English tea sandwiches

The English have the best sandwiches.  Andy makes a good sandwich but they are bigger and more generous. To me, the best sandwich is one like those pictured here. Simple, stingy on the filling, but tasty and manageable. Now days, in America, sandwiches are so big and cumbersome that the filling squirts out and over onto the next table.  One must cut the sandwiches in several pieces just to be able to get even an inelegant bite. I have enjoyed many of these British bites at the airport, at flea markets and even in the tube.  They are always freshly made and perfect for eating in a tight, hurried spot. Once my antiquing friends and I had high tea at Harrods in London. Their sandwiches were beautiful to behold, but no better than the other places I mentioned above.  Why?  Because they are so simple a total non cook can make these delights.  Well, maybe the men would not hold them in high esteem, but I believe the ladies would.

Nothing says spring like an egg salad sandwich.

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Potato sticks chicken salad~ Salpicao

Many years ago I was such a fan of Martha Stewart.  I watched everything she did during the early years.  I am not usually interest in what people have, or what they do, but she fascinated me for a few years.  I am over her now but have started watching her (again) cook on public television and she is more like she used to be, sensible yet a bit less stiff. She is a good teacher and should work alone as she did in the early years and cut out the interviewing and other nonsense that was on her other TV shows.  Stick to what you know.  She had (along time ago) a Brazilian housekeeper, I think her name was Nessie, and one day she had her on the show and Nessie made a hay stack type of chicken salad called Salpicao which I duplicated with store bought potato sticks (not potato chips, the sticks.) It was too wonderful but now I can't find the recipe and Nessie is gone.  I am starting through my drawers of recipes looking for that recipe once again and fixing it for Easter for the second meal of the day.  I am changing up the order of food for Easter this year.  Normally people arrived around 11:00 and we had starters, drinks, and soups and salads.  The big meal came much later in the day in candlelight.  This year we are starting (to arrive) around 12:30-1:00 and having the big meal first.  Just before they go home we will have this hay stack chicken salad, one soup, and Pam's pies for dessert.  If you remember this recipe, please email the directions to me.  This is what I remember:
Get an enormous beautiful platter.  Pile a stack of potato sticks on the platter.  I have just today discovered BBQ potato stix and they work perfectly with this type recipe.  Next I shred a rotisserie chicken and spread a layer of chicken on top of the stix.  Then on top of the chicken I placed diced avocado (covered, then drained) in lime juice to keep them from turning ugly.) Then another layer of chicken, potato stix, and then I think a layer of butter lettuce juienned. A layer of diced tomatoes, a layer of cheese... I think at this point you can layer what ever else you like with the potato stix playing the part of straw in this conical hay stack salad.  I cannot remember the dressing poured on at the last minute and that's the problem.  I thought I would have everything in separate little bags and assemble it at the last minute and just before they serve themselves I dress it so it does not get soggy.  It is a sight for sore eyes let me tell you and I will never forget its taste.  Now if I could only find the recipe I would be a happy woman.

While looking for the recipe I have organized family pictures in bags according to subjects.  I have three albums done and I am waiting for my niece to come here for a few days to bring some more old pictures and we will have fun putting the family back together after many years.  I hope Nancy stays several days, I love her so and miss her sister, Linda. We have had a good life together.

Here is one recipe for Salpicao chicken salad and there are several on the Internet.  Martha's is there too, but it does not look like the one her housekeeper made; it was glorious to see.

Salpicao-Idaho and Chicken Salad

Home made granny-o-la la~

The family calls it crack because they can't get enough of it.  I call it granola to eat plain, with milk, on yogurt, by the handful...any way you can get it in your mouth to savor the flavor. This is sent all over the country to Florida, to South Carolina, to New Orleans, to Colorado and to Cincinnati.

First step:

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  Doris Lechler All day making granola, or as the family calls it, crack.

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  Doris Lechler First step oats, nuts, honey, coconut, and in this case the rest of the pecan pie filling from the jar bought from King Arthur. Oven, to golden brown. Spread and let dry before adding anything else.

This is what you add to the dry roasted oat mixture. You can add what ever you enjoy to this dried mixture.



Results when put together:

salads and more cheesecakes

Thursday:
Since the fresh fruit cheesecake went in one evening, I am trying my hand with my basic tried and true recipe, but this time with a twist. I have a jar of King Arthur's pecan pie filling that I showed you from the large order I placed from the King's excellent catalogue. I had used some of it in another recipe and wanted to use up the rest.  I have 'spread' the pecan filling in between layers (and later on the top) of the basic cheesecake recipe and it is in the oven as I write.  Fingers crossed that I don't have a sticky mess to contend with today. I will get a picture as soon as I dare display the results.

                                             

                                                                                

Mock potato salad using cauliflower instead OR with potatoes.  I've done both.

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 4 hard boiled eggs, cut in eighths
• 1/2 of a small red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 pickles, diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons pickle juice
• salt, pepper and dried dill to taste

1. Cut the cauliflower in pieces and cook in an inch of water for about 7 minutes (or less I still want the crunch.) or until tender
2. Rinse the cauliflower in cold water and drain, using paper towel to dry it well or the salad will get watery. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients and chill until serving time. 

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
2 lbs cauliflower florets
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
8 oz block cream cheese, softened
2 bunches green onions, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt & pepper to taste
*1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Steam cauliflower florets until tender.
While cauliflower steams, cream together 6 oz of the shredded cheddar, 6 oz of the Monterey Jack, and softened cream cheese.
Stir in sliced green onions, chopped bacon, and garlic.
Set aside.
Drain steamed cauliflower and add to cheese mixture.
Stir cauliflower and cheese mixture together.
Taste for seasoning, and add as necessary.
*For a creamier texture, add in the 1/4 heavy cream.
If you want a finer texture, give a few mashes with the potato masher.
Pour into a 2-3 quart casserole and sprinkle on remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly.

This dude is ready to cook.  Let's look at people's kitchens.  Send me your pictures and let's see what makes you cook.  dorislechler@aol.com

This is from  the
David Lebovitz blog.

Cheesecake for evening guests~

Beth is having guests, so I made a cheesecake for the occasion.

Also made a blow your horn Italian pasta combination salad.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down cakes

Good easy idea:

Mini Pineapple Upside Down 

Mini Pineapple Upside Down cakes in the cupcake pans.

Why didn't I think of this?

Why didn't I think of this? Individual dipping cups for parties and a get together.  I'm doing this. (Picture and idea from the girl who ate everything.) Oh, except I would not use plastic for a party or get together. Something small and pretty made of glass or china.

Think outside the gift basket

Blue lobelia planted to look like it is spilling out of its pot...

I have one of these going begging.  What a good idea for it.  Can't wait to get started.

Great idea for the patio.

I need four of these built in the kitchen so the dogs are out of the way while they watch me cook.

I have a ton of these.  What a good idea!

Say good-bye, Winter

Say good-bye, Winter. But not yet.  Columbus is covered in ice this morning. But that did not stop my husband Andy, age 79, from getting on the COTA bus and going to his classes at Ohio State.

 It did not stop the newspaper guy delivering Cook's Corner to my door this morning either.  I enjoy Wednesday morning because I get to have my coffee and my fix of the Food and Life section of the Columbus Dispatch.  The people in charge have fooled with the newspaper for a year or two making it smaller and tweaking this and that; reducing the size of Cook's Corner, but like Andy, no matter what, it rises to the top and spreads joy... in this case on an icy Wednesday.

When Lisa Abraham took over Cook's Corner her first attempt was not good.  I did not know who was at the helm, but I wrote a rather nasty little email to the powers that be and in return for my bad attitude I received a lovely email from Lisa asking me to give her a chance. I did and she has proved her word.  She has made the most of her little corner of The Dispatch and I am so glad they hired her. Today she has this wonderful idea of 'guilty pleasures' in the food line.  She has asked everyone to write to her expressing their secret disgusting eating habits.  (Hers, the food editor mind you, is eating canned warmed butter beans on basic white bread with pepper accent.)  I will keep this blog informed of the other maladies that Columbus eaters confess to.  Think about yours.  I have so many at age 77 that I could probably fill the Food and Life section all by myself.  But, I will have to think about the most disgusting one and confess.  I owe that to Lisa.

Dog treats:
Have you priced dog food and dog treats lately?  I cannot believe how the prices have risen.  I started looking for recipes on line for some healthy dog treats and printed three recipes, one of which I used with great and easy success and I did not even try the other two.  This is a no bake, no cook dog treat that our four dogs love.  Yes, I said four and I know I have lost my mind, but I'd like another Yorkie. Any way, here is the recipe that your dogs will adore and so will you because it is fast, healthful and evidently delicious.  After you roll the balls, mark the container because they look like meatballs and your family might be looking for a late night treat in the frig--not that it would hurt them, but they might be off meatballs for a period of time due to the surprise.  On the other hand, they might like them so much they give up regular meatballs, but I digress.

Dog balls...well, that's not a good title. Sorry.
Dog treats:
1 cup of canned pumpkin--not the seasoned pie filling, the pure pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups of oats (I use the old fashion and or the organic)
3 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir this together and chill or roll into balls first and chill
Store in the frig. THAT'S IT. Oh, you might as well double the batch especially if you have several dogs or big dogs and that way it uses up the pumpkin.  Or put a spoon of pumpkin on their regular dog food to get rid of the rest or store it in the frig for the next round.

They call this a cabbage pie for shock value, but it is really a frittata with a cabbage base.  Some people saute their cabbage first Lea leaves her cabbage raw for this recipe.  Either way you add what ever suits you and finish it off with the usual whipped egg topping and pop it in the oven until it sets..  I just thought it was an interesting idea and a nice picture.

Ingredients:
 
2 cups of  shredded Cabbage 
3 Eggs
5 tbsp (1/3 cup) Sour Cream 
3 tbsp Mayonnaise 
6 tbsp Flour 
1 tsp Salt .
2 tsp Baking powder 
1 tbsp  Dill 
3 tbsp green onion
Sesame seeds (for sprinkling)