Quesadillas ~ the machine

We are invited to a party July 21st in Cincinnati and I thought for my contribution I would take my Quesadillas machine and my mini pie baking machine and turn out interesting offerings for the many guests. I'm sure you have seen these machines advertised and I actually use mine pretty much.  On the family outing for Thanksgiving at the beach house, Joe turned out tasty treat after tasty treat with my pie machine. Now that we have mastered using the pie machine, finding out that puff pastry works best as the top of the mini pie  and regular pie  crust as the base makes flaky, high pies in about 10 minutes for four pies. With ice cream--everyone can have their pie choice and topping of choice. Scissors work best at cutting the triangles for the Quesadillas.  On these I used Jalapeno pepper slices as an added kick.  Any kind of cheese or meat can be used--left overs make a great Quesadilla.  The servers made these up for the graduation party in May as an extra offering and they were gone in a flash.

I once was fascinated with the progress of Martha Stewart.  I got over it.  This week, however, Cook's Corner featured a recipe that sounds good for a picnic or grill party.  I am going to try this layered salad--a new take on an old stand by from Martha's newest book (I think book number #76.) I won't buy the book, but I will try this salad...maybe for the July party.

2 cups hard wheat berries or pearl barley (see Note)
2 quarts water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/1/4 cups thinly sliced celery
1/1/2 cups dried cherries, preferably tart
8 ounces Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
5 large carrots, grated
1 small head green cabbage, thinly shredded
Place wheat berries in a pot. Add water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the berries are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a large glass serving bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, sugar and celery seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow steady stream until completely combined. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over wheat berries.
Arrange celery slices over wheat berries. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing. Cover the celery with cherries. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing. Crumble half of the blue cheese over the cherries. Drizzle with half of the dressing.
Layer carrots over blue cheese. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing. Crumble the remaining blue cheese over. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing.
In another bowl, toss the cabbage and remaining dressing. Arrange over the blue cheese. Cover salad and refrigerate 24 hours to allow flavors to blend.
Serve at room temperature.
Note: Wheat berries, or whole wheat kernels, can be found at specialty foods stores and in the natural foods section of some supermarkets.

Barefoot Contessa featured this cake on her show last night (again).  She repeats so much that one feels forced to produce the item so she can move on.  I do want to try this because it looks to be very tasty.

Sticky Toffee Date Cake:

Ingredients

• 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 8 ounces butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/4 tablespoons baking powder

Ingredients

For the Sauce (for 1 cake):

• 1/2 pound butter
• 1 cup brown sugar (8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans or 20 muffin tins.

Place the dates in large saucepan with 3 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Then leave to simmer for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the baking soda (which will cause the mixture to bubble up).

Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and then the flour and salt and mix briefly to give a lumpy dough.

Next, add the warm date mixture in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing. The dough will now be quite watery but don't worry! Finally add the baking powder (this will bubble up also).

Pour the batter evenly into the two pans or muffin tins. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes for cake pans and about 20 minutes for muffin tins. Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.

When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with toothpick, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates (the bottom is the most sticky bit!).

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Recipes for summer ~

                                                                      
The fabulous, ad free, Cuisine at Home magazine arrived today and the recipes and pictures reminded me about the dishes that were especially popular at the large gathering we had in May.  There were a hundred guest that enjoyed the many and varied dishes and two of the favorites were the chicken or shrimp lettuce wraps.  I myself am not too enamored with these dishes but people who think about  saving calories and eating smart dived right in to the shrimp that favored fresh herbs, or the tiny chicken squares blessed with ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint, lemon and dry roasted peanuts. A scoop of the filling nested in bread and butter lettuce sent some into a swoon.  When asked for the shrimp recipe, which I made up, I could not produce the amounts or exactly what I put into the mix, so it will probably never happen that same way twice. That's the beauty and the curse of cooking without a recipe.

Print

Corn & Black Bean Salad Cups

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups and 2 lettuce leaves, each

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup organic frozen corn, thawed
• 1 large poblano pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• ¾ cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 12 Bibb lettuce leaves

Instructions

Combine red onion, beans, corn, pepper, and cheese in a large bowl.

Combine lime juice, mayonnaise, and paprika in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour dressing over corn mixture; toss gently to coat.

Serve about 2/3 cup salad over each lettuce leaf.

Mary Alice's pea salad was also a hit with the people who do not usually grace our events.  They had not had it before and the generous dish was empty before the party was half over, according to the servers. Glenda's deviled eggs flew off the plates and there were refills so no one was disappointed. By the end of the affair every dessert platter was empty. Ann, Beth's mother, prepared two onion pies that flew out the door, pralines that people squirreled away to enjoy at home, and crab and shrimp Alfredo--two large serving dishes...gone before I got a picture. I love it when the food is gone and guests go away happy and satisfied. Love it!

Mary's Pea Salad

4 cups peas
1  cup of mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 onion chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 can Spanish peanuts (but I have used cashews, or other salty nuts in this)
Mix and chill

I am sure she at least doubled it for this party.

Chicken lettuce wraps:

1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 pound minced or square cut chicken or turkey breast (cooked to your liking)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsps. light brown sugar
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh mint
minced zest of 1 lemon, Bibb lettuce leaves, chopped dry-roasted peanuts, lime wedges

Heat together the chicken ginger and garlic for a minute or so.Whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic and cook til liquid is gone. Remove from stove and stir in onion. Stir in cilantro and mint and the zest. Serve in lettuce leaves topped with more cilantro and mint leaves, peanuts and a squeeze of lime.

Bella's recipe for summer is always take a nap after breakfast.

The boys of summer: Andy and his friends working at a summer job when in high school.  Andy's the cute one, right front.  (Really, they were all cute.)

Every Saturday in summer Andy stands in line for peaches from this particular farm.  This is the earliest arrival ever but  he took a chance that the farmer would bring peaches this Saturday for some reason.   Sure enough Andy brought home this small, juicy, delicious peach with a warning there would be no more until mid-July. We have already enjoyed some straight from the box. It's really summer now!

It's summer~ eat corn cakes

The blog called Mennonite Girls Can Cook nearly always pleases me when I go there...not that they are trying to please me, they just do. These down to earth cooks not only cook well but they take great pictures of their food and gardens. Today they featured corn cakes and since it is three days to summer and local corn will be knee high by July 4th, we can anticipate delectable treats on the cob.  However, until then, out of state corn is in many markets and can be used for this recipe, just as well.  Even frozen corn since it  is frozen at its best point will do well here. The girls always have a message to go along with their recipes and pictures that many people seem to enjoy because of the numerous hits on their site. I plug their blog and if you have not been there, look at this and then I am sure you will visit them on the Internet.

These savoury corn cakes are a great side dish to your menu. To add a bit more zip you can add sour cream, salsa and extra herbs. Picture this with a glass of iced tea and a side of sliced tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cups corn, cooked and drained
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Method:

1. In a medium size bowl combine dry ingredients with grated cheese and set aside.
2. In another bowl whisk together corn, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
3. Pour corn mixture over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened, like you would for a muffin batter.
4. Scoop batter for each cake on a hot grill (350º) which has been lightly greased.
5. They will spread a bit so no need to flatten them.
6. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes on one side, until brown at the edges, flip and cook another 4 minutes.
7. Yield: 7 cakes

Family Ties

Joe (Andy's brother), Glenda (Joe's wife), Andy and I have started a tradition of spending three weeks of winter  in Florida at different locations. Last year it was Sanibel, the new year, 2013,  it will be in Vero beach at a very secluded spot on the beach.

                                                     Each of the barreled structures is a five level private home with private beach and the ocean on one end and intercoastal water views on the back side.

It is always a very laid back time with limited obligations, lots of cards, sun, good food and exploration--usually by the guys. I am the ultimate slug on these vacations and I try to do it worry and obligation free.  I am mentally packing books and sun lotion and it is only June.  Glenda has started 'the box' of necessities.

Joe, Andy's brother, Glenda my sister-in-law, and their three children Pam, Kathy and Mary Susan.

The Mennonite Girls Can Cook (their blog) and they can also raise flowers.  This is their picture of my favorite flower.

In the category of where have I been and why didn't I market these, have you seen loaf pan parchment liners?  These are shaped paper products to line a loaf pan like a cupcake pan. They sell in the UK, but I can't find them on line here.  Are they in the stores and I've just missed them?  What a good idea.  Lakeland, in the UK, sells a variety of paper products made for baking.  I want them...waaaaa.

Are they serious? United airlines will be raising their second (checked) bag cost on international flights to from $70.-$100. per second checked bag?????????????? I checked in 15-20 trunks, bags and cartons on every trip from London and or Paris to home. This is why 'antiquers' can no longer buy abroad and get it home for a reasonable price. It takes the fun and the profit out of everything.  I read too that some airlines are charging for carry-ons.  Why not stay home and let them fly empty for a while to see if that changes things?

Happy Father's Day

Sweet Peas and other Delights ~

Bella resting during a BIG party May 2012.

The backyard ready for a party 2013.

JD Lechler

 Sweet Lechler faces.

Johnna greeting Andy at Disney World.

Thanksgiving at the beach house 2012.

My husband and his brother at Christmas.

Nate as a senior.

Summer treats.

A thank you bouquet for me from Tony and Connor for hosting the graduation party 2013.

Johnna Lechler

David Lechler

.

JD Lechler

.

Andy and my wedding with my father~1959

 Christmas in New Orleans 2012

 Matt, Mike and Nate in New Orleans

 A graduation party 2010.

 Chee and Tom, Easter 2013

Card game Easter 2013

Mother's Day flowers 2012

Michael, Daniel and Andrew

Adam

The Little Sisters of Pain: Kathy, Pam, Chee.

Mushrooms ~

How often to you get enough sauteed mushrooms?  Well, if you are in Columbus, now is your chance.  At Giant Eagle, Matt picked up ten cartons of button mushrooms and we are having them on everything!  At $1. a carton, why not?  Everyone who is eating here tonight, and there are many, adore this treat...all except Andy.  Andy is afraid for his life and will not knowingly put a mushroom on his tongue for fear of instant death.  Matt made a spectacular run to the store today and also bought sweet corn.  Where it is coming from, I know not, but it is delicious this year and we are trying to enjoy every cob.  My kitchen looks like a test lab today with every surface filled with fresh stock.  The party supplies, those that were left, are put to use as well, so dining will be odd tonight, to say the least.  I am still finding bottles of wine partly full and I am putting them (some of them) in a crock pot filled with carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, mushroom stems, and a nice roast.  At the last ten minutes add some ears of corn and you have a lovely one pot dinner with sauteed mushrooms on the side,( of course.)

                                                 The mop-heads are lush this year.  Our entire side garden is filled with varieties of hydrangeas and they make the most wonderful cut flower.

This is a good idea:  Menonite Girls Can Cook (blog) has wonderful ways to feed large crowds such as the baked potato bar as shown below--to add more interest use sweet potatoes as well as regular spuds. (This is a bar for 20 guests.)

Cherry,Pecan, Buttermilk Cake~at last !

Collectors of antiques are very competitive, but when it comes to keeping a recipe secret, unless you are in business, then it is a step too long as far as I am concerned.  I have searched for years for the maraschino cherry, pecan cake made with buttermilk.  Once I stopped begging and searching, it came to me. Chopped pecans and maraschino cherries perk up this pound cake-like bread.  The pretty slices are rich and moist with a crisp golden crust. Melissa Gentner, Tecumseh, Michigan, thank you. Even if it is not the one from 'a collector' it is right for me.  The batter is soooo heavy but lightened up with beaten egg whites. I am baking it as I write and I will do the step by step pictures, but first the recipe:

Don't be afraid:
2 cups of butter, softened--YES
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs are room temp. separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, but I used almond extract--makes more sense
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 (10 ounce) jars maraschino cherries drained and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks and vanilla; mix well.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk just until blended (batter will be very thick.) In a small mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold gently into batter. Fold in cherries and pecans.
Transfer to four greased and floured 8-in.x4-inx2-in. loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes depending on your oven. Cool ten minutes before removing from pan. (I did not use these types of loaf pans. I'll show you mine in the pictures, just use what you have and judge the amount to go in them. They are French timbale pans.)

I make a lot of trifle desserts and I think this left over cake would be delicious in a trifle.  I am sure you know that a trifle is a dessert pudding of sponge cake or cookies soaked with sherry or other liquor, topped with custard and whipped cream, usually garnished with sliced fresh fruit and or jam. I made this and also Ina Garten's tiramisu and  bread pudding for the party on Monday. There were many more desserts, but none left over.

                        Wait 10 minutes to de-pan.

Ahhhhh...Now when I do it again, I will put in many more cherries and pecans.  I will use the cherries whole.  I'll let you know how that works out.

If you live in Columbus, try the Buckeye Asian Express on Indianola Ave.  A young couple own and operate it and the place is very clean.  Each dish is prepared as ordered rather than prepared ahead of time.  Take-out and delivery only. Telephone 268-8802
4402 Indianola Ave. Col.,Ohio 43214

Our herbs are growing like weeds so today it's pasta with herbs and zesty mini meatballs for the motley crew.

                                                          Jackie Casey from England has a green thumb.  I have not seen the pink and cream peonies until now. They are lovely with the flow blue ware.

Mobile Munchies Ideas

Since the beginning of the show Food Truck Race on TV I have said that young people looking for a way to make money that does not tie them to a specific place and time should look into the food truck business.  Now Columbus alone has 70 different food truck jamming the city...that is not counting the Mexican trailers parked in parking lots and at stations like that.  These are grand scale and grand named luxury trucks with colorful paintings and names such as: The Hungry Monkey serving fun burgers with amazing taste, Tatoheads paying homage to the potato, Per Zoot old-school Italian flavors and New World style, The Pickled Swine featuring European-style deli, The Green Meanie serving eclectic street food, and Sophie's Gourmet Pirogi, to name but a few. I still think it is not too late to choose something you are good at making and go into business.  I always say if you don't like the customer's attitude, drive away, something you cannot do in a restaurant. One vendor says a bad day is around 20 orders and a good day is 50 orders or more.  Some places charge a collecting fee for parking.  One truck owner says she stops around 2:30 to scrub and restock and to prepare for the next day.  She starts cooking about 8:30 in the morning which begins her day.  I think it is an exciting way to make a living, but then for the last ten years of my 30 year teaching career, I taught from a reading van that was equipped like a luxury class room and I drove that huge vehicle with ease. Most mobile entrepreneurs use social media to inform diners about menus, hours and locations.  Like anything else, dedication and homework would be the keys to success. It might be a good idea to rent the truck for a year (too) to try out the business to see if it suits you; or work in one for a year to see how it is run and how much money comes in.  It's an idea.

Paris has another idea and it will be a hit I am sure.

Paris gets its first 24-hour baguette dispenser – feel le pain

Bread is partially cooked before being put in the machine, then finished off when ordered and delivered crisp and hot – for one euro.

• Kim Willsher in Paris
• guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 9 August 2011 12.58 EDT

French baker Jean-Louis Hecht stands next to his baguette dispenser in Paris. "My business is answering a real need," he said. Photograph: Michel Euler/AP

Cooking for 100~

                                 

     

Sooooo much fun.  Great people and happy graduates. We had over 100 people and the day was perfect.
                      
This is a fairly large crowd, many of whom I do not know, but it is not the biggest crowd that I have served.  My son's wedding reception here at home was the largest with 250 guests.  I thought I had two weeks, having lost track of time, but this is the week to bring it on. Brooks, Connor (a friend of Brooks), Daniel and Katlin (Andrew's girlfriend) are graduates who will be honored and Andrew, home from Afghanistan, will be hero- greeted as well. As I have said before, this is a macho menu. So far I have completed: chicken and noodles, ham and beans, chili, pulled pork, meatballs, pasta ears in meat sauce, pepperoni mac and cheese,  riblets (mini ribs.), and pasta- crab in alfredo sauce. I have three servers, one of whom will man the grill, serving mini fillet sliders, hot dogs, a variety of sausages, hamburgers and salmon. He will also create pizzas for the grill and quesadillas.  There will be dips and balls and other starters, the pasta dishes, an entire table of salads and a table of desserts. The Cincinnat Lechlers are bringing three salads, some gin, wine and beer, deviled eggs and some other things that I have yet to read about.  Pluckit bread will be served with drinks for sure.  It is delicious and something most of the guests will be trying in their own homes.  Brooks' father and his wife are flying in from Singapore, Singapore where they live and Beth's parents are coming from New Orleans.  Others across America are planning to be here as well. ( I had better put in my request for good weather.)  There will be plenty of pictures from before, during and perhaps, if I can still push a button, after. Wish me luck.
Doris

Note: This is the night before the event.  Tents are up, refrigerators are bulging, the house is at its best, the weeds have been pulled and I am done!

                                               

Finally!  Someone had the nerve to say, what I have been saying for years: Don't order steak in France. It may look like a steak and smell like a steak but unless you slice and grind for time on end, you will not be satisfied when the ordeal is over.  I would try a steak once a year just to see if they learned their lesson, as they did with coffee, but no, it was the same tough mess as always.  One time I was eating, or trying to, at an outdoor cafe.  I was actually glad when a big dog came along and grabbed the meat right off my plate--the waiter only made me pay for the part that I actually had eaten. David Lebovitz showed this lovely picture of a steak he was about to tenuously try because he craved steak and fries.  He has learned to be VERY careful where he orders this plate and this time a restaurant in Les Halles satisfied his craving.

Since I am turning the rest of this blog (from May on) into a book, as I did before, I want pictures from the party included, so I am adding them here.  They will only be of interest to the family, but this is an easy journal entry, doing it like this.  So please excuse my indulgence.