Category: Recipes

Celebrate every day.

Crepes!

Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to leave nearly 5 weeks of vacation for the end of the year, but that’s the way it turned out.   So, after a long-ish Thanksgiving vacation just a couple weeks ago, we are now both officially on vacation for the rest of the year!

To ring in the vacation season, I made crepes this morning.   They’re SO YUMMY!   If you now have a craving, you can find the recipe in this previous blog post.

I hope I can decompress a bit in the coming week or so.  But as much as work can seem to mess with my life and mindset, I really have nothing to complain about.

My mind this week is especially on family members that are experiencing real challenges.  My sister-in-law is in the hospital recovering from surgery to treat recently diagnosed breast cancer.  She is a strong woman, though, beating her first bout with cancer several years ago.   One of my uncles recently was diagnosed with cancer as well a few weeks ago, and is preparing for surgery.    Another uncle is dealing with long-term health issues as well.

So, today I’m sending thoughts and prayers their way, and starting this vacation acknowledging how very blessed I am — and celebrating with crepes.

Got pie?

Smells so goooood!

Thanksgiving Eve preparations.  Tidy up the house.  Tidy up the yard.

We are having enough people over tomorrow that we needed a bigger table.   But, no folding card table for us!  Monte went into the shop and whipped up a free-standing shaker-style table the exact width and height of the dining room table, long enough to seat another couple of people.   🙂   After throwing on a tablecloth, it looks like one long table.

After dinner we whipped up some of the things that we could make ahead of time for dinner.   I made the traditional pies.    Here’s my recipe for apple pie:

Crust (makes 2: one for top and one for bottom)

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
6-7 Tablespoons cold water

Mix flour & salt in food processor (w/ plastic blade, not knife).  Add butter cubes slowly while mixing.  Mixture should be dry with pea sized chunks.  Add water, 1 Tbsp at a time while mixing.  Dough should start to roll into one large ball.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide into 2.  Shape each ball into a hamburger shaped patty, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.

Take out, let soften for a few minutes, and then roll each crust out.

Apple Pie filling:

6-8 tart apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
dash of nutmeg
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon butter

Peel and slice apples.  Mix together with cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and flour.   Place in pie crust.  Dot with butter.  Add top crust, seal and cut slits to let all the magic in.  You might want to put a cookie sheet under the pie while it’s cooking to catch drips.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Keeping it simple.

Violet for vodka, red for rum.

We have another full-moon raftup this weekend, the Full-Hunter’s Moon.  It’s been several months since we rafted up on the lake, the last few have been marina-based “slip-ups.”

I have been wanting to make Jello Shots for some reason.  Kind of a fun treat for the lake, if I can just figure out how to get them there in tact.   I have been looking around for little 2 ounce plastic cups with lids, and couldn’t find them in grocery stores.   A few weeks ago we stopped by a restaurant supply company and found them – in bulk 🙂

So, this morning I googled conventional web-wisdom on jello shots and came up with the following:

Jello Shots

1 3-oz package of Jello
8 oz boiling water
2 oz cold water
6 oz rum or vodka or whatever

Pour the Jello powder in the boiling water, stir for a minute or two.   Then pour in the cold water & booze and stir.  Fill cups and refrigerate til set. 1 package ended up making about 12 of these 2 oz sized cups for me.   Note that if you put in more or higher octane alcohol, then you run the risk of them not setting properly.  With the mixture I used, the cups set fine in about 4 hours in the fridge.

I popped on the lids, and put in the ice chest for the lake, and they made it just fine.

Satay, you say?

Yum!

The other night I had a hankering for chicken satay, so I looked up a recipe for the marinade and several hours later we had a tasty dinner.  We ate them so fast that I forgot to take a photo.

So, I made them again tonight (making sure got get a photo this time) and they were even better.   The peanut sauce is a *must have* to dip them in.  You can make your own peanut sauce, or buy some… we had some on hand, so we didn’t have to make it this time.  We have a little hibachi charcoal grill out back which is just perfect for cooking these.

Here’s the recipe, in case you want to try it as well:

Chicken Satay

Serves 2. Marinate 4-24 hours.  Grill 5-6 minutes.  Medium heat on grill.

1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins, or breasts that are boned, skinned & sliced into long strips

MARINADE:
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 tsp dried red chili pepper flakes
1 1/2″ fresh gingerroot, grated
1 lime, juice
1 tsp. coriander
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

Peanut oil

Place chicken pieces in dish. Combine marinade ingredients and rub into meat. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.  If your skewers are combustible, don’t forget to soak them in water ahead of time!  Thread meat onto skewers. Brush meat with peanut oil just before cooking.  Grill 2-3 minutes on each side.  Serve immediately with peanut sauce.

Jun 1, 2011

Extract.

My oh my, it’s June already!!

A couple weeks ago, my friend, Teresa, told me that she was making homemade vanilla extract.  I was intrigued!   And I want to make some, too.  It’s going to take about 2 months – so, this is not an instant gratification project.

Here’s the recipe I’m using:

Homemade Vanilla Extract

  • 3 vanilla beans ( I ordered mine online from Olive Nation)
  • 1 cup Buckeye vodka – or if you’re not lucky enough to have Buckeye, settle for another brand 🙂
  • glass jar with tight fitting lid

Cut each bean lengthwise, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected.

Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid.  Make sure the beans are completely covered by the vodka.

Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while.  Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.

The resulting extract should lasts for years.   Shake before using.

Update (18 months later!):  This batch turned out great.  I kept it in the pantry, which is out of direct sunlight, and after about 3-4 months it turned pretty dark.   I have been using it ever since.   I keep the bottle topped off with vodka after every couple of uses.  I just added a new vanilla bean or two as well.  That way it’s become a bottomless source of vanilla extract!

Mar 15, 2011

Beer… or cake… or both?

Monte’s birthday is tomorrow so I’m going after two of his favorites at the same time… chocolate cake and guinness 🙂

I found this recipe from Nigella Lawson and am giving it a try tonight.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Update:  It was DELICIOUS!  try it!

Feb 13, 2011

Crab-with-a-C.

Monte brought home some snow crab leg clusters from the grocery this morning.  We just had them for lunch and they were delicious.

He learned an easy, excellent way to re-heat already cooked and previously frozen crab legs from an Alton Brown episode.   They turn out moist and warm, and did I say it was easy?   If you like crablegs too, you should try it:

EZ Snowcrab legs for 2

– 2 clusters of unfrozen snowcrab legs (about 8 ounces each)
– Wrap clusters completely  in damp paper towels
– Cook on high in microwave for 3 mins
– Dump out on butcher paper (careful, it’s HOT)
– Crack open and dip in whatever floats your boat

Enjoy!

Dec 23, 2010

Pizza to go.

We made pizzas with Dan and Lynn at their house tonight.  We brought the doughs, which Monte made ahead of time.   Here is his most excellent recipe:

Pizza Dough

This thin and crispy pizza dough is best baked in a hot oven directly on a pizza stone. Use a pizza peel to move the pizza on and off the stone.  This recipe makes four pizzas about 12 inches in diameter.  Use a Kitchen-Aid mixer.

1 1/2 c. warm water
3 t. dry active yeast
3 T. sugar
2 T. olive oil
4 cup bread flour
1 T. kosher salt

Bring water to 110 degrees F. Pour half into warm mixing bowl.  Add sugar and yeast, stir with a spoon.  Wait for the yeast to proof, about 10 minutes.

Add the rest of the water, oil, salt, and mix.  Install the dough hook and add flour in increments.  Use a high speed while the mixture is soupy.  As the dough comes together, set speed on 2 and run for 20 minutes.  Adjust flour for dough that is moist but not sticky.

Divide the dough into four.  Oil doughs and bowl lightly and let rest for an hour.

Roll then stretch pizza dough to size.  Dust peel with corn meal and flour.  Place dough on peel and add toppings.  Slide pizza off peel directly onto stone.  Bake 5-7 minutes in hot 450+ oven.

 

Dec 8, 2010

Dinner time.

I have been craving fall casserole-faire in a big way, lately.   I think it started when we watched Jacques Pepin on PBS cooking up a savory scalloped potatoes recipe.   That’s high on my list.   But tonight I opted for a homemade, baked Mac & Cheese menagerie.   So, I consulted google, from which I chose Alton Brown’s recipe.

It’s in the oven as we speak.   I will take a pic when it comes out, let it sit for several mins and then enjoy it with some lovely red wine.

While I’m waiting for it to come out, let me just say what a wonderful year this has been, though flying by at light speed.   If I’m going to use up my remaining vacation, I’d be out the next 3 weeks.  But in reality, I will likely have part meetings, part vacation next week, and then maybe be able to take the last 2 weeks of the year off.  We’ll see.

Well, the dish turned out nicely.   The photo I took doesn’t look all that appetitzing, but it was yummy.

It’s Wednesday —   I can see Friday!

Bon Appetit

Nov 9, 2010

Casserole season

Ok, I’m pretending not to notice that it’s 70+ degrees outside this evening because I’m in the mood for some meat-and-potatoes Irish soul food that seems more appropriate for a chillier Fall evening.  Oh well.  I’ll just crank the AC tonight.

Shepherd’s Pie – it’s what’s for dinner.

Here’s how I make mine:

2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 c dry red wine
2 T steak sauce
1 T worchestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 t dried whole marjoram
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground red pepper
salt/pepper to taste
2 onions – diced
2 garlic cloves – finely minced
8 oz frozen peas/carrots
4  oz sliced mushrooms
5 cups cooked mashed potatoes
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Cook meat in large skillet over medium heat until browned.  I use very lean beef, so there’s not much fat, but if there is spoon it off now.   Stir next 7 ingredients into pan with browned meat,  saute over medium high heat for about 5 mins.   Add onion, garlic, mushroom and cook until soft.  Add peas/carrots  and simmer for a few minutes.   Remove  bay leaf from skillet and discard.   Empty meat mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish.     Spread mashed potatoes evenly over top of meat mixture.   Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20 mins or so, until mixture is thoroughly heated.  Makes 6-8 servings, depending on how hungry everyone is.

Nov 8, 2010

Rio Star

Mmmm!  Autumn means grapefruit season!   Texas produces some sweet, delicious grapefruit.  There are many different ways to enjoy them.

One is a drink some people call a Greyhound:

Fill tall glass halfway with ice
2 oz vodka
8 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

 

Delicious!  But, sadly, not so great for anyone taking statin meds to treat high cholesterol, FYI.

We enjoyed a couple tonight while rooting (in vain) for Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football.

Oct 2, 2010

Peanuts!

When traveling through different places in the south we have tried and come to enjoy boiled peanuts.  We’ve been wanting to try our hand at making some ourselves.   The other day Monte found some green peanuts at a local Indian food market, and brought home several pounds.

We made a test batch last night and are making more today.

You start with pound of green peanuts.  Wash them well and soak in cold water for about 30 minutes.  Drain and put in boiling pot with about 2 quarts of water and 1/2 cup salt and boil for about 4-5 hours.

Sep 16, 2010

Crepes!

While reading my daily batch of news and blogs this morning, I came upon a blogpost that left me with an unshakable craving for crepes.

So I pulled out Joy of Cooking and whipped up some batter.   It has to sit in the fridge for a bit, so by the time Monte gets up we can have crepes for breakfast.

Yum.  Can’t wait.

If you, too, would like to make them, and don’t have a Joy of Cooking, here is the recipe:

Basic Sweet Crepes (makes about 12 7 1/2″ crepes)

Combine in a blender or food processor until smooth:

1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Pour batter into a pitcher or other container with a pouring lip.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 mins or refrigerate up to 2 days.  (This allows the flour to thoroughly absorb the liquid and gives the gluten in the flour a chance to relax.)

Place a nonstick or seasoned crepe pan over medium heat.  Coat with a little unsalted butter.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan and swirl pan to distribute evenly.  Cook until top is set and underside is golden.  Flip with fingers, fork or spatula.  Cook other side and remove to warm plate or wax paper, if you want to stack them to freeze and save for later (for up to a month).

I like to eat mine with a little powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

Aug 5, 2010

Cheers!

As I sit in my comfy chair and type this post, I’m enjoying a lovely mango  marg daiquiri.   I am not a huge fan of mixed drinks.   I think I got that out of my system a long time ago (whew!).   But I have come to enjoy a mango margarita when we go to the local Chuy’s.

So, for the last year or two I’ve been on the lookout for a good mango mixer to try to make one at home.   Some that I’ve tried have been pretty poor.  Last week I ran across a liter of mixer, the brand is Finest Call, so I decided to give it a try tonight.   Not bad.

I had intended to make a margarita, but grabbed the rum instead, so — voila, it’s a daiquiri.

This is the moment I have chosen to share with you today.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Pretty good mango marg/daiquiri recipe

2 oz mango puree (the label called for 4, but it would be way too sweet, imho)
1.5 oz rum or tequila
1.5 c crushed ice
combine in blender for 30 seconds