Turkey Marsala

On the plate and ready to be devoured!

I've realized over the past several weeks that, while quite different in flavors and taste, a lot of what I've cooked lately looks alarmingly the same! Look at Mediterranean Baked Cod or Braised Chicken Thighs w/Mushrooms & Leeks. The same look for three very different dinner dishes. Oh well... This Marsala recipe is beyond easy and full of flavor. It's always been a struggle for me when I've made Marsala before because I never really knew what I was doing, don't know why, but that's the truth. Found this recipe and suddenly Marsala is easy-peasy! (There's a chicken marsala recipe here as well, that's delicious as well, but the ease of this one...much better!)

I used turkey cutlets (cutlet...hate that word) because it came in a package of four. It would be just as tasty using veal cutlets (!), thin-sliced chicken or thin-sliced pork.

1 pkg. turkey cutlets, 4 count (what I bought)

1/3 C. flour

salt and fresh ground pepper

2+ T. unsalted butter

2+ T. olive oil

(OR veggie oil spray)

2 shallots or 1 small onion

2 cloves garlic (optional)

8 oz. package sliced mushrooms

1 C. Marsala wine (there are no substitutes)

1 C. chicken stock/bone broth
1/2 pkg. frozen peas

rice, left-over from another dinner

Put flour in a flat container, big enough for the cutlets. Put cutlets on a flat surface and salt & pepper both sides, amount to your taste. Coat them well with the flour. In a skillet (iron skillet) large enough for the cutlets, and over medium heat, melt the butter with 1 T. of the olive oil. When butter is hot and foaming, add the cutlets. (OR heat the skillet to medium high. Spray to coat both sides of the cutlets with Pam vegetable spray - saves calories.) Cook 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Add more oil or butter if needed and add the shallots/onion; saute for about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are tender. Add the Marsala and chicken stock, bring to a boil over high heat, scraping browned bits off the bottom and sides of the pan. Cook until the juices are reduced and thickened, about 5 or so minutes. Add the turkey cutlets and any juices that have accumulated back to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until cutlets are cooked through, about 2 - 3 minutes. 

Rice was served with this as we had a LOT of leftover rice. Egg noodles would be the preference of choice.

From: The Spruce Eats website

Made this on 12/18/18 - it was good! Poured peas over the cutlets at the last minute, while they were still in the skillet, and served all over left-over rice. Noodles would be delicious, too.

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Best Damn Carando Ham

I borrowed the above image from the Carando website
as I didn't have the good sense to take a photo of our
Best Damn Carando Ham of Pure Perfection after it was baked the other night.
Full disclosure - this is Carando's photo and NOT mine! 

Many many years ago, I had a small paperback Spice Islands cookbook, from the '60's that came from my mom, probably in the '80's. The one and only recipe I ever tried in said cookbook was their "sweet and sour baked ham". It was worth having the whole damn book! Delicious! However, it wasn't soon until I took the original recipe and made it a throw 'n go, and even that has changed radically over the years. (Just now ordered from Etsy a new old original "The Spice Islands Cookbook" so I can compare the original recipe to the one I make now.) In the meantime, here's what's done today for the very best damn Carando baked ham you'll ever devour! Everyone who has ever had this has raved over it! Serendipity!

1 9 - 10 lb. Carando half ham, spiral cut

1/2+ C. Pompeian red wine vinegar (my favorite brand) not balsamic vinegar

1/2 scant C. brown sugar

2 or so T. grey poupon mustard

3/4 t. ground cloves

3 - 5  T. bourbon

4 - 6 T. any good orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)

Preheat oven to 300º.

Mix all marinade ingredients (not the ham) in a small pot and heat, stirring to boil and then till all is combined. Place hame, sliced side down in a large pan (remove plastic disc off the bone if there). Pour marinade over the ham, lifting it up so juices flow underneath ham as well. Cover tightly and roast 15 - 20 minutes per pound. Baste with the juices every once and a while. When done, remove ham to a platter and cover to keep warm. Place all juices in a pot and simmer down to thicken into a sauce. Separate spiral slices and pour sauce over all, or serve sauce on the side. The marinade is easily doubled if you desire more sauce.

The other night, we served this with Wolfgang Puck's macaroni & cheese, pureed butternut squash, a green salad and canned (!!) Le Sueur Peas. Delicious!

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Mediterranean Baked Cod

an iron skillet filled with cod loveliness

Cod is one of our very favorite white fishes and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. The on-line photos for this recipe were so good looking, I knew it was a must-try! Of course, the recipe was changed a bit, but most is true to the original, here. In my mind, nothing is better than sauteed cod (or most other sauteed fish), but the nice thing about this is it's finished off in the oven, which gives you time to finish up the rest of your meal. We served this with baked red potatoes and a pot of steamed french-style green beans. Delicious! 

For 2 folks:

4 medium sized red potatoes
french-cut green beans (frozen), amount to your taste
1 lb. or so cod fillet, cut into serving-size pieces, about 6 pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced (or equivalent garlic salt/powder to taste)
chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 T. fresh lemon juice or the equivalent 4 t. True Lemon Crystals*
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. unsalted butter

1/3 C. flour
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. ground cumin (to taste)
salt to taste
white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425º. Place 2 red potatoes per person in the oven and bake for about 1/2 hour, until al dente. In the meantime, melt butter and mix with the olive oil and lemon juice/crystals in a flat bowl*. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and spices together. Pat the fillets dry. Dip fish in the butter/oil mixture and then in the flour mixture. Heat an additional 2 T. olive oil in an iron skillet, getting oil hot but not smokin' hot. Place fillet pieces in oil and saute until browned, about 2 minutes and then flip, sauteeing for an additional 2 or so minutes. Remove from heat. Add garlic to the left over butter/oil mixture, stir well and drizzle over the fish fillets. Bake in the oven for just 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the scallions and parsley over each fillet. Serve!

*If using True Lemon Crystals, use a stick blender to mix the butter, oil and True Lemon Crystals. After mixed well, pour back into the flat bowl. (Crystals won't mix in well enough if done by hand.)

*Ah, those loverly True Lemon Crystals...don't remember where I first heard about them, but, boy, am I glad I did! Now, I use True Lemon Crystals just about as much as I do fresh lemon juice. There is barely any difference in taste and it's so much easier to use than fresh lemons. There are some things it doesn't work as well for, such as in a salad dressing that uses only lemon juice and no other acidic liquid or if you need to all lemon zest to a dish for taste and looks. BUT, in a pinch, it's a god-send. AND for iced tea? Perfection! I buy it in the large jars you can get from Amazon and go through a jar++ just about every month. Follow this link to find it.

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Thomas Keller's Macaroni & Cheese

Gruyere cheese strands w/buttered & browned bread crumbs just before the oven

GB and I had a group of 10 of our good good friends over for dinner last Saturday night. For the first time ever, I decided to serve a baked ham for the protein (well, except for Easter). That ham recipe is coming, and I guarantee you, you won't make any other baked ham - ever - it's that good! 

We needed some sort of fantastic starchy side, and after looking around the internet, I decided on Thomas Keller's mac & cheese. This dish is NOT for the faint of heart! It calls for a pound of gruyere, 12 T. butter, 8 cups whole milk, etc., etc., BUT if you only have it once or twice a year, and don't eat the entire thing, what's the harm?? Delicious?? You could say so! 

I used shallots instead of onions as one of our guests hates onions (can't understand why).

I made this in the morning before our dinner - made the cheese sauce and then the macaroni and left them at room temperature - so that is what this recipe reflects, unlike the original.

1 lb. elbow macaroni

salt and white pepper, to taste

10 T. unsalted butter

1 C. flour

2 shallots, 1 minced and 1 whole

6 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

8 C. whole milk

1 1/4 lb. Gruyere cheese, grated (original called for Comte which I couldn't find - Gruyere was listed as a sub.)

white pepper, to taste

1 T. freshly ground nutmeg

1/3 C. panko bread crumbs

2 T. unsalted butter

Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, according to package directions and your own crunch taste. Drain and if you are putting this together later, wash with cold tap water. Set aside in its cooking pot at room temperature. 

Add butter to a large pan and melt over medium-high heat. Cook minced scallions until golden, around 10 minutes. Stir in flour and incorporate into the butter, about 5 minutes. Stud the whole scallion with the 6 cloves. Add that and bay leaves to the pan. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring, wiping down the side and bottom often, until thickened, about 7 minutes or so. Strain the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve into another pan/bowl. When all is strained, put back into original washed pan. Place over medium low heat and add 3/4 of the grated cheese, fresh-grated nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Stir until the cheese is mostly melted. Set aside, covered. Melt the 2 T. butter in a small skillet and add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are nicely browned.

When ready to put together, preheat oven to 375º. Warm cheese sauce over medium low heat and add the elbow macaroni. When just warmed through, taste and correct seasonings, then spoon into a 9" x 13" casserole dish (or equivalent). Cover the top with the reserved 1/4 cheese and sprinkle all with the toasted bread crumbs. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 45 - 50 minutes. 

And then? Just enjoy! 

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Butternut Squash Puree, Inspired by The Pioneer Woman

What a bowl of deliciousness!

My co-worker/office-mate, Jane, made this butternut squash puree for one of her family's sides this past Thanksgiving and brought me some for me to try. O. My. God!! What deliciousness it was! She saw the recipe on Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman website and the rest is lovely-tasting history! (Since PW's original recipe was posted in 2007, it's been redone, but I think the original recipe's photos are better.)

Do yourself a favor and make this! You'll be delighted! 

This is a true throw-n-go recipe as all flavorings are to your taste. 

To serve 10 - 12 folks: 

2 butternut squash, halved length-wise, seeds removed

1 stick++ unsalted butter

8 T. pure maple syrup (start with 8 T. - sweetness to your taste)

salt to taste

white pepper to taste (don't forget this!)

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Place squash, cut side down, on a cookie sheet. Add enough water to pan to come up about 1/4" on the squash halves. Roast for 30 - 40 minutes or until fork tender. Scoop out the squash into a food processor bowl and add remaining ingredients. Pulse processor on and off until all is well blended and quite smooth. Serve hot. 

You can make this a day or two ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an oven-proof serving dish. About 4 - 6 hours before reheating, take out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature. About 30 - 40 minutes before dinner, put in a 350º oven till all is nice and hot once again. 

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Braised Chicken Thighs w/Mushrooms & Leeks

Poor photo, I know...used to be good at photo-taking...lately, not so much!

This most tasty dish, which is low in fat content - surprise surprise for moi, who loves her butter, is from the gal who is the author of the food blog, SkinnyTaste. Gina Homolka, author of said blog takes her recipes very seriously. Each week she makes an entire seven days of B-L-D meals and they can all be tracked on the Weight Watchers points system. That doesn't take away from the flavor that come from the recipes of hers I've tried. And this one is over-the-top good! It is rich, buttery - just perfection in a bite. Again, a chicken dish that GB loved. Said it was now the best chicken dish he's ever tasted! Win-win for me! 

2 large leeks, white part only (to learn how to clean a leek, go here)

1 1/2 t. kosher/sea salt

freshly ground tellicherry black pepper, to taste

1/2 t. paprika

olive oil spray (tried this for the first time - and it works!)

chicken pieces, your choice (I used 4 bone-in, skin-on thighs), about 1 1/2 - 2 lbs.

2 T. unsalted butter

10 oz. pkg. whole white mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed and quartered

4 T. flour

2 C. chicken stock

3 or so T. sherry

Basmati rice or egg noodles, cook according to package directions

Preheat oven to 375º.

Cut green tops and bottom roots off the leeks. Slice in half length-wise and then in 1/4" thick half moons. Put all in a salad spinner filled with water and agitate the pieces. Let sit for a bit so the sand sinks to the bottom. Slowly lift the strainer out of the water and dump the water out. Rinse again and then spin the excess water out.

Mix together the salt, pepper and paprika. and season all sides of the chicken. Spritz both side of the chicken with olive oil spray. Heat a large iron skillet or Dutch oven on high heat. Once hot, brown the chicken on both sides, about 5 - 7 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Set chicken pieces aside. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the butter. When the butter starts to foam, add the leeks and cook, stirring until soft, about 6 - 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt a bit and cook, covered, until they release their juices and juice mostly evaporates:

(Steam is not a friend of photo-taking)

Sprinkle flour over all, stir in to totally coat the flour and then add the chicken stock and sherry. Simmer for about 4 minutes:

Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over them and bake in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until tender. 

Serve over rice or egg noodles.

YUM! 

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Lemon Garlic Onion Peas Chicken Thighs

In the iron skillet just before serving

GB thinks he hates chicken. Well...ok, chicken breasts are rather boring and easily over-cooked. Chicken thighs? Not so much. On hand, I had boneless, skinless thighs, and while I don't normally buy them - much prefer skin-on and bone-in - I made do! I also used my not-that-new-go-to True Lemon Crystals - no lemons in the house at the time this was made - but always a bottle of True Lemon - and it's a perfect substitute for fresh lemons! I also had no chicken stock or bullion so substituted the beef stock that was on hand. Results were delicious!

Found this recipe on the website Life as a Strawberry, adapted it a bit, and here it is! Delicious - and even better the next day! (Even chicken-hater GB agreed!)

extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing. 

2 lbs. or so boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or whatever cut of chicken you have on hand)

salt & pepper to taste

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 - 5 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped, or 2 t. dried thyme

1 large lemon, or 1 T. or so TRUE Lemon crystals

1 1/2 C. or so chicken stock (I used beef stock as I had no chicken stock)

1/2 - 1 package frozen baby peas

rice or egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 400º.

Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe (iron skillet) pan over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken thighs in the hot pan and sear for about 4-5 minutes per side, until browned. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Return pan to stove over medium-high heat and add more olive oil if needed. Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute until the onion is translucent and has started to caramelize, about 4-5 minutes. Add olive oil if needed. Add thyme to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Either juice the lemon, removing seeds and add to the pan (lemon zest as well if you like), or add your True Lemon crystals. Stir to combine. Add the chicken/beef stock. Bring to a low boil and return the seared chicken thighs to the pan. Spoon the juices over the thighs and add the frozen peas, amount to your taste. Stir so the peas are coated in the sauce. Place the pan in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through (use a meat thermometer for accuracy). Serve over rice (what we did) or egg noodles.

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Simply Sublime Smashed Red Potatoes

After looking at many many recipes, this is my take on a fantastic side dish!

Wow! When I first saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman, I thought to myself that this was something I wanted to try - it looked interesting and delicious! 10 years later and after reading a whole lot of smashed potato recipes, tonight I finally put my spin on it. And it was crispy, tasty - just delicious! 

I made them in one of my trusty iron skillets, of course. Not only were they taste perfection, they looked perfect in that iron skillet! Much better than on a cookie sheet. Of course, if you're making them for a crowd, instead of just six, a cookie sheet is the way to go. (The variations on this are endless - include bacon bits, garlic, parmesan, etc. etc. etc.!) Enjoy!

All ingredients are to your taste. Below is for 6 red potatoes.

Preheat oven to 450º.

2 - 4 T. butter, divided

2 - 4 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

6 medium sized red potatoes, washed

fresh ground sea salt

fresh ground (tellicherry) pepper

about 2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped (dried can be substituted)

12 sprigs of the tops of fresh thyme (dried can be substituted)

about 3 T. chopped fresh parsley

4 scallions/green onions, sliced thinly, green tops included

Preheat oven to 450º.

Put potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Gently boil until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt half the butter and half olive oil in the skillet, on your stove, stir, then turn off heat. Melt the other half butter/olive oil mix in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir. 

Remove potatoes and let thoroughly dry. Place potatoes artfully in an iron skillet (see above) and gently flatten with an old fashioned hand-held potato masher. DON'T smash too fast or too hard - my first smashed potato was a mess! (Below, see that bottom potato? Smushed, not smashed!)

Lightly dab the tops of potatoes with the microwaved butter/olive oil mixture. Grate salt and pepper on the tops of the potatoes, to your taste. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the rosemary. Place, crossed, two sprigs fresh thyme on each potato. 

Bake for 25 minutes at 450º. Remove with spatula to each plate. Instruct folks to remove the thyme leaves off of each stem onto potatoes (or do it for them). Dig in! 

We enjoyed ours with an iron skillet steak. And a side salad. Well....that side salad was a good thought....that didn't happen. (sigh)

UPDATE:

Tonight the potatoes were smashed a different way! All was the same until the toppings were added: To the smashed potatoes: drizzle with melted butter and then toasted bacon bits. Roast in the oven until all is sizzling. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and bake until cheese is beginning to melt. Turn on the broiler and broil until cheese is beginning to brown. 

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

A Missourahhh Girl's Take on a CT Lobster Roll

I've been in Connecticut longer than in my beloved Missourahhh...
This is my take on a beloved Connecticut-original.

Every once and a while, Stew Leonard's, my local kinda grocery store, has a sale on lobster tails. Four for $20.00. When that happens, I get 'em and make GB Connecticut lobster rolls.

Since I had hot lobster rolls first, very soon after we moved here in '78, it was a loooong time before I realized that there were two very different types of lobster rolls tied to New England. There's the New England lobster roll which, I believe, originated in Maine - it's cold and involves mayonnaise and celery, among other ingredients. Then there's the Connecticut lobster, which is warm and involves lots and lots of butter...and lobster meat. My favorite is that delicious CT roll! 

2 top-sliced/split hot dog buns, aka New England-style buns, (brioche buns if you can find them)   

4 lobster tails, about 1 lb. total, thawed, cut into chunks and lightly chopped 

1/2 - 1 stick butter, divided

1 t. paprika

1/2 lemon or 2 t. True Lemon crystals

parsley, fresh and chopped, about a handful

Melt 2 T. of the butter in the skillet and toast in the pan, the buns. Remove buns (duh!). Melt rest of butter (at least 1/2 the stick) and add the paprika and lemon. When hot, add the lobster meat and toss until the lobster meat is done. Toss the parsley on top and toss again to mix. Place half the lobster on each bun. Boil all the liquid off the skillet and spoon remaining butter onto the lobster meat. Serve immediately. Serve with salt if you have a salt-lover who is the recipient - salt will dry the lobster meat out if added during the saute.

(I've read a lot of different takes on this recipe - this is mine!)

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Those Sublime Nan Stetter Sloppy Joes

Best Sloppy Joe ever, courtesy of family friend Nancy Bokelmann Stetter

My hubby GB's mom lived next to Nancy and her family from 1955 until around 2000 and a deep deep friendship flourished and the Blytone-Bokelmann clan became family which remains to this day. Though GB's mom is gone, we still connect to each other. Nan gifted me her absolute perfection of a sloppy joe recipe about 40 or so years ago, shortly after GB and I were married. I've never wavered from it and every time I make it, it gets rave reviews! Thank you, Nan!!

All ingredient amounts are estimates. Nan's recipe calls for Heinz ketchup. I use Heinz Chili Sauce instead as it's not as sweet. Whatever, it must be Heinz!

Brown in butter: 

1/3 C. diced celery (celery salt can be substituted)

1/3 C. diced onion

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger

Drain fat, then add:

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 T. Lea & Perrin Worchestershire sauce

2 t. Coleman's dry mustard (French's does in a pinch)

cayenne pepper to taste (we like it with a BITE)

1 12 oz. bottle Heinz chili sauce (or equivalent 12 oz. Heinz ketchup)

1 12 oz. bottle full of water

Stir well and simmer until thickened. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Serve on hamburger bun. (I've fallen in love with brioche buns - that's one in the above photo - and serve the sloppys on those.) I always add more vinegar, Worchestershire and mustard - sometimes I give it a squirt of French's yellow mustard. You need to be sure it's cooked down so the flavors blend and intensify. Cayenne adds a nice kick! Enjoy!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Charred Butternut Squash - YUM

Roasted and then broiled, all kinds of butternut goodness!

I love all winter squashes, (well, spaghetti squash not so much). There are a lot of recipes online for roasted squash with pure maple syrup, but not many for charred butternut squash. While this recipe was a happy accident, it's one that's just delicious and worth repeating. Confession time: I forgot about the fact I was broiling the squash after it's 40 minute bake....uh oh...char time! 

Stew Leonard's, a local food store here in Norwalk, CT, sells clamshells of butternut squash that are peeled and cut up - makes this entire recipe easy easy. 

Preheat oven to 400º.

1 16 oz. container prepared butternut squash (or 1 whole butternut, peeled, seeded and chopped)

salt, to taste, about 1 t.  

pepper, fresh ground, to taste, about 2-3 t. (I like it hot so add more)

2-3 T. pure maple syrup - Aunt Jemima just won't do

1-2 T. extra virgin olive oil

cookie sheet, parchment paper, aluminum foil

Place squash in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. Pour maple syrup on the squash and toss well again. Add the olive oil and give all a final toss. Put squash on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and cover with the aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Take foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until your desired amount of char occurs. I was lucky - almost nuked mine. Watch carefully while the squash is broiling! You can make this ahead as it's delicious at room temperature. Reheat if you want. 

Recipe by me and a lot of other folks.

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Egg Breakfast Sandwich - da best!!!

A delicious breakfast sandwich! Eggs, cheese, bacon on a brioche bun. Heaven!

I have a job where I can have breakfast at a reasonable hour - like 10:00am - instead of before I leave for work - like 7:20am. For a while we were gifted fresh banty eggs from a parent at our school. From that, I got the idea of bringing my own eggs and buns to make a fresh egg sandwich for my breadfast at school. Around 10:00am. Much more reasonable hour to eat breakfast as far as I'm concerned. So...I bring fresh eggs, Walmart bacon bits, a slice of cheese and a bun - and on the days I'm not having Jane's 2 ingredient bagels with peanut butter - I'm having the above delight! Of course, this whole thing is made better because her neighbor makes this awesome Portuguese pepper sauce that I mix into the eggs. I canNOT tell you how good this Portuguese pepper sauce is! Da Bomb Diggity! Add your own hotness and enjoy!

butter, to smear on the bowl

2 eggs

hot sauce, to your pleasure

1 bun - I love brioche buns

1 slice cheese, to your liking

bacon bits, if you want

salt and pepper to your taste

Smear a small cereal bowl with butter. Crack 2 eggs into bowl, mix well. Season with salt and pepper and hot sauce to your taste. Microwave for a minute, stir, add cheese slice and microwave for another minute. Scoop egg onto the bun and enjoy!!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Summertime Peach & Basil Shortcake

Sweet Missourahhh peaches - they were incredibly good last summer, unlike our CT peaches that had no flavor. At all.
Tossed with fresh basil ribbons. 

I spend a good portion of every summer in COMO, now with my dad, and before she died, with both my parents. I'm lucky enough to work in a school system, so have regular vacations all year long, with the summers completely off. My sibs, Carrie and Bill, are able to do the same and often our visits overlap. Nice! This summer, my sis and I visited at the same time, and one of our cooking challenges, now that mom is gone - and our father's sweet tooth hasn't abated one bit - is coming up with new desserts for him. Mom was one of the best amateur chefs that has ever cooked, so it's hard to top what she could do - with one hand tied behind her back! Well, with this recipe, we certainly succeeded! The key to this is to have super sweet local peaches. And this year, in MO, they delivered! They were the very best flavorful peaches we've had in years! When I came back to CT, I immediately went to the farmer's market and bought peaches. Several times. And at several different farmer's markets. Absolutely. No. Flavor. In any of them. Amazing it was such a good peach year in MO and a hideous one in CT. While you can make this any time of year, summertime peach season is the ideal time! Sis Care & I made this for dad in August 2018. Truly the best shortcake I've ever had - the first I've actually liked. And, basil combined with peaches is just an incredible flavor combination!

Our shortcake. This recipe makes one of the only shortcakes I actually like.
Not a big fan usually.

Topping:

4 C. peeled, sliced peaches, about 3 lbs. (local if at all possible, southern only if not)

1/4 C. sugar

1/3 C. or so small fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

Shortcake:

2 1/4 C. flour

1/3 C. sugar, divided

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

a grating of nutmeg

6 T. chilled butter, cut into pieces

1 C. buttermilk (or 1 C. (not skim) milk w/1 t. cider vinegar - let stand for 15 minutes)

cooking spray

1 1/2 t. 1/2 & 1/2 

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

To prepare the topping, combine peaches, sugar, basil and lemon juice in a bowl; let stand 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 400º. 

To prepare the shortcake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a flat knife edge. Combine flour, 7 T. of the sugar, baking powder and soda and salt in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two dinner knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk with a dinner fork just until combined (do not over-mix). Spoon the dough into a 9" round metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Gently brush the dough with milk. Evenly sprinkle with the remaining sugar and almonds.

Bake at 400º for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove shortcake from the pan and cool completely on the wire rack. 

Cut shortcake into 12 wedges and then cut each wedge in half horizontally. Top each bottom with 1/3 C. peach mixture and, if desired, a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or a spoonful of whipped cream. Artfully lay top half of the wedge on top, Enjoy!

This recipe was in the June 2012 Cooking Light magazine and is by Ruth Cousineau. 

~~~

'till we feast again!

xoabb

Donut Holes - One of my Very Favorite Things!!

Donut Holes!!!
YUM!!!

When I was growing up, we used to go to Staunton, IL to visit our mom and dad's best friends, Cathy and Jim Hawkins and their four kids, Susan, Sally, Jim and Teresa. We always had a whale of a time, playing together and playing jokes on each other, (Carrie, remember the time when Jim said his farts could be lit on fire, threw his legs over his head and Susan lit a lighter as he let out a TREMENDOUS fart - that actually blazed four feet from his butt?? Pretty special that!) and causing general mayhem. The other thing I remember from that time is visiting the Ubans. They were also good friends of our parents and the Hawkins. Peggy Uban's specialty was glazed donuts. Beautiful wonderful glazed donuts. While I don't have her recipe, daughter Brynnly came up with a fairly close recipe that brought me back to one of our childhood delights.

For the donut holes:

oil for frying in a Fry Daddy (or equivalent pot)

1 C. milk

1 large egg

2 C. flour

2 T. sugar

4 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/4 C. butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 1/2 C. powdered sigar

3 1/2 T. whole milk/cream

2 t. vanilla extract

Mix all together

For the sugar-cinnamon mix:

sugar to taste

cinnamon to taste

Mix all together

Add the oil to your Fry Daddy or equivalent pot. Put a grate on a baking/cookie sheet.
In a bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the egg/milk mixture. Now stir in the melted butter, and mix until a soft dough forms. Once the oil reaches 350º, use a small scoop or your fingers to drop about 1 T. of dough into the oil, being sure not to over-crowd the pan. Fry the donut holes, flipping them over in the oil, for about 2 minutes or until they're golden brown, Using a slotted spoon, transfer the donut holes to the grated baking sheets. Allow the donut holes to cool slightly. Then, either roll in the glaze or in the sugar mixture. Place back on the grates. After a minute, serve...and go to heaven!!!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Cayman Meat Patties - Definitely a Group Effort

l to r, Kat, Brynnly and Connor assembling the Cayman meat patties.
So the table's a mess. Results were sublime!
(Red Christmas bowls made perfect 4" dough rounds.)

This happened to be the last thing our mother made. She and Brynnly made these together about 2 weeks before mom died. They had a wonderful time doing so, and I had a lovely time watching them and chronicling their shared cooking joy. This night, the three musketeers, above, made both appetizer-size patties (second photo) and then full-size patties (first photo) for entrees. SO good! 

The patties ready for baking - entree size

The deliciousness after baking - appetizer size

For the meat filling:

1 1/2 lb. chuck pound roast (you can use already ground chuck)

1 large onion, roughly chopped

6 scallions (green onions), green tops included, roughly chopped

1 scotch bonnet pepper (or equivalent), seeded

2 garlic cloves

2++ T.  Jamaican Blue Mountain Country curry powder, a mixture of mild and hot

6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. ground all spice

2 T. vegetable oil

3/4 C. bread crumbs

1/2 C. water

salt and pepper to taste

BumHot (our family blend) or hot pepper flakes/cayenne to taste

Cut beef into 1" cubes, removing all fat and tendons. Place meat on a pan in a single layer and put in freezer for about 30 minutes or until meat is firm but not frozen hard. While meat is firming, put the onion, scallions, scotch bonnet and garlic in a food processor and mince by pulsing on and off until all is finely ground. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the mixture along with the curry, thyme and allspice. Cook until all is cooked, but not browned. Set aside. 

In batches, place the partially frozen chuck in the food processor and pulse until meat is minced very finely. Add the meat to the veggie skillet and cook over medium heat until all the pink is gone and meat is well cooked. Add the bread crumbs, salt to taste and pepper to taste. Stir well to blend and adjust seasonings - especially the level of pepper heat - to your taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat until all liquid is gone. Set aside and let cool. 

For the pastry:

2 1/2 C. flour

1 - 2 T. Jamaican Blue Mountain curry powder

1 t. BumHot (or hot pepper flakes/cayenne to taste)

1 t. tumeric (for color, optional)

3/4 t. salt

1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into large chunks (can also use 1/2 lard) 

1/3 C. ice water

In food processor, fitted with a steel blade, put all dry ingredients in and pulse to mix. Take dough out and knead very lightly on a floured board. If dough is sticky, add a bit more flour. 

To assemble Cayman meat patties: 

Preheat oven to 375º.

1 egg, well beaten (for glazing)

Roll dough out into a long piece that about 1/2" thick. Tear off a portion of dough and roll as thinly as you can on a lightly floured board. Cut into an approximately 4" circle (for entree portions) or a 2" circle (for appetizer portions). Place filling on half the circle (about 2-3 T, for an entree, 1-1 1/2 T. for an appetizer size). Brush edges with water and fold over and seal. With fork tines, seal the edges. Place the patties on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Continue till all the meat and (hopefully) dough is used up. Glaze the tops of the patties with the egg wash. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes (appetizers) or 20 - 25 minutes (entrees) or until the edges are golden brown. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Reheating in a microwave, tho it works, is not recommended. 

You can make hot patties with any ground meat you want. They can be made any size you want as well. And if you can find callaloo, a Caribbean veggie, (aka amaranth), you can make this vegetarian!

A family favorite!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb