Last fall, we drove up to Apple Hill. Nestled in the Sierra foothills of El Dorado County, Apple Hill was born of necessity. The rich soil around the tiny community of Camino was a major producer of California pears. Some sixteen or so orchards flourished in the area around the turn of the century. But by the early 1960s the pear farmers were struggling – their crops depleting and toiling a living from the soil was nearly impossible.
Dirty Scrambled Eggs with Chives and Green Onions
Believe me I know, chives and green onions seems like an over-kill, doesn’t it? I’m here to tell you it isn’t. Chives are delicate and add pretty color to the eggs, while the onion “kick” comes from the chopped white part of a green onion.
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Go Packers – It’s Bratwurst Burger Time!
The official Bratwurst Season is now in full swing. That means a lot of yelling and swearing at the TV. It means Hubby’s blood pressure is sure to rise – and that the veins in his forehead are popping up.
Chicken El Paso Spicy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strips
Today is one of those pack as much activities as possible into a single day. It’s Saturday – and as with all our Saturdays, that means a morning trip to the market to pickup all the makings for this week’s planned meals. Notice how I stress planned, because what I plan and what I make aren’t necessarily the same thing – life and all it brings often have a field day with well-laid plans.
Continue reading “Chicken El Paso Spicy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strips”Traveling Dinner Party – Part 6 – Red Meat Course
A great deal of debate went into this next post. We have reached the 6th, 4th or 3rd Course of the night, depending upon how many courses total are to be served. This is the 1st Entrée in both the ten and eight course supper; the main Entrée in a six-course dinner party. It is the larger of the Entrée courses; typically meat, fish or foul is served with one or two vegetable selections. (The exception to serving a vegetable with the 1st Entrée would be if the 2nd Entrée is a vegetable only course). Rather than offer up a few meat; a few fish and a few foul recipes only to repeat meat, fish or foul again later, I’ve decided to break things up.
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Mapleine Flavored Maple Syrup and Childhood Memories
Growing up, we did not have store-bought syrups in the house. Dad made syrup on the top of the stove with a few basic ingredients that were always at hand. I can picture him now, kitchen towel draped over one shoulder, a small Revere Ware copper bottom pot on the burner, and a wooden spoon in his thick hand. The smell was incredible, distinct and inviting. It meant big stacks of pancakes were soon to follow. Mind you, I could be wrong, but I think he might use that same pan all these years later when he makes his simple Maple Flavored Syrup. The recipe Dad uses can be found on the bottle of Crescent Food’s Mapleine. While the imitation Maple flavoring has been around since 1908, the recipe became popular during the Great Depression – when Dad was a very young boy. It was the syrup he knew from his childhood, the syrup he passed on to his children as part of their childhood.
Fast forward from Dad’s country kitchen to my own kitchen in the first home Hubby and I owned. Hubby had never had “home-made” syrup for his pancakes, waffles and French Toast until he met me. One taste, and he was hooked. For the longest time, we didn’t buy syrup – I made a batch of Mapleine syrup whenever the need arose. This was back in the day when neighbors were friendly with one another, and “borrowed” things like a cup of sugar. One morning there was a knock on our door. A young girl who lived across the street was standing on our porch. Her mother had sent her on an errand.
“We’re making pancakes and mom forgot to get syrup. Do you have some we could borrow?” She asked.
“Unfortunately, I don’t.” I answered. “We make our own.”
The girl stood there for a moment, digesting what I had just told her. “Can you make us some?”
I asked her to come back in about twenty minutes. She did, and they loved Dad’s easy to make syrup.
I haven’t made Dad’s syrup in a while. I’ve been wanting to, and have even looked at a few markets for an old-fashioned syrup dispenser, but no luck. I’ve looked at the new ones, and can tell in an instant a few uses and that tab that slides back and forth on the top is going to break. Maybe next time I’m in my favorite restaurant supply store, I might just need to take a look at a commercial grade syrup dispenser. When Kiddo was a little Kiddo, he loved this syrup recipe. I’m not sure he remembers it today – and that would be sad.
Mapleine Flavored Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons water
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
½ Tablespoons Mapleine Immigration Maple Flavoring
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Stirring constantly, heat until sugar dissolves and syrup just begins to boil. Cook at a low rolling boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Syrup will thicken as it cools. Store any unused syrup in the refrigerator and reheat over low heat when ready to use again.
Note: Crescent Mapleine still exists, in the same trademark blue packaging, now a part of McCormick Foods.
Warm Individual Baker’s Molten Chocolate Cakes
When Kiddo was younger, he was fascinated by all things “volcanic”, and a molten cake was right up his alley of favorite desserts. Kiddo is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to volcanoes. We even took a trip to Hawaii a while back just so that Kiddo could explore a lava tube and take a helicopter ride over an active volcano. Wow – it was something! Especially when the lava met the sea. When Kiddo was a really little Kiddo, he got a book all about Hawaiian volcanoes and learned that during one of the eruptions, an entire town was swallowed by the slow-moving flow. He was so upset by the prospect of children loosing everything that he wanted to donate all his toys to the children of Hawaii. Gotta love that kid, he has so much heart!
Just as a side note, according to the original recipe this cake can be prepared in advance, held in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature before baking. I tried that once, just to see if it would make a difference. The finished result is a denser, heavier cake. Since there isn’t a great deal of work in the preparation, I see no point in “holding” the batter and would not recommend doing so.
When I do have fruit for the garnish, I like to bake the cakes on a Friday or Saturday evening, then utilize the leftover fruit with breakfast the next morning. I love fresh berries as a garnish, especially raspberries that are so luscious with chocolate.
Baker’s Molten Chocolate Cake
4 Squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
½ Cup Butter
1 Cup Powdered Sugar, Sifted
2 Whole Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
6 Tablespoons Flour
Optional Garnish: Mint leaves and Fresh Fruit – raspberries, blackberries and/or blueberries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 4 small custard cups or ramekin; place on a baking sheet and set aside.
Microwave chocolate squares and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for approximate 1 minute or until butter is melted. Whisk until chocolate is completely melted.
Sift powdered sugar into chocolate mixture. Add whole eggs and whisk until blended. Add egg yolks and mix well. Stir flour into batter. Spoon batter into prepared cups or ramekins.
Bake 13-14 minutes or until sides of cake are firm but centers are still soft.
Let stand 1 to 2 minutes.
Carefully run thin knife around cake to loosen; invert onto dessert plates.
Dust with additional powdered sugar. Garnish each dish with a sprig of fresh mint leaves and fresh fruit such as raspberries, blackberries and/or blueberries.
Serve with a dessert spoon and enjoy!
Irish Roasted Salmon
One fine day a few years back, Saint Patrick’s Day fell on a Friday. While the Church has grated special dispensation for Irish Catholics during Lent so as to indulge in Corned Beef, I had decided to hold true to the abstinence of Church tradition.
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I know, asparagus are a spring crop. I know, tomatoes come to us in the summer. But hey, we live in a modern world with crops from all parts of the globe. And just look at this stunning combination – ruby-red tomatoes, the deep green of asparagus and the snowy sprinkling of crumbled feta. Come on, you’ve got to admit, this is a beautiful Christmas platter. This is so pretty, I might just need to create an entire menu around it. Suggestions anyone?
Roasted Asparagus with Bursting Tomatoes and Feta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful Small Tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Snap woody ends from each asparagus spear. Set aside.
Heat broiler to high.
Cover a baking sheet with foil. Spread trimmed asparagus evenly on the sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Place baking sheet under the broiler about 4 inches from heat and broil for 3 minutes. Remove pan and give it a quick shake to rotate the asparagus. Add small tomatoes and sprinkle everything with fresh thyme leaves. Place under the broiler until tomatoes beginning to blister, about 3 minutes longer.
Arrange asparagus and tomatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with feta and enjoy.
Pepper Steak Stir-Fry over Steamed Rice
I found this recipe on mrfood.com. After reading the original recipe over carefully, I made a few adjustments. Nothing new there – it’s just a way to “claim” something as my own, putting a personal touch to it. I highly encourage all cooks to do the same.
Marinated Garlic Butter Steak Skillet Supper with Green Beans
A little while back, Hubby, Kiddo and I spent the better part of a day wandering around an old military facility that has been decommissioned and is used as a giant Antique Fair and Flea Market once a month. I’m not sure what they do with the miles and miles of asphalt runways the rest of the time. My guess would be not much, since the place is pretty run-down.
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Genoa Style Stuffed Pork Loin Roast
Although this particular recipe didn’t originate in Genoa, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, the Genoa influence is unmistakable. It is as colorful as the city itself. This hilly Italian community with breathtaking views of the Italian northwest coastline, is also a window into authentic Italian life. The city’s narrow streets are crammed with family-run restaurants featuring local fresh seafood and the region’s famous specialty: pesto. Without question, pesto is one of the easiest things to make, so be sure to create fresh pesto for this wonderful stuffed pork roast.
Savory Vegetable Galette
I love the rustic look of this dish – perfect as a Main Vegetable Entrée rather than a side. The pastry shell can be made up to 2 days in advance, and that’s always a convenient plus. This recipe comes from Butimhungry.com. Be sure to stop by as Christina has some wonderful step-by-step photos (not to mention lots of yummy recipes to share).
Chipotle Marinated Pork Tenderloin
This is one of those times when canned ingredients are the only way to go. After all, unless you are growing your own jalapeño peppers, have a means to smoke-dry those peppers, you won’t find whole chipotle chilies in the produce aisle of your grocery store. A chipotle is not a type of chili pepper but rather a smoke-dried jalapeño. Typically, a grower passes through a jalapeño field many times, picking the unripe, green jalapeños for market. At the end of the growing season, jalapeños naturally ripen and turn bright red. In Mexico and the United States, there is a market for ripe red jalapeños. They are kept on the bush as long as possible. When they are deep red and have lost much of their moisture, they are picked to be made into chipotles.
Slow Simmered Beef Bourguignon
Today was one of those incredibly long days. I was trying a new recipe, and the smells coming from the kitchen was driving me mad. No doubt about it, Beef Bourguignon is one of those can’t wait to dive in suppers. Perfect with warm French bread and a good bottle of wine, it’s comfort food and then some.
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