Martha's Ruth's Rap Group's Pie

I have a recollection of saying I would send this pie recipe to you, Jimmy; it's the pie I brought on Thanksgiving. I've been making if for close to 40 years now and comes from a friend who got it from her women's support group. This was in the late sixties and the idea was to talk through your troubles or issues with like minded women; they did some of that but also they exchanged recipes. I always think of this as Ruth's Rap Group's Pie since that was the source for me.

Martha Scott


Chocolate Pie

Crust
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts if you prefer)

Mix all of the ingredients and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Chocolate filling
1 (12 ounce) package bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk
1/4 sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 eggs separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Melt the chocolate with the milk, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Allow to cool a little. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Whip egg whites until they slide clean off the side of the bowl. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and pour mixture into the pie crust. Refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.

Rainy Sunday Chili

This is a simple one pot meal for a cold day full of laundry and homework. I have used half ground pork and half ground beef (80% I think) this time around. Use what you like, even ground chicken or (dare I say on November 29th) ground turkey.


2 lbs ground meat
2 poblano chilies, roughly chopped, seeds and ribs removed
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped seed and ribs removed
2 medium white onions, roughly chopped skins removed
8-10 whole garlic cloves, papery skin removed
2 12 ounce cans black bean, rinses and drained
1 28 ounce can rough chop tomatoes
2 12 ounce cans of beer
2 tablespoons whole cumin seed
2 tablespoons chili powder (I used some wonderful Red Cloud's Peak given to me buy a treasured niece)
10 whole black pepper corns

I start by toasting the cumin seed and other spices in a dry frying pan, just until they perfume the kitchen. I cool them for a minute and grind them in a spice grinder until smooth. Toasting the cumin seeds is a great way to bring out their warm spicy flavor.

Brown off the meat and add the spices. I chopped the veg while watching that the meat browns but does not burn. You need to chop at the meat with a wooden spoon while it browns to get the consistency you want. Add the onions pepper and sweat them for 10 minutes, stirring, until they are incorporated into the meat. Now is the time to add the beer. I vary the amount so I get a nice chili consistency. I like to let it go for a while then add the beans, stir just once more and let it simmer for 2 hours.

Serve with a crusty bread and you have a meal fit for sitting and staring out at the rain. Leftovers are even better.

.

Redheaded Green Salsa

Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Pepper Salsa

I am a big fan of the flavor concentrator dry heat and this recipe showcases it.

1 10/2 lbs tomatillos halved, papery skins removed and sticky residue rinsed
5 or 6 poblano chilies, halved, seeded, pith removed
2 Red bell peppers halved, seeded, pith removed
8 or 9 whole garlic cloves, skins intact
3 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
cilantro or dandelion greens, chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 475. Toss first 4 ingredients together. On a large, foil lined baking sheet spread out mixture in one layer, skin side up. Place in oven with the skins as close to flame as possible, or use your broiler, you may choose to grill these as well. I respect that. In 25 minutes test the tomatillos, peppers and garlic for doneness. The peppers' skin should be black and ready to peel off the pepper meat. Peel the peppers and garlic, combine with tomatillos and minced onion in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is attained. Add chopped greens (cilantro or dandelion} and salt and pepper to taste.

I served this over roasted chicken legs and roasted potatoes this past weekend to universal acclaim. It can be used on anything but ice cream.

Winter Soup with Sweet Potato, Squash and Apple a.k.a., how to use up everything in your pantry.

Sooo I get this box of vegetable and fruit delivered every week to my apartment (check it out - http://www.doortodoororganics.com/ - I get the "bitty box"). I try my best to use everything up, but my good intentions are often (hmmm, nearly always these days) stymied by my schedule. In an effort to use up last week's bitty box, and start to use this week's stash, I went googling for soups. My effort yielded a winner, which I now present to you.

Ingredients:
1 medium kabocha squash, cubed (I didn't know what this was either. Thank goodness for the internets. Turned out I didn't have one (it's a Japanese squash in case you are wondering), so I used a butternut, peeled first with a vegetable peeler)
3 large sweet potatoes, cubed (I had 2 and used a regular to supplement; peel these guys too)
3 carrots, chopped (try 4) (peel if you'd like)
3 apples, cubed (peel 'em first)
1 red onion (I used white, it works the same)
2-3 stalks celery (I had really sad looking celery in my fridge from last week's Shephard's Pie - still turned out well)
4 cups broth (really, six to eight)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves garlic (um, I went with six)
2 tablespoons ginger (I'm not big on measuring, I just grated a bunch - go to taste)
3 tablespoons honey
kosher salt
oliver oil

My additions: spinach and yellow squash.

Parsley and sour cream to top.

Goat cheese and bread for pre-soup snack (for ravenous chefs who cook at 9 pm....)

In a large bowl, toss squash, sweet potatoes, apples, half of the onion and half of the chopped carrots with the ginger and garlic. Add a bit of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Roast in single layers (so use multiple pans if necessary) in a preheated oven at 425 for 35-45 minutes until soft and brown.

As vegetables roast, mix celery, remaining carrots, onions [plus any other veggies you'd like - I did some yellow squash] in a deep pot with a bit of olive oil. Heat over medium high heat to make sure veggies are brown (but don't burn them!) After 5-10 minutes, pour in broth and add cinnamon stick. Get 'er boiling, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes (or until the roasted veggies are brown). Pull out the cinnamon sticks.

If you have handy, dandy hand blender, go to work on the soup - blending to your desired consistency (some like it smooth, I like some chunks to remind me of the vegetables contained within). If no hand blender, start transferring in batches to blender (or resign yourself to a broth soup, which is still quite tasty).

Salt to taste, which for me is quite a bit (I rationalize my added salt intake with my lack of processed food intake). Then stir in chopped spinach (if you'd like). Kale would work equally well. Once it's had a few minutes in the soup, start ladeling it up. Top with sour cream and some parsley.

Good stuff.

Theresa's foray into cooking meat: Steak with gorgonzola sauce.

When I first started experimenting in the kitchen (circa 2004), I was a near-vegetarian, some would say pescatarian (or just call me picky). As a result, cooking with meat has always been a challenge. I am adept at any ground meat or fish (hard to screw up!) but shy away from a good ol' steak. I decided it was time to get out of that rut. I was assisted by a seasoned meat eater, sometimes meat cooker (albeit on the grill). We explained our dilemma to the Whole Foods meat counter guy and he recommended a top sirloin, which, lucky for us, was on sale.

Here's what you'll need:
About a lb of steak
8 oz of blue cheese (we went with gorgonzola)
one red onion
some butter
red pepper flakes
garlic
some sour cream (optional)
parsley (fresh is better, dry will do)

For sides, I had sweet potatoes and white asparagus on hand. Pretty much any potato, veggie combo would go nicely with this steak (dousing anything in blue cheese sauce is a sure crowd pleaser).

First sides: I up some sweet potatoes, added a good strong coating of olive oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of cinnamon and cayenne. They went into the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes (check frequently - I got involved in a conversation and they ended up quite crispy). Start the steak in the meantime. After they came out, and while I was doing the finishing touches on the steak, I covered the asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper in the broiler for about five minutes with a pinch of lemon juice.

The Steak: I sliced the red onion and sauteed on medium high in a little bit of olive oil and butter until soft. I added the garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. I turned down the heat and started adding the cheese, stirring frequently.

At this point, get some butter nice and hot in a separate pan and then add the steak, cooking to your desired rareness. [I let my sous chef handle this, but if you don't do meat, just google. Post suggestions in the comments].

As the cheese melts down, add about 2 tbls of white wine and a bit of sour cream along with some red pepper flakes. Turn off the heat. When the steak is ready, add 1/4 c. water to the drippings and boil for two minutes. Stir the water/drippings/butter mixture into the cheese sauce. If you haven't satisfied your saturated fat intake for the year at this point, you could consider adding a tiny bit of bacon or prosciutto to the sauce.

Prepare a plate with steak, asparagus and potatoes. Drizzle blue cheese sauce over steak (or the whole thing!) Top with chopped parsley.

Yum.

Saturday Night Winebalaya

Or the way a frugal Yankee (redundant?) learns the meaning of lagniappe when applied to jambalaya. Thanks to Pat "Papa" MacAlinden for the euphemism.

I started making this recipe decades ago. I was once described by my brother as a cooking one-trick-pony because it was my go-to recipe for many family functions. Another brother forbade me from cooking in his kitchen for years after making winebalaya there one night. My blessed mother just groaned at the mere mention of its name.

In Chautauqua, one year, I toiled while guests ate bread and drank wine for so long we could not eat it that night, but, oh, did we feast in the morning (it makes a wonderful omelet stuffing.)

I have filled pots and vats and bellies and tupperware in four time zones, I once bought a 32 quart pot to cook it for a bachelor party. I have made it in a beach house, at 9000+ feet, in a hotel room on a hot plate, in one room garrets and in a luxury high-rise apartment who's owner waxed nostalgic that he smelled it for a week after we cooked it when he got off the elevator on his floor.

It is something that begs the company of friends and family, of a conversation where we get to know one another, or catch up after a long time apart. It demands no great skills, no expensive equipment, it needs no timer, and it is really kinda cheap to make.

I will include a stock I have formulated for it, but one may use a packaged chicken stock or one's own homemade stock if one desires.

Winebalaya

4 quarts stock
1 lbs andouille or kielbasa or linguica or Italian sausage, chopped bite sized
2 lbs chicken meat, your call, boneless, skinless breast or a cut up fryer
2 medium yellow onion chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
2 bell peppers chopped
1 jalapeno minced pepper, seeds are up to you
1 banana minced pepper, seeds are up to you
1 Anaheim minced pepper, seeds are up to you
2 28 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, tomatoes crushed by hand (trust me on this)
17 cloves of minced garlic (or your discretion)
.75 liters red wine, something you like (again, trust me)
3 cups long grain rice
1 bunch scallion, chopped
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

Brown the chicken on all sides (Mario Batali, the great chef, once said the most common mistake a home cook makes is not letting things brown to the mahogany brown that builds rich restaurant flavor) and reserve.
Brown the sausage (see above) and reserve
Sweat the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and hot peppers (this is my school of slow heat, you may want to add some of the hot peppers with the bell peppers at the end for a brighter heat. Same with the garlic)
Add tomatoes with juice and stock and 1/3 of the wine

Simmer for 1/2 hour, add 1/3 more wine and the chicken and sausage. Simmer for another 1/2hour add last 1/3 of the wine and bring to a boil. Add the rice. Cover and turn the heat down until the rice is al dente, soft or exploded and mushy, rice texture is up to you.

Add the parsley, scallions, bell peppers, and any remaining garlic or hot peppers. I let the whole thing sit on the stove for a while at this point. There is enough residual heat in this pot to melt all the ice in your freezer if you put the pot into the refrigerator, if you want to defrost the freezer feel free.

I like to serve this after about 20 minutes of resting on the stove. This is easily a main dish or one-pot-meal in the classic sense. Maybe serve it with a green salad and some crusty bread.


Stock:
3 lbs stock bones
1 onion, rough chopped
6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
4 ribs celery, rough chopped
3 medium carrots rough chopped
3 tbsp oil
5 quarts water

Heat oil over med-high heat in a large heavy stew pot or dutch oven until shimmering. Caramelize bones until brown on all sides (Remember Mario).Add the remaining ingredients and sweat until tender. Add water and simmer hard for 90 minutes until reduced by 1/5, strain and reserve stock.

J&T

Lamb Parsnip Tomato Sauce over Penne

I made this the other night. It's a quick, easy and relatively healthy little meal that I found on Epicurious. Enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 very large onion, sliced (about 4 cups)
  
• 12 ounces medium parsnips (about 4), peeled, cut on slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 4 garlic cloves, minced [I used two small cloves]
  
• 8 ounces ground lamb
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice [I used 2.5 cans]
  
• 12 ounces penne
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Crumbled feta cheese

Saute onions and parsnips in olive oil on medium high heat until softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and continue to saute for one minute. Add lamb, and saute until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and a healthy amount of salt and pepper. Add tomatoes with juice and boil it up. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in water. Drain. Top with sauce, feta and parsley. Eat!

German Hummus- Sounds like a contradiction but it is only called that because I love hummus and I am German. So anyways this has always been a staple for me when I was experimenting with vegetarianism or happily and unregrettably eating flesh. Yum!!

Ingredients:
2 cans chick peas
4-6 cloves garlic, depending on your level of garliciness
couple of dashes of cumin
dash of salt and pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp olive oil
(optional tahini sauce)
Pita bread
carrot sticks
cucumber slices ect,,,,

Operations:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and chop just enough to where the chick peas are nicely blended. Warm up pita bread and serve with veggies!! Enjoy!!

~~Also good in wraps~~

Those Cherry Lane Dogs

So you wanna post...

If you want to post a recipe, picture, story, thought, or whatever... It's pretty simple and easy. First, you may need a gmail account. Let Jim or I know you want authorship privileges and we will invite you. Then log into account and post away. For recipes, be sure to add a label, indicating the type of food so that it will be sorted on the side bar (that way if you are looking for an app, it is just one click away). Want to search our blog and the blogs and webpages linked to it? Use the little search box on the side bar entitled "search for more yummy things." If you have a go-to recipe website that you would like included in the search, let me know and I will add!

Enjoy!

Beer Can Chickens

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Jon’s Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower & Squash Topping

Jon’s Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower & Squash Topping

April 2003, vegetarian: July 2003

 

Topping:

1 pound butternut or acorn squash

1 pound cauliflower – fresh or frozen

4 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 large egg

Paprika—garnish

 

Filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup chopped onions

2 cloves minced garlic

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

10 ounces beef broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

 

Prepare the Topping: Note: I use all of either a medium sized butternut squash or a larger acorn squash for the top.  The butternut makes the topping more orange in color, they both taste wonderful.  I prepare either squash by cutting them lengthwise in half, clean out the seeds and place them cut-side down in ½ inch warm water in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 400° F. for 30min, then turn over, if needed, and bake till tender, 15-30 minutes.  I then drain, cool and finally spoon out all the tender squash meat into a mixing bowl.  At the same time I take an entire head of cauliflower (remove leaves and the heart) and steam it until tender.  Then drain and cool and likewise put in the mixing bowl with the squash.  Add the butter (soft), cream (1/3 cup at a time), egg and seasonings.  Mash until fluffy in the mixer.  Set aside.

 

Prepare the Filling: In a large fry pan, heat the oil, add the onions and garlic, sauté until tender.  Add the ground beef, cook till browned. Drain any extra fat.  Add the seasonings.  Mix the cornstarch with the beef broth, mix thoroughly then pour into the ground beef mixture, cook & stir until it thickens.  Check to see if the seasoning needs adjusting.  Pour into a 9” X 13” baking dish (I like one that is deep), smooth then spoon on topping.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake in a pre-heated 350° F. oven for 45 minutes or until hot, bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.  Serve with a low carb salad or vegetables.

 

Vegetarian Pie:  Make as above except: delete the ground beef and the beef broth, replace the beef broth with 10 oz of vegetable stock/broth.  Replace ground beef with a TVP product like: Morningstar Farms Grillers Burger style (use 2 twelve oz packages)

 

Appetizers

Melted Brie with wine-sauced fruit

 

 

Your guests may have enjoyed the oozy translucence of melted Brie before, but they’ve probably never experienced it quite like this—surrounded with the fruits and nuts of this wondrous season.

 

 

1            medium apple or pear, cored, peeled and chopped

1/3            cup snipped pitted dates

¼            cup dried currants or raisins

3            tablespoons rosé wine or apple juice

¼            cup chopped pecans, toasted

2             8-ounce rounds Brie cheese (each about 4 inches in diameter

2             tablespoons apple jelly, melted

Assorted crackers or toasted baguette slices.

 

1. In a small bowl, combine chopped apple or pear, snipped dates, currants or raisins, and wine or apple juice.  Cover and let stand for 2 hours; do not drain.  Stir in toasted pecans.
2. Preheat oven to 350º F.  Cut one Brie round in half horizontally.  Place one-half Brie round, cut side up, in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Top with one-fourth of the fruit mixture (about 1/3 cup). Top with the remaining half of the Brie round, cut side down.  Top with another one-fourth of the fruits mixture (about 1/3 cup)
3. Bake, uncovered in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minuets or until Brie is softened and warm.  Drizzle top with 1 tablespoon of the melted jelly.
4. Repeat with remaining Brie round, fruit mixture, and apple jelly.  Serve with cracker or toasted baguette slices.  Makes 10 to 12 servings.

 

From the kitchen of Sharon Bayer

Recipe Call!

Mars and I want a new and interesting appetizer to make! It should be easy, meaty and taste good with wine.

Beer Can Fryers and Out-of-Bird Stuffing with Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto. 

The beer cans don't really fit a fryer-sized chicken, so I modified them with some tin snips. I seasoned the chicken with a salt-pepper-bay-herb-Du-Provence mixture ground in a little coffee grinder I keep around for just that. I filled the beer can 2/3 from the top with beer, garlic, one bay leaf, and herb Du Provence. I roasted the fryers for 75-80 minutes @375f. Perfect. 

While they were roasting I browned off the tips of the wings, the necks, livers and such, and 2 cups mirepoix. I added 2 quarts of water, bay leaves, garlic cloves, veggie scraps and some miso-liquid (soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce will do) and simmered that for the duration of the roasting. This stock I will use for a risotto. 

Meanwhile I cubed some chiabatta bread and toasted it in the oven for 10 minutes. I sauteed an onion and garlic until soft, browned some smoked sausage then added a table-spoon of Dijon mustard (Maille is my favorite) and combined. Stirred in the bread and a mixture of 2 cups of an egg and milk. Combining all of that in a casserole dish and covered with foil, 45 minutes in the oven (last 10 minutes uncovered) for an out-of-bird stuffing.

20 minutes before those above dishes are ready, I started the risotto. Sweated an onion and some garlic, chopped finely, reserved. Browned some mushrooms, reserved w/ onion. Chopped a bunch of asparagus into 1 inch segments, and blanched. Threw the woody ends into the stock. Strained bones and veg out of the stock and tasted for re-seasoning. Toasted a medium grain rice until opaque, added strained, simmering stock, 1 cup at a time until almost adente, added reserved onion, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus. I added some yogurt at the very end to provide tang and creamy texture. If you have fresh herbs, chop them and throw them on the top. Always taste for re-seasoning.

When chicken and stuffing are done I rest them for at least 10 minutes. Now sit down and eat. 

Any drippings can be I add to any extra stock. Refrigerate that and strain off the fat. Then freeze it.

I cannot stress the ease of making  stock. If you have the skin of an onion, a bone (raw or cooked) and a pot full of water, and 45 minutes, you should make stock. If you make salad or trim vegetables for a dish freeze the scraps in a bag and the next time to have some time, like when you are doing laundry or raking leaves, make some stock, it is good for you. The versatility of this frozen stock cannot be summed up in one page of blog space.

Beer Can Chickens

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Recipe Call...I want do something with pears and onions

I'm headed to a dinner party tonight and need an easy, yummy app. I have some ripe pairs and farmer's market onions at home. What cheese and spices would work well to turn this into a tasty bruschetta?

Tom's Chautauqua Idea

Hi!
I wanted to say to everyone what a great time we had seeing all of you! Thanks to Aunt Joan and Uncle Bud for hosting the event and Kurt for his organizational prowess.
I still feel the vibe of the weekend. 
It's amazing how much fun we had in 3 days.
I'll post some images soon.
I was trying to think of a highlight event to share, but every moment was a highlight. I will say, seeing Aunt Joan, in her rocker, eyes closed, blissfully holding Jordan was priceless.
write a note and share a moment.
I enjoyed listening to everyones' stories, too.
Tom

Hello all, 

It was a wonderful weekend, wasn't it? The perfect weather was only the icing on the delicious cake. Joan and Bud were the most gracious hosts as usual. Mary Lee so kind and warm for welcoming us into the house. 

Tom's idea for sharing a favorite moment is a great one. If I may, let me suggest we share our ideas on the family blog site Come Sit Eat (If You Can Find a Chair):  http://come-sit-eat-cherrylane.blogspot.com/ 

Please feel free to join up with us there if you have not already. There you can post stories, pictures, and even video, I think. If you feel like emailing your special moment as well, you can copy and paste onto Come Sit Eat.

For me there is never one moment, I cannot pick a favorite. I love greeting everyone in the morning over cappuccino and last nights pie. I always enjoy walks (or rides) around the grounds. It is silly fun planning a trip to Panama Rocks and herding the cats into cars. Evenings cooking for everyone and charades (me as observer) and bitter-sweet Sunday morning saying goodbye and realizing how much I will miss everyone. 

All from me for now, see you all soon, 

Jimmy

Sweet Potato and GOAT CHEESE (yeah, chevre) Muffins

If you know me, you know I have a penchant for goat cheese (or chevre if we want to get fancy and French). I can't think of something that would not pair well - pears, bacon, chocolate, bread, veggies, you name it. Also embedded in my favorite foods are sweet potatoes - how can you not love a root vegetable that can whimsically switch from sweet to savory.

I made these muffins for a recent book club. I think I overdid the sage, which came fresh from a friend's garden (in fact, in the future I would substitute rosemary so the muffin is less like Thanksgiving stuffing). Overall though, they were delightful and the perfect accompaniment to a delicious arugula cantaloupe salad (see Today I Cooked) and a bunch of ladies talking books. The original recipe was in grams; I was too lazy/incompetent at the metric system to translate properly, so my measurement are imprecise (which is not ideal for baking or when baking at high altitude). The goat cheese saved the day - ensuring that these muffins were still moist and delicious.
1 large red onion, sliced
1 thick rasher bacon, sliced into batons (optional - Vegetarians at book club so I omitted)
4 sage leaves, shredded (go with the Rosemary)
150 grams sweet potato, peeled and shredded (I used two sweet potatoes)
50 grams hard Goat cheese, shredded (I used Haysteak Goat Cheese)
300 grams plain flour (I put in about 2.5 cups)
Handful of dried cranberries (my addition)
little bit of honey (also my addition)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
3 teaspoons olive oil

Using a fry-pan, sauté the onion, bacon (optional) and shredded sage (or rosemary) leaves in a little oil until the onion has softened and the bacon has browned. Add the shredded sweet potato (cook them in a microwave if you don't have time for the oven and shred with a cheese grater) along with a good grinding of black pepper and toss through for about 30 seconds - remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Sift the plain flour with the baking powder and place into a large bowl (I don't own a sifter; I just mixed). Add the cooked mixture and stir through, breaking up any lumps that may form. Sprinkle over the shredded goat cheese and mix it through so it's evenly distributed.

Whisk the egg with the milk, then add the oil before pouring this into the dry ingredients. Stir through until just combined - be careful not to overmix. Here, add the cranberries and the honey, should you wish.

Spoon into your large muffin moulds and bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven until golden brown and cook through - this should take around 20-30 minutes (mine took about 35, but I modified the recipe and this is Denver - mile high city). I got twelve muffins, even thought the recipe said six (again, the faulty measurements or the size of my muffin cup).

Let the muffins cool slightly on a wire rack before eating (or just eat).

Delish.

xoxo

Theresa

Adam's Moroccan Soup - a doubly stolen recipe

This recipe has its origins in the food network. It has been doctored by my friend Adam is originally a Rachel Ray recipe. It's easy, tasty and healthy - a good combination. Nice and hearty for those rare Denver rainy days. It also makes great leftovers. Here ya go:

Sautee a large onion and 6-8 pressed garlic gloves in butter (about a tbls), then add 1 heaping teaspoon each of cinnamon, cumin, and paprika, plus 1/4 tsp of cayenne. Sautee these until aromatic, then add two cans of diced tomatoes, 3 cans of chickpeas, a quart of broth (veggie or chicken is fine), and a teaspoon of sugar. Simmer for 45 minutes then add spinach (baby spinach, if you like it, add a lot; lukewarm, add a little). Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Dessert Euro Style

 Contributed by Markus via Cheem

Smashed Banana bread

From Alice Hines

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

 

A Long and Joyous Lasagna Recipe

Modified from a Cook's Illustrated Recipe, and unless we publish on a wide scale, We are safe from the long arm of the copyright laws of this and other counties..

 

This recipe uses some basic French technique that when mastered will enhance any recipe, The first beingDuxelles, pronounced dook-SEHL, is a finely chopped mixture of mushrooms or mushroom stems, shallot, garlic, cooked in butter, and reduced to a paste. The second Sauce Bechemel, or white sauce, a basic Mother sauce is the foundation of a bunch of other sauces, including the one you use for home-made Mac-n-cheese Sauce Morney. Eat American style, frenchie!

For basic duxelles, mince 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms (or mushroom stems) and 4 minced garlic cloves or 1 to 2 shallots. In a frying pan, sauté the garlic or shallot in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter until soft but not brown (3 to 5 minutes). Stir in minced mushrooms, salt and pepper, chopped parsley to taste, and a pinch of tarragon or thyme if you wish. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until the mushrooms give off a lot of liquid; that liquid will evaporate completely (5 to 10 minutes). The duxelles will look like a coarse mash. Cool the mixture slightly and taste for seasoning. This will make about 1-1/2 cups. Duxelles may be frozen for 1 to 2 months.

Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef Francois Pierre La Varenne (1615-1678 {heart failure from butter}) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Ble', marquis d'Uxelles.

Béchamel sauce (pronounced BESH-e-mel) also known as white sauce, is a basicsauce that is used as the base for other sauces, such as Sauce Morney, which is Béchamel and cheese. This basic sauce is usually made today by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white roux( equal part butter and flour), though it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre manie'into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour.

Sauce Bechemel has many inventors, as many as countries in Europe. It is simple food chemistry and wasproably created in many countries.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna
 
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup warm water
2 lbs portobello mushrooms, sliced
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 large red onions, chopped medium
8 ounces button mushrooms
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
1 1/2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
lemon zest 
 
1) Cover porcini with with water in microwave-safe bowl and cover with Saran wrap, cut a few slits and zap on high for 30 seconds. Let stand until softened about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms out of water with a fork and chop. Strain water really well, through and strainer with paper towels in it. Reserve. 
2) Pre-heat oven to 425f. Spread portobellos on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss. Roast until mushrooms shrivel, about 30 minutes, toss half way though. Throw some unpealed garlic in there too. It's good for what ails you. Reserve.
3) While portobellos roast, caramelize onions in saute' pan until browned at edges. 10 minutes. Reserve.
4) Process button mushrooms with some garlic, salt and pepper. Saute' until brown and all liquid is evaporated, 6-8minutes. (See above, Duxelles)
5) Reduce heat and add porcini mushrooms, more garlic and heat though, add vermouth, saute 2-3 minutes.
6) Add butter and cook until melted. Add flour and cook about 1 minute. Add milk, scape up all little brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add strained porcini water and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until saucey and thick, 10-15 minutes. Add herbs, but save some for garnish. 
7) Mix cheeses together in a bowl. Mix onions and portobellos in another bowl. Place noodles in a 13 by 9 baking dish, cover with hot tap water to soften, 5 minutes, stir to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from pan and place on dry kitchen towel. Dry baking dish and butter until coated. 
8) Coat the bottom of the baking dish with some mushroom-milk sauce. Add 3 noddles, cover with sauce, add 2 cups mushroom mixture and some of the cheese. Repeat. Finish top with cheese. Coat aluminium foil with cooking spray and cover laz. Bake at 425f 20-25 minutes until bubbling. Turn oven up to 500f. Remove foil and brown cheese on top, 6-8 minutes. Add some reserved herbs and cheese to top. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

 

In the Begining

The great parties of the Chicago Contigent and Vestal Mob (not to omit Chautauqua or Denver or Steamboat, etc) mostly begin with appetizers. And wine. And conversation. Since we are all gathering our wits for a cookbook, l will include a few of my favorite hors d'oeuvres. First, let us set the stage:

 

The phrase is spelled 'hors d'oeuvres' when it is being used as a noun: Hors d'oeuvres at four o'clock in the afternoon.

However, it should be spelled 'hors d'oeuvre' (no final 's') when used as an adjective: Hors d'oeuvreReception following the ceremony.

 

No verb availible.

 

Olive oil and bread

 

Crusty sliced bread and flavored oil are easy and quick for keep the masses at bay. Season oil w/ salt and pepper, maybe some garlic or shallot, fresh herbs or rubbed dry herbs. Let olive oil rest while seasoned but slice bread immediately before service.

 

Nan or pita pizzas (a variety app.)

 

Gathering some cheeses, fresh herbs, olives, capers, sauces, oil together and anointing nan (Greek or Turkish flat bread) and toasting in a high oven (400F-450f) for 10 min  and slicing like pie makes a variety of warm finger food. If you have a pizza stone, all the better. I use frozen marinara on some, seasoned olive oil on others. Everyone can try different things, this sauce with that cheese, those olives, this fresh herb, etc. Be seasonal, pick what looks good in the market, play favorites. A little oil over a farmers cheese, toast, add white anchovies may not play well to Anne, but Markus and Ale' loved it. Caramelize vidalia onions in oil, add blue cheese and rosemary. Sliced flesh summer tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Ensuite, vous.

 

Puff Rolls or How Can I Mess Up The Kitchen (another variety app.)

 

Peppridge Farm makes frozen puff pasty sheet available everywhere but 7-11. All and any ingredients from above will work nicely. Roll out defrosted puff into 1/8th inch sheet (the messy part) Spread cheese, sauce, whatever in a thin layer. Here is a easy combo for the first timer: Tomato paste, chopped olives and mozzarella (from Semi-Homemade from foodnetwork.com) Carefully roll two ends so they meet in the center. Refrigerate for 30 min or so, longer if you want. Slice into 3/4 inch slices, arrange with flat side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment or my favorite, non-stick foil. Give them space to 'puff'. Brush egg wash onto tops and cook in another high oven (400f-450f) until puffed up and golden brown (think George Hamilton). Really impressive to the unwashed.

 

The Mysterious Cups (in the tradition of variety app.)

 

Get thyself some phyllo dough cups (phyllo sheets and a mini muffin tin will work) This is Leslie's favorite: Finely chop onion and garlic, saute' until soft. Process mushrooms and herbs, add and saute' until liquid has evaporated, like a duxelles. Remove from heat and grate some Gruyere and combine. You may want to process the onion and garlic as well, small bits work best in this recipe. Just soften onion and garlic first, then add mushroom mixture. Add a dollop to each cup, top with herb for that impressing the unwashed effect. Cook them them in our by-now-really-hot oven (400f-450f). Another theme: Brown off some Mexican Chorizo sausage, strain sausage meat and set aside, reserving tbsp of it's red, red fat. Dice a waxy potato (1/4inch dice) and brown slightly in the oil, toss in some chopped garlic, but don't let it burn! Add feta while still warm.Combine all and dollop away.

 

Rustic Tomato Sauce with Peaches & White Beans

I got this recipe from Today I Cooked, another family cooking blog (indeed, I stole the idea for this blog from those lovely ladies as well). SP is one of my favorite cooks - give that lady some veggies, olive oil and balsamic and she's sure to come up with a tasty concoction! I've been told this is an original SP creation and I made only a few changes. Sticking to my mantra that wine makes everything better, I used a little dry red wine to caramelize the onions. I also added a sprinkle of ginger at the very end. For the carnivores, sauteed chicken breast pieces work perfectly in the sauce or you can put the sauce over chicken ravioli (I like the Whole Foods brand). Or go crazy, and do both.

Here's the recipe without alteration from SP:

1. Chop a medium onion and slice up 6 cloves of garlic. Sweat these in a saucepan in just a little olive oil and a pinch of sugar.

2. Add the following:
6 sundried tomatoes, torn into chunks, and about 1 TBSP of their oil
10 or so small-to-medium, meaty summer tomatoes, chopped in large chunks
2 large juicy peaches, also chopped
Half a can of white beans for protein and texture (I used great northerns), drained and rinsed

3. Turn it all up to high and get 'er boiling - the tomatoes and peaches will produce plenty of liquid. I tasted at this point and the flavor was shockingly good already, so all I had to do next was...

4. Add a generous splash of good balsamic, a pinch more sugar, and salt to taste. Thicken with a teaspoon or two of corn starch (first dissolved in water, then added to the sauce).

Welcome!!!!

Our efforts to create a hard-bound family cookbook have been stymied for now. In its place, we offer this blog --- a space to share recipes, stories and pictures between family. Email me if you want to become an administrator and post!

Love Theresa