrees for 12 minutes. And just a couple a minutes before removing them from the oven sprinkle a bit of shredded jack cheese and pop em back in the oven for a couple a minutes. I salted these when I removed them from the oven and cooled them on some paper towels. I would imagine you could used flour tortillas as well but I have yet to try that.
If you try it let me know what y’all think.

Grill of My Dreams--Challenge #1 final posts

Here are our post for the PBE's Grill of My Dreams Challenge (first set of participants). This was fun and though we had only four participants I feel we had the cream of the BBQ crop this Memorial Day. We might even make this an annual affair. So as Doodles would say, stay tuna'd!

Grill of My Dreams from Mooncrazy

For Little Bird's birthday we had about 12 so easiest for me to bbq was baby backs. I tried Alton Brown's recipe a few years ago and it has become the only way I do ribs for a crowd. So tender. First you rub two whole slabs of baby back with your favorite dry rub. I'd certainly try one of La Vida Dulce's.

Wrap each in heavy foil leaving one end open. Refrigerate for one hour. Microwave the braising liquid and pour half the liquid in each foil packet close tightly and braise in 250 oven on baking sheets for 2 1/2 hours. At this point I removed the ribs, cooled and refrigerated them. I also reduced the braising liquid to use as a sauce to glaze the ribs the next day.

About an 30 minutes or so before serving I heated the ribs on the grill to get them heated and a bit smoky then lathered on the reduction of the braising liquid or any bbq sauce you like and served. I also served addition sauce with the ribs. They were quite well received.

Dry Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Braising liquid:
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons steak sauce, I like HP Sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Note: I found the reduction sauce way too salty but the ribs were fine so I mixed the reduced braising liquid with a bottle of salt-free ketchup and it was great. When you are reducing the liquid make sure it's in a large skillet, it give more surface area and reduces quicker. This tip I got from the little parakeet.

Grill of My Dreams from Maltese Parakeet

Well, i didn't have to bbq on memorial day weekend because it was my birthday party and mooncrazy did the cooking for me. It was quite a meal, everything was really tasty ... the bbq ribs were outstanding. Nice birthday present, huh?

The most bbq'ing i did all weekend, was to heat up those leftover ribs on memorial day! But, i felt bad about not having something for our inaugural post so, i tried something on my grill pan in the oven on monday (the chicken crematoriam, as we call our bbq, not being ready for the season yet).

I stole an idea from sweetnicks and roasted some asparagus on the grill pan in my oven. First, because there was not enough pork on my plate, i wrapped the spears in prosciutto. You could easily do this on a bbq and the smoky taste would be really good with the prosciutto. Basically, wrap the trimmed asparagus in prosciutto, drizzle in olive oil & sprinkle with kosher salt and then pop in a 400 degree oven for about 20 - 25 minutes. I preheated the cast iron grill pan in the oven first, of course. While that was cooking, i boiled down a little balsamic vinegar for a drizzle after the roasted spears came out of the oven. Husband wolfed them down and pronounced them good.

Grill of My Dreams from Doodles

Since I already posted about my sizzling start to summer which included my broken fridge, my sinus infection, and canceled our company, I'm gonna fill you in on what I did cook on Memorial Day.

Certainly was not the gourmet meal of the century but I did want to tell y'all about the brisket.
And no I do not have beauty shots of the food, I was lucky enough to get the meal put together.

As mentioned in a previous post, I heard somewhere about grinding up a brisket and making that in to patties for your burgers. Ask the meat monger to grind it twice, and this was done at a local market not a meat market. I must remember to ask my friend Lyn about this because I think it was in Dallas I remember reading about this. Funny how things stick in your brain.

Anyhoooo it was yummy..............with a good beefy taste . But may I say your good tasty burger is only as good as the bun you put it on. None of those yeasty buns would do for this beefy burger. I did notice that my market had some interesting looking rolls that would serve nicely for a burger bun. They were of the stone ground wheat seeded variety. So mission accomplished in the bun department.

My menu consisted of brisket burgers mexican style, with guacamole, carmelized onions, roasted pablano peppers, lettuce, tomato, etc. I made an old family favorite from childhood which was a macaroni green pea salad. It's just like a potato salad but with macaroni and canned green peas. And since we were going to have company I had made a sherbert dessert that was a bit different. But I stored it in the broken freezer and the melted dessert was what greeted me that morning..........waaaaaaaaaa!!!

Hope y'all had a great Memorial Day cookout............

weekend dog blogging

it's that time of the week again over at sweetnicks'. lately, it seems like i've been posting more about dogs recently than food. anyway, here are my hounds, multy and max, on a recent road trip. they were being unbearably cute.

Moon shows all ... that's in the fridge

Whew, hope I got this posted in time for Sweetnicks show what's in your fridge. I've had three rounds of visitors for the last three weeks and the last left this morning. Loved each one of them but now back to work.

So what's in my fridge today? This is after all the guest have gone home so not a "filled" as it was last week. I had to put a big green arrow on the bottle of Veuve Clicquot. I don't usually have that in the fridge but one of our thankful guests gave that to us. Can't wait to open it. We just got too busy at little bird's birthday party. I know, shame on me. You'll see there is only one bottle of the brown dog, Newcastle left so must make a grocery run for my ever-lovin'.

show me yours...

ever since seeing "door knock dinners" on food tv once about 10 years ago, i have always been completely paranoid about what's in my fridge. it was the episode where they brought the iron chefs in to some poor sod's house and the iron chefs were totally snide about the lack of fresh food that americans have in their refrigerators. i'm not paranoid enough to actually keep my fridge nicely stocked, mind you. but, sometimes, when i get back from shopping, i usually think to myself, "oh, i wouldn't be embarassed if the iron chefs showed up today." so, when i read that sweetnicks is hosting her innaugural "i'll show you mine, if you show me yours" event, i couldn't resist. so, here it is, the snap of my fridge:



The three things always in there are dog food, leftovers and beer. one thing that would never be in there: beets.

Grill of My Dreams--Challenge #1 posts

Thanks to all the participants in PBE's first ever food challenge, Grill of My Dreams. Here are a few of the posts we received so far. More to come in second installment.

Gabriella at My Life As A Reluctant Housewife grilled up some Steak Kebabs
with a great photo and we love her note: Remember it is BBQ Season and it is a perfect time to have a party!

Copperpots gave us a Tandoori Grilled Chicken along with a recipe for an onion chutney. Sounds like a complete Indian BBQ. Lea, is that a Newcastle you're drinking with the chicken? Nice touch! Also, thanks for the link to PBE.

Soul Fusion Kitchen asked, "Can there be too much BBQ?" We say no but she did have a huge feast. Check out Sylvie's posts, she is one busy bbq-er. Pork Shoulder, update to the pork shoulder , and the entire menu complete with pictures to drool over. Did Ziggy get any scraps?

Two post from La Vida Dulce one for the dry rubs, both with and without sugar and one for mops and sauces. Thanks for the Cola BBQ sauce, have not seen it in years.

Ok, you're plate should be full for the time being but we'll have more for you soon.