Author Archives: Patti

PEANUT M&M PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

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OK, I know I should not be eating cookies, but I always build a batch (or two) before we leave on a trailer trip. And of course, this time was no exception. There was a difference, however. We didn’t go on our planned outing. Not because of health concerns, thank goodness, but because our destination was in Eastern Washington and the predicted weather while we would be camping in the desert was somewhere around 112-degrees. Yikes! That is just too hot to be sitting in our travel trailer waiting for the air conditioning or the motor on our refrigerator to experience a full-on meltdown. Not to mention that if that happened, I’d be right there with our appliances having my own tearful meltdown! (I do not do well in hot weather.) And hiking or even taking a nice leisurely walk would have been completely out of the question. Not to mention the conniption fit my dermatologist would have thrown had he found out that I had spent 12 hours a day in a lake, even with 50 SPF sunscreen slathered all over my body! (I simply can’t be in the sun more than 2 minutes anymore. I have become a sensitive flower in my golden years. Not by choice, believe me. But by necessity. Grrrr) Anyway, we cancelled our trip. Which of course left us with an abundance of these amazing cookies calling my name every time I got within 10 feet of our home cookie jar.

But I must say, if I have to be corrupted by cookies, I’d like it to be by the likes of these cookies. Because they are wonderful. Full of peanut butter and Peanut M&Ms. And who can resist Peanut M&Ms? Not me, that’s for darn sure!

So, next time you want to treat your friends or family to homemade cookies, I would advise giving this recipe a try. You will not be unhappy with the results. And to their credit, these delicious cookies contain a bit of rolled oat action. Even though you would be hard pressed to find anyone who could discern the presence of anything as healthy as rolled oats in the mix. But no one could possibly miss the abundance of Peanut M&Ms. They are forefront for all to appreciate.

As always, tackle your culinary endeavors with zest and zeal. Appreciate the fact that you not only have a kitchen, but the knowledge and skill to provide delicious and nutritious food for not only yourself, but also for your family and friends. Cooking takes time and effort, but the rewards far outweigh any alternative such as most prepared food found at your local grocery store or frequent visits to local restaurants. At least for me, going out to eat is great about once a week. More than that, and I find myself thinking about the quality of the food I can produce at home, compared to what we can find in most of our local dining establishments. And even as I am eating out, I often torture myself by wondering why I didn’t just stay home and cook dinner in the first place. (And yes, I am an enigma.) But then I must acknowledge that I probably like to cook more than a lot of folks. So, I’ll get off my high horse now and just stick to once again telling you how great these cookies are and how much you would enjoy biting into one. (Or two, if you’re like me.)

Peace and love to all.   

½ c. rolled or quick oats (see note below)

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ c. brown sugar, packed

¼ c. granulated sugar

¾ c. creamy peanut butter (not natural)

1 lg. egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 c. Peanut M&Ms (I use the 10.57 oz. Fun Size for this recipe)

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and mix until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats together. Add to the wet mixture just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Gently mix in most of the Peanut M&Ms.  

Form the dough into about 2-inch diameter balls. (I use my #30 teal blue-handled ice cream scoop to form the balls.) Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and gently press the balls down slightly. (They won’t spread very much while baking, so they can be placed fairly close together. About 1½ inches apart works fine.) If there are any of the cookies that appear to need an additional Peanut M&M or two, gently poke the remaining M&Ms into the dough balls. (We want all our cookies to look pretty, now don’t we!) Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before baking in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 13-16 minutes. (Cookies will be a bit soft and look undone. But don’t fret. They will firm up nicely as they cool.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool a couple minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 35 cookies.

Note: If using regular rolled oats, place in a food processor. Pulse a few times to break the oats down a bit. Set aside. Or use quick oats. (Quick oats don’t have to be messed with at all.)

RHUBARB PIE

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Now as much as I love me a good pie, I don’t bake pies very often because they are a lot of work, and then it only takes about 5 minutes for a small group of diners to consume an entire pie. That is, if I still baked regular sized pies. (Which BTW, I never do anymore.)

Because about 25 years ago, I was lucky enough to find a potter who made wider and deeper than normal pie plates. Not only are these pie plates lovely to look at; they are constructed of heavy clay. So, my pies always bake evenly. And they hold a lot of pie. Which for us is imperative. Because basically I don’t bake pie unless it’s a holiday or I’m having company. But back to my wonderful pie plates.

I bought 3 for myself and gave several away as gifts. Because of the size of these masterpieces, the pies I bake are almost half again as large as a regular sized pie. So, with that in mind, I have provided you with the same recipe, only proportioned to fit both my need and the needs of those of you who are normal and only make reasonable sized pies.

But regardless of the size of the pie you plan to build, you are going to love this recipe for a simple rhubarb pie. But if you want to build a fancy rhubarb pie, this is not the recipe for you. There are no unusual ingredients in the filling, and the filling always sets up beautifully. The bottom crust is not soggy, if that is something you strive to achieve. The filling isn’t too sweet, again an attribute I appreciate, but may not be to your liking. And there is a lot of top crust, which BTW is pretty darn tasty. But those of you who don’t particularly like crisp and flaky crust might want to look elsewhere for something a little less perfect.

But if you want a recipe that shouts rhubarb with every bite, then stick with me on this one. Because this pie is all about the rhubarb. And since its still fresh rhubarb season, I say build a rhubarb pie while supplies last. There is simply no other dessert that smacks of good home cooking like a rhubarb pie. Or any pie for that matter!

I can still remember walking into my grandmother’s kitchen and seeing a pie on the counter that I knew we were going to be enjoying that evening. I always felt like the luckiest little girl in the world. And I still feel that way. Even if I am far from being a young girl and the pie is on my own kitchen counter, and I’m the one who expended all the effort to prepare the darn thing! Seeing, and of course smelling a homemade pie, simply makes me exceedingly happy.

As always, keep thinking of great ways to bring your family joy. Even a simple pan of brownies can help a kid whose had a rough day feel better about the world. I cannot remember a day when the first thing out of my teenager’s mouths when I walked in the house after work was – what’s for dinner? There must have been some connection in their minds between feeling safe and secure because I was home, and the fact that they probably had escaped starvation for yet another day. Whatever triggered this feeling of being loved and feeling safe, I know it had a lot to do with food. And good food is such a simple way to prove your love. So, take time in preparing the food for your family. Believe me, your adult children will remember their childhood with a great deal more fondness if good food was the standard in their childhood kitchen.

Peace and love to all.  

Pie Crust: (for 10 to 11-inch pie pan)

6 T. very cold water

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. kosher salt

heaping 1 c. Crisco

2 T. granulated sugar (for use later), plus more for the top crust

Step 1 – Pour cold water into a small bowl. 

Step 2 – Measure flour and salt into a mixing bowl. 

Step 3 – Take ½ cup of the flour back out of the mixing bowl and stir it into the water. Make a paste. Set aside.

Step 4 – Add the Crisco to the flour and salt mixture. Mix together. (I use my KitchenAid mixer.) 

Step 5 – Add the water/flour paste to the flour/shortening bowl and mix just until blended. Do not over-mix.

Filling: (for 10 to 11-inch pie pan)

8 c. diced rhubarb

1 c. granulated sugar

¼ c. brown sugar

½ c. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. unsalted butter

Combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla together in a bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes.  

Put the Pie Together:

Roll out ½ of the dough and place in your pie plate.  Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (shown under pie crust) evenly over the bottom and sides of the crust. (You will have to gently pat the sugar into place on the sides of the pie plate.)  Scoop the rhubarb mixture into the pie pan. (And yes, it will seem like too much rhubarb, but it will be fine.) Dot the rhubarb with butter. Roll out the top crust. Place over the rhubarb and dotted butter. Crimp along the top edge as desired. Cover edge of crust with thin strips of aluminum foil to prevent edges from getting too brown. Make a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Not too much. Just a light sprinkle.

Please note: If you don’t want a top crust on your pie, roll out some of the remaining pie dough fairly thick. Cut out fun shapes with cookie cutters. Lightly sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on top of the pie.

Place the pie on a rimmed cookie sheet. (The hot filling might escape over the sides of the pie pan. Probably not, but just in case…… Believe me, it’s a whole lot easier to clean a baking sheet than the bottom of your oven!)

Bake in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350-degrees and continue baking for 45 to 50-minutes more, or until a bit of pink juice bubbles up through the slits or around the decoration pieces on the crust. Remove the aluminum foil covering the edge of the crust and continue baking for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. Great topped with vanilla ice cream.      

Pie Crust: (for 9-inch pie pan)

4 T. very cold water

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

heaping 2/3 c. Crisco

2 T. granulated sugar (for use later), plus more for the top crust

Step 1 – Pour cold water into a small bowl. 

Step 2 – Measure flour and salt into a mixing bowl. 

Step 3 – Take ⅓ cup of the flour back out of the mixing bowl and stir it into the water. Make a paste. Set aside.

Step 4 – Add the Crisco to the flour and salt mixture. Mix together. (I use my KitchenAid mixer.) 

Step 5 – Add the water/flour paste to the flour/shortening bowl and mix just until blended. Do not over-mix.

Filling: (for 9-inch pie pan)

5-6 c. diced rhubarb

¾ c. granulated sugar

3 T. brown sugar

⅓ c. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. unsalted butter

Combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla together in a bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes. 

Put the Pie Together:

Roll out ½ of the dough and place in your pie plate.  Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (shown under pie crust) evenly over the bottom and sides of the crust. (You will have to gently pat the sugar into place on the sides of the pie plate.)  Scoop the rhubarb mixture into the pie pan. (And yes, it will seem like too much rhubarb, but it will be fine.) Dot the rhubarb with butter. Roll out the top crust. Place over the rhubarb and dotted butter. Crimp along the top edge as desired. Cover edge of crust with thin strips of aluminum foil to prevent edges from getting too brown. Make a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Not too much. Just a light sprinkle.

If you don’t want a top crust on your pie, roll out some of the remaining pie dough fairly thick. Cut out fun shapes with cookie cutters. Lightly sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on top of the pie.

Place the pie on a rimmed cookie sheet. (The hot filling might escape over the sides of the pie pan. Probably not, but just in case…… Believe me, it’s a whole lot easier to clean a baking sheet than the bottom of your oven!)

Bake in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350-degrees and continue baking for 35 to 45-minutes more, or until a bit of pink juice bubbles up through the slits or around the decoration pieces on the crust. Remove the aluminum foil covering the edge of the crust and continue baking for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. Great topped with vanilla ice cream.      

Helpful hint: Use a pastry cloth to roll out your pie crust. It really makes a difference when you go to move the rolled-out crust onto the pie plate. You can find pastry cloths in almost any kitchen wares shop. Well worth the $10 or so.

  

SIMPLE MARINATED GRILLED FLANK STEAK

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OK, let me just say this before I start writing about this recipe. It is hot outside. Terribly hot. And I live in Western Washington where it’s not supposed to be this hot! But it is! And I guess I’m only mentioning this new development because if you are anything like me, you do not do well in hot weather. I tend to get cranky, and my inherent laziness just seems to blossom when I become too warm. And any thought of too much effort in the kitchen leads me to want to tear into anyone whose ideas differ from mine with the vengeance of a mother bear protecting her cubs. So those of you who are anti-vaxxers, believe you are superior to others because of the color of your skin, want to deny others the right to have control over their own body, or feel your own true God is the one true God – please stay a safe distance from me so that no one will get hurt! It’s only for your own good that I admit to this uncharacteristic tendency of mine to verbally assault anyone with beliefs I find abhorrent when the weather outside becomes unbearable. Lucky for us we had a heat pump installed when we built our house. Or I would probably get into our air-conditioned car and vandalize any Trump sign I found still on display. Like I said, I don’t do well when it’s too damn hot!

So, with ease of preparation in mind, I offer up my rendition of a simple marinade for flank steak. I modified the original recipe I found on the simplyrecipes.com site to make the marinade even easier to prepare. And perfect for camping or trailering where kitchen and workspace can be limited. Throw a few ingredients into a Ziplock bag, along with the flank steak of course, and place it in your fridge or cooler overnight. Then place it on a hot grill, take it off the grill, let it rest a few minutes, then slice and serve. Terribly easy and terribly delicious.

So, that’s it for today. Have a great day and stay cool. And if you were appalled at my rant about people who have a different idea of humanity than I do, so be it. There are millions of great cooking sites out there. Be my guest.

Peace and love to all.

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup soy sauce

¼ c. honey

2 T. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulated onion

1 flank steak

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl.

Place steak in the bowl and turn so that it is completely coated with the marinade. (You can also place the steak and marinade in a freezer bag and place it in a bowl.)

Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. (Overnight is best.)

Heat your grill until very hot. (The grill is hot enough when you can hold your hand about an inch over the grill only for about a second.)

Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess marinade from the steak (but make sure there is still a thin coating because the oil in the marinade helps to keep the steak from sticking to the grill).

Generously sprinkle steak with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. (The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak.)

Place steak on the hot grill. Grill for a minute or two on each side to get a good sear, then turn down the heat on the grill, cover and cook a few more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 135-degrees for medium-rare. Remove from grill and cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat while the steak rests for 10 to 15 minutes. Then slice diagonally against the grain into thin pieces with a very sharp knife and serve immediately.  

RHUBARB CRISP WITH CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

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Because I am always trying to find an even better (insert name of culinary item here), in this case the crisp part of this crisp, I learned once again, another valuable culinary lesson. DO NOT MESS WITH A GOOD THING! (The good thing here being the crisp topping recipe I have been using for the last 30 years or so.) So in full disclosure, the topping you see on the picture above is not what the recipe below produces. Oh, it looks the same, but the end result is quite different.

The new recipe I tried simply did not turn out as good a product as my old standby. It was OK, but for my taste it contained way too many oats and not enough butter. And I know. Oats are better for us than butter. But for an occasional indulgence, I say go for it. Do it right! But don’t get me wrong. I like oats in my crisps, just not so many that all you notice are the oats. And the new recipe didn’t have that lovely crunchy brown sugar flavor I love. So, that too was a contributing factor in deciding to go back to my original recipe. But as the old saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained. (In this case the gain was knowledge. Positive affirmation that my original crisp recipe was by far the superior product.)       

Now if you are expecting this rhubarb crisp recipe to be a new and exciting take on an old standard, then get ready for a disappointment. There are no new tricks, novelty ingredients, or special enhancements (except of course caramel sauce in the whipped cream) that make this recipe unique. It is just a great recipe for rhubarb crisp. But if you are new to rhubarb or have never turned it into a crisp, you are in for a treat. Or even if you have been making rhubarb crisp since God was a child, I believe this simple crisp is about as good as it gets. Because, in my opinion, rhubarb dishes don’t require as much sugar as is often suggested in other recipes. Rhubarb is inherently tart. And that tartness should be highlighted rather than disguised. So, you may wonder that I only use ¾ cup sugar for 8 cups of rhubarb. But trust me, it is the perfect amount. Because the topping has plenty of sugar in it and so does the whipped cream. And when you take a bite of the crisp, you want to taste the tartness of the fruit in combination with the sweetness of the topping and whipped cream. In other words, a perfect combination of tart and sweet in every bite. And this crisp delivers that wonderful combination in spades. So, give this recipe a try. You will love it and so will your family.  

As always, play with your food. Try new things, but don’t ignore the dishes or parts of a dish you know are fabulous. And make this rhubarb crisp while rhubarb is still in season. And yes, you can freeze rhubarb. But for a dish like this, fresh rhubarb is still your best choice.

Peace and love to all.

1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ c. brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. + 3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

1 c. rolled oats

8 c. diced fresh rhubarb

¾ c. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the cinnamon. Mix in the 1 cup flour and rolled oats until crumbly. Set aside. 

Stir the rhubarb, granulated sugar, the remaining 3 tablespoons of flour, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Spread the mixture in a buttered 13×9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the rhubarb.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven on the middle rack for about 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the rhubarb is bubbling. 

Remove from oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the rhubarb mixture to set a bit. Serve the crisp dolloped with Caramel Whipped Cream or if you must, vanilla ice cream.

CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

2 c. (1 pint) heavy cream

¼ c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. caramel sauce

Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Whip in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

RHUBARB, ORANGE, AND WALNUT QUICK BREAD

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I found this incredible recipe for rhubarb quick bread on the cutco.com site. The topping I used for this bread, well that’s another story.

I read about the topping somewhere, but for the life of me I can’t remember on what site this marvelous suggestion for topping a quick bread was revealed. But I must state for all to read; this way of topping a quick bread is going to become standard procedure from now on at Chez Carr. If of course the batter contains nuts. But to make any sense out of what I just wrote, you should first read this recipe. Then afterwards, if you decide to make this bread, you will undoubtedly understand why I would make such an unequivocal statement about a topping. Because the topping is just that fantastic! Crunchy, nutty, and sweet. But enough about the topping. It’s time to talk about the bread itself.

Amazing. Delicious. Moist and tender. With just enough orange flavor to be interesting, but in no way pervasive. Not to mention, the bread is easy to prepare and beautiful in appearance. So, basically, a perfect quick bread. And I truly do hope you make this bread while fresh rhubarb is still available. It is one of the best fruit breads I have ever tasted.

As always, keep counting your blessings. Keep finding joy in family and friends. And if you are able, share your blessings with others. Last evening, we had our dear friends Jim and Margo over for dinner. It was such a joy to once again have people in our home. And tonight, we are going to a restaurant with our dear friends Mark and Vicki. And afterwards, they are coming over (they live next door) for dessert. After such a difficult year with covid looming in every direction, it is wonderful that we are finally free to invite a bit of normalcy back into our lives. Hopefully the same is true for each of you.

Peace and love to all.

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 c. + 2 T. granulated sugar, divided

2 eggs

2 tsp. grated orange peel

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cream of tartar

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. sour cream

2 generous c. finely diced fresh rhubarb

1¼ c. chopped walnuts, divided

Cream butter and the 2/3 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, orange peel, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Fold in the rhubarb and ¾ cup of the chopped walnuts.

Scoop into 2 8-inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup chopped walnuts evenly over the top of both loaves. Lightly press the nuts into the batter. Then sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.   

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean. Don’t overbake.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then gently remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into fairly thick pieces. If desired, gently warm before serving.

Best eaten within a couple of days. Or freeze the second loaf for later. Or even better, give the second loaf to a neighbor or friend.

  

CREAMY PARMESAN POLENTA

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Sometimes I just get overwhelmed by how delicious a dish can be even if it is super easy to prepare. And this is one of those dishes. This polenta truly could not be easier to build. And the flavor is superb. Perfect as a base for everything from Chicken Cacciatore to Savory Braised Beef Cubes. (Both just happen to be on this site BTW.) And don’t even get me started on how delightful this polenta would be smothered with some kind of creamy Italian shrimp dish! (Now added to my list of recipes to be developed.)

But aside from how great a base this makes for numerous saucy dishes, this polenta is perfectly delightful as a stand-alone side dish. And as we all know, creamy side dishes (think mac and cheese and mashed potatoes) are great favorites of kids. OK, they’re great favorites of adults too. But as adults, we know to eat less of these decadent dishes because of the calory content. So, full disclosure. This is not a low fat, low carb dish. This is a full-on comfort food dish. And at least here at Chez Carr, we only eat comfort food on special occasions. But when we do, whatever we are eating has to be really, really tasty. And this dish fits that description perfectly. So, give this dish a try next time you feel worthy of a reward. Because this is a blue-ribbon winner.

As always, treat yourself to good food every day. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to fix brownies or rhubarb crisp (recipe on the way) or even something as simple as oven roasted veggies. The food just needs to be well prepared. And well prepared does not mean the food has to be fancy. Well prepared means that you have given complete attention to bring out the best qualities of every ingredient you touch. Even a simple step like chopping up a carrot for soup should be considered important to the final product. Equal size pieces result in all the carrot becoming tender at the same time. And don’t forget presentation. Part of the pleasure of eating a fine dish is the presentation. Doesn’t take but a minute to add a sprinkle of fresh parsley, a bit of paprika, or a smattering of grated cheese as a garnish. But the eye knows when it is missing.

I guess the word that comes to mind most when I think of good cooking is mindfulness. Being conscious or aware when preparing a dish. So, on that happy note – have fun in your kitchen.

Peace and love to all.  

4 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 scant c. polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) (not instant or fast cooking variety)

3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the ground corn is stirred in with no lumps remaining.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Polenta mixture should still be slightly liquid.) Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy, and the individual grains of ground corn are tender.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required. Serve as a base for any saucy meat dish. Or plain. It’s wonderful just plain too!

CHICKEN CACCIATORE WITH PARMESAN POLENTA

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The other day, much to my chagrin, I failed to find my recipe for Chicken Cacciatore on my blog. What!?!? Had it really been over 8 years since I made this delightful chicken dish? (You see, I started this blog in January 2013. And without fail, I always post any recipe worthy of my reader’s discerning palate. So, being reasonably bright, I deduced that I must not have prepared this amazing dish for a very long time.) Well – shame on me! Because there is nothing finer than a good cacciatore. And this recipe produces an outstanding cacciatore if I do say so myself!

This version is based on the recipe I conceived for my 2nd self-published cookbook which came out in 2009. I made a few changes to that recipe to bring the dish more in line with how we eat today. But it is still just a basic recipe for a truly yummy tomato-based chicken stew. I must admit that preparing this dish takes a bit of prep work, but most of the time required from start to finish involves your oven.         

While we were partaking of this dish a few nights ago, we were reacquainted with just how fond we are of this dish. And I realized that very few Italian restaurants feature cacciatore on their menu. And for the life of me, I can’t understand why that is. (Unless they too have forgotten just how wonderful it is.) Perhaps they consider cacciatore a comfort food and choose not to feature it in their upscale Italian dining establishment. But if that is the case, I must ask why that is. Because for me, a succulent piece of meat surrounded by a lovely herby tomato sauce and served over creamy polenta is about as trendy as it gets. And if restaurants still serve lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs, why would they feel that cacciatore wasn’t as appealing? I guess somewhere along the line I must have missed the article that revealed the reasoning. Either that, or I have completely lost touch with my Italian heritage and therefore no longer intuitively understand why certain Italian dishes are no longer popular. (Actually, I have no Italian ancestors, I just wish I did!)

So, for your culinary edification, and with full knowledge that this old gal doesn’t possess even a single Italian gene in her entire body, I offer my take on this centuries old Italian chicken dish. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.   

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new dishes, but always keep your old favorites in mind. And don’t hesitate to change your sacred recipes to reflect how your tastes have changed. Or to make the dish healthier or easier to prepare. I mean really, you probably didn’t hesitate when deciding to change your appliances from avocado green to stainless steel. Or replace your old shag rug with hardwood flooring. So, why not bring your favorite recipes into the 21st century too. If I can do it, so can you!

Peace and love to all.

6-8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 med. white onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

10-12 med. sized button mushrooms, sliced

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 T. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1½ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¾ c. dry white wine

1 (28-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes with juice

1 T. tomato paste

½ c. chicken broth

3 T. drained capers

grated Parmesan for table, opt.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof, covered skillet. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Sauté the onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the fresh basil, oregano, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Pour in the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, and capers. Taste and adjust seasoning. Return chicken pieces to the skillet.

Cover the skillet and transfer to a pre-heated 350-degree oven. Cook for 50 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork tender.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining basil, and let sit a few minutes before serving. Great served over Parmesan Polenta. (See recipe below)

PARMESAN POLENTA

4 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 scant c. polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) (not instant or fast cooking variety)

3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the polenta is stirred in and no lumps remain.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Polenta mixture should still be slightly liquid.) Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy, and the individual grains of ground corn are tender.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.

Serve as a base for the Chicken Cacciatore or any saucy meat dish. Or serve it as is. It’s wonderful just plain too!

SOURDOUGH WAFFLES OR PANCAKES (uses sourdough discard)

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And yes, I am back to playing with sourdough starter. And because I don’t make a weekly meal plan or usually have even a vague idea of what ingredients I want to experiment with in the near future, I am often stuck with using sourdough discard. (If whatever I plan to make includes sourdough starter, that is. My penance for being lazy.) But even then, I sometimes get in over my head before I realize exactly what happened! Such is the case with this delightful recipe for sourdough waffles from the kingarthurbaking.com site.

It almost always takes me a while to wake up. Even after my morning coffee, I remain groggy until about 10:00 am. But a few mornings ago, I woke up early hungry for waffles. And not just any waffles. I hungered for sourdough waffles. And since I had a quick and easy recipe for sourdough pancakes using pancake mix, I thought I’d just pop onto the internet and come up with the perfect, easy, sourdough waffle recipe too that I could whip us in the next 10 minutes. Right!? Wrong! Didn’t happen.

But I did find this recipe, and even though it calls for sourdough starter discard, a sponge still needs to sit on your counter overnight contemplating the relative merits of using convection over regular heat while baking the perfect prime rib roast. (Or some other subject equally pithy.) So, you guessed it. No waffles for me that morning.

But the next morning the waffles were glorious. And very easy to prepare because half the work had been done the day before. (Better and better if you too are not at your best in the morning.) So, give these simple to prepare, light as a feather waffles a try. They are beyond delicious.

As always, greet each day with a big old smile on your face. (Coffee helps.) And never fail to remind yourself how lucky you are to be living in a country, though not perfect, a lot better than some.

I think we sometimes forget that luck has a lot to do with who and where we are today. Of course, luck is only part of the equation. Hard work also brought us to this point. But it was just sheer luck that gave us the parents we had, the country we were born in, our level of intelligence, our physical appearance, and any special talents we might possess. But the most important aspects of who we are as an individual, each of us has complete control over. If we are kind, nice, a good parent, a good friend, an honest and productive person, etc. – that is all on us. And we should take pride in those attributes. And use those qualities to make the world around us a better place to live. While always remembering that the rest, like looks and intelligence, was just plain old-fashioned good luck.

Peace and love to all.

Day 1: (overnight sponge)

½ c. sourdough discard

1 c. buttermilk

1 T. granulated sugar

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour  

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and let rest at room temperature (65 to 70-degrees) for about 12 hours, or overnight.

Day 2: (waffle batter)

1 lg. egg

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. baking soda

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg and melted butter together. Add to the overnight sponge, stirring just to combine.

Add the salt and baking soda, stirring to combine. (The batter will expand and may bubble a bit. Let rest for a few minutes before baking.)

To make waffles: Pour the batter onto your preheated, greased waffle iron, and bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat with the remaining batter.

To make pancakes: Pour the batter onto a preheated, lightly greased griddle. Cook until bubbles form and pop on the top side of the pancakes, then turn over and cook until browned underneath.

Please note: Both the waffles and the pancakes are great topped with Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Blueberry Compote with Bourbon. (See recipe below.)   

STRAWBERRY, RHUBARB, AND BLUEBERRY COMPOTE WITH BOURBON

¾ c. finely chopped rhubarb

½ c. chopped strawberries

¼ c. blueberries

3 T. brown sugar

pinch kosher salt

2 tsp. bourbon

Combine chopped rhubarb, strawberries, and blueberries in a heavy saucepan. Add the brown sugar and salt; stir to coat evenly. Let sit until fruit has released its juices, about 15 minutes.

Bring fruit mixture to a light boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft and mixture has started to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, and let cool, about 30 minutes. (Mixture should thicken a bit more as it cools.)

Place in a jar or storage container and refrigerate for up to a week. Can be warmed gently in your microwave.

STRAWBERRY, RHUBARB, AND BLUEBERRY COMPOTE WITH BOURBON

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Perfect on sourdough waffles (recipe to come)

When its rhubarb season, I practically come unhinged. Because I love rhubarb. And this year is absolutely no exception. For years I contented myself with rhubarb pie. Which reminds me, I have never posted my recipe for rhubarb pie! (What planet has my mind been visiting that I have allowed this to happen?) I assure you, within a few days you will have my recipe. (Good grief Patti!)

Anyway, I remembered that I had a small amount of finely chopped rhubarb leftover from another recipe as I prepared the overnight sourdough sponge for waffles. And while my stand mixer was working away, I though how nice it would be to have a fruit compote to top the waffles I was baking the next morning. Thus, this recipe was conceived. But I only had about ¾ of a cup of rhubarb. And fairly finally chopped rhubarb to boot. So, what other fruit did I have on hand to add to the mix? Well, it just so happened that I had some fresh strawberries and blueberries in the refrigerator. Perfect. Add a bit of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and a wee dram of bourbon to add another depth of flavor, and as the old saying goes “Bob’s your uncle”!

And I must say, this compote was absolutely perfect on the waffles. Heated gently just before serving and further doctored with a small dollop of whipped cream, the combination of light as a feather sourdough waffles, tangy compote, and whipped cream was unbeatable. (Sourdough Waffle recipe to follow shortly.)

This compote would also have been perfect on shortcake, pound cake (if you need a great pound cake recipe, give my recipe for Cream Cheese Pound Cake a try), or vanilla ice cream. And yes, I will be making more of this in the near future. Crazy easy to make and super delicious.

As always, play with your food. You never know what amazing new dish you might come up with.

Peace and love to all.

¾ c. finely chopped rhubarb

½ c. chopped strawberries

¼ c. blueberries

3 T. brown sugar

pinch kosher salt

2 tsp. bourbon

Combine chopped rhubarb, strawberries, and blueberries in a heavy saucepan. Add the brown sugar and salt; stir to coat evenly. Let sit until fruit has released its juices, about 15 minutes.

Bring fruit mixture to a light boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft and mixture has started to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, and let cool, about 30 minutes. (Mixture should thicken a bit more as it cools.)

Place in a jar or storage container and refrigerate for up to a week. Great served on Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes. (Recipe to follow.)

    

ORANGE RHUBARB FREEZER JAM

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I found this wonderful recipe for rhubarb freezer jam on the vanillaandbean.com web site. And oh my – this jam is truly delicious. And easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients, a bit of time, and the next thing you know, your husband is enjoying a peanut butter and jam sandwich. With a happy grin on his face, I might add! At least that’s what happened at my house the day after I made this jam.

Before I go on, I want to spend a couple of minutes talking about rhubarb. Because rhubarb is one of my favorite foods. In fact, it actually may be my favorite vegetable. But it does have its limitations. It’s not really good eaten raw. It depends on sugar to make it palatable, and it’s only on the market for a short time each year. So, perhaps what makes it so special, is its unavailability most of the time. And yes, of course, you can freeze raw chunks of rhubarb for later use. But then you must remember it is in your freezer. (A definite limiting factor for me these days. Of course, I will still have to remember that I have jam in the freezer. But somehow, that is different. I won’t have to do anything with the jam after I take it out of the freezer. Except of course, enjoy eating it! And therein lies the difference!)

So, if you too like to build your own jam, I would suggest you prepare a batch or two of this lovely concoction at your earliest convenience. And now is the time. Rhubarb is being sold at farmer’s markets and grocery stores even as I write. But only for a limited time. So, don’t wait! Hie thee out of your comfy chair, strap yourself in a vehicular contraption, mask up, and visit your favorite purveyor of fruits and vegetables. Then hurry on home and prepare a treat everyone in your home will enjoy.

As always, enjoy your time in the kitchen. Take pride in all the wonderful dishes you prepare for yourself and your family. And share the bounty. I love it when our dear friends next door drop off a few cookies or some other treat they wish to share with us. And I know they are also pleased when we take a little “something” over to them. Makes for a nice change to each of our regular routines. And it’s just plain fun to share. (Something we all should have learned in kindergarten!)

So, just as a reminder, I have taken the liberty of reminding us all of the first 7 things the author Robert Fulghum felt everyone should have learned and embraced in kindergarten:

1. Share everything

2. Play fair

3. Don’t hit people

4. Put things back where you found them

5. Clean up your own mess

6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours

7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.

Peace and love to all.

6 c. ½ – 1-inch pieces of fresh rhubarb 

1 T. orange zest  

⅓ c. fresh orange juice 

1¾ c. cane sugar

1 tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla extract or the seeds of half a vanilla bean

2-3 freezer containers

Stir the rhubarb, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar together in a large, heavy pot. (I use a long handled wooden spoon.) Let sit for about 20 minutes or until the fruit starts to release its juices.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, stirring as needed to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. The mixture will boil vigorously at first, but as it cooks down, it will boil more slowly.

Continue cooking, stirring and adjusting the heat as needed to avoid splatters, while allowing the mixture to continue bubbling.  

Cook until the jam reaches about 220 degrees. This will take about 18-20 minutes. (You can use either a standard candy thermometer or an instant-read thermometer to take the jams temperature. But be advised. If you use an instant read thermometer, be sure it is OK up to 220-degrees. Mine is good up to 250-degrees, but not all instant-read thermometers are the same.) When the jam reaches temperature, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla paste.

Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes before transferring to containers. Do not fill the containers to the top. Leave at least a ½-inch space at the top of the containers so the jam has room to expand as it freezes. Add the lid and allow the jam to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight to set, then transfer to the freezer for longer storage.

Once out of the freezer, store in the refrigerator.