Cook's Corner

I love early mornings on Wednesdays, after the dogs are fed, the coffee is made and people are out the door doing what they do.  It's then Cook's Corner time for me.  I am fearful that it will disappear as it has been reduced to just a couple of pages by the Columbus Dispatch  and seems to shrink weekly. Some weeks I think, well that was a bust, but days like today I am totally amazed.  I had NEVER heard of ice cream bread!!! Have you? Who would think of that concept and does it really work?  I am going to find out by trying this recipe as well as the other two listed here.  Nate has dug more red skin potatoes, so they will work in this potato salad recipe. Cornbread goes with many of my summer and winter recipes, so it will be fun to try as well.

Ice Cream Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home
After looking up the recipes on the Internet, apparently I am the only person who did not know about this recipe. Duh!

Ice cream bread:

Makes 1 mini loaf (about 4 servings)
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup butter pecan ice cream (or another favorite ice cream flavor), softened
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a mini loaf pan (5 3/4-inch-by-3-inch) with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan.
Joan Miller, Worthington
 
Time saving recipe
Makes 9 servings
Cheesy buttermilk cornbread:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 8-inch square baking pan.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese.
Whisk buttermilk, eggs and honey in another medium bowl to blend. Add butter. Whisk until blended. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
L.M., Columbus
 
Time saving recipe
Makes 6 servings
 
Potato salad with warm bacon dressing:
2 pounds red-skin potatoes, quartered
Salt
4 bacon strips
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, but not mushy. Drain. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble.
Add onion to skillet. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add vinegar, apple juice and mustard. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Pour bacon mixture over potatoes. Toss to coat. Season with salt. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

The Country Cook (blog) lady, the one obsessed with poke cakes, has this recipe for all of us to try.  Anything red velvet goes over well here, so let's give Brandi's cake a try. Her poke cakes are simply delicious and very easy to make.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake.

It starts off by using a red velvet boxed cake mix, then a sweet cream cheese layer is swirled in and then it's all topped off with a buttery cream cheese frosting.

 

Ingredients:

1 box Red Velvet Cake mix

(ingredients needed to make cake: eggs, oil & water)

1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg white

For the icing:

1/2 block (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. milk

I am still laughing at this post.  My dear mother never said these things, but I surely did!

THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME:

1. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"Your room looks like a tornado hit it."
2. My mother taught me about RELIGION.
... "You better pray that comes out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week."
4. My mother taught me about OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
5. My mother taught me about the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, I can take you out."
6. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in the world who don't have wonderful parents like you."
7. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when we get home."
8. My mother taught me about GENEOLOGY.
"Shut that door... You think you were raised in a barn?"
9. My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids... I hope they turn out just like you!"
10. My mother taught me about LOGIC.
"Because I said so, That's why."
11. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until your spinach is gone."
12. My mother taught me about IRONY.
"Keep crying. I'll give you something to cry about."

Baking in the rain

Today it is dark and rainy, but a nice break from the 90 degrees we have been 'enjoying'? I've lost my mind at the store again and the frig is bulging right when the garden has decided to pop. Right now I have a pot of gazpacho burbling on the stove. We have several baskets of tomatoes and no one leaves this property without tomatoes. The pool man came this morning and though he does not care for tomatoes, he saw that wild look in my eyes and decided to take some after all.

I have fruit galore, blueberries, peaches and the poor strawberries did not make it.  They wait for no one...either use them or lose them. I am going to do a blueberry muffin or buckle while it is raining and the gazpacho is brewing. (Nate's mouth is already watering over this tomato delight while his father can't run fast enough to get away from a pepper or a tomato.)

Visit thismamacooks.com

 

Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake

 

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 375°F. Coat 9x9x2-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray
2. In bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, milk and egg.
3. Stir in oil and blueberries, only until mixed.
4. Sprinkle 1/2 cup reserved Streusel Topping (see recipe) on bottom of pan. Carefully spread cake mixture on top. Cover with remaining reserved Streusel Pecan Topping.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out dry.

Streusel Topping

A perfect topping to any breakfast cake.
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In small bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
2. Cut in vanilla and butter using pastry blender or fork.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup topping and add pecans to remaining topping.

Lobster Rolls

I  was quite old before I had my first taste of lobster and even older before I had a lobster roll.  It was
 in Cape Cod during one of many antiquing excursions.  I've never forgotten that first bite...like my first introduction to pizza in the late fifties both stay with me still. I had only had one disappointing lobster roll, soggy and too early made last winter on the way home from Florida.  Lobster salad must be combined at the last minute before placing it on a toasted, buttered bun.  It's scrumptious then.  The best ones I have ever had, however, was one winter stay in Boca.  I had lobster salad, lobster rolls, and anything lobster related each day for a week.I was reminded of this when Ina Garten sent me her blog this morning which featured this delicious memory.  It's not hard to make at home, but here in Ohio we must simply come up with the lobster and fuss with it's cooking to a delicate state. Oh just to go to the fish monger and buy a pound already for the bun would be wonderful, but at what they charge on Long Island for lobster salad--last I hear it was $100. a pound at the Bread and Fishes and that was five years ago.  They don't charge that in Florida.  My lobster rolls filled to the brim was  $16. and worth every penny.  If you don't have it often, then why not?

                       

3/4 pound cooked fresh lobster meat, diced
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely diced celery (1 1/2 stalks)
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
8 hot dog rolls, grilled or toasted

Combine the lobster, mayonnaise, celery, capers, dill, salt, and pepper. Fill each roll and serve.
Recipe and picture Barefoot Contessa.

Labor Day week end is going to be crazy, but fun. Joe and Glenda arrive Friday night because Joe and Andy are attending the band show and football game at The Ohio State University.  Then they spend another night and the next day surprise guests arrive (surprise to them) and there will be a family birthday grill out party on Sunday with twenty to thirty guests. The guest of honor likes steaks and can't get enough of them, so they will be on the menu for sure.  Taco bowls will be present as well.  I always try to add a couple of new items to the two meal day, so I am looking for easy but tasty treats for the entire week end of partying. Glenda's stay is easy, she's a pizza girl so when they arrive Friday afternoon for cards and drinks, pizza will be on the menu for who ever else shows up and there are always plenty who magically appear especially with the pool beckoning.  Man it's a heat wave around here! As the menu for the long week end ahead comes together, I will share it with you. We may need to add ice to the pool, it's like bath water today,( Friday.) Tonight it is grilled salmon for those who love it and BLTs for those who can't do without them since the tomato crop has arrived! We already have two baskets of tomatoes, both red and yellow. Hello.

Can you tell I really want a lobster roll?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW CAN YOU TELL I REALLY, REALLY WANT A LOBSTER ROLL?

To Market~To Market to buy a....

This is the most amazing video.  If you like dogs, well.... http://www.youtube.com/embed/PztO-OvzRyg?rel=0

Andy has been to the outdoor market for our weekly basket of peaches which look fantastic today.  He has also bought corn on the cob for the first time this summer so we are gathering the crew for corn on the cob, egg plant Parmesan, Nate's home fries with onions and peppers, sliced tomatoes with basil and olive oil, and peaches over vanilla ice cream tonight. Everything fresh and available, except I am not making the ice cream. My ice cream is way too rich and I am saving it for special trips and occasions. This is simply a Saturday night for family to swim and have a bite to eat.

Nate, new to gardening but very good at it, started harvesting his Yukon gold potatoes and we have had a plethora of dishes from that harvesting already. Newly dug potatoes...you can't beat that.

 

                                   

Lovely Loaves

Beth brings Parmesan pepper bread from a good Columbus bakery when we have special occasions.  It comes with a packet of dried goodies to mix with olive oil for dipping this bread.  This week on Pinterest weekly@pinterest.com, it was all about the loaf.  In case you do not gaze at Pinterest as I do, here are some things I mean to try.  Believe me there are many, many pictures of delicious loaves that you will be panting to produce.

Black Pepper and Parmesan Beer Bread
Makes 1 (9”x5” loaf)
Ingredients:
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
14 ounces (a nice flavorful) beer
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, divided
zest of 1 lemon (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 -2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease the loaf pan and set aside.
2. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
3. Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture and add beer, 1/4 cup melted butter, lemon zest, Parmesan, and black pepper. Stir together until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix! (if there are small flour pockets, gently stir them away; a couple remaining flour pockets are okay).
4. Pour mixture into a prepared loaf pan. Pour remaining butter over top and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf.
5. Remove loaf from pan and allow it to cool until just warm to the touch (about 1 hour and 30 minutes), before slicing.
6. Slice and serve with whipped butter, if desired.
Recipe from: spoonforkbacon

Banana Fosters Pound Cake with Caramel Rum Glaze

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 fully ripe bananas, sliced
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
3 TBSP rum
In a large sauté pan add bananas and brown sugar over medium heat. Let sugar start to melt and add the rum. Bring to a boil and stir bananas the whole time. Cook until bananas are soft and can be smashed with your spoon easily. Mash the bananas with a spoon. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9-x-5-3inch loaf pan.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter with the granulated sugar high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Be sure each egg is completely incorporated and scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the next.
Add one half of the flour mixture to the batter and beat until it is just incorporated. Add  the mascarpone cheese and mix until just incorporated. Add the remaining flour and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the bananas foster mixture.
Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and set on rack to cool. If making mini loaves the cook time is about 45 minutes. Glaze when cool.
Caramel Rum Glaze:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
2 TBSP rum
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
In a small sauce pan add the brown sugar, butter, and cream and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and rum whisking until smooth.
Pour over cake.

Pam, my niece, makes really good pies and pecan is a speciality of hers.  I am not a pie baker--don't know why, but I just can't make it work. So even if this is not exactly a pie, I think I may be able to get a pecan fix, using up the pecans she so generously let me bring home from Hilton Head. How hard can this be, you might ask?  Let's see.

Pecan Pie Bars

adapted from Pillsbury

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup (dark or light, doesn't matter)

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg, beaten

Unroll dough and separate into 2 long rectangles; place in an ungreased 13x9" pan and press along the bottom and 1/2" up the sides, pressing the perforations firmly to seal. Bake for 8 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and egg. Pour over crust and bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely before cutting, and store at room temperature.

 

weekly@pinterest.com

Peaches and Cream

They are here and the lines have formed at the outdoor markets.  Andy got a big basket of the
luscious looking fruit, but I think it would have benefited hanging out on the tree for another week or so. As of now, they were better last year.



                                                                                     

 

Nevertheless, the family enjoyed a peach and blueberry cobbler with home made ice cream.  I am putting away the ice cream machine.  The calories, the calories, yikes.

 

Now cucumbers are another matter here on Cooke. We have already had a bushel of cucumbers, giving most of them away because I only like the small ones.  Mike and Beth juice the big ones, but many family benefit from the bountiful crop this year.  We have peppers galore and have had four small ripe tomatoes from a container pot. Everyone but me has planted something glorious this year, I just deal with the product.At $ 2.99 a pound for Ohio grown tomatoes, we won't be having many until our big crop comes in. My parents would roll in their graves to read this price for tomatoes.

 

Coming off a big tennis win, the British might celebrate with this lovely casserole from the English Kitchen.  They have a winner after 77 long years of waiting and hoping. Marie has a winner here.

 

*Buffalo Chicken Casserole*Serves 4

 

Your favorite chicken wing taste . . . in an easy casserole!  Makes a great use of leftover roast chicken! 3 cups of chopped cooked chicken 4 - 6 medium baking potatoes, washed and cubed 80 ml good olive oil (1/3 cup)1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt tsp black pepper 1 TBS ground sweet paprika TBS garlic powder 4 TBS hot sauce (you can use up to 2 TBS more if you like yours spicier)

1 TBS freeze dried parsley (I'll use fresh)

To finish:

100g of crumbled blue cheese  (1 cup)

240g of grated medium cheddar cheese (2 cups)70g pack of pancetta cubes (1/4 cup)5 spring onions, chopped  

 

   

David Liebovitz showed this picture and it reminds me of our house.  This is a restaurant in Sweden that stocks toothbrushes in their restrooms.  Since I change toothbrushes every day, thanks to the 6 for a dollar at the Family Dollar store, I think this idea is great.

                                                            

July 4th 2013

Never knowing how many more wonderful get- togethers we can all have together, we are going all out today starting with some of the dishes I uncovered to show you what is in store for the Lechlers today. There is also a taco bowl station and a 3 crock pot station I have yet to shoot.

 

 

Pam's pies ...delicious 

           

                     

Ooops, forgot to uncover this cheese tray.

Ohio grown tomatoes and Andy's herbs with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Broccoli, cauliflower salad.

My new invention of baked beans,

Glenda's cheesy potatoes/bacon.

 

I'll be back with more. Stay tuned. Happy 4th.

 

                             

Mike harvesting.

Meatballs

Taco bowl station

Lots of beans for some reason today

 

 

Crock pot station--2 bean soups and mac& cheese pepperoni

 

Pam is bringing good German meats: cold cuts, brats and metts (don't know them so can't spell them).  Tonight is the grill portion and the Cincinnati contributions to the day.

 

July 5th

 

Summer's Bounty

Somebody help me!  I have never seen the produce on this property that I have seen in two days.  We got home Saturday and Andy went out and got loads of cucumbers, peppers and even two ripe tomatoes to send home with Joe and Glenda..  Little did we know that hiding away was another half bushel of cucumbers. The kale and Swiss chard are taking over and we even have five egg plants. So, I will be making my first attempt at egg plant Parmesan. Our egg plants are small so I am going to slice them thinly ,salt them, dip them in egg and bread crumbs and bake them in the oven turning them once when one side is lightly browned.  Then I'll layer the slices in a buttered baking dish and put some cheese and Carfagna's tomato sauce and then a good helping of mozzarella on top and bake it to the bubble.  I hope this is correct.  I've read several recipes and they seem to be alike. We will see.

 

For crispier eggplant, dip in beaten eggs and coat with seasoned bread crumbs before frying

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, about 2 pounds (mine are small and young--pretty)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups cups canned tomato sauce( I use Carfagna's sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (fresh basil and thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Peel eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Fry on both sides in skillet in hot oil until browned. Drain well on paper towels. Place a layer of eggplant slices in a shallow baking dish; cover with some tomato sauce, a sprinkling of basil and garlic powder, a little Parmesan cheese, and a little of Mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with Mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

This is next for my ice cream machine!

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

(cheesecake ice cream recipe adapted from Tartelette)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

8 oz. cream cheese

6 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

Directions:

1. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. In a saucepan set on medium heat, bring the milk and the cream to boiling point, slowly pour a small amount on the egg yolks to temper. Pour the remaining over the yolks and sugar. 
2. Stir well then pour back in the saucepan and cook over medium low heat until the cream thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. 
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until completely melted and incorporated. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until cold. 
4. Process in an ice cream maker until it has reached soft-serve stage and almost doubled in size. 
5. Mash blueberries lightly, then mix in with ice cream and place in the freezer to harden, which will take about 2 hours. Serve in bowls or ice cream cones and enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:

Sorry to put this near a food recipe, but this is rather shocking.

I have the plumber on speed dial.  Last night in the middle of the night a stool was flushed and then what sounded like the shower going on. In checking, the entire bathroom was flooded and even dripping (clean) water down THE DOWNSTAIRS  hall chandelier fixture--that quick. The plumber showed me a note from the manufacture on the flexible coil near the shut off valve: "No harsh chemicals should be used near this coil"
 and I am a bleacher--I bleach around every stool on this property and when he showed me the coil and note there was a hole in the wire and flex material.  So be careful. WHO KNEW BEING TOO CLEAN  could cost you $90.?There are 7 stools in this house--I may go broke.

Hilton Head 2013

A couple of these were taken at home before the HH trip. And, I am having trouble controlling these computers--they've taken over. (Taylor, Brooks, Nate)

 

 

Hilton Head home. Glenda, Pam, Chee, Mary to the left and Joe.

 

Our home.

Home

 

George getting ready to catch his shark.

 

 

 

Chee and Pam.

 

Well, the computers have had their way while I was gone and they won't behave even now. Nevertheless, I got a few pictures on here, out of the 39 that I took.  The Lechlers are shutterbugs and I am the least of that group, so 39 is a lot for me to take at any one location.
We arrived last Saturday and had great weather all week.  The crowds were not bad and Glenda and I got a head start on the food shopping before anyone arrived.  We had dinner ready by the time the all-day-drivers got to Painted Bunting at Sea Pines. This is a very cohesive and appreciative group of people...all relatives who really get along and always have. The house was great, we've had it before, the beach was lovely, the drinks were yummy and the food was plentiful.  Joe, the pie man, brought me a latte every morning, I think to keep me making home made ice cream, so I was well treated.

I am however always glad to be home.  Joe and Glenda spent the night and drove home from Columbus early today. We had one last card game and a pizza to end the trip.  I came home to a wonderfully clean house and nicely trimmed yard, so that is the way to end a week's vacation.  Andy and I will see them all again on Thursday for an all day party the 4th of July. By the way, Andy has almost retired AGAIN...for the fourth time.  He has a new contract, so here we go again.  Keeps him young and on his toes and keeps me in pots and pans.