Macaroni and Cheese

 

All day long today, I planned to cook a pork tenderloin for dinner. I did a pretty large shopping trip after work - and forgot to buy a pork tenderloin.

I got home, put away groceries, and looked into the fridge. Plenty of cheese. Time for a good ol' batch of Macaroni and Cheese.

I can honestly say that I have never - ever - bought boxed Mac & Cheese. Ever.

We never had it as children growing up - my mom made mac and cheese from scratch to feed the six kids - and because of the jobs I had in restaurants, it just never occurred to me to buy it.

And I still don't.

I've tasted it before. That's been impetus enough not to spend money on the stuff. I don't see the reason for it.

But real Macaroni and Cheese?!? Food from the gods...

At its most basic, it's a thin white sauce with cheese added, mixed with cooked elbow macaroni, topped with buttered breadcrumbs, and baked. After the cheese is added to the sauce it thickens nicely.

Very simple.

Tonight, I took it a bit further by adding diced ham and peas.

I cooked up a pound of elbow macaroni and ended up with enough mac and cheese to feed the neighborhood. I made a separate casserole for Victor's mom that we'll bring over tomorrow, and Victor has lunch for days...

And we had leftover biscuits.

Here's a recipe from Gourmet Magazine that's pretty close to what I do.  I add a few shots of Tabasco and a few shots of Worcestershire sauce.  I'll use whatever breadcrumbs are in the house - we always have them in the cupboard.

Macaroni and Cheese

Gourmet | August 2007

Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

The toasted crumbs on top have a cheesy crispness, and the pasta beneath is creamy and rich. Kids will appreciate the individual servings, but the recipe makes plenty, so why not pour the extra into a baking dish to feed the ravenous parents?

Yield: Makes 20 servings

Active Time: 35 min

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

ingredients

For topping

  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 cups panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs) or 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 6 slices firm white sandwich bread)
  • 1/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For macaroni and sauce

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 1 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 cups)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni

preparation

Make topping:

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

Melt butter, then stir together with panko and topping cheeses in a bowl until combined well.

Make sauce:

Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Remove from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

Make Macaroni:

Cook macaroni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 buttered 2-quart shallow baking dishes.

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

 


Meatloaf and Adluh Biscuits

Light, flaky biscuits are any cooks dream.  I've made a few of them in my time and have always remembered "a light hand produces a light biscuit."  Biscuits are not difficult to make, but I must say I've had some that were - to be kind - less than light.  Basically, you don't over-mix them.

I have always mixed my biscuits with my hand because it's the quickest way to mix and takes the least amount of working the dough.  So when my goodie-box from Adluh arrived, I was just a tad skeptical when I saw the Adluh Yellow-Flake Biscuit Mix.

It's no secret that I don't use a lot of mixes - any mixes.  I generally just like to put my own things together.  But I was making meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and mushroom gravy and those biscuits were calling my name.

First thing I did was add too much milk.  I added some self-rising flour to compensate and hoped for the best.

The hoped-for best was outstanding!  These were some fine biscuits!  Light as air, flaky, the epitome of what a biscuit should be.  I was impressed.  And I was even more impressed that even screwing them up didn't screw them up.  Talk about a forgiving mix!

They went perfectly with the meatloaf!  So perfectly, in fact, that Victor had meatloaf sandwiches on biscuits for lunch, today!

And trust me, the picture doesn't do them justice.  They really were good!

And my meatloaf is as basic as basic can be, with no real recipe or set amount of anything.

I use:

  • ground beef
  • chopped onion
  • garlic powder
  • bread crumbs
  • catsup
  • mustard
  • an egg or two
  • worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper

Form into a loaf and bake.

Really.  that's it.  And it is virtually always served with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and peas.  It's Victor's favorite meal.  Who am I to argue?

It really is the most basic a meatloaf can be.

For more fun stuff from Adluh,  you can order online at AdluhStore.com.

 

 

 


Panini with Pane Pugliese

The downside to fresh-baked bread is that it doesn't stay fresh-baked for long.  A couple of days really is the most you're going to get from a loaf - and then it's bread pudding, stuffing, or bread crumbs.  None of which are bad, but...

One way to extend the life of that loaf is grilled sandwiches... and if you're fortunate to have a panini press, all the better.

Grilled sandwiches are fun - and can have absolutely anything in them - and a score of things on the outside, as well.  Butter, olive oil, even mayonnaise works well for grilling - and each adds its own unique flavor.

So today's sandwich was Pane Pugliese with cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, and Tomato Jam that I made a while back.  I used a combination of butter and olive oil on the outside.

I really like adding different spreads and tapenades and such to grilled sandwiches.  It's the unexpected that really makes them stand out.

Two sandwiches done in no-time flat and now plenty of time to think about dinner...

 


Leftovers and Pane Pugliese

Tonights dinner was really nothing more than having a reason to get bread and butter into our mouths.

Not just any bread, though...  Pane Pugliese - one of my most-favorite rustic breads.

This recipe comes from The Italian Baker by Carol Field.  I’ve been making this particular bread forever – and really do like it.  It's a dark, crusty, hearty bread that just screams for soup or stew or pasta sauce to sop.  It calls for a biga - a starter - that needs to be made the day before.  There's also about 4 hours of rising time, so plan accordingly.

Pane Pugliese

  • 1 packet dry yeast (or 1/2 package fresh yeast)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 3 cups water; room temp
  • 1 cup biga
  • 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp salt

Proof the yeast in the warm water. Add 1 1/2 c water and the biga, mix till blended. Add flour and salt, mix till dough comes together and pulls off the sides of the bowl. Knead 3-5 minutes in a mixer, longer by hand. Dough will be very soft and elastic. Let rise about 3 hours, shape into 2 small round loaves or 1 big flattish one. If you have baking stones, place loaves on baking peel or on baking sheets sprinkled corn meal. Let rise about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450°, and 10 minutes before baking flour the loaf tops and dimple them with your fingers. Bake 50-60 minutes for big loaves, 30-35 minutes for small. Tap the loaves to test for doneness (hollow=done) and cool on a rack.

Biga

  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (or 1/10 package fresh yeast)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 1/4 cup water (room temperature)
  • 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy – about 10 minutes.  Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, one cup at a time.

Mix with the paddle attachment on the mixer at the lowest speed about 2 minutes.

Remove to a slightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours.  The starter will triple in volume and still be wet and sticky when ready.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

And the timing could not have been better.  Earlier today, my sister booked our vacation rentals in Italy for June.  A week in Rome and a week in Florence - with day-trips here and there...  We won't be as far south as Puglia to get a loaf of this particular bread, but I can't wait to stray off the tourist path and besides eating fabulous meals - actually buy groceries and do a little cooking there!

What fun.  I have to get going on my Rosetta Stone Italiano program!


Rice and Lentil Rolls

Ah, Saturday...

How I love coming home to Victor in the kitchen, chopping, slicing, and dicing away.  It's so much fun to see what new and exciting thing he has prepared.

Victor has the cooking shows on TV while I'm at work and he's playing Domestic Goddess - laundry, vacuuming, whatever. And every now and again a recipe comes up that he decided we should try.

Giada De Laurentis had such a recipe... a rice and lentil filling wrapped in swiss chard.

Yum.

Naturally, he changed his filling around - neither one of us is very good at following recipes - but Giada's original recipe follows.

Giada's Goat Cheese, Lentil, and Brown Rice Rolls

Ingredients

  • Butter, for greasing the baking dish
  • 6 large Swiss chard leaves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • Salt

Filling:

  • 2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
  • 1 packed cup baby arugula leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup goat cheese, at room temperature (8 ounces)
  • 1 cup cooked green lentils
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • One 26-ounce jar marinara or tomato-basil sauce
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or unsalted butter diced into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the thick stem from the center of each chard leaf. Cut each leaf in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from the leaves to make each leaf-half about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the chard leaves and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the leaves and rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown rice, arugula, goat cheese, lentils, mint, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto the end of each chard leaf and roll up like a jellyroll.

Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil or dot the top with butter, if using, and bake until the cheese begins to brown and the rolls are heated through, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

First thing Victor did was substitute red lentils for the green.  He said was snickering as he went through the jars on top shelf.  Most folks, he surmised, probably didn't even have lentils in their cabinets.  We had three varieties - red, brown, and French green.  He chose the red lentils to empty a jar.  That's actually an important consideration when we're searching ingredients.  Is there a container I can empty and remove so I can find other things easier?!? 

Everyone should have this problem.

He also left out the mint but added diced prosciutto and peas.  And jarred sauce?!?  At our house?!?

The end result was fantastic.

The flavors just blended perfectly.  And it was really easy.

We're going to get several meals out of this.

Several really good meals.

 


Adluh Sweet Potato Apple Cobbler

Tonight was my very first experience with my Adluh Gift Package.  I had zeroed in on the Sweet Potato Mix.  I was totally intrigued.  And what a fun dessert it made!

I wasn't sure what it was going to do, but I had faith it was going to be good.  It was more than good.  It was excellent!

I followed the directions exactly, using McIntosh apples, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, sugar, butter, and a sprinkling of flour for the filling.

Sweet Potato Apple Cobbler with Pecans

  • 1 pound Adluh Sweet Potato Mix
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 16-32 oz fresh, frozen, or canned apples or apple pie filling
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 stick melted butter

Mix the sweet potato mix, milk, pecans, and brown sugar until the thickness of pancake batter.  pour the apples/filling into an 8x10 or 9x13 baking pan.  Pour the sweet potato mix over the apples.  Bake at 400° conventional (350° convection) or 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Take out and pour melted butter on top.  Let butter soak in and then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

And that's just what I did!

The flavor of the Sweet Potato Mix is vaguely ginger-breadish.  Really, really good.  It just went perfect with the apples.  I could see it topping a pear cobbler, as well.  I could also see it with any one of the sheet of recipes I received with my gift box.  Really, really good.

And I really liked the cake-like cobbler topping as opposed to the drop biscuits I usually make.  My mom used to make a cobbler like this although it was of the white-flour variety.  I haven't had one like this in years.  It really did evoke a simpler place and time for me.  I guess this is what the good folks at Adluh mean when they talk about "Same Today, Same Always."  You really can make grandma's biscuits.  And your grand-kids will be able to make yours.

Quality has been the one feature that has allowed this plant to flourish while others have closed. As in 1900, stones are still used today to produce the specialty grits items. Without this emphasis on "Same Today, Same Always" quality, the company could never have survived the shift in consumption from local to regional to national brands over the last 100 years. Generations of customers know that they can always trust their prized recipes to come out right using Adluh products.

Really, really good.

You can order online at AdluhStore.com.

Really, really good.


Butternut Squash Ravioli

Okay.  It's officially Fall.  Time for squash.

Butternut squash is a favorite because you can do absolutely anything with it - from sauces to soups and everything in-between.

Tonight's squash became a sauce for butternut squash ravioli.  I had been thinking about this all day and since I was getting off earlier than usual, I thought I'd also bake a loaf of bread and make a nice dessert...  I made the nice dessert.  I didn't bake the bread - and I'm actually glad I didn't.  Dinner was rich enough without it.

The sauce took no time after roasting the squash.  And the squash only took 30 minutes in the oven.  I peeled it, cut it into cubes, drizzled some olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper.  Onto a sheet pan and into a 400° oven for 30 minutes.

For the sauce itself, I sauteed about a half-cup of diced onions in a pat of butter.  When they were translucent, I added the cooked squash and a handful of chopped walnuts.  I then added a cup of heavy cream and started breaking up the squash a bit.   I then added about a half-container of Boursin cheese.  I was originally going to do a butternut and sage sauce, but the cheese was there.  As the sauce thickened, I added some water.  Probably a full cup over the course of the cooking.

Next went in about 4 ounces of arugula.  I just stirred it in and let it wilt.  Next went the drained ravioli.

Not counting the 30 minutes of squash-roasting (I checked my email while it was cooking) dinner took 10 minutes to put together.

And I had the time to make dessert using one of my Adluh mixes!

Not bad at all.


Babalu

Yes, we're singing Babalu along with Ricky, tonight!

I decided something different was in order tonight.  Something vaguely Cuban.  I had sampled a pre-made Pork Masitas and thought I could come up with something that would probably not be really authentic - but would probably taste okay.  The two flavors I knew I needed were citrus and garlic.  Cumin was another logical choice and after doing a quick Google-search to see if I was on the right path, I added Mexican oregano, as well.

The seasonings were done.   I needed citrus.  I decided to go for it and used oranges, lemons, limes.  Can't have too much citrus, right?  And Cuba and Bacardi go hand-in-hand, so I added a bit of Bacardi rum.  And then, because I like spice, I added a bit of Matouk's Calypso Sauce.  I know, I know... Calypso Sauce is from Trinidad and Tobago.  That's why I said "vaguely Cuban."

I started off with about a pound and a half of cubed pork from the end of a loin.  It was fairly fatty.  I marinated it over night in the following:

Marinade

  • Juice of:
    • 2 oranges
    • 2 limes
    • 2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp Bacardi Rum
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp Matouk's Calypso Sauce
  • salt and pepper, to taste

I  removed it from the marinade and heated some olive oil in a heavy skillet with a lid.

The pork went in and I covered it, turned the heat way down, and let it braise for about an hour.  It created almost a cup of liquid that I (eventually) pulled out and used to cook the rice and beans.

When the pork was tender, I drained it and put it back into he skillet with some olive oil.  I then browned the meat while making the rice.

The rice was 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 cup of white rice, and 2 cups of liquid - the liquid from the pork and the remainder tap water. And a pinch of cumin, oregano, and salt.  Cooked for 20 minutes.

Plantains would have been more authentic, but I didn't have plantains, so I used a couple of slightly-green starchy bananas.  I fried them in the same pan as the pork.  Real plantains would have been better.  These worked.

The flavors all worked well together.  It was just off-beat enough.  Not exactly an authentic family dish, but close enough that I have Babalu echoing in my head.

And speaking of Babalu...  I had to look it up.  Who knew that it was a tribute to a god?!?  " Millions of Americanos tuned into I Love Lucy, and most of them probably didn't realize that Ricky Ricardo's signature song was a tribute to an Afro-Cuban god.  "Babalu," written by Cuban composer Margarita Lecuona, is about Babalu-Aye, one of the seven main gods of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria. It was first recorded by Cuban vocalist Miguelito Valdes in 1941."

I love it!

 


Adluh Flour

I've been having so much fun with our local Daisy flour that friends down in South Carolina decided it was time I tried their local flour - Adluh - grown in South Carolina and milled right in Columbia!  They've been in operation since 1900 and the mill is the third-oldest continually-operating electrically-powered soft wheat mill in the United States!

And today, just as I was getting dinner together, the UPS man arrived at the door with a package - from Kay in South Carolina!

I'm actually speechless - which is pretty unusual for me!  The box contained 8 different packages of totally unique products:

  • Stone Ground Yellow Grits - a true stone ground product from South Carolina grown yellow corn.
  • Stone Ground White Grits - a true stone ground product from white corn.
  • Sweet Potato Mix - a complete "table-tested" mix that is easy to use requiring only water, milk or buttermilk to be added.
  • Pancake/Waffle Mix - a "table-tested" blend of our patent flour and just the right amount of quality ingredients to make the best pancakes or waffles you've ever eaten. Just add water or milk.
  • Cobbler Mix - a complete "table-tested" mix that is easy to use, requiring only water or milk to be added.
  • Cornbread/Muffin Mix - a blend of prize-winning Adluh flour and corn meal products with just the right additives to create a multi-purpose mix.
  • Yellow Flake Biscuit Mix - a complete biscuit mix blended from enriched soft wheat flour.
  • Carolina Breader - a complete mix which is "table-tested" for a variety of uses. No additional spices or ingredients need to be added!  It's used as a coating or breader for fish, seafood, chicken, pork chops, country-style steak, squash, okra and other vegetables.

This stuff is fresh!  Every package has a stamped milling date.  None of it is a week old!  Each package had a recipe printed on the label - and Kay included pages of additional recipes to use with the various mixes.

I've always loved grits.  Grits are Southern Polenta that can be served at any meal.  These are a perfect grind - just coarse enough.  I think I'll be saving these for winter when I'm really needing warm, stick-to-the-ribs comfort-food.

And Sweet Potato Mix.  This one really has me thinking!  From Sweet Potato Biscuits to Sweet Potato Apple Cobbler with Pecans, this mix has serious potential!

Pancake/Waffler Mix.  I see a Sunday Breakfast in our very near future.

And I'm looking forward to the Cobbler Mix.  When I make cobblers, I generally make a pie crust topping or a simple sweet drop biscuit.  My Southern-Belle (as in Southern California) mother used to make a cobbler that had more of a thick batter topping.  This looks like it may be more like that.

And I already know that the Cornbread Mix is going to be used for corn sticks!   When Mike and his wife Barbara stayed with us a few years back on their way to NYC, they brought - among other things - a cast-iron corn stick pan that I've used many times.  Yum!

I don't know what yellow flakes are.  I may just make this one according to package instructions.  I can't go wrong!

And, finally, Carolina Breader.  I may just need to make a chicken-fried steak with sausage gravy.  Back when we lived in San Francisco, we would go out to dinner at Lyon's with my parents now and again.  I would invariably order the chicken-fried steak.  I miss those meals.  It would be fun to make.

So we have lots and lots of meals planned!

And when you have a moment, check out the Adluh Store website.  They have LOTS of great products at extremely reasonable prices!

Thank you, Kay!


Fresh Bread and Beef Stew

I'm still baking bread - and loving every loaf of it.  This is a James Beard bread that only takes a couple of hours from start-to-finish.  There is no second rise.  The loaf is formed and it goes right into a cold oven.

It's magic.

It's also really good.  Great texture and a really crunchy crust.  I'm still using the Daisy Organic Flour.

I'm loving it!

James Beard French-Style Bread

  • 1 1/2 pk active dry yeast
  • 1  tbsp  sugar
  • 2 cups  warm water (100-115 deg.)
  • 1 tbsp  salt
  • 5-6 cups all-purpose or hard wheat flour
  • 3 tbsp  Yellow cornmeal
  • 1 egg white mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

Combine the yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof. Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough.

Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.

Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk..1 1/2-2 hrs.

Punch down the dough. Turn out on a floured board and shape into two long, French bread-style loaves. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal, but NOT buttered.

Slash the tops of the loaves diagonally in two or three places with a single edge razor blade or sharp knife, brush the loaves with the egg white wash.

Place in a COLD oven, set the temperature at 400° and bake 35 minutes, or until well browned and hollow sounding when the tops are tapped.

I cut the recipe in half and just make one loaf at a time.  This is a serious one-day bread.  It does not like being around more than that.  But it makes great bread crumbs!

But it does like getting slathered in butter and then dipped into a big bowl of beef stew!  I like it, too!

Stew is stew.  I don't have a recipe.  I just make it.


Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies

As the saying goes, Cooking is an Art - Baking is a Science.

Cooking can be very forgiving. Baking requires the right ratio of flour, eggs, fat, sugar, and leavening.  It helps to have a bit of understanding of what the ingredients do.  Flour and eggs - the proteins - provide the structure.  Fat and sugar provide the tenderness and moisture.  Too much or too little of anything can create a tough or dry product.  Too much leavening can cause things to expand and collapse, too little and they won't rise.  Proper proportions.

Lard is one of the best tenderizers.  It also has a horrible reputation.  It really does make a light, tender, and flaky pie crust.  Butter works well but it needs to be whipped - and needs an emulsifier such as eggs.  Olive oil has emulsifiers in it and works well in many cake recipes.  But don't run out and start making cakes with olive oil and think you're eating healthy.  It's still a  cake.

Science.  Chemistry.  Math.  There's more to baking than merely slicing the cookie dough roll.

This was a bit of a trial-and-error recipe developed over time.  I wanted a cookie that had everything I could think of in it, and was also crisp but not dry.  Just soft enough without being an under-baked Mrs. Field's.  I think it came out rather well.  There are 4 cups of add-ins - the nuts, chips, and raisins.  You can vary these and mix and match things to what you have on hand and increase it up to about 5 cups, total.  After that, there's not much dough to hold everything in place.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies

  • 2 cubes butter (8 oz)
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup coconut

Cream butter and peanut butter.  Add sugars and beat until light, then add the eggs one at a time.  Add the flour, cocoa, and baking soda, and mix well. Then add the rolled oats.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop and scoop out cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I always line my sheets with parchment!)  Press down slightly with damp fingers.

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

I always use a scoop to dish out the cookies.  It is infinitely easier than anything else and makes for uniform-sized cookies that bake evenly.

The recipe makes about 3 dozen large cookies.

 

 


Simply Soup

I planned on having soup for dinner tonight.  What I didn't plan on, though, was not having to make it!

My thought was to add last night's leftover risotto to some chicken broth, add some chicken, a few more veggies, and call it done.  Except there wasn't any leftover risotto.  I started thinking about  Plan B when Victor said he would make a soup for dinner.  I quickly accepted before he could change his mind!

Into a pot of chicken broth went celery, carrots, peas, corn - and langostino.  He was going to thaw and chop up a chicken breast when he saw the langostinos.

It all came to a nice boil and he stirred in a raw egg that had been scrambled.

And shredded parmesan on top.

Yum.

We didn't have a dessert planned, so he asked if I would make my Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies.

I did.  They're cooling as I type.