Truck Stop Favorite

This dinner was really tasty, but waaaaay filling. The coating for the steaks is sort of like a tempura and I actually would like to try on some shrimp someday. The gravy is not all that heavy, which suprised me. We had mashed potatoes and corn with the dinner. Also wine, was going to go with a white, but considered that this might be a heavy dinner, so went with a California Zinfandel. It was a perfect match actually. The peppery notes of the wine popped with the peppery notes of the steaks.

Chicken-Fried Steak
from America's Test Kitchen 2004 Cookbook
Serves 6

Steak
3 cups all purpose flour
S/P
1/8 Cayenne
1 large egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
6 cube steaks, pounded to 1/3 inch
4-5 cups peanut oil

Cream Gravy
1 medium onion, minced
1/8 tsp dried thyme
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 TB flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch cayenne

1) FOR THE STEAKS: Measure the flour, 5 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and cayenne into a large shallow dish. In a second large shallow dish, beat the egg, baking soda and powder; stir in the buttermilk (the mixture will bubble and foam).

2. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Drop the steaks into the flour and coat. Shake the excess flour from the steak, the, using tongs, dip the steaks into the egg mixture, turning to coat well and allow excess to drip off. Coat the steaks with flour again, shake off the excess and place them on the wire rack.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, set a second wire rack over a second rimmed baking sheet, and place the sheet on the oven rack: heat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a large plate with double layer of paper towels. Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of oil in a large dutch oven or frying pan over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Place the three steaks in the oil and fry, turning once, until deep golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes (oil temperature will drop to about 335). Transfer the steaks to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transfer them to the wire rack in the oven. Bring the oil back to 375 and repeat the cooking/draining process with the remaining steaks.

4. FOR THE GRAVY: Carefully pour the hote oil through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. Return the browned bits from the strainer along with 2 TB of frying oil back into the dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium, add the onion and thyme, and cook until the onion has softened and beginning to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the flour to the pan and stir until well combined and starting to dissolve, about 1 minute. Which in the broth, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the milk, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. The gravy should have a loose consistency, it will thicken as it cools.

5. Transfer the steaks to individual plates. Spoon generous amounts of gravy over each. Serve immediately.

Getting the initial oil temperature to 375 degrees is keep to the success of this recipe. An instant-read thermometer with a high upper range is perfect for checking the temperature; a clip on candy/deep-fry thermometer is also fine. If your Dutch oven measures 11 inches across (as does ours), you will need to fry the steaks in two batches.

Enjoy!


^^^

Good, but mine is better!

Another tasty treat from the Williams Sonoma pasta cookbook. This is really just a lighter, healthier, version of my own tasty treat, Sausage & Leek Cream Sauce.

Here it is:

Fusilli with Braised Fennel, Sweet Sausage and Pecorino

(4 Main Courses or 6 First Courses)

5 TB Olive Oil
4 Leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
2 Fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds, ground
S/P to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, bulk, or removed from casings
splash of Sherry Vinegar
1 lb fusilli pasta
leaves from 6 sprigs of tarragon, chopped
handful of fresh chopped parsley
1 cup grated pecorino

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a large pan, warm 3 TB olive oil over medium heat, add the leeks, sliced fennel, fennel seeds and salt & pepper. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Generously salt the boiling water, add pasta and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 2 TB olive oil in same pan as before, over high heat. Add sausage, breaking it up and cook until well browned, season with S/P to taste. Pour off most of the fat. Add a splash of sherry vinegar.

Add the fennel/leeks to the sausage, simmer for 1-2 minutes to blend flavors. Make sure to have enough liquid to make a sauce, if not add some water or broth.

Drain the pasta and put in large warmed bowl. Add a drizzle of oil olive, tarragon and parsley and about 3 TB of the cheese. Toss. Add the sausage/fennel/leeks, toss again, serve immediately. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.



It is really tasty, but as I said, mine is better!


***

Fancy. Tasty! Too much work....

This recipe was Thursday night's dinner. It was delish! But too much work. I didn't have much fun making it. I would make it again, on a weekend, for a special occasion, but not during the week. I'm going to post the recipe as it is in the book. If you're interested in knowing the few things I did differently, let me know. Also, I cut the recipe in half.

This one also comes from White Dog Cafe Cookbook. Again, really tasty, but a pain! And there is a marinade that should work for four to twelve hours...I did one...cause I didn't read the recipe well enough.

Sherry Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze
(serves 6)

3 pork tenderloins, trimmed of excess fat
1 cup Spicy Asian Marinade (Below)
1 cup dry sherry
1/4 whole lemon
2 TBS coarsley chopped fresh ginger
1 shallot, minced
5 black peppercorns
1 allspice berry
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup Veal Demi-Glace (Below)
1 TB grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Spicy Asian Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 TB grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp chili paste (available in Asian markets/aisles)
1 TB light brown sugar
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 TB vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Good for grilled pork, chicken or firm fleshed fish like tuna or swordfish.

Veal Demi-Glace

This is ridiculous...I didn't do it! To do it right...would be 12 hours! I don't have that time. You need to make veal stock with the following stuff: vegetable oil, veal bones, white onion, carrots, celery, tomato paste, water, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns and dry red wine. This cooks through various stages...ask, I can give you the recipe later...it cooks for up to 7 hours. Then when the veal stock is done, you simmer for three hours until the volume (4 quarts) is reduced by half. Then into a new pot and simmer for another 2 hours until syrupy. That's that. Easy as pie! Is it worth it, I'm sure it is, but I'm not my grandma, wish I was sometimes...but I don't have that time. I know you can buy it at some gourmet stores. I substituted with reduced bouillon and veggies and some other stuff....ask!

OK, back to the real recipe.

1) Place the tenderloin in a shallow dish and cover with the marinade for 4 to 12 hours. Refrigerate.

2) In saucepan, combine sherry, lemon, chopped ginger, shallot, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower heat. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes.

3) Add the Demi-glace and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain, discard solids. Stir the grated ginger and salt. Keep warm or refrigerate. You'll use this later to put on top of the sliced tenderloin.

4) When ready, preheat oven to 400

5) Place the tenderloins a few inches apart on a roasting pan. Roast in the center of the oven until the interal temperature is 150. Mine took 20 minutes, the book says 12-15. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Temperature will rise to finish cooking.

6) Slice pork into 1/4 inch rounds, top with the reserved glaze.

I served with jasmine rice and ginger glazed carrots.

Again, really good, but lots of work! Enjoy!

^^^^

Two Wines

Had the two wines below over the past two days!

Cousino-Macul
Dona Isidora
Riesling 2004
Santiago-Chile

Very tasty. I loved this wine. It was $10 bucks at Whole Foods.

Mas Carlot
Rose 2004
Cuvee Tradition
France

This was a tasty wine to drink, but left a strange metallic taste in your mouth afterwards.




I need to take notes when I drink wine, I can't remember for the life of me what something is tasting like.


'.'.'.'

Rosemary is for remembrance

If you plan to visit Philly, please visit White Dog Cafe. I'm probably going to butcher everything descriptive about this restaurant, but please try for yourself....My understanding is that the restaurant focuses on organic, natural foods. The restaurant also serves as a community building social activism center. The food is amazing. The restaurant is laid out in adjacent row houses near one of the universities in Philly....Duchess of Narbert, HELP, I can't remember which university!?!?!?! I've been twice now and would go back again and again. The price, a little steep ($17-$29), but well worth it. The first time I went with my dear dear Duchess of Narbert (who's getting married very soon!!!) and Lord and Lady Brandenburg-it my first visit to Philly...I ran up the stairs at the museum, ate a cheese steak and had an all around great time...and Le Bus!. That visit, I had some duck with a fruity/savory sauce on a rice pilaf type thing...(oh my!) My second time, I had roasted chicken and mashed potatoes (mama!). Please go, you'll be a happier person for it. That was my cosmopolitan, jet-setting visit...literally I flew into Philly International Airport, was picked up by the Duchess, we had dinner at White Dog, then back to the airport and back home....ok so it was a 3 and half hour layover...shut up!!!

Rosemary is for Remembrance, and some great memories!

The following dish comes from the White Dog cookbook that I picked up after my first visit. There is a gift shop/book shop attached, called The Black Cat. Seriously, do yourself a favor!!!! GO! I know there are people who read this blog who have gone, please post your comments on the restaurant for our non-White Dog Cafe visitors.

Smoked Chicken in Rosemary Cream with Bow-Tie Pasta
from: White Dog Cafe Cookbook by Judy Wicks and Kevin Von Klause
(serves 4 to 6)

1/4 unsalted butter
2 large white onions, thinly sliced

Rosemary Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 small yellow onion, peeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 lb bow-tie pasta
1 TB olive oil
2 TB minced garlic
1 TB chopped fresh rosemary
1 boneless skinless smoked chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1. Carmelize the white onions: heat the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the white onions and cook until golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Reserve.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the Rosemary Cream: combine the cream, yellow onion, rosemary, bay leafs, peppercorns and garlic in another saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the cream and discard the solids. Keep warm until ready to serve. Otherwise, cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until just firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.

4. In a large saucepan or saute pan set over medium heat, heat the olive oil until it ripples. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, toss, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, onions, chopped rosemary, cheese, salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and cook, stirring, until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately on warmed plates or bowls.

From the book: When this many toothsome ingredients are combined, the meal is guaranteed to be a smash hit. If you're not a rosemary fan, try flavoring the cream with basil, thyme or oregano instead. The cream and carmelized onions can be prepared one day in advance. This makes the final assembly quite simple.

NOTES: OK, I didn't have smoked chicken, so I used a pre-roasted chicken from the store, skinned it, and pulled the meat off...barbaric, you bet, but worth it for a weeknight meal. So, one roasted chicken instead of 4 large smoked chicken breasts. Also, the original recipe called for the following, to be added with the cream in step four...I don't like them, so I didn't use them: 3 cups coarsely chopped broccoli rabe, 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, rehydrated and thinly sliced and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted. I can see adding regular broccoli. The rabe is too bitter for my tastes, so I won't use it. I don't love regular broccoli, but could use it. The sundried tomatoes...I've had them and didn't like them...so maybe not. And I don't like walnuts either. Would I substitute for the tomatoes and walnuts...probably not. But as I said, i could see broccoli working out really well.

The chicken, the store bought roasted worked really well, but the final dish had a sweetness to it that, although nice, could have been cut with something. Perhaps a bit extra parmesan cheese? I feel that the natural sweetness in the onions and cream really were pronounced with the rosemary, which is funny because I make an au gratin potatoe with virtually the same cream sauce and they do not taste sweet? Maybe extra Parm or finding a way to smoke the chicken?

OK....that's that...GO TO WHITE DOG IF IN PHILADELPHIA, CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE!!! I'll be there in a week and a half for the wedding of the Duchess to her lovely, sweet soon to be husband! Oy!, I should have had that bottle of wine....or the glass of Frangelico!....LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

OH! And happy birthday to Lord Brandenburg...I raise my glass to you! Cheers!

New York Times article

If you have a moment, please take the time to read this lovely article in the New York Times. The author takes the reader to the tip of the heel of the boot of Italy where this lovely little lady cooks. The descriptions used will make your mouth water and heart glow. I would wish this on anyone who wants and a few people who need it!

New York Times: An Ode to Joy: A Trip to Alda's Kitchen by Gabrielle Hamilton


****

Penne with Prosciutto & Butter

Wow, this was much better than I anticipated and was really delightful! Highly recommend this one.

The recipe is from the Williams Sonoma pasta cookbook.

1 lb Penne
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced (Vidalia)
1/2 cup chicken stock/broth
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper
Handful, chopped, parsley
5 sage leaves, chopped
Parmesan Cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim the prosciutto of excess fat and cut the slices into narrow strips. Heat the olive oil to high is a saute pan, add the prosciutto and toss, saute for about 2 minutes. Set aside.

In the same pan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for about 1 minute, maybe 2. Allow to reduce. Toss in sage, stir to combine.

Drain the pasta well and place in a large, shallow, warmed bowl. Add the prosciutto, lemon zest, nutmeg, pepper to taste, parsley. Pour on the stock/onion mixture and toss well. Add about 3 TB of the cheese and toss again. Garnish with some more parsley and pass remaining cheese at the table.

Serves 4 as a main-course or 6 first-course servings.


Prosciutto
The famous sweet salt-cured ham from the Parma region, prosciutto di parma, is now widely available outside of Italy. Other hams can be salty by comparison and less subtle in flavor. When the clerk slices prosciutto for you, make sure it is very thin and the pieces are separated by paper or plastic so that they do not stick together and tear.

A meal with a heart....attack waiting to happen

From: LaBelle Cuisine; Recipes to Sing About by Patti LaBelle

I don't know who turned Elton John on to soul music but I do know who turned him on to soul food. Me. At least I'm pretty sure it was me. Back in the sixties, when Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles was touring London, the British band, Bluesology, played back up to us. Elton, or Reggie Dwight as he was known in those days, was the band's piano player, and he played like no other white boy I have ever heard.

For some reason, Reggie thought he could play cards like he could play keyboards. After our shows, he'd come back to our flat and challenge me to a game of tonk. No matter how many times I beat him--and I beat him all the time--Reggie wouldn't quit until I'd won all his money.

"Just one more game, Patti," he would plead, "and I'll win back all my pounds."

Of course, the only thing he ever won was my sympathy. Not enough to give the money back, of course. But sufficient to make me cook enough food to make sure the kid wouldn't go hungry before payday. After I stashed Reggie's cash, I prepared him a savory, spicy, soul food feast: smothered cabbage, red beans and rice, fried chicken and potato salad--you name it, I cooked it.

It was impossible to eat everything--although Reggie tried. But it was my macaroni and cheese that he loved the most. As you can see from this recipe, I make it with five different kinds of cheese, and that's how many times Reggie went back for more.

He wanted recipes for everything. But, since I kept them top secret until I wrote this book, he had to settle for the food sans the instructions on how to prepare it. I always sent Reg home with enough to feed an army, though. We're talking containers of food. Come to think of it, Boyfriend never did return any of my Tupperware.

OVER-THE-RAINBOW MACARONI AND CHEESE
By Patti LaBelle, LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About
Serves 4-6

1 lb. elbow macaroni
8 TB, plus 1 TB butter
½ cup shredded Muenster cheese
½ cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a deep 2 ½ quart casserole.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add the macaroni and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well, return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt 8 TB of butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the first four cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheeses, the Velveeta and the eggs. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to the casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese and the remaining dot of TB of butter.

Bake until it’s bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Ask anyone who makes incredible macaroni and cheese for his or her recipe, and I bet you that Velveeta will be in there. But my recipe doesn’t stop there. To make my special macaroni and cheese, I also use Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack, each one adding its own flavor and melting consistency. If you don’t want to use all five cheeses, you can get away with just the Velveeta and sharp Cheddar—it won’t be over the rainbow, but it will be pretty good. And, on special occasions, I sometimes add an extra stick of butter, in which instance the macaroni goes over the moon! If you use two sticks of butter, substitute milk for the half and half.

UPDATE: Picture and post here.

Conchiglie con Finocchio e Gamberetti

What, you don't speak Italian.

Conchiglie-Pasta shells
Finocchio-Fennel
Gamberetti-Shrimps

I think.

Shells with Fennel and Shrimp

In a nutshell, Shrimp Scampi with Fennel.

The recipe is from Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. I was really unimpressed with the dish. Multiple steps, all simple, but still. And really was just scampi.

Try for yourself if you want.

Salt
1 Medium Fennel Bulb
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound medium shrimp (about 30), shelled, deveined and cut in half crosswise
1 pound pasta shells
2 TB butter
Crushed hot red pepper

Makes 6 servings

These instructions are my version, the book version is very wordy

Small saucepan of water to a boil. Clean the fronds and outer layer off the fennel, Cut into quarters. Drop into water, bring back to a boil and keep it going for 3 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water and drain the rest. Rinse in cold water until cool to the touch. Remove the core and slice into quarters, set aside.

Bring big pot of water to a boil for pasta. When boiling....add the salt and pasta. Stir, return to a boil...about 8 minutes until it's done.

Pour oil into a pan and turn to medium heat. Add garlic, smash it first and the hot pepper. Give it three minutes, stirring. At that time, bring the heat to high and add the shrimp. One minute per side. Remove shrimp, with garlic to a bowl.

Lower heat to medium. Add the fennel, butter and reserved water. Give it four minutes. Add the shrimp and garlic back...toss to coat. Your pasta should be done at this point. Drain and toss with shrimp and buttery sauce.

I added a pinch of parsley, just to add some color. Then sprinkled with a bit of parm.

As I said, it was ok, I expected better, not horrible, but not exciting and great either.


()()()()()()()

Sara Bella

Tonight we opened one of the bottles from Temecula Valley in Southern California.

Maurice Car'rie winery
2004
White Cabernet Sauvignon
Sara Bella

"This has always been one of our best selling wines and one of our favorites, as it is named after one of our four grandchildren."

The wine is a sweet pink, with a full grape flavor. Very light on the nose and the taste. Super drinkable. But if sweet is not your thing, just try a sip, it might be more than you want.

Fun!



!@!@!@!@

A Midwestern Mother's Love

Hey there, Hi there, Hello there ladies! Today we have an extra special treat—a guest blogger! A shout out to J-lo for providing a family favorite. On Monday I was listening to Lucky Bitch Radio, a podcast brought to us by a single, sober, unemployed, nearly homeless, drag queen in Minneapolis, Wanda Wisdom. Well, Wanda was talking about Midwestern "hot dish" and I started craving some old school tater tot casserole.

So, Ladies and Germs, without further ado,
Tater Tot Casserole!

This is a true Midwestern dish - so it's not all that veggie (or diet) friendly.

To appreciate this dish, you must understand that the one cuisine native to the Midwest is the casserole. I joke that the only requirements are three things—it must be simple, it must only use one pot and it must use a can of cream of something soup! Where else can you get all four food groups in one vat of gloppy goodness? This is a blank canvas meal—use it anyway you like and enjoy.

1 pound ground beef (you could certainly use chicken)
1 Tbsp minced onion (or chop up some fresh)
1 can french cut green beans (you could certainly use fresh)
1 can cream of celery soup (but use any cream of ___ you have)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use any cheese, use more or less)

frozen tater totsBrown the meet with the onion. At this point add any spices you might want—salt & pepper, Mrs. Dash, minced garlic, etc. Drain the grease and add to a casserole dish with the beans, soup, and cheese. Top with tater tots. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

The great debate with this casserole (between Scott and I) is where the cheese goes. He likes it on top—I like it mixed in. Tonight we tried a compromise—half in, half on top.

This dish reheats easily, although that usually ruins the tater tots. I recommend dishing up your leftovers and putting a few new (frozen) tater tots on top for when you reheat it.

J-lo

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Simple, Quick, Low Fat Stir-Fry

Spicy Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry
from: Williams-Sonoma Chicken
Serves 4

6 TB Chicken stock
2 TB Asian fish sauce
2 tsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 TB vegetable oil
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips 1/4 wide
1 or 2 Thai or jalapeno chiles, sliced thinly crosswise into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, but into thin strips
3/4 cup basil, thinly sliced
3 spring onions (green onions) cut into 3 inch lengths

Rice to serve

In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set aside

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the chile to taste and the garlic and stir-fry about 20 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken loses its pink color, about 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the basil and green onions and stir-fry until the green onions are barely wilted, about 1 minute.

Whisk the sauce mixture again and pour it into the pan. Cook just until the liquid comes to a boil.

Spoon the rice onto plates and top with stir-fry and sauce.

NOTES:
1. I used Hoisin Sauce instead of fish sauce, it's what I had.
2. I used one large orange bell pepper, Safeway's selection of red was very sad.
3. I used one large jalapeno, seeded, to make the heat less intense. Perhaps I should have left at least half of the seeds inside. There was no heat, so therefore, no spicy.
4. I used chicken "tenders." They were on sale and are easy to handle.
5. I used basmati rice, again, what I had on hand.
6. I used about 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion, just an extra flavor. I rinsed them in cold water to help remove some bitterness. Add with the peppers.
7. I might suggest a little salt or soy sauce, very tasty and light, but no "Pop."

Overall, very tasty. The portion sizes I got were 4 'starter' sized portions with about 1/4 cup rice with each. So, really serving for two 'meals.' Yummy!

Easy and Cheap

Last night was Cincinnati Chili for dinner. So darn easy, cheap AND delish! Highly recommend it. And being the middle of the summer with the heat, it's still good! Filling.

Check it out here.

Also this week, I expect to post three new recipes here. A spicy, pepper, basil-y, chicken stir fry. A dish with sauteed shrimp and fennel. And Patti LaBelle's killer Mac & Cheese, delish, but it will kill you!

Stay tuned for a full week.

####

Obessive Compulsive Much

Hello all,

This website was brought to my attention from one of our readers in NYC, Ms. Mollie. To put it this way, how often do you find yourself not knowing what to make or at the store buying multiples of something you already have 10 of at home. How many boxes of penne do I need?

This intensive projects looks to help homes battle this challenge, to save money and always have tasty things for dinner! If you try the project, let us know how it goes. I'm curious about it and might try it.

Life Hacking Your Grocery List

~~~~

Photo Test

Blogger just launched a new site that allows for easy photo posting. This is a test.

Yippee! It appears to work. Bless this child for her sacrifice!

Scott

Papardelle alla Genovese Primavera ????

How's that for a name?

This is the pretend name that I'm giving to the pasta dish I mentioned in the post below. I've just made it and devoured a big bowl of it. Very tasty!

As is usually the case, I didn't measure anything, so I will give estimates.

Papardelle alla Genovese Primavera
(for two large servings)

Papardelle pasta (I found mine in the fresh pasta section of our Whole Foods)
1/2 cup of your favorite pesto (I wanted to make my own, but alas, time wasn't allowing it)
1 cup of snow peas, asparagus or green beans (trimmed. if asparagus or green beans, cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
1 Tomato, large dice, seeded
2-4 Red skinned potatoes
Handful or two of pine nuts (lightly toasted in a dry pan over medium heat 3-5 minutes)
Olive Oil
S/P
Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

-Bring pot of water to a boil pasta. I used 'fresh' pasta, so it only took three minutes to cook. Time your pasta accordingly. If using dry, expect 10-14 minutes.
-Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and place in a 450 degree oven. Check at about ten minutes. You want them to get golden brown and tender. When done set aside. Turn the oven to the broil setting
-Clean and prepare your green veg, (beans, peas or asparagus or all if you want to live dangerously)
-On a baking sheet, lighly oil and place your green veg. Place the veg in the broil. In a few minutes they will start to brown, watch carefully after about three minutes. When the green veg are brown, toss on the tomatoes and place back under the broil for another two minutes or so. (Maybe five-seven minutes total).
-Toss al dente pasta with pesto until coated. Toss in the pine nuts, potatoes and veg. Sprinkle with parm. serve.

Do these instructions make any sense? Let me know if you have questions. I really loved this dish. Jason didn't care for the potatoes and pasta, so he would like them omitted. He also thinks he'd prefer asparagus or green beans instead of the pea pods, so I suggest you use which ones you want. Have a little extra olive oil and/or pesto in case the pasta is dry, you can add more to loosen it up. We also might try adding some grilled chicken breast to add a bit more protein.

I think this could be a really versatile dish. Let me know how it goes!!!

Veggie Friendly experiment?

Last Friday, I went to a favorite restaurant of mine, before moving on to an event later that evening. This was probably the fourth or fifth time I’ve been to the restaurant and yet another fine experience. I first ate there about two and a half years ago and wrote a review about my experience, but I can’t find it now. I’ll keep looking for it and post if I find it.

But this time around, I wasn’t really hungry, but knew that if I didn’t get something to nosh, I’d regret it later. Off the menu, I choose a ½ sized portion of a pasta dish, I can’t remember the name, sorry.

It was:

Homemade pasta that were long strips (8-10 inches long) about ¾ of an inch wide. These were tossed with oven-roasted spring pea pods, tomatoes, pine nuts and red potatoes. This whole mess was then tossed with pesto and sprinkled with fresh parm. It was great! The only mark down, the pesto needed a little something extra, perhaps another pinch of salt. This tasty treat was huge for a half sized portion. I’d worry about the full size portion.

Is anyone interested in trying to make this with me, “virtually”? I’m going to be in the area of a Whole Foods store tonight, so I can look for some fresh tasty veggies and either buy pasta, or make it. I don’t have a recipe, so this would totally be an experiment!

Let us know by commenting to this message, if you are interested, or if you try anything. I’ll post what I try to do and let you all know how it comes out!

Oh, the restaurant:

Coppi’s Restaurant
1414 U Street NW
Washington, DC
202.319-7773

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And I found the review I wrote in 2002. While reading, remember, I was younger and less refined in my use of language! Especially when I comment on belching. :o)

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An Unsolicited Opinion About What I Had For Dinner Last Night! 12/13/02

After walking by Coppi’s for the last two months, I finally committed myself to eating at this “Organic” establishment.

I was in for a divine treat.

I was greeted with a beaming smile that was 90% welcome-how-can-I-serve-you and 10% the-manager-needs-to-hire-more-wait-staff.

Coppi’s layout is a cozy rectangle in warm colors and capped by a wood burning oven and open kitchen. The walls are covered with bicycle memorabilia from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s 70’s. (Side note that I read while waiting to be seated--Italy’s most famous bicyclist was named Coppi--the U.S. modern equivalent would be Lance Armstrong.) Anyway, it is my guess that this inviting place seats about 40, maybe 50 at any one time.

OK, the best part of any restaurant visit--when you are first handed the menu. I was greeted by a delicious two-page masterpiece, if only I could eat more than one entrée at a time. These pages were graced with several different options of fish, pasta, pizza, salads and appetizers. I only wish I had a copy now to remind myself what I was drooling over.

I chose one of their pizza’s. The Pollo. Chicken with roasted red peppers, red onions, a cheese I can’t remember the name of--but a common one at nonetheless, and a shake of oregano. I opted out of the cremini mushrooms.

OK, dinner ordered, now I can sit back and enjoy my fine glass of bubbly Diet Coké. But oh no--now comes the plate of lovely little nibbly breads. Yummy. Now, I’m not talking about the plate or basket full of the staff of life you get at other restaurants, but small bites of about three different breads. Enough for one person to feel like they got a nice snack to warm the belly up for what is coming next. A few pieces of foccacia with a tomato puree, plain foccacia and some other crunchy little number. Simply adorned with a small bowl of olives.

Now it’s time for my pizza. It seemed to me that they wheeled the oven to my table, this creation was so hot. And that first bite my eyes rolled back and I said slap Your MOMMA! The crust had to have been touched by the hand of Buddha himself. Perfectly crisp and perfectly chewy. Damn those wood burning ovens know how to bake a pizza! The roasted red peppers, so sweet and slightly smoky. The Pollo itself was something dreams are made of. Well to be more honest, it was not dry and chewy as most chicken-breast-as-pizza-toppings can be. But it had it's taste.

When I finished my happy little pizza I belched a happy little belch and asked for the check. For the size, $10 was a tad steep, but for the taste, atmosphere and sheer delight it was right on the money. If you’ve been to Luna at 17th and P, Coppi’s is all they wish they could be.
Coppi’s Restaurant, 1414 U Street, NW 202/319-7773 (call for reservations and hours)

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I still agree with 99% of the review. Although I love Luna and they will always have a place in my belly, I think Coppi's is a finer establishment.


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Pumcakes

For a late brunch today, we had pancakes. But not your ordinary everyday pancakes, not even yummy buttermilk pancakes, but...buttermilk pumpkin pancakes! If you don't like pumpkin pie, you probably won't care for these, but if you like pumpkin pie, it is like eating little pumpkins pies for breakfast. Especially if you serve them with whip cream in a can!

They are a little bit of work, so if you are not an early bird with a clear mind, you might want to plan ahead.

Pumcakes!

For approximately 12-16 pancakes

1 1/4 Cups all purpose flour
3 TB Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice (1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp ground clove, 1/4 fresh grated nutmeg)
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/3 milk (half regular/half buttermilk, or all regular, or all buttermilk)
1 cup Canned Pureed Pumpkin
4 large Eggs, seperated
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Whisk together in a large bowl; flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt

In a seperate large bowl, blend together; milk, pumpkin, egg yolks (reserve whites), melted butter and vanilla.

Stir together the two mixtures by pouring the wet into the dry, this will help prevent lumps.

Set this aside and whip the egg whites into a frothy mixture. If you have a beater, you can go to soft peaks, but you don't have to go the whole way. Fold into the large bowl of batter.

Preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium. Lightly coat with vegetable oil or butter. Using a 1/3 cup measure, pour batter, leaving room between each pancake. Your first batch, may be a sacrifice. When golden brown and bubbles are forming, flip. If you are making alot of pancakes and want to serve them all at once, put on a platter and keep in a warm oven, about 200-250 degrees.

If you have extras, they can be frozen. Place small sheet of wax paper between each and bundle them according to serving size, two, three or four. Thaw in the microwave or oven.

Serve with butter, syrup, whipped cream...if you want. They may be good with just a little touch of butter! Regardless, they are good. Filling, but not super heavy! The whipped egg whites help keep them light and airy.

Notes: I made this recipe from about three different ones I found online. The quantity should be about a dozen or so. If you want to make about two dozen, you do not need to fully double the recipe. Here are the abbreviated amounts of ingredients that I used and I made 26.

2 cups flour
4 1/2 TBS sugar
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp spices (3/4 of each, cinn. & ginger, plus 1/4 clove and nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
2 cups milk (1 cup of regular and buttermilk, each)
1 1/2 cup pumpkin (1 full 15 oz can.)
6 eggs
3/4 stick of butter
2 tsp vanilla

ENJOY!


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Updates Updates Updates

Sorry for the lack of updates over the past days. Without rubbing it in, I was in sunny San Diego and enjoying all the lovely weather! But more on that in a minute, because I do want to talk about the food and wine experiences of souther California and Baja California, Mexico.

But first....

The last post was on July 14. That post related to spices and ordering fancy ones from catalogs and websites. I later ordered 5 different spices from nirmala's kitchen.

Australian Wattle Seed (ground)
Penang Satay Blend
Zanzibar Cheromula
Australian Lemon Myrtle (ground)
Australian Bush Tomato (ground)

I've sort of used three of them so far.

Australia Wattle Seed, I've used as a flavoring for ice cream. Very tasty. Dark coffee flavor without the caffeine. I suppose it could be a substitute.

Penang Satay Blend, I used as a flavoring for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Really tasted like chicken satay from a Thai place. Yum. But the next time I make it, I will use it as a flavoring for the chicken and a sauce with peppers, tomatoes and basil...Can't wait.

Bush Tomato, this is the "sort of" that I used. I used some in a risotto I made, but I was very conservative and didn't use very much, so I couldn't taste to much. The label said it had a taste similiar to sun dried tomatoes. I'll try it again.

The other two spices I haven't tried yet. Will let you know when I do.

OK, San Diego/Southern California

What a lovely time. The first day there, Becca drove us around, up and down the beaches from Oceanside, about 30 miles north of San Diego, to San Diego. We stopped at one place that was perched up on top of a moutain and looked out over the ocean. It was a pretty damn cool.

We all had beers and ordered tasty fried chimichungas (sp). They were really good. Nothing out of the ordinary, but really good. What was extra ordinary, in my opinion, the salsa. It was sort of a roasted salsa and had oregano in it. I kept eating it and eating it! Yum. I can't remember exactly where it was, but it was CABA GRILL. Maybe Becca will remind us where it was, in case you go to San Diego.

On Friday night, we headed to the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, the gay ghetto. We went to a Thai food place and it was all really tasty again. I ordered some fat spicy noodles with chicken and basil and this yummy sauce. I was too busy eating mine to try anyone elses. And affordable. Good times. TASTE OF THAI (527 University Avenue, San Diego, CA). Becca says that that neighborhood has like 17 Thai restaurants, which means the competition will be strong and force them each to provide a better product and this place delivered. And good ambiance as well.

After dinner, we walked for like 100 miles to BAJA BETTY'S (1421 University Avenue, San Diego, CA). OK, it was a few blocks, not bad at all, but I had to pee!!! Betty's is a gay bar/restaurant, that was opened buy the people who opened the local Hamburger Mary's. Good times here. Great Margaritas and a story we'll talk about for ages! Short story, very drunk waiter who was not working out, completely making out with another man. Neither very pretty. Drunky had the underwear ripped off of him and his shorts were down his crack half way...pardon the bluntness...but ewwww...and other drunky, kept sticking his hand further down....while we're drinking...what about the poor fools who were eating?!?!?!? But a fun place none-the-less.

The rest of the time in San Diego, we ate at McDonald's...cause we were always driving...not really, but it seemed like it...the driving and McD's.

We went to LA for the weekend and had a great time there. The best part of LA was staying with Jason's cousin and his partner (Jim and David). They live in the valley, near Studio City in this swank pad! Loved it, The kitchen was too die for! That night we went out to OUT TAKE BISTRO (11929 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA) for dinner. YUM YUM YUM! This food was great. Italian fare, reasonably priced, awesome ambiance. I had a smoked turkey ravioli with a tomatillo sauce. WOW! The ravioli were superb and perfectly cooked, the tomatillo sauce was awesome, really sweet, a great balance to the turkey. Jason had pumpkin ravioli with a butter sage or cream sage sauce...to make your knees shudder! Becca had roasted chicken with risotto. Perfect. Jason's cousin, Jim, had buckwheat noodles with something, I can't remember....also very awesome. David had the same as I.

We had ordered this appetizer that was basically perogies with carmelized onions and creme fraiche. Awesome. Then mixed green salad with a miso dressing. Tasty. Tasty. Tasty.

The restaurant allowed Jim and David to bring in wine, so we had three bottles, Sterling Chardonnay, from Napa, two bottles of that. And a red, I didn't have it, so I can't comment. Sterling was good.

We did have to have dessert. Ordered one creme brulee. It was perfectly flavored, with a perfect crunchy top. But, the texture was a bit soft, it didn't really hold it's shape, was like a really soft pudding. But as I said, great flavor.

Stuffed.

For breakfast we went to GOOD NEIGHBORS down the highway a bit. Standard diner fare. Good times.

On Monday, yes, we went to Mexico and yes, it was only Tijuna, but what fun. We drank lots and Becca and I did a shot of tequila. We drank and ate at Iguana-Rana's Bar & Grill. Basically the TJIFridays of Mexico. But the food was filling and the beers were very cold!

This was the food part of the trip. At least the highlights.

Now, the wine part.

On the first full day, we drove to Temecula, CA. This is a major wine producing area of southern California. There are probably 20+ wineries in Temecula Valley. We visited three. And we bought and spent too much the whole time, but it was worth it!

The first place we stopped: Churon Winery
We tasted 6 wines at this place. Our favorites were, for Jason, their Chardonnay and for me, their Zinfandel.

The second stop: Maurice Car'rie Winery
Here, the tasting was free and we tried seven wines. The favorites were, for me, Sara Bella, a white cabernet sauvignon...it was pink and sweet, but tasty. Jason-Muscat Canelli

The third stop: Ponte Family Winery.
We were sent here from Maurice Car'rie to try their reds, which were sweeter. Here, I got a bottle of Pinot Grigio and Jason got a really sweet white, named after one of the daugthers-Isabel.

I can't remember enough about the wines now, so we'll deal with that late. However, each winery was unique. And I'm going to see what I can say about it. Churon was also a bed & breakfast. Larger tasting room and good amount of gifts. We were the only ones there for sometime. Maurice was hoping and packed. The tasting area was small with good gifts. Ponte was huge by comparison. Large number of people, huge gift shop, as well as a restaurant. Maurice had wines I liked the most. Ponte had wines that more traditionally aligned with what I think of California wines. Churon was sort of middle of the road for me.

The experience was awesome. We wanted to go to another winery, but at that point, we were nearly drunk! Maybe lunch in between one and two or something. We finally got some fried pita chips at Ponte, otherwise I think we would have crashed!!

You can buy wines from Maurice and Ponte. The only way to get Churon wines is to join their wine club.

We'll post more on the wines as we drink them.

It's great to be back home, but I would go back in a heartbeat!

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Sublime

There is an article in today's New York Times' online edition. The story will probably be available for two weeks or so before you would need to retrieve it from their archives. It is a brief story of a woman who started her own spice company. From the article and from the woman's website, I feel like I can start to smell and taste these exotic flavors. Makes me think about the journey of man and how hundreds of years ago humans were drawn to these, driven by the desire to bring back the luscious and decadent herbs and spices that would transform the ordinary to the sublime! I highly encourage you to take a moment to read the Time's article and then visit the woman's website. I'm sure I'll be ordering some canisters of spices in a few weeks. The one I'm most interested, is the Australian Wattle Seed.

There are also recipes on the website for use with these herbs and spices. If you try anything, or buy anything, let me know. I'll do the same. Specifically the Wattle Seed Creme Brulee. WOOF!

New York Times article: For The Spice Rack That Has Everything
I might repost the article later, so that future blog readers will have easy access. If I do, I'll change the link.

nirmala's kitchen: BRING HOME THE EXOTIC


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Simple Char-Grilled Tex-Mex

Last week I received my newest issue of FINE COOKING. I love this magazine and try to make something from it right away. With the evening schedule on the DL tonight, I went to Giant to get what I needed for this delight! Yum. BTW: Giant had Breyers ice cream, 2 for 1!

This dish is really one, but two recipes.

Sirloin Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa

Sirloin Tacos
serves 8

Serve these with the roasted tomato salsa (below) as well as chopped lettuce, cilantro, sour cream and your other favorite taco condiments.

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon granulated garlic
1 Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Teaspoon dried thyme
2 pounds sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick
package (10-16) of small tortillas, corn or flour

In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic, pepper and thyme; blend well. sprinkle both sides of the steak with the dry rub and then rub it in. Let the meat sit for half an hour at room temperature.

To cook it: The recipe calls for grilling it. If you have a grill, do that. We used a grill pan. If you have one, use it. If you have a fry pan, use that. Cook about 5 minutes on each side for medium. Adjust from there.

When done, allow to rest for five to ten minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Serve with warm tortillas, fixin's and roasted tomato salsa.

Roasted Tomato Salsa
yields about 2 cups

Serranos are generally hotter than jalapenos, but they are also smaller, so you can use either, in the same quantity.

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
6 medium Roma tomatoes
1-2 Jalapeno peppers
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 cup, coarsely chopped cilantro, fresh
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

In a small bowl, rinse onions in cool water. This will pull out some of the bitter/sharp taste of the raw yellow onion. Drain. Mix with lime juice and set aside.

In a dry, heavy skillet (cast iron if you have it) over high heat, "roast" the tomatoes, chiles and garlic until charred on all sides. 2-5 minutes for the garlic, 8-10 for the chiles, 12-15 for the tomatoes. When done, whirl it all up in a food processor until well chopped, but slightly chunky--like me! Transfer to the bowl of onions, mix and taste. Add more lime juice or salt to taste.

NOTES: I halved both recipes for us. 1 pound of meat. 3 tomatoes, 1 jalapeno, 1/4 of an onion...all was really good. There was no cilantro at the store, so I didn't substitute...it was great without it. We figure this would be a great recipe for entertaining...I'm sure we will do it for our meat eater guests!

UPDATE: See a photo of this when I served it at home 2/10/06.

Passport: Mexico

Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas with Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

These are soooo yummy. They are great for a casual dinner, appetizers or as an easy party hors d’oeuvre. They can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, with a quick reheat on the stove before you serve. And maybe even frozen.

I’ve written this recipe down once and when I recently looked back at it, I laughed. I’m going to start from scratch here.

2 Red Bell Peppers-roasted/sliced (optional)
1 lb Chicken-boneless/skinless (optional)
10 Flour tortillas
1 4 cup package of shredded cheese (I like the “Mexican” blend by Kraft or store brand)
Lime (2) (optional)
Cilantro (bunch) (optional)
Sour Cream-low/no fat works(optional)
Salsa (optional)
Salt/Pepper (optional)
McCormick’s Grill Seasoning (optional)
Mrs. Dash (optional)
Olive or Vegetable Oil

All you really need to make a quesadilla is tortillas and cheese. The rest is up to you.

To start, we need to roast the red peppers. I do this one of two ways. You can decide which will work best for you. Also, the red peppers are not necessary, omit them if you like, or buy jarred ones! But for educating the masses here is how I roast them.

Option 1:
Place the peppers in an oven proof pan. Place under the broil. Give them a few minutes, about 4, check. If they are blackening/“burning,” let them. You want them to be charred. When one side is fully charred, rotate and get the next side. Fully char the whole pepper. What this does is burn the skin and roast the insides of the pepper. When they are fully charred, remove from the broiler and place in a bowl. Place this bowl in a paper bag or cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit for twenty minutes. You can now remove the charred skin (it basically wipes/slides off) and be left with tender tasty roasted red bell peppers. Slice out the stem and seed pod from the inside. You might have some juice inside the pepper. I save this and pour onto the chicken later. You don’t have to. Now slice into quarter inch strips. Done.

Option 2:
On a gas stove, place the pepper over a high flame. Watch and rotate to char each side. Then place in a bag or bowl to cool, and follow the remaining directions from above.

Moving on…
Prepare your chicken by seasoning on both sides. I sprinkle liberally with Mrs. Dash and McCormick’s Grill Seasoning. Sometimes a generic “seasoning salt.” Place into a sauté pan over medium high heat, which has had about 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil put in. Once you place the chicken, allow to sit for about 5 minutes, this will get a nice crust on it and coat it thoroughly. Flip and cook the other side. Same thing; about 5 minutes. If the chicken breast are larger or thicker, you may need to give them another few minutes. If you are worried they are going to burn, turn the heat down to medium.

When they are done, remove from the pan and place on a plate, allow to cool to for five minutes.

Now, chop them up. I stick a fork in one end and just start running my knife through into about ¼ inch slices. Then I turn them a ¼ turn and do it again. You’ll get lovely little bites of chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl.

Zest and juice both limes. Pour ½ the juice over the chicken. Stir chicken and allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the materials. Add a handful of chopped cilantro.

Clean out your fry pan, wipe clean. Put over medium heat.

Begin Assembly:
1 tortilla, then two tablespoons of shredded cheese, then about a quarter cup of chicken, then a few red peppers, then another tablespoon of shredded cheese, top with another tortilla. I do this on a cutting board next to my pan, and then with a flipper, carefully move the pan. Allow to sit for about two minutes. Lift the top tortilla. Is the cheese melting? If so, give the top tortilla a press down and then carefully flip. Your bottom tortilla is now on top and should be lightly browned/crisped. Give another minute or two. Peek between the tortillas and you should see them getting all goopy and melty and yummy.

Remove to cutting board and slice and serve. Top with your favorite salsa and or sour cream.

If you want to make these in advance, cook them all the way, place on a wire rack to cool completely. Stack with a sheet of wax paper between each one. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To reheat, over medium heat, in a pan, place the quesadilla. Allow a few minutes per side. The tortilla will crisp back up and the insides will get all warm and gooey again.

I’m guessing they should be good after being frozen. Thaw in the fridge over night, then reheat as described above. Enjoy.



To make the Cilatnro-Lime Sour Cream

-Chop a small handful of cilantro

-Pour the sour cream into a bowl. Add the reserved lime juice, lime zest, small pinch of salt and grind or two of fresh black pepper. Stir to combine.

If you can, do this the night before. The lime and cilantro flavors will grow over night!!!! But if you make it right away, it will be just as good.

Oh hell, here is what I do to make my own salsa.

6 ripe Roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes)
1 medium white onion (finely diced)
½ Jalapeno pepper (finely diced)
Cilantro, large handful (chopped)
S/P to taste
Lime, juiced

Mix tomatoes, onions, pepper and cilantro. Pour in juice from one lime. Salt and Pepper to taste. If it sits over night, YUMMY!

OK, I’m sure this was rough to read. Let me know if you have any questions.


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Tagine Follow up

Hello Everyone.

Hope you all had a good time with the Quick Chicken Tagine. Below you will see some comments by those who participated last night and posted their comments. I had intended on making it, but the air conditioning wasn’t working and it was too damn hot to stand over a stove to cook. If it’s working, we’ll be having the chicken tonight…also without the couscous, as we have salad fixin’s we need to use. Thanks all. If you haven’t posted comments yet, please do so, it’s great to hear what worked and what doesn’t. I’m going to try to do another event in about two to three weeks. I have another simple Rachel Ray recipe, but I might also kick it up a notch with something else….? We’ll see what I’m in the mood to post.

And here are the comments we have so far:

Terri L in WI:
I decided to do a bit of mall shopping after work tonight, but still had plenty of time to make this recipe. Sooo easy! I whoops-ed at the beginning... started cooking the chicken before adding the garlic. No biggie, seemed to work just fine. I didn't make couscous, but had intended to grill pita to have along with the chicken. Unfortunately, when I opened the package of pita bread, the bread had started to mold! So disgusting. Quite upsetting, really, as I was looking forward to the pita, but I substituted whole wheat bread, grilling it in a pan with some olive oil and it worked quite well. No side dish for me. No veggie's either.... hmmm... haven't quite gotten my four food groups in today. Whoops! Still, it was fabulous! I opened a bottle of wine that is new to me, Barefoot California Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon is a jammy wine with robust flavors of wild berries and currants. Hints of toasted oak and clove complete the velvety, smooth finish"

Quite inexpensive and very tasty. Still enjoying it... and a bit tipsy, I might add. :) A great evening of food and wine. When can we do it again??

Scott: Sorry to hear about the pita. Take it back and blame the store. Good to know the wine is tasty! Rock on. Some co-workers of mine have spent lots of time in Morocco for work. They say beer is really the best thing to have with the tagine. I’m sure it is…but no reason wine doesn’t work either. I had asked if there was such a thing as good north African wine and people giggled and said the only thing worse is wine from India. OK then.

The Kara:
Cilantro - not just a garnish! Had fun cooking this dish - met all my 'easy' requirements (I could make it) and it was quick enough that I could do it while throwing in a load of laundry. I'm not big on raisins or couscous so ditched both of those. Completely took the tip on the pita and loved it... also the sauce is so good that any other veggie side you add will also soak up the goodness. I didn't have 'sweet paprika' - just regular paprika - does that make much of a difference? Wound up adding more eventually to spice it up. Good Call!

Scott: Did you do a bag of mixed frozen veg or was it a fresh veg? I’d be interested in hearing which vegs you used. The pita is great. I like to spritz mine with a tiny bit of olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt. Glams it up a bit. I don’t know the differences really, with the paprika. We have Hungarian, which is darker and smokier and we have “fancy.” I think that means, expensive for no real reason. Happy to know you adjusted the quantity to make it more to your liking. It is easy!

Tagine Tonight

Hello all. Tonight is the night for the Quick Chicken-Tagine. Hope everyone will have an opportunity to make it. Sorry I didn't get some side dishes posted last week. Here is one I intended on doing. I do apologize for the delay.

This really is just a chopped up veg salad, almost a salsa. A nice option to go with the Tagine.
Enjoy.


Green Pepper and Tomato Salad
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Prep Time: 10 minutes ● Yield: 4 servings

2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 ½ inch dice
3 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
½ lemon, juiced (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro in a bowl with your fingertips. Add the juice of the lemon evenly over the salad. Next, sprinkle a tablespoon of vinegar over the salad. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the salad, add the salt, pepper and cumin. Toss again. Taste to adjust seasonings and serve.




I look forward to hearing comments from those who will be making the Tagine. Please let me know if you have any questions.


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Passport Stamp-Morocco

It has been awhile since the first Eat With Me special event—Cooking Without Borders (still don’t like the name, any suggestions?). So, it’s time for the next event.

Cooking Without Borders gives this blogs readers an opportunity to make the same recipe on the same evening and to post their feedback, allowing for an improved cooking experience in the future.

I will post the recipe below and the shopping list, as well as any tips I have to offer.

This special event will be scheduled for next Monday, June 27, 2005. If you are unavailable, perhaps Sunday or Tuesday. I’d recommend shopping over the weekend, the following recipe is very easy, but has some ‘exotic’ ingredients. You might need one or two trips to one or two grocery stores.

Quick Tagine-Style Chicken
(4 servings)

A tagine (or tajine) is any of a various Moroccan and North African stews featuring meat or poultry gently simmered with vegetables, olives, preserved lemons, garlic and spices like cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, saffron and tumeric. Tagines are often served with couscous. (Food Lovers Companion, 3rd ed.)

A tagine is also a style of cookware designed for this same style dish. Although pretty and I’m sure practical, not something I have room for in my kitchen.

This tagine comes from our dear friend Rachel Ray. So you know what that means…30 minutes until you eat! Rachel does not used preserved lemons or olives. I’m sure both would be delightful if added. If you would like to pay homage to the preserved lemons, perhaps some lemon wedges on the side of the plate as a garnish.

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cracked
1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 ½ teaspoons grill seasoning blend (Rachel recommends: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
1 large yellow skinned onion, quartered and sliced
¼ cup golden raisins
2 cups chicken stock/broth

Spice blend:
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

Couscous:
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups couscous
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
2 scallions, finely chopped

Garnish:
Chopped cilantro leaves
Finely chopped scallions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a slow stream, and add smashed garlic. Season the chicken with grill seasoning blend. Scatter chicken around the pan in an even layer. Cook chicken pieces 2 minutes on each side to brown, then add the onions, raisins and stock. Mix remaining spices in a small dish and scatter over the pot. Cover and reduce to moderate heat. Cook 7 or 8 minutes.

To prepare the couscous, bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium pot. Add couscous, extra-virgin olive oil and scallions and remove the couscous from the stove immediately. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork.

Uncover chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and serve chicken on a bed of couscous. Garnish with chopped cilantro and scallions. (and lemon wedges!)

You may want to serve some pita or flat bread on the side. Just warm in a 250 oven for ten minutes.

One note: We've made this with a pound of chicken thighs. They are cheaper and just as easy to make. Just brown for a few minutes on each side before adding the onions and raisins.

Here is your Shopping List:
olive oil
1 head of garlic
1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
1 large yellow onion
golden raisins (small box/bag)
chicken stock/broth (quart)
ground cumin
sweet paprika
ground coriander
turmeric
ground cinnamon
couscous (1 box)
scallions/green onions (1 bunch)
cilantro (1 bunch)
lemon (optional)
pita/flat bread (optional)

Hopefully your "pantry" has most, if not al lthe spices and olive oil, so you don't have to splurge to get them all at once. If you have most of them, this can be a very affordable meal.

OK, this entry is getting way to long. In the next day or two I'll post an option or two for a side dish.

Questions? Comments?


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Two Things Before the weekend

Hello all,

No new recipes today, sorry. Been really busy this week, but I wanted to pass on two things before the weekend begins.

1) Went to dinner with Lady Brandenburg this Wednesday to Silverado's in Annandale, VA. Yes, it's in Timbuktu and yes, you need a passport, but it's really good. The appetizer we had were these Tex Mex "Egg Rolls." A smoked chicken with beans and corn and some sauce. Very tasty. Lady B had their crabcakes which just about made me cry. Very good. I had this sirloin tips with a lime tequila cream sauce on penne pasta. Yum O! If you get out that way, check it out.

2) To follow up on the last post regarding the Coke Zero. I tried another new Coke product. This one...Diet Coke Splenda. Recommended, at least to try. Tastes more like Coke than Diet Coke but without a crazy aftertaste. It's less syrupy than Coke as well. I like this one. I guess it's also good for those on the South Beach diet.

Well, have a good weekend. If I get a chance this weekend, I plan on making a few things and will let you know how they go. Got a recipe for a cake that made me think naughty thoughts.


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Zero=Loser

If you know me, you know I'm impulsive when it comes to buying things. Especially new products. I'll try most new candies and snacks once, the same for beverages.

Coca-Cola recently launched a new calorie free cola--Coca-Cola Zero.

From the March 21, 2005 press release from Coca-Cola:

"Coca-Cola Zero is exactly what young adults told us they wanted - real
Coca-Cola taste, zero calories and a new brand they can call their own," said
Dan Dillon, vice president, Diet Portfolio, Coca-Cola North America. "Young
people today do not want to compromise on flavor or calories and we think
Coca-Cola Zero's taste and personality will appeal to them."

Coca-Cola Zero will be sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame
potassium (ace-k), and will be available in a broad range of package sizes.
The launch of Coca-Cola Zero will have no impact on Coca-Cola North America's ongoing support for Diet Coke, America's #1 diet soft drink, as the target audiences are different.

And herein lies the problem. The first taste is that of the classic Coca-Cola taste. But pretty much as soon as you swallow, you feel like you poured ten packets of Equal on your tongue and swallowed. The tinny, metallic, medicinal taste of aspartame is really overwhelming.

Sorry Coke, I'm going to stick with my Diet Cokes. Vanillas, Limes, Lemons and Cherries included!



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I said I was going to take a leek

Here is one of our favorite dinners. I think you can make it with your eyes closed. The only problem with this dish is that you generally do not have leeks in your crisper. But if you do, run-don't walk and get started! We serve this with rice. Oh, by the way, a Rachel Ray recipe. My comments are in italics.

Too-Easy Chicken with Leeks

makes 4 servings (right, if you're an Olssen twin)

2 leeks
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (twice around the pan)
1 cup dry white wine (make sure you would want to drink a glass of it, if not, don't cook with it)

Trim the tough, dark green ends and roots off the leeks. Light to medium-green is good. Split them lenghtwice, then cut across into 1/2 inch slices. Place into a large bowl of cold water and spin around to get the sand out. Lift out and drain.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to coat the skillet. Add the chicken breast and brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate. Add a little more olive oil, then add the leeks and saute, five minutes, until they become soft. Add the wine to the pan and nest the chicken breast down into the leeks. Reduce heat to a simmer for another five to seven minutes. To serve, remove the chicken from the pan and slice on an angle. Fan and arrange sliced chicken breast over a bed of the sauteed leeks on each dinner plate or warm serving platter. (You don't have to!)

Rustic Italian Comfort

This recipe is from a special issue of Fine Cooking magazine, their Comfort Foods special edition. It is soooo tasty. Hot and muggy summer days are not the best for this kind of dish, best suited for a chilly autumn afternoon.

This begs the question...what are the best "comfort foods" for summer? Let me know if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear from you.

I believe this dish gets its name from Calabria, a region in southern Italy.

Calabrese Pork Ragu with Fennel
Serves 2 to 6, depending on how hungry you are!

2 Tbs, Olive Oil
6 Oz, Pancetta, finely chopped[1]
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbs, finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs, whole fennel seeds, crushed
3 lbs, ground pork[2]
salt/pepper
1 Tsp, sugar
1 Tsp, dried oregano
1, bay leaf
1 Tsp, crushed red chilé flakes
1 Cup, dry white wine
2 Cups, tomato puree[3]
¾ Cup, tomato paste[4]
butter
pasta
grated Parmigiano Reggiano


Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12-15 minutes[5]. Add the garlic and crushed fennel and stir for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Increase the heat to medium high. In the same pot, add just enough of the ground pork to make one layer (don’t crumble it; instead, break it into pieces to brown). Season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat all over, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the first batch of meat to the bowl and sear the remaining pork in batches, if necessary; add more olive oil as needed.

Return all the seared pork and the onion mixture to the pot. Add the sugar, oregano, bay leaf, red chilé flakes, 2 tsp. salt and 1 ½ tsp. pepper and stir to combine. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, stirring up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by at least half. Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and bring the sauce to a boil (mixture will be thick).

Add ½ cup water, reduce the heat, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 1 ½ to 2 hours. As it cooks, juices will evaporate; add more water periodically, letting it reduce after each addition, to total of 1 ½ to 2 cups. After 1½ hours, the meat should be tender and the flavors melded. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Immediately before serving, whisk ½ tbs. butter per serving[6] into the sauce and toss with the pasta. Serve with sprinkled Parmigiano Reggiano if you like.

[1] Pancetta is preferred, but a thick cut bacon works just as well. Just sauté by itself for a few minutes to get more of the fat out, drain, then add back and add onions. If you use Pancetta, stick it in the freezer for ten minutes before you start to prepare this recipe. Pancetta is tough to cut and freezing helps the process.
[2] Ground Pork is what the original recipe calls for. It’s fine. A ‘meatloaf’ mix is actually what I prefer, for the multiple flavors it adds to the dish, guess you’d just have to call this Calabrese Ragu with Fennel then.
[3] This is vital for the fullest flavor. Other canned tomato products are ok, but not preferred. If I don't have tomato puree on hand, but have other canned tomato products, I put them through the food processor for a few seconds.
[4] Again, very vital for a deep full flavor dish. Made this once with just a tablespoon and it wasn’t enough, the dish lacked the richness provided by tomato paste.
[5] Letting the onion and pancetta get golden brown and delicious makes the final sauce deeper in flavor.
[6] Sounds weird and could be skipped, but makes all the difference in the world. WOW! Transforms the dish from great to sublime, mostly in a silkiness created by the butter coating everything. Doesn't make the dish 'oily.'

Special K

I didn’t know what I was getting into for lunch today. I really didn’t want to eat the same deli sandwich as I do, or the same pizza, or the same bag of chips and Snickers…. I was craving Chinese so I went to a restaurant just around the corner from my office. We don’t have many quick places, so I figured this would be a full hour lunch…that’s ok. It’s officially summer and going out for an hour lunch is ok. I didn’t want to go to far, as I suspected it would be hot and nasty humid. A side note on the weather, it is hot, but not nasty humid, just barely humid. I liked it.

So I went to Mr. K’s.

They are at 2121 K Street NW, Washington DC. I would recommend this for more of a special occasion, not so much with the quick sit down lunch.

It’s very swank, as far as Chinese restaurants go. Sort of lush and dimly lit, but not dank in anyway. Big squishy chairs, “gold” plated flatware, rimmed plates and serving dishes. Tables that are lit from underneath. Servers and staff are in tuxes. Certainly not your friendly neighborhood Szechwan House!!!

I got my diet Coke and water and ordered Sesame Beef, strips of beef, lightly floured, lightly fried and in a sauce. I was expecting sort of chewy, skinny strips of beef in an oily, salty, heavy sauce….it really what I was craving. What I got were these large, tender, slightly crisp pieces of beef in this rich, tasty sauce, without the typical oily-ness that accompanies so much Chinese food. It was really tasty. The rice came in a “gold” serving dish, a miniature of round chaffing dish, without the fire, but same style.

I ate up my dish and throughout; the staff was very attentive, without being intrusive. Here’s a hot towel to wash your hands, here’s this, here’s that.

When I finished, they whisked away the plate and flatware and here came this giant two tiered dessert cart, fresh fruit on top with a few liqueurs and some lovely cakes below. I just asked for coffee. WELL, I didn’t know it was going to be a whole thing. I really just wanted one cup of coffee. They brought this giant apparatus to my table. Like an old chemistry set. A double balloon glass coffee maker. The bottom had water and was sitting over a flame. A tube to another balloon full of coffee grounds connected the top. As the water on the bottom heated up, it rose to the top to drench the coffee. I was mesmerized. Once all the water was on top, this contraption started shaking and spouting coffee, the waiter came over and put out the flame, the coffee flowed back into the bottom balloon and he removed the top and poured into a pot. My one-cup turned into a full pot. I only had the one-cup, but I could have certainly drunk all of it. It was a very nice cup of coffee.

All of this in 45 minute. Not bad. But it was on the pricey side. But for the service and ambiance, good food and fancy coffee, worth it. But based on price alone, I can’t go back just for lunch by myself.

Two locations:

2121 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
202.331.8868

570 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212.583.1668

Drunky Drunk

Many moons ago we ordered Thai for delivery. The dish we both loved was the Drunken noodles, a dish we both had had at many Thai restaurants, including T.H.A.I. Shirlington, in "Historic" Shirlington, VA. Lovely fat noodles with a zippy brown sauce with ground chicken or chicken breast and basil. Yum. So after having a few variations, I started to attempt to recreate the recipe.

The first time I made this dish, it was perfect! BUT....I didn't write the recipe down. This version is 2.0. Great, but still needing a tiny bit of fine tuning. I thought I would post it here and see if anyone wanted to try it.

Drunken Thai Noodles

2 TB Peanut Oil
½ Small Yellow Onion, diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 lb Ground Turkey (or ground chicken or pork)
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
2 TB Soy Sauce
3 TB Hoisin Sauce
1 tsp Ground Ginger (I think I used dried, powdered, ground...but fresh would be great)
2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
½ tsp Sugar
1 C Broth-Chicken or veggie
1 tsp Cornstarch
3 TB Fresh Basil

Ho Fan (Vermicelli) or Lo Mein Noodles (Note 1)

·In a large pot, bring water to a boil, when boiling, begin next step.
·Over High Heat in a non stick skillet, heat the peanut oil, until shimmering
·Add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes
·Saute for 1 min, stirring constantly, to avoid having the garlic burn
·Add crumbled ground turkey, cook until nearly browned.
·Add ½ cup of hot water and the bell peppers. (Note 2)
·Continue cooking until nearly all the water has cooked off, about 4-5 minutes. The turkey will be completely cooked at this point.
·Add noodles to the water and stir. The noodles take 5 minutes.
·Meanwhile, mix the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and sugar. Stir into the turkey mixture, simmer briefly, approximately 1 minute.
·Mix the cornstarch into a small bit of the broth, to remove any lumps. Pour this mixture into the full cup of broth. Slowly add to the skillet, stirring constantly. (Note 3)
·Cook for another minute or two. The sauce will thicken. Turn off the heat and add the basil. ·Drain the noodles and rinse briefly with hot water. Add to the turkey and sauce. Stir to combine. Serve immediately



Note 1: These noodles can be found in the Asian food section of your grocery store. The Ho Fan noodles are preferred, but the Lo Mein noodles work well. These noodles are about the size of Fettuccine, in width.

Note 2: The water is to help cook the turkey, there is little oil in this recipe and little fat in the turkey. The water also helps to steam the bell peppers. If you are using ground pork, you may be able to omit the water in this step. To decide, is the mixture “dry” in appearance or is there a lot of oil? If there is a lot of oil, the you can either: drain the oil and add the water, or skip the water and just move forward.

Note 3: The cornstarch is to make the liquid more of a sauce, with a thicker consistency. Can be omitted if you prefer.



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Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to...

...Strawberry Fields

So quickly, must share.

Had a housewarming on Saturday night and had yummy food and tasty wine. One of our lovely guests brought the sweetest, tastiest, freshiest, still warm from the sun Strawberries. They had gone to a pick your own place and brought some to our party. Seriously....EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANT in a STRAWBERRY...this was it. Oh My Gawd!

The Strawberries are less than $2 a pound...of course you are picking you own, but come on!!!

I'm going to look into going...hope folks in the DC metro area can try to go as well!

http://www.pickyourown.com/


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Cracker Barrel This!

Back in the day when I was not to suppose to eat at the Cracker Barrel because of their stupid discriminatory practices towards gay and lesbian employees, I would still go...but I would sit silently in protest while eating their food. My favorite side dish at Cracker Barrel is their cheesy potatoey casseroley thing. I'd sometimes order two servings of it. And for the longest time, I've been trying to figure out how to make it. This morning...I got it!

Hashbrown Casserole

For 6-10 people

2 lbs of frozen hashbrown potatoes (the shredded hashbrowns, not the patty, formed kind)
1 medium onion, finely diced or shredded
1/2 cup butter, cubed, reserve about a 1/4 of this butter for the top
2 cup of sour cream
1 can of Cream of soup, I used cream of Chicken
10 oz, shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & Pepper to taste

Schlup it all together in a large bowl and dumped into a buttered baking pan, 13x9. Drop a few small bits of butter on top. Bake for 40-50 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Will be really hot and bubbly and starting to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating. Yum-o!


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I Want to Ride My Bicycle, I Want to Ride My Bike

I normally hate Chardonnay, but last night I had an entire bottle of a very tasty, cheaper Chardonnay from France. I'd recommend this wine. I think we paid $8 for the bottle. It's not oaky or buttery like the Chards that I do not like.

Red Bicyclette
Chardonnay
2003
French

Bonjour! Welcome to Red Bicyclette, from a little corner of the very best place in France. Wines from a place where the sheer joy of living is as easy as riding a bike. Wines from villages where the butcher, the baker and the candlestick-maker, still exist. Wines that are meant to be shared, like magical moments pedaling together through the countryside. A field of flowers, a hillside of lavender, the scents and flavors of the countryside captured in the bottle. Crisp red apple with a hint of buttery pear and spice, perfectly balanced and easy to enjoy, as easy as riding a bike.

Homemade Chicken Dumpling Soup

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This is a very simple and common recipe, but I do call it my ancient family secret recipe. Please go forth and make this healthy, hearty, heart-warming soup. I know it goes to my Grandmother and I’m sure it goes back further than that, but I don’t know for sure.

I’m vague with the ingredients, as it’s sort of based on your likes and dislikes, what’s in your fridge or market, and how many people you want to make this for. In order to make a more flavorful soup, I first ‘amplify’ the broth/stock/bouillon. Read below to understand. Basically, a regular can of broth or a cube of bouillon can be tasty, but also a bit fake. I take an extra step to make it better. Since I’m not about to make homemade stock.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

1 large head of celery
1 large bag of baby carrots
2 large onions
chicken, either in pieces or boneless skinless (for a healthy/easier version)
Salt and Pepper
Bay Leave
“Mrs. Dash”
Chicken Broth or Bouillon

3 Eggs
Flour (a few cups are needed)

Divide the vegetables in half. The first half should be roughly chopped. Clean the celery and chop into pieces about three/four inches long. Remove the root end, but use the leaves. The onion, same thing, cut off the root end, leave the skin on and roughly chop, large chunks. With baby carrots, just cut in half. If you have some parsley, throw it in.

Throw all this in a pot and the bay leaf and either 1) cover with about 8 cups of water and add a few bouillon cubes and bring to a simmer or 2) cover with canned chicken broth. (About 4-5 cans). I prefer step one and I prefer the “Knox” brand chicken bouillon cubes. They are really cheap and are in a small yellow box near the canned broths. When the kettle is simmering, add the chicken. Keep this pot at a simmer until….this depends. If you are using chicken parts with bones and skin, leave them in their for a long while. This will allow the full body and flavor to come out while the chicken is cooking. As long as an hour. Pour the entire pot into a strainer, reserving the broth. If you are using boneless skinless, just simmer for about 12 minutes and the vegetables are tender. Again, drain and reserve the broth.

Return the broth and bring to a medium simmer, light boil. Cut the remaining vegetables into uniform bite-size pieces, add to the broth. Cut or shred the chicken. Add to the broth. Keep simmering.

In a bowl, whisk the three eggs with a pinch of salt and a few grinds/shakes of black pepper. Also add a tablespoon of Mrs. Dash. Slowly add in the flour, eventually you’ll get a heavy, doughy, sticky blob. Begin pinching pieces off about the size from the tip of your thumb to the first joint of the your thumb…average. Drop into the simmering broth. Repeat until the pot is full and the dough is gone. The ‘dumplings’ will sink to the bottom and as they cook rise to the top. Once they are all floating on the surface, basically you’re done. I like to keep them going for awhile longer. Salt and pepper to taste. The bouillon is very salty, so use caution and taste first.

At this point, eat or, cool the soup and refrigerate. This is one of those----so much better the next day---soups. Bring to a simmer on the stove or heat in the microwave. Try not to boil, a vigorous boil can break apart the dumplings.

This recipe is very vague as I don’t write it down, I just do it. Let me know, via the comments, if you have any questions or suggestions. You can add extra vegetables if you like. I’d add them after the ‘broth’ is made. Green beans, corn, broccoli are all vegetables I’ve seen…but wouldn’t put in my soup for all the world….this would violate my grandmothers memory…but please do what you want!!!! And let me know it turns out.


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