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In a few weeks Doug and I will celebrate our 25th Anniversary and Doug will celebrate his 50th birthday -- both events in the same week! How can you not celebrate those events with a bash? We're putting together some lists and trying to figure out what we can serve our family and friends. I threw out a couple of suggestions to Doug and he said o.k. to all, but when I suggested I let my blog readers decide, he said that sounded like a great idea. So over on my sidebar at the top, there's a poll. You can vote on one of the suggestions, or make your own suggestion, either in the com box or email me. I'm anxious to see what you might like. And by the way...you're all invited! ;-)
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Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
PW's Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomatoes
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Last week I prepared another of Pioneer Woman's recipes and it was not only yum!, it was easy, and great left over. I had a busy day and threw it together in about 25 minutes -- after racing in the door at about 5:30.
The only thing bad about it was my husband confessed he does not like artichokes. Twenty-five years married and I never knew. He never said! So, I guess I'll save this one for a night when he's not home. All the kids liked it, including my son's girlfriend, and Faith especially. I really enjoyed it as well -- the leftovers, too.
I did not have fresh herbs to sprinkle (well, I did, but didn't think cilantro would go too well) and did not really think it made a difference. The sauce was creamy and tasty without. I think my tomatoes were chunkier than hers (I use this brand), but I was o.k. with that. As the recipe states, salt to taste and I did have to add a couple times, so keep tasting and salt as needed. I doubled the recipe for six and had lots of leftovers, but I don't think one recipe would feed six adults.
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Last week I prepared another of Pioneer Woman's recipes and it was not only yum!, it was easy, and great left over. I had a busy day and threw it together in about 25 minutes -- after racing in the door at about 5:30.
The only thing bad about it was my husband confessed he does not like artichokes. Twenty-five years married and I never knew. He never said! So, I guess I'll save this one for a night when he's not home. All the kids liked it, including my son's girlfriend, and Faith especially. I really enjoyed it as well -- the leftovers, too.
I did not have fresh herbs to sprinkle (well, I did, but didn't think cilantro would go too well) and did not really think it made a difference. The sauce was creamy and tasty without. I think my tomatoes were chunkier than hers (I use this brand), but I was o.k. with that. As the recipe states, salt to taste and I did have to add a couple times, so keep tasting and salt as needed. I doubled the recipe for six and had lots of leftovers, but I don't think one recipe would feed six adults.
Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomatoes
serves 5 to 6
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ whole medium onion, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts (I used quartered), drained
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup heavy cream
½ cups chicken broth (more as needed)
½ t. nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound thin spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 T. Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped
serves 5 to 6
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ whole medium onion, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts (I used quartered), drained
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup heavy cream
½ cups chicken broth (more as needed)
½ t. nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound thin spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 T. Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped
Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.
Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.
Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Jalapeno Cheddar Breakfast Bake
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Last Sunday I planned to make a breakfast casserole to take from the oven as we walked in the door from Mass. I love using my delay bake feature on my oven to have brunch ready when we arrive home. We attend a noon Mass and we're usually pretty hungry afterward. When we walked in the door, I had berries sugared and hanging out in the fridge, and breakfast was piping hot and smelling fabulous.
As I assembled the casserole in the morning, I went digging through the freezer for some bagels I had left over and I designed this casserole around the fact that they were Jalapeno Cheddar Bagels. It turned out truly yummy and I will hang on to this one -- it's a keeper.
Jalapeno Cheddar Breakfast Bake
serves 6
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 jalapeno cheddar bagels, cut into bite-size pieces *
In a medium skillet, brown sausage. Add jalapeno peppers to pan a few minutes before sausage is completely browned. Drain and set aside (I squeeze the sausage with dry paper towels to get almost all the extra grease out).
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper (about 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper -- more or less to taste).
In a greased 13 x 9 casserole, place bagel pieces, sausage and cheese. (You can layer it if you want or just toss it together). Pour milk and egg mixture over the top. Let set for 10 minutes if you are going to bake immediately. Otherwise, chill until ready to bake (you can assemble the night before if desired).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place casserole on middle shelf. Bake for 45 minutes or until egg is completely cooked and bagel pieces are golden brown.
* I buy these bagels at Panera. If you can't get them, or would rather not, you can use plain bagels, or your favorite savory flavor.
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serves 6
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 jalapeno cheddar bagels, cut into bite-size pieces *
In a medium skillet, brown sausage. Add jalapeno peppers to pan a few minutes before sausage is completely browned. Drain and set aside (I squeeze the sausage with dry paper towels to get almost all the extra grease out).
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper (about 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper -- more or less to taste).
In a greased 13 x 9 casserole, place bagel pieces, sausage and cheese. (You can layer it if you want or just toss it together). Pour milk and egg mixture over the top. Let set for 10 minutes if you are going to bake immediately. Otherwise, chill until ready to bake (you can assemble the night before if desired).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place casserole on middle shelf. Bake for 45 minutes or until egg is completely cooked and bagel pieces are golden brown.
* I buy these bagels at Panera. If you can't get them, or would rather not, you can use plain bagels, or your favorite savory flavor.
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
Pumpkin Quick Bread -- Plain and Simple
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Most of the time when I'm in the kitchen, plain and simple is not what I'm after. I like food a little bit jazzy, mildly complex. But some things just must be plain and simple, especially when children are involved. Most kids don't like mildly complex food, they like it straightforward, no chunks, no je ne sais quoi.
This pumpkin bread is just that. It's not my personal favorite, as my personal favorite is loaded with chunks, but my kids love it. I made it with some butternut squash that was left from dinner Sunday, so mine is a little less pumpkin in color, but the flavors are all there. Yum!
Most of the time when I'm in the kitchen, plain and simple is not what I'm after. I like food a little bit jazzy, mildly complex. But some things just must be plain and simple, especially when children are involved. Most kids don't like mildly complex food, they like it straightforward, no chunks, no je ne sais quoi.
This pumpkin bread is just that. It's not my personal favorite, as my personal favorite is loaded with chunks, but my kids love it. I made it with some butternut squash that was left from dinner Sunday, so mine is a little less pumpkin in color, but the flavors are all there. Yum!
Pumpkin Quick Bread
1 loaf
1 loaf
2 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. soda
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cloves
1 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 3 x 5 loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients. Mix together pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat in flour mixture and pumpkin mixture at low speed until blended. Stir in nuts (optional). Pour batter into pan. Bake for about 60 minutes (toothpick test). Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. soda
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cloves
1 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 3 x 5 loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients. Mix together pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat in flour mixture and pumpkin mixture at low speed until blended. Stir in nuts (optional). Pour batter into pan. Bake for about 60 minutes (toothpick test). Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Winning Rye Bread
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I have been on a quest for quite a while for a winning recipe for Rye Bread. I've tried quite a few, and even thought I had the best I could make, but this loaf beats them all. I have been dying to make it again, and I think I'll do it today. I cut the recipe in half and it still makes two loaves, but I think Sister Margaret, my son's senior English teacher, might just like a loaf.
The recipe came from allrecipes.com, and I followed it pretty precisely, except for halving it.
I have been on a quest for quite a while for a winning recipe for Rye Bread. I've tried quite a few, and even thought I had the best I could make, but this loaf beats them all. I have been dying to make it again, and I think I'll do it today. I cut the recipe in half and it still makes two loaves, but I think Sister Margaret, my son's senior English teacher, might just like a loaf.
The recipe came from allrecipes.com, and I followed it pretty precisely, except for halving it.
Rye Bread
2 loaves
2 loaves
1 t. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water, divided
1 cup rye flour
3 T. sugar
2 T. caraway seeds (more or less to taste -- I used 2 T.)
1 t. salt
3 -1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. cornmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
caraway seed
2 cups warm water, divided
1 cup rye flour
3 T. sugar
2 T. caraway seeds (more or less to taste -- I used 2 T.)
1 t. salt
3 -1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. cornmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
caraway seed
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water; whisk in rye flour until smooth. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm place for about 4 hours or until batter falls about 1 in. and surface bubble activity is reduced.
Stir in the sugar, caraway seeds, salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour and remaining water; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or use dough hook on mixer). Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide dough into two portions. Shape into two round loaves, about 6 to 7 in. across. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray (or place parchment down); sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves on pan side by side. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
With a sharp knife, make several slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush with egg. Sprinkle each loaf with caraway seeds (I like a lot, but do this to taste).
Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, rotating pans after 15 minutes, or until browned. Cool on wire racks.
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Stir in the sugar, caraway seeds, salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour and remaining water; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or use dough hook on mixer). Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide dough into two portions. Shape into two round loaves, about 6 to 7 in. across. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray (or place parchment down); sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves on pan side by side. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
With a sharp knife, make several slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush with egg. Sprinkle each loaf with caraway seeds (I like a lot, but do this to taste).
Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, rotating pans after 15 minutes, or until browned. Cool on wire racks.
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Source: modified from allrecipes.com
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sauce and Sausages
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One of my family's favorite dishes is plain ol' spaghetti and sauce. Of course, my homemade sauce is key to that dish, and their most favorite variety is when I add sausage to my sauce, cooking it for several hours, to infuse the flavors of the yummy sausage into the sauce. My sauce is really very simple, and to an authentic Italian, is probably not the real thing, but to my family it's yummy and they are the only ones I have to please.
This recipe makes a lot. You could certainly cut it in half or even in fourths, but really, just freeze it and you'll have a few meals to spare. Just start with a large pot.
The sausages are really very crucial to this recipe, so pick something you know you like. I go to a special butcher shop just to buy sausages. They come in mild, festival and spicy and I go for the festival which is mildly spicy.
One of my family's favorite dishes is plain ol' spaghetti and sauce. Of course, my homemade sauce is key to that dish, and their most favorite variety is when I add sausage to my sauce, cooking it for several hours, to infuse the flavors of the yummy sausage into the sauce. My sauce is really very simple, and to an authentic Italian, is probably not the real thing, but to my family it's yummy and they are the only ones I have to please.
This recipe makes a lot. You could certainly cut it in half or even in fourths, but really, just freeze it and you'll have a few meals to spare. Just start with a large pot.
The sausages are really very crucial to this recipe, so pick something you know you like. I go to a special butcher shop just to buy sausages. They come in mild, festival and spicy and I go for the festival which is mildly spicy.
Sauce and Sausage
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
10 Italian sausages
1 T. fresh crushed garlic
3 (28 oz) cans tomato puree
3 (28 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 c. sugar (we like our sauce sweet so you might want to start with half that quantity and add more to taste)
1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. red wine (optional)
Heat pot and add olive oil. Add five of the sausages and cook, turning, to brown. Remove those sausages and add remaining sausages, cooking to brown.
Reduce heat to low. Add all sausages into pan and add garlic. When garlic starts to sizzles (do not let it brown), add puree and sauce to pot. Add sugar and seasonings, and wine. Stir and bring to a simmer. When sauce starts to simmer, reduce to medium low and cover.
Cook sauce, at a low simmer, for two to three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sauce from burning on the bottom.
Serve sauce over pasta with sausages, or enjoy sausages on Italian buns with sauce.
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4 T. extra virgin olive oil
10 Italian sausages
1 T. fresh crushed garlic
3 (28 oz) cans tomato puree
3 (28 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 c. sugar (we like our sauce sweet so you might want to start with half that quantity and add more to taste)
1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. red wine (optional)
Heat pot and add olive oil. Add five of the sausages and cook, turning, to brown. Remove those sausages and add remaining sausages, cooking to brown.
Reduce heat to low. Add all sausages into pan and add garlic. When garlic starts to sizzles (do not let it brown), add puree and sauce to pot. Add sugar and seasonings, and wine. Stir and bring to a simmer. When sauce starts to simmer, reduce to medium low and cover.
Cook sauce, at a low simmer, for two to three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sauce from burning on the bottom.
Serve sauce over pasta with sausages, or enjoy sausages on Italian buns with sauce.
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Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Bubbly Garlic Bread
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Last week I made a big pot of red sauce to have with spaghetti and jazzed it up (though the sausage in the sauce was pretty jazzy all by itself) with some of this Bubbly Garlic Bread. I actually prefer plain bread, but given a choice my husband will always choose big fat Bubbly Garlic Bread. It certainly has more calories than plain bread, or even plain bread with butter, but it's very yummy as an occasional treat.
Bubbly Garlic Bread
serves 6 - 10
1 loaf Italian bread, store bought or homemade
1 stick salted butter, softened
garlic powder
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat broiler in oven and place rack on top shelf.
Slice loaf of bread in half length wise (so you have a top and a bottom). Spread half of butter on each cut surface. Sprinkle with garlic powder to taste -- I use about 1 teaspoon for each half.
Divide Parmesan and shredded mozzarella over each half, with the mozzarella on top. Place on a cookie sheet (covered with foil for easy clean up) and place on top rack of oven. Broil, watching so it doesn't burn too much -- a little is o.k. -- until cheese is bubbly. Cut each half crosswise and serve.
serves 6 - 10
1 loaf Italian bread, store bought or homemade
1 stick salted butter, softened
garlic powder
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat broiler in oven and place rack on top shelf.
Slice loaf of bread in half length wise (so you have a top and a bottom). Spread half of butter on each cut surface. Sprinkle with garlic powder to taste -- I use about 1 teaspoon for each half.
Divide Parmesan and shredded mozzarella over each half, with the mozzarella on top. Place on a cookie sheet (covered with foil for easy clean up) and place on top rack of oven. Broil, watching so it doesn't burn too much -- a little is o.k. -- until cheese is bubbly. Cut each half crosswise and serve.
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Sunday, October 10, 2010
Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
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I planned these little hot sandwiches for a day last week, and as it turned out I was really glad for an easy dinner. I was away from home most of the afternoon and when I got home I really wasn't in the mood to cook dinner. Fortunately I didn't have to. I started these little gems just about 30 minutes before dinner time, and I was glad to have some time between walking in the door and prep time to catch my breath (and grade some school work!).
They were so popular, that I have a feeling they will be welcome as a regular on our menu. The kids all wanted to know what the sauce was on top, but I just told them it was "magic" sauce. I didn't want to listen to gripes about onions and mustard and since they all loved them, it was a good decision. What they don't know won't hurt them!
The sauce was not exactly low in fat, which was the only drawback to these sandwiches. But I used Hillshire Farm honey ham, which is very low in fat, and I only used a quarter slice of cheese for each, so I'm not stressing over the little bit of sauce each sandwich gets. (I'm sure these sandwiches would be even tastier with some really awesome ham, but it was a weekday and I was going for easy over awesome.)
I saw this recipe most recently at Annie's Eats, but you can find it all over the internet and in every "favorites" cookbook. I used the Hawaiian rolls as recommended, and they were very yummy, but I'm sure some good bakery slider buns would be awesome as well. You can find the little sliders at almost every grocery store these days.
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I planned these little hot sandwiches for a day last week, and as it turned out I was really glad for an easy dinner. I was away from home most of the afternoon and when I got home I really wasn't in the mood to cook dinner. Fortunately I didn't have to. I started these little gems just about 30 minutes before dinner time, and I was glad to have some time between walking in the door and prep time to catch my breath (and grade some school work!).
They were so popular, that I have a feeling they will be welcome as a regular on our menu. The kids all wanted to know what the sauce was on top, but I just told them it was "magic" sauce. I didn't want to listen to gripes about onions and mustard and since they all loved them, it was a good decision. What they don't know won't hurt them!
The sauce was not exactly low in fat, which was the only drawback to these sandwiches. But I used Hillshire Farm honey ham, which is very low in fat, and I only used a quarter slice of cheese for each, so I'm not stressing over the little bit of sauce each sandwich gets. (I'm sure these sandwiches would be even tastier with some really awesome ham, but it was a weekday and I was going for easy over awesome.)
I saw this recipe most recently at Annie's Eats, but you can find it all over the internet and in every "favorites" cookbook. I used the Hawaiian rolls as recommended, and they were very yummy, but I'm sure some good bakery slider buns would be awesome as well. You can find the little sliders at almost every grocery store these days.
Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
24 sandwiches
24 slider rolls or small Hawaiian rolls
24 slices honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese (I used a quarter slice because it fit perfectly)
mayonnaise
1½ T. yellow mustard
8 T. butter, melted
1 T. finely minced onion (or 2 tsp. dried minced onion)
½ t. Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
Split the slider rolls and spread the insides lightly with mayonnaise. Fold a slice of ham to fit on each slider bun, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Replace the top bun to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet (cover with foil or parchment for ease in clean-up).
To make the sauce, combine all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds (be sure to have a "helper" for this step -- it's good fun). Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake 2 minutes longer (I baked about 5 minutes longer until the cheese was bubbly). Serve warm.
Recommended dishes to serve with the Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders: Apple slices with Cream Cheese Apple Dip, Cabbage Slaw, and Veggie Chips
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Friday, October 8, 2010
Cream Cheese Apple Dip
With a glut of apples in the house from the orchard, I have been thinking up all sorts of ways to use them. We had sandwiches for dinner the other night and I wanted something to do with some cold apples, since we'd had applesauce the night before. I found this incredibly simple Apple Dip at allrecipes.com and it was a huge hit. Every single bit was scooped up before dinner was over. It couldn't be easier -- I put it together while our sandwiches heated up in the oven.
It tasted very caramel-y combined with the yummy richness of the cream cheese. It was actually amazing that there was no caramel in it.
The only changes I made were to use one teaspoon of vanilla instead of the tablespoon which I felt would be too strong, and I started with whipped cream cheese (8 oz.) so it was nice and fluffy. My changes are recorded here.
Cream Cheese Apple Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
Whip together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture is smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
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Source: modified from allrecipes.com
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Source: modified from allrecipes.com
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Caprese Salad Skewers
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Last week I was sending all my guys out the door at dinner time with the makings of a tailgate party for a high school football game. I admit I was a little nervous sending all this food with my husband -- he's not much for creating an attractive spread. Frankly, I was afraid he would forget to get most of the food out and it would go untouched. He did a good job, however, and said all the food was gobbled up -- no leftovers at all.
These skewers were sort of a last-minute thought I had while strolling (or racing) through the grocery store. I had bought fried chicken, and made a potato salad, but felt they needed something bright-tasting, but not too heavy. I grabbed a pint of grape tomatoes (actually they were called "cherry," but shaped like grape), 12 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese and a package of fresh basil leaves. I had the rest of the ingredients in the pantry. There is a huge difference between fresh mozzarella and low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella has a really great texture, slightly firm but not hard. It has almost a meaty texture.
This salad would be just as good tossed in a bowl, but for a tailgate party the skewers were fun and convenient. Just use some bamboo skewers cut to a desired length -- I just used a few tomatoes and a few chunks of cheese each.
Last week I was sending all my guys out the door at dinner time with the makings of a tailgate party for a high school football game. I admit I was a little nervous sending all this food with my husband -- he's not much for creating an attractive spread. Frankly, I was afraid he would forget to get most of the food out and it would go untouched. He did a good job, however, and said all the food was gobbled up -- no leftovers at all.
These skewers were sort of a last-minute thought I had while strolling (or racing) through the grocery store. I had bought fried chicken, and made a potato salad, but felt they needed something bright-tasting, but not too heavy. I grabbed a pint of grape tomatoes (actually they were called "cherry," but shaped like grape), 12 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese and a package of fresh basil leaves. I had the rest of the ingredients in the pantry. There is a huge difference between fresh mozzarella and low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella has a really great texture, slightly firm but not hard. It has almost a meaty texture.
This salad would be just as good tossed in a bowl, but for a tailgate party the skewers were fun and convenient. Just use some bamboo skewers cut to a desired length -- I just used a few tomatoes and a few chunks of cheese each.
Caprese Salad Skewers
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
12 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely snipped basil leaves (or you can roll them and slice them thinly)
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. salt
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. pepper
Rinse tomatoes.
Cut mozzarella cheese in cubes -- about the size of the tomatoes.
Skewer tomatoes and cheese alternately on skewers or toss in a bowl to serve with a spoon.
Mix together vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and mustard in a container with a lid. Shake thoroughly to combine. Add basil and mix gently.
Pour dressing over skewers, or ingredients in bowl, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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12 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely snipped basil leaves (or you can roll them and slice them thinly)
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. salt
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. pepper
Rinse tomatoes.
Cut mozzarella cheese in cubes -- about the size of the tomatoes.
Skewer tomatoes and cheese alternately on skewers or toss in a bowl to serve with a spoon.
Mix together vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and mustard in a container with a lid. Shake thoroughly to combine. Add basil and mix gently.
Pour dressing over skewers, or ingredients in bowl, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Homemade Baby Food
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I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not pregnant. Sadly, I'm way beyond being able to get pregnant. I'm not making baby food myself, but I certainly have made a lot of it in all my years of babies.
The reason that I started thinking about it again is an article Doug read to me from the newspaper the other day. He said there is a new phenomenon that occurs at grocery stores between 11:30 p.m. and about 1 a.m. on the last day/first day of each month. Apparently if one receives food stamp or WIC money, the money is transferred to ones "account" at midnight on the first of the month. The recent phenomenon, which has been noticed and documented by grocery stores, is that parking lots fill up at around 11:30 p.m. on the last day of the month and are empty again by 1 a.m. on the first day of the month. There are enough folks out their shopping at that hour that grocery stores have altered their stocking patterns and plan ahead for extra employees. Because money is so tight, many families have run so low on groceries that they simply can not wait one more day to fill the cupboards, and so they go grocery shopping at midnight.
The article got me thinking about baby food when the writer noted one particular couple who were shopping at a Wal-Mart with their cart loaded with Gerber baby food and Cream of Wheat. I applaud these folks for spending their allotment on baby as there are plenty out there who would load up on food that is for everyone except baby. But Gerber baby food is convenience food. And Cream of Wheat is top-of-the line breakfast food. Sadly most folks don't know that. They think Gerber is the only way to feed baby.
I got to thinking about how so many people have no idea how to go about making baby food, and they certainly have no idea how easy, or inexpensive it can be. With a couple of sweet potatoes, a butternut squash, a bag of carrots, a bag of frozen peas, and a bag frozen green beans you have vegetables for a couple weeks, depending on how old baby is. A bag of apples, a couple ripe bananas, a jar or two of peaches -- fruit for a couple weeks. And baby can eat regular oatmeal and even cooked white rice if it's made properly -- two choices which are much less expensive than Cream of Wheat.
What people tend to forget is that baby food is just like grown up food without seasoning, pureed to a nice, smooth, swallowable-without-teeth consistency. If mama is making steamed carrots for her family for dinner, she is making baby food minus a few short steps. By peeling and slicing a whole bag of carrots instead of just the five or six her family needs, she can go through the whole process for making baby food without hardly doing any extra work. Once the baby food is made, she can portion it out into plastic ice cube trays (just a few bucks) and freeze them. Once it is frozen solid, she pops the cubes out into a ziploc bag and then can just take out and heat up as may cubes as baby will eat.
I did a quick search on the internet and found this website which gives very good instructions for making homemade baby food. If you have a food processor, or immersion blender, making baby food can't be easier. You can also use a food mill (like this, or even an inexpensive one like this). This page of the website gives detailed recipes for each vegetable or fruit, and even for meats, teething biscuits and finger foods. The same website gives instructions for making inexpensive baby cereal -- so easy to do with a blender or processor.
Looking at all that great information makes me anxious for the day when I can teach my own daughter, or daughters-in-law to make food for their infants. I wish that mothers and fathers using food stamps and other food assistance programs had mentors who could show them alternatives to buying expensive baby food. Sadly, so many were raised with convenience foods and don't know how to cook very basic foods.
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Faith was a little too old for baby food in this picture, but she was young, and so sweet. Anyway, she ate plenty in her day.
.I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not pregnant. Sadly, I'm way beyond being able to get pregnant. I'm not making baby food myself, but I certainly have made a lot of it in all my years of babies.
The reason that I started thinking about it again is an article Doug read to me from the newspaper the other day. He said there is a new phenomenon that occurs at grocery stores between 11:30 p.m. and about 1 a.m. on the last day/first day of each month. Apparently if one receives food stamp or WIC money, the money is transferred to ones "account" at midnight on the first of the month. The recent phenomenon, which has been noticed and documented by grocery stores, is that parking lots fill up at around 11:30 p.m. on the last day of the month and are empty again by 1 a.m. on the first day of the month. There are enough folks out their shopping at that hour that grocery stores have altered their stocking patterns and plan ahead for extra employees. Because money is so tight, many families have run so low on groceries that they simply can not wait one more day to fill the cupboards, and so they go grocery shopping at midnight.
The article got me thinking about baby food when the writer noted one particular couple who were shopping at a Wal-Mart with their cart loaded with Gerber baby food and Cream of Wheat. I applaud these folks for spending their allotment on baby as there are plenty out there who would load up on food that is for everyone except baby. But Gerber baby food is convenience food. And Cream of Wheat is top-of-the line breakfast food. Sadly most folks don't know that. They think Gerber is the only way to feed baby.
I got to thinking about how so many people have no idea how to go about making baby food, and they certainly have no idea how easy, or inexpensive it can be. With a couple of sweet potatoes, a butternut squash, a bag of carrots, a bag of frozen peas, and a bag frozen green beans you have vegetables for a couple weeks, depending on how old baby is. A bag of apples, a couple ripe bananas, a jar or two of peaches -- fruit for a couple weeks. And baby can eat regular oatmeal and even cooked white rice if it's made properly -- two choices which are much less expensive than Cream of Wheat.
What people tend to forget is that baby food is just like grown up food without seasoning, pureed to a nice, smooth, swallowable-without-teeth consistency. If mama is making steamed carrots for her family for dinner, she is making baby food minus a few short steps. By peeling and slicing a whole bag of carrots instead of just the five or six her family needs, she can go through the whole process for making baby food without hardly doing any extra work. Once the baby food is made, she can portion it out into plastic ice cube trays (just a few bucks) and freeze them. Once it is frozen solid, she pops the cubes out into a ziploc bag and then can just take out and heat up as may cubes as baby will eat.
I did a quick search on the internet and found this website which gives very good instructions for making homemade baby food. If you have a food processor, or immersion blender, making baby food can't be easier. You can also use a food mill (like this, or even an inexpensive one like this). This page of the website gives detailed recipes for each vegetable or fruit, and even for meats, teething biscuits and finger foods. The same website gives instructions for making inexpensive baby cereal -- so easy to do with a blender or processor.
Looking at all that great information makes me anxious for the day when I can teach my own daughter, or daughters-in-law to make food for their infants. I wish that mothers and fathers using food stamps and other food assistance programs had mentors who could show them alternatives to buying expensive baby food. Sadly, so many were raised with convenience foods and don't know how to cook very basic foods.
.
Monday, October 4, 2010
St. Francis' Poor Man's Tonsure Cake
Just in case you are a reader here, but not a reader at Catholic Cuisine, I am posting the recipe for today's feast day dessert: St. Francis' Poor Man's Tonsure Cake. The tonsure is, of course, St. Francis' hairdo (for lack of a better word). St. Francis, in the practice which many monks, friars
and other religious adopted, clipped his hair away from the top of his head, creating a ring of sorts, of hair around the sides of his head. A ring-shaped cake resembles the tonsure, and the cake recipe, a Poor Man's Cake, is a perfect cake for the saint who left the riches of his family to live among and serve the poor.The cake recipe has been passed down from my 94-year-old grandma. It is called a Poor Man's Cake because when my grandma was young, butter and eggs -- traditional cake ingredients -- were dear (expensive), and raisins, nuts, and spices were plentiful.
This cake would also be wonderful for St. Anthony's Feast Day, on June 13, as he was also a Franciscan (and thus sported the tonsure) and is patron saint of the poor.
3 cups flour
2 cups water
⅓ cup shortening
½ lb. raisins (I estimate this to be about 2 cups)
1 cup brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
1 cup walnuts
Grease and flour bundt or ring pan.
Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Place water, shortening, raisins, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in saucepan over medium heat. Cook to boiling and boil for 5 minutes.
Cool completely.
Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
Dissolve baking soda in 1 t. water.
Add raisin mixture and baking soda mixture to flour mixture. Add nuts.
Spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean (my ring pan requires less baking time than my bundt).
Cool 15 minutes.
Turn out of pan and cool completely on a baking rack.
Frost with butter or cream cheese frosting of your choice, or top with the thick butter glaze below.
Glaze:
2 T. butter, melted
2 c. powdered sugar
2-4 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
In a bowl, mix melted butter with powdered sugar, 2 T. milk, and vanilla until blended (no lumps) and a thick drizzling consistency, adding a little more milk if necessary.
Spoon over the crown of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
2 cups water
⅓ cup shortening
½ lb. raisins (I estimate this to be about 2 cups)
1 cup brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
1 cup walnuts
Grease and flour bundt or ring pan.
Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Place water, shortening, raisins, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in saucepan over medium heat. Cook to boiling and boil for 5 minutes.
Cool completely.
Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
Dissolve baking soda in 1 t. water.
Add raisin mixture and baking soda mixture to flour mixture. Add nuts.
Spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean (my ring pan requires less baking time than my bundt).
Cool 15 minutes.
Turn out of pan and cool completely on a baking rack.
Frost with butter or cream cheese frosting of your choice, or top with the thick butter glaze below.
Glaze:
2 T. butter, melted
2 c. powdered sugar
2-4 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
In a bowl, mix melted butter with powdered sugar, 2 T. milk, and vanilla until blended (no lumps) and a thick drizzling consistency, adding a little more milk if necessary.
Spoon over the crown of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham -- revisited
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Oh boy. Did you think I went on vacation? Boy, I wish I had. But no, I'm still here, just busy, busy. The good news is our school work is done for the week, and the laundry is caught up, which is why I haven't had time to blog. But, it's Friday and I have time for a food post. I have decided to revisit Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, a perennial favorite in my house. As soon as the weather turns even just a little cool, I crave this dish. It is so homey -- it fills the kitchen with good smells and the anticipation of a nice hot, rib-stickin' supper is such a good feeling. This dish goes into the oven for a few hours, so you can sit back and know that dinner is done, get the dishes washed up and relax.
I posted an almost identical recipe for this dish three years ago (wow! I can't believe it's been that long) but the last time I made it the kids griped about the onions. Oy vey! Such picky people. This time when I made it, I diced the onions finely and sauteed them with the butter when I prepared the white sauce. The onions got nice and soft and virtually disappeared among the potatoes and ham. But their flavor was there and it was yummy! I never grow tired of this dish and it's always a favorite with company (with or without the ham) so I do hope you enjoy it too. It makes wonderful leftovers for lunch or breakfast too, so don't waste a bite. God bless.
Oh boy. Did you think I went on vacation? Boy, I wish I had. But no, I'm still here, just busy, busy. The good news is our school work is done for the week, and the laundry is caught up, which is why I haven't had time to blog. But, it's Friday and I have time for a food post. I have decided to revisit Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, a perennial favorite in my house. As soon as the weather turns even just a little cool, I crave this dish. It is so homey -- it fills the kitchen with good smells and the anticipation of a nice hot, rib-stickin' supper is such a good feeling. This dish goes into the oven for a few hours, so you can sit back and know that dinner is done, get the dishes washed up and relax.
I posted an almost identical recipe for this dish three years ago (wow! I can't believe it's been that long) but the last time I made it the kids griped about the onions. Oy vey! Such picky people. This time when I made it, I diced the onions finely and sauteed them with the butter when I prepared the white sauce. The onions got nice and soft and virtually disappeared among the potatoes and ham. But their flavor was there and it was yummy! I never grow tired of this dish and it's always a favorite with company (with or without the ham) so I do hope you enjoy it too. It makes wonderful leftovers for lunch or breakfast too, so don't waste a bite. God bless.
8 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/8 " -- I use the 4 mm disc on the processor)
1 medium onion, diced finely
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
3/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3 c. milk
1 ham steak, trimmed and cubed in bite-size pieces
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13 pan (or a large round -- just make sure it's big enough to hold all of your potatoes and the liquid).
Place half potatoes in dish. Salt and pepper. Top with all of the ham (if using a round, start with a quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). Top with remaining potatoes. Salt and pepper (or if using a round dish, another quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). (If using a round, repeat with one quarter of the potatoes, the last of the ham and repeat with the remaining potatoes. Just remember to salt and pepper each potato layer.)
Meanwhile (that means get this part going while you are arranging potatoes!), melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for three to five minutes or so, over medium heat, until onions are soft, but not brown. Add flour and whisk. Add salt and pepper and cook until bubbly. Stir in milk and whisk.
Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Pour sauce over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 2 hours, until potatoes are tender.
Serve with steamed green peas and cornbread, or a winter fruit salad.
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1 medium onion, diced finely
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
3/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3 c. milk
1 ham steak, trimmed and cubed in bite-size pieces
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13 pan (or a large round -- just make sure it's big enough to hold all of your potatoes and the liquid).
Place half potatoes in dish. Salt and pepper. Top with all of the ham (if using a round, start with a quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). Top with remaining potatoes. Salt and pepper (or if using a round dish, another quarter of the potatoes and a third of the ham). (If using a round, repeat with one quarter of the potatoes, the last of the ham and repeat with the remaining potatoes. Just remember to salt and pepper each potato layer.)
Meanwhile (that means get this part going while you are arranging potatoes!), melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for three to five minutes or so, over medium heat, until onions are soft, but not brown. Add flour and whisk. Add salt and pepper and cook until bubbly. Stir in milk and whisk.
Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Pour sauce over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 2 hours, until potatoes are tender.
Serve with steamed green peas and cornbread, or a winter fruit salad.
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