Author Archives: Patti

CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP

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I always love serving first course soups. And this is a perfect example because it is nice and creamy, but not overly rich. Plus, it’s darn right pretty!

And because this had been such a crazy year, and even though it would be just the two of us at table, I still wanted to keep our Thanksgiving dinner menu as close to normal as possible. So, I decided a small cup of soup to begin our meal would be appropriate. This was actually a last-minute decision. And for certain, I didn’t want Mr. C. to make a special trip to the grocery store for just a couple of items. Plus, I had a big old 10 oz. box of baby spinach in my veggie drawer that really needed my attention. So, although I already had recipes for soups that would have been lovely to serve, I imagined a soup that featured spinach. So, to the computer I proceeded. And what I found on the Food.com site, was Ree Drummond’s rendition of spinach soup.

I changed things up a bit, but the basic concept was all on Ree. I substituted one of the cups of whole milk with a cup of weak vegetable stock. I figured the veggie stock would add a bit more depth of flavor. And I pureed the cooked onion along with the spinach and garlic. I didn’t want little chunks of onion in my soup. I also used less cayenne than called for because I’m a wimp. Plus, I felt too much heat would detract from the overall subtle flavors in the soup. And then, I added a few croutons for garnish.

So, there you have it – cream of spinach soup. Simple to prepare and a perfect start to a delicious meal. Not that I only plan to serve this soup as a first course. Heck no! This creamy concoction would be great paired with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Or along side a grilled tuna sandwich, or as a soup and salad combo. This dreamy delight is just that versatile.  

So next time you are in the mood for a creamy, not too rich soup, give this recipe a try. Just don’t forget the croutons. Their buttery crunch really makes the dish.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep generating great tasting and healthy food for your family to enjoy. And keep taking good care of yourself. Providing good food for your family is at the heart of helping your entire family manage this crazy time. Great meals give everyone something to look forward to, both for the physical pleasure, but also to reassure everyone that they are being well cared for. Your fellow family members may not be able to pinpoint what they are feeling. But instinctively they will know it’s good to feel this way.

But you need to look after yourself too. So, don’t forget to take breaks. Put your feet up and have a nice cup of tea or a hot cup of coffee. Relax and meditate, do a bit of exercise, read a chapter in your book, or catch up on any new email posts. Just something for you. As the household cook, it’s easy to be taken for granted. But that can only happen if you allow it to happen. So first and foremost, take care of yourself.

Peace and love to all.   

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

10 oz. fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ c. water

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ med. onion, chopped

¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 c. whole milk

1 c. vegetable stock (I use 1 cup water and 1 scant teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base)

2 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

tiny pinch cayenne pepper

buttery croutons (see recipe below)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mixture to a blender or food processor and pour in the ¼ cup water. Set aside.  

In a large soup pot, melt the butter and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the cooked onion into the blender or food processor leaving as much of the butter in the soup pot as possible. Whirl until smooth.

Over low heat, sprinkle the flour onto the remaining butter and whisk to combine. Increase the heat a bit and cook for about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and vegetable stock. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne; stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the pureed spinach mixture, then cook until the soup thickens a bit, another 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve hot off the stove and garnished with a few Buttery Croutons.

Buttery Croutons:

2 T. unsalted butter  

2-3 c. cubed white bread

Melt butter in a medium sized sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly toast until crunchy and lightly browned. (This takes upward of 45 minutes, so plan to make croutons when you are working on other dishes and are close at hand.) Stir frequently. When the bread cubes are totally dry and crunchy, remove from heat. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

 

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH BOURBON CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

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There are as many recipes for pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie available as there are cooks to bake those pies. (I tend to think of pumpkin and sweet potato pies as almost synonymous.) And almost every cook has his or her favorite recipe. Me too. Or I thought I did until I baked this year’s Thanksgiving sweet potato pies.

I used the basic recipe I’ve been fixing for several years now, but instead of including Kahlúa or rum, I chose bourbon. And I substituted heavy cream for the evaporated milk called for in my original recipe. Well boy howdy – these 2 changes really worked. The filling was super smooth, almost custardy. And very, very flavorful. And then topped with homemade bourbon caramel whipped cream – OMG. Pretty darn amazing. But then, I love sweet potatoes almost any way I can think to fix them. But when combined with all the other lovely ingredients in this recipe, they are absolutely raised to a new level of yumminess. But enough about this pie. Just make it. You won’t be disappointed.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was weird. Everything about the day felt as if I were viewing it through some kind of altered reality. OK, throwing the turkey stock together, making the dressing, and preparing the turkey for its long, slow roast was the same as usual. But not setting the dining room table for guests, and not making appetizers to begin the festivities just didn’t seem right. Even as I prepared other traditional favorites, and a couple of new recipes just for the shear fun of it, the feeling of unreality never really went away. The only saving grace was that we were able to share food with 2 other couples. Not eating together, but through home deliveries. (Masked, of course!)

On Wednesday evening we delivered a couple of pies and assorted goodies to our dear friends Jim and Margo. And were sent home with a large container of delicious clam chowder. And at 4:00 pm yesterday there was an exchange between our home and our dear friends Mark and Vicki next door. This allowed us to at least experience the sharing part of Thanksgiving which in my estimation is basically what it’s all about anyway. So that felt good. It also left us with so much food that neither household will have to cook for at least a week! But I think it was more about the divided effort than about the food itself. It just felt right to be able to share the bounty of our wonderful lives with some of the people we love.

And as a truly special treat, Andy and I were part of a Zoom extended family get-together commencing at 3:00 pm. So, while I was preparing gravy, I was able to see and hear, via my computer screen, many of our family members and closest friends as they too were preparing for their own unprecedented celebration. That was great. That felt good. But even with all the positives, it still was weird sitting down on such a momentous occasion, just the two of us at table.

As I drifted off to sleep last night, there were lots of wonderful memories doing their best to keep me awake. So, I gave them full rein. I remembered my first Thanksgiving with Dick and Eloise 50 years ago. (Also, the occasion of the first turkey I ever baked.) Then, all the subsequent Thanksgivings with the extended family. But finally, just before I let Mr. Sandman do his thing, I gave special thanks for the wonderful life I have had, for my children, for my old friends who have helped me through a few rough patches, for my new friends that daily brighten my life, but mainly for my best friend and the love of my life, Mr. Andy Carr. My dear husband who constantly keeps me grounded, keeps me laughing, entertained, feeling special, feeling loved, and all the other positive adjectives you can think of that represent unselfish love. And how just saying thank you to Mr. C. could never be enough. (But I do it anyway!) So what I plan to continue doing, is try my darndest to live up to his expectations. That is, after all, the only lasting thing I can offer him to prove my undying love and respect.

Peace and love to all.

3 c. mashed sweet potato*

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ c. brown sugar, packed

¼ c. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. heavy cream

3 T. good bourbon

1 lg. (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Whisk the mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla together until creamy and smooth. (There should be no lumps in the mixture.) Then stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together. Stir into the sweet potato mixture until thoroughly combined. Finally stir in the heavy cream and bourbon.

Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover edges of crust with 1½ inch strips of aluminum foil. (This prevents the crust from getting too brown.) Remove the aluminum strips the last 5 minutes of baking.

Bake the pie in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the filling is set, about 60-70 minutes. To test, shake the pie; the center of the pie should jiggle slightly. If you still aren’t sure, stick a toothpick or a butter knife in the center. If it comes out fairly clean, the filling is set.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Best stored in a cool place. Serve dolloped with Bourbon Caramel Whipped Cream. Recipe below.

*I use the darkest skinned sweet potatoes I can find, sometimes labeled Ruby Garnet yams. But they aren’t really yams. They are just dark-skinned sweet potatoes. Then I bake the sweet potatoes in their skins. When tender, I remove them from the oven, let them cool completely, remove the skin, then whirl them smooth in my food processor.    

BOURBON CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

¼ c. unsalted butter

½ c. brown sugar

tiny pinch salt

¼ c. + 1¾ c. (1 pint total) heavy whipping cream, divided

2 T. good bourbon

Whisk butter, brown sugar, and salt together over medium heat in a small heavy saucepan until brown sugar has dissolved completely. (This happens after the mixture comes to a boil and allowed to burble for a couple of minutes or until it turns kind of shiny. Continue whisking the whole time the mixture is on the heat.) Remove from heat and gently whisk in the ¼ cup heavy cream and bourbon. Allow caramel to come to room temperature and then refrigerate.

Beat the remaining 1¾ cups of whipping cream to stiff peaks. Add some of the cold caramel sauce and whip just until well blended. (The caramel sauce and whipped cream can be combined up to a few hours before serving.) Serve the remaining caramel sauce on any of your favorite desserts. Or spoon it directly into your mouth. Your choice!

 

Wednesday (before Thanksgiving) – a good days worth of baking. 2 sweet potato pies, 2 French Apple Pies, Cinnamon Rolls, and Soft Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls (recipe soon to be posted) And yes I was tired after all that baking! Ya think!?

     

     

SPAGHETTI IN A BASIL CREAM SAUCE

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This is another one of those “I’m too tired to cook but I want a comforting pasta dish for dinner” recipes. Because you just gotta know that this dish takes no time at all to prepare. (OK, it takes thyme, but no time!) (Sorry – the devil made me do it!) Anyway, there is close to no effort involved in getting this sauce ready to receive freshly cooked al dente spaghetti. (And yes, I know, many recipes of this ilk call for penne pasta. But my heart belongs to spaghetti, so spaghetti it is at our home a lot of the time. But of course, you can choose any old pasta shape you want. Just don’t cook the pasta before it’s time*, or past al dente, and we can remain friends.)

So, the other evening I decided pasta would be lovely for dinner. And along side the pasta, a big old green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. So that was dinner. And even chopping a few veggies for the salad, I was done within an hour. And at the tortoise like speed at which I now find myself moving, that ain’t bad for this old gal. OK, the vinaigrette was already prepared, but still, dinner on the table in an hour is just fine in my book.

Now, on to how this sauce tastes. I’d be lying if I said this was the best thing I ever tasted. Because that distinction belongs to my father’s older sister Louise’s homemade salami, which I last tasted when I had just turned 16. (I know that for a fact, because I drove most of the way to Nebraska because I had just gotten my driver’s license.) But to this day, I still remember that delicious salami. It made quite the impression. And since you might also be interested to know, her fried chicken was also absolutely sensational. And it’s not just my memory alone that can recall how outstanding our Aunt Louise’s food was, because my brother Phil also used to wax poetic about her cooking. And he was 4 years younger than me! We were just too young at the time to ask for recipes or even realize that older people might not always be around. But wonderful memories still abound. And that includes wonderful memories of my dear brother. (And yes, I miss my little brother.)  

So, is this the best dish I ever tasted, no. Is it a dish I look forward to enjoying again and again, yes indeed! But about the thyme.

Somewhere I read that basil and thyme go well together. I was a bit apprehensive, but I though just a modicum of dried thyme might be a nice addition. And yes indeed, a great combination. It’s like the thyme is there in the background to lift the basil to new heights. You don’t really recognize the thyme flavor, but you know something is there that you really like. So please leave it in the recipe when you decide that this simple pasta dish is just what the doctor ordered.

As always, try new dishes, but keep your favorites always available. Life is fleeting, so treasure the wonderful times you’ve already had, but make new memories, even during this impossibly ugly pandemic. Someday, when we all look back on this, I pray that we can once again surround ourselves with our families and friends and celebrate together. Peace and love to all.

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. finely chopped onion

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced   

½-¾ c. loosely packed fresh basil chiffonade, plus more for garnish

¼ tsp. dried thyme

½ c. whole milk

½ c. heavy cream

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4-6 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked barely al dente (save some of the cooking water)

freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

Melt the butter in medium sized fry pan. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil, and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper; cook until thoroughly heated. Transfer the pasta into the sauce using a pair of tongs and let it cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. If the sauce gets too thick or you feel a little more sauce would be nice, stir in a small amount of the pasta water. Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately. Pass the cheese.

*It truly makes a difference if you don’t cook pasta ahead of time, drain it, and make it wait for the sauce to be prepared. If anything is required to wait, the sauce is much the better choice.

    

FRENCH BREAD

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OK, full disclosure. I don’t usually like French bread. And yes, I know, I am in the minority here. I get that. But let me explain why I don’t often appreciate French bread and why I decided recently to bake a couple of loaves anyway.

First of all, if I am going to enjoy a piece of white bread, I want a really crusty, chewy bread. Like most Italian baguettes. But I had a specific purpose in mind when I ventured into French bread land. I wanted to find a recipe for an uncomplicated, basically white bread to use in this year’s turkey dressing. And I figured most of my baguette recipes would not give me that medium crumb I was after. But French bread might provide me with just that perfect crumb and basic bread flavor that I was envisioning. So, to French bread recipes I proceeded. (And yes, I have a great recipe for Thin Sourdough French Baguettes on this site that I adore. But I didn’t want the tang of sourdough in my dressing this year. I simply wanted to change things up a bit because, heck, why not? Everything else is crazy different about 2020, so why shouldn’t my dressing this year be slightly different too?) (And yes, sourdough starter does change bread consistency just by its very nature. So too soft a crumb is not a problem in sourdough French bread. At least to my thinking.)

So, I went on-line and found the bones of this recipe on the abountifulkitchen.com site. I changed the recipe ingredients and amounts here and there, but the basic preparation method was new to me. So, I followed it where it made good sense to do so. But I deviated when my bread baking knowledge led me in a different direction. So, this is truly a mash up recipe. But it worked. Boy did it work!

The result? This is one fine tasting French bread. And the crumb is perfect. Not too soft, but not too chewy either. And the crust is lovely. Well of course it is. Anything tastes great when slathered with butter! (That part came from a different French bread recipe.) (And yes, I most definitely will be making this bread again. It’s absolutely too delicious not to add to my list of favorite bread recipes.)

But ultimately, the main reason I have decided to accept this wonderful French bread into my life, is because it is not a light and fluffy French imitation of Wonder bread! This bread has character. Plus, it takes less than 2 hours to build, start to finish. But really, the most fantastic thing about this bread is that it is utterly delicious. 

So as always, remember that sometimes it’s a smart idea to think outside the box. We all have pre-conceived ideas that maybe should be re-considered, or at the very least, questioned or examined to see if they still make sense. And finally, when we do extend ourselves past our own notions, or beliefs, or conceptions, we tend to learn something. And continuing to learn should always be something we strive for throughout our life. To my thinking, it’s one of our most treasured abilities. Peace and love to all. And Happy Thanksgiving.

2 pkgs. or 2 T. active dry yeast 

2 c. warm water

2 T. granulated sugar

1 T. kosher salt

2 T. vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl

2 c. bread flour

3¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 T. unsalted butter, melted*

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast, warm water, and sugar with your bread hook. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt, oil, bread flour, and about 3 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix and knead the dough, adding as much of the remaining flour as required to make a smooth, soft, but not too sticky dough. (The dough should cling to the hook with just a bit sticking to the bottom of the mixing bowl.)

Pour a bit of oil in the bowl, and using your fingers and a stiff rubber spatula, roll the dough into a ball. For the next 60 minutes, starting after you cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise for 10 minutes, deflate the dough. (In other words. Punch the dough down 5 more times. This helps develop the wonderful texture of this bread.)   

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 9×12 rectangle on a floured work surface.

Roll the dough up like a jelly roll (long way). Place the dough on a large, greased baking pan seam side down. Make five diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Let rise, covered with a tea towel, for about 30 minutes in warm place.  

Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 375-degree convection oven for about 20 minutes, or if you don’t have the option of using convection heat, about 25-30 minutes in a regular oven. The internal temperature should reach at least 200 degrees and the crust should be golden brown when the bread is perfectly baked.  

Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack, and brush the top of the bread with the melted butter. Let cool completely before slicing.

*If you prefer a harder crust, don’t use the melted butter. Your choice.

SAUSAGE DRESSING

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ lb. bulk breakfast sausage

¾ c. chopped celery (stalks and leaves)

1 med. onion, finely chopped

4-6 lg. mushrooms, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tsp. finely minced fresh sage

1½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 T. poultry seasoning, or more to taste

½ tsp. savory, either powdered or dried leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

8-10 c. dry bread cubes  

2 eggs

turkey or chicken stock

In a medium sized fry pan, melt the butter and add the sausage, breaking it up as it browns. Add the celery, onions, and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, savory, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

Place dried bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sausage mixture; mix thoroughly.

Beat eggs in a separate medium sized bowl. If you are using stock that is simmering happily on your stove, vigorously whisk 2 cups of the broth into the eggs. A little at a time. (The hot stock will scramble the eggs if you don’t stir vigorously. Not what you want!) Pour the hot liquid over the bread cubes and gently stir. Be careful, you don’t want to break the dry bread cubes apart. Add more stock if the dressing is dry. (Remember, this is dressing, not stuffing and therefore is not going into the cavity of the turkey. So, any moisture needs to be added while it is being prepared.) Taste the dressing and add additional poultry seasoning and/or salt if needed.

Place dressing in a buttered casserole dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot. (I put mine in the oven when the turkey comes out.)

Please Note: recipe for Turkey Stock can be found under Herb Salted Turkey with Cognac Gravy. This dressing recipe is perfect with Herb Salted Turkey and Cognac Gravy BTW. Just in case you were wondering.

 

BALSAMIC VINEGAR, GARLIC, AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE

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So, here’s the deal. If you want to prepare a great balsamic vinegar salad dressing, you gotta start with good balsamic vinegar.  

Just like when you cook with wine. You need to choose a wine that you would enjoy drinking. Or so I’m told. Actually, I use Gallo Hearty Burgundy in most of my recipes that call for dry red wine. It’s probably because the first dish I can remember ever making that called for wine was Beef Burgundy (Boeuf à la Bourguignonne). And because it was cheap and available, I started using good old Gallo brand. And you know what, now I’m forced to search for the darn stuff! But when I find this rare commodity, I buy several bottles and store them in our wine cellar right alongside Mr. Cs more expensive bottles.  

As for white wine, I routinely use a not-too-expensive Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, or Semillon when dry white wine is called for in a recipe. But balsamic vinegar is whole different deal.

I came late to fully appreciating the difference between an adequate balsamic vinegar, and an exceptional, full bodied balsamic vinegar. And the person I need to thank for this revelation is my sister-in-law Katie. She’s the one who clued me into the difference.

While visiting Rick and Katie in their home, Katie asked me how I made balsamic vinegar salad dressing. I felt like saying, “I’ve never really made a good balsamic dressing”, but because I’m such a renowned culinary expert (yah right!!), I offered her basically the bones for this recipe off the cuff. But because she had a truly wonderful balsamic vinegar on hand, the dressing came out truly exceptional. So much so that I had to get back to her and ask for the recipe. (You would think by my advanced age I would have it together better. But for all intents and purposes, I am often still as insecure as I was when I was 16, just with more wrinkles!) Anyway, the whole event left me realizing that there truly is a difference in balsamic vinegars. And that paying the price for an exceptional balsamic vinegar was well worth the dollars spent.

So, if you too have been using a relatively inexpensive balsamic vinegar, you might want to re-think that whole premise when quality truly makes a difference. And in a salad dressing, where balsamic vinegar is the star, a better grade really does make a difference.

So as always, keep learning (especially when you don’t have all the answers), keep trying to improve (especially when you think you have all the answers), and don’t ever kid yourself that you do have all the answers, (because believe me, you are probably as clueless as all the rest of us). And thanks Katie for your generous gift of a couple bottles of really wonderful balsamic vinegar. I have enjoyed learning how to use them, and plan to share my knowledge in the future.   

And yes, every time I think I’m special or am feeling conceited, God (or whatever) decides to fix that right away by knocking me on the side of the head until reality sinks in. And you know what, I am so glad this happens. I don’t care to ever get too full of myself. I don’t like people like that, and I don’t want to be that kind of person. So, I feel truly blessed when routinely I am reminded that I am just like everyone else. No better, no worse. Peace and love to all.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. good quality balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, finally minced

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Shake it all together, turn yourself about. That’s what it’s all about!

         

BALSAMIC VINEGAR, ROSEMARY, AND GARLIC MARINATED AND GRILLED FLANK STEAK

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I am a sucker for grilled meat. Always have been. And usually I prefer to enjoy any type of grilled beef dolloped with a lovely sauce, like Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Chimichurri Sauce, or Steak Sauce with Mushrooms. (All on this site BTW, along with many other great sauces.) But, with this wonderful recipe from the heygrillhey.com site, a sauce would be redundant. Because this marinated steak has plenty of great flavor all by itself. I like that. Not only because the marinade flavors the meat so beautifully, but because it means I have one less dish to prepare. (Remember, I’m getting lazier and lazier as my years quickly advance past three fourths of a century!)

So anytime I can find a recipe like this one, that doesn’t require me to prepare some kind of sauce to go with it, I’m delighted. And excited to pass the recipe on to you. (And yes, I usually change other people’s recipes a bit to better reflect our taste. But just looking at Susie’s recipe, I could find no fault with either her choice of ingredients, or even the amounts she had listed. And I was spot on to leave the recipe alone. In my estimation, it is perfect as originally written.)

So, if you too are yearning for a simple way to prepare a well-seasoned flank steak, I would highly recommend you give this recipe a try. And if it’s just you, or maybe 2 or 3 of you at table, yes, a whole flank steak is probably more meat than you can eat in one sitting. Not too worry. We ate our fill the first night, then I used most of the leftover meat as the meat component in homemade chili. (Fabulous!) Then the next morning, I sliced up the remaining small piece, hotted it up on my grill pan while I fried our eggs and served it with warmed zucchini bread. (What a lovely treat to break our fast!)

So, no excuses folks. This is the real deal. If you like grilled meat, this is your chance to look like a grill king or queen. Almost fool proof. (Well as long as you have an instant read thermometer that is. If you don’t, Santa Claus will soon be coming to town. So, you should be making a list so that he/she can check it twice. (And get his/her order in before the mad rush.)

As always, stay happy, stay healthy, stay practical, and stay patient. We are all in for a rough winter with the increases in covid-19 cases, restrictions constantly changing in a desperate attempt to save lives, and the ever-increasing incipient feeling that this damn pandemic will bloody well never go away. Hopefully, the devastation will end sooner rather than later. In the meantime, us worrying ourselves sick won’t change a thing. Peace and love to all. (Note to self: take your own advice!)   

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

1½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. brown sugar, packed

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary (about 6-inch sprigs)

1 – 1½ lb. flank steak, trimmed of as much fat as possible

In a gallon zip lock bag, combine the olive oil, salt, black pepper, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh rosemary sprigs. Zip the top, then gently massage the contents until the salt and sugar granules are dissolved.

Place the flank steak in the bag, press out any excess air, and seal tightly. Using your hands, press the marinade around the meat to ensure it is evenly covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat your grill to 450 degrees. Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal thermometer reaches 130-135 degrees for medium rare.

Remove the steak to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes before slicing very thinly against the grain and on a diagonal. Serve immediately.

        

ALMOST KNOCKOFF LEVAIN BAKERY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

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First off, I know Levain Bakery doesn’t put walnuts in their oatmeal raisin cookies. I got that. But I love walnuts in my oatmeal raisin cookies, so my recipe – my choice. And to be completely up front with you, I’ve surmised that Levain Bakery doesn’t use vanilla either. But I just couldn’t see myself building an oatmeal cookie without vanilla. (Hence the “almost knockoff” part of the recipe title.)

Now another thing you should know. I have never actually tasted a Levain Bakery cookie. So, I thought to remedy the situation, I would order a package. I quickly changed my mind. $27 for 4 – 6 oz. cookies, plus a $49 shipping charge. Well then, that sure as heck wasn’t going to be happening. At least not on my watch! Holy moly! I could build several batches (16 count each for the size I prefer, 8 count for a full 6-ounce cookie) for that amount of money and enjoy them any darn time I felt the inclination. So, I would just have to build my own unsubstantiated “Levain Bakery” cookies. Possible warts and all! Like I did with my Knockoff Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. (See recipe on site.)

I started by comparing several knockoff recipes on-line. Then after much deliberation and a fair bit of cookie baking knowledge, I cobbled this recipe together. And I must say, these are the best oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever tasted or produced. They are semi gooey in the middle (the trademark of a Levain Bakery cookie) and sweet, but not too sweet. With a bit of crunch from the nuts. And a delicate hint of the essence of the vanilla bean. In other words – perfect. I also enjoy the occasional burst of salt from using coarse sea salt. Just another dimension of yummy as far as I’m concerned. (And remember – it’s really, just all about me!)

Anyway, I would love to have you bake up a batch of these delicious cookies. And because I couldn’t make up my mind about golden versus regular raisins, I used a combination. (Nothing like compromise for finding the perfect solution.) And no, you don’t have to include nuts. Just add a few more raisins. And if you don’t choose to use vanilla, I won’t think less of you either. You would be wrong, but that’s on you!

So as always, have a blast in your kitchen. Try new recipes to keep yourself invested in the whole business of keeping everyone in your family well fed. If nothing else, it might help stave off boredom for yourself and your family. And boredom is a serious concern for many of us right now, especially with the holidays so close at hand.

I miss going to plays, concerts, live music performances given by Mr. C. and his musician buddies, restaurants, and all the other cultural events that are such a vital part of our lives. I miss getting on an airplane and visiting foreign lands. (Well not the airplane part, but you catch my drift!) I also really miss all the places and natural wonders that we can visit while towing our travel trailer all over God’s creation. But mainly I miss visiting our family and friends and having them in our home. (My normal minimum weekly hug quotient is way off the bottom of the scale and I am severely feeling the loss! I know. Everyone is in the same boat.)

So, I continue to pray daily, to every deity I can think of, for a speedy resolution to the covid-19 crisis. But I know until that happens, I can’t let down my guard. So, I mainly stay at home, continue to cook up a storm, try new recipes, and if they work – post them on my blog. That’s how I have chosen to keep joy alive in my life. (Plus keeping myself on the right side of sane while this crazy world sorts itself out! I pray about that daily too!)

I fervently hope you too have found joy, peace, and love in your life. Happy Thanksgiving.

1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

½ c. granulated white sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

½ c. cake flour (fluffed)

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)

1 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1½ c. old-fashioned oats 

1½ c. raisins (golden, regular, or a combination)

1 c. chopped walnuts, opt. (but why?) 

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium low speed until smooth and completely blended, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat just until the eggs and vanilla are incorporated with the butter/sugar mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and oats together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Add the raisins and walnuts and slowly mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.  

And now the hard decision has to happen. Do you want cookies the size that made the Levain Bakery in NYC famous? Or do you wish to make a smaller, more manageable version? My choice – smaller. But for those purists out there, I’m providing both ways to enjoy these incredible cookies.

Purist (8 cookies per batch)  

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, about 6-ounces each. Line two half sheet baking pans (roughly 18 x 13-inches) with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Use your hands to shape the dough. Place in a staggered pattern, 3″ apart on the baking sheet with only 4 cookies to a pan. Do not flatten the dough. The cookies are meant to be roughly shaped. Refrigerate for about an hour. Start heating your oven to 400 degrees after the cookies have been cooling in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.  

Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack of your pre-heated 400- degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies appear dull and light golden brown on top.  Do not over-bake. The top should look done, but the cookies should not be fully set. 

Remove from oven. Cookies will continue to finish cooking as they set and cool on the baking sheets for at least 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are quite delicate after just baking, so handle them carefully. They should still be plenty gooey inside.

Bigger than normal cookies, but half the size of Purist (16 cookies per batch)

Divide the dough into 16 equal parts, about 3-ounces each. (Or as equally portioned as possible.) Drop dough onto parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking pans about 3 inches apart. (I used three half sheet (roughly 18 x 13-inch) baking pans. Six cookies on sheets 1 & 2. Four cookies on sheet number 3.) Do not flatten the dough. (I round the dough in my #10 ice cream scoop and proceed from there. Cheating I know, but I’m lazy!) Refrigerate for about an hour. (To make life easier on myself, and because I don’t have room in my refrigerator for 3 sheet pans, I plop the balls of dough close together on one of the parchment paper lined pans. Then I refrigerate the whole mess. When I’m ready to bake the little darlings, I take 6 from the fridge and place on another of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. The others dough balls I just leave in the fridge until I am ready to bake them off.) 

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for between 8-10 minutes. I found, after baking each of the three pans of cookies a different way, that 5 minutes regular heat and 4 minutes convection heat worked the best for me. But you may find your oven works differently than mine.  Just don’t over-bake the cookies. The top should look done (browned), but the cookies should not be fully set.  

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Store the cookies in an airtight container on your kitchen counter.    

CHEEZY BAKED CAULIFLOWER

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OK, pay attention now. Mr. C. actually likes cauliflower fixed this way. This preparation is basically just a spin-off of my other baked cauliflower recipe (Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower Casserole), which Mr. C. also enjoys. Most of the ingredients are either the same or comparable, but this version is a bit quicker and easier to prepare. And as you well know by now, I am getting more and more enamored with quick and easy.

So the other evening, faced with a big old head of organic cauliflower from our last farm box, I thunk up this version of an old classic – cauliflower in cheese sauce. (And yes I know, “thunk” is not a legitimate word, being a non-standard past tense and past participle of the verb “think”, but I like it non-the-less!) Anyway, this dish was a hit and it had been very easy to throw together. And of course, just because this recipe calls for only half a head of cauliflower, you can fix as much as you want. We just eat less than we used to, so my recipes are starting to reflect our reduced appetites. (If only that were the case with desserts. But no! Earlier today I baked up my version of the Levain Bakery’s Oatmeal Raisin cookies (absolutely fabulous BTW), so my appetite in certain areas hasn’t diminished in the least!) But, back to cauliflower. (And yes, I’m going to post the cookie recipe shortly.)

I love cauliflower, either raw or cooked. It will never replace green beans, zucchini, or broccoli as my favorite vegetables, but it is a good, reliable vegetable to have around. And it’s quite nutritional. Versatile too.   

But somehow, I always end up adding a few calories to cauliflower preparations, because I truly can’t conceive of Mr. C. eating it with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. The simple fact is, that without a bit of doctoring, cauliflower would never be welcome at our table. So why stress about it?

Now, something to consider. If you serve cauliflower only because you feel you must, then I would suggest you stop thinking in those terms. Cauliflower is not a punishment. It is a truly wonderful veggie when treated with respect and a bit of special attention. But if you and your family simply do not like the taste, then find another veggie that you can all enjoy. (Or the majority of your family can enjoy.) Or try adding a sauce or oven roasting the cauliflower with olive oil and spices. (See my recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Curry.) Because a bit of sauce or spice can make all the difference.

So regardless if my preparations are a bit on the caloric side, I’m going to continue preparing and serving this delicious cruciferous veggie for as long as I can wield a knife and prepare a sauce! Because it’s good for us and I like it!

So as always, fix what you like. Eat healthy, but stick to the food you enjoy cooking and eating. You’re much more likely to actually eat an ingredient if you like the taste. And who cares if you eat spinach or broccoli every other night. I promise you no one is going to think less of you. And who the heck is keeping score anyway! And, if you are trying to keep your family healthy, then forgo worrying about a few calories here and there. Believe me, like I said before, I could never serve this veggie un-doctored or steamed broccoli, for example, without a side of “secret sauce”. (See recipe below.) It’s just the reality of serving and enjoying certain vegetables in our home.

So have fun in your kitchen. Remember, the game is afoot! If it takes a sauce to serve a veggie, then do it! No one is going to question your motive. And maybe, somewhere along the line, your spouse or one of your kids will learn to appreciate vegetables sans adornments. Don’t count on it! But it could happen! Peace and love to all. 

½ head cauliflower, cut into fairly small, same size pieces

¼ c. mayonnaise

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 small squirts hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot Sauce)

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 T. milk

paprika

Steam the cauliflower to crisp tender. (I place the steamer pot over high heat until I just start to see steam escaping around the lid. Then I turn off and heat and let the cauliflower sit covered for 3 minutes.)  At which point I transfer the hot cauliflower to a lightly greased shallow pan in a single layer.

While the cauliflower steams, whisk the mayo, mustard, hot sauce, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and milk together. Spread evenly over the cauliflower. (Or as even as you can manage. The sauce will be very thick.)  Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the sauce is melty. Serve immediately.

Secret Sauce:

1 part mayonnaise

1 part soy sauce

Mix together and serve with your favorite steamed veggie.

  

BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

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I love cornbread. And I have several really good cornbread recipes already on this site. But for whatever reason, this cobbled together recipe I think is going to be my favorite. First of all, I love using buttermilk. (I almost always have some on hand.) Now granted, I don’t drink the stuff, but I love adding it to pancake batter, for example, because I love the tiny bit of tang it provides. Another reason for this recipe – I didn’t have a super plain, slightly sweet, buttermilk cornbread recipe at the ready. Now I do. And as far as I’m concerned, it is the perfect cornbread recipe. Easy to build. Just enough sweetness for my taste. And super moist. All the qualities I believe a fabulous cornbread should possess. And it contains only the most essential of ingredients, all of which I normally have on hand.  

Now don’t get me wrong. My other cornbread recipes are great too. And I will still enjoy eating them when I serve certain dishes. But for an all-around, multi-purpose, you can serve this with just about any dish cornbread, this is now my go to recipe. It is perfect for breakfast slathered in butter and drizzled with warm maple syrup. Great with a big old bowl of soup or chili for lunch or dinner. And if you are into cornbread dressing, this recipe would work really well. (See recipe below) However, I would suggest reducing the sugar to 1 or 2 tablespoons. Your choice of granulated or brown sugar.

So that’s it for today. It’s rainy and very windy here in our part of the world. I can still see Port Susan, but the mainland and the mountains are hidden from view. I know they will come back to me, but for now all I have is their image in my memory banks. It’s kind of like how we are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. We are going to treasure our memories of past gatherings. And lift a glass or two to our family and dearest friends. But we are going to stay safely tucked away in our own home. And by doing so, help our dearest friends stay safe too. All the while looking forward to when we can all once again celebrate and give thanks together.

Happy Thanksgiving Day my friends. And please stay safe. And as always, peace and love to all.

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (I use a large glass mixing bowl and melt the butter in my microwave)

¼ c. granulated sugar

¼ c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 c. cornmeal

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

fleur de sel or other flaky salt

Butter an 8-inch square pan or an 11×7-inch rectangular pan. (I use glass Pyrex dishes.) Set aside.

Mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Stir in the buttermilk and then the eggs. Stir until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together. Add to the butter mixture and stir just until combined. Avoid over-mixing the batter. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Lightly sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake.

CORNBREAD DRESSING

½ lb. Italian sausage (pork or chicken)

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

¾ c. diced celery

¾ c. chopped onion

6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ tsp. dried sage

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. poultry seasoning (or more to taste)

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. dried parsley

3 c. cubed rustic bread, toasted (I like part sour dough)

2 c. cubed and dried cornbread (just cube the cornbread and let it sit for a few hours on your counter) 

1 egg, beaten

2 c. chicken broth

Fry sausage (crumbling it as it browns) in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. When browned add the butter, celery, onion, and mushrooms; cook until the onion is transparent.  Stir in the sage, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, granulated garlic, and dried parsley. Remove from heat and gently stir in the bread cubes and cubed cornbread. (Don’t worry if the cornbread breaks down.) Whisk the egg and chicken broth together. Pour over the bread mixture; gently stir until combined.

Spoon the dressing into a buttered casserole pan, cover with lid or aluminum foil, and either refrigerate until ready to bake or place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 5 minutes or until starting to brown on top. Serve hot.

SPAGHETTI IN A SPICY ARRABBIATA (ANGRY) SAUCE

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Now I know there are evenings when all you want is to spend as little time as possible in your kitchen while at the same time serving a delicious and soul satisfying pasta dish to your family. So as the saying goes, “have I got a deal for you”! Now that I have you all excited, I better add a warning. This is probably not a dish young children would appreciate. It is also a dish that anyone whose stomach responds poorly to spicy food might also want to avoid. Not that this dish is super spicy. In my opinion it is not. And I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to spicy food. But everyone’s stomach and taste buds are different. And as much as someone might enjoy an all heat 5 star experience at the moment, there can be a world of hurt that follows if your mouth and your stomach are not in full accord to begin with. (Like wine for me. My mouth loves wine. My stomach, not so much!)

Anyway, before I begin telling you how wonderful and easy this dish is to prepare, I felt it only fair to provide you with the whole story. (It’s called a disclaimer.) Now where was I? Oh yes – telling you how delicious and easy this dish is to prepare. But first, how we discovered the true meaning of “arrabbiata”.

The best arrabiata we ever tasted was in the Eastern part of Italy as we traveled from the Amalfi Coast towards the Adriatic Sea. Our travels took us just north of the Gulf of Taranto with a one night landing in the small town of Bernalda (near Mataponto, if that helps) at what was essentially a modern, business man’s, no frills hotel. We arrived hungry, and as luck would have it, lunch was still being served. But we were informed that the lunch menu was limited to just a few items. Mr. C. chose arrabiata and I went for something else. Mine was excellent, but not nearly as memorable as Andy’s choice. I really could not stop myself from taking small bites of his pasta throughout the meal. That meal at this humble hotel restaurant was the first of many fabulous meals we experienced as we traveled north along the Adriatic. And a wonderful surprise because that part of Italy is much less frequently visited than along the eastern, middle, and northern part of the country. And because the tourist trade is not as prevalent in that part of the country, we had not expected to be so royally treated and served such amazing food along our chosen route. But we were. And I can tell you true, if you want to experience the best that Italy has to offer, go off the beaten track. We are still reeling from the experience, and it was seven years ago! But, back to arrabbiata. (I so easily get distracted.)

This is probably one of the easiest red pasta sauces you will ever prepare. It takes hardly any time to produce a deeply flavored sauce that hasn’t had to spend several hours simmering. So while it burbled away, I made salad dressing, toasted up some croutons, threw some lettuce and romaine through my salad spinner, grated up some pecorino-Romano cheese, and cooked perfect al dente spaghetti. Ta da – dinner on the table.

So give this sauce a try. It’s just as good as the one we had in Bernalda and a heck of a lot easier to obtain. You will also find another really wonderful recipe for Pasta with Arrabiata Sauce on this blog. It too is delicious, and just enough different to give you a choice. Whichever recipe you choose, you are in for an Italian treat.

Two “B”, or not two “B”, that is the question. And yes, you will see this angry sauce spelled with either one “B” or two. But the spelling we learned while in Bernalda contained only one “B”. However, I have since learned that the correct spelling contains double Bs. So “B” it!)

As always, have fun trying new recipes. It’s always good to expand the bounds of your comfort zone. And in such a safe way as trying out new dishes, pretty much a safe way to do so. Peace and love to all.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste) (I use a scant ½ teaspoon – perfect for Mr. C. and me)

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. dry red wine

1 tsp. brown sugar, packed 

1 (28-oz.) can crushed or whole tomatoes in sauce (Italian if possible – I use Cento brand)  

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente   

1-2 T. pasta cooking water, if needed

¼ c. fresh basil chiffonade, plus more for garnish

freshly grated pecorino-Romano cheese (Parmesan in a pinch)

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized covered Dutch oven. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for a few minutes until the garlic has softened and turned a light, golden brown. Stir often to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. If it does, start over!

Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Let the ingredients dance around the pan together for about a minute before pouring in the wine. Leave alone until the wine has all but evaporated. Then stir in the brown sugar and crushed tomatoes. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer another 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has had a chance to thicken a bit, stirring occasionally. 

Transfer the al dente pasta into the sauce using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Stir in pasta water if the sauce is too thick, then add the basil*. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. (The sauce should be thick, but not so thick that it almost forms chunks. You want the sauce to lovingly cling to every surface of the pasta.)    

Serve the pasta hot, topped with additional basil. Pass the grated pecorino-Romano cheese.

*It is always best to add fresh basil towards the end of any cooked recipe calling for fresh basil. It can become bitter if added too soon. Plus it gives the sauce (or whatever dish you are preparing) that fresh herby basil flavor we all adore.