I tend to underuse my Instant Pot. I use it mostly to make yogurt, to prep boiled eggs, to make broth, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes, but I don't often just use it to make a meal.  IMHO, it takes all the flavor out of most vegetables, so I hesitate to make anything with vegetables in it, and it's not my first choice for preparing meats, either.  So when I ran across this super easy recipe for Instant Pot Tamale Pie, I was intrigued. And of course, I can't just follow a recipe, I have to make additions, delete things, and generally change it up.  It took a couple of "practice" runs, but I think this is the final version.  Enjoy!

Instant Pot Tamale Pie

2 cups Masa Harina

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup oil

1-1/2 t. salt

1-1/2 t. Chili powder

1-1/2 t. Smoked paprika

1 t. cumin

1 t. baking soda

Filling

2 cups shredded chicken---pork or beef will also work

1 cup enchilada sauce

1 small sweet onion, chopped

Use a mixer to mix together the masa water, oil, spices, and baking soda. Whip this mixture for at least 3-4 minutes until it is light and fluffy

Grease a 7 inch springform pan. Spread half the masa batter on the bottom of the pan. Top with all of the meat and sauce, then add the remaining masa batter and smooth out the top. Cover the pie loosely with foil. You are doing this to keep water from dripping into the tamale pie.

Pour 1-1/2 cups water into the Instant Pot. Place a trivet in the pot. Place the pan on the trivet.

Secure the lid on the pot and set the Instant Pot at High pressure for 35 minutes. When cook time is complete, let pot release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.

Allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes, and then unclasp the sides of the springform pan.

I served this with some black beans and some plain, chopped lettuce with a sour cream/chipotle dressing. 

I like Minestrone OK, but THIS was spectacular.  I served it with a loaf of homemade french bread and irish butter.  Oh, and a nice glass of Sangiovese.  

Meatless Monday Minestrone (For Instant Pot)

2 T. olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 t. minced garlic

2 cups diced carrots

1 stalk of celery, chopped

3 or 4 slices of lemon, deseeded

2 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried thyme

1 quart (32 oz) can diced tomatoes

3 T. tomato paste

1 quart (32 oz) vegetable or chicken broth

1 c. dry small shell pasta

3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 cans kidney beans (sub 1 for cannellini if you wish)

2 cups spinach

2 t. balsamic vinegar

Shredded or grated Parmesan, for serving

Chop all your veggies first.  Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE and let it heat for a minute or two.  Add the olive oil, then add onion, and garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.  Then add carrots, celery, lemon slices, basil, oregano, thyme, tomatoes, tomato paste, broth and pasta. 

Press CANCEL, close the lid and set to MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) for 2 minutes. Make sure valve is set to SEALING.

When it beeps, do a quick release and open the lid.  Add the zucchini and beans. Set to SAUTE again and cook until the zucchini is done to your liking.  Stir in the spinach and balsamic vinegar. Serve with grated Parmesan. 

A new toy for my kitchen!

Boy, it's been a really long time since I've been here, but I wanted to stop by and tell you about my new favorite kitchen toy that my eldest DD got me on Black Friday!  It's an Instant Pot, which is an electric pressure cooker that also has additional features that allow you to steam, keep warm and slow cook.  Some versions of this pot also make yogurt, and many, many people tout it's greatness for making cheesecake---but that is another post entirely, lol!I haven't gotten rid of my crock pot yet, but it's a distinct possibility!

In the past I've used a stove top pressure cooker for several things:  tough meats like stew meat, beans, making broth, etc.  I had found a recipe for Risotto in the pressure cooker and tried it, but burner control on my old stove was not up for the job, and it scorched horribly.  I thought I was doomed to spend the 45 minutes or so it takes to make risotto at the stove stirring, and stirring, and stirring.....well, you get the picture :)  But then this little bad boy came along and I am in risotto HEAVEN!!!   So I'm sharing with you today--try it out and tell me what you think!

You're welcome :D

Instant Pot Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio rice

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 cup white wine

1 cup mushrooms, sliced and sauteed *

1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas*(I've also substituted fresh asparagus)

1/4 -1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

* I cooked the sliced mushrooms in a skillet with 1 Tablespoon of butter, until golden, then added the peas to heat through.  I deglazed the pan with 1/8 cup of white wine, allowed to cook down and set aside.  This can also be cooked in the Instant Pot using the saute feature. In this version, the butter and wine are in ADDITION to what is called for in the recipe. 

Directions:

Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in the Instant Pot using the saute function.  Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes.  Place the rice in the pot with the onions and continue stirring until the rice becomes translucent and the edges begin to toast.  

Deglaze the pan with white wine and add the salt and broth.  Stir to combine.  Lock the Instant Pot lid and push the RICE button, making sure the pressure valve is in the sealing position. When finished, do a quick release by setting the valve to vent.  Add the mushrooms and peas, remaining butter, Parmesan, and a splash of broth, stirring to finish.  

Wine & Food Pairing

Happy National Drink Wine Day!  This is such a great chart, I just had to share!  While MY preferences run to the right side (and the really big reds!), I have some trouble pairing with foods that need a lighter touch.   Off to figure out what might pair with tonight's tilapia!

Wine Pairing Chart infographic by madelinep.

Best Bacon Ever!

This morning I noticed that I had a package of kind of inexpensive bacon leftover from making those wonderful bacon-wrapped, cream cheese filled jalepenos I found on Pinterest.  Not being the wasteful sort, I recalled seeing on Pinterest a method of cooking bacon in the oven that I had been meaning to try.  Me being me, I couldn't resist tinkering a bit and making the recipe my own.  The result is so amazingly good, you will wonder why you ever made bacon any other way!  This will definitely be on the menu for large family gatherings, brunch, and Christmas morning!

Best Bacon Ever

1 package of bacon--inexpensive kind is OK
Brown sugar
Coarse black pepper

Line baking pans with aluminum foil to make clean up easier.  Place bacon on foil --be careful to not overlap.   Sprinkle with brown sugar and coarsely ground pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 min.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Enjoy!   :D

Hot Pickled Carrots

You know those hot crunchy pickled carrots that they serve in some of the more authentic Mexican restaurants?  Yep, you know what I'm talking about!  The husband brought home a bag of assorted hot peppers last week that a friend had given him.  Just a few I would have grilled, filled with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon (that's another post, my friends), or made into jalepeno jelly, but there were more than I could use, even if I made BOTH of those tasty concoctions.  So I did a little research and came up with the idea to make hot pickled carrots.  I've been toying with the idea for some time, and now I had one of the crucial ingredients. I couldn't come up with a recipe that called for fresh jalepenos, so I used a couple I had found as starting points and charged ahead.  I opened a jar after 4 days, they are wonderful, but hardly spicy at all.  My research told me to remove the seeds and membranes to keep the heat down, but I'm not sure I would do that again.  We like them HOT!!!  Also, I believe that the heat will increase as they age in the jar, but I JUST COULDN'T STAND IT, and had to crack open a jar this morning.  Time will tell.  Here's the recipe--enjoy!!!

Hot Pickled Carrots

5 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into uniform pieces, about 1/4' thick (make the skinny end pieces bigger so that they all cook evenly)
Jalepenos--lots and lots of jalepenos (I think I had about 50-60--including some that had matured to a red color and some that appeared to be habeneros)
2 large sweet onions
12 large cloves of garlic
4 t. dill seed (hard to find--Fred Meyers has it in the bulk spices)
8 cups cider vinegar
8 cups water
2/3 cup canning or Kosher salt

Prepare the vegetables, combining peppers and onions in one bowl.  Layer pepper/onion mix, carrots and another layer of the pepper/onion mix tightly into pint jars.  Add one garlic clove to each jar.
In a large pot, combine vinegar, water, salt and dill seed.  Bring just to a boil, then ladle hot liquid over vegetables, leaving 1/4" headspace.  Slide a table knife down the sides of jars to remove any air bubbles.  Wipe rims of jars and place sterilized lids on each.  Secure with jar rings.  Place in water bath and process for 20 minutes.  Yields 12 pints.

The recipe....finally!

Tamales are labor intensive. Save yourself some grief and make at least the pork ahead of time. It cooks easily in the crock pot, then you can shred it and freeze it in large zip-loc until you're ready to use it.

Pork Filling

4 pound pork loin-I buy a large one at Costco and slice the rest into chops & freeze
Small can of chopped green chiles
1 t. Ground coriander
1 t. Ground cumin
1 medium sweet onin, coarsley chopped

Cook on low in crockpot for 6-8 hours. Reserve liquid for chile sauce.

Chile Sauce

You can make this ahead of time, too. I don't know how it freezes, but it should keep in the refrigerator for at least a week.

3 oz. bag dried New Mexico chiles-at my store, these are called California chile pods-El Guapo brand (buy & add 4-5 Arbol chile pods if you want a little heat)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 t. Coriander
1/2 t. Cumin
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 cup reserved liquid from pork
With gloves on, remove stem ends from chiles and shake as many seeds out as possible. If a lot of seeds remain, break chiles in half and shake out the rest of the seeds. You can rinse under cold water to remove any remaining seeds, but I don't think it' necessary.

Toast the chiles in a large, dry skillet, about 45-60 seconds, just until aroma is released. DO NOT burn them! Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for about 8 minutes. Take off heat and cool.

In the meantime, place the garlic, spices and reserved liquid in blender, drain the liquid, reserving 1/2 cup. Add the liquid and chiles to the blender. Process until smooth.

The day you are putting them together, soak full package of corn husks for at least an hour. Drain.

Masa Dough

2 lbs corn masa
3 T. Smoky paprika
3 T. Salt
3 T. Cumin seeds-buy these in the Mexican section in the little bags, it's much cheaper
3 T. Chile powder- we used 2 regular & 1 chipotle
2 cups vegetable oil
8 cups chicken broth (2 boxes)

Blend dry ingredients together in a LARGE bowl. Add oil and blend with a wooden spoon until oil has moistened all dry ingredients. Using mixer, blend in broth, about 2 cups at a time until dough is the consistency of thick peanut butter. Most likely you will use all the broth.

Preparation

Mix chile sauce with meat, adding reserved liquid or water if necessary. Sauce should just coat the meat, but not runny.

Set up your assembly. Corn husks, masa dough, meat mixture, steamer basket.

The corn husks are shaped like triangles. Place about 1/4 cup masa on one side of the wide part of the husk and spread evenly. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the middle of the masa. Roll the husk up lengthwise, ending on the side that has no masa. Then fold the top down. You can tear off thin strips of the husk and tie the ends if you want. Place the tamales in the steamer, open side up. Fill the steamer a little loosely--the masa will expand. Steam for about 2 hours. The masa will be fairly firm to touch when done--take one out and let it sit for a bit before you check it. Be careful not to run the steamer out of water!

*note: one of the most difficult parts of the tamale making process was finding the right kind of steamer. You will need one that allows you to stand the tamales upright in the basket to steam.

Gringa Tamales

I've been putting off posting my tamale recipe because it is complicated and I want to make sure I get it right. In November 2010, we visited the Mayan Riviera in Mexico with our good friends Debbie, Butch, Sandi & Mike. Of course, we ate a ton of really good food. When Christmas rolled around, we decided to try to make tamales for our Christmas dinner. I had been thinking about trying to make them and collecting various recipes for quite some time, so I gathered the recipes and set about combining them into a tasty, but easy version. That first year, they were well received, so last Christmas we decided to make them again. This time, of course, we had the basics down pat and tweaked the recipe a bit. Today, Deb and I are making them again, joined by our good friend DeNise. DeNise has been bugging us to make them and her BUSY schedule is finally allowing us all a day in the kitchen. Deb cooked the pork ahead of time and shredded it, so this morning we made the chile sauce and the masa dough. We're now just waiting for DeNise to show up with the makings for ceviche (YUM!!!).

Northwest Cabbage Slaw

This is my go-to recipe to take when invited to a BBQ or potluck.  It's asked for frequently, and with good reason!  DeNise asked me to share the recipe yesterday, so I've done my best to write it down.  This recipe has evolved, kind of from a recipe I used to make that started with raw ramen noodles and cabbage.  One night I decided to make cole slaw to go with something BBQ'd, but there was one little problem....I despise mayonaise!  So I decided to use an oil & vinegar dressing similar to the one I sued on the ramen salad and it got good reviews.  This recipe evolved from those initial attempts.  If you keep the ingredients on hand, this salad goes together really fast, especially if you buy the pre-shredded cabbage and toasted almonds. 

1 small head of cabbage, shredded (OR 1 bag of shredded cabbage, NOT the angel hair variety)

1 bunch of green onions, cleaned and sliced finely

½-1 whole bunch of cilantro, or to taste, chopped finely

¼ -1/2 cup craisins, chopped

¼-1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 jalepeno, chopped finely

Prepare vegetables and add to large bowl.  Toast almonds in a dry pan on stovetop (or buy them already toasted).  While the almonds cool, chop and add the craisins to the salad mixture.  Add the almonds when they are fully cooled.  Mix well.

Dressing: 

3 T rice vinegar

1 T good light olive oil or grapeseed oil

Salt & pepper

¼ t cumin

¼ t coriander

1 t. sugar

Whisk until sugar is dissolved and pour over salad.  Mix well.  

Nancy's Black Cake

Thanks to Aunt Nancy for this recipe!  I sure hope at some point you decided to share it with your sister!! 
I am not usually a big fan of chocolate cake--it's typically too dry for me, but this cake is moist, easy and awesomely chocolately!  This is maybe the simplest "scratch" cake I've ever made. 

Butter a 9" x 13" pan, then sprinkle cocoa powder like you would flour, coat the pan and pour out the excess.  In a large mixing bowl, mix all the following ingredients well.

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 t. vanilla
2 squares (2 oz) baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup milk + 1 t. vinegar
1 cup boiling water + 1 t. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 t. salt

Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Frosting

Melt together:
5 T. sugar
2 T. butter
3 T. evaporated milk

Bring to boil, then remove from stove and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Beat till smooth and pour over hot cake. 

Picnic!

One of the best things I've ever bought at a charity auction was a picnic basket.  Technically, I've bought TWO picnic baskets--the first one was wicker and oh-so traditional looking, but not very practical.  The second looks like a piece of soft-sided luggage, but holds everything you might need for picnicking!  We like head east on Memorial Day Weekend, betting that the east side has some of the elusive sunshine that we don't often get over here (reliably, anyway) until July or so.  The hubby and I like road trips.  When I bought the first picnic basket and lugged it along on a road trip/wine tasting trip to Kelowna, BC, he thought it was a silly thing to bring along, and that we wouldn't use it.  After a stop at a gourmet grocery and a nice little picnic on the patio outside our hotel room, he changed his tune.  Now, he always asks if we're bringing it along when we head out for a few days.  This last weekend, we drove over to Pendleton, OR, then hit Walla Walla, and the Tri-Cities for some wine tasting (and buying)!  I prepared a few things to take along instead of just stopping at a grocery store and we ended up stopping at a great little park at Wallula Junction, right outside of the Tri-Cities.  I wish that I would have taken a picture--the weather was picnic perfect, we had the park practically to ourselves,and the food was terrific!

Shrimp with *homemade cocktail sauce
*Cracked pepper flatbread
White bean dip
*Baby carrots & sliced cucumbers
Asiago bread
Artichoke heart tapenade
*Pickled asparagus
Grapes
Smoked Gouda
Blue Cheese
A nice red-blend wine

* From my kitchen--watch for the recipes!

Rosemary-Lemon Flatbread

Lately, the bread basket at several restaurants I've been to has been filled with different kinds of wonderful, crispy flatbreads so I decided to try my hand at making some at home.  I've made this twice now, and it is SUPER easy, even for a cook who isn't a great baker, like me!  And it keeps really, really well in a sealed container.  Today I rescued the last two pieces from my last batch, sprinkled a little Italian blend cheese on them and broiled them in the toaster oven, then added slices of tomato.  Next time I'm going to add a little basil as well.  Tonight I served this alongside Chicken Curry and Coconut Rice.  This is really a quick recipe and very satisfying to make!  Enjoy!!

Rosemary-Lemon Flatbread        

1-3/4 c. flour
1 T. chopped rosemary
1 t. lemon zest
1 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. water
1/3 cup olive oil
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a large baking sheet on the middle rack to preheat.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, rosemary, lemon zest, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the center and add water and oil.  Mix with wooden spoon until a dough forms.  Knead dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.  Don't overwork the dough.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces.  Set aside two and wrap in plastic while you work with the first.  Roll out one piece on a sheet of parchment paper into about a 10 inch round.  No need to make it perfect.  Dough should be thin and even.

Lightly brush with a bit of oil and sprinkel with sea salt.  Slide the dough and parchment onto the preheated baking sheet.  Bake until pale golden and browned in spots--8-10 minutes.  Place bread and parchment on a rack to cool, return the baking sheet to the oven and make the other two rounds the same way.  When it is cool, break into pieces and serve! 

Keeps for several days in an airtight container.

Rosemary-Asiago Gnocchi

1-1/2 lbs russet potatoes

1/2 cup flour
1/4 c. grated Asiago cheese
2 egg yolks
1/4 t. allspice
2 T. finely chopped rosemary
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper

Boil potatoes whole until soft enough to mash--20-40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.  When they are tender, remove from water and cool until you can handle them.  Peel potatoes and cut into chunks.  Run through a potato ricer into a mixing bowl.  Add flour, cheese, egg yolks, allspice, rosemary, salt & pepper and mix well.  Add more flour if needed.

Flour your hands, pick up a chunk of dough and roll it into a rope about 1/2 inch thick.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Cut the ropes into 1/2-3/4 inch lengths, flouring the pieces as you go.  Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to cook. 
To cook:  Place gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water. They will rise to the top when they are done.  Remove from the pot with a large slotted spoon. 

Cheese sauce

1 cup milk
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. grated cheese asiago cheese.

Mix milk and cornstarch, heat until thickened.  Remove from heat and add cheese.  Mix until blended. 
Mix with gnocchi to serve.

Cheesy Artichoke Dip

I just heard that today is National Artichoke Heart's Day!  In honor of one of my favorite vegetables, I thought I would share my recipe for hot cheesy artichoke dip!  This is one of my go-to dishes for parties and potlucks--I almost always have the ingredients on hand and it never fails to impress.  Mmmmmm, cheesy goodness!!!

4 cans cheddar cheese soup


1 cup shredded cheese—use cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, or Italian blend, depending on what you like or have on hand

1 cup milk

1 small package cream cheese

1 large can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 large can diced green chiles

Dump all ingredients into a small crockpot and heat till warm.



Serve with cubed Hawaiian or sourdough bread, flatbreads and/or crackers

Thanksgiving

There is much to be thankful for this year.  Thirty thanksgivings ago, I welcomed my firstborn, Sara, into the world.  Although she doesn't often celebrate her birthday on Turkey Day, I am reminded of one of the most special days of my life every year on Thanksgiving.  Happy Birthday, tomorrow, Turkey Girl! 

Yesterday, we shared Thanksgiving with very good friends and family.  Around here, it's like Thanksgiving Day cook-off!  We shared some good wine, some great food, and good laughs! 

A few of the recipes:

Cranberry Chutney

I really, really, despise the stuff that comes out of the can, so a few years ago, I found a recipe that I tweaked a bit and here is the result.  It's great with dinner, but especially good on those next day turkey and cream cheese sandwiches! This is so easy and so good that you will never tolerate that canned stuff again!

1/4 c dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c golden raisins
1 c water
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 t grated lemon zest
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c chopped crystallized ginger (don't leave this out!  Find it in with the spices or cheaper in the bulk food bins)
1/2 t red pepper flakes (doesn't make it spicy, just brings out the flavors of the fruits)

Combine apricots, brown sugar, raisins and water in a small pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in cranberries, apple and lemon zest; simmer for 10 minutes more. 
Stir lemon juice, ginger and pepper flakes into the mixture, then remove from heat.
Cool on the stovetop, then refrigerate or serve at room temperature.


Oven Roasted Bacon-Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Serves 8-10

This recipe has earned the approval of several friends and family members who normally turn their noses up at the little cabbages. 

2 lbs brussells sprouts
1/2 lb bacon, sliced thinly crosswise
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
3 T. good balsamic vinegar
6-10 cloves roasted garlic
2-3 t sugar
Salt and coarsely ground pepper

Line a baking dish with foil, add the garlic cloves and a bit of olive oil.  Roast in a 350 degree oven about an hour, or until very soft.  Set aside.
Put the bacon in a large frying pan and fry until crispy, adding the onions when the bacon is about halfway done.  Set aside. 
Remove the stem ends from the sprouts and cut in half, then place them in a large baking dish.  Add the garlic and the bacon/onion mix. Drain off a bit of the bacon grease first if you like. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper and roast for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees--the sauce should be dark and carmelized. 

Northwest Waldorf Salad
6-8 servings

I got the original recipe from Cooking Light magazine, and of course, tweaked it a bit.  This is a nice way to add local produce to the holiday spread and it's healthy, too!

3/4 c finely sliced celery
1/2 c chopped dried cherries
1/2 c chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 c  plain, low-fat Greek yogurt (or just use plain yogurt)
1/3 c low-fat sour cream
2-3 T agave sweetener (honey would also work)
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 t salt
2 firm Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled cored and chopped

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and sweetener and whisk until smooth.  Pour over celery mixture.  Add pears and apple and toss gently to mix.  Chill at least 1 hour. 


Gingerbread Pudding

Hands down our favorite dessert--the one my husband asks for on his birthday--even though that is just two days before Christmas!  We first had a similar dish at the 42nd Street Cafe at the beach and liked it so much I just had to try my hand at making it!  Make the gingerbread a day early and leave it on the counter to dry out a bit before cubing it up for the pudding!  In a pinch, I suppose you could use a gingerbread mix to make the pudding, but I admit I haven't tried that. 

Gingerbread:
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
3/4 c milk
2 t ginger
1 c molasses
2 t baking soda
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1/2 c brown sugar

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and ginger in a large mixing bowl.  Heat the butter, molasses and brown sugar on low heat until the butter is melted and mixed with the other ingredients.  Stir the milk, eggs and melted mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.  Pour into a greased 9" x 13" cake pan and bake at 325 for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.

To make into pudding.

Cut the gingerbread into 1" cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk together 3 eggs, 1 c milk and 1/2 c sugar and add to the gingerbread pieces until coated thoroughly, then return to the cake pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve with  caramel sauce, whipping cream, or both!

Caramel sauce:
1/2 c butter
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 c brown sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the brown sugar and mix well. While still heating, slowly add the whipping cream and continue to mix until the sauce has absorbed all the cream.  Remove from heat and serve over the gingerbread pudding.  Cover and refrigerate any leftovers to use over ice cream or in your coffee drinks!



So those are just a few of our Thanksgiving Day staples.  I got hungry while typing this, so I am heading for the kitchen to pull some leftovers out of the 'fridge for breakfast! 

More, please!

After a day of cooking things to take on our beach trip this weekend, I opened the refrigerator to look for inspiration for dinner.  A package of recently purchased ground turkey breast and lots of veggies at the "need to use quickly" stage were what I found, so I decided to try and create something similar to a childhood dish that my grandmother and aunties made frequently and the family called "More."  I'm fairly certain that it never tasted quite like this in the 60s, but it made a large pot of yummy goodness, AND I was able to put some in the freezer for those nights when inspiration doesn't come so swifty! 
Here's my take on it!

More

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey or hamburger ( I used ground turkey breast)
1-2 chopped peppers--I used a small green one from the garden and a large red one
2 small zucchinis, chopped
1 c. or so sliced mushrooms
1 small eggplant, cubed
3 sprigs of basil, chopped (use kitchen shears to make this easier)
1 quart or large can of tomatoes

2 cups dried wide noodles

Brown the garlic, onions and meat, drain any grease.  In a large stir fry pan, saute the peppers for two minutes, then add eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms and saute for another minute or two.  Add the basil and tomatoes and simmer until thickened.  In the meantime, boil the noodles about 7-8 minutes.  Combine the meat, veggies and noodles and serve topped with a sprinkle of your choice of cheese--I used the shredded Italian mix! 

Caution!  This makes a lot of pasta!  It's great for leftovers or stick some in the freezer for a quick dinner.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Pork & Green Chile Stew

Fall weather always makes me crave warm, spicy food.  Here's my take on a recipe that I've seen a few times, but am trying today for the first time.  It smells fabulous! 

2 T. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

Small Pork tenderloin, cut into 1” cubes

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 large sweet onion, cut into chunks

3 poblano peppers, cut into 1” pieces

½ t. cumin

¼ t. ground coriander

1-1-1/2 lbs small potatoes

Optional: carrots

Season pork and brown pork and garlic in olive oil. Place browned meat and garlic in crockpot. Add broth to deglaze pan and then add it to the crockpot. Place the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high for about 6 hours.

If you like it hotter, add a few other peppers, such as jalepeno. For a smokier flavor, add a canned chipotle or a bit of liquid smoke. A bit of frozen corn, added at the end of cooking would be good in this, too.

Serve with fresh tortillas if you can find them, sour cream and cilantro.

Gazpacho

Here's a great recipe for hot summer nights---it's a cold, tomato-based soup.

Gazpacho

1 large bell pepper, any color
1 english cucumber
1 large tomato
1/2 sweet onion, such as Walla Walla, Maui, or Vidalia

1 ripe avacado

Chop vegetables and place in large bowl.
Add:

2 T. finely chopped cilantro
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. cider vinegar
2 t. balsamic vinegar (black cherry is my current favorite!)
1 t. seasoning salt
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. chipotle chile powder (optional)

Toss with vegetables and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Add:
1/2, or up to 1 large bottle of V-8 juice, depending on how chunky you like it.

Season to taste with Tabasco. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves.

You can also add salad shrimp to the soup or serve it on the side.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

I made a Mediterranean-style dinner last night. I had chicken defrosting and knew I wanted to use some packaged polenta that I had on hand, so I went looking for a recipe that would complement it. The sherbet & sorbet recipes follow, also. Here you go, with a few personal adaptations, of course!

Braised Balsamic Chicken

6 Chicken Breasts, boneless & skinless
NOTE: I substituted chicken tenderloins and used about 10-12
Garlic salt (I like fresh ground garlic sea salt)
coarsley ground pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar--buy the best you can afford--Costco's is pretty good
1-small can diced tomatoes
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried rosemary
1/2 t. dried thyme

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet, brown the onion and the chicken.
Mix tomatoes, vinegar and seasonings in a bowl, then pour over the chicken and onions. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is done (145 degrees) and the tomato sauce is thickened.

Polenta

I cheat and buy the stuff at TJs in the tube. Slice it off and brown in a skillet brushed with olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet and top with grated asiago cheese. Broil to melt the cheese. Serve with extra sauce from the chicken.

Three Bean Salad

1 can dark kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can green beans
3 T. seasoned rice vinegar
1 T. Extra virgin olive oil or other light oil
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. seasoned salt or garlic salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/8 t. Mrs. Dash seasoning

Drain and rinse all the beans, then place in bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients until the sugar is well disolved and add to the bean mixture. Refrigerate until about 20 minutes before serving.

Raspberry Sherbet

1-12 oz bag frozen raspberries, at least halfway defrosted
1 c. non-fat half and half
sugar to taste (about 1/2 cup or more)

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor for about 30 seconds. Add mixture to ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Mango Sorbet

1 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
1 lb. bag frozen mangoes

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup is clear. Remove from heat and cool in refrigerator.
Allow mangoes to thaw while syrup is cooling, about 30-45 minutes.

Combine the syrup and the mangoes in a food processor and process until smooth (about 30 seconds) If mixture is cold, process in ice cream maker immediately. If it isn't cold, refrigerate, then process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.


You may serve both of these immediately if you are pressed for time, but I like to put the finished product in a container with a lid and freeze for at least a couple of hours before serving.

There you have it, folks--my mediterranean inspired dinner! I served it with a wine from a local winery--2005 Capstone Unicus. If you don't happen to have that one in your wine cellar, try a Washington or Coastal California Zinfandel or any "big" red wine. I also served the Asiago bread from Safeway bakery, warmed in the oven while the chicken cooked. Enjoy!!

Memorial Day

The ritual was one that she had performed since childhood--filling the car with whatever flowers happened to be blooming in the yard on Memorial Day,"Decoration Day," weekend. She wasn't sure why she still did it--all the other relatives who cared were long gone, but, then again, maybe that WAS why she did it. Driving up the rutted gravel road to the old cemetery brought back childhood memories.

Most of my father's relatives were dead before I was born, and they were held in greater esteem than any of the living relatives. My great-aunt was adamant that we know that these dead people had lived greater lives than we could ever hope to, and in a time that was much greater, simpler and harder than ours. The family matriarchy was the dominion of the iron-fisted, acerbic sisters, my grandmother and great-aunt Nellie, her younger-by-only-two-years sister. From the time I was about four, several times a year, but most importantly on "Decoration Day," they would load their gardening tools, my cousin and I into the old Buick and head to the Oddfellows Cemetery to tend the family plot.

We would wander through the cemetery for a while, but eventually our attention would be called away from our morbid grave games to pay our respects to the dead relatives. The would come the stories. Detailed, sometimes vivid descriptions about how each of these people came to be here that fascinated me and horrified my cousin. She didn't do well with things like that. While I thrived on hearing the stories like the one about my grandmother's brother Ralph, who, it was told, had an operation and died from the ether. My poor cousin would turn pale and rush to the car, escaping into the safety of the backseat. Ether, I was told, is what they used to knock you out so that the operation didn't hurt. I imagined that operations took place somewhere like the Frankenstein's labratory I had seen in the movies. While my grandmother told these stories in her matter-of-fact manner, my great-aunt seemed amused and almost delighted in seeing us squirm.

The trips were never described as "going to the cemetery," but as "going to see Mama and Papa," or "going to visit Ralph and Ester." No one in the family questioned it, or seemed to think it was the least bit odd that we going to see dead people. Sometimes the sisters spoke to them, filling them with the latest family news and gossip. Although I never asked either of them about death, my sense of death, as a child, was htat it was a temporary situation, and that, in time, they would get over it.

My peculiar sense of the dead continued at home. Home was my grandmother's house where I lived with her and my father. A big old house that had once held four apartments; we lived mostly downstairs in the space that had once been two of those apartments. When I would ask my grandmother about my grandfather and my father's little sister, she would tell me that they were with the man upstairs. I thought she meant upstairs in the unused apartment, so I sneaked up the stairs to look for them. I could use someone to play with. I wasn't supposed to be up there, and when she caught me, my explanations were met with silence. I thought it was pretty neat that we kept dead people in our upstairs and I told all the kids in my kindergarten class about them.

In another part of the house, my father had mounted the head and horns of a deer over the doorway. Unfortunately it was between me and the bathroom. I just knew that the deer wasn't really dead, but just marking time on our wall, and that it might come back to life just as I walked under it. After I had peed my pants a couple of times, someone figured out that I was afraid of the deer and took it down.

Many years later, when I was a young bride, the news came that my father had died. I went to his house, my grandmother's house where I had grown up and before anyone else arrived, I checked the apartment upstairs, just in case.