Breakfast Serial

I will be "going-on" about breakfast for at least one more blog entry, so just brace yourselves.

If you don't have the family collection of recipes as compiled by my dad, then you need to get one. This is John's Favorite Angel Biscuits, as passed down by my paternal grandmother. I remember these from my childhood on visits to her house, and also our own, since my dad makes these often. He has added his own thumbprint for the future with his manipulation of the dough into cinnamon rolls. Sean ape-loves these and claims I have never made them for him before. He may be right, but I have meant to. You can see him snatching one in the picture as I am taking it. This dough is pretty fast, and makes a decent amount although it can be doubled. As is, the recipe can be divided into about 10 biscuits and 12ish cinnamon rolls; but, alas, that makes one have to choose which to eat first.

Tip: Biscuit dough gets tougher each time you roll it out. I roll mine out once, cut it into squares with a knife and dodge the biscuit cutter altogether. That way I don't waste any dough and don't have to roll it but once, ever.

John's Favorite Angel Biscuits (cinn rolls to follow below)

2 1/2-3 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 c shortening
1 c buttermilk
1 pkg yeast
1/3 c warm water

Mix yeast and warm water, stir, and set aside to proof for about 8 minutes. Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Add buttermilk and yeasty water and mix. Knead dough a few times and roll out, cut and place biscuits (not touching) on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: about 2 dozen for single batch.

You can use half of the above dough for 12ish cinnamon rolls; just divide the dough before rolling, as the biscuits need 3/4 inch thickness, and the rolls need about 1/4 thick.

Cinnamon Rolls

Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick into a rectangle shape. Spread this with melted butter and sprinkle with combined 1/2 cup sugar and 1 t cinnamon. Add chopped nuts if you like. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut with a serrated knife into 3/4 inch slices. Bake 425 for about 12 minutes. Glaze with powdered sugar mixed with a scant drop of vanilla and a bit of milk.

I'm also including another recipe for biscuits that we love. They are absolutely the easiest and fastest biscuit to make, and the only one I had success with at first.

Quick Cream Biscuits
(makes eight 2 1/2 inch biscuits)

Bake these immediately after cutting to maximize the leavening potential.

2 c all purpose flour
2 t sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c heavy cream

Heat oven to 425 and adjust rack to upper-middle position. Line baking sheet with parchment.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add 1 1/4 c cream and stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough to a floured countertop, leaving all dry bits in the bowl. Add 1 T of cream to bowl to moisten the dry bits, repeating until all are moistened; add these bits to the rest of the dough. Knead by hand for 30 seconds just until smooth.

Shape the dough into a round, 3/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds or wedges, and place on the baking sheet. Bake till golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.

An Ounce of Pretention...

It was definitely time for another Pretentious Salad. For those who do not like arugula, you can substitute with baby romaine or something insipid of your own choice. But this one is made for arugula. I happen to love my basic salad dressing, so if I do this one again, I would swap the dressing for mine.

Also, we would sub the cheese, as Sean hates bleu cheeses. He has a reason, though. We were in San Francisco for one day only and were stuck in the hotel for dinner. KK absolutely has to have tons of greens as often as possible, so he got me one in the hotel restaurant with our other food. We split the salad, which had bleu cheese crumbles on it, but only I kept it down. Sean offered it back to the San Francisco sewage system in several installments throughout the night.

This salad brought it all back to him.

Well, it didn't bring it all OUT of him, but now bleu cheese chunks remind him of,... well, chunks of bleu cheese. I thought it was delightful (the salad, not the episode). We used Point Reyes, another bleu styled cheese, and roasted and salted pecan halves. The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.

Arugula Salad with Grapes, Fennel, Gorgonzola, and Pecans

some Arugula
some Grapes (red seedless, sliced in half)
some Fennel (sliced thin)
some Gorgonzola (crumbled)
some Pecans (halved or chopped, roasted)

OK, I just hate the way some recipe titles have all you need to know and then proceed to tell you again.

Dressing:
4 t apricot jam
3 T white wine vinegar
3 T olive oil
1 small shallot, minced extra fine

Whisk these with a 1/4 t salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss fennel (thinly sliced) wit the vinaigrette and let stand 15 minutes. Add the arugula, grapes (halved), and chopped fennel fronds; toss and adjust seasonings. Divide among salad plates and top with pecan halves and crumbled gorgonzola.

@#$^$@#^^! (butternut squash!)

Butternut squash can be a swear word in itself. While you peel it, you often think of swear words, and why not "butternut squash!"? Types of cheeses can also be good swear words, especially when you really, really need one and children are present. "GorgonZOLA!" Try it, parents.

The Butternut Squash Risotto is a butternut squash's highest calling, but if you want something easier, and still squashy, try this one from our Practical Cookery: Soups book again. It originally called for Pumpkin, but Sean hates pumpkin. It was actually a bit spicy last night, which is helping with his cold remnant.

Pum... er... Butternut Squash Soup

2 lb pumpkin or squash
3 T butter (please don't use margarine. ever. for anything.)
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cans veggie stock (unless you're out, like me, and used chicken stock instead)
1/2 t ground ginger
1 T lemon juice
3-4 thinly pared strips of orange rind (optional, but very nice)
(note: make sure the strips are big enough to keep track of)
1-2 bay leaves, or a bouquet garni
1 1/4 c milk (approximate)
salt and pepper
Garnish: light or heavy cream, unsweetened yogurt or sour cream, snipped chives)

Peel the squash, discard seeds and brains, then cut into 1 inch cubes. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook over low heat till soft. Add the pumpkin and toss with the onion for 2-3 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and add the ginger, lemon juice, orange peel strips and bay leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the squash is tender.

Discard the orange peel and bay leaves. Cook slightly and process in something whirry, like a blender, or food processor. I use a stick blender for my own safety, and all serious soup makers should have one of these. If you don't have one, ask for one for Christmas. Return the pureed soup to the stove and add the milk, reheating gently. Adjust the seasoning, then serve in warmed bowls, garnish with the white goop of your choice and chopped chives. We don't support chives in our kitchen, so the picture shows chopped fresh sage.

Soup: It's What's For's Dinner('s)

(Extra apostrophi especially for Watoosa. )

Come on! What is easier than soup? Well, falling down, for one. And the common cold! Oh! Oh!... and also slipping in the bathtub! Anyway, soup is usually easy for dinner if you gots ya chop on. (There is plenty of chopping to do.) We have this cookbook called Practical Cookery: Soups that we use alot. The editor of the book is not listed, thank goodness, or I would have written and complained. They list all kinds of mistakes like "Pumpkin Soup..... page 140" when it is really on page 201. Not even close! They also sometimes switch up the pictures of the soups. I've written corrections all over this book, but still it just keeps on givin'. There's some yum in there. Their pictures are really fantastic looking, while mine.... well, look at the one for today's soup. Not the most attractive, but you've got to take my word for how it tastes.

Some are especially good when you have a cold, like Indian Potato and Pea....

Indian Potato and Pea
(serves 4 small, 3 average, or 2 really hungry people)

2 T vegetable oil
8 oz mealy potatoes, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 t garam masala
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
2 cans vegetable stock
1 red chili, chopped (pick your damage, or use red pepper flakes)
1 c frozen English peas
2 T unsweetened yogurt
salt and pepper
cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, onion and garlic and saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Stir in the stock and chili and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes begin to break down. Add the peas and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with as much cilantro as you can stand; serve with warm bread.

Oh, the Chocolate of It All!

Again, a fussy recipe, but SOOOOOOOO worth it! If you feel like an extra special cake, and you like dark chocolate, and have a partner to clean up the kitchen afterwards, this is the cake for you. A previous winner at the Hall Christmas Family Gathering, it has been tested on other audiences by my sister, Li'l Kathryn and her co-workers. We've changed the cocoa to Special Dark Cocoa, since we are dark chocolate lovers. I'll update the pictures once I've cut into it (it is for a party this evening). I want to capture the cream cheese cakey layer in the middle! First I will go hose down my kitchen (cocoa accident).

Personal note: This is the most beautiful chocolate cake I have ever made. My cakes taste good, but rarely look good. I'm actually taking this one public.

Source: my xerox copy, which comes from some cookbook that also cites it from Our Best Home Cooking from the Citizens of Zion Missionary Baptist Church Women's Ministry in Compton, California.

Fudge Pecan Ripple Layer Cake

Cake:
1/2 c shortening (I will experiment with butter next time)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c cocoa (Special Dark cocoa makes it special. And dark.)
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c buttermilk
4 t vanilla, divided

Ripple Part:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T butter, softened
1 T cornstarch
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg

Frosting:
2/3 c butter, softened
5 3/4 c sifted powdered sugar (sift first, then measure)
1 1/3 c cocoa (again, Special, and Dark)
1 c plus 2 T whipping cream OR 3/4 c milk
3/4 c chopped pecans, toasted

Grease 2 round cakepans (9 inch), line bottoms with wax paper or parchment, then grease the wax paper. Toss a couple of tablespoons of cocoa to dust the inside of each pan. Set aside.

Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add 1 1/2 c sugar, beating well. Add 2 eggs, blending after each egg.

Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Add to the shortening mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition until well blended. Beat 3 more minutes on high speed, stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Pour into prepared pans and set aside.

Ripple layer: Beat cream cheese, 2 T butter and cornstarch at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sweetened condensed milk, beating well. Add 1 egg; beat well. Stir in 1 t vanilla. Spoon this mixture evenly over chocolate batter in pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes our clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove onto wire racks to cool completely.

Wash up your mixing bowl and beaters (ANNOYING PART)

Frosting: Beat 2/3 c softened butter at medium speed until creamy. Combine powdered sugar and 1 1/3 c cocoa; add to butter alternately with the cream or milk (note different amounts depending on which liquid you choose). Beat until spreading consistency. Stir in remaining 1 t vanilla. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides. Sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Some things are just worth the fuss. This risotto takes awhile to make, but you won't be disappointed. The recipe makes 4 main course servings (or 6 first courses), so we eat it for 2 days. You don't really want to overindulge with this one, as rice expands, and I'm sure there are several comic drawings of humans who ingest too much rice. Save yourselves. Have a pretentious salad afterwards.

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated, so you know there will be some fussy steps. I will try to minimize them as I can. However, this version is light on the stirring.

Butternut Squash Risotto

2 T olive oil

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs)
3/4 t salt (divided)

3/4 t pepper (divided)
4 c low-sodium chicken broth
1 c water
4 T unsalted butter
2 small onions (or one large sweet one)
2 medium garlic cloves
2 c arborio rice
1 1/2 c dry white wine
1 1/2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (or Piave)
2 T minced fresh sage leaves
1/4 t grated nutmeg (so important!)

First, get your chop on. Finely chop the onion and set aside in a bowl. You should have around 1 1/2 cups. Mince the garlic or press it though a press and add it to the onion bowl (around 2 t. garlic). In that same onion bowl, throw in 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t finely ground pepper. Set aside. Pick up that squash and peel it. Slice it in half, separating the bulbous part from the straight part (you'll know what I mean). Cut the bulbous part in half and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Save the guts in a small bowl. Dice the rest of the squash in 1/2 inch pieces. You can put this squash stash in a medium bowl which you will use again.

Heat oil in a nonstick skilled over medium high heat until shimmering. Add about 3 1/2 c of the diced squash in an even layer and cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until squash is tender and browned (about 5-8 minutes longer). Cook it till you want to eat it (some of this will not be cooked any further). Transfer to the bowl you first put it in and stick it somewhere it will stay warm-ish.

WARNING: You could leave some of this next step out if you want.

Start bringing your chicken stock and water to a boil in a large saucepan. (keep that part) Return the skillet to medium heat and add the squash guts and any leftover diced squash to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes or so. Transfer this to the saucepan of chicken stock, bring it to a full boil, then reduce it to simmer, covered, until you're ready.

Melt 3 T butter in the now empty skillet over medium heat; when foam subsides, cook the bowl of onion stuff, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4-6 minutes. Add the rice to the pan and stir frequently until the grains are translucent on the edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine, stir frequently, until fully absorbed, 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, strain the hot broth (see, I told you, you might want to skip the guts addition from earlier) and return the broth back to the pan to keep simmering. PERSONAL NOTE: I do the guts thing, but strain the liquid as I pour it in the risotto through a little strainer. Discard the solids.

When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth and half of reserved squash to the rice. Simmer, stirring every 3-4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry (about 12 minutes). Meanwhile, get your sage leaves chopped, grate your nutmeg if you wish, and grate the cheese.

Stir in about 1/2 c hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes. Repeat with additional broth 2-3 more times until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 T. butter, cheese, sage and nutmeg; gently fold in remaining cooked squash. Use any remaining hot broth to loosen the texture. Serve immediately.

C is for Cookie

I've tried hard to press Sean into saying what his favorite cookie is. Last year, I tried to find his preferred sugar cookie. After 3 or 4 tries, I gave up. From now on, I'll be baking MY favorite sugar cookie recipe.

So now we think Sean's favorite cookies are Molasses Spice Cookies. I made them this week and they are absolutely perfect with a cup of ginger tea. This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated, and I made the variation with orange essence, so that is the version I'll include below. If you have something against oranges, just leave out all the zest. I have to say, these cookies are a tiny bit fussy to make but I am always surprised how much I like them each time we bake them. Especially with the orange zest.

Tip: Measure out molasses in a liquid measuring cup that has been sprayed with cooking spray or greased with butter. It slides right out. Or, if you have one of those gunk tubes from Pampered Chef, you don't have to spray it, just punch it out.

Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Essence

1/3 c granulated sugar, plus 2/3 c for dipping
2 1/4 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t finely ground black pepper
1/4 t salt
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but cool
1/3 c packed dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c light or dark molasses
2 large oranges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Zest the oranges until you have 3 t of zest. Place 2/3 c white sugar in a food processor with 1 t of the zest, and whir until pale orange, about 10 seconds. Store this on a plate or cake pan to use later.

Whisk flour with all dry ingredients (spices, soda, salt) in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.

In standing mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat butter with the 1/3 c white sugar, 1/3 c brown sugar and the remaining 2 t. of orange zest until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium-high. Add yolk and vanilla (stop or reduce speed to as not to wear these two ingredients), and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add molasses at lower speed and beat till mixed, about 20 seconds, scraping the bowl sides and bottom once. On lowest speed, add the dry ingredients and beat about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once. Finish the dough with a few strokes by hand to assure no flour pockets. The dough will be soft.

Using a tablespoon measure, scoop heaping balls of dough and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Drop balls into the plate of orange-ified sugar from earlier. It helps to do about 4 at a time, then toss in sugar to coat and set on the baking sheet. (The more sugar you can force on that dough, the snowier the finished cookie will look.) Space about 2 inches apart. When you have a sheet full, bake in oven (one sheet at a time) for about 11 minutes, rotating halfway through, until browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone). Do not over bake.

Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. These keep for about 5 days (if not eaten, of course) in a sealed plastic bag.

Snowbound Food

This is what we ate........................... This is where we ate it.

We just got back from a short vacation outside of Denver in the Arapahoe National Forest. The cabin was just down the road from Apex, a former mining community near Black Hawk, Colorado. I believe just before we arrived on Sunday, they had two days of heavy snow (heavy for Texas, anyway), so there was about 2 feet of snow on the ground. We have no snow gear, so we went for the ambience. But we will go back in warmer weather to enjoy more fully.

When we vacation, we don't eat Hamburger Helper (no offense to those that do). We rig what we like to eat according to the kitchen capability of our rental establishment. This place had raunchy knives, but we still managed to eat really well.

We stopped at a pretentious grocery store in Denver to gather supplies and pick up our wine (no alcohol sales on Sunday, so we phoned in an order on Saturday and paid for it in advance). Of the three wines: the Dolcetto was the least interesting and not worth repeating, the southern Italian red was awesome (60% Negroamaro, 40% Primitivo, 100% yum), and the Pinot Grigio was delightful (Santi Apostoli, 2006).

What better for cold weather than soup? Nothing, I say. We love this Lemon and Chicken Soup and usually double it for lots of leftovers. I don't think it offends any eating category, so it should be safe for kids if you cut things up small enough. We, of course, modify it, and I'll note the changes from the original recipe, which originates from Practical Cookery- Soups from Dempsey Parr. They call it a summer soup, but I think it deserves the whole calendar.

Note the pasta shape below. I like using mini pasta shapes instead of spaghetti, but the pasta really soaks up the broth, so you'll need more that the recipe calls for. Also if you reheat this, you'll need more broth since the pasta continues to absorb the liquid during storage. You can prepare the soup right up to the pasta addition in advance; just reheat it when you're ready and then add the pasta.

There is also a lemon zest option to the recipe. The original recipe says to thinly pare the lemon zest in strips, then blanch in boiling water, then chop finely. This is bogus and tedious. I use a microplane and zest it before juicing the lemons, skip the boiling altogether, and add it in the soup. If lemon scares you, just don't use all the zest. I'm so confident you need to avoid the original method that I won't even include it below.

Lemon and Chicken Soup

Servings: 4, Prep time: 10-15 min, Cook time: 1.25 hr

4 T butter
8 shallots, thinly sliced (I use 4, but Beth, feel free to use 8)
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
8 oz. boned chicken breasts, finely chopped
3 lemons
5 c. chicken stock (you really need more)
8 oz. dried spaghetti, broken in pieces, or other small shaped pasta
5/8 c heavy cream (I have never used the cream, ever, EVER)
parsley, for garnish

Get all your 'thinly sliced' action done first. Start with the shallots, then carrots and celery, and end with the chicken. Then get rid of that cutting board so you won't contaminate anything else.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add everything you just thinly sliced (veggies plus chicken) and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes or more until chicken is cooked through, and veggies are soft. Meanwhile, zest the lemons and then juice them.

Add the lemon zest and juice to the saucepan, as well as the chicken stock. Bring slowly to a boil over low heat, then simmer for 40 minutes. Find something useful or productive to do in the meantime, like open a nice Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc and start a movie.

Add the pasta to the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (freshly ground, of course) and add the cream (if using, although I suggest not to). Heat through but don't boil if you added cream; it will curdle, but serves you right for using the cream in the first place.

Pour into warmed serving bowls and garnish with parsley.

Fall Food

Bless me, www, for I have sinned; it has been six weeks since my last blog. Forgive!

This picture really doesn't do this justice. We were watching a cooking show on PBS (we don't have cable, really), and Jacques Pepin was making this. Sean really wanted to do it, and I thought, "Sure, I'll go along, but I don't want to make that stewy sauce." The sauce is the best part! I make it often and put it on just about everything. It is really good on toast, on other meats, and also grains like quinoa (my favorite grain; it is the most palatable of all health foods). This picture shows it in the original combination of pounded and breaded pork tenderloin medallions.

We made this for my extended family on Thanksgiving day, since they had rescheduled Thanksgiving for Friday this year. Some of you know how picky my Grandfather is. I do believe with my whole heart he is the most spoiled, pickiest eater older than 2 years. Everyone makes special versions of food just for him to avoid conflict. For this meal, Granny actually picked out the mushrooms of his portion in advance because he vehemently detests them. Family and friends, I want the internet community to note, I got an A+ from my Grandfather for this meal!

We had been cooking all day for the Friday gathering (which I would miss comletely, and I am still jonesing for some dressing!), and I said Sean and I would fix dinner for the family that night. We made this dish and everyone, EVERYONE, loved it. Even Sophie at three bites of meat! Granddaddy actually had seconds from the main pot with mushrooms and didn't even notice!

This meal can be made with lots of canned goods, so it is super convenient. The mushrooms were my addition because I absolutely love them. Leave them out, Chris, if you like. Oh, and have a salad after; go European! We usually make this for two people, but that night was seven and a half people, so just plan your tenderloin appropriately. The sauce can, and should be, doubled for leftovers.

Breadcrumb note: Please learn to make your own breadcrumbs. It is so easy if you have a food processor; we even use that little mini prep one. Take about 3-4 slices of bread and cut it into large pieces. Use just about any kind of bread; sandwich bread, pagnotta, or even herb bread and skip the extra herbs. We usually add some herbs to the processor, too, when we didn't have herb bread. It's not necessary, but very tasty. Whir it around till it looks like fluffy snow, then dredge your meat. I cannot advocate the crumbs in a cardboard container. If you are processorless, grate the bread on a cheese grater. If that proves unwieldy, try freezing the bread first.

Pounded Pork with Stewy Sauce

egg noodles, if using
1 T. butter, plus another 2 T. for frying
pork tenderloin, cut into 2 inch medallions
some flour, like 3-4 T.
Fresh breadcrumbs (in your food processor, not a cardboard can)
one egg, beaten
1/2 sweet onion, diced or slivered
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or chop up canned whole tomatoes)
15 oz. can chicken broth, low sodium
mushrooms, sliced, as much as you want
fresh tarragon, chopped, or other herb

Saute the sweet onion and some oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat until soft. Add the rinsed garbanzos, tomatoes, chicken broth and mushrooms, if using (and I do suggest using). Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer while you prepare the meat.

If using egg noodles (so simple and yummy), start boiling a large pot of unsalted water. You should add them just as you start cooking the meat (about) so they will be just finished as you serve everything.

Pound the tenderloin medallions to 1/4 inch or so with a mallet or heavy flat saucepan. Salt and pepper the pieces. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium. Place three plates on your counter, one for each dredging ingredient (breadcrumbs, egg and flour). , Dredge each piece of pork first in the flour, then the egg and finally in the crumbs. (If you are trimming calories, just use the flour; the sauce will make it yummy later.) Heat a bit of oil in the pan and just before adding the meat, add 1-2 T. butter (real butter) to the pan. Fry each piece until browned, flip over and do it again.

Noodles can be tossed with 1 T. butter. Add chopped tarragon to the sauce. Place the pork on top of the noodles, then the sauce.

Light reds work well with this, as do some whites. Try a Beaujolais Nouveau, out right now for a limited time and rather inexpensive. We love Pinot Noir with this.

I'm gonna make you a pasta you can't refuse...

Who needs a good picture of pasta? What you need is the recipe for this pasta. It has a name (Penne with Tomatoes, Olives and Two Cheeses), but we call it Godfather Pasta. We made it the first time KK saw Godfather Part 1, and had a lovely chianti (KK's first, as well). It was so delicious and suited to the movie, we made it again when we watched Godfather Part 2. However, last night we had it with Talladega Nights, so it's versatility is obvious. Last night we had a Tuscan red wine from Villa Pillo called Borgo Forte, 2004. Yummmmmm! Nice balance of sweet and tannic.

A couple of notes on the recipe: I add mushrooms to the sauce while it does most of it's boiling down. And, I often change up or add other herbs, and even fennel seed. This recipe takes about 2 hours from start to chewing, mostly for the sauce time; but the sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead, just rewarm before assembly. Oh, and don't halve this recipe. It is too much trouble and too yummy to do all the work and only have the chow. This lasts Sean and I for at least 3-4 meals together.

The Amazing Godfather Pasta, Parts 1 and 2

6 T olive oil, divided
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
3 28oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes, drained
2 t. dried basil
1 1/2 t. dried crushed red pepper
2 c. canned low-salt chicken broth
(1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms, if you want)

1 lb rigatoni or penne
2 1/2 c. packed grated Havarti cheese (can be light, no kidding)
1/3 c. sliced brine-cured olives (I use more)
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh basil

Heat 3 T. oil in a large sauce pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute till onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon (or I use a stick blender right in the can before I add them to the pot). Add broth and bring to a boil. (This is where I add the 'shrooms.) Reduce heat to medium; simmer and stir occasionally until sauce is reduced to 6 cups, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until tender but still al dente. Drain well. Add pasta to sauce pot and sprinkle with 3 T. oil before stirring. (I skip this oil part). Mix in Havarti cheese and transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. (I spray this dish with cooking spray to help with clean up.) Sprinkle olives on top, then Parmesan cheese on top. (Note: I use extra olives and mix in the whole thing, not just on top, but what can I say? I like olives.)

Bake until pasta is heated through, about 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Laaaaaamb, First Attempt

Perhaps this is not the sexiest picture, but we can tell you it was enjoyable to eat.

We have never had lamb before, either of us. I have always said I do not like lamb, mostly because I think of goat meat as something gray and gristley, and goats are sort of like lambs. I'm pretty sure I'm wrong here, but it keeps me from eating mystery meat. Anyway, we decided to try these Lamb Burgers a week ago. And I know I have some lamb lovers in the family, so eat up. This recipe is from Cooking Light, so they mix the lamb with ground turkey. Feel free to use all lamb, you crazy lamb lovers. The herbs to heavily influence the flavor, so I'm still not sure I could recognize lamb if I had it again.

Greek Lamb Burgers

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
2 t. lemon zest
2 t. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 t. salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb. lean ground lamb
3/4 lb. ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
3 (6 in.) pitas, cut in half
6 T. tzatziki sauce or plain yogurt
tomatoes, sliced
lettuce, shredded

Prepare grill, or skillet. Combine first 8 ingredients. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 in. thick patty with a deep thumbprint in the center. Place patties on grill on in skillet, about 6 minutes each side, or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Place one patty in each pita half, tuck in tomato slices and lettuce and drizzle with sauce or plain yogurt.

We had these with home-baked fries, just to be more yummy, and a Pinot Noir.

Lara "Makes" the Blog

It's simply high-time for a new salad. I realize the timing is off, since most of the world is in full fall mode, but we live in Perpetual Summer Texas. And we happened to visit the beach recently. My cousin Lara wanted to make the blog, and it is her hands holding the bowl in the picture. Sean and I went on vacation with my branch of the family to Seaside, Florida last week. We cooked dinner one night and this little salad was sort of a hit. True, you must like corn to like this salad. Jerry even said it would be good as a topping on fish. I personally think you could add other vegetables, too, like sun-dried tomatoes, or cut up green beans.

The recipe, from Cooking Light magazine, adds you could spruce this up with crumbled feta cheese, grillled shrimp or chicken. Please use fresh corn cobs. And wouldn't this be great with lobster?

Fresh Corn Salad

(8 servings, 1/2 c. each)

3/4 c light sour cream

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 t. seasoned salt

3 c. fresh corn kernels (cut from about 5 ears)

1 c. finely chopped red bell pepper

1 c. finely chopped green onions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add corn kernels and remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Natural SPF and You

Did you know that lycopene in tomatoes provides extra sun protection for human skin? All I knew was that I really liked them. Sun protection is just a plus, and tomatoes taste way better than sunblock! But finding different ways to eat them is still challenging. Sean finally got burned out on eating Puttanesca, so I switched up our pasta last week to this sumptuous little job: Spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, zucchini and basil. Yes, I know that means even more vegetables involved (Chris), but it was very tasty and very healthy. Also super quick. This recipe was from a new cookbook called Food to Live By, from Earthbound Farm and it focuses mainly on organic, but also on healthy if it is convenient and tasty.

We didn't use spaghetti, either, and it works just fine with other pasta shapes. You could also add thin slices of fresh mozzarella at the end to add more protein. We added a light snowfall of grated Piave cheese on top. This cheese should be in your top 5 cheeses list. I'm sure we had wine with this meal, but I've lost track as to which one. I think we did an Italian white. Almost any medium to light bodied white would be lovely.

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Zucchini and Basil
(4 main course servings, 8 first course or primi servings)

2 medium ripe tomatoes (2 c. cut in 1/2 inch dice) or 2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
3 T olive oil
1 T truffle oil, or 1 additional T olive oil
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
salt

1 lb. dried spaghetti, or other shape pasta
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ox), cut in 1/4 in. dice, about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large clove garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper (as if there is any other kind worth consuming)

1. Place the tomatoes, 2 T olive oil, truffle oil, herbs and pepper flakes in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Let it sit at room temperature until flavor develops, about 1 hour.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice... heat the remaining 1 T olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste.

4. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato and zucchini mixtures and toss. Taste for seasoning and serve warm or room temperature.

Three Saints Chardonnay

If you ever see this in a wine store, grab it, pay for it, chill it and chug it. We had this a few years ago when I brought it back from Santa Barbara and just picked it up at a Phoenix wine store. We still love it for its heavy citrus and butter, and not a hint of oak to be found. The grapes come from three different vineyards with "saint" in their title, hence the name of the wine. We also have their Pinot Noir but haven't tasted it yet.

So instead of our usual Chardonnay and salmon cakes (recipe to come later), we decided to do something with chicken. Me likey! It's totally invented, so amounts are approximate. We served the chicken over buttered and herbed egg noodles (yum!) and a tomato gratin. By the way, this wine was very good with a simple creamy French cheese called Chaumes. Butter some fresh bread and slice the cheese on top and start snackin'!

Chicken Piccata (sort of)

Two breasts of chicken, pounded to even thickness, dredged in flour, then egg, then panko mixed with chopped thyme. Heat a heavy sauce pan to medium heat, add oil till it shimmers and pan saute the chicken till golden brown. Serve over hot buttered noodles.

Tomato Gratin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Process one cup of white bread cubes in a food processor till fluffy and fine. Throw in some thyme if you have it. Set aside. Cut 3 medium sized tomatoes in bite-sized dice. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat, and cook the tomatoes for about 2 minutes, just enough to coat and flavor the tomatoes. Place in a baking dish and top with the bread crumbs. Cook for around 8 minutes till crumbs are toasted.

Wag me? Wagyu!

I have become a beefeater. Sean makes my steak like I like it. I don't even know what that is, but Sean does. We lack a grill, so our only option is pan searing. And no one complains. Wagyu beef happened to be on sale at the market, so we had it a few weeks ago with a Syrah. The picture is showing a side view, over sauteed mushrooms, with my favorite green beans.


Peppered Steak

Coarsely crush black peppercorns in an adjustable grinder or on a cutting board with the underside of a heavy sauce pan. Press a generous amount into the top and bottom of the steak. Do not salt! If you have lovely ventilation in your abode, heat a heavy saucepan to medium high, add a tablespoon of butter and place the steak in the middle. If you have sensitive smoke alarms (like us) just skip the butter. You won't miss it too much. Wait till the meat releases itself from the pan and flip over. You won't get the darkest sear on the meat if the peppercorns are very large, but the taste is still fabulous. Sear the second side and place in the oven to finish. Medium is preferred for best texture. If you skipped the butter during cooking, you can always add a pat on for serving. Or even if you didn't skip it before. Butter is a great finisher for steak. And it is ok to salt it now.

Remember, wine helps your body process protein, so choose a fantastic red one to drink with this. Medium to full-bodied reds go great with steak, as does a heavy Chardonnay.

Mmm... M is for Mussels

This is so embarassing. School and opera has 'hit the fan' and I've been swamped. But, never fear, I have been eating! My mid-30s backside can testify...

We took a short trip to Phoenix to experience 100+ degrees. I think I've finished my research on that. However, it was the most bizarre combination of flavors. The Arizona Biltmore was a hotel Sean has been interested in for quite some time; it is mostly a hotel shrine to Frank Lloyd Wright. The walls were concrete (no lie), but stamped with a desert motif that was echoed around the entire grounds. Presidents have stayed here, Hollywood has stayed here, people marry here. It was pristine and unique, indeed. But it is shoulder season (hence, our manageable rates) and they were hosting two different conferences that weekend. Both signs posted out front: "Celebrate Your Marriage" and "Hell's City Tattoo Festival." Bizarre. Everyone behaved, although it was wierd to see whole tattooed families strolling around.

Anyhoo, we sweated (dry heat is still heat, folks) and ate and only hiked during the wee morning hours. One place of note was Delux Burgers. We like grilled burgers and can't get them at home without a grill, so we try on vacation. This place had a few burger ideas, sweet potato and french fries, and beer flights. Yep. Beer flights. Sean was hooked on the idea. Burgers: fair. Beer: good (Sean). I had a glass of Zin, which was really yummy with burg.

This past weekend we celebrated my brother's birthday in absentia. That way we could eat whatever we wanted, even green things! We had mussels because they looked good in the store, and drank a Sancerre with it which was quite nice. Mussels are so incredibly easy to make. Shame on all of you who haven't made them before now. They're cheap, and quick and yummy. The picture is actually a snap of after the mussels, since I ate them up before I remembered my little blog. MAKE THEM! The mussel weight is a guide, as we eat lots of them between us. Get as many as will fit in your stock pot comfortably.

Mussels with White Wine (serves 2)

3 lb mussels (or half mussels, half clams)
1 baguette, cut in 3/4 inch slices
3 T olive oil
1 clove garlic cut in half
2 T unsalted butter
3/4 lb leeks, white parts only, well washed, chopped small
2 medium shallots
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or tarragon, but save till end)
1 small sprig oregano (or 1/2 t dried)
1 bay leaf
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and chopped fine (or left out, you can sub with red pepper flakes)
2 c dry white wine

1. Scrub mussels in cool water. Remove beards and discard all broken or opened shells. Sometimes they just play dead. Gently squeeze them closed, and if they close themselves up after you've stopped watching, they're alive and want to be eaten. We want these suckers alive! Keep them on ice or in the fridge until ready to cook.

2. Meanwhile, have someone else start toasting the bread slices. You can use the oven or a simple toaster. Some would say to brush the slices with oil first but it is not necessary. Just rub the garlic clove on the slices just as they finish toasting. They do not need to be hot for this dish, so let them cool off while you are cooking.

3. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add butter. When melted and bubbling, add the leeks, shallots, thyme, oragno, bay leaf and chile. Saute until leeks and shallots are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add white wine and salt and pepper to taste; bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover, cook until all shells have opened, about 7 minutes. Serve in a warm bowl with all the juice poured over, even the leeks and stuff (discard the thyme stems).

Do not eat any mussels that are not open after cooking. You will hurt. But save the bread for the end; it will help you sop up all the juices and stuff.

If 3 lbs looks like a lot, use this recipe for a first course. Double recipe as needed, but be careful of over stuffing the pot. You want to make sure all these suckers cook.

I had mussels in Santa Barbara with the (former) West Coast Callaways, served with chopped tarragon. I can't decide which herb I like best. I wonder what a bunch of different herbs would be like in here... We also like to dish up the mussels, and add some extra butter to the sauce before pouring it over. Butter can't ever be wrong.

Hot Enough For Ya?

Actually, the weather has moderated somewhat, thanks to Tropical Storm Erin. It is only in the mid-90s today. Last night we had a Cook's Illustrated pasta salad. I believe it was one of their simplest recipes and can even be made ahead. The title is the hardest part of it.

Summer Garden Pasta Salad with Olives and Feta

Serves 12-14 (as a side dish?)

Dressing:
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
3 T. fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1 medium shallot, minced
1 T. dijon mustard
1 T. fresh oregano leaves minced, or 1/2 t. dried
1 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. ground black pepper

Salad:
salt
1 lb. farfalle or other small shaped pasta (rotini, penne)
2 medium carrots, peeled, grated over large holes of box grater
1 large yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut in 1/4 in. strips
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese (about 2 c.)
1 c. pitted kalamata olives (about 6 oz.) chopped coarse
1/2 c. minced fresh parsley leaves
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Whisk the dressing ingredients together; set aside.

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Stir in 2 T. salt and the pasta and cook until completely tender. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Transfer the hot pasta to a large bowl.

Stir the reserved pasta water into the dressing. Pour half of the dressing over the pasta and toss to coat. Stir in carrots, bell pepper, feta, olives and parsley. Scatter the tomatoes on top, without mixing in.

Cover the pasta salad tightly with plastic and poke several holes to vent. Transfer the remaining dressing to an airtight container. Refrigerate the pasta salad and reserved dressing separately for up to 2 days.

To serve, microwave the salad on high power to remove the chill 1-2 minutes (or set out on a counter for an hour). Shake the dressing and pour half of it on the salad and toss. Add remaining dressing as needed to keep salad moist.

More HOT Weather Food

We are still trying not to melt down here. Or turn on the oven.

Sean and I have continued to try chilled soups with other things each night. Some are better than others. That Curried Carrot soup from the other day was fabulous. After that, we made a Curried Tomato with Yogurt. You practically know all the ingredients just from the title. I am sensing a curry theme, but I think its' recurrence is primarily for flavor enhancement rather than a Spice Revolution. (Hmmm...., maybe that would have made a better title....) Anyhoo, if you're interested in the tomato one, I'll include it at the end. It does have chopped basil and just a touch of curry, but absolutely NO COOKING. Just straining, which I hate, and food processing, which I love. This soup was quick and refreshing, but not life-altering.

Back to the good soups: Tonight we made another carrot soup, and this one practically ties with the first one. It did take a bit more work, as I actually had to turn on the stovetop, but was worth it. It made enough for us to gorge ourselves tonight, plus plenty for tomorrow. I chose this one because we were going for a sort of Asian Chillin' theme, and we had Rice Paper Wraps after the soup, which I will also include, as they were very delicious and gorgeous.

Chilled Carrot Soup with Cumin and Lime

2 T olive oil
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped (about 5 c.)
2 large leeks, (white and pale green parts), chopped (about 2 c.)
1 T. chopped garlic
3 1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried crushed red pepper
6 1/2 c canned low-salt chicken or veggie broth*
6+2 T. sour cream
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 t. grated lime peel

Get all your veggies chopped. If you've got a food processor, this is a fabulous time to dust it off. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add carrots and leeks; saute until leeks begin to soften but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute; add cumin and red pepper flakes, saute 30 seconds. Add 6 1/2 c. broth* and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until veggies are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender**(funny story at end) until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl, cool, and whisk in 6 T sour cream. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 4 hrs or overnight.

Stir in lime juice, and thin with more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into chilled bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and lime peel.

*I was trying to speed it up, used less broth and planned to puree ice cubes with it after cooking. However...
**The blender exploded and I had to use the stick blender, which is much sissier. I just melted ice cubes in it while it was chilling down, but it didn't dilute since I used less broth at the start. I should have taken pictures of the blown blender covered in soup. Too late.

Rice Wrap (Summer Rolls)

Rice sheets can be found in most supermarkets, or Asian markets if necessary. They come in a flat, circular plastic container and are slightly opaque with a woven bamboo design on them (comes from drying them on bamboo). Anyway, you need them for this. They last about 100 years and they're cheap, too. These wraps become more like Hand Salad and require no cooking (!). They do require some chopping, and it's best to get everything in place before you start rolling. You can also add cooked shrimp to these; just slice them lengthwise so they're thin enough to roll. And remember, you can see through these wraps, so placing herbs towards the end of the wrapper makes it pretty when it shows through. Go on, impress yourself.

Summer Rolls

Rice sheets
Rice stick noodles (clear vermicelli, same aisle as the sheets)
Lettuce (your favorite kind, NOT iceburg)
1 carrot, cut into very thin matchsticks
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
Cilantro leaves, whole
Basil leaves, whole
Mint, sliced very thin.

Start a pot of water boiling and cook the rice stick noodles for 3 minutes; drain and cool, and place in a bowl. Meanwhile, start matchsticking your veggies and clean your herb leaves. Place all these on a large plate in piles for later.

Once everything is in place, heat some water to not-quite boiling and place it in a pie pan or other large round dish. Lay a towel next to this for drying. Immerse a sheet of rice wrapper in the water. Shimmy (yes, shimmy) it around with your fingers until it softens, about 20-30 seconds. Place briefly on the towel to dry, flip, and place on a work surface or cutting board.

Start layering your ingredients in the lower middle section of the circle, keeping things to a 4-inch by 1.5 inch area. I start with the lettuce leaves (just tear into the 4X2 shape), then some of the shredded mint, vermicelli noodles, cucumber and carrot, and then basil. I place 3 cilantro leaves about 2 inches above it (almost a mirror image of the mound you just made). Flop over the end closest to you over the veggie mount, fold in the sides and continue to roll over the cilantro leaves. These sticky wrappers seal themselves. Place on a plate and continue with the rest of how ever many you want to make. The wrappers can dry out, so I do one at a time. Cut each roll in half and serve with dipping sauce. "Dipping sauce?," you say? Yes, dipping sauce...

Dipping Sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. lime juice
1 T. finely diced carrot

Mix till dissolved and serve in little bowls.

Asian Chillin' Incidentally, we use this sauce with seared Ahi, too. And it's mild enough to not compete with wine. We had this soup and wrap combo with a super delightful Italian white from the Alto Adige region: 2005 Cantina Terlan, Alto Adige Terlano Classico. Super crisp blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Riesling.

Chilled Tomato Yogurt Soup

3 lbs. tomatoes (about 6), cored and cut in chunks
1 c yogurt, plain
1 t. curry powder
1 c. packed fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

Process the tomatoes in food processor or blender in batches, force through a fine sieve set over a bowl and whisk in yogurt, cury, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Chill the soup, covered, until it is cold. Makes 5 cups, serving 4.

Please rescue me from Texas! Anyone!

I have no right to complain, as we have had an unusually mild summer. But, dude! I am roasting down here in my own natural juices! Our oven heats up our apartment so much that our dinner guests sweat, so we have decided to experiment with recipes that require little or no cooking, and can be eaten cold. First experiment: chilled soups.

We had chilled soups on two cruises and really like them. It wasn't something I was excited about, but after tasting them I became a fan. Yesterday we made some sort of bulghur wheat salad with chickpeas, tomatoes, mint, basil and feta, and this chilled soup.

Chilled Curried Carrot Soup (epicurious.com)

1 small onion, sliced thin
1 T olive oil
4 carrots (about 3/4 lb, peeled, sliced thin)
1 t curry powder (or more)
1 T. purchased chutney, chopped fine (like Major Grey's or similar)
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 c. ice cubes
1-2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 T. minced fresh cilantro
1 T. minced peanuts

In sauce pan, cook the onion in the oil over moderately low heat until soft. Add the carrots, curry powder, and chutney and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and water and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the carrots are very tender. In a blender, puree the soup in safe batches with the ice and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl set in larger bowl of ice water. Chill in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until cold (recipe says 10 minutes, we needed more like 60 minutes). Serve in chilled bowls, sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.

Makes about 3 cups.

Fish Tacos

I know what you're saying. I can even hear someone screaming at the notion of fish tacos. But the smart ones are just nodding their heads and saying, "Mmm."

I met a lady in the airport a few months back; she was headed to Dallas for the first time and wanted to know something she should try that she couldn't get at home. I sheepishly suggested fish tacos. That ended our polite conversation. She was an unbeliever.

True, you should like fish if you will like fish tacos, but not overwhelmingly so. Its much faster to prepare than beef or chicken tacos, and a bit lighter, so you can eat more. And you will want to. It's all about the combination of textures, the spiciness, the crisp citrus tang. And it is not expensive either. We made these tacos with haddock I think, but I've used tilapia in the past (very economical in most areas, and you can usually find it un-frozen). I'm fairly confident this isn't traditionally researched, but I'll list what I put on then, and you just leave off what you don't like (except for the fish, because, come on, really?!)



Fish Tacos

White fish, such as tilapia, halibut (mahi is quite nice)
Spices (such as purchased taco seasonings, or just cumin and garlic powder even)
Cheddar, grated
Purple cabbage, paper thin sliced
Limes (about 4) for zest and juice
Fresh tomatoes (any ripe variety will do)
Small white sweet onion
Garlic, fresh, chopped
Bunch of cilantro
Sour cream, 8 oz.
1-2 jalapeno peppers
1-2 avocados, depending on your audience
Tortillas, corn or flour

Sprinkle your spice of choice on the fish. Grill, broil, bake, or pan-sear the fish. Then flake it into pieces and keep it warm. While it is cooking, start chopping; this is mainly a chopping meal. If you have space on your counters, you can chop everything at once and place it in bowls, adding what you want to anything.

Chop all these things separately and set aside; you will be dividing their usage: garlic cloves (2-3?), jalapenos (seeded and de-ribbed for less heat), purple cabbage, onion (finely diced), tomatoes (diced), cheese (grated) and just about the entire bunch of cilantro. Zest about 2 limes and cut all of them into wedges. Slice or dice your avocado.

Place the tomatoes in a bowl (you are making a pico de gallo here), and add as much onion and garlic as you want, lime zest and a bit of the juice, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Set aside.

Mix in the sour cream the following: garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper. You can even add the spice you put on the fish. This is now your pretentious sour cream. You can even call it a crema. Don't skip it and use plain sour cream; this is yummy.

Warm up your tortillas on the grill or in the oven (350 degrees, spray the tortillas lightly or oil them, and flip them over after 2 minutes). Start layering your fish with everything that little circle can hold. They're hard to put down and very messy, but worth it. It's a handful of heaven. Just add some Mexican rice and margaritas. Please eat fish tacos responsibly.

And let me know who tries these. If you're hesitant, I can safely say I forced these on my family and they absolutely loved them.

PIE!

Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, must agree: this is the most beautiful pie you've ever seen. Come on, even people who don't like cherries would absolutely drool over this pie.

Beth and I made this pie together while I was visiting her and Chris in Maine last week. She happened to find some sour cherries, and there is no loftier goal of a cherry than to be made into a pie. We actually have a picture of me crying after eating it.

Making a pie is intimidating to some. But just like tying your shoes, it is an art that must be learned. There are no slip-on-loafer pies. And the oven is not your friend in the summertime, when pie is sooooo good, but one should just accept it and put ice cream on top.

Crust is important in a pie; it is the first impression your pie will give an eater. Crust recipes are very simple, and easier than falling down if you make it in a food processor. Most important is to decide if you want to use shortening, or butter, or both. All combinations are best served when they are refrigerated before rolling out, for at least 30 minutes. (This helps it hold together beautifully, so you look like a baking professional, even with witnesses.) Roll it out between two sheets of wax paper (cheaper than parchment), large enough for the pan, and let the excess hang over. Fill it, and then roll out your top.

Sour Cherry Pie

1 two-crust pastry recipe
4-5 c. sour cherries, pitted
1 c. sugar
1 t. almond flavoring (extra for Beth, less for Sean)

Crust recipes are really a dime a dozen; just use what your grandmother gave you. Sour cherries benefit from this much sugar. If you are in a sour cherry-deprived part of the country, you can mail-order them (pricey, but worth it), or use canned sour cherries. Do not ever use the sweet cherries in a pie. You will regret it.

Chicken Bowl

For those of you familiar with Noodle Bowl, this is simply not it. But it is something we make extremely often... euhr,... something Sean makes extremely often. He's better at it than I (KK).

Just like a good pretentious salad, chicken bowl's ingredients are shifty. You can switch around the spice, the carbohydrate, and even the veggie. We normally do it without veggies, but KK always tries to get in more veggies during the week.

Chicken Bowl is pan-seared and spice-coated chicken, with a simple pan sauce over rice, and often accompanied by green beans. The combination is really yummy in several varieties:

• Spices: We use different Penzey's spices, like Bangkok Blend, Shanghai Spice, Northwoods Fire, Ozark, or even just dried marjoram or italian mixed dried herbs. You could use powdered curry, or Seasoned Salt (easy on this one). This is the place to customize to your favorite whim.


• Chicken: This element is the only one that doesn't change. Just pound it out to a more-or-less uniform thickness (not thin at all). Salt it if your spice is salt-free, and sprinkle the spice on. Sear in a "stick" skillet on medium high heat, each side takes about 4-5 minutes.


• Carbohydrate: We started just using regular jasmine rice, which is still our favorite. But lately we've been more adventurous (and healthy) and used quinoa (super yummy in this, and one of the healthiest grains on the planet), or even orzo or long pasta. I'd even do polenta or buckwheat noodles. You just need something to soak up the rest of the sauce.


• Veggie: This is totally optional. We often don't use one, but green beans go really well (see the Simple Green Beans recipe from earlier in July), as do sauteed mushrooms. Just keep it a veggie you can quickly prepare while your chicken and carb are cooking.
  

The sauce is where the flavor really counts. After your chicken has cooked, put it on plate and either tent it with foil or put in the microwave to keep warm and collect extra juice. In the same pan you cooked it in, add as many minced shallots as your husband will allow and saute till a bit soft, scraping up all the bits in the pan as you go. (This is your only chance to cook out the raw shallot flavor.) Then add some dry white wine, say, 1/2 cup. After a few seconds, add about a cup of broth. Let this all reduce on high(er) heat till a bit syrupy, about 1/2 cup. It will get darker and mix with all the spices or herbs you chose earlier. Then throw in a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter and mix off the heat.

Slice your chicken and place it in a warmed bowl on top of the rice (or whatever you chose). Divide the sauce on top and add your veggie. I've simply got to tell you that this is almost as comforting and delicious as a slower processed baked chicken and rice. Make as much sauce as you like and really sop it on, or keep it fairly dry if that's your style. We often make this an embarassing 2-3 times a week, but when you change it up, it is something new every time.

The picture is Chicken Bowl with Bangkok spice, quinoa and green beans. And lots of different wines go fantastic with this.

One Perfect Meal

I'm simply here to say, last night dinner nearly killed us it was so good.

There are times when the food is good, and the wine is good, and together they're pretty good. But last night, I'm saying everything worked. The pasta might not look like much in the picture, but it was really, really yummy. And we picked a cheap red from our wine cellar to go with it, but it ended up being one of the best $10 wines we've ever had. It was like a mini mid-week vacation without the hotel bill.

So we're HIGHLY recommending this combination, or its parts.

The pasta recipe came from Giada DeLaurentiis, Giada's Family Dinners, and we made a half recipe. The trick is the frozen artichokes; they don't fall apart like the canned ones. We found Bird's Eye in the frozen section. And the sun-dried tomatoes we used were not oil-packed; I found some in a zip-bag that were super moist on their own so no extra oil was needed. However, I cut them up and tossed them with some oil and water just in case. I also used fresh olive oil to cook the sausage, and drained almost all of it off to cook the artichokes. I also could have done without the mozzarella just fine.

Penne with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

¾ c drained oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 T oil reserved
1 lb Italian hot sausages, casings removed
2 (8oz) pkgs frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 ¾ c reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ c dry white wine
Salt
12 oz penne
½ c freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 c chopped fresh basil
¼ c chopped fresh parsley
8 oz fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed (optional)

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes (or not) in a large heavy frying pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-sized pieces, about 8 minutes. Transfer and drain the sausage to another bowl.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Add the artichokes and garlic to the pan and sauté over medium heat till the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced slightly, about 8 minutes. This is also a good time to cube up the mozzarella (if using), place it on a plate in an even layer, and pop it in the freezer. It only needs about 8 minutes in there.
Drain the pasta and add it to the artichokes, along with the sausage, ½ c of the parmesan cheese, basil and parsley. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed. Take off the heat before you stir in the mozzarella (from the freezer, remember?), season with salt and pepper and serve.

The wine was from Taurino, Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva 2001, from the heel of Italy. And no lie, it was under $10. The grapes are Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, totally new to us. First taste was almost like cherry Kool-Aid, with such a strong berry flavor lasting till the end. The wine got even better with the pasta dish, and the food was even better with the wine. It was like a great marriage. We're really grateful God made grapes like this. The wine was purchased at http://www.sherry-lehman.com/ and they still have it, I think.

Anniversary Dinner

We had Charlie and Kay over for dinner on their anniversary last night. I wasn't crazy full when we finished, but very, very close! We owe them a lot, so we wanted to make it really special. We took no pictures so as not to freak out our guests, but I'll share the menu and recipes.

Roasted Asparagus wrapped in Proscuitto
Lemon Pasta with Parmiggiano and Basil
Peppered Filet Mignon with Green Beans

Cheese course: Delice de Bourgogne and Pagnotta
Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp with Amaretti Cookie Topping

The asparagus really impressed Sean and he'd do it again. It is an ideal starter since they should be served room temperature. Toss asparagus spears with bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes (for skinny stalks). Cut paper thin slices of prosciutto (paper thin cuts provided by professional meat cutter at meat counter, NOT at home) in half and wrap each stalk with half a slice of prosciutto. Done.

The Lemon Pasta I would tweak a bit differently next time, but it wasn't bad. It's nice to have a simple pasta if you're going to do a pasta course. Boil 1 lb of some long pasta (like fettuccine or linguine) and while it's cooking, in a bowl squeeze 2 lemons, grate about 3/4 c of parmesan cheese, add salt and pepper and whisk with some oil, about 1/3 cup if your calorie count can handle it. I also grated some of the lemon zest in there for added zing. Add the pasta once it's done, tossing some of the pasta boiling water in there to keep it loose. Chop some basil and sprinkle on top, adding more cheese and zest as you feel led.

Sean has a way with steaks done indoors. We are apartment dwellers with no grill, so we do them stovetop and oven. And no one complains. I do love a good char from a grill, but until we have one, this is fine with me. Let me know if you're interested and we'll pass on the rules.

The green beans have long been one of my favorites; most of my family has eaten this recipe of mine at some point. No one can turn these down. No one. (Chris). It's a nice change from the "boil 'em till they can't fight back" method we use down south. These are practically a Pretentious Salad in themselves. And no matter when you ask me, I want them right now.

Irresistable and Quick Green Beans

Handfuls of green beans (snap beans), sliced in half length-wise if you wish
Lemon zest
parsley
Olive Oil, salt, pepper

Pine nuts, toasted

Boil the beans in salted water until just tender. Toss with chopped parsley, lemon zest, a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and pine nuts. Devour. This can almost always be done from start to finish while the main course is cooking. Yes, it sounds simple, but something about it is so savory.


This dessert recipe is from Giada DeLaurentiis. You can use any fruit you want, but this was definitely a great combo for last night's dinner. I would sweeten the mascarpone next time or use lightly sweetened whipped cream. P.S.: I found the amaretti cookies at World Market for $2! Awesome!

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp with Amaretti

Topping:
1 c AP flour
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c white sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c crushed amaretti cookies, coarsely crushed
3/4 c sliced almonds

Filling:
butter for baking dish
2 T white sugar (granulated)
2 T AP flour
3 lbs nectarines, cut in wedges (about 4-5 huge necs)
8 oz blueberries
3 T amaretto liqueur, or 1 T almond extract
1/2 c mascarpone cheese (substitute whipping cream)

To make the topping: Stir the flour and sugars in a medium bowl to blend. Add the butter and rub between your fingers to make moist clumps, then mix in amaretti crumbs and almonds.

To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and butter a 9x13x2 inch glass baking dish. Stir the sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add nectarines and blueberries and toss to combine. Stir in the liqueur.

Spoon the fruit into the prepared dish and sprinkle the cookie mixture on top. Bake until fruit is tender and top is golden and crisp, about 40-45 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes. Top each serving with a dollop of mascarpone cheese and serve.


We served two wines for this dinner, since there were 4 of us. We started with a Vinho Verde from Portugal (all VVs are from Portugal), which was slightly bubbly and low in alcohol content. We mentioned one earlier, the Famega, and this one (Casal Garcia) was maybe $1 more expensive at $8. It is one of KK's new favorites for summer. Next was a Pinot Noir from the Central Coast by someone I can't remember. It was nice with food, fairly smooth and refined for the steak.

Li'l Kathryn's Birthday Dinner, 2007

I must be a pretty cheap sister, since I rarely get my sister gifts for her birthday. Since we all love food, I just make her a multiple-course dinner. Anyone can get one, and most of my family has, except those who don't come near us for their birthdays. She picks out her favorite foods and we work the menu until she likes everything; she usually has to help clean up afterwards.

This year it seemed like every course she picked had cheese in it. I asked her, "You don't really want every course cheese-heavy, do you?" And she said, "What better idea for a multi-course menu than a tribute to cheese?" So, cheese, it was. Mostly.

First course: Stuffed Baby Potatoes. We had something like this for a Christmas Eve dinner one year, and Kathryn has asked for them ever since. I think I got the idea from something similar with caviar on top. I'm not a caviar girl. Basically, you boil/steam small baby potatoes. Once they cool enough, you core out the center of them (apple corers work great, so do vegetable peelers) and fill them with sour cream, top with caviar. But to dodge the caviar, I stuffed the cavity with a mixture of cheddar, cream cheese, bacon and chives and baked them in the oven. If the potatoes are all small and uniform enough, you can slice off a sliver from the bottom and they stand up. Three are enough for a first course, but eighteen are nice for a midnight snack. These potatoes were so long, we just split them length-wise and stuffed them like regular twice-baked potatoes. Still yummy, though. There's no real recipe here, just rig something you like inside.

Second course: Baby Romaine with Pears, Parmiggiano, Walnuts and Herb Vinaigrette. A Pretentious Salad classic! Remember the formula: greens+fruit+nut+cheese. It will never fail you. The pears were sliced, the cheese peeled with a veggie peeler (and actually was an aged goat cheese rather than parmiggiano), and nuts are toasted. Keep all the elements separate from the greens. Mix the dressing first and toss the greens with that, then layer everything else on top.

We literally make the basic version of this everyday. It is mis-titled, since I use lemon instead of vinegar, but you can use vinegar if you like it. Stretch the dressing as you need for as much greens as you prepare. We use 1/2 lemon for just me and Sean, but we are heavy greens consumers. And are not fans of gloppy salad dressings.

Basic Vinaigrette

Juice of one lemon
1 T dijon mustard
1-2 T olive oil

Combine lemon and mustard first, then whisk in oil with a fork. Toss with greens just at serving time or they wilt. If you need to get rid of the bowl and are not ready to serve just yet: Put the dressing in the tossing bowl, and add the greens on top but do not toss. They can stay there for about 30 minutes or so before combining. I usually mix the dressing in the serving bowl so I don't have to wash extra!

Herbed Vinaigrette: Chop any or several herbs and add just before pouring on greens. Combinations are nice, and we used Dad's fresh oregano and purple basil, plus Heidi's fresh green basil.

Sorbet course: Watermelon. As many of you know, I am a melon-hater. But I know lots of people like watermelon. We happened to have some cut-up watermelon on hand at my 'rents house, so we made a Watermelon Sorbet to serve just before the main course. Boil equal parts sugar and water in a pan until dissolved. I wanted to put mint in the syrup, but we didn't have any. However, herbs work really well in sorbet, so be adventurous. Puree fruit in a blender/food processor until smooth and add sugar syrup. If you have a sorbet or small electric ice cream maker, use the manufacturer's directions. (My parents have one.) But if your kitchen is limited (like mine), pour the fruit concoction in a pyrex dish and put it in the freezer. Every so often, scrape and stir it with a fork, keeping it fluffy. It will take about a couple of hours, but no one will care. You can serve this one on squares of watermelon rind and it looks cool, or in sake cups.

Main course: Chicken Cordon Bleu with Baby Carrots. The carrots recipe is in an earlier blog, and I added peas for color. The chicken can be made ahead and baking while you are eating the earlier courses.

Chicken Cordon Bleu (healthy version)

Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness, and layer on slices of ham and swiss cheese, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. Roll chicken up and squeeze to set, using toothpicks if necessary. In bowl #1, add 1 t. salt to 1/2 c. of flour. In bowl #2, add 1 t. water to one beaten egg (or 2 whites). In bowl #3, add 1 t. dried thyme (or fresh) and 1 t. oil to 1 c. panko bread crumbs. Dip chicken rolls in flour first, then egg, then bread crumbs. Place in a greased pyrex dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-45 minutes. Slice each roll into little pinwheels of chicken goodness and serve.

Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake. This selection arose after Kathryn rejected Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee. And the whipped cream layer on top is covering the overdone quality it seemed to pick up when Mom was in charge. It just proves you cannot ruin this. It still tasted great.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

7 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
7 oz. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar, divided
4 eggs, separated

Butter a springform pan with removable sides, or a 9 in. cake pan. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. You don't have to own one, just rig it with bowl on top of a pan of boiling water. Don't let the water touch the bowl, though. Once it is melted, add the butter until it melts and then set off heat to cool.

In a standing mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy, then add 1/2 c. of the sugar until soft peaks form. In another bowl, whisk the yolks with the other 1/2 c. of sugar until pale. Add a bit of the chocolate into the yolks until the temperature starts to warm up (avoiding scrambled eggs with choclate- yuck!) Once it is warm, dump in all the chocolate and mix till combined. Add about 1/3 of the whites and mix vigorously. Then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour in prepared pan and bake at 350 for AROUND 35-40 minutes. A toothpick or knife should come out clean when stuck in the center. The cake will deflate, and that is normal, as it cools. Cool to room temperature, and remove from cake pan if you wish. Fresh whipped cream is nice, too.

We served an Albarino with the first courses, Martin Codax Albarino, 2006. All the female Callaways love Albarino, and we previewed it at a tasting a few weeks prior. It did not disappoint. The main course wine was a Pinot Noir which was forgettable. I still hold firm that a light red is the best choice for the chicken course, just not that particular Pinot Noir. It was something like Huntingdon, but you can forget it.