Stuffing - A Sh*t Recipe

My elderly neighbor on Stacey and I used to trade an occasional recipe. We both JUST cooked, so more often than not, instructions were vague. She dubbed these delicious dishes as "sh*t" recipes. You can fill in the blank. I found myself concocting such a beast, this morning. My first contribution to the freezer for Turkey Day. I'll never remember the gazillion ingredients, if I don't make note of them now.

First step was to cube all the potato rolls, both burger and hot dog, left from summer and let them dry in a low oven, while I…

Melted a stick of pure butter (hey, Thanksgiving comes just once a year) and EVOO in a large pan. Into that went lots of chopped onions, carrots, celery, scallions, apples and diced garlic, all tossed with sea salt, pepper, paprika and a chunk of ginger root. Lots of stirring and browning created the perfect pan to deglaze with red wine, after which I removed the ginger and added some defatted chicken drippings. Tossed the whole shebang with the bread cubes and broken cashews. Then placed in a Pam-sprayed aluminum pan for the freezer. Turkey drippings will top off the stuffing on the actual day. I do not stuff the bird, as the browning effect is the best!! If you can live without sausage or whatever, this vegan variety is delicious. Taste-tested by moi. :-)

Buon Appetito!

Surprise 'Em with Avocado-Hummus Dip

Niece Vicki is paying us an overnight visit, later on; we're psyched. Unfortunately, our other Baby Chloe is quite sick, keeping her and Kim from joining us. Get well fast, Sweet Girl.

Thought I'd give Vick another recipe to add to her growing collection. I'm confident she'll like it, especially for its healthy ingredients.

It is so easy, as avocado can be mashed right in its shell and added to the container of hummus, along with finely chopped scallion (both ends!) and the juice of one lime... no dirty dishes…

Store in fridge and surprise your guests when you plate the "container of hummus" for them to dip into. Great with veggies and chips… or, as a salad topper.

Buon Appetito!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

This puts Sorrento and Polly-O to shame. It does, however, compare to the city's Littly Italy version that we once got from Adam's in Newburgh - fresh on Thursdays, when I'd ride shotgun with Joe. Now that ricotta was pure and absolutely delicious.

If you've ever asked me what my favorite foods are, I've most likely answered homemade mozzarella and freshly whipped cream, minus the sugar, in all their purity. I'd have forgotten REAL ricotta cheese. There's a running theme, here.

The recipe is the simplest you'll ever find… a few ingredients and a little time. But let's be clear, it's not for the lactose intolerant or cholesterol challenged. Moderation is seriously key for all!

The transformation is magical. I saved the liquid whey for use later on. Waste not, want not! And to note, we used light buttermilk. I know, I know - kind of laughable, right? Point is, it worked. It's like having skimmed milk with a full-fledged brownie! Or like the TAB I asked my Dad to buy for me, as a teen, only to drink it along with some ice cream or cookies. That one baffled Dad. ♡ 

Alex Guarnaschelli on the Food Network gets all the credit. Here's her recipe:

BUON APPETITO!! 

Hot pasta with a "scoop-of" is on tonight's menu. YUM!

Then, there's lasagna, white pizza or just dabs of deliciousness.

Sometimes, Ya Just Need Dessert!

Okay, okay, so it's not (recipe link) Bûche de Noël, this time of year. It's simply Chocolate-Strawberry Roulade. Fine. That'll do. And we just had to have it, this past week. So, I obliged. It was beyond delicious. Same drill as the former recipe, with juicy, sweetened strawberries added to the mix.

I used the shelf-safe whipping cream from Trader's for this one. Joe detected no difference, but as for moi? I did. Ever so subtle, but nonetheless a difference. Maybe good in a pinch, but…

 My cream has to be fresh, refrigerated and in a container. Purity is the name of the game.

Ever-Evolving Chicken Soup

We're in the midst of an arctic blast. No joke. After our balmy, nearly snowless winter thus far, it's been plunging to sub-zero temps. It's that nasty windchill factor, especially here on Golden Pond. So, I wanted chicken soup, yesterday. Thing is, I wasn't in the mood to start from scratch… or to go to the store. Enter the freezer…

In its depths, I found three mason jars of homemade chicken broth, each with about twelve ounces. Two more jars held about four ounces each of turkey and chicken drippings. The former would be from simmered chicken and veggie dinners; the latter from the last turkey breast I roasted, also with onions/veggies, some pieces remaining. After the contents were partially thawed, I skimmed all fat and poured into a soup pot. 

Then, I cooked about a half pound of ditalini (small pasta) in salted water till al dente. After rinsing with cold water to stop cooking, I added to broth and brought it all to a simmer… and then…

I added cubed chicken breast (from cutlets, also in the freezer) and let it cook at a soft simmer for about five minutes, till chicken was white and tender. Salt and pepper to taste and a hit of parsley - voilà! Yet another version of an old favorite, and… What a flavorful result, with a triple whammy of chicken - broth, drippings and poultry simmered to stay. 

This was delicious served with the Zojirushi banana bread I'd made in the morning, using ripened bananas from the freezer, as well as cacao nibs and almonds, all from…

Well, you've got the gist. There is not much that doesn't freeze well, thus helping us to avoid a grocery run on a frigid day.

To Note: Sure, you can used boxed or canned broth. But honestly? I've never - as in not ever - found one that compares to the homemade variety. Just go back and check out my (link) simmered chicken recipe; it's the meal that keeps on giving.

Buon Appetito. Stay warm.

Cucina News

Before we left Christian's neck of the woods, we hit Trader's. Needless to say, we overbought and overspent. I was excited to find this shelf-storable item, ready and waiting for when I'm in the mood to make a Bûche de Noël. Had to text Cousin Maddy, a schooled baker. Of course with a Trader Joe's in her neighborhood, she was already aware. She told me that it's an excellent product. I'm spreading the word.

You're welcome. :-)

UPDATE: Not for moi; my first review is here.

May the Best Bûche Win...

This is an update. You might recall my (link) excited post about my first bûche. Well, I went on to make another that was filled with simple vanilla REAL whipped cream. Both were served for Christmas dessert and guess what???? No one touched the all chocolate one, but the simpler one was devoured. It received absolute RAVE reviews. A keeper. We needed more.

Just add ¼ cup confectioners sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla to a pint of heavy cream. Beat, but don't over-beat. Fill and roll, as per original instructions. It doesn't get any more delicious… just ask my kids and grands!!

Now, please excuse me while I tend to that recipe.

My First Bûche de Noël and Update

Ends will be trimmed and log cut at a slight angle to
reveal filling, when ready to finish and serve

Okay, okay, I'm excited. As a result, you'll have to use your imaginations, 'cause I brought this roulade (if it's not the holiday) or bûche (if it is Christmastime) just to its ready-for-the-freezer stage. Decorating shall come later, at which time I hope to share another picture. Meanwhile, it's more important that I provide the blend of recipes that took me to this point. Honestly? I was afraid of this one. Don't know why, as my culinary expertise is up there in good places. Turns out it was SO easy and QUICK and surely I'll make another, in the hopes that one simply won't be enough. It is flour-less, thus gluten free; just be sure all of your ingredients are the same, if you're serving to celiac sufferers such as Dawn. I'll finish it by frosting with a thin layer of plain whipped cream to resemble snow and perhaps some dried cranberries to look like winterberries.
Here ya go:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat 5 egg whites until stiff and gradually add ¾-1 cup confectioners sugar sifted together with 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, continuing to beat

Separately beat 5 yolks till lemon-colored and gently fold into whites till blended

Spread on 13" x 18" cookie sheet or jelly roll pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper - butter parchment, too 

Spread batter evenly and into corners and bake for about 12-15 minutes… done when it springs back to a light touch - do not overbake

Lay out a thin, smooth towel or dinner napkin and sift cocoa onto it

Loosen edges of cake and flip onto napkin - carefully remove pan and then parchment paper and lightly sift cocoa over it

Roll with napkin lengthwise, starting at a narrow end and being careful to make a tight first curl

Rest like this, seam side down, till cooled or about ½ an hour

Unroll and spread with following whipped cream mixture:

Beat together 2 cups heavy cream, ⅓  cup confectioners sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (no need to sift sugar and cocoa for this step) and 1 teaspoon vanilla till stiff peaks form

Be careful to work filling into first curl and keep it about 1 inch from edges

TO NOTE: The size pan I used made a very skinny cake, which in turn was very pliable and easy to roll with filling. This part of the recipe is somewhat flexible; a smaller pan will make a thicker cake that requires adjusted baking time. Fillings and frostings are yours to choose, as well.

Cant wait to serve this one!!
Ho, Ho, Ho - Santa Claus is comin' to town…
STAY TUNED!

UPDATE

My second roulade with vanilla cream filling won the prize for Best Bûche de Noël, on Christmas Day. Please check out this post. For filling:

Beat together 2 cups heavy cream, ¼-⅓ cup confectioners (I used ¼) and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Easy-peasy.

Fork-Tender Pork

Just so ya know, I'm not a gravy person, especially when it has this putrid color. But Joe loves the stuff and he also loves pork - he was like an oinker in proverbial you-know-what, when I plated this for him. We only eat it if HE buys it, 'cause I can't help but associate it to those mud-laden chubettes. Ugh. Having said all that, I must admit that these boneless chops were exceptionally lean and white and this gravy rendered them absolutely fork tender. And they can be served without extra gop all over them. Great with basmati rice, salad and applesauce. For four chops:

Mix about ⅓-½ cup flour with about 2 tablespoons of paprika and 1 tablespoon garlic powder. Rinse chops and dredge in flour. Brown in ¼ cup (½ stick) hot, melted butter and remove to an oven dish. Sauté a small, finely chopped sweet onion in butter till tender. Add remaining flour plus enough to make about ¼ cup to butter, stirring to make a roux. To this, slowly add about 1½ cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk at only 30 calories per cup) and simmer till thickened. Add salt, if necessary, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add juice of 1 medium-sized lemon. Stir and pour over chops. Bake uncovered in preheated 350-degree oven for about 50 minutes. Next time, I'll sprinkle with parsley or chives, just to perk up that color!

Be amazed. Buon Appetito.

Cut-the-Calories Carbonara

Gavin is on a ham kick, thus the normally non-existent-in-our-fridge ingredient happened to be available. We still don't tempt ourselves with delicious, freshly-grated parmigiano-reggiano, so nada on that front. That was a tough habit to break, believe me. A culinary heartbreaker. But we can't afford the fat or salt, even in moderation, 'cause we simply eat too much pasta and there's no such thing as cheese-moderation. You know. :-) Soooo, right there we've cut a few calories, eh? I digress. This'll do a pound of short macaroni; but you might need a tad more liquid for linguine or spaghetti, as they tend to absorb more…

Get your water a-boilin' while you sauté chopped ham in a few tablespoons of your best EVOO. Remove ham when satisfied and add chopped scallions, chopped fresh tomato and minced garlic to oil to cook through…

Pop that pasta into the boiling water and when nearly cooked, save about 1 ½ cups of liquid and add to oil 'n' scallion mixture. Bring to a simmer and add drained al dente pasta. Remember, it's going to cook more and you don't want smush. Stir for a minute or two and remove from stove…

You will have already beaten together 2 egg yolks with 2 wedges of Laughing Cow Light. Add slowly to pasta, stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook while stirring for another few minutes, till everything is coated and creamy…

Stir in reserved ham. Add parsley and freshly ground pepper. Serve with a side salad… and remember to play with this recipe. Really, anything goes. 

BUON APPETITO!

Stuffing Waffles

Jeesh, time flies. Can't BELIEVE it was 2011 when I posted (link) Rachel Ray's tip. My stuffing was exceptionally good, yesterday.
And today? Lordy, Lordy. Give this one a try.

This is an extra special post for Kim. ❌⭕ Color Me Hysterical...

Cucina Talk - Time for Turkey

Have to say, I'm lovin' my lakeside cucina. It flows well. And it comes with a view. But time still flies, here on Golden Pond. Amazingly, it's that turkey time of the year again - mid November. WTF? How IS that possible?? Okay, so I digress…

Joe scored a couple Shady Brook Low-Sodium Turkey Breasts, all nice and fresh… ready to cook or freeze. I popped one into the oven, two nights ago, surrounded by seasoned white and sweet potatoes, carrots, apples and sweet onions, all sprayed with EVOO. First-night fare was scrumptious. Into the fridge went leftovers. Enter "Chopped." You know the concept. Nothing new, really; my family members have always cooked with whatever they had available. A ten-second stare into the fridge and out would come ingredients to whip up something special. So, what to do with those leftover veggies? Soup? No, not again, 'cause we're still working on the vats of chicken soup I recently made and froze. Just heated up? Nah; they never taste the same as freshly roasted. How 'bout a casserole?

Into the Cuisinart went the already-seasoned veggies to be emulsified and thinned with fat-free milk. I chopped the turkey into bite-sized pieces, while cooking up some small shell pasta. All was layered into old Glidden low bowls and topped with a slice of Swiss and some parsley, to be nuked (no need to bake this one) for a quick dinner with a side salad.

Meanwhile, I had all the leftover summer potato rolls and such cubed and slowly drying in a 200-degree oven. Ahhh, the cucina smells super. And to imagine Thanksgiving stuffing made with that delicious bread. You can take the turkey; I'll take the trimmings.

This one's for Gav, who loves the competition of "Chopped!" Who knew? He has strong opinions of what might or might not work, as well as a few creative ideas of his own. A budding chef? One never knows.

Buon Appetito!

Triple-S Avocado 'n' Tomato Treat

Simplicity Speaks Sandwich of exactly three ingredients proves once again that the most delicious fare is comprised of simple, best-of-the-season ingredients. Avocados and vine-ripened tomatoes, abundantly available, speak for themselves... but when piled onto lightly toasted peasant bread… Lord-y!! For local friends of CMI, please know that the farm stand on Broadway carries Bread Alone delights.

Mango-Plum Tart

We overbuy fruit. You know… summer fruit. It's so irresistible, especially when marketed well in gorgeous displays. Plums and mangoes. Yep, they were this week's must-haves. Too many, of course. So, with the threat of spoilage looming, what to do? Make a tart, of course.

Simply pare, cut, sugar and flour fruit; add a hit of ginger and let sit while you make a crust. In case you've forgotten...

2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt mixed in a bowl… add ½ cup canola oil mixed with 5 tablespoons icy water. Stir quickly, split in half and roll between two sheets of waxed paper.

Assemble tart and sprinkle top with sugar/ginger mixture. I did not bring top crust to edges… let 'er bubble.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes (this is a thin tart, so baking time depends on amount of filling).

The jury is already out on tonight's dessert… it got a solid 10!
Buon Appetito. Here's to the season.

It's All In The Lemon - A Fish Dish

Last week, we had leftover breaded chicken cutlets that I quickly turned into Chicken Francaise over pasta. So, why not fish over rice, prepared similarly? With a thick chunk of fresh-frozen cod and a couple of flounder fillets, we ended up with gourmet fare worth talkin' about:

First up was Trader Joe's Basmati Rice, set to cooking in the rice cooker. While that was working…

Into an ovenproof sauté pan went EVOO, butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, parsley, paprika, garlic powder and pepper, all brought to a simmer, after which I tossed in the fish to cook till almost done. Then, I removed fish to a plate, leaving remaining sauce into which I added the cooked rice. A good toss later, I topped rice with fish, a coating of cornmeal, a light sprinkling of cheddar cheese 'n' paprika and a spritz of EVOO. Pan went under the hot broiler to finish cooking the fish and brown the top.

Wowsa! Really! It's all in the lemon. Buon Appetito!!

A July Run… and a "Finner" Recipe

No, not a marathon. Rather a "run" of glorious days. You know. Old-fashioned July days of summer. Wish I could bottle them, to be released during a January freeze. Yes. I wish. But since that can't happen, might as well enjoy every second while they exist. Herein, every picture tells the story of these special moments in time…

You've met our resident baby robins. Well, to say the least, their parents could not have chosen a more perfect spot to nest. The bird's eye (pun intended) view we were treated to also afforded me some pretty incredible photo ops. Saturday's above capture told us these babes were about to fly the coop. Lo and behold, on Sunday morning, we witnessed their flight. What a treat from Momma Nature!!

Mambo, in the meanwhile, was absorbing all sights 'n' sounds. Thing is, he got himself into some trouble with his humans, the other day. He never wanders from us. Well, make that "almost" never. Seems that while we weren't looking and as Neighbor Kyle and Pooch Gizmo went walking by, the Big M thought to join them. As Gizmo pulled and pulled on his lead, we're told that leash-less Mambo heeled next to Kyle for an untethered stroll. Thing is, he earned himself a nice, long rope attached to a tree, upon his naughty return. Lake folks don't look kindly upon unleashed, 140-pound canines strolling their streets. Well, except for Kyle and Giz; they enjoyed the company!

Moving along, Joe has turned into an obsessive fisherman, returning to his childhood love of the sport. Yesterday morning, he scored not one, two or three very large bass… but four, in total. We kept the limit and dined on the fattest one, last night. More in the freezer.

Photo above by and from an excited Joe who had just caught "Finner"

After texting the pic, Joe employed further modern technology by phoning me from the kayak to tell me the fish story.

Here's some of the weekend catch and a recipe for "Finner," following:

Joe scaled, cleaned and split fish. The largest weighed about four pounds, after all this beheading and such; it was quite meaty. I filled the cavity with scallions and added EVOO and lemon juice, after which I smothered the entire outside with oil and juice, as well. Spiced it up a tad  with fresh pepper and lemon zest. Wrapped and sealed in aluminum foil. Put on hot, hot grill for ten minutes and turned for another ten. The meat falls off the bones, but one still has to watch for tiny ones, while enjoying. Moving along…

We seem to have dinner pretty late, here at the lake. We're well rewarded for this new habit. Gorgeous sunsets often come with strange side effects, such as the cloud pictured above. But we haven't forgotten the beauty of the Old Homestead and during a short trip there, we treated ourselves to a homegrown bouquet.

Hope y'all are enjoying a happy, safe and healthy month.

Bread Alone… Don't Judge Me

In a Dinner Declaration last night, I told Joe that I'd gladly make him a burger or something easy, but my fare would consist of blueberry pie à la mode… period (yesterday's blog). My calories would be used in a guilt-free substitution of dessert for dinner. Come on, Guys 'n' Gals, isn't less truly more? Reminds me of Niece Kim when she was a kid. If there was cheesecake in the fridge, she'd have it for breakfast and lunch, in lieu of other food… I digress…

My choice of Breyer's was vanilla, of course. What "matches" berries in a better way. Before you judge, consider the exorbitant amount of antioxidants I consumed, not to forget the inclusion of dairy and bread groups. So, if you think of it all as Pie Alone, herein lies my segue to…

Bread Alone. It's a brand delivered fresh to our local farm market (Broadway, Monti) on Tuesdays and Fridays. It's organic with no preservatives, making it imperative to buy fresh and freeze for further use, such as TOAST. Clearly, it makes the BEST toast to ever hit one's taste buds. But after last night's happy exclusion of "real" dinner, I thought to make breakfast extra healthy…

A slice of BA toast topped with thin layers of goat cheese, avocado and tomato did the trick. Oh, my. Try it; you'll love it.

Buon Appetito.

Someone Told Me that It's July!

What says, "July!" better than watermelon and berries? Sure, sure. There's lakes, oceans, sprinklers and swimming pools; sunshine; boats of all persuasions; sunshine; long days, often lazy and hazy; sunshine; kids happily home from school; sunshine… well supposedly.  

In my book, the season is measured by three months, a concept that has been mentioned ad nauseam, here on CMI. The calendar is irrelevant, though no one consulted moi during its establishment. Still I say, June is the Friday of summer, filled with anticipation; July is Saturday, to be savored; August is Sunday, the wind-down that always flies by too quickly. By September, vacations are over, kids are back in school, boats and campers are being considered for storage when weather tanks and days get shorter, etc., etc. So let's talk Friday, first… you know, when the rains came…

Quite the wet month and one for the record books, was June. Can we have a do-over, maybe?  Sure, we had some gorgeous days, reminiscent of past Fridays of summer. But that rain, right up to yesterday and through last night. Thunder, lightning, wind and sheets of hard rain a-fallin'. Jeesh.

Mambo pretty much slept through the last day of June, while I watched some mindless, sappy series-not-worth-recommending on Netflix, simultaneously working on that gift blanket and playing WORDS. Pathetic.

Not a typical summer's day, but hey, you've gotta go with the flow. Besides, when Chloe's artwork and message popped up on my device, I couldn't help but think that sunshine had arrived.

And then came Saturday… well, actually it's Wednesday, July 1st...

We awakened to lots of clouds that quickly parted to let Old Sol through for a peek. It's finally toasty and muggy, outdoors. YES! Bring it on. In celebration of the month, I had a red, white and blue breakfast, with yogurt, blueberries, raspberries and granola. Patriotic and delicious. Then, I just had to make a blueberry pie. The berries have been outrageously delicious, this year, abundant and cheap, cheap, cheap at Sam's. Who can resist? But truly, I was inspired by the chicken quiche I'd made earlier in the week. It was so good, especially topped with avocado-mayo-lemon juice dressing.

But it was the crust that was to die for, inspiring more baking.

 Let me give you my crust recipe, once again:

Put 2 level cups of flour in a bowl; stir in 1 teaspoon salt

Add all at once ½ cup canola oil and 5 tablespoons ice water

Stir quickly with a fork and divide as desired

Roll thin, thin, thin between 2 sheets of waxed paper

Peel off top paper and lift dough with bottom paper onto pie pan

Gently peel away paper and "play" with crust till as desired -

It will be damp and flexible

And there you have it, one of my best cucina offerings.

Happy, Healthy July! May the Saturday of Summer Linger!

Dine Al Fresco!

Catching Up with LakeScapes and a Fishy Recipe

All this staring at water, waiting for eagles to fly by and photo-shooting is clearly detracting from blog-time. If you're still here, you have my apologies, as well as my endless gratitude. It's incredible to feel like we're on a scenic vacation, every day. It's even more incredible how time flies by. So, herein I'll try to catch up and share...

Needless to say, that big bass already mentioned was the excitement of the week past. Thing is, Gav is a fussy eater with an incredibly delicate palate… meaning… don't try to pass something off on him by neglecting to mention ingredients. But he was bound and determined to consume that big fish, especially after watching the scaling and cleaning process for the first time. We had a bit of trouble deboning and filleting properly, wasting too much delicate meat. But the results weren't too bad, for our first big catch. Now, we'll invest in the proper knives, 'cause you never know… there might be a big brother out there in Golden Pond. Hope it doesn't take another thirty years to find him. :-) Here's the simple recipe:

While the grill was firing up to the highest of temps, I poured not-too-much EVOO in pan and ran both sides of fish through it, leaving it skin-side down. Spread top side with some Dijon mustard; sprinkled with paprika, garlic powder, fresh pepper; squeezed on fresh lemon juice; topped with very thin coating of cornmeal, to hold it all in. Another spritz of oil and into the hot grill it went for a very quick bake of about 12-15 minutes.

Wowsa! 

Gav was anxious to play another game of Monopoly and didn't want to wait for Gramps, who was busy doing a few real-life things around here. So, we went head-to-head. The kid is smart. After only two games, he already understands which properties to buy and when. He's a whiz at math, making logistics a breeze for him. Real estate and mortgages and now understood. And the kicker? He beat me fair and square. I mortgaged properties on three consecutive turns, in order to pay the honcho rent!! Finally, I conceded. Joe wanted to know what all the laughing was about… that game was hot and fun. It's been a long, looong time since Christian brought friends home on half-day snow days and we played equally exciting games.

Meanwhile, flowers abound and the first leaf has popped up on the elephant ear plant. Okay, okay, so it's a baby elephant. But stay tuned! We planted morning glory around the newly erected mailbox.

Best of all are late dinners by the most incredible sunsets and post-sunset views. Gav's comments:

"It's like staying in a hotel, G'ma."

"Can you move back to the other house, so that we can live here?"

(This after much anguish about our moving at all!)

"I love the reflection of the sun on the water, during sunsets."

Mouths of Babes. What more can I say?

Actually, there is one more thing. This last photo is, to me, THE capture of last week. We'd had a violent storm, but it cleared in time for a beautiful sunset. About twenty minutes afterwards, I snapped this unfiltered shot of an incredible sky. See what you think…