Author Archives: Patti

SOFT AND CHEWY OATMEAL, DRIED APPLE, GOLDEN RAISIN, AND WALNUT COOKIES

Leave a reply

So when I thought about what kind of cookie I wanted to make for our upcoming trailer trip, I decided an oatmeal cookie would be absolutely perfect. But I wanted an oatmeal cookie that was just a little different than how I usually doctor up my oatmeal cookies for more flavor. So no chocolate chips. No peanut butter. But maybe introduce a lot more spice action.

So I thought some kind of dried fruit would be nice. But not the usual suspects, like dried cranberries, or dried cherries, or dried blueberries. It just happened that I had a few thin slices of dried apple in my stash of dried this and that. Not enough to feature in a major cooking project. But too much to simply discard. So I thought, why not an apple presence in an oatmeal cookie? But the apple slices, in many ways, except flavor, resembled shoe leather. (OK, I’ve never tasted shoe leather, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t taste like dried apples!) So I knew that something had to be done to soften up the chopped up apple slices a bit. And what better way to macerate fruit than by a small application of some type of booze. And since I just happened to have some spiced rum on hand, I felt it was the best bet since the cookie recipe I was developing already had ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg as important flavor additives. And really, can a bit of spiced rum ever hurt? I think not! And of course, you can’t really taste the rum. It’s more like you just kinda sorta know there is a just a little something extra in the mix. 

So if you too are a fan of oatmeal cookies, you are going to love these babies. They are soft, but chewy, sweet, but not too sweet, and between the golden raisins and the dried apples, there is just a nice fruit note in every bite. And of course there is a delightful crunch from the chopped walnuts. In other words, these cookies are yum!

So as always, keep having fun in your kitchen, keep helping your friends and family cope with the devastating circumstances of life right now, and take especially good care of yourself. You can’t be of any value to anyone, including yourself, if you let down your guard or start feeling that all is out of your control. Everything is not out of your control. You can still choose to be happy. You can still choose to be positive. You can still choose to be that one person who helps lift the spirits of those around you. And yes it’s not fair. Why should you always have to be the designated good guy? Well, dear readers, first of all, let me explain that life is not always fair. (You’ve probably already figured that out for yourself.) But we are cooks. We are used to nourishing bodies and minds through the food we fix. But there is even more that we can do. We can smile. We can say please and thank you. We can liberally offer praise. We can offer help, when help is needed. We can refuse to let the little everyday “revoltin’ developments” (thank you Chester A. Riley) get to us. And no it isn’t easy. But it is so much better than the alternative. And of course after a long day of helping others and listening to and watching all the news about fires, the pandemic, racial injustice, and the current political catastrophe, there’s always the option of quietly going into your bedroom closet to let out a silent scream. I find that often helps me when dealing with all of life’s little unpleasantries. Well that and a big old bowl of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Peace and love to all.  

2 T. spiced or regular rum

½ c. chopped dried apples (I use thin dried apple slices, cut into small pieces)

1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. fine sea salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly 

1 c. brown sugar, packed

½ c. granulated sugar

2 lg. eggs

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. rolled old fashioned oats

¾ c. chopped walnuts

½ c. golden raisins

Mix the spiced rum and apples together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Lightly grease or line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.  

In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until soft. Mix in one of the eggs, then blend in the second egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add the oats, chopped walnuts, golden raisins, and the macerated dried apples (including any liquid that may remain).

Form dough balls with a small ice cream scoop, and place on prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown on edges and nearly set, about 10-12 minutes. (Center should look a bit under-baked.)

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

SOURDOUGH DISCARD WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS

Leave a reply

I love biscuits with my eggs in the morning. There’s just something heavenly about biting into a warm biscuit that has been liberally spread with honey or jam. And because of the sourdough and the bit of whole wheat flour, these biscuits are particularly delicious.

Now sourdough biscuits are never going to be as light as buttermilk biscuits. At least my sourdough biscuits aren’t as light and fluffy. But the flavor is well worth the difference. For me, my favorite biscuit is the one I happen to be eating at the time. And since I happen to have enjoyed one of these biscuits this morning spread with a lovely clover honey and wild huckleberry spread, why would these biscuits not be my favorite? (Well for as long as they last, that is! Or until the next batch of biscuits comes out of the oven.) Anyway, what I am trying to convey, is that these biscuits are really tasty. And ever so easy to make.

Now if you are not as crazy as I am for all things sourdough, I still have you covered. There are two really yummy buttermilk biscuit recipes on this site. So knock yourself out. But if you do love sourdough, give this simple recipe a try.

 I found this recipe on the venisonfordinner.com site. And yes I love venison. But there isn’t a way in hell I could actually shoot a deer. First of all, I would have to own a gun. Which I do not. Then how could I look a deer in the eyes and pull the trigger. I leave that to people who are braver than I am. Or for those, like in New Zealand, who raise deer for the meat. I can enjoy venison then. Or if it’s on a menu. I can do that too. As long as the meat comes wrapped in plastic wrap and is sold at a grocery store, or is presented to me in a restaurant and I don’t have to witness the slaughter, I can conveniently forget that a beautiful animal lost its life so that I could continue to indulge my carnivorous side. (I better stop writing like this or I will have all of us vowing to become vegetarians!) La, la, la – back to biscuits. (BTW – No animals were harmed in the preparation of these biscuits!)

So if you have a sourdough starter that is getting a little long in the tooth, use the discard to build yourself and your family a special breakfast treat. I promise you that you will be happy you did.

So as always, stay healthy, stay happy, and don’t let anyone ever tell you that you are not worthy, important, or necessary, and that your voice has no value. We are all part of the same overall picture regardless of our color, beliefs, etc. And as such, we need to stand up for our rights. We also need to stand up for the rights of the millions who are disenfranchised.  So be bold. Defend yourself, your family, and every other living human being. And the best way I know of to do that is to use your voice. Your voice that speaks kindness, that resonates with love, and that challenges hate, racism, bullying, or any other attribute that is demeaning and cruel.

And luckily for all of us, we have the perfect opportunity coming up to let our voices be heard. November 3rd will be a historic day. 100 years from now, the annals will record either a positive change for the better, or the further decline of what was previously a working democracy. Not a perfect democracy, or a country with no inherent problems. But still a country where most of its citizens truly espouse equality, and liberty and justice for all.

So before November 3rd rolls around, please VOTE! Give wings to your voice. (But please don’t vote twice. Winning by cheating is just wrong! On so many levels. Plus voting twice is illegal!)

Peace and love to all from Chez Carr

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ c. whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. + 2 T. (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter

¾ c. sourdough starter discard

2 T. plain Greek yogurt

¼ c. whole milk

Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Using your cheese grater, grate butter into the flour. Mix well. (I use a regular table knife to mix the ingredients.)

In a small bowl, whisk the sourdough starter discard, yogurt, and milk together. Add to the flour mixture and let sit for about 20 minutes to “autolyze”. This little bit of time allows the whole wheat flour to properly soak up the liquid “autolyze”  and is particularly useful when working with whole-grain flour because the bran softens as it hydrates, reducing its negative effect on gluten development.

Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured counter, form the dough into a ball, and using your fingers, press the dough into a square or rectangle 1-inch thick.  Cut square biscuits to size of your choice. (I like about 2- inch squares.)

Transfer biscuits to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re nice and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm. Store in an airtight container on your counter.

Note: After the first day, the biscuits are not at their best, but still have a lovely crunch to their crust and fabulous flavor when I toast them whole. I tried splitting them before placing them in my toaster, but that was not one of my better plans. So I don’t recommend that method. Made for a crumbly mess in my toaster. 

CINNAMON TWISTS

Leave a reply

OK, I’d never made cinnamon twists before because I thought the level of difficulty in making the puff pastry part would be way past my skill set. (I was pretty sure I could mix granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together successfully, so that part was of no concern.) But I figured the time involved in preparing the puff pastry would drive me crazy. And absolutely, if this puff pastry recipe was true to form, I’d probably still be screaming and running down my driveway to get away from the kitchen. That’s because I was thinking about all the layering of butter, rolling out the dough, then chilling it, then rolling some more, then chilling, etc. etc. I simply don’t have that kind of patience any longer. I want recipes that show me how to get marvelous results with very little time or effort involved. Especially for a pastry as simple as a cinnamon twist. (And yes, that is called being lazy. I confess!)     

Now granted, Parisian pastry chefs would undoubtedly scoff at this recipe. But I don’t plan to share even a bite of one of these cinnamon twists with any of them. Even if they begged me to do so. Nope. Ain’t going to happen. I’m just going to share this wonderful recipe with you, so that you too can fly in the face of haute cuisine! Because these cinnamon twists are beyond belief delicious. (And so darned easy to make.) And it’s all because of this recipe that I found on the reneenicoleskitchen.com site. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Renee.

The beauty of this recipe starts with the pastry, which is unbelievably delicious and unbelievably easy to build. I’m going to write that again, because it truly bears repeating.

ROUGH PUFF PASTRY IS STINKIN’ EASY TO MAKE!!!! And, it’s also quick – as in fast and expeditious!

Now I know some of you aren’t going to believe me, and you’re going to continue to pay at a minimum $5.19 for a package of Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets. But store bought puff pastry should cost more than making your own homemade version, because they don’t just include flour, salt, butter, and water. The ingredient list for Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets includes (and this is directly from the label) – Unbleached Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Water, Vegetable Oils (Palm, Soybean, Hydrogenated Cottonseed), Contains 2 Percent Or Less Of: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Malted Barley Flour, Turmeric And Annatto Extracts For Color.

What I find most interesting in that list of ingredients, is not what’s in the product, but what’s not included. Butter. No real butter anywhere to be seen. So really, how dare they call it puff pastry!! Even in this rough version, butter is still the star of the show. (I bet if Parisian pastry chef’s realized what mass production has done to their prized pâte feuilletée, it would frost their gizzards. And I for one would not like to be around to see that happen!)

Anyway, the point of all this rambling rhetoric, is to try and convince you to MAKE YOUR OWN PUFF PASTRY. And of course, make these cinnamon twists. They truly are a work of art.  

So I’m excited. I see a whole new world of recipes that have opened up to me because I now have a simple and fool-proof way to make my own puff pastry. I’m thinking dishes like savory mushroom palmiers, Spanakopita, or even just a simple chicken pot pie with a lovely puff pastry top crust. (Thanks Mark for that great idea!) I’m absolutely revved I tell you. Revved!

So even if this puff pastry dough is considered “rough” and doesn’t require a degree from Le Cordon Bleu to prepare it, I could give a flying fig! Who the heck cares? I surely don’t. But then my favorite food is a cheeseburger. Make of that what you will!

As always, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay excited. Excitement leads to inspiration, enthusiasm, motivation, ambition, and creativity. And boy do we all need those positive attributes in our lives, especially now.

Peace and love to all. 

1 sheet Rough Puff Pastry (see recipe below)

3 T. unsalted butter

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

If you haven’t already done so, roll the pastry sheet into a rectangle that is roughly 8 x 10-inches. Carefully transfer the pastry sheet to a piece of wax paper. (Using the wax paper saves a great deal of mess. You will see why as you proceed with the recipe.) Melt the butter in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar.

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top side of the pastry sheet with half of the melted butter. Sprinkle on half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter. Press down lightly to help the cinnamon sugar stick to the butter.  

Gently turn the sheet over. Brush on the remaining butter, and sprinkle on the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.   

To create ten eight-inch wide strips, score the pastry sheet along the long side at one inch intervals. Repeat with the opposite end of the pastry sheet. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to connect the score marks.

Place the strips on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Hold one end of the first strip down and rotate the other end like a cork screw. Repeat with remaining strips.

Chill the twists for at least 1 hour. This is very important. Please do not skip this step.

Bake the chilled strips in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 19 – 21 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Best served the same day as baked.

Rough Puff Pastry:

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. fine sea salt   

10 T. (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter  

⅓ c. ice cold water

Measure flour and salt into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse twice to combine.

Cut the butter into cubes and place in the food processor. Pulse about 18 times, or until butter is in very small chunks.

Slowly pour in the water while pulsing 8 – 10 times. The dough should just be starting to come together. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press together into a ball. 

Roll the dough into a rectangle about ½-inch thick. (It will not be a very large rectangle.) Fold the top ⅓ down towards the middle, then fold the bottom ⅓ up towards the middle. Turn it 90 degrees so that the openings are at the top and bottom.  

Roll the dough into another rectangle until again it’s about ½-inch thick. Fold the top ⅓ down towards the middle, then fold the bottom ⅓ up towards the middle. Turn it 90 degrees so that the openings are at the top and bottom. Repeat this process 4 more times.

Note: Work quickly. You don’t want the butter to get so warm that the dough starts to fall apart. Perfection of an exact ½ inch for each roll out is not only unnecessary, it’s not good for the dough.

You are now ready to roll the dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle.  Proceed with the directions as written at the top of the post.   

   

SOURDOUGH DISCARD HERB, GARLIC, AND PARMESAN CHEESE BOULES (added yeast)

2 Replies

I know, another darned sourdough discard bread recipe. But can you really have too many sourdough bread recipes? I don’t think so. But I might be getting close to topping out on ideas for using sourdough discard. Well, except for the delicious Sourdough Discard Whole Wheat Biscuits recipe I’m going to publish in the next couple of days. (I just can’t seem to help myself. I am totally addicted to sourdough.) But about this recipe.

As we were eating breakfast the other morning, Mr. C. commented that this bread made absolutely delicious toast. And at the same time, I was thinking the same thing. No jam or peanut butter required. Just a thin spread of room temperature butter was all that was needed to make a perfect accompaniment to eggs and bacon. And then later that day, I used some of the bread to make croutons. OMG – those were some fine croutons!

But how I had originally planned to serve this bread never happened. I had wanted to make a hearty stew or soup and serve the bread as a way to mop up the gravy or broth. The bread never made it that far. It was gone before I got my act together enough to produce either a soup or a stew. The good part however, is that I have yet another wonderful sourdough discard recipe to share with you. And I have sourdough discard in my refrigerator just living to be used. Life is good. This bread is good.

So as always, feel grateful for the simple things in life. Take pleasure from a lovely sunset, or a beautiful moon rise, or the way seeing a friend, even from a distance can totally lift your spirits. It’s the little things that matter. Not how rich you are, or how powerful you are, or how attractive you are. If you can smell bread baking, you’re lucky. If you have clean water to drink and bathe in, you’re fortunate. If you have the capacity to love others as yourself, then you are truly blessed. Peace and love to all.  

1 c. sourdough starter discard

2/3 c. slightly warm water

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. granulated garlic

⅓ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese

2½ c. bread flour, or more as needed

extra virgin olive oil

Combine the sourdough starter, water, yeast, sugar, salt, rosemary, basil, oregano, granulated garlic, and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and using your dough hook, knead dough until relatively smooth, about 6 minutes. (Most of the dough will form an irregular shaped ball around the bread hook. But there should still be a small amount of dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl.) 

Pour a bit of olive oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a sturdy rubber spatula, roll the dough into a ball totally covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. (Mine took an hour and 15 minutes.)

Lightly flour a surface. Divide dough in half. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. 

Shape each piece of dough into a round ball. Place on baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap. (Greased side down.)  Allow to rise 1 hour at room temperature.  

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a light golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. (I used the convection option on my oven for the first 10 minutes.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.

BLACKENED SALMON CAESAR

2 Replies

Yesterday as I was thinking about what to fix for dinner, my taste buds proceeded to full alert, and must have connected with my brain to inform me that they were in the mood for a big old salad. They were also hankering after seafood. So never being one to ignore my taste buds, I decided a Caesar salad with seafood would fill the bill. At about the same time, Mr. C. announced that he had to go into town.

Now going into town for us means leaving the island via a bridge, the one and only way off the island. Just over the bridge, whether you want to or not, you find yourself in the city of Stanwood. Stanwood is a pleasant little burg with a population of about 7,500 folks. It’s situated 50 miles north of Seattle at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River. And it contains 3 grocery stores. A QFC (Quality Food Center), a Haggen grocery store, and a Grocery Outlet.

Since Mr. C. had to go into Stanwood anyway, I asked him to pick up some salmon while he was out and about. I figured a blackened salmon Caesar salad would make a fine dinner for us. The only drawback to this plan, was that I had never prepared blackened salmon before. Blackened anything for that matter. But I had enjoyed blackened salmon at restaurants, so I figured I could do this type of preparation at home. What could possibly be difficult about throwing a few ingredients together, decorating the salmon fillets with the mixture, and throwing the whole mess in a stinkin’ hot pan? And as it turned out, there was absolutely no difficulty involved. I was absolutely right in my thinking. (I won’t say that was a first for me, but unfortunately, it doesn’t happen as often as I would like!)

So with a great recipe for blackened salmon in hand (thank you wellplated.com for this marvelous recipe) I proceeded to prep for our dinner. I cleaned the romaine, made the salad dressing, and cut and fried up some homemade bread for croutons while Mr. C. was at the store. Then I assembled the blackening ingredients and set them aside.

I often prep for dinner in the late afternoon. I do as much as I can ahead of time so that I can leisurely enjoy my before dinner libation. I got in the habit when I was first retired. It was just such a joy (and still is) to be able to unhurriedly prep for dinner after decades of coming through the back door after a long day at work, proceeding directly to the bedroom to change cloths, and then finding myself five minutes later in the kitchen frantically working at getting dinner on the table in a reasonable amount of time. (Sound all too familiar?) But I must confess. I always enjoyed my job. But being retired is ever so much nicer! But more about this recipe.

I have been making Caesar salads with homemade dressing for years now. And yes, homemade Caesar salads are just as good, if not better than you can find in restaurants. And not difficult either.

And after preparing the blackened salmon, which is also easy to prepare and even better than you will find in most restaurants since you have control of how long it stays on the heat (I hate when fish is overcooked and becomes dry), there is no reason not to fix this delicious salad yourself at home.

Well that’s enough about food for today. It’s supposed to be really warm in the Pacific NW for the next few days, and I believe it. The sky is clear, our mountain (Mt. Baker) is out in all its glory, the kitties are all napping, and Mr. C. is on the golf course. And I have nothing I need to accomplish which as luck would have it is in direct proportion to my decreased energy level today. So I’m going to leisurely build some bread (I love to make bread), then sit down in our courtyard and read. And while I’m at it, I’m also going to count my blessings and give thanks for my wonderful husband, for parents who taught me right from wrong, and for my immediate family, extended family, and close friends who have so graciously enriched my life and have helped me stay sane, grounded, encouraged, relatively calm (or as calm as I can be during these difficult times), happy, and content. Peace and love to all – be you family member, friend, or a reader discovering my blog for the first time.

romaine lettuce, cut, washed and spun dry  

Caesar dressing (see recipe below)

grated Parmesan cheese  

garlic croutons, opt. (see recipe below)  

blackened salmon fillet (see recipe below)

lemon wedges

Place the romaine lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Add just enough dressing to coat the leaves, but not so much that the salad appears and tastes “wet”.

Add Parmesan cheese. (I have found that using less Parmesan cheese than you think you need is probably just about right. Too much Parmesan overpowers the other flavors and makes the salad too rich.)

Stir in garlic croutons. (As few or as many as you like)

Plate individual salads. Top each with one of the blackened salmon fillets. Pass additional lemon wedges.

Caesar Dressing:

1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced

6 anchovy fillets or 1-2 tsp. anchovy paste

2 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

3 T. sour cream

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic and anchovy fillets or paste in a small bowl. Mush them together with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend thoroughly. Use immediately

Garlic Croutons:

1 T. butter or extra virgin olive oil (or a combination)

2-3 c. cubed crusty, chewy bread

granulated garlic

Melt butter or olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly sauté until crunchy and 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 golden brown and crunchy, lightly sprinkle with granulated garlic. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Blackened Salmon:

1 T. paprika

1 tsp. brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ tsp. granulated onion  

¾ tsp. granulated garlic  

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

3-4 salmon fillet portions, skin on*  

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

lemon wedges

In a small bowl, stir the paprika, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic, cayenne, oregano, and thyme together. (I use my finger tips to moosh all the ingredients together.)

Place the salmon on a large plate, flesh-side up, and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the salmon fillets with the melted butter.

Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the buttered fish. Lightly pat the spices to adhere as needed.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or similar heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. (Do not add oil). (If you have an outdoor kitchen, now is the time to use it!) If not, turn your exhaust fan on high and open a window or door or both if things start to get smoky.

Salmon frying in a cast iron pan on one of the burners of my outdoor kitchen. And yes that is an empty martini glass you see on the white cutting board.

 Once the pan is completely hot (a droplet of water should dance on its surface), gently place the fillets seasoned side down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without disturbing the fillets, until the surface is blackened (peek as little as possible so that the salmon gets a nice dark color), then carefully turn each piece of salmon over.  

2nd side cooking

Continue cooking over medium heat until the skin becomes crispy, and the fish is fully cooked through, about 5 to 6 additional minutes depending upon the thickness of your fillets. (The fish should reach 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer at the thickest part.)

Squeeze lemon over the salmon. Carefully lift the salmon, minus the skin if possible, either directly onto salads or to a plate until you are ready to serve.

*If your salmon fillets come skinned on both sides, simply brush the top of the fish with melted butter while the first side (the one with the blackening seasoning) is cooking. Then flip and cook as directed above.

The moon over Port Susan Bay last evening. And yes it really was that color.

PORK TENDERLOIN IN CREOLE GRAVY OVER EASY CHEEZY GRITS

1 Reply
And yes that’s a bowl of Slow Simmered Smoked Pork Shank/Hock with Mixed Greens you see on that plate. Yum is all I have to say!

I am such a lover of Cajun and Creole food. If it were possible, I would hop on a plane today and drift down to New Orleans for the fabulous food. And of course the great jazz and also to be able to spend time with our dear family friends John and Carol. But alas, there is no getting on a plane or eating in restaurants for us until the coronavirus is contained. So, the next best thing is to cook up some of my favorite dishes up here in the beautiful NW and listen to my very own resident jazz pianist. (Not a bad life dear readers. Not a bad life at all!)

But the ambiance is just not the same. For all intents and purposes, it appears to a visitor that New Orleans never sleeps. (I’m sure it’s because everyone, residents and vacationers alike, simply can’t stop eating the wonderful food and listening to fabulous jazz.)

Plus there’s just something exciting about being in a city that on average is six feet below sea level. FYI: The site of the city was originally very low in relation to sea level, but human interference has caused the city to sink even lower. When New Orleans was being constructed they ran out of good land. To make more room, engineers drained swamplands around the area so they could continue expansion. This drainage led to subsidence. Subsidence is sinking or settling to a lower level, in this case it was the earth’s surface sinking lower in relation to sea level. This sinking effect has led to present day New Orleans.

When we were in New Orleans several years ago, we watched as large ships navigated along the Mississippi river where the level of the diked water was actually higher than we were! After that exhilarating experience, we simply had to retire to Café Du Monde for beignets. (The beignets were wonderful. The chicory coffee, not so much!) We would have hit one of the local bars for a restorative, but it was only 10:30 in the morning. Just a bit too early for us to start imbibing alcohol. Even in New Orleans!

But enough about New Orleans. And back to Camano Island and our kitchen which is somewhere between 250 and 300 feet above sea level. Not nearly as dramatic as looking up at water, but a heck of a lot more relaxing. Pretty sure we aren’t at risk of being flooded out. Unless of course we are hit with the “really big one”. (A seismic catastrophe.) In that case, all bets are off! But back to this recipe.

My first experience making a Cajun pork stew was back in 2015 – Grillades (Cajun Meat Stew) and Cheese Grits. It too is a really tasty stew served over grits and quite similar in many ways to this recipe. The main difference is that this recipe has a stronger tomato component and uses roasted peppers (red and yellow) rather than a green pepper. Both recipes are delicious, but just enough different to make life interesting.

So if you get a hankering for some Creole Food, build this recipe. And if you want to go full in Louisiana, add a bowl of Slow Simmered Smoked Pork Shank/Hock with Mixed Greens or Collard Greens with Smoked Pork Hock. And don’t forget the corn bread. BTW – there are several great cornbread recipes on this site too.

As always, stay safe, stay diligent about protecting ethnic diversity that brings us wonderful dishes like this, and keep defending every person’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

None of us had a choice as to what ethnicity we would prefer, what nation we wanted to call home, who our parents would be, what level of intellect we would be given, how tall we would be, etc. The only thing we have ever had any control over, is the kind of person we would become and steadfastly remain. And how we would use the gifts we were given in a positive way to help everyone live a better and more productive life. 

So anyone who feels superior for being born a white person (for example), or intelligent, or physically attractive, or talented, or born into a wealthy family, or any of the other attributes that can lead a person to become conceited, is disgraceful in my opinion. A person should be proud of themselves and their accomplishments. That’s physiologically healthy, recommended, and applauded. But to feel superior because of one’s color, or monetary position, or societal status, or really for any reason, I find that behavior reprehensible. And yes, I am scared beyond belief at what might be the outcome of the upcoming November election. Our country has taken a terrible hit these last almost four years. I only hope and pray that a change for the better will come to pass.

Peace and Love to all.  

Pork Tenderloin in Creole Gravy:

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 pork tenderloins, silver skin and excess fat removed, cut into bite sized pieces

½ lg. yellow onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced 

1 T. paprika

pinch cayenne pepper

3-4 tsp. creole seasoning, or more to taste

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

1½ c. roasted peppers, diced or 1 jar (12 oz.) Cento brand Red & Yellow Roasted Peppers)

2 T. tomato paste

½ c. beef or vegetable broth

1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. unsalted butter

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large covered Dutch oven or heavy pan. Add the meat and fry until nicely browned. Add the remaining olive oil, onion, and celery; cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika, cayenne, creole seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.   

Add the diced tomatoes, roasted peppers, tomato paste, broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and butter.

Bake covered in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for about 2 hours. Check after an hour and add additional liquid if necessary. (You want a thick sauce, but you don’t want it to burn.) (You also want the meat to be fork tender.)

Remove from oven, adjust seasoning, and serve over Easy Cheezy Grits.

Easy Cheesy Grits:

1½ c. whole milk

1½ c. water

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ c. quick-cooking grits

2 tsp. dried chopped chives, opt.

1 T. butter

1 c. sharp cheddar, grated

Bring the milk, water, salt, and pepper to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in grits and chives. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Adjust seasoning. If you like thinner grits, add a little more milk before adding the butter and cheese.

SLOW SIMMERED SMOKED PORK SHANK/HOCK WITH MIXED GREENS

Leave a reply

Now, if you too are a fan of Stephen Sondheim and are familiar with the musical Into the Woods, then you’ve heard of another woman (actually a witch) who loves her greens as much as I do. Now I don’t have the power to make life miserable for unsuspecting thieves stealing greens out of my garden. But I do have the power to help you produce a dish of greens that even the most greens phobic person might actually enjoy. And ever so simple to prepare. Actually, the preparation could not be easier. A bit of time is required for chopping veggies, but even the most novice of cooks should have no problem turning out this Southern classic.

And I’m telling you true, this is a vegetable dish that is just chock full of vitamins (such as vitamins A, C, and K and folate) and minerals (such as iron and calcium). Greens are also a great source of fiber. And since our bodies need a little dietary fat to absorb some of the vitamins found in dark green leafy vegetables, the olive oil and small amount of fat from the pork shank do the job nicely. (Of course the shank and olive oil also provide flavor. So a win/win situation.)

So a couple of days ago when I made my pot of greens, it was mainly because I had greens that either needed to be eaten or tossed. And I absolutely hate to toss food. I had a big bunch of beet greens, 2 types of kale (common curly kale from our garden and lacinato kale from our farm box) and a couple handfuls of baby spinach. I already had a recipe for collard greens that I love (Collard Greens with Smocked Pork Hocks). But I wanted to see if I could use a mixture of greens, none of which were collard greens. BTW, collard greens are the most commonly used greens in Southern braises and stews. So I took my collard greens recipe, changed things up a bit, and went from there.

Well, after tasting this mixture of greens, I can’t imagine ever again finding the necessity to stick to just one kind of greens. For me now, it’s bring them all on! The greater variety the better!

So if you too would like to feed your family a vegetable dish that is so darned healthy as to actually make you feel giddy, this is the recipe for you.

However, in all honesty, my children would probably have turned their noses up at this dish if I had tried to feed it to them when they were young. They ate a wide variety of foods, some that even surprised me, but they still were, after all, typical kids. So I can’t promise you that your young children will fall down on their knees thanking you for feeding them this wonderfully healthy and flavorful dish. Quite to the contrary I would suspect. But if your family consists of adults, I say go for it!

As always, stay healthy, cook up a storm, and be the person your dog thinks you are. Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth 

freshly ground black pepper 

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or less if semi-spicy is a problem for you)

1 sm. smoked pork shank/hock 

12-16 c. (loosely packed) mixed greens (collard, mustard, turnip, beet, chard, spinach, kale, etc.)

sherry vinegar, for sprinkling, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a large covered Dutch oven or heavy pan. Sauté the onion over medium heat until almost tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  

Add the vegetable broth, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the smoked shank, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for an hour.

Add the greens. (They will wilt down as they cook,)

Simmer for 45 minutes. Do not boil. Add more vegetable broth if needed. May need more time, but be sure to check after 45 minutes. When done, greens will be dark green, tender, and will not have a raw taste.

Remove shank from pot, allow to cool, and remove the meat discarding as much fat and sinew as possible. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Bring the meat and greens back to a boil when ready to serve. Adjust seasoning.

Serve in individual small bowls including some of the liquid. The liquid, often called pot liquor or potlikker, is possibly the best part of this whole wonderful dish. Pass the sherry vinegar.

BLUEBERRY RHUBARB SAUCE

Leave a reply

Well yesterday was a sad day. I harvested the last of our rhubarb. But it was also a great day because with my scant 1 cup of chopped rhubarb in collaboration with some lovely blueberries we happened to have on hand, I made this sauce. And for breakfast this morning, we dolloped this sauce on our buttermilk pancakes. (Slightly warmed, of course.) Boy howdy, that made for some fine eatin’!

And truly, this sauce could not have been easier to prepare. Rhubarb is easy to cut up, and blueberries are ready to go right out of their little molded fiber berry baskets. How cool is that!

So if you too have just a bit of rhubarb left and want to do something special with it, I suggest this recipe.

Well that’s it for today. I made Slow Simmered Smoked Shank with Mixed Greens yesterday in preparation for this evening’s meal. Tonight I’m going to tackle creole seasoned roasted pork tenderloin. Along with the tenderloin, creole gravy over cheezy grits. If it all comes together I will be sharing the recipes with you in the next few days. If not, all or some of the recipes will go the way of many of my creations not fit for your very discerning palates. (It’s called the circular file in our home.) So, I hope these recipes work. For all our sakes.

And for all our sakes, I hope and pray for lasting peace. But for now, I’d be happy with just one day where I didn’t have to read about someone killing another person for some real or perceived grievance. Just one day where I didn’t have to read about politicians blaming “the other guy” for every conceivable problem in our country today. Just one day when the headlines were positive rather than negative. Just one day when I could hold my head up and once again loudly proclaim that I am proud to be an American.

3 c. blueberries

1 c. sliced rhubarb

¼ tsp. lemon zest

3-4 tsp. fresh lemon juice (I used 4 teaspoons because I love me my lemons)

½ c. granulated sugar

tiny pinch ground cinnamon, opt.

1 T. water

1 T. cornstarch

Combine the blueberries, rhubarb, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the berries and rhubarb begin to give off some liquid and the sugar has dissolved.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Partially mash the fruit with a fork as it cooks.

In a small bowl, whisk the water and cornstarch together. Stir into the blueberry mixture and return to a boil. Boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the mixture thickens.

Remove from heat. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. Great on ice cream and buttermilk pancakes. (And with a spoon straight out of the container. Especially in the middle of the night!)

View East from our deck last evening over Port Susan Bay and into the foothills and mountains of the Cascade range.
Mt. Baker
Three Fingers at dusk. (Alpen glow and all!)

PEACH AND BLUEBERRY GALETTE IN A CINNAMON SUGAR CRUST

Leave a reply

There is just something about the combination of fresh peaches and blueberries. Of course they look beautiful together, but it’s really the taste combination that seals the deal. And yesterday, I had two peaches that really needed to be eaten, and Mr. C. had just purchased 4 pints of fresh organic blueberries from a farm stand he had found on his way to purchase canned cat food. And thank heaven we needed cat food, because fresh local blueberries won’t be available much longer. Of course, without cat food, our kitties wouldn’t be around much longer either! But there’s not much chance of them going even remotely hungry – ever! Anyway – all are happy at Chez Carr. The kitties got dinner and we got this lovely galette for dessert.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with galettes, let me spell out exactly what qualifies as a galette. A galette is a French pastry similar to a tart or a pie. It’s essentially pie-like pastry dough under and partially wrapped over a fruit filling. The wonderful thing about galettes, as opposed to pies, is that the crust is thicker (and therefore easier to work with), no pie plate required (or fancy crimping of dough around the rim of the pie plate), and less fruit is needed for the filling. And truly, very easy to prepare. BTW, the only difference between a galette and a crostada is that crostatas are the Italian term for these rustic, but distinctly elegant desserts. Whereas, galette is French. However, by definition, you can use these terms interchangeably. They’re basically referring to the same delightful desserts.

Tarts, on the other hand, are usually baked in a low, straight sided pan. They too only have a bottom crust, but the crust is more like a cookie than flaky pie or pastry. Bottom line – regardless what you call any of these aforementioned darlings (galette, crostada, or tarts), they are all wonderful.

So if you find baking a pie a bit intimidating, let me recommend building a galette instead. Even if you have been baking pies since you were a teenager, you are going to love how quickly you can throw one of these babies together. The same level of fuss is just not there.

And don’t we all need less fuss, especially now, when fuss (a display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest) seems to be our new norm.

I’m frankly tired and terribly distraught by a lot of the fuss going on currently in our nation. Maybe I’m just getting old, but there is productive fuss, and then there is fuss that smacks of anarchy. And when I hear and read about radical groups that are looting and destroying property, my blood boils. We don’t need burning buildings, people being hurt, and more reasons to hate. And we absolutely do not need a national leader who refuses to condemn violence, and insists that legitimate protestors are either Antifa, Democrats, or liberals who are responsible for the violent protests. A leader who is actually inciting riot. A leader whose incendiary remarks create division rather than work towards healing societal differences and further the tenets of a true democracy.   

Please consider carefully the changes that have happened in America the last 4 years. If you don’t like the direction we are being led, do something about it. Take a stand! And vote! As always, I feel better for speaking my mind. Peace and love to all.

Pastry:

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. + 1 T. ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the food processor. Pulse at 1 second intervals until butter is the size of tiny peas. Should take about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. 

Dump the crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, press the dough into a flat, thick disk. Roll the dough out into a 12- or 13-inch round. Use as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

Fold the dough in half, then half again. (This makes it easier to transfer the dough to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.) I use one of my cookie sheets that has one side that has a rim, and the other 3 sides are un-rimmed. (See picture below.)

As you can see, I built the tart on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet with a rim only on one side. This allows me to slide it onto a serving plate or board very easily after it’s baked and cooled. And note also that I place the first baking sheet in a larger baking sheet. I’m lazy. I never want to clean my oven. Double sheeting the galette prevents a possible mess in my oven.

Filling:

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. flour

pinch kosher salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

2 peaches, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

1 pint fresh blueberries

2 tsp. brandy

Whisk the brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon together. Gently stir in the peaches, blueberries, and finally the brandy.

To assemble the Galette:

1 egg, plus a few drops of water beaten together, for brushing

2 T. finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara or any large grained sugar)

cinnamon, for sprinkling

berry liqueur flavored whipped cream, for serving

Heap the filling in the center of the galette crust, then spread evenly to about 2-inches from the edge.

Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See picture above.) Brush the edge of the dough with egg and water mixture. Sprinkle finishing sugar evenly over the top, crust and all. Then sprinkle the crust with cinnamon.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully sliding the galette off the pan and parchment paper onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges and dollop with Berry Flavored Whipped Cream or vanilla ice cream.

Berry Liqueur Flavored Whipped Cream:

1 c. whipping cream (reserve a bit for decorating the top of the trifle)

1-2 T. powdered sugar

1 T. berry liqueur (Chambord, Framboise)

Beat the whipping cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar and berry liqueur. Whip until combined. Refrigerate until needed.

Our Hardy Fuchsia (started as a 4-inch pot) that blooms all summer and late into the fall. And the gentleman? That’s Mr. C. doing some pruning.
A lovely greeting for our guests

    

PAN FRIED FISH WITH LEMON AIOLI

Leave a reply

About once a week I get a craving for seafood. But I’m not picky. I like seafood baked, poached, grilled, sauced, pan fried, sautéed with other ingredients – you name it. My mouth just wants to chomp on something that once either swam in or inhabited a river, lake, sea, or ocean. And the other evening was no exception. So when Mr. C. declared that he planned to do a bit of grocery shopping, I jumped at the chance to ask him to include some fresh fish in with the other purchases. And when that man exceeds, he does so in style. He brought home the most beautiful piece of ling cod I had seen in a very long time. Thick, firm fleshed, no fishy smell, and with a modicum of pin bones. Every cooks dream piece of meat. And yes, I consider fish meat. And I know, some would argue, but in my book, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck! And no, fish is not a duck – but it is the flesh of an animal used for food. Anyway, with this beautiful piece of meat in hand, I felt obliged to do something marvelous with it.

Now, we absolutely love pan fried fish. And there are several recipes for fried fish already on this site. (Isn’t it fun to have choices?) But I was in the mood to play recipe developer, so after donning the appropriate cap, I proceeded to my kitchen.  

Now something I’ve told you before, but need to reiterate, is that sometimes I make miracles. Other times I make something that could be described as edible, but definitely doesn’t need to be repeated or recorded for posterity. But the other evening I produced a really excellent pan fried fish. The fish was perfectly cooked, had a crunchy and tasty coating, and was absolutely delicious served with this simple, lemony aioli. What could be better? OK, world peace would be better, but so far I haven’t found the right recipe to make that happen.  

But I now think I have tasty fried fish just about covered on this blog. So I can check that off my list. (This should allow me more time to work on world peace. Now, if I could only remember where I left my crystal ball!)

So stay cool, stay constant (no one feels comfortable or sometimes even safe with someone whose mood shifts faster than an Mk4 Toyota Supra), and stay informed. Always better to know what’s happening around you than to bury your head under a pillow. Even if what’s going on isn’t pleasant. Knowledge is power. And we all need to feel that we have at least some power over our own destiny and the destiny of our loved ones. Especially our children. Or at the very least, knowledge allows us to be semi-prepared to deal with circumstances over which we have absolutely no control.  

As always, peace and love to all.

Lemon Aioli:

¼ c. mayonnaise

¼ c. sour cream

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

scant ¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Pan Fried Fish:

1 egg

⅓ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

⅓ c. plain dry bread crumbs

½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

1-1½ lb. fish with a firm, almost dense texture – the thicker the fillet the better, cut into serving sized pieces (I used ling cod the other evening, but halibut, catfish, tilapia, or red snapper would have been wonderful too.)

vegetable oil

1 T. unsalted butter

Whisk the egg in a small shallow container. (I use an 8-inch round cake pan.) Whisk the flour, bread crumbs, Old Bay Seasoning, seasoned salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in another shallow pan. (And yes, I use another cake pan for this purpose.)

Place the fish in the beaten egg, and turn until every bit of the fish is coated with egg. Move the pieces to the flour mixture and let the pieces sit for a minute or two on the first side. Then turn the pieces over and make certain all sides are all well coated with the seasoned bread crumbs. Let the pieces sit again in the seasoned bread crumbs for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a frying pan with vegetable oil. Use a pan that will accommodate all the fish (not touching of course), but not larger than required. Add the butter and heat until the butter is sizzling.

Place the coated fish carefully in the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, or until the first side is nicely browned. Then carefully turn the fish and cook the second side for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees.

Remove from pan and place on a paper towel. Serve immediately. Pass the Lemon Aioli.

FYI – The 10-Minute Rule for Cooking Fish from Orca Bay Foods:

“Measure the fish at its thickest point. If the fish is stuffed or rolled, measure it after stuffing or rolling.

Cook fish about 10 minutes per inch, turning it halfway through the cooking time. For example, a 1-inch fish steak should be cooked 5 minutes on each side for a total of 10 minutes. Pieces less than ½-inch thick do not have to be turned over. Test for doneness. Flake with a fork. Fish should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Add 5 minutes to the total cooking time for fish cooked in foil or in sauce. Double the cooking time for frozen fish that has not been defrosted.”