Seattle Soup Line

Le Gruyere and Ham Pizza for the fall

2010-10-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

I subscribe to the Whole Foods Market newsletter and I was very grateful for that when this recipe came over my e-mail. I was actually looking at a recipe for Le Gruyere and butternut squash casserole because my parents have an abundance of squash this fall but the pizza recipe caught my eye.

It sounded like it might be a little rich with the creme fraiche but as it turns out it was perfect. You only use a 1/3 cup of the creme and it is dolloped instead of spread so it is not over the top. I followed this recipe exactly and it was delicious so don't miss an ingredient including the fresh thyme sprinkled on at the end. (Actually I used a pizza stone and a pizza dough from QFC called East Coast Pizza.)

This pizza would be great as an appetizer or a main course.

PIZZA WITH LE GRUYERE AND HAM

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 12inch pizza crust - your choice

1/3 cup creme fraiche

3/4 cup grated Le Gruyere

2 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips

2 T fresh thyme

In a large skillet heat oil and add sliced onions, salt and pepper. Cook until caramelized and browning. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or whatever your crust requires.) Dot crust with creme fraiche and sprinkle caramelized onions, Le Gruyere cheese, and prosciutto. Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, sprinkle on thyme and cut into wedges. Enjoy!

2010 Seattle American Lamb Jam was a tasteful success

2010-10-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon while Seahawks and fans were getting drenched in the first major storm of Seattle's winter season, a less formidable group were gathering at the Bell Harbor Conference Center at Pier 66 for the second annual American Lamb Jam. Huddled inside the dry warm space with twenty-one of Seattle's finest chefs, the intrepid group of foodies dined on Moroccan lamb shank sloppy joes from Boka Kitchen and Bar and Lamb pastrami on rye from Re:public restaurant.

The event was even larger than last year with more eateries and wineries participating. As my sister and I ate and drank our way through each entrants offerings we soon began to realize that unless we wanted our bloated bodies carried out of the Center when it was all over we were going to have to pick and choose.

It was not an easy task since there were so many wonderful dishes to try. Andaluca who had one of my favorites last year had another great dish with a lamb in fillo triangle that was spot-on. Ponti Seafood Grill had a terrific lamb char sui on a Chinese steamed bun (a bit more sauce would have been nice), and the Barking Frog with a show stopper of a pot pie made with lambcetta and confit chanterelle.

The fan favorite of the evening turned out to be Grilled lamb shoulder confit with preserved huckleberries and creamy parsnip. A very excellent and tender bite that received many oohs and aahs. The dish was prepared by Chef Mark Bodinet from Copperleaf Restaurant of Cedarbrook Lodge who gets to compete in New York against winners from other Lamb Jam's across the country.

We didn't think that everybody had a winner this year. Ray's Boathouse disappointed after a good showing last year with a fillo wrapped offering that was as dry as dirt. Bell Harbor international conference center had a uninspired lamb gyro that was more sour cream than anything else. But fortunately there were very few examples of no-so-great dishes.

Overall, not a bad way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon. I'll be back next year.

Using Local Ingredients in Season - Walla Walla Sweet Onion Tart with Bacon

2010-08-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

The trend is definitely going in the direction of fresh and locally produced food. Walla Walla isn't exactly neighboring Redmond these days but we do share the same great state and that is close enough. I'd rather eat an onion from Walla Walla than from anywhere else in the world.

One of the reasons this particular onion has achieved such greatness is its sweetness. For once you can peel and chop an onion without crying your eyes out and any chef will tell you that is a bonus. But it is the flavor of the onion that sets it apart.

A recent sailing trip required some easy to serve picnic items and a nice onion tart fits that bill quite nicely. I found the recipe in a Food & Wine issue from November 2000 in a salute to the Evergreen State. It is so rich that you can and should use it for special occasions. The suggest that you pair it with a full bodied Semillion - from Washington State, of course!

WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION TART WITH BACON

2 sticks frozen unsalted butter

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 T sugar, plus 1 tsp

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

For filling:

1/2 pound thickly sliced bacon

3 large sweet Walla Walla Onions

salt and freshly ground black pepper

7 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1 1/2 T freshly grated Parmesan

1 tsp minced rosemary

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Make the Pastry: Work over a medium bowl, grate the butter over the large holes of a box grater: freeze. In another bowl combine the flour sugar and salt. Add butter and cut mixture with pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix with fork until a dough forms. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and pat into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Make the filling: In large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and cut into 1 inch pieces. Pour all the three tablespoons of bacon grease off and add the thinly sliced onions to oil. Cook onion over low heat until tender and carmelized. It will take about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper and cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll dough onto lightly floured surface into a 15 inch disc. Fold the dough in half and place in 11 inch tart pan. Trim the overhang. Freeze the tart shell until chilled, about 10 minutes.

Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry starts to dry. Remove weights and foil and bake for about 3 minutes longer until golden. Let cool on rack.

Turn the oven down to 375 degrees. In a bowl, whisk cream and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients finishing off with a 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Pour into tart shell and bake for 25 minutes or until the custard is set. Transfer to rack to cool slightly. Remove tart from pan and serve.

Indian Spiced Chicken Wings with Peach-Mango chutney

2010-08-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

After a quick trip to Wenatchee where we scored a pile of beautiful fresh, ripe peaches I came to the realization that they weren't going to stay ripe for very long. We couldn't eat them fast enough singly so I had to look for other options. Usually a lovely pie would ensue but since I am trying to watch my desserts I had to think of something else.

As I gazed at the other contents of my pantry I saw a couple of nice mangos that I'd been saving for smoothies. They screamed to be married to my peaches in one way or the other and because they were mangos it was chutney that popped into my head. Ah Ha! That would use my peaches and keep them around for awhile at the same time.

The chutney recipe was easy to find and easy to make. Now the question was how to combine it with the organic chicken wings that were defrosting on the counter. I decided to make the wings with Indian spices and serve it with some garlic chips.

For the chips I took a homemade flour tortilla and cut it into several triangles. Early in the day I chopped a couple of garlic cloves and then poured about a 1/2 cup of vegetable oil over them in a small bowl. I let it sit all day allowing the garlic to infuse the oil with its flavor. These are so easy to prepare: just heat the garlic oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat, when the oil is hot place the triangles into the oil, cook until brown, turn over for another second or two until golden and remove to paper towel. Immediately sprinkle with a little bit of garlic salt. Delicious.

For the wings I used the Albers Corn Meal recipe for oven fried chicken except instead of the usual spice suspects I broke into my Indian spices. Cumin, Coriander, Cardoman, Chili Pepper, etc. You should make it to your personal taste so it can be either mild or hot.

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN WINGS

1 dozen organic chicken wings

2 T butter melted

2 large eggs beaten

2 T milk or water

1/2 cup Albers Yellow Corn Meal

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 teaspoons of your favorite Indian spice mix

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread melted butter in baking dish 13 X9 inches. Combine eggs and milk in medium bowl. Combine corn meal, flour, salt and Indian spice mix in medium bowl. Dip chicken into egg mixture to coat and then dip into corn meal mix until covered. Place in prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until chicken is golden and done. Serve with peach-mango chutney and garlic chips.

New Eastside Dining Experience - The Flat Iron Grill in Issaquah

2010-06-30T17:19:00.001-07:00

We here in Redmond are always looking for new places to dine and we're willing to drive a little ways to do it. A pleasant drive along Lake Sammamish - east or west side - will bring you to Issaquah and a new restaurant called The Flat Iron Grill.

Located in quaint Gilman Village it is the site of the former Iris Grill. My one visit to the Iris Grill left me with a few real obvious impressions - mediocre and overpriced cuisine, shaky service & LOUD. The reason it was noisy wasn't because it was crowded but because the space is large with cathedral ceilings and nothing to absorb sound. The Iris Grill tried to cover it up with piped in music but it actually made it worse.

The Flat Iron Grill has done quite a bit to remedy that situation by using multiple sound absorbers in the form of curtains, carpet and actual sound absorbing boards hung on the ceiling. The restaurant will still not make your quietest dining experience list but it is vastly improved. My dining partner and I never had any difficulty having a conversation or talking to our waitress.

The improvements help not only with the sound but also with the general ambiance by making the area feel warm and inviting. They have done the walls in warm brick colors and decorated with a lot of iron memorabilia and knickknacks. The overall impression is comfortable and pleasant.

Our reservations were for 730P on a Friday night and our table was ready when we arrived despite the fact that it was a quite busy. The service was pretty good overall, our waitress approached our table immediately to say she would be with us very soon, she had just begun to cross the line to "too long" and I had actually just opened my mouth to say something about it to my partner when she came back. The rest of the evening she was flawless.

They have an interesting wine list with some labels we were not familiar with. We tried the Haystack Needle Tempranillo '07 from Washington at 8.50 a glass and were moderately happy with it. As an appetizer I couldn't wait to try the Figlets - figs stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in nueske's smoked bacon - and they were very tasty. I could have used a skosh more sauce for rolling them in though.

Other appetizers included House made Mozzarella, Grilled Oysters and Salsify Flan plus a number of others. You could easily do a series of tapas for a meal at the Flat Iron Grill. Prices on the starters range from $8 to $16 a plate.

For our entree my partner chose the Jambalaya with chicken, chorizo and a selection of shellfish at $24 while I went with the Muscovy Duck served with sweet potato gnudi, roasted fennel, and arugula and blood orange marmalade butter sauce for $25. The Jambalaya, although it looked fairly unremarkable on the plate, was given two thumbs up by my companion and my taste was pretty good. The duck looked marvelous on the plate and was perfectly cooked but the topping was too salty. It might have been saved with a counter of the sweet marmalade but there was too little of it on the plate to make a difference. In fact, if I might just say, there were more words in the description of the sauce than there was actual sauce on the plate.

Overall though I give this new restaurant 3 stars out of 5 and I will definitely go there again soon even if it is just to eat some more of those Figlets. It is not inexpensive and you can expect to pay over a $100 for dinner for two with wine. There is also outdoor seating for those few warm nights on the Eastside in the summer. Go and enjoy.

Honey-Soy Broiled Black Cod

2010-06-11T13:44:00.001-07:00

Last year my husband and I went to the Boat Show at Shilshole Marina in Seattle. After the show we went to Ray's Boathouse and hit the bar upstairs for some outstanding sunset views and some grub. We ended up having a number of appetizers rather than entrees and one of those included a sample of smoked Sablefish.

Sablefish is also known as Black Cod and I was floored when I tried it at Rays for the first time. It is the silkiest tasting fish I have ever had. It practically melted in my mouth.

That's why when I was visiting Gemini Fish Market in Issaquah this week and spotted black cod in the case I jumped on it. Even though I never cooked black cod before I thought that most of my salmon recipes would work well with the fish because both have a high fat content. I brought out one of my favorite cookbooks, Salmon by Diane Morgan, to find the perfect match.

First I Googled black cod recipes and I found out that many chefs are using a Japanese approach to preparing this increasingly popular and sustainable fish. That included a very interesting looking recipe from Iron Chef Morimoto that I would like to try sometime. But for this time around I wanted to make it as simple as possible because my biggest fear was ruining this perfect piece of fish.

In Diana Morgan's book I found a recipe for Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon that definitely has a Japanese flair. It looked simple enough that not even I could make a mess of it and perfectly transferable from salmon to black cod. The results were beautiful and it was a huge hit in our house.

HONEY-SOY BROILED BLACK COD

1 lb black cod fillet cut into 4 pieces, skin on

2 T soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup mirin

1 tsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger

For Sauce

4 tsp wasabi powder

2 T fresh lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup honey

Combine 2 T soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and ginger in small bowl. Pour over black cod fillets in small bag to marinate for 30 minutes. Do not marinate longer than 1 hour because it will begin to cook the fish.

Place all ingredients for sauce in small saucepan, mix, and heat over medium-high heat until it boils while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and turns syrupy. Set aside and keep warm.

Place black cod fillets on cookie sheet skin side down. Put under broiler (about 3 to 4 inches below heat) and cook until it begins to color - about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over so skin is up and broil another 3 to 4 minutes. Don't worry about skin burning since you will remove it before serving.

Remove fish from broiler and pull skin off the back. Place perfectly cooked fillet over bed of steamed rice and pour a nice dribble of the sauce over the whole thing. Enjoy.

Spinach Caprese Salad with Garlic Croutons

2010-06-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Now that our Farmers Market in Redmond is open we have an opportunity to get lots of fresh produce, cheeses and bread. All of those delicious things are available in this terrific summer salad. If we can't get rid of the rain then we can pretend it's summer by eating it on a plate.

Nothing says summer more than a warm tomato and this salad has them in spades. Since it's a bit early yet for big fresh summer types I used sweet cherry tomatoes. Fresh mozzarella is available at a number of stalls at the market and you can find organic. The bread can also be purchased from the market - you can just use the leftover heel for the croutons.

This is an easy recipe to make. Start by preparing your croutons:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice up enough 1/2 inch squares of white bread for as many salads as you are making. Take 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, mince and add to a small pan of extra-virgin olive oil (2 T) over low heat. Cook until the garlic is just translucent. Spread croutons on cookie sheet, pour oil over croutons through a sieve, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and then turn to coat before placing in the oven. Bake for ten minutes or until croutons are crunchy and lightly golden.

For the salad take about a cup of cubed fresh mozzarella and drizzle with1T olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Toss together in bowl and set aside to come to room temperature.

Take about a cup and a half of cherry tomatoes cut in half and place in bowl. Chiffonade 2 Tablespoons of fresh basil and toss with tomatoes. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar.

Combine the mozzarella and tomatoes together and then distribute on top of beds of baby spinach. Drizzle the remaining dressing from bottom of bowl on to salad and top with croutons. Ta dah!

Cowboy-Braised Short Ribs with Baked Black Beans and Cornbread

2010-06-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

There really is nothing better than a well braised short rib so when I order from Thundering Hooves I always make sure that I get a few. It is also a good idea to eat your favorite cuts when you've cut your consumption of red meat. Eat what you like!

My mother has a fantastic recipe for short ribs that I've made many times that has a tomato based sauce with lots of onions and served over mashed potatoes. I have also braised my short ribs in wine and those have all turned out exceptionally tasty. But I was inspired to try something new and entirely mine this time around.

Our neighbor in the Methow Valley operates his own back-country packers outfit and has a herd of about 50 horses right below our humble cabin. He is required to cook for his guests in old cowboy fashion and it's usually all about the meat. Our own camping experiences have allowed me to experiment with cooking over a fire and it can be romantic for some and dirty for others.

I love doing a steak with a good rub and I found an excellent combination that included ground coffee, brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, etc. I called it my cowboy rub and it tastes beautifully over a fire or on a grill. I decided to try similar flavors in a short rib recipe - coffee, barbecue sauce, etc .

The results were sensational and could be easily transferable to a real camping situation. In fact, I would suggest you cook them a day ahead, remove the rendered fat from the surface of the sauce after it has cooled, and then reheat over the campfire. Preparing short ribs a day ahead for the purposed of removing the fat is common practice.

COWBOY-BRAISED SHORT RIBS

6 short ribs (about 4lbs)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 T olive oil or 2 T rendered bacon fat (I used the 2 slices of cooked bacon in my baked black beans!)

2 onions thickly sliced

2 carrots sliced

2 celery stocks chopped

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 cup of your favorite bbq sauce (here is where you can add your own take - sweeter, hotter, etc.)

2 cups brewed coffee

1 cup beef broth

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat oil in large dutch oven (cast iron preferred). Season the short ribs with salt & pepper. Brown ribs in dutch oven on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove ribs, set aside, then add onion, carrots, celery to hot pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Put ribs back in pan and add barbecue sauce, coffee and beef broth. Cover pan and place in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until falling off the bone tender. At this point you can cool for serving the next day or you can skim the excess fat off the surface of the sauce. If you'd like a thicker sauce you can remove the ribs, stir in 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with cold water, when thickened put ribs back in sauce. Can be served with baked beans and cornbread.

Portobello Stroganoff

2010-05-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

Fortunately, I have just the kind of delicious recipe that makes you consider going veggie more frequently. I absolutely love using portobello mushroom as a meat substitute. They are dense, chewy and they play well with others.

I have to be truthful with you and say that most of this recipe came from my fading memory. It was, of course, a beef stroganoff recipe that they described as extra-special. The specialness came from some additional flavor ingredients outside of the traditional onion and sour cream.

Adding flavor to this recipe is important because the mushrooms are fat-free and so they need a boost. The technique is also important for flavor and so you need to follow the preparation instructions as well. You don't want your mushrooms to be soggy.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

4 large portobellos, gills removed, and sliced not too thinly

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 cup butter or olive oil

1 pint sour cream

1/4 cup vegetable base (Superior Touch - Better Than Bouillon -Vegetable Base) QFC-Redmond

1/4 cup ketchup (oh Yes!)

2 T Worchestire sauce

salt and pepper

fresh parsley

White or Brown Rice

Heat half of butter or olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, lay flat and walk away - try and keep from over-stirring the mushrooms because you want them to get nice and brown and not to release all that moisture - when brown turn over and repeat. When mushrooms done (you might have to do them in batches) remove from pan and set aside.

Heat the rest of the butter and olive oil, add onion and cook until slightly browned, add garlic and cook for another minute. Add mushrooms back to the pan, lower heat to medium low, then add vegetable base, ketchup and worchestire sauce. Taste the base of your stroganoff at this point and add additional vegetable base and salt and pepper as needed. (Remember the sour cream will soften the flavor considerably). When heated through add sour cream. Cook until just hot and serve over hot rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy.

Meatless Mondays start to catch on

2010-05-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

There is a movement in this country that has begun to pick up some speed according to a story in the Washington Post yesterday. It is the Meatless Monday campaign that is a "movement backed by a broad array of public-health advocates, animal welfare advocates and environmentalists that asks carnivores to give up meat one day a week." This is the perfect place to start for those of you who've started thinking about reducing the amount of meat you consume.

Meatless Mondays were first introduced during the second world war when it was all about giving things up for the cause. With so many of our young men and women fighting overseas it wasn't a hard sell and, in general, Americans hadn't yet come to feel quite so entitled to meat 3 times a day. I guess that partially explains why we weren't so fat in those days.

Needless to say the meat industry didn't like it then and they don't like it now. They are combating the argument by saying that their scientists suggest that eating meat often is actually the best possible thing for you. That would explain the Hormel commercial with the little boy holding a "meat" sandwich as big as his head........now what is wrong with that picture? In our culture that seems normal but in other cultures the meat on that little boy's sandwich would feed a family for a week.

But since this movement was brought back alive by a non-profit organization called Health Monday in association with John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2003 it has really begun to take off. Recently the chef Mario Batali has joined the movement and incorporated it into his fourteen usually very-meaty restaurants by offering a vegetarian selection with the moniker (MM). Also the Baltimore public schools, 32 US Hospitals (that seems like a good fit), and the city of Ghent in Belgium to name a few.

If you'd like a good recipe to start with you should check out my Portobello Stroganoff. It's delicious and you won't feel like you're missing a thing.

Fresh Rockfish with Red Onion -Lemon Vinaigrette

2010-05-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

In order to eliminate factory farmed meat from our families diet I have been incorporating a lot more fish in my weekly menu planning. But like most people I am not always perfectly satisfied with the freshness of the fish that I am purchasing. Supermarkets, even Whole Foods and PCC Natural Markets, are not always as fresh as I prefer.

I refuse to purchase fish from Fred Meyer or Safeway because they've sold me some of the worst fish I've ever tasted. QFC is not much better but if you get there on the right day you might get lucky. The best way to get fish in Redmond is to develop a relationship with the people in charge of fish at PCC and Whole Foods and get them to tell you when their shipments usually come in.

If you are able you should take a pleasant drive around Lake Washington to arrive at the town on the other side; Issaquah. A new fresh fish store called Gemini Fish Market has opened on Gilman Boulevard and so far they've been fantastic. Sign up for their weekly e-mail to get the latest and the greatest that he has to offer.

An example of his last offerings will make your mouth water:

Fresh Columbia River Salmon (from a small tribal fishery - DELICIOUS)
Fresh Alaskan Troll Caught King Salmon both Red & White
26 Live Maine Lobsters
Fresh Dungeness Crab Fry Legs

That should give you an idea and they have lots of wonderful oyster choices and other shellfish. Not long ago he received some fresh rockfish and raved about the flavor so I picked some up and prepared this dish. The vinaigrette recipe is from the cookbook Wildwood, Cooking from the source in the Pacific Northwest.

Rockfish with Red Onion-Lemon Vinaigrette

1 pound rockfish fillets
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic

Red Onion-Lemon Vinaigrette

2 T Extra Virgin Olive oil
Grated zest of 2 lemons
4 lemons, peeled and segmented
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

To make the vinaigrette just combine all ingredients and mix until well combined in small bowl. Set aside.

To cook the rockfish place 1 T olive oil in ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add the fish and cook until the edges begin to turn up. Turn over fillets in skillet and then place pan in center of preheated 350 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes until fish is done. Place on plate and spoon vinaigrette over the top.

Puttanesca Meatball Sliders

2010-03-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

My spouse is a big fan of puttanesca sauce because he loves olives and capers. So when I spotted this recipe in the March issue of Sunset magazine I knew I had to make it for him. Anyway, few people can resist a slider.

I actually saw Mario Batali prepare something very similar on the Iron Chef on the Food Network. At the time I thought it was an ingenious idea and filed it away in my tiny brain for later. But, until this issue of Sunset came out, I had forgotten all about it. (Note, I did mention the tiny brain.)

Of course, I didn't follow the recipe word for word. Not just because I am a contrarian but because I didn't have all the ingredients I needed. Let me just say that the recipe didn't suffer terribly from my tinkering. Somethings you have to work very hard to wreck.

So much of this recipe can be done in advance and that is why they would make an excellent finger food for any party. Just reheat the meatballs in the sauce and serve them up on soft rolls. And if you ever had a hard time getting your children to eat and enjoy a meal.........try this!!!

PUTTANESCA MEATBALL SLIDERS

Sauce:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. each red chile flakes and fennel seeds, crushed (use a mortal and pestle on the seeds)

1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed

1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

1 Tbsp. roughly chopped capers

1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Meatballs:

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 tsp . each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 lb each humane/organic ground beef and ground pork

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Serving:

16 fresh basil leaves about the size of dinner rolls

16 small (2 inch wide) soft dinner rolls, split and toasted

1/2 cup shaved pecorino

Make sauce. In a pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, chile flakes, and fennel; cook until garlic softens, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, and panko and let sit for a few minutes. When crumbs are softened, stir in grated pecorino, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add meats, breaking up with your fingers, and mix well with your hands. With wet hands, roll meat mixture in to 16 balls, each about 1 1/2 in. wide. (I made my meatballs larger so it only made 10 because I wasn't serving them for a party.)

Heat oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, turning as needed, 6 to 8 minutes total; reduce heat if needed. With a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to paper towels.

Gently stir meatballs into sauce, return to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, put a basil leaf in each roll. Set a meatball and a generous spoonful of sauce on each basil leaf, then add a little pecorino. Close sandwiches with toothpicks if you like. Serve with napkins.

Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs are Worth Waiting For - Slow Cooker Alert

2010-03-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

It looks like Redmond is going to be getting a stretch of cool weather this week. Not quite what we've been experiencing so far this year with these wonderful warm days. This recipe is a terrific cold weather dinner and your family will love you.

Despite all of my best intentions of reducing my beef intake I do still enjoy eating it every once in a while. And, as far as I'm concerned, if you're going to fall off the wagon you might as well fall hard. Many people would argue that the best way to do that is a juicy, grass-fed steak but my favorite cut is the more humble short rib.

The short rib is beautifully marbled and when slow cooked is fall off the bone tender. In the 60's and 70's the short ribs were a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, and though increased popularity has driven up prices over the years, they still fall well below the cost of filet mignon. Short ribs are also starting to appear more frequently on restaurant menus.

There are so many great recipes for short ribs it is difficult to choose. Our family recipe had a tomato based sauce with lots of sliced onions, slow cooked and served over mashed russets. Perhaps my all time favorite for sentimental reasons.

But you have to try new things and there was plenty to choose from. I decided on a recipe from John Besh strictly because I've seen the guy on the Food Network, he's from New Orleans, and he seems to understand how to give dishes a lot of depth. The recipe is super-involved and I shortened the whole process considerably. This is my adaption of Chef Besh's recipe.

ZINFANDEL BRAISED SHORT RIBS

2 to 3 pounds beef short ribs, bone-in, about 8

Sea salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups zinfandel

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 T minced garlic

2 sprigs fresh thyme, picked off stem

1 1/2 oz. canola oil

1 cup small diced onion

1/4 cup each small diced celery and small diced carrot

6 ounces canned chopped tomatoes

1 cup good deep beef broth

1 oz mushrooms, preferably porcini

1 bay leaf

Generously season short ribs with salt and pepper. Whisk zinfandel, sugar, garlic, fresh thyme, and a pinch of salt. Place ribs in mixture and marinate for 12 hours. (I marinated for about 2 hours and they were fine.)

Remove ribs from marinade and allow them to rest and come to room temperature. Put canola oil in dutch oven over high heat. Brown ribs in batches until crispy brown on exterior. When done set aside and add diced vegetables into the pan. Stirring constantly cook until onion turns mahogany color, about 10 minutes, scrape up all the good brown bits from the pan.

Reduce heat to medium and add ribs back to pan along with the wine marinade. Let wine come to a boil, skim foam off if necessary, and then reduce heat to low. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer uncovered until meat is fork tender and falling off the bone, roughly 5 hours. (I did not have the time for that so I cooked it covered for about 2 1/2 hours.)

Remove ribs from pan, cover and set aside. Continue cooking sauce for another 30 minutes until reduced and coating a spoon. You can strain the sauce but I left it with the cooked down veggies still in it. I also thickened my sauce with a tablespoon of cornstarch. Return ribs to pan and coat with braising liquid. Serve over your favorite starch. Chef Besh prefers polenta but I like a traditional garlic mashed potatoes.

Molten Chocolate Mousse Cups taste like Chocolate Air

2010-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

I am a true Northwesterner. I love everything about it including the rain, the dripping forests and even the slugs. That is why I can't live without my Sunset magazine.

The quintessential Northwest magazine it has been in continuous publication since its first issue in May of 1898. There are only a handful of magazines that can boast of that kind of success. I believe the reason is that its editorial focus is on an area of the country that is absolutely riveting in its beauty and diversity.

They also have some really good recipes to go along with their pictures of ferns and waterfalls. Their February issue featured one of the most spectacular recipe sections they've ever published in my humble opinion. It was called a Bite Size Chocolate Party and it included a fabulous array of tiny chocolate desserts.

Consider Two-Bite Chocolate Cream Pies or Brownie Ice Cream Mini Sandwiches. And the Sugared Chocolate Beignets are definitely on my bucket list. The one that I did try and am recommending to you is the Molten Chocolate Mousse Cups!!!!

First let me say that they are remarkably easy to make and store in your freezer. Second, unless you're having a party or have an enormous family I recommend cutting this recipe in half. Third, pay attention to the cup size. They say 4 ounces and you should try to stick to that. I had these tiny cappuccino cups that were just too small and they didn't bake up well.

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CUPS

14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup unsalted butter

6 large eggs, seperated

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

Melt chocolate until almost completed melted and then remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside.

With a mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites and salt in a bowl until foamy. With mixer still on, slowly rain in sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

Stir yolks into chocolate mixture until completely blended. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in whites. (This takes quite a while to get everything nicely incorporated). Spoon mixture into 12 - 4 oz. ovenproof coffee cups. Cover each cup with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week. (I've kept mine longer and they still seem fine). Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set cakes on a baking pan and bake until puffed, cracked on the edges, and wet looking in the center, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. (Mine get slightly more puffed and slightly less wet looking in the center but they are still heavenly).

More Bad Food News - Rotten Tomatoes

2010-02-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

Just when I think that I might be going a little overboard worrying about the food we're eating in the United States, something comes up to remind me why I should be paranoid. In another piece of good reporting the New York Times has reported that Kraft, Safeway, Frito-Lay, and B&G foods have been taking bribes from a tomato food processor called SK Foods. According to federal prosecutors the bribes were offered in order to allow SK to sell them tomatoes so full of mold and other defects they would not pass federal tests. Not that we have any kind of inspection system or anything.

This is just another case of the "chickens coming home to roost." For the last decade the party in power didn't believe that business and industry needed to be regulated and so they didn't regulate them. Because as we all know the captains of industry are the most altruistic bunch you are every likely to meet and would no more endanger the American public then drink a martini without an olive, right?

They certainly proved that in the banking industry, unregulated they made a great deal of money for themselves, not so good for the rest of us though. And how can we forget the peanut recall where the product left the farm knowingly contaminated with salmonella and sickened hundreds? Peanuts that were so disgusting that our neighbors Canada refused them entry.

The problem is that inspecting food, airplanes, banks, etc. after the poo has hit the proverbial fan or somebody has died, is like closing the barn door after Elvis has left the building. People enjoy thinking that revelations such as the ammonia in the hamburger of McDonalds & Burger King is an unusual event when in fact basically our entire food industry is self-regulated! It is becoming increasingly evident that unless you know exactly where your food came from it is a total crap shoot.

I visited Krafts website to try and find out exactly how many tomato products they have but was unsuccessful because they have so many brands. But I did find that they consider themselves one of the most trusted names in the food industry. "We've put in place strong food safety and quality systems for our ingredients and our products."

Apparently some of their food brokers didn't get the memo because one of them was recently arrested at a New York airport. Allegedly Robert Watson, a food buyer for Kraft foods, found himself $20,000 short of a fully paid tax bill. So he called his buddy, a tomato broker in California, and asked him for the money. The broker was happy to help out although, being good businessmen, told him it would have to come out of his normal "commissions."

According to the New York Times these tainted shipments involved as many as 55 companies. "In some cases, companies detected problems and sent the product back - but in many cases, according to prosecutors, they did not, and the tainted ingredients wound up in food sold to consumers." That doesn't leave me feeling warm and fuzzy about the food industry.

The good news is we have access to farmers markets. The bad news is that Redmond Saturday market doesn't start until May. In the meantime, buy fresh and local as much as you can. At least you can see if your tomatoes are rotten.

A Valentines Day Breakfast that will melt your loved ones Heart

2010-02-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

This Valentines Day lands on a Sunday. A day of sleeping in, reading the paper (if you still get one!), and enjoying a leisurely, late breakfast. The whole day just screams out for a delicious breakfast treat that will make your loved ones feel special.

Recently I wrote about a new cookbook of mine called Wildwood. It is named after a restaurant in Portland, Oregon of the same name. The book focuses on fresh local ingredients from the Pacific Northwest.

This Valentines Day breakfast recipe is inspired by this cookbook. The author and chefs version uses real cream, wine, asiago cheese, wild mushrooms & thyme and is served on a homemade brioche. But it is based on an original version that used a simple bechamel sauce.

I went for simplicity based on what was in my refrigerator at the time. But their is no reason that a cook couldn't modify this recipe using what he or she has in their refrigerator. The whole point is to make it a rich and one-of-a-kind delicious.

Serve with buttered French Bread Toast or English muffins. Mimosas never hurt either~!

CREAMED KING CRAB OMELET

1/2 cup fresh cup cooked crab meat from the leg of a King Crab

1 cup 2% or whole milk

2 T butter

1 T flour

salt & pepper

1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese (optional)

1/4 tsp dill or thyme (optional)

Melt butter in medium sized sauce pan. Add flour, salt & pepper and mix to create a roux. Slowly add milk at medium heat to roux stirring continuously. As mixture thickens and begins to come to a boil, remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until completely melted and then add crab and herbs. Stir and set aside.

Prepare 4 egg omelet with 1/4 cup milk, salt & pepper. Do not overcook.

Place omelet on platter and pour creamed crab over the top. Serve with toast, mimosas and a valentines day card! Enjoy.

Super Bowl Sunday Chili

2010-02-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

There are only 4 more days until Super Bowl Sunday and mouths are already beginning to water. If you live in New Orleans or Indianapolis then you will be excused from thinking of things other than "what the heck are we going to eat?" But for the rest of us it is the most burning question, right in front of "what kind of commercials are they going to have this year?"

If you're lucky then you have probably seen some pretty incredible Super Bowl Sunday spreads before. Whether it be a from-one-end-of-the-table-to-the-other cornucopia of every salty snack ever dreamed of by Frito Lay or a gourmands dream of stuffed lobster tail and caviar, it is always something to look forward to. Both of those options have their guilty appeal but one of them is as easy as opening a bag while the other will keep you busy all day.

Personally, I'd rather watch the game and the commercials then be in the kitchen the whole time. It's not fun slaving over a stove while people are cheering, screaming, etc. in the other room. Unless you are the paid caterer your place is with the rest of the party.

To that end I'll be offering some delicious but simple ways to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday without spending the whole time over a hot stove or opening a bag of chips. This quick, easy and tasty chili recipe will do the trick quite nicely. It has multiple qualities that make it a good choice for a football treat:

Inexpensive
Easy
Can make ahead
One pot meal preparation
It is vegetarian but your meat loving friends will never know it.

Super Bowl Sunday Chorizo Chili

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 -15 oz can stewed tomatoes

2-15 oz cans black beans

1-15 oz can corn giblets

1-12 oz Trader Joes Soy Chorizo

2 T Cumin (Taste your chili here because the chorizo is very spicy. You can add or subtract additional spices according to your own tastes.)

1 or 2 Tsp Chili Powder

1 T vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Add vegetable oil to large pan over medium-high heat. Throw in chopped onion and squeeze in chorizo. Break up chorizo while stirring and cook until onion is softened. Add all other ingredients. Stir and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. You can prepare in advance and store in the refrigerator until game time. Heat thoroughly on stove before serving.

Taking it Easy on Super Bowl Sunday

2010-02-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

Keeping things simple when you are having guests is what it is all about. Unless you have hidden powers it is terribly difficult to mix with your friends while your head is buried in a bowl of pasta. Not being born an "Incredible" I am not capable of that trick.

I also happen to be a football fan and really would like to watch the Saints vs Colts match-up. As a Seahawk fan this year it will be a relief to watch football players who have some general competency and skill. The Saints/Vikings game was terrific and, even though I'm not a Brett Favre fan, the commentators and cameramen were not able to drive me away.

So given all these facts I have decided to punt in the kitchen this Sunday. I could not resist all the tasty treats at offer at Trader Joes and decided to avail myself of them. I have certainly used them before when having a party so this would not be unheard of.

(A visit to Costco today made me glad I had already completed my SBS shopping. They had so much to offer and taste in the snack food realm that customers were gaining weight in the aisles. I probably wouldn't have been able to resist and bought 10 times as much as I needed. Whooooooo).

My menu this year will consist of some homemade things accompanied by some Trader Joe things; a nice mix. Yesterday I posted my Chorizo Chili recipe and everything else on the menu is pretty self-explanatory. I have not been able to find mini-burger buns anywhere so I just bought hot dog buns and plan on cutting them down to size.

REDMOND FOOD EXAMINER SUPER BOWL MENIU

Chorizo and Black Bean Chili ( vegetarian)

Lamb sliders with Bacon Jam (jam is from www.skilletstreetfood.com & lamb is from Thundering Hooves)

Buffalo Chicken Wings w/Blue Cheese Dressing & Celery

Parmesan Pastry Pups w/sweet hot mustard

Organic Yellow Tortilla Chips w/Mango Salso & Beef, Bean and Cheese Dip

Assorted Beverages (As the Dude would say "Careful man, there's a beverage here!")

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Pear Salad & Garlic Croutons

2010-01-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of living in such a beautiful area is that it also comes with an amazing assortment of local ingredients that we can cook with. Not everything is in season when you'd like it to be but there is no reason you can't eat local all year round here. That is why I recently picked up a book called "Wildwood, Cooking from the Source in the Pacific Northwest."

The book is written by Cory Schreiber who is the chef and owner of the famous restaurant Wildwood in Portland, Oregon. Although Chef Schreiber focuses mostly on ingredients from Oregon you will find it translates easily for we northerners. The seafood, wine, forest mushrooms, berries and produce that he uses can all be found here too.

This cookbook makes me wish I lived next door to a farmers market because I want to prepare just about everything in it. Consider some of these recipes:

Panfried Razor Clams with Bread Crumbs, Herbs and Lemon
Salad of Field Greens with Crispy Fried Oysters, Aioli, and Smoky Bacon on an Herbed Crepe.
Creamed Morels with Apple Brandy, Thyme, and Roasted Garlic.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Morel Mushrooms, Asparagus and Garlic
Potato and Clam Soup with Sour Cream, Thyme, and Garlic Croutons.

The top two recipes you can prepare just about any time of year but the recipes with morels is a short but delicious season in the spring. I am looking forward to pairing the asparagus and morels since Chef Schreiber thinks they're a perfect match that ripen at the same time in the Pacific Northwest. In the meantime, I'm not above taking different things from recipes and putting them together in my own way.

The bottom line is that you have to use what is available in your own pantry sometimes because running to the store every time you need an ingredient is bad for the environment and not much fun either. So with some Thundering Hooves chicken thighs, fresh garlic, local pears, fresh rosemary and fresh greens on hand I put something together. When all put together it made a delicious meal.

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

2 T Olive Oil

2 T Balsamic vinegar

1 T minced fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

8 chicken thighs, or 4 boneless chicken breast halves

In a large self-sealing plastic bag, combine the oil, vinegar, rosemary, and pepper. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and rotate to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife.

GARLIC CROUTONS

2 T olive oil

1 to 2 cloves garlic, depending on your taste

2 cups 1/2 thick cubed french or country bread

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for 3 minutes, or until translucent; do not brown! Add the bread cubes, tossing to coat. Place them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside. Can be prepared in advance.

Take 1 pear and cut into slices. Place on top of mixed field greens. Prepare your dressing:

1 tsp olive oil

2 T Balsamic vinegar

1 T Honey

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk and drizzle over greens and pears. Top with Garlic Croutons and serve with Roasted Chicken.

Delicious Blueberry Smoothies for Breakfast that are good for you too

2010-01-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

Our family always makes an effort to go blueberry picking when they're in season. We usually head up to North Bend to pick them under the beautiful shadow of Mt. Si. They are so plentiful you can fill a bucket in no time.

There is nothing like a blueberry pie in the middle of winter to improve the general mood. It is pure summer in a pie shell. Surprise your guests some time and feel the love.

The great thing about blueberries is that they freeze so easily and so well. In an hour of picking we were able to freeze about 10 quarts in individual 5 cup baggies. We could easily have picked more.

Blueberries are the most fortunate of all berries and we have a lot to choose from in the bountiful northwest. Because of their dark skin they are rich in anti-oxidents that counteract against the toxins in our bodies. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals to say nothing of tasting pretty darned good.

A great way to get a daily intake of blueberries without indulging in pie or muffins is to make a smoothie in the morning. I make one that is so yummy that you could order it as a milkshake and not blink an eye when you drank it. You can play with the ingredients but this combination really works for me.

BREAKFAST BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE

1 banana, sliced

1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

1 cup Activia light vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup 1 % milk (adjust depending on how thick you want our smoothie)

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until everything is incorporated and smooth. Pour into glass, top with 2 or 3 blueberries, and enjoy. Makes two 1 cup servings. (If serving only 1, cover remaining with plastic and refrigerate. It keeps very well.)

Take Action and tell USDA you don't want GE food in your Organics

2010-01-22T13:55:00.000-08:00

Once again the United States Department of Agriculture is siding with big business over the consumer. It is obvious that their clients are no longer the American people but Corporate America. They do great work for Monsanto and Beef Products, Inc. but not so much for Mr. and Mrs. Brown on Main Street.

The problem here is something called Roundup Ready alfalfa which is alfalfa that has been genetically modified to withstand spraying by the poison Roundup. Despite the fact that we don't actually eat alfalfa we do consume milk, butter, ice cream and beef. The USDA intends to allow companies to label food as organic even though the cow has been fed genetically modified alfalfa.

How does this benefit the consumer? It doesn't, of course. It does benefit the giant corporations that market and sell the food.

There is also the problem of putting real organic farmers out of business. The USDA admits that their study reveals that allowing this will hurt farmers and the organic food industry but apparently that's not enough to stop them from proceeding. Leave it to Corporate America to turn a naturally developing healthy trend into something they can profit on while leaving the entire original ideal in the dust.

The fact is that the poison in Roundup, glyphosate, is dangerous to humans. "Studies have shown that glyphosate clearly is linked to non-Hodgkins lymphoma and that glyphosate damages and kills human cells even at diluted levels far below recommendations." Since you can grow alfalfa that is not genetically modified why take the risk?

Please let us stop the USDA from making this dangerous decision before the February 16th deadline. You can learn more by reading this from PCC Markets and they will also provide you with a link for taking action. We are the David to the Corporate Goliath, let's see if we can make a difference.

2010-01-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

Not long ago I found spring roll wrappers at PCC Market and since then they've become a staple in our pantry. They seem to keep forever although you will find yourself using them more often than you expected. As long as you keep plenty of fresh vegetables in your house you will always have a fresh, easy and fun meal at close hand.

Spring rolls are also a great way to incorporate vegetables into your meal in a way that children might not find so offensive. There are no limits to the kinds of ingredients you can put into a spring roll so making them kid friendly is easy. To ensure satisfaction, have a little fun, and delegate labor encourage your family to create their own!

The reality is rolling a lot of spring rolls is lake stuffing a lot of manicoti, it's nice to have help because even though it's easy it still takes time. Show your kids the technique of dipping the wrappers in water, laying them flat, placing the filling on the wrapper, and then the easy fold and roll. Try having an wide assortment of ingredients that your family will love, for example:

leftover chicken, beef, or fish

cooked shrimp

tofu

shredded cabbage

shredded carrots

green onion

green pepper

cilantro and parsley

chopped garlic & ginger

fresh bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts

chopped water chestnuts

You get the picture. There really is nothing that you can't put inside a spring roll. Maybe even try and dessert roll with fresh fruit, coconut & chocolate sauce for dipping.

Below there is a recipe that I follow with various interpretations. You can plan on cooking them or eating them fresh. I split the following batch in two and did half in the oven and left the other half fresh. The ingredients just fill a full batch of wrappers when using 2 wrappers per spring roll, which I recommend.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

3 green onions chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 T chopped fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves chopped

Soy sauce to taste & pepper to taste.

Mix ingredients together. Take 2 spring roll wrappers and dip into water to soften enough to roll easily. Personally I like them pretty wet. Add 2 to 3 T of filling to lower part of wet wrapper laid flat. Roll a couple of times, fold in the sides and then roll until done. Repeat until all wrappers are used up.

You can consume just the way they are or you can preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Spray non-stick on cookie sheet, place spring rolls on sheet, give them light spray with same non-stick and put in oven for 15 to 20 minutes until light golden brown. Serve both with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.

The USDA and Beef Products, Inc.: a marriage from Hell

2010-01-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

It is a great privilege to be able to write about food and cooking. Especially in these exciting new days of discovering local food that is grown safely and organically. It would be wonderful to be able to focus on all the good things that are happening right now but every once in a while we have to get more serious.

The fact is that the discussion about food production in America is just beginning to get heated up, (unlike our planet which started some time back). Our food policies in the United States have resulted in factory farms, E-coli ridden fruits and vegetables, and a population that is getting larger by the minute. This leaves us with lots of cheap burgers accompanied by polluted air & water, deadly diseases, and on a fast track for a handicap sticker and an automated cart at the grocery store.

The latest revelations about food policy and the United States Department of Agriculture's role in it, will not make you want to smile. The New York Times recently reported that the company Beef Products, Inc., in an effort to increase profits, found a way to make the once-relegated-to-petfood leavings into hamburger for human consumption. These fatty leavings, unfortunately, are highly susceptible to contamination so they developed a method of injecting it with ammonia.

I know that sounds delicious but it gets better. The so noble Beef Products, Inc. then found a company and paid them to do a study to see how their new ammonia process was working. The hired hand, (shockingly, I might add), found that the process was practically infallible in it's destruction of E-coli.

It was then that the US taxpayers reasonably-paid employees at the USDA stepped up to the plate to do their job; that is to make sure the hamburger was safe for human consumption. But, apparently, this job has become pretty easy because all it involved was a reading and "approval" of BPI's own commissioned study. This must have taken at least a couple of hours.

In fact in 2007 the USDA was so confident in the BPI's ammonia process they EXEMPTED(!) them from normal food testing. With that vote of confidence by the US government the company has gone on to become the golden source for almost all the fast food giants in the country. (Do we have to name names?) Even more frightening is that the federal lunch program used 5.5 million pounds of the crap in school lunches over the last couple of years.

The upshot of all this corporate favoritism is that there have been multiple incidents of salmonella and E-coli being found in BPI products. It has been the federal school lunch program that has been doing the testing and discovering the nastiness since 2005 but the USDA never got wind of it despite the fact that they're in the same department. (How is that possible to even believe?)

Now that the disgusting hamburger has hit the proverbial fan the USDA has changed its tune. BPI has lost its exemption. The question every American needs to be asking is why they ever had one to start with?

Macaroni and Cheese Please

2009-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday while I was typing away on my PC the television drew my attention. The show was Ellen and her guest was writer Jonathan Safran Foer. They were discussing his new book "Eating Animals."

It was a grim interview that described to everybody exactly what we meat eaters do not want to hear. Jonathan told the tale of the hidden factory farming of animals that provides all of that cheap meat at the supermarket. Beyond the cruelty to the animals themselves he said the external costs to our environment and our own health is incalculable.

He also revealed some rather ominous information regarding the secrecy that surrounds factory farming. He was unable, despite unremitting attempts, to get a tour of a single farm where this kind of animal raising occurred. Were you aware that swine flu originated in North Carolina on one of these factory farms? This is common knowledge among people in the know so you have to wonder why and how the press never seemed to think this was information Americans might be interested in. This is a highly secret and protected industry.

He also talked about, God help us, Thanksgiving. He gave the audience a nice visual of the pathetic and disgusting way your average supermarket turkey is raised and then asked us "if this was anything to be thankful for?" Thanks, buddy.

The fortunate part for me was I already ordered a Heritage turkey from Crown S Ranch in the Methow Valley. At $6.95 a pound it's priced like illegal drugs but I can get through the big day without feeling like a rat. The unfortunate part is that for the rest of her audience it will be almost impossible at this late date to get a truly organic and farm raised turkey...they should have aired earlier.

Another great thing about that day was I already had a meatless meal planned for the evening. It is never a sacrifice to eat macaroni and cheese and this batch was as tasty as I've ever made. I'd recommend this recipe to anyone.

Jenifer's Macaroni and Cheese

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
10 oz small elbow macaroni
1 cup asiago cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup bread crumbs
healthy drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni until done, drain and set aside.

Melt butter in medium sized saucepan, add flour, salt and pepper to create roux. Slowly add milk while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. When mixture is thickened and just before it boils remove from heat and add 3/4 cup of asiago and 3/4 cup of cheddar to mixture. Stir until cheese melts.

Put drained macaroni in medium sized casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and gently mix together. In separate bowl put remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil and stir. Sprinkle mixture on casserole. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Finish casserole under broiler until top is crunchy brown.

Seattle's First American Lamb Jam

2009-10-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last nights first ever American Lamb Jam in Seattle looked like a big success. The event was sold out well in advance and brought participants from across the state. If yesterday afternoons festivities were any indication then the sponsors will probably go for a repeat performance next year.

Chef Thierry Rautureau of Rover's in Seattle emceed and he added ebullience, class, and knowledge to the affair. His well-known hat drifted among the booths while sampling the wares and chatting up the locals. He caught my sister and I early before we'd tried everything but I stand by our selections of Barolo Ristorante and Andaluca as our two favorite lamb bites of the evening.

The People's Choice went to the Steelhead Diner at Pike Place market with their Braised Lamb Shanks with Balsamic-Mission Fig Conserva and Truffled Hominy Polenta. It was the second thing that we tried after we came in so we knew we were in for a special evening of food. It was so good that I ate it before I could take its picture. Sorry readers.

Let me also add that even though I wasn't sure about the pairing with the Steelhead's lamb the McCrea Cellars, 2004 Syrah, Cuvee Orleans from Yakima Valley was fantastic. The description provided by the winery expressed the unique flavor palate very well. "It's deep and angular on the palate, the black fig accented by a savory earthiness, and a texture that's full but not heavy."

The judges choice of the evening for best lamb loin dish went to the Barking Frog in Woodinville for their delicious Sous Vide Superior Farms Lamb Loin, Coffee and Cocoa Nib Farro Rissoto (my sister adored this), Fall squash Crepinette, and Balsamic Glazed onions. A very impressive plate that received plenty of oohs and ahs from the crowds as well as the judges. Its tasty loveliness is pictured above.

My choice, as told to Chef Rautureau, of Barolo Ristorante was not far off as the judges chose them as runner up in the lamb shank division. I thought their bite was the most melt in your mouth taste of the whole evening. Their lamb was pull apart tender and they served it with a perfectly cooked butternut squash gnocchi served hot from the pan. Really a feat considering the number of people they were serving...400!

The judges didn't choose to make Andaluca a winner for the evening but I thought they had a very tasty offering. Their division was leg of lamb and they created the dish in a "osso bucco style." The perfectly flavored lamb was served on a crostini and paired nicely with its wine, a 2007 Tempranillo from Yakima Valley.

The event benefited the charity FareStart and was sponsored by the following: American Lamb, DINE around Seattle, Seattle Magazine, KWJZ 98.9, QFC, Bell Harbor International Conference Center and Viking Range Corporation.

Pictured Below:
08 Seafood Grill had Miso-Marinated Lamb Loin with Edamame Hummus, and Mint Gooseberry Coulis. The coulis was a taste sensation and I thought it was the best thing on the plate. Below that we have an offering from Chef Jay Bartelson at the Bell Harbor Conference Center. They are George O'Malley's Guinness & Jameson Braised Lamb Shank Cabbage Rolls. Not bad.

Heavenly Corn Fritters

2009-05-19T13:50:00.001-07:00

I love corn fritters. It is an appreciation that I developed later in life because my Mother never cooked them. I believe the first time I had corn fritters was in my Home Economics class in High School. They were easy and delicious. The only other thing that I recall about them was that we made them with creamed corn.

My next experience with the golden fritter was at the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup, Washington. As with any great State Fair the food is plentiful, delicious, and not very good for you in general. As we wandered among the delightfully aromatic booths we ran into a line that put all the others to shame. It was a booth for deep fried Twinkies and Snickers Bars. Next door was a much quieter stall advertising fried vegetables including corn fritters served with strawberry butter.

For my husband and I the choice was a no brainer....we went for the corn fritters. The service was fast and friendly, the fritters were hot, and the match with the strawberry butter was inspired. We made a note to return the next time the yearly fair came along. We missed the year after so it was 2 years later before we were able to return. It's true that sometimes you can't go back. The service was extraordinarily slow and rude, the fritters were greasy dough balls, and the strawberry butter couldn't save them.

Since that time I've tried a couple of recipes and they always turned out doughy and not terrific. It occurred to me that what was really needed in a corn fritter was lightness and crispness. Since many of the recipes that I looked at called for pancake or baking mix I thought of the experiment the other half and I had with pancake mix a couple of years ago at our cabin in Twisp.

We've always been life long Bisquick users and I've had a bias against pancake mix that only uses water after one bad experience. Guests had left us the remains of a box of Western Family Buttermilk Pancake mix they had brought and used. Since our Bisquick was almost gone I prepared half the pancakes with Bisquick and the other half with the Western Family. Without telling my husband which was which I asked him what pancake he preferred. To my amazement he pointed to the Western Family product. A couple of bites later, I heartily agreed with him. The Western Family was so much lighter and active. After mixing it with the water and then barely incorporating the two ingredients you can just watch it grow and puff up with air.

This, I realized, was just the type of pancake mix a good fritter should be made of. Light and airy. So today I put it to the test and it was a smashing success. I added some of my own flavor embellishments but left it as simple as possible. I will offer one warning though; you will be in danger of eating the whole batch yourself.

CORN FRITTERS WITH MAPLE SYRUP AND HOT PEPPER SAUCE

1 15 oz can creamed corn
1/2 cup Western Family Buttermilk Pancake Mix
1/4 cup water - (add gradually, check for consistency, it should be pourable like pancake batter)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (use based on your taste for heat)

Heat vegetable oil to about 365 degrees in cast iron skillet about 2 inches deep. Pour creamed corn into medium size bowl, add pancake mix and then water. Mix until incorporated but not over mixed. Batter should be the consistency of pancake batter that can be poured from a ladle into the hot oil. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Drop enough batter in oil to create a fritter about the size of a cookie. Cook only 4 to 5 at a time so oil doesn't cool down significantly. Cook fritters until dark golden brown turning once in the process. Cool on paper towels and then serve with spicy syrup. Yummmmmm.

Curried Shrimp Sandwich with Mango Chutney

2009-04-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

This recipe was an inspiration derived from a combination of need to have interest and flavor in my food, and what was actually available in my cupboards.

I love Naan bread and I get a very nice selection at Trader Joes. It has wonderful texture and makes a wonderful bread for sandwiches or burgers. Later this week I've got a lamb burger recipe on Naan that will knock your socks off.

In this case I had leftover Naan, a few shrimp, some hot mango chutney, and a full spice rack. The resulting sandwich is pretty, delicious, international, easy, and fast to make.

CURRIED SHRIMP SANDWICH WITH HOT MANGO CHUTNEY

2 slices of Garlic Naan Bread cut diagonally for sandwich
12 medium uncooked shrimp
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 T curry powder
1 tsp of coriander
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 to 4 T Hot Mango Chutney
2 T mayonnaise

Mix flour, bread crumbs, curry, coriander, salt and pepper in small bowl. Take peeled and deveined shrimp and toss in mixture to coat. Put vegetable oil in skillet, heat and then add shrimp to hot oil. Cook for about 2 minutes before turning and cooking another minute until shrimp are pink and done. Remove shrimp and put them on paper towel to drain.

Cover one side of Naan bread with mayonnaise and the other side with hot mango chutney. Place mixed greens on one side and top with six hot shrimp. Cover with other half of Naan and Wa La!

This recipe makes 2 sandwiches.

Empanadas with a bit of Tango

2009-04-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my husband and I ventured into downtown Seattle to have dinner. It was a Friday night during the holiday season and we hadn't made reservations anywhere. Our first try was at Wild Ginger but we were told the wait was going to be over an hour. We decided to move on.

Our next attempt was a small but attractive looking restaurant near the Moore Theater. It was called the Buenos Aires Grill. When we entered the restaurant was busier than it appeared from the outside and we were concerned that another long wait was inevitable.

We were greeted by the most wonderful woman who informed us that they had no available tables and that the rest were reserved for the night. When she saw our disappointed faces though she said that a reservation she was expecting was 10 minutes late and if we would wait another 10 minutes and they didn't show up she would give us their table. We quickly agreed and she escorted us to a small table in the bar area. Ten minutes later she took us to a lovely two person table.

Their menu is very Argentinian. They have traditional grilled meats so you can expect some smoke and fire from the kitchen that is visible to most of the diners. I had a delicious pan fried steak with an egg on top. I know it sounds strange but it tastes delicious. We also had some very tasty empanadas before our meal. Some diners order what is basically a mixed grill of the restaurants favorite cuts. You can order a plate of grilled vegetables to accompany the meat.

The best part of the experience though came when a pair of tango dancers appeared and proceeded to dance through the restaurant. Wheeling deftly between the tables the couple are flawless and mesmerizing. What was a nice meal with excellent service was immediately elevated to a unique dining experience that I wouldn't have missed for the world.

Since then we have taken friends and family to the Buenos Aires Grill. The first time we took my Mom and Dad, my Sister asked the handsome tango dancer if he would dance with our Mother, Melody. He agreed and soon approached us in the bar and asked her to dance. He handled her perfectly and she loved it. Later in the evening as we departed we saw the dancer near the door and thanked him. He turned to my Mother and said in the most exquisite Latin accent "Thank you for the dance Melody." It was a perfect moment and not one to be forgotten by her.

I cannot recreate the experience of the Grill at home but I did run across a fantastic looking beef empanada recipe I had to try. My husband and I rarely buy beef anymore but a beautiful day inspired a purchase of organic, grass-fed rib eyes for the grill. They were delicious but way too large and we both left 1/2 or 1/4 of our steak on the plate. I didn't want to waste such tasty steak so I pulled out the empanada recipe. It actually calls for ground beef but chopped steak worked pretty darn well.

BEEF EMPANADAS

2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 lb ground chuck
2 T raisins
1 1 /2 T chopped pimento stuff olives (I used chopped black and they were fine).
1 14 oz can whole tomatoes in juice
2 frozen pie crusts
Vegetable oil for frying

Cut each egg crosswise into 12 thin slices. Cook onion in olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef and cook , breaking up lumps with a fork, about 4 minutes.

Add raisins, olives, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and tomatoes with juice, cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced but mixture is still moist. Cool.

Take out pie crusts and place on floured board. Use bowl with six inch diameter to cut discs from pie crust. You can usually get 4 discs per pie crust, collect left over pastry, roll out again, and you can get 2 more. Repeat with second pie crust.

Place about 3 T meat on each disc, place sliced egg on top of meat, moisten edges with water and fold over to form semicircle, then crimp with a fork.

Heat oil in skillet until about 360 degrees. Fry empanada, about 3 at a time at 4 to 6 minutes per batch. (You can also bake these for a less greasy result. I preheated the oven to 425 degrees, brushed the tops of the empanadas with beaten egg and water, placed them on a cookie sheet, and then baked them for 15 to 20 minutes until golden).

In my opinion these wouldn't be nearly as delicious without the chimichurri sauce. I followed this recipe exactly and it adds such a burst of flavor that you could quickly become addicted.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup fresh oregano (packed) or fresh cilantro leaves ( used cilantro).
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (dried)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
1 T shallot, minced

Just before serving, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Sauce is served at room temperature. If sauce separates prior to serving just give it a good whisk.

Enchiladas Del Mar for a Special Dinner

2009-04-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe a while back in Bon Appetite and I've been dying to try it. Last night I finally did and it was well worth the wait. The recipe was requested from a restaurant in Phoenix called the Barrio Cafe. I can no longer find the recipe on the magazines website for unknown reasons so I can't provide you with a link. When I type 'enchiladas del mar" in their recipe search box they provide two recipes, one for French Toast and one for Cornish Game Hens, now make sense of that.

Typically for me, I made the recipe a little simpler to put together. The original recipe from the Barrio Cafe has you purchasing, husking, charring under a broiler, and then pureeing a 1/2 a pound of tomatillos. I decided to skip that whole experience and purchased a lovely jar of Tomatillo Salsa - Medium. It was yummy and it worked fine. The original recipe also called for some goat cheese that I didn't have handy but I think it sounds tasty so I will use it when I make it again.

ENCHILADAS DEL MAR

1/2 a jar of Frontera Tomatillo Salsa - Medium
1 T olive oil
12 uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
6 ounces bay scallops, side muscle removed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat

12 corn tortillas
3 1/2 cups grated Oaxacan cheese or Mozzarella cheese (about 14 ounces), divided
6 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and shallot; saute until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add scallops and wine; cook until wine is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp mixture to medium bowl Add cream and salsa; simmer until mixture thickens and measure about 1 2/3 cups, about 10 minutes. Add crabmeat and shrimp mixture to sauce in skillet. Season to taste.

While cream and salsa are simmering, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and place new heavy skillet or griddle on medium-high heat. Heat tortillas about 30 seconds per side until softened, place 1/4 cup cheese in softened tortilla, roll up and then place seam down in 13x9x2 - inch glass baking dish. Repeat until you have 12 rolled and in pan. Pour creamy seafood mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Serve with sliced avocado, tomatillo salsa, and fresh cilantro. Really, really good!

Delicious Jambalaya and Sweet and Sour Shrimp

2009-04-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

I used to be the kind of person who went to the grocery store every night. I didn't like using the microwave to defrost and I never remembered to get anything out of the freezer before I left in the morning. These are weak excuses since even minimal planning would have alleviated the problem but that's the way it was.

I was also a person who wasn't a leftover fan. I tended to serve up fairly large meals that my husband and I scarfed down unmercifully and what little was left went with him for lunch the next day. Well, times change.

Now I create a week long menu plan at the beginning of the week. I shop only once a week. I try and cook things in smaller portions and with a follow up plan for any leftover ingredients. When I'm cooking something like roast chicken where leftovers are inevitable I know even as it's in the oven what I'm going to do with what is left after our dinner. Interestingly enough, I've found that this has increased my creativity in the kitchen rather than diminished it.

A great example was last weeks double whammy of delicious meals from different cultures. Tweaked by me, of course. I had purchased from Trader Joe's a bag of their large, uncooked shrimp. There were too many shrimp for 1 meal of just the two of us so I planned for two; Jambalaya and Sweet and Sour Shrimp.

This made great sense because I have a plethora of Chinese sauces and flavors leftover from a recent meal so I'm always looking for something to use them in. I also had two unused chicken chorizo sausage from a recent pizza that were crying out for something to add spice to. These two meals also share a number of ingredients. Besides the shrimp there is green pepper, garlic, and rice. I found this recipe for Jambalaya on Epicurious.com. It is a low calorie version with a lot of good fiber and warm heat.

JAMBALAYA

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 green pepper cored, seeded and chopped (I only used 1/2 a pepper)
2 celery stalks, diced
3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, (I used about T of dried parsley)
4 oz extra lean smoked ham, cut in 1/2 inch cubes, (I used 2 chicken chorizo)
5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced, (I used 1 can of kidney beans)
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
3/4 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and chopped,(I used about 8 large shrimp not chopped).

Add oil to a large nonstick saucepan. Over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery until onion is translucent. Add parsley, ham/sausage, chicken/beans, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, and 1 3/4 cups cold water. Gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour rice into the pan and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered 45 minutes or until rice is cooked and absorbs most of the liquid. Stir in shrimp and cook 5 minutes more. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste.

Spring Flavors Break the Gloom of a Rainy Easter

2009-04-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about the rest of the planet but our Easter Sunday in the lovely and verdant Pacific Northwest was a real wet one. Not even the threat of a sun beam marred the perfectly gray and soggy landscape. As a result I've been rebelling against this rather Novemberish weather using some of the oldest tricks in the books.

First and foremost an enormous bouquet of daffodils is gracing my kitchen. Their humble perfume permeating the area with the very smell of spring. Secondly a new pair of spring pumps with a small blue flower print and a darling bow above the open toe. Of course, I can't wear them out of the house yet but they are soooo cute! And, last but not least, a strawberry dessert that makes everyone who eats it want to hug a bunny.

As usual the recipe came from my Mother and, as usual, I've made some minor alterations to the presentation. The recipe is called Strawberry 1, 2, 3 Pie and it couldn't be simpler. When I've made this in the past I've always just made a single baked pie shell. It has just been revealed to me that the original recipe made the pie shell creation even easier. You mix it directly in the pie pan!

Strawberry 1,2,3 Pie Crust

8 inch pie plate
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 T cold milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into pie plate. Mix wet ingredients in small bowl and then pour into flour mixture. Mix with hands until combined and then press firmly into pie plate. Create sides and rim for fluting. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

I haven't tried the pie crust yet but my Mum used it on Easter Sunday and said it worked perfectly. I wanted to try something a little different this time around. I rolled out and then cut 9 squares out of a single puff pastry sheet. I sprayed a muffin pan with Pam and then placed the squares of puff pastry in the muffin holes. I left the trim overlapping. Poke the pastry many times with fork and then place in 425 degree oven for 7 minutes. When 7 minutes have passed pull them out of oven and poke once again with fork to bring down puffiness especially on the insides of the shell. Place back in oven for another 7 minutes or until shells are golden brown. They should fall right out of the muffin tin. (You can always buy the puff pastry shells instead!)

Strawberry 1,2,3 Pie

1/2 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored Knox gelatin
1/2 cup water
10 oz package frozen sliced strawberries
1 T lemon juice
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 Cup whipped cream

In saucepan mix sugar and gelatin. Stir in water slowly. Cook over low heat until sugar and gelatin dissolve and the liquid is just below boiling point. Remove from heat and add frozen strawberries, almond extract, and lemon juice. Stir until strawberries have melted and mixture has thickened. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour mixture into baked pie shell and chill for 3 to 5 hours.

If using puff pastry leave mixture in original container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 hours until set. Scoop servings into puff pastry shells, top with fresh strawberry, and serve. Do not put strawberry cream mixture into shells until serving or they will get soggy. Enjoy!

Making Leftovers that Taste New

2009-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I told you about the leftover Cornish game hen meat from Sunday dinner and how I planned to turn it into spring rolls. Well, mission accomplished, and they were terrific! We had them for dinner with some Asian vegetable broth. Simple, not heavy, and not something you get at home very often.

In these hard times leftovers are a more important part of a families overall weekly meal plan. In Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver a Sunday chicken always resulted in another meal during the week. Before this recession kicked in I wasn't very big on leftovers and since my husband enjoyed taking them to work for lunch it wasn't difficult getting rid of them. But now I have a different perspective and more time to think about it.

It isn't always necessary to get fancy with your meal as long as it looks fresh and delicious. Our Saint Patricks Day Corned beef was extended for two later meals. The first was a simple Corned
beef sandwich on rye with mustard, served with a crispy coleslaw, and dill pickles. The second was a Corned Beef Hash that I created using leftover cubed beef, a large mostly baked potato chopped into squares, chopped onion, and green pepper. To get the potatoes real brown and crispy I placed my cast iron skillet right on top of the hash in the pan. The whole thing was served with a poached egg on top. It was brilliant.

The recipe for the spring rolls is so simple I made it up. The frying is my biggest concern but I used as little as possible of lightly flavored olive oil in my cast iron pan. I also wouldn't hesitate to try an oven method with spring rolls. Once they've been wrapped up just spray them with a little cooking spray and bake until golden and crispy looking. You'd be surprised by how tasty and authentic you can make these at home.

SPRING ROLLS MADE WITH LEFOTVER CHICKEN

12 Spring roll wrappers (I use Bahn Trang Spring Roll Skins from PCC Market)
1 cup leftover chicken chopped into little pieces
1/2 cup of sliced cabbage (like for coleslaw)
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 green onions chopped
1 T dried lemongrass
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Oil for Cooking (I use about a 1/4 inch in bottom of 9 inch skillet).

Mix together everything in a small bowl except wrappers and oil. Taste to make sure it is seasoned appropriately. Take 2 spring roll wrappers, soak in water to create flexibility, place on flat surface, put about a 1/2 cup of mixture on wrapper, and then roll. Be sure to tuck in the ends at the start of the roll to make it nice and neat. Repeat until mixture is used up. (The wrappers freeze very well).

Heat oil in skillet to medium hot. Place no more than 3 rolls at a time in oil and cook until golden and crispy. Place on napkin to remove oil. Heat up oil again and add remaining rolls.

Serve with Sweet Thai Chile Sauce. Makes about 6 spring rolls.

A Twist on an Old Favorite

2009-03-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

You can usually tell when my husband is out of town because all I eat is peanut butter sandwiches and that doesn't make for a very interesting blog. Fortunately he is back and I did some fun things for Sunday dinner last night. Basic dishes made with a bit of a twist.

I had defrosted two Cornish game hens and with the leftover brown rice in the refrigerator the meal was basically covered. Stuff the rice inside the birds and roast for an hour at 425 degrees. It couldn't be simpler or more boring. I picked up one of Mario Batalli's cookbooks and he imparted the brilliant suggestion of brining small poultry. I have been brining my turkeys for Thanksgiving for the last 7 or 8 years and it has made all the difference in the moistness of the meat so I felt perfectly comfortable doing it my hens.

Using a big soup pot filled with cold water I added a cup of Kosher salt, 4 crushed garlic cloves and 4 circles of fresh ginger slightly smashed, a 1/2 cup sugar, a couple of teaspoons of pepper, and two Cornish game hens. After covering with a lid I put them in the refrigerator to float around for 6 hours. When they were done swimming in brine I pulled them out, dried them with paper towels, stuffed them with brown rice, basted them with olive oil, and placed them in a 425 degree oven for an hour. In the last 10 minutes of cook time I basted them with some Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and then basted them one last time as I removed them from the oven.

They were a huge success. The meat was moist, salty but not too salty, and delicious. You could taste the garlic and ginger flavors in the meat as well. It was a real treat. My husband ate his entire hen but I only managed half. Tonight I'm going to be using the remaining hen, some cabbage, onion, and lemongrass to make Spring Rolls for dinner. More on that later.

Now for dessert. Being a child of the sixties I was around when Pineapple Upside Down Cake was all the rage in desserts. It has gone out of style since then but it still remains one of my favorite yummies. One of the things I love about this dessert is that it is rustic yet sophisticated. I adore using my few pieces of cast iron cookware and this recipe is perfect for it because it goes from stove top to oven and that is something cast iron does very well.

The only fresh fruit I had available to me yesterday though was apples. I'm good with that because I like to eat as seasonally as I can and apples are something that are available all the time. Also because I live in Washington State they didn't have to travel very far! The recipe I found for Apple Upside Down Cake is delicious but if you use cast iron like I did then you need to increase you oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Apple Upside Down Cake

4 or 5 tart cooking apples
lemon juice
2 T butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Confectioners Sugar

Peel apples and remove cores. Slice apples very thinly; sprinkle lightly with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Place butter in 9 inch round shallow baking dish or medium cast iron skillet. Melt butter in 325 degree oven if cooking in a baking dish or on the stove top if using a skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter. Overlap apple slices in dish; work from the center to the outside until bottom is covered with apples. (I had many more apple slices then needed for a single layer so I just layered them on until they were all used up....it was fine!)

Place egg in medium size mixing bowl; beat well with electric mixer. Add sugar gradually and beat until mixed. Mix cream and vanilla together. Sift flour and baking power together. Add cream and vanilla and flour and baking powder alternatively into the egg mixture until all mixed in. Finishing with the flour for some reason makes a better cake. Pour batter over apples in pan and place in oven.

Cook for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean. Let cool ten minutes and then turn out onto cake plate. The top of your cake should be caramelized apples. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar for presentation. This cake can be served warm or cold.

Arrowleaf Bistro, Winthrop, Washington

2009-03-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Dining out in the Methow Valley has been an up and down battle. My favorite restaurant closed after a couple of years and since then it has been hit and miss. But if we want to do something kind of fancy without hitting the wallet too hard we go to the Arrowleaf Bistro in Winthrop.

Last weekend was Winthrop's Balloon Roundup. It ends on Saturday night in downtown Winthrop when they close off main street and light up a hot air balloon. It is really cool to see one up close and in the dark. After we watched them bring down and deflate the giant balloon we wandered down the street to Arrowleaf.

We were seated immediately at a window table in front of the restaurant. They started by serving a lovely white bread from the Rocking Horse Bakery with a sweet, herb butter. We ordered their Corn and Wild Rice Fritters with Cherry Mole to start. They were a bit dry but I enjoyed them with the sauce. (I'm still looking for the perfect Corn Fritter!)

For my entree I enjoyed their locally raised beef steak with a roasted shallot vinaigrette and served with hand cut frites. Very tasty. The beef is not completely organic but it has been grass fed and then finished with corn. The steak and frites are always a winner at Arrowleaf. My partner ordered the Vegetable Pot Pie and when it appeared out of the kitchen it looked impressive enough to get the notice of another patron. However, it was less impressive to the palate. A simple vegetable stew in a creamy sauce, poured into a large pottery serving bowl, covered with a large piece of puff pastry, brushed with egg for a golden finish, and then baked until done. Nice to look at but only average in flavor.

I haven't tried anything on their dessert menu yet but I did notice that they were offering a Creme Brulee, a Stout Cake with toffee crumbs and chocolate fudge, and a local Pear Strudel. Everything sounds pretty good to me but I'd probably go with the Pear Strudel. They grow wonderful pears in the Methow Valley.

If you'd like to try a glass of wine with dinner the Edna Valley Syrah was fantastic!

So when in Winthrop please give the Arrowleaf Bistro a try.

Recipe from the 70's is Worth Re-Visiting

2009-03-06T13:26:00.000-08:00

If we are fortunate we grow up with a Mother or a Father who appreciates treating you well on your birthday. As in, "you can have whatever you want for dinner." Parents might be a bit more challenged in that area these days because thanks to television children are exposed to many, many things, including Lobster and Filet Mignon.

It's not as if we didn't have a television but in those days it wasn't such a central part of life that it is now. I believe we were allowed a single hour of TV viewing a day. And, of course, TV itself was different in the 1960's and early 70's. There wasn't nearly as much programming. So not much chance of we children broadening our horizons too much. I believe they served big, bright colored squares of replicated food on Star Trek.

No, my Mother could safely expect us to choose our favorite meal from her catalog of well-tried recipes. I ran the gamut of choices. There was one year I was having a Bisquick pancake obsession and that is what we had for my birthday dinner. I had a long love affair with my Mother's spaghetti (you aren't noticing an affection for carbs are you?), and it was my choice for birthday dinner on many occasion.

But in my teen years I settled on a single favorite that I requested every year and that was my Mother's lasagna. It was saucy, delicious and it smelled wonderful cooking in the oven. Over the years I've made lasagna many times but never with my Mother's recipe. I used a McCall's recipe that was detailed and full of original Italian herbs. I actually haven't made lasagna in a long time for a couple of reasons; 1. It takes forever to make from scratch and 2. It makes a lot of pretty fattening food. But as I was talking to my Mom the other day she mentioned that she made her lasagna for visiting family and it was a big hit. I then did what I should have done 25 years ago and asked her to send me the recipe. I made it last night and it was as good as I remembered it. The ingredients are simple but they match wonderfully well together.

MY MOTHER'S SAUCY LASAGNA

1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. leaf oregano, 1 tsp. parsley flakes, 1/4 tsp pepper.
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce w/cheese (they no longer make this, just add a healthy sprinkle of Parmesan).
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 5 3/4 oz can mushroom steak sauce
1 2 1/2 jar sliced mushrooms
1 small package of lasagna - cooked and drained
1 pint of cottage cheese
1 egg beaten
1 Tbs. milk
2 4 oz. packages shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown meat, onion and garlic in large skillet; mix in seasonings. Add tomato sauce, paste, mushroom steak sauce and sliced mushrooms; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool. Cook lasagna noodles according to pckg. instructions, drain. Mix cottage cheese, egg and milk. Layer row of noodles, cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella, then repeat with second layer in 12 x 8 baking pan. (I actually managed 3 full layers and a last layer of noodles, sauce with the remaining mozzarella and some freshly grated Parmesan). Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

You can play with this recipe with fresh herbs and mushrooms. You can also use no boil noodles but I don't like the results as well. The key ingredient might be the mushroom steak sauce so don't leave that out. You can get it at your grocers. It's Dawn Fresh by Giorgio. I added just a little sugar and balsamic vinegar to the completed lasagna sauce just to taste at the end.

Stories of Bouillabaise

2009-03-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

In 1973 my family took the biggest vacation that we had ever had. We were pretty middle class and in those days flying was still considered to be a luxury and was priced accordingly so we hit the road to California in a long 4 door sedan. Driving from Seattle with my sister and I in the enormous backseat, my father carrying with him tickets for Disneyland, one of our first stops was in San Francisco.

Somehow my Dad had specifically been told that we had to eat at the elderly but renowned Aliotos restaurant on the San Francisco waterfront. Open since 1925 you can still find the place alive and well where it has always been. For our family this was a very big treat and it was also the first time I've was introduced to bouillabaise.

Now since I was only 11 years old at the time my memory might be a bit hazy. Reading up on Aliotos today there is no bouillabaise on the menu but apparently cioppino is a long lived specialty of the restaurant. I might have to conclude that it was cioppino that I ate but since the two soups are so similar I can live with that. I remember seeing squid for the first time in someplace other than an aquarium and the rubbery feeling it had in my mouth. Most children would shy away from that, and I could be a very picky eater, but the experience of eating at the fancy restaurant with the gracious waiters and cloth napkins made everything taste delicious.

My other bouillabaise story occurred in the Canadian Rockies if you can believe it. When my husband and I were pretty newly married, and very young, I worked as a travel agent. My husband was a big skier and we were always looking for new travel adventures to have with my travel agent discount. I wrote to VIA rail and requested a discount on travel between Vancouver and Banff and they were kind enough to offer me half off. Since it was an overnight trip we reserved a cabin for 2 on the train.

We are so grateful for that experience now because you can no longer do it without selling some of your assets. The train still runs but it is a tourist train and is priced like the Queen Mary. Our double cabin consisted of 2 leather benches facing each other with an enormous picture window. While we were being served our lovely dinner in the dining car the porter turned our benches into wide beds, one top and one bottom, with heavy curtains that snapped shut to give you privacy. It felt like being in a Western movie! The experience of waking up to stare at the incredible view of the Rockies out my window as we click clocked along is probably not something I'll have again.

Now for the bouillabaise. Whenever my husband and I have a hankering for staying at a castle we find an old Canadian Pacific Hotel to stay in. The Empress in Victoria with it's super fantastic Bengal Room and the Chateau Lake Louise with it's spectacular view of the lake. But our favorite is the Banff Springs Hotel. On this trip as we toured it's giant halls our noses tripped over something delicious. We followed our noses to a small wine bar on the premises that normally did not serve much in the way of food. Apparently on the day we were there they had received a fresh load of seafood and so they were in the process of cooking a large batch of bouillabaise. Unfortunately for us it wasn't ready yet so we were never able to taste their concoction but I will never forget it's wonderful aroma.

So for me bouillabaise has always meant fancy and special. It also meant that I never considered making it myself. Something on the order of garlicky escargot - you only get it at a restaurant where they know what they're doing. But I ran into a recipe a year or so ago and I thought of a way that it might be done at home easily and inexpensively. I do the exact recipe except I cut it in half and the only seafood I add is Trader Joe's seafood mix ($5.99). It is frozen and includes shrimp, bay scallops, and calamari rings. I then purchase about 6 clams and 6 mussels from the fishmonger ($2.50) and throw them all in to finish the soup. It couldn't be simpler or tastier. Here is the recipe as I originally found it.

BOUILLABAISE - FRENCH SEAFOOD STEW RECIPE

1 LB Fin Fish (red snapper, flounder,trout)
1/2 to 1 LB Shrimp, lobster, scallops, crab meat, any or all
18 small Clams, mussels, or lobster claws, any or all
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lg onion finely chopped
2 shallots minced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
28 oz can tomatoes (coarsely chopped) with liquid
2 Cups fish stock, claim juice, or chicken stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each thyme, basil, saffron
Pepper to taste
Fresh topped parsley for garnish

Cut boneless pieces of fish into bite size pieces. Remove shells from shrimp, lobster, crab. Scrub clams and mussels. Saute onion, garlic and shallots in oil on low heat until lightly golden. In a large pot, put in all liquids and seasonings except parsely. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add all seafood, mix and simmer 10 minutes. Serve hot in large bowls with crusty bread and a tossed salad.

Soup for Dinner

2009-03-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

I can think of few things that stretch a budget longer than a big pot of soup. In the days when cooking was done with food from your own garden and barn it was even more important. In the old large fireplaces a cooking pot hanging over the fire might remain there the entire week while the cook of the house continually replenished it with additional ingredients as they became available. I imagine that they obtained some deep flavor profiles with that method!

I have a copy of the original "Housekeeping in Old Virginia" written in 1877 by Marion Cabell Tyree. It is frightening in many ways because it constantly refers to how to get your servants to do the things that she describes in the book. We know, of course, that these servants are really slaves and it isn't pleasant to think about. There is also the inherent sexism of the time. A message of how to best be a good house wife so your husband will be happy with you. But then again you can find that message stated just as clearly in "Good Housekeeping" magazine as late as the 60's and 70's, long after slavery had been abolished. But if you can overlook that stuff the book really gives you a window into the kitchens of the past and soup was a big part of it.

There are recipes for every type of soup you can imagine in this ancient cookbook and some that you can't - i.e. Brown Calf's Head Soup. There is oyster soup and economical oyster soup, vegetable soup, okra soup, chicken soup, pea soup, four recipes for turtle soup, and six recipes for calf's head including the brown one already mentioned. You are covered on your calf's head recipes. Fortunately we have other options now and it is still a great value to make a big pot of soup. The first recipe that I'm going to give you lasted us over a week. The good thing about this soup is that it actually improves with time! I found this recipe in Bon Appetite and it was copied from a restaurant in Cape Cod called Siena.

BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CHORIZO AND CHICKEN

2 T Olive oil
1 LB fresh chorizo sausage
2 cups chopped and peeled carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
2 bay leaves
6 garlic cloves
2 T chopped fresh thyme
5 cups of low-salt chicken broth
3 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained, rinsed
1 LB skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and next 4 ingredients. Saute until sausage is cooked through, breaking up sausage with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; saute 2 minutes. Add 5 cups broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes. Add beans and chicken; simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes, adding more broth if desired. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
(If you want to make this a day ahead it will only taste better. The chorizo adds the spice in this soup.)

Recipes worth Checking out from Bon Appetite and Gourmet March Issues

2009-02-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

My association with Conde Naste magazines has left me with a number of treasured subscriptions. Two of them are Bon Appetite and Gourmet magazines. My mother in-law introduced me to Bon Appetite many years ago and I've been a fan ever since. Between the two of them I prefer Bon Appetite while my sister prefers Gourmet.

Clearly they have the same publisher and their formats are quite similar but they stress different things. Gourmet really loves to travel and explore flavors that are sometimes a bit too far fetched for my taste buds while Bon Appetite offers perhaps more familiar flavors and experiences. But they are both great and I always find things in them that I want to try. Whether I ever get around to actually doing so is another story all together.

So for those of you that aren't fortunate enough to get these magazines delivered to your door once a month I will provide a list of some of their more interesting looking recipes. The March issue of Bon Appetite came with comfort food on the cover. Always a good strategy. It is a Lamb and Eggplant Shepherds pie. I'm not a big eggplant fan though.

One of my favorite sections in the magazine is the part where readers write to BA about a meal they had at a restaurant and then BA tries to get the recipe and then prints it for them. This week a recipe from Tracht's in Long Beach, CA. caught my eye - Short Rib Sandwiches with Creamy Horseradish Sauce. BA makes a point of saying that the Sherry Braised Short Ribs are fantastic on their own and I'm definitely willing to test that.

Also since I'm always looking for delicious vegetarian recipes these two recipes caught my eye - Baked Brie with Mushrooms and Thyme and Mashed-Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda and Bacon(take out the bacon for veggie). I think either of these appetizer and side dish could work as a main course for two people. We have a tiny place in the Methow Valley and I'm thinking I'll try the Baked Brie recipe when the morels are here. There is also a dessert in BA's March issue that I believe I'll be re-visiting in the fall - Caramel - Apple Crisp.

Gourmet's March issue cover displays a fantastic looking - Monte Cubano! I'm currently on a kind of Cuban sandwich kick so they grabbed me with this one. They make it easy by using sliced deli meets and then an easy egg dip. The sandwiches are then pan friend until golden brown and melty. Okay, that sounds good! Doesn't look particularly low-cal though so it will have to be a special occasion sandwich.

Gourmet also spent some time with the perfect roasting of a chicken. I took an interest in this because just two weeks ago my incredibly talented sister prepared for us the best roast chicken any of us had ever had. Her technique and Gourmet's are basically identical. Cook at high heat for about an hour and baste. I've got an organic, whole chicken in the freezer that I'm trying to keep my hands off of until Sunday where I'll give this technique a try.

The other recipe that I can't wait to try is one of their easiest and simplest - Panfried Smashed Potatoes. I'm always looking for a new way to present a potato and this one looks terrific. Using red potatoes cooked until tender they are placed on a baking sheet and lightly crushed with a potato masher. Leaving the potatoes relatively in one piece they are then cooked in a skillet of hot oil until they're golden brown. They're served with a sprinkle of Parmigiano - Reggiano and lots of pepper. What a great way to serve up a simple side dish.

Any of these recipes can be found at their website at epicurious.com. I suggest you check it out or go to your nearest magazine stand and buy a copy. After all the pictures are half the fun and you'll be doing our economy a favor.

Special Breakfasts for Cold Mornings

2009-02-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

I was recently watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives where they mentioned but did not prepare a breakfast of Bananas Foster French Toast. I've always had a fondness for Bananas Foster, the dessert, so this sounded pretty good to me. I didn't look up a recipe but just whipped up something that fit the description last weekend and it turned out deliciously.

Now I will offer a caveat on this recipe and that is that I rarely use bananas in anything anymore. If you've read anything about the banana industry you will feel the same - unless, of course, you have no conscience. Slave wages and terrible working conditions are just a part of the problem. The amount of fuel engaged in bringing these modern bananas from Central America to a grocery store near you is astronomical. There is also the fact that we've created a sterile banana (the Cavendish), and halted it's evolutionary growth allowing it to become less and less resistant to disease. Already it is being attacked by a soil fungus that makes the banana the most pesticide sprayed fruit on the market. Women working in the packing houses in Central American have double the average rate of leukemia and birth defects, while the men in fields suffer from sterility because of the pesticide. These problems may correct themselves if the modern banana goes extinct which is a very real possibility.

Okay, so now we can talk about this recipe. I found small, green, organic, and Mexican bananas at Trader Joes thus allowing myself to feel better about the whole banana thing. I tried to keep the calories down by reducing the amount of butter, etc. The recipe is for a breakfast for two.

BANANAS FOSTER FRENCH TOAST

6 slices stale french bread or very crusty firm bread
1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 T butter, plus a T for cooking french toast
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup real maple syrup
2 tsps lemon juice (or to taste)
2 T rum (if desired)

Preheat oven to 250. Mix egg, milk, and nutmeg in pie plate. Place bread slices in mixture until thoroughly soaked. Cook bread in butter in frying pan until golden brown on both sides. Place french toast in oven to stay warm.

Add 2 T butter to same frying pan until melted, add brown sugar, bananas, maple syrup, lemon juice, and rum. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened and bananas are soft. Pull french toast out of oven. Place 3 slices on plate and then pour 1/2 of banana mixture over toast. Repeat for 2nd plate. Enjoy!

Clementine Paddleford a Pioneer of Food Writing

2009-02-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading "Hometown Appetites: The Story of Clementine Paddleford, the Forgotten Food Writer Who Chronicled How America Ate" by Kelly Alexander and Cynthia Harris. The story started as an article for Saveur magazine with the same title and won a James Beard award for journalism. This along with the encouragement of friends and colleagues are what motivated Alexander and Harris to turn the article into a book.

Alexander had been a food writer for many years and was a highly placed Editor at Saveur. Harris on the other hand was a Kansas State archivist who had spent many thankless months going through Clementine Paddleford's extensive papers that had been rotting at the Dept. of Special Collections at Kansas State University. Between the two of them they manage to bring back to life this amazing, and trailblazing food writer.

Paddleford wrote for the New York Herald as food editor from 1936 to 1966. She was best known though for her weekly column in This Week magazine which was a Sunday supplement that was distributed all over the country. Her national exposure gained her fame and allowed her to travel the country as a well-respected food writer. Clementine was a bold traveller and that included visiting a nuclear submarine where she reported on what the sailors ate on the USS Shipjack. I'd like to see Rachel Ray do that!

I enjoyed the early chapters of the book where Alexander and Harris write about her childhood with her Mother Jennie. If you are like me then you will find a lot to admire in Jennie Paddleford's world. A great anecdote in the book recalls how her father insisted on building the hog run within eye shot of their big front porch. Unable to dissuade him Jennie proceeds to dig up sod, turn soil, and plant an enormous hedge of lilacs between her porch and the hogs. She then says to Clementine; "Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be." Now those are some words to live by. In memory of Clementine and her Mother Jennie here is one of Jennie's favorite recipes.

JENNIE PADDLEFORD'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

3 cups all purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar, plus more to taste
1/2 cup plus 2 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
3 quarts fresh strawberries from the fields
1 pint whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar into a large bowl. Combine with the 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with lumps the size of small peas. Transfer dough to bowl. Make a well and add to it the egg and milk. Word dough very gently with fingertips or pastry spatula; knead until it just holds together, about 10 seconds. Dots of butter should be visible; do not overwork dough. Generously flour work surface, then roll dough out to form two circles that are 1/2 inch thick and 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Wrap the disks tightly and chill.

Set aside 16 of the best looking berries. Hull the rest, then halve and place in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar or more, depending on the sweetness and ripeness of the fruit. Let strawberries macerate for at least 15 minutes but no more than 45 minutes.

Remove dough disks from refrigerator. On 2 ungreased sheet pans, bake dough rounds 12 to 15 minutes, until golden on the outside and just cooked through in the center. Remove from oven and cool 10 to 15 minutes.

Slather the remaining 2 T of butter evenly on each disk. Transfer large disk to a plate that will accommodate it and the juicy berries running off it. Pile macerated berries on top and then cover with the other disk. Garnish with reserved whole berries and serve with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Thai Yellow Curry Sauce from Trader Joes

2009-02-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

My husband and I don't have a lot of options when it comes to dining out near our cabin in Twisp, WA. In the past few years the place to be has been the Twisp River Pub. They always have live entertainment on the weekends and they are very involved in the community. Their food, on the other hand, has always been average at best.

The past couple of times we have eaten there my better half has ordered the vegetable curry. He thinks it's the tastiest item on their menu. I can't agree with him about that because it is full of zucchini and I can't stand that particular squash. But as I was perusing the shelves at my Issaquah Trader Joes the other day I spotted their Thai Yellow Curry Sauce and grabbed a bottle.

I cooked it for dinner last night and I can report that it is delicious. I used what I had available in my pantry and refrigerator and the resulting curry couldn't have been tastier. I used some pretty interesting food in my curry. I love raisins in curry but all I had was dried cranberries. I chucked them in their anyway. They worked perfectly. I'll put my recipe down but feel free to improvise with your own ingredients.

Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken

4 skinned and boned chicken thighs cut into bite appropriate chunks
1 T Cumin
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
2 T Olive Oil
1 Bottle Trader Joes Thai Yellow Curry Sauce
1/4 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
1 Medium Tomato cut into chunks
1 Cup Frozen Petite Peas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Mix first four ingredients until chicken is covered with spices. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium to high heat. Add chicken in batches for a quick sear that adds good color but leaves them tender. When chicken is done reduce heat to medium low and add entire bottle of sauce to chicken along with the raisins. Cook until chicken is heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes, and then add tomato and peas and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until done. Serve curry over jasmine rice and adorn with cilantro leaves. Serve to appreciative audience.

Tasty Salmon Recipe

2009-01-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

Last week I had my hubby swing by Pike Place Market on his way home from work. I wanted him to pick up a Wild Alaska King Salmon. I had him do this last spring and we had the most beautiful tasting fish for three weeks. (I always cut up my filleted salmon into two person serving packets and then freeze.) Since that time I’ve sent him back twice more, including last week, and we’ve been disappointed in the fish. The salmon he purchased last week was a beautiful color and size but it smelled way too fishy. So the third time was not a charm and two bad fishes in a row means that I’ll be doing some local blogging to find the best place to buy salmon around here. I think Pike is just too touristy and pricey.

I’ve purchased salmon twice from Fred Meyers because they make it look so beautiful and fresh in the display. I always buy wild salmon and Freds claim it’s wild but I don’t believe it. The flavor is not there at all. I’m not sure what they do to doctor their fish but after what they were doing to their beef I wouldn’t put anything past them. So no fish from Freds!

Since I could hardly blame my husband for not wanting to take the smelly fish back with him to work and the Market the next day, I cut up and froze the fish anyway. We ate some that first night and it still tasted real good so it’s not like the end of the world. Sometimes you have to work with what you have.

So yesterday I got out a couple of salmon fillets to defrost and started looking for a good recipe. A couple of years ago I purchased a book from a local author named Diane Morgan titled simply “Salmon.” I’ve tried a couple of recipes in the book already and at least two of them have become family favorites. But I wanted to try a new one last night and “Austin’s Soy-Lacquered Salmon with Green Onions” caught my greedy eye. It had a number of excellent qualities the first of which is that it sounds really damn good. It also had minimal ingredients, and it called for green onions that I currently have a plethora of.

Of course, I couldn’t just leave an excellent recipe alone; I had to mess with it. The recipe, which originates from China, calls for the salmon to be poached first in water and then in the soy sauce mixture until done. Since I’m not as familiar with poaching as I should be I was concerned that I would cook it too long and I hate overcooked salmon. So I made a few changes, (in preparation but not in ingredients), and the result was delicious. My husband gave a little ooh and aaah after his first bite and that is always a good sign.

Jenifer’s Soy-Lacquered Salmon with Green Onions

½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup sugar
6 green onion, including green tops
10 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)

Mix soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in bowl large enough to marinate your salmon fillets. Cut 6 green onions in to 1-inch lengths and add 5 of them to soy sauce. Julienne fresh ginger and also add to soy mixture. Place the four fillets skin up in marinade for at least 1 hour. Refrigerate.

Spray outdoor grill well with non-stick cooking spray. Place marinated salmon flesh down on grill for 5 minutes, turn salmon to skin side and cook for 3 more minutes. (I have Teflon grill skillet that I used and it worked great sprayed with the cooking spray.) While salmon is cooking quickly put marinade in pan and cook until reduced and slightly thickened. If sauce doesn’t thicken in time for the fish go ahead and stir in some cornstarch and water – it gives the sauce a nice gloss.

Serve salmon over brown rice with sauce. Sprinkle plate with left over green onions. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Spaghetti

2009-01-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Last night was one of my veggie nights. So far my resolution to eat less meat has gone amazingly well. I haven't even begun to feel deprived of anything. In fact, I feel better about myself each time I do it. Double bonus.

Veggie Spaghetti is nothing new and I made a typical sauce with garlic, onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and Italian stewed tomatoes. Threw in some oregano and basil. I also add red wine and balsamic vinegar which gives it a rich color and some extra flavor character. And a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Last nights spaghetti dish was taken to another level by a trick I learned watching Rachel Ray. After cooking her pasta she tossed it into a frying pan with garlic, olive oil and butter. Give it a good quick fry while tossing it in the oil and butter. Sprinkle with some more red pepper flakes or whatever flavoring you'd like and serve with sauce. It really adds an great dimension to the flavor of the whole dish. It works particularly well with whole wheat pasta which can really stand up to the process.

Eating Smarter

2009-01-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

If you follow my book blog at Seattlerainydaybookblog.blogspot.com you will know that I'm currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - A Year in the Life of Food" by Barbara Kingsolver. It is fascinating and depressing all at the same time. The facts introduced in the book regarding where our food comes from and what it costs us environmentally is stunningly grim. But what I've learned about asparagus is more than I ever could have believed. I mean "who knew?!"

The book is about eating only local foods along with vegetables and fruit out of their garden for a full year. Easier said than done as it turns out. Some products are nearly impossible to attain anymore without having access to specialized equipment. Flour and oats for instance. The family also gave themselves an item that each felt that they could not do without - coffee for her husband, dried fruit for her oldest daughter and baking spices for her. (I'm not sure I could make an apple pie without cinnamon either!)

The book was written in 2007 and as I head into the third chapter it has already occurred to me that this countries finances were a lot different then than they are now. Of course, although it was known by only the Alan Greenspans of the world and they kept it a secret, the economy was already on it's way to collapse. My point is that organic foods are almost always more expensive.

Even as Ms. Kingsolver talks about the American people becoming more conscious of their food choices I know that this trend is already beginning to reverse. It is not because we no longer care but because we can no longer afford it. One of the more annoying car commercials on the planet is the one where they ask the rhetorical question "Do you have to be rich to be safe?" Well, hell yes you do, at least in the good old US of A! You have to be rich to eat fish, to eat organic food, to have your own doctor, and to have at least 2 - four wheel drive vehicles that allows you to not see the ancient small Subaru you've just run over -(sorry, I digress).

Poor people have to eat Top Ramen and Kraft Mac and Cheese. They have to eat the most highly processed foods because these are the foods we produce cheaply in bulk. These are the corporate food producers that taxpayers help subsidize and who grow endless acres of corn and soybeans in order to create high fructose corn syrup and added fats. I guess organic farmers who raise animals on the food they were born to eat, like grass, and who grow vegetables in season, don't have any lobbyists.

One positive thing about reading this right now is that it fits in where me and my husband would like to go with our diet. We may not have made it to the promised land yet but we're going to have a heck of a time trying to get there. I was happy to see in the first of Camille Kingsolver's contributions she includes in her weekly menu a Sunday dinner of Organic Roast Chicken that is exactly what we had for our dinner last Sunday. Her weekly menu includes the leftovers served on Tuesday - chicken soup. Tonight I'll be using our leftovers for chicken and dumplings. I'll report on how it went tomorrow. Until then, eat well and eat smart.

Stormy Nights

2009-01-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

Last night around Seattle many of us, including my husband and I, spent the evening watching the local news to find out which of our community neighbors were being flooded out. It has been one hell of a winter so far. Talk about non-stop excitement since Friday, December 20 when we received our first heavy snow. The last of that just melted yesterday in a deluge of rain on our mountaintop to the great misfortune of our lower land neighbors.

We in Western Washington are used to rain but the unlimited snowfall we experienced in the latter part of December was completely out of our realm of experience. Even as the rains began this week the community was still grilling our local and state officials on their handling of the snow. The officials are between a rock and a hard place however. Do you budget huge sums of money (that nobody but the filthy rich have anymore) for a big snow event that normally never happens? That is when the same community will point fingers at wasteful spending. Catch 22 really.

I'm glad the snow is gone. Now that I work from home I don't get the advantage of a snow day anyway. I was also feeding the poor little birds 2 to 3 times a day. When the snow falls they really encounter some hardships in getting food. Considering the cost of birdseed these days you can see why I'm happy to see the snow melt.

Last night was a vegan evening but it also required a comforting quality to offset the howling winds and drumming rain outside our windows. Last time I stocked up at Trader Joes I picked up a couple of their whole wheat pizza crusts, some fresh mozzarella and basil. The pizza crusts freeze very well so you can keep them for a while. So while the tempest whipped the forest outside Tim and I enjoyed a deliciously simple pizza in front of the fire. Not a bad way to spend the evening.

Cheese Pizza

1 Trader Joes whole wheat pizza crust
1 ball of fresh mozzarella
6 Large Basil leaves shredded by hand
1 small can Tomato Sauce or Pizza Sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out room temperature pizza dough to size and shape of your pizza pan and place on cooking sprayed pan.

Swirl tomato sauce or pizza sauce to the amount you enjoy over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with shredded fresh basil leaves. Cut fresh mozzarella into slices and place strategically over sauce and basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Bake on lower rack of oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Truly Homemade Tuna Casserole in Two Pans

2009-01-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

It seems like these days I want to be frugal in everything I do. From shopping, to energy, to waste management, to cooking, I look for ways to save. Even if it does nothing more than save my husband some extra dishes to put in the dishwasher I go ahead and do it. In these hard times it appears that is has become a part of my DNA.

A few years ago I ran into a recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole in Bon Appetite. Interestingly enough it had been adapted by food editor Kemp Miles Minifie from her mother's recipe. Her mother, Betty Blood Miles, used cream of mushroom soup in the 1950's as everyone else did to make her 4 kids a tasty dish they all loved within their budget. But Kemp figured out how to make it minus the processed food products.

The first time I made it I was confronted with the recipes multiple steps and time consuming production. I was also met with one of the most delicious tuna casserole's that has ever crossed my rosy lips. It was good enough that I've made it a couple of times since but the amount of work required kept it from being a regular on our table. Now that I'm jobless in Seattle I have the time and with a severely reduced income tuna has become a popular option again.

I adapted the tuna noodle casserole again on Monday night in order to cut the recipe in half, reduce the caloric content, and limit the number of pans and steps required. The result was delicious and impossible to tell apart from Kemp's first adaptation. I recommend that you use line caught white albacore canned tuna for your recipe because it is more sustainable than other tuna.

Tuna Noodle Casserole (adapted recipe from Kemp Miles Minifie and Jenifer Reinhardt)

1/2 medium onion chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 T butter
1 tsp soy sauce
1/8 cup sherry
1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 can tuna, drained
3 oz dried curly egg noodles (I used the pasta I had in my cupboard - leftover penne)
3/4 cup coarse whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 a cup of coarsely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook onion in a Tablespoon of butter in medium cast iron skillet until softened. Add mushrooms and saute until heated through. Add soy sauce and sherry and cook to mostly evaporated. Remove from heat. In another large pot cook your pasta. When pasta is done drain and add to cast iron with mushrooms and onion.

Melt remaining butter in pasta pan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. When cooked add broth in a stream while continuously whisking and bring to a boil. Whisk in milk and continue simmering until white sauce is of a creamy consistency. Flake tuna into cast iron skillet and then pour sauce over whole mixture and stir together.

In small bowl toss together bread crumbs and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and toss again. Sprinkle evenly over casserole and then place in oven. Bake for 20 t0 30 minutes until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling. Yummmm!

Stretching the Benefits

2009-01-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is the time for New Years resolutions. I've never been very into the whole ritual since I am somewhat of a cynical character. Since I never actually witnessed anybody accomplish their goals in this manner, I always felt that it put a lot of undue pressure on the start of a new year. But about six years ago I became an exception to my own rule by quitting smoking at the start of the year.

This was not a "fun" experience. I was a true addict of the cigarette not one of those mamby pamby smokers who have 1 or 2 a day. I used the patch and I did a lot of puzzles and other work with my hands and after a few weeks I became patch and smoke free. So I'm hear to tell you that resolutions can work if you really want it bad enough.

So that brings us to this year. I need to lose weight. I've needed to lose weight for years and all I've ever managed is a few pounds up and a few pounds down but never anything dramatic. I seem to be on some kind of horrible maintenance program which would be great if I was starting at an ideal weight which I clearly am not.

I also want to reduce my carbon footprint. As the country heads in a whole new direction (hopefully) I also want to change my bad habits. My family has already dropped a car from it's repertoire. Thankfully it is just the two of us so when I need the car I just drive my husband to the park and ride in the morning and pick him up at night. It's pretty much exactly like my parents did in the sixties when they only had 1 car (yes, people actually used to live with just one).

Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to eat less meat. Did you know that eating a pound of meat is the equivalent of driving 40 miles in a SUV?! And a cow's farts are notorious for dumping methane into our atmosphere. One fifth of the world's green house gas emissions are from the production of meat. The University of Chicago says that eating less meat is 50% more effective then switching your car to a hybrid in regard to cleaning up emissions. Check out this site for more information: www.goveg.com/environment-global warming.asp.

So let's add this up. The resolutions are to lose weight and reduce carbon emissions. Eating vegetarian is a proven diet that works for many people trying to lose weight. Introducing less saturated fat in the form of animal fat into my system will have great benefits for my heart and overall health. Fewer animals will have to die. By eating 1 less chicken a week I will have contributed to reducing global warming to the same extent as if I had taken 500,000 cars off the road for a year. By eating less meat I will be able to shop for more locally grown food thus reducing transportation emissions. My grocery bill will go down. This is a win, win situation folks!

Now for those of you who think that most vegetarian foods are dull and tasteless then you haven't really thought it through. Recipes online for vegetarian meals are readily available and you don't even have to go that far. Think of all the veggie recipes you already know and love like Cheese Pizza, Baked Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese and Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce. And let's not forget our fish. Shop responsibly for them and you'll do the environment a world of good. The last time I checked the farts from fish were not a contributing factor to global warming!

May I Present the Simple Potato

2008-12-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Living frugally does not mean that you have to eat Top Ramen or generic Macaroni & Something Vaguely Resembling Cheese. Fortunately for us the Indians of the Andes Mountains discovered the rugged Potato about 7000 years ago thus allowing we newly poor people a delicious alternative to cheap, processed fast food.

I think that most Americans today probably believe that the potato originated in either Ireland or Idaho. But the fact is that until the Conquistadors marched into Peru the people of the West had never heard of it. When they took the small brown spud to Spain around 1570 the humble vegetable did not exactly get a warm welcome. Europeans considered it to be food for the very poor and sometimes used them to feed prison inmates.

Finally in 1780 the potato made it to Ireland where it finally became the star of the show. The Irish could grow the durable potato in their rough soil. It provided a fully nutritious source of food for the family. And even more important for the economically challenged you could grow enough potatoes on a acre of land to feed 10 people.

Which brings us back to where we started. This wonderful jewel of a vegetable is still cheap. I bought a 10lb bag of the biggest Idaho spuds you ever saw at Costo for 7.99. Twice these last two weeks I've served them as our entree. The baked spuds make for a very satisfying meal with a side salad. The first time I topped them with some chopped up leftover ham and some cheese. The second time I pulled a recipe out of my files for Yorkshire Buck. The recipe was originally printed in the Jan. 5, 2005 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. It is similar to Welsh Rarebit and is meant to be served on toast but it tasted just fine on a potato. The stronger and darker the ale the stronger the beer flavor will be so keep that in mind when shopping for your brew.

Yorkshire Buck

1 T Butter
1 Lb sharp cheddar, grated
1 cup dark ale
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 T Dijon Mustard
2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler. Add the cheese, and as it begins to melt, add the ale slowly, stirring constantly. Beat the egg and add along with the remaining ingredients. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Keep the mixture hot.

Real Comfortable Cookies

2008-12-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

At Christmas I always stick to a couple of cookie recipes that my recipients of cookie tins appreciate and look forward to. For the last few years it has been Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies with Pistachios and Cherry Flavored Cranberries and Jam Thumbprints.

The Mexican cookie recipe came from Bon Appetite in the December 2006 issue. They are made with cake flour and so just melt in your mouth. The Jam Thumbprints recipe came from an episode of the Barefoot Contessa in 2002. They are easy, delicious and pretty to look at.

I also like to try something new each year. I was uninspired however by anything that I read or saw on television until I received my January 2009 issue of Bon Appetite. According to them Peanut Butter is one of the new "it" foods. That is fine with me. I actually try not to keep it in my house because I like it so much. So anyhoo, tucked inside the covers was a recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Shortbread Wedges.

As you can tell from the picture I was inspired to create these totally fantastic sounding bars and I have been very pleased with the result. First of all they were quite easy to make. I didn't use a spring form pan but just a regular one that I sprayed with Pam. They didn't require nearly as much cooking time as is stated in the recipe. That may have been because I used a different pan type but you might want to check your shortbread after 20 minutes or so.

The resulting bars taste like the best peanut butter cookie you ever had dipped in jam. Not a bad thing in my opinion. In the future I will spread the jam a bit thicker on the crust for a bigger burst of flavor. So far the reviews of these cookies have been great so go ahead and give them a try. Just click on the link for the recipe.

Speaking of Date Night

2008-12-16T13:33:00.001-08:00

My Mother was wonderful at making a normal day something special. She didn't do it frequently but she did it enough to leave her kids with a wealth of wonderful memories. One example of that would be her picnics in front of the fire.

Every once in a while my Mom would put together a special picnic dinner, build a fire in the fireplace and place a blanket on the floor in front of it. We would all gather around the blanket and stuff our faces. If we were really, really, really lucky she would have marshmallows and after dinner we would toast marshmallows over the fire. I mean how great is that. Here you are having a normal day and all of a sudden it's a picnic with marshmallows and everything.

I'm afraid I don't have my Mother's knack for creating special moments and memories but I've never forgotten the romance and excitement of dinner in front of the fire. This last Friday as a rare snow storm loomed upon us my husband and I decided that we'd be better of eating in for our date night. A homemade pizza in front of the fire was just the ticket.

Although I can make a pizza crust by hand I try and keep a Trader Joes pizza crust around because they are easy and tasty. At $1.99 they are also an excellent buy. Taking stock of what else I had on hand I came up with a barbecued chicken pizza idea. One of the things I keep in the freezer is a Costco 6 pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. My husband and I usually split 1 packet of thighs into 2 meals so it comes to about $3.00 per meal.

I cut up the chicken into bite size pieces, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and cooked them in some olive oil until done. Then I put together my own sauce with stuff from the refrigerator like peach butter, hot sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and garlic salt. Once the dough has been placed on the pizza pan spread it with barbecue sauce, spread cooked chicken over sauce along with chopped fresh tomatoes and fresh cilantro. Top with either skim Mozzarella or Fontina. Bake in 450 degree oven until top is golden brown...about 15 to 20 minutes.

Let me assure you that your husband will not be disappointed to join you for a tasty pizza in front of the fire. Add a bottle of wine (see Trader Joes wine selection for great bargains) or if he must a couple of mugs of beer (also see Trader Joes beer selection for same reason) and your evening will be complete. Our dinner in front of the fire, including wine and lots of leftovers, cost approximately $12.50 for two. That is something we can live with.

Seattle Soup Line Says Eat Out if You Can

2008-12-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

Friday night is our date night. For years my husband and I bucked the national trend and rarely went out for dinner together. We are still well below the national average by going out once a week but it’s been working for us. Now that our country is in a recession and I’ve been laid off we have been forced to reconsider our date night.

Eliminating it entirely is out of the question. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice time spent together just to save some money. We also want to consider the restaurants and their staff’s livelihoods. When you cut something out of your life somebody down the road may lose his or her job. So our plan is to continue to go out but to seek out deals. Lombardi’s in Issaquah has a great happy hour menu and the beauty of it is that they offer it at 8P so you don’t have to eat at the senior citizen hour.

Last week we went to one of our favorite restaurants in Issaquah, Mandarin Garden. The place has been here for more than twenty years in the hands of the same owner. Restaurant seating at Mandarin Garden is typical of a casual Chinese food place meaning nothing special but the seating in the bar is a beautiful experience. Mahogany furniture, a burning fireplace and warm colors make it a very inviting place to dine. We always order the Garlic Chicken Sticks (8) that are served hot with lemon wedges and last week we tried their highly recommended Pot stickers and found them to be equally fantastic. These 2 items and a couple of glasses of wine shouldn’t set you back more than $25.

There are ways and ways to make ends meet and still live your life. It is also good to keep in mind that you live in a community and that everything is connected. So good advice is to help out when you can and if that means eating out sometimes then so be it.

Something Special from the Seattle Soup Line

2008-12-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

I've been experimenting with a lot of different ways to save money on food lately. This is wise because prices are going up and wages are falling or, like in my case, disappearing all together. All of a sudden leftovers are in fashion again in my house.

But just because you are trying to save money doesn't mean that your food needs to be anything less than delicious and beautiful. For a super yummy, physically impressive, and still inexpensive meal try my Eggs Benedict with Oven Baked Hash Browns.

Personally I had never tried to make hollandaise sauce and it wasn't something on my list of things to try because I'd heard that it was a. fattening and b. hard to make. But as I was riffling through the old Sun Valley recipe book I referenced in my Pear Chutney blog I found "Fool Proof Hollandaise" submitted by Pat Parris. It looked easy and it turned out that it was.

This recipe has a number of components that need to come together at the same time so unless you have your own sous chef you should plan out your attack. The base for my Benedict is a small, savory waffle. I purchased this waffle maker for my husband, (a huge fan of waffles), a few years ago and instead of making one big round or square waffle it makes 3 small ones. So I made my waffles in advance using a normal recipe but omitting the sugar. Keep them warm in the oven and refrigerate your leftovers since they can be popped into the toaster for breakfast the next day.

Next I cut up my ham steak. I wanted perfect rounds so I used my metal 1 cup measuring cup like a cookie cutter and cut up my ham. I then put a nice color on them in the frying pan and then put them in the oven with the waffles. You will want to do the egg poaching and preparation of the hollaindaise sauce last.

I served my completed dish with some easy but tasty hash browns. Cube one large Idaho russet potato, spray a cookie sheet with Organic Pam, spread potatoes on pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in 425 degree oven. Give them a toss about halfway through baking.

Fool Proof Hollandaise

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbs. cold water

1/8 lb. hard butter

Put everything together Cold in a saucepan over low heat. Stir with a whisk constantly. If too thick add 1 Tbs. Cream.

Getting Crafty For the Holidays

2008-12-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

Early in my life I discovered that I not only didn’t have much talent for creating art I also didn’t have much patience for it. I’m talking about at the very beginning when I couldn’t quite stay within the lines when using my coloring book. I’m not sure if I worked it out that if you couldn’t do well in something it’s best to not do it at all or if I just decided that if I wasn’t any good at it then I must not like it very much.

Now in my later years I’m starting to create again. I’m talking about all kinds of things whether it be cooking, drawing, painting, candle making, photography, etc. It is not that I have developed an actual talent for any of these things but it is the process that is so rewarding. When I’m working creatively my mind is a million miles away from the usual struggles of everyday life. A study conducted in a Health Journal in 2007 showed that people who are more creative live longer, happier lives.

So not only does it save you money to get crafty it is good for you too! Over the weekend I made some candles. Candles were the one thing that I made as a kid that I enjoyed creating and that I couldn’t make too big of a mess of. That is why I decided that candles were a good choice for homemade gifts this year. While shopping on the Internet for supplies however I was appalled at the cost. Why in the world would anyone spend over a $100 on a candle making kit when they can buy candles already made for less than that?

My solution was to drive to the Redmond, WA. Ben Franklin store and see what I could find there. They had no kits but they did have the stuff it takes to make a candle. Once again my eyes popped at the prices. For 3 tin votive candle molds they were asking over $16! While next to it a much larger travelling candle mold was $1.99. Wax was $6.99 a pound! A package of 3 inch wicks $2.99, color for wax $3.99 and the scent was $6.99.

I ended up buying 2 pounds of wax, a package of wicks, a package of color and 1 bottle of Sandalwood scent. I also bought the $1.99 travelling candle holder and then spent another $1.99 on a small Christmas tin that I thought would work just as well. I did not get online and get instructions or get any special equipment such as a thermometer or a container to melt and pour wax. I did it like I did when I was a kid. I got a large empty can, filled it with broken up wax, placed it in a pot of simmering hot water and when it melted I poured it into the mold. Simple.

I used a whole pound of wax on my first candle and since my second tin was even larger I realized that I was going to need some extra wax. I also did not want to use yellow again since the Christmas tin screamed for a red or green candle. Creative thinking was required. I realized that I had many old red and green candles that had been burned to stumps or burned so far down that they were difficult to light. I broke up all the red candle wax that I had and mixed it with some of my store bought wax and Presto one pretty red candle. I also had some left over wax so I was able to create 3 more votive sized candles in green. When tallied up it worked out to about $5.00 per candle. Not bad.

If you throw some pretty decorations on it your friends or family members won’t know whether it’s homemade or made in China since, as far as I can tell, are the only 2 places where things are made anymore. My picture also includes some of my Pear Chutney Gifts. Do you like the little serving suggestions I have included? Very cute. So have a happy holidays people and Get Creative!

Saving Money Deliciously

2008-12-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I got serious about saving money and started working on my homemade Christmas gifts. My number one assignment was to create something out of a beautiful box of Bosc pears that my husband and I had purchased near Orondo, WA. They were holding up pretty well in the garage but it was definitely time to use them or lose them.

Recently I was paging through an old cookbook that came from my mother in-law. It was a collection of recipes from Sun Valley, Idaho. The cookbook was at least 30 years old and the recipes were reflective of a 1960’s eating style. But a few of the recipes caught my eye and one of them was for "Isabel’s Fresh Pear Chutney," from Joan and Don Anderson. I am a big fan of chutney so this was the perfect solution for my pear quandary.

The recipe is easy and makes for delicious chutney. I love to pair it with a pork loin for an elegant but inexpensive meal. I will print the recipe as it was originally written but I did make some minor changes during the cooking process. I did not use a spice bag but put the spices directly in the mixture. I also added about a Tablespoon of cornstarch at the end to thicken it up just a bit more and add a little gloss.
The recipe made 11 ½ Pint Jars of delicious pear chutney that is now destined to be very inexpensive Christmas Gifts.

Isabel's Fresh Pear Chutney

5 lbs. firm Ripe Pears (Bartlett or Bosc)
½ cup finely chopped Green Pepper
½ cup seedless raisins
4 cups sugar
1 cup candied ginger
3 cups cider vinegar
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Cloves
½ tsp. Allspice
3 sticks Cinnamon

Pare, core and slice pears lengthwise into ¼ inch slices. Combine with peppers, raisins, sugar, ginger, vinegar, and salt in 6-quart saucepan. Tie cloves, allspice and cinnamon in cheesecloth bag. Add to mixture in saucepan. Simmer, uncovered until dark and syrupy (about 2 ½ hours). Remove spice bag. Spoon into hot sterile jars and seal at once. Makes 4 pints.

A note on previous blog: I complained last week in this blog that I was tired of receiving telephone books all of the time. A helpful reader turned me on to http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/ where you can opt out of receiving these monstrosities. Another helpful site is http://www.catalogchoice.org/ where you can stop many of the catalogs you may be receiving in the mail. It requires you to join and then list each catalog individually that you don’t wish to receive but it is worth it. Save the Environment.

We Consumers Must Give Too

2008-12-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

Since I am a new member of the growing number of unemployed people in America I have been forced to look at things differently. Being laid off gives you a whole new perspective on life. The truly unfortunate part of it is that it occurred right before the holidays. Normally I have a pretty generous gift list. I enjoy the whole process and I love seeing wrapped presents under a tree. But that is just not going to be possible this year and I am okay with that.

For the last eight years it has become increasingly apparent that the fine people of this country have somehow devolved into something less then citizens. We are now "consumers". We are not just consumers when we go shopping..no, no. We are consumers all the time. That is who we are in the minds of banks, corporations and, let's face it, our government. If nothing is more important then the ability to make a profit then consumers are like wolves running for their lives under a helicopter with Sarah Palin in it.

That is why it is perfectly okay for profiteers to send you robo calls all day and night. Or the reason I get 6 or 8 yellow pages a year at the cost of millions of trees when I didn't ask for them or want them. Ditto on catalogs. I could go on and on but I won't. As long as lobbyists rule Washington D.C. there will be no "citizen" or "consumer" protection. And, oh by the way, the environment, schools, science, and anything else that doesn't relate to making money can sit back there too.

So while our government is busy giving our tax dollars to the corporations who got insanely wealthy over the last decade it looks as if WE will have to take care of ourselves and others. When I asked myself what I really needed this Christmas I recognized that the answer was nothing. My friends and family are all doing well enough. So the next question is "Who isn't doing well?"

Charities! When times get rough it is the charities that suffer the most. When people have to make choices between putting food on the table or giving to a charity the choice is clear. But for those of us who can still put food on the tables and count our blessings this is the year to give to charity. I have asked the people in my life to give to a charity of my choice this year. My folks gave money to the Days End Farm Horse Rescue for me this year. My husband will contribute to Northwest Harvest on my behalf and I will be sending money in his name to the ACLU.

I have included a list of my favorite charities on my blog. All that I have listed have been vetted and given 3 or 4 stars from Charity Navigator. You will note that I have a soft spot for animals but I also recommend that you consider the charities that are helping the poor this year. They need it more then ever. You don't have to give a lot only what you can afford. All your help is appreciated, believe me! Consider this as well, donations are better for the environment! No packing, paper, boxes, bags, etc. Gosh, I feel better about things already.

Here is Something to Be Thankful For!

2008-12-04T12:24:00.001-08:00

During the World Series this year Public Television presented the Ken Burns series "Baseball." It is an excellent series especially for those of us who love history. Burns focuses as much on the times in America when certain games and events occurred as he does on the sport itself. One of my favorite lines in the series, narrated by David McCullough, is his comment about the Great Depression and Prohibition "When Americans really needed a drink, they couldn't get one." So we can at least be thankful that we haven't done anything really stupid like reinstating prohibition!

We need cheering up in these hard times. As we turn on the news and realize that our 401k has just taken another brutal beating and we glumly deduct another year from our retirement it is time to do something nice for ourselves. And in the spirit of the upcoming holidays I have just the thing. It stores nicely in your freezer so with a little self control it can last you until Christmas. I offer you "The Best Hot Buttered Rum You've Ever Had".

My Mother started making this recipe in the late 1970's. Fortunately for my sister and I the recipe works almost as well without rum since we hadn't reach drinking age yet. My mother cannot remember her original source for the recipe but it has become a favorite of family and friends ever since. I have never had a better hot buttered rum and I've ordered them in restaurants to see if they can compare. They are great after any outdoor winter activity and if you're careful even during! It can be packed in a thermos for expeditions in the woods to chop your own Christmas tree (not a bad option this year, price wise - check with your local Forest Service). Just remember to sprinkle a few drops of the sacred fluid at the base of your tree in admiration of it's beauty and spirit.

The Best Hot Buttered Rum You've Ever Had

1/2 Cup Butter

1 LB Brown Sugar

1 T Honey

Dash of Cloves

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t vanilla

Dash of Salt

1 Qt Vanilla Ice Cream - softened

Cream together your butter and brown sugar..this will take awhile. Add remaining ingredients except Vanilla Ice Cream and cream together. Finally add the Ice Cream and beat until well combined.

Place 1 Tablespoon of mixture in mug, add 1 1/2 oz. of Rum, boiling water, stir, and then sprinkle with nutmeg. Sip with pleasure!

Apply as needed. Store in freezer between bliss out moments.

This is what they mean by "Interesting Times"

2008-12-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to comprehend the financial catastrophe that has enveloped the United States and the World. One day you're plugging along, doing your job, putting money away in 401K, and flat out doing pretty well. The next day you're laid off from your job, your family income is dramatically reduced, and you're left figuring out what the hell went wrong!

When the bad news first started to motor down the runway it didn't seem like it would effect us but it caught up with us quickly. Living in the Seattle area it seemed like we might be impervious for a while. You could see the cranes in Seattle and Bellevue working like bees. How could the financial systems be going bankrupt and yet all of this money was apparently available to build, build, build? Well, that has changed, almost overnight. The cranes have stopped moving and the building has slowed to a crawl.

For we Seattleites the failure of the housing market has also been a cold shower. In a remarkably short period of time we have gone from bidding wars on 500 square foot bungalows priced in the six figures to homes priced below their original purchase price. The average home sale in King County was $387,500 in October 07 and was $358,500 in October 08 a drop of 7.48%. This would be incredibly disheartening if the numbers elsewhere were not so dramatically worse. In our state's San Juan County average home prices in October 07 were $700,000 and in October 08 they were $395,000. Jimminy Crickets that will take the air out of you!

Which all leads to the question of how do we cope in our new world? There are many ways to live well within a budget and it can actually be enjoyable. Already I find my creative juices working overtime and that is good for the mind and the soul. To start off our eating and living well in tough times recipe collection I will start off with my Homemade Turkey Soup. For Thanksgiving this year we purchased a small 10 pound turkey at Trader Joes that the two of us have made last for 4 meals and counting. The soup is the final transformation and the tastiest.

Jenifer's Homemade Turkey Soup

1 Leftover Turkey carcass.

1 T Salt

2 Cups Trader Joes Brown Rice Medley cooked

1 to 2 Slices Hardwood Smoked Bacon

1 Cup Leftover Turkey Gravy

1 Onion chopped

4 Stocks of Celery roughly chopped

2 Carrots roughly chopped.

Pepper to Taste

Place leftover turkey in large pot. You will probably need to break the skeleton in pieces to make it all fit. Cover with water and add your tablespoon of salt. Place pot on burner and set heat to simmer. Simmer turkey until meat falls from the bones. Cool the broth until you can handle it easily with your hands. Sometimes I put the pot in the refrigerator overnight and start on it again the next day. Reach into the pot with your clean hands and start pulling out the bones and tossing them away. This can be messy but it makes the very best tasting soup broth.

In the meantime cook your rice. The brown rice medley usually takes 30 minutes or more to cook. Put rice in turkey broth. Cut up bacon slices into nibble size pieces and cook until starting to brown and then add sliced vegetables. Toss veggies in bacon and renderings and cook until just becoming tender. Add the lot to the pot including any bacon drippings. At the last add your leftover turkey gravy and then heat through. Season to taste.