Soup or Stew?!?

Oh, the weather outside is frightful... A mixture of snow and sleet that is expected to turn to rain tonight and then form a sheet of ice.

Weather like this calls for soup - or stew.  Since I didn't really "stew" the meat slowly for several hours, I guess this probably qualified as a thick soup.  No matter.  It was pretty good, whatever it was.

In typical fashion, it was a clean out the refrigerator meal.  Or, in this case, freezer.  I had bits and pieces, and odds and ends of veggies that needed using up, and they all went into the pot along with some stew beef, carrots, leeks, celery, fresh green beans, potatoes... and some French herbs and thickened with a beurre manié (butter and flour.)

We had some warm, crusty French bread for sopping up the gravy...

'Cmon, cold weather...  I have a LOT more soup and stew ideas...


Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Peas

I thought when I got up this morning - looking out the window and seeing gray - that it was going to be a beef stew dinner.  And then I went outside.  65° was definitely not stew weather.  Plan B was Meatloaf.

Meatloaf is and will always be one of my favorite foods - and this particular combination is Victor's favorite meal.

There's no such thing as a recipe for meatloaf.  It's ground beef with onions, bread crumbs, some catsup, splash of mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic, S&P and an egg or two to bind.  Bake until done.  If you want to get fancy, you can buy the ground beef/pork/veal mixture, but I'm usually a ground beef purist.

The gravy is mushrooms, butter, flour, red wine, and broth.  Funny that I will use every and all fat from every and all birds, fowl, and animals, but I never use the fat from meatloaf to make gravy.  I can't think of a reason why not - other than I just don't care for it.  Oh well.

I ate way too much and am now on my way in to make more cookies.  At least it will keep me from eating cookies for a while.  I'm stuffed.


Stuffed Pork Chops

While I was downstairs wrapping goodies to mail tomorrow, Victor was upstairs creating a tres fabu dinner!  He started off with pork chops stuffed with gorgonzola and golden raisins.  He breaded with panko breadcrumbs and baked in the oven for about 30 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, he made an orange cranberry sauce with fresh oranges and Cointreau. And baked potatoes. He used an ice-bath for the sauce to chill quickly and set up properly.  It was perfect.

The whole meal had my stomach smiling.

Now... back to wrapping...


It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Cookies and candy everywhere!  We were up bright and early this morning and started right off making Aunt Emma's cookies.

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Gino started rolling out the dough and then Uncle Tim took over.  Uncle Victor and Gino filled and formed.  They actually may be the best batch we have made, yet.    Gino has the forming down to a science and we had virtually no leakers or splits. (Uncle Tim always has several...)  The pastry is perfectly light and flaky, the filling really rich apricot...  We did good.

After a nice bacon and egg breakfast, we started in on the biscotti.  We made the traditional anise, and will make some others later in the week.

We made a variation of the Christmas Turtles last night, and chocolate-dipped them today.  Yum.

And then it was non-stop Rum Ball Rolling-And-Dipping.

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It's time for a bit of a breather and then round three (or is it four?!?  I love this time of the year!


Christmas Cookies - Part One

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'Tis the Season to bake cookies!  What started out two years ago as the Boys Cookie-Baking Weekend has morphed into Elizabeth coming over for a while on Saturday to learn some cookie-making, as well.

While I was working, Uncle Victor and Elizabeth made Nonna's biscotti, macaroons, and candy cane cookies.

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She did a pretty good job, for a rookie.

Tasty, too!

The girls all left, and we got down to business - the dough for Aunt Emma's cookies.  It needs to refrigerate overnight, so Gino got right on it.  Well - right after we had Pizza, that is.  We do have our priorities.

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The secret to the dough is working it with a light hand.  You need to learn the feel of the dough.  This is Gino's third time making them, now...  he's starting to get it.

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We also made Aunt Dolores' Rum Ball filling.  Alas, when we were halfway done, I found out we didn't have any rum, so while Victor ran to the liquor store, Gino and I finished up the caramel turtles.  We'll chocolate-cover them tomorrow.

It is such a blast having them down here.


First you buy a pork loin...

... and then you cut it into user-friendly pieces...

It's no secret that the smaller the package or the more someone has had to handle something, the more expensive it is going to be.  In the world of groceries and meat, it is most definitely true.  That's one of the reasons I like to buy less-processed and larger quantities whenever possible.  It's also why I bought a FoodSaver.

I picked up a pretty good sized pork loin the other day, and cut it into some really nice, thick, pork chops.  The kind that are perfect for stuffing.  They went into the freezer and the rest was pounded into little scallops.

Tonight, I dredged the scallops of pork in seasoned flour (s&p, garlic, onion) and sauteed in a bit of olive oil and butter.  I pulled them outy of the pan and added a handful of mushrooms, and browned them well.  I then added a splash of whilte wine - maybe half a cup (that's all that was left in the bottle) - and reduced it down.  I then added about a cup of beef broth, reduced it by half, and then added about a half-cup of cream.  I thickened it with a bit of cornstarch, added the pork back to the pan, heated everything through, and ate.

It was pretty good.

Tomorrow we start baking Christmas cookies.


Lentil Soup

We've been serving spiral sliced hams at work this week - and that means we've had quite a few ham bones.  Under normal circumstances we don't take home leftovers, but exceptions are made form time to time - especially in the case of ham bones for soup!  I was able to bring one home yesterday, and we've had quite a few employees who have been the happy recipients of some nice and meaty bones.

It always surprises me that so many people have no idea what to do with a ham bone!  It's a shame, really, because if they took the time to make a pot of soup now and again, they'd never buy the canned stuff, again.

Making soup is - literally - throwing stuf in a pot and cooking it down a bit.  There's no big secret, no special talent necessary.  It's stuff in a pot.  I do 'clean out the refrigerator' soups all winter long.  Bits of this and that, leftover anything.  Into the pot it goes.  Most of the time the only seasonings necessary are salt and pepper.  The ingredients speak for themselves.

This recipe is an approximation, because I don't measure things like "water" and carrots, celery, and such are whatever's in the 'fridge at the time.

Lentil Soup

  • meaty ham bone
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cups dried lentils
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute carrots, celery, and onion in a bit of oil or butter.  Add ham bone, water, lentils, and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until lentils are tender.

Remove ham bone and remove as much meat as possible. Chop meat and return to lentil soup.   Taste, and add salt and pepper, as desired.

For this particular soup, we had about a cup of red lentils and a cup of French lentils, so the red lentils went in first, and after we pulled out the ham bone, we hit the pot with an immersion blender, and then added the cup of French lentils and let them cook down.

At the end I stirred in a bit of Victor's roasted garlic butter - because it was there.

I also made mini grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on rye bread.  I had a loaf of mini-rye bread that was perfect for the job.  Ham, American cheese, and butter on the bread.  That was it.  As plain and basic as one can get.

It was good.


Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I love it when I call home at lunch and Victor say's he's taking care of dinner.  It always means something good.  And tonight was no exception.  Stuffed Chicken Breasts!

Really simply done with goat cheese and a bit of panko bread crumbs.  Baked in the oven.  Simple, yet delicious.

Accompanied by oven-roasted sweet potatoes and Brussel's Sprouts with garlic butter and brown sugar.  Oh yeah.  Way good!

My tastebuds have died and gone to heaven.  Dinner was great.


Chipotle Brisket

 

I picked up a brisket at the market this morning and immediately started thinking "Mexican" tonight.  Brisket with Chipotle Sauce, slow-cooked in the oven.  Yum.  Definitely not your Bubbe's Brisket!

Since the local Super Fresh became a PathMark, I've noticed some new Mexican items on the shelves (they may have always been there, but I'm now noticing them because of their remerchandizing...) But whatever the reason, I picked up a can of La Morena Home Made Style Chipotle Sauce and decided to give it a try.

Can we say nice and tasty, boys and girls?!?  Great smoky-spicy flavor.  I put a bit in the bottom of a shallow covered casserole, added the brisket, poured the rest of the can of sauce over it, put on the lid, and into a 250° oven for about 4 1/2 hours.  The smells were wafting through the house.  It was great.

Tender, rich, spicy... all of the above.  I thickened the juices with a bit of cornstarch - it didn't need anything else at all.

I did use about 1/2 cup of the juices to add to the rice.  I also had refried black beans, handmade tortillas, buttered corn, and Happy Hal's Black Bean Bruschetta.

And... there's leftovers

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Having Stuff For Dinner

 

"Stuff" is the term we use for dinner that is made with no recipe - and from a concoction of ingredients that are unlikely to ever be present in the kitchen in the same quantities, again.  In other words, a one-shot, one-of-a-kind meal, unlikely to ever be duplicated, replicated, or otherwise made, again.

In this case - too bad.

Today's leftover dinner delight was:

  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 4 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small pork chop, cubed
  • 1 small chicken breast, cubed
  • 2 links andouille sausage, diced
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cans white beans
  • 1 cup turkey gravy
  • panko bread crumbs
  • butter

I sauteed the garlic, onion, celery, mushrooms, and carrot in a bit of butter  and then added the pork, chicken, and andouille.  When it was cooked, I added the wine and reduced it to almost nothing.  Then went in the beans.  Everything went into the casserole and I added garlicky buttered panko bread crumbs on top and into the oven for about 30 minutes.

It was one of those dishes that may not be much to look at once dished out (it would be great in individual casserole dishes) but dayum it was tasty!  The flavors and textures were continually changing.  It was savory and comforting, with crunchy bread crumbs balancing the soft beans and the meats...

We're having leftovers for lunch!


WOW Eggs Benedict

Victor just christened this the best breakfast I have ever made.  He may be right.  WOW!  is all I can say!

When we were in San Francisco a few weeks ago, we had brunch at Maverick with Renee, and we had these excellent Eggs Benedict.  I've been dying to make my own version ever since.  Today was that day.

Maverick made theirs with andouille and crayfish.  I made mine with andouille and langostinos.

Now... cooking breakfast is not for the faint-of-heart.  It can be one of the most difficult and time-consuming meals to pull off.  A good breakfast cook is worth his weight in gold - and can make some seriously good money at the right place.  It's all timing.  Well... and lots of pots and pans. (And, hopefully, someone else to clean up!)  I know.  I cooked a LOT of breakfasts in my day.  And was paid well for it.

For breakfast today I started by lightly toasting the English muffins.  I then started the poaching water with a splash of white vinegar to keep the eggs from spreading.

I sauteed the diced andouille sausage in a bit of butter and at the last minute, added the langostino.  It only takes a second to cook.  There's enough spice in the sausage that I didn't need to add anything else.

Meanwhile, I had diced a potato and had it cooking in a bit of grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Hollandaise is extremely easy to make, and Maverick made theirs with jalapeno.  I had Happy Hal's Jalapeno Relish in the fridge and used it.  Fantastic!

Blender Jalapeno Hollandaise

  • 3 egg yolks
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp Happy Hal's Jalapeno Relish
  • 1 cup butter, melted and hot
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Place egg yolks, salt, Happy Hal's and heavy cream in blender, blend for a few seconds at high speed. Add hot butter in a thin, steady stream.  Add vinegar about half-way through and then add the rest of the butter.  Enjoy.

To make a traditional hollandaise, substitute a pinch of cayenne for the Happy Hal's.  You may also use lemon juice in place of the vinegar. (I didn't have any lemons in the house this morning.)

So... English muffins on the plate, topped with andouille and langostinos.  Atop that went the poached eggs.  Careful here... the eggs will not sit flat upon the andouille.  I almost lost one egg to the floor.  Cybil was extremely bummed that I saved it.  Make a bit of a nest, if need be.

Potatoes on the plate, hollandaise on the eggs, and breakfast was served.

This is definitely one to share.  It is outstanding!


Ravioli and Meatballs

I love Saturday.  I especially love it when Victor cooks dinner on Saturday.

I had pulled some hamburger out of the freezer before heading off to work this morning, and Victor turned it into meatballs, homemade sauce, and ravioli.  Yum.

A while back, Victor had roasted a bunch of garlic.  He made a most excellent garlic butter merely by softening a cube of butter and stirring in the roasted garlic paste.  There was still lots of roasted garlic left, and it's been sitting in olive oil - in the fridge - being used for this-and-that.  Tonight, the final this was the sauce.  That sweet-garlic flavor was great!

And the roasted garlic butter is perfect on the walnut raisin bread for sopping up the sauce.

Yum, again.

My stomach is smiling...