Sludge, You Say? I Say This Cilantro Pesto is the Elixer of Life

<img alt="Cilantro Pesto" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=b8b2bee8-48a0-4cc3-896b-ccb14a266e4e&size=original" style="border-bottom: 1px solid; border-left: 1px solid; margin: 10px; width: 205px; float: left; height: 154px; border-top: 1px solid; border-right: 1px solid" />I find that pleasing the palates of both grown-ups and kids in the same meal often involves add-ons.  Sometimes this means having too much of a good thing like the gorgeous cilantro I bought  for these delicious<a href="http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2011/11/24/pork-meatball-bnh/" target="_blank"> Pork Meatball Bahn Mi Sandwiches </a>I found on Canadian food writer Julie Van Rosendaal’s website.  I had hesitated to buy the cilantro just so the grown-ups could have a few sprigs, but even if the kids didn’t touch it, we parents modeled eating green stuff!  I’m happy to say that overall, the sandwiches did their job of expanding palates thanks to the complex Asian flavors in the juicy meatballs. What to do with all the cilantro, though?  The easiest way I could think of to use so much at one time would be to make some sort of pesto.  I actually had a bunch of parsley I wanted to use too, so I threw that into<a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/cilantro-pesto-10000000524120/index.html#" target="_blank"> Real Simple’s recipe for Cilantro Pesto </a>along with the cilantro.   This pesto is packed with heart-healthy goodness -- olive oil, garlic, green stuff, and not much else.   So, the cilantro will get a second life in pesto form as an add-on for the grown-ups.  Tonight, it goes straight onto broiled chicken breasts. Later this week, it'll get mixed with Greek yogurt and diced cucumber to make a riff on tsatsiki to serve alongside baked salmon.  Hurrrah!  Two easy dinners, and I don’t have to watch perfectly good herbs wilt in the fridge.
1/25/2012 11:32:20 AM
(JTD)

Wish Sandwiches

<img alt="Wish Sandwich" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=1b2c4322-9daf-4158-a6e6-0bed2a9947c3&size=original" style="border-bottom: 1px solid; border-left: 1px solid; margin: 10px; width: 205px; float: left; height: 154px; border-top: 1px solid; border-right: 1px solid" />Wish Sandwich “A wish sandwich is the kind of sandwich where you have two slices of bread and you wish you had some meat.”  -- Elwood Blues So, DH paraphrased a Blues Brother when I served  Hot Chicken Sandwiches.  At first, I thought he meant he wished we were having something else for dinner. My thinking was that this dinner was a wholesome hearty throwback to classic diner food and a good solution to the dilemma of how to serve roast chicken to kids who (I thought) loved gravy on an activity-packed winter weeknight.  Well, it was, darn it.  And I’ll stand by that. Really, when one hits the door at 6:45 on an evening in the low 30s, isn’t it nice to have something that heats up in about 10 minutes, about the amount of time it takes to cook a pot of broccoli? Here’s what you do (and you can do it on a Sunday or even a weeknight before): 1)  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Put an under 3.5 pound chicken in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.  Rub the skin with a tablespoon of butter or canola oil.  Sprinkle sea salt over the bird.  Cut a peeled small onion in half and put it in the cavity.  Roast for about an hour.  About 20 minutes in, pour ½ cup water over the bird.  Take its temperature with an instant-read thermometer – the deepest part of the thigh should register at least 165 degrees. 2) When you take the chicken out of the oven, use a sturdy meat fork to tilt the juices out of the cavity.  Let rest 10 minutes, then remove chicken to cutting board (I put the board in a rimmed baking sheet to keep juices from dripping onto the counter). 3)  While the chicken continues to rest, make the gravy.  Make a slurry of two tablespoons of flour in ½ to a whole cup of water (depending on how much liquid is in the bottom of the skillet).  Add this to the skillet and cook over medium heat, scraping up the bits and stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until thickened. 4) Slice the chicken, cool, and refrigerate.  Refrigerate the gravy separately. 5) When ready for dinner, heat gravy first in the 10-inch skillet until hot.  Add chicken slices and warm through gently over medium-low heat. 6) Serve meat and gravy over bread slices, open-faced.
1/6/2012 1:24:17 PM
(JTD)

Chocolate Cranberry Orange Drop Cookies

<img alt="Chocolate Cranberry Orange Cookies" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=cc43e9d1-3f1e-4665-94be-83cd03004ef0&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />     I love chocolate and orange together.  I also love dried cranberries, so this soft version of a chocolate chip cookie is one of my favorites to bake at the holidays.   I have to admit – the kids ask me to bake some without the cranberries.  I just replace them with more chips!   Chocolate Cranberry Orange Drops: 2/3 cup butter (at cool room temperature)        ½ tsp. baking powder ¾ cup sugar                                                          ½ tsp. baking soda 1 egg                                                                    ½ tsp. salt ½ cup orange juice                                              2 cups flour 2 Tbsp. grated orange rind                                   ½ cup chocolate chips                                                                               ½ cup dried cranberries Using a mixer set at medium, cream butter and sugar for 3 minutes.  Mix in egg.   Stir in orange juice and rind.  Blend in baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour.  Add chocolate chips and dried cranberries and combine.  Chill dough for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes, or until delicately browned at edges.  Let cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then cool completely on rack.
12/16/2011 11:24:13 AM
(JTD)

Betty Draper’s -- I mean, Betty Crocker’s (1963) Cooky Book

<img alt="Betty's Cooky Book" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=da999914-fce1-439c-b098-b855a2cff8fa&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />Today is St. Nicholas Day.   I finally tasted Trader Joes Peppermint Jo Jos.  And on Sunday I heard a wind ensemble play Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmastime is Here” from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”   All of this has me thinking about baking cookies, so I took out the copy of Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book my mother gave me.  You can actually still buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cooky-Crocker-Editors/dp/0764566377/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323196538&sr=8-1" target="_blank">a facsimile version</a> of this book. I can just see Mad Men’s Betty Draper bringing a plate of cookies from this book  to the door for a group of neighborhood carolers.  The funny thing is, even though I wasn’t born when the book was published, it’s my go-to source.  I find the recipes are easy and delicious.  If you have kids who like to bake, the assembly line approach works well with some of the fiddlier cookies. Some of my favorites are Tiny Fudge Tarts, Holiday Spritz, Lemon Snowdrops, and Candy Cane cookies. My kids love to help make these Cooky-Candies.  They’re two steps of fiddly, but oh-so-delicious and pretty on a cookie plate.  They’re dipped in melted chocolate, then sprinkles, chopped nuts, or coconut.  We do mostly sprinkles – chocolate and holly berry. Make them really small.  They’re rich!  I adjust a couple of the ingredients (less salt, chocolate, and milk than in the original recipe).  The recipe below has the measurements I use. <hr /> Cooky-Candies (adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book) 1 cup butter ¾ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 cups flour ½ tsp. salt ½ cup oats (I use Quaker quick-cooking, but the original calls for rolled oats) ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon milk Finely chopped pecans or walnuts Shredded coconut Chocolate Shot  (yes, that’s what they called it in 1963!) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Stir flour and rolled oats into butter mixture. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into rounds, balls, crescents, triangles, and bars.  Bake on ungreased baking sheet 29 to 25 minutes, or until golden around edges.  Watch baking time – these are easily overbaked.  Cool completely on rack. Melt chocolate; add milk; blend until smooth.  Dip cookies, rounded-side- down, in chocolate; then dip in nuts, coconut, or sprinkles. Makes about 4 dozen.
12/6/2011 3:18:22 PM
(JTD)

How Do You Like Them Apples? Pie, Cake, or an Old-fashioned “Pudding”?

<img alt="Apples " src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=b2fc0c21-ecd0-4e4e-9619-853486d4a26b&type=image&size=original" style="height: 123px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> We picked apples over the weekend.  Lots of apples, Cortlands, to be specific.  I was wondering how the flavor and texture would be after so much rain in the Northeast.  I thought the apples might taste a bit washed out.  I needn’t have worried.  They’re great, both for baking and eating out of hand. I adapted my mom’s stand-by circa 1953 Mirro Cookbook pie crust recipe and made a two-crust apple pie over the weekend (see below).  The original recipe calls for shortening (i.e., Crisco), but I like to replace a little more than half of the fat with unsalted butter.  You end up with the flakiness of the vegetable shortening and the flavor and browning properties of the butter. My other go-to for apples is this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/French-Apple-Cake-2504" target="_blank">French Apple Cake</a>.  I’ve been making it since 1992, when the recipe was published in Bon Appetit.  I don’t keep Calvados or brandy, so I just add a tablespoon of water instead.  This will be dessert for Saturday night. Next week, I’ll try either Apple Brown Betty or Apple Charlotte.  Both of those recipes use bread, made into crumbs or fingers.  I wonder if they’re like a fruity version of bread pudding.  <hr /> Classic Apple Pie Crust: 2-1/4 cups flour ¾ teaspoons salt 8 tablespoons cold butter 6 tablespoons cold shortening 6-7 tablespoons cold water Mix flour and salt in medium-large bowl.  Use a pastry blender to cut butter and shortening into the flour until you have flour and fat bits the size of petite peas.  If you don’t have a pastry blender, you can do this with two knives (a bit tricky) or a food processor (be careful not to over-process!).  Add water, and mix lightly with a big spoon until you have a loose ball of dough.  You’ll probably need to use your hands to get it to come together, but don’t knead it like bread dough.  Overworking it will make the crust tough, but don’t worry too much.  It’s not that touchy a thing. Cut your dough ball in half, put it on a well-floured board or piece of waxed paper, and sprinkle with flour.  Roll it into a thick 5-inch circle.  Turn it over, sprinkling the board and top of dough with a little more flour to prevent sticking as you finish rolling it out to fit into a 9-inch pie tin.  Line your pie tin, and put the dough for the top crust on the board while you cut up the apples into the bowl you just used for dough (don’t roll out the top crust yet).   Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in center. Filling: 6 medium to large baking apples (Cortlands, Yorks, Granny Smith if you can get non-industrial ones, etc.), peeled and sliced ½ inch thick ¾ to 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon (the Vietnamese kind is worth the extra $ if you can find it) 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits  Mix filling ingredients except for butter, and dump into prepared crust.   Dot top of apples with butter.  Roll out top crust and lay gently over pie.  Seal and crimp or flute edges with your fingers.  Cut three slits radiating from center.  Make a collar from three 4-in strips of aluminum foil and wrap around edge of pie. Bake for 45 minutes in total.  After 30 minutes, check the top crust.  If it seems like it’s getting too brown, lay a piece of foil, shiny side up, loosely over the top.  At 40-45 minutes, check apples for done-ness by poking through one of the slits in the top crust with a paring knife.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.  With ice cream, if you like, or cheddar cheese like they do in New England.
10/13/2011 10:08:48 AM
(JTD)

Dried Fruit-Free Granola Bars – A Raisin Tastes Like Dirt.

<img alt="Lilly's Granola Bars" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=ab46efcf-cb12-4f75-af96-cde88283c3d8&type=image&size=original" style="height: 153px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688143881/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0EWFE2Q4V7SKXPZHGCMS&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846" onclick="window.open(this.href, '', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">Julius, Baby of the World</a>, before Lilly understands the charms of her new baby brother, she compares him to a raisin.  As much as I love dried cranberries, apricots, and cherries, I agree with Lilly that “a raisin tastes like dirt [my emphasis].” Over the summer, Julie at <a href="http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2011/07/19/highwood-crossings-sweet-salty-granola-bars/" onclick="window.open(this.href, '', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">dinnerwithjulie.com posted a recipe for chewy granola bars</a> made with sweetened condensed milk.  Hers look lovely and wholesome, but my kids would never eat them.  I saved the recipe to make lunchbox treats. I adapted the recipe (which Julie adapted from the folks at <a href="http://highwoodcrossing.com/about.html" onclick="window.open(this.href, '', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">Highwood Crossing grain farm</a>) by replacing the dried fruits and seeds with a smaller quantity of Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips.  I kept the sliced almonds, unsalted dry-roasted ones from Trader Joe’s.  Yum. <hr /> Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 tsp. salt 3 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 cup sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or a combination, toasted 1 cup milk chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9″x13″ pan with foil or parchment paper, overlapping the sides for easy removal of bars. Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in oats and mix-ins.  Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until golden. Cool slightly, then remove bars on parchment to wire rack and cool 10-15 minutes.  Cut into 2”x2” squares.  When completely cooled, pack in an air-tight container with waxed paper between each layer.
9/20/2011 1:30:26 PM
(JTD)

One-Bowl Yankee Corn Bread – Sweet!

<img alt="Corn bread" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=6d879a78-1146-49a6-b452-d3485ee830d4&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 5px 10px; float: left;" />This is sweet, somewhat cakey corn bread that would appall any self-respecting Southern cook.  The method is similar to making cake batter; you alternate the addition of dry ingredients with the milk.  A bit of vanilla brings out the sweetness in the bread.  It’s a great counterpoint to the spiciness of a bowl of chili.  With a big glass of milk, this corn bread also makes a great after school snack.   Yankee Corn Bread 1/3 cup butter, softened ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. salt 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ tsp. vanilla extract 1 ½ cups flour 1 ¼ cups cornmeal 1 1/3 cups milk (whole or 2%) 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease an 8-in. square or 9-in. round metal cake pan. 2.  In medium-sized bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  3.  Mix in salt, baking powder, and vanilla. 4.  Stir in 1 cup of the flour gently until barely incorporated (you can do this by hand or use the lowest setting on the mixer – do not over-mix).  Stir in 2/3 cup of the milk.  Next stir in 1 cup of the cornmeal until just moistened.  Mix in the remainder of the milk.  Finally, together stir in the remainder of the flour (1/2 cup) and the rest of the cornmeal (1/4 cup).  Scrape sides with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flour and corn meal are mixed into the batter. 5.  Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to corners.  Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown.  Check center with a toothpick or sharp knife.  A few crumbs are ok -- just make sure it’s not doughy.  If you are using a non-stick pan, watch closely at the end.
9/6/2011 10:24:14 AM
(JTD)

The Other Red Meat

<img alt="Kebabs Ready to Grill" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=5d7ad86d-4e51-429b-bc7d-29a38934cfd0&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />These kebabs are succulent, though it turns out that they really aren’t more environmentally responsible than beef according to a report from the Environmental Working Group. In fact, <a href="http://breakingnews.ewg.org/meateatersguide/frequently-asked-questions/#question_3" target="_blank">they say that lamb production has the highest carbon emissions of any protein source</a>, followed by beef then cheese(!). At least lamb is a great source of iron and zinc, so we did get a robust nutritional boost. Since lamb is pretty pricey anyway, these <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orange-and-Lime-Marinated-Lamb-Kebabs-105304" target="_blank">Orange-and-Lime-Marinated Lamb Kebabs</a> from Bon Apétit are an occasional treat. I don’t use the chipotle chiles in the marinade, but the lamb is quite flavorful without it. I also use red bell pepper in place of the poblano chiles on the kebabs. Served with some grilled packaged Naan bread and olive-oiled grilled zucchini spears, plus sliced cukes for the kids, this feels as indulgent as a meal out with little effort at all. For a cool weather recipe that stretches the meat with the addition of chick peas, when the weather cools try this <a href="http://www.tabup.com/familygourmet/TalkAbout/dfdb6b09-5344-41fc-af84-8f2ac52b0b00" onclick="window.open(this.href, '', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">Vaguely Moroccan Lamb Stew</a>.  
8/18/2011 12:38:31 PM
(JTD)

Sports Practice Preview – What to Cook When Dinnertime Detonates

<img alt="Fried Rice" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=aee55ddb-7f80-45ce-8261-89e36d8debdc&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />So, my son’s Pop Warner season has started, with practice from 6 to 8pm every weeknight. With another child just finishing swimming at 6 some nights, I’m forced to change our dinnertime logistics. I don’t want to be a short order cook, so I have to make things that will hold and reheat well for the nights we’ll be eating in two shifts this fall. My kids love Chinese food, so a healthy less-greasy-than-takeout version of Fried Rice will be part of the meal cycle. It’s quick to make and easy to add variety for a meal that won’t require much thought or bore the family. Substitute thinly sliced pieces of pork loin for the pork, if you like.  Or, use diced ham (add with the red pepper as the ham won't need to cook).  <hr /> Fried Rice 2-3 tablespoons canola oil (added in stages) 2-3 eggs, beaten 2 chicken breast halves, cut into ¾-inch dice 1 tablespoon garlic oil* ½ sweet onion or 4-5 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped ½ red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice 1 tablespoon sesame oil ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce 4 cups cooked Jasmine rice (cook the night before or morning of, according to package directions) ½ cup frozen peas, microwaved in a covered bowl with a small amount of water for 1 minute   1) Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs, cooking one side, then flipping to cook the other. When done, remove to plate and cut into ¾-inch pieces. 2) Add 1 tablespoon garlic oil to pan (*or just use canola oil, instead adding minced garlic later). Add chicken and stir-fry until done, then remove to bowl. 3) Add more canola to pan if needed. Stir-fry onion for 2 minutes. Add red pepper, and stir-fry another 2 minutes.  If using minced garlic, add it now and cook about 1 minute, being careful not to burn it. 4) Add rice, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and mix in.  Add the cooked meat, and stir-fry 4-5 minutes until heated through. Stir in peas, and serve to whoever is home to eat it.    
8/4/2011 1:43:01 PM
(JTD)

Mustard BBQ Sauce for a Mid-Summer Change of Pace

<img alt="Edwards & Sons Surry Soppin Sauce" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=ab53a6f2-9bae-4f38-afe4-f0153c8d4556&type=image&size=original" style="height: 152px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />Such a hot summer has meant more cooking outdoors than I've done any other summer. With busy kids and late in the day trips to the pool, it’s been too easy to rely on burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken with traditional tomato-based barbecue sauce. These <a href="http://www.tabup.com/familygourmet/TalkAbout/1dbbd32d-ea4e-4922-b2d0-fa5f9d3e0517">Tender Buttermilk Chicken Kebabs</a> are pretty tasty, but I needed something different and non-chicken. A while back I had added some bottles of delicious South Carolina-inspired <a href="http://virginiatraditions.com/BBQ-Sauce-Duo.aspx">Surry Soppin' Sauce</a> to my order of amazing pulled pork from Edwards & Sons (Surry, Virginia). I was happy to find this recipe for <a href="http://www.smoker-cooking.com/mustardbarbequesauce.html" target="_blank">Sweet and Sour Mustard Barbeque sauce</a> so I could try making it at home.  This style of sauce is perfect for glazing grilled pork tenderloin. Just make sure you don’t brush it on the pork until the last five minutes of cooking. The sugar in the sauce will burn if you do it sooner. Heat your grill to high. Put a little vegetable oil and sea salt on the outside of your tenderloin. Turn the grill to medium high when you put the pork on. It will only take 25 minutes or so for the internal temperature to reach 150 on an instant-read thermometer. You’ll need to check and turn the pork every five minutes or so. When the temperature in the center reaches 150, brush on some sauce. Try not to drip. Cover the grill for a few minutes, then turn the pork and brush the next side. Repeat until you’ve nicely coated all sides. Let the tenderloin rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with some warmed sauce on the side. My whole family loves this with leftover corn muffins (baked early in the morning), green beans and an icy beer for the grown-ups.          
7/28/2011 1:01:43 PM
(JTD)

Cook on the “Cool” Days

<img alt="Roast Turkey Breast" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=54d0f713-ec13-4401-9da9-7d2a2b79accf&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />With a forecast of temps in the upper 90s for the next couple of days, I thought I should take advantage of mere upper 80s to provision the fridge a bit. This is a sort of Thanksgiving in July approach, with cold roast turkey providing a base for some meals ahead. So many of the post-Thanksgiving turkey salad recipes I find really are more appealing for summer anyway. For instance, Nigella Lawson has a <a href="http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/mexican-chicken-or-turkey-salad-with-tomato-and-black-bean-salsa-79">Mexican Turkey Salad recipe</a> that calls for tomatoes and avocados. Think of how much better it’ll taste now, with tomatoes in season. And she has two Asian inspired salads that call for turkey in the Thanksgiving & Christmas chapter of her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Feast-Food-Celebrate-Nigella-Lawson/dp/1401301363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311193202&sr=1-1">Feast</a>. The spicy flavors she favors seem just right for hot weather. You might be wondering why the turkey breast pictured looks sort of odd. The grocery store had no pre-split turkey breasts, and I had quite a wrestle to split a whole fresh one in two. I wanted to freeze half of it for another time. Be very careful if you try this at home. I have a great 14-inch chef’s knife, but it’s still not that easy to do. Probably better to ask the butcher to do it.  If it’s a frozen breast it’s either that or cook the whole thing. Tonight, it’s turkey sandwiches on cibiatta.  
7/20/2011 4:24:03 PM
(JTD)

That Was a Close One! Guilt-Free Fish Choices

<img alt="Sustainable Seafood" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=114ac0d8-d039-410d-930e-3347468c8733&type=image&size=original" style="height: 113px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />Last night, my family enjoyed some exceptionally delicious swordfish, selected, then cooked on the grill by my husband. This was the second time our kids have tried swordfish. At the fish store they told their dad not to get too big a piece as it is “very rich.” We’ve been splurging on good fish about three times a month. The kids seem to be more open to eating it when they’ve had the fun of the trip to the fish store. Good, fresh fish tastes great when cooked simply and costs no more than a take-out dinner. I was happy to serve such a delicious piece of fish with the most basic sides—just steamed broccoli and seeded semolina bread with butter. The fish itself was simply rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with a bit of my favorite <a href="http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/">Maldon Sea Salt</a>. I was feeling ambivalent about this lovely meal though. I thought I remembered that all swordfish is a big no-no in terms of fishery sustainability. It’s been a while since I checked the list compiled by the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). I was glad to see that U.S.-caught swordfish is OK in limited amounts (because of possible mercury contamination). Caveat: I, personally, probably would not give it to very small children. The <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx">MBA website</a> is better than ever. You can print a guide to responsible fish choices by (U.S.) region and a chart of alternatives that helps you find substitutes for your favorite seafood on their avoid list. The site’s information about species affected by contaminants is provided by the Environmental Defense Fund. The MBA even has a collection of recipes provided by the likes of Mario Batali and Rick Bayless that use sustainable fish, helpful if you need to adjust your palate away from species of concern.      
7/11/2011 2:52:00 PM
(JTD)

Lemon Dairy Berry Bar for the 4th

<img alt="Berry Bar" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=c5d8a5d5-0b84-40a9-9908-853a8dd8c5c7&type=image&size=original" style="height: 142px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> For many years we’ve had a tradition of making a flag cake, decorated with strawberries and blueberries, every 4th of July. This year, I didn’t feel like making it. I didn’t want to heat up the house, and I had baked a somewhat time-consuming birthday cake just last week. Last week’s cake was so good that it seemed to fulfill the need for cake around here for a while. For the cake filling, I had used <a href="http:// http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=47&S=0">Ina Garten’s recipe for Lemon Curd</a>. I like her technique of using the food processor to grind the lemon peel with the sugar. You get the deep lemon flavor of the oils in the peel, yet the texture of the finished curd is smooth. The recipe made twice as much curd as I needed for the cake, but I had read elsewhere that lemon curd can be kept up to two weeks in the fridge. I thought I might mix one part lemon curd with two parts lightly sweetened whipped cream and layer it with strawberries and blueberries to make red, white, and blue parfaits. It would be just as festive as the cake, but I wouldn’t have to turn on the oven. However, I wasn’t sure if the kids would go for the different components mixed together. Instead, I put everything out in its own bowl to be assembled by each eater. Each grown-up got to choose his own cream / curd ratio to spoon over the berries. The kids went only for the cream and berries. My daughter said it was really good and reminded her of flag cake.  
7/2/2011 3:32:43 PM
(JTD)

Cheese Straws, a Yummy Savory Snack

<img alt="Cheese Straws" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=8c8c0500-db0c-427a-af99-95d244924e74&type=image&size=original" style="height: 154px; width: 205px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> I haven’t made Cheese Straws in ages, but I needed to come up with a quick nibble to bring along to an early evening celebration. I didn’t want to bring something sweet at that hour, but I needed something that could be enjoyed by both children and adults. For a time, I lived in the pseudo-South. There was enough southern influence that cheese straws were sometimes served at parties. I once helped a college roommate’s lovely southern mother prepare them for a bridal shower. This time, I reduced the cayenne pepper from ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon and substituted Trader Joe’s Cheddar-Gruyere Mélange cheese for the cheddar. The gruyere really adds a delicious tanginess. If you want, just use half sharp cheddar and half gruyere. It’s easiest to grate the cheese while cold. Then let the butter and cheese come to room temperature for creaming. These would be delicious with wine or cocktails. I’d go a bit heavier on the cayenne for that than when serving these to children. If you don’t have a cookie gun, chill the dough for an hour and roll out like cookies. Use a dainty cookie cutter or cut into diamonds. As with sugar cookies, try not to over-handle the dough. <hr /> Cheese Straws ¼ lb. unsalted butter, softened ¾ lb. cheese, grated and at room temperature 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ to ¾ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 1-1/3 cup flour Cream grated cheese and butter. Sift flour, baking powder, and cayenne together and add to butter mixture. Mix well. Run through cookie press (flat, ridged disk) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cut to desired length. Don’t bother separating them while uncooked. They’ll be scored and break apart easily after baking. Alternately, chill dough for one hour. Roll out to ¼ inch thickness and cut into diamonds. Bake at 375 degrees until light brown, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully at the end; once they start to brown they’ll go fast. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then cool on wire rack.        
6/23/2011 10:04:46 AM
(JTD)

Back in Time to Percolator Coffee

<img alt="Good Coffee" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=74fbc307-cad6-456e-97fd-bc24fd83f37e&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 207px; margin: 10px; float: left; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;" />As the kids get older their activities encroach upon the dinner hour more and more. As much as they enjoy what they’re doing, they (and I) need to come home to a calm, even zen, environment. They need to decompress, and I need to get dinner on the table quickly. I don’t have long runs of counter space in my kitchen. Anything on my counter that I’m not actively preparing is clutter and in my way and looks like a mess. For a time I lived in a house that did have a lot of counters, and I bought a rather large drip coffee maker that made great coffee for nine years before its top cracked. In my smaller kitchen it just doesn’t work to have not-in-use appliances sitting out. The only place for anything to sit is too close to the stove. Anything close to the stove needs to be wiped down often. All of this adds up to a decidedly un-zen home-cooked meal experience. As a first step toward de-cluttering I decided to dig out our old <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-50124-Yosemite-Stainless-Percolator/dp/B00005NCWQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1308327963&sr=1-2">Farberware stovetop percolator</a> instead of buying a new auto-drip. I want something easy to clean that can be put away. I was pretty skeptical about the percolator making good coffee though. I couldn’t even remember how coffee made in it tasted. It was missing the spring from its stem, and the plastic top looked super grody. It seemed too wasteful to consign it to the landfill without a try though. I found a Fitz-All glass top at the local hardware store, and good canned coffee and Melitta wraparound percolator filters at Fairway. This thing makes really good coffee. Many people think percolator coffee is being boiled because it bubbles up. I think the bubbling is pressure as the water heats and expands. It’s not at a full boil – the lid just is really tight. The coffee does get cooked though. I think cooking it makes it richer the way cooking a roux takes away the raw taste of flour. I also think the wraparound filter helps keep the <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070614162223.htm">cafestol</a> and grounds out of our coffee. My kids get a kick out of seeing the coffee perk in the beautiful glass top in the morning. It also makes fun sounds and seems old-fashioned and homey to them. My son seems to be more content doing homework in the de-cluttered kitchen too. <hr /> Perfect “Perc” Coffee Method 1) Fill pot to desired number of cups. 2) Assemble basket and line with a wraparound filter (this makes a big difference). 3) Add 1 tablespoon coffee for each cup of water 4) Start pot on high on stovetop. 5) As soon as you see the water begin to perk, turn heat to medium and set timer for five minutes. 6) Turn off heat after the five minutes.  
6/17/2011 1:09:26 PM
(JTD)

Hot Weather Asparagus

<img alt="Cold Asparagus" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=8110eda0-198c-4a02-88e7-e5debdc12f70&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> When a friend of mine moved to Montana from the South years ago someone gave her a book called Cold Weather Cooking. She made me the asparagus vinaigrette from it, and it was delicious. Twenty (ahem!) or so years ago it seemed so sophisticated to me, with its balsamic vinegar and its freshly grated parmesan. All this cold spring I watched for the domestic asparagus to hit the stores. I never caught it. Today I found the loveliest small spears from California. The richness of the original dressing and cheese seems too heavy in this heat, so I’m going for something brighter. And instead of grating the parmesan, I’ll just use a few shavings of it. My friend used to toss the cut-up leftovers with hot pasta for a second meal. I’ll bet my new version’s leftovers would be great mixed with cold pasta and halved cherry or grape tomatoes.   <hr /> Bright Asparagus Vinaigrette 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste 1 pound lovely asparagus Freshly shaved parmesan cheese Fresh black pepper to taste Directions: Whisk the first five ingredients. Steam the asparagus until bright green and crisp-tender (2 to 4 minutes). Drain, then immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain again. Arrange on a platter and pour on the dressing. Top with parmesan and black pepper.  
6/9/2011 12:50:38 PM
(JTD)

This Fine Warmth Calls for Rosewater

<img alt="Ripe Roses" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=fdf2abec-57dd-4e7d-92a0-4eeeaa9174c1&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />We’ve had such a cold May, and the last couple of days have finally turned summery enough to get the roses blooming. As I was leaving for Fairway this morning, the sight of my husband's roses reminded me of Nigella Lawson’s idea of tossing watermelon with rosewater. Recently, I had a wonderfully fragrant baklava-like dessert at a good Greek restaurant. I’m sure they mixed some rosewater with the honey, and I knew why Nigella was so taken with the flavor. I have a feeling that the Nielsen-Massey rosewater I found is stronger than what Nigella uses, more like an extract. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cortas-Rose-Water-10/dp/B000LQL9M6/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1306435207&sr=1-1">Cortas rosewater from Lebanon</a> comes in a 10-oz. bottle and is priced from $3-5. The Nielsen-Massey I bought was $7.99 and smells pretty potent in the bottle. My go-to fruit salad recipe adds Grand Marnier to a light simple syrup. That seemed right for rosewater too. I was looking for Victorian delicacy to offset the heaviness of the air. I don’t want to the flavor to knock me over. The syrup is just right, and want to add it to iced tea, lemonade, and sparkling water all summer long. Maybe I’ll add some of the straight rosewater to shortbread to serve with strawberries for dessert. Of course, for times when delicacy is not what you’re after, you might try something else made with rosewater. How about Bon Apetit’s <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Persian-Love-Cake-232273">Persian Love Cake</a>? Scheherazade would approve, I think. <hr /> Rosewater Simple Syrup for Fruit or Drinks 1 cup water 1/3 cup sugar ½ tsp. rose water (try 2 tsp. if you use a traditional rose water -- let your nose guide you) Mix water and sugar in small saucepan.  Bring to boil, then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until all sugar dissolves.  Let cool 5 minutes, then add rosewater.  Cool completely before tossing with fruit.  If using for drinks, store in refrigerator.  
5/26/2011 3:02:33 PM
(JTD)

Summer Dip, (Improved) Preppy Style

<img alt="Summer Time" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=3530947e-7d3d-420e-aa56-96fe4be2324f&type=image&size=original" style="height: 137px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />The sun is peeking out, at last, and next weekend is Memorial Day. These things, and a recipe for Lobster Dip in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/dining/at-william-poll-one-family-lots-of-watercress-sandwiches.html?ref=dining">NY Times article about a fancy foods shop on the Upper East Side </a>have me thinking about summer foods. I suppose the lobster dip is supposed to be reminiscent of lobster rolls. I’m afraid the recipe in the Times reminded me of reading about the blandness of WASP cooking in the Preppy Handbook oh-so-many years ago. Not only doesn’t the recipe have any spices, it has no mayonnaise! I’ve come up with a recipe that is a cross between lobster salad for lobster rolls and Chesapeake Bay crab dip. If you imbibe, a well-chilled glass of sauvignon blanc or an icy G & T (served in one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tervis-Tumbler-Lobster-24-Ounce-Insulated/dp/B000Z4IPQ2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1305904061&sr=1-3">these</a>) would be great with this. <hr /> Atlantic Coast Lobster Dip 16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning OR ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion 2 cups cooked Maine lobster meat, coarsely chopped Blend first six ingredients using a food processor, blender, or mixer. Stir in scallions, reserving a few pinches of green rings to sprinkle on top. Fold in lobster meat. Use as a dip with celery and sturdy ridged chips or as a spread on toasts.    
5/20/2011 11:09:49 AM
(JTD)

I Think I Hate Tahini

<img alt="Lemony" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=2200c4b6-87b1-43dc-9a6c-8bdb981143ff&type=image&size=original" style="height: 138px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> With warmer weather here, I find that I want to eat lighter meals. I was flipping through some quinoa recipes and found one for a salad with chickpeas and a lemon-tahini dressing. I remember wanting to like it more than I actually liked it. I love chickpeas, and I love the way I feel after eating quinoa. It provides fiber and protein, yet it’s really easy to digest. I was thinking about the ingredients in the salad and realized that what I didn’t like had to be the tahini. For a few weeks last summer, I had been eating a lot of lunches of Sabra hummus with crudités and pita. Then one day, I just got really tired of hummus. It reminded me of that stuck-to-the-roof of your mouth quality of peanut butter and just seemed really heavy. Here’s a take on quinoa salad that keeps the lightness and lemony-ness that I was looking for. <hr /> Lemony Quinoa with Chickpeas Ingredients 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), or dried equivalent 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (use flat-leaf parsley if you hate cilantro) ¼ cup chopped red onion or sliced scallions Lemon-Garlic Dressing: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil (or use an additional tbsp. olive oil + 1 clove garlic, crushed) 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt Cook salad according to package directions.  Let cool until warm or room temperature.  Drain and rinse chickpeas, if canned.  Whisk together dressing ingredients in small bowl.  Toss salad ingredients with dressing in medium-large bowl.  This tastes best if not fridge-cold.  
5/6/2011 3:03:55 PM
(JTD)

Sweet Dough for Sunday

<img alt="Sweet Dough" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=b793f579-5f01-4f3a-84e8-7df2f0ca155d&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> This <a href="http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipe/granny-fosters-refrigerator-rolls/">recipe for sweet dough </a>is from Sara Foster’s first cookbook. One recipe of dough gets divided into two. I usually use half to make cinnamon rolls and half for dinner rolls. You can knead about a cup of your favorite dried fruit (currants, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or a mixture) into it to make hot cross buns for Easter if you like. The dinner rolls are delicious on their own. They also make terrific little barbecue sliders or ham biscuits, especially with thinly sliced salty Smithfield Ham. This dough is great for when you have company.  You can make the dough up to two weeks before you bake it.  You can put the cinnamon rolls together the night before you want to eat them.  For the cinnamon rolls, I use King Arthur Flour’s <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bakers-cinnamon-filling-24-oz">Baker’s Cinnamon Filling</a>. If you don’t want to buy that, mix together: 1/3 c. butter, softened 1/3 c. sugar 1/3 c. brown sugar 3 tbsp. flour 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. ground cinnamon Take the dough out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to start working with it. Roll it out on a floured board (or sheet of waxed paper) into a 12”x6” rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1” border. Roll the dough along the long edge into a 12” log. Cut the log into slices with a sharp knife into 8 pieces for a 9” round pan or 9 pieces for a 9”x9” square pan. This is easiest if you first cut the dough into fourths or thirds. Arrange the dough in your greased pan with the swirly sides showing. Let rise 20 minutes, then refrigerate overnight or bake. In the morning, take the rolls out of the refrigerator. I like to let them sit out for 30 minutes or so. If you are in a hurry, put the pan on top of the stove while the oven preheats. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Watch rather carefully at the end. Make a thick icing with: ¼ cup salted butter, melted 1 to 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar ½ tsp. vanilla A few dribbles of whole milk Spread over warm rolls.  
4/22/2011 8:02:01 AM
(JTD)

Ketchup in Chinese Chicken?! Wait, Hear Me Out . . .

<img alt="Hunt's No HFCS Ketchup" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=df6032ec-3a20-4452-8334-411c4c54a3f6&type=image&size=original" style="height: 148px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> My kids think Chinese take-out is a big treat. And sometimes it really does taste good. The trouble is that it’s hard to get out of there for under $25-30 for the four of us. I’d really rather put that toward a meal at either one of our favorite yet somewhat more expensive family-friendly restaurants—one is Greek, the other Indian, and I don’t have the touch for either of those cuisines. When we carry out, we’re also left with a heap of pretty greasy unrecyclable containers. While I have washed a number of these for re-use, I just don’t need any more of them. I recently came across this recipe for <a href="http://www.bestofbridge.com/2003/11/01/sweet-and-spicy-cashew-chicken/">Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken</a> on a website for a set of Canadian cookbooks written by a group of women of my mom’s generation. I was pretty skeptical because it contains, of all things, ketchup. Normally, I would have passed, but a number of the other ingredients made the recipe sound kind of promising: sesame oil; fresh ginger; Worcestershire sauce (full of umami!); chicken broth; and lots of vegetables. This recipe made a stir-fry which was the closest version of Chinese take-out I’ve ever made. The addition of sugar to the cornstarch the chicken cubes are tossed in helps the chicken brown more quickly than plain cornstarch. Getting the chicken to brown nicely has been a challenge with stir-fry for me in the past. The ketchup adds the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchup#Viscosity">viscosity</a> needed for that Chinese take-out sauce mouthfeel and a sweetness that appeals to the kids’ palates. It did sound a bit too sweet for me, so I cut the ketchup to ¼ cup and increased the soy sauce to 3 tbsp. (I use low-sodium soy sauce). I cut the cayenne to just a sprinkle and substituted 1-1/2 inch lengths of asparagus for the snow peas I didn’t have in the house. Everyone liked it, and each kid ate at least one of the vegetables in it as well as all of their chicken. *By the way, I just realized that Hunt’s has eliminated HFCS from their ketchup. I think Trader Joe’s sells an HFCS-free ketchup too.  
4/20/2011 1:58:23 PM
(JTD)

Lovely Leek Soup

<img alt="Spring Leeks" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=f3a539ec-4c25-4897-ae41-5ab697983524&type=image&size=original" style="height: 144px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />         Here’s another favorite for those spring days that aren’t quite warming up the way I’d like. Pureeing the whole pot helps kids who like onion-y flavor but not texture.      I tend to serve the kids a cup, not a bowl, with a grilled cheese sandwich (if they’re lucky, the cheddar-gruyere from Trader Joe’s). For the grown-ups, a bowl of this soup, a roll, and a glass of white wine is dinner.   <hr /> 1 tbsp. oil 1 tbsp. butter 3-4 leeks, depending on thickness (nice spring ones aren’t usually more than 1 in. thick) 3 potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾-inch cubes 3 cups water 2 cups chicken or veggie broth Salt and pepper to taste        Clean leeks thoroughly, first cutting off rooty bottom and dark green tops (leave about 1-1/2 inches of light green). To clean, split the leek vertically in half. Then fan open under running water, rinsing the grit. Slice each half into ¼ inch thick half moons.      Cook leeks in oil and butter over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. When the leeks are soft and just starting to brown, add the potatoes. Turn the heat to medium-high to let the potatoes brown a little, 3-5 minutes. Be careful to stir enough that the leeks don’t burn. Add the liquid and salt & pepper, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.      Blend half to all of the soup. An immersion blender is safest. If you use a regular blender, let the soup cool for about 20 minutes. Blend in batches, not filling the blender more than 2/3 full. Hold the lid tight. Return soup to pot and warm through.  
4/14/2011 8:23:33 AM
(JTD)

Spring Lamb

<img alt="Lamb Stew" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=51d80f4f-3a57-40d8-8c23-7b4026cfbaf9&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />      I’ve been making this stew most of the winter, actually. I’m only calling it spring lamb now because it is spring. But it’s been a cold spring, at least for those of us in the northern half of the country.      A <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Slow-Cooked-Lamb-231597">recipe from Bon Appetit</a> inspired this, though a woman from Algeria I worked with who would bring couscous to share inspired me more.  I keep the spices warm rather than hot and like to add carrots for sweetness and color. Serve the stew over couscous (Near East brand has a really nice whole-grain one now). The kids really like the lamb with packaged Naan warmed in the oven. <hr /> Spring Lamb (vaguely) Moroccan Style 1 tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper A few grinds of black pepper 1-1/2 pounds trimmed and cubed boneless leg of lamb Olive oil 1 large onlon, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger 4-5 medium carrots, cut into chunks 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 can diced tomatoes, drained 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 6-8 dried apricots, diced 2 tsp. grated lemon peel 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed Mix spices in bowl. Toss lamb in spices, then, in heavy pot, brown on all sides in olive oil over medium high (do this in more than one batch to avoid overcrowding). Remove browned lamb to bowl. Add onion to drippings and cook over medium-low to medium heat until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic, ginger, and carrots and cook for a few minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon, apricots, and lemon peel. Bring to boil, scraping browned bits. Add meat back to pot and cook for one to one and a half hours. Uncover, and simmer to thicken a bit. Add garbanzo beans to pot about ten minutes before serving.  
4/8/2011 5:23:19 PM
(JTD)

Spending Carbon Credits on Beets

<img alt="Vacuum-packed Beets" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=038775b5-3bf9-4405-9735-4faeabea9af4&type=image&size=original" style="width: 147px; height: 175px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />    I've been buying vacuum-packed steamed beets from France -- not exactly farm-to-table, I realize.  Trader Joe's sells them, as does one of my local grocery stores.  Both places stock them in the produce section.  For some reason, Trader Joe's adds insult to injury by putting the vacuum pack of beets into a box.  Do watch out when you cut open the packaging.  You don't want this spraying your walls or clothes in a staining explosion! These were a great way to introduce the kids to beets since there's no time investment.  My daughter bit.  She even took them to school for a "science experiment" that involved learning about mixtures by making a huge salad.  Amazingly, a lot of the kids in the class wanted seconds! So far, I've only used them on a bistro-style salad composed of mixed baby greens, the (sliced) beets, goat cheese and a sprinkle of candied pecans (also from Trader Joe's).  Use the proportions you like.  I try to go easy on the pecans.  This salad is prettier if you don't toss it.  Instead, put the greens in individual serving bowls and garnish with the other ingredients before drizzling the dressing on top. House Dijon Vinaigrette 3/4 c extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey Whisk ingredients, seasoning to taste with ground black pepper and crushed sea salt.      
4/6/2011 1:59:16 PM
(JTD)

Half and Half Chicken Soup

<img alt="Chicken Soup" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=7b4ef228-4cd7-4239-a30a-5ef188de0659&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> No, there’s no dairy. Half and half refers to a couple of things. The broth is half homemade and half Swanson’s from a carton (I buy their Natural Goodness or Organic broths - - lower in sodium than the regular kind).   Then, half the batch of soup is made as plain chicken with ditalini the other half gets turned into a minestrone-esque version with cannellini. <hr /> Part I Easy Homemade Chicken Broth I make this when we have plain chicken breasts for dinner. Cook the breasts at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Remove meat and skin from bones and serve. Right after dinner, throw the bones into a 3-quart pot with the aromatic vegetables and water. Bones from 3 roasted chicken breasts 1 small onion, peeled and halved 2 carrots, peeled and broken in half 2 celery stalks, broken in half 2 quarts water 1 teaspoon salt Put everything into pot, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 60-90 minutes. Let cool about 30 minutes, then remove solids and strain into metal bowl. Ideally, you should rapid cool the broth by placing bowl in an ice bath and stirring frequently. When cool, refrigerate or freeze. <hr /> Part 2 -- Plain soup Broth from above Swanson Broth (32 oz. size) Meat from 1 cooked chicken breast 1 carrot, very thinly sliced 2/3 cup ditalini Heat broth and an equal amount of store-bought broth in pot. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add ditalini and cook until al dente according to package directions. Add cooked diced chicken. <hr /> Part 3 -- Chicken Soup with Mix-ins (start this right after you add the pasta to the soup) ½ small onion, diced ½ red bell pepper Diced zucchini or spinach leaves (optional) 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed Saute onion and bell pepper over medium heat in olive oil until barely tender. If using zucchini, turn up heat add to pan and sauté one more minute, stirring almost constantly. Add vegetables to soup. Add beans, and heat through, about three minutes. If using spinach, add and let wilt. This is good with a little parmesan cheese on top.  
4/1/2011 12:06:09 PM
(JTD)

Tender Buttermilk Chicken Kebabs

<img alt="Buttermilk" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=bbbb99c1-496a-48e4-a7ec-6aeefca08db9&type=image&size=original" style="height: 157px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> Buttermilk makes white meat chicken nice and tender for grilling or broiling.  Still, you don't want to overcook it. If you want to prep the chicken in the morning, you can mix the marinade and cut up the chicken the night before, refrigerating separately.  Mix the chicken into the marinade in the morning.  It should marinate at least three hours but not overnight.     <hr /> ½ cup buttermilk 1 Tbsp. olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 Tablespoon honey 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper 4 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes 1 red pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces 1 onion (red or Vidalia), cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces      Mix buttermilk, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, honey, and spices. Marinate chicken in mixture at least 3 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.      Preheat grill or broiler. Thread chicken, red pepper, and onion on metal skewers. Grill or broil about 4-5 minutes per side. Watchcarefully, and turn about every two minutes so they do not get too charred. Serve with rice pilaf or naan bread, or in a pita with tzatziki.  
3/25/2011 2:09:35 PM
(JTD)

Banana Muffin "Special Breakfast"

<img alt="Banana Muffins" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=c2781c1d-3c98-4096-8220-baae825ca448&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />     One morning when my son was small, after a long weekend of pancake, bacon & egg, and pastry-from-the-bakery breakfasts, I gave him a bowl of cereal and milk. He wasn’t too impressed, and I explained that because it had been a holiday weekend we had been eating some special breakfasts. A few days later he asked, “When are we going to have special breakfast?”      Around here we’re all (still!) are a bit groggy in the mornings from the time change. After two perfect spring days last week, we had a raw, snowy day yesterday and are expecting more of the same for tomorrow.      I’m all ready with a “special breakfast.” These muffins are much less decadent than breakfasts we sometimes eat on long weekends, but they’re pretty special for a weekday. They aren’t too sweet, but you can make them more treat-y with a half cup of chopped pecans or chocolate chips, stirred in at the end. <hr /> Banana-Flaxseed Muffins 1-1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup flaxseed meal (I prefer golden flax from Bob's Red Mill) 1/2 cup sugar 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 2 large ripe bananas, mashed 1 egg 1/3 cup milk 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 1 tsp. vanilla 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter (or line with cupcake liners) a 12-cup muffin pan. Mix flour, flaxseed meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. 2.  In medium bowl, mash bananas. Mix in egg and milk with mixer or egg beater. Add melted butter and vanilla, and mix well. Stir wet ingredients into dry and stir with spoon until just blended. Do not over-mix. 3.  Fill prepared pan with batter, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake until light golden on top, about 25-30 minutes. Watch closely at the end. Flax makes things brown quickly. Tester should come out clean. Cool in pan a few minutes, then turn onto rack to cool just enough to eat.  
3/22/2011 4:05:24 PM
(JTD)

Scones for St. Patrick's Day

<img alt="Bewley's Cafe, Dublin" src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=76585e45-3841-4138-b64a-426d34e23487&type=image&size=original" style="height: 138px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" />      I have yet to try cooking corned beef and cabbage for the kids yet, though the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/uncorned-beef-and-cabbage">recipe for "uncorned beef"</a> in the March issue of Martha Stewart Living tempted me.  The recipe uses beets to create the corned beef redness found in processed versions.      That's not what I'm making this year though.  I think the kids will enjoy scones more.  Long ago on a visit to Dublin, one of my favorite stops was Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street for tea and scones.  So delicious, with a bit of crunchiness on the outside and tenderness on the inside.   Scones with Dried Cranberries (or cherries, or apricots, or currants, or raisins) 3 cups flour 4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 cup dried fruit (dice larger fruits like cherries or apricots) 1 egg, beaten 2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt or buttermilk 1/2 cup sugar 1-1/2 tsp. grated orange peel Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.  Cut butter into mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives (you could also do this in a food processor if you're careful not to break down the butter pieces to much--just a quick pulse or two).  Mix egg, yogurt, sugar, and orange peel in separate bowl.  Mix into flour and butter mixture with a gentle hand.  It should come together, but you don't want to overmix it.  Form into ball and pat out on a floured surface to a 1-1/4 inch thickness (sprinkle flour on top to prevent hands from sticking).  Cut into diamonds about 4 inches long. Bake 20-25 minutes.  They should turn golden at the edges, but do not overbake.  
3/17/2011 10:02:16 AM
(JTD)

Asian Marinade for Pork Tenderloin

<img src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=394b55d3-bafd-4755-ae08-fc3f7ea1791c&type=image&size=original" style="height: 155px; width: 206px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> This recipe seems like more than the sum of its few parts. I think the pork tastes great even without the dipping sauce, but the kids love it. I could hardly get away with not serving it. Marinate the pork at least three hours. If you marinate it overnight, just turn it once in the morning.   For marinade: 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons garlic oil (or use 1 tbsp. vegetable oil plus 1 clove minced garlic) 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (use 1/2 tsp. ground ginger if you don't have fresh) 1 - 1 pound pork tenderloin For sauce: 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or use 2 teaspoons flour) 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon honey <hr /> Mix marinade ingredients. Reserve half in separate container and refrigerate. Pour remaining half over pork tenderloin (I use a bowl and curve the pork into it in order to maximize the depth of the marinade). Marinate in the fridge at least an hour, turning halfway through. Take pork out of fridge, then turn oven to 400. Put pork in oven after it has preheated. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees. Let rest in pan while you make the sauce (tent with foil to keep it warmer, if you like). It should rest 5 minutes before slicing. Put reserved marinade in saucepan (you may want to strain it first if your kids hate bits in their sauce). Whisk cornstarch or flour into water in small bowl. Whisk mixture into pan, then whisk in honey. Bring to boil, then simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Serve with sliced pork.  Rice and broccoli are easy and tasty sides.  
3/10/2011 2:10:16 PM
(JTD)

Meatball Subs (heros, hoagies, wedges, grinders)

<img src="ImageHandler.ashx?id=c80f81e8-a25c-4419-9b5a-defd6e620e5c&type=image&size=original" style="height: 137px; width: 206px; margin: 10px; float: left;" /> No matter what you call them, almost everyone loves a meatball sandwich. These are from the batch of turkey ones I made last week. Some part-skim mozzerella melted on top and the kids were happier than if I had ordered a pizza. Even served on white rolls, these were much healthier than any take-out would have been.
3/9/2011 8:48:52 PM
(JTD)

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