A true Cornish Game Hen is a young female Cornish chicken about 5 weeks of age, weighing around 2 pounds. These hens are a large-breasted breed of English birds. No longer raised for commercial purposes, true Cornish chickens are raised by backyard enthusiasts and small specialty farms. These are poor egg-layers, bred strictly for their meat. True Cornish chickens are slow to mature, making them undesirable for commercial farms. So what are we buying?
My Fantasy Dinner Party – What’s Yours?
When I was a little girl, I found Dad’s foot-locker stuck in a corner of the garage, just collecting dust. It was from his time in the Air Force. We aren’t talking about a flimsy foot-locker. It was a big, sturdy trunk that was made to last. Dad let me have his foot-locker as a way of storing my treasures.
Smoky Sausage, Black Bean and Corn Soup
It’s official – soup weather is here. The chill of Autumn is in the air, and the sweet, smokey scent of wood burning in fireplaces lingers in the evening air. This is my all time favorite time of the year. Nothing compares to curling up on the sofa with a warm bowl of soup and my loving family all around me. Often Kiddo and I have a blanket over our laps. Comfort all the way. We love a fresh pot of soup to take the chill off the day.
This wonderful recipe is inspired by a recipe from William-Sonoma. Be it their tested recipes; ingredients or cooking equipment; you know William-Sonoma is a name you can trust. Naturally, I did my own tweaking, more sausage, less black bean and the introduction of corn.
The final soup was wonderful – all smoky, with wonderful big chunks of sausage and just a little kick from the cayenne pepper. When my guys sat down with soup spoons in hand and began to “slurp” their supper, all I could hear were a lot of “yums.” Thanks guys!
Smoky Sausage, Black Bean and Corn Soup
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Orange Bell Pepper, cored and diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
4 Smoked Chicken Sausages, fully cooked
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
3 cans Chicken Broth
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices
1 can (14 oz) corn, drained
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Coin cut smoked Chicken Sausage. Set aside until ready to use.
In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bell peppers, celery and onion and sauté until the onion is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the sausage and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes.
Add 3 cans of chicken broth. Season with the cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Empty 1 can drained, rinsed black beans. Add tomatoes and corn. Stir and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower heat to simmer. Let soup simmer gently for 20 minutes. Soup is now ready to serve. If desired, soup can continue to summer as much as 45 minutes. If too much liquid evaporates, thin soup with additional chicken broth.
When ready to serve, ladle into warmed soup bowls. Remember to scoop all the way down to the bottom of the pot so that each bowl has a nice helping of sausage and vegetables.
How to be a Good Guest this Thanksgiving – REALLY?
One morning while wandering about the house, I had the television on for background noise. It was the morning news, and if something struck my interest, I stopped to listen. The local station was doing a fluff piece – instructing the viewers on the finer art of being a good Thanksgiving Dinner Guest. Really? I had to stop in my tracks. Have we reached the point in our social evolution that we need instruction on proper behavior from the television. Aren’t manners taught in the home anymore? Or have the rules somehow changed? They had my attention.
Continue reading “How to be a Good Guest this Thanksgiving – REALLY?”
Sweet Memories of Thanksgiving
Growing up, I remember Dad rose on Thanksgiving morning long before the sun ever did. He made the bread cubes for his wonderful stuffing early on Thanksgiving morning. I can remember wandering down the dark hallway toward the kitchen, drawn in by the smell of bread toasting and the scent of sage.
Game Day Munch Fest 2
Are you ready for some football? Yeah! I’ve got some really delicious “munchies” that come together easily. There’s a little day-before pre work, and day of to finish everything. Super easy. Super delicious.
Continue reading “Game Day Munch Fest 2”Honest Abe’s Herb Delights – Savory Dinner Rolls
I love these biscuit style dinner rolls. They are full of savory flavor with plenty of dried herbs we all have handy in our spice pantry. They are super easy to make and would be a wonderful addition to all sorts of things – like fried chicken or as an alternative to the usual brown and serve dinner rolls at Thanksgiving.
The first time I made them, it was In Honor of President’s Day. With a little historical research, I created a fun menu to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, hence the name. Since then, I’ve whipped up these delicious, savory biscuits to enjoy with a number of dishes that go well with the roll’s slightly salty herb flavors. Truth be told, I love Rosemary in just about everything – especially breads. There’s something almost intoxicating about the aroma of Rosemary laced breads baking in the oven on a cool evening.
These rolls are best fresh from the oven. Just split them open, butter lightly and enjoy!
Honest Abe’s Herb Delights
2 Cups Self-Rising Flour
¼ Teaspoon Dried Sage
¼ Teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
1 Cup Buttermilk
Cooking Spray
Heat oven to 400-degrees.
Spray 12-muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
Whisk herbs into flour. Use a dinner knife or pastry cutter to mix in mayonnaise and buttermilk. DO NOT over mix.
Divide biscuit batter into muffin tins and bake 15-20 minutes.
Peppered Pan-Seared Filet Steaks with Cognac Cream Sauce on Potato Cakes
Autumn is in full swing. Our precious grills have long since been packed away, hidden from the elements of Mother Nature. We bundle up, eat hearty stews or soups and fondly recall meats grilled to perfection over a bed of amber coals. The beauty of a good steak is that the steak loves a sear of heat – be it the grill or a heavy skillet.
Continue reading “Peppered Pan-Seared Filet Steaks with Cognac Cream Sauce on Potato Cakes”
Why the Marshmallows?
I grew up on “Candied Yams” as a fixture on the Thanksgiving Table. Mom would open a couple of cans, dump everything into a casserole dish and smother the “yams” in marshmallows. Her basic recipe evolved to include brown sugar, butter and spices. As a kid I loved these over the top sweet “yams”. Truth be told, I was after the butter and gooey toasted marshmallows. I’m a big girl now, seeking Kahlúa Goodness instead. Still, I fondly look back on those holidays of yesteryear.
Have you ever asked yourself why the marshmallows? What possessed someone to take something that is naturally sweet and make it even sweeter – dangerously sweeter. And just how did this toasty marshmallow idea spread far and wide? Would you believe this Thanksgiving Classic is the direct result of an advertising scheme launched in the early 1900s. This obviously successful ad campaign was directed to the American Housewife during a time when canned goods were changing the Thanksgiving Feast. The life of home cooks was revolutionized with the introduction of canned pumpkin purée and canned cranberry sauce. The first recipe for a sweet potato casserole involving marshmallows dates back to 1917 and called for the potatoes to be mashed. Janet McKenzie Hill, founder of the Boston Cooking School Magazine, was hired by the marshmallow lobby to develop recipes for a booklet desired to encourage women to embrace the candy as an everyday cooking ingredient. While most of the recipes have faded away, the concept of sweet potato casseroles (mashed or cut) topped with toasty marshmallows remains a Thanksgiving icon to this very day.
Candied Canned Pineapple “Yams”
2 (29 oz) can Sweet Potatoes, drained
2 (8 oz) can Crushed Pineapple, drained
½ cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (10 oz) bag miniature marshmallows, or as needed
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter bottom and sides of a casserole dish. Set aside.
Drain juice from sweet potatoes into a medium bowl. Place sweet potatoes into the prepared casserole dish.
Drain juice from pineapple into the bowl with the sweet potato juice. Sprinkle crushed pineapples over the sweet potatoes.
Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
Dissolve the brown sugar into the reserve juices. Whisk in the spices. Pour juices over the sweet potato mixture.
Layer casserole with miniature marshmallows. Depending upon the size of your dish, more marshmallows may be needed. You want to cover the sweet potatoes completely.
Bake casserole in the heated oven for 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender and the marshmallow layer has melted, puffed up and are golden-toasted.
Remove from oven. Let cool slightly before serving.
Coq au Vin 01
When I first considered this post, I almost gave it the title “Classic” – and then I realized just how foolish “Classic” would be. Coq au Vin is such a diverse dish – regional differences, techniques and acceptable variances in ingredients.
Continue reading “Coq au Vin 01”Thanksgiving Pumpkin Patch Cheese Balls
Isn’t this a cute idea from Betty Crocker? I might just need to add this to my Thanksgiving appetizer table. Very “kid” friendly and oh so whimsical. These were so cute, I just had to share.
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Patch Cheese Balls
8 tablespoons smoked Cheddar cold pack cheese food (from 8-oz container), well chilled
2 teaspoons finely chopped peanuts
4 butter-flavored pretzel spindles or sticks, broken in half
16 tiny pieces fresh parsley leaves
Line small serving plate with waxed paper. Roll each level tablespoon cold pack cheese food into a ball; place on waxed paper-lined serving plate. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes for easier handling.
With end of toothpick, draw ridges around balls to resemble pumpkins. Dip bottoms of cheese balls in chopped peanuts.
Just before serving, insert pretzel halves into cheese balls for pumpkin stems. Decorate with parsley for leaves.
Looking for other Thanksgiving appetizers? Check out Gobble Up Thanksgiving Appetizers for more ideas.
Cheater’s New England Clam Chowder
Call me old fashioned if you like, but in my book “hacks” are cab drivers and “hackers” are people who manage to remotely break into things – like private stuff on-line that they have no business “hacking” in the first place. Neither of these terms has anything to do with cooking. Cheats and shortcuts, now those are words I understand. But that’s just the opinion of an old gal who barely manages understand the concept of writing on walls.
Gobble Up Thanksgiving Appetizers
Poor Thanksgiving, that quintessential American Holiday, is so often left by the wayside as we rush from the sugar high of Halloween head long into the madness of Black Friday. In our rush to plan ahead, we sometimes forget to savor the joys of Giving Thanks. I’m all in favor of thinking ahead and making plans – the holidays are hectic enough, it’s best to have a plan – especially with all those office parties and pot lucks coming our way as we count down the shopping days in our hunt for the perfect gift. But if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to slow it down a little. With the holiday just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to serve beyond the usual suspects. After all, Thanksgiving is a day of grazing.
Steak au Poivre with Cognac
A while back Hubby and I made a trip to World Market. Love that place. I especially enjoy the spice aisle, with all sorts of wonderful seasonings. It was there, alongside the big “blocks” of salt and various grinders that I saw a simple little container of Hickory Smoked Salt. Hum, that was different. Fine Sea Salt from New Zealand with a mild, hickory smoke. You can bet your bottom dollar, that went into my shopping basket. I knew exactly what to do with smoky salt.
Steak au Poivre is traditionally a peppered Filet Mignon. While I do adore a well-prepared Filet, this dish is equally delicious utilizing a slightly less expense cut of meat – the New York Strip. The true beauty of Steak au Poivre is that the steaks are seared in a very hot skillet, creating a beautiful crust that rivals a grill-seared steak in smoky flavor. (And no skillet sears better than a cast iron skillet). Pan-searing your steaks also means you can enjoy all the beauty of a grilled steak even in the heart of winter.
For my Peppered Steak, I made my own blend of red and black peppercorns rather than to use only one type. The easiest way to crush peppercorns is to place them in a zip-lock freezer bag (these are a little thicker ply than a sandwich bag) and lay it flat on the counter. Close the bag, pressing out the air as you zip it shut. Then have some fun. One of my kitchen gadgets isn’t really a kitchen gadget at all – it’s a small craft hammer. Perfect for whacking peppercorns.
I know there are cooks out there that say you don’t need to salt your meat and let it sit out while the salt does it’s thing. That’s fine. I’m of the school that allowing the salt to seep into the meat, will also draw the bits of pepper deep into the meat while breaking down the proteins, thus insuring a more tender “fried” steak.
The results were awesome! The steaks were tender and flavorful. The pepper, although noticeable, wasn’t over powering. And the sauce – oh my goodness! When the butter is added to the cast iron skillet, it melts and “browns” immediately. You will need to work quickly, moving on and off the heat to prevent the butter from actually burning. And make sure to have your exhaust fan going – the house will get smoky.
Steak au Poivre with Cognac
4 boneless New York Strip Steaks
New Zealand Hickory Smoked Fine Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper Corns, crushed
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Corns, crushed
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoons Butter
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 cup Cognac
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season both sides lightly with salt. Coat both sides with the peppercorns, pressing so they adhere. Let steaks rest on counter 1 hour to allow salt to tenderize the meat.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the steaks and cook to your desired doneness (2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare). Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent them with foil. Pour off and discard any fat left in the pan, but not the brown bits.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet. Give it a quick swirl, and remove from heat. When the butter has melted, return to heat, add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minute.
Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully add the Cognac. Return the skillet to heat and cook, whisking, until the Cognac reduces to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream and simmer on low until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
Transfer the steaks to dinner plates and spoon the sauce over the steaks.
Kahlúa-Pineapple Candied Sweet Potatoes
One week from tomorrow and it will be Thanksgiving. Every year at Thanksgiving, someone volunteers to make their version of “Candied Yams” for our Thanksgiving Feast. In reality, what they are making are Candied Sweet Potatoes.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 