The Other Woman Cooks

The Other Woman Cooks: Eat your squash, it's good for you.

2011-12-18T23:57:00.000-05:00

The Other Woman Cooks: Eat your squash, it's good for you.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

2011-11-23T09:30:00.006-05:00

The rocky economy of contract negotiations and lay offs at the factory where my dad worked sent my mom back to the job market when I was a toddler. The truth is that my mother's feminism was borne more of necessity than her desire to be independent.

One dish dinners were the way to go and one of my favorites was chicken and rice. Okay, so I am guilty of being a little snobby about recipes that start with a can of soup. But I loved that casserole and so came up with an alternative that has a little more sophisticated flavor but still satisfies the comfort food zone.

There's a song lyric Farmer Paul and I sang to our sons when they were young, "Chicken is nice with palm butter and rice." It's a fun song, one of those catchy tunes kids like and laugh at. There's no butter in my recipe. I tend to substitute olive oil every chance I get. I'm willing to bet folk singer Dave Van Ronk would have enjoyed this casserole just the same!

CHICKEN & RICE
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, grated
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup half and half
1 cup raw, medium or long grain, white rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil using a large oven proof sauté pan on stovetop burner set to medium high heat. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken pieces. Remove chicken pieces and set aside in a bowl. Chicken should not be cooked through, only browned.

In the same sauté pan add another tablespoon of olive oil, lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook about 3 minutes. Add wine to the pan to deglaze the pan, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let wine cook down a bit, then add the chicken stock, and remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the cream, and the sour cream. Add the poultry seasoning, paprika and raw rice to the pan. Stir the rice mixture so that ingredients are evenly distributed.

Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture (in a single layer if you can, they will be crowded). Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil. If the casserole is still too liquidy, let it cook a few minutes more, uncovered until enough liquid has been absorbed to have the appearance of rice in a creamy sauce topped with tender chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 4.

Making the best of it...

2011-11-03T00:10:00.002-04:00

The lights flickered but never went out at our house but lots of friends and family were left powerless from Saturday's Halloween Blizzard. My nearly 80 year old mother held out stubbornly for two nights wrapped in a sweater and a comforter flipping through magazines by candlelight. It took promises of hot cocoa, Captain America on DVD and the recliner. She's camping out here until her power is restored so we're making the best of it. And enjoying every bite!

MOM'S APPLE CRANBERRY GINGER CAKE

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash salt
1/4 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round (or square) pan using baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, molasses, applesauce and cranberry sauce. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Blend into the creamed mixture with a wooden spoon. Once mixed well, stir in the hot water. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake 50-55 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving with honey caramel sauce and whipped cream or with a dollop of sweetened chevre.

HONEY CARAMEL SAUCE
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/4 cup butter

Cook in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Continue to boil, continue stirring constantly until thick and caramel colored. Should take about 8-10 minutes in total. Serve warm. Pour into a sterile jar and store in the refrigerator up to a month. Reheat in microwave for 30 seconds on high.

It's Apple Harvest Time!

2011-10-20T10:49:00.002-04:00

One of America's fondest stories tells about Johnny Appleseed. John Chapman was born in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1774. His family moved to Pennsylvania where he left his father's carpentry shop to travel barefoot, using a saucepan for a hat. He preached a simple philosphy of life and lived as a vegetarian. He made it as far as Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he died in 1845 at the age of 71. John Chapman planted about 10,000 square miles of orchards.

From the Garden of Eden to Greek Mythology to the discovery of the health benefits of apples, everything you ever wanted to know about apples can be found here. Fun reading while this delicious apple cake bakes!

APPLE CAKE
2 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup white sugar
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups peeled cored sliced apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour one round 8 inch cake pan.

Beat oil and eggs with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well. In another bowl combine baking mix, zest, salt and ground cinnamon. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

First Butternut Pie of the New Harvest

2011-10-15T21:07:00.000-04:00

Our butternut squash is local as local gets, right out of our backyard. My friend June says, "You sustainable people you!" and I laugh every time. But the truth is that home farmers contribute to a sustainable world with every bite of food grown. Negative environmental impacts are reduced in several ways. We don't use nitrogen based fertilizers the way industrial agricultural operations do. That means less nitrous oxide released in the air and less toxic runoff to damage the water table.

The only transportation homegrown foods require is to walk out back and pick the fruits and veggies we grow. The small scale of home farming makes using sustainable practices like composting, crop rotation, and mulching easy to accomplish. Not to mention the benefits of preserving homegrown foods. Jars of applesauce and stewed tomatoes are delicious reminders that once next spring arrives so will another season of fresh wholesome homegrown food! I think everyone should grow at least a small amount of their own food: a friend from NOLA now living in DC grows okra on her patio. When she cooks it, she's reminded of home. Sustainability fuels progress one bite at a time!

BUTTERNUT PIE
1 unbaked and chilled 8-inch pie shell
1 large butternut squash, cooked and pureed, about 1 1/2 cups pureed squash
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place the whole squash, stem removed, on a oiled foil-lined baking pan; add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350° F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Let cool completely then cut in half, scoop out seeds and scoop the squash out of its skin. Mash or puree the squash or put it through a food mill. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the squash for the pie filling and set the rest aside for other use.

Increase oven to 400° F and position an oven rack in the center of the oven.

In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the squash with the sugars. Add eggs, half-and-half, spices, salt and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell and place on the center oven rack. Bake 15 minutes at 400° F then lower heat to 350° F for another 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check after about 35 minutes and loosely set a ring of foil or a pie crust protector over crust so it won't get too dark.

When the filling is set, transfer the pie to a rack to cool at least two hours before serving. Serve just warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream. Refrigerate any remaining pie. Best eaten within 24 hours of baking.

The. Best. Cocoa. Brownies. Ever.

2011-07-28T09:42:00.007-04:00

Ever wonder where and by whom the first brownie was baked? It's a good question on National Milk Chocolate Day, which happens to be today! Culinary historians have traced the first “brownie” cake recipe to Fanny Farmer in The Boston Cooking School Cook Book circa 1906. According to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, the recipe is similar an earlier Fanny Farmer chocolate cookie recipe, but with less flour and baked in a “7-inch square pan.”

The next adaptation came along a year later when another Bostonian named Maria Willet Howard added an extra egg and an extra square of chocolate to the Boston Cooking-School recipe and called it Lowney’s Brownies. But we all know there's no such thing as too many brownie recipes. For her next batch, Maria added yet another square of chocolate and named the recipe Bangor Brownies. Hence came the falsehood that brownies were invented by a housewife in Bangor, Maine.

Not so. Just like the American Revolution and that shot heard 'round the world, rich chocolatey brownies were born in Massachusetts. Take that, Michele Bachmann!

CHEWY COCOA BROWNIES
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces candies or chopped nuts (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Set aside.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide frying pan or skillet of simmering water. Stir until the butter is melted and the cocoa mixture is smooth. Do not overheat. Remove the bowl from the simmering skillet to cool until the mixture is barely warm, not hot.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla and chili powder, then add eggs one at a time, stir vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add flour a little at a time, stirring until you cannot see it any longer, then beat for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon. Spread batter evenly in the lined pan. Sprinkle candies or nuts on top.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out slightly moist with crumbs when inserted into the center. Place pan on a rack and let cool to room temperature before lifting up the ends of the parchment or foil liner to transfer the brownies onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 two-inch brownie squares.

Uniquely American: Blueberry Buckle

2011-07-27T10:11:00.002-04:00

From strawberries to raspberries to blueberries and then that second harvest of raspberries, fresh local berries are the belle of the summer season ball here in western Massachusetts. Cobblers, crisps, buckles, crumbles ... no matter what variation of simple fruit filled dessert you make, it is uniquely American.

Early American cooks were extremely talented at improvising. When the ingredients for their favorite recipes were unavailable, they made do with what they had at hand. Berries grew wild and bountifully in many regions. Fussy English puddings were turned in for slumps, pies, buckles and cobblers filled with fresh-picked juicy fruits of the season. Homemade simplicity reliant on taste not European pastry techniques...just another example of American ingenuity!

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE
Cake Batter:
1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 inch square cake pan with a nonstick vegetable spray. Make streusel first. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugars, and ground cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate while you make the cake batter.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In separate bowl beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, and beat only until combined. The batter will be thick. Spread batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spoon or a spatula. Arrange the blueberries on top of the cake batter, then evenly sprinkle with the streusel topping.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 9 servings.

Seasonal Surprises: Savory Blueberry Chutney

2011-07-17T18:39:00.006-04:00

My first taste of Sheila Lukins came after stumbling across The Silver Palate food shop on Columbus Avenue, NYC in the late 1970s. It was a short road to discovering chutney wasn’t just a mango and ginger concoction. Sheila Lukins of Silver Palate Cookbook fame was cutting edge back then. I was hooked from that first taste all the way to mixing things up with blueberry chutney to glaze Asian style roast chicken.

Blueberry chutney was the inspiration for my Spicy Blueberry Barbecue Sauce, an original recipe that made me a national award winner in the Highbush Blueberry Council’s 2008 recipe contest. Who’da thunk? Next month will mark two years since Sheila Lukins died -- too young but not without having made her mark on a generation of home cooks like me.

This recipe is adapted from an original Silver Palate recipe. Over the years, I’ve added and subtracted this or that. Serve with roasted turkey, duck or goose, meat or curries. Hint: Mix a tablespoon of chutney with with 1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt and make a tasty dressing for turning chunks of leftover roast turkey or chicken into a yummy salad.

BLUEBERRY CHUTNEY
4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and stemmed 
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
 1 tablespoon grated crystallized ginger
 1/2 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon (regular Cassia cinnamon will do)
 1 medium shallot, grated (or one small onion)
 Dash of salt
 1 teaspoon orange zest
1-1/4 cups red wine vinegar 
Dash ground nutmeg 
1/2 cup golden raisins 
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar  

Place blueberries in 4 quart saucepan; add all other ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until chutney is thick.

Meanwhile, wash 4 half pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Ladle the hot chutney into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Remove from water bath and set on a flat surface covered with a clean dish towel to cool. When you hear the tops pop, the seal has been set.

Unopened jars store well for about a year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.

Opposites Attract: Sweet Berries Love Tart Lemon Pound Cake

2011-07-12T15:05:00.005-04:00

There’s no butter in this baby and the texture is amazing. Substituting olive oil for butter cuts way down on the bad cholesterol pound cakes are noted for. A sprinkle of powdered sugar finishes off the top nicely before serving.

Add fresh local berries and voila! Heaven on a plate. Like having a diet soda to cut calories, using olive oil takes the sting out of that dollop of rich whipped cream.

LIMONCELLO POUND CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon zest
5 large cold eggs
3/4 cup water

1/4 cup Limoncello liqueur

Preheat the oven tot 350 °F. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 loaf pans. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly in a large bowl and sift together. Set aside. In a second large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and zest on high speed until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue to beat until the mixture is thick and pale, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 1/2 cup of water. Beat just until blended. Repeat with another third of the flour, followed by the remaining water and the liqueur, and then the remaining flour.

Scrape the batter into the pans. Bake 50 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pans on a rack for about 15 minutes before unmolding. Wrapped airtight, the cake keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Thanks, Roger...that's what friends are for.

2011-07-11T17:11:00.007-04:00

Real life friend Roger Fisk passed this recipe along via Facebook. And he attributed the recipe as having been passed along to him from another friend of his. That’s the way it works in today’s world: we keep track of friends near and far electronically. Facebook, Twitter, most recently Google+ (anybody have a spare invitation?).Lots of us post pictures of dinner and share the recipes with each other: especially when local ingredients and backyard garden bounty take center stage.

That is exactly the way this morning’s tomatoes became this evening’s summer supper! With the exception of using a pre-made frozen crust that was pre-made and frozen by me, I followed Roger's simple instructions. Roger said, “A purist-I love it. I aspire to this!” I won’t criticize if you choose the store bought pre-made route but the savory crust recipe used here for this quiche is absolute heaven ...for aspiring purists everywhere!

TOMATE PROVENCAL TART ALA ROGER FISK

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roast bulb of garlic. Smear roasted garlic on bottom of pre-made frozen pie crust. Put down base of half-cup fontina cheese, layer tomato slices on top. Drizzle with olive oil salt/pepper, bake for half hour. Sprinkle another half cup of fontina on top of tomatoes. Add a few snips of fresh parsley and basil. Bake for another 20 mins. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Add a green salad with French dressing. Pour French wine. Serve friends. Feeds six.

Summer Berry Brunch

2011-07-09T08:53:00.005-04:00

Weekend mornings are for lazing around in jammies, sipping a fresh cup of tea and reading the paper while something yummy bakes up in the oven. Especially when the something yummy uses local berries and syrup and was prepared the night before. Another plus: this recipe requires little attention but to wait for the timer's buzz!

We're at the end of strawberry season here in western Massachusetts. This recipe works well with any fresh berry and jam ... try blueberries, raspberries, even blackberries work well. Once the apples are ripe, apple slices and apple jelly make for tasty seasonal substitutes. Hint: Use raisin challah and add a dash of cinnamon to the egg mixture when using apples.

BAKED STUFFED BERRY FRENCH TOAST

1/2 loaf of Challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approx. 3 cups)

1-4 oz. package of cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup fresh sliced strawberries

2 tablespoons strawberry jam

4 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup milk

STRAWBERRY SYRUP:

1/4 cup strawberry jam

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon butter

Grease a deep-dish 8-inch pie pan. Place half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the prepared pie dish. Equally distribute the cream cheese cubes, fresh berries, and jam over the top of the bread cubes.

Top with remaining bread cubes. Thoroughly whisk the eggs, maple syrup and milk in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread and jam in pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake approximately 15-20 minutes more, or until the top is a toasty golden brown. Combine the syrup ingredients in a small microwave bowl. Microwave on high for one minute. If you prefer, use a small saucepan and heat over low heat on the stovetop. Serve hot with a tablespoon of syrup drizzled over each serving. Makes six generous portions.

Old Fashioned and I Like It

2011-07-05T22:41:00.011-04:00

Arborio is fat, starchy rice that makes for creamy, cheesy risotto. Though lesser known for use in desserts, it makes an amazing version of an all time favorite comfort food; rice pudding.

My natural inclination is to throw in the traditional handful of raisins. Chopped dried apricots make a nice substitution. Suggestion: if the apricot option appeals, use lemon zest rather than orange.

I love any and all rice pudding ... but take it from me, hands down the sinfully rich arborio sends me over the moon.

OVER THE MOON RICE PUDDING
1 cup water
dash of salt
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 cups 2% milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of ground cinnamon (Ceylon is preferred)
1/8 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup brown raisins (optional)
Whipped cream, for serving

Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to the medium-low. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until rice absorbs the water but is still firm, about 15 minutes. Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and zest to a simmer in a separate saucepan.

Add the cooked rice and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat until rice absorbs most of the milk and mixture starts to get thick and creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and thoroughly mix in the raisins. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to a large bowl or individual serving bowls and refrigerate until cool and set. Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Four servings.

A French Accent for America's Picnic Staple

2011-07-02T21:19:00.008-04:00

Forget the grilled steak on a starry July evening ... there's nothing quite as satisfying as an elegant cold summer supper of shrimp cocktail, lobster salad and a creamy version of French potato salad, delicately herbed with fresh chopped tarragon and parsley.

Add a crusty baguette, a refreshing pinot blanc. Relax with the one you love while gazing at the constellations. Fireworks, anyone?

CREAMY FRENCH POTATO SALAD
3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water just until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Cool to room temperature.

Mix egg, celery, parsley and tarragon into cooled potatoes. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice and ground pepper in a medium bowl. Mix into potato mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Can be made 1 full day ahead. Six servings.

Over 21 Frozen Yogurt

2011-06-14T19:54:00.005-04:00

The key to achieving smooth, creamy, easy to scoop texture in this refreshing frozen treat is the addition of what makes a lemontini - vodka and lemon flavor liqueur. Pictured here as a tart-fresh accompaniment to an apricot rustic tart, it's luscious lemony tang compliments almost any fruit dessert or as stand-alone in a fancy glass.

Card your guests before serving. And remember, it must be 5 o'clock somewhere!

LEMONTINI FROZEN YOGURT

8 cups plain yogurt

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use fine sugar)

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 1/2 teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon

1 ounce limoncello liqueur

1 ounce vodka

Place yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. At end of 12 hours, discard the liquid and cheesecloth.

In a bowl combine the drained yogurt, honey, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and Ceylon cinnamon. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and process per manufacturer's instructions, about 25 minutes. Add both liquors during the final 10 minutes. Transfer frozen yogurt to an airtight container, freeze for at least 2 hours.

The Colors of June

2011-06-12T17:27:00.003-04:00

Strip steak sizzled to medium rare perfection on the backyard grill needs only simple accompaniment. This quick cooking summer squash and a side salad makes a company ready casual dinner. So low in fat and calories, you'll have more than enough room for dessert. Fresh picked strawberries and whipped cream, anyone?

EASY DOES IT SUMMER SQUASH

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion

2 cups thinly sliced yellow summer squash

Dash freshly ground sea salt

Dash of freshly-ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow onion slices, and saute for 1 minute. Add the sliced squash, salt and pepper to the pan, and saute an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 -- approximately 25 calories per serving and takes ten minutes total, 5 minutes prep time, 5 minutes to cook!

Homemade Fast Food is Healthier!

2011-05-21T12:18:00.004-04:00

When my sons were little, I wasn’t much of a cook. Not that when I did cook it was terrible but between being a Realtor to support my political habit added to family activities like Boy Scout meetings, piano lessons and soccer, we didn’t have much time to cook at home, even on weekends. I hate to admit it but we downed more than our fair share of not so healthy fast food.

Then I discovered quesadillas in a Tex-Mex cook booklet at the grocery store check-out magazine rack... they sounded easy and lots healthier than B-K or Mickey D’s. That was 25 years ago, before Chili’s and Chi-chis, On the Border and even Friendly’s came along and made Mexican favorites that rivaled Chinese take-out in popularity. We’ve tried them all but we actually prefer homemade. Easy, fast and always tastes fresher!

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

1/2 pound thin slices uncooked chicken breast cutlets

1 tablespoon lime juice

dash fresh ground salt and pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves

4 large flour tortillas

1 cup Jack cheese, finely grated

2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil

Optional add-ins:

sauteed peppers and onions

sliced mushrooms

sliced black olives

diced fresh tomatoes

thin sliced fresh avocado

Accompaniments:

chopped lettuce

salsa

guacamole

sour cream

Flatten chicken breast cutlets with a meat pounder to about 1/2 inch thickness. Sprinkle lime juice evenly over tops and bottom. Add one or two turns worth of fresh ground salt and pepper on both sides and sprinkle with thyme. Heat a large cast iron or heavy all-clad stainless frying pan to medium heat. Add a small amount of oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) and spread it around the bottom of the pan with a spatula (you could use butter as well but it adds cholesterol). Cook cutlets 2-3 minutes on each side. Slice warm cooked chicken into small pieces and set aside on a plate. Remove pan from heat and wipe clean with paper towel.

Add a little more oil to the pan and spread it around on medium heat. Place one flour tortilla in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 5-10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.

When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself. Add an even layer of diced cooked chicken and and whatever additional ingredients you choose - sauteed veggies, sliced fresh mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, etc. Take care not to layer on the ingredients to thickly - a thick quesadilla is hard to handle.

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. The pan should be hot enough by now to have plenty of residual heat to melt the cheese and brown the tortilla. If the quesadilla begins to smoke too much, remove from the heat. After a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and check every 10-20 seconds until the cheese is melted. As soon as the cheese in melted, lightly sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves then use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side, as if you were making an omelette. The tortilla should be browned and slightly crusty. Remove from pan and cut into wedges.

Serve with your choice of accompaniments. Makes four generous servings.

Florentine Cookies ala Massachusetts' Cranberries

2011-05-02T10:00:00.006-04:00

Nobody seems to have nailed down who came up with the idea of lacy nutty fruity crisps, sometimes coated on one side with chocolate. They are a favorite of Austrian bakers but considered a Tuscan specialty. With or without the chocolate candy glaze they are delish!

It was a tough call to give creative credit until I tasted my version of the the yummy little discs (pictured here both with and without the chocolate) with a luscious Tuscan Vin Santo for dessert. As far as I'm concerned that sealed the historical origin ... Italy wins!

DEBBY'S CRANBERRY FLORENTINES
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup raw sugar (white sugar works too)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or low cholesterol margarine suitable for cooking)
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon finely chopped dried cranberries
1 teaspoon finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 teaspoon zest of lime
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips to melt (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine cream, sugar and butter. Cook on medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat. Stir in ground almonds, sliced almonds, lime zest and flour. Add vanilla, cranberries, apricots and zest. Set aside to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop batter by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet two to three inches apart. (Batter will spread as it bakes.) Bake about 10 minutes until edges are slightly browned (centers will remain bubbly). Allow cookies to cool 1-2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 18 two inch cookies.

Melt chocolate in a pyrex ramekin one minute on high in microwave. Remove and stir until chocolate is smooth (You can melt your chocolate over hot water in a metal bowl in the traditional way if you prefer). Use a small spatula or butter knife to coat the back of each cookie with melted chocolate. Drop chocolate side down on clean parchment or waxed paper on a flat surface. Let cool for several hours until chocolate hardens. Wrapped with waxed paper, these cookies can be stored for up to ten days -- but it's doubtful they'll last that long!

Brunch: Easy, elegant and scrumptious.

2011-04-03T22:23:00.017-04:00

Whether planning a lazy Sunday morning family brunch or a bridal breakfast for your BFF, this is the perfect recipe. Add a platter of fresh fruit, bacon or sausage, juice and coffee (or maybe Mimosas and Bloody Marys).

And the best part?

These pretty little pastry quiche cups can be baked ahead, refrigerated and re-warmed about 10 minutes at 350 degree F before serving.

QUICHE PUFFS
3 eggs
¼ cup low fat milk
dash salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup broccoli crowns, chopped cooked
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
1 sheet ready made puff pastry, thawed

Unfold the thawed pastry and roll lightly with a rolling pin to smooth it out. Cut into 6 squares per sheet. Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray. Fit a piece of dough into each cup, pushing into the cup but leaving the edges sticking up.

Mix together broccoli and goat cheese crumbles. Divide equally among each muffin cup lined with puff pastry. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and pour equal amounts into each muffin cup lined with puff pastry. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and eggs firm. Makes six, serve warm.

Cocoa Meringue Almond Bark

2011-04-02T18:15:00.003-04:00

Farmer Paul pours through the Boston Globe food pages regularly looking for something that appeals to his picky palate. Every now and then he finds a winner.

Light, crunchy and chocolate ... what's not to love? Last week's Boston Globe recipe for Cocoa meringue almond bark is worth the effort. And simply because I can't help myself from tinkering ... I used Hershey's dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa instead of regular cocoa.

Yummy!!!

Looks Like You Slaved Over the Stove

2011-03-08T19:23:00.001-05:00

But didn't. Chicken Marsala is one of those easier than you can imagine dishes that everyone raves about. It goes with almost any starch side: smashed or roasted potatoes, buttered noodles, or a simple risotto.

The history of wines have always interested me. Here's a great little website to poke around. And what better place to start then with the Marsala page!

CHICKEN MARSALA

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 cup low fat milk

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 halves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sliced baby Bella or button mushrooms

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Using a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour, basil, thyme and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly. Soak the chicken breast halves in the milk 2-3 minutes, then quickly dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil cook the floured chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a low boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken broth and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Keep cooking until they are cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 6-8 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Small Treat: Big Taste

2011-02-18T15:09:00.006-05:00

There is nothing like chocolate to pull me out of the winter doldrums. Though calories count, there's one easy way to give in to temptation. Make small treats with big flavor by whipping up a batch of mini-cupcakes. German chocolate minis weigh in at 55 calories each. And they freeze well, so no excuses to overindulge in one sitting!

GERMAN CHOCOLATE MINIS

For the frosting:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small piecesDash salt
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted

For the cake:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt
1/4 cup cocoa (my fave is Hershey’s special dark chocolate)
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup Splenda sugar blend
3 eggs, room temp

For the frosting: Whisk yolks, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Beat in the butter, and then gradually add cream and vanilla. Cook over low heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. This will take about 15 minutes, and the mixture should be the consistency of a cooked pudding. Stir in pecans and coconut. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cocoa and instant coffee in a small bowl. Add boiling water and mix until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla.

Using a mixer, beat butter until smooth (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the sugar and beat until light & fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in eggs one at a time, combining well after each. Scrape down the mixing bowl.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the cocoa mixture to the batter. Repeat twice more, scraping as needed, until ingredients are just mixed - do not overbeat.

Drop enough batter into lined min-cupcake pans to fill each 2/3 full (approximately one well rounded tablespoon). Bake 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5-10 minutes on wire rack. Turn out of pans and cool completely before frosting each mini-cupcake with approximately one tablespoon of the frosting. Makes 48 mini-cupcakes at about 55 calories each.

As Comforting as Comfort Food Gets!

2011-01-21T09:34:00.009-05:00

Shoot, who doesn't love a perfect golden crusted grilled cheese sandwich? There's even a Baltimore based restaurant chain dedicated to the joys of every mom's fall back dinner special.

With a big flavor boost from homemade lightly herbed bread sliced thick, the classic grilled cheese sandwich is still the perfect partner for a bowl of homemade tomato soup. Both recipes below are easy and delish.

HERBED GRILLED CHEESE BREAD

3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon finely grated cheddar
1 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried winter savory (or oregano)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon very warm tap water
1 quarter ounce package quick rise dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey

Combine flour, milk powder, cheese, salt and herbs in food processor with a dough blade attachment. In a small bowl mix warm water honey and dry yeast. Allow yeast mix to sit 3-5 minutes.

Using 1 tablespoon oil, grease a large bowl, set aside.

Add yeast mix to flour in processor and pulse ingredients to moisten well. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Continue to pulse mixture until it forms a soft dough, about five minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm draft free spot 55-60 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Form into a loaf shape and place in a well greased 8.5 X 4 inch loaf pan. Let rise in a warm drafty free spot until loaf rises about 1 inch over the pan (about 30-45 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. The crust should be a golden brown. Let cool before slicing.

CLASSIC GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

4 slices bread

4 slices American cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, mix olive oil and melted butter. Place two slices of cheese on two bread slices, top with remaining bread slices. Lightly brush outside of each sandwich with oil-butter mixture. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Makes two sandwiches. Enjoy!

Chase Away Snow Blues Cookies

2011-01-18T08:12:00.002-05:00

Yup, it's another day of no school, skeleton crews and shoveling here in western Massachusetts. This time, I'll be watching for the plow guy and ready to run out in my penguin pants, furry jacket and morel boots holding my snow shovel and looking as pitiful as possible so he'll not dump the entire street full of snow bank in front of our house!

It's also a perfect baking day. What could possibly be better on a cold snowy evening than a cup of hot cocoa and a citrusy sugar cookie? These crunchy treats are made with ingredients from favorite vacation spots: reminders of pleasant sunny beach days to come. I should call them Cape Cod Key West Hawaii Cookies!

CRANBERRY MACADAMIA LIMEYS
1 cup sugar (I like to use Florida crystals but any sugar will do.)
3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 large egg
2 cups white whole wheat flour (King Arthur makes this, but all-purpose flour will do)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (Hawaii)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (Cape Cod)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh grated lime zest (Key West)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Beat together 3/4 cup sugar, shortening and egg in a large bowl at medium speed until creamy. Using a wooden spoon, mix in flour, baking powder and soda. Blend thoroughly -- about 20-30 hand strokes with a wooden spoon. Add nuts, craisins and lime zest. Mix well.

Shape dough into one inch balls. Roll each ball in the set aside lime sugar mixture. Place each ball two inches apart on a cookie sheet and flatten to approximately 1-1/2 inch circles. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges look dry and light golden in color. Make sure not to over bake. Cool a minute or two, then remove cookies from baking pan to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. Makes about 3 dozen cookies at 65 calories each.

Even Carnivores Will Like It.

2011-01-16T22:42:00.002-05:00

Friends come in all shapes and sizes, ethnic and lifestyle varieties. Makes life and dinner conversations lively and interesting. But when it came to dietary preferences, especially when vegetarians and meat eaters sit at the same table, a menu that satisfied without someone feeling odd man out was a challenge.

And then I found a recipe for mushroom leek pie: a big success at an informal buffet as a choice but not quite ready for a sit-down dinner party. So me being me, I fiddled around and came up with this super healthy and elegant adaptation at 220 calories per serving. Open with a flute of champagne, add a mixed green salad with your favorite dressing plus a fabulous dessert like Bananas Foster... who could complain???

SUPPER STRUDEL

1 cup thinly sliced leeks

1/2 cup canned vegetable broth

1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms (any kind will do, but we like Baby Bellas best)

8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces Chevre (mild goat cheese)

1 teaspoon poppy or sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place leeks and broth in a large covered skillet on medium for 6-8 minutes or until leeks soften. Add the mushrooms, cover and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove cover, lower heat to medium low and cook until liquid has been absorbed by the veggies. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

For each strudel, layer two phyllo sheets, making four double sheets for filling. Lightly brush one side of each flat double sheet with olive oil. Fold the unbrushed side over the oiled side to make a four layer thick phyllo square. Brush the edges with a little more oil. Spoon one quarter of the veggie mix and crumble one ounce of Chevre along one edge of each prepared phyllo square.Tuck in the sides of each pastry and roll them up to seal in the filling.

Place the strudels on an ungreased baking tray and brush the tops with oil. Sprinkle with your choice of poppy or sesame seeds and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden in color. Makes 4 strudels, serve immediately. Rosemary pear conserve or homemade cranberry sauce as a side are lovely flavor enhancers.

Best Blizzard Line of the Day

2011-01-11T11:45:00.010-05:00

"I am off to get my supply of bread, eggs and milk for the level three French toast warning. And some brandy in case things get really bad," courtesy of friend and fellow foodie, Janet Beyer.

Here is a basic French toast recipe. Perfect or a snowbound morning. While you're at it, check this site out: French Toast Weather Report!

BASIC FRENCH TOAST
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sugar
Dash of salt
8 slices bread (I love love love challah French toast)
Butter favored cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
Maple syrup

Break eggs into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate; beat lightly with a fork. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk. Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet coated with a thin layer of cooking spray.

Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the bowl or plate, letting slices soak up egg mixture for a few seconds, then carefully turn to coat the other side. Soak/coat only as many slices as you will be cooking at one time. Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side.

Serve French toast hot with butter and syrup. Serves 4.

Chocolate pudding, plain, simple, good.

2011-01-02T20:16:00.006-05:00

Most of last week I was down for the count with the head cold from hell. Too sick to eat never mind cook but everyone else still wanted supper. For the most part, they manage pretty well on their own at my house, right down to dessert.

And that dollop of whipped cream isn't from a store bought aerosol can. We aerate our own cream, and add flavors like chocolate syrup, vanilla and even spiced rum or ginger brandy with a great gadget - an iSi whipped cream dispenser.

SIMPLY YUMMY CHOCOLATE PUDDING

3 cups skim milk
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons flour

Beat egg yolks in saucepan. Add three cups milk and stir well. In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, sugar, and cocoa. Add cocoa mixture to saucepan ingredients. Cook pudding over low heat and whisk constantly until it comes to a low boil and the consistency thickens. Remove saucepan from heat and add vanilla. Pour into individual serving glasses while still warm. Cool before serving. Garnish with cream if desired. Makes 6 portions, about 140 calories each.

Ginger Brandy Cookies

2010-12-30T21:29:00.002-05:00

Gingerbread people have long been holiday staples around our house. My sons loved decorating as much as they enjoyed eating the sweet treats. But these days we're a house full of grown ups and it seemed like a good idea to create a slightly more sophisticated version of our old favorite. We used mini-cutters from Williams Sonoma for crisps to top holiday flan, but two inch rounds make a tasty accompaniment for a nice cup of afternoon tea. Hope you like them!

GINGER BRANDY COOKIES

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 package vanilla instant pudding

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 shot ginger brandy

FRUIT CRUMBLE

1/4 cup dried fruits (I used pineapple, mango and papaya bits)

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

4 ounces white chocolate chips (to melt for for dipping)

Put fruit bits, flour and sugar in a mini-processor until finely ground. If mixture is sticky add a little more flour and sugar in equal amounts until texture resembles ground nuts. Set aside for later.

Beat butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with your favorite cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on parchment covered baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely before garnishing with melted white chocolate and fruit crumble.

Rush Hour Chicken

2010-12-29T15:51:00.004-05:00

Properly sautéed chicken breasts are deliciously simple. Do what you like with them when they're done: make a simple pan sauce: maybe add a few sun-dried tomatoes and eat them as is, or slice them up to top a salad: or toss with pasta: or fill tortillas (throw a few green peppers in the pan and a squeeze of lime). I like a side of risotto but buttered noodles are nice, too.

A few tips for great taste: thick chicken pieces take too long to cook and the middle will be bland. Use small breasts or cut each in half lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Pounding with a meat tenderizer thins them out nicely as well; Use an all clad stainless pan instead of non-stick for better browning; Slice each cutlet crosswise before serving to allow the sauce to coat each tender morsel.

SAUTEED CHICKEN CUTLETS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves

Dash of sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup dry white wine or cooking sherry

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon if dried)

Trim the chicken breasts if they need trimming. I use kitchen scissors and snip off any the odd bits of fat or gristle. Rinse under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with sea salt.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the butter, which should melt and foam, and the olive oil, which will keep the butter from burning. When the fat is all very hot but not turning black (many recipes say "when the foam subsides"), add chicken cutlets in one layer. Sear for 4-5 minutes until the bottom gets crusty and browned.

Use tongs or a spatula to flip them over, and cook another 4 or so minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. You can cut a piece open to check, but pressing a cooked breast with your fingertip will give you a feel for its doneness, which great cooks claim will develop into the skill of knowing when it's done without cutting it. (I still cut to check and I’m no newbie at cooking.)

Keep the cooked chicken warm on a separate plate while you deglaze the pan. Pour the wine in and scrape with a spatula to dissolve all the yummy browned bits in the hot pan. Bring to a simmer. When the wine has cooked down about halfway, add the broth and turn the heat to high until the sauce cooks to a syrupy thickness (about 2-3 minutes of a good boil). Toss parsley in at the last minute Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Drizzle sauce over the chicken and serve.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

2010-12-20T22:57:00.003-05:00

Risotto is great comfort-food and an easier than you think way to wow family and friends. With a side salad and fresh fruit it makes a low calorie, high energy dinner. Fill a flute with sparkling water garnished with a few raspberries for an elegant holiday table.

Not to mention, risotto is a satisfying and filling main dish to feed your vegetarian dinner guests without meat-eaters feeling like something's missing. Just be sure to use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.

MUSHROOM RISOTTO
3 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh arugula, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Sauté garlic until softened and fragrant. Sprinkle dried herbs and pepper. Add sherry and simmer gently 2-3 minutes before adding rice. Stir quickly to prevent sticking. Once the sherry has been mostly absorbed, add the broth, one cup at a time. Wait until each cup of broth has been absorbed before adding the next. Before adding the last cup, add mushrooms. Continue stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed, the rice will be creamy. Mix in cheese and arugula just before serving. 260 calories per serving. Serves 4.

Leftover Rice?

2010-12-12T19:00:00.004-05:00

Lots of meals call for rice as a side instead of potatoes. Braised lamb in stewed tomatoes is great with white rice. Plum chicken and pea pods is another better with rice dish. There's always leftover rice.

Even Chinese take-out always come with too much white rice, but not quite enough to save for another day. Here's an easy and yummy solution for leftover rice.

RUM RAISIN RICE CUSTARD

2 cups scalded milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c. sugar

Dash salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup raisins or zante currants

1/4 cup rum or brandy

3/4 cup cooked white rice

Heat rum and 1/2 cup water to just below boiling. Remove from heat and soak raisins for an hour while making custard. Whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a medium size metal bowl. Bring milk to scalding in a very heavy medium pan. Pour scalded milk over egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture back into the heavy pan and cook over medium low heat until custard thickens, stirring constantly. It will take about 10-15 minutes until custard thickens enough to coat a clean spoon.

Remove from stove and put pot into pan of cool water. Stir custard to cool it as quickly as possible, add vanilla. Drain raisins and mix raisins and rice into cooled custard. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon if desired. Stores well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Steak and Salad to the Rescue

2010-11-28T11:22:00.003-05:00

Cold air smacked us in the face late last Wednesday night as we headed out of the airport. Bro and sis-in-law, John and Lois Kozikowski, whipped up traditional turkey feast which made our holiday enjoyable and pressure free after the long flight and late arrival the evening before.

We were back from vacation, but we just didn't want to dive back into New England winter fare. We wanted to hold on to beautiful Puerto Rico. One way to do that was to recreate this mango poppyseed dressing at home. It took a couple of tries, but my third version tickled our taste buds. Accompanied by lean grilled London broil, it made for a meal that remembered the sunny days and sandy beaches of La Isla Bonita.

MANGO POPPYSEED DRESSING
1/2 cup mango puree
1/8 cup superfine sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine mango, sugar, salt, dry mustard, garlic powder, cider vinegar and lime juice in blender or processor. Drizzle in oil, pulsing in until the mixture thickens. Pour into a salad carafe or other container. Add poppy seeds and shake or stir to blend. Store in refrigerator, shake before serving over mixed greens and grape or cherry tomatoes, garnished with grated raw carrot or toasted sunflower seeds.

MARINATED LONDON BROIL STEAK
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin seed
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pound London broil steak (about an inch thick)

Add marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Place the meat in a gallon-size, zip top plastic bag. Whisk the marinade once more and pour it over the meat. Seal the bag and turn the bag several times to cover the meat with marinade. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, turning the bag at least once. Remove the meat from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Grill or broil the meat (covering the grill if using the grill), to the desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Do not overcook. Remove from the grill and let stand 5 minutes. To serve, thinly slice the meat across the grain. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Bake All Our Blues Away

2010-11-08T14:49:00.005-05:00

Friends will attest to my tendency to bake after losing elections. Years ago, a good pal lost a shot at becoming state senator. I kneaded my way through the loss producing 27 loaves of poppy seed challah. The way I've been baking the last few days, you'd think we lost everything last Tuesday.

I texted that thought to an ally this morning and she immediately wrote back, "Well, we did lose a lot." Democrats, and it's no secret that I'm a Democrat, experienced sea change. Some of us saw it coming, helpless against that tide, stayed home to save ourselves. For us in Massachusetts, we had to work hard, harder than we have in a long time, to hold our fort. And we did ... but the reverb from the national landscape affected me more than I thought. Not that I'm whining. The thing about elections is there's always another one.

The good news? I've come up with a fabulous new quiche filling and savory butter crust recipe.

HERB HAM QUICHE
1 9 inch savory pie crust (recipe below)
1/2 cup shredded Virginia ham
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
Dash salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used parsley and thyme, but any combo including dill, rosemary, oregano or chives tastes great).

Roll chilled dough to fit an 8 inch fluted pan. Trim any excess dough. Freeze pan with dough for one hour, then place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Lower oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl whisk remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into cooled crust, return pan to the baking sheet and bake. Rotate quiche about halfway through the 25 minute cook time for even baking. the quiche is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the filling comes out clean. Remove from oven when done, set on a wire rack to cool 5 minutes before slicing to serve. Add a side salad for lunch or fruit cup for a yummy breakfast or brunch. Feeds six.

SAVORY BUTTER CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2-3 tablespoons very cold tap water

Using a food processor, pulse together flour, butter salt and pepper until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add water until dough comes together into a ball. Place dough ball on a lightly floured surface and form into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, up to 3 weeks in the freezer. (Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.) Follow instructions above for quiche.

Getting Back to Basics

2010-11-05T14:30:00.004-04:00

It was a big accomplishment to buck national trends and reelect our Democrats in Massachusetts. Can't help myself, friends, I'm a partisan cook when it comes to stirring up a political stew. It's been a busy week.

Now, the only thing I want is to put my feet up, watch a couple of movies from the local library's DVD collection and relax. Sent JP to choose the flicks while I cooked up an old recipe of a childhood favorite. Sloppy Joes are simple really, and pretty basic. Hearty enough to settle down hungry tummies without much fuss and yummy, too. We're ready for a lazy evening and a weekend of doing nothing much at all!

SORTA SLOPPY JOES
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground meat (lean beef, turkey or veal work well)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon seasoning rub (try McCormick's Montreal or Penzey's 4S)
1 medium onion, grated
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
1 six ounce can tomato paste
4 split top sub rolls
4 teaspoon grated white cheddar

Heat oil in a large frying skillet over medium high heat, add meat to the pan. Break the meat into crumbles as you cook it, stirring constantly. Combine brown sugar and seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and mix well into crumbled meat. Continue cooking until meat has browned; add onion and red peppers to the pan. Stir in vinegar, hot pepper sauce: reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine well. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 10 minutes longer. Spoon mixture into split sub rolls, sprinkle on a little grated cheese and enjoy. Feeds four.

Soups On from the Founders of Democracy!

2010-11-02T19:45:00.007-04:00

Starting at 7 a.m., our Democratic coordinated campaign poll checkers were on the job. That meant by 8 a.m., I was on the road to deliver treats. Volunteers were happily sipping gingerbread latte and Bob's Bakery crullers and paczki (a Chicopee E-day tradition) while homemade Greek lemon chicken soup simmered away on my stove top at home.

Back at the phone bank, Democratic congressional campaign staffer Jeremiah brought in chicken and tomato pizza. Congressman Richie Neal is a big supporter of Farm to School programs. Scroll down this page link to see his picture celebrating local foods in schools. He knows first hand that fresh fruits and veggies are better for school children and that healthier GOTV eats make for happy energetic volunteers!

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP
8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 ounce shot limoncello
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup minced celery
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cup cooked orzo
1 cup diced, cooked chicken meat
Lemon zest
2 eggs
salt to taste

In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, celery and pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs until light in color. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the beaten eggs, use a whisk to stir constantly. Stir the egg mixture to the soup pot with a big wooden spoon. It will look a little like eggdrop soup.

Add the limoncello, orzo and chicken. Heat through to a low boil, remove from heat. (The heat of the boiling soup removes the liquor but not the taste boost.) Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with lemon zest.

More Italian Comfort Food

2010-10-30T14:07:00.004-04:00

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and what did he find? Lots of wonderful new varieties of food that he brought home to the best cooks in the universe. Yummy pineapples, sweet potatoes and corn in the West Indies, and he brought sugar cane to Puerto Rico from which rum is distilled, from the Caribbean islands he brought sweet peppers to Europe. That's when the fun started.

From one generation of Italian cooks to the next, sweet peppers have been a mainstay ever since. I think you'll enjoy my slow cooker version of sweet peppers and veal stew – a mild cousin to the sweet peppers and sausages my grandmother used to make. A perfect way to use up the end of season pepper crop from the garden.

VEAL AND SWEET PEPPER STEW
1 1/2 pound veal for stew, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole allspice (or 2 whole cloves)
1 bay leaf
5 whole black peppercorns
1 can ( size) tomato paste
1 cup ready-to-serve chicken broth
1 each green, yellow, orange, red sweet bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Hot cooked rice or wide noodles
Grated Parmesan

Combine flour, salt and paprika. Lightly coat veal with flour mixture; discard remaining flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot. Brown veal, 1/2 at a time; remove from pan and set aside.

Add tomato paste to fry pan and stir over medium high heat until lightly caramelized. Deglaze fry pan with 1 cup broth, stirring until brown bits are loosened and sauce has a creamy consistency. Add tomato sauce, veal, bay leaf, peppercorns, allspice and sliced multi-color peppers to a crock pot; set on low for 6-8 hours, or until veal is fork-tender. Serve over rice or noodles. Sprinkle with cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste, serves 4.

Brussels Sprouts Really Taste Good ... Honest!

2010-10-25T22:42:00.005-04:00

Our garden is still producing fresh veggies. We made golumpki with a gorgeous cabbage over the weekend, began a batch of home infused vodka with Concord grapes and tonight, supper was a yummy pasta with fresh picked brussels sprouts and chicken in a tasty olive oil and butter sauce. This recipe is an adaptation from Food and Wine magazine. Recommended wine pairing: a crisp, cool chardonnay from Cakebread Cellars.

Backyard fresh is as local as it gets, folks. I love our garden!

CHICKEN WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND PASTA
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound chicken tenders
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red onion, minced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh brussels sprouts, cut into halves from top to stem end (frozen can be substituted)
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound medium pasta shells or ziti noodles

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Cook the tenders until just done, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into small chunks. Begin cooking pasta.

In the same pan, on medium low heat, add the red onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in Brussels sprouts, broth, and red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until sprouts are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the chicken, lemon juice, parsley, Parmesan. Toss with hot cooked pasta and serve. Makes 4 servings, 478 calories each.

It's soup season!

2010-10-04T11:12:00.006-04:00

Campbell's started canning tomato, cream of mushroom and chicken noodle soup in 1897 and America fell in love with soup convenience. More than 3 billion bowls of condensed soup are consumed annually in the U.S. - who doesn't have a can or two tucked in their cabinets? But there's no doubt homemade is better and the smells and subtle flavors of homecooked soup are worth the effort.

Crock pots offer up the opportunity to combine easy and slow. Once the rage, crock pot cooking rises and dips in popularity. There are pros and cons to using slow cookers: Some foods lose trace nutrients when cooked for too long. On the other hand, cheaper meats make better slow cooked meals and are great budget stretchers. For soups, the longer the better remains the rule and that's where having a crock comes in handy.

For lots of great sandwich ideas, check out pages 324-327 of The Silver Palate Cookbook. I like to make a grown-up version of grilled cheese made with French "pain de mie" - in English, Pullman bread, sliced Asiago or Gruyere with ham or tomato (or both). Ta-da ... lunch or dinner is served!

TOMATO BASIL SOUP
3 cups fresh grated tomatoes (or a 28 ounce can diced tomatoes)
2 cups chicken stock (or equivalent in canned chicken broth)
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves (1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh winter savory (1/4 teaspoon dried - substitute oregano or thyme)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk or half and half (if creamy soup is desired)

Throw everything, except the milk, in the crock pot. Simmer on medium for 6-8 hours. Spoon out the tomato and other veggie chunks into food processor. Puree until smooth. Return the veggie puree to the pot and let warm through again (about another 1/2 hour). Reduce heat to warm then add milk, if desired. Once the milk is added, the soup must be held at the lowest temperature to avoid curdling.

Not Your Normal Potato Recipe

2010-09-19T17:24:00.004-04:00

I was a picky eater as a child. Turnip? Cauliflower? Parsnips? No way! Plain simple mashed potatoes were a favorite, especially Memere's. Always light, fluffy and very tasty – never pasty or clumpy. I loved Memere's potatoes. What I didn't know was she was feeding me turnip.

Turnip-potato casserole comes from French-Canadian cuisine. Those fur traders had to survive harsh winters and found lots of ways to gussy up their boring winter provisions. I substitute cauliflower in the early fall when local veggies are plentiful and switch to the traditional turnip when the weather turns freezing.

I'm a very lucky cook, a member of a true melting pot American household. French, Italian, Polish and a touch more of this and that -- the hardest part when it comes to whipping up family favorites is to decide which part of the family!

WONDERFUL WHIPPERS
1 head cauliflower, chopped
4 parsnips - peeled and diced
2 medium white potatoes - peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon milk
salt and pepper to taste

Place the vegetables in a pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until fork-tender.

Drain the water from the vegetables, and stir in the butter until melted. Beat with an electric mixer, adding milk until light and fluffy. Don't beat for too long, just until smooth. Season to taste and serve hot: makes enough for four servings.

Note from Red Sox Nation

2010-09-17T20:18:00.005-04:00

OK, so what if they're out of it unless they win every single game left in the baseball season. This is Red Sox nation, and the game is on TV so guess what we're doing tonight? The Sox are playing for nothing but pride and we're damned proud of 'em.

Drinking red martinis and snacking on perfect rosy cold-cooked shrimp dipped in spicy red cocktail sauce while we root for our team. Hell, it's all tied up at the end of three … time for another red martini for me and the drunk guy sitting next to me on the couch. As for the rest of you: Just wait until next year!

Update: Despite a late inning 2 run homer by Victor Martinez and what looked like a rally in the 9th, the Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays: 11-9. Oh well.

RED CANDIED APPLE MARTINI
2 fluid ounces pear vodka
2 fluid ounces sour apple schnapps (such as DeKuyper® Sour Apple Pucker)
2 fluid ounces cranberry juice

Pour the pear vodka, apple schnapps, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnish a slice of ripe pear and serve.

RED SEAFOOD DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup Ketchup
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving, can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Especially good with cold cooked jumbo shrimp.

Maine: New England's Potato State

2010-09-13T20:56:00.004-04:00

Next week, the only multi-state agricultural fair in the United States will open in West Springfield, MA. The Big E is billed as "New England's Great State Fair" -- it's the sixth largest agricultural fair in the nation and the largest in New England. Each state has a small-scale replica of their state capital on the Avenue of States.

The star attraction? Food.

Vermont has maple syrup, Ben and Jerry's ice cream and lots of cheese. Rhode Island offers clam fritters and Massachusetts' apple pie washed down with, of course, cranberry juice. Connecticut has Italian ice and New Hampshire's chocolate fudge is amazing. Then there's Maine -- the building everyone flocks to. Sure, they have lobster rolls. But it's Maine baked potatoes (move over, Idaho!) that draws hordes willing to wait in long lines for a taste of hot, buttered, sour-creamed spuds.

Did I mention they weigh at least a pound each?

What about the leftovers? Ugh. I can't count how many halves ended up tossed after sitting in the fridge for a week. Why? Because other than breakfast fries, I couldn't think of a way to make cold starchy blobs lively enough to eat a second time -- until I came across this version of twice baked potatoes in a brochure at the (surprise!) Maine building about ten years ago.

The original recipe called for a classic Alfredo sauce but I had no Parmesan so substituted a mild Vermont made Colby that tastes so yummy, you'll end up baking extra potatoes (or buying a few at The Big E to take home!) just so you can make this casserole later in the week!

TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE
4 medium Idaho pre-baked potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
dash of salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup grated cheddar or Colby cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut baked potatoes into chunks. Heat butter in saucepan. Sprinkle with flour, stir into a roux. Add the milk and seasonings. Simmer until just boiling. Remove from heat. In a large greased casserole dish, layer the potatoes alternating with sauce and broccoli pieces. Hint: In a hurry? Buy a package of frozen chopped broccoli and defrost it ten minutes before assembling the casserole so you can break it up for layering. Finish with a top layer of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Toss the ingredients lightly then bake uncovered for another 5 minutes -- serves 4.

Best Butter Crust Ever

2010-09-11T14:05:00.009-04:00

This crust recipe is worthy of the best French chef -- the simplest ingredients using a complicated technique that delivers scrumptious results. From fussy Frangipane with pears (full recipe below) to fresh berries glazed with seedless jam (microwave the jam a minute before brushing it over the berries piled in the perfectly baked crust).

Cooked chocolate pudding (make it dark chocolate) also makes a yummy filling. Add a dollop of whipped cream. Not exactly on the low-cal diet menu but I guarantee your family will be in awe!

BUTTER SHORTBREAD TART CRUST
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
dash of salt
1 stick very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk

Put the flour, sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in — mixture will be the size of baby peas. Whisk the yolk in a small bowl before adding it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Once the egg fully added, process in long pulses about 10 seconds each until the dough forms clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface. Knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Lightly press the crust in so that the edges of the pieces cling to one another. Don’t press so hard that the crust loses its flakiness. Pierce the crust with a fork to prevent puffing.

If you prefer rolled dough: Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for an hour before rolling. Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round. Turn dough occasionally to keep it from sticking to the paper. Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork.

Whichever method you choose freeze the crust in the pan for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (or use nonstick foil) and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Freezing the crust eliminates the need to use weights during baking. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon or prick it with the tip of a small knife. Bake the crust about 8-10 minutes longer, or until it is firm and golden in color. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the crust to room temperature before adding fillings for the final baking. If using crust as a base for fresh fruit or cooked pudding allow crust to bake an extra five minutes to turn a darker golden brown; a pale crust has less flavor. Do not allow crust to burn however. Makes enough for one 9-inch tart crust

PEARS
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 medium-size firm but ripe Bartlett or Bosc pears, peeled

Bring water, sugar, and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

FRANGIPANE
2/3 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons brandy or cognac

Finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Mix in 7 tablespoons sugar, then butter and brandy. Blend until smooth. Mix in egg. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
When ready to bake your pear tart. Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread almond filling evenly in pre-baked tart crust. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide spatula under pears and arrange atop filling like spokes of wheel with narrow ends in center. Cut one half pear into slices the long way. Fan three slices in between each spoked pear.

Bake tart until golden and toothpick inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan. Can be made up to 12 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperatureat least 4 hours before serving. Cut tart into wedges; sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.

Applesauce!

2010-09-10T15:37:00.009-04:00

Only one ingredient matters when making applesauce. Pick sweet apples like Gala Fuji, McIntosh or Honeycrisp – forget Granny Smith's. They make great pie but sour applesauce. Use at least two different varieties. I have McIntosh apples and Bartlett pears from our own trees so I add a pear or two instead of a second variety of apple to enhance taste. I didn't need to add any sugar.

You can pick your own, or buy them at an orchard or grocery store. Here in western Massachusetts, the UMass Cold Spring Orchard reasearch and education facility sells all kinds of apples. If you are buying your apples from a commercial orchard, ask for "seconds" or "drops". Apples with a bruise or odd shape make great sauce and cost less than perfect apples. Not all orchards sell "seconds", but they're a bargain when you can get them. A half bushel of apples will yield about 12 pints of sauce.

Get the jars ready before you start cooking the apples. The dishwasher is fine for the jars. Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash the jars in hot, soapy water and rinse, then dip the jars in boiling water. Keep the jars in hot water until they are used. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot applesauce.

Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not boiling water (manufacturer's recommendation) for 5 minutes, and use a magnetic "lid lifter wand" or a slotted spoon to pull them out.

Wash the apples in plain cold water. Chopping them is much faster if you use an apple cutter - you just push it down on a peeled apple and it cuts it into segments. Apples get brown edges fast so as you cut them, drop them in a bowl of lemon water (1 whole lemon squeezed into a quart of water) until you have enough to begin cooking.

Cooking the apples is pretty simple. Put 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice and 1/4 cup of store-bought apple juice into a 4 or 5 quart, thick-bottomed pot. Drop in the chopped apples until the pot is 3/4 filled. Put the lid on, and the heat on medium-high. When it starts to boil turn the burner down to medium and cook, stirring often, until your apples (and in my case a pear or two) are soft. Use a potato masher to squash the apples into a slightly chunky sauce and take a taste – if your sauce is a little too tart or too bland, you can add sugar one teaspoon at a time until you like the flavor. Go easy on the sugar, as a little goes a long way when it comes to applesauce. You can add cinnamon if you like. Again, start with a sprinkle because, like the sugar, a little goes a long way.

The applesauce does not need any further cooking; just keep it hot until you get enough made to fill the jars you will put into the canner Canners hold seven jars at once. Fill the canning pot 1/2 way with water and set to boil.

Fill the prepared jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Using a clean damp cloth, wipe any spilled applesauce off the top, seat the lid and gently tighten the ring around the lid. Put the jars in the canner and add enough hot water to keep them covered with no less than 1 inch of water. Get the canner back to a full boil and begin timing. Boil pint jars for 15 minutes and quart jars for 20 minutes. (If you live more than 1,000 feet above sea level, check recommended canning time.)

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight). Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed by pressing in the center gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. Refrigerate unsealed sauce promptly for use within a day or two. Some folks reprocess successfully but I don't recommend it.

Love Me Tender Beef Roast

2010-09-05T21:06:00.004-04:00

Not long after Farmer Paul and I said "I do" I tried and failed to make a proper beef roast. I underestimated how long it should cook based on a cookbook which said 20 minutes per pound. The next try, I overestimated and the result was more like bland beef jerky than a pink juicy roast. It wasn't until my mother-in-law bought me one that I realized that what I was missing was a good quality thermometer.

Boneless ribeye roast was on sale this week and today was just cool enough an afternoon to turn on the oven. A few simple ingredients and armed with your own trusty meat thermomenter, the result will be tender, juicy prime beef every time.

SUNDAY SPECIAL ROAST BEEF
One 3-4 pound boneless rib roast
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, finely grated

To cook evenly, the roast must not be cold - let it stand at room temperature, loosely covered, for one hour. If you don't let the roast sit at room temperature, your roast won't cook evenly, and you'll end up with well-done slices on the end and raw meat in the center.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Blend garlic, rosemary and parsley in a small bowl, set aside. Pat the roast dry with paper towels or napkins. Smear only the cut ends of the roast with butter. Rub the outside of your roast with the spice mixture. Do NOT salt your roast. Salt draws out moisture from the meat during cooking.

Place the roast, fat side up, in a metal roasting pan. Use a roasting pan with 3 inch sides and a raised rack so the roast doesn't sit in its juices as it cooks. Sear the roast for 15 minutes at the higher oven temperature (425 degrees F.), then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F for the rest of the cooking time. Do NOT cover your roast.

Begin checking the internal temperature after 45 minutes of baking time, using a good instant-read digital meat thermometer. Hint: Play it safe and start checking early, as you don't want anything to go wrong. Internal temperature, not time, is the best test for doneness.

When checking the temperature of your roast, insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Cook until roast reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for rare, 130 degrees F for medium rare, 140 degrees F for medium. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Slice to desired thickness with a very sharp carving knife or electric knife for clean even slices. Serves 4-6.

Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes ... yum.

2010-08-30T09:36:00.010-04:00

The first day of school is coming up fast. The pace picks up when busy mornings get even busier for most families. If you think it takes too much time to whip up a special breakfast on harried weekdays, this recipe will change your mind. Hint: Mix batter the night before and refrigerate - an easy timesaver in getting food on the table and everyone out the door on time.

Special thanks to Tinky Weisblat, foodie and blogger extraordinaire, for all her encouragement and caring in pulling together so many of us to celebrate Massachusetts Farmers Market Week last week!

RASPBERRY RICOTTA PANCAKES
1 cup biscuit mix
2/3 cup low fat milk
1 rounded tablespoon ricotta cheese
1/4 cup egg sustitute (or 1 small egg)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Using a wooden spoon blend biscuit mix, milk, cheese and egg until smooth. (If making the batter the night before, refrigerate before adding raspberries.) Gently fold in raspberries. Set aside for a few minutes while lightly oiled griddle heats up over medium heat. Spoon about 1/8 cup onto prepared griddle. When bubbles form over the top and the sides look dry, turn the cakes to cook another minute or two or until bottoms are lighltly browned. Serve with a dab of butter and raspberry or maple syrup. For an extra special treat add a dollop of Creme Fraiche instead of butter and drizzle the syrup on top. Makes 6-8 cakes.

Because fresh is best!

2010-08-25T11:57:00.006-04:00

Don't let my last name or the fact that I make golumpki and pierogi with my husband fool you. My maternal grandmother, Maria Cavelli, was my first cooking teacher. Lasagna and insalata caprese served with hot crusty bread was the first menu I learned to make. A great meal anytime of year but not as good as what came during harvest season.

Stuffed eggplant dinner was something she made in late summer and early fall when the locally grown eggplants and tomatoes are ripe and fresh. When Tiny Weisblat from In Our Grandmother's Kitchens asked me to participate in the blogathan during Farmers Market Week, I knew this was the recipe to share.

Thanks to Farmer Paul, access to garden fresh (and I mean just picked fresh) fruits and veggies are at my fingertips daily. But not having backyard bounty is no excuse for not making the best of the harvest season. Shop at farmers' markets and roadside stands -- loving local this time of year comes easy.

My grandmother was a fabulous cook and her mantra was that it's not the time spent slaving over a hot stove that makes a great meal, it's quality ingredients. Please consider making a donation to support Massachusetts Farmers Markets. Remember, buy local because fresh is best! Or as my grandmother would have said, " Compra fresco locale è meglio."

STUFFED EGGPLANT ROUNDS
1 large eggplant
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 pound Italian sweet sausage
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup milk, for dipping eggplant
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Olive oil cooking spray

Remove sausage meat from its casing and sauté on medium low heat until cooked through and crumbly. In a food processer add cheese, egg parsley and sausage and pulse until filling is well mixed. Do not over-process, sausage crumbles should be visible and distinct. Slice eggplant very thin with a very sharp knife. Dip eggplant slices into milk, coating both sides. Add 1 tablespoon filling to the center of each round and roll. Secure with a toothpick if needed. Lightly spray oil in the bottom of a baking pan. Place each roll in the pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, then lightly spray the oil on the tops of the rolls. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Top with fresh sauce (see below).

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
6 large ripe red tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Using a sharp knife, slice a thin slice from one end of each of the tomatoes. Use a cheese grater and grate the tomato from the cut end over a bowl. When you finish the skin should be left in your hand and fresh tomato sauce in the bowl. Toss basil into the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste, cover and set aside. In a medium sized pan, sauté garlic in olive oil about 5 to 6 minutes. Cook on medium-low, do not allow the garlic to brown. Remove from the heat. Pour tomato mixture into the hot pan. Spoon over stuffed eggplant rounds immediately and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Hint: This sauce is also wonderful when tossed with hot pasta as a side.

Makes 4 servings.

Spice Islands Supper

2010-08-23T22:07:00.004-04:00

Today was not the welcome relief of a crisp sunny day at the end of summer heat. The weather here in western Massachusetts turned raw and rainy. It made me wish for a warm beach and turquoise waters.

Spicy and infused with subtle local flavors like coconut milk, West Indies and other island recipes are fusions of African, Asian, Indian, Spanish, French and Dutch cuisine. In the islands, you're more likely to find a main dish kabob prepared with goat or lamb. I use beef sirloin tip, a tender, flavorful and economical substitute. Spoon whole kernel corn over brown rice for a side and your island style dinner is served.

Add a little spice island style to your life -- I think you'll like it!

ISLAND HOPPER BEEF KABOBS
1 pound sirloin tip steak, cut into one inch cubes
1 small yellow onion, cut in quarters
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
1 teaspoon red chile paste, or 1 finely fresh chopped hot chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon peanut or sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Skewers, soaked in water for an hour to prevent burning

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except meat. Place meat in a large zip-loc bag. Pour marinade over meat in the bag. Zip closed and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Thread seasoned meat on moistened skewers. Discard marinade. Cover kabobs with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to grill.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat (450 degrees F). Brush grate liberally with oil, and arrange kabobs on grill. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, turning as needed to brown evenly. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

WEST INDIES STYLE PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon peanut or sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon chile paste, or 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coconut milk

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Use puree cycle, adding more coconut milk to get your desired consistency. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature.

Makes four servings.

Warm-your-insides Hot Cherry Peppers

2010-08-22T20:42:00.007-04:00

On cool weather weekends, a good pot roast with hot cherry peppers on the side is a family favorite around our house. This year the peppers will be from our garden instead of the grocer's shelf.

Preserving food was a fact of life years ago. Today it's an artful craft resurging in popularity. Bringing freshness to the family table from the family garden creates an intimate relationship with our food. And the taste can't be beat.

It won't be long now!

HOT CHERRY PEPPERS
2 pounds raw hot cherry peppers, mixed green and red
3 cups vinegar
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Leave peppers whole, cutting stems close to the top. Set aside. Combine vinegar, water and garlic in a large saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simme five minutes. Strain out garlic. Pack peppers into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Ladle hot liquid over peppers leaving the headspace. Press down on the peppers with the back of a spoon to release bubbles. Adjust two piece caps. Process ten minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 3 pints.

Peaches, peaches everywhere ...

2010-08-14T23:44:00.004-04:00

Imagine my surprise to find a 1/2 bushel box of peaches sitting on the picnic table out back. Firm, juicy and ripe and all the way from Maryland. Farmer Paul's fishing buddy Joe dropped them off -- my guess? A peace offering for sweeping said Farmer Paul off to the river for two days.

Good plan, pal, because those peaches kept me busy and happy all day. Can't wait to try this salsa on tomorrow's grilled mahi!

SWEET HEAT PEACH PEPPER SALSA
9 large ripe but firm peaches - peeled and diced
1/2 cup white onion - fine grated
3 hot peppers - chopped (I used Portugal peppers, a hot orange pepper but jalapeno work nicely)
1 sweet red pepper - chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro - loosely packed
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic - grated
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pack into hot jars and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Check altitude directions for canning in your corner of the world. Makes four 8 ounce jars plus another 4-5 ounces to use right away. And it is one of few recipes that doubles up w/o losing anything.

From the Cabbage Patch

2010-08-11T10:31:00.001-04:00

With the tons of tomatoes, peas, pasta and beans my Italian grandmother's minestrone didn't actually taste very cabbagey. Then I married Farmer Paul. If you're part of a Polish family you can't escape cabbage. Sure I like golumpki, I would tell my husband's mother and aunts. But I unwrapped the cabbage rolls and ate the insides before discreetly tossing the actual cabbage part in the disposal.

Sometime in my mid-twenties I decided to give the whole golumpki a try and found I didn't hate cabbage at all. And from then on it was cabbage heaven for me. These days I wait impatiently for our garden to produce. Golumpki, kapusta, cabbage pierogi are standard cooked cabbage fare. Shredded cabbage instead of lettuce on tacos, and summer slaw are two favorite ways to use raw cabbage.

SUMMER SLAW
1 medium cabbage, chopped or coarsely grated
2 carrots, peeled and coursely grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
black pepper to taste

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, heavy cream, sugar, vinegar, celery seed and pepper in a medium bowl. Add dressing to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine. Taste for seasoning; add salt, more pepper, or sugar if desired.

Why do you think he grows cabbage?

2010-08-04T22:55:00.009-04:00

I married into a Polish family. Try as I might my golumpki never came out right. Tough cabbage, stuffing mix like lead, or worse -- a crumbled heap of meat and rice. I tried adding egg (meatloaf golumpki?), tomato soup, every trick I could find in the cookbooks the church ladies sold after Mass once a year. My husband poured on the Heinz to make them palatable.

After close to twenty years of frustration I threw up my hands and said, "Make them yourself." So he did. But first, he asked the experts for advice. Turned out Farmer Paul is his mother's son, his aunt's nephew and a pretty good Polish cook. It took time, but we've got a system now. He still likes ketchup on them but these Polish yummies don't need a thing beyond a fresh slice of seeded rye bread on the side.

CIOCE SOPHIE'S GOLUMPKI
1 medium cabbage, frozen whole at least 24 hours up to 3 weeks
1 cup of cooked River brand rice
1 pound hamburger, 20/80 fat to lean
1 one inch cube salt pork, chopped small
salt and pepper to taste
large oval baking dish

In a small fry pan, sauté the chopped salt pork until crispy and the fat has been released from the meat. Strain and reserve fat, discarding the pork meat. Put your ground beef in a large bowl. Add 1 cup (still warm)cooked rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix with hands until well blended. Add reserved fat, should be about one tablespoon, and mix again until evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate while your cabbage boils.

Cioce's secret (I should have asked sooner) to getting cabbage leaves thin, tender and easy to work with was to freeze the raw head in advance then cook on a low boil for twenty minutes. Set for about 10-15 minutes on a plate to drain and cool. Reserve one cup of the cabbage water. The leaves should come off easily with little effort beyond cutting them away from the core.

Line the bottom of your baking pan with the darker and less tasty leaves on the outside of the cabbage. Take a hefty size tablespoon full of the meat-rice mix and place on stem end (hint: cut away the thickest part of the stem) of a cabbage leaf. Bring each side of leaf over into middle and roll. Place roll in baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat until all meat is used. Should make about a dozen golumpki.

Pour the reserved cabbage water over top of rolls. An added delicious treat is to place sliced kielbasa around the cabbage rolls if you wish. Cover with double layer of foil and bake about an hour on 350 degrees. Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving. Individually wrap extra rolls in plastic and freeze, they taste great as a microwave meal on busy weeknights.

A Weigh of Life

2010-07-26T07:39:00.000-04:00

After a delish girls night out at Judie's in Amherst, I came home ready to tackle the beast again. It's been awhile since I've mentioned Flat Belly Diet and that's because JP and I have been lax. Down 12 instead of 14, the gain was actually less than expected after the last few weeks of lobster crazy around here.

So we're back on the program. With the garden popping, our timing is good to be trolling for yummy lo-cal recipes using summer's best. This morning's breakfast of a half cup cinnamon sprinkled oatmeal drizzled with 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds (MUFA) and a cup of fat free lactose free milk was perked up lots by a cup of fresh picked blueberries from Easy Pickin's Farm in Enfield, CT.

And now that M & M candies come in dark chocolate (another MUFA), we might just consider adding the M & M diet plan to our daily weigh of life! Just kidding. :-)

Squashed!

2010-07-25T18:02:00.009-04:00

I looked at the caller ID. It was my husband's buddy, no doubt calling about their scheduled fishing marathon -- something the two guys do a couple of times each year. Instead, he dove into whether or not I liked zucchini. Just another desperate gardener looking to unload an abundance of squash.

It so happens that we didn't bother growing zucchini this year and I do love both summer yellow squash and zucchini. So I said sure, but with the caveat that I only wanted small ones. No giant billy club zucchini, please. I could hear the disappointment in his voice but he agreed. When it comes to squash this time a year, you have to hold your ground.

Summer squash can make anyone yell "uncle" -- it can also be a bit tiresome to find new ways to prepare squash. And grilled summer squash gets old fast. This recipe is pretty easy and adds quite a bit of kick to a veggie that at times, can come out a bit on the bland side.

STUFFED SUMMER SQUASH
4 small summer squash (yellow or zucchini)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, grated
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 carrot, grated
1/4 pound Italian sweet sausage, removed from the casing
1/4 cup marscopone or ricotta cheese
1 small egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup water (for the pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To prepare baking dish, pour water into a 9 x 11 nch baker, set pan
aside.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out flesh from squash. Chop coarsely. Should be about one cup. Place chopped squash in a medium bowl. Sprinkle hallowed out squash shells with pepper and salt. Turn cut side down on the cutting board. Set aside. Use a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add oil, shallot, celery and carrot. Cook 3 minutes. Add the chopped squash and cook 3 minutes more, stirring often to saute evenly. Turn burner up to medium high and add sausage. Stir constantly, being careful to crumble meat as it cooks.

Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool. While it cools, mix cheese, egg and parsley in a small bowl. Once sausage mix has cooled for ten minutes add cheese mix to sausage mix, combining all ingredients well. Fill hallowed shells with the stuffing mixtute. Set the filled shells into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main dish.

We're Havin' a Heat Wave

2010-07-15T22:10:00.002-04:00

Cook? Are you kidding me? In 90-something degree weather? If only my family would settle for a bowl of cornflakes ... I'd happily toss in a few berries or even cut up a banana. But noooo ... they were hungry for real food. And as much as I wanted to avoid the dreaded evening meal, the very thought of take-out Chinese in this heat just had no appeal.

Solution: a nice hunk of fish lightly marinated. Fingerling potatoes cut in half and tossed in olive oil then thrown on the backyard grill. Took less than twenty minutes. And dinner was served.

Bellies full. Edy's frozen lime fruit pops for dessert. A pitcher of iced tea in the refridgerator. All is well. But I'm still sweltering. So, I'm headed out with a couple of friends to happily shiver through a midnight movie. Nothing better than hot buttered popcorn, a comfy seat in a theater with the AC cranked up to winter storm warning levels and the latest movie release.

EASY GRILLED FISH
Juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or winter savory
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 one inch thick fish fillets (mahi-mahi, swordfish, mako, or tuna)

Make the marinade by combining all ingredients, except fish, in a bowl. Place fillets in a shallow dish just large enough to accommodate them. Pour marinade over fish and turn it, coating both sides. Place coated fish in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning several times. Grill over medium hot heat, 8-10 minutes per side, basting before you turn. Serves 4.

Breaded Bean Season

2010-07-13T15:11:00.004-04:00

When we were a much younger family our backyard was so small that gardening was impossible. My late mom-in-law had plenty of yard but not as much energy to tackle the chores a good garden required. So we reached an accord. We would plant and care for her garden and we would all share in the bounty.

It worked out pretty well for a long time. I learned how to cook veggies the way Babci did. And so did my husband -- who was used to having everything cooked for him but discovered that he enjoyed kitchen duty almost as much as gardening. His yellow beans and Babci's simple recipe for them are a favorite around our house.

Sharing a garden was fun and challenging at the same time. I still miss her but the memories are sweet. When the tomatoes are ripe, I'll tell you about the tomato wars. And a good laugh will be had by all.

BABCI'S BREADED YELLOW BEANS
2 cups. fresh yellow beans, trimmed, cleaned, cut in 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil beans about ten minutes or until tender, drain. Over medium heat in a 10 inch saute or frying pan, add cooked beans, oil and butter and toss until butter melts. Sprinkle generously with bread crumbs. Toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Auntie Nina's Biscuits

2010-07-12T09:54:00.004-04:00

One of the best things about summer days at my great aunt Nina's dairy farm was her cooking. She made everything from scratch, mostly farm fresh. There are no words to describe the difference between the canned veggies too many of us grew up on and corn on the cob picked fresh from the garden. Or the milk from the cows that same morning. Best of all, one of my favorite foods to this day, was her homemade butter biscuits.

Flaky, delicious biscuits topped by sweet tart refrigerator jam made with whatever fruit happened to be ready to harvest that week. Sadly, my great aunt has since passed on and the farm sold off as a horse riders haven. But my memories of Auntie Nina's biscuits will last forever.

I tried many, many times, often with limited success, to recreate the exact taste of those biscuits. Even if I had her exact recipe, using store bought ingredients will never quite get there. After repeated experimenting, this recipe comes pretty close.

BREAKFAST BISCUITS
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Dash salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 cup shortening
3/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 10-12 times. Pat or roll dough out to 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or a juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and put biscuit dough rounds onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Makes 6 biscuits, about 175 calories each. Add a tablespoon of low sugar jam, a poached egg and a slice of bacon for a 370 calorie breakfast.

A Pitcher of Sangria, a Boiling Pot and Thee

2010-07-07T11:07:00.000-04:00

There's something sexy about lobster. The idea that seafood is an aphrodisiac goes back to the ancient Greeks whose goddess of love, Aphrodite, was born of the sea. With a nod and apology to my vegetarian friends, I can't help myself -- cooking and eating lobster has a primitive, almost barbaric, appeal for those of us who are meateaters.

Add to that the summer sun, a picnic table and a pitcher of white peach and raspberry laden vinho branco sangria (Portugese table wines are cheap and tasty, the perfect sangria ingredient) and there's no denying the joy of lobster.

PEACH MELBA SANGRIA
1 750 ML bottle of white table wine
1/2 cup peach infused vodka or brandy
1 cup sparkling lemonade
2 white peaches, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup fresh washed raspberries

In a large pitcher half-filled with ice, gently mix wine, vodka and lemonade before adding fruit. Pour into individual goblets, if needed use a spoon to make sure each glass has a share of the fruit. Enjoy!

Breakfast of Champions

2010-06-22T08:12:00.002-04:00

If you've never slathered low fat pound cake toast with homemade low sugar refrigerator jam, or store bought marmalade or peanut butter or even a whisper of butter or margarine, you've been missing out. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sunflower seeds on top and you have an under two hundred calorie Flat Belly Diet breakfast complete with MUFA.

So brew a pot of tea and pull out your toaster -- eating healthier never tasted so yummy.

And So Begins Canning Season

2010-06-21T15:26:00.002-04:00

Jam challenged? I sure am. Just because there's a row of raspberry bushes in the backyard and my husband happens to have a green thumb doesn't make me an expert anything. Some things I struggle with and jam is one of those things. If you have a hard time with fruit jams then this is the recipe for you.

It works with crushed strawberries just as well -- has low sugar content and is easy to spread. Next Saturday morning, serve your homemade jam slathered on store bought lo-fat corn muffins (heat them up in a 325 degree F oven for ten minutes or so) with the morning joe. Your house will feel more like a B & B than an average family kitchen.

Now that's the way to start a pleasant weekend.

RASPBERRY REFRIGERATOR JAM
4 cups washed and drained raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 ounces orange liqueur
One squeeze of a lemon
1/2 package Ball Fruit Jell No Sugar Needed Pectin
2/3 cup water

Add sugar, orange liqueur, and a splash of lemon juice to raspberries in a medium saucepan. Stir thoroughly. Let this sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Bring to a low boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat.

In small saucepan, whisk powder pectin into water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil while stirring for a full minute. The texture when ready will be similar to a thick white sauce.

Pour pectin mix into the pan with the raspberry mixture. Stir for at least 3 minutes before ladling into four 8 ounce clean sterilized jars. Leave a full inch at the top before putting lids. I use Ball jelly/jam jars and white Bell lids. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Keep one jar for immediate use and freeze the rest.

Cheery Cherries

2010-06-20T23:25:00.004-04:00

Not everything in life is easy. Take pitting a pound or two of fresh cherries -- a real PITA (Pain In The Ass) but once you bite into this Cheery Cherry Tart it'll all be forgotten.

Today was Father's Day. Ask any dad who worried that the mother of his children would never forgive him for his part in convincing her to make him a dad. OK, so the truth is that we never forget and we do tend to talk about it in gory detail for months afterward. Especially to other new moms -- it's like comparing notes after final exams. But we don't mind so much once it's over and the babies are so loveable that most of us are willing to try it again.

Having reason to celebrate Father's Day and/or Mother's Day is worth it. Kinda like pitting cherries.

CHEERY CHERRY TART
Crust:
1 -1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioner sugar
Dash of salt
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, allowed to cool to room temperature.

Cherry Filling:
2 tablespoons corn starch
Dash of salt
3/4 cup white sugar
3-1/2 cups fresh pitted cherries
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Crisp Topping:
4 tablespoons ground almonds
1 tablespoon sweet unsalted butter, chilled
1 tablespoon biscuit mix (like Bisquick)

Grease tart pan with butter or a cooking spray, use an 8 inch or 9 inch square or round tart pan with removable bottom.

To make topping:
Pulse topping ingredients in food processer until it resembles a crumb mixture. Set aside.

To make crust:
In a medium bowl, mix extracts into butter, stir well. Set aside. Sift flour, sugar and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper or parchment. Add zest and toss well. Slowly add flour blend to butter mixture, using a wooden spoon to blend well. Add enough flour to make a soft pliable dough ball (feels like soft cookie dough). Place the pastry in the prepared tart pan evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. It's OK to use your fingers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place the pastry crust in the refrigerator to chill.

To make cherry filling:
While crust is in refrigerator, combine salt, sugar, corn starch and cherries in a medium sauce pan. Set heat to medium, stir constantly until cherries release some of their juice. Bring to a boil still stirring constantly. Allow to bubble just 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cherries to cool for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled add extracts. Mix well. Remove crust from refrigerator and spread cherry filling over chilled crust.

Sprinkle almond crisp topping over cherries. Bake in preheated 350 degree F for 40-45 minutes or until cherries feel fork tender and juices are bubbling. Cool on a rack at least half an hour before serving. Serve warm or cold. Add a scoop of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia on the side for an extra touch of yummy.

Thank you, George W... I mean it..

2010-06-18T22:26:00.000-04:00

Our backyard raspberries are ripe for the picking. For the next two weeks, I will pick a cup or two of luscious homegrown raspberries daily. So by now you must be wondering what do my fresh juicy berries have to do with former White House occupant George W. Bush -- I finally found something to thank him for.

This Berry Angel recipe is adapted from an angel muffin Bush years White House executive chef, Bill Yosses insists on calling breakfast food. Before arriving at the Bush White House in 2007, Yosses had three decades under his apron strings as a French pastry chef and at some of New York's finest restaurants. His new cookbook, titled The Perfect Finish features these fluffy meringue based cakes that Chef Yosses calls "the eighth wonder of the world." Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and I couldn't agree more. When it comes to yummy ... mission accomplished.

BERRY ANGELS
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
dash of salt
1 cup fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, small strawberries cut in half, or blueberries)
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated citrus zest (from fresh lemon, lime or orange peel)

Set aside 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling. Preheat oven to 365 degrees F. Rinse berries (I used raspberries) thoroughly and set to drain in a berry colander. Line 1 dozen jumbo muffin tins with paper liners. Sift flour, powdered sugar and salt into a small bowl. Toss zest (I used orange) evenly throughout, making sure the zest is coated with flour. Set aside. Using an electric mixer set on medium, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar (except that already set aside for sprinkling). Beat until egg whites form stiff meringue peaks.

Toss vanilla in berries, covering the berries with the flavoring. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into meringue, use careful strokes so as not to deflate the egg whip. Fold in 2/3 of the berries. Fill each cake liner 2/3 full with batter. Top each with a few more berries and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until tops are a gently golden in color and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool on wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving. Best eaten within 24 hours.

Plum Good Chicken

2010-06-13T21:05:00.008-04:00

The Chinese method of poaching chicken before baking guarantees a far more tender chicken than traditional western baked chicken and lends itself to using the juicy leftovers for fabulous chicken salad. I learned about this by reading a Chinese cookbook more than twenty years ago.

I'd bought the book hoping to learn the secret of making Chinese boneless barbequed pork. The pork was a failure but this chicken method has become my favorite. The glaze is my own version of Chinese plum glaze -- apricot jam or mandarin marmalade make a lovely glaze too but I always come back to plum. All fruit sugar free jams can be substituted for a low sugar diet. Yummy.

FRUIT GLAZED CHICKEN
1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plum jelly
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1/2 teaspoon honey

Rub chicken with soy sauce inside and out, generously season with black pepper. Put it in a pan with about 1 inch of cold water. Slowly bring it to a simmer, turn the heat down to med/low, cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. While the bird is steaming, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the boiling water after 30 minutes and place into a roasting pan. In a small microwave safe bowl stir plum jelly, mango chutney and honey. Microwave jelly glaze on high for 1 minute then stir well before basting entire chicken. Put chicken in the oven, immediately lower heat to 325 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes, basting with plum sauce again at the 30 minutes mark. Drizzle a side salad of mixed greens, apple chunks, dried cranberries and crumbled blue cheese with French dressing, pour a glass of sparkling cider and enjoy.

Serves 4.

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-05-31T19:13:00.011-04:00

Let me count the ways I love my berries. Strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberry sundaes, strawberries and whipped cream. Then there's strawberries with cereal and milk for breakfast or topping custards, puddings, and tapioca. Who can resist Belgian waffles or a yummy fruit salad? Strawberries with bananas, pineapple and sliced kiwi.

Strawberries also make a handsome garnish for salads and fruit punches. Garnish tip: Leave the caps and stems on. Slice sideways not quite to the caps and gently fan the berry slices for a pretty display.

Try a simple fondue dessert by arranging the berries on a dessert plate with a variety of dips like sour cream, melted chocolate, whipped cream, coconut, and chopped nuts. The more elegant French version is to serve the berries with a small bowl of Marsala wine and a mound of granulated brown sugar. The berry is dipped into the wine and then into the sugar and popped into the mouth. Washed down with a sip of the wine. Yum.

And strawberries are more than a way to satisfy your sweet tooth -- low in calories (1 cup is about 55 calories) and full of Vitamin C (that same cup fulfills your daily requirement. But treat your berries gently, they bruise easily. Don't clean them until just before using them. Store the berries uncovered in the refrigerator in a shallow container. When ready to eat them, wash quickly in cold water. Don't let them soak. Drain them well before you hull them.

It's strawberry season and luscious, ripe berries are yours for the picking -- well, after you pony up at the weigh station. Some farms charge by the quart, others by weight. If you don't fancy a Saturday morning in a strawberry field, you can simply stop at the farm stand, plunk down your cash and buy a couple of quarts all ready picked. Either way you'll be headed for strawberry Nirvana!

What's in your freezer?

2010-05-29T14:10:00.011-04:00

What's in a person’s freezer says a lot about them. Love meat? Betting you have a steak or two. Hate shopping? Exactly how long do you think that old bag of veggies from Giant will last — you know, from before Giant changed its logo? Value freshness? Your freezer is likely empty except for ice cream (preferably Häagen-Dazs).

As you can see from the picture. I love love love my frozen fruits and veggies, and my freezer shows it. I have bags of frozen peppers, corn, green beans, frozen peas. For those diet smoothies I love so much, I keep a couple of bags of frozen berries (which also make for fun ice cubes in my water bottle). My son JP is fond of frozen diet meals for lunch and my husband is addicted to fruit sorbet. We buy fresh most of the time so sometimes it does look a little barren in there, especially right before we go grocery shopping.

And tucked in the back, inside a Tupperware snap on lid drink cup is some limoncello, leftover from a backyard fiesta that ended in a blur (I was home, not driving). Well worth keeping ice cold for after dinner sometime soon. So ... what do you have in your freezer?

Nuant: A Nutty Nifty Gifty

2010-05-18T11:25:00.007-04:00

It started a few weeks ago. I made a batch of cashew brittle for a friend with a bad back, remember? Just last week a second buddy had surgery and in two weeks yet another pal o' mine is scheduled for a procedure. Homemade candy makes a thoughtful and yummy get well present. And this particular recipe is as easy as it gets.

When my children were young 'uns, I liked to make this candy for them. Not that candy is ever really good for you but ... using honey and nuts and good quality chocolate makes these bite sized confections a step better than fillers and waxy chocolate found in commercial brands. Not to mention, the husband (AKA Farmer Paul) doesn't complain about the bits and pieces (they call them seconds in the candy trade) that aren't pretty enough to make the nifty gifty boxes.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED NUANT
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon or orange juice

1-3/4 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces white chocolate

2 wooden spoons

12 x 12 candy board

Moisten 12 x 12 wooden (or bamboo) cutting board with cold water. In a saucepan, combine the honey and juice. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the nuts and continue stirring until the mixture is thick and rich brown in color. Be careful not to burn. Pour the mixture onto the board. With a wooden spoon dipped in cold water, smooth the nuts to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Let the mixture sit for several hours to cool completely. Use a sharp knife dipped in water to cut the candy into bite-size pieces. Dip half the candy bottoms into each kind of the melted chocolates (my family prefers the dark chocolate but the white chocolate is my favorite) and set to harden on waxed paper or parchment before storing in a tin or packaging up as a gift. Makes about one pound of candy. Best eaten within 10 days -- if it lasts that long!

Gobble Gobble All Year 'Round

2010-05-14T14:08:00.013-04:00

Turkey is good for you. A great source of B vitamins that give you energy and also help your body cope with stress — something most of us need on a daily basis. Here's the short list of B vitamins found in turkey: niacin, B6, and B12. All of them little bodyguards for your sanity. Turkey's vitamin cocktail also helps patch up DNA and that will keep your cells in good repair.

Not to mention, turkey is one of the leanest meat sources around. Four ounces of turkey breast, even served with a small piece of yummy skin, has less than 1 gram of saturated fat. That’s nothing compared with the 4.5 grams found in the same amount of flank steak or killer ham with up to 5.5 grams of fat. And the leftovers make great sandwiches in a hurry -- yummy enough to keep me away from the deadly drive-thru window that got me needing the Flat Belly Diet! in the first place!

SPICY ORANGE-PEPPER TURKEY BREAST

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/2 cup orange juice

1 (5 to 7 pound bone-in) turkey breast

1/2 cup low-fat low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons dry white wine or cooking sherry

In a small microwave-safe bowl stir together ginger, pepper, cumin, and marmalade. Microwave 1 minute on high. Remove from microwave oven and stir in juice, oil and soy. Blend well. In a large cooking bag combine turkey and orange mixture. Seal bag and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, turning occasionally to marinate evenly.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove turkey from bag, discard marinade. Return turkey to cooking bag and reseal. Place bagged turkey in a roasting pan. Cook at 325 degrees F for approximately 2-1/4 hours, following manufacturer suggested directions on cooking bag packaging for bone-in turkey breast.

Once breast is cooked, let stand while preparing sauce. Pour 1/2 cup of pan juices and 1/2 cup chicken broth into a small sauce pan. Heat to a low boil. In a small bowl blend together well the wine or sherry and cornstarch. Add to simmering broth mixture and stir until thickened. If desired add a dash of more red pepper flakes. Don't forget the cranberry sauce. Three slices weighing about 4 ounces with 2 tablespoons of sauce are about 300 calories. Feeds 8-10 people.

And now for something completely different ...

2010-05-09T18:07:00.022-04:00

Experimenting in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. Two ripe avocados have been hanging out on the counter all week waiting to be sliced and eaten with the chicken salad I never made. Two packages of low fat cream cheese, a box of almond crisp cookies and lemon yogurt two days from the best used by date -- necessity is the mother of invention.

What the heck. Turns out that avocado puree, lemon yogurt and cream cheese make a subtle interesting blend of flavors. The pale slightly greenish yellow color might take some getting used to visually. But the taste? Yummy. And yeah, those are homemade candied lemon peels hiding behind the cheesecake, ready and waiting to be used as garnish after dinner tonight. Happy Mother's Day!

AVOCADO LEMON CHEESECAKE

Crust

1 cup finely ground almond crisp cookies

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Thoroughly moisten the cookies crumbs with the butter. Press the crumbs in the bottom of an ungreased 8-inch X 3-inch spring form pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator until filling is mixed.

Filling

2 medium ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut in chunks

2 eight ounce packages of low fat cream cheese

4 whole eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup lemon low fat yogurt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Blend thoroughly on medium speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan with crust from the refrigerator and pour batter into pan. Place spring form pan on a baking sheet to prevent messy spills. Bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 1 hour or until center of the cake jiggles only slightly.

Shut off the oven and open its door, leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool for another hour. Run hot tap water over a butter knife, then carefully run the knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make removing the cake from the pan easier. Place uncovered cake on a plate in the refrigerator to chill for no less than 4 hours before serving. Garnish with a small dollop of fresh whipped cream or creme fraiche (Silver Palate Cookbook, page 339) and a thin slice of candied lemon peel. Loosely cover leftovers with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for 2-3 days. Serves eight.

As for the calories? I have no idea so be reasonable! LOL

There's Nothing Like Garden Fresh

2010-05-07T10:45:00.008-04:00

Every year, Frank the Rototiller Guy makes his late-April appearance in our garden space. I'm guessing in his younger years he wowed the ladies with his coiffed head of still thick hair complete with long sideburns eerily reminiscent of The King. He causes quite a stir in our neighborhood while he does a great job getting our soil ready for early plantings.

Farmer Paul wasted little time in putting down what plants flourish in the cooler spring days and nights. Yesterday, the cabbage patch went in. Not to mention the perennial bed and our herb border boasted the first harvest of the new season with ready parsley and ripe rhubarb. And so it begins ...

PARSLEY PANKO HADDOCK

4 six ounce pieces of boneless haddock fillets

1 cup panko Japanese style plain breadcrumbs

1/4 cup fresh finely chopped parsley (dried just won't do)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon citrus zest (I used lemon this time but lime, orange and even grapefruit works.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 12 baking sheet. Thoroughly blend yogurt and citrus zest, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parsley, pepper and olive oil. Make sure the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Place the fish on the oiled baking pan. Using a basting brush, add a generous layer of the yogurt and zest to cover the top of each piece. Liberally cover the yogurt blend with the parsley panko mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until fish turns white and flakes easily when tested with a knife tip. Garnish with a slice of the citrus you used in the recipe. Feeds four. 255 calories per serving.

Chicken again?

2010-05-05T23:05:00.009-04:00

If ever there was a day that chucking the diet was tempting, today was the day. Flat tire, engine light on and then there was that pile of work toppling over on my desk. But John Paul weighed in at his physical on Monday eight pounds lighter and I'm down by a fair number flabby pounds so far.

Psyched to be making progress, we needed a healthy low fat, low cal meal in a hurry, and one that didn't make us feel deprived. This chicken tenders recipe cooked up fast, easy and delicious enough to feel like we were cheating -- the perfect way to cheer us through an otherwise crappy day. If I've said it once, I've said it fifty times -- chicken doesn't have to be boring.

ZESTY COCONUT CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons drained crushed pineapple
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pound chicken tenders
1 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon olive oil

Blend yogurt, pineapple, orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon of the ginger and 1/8 teaspoon of the curry powder in a small bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a shallow bowl, toss together coconut, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger, 1/8 teaspoon of the curry powder plus the cayenne until evenly blended. Blend honey, orange juice and olive oil in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken pieces in honey mixture then roll to coat with the coconut. Place chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until chicken in cooked and coconut crust is light golden brown. Serve with yogurt dipping sauce.

Serves 4 at 360 calories per serving. Add a wedge of iceberg lettuce with a drizzled tablespoon of orange sesame dressing to make a 400 calorie meal.

Cocoa Candy Time

2010-05-01T21:37:00.006-04:00

No special utensils are needed to make these scrump-dilly-umptious cocoa almond rum balls. Have your mini-food processor handy to fine chop the almond slivers and grind the vanilla wafers. A grater to get enough white chocolate shavings to roll the candies in for the finishing touch and you're good to go. You'll have approximately three and a half dozen yummy truffle-like sweets to give away ... or not!

COCOA ALMOND RUMMIES

1 cup almond slivers, finely chopped

1 cup finely ground vanilla wafers

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup rum

1/2 cup grated white chocolate bar for rollimg

Combine almonds, cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar and cocoa in a large bowl. Mix well. Add honey and rum and stir, making sure to moisten all of the mixture evenly. Form the mixture into one inch balls with your hands and roll them in grated white chocolate. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. If desired use individual candypapers found at any craft or specialty baking supplies shop. Stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Flavor improves over time.

Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?

2010-05-01T19:50:00.016-04:00

Chicken is a staple for those of us trying to get healthier. Chicken day in and day out doesn't have to mean boring dining. Reasonably priced, low-fat, high-protein and it goes well with any side you can think of.

What's not to love?

Hadley asparagus time here in the Pioneer Valley means steamed fresh and slightly crunchy asparagus spears on the side. But if you're not lucky enough to have local asparagus where you live, some warm wilted arugula will add nice color and flavor. Drop a few raspberries in a glass of white wine and enjoy.

So why did the chicken cross the road? Answer: To get away from my hot skillet!

ROAST CHICKEN BREAST DIJON
2 boneless, skin on chicken breasts with drumette attached (5-6 ounces each piece)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup flour (oat or whole wheat)
dash of salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup white table wine
3/4 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into halves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly season chicken, adding a bit more fresh ground pepper than salt. Dredge seasoned chicken in flour and shake off excess. Set aside.

On the stove top, heat olive oil in a 10 inch oven proof skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and sear one minute longer. Add potato halves, cut side down on the bottom of the skillet and place browned chicken on top, skin side up. Place skillet in oven and bake 25-28 minutes or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken and potatoes to a plate, loosely covering meat and potatoes with foil to stay warm. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. Set the skillet over medium on the stove top. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix cornstarch into the wine and chicken broth. Pour mix into skillet and quickly whisk in the Dijon to keep sauce smooth. Sprinkle red pepper into sauce and allow to thicken over a low boil for just about one minute. Add more broth for desired consistency. Spoon one or two tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

When a Friend in Need Needs Candy

2010-04-25T22:17:00.017-04:00

It's been a bad week for my healthy eating resolve anyway. The Wedding of the Year was yesterday -- the bride and groom glowed. As for that toast -- I remembered my lines and didn't knock over any furniture. The mic was a little faulty and I think some of what I said was lost. Still, I got my point across-- this was a joyous occasion.

If good wishes carry with them fate, the new Mr. & Mrs. Vito are destined for a lifetime of happiness. The caterer delivered a superb dinner with three stations ... French, Mediterranean and New England cuisine. All yummy. And we danced and sang and danced some more.

It was a big friend week around here. For another of our favorite people, the surgery was reportedly a success and there's nothing like a homemade sugary treat to sweeten recovery time. Capping off all the candy and toast making, I'm back on the Flat Belly Diet! I've lost just nine pounds not the fifteen I was hoping for but I'm so far down this road there's no reason to quit now. I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, go ahead. Make some cashew brittle.

CASHEW BRITTLE
2 cups raw sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of salt
1/2 cup water
2 cups cashew halves
2 teaspoons baking soda

Using butter flavored cooking spray, grease a large baking sheet and set aside. In a medium heavy bottom, stainless saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and water. Cook over medium heat-high until it reaches a boil. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches soft crack stage, 280 degrees F. Stir in nuts.

Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir frequently until mixture reaches hard crack stage, 300 degrees F. Remove from heat and quickly mix in baking soda. The addition of the baking soda adds air pockets to make the candy light yet crunchy. Spread the hot mixture on the baking sheet, using a spatula to spread as thinly as reasonably possible.

When the candy is cool enough to handle but still hot, butter your hands and pull at each corner to stretch it even thinner. Don't worry about cracks as you pull. when the brittle cools you will break it into pieces anyway. Stores well in an airtight container such as a candy tin for up to two weeks. Makes about two pounds of carmelized cashew brittle.

All Kinds of Nuts

2010-04-13T20:29:00.017-04:00

Part of the encouragement boost in following Flat Belly Diet! are the success stories scattered throughout the book. On page 312 you'll meet Evelyn Gomer who, by her own admission, loves all kinds of nuts. Me, too. But I suspect she was referring only to the food kind. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc... all great MUFAs.

Evelyn and I have other things in common. Neither of us had a clue what a MUFA was until we started reading the book. On page 30 there is a section titled Good Fats versus Bad Fats. Pretty similar to the good (HDL) versus bad (LDL) cholesterol. Bottom line is that healthy fats remain liquid at room temperature while the bad ones are solid or semi-solid at room temperature.

There are three kinds of good fats: Monosaturated Fat (MUFA), Polyunsaturated Fat and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. And two kinds of bad fats: Saturated Fats and Trans Fats. It's important to note that dietary fat is actually an important energy source for our bodies. But eating the bad kind is pretty hard on your body and your health. It's worth investing some time reading up on fat so that you understand those nutrition labels at the grocery store.

Meanwhile here's a great main dish recipe with a MUFA boost for good taste and good health. This one has a little spicy bite. Yummy.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE

1 clove garlic, finely grated

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)

4 thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets (about 1 pound total weight)

2 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomato (dry packed)

1/2 cup low sodium fat free chicken broth

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Using a medium skillet over medium low heat, saute garlic, dried tomato and pepper flakes in one teaspoon of oil for about two minutes. Remove from heat, cool ten minutes then toss garlic mixture in a small bowl with cheese and well drained spinach. Set aside.

Lay chicken pieces flat on a work surface (an acrylic chopping board is a safe bet). Evenly divide the spinach mixture on each chicken piece and spread to about 1/2 inch of the outside of the meat. Roll each stuffed cutlet, ending with the narrower tip. Secure each roll with a toothpick.

Add remaining oil to the skillet. Add chicken rolls and brown the meat on all sides over medium heat (about 10 minutes). Add broth the cover and cook another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer rolls to a platter, cover to keep warm. Dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon white wine and add slowly to broth in the skillet. Let boil to slightly thickened. Whisk in lemon juice toward the end. Cut rolls into diagonal slices. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with pine nuts. Feeds four. 320 calories per serving.

With 400 calories per meal as a target, that leaves room for a cup of steamed baby carrots as a side plus half a cup of fresh raspberries for dessert!

Chocolate Chip Cookies to Diet For!

2010-04-09T17:06:00.014-04:00

Oh yeah -- sweet treats from Flat Belly Diet! I played with the recipe just a tad to lower the calorie count so I could have more of them!

Page 232 says to make it a meal with 1 cup of nonfat cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of pineapple tidbits or mandarin oranges for an under 400 calorie meal, great for breakfast. Try a snack pack with 2 cookies and 1 cup of cold skim milk poured into an ice cold frosted glass ... super yummy!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup oat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, oil, vanilla and egg whites until smooth. Fold in cranberries, walnuts and chocolate chips. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until well blended.

Let sit about three minutes before dropping batter by rounded tablespoons onto a large baking sheet (prepared in advance with a nonstick cooking spray). Slightly flatten each mound of dough, then bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden in color.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 20-24 cookies at approximately 140 calories each. By reducing the amount of walnuts called for in the original recipe and substituting sunflower seeds the calorie count goes down but the MUFA (monounsaturated fat) value remains. Check in next week to learn why MUFAs are so important to your Flat Belly Diet! regimen.

Oh crap, I cheated.

2010-03-30T21:45:00.012-04:00

How could a day that began with 1 scrambled egg and 1 slice of whole grain toast go so terribly wrong? Lunch was a delicious 420 calorie platter of roasted turkey slices, baby greens, walnut meats and fresh chopped tomatoes. So far so good for a day of meetings in New York City while my friend and travel companion, author Sherri Erwin (April 13 release date of Jane Slayre coming up fast) was off with agent, editor and publicist.

Then it happened. I offered to take my son and his lovely girlfriend to his favorite restaurant. One trip to Gramercy Tavern and it all fell apart. See the two guys sitting at the table in the center of the restaurant's interior shot? That was exactly our table. If you saw what we ate and drank you'd understand. Meg and I shared a Merguez sausage and chick pea appetizer washed down with an Orange Blossom (sparkling wine with Elderflower liqueur and orange bitters -- yummy). And yes, I took one little taste of Sherri's sweetbread.

How about main course choices you ask?

Not your ordinary chicken. Drizzled bone-in breast with a balsamic reduction and served with carrots and charred parsnips. Sherri had the flounder with carmelized sunchokes and mussels. Luke went for the hanger steak special and Meg the seafood and parsnip chowder. Totally off the diet for the day, my companions made a valiant attempt to get me back on track. One chocolate pudding around the table -- one bite each.

Sherri says, "It happens." I'll be back on the wagon tomorrow.

Mark the Calendar: Debby's Diet Day 7

2010-03-28T16:47:00.008-04:00

What were my slightly snug at the waist jeans fit right out of the dryer. In the beginning, small victories help foster success. It also helps that the first four days of the Flat Belly Diet! are very structured. The book supplies a grocery list and there’s no need to count calories. You simply eat what you read -- an instant weight loss program. Just add Sassy water (pages 6 and 80) and you’re good to shrink.

Just when I wondered if it was possible to stick to a low-cal diet without losing my mind along with the extra pounds, it was Day 5. Relief came in the form of “extra” calories. Three squares and one Snack Pack at 400 calories each, 1,600 calories -- up from the 1,200 calorie Jumpstart. There are lots of great recipes in the book, but well, you know me … I like to fiddle. With the help of some great calorie counter websites, it wasn’t too hard to come up with a tasty main dish. 2/3 cup of steamed sugar snap peas (40 calories) and two tablespoons of jellied cranberry sauce (50 calories) made this a 385 calorie meal.

Next goal: getting into the one size smaller jeans in my bottom drawer.

CHEERY CHERRY APPLE STUFFED TURKEY BREAST
1 boneless turkey breast half, skin on (1.5 to 2 pounds)
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup plain bread crumbs
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped (3/4 cup)
¼ cup chopped dried cherries
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
¼ cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon cornstarch

In a medium bowl mix breadcrumbs, apple, cherries and spices until evenly mixed. Warm 1/4 cup of broth and oil, pour warm (not hot) broth mixture into fruit mixture and stir, making sure all parts are moistened with liquid.

Cover turkey breast with a piece of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until the turkey is of uniform thickness (about 1/2 inch). Spread stuffing evenly (about 3/4 inch thick) in the center of the turkey, leaving a 1-inch border. Starting with one short end, roll into a log, completely enclosing the stuffing. Tie twine around the roast in four evenly spaced intervals. Season with ground pepper.

Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle registers 155 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes (the internal temperature should rise to 165 degrees).

While meat is resting, pour 1 cup of chicken broth in a small saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch into the broth then turn burner to medium. Whisk constantly until the broth thickens into a clear gravy-like sauce. Remove twine, place turkey on a cutting board or platter and slice crosswise about ¾ of an inch thick. Two-three slices equals 3.5 ounces. Use a food scale for accuracy. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sauce over meat slices. Serves 6.

Unintended Consequences

2010-03-26T19:15:00.011-04:00

I love romance. When I meet someone who is single my natural inclination is to butt in and introduce them to another single person. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. There are more couples together than apart among my victims over the years. So what does this have to do with why I haven't blogged lately?

Well, two of my friends are one month away from becoming husband and wife. I introduced them to each other and got teary happy when they asked me to make the toast at the wedding. Like I said, I love romance. But I don't love the size of my behind and being the center of attention for even a few minutes gives me agita. Someone is going to take my picture when I raise that glass and I'll be damned if I don't manage to lose a few pounds before the blessed event.

Lamenting my situation to another friend (and a fellow guest at said wedding) caused her to say she'd bought Flat Belly Diet! and would give it to me to read. Instead, she bought me my own copy and now we are both Flat Belly devotees and smoothie lovers. There are lots of strategies and recipes in this plan. Some are pretty interesting ... like Dijon Pork Chops and Mexican Chicken Soup. Now that I have made it through the starvation jump start and am starting the act of changing my eating habits, I'm ready to share my success or failures when it comes to cooking a new way. At least until the wedding.

FROZEN FRUIT SMOOTHIE
1 cup skim milk
1 cup frozen fruit, unsweetened

Place the ingredients in a blender and pulse until well mixed and slushy. Resembles soft serve ice cream or a thick milkshake -- not quite as sweet but really good. The pineapple is my favorite. Oh wait, blueberry is amazing. Ya gotta try the peach. About 170 calories of yummy.

Gourmet Meets Grandma: Lobster Mac n' Cheese

2010-03-05T18:41:00.004-05:00

Recovering from the worst cold ever, the tide had turned and the former Family Sick became the Family Famished. Our throats are still a little sore and we're not 100% yet. But after a week of chicken soup and dry toast something more substantial, yet creamy and comforting seemed like a good idea. Three people ate four servings ... I guess they agreed!

LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Dash salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons brandy or dry sherry
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 pound cooked lobster, shelled and cut into chunks
2 cups cooked corkscrew macaroni
½ cup cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On top of the stove melt butter in a medium pot; remove from heat. Stir in flour and add salt and peppers. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring until well mixed. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add two tablespoons brandy or dry sherry. Cook for 5 minutes longer; add cheese. Stir gently with the whisk until smooth and well blended.

Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole. Place cooked macaroni in a lightly greased 2 quart casserole. Add lobster chunks and cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly, until the pasta is well coated with sauce and lobster chunks are evenly distributed. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs and drizzle butter over the crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until sauce is hot and bubbling. Serves 4.

The Basics

2010-03-03T21:11:00.016-05:00

Someday they’ll find a cure for the common cold. Until then, here’s a few tips to help lessen the misery. It’s also a good idea to make yourself the all-time cure all for what ails you – simple homemade chicken soup with carrots. (Recipe follows.)

1: Blow Your Nose
Honest to God, it helps to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your sinuses where it can cause bacteria to fester and cause even more misery. But if you blow hard, pressure can cause an earache. Go easy: Press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other. Wash your hands after blowing your nose.

2: Rest
Resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward helping your immune system battle the invader. This battle taxes the body. Give it a little help by lying down under a blanket.

3: Gargle
Gargling moistens and brings temporary relief for your sore throat. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. Or use a thick gargle made with honey, popular in folk medicine. Steep one tablespoon of lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling. Never give honey to children less than 1 year old.

4: Hot Liquids
Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, help prevent dehydration and can soothe the swollen sore membranes lining your nose and throat. Your grandma was right. Hot tea and chicken soup are good for you.

5: Orange Fruits Vegetables
Believe it or not, eating anything orange is good for you. Carrots, butternut squash and other orange veggies are great sources of betacarotene. And we all know about Vitiman C and oranges.

6: Take a Shower
Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, fill the tub and take a nice warm bath.

7: Menthol Salve
A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose helps open breathing passages and soothes irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that can help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.

8: Use an Extra Pillow
Propping up an extra pillow under your head can help drain nasal passages.

9: Stay off Airplanes
Flying with cold or flu congestion can hurt your eardrums as a result of pressure changes during takeoff and landing. If you MUST fly, use a decongestant and wear a face mask. You may think you look funny but your fellow passengers will be grateful that you are being considerate.

Word up. If you have severe symptoms or feeling sicker with each passing day, see a doctor.

SIMPLE CHICKEN SOUP
1 medium whole chicken, about 3 pounds

1/2 pound of carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup wide egg noodles, uncooked

plenty of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Put cleaned chicken in the bottom of a large soup pot. Cover the chicken with water and add salt. Your pot should be about two thirds full full. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises as it boils. Lower heat to medium and let simmer for approximately three hours, continue to skim off foam so the broth will be clear. If you have a fat skimmer, repeatedly skim off the fat that comes to the top.

Remove cooked chicken from the pot and allow it to cool about 30 minutes before deboning meat. Meanwhile add the carrot coins and sliced celery to the broth. Once fully cooked the broth will be reduced to about half the pot -- add water if needed. Slowly boil the veggies until tender. Add deboned chicken back into the pot and toss in the uncooked noodles. Gently boil just until noodles are cooked and serve.

My house is dark and my pots are cold ...

2010-03-01T18:37:00.006-05:00

The only cooking going on at my house lately is heating up low sodium chicken soup out of a can. I promise to make up for it later in the week, when the sniffles, sore throat and stuffiness have subsided.

Wondering if Carlos Santana mistook his baby's lack of interest in cooking him dinner for running around. Maybe she was just sick. As for Jeanne and Joan, I'm guessing they were not feeling too good themselves!

Butter Up Your Vegetables

2010-02-21T20:02:00.004-05:00

This is the time of year I really miss my garden. The only local grown signs up at our favorite grocers are for root veggies and a few wrinkly skinned apples. The last squash from our backyard fall harvest is long gone. There are no more homegrown veggies in my freezer. There are California and South America stickers all over the produce aisle.

There is a way to flavor up those long distance cousins to our own local grown broccoli, green beans and asparagus. It doesn’t much matter if you stir fry, steam or microwave your veggies, whether they are purchased from the produce aisle or the frozen foods section. Add a pat of this yummy orange garlic butter to any plain cooked vegetables and you’ll add a flavor lift to get you through ‘til growing season.

ORANGE GARLIC BUTTER
1 four ounce stick of salted butter or margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Leave butter out until soft and whip until fluffy. Fold in remaining ingredients; mold into a rectangular log: wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. It’ll last for four to six weeks. Just before serving, scoop or cut about 1 tablespoon of garlic orange infused butter and let it melt on top of two cups of any cooked veggie. Toss and serve.

For an extra taste boost; drizzle the veggies with a tablespoon of Grand Marnier or other orange favored liqueur before tossing with melted orange garlic butter. Anther suggestion: add a pat of this butter to a plain piece of fish or chicken after baking, steaming or grilling.

Almond Joy

2010-02-19T00:10:00.006-05:00

I was 13 years old in the late 1960s when the Galloping Gourmet was a television cooking show hit. It wasn't until twenty years later, not long after Sheila Lukins and The Silver Palate Cookbook got me hooked on cooking, that I discovered Graham Kerr and his Minimax series. He taught me that all it takes is a little experimenting with a traditional recipe to make it better for you without losing the traditional flavor.

It’s not a given that I adjust a recipe to be healthier. But a pound of butter in one loaf cake always seemed a bit over the top when elevated cholesterol levels run in the family. And who doesn’t love pound cake? I read about a group of cooks who delivered homemade pound cakes to families left homeless and devastated in the aftermath of Katrina. Welcome gifts for hungry folks.

After trying lemon pound cake, chocolate pound cake (using cocoa powder to keep the fat content down) and plain Jane vanilla pound cake, my family's all-time favorite is almond pound cake. As for Graham Kerr, he’s just turned 76 years old in January and he’s still inspiring cooks to Do Yourself a Flavor with special features on radio and television for the National Cancer Institute’s 5 a Day program.

ALMOND POUND CAKE

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Dash of salt

2/3 cup sugar
½ cup slivered almonds

½ cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

½ cup egg substitute, or 2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one 8 x 4 inch loaf pan generously with your favorite cooking spray/flour.

Place slivered almonds into a food processor. Use chop mode on high speed to make finely ground almonds. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the almonds in the processor and pulse for a few seconds to blend well. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs whites or egg substitute and beat well. Beat in almond and vanilla extracts and yogurt until well blended, about one minute on medium high.

Add butter/egg mixture to processor and process batter for about one minute. If using a mixer, beat on low speed for one minute, then beat on medium high for another minute. Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake on a rack centered in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before releasing the cake from the pan and placing it to cool thoroughly on a wire rack, about an hour. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Devilishly Delish Sipping Chocolate

2010-02-18T10:03:00.010-05:00

Woke up this morning craving hot cocoa for breakfast -- problem, not a single package of cocoa mix in the house. Where there's a will there's a way and a quick look through the cabinets found everything I needed to stir up a batch of homemade cocoa mix. In no time I was happily sipping away.

Adding the usual whipped cream or mini-marshmallows makes a nice finish. But a dollop of cold frothed milk with a swirl of old fashioned chocolate syrup is the final fantasy for hot cocoa lovers. A cold milk frother will run about twenty dollars at any specialty kitchen shop. Just one sip of hot cocoa or coffee coming through a cold cloud of fluffy frothed low-fat milk will make you wonder how you ever got by without it.

The secret to my homemade mix is the addition of chili powder. Measure carefully. Just the right amount will enhance the chocolate flavor of your drink to downright sinful but too much will give new meaning to hot cocoa!

HOT COCOA MIX
2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Dash of salt

Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until it's all evenly blended. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature. Makes about 4 cups of mix. Spoon 3 or 4 rounded teaspoons of the cocoa mix into each cup. Add boiling water and stir vigorously. The mini chips will melt away making the drink extra rich and chocolaty.

It's No Sacrifice

2010-02-17T22:52:00.018-05:00

I have no idea who won the Pancake Day race in Olney. Mardi Gras beads have been stashed away. Paczkis and other sweet treats are indulgences of yesterday. Ash Wednesday, the sobering season of Lent starts with a no meat fast day. On the menu -- hot satisfying veggie paninis.

Panini literally means little bread, Italian for a sandwich. Delicious and nutritious vegetarian panini is easy to prepare using ingredients you may even have on hand. Fresh mushrooms add a thick meaty texture to a vegetarian treat. Try other types of sliced mushrooms, grated Swiss cheese and spinach for a different taste.

And if Father Michael happens to ask about Lenten sacrifice, I'll simply say we had grilled cheese sandwiches for supper. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. As for Friday's fish, I'm thinkin' lobster roll. Waddaya think?

MOLTO PORTABELLA PANINI
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large portabella mushroom caps
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled and sliced into thin strips
¼ cup chopped green olives
6 ounces soft goat cheese
1 cup baby arugula leaves
8 slices sourdough bread, ¾ inch thick

Using a small spoon, scrape the undersides of each mushroom cap to remove the black "gills" before slicing each mushroom cap in half. Slice the mushrooms into strips crossways.

Heat oil in medium sized frying pan over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until until the mushrooms are tender and natural juices are released. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the cheese, chopped olives and red pepper; spread evenly on bottom half of four bread slices. Arrange the mushrooms, and spinach leaves, evenly on top of cheese mixture. Top each with a plain bread slice and press firmly.

Place sandwich in preheated sandwich grill (according to manufacturer’s directions) for about 5-6 minutes or melt a pat of butter in a fry pan and brown each side about 4 minutes each until lightly browned. Cut sandwiches in half to serve. Makes four sandwiches.

No Sense Wasting Perfectly Good Rosemary

2010-02-16T20:49:00.010-05:00

It was just a little sprig of green poking through the snow in the herb garden. That rosemary was begging to be picked. Grilled lamb chops suddenly sounded irresistible. Then I found the broccolini and surprisingly sweet smelling strawberries from California in the produce aisle. To hell with the snow.

In between shoveling the driveway out front, I managed to fire up the grill on the patio out back in a shake of my fist at old Mother Nature. But my defiance didn't go so far as to throw on a summer sundress -- I dressed seasonally. Flannel lined jeans, a turtle neck, several layers of clothing, but not so many that movement was restricted.

Too bad I didn't have a pair of those fingerless gloves and maybe a nose warmer. My hands and cheeks got a little cold but it was worth it. The chops were great and well, broccolini is high in Vitamin C. And the strawberries? Pure sunshine.

SIMPLE GRILLED LAMB CHOPS
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of cayenne pepper
8 loin or rib lamb chops, one inch thick

In a small bowl mix all ingredients except chops. Place the chops in a large zip lock storage bag and pour marinade over the meat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but not longer than twelve hours, turning several times to fully coat meat with marinade.

Fifteen minutes before cooking, preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Cook the chops for 7 minutes per side or until firm and resilient to the touch for medium, about 5 minutes per side for rare-pink. Make a slit into one of the chops to check for doneness. Remove chops from the grill while still pink. The meat will continue to cook as they rest. Serves four.

Translation: Chocolate to Die For

2010-02-16T06:53:00.027-05:00

Courtesy of the Williams-Sonoma kitchen, right off the back of a box holding a Bouchon Silicone Baking Mold for little cakes that look like wine corks. The French word for cork is bouchon. My JP saw a picture of delectable little chocolate cakes dusted with powdered sugar and couldn't resist. The baking mold, recipe included, landed under the Christmas tree with a card that said To Mom with love.
I finally broke open the box and freed up the mold for first use last night using the recipe exactly as called for. Well, almost exactly. I substituted a whole Lindt 3.5 ounce Chili Chocolate bar for the 3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate -- quite sure that any good dark chocolate would do and I was correct. Believe me when I tell you that if you love deep, rich chocolate taste, you'll be hooked on chocolate corks.

CHOCOLATE CORKS

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1/3 cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Dash of salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bouchon mold with your favorite cooking spray and set the greased mold on a baking sheet (you can use a mini-muffin tin but I highly recommend investing in the real thing).

Place butter and chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl and microwave about 1 minute, or until just melted. Stir once. Let cool 10 minutes.

In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a third bowl, whisk together sugar, egg and vanilla until well mixed and uniformly light yellow in color. Add melted chocolate and butter mixture and whisk briskly until well combined. Add flour and cocoa mixture and mix well.

Scoop two tablespoons of the batter into each well of the mold. Transfer the mold, still on the baking sheet, to the oven and bake until the tops of the chocolate corks are shiny and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 20-22 minutes of baking time.

Remove from oven and place the mold on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the mold to remove the chocolate corks and turn them right-side up on the rack for another half hour before dusting with confectioners' sugar. Makes 12 to die for chocolate corks.

Is it Summer Yet?

2010-02-15T19:17:00.016-05:00

A day at the beach with shrimp or lobster rolls, a bag of potato chips and a cheap wine cooler sounds like heaven about now. You might recall that I started daydreaming about summer back in January. I know that warm days are not in the immediate forecast. Hell, the Weather Channel warned me that another dusting of snow is on the way.

But there's something to be said for indulging in a little bit of fantasy -- so I headed to Costco this afternoon and bought a pound of precooked shrimp to mix up a batch of yummy shrimp salad. After all, winter is only a temporary affliction. Tomorrow I think I'll drag the grill out onto the patio. Stay tuned.

SHRIMP SALAD
1 pound large cooked shrimp, chilled, peeled and coarsly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
2 sweet gherkin pickles, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped ( dried just won't do)\
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

In a medium bowl stir together mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in capers, pickles, cayenne pepper and parsley. Fold shrimp pieces into the sauce and chill one hour before assembling into sandwiches using toasted thick sliced sourdough or challah bread. Makes four sandwiches. Tastes great with tomato soup for a fast and easy weeknight supper.

Tomorrow is Pancake Day

2010-02-15T08:30:00.007-05:00

Forty days penance and sacrifice coming up fast but first, it's party time. Mardi Gras beignets (sweet fried dough). Paczkis (pronounced punch-keys), sugary Polish donuts. Swedish semla, a sweet bun filled with almonds and sweet cream. In the United Kingdom, pancakes became a great way to use the foods that were given up for Lent – milk, butter, sugar and eggs.

The humble pancake has been featured in recipe books as far back as 1439. And there have been annual Pancake Day races all over London since 1445 -- the most famous in Olney, Buckinghamshire. The aim of a pancake race is to run as fast as you can while tossing a pancake in a frying pan. Some races have teams doing a relay, some have competitors in fancy dress. All quite silly and great fun to watch. Now that's a tradition worth a good laugh ... let the races begin!

FLUFFY PANCAKES
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
dash of salt
cooking spray

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda. In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg yolks, and melted butter. Blend into the dry ingredients just until all ingredients are moistened. Beat egg whites in seperate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter until well incorporated.

Evenly coat the bottom of a large skillet with cooking sray then heat the skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle, scoop pancake batter onto the skillet in about 1/4-cup portions, spreading slightly. When edges are rather dry and bubbles are popping and bottoms are nicely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn over and cook the other side until browned, about 2 minutes longer.

Delish plain with butter and syrup or with any number of add-in ingredients tossed gently into the batter at the last minute. Pictured pancakes have honey roasted sunflower seed and a handful of fresh blueberries. Other yummy add-in ideas include berries of any kind, chopped apples coated with cinnamon sugar before tossing into batter, chopped dried fruits, granola, chocolate chips, banana slices (add a bit of lemon juice so they don't blacken while cooking) -- use your imagination!

No Small Potatoes

2010-02-11T18:12:00.014-05:00

The old expression originated from farmers who tossed the little ones aside as not good enough to please discriminating potato shoppers. Times sure have changed. Fingerlings, baby reds, gold and purples are all the rage. Have you priced small potatoes lately?

As a little girl I wanted to be Heidi -- you know, THE Heidi. Living in the mountains with her grandfather and eating porridge every day. What in the world does a childhood fantasy have to do with potatoes, you ask? Well, porridge was actually oatmeal and I wasn't too keen on having oatmeal for supper, so I convinced my mother that Heidi (AKA me) much preferred mashed potatoes. I ate nothing but mashed potatoes with peas every night for weeks. And I still love creamy whipped potatoes.

Someday I'll tell you about being six years old with dreams of becoming a flamenco dancer. Suffice it to say, the Heidi phase was far less challenging for my poor mother, who was totally determined not to snuff the creativity from a lively little girl with a big imagination. LOL

CREAMY WHIPPERS
2 pounds medium size red bliss potatoes, peels left on and cut in half
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mild goat cheese

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon butter or margarine
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Put potato halves in a large saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Return potatoes to saucepan; add milk and sour cream. Beat with hand mixer on medium high until fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to medium low and stir in the cheese. Top with butter and season lightly with salt and pepper. Serves six.

No Snow-mageddon Here!

2010-02-10T19:21:00.012-05:00

Schools closed, the library shuttered early and the dairy case at the grocery store was wiped out by noon. Finally, at around two in the afternoon, the flakes started falling. So far it's a bust as snow storms go -- a fine coat of barely there white stuff slushed into oblivion by homeward bound evening commuters.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Paul brought the snow shovel and the last of our home grown butternut squash up from the basement. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, baked butternut and there's plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. The shovel is at the back door. We're ready for the blizzard ... if it ever shows!

BAKED BUTTERNUT
1 large (2-3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon grated cinnamon stick (ground cinnamon works as well)
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger root (ground ginger works here too)
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Place squash cubes in a 2 quart casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle with spices and brown sugar. Drizzle with melted butter and lemon juice. Bake uncovered in 375 degree F oven for 40-50 minutes or until fork tender. Serves four.

We'll see tonight after dinner ...

2010-02-05T14:42:00.014-05:00

... how much snow there will be. That's what my friend, roommate and fellow Democratic National Committee member said. We've been watching out the window, waiting for the blizzard to arrive.

Southwest Air cancelled our flights home. Sure enough it's snowing out there and we're expected to be stuck in Washington, DC until Sunday. But no white out yet. Before I left home, I baked up a batch of fudge brownies with the hope there would be one left for me upon my return. Fat chance!

I LOVE BROWNIES BROWNIES
6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¾ cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
Dash of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the bittersweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate with the butter, stirring until the mixture is smooth, remove the bowl from the heat, and let the mixture cool about 10 minutes or until lukewarm. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the sugars and vanilla. Next, add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the salt and the flour, stirring until the mixture is just combined, and stir in the chocolate chunks.

Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 13- by 9-inch baking pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle nuts on top. Place pan on the center rack of your oven, bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool brownies completely in the pan on a rack then cut into 12 large bars.

Catching a Break: Tea and Crumpets

2010-02-03T21:31:00.006-05:00

The whole idea of afternoon tea is to slow down. What goes better with a nice hot cuppa than good old fashioned crumpets? Easy to make and very, very yummy -- a cross between a pancake and an English muffin.

A pat of butter and a spoonful of sugar-free jam make for a healthier way to recharge those midday batteries than a chocolate bar. And you can make a batch then freeze them for convenience -- just pop them in your toaster until they are warm and crispy.

CRUMPETS
1/2 cup warm water (105° - 115°)
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour or bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups warmed milk (warm not hot)

In a large bowl, stir the honey into the warm water. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and let it sit until it bubbles, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let it sit for about half an hour in a warm place. Lightly grease a griddle or frying pan and the crumpet rings (I use two egg rings). Place the rings onto the griddle and preheat.

Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into each ring and cook over medium low heat until set, about 10 minutes. (Avoid cooking them too quickly.) The top should be full of holes when they are ready to turn. Remove the crumpets from the rings, turn, and brown the other side, if desired, for a minute or so. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serve warm with butter and jam. Freeze uneaten crumpets for another afternoon. Makes 10-12 crumpets.

Fancy Shmancy Pumpkin Pie

2010-01-24T23:22:00.014-05:00

From the brandy pumpkin custard and hazelnut streusel to the chevre cream topping, this fancy version of pumpkin pie is full of surprises. It's a little labor intensive but the sweet, creamy and crunchy all at once flavor is worth the effort. I promise your taste buds will sing!

BRANDY PUMPKIN STREUSEL TART

Make one recipe of your favorite pie crust. Roll and fit into a 9 inch tart pan or pie tin. Set in refrigerator until other ingredients are ready to assemble the tart.

Chevre Cream

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons chevre (soft goat cheese)

1 teaspoon honey

Just before serving whip heavy cream on high speed until fluffy. Using a whisk or electric mixer on low, add in chevre until well blended. Drizzle in the honey as you mix. Garnish each pie piece with a generous dollop on the side.

Custard

2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)

3 large eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

dash of ground cloves

dash of table salt

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup plain brandy

Add all filling ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until well blended. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate while making the streusel.

Streusel

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup paked light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

dash of salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/8 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and hazelnuts in food processor. Process until hazelnuts are ground fully. Add butter. Pulse until mixture is crumbly. Transfer mix into a medium size bowl. Fold in ginger and walnuts. Set aside and begin to assemble tart.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour filling mixture into the unbaked crust. Gently scatter streusel evenly over the pumpkin filling mixture. Bake on rack positioned in the center of the oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean. Do not overbake. Let tart cool at room temperature before refrigerating overnight. Serve plain or with chevre cream. Yummy!

Pot Roast and Politics

2010-01-15T08:25:00.014-05:00

You might be asking what in the world pot roast has to do with politics. Well, it's no secret that I'm a progressive Democrat from Massachusetts and involved in political organizing. And I have a BUSY schedule over the next few days until Tuesday's special election to fill our U.S. Senate seat.

This pot roast recipe is a way to keep a solemn vow I made after nearly three weeks in Ohio working on John Kerry's presidential campaign. You won't catch me eating another campaign pizza if I can possibly manage a home cooked meal and still get everything done I need to do.

Now back to that election ... if you're a Massachusetts voter, I know you have lots of things to do too. Life is always a struggle to juggle. But if you take my advice and get this pot roast going in the morning, you might just save enough time to get out there and do your civic duty. And when you do I hope you'll vote for Martha Coakley, the Democrat.

CROCK POT ROAST BEEF
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot, finely grated
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
¾ cup red wine (use beef broth if you prefer)
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon arrowroot

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, sear roast in hot oil, browning well on all sides. Transfer meat to a crock pot. Saute the onion and garlic in the skillet until lightly browned. Add wine or broth and instant coffee. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Pour all over meat. Add bay leaf to the pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaf and discard. Transfer meat to a baking pan or ovenproof platter; cover with foil and keep warm in a preheated 275 degree F oven.

Pour meat juices into a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, combine cold water and arrowroot, stirring until smooth. Stir into the meat juices, cover and cook on medium hot stovetop burner for 3-5 minutes, or until gravy is bubbling hot and thickened. Serve sliced meat with boiled red bliss potatoes and baby carrots as sides. Smother with the gravy and enjoy. Feeds 4-6 people.

My New Kitchen Toy

2010-01-11T19:33:00.010-05:00

This may not look like much to get excited about to you, but for me? Let's just say that I am thrilled to have a new ravioli stamp. This new tool will give me broader horizons and more daring opportunities than my little old round ravioli press.

Don't get me wrong, little round cheese raviolis have been part of my repertoire since forever. Every year I get a personal call from one Carmino Daniele to make said little round cheese ravioli for his annual holiday office party. Anytime anyone named Carmino likes your ravioli enough to make a request -- I think it's safe to say, my ravioli and red sauce are desirable additions to the buffet table.

But tonight, I'm dreaming about big squares of tender dough stuffed with lobster and smothered with shallot cream sauce for a main course, crystallized ginger apple-filled ravioli for dessert, or a savory Mexican chicken with salsa-style topping for an appetizer. I might even try fried raviolis ... the possibilities are endless! Anybody have any good ideas?

Cheap Imitation or Tasty Alternative?

2010-01-11T14:12:00.014-05:00

My first encounter with soufflé was in a nice French restaurant in, believe it or not, Lowell, Massachusetts -- a rich puff of egg and cheese served with a deliriously savory drizzle of melted herb butter. I thought soufflé-making must be the apex of culinary achievement. One that I might reach someday if I managed to win the lottery, then be accepted for a French cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu.

Then I found a recipe for individual asiago cheese bread puddings dusted with grated parmesan, and decided to give them a go one New Year’s Eve. They were puffy, delicious and easy. And they looked and tasted a lot like traditional soufflé. Not exactly the real thing but pretty darned tasty. My next experiment was to try different bread/cheese combos until I came up with just the right balance of flavor.

Pair the cheese puffs with mini-caribou meatballs (pictured), and spiced shrimp as a small plate buffet accompanied by arugula and grape tomato salad. Add a pitcher of warm sangria and invite a couple of good friends over for an evening of good conversation. The art of Tapas doesn’t get much better than that.

Swiss Soufflé Mini Puffs

½ loaf plain white bread (16 ounce loaf – approx. 10 slices)
1¼ cups shredded Swiss or Havarti cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1¼ cups milk
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter
Dash of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Trim crusts from bread slices and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, cheese and Worcestershire sauce, blend well before adding bread. Let stand for 15-20 minutes minutes. Fill buttered mini-muffin cups about 2/3 full with the bread soaked soufflé mixture. Place the muffin tin into a jelly roll pan filled with 1/2 inch of water.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven until set, about 25-30 minutes. The soufflé bites are ready when they have puffed up and are slightly brown on top. Serve immediately. Makes 24 mini-cheese soufflé puffs.