School of Essential Ingredients (for beach reading)

Erica Bauermeister's novel The School of Essential Ingredients is a good summer read. It's a hymn to food and friendship set in Lillian's kitchen where a cooking class meets each Monday night when her restaurant is closed to the public. Each attendee has a chapter detailing his or her woes and successes and they melt into one at the end. Food plays an important part in their recovery, as does the company they keep.

I am reading at the moment The Owl and Moon Cafe. It is about four generations of women with the plot centered in a California cafe. They all have the known foibles, successes, trials and tribulations, that are thrown into the stew of life. I like these women for different reasons and so I read more slowly, trying to keep them within my reading circle.

To take the edge off of the Lisa Gardner Live to Tell that I am also reading, I have bought some other foodie books as a relief to gore and sin that stirs the evil bones of our society. Lisa is a prolific writer and not all of her books are a home run with me, but the last three that I have read were really gripping. She ferrets out the evil in our world and holds it up as a warning.

The Baker's Apprentice and Bread Alone are both by the same author, Judith Ryan Hendricks. I haven't gotten in to them as yet. I try to keep two books going at once and that is enough with all that I have to do now days. My life is full with cooking, traveling, and nurturing those in need right now. Life is slapping a few of my family members around, as it does to all of us at one time or another, so I am pleased to give them the love and help that they need and the healing food that nurtures them.

Note: I am eating my words. I can't put down Bread Alone and I have lost interest in The Owl and Moon Cafe. May be just my mood, but I really like Bread Alone and Hendrick's style of writing.
Note: Finished Bread Alone and discovered The Baker's Apprentice is a continuation of the story from Bread Alone. I'm a happy woman.

Sundays in London

I used to spend a lot of time antiquing in London and surrounding areas. I'd fly over every few months to attend antiques shows, flea markets, and shops. Across from my hotel was a book shop where I spend lazy Sunday afternoons if there were no shows or business meetings to attend. My relief from the hectic schedule was the book shop and there I discovered some of the most beautiful magazines I have ever seen. The Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks (magazines) were wonderful with the awe inspiring pictures and short easy recipes. The Australian women must have haunted their mailboxes each week anticipating the delivery of these wonderful cooking instructions. I bought an entire series over the years I spent there and today I've started going through them again. The bake shops of London and outlying areas always featured moist dense cakes, delectable tarts, and the fat deep biscuits (cookies). The rest of the food in London, as you have heard, was not to be written about in the same paragraph.

London sported very few open markets. One at Portobello Road (one of the world's largest flea markets) was nice, but the antiques took up all of my Saturdays with little thought given to fruits and vegetables down the hill from what I had my mind on, and really, the reason for being there at all. In the country side I don't recall seeing outdoor markets, but then I was fixated on my center of interest and how to pack it all and how to get it back to America.

The good news is that you can still get these magazines. I went to Amazon and typed in Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks and there it is! Unbelievable. I ordered a bunch more, so I will inundate you with pictures and recipes from these wonderful magazines.

The second picture shows a clafouti which is basically pancake-like batter poured over fruit and baked. The fruit of choice is usually cherries and now the bing cherries and the Queen Anne cherries are in season, it is my fruit of choice. Barefoot Contessa shows a pear clafouti (which she seems to mispronounce on her shows) in her book Barefoot in Paris. Perhaps there is more than one way to pronounce clafouti, but hers is just funny to me. I was told, in Paris, that it sounds like 'klaf o TEE'. Ina pronounces 'kla flutee' or some such thing. (Mine is correct, I heard it prounced on the Internet several times and it is confirmed below.)

Anyway, it is an easy doable recipe and is a quick fix for pop in guests or over-nighters. We must remember that most countries do not make their sweet treats as sweet as the Americans and its especially true with this one.

Cherry Clafoutis or clafouti (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) is a rustic looking French country dessert from the Limousin region that has become very popular in North America. Traditionally it was made with the first sweet cherries of the season, and the cherries were left unpitted so their kernels could release their delicate almond flavor as they baked. A Cherry Clafoutis is a pudding of sorts, with the sweet cherries covered by a thin pancake-like batter and baked in a hot oven until the batter has set with nicely browned and slightly puffed edges. The clafoutis should be served immediately with a dusting of confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar.Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/CherryClafoutis.html#ixzz0u8RCtWmb

Cherry Clafoutis: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Wash the cherries, remove the stems and pits.
In your food processor or blender place the flour, salt, eggs, 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Process for about 45 - 60 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once the batter is completely smooth, let it rest while you prepare the fruit.

In a large 9- inch (23 cm) heavy nonstick ovenproof skillet melt the butter over medium heat making sure the melted butter coats the bottom and sides of the pan. When the butter is bubbling, add the pitted cherries, and cook until the cherries have softened a bit and are coated with butter (2 - 3 minutes). Then sprinkle the cherries with the sugar and cook until the sugar has dissolved and turns into a syrup (1 - 2 minutes). Pour the batter over the cherries and bake for about 20 minutes or until the clafoutis is puffed, set, and golden brown around the edges. Do not open the oven door until the end of the baking time or it may collapse. Serve immediately with a dusting of confectioners sugar and yogurt, creme fraiche or softly whipped cream.

Serves 2 - 3.



Cherry Clafoutis:
1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar

3/4 cup (180 ml) milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 - 1 pound (340 - 454 grams) fresh sweet cherries, pitted

1 tablespoon (13 grams) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar



Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/CherryClafoutis.html#ixzz0u8TV3eSA

Barfoot Contessa:
(Pear Klaf o tee)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons pear brandy (recommended: Poire William)
2 to 3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears
Confectioners' sugar
Creme fraiche
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 10 by 3 by 1 1⁄2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1⁄3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and creme fraiche.

PEACH CLAFOUTI:
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh peaches, (about 4 cups) peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur
2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons water, to form slurry
Batter:
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
4 whole eggs
1/4 cup heated milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 scoops peach ice cream
Fresh mint, for garnish
Cinnamon, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the peaches, sugar, orange liqueur, and slurry together in a sauce pot. Bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Reduce to a syrup consistency, about 3 to 4 minutes. For the batter: In a standing electric mixer, whip the sugar and eggs together until light in color and ribbon like texture, about 3 minutes. Mix the milk and butter together, and incorporate into the egg mixture. Fold the flour into the egg mixture. In a 13 by 9-inch baking pan, cover the bottom of the pan with the peach mixture. Spoon the batter over the peaches, spreading evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for until the batter has set and is slightly golden brown. Spoon the clafouti into a bowl and top with the peach ice cream. Garnish with fresh mint and cinnamon.

Reaction to Australian Women's Weekly:
As I review these magazines called cookbooks, I am having a tough time not squealing with giddy excitement. How can they turn out these wonderful magazines every week for over seventy years. I can literally feel my shirt and Capri pants morphing into a frilly apron, lace collar, and a broomstick skirt. Clear the way, I am ready to cook.

http://www.dispatchkitchen.com/live/content/recipe/cookscorner.html
If you are looking for good recipes try visiting the Cooke's Corner in our Columbus Dispatch newspaper. It once was bigger, but with the economy, the pages on Wednesdays have been cut back, but it is all on line. (Not as much fun as having it every Wednesday morning with a hot cup of coffee, but good, just the same.) I just made the Kroger recipe of peanut butter-oatmeal cookies as seen on my facebook. I want to try the ham rolls next.

So Many Recipes, So Little Time

I have totally stopped entertaining for the rest of the month. I don't care if a baby drops from the sky, or Matt gets his Masters degree tomorrow...no more parties! My plate is full for the rest of the month and probably for longer than that. Yesterday I never got out of my pajamas--the dogs got worried. After all we have a ritual that must be kept. Their outing first, my coffee second, their breakfast, my crossword puzzles, and then out of the pajamas.

I am also not going to the store for an entire week. My cupboards are bulging and so is the frig. I made a scrumptious mac and cheese today using up all of the cheese board left overs from two weeks of heavy entertaining. This dish was topped with sliced tomatoes and bread crumbs made from all of the left over buns. (Our cherry tomatoes are just now coming in...remember Andy planted 72 tomato plants.)I think what made the dish was the addition of some left over goat cheese and the rush of pepper cheese. It will never turn out the same again, so no recipe for that. As people revolve in and out today, it is mac and cheese and left over ribs. So far no one has complained.

I got a Food Network magazine today with an interesting item called an Oatmeal Souffle--no recipe since it is featured at the Red Feather Lounge in Boise. But I got on the Internet and found some recipes that had much in common. If I ever do Sunday breakfast again, I am trying this. I have taken several pictures of the picture in the magazine, but they did not turn out so great, but will give you an idea... in case there is anyone reading this blog. (LOL) Here is one of the recipes. If you try it, let me know so we can compare notes.
Oatmeal Souffle

1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup Quick-Cooking Rolled Oats
1/3 cup low-fat Cream Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3 Eggs, separated
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and sugar 1 1/2 quart souffle dish or casserole; set aside.

Put milk and butter into a small saucepan and heat until barely boiling. Slowly add oatmeal, stirring constantly. Cook oatmeal until thick, stirring often. Remove from heat and add cream cheese, salt, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir briskly to blend and smooth the mixture.

Beat the 3 yolks slightly and slowly add them to the oatmeal, stirring constantly. Stir in the raisins and walnuts.

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but still moist. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir and fold the whites into the oatmeal mixture. Don't overfold; fold only until no large lumps of whites remain. Spoon the mixture into the souffle dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center still trembles a trifle but most of the souffle is set. Serve immediately with cream or warm milk.

This souffle is still tasty when cold and fallen. For a touch of decadence, serve with whipped cream.

To reheat, place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or heat individual servings in the microwave.

Another set of inspirations that we enjoy on Saturday mornings, starting in the spring, would be the street markets. The biggest and best, so far, is the Worthington outdoor market. They close the main street and spread out far and wide so that it takes a bit of time to do it properly. It is like Paris, but right in the home town of many people now days. The freshness and beauty draws the crowd. We spend more per item or per bunch, but the taste claims victory.

Today I bought new tiny beets which I washed and sprinkled with olive oil and salt and bundled them tightly in a foil package to bake. That way the skins slide right off and you can have your way with the sleek bulbs. Yummy! Sometimes I leave a bowl of slices or tiny bulbs in the frig and pop one or two in my mouth as I search for dinner items. They are a great and tasty snack.

I bought Matt's favorite, fresh new green beans. I've taken a ham bone from the freezer and coupled it with the green beans and onions in the slow cooker. I will add new potatoes as the day goes on (don't want them mushy) and lay corn on the cob on top for the last half an hour. It's a summer one pot meal. They are going to the zoo today to meet the new polar bear, so the bean dish will hit the spot as the sun goes down.

The salad fixings were especially nice today. Butter lettuce for chicken wraps and and a big summer salad with tomatoes from Andy's garden, will tempt those that arrive for Sunday with the Lechlers. Life is good!

Though a bit pretentious, I love Ina's (Barefoot Contessa) recipes and I have all of her books. She giggles less now days, we all appreciate that, and, she has some new shows for us. The Barefoot Contessa entertains in an easy manner and once she settles into cooking, the results are very tasty. Her mustard roasted fish is so good it can be served to guests as well as to the family for an easy healthful week day treat.

Mustard-Roasted Fish
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved
Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 15 min Level:
Easy Serves:
4 servings Ingredients
4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the fish.

Love potatoes with vineger!
Grilled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes

The original recipe calls for white vinegar. I used part white balsamic vinegar and regular white vinegar. - but you can use either. I suspect you could actually experiment over time w/ different types of vinegar. I used fingerling potatoes that were on the large size, but any waxy potatoes will do.
2 cups / 475 ml white wine vinegar
1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g waxy potatoes (see head notes), cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper salt to taste (optional)
Pour the vinegar into a medium saucepan, then stack (or arrange) the potatoes so the vinegar covers them completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender. You want them to hold their shape, so they don't fall apart on the grill later. Let the potatoes cool in the vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain well, then very gently toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Heat the grill to medium high. Grill potatoes, covered if possible, until golden on one side, then flip and grill the other side - roughly 3 - 5 minutes per side. Serve sprinkled with Kosher salt to taste.
Serves 4.

July 4th with the Lechlers

July 4th is a quiet day for us. The Cincinnati family is, at times, in Nags Head and we, from Columbus, have just returned from the beach house in Florida, or, in this case from Alaska. This year is different in many ways, some good, some bad. The good part is that we will all gather here, once again, as a family. Some of the children will be leaving for college next month and one young hero has joined the military. Andy's brother is retiring and that is another cause for celebration. We've decided to make this a potluck with people bringing their favorite dishes to share. The group comes early and stays late, so there are at least a couple of meals. I am trying some dishes from FOOD AND FAMILY, a Kraft magazine to which I have subscribed.
Cheese-Lover's pasta roll-ups:
eight servings (easily increased)
1 egg beaten
1 container Ricotta cheese
2 cups Kraft three cheese blend
4 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 jar spaghetti sauce divided
16 lasagna noodles, cooked
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 375
Mix first five ingredients until well blended.
Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce on bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish. Spread each noodle with 3 tbsp. cheese mixture; roll up. Place seam-side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan; cover with parchment and then foil (foil should never touch tomato sauce)
Bake 40-50 minutes, uncovering the last 10 minutes
Easily made ahead, refrigerated up to 24 hours, then baked covered, or easily frozen.

Tom has requested my rib roast with caramelized onions. It is very simply: I marinate the roast after stuffing garlic buds in slits all over the roast, then adding garlic salt and then red wine. I leave it for 24 hours. I then leave it at room temp. for an hour and roast on high heat to 120 internal. I then take it out, cover it with a foil tent and leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes. Then George, the carver, has his way with the roast while I caramelize the onions that grace this dish.

Can you imagine anyone who has not eaten a s'more? That would be me. Susan Mallery has a recipe on Taste Of Home that I have listed here. It is done on the grill, so I think it is a can do thing for 4th of July.
Ingredients:

2 dozen chocolate chip cookies – homemade or store-bought
144 mini marshmallows (approximate)
144 chocolate chips (approximate)

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place one chocolate chip cookie on a square of aluminum foil. Put about six mini marshmallows and six chocolate chips on the cookie. Place a second cookie flat-side up on top of the marshmallow layer. Wrap loosely (but airtight)with the foil. Grill over direct medium heat about 4 minutes on each side. Unwrap carefully. Yields 1 dozen s'mores. You could use any cookie that you like homemade or store bought. I'll try to get a picture on here as well, as the week progresses.

One of the dishes they had on the cruise ship was tiramisu...Mine is better by far. It is actually the Barefoot Contessa's recipe and I have made it many times to rave reviews. I am showing it as she did, but July 4th it will be in a tall glass punch bowl. Much prettier but exactly the same ingredients.
Tiramisu
6 large-extra large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
1 1/2 cup of brewed espresso, divided
16 to 17 Italian ladyfingers or savoiardi
shaved chocolate. I use a bar of cappauccino (Perugina) chocolate shaved with a vegetable peeler.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment on high speed for 5 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup of the dark rum, 1/4 cup of the espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk till smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip each of the ladyfingers in the espresso-rum mixture on one side only and line the bowl or your container. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip the next batch in the espresso-rum mixture and start a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. I leave off the sugar on top.

Corn-beef and Kraut salad

I buy the corn beef package with the seasoning. I put it in a slow cooker with some broth, wine, onion, carrots, and let it go for around six hours. I let it rest. Slice it against the grain and chill it. It is easier to cube for the salad that way.
The kraut is your choice:
Mix together one package kraut with 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 green pepper (or any pepper of your choice), one onion, and a little white balsmic vinegar if it is on hand. I put in celery too, but that is up to you. Let it chill and when you dish it up, put the beef on top so that it does not absorb the kraut taste, but stands alone as delicious.

NOTE:
On July fourth I looked out the window at our family standing in the pool eating tiramisu. The dogs raced and barked around the water trying to get a good spot in case they could get a bite of the cake laden coffee and liquor lady fingers. I thought this would be a good picture to pull out and to view all this pleasure when life gob smacks us, which it does on occasion . Summer has barely begun and yet winter clothes will be on the rack tomorrow and summer will be put away. I hear talk of a couple of weddings, football practice beginning, and I feel the loss of the summer... and the teenagers absence. They've gone mute or totally absent as they feel their lives changing never to be the same. Some will go off to college and others to the military. I wonder who will come again to this house and who will never return? People pass in and out of our lives leaving their indelible mark and I feel this is the way it is meant to be.

Alaska with the Lechlers

After two weeks of eating and drinking well on an Alaskan cruise, I came home and started cooking. Go figure! And I do mean 'go figure'. My feet are the size of hams, to put it in the food vernacular. A total of eight hours on a plane coming home will do that to me, or maybe it was the dirty martinis that caused the stumping. (I don't drink on a plane, but it happened just the same.)

I started thinking about the most delicious dish that we had on the trip and the last stop in Anchorage comes to mind. It was our last night as a group of sixteen and we were told by several people not to miss the food at The Glacier Brewhouse .(They brew their own tasty beer and the equipment is on display.) Everyone else must have felt the same way because the first come, first serve, practice was enforced and the place was hopping. Unfortunately, I was so full from the weeks' intake that I ordered only one thing--the seafood chowder. It was, without a doubt, the best that I have tasted and better than I have made. I can't put my finger on it, but it was scrumptious. I asked the waiter what was in it and he named all of the things that I use, so I will start experimenting when I get my ducks in order. (Could it be a drop or so of sherry? He didn't name it, but maybe.) There is not much time for experimenting because thirty people are arriving for July 4th. It's a family day and a celebration of one family member's retirement.

At the brewery, as we filed out, a platter of the most delicious looking ribs I have ever pictured lured me over and right beside it a fabulous crab plate that made me wish I had ordered that. I checked on the Internet to see if I could find that place to give you more information--it was simply the best. http://www.glacierbrewhouse.com (We stayed at the Captain Cook hotel, which was very nice, in case you find yourself in Anchorage, Alaska.)

I will be adding information and pictures all week,so keep watching and thank you.

Graduation Party for Alyssa

My grand daughter, Alyssa, is graduating from Columbus School for Girls on Thursday. Preparations are in motion for receiving guests from over the United States and as far away as Singapore. The food will be inside because the heat is searing lately. But, the guests can eat inside or out, as they wish. After the ceremony, guests can swim, play tennis, and sample the food for hours on end. We are looking forward to meeting many new family members and receiving those we know and love.
I am going to try these dulce de leche cheesecake bars--I wanted to show you the picture but it does not 'cut and paste' for some reason. Take a look on the bon appetit web site.
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars: Recipe : bonappetit.com
www.bonappetit.com
I tried the French recipe chicken and cashew mini-quiches from Chocolate & Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier. They are so good, but difficult to get out of the pans because of the cheese. So take care with the pan preparations. I made them brunch size and mini-sized and will decide later which size is best for the party. I will be adding recipes and pictures all week as I prepare for the party. This one, however, will start you off.
These good soldiers for a buffet can be eaten warm or at room temperature and they can be baked a day ahead and reheated for ten minutes in a warm oven before serving.
I used cooked chicken finely diced. I also used canned diced tomatoes because the season is not here yet for tomatoes that have some taste. Drain them well.

1 teaspoon olive oil for greasing the pan--I tried that and the Pam spray--still had trouble.
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cooked chicken diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 Roma or plum tomatoes, about 12 ounces peeled and diced (I used canned, well drained)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup freshly grated Gruyere or Comte cheese about 3 1/2 ounces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, parsley or cilantro leaves--I used basil(my basil is glorious this year)
2/3 cup toasted and roughly chopped cashews
Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk and rewhisk. Sift in the flour and season with salt and pepper and whisk again. The batter will be thin. Add the chicken, cheese,well-drained tomatoes, herbs and cashews. Stir to blend. The batter can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Give it a good stir before using the next day.) Preheat oven to 425 (I used 400 for the convection). For 20 minutes--but watch them. They should puff and be firm to the touch but not over done, just like a crustless quiche. They will, however, deflate some.
Note: I have found they come out easier when cool. Take a spoon and circle the inside of each cup or if they are cooled enough tap the pan upside down. Actually, these are better made ahead and then slightly heated in a 200 degree oven before serving--the ingredients have time, then, to get acquainted.

You know when freckles start appearing on a bunch of bananas? Guilt races in, you avert your eyes trying to ignore them, and then you simply have to decide to either throw them away or make banana bread. I have made banana bread for years trying any number of recipes and then I blogged for the recipe. The blog 'Simply Recipes' appeared and there was the best and the easiest hand made banana bread. No mixer is necessary. The loaf is even better as the days progress. So I am making it again for the party because it can be served in many different ways with any number of spreads or simply with butter or with icing.
Banana Bread from Simply Recipes:
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed (I used 4, with a fork)
1/3 cup melted butter (I used soft butter and smashed it with the bananas)
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
No need for a mixer. Preheat oven to 350
With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I will have a picture of this before the party on Thursday. It is a wonderful, tasty treat for a buffet table or as a starter.
Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry:

Ingredients:

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

The party was a great success. After a very formal graduation with all the girls in white long dresses, each one different, and each girl carrying red roses, the family attendees came to our house and changed for a pool and tennis party. There were thirty or more people here from 3:30 in the afternoon until 10:30 at night...even the dog cousins came, so there were five of them. Luckily I had two servers who were so great and they were here seven hours which was an outstanding help. Seriously, I can hardly move today. It was a family event and Andy and I were pleased to have hosted the gala. Thanks, too, to our grandson, Matt, who provided the music. The cake, which is shown with the recipe here on this blog, was the hit of the night...they were still eating it at 10:30 pm by the way. (Glenda's cake or Hawaiian cake) Another favorite was the pea salad with Spanish peanuts. The salmon in dill sauce went well and the rare beef disappeared from sight right away. We had 28 dishes, that I can recount. Oh, the deviled eggs were gone as well and there were a ton of those. A plastic Surgeon who had done 4 operations that day grazed for hours once he got to the tables. He is a hard worker and I enjoyed seeing him put it away...there is always lipo, Fernando.LOL The night after the party I had invited four people to eat left-overs...ten showed up and the party continued, but without me. My dogs were barking and I went to bed.
On Sunday we leave for an Alaskan cruise with 18 family members and I have not even packed! Hope you enjoy the pictures, for I may never cook again. Seriously.

Sunday's Memorial Day Week End

Luckily we have a large, close family and they are arriving from out of town on Sunday for a potluck feast. They come early and stay late, so it is the perfect time to try out the recipes I found while meandering through my recipe files and cookbooks. The family always expects the unexpected when they visit and George, the carver, always brings his knives. (As many knives as I have in this house, not one is exactly right for him or for me.) There is no rhyme or reason for this eclectic menu. I am just making what I like and when they arrive their dishes will fill in the gaps. George's wife, Pam, always brings scrumptious pecan pies and I may do the strawberry shortcake...remember I use a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt in the Biscuit batter to soften the end product to make it cloud worthy. Oh, and we must have corn on the cob if there is a fresh supply in the market.
Pepperoni Stromboli:
16 servings...I use Pillsbury pizza dough. All you do is take it out and unroll it on a greased cookie sheet, fill it with goodies of your choice, roll it jelly roll style, brush it with egg, and bake it for around 30 minutes until light brown. This recipe is more detailed and it is also delicious.
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt and pepper (seems like a lot of salt with the pepperoni) I'd cut back on that.
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound cooked ground beef (I use Bob Evans zesty sausage)
1 package sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion, chopped
Place each loaf of bread dough in a greased large bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Punch down. Roll each loaf into a 15 x 12 inch rectangle.
In a small bowl, combine the eggs, oil and seasonings. Brush over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges; set remaining egg mixture aside. Layer with beef, pepperoni, cheeses, onion all on the dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly roll style and brush each with egg mixture. Place seam side down on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until lightly brown.

Another dish, especially for the men, will be grilled brats, finished off on top of ziti mac and cheese. We will also have many of the dishes shown on this blog. I will take many pictures for you to see all of these dishes and those brought in by the guests. Happy days. Oh, I forgot, how about pasta alfredo with langostino tails? Langostino tails and the alfredo sauce are from Trader Joe's. Langostino is a Spanish word with different meanings in different areas. In America, it is commonly used in the restaurant trade to refer to the meat of the squat lobster, which is neither a true lobster nor a prawn. It is more closely related to porcelain crabs and hermit crabs.

Gee Whiz Cheese Buns:

These stir-down batter cheesy yeast rolls use just under a cup of Cheese Whiz and turn out richly golden with puffy-topped. The cheese taste is there but isn't overpowering. Garlic or jalapeno Cheese Whiz might be interesting as well. This is the second time I have made these easy rolls and this time I added crisp bacon to the batter.

1 package active dry yeast placed in 1/2 cup of warm water
2/3 cup Cheez Whiz
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups flour, divided

Soften yeast in warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add Cheez Whiz, sugar, salt, egg, butter and 1 cup flour.
Beat 2 minutes with electric mixer on low speed, until cheese is well blended.
Gradually add 1 1/4 -1 1/2 cups additional flour to form a soft dough, mixing well after each addition.
Fill well-greased muffin tins about half full of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1- 1/2 hours until double in size.
Preheat oven 375 and bake buns for 12-15 minutes. Makes 12 buns.

My sister-in-law brought this wonderful pea salad. Loved it.

4 cups peas (10 ounces)
1 cup of mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 can Spanish peanuts
Mix it all together and chill it.

Sunday in a Parisian Kitchen

The English word 'cake' is used in France for a variety of baked goods made in a loaf pan such as the Cake Tomate, Pistache & Chorizo loaf that I baked today. Cut in slices or cubes, these savory loaves make a frequent appearance on French buffets and at picnic spreads, or as finger food for the cocktail hour. Yogurt saves the day with this wonderful savory product as it and sour cream does in many other baked dishes. This recipe can have many variations: Use dried figs or dates instead of sun-dried tomatoes. The same batter (from flour to yogurt) can be used with infinite combinations according to the author of Chocolate & Zucchini, Clotilde Dusoulier. You can use the batter with nuts, herbs, olives, cut up sauteed or roasted vegetables. strips of ham or chicken, cubes of cheese, fresh fruit and on and on. Instead of chorizo, I used pepperoni.
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan, sprinkle half of the sesame seeds onto the bottom and sides and shake the pan to coat.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter to grease the pan
2 tablespoons sesame seeds--one for the pan, one for the topping (I had black on hand, so that is what I used.)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (I just used Kosher and less of it because my nuts were salted and so was the butter in the pan preparation)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt, I used Greek) or use buttermilk
3 1/2 ounces Spanish air dried chorizo or pepperoni
12 sun-dried unsalted pistachios toasted
3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine the flour and baking powder in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper. Pour in the oil and yogurt, and whisk again. Sift the flour mixture oil and yogurt, and whisk again. Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir until incorporated. Don't over mix, it's okay if a few lumps remain. Fold in the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes, pistachios, and parsley. Stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the loaf is golden and the knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool, loosen, unmold and transfer to a rack to cool. Cut in slices or cubes just before serving. (The loaf can be made up to a day ahead, wrapped tightly in foil and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Sunday's Fried Chicken Curse

BUTTERMILK-SOAKED FRIED CHICKEN
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

BUTTERMILK-SOAKED FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cups buttermilk
3 teaspoons Lawry's® Seasoned Salt
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Lawry's® Seasoned Pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
1. In large, resealable plastic bag, combine buttermilk with 1 teaspoon Lawry's® Seasoned Salt. Add chicken; turn to coat. Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. In another large, resealable plastic bag, combine flour, remaining 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt and pepper. Add chicken, one piece at a time, and shake to coat well.

3. Meanwhile, in deep 12-inch skillet, heat 1-inch oil to 365°. Add chicken and cook, turning twice, 25 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Drain on rack or paper towels.

My Uncle Bob was a frugal collector. He especially liked barber bottles. I found several nice ones for him and he added them to the ones which were his fathers. But buy one himself...I don't think so. Unfortunately, Uncle Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson disease and somehow he had wrung a promise from Aunt Grace that she would keep him at home and care for him herself. (Aunt Grace wasn't as sharp as she had once been and I was not quick to note that.)

It was the summer of 1986. We had moved into our dream house, the house we had waited for for fifteen years. So I had been less than helpful to Grace that summer. To make up for it, late in the summer before my school was to start, I dressed up, picked flowers, and drove to Aunt Grace and Uncle Bob's in Lancaster. Bob was in really bad shape, but she had him clean as a hound's tooth and as comfortable as could be expected with all the pulleys and electrical equipment needed to care for a complete invalid who still had a sharp mind but could not speak. (She had a weak mind at the time but could speak plenty, and, she had a gun.

I drove to my mother's and told her if she and my nieces wanted to see Bob, they had better make it fast. Knowing that her sister liked to eat, but did not have time to cook, my mother, who was unwell herself, prepared a large chicken and noodle dinner with hot biscuits and gravy. The troop arrived around noon with fried chicken in hand. As soon as Grace smelled the chicken everything, including Bob, was forgotten. Though everyone else was hungry too, they showed good manners by insisting on visiting with Bob first. The chicken smell was causing Aunt Grace to nearly swoon and she could not wait one more minute to tuck into it. My mother, however, noticed that Bob was in a lot worse condition that anyone had thought. "Grace", my mother said, "There is something wrong with Bob; he does not look right."

"Oh, he always looks like that, let's eat", was her wifely reply. Not one to drop a point until it was well taken, Mother persisted in talking Bob talk to each and ever member of the hungry cast. No one paid Mother any attention, they were eating and eating well. Knowing a dead man when she saw one, Mother whined on until finally Grace threw down her fifth piece of chicken with one hand and her fourth biscuit with the other and said she'd take a look at Bob. Guess what? He was dead...had been for some time. The Keystone cops got right to work and called an ambulance to whisk away poor, dead Bob. It was close to 98 degrees that day and before the paper work was taken care of, they put Bob in the ambulance where he baked for about an hour before the arrangements were made. "This heat is NOT good for Bob, lamented Mother, as steam rose from the hearse- like vehicle which would take Bob away for the last time.

I'll never forget the inspiring eulogy that the preacher gave Uncle Bob. He knew his subject and knew him well and the entire congregation seemed to will Bob to heaven on a cloud of love. Finally it had all been said and the preacher stopped with the final question--"What more can I say?" An unfortunate ending, for my husband amened with"Pass the chicken."
Note:
After careful consideration it was thought best if Andy and I skipped the open grave ceremony, since neither of us could promise to behave. Since that day a fried chicken curse has settled on this house and although I know this recipe to be very good, I cannot make it and must rely on the kindness of others. Also, the picture of the chicken refuses to show up on this site.

Sunday Reading Continued To Monday...and Tuesday

Enjoying nearly every true word of David Lebovitz's book The Sweet life in Paris, I came upon something surprising. He wrote: "The French devour books like Americans wolf down brownies. In a nation of readers, writers are revered in France like pro football players are in America." Maybe in the field of food, writers are revered by the French, maybe if you are French, writers are revered by the French, but what ever you do, don't write about one of their one hundred year old dolls if you are American. I had written a book about their once very collectible dolls named Bleuette. The book was in French and English, so that was not the problem. It had been read and corrected by more than one Bleuette (so-called) expert, so that was not the problem. The problem seemed to be that the French take no lessons from an American doll dealer who does not, herself collect dolls. No lessons from someone who has the temerity to come to Paris every two or three months to buy their dolls, whisk them home, write about them and then sell them at brisk rate only to travel back to get more for the hungry American market. This, at a time when many Americans were pouring French wine into the gutters for some protest or other, I was actually putting money into the French economy at an alarming rate and continued to do so for five straight years. In France at Chartres, Galerie de Chartres, before one of their fabulous doll auction Jean-Pierre Lelievre, gazing out at the crowded stone-walled chapel, held up my newly published book about their beloved doll thinking that it would be a happy opening for his doll auction. Instead, an icy hush fell over the auction room, hundreds of sets of French eyes sent spears of hatred my way with a chill that might have sent the devil himself scurrying from the auction room... but not I; undaunted and incautious, I bid for and bought every single Bleuette as well as all of her best GL fashions that came up that day!

Whew! I need a glass of wine, after that! I really do enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food. Wine makes a beef stew deep and rich. It perks up a baked fish dish like the one from my all time favorite cookbook Virginia Hospitality from the early 1970s. (The cover is gone so I had to search for the title .) The pages are marked and noted and torn. This cookbook was bought on a trip with my friend Marica Richards who was my room mother for several years because I taught three of her four children, and, eventually Andy and I bought her great house where we have lived for 24 years. Love , love, love it all. When Marcia and I traveled without our husbands we antiqued in Pennsylvania and up and down the east coast, buying community cookbooks along the way and stuffing the van with antiques back in the seventies.

Note:

Another nice treat with a glass of red wine is Trader Joe's 5" round miniature pizzas that they sell in a stack from their frozen food selections. What a fast fix and the dough is like home made, all fresh and puffy. All you have to do is pop them in the oven. (I let mine thaw first.) I am looking forward to serving these fresh from the over at my next party. People with children looking for an afternoon pick me up will enjoy these to no end. You can also add your own touch to the topping--it will hold it and it will give you pleasure.

Flounder Fillet in Herb and Wine Sauce

4 ribs celery, chopped fine

2 teaspoons onion, minced

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons dill (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon tarragon

1 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups condensed mushroom soup

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon parsley

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

16 ounces fillet flounder

Preheat oven to 375. Saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Add remaining ingredients, except the fish, and mix well. Pour into a shallow 10x16 inch casserole. Lay the fish fillets in the sauce, spooning some over the fish. bake 20-25 minutes. Serves 6

If there are any left overs it makes an excellent base for a fish chowder.

This Double Fudge Pie was such a hit the first time I made it, it was gone in 10 minutes. It is so easy.

Serve it warm

Double Fudge Pie

1/2 cup butter

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven to 325. Melt butter and chocolate and cool slightly. Gradually mix into eggs. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just mixed. Spread into a buttered 9 inch pie plate and bake for precisely 40 minutes (make time adjustments when using convection oven). Center will be soft and moist when taken from oven, but firms a little when cooling. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream. No crust! Easy. One time I got fancy with this and made creme a l'anglaise which is a runny custard. I rested each slice on a bed of this creamy, heavenly concoction.

Sunday Reading

I receive a glut of Paris books from Amazon. I haven't been back in five years and went so often I could not think of going again or even reading anything about the city of lights. The books came at a good time. It is so nice to sit out in the sun reading about the many places where I lived and worked and ate.' The Sweet Life in Paris' b y David Lebovitz is about his delicious adventures in the world's most glorious and perplexing city. He manages some interesting recipes along with his humorous adventures. I haven't tried any of them. I am bouncing from one scrumptious book to another. I like 'Patisseries of Paris' by Jamie Cahill too. It is a small manageable book with nice colored pictures and details of each shop and the way to get there. It is very easy to understand the directions and the writing and descriptions are cozy and readable. Unfortunately she did not include any recipes which, I know, are difficult to get from the French. Their bakers have to be schooled for a long time and one cannot simply get a store front and open a patisserie...there is paper work, there is schooling, there is a trail of details which make many would- be owners and bakers simply throw in the towels. The shops in Paris are thought to be extensions of people's homes, and, upon entering, the person running the shop intends for you to behave as though you are a guest. They want saluatations and respect to be shown before orders are grunted out. Both books give vivid instruction to Americans about how to behave in that rule ridden, over taxed city.

I spent most of my time, which was considerable, in antique shops, at flea markets and antiques shows, and, buying from carefully formed contacts that waited for my return with a bevy of merchandise to please my American customers. So the book 'Markets of Paris' By Dixon and Ruthanne Long should be interesting to me. We'll see.