A Vinaigrette Vignette

Is vinaigrette intimidating? Mais non! I think it’s just the French name, for nothing is easier than whisking together a few ingredients with great gusto. Taste. Adjust - if needed. Done. The whole process takes a few minutes at best and the result can be perfectly tailored to what you like in a salad dressing. Plus, you bypass the gaggle of age-old salad dressing bottles, clanking unnecessarily as you open the door of the fridge. 

In our house we prefer a sweeter vinaigrette, but as I mentioned, you can tailor this to your own preference. You can re-adjust the ratio of 1:1:3 as you see fit. Or, add a bit of mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice. Experiment freely!

Only one hard and fast rule: if you use maple syrup, use REAL maple syrup -  no Log Cabin or Aunt Jemina. However, you can substitute other real sweetners, such as sugar, honey or brown sugar.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon real maple syrup 

3 tablespoons olive oil

ground pepper

pinch salt

Whisk together vigorously. Pour over salad & toss. Also good over roasted veggies - pour over while still warm. Serve hot or at room temp.

Veggie Stir Fry

At  our house, the quest for a good peanut sauce to throw on a veggie stir fry is legendary. We've tested many and liked none - until now. 

Who knew that the daughter of a former Beatle would hold the answer? Life is funny. A few weeks ago, I read an interview with Mary McCartney regarding her new vegetarian cookbook. This was one of her recipes. We tweaked it a bit, but not too much. We also use chicken stock (not at all vegetarian), but that's what we usually have around. 

Peanut Sauce:

(note: I cut  fats & sodium with “reduced” versions of peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce, and coconut milk)

4 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons sweet red chili sauce (found in Asian food section)

1 1/4 chicken broth (or vegetable)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

6 tablespoons coconut milk

1 teaspoon sriracha (if a bit of heat is desired)

ground pepper

Place ingredients in small sauce pan and heat until combined & smooth. You can also put all your ingredients in a microwave safe dish and give a good burst of heat until you can incorporate the peanut butter. This sauce is very forgiving and if you want to play up/down any flavor, go right ahead!

Other Ingredients:

Vegetables: Assorted chopped veggies (about 4 cups) : broccoli florets, green beans, onion, peppers, carrots. 

Rice Noodles:  16 oz. package (found in Asian food section)

Fresh Cilantro

Pepper

Saute veggies in a good, large saucepan with 2 tablespoons sesame or canola oil for 5-6 minutes, then pour peanut sauce over veggies and simmer for 7-8 minutes until veggies are softer, but still a bit crisp.

Bring large pan of salted water to boil. Add noodles and cook 1 minutes less than time required. Drain noodles then return to pot and add the sauce with veggies. Toss carefully to cover. Let sit for a few minutes to let some of the excess sauce absorb into noodles. 

Top with a few tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro and lots of ground pepper. Serves 6

Steal This Blueberry Cake

This cake is worthy of a bit o'crime. And, you can easily find an excuse to indulge any time of day. At 7:30, breakfast begs for coffee cake. 3:00 in the afternoon - a snack. Dessert is served at 6:45. I can't remember where the recipe came from, but we embellished it (with lemon juice on the berries) and simplified it (frozen wild blueberries, smaller & perfect).

Set oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
pinch salt
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted

Blueberries: Put frozen blueberries in small bowl and squeeze lemon juice over. Set aside while you prepare batter and topping.

Batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt by tossing about with a fork. In another bowl, whisk together oil, milk, egg. Pour liquid into dry ingredients and stir together until just combined.

Topping: Place brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and salt in small bowl and toss together. Pour melted butter over these ingredients and stir together until combined and crumbly. Spoon batter into PAM-ed 8" X 8" baking tin. Smooth out as it will be very thick. Place blueberries evenly on top of batter and then sprinkle topping evenly over blueberries.

 Place in oven and bake for 40- 45 minutes.

Lemon Pound Cake: A Tradition

In a world of uncertainty, you can be sure that there will be lemon pound cake waiting when you return to Michigan for a visit. This cake is a Mimi "welcome home" tradition and although Mimi is a bit scornful of cake mixes, she will be the first to tell you that this cake is decidedly from Duncan Hines. The cake itself is light and lemony. The glaze is so incredible that many people in my house eat the cake first and leave the glazed edges to devour last. This cake is simple, delicious, and lends itself to any occasion.

I won't repeat the entire recipe since it is on the box, but here are a few essential tips.

1. You will need Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix and Jello Lemon Instant Pudding. Follow recipe on side of the cake box. Take note: this recipe calls for 4 eggs.

2. You can use a bundt pan, but I prefer a tube pan. Grease the pan well before baking. After baking, cool for about 5 minutes and then run a knife around the edges to loosen but leave cake in the pan. Get ready to put glaze on the cake while it's still in the pan and warm from oven. This is key!

3. For glaze: in a small bowl, whisk about 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with a pinch of salt. Then whisk in the juice of 1 or 2 lemon(s). You want the glaze to be free of lumps and to run slowly off the side of spoon. If it is too thin, just add more powdered sugar. If too thick, more lemon juice. Glaze is very forgiving.

4. Take a skewer or tooth pick and gently prick the the top of the cake all over. This lets some glaze find its way into the cake as well. Very subtle and very good.

5. Pour glaze over cake while it's in the pan, smoothing over the top and allowing it to run down inside and cover the cake's edges as well as the top. Glazing the cake while it's in the pan captures all the lovely glaze goodness for the cake.

6. After about 1 hour of cooling, once again gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and carefully remove the cake. Be sure to run your knife around cake pan every so often so your cake doesn't stick to the inside.

7. If you use a bundt pan, your cake will be upside down as the decorative, rounded side will be on the bottom. Though this may look a bit strange, the cake will be so delicious no one will notice. When removing the cake from the bundt pan, You will invert the cake on to a plate. Then place another plate on top and flip again so cake is glazed-side up.

Molly's Potato Leek Soup

Resourcefulness is to cooking as improvisation is to jazz. Both arts are better off because people don't always follow set rules. As a cook, you may not have, or even like, an ingredient, so sometimes you must adapt or you'll drive yourself crazy.

This soup is the perfect example. At home, we make the adapted version of Robert Irvine's Potato Leek Soup provided below. Our version is very close to his, though I cut down on the leeks because leeks are outrageously expensive and use dried thyme because I find dried thyme taste just as wonderful as fresh in this soup.

Molly wanted to make the soup, but had major supermarket challenges and natural student budget constraints. She decided to skip leeks altogether, as well as the thyme and bay leaf. She bumped up the oniony-ness with an extra onion and added 1/ 4 parmesan cheese for more depth of flavor. Then, she packed on the pepper for extra zip. Though I wasn't there, the reviews were VERY, VERY good. A new soup is born!

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
3 leeks, whites only, thoroughly washed
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup light cream, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper

In a large pot, place potatoes, leeks, celery, onion, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. Continue to boil until potatoes are soft. Mix flour and butter in small bowl to make a roux for thickening the soup. Add the cream, thyme, and salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor), blend soup until smooth. Pour into a medium pot and simmer for 20 more minutes until soup has thickened and serve.

If you cook some broccoli until it is just done, chop & add to the soup, you'll love the taste and feel more virtuous. Plus the color is wonderful.

The Rise of Risotto

After many years of cooking, favorites assume their spot in the weekly menu rotation and will not budge. In fact, it can be hard for a fresh-faced new recipe to break into the pack. However, two recipes in John Besh's new cookbook have gained a strong following in this house. The first is the sloppy joe recipe already posted and now, risotto. Clearly, there is nothing startling about this recipe - which is why risotto has become such a favorite for cook and eaters alike. It is basic and delicious. Yes, risotto does take a bit of time in front of the stove, but for anyone living in a cold weather clime, standing in front of a stove in January is not a bad place to be.




** Wooden spoon needed for this recipe**

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced
2 cups arborio rice - must be arborio
6 cups chicken broth, heated - heated is important. (I put the first 3 cups in a large pyrex measuring cup, pop it in the microwave to heat thoroughly, and then keep refilling and reheating)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese - more if you love parmesan like we do
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large saucepan and add diced onion. Cover with a lid, allowing onion to soften without browning - about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove lid and add the rice, turning to cover each kernel in oil. Add 3 cups of the heated chicken broth, bringing slowly to a boil and then reducing heat to a steady simmer. (The lid is no longer needed) Stir often, and as the broth is absorbed into the rice, add more heated broth - about 1/2 cup or so at a time. Keep the rice and broth at a good simmer. Cook until most of the broth is absorbed. Rice should be al dente, but I prefer my al dente on the softer side. Risotto should be creamy and a bit porridge-ish, so you don't want all the broth absorbed. From start to finish, this part will take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.

Finish the dish by adding the butter, parmesan, salt, pepper and stirring thoroughly. I serve with a veggie, such as corn, just cooked & tossed with a spoonful of red pepper relish until the relish melts fully. Then add a handful of chopped grape tomatoes. This corn salad gives a nice burst of color, crunch, and sweet acidity. An excellent contrast to risotto's creamy richness.

Happiest Birthday Cake

Yesterday, Elisabeth turned eleven and once again our family-favorite cake played the starring role. All credit for this incredible devil's food cake goes to a childhood babysitter, Mrs. Dykstra. I don't remember too much about her, other than her cake becoming Mimi's go-to recipe. Now, it's mine. I've crowned this cake with all sorts of frostings: vanilla, chocolate, mocha, and even whipping cream. All were staggeringly good. The strange, but wonderful, mystery surrounding this cake is that it gets better with each day. Of course, Mrs. Dykstra's cake only last two, may be three days at most, but they are VERY good days.

Set oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa - Hershey's works great
1/2 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda

Combine the cocoa & baking soda in a small bowl. Pour in boiling water, stir to combine fully, and set aside to cool.

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter at room temperature
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Place flour and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. By now, the hot cocoa mixture will be cool-ish, so add to the butter mixture and beat well. Then, add half the sour cream and mix. Add half the flour mixture and mix again. Repeat with remaining sour cream and flour mixture.

Pour and smooth your batter into a PAMed tube pan. Bake for about 50 - 55 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake once you hit 50 minutes since you don't want to over-cook it. Cake should bounce bake when you gentle press the top or use a skewer to test for "doneness".

Christmas Bars

This is a slightly revised Mimi recipe called toffee bars. The twist is a topping of crushed candy cane rather than the original topping of toasted almonds. Toffee bars are delicious, but the nuts were an issue for a young lady from Port Chester, NY who banned them from the Favorite Dessert Poll at a recent family party. In a shameless attempt to reverse this decision, I thought peppermint candy would do the trick. So far, early results are very positive. I think Christmas Bars have a shot at a spot on the 2012 ballot.

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 bag chocolate chips (12 oz)
About 5 regular-sized candy canes, crushed*

Set oven to 350 degrees.

With a mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg yolk and beat until well combined.

To separate the yolk from the egg white, crack the egg firmly on the side of the bowl and pass the yolk back and forth, allowing the white to fall away into a bowl. If this seems daunting, crack the egg firmly on a bowl, place the entire egg into the bowl and with the smooth edge of one half of the shell, scoop out the yolk.

Add the flour and beat until batter holds together and looks crumbly. Place the batter into a PAM-ed 9 X12 baking pan. Pat the batter with your finger to get even coverage over the entire pan.

Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Return to oven and bake for another 4 minutes. Remove and with gently spread the chocolate over the baked surface with a knife. Once the chocolate is completely spread, sprinkle the crushed candy cane (or toasted almonds) about and gently press into the chocolate.

Allow to cool fully so chocolate hardens.

* To crush the candy canes, place unwrapped candy in a sturdy zip lock bag, lay a dish towel or newspaper over the bag, and use a good heavy frying pan to whack the contents. Candy cane bits are sharp and will pierce the bag which is why the dish towel or newspaper is a good idea.

Retro Night: Sloppy Joe's

The 1970s: Love American Style, bell bottoms, and Sloppy Joe's for dinner. Ah, the days of yore. Sigh!

This recipe is adapted from a new cookbook I love by John Besh. These Joe's are definitely on the sweet side of the sweet & sour spectrum. So, if you want to tip the balance a bit, you could give them a blast of sriracha heat or swap the ketchup for tomato sauce. The only must here, is that the hamburger buns are toasted. Life is full of compromises, but toasted rolls for Sloppy Joes is not one of them. Always toast!

ps. I think this meal calls for some contrasting crunch to balance the soft Joe-ness. A salad of greens, sliced apple, and shaved parmesan seems just right.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup pepper jelly
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup chicken broth
pinch of salt & plenty of freshly ground pepper

Brown the ground beef slowly in a large saucepan. Once the meat loses its pinkness, drain the fat, and tip the meat on to a paper towel-lined plate while you make the sauce.

Wipe out your pan and add the canola oil. Turn heat to medium and add onion. Give onion time to brown. Once onion has reached a nice light brown color, add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Then, add all your remaining ingredients, stirring constantly to allow them to combine and heat through.

Add ground beef to the sauce and cook at low simmer for 10 -15 minutes. If mixture seems too dry, add a bit more chicken broth. If too liquid, just heat until you reach the consistency you prefer. Enjoy!

Serves about 10

The Archives: Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread has been around as long as I have. While it's not necessary to talk numbers, let it suffice to say that this is a long-held Mimi recipe which appears around/between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Recently, I attempted to make the bread healthier by substituting unsalted butter for much-maligned Crisco. The resulting breads were good, but the size was a bit smaller and the texture slightly denser. However, a review of the Crisco label revealed that Crisco has half the saturated fat of butter and no evil trans fats. So, I am back to the true original. Though, I will say there are some in the house who prefer the butter version. Either way, I will not pretend that this is a health food. However: It is delicious. It is tradition. It isn't something you eat every day.

P.S. You can bake this batter in muffin tins (will make 12) and top with cream cheese frosting for yummy cupcakes. Repeat the last three sentences from above as you devour.

P.P.S. Glad to have this go digital as my card is in rough shape!

Set oven to 350 degrees

1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Place dry ingredients in small bowl. Toss about with fork to combine.

Use mixer to cream together:
1/2 cup Crisco or same amount softened unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Then, beat in 2 eggs. Stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin. When combined, alternate adding and stirring in the flour mixture with 1/3 cup cold water.

Once complete, pour into greased loaf pans or muffin tins. The mini-loaf pans will require 30 -35 minutes in the oven. Muffins will take about 30 minutes.

A Winter's Tale: Potatoes

Lately, potatoes have become (unfairly I think) the black sheep of the carb world. I am an ardent believer in "everything in moderation" and am also a big fan of sticking to a budget. A weekly potato night is good on both accounts. So enjoy yourself and don't give in to potato bullies.

This recipe is adapted from the wonderful world of British cook and author Nigel Slater. Nigel has such a way with vegetables, and cooking in general, that you want to try everything he mentions, plus grow a beautiful garden while you're at it. This recipe is for cold winter nights and all it needs is some kind of crunchy co-star. We like green bean boiled until just tender and tossed with a bit of jarred pesto. This feeds one very hungry person as a main dish, but can be easily doubled or tripled when there are more mouths to feed.

2 russet potatoes
1 onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic - minced
1 cup "meltable" cheese - fontina is nice & available everywhere now, even at Target. Cheddar works well too.
just a bit of parmesan

Set oven to 350 degrees

Peel potatoes and cut into chunky 1/2 inch thick circles. Place potatoes in a large pan with salted water, turn heat to high, and boil until just tender. (about 10 minutes) If you poke a piece with a fork, it should just start to come out without resistance. You don't want to over-cook them. Drain water and cut into bite-sized pieces. You can take a dinner knife to them while they are still in the pan.

While potatoes are working their way toward tender, cut an onion in half, then slice into thin half circles. Place in a skillet with olive oil and cook at medium heat. You want to soften, not brown the onions. However, if they get a little bronzed, the world will not end. When onions seem softened (about 9 or so minutes), toss in minced garlic, give 30 more seconds of cooking time, stir around, and remove from heat. The brief time in the heat will be enough to release the garlic's wonderful fragrance; you don't want garlic to brown.

Place potatoes in with garlic-y onions and add grated cheese. Toss lightly with a bit of salt & pepper. If you have a skillet with on oven-proof handle the whole thing can get a dusting of parmesan and go directly in the oven If not give an oven-proof dish a quick blast of PAM and tip in the potato mixture. Dust with parmesan. Cook for 35 minutes or until everything looks delicious and golden.

Rice: The Oven Version

This is another essential recipe from the Mimi files. We grew up eating this rice under or next-to all sorts of dishes: stew, curry, roast chicken - the list goes on and on. In fact, the first time I had rice made on the stove top with water I was stunned and not in a good way. Rice baked in chicken broth has a lovely flavor and perfect consistency. Plus, you can toss it in the oven, set the timer, and forget about it until you hear the “ding”.

Set oven to 400 degrees

I can chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice - not all rice (brown, arborio, basmati, etc.) cooks or tastes equally; long-grain white is best here.
1 tablespoon butter
A little ground pepper

Place all three items in small, lidded pyrex. I use an 8” x 8” dish. Cover dish and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, stir rice a bit, replace lid for 3 or so minutes, and serve. This makes about 4 to 5 good strong servings.

p.s. warmed leftover rice is wonderful with a fried egg on top. Dust with parmesan cheese & pepper ...

Gingerbread Heaven

I am absolutely sure warm gingerbread with whipped cream is served in heaven and that Laurie Colwin gave St. Peter the recipe. Gingerbread recipes vary wildly with many calling for boiling water or other unreasonable antics. This one is easy and antic-free. It is also a must for anyone residing in a cold weather climate such as, ahem, Chicago or Boston.

p.s. This recipe is adapted for the no-mixer kitchen. If you do have one feel free to put it to work.


Laurie Colwin’s Gingerbread

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk, including 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed in to “buttermilk-ify” it. Do this first and place on top of the warming oven so vinegar has a few minutes to work its magic.
1 stick of butter - very soft, but not melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons vanilla

Set oven to 350 degrees

Use a fork to cream butter with brown sugar until all the brown sugar is incorporated and the mixture looks like a sugary butter paste. Then beat in molasses; I find a wooden spoon or not overally flexible spatula works best. Follow by beating/whisking in eggs. I do the eggs one at a time to help make cake as light as possible.

Add all dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Whisk or beat in vanilla extract and milk.
Pour batter into Pam-sprayed tin. I use 9” round pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. You can use an 8” square pan, but you will need to adjust the baking time. Either way, test to see if center bounces back when you press lightly.

Remove from oven and allow to cool just slightly. Gingerbread is best when on the verge of hot. Eaten this way, gingerbread is heavenly. Adding whipped cream or slightly softened vanilla ice cream is heavenly+. You can freeze leftovers, if any remain.

Bread & Chocolate

This is simple and delicious.
This a snack/dessert/breakfast/lunch.
This will help you leap tall stacks of books.
This will soothe tiny, or not so tiny, annoyances.

This is bread & chocolate.

To make:
Take a good hunk of french baguette. I am not a snob about the bread here, but it should be a baguette. Your local supermarket's bakery brand will do. In fact, this may sound strange, but Target's baguette (they make a demi-monde size too) works very well and you can stock a few in your freezer.

Cut your bread in half the long way and toast it in the toaster oven. You can also wrap it in foil and warm in a 325 degree oven for about 7 or 8 minutes. Longer if bread is a bit frozen. I do not recommend the microwave as it tends to turns bread into stone statues in the blink of an eye.

Take the bread out of the oven and carefully place a nice piece of chocolate between the two halves. Press the two halves together gently to slightly melt the chocolate. Exhaustive research has led this household to prefer 60% cacao dark chocolate. Of course, dark chocolate has all those healthy anti-oxidants and iron, so you can feel virtuously indulgent. And if you like the more intense higher percentages of cacao, go for it - that's even better still. AND, if you only like milk chocolate, that's fine too. We all need our calcium.

I have also sprinkled roughly chopped roasted almonds over my chocolate before the "gentle press" of the baguette. I like this version too, however, some purists insist you must stick to two ingredients. I think you should judge for yourself. Bon Appetit!

Full Immersion Blending

Dear Moll-

You know all too well that I am Scrooge McDuck stingy. I'm sure our recent conversation about the iphone still lingers in your head like a bad cold. I won't deny my thriftiness. In fact, I embrace it as a money-saver AND as a life simplification philosophy. In kitchen terms, this translates to "why have a bunch of expensive gadgets and what-nots if you can make do with the basics?"

So, if I'm sending you a kitchen tool which at first glance seems a little gadget-y, you know I think it's worth the money. And I do. That said, prepare to welcome the Kalorik Immersion Blender. (I know I sound like an infomercial. Sorry.) I heard about it from Christopher Kimball - and that man researches e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g inside & out. What's it good for? Smoothies, of which you are a huge fan - though I find you may want to slightly defrost larger fruit chunks (peaches) a bit before you blend. Soups: roasted sweet potatoes and other assorted veggies cooked in chicken broth and then blended. You've never tackled these before but as the winter descends you'll crave soup. You could even make the king of condiments, aka tomato jam. Add to all of this ease of cleaning (way easier than a blender), a pretty modest price, and availability on Amazon. Expect to receive your own Kalorik Stick Mixer next week. Enjoy!

xxoo, Mom

So-Simple Spaghetti Sauce

I am not a fan of jarred spaghetti sauce. Yes, it's easy. Yes, there are lots of homemade-ish versions sitting on supermarket shelves. However, nothing - absolutely nothing - beats a nice home cooked sauce. This version is very easy and came to me via the ultimate super cook: Mimi. Mimi is not of Italian descent and she developed this recipes in the early 70's so it features a few short-cuts that the truly Mediterranean may frown upon. It is, however, delicious, quick, and much-requested in this house - even by the truly Mediterranean.

1 lb ground round (90% lean ... wouldn't go leaner, but can go with slightly higher fat content, say 85% lean)
2 peeled cloves of garlic, smashed a bit to release flavor
1 whole onion peeled
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon sugar

Place ground beef in a large sauce pan. Break up the ground beef and brown over medium heat. Don't be too aggressive with the heat.If the meat browns too fast or too long, I think you lose a bit of tenderness in the meat. You may not think the crumbled, browned meat can be tender, but trust me it can. This is the one part of the recipe that you need to watch closely. Once the meat just loses its pinkness, turn off the heat, and drain the fat which has accumulated. Then place meat back in the pan.

Add to the meat in the saucepan all your canned tomato stuff, smashed garlic, whole onion, spices, and sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover and let simmer slowly for at least 2 hours - or longer. Give it a stir every now and then, but keep returning the cover to guard the sauce so it doesn't cook down. You can double this recipe easily or add more tomato sauce if you like a less meat-y sauce. Goes with out saying, that leftover sauce freezes well.

Serve over the pasta of your choice.

Onion Jam On-Demand

To me, a great condiment is all that stands between a good sandwich and an outstanding one. I’ll go a step further, declaring that even a so-so sandwich is lifted to great status by the love of a terrific condiment. Lots of pressure for ketchup/mustard/mayo which are not, however, the great condiments I have in mind. The one I am thinking of is of the savory sweet variety: onion jam. Oh it is good! What’s even better is that onion jam is a breeze to make. Delicious on sandwiches of all kinds - especially any&all grilled cheese. Onion jam freezes like a dream. Plus it’s so inexpensive to make. Why buy a $4 jar of some fancy spread when you can make your own and then stash some away for later use? Say goodbye to all those aged and abandoned condiments clattering around in your fridge. Say hello to wonderful flavor on-demand!

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large red onions
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Chop off ends and remove rough outer layer of onions. Cut onions in half and slice into thin strips. I continue on with a rough chop because I think it helps the onion cook more evenly and makes spooning the jam easier if the onion section are smaller. However, if you think a long string of onion is more elegant than so be it.

Place olive oil in a large saucepan under medium heat. Add all your chopped onion to pan and cook - stir about on occasion - until onion is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.

Add sugar and vinegar and cook until liquid is reduced to a thick syrupy consistency and onion appears soft and caramelized. About 10 minutes. If you still have too much liquid, give onions more time to cook. Watch your jam doesn’t dry out and burn though! Add salt and pepper, stir, and you’re done.

Ramen Rehab

Ramen has a bad rap. Some of the criticism is deserved; some not so much. If you toss out the toxic flavor packet full of sodium and MSG and other nasty stuff, you're left with a decent serving size of ramen noodles. The price is right and a little creativity can make a great meal. Nothing wrong there!

1 package Ramen - noodles only
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup canned chicken broth (prefer Swanson: fat-free, lower sodium)

To jazz ramen up, take a saucepan and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Turn heat to medium high and when the oil begins to shimmer, place the solid square of ramen gently in oil. Use tongs for this, please! In a very short amount of time, peek at the bottom. When golden brown, turn the noodles over carefully (with tongs) and follow same quick golden brown approach. Turn heat off and slowly, very slowly, add the chicken broth to the saucepan. You will get a big whoosh of steam when you add the liquid. Turn heat back to medium and let chicken broth and noodles simmer for about 2 -3 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and noodles are tender.

You can eat this as is with a shaving of Parmesan or top with sauteed veggies. If you're holed up in your room for the afternoon, try some slow-roasted tomatoes on top. There are easy to do but you need to cook them for 4 hours at low heat.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes a la Molly Wizenberg
4 Roma tomatoes or as many as you want to eat!
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Cut off stem ends of tomatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Place in bowl and pour oil and salt over them. Gently move them about with your hands to cover evenly. Place them cut side down on a foil line baking sheet. Place in 200 degree oven for 4 hours. When finished remove and cut carefully into bite-sized pieces - you don't want to lose any of the delicious juices. Pour over cooked ramen or any pasta. Yum!

Ratatouille - The Meal, Not the Movie

I may be the only mother in America who hasn’t seen this movie. Can’t imagine how I missed it. However, I used to make pots of ratatouille before children thanks to the Moosewood Cookbook. The other day I was reading a wonderful book by Molly Wizenberg and I fell in love with ratatouille all over again. It has all the hallmarks of a great meal: easy, delicious, inexpensive. This is an adaptation of her recipe. There are so many versions and this is one recipe that you can experiment with endlessly to make it your own.

1 eggplant - trim ends off and cut into round discs about 1 inch thick
4 medium zucchini - trim the ends, cut the long way and then into half moons 1/2 in. thick
1 large yellow onion - chopped
1 red pepper - cored, seeded, and chopped
5 cloves garlic - cut into thin strips
5 Roma tomatoes - cut off stem end and squeeze firmly to remove seeds. Chop roughly
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil

Set oven to 400 degrees. Cover baking sheet with tin foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Set eggplant circles on sheet. Drizzle oil on each piece and rub in gently. Do this one at a time because the oil soaks in fast. Eggplant is like a crazy sponge! Oil both sides, then pop in oven for 15 minutes on one side. Flip the pieces over and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cut into bit-sized pieces, and set aside.

In large dutch oven (pot in pic is a dutch oven - go big!), pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, and warm over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and saute until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onion until soft, about 6 minutes. Lower heat as you don’t want the onion to brown. Remove onion and set with zucchini.

Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil and red pepper. Saute until tender (not brown) about 6 minutes. Add garlic, stirring constantly for 30 seconds so garlic doesn’t burn. Then add all the just-cooked vegetables, along with tomatoes, herbs & salt, into the pot. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Veggies will get progressively more tender as you heat, so if you want more of an “al dente” version, then keep an eye on the cooking time.

Serve with good crusty bread or over pasta with some parmesan. There are, however, tons of ways to use ratatouille. Spread some on a pizza-tortilla (see July 28 post), dot with feta cheese, and bake in 400 degree oven until cheese melts. Place a fried egg on top and eat with toast. Add a large spoonful to chicken broth, then whisk vigorously or place in blender for a nice veggie soup.

Also, If you want added protein, throw in a can of drained & rinsed chick peas during the final covered cooking. This recipe makes a lot, but ratatouille gets better the second day. You can also freeze left overs and enjoy a few weeks later.

Corn Muffin IQ

This is a test. True or false: corn muffins always taste good, no matter time of day.

Easy question I know, even with the tricky use of “always”, for this statement is true, true, true. Warm corn muffin with coffee for breakfast? Corn muffin cosy-ing up to a bowl of chili for dinner? Corn muffin with butter and raspberry jam around 3pm? All really, really good.

This recipe makes 24 delicious muffins. Once cool, eat your fill, then pop the rest in the freezer. For the next few days/weeks, depending on your level of restraint, you can pull one out, pop it in the microwave for a quick blast, and you’re good to go. Chili recipe to follow shortly.

Dry Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup sugar (use a few teaspoons less if you prefer more savory/less sweet)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

“Wet” Ingredients
1 2/3 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

You’ll need two regular size muffin tins and use place paper liners. If you only have one muffin tin, just cook them in two batches.

In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients, then whisk until combined. Put aside.

In a medium sized, microwave safe bowl, place 1 2/3 cup butter and melt in microwave. Once melted, carefully add milk, then stir. Add eggs and whisk vigorously.

Make a “well” in center of dry ingredients and pour wet mixture into the “well”. Gently stir together with a wooden spoon. Leave a few lumps; you don’t want to over-mix the batter.

Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tins. Place tins in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes (will vary based on your oven) or until golden on top.