Bloopers

Balloon-Sized instead of Bite-Sized

Bloopers in the kitchen:  Mom's Goulash, Ina Garten's Puff Pastry appetizer, Queso dip, Spiced Nuts, Toasted Oatmeal Muffins, Quinoa with Coconut Milk and Veggies, just to name a few.

Not everything turns out.

We cook all the time, both of us, usually rotating whose turn it is.  

Tom makes mistakes, too, but usually doesn't classify them as such. Recently, there was an incident where 1 tablespoon of salt instead of 1 teaspoon became "I know what to do the next time I make this."

We mostly post things that we want to make again.  Sometimes things just don't work out the way we thought they would.

Like the puff pastry appetizer I made for David's birthday.  The flavors were great---soppressata salami, Gruyere cheese, and Dijon -- but impossible to cut and eat.  Later, Tom reworked it into a mini-version without the puff pastry for another birthday party.

This week it was Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Quinoa with Broccoli, Cauliflower and Toasted Coconut.  With all of these ingredients I thought it would be packed with flavor, but it was blah.

Mom's Goulash. I remember her making this --- a homemade version of hamburger helper.  Better left to memory.  

Not worth the effort

Spiced Nuts:  I thought it might be nice to have an alternative to our usual cashews to serve with drinks. I made two versions of Ina Garten's recipe.  Her way and then I made a middle eastern version.  Both were over roasted, heavy and just not worth the effort to make. And expensive. 

Toasted Oatmeal Muffins:  I thought this would be a home run.  Toasted the oatmeal. The house smelled fantastic.

Ground it up, as the recipe specified.  And then the whole thing turned into a texture and taste similar to cream of wheat. Yuk!

Never melted

Queso Dip:  This one was a real disappointment. 

We had been to a hip taco restaurant in Buffalo where they served an appetizer of melted cheese in a small cast iron pan along with tortilla chips. Everyone loved it.  All ages.  Dipping in the hot cheese was fun.  What a good and easy idea!  And I had just gotten 2 small cast iron pans from my mother-in-law's estate, so this could be THE new easy appetizer.  The cheese never melted.  I obviously chose the wrong kind of cheese.

The kitchen, for me, is a place to play and experiment --- to try new recipes and make up ones with ingredients we have on hand.  And Tom likes to "improve" every recipe he makes, with his own touches and embellishments.

I think that's how we avoid cooking becoming a chore, as I know it is for many, many people who have to put a meal on the table day in and day out.

---Barbara

Clam Chowder with Sherry

Sherry adds a bit of pizazz to this clam chowder.  The recipe uses canned clams --- and they are perfectly fine.  A good weeknight meal because it can be made in 1/2 hour and uses pantry items.

If you are watching calories, you can substitute 2% evaporated milk for the half'n'half.  

--Barbara

Clam Chowder with Sherry

Serves 4

4 slices of bacon
2 T. unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
a bottle of clam juice plus the juice from the canned clams
1 cup dry white wine
4 firm white potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sizes
2 cans clams (one can of chopped and one can of whole)
(best quality you can find -- we use Maine canned clams)
2 t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 t. paprika
few shakes of Tabasco sauce
2 cups half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup medium dry sherry (good quality)

In a large stock pot, fry the bacon until crisp,  Remove bacon to paper towels (to drain and crisp them) and set aside.  Remove any extra bacon fat, and leave 2 tablespoons in the pot.

Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pot and heat over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, and cook, add a pinch of salt, and the bay leaf, and dried spices, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or so or until translucent but not browned.

Add the clam juice from the bottle and drained from the cans of clams, and the white wine.  Scrape the bits along the side and bottom, then add the potatoes.  Simmer just until the potatoes are tender about 12 minutes if you used very small dice, longer if you go for chunkier potatoes.

Stir in half and half.  Add the clams, remove the bay leaf,  add the Tabasco.  Bring to a very gentle simmer, which will take about 3 to 5 minutes to get there.  Don't boil!  Season with salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat, then stir in the sherry.

Chop the bacon into bits, and add it back into the soup.

Serve with a crusty roll.

---Barbara

Peanut Butter and Honey Blondies

I happened to turn on the TV one day back in August to check the weather, and saw Grant Melton on the Rachel Ray show making these blondies.  He is an over-the-top personality and I wondered if he was all show or if his recipes were any good.  He does clever adaptions of classics, and kitchen "tricks" like using saran-wrap in his measuring cups for sticky ingredients.

So, I finally got around to trying this recipe this week, and made them as gifts for some guys who were helping me with a carpentry art project. 

Tom says he really likes them, and he doesn't usually like peanut butter in things, such as Reese's peanut butter cups.  I will definitely make these again.  I think our grandkids would like them. 

---Barbara

Peanut Butter and Honey Blondies
(Grant Melton on the Rachel Ray show)

Makes 16 

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1.5 cup flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, chopped for sprinkling (I used dry roasted and did not chop)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 8-inch square baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang. (This will help with removing the baked blondies.)  I used aluminum foil, and greased the foil with the butter left on the butter wrappers.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk butter, sugar, peanut butter and honey.  (Grant uses plastic wrap in his measuring cups when measuring sticky ingredients.)  Whisk in eggs until well combined. 

Using a large spatula, fold in the flour, salt and baking powder.  Pour batter into a baking pan and spread into a flat layer.

Sprinkle chopped nuts on top and bake until edges start to become golden brown, 20-25 minutes (Mine take to 30-35 minutes.  Don't take them out too early.)  Let cool, then remove blondies from the pan and cut into 16 squares.

---Barbara

Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Dijon Marinade (Ina Garten) by Tom

Cindy says, "So tender--- could have cut it with a butter knife!"

              
I have made this recipe twice now for different birthday occasions.  The first time I got the meat directly from the butcher at Wegman's.  The second time from the butcher at Morgan's Market in Penn Yan, which is known for the quality of their meat.  The first time was really good. The second time was even better. 

This is a very simple recipe to make, but does require attention in the roasting step.  Beef tenderloin is best cooked rare to medium-rare.  

On both occasions our guests raved about the meat.  It was absolutely delicious.  We will definitely make this recipe again. 

---Tom

Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Dijon Marinade

(from Ina Garten)

Serves 5-6

2 1/2 - 3 pounds filet of beef, i.e., beef tenderloin, trimmed 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.  Or as I did, use a pyroceram Corningware casserole dish which is broiler safe.  Put the beef in the pan.

Combine the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and kosher salt in a small bowl. 

Using a basting brush.  Generously coat the top and sides of the beef.  Sprinkle on the coarse black pepper. 

Here is the most important step!  Place the roasting pan in the hot oven and roast for exactly 30 minutes for medium-rare.  25 minutes for rare, and 35 minutes for medium.  Remove the pan from the oven and cover with aluminum foil.  Allow the beef to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Slice and serve warm.  

---Tom

Bibb Salad with Celery Hearts, Apple and Shrimp (Ina Garten)

I dressed up Ina Garten's celery salad for a recent dinner party.  My additions were a SweeTango apple and shrimp, over a bed of Bibb salad greens.   The dressing is delicious!   
--Barbara

Bibb Salad with Celery Hearts, Apple and Shrimp
(adapted from Ina Garten, How Easy is That?)

Serves 6 generously

Dressing:
1/2 cup good olive oil
2 t. grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
2 T. minced shallots
1 t. celery seed
1/2 t. celery salt (I skipped)
1/2 t. anchovy paste, or 2 anchovy fillets chopped and smashed
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground pepper

For the Salad:
Fresh Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and dried (a mix of red and green)
1 SweeTango* apple, quartered, and sliced thinly into crescents
12 de-veined, cooked shrimp, with the tails removed, chilled
1 large celery plant, about 6 stalks, starting from the center, including leaves, ends trimmed, washed and dried, then sliced on the angle (Ina says 5 cups but that was too much for my taste)
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/4 t. salt

* SweeTango is a new apple, a cross between a sweet Honeycrisp and a tangy Zestar.

Optional:
freshly sliced Parmesan cheese curls
toasted nuts, like Walnuts or pine nuts
fresh parsley leaves

Make the dressing in advance to allow the flavors to marry.  (Refrigerate and bring to room temperature before using.)  There will be leftovers.  I used it 3 separate times before it was all gone.

An hour in advance of serving, place celery in a mixing bowl and toss with 1 T. lemon juice.  She says don't skip this step, and I agree.

This is where I added my apple, and thoroughly tossed it with the celery, so the lemon juice would prevent browning, and the apple would stay crisp.  Then add enough dressing to moisten and toss again.

I placed the shrimp on top in a layer and then drizzled more dressing over the shrimp.  Don't mix the shrimp in yet to prevent the lemon juice from "cooking" the shrimp, but put enough of the dressing on top, to keep the shrimp moist.

Cover and refrigerate at least an hour.

When ready to serve, arrange the Bibb lettuce leaves on individual plates or shallow bowls.  Place a generous portion of sliced celery and apples on each plate, along with at least two shrimp.  Drizzle a little more dressing on top of each plate.  And add optional toppings of Parmesan curls, nuts and parsley, if desired.

Serve immediately.  Best served chilled.

Crisp, crunchy, tangy, sweet.

---Barbara

Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts ( Ina Garten)

Updated December 2018

Light and fluffy, and easy to make at the last minute when entertaining. ---Barbara


Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts
(adapted from Ina Garten,  How Easy is That?)

Serves 4

2 T.  unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Toast the pine nuts and wash, dry and chop the parsley.

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.  You can do this step in advance. Then reheat before proceeding.

Also, I heated my chicken stock in the microwave to speed up the process.  Add the stock to the onions, salt and pepper, then bring to a full boil.

Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover and let steam for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork, stir in the toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley, and serve hot.

I found it easier to put the couscous in a serving dish, then fluff it and toss in the toasted pine nuts, and parsley.

Can be doubled for a larger group, and would serve 8 generously. 

---Barbara

Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Cheese (Ina Garten)

A simple way to liven up roasted tomatoes and add beautiful color to a meal.  ---Barbara

Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Cheese
(adapted from Ina Garten, How Easy is That?)

Serves 6

3 large, firm ripe tomatoes
salt and pepper
dried oregano
olive oil
pesto sauce (see recipe here), 6-8 Tablespoons
grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, 6 Tablespoons

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.

Line a roasting pan, which has sides, with aluminum foil.

Wash and dry the tomatoes, core them, and slice in half.  If necessary, cut off the bottom to make them lie flat.  Your tomato halves should be thick, about 1 - 1.5 inches, so they are meaty and will hold the pesto and cheese.

Place them in the roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and sprinkle with dried oregano.

Roast them for 20 - 25 minutes until they are starting to soften in the middle when you test them with the tip of a paring knife.  Pull them out, spoon the pesto sauce over each top, then return to the oven until the pesto melts down into the tomato, another 5 minutes.

Then, pull them out again, sprinkle the cheese over each one.  Return to the oven, and roast another 5 minutes, or turn on the broiler, and  brown them.

Watch them carefully, if you do this, as they will easily burn.

Sprinkle them with a little salt over the top.  Or serve with salt at the table.

Serve them hot, or make ahead to serve later by letting them come to room temperature, storing in the refrigerator until needed, and then gently reheat in the oven at 250, until warmed through.

 ---Barbara

Pesto alla Genovese

Cold nights, and threats of frost, mean it’s time to make pesto. It’s easy, as long as you have a food processor.

Our grocery-store basil plant I put in a pot last July has done well.  Fyi, it takes almost a whole plant to have enough leaves for the recipe.  

We are going to use it for end-of-season baked tomatoes, and as a pasta sauce. You can also add it to soups. Or smear it on bread. Or dip veggies in it.

---Barbara

Pesto alla Genovese

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
2 cups basil leaves, packed
1/4 t. coarse salt, like sea salt
freshly ground pepper, if desired
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled (traditional versions use 2)
2/3 cup good olive oil (use less if you want a thicker pesto)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (or 1/4 cup each Pecorino and Parmesan-Reggiano)

In a food processor,  grind pine nuts, salt, and garlic cloves into a paste. Takes 30 seconds.  Scrape down sides. Add basil.

 Smells so good!

 

Put top on, turn on the processor and pour the oil slowly in a stream through the hole in the top.

The basil will become chopped and develop into a pesto.

Remove the top. Add the cheese, then put the top on again, and pulse a couple of times to mix in the cheese.
Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Keep refrigerated in a covered glass jar.
Can be frozen in ice cube trays or small batches.

—-Barbara

Haddock with Tahini Sauce and Caramelized Onions

The sweetness of the caramelized onions goes exceptionally well with the tahini sauce, which is an easy Middle Eastern sauce made of sesame paste, water, garlic and lemon.  

There are lots of recipes for fish with tahini sauce if you google it.  It's is a traditional Lebanese dish.  I found this one on Great British Chefs, a website I enjoy.  

Goes well with white fluffy rice.  Any mild white fish can be used.  

---Barbara

Haddock with Tahini Sauce and Carmelized Onions
(adapted from Great British Chefs, Helen Graves)

Serves 2

For the sauce:
2 haddock fillets,  5-6 ounces each
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. chili powder, medium hot
pinch of salt
1 t. olive oil

For the caramelized onions:
1 large onion or 2 small, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. oil
salt

For the tahini sauce:
4 T. tahini
4 T. water, cold
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, grated

Start by making the onions, well in advance of serving the meal, as it takes 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to get a rich, deep color on the onions which brings out their sweetness.  In a non-stick pan, add the sliced onions, a tiny bit of salt, oil and turn up the heat to high to get the pan hot, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until deep, golden brown.   (You can make in advance, refrigerate, and reheat gently as I did.  I just put them in the oven along with the fish.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Marinate the fish for 1/2 hour before baking:  Pat the fish dry, mix together the marinade in a small bowl (cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and olive oil), then rub the fish with the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

At this point,  the rice can be made, a fluffy white rice, like basmati works well.

Cover the fish loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.  Depends on the thickness of your fillets.  Ours took 20.  Press the fish to test doneness.  It will be firm in the center if it is done.

While the fish bakes, make the tahini sauce in a small pan.  I didn't really understand the directions, so I heated my water and tahini with the garlic together, took it off the heat, then added the lemon juice, and whisked together until smooth.

As the directions said, it will curdle and look weird but just keep whisking until it all comes together.  Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, if desired.  When I re-read the recipe, it says to do all of this cold.  Many recipes use a processor for this step.  But who wants to get out the processor?

When the fish is ready, warm the tahini sauce over low heat.  Divide the haddock between plates, pour over the tahini sauce and top generously with caramelized onions.  Add the rice on the side.

Chopped parsley would be good as a garnish.

The short cut I am going to try next time is to substitute golden raisins for the onions.

I don't think the sauce would be good just by itself.  A sweet element like the caramelized onions or raisins offsets the slight bitterness of the sauce.

---Barbara

Dutch Boerenkool (Curly Kale), thanks to Ingrid

The Dutch version of bangers and mash

One of our standard family meals when I was growing up.  It is not very elegant ---poor farmers food---but it is delicious.  Have a bite of sausage with the potatoes and kale!

My mom still makes it all the time.  She says Eckridge ring kielbasa is the best.  

---Ingrid

Curly Kale Boerenkool

(from Dutch Cooking Today cookbook from Amersterdam)

Serves 4

3 lbs. floury potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

2 onions, peeled and chopped

14 to 20 ounces trimmed and cleaned curly kale, finely chopped 

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 smoked sausage ring, approx. 12 ounces 

5 fluid ounces milk, warmed

2 tablespoons butter

Put the potatoes, onions, curly kale and bay leaf with seasoning in a large pan.  Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and cook about 25 minutes on a low heat until cooked.

Meanwhile simmer sausage for about 25 minutes in water or follow directions on the package.

Remove the bay leaf from the pan, drain the vegetables and mash them finely.

Heat the milk and butter and stir through the potatoes and curly kale mash until smooth.  Taste, then season with salt and pepper if needed.  

Slice the sausage and arrange over the top of the mash.

Notes from B:  We couldn't find Eckridge brand of kielbasa so we used another regional brand, and it was fine.  Also, I wasn't sure how much water to put in the bottom of the pan, so added enough to cover the potatoes.  And I put a lid on the pan, even though the recipe did not specify doing so.  We had lots of leftovers, which held well in the refrigerator, and were easily reheated in the oven at 250 for 30 minutes or microwaved.  

I checked with my Mom on her preparation.
She is a very simple cook. But often times delicious.
She basically steams the Kale in 2 inches of water till it is cooked.
Then she makes mashed potatoes with butter, milk and salt.
Then she mixes the 2 together.
She heats the Eckridge sausage in the Microwave😊
She specified the Eckridge as her favorite.
I think your recipe gets at the essence. I like the idea of adding onions.
Maybe add a bit of butter to the mix.
—-Ingrid

Mocha Cookie Refrigerator Cake (Ina Garten) by Tom

No Baking Required

UPDATED 2021

Barbara was thumbing through Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa "How Easy Is That" cookbook when this recipe caught my eye.  I thought it looked very rich and chocolatey, and hopefully not too hard to make.  We had all of the ingredients in our pantry, except two very important ones.  The first was the Tate's Bake Shop chocolate chip cookies.  A trip to Wegman's solved that one, and they are also available through Amazon if your local store does not have them.  We've even found them at Bed, Bath and Beyond!

The second was a bit trickier.  This recipe calls for an 8 inch springform pan.  We had 9 inch and 10 inch, but no 8 inch.  I ran around looking for an 8 inch pan, and finally found one at TJ Maxx of all places. It turns out that the 8-inch springform pan is key because six cookies fit pretty much perfectly in a single layer in this diameter pan.  You build five layers of cookies, so getting them to fit is pretty important.

As Ina Garten says, "This is an update of everyone's favorite chocolate wafers and whipped cream icebox cake."  

I would say it is a more sophisticated version.  No baking, with some assembly required.

This is a really good, and really rich cake.  Worth making and eating.

---Tom

Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake
(from Ina Garten "How Easy Is That")

Serves  8

2 cups cold heavy cream
12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua liqueur
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 packages Tate's Bake Shop chocolate chip cookies
shaved or patties of chocolate for garnish

Assembly/Preparation:

The first step is an optional one.  I decided to use parchment paper on the bottom of the 8 inch springform pan.  I thought it might make it easier to take the pieces of cake off the bottom of the pan.  It might have, but the cut slice came out pretty easily.   I also did not want to scratch the nonstick coating on the pan's bottom.  This use of parchment paper is totally optional.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, Kahlua, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla.  Mix on the lowest speed to combine all of the ingredients.  Then slowly raise the speed and beat until it forms firm peaks.

Now it is time to start assembly of the cake.  Arrange six cookies in the bottom of the 8 inch springform pan.  They should fit pretty snuggly.  You may have to break a cookie to fill in gaps. 

A small off-set spatula, if you have one, will help with the next part.  

Spread one fifth of the mocha whipped cream over the cookies.  Place another layer of cookies on top and again spread one fifth of the mocha whipped cream on top.  Do this until you have built up five layers of cookies and whipped cream.  This should bring the cake to the top of the pan.

Because the cake next goes into the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, we decided to put chocolate wafers around the outside diameter of the cake both for decoration and to keep the plastic wrap off of the whipped cream.  It should stay in the refrigerator at least overnight.  This will soften the cookies.

When you are ready to serve, release the springform pan's sides, run a sharp knife around the outside of the cake, and then remove the sides of the pan.  Slide the cake off the base of the pan, using a long knive or spatula on to your serving platter.  Sprinkle the top with chocolate (optional), cut into wedges, and serve cold.

Happy birthday to David. We made it for him. We sent him home with two big slices to enjoy. And that made him very happy.

---Tom