New Twist on a Classic: Recipe

Making changes to an old stand-by can run the risk of being too radical but if it's done right, it can be a smash. However, like everything else, "smash" is purely subjective. I saw a Ming Tsai recipe for "Asian Sloppy Joes" and I was quickly drawn in. I followed the basics but make significant enough changes that I'm confident this is my recipe, now...And, we all laughed when my oldest came out with the perfect name - The Sloppy Dog.

Ming's recipe called for only a pork and beef mixture - I added in veal. He suggested using celery, and red onions only - I used a red bell pepper, and half a red onion and half a yellow onion, instead. His recipe used far more heat than this one and instead of iceberg lettuce, I used arugula and added freshly cubed avocado. And for the kicker: hot dog rolls, instead of hamburger buns.  The kids got a kick out of it and the littlest one ate hers deconstructed - she consumed the sloppy dog mixture and the roll separately.  This was a great meal! The Ming Tsai Hoisin-Lime Sauce was really delicious and added that perfect tang to the meat. This is one we'll eat again and again!

Sloppy Dogs
makes 8-10

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1 lb. meat mixture: ground veal, ground beef and ground pork
1/2 lb. plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cup Hoisin-Lime Sauce* (recipe to follow)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
8-10 hot dog buns, top sliced
1 large ripe avocado
1 large handful fresh arugula, washed and dried

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper and jalapeno and mix well - saute till soft, about 5-7 minutes. Next add in the tomatoes and saute again - another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in the cilantro and the meats. Cook the meat till browned, break up large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon - about 6-7 minutes.  Add in the sauce and raise the heat to high - bring the mixture to a boil, stir often, and allow it to thicken so it is no longer soupy - about 20-25 minutes. Take off the heat.

Line the rolls with arugula, top with meat mixture and then sprinkle with avocado.


Ming Tsai's Hoisin-Lime Sauce
makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 cups hoisin sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan until hot; add in the ginger and the garlic and saute over medium-high heat for about one-two minutes. Add the hoisin sauce and stir about one minute.  Add in the mine juice, mix well, and allow to come together for about one more minute.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend, drizzling in the 1/2 cup of oil. Cool well before refrigerating (can be stored for up to two weeks).

Worth a Try: Food Chatter - Sour Cream Cake with Pecan Brittle

Pouring through an old issue of Bon Appetit magazine, as I often do, I saw a photo of a gorgeous cake that looked truly delicious. It's called:  Sour Cream Layer Cake with Pecan Brittle.  I wanted to make it right then but realized I didn't have a box of cake mix so the magazine page stayed open for a few days on the kitchen counter. Finally, today, I decided to give it a whirl. I wanted to see if this cake was as good as it looked - and guess what?  IT IS!!!

This is a "must try" recipe.  It was so easy - probably the hardest thing to do was scrape the sides of the pot while the sugar was caramelizing for the brittle.  Other than that it was incredibly easy and yielded an unbelievably moist and delicious cake. The flecks of chocolate you see throughout the cake make it slightly sophisticated and the icing made me speechless. The frosting tastes like one of those Canadian Maple Sugar candies that come in packs of four and in shapes like that of a maple leaf. I was willing to eat the frosting on its own!

check it out for your next party:
Sour Cream Layer Cake with Pecan Brittle

Valentine's Day Treats: Recipe and Musings

I don't know about you, but I love - let me repeat: LOVE - sweets. However, if we're being honest, then I should tell you that I've never been much of a "chocolate" person (and I'm using quotes around chocolate to emphasize the traditional methods we're served chocolate; i.e., chocolate ice cream, chocolate bars, kisses, etc.). I don't really enjoy chocolate ice cream, though in a pinch and with absolutely nothing left to have, I've been known to indulge.  But given the choice, I wouldn't usually select things like Hershey's kisses, or Milky Way bars or really any other bar unless I am desperate for something sweet and I have no other options to satisfy the sweet tooth.

That said, I do like dark, dark, chocolate and I especially like it mixed with interesting items like Earl Grey tea, mint, or fire roasted chili peppers - that kind of chocolate is intriguing and really satisfies the taste buds.

I don't know what Valentine's Day would be complete without sweets, really...so I made up a few to please my husband and my children. The truffle recipes are below and are very simple to make.  The white chocolate one is a real favorite in this house and seems to delight others everytime I make them.  The chocolate lollipops are probably the easiest thing in the world to do: simply melt chocolate discs and then pour them into molds and freeze for a short time. Can't get much easier than that!

The round pink and purple lollipops are called Cake Pops. For Christmas I was given this amazing book with unbelievable photos called "Cake Pops."  The recipes and ideas are unreal - things like pandas, sheep, robots all on pop-sticks! This was the first time I made these so naturally I followed the directions purely. There seem to be a few tricks to master before trying the more daring recipes but I'm game.  In the meantime: these have an out-of-this-world taste (how could they not? They're made from a boxed cake mix and combined with prepared frosting, rolled into balls then dipped into melting chocolate). They are awesome!  Can't wait to make them again and try an adorable face, etc.

Happy Valentine's Day, My Sweet!

White Chocolate-Pecan Truffles
makes 18 small truffles

2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 oz. fine-quality white chocolate, chopped fine
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Kahlua
2/3 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped fine

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from pan and add in the chocolate and stir well until smooth and melted completely.  Add the butter, stirring well, and then add in the Kahlua and 1/4 cup of pecans. Mix well. Pour mixture into a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. Form mixture into little balls by using a teaspoon. Roll the balls into the remaining nuts and re-chill at least an hour.  Keep in an airtight container covered - will last about 5 days.


Chocolate-Espresso Crunch Truffles
makes 18 small truffles


2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 oz. fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons prepared instant espresso
2/3 cup Graham Crackers, chopped fine
In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from pan and add in the chocolate and stir well until smooth and melted completely. Add the butter, stirring well, and then add in the espresso and 1/4 cup of crackers. Mix well. Pour mixture into a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. Form mixture into little balls by using a teaspoon. Roll the balls into the remaining Graham Cracker crumbs and re-chill at least an hour. Keep in an airtight container covered - will last about 5 days.

Plum Crazy: Recipe

In the context of my writing this, post-send-of-summer-party blogging, I realize I was crazy to think I needed another dessert. But when you're in the midst of cooking, it's hard to see that you're a certifiable nut making more food than is necessary.

However, if you've stumbled upon this as an interested person in making a plum tart...then here you go! A perfect, Plum Clafouti. Clafouti is made by pouring a pancake like batter over fruit. Easy. I took this from Ina Garten who made hers with pear and pear brandy. I used plums and port. Regardless, it was delicious and simple to whip up.

Plum Clafouti
1 Tbsp. soft unsalted butter
1/3 cup plus one tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
6 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Port
2-3 firm but ripe plums, skinned and sliced
confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 10 inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom with 1 Tbsp. sugar

Beat eggs and 1/3 cup sugar in an electric mixer with the paddle for 3 minutes - until light and fluffy. On low, add in the flour, salt, cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and port. Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken up.

Arrange the slices of plum on the bottom of the dish, fanned out slightly. Pour the batter over the plums and bake until top is golden - about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar

Timpano: Food Chatter

In Italian, Timpano means: Big Drum.  To me, it's a giant exercise in patience and prayer. This is not difficult to make - not at all.  It's just time consuming and must be thought out well in advance.  There is cooking and chopping and baking and cooling that has to be taken into account.  But the result is so attractive and so pleasing. And when you cut into it, it's amazing to see that so much work went into one dish. It's no wonder that Tony Shalub (Big Night) was so passionate about his native food - who wants plain pasta and meatballs when it can be combined with salami, cheese, hard boiled eggs, homemade sauce, tiny meatballs and encrusted in a giant "bread."

I can't retype all the directions for this because there are trade secrets for the timpano! No, seriously, an entire book was made with the timpano as the basis.  The book was co-written by Stanley Tucci's sister and I must say, it's a terrific guide.  Many times I use the polpette recipe for simple dinner-fare. The kids and my husband simply love the meatballs so much that for my daughter's first birthday party I made these in the theme of "favorite foods."  They're a perfect bite.

I made the eggs and the meat balls two days before assembling, the sauce one day before and I sliced up the salami and the cheese way ahead of time. Hours before I assembled this, I had to make the pasta (3 lbs of it!) and allow it to cool.  Before making the dough, I shooed everyone out of the house: I needed complete and utter concentration.

Take solice in knowing that this is an undertaking that is fun, even though it's labor intensive. Maybe that's why people love to cook so much - it pleases people while tickling the senses.

Book: Cucina & Famiglia: Two Italian Families Share Their Stories, Recipes, and Traditions by Joan Tropiano Tucci and Gianna Scappin with Mimi Shanley Taft (forward by Stanley Tucci)

Jewish Biscotti: Mandelbreit

My Aunt Miriam was an amazing baker! I'm willing to bet she rivaled her sister-in-law, my grandmother (who was more than likely the better, more precise, baker but had much less "creativity" in her cooking).

Aunt Miriam used to host Passover - long, long, ago and she would make these little "cookies" with and without nuts. In fact, she gave me both recipes when I asked her. I was about 10 or 11 when I asked for the recipe and to be honest, it wasn't until about 6 months ago that I made these for the first time. My mother - another amazing baker - makes them all the time. The first time I made I read the recipe all wrong...I must have been very tired...and as a result, I ran out of almond extract. Fortunately I was able to siphon some away from another source and make them properly.

This past weekend, my mother was overwhelmed with other items for a party and asked me to chip in. I made these as well as my grandmother's Carmel Squares - always a crowd pleaser.

This recipe is worth the effort - and truthfully there isn't much effort required. Lesson: get this recipe right and it will pay dividends!

Mandelbreit
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp, almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with Baker's Joy (non-stick baking spray).

Beat eggs together in a large bowl and add in sugar. Mix until pale and light. Add oil and mix again. Next add in the extracts and mix. Add in the chips followed by the flour and baking powder. With floured hands, form four loaf-like torpedoes width-way on the sheet. Sprinkle each one with enough cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat end to end. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven, slice into 2" pieces, separate each one slightly from the one next to it and place back in the oven. Turn off the heat! Close the door and allow it to toast another 25-30 minutes.

Blue Velvet Aint Got Nothin' on You: Recipe

A few years ago, I discovered red velvet cake. Many people I knew had "discovered" it from the movie Steel Magnolias - but I barely recall that movie and certainly never heard it mentioned. But somewhere along the way I came across this cake - it's very rich, red, interior and the slight hint of chocolate called to me, despite the fact that I would not consider myself a chocoholic. But this cake - this complex cake - had a wonderful flavor so I was determined to find a recipe and make this cake my way (how else?).


After some time, I found a terrific recipe that I use above all others. It yields the richest red and the best quiet-cocoa flavor. Normally I skip the cream cheese frosting and frost, instead, with buttercream. But this time I wanted something different for the exterior. I flirted with a chocolate buttercream but to be honest, this cake requires a sharp color contrast so white frosting is much better. However, I'm serving this cake alongside an Old Fashioned Coconut Cake which already has vanilla buttercream frosting; so, I opted to keep the white but change to a "Fluffy White Boiled Icing." It tastes like...FLUFF! Mmmmmmmmm.....it was so unreal that I think the whole family could have consumed the entire bowl of frosting. So the color was exactly what I wanted and the flavors complement each another.

*** Note of seriousness: Do yourself a BIG favor and only serve this frosted cake the day you make and frost it. Don't leave it overnight before serving it. I didn't show you what it looked like the next day but let's just say that the photo above makes the served-product look like false advertising! Seriously: the protiens in the meringue break-down with any sense of element: heat, cold, whatever! What I served looked like The Blob. But boy was it good!
Red Velvet Cake
by Patricia Mitchell

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Cocoa
2 1-oz. bottles of red food coloring
1/2 cup crisco
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.

Combine the flour and the salt and set aside.

Put the cocoa in a small glass bowl and add the food coloring in gradually, stirring till smooth. Set aside.

Cream together the shortening and sugar - beating about 4-5 minutes at medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for at least 1 minute before adding the next one.

At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk and vanilla, scraping down as necessary. Next add the cocoa mixture until color is uniform but do not overbeat! In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and the baking soda (it will foam up...) and then add it to the cake batter but do not mix it - fold it in.

Pour the mixture evenly between the prepared pans and bake about 30-35 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning out - then cool completely before icing.


Fluffy White Boiled Icing
3 Tbsp. Wilton-brand Meringue Powder
1/2 cup cold water

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water

Whip meringue powder and cold water together until stiff - about 4-5 minutes. Over a non-reactive pot, mix the sugar, syrup and water together and boil. Turn off the heat as soon as it boils and stir a few times to allow it to cool slightly. While the mixer is running, slowly pour in the syrup to the meringue mixture and continue to whip another 4-5 minutes until still and glossy.

* frosting note: Be sure to work quickly with this icing as it will harden slightly because of the meringue. Do not freeze left over frosting and discard after about 24 hours.

** Be careful - the top layer of this cake actually slid off from the bottom layer overnight. So I suggest not putting too much icing in the middle. Had I not put a cover over the cake...it would have been all over my pre-set table!

Chari's Carrot Cake: Recipe

I have been waiting to give you this recipe - it's delicious! And it comes from the mother-in-law of a good friend. I'm always skeptical of vegetables in my dessert but I must say this is perhaps the best carrot cake I've ever had. I have yet to find a way to improve upon it - which means: it's perfect.

Chari's Carrot Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups well drained finely (very finely) shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans.

Mix together the sugar and oil till very light. Add eggs, one at a time, until each one is well mixed. Scrape the bowl before proceeding. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the vanilla and then add the flour mixture in two additions. Mix well after each addition and scrape down the sides. Next add the carrots and mix well.

Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake about 60 minutes. Cool in pan about 10 minutes before inverting and cooling completely on the rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick), room temp
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temp
1 pkg. (1 lb) confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Next add in the vanilla and mix. Add in the sugar in two additions and mix well between each addition.

Frost cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Kisses: Recipe

I swear - these are no different than a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. And with friends whose child is deathly allergic to peanuts, I feel tremendous guilt even sharing this recipe! Naturally, if you know someone with a nut allergy do not even consider making this anytime close to when they might enter your home. Everything would need to be scrubbed and practically fumigated!

That said: if you and your family are ok to eat nuts...I would suggest these little bites as an addition to any party menu. They are unreal - and to be honest, I hate peanut butter. But these? These are a different issue.

This recipe comes to me from a former co-worker. The only change I've made to it is that I use White Chocolate Peanut Butter from the Peanut Butter & Company in NYC. My supermarket sells is and it's: super!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Kisses
2 cups confectioners sugar
6 whole graham crackers
1 cup White Chocolaten peanut butter (only use the creamy kind of any peanut butter)
1 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup peanut butter
6 oz. chocolate chips

Cut together powedered sugar and 1 cup peanut butter. Crush graham crackers to a fine texture and mix into the sugar mixture. Add the melted butter and mix well till it's uniformly moist. Spray an 8x8 utility pan with no-stick spray and press mixture into the pan.

In a saucepan, melt the 1/3 cup peanut butter with the chocolate until smooth. Pour on top of the peanut butter mixture already in the pan and spread to distribute evenly. Refrigerate at least one hour. Cut into squares. should make about 24.

A Brisket, a Brasket...Recipe

Truthfully there is absolutely nothing like my mother's brisket. It's made on usually three - maybe four - occasions in a year: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and sometimes Hanukkah. Each time we have it it's like eating it for the first time - and this is something I have eaten nearly four times annually since I'm about...2 years old. My children and my husband know it as "grandma's brisket" and if you've ever had it then you know it is unreal.

This is only the second time I've ever made it - and really it's incredibly simple. What you wind up with is the softest meat with intensely rich flavor. I suggest you make this at least once in your life - but watch out cause once you do, you'll want to make it often!

Linda's Brisket of Beef
2 lbs. thin cut brisket, patted dry
2 Tbsp. butter
1 envelope of Lipton's Onion Soup mix
2 cups of dry red wine
2 cups carrots, coarsely chopped into 2" pieces
1 10 oz. pkg. white button mushrooms
parsley, chopped, to taste and for garnish
salt, pepper
1/2 cup flour

In a large bowl, combine salt, pepper, and flour well. Dredge the beef into the flour and shake off any excess flour.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large dutch oven, melt butter until foamy over medium high heat. Add the meat and brown well on all sides - about 5 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pot and add the soup mix and stir well until paste begins to form. Add the wine and scrape up all the browned bits. Allow wine to boil about 5 minutes. Place the beef back into the pot and let it soak up the wine about 2 minutes per side. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the middle of the oven. Let cook about 2 1/2 hours. Turn the meat halfway through the cooking time.

With about 1 hour remaining, saute the carrots and the mushrooms in a large pan over medium high heat for about 6-8 minutes or until they brown. Add them to the pot and mix them into the sauce and over the beef and allow them to cook through to the end. Add a bit of chopped parsley and stir the sauce well. Remove the beef and slice into thin strips and add them back to the pot and cover with the sauce. Allow the brisket and vegetables to cool for another hour or so and then place into the refrigerator. The following day, reheat the brisket and serve.

(Not) Chicken and Rice: Recipe

About 10 years ago I worked with a wonderful woman named Rosa. She was tall with beautiful long black hair and a very gentle way about her. She was born in the West Indies and man oh man could she cook an unbelievable dish of "Chicken and Rice." We used to have pot luck holiday parties or bridal showers for co-workers and I would beg her to make this dish. She would bring it in a hefty aluminum tray and heat it up in the ovens in the diner in the bottom of our office - and it would be gone almost as quickly as she set it down. Of course I pleaded for the recipe but she always told me there wasn't one. So together one day, before she left for another job opportunity, I asked her to try her hardest to recreate the dish from memory.

Mind you, this is not nearly the same as I remember Rosa making but that was a long time ago and my husband swore it was a nine on a scale of 1-10 (and yes, I did confirm that he meant 10 was the best). It was delicious and the spicy sauce was always, to me, what made the dish so spectacular. I could eat this often - it is very easy and very good. I say "not" chicken and rice because traditional Arroz Con Pollo has saffron flavored rice - this does not. And the flavors somehow make you think of India rather than South America. Either way, it is worth making.

Chicken and Rice
2 lbs. chicken (thighs and drumsticks), rinsed and dried very well
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large tomato, cubed
1/3 cup mixed fresh parsley and fresh cilantro
3 cups water
2 cups Basmati Rice

Spicy Sauce
1 green pepper, cored and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup parsley
2/3 of a small Roma tomato, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. jalapeno
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large garlic clove

In a very large pot, heat oil over high heat for about 2 minutes. Slip as many chicken pieces in, skin side down, as possible without over crowding the pot. If you need to brown chicken in batches, do that. Over medium high heat, brown all chicken pieces - about 6-8 minutes per batch. If doing in batches, remove chicken to a large bowl. Once all chicken has been browned, keep them in a large bowl and reserve.

In the hot oil, fry the onions and the scallions together, scraping up the browned bits of chicken. Saute about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent - do not burn. Add the garlic and stir well. Add back the chicken along with any juice it collected in the bowl. Add the tomato, parsley and cilantro and stir well. Add in the rice and mix. Next add in the water, stir once or twice to ensure nearly all the rice is submerged. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. Cover the pot with tin foil and then place a tight fitting cover on top. Cook on low heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked. If the rice is not fully cooked and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add in an additional 1/2 cup water, stir and replace the cover.

Meanwhile, place all sauce ingredients into a food processor and chop well.

Serve the two together and serve with extra sauce on the side.

Sweet and Savory Cookies: Recipe

Someone who worked in my office made these cookies about two years ago and I was able to find the recipe in my December Bon Appetit. I offer you the link to the recipe - these are incredible! Addictive! Really good. They're sweet and savory at the same time. Today the kids helped me make them and it was really fun to do together. And as soon as they went into the oven I heard the squeals of delight for the next 20 minutes as they begged to eat them. These don't stay around long so be sure to eat them quickly...before someone else does!

I haven't figured out a way to revamp the recipe so it's "mine." But then again, I haven't tried very hard - this is wonderful just the way it is. Since I don't really care for raisins in my food, the dried cranberries are just the right thing.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Chocolate-Cranberry-and-Macadamia-Nut-Cookies-236823

Baked Shrimp Dish: Recipe

This recipe, while not mine, has become a staple at our Christmas Eve dinner. My husband loves it and I only make it once a year so I forget just how incredible it really is - I was in heaven with the way it smelled and nearly put it away for the day after Christmas (for just us to enjoy...it was so good I didn't want to share).

If you follow the exact recipe you will be thrilled - the ouzo cooks off (oh, and do yourself a favor...light it on fire as directed - it's sooo super cool and it really does cook off the alcohol. However, word of caution: do not have any small children or pets close by and be sure to have a lid handy. I nearly took out my kitchen wall this year - good thing my husband wasn't home to see that!).

I would give you a link to the recipe on Epicurious but curiously they do not have it on the site today. Odd, I know. Good thing I keep every issue of Bon Appetit!

*The fish monger and I discuss this each year - order the large or extra large shrimp for this dish, not the colossal ones.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes, Feta and Ouzo
1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 medium onions, chopped
2 14.5 oz cans peeled, diced tomatoes in juice
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. fried oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 lbs. uncooked, peeled, deveined shrimp with tails on* (see note above)
1/2 cup ouzo
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Heat 1/3 cup oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add onions. Saute until golden, about 12 minutes. Add in the tomatoes with the juice, 3 Tbsp. parsley, oregano, pepper and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe the pan clean.

Preheat oven to 400.

In the same pan, heat 3 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat and add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the shrimp about 3-4 minutes, until they are almost opaque in the center. Add the ouzo and quickly (AND CAREFULLY!) ignite with a match. Allow the flames to subside on their own by gently shaking the pan back and forth. Add the shrimp to the tomato mixture and stir. Add in the olives and the parsley and stir. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 10-12 minutes and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of parsley.

** I usually make this one day ahead of time and place in the fridge overnight. I bring it to room temp before putting it into the oven but even still, I cook it about 30 minutes, uncovered, before serving it.

Prettiest Cookies I've Ever Seen: Recipe

I have been waiting weeks to put up this post! My colleague, Mary F., made cookies for Halloween that were so beautiful I begged her to let me take two home for my kids - sorry, Mary, but I ate them and reluctantly shared with my husband. Not only were they spectacular looking but they tasted like they were made in a bakery. They even looked like they came from one as she had them individually wrapped.

She gave the recipe to me and the website that sells this special edible paper. The photos on these cookies are made from rice paper with edible ink. They are terrific -wait till you see the ones I'm making for Christmas! Even prettier than these.

Please check out this company's website for terrific baking supplies. You can find Fancy Flours at http://www.fancyflours.com/vintage-thanksgiving-postcards.html

The recipe for the cookies came from Mary, as well. Here are some tips to make this:

* Purchase the large rectangular cookie cutter from Fancy Flours
* Recipe below makes 6 cookies in the above shape
* Leave plenty of time to make these - they need time to chill in the fridge, bake in the oven, cool on a rack, DRY - icing, that is, and then time to ensure the paper adheres
* Use great care with the paper - it's fragile
* Cut out each picture to the size of the cookie - cut them all out at one time
* Work quickly with icing - it begins to harden easily
* Wrap each cookie individually


Pretty Holiday Cookies
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar (heaping)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In another bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and orange extracts and beat until combined.

Add half the flour mixture, combine well, then add the rest. Beat until the dough just comes together (don’t over mix). Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Once the dough is cold, roll it out to 1/4-inch thick on floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter (if you are making the large rectangle cookies, you can get about 6 from 1 batch).

Place cookies on an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet, at least ½ inch apart. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating.

Royal Icing
3 tablespoons milk
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
In a bowl, mix together until smooth. Use more milk, if needed. Icing should be thin, but not watery.

Once the cookies are cooled, completely, spread one layer of icing onto the tops and allow the icing to completely dry before using the wafer paper. Best to dry overnight in a cool atmosphere.

Wafer Paper instructions -
* cut each picture to the size of the cookie
* spread a thin layer of light corn syrup to the backs of the paper and place onto the cooking/icing.
* Onto waxed paper or parchment, turn all completed cookies - face down - onto the paper for about 45 minutes then turn right-side up and allow the paper to fully dry - at least 8 hours.
* Wrap individually for best presentation

Simple Veal Sauce: Recipe

Marcella Hazan has an awesome recipe for a simple meat sauce for a weeknight. I have been very tired lately but there is no excuse that can be used when it's dinner time. People are hungry!

I do love this recipe but of course, as you know, I needed to alter it (but only slightly). This was quick - 30 minutes - and it was delicious. I think the alteration was excellent. In fact, it was Marcella who inspired my minor change in her recipe. She suggests serving this veal sauce with fresh pasta made with ground rosemary. Of course! Rosemary and lamb are like...Batman and Robin or Bagels and Cream Cheese! But, I didn't have fresh pasta and I'm not insane enough to make it on a week night...so, I decided to use fresh rosemary in the sauce instead and it was a perfect enhancement.

Simple Veal Sauce with Rosemary
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb. ground veal
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1 1/2 cup whole, peeled, tomatoes and a bit of juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Lb. pasta

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute about 5 minutes. Add the herbs and saute another minute. Add the veal and saute about 10 minutes or until the meat turns white, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and mash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer on low, uncovered, about 20 minutes, while pasta cooks. Remove sauce from the heat and stir in the cheese. Toss with the pasta.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery: Recipe

Recently I went to a wonderful bridal shower for a girlfriend I've known for the past ten years. She's great and I'm terribly jealous that she's been to culinary school (her externship was done in NYC's top rated restaurant). Her shower was an inventive affair of "wine, cheese, and chocolate." She and her mother cooked with her mother bringing in some traditional Korean fare, including short ribs. They were out of this world - unreal. I've never had short ribs that good before and I displayed my pleasure by filling my plate three times!

Julia's mom told me what was in the marinade but I she didn't indicate any measurements, naturally. She doesn't have any! I didn't have one ingredient so instead of calling Julia to try and recreate the dish, I figured I'd put my own stamp on it with what I thought would be equally as good.

I was so amazed by these ribs that I did not want to share with my husband or kids. My children ate so much meat that I actually thought about telling them to stop eating. The meat slid off the bone and there was no need for a knife. They were filled with flavor, succulent, and absolutely Divine. I've found my next dinner party dish! The trick to this was the amount of time I used to cook the meat. The longer, the better. Do not cook for any less than two and half hours. If you don't have the time to "fix-it and forget-it" then don't do it.

Making this took NO effort at all. My favorite kind of meal! I served it with couscous and a very quick carrot dish I made on the fly.

Korean-Style Short-Ribs
1 small onion, quartered
5 large cloves of garlic
3 scallions
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup sherry
1/3 cup rice-wine vinegar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 shake of sesame oil (optional)
3 1/2 lbs. beef short ribs

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, except for the ribs. Puree until well incorporated and all whole ingredients are chopped. Place the ribs into a plastic zip bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate about 3 hours - turn and shake once an hour.

Into a large pot, with a well fitting lid, place the ribs as well as the marinade. Move the ribs around to ensure all meat is facing down and has been well covered. Place the lid on the pot and the heat to medium-low. Cook at this heat for 3 hours, moving ribs around to different spots once an hour to ensure even cooking. Serve.


Carrots with Chives
1 Lb. carrots, peeled and chopped into this matchsticks
1 Tbsp. chives, chopped
1/4 cup sherry
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

In a medium pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When it melts, add in the carrots and stir well about 1 minute. Add in the mustard, chives, and sherry. Mix well and cover. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, covered, 15 minutes.

Sweet Summer Goodbye: Recipe

Today was a beautiful day in the Northeast. However, our hearts go out to all our fellow Americans in the Gulf Coast area who are bracing for yet another hurricane.

As the "unofficial" last weekend of summer, today was spent with friends and loved-ones doing what else? Eating. My wonderfully-crazy mother made all the usual dishes but added a new twist to the food repertoire...paella cooked on the grill. It was an extravaganza and an experience for all to enjoy; naturally the dish was delicious. I've included a photo here but it was taken without the addition of the shellfish. Sorry about that. Regardless, you get the idea. You go Mom.

My husband and I took our small children away for a few end-of-summer days to Lancaster, PA and just returned yesterday. It was a wonderful trip. My father grew up in Lancaster County and my grandparents lived there nearly 50 years...until they died about 10 years ago. I know this area well - it's in my blood, if you will. Pennsylvania Dutch fare certainly has its strengths - we had amazing fried chicken and two awesome pies so as a tribute to our trip and the incredible sweets that Lancaster is known for (fudge, Shoofly Pie, etc.), my contribution to today's feast was individual tartlets. Despite their rich and sweet flavor they were light. More importantly the tartlets were incredibly easy to make and their texture was smooth and creamy with just the right cookie crumble bottom.


White Chocolate-Marscapone Mousse Tartlets
(makes 6)
* special equipment: individual tartlet pans with fluted sides and removable bottom

Shells:
2 1/2 cups 'Nilla Wafer cookies
3 Graham crackers
10 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse crackers and wafers until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture comes together in clumps. With your hands press crumbs into 6 tartlet pans with removable bottoms and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 14 minutes and remove; cool completely.

White Chocolate-Marscapone Mousse:
7 oz. white chocolate
1/3 cup Creme de Cacao
1/4 cup water
1 vanilla bean
8 oz. marscapone cheese
1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded-sweetened coconut
1/2 cup White-Chocolate Peanut Butter*

In a double boiler with simmering water in the bottom pan, melt chocolate along with creme de cacao and water until well melted and mixture is smooth. Split vanilla bean and scrape the inside into the mixture and mix well. Reserve Bean for another use (such as flavoring sugar).

Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl and cool about 3-5 minutes, stirring or whisking often to aid in cooling. Gradually whisk in the marscapone until smooth and uniform. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring often.

Meanwhile, in an electric mixer, whip 1 cup heavy cream until thick and stiff peaks form. Gently fold cream into the chocolate mixture and refrigerate until well set - about 3 hours.

Assembly: If using peanut butter, spread a thin layer on the bottom of the tartlet and sprinkle with coconut otherwise sprinkle coconut evenly over all 6 tartlets. Gently spread Mousse over the coconut and garnish with shaved chocolate. Serve.

Can be made up to 4 hours earlier - cover lightly and refrigerate. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

* Optional

Quick Thinking: Recipe

You know, this blog thing can be pretty stressful at times! Yikes. I want to make something easy for dinner and then write about it - but hey! Easy isn't always...well, easy!

But tonight I raced to the market after you know what (the trip to the gym) and grabbed the most perfect sausage. You don't all live in Lynbrook, naturally, but I have to tell you that this place where I buy meat is so great (for those of you who do, you know it...it's Cross Island!) and the pinwheel sausage is out of this world. Moral of the story is to find a butcher - the meats and the service there are always superior to what you'd find in a supermarket.

Anyway, I picked up a wheel of lamb sausage (watch the BBQ flare-ups from the fat) and some watermelon. I thought I'd round out the dish with some homemade pesto for pasta but by the time I walked in the door at 6:01 p.m., my children looked like they were going to eat me - so waiting another 25 minutes while my husband cooked the meat and I made some pesto sauce and pasta didn't seem like much of an option.

And then it hit me (see, these things aren't always so organized): I made a whole bowl of fava bean puree/dip the other night for our get-together but because there was so much food already out that I was sure someone would mistake me for a lunatic, I didn't serve it. I took the bowl out of the fridge and set it on top of the stove - right next to the burner that I was using to boil the pasta (so it warmed to room temp faster). I sliced up some cherry tomatoes from my garden and threw them into a giant bowl. I added the pasta and the puree and mixed it all up. Then I took a veggie peeler and peeled off some Parmigiano-Reggiano curls on top. Delicious and it only took about 18 minutes.

see the link to the post about Fava Bean Spread: http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2008/06/fava-beans-recipe.html

Recipes from Party Night

I'm only offering recipes on the items that I made that were my own creations. You know I tend to follow recipes from time to time. There are some great recipes out there that I love and love to make...they just don't happen to be mine. That's ok. You should enjoy them, too.

Toasted Baguette with Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Sundried Tomato


1 baguette, sliced in 1/4" thick slices
1 vadalia onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. good olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
Olive Oil
8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned in oil
1/4 cup basil, chopped
salt, pepper
dried parsley
dried basil
dried oregano

Preheat oven to 400. Slice bread and brush each side with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and oregano. Bake 7 minutes, turn, and bake 6 more minutes. Cool on cooling rack.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat and saute onions until very translucent - about 10 minutes. Add sugar an saute another 5 minutes - stirring often. Add wine and allow it to boil. Stir well. Cover for about 10 minutes - stirring once or twice. Should be very brown and Carmel color. Place in a bowl.

Smear each bread slice with about 1 teaspoon of cheese. Cover with about 1 teaspoon of onion. Then put a piece of sundried tomato over each piece and sprinkle with basil.

Can be left at room temperature at this point for about 3 hours. Do not cover.


The White Bean dip comes from Giada's book, "Everyday Italian." I have listed this book on my blog before as I think it's a great book. I love the way she makes good food with simplicity.


My peach Salsa recipe has been profiled before. Here it is: http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2008/05/dont-let-fruit-go-bad-peach-salsa.html


The Eggplant crisps are pictured here. They were delicious - especially since I grew the eggplant myself; an added bonus. They came from Martha Stewart's book on Hors D'Ouevres - a great source of inspiration.



Ahh...the Spinach Dip - you know the one...the Knorr Vegetable Dip mix recipe made with mayo, sour cream, water chestnuts, scallions, chopped spinach served in a giant bread bowl. Hmmmm... It's on the back of the dip mix package.

The frozen margarita - it's from the can like pink lemonade. It's made by Bacardi and it's really good!!!!

the Sangria...I sliced up a ton of fruit (peaches, apples, oranges, and grapes) and I put them into a pitcher with a whole bottle of white wine and about 3 cups of seltzer. Nice and dry and really potent.

The Tuscan Skirt Steak
This should be made several days ahead of time. I made a dry rub mix with the following and I rubbed it all over the steak and let it sit in the fridge for about 42 hours before BBQing it.

4 lbs. skirt steak
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/4 cup dried basil
1/4 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp. red pepper
1 Tbsp. ground savory
1 Tbsp. Adobe seasoning
ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. dried rosemary

In a small bowl, combine all herbs and seasonings. Mix well. Lightly score the steaks on both sides. With your hands, rub hand fulls into the steak on both sides - using a small fist-full for each side of the steak. Fold up each steak and place in a plastic bag. Refrigerate at least overnight.

Grill each steak about 6-8 minutes per side.


Fried Artichokes. See the link - but here is the photo

http://meredithsfoodforlife.blogspot.com/2008/06/artichokes-recipe.html


Orzo with Feta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herb Butter

1 box orzo
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup assorted herbs (basil, mint, sage, rosemary, chives)
1 stick of butter, very soft
salt
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

In a large pot, boil and cook orzo according to directions. Meanwhile, in a food processor, shop herbs finely. Add the butter and pulse a few times until herbs are well incorporated. Sprinkle butter with salt and pulse two more times. Gather butter into a ball and place in plastic wrap. Roll into a lot and refrigerate about 20 minutes or until cold.

Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and place into a small bowl. Drain orzo and return to cooking pot. Add herb butter to hot orzo and mix until melted. Add tomatoes and crumbled cheese. Mix very well. Serve room temperature.

This gratin was soooo good that I truly wish I could take credit. But I can't. It comes from Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris". It was so wonderful.

And then there was dessert.
Neither one was my recipe. But both came from epicurious.com

Dad's Night to Cook: Recipe

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. I think that my husband found his "invention" in the kitchen this evening. He thinks he doesn't get enough credit...but I think he's wonderful! I was not home for dinner tonight so he had to fend for himself, as they say. He asked me what he should make the kids for dinner and I responded that he could just bread and fry some chicken cutlets. He said it was no problem. However, he said that after he cracked the eggs he discovered there were no breadcrumbs (though I'd be willing to bet they're downstairs in my "store" and he just didn't look hard enough. I once had to take a pair of tongs and move box after box of brown sugar out of the way to find the one remaining box of confectionery sugar I was certain I must have had...I was in the middle of a recipe and was desperate to search one more minute. It paid off!)

When I came home my husband had made a very delicious dinner of Chicken Francaise. I'm not usually a fan of this because it tends to appear in too many catered functions with steaming chaffing dishes over murky water and the dish is too often overcooked and under flavored with lots of corn-starch. He and I both tend to avoid it. But tonight he made a lemony version that was really good.

Paul's Chicken Francaise
1 pkg. Perdue Perfect Portions (6 cutlets)
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. Milk
1 cup flour
2/3 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp. butter
Juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Pat dry the chicken cutlets. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well blended. Put flour in a separate shallow bowl. Dredge each cutlet into the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture until well coated on both sides.

In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium-high heat until hot. Slip in 3 cutlets and sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Cook about 4 minutes per side, until they are golden. Transfer to a serving platter and repeat with remaining cutlets.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Pour butter over the cutlets and top all with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.