Ratatouille

I have been cooking and serving ratatouille for years and didn't know it.  I saw the movie, but they were having it in great pots on the stove and I assume producing stew.  The dish is simply over sauteed vegetables such as egg plant, zucchini, green peppers, onions and garlic all cooked in olive oil and eaten hot or cold. Until this year, I, myself did not care for it.  Beth loves it and I am happy to turn Andy's  produce from the garden into ratatouille for her every day to be served with chicken or salmon; it turns out to be quite good. Besides, the French word is fun to say. Ideally I normally like my vegetables to have some spunk left in them and if they don't then it is ratatouille time.  No matter the dish, the kitchen smells lovely especially if I start off with bacon and then go from that point onward.

In 1986 when we moved into this house I bought a book titled The Chef's Companion; a concise dictionary of culinary terms by Elizabeth Riely.  I refer to it many times and have found it never lets me down. It is not just a French food dictionary, many countries' dishes are listed and described.  I recommend this book if you can still find it. There is an on line company that sells out of print food books.  I got a copy of the Quilted (I think) Giraffe from there.  I also looked for my very favorite cookbook of all times The Virginia Hospitality Cookbook and that company had a few copies of that for sale.  Mine is ragged with spots and splashes and notes sticking out all over it.  The cover is gone, but I use it still and love it each time. I bought my copy in 1977 during a summer antiquing trip with my friend who once owned this house.  I taught three of her four children and said if you ever sell, we will buy this house.  She said when she was 55 she would sell it and she did.  We feel so blessed to have this place with plenty of space and acreage to accommodate heavy entertaining and family when they want to be here. Life is good.

Garden salads and berry cobblers~

I saw this  today on Mennonite Girls Can Cook and took the chicken tenders from the freezer in order to make this for supper.  It is not hot today, at all, but I have a craving for this salad.  Andy has great produce, including sturdy lettuce (unheard of in Columbus at this time of year) due to all the rain and cool weather this July. I am enjoying the lack of heat because there are brief glimpses of sun, just enough to remind that it is July after all.  To alter the menu from (made up) garden bisque with shrimp, this salad is ours to enjoy later today.
(Picture from Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog)

I have made a berry cobbler three times in the last week.  Two when Nancy and Danny were here and one yesterday.  The fresh fruit is readily available and cheap in the store for the last two weeks and we have been sopping up the results. Cobblers are the easiest summer delights and so beautiful.

                                                                                   

How to fry without the mess~

Many of you have read my post called the curse of the fried chicken  or pass the chicken.  Because of the event leading up to the actual frying of the chicken, I can no longer fry chicken in my home.  It is a curse, no doubt.  David Lebovitz found this wonderful way to fry chicken or bacon avoiding the mess that ensues by covering the stove with foil and then throwing the foil away without mess or fuss.  Why didn't I think of that?  Actually he found it in a new cookbook by Rebecca Lang, so he is not the originator of the idea. Her book is all about ways to fry chicken with delicious success and appeal. (You can by it on Amazon for $11.39.)



                             

Advice from my aunt who was 103 years old.

What do you think has kept you going for 103 years? "I have kept my mouth shut and minded my own business."

Nancy, my niece, and I have been going through all of the old pictures and written messages from the late 1700s early 1800s and putting together an album.  The time line is easy to follow thanks to many astute memory keepers on my mother's side of the family.  (Dad's side, not so much.) We were able to prove our English linage and also that we were related to Robert E. Lee. Nancy and her husband stayed two days and nights and we enjoyed their company to no end.  Tomorrow they leave and the album, as far as we are concerned, is finished.  Nancy gets it after I am gone and then her daughter, Staci, has asked for it.  We had some spooky pictures of mean (looking) relatives and turned their pictures over to avert any hexes that might be lurking. No one smiled in the early pictures, not even a twinkle in the  eye.  My favorite relative so far is Georgia Belle.  She wrote postcards to her family weekly and we have them.  It is fun to read the messages although pencil is not the vehicle for keeping messages for long. Some that we wanted to read were very light and we had lamps and glasses and magnifiers galore going on in order to make things out. Two batches of mixed berry cobbler kept us going with visitors making an appearance during the mess displayed all over the library table. Done is done and we move on tomorrow. I now have seven albums of pictures and the shots keep rolling in. Not just Mother's side of the family, that's just one of the seven albums. I am sure some day the pictures will be enjoyed by the family and by those who join our tribe.

Old, Old pictures and new recipe finds

Who knew that old people (from the late 1800s and early 1900s) had the money and time to take so many pictures.  Now that July 4th is over and cooking is done for at least a week, so that I can recover, I have a sit-down job of amassing photo albums.  My niece Nancy, whom I adore, brought two large bins of family memorabilia when she and Danny came for the 4th.  I have been wading through it, and I must say my mother's side of the family is so well represented and documented that the Anderson side shows suffering and neglect as far as linage and pictures are concerned.  But I have to think about that later.  I started a family wedding album first with Andy and I going first, then Joe and Glenda and then on from there.  Then I started Andy and my family album which is bursting already.  I have ordered and received seven of the largest albums and none of them are suffering for lack of pictures.  I thought there would not be many for the older relatives but now I am having to move them from a small album to one of the bigger ones.  Such serious pictures!  Not a smile among them in the early ones and my big picture of my great, great grandmother scared me so much I turned her picture face down. Pretty but mean looking.  In the bins of cherished memorabilia and pictures was a State of Maine Potato Cook Book. There is no date on the booklet, but it has to be old because there is not a new thing in either bin.  I thought you might enjoy the mashed potato pancakes recipe.  I do love potatoes, so this all potato booklet is right up there in my favorites.  This is a breakfast dish that will draw you out of bed like a magnet, according to its introduction.

3 medium potatoes: pare, boil and mash
1 grated onion
2 slices enriched bread
13 cup milk
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

After the potatoes have been taken care of, soak the bread in milk and add them to the mashed potatoes along with the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.  Drop by tablespoon on to a hot greased griddle patting each to the desired thickness you like. Turn them to brown well on both sides.  Makes 18 breakfast pancakes.

There are some really interesting recipes one of which is state of Maine potato muffins using, you guessed it, left over mashed potatoes.  I'll add some more to this post later.  I have to get back to cutting and pasting and meeting my dead relatives.

Go UberPop (in Paris) Go Wedding in Columbus!

Paris has, in my judgement, the meanest taxi drivers of any place I've been.  Rude and crafty.  I have been in more than one dust up with these men I can tell you that.  They can charge what they want, but I don't have to pay it, especially when the taxi had not moved one inch and six euros magically appeared on the meter! I got out of the taxi instantly and said  I would not pay it.  We had not gone any place and already it was costly.  It seems they charge from the point where THEY are at the time of the reservation to my location, PLUS from my locations to where I want to go.  It is insane. Also when they found that I was from America AND a woman some were out- right augmentative and hostile especially the Middle Easterners. Many would turn the radio high as it would go to some sort of ranting and raving with America mentioned more than once. Talk about an unpleasant journey. (Most of the taxi drivers in Paris seem to be from the Middle East.)  I have felt threatened on several occasions so when I could I took the bus or the metro. Finally, it got so bad I booked a driver I knew well for all the shows, meetings, and events. Now the Uber drivers are giving the taxi drivers a run for their money and the taxi drivers are stomping their feet upsetting cars and blocking the already crowded roads and streets of Paris.  Traffic is at a stand still. I hope the Ubers win out.  I am cheering for them. Actually, I am sure there is enough business for both sides, but any excuse to call a strike is the mantra in Paris.

I was lucky enough to wake up at 4:30 this Saturday morning because I am cooking for a friend's daughter's wedding.  Already I have the pulled pork going; the meatballs simmering, the bean and kielbasa burbling, and the hams in the oven. (Lot of pork on this menu it seems.)  I am about to attack the tomato salad using my favorite Wild Wonders tomatoes with an anti pasta flourish. Next it is the coleslaw for the pulled pork and then another salad.  I have loads of breads and rolls and Beth and Alyssa are the deliverers and organizers, for to tell you the truth these people have never run a wedding reception in their lives and are a bit crazy about now trying to do it all themselves.  Yesterday they came over to cut hydrangeas and Casablanca lilies for the tables and decorations. We wish them the best of luck and a long life of happiness. (Now on to the preparations for the 4th.)

But first oven cleaning tips from Judy at Mennonite Girls Can Cook (blog)...thank you for this great tip.

"Who likes cleaning the oven? Not me.  I have double ovens...which are self-cleaning (LOL) though I only use that function very occasionally. A non-stick liner is the perfect solution for keeping the 'floor' of the oven clean. Made of heavy-duty non-stick coated fabric...even the most stubborn cooked-on spills simply wipe off or rinse away.  They last for many years (I've had mine for well over five years)...withstand high temp's and are easy to remove for cleaning.  The liners are available at kitchen shops and on-line...and can be trimmed to fit most sized ovens.   It works for me!  (This liner cannot be placed on the floor of ovens where the heating element is hidden in the base. It should then be laid on the bottom rack.)

As for the racks, I'll share my easy 'no scrub' method for getting them shiny and looking new again.  I remove them before the self-cleaning cycle since it discolours them.

• Put the racks in a large black garbage bag...outdoors.
• Spray them well with oven cleaner.
• Tie the bag shut tightly.
• Leave overnight (at least 12 hours).
• Hose them down.
• Wipe clean.

And here's the good news...this method works equally well for cleaning the cooking grates on your BBQ. And since it's grilling season...I thought this might just be a timely tip at this time of the year!"

Sangria

Refreshing sangria (punch) with fruits

I have never made or tasted Sangria in my life.  I have seen the recipes for years, but it just did not appeal to me until today's recipe in Cook's Corner.  I've decided to make this for before the first meal of the 4th.

Peach/raspberry sangria with strawberry ice:

1 cup of brandy (now we're talking)
1 cup peach juice
1/2 cup simple syrup
bottle of dry red wine
6 ounces fresh raspberries
2 oranges, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
16 ounce bag of frozen strawberries
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
one bottle of sparkling wine
(I am going to add a bag of frozen peaches too.)
In a pitcher, stir together the brandy, peach juice and syrup. Add the wine and stir
Stir in raspberries, oranges and limes and cover to refrigerate 2-4 hours.
Combine strawberries, orange juice, and sugar in a blender. Puree until very smooth.  Pour into 2 ice cube trays and freeze for 2-4 hours or until solid. (Seems to me this could be done days in advance.
Just before guests arrive mix it all together.

Pie. A lovely word that makes Americans smile.

NOTE: Be sure to read David Lebovitz (blog) A visit to Le Creuset Factory. He has taken many pictures and you cannot believe the steps they go through to produce this ware. I used to buy it in Paris.  Andy said I only bought the heavy stuff. He was right and it lasts forever. The French pass it down from generation to generation.

 It's no secret that I have not mastered the pie crust.  My relatives are quick to say they will bring pies to the next event...just in case I should try my hand at it again.  Since it is pouring rain today and since Cook's Corner has two tried and true pie crust recipes, I thought this might be the day to mark pie crusts off my bucket list; which by the way, is now a very short list.

The pies in stores are hideous.  The crusts taste awful and the gelatinous mess that is the filling is disgusting. Even the Amish pies taste factory made and are no better than those at Giant Eagle or else where.  Yet we continue to buy them, try them, and then throw them out. We must man up and make our own, there is no excuse for bad pie...believe me, I have used them all.

This first one has been made by this family for 80 years and calls for lard.  My Aunt Fausta, the greatest pie crust maker in America, would have approved this.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup of lard(cold)
6 tablespoons whole milk (cold)

Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut the lard until the pieces are pea-sized.  Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing moistened pieces to the side until all the mixture is moist enough to form a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill thoroughly.

Cut the ball in half and on a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough into a 12-inch round.  Transfer to a 9 inch pie plate and repeat for the top half.

Now this pie crust has vodka in it--for crust perfection. (and for scientific reasons.)

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus extra for the work surface, of course
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup vegetable shortening cut into 4 pieces and chilled (I bet this is lard or Crisco)
1/4 cup vodka, chilled
1/4 cup ice water

Process 1  1/2 cups of flour, the sugar and the salt together in a food processor until combined.  Scatter the butter and shortening over the top and continue to process until has formed and uneven clump with no remaining floury bits...about 15 seconds.
Scrape down the work bowl and redistribute the dough evenly around the processor blade.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup flour over the dough and pulse until the mixture has broken up and is evenly distributed in the bowl which takes 4 to 6 pulses.
Transfer the mix to a medium bowl.  Sprinkle the cold  vodka and cold water over the mixture.  Stir and press dough together until the dough sticks together.  Divide the dough into 2 even pieces.  turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4 inch disk.  Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Before rolling out let sit on counter for about 10 minutes.

I'm off to the kitchen.  There are more good recipes from Cook's Corner to share, but not today.  It's PIE day at the Lechlers.

Books, not food

            

I can hardly look at the stove.   Today is one of those kitchen free days when I don't care who eats what or when.  Everyone has gone to work and Andy is back in classes at OSU.  So the dogs and I have settled down to read.  I have a stack of new books and have tested most of them but none have held my interest until At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen came into view. (She wrote Water for Elephants and this is her new book.) I am liking it.


                                                          

I was snookered again by James Patterson.  I look for his books that he himself writes with no other author.  So when I saw Maximum Ride Forever, I bought it not realizing, because there was no indication any place on the cover, it was one of those crazy flying 'people' type books. He is beginning to make me cranky!

I trudged through Memory Man by David Baldacci.  Another disappointing effort, but them maybe I am simply not in the reading mode. It was a good idea but....

Picnic in Provence by Elizabeth Bard was a light read and having read Lunch In Paris I thought it might hold my attention.  She has some interesting recipes that I want to try such as celery root mashed potatoes. No, I am not longing for a trip to Paris.  I am done with that.  I just like the relief Elizabeth Bard provides with her writing.

I like Greg Iles and when I saw the tome Natchez Burning I thought it would be a good read.  Then I learned it was a trilogy and that made me more interested. I got to page 215 and decided that I would save this book for January in Florida.  I am just too restless right now to deal with all of the characters.

cheese burger and fries casserole and food preservation

Thursday.
These are the dresses we wore in the fifties:

 


Tuesday:  I have just finished 30 pounds of pulled pork for a wedding reception for a friend putting a wedding together on a low budget.  I roasted 4 large pork shoulders in my turkey roaster all night long (on low) and they were perfect this morning.  I cannot stand to look at food now. (That's a blessing.)

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Cheese Burger and Fries Casserole

Miz Helen's Kitchen

Serves 10 

Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck, browned 

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 30 ounce Frozen Bag Hash Browns, thawed

1 cup Sour Cream

1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened

1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions

In a large skillet on medium heat cook the ground chuck, just before it begins to turn brown add the garlic, onion and bell pepper.  Cook the mix until the onions are clear. 

Add the meat and vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the potatoes, sour cream, soup, and cheeses, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese for the top of the casserole. Mix well.

Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne, basil and parsley.

Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking oil.

Pour the casserole mix into the baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Cover the casserole and let set at room temperature for 20 minutes.

When you uncover the casserole the cheese has melted and the casserole has set and is ready to serve.

Garnish with fresh Parsley or fresh Green Onions

Tips:

This will freeze well for up to 3 months.

SEVEN WAYS TO PRESERVE FRESH FOOD:

Wrap the top knob of the bunch of bananas with plastic wrap. (Just the knob that holds the bananas together.) They won't ripen as fast. (I am going to retry this on a fresh bunch and see if it really works. I did tie up a bunch I had, but it didn't make any difference.  I'll let you know.)

Store mushrooms in a paper bag in the frig.  They won't become slimy.

Line your crisper drawer in the frig with paper towels.  Your lettuce and leafy vegetables will keep longer.

Throw an apple in the potato bag.

Wash your blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries with a vinegar bath and then rinse and let dry. (one part vinegar and two parts water for the bath.) They will not spoil as quickly.

I knew about this one from Martha Stewart and it really works: wrap your celery in foil and store in the frig.