Rapsberry Buttermilk Cake/The perfect detox for a food overdose

After the cheesecake, roulade and pound cake we have eaten all this last week, I wanted a dessert that was simple and light. My inspiration was an almost full quart of buttermilk in my fridge.

Looking for flavorings, I scrutinized the pantry. No lemons, no chocolate, a can of pumpkin (not not not), plenty of nuts and little else. I was saving a bag of frozen raspberries to test a cheesecake for Christmas but I could always switch to cranberries.

Raspberries it was then. Somewhat remembering a recipe for a raspberry buttermilk cake in Gourmet magazine about 2 years ago, I went to search at epicurious.com. Typed in buttermilk and raspberry and this recipe popped up.

Since I am a novice baker, it was THE perfect recipe. Very easy, extremely quick and I had everything I needed. All the reviews were good and someone even used frozen raspberries with success, so I was encouraged.

I would love to try this with pears or apples. It sort of reminds me of a cakey clafouti.



Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
Adapted from Gourmet | June 2009
by Melissa Roberts

Simple, tender buttermilk cake topped with a nice, sugary crunch: We like it as it is, full of raspberries, but you could easily substitute any sweet, juicy berries you pick up at the farmers market.- Gourmet

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
* 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
* 1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.
3. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
4. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
5. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

I am sending this over to Ivonne at Cream Puffs In Venice for Magazine Mondays.

Thanksgiving Leftovers/Not in my kitchen

I take the turkey carcass and maybe one thigh off my host's hands. That is all I want and need.
Can you guess I am not a fan of Thanksgiving leftovers.

It was a nice meal but then they usually always are. Some families are just so stress-free, you look forward to each holiday.
Soon as I get home I throw the bones in my Crockpot, the ends of onions, carrots and leeks I have in a bag (from all those sides), cover with water, add a bay leaf and some whole peppercorns. Set to LOW, close the lights and climb the stairs.

Thanksgiving is officially over for another year and this weekend we blew all the leaves from around our house (we have 7 huge oak trees) and filled 40 bags.

I decorate my house with strings of large C-9 multi-colored bulbs, a 5 foot wreath with red/silver balls and candy canes and 3 large connected pathway bulb sets (just like the pic) that line my driveway. Everything is decked out for Christmas, even ChaCha, who got an early present of a new pink and white Peppermint Patty collar (so cute).

After finishing a long list of projects, I took a break from cooking.

The Nudge has been bugging me for his favorite soup for Soup Monday. I have homemade turkey stock and seven onions, already chopped in a container just waiting to be slowly converted to caramelized goodness.


Even though Emeril serves his bread on the side I am fitting two slices at the bottom of each bowl to soak up all this wonderful soup. I bought a three cheese mini-loaf at Panera's.

Seven Onion Soup with Parmesan-Garlic Bread
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 4 slices bacon, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups sliced yellow onions
* 1 1/2 cups sliced red onions
* 1 1/2 cups sliced white onions
* 1 cup sliced shallots
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 cup sliced leeks, bottoms only, well rinsed in several changes of water
* 1 cup sliced scallions (white parts only)
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 quarts chicken stock (I used turkey)
* 1 cup cream
* Salt and pepper
* 3 teaspoons snipped chives, for garnish
* Shaved Parmesan, for garnish
* Parmesan-Garlic Bread, recipe follows

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside for garnish.

To the fat remaining in the pan, add the yellow, red, and white onions, shallots, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, until very soft and starting to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the leeks and scallions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Dust flour over, and stir and cook until flour turns light golden. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream, stir well to incorporate, and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and pulse soup with an immersion blender. Return to the pot, stir to combine, and heat gently.



Divide the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with bacon, chives, and a little shaved Parmesan.

Parmesan-Garlic Bread:
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
* 1 teaspoon freshly chopped chives
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1 1/2 ounces)
* 1 (12 to 14-inch long) French baguette, ends trimmed and cut in 1/2 lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Cream the butter, garlic, parsley, chives, salt, pepper, and half of the cheese in a small bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Spread both halves of the bread evenly with the garlic butter and top with the remaining grated cheese. Place the bread halves on the prepared baking sheet, cut sides up, and bake until fragrant and lightly golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.) Cut crosswise on the diagonal into1 1/2-inch slices. Serve hot.

Rib Roast/What is a steak to some is a roast for others....

The weather is so good this weekend The Nudge wanted to grill something. Beef, yup, it's a man thing and I admit after all the turkey I could use a beef or seafood dinner. Last night I got my seafood and fresh pasta fix over at the Macaroni Grill (yes, I could not cook another dish). I let The Nudge choose the meat.

Three choices....hamburgers, strip steak fajitas (my vote) and a rib-eye.

The butcher gave us a two rib rib-eye steak. I laughed and told him, that might be a steak to you but for us its a roast. This sucker is huge. Over a pound and a half of beef.

How can one person possibly eat that much beef in one sitting?



I am tying it with twine to give it shape, rubbing it with olive oil & herbs and treating it like a standing rib roast. Why not, that's the cut they get rib-eyes from.



Asparagus is back on sale and when I take the roast out of the oven to rest, I will slide the asparagus in.

Simple, tasty, and easy. Just the meal we were craving.

This steak costs $20.00, it better be good. I better not ruin it.

I roasted it for 40 minutes at 425F to an internal temperature of 135F. I was perfect for medium rare. After eating this steak, I would buy this cut again.



It was spectacular!!!

P.S. We have enough leftovers to make the steak fajitas I want later in the week.

Assembly Line Sides

The clock is ticking in my kitchen. So far Ina's Stuffed Mushrooms and Chopped Livers are in line for final preparation (yes, they are huge and these must appear every year if I value my life).

The green beans are waiting their frizzled leeks, the carrots are gently braising undercover on the stove and the cheesecake is nicely chilling in the refrigerator.

I stopped to have a cup of coffee and wish everyone a VERY Happy Thanksgiving.

If the food is overdone because you had to wait for the "always late for dinner" family, don't fret.
Thanksgiving is all about everyone sitting down together to enjoy the day.

If you are interested in some very tasty side dishes, I will post all the recipes starting on Saturday. I went completely off the beaten track this year and it will be interesting to see how they will be received. The carrots are Moroccan spiced, the green beans will be lightly coated in a butter mignonette sauce, and the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are baked in a creamy goat cheese sauce then topped with crunchy crumbs.

Now, back to making the Parker House Roll dough. I can't believe I still have to make dinner.......lol

See you all after you have digested your food and are ready to even think about eating again!!!

Tomato Relish

In the summer when a good tomato is easy to find, I make a Caprese Salad at least 3-4x a week.

I had the good fortune to have lunch at Eataly recently.
I saw a special that caught my eye over at the vegetarian counter. A Fresh Mozzarella with Tomato Salsa and Arugula salad. Thinking that the salsa would be an Italian version of the Mexican classic, I sat down and placed my order.

What was set in front of me was better then I could have expected. I was not leaving until I dissected this salsa to make it for myself. What a great idea. Sun-dried tomatoes are always available, so instead of using tasteless cardboard winter tomatoes, they used roasted tomatoes (to intensify the tomato flavor), diced some red onion, and made a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing.

I had roasted the last of my yellow grape tomatoes from my deck garden and they were just waiting for this recipe.

I made up a small sample so The Nudge could taste it for me and after I got the thumbs up, it went on the menu for Thursday.

Not just for mozzarella, I would also serve this on grilled steaks or seafood. As a matter of fact, make a huge amount and it will keep for months in the fridge (if it lasts that long).

Roasted Grape Tomato Relish
makes about 1 cup

* 5 roasted tomatoes (or 1/2 cup grape), diced
* 1/4 cup diced red onion
* 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
* 1/4 cup olive oil (I used the oil the tomatoes were stored in)
* 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Mix, taste for seasoning and place in a covered container until ready to use.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake/When life gives you 5 pounds of sweet potatoes it makes perfectly good sense

This time of year is a whirlwind of cheesecake baking....1 for Thanksgiving dinner and then I bake 9 cheesecakes for Christmas gifts.

With the flavor of the T-day cheesecake still up in the air, I had divine providence when I rammed my shopping cart into a pallet of 5 pound boxes of sweet potatoes sitting smack dab in the middle of the produce aisle.

How does a Sweet Potato Cheesecake with a baked-on nut topping and a spicy filling sound to you?
Never made or ate a sweet potato cheesecake. Love, love and love Sweet Potato Pie. It couldn't possibly be bad, right?

Even The Nudge had to admit it sounded good. This is definitely one that I know no one in my family has had. Yes, they have had my Pumpkin Cheesecake but I do think that Sweet Potato 'anything' is sweeter and does not have that squash-like undertone that pumpkin has.

Tell you a little secret, I am on the edge of being totally tired of pumpkin. Sorry, don't think I am crazy but I was never gaga over pumpkin in the first place.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake
makes (1) 10" cheesecake
Crust:
* 1 cup ground gingersnap cookies
* 1/4 cup hazelnut flour
* 1/4-1/3 cup sugarless pancake syrup (like Careys)

Cheesecake:
* 1 cup whole hazelnuts, skins removed, roasted and chopped (divided 1/4 + 3/4 cup)
* 3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (about 2 cups)
* 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 4 eggs

Crumb Topping:
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
* 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (from above)

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Mix crust ingredients in a bowl using just enough syrup to moisten.
2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust just begins to brown around edge. Remove to cool, sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
3. In medium bowl, beat sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until blended; set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Beat in sweet potato mixture on low speed about 1 minute or until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Spoon batter into crust in pan. Place 10" springform pan in larger pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into larger pan to one-third the height of springform pan.
5. Bake cheesecake about 1 hour 30 minutes, adding very hot water to larger pan as needed, until center is set.
6. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Stir in hazelnuts. Set Crumb Topping aside.
7. Sprinkle Topping over cheesecake. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until topping is set. Remove from pan of water. Cool cheesecake 30 minutes. Loosen side from pan; remove. Refrigerate uncovered 3 to 4 hours or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.

Review: We cheated and cut into this Wednesday night. Well.....I had to make sure it was ok. OMG, The Nudge and I both agree, over the hundreds of cheesecakes I have made in 30 years, this is by far the BESTest one of the bunch. If you love sweet potatoes, pie and cheesecake you have got to make this.

Braised and Gratinéed Celery Stalks w/Parmesan Cheese

I do not eat celery. There I said it.
I don't buy it, I don't cook it and I don't eat it.

When I was young, about 5-6, I would beg my mom to give me a raw celery stalk and she always said the same thing...."you never swallow it, you chew it for ever and ever, then I have to rescue you with a napkin so you can spit it out."

"No, mom, I will swallow it this time, I promise."
I never did.
I loved the taste but something about all those strings made it impossible for me to swallow, and that followed me into my adult life.

When I saw Lidia make a braised celery dish I have to admit I was curious. Yesterday I found myself in a situation to squelch that curiosity for good. I bought celery for a stuffing recipe I was testing. I only needed 2 stalks. Now what do I do with the rest of it?

I refuse to throw food out like a true Italian, so where did I go for inspiration? You guessed it.

I opened my Marcella Hazan cookbook and found not one but three recipes using braised celery.

Nutritional value: Diets based on celery have energizing and fortifying effects on the body due to the stimulation of the renal glands, reduction of the stress hormone and decreasing of the heart rate. But celery also has hypoglycemic properties, which means it can be used in treating sugary diabetes. I never knew it was that good for Diabetes.

Double incentive to make this recipe.

Despite the sequence of cooking procedure - this is not a very complicated dish to prepare. - Marcella Hazan

Braised and Gratinéed Celery Stalks with Parmesan Cheese
for 4 servings

* 1 large bunch celery
* 3 tablespoons onion, chopped fine
* 2 tablespoon butter
* 1/4 cup pancetta or bacon
* Salt
* Fresh black pepper
* 2 cups stock (beef or chicken)
* 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1. Cut off the celery's leafy tops and detach all the stalks from their base.

Save the hearts for a salad. Use a peeler to pare away most of the strings, and cut the stalks into 3" pieces.
2. Put the onion and butter in a saucepan and heat to medium. Cook and stir until translucent, then add the pancetta. Stir to coat well, for 1 minute and add the celery, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the broth, adjust the heat to a very gentle simmer, and cover the pan. Cook until the celery feels tender when prodded (mine was done when the fork went through them with no resistance, starting at around 15 minutes).
4. Remove the tender stalks to a platter, up the heat to high, and boil off all the liquid.
5. Arrange the stalks with the concave side facing up. Over the celery, spoon the onion/bacon mixture over the top, then the cheese. Place in the uppermost part of your oven and bake until the cheese melts and forms a light crust and the bacon is crunchy done.
6. Arrange on a platter and serve while still warm, or cover, refrigerate (up to 3 days) and reheat for about 5 minutes in the oven before serving.

Review: The Nudge told me to make this as one of my vegetable sides on Thanksgiving Day. Since I am trying to use the same aromatics, to cut down on the ingredient list and bacon appears a few times, this would work well.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi alla Romana

Gnocchi alla Romana, gnocchi in the Roman style. Getting the history of this dish is not easy to do, like most Italian dishes. There is a lot of history in one of the world's ancient cuisines.

The word gnocco in Italian means a little lump, such as the one that might be raised by sharply knocking your head against a hard object. - Marcella Hazan

This week I am showcasing gnocchi made from cooking semolina (farina) in milk & butternut squash puree for a minimum of 15 minutes (yes, I set the timer for 17 minutes). After cooking add and Parmesan, salt, egg yolks and butter. Spread evenly on a board or marble surface to a 3/8" thickness, dipping the offset spatula in water to help the smoothing process.

Let the batter cool completely. Some recipes call for 2 1/2" cookie cutter but I prefer the 1 1/2 biscuit cutter. In Italy it is customary to use a jelly glass, which is how my Nonna let me do it growing up.

Do not throw away the trimmings. They can be rolled into croquette shapes, rolled in bread crumbs (or Panko) and fried in hot oil until a light crust forms. Serve plain, with no sauce, as you would a vegetable side.

First you need to roast your squash. Peel, de-seed and cut your squash into 2" chunks.

Look at that beautiful color!! Taste for sweetness. Mine was super sweet, yum.



Roasted Butternut Squash
makes about 2 cups puree

* 1 squash (whatever is in your store)
* salt & pepper
* olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F while peeling and de-seeding the squash. Cut into 2" chunks, and in a plastic bag, pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt & pepper. Place squash in bag and shake to evenly coat.

On a parchment lined sheet pan, nicely arrange the chunks on the pan in a single layer.
Roast for 45 minutes. Remove and cool. Using a processor, blender or hand blender, puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning.

Because I am adding the squash to the recipe, an adjustment must be made to compensate for the extra moisture that the puree contains. I added a 1/2 cup of polenta to the mix since there is 2 cups of puree. It might seem thicker then usual but you need that so that the gnocchi will set up firmly. The first time I tried this, even after 2 days in the cooler, the consistency was still like mashed potatoes and cutting disks would be impossible. I ended up throwing the whole thing away. I thought about adding another yolk, but that would be just adding more trouble. It was time to start from scratch.

This is the final tested recipe for perfect gnocchi.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi alla Romana
Makes 6-8 servings

* 2 cups water
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup squash puree
* 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
* 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup semolina flour
* 1/2 cup polenta
* 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
* 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten



1. In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, nutmeg, salt and 4 tablespoons butter. Bring just to a boil, lower heat to medium and immediately start adding semolina in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Keep whisking to make a smooth mixture. Reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in most of the cheese and the egg yolks.

2. Use some of the oil to grease a baking sheet. Spread hot batter on baking sheet to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until very cold, 4 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a little remaining butter to grease a shallow baking dish about 9 by 13 inches. Use a 2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter or a glass to cut disks of chilled dough. Keep dipping cutter in cold water to prevent sticking. Lift disks off baking sheet and arrange, slightly overlapping, in baking dish.

4. Sprinkle disks in dish with remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

I thought this would a great side for grilled fillet mignons.

Polenta Bread Stuffing/Diabetics Rejoice and Finally Give Thanks!!

A few words from your sponsor before our regularly scheduled post begins.....



Meet my desk mate. Princess ChaCha.

This is something new for her lately. She is obsessed with my desk, which is loaded with paper clips, twist ties and plenty of rolling pens. Kitty Cat heaven.

She's decided that by knocking everything off the desk, she is cleaning for me.
What she really did was make a spot where she can lay down and hang with me.

I'm such a sucker I can never say NO to her. I moved the cooking magazines and the cookbooks perpetually poised at the end of my desk to the floor and I let her do her thing.

While she took her catnap, I started researching cornbread stuffing.
Two reasons....
1. I think they taste great,
and
2. I know they are Diabetic friendly. Much better than white bread stuffing.

I have a problem with cornbread stuffing, though. When you use a basic cornbread recipe to make the bread it brakes down to mush the minute you add any liquid (stock, wine, eggs, etc). So basically you are breaking it down to bake it back into a bread.

......huh?

Inspired by watching Thomas Keller cook the polenta as the base of his cornbread waffles, I am going to do the same for my cornbread recipe. Also baking the cornbread intentionally longer will help to dry it out and make it firm.

The Nudge is in Texas so I will be able to mess in the kitchen for two days. If I am successful with the bread texture, I will make a small amount of stuffing. If it turns out the way I hope it does, I will take a pan over to my SIL's on Thanksgiving and have an honest taste testing.

I started with Keller's waffle recipe and added some ingredients from Martha's cornbread recipe to create my Polenta Cornbread.

After the polenta cornbread baked for 20 minutes, I cooled and inverted it onto a plate. I sliced it into 1/2" slices and on a sheet pan, set them in a 220F oven to dry out. After 1 hour I turned them over and repeated.

Since I can tell from the texture of the cornbread, it will never dry out to a crunch stage in the oven, so the next step is to cut the 1/2" strips into a 1/2" dice and in a non-stick pan, using no grease, cook them until they brown on all sides. I know this is a tedious step but extremely important to see if it will work. Testing recipes can be tedious. Hitting the mark on the first try is a miracle.

This may seem like lots of work but each step is just a matter of slicing and baking.
I think to find something delicious Diabetics can eat and enjoy is worth it.



Polenta Cornbread
makes 1 (9") cake, 1" thick

* 1/2 cup fine grind polenta (regular cornmeal would also work but I cheated and used instant)
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup flour
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* pinch cayenne
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 large eggs

Place polenta and water in saucepan. Cook until it thickens and then add 1/2 cup milk.
Cook cornmeal for 5-6 minutes and take off the heat. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add cornmeal and combine. Add egg, stir and pour into a 9" cake pan (round or square). Bake for 20 minutes. Cool on rack. When cool cut into 1" slices and bake for 2 hours at 220F, turning after 1 hour.

Remove and cool to the touch. Cut strips into 1" squares and place bake on the baking sheet and bake at 400F until toasted on all sides (about 1 hour). Cool and remove to a bag and store (up to 3 days) until ready to use.

Cornbread Stuffing
makes 6 cups

* 1 recipe polenta cornbread cubes
* 1 cup prepared boxed stuffing mix (Zatarains, Stovetop. etc)
* 1/2 roll breakfast sausage or 4 links Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 onion, diced
* 3 stalks celery, deribed and diced
* 3 medium carrots, diced
* 5 leaves fresh sage, minced
* 10oz mushrooms, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* chicken or turkey stock
* 2 eggs, beaten
* handful of chopped parsley
* dried apples (optional), sliced

Saute sausage, onions, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil.
Add fresh sage and a handful of Bells' Seasoning.
Deglaze with dry vermouth (thanks Julia) and add a 1/2 cup chicken stock.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Let cool and add to polenta cubes along with eggs.
Pre-heat oven to 375F and in a greased casserole pan, put mixture and pour in stock until it comes to the top of the bread cubes. May seem like a lot, but it cooks down, like a bread pudding would. Cover with foil, and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes.

Review: This stuffing had HUGE flavor, was moist and had a great chunky texture. I felt it could have had a better cohesive structure so instead of more eggs I added a cup of boxed cornbread stuffing mix (Zatarains, Stovetop, etc). If you have concerns with 100% white bread stuffing (gluten or Diabetes), make this recipe. We taste tested it with the tea brined chicken roaster I made on Monday, gravy and cranberry sauce. The Nudge gave it a BIG thumbs up.

Molten Chocolate Cakes/a.k.a. Lava Cakes

I absolutely love my new oven. I never would have ever tried this recipe in the old one.

The Nudge loves chocolate cakes and if there is a Lava Cake on the menu, he will order it every time. This recipe was spot on.
I used 72% cacao dark chocolate and I think it was too much dark chocolate for me (yes, I am not a chocolate person). I only could eat half of mine but The Nudge ate his plate clean.

The U.S.-based chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claims to have invented molten chocolate cake in New York City in 1987, but the French chef and chocolatier Jacques Torres has disputed that claim, arguing that such a dish already existed in France. According to Vongerichten, he pulled a chocolate sponge cake from the oven before it was done and found that the center was still runny, but was warm and had both a good taste and a good texture. Regardless of who invented the dish, Vongerichten has been credited with popularizing it in the United States, and it is now almost a de rigueur inclusion on high-end restaurant dessert menus.

Molten lava cakes are always baked in ramekin dishes and have four main ingredients: butter, eggs, sugar, and chocolate. The butter and chocolate are melted together, while the eggs are either whisked with the sugar to form a thick paste, producing a denser finished product; or are separated so that the egg whites can be whipped into an egg foam to provide more lift (and thus a lighter cake) when the mixture is baked

So, it all boils down to this.....

If you love deep, dark, schmucky chocolate desserts, make these yesterday.

Lava Cakes
makes 4

* 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (I used 72% cocoa)
* 1/3 cup (3 ounces) unsalted butter
* 2 egg yolks
* 2 whole eggs
* salt
* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup Kahlua (optional)

1. Melt the chocolate, butter and Kahlua together in a bain-marie and then let cool for a few minutes.
2. Whip eggs, yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt until light yellow in color. Add the melted chocolate and then the flour.
3. Grease and flour 4 ramekins (or oven-proof glass cups) tapping out the excess flour.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins.
5. At the point they can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Bring to room temperature for about 20 minutes before.
6. Pre-heat oven to 450F and bake for about 13 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven, edges should be firm but the center will be jiggly.
8. Run a sharp knife around each cake and unmold onto serving plates. Take your time, they will remain molten for quite a while.
9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (A scoop of ice cream optional) and serve.

Review: These were over-the-top good, but I think next time I will use bittersweet and dark together. The Nudge loved this and the other two are in the refrigerator for Wednesday. To serve, gently reheat in a 300F oven for 10 minutes.

Cooking with Tea/Daring Cooks Challenge - November 2011

Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.

I decided to make Tea Brined Chicken. I saw a show on Food network about the BEST fried chicken and the secret was brining the meat in sweet tea. Since I do not like making fried chicken I will take the brine recipe and use it with a roasting chicken.

I got my obligatory FREE Kosher Chicken at the Shop-Rite this weekend and the timing could not have been better. I will reheat it for dinner on Wednesday when The Nudge is home to enjoy it.

I have decided to use my 4C Light Low Calorie Green Teas Iced Tea Mix. It already is sweetened with Splenda and lemon. I will add fresh lemon juice to the mix along with the proper amount of salt to make the brine.



Sweet Tea Brined Roasted Chicken
serves 4

* 3 pound Organic Chicken
* 1 gallon water
* 1 1/2 scoops 4C Green Tea mix
* 1 scoop table salt
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Mix everything in a plastic brining container and stir to dissolve tea and salt. Brine for 24 hours.

Heat oven to 375F while letting the chicken come to room temperature. Rub unsalted butter all over both sides of the chicken, place 1/2 an onion in the cavity and salt & pepper the skin. I did not want to add too many aromatics to the dish because I wanted to make sure the flavor of the brine shined through.

Roast for 90 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 in the breast.

How else would we know if the brine works?



I finally bought a Calphalon roasting rack last month and pulled out my old Dansk roasting pan. I was going to do this right. Usually I throw a trussed chicken into a small Corningware Bake pan and roast away. The bird sits in the juice in the pan and doesn't roast as well as it would on a rack.

The last half hour I threw in some carrots and onions to flavor the juices for a sauce.
I ate a thigh for lunch. It was sweet and moist and very flavorful. From now on, I am brining all my chicken, roasters or pieces, in my iced tea mix.

Pommes Anna

I am making a good ole Italian meal of roasted veal chops with roasted potatoes. Not just any potatoes though, The Nudge loves crispy roasted potatoes and now that I have a cast iron pan, I will be making Potatoes Anna (or Pommes Anna).

Pommes Anna was created during the era of Napoleon III and named, as were many culinary triumphs in those days, after one of the grandes cocottes of the period. Whether it was an Anna Deslions, an Anna Judic, or simply Anna Untel, she has also immortalized the special double baking dish itself, la cocotte a pommes Anna, which is still made and which you can still buy at a fancy price.

This simple recipe is all in the preparation and presentation, and the use of very, very thinly sliced potatoes, that's the key to success. Since the dish is inverted, it is important that the first layer of potatoes be attractively arranged. Select perfect slices, and overlap them carefully. Keep in mind the final shape makes the presentation. A watercress or parsley garnish adds color. Serve warm and cut into wedges, like a cake or quiche.

Use very waxy potatoes like New potatoes and Yukon Golds. A mandolin is a MUST HAVE.

I slightly adjust the recipe (which really is NO recipe) by adding grated Parmesan to each layer after brushing with butter. It's all about the technique, that's the recipe.

Potatoes Anna
Serves 2

* 2 medium red new potatoes (same size), sliced thinly
* salt & pepper
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* Romano cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Put the potato slices in a colander and rinse under running water to get rid of the starch. Place on a cloth in a single layer and pat dry.
3. Generously grease the base of an ovenproof pan or baking dish with melted butter.
4. Arrange the potato slices in the pan in overlapping circles, brushing butter over each layer and seasoning as you go.
5. Cover with greaseproof paper or a lid. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or up to 1 hour. Test with a skewer to see if the potatoes are done.

Cook this in a cast-iron, heavy-bottomed, stubby-handled frying pan that goes in the oven. Traditionally it should be lidded - mine isn't, so I used a piece of parchment paper and a saucepan lid.

Texas Frittata/A Lone Star dish for a proper send-off

The Nudge is leaving for Texas this weekend and I wanted to send him off with a hearty, tasty breakfast. Cast Iron Fry Pan and eggs, nothing better than that.

I love frittatas. I love them as much as I do my Monday Clean Out The Fridge Soup.

One of those dishes that let's you chop and drop just about anything you have laying around.

The only recipe here is to add about 1 teaspoon milk or cream for each egg you use.

I like to add some meat (usually sausage or ham) always red peppers and onions and then sometimes I will add a green.

Cheese is mixed with the eggs and then after removing from the broiler, more to top.

I use a cast iron pan, bring it right to the table and serve it right from the pan. It keeps the frittata hot for quite some time. Nothing worse then cold cooked eggs.

Easy, quick, a good tummy filling Sunday breakfast or brunch. Serve with buttered toast and jam. This really hit the spot before starting a day of yard work and leaf blowing.

Sausage, Peppers and Cheese Frittata
serves 2

* 1 Italian Sausage, diced
* 1/4 cup diced onion
* 1/4 cup each yellow, orange and red peppers, diced
* 1oz Sharp Cheddar, grated
* 4 eggs mixed with 1/4 cup milk
* Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat broiler.
In cast iron pan or oven safe fry pan, cook sausage. If the sausage seems to be lean add 2 teaspoons oil.
Add onions, peppers and saute until tender and browned. Add a teaspoon of butter and when that melts pour in the egg/milk mixture and season with salt & pepper. Cover with another pan or lid and turn heat to low. Simmer until the bottom and sides are set about 4 minutes.
Place pan under broiler and cook until set, about 3 minutes.
Remove and sprinkle cheese on top. The heat from the eggs will melt the cheese.

Review: Don't laugh but I can't eat a scrambled egg without ketchup, but you can serve it with salsa for a true Texan dish or even a good marinara sauce.
The toast was better spread with jam. I think it was because of the spicy sausage and strong pepper flavor. The sweetness just complimented the frittata.

Spaetzle and Schnitzel/German engineering NOT in the garage

Since attending my cousins wedding in Maine, I have been in frequent contact with my lone maternal uncle. He lives in Upstate NY and except for his sister (my mom) and his brother's funerals I never get to see him. I suppose it is like that with most families who do not live nearby.

When it comes right down to it, with all the time I spend on the computer, how much time would it take for me to send a few emails?

My Uncle Bruce emailed a picture of my mother's mother and her father (my grandfather) right before she died. I think that picture might be the only picture of her.

This recent trip down Memory Lane reminded me of my German/Swedish heritage and the good food my step grandmother cooked on special occasions. I vividly remember Sauerbraten and potato dumplings at Thanksgiving (along with a turkey, of course) and whenever I stayed for the weekend she would always make me pork schnitzel with brown gravy and spaetzle.
I would die for her potato dumpling recipe.

With all those memories, I wanted to make a traditional German meal for The Nudge so I choose pork schnitzel and spaetzle.

Since spaetzle IS a dumpling I am taking cooks prerogative and posting them for Gnocchi on Thursday.

Herb Dumplings (Spaetzle)
makes 6 servings

Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons semolina flour
* 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ricotta
* 3 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons fresh parsley and chives
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 3/4 cup water

* 1 stick butter (optional)

Mix first 9 ingredients in stand mixer; add in water and mix until thick. Let stand 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over medium heat.
Place the batter in a colander (or in a spaetzle maker) over the boiling water. Using a rubber spatula or a spaetzle maker, push the batter through a colander into the boiling water. Boil the spaetzle for 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Drain the spaetzle on a sheet pan until cool. To reheat, melt some butter in a saucepan and saute dumplings.

Pork Schnitzel
serves 4

Ingredients
* 4 boneless pork chops (1 pound total), 1/2 inch thick
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (Spike or Lawrey's, or just substitute plain salt)
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 egg, beaten
* 2 Tbsp milk
* 3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs or panko (I used ground Trix)
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 3 Tbsp canola oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil
* 3/4 cup chicken stock
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)

Method
1. Use a meat hammer to pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness. Cut small slits around the edges of the cutlets to prevent curling.
2. Set out 3 shallow bowls. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs (or panko) and paprika.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.
4. Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.
5. Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not let boil).

Serve the cutlets with the sauce, and lemon slices if you like. Tradition says just the lemon but I think you can get away with using less butter on the spaetzle if you moisten them with some sauce.

I steamed some green beans (also a German side dish) and mixed them in with the spaetzle.

Review: This was delicious and moves to the list of favorites. The Nudge enjoyed it as much as I did making it.

11-11-11

Today if you tune into the Hallmark Channel to watch Martha, you will see what I was a part of on Tuesday.

I haven't traveled by train in over 10 years and I am glad I gave myself ample time to get re-acquainted.

To not bore you with tiny details, I will sum it all up by saying this, while I was hesitant to travel alone without the sanctuary of a car, I am SO HAPPY I pushed myself forward and did the day. I think that everyone should do something out of their comfort zone every once in a while. Makes you feel invigorated and proud and wanting to do more.

I think the next time The Nudge travels I will travel also, to a place I have never been but have always wanted to go, even if it's only a few hours away.

Now to my day......



This is Eataly, when you first walk in, grab a cappuccino and sit to have a look-around.
On the left is a refrigerated cabinet with all sorts of cheeses. I wanted to buy a burrata but not a good thing to leave in your purse all day.



The layout at Eataly was ingenious and so well done, you wouldn't realize it if you weren't looking for it. Each section of food has three things. An eating area, a food area and a kitchen implement area, all in the same category. I stopped at a stall where the plates were all vegetarian. As I looked around I realized the produce section was right next door and the salad making bowls, plates and gadgets where next to that. How efficient.

The seafood stall was next to the fish monger and then the food stuffs (like preserved lemons and capers and anchovies) to make seafood dishes where all shelved there.



I knew I needed to eat, my sugar was low and I was shaking a little and a salad is the perfect quick lunch for that. Underneath that pile of perfect baby arugula was three slices of the best fresh buffalo mozzarella you could buy and a tomato salsa that I need to replicate. I think it was made with roasted tomatoes and onions, minced olives and the tiniest, piquant capers I have ever eaten. I was not leaving without a jar of those (I should have bought two and I didn't but I used them to make my sole piccata).



When I arrived at the TV Studio you wait on a line that travels the whole length of the street and after checking ID's you are sent to a room to wait for instructions and to fill out consent forms. The first three pics were taken before the taping started, the last after.



Pardon the blurry picture but I was taking as many as I could before we were asked to put the cameras away.



There are more staff in her studio then there are audience members. A lot to watch.



This was the set after the taping, waiting for Martha to come out and talk to us. Well, Martha doesn't actually talk to you, she let's 3 people ask questions. Her staff manages everything she is allowed to do. They are well trained and it seems, completely scared of making Martha upset in any way.




I wish this was a better pic but they shut down the overhead lights by then and it was dark to begin with. I had to up the exposure to even see Martha's face.

Same ole Martha, when the cameras are off, so is she. I got the impression she tolerates the audience because she needs us for the show. When she was leaving they would not let us out of the bathroom until she was safely in her car. I get the impression unless you can DO for Martha, she really has no need to interact with her audience. I knew that going in and I would go again, she gets wonderful guests and everything is run smoothly.

So, that was my day.

I hit my train running and was home by 6:15. The Nudge walked into the door as I was cleaning out my pocketbook and we went out to dinner.
I had a ball being in NY and the energy of the city tuckered me out but I was still high from the trip and talked my husband's ears off.

I think it is time to get more TV tickets, now that I am an old soul in train travel.

Swai Piccata

Need a quick and tasty restaurant quality meal, make anything 'piccata'.

I admit I probably make this and other 5 ingredient quickies that use fish fillets and meat scaloppine at least once a month on those nights that you get home late or you just don't feel like preparing a high prep recipe.

Taking advantage of the temperate weather lately, I have been covering the sliding outside patio doors with plastic. I have 3 of them and if I don't do this my oil bill doubles in the winter. It is time consuming and at the end of the day I am tired.

This is when I pull out the frozen swai, cut a lemon, a touch of white wine and a spoonful of capers and dinner is served. If a lemon is about to go south, I zest it and squeeze the juice into small cups and freeze it. I have fresh lemon juice and zest in the freezer at all times.

This dish in particular is excellent for sugar control. A side of Uncle Ben's Converted Rice and spinach makes a well rounded meal. I keep bags of creamed spinach in the freezer, buying them when they run those vegetable specials. I personally like the Birds-Eye Steam bags.
Just enough for one meal.

I am in love with these tiny Italian capers I found at Eataly the other day. They pack a huge punch of flavor. I think I will save the larger ones for when a recipe calls for chopped capers.

I like Swai (Indonesian catfish) fillets, because like American catfish, it is sweet and firm so it does not flake and is easy to flip over. Great for sauteing. It also is half the price of flounder or sole and the large pieces make it perfect for 2 people. It also is called Basa. Grab a few fillets and try it, you will love it.

Swai Picatta
serves 2

* 1 large white fish fillet
* salt & pepper
* flour, for dredging
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon capers
* juice and zest of 1 medium lemon
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 2 tablespoons clam or chicken broth

Melt butter and olive oil in a non-stick fry pan. Salt & pepper and dredge fish in flour on both sides.
Saute fish, skinned side up until the edges start to whiten and no longer have a translucent look.
Carefully flip and saute the bottom side. With a fork, gently poke the flesh at the thickest part to test for doneness. If it separates easily remove the fillet to a warm platter.
Add lemon juice and white wine and cook till it coats the bottom of the pan and then add some chicken broth to the consistency of the sauce you like. Sprinkle the lemon zest and capers into the pan and pour the sauce over the fillet.

Tang Mein/Would it be incorrect to call it Chinese penicillin?

An excellent example of a great basic dish made all over the world with the same great ingredients but with a regional twist.

Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chicken, noodles, vegetables, broth.

Jewish penicillin
Italian Wedding soup
Caribbean Pepper Pot soup
Mexican Tortilla soup
Tunisian Tfaia
Indonesian Soto Ayam

The list goes on.......but I won't. You get it.

This week's "Clean Out the Fridge Soup Monday" is really not a 'true' fridge cleaner. I had none of the fresh ingredients only the pantry items. That's OK. It just looked so good in the Soup Bible cookbook, I had to put it on the menu.

I can't remember the last time I made a Chicken Noodle Soup from any country. I yelled into the living room.......
"Hey, when was the last time I made a Chicken Noodle Soup?"
"Chicken and Dumplings? A few months ago, I think."
"No, a Chicken and Noodle soup."
"Yes, you did give me one to take to work."
"No, no...not the can of Campbell's Soup, a homemade Chicken Noodle Soup."
"Oh Wow, I don't know."

I get that response a lot. Silly me for thinking he would really know.

Since I have pretty much made all the soup's listed above, the only one I have not tried is a Chinese version. Yes, everyone who has ever done Chinese Take Out will have had wonton soup. Not the same. Chicken soup should have chunks of vegetables, pieces of chicken and noodles, of course.

Tang Mein means fresh noodles where Chow Mein is fried noodles and Lo Mein is stirred noodles.

This could not be any easier. You use homemade stock or stock in a box. I just bought a few quarts of boxed chicken stock, so I will use that.

I also added julienned carrots for color and I love the sweetness they bring.



Chinese Tang Mein
makes 4 servings

* 8oz chicken breast
* 3-4 shiitake mushrooms, soaked in sherry
* 4oz canned sliced bamboo shoots
* 4oz spinach or napa cabbage leaves, shredded
* 2 scallions
* 12 oz dried egg noodles
* 2 1/2 cups stock
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
* A few drops of sesame oil
* Hot red chili sauce

Thinly shred the chicken. Squeeze dry the shiitake mushrooms and discard any hard stems but reserve the liquid.
Thinly shred the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, greens and scallions.
Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse. Place in a serving bowl.

Bring the stock to a boil and pour over the noodles; set aside and keep warm.
Heat oil in a hot wok. Add about half the scallions and all of the meat and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and the greens and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the salt, sugar, soy sauce and the 2 teaspoons of mushroom soaking liquid and blend well.

Pour the sauce over the noodles, garnish with the remaining scallions and sprinkle a few drops of sesame oil over. Divide into soup bowls and serve with chili sauce.

Review: This was excellent. Had a nice level of spice, sweetness, and saltiness. I would make it again. Yup, it was surprisingly good and so easy to make.