STACEY'S HOT DISH

THANKSGIVING!!!

2011-11-22T19:45:00.001-06:00

THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT MY MOTHER EVER TAUGHT ME HOW TO COOK. IT IS OF MY PEOPLE - MY FAMLIY.

WHEN I WAS FIRST ENCOURAGED TO START WRITING A FOOD BLOG I WAS OVERWHELMED, BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF ANYBODY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAD TO SAY ABOUT FOOD. I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THE THINGS THAT I DOUBTED ABOUT MYSELF AND THE OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHERE IT COULD LEAD ME.

SO AFTER MANY YEARS OF WRITING ARTICLES, MAKING VIDEOS, DOING RESEARCH, LATE-NIGHT COOKING, ENDLESS HOURS OF FILMING AND EDITING... NOT TO MENTION ALL THE EATING, AND SHARING OF ALL THAT GREAT FOOD... THIS IS WHAT IS MOST DEAR TO ME.

THIS ARTICLE WAS THE FIRST THING I EVER POSTED FOR "STACEY'S HOT DISH" IT IS THE FIRST VIDEO I EVER MADE AND IT IS DEDICATED TO MY MOTHER, BILLIE.

LONNA RAE CAPELLE
MID 1940'S

This is the chili that I grew-up with. It is a little different than what most people are used to, but my mother is from the mid-west and this is how they do it there! I have made this chili for many people over the years, and I must say there has been a myriad of strange reactions to this unusually soupy concoction. Make no mistake about it… they, in the end are all won over. Believe me your friends and family will be begging you to make that “spaghetti-soup” stuff!

Making large portions is great for this recipe, because it freezes well and it always tastes better the next day. As a matter of fact, I sometimes make it Thursday night before I go to bed when having a gang of friends over on Friday – get the picture? This to me, is the very foundation of my comfort food repertoire.

This recipe is for a large pot, and it simply goes like this…

3lbs. ground chuck or sirloin (I prefer using lean cuts of meat)
3 large can of tomatoes (stewed, broken-up or diced)
3 can of kidney beans (dark, red or a combination of both)
3 medium to large onion
1- 1 ½ box (es) spaghetti
4-6 tbs. Chili powder (I use hot chili powder)
Pepper
4-6 Garlic Cloves
Olive oil

Start a large pot of water to boil for the spaghetti. Sauté chopped onions and garlic in olive oil in a very large stock pot (I use a tamale pot which I bought from a Mexican grocery store). Add ground meat, chili powder, and pepper when onions start to soften, and brown. Do not add salt, because there will be enough when you add the pasta later. Be careful not to break up the meat too small. While meat is browning add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water and fully cook the spaghetti. DO NOT DRAIN THE PASTA. When the pasta is finished cooking turn off the heat and let it sit until adding to the big pot. You will want to cook the spaghetti a little more than al dente, because it will continue to absorb liquid as all of the ingredients come together. Add tomatoes and beans to the meat, and simmer. Adjust seasonings to taste. Pour the pasta - water and all into the big pot and continue to simmer. At this time, add salt to taste. Serve with oyster crackers or a loaf of fresh bread and butter.
Enjoy, and please let me know how this works for you!

Epic Easter Enchiladas

2011-05-05T20:54:00.007-05:00

POTLUCK with Michael Patrick McKinley

Once Upon A Pie...

2011-04-18T20:07:00.003-05:00

Blueberry Nectarine Galette

2011-04-17T20:08:00.005-05:00

Chicken Pye

2011-04-16T20:11:00.003-05:00

Pasties Bombay

2011-04-15T20:13:00.002-05:00

Give Us This Day!

2011-04-14T20:15:00.001-05:00

The Stroganoff

2011-04-13T20:17:00.001-05:00

FILIPINO FOOD

2010-09-28T04:15:00.008-05:00

ADOBO: THE RECIPE

In a medium sized bowl add equal parts of cider vinegar, soy sauce, and water. I use 1 cup of each. Adjust amounts to your desired taste. You should be able to clearly taste equal amounts of both the vinegar and the soy sauce. I like to make a lot of the liquid mixture, because I love to pour it over my rice. Mix in 2-4 (or more) Tablespoons of paprika. The paprika will give good color to the adobo and round, [or mellow] out the intensity of the vinegar and soy. In a large heavy pot or skillet brown meat of choice. If using chicken season with salt and pepper and brown, starting with the skin side down. I usually use 8-12 thighs. Figure 2-3 thighs per person. Brown on all sides and set aside. If using pork I like to use a shoulder roast. Cut pork into 1" cubes season with salt and pepper and brown well on all sides. I usually consider 3-5 oz. of boneless meat per person. Set aside. In a large stock pot add a little fat and slowly cook an entire head of chopped garlic over mediun heat. Add the browned meat to the pot and pour the vinegar mixture over the meat. Add a small hand full of freshly cracked black peppercorns. Cover and simmer until meat is tender. Skim off any excess fat and serve with white rice. Adobo, if there is any left, is even better the next day.

This is something that everyone in my entire family makes. Imagine all those slightly unique nuances in my family alone! Aside from scrambled eggs it seems that you are christened an official cook in my family once you first make adobo. There are "out-to-jury" debates still up in the air whether you should add pickling spice or not. Truthfully, sometimes I add it and sometimes I don't.

Adobo is traditionally served over or with rice. The ingredient list is simple. All of the ingredients are staples that almost everyone has in their pantry. This is a dish that can be made quick or slow. That is one of the great things about it! I have made this tangy soupy Filipino dish for many of my friends over the years and like my mothers chili the initial reaction in always something to behold!

First of all, there is an amazing combination of smells when you walk into a house where adobo is being made. Because one of the main ingredients is cider vinegar. One can not help becoming overloaded by the pungent aroma of vinegar. Along with the aromas of garlic and soy sauce it simply is a symphony to your sense of smell.

The spices are simple as well. Salt, freshly cracked black peppercorns, garlic and paprika are all you need to make this wonderful dish. At first taste most people are overwhelmed by the sharp flavors, but after the flavors start to roll around the palate, the complexity starts to reveal its unusual composition.

Adobo can be made with chicken. It is probably the most popular. Any and all parts of the bird can be used. I prefer using thighs, because I am a huge fan of the dark meat of chicken. For me, the breast has a tendency to become a little too dry, and legs are just too much work. Over time I suggest that you try all different cuts of the bird to find-out what you like best.

Pork is the other meat of choice to use for adobo. If you are a true Filipino than you know that beef is never used to make adobo. My grandpa use to make it in his restaurant, but it is unusual. It is good and you can be done, but like I said, "you just don't do it!" I think that the reason for not doing it is because the vinegar has a tendency to really dry-out the meat.

POTLUCK with Michael Patrick McKinley

2010-09-28T03:22:00.003-05:00

DOUBLE HAPPINESS MEATLOAF

I've never been a kethcup on meatloaf kinda guy...

When Stacey told me he was planning to "skew Asian" for the October edition of The Dish, I scratched my head for just about a minute. I've been having a life-long affair with Asian cuisine, but a signature dish of my own to share with you? I didn't think I had one.Then I remembered my meatloaf. This is a recipe that's been evolving over time, but started as a simple turkey meatloaf about 15 years ago. You know, the kind with Lipton's Onion Soup Mix . Only one night on it's way into the oven, I realized I had no BBQ sauce to glaze the top of it with, and I don't do ketchup with meatloaf. Meat pies however, are another story! I digress...

I foraged through the fridge to see what I could substitute for that sweet-salty, caramelizing factor I'd be missing without the BBQ sauce. Then suddenly, there it was. Like a cartoon style light bulb moment, the jar of Hoisin sauce imprisoned in the door compartment beckoned to me to set it free, and slather it across my ordinary turkey loaf. The result was sensational, and I haven't seen Sweet Baby Ray since!

Of course you can bake this in a loaf pan, but why? When you plate these little lovelies, streak each plate with additional hoisin sauce, then place 2 on each plate [one sitting on its butt, the other playfully tilted on it's side], and sprinkle with some chopped cilantro leaves. To me, meatloaf is a very Autumnal meal, so I love to serve it with baked hard squash that's on the naturally sweet side, like Buttercup or Hubbard, and finish the meal with roasted Brussel sprouts.

Make these for your next dinner party, and your guests will not only be impressed by this Asian inspired twist on an American comfort food classic, but your clever presentation too!

1 1/2 lbs Ground Turkey

1 1/2 lbs Ground Pork

2 eggs

1 tablespoon fat

1 small sweet potato, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapeno

2 tablespoon minced dried onion

2 teaspoons Chinese five spice

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic paste

6 scallions sliced very thin

1/2 cup minced water chestnuts

1 1/2 cups panko flakes

hoisin sauce

Preheat oven to 375

Saute minced jalapeno and sweet potato in melted fat [I like to use butter or bacon fat] just until the potato starts to soften. Meanwhile, place all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl (except hoisin). Add sauteed potatoes and jalapenos, and mix with hands until all elements are fully incorporated. Pack mixture into the compartments of a 12-count muffin tin, mounding up over the top of the fill line. [The "meatloaves" will shrink as they cook, and release fats and juices.] Liberally smear the crowns with hoisin sauce, and bake for approximately 30 minutes. They should shrink away from the sides of the pan and the tops should caramelize.

Let them rest for 5 minutes, run a knife around the edges to ensure easy release, and remove from tins.

THE ESSENTIAL ASIAN SAUCES

2010-09-28T02:39:00.003-05:00

OYSTER SAUCE

Oyster sauce is a flavorful, savory sauce which is Chinese in origin. As the name implies, oyster sauce is traditionally made with oysters, although it is also possible to find vegetarian versions. There are a number of ways to use this tangy sauce, making it a useful addition to one's Asian sauce cupboard.

In addition to being used extensively in China, oyster sauce is also consumed in Thailand and the Philippines, and each nation has developed its own unique take on the sauce. All versions of the sauce owe their origins to ancient Asian sauces made with bases of fermented fish. These sauces all share the trait of being extremely savory as a result of high concentrations of free glutamates, which create a flavor known as “umami” in Asian cuisine.

Credit for the invention of oyster sauce is usually given to the Lee Kum Kee company, a venerable maker of sauces based in Hong Kong. The traditional sauce is made by cooking oysters over low heat for a long time, essentially creating a condensed oyster flavor. As the shellfish cook, the juices start to thicken and caramelize, yielding a very rich, dark, somewhat sweet sauce.

Modern oyster sauce often cuts a few corners, cooking oysters for a brief period of time in brine and then adding soy sauce and caramelized sugar to achieve the desired color and hint at the taste of umami from the oysters. Cornstarch may be added to the sauce to thicken it, and some companies also add monosodium glutamate to enhance the umami flavor of the sauce.

Vegetarians don't have to be left out of the oyster sauce world. A very good vegetarian imitation is made with mushrooms, often oyster mushrooms, in fact, because they have a rich, meaty flavor which reminds many people of the seafood they are named for. Vegetarian versions are often more heavily adulterated with additives to achieve the desired flavor, although some more natural versions are available from companies which specialize in natural vegetarian food.

FISH SAUCE

Fish sauce is a condiment made from fish. There are a number of different types of fish sauce around the world, made in a range of ways from an assortment of species. The condiment is most closely associated with Asian cuisine, since a number of Asian nations use fish sauce extensively. It also appears in the West, however, and the food has a very long history dating back thousands of years.

The base of fish sauce is, naturally, fish. Some producers use salt-cured fish, while others use fresh fish, dried fish, or cooked fish. Anchovies are a common choice, but other species may be used as well, and some fish sauces actually call only for the entrails of the fish, while others use whole fish. The fish is packed in barrels with or without an assortment of spices, and salt is added as well. Then, the fish is allowed to ferment, resulting in a pale brown liquid which smells quite intense and imparts a rich, salty flavor to the dishes it is added to. I advise you to use this sauce sparingly until you get used to the intensity of the particular sauce you chose to buy.

The roots of fish sauce in Asia are ancient, and the condiment has wormed its way into pride of place on the condiment shelf in many countries. Fish sauce may be called nuoc mam, nam pla, patis, or bagoong monamon, depending on the nation. Asian cuisine also includes a family of fermented fish pastes and seasonings which are all related to fish sauce. Fish sauce may be added to dipping sauces, included in the seasoning for stir fries, and sprinkled into dressings for salads and meats. Depending on the nation, fish sauce may be used almost like flavored salt or soy sauce, since the combination of salt and fermented fish packs quite a flavor.

In the West, fish sauce has been manufactured for thousands of years, although it has evolved slightly away from truly fermented fish. The first fish sauce was garum, a seasoning made by the Romans from anchovies and an assortment of other caught fishes. Garum was a crucial ingredient in Roman cooking, and it was carried all over the Roman empire. A modern descendant of garum is Worcestershire sauce, a popular British condiment.

SOY SAUCE

Many of us would not consider having Chinese or Japanese food without using a little soy sauce. But do you know what is in this wonderful sauce, or how it first came to be developed? Here are some things about soy sauce that you may find interesting.

Also known as soya sauce, the exact origins of soy sauce are long lost to history. However, there is evidence that the basic mixture of soybeans, roasted grain, water, and salt has been in use for at over two thousand years. The earliest recorded recipes for making soy sauce are associated with China, although there are variations of this great fermented sauce found in all sorts of Asian cuisine. There is also some evidence that Buddhist monks first brought the concept of soy sauce to Japan during the 7th century, where the innovative Japanese set about putting their own mark on the manufacturing of soy sauce. In fact, there are those that say the fermentation process that developed in Japan produces the finest soy sauce in the world.

Strictly speaking, there is no one definitive recipe for making soy sauce. Of course all of them involve the use of soybeans, and there are one or two that also use soy flour in the recipe. All told, you can find over twenty types of soy sauce to grace your table and enhance the taste of your food. Some of these nationally developed sauces are considered to be fresh soy sauce, in that the sauce is thinner and is made employing a double fermentation process. Varieties that fall into this category are often used for seasoning meats and at the table with vegetables and rice, as they provide quite a lot of taste.

Dark soy sauces are somewhat thicker and usually employ a single fermentation process. The difference is that the dark sauce is allowed to ferment for a longer period of time. Molasses is also an ingredient in the darker sauces, which helps to give them a sweeter taste and less of the salty zing that one finds with the fresh sauces. These types of soy sauce are used in cooking, both for the mixture of flavors and also because they can add color to just about any dish. Dark soy sauce usually is not found on the table, as it is not considered suitable for dipping.

As well as shining on its own and adding flavor to meats and vegetables, soy sauce also takes a bow as a main ingredient in other condiments. As an example, there are a number of salad dressings that employ soy sauce, especially ones that are meant to take the place of high fat salad dressings. Many people are surprised to learn that soy sauce is also a key ingredient in another favorite household item, good old fashioned Worcestershire sauce. Along with being a favorite ingredient in a number of condiments, there are some interesting alcoholic drinks that call for a dash of soy sauce to add a little more zest to the drink. Try some in a bloody Mary!

TAMARI

Tamari soy sauce is a type of shoyu, the Japanese word for “soy sauce.” The technique for making tamari is quite distinctive, yielding a complex, rich flavor which some people find very enjoyable. Many Asian markets stock tamari, and it can also be found at general stores which stock Asian ingredients. True tamari has a very dark color and an almost smoky flavor, and it can be used as a dip, marinade, or baste; it is also used as a component in other sauces and dips.

Tamari is made by collecting the liquid which drains from miso as it ages. Miso is a fermented soybean paste which is a major component in Japanese cooking; miso appears in soups, stocks, sauces, and a wide variety of other foods. It is also made with a range of grains, yielding an array of textures, flavors, and feels. In Japan, tamari soy sauce production is focused in the Chubu region, where it is also known as miso-damari.

In the West, there is a great deal of confusion surrounding tamari. This is because Japanese shoyus were originally introduced, marketed, and sold in the West as “tamari,” rather than being differentiated by type. As a result, a wide range of products were known by the “tamari” name when true tamari soy sauce was introduced. This has been especially problematic for the gluten intolerant, as tamari is naturally gluten free, but shoyu is not, since shoyu is traditionally fermented with wheat.

In fact, tamari soy sauce is distinct from other types of shoyu and soy sauces from other regions, and it cannot be interchanged with sauces like usukuchi shoyu or Indonesian kecap. Tamari is rich with a tangy flavor from the miso fermentation process, and it is one of the darkest forms of Japanese shoyu. Because there is a bit of confusion about shoyu labeling in the United States, people with gluten intolerance should read labels on tamari soy sauce carefully to ensure that it is true tamari, fermented without any gluten.

CURRY PASTE

Curry paste is a finely ground or pureed blend of aromatic spices, herbs, and vegetables. It is widely used as an ingredient in the cuisines of many cultures to make curries, stews, and other dishes. There are many different types of curry pastes, and each country’s blend has a distinct flavor.

The term “curry” comes from the Tamil word for “gravy” or “sauce” and is, therefore, open to broad interpretation. There are two basic categories: dry and wet. Dry curry dishes may be made with whole or powdered spices; wet curry dishes are typically made with curry paste.

The base for a curry paste usually contains ingredients such as ginger, garlic, and onion. Some blends include chili peppers, lemongrass, and leafy herbs. Liquids such as coconut milk, citrus juice, and vinegar may also be used. Nuts and legumes are sometimes added for texture and flavor along with condiments such as Asian fish sauce, shrimp paste, and tamarind paste.

The most common spices are cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Other spices may include dried chilies, cinnamon, and black pepper. Seeds such as fennel, mustard, or fenugreek may also be used. For some blends, whole spices may be roasted before grinding.

Curry pastes are traditionally blended with a mortar and pestle. This method is still used in many cultures, especially in developing nations where electricity and modern appliances are unavailable. In modern kitchens, the ingredients may be pureed in a blender or food processor.

Indian cuisine is best known for the use of curry paste in its many regional dishes. Neighboring countries Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka use similar blends in their cuisines. To the north, Nepalese, Bhutanese, and Tibetan cuisines include their own versions of curry paste.

The cuisine of Thailand features three basic types of curry paste: yellow, green, and red. Yellow Thai curry paste is spiced with turmeric, which turns it a deep shade of ochre. The green type gets its color from cilantro and green chilies. The red blend is made with fiery red chili peppers.

Characterized by a sweet taste and a low alcohol content, mirin is a popular Japanese cooking wine. While use in cooking is far and away the most common application of mirin, the wine is sometimes employed as a ceremonial drink at the beginning of the new year and a few other special occasions. The main benefit of mirin is the dash of sweetness that the alcohol provides for a number of dishes and sauces that are common to Japanese cuisine. In appearance, mirin has a golden hue that is very pleasing to the eye. In addition, the inclusion of this sweet cooking wine will also provide slight sheen when used to prepare fish and various types of meat. Using mirin as an ingredient for coating or covering with a sauce helps to enhance the presentation of the dish, helping the food to be as visually appealing as it is flavorful.

The creation of mirin begins with the use of glutinous rice that is combined with distilled spirits. Manufacturers of this rice wine only allow the fermentation process to go so far, since the focus is on achieving the correct level of sweetness and not necessarily a given level of alcohol content. It is the sweet property of the wine that helps to lessen the overall impact of strong fish odors in a number of recipes, while still managing to enhance the flavors of other ingredients in the recipe.

While mirin does not have a high alcohol content, it is often found in the liquor department of supermarkets, as well as in wine and spirits shops. This is true even for the two ceremonial versions of mirin that are used to celebrate the new year, hon and shin. Because the sweet taste is very strong, a small amount of mirin in a recipe will produce excellent results.

OCTOBER LETTER FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK [ME]

2010-09-28T01:19:00.002-05:00

Early Fall

It seems to me that Halloween is more of an actual Holiday here in the mid-west than it ever was in my home state of California. With the exception of my living in West Hollywood, in my adulthood, I have yet to experience anything like the likes of Halloween in the flamboyant Southern California community I called home for many years. Billed as one of the largest spectacles in Los Angeles, Halloween on Santa Monica Boulevard can garner over 200,000 spectators. As a resident and a flamboyant one myself, I have participated in many of those celebrations. Although many of the observers were there to merely gawk at the myriad of freaks donned in feathers and sequins, we as the “Parade of Freaks” roamed freely upon our home streets with pride. One year, when I lived on Norton Avenue with my BFF Michael, one block off of the boulevard, and we were not quite sure what we were gonna do. As a matter of fact, I believe we had originally decided to do nothing, [until the last minute,] that year. I think we were just gonna hit the boulevard for a while, have a drink or two at on of our spots, and then call it a night.

When I got home from work I walked into my house to see James and Michael in a sea of shopping bags and black tulle. For a split moment I wondered what the hell they were doing! Then, Michael walked into his bedroom and came out with this glorious long red curly wig. Giggling and giggling he said, “Isn't it great! Me and James went wig shopping on Hollywood Boulevard!” Truth of the matter was... it was beyond great! It was the most fabulous curly red wigs ever! So, there it was. We were going to become part of it! However, I had nothing because I hadn't planned on going out, [in costume!] so James and I got in the car and rushed down a few blocks to Melrose. I had worked on Melrose Avenue at the La Cienega Flower Shop on the corner of Crescent Heights as well as at Vous, a hair salon, next to Fairfax High School for years and was very familiar with all of the great shops and fantastic boutiques. There is a reason it is one of the greatest shopping meccas in all of Los Angeles. I was not sure what I wanted to do or what I was looking for See, when you live in West Hollywood, and you are doing Halloween you need to be doing Halloween. Usually you would have been working on your costume for many weeks, if not several months. This is very serious stuff in a very serious way!

James and I were walking and talking in the everyday happenings of a neighborhood we were both very familiar with. After stopping in the salon for me to grab a few supplies we headed into the bustle of the world famous Melrose Avenue. We walked into a place where strippers by themed costuming and acrylic high-heeled shoes. Nothing! Can you believe it... nothing. Hummm, I was sure I was I was gonna find something, anything! Truth of the matter was: Halloween costume goers had long since wiped the store clean of anything I was brave enough to wear. What ever! We went to the car, [ EDIT! EDIT! EDIT!] and AFTER A HEAD CHANGE, we walked into a little boutique because there was this dress in the window that I had to get a closer look at.

The garment was beautiful and extremely hand-crafted. I have always been fascinated by well made garments for men or for women. I like to study them, observe the way they are constructed, and feel the hand of the fabric - as this was the case. James mentions that time is a wasting, and as we were walking out the door, I spotted it! On a form high up on the wall – the perfect little black “Mariah Carey” dress! It was a simple black cotton tank dress with just the right amount of spandex. Aside from the white tassel fringe on the neck line it was perfect!

We rushed home to find that Michael was in the process of transforming himself into “Ginger Holiday” It was on! It was almost like you could smell the testosterone fading into a frantic sea of estrogen. Turning James into Mona D was something I had done many times over the years – I could paint his face in less than 15 minutes flat! I was gonna be a different story, because I wasn't big on tights or pantyhose I contemplated shaving my legs. In the shower I heard the guys telling me to man up and shave my legs. So, I did! Remember I had some pretty long hair back then, and no boy ever does his own hair in West Hollywood! With my hair up in a towel I found that James was in the living room already half way to becoming Mona D! I sat James down in a chair, ratted the crap out of his hair, sprayed the B-Geezus out of it, and painted his mug! Viola! James is Mona in fifteen minutes flat!

I take a seam ripper to the ridicules white tassel fringe, slip on the dress, and put on my old reliable black pumps! With the towel still on my head, I powdered my face, applied a generous layer or two of clear mascara, a lined my perfectly manicured eyebrows with my trusty charcoal gray eyeliner pencil, and glossed my lips. Quick, simple, and 10 minutes down! That was the year I used two bobby pins to create the perfect chignon anchored on the top of my head. I grabbed a black tulle petticoat I made and used as a Christmas tree skirt, threw it over my shoulders, and we were out the door.

I remember that night walking past a family that asked me what I thought of the whole thing. I replied that I thought it was great as the mother asked me why I wasn't wearing a costume. I told her I was and left it at that!

This year on Halloween whether you don yourself in an elaborate costume, go down to your local spot to gawk at all the freaks, or stay at home to pass out candy I urge you to have a safe and fun Halloween. And, to my pagan family: Happy Holiday!

SEPTEMBER 2010

2010-08-30T11:30:00.006-05:00

It seems I am always asking Nick what his favorite things are. Whether it is his favorite cake, fruit, ice cream... Get the picture? His answers are always concise, very particular [with the exception of the text messages printed below in the *foot note]. I love to take that information and go into my kitchen where I let the “madness of creation” begin. One thing I like to do in my kitchen when I can find the time is to create something from an idea and ingredients using my mind and turn it all into something new and fantastic. “I LIKE THE PROCESS OF TRIAL AND ERROR!” Few things excite me more than when I nail something dead on the first time out-of-the-gate. I like working something out in theory using my mind, to figure out the math and science of it. Since it is all relatively simple: cooking can be an awesome experiment! I most certainly enjoy creating something for someone.

SEVERAL CIRCLES

KANDINSKY, WASSILY 1866-1944 B. RUSSIA ACTIVE GERMANY AND FRANCE

"SEVERAL CIRCLES” 1926, OIL ON CANVAS, 55 X-55 IN (140 X 140 CM)
SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, NEW YORK

In this issue I am NUTS ABOUT NICK! I have put together an assortment of postings that involves some of my favorite food moments [as of late.] Nick says he doesn't mind letting me exploit him on the internet. I have a bundle if unpublished posting that I have been saving for just the right moments, because I am not always able to post certain articles by the time I have time to completely finish them. The body of work in this current issue is a combination of events and life moments that have taken place over the last few years. As luck would have it they are all documented - these are some of Nick's favorite things.

I think:

“Nick is the cutest boy on Earth... and, I am nuts about him!”

*FOOT NOTE: This is a text conversation between Nick and myself a couple of weeks ago.

To: Nick From: Me

08/18/2010 11:18 am

Happy Wednesday! Stacey here. Do you have a favorite artist?

To: Me From: Nick

08/18/2010 1:09 pm

You too, not really, not that I can think of.

I was asking him this question because I was going to do some research on the artist and post an interesting “work of art” and use it to dictate the color theme for the current issue. This month I have chosen the art work based on other criteria. Kandinsky was chosen because Nick's favorite color is black. Watts was chosen because "HOPE" is beautiful... and, well... isn't it obvious? And, the rest were chosen as plays on words.

FRESH MINT WITH ANDES CHUNK ICE CREAM

2010-08-30T11:00:00.002-05:00

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I made this last summer, especially for Nick, and I have been saving it for now. This was going to be a dead in the water post, because I seem to have misplaced the pictures on the computer when I was trying to download them. As luck would have it they seem to appear a year later just in time to premier in the Nick issue.

This is a basic ice cream in a traditional sense and it is as versatile as any custard that you will make that needs to be churned in an ice cream maker. The point for churning custard, [ice cream] in an ice cream maker is to incorporate air into the mixture. This will give your finished product a fluffy texture instead of a dense and solid texture. If you do not have an ice cream maker you can make this ice cream just the same with a few extra steps using a stainless steel bowl in the freezer. I will explain the process, [see *note*] for that method later; however, it will yield a denser texture.

*NOTE: When the custard has cooled and you have added all of your additional ingredients put the custard into a frozen stainless steel bowl. In the case of this mint ands chip ice cream don't add the chocolate candy until later. Place bowl in freezer. About every 15-25 minutes scrape around edge of bowl as the custard will start to freeze from the outside of the bowl to the inside. Scrape the frozen parts into the center of the bowl. The reason for scraping the edges down is so that the custard will not freeze into too solid of a mass. By not doing this, the custard will freeze so hard that it will nearly be impossible to scoop of the ice cream.

Continue to do this until the mixture is about 50 percent frozen and 50 percent liquid. At this time, gently fold in the chopped Andes mints incorporating the chocolate completely. Continue to check and fold mixture until ice cream it is frozen to a soft ice cream consistency. I will be best to serve and eat the ice cream made with this technique before the custard gets too hard.

Ingredients

3 cups of fresh mint leaves (not stems), rinsed, drained, packed

1 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream (divided, 1 cup and 1 cup)

2/3 cup sugar

A pinch of salt

6 egg yolks

6 ounces semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate, chopped fine, keep in the freezer until used

1. Put the mint leaves in a heavy saucepan with the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of the cream. Heat until just steaming (do not let boil), remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Reheat the mixture until steaming, remove from heat and let stand for 15 more minutes.

2. While the mint is infusing in step 1, prepare the remaining cream over an ice bath. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set in ice water (with lots of ice) over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

3. Strain the milk cream mixture into a separate bowl, pressing against the mint leaves with a rubber spatula in the sieve to get the most liquid out of them. Return the milk cream mixture to the saucepan. Add sugar and salt to the mixture. Heat until just steaming again, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. Slowly pour the heated milk cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm mixture, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

5. Return the saucepan to the stove, stirring the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10 minutes.

If the custard base does not coat the back of the spoon, it is not ready. The custard base coats the back of the spoon. You can run your finger across the coating and have it not run. It is ready and should be removed from heat immediately, and poured through the sieve over the ice bath to stop the cooking.

6. Pour the custard through the strainer (from step 2) and stir into the cold cream to stop the cooking.

7. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least a couple of hours) or stir the mixture in the bowl placed over the ice bath until thoroughly chilled (20 minutes or so). Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8. Once the ice cream has been made in the ice cream maker it should be pretty soft. Gently fold in the finely chopped chocolate. Put in an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.

Note that there is no alcohol in this recipe. A few teaspoons of some spirits such as rum or bourbon will help keep the ice cream soft over several days. Even the alcohol in vanilla extract will help. If you have no added alcohol in a homemade ice cream recipe, we recommend that you eat it up quickly, in a day or two; beyond that point the ice cream will quickly get very very hard.

Note that if you do not have fresh mint, you can make this mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe with peppermint extract. Skip steps 1 and 2, instead heating 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of cream and the sugar and salt until steaming. Continue with step 3. Add 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract in with the chilled custard mixture in step 6.

STALKING THE BOY!!!

2010-08-30T10:00:00.002-05:00

DINNER FOR TWO

2010-08-30T09:30:00.003-05:00

A FOUR COURSE DINNER FOR TWO

I cooked dinner for Nick the other night. It really was a simple four course meal, but the flavors were sophisticated and reoccurring. I wanted this to be a really special dinner for the cutest-boy-on-earth so I chose strawberries and truffle oil. Both of these flavors do something to me on levels indescribable. There is literally a senses thing that that happens to me, but we'll talk about that more later. I alternated the flavors every other course. The meal was simple to prepare and really does not require exact measurements. I basically prepared each course while we were talking and drinking exotic fruit juices and wine.

FIRST COURSE: SCALLOPS AND SHRIMP DRIZZLED WITH
BLACK TRUFFLE OIL

Simply clean and wash 3 jumbo scallops and 3 large shrimp per person. Pat dry and season with sea salt and fresh black pepper. In a medium sized heavy bottomed skillet heat peanut oil until wisps of smoke start to come off of the oil. Place scallops and shrimp in to pan leaving room in between the shell fish. This will ensure that you will get a nice sear. 2-3 minutes on each side should be sufficient. Cook scallops until they are no longer opaque. Good sushi grade scallops should be cooked rare. Alternate scallops and shrimp on a plate drizzle with black [or white] truffle oil. Use good quality truffle oil. Buy it in small amounts unless you use large quantities of it. It is expensive, but a little goes a long way!

SECOND COURSE: SPRING MIX WITH FRUIT & STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE

Julianne a red pear and one small red onion. Lightly coat spring mix with a little extra vigin olive oil and season with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Add cubes of blue cheese. If you can find a good quality blue cheese packed in oil use that. Add a small handful of walnut halves. In a small food processor puree 3-4 large strawberries with a touch of dry vermouth. Add sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley. Add 2 Tablespoons each: red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Toss onto spring mix evenly coating the salad greens. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries.

THIRD COURSE: BEEF STROGANOFF WITH TRUFFLE OIL MASHES POTATOES

In a large heavy bottomed skillet saute 1 pound of sliced mushrooms, 1 large yellow onion and 1 medium red onion. You can use any combination of mushrooms you like. I used shiitake and white buttons. As the mushrooms and onion start to soften add 3-4 cloves of minced garlic. The idea here is to soften the vegetables and not to brown them! Add 1 1/2 cups of a good red wine. Use the wine you will be serving with dinner! I like to use BIG BOLD REDS! Simmer until wine reduces to a little less the half.

While that is talking place cut 1/2 of a beef tenderloin into small pieces and generously season with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Lightly dredge seasoned tenderloin in flour. Slowly brown in olive oil 3-4 minuted just until meat starts to brown. Remember this is tenderloin! It doesn't need to cook too long. In a medium bowl, stir a large container of fresh sour cream to loosen it up. Add a large cooking spoonful of the hot wine mixture to the sour cream to temper it so it doesn't curdle when you add it to the mushrooms and onions. Mix well and add to the mushroom and onion mixture. Mix in beef and juices. Simmer a couple of minutes to incorporate all of the flavors and serve aside mashed potatoes drizzles with black truffle oil. Note: Add a little more wine if sauce is too thick.

FOURTH COURSE: BUTTER POUND CAKE WITH MACERATED BERRIES AND FRESH CREAM

When I woke in the morning on the day of this dinner I was cooking for Nick, I made *Rose Levy Beranbaum's ALL BUTTER POUND CAKE*. It is quick, easy, and the best pound cake you will ever eat! While that was baking I slice a grip of fresh strawberries and covered them with dry vermouth and a little superfine sugar. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. The vermouth and sugar will make a yummy light syrup that you will pour over the pound cake. To assemble I cut the pound cake into cubes, drizzled on the vermouth syrup, topped with the fresh berries and topped with fresh whipped cream. Note: I do not like using vanilla in my whipped cream for something like this. I just add a little baker's sugar and a light grating of fresh nutmeg.

All in all it took us a couple of hours to eat, and believe me it was worth every moment! It was nice to just sit and eat and talk...

* WRITE ME FOR THE EXACT RECIPE AT: STACEYABILLIE@YAHOO.COM

NUTS ABOUT NICK!

2010-08-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

MY SPECIAL TOFFEE

1 pound butter

2 cups sugar

3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

8-16 oz. chocolate (I like using about 14 ounces)

Chopped pecans

Butter 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, melt 1 # unsalted butter.

Stir in 2 cups sugar, 3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water and 1 ½ cups sliced almonds. Cook until mixture becomes caramel colored and candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees, about 7-10 minutes.

To toast nuts place them in a dry pan and heat them until you smell the aromas start to release. Keep them moving so they don't burn. Remember: “Your nose is a very important cooking tool”

Pour mixture onto buttered cookie sheet. Cool for 5 minutes. Top with chocolate pieces; spread chocolate as it melts. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Gently push pecans into chocolate every few minutes. Let stand in cool place until chocolate hardens. Break into small pieces and store in an air tight container. Aprox. 2 pounds

THE SPOILED CHILD

2010-08-30T08:08:00.000-05:00

JEAN-BAPTISTE GREUZE

1725-1805 B. FRANCE

“THE SPOILED CHILD” 1765

OIL ON CANVAS,26 X 22 IN, (67 X 56 CM), HERMITAGE, ST. PETERSBURG

A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR NICK

2010-08-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

I didn't want it all to be too obvious but, I wanted to do something special for him. However, I was running into snafus. This year his birthday is on Inauguration Day - January 20, and he told me that he had to work. HUMMMM! What to do? Ok, I am not so much into the public spectacle of things [LIAR!] so I just thought I'd bite the bullet and take him a cake at work. Hehe! And, he just so happens to be a bartender at one of my favorite watering holes here in Milwaukee.

Ok so there is a lot to be said about carrot cakes. I've had good ones and bad ones! Dry cakes of any flavor piss me the hell off!!! They just don't work for me... a cake has to be moist and tender, (and in the case of carrot cakes they must have all those great little surprises inside of it.) You know, golden raisins, walnuts, pineapple, and a touch of coconut... in the absolute perfect combination. After all carrot should have a sweet carrot flavor.

*Guess what? carrot cake is one of my favorite cakes too!*

KISMET!!! So, I decided to write an original recipe especially for him! [That's the kind of thing I do for people I love!] I have been reading every carrot cake recipe I can get my hands on, and there is a lot of funky stuff that people are calling carrot cakes out there. This is far from any thing traditional but believe me you are gonna love this.

After a few of sorta hits and a couple of way far-out misses this is what I came up with. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine and wisk together until completely combined.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping Tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

In another large mixing bowl combine
4 eggs (beaten well)
1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons of oil
1 14-16 oz. can of pumpkin (approx 2 cups)

Mix well. Then add the following ingredients one cup at a time mixing well after each addition.

Add 2 cups of shredded carrot - mix well.
Add 1 cup shredded coconut - mix well.
Add 1 cup chopped walnuts - mix well.
Add 1 cup golden raisins - mix well.
Add 1 cup drained crushed pineapple - mix well.

Add 1/3 of the mixture from the dry bowl and mix until well blended. Add the second third of dry mixture and so on. Until all of the ingredients are mixed very well. The batter will be quite thick. If you have succeeded you should have about 9 cups of batter. Prepare 3, 8 inch cake pans with non-stick spray. Do not use butter as it has the tendency to burn. Using a 1 cup measuring cup scoop and pour 3 cups of batter into each cake pan.

I like to use a drop and spin method to set the batter in the pans. This will give you almost perfectly even cakes with your finished product. Simply pick up the cake pan full with batter about 5-8 inches above the work surface and let it drop square and flat onto the work surface. Then grip both sides of the pan and spin it in place in one direction. Repeat the drop and finish by spinning the pan in the other direction. This is very important: remember this batter has a dense viscosity to itself and you really want the batter evenly throughout the pan. Place pans in preheated oven. Check after 20 minutes. Continue to check every 5 minutes until the cake is done. Note: If the top center seems a bit too soft but the cake is almost done turn the oven off and let cakes sit an additional 5-10 minutes in the warm oven with the oven door shut. A bamboo skewer inserted to the center will come out clean when cake is done.

The Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients until light and fluffy. I make this recipe 1 and a half times to frost 3, 8 inch cakes. Garnish your cake how you like... I always use fresh flowers.... after all I am a florist...

19 AUGUST 10

2010-08-30T06:34:00.002-05:00

BBQ Chicken Hoagie

2010-07-27T20:19:00.002-05:00

2010-07-27T17:22:00.005-05:00

BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES

These are some of the greatest bread and butter pickles ever! I love to use them to top hot dogs or grilled sausages. They are quick and easy to make and they keep in the refrigerator well. I love them so much that I will eat a small pile of them alongside my favorite sandwiches, too! This makes about 6 cups but do not worry... they will go fast. Now, I usually am not a big "sweet" pickle fan, but bread and butter pickles are a little different. See for yourselves.

2 cups light brown sugar

2 cups cider vinegar

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

10 allspice berries

1 3/4 pounds of *Kirby cucumber, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

(about 6 cups)

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, vinegar, salt, turmeric, and allspice. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Add the cucumbers and onions and simmer over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until the cucumbers darken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool, then refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

*Kirby is a generic term for any small cucumber used for pickling.

2010-07-27T16:17:00.000-05:00

HOMEMADE FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE

I first made this ricotta a few years ago when I was making a homemade lasagna for a bunch of my friends for dinner. It would be a dinner to go down in the books. As a matter of fact, they're still talking about that lasagna! That night I had decided to let my dear friend, Timothy Kennedy choose what was going to be on the menu. There were a few other friends there that night for dinner, but it was Timothy's choice. I had been working at an Italian restaurant on the very west side of Milwaukee at the time, and this recipe came to me just in time for that very special dinner some few years back. I had purchased a huge turkey roasting pan to construct the lasagna. I will never forget the enormity of that particular lasagna. It weighed so much, when my friend Kevin heaved it out of the oven it nearly threw his back out! The pounds of cheese, the pounds of pasta, the pounds of homemade sausage (yeah, I make that from scratch, too!)... Remember my motto: ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH OVER DOING! It was just one of those things for me, making the ricotta from scratch, that made it even more special. Along with the Caesar salad and the homemade bread it was simply an evening to remember.

2 quarts of organic milk

1 cup of organic heavy cream

3 Tablespoons of white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

In a medium pot, warm the milk and cream over moderately high heat until the surface becomes foamy and steamy and an instant thermometer inserted into the milk reads 185 degrees. Do not let the milk boil. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the vinegar and gently stir for 30 seconds; the mixture will almost curdle immediately. Add the salt and continue to gently stir for another 30 seconds. Cover the pot with a clean towel and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Line a large colander with several layers of cheesecloth, allowing several inches of overhang. Set the colander in a large bowl. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to the colander. Carefully gather the corners of the cheesecloth and close with a rubberband. Let the ricotta stand for 30 minutes, gently pressing and squeezing the cheesecloth occasionally to drain off the whey. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and use at once, or cover and refrigerate.

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Makes aproximately 3 1/2 cups. I used all 3 1/2 cups of the ricotta in my lasagna that night. Use this homemade ricotta as you would any other store bought ricotta.

2010-07-27T16:04:00.004-05:00

POTLUCK with Michael Patrick McKinley

THE CROOKNECK SQUASH DOUBLE FEATURE

When the Summer Squash start arriving, they just keep coming!

I can clearly remember the bounty of Zucchini [both green and yellow] and Crookneck that was provided by my father and stepmother's garden. The zucchini ended up in a few sweet dishes, like quick breads and jam. Yes I said jam, and it was delicious! The crooknecks were a main ingredient in this tomatoey-rich sauce/relish Muriel and her sister Gloria created and canned year after year, called Harvest Special. She also made these dynamite quick dill pickle coins out of them.

Muriel and Gloria were in constant competition with each other, entering their amazing dishes, canned and baked goods into both county and state fairs, battling it out for a plenitude of well deserved blue ribbons. God I wish I had those recipes!

All summer squash are extremely prolific. In the height of the season [beginning NOW], if you don't know someone who's trying to pawn off a bushel or a bag onto you, then check out your local farmers market. When I was at mine the other day, they were 4 for $1.00, and ORGANIC. Super economical, wonderfully delish, and good for ya too! So whether you are sitting more than you know what to do with, or if you just been passing them by unsure of what to make with them....here are two of my favorite recipes for Summer garden staple!

Crookneck and Coconut Cream Soup w/ Chorizo Meatballs

MAKING THE MEATBALLS

1/4 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. ground beef
1 lb. chorizo ( beef or pork )
1 16oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
2 eggs
1 cup plain breadcrumbs

Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well combined. Make 1 inch balls and bake on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until a little crunch crust forms, about 25 minutes. Cool and reserve.

THE SOUP

Combine the following in a large pot over low heat:
4 cups stock: vegetable, chicken, shrimp, or a combination
1 19 oz can coconut cream ( not milk )
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
salt and white pepper to taste

On your trusty Webber or a stovetop grill until cooked and with char :
4 to 5 medium crookneck squash slice in half moons
2 medium sweet onions, medium-sliced
1 small-diced red bell pepper
[Toss veggies with a little olive oil before grilling]

When broth is hot, added grilled vegetables plus:
3 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked and kernels sliced off the cob

Ladle into bowls, and place 3 meatballs in each. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Crookneck & Custard Casserole

INGREDIENTS

8 medium crookneck squash, sliced into 1/2 thick rounds (2 lbs)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup milk or half &half
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
2 cups coarse breadcrumbs, preferably seasoned
2 cups shredded white cheddar or Gruyere
6 strips bacon cooked crisp and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 ovenproof casserole. To a large pot of boiling water, add squash and cook until barely wilted, about 3 minutes.

With a whisk, incorporate milk, eggs, butter, onion, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked squash and thoroughly combine. Transfer to casserole and sprinkle over crumbs, cheese, and bacon. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and crunchy.

2010-07-27T15:38:00.007-05:00

LOBSTER STUFFED

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND AVOCADOS

Heirloom tomatoes in many varieties.

Being that we are in the full peak of summer, I just couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite things! They include all of my favorite summer foods and flavors. It is quick and easy and decadent! You may have to make a couple of stops, but for me, I am already headed to one place and all I have to do is make sure I pick up plenty of fresh vine ripened heirloom tomatoes and fresh tarragon, and fresh corn on the cob at my local farmers market. See, there is a good reason to go to West Allis!

California Avocados

From your local supermarket pick-up 4-5 oz lobster tails. 1 lobster tail will stuff 1 heirloom tomato and 1 fresh California avocado. This will be plenty for 1 person. I am going to pick mine up from the fish monger at the St. Paul Fish Market in the Milwaukee Public Market. The rest of the ingredients I already have in stock.

Fresh lobster tails are available year round.

What to do:

In a medium bowl combine, for each lobster tail, 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, a dash of heavy cream or half and half, half of a small minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped tarragon, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Mix and chill until ready to use.

Steam or poach your lobster tails. I poached mine in vermouth, spring water, shallots, garlic, fresh lemons, and plenty of fresh tarragon with a generous pinch of French gray sea salt and fresh ground pepper. The poaching liquid should almost cover the lobster tail. Poach at a constant simmer. Do not boil the lobster tails as they will become tough and rubbery. Your lobster tails will be done when the shells turn to a bright coral red. This should take 4-9 minutes. Be careful not to over cook you lobster - cook just until the flesh becomes opaque. If using frozen lobster allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before poaching. Set lobster tails aside to cool.

When tails are cool remove from shells. Save any poaching liquid and lobster shells for another application. You can e-mail me, [staceyabillie@yahoo.com] for ideas on what to do with the shells and poaching liquid. Personally, I am making lobster butter with mine.

Rip the lobster tail into nice sized chunks. Gently fold into the mayonnaise mixture. Prepare an avocado by removing the skin and pit, and an heirloom tomato by cutting an "X" from the top of the tomato to about 1/2" from the bottom. Arrange the avocado and tomato on a plate and stuff with the lobster mixture. Garnish with fresh kernels of uncooked corn cut fresh off the cob and fresh tarragon. These stuffed summer delights will pair well with a variety of white wines. Today I enjoyed mine with Prosecco.

GREAT SUMMER COCKTAILS

2010-07-27T15:34:00.002-05:00

RHUBARB COLLINS

The tangy flavor of seasonal rhubarb complements the taste of gin surprisingly well. You can double the quantities for a bigger batch. you can make this beverage without the alcohol, [but why would you?]

Ingredients:

4 lb rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups sugar

6 cups water

3/4 to 1 cup fresh lime juice

1 (750-ml) bottle good quality gin

1/3 cup Cointreau or other clear orange liqueur (2 1/2 oz; optional)

2 (1-liter) bottles seltzer water, chilled

16 small lime wedges

Preparation:

Bring rhubarb, sugar, and water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until rhubarb falls apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a large fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl and drain 15 minutes, then press gently on and discard solids. (There will be about 8 cups syrup.) Skim off any foam and cool syrup to room temperature. Pour syrup into 1 or 2 pitchers and chill, uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Stir in lime juice (to taste), then gin and Cointreau.

Fill glasses with ice and add rhubarb gin mixture, stopping about 1 inch from rim. Top off with seltzer. Run a wedge of lime around rim of each glass, then squeeze into drink.

Cooks' notes: Rhubarb syrup (without lime juice, gin, or Cointreau) can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered, or frozen 1 week. Lime juice, gin, and Cointreau can be stirred into rhubarb syrup 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

SOUR CHERRY-LEMONADE FIZZ

I've spiked this lemonade with vodka to make a refreshing summer cocktail, perfect for cherry season! Generally, one batch will fill your blender. I have found it much easier to make it one batch at a time rather than doubling or tripling the recipe.

2 lbs fresh sour cherries* (stemmed)

1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups vodka
2 to 3 cups chilled sparkling water
Garnish: Fresh sour cherries with stems

Blend cherries (including pits) in a blender at low speed until skins have broken down enough to brightly color liquid (some of pits will be coarsely chopped). Pour through a sieve into a 2-quart pitcher, pressing on and discarding solids. Add lemon juice and sugar (to taste), stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Pour 3 tablespoons vodka (if using) into each of 8 tall (10-ounce) glasses filled with ice. Add 1/2 cup cherry lemonade to each and top off with sparkling water.

Cooks' note: Sour cherry lemonade can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

* You can substitute frozen sour cherries off season.

SANGRIA

I have been making variations of sangria for years. Being from California, (which I often refer to as Mexico - because it is!) and having a great love for Mexican food it always seems very much the choice drink for many celebrations in my life. I have had many versions of sangria and this is what seems to be my favorite after working on it for years. I spike the sangria with brandy, so I really don't mind using cheap wine. You know the kind that comes in a jug with a screw cap?

RECIPE

For each jug of wine macerate fruits and spices as follows: 1 each: lemon, lime, orange, pink grapefruit, 1 stick of cinnamon, 1 star anise, and 1 bunch of fresh French lavender tied in a piece of cheese cloth. In the largest container that will fit in you refrigerator mix all of the previous ingredients. The solid items will be *discarded for the final presentation. Let the mixture do its thing over night in the refrigerator. Just before serving remove solids and add 1 cup of Brandy and 1 cup of cherry or pomegranate juice for each jug of wine. Serve in a large punchbowl filled with ice made from *purified water. Add new fresh slices of lemons, limes and oranges. Add 1 pint of blueberries, small hulled strawberries, sliced peaches and plums. Add one cup each of red and green grapes.

*Notes*: Discard wine soaked fruits because they will look unappealing, [add fresh]. Use ice made from purified water because ice made from tap water will impart a chlorinated flavor to the sangria. Add lavender blossoms to ice cube trays before adding purified water for an interesting garnish. Make kabobs of fresh fruit to use as a garnish.

SERIES: COOKING FOR THE SINGLE MAN

2010-05-30T14:03:00.006-05:00

STOCK

I never really got into store bought stocks - too much stuff I [we] really don't need in a simple stock. Don't get me wrong - for convenience they are brilliant! I do like to control anything I can when it comes to what I put into my body. Again, if anybody out the in cyberspace can tell me why I need MSG, hydrolyzed whatevers, and all that other stuff only scientist really know what it is... Life, precious life, doesn't need to be that convenient for me!

I love knowing that because I put my tamale pot [remember the one I bought at my local Mexican grocery store: the one I make my mom's chili in] on the stove, filled it with cold water, dumped in the bag of frozen "veggie-waste" [which I don't have to purchase again to make stock because it is already in the freezer ready to go...] with a palm full of kosher salt, an onion, a few peppercorns, bay leaves, celery or whatever else I happen to have hanging out in the veggie drawer... Along with seafood shells, bones, hawks, knuckles, backs... And, did I mention it is a great way to use all of your nubs at the end of the nutmeg kernel [I ONLY USE FRESH GRATED NUTMEG!]... Oh! Wait! Before I forget: this is a great chance to use big pinches of all your great Penzeys spices... I can have a great stock in an hour or so. Just remember to always start your stocks with cold water a simmer the flavors into a perfect marriage: try not to boil stocks they benefit best when you allow the flavors to come together slowly. And, if I can be really honest: it is less expensive that store bought chemical stock, and it taste better.

"Love and homemade goodness better feeds a soul"

By now you may have figured out that food is really important to me. This is one of the reasons that the people which you cook for, [yourself included!] will appreciate you and all that you do, and the way that you do them. Here is an example: homemade stock, hand-cut fresh veggies, protein or no protein: GOOD! Cans of chemical crap provide "no love!"... besides chemical crap soups just won't taste like yours; because, although chemicals can do lots of things - they can never replace the love that goes into the good intentions of smart cooking!

Besides, even if you are the only one who knows that: you made the stock from scratch, you cut the hand selected fresh veggies yourself, poached the organic free-range smart chicken breast... isn't that enough??? For me it is! Knowing that I intentionally took the time [and it really isn't all that much time in the big scheme of things] to feed my people [and, doesn't TIME=LOVE anyway?] with fresh chemical free crap... Well, it just makes me feel good! Oh, I love making me feel good!

So, I like to fancy myself a smart person that does smart things! I have been, for years, saving the ends of all my vegetables in Ziploc bags in my freezer. You know, you cut the top and the bottom, off of a bell pepper before you cut it into strips... the ends of the asparagus, (you've heard them referred to as the woody stems...),the bottom part of celery that hold the whole damn bunch together... I throw those pieces into the "stock bag" Even when I over buy fresh tomatoes or simply do not have the time to use them all; I throw the whole thing into the freezer. I THROW EVERYTHING INTO THE STOCK BAG! Stems from the fresh tarragon... nothing should ever be wasted!

See, I have plans for all of that waste! If I had a house and a garden I guess that waste would go into the compost bin but, I live in a fabulous apartment and have no garden or compost bin. Viola! Freeze it and use it for stock! [#@$?ing Brilliant!] Sorry for the language but, I just get really excited with how incredibly smart that is not to mention how economical it is over the long run.

"Love and homemade goodness better feeds a soul" direct quote from my very own self person!

2010-05-05T21:23:00.005-05:00

BAKING @ BIRDIE'S

Devil's Food Cake

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ cups boiling water.

4 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3 ½ cups sifted cake flour

2 ¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl whisk together cocoa and boiling water until smooth and cool to room temperature. In a second medium bowl lightly combine eggs, about ¼ of the cocoa mixture, and the vanilla. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and remaining ¾ cups of milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 90 seconds to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the egg mixture in three batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition to strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. The pans will be about ½ full. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven. Let cakes cool in the pans on the rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small spatula and invert onto greased wire racks. To prevent cracking or splitting, reinvert so that the tops are up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.

Neo-Classic Butter Cream Frosting

9 large egg yolks

1 cup and 2 Tablespoons sugar

¾ cups corn syrup

3 cups butter

3-5 Tablespoons liqueur or eau-de-vie

Have ready a greased 1 cup heatproof glass measuring cup near the range.

In a bowl beat the yolks until light in color. Meanwhile heat the corn syrup and sugar in a non-stick sauce pan stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a rolling boil. The entire surface will be covered with large bubbles. Immediately transfer syrup to the greased measuring cup.

Pour a small amount of the syrup over the yolks and beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup and scrape the sides of the bowl and the measuring cup. Continue beating until the mixture is completely cooled.

Gradually beat in the softened butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and any additional flavorings.

The Filling: MIXED BERRY CONSERVES

Real simple. Cook down 4 cups of fresh or frozen mixed berries with 1/2 cup of sugar on medium heat. Stir occasionally, and use a wooden spoon to break berries into a pulp. Cook slowly until mixture has reduced at least 50 percent, [conserves is a pure concentrated form of the berry or berries,] 60-65 percent is better. Basically, you want to end up with 1 1/2 - 2 cups of conserves. Add the zest of half of a lemon and a Tablespoon of fresh juice. Run through a fine sieve bring to room temperature.

2010-05-04T10:51:00.014-05:00

GRANITA! GRANITA! GRANITA!

I never knew what a granita was until I started working in fine dining Italian restaurant that was later sold and became a French style brassiere. Andy Tenaglia, the very talented chef and owner of Lagniappe Brassiere, was a true inspiration to me. Fearless and innovative, his unique approach to the restaurant featured a menu that changed on a daily basis. This is where I learned of and about granitas. Although these particular granitas were never on the menu, they are some of my favorites. The scraping with a fork is very important: Granitas should resemble the texture of a snowcone. They are perfect for summer desserts and lend themselves well to the inspiration of amazing summer cocktails.

Granny Smith, Ginger & Basil Granita

4 1/2 lb Granny Smith apples
1 (500-mg) tablet vitamin C, crushed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Slice apples and process enough slices in juicer, skimming and discarding any foam, to measure 3 1/2 cups juice, then transfer juice to a large bowl and stir in vitamin C and lemon juice. Process ginger in juicer, then stir 1 tablespoon ginger juice into apple juice. Pulse together sugar and basil in a blender until sugar is bright green and basil is finely ground, then stir into apple juice until sugar is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8- to 9-inch metal baking pan. Freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every hour, until evenly frozen, 3 to 4 hours. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps.

Rhubarb Lambrusco Granita

1 cup Lambrusco wine
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Bring wine to a boil with water and sugar, stirring, in a 4-quart heavy pot. Add rhubarb and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender and beginning to fall apart, 5 to 7 minutes. Purée in a food processor with lemon juice until smooth, then force through a coarse sieve into an 8- to 9-inch baking pan, pressing hard on solids (discard solids). Freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 1 1/2 hours, until evenly frozen, about 8 hours total. Scrape granita with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps. Serve immediately or freeze, covered, up to 3 days (rescrape to lighten texture again if necessary).

Coffee Granita

4 cups freshly brewed strong coffee
(6 cups water and 2 1/2 cups ground French roast coffee)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sambuca or other anise-flavored liqueur

Stir first 4 ingredients in bowl until sugar dissolves. Pour into 13x9x2-inch metal pan. Chill 2 hours; mix in sambuca. Freeze coffee mixture until icy at edge of pan, about 45 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Freeze again until icy at edge of pan and overall texture is slushy, about 45 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Then freeze until solid, about 3 hours. Using fork, scrape granita down length of pan, forming icy flakes. Freeze at least 1 hour.

Granita is best served the day it is made, but it will keep, covered and frozen, 3 days (rescrape to lighten texture again if necessary).

2010-05-03T13:45:00.001-05:00

POTLUCK with Michael Patrick McKinley
JUNIE'S MAC & CHEESE

I was 12 before I knew what Kraft Macaroni & Cheese was, and even then I encountered it a some other kids house. No, in our house this gooey, smokey casserole of my Mother's was what was known as mac n' cheese. I was recently informed that the original version started with her mother, and that the bacon was my sister's idea. Funny, but Mom never mentioned their contributions....

Regardless of who authored the various components, this is our family's contribution to the great casseroles of the world. It's a caloric caution, and the naughtiest little number in my arsenal of comfort foods.

In certain circles this is known as "crack and cheese". Make it once, you'll know why!

The recipe makes allot, so you can half it if you want...but I always freeze some.
I like to serve it with warm cornbread...

1lb bacon
1 1/4 lbs. sharp cheddar, grated
1 1/4 lbs colby or longhorn, grated
2 med. onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 32 0z. can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 48 oz box elbow macaroni

Chop raw bacon into 1inch pieces, and render in a frying pan until bacon is crispy.
Drain bacon and reserve. Pour off half of the bacon fat, and add onions. Saute over medium heat until onions start to become translucent, then add bell pepper pieces until they begin to soften. Boil macaroni per instructions, then drain. Stir in all ingredients [including reserved bacon], and turn into a 9x11 baking pan, or an oven-proof casserole dish.
Bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and gets crusty on top.

2010-05-02T07:44:00.001-05:00

Prosecco and Summer Fruit Terrine

4 cups mixed fruit such as berries; peeled and thinly sliced peaches (see cooks' note, below); and halved seedless grapes
2 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from two 1/4-oz envelopes)
2 cups Prosecco (Italian sparkling white wine)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Arrange fruit in a 1 1/2-quart glass, ceramic, or nonstick terrine or loaf pan. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup Prosecco in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften. Bring 1 cup Prosecco to a boil with sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup Prosecco and lemon juice, then transfer to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Cool mixture, stirring occasionally, just to room temperature.

Slowly pour mixture over fruit, then chill, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours. To unmold, dip pan in a larger pan of hot water 3 to 5 seconds to loosen. Invert a serving plate over terrine and invert terrine onto plate.

Cooks' notes:·To peel peaches, first cut an X in the end opposite the stem and immerse in boiling water (15 seconds). Transfer it to ice water and peel.· Terrine can chill up to 3 days. Unmold just before serving.

From Gourmet Magazine - August 2002

2010-05-01T11:51:00.006-05:00

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

I grew up in the central coast town of Santa Maria, California. We are known for for many things like our Santa Maria Style Bar-B-Que. Produce is very abundant in Santa Maria! They grow everything there from broccoli to lettuce. Cauliflower is pretty big there too. As a matter of fact, if you live in the United States chances are if you look on the shrink wrap on the cauliflower it probably came from Santa Maria and was packaged by Point Sal Packing. But, if you know anything about Santa Maria you know that the entire town is surrounded by strawberry fields. Incidentally my Aunt Jackie, who my sister Jacqui was named after, owned and operated Santa Maria Berry Farms for many years. I guess I never really thought about it until today, but strawberries have always been a part of my life. So in honor of "HOME" and to the memory of Cherrie's father Larry Hanson I share with you all...

STRAWBERRY PIE

In a 2-quart sauce pan, mix together:

1/4 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch

Gradually stir in 1 cup of cran/raspberry concentrate (thawed and undiluted)

Mix until smooth, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Cool completely.

Gently fold in 4 cups of fresh hulled strawberries and fill *pie crust.

Refrigerate for 4 hours until set.

*Check my archives for the best pie crust to use for this recipe.

A TRIBUTE TO COURAGE

(A summer day with friends on the Neosho Pond)

A Springtime Struggle found him into early June, thankful that he might once again visit old friends and talk about tomorrow. So he came, as did Eunice, with a baker's box in hand. A baker's box - unlike the days when pies were his own creation; a solitary kitchen art affording a "down home" gentleness to his manhood - cherry, apple, and custard... with their lattice-worked crusts. But Larry had tried, and today it would be the baker's turn, to attempt near as much.

Larry continued to enjoy his sweets, though other sustenance had become a challenge. Today it would be pie - a richly glazed strawberry pie; the glory of summer's beginning, proudly resting in the sun-bathed window where he stood; his silhouette but a shadow of what had been. He and Eunice, who but a few years earlier could innocently have walked out from any glamour magazine. Now Eunice nervously asks him to be careful; "Wear a hat in the sun - remember what the doctors said." Larry just as nervously complies.

They spoke of the hospital, the doctors and empty hours of not knowing, the terror of not knowing. Larry carefully lifts his shirt displaying his invaded chest, a whisper of his prior stature; the pump about his waist continuing to infantry the chemicals that selectively fight the civil war against his own being. Tattooed ink markings; mapping war strategies for the radiation guys that rally for him while he rests on cold hard gurneys.

We took the old boat onto the pond' Larry's hat atop his head, speaking easily of the past and cautiously of tomorrow - laughing occasionally as if nothing mattered. Ah, memory can be a generous friend, allowing such momentary freedoms. Yet weren't those Larry's words to Eunice, "Nothing matters anymore," after the doctor's compassionate words and before the surgery that would guardedly sustain him? We talked about life on the pond - the hawk that guards from high above its shores, the blue heron that migrates and nests each year. We spoke of the millpond's history as we passed the cemetery on the point nearest the village; of the years that had passed - would continue to come and pass while the old motor gently sputtered and coughed our way in and around the gratitude for yet another glorious day! Larry helped guide me into shore, bringing a weary boat to rest after taking us full circle.

The day lingered within a generous afternoon. A summer supper ending with coffee and his eyes brightening! Larry continued to enjoy his sweets and smiled at his generous slice of strawberry pie, as we spoke of times past and cautiously of tomorrow. We spoke of pies he again would make; of flaky crusts that would hold them. But today it was a baker's pie - and no matter. Larry continued to enjoy his sweets, and smiled at his generous slice.

Ah, the sweetness of strawberry pie.

JOHN ASCHENBRENNER

ON NEOSHO POND - JUNE 12, 2002

"LARRY TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE AND HOW TO LIVE IT. HE TAUGHT ME ABOUT COURAGE. LARRY TAUGHT ME ABOUT DEATH AND HOW TO GRACEFULLY MOVE THROUGH IT. WE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN FRIENDS."

Stacey's Hot Dish: Mission Statement

2010-04-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

A RECIPE ON WHAT TO DO

When Michael came to me a little over a year ago and informed me that I was going to become a food blogger: I was intrigued.
See, we both have had long term plans for global domination for many, many years. It seemed that this could be a start to the way... It all went down like this: Michael's latest venture, [back then,] was to start his world take-over via a new blog. A blog? He had asked me if I would like to participate by doing a food segment every once in a while.

No pressure just good fun in the kitchen cooking together like we have been doing for many, many years! 25 years to be exact. Boy, the amount of food that we have cooked together: all those meals, all those holidays, all those people fed, all of these abounding years – well, lets just say: “I have many fond memories!” To be quite honest with you, I had never read any blog ever! Eventually, I will open an upscale cafe specializing in “fancy” home-style cooking inspired by the types of food which I grew up with. I had always wanted to write a cookbook to co-exist with this cafe bearing my mother’s namesake, Billie Rae's. The concept has been changing over the years, but the basic foundation and structure remain loyal to the simple core idea: good food! No, great food!

*I thought a blog might be a conducive place to start working it all out.*

So, I started to blog; and, I was a blogger. It really is so very De Cartes when you think of it! It was fun, new and something exciting for me to do with my spare time. I seem to always do my best when I have several creative outlets going on at the same time in my life. For the most part it was and still is great brain work for me. As I started to move forward, it was becoming clear that I was going to have to quickly come up with constant new ideas that would better suit what it was that I was trying to accomplish. Sharing recipes is great - after all that is what I am doing; however, I found that I was getting bored fast with my blog because there isn't enough to keep me interested other than what new content I happen to be working on. I wasn't really sure if anybody really gave a shit about it even though I was getting great feedback from loyal followers; most of them dear and close friends.

I wanted my blog to serve as a creative outlet to explore and exploit one of my great passions – food! Something to push myself into the vast world of knowledge. Not only for myself, but something relevant to share with others. I like being informed. I love informing. As it turned out, many people were eager to review new content on the blog, and had no problem letting me know that it was time to post something new when I hadn't been as diligent as I may have wished to be. There were even times I would go without a post for weeks at a time, because I had a lot on my plate at the moment. Even still, I continued to receive many hits from my loyalists taking the time to check-out Stacey's Hot Dish. Although I had always taken the blog pretty seriously, I realized that regardless of “what” and “when” this was “where” I can figure it all out.

I am once again completely changing the structure and format of my blog to better remedy the issues I have with time/space! I have decided that it would read better in the form of a good old fashion periodical. So, after much time, thought and lots of “what should I do, and how should I do it?” Not to mention tireless help from my many talented friends, all of whom were more than willing. I have decided, “I will do a monthly posting just like a magazine. An “e-zine” if you will. I am sure that in the process things will change around a bit as I iron out the wrinkles, but for now I present to you the premiere issue of “Stacey's Hot Dish”

- Stacey Abillie late winter /early spring 2010 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Billie's Chili

2010-04-04T07:11:00.002-05:00

LONNA RAE CAPELLE
MID 1940'S

POTLUCK: MOLASSES ICE CREAM

2010-04-03T06:06:00.001-05:00

POTLUCK
with Michael Patrick McKinley

Have you ever wandered into the kitchen just before midnight with an insatiable sweet tooth? Only to find when you arrived that there was nothing to appease it? Well that's exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago. And I mean there was NOTHING. Not even chewing gum.

Then I spied it. A half full jar of Molasses. Without hesitation I grabbed a spoon and stuck it right into the jar...as the intense flavor dissolved on my palette, my senses writhed with joy ( okay maybe that's a little much ) and my desire was satisfied. I just LOVE moolasses.

So the inspiration came to me. For my first article, for my new monthly column here at Stacey's Hot Dish. It's called POTLUCK [thanks for the moniker Joe!] and you gentle readers can expect exactly that- anything I feel like bringing! I'm really thrilled and honored that Stacey has asked me to contribute to this exciting new reinvention of his blog.

Back to my molasses epiphany. What would I try to create? It came instantly [you know, like its supposed to in an epiphany]. Molasses Ice Cream. I mulled around how I would do it. Should I substitute molasses for the sugar in an egg-based custard style ice cream? After a bit of rumination, it occurred to me that I probably wasn't the first person to think of molasses ice cream. Sure enough, 30 seconds into a Google search and I had about 100 recipes to choose from. Only as I started to review them, I realized that the lion's share of them were all the same. It's an egg-less, 4 ingredient concoction that seems to have originated in Gourmet Magazine [RIP Gourmet, we miss you]. Who am I to reinvent that wheel?

Just below you'll find the recipe, and my eventual double-dip. Pun intended. Don't forget that the wonderfully complex and robust qualities of this byproduct of sugar refining is a delicious additive in savory cooking as well. Add it to marinades and glazes, salad dressings...and it always pairs beautifully with pork. By all means, experiment! Oh and by the way. This recipe turned out to be a killer winner, and became an outrageously drop-dead-delicious thing of mouth watering beauty when I paired it up with a prized family recipe of my own...

MOLASSES ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. molasses
2 c. half & half

Blend the cream cheese, brown sugar, and molasses in a food processor until creamy and completely incorporated. With the motor running, slowly pour in the half and half until combined. Pour into the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers directions.

It will have a "soft serve" appearance at this stage. Turn out into an airtight container [or fancy pink bowl] and freeze until hard.

It should be scoopable in a couple of hours. Enjoy a dish now, or take it one more, decedent step further...

The epiphany grew more detailed. What if I made a short batch of my family's heirloom ginger-molasses cookies, and turned them into ice cream sandwiches? OH be still my molasses-loving heart....You'll want to HALF the recipe below, go ahead and use 2 eggs.

GRANDMA FURMAN'S COOKIES

THE RECIPE

1 1/2 cups shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup robust molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
6 cups all purpose flour

Cream together shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs. Add spices and extracts, then molasses. Dissolve baking soda in water and stir in. Add the flour, one cup at a time. USE A STURDY METAL SPOON, OR MAKE IN A STAND MIXER. The 5th or 6th cup of flour will be the end of a wooden spoon!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll out grapefruit sized balls of the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Rose's daughter, my Grandmother, always said to me "Don't be afraid to roll them out nice and thick!" I like to use simple, broad shapes for my cutters. Space 1 inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. Yes, they bake quick and all ovens calibrate a little differently, so watch the first couple of trays carefully, and scope out the bottoms just to make sure. They will puff up and turn a paler shade of brown when they are close. Remove cookies promptly to cool on racks, or on brown paper bags. When cool, stack like shapes together and store in an airtight container until ready to frost.

HELPFUL TIP: If they over bake (and become too crunchy when cooled) throw a few slices of soft bread in the container and let them sit with the cookies overnight- that should soften them up!

NOTE: For either the ice cream or the cookie recipe, you can use light or dark brown sugar, and mild or robust molasses. I happened to have used dark brown sugar, and robust molasses, but I was going for intensity, and depth of flavor. You know your taste buds better than anyone.
Create accordingly.

MICHAEL PATRICK McKINLEY, APRIL 2010

COOKING FOR THE SINGLE MAN

2010-04-02T17:05:00.005-05:00

I have lots of guy friends that eat like shit! They eat fast food, gas station food, convenient store food, frozen pizzas, and a host of other crap that has no nutritional value whatsoever. Their diets consist of empty useless and unhealthy calories, and chemicals that have absolutely no business being inside of my friends, let alone the food they eat!

They feel good about themselves for eating their vegetables - ordering French fries at Mac Donald's. Over the years I have had these boys over for dinner only to be told that they do not like “this” or they don't like “that!” Fine! Whatever! After a time it usually turns out that they do like “this” and they do like “that!” Point is, they don't cook for themselves because they think they don't know how to cook. BALDERDASH!!!! My mission: for my friends, this is the reason this particular segment has come to life. See, I am not trying to turn everyone out into a eat like me junkie, I just have serious concerns for the state of health for these men in my life, all of them! I am healthier - if not just a little - than perhaps a little more.

So, COOKING FOR THE SINGLE MAN, it is.

My undertaking in this reoccurring department is for men, [and women,] to eat better by utilizing smart, quick and easy cooking techniques, preparations, ingredients, and recipes. Being a single guy, I realize that it isn't always convenient to eat healthy and smart without dragging out all the pots and pan and gadgets I need to cook. In the following segment I will show you great ways to eat good whole-healthy food that is easy to prepare for any person on the go! Since I enjoy visiting my local farmers markets in the spring through fall when they are available to me, I have come up with great ways to eliminate waste and actually use all of the veggies I buy at each exciting visit. On a green note: one of the best things you can do for the environment, believe it or not, is to shop your local farmers markets. For one, most local farmers farm responsibly. Buying local saves gas, packaging [especially if you bring your own basket, bags, etc.] If you are not sure take a moment to have a conversation with him or her and ask! Ask what. Ask how. Ask why. You can check the internet for farmers market near you.

Eating better sounds great, but I usually don't have the time or energy of going through the motions – I am usually spent when I get home after working all day. At times, doesn't it seem like more effort to cook yourself dinner than it is worth? I used to feel the same way, but if you process all of your vegetables when you get home you are already more than half way there. Just think, if you spend 15-25 minutes or so getting everything ready for the coming week – you will save that same amount of time each time you prepare yourself dinner. Imagine what you could do with that extra hour or two every week? In almost all of these cases you can prepare a home cooked meal for one or two, [even more if you are so inclined!] in the time its takes to make a pot of rice, cook pasta, or boil potatoes. Most of the recipes are made in a single pot or pan also cutting down on your clean-up time! If you are deciding to forgo starches than you can prepare some of these meals in a matter of minutes. Seriously!!!

The list is important. It is a good idea and practice to realize the facts. How many times are you going to be eating home cooked food this week? I like to make a soup at the end of the week if I have an abundance of vegetables or I will simply throw them in a ziploc bag and toss them into the freezer to use at a later date.. I like to eat what is available to me in the season. Actually, I like making my choices of the best product available to me in the moment where ever I may be shopping for my weekly ingredients. These are all great things to consider when buying your fresh product. If I am long on celery, carrots, and onions, I may sautee them quickly throw them into a pot with some water and a chicken breast. Viola! I have a quick soup in all of 15 or 20 minutes. If I am feeling really adventurous and I and in a more homey mood or I just want something a little more hearty, I will thicken that up with some butter, cream and a little flour. I fill a ramekin and top it with a little pie crust, [every time I make one I make an extra, because you can keep a crust frozen for weeks if you wrap in tightly in plastic wrap,] and before you know it... homemade chicken-pot-pies.

Over the next few months I will share scores of quick and easy recipes. It is amazing what you can do with a chicken breast and a can of garbanzo beans. Eat this way and I guaranty that you will have great burst of energy and if you are true to the task, chances are that you will find your self a few pounds lighter. Remember this is a lifestyle! The important thing is no waste, and by following these simple procedures you will do just that. One of the simplest ways of being green is to eliminate waste.

Of course, many of the recipes in this segment can be easily adapted for larger quantities. Watch my video for vegetable preparations that will make it possible to spend a little more time out of the kitchen.

COOKING FOR THE SINGLE MAN: STIR-FRY

2010-04-01T11:30:00.001-05:00

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF VIDEOS THAT MICHAEL SPENT ENDLESS HOURS EDITING. CLICK "READ MORE" BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEOS!

A Birthday Cake for Nick!

2010-01-20T00:00:00.003-06:00

...so I know the cutest boy on earth, and I love him!!! I knew that his birthday was coming up, so a while back I asked him what his favorite fruit is. He said that was a hard one because he loves them all then decided it probably was "plum." Then, I asked him what his favorite cake is. He thought for a quick moment and said, "I guess that would have to be carrot!" I didn't want it all to be too obvious but, I wanted to do something special for him. However, I was running into snafus. This year his birthday is on Inauguration Day - January 20, and he told me that he had to work. HUMMMM! What to do? Ok, I am not so much into the public spectacle of things [LIAR!] so I just thought I'd bite the bullet and take him a cake at work. Hehe! And, he just so happens to be a bartender at one of my favorite watering holes here in Milwaukee.

*Guess what? carrot cake is one of my favorite cakes too!*

After a few of sorta hits and a couple of way far-out misses this is what I came up with. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine and wisk together until completely combined.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping Tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

In another large mixing bowl combine
4 eggs (beaten well)
1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons of oil
1 14-16 oz. can of pumpkin (approx 2 cups)
Mix well. Then add the following ingredients one cup at a time mixing well after each addition.
Add 2 cups of shredded carrot - mix well.
Add 1 cup shredded coconut - mix well.
Add 1 cup chopped walnuts - mix well.
Add 1 cup golden raisins - mix well.
Add 1 cup drained crushed pineapple - mix well.

The Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

GARRIT DOU 1613-75 #2

2009-10-08T11:31:00.006-05:00

A POULTERER'S SHOP

c.1670 oil on wood 21”x18” National Gallery, London

COUNTRY-STYLE RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND WHOLE-GRAIN MUSTARD

Rabbit has bee slow to achieve popularity in the United States, while in European markets, fresh, dressed whole rabbits line the butchers stalls and are regular items on many household menus.

The tender meat is not (as some people say) akin to chicken, but has its own texture and flavor. it offers more substance than most poultry, yet is lighter and more delicate than red meat. In this recipe, rosemary, root vegetables, and mustard complement the meat, and demi-glace adds richness. White or brown rice makes a perfect accompaniment to soak up the savory sauce.

Like poultry, rabbit can pair well with both white and red wines. Try this dish with a full-bodied,barrel-fermented Chardonnay or a rich textured, aromatic Gewurztraminer. Red wines such as Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Syrah will pair well with this dish.

1 whole rabbit (about 3 pounds), cut into 6 -8 pieces

4 cups buttermilk

24 pearl onions

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

24 baby turnips

24 baby carrots

4 shallots

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup demi-glace

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary

cooked rice (for serving)

In a large bowl, combine the rabbit and buttermilk. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling water blanch the pearl onions for 3 minutes. drain and cool in ice water for 3 minutes. Drain, cut off root end, and slip off skins. Set the onions aside.

In a shallow bowl, stir the flour, salt and pepper together well. Drain the rabbit and dredge in the seasoned flour. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat ans saute the rabbit pieces, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden and the juices from the meat run clear when pressed with a knife., 35-40 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Set the pan with the drippings aside.

In a large saute pan or skillet, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat ans saute pearl onions, turnips, and carrots, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

In the same pan the rabbit was cooked in, saute shallots over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the liquid by half. Add the demi-glace and mustard. increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer and add the cream and rosemary. Return the rabbit and vegetables to the pan. Spoon the sauce over them, and cover, and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over rice or with rice alongside.

COQ AU VIN

2009-09-08T00:01:00.003-05:00

COQ AU VIN

This is a good classic and economical dish to prepare for a Sunday or holiday meal or when you're expecting company. Plan on at least one chicken leg and thigh per person. Breasts may be used but the white portion of the chicken has a tendency to dry out during the cooking unless you marinate or brine it.

COQ AU VIN

6 slices bacon

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken legs and thighs

1 lb baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

6 large cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 lb pearl onions, peeled

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 shallots, minced

1 celery stalk

1-1 1/2 cups chicken broth

3 large carrots

3 baking potatoes

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2-3 cups red wine

2 bay leaves

3-4 stalks fresh thyme

2 sage leaves

salt and pepper

Note: Chicken may be optionally marinated in a zipped plastic bag for several hours or overnight for better flavor; use 1 cup red wine and 2 tablespoons Kosher salt and a clove of crushed garlic. Turn over a few times. Discard marinade when done.

Choose a hearty red wine such as Merlot or Marsala. Using a combination will give you a great results, too.

Wash chicken under cold running water; drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Slice bacon crosswise into 2 inch long strips and saute with a tablespoon olive oil over low heat in a large Dutch oven to obtain drippings. When bacon is crisp, remove from pan using a slotted spoon (save bacon for later).

Brown the chicken in the bacon drippings and olive oil over high heat, turning to brown on all sides. Chicken legs and thighs only need to brown, but do not need to be fully cooked at this point. Remove from pan and set aside.

While the bacon and chicken are cooking, prepare the vegetables: Peel garlic, shallots and onions
Note: frozen pearl onions and frozen sliced carrots may be substituted for fresh; red onions can be used if shallots are not available.

Wash and peel carrots and potatoes. Crush garlic and mince shallots. Wash and remove strings from celery and coarsely chop. To remove strings from celery, break off a small bit from the edge on the bottom end of the celery stalk and peel upwards along the outer side; or a vegetable peeler can be used.

Slice carrots into 1/2 inch thick coins and do the same with the potatoes. Clean the mushrooms; brush off using a clean towel or silicone vegetable brush and slice into halves.

Saute mushrooms, pearl onions and carrots in drippings over high heat until they begin to take on color. Don't stir too often; allow to brown. Add minced shallots and garlic to vegetables when vegetables begin to caramelize.

Add potatoes and celery. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over vegetables. Stir to distribute flour; pour wine over all and add fresh herbs. Use the wine you will be serving with dinner. With a silicone spatula, scrape up the brown flavor bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in broth. Be careful not to break up vegetables while stirring.

Return bacon and chicken to pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until vegetables and chicken are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove thyme and bay leaves before serving.

A starter salad and fresh bread a obvious accompaniments to Coq Au Vin.

JEAN ETIENNE LIOTARD 1702-89 #1

2009-08-17T09:34:00.005-05:00

THE CHOCOLATE POT

c 1745 Pastel on Parchment 32 ½”x20 ½”

Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden, Germany

MASTERPIECE #1

Hot Chocolate

Almost every night before I go to bed in the fall and winter I make myself a cup of hot chocolate or cocoa. It is a treat the I started to make for myself since I moved here to the mid-west. Believe me there is nothing like hot chocolate on a cold winter night! Here is another great reason to visit your local Hispanic grocery store. Buy a box of Mexican chocolate. It comes is round disks about the size of a hockey puck. Mexican chocolate is flavored with wonderful spices. Depending on the type you buy can experience a tincture of cinnamon and nutmeg to mild exotic desert grown chilies.for a great rich cup of Mexican hot chocolate simply heat the desired amount of half and half or milk and grate 1/4 - 1/2 of the round of chocolate into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over a medium low heat stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted into the milk. I always a a large dollop of fresh whipped straight cream, [no sugar or vanilla!] Top with a grating of fresh nutmeg

Chocolate Pot De Creme

I also love a great pot-de-creme. The great thing about a pot-de-creme is that it has all the great elements that I love in a dessert. It has chocolate, it has a creamy texture, and it has just the perfect amount of sweetness to finish-off any meal.

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
White Chocolate Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Grated chocolate, for garnish

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water. When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let stand until completely melted. Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, scald the cream and milk. Watch carefully as cream will boil over.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the sugar is completely dissolved. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolks. If you add the hot cream mixture too quickly, the egg yolks could cook and leave undesirable cooked egg particles. Remove the melted chocolate from the stove and pour the hot cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the melted chocolate. Whisk chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth.

Ladle the mixture into 6 (3/4-cup) ramekins. Lime the bottom of a baking pan with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place the filled ramekins in the baking dish on the towel. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake until mixture around the edges of the ramekin is firm when lightly shaken, about 35 minutes. (Baking time will vary depending on depth and width of ramekins.) The center of the Pot de Cremes may still jiggle slightly when shaken, but that is okay, it will firm up as it chills.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking pan, wipe dry and allow to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
To serve, spoon some White Chocolate Whipped Cream into the ramekin and garnish with grated chocolate.

White Chocolate Whipped Cream:
2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Chocolate Fondue

And who doesn't love a fondue? Well, I can't think of one person. I remember that we had a fondue pot when I was a kid. It was the same color as the "flame series" of Le Crousset. From time to time my mother would melt big batches of chocolate and we would use those funny little fork things to goop up liquid heaven on lush squares of moist pound cake. And yes there were plenty of fresh California ripened strawberries, too. Freshly picked of course.

1 pound dark chocolate
1 pound milk chocolate
1 pound white chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces Grand Marnier

Chop each of the chocolate into small pieces, separately. Place each type of chocolate in its own fondue pot. Turn the pot setting to medium or 5. In a saucepan, heat the cream and Grand Marnier. When the cream comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour 1/3 over each type of chocolate. Whisk each pot until smooth. Serve the fondue with the garnishes.

Note: One of the greatest things about chocolate fondue is that you can dip anything into it!Try using pretzels, salty potato chips, pound cake, bananas, strawberries... any kind of fresh or dried fruit works well. You can even use specialty breads such and zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, or even muffins. Pound cake is a standard.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA

2009-08-08T00:01:00.005-05:00

2 quarts of organic milk

1 cup of organic heavy cream

3 Tablespoons of white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Makes aproximately 3 1/2 cups. I used all 3 1/2 cups of the ricotta in my lasagna that night. Use this homemade ricotta as you would any other store bought ricotta.

WHOLLY MACKEREL!!!

2009-08-07T11:21:00.010-05:00

MEOW!

Here is a quick and simple treat for your cats. Dogs like them, too! And to be honest: I have tried them myself and they are pretty good! When I came across this, I was surrounded by a bunch of very health conscious people who suggested I try a natural approach when my cat became ill. I was introduced to a group of professional "animal people" in West Hollywood, California. They theorized that most animal ailments could benefit from homeopathic remedies. Weirdos! Well, yes kinda, but under the guidance of these "interesting individuals" we were able to cure Sydney of her illnesses. This is a recipe that I got from the Veterinarian on staff many years ago. I used to make these for Sydney when we lived in Hancock Park in Los Angeles. I was given vitamins that I used to put into this mixture, but it is a great treat without any supplements. Try it for your pets. They are going to love them!

Drain 1 can of mackerel. In a large bowl use a fork to breakdown the mackerel into small flaky pieces. Add 1 - 2 cups of organic wheat germ, 1 large egg and 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix well and spoon small dime sized portions onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. You can roll-out the dough into ropes and cut into small cat-sized pieces. Bake in a 350 degree oven for fifteen minutes and cool completely. Transfer into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 7-9 days.

Your pets are going to love them!!!

YOUR PETS: FEEDING THEM WELL, TOO!

2009-08-06T12:07:00.009-05:00

Would you do anything to save the life of you pet? I would! My cats are dear to me. I am closer to them at times than anyone in my life; and come what may: they are always there for me.

In recent years, the manufacturer of the food that I have been feeding my cats, Bridget and Shazza, all of their lives have been at the center of many concerning death and health issues in both dogs and cats. A once recommended and respected company, Nutro, which was recently bought my Mars, has been at the center of FDA investigations. Some of the issues were brought to my attention when I started buying my pet food at a new local boutique-type pet supply store that just opened up in my neighborhood. It was recommended to me at * "Bark and Scratch" on West Blue Mound Road in Milwaukee that the best food choices for my cats were the brands: *California Naturals, *Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul, *Taste of the Wild, and *Evo. I sampled around just a bit before deciding on “Taste of the Wild”.

While compiling the data for this article I started to become overwhelmed by the facts at hand. My intention was to share knowledge and to write an informative article on the importance of feeding our pets well. All this blogging about food and it occurred to me that I should include pieces pertaining to our furry loved ones. Since I do not subscribe to cat owners monthly or any thing like that, I rely on information from the professionals at my pet supply store to help me maintain good health and wellness for my babies!

I went to the AAFCO, [Association of America Feed Control Officials, Inc] web-site and ended up at peteducation.com and started to read the standards for cat food. You can find the standards for dogs and other animals too. Now that these issues have come to my attention I have been checking these web-sites from time to time. Don’t just assume that your reputable brand of pet food is playing by the rules! Keep up on what is going on with the manufacturer of your pet food and become friends with your suppliers. The life and health of your pets could very well depend on your diligence. I have found that the people who sell me my pet food are passionate about animals and are more than willing to help answer questions I have. If they do not know the answer they will find it.

Who knew? My pet supply store, that's who! Thank goodness the caring professionals at my local pet supply store who took the time to educate me about this matter. I encourage you to read the labels of all products concerning your animals. Call your Vet, ask you feed supplier, go on line… make it a priority to educate yourself about the food you are feeding you animals as well as the products you use on and around them (ie: your household cleaners) because they deserve good health, love and happiness! It is your responsibility.

You do it for yourself.

You do it for your children.

Do it for your pets!

For more information on recalls and FDA investigations or standards on pet food please visit the following links:

http://www.peteducation.com/

http://www.aafco.org/

http://www.fda.gov/

CIVICHE

2009-08-05T00:01:00.005-05:00

All over South America, people "cook" fish by soaking it in citrus juice. After marinating several hours, the seafood turns opaque and firm, with a texture half-way between sushi and traditionally cooked fish. Ceviche goes fast at a party -- especially in the summer when the citrusy, fresh bite feels especially right. There's a lot of room for improvisation here: buy whichever type of sweet peppers look good; play with the proportion of citrus juices and control the heat with your choice of hot peppers.

1 ½ pounds large (about 20 per pound) shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips about 2 inches long

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips about 2 inches long

Half a small red onion, cut into thin slivers

1 small bunch cilantro, thick stems removed, the rest chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt

1 Scotch bonnet, jalapeno or hot chili pepper of your choice, stemmed and minced

12 lemons

8 limes

4 oranges

Toss the shrimp, yellow and red pepper, onion, cilantro, salt and chili pepper together in a bowl to mix them evenly.

Pack into a non-reactive container (a 2-quart glass jar works well).

Squeeze the citrus, strain out any seeds and pour over the shrimp and vegetables. There should be enough juice to cover the shrimp and vegetables, if not add more.

Seal the container and refrigerate until the shrimp is opaque, 12 hours to one day.

Drain, discard most of the liquid and pile the shrimp and vegetables in a serving bowl.

Great for tacos and tostadas with avocado.

MOLTEN LAVA CHOCOLATE CAKES

2009-07-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is the easiest dessert you can make that will get you the biggest results! Trust me with this one... be careful who you make this for because they will be "Jones-ing" you to make this for them all the time! You can make and refrigerate the batter up to 10 hours in advance. If making in advance: pour batter into prepared molds, cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 Tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon
1 teaspoon Penzeys pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons flour

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 6 (6-ounce) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in extract. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and yolk. Stir in flour. Pour batter into prepared custard cups.

3. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with small knife. Invert cakes onto serving plates.

Serve immediately

Note: Turn this wonderful dessert into any flavor by adding 4 teaspoons of extract of your choice. I like to serve these lavish cakes with fresh seasonal berries.

CAROL'S RO*TEL PIE

2009-07-24T00:01:00.007-05:00

This quick no-fuss dish will be great to pass

at your next potluck!

We have all had and/or made a casserole, hot dish... what ever it is y'all call 'em! I mean what hasn't been mixed with a can of cream of "whatever"? I have been trying to come up with something new - something fresh, different. I finally had to realize that I am not going to re-invent the casserole - at least not yet! So, this is something that a very dear friend of mine Carol has shared with me many years ago. This is comfort at its best. There is only one problem... I can't stop eating it.

3-5 skin-on chicken breast boiled in seasoned water*

1 large bag of white[low salt] corn chips, crushed

2 cans of cream of "whatever" condensed soup

1 can of ro*tel

lots of cheese [use what ever you like and as much as you like!]

*reserved broth

Boil chicken breast in seasoned water. I like to season my water with oregano, garlic, and onions. Remove skin, shred chicken and discard skin. In a 9"x 13" pan layer crushed corn chips. Ladle 2-2 1/2 cups of seasoned broth over the crushed corn chips. Layer the shredded chicken on top of the chips and broth. In a sauce pan heat the 2 cans of cream of "whatever" and the 1 can of ro*tel and bring up to heat. Pour this mixture over the chicken, spread evenly over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes top with grated cheese and continue baking until bubbly.

As this dish is baking the broth will reconstitute the broken-up chips and form a masa like crust similar to that of a tamale. There are several types of ro*tel. I have found that the diced tomato and green chiles works the best.

RAISIN WALNUT WON-TONS

2009-07-20T00:01:00.005-05:00

Raisin-Walnut Wontons with Goat Cheese and Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

I ran across this recipe years ago, and made them to take to a party! Not, because I thought I would particularly like them, but more for the fact: I had all of the ingredients on hand. So, I make the wontons and take them to the party which happened to be next door. There was a plethora of wonderful food all prepared by my friends, and as it turned out the wontons were a really big hit! They are really quick and easy to make, and perfect for a no-fuss appetizer at your next party.

Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Wontons:

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

5 ounces fresh goat cheese

20 to 25 prepared wonton wrappers

olive oil, for frying

For dipping sauce, whisk mustard, honey, vinegar and parsley together in small bowl. Turn into serving bowl, cover and set aside in refrigerator.

In a bowl, thoroughly mix raisins, walnuts and cheese. Arrange several wonton wrappers on lightly floured work surface and spoon a heaping teaspoon of raisin mixture in center of each. Dampen edges of wontons with a little water and fold diagonally, corner to corner, over filling. Carefully and firmly seal edges together. Repeat for remaining filling and wontons. Heat 2 inches of olive oil in deep fryer or wok over medium heat. Fry prepared wontons in batches of 4 or 5 until golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

STACEY'S BEST SANGRIA

2009-07-15T00:01:00.007-05:00

RECIPE

*Notes*: Discard wine soaked fruits because they will look unappealing, [add fresh]. Use ice made from purified water because ice made from tap water will impart a chlorinated flavor to the sangria. Add lavander blossoms to ice cube trays before adding purified water for an interesting garnish. Make kabobs of fresh fruit to use as a garnish.

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS MEAT PIE DISASTER

2009-07-14T16:40:00.015-05:00

We're still filming footage for The Killer Bees electronic press kit...until it's ready for viewing, here's a funny little story about one Christmas Eve many years ago, and some out-of-control lard! Oh, but the pies were so tasty...

Just click the play button to watch the video.

GREAT IDEA!!!

2009-07-13T13:28:00.010-05:00

MICHAEL SHARED THIS COOL SITE THAT HE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING FOR AWHILE! I RAN ACROSS THIS PARTICULAR ENTRY, AND THOUGHT IT WAS TOO COOL NOT TO SHARE! -STACEY

Shoe Pocket Garden!

We LOVE shoe pockets. We recommend them to our organizing clients constantly. Granted, most of the time that we recommend them, it's for purposes other than storing shoes. But we never imagined using shoe pockets for a vertical garden! Check out an "after" photo of the garden after the jump to see how well these herbs thrived in their shoe pocket container...

The creator of this garden, who lives in Devon, England, was inspired to create her vertical herb garden to keep the cats out. But even if curious kitties aren't a problem for you, this is a brilliant solution for urban dwellers who are short on patio space.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO VISIT THE AMAZING SITE.

SOURCE: APARTMENTTHERAPY.COM

GRANITA, GRANITA, GRANITA!!!

2009-07-11T00:01:00.002-05:00

Granita is best served the day it is made, but it will keep, covered and frozen, 3 days (rescrape to lighten texture again if necessary).

HEIRLOOM TOMATO TART

2009-07-07T00:01:00.007-05:00

Over the next few weeks heirloom tomatoes will be abundant at your local farmers markets or from your own yard depending on when you planted! I wanted to get this post up in time to give you a few ideas on what you can do with your bounty of tomatoes. This tart is so yummy that you should consider making it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! If you are like me and you have more than enough tomatoes to feed an army, make an extra one for a friend or neighbor... you too can share the good stuff!

FOR BLACK PEPPER PARMESAN PASTRY

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FOR FILLING

3/4 lb fresh mozzarella (not unsalted), very thinly sliced
1/2 cup pesto [see my recipe posted July 01, 2009]
2 lb mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced 3/4 inch thick

Make pastry:Blend together flour, butter, shortening, Parmesan, pepper, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.

Gently squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together without falling apart, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition until incorporated, continuing to test. (Do not overwork dough, or it will become tough.)

Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 2 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather both portions of dough into 1 ball, then pat into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round and fit into a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable rim. Roll rolling pin over top of pan to trim dough flush with rim. Lightly prick tart shell all over with a fork.

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or rice. Bake in middle of oven 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more. Cool in pan on a rack.

Fill tart shell:Remove side of pan and slide shell onto a platter. Arrange one third of mozzarella in bottom of shell and drizzle with one third of pesto. Arrange one third of tomato slices, overlapping, on top of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering twice.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Pie weights or raw rice.

NOTE: Tart shell can be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature

MY BEST PESTO

2009-07-01T10:55:00.023-05:00

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

You know, I have lived on my own for many years now. When I first moved out on my own and started cooking for myself, I could never figure out why my chili, [check my archives for my very first posting] never quite tasted like my mothers. I had watched and helped her prepare this dish hundreds of times over the course of my life, but still it was never really quite like hers. Oh! and the garbanzo beans she used to fry in butter in her cast-iron skillet... mine never tasted like hers either... I can not recall where this notion came from for me; but I now do believe it is her very own magic that made all of those dishes from my childhood special!

So, let me talk about my brother for a quick moment. Michael, who in his own right, has no problem maneuvering his was around the kitchen - is and always has been a very picky eater!!! If I am not mistaken - green beans and maybe one other green vegetable are the only "green" things he will eat!

Enter baby brother, [that would be me!] and "THE PESTO"

I had come home for a visit and decided that I would make dinner for my family. I had just recently been exposed to pesto and loved it very much. Cooking for my family wouldn't be a big deal... we will eat anything... except for Michael! Starting to sound like the cereal commercial??? Really, I don't know how my mother kept him, [the picky eater] alive all those years! I go to the store, get in the kitchen, and start doing my thing! Michael, who is sitting on the other side of the counter in my mother's open kitchen proceeds to do nothing but harangue me the entire time I am preparing the meal. "Who is gonna eat that shit!" he would say. Quickly followed by, "Yuck, that looks gross !" It goes on and on and on...

I am not really sure how it actually went down, but at one point he must've gotten really sick of hearing how great it was, (from everyone there!) and picked up a piece of baguette smeared on a little pesto, tried it and actually liked it! Let me be more clear. HE LOVED IT!!!

From then on he would have me prepare mammoth batches of pesto that he would freeze in ice cube trays and he would transfer into large Ziploc bags, so he could ration himself out. I have taught him how to make it several times, but he says it just isn't the same! It must be my magic!

... so, for my brother, Michael...

My best pesto

3 cup packed fresh basil (leaves and tops only)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup nuts*
5-10 medium cloves of fresh garlic

Place all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor and pulse. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the feed a little at a time until the pesto reaches the desired consistency. This is where your preference come into play. Because I like to to use my pesto for many things, I tend to like it a little on the thick side because I can always add a little more olive oil to loosen it up if needed. I eat it on everything from pasta to omelets to sandwiches. I hope you enjoy this as much as my brother, who I love very much, [even though he harangued me to death that day long, long ago!]

* I like to use walnuts because of their oil content and what the do for the consistency and flavor of the pesto. Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts.

RHUBARB COLLINS

2009-06-29T19:33:00.008-05:00

Ingredients:

4 lb rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups sugar
6 cups water
3/4 to 1 cup fresh lime juice
1 (750-ml) bottle good quality gin
1/3 cup Cointreau or other clear orange liqueur (2 1/2 oz; optional)
2 (1-liter) bottles seltzer water, chilled
16 small lime wedges

Preparation:

Fill glasses with ice and add rhubarb gin mixture, stopping about 1 inch from rim. Top off with seltzer. Run a wedge of lime around rim of each glass, then squeeze into drink.

SOUR CHERRY LEMONADE FIZZ

2009-06-29T19:31:00.008-05:00

2 lbs fresh sour cherries* (stemmed)

1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups vodka
2 to 3 cups chilled sparkling water
Garnish: Fresh sour cherries with stems

Pour 3 tablespoons vodka (if using) into each of 8 tall (10-ounce) glasses filled with ice. Add 1/2 cup cherry lemonade to each and top off with sparkling water.

Cooks' note: Sour cherry lemonade can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

* You can substitute frozen sour cherries off season.

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

2009-06-29T18:35:00.014-05:00

2 cups light brown sugar

2 cups cider vinegar

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

10 allspice berries

1 3/4 pounds of *Kirby cucumber, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

(about 6 cups)

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

*Kirby is a generic term for any small cucumber used for pickling.

A PERFECT SUMMER DESSERT

2009-06-29T13:20:00.007-05:00

Where I come from in California, we bar-b-que in the summer. Actually, we bar-b-que all year long because the weather permits! I have been living in the mid-west for 7 indescribable years, and I quickly learned that "we" grill here. In a nut shell, I bar-b-que in California because a true Santa Marian cooks their food on an open grill or pit using red oak for fuel. Here in the mid-west the fuel source is charcoal. That being said... whether you are having a cook-out using red oak or charcoal I have a perfect treat to finish-off your outdoor summer feast!

LIMONCELLO, PEAR AND RIESLING GRANITA

1 CUP WATER

2 CUPS RIESLING

1/2 CUP SUGAR

2 RIPE PEARS PEELED, SEEDED AND QUARTERED

1/4 CUP LIMONCELLO

1. Mix together water, 1 cup wine, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Add pears, lower heat to simmer and cook the pears gently, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly in cooking liquid. Drain the pears and reserve the liquid.

3. Puree pears in a food processor until smooth. You should have 1 cup of pear puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

4. Add cooking liquid, remaining wine and limoncello to the bowl. Mix well. Pour into shallow pan that will fit into the freezer. I use an 8 x 8 inch pan and freeze.

5. Gently srit the granita every 2 hours or until frozen. This allows the granita to freeze without separating and gives a proper crystal-like texture.

6. Once the granita is frozen, scrape the mixture with a spoon or ice cream scoop and serve immeadiately.

Garnish: curl a twist of lemon zest and a sprig of mint.

SUMMER MOJITOS

2009-06-29T00:01:00.004-05:00

This is a recipe I extracted from an old issue of "FOOD & WINE" FROM 2006. It was featured in an article of Jacques Pepin in Mexico, if I remember correctly! Point is, I have made this a many times since and I just remembered how great it is and I thought I would share. Truth be told - I tore the recipe out of the magazine and I haven't been able to find it for awhile. Viola! I found it and here is the recipe exactly as it was printed. I am in the process of making it as I blog! Enjoy this, I know that you are going to love it!

Unlike traditional granita, which is stirred frequently as it freezes so that light ice flakes form, Jacques freezes his granite in a block until it is completely firm, then softens it in the fridge until it's slightly slushy before scooping it into bowls. The sauce for his light, tropical dessert is a riff on the mojito, the minty cocktail.

2 1/4 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice

(from 2 large grapefruits)

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon grenadine

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, plus 4 sprigs for garnish

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup light rum

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 4 halves

1. MAKE THE GRANITE: In a 8-inch square glass dish stir together the grapefruit juice, honey,and grenadine. Freeze the mixture until solid, at least 3 hours.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the mint leaves, sugar, rum and lime juice and puree. Refrigerate the mojito.

3. About 30 minutes before serving, transfer the gratine to the refrigerator to soften. Cut each mango half lengthwise into slices. Pour the mojito into a shallow bowls. Fan out the mango slices in the bowls and top with two large scoops of the gratine.

Garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

Note: Gratine can be frozen for up to a1 week. This is a dessert. Be creative and turn it into a cocktail.

GIVE US THIS DAY!

2009-06-26T10:22:00.013-05:00

I am not big on cooking in the summer! Living in the mid-west it gets pretty humid, and I simply have no time to sweat-it-out any more than I have to. I eat lots of salads because I shop at my local farmers markets incessantly. One of the few exceptions is this simple to make bread recipe... I love fresh bread with my salads. Just ask Duane and Brandon, [check the archive for Oxtail Soup.] I make a mean salad and this bread is the perfect accompaniment for any home cooked meal.

My Easiest French Bread

2 packages active dry yeast [1/4 ounce each]

2-1/2 cups warm water

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons oil [use anything: I use extra virgin olive oil]

2 teaspoons salt

6-6-1/2 cups of all purpose flour

cornmeal

1 egg white

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, oil, salt and 4 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a smooth dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to oil the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. This should take about an hour. Punch down. Divide in half. Roll each half of the dough into a 15-inch x 10-inch rectangle. Roll up from the long side.; seal well. Place the seam side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Beat egg white with water; brush loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Using a very sharp knife, [I use a single edged razor] make four shallow diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. YIELD: 2 LOAVES

Variations: If you want to add things such as fresh or dried herbs, roasted whole cloves of garlic, cheese, or whatever else you fancy; add these ingredients when you add the first batch of flour. Try using fresh herbs, really great speciality salts, exotic spices, or any seeds you have to put on the top of the bread before you bake-off the loaves. Be creative and do whatever you want!

Note:If you enjoy home-made bread this is a great recipe to start out with. Don't be discouraged! The ingredients are inexpensive, so it really doesn't matter if you loose a loaf or two!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE KILLER BEES

2009-06-09T21:10:00.010-05:00

INTRODUCING: THE NEW LOOK!

2009-05-29T11:47:00.002-05:00

... So after putzing around with Michael this morning here is the new look! We both think that it is pretty cool... hope you like it too. So now I am off for a full weekend, but look for new posting at the beginning of the week! Bon Appitite!

Hollandaise

2009-05-23T11:53:00.015-05:00

ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL:

THE PERFECT HOLLANDAISE.

I go to brunch with my dear friend Jonas, alot! He is one of my best food friends. Both of us are afraid of [almost] nothing when it comes to food, so it makes perfect sense that we share this great love. He judges a brunch-site using one simple guide line: the Hollandaise. I go in and out of phases of making this for myself. Being that I live alone I usually eat it all!

In honor of my dear friend Jonas, and to the hunt of chasing the perfect Hollandaise...

It is imperative that the recipe be followed EXACTLY in order to achieve the perfect Hollandaise sauce. I usually am very game for changing stuff around; however, this is not the time or place! The chemistry of Hollandaise is very specific and exact. For instance, if you use black pepper or just use melted butter than [you are an ass!] and you are just making a mediocre Hollandaise! So, stop "pretending" that you make the best Hollandaise and follow the directions. If you do: I promise "You will be sprung for life!"

In a small bowl liquefy about 10-12 Tablespoons of *ghee* in the microwave.

*Refer to Cherrie's article "The Golden Elixirs Part 2. Click on her picture on the sidebar on the right for complete instructions on how to make ghee.*

In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl large enough to fit on top of a pot of simmering water:

Whisk the yolks of 3 extra large eggs with 1 Tablespoon of water until the yolks are light.

Place on top of double boiler or pot with simmering water.

Whisk yolks until they start to thicken. This should take about 3-6 minutes.

Take off of the heat. Whisk in the melted ghee slowly pouring the ghee in a slow-steady stream constantly whisking. After you have incorporated all of the ghee add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice*, 3-6 drops of Tabasco, a pinch of white pepper and sea salt.

*I would rather you use the juice of a lime than to not use fresh squeezed citrus. This acid thing is very important, so if you need to use lime instead of lemon: start with just 1 teaspoon adding 1/4 of a teaspoon more at a time as necessary.

Viola! There is it...and, that is how to make the world's best Hollandaise!

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #7

2009-05-11T00:01:00.006-05:00

AVOCADO SOUP

Puree 2 ripe avocados with 1 clove of garlic

Add 2 cups of buttermilk

4 teaspoons of fresh squeezed lime juice

salt and pepper

Whiz in food processor until smooth and creamy.

Chill and serve cold.

Garnish tips: top with a fresh salsa enhanced with chilies and fresh lime juice. Or you can do what I do: lump crabmeat, or shrimp, or bacon and diced tomatoes or sour cream or.....

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #6

2009-05-10T00:01:00.005-05:00

RASPBERRY PUREE

Boil:

1/2 cup tapioca

6 cups water.

1/2 cup currant juice.

Cook until tapioca is transparent

Add:

2 cups fresh raspberries

sugar to taste

Puree and serve cold.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #5

2009-05-09T00:01:00.006-05:00

STRAWBERRY SOUP

Puree 2 1/4 cups fresh strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar

Add 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Blend well.

Add 3/4 cup light red wine

I love "Sophia Rose" (a white Pinot Noir from Francis Coppola)

1 cup steam distilled or quality purified water

Chill and serve cold.

Michael suggested serving this refreshing soup in a hollowed-out ruby red grapefruit.

Wouldn't that be fit for any bee

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #4

2009-05-08T00:01:00.005-05:00

GINGER MELON SOUP

Puree 2 medium ripe cantaloupes.

Place in large bowl.

Add

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Chill until cold, (at least 2 hours)

Mince or grate 1/2 cup of fresh peeled ginger

Using cheesecloth squeeze-out 1-2 tablespoons of liquid.

Add to soup and garnish with sliced kiwi and strawberries.

Serve in chilled compotes.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #3

2009-05-07T00:01:00.005-05:00

CHERRY SOUP

2 pounds fresh stemmed & pitted cherries

4 cups frozen or canned (drained)

2 cups Gewurztraminer or Riesling

Reserve 1/2 of the cherries.

Add Cherries, wine and 2 cups of water in a large sauce pan.

Cook until cherries are soft (about 15 minutes).

Puree until smooth.

In small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well.

Add 3 Tablespoons of the puree to incorporate the dry mixture

Mix well and cook with remainder of pureed mixture until thick. Whisk constantly.

Cook about five minutes. Reduce heat.

Add reserved cherries

1 teaspoon fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Simmer until warmed through. If too sweet: add more lemon juice. If not sweet enough: add more sugar. Chill and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream as a garnish with a sprig of mint.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #2

2009-05-06T00:01:00.006-05:00

COLD CUCUMBER

Peel and seed 2 large cucumbers

Process with 1/4 cup buttermilk until smooth

Add to bowl and wisk in:

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon dill

Chill ansd serve cold.

7 SOUPS IN 7 DAYS: VOLUME 4 #1

2009-05-05T00:01:00.006-05:00

FRUIT SOUP

Combine 3/4 cups water

4 Tablespoons quick tapioca

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a large saucepan until thick (10 minutes)

Remove fromm heat and stir in 1 can thawed frozen-consentrated orange juice.

Add 2 cups diced peaches

1 can diced pears in juice

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple

16 ounces of sliced strawberries

Chill and serve cold.

Where Have I Been???

2009-05-03T09:52:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have been so non-present! For all of those of you who have contacted me with concerns regarding my whereabouts..... fear not! I am here! I've been adjusting to a new job and working crazy new hours! Ironic how it has worked out over the past few weeks. I am just a part-timer at this cute little Third Ward Cafe, but over the past two weeks, for sure, I have worked more hours than any other employee! Not complaining, just stating the facts. I really like it, a lot!!! It is nice to get back into the food service industry because for me it seems to make a bunch of sense to have my fingers on the pulse of the whole food thing [after all, my blog is about food!] DON'T YOU ALL AGREE?

So, today Sunday the 3rd of March, 2009, I have 3-4 things of utmost importance to do. In order of importance:

1.) Eat food! Brunch. Somewhere and very soon.

2.) After that, I am off to my favorite little secret place to buy a pair of shoes! I love getting a GREAT new pair of shoes. I almost like it more than ..............................

3.) Work on my friends, Kari and Ruben wedding details. This is actually the most important thing I have to do today, but I will have "best" and "better" ideas with a new pair of shoes!

4.) Do some blogging so stay tuned everyone! I gotta whole bunch of stuff on the back burner of the stove!

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #7

2009-04-11T00:01:00.007-05:00

SCOTCH BROTH

Cut 1 1/2 pounds of lamb shoulder (fat trimmed) into 1/2 " cubes

Add to 6 cups of water and simmer 10 minutes.

Skim off scum.

Add:

1/2 cup barley

3 medium leeks (white part only)

1-2 diced carrot

2 ribs of celery

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer aprox. 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Add water as necessary.

Add 1/2 cup chopped parsley before serving.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #6

2009-04-10T00:01:00.009-05:00

ALBONDIGAS

This is a standard soup or "caldo" in just about every Mexican household. It is simple and humble made with easy to get ingredients: meat balls and root vegetables. Like most of the soup recipes that I publish... this one is quick and easy. Serve this Mexican classic in large over sized bowls, (that is how it is served in every Mexican restaurant.) Serve with a plate of chopped onion, cilantro, oregano, and chili flakes to use as optional garnishes.

Meatball mixture:

2 pounds ground chuck or sirloin

1 cup bread crumbs

1 minced onion

2 eggs 2 teaspoons cumin

2-4 minced cloves of garlic

salt & pepper

Mix well and use a small ice cream scoop to make uniformly shaped meatballs. Here is where you'll have a decision to make. You can 1.) cook the meatballs in a skillet with a little olive oil browning them on all sides. 2.) bake them off in the oven. 3.) drop uncooked meat balls directly into the simmering broth. With the exception of the latter, cook the meatballs and drain off any fat.

Stock and vegetables:

In 2 quarts of stock simmer

8 small peeled and quartered red potatoes

3 large coin or bias cut carrots

1 head of cabbage cut into large rustic pieces

1 onion

If you choose to drop raw meatballs into the simmering broth add them to the broth before adding the cabbage. If you choose this method add cabbage at the last 15 minutes of cooking. Depending on the size of the meat balls they should cook in the same amount of time as the vegetables. If you choose to cook-off your meatballs first add to the broth when the vegetables are almost tender. Cook meatballs in broth long enough to heat them through.

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #5

2009-04-09T00:01:00.006-05:00

GAZPACHO

Pulse each ingredient individually in a food processor then set aside into a large bowl. The Idea is to not puree the ingredients but to get them to a broken down stage (roughly coarse chopped.) I like my gazpacho a little rustic in its presentation opposed to all of the components being too uniformly chopped or diced.

1 large seedless cucumber and set aside in a large bowl
1 each: green, yellow and red bell pepper
1 large purple onion
1/3 cup packed parsley
2 ½ pounds of peeled and seeded tomatoes
Mix well.
Add 1-2 cups tomato juice
3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil (use the best stuff you have!)
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Salt and white pepper to taste

Note: reserve a little bit of each vegetable to fine dice to use as a garnish or garnish with halved yellow pear tomatoes and fresh chopped parsley. Substitute hot or spicy tomato juice or use clamato juice in any combination for tomato juice. Or you can add a touch of carrot juice or any other vegetable juice, (get as creative as you want!)

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #4

2009-04-08T00:01:00.008-05:00

BEER & CHEESE

Saute 1 cup each of onion and celery with 3/4 cup of diced carrots in 6 tablespoons of ghee until soft. Do not brown. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook 3-4 minutes. Wish in 2 1/2 cups stock and 2 bottles of brown ale. I like to use Newcastle Brown Ale. Bring to a boil and cook until thick. Aprox. 45 minutes. Puree this mixture, put back into stock pot and add 1 cup heavy cream, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 teaspoon dry mustard on low heat until cheese is melted. DO NOT BOIL! Cheese will separate if too hot. Add a couple of dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish options; Bacon, Broccoli, popcorn....

7 soups in 7 days: Volume 3 #3

2009-04-07T00:01:00.006-05:00

ONION SOUP GRATINEE

4 large onion (use a variety of colored onions)

4 large leeks (white parts only)

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup ghee

2 Tbsp. flour

1 quart chicken stock (adding tarragon and thyme is great here!)

8 slices of french bread

1/2 Gruyere or Swiss Cheese

Parmesan cheese

Cut tops and bottoms off of the onions and cut them in half. Thinly slice onions in half moons. and cook until tender. Do not brown. Add flour and blend well. Add stock stirring constantly. Adjust seasoning at this time. Toast bread and butter with ghee and top with cheese. Place under a broiler until cheese is melted. Float toast on top of soup. Top with any remaining cheese.