Home at last ! It's Roast Beef Sunday for eight...

                                                 

                              
           

After being away for a month and not able to up date this blog, we are home, safe, sound and happy.  We are looking forward to this roast tomorrow when the crowd comes to welcome us back from the beach.  It was glorious this year in the sun while snow pounded Columbus. Sorry about that.
Note:  Sam's has the best prime rib as you can see from this picture.  I always ask for a big section cut for either two roasts or three.  They will do it for you as you shop and I have never been disappointed.  This roast would serve ten people comfortably, we had only eight with left overs, for $60.  I am getting another for Easter this year which comes early...April 5th, the day after our 56th wedding anniversary.

Nate the wanderer is back with lovely pictures and a new out look on life.  His trip, alone, was inspiring and life changing.  He had the most wonderful time and strangely has asked me to join him on a trip next winter. I will share some of his pictures from his trip to Italy, Greece, and Turkey.  Turkey, I think, was his favorite.  He enjoyed and respected the kind people of that area and made many new and interesting friends.  He was brave to have planned, paid for, and executed it all on his own.  He's a new man.

Florida was wonderful this year, as usual.  The sun was present most every day and we are tanned and rested and happy.  We plan to go next year as well.  It is exciting to go and bliss to come home.  Nate discovered this as well, though I have long known this. He has a new appreciation for family and home which is what everyone finds out when they travel at length.
I want to say that Southwest is my new favorite way to travel.  Beth and Mike flew down for the last week and Mike drove the cast home while Beth and I flew.  It was a straight shot home and one of the easiest and cheapest flights I have ever taken and believe me I have taken many.

                                       

I did a lot of cooking at the beach again this year and strangely the cold penne salad was the all time favorite, but not with me. I've shown it to you before and the only thing different about it is the pasta is cooked to almost done and then the Italian dressing or dressing of your choice is put on while the pasta is hot so that it soaks up the goodness--I use lemon, olive oil, fresh herbs or dried, a bit of sugar, a touch of mustard, salt and pepper--a home made vinaigrette or a bottled one, it is your choice. Then I start looking for things in the frig that need using: any vegetable, squares of salami, cheese, olives....anything goes. Load it up, it can take it. It lasts for days.  If you cook the pasta too much, forget it and use it for something else.

 We ate out much more than usual because we had a lot of company.  One place was Squid Lips.  It was a local seafood place where you went when you were really hungry.  They gave generous portions except in the liquor area...then, not so much.

Before we left for the trip, Alyssa told me of a trilogy by a new author Michelle Hodkin.  This series is going to be a big hit like Twilight or the Hunger Games.  I could not put down these books.  Each book, around 450 pages, was easily read in a day and a half if you had nothing else to do and on  vacation, why not indulge yourself? I told Alex about them when she came and then she was rapt as well.  Written, as were the other two series for adolescents, this is  nonetheless unforgettable.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. The first book is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.

                                                    

Spaghetti Pie

                                                                                   

Good morning!

Triple Chocolate Rum Cake for Brooks.

The first time I heard about spaghetti pie was from Ruth Smith who wrote the miniature lamp books.  She traveled with us when we were antiquing so we had hours and hours together in the car discussing recipes and other issues. Ruth had served this to her club ladies and she said they carried on about it for days.  There are several recipes and one can even use left over spaghetti from previous dishes.  That is what I do and my recipe is a bit different in that it has eggs to bind and fresh green herbs for color. I also pack it firmly in a souffle dish so I can invert it on a serving board and slice it like a pie. I'll print more than one for you because this is a good go- to recipe that can be eaten at room temperature or any way you like pasta.

Spaghetti Pie has a layer of pasta with a ricotta cheese filling, topped with spaghetti sauce and Italian cheese.

Ingredients

Sauce (I just use sauce in a jar with the ground beef addition.) We like Carfagna's, but Paul Newman's is good too or any of Trader Joe's.) I also use a lot of fresh herbs.
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 28 oz. can  crushed Tomatoes
• 1 28 oz. can water
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pasta
• 10 oz. spaghetti or bucatini
• salt
• 1 16 oz. container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups Italian cheese
• 
  

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef. Add the onions and saute until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes, water and spices. Stir until mixed. Cook over medium heat for about 60 minutes, until sauce thickens.
3. Boil pasta in salted water for about 6 minutes, until it starts to become tender. Rinse in a colander with cold water.
4. Mix the ricotta, eggs, basil, and Parmesan cheese together. Add the pasta. Mix thoroughly.
5. Place pasta in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with spaghetti sauce. Cover pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove pan from oven and top with Italian cheese. Bake for another 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is melted and browned. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting.

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Food Network TV recipe for spaghetti pie:

• 1 pound cooked spaghetti, cooled
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss
• 4 eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 slices American cheese

Directions

Mix the cooled spaghetti, grated cheeses and eggs together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large nonstick saute pan and heat to medium heat. Once hot, add a handful of the spaghetti mixture to the pan and flatten it out to the edges. Lay the American cheese on top and add another layer of the spaghetti mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes and flip, cooking for another 5 minutes on the other side until golden brown.
Turn out onto a cutting board, slice as you would a pizza and serve.

Recipe courtesy Marc Murphy
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Kate Sears

Yields: 8 main-dish servings

Total Time: 1 hr 10 min

Prep Time: 20 min

Oven Temp: 375

Ingredients

U.S.

• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 2 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon(s) fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) dried bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoon(s) butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cup(s) whole milk
• 1/2 cup(s) dry white wine
• 1 pound(s) spaghetti

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high.
2. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onions, garlic, thyme, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 10 minutes, stirring often.
3. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup Gruyère. In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, 1 cup Gruyère, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; set aside.
4. Uncover skillet. Cook 5 to 7 minutes on medium-high., until golden, stirring often. Add wine and 1 tablespoons butter. Cook until wine is reduced by half.
5. Cook pasta for half the time label directs. Drain; return to pot. Stir in onion mixture and egg mixture. Transfer pasta to skillet. Top with crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until eggs set.

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Brooks is coming home late tonight and I want to have him greeted with this triple chocolate rum cake for his good grades.

                                 

Cake:

1 18 ounce box chocolate cake mix

1  2 7/8 ounce box instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 cup rum

4 eggs

1/2 cup low-fat milk (I added some sour cream too.)

1/2 cup oil

Once the batter is in the heavily greased bundt pan sprinkle in 1 cup of chocolate chips and swirl them around.  Bake 350 for 45 minutes and pull cake from oven and set it aside on a wire rack.

Glaze

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved

Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the hot cake and slowly pour glaze over the cake letting it soak in and cool a bit before inverting from pan.

This is a tried and true recipe.

The gang's all here salad~

I keep showing this salad in various forms.  It is one you cannot damage in any form.  It is also one that was the hit of Thanksgiving.  People took home left overs from the feast and this is the one they selected to talk about while trying to figure out what was in it exactly and how was it dressed.  The beauty of this rendition is that anything you like goes in it--it is a left-over delight. One can use any substantial pasta  rendition to the al dente level  because if you over cook the pasta it gives up and get rubbery.  If you have reached that stage by mistake, serve it with another dish and start again with the pasta. You should have everything cut up and in the bowl that you want to use up--left over cheese from the cheese board, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet onions or shallots or chives...see anything goes.  After everything is in the pretty bowl, dump in the hot or warm pasta, THEN dress it while it is hot with any of your favorite Italian dressings, your own lemon vinaigrette, Trader Joe's Goddess dressing--that choice is yours.  The warm pasta laps up the dressing and perks to attention--almost a salute to the cook of good choices. The meat too is your choice but odds and ends of salami any kind of hard salami (and a variety) is always good but not necessary.  It is what you like, what is left over and the way you make it your signature salad.  It lasts for days and can be carried to work for lunch and everyone will want to take a look, have a bite, and think you are the very best cook in the office.  Oh, for an office party it would be perfect. Now get up and start cooking, Christmas is two week away and company's coming! Happy day! 

                                        

 Amazing inventions. Andy and I went back to the car dealer for instructions on how to use all of the do-dads connected to these new cars.  It is totally amazing.  I can drive down the road  (sitting on my heated car seat), hands on the heated wheel, and say dial Andy Lechler and this woman, unknown to me, dials the number (my hands are still on the wheel and my eyes are still on the road) and lo and behold Andy answers the phone from his arm chair. This has to be right up there with sliced bread.

This unknown woman will also tell us where the nearest restaurant of our choice is and verbally lead us there.  It is going to be an exciting trip to Florida with all of these features.  Joe and Glenda will be giddy with delight when we show them these smart tricks.

I see a button over head that if you push it help will be available immediately. You are never alone in these new cars.  Andy has been back twice to learn about the new features and I have sat through it one time.  The guide does this every day all day long...it's his job and I can tell you I would have to strangle a few people if I were in his shoes.  We can be soooo dense at times and he is always so patient.

Cheesecakes

                                                       

Cheesecakes, you can do most anything to them and it all turns into a delicious treat.  In that large King Arthur (flour) order I told you about, is a glass jar of pecan pie filling which I have been thinking about for days.  When I remembered  there would be three or four extra hungry young people at home for a few weeks I thought this pecan cheese cake would fill the bill in the sweet tooth category. My cheesecake recipe came from a long time friend when I taught for her husband  back in the sixties.  I was told not to share it but since it is everywhere on the Internet and not that different after all, I will give it here.(I have discovered you can't trust me with a good recipe; I'm bound to share it.)

The base is simple use either vanilla wafers crushed with added melted butter to make the base or use graham crackers which is typical. Some add xxx sugar to the cookies, butter or crackers, I myself think the base is sweet enough and more of a raft for the good stuff. Press this base in a spring form pan bottom and part way up the sides.

.Next comes the jar of pecan pie filling from King Arthur.  Spread it over the base but not touching the sides of the pan--it's sticky cheesecake filling (8) ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1 cup sugar
cream these two items together
add 3 room temperature eggs one at a time beating after each addition
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (or use any extracts you like to go with pecans)
beat this mixture and brush down the sides of the bowl,,,the mixture should be smooth
After all is combined add the 2 cups of sour cream and stir it in.  Pour the entire mixture over the pecan filling and put the pan to bake in a water bath for around 50 minutes at 350.  Once the baking time is over, shut off the oven but open the oven door and leave the cheesecake sitting in there for an hour.  The top will probably crack any way but the water bath is said to prevent that--actually, I never use the water bath, I just put the pan in the oven and bake the cheesecake period.  I do leave it alone in the oven for an hour after baking.

After it is cooled, I am going to use drizzles of caramel sauce from a jar or bottle over the top.  You can use any pie filling over the top if you want to or any home made sauce but I think with that pecan base it would be one sequin too many.

If you want to bake a straight cheese cake, leave out the pecan pie filling and bake at 375 for 35 minutes but still turn off the oven and open the door and leave the cake for an hour to set.

Isn't this a good idea?

S'mores Dip ~ melted chocolate  and toasty marshmallows bake up in a skillet; scoop up with graham crackers for a perfect party dessert! | FiveHeartHome.com

I've found another delicious Trader Joe's product.  Mandarin orange chicken is in the frozen section and it is $5. a bag which would feed four hungry people with a side of fried rice or noodles.  It is a very easy product to produce and the family raved about it this evening.

 3

An omelet and a glass of wine~

                                       
                      

I have never trusted an egg.  I am suspicious of them to this day, but every once in a while I get a message from my body that an egg will cure.  In Paris when I had an apartment in St. Paul there was a simple bistro typical of France that made the best omelet I have ever eaten.  The old woman's touch was the recipe for its success for it held knuckles of potatoes and roasted mushrooms, fresh herbs and French cheese and it was sublime with a chilled glass of white wine. Just the break one needed after an early morning flea market or getting into a show early as a dealer, well before the regular crowd burst through the doors. I don't make this treat in omelet form but in a frittata which is much more forgiving and accepting of many more tasty items. (Also, I have trouble spelling omelet.  It just does not look right to me, not that I don't have to look up frittata's spelling as well.)


I am feeling so lazy this week.  I want to be in the kitchen but my feet won't take me there. I am finding really interesting and even fast recipes to try, but the urge is gone.  It will return, I am sure.  I do want to tell you I have been yearning for rib roast and yet dragging my feet over beef prices.  In the last few years I have had the guys at Sam's cut these beautiful rib roasts for me and they have been divine. I didn't have one for Thanksgiving because I thought it would be too expensive to get one the size I needed for this big crowd.  Yesterday I was surprised to find out the prices for beef at Sam's are the same as far as buying rib roasts.  They are simply beautiful and while they are not usually in the display case along with everything else, they will cut them especially for you in the size you want.  I have two in the freezer and when everyone gets home from college and skiing and finals, and running, we will have a nice sit down with one of these beauties next week.

I found this shrimp patty recipe that I thought would be fun to try with the frozen tiny salad shrimp that can be found in most markets.  Or fresh shrimp, of course would work, but why go to all the trouble when it is actually the accents you work into the batch that carry the flavor.  

Shrimp Patties

One bag of frozen salad shrimp (or shrimp of your choice)

1 1/2 c. butter crackers like Ritz, Clubhouse etc.

1/4 c. onion

2 jalapeno peppers

1 cup mayo

Squirt of hot mustard--I like Stalin's hot mustard in a tube

10 dashes hot sauce

celery to taste

Parmesan cheese

salt, pepper and anything else you like with shrimp

Mix, form into patties, chill

Get the old iron skillet out and fire it up.  Lay in the patties and be sure they are brown and crispy on on side before turning.  I always have trouble keeping any of this kind of mixture together in patty form...but let's try this.  If it is not going to hold up, I will add an egg to the mix and then try it.  The recipe did not call for an egg, however.

Bacon Crackers.  Sorry.  I saw this and have to make these.

One box of butter crackers like townshouse or Keebler or Clubhouse.

1 pack bacon

brown sugar

Cayenne pepper

Lay the crackers end to end on a baking sheet.

Cut the bacon strips into thirds and lay one of each 

on each cracker which will then be sprinkled with

brown sugar. Then sprinkle gently Cayenne pepper 

over the top. 350 oven until it looks like this picture.

OMG.  If Tom Reddy were here now, he would swoon.

Delicious ideas and tastes

                     

Shrimp scampi dip

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings

One of the best (and easiest) dips I've ever had, baked to absolute creamy, cheesy perfection!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
• 1/4 cup white wine*
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Make Yummy Ranch-Dusted Oyster Crackers

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, 1/4 cup mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and golden, about 10-12 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

*Chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.


Creamy artichoke dip.

This one I make every Thanksgiving for the turkey wrestler and there is nary a drop left at the end of the day. Everyone has this recipe, I just like to remind you to make it.

What a fun Holiday starter!  Who doesn't love grilled cheese and tomato soup??  I think it's a lot of people's favorites and what a great idea for a simple beginning. From Inspired by Charm.

Every time I go to Trader Joe's I try a different product.  This one is very good.

WHAT: SAVORY, GINGER TANG

TASTE LIKE:  To be honest, we expected it to be the usual frozen-to-table fare. Then, after heating it up on a skillet for a few minutes and dousing it in the microwaved sauce packet, our mouths melted. The chicken was crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. The orange tang of the sauce brought a superb punch of flavor, but didn't overwhelm the savory chicken taste.

PRICE: $4.99

Trader Joe's Nuts and seeds"

Nuts and Seeds

From basics to exotics, Trader Joe’s has nut fans (nut nuts?) covered with some of the best pricing I’ve found on cashews, pecans, macadamias, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Pine nuts are a steal, and there’s a terrific variety of trail mixes to keep you full of energy on long hikes. The Old-Fashioned Blister Peanuts are savory and delicious, while luxurious Marcona Almonds from Spain are lathered in olive oil and rosemary—an irresistible splurge at $6.49 for six ounces.

Don’t overlook the peanut butter, along with sunflower seed and almond butter options. Almond meal for gluten-free baking is another great buy at just $3.99 a pound.

Isn't this a good idea and we can do the bags ourselves with a hole punch.  Who knew?

I love your potatoes~

In my opinion, the English take the prize for roasted potatoes.  In the English Kitchen she gives a good recipe

for these delights and a picture that makes ones mouth water at the sight of these delectable potatoes. Never met a potato I didn't like. I've never met an English person who could not roast a mean potato either.

*Bacon and Mustard Roasted Potatoes*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe

Crisp roasted potatoes with a delicious mustard flavor and bacon bits.

3 TBS of olive oil

1/2 cup of regular or whole grain Dijon mustard 

2 TBS butter, melted

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp dried thyme

3 slices of  bacon, finely chopped

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds of potatoes, washed, dried and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 5 cups) 

Preheat the oven to 425*F.   Lightly oil a large, rimmed baking sheet with some olive oil.

Whisk together the olive oil, mustard, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme and some seasoning in a bowl.   
Add the potatoes and toss together.  Spread out on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast until crusty and browned, stirring them every 15 minutes.  Add the bacon, tossing it with the potatoes, during the last 15 minutes of cook time.  

Check and stir every 15 minutes or so until they are ready to your liking.

Now if you can get them to hold together, there is no better side dish than the following:

Potato Cakes

Printed from Potato Recipes at http://www.potatorecipes.co.uk/

Potato cakes are small, round patties of potato that you could serve as a side dish or use in the same way as

a burger. This version of the dish is also known as ‘latkes’.

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes

1 onion

3 eggs

2 tbsp. plain flour

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Directions:

1. Peel the onion and the potatoes and then grate them.

2. Place the grated veg into a bowl and lightly whisk the eggs. Pour the eggs in with the potato and onion and

add salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir until the mixture just begins to hold together.

3. Form patties of the mixture in your hands.

4. Heat some oil in a pan until shimmering and then fry the potato cakes for 6-7 minutes on each side.

5. Put the potato cakes onto a bit of kitchen towel before serving to drain any excess fat.

Author: Laura Young