We recently spent a week roaming through Yellowstone Park, the first National Park in America. It was great to spend all that time in the park. You can bet we took lots of pictures that I’ll be sharing with you soon.
Continue reading “Those Wild and Crazy Bears – The Golden Days in Yellowstone”
I came across this recipe for the Ultimate Bloody Mary about four years ago at Honestly Yum (https://honestlyyum.com/). I remember back – way, way back in the days when I was single. Many a Sunday morning, I found myself sitting at a bar sadly sipping a hair of the dog that bit me in the form of a Bloody Mary.
Continue reading “Absolutely The Bomb – The Ultimate Bloody Mary”
Hot, hot, hot! Feel it . . . hot, hot, hot. I don’t know which sizzles more, the bay scallops or the spicy rice. Put the two together and you’ve got one incredibly spicy dish. While so many dishes feature the Sea Scallops (those are the bigger scallops – 20 or so per pound), this recipe centers around the Bay Scallops (their smaller cousin – 70 or so per pound). Bay Scallops are naturally sweeter, which helps to offset the intense heat of this scorching hot dish.
Continue reading “Cajun Bay Scallops over Spicy Spanish Rice – A Worldly Dish”
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get back into the swing of things after a vacation? Not only for my guys to get back into the routine of a working stiff, but for me to get my butt back into the kitchen. I love to cook, don’t get me wrong. But it sure is nice when someone else does all the work and all we need do is show up.
The first time I made this dish, it was to pack for an elegant picnic. It was a first for a lot of things that day – the picnic’s spice-rubbed chicken and the pesto sauce for the salad. I had never made pesto sauce before. I’ve eaten pesto sauce recipes in restaurants and found the sauce at times to be a bit over baring. I’ve tried commercially prepared pesto sauces, and found them to be “okay” but lacking in something, I just didn’t know what.
So why make a pesto pasta salad? I was convinced Pesto was a good thing – and like escargot – it was an acquired taste. As a fan of spinach, basil and all things Italian (thus far), Pesto was a taste I was determined to acquire if it was the last thing I did!
Wow! This is really good. I mean really good! The salad is intended to be served at room temperature, which made it a good choice for a picnic or buffet table. It is creamy and deliciously sublime. The pasta of choice is Farfalle Pasta, better known in America as bow tie pasta. Yet I prefer the Italian translation – Butterfly. It could also be made with any type of broad pasta, although I would not recommend a tube or shell pasta as some of the sauce may gather inside and over power the overall dish.
On a final note before cooking, I recently read that Walnuts can be used in place of the Pine Nuts, which tend to be an expensive ingredient. While I haven’t tried that, I can see where it might work. If substituting Walnuts for Pine Nuts, I would use only a few, adding as needed until you’ve reached the desired taste.
Butterfly Pesto Pasta Salad
3 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
1 Cup Fresh Basil
1 ½ Cups Baby Spinach
¼ Cups Pine Nuts
¼ Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
½ Cup Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 lb Farfalle Pasta (bow-tie)
1/4 Cup or so Reserved cooking water
Toast garlic in a small skillet over medium-heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let garlic cool, then peel and chop coarse.
Process garlic, basil, spinach, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down bowl as needed. Add Parmesan Cheese and mayonnaise, continue to process until thoroughly combined. Transfer pesto to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed. (Mixture can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, until pasta is just past al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta cooking water, drain pasta. Toss pasta with a little olive oil and spread into a single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Let pasta cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta with pesto, adding reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until pesto evenly coasts pasta.
Just as a side note, I brought my Butterfly Pesto Pasta to a family gathering a few years back. Feeling rather cleaver, I put the pasta into a butterfly shaped cake pan, inverted it onto a serving platter and attempted to “decorate” the salad as a butterfly. While the end result was “cute” it’s still very much a work in progress. What can I say? I like to play with my food! The nice thing about salads such as pastas, rice or potato salads is that they are easy to “mold” using just about any shape bowl or container.
Just remember, when playing with your food, it’s important to have fun!
If I had to describe this dish in a single word it would be scrumptious. I had some reservations – Dijon Mustard and Mayonnaise in the sauce – really? Yes, really. One word of caution, the dish comes together rather quickly, so make sure you have a clear path in the kitchen – there will be a great deal of jumping from task to task. Gather your ingredients, and have everything at the ready so it’s just a matter of dump and go on to the next thing.
Continue reading “Marinated Artichoke-Chicken Fettuccine with Smoky Bacon”
Before writing this next post, I went in search of the history of Betty Crocker’s Boxed Potatoes on the internet. Aside from a TV spot on YouTube featuring an ad that first appeared in 1974, I really couldn’t find much. What I did find were a lot of rave reviews for the Boxed Potatoes and various tips (like this one I’m about to share) on how to kick them up a notch. That makes me feel oh so much better, to know I’m not alone in using boxed potatoes as a base for a quick and easy side to some of my favorite home-cooked meals. Now I don’t feel so “guilty” of a little cheating.
Continue reading “Better Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes – Almost from Scratch”
This recipe first appeared in 365 Foreign Dishes (published 1908). If you’ve ever read old cookbooks, the language, technique and instructions seem almost foreign to today’s home cook. Perhaps a trained chef might not find some of the terminology so strange, but for the average home cook, it’s a bit odd. Terms such as slow oven; quick oven took some research to get a temperature. Sure, slow was not as hot, quick was hot – but how hot is hot? (Slow oven is about 325-350 degrees; quick oven can be as low as 375 or as hot as 475, depending upon which site you follow – so it’s really guess-work and common sense based on what you are trying to cook in the first place). It took me a minute to figure out that “pulverized” sugar is powdered sugar. Measurements such as salt spoonful also needed to be converted – that’s about 1/4 teaspoon. Even with all their odd measurements and strange terms to digest, I enjoy reading vintage cookbooks. The beauty of older cookbooks is that they contain recipes completely made from scratch. No shortcuts of modern conveniences.
The older books are also a glimpse into the past. I especially enjoy the Etiquette and Advice sections of these older cookbooks. One of my cookbooks from the 1940s has an entire section dedicated to the proper placement of ashtrays and lighters for the formal, informal and buffet tables. A small leaflet book from 1906 explains what a woman’s role should be in the household and her submissive duties to her husband.
Anyway, the recipe that follows is more my take on the spirit of the original recipe rather that the original recipe itself. The recipe for Egyptian Meatballs called for raw meat, finely chopped. Okay, that’s ground beef by today’s standards. The recipe also called for Highly Seasoned Tomato Sauce. Hum – that’s open to so much interpenetration. I searched the internet for the definitive “highly seasoned” by 1908 standards, and that varied drastically from recipe to recipe. Not to be discouraged, I came up with my own take, based on availability at the time and spices that are popular in Egypt.
Egyptian Meatballs in Seasoned Tomato Sauce over Rice
Ingredients – Egyptian Meatballs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Celery Ribs, chopped
2 beaten eggs
1 lb Ground Beef
salt, pepper
1 teaspoonful of curry-powder
Cumin to taste, about 1 teaspoon
Thyme to taste, about 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh
Chopped parsley for color, dried parsley okay, about 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup of bread-crumbs
2 1/2 Cups boiled rice*
* While the recipe calls for boiled rice, I make mine with steamed rice.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Set aside until ready to use.
Peel and finely chop onion. Set aside until ready to use.
Finely chop celery, set aside until ready to use.
In a small bowl, beat eggs. Set aside until ready to use.
Season ground beef with salt, pepper, thyme, cumin and curry-powder. Add chopped celery, onion and some chopped parsley. Mix with beaten eggs and bread-crumbs.
Shape meat mixture into small meatballs. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Place meatballs in the oven to bake, about 25 minutes, rotating and shaking pan about mid way.
While the meatballs are cooking, make the Highly Seasoned Tomato-Sauce:
Ingredients – Highly Seasoned Tomato-Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
Dash Cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz) Can tomato sauce
1/2 cup Red wine
Chop onions and garlic. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion; cook 4-5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, cook 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
Sprinkle with paprika, coriander and cayenne pepper. Add tomato sauce and wine; cook until sauce thickens and is reduced, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Place meatballs into seasoning tomato sauce. Gently stir to coat well in sauce. Allow meatballs to simmer in sauce for about 5 minutes to take on some of the flavors.
To Serve: Mold rice into a bowl or cup for individual servings and invert onto serving dish or plates. With a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a serving platter or plates, creating a ring around the rice. Add Top with seasoned tomato sauce and serve hot.
If you would like to read the original recipe, here’s the link:
http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/365foreigndishes/egyptian_meat_balls.php
I came across this recipe recently on food.com. The kiddo and I really like Jack-in-the-Box tacos – for reasons I don’t understand. (Hubby thinks we are daft). So we decided to give them a whirl. I added more beans than the original recipe called for, as well as more taco sauce to the meat mixture. The original recipe said it made 12 tacos. I only got 8 out of mine, but I was heavier on the filling than those you get at Jack-in-the-Box. The only draw back that I found was how much the grease splattered when the tacos were fried. You’ll need plenty of paper towels handy to blot the oil from the tacos before serving. These are NOT healthy tacos – it’s fast-food junk all the way. Even so, they are really good.
This dish was so basic yet so tasty that I decided to photograph it in all its simple, messy and unadorned glory. All I can say is yum!
Continue reading “French Onion Pork Chops and Creamy Mashed Potatoes”
There’s something wonderful about simple, old-school comfort foods. The simplicity of the food and the warmth of fond memories transports us to another place and time. It’s good for the soul, especially when life seems to be running away with your sanity.
Continue reading “Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy – Simple Comfort Food”
Brioche Tessie is a lovely, thick sliced brioche loaf. While brioche looks like sliced bread, it’s actually a bread-like pastry. Brioche is made with extra eggs, butters and creams than a loaf of bread. It is rich, dense and oh so delicious.
Brioche Pasquier is a family owed French base bakery that has been baking up the most incredible, sweet buttery breads since 1936. In 2002, they expanded their baking facilities to San Francisco, but up until a few years ago, unless you shopped in Paris or the City by the Bay, you couldn’t buy this wonderful bread. Safeway Stores in Northern California now carry the SF produced breads. Unfortunately, finding a loaf of Brioche Tessie is a hit and miss, and a loaf can be a little expensive. Oh but so worth the search and the price tag – the bread is so soft and sweet and exquisite. The first time I tried a loaf, we toasted it and served it with Wild Maine Blueberry Preserves. It was awesome as toast goes. I knew instantly that this would make a great base bread for French Toast. Just as I had predicted, Brioche Tressee makes a wonderful French Toast. So luscious with a golden “crunch” on the outside while retaining all the soft sweetness on the inside. Guess you could call it French French Toast.
Brioche Tressee French Toast
6 Slices Brioche Tressee, cut into 2 triangles each
1 Cup Whole Milk
2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
Butter as needed
Syrup as needed
Powdered Sugar for dusting
Warm a flat griddle to 325 degrees. Lightly brush griddle with butter.
In a 4-cup Measuring cup, measure 1 cup of milk. Add eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange juice.
With a hand-held electric whisk, whisk batter CAREFULLY on low until well blended and frothy.
Pour the orange-custard batter into a rimmed bowl or pip pan. Dip slices of Brioche Tressee two at a time into batter and place on griddle. Cook until lightly browned and golden, about 3 minutes.
Flip toast over, butter top side with butter while still on the griddle. The butter will melt nicely, seeping into the bread. Continue to cook about 1 minute longer.
Transfer to warmed plates. Serve with syrup. If desired dust Powdered Sugar just before serving.
For a pretty presentation, garnish with fresh fruits such as strawberries and orange twists.
Check out this awesome Buttery Lemon Tarragon Chicken from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen. Fresh Tarragon – grilled lemons – moist chicken – what’s not to love? The pan drippings are so flavorful. The lemons roasted in the pan add an incredible zest to the final pan drippings. Fresh Tarragon not only bring color, they also imparts a distinct flavor that is unmistakable.
Here’s a delicious Mexican supper that utilizes leftover Spanish Rice. If you’ve made my Authentic Spicy Spanish Rice, then you know this recipe will cook up a ton of spicy rice. The leftover rice is great to reheat as a side for so many Mexican dishes or to use in burritos. Or you could try a Rosemarie Original.
Continue reading “Spicy Chicken Thighs Smothered in Spanish Rice”
One of Hubby’s favorite cuts of meat to cook up on the grill has got to be Tri-Tip. When cooked right, it is flavorful and tender, with just the right amount to fat-to-meat ratio to keep everything moist. With Tri-Tip, it’s not so much what the meat is rubbed with (although different combinations of spice and herbs does render various flavors) but how you grill it that makes this cut of meat so awesome. We like to make sure there’s plenty of rub worked into the fat as well as the meat.
Tri-Tip is grilled fat-side up to start, allowing the seasoned fat to melt down into the brisket, imparting all the wonderful flavors of the rub and the cut of meat.
I love Tri-Tip served with all the usual sides – country fried taters and Ranch Style Beans are two of my favorites. Late in the season, when fresh local corn is at its peak, there is nothing so wonderful as husk-wrapped corn cooked up right on the grill. While I have noticed ears of corn in the markets already this year, taking a drive out into the country lets me know it’s not locally grown. When the time is right for corn, we like to drive out to the farms that sell only what is picked that day. It means getting an early start because once the morning’s pickings are sold, that’s it – no more corn.
Tri-Tip Barbecue with Herb Dry Rub
3-4 lbs Tri-Tip Brisket
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 ½ Teaspoon Garlic Salt
½ Teaspoon Celery Salt
¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
¼ Teaspoon Dill Weed
¼ Teaspoon Dried Sage
¼ Teaspoon Rosemary
Mix all ingredients for Herb rub. Generously sprinkle Dry Rub all over Tri-tip. With your fingers, massage rub into the meat. Wrap Tri-tip in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour 15 minutes(longer if you need to or like to but no less).
Remove Tri-tip from the refrigerator. While still wrapped, allow meat to rest on counter for about 45 minutes. (Total marinating time for rub is a minimum of is 2 hours).
While meat is coming to room temperature, build a nice fire in the grill.
Build nice bed of hot coals. Open the bottom and top vents half way, place grate over coals and close lid to heat, about 5 minutes. Clean grate and oil paper towels dipped in vegetable oil.
Raise coals to high position (or lower grate, depending upon grill). Grill meat, fat side up, for 3-5 minutes or until nicely seared. Turn and sear other side. Lower coals (or raise the grate, depending upon grill), cover and continue to cook meat 7-10 minutes longer. Turn and cook 6-8 minutes longer or until cooked to desired doneness. Transfer to platter and tent loosely.
The key to a juicy piece of meat is to let the meat rest 10-15 minutes after grilling to allow the juices to soak back into the meat rather than run all over the cutting board.
Happy Grilling Everyone!
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