Cake Love or Not To Love, THAT is the question

A few weeks ago, a few of us had a cathartic conversation regarding CAKE LOVE here in DC. We had our positives, but we had our negatives and ultimately said that Cakelove is overrated.

This was posted in today's Washington Post online chat with food critic Tom Sietsema:

Tom Sietsema: Gang, I received the following earlier this week from cake baker Warren Love, who gave me permission to reprint it here. (I declined his offer to send me samples, but retried a few on my own, as an anonymous shopper.)

Hello Tom,Warren Brown from CakeLove here.

I want to extend additional information about our products which it appears may clear up some confusion about how to serve products from CakeLove. I have seen on-line @ Ask Tom several comments that state CakeLove tastes like lard or is dry and is hard. To me, this suggests that people are eating the cakes, cupcakes, and other pastries at temperatures other than room temperature. We've seen similar comments in the past from customers who were eating the product straight from the fridge. Cold, butter based cake will taste just how your readers have described it. Because of that, we advise that everything from CakeLove be served at room temperature. To be sure, we refrigerate our products because of the fresh and perishable ingredients included, whether in the fillings or buttercreams. Not everyone wants to wait though and many people remain new customers, so we've renewed our efforts to make people aware of the importance of"serving cake @ room temp."At Love Cafe, we ask that customers wait 5-15 minutes before eating slices of cake, crunchy feet with buttercream, buzz balls, cupcakes or any other refrigerated pastry. At CakeLove where visitors and customers can get whole cakes and pastries to go, we ask/encourage people to leave whole cakes at room temp for no less than 60-90 minutes prior to slicing. The cheesecake is an exception that tastes good chilly or @ room temp. When I can, I give our cakes up to 4 hours before slicing into it.

In general, the longer the wait, the better the taste. I once had a Strawberry Shortcake after flying (unrefrigerated) to South Carolina with it from DC. The flavors @ room temp vs. refrigerated are markedly different. A customer once said the New German Chocolate cake is good cold but 10,000 times better when it's at room temp. I agree 100%.Under this renewed initiative to serve no cake before its time, we made palm cards in the spirit of a cautionary road sign. It features a person with a cake, a thermometer at 72 degrees, and the phrase "serve cake @ room temp". I hope people find it cute as well as informative. I'd be happy to send you the palm card so you can see it.

Also, we have a comprehensive serving guide on our new web site, cakelove.com. It's amazing how much scratch made cakes and pastries are a novelty in the market- especially those made with butter. We're happy to and welcome the opportunity to share with our customers and visitors the steps we encourage to really enjoy what we bake everyday. I would greatly appreciate it if you would share this info with your readers. In addition, I would like to send to your attention a sampler platter of our products for your review @ room temp. If you are interested, please provide me with a time and place for delivery.

Best Regards,
Warren Brown
CakeLove/Love Cafe
"Sugar Rush" on Food Network @ 9:30pm EST/8:30 CST

Thanks MCB for passing this on. Let's discuss!

Tonight's Dinner

This is what we had for dinner tonight. First time in about five years I've made it. Some changes need to be noted, please visit the original post for my updated comments.

First Test of Rachel's 365 No Repeats recipe

Decided to test a recipe in Rachel Ray's 365 No Repeats cookbook.

I ended up with the same basic dish, but changed some things and did a little improve along the way.

Cumin & Lime Roasted Pork Tenderloin
with Spicy Creamed Corn

Serves 4

FOR PORK:
2 1/4 lbs Pork Tenderloin (I used, for two servings, two thick Pork Loin Chops)
Juice of 2 limes
4 TB Olive Oil
2 TB Cumin
1 TB Coriander
Salt/Pepper

FOR CORN:
2 TB Butter
1 Large yellow onion, diced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1 Small red bell pepper, diced
1 lb Frozen Corn
1 TB flour
1 1/2 Cup Broth (chicken or veg)
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Medium handful chopped cilantro

Here are my steps, as it will be easier than typing out what the book says, it follows pretty close.

1) Turn oven to 500. I mixed the olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, lime juice, poured it over the pork and let it sit for about ten minutes. If I would have had longer, I think I would have, without the lime juice, as it will start to cook it if it sits too long.

If the pork is all you are doing, cook for about 20 minutes in the oven, turn 1/2 way through.

Let them set before serving for about 5 minutes.

If you're doing the corn, continue on.

2) Add butter to a medium high heat saute pan. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno and red pepper, saute for 5 minutes until onions are soft. I added a bit of lime juice (about 2 TB) and cumin here, about 1/2 tsp. Add corn, stir to incorporate and come to temperature.

3) Sprinkle on flour, cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, stir. Add cream, stir. Lower temperature and let simmer and bubble until thick and creamy. It will continue to thicken. I kept mine going for about 10 minutes while the pork cooked. Prior to serving, throw in cilantro, stir.

For serving, I garnished pork and corn with chopped cilantro.

That's really it. It was tasty. Tart and smoky. I would make it again and I would serve it too guests.

Thanksgiving Side-Drunken Cranberries

I first had homemade cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving dinner in 1998. I was very apprehensive, because I’d only ever had the canned jellied cranberries, which I was fond of—and they still make a special appearance every year on the Thanksgiving table…love those ridges from the can! I was watching as they were made and thought that it was really cool watching these tart, hard little berries become this tangy classic side dish.

I began the following year’s Thanksgiving preparations by trying my own hand with homemade cranberry sauce. I wanted to try something a little special and decided to add two types of liquor.

The result was very good, but still more tart than I would have liked. The next year I tried adding a can of crushed pineapple to the cranberries. This was perfect! The crushed pineapple blends right into the dish, most people don’t even realize that it is there.

In the past, I made this recipe multiple times each season, once for a work holiday celebration, my own Thanksgiving dinner and another special dinner. It has been my experience that even non-cranberry eaters become fans of this great dish.

Note: It is my understanding that the alcohol content cooks away during the cooking process. But, not being a scientist, I don’t know if that is completely true.

DRUNKEN CRANBERRIES
Yield: Approximately 1 Quart (8 to 12 servings)
Cooking Time: Approximately 20 minutes

1lb Fresh Cranberries
¼ cup of bourbon
¼ cup of triple sec
1 orange, juiced—it’s ok if pieces and chunks are included, but no seeds.
1 lemon juiced—ditto
1 cup sugar
large (14-16oz) can of crushed pineapple
1/3 cup of the pineapple juice from the can

Combine bourbon, triple sec, sugar, orange & lime juice. Simmer until sugar is dissolved.

Add rinsed and cleaned cranberries. I remove any cranberries that are soft or damaged.

Stir into the sugar, coat all the cranberries. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until cranberries POP! (about 10 minutes)

Remove from heat and add crushed pineapple and it’s juice.

Stir until completely mixed.

REFRIGERATE, served COLD.

For the cranberries, I buy them, a few bags prior to Thankgiving and I throw them in the freezer, where they freeze perfectly and last the full year. I’ve also popped out a few to use as garnish in Cosmopolitans!

This will kill ya'

My southern soul mama is on tv now, so I decided to share this recipe.

I made this recipe for a dinner party. I think we started crying as we ate it....soooo good! And wow, it was easy.

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe by Paula Deen

Prep Time: 30 minutes Yield: 12 servings

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I think I've made this three or four times now. The first time, exactly as it was written. Amazing. Using the Chessman Cookies really is great for display and they have a great taste. The second time I made it, I split the recipe in two, 1/2 in one small square foil pan and the other 1/2 in another. One for home, one for the party. Another time I made it, I used low-fat cream cheese and there is a no or low fat sweetened condensed milk you can get. So a little better for you and I couldn't taste the differences. Really yum! Yum! Yum! Yum. Paula I love you! As for the serving suggestions. That's about right, but I've seen it stretch to feed more and I've seen it devoured by less!

Happy 100th Post

This wasn't planned for the 100th post, but I had to get this out there.

Food Network is previewing a show from FINE LIVING.

OMG! I've been having a mild love affair with Andrea Immer for years. She has her own show, Pairings with Andrea. Damn!!! I wish we got Fine Living with our cable package!

Andrea Immer is a Master Sommelier and has several books. I have three:

Great Wine Made Simple
Great Tastes Made Simple
Everyday Dining with Wine

I bought Great Wine Made Simple a few years back. In that book, she focuses on the Big Six grapes and strives to make wine make sense for the non-Sommeliers amongst us. I loved the book, I had to get the next where she begins to work with wine pairings. The third book is more about cooking with wine. All the books are easy to use and a joy to read.

So, what are the Big Six according to Andrea?

Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon

In this episode she's made:

Swiss Chard with raisins and toasted pine nuts (paired w/ Chardonnay)
Drop Biscuits (w/ Chardonnay)
Cheese Grits with Shrimp and Chorizo (w/ Zinfandel)
Chocolate Scotch Bars (w/ Zinfandel)

Since I didn't catch the beginning of the episode, so I'm wondering if she focuses on two wines per episode? Anyone?

I hope I get to see more previews from Fine Living with Andrea Immer.

She gave a final tip. Pink Lemonade for kids or folks who don't want wine. The tangy acidity works as well as wines in pairings. Another thing she is doing. Putting two glasses at each setting and pouring both wines, to have both at the same time with dinner, to go back and forth.

OMG! I get another episode!

She does, takes two wines and works them into the episode. This one, Gewurztraminer and Zinfandel=Thanksgiving Dinner! You go girl!

OK, enough chatting, here is her recipe for:
Cheese Grits with Shrimp and Chorizo
from Everyday Dining with Wine
Serves 4

4 oz. chorizo, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 tsp salt, plus more for taste
1 cup quick cooking grits or instant polenta
2 TB unsalted butter
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese (Mmmm)
Ground black pepper
2 TB finely chopped chives, optional

1. Cook the chorizo in a heavy, medium skillet over medium heat, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet.

2. Bring 4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly stir in the grits. Reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes, whisking occasionaly, until the grits are thick and smooth.

3. While the grits are cooking, add 1 TB of butter to the skillet and heat over medium high until the butter is foaming. Cook the shrimp until just pink, turning once, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chorizo and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.

4. Stir the remaining tablespoon butter and the cheese into the grits and season with salt & pepper. Spoon the grits into 4 warmed bowls and top with the chorizo and shrimp. Sprinkle with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.

This recipe marries two of my favorite dishes--low country shrimp and grits, and the Spanish tapa of shrimp and chorizo bits sizzled together with garlic. Using Manchego cheese in the cheese grits keeps with the Spanish theme, and contributes enough richness that you don't need cream or milk in the grits or sauce--so while it's not spa cooking, this dish isn't as heavy as traditional shrimp and grits. The earthy corn taste of grits is great with the earthiness of old style, spicy Spanish Riojas and Ribera del Dueros. Quick-cooking grits, smoked sausage and quick cooking shrimp make this dish a great weeknight choice. For extra convenience, I use the frozen bags of peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp.

Interesting. In the book she recommends the Roijas, but on the show a Zinfandel. Not knowing too much about the Roijas, I'm guessing it has a peppery spice or thick jammy taste that would pair up well with the spicy chorizo. Anyone? Comments?

Ahhh, I feel very satisfied with my Saturday.

Book Review: Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats

Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats
A year of deliciously different dinners a
30-minute meal cookbook
about $20

This is the largest of Rachel Ray's cookbooks. I have four others; 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals 2, Cooking Round the Clock, Get Togethers. These are all 30 Minute Meal cookbooks...and as I've mentioned before, that's nice, but they usually are longer than 30 minutes if you take the time to clean and prep your stuff as you go.

The book is 318 pages, plus the index.

There is no ryhme or reason behind how the recipes are arranged, not by main ingredient, style of cooking. They are just in there. Rachel explains this in the introduction, essentially, her plan is that you just cook your way through the book. This way you are not having chicken for four weeks, then beef, the veggies, etc. OK. There is a category listing in the front, so if you just want pasta, you can quickly find pasta recipes.

Each recipe is numbered, 1 through 366. She gives us a 'bonus' recipe, which happens to be her "Christmas Pasta." Which is good, I've made it before.

Next to each title are two little boxes for marking: "Try it Later" or "It's a Keeper." I would add, "Not for me" or "You're kidding right?" Recipe #9 is missing these boxes...oops!

Of the 366 recipes, I have marked, with post its, about 20 to try right away. Some of them are:
Turkey Noodle Casserole
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (I refuse to use the Rachel term "Sammies".)
Chipotle Chicken Chili Mac
Bel Aria Chicken & Pasta
Pineapple Rum Chicken
Cajun Meatloaf
Grilled Chicken Paillard

and many more.

To help stretch the recipes to 366, Rachel has a good idea. She will give you a master recipe, then a few variations afterwards, now each of the variations is considered it's own recipe and some of them are pretty simple and one would probably think of it themselves. But for beginner chefs, I think it's great to get people thinking that way.

There is a downside to this idea. If you decide to do one of the variations of the master recipe, you really might need a pad and pen to re-write the recipe to understand it. The main ingredient listing is with, for example, recipe 48. Then for 49, there is a variation, all she says is to remove ingredients x, y, z. Substitute 1, 2, 3. Change order to a1, c9, b12. So for a new chef, this might be challenging. And if you just want to open the book and do a 30 minute meal, you're going to need to spend some time clarifying the recipe.

Another downside of the book is the way some of the recipes are described. There will be a dish X with side dish 78. You may really want to try dish X, but have no interested in side dish 78. As the recipe is listed as one long recipe, you will need to distill the portion of the recipe you want. Does that make sense?

To fix these two things, the book would probably come in closer to 500 pages. A bit big for everyday use.

Would I recommend this book to someone. Depends. I would for someone who is a casual home cook with some time under their belt. I don't think I would as a first cook book or a beginner cook. For the two reasons I've listed above.

But overall, I think it's pretty good. In terms of variety of it the best of Rachel's books.

Now, on to testing the recipes.

Eastern Market

Most of our regular readers know that I lived on Capitol Hill since the fall of 2000, until this past spring when, for financial reasons-mostly, we moved to the near suburbs to save some money.

During most of that time we worked on the Hill as well.

The number one thing that I miss the most, on a near daily basis is Eastern Market (and here). I would do most of my shopping there, get lunch there and just wander the stalls on the weekends. If you haven't been, please go and support the vendors and artists that make Eastern Market one of the greatest gems of the city.

Now that I don't live on the Hill, many of my visits are coordinated with my visits to either my Dr., Dentist or Eye Dr....but I know that I'll be making a major pilgrimage 11/22, to get most of what I need for Thanksgiving.

And right after Thanksgiving...what did I do on a daily basis until Christmas...walk through all the pine trees hanging under the canopy. I loved it and miss it.

Dead

She's dead to me. I've only had a mild to moderate hatred for her...but mostly I love the reaction she brings out of J.

But as of today, she is officially dead to me.

Now, I'm 100% in favor of making cooking as easy as possible to get as many people as possible cooking at home...but this skeleton has just crossed the line.

Kraft Parmesan Cheese in risotto! You're kidding right? Right?

I hope I don't offend any of you with this, but with a classic dish like risotto, please, please, please use real deal, Parmigiano Reggiano, you'll thank yourself.

Now, I think that's what I'm going to make myself for dinner, a bowl of risotto.

Big, Thick, Hearty Thighs

That is the name of recipe #50 from Rachel Ray's newest book, 365 No Repeats; A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners. I haven't gone into it as I'm actually quite busy today, but I think we might be in for an adventure and I'm not sure what kind that will be!

I just find the name of the recipe funny. My first glance was: Big Thick Meaty Thighs. And that made me laugh.

I'll let you know later how the rest of the book is.

Playing with your food

You should visit here!

It's in French, so a bit of a challenge for us who don't read/speak French.


Navigation
-First page should have a note at the bottom right, click it. (Passer l'intro)

-Center of the page is: "mimimiam." Click it...three small balls will twirl and go to the bottom right corner, merging into one.

-Hover our cursor on the one ball. Your menu will pop up. There are five categories under "Galerie." That's where you want to go and puruse. Start with the first....the three balls will be at the bottom right again as navigators, forward, back and menu.

Scroll Through and Enjoy.

A sample of the delectable art inside!

Thanks Andy!

Fennel Orange Salad

Tonight we're having "Wild Rice" Soup. I wanted something else to go with it, but didn't want to do too much. So we decided it was a good time to try this. Not that they really go together, but hey, why not!

Fennel Orange Salad from Everyday Food

Serves 4

2 medium fennel bulbs (8 ounces each), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
5 oranges
2/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons slivered pitted black olives
1 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Using a paring knife, remove the peel and pith of the oranges. Separate oranges into segments over a large bowl (to catch the juices), then add segments to bowl.

2. Add fennel, parsley, olives, oil; season with salt and pepper. Gently toss, and serve.

I don't like olives, so I'm skipping them. Since we're trying this for the first time, I'm going with one fennel bulb and maybe two oranges, I'll play that part by ear.

Fettucine Alfredo

This recipe couldn't be simpler and it is soo tasty. It was tonight's comforting dinner.

It's a wonder some of my clothes are getting a little tight!

Fettucine Alfredo
Makes 4 Main Course or 6 First Course Servings
Williams Sonoma Pasta Cookbook

1 1/2 Cups Heavy/Double Cream
5 TB Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Ground Pepper
Fresh Grated Nutmeg

1 lb Fettuccine, dry/fresh-whatever!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over high heat, bring cream and butter to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 minute. Add 6 TB of the Parmesan and whisk over low heat until smooth, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper to taste and a generous pinch of nutmeg. (Be judicious with the salt. The Parmesan is itself salty, and too much added salt will throw this creamy, sweet sauce out of balance.)

Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until al dente, timing based on the package instructions. Drain pasta well. Put the pasta in a warmed large, shallow bowl. Pour on the sauce and sprinkle with 6 more TB of the cheese. Toss well. Serve immediately. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.




I like to have some protein with my pasta. I saute up some chicken, cut into bit sized pieces, toss with a little olive oil, salt and some spices, usually when I'm in a hurry it's just a little Mrs. Dash. Let sit for a bit to get a good sear on the chicken. Serve on top of the pasta/sauce!

If you haven't had or used fresh nutmeg, I highly recommend it. The fragrance of the freshly grated nutmeg is unmatched. The grated stuff you get at the store is very bland by comparison. I do have trouble finding nutmeg at a regular grocery. If you have a whole foods store you should be able to find the nutmeg there, or you might find it in your regular grocery, if you have larger International Food section...don't know why it's there. If you buy the fresh nutmeg, they are small, about the size of an acorn. You can keep using the same one nutmeg for a long time. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container, away from the heat of the stove....my mistake!

Artichoke Dip

Terri in WI had this at a work function last week and everyone is at her office is raving about it, so the person who made it sent the recipe around. Terri forwarded to me and I've put it here. Enjoy.

Artichoke Dip
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine above ingredients and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

*I don't recommend using reduced fat mayo or sour cream as it tends to separate.

Truffle Brownies

Actually, let's call these SIN.

There is a new show on the Food Network, I can't think of the name of the show, but it is the result of a viewer participation thing...American Food Idol? The show is PARTY LINE. The hosts/chefs are this gay couple who use to be caterers.

I watched them make this decadent brownie and new I had to try it. Of course, I would have all the ingredients on hand...!

Truffle Brownies
Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 brownies

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick margarine
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows

Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to insure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.

With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.* Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

*Cook's Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.

Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed. Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.

Yield: 3/4 cup

SCOTT'S NOTES:
Ooops, I used chocolate chips for the brownie batter...ooops. I'm not sure how it affected the dish, outside of being way more sweet than it should have been.

I baked my brownies in a regular glass pan. I needed to bake them for an extra 5 minutes, I should have gone another 10-15.

And I used butter...why bother with margarine. I haven't had that for about 12 years.

Ginger Scones

Another gem I found while cleaning today. If you haven't tried the Ginger Scones at Teaism, I highly recommend it. This is their recipe, ssshhhh, don't tell anyone. This is a pretty easy recipe, but do becareful not to overwork the dough.

Ginger Scones

yields 12 Scones

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 TB sugar
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 TB, unsalted butter, cut into pea sized cubes
2 oz. chopped, crystallized ginger
3/4 Cup milk

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp cold water to make an egg wash

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

You can mix by hand or with a food processor/mixer, but be careful not to over blend--creating tough/chewy scones.

Put the seven dry ingredients in a bowl and add the butter. Blend the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a course cornmeal. Some large pieces of butter should remain, this will make your scones light and fluffy. If you are using a processor, pulse briefly. Stir in the chopped, crystallized ginger. Add the milk and work quick with a fork to incorporate. The dough should be soft and slightly moist.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and gently pag down until it stands about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 12 triangles. Put onto an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for twelve minutes until golden. Let cool.


UPDATE 10/8/06: Click here for photos and notes.

Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

A few-two/three-years ago I went to a tasting for a donor dinner at a hotel in DC. One of the options we tasted was Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup. It was awesome. A quick search back at my desk yielded about five recipes that all seemed really good. This is a mixture of all of those.

PS: All the times I've made this, it is devoured!

Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

2 1/2 lbs Red Bell Pepper
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 TB Olive Oil
1 Cup, Shallots, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 TB thyme, fresh or dried
1 TB oregano, fresh or dried
3 Cups, or more, canned broth (Vegetable or Chicken)

1/2 Cup of Cream
2 tsp, red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp, cayenne pepper

Char peppers over gas flame or in a broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or wrap in a paper bag. Let stand 10-20 minutes, this cooling period will make it easier to peel the peppers.

Peel, seed and slice the peppers.

Heat oil in heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, thyme and oregano, saute for three minutes. Add 3 cups of broth, vinegar, cayenne pepper, tomatoes and all the roasted peppers. Simmer uncovered until peppers are very soft, about twenty minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to the same pot. Add cream. Rewarm soup, thinning with additional broth if needed. Season to taste with salt & pepper.


I like to also serve with some thin strips of sauteed chicken breast, for a little added protein.

Serves about four.

UPDATE 9/15/06: Click here for pictures of the peppers 'roasting.'

Wisdom

Who wouldn't eat a dish prepared
with sauteed onions, garlic,
and...a little bacon?

--Ethan Becker, one of the authors of The Joy of Cooking

Cranberry Kickin' Apple Pickin' Chicken

Ha ha ha! This is another recipe that I found today from way back in the day. The last time I made this I was blitzed off my rocker on Cosmos that my roommate, Doug, made for me! BLITZED!

The short story of this recipe is: I heard somewhere, and it could be false, that Apples and Onions are in the same flora family. And I said, Apples and Cranberries are good together, so therefore, Onions should go together. And voila! I put them all together with chicken and it was tasty yum yum. However, the last time I made it, remember, when I was blitzed....I messed something up and everything ended up really really pink.

Cranberry Kickin' Apple Pickin' Chicken

1lb Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
2 Apples, peeled and diced
1 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
1 large Onion, diced
10 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 TB butter
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
2T Honey
2T Brown Sugar
Water (maybe a cup or so)
spicy season salt type of thing

Marinate chicken with onions, garlic, olive oil, craisins, apples, salt and pepper, honey and brown sugar for 4 hours (NOTE—generally, half of the ingredients are used as marinade and the rest in the cooking, except Honey & Brown Sugar.)

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil, until translucent, set aside. Add chicken and saute until nearly cooked through, set aside. Add water and craisins & apples, simmer and reduce, add butter and garlic/onion mixture. Return chicken, cook through.

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dash of BAM

Serve with long grain & wild rice, corn and bread, garnish with more craisins and apples

NOTE: I remember rinsing the craisins in warm water, the packaged ones I used seem to have a bit of a waxy covering...?

It's really tasty! When I make it again, I'll make sure to double check everything and note that here.

Wild Rice Soup

I was cleaning today and found many recipes from my younger years....they are funny, most of them are in the trash. Sorry, no need to laugh when I'm rich and famous.

Here is one of the recipes. I know I've made it and I made it a few times, but not in the last 6 years...minimum. So any recollection of what worked and what didn't are out the door until I try again.

This is a nice hearty soup for the fall.

Wild Rice Soup

Servings: Unknown, can't remember

1 cup cooked, cubed chicken
3 TB Butter
3 TB Flour
1/2 cup of celery, diced, medium pieces
1/2 cup carrot, diced, medium pieces
1/2 medium onion, diced, medium pieces
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 cups milk
1 can broth, chicken or veg
1 cup wild rice, cooked

Melt butter and over medium high heat, saute onion, celery and carrot until tender. Sprinkle the flour over evenly. Add the broth, whisking. It will thicken pretty quickly. Add the milk, stir until thickened, add the rice and chicken. Heat until warmed through.

Easy right? From what I remember it was. For some people, it might be nice to try some other hearty fall veg, or mushrooms. I'm guessing it will be two to four servings. Make sure when you cook your wild rice to season it appropriately. If I remember correctly, the rice was the most bland thing in this when I made all those years ago.

One Click Recipe List

Make sure to check out the new ONE CLICK recipe listing page. There are enough recipes now that it's a pain to try to search for them. Go to the right side of the page and under the external links, there it is. Let me know if you have any suggestions for improvement.

Also let me know if you find any broken links or links to different pages.

Scott

Giving Thanks to Butter!

I mentioned earlier that Thanksgiving is the high holy day for me. It is the holiday when I place the buttersticks, not Butterstick..., on the pedestal and worship.

My first two steps are complete for Thanksgiving 2005. The guest list is done and the menu is selected.

Roasted Turkey--last year we did a Kosher bird, I think we will again this year
Onion & Sage Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Collard Greens
Baked Corn Casserole
Gingered Carrots
Green Bean Almandine
Drunken Cranberries-Mmmm, bourbon

Generic Brown & Serve rolls--everything else is homemade-give me a break

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pumpkin Bars
Basic Pumpkin Pie

If I was a litte more insane, I would add pumpkin risotto and pumpkin ravioli, just to round out the gourd food category, but I'm going to stick to tradition and keep pumpkin in the desserts this year.

I'm not doing an Apple Pie, which was also tradition in my family, so I think the "apple" will work it's way into the meal as either Apple Cinnamon Martinis or Caramel Apple Martinis? What's your choice?

There will also be Beaujolais Nouveau!

Stayed tuned for recipes and updates.

Lists of Seven

The folks at DC Food Blog have requested a response on their recent post, answering the following questions. Here they are!

7 things I want to make before I die:
1. Paella—no reason really, I just feel it would be challenging
2. Homemade Sausage
3. More veggies—I hear they are good for you
4. My own curry spice blend
5. Applesauce—J & T have made me jealous
6. Cheddar Cheese
7. Braised Firecracker Pork—one of the only dishes I’ve had at a restaurant and can’t figure out how to recreate, getting there though!

7 things I cannot do in the kitchen:
1. Carve a bird; turkey, chicken or otherwise
2. Sharpen knives
3. Quickly and properly chop an onion—that scar will last a long time
4. My rice never, ever comes out right!
5. Clams/Mussels/Oysters—not that I can’t, but I won’t.
6. Make a sublime cupcake—one that makes you cry with happiness & joy
7. Grow herbs in the kitchen—they always die when I have them indoors…outside, they are fine.

7 things that attract me to the kitchen:
1. The color Yellow, the day I get to design my own kitchen, it will be yellow!
2. Aromatic spices
3. My Kitchen-Aid, my child, my love, my precious
4. Freshly ground coffee
5. Pumpkin, it’s not just for pies! Must make Pumpkin Risotto SOON!
6. Cookie Jar—if I had one
7. Fresh Rosemary, Thyme & Ginger

7 things that I say most often in the kitchen:
1. It’s not ruined yet.
2. What’s for dinner?
3. I’ll only have one, thank you.
4. Mmm, it’s sooo good.
5. Taste this!
6. Why can’t I make rice properly?
7. Butter is good for you, right?

7 celebrity crushes in the food world:
1. Nigella Lawson—good one
2. Paula Deen
3. Alton Brown
4. Martha, yes Martha—can you imagine having access to that kitchen?
5. Julia Child
6. Betty Crocker—she’s held up well over the years!
7. Tyler Florence—but I don’t think that would be for the food

What am I missing?

Beaujolais Nouveau

It's almost that time of year when the newest batch of Beaujolais Nouveau is released. By law the wine is not allowed to be released before the third Thursday of November. This year that happens to be November 17, a week before Thanksgiving.

I've had good bottles, I've had ass bottles and I've had amazing bottles. You never really know what it's going to be, but each year it is something I look foward to. I think last year, or the year before I bought at least a half a case.

I hope to hear about all your experiences with the Beaujolais from years past and this year! One of the largest producers, Georges Dubœuf, is saying this year's vintage is going to be really great. Take that with a grain of salt.

Generally, I find bottles of Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau for around $10. A good value.

Enjoy!

Sesame Orange Shrimp

This is what we're having for dinner tonight. We'll let you know how it goes.

Sesame Orange Shrimp
Everyday Food

Serves 4

2 large egg whites
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sesame seeds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1-1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp, and toss to coat.

2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

3. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions, and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

Thanksgiving

Hello all,

Today is october 24, 2005. In 31 days it will be Thanksgiving, November 24, 2005.

31 Days.

Never to early to starting thinking about what you can prepare.

If you celebrate Thanksgiving with friends or family, consider preparing at least on item you can bring. Let me know if you have questions or need ideas. I'd be happy to help. Stay tuned and I start to post what I'll be preparing...in case you don't know me very well, Thanksgiving is my High Holy Day...my favorite Holiday...I look forward to doing the whole shabang!

Ray Ray

My little Ray Ray! A nice article and a little history on our Rachel Ray in the New York Times.


-Thanks Sterfanie for sending me the link...I would have missed it otherwise.


PS: Folks, I'm almost back to a regular schedule. Hopefully that means some new recipes soon! Hang in there.

Contributed Recipe: Risotto, Chicken & Sauce

Contributed by: Lady Brandenburg


From Rachel Ray’s book “Cookin’ Round the Clock”
“Not Just Another Chicken and Rice Dinner”


CHEESY RISI E BISI

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic (we used 2 cloves)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice (we used our regular Jasmine rice)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup dry white wine
3-4 cups chicken broth (I use 100% fat free)
¼ to 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (we used fresh grated Parmigiano only)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh-leaf parsley (we had none – stupid Giant was out of it!)
1 cup tiny frozen peas, thawed

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil then garlic and onion and sauté, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes. Add rice and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook another minute or so, then add wine and cook until wine is completely absorbed, 30 seconds. Add about 1 cup of broth and stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook until broth is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding ½ cup of broth each time liquid becomes completely absorbed, stirring all the while. Use as much broth as is necessary to result in creamy, slightly chewy rice; this should take about 22 minutes. (Note: we had to cover the rice to get it to cook all the way through so it was chewy and not “crunchy.”) Work on chicken while rice continues to cook; recipe follows.

When rice is cooked to desired consistency, remove from heat and stir in cheese, parsley, and peas and stir to combine and to heat peas through.

Yield: 4 servings. (We ate about 2/3 of it, so had about 1/3 left over).



CRISPY CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH BASIL-PARSLEY SAUCE

2 pounds chicken cutlets (we used a 1 and ½ pound package, so we ¾’d most of the rest of this recipe)
Salt and ground pepper
3-4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 to ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (as indicated above, we used fresh grated Parmigiano)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (we used a little more)
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (we used Montreal chicken seasoning)
1 clove garlic
1 jar (3 ounces) pine nuts (pignoli) (we couldn’t find these at Giant, so we didn’t use them and didn’t miss them)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
Olive oil, for frying
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped, for garnish (hubby doesn’t like tomatoes, so we didn’t use any)

SAUCE
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (Giant didn’t have parsley, so we used fresh thyme)
Juice of ½ lemon (we used a little more, mainly because what are you gonna do with the other half?)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (I think we ended up using a little more)

Season cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides. Place flour in a shallow dish (we used a dinner plate) and turn cutlets lightly in flour.

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, red pepper flakes, poultry seasoning, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse-process to evenly mix (we just turned the food processor on and left it on). Transfer to a plate. Beat eggs in a separate shallow dish (we used another plate).

Heat a thin layer of oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan, in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Coat cutlets in eggs then breading and place in hot oil. Cook cutlets in a single layer, in 2 batches if necessary, until breading evenly browned and cutlets’ juices run clear, 3 to 4 minutes on each side (for us this took a lot longer – we ended up covering the pan with foil to allow the cutlets to cook more thoroughly – they were still juicy). Remove to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Make the sauce: Return food processor bowl to base and add basil, parsley and lemon juice. (Again, we didn’t have parsley, but the basil, lemon and oil is still really tasty on its own). Add a little salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in oil until a loose paste forms.

Serve chicken cutlets with a generous topping of the sauce. Garnish with tomato.

Yield four servings. (For two of us, we ate two out of the three cutlets which was about 1 and ½ pounds of chicken).

This is SO YUMMY!

Contributed Recipe: Sweet Ginger Stir Fry

Contributed by: Dancer In DC

Sweet Ginger Stir-Fry
serves 2-3

All these measurements are approximates, as stir-fry is the one thing I cookwithout following a recipe! The "main" part of the dish (meat and vegetables)can be changed easily - use whatever you like. Tofu? Broccoli? Waterchestnuts? Knock yourself out! See below for some basic guidlines.

The sauce:
2 Tbsp canola oil (vegetable, peanut, or macadamia would work also)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp toasted seasame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce (optional, just adds a touch of salty flavor)
1/2 cup broth (I used beef, but chicken or vegetable would be fine)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 piece of ginger root, minced (about the size of your thumb)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
salt and pepper

Coat the bottom of your wok (or deep sautee pan) with the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is "shimmering" add the onion. Saute until the onions are translucent and slightly brown. Add the vingear, soy, seasame oil, fish sauce, and broth. Stir constantly for a minute, then stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add the garlic and ginger and keep the sauce moving. Then add a cornstarch slurry (simply mix the starch and water in another bowl before adding). Continue stirring until sauce is thick and hot. Give it a quick taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Reserve the sauce to a bowl.

The stir-fry: Add another 2 Tbsp canola oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Make sure to deglaze the plan from any remaining sauce. Once the oil is very hot, add 2 chicken breasts cut into 1/2" pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until browned. Add one small chopped jalapeno pepper and stir. Next add vegetables one at a time. Between each addition, stir everything up for a minute, then cover and let steam for two minutes. You should add vegetables from hardest to softest. So thick vegetables like carrots and broccoli should go first, soft vegetables like pea pods should go last. After steaming the last vegetable, add the bowl of sauce. Saute for another 2 minutes, adding additional broth if necessary to thin out the sauce. Make sure everything is well coated. Steam for 2 minutes, and then serve immediately. I served this with jasmine rice, which was delicious. But you could use chow mein noodles, rice noodles, or whatever you prefer.

Contributed Recipe: Chicken & Broccoli

Contributed by: Lady Brandenburg

Another successful recipe from Weight Watchers website www.weightwatchers.com . This is Chicken and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce. Non-dieting hubby loved it. I adjusted the recipe by:

1) using 6 garlic cloves instead of three

2) using white Jasmine rice because I haven’t entered the world of brown rice yet

3) using Mrs. Dash instead of thyme

4) adding about 2-3 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce to the whole thing because I just can’t make Chinese food without it

5) added another thing I now add to all Chinese food – about two tablespoons of the garlic and hot red pepper relish (can’t remember the actual name for this stuff, but it makes anything garlicky and spicy!).

I ate the suggested half cup of rice and one cup of the chicken/broccoli/sauce, and with the exception of sneaking a few bits of chicken while storing the leftovers, it was plenty filling. And this is yet another dish that needs no side dish – it’s a meal in itself.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
3 medium garlic clove(s), minced, or more to taste
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tbsp fresh minced thyme, or to taste
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cup broccoli, florets
1 1/2 cup canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cup cooked brown rice, kept hot

Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Season chicken with thyme, salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.

2. Add broccoli to skillet, cover and cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth and add mixture to skillet. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Serve over rice.

Yields about 1 cup of chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of rice per serving.

Contributed Recipe: Mahogany Beef Stew With Red Wine and Hoisin Sauce

Contributed by: MCB

I have another recipe referral for you. This one is cribbed from Bon Appetit magazine, which really should be the bible for every foodie. It's one of my favorite cold- weather dinners - when served over horseradish mashed potatoes with a glass of Cabernet or Shiraz, it truly is paradise.

Some recommendations: I highly recommend serving it with a tart or spicy starch, since that helps cut the hoisin-induced sweetness of the stew itself. I usually skip the packaged stew meat and purchase a better cut of beef, then chop the meat a bit smaller than is called for in the recipe (I like my stew meat to be nice and tender when it's done cooking). I also add more carrots- but I really, really like carrots.

Mahogany Beef Stew With Red Wine and Hoisin Sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs,undrained
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound slender carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

*Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over high heat.
*Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
*Add meat to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
*Push meat to sides of pot.
*Reduce heat to medium; add 2 tablespoons oil to pot.
*Add onions; sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
*Mix meat into onions.
*Add 1 cup wine, tomatoes with juices, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves.
*Bring to boil.
*Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Add carrots and 1 cup wine.
*Cover; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Uncover, increase heat to high; boil until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer.
*Reduce heat to medium, add corn starch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
*Discard bay leaves.
*Season stew with salt and pepper.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before serving, stirring occasionally.) Transfer stew to large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley; serve.

Bon cuisine!

UPDATE: Photo post here.

Contributed Recipe: Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Contributed by: MCB

I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes, which I stole from the totally marvelous Cooking Light magazine.

The chicken makes a great meal served with sides of orzo and wilted spinach. The filling smells *delicious* while cooking, and I've found it also works really well in portabello mushroom caps and on baked potatoes (for our vegetarian friends) - make a double batch and save some for later.

[PS: Saw your post on whole wheat pasta. I highly recommend Barilla Plus- it has some of the benefits of whole wheat, without that chewy cardboard-like texture.]

Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water

*Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; coverand let stand 30 minutes or until soft.
*Drain and finely chop.
*Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
*Add 1/3 cup shallots, sugar, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
*Spoon into a bowl; stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar.
*Combine chopped tomatoes, shallot mixture, cheese, basil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well. *Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.
*Stuff about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket.
*Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
*Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat.
*Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.
*Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm.
*Add broth, remaining shallots, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and thyme; bring to a boil.
*Combine cornstarch and water, stirring with a whisk.
*Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil.
*Cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick, stirring constantly.
*Serve sauce over chicken.

Happy cooking!

Contributed Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

Contributed by Lady Brandenburg:

This is another Weight Watchers recipe from their website. It’s sort of a Mexican Lasagna. It’s a nice little change from the same old tacos we usually make. I adjusted the recipe by adding taco seasoning to the turkey, using regular flour tortillas and by adding toppings at the end like fat free sour cream. If you are not counting calories, use regular cheese, but I think reduced fat cheese tastes just like real cheese in a recipe like this. We made this is a regular sized rectangular baking dish, not a pie plate. Again, my non-dieting husband LOVED this and it’s another recipe that is so filling, you don’t really need any side dishes with it, and also is not too bad left over.

Ingredients:
1 serving cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
3/4 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free skim milk
4 oz canned jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 large burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
3 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup) FOR FILLING
1/2 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded (about 2 tablespoons) FOR TOPPING

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Place turkey, onion and chili powder in skillet and cook until turkey is browned, stirring occasionally to crumble meat, about 8 minutes. Remove turkey mixture from skillet and set aside.

2. Place skillet over medium-high heat and add flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat; stir in turkey mixture, jalapenos and cumin.

4. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on HIGH until softened, about 15 seconds. Place 1 tortilla in bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Spread 1/3 of turkey mixture over tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of tomato on top and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients ending up with 2 tablespoons of cheese.

5. Cover pie plate with aluminum foil and cook until cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.


~~~~

Contributed Recipe: Sheperd's Pie

Contributed by Lady Brandenburg:

This is a Weight Watchers recipe. My non-dieting husband LOVED this. If you are not counting calories, you can use real butter, sour cream, ground lamb or beef, etc. Also, I think everyone has their own way of making mashed potatoes, so for that part of the recipe, if you have your own homemade mashed potato technique, use it. I used a ton of “I Can’t Believe It’s not Butter” in my potatoes and it really does make them taste buttery. What I liked most about this is that it feels like comfort food – and it’s filling so you really don’t need to make anything else with it. It’s a one dish meal and makes for some really yummy leftovers.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium stalk celery, diced
1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cup canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add turkey and cook 5 minutes, until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer 3 minutes, until mixture thickens.
4. Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake 30 minutes, until potatoes are golden. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Weight Watchers renovated Shepherd's Pie by:
Using turkey breast instead of lamb or beef.
Swapping nonfat sour cream for most of the butter in the mashed potato topping.
Adding reduced-calorie margarine, instead of butter, to the mashed potatoes.


~~~

HELP

I've been really busy for the past few weeks and will remain so for the next few. Ugh. That said, I'm not going to really have the time to prepare the way I normally do for the blog and testing new recipes.

This is where you all come in!!!

I'd like to ask the readers to submit to me via email a favorite recipe and any notes or stories you have on it. Or if you have kitchen tips! I will then post them here for all to enjoy.

You can find my email is the description at the top of this page in the description of the blog, it is spelled out to foil those evil spammers!

Look forward to hearing from you. I will continue to post my own stuff over the next three/four weeks as best I can.

Many Thanks,
Scott

Chicken Coconut Curry

I was a bit suprised yesterday when I came on this site to get the recipe for this dish. I planned on making it for dinner and wanted to verify the ingredients for shopping, but low and behold...it wasn't on here...shame on me.

This is one of the easiest dishes to make! And super delish. I can be adjusted for heat, any way you like. Milder or hotter!

Chicken Coconut Curry
Serves 4

1lb, red potatoes, quartered or halved so they are the same size
Coarse Salt
1 1/2lb, boneless skinless chicken breast, cut to bite size pieces
1TB curry powder for mild curry taste (1 ½ TB curry for stronger taste)
3tsp oil (vegetable or olive)
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes for mild level of heat (½ to 1 tsp for higher level of heat)
¾ Cup of Coconut Milk (sometimes I use a full can for a more saucy dish)
1TB tomato paste
1 ½ cups, green beans, trimmed and cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces, or use frozen.

1) In a kettle, cover potatoes with salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil until fork tender (10-12 minutes). Remove potatoes with slotted spoon, leaving water in pan. Add green beans and blanch-if using fresh gofor about four minutes, if frozen--just a minute or two to thaw. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

2) Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss chicken with curry and 1 tsp salt. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, turning often, until browned and cooked through (5-6 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

3) Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in remaining oil, until fragrant (1 minute). In a small bowl, whisk coconut milk, tomato paste and ¼ cup of water. Pour into pan and stir until liquid just begins to simmer.

4) Return chicken to pan along with potatoes and green beans. Toss until warmed through and coated with sauce (2-3 minutes).

NOTE: After adding the coconut milk, do not let the sauce boil as the milk may separate. Most recently I used two TBS of MADRAS CURRY (HOT), and a fresh hot pepper--I added it with the garlic. I have also added fresh ginger...not anything amazing.

NOTE 2: If you think you have frozen green beans in the freezer and plan to use those, make sure they are in good condition before going to the store. I saw I had 1/2 a bag, so I was set. When I went to use them, they were so dehydrated, wrinkled and freezer burned, a rat wouldn't eat them...so i just had potatoes and chicken...tasty, but needed the crunch of good green beans.

Extra Reading

I've been quite busy and haven't much time to cook up any delights lately, and probably not until next week.

In the meantime, there are several articles in today's Washington Post about Whole Wheat Pasta and Sauce, they are worth the read.

"Brown Spaghetti and a good sauce"

"Whole Wheat Pasta taste testing"

"Sauce: A Family Tradition" This could be a name of a musical in a fringe festival!

There is also an article on fun wines.


Outside of this, not much is happening. I suspect today I will be buzzing** around the office driving everyone nuts...and tonight is the LOST SEASON 2 premiere!!!

**it's good. espresso and cream, sweetened. not as sweet as a bottled frappucino...so actually it may be better, but it was $2.99! Give it a trrrryyyyY!!!!!!!! twitch twitch shake shake buzz buzz!

Chicken Peanut Curry

I saw this recipe on the SIMPLY RECIPES Blog. This blog gave me the idea to start my blog.

When I first saw the recipe, I skipped the introduction and just looked at the ingredients, I thought the dish was Thai, but it is actually from a West African themed cookbook. I do recommend this dish. Depending on your chopping skills, the dish will be done in 30 minutes or less!

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken pieces, cut into 1 1/2 inch wide chunks or strips
1/2 cup flour
4 Tbsp curry powder
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground peppercorns
1/2 cup olive oil (this is necessary for the full recipe-see note below)
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 serrano chili peppers, (seeded, de-veined--to tame the heat, if you like), minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup peanut butter (if using freshly ground peanuts, add 2 teaspoons of sugar)
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
8 green onions, chopped, greens included
1/3 cup each finely chopped mint and cilantro
2 limes cut into wedges

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small sturdy paper bag, combine the flour, curry powder, salt and pepper. Shake well. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat well.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add chicken pieces. Cook 5-10 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces) tossing occasionally to cook chicken evenly. Add the ginger, garlic, chili pepper and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes, scraping the pan with a spatula and stirring to combine everything well.

3. Add the peanut butter, stirring quickly to incorporate it with the chicken. Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of broth slowly, stirring continuously to maintain an even texture. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Right before serving, add the coriander and green onions. Salt to taste.

4. Serve with rice. Top each serving with fresh cilantro and mint. Squeeze a little lime juice over it as well.

Serves 6-8.

NOTE: The recipe calls for 1/2 a cup of Olive Oil. I thought this was too much and was about to go with much less when I thought that maybe there was a purpose. Sure enough. The olive oil, with the flour that coats the chicken, makes the base for a roux, which makes the sauce thick and tasty later. A roux is most often seen in cajun cooking with butter and flour.

OTHER NOTES:
*I'm thinking the next time I make this of adding green peppers cut into strips and maybe some carrots, just to add some veg.

*I used two jalapenos, one seeded, one not. This was one the cusp of just hot enough, but J-Lo would like more.

*I would recommend a bit more grated ginger.

*I happened to have both mint and cilantro on hand from some previous recipes. At the very least I would try to have cilantro. You use equal amounts of both and I couldn't taste the mint.

*I only used 4 green onions, could have used the full eight the recipe calls for.

*Following the directions above are fine, but I would like to suggest that in step 2, when it calls for adding 1/2 cup of broth, that you wait until you are ready for the peanut butter and mix the 1/2 cup of broth (warm it up) with the peanut butter, so that it blends in better. I really had to whisk this up to get the peanut butter blended. Wetting it with the broth would have helped.

*Speaking of Peanut Butter, I used a new variety of Skippy. SKIPPY NATURAL. Not bad. I think following the recipe above, if I would have thought this through a bit, I would have added a bit of sugar, not that it really mattered.

*I used some of the lime juice in the cooking liquid for the rice. A just barely there flavor but nice, as I only had plain Giant brand rice, lacking in flavor.

*I solicited the advice of a veggie friend and here's what she had to say about tofu: " Tofu should work with a peanut curry. I would highly recommend firm or extra firm tofu instead of silken tofu. You can sautee it but it doesn't really brown like meat does. I just gets hot and absorbs whatever fat you are trying to sautee with. You could just cut the tofu into small cubes (press all the water out of it first though) and then just put them in your curry early on so it absorbs a lot of the good flavor. Or you can deep fry (or shallow fry) the tofu. It is really tasty fried, but not as healthy. You can also bake tofu. I haven't tried it myself but I'm sure it isn't hard. I think you just have to bake it at a low temp (maybe 325 or so?). " Let us all know if you try this recipe as a veggie version, using tofu and a veggie broth.

~~~

Recommended product

Hey all,

Had this as a quick dinner last night. Safeway had Barilla Tortellini on sale last week, or two weeks ago, so I thought I would try a package of Three Cheese Tortellini. When I put the kettle on the fire to boil, I diced a 1/4 of an onion, 2 garlic gloves and sauted in a little olive oil. I tossed in 1 tsp each of dried basil, oregano, thyme, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes and some salt & pepper. I then added a can of petite diced tomatoes, with their natual juices, letting this simmer until the pasta was done, about 10 minutes after you add it to your boiling water. We had dinner in about 20 minutes. And it was good. A nice pantry staple to have on hand. It looks like they had many different flavors, so check out the pasta section of your store.

Enjoy!

@#@#

3 of 3 new recipes

Over the past week I have received three recipes from readers who wanted to pass along recipes they have had or from their own friends saying they were great recipes. So for my own readers, I want to pass them along to you. Enjoy and be sure to post comments so the original reader can see what you think and can pass it back to the creator of that recipe.

PS: I have not had any of these yet, so the recipes are being posted as sent to me.



Hey scott!

I've had this recipe a long time, but I think you might enjoy this. I've
made this 4 or 5 times now because it is so easy, and it tastes like
chipotle or california tortilla.

Selena


Easy Burritos

1-2 TBS of olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves
1 medium onion (yellow or red) doesn't matter
1 package of Southwestern chicken (pre-cooked/sliced)
1 can of Del Monte diced tomatoes with green chiles (called zesty)
1 can of light red kidney beans (any brand you want)
1 sml can of sweet kernal corn
lime juice
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Cinnamon (to taste)
shredded cheese - amount up to you (we use pepper jack and cheddar)
sour cream
2 cups Jasmine thai rice (we always have left over rice)
burrito wraps (we just eat the rice and everything else in a bowl

Ok so I've never written a recipe so I'll try to do it step by step.

1 We have a rice cooker so we always put the rice in before we start cooking. That way everything gets done about the same time. Whatever rice you use, think about how long it takes to cook. The rest of the recipe doesn't take long to cook.

2. Dice your garlic cloves and chop your onion. Heat the olive oil in a wide sauce pan (that has a lid) over med-high heat. Add your garlic and onion to the oil in th pan. You want to stir the garlic and onions until the onion softens and starts to lightly brown.

3. While the onion/garlic is cooking get everything else ready. Open the can of diced tomatoes and corn. Open and rinse off the kidney beans in a strainer. And then open the chicken and cut the strips up into cubes or bite size pieces. Once the onions are brown, add everything to the pan.

4. Now you should have the garlic, onions, chicken, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and corn all in the pan. Now you can season it with salt, pepper, and a little bit of cinnamon. Put a couple squirts of lime juice in as well. You can turn the heat down to medium or medium low. The goal is to heat everything up. If you're still waiting on the rice, turn the heat down on the mixture in the pan and cover it until the rice is ready.

5. You are ready to eat when the rice is done. Time to make the burrito. Grap the wrap, put some sour cream on it, add the rice, put the mixture from the pan on, add the cheese, wrap and eat.

Voila! That's it.

~~~forwarded to Eat With Me by Skang!

@

2 of 3 new recipes

Over the past week I have received three recipes from readers who wanted to pass along recipes they have had or from their own friends saying they were great recipes. So for my own readers, I want to pass them along to you. Enjoy and be sure to post comments so the original reader can see what you think and can pass it back to the creator of that recipe.

PS: I have not had any of these yet, so the recipes are being posted as sent to me.

Trader Joe's' Style Cookies

Hey everyone,

If you've tried the Zen's cookies from Trader Joe's, they are really good! But 6 cookies for $4.00 is pretty steep... so I've found a recipe pretty close!

6 tbs Margarine (softened)
1/4 cup fat free sour cream (or plain yogurt)
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups cooking oats
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 raisons or craisons (dried cranberries)
1/2 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Beat in brown sugar. Mix in combined oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix in raisons and nuts.

Drop as much dough onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. (The cookies won't get much bigger, they pretty much stay the same size). Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes (if you make larger than 2 tbsp, may take about 16 minutes or so).

Calories: 100
Fat: 3 grams

Some of my personal variations:
I used old fashioned cooking oats and it turned out fine.
Also tried with Craisons and Raisons both, and I like the Craisons betters
Walnuts for the nuts works great! (and you can buy already chopped)
I used whole wheat flour and it turned out really yummy.Also doubled the recipe and used half splenda and half brown sugar and it turned out good too!

~~~Forwarded to Eat With Me by SO.CAL. Becca

1 of 3 new recipes

Over the past week I have received three recipes from readers who wanted to pass along recipes they have had or from their own friends saying they were great recipes. So for my own readers, I want to pass them along to you. Enjoy and be sure to post comments so the original reader can see what you think and can pass it back to the creator of that recipe.

PS: I have not had any of these yet, so the recipes are being posted as sent to me.

Shrimp Skewers

The shrimp recipe comes from the "Healthy Cooking" book by Williams-Sonoma, the recipe is as follows.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced (use fresh garlic)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lb large shrimp, peeled (except keep the tail on) and deveined

What to do:
This is the best part. Simply combine all of the ingredients and stir until blended and smooth. Add the shrimp to the mixture, be sure all of the shrimp are coated, and store in the fridge for about an hour to marinate. Then using skewers, thread the shrimp and then BBQ for about 8-9 minutes, turning the skewers 2-3 times and using the remaining marinade to coat the shrimp. Serve as appetizers or as part of a main course over rice (wild or brown rice would be best).

The best part of this recipe is that it is easy - even I can do it. Now, if you want slightly spicier shrimp, use the smidgen approach to cooking. Two suggestions: 1) add a smidgen more of the red pepper flakes and basil; and 2) let the shrimp marinate in the fridge for three hours. For information purposes, a smidgen is a small pinch, no more.

That's it! Enjoy!


~~~Passed to Eat With Me by Lady Brandenburg

@

Katrina and the Kitchen

No, it's not a new show on HBO.

There was an article in today's Washington Post about the effects of Katrina and supplies to your grocery store. A good read, at least to give you a heads up on what kitchen items will have higher costs in the weeks/months to come. Chicken, Oysters and COFFEE are the big items hit.

Cautious Grocerys

Also, tonight is the Eat With Me special event Cooking WithoutBorders. Hope you'll be able to join us! Send me an email if you have any questions prior.

Good Day.


Scott

Cutting and cleaning leeks

Hello all,

As we prepare for Wednesday night's dinner: Too Easy Chicken with Leeks, I want to offer some tips on preparing leeks.

You'll notice where I indicated on the photo below where to cut the green leaves/blades off the main body of the leek.

Also cut off the root end.

Leeks are grown in a sandy/loamy soil, they collect all sand in between each of those layers. To get that sand and sediment out, cut the leeks lengthwise, the crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Place all the cut leeks into a large bowl of cool water and sloosh around, this will dislodge the dirt and it will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Don't pour the water and leeks into a colander. This will just get the dirt back into the leeks. Lift the leeks out and place in a drainer. You'll see all the dirt sitting on the bottom of the bowl.

Let your leeks dry for few minutes before adding to the pan...you don't want too much extra water in the pan.

Hope this helps you prepare for the tasty treat!

Beef Stew--Asian Influenced

The following recipe is pretty easy, with an extra step or two that are crucial. I've made it twice now and it's the same both times! I love when that happens.

I saw this prepared on Martha Stewart's show awhile back...I haven't seen an episode it ages, I do think this was the last time I saw it. Probably October/November 2004. The recipe is called Lily's Beef Stew. "Lily" actually prepared the dish on the show, but I don't remember who Lily is. Anyways, here is:

Lily's Beef Stew

The secret to this Chinese version of beef stew, is to cook the meat three times. It’s first boiled, then sautéed in a hot wok, and finally simmered until tender. A traditional Hunan dish, this stew is flavored with star anise and cassia (a close relation to cinnamon that’s available in Asian food stores).

4 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
3 TBS olive oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 1/8 inch thick
¼ cup dry white wine
2 TBS dark soy sauce
1 TBS dark-brown sugar
4 star anise
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 ½ cups water
1 ½ tsp coarse salt
Steamed rice, for serving

1. Fill a large pot halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Add cubed beef, stirring often to prevent sticking. Cook for 1 minute. Drain beef into a colander, and shake to remove excess water.

(NOTE: This step helps to render out some of the unwanted fat. But do keep the time brief, otherwise the meat will toughen and need longer to cook to become tender again.)

2. Heat wok over high heat. Add olive oil, swirling to coat the sides of wok. Add drained beef, and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, white wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, star anise, and cinnamon. Continue to sauté until evenly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring to combine.

(NOTE: I used a regular kettle for this, I could have used a skillet as well. We no longer have a wok, so we make do, you can to! If you have some cheese cloth laying around, wrap your star anise into a bundle with it. When it cooks slowly, it opens up and releases these larger seed type pods that you don't want to eat, wrapping them up keeps them contained for easy disposal.)

3. Add 1 cup water, and transfer beef mixture to a large pot. Add remaining 1 ½ cups water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook until meat is almost tender, 1 ½ hours. Season with salt, and continue to simmer until meat is tender, ½ hour. Serve with steamed rice.

(NOTE: If you use a regular kettle, you do not need to transfer. I transfer to a slow cooker! The first cup of water helps to 'loosen' the sauce so it all transfer more easily. If you use the regular kettle, check about every 20 minutes, give it a stir, to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Once the meat is tender, the sauce may be watery. If so, I take a tablespoon of cornstarch with about a tablespoon of water, mix into a slurry, then pour into the sauce, while simmering. It will make a nice thick sauce! And I served it with Jasmine Rice. Yum! Leftovers of this are GREAT!)


???

Homegrown!

This summer, I had the privledge of growing three tomato plants on my patio! And several basil plants. I've used the basil all summer long. What a joy! The tomato plants, did really well, but not GREAT! When is was said and done, I got two tomatoes from the plants. Small tomatoes!

Here is a side by side comparison...to a fake lemon!





















But here is the end result! We snacked on
Tomato, Basil & Mozarella tonight!
Homegrown tomatoes and homegrown basil!



Jealous?


@

Current Favorite Comfort Food

A specialty of northern Italy, risotto has earned a place as a legendary Italian dish. Rich, creamy, and irrestible, it has become a favorite outside it's homeland as well. Because risotto can be embellished with any number of savory ingredients, from a wide variety of cheeses, vegetables, meats, and seafood as well as sweet additions such as dried fruit and chocolate, it will quickly become one of the most versatile and well-loved dishes in your cooking repertoire.

--Williams Sonoma Risotto book

I love it. LOVE It. A bowl of simple risotto will fill me up and make me feel better than most other foods. If I could get away with making it on a daily basis, I would. I hope you will give it a try and add it into your recipe book.

That said, risotto is a finicky temptress. She likes to have everything her way, all the time. Risotto isn't going to reheat very well. She won't hold out for a long time. Basically, make what you're going to eat and deal with it. Make sure you time your cooking just so, you want the risotto to be ready for the plate when everything else is ready.

Here is what I do to make basic risotto...I've stopped using a recipe, so most of my measurements are estimates.

1 cup of Arborio rice
5-6 cups of stock (veggie or chicken), kept hot in a separate pot.
1 small/medium onion, finely diced
2-3 TB olive oil
1 cup of real, top of the line Parmigiano Reggiano, DON'T use the green kraft can...no substitutes please.
Chopped fresh parsley-optional, or other favorite fresh herbs
bite size pieces of par-boiled/cooked fresh veg (asparagus, green beans, peas or mushrooms)

In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Sweat the onion until translucent and tender, about five minutes.

Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat with the oil. Give the rice about a minute. Then add one cup of stock.

For about the next 18-25 minutes you will be repeating this process...add the stock, stir slowly to incorporate, simmer, as the stock cooks into the rice and evaporates, add another cup, repeat.

At about 15 minutes, really start to watch the rice. You will notice the rice grains get all fat and tender. Take a small taste, like pasta, you want an al dente bite to it. Sometimes I run out of stock before my rice is cooked completely. At this point, I'll add water, just to get it tender. No real flavor will be lost, as you've already used several cups of stock.

When you rice is cooked to the proper tenderness, remove from the heat and add in about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the grated parmesan. Stir to incorporate, it will melt and get all gooey. If you want to add any herbs, toss in now. This is also the time to stir in any veg you want to add.

Serve immediately.

As I said, this is my recipe. Later this fall, I'll post the infamous Pumpkin Risotto recipe I have. If I have had one dish requested more than any other, it's pumpkin risotto....I'm just saying!


Good luck and please do try this!!! I've had restaurant risotto once, it was good....but having your own is such a pleasure!