Archive for April, 2008 INGREDIENTS Pastry 4 cups all purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar Pinch of salt 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups unsalted butter, chilled (4 sticks) Filling 2 cups Mascarpone cheese 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 2/3 cup Meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon juice) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Pastry: Combine flour, salt, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of small peas. Note: If your food processor bowl is small, do this step in 2 batches. Press the mixture firmly into an 11 inch or 12 inch tart pan. Cover the dough with parchment paper and add about 1-½ cups dried beans or pie weights to hold the dough in place. Bake the tart shell for about 10-15 minutes or until set. Remove the dried beans and parchment paper and continue baking the tart shell for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Meyers Lemon Filling: Combine the Mascarpone Cheese, heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in an electric mixer using the whisk or paddle attachment. Whip until the mixture is thick and smooth (the consistency should be like thick whipped cream). Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice to your taste. When the tart shell is completely cool, fill with the Mascarpone filling. Garnish with finely grated lemon zest. Chill well before serving. Yield: 4-6 Servings INGREDIENTS Rolled Dumplings ½ cup vegetable shortening - chilled 4 cups self-rising flour, divided – I prefer White Lily 1 cup buttermilk Chicken 1 – 2-3 lb chicken fryer, cut into pieces 3 quarts water or combination of water and low sodium chicken broth 1 carrot – cut into small chunks 1 medium onion – coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1-2 cups half and half PREPARATION In bowl of food processor, add 3 cups of flour and chilled shortening. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and coarse. Add in the butter milk and pulse again until the dough starts to stiffen. Add more flour if needed, so dough is not real sticky. Remove from processor and turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Roll dough out very thin – about ¼ inch. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut into 1×3 inch strips. Set the strips aside while preparing the chicken. To prepare the chicken, combine chicken, water, carrots, onions, salt and pepper in a stock pot. Bring the chicken to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 50 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove chicken, strain broth and return to pot. Debone the chicken and cut meat into bite sized pieces. Bring the broth to a boil. Add butter. Adjust seasonings as desired. Drop dumplings, just a few at a time into the broth. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in milk and chicken. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. I found this recipe in Lora Brady’s Slow Cooker Cooking cookbook and it’s a great way to use the rosemary or basil that you have growing in your garden this summer. You can use it to flavor pasta, vegetables or great for dipping with good Italian bread. Yield: 1 cup INGREDIENTS 1 cup mild olive oil ¼ cup packed chopped rosemary leaves PREPARATION Place the oil and the rosemary in the insert of the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH, uncovered for 1-1/2 to 2 hours and then turn the slow cooker off. Allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes and then pour it through a sieve lined with a clean paper towel or paper coffee filter into a metal bowl. When the oil is completely cooled, transfer it to a clean glass jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month, after that the flavor may fade. The oil may cloud up under refrigeration, but it will become clear again at room temperature. Basil Infused Oil Follow the same procedure as above for rosemary infused oil when preparing basil infused oil. Use 1 cup of oil and 1/3 to ½ cup of packed roughly chopped fresh basil leaves. Strain and store as with the rosemary oil.
My daughter Maria made these Chocolate Tartlets and they were delicious! The recipe looks a bit complicated, but she made the pudding first and refrigerated it overnight. The next day she worked on baking the tartlets and final assembly. The pudding was rich and creamy with a wonderful chocolate flavor. The tartlets were made using my “tried and true” recipe for pastry. Really simple when you use a food processor and a Silpat for rolling out the dough. Serves 6 INGREDIENTS Pudding: 2 cups whole milk or half and half ½ cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup cocoa powder 4 teaspoons cornstarch 3 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt PREPARATION Combine 1 ½ cups of milk, sugar and cocoa in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining ½ cup of milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture (this is called tempering). Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour the pudding into a medium sized bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight until set. INGREDIENTS Pastry Dough for Tarlets 3 cups all purpose flour 1 cup cold lard or other shortening 1 ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg 5 tablespoons cold water 1 teaspoon cider vinegar PREPARATION Preheat oven to 375 degrees F In a food processor bowl, process the flour, lard and salt until mixture resembles coarse flakes. In a small mixing bowl, combine egg, water and vinegar. Pour egg mixture over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to mass together to form a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and work dough into a round shape. Roll out dough to approximately ¼ inch thickness. I use a Silpat and it makes rolling out dough a breeze. Using tartlet pan as a guide, cut out dough approximately ¼ inch larger than tartlet pan. Press into the tartlet pan, fluting the edges. Place tartlets on a small baking sheet and freeze for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and using the tines of a fork, pierce the bottom and sides of the tartlet pastry. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the crust in the wall of the tartlet pan is set. Remove tartlets from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Remove from tartlet pans to wire rack and let them finish cooling. INGREDIENTS Whipping Cream 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2-3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract PREPARATION Place whipping cream in bowl of electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Begin whipping the cream on high speed (watch out for splatters or use the splatter guard that you may have with your mixer) until it starts to form soft peaks. Add confectioner’s sugar to your taste and vanilla. Continue to beat the whipping cream on high until it starts to form solid peaks. Do not over beat or your whipping cream will turn to butter. Tartlet Assembly Fill each tartlet with approximately ¼ cup of the chocolate pudding. Using a pastry bag, you can pipe whipping cream around each tartlet, or just place a dollop of the whipping cream on each tart. Garnish with grated semi-sweet chocolate and a sprig of mint.
Source: Chocolate Pudding – Tyler Florence – Food Network – Episode-#TU0211
Flat Leaf or Italian Variety Parsley is a fresh-flavored herb with a slightly peppery taste. It is commonly used as a flavoring or garnish. There are a number of varieties of this herb, but the most common varieties are curly-leaf and the more strongly flavored Italian or flat-leaf parsley. Both varieties can be found in supermarkets year round and are sold in bunches. Fresh parsley should have bright green leaves with no signs of “yellowing” or wilting. Fresh parsley can be stored for about one week in the refrigerator after washing, wrapping in paper towels and storing in a plastic bag. Dried parsley is also available in the spice section of the supermarket, but does not resemble freshly chopped parsley in appearance or flavor.
I grow it in the garden and use it frequently. It’s so great to just step out the back door and pluck off a few branches to use when I’m roasting a chicken or pork tenderloin. Other uses for rosemary is to infuse olive oil with rosemary and use it for drizzling over pasta or soaking it up with French bread. CarolsComfortFoods.com is a free cooking and recipe internet resource. Use of the materials on CarolsComfortFoods.com are entirely at the risk of the user and CarolsComfortFoods.com or Carol Clark will not be responsible for any damages directly or indirectly resulting from the use of the site. Content on this site is either original, significantly modified from its original source or original reference is cited. We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email addresses, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by companies, click here.
If you’ve never eaten fried corn, you’ve missed out on a great Southern dish. It’s actually not fried, but cooked in a skillet, preferably a well seasoned cast iron one. Use the freshest corn available and make sure that it isn’t dry. Yield: 4-6 Servings INGREDIENTS 12 ears fresh corn 8 slices of bacon 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2-4 teaspoons sugar, or to taste 2 teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper, or to taste PREPARATION Using a sharp knife or corn cutter, cut away the corn kernels from the ear and place in a large bowl. Use the back of the knife to scrape corn milk and remaining pulp from each ear. Add to the corn kernels and set aside. Cook bacon in a heavy skillet, preferable cast iron, until crisp. Remove bacon and discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Add corn mixture, butter, sugar, salt and pepper to reserved drippings. Cook over low to medium heat until corn loses its “raw” look and taste and the mixture thickens. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Adjust seasonings as desired. Serve immediately with bacon crumbled over the top. In the South, they love to tailgate! These baked beans make a delicious addition to your tailgate menu. Yield: 8-10 Servings INGREDIENTS 6 slices of bacon 1 large sweet yellow onion – finely chopped ½ green pepper – finely chopped ½ lb ham – slivered 2 – 28 ounce cans pork and beans ½ cup ketchup ½ cup dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste PREPARATION Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside; reserve bacon drippings in pan. Saute’ onions and peppers in the drippings for approximately 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the ham to the onion and pepper mixture and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in the crumbled bacon, pork and beans, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to casserole dish or bean pot. Bake, uncovered for approximately one hour, until bubbly. Yield: 8 Servings INGREDIENTS 1 lbs elbow macaroni 2 cups half and half 2 cups milk ½ cup Parmesan cheese 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese 1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese Pinch of salt Freshly grated black pepper, to taste PREPARATION Cook the macaroni per package instructions. Drain and return to pan and keep warm. Meanwhile, bring half and half and milk to a low boil. Add cheeses and whisk until melted. Stir cheese sauce into macaroni and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Source: Five Star Day Café – Athens, GA
Yield: 6-8 Servings INGREDIENTS ¾ cup chopped celery ½ cup sweet yellow onion – finely chopped 2 tablespoons parsley – finely chopped 1 stick, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 6 cups day old bread cubes 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly grated black pepper to taste ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 3 cups low sodium chicken broth 4 cups diced, cooked chicken 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F In large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 stick of butter and add celery, onions and parsley. Saute’ for approximately 5 minutes until the celery is tender and onions translucent. Add bread cubes, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Toss lightly. Stir in broth and cubed chicken. Mix well and turn into a greased, shallow 3-quart casserole dish. Brown the breadcrumbs in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle over casserole. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Yields: 8 servings INGREDIENTS Pie 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, baked 1 ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided 1 egg ¼ cup milk ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks 1 – 10 inch deep-dish pie crust Bourbon Sauce 2 sticks butter, cut into small pieces 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup bourbon Whipped cream to garnish PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes. Measure 2 ½ cups potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add 1 ¼ cups brown sugar and mix until smooth. Blend in egg. Add milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in chocolate chips or chunks. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar over the filling. Place pie on a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Move baking sheet with pie to the middle rack and continue baking for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool. To make sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Slowly whisk in cream and then the bourbon. Use immediately or store for up to one week in the refrigerator. To serve, place 2-3 tablespoons of Bourbon Sauce on an individual plate. Top with slice of pie and add a dollop of fresh whipping cream. Source: Athens Academy Parent Service Organization – Under the Magnolias - 1999 Yield: 6 Servings INGREDIENTS 4 large baking potatoes, washed 2/3 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups milk or half and half (can also use a combination of the two) ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper 4 green onions, chopped and divided 12 slices of bacon – fried crisp and crumbled 1 ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese – divided 1 – 8 ounce sour cream PREPARATION Preheat oven to 400 degrees F Pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Bake for 60 minutes or until tender. Cool and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp. Melt butter in a heavy stockpot over low heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons green onions, ½ cup crumbled bacon and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream. Top individual servings with remaining green onions, bacon and cheese
Yield: 2 ½ cups INGREDIENTS 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened ½ cup sour cream ½ cup crumbled good blue cheese, I prefer Maytag 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish ¼ cup grated carrots ¼ cup finely chopped green onion tops 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 6 slices bacon – cooked and crumbled PREPARATION Place cream cheese, sour cream and blue cheese in a food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, horseradish, carrots, onions, parsley and bacon. Mix well and chill thoroughly. To serve: hollow out a red cabbage and spoon dip into cabbage. Serve with crudités and crackers. Kugela is the national dish of Lithuania and is an oven baked potato “pudding”. It’s rich and creamy with the great smoked taste of bacon in every bite! Consider this as an alternative to the typical potatoes sides. The most time consuming part of preparation is grating the potatoes and onions. However, make sure that you soak the potatoes in water to release the potato starch from the potato. Great casserole to take to a Potluck dinner. INGREDIENTS 1 lb bacon – diced 1 large sweet yellow onion – grated 5 lbs Russet potatoes, finely grated and soaked in water ½ cup flour 1 – 12 ounce can evaporated milk 6 eggs Salt and freshly grated black pepper, to taste PREPARATION Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 9×13x2-inch baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until it is crisp; remove to paper towel and drain. Reserve ½ of bacon drippings and set aside. Add grated onions to skillet with bacon drippings and saute’ until soft and translucent. In a large bowl, stir together the reserved drippings, bacon, onion and potatoes. Mix in flour, evaporated milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes and then cut into squares and serve with sour cream. Yield: 15-20 bars INGREDIENTS Crust 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup confectioner’s sugar Filling 2 cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 4 eggs – well beaten 5-6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup unsalted butter and ½ cup confectioner’s sugar until well blended. Press crust mixture into a 9×12x2 inch baking pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the crust is set. Remove from oven and let crust cook for approximately 10 minutes. While crust is baking, in a medium bowl, using a whisk, combine 2 cups of granulated sugar, eggs and freshly squeezed lemon juice until light and fluffy. Add 4 tablespoons flour and ½ teaspoon baking powder and blend. Pour filling into the cooled crust and return to over for an additional 20-30 minutes until the filling is lightly browned and puffed. Remove from oven and let cook for 5 minutes. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. Please Visit Carols Comfort Foods at AMAZON.com
Chives belong to the same family as onions, leeks and garlic. They grow in clumps from an underground bulb. Chive leaves are round and hollow and produce large round purple or pink flower heads in June or July. Chives have a mild onion flavor, similar to a green onion. Growing chives is easy. They thrive in full sun and are drought resistant. They do well in a pot on your deck or planted in the ground. After the chive plant has reached approximately 6 inches in height, you can harvest the leaves off the plant, leaving at least 2 inches at the bottom. Once cut, chives can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for about one week. They also can be frozen in a freezer bag, for quick use when needed. Typically, we think of chives for a topping on baked potatoes, however they can be used in a variety of dishes including cream sauces, eggs and breads. Try substituting chives for parsley in my Ricotta Eggs on Toasted French Bread. It will add a delicate onion flavor to the eggs. Nice compliment to the ricotta cheese.
Yield: 2 (8-inch) loaves INGREDIENTS ½ lb or 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 4 extra large eggs, at room temperature 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6-8 lemons) 3 cups all purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 ½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½) loaf pans. Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time and then the lemon zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine ¼ cup lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternatively to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. When loaves are done, remove from oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let them completely cool on a wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife and serve plain or with fresh whipped cream. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese ½ lb ground beef ½ sweet yellow onion – finely chopped 1 clove garlic – finely chopped ½ green or red bell pepper – finely chopped 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese PREPARATION In large skillet, add ground beef, onion, garlic and peppers. Saute’ on medium heat until ground beef is browned, onion is translucent and peppers are tender. Set aside. Prepare macaroni and cheese per instructions on the package. After macaroni and cheese is prepared, add in the ground beef mixture. Stir well and then add in the mozzarella cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 6 INGREDIENTS 8 ounces of Ziti pasta, uncooked ¾ lb ground beef 3 cups or 28 ounce jar of good spaghetti sauce 1 ¾ cups of ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon fresh basil – roughly chopped ½ teaspoon salt Salt and fresh grated pepper to taste Grated Parmesan cheese PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Cook pasta according to package instructions. In large skillet over medium heat, brown meat until thoroughly cooked. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Toss hot pasta with the meat sauce. In a 9×13x2 inch baking pan, spoon ½ of the pasta mixture into the pan. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the top. Layer the remaining pasta over ricotta mixture and then sprinkle top with the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. During final 5 minutes of baking, remove cover and allow cheese to lightly brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Yields: 3 dozen cookies INGREDIENTS ½ lb unsalted butter 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups chopped pecans 5 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon water ½ teaspoon salt Confectioner’s sugar PREPARATION Preheat oven to 325 degrees F Cream the butter and then add sugar, vanilla and water. Sift flour and salt together and stir into the butter mixture. Add pecans and mix thoroughly. Using a teaspoon, roll the cookie dough into a ball and then shape into small crescents. Bake cookies on parchment lined baking sheets for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheets for about 3-5 minutes. Roll warm crescent cookie in confectioner’s sugar, coating thoroughly. Set on wire rack to cool. Yield: 6-8 slices INGREDIENTS Single Pie Crust – already prepared or make your own ½ cup unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 ½ cups chopped pecans - toasted 2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degree F Toasted Pecans: Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast in 350 degree F oven for approximately 8 minutes until they are lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool. Beat eggs with cooled butter. Add flour and sugar and beat until well mixed. Stir in cooled pecans, chocolate chips and bourbon. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Serve with fresh whipped cream or good vanilla ice cream. INGREDIENTS 1 large cucumber 12 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons sweet yellow onion, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon mayonnaise Pinch of cayenne pepper PREPARATION Pare, grate and drain cucumber. Combine cucumber, cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, cayenne and salt in a food processor. Pulse for a few moments until all ingredients are blended. Serve as a spread for sandwiches or canape’. It can also be thinned out with sour cream and used as a dip for vegetables. INGREDIENTS 2 – 8 ounce cream cheese 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 3 tablespoons sweet yellow onion – finely chopped 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1-2 cups chopped walnuts PREPARATION In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Roll mixture into two balls. Roll the cheese balls into the chopped walnut mixture, so the cheese ball is coated on the outside with the walnuts. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours. To serve: remove from refrigerator and let soften for 30 minutes. Serve with assorted crackers and small breads. This is a kid favorite at our house and an easy recipe for them to help you make. Makes 10-12 squares INGREDIENTS 1 ¼ lb ground beef 8 oz can tomato sauce 1 packet (1.3 oz) Sloppy Joe Seasoning mix 2 tablespoons chopped onion ½ tsp salt 2 – 8-ounce cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 2 cup grated cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese PREPARATION Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 13×9x2 pan. In a large skillet, brown 1¼ lbs ground beef and then drain. Stir in tomato sauce, 1 packet of Sloppy Joe Seasoning mix, 2 tablespoons chopped onion and ½ tsp salt. Simmer 5-10 minutes. While meat mixture is simmering, break open 2 cans of the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and separate the dough from each can into two large rectangles. You should have a total of 4 rectangles from the 2 cans of dough. Line the bottom of the 13×9x2 with 2 rectangles of dough. Spoon the hot meat mixture over the dough and sprinkle 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese over the meat mixture. Place the other 2 rectangles of dough on top of the meat mixture. Brush the top of dough lightly with a beaten egg yolk and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into squares. I haven’t met a child yet that doesn’t get excited about helping in the kitchen. From an early age, children can begin to assist you in the kitchen, with age appropriate tasks. Cooking with your children can benefit them in so many ways. They can learn valuable lessons about nutrition, measuring, following instructions and how to safely navigate in the kitchen. At the end of the day, you are creating wonderful memories for you and your children through your time with them in the kitchen. There are a number of great cookbooks designed for children, including Kitchen for Kids by Jennifer Low. This cookbook contains 100 recipes that are especially designed to allow children to work safely in the kitchen. Recipes include: healthful breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas, as well as recipes for desserts, beverages and breads. Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual by Klutz also has a number of recipes that are designed to introduce children into the art of cooking in a fun way. Throughout the country there are countless cooking schools that are sprouting up that are designed for the young chef in your family. Many retailers have taken note of this trend and now offer culinary wear and specialized kitchen equipment designed for kids. Whether or not you want to take advantage of some of these formalized resources, consider allowing your child to spend some time with you in the kitchen. My eleven year old daughter has evolved into my “sous chef” and we have spent some wonderful afternoons in the kitchen cooking and baking. The excitement and sense of accomplishment that she displays after baking a cake or batch of cookies on her own (with my oversight) is priceless.
Yields: 20-24 large cookies INGREDIENTS 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ¾ cup all purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup good chocolate chips PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. To toast walnuts: Toast nuts for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven until they are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool. Chop into medium pieces and set aside. In bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon and whisk together. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the rolled oats, nuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for approximately 15-20 minutes. Using a small ice cream scoop or large spoon drop approximately ¼ cup of cookie dough onto cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about ½ inch thick. Round out the edges to make the cookies more uniform. Bake cookies for approximately 12-16 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges, but slightly soft in the centers. Remove from oven and let cookies cool a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Adapted From: Jane Rodmell – Best Summer Weekends Cookbook - 2004
Mint is easy to grow, however take care of where you plant mint. You need to plant it in a place where it will not overtake your other herbs. Left on its own, mint will spread like crazy throughout your garden. When purchasing mint at the supermarket, look for leaves that are evenly colored with no signs of wilting. Mint can be stored, stems down in a glass of water with a plastic bag over the leaves in the refrigerator for about one week. Make sure that you change the water every few days to maximize freshness. Fresh mint can be used in both savory and sweet dishes and drinks, as well as a great garnish to finish off many deserts. Two of the most notable uses for mint are in cocktails, the traditional Mint Julep and more recently, the popular Mojito.
The Mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail which in recent years has become very popular in the United States. The traditional Mojito is made up of five ingredients: rum, sugar, lime, carbonated water and mint. The mint and lime are muddled together at the bottom of the cocktail shaker with a wooden tool called a “muddler” to release all the flavors of the lime and mint. The remaining ingredients are then added and poured over crushed ice in a tall glass. Garnished of course, with mint. The recipe below is renowned chef, Bobby Flay’s adaptation of the Mojito, including ginger and Thai basil. Delicious! Yield: 1 drink INGREDIENTS 2 lime wedges 6 mint leaves 4 Thai basil leaves 1 tablespoon Ginger Simple Syrup 1 ounce club soda 1 ounce white rum Fine sugar Ice Coconut milk PREPARATION Place the lime, mint and Thai basil in a cocktail shaker and muddle well. Add Ginger Simple Syrup, club soda and rum and shake well. Rim a tall glass with fine sugar and fill with ice. Pour drink over ice. Float coconut milk on top of the drink. Ginger Simple Syrup INGREDIENTS ½ cup sugar ½ cup water 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, thickly sliced PREPARATION Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, strain out the ginger. Source: Bobby Flay – Food Network – Episode# BT0109
For general purposes, any of the garden thymes are a good choice to use in flavoring vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, soups and cream sauces. During the summer, you can grow thyme in pots on your deck and bring them indoors when the weather turns cool and set it by a sunny window. If you live in a mild climate, you can keep it outdoors year round. Use this versatile herb in recipes like Thyme Biscuits or Fresh Herb Dip. INGREDIENTS 8 ounces cream cheese 4 ounces sour cream 2 tablespoons garden thyme 1 tablespoon sweet basil 1 tablespoon fresh parsley PREPARATION In a food processor, blend all ingredients and place in a small bowl. Refrigerate overnight so all the flavors of the herbs can meld. Transfer to a small serving dish and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve with crackers and veggies. Yield 12-16 Biscuits INGREDIENTS 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled ¾ cup buttermilk 1 egg beaten 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped PREPARATION Preheat oven to 425 degrees F Sift together dry ingredients. Cut butter into the flour mixture, but do not overwork. Stir in milk, egg and thyme. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead about a dozen times. Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for approximately 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot with butter.
When purchasing basil, look for evenly colored leaves with no sign of wilting. The best way to store basil is to wrap it in barely damp paper towels, store in a plastic bag and then refrigerate. The basil will keep for about 4 days. There are a variety of ways to use basil and it can be used to flavor meats, fish, soups, vegetables and pasta dishes. Some of the most common ways to use basil is in a pesto sauce or in tomato based sauces and dishes. Pesto is a versatile sauce to have on hand. It can be frozen and pulled out of the freezer and tossed with fresh pasta for a quick meal. If you are going to freeze pesto, add the cheese after you have thawed the pesto. Pesto sauce is simple to make and a great way to use the basil that you plant this summer. Below is a simple recipe: Pesto Sauce Makes 1 cup INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh basil leaves ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 medium sized garlic cloves – minced 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts (rough chop walnuts before processing) ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste PREPARATION In a food processor, combine basil with pine nuts or walnuts. Pulse a few times. Add the garlic, pulse a few more times. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop and scrap down the sides of the processor bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse until blended. Add a pinch of salt and grated black pepper to taste. Once you’ve mastered the basic pesto sauce, you can use it as the foundation for other great sauces, like the cream basil sauce in my Chicken With Linguine in Basil Cream Sauce recipe.
Serves 4-6 INGREDIENTS 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup sweet yellow onion – finely chopped 1/3 cup white wine (warmed) 2 cups fresh or frozen green peas 1-½ cups Arborio rice ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese PREPARATION In a large saucepan, bring the chicken or vegetable stock to a simmer and lower heat so the stock continues to barely simmer. In a large skillet with sides, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, but not browned. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve. Leave the drippings in the pan and add the rice. Sauté the rice for approximately 7 minutes until it becomes translucent, stirring constantly to ensure that the rice does not stick and burn. Add the warmed wine to the rice mixture and cook until the wine has almost evaporated. Slowly begin to add in ½-1 cup of the warm stock to the rice, stirring constantly. When the liquid is almost all absorbed, add another ½ - 1 cup of stock to the rice. Continue this process until all the stock has been incorporated into the rice mixture. When you have incorporated about one half of the stock, add in the fresh or frozen peas to the rice mixture. They will cook along as you finish adding the remainder of the stock. Once rice has absorbed all the stock, it should be creamy and tender. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the grated Parmesan cheese and stir gently. Cover and let the risotto sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Risotto is a wonderful and versatile Italian rice dish. You can use it on the side to accompany any number of main courses or “jazz” it up with veggies and diced ham or chicken to make a great main event. There are some basic techniques to making a delicious, creamy risotto that may cause you a bit of angst. However, once you’ve mastered the technique, you can use that skill to create countless number of wonderful meals. When purchasing rice for your risotto, you will need to get a short-grained, round rice, such as Arborio. Long grain rice or minute rice will not work for a risotto as neither type has the capacity to absorb the ingredients and the grains will remain separated. As a result, you will not be able to achieve the creamy texture and consistency that is the hallmark of a great risotto. Now days, you can purchase Arborio rice in any of the major supermarkets. Although risotto recipes will have variations, the basic concepts of preparing a risotto are as follows:
If you follow these simple steps, you can prepare delicious risotto in no time. It can serve as the foundation for creating a wide variety of sides and entrees. One classic Italian dish is called, Rise e Bisi (Rice and Peas). It’s a great accompaniment for roasted pork or chicken. |
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