Christmas Time Is Here December 3, 2007

Wow. This Christmas Season has proven to be my busiest, as far as preparing food goes. I have no less than 6 events to which to bring a “snack”. Who knows what else will pop up! In an effort to keep it easy, I have decided to designate half of them as “already know how to make it” events, and the other half as “sweet! time to try that recipe!” events. So, as I prefer to post recipes I have made before, excepting the Swiss Spam Pie, I will share with you one of my favorite appetizers to take to parties.

Cream-Cheese and Pesto Filled Pastry

Need:

1 can crescent roll dough, or new pastry sheets by Pillsbury

1 block cream cheese, lo-fat works fine

your favorite supermarket pesto

To Begin: Roll out 2 crescent rolls, pinch seam until firmly sealed. Cut cream cheese block in half on the horizontal (easier if it is really cold). Place half block on pastry sheet. Spread pesto liberally over cream cheese, about 1/2 inch thick. Pinck two more rolls together. Place over pesto and cream cheese, creating a pocket. Close all edges firmly, tucking underneath to seal. Use remaining crescent dough to make leaf and berry shapes for a Holiday decoration.

Bake on a cookie sheet at recommended crescent roll specifications. Place on a pretty plate to serve. You can serve with crackers, but I find it unnecessary because the pastry is pretty thick, and a cracker gets in the way.

Serve warm. Enjoy!

Fun in the Fridge December 3, 2007

Welcome to this week’s edition of “What’s in My Fridge?” At least once a week I find myself cooking for one. Now, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are all well and good, but sometimes a girl wants more! So, I hit the cupboards and icebox for inspiration. This week’s feature? I’ll call it Egg Noodle a la’ This and That. (Sounds appetizing, doesn’t it?)

First, prepare egg noodles bought 2 months ago for a Stroganoff never made.

Chop the 1/4 red pepper left from Bombay Rice the Monday before Thanksgiving. (still good!)

Chop small shallot your dad bought you on your “cooking adventure weekend” while Hubby was in D.C.

Sautee’ veggies with minced garlic, and the tiniest bit of olive oil (both are staples in my kitchen).

Eventually, you should decide to add some salt and pepper. Always a good idea.

Then, eye your spice rack suspiciously, hoping something will strike your fancy. When it doesn’t, in true Katherine style, open each jar and sniff while also inhaling the aroma of onions and peppers to see if it would compliment the veggies. Aha. Thyme smells like it might be right. Who knows!?

Crush Thyme between your fingers to release flavors. Stir until aromatic.

Drain pasta. Grab the capers left from Lemon Caper Pesto w/ Fusili and Spinach, toss in a few with the veggies, stir just until hot.

Toss veggies with hot noodles and a tsp of butter (because I like noodles w/ butter!) . Grate a sparse amount of the Parmeggiano Romano blend you bought for Russell’s Caesar salads, that he doesn’t eat anymore, on top.

Now, because you are never really sure how it’s going to come out, it is also a good idea to snag the last half-glass of the $4 wine your hubby brought home the other day. Chances are, even though it was only $4, and took no effort on your part, the wine will turn out better than the pasta. In which case, eat as much as you can stand, then drink the wine. You might be lucky enough to drown the odd aftertaste of capers and thyme.

Aren’t you glad you didn’t come to my house tonight?!

Shelly’s Sausage and Rice Casserole September 18, 2007

One of my favorite ways to make friends is to share recipes. The foods people like tell a lot about them (so I guess I’m a refried bean….): down home cookin’, light bistro food, ethnic cuisine, or a little bit of everything. I’m sure there is a whole philosophy out there about which foods say what about you. I’m not really interested in that. I’m interested in the foods that tickle the taste buds, and bring satisfaction to the tummy. Taste is a funny thing, and sometimes I think there really is no accounting for it, like whoever said that first must have thought. I mean, I could eat Chocolate pop-tarts and baguette with goat cheese and toasted sesame seeds in the same day, and not bat an eye at the almost dichotomy of those two foods.

For most people, there is a food or a meal that the mere mention of will light up their faces. For instance, goat cheese. I think I actually emit mild radiation during consumption, I enjoy it so much. For my friend Shelly, it is this sausage and rice casserole. She confessed to making it at least twice a month, more if her family will let her. She brings leftovers for lunch, and every time she comments, “Yeah, I just love this casserole.” Well, of course I had to know what was deserving of such enthusiasm. Lemme tell ya, this casserole is pretty darn good. It’s even better the next day. It is also very simple, so, bonus! I served it with fresh steamed broccoli, and Russell and I were very satisfied.

3 servings:

1/2 lb. breakfast sausage

1/4 white onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can milk

1. Cook sausage, chopping into small bits. Drain, leaving a tbls. of grease in pan.

2. Sautee’ onions, celery, and almonds in drippings until veggies are tender and almonds are toasty.

3. Cook instant rice according to package. Stir in sausage and onion mix.

4. In medium, heavy saucepan, bring to a boil cream of chicken soup and milk.

5. Mix soup and sausage mixture in deep baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. or until hot through. Sprinkle with more toasted almonds.

Spam Swiss Pie?! For real? September 18, 2007

Apparently, my gmail account posts a link to something it thinks I might be interested in. Like Spam Swiss Pie. Do I even dare look at the recipe? Spam, in my experience, is the brunt of a Monty Python skit. “Spam Spam and more Spam….” and it goes on and on. It’s also on a bunch of thrift store t-shirts that take something really odd or totally random and make it cool by, well, putting it on a t-shirt. Isn’t Spam one of those wonders of the mid-20th Century when Americans decided it was a good thing to synthetically produce everything in a lab? Spam and Nylon, and Polyester. Yes, I would put them all in the same category. Though I find polyester more useful than spam, and nylon infinitely more useful than them both.

And now, I must ask the question: Why is junk email called spam? Does it have anything to do with Spam? There is probably an actual answer to that question, so I will just wait patiently for a computer-nerd friend to answer.

Back to Spam. I have nothing against other forms of processed foods. I enjoy Velveeta immensely in Rotel dip and on broccoli. I have been known to scarf down my share of hot dogs. And who knows how many Vienna Sausages I ate as a kid! But, Spam? It’s pink, bright pink. It stays in the same shape as the can. Much like dog food, or cranberry sauce, neither of which make it onto my weekly menu. I know my Grandma had some at some point, but I think the same can sat in the pantry for at least 3 years. Ironically, it was probably still good.

I often use the Kraft Foods recipe database as a starting place for meal planning. I have found some excellent recipes there, and I’ve found some stinkers. But, as Kraft owns half the world, and of course promote their own products as “necessary” ingredients for the recipes, Spam has been enjoying a mini-revival. At least I suppose, I’m not sure if anyone has actually made the recipes with Spam. Speaking of Spam recipes, who is willing to try this one? Not I, said the blogger.

One deep dish pie crust

6 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 can Spam Luncheon Meat, cubed

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

   Heat oven to 425'F. Bake pie shell 6-8 minutes. Reduce oven

   temperature to 350'F. In bowl, beat together eggs, whipping cream,

   and pepper. Stir in SPAM and onion. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese in pie

   shell. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over

   egg. Bake 45-55 minutes or until eggs are set.

Three Generations of Chocolatey Goodness July 17, 2007

There are experiences in life from which we take memories, emotions, pains, and joys. Those chance meetings brought about by Providence, not coincidence. These are usually times when we are challenged, uplifted, or impacted in some other meaningful way. Then there are those experiences from which we take more tangible benefits. Such as the best brownie recipe, ever. My grandmother, who is a fantastic cook, has passed this recipe to my mother, and now my mother to me. Barbara Burton’s Brownies come from a pastor’s wife my grandmother met when my mom was 15 years old. The youth group was in Minnesota performing a musical called “Tell It Like It Is”, wearing patriotic gear. Barbara Burton was the wife of the pastor of the tiny host church, and she wowed them all with this recipe. At the groups request, she made the brownies several times through the week, serving about 75 people each time! Boy, talk about a dedicated pastor’s wife, she changed the lives of all those students and parents in a sweet and memorable way (yes, pun intended). These are the great memories I love to hear. Favorite recipes carry with them more than just a good taste. They carry meaning and importance beyond the need to fill your belly. I will certainly make these brownies for my kids, and even more certainly I will share the story with them of how the Burton->Bardin->Bradford->Hunter chain brought them these irresistible treats!

Combine 2 sticks melted butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa in medium mixing bowl. Add 4 eggs, one at a time (3 for fudgier brownies).

Add 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 1/4 cup flour, 1 cup chopped nuts (optional).

Bake in a 9×13 in., greased baking sheet at 350 deg, 25-30min.

Serve with ice cream, fruit, coffee, etc.

Ode to a Spode, er, Udd to a Spud, aww, a Poem to a Potato. July 10, 2007

Potatoes can be full and fluffy,

Scooped and filled with yummy stuffing.

Smothered in cheese and bacon bits,

With a potato, it’s never the pits!

Mushed with cream and garlic and pepper,

served with Turkey, there’s nothin’ better.

Sliced, fried and smothered with ketchup,

Or mayo, or ranch, or gravy, you betcha!

Grated and baked and served like a pie,

there’s no kind of ‘tater I wouldn’t try!

Red, or yellow, or brown and earthy,

Each kind of potato fills me with mirth-y?

Potatoes can be simple or grand, either way

I like them as much as anyone may.

The dish to which I dedicate this ballad

is none other than the delectable Potato Salad!

Southern Living’s Classic Potato Salad (p. 360)

2 1/2 lbs. red or yellow Finn potatoes, 1 stalk celery, diced

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish (yuck!) 2 large hard-cooked eggs, sliced

2 green onions, chopped 1 cup mayo (the real stuff, no “dressing”!)

2 tblsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. dry mustard (optional)

1. Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 25 min, or just until potatoes are tender.

2. Drain well, cool slightly. Peel and cube potatoes. Combine potato, celery, relish, eggs, green onions in a large bowl, toss gently.

3. Combine mayo, lemon juice, salt&pepper, mustard powder (opt.) in a small bowl. Spoon mayo mix over potato mix, tossing gently to combine. Serve warm or chilled.

Kat’s Notes: I do not like relish (or any kind of pickle) at all, so I add another few green onions, instead. I have made it with and without celery, both ways are very good.

Be sure to boil the potatoes before peeling them. This helps them keep their shape in the salad, instead of becoming a mushed up mess. Firm potato texture is key in this recipe.

Confessions of a Real Life Foodie May 24, 2007

There are, actually, very few foods or food-items than I simply cannot and will not resist. Gala apples are in the top three “irresistable foods”, and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Refreshing, delicious, and packed with good-for-you stuff, you can bet nutritionists wish more people ranked apples among their favorites. As for one I am slightly ashamed of, well, refried beans. Don’t ask, I don’t know why. I love them. I actually crave them sometimes. I love them in burritos with just cheese and sour cream, I love them in mexican casseroles and enchiladas, I love them with rice on a platter at a restaurant. I even love them out of a can labeled “Frito’s Bean Dip”. I could eat them everyday (but I would blow up like a balloon, so I don’t). I’m not so ashamed of refried-bean-love because lots of people like refried beans. It’s a cultural thing, too. There are and were people groups whose main staple was beans in all their various forms, including refried. So, I’m culturally sensitive and well-rounded as well as trendy. At least in these parts, where Tex-Mex is king.

And finally, for my most shaming food favorite. I would not call it an addiction, because I can certainly do without them. It’s just…..if they are here, I eat them. Quickly. Until they are gone. And I justify the swiftness with which I eat them with the thought,”Well, if I get them out of the way now, I won’t have any to want later.” What kind of logic is that?! Ok, here goes, *deep breath* Pop-Tarts. Chocolate Pop-Tarts in particular. Wheeeeewww! Glad I got that off my chest. Now that I have exposed one of my deepest secrets, with which my husband is all too familiar, I can offer you a recipe that uses refried beans, and no POP-TARTS.

Mexican Casserole:

3 wheat tortillas 1/2 to 3/4 lb. ground beef 1/3 cup chopped onion

1 packet taco seasoning, or your own spices 1/2 can black beans, refried beans

1/2 can diced tomatoes, green chiles to taste, grated cheese (cheddar, colby/jack)

Brown beef and onion, drain. Add 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning or spices. Simmer a few minutes. Add beans, refried beans, tomatoes, heat through. Grease a small, deep baking dish (Corningware has a nice round one), layer one tortilla, 1/2 inch thick layer of beef mix, 1/4 inch grated cheese, and repeat. Top with one tortilla, a sprinkle of cheese and green chiles. Bake at 350 degrees at least 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Baby’s Marrow, Little Squash (Squashes?), or Just Delicious? May 12, 2007

I once heard the zucchini refered to as “Baby’s Marrow.” In England, a particular zucchini-like squash is called “marrow”, but only once have I heard it called “Baby’s Marrow”. Which has a slightly sinister feel, doesn’t it? Poor babies! Wikipedia (again, you decide…) describes the zucchini as the “swollen ovary of the female zucchini flower”. Eew. Swollen ovaries and references to food should be no where near each other, grammatically or practically. Moving on. Any way you describe it, and any way you cook it, zucchini is one of my favorite foods. Not just vegetable, but food. Meaning, it is near the top of my list of ‘favorite things to put in my mouth to please my tasters and tummy’. It is not a mere side dish, to be stuffed quickly into one’s mouth to get it over with, nor is it a summer oddity served only occasionally when there is nothing else green to eat. I make zucchini, in one way or another, at least once a week. Sometimes twice if they are on sale. My husband is patient and eats them without comment, or ever-so-slight grumbling if they turn out too soggy. BUT! I made up a new rendition (well, new to me!) just this week, and not only was there no grumbling, but the commentary was “mmmm!” and “wow” and “why haven’t you done this before?!” So, I will share with you a simple way to make tasty zucchini to go with an Italian-style meal, or simple meat, like a steak. I have several more variations, so if there is any interest, I will list those at a later date.

Parmesan Zucchini

2 servings = 1 medium zucchini, dark green, no blemishes.

Remove ends from zucchini, and slice the rest on the diagonal, about 1/4 in. thick. Lay flat on a cutting board or plate. Sprinkle with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and garlic powder (ginger is a suitable addition, but it will make the taste a little more sweet/tart). Heat 1 tbls. olive oil in medium skillet, add zucchini seasoned side down. Season the now-facing-up side same as before. Cover skillet to allow zucchini to steam just a little. After 4-5 minutes, turn slices over and cook as before. Zucchini should be slightly darkened and still firm after cooking in skillet. Next, place slices in a pie pan or other broiler safe dish. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese, and more pepper if you like, toast under broiler until cheese is light brown and zucchini is hot. Eat!

Funny, isn’t it? May 4, 2007

It’s funny how God likes to mix things up. Usually at the time you least expect it. Or how He increases your knowledge of something immediately before sending you into a situation totally unrelated. For instance, I learned yesterday that next Tuesday is my first day as a “professional” anything.  A job I have been waiting for since early February, and a process I started in December (I’m stoked!).  Oddly enough, I just began reading the book “The Hidden Art of Homemaking” by Edith Schaeffer. This book is about how to make a living space a real home, how to enrich your life with creativity and sensitivity to your surroundings.  It’s brilliant, and inspiring, and gives an aspect of elegance and ownership to life wherever we live it.  You just need to read it. Especially if you are one of my newly married or engaged friends! Edith (we are on a first name basis :)) inspired me to accomplish some tasks I have wanted to do, like refinishing some furniture, as well as adding some plant life to our decor. That was Wednesday. Thursday I found out my new job starts next week! Funny, isn’t it? Now I begin the phase of my life where I balance my marriage, work, home, and personal growth as a woman.  Thankfully, Edith offers advice on how to combine them all! My personal growth is affected by my creative expression, my home benefits from these expressions, and as a whole, my marriage is happier and my job is more enjoyable because I am cultivating those areas of life that are often supressed by work and stress. I know this sounds like a self-help book, but it’s not. It is a really practical guide to being creative. You know the best part? Edith puts is perfectly:

“It seems to me that the marks of personality-love, communication, and moral sensitivity- which are meant to sharpen as we are returning to communication with God, should lead to an increased rather than a decreased creativity. The Christian should have more vividly expressed creativity in his daily life, and have more creative freedom, as well as the possibility of a continuing development in creative activities.”

“Nevertheless we have been created in His image, so we can be, and are made to be, creative.”

Who knows? Maybe I’ll get around to removing the macaroni-yellow paint from my antique dressing table, or growing some herbs (See manicotti post below).  Let’s just get through the first week on my new job!

Pickled, unopened “Capparis spinosa” blossoms, anyone? May 2, 2007

Capers. No, they do not have anything to do with the Muppets, or Homestarrunner. They are delicate, tangy, bright green blossoms, pickled before they open. They are native to the Mediterranean, and can now be found in California (according to Wikipedia. You decide.) I would like to know who invented pickling. And who first decided to pickle a flower bud? I mean, we do some strange things to create a food product, not the least of which is to pour millimeter-thin layers of a gelly like substance over various other foods to make something, unappetizingly, called an aspic. But I digress. At first I thought, How odd, choosing a plant and nipping it in the bud (Hrrmm), to make a garnish. But, man oh man, I can’t get me enougha them suckers! The more the merrier. Well, until the saltiness makes your teeth try to migrate to the back of your head. Either way, a spoonful or a handful of capers can make many a happy tongue and tummy. Mine are certainly thankful for the savory goodness that is a caper.

This recipe comes from “The Best American Recipes: 2005-2006″ cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston: 2005). My loving husband gave me this book on our first married Christmas, and I have produced several elegant dinners with its help. A recurring favorite is Fusili with Feta and Lemon Caper Pesto (p. 106). Yes, another long one. Sorry.

Pasta: Kosher salt 8 oz. fusili 10oz fresh spinach, washed but not dried

Pesto: 1 small garlic clove 2-3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry (I’ve never used them in this recipe)

1 tbls. capers, rinsed lightly 1 1″ long strip of lemon zest 2 tbls. crumbled feta

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 2-3 fresh basil leaves 1 tbls. lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup crumbed feta (for last step)

Boil pasta with a dash of salt until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, drain the rest. Don’t wash pot.

Put wet spinach in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a dash of salt, cover. Steam for 3-4 minutes until wilted, but still bright green. Stir into drained, hot pasta.

To make the Pesto: Put all Pesto ingredients into food processor or blender, except for the 2/3 cup feta cheese. Blend until creamy. If you like, thin the pesto with the reserved cooking water, until it is “the consistency of runny cream”. I have never done this, I like my pesto thick. Stir pesto into hot pasta and spinach. Stir to coat, stir in 2/3 cup feta cheese, serve immediately.

I like to serve this with fruit for a lighter meal. The spinach in the pasta is enough for a veggie helping, the feta adds dairy and a bit of protein.