My Favorite Recipes

These are my tried and true favorites...the recipes I turn to when company is coming and I need a "sure thing" on the table.  These are the recipes that have been made over and over...some I've made for over 20 years. Try a few...and let me know what you think!

Chicken:  Barbecued Herb-Mustard Chicken


In the late 1980s my mother in law introduced me to this recipe from Sunset magazine.  She made it frequently for family get-togethers and Brian and I continue to make it on a regular basis. In fact, when I make it, I quadruple the recipe and fill up the freezer for easy-to-make meals at a later date.

Something else I should mention, is that it's worth trying even if you don't like mustard.  I HATE mustard.  Hate it. I don't even scrape it off of things...I simply won't eat mustard-y foods.   Yet I LOVE this recipe.  And speaking of mustard, the type/brand of mustard you use does matter. I've mentioned two easy-to-find national brands that work well with this.  But I've had it with other mustards and it's just not the same. 

Beef:  Marinated Flank Steak

This recipe really needs a better name because "marinated" doesn't describe the soy-ginger-garlicy goodness that leaves you drooling.  There are many similar marinades out there with different names, and I'm sure they're all good.  But I have no need to even try them because this one is so damn good.   And while the title says "flank" steak, it also works well with sirloins.  The flank is best, but for the budget dinners, it does wonders to a cheap sirloin.

Make sure to use fresh ingredients...onions, ginger, garlic.  None of that dried stuff, please.   

Pie:  Old-Fashioned Apple Pie


This recipe came from the McCalls cookbook we got for a wedding gift 21 years ago.  I've been making it ever since.  You can pretty much count on it for Thanksgiving and Christmas at my house.  Even if I make another pie, I still make the apple.  It's not a holiday meal without my apple pie.  When we have benefit pie auctions, my apple pie brings in a solid bid each time.  What can be better than that?  Pies for charity!!

When I first began making this I used the Pilsbury refrigerated pie crusts.  Now I make my own crust, but if you're looking for a short-cut, get the Pilsbury crusts.

Cake:  Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting


Incredibly moist carrot cake and the creamiest cream cheese frosting ever.  Make sure you thaw out the cream cheese before mixing so it's not lumpy.  Since the shredded carrots are the most time-consuming part of this recipe, I've found a short-cut:  I buy a bag of carrots and shred all of them in the food processor (using the fine shredding blade).  Then I bag them up in 4 cup servings, and freeze them!  I usually have a few bags of shredded carrots in my freezer.  When I need (or want!) to make this cake it's super easy to grab a bag of carrots...you don't even need to defrost them...just dump them in the mixing bowl.

Stir-Fry: Kung Pao Chicken

This is another recipe we've been making for 20 some years.  The only downside is that I haven't found a way to freeze parts of it for a make ahead meal....something to work on this summer!  Anyway, I just love the flavors in this sauce...so much better than any jarred/premade sauces you can pick up at the grocery store.  And, you can add just about any veggie to make it to your liking.  Shrimp or tofu is easily added or substituted for the chicken too.


Cookies:  Van's Chocolate Chip Cookies


The first thing you may notice is that these aren't so chocolate-y.  Don't let that stop you.  I'm not a fan of a lot of chocolate, and prefer to use about half the recommend chocolate chips in my cookies.  The linked recipe will give you a generous amount of chocolate!

This recipe comes from a woman named Van, whom I met when we lived in Indiana. These were the first home-made chocolate chip cookies that I fell in love with.  They just always turn out perfectly.    Van said the key was the Fleishmann's margarine and the Gold Medal brand flour.  I don't mess with perfection, so I always make them as she did.

Pudding:  Rice Pudding


The ultimate comfort food.   This version is baked in a water bath, leaving a creamy rice mixture on the bottom with custard on top.  Soooooooooo good!!

Pasta:  Baked Macaroni and Cheese


This is one of my newer favorites, as I've only been making it for 5 years.  I love the creaminess. Cook's Illustrated insists it's because of the colby cheese...which I've had difficulty finding at times.  It seems it used to be more readily available, but now I just find colby-jack, which is not what you want.   So go on a colby hunt. It's worth it!

Another plus....it's just as easy to quadruple the recipe and make up a bunch of pans to freeze.  I LOVE having this on hand in the freezer for some quick comfort food. When someone's in need and meals are being arranged, I can always volunteer immediately because this is stocked in my freezer.  It's kid-family friendly, vegetarian, and not spicy...all great pluses when you're cooking for someone recovering from an illness.

Alcoholic Beverage:  Minty Mojitos


Refreshing and light...perfect for a warm summer evening.  Kids seem to like the virgin versions of these too...just leave out the rum for theirs!  When you make this recipe, leave some room at the top.  That way you can adjust the taste....adding a bit more simple sugar, rum, or lime.  I tend to like a bit more lime!

Potato Dish:  Smoky Scalloped Potatoes




Another more recent favorite from Cook's Illustrated.  This is just soooooo darn good.  Creamy and cheesy.  It's a little time consuming and not anywhere near calorie-conscious so it gets made once a year for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It fits in nicely with my holiday meal schedule, as it needs a 425 degree oven which is exactly the same as my cornbread and apple pie...so the three of them can cook up right after the turkey comes out of the oven.  Oh, and it can be assembled the day before, which helps with holiday stresses!

Appetizer:  Herbed Puffs

Hot little mouth-watering morsels of cheesy-herby goodness.  Can be made ahead and frozen. Enough said!

Dip:  Cilantro Dip



The best party dip.  Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with water crackers. This one's been making the rounds within my circle of friends for several years.  You can make it as hot or mild as you like (just add the jalapenos a little at a time until it's just right for you). 

Holiday Meal Plan



When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I pretty much make the same dishes each year.  While that might seem boring, most of these dishes are only made for the holidays, so we look forward to them each year.

My holiday meals usually include the following dishes, which are all freshly home-made:

• Apple Streusel Coffeecake (morning)
• Turkey
• Tofurky
• Gravy
• Mashed Potatoes (or Scalloped Potatoes)
• Cornbread
• Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews
• Green Beens with Pecans
• Sausage Stuffing
• Vegetarian Stuffing
• Apple Pie
• Turkey Pot Pie (for the day after)

The prep work and timing for these dishes could be overwhelming if I didn't do a lot of work the week before.  In this meal plan you'll find the shopping list, recipes, and a schedule for all the prep work.

The beauty behind this plan is the prep bowl chart.  I line up all my bowls, number them, and get out the ingredients. Then I fill the bowls assembly-line style.

Perfect Blueberry Muffins

In my quest to find the perfect blueberry muffin, I've tried several.  Some have yogurt.  Some buttermilk or cream cheese.  These use sour cream.  What I love about these muffins is that they're light and airy.  Moist, but not dense. 

Recently I offered a dozen of these for a school auction.  Imagine my surprise when they pulled in $60!  For a dozen!  When I baked them for the lucky recipient, I doubled the quantity, and made some for our family as well.  They're simple to make, and a great way to use up all the frozen berries I purchased last summer!




Perfect Blueberry Muffins 
(adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, cream:
     5 TB softened unsalted butter
     1/2 C sugar

Add and mix together:
     1 large egg

Add and mix together:
     3/4 C sour cream (or plain yogurt)
     1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

Mix in a separate bowl and then add to the butter mixture:
     1 1/2 tsp baking powder
     1/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

The dough will be thick.  Fold in gently by hand:
     1 1/4 C fresh or frozen blueberries.  (If frozen, there's no need to thaw.)

Use a cookie scoop (the spring loaded kind) to fill the cups.  You can them about 3/4 full...or even a smidge more.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top.  Cool on a rack and enjoy!!


   

Creamy Lemon Oat Bars

Our local downtown grocery store, Harvest Fresh, makes the BEST lemon bars I've ever had.  They have a baked cookie-like crust, a creamy lemon middle, and an oat crumble top.  They are heavenly.  Every now and then I've Googled ingredients and recipe names, searching for something similar.  Nothing has looked quite right.  Until now.

As I was browsing Pinterest, I found a photo that looked just like the bars from Harvest Fresh.  Upon looking at the ingredients, I realized I'd been searching for something with cream cheese in the middle, not condensed milk. Aha!  Tonight I tried them, and they did not disappoint!

This recipe come from Simple Daily Recipes, and after finding it, I'm making a note to head back to her blog for more recipes.

Creamy Lemon Oat Bars
Simple Daily Recipes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together:
     1- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk*
     2 tsp grated lemon zest
     1/4 C fresh lemon juice

In a food processor, mix together:
     1 1/4 C flour
     1/2 C brown sugar
     1/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt

Add in:
     1/2 C unsalted butter, cut into smaller chunks

Pour into a medium bowl, and stir in:
     1 C old fashioned oats

Grease an 8" x 8" pan.  Place half of the dry mixture into the pan and press evenly.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Stir the lemon mixture again, making sure it's mixed well and thick; not soupy.  Pour over the oat crust.  Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the lemon mixture. 

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden on top and the lemon center has set.

Cool completely before cutting into 16 pieces.

*While I used the regular condensed milk, the blog's author made the recipe with regular and non-fat condensed milk.  She served them both and found no difference in taste.  Next time (and yes, there WILL be a next time...) I will make it with the non-fat milk.

Refrigerate leftover bars.  (They actually taste best cold, though if you're like my family, you won't be able to be that patient!)
     

Easy Meat Lasagna with Hearty Tomato-Meat Sauce

While lasagna is pretty darn simple to make, it seems mine always were just so-so.  It was a meal I made without a recipe (one of the few) but it wasn't anything special.  So, wanting a knock-your-socks-off lasagna, I turned to Cook's Illustrated.  As usual, they've figured out how to do it right.  This was DELICIOUS. 

Easy Meat Lasagna with Hearty Tomato-Meat Sauce
(Cook's Illustrated)

Meat Sauce

In a dutch oven (I use a 5 qt. one for a single batch, or a 7 qt. one for a double), heat up:
     1 TB olive oil

Add and stir until softened (about 2 minutes):
     1 finely chopped medium onion

Add and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds):
     6 minced medium garlic cloves

Add, stir, and cook about 4 minutes:
     1 pound mixture of ground beef, pork, or veal (I used 1/2 lb. ground beef and 1/2 pound     ground pork)
     1/2 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp pepper

Add, stir,  and bring to a simmer:
     1/4 C heavy cream
Cook until the liquid evaporates and just the fat is left (about 4 minutes).

Add, stir, and cook for about 3 more minutes:
     1 28 oz can tomato puree
     1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

Set sauce aside.

Cheeses

Get out 1 small bowl, 1 medium bowl, and 1 large bowl.

Fill the small bowl with:
     1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Fill the medium bowl with:
     1 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Fill the large bowl with:
     1 C grated Parmesan cheese
     15 oz whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)
     1 slightly beaten egg
     1/2 C chopped fresh basil
     1/2 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp pepper
Mix together until creamy. 

Have on hand:
     12 no-boil lasagna noodles from an 8 or 9 oz pack (I used Ronzoni brand)

Assemble Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread 1/4 C of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish.

Place 3 of the noodles on top of the sauce for the first layer.  Spread  blobs of ricotta cheese mixture across the noodles (about 3-4 TB per noodle).  Sprinkle some mozzarella on top of the ricotta (about 1 1/3 C per layer).    Spoon 1 1/2 C of the meat sauce over the cheeses, spreading evenly.

Repeat the layering process.  On top of the last three noodles, spread any remaining sauce, sprinkle with 1 1/3 C mozzarella, and then top with the 1/4 C of Parmesan in the small bowl.

Lightly spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover.

Cook, covered, for 15 minutes.  Remove foil, and continue cooking for about 25 minutes, until the cheese is a spotty brown and the sauce is bubbling. 

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Freezing:  This freezes well.   Line your baking dish with foil, and prepare the lasagna.  Freeze the baking dish until the lasagna is frozen solid (overnight is great).  Remove the foil "package" from the dish, and wrap in heavy duty foil or vacuum pack with a FoodSaver.    To re-heat, remove the lasagna from the extra foil or the FoodSaver bag.  Place it back in the 9 x 13" pan and allow to defrost.    Follow the cooking directions above.

Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Cook's Illustrated.  My husband is a fan of pasta and cheese.  I mean, what's not to like?  On one of my busy nights, he took control of shopping and dinner and treated the family to this cheesy pasta dish.  Definitely a crowd pleaser!!  And, oh, so simple. 

Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta
(Cook's Illustrated)

Topping

In a food processor, process with the steel blade until coursely ground:
     4 slices white sandwich bread, torn up
     2 TB melted unsalted butter

Toss with
     1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Set aside.

Pasta and Cheese

Heat the oven to 500 degrees.

Cook until al dente:
     1 lb penne pasta
When finished, drain, return to poss and toss with:
     1 TB olive oil

Melt:
     2 tsp unsalted butter

Add to the butter, stirring until golden, about a minute
     2 tsp all-purpose flour

Whisk in and bring to a simmer:
     2 C heavy cream
Whisk frequently until it's thickened.

Remove from heat and add:
     1/4 tsp salt
     1/4 tsp pepper
Cover to keep warm.

Combine in a large bowl:
     4 oz shredded fontina cheese (about 1 1/3 C)
     3 oz crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 3/4 C)
     1 oz grated Pecorino Romano cheese  (about 1/2 C)
     1/2 oz grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 C)

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese and pour in the hot creamy mixture.  Cover and let sit for three minutes.  Remove cover and mix until the cheeses are melted and all ingredients are combined.  Place in a 9 x 13" baking dish, and sprinkle with the bread topping.  Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Variations:

1)  Add a  14.5 oz. can of drained, diced tomatoes to the pasta when you add the creamy mixture.    Add 1/4 C chopped fresh basil just before you put it in the baking dish.

2)  Skip the salt and instead add 4 oz chopped prosciutto and 1 C frozen peas to the pasta when you add the creamy mixture.

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

I've been meaning to try these biscuits for awhile now.  Every time I think of making them, I can't because I don't keep buttermilk on hand.  I know there are substitutes, but when I'm making a recipe for the first time, I like to make it the way it was written.  Anyway, once I finally remembered to buy some buttermilk, our family loved these!  They're a bit more work (especially when compared to those that pop out of cans....) but so worth it.  And, the dough can be frozen.  I made up a couple batches and put some in the freezer for another time.

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
(Cook's Illustrated)

The dough is a bit sticky when it comes together and during the first set of turns. Set aside about 1 cup of extra flour for dusting the work surface, dough, and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Be careful not to incorporate large pockets of flour into the dough when folding it over. When cutting the biscuits, press down with firm, even pressure; do not twist the cutter. The recipe may be prepared through step 2, transferred to a zipper-lock freezer bag, and frozen for several weeks. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before proceeding.

Makes 12 biscuits

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces), plus additional flour for work surface

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening , cut into 1/2-inch chunks

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cold, lightly floured and cut into 1/8-inch slices (see illustration below)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk , cold

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

2. Add shortening to flour mixture; break up chunks with fingertips until only small, pea-sized pieces remain. Working in batches, drop butter slices into flour mixture and toss to coat; pick up each slice of butter and press between floured fingertips into flat, nickel-sized pieces (see illustration at right). Repeat until all butter is incorporated; toss to combine. Freeze mixture (in bowl) until chilled, about 15 minutes.

3. Spray 24-inch-square area of work surface with nonstick cooking spray; spread spray evenly across surface with kitchen towel or paper towel. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of extra flour across sprayed area; gently spread flour across work surface with palm to form thin, even coating. Add all but 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to flour mixture; stir briskly with fork until ball forms and no dry bits of flour are visible, adding remaining buttermilk as needed (dough will be sticky and shaggy but should clear sides of bowl). With rubber spatula, transfer dough onto center of prepared work surface, dust surface lightly with flour, and, with floured hands, bring dough together into cohesive ball.

4. Pat dough into approximate 10-inch square; roll into 18 by 14-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, dusting dough and rolling pin with flour as needed. Following illustrations below, using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, fold dough into thirds, brushing any excess flour from surface; lift short end of dough and fold in thirds again to form approximate 6 by 4-inch rectangle. Rotate dough 90 degrees, dusting work surface underneath with flour; roll and fold dough again, dusting with flour as needed.

5. Roll dough into 10-inch square about 1/2 inch thick; flip dough and cut nine 3-inch rounds with floured biscuit cutter, dipping cutter back into flour after each cut. Carefully invert and transfer rounds to ungreased baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps into ball; roll and fold once or twice until scraps form smooth dough. Roll dough into 1/2-inch-thick round; cut three more 3-inch rounds and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess dough.

6. Brush biscuit tops with melted butter. Bake, without opening oven door, until tops are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Apple Fritters

This is an old recipe from the Joy of Cooking (1975 edition).  The first time I made it was about 30 years ago when I was in 9th grade and had to make a food to share with my class from my German heritage.  I don't know how authentic the recipe really is, but it sure is good.  It's not one that gets made that often (OK...rarely, if ever) because it's deep fried.  Recently I made it for my daughter and her friend's sleep-over breakfast.  They were gobbled up!

I don't have a deep-fryer or Fry Daddy contraption.  So these directions will talk you through it with a plain old saucepan as the fryer.  Use caution and don't drip any oil!


Apple Fritters

In a bowl mix together:
     2 eggs
     2/3 C milk
     1 TB melted butter
      1 C flour
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 TB sugar


Peel and chop 2-3 apples.  My preference is Granny Smith apples because of their tartness.  I love the tartness of the apples with the sweetness of the powdered sugar.  Mix the apples into the batter.










Heat oil in a saucepan to 375 degrees.  Don't fill it more than 2/3 full to prevent splattering.  While the oil heats, get 3 shallow bowls/plates ready.  Line two with paper towels, and place about a cup of powdered sugar in the third.  Line them up next to the stove. 

When the oil is ready, carefully spoon some batter/apples into the pot.  It should sizzle, but not burn.   Place a couple more spoonfuls into the oil.  After a minute or two, when browned on the bottom side, turn over.   The fritters should take 3-5 minutes to brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon onto one of the paper-towel lines plates.

Roll the fritter in powdered sugar, and then move to the other paper-towel lined plate.

Repeat until the rest of the batter is used.  Eat hot!

Perfect Pecan Pie

I'm not a big pecan pie fan.  Don't get me wrong...I like it, I really do.  It's just that it's usually so rich that a small slice is all I want to eat for days.  And since our family is small (3) one pie suffices for most dessert occasions, and if I'm going to be honest, my apple pie is always picked first.  It's that good.

But this Christmas we had 12 people for dinner (hello, family from far away!!) and everyone had a favorite "must have" pie request.  We narrowed it to three pies:  apple, pumpkin, and pecan.  My aunt Debbie was going to make the pecan pie but when it came time to make the pie (had to get done before the turkey, and her recipe was not in the kitchen), we had to quickly switch to plan B for a recipe.  Cook's Illustrated has yet to fail me, so that's where I turned.  And, oh, my goodness....so glad I did (although Debbie's recipe is similar, with a toffee candy crunchy top too!)!!

The crust was heavenly (always is...).   Light and airy and flaky.  The top of the pecan pie was like a crunchy toffee candy bar.  So, so good!  Very rich and decadent!

You might feel that heating (in essence, double boiling) the mixture is a step you can skip.  But that's the part that creates that crunchy toffee candy bar surface.  You really want to take a moment to follow that part carefully.  Get out your candy thermometer (or in my case...the meat thermometer worked fine...) and ready, set, go!

Perfect Pecan Pie

(Cook's Illustrated)

If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250-degree oven for about twenty minutes.

Serves 8

Pie Shell

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for dough and rolling surface

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening , frozen, cut into small pieces

1 large egg white , chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal 1/4 cup

1 large egg yolk , beaten with 1/8 teaspoon water

Filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups whole pecans (8 ounces), toasted and chopped into small pieces

1. For Pie Crust: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge, (see illustration 1).

4. Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim (illustration 2). Prick foil with fork (illustration 3) and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.

5. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.

6. Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven if not still warm.

7. For Pie: Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

8. Pour mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

Tomorrow I'm straying slightly off course from my annual Holdiay Meal Plan.  Shhhh...don't tell anyone!  Rather than the usual mashed potatoes, I decided to kick it up a notch and make scalloped potatoes.  I love scalloped potatoes, but when I've tried making them they usually fall flat...far from the creamy cheesy goodness that is floating around in my brain.  So, where to turn?  To Cook's Illustrated of course!

I'm pretty sure I made this recipe a few years ago, and loved it.  But I haven't made it since....not because it wasn't memorable, but because when in a hurry, those mashed potatoes are so darn easy.

I hate to alter my meal plan, because it just works so beautifully. After the turkey comes out, the cornbread and apple pie pop right into the oven at 425 degrees.  So, unless a dish can go in the oven with those two things, there's really no way to pull it off.   Well, golly gee, guess what?  The scalloped potatoes also take a 425 degree oven!  Yippee!!   And, it can be fully assembled the night before....another whooping shout of glee there!

For Thanksgiving I doubled the recipe.  I fully believe these will be gobbled up by the dinner guests tomorrow and there will be none for leftovers.  That's my little secret....the second pan will be in the fridge to heat up with all the other leftovers.  Another, "woohooo!" if you will....

If you do double the recipe, I recommend making it in two pots.  I tried one large (12 qt) one, but it was taking too long to get to a simmer, and I feared the bottom would burn.  Once I put have the contents into a smaller pot, things went smoothly.  You'll still want to pay attention to the bottom, scraping it gently (yeah, that's an oxymoron!)  so you don't mush the potatoes in the process.

As you can see, I cooked up a small little dish of them (used that handy dandy toaster oven) so I could "make sure they're good enough for company."  (That's what my mom used to say when we got Halloween candy...she wanted to sample some so she could make sure it was good enough for us.  Uh, huh....)  Oh, my... what a nice little treat to taste after cooking all day long.  I declare them good enough for company.

Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

(Cook's Illustrated) 

Move over, mashed potatoes—we love this recipe for an alternative holiday potato side dish. Buttermilk and smoked Gouda give this casserole its rich flavor and creamy consistency, so we don’t recommend substituting these ingredients. Here’s what else we discovered:

* Adding a pinch of baking soda to the potatoes as they cook helps to tenderize them without leaving any residual taste.

* This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Serves 8 or more

4 tablespoons unsalted butter*

1 large onion , minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 pounds russet potatoes , peeled and sliced thin**

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mustard, thyme, salt, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in potatoes, cream, buttermilk, and baking soda and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cheese and transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

2. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead: The casserole can be prepared through step 1 and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.*** When ready to bake, cover with foil and bake in 400-degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

* I always have unsalted on hand, but with all my holiday cooking, I ran out.  I made it with salted butter and it came out just fine.  But if you have the unsalted on hand, I'd use that.

**I used the Cuisinart food processor to slice them up.  Easy and quick.  3 mm. was a good thickness....not too thick for tenderizing,  and not so thin that they got mushy when the cheese was mixed.
 ***Knowing this was going to be a big hit, I made two pans of it.  On Thanksgiving we had more food than we knew what to do with, so I didn't cook the second pan.  We invited some friends over Saturday night, and cooked it then....3 days after it was prepared.  Tasted just as good!!

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies

Last week I went through a bunch of fairly recent recipe clippings and made two new meals.  The first was Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers (from Cooking Light).  Total winner that will end up in our "Family Favorites" recipe book.

The second new recipe of the week was chicken potpies from the January 2007 issue of Sunset.  (OK...so some of the clippings weren't as new as others....)  There are a few classic American dishes that I've never made:

1. Pot Roast (call me crazy, but these intimidate me...what cut of meat?  What's the best seasoning?  How do I make sure the veggies aren't mushy?  Crock pot or a Dutch oven?)
2. Ribs  (Too much bone and fat and not enough meat. Messy.)  
3. Chicken Pot Pie (Loved them as a kid, just never tried them.)
4. Stew (Really wouldn't know where to start.)
5. Home-Made Chicken Noodle Soup.  (Would love to make this, but just never have.)
6. Potato Salad (This one is easy...I don't like things that are mayonnaise-y or mustard-y.)

Maybe this should be my cooking "bucket list"...the things I need to make before I die.  Well, if we're making a list like that, I'd really need to add all the other recipes in my "To Try" files and folders.  That could take some time!

Anyway, last week I made my first chicken potpie!  It was a bit time consuming...you have the veggies to chop, the chicken to cook and chop, the biscuits to make, and the gravy/sauce to make.  It's not a recipe that will end up in one of those "30 minutes To Dinner" type of cookbooks.  No, this took some time.  Knowing that it would take some time, I doubled the recipe and made some for the freezer.  Honestly, if you're going to go to the trouble of making a few potpies, you may as well make a dozen.  The extra time is minimal.

Results:  Our family thoroughly enjoyed the potpies!  I found the biscuit recipe to be a bit more dense than I would have liked.  So, when I make these again, I'm going to search for a lighter (maybe a simple drop biscuit?) topping rather than the heavy biscuit blobs called for in this recipe.

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies
(Sunset Magazine)

 Prep and Cook Time:  1 hour, 45 minutes*
Makes:   6-7 individual potpies

Read through the recipe and find a good time to make the biscuit mix.  It would be ideal to have a second helper who works on the biscuits while you put together the potpie filling. You can also make them ahead so they're ready to just plop right on the pies and pop in the oven.

Prep ahead

Cook and cube:
     2 1/2 cups of chicken (white and dark meat)

Finely chop:
     3 whole carrots
     1 stalk celery 
     1 medium onion 
     2 medium Yukon gold potatoes
     12 small cremini or button mushrooms
     1 tsp fresh thyme
     2 tsp flat leaf parsley
     2 tsp fresh sage

Grate:
     1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Cook
    
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil:
     2 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock

Add:
     carrots
     potatoes
     celery

Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.**   Drain  vegetables, reserving stock; set both aside separately.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan*** melt over medium heat:
     4 TB salted butter 

Add and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes:
     onions

Add  and cook 5 minutes:
     mushrooms

Add and cook 2 minutes:
      thyme
      5 TB flour

Slowly add, whisking constantly, until combined:
     1 C milk

Add and cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes:
     stock (that you set aside when you drained the veggies)


Season to taste:
     1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
     1 tsp salt
     freshly ground pepper

Add:
     parsley
     chicken
     cooked vegetables
     1/4 C frozen sweet peas

Divide filling evenly among 6 or 7 ovenproof containers**** (8 to 10 oz. each), leaving the top 1/4 inch unfilled.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Cheesy Biscuit Topping

Sift together:
     2 cups flour 
     1 1/2 tsp (or 1/2 TB) baking powder
     1/2 tsp baking soda
     1 tsp salt

Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work in to form a coarse meal, working quickly to keep the butter from warming up and melting into the dough:
     5 TB cold unsalted butter, cubed

Stir in:
     cheese 
     sage

In a separate bowl, whisk together and add to the flour mixture, stirring gently until a shaggy dough forms:
     1egg and
    1/2 C + 2 TB (or 5/8 C) well-shaken buttermilk


Lightly flour a counter, a rolling pin, and your hands. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll out first ball to a 1/4-in. thickness, then use a 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter to cut into rounds, scraping and rerolling dough as needed. Repeat with second ball.

Place 3 rounds of dough on each potpie, overlapping as necessary (any unused rounds can be baked on their own as biscuits). Brush dough with egg wash, put potpies on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 17 to 22 minutes.

In the end there were some biscuit scraps on the counter.  I got lazy and just put the scraps on a pan and cooked them with the potpies!

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories:  538 (42% from fat)
Protein:  28g
Fat:  25g (sat 13)
Carbohydrate:  51g
Fiber:  3.5g
Sodium:  1034mg
Cholesterol:  160mg

*From start to finish, making these the very first time, it took me about 2 1/2 hours.  That's giving time to cook and shred the chicken, wash and chop all the veggies, etc.  It always takes longer the first time.

**Don't overcook or your veggies will be mushy.

***5-6 qt. for single recipe; 10-12 qt. for a doubled recipe

****I used 4 Corning Wear small casserole dishes (12 oz.) and a bunch of 8 oz. coffee mugs (oven safe dinnerware).  I preferred the sizes from the 8 oz. cups. 


For Freezing

I thought this would freeze beautifully but I was woefully wrong!  The biscuits held up just fine, but the veggie filling just turned to mush.  So, make a single batch and enjoy!

Have a vegetarian in the family?

You can use vegetable broth and put the chicken on the side.  Add chicken to the carnivores' containers, and simply leave it out for the vegetarians.  For a complete vegetarian potpie, double up on the veggies.

Banana Bread

I've been making the same banana bread for years...from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook (you know...the one with the red and white checked cover...).  I like the recipe just fine.  But I'm also wondering if there's something better out there.

I've been wanting to try a recipe from Cook's Illustrated for some time now.  But their recipe calls for plain yogurt, which is not something I ever have on hand.  And, banana bread is not a recipe I plan ahead to make.  It's a recipe that gets made when we don't eat the bananas in a timely manner.  When I'm ready to make banana bread, I need to have all the ingredients on hand at that moment....and I never have plain yogurt in the fridge.  Someday I'll try it, just because it's from Cook's Illustrated and I love their recipes.  But it will never be my go-to recipe.

Tonight I had three over-ripe bananas hanging from the hook.  I sadly closed up the CI cookbook (didn't have that yogurt...) and opened up Paula Deen's cookbook to see what she suggested.  Pretty standard ingredients...all in the pantry.  So I quickly whipped it up and popped it in the oven.  Right now it's baking. 

.    .    .    .    .

Banana Bread

(Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together:

     1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature

     1 cup sugar

Add to the mix:

     2 eggs

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 tsp vanilla

     1 tsp baking powder

     1 tsp baking soda

     3 ripe bananas

Once those are mixed well, add:

     1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted*

Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.**

* Yeah, didn't sift the flour...
**It took 65 minutes in my oven

Results:   It was moist and flavorful....pretty darn good.  I still prefer the BH&G recipe, and will sometime have to try the Cook's Illustrated one.  I also saw Betty Crocker has one with buttermilk that folks on the internet rave about.

Banana Bread

(Better Homes & Gardens, 1989/10th edition)

In a large mixing bowl combine:

     1 cup all purpose flour
     2/3 cup sugar
     2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1/4 tsp salt

Add to the bowl and mix:
     1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium)
     1/3 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
     2 TB milk

Add to the bowl and mix:
     3/4 cup flour
     2 eggs

Stir in:
     1/4 cup chopped nuts

Pour batter into a greased 8 x 4 x 2" loaf pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.  Makes one loaf (16 slices).

So, what's your favorite recipe for banana bread??

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Fall is definitely in full swing...the leaves have changed from green to gold, orange, and red, and are now being forced off the branches by the Pacific Northwest rains.  Fall means pie season.  Usually I think of apple or pumpkin at this time of year, but a strawberry-rhubarb pie is a welcome reminder of warmer weather and sunshine.  And who says you can't have a bit of summer in the fall?

Strawberries and rhubarb freeze well, so stock up when they're in season and save a bit for later.  You won't regret it!

De-Stringing Rhubarb

Before you get to the pie, you'll need to prep your rhubarb.  This only takes a couple minutes to do.  Cut or snap back a piece on the end.  Don't cut through the piece.  Once you've pulled it back most of the way, pull the end down removing all the stringy stuff.  Make a cut on the other end (opposite side) and pull off the strings on that side.  Repeat a couple more times until most of the strings are gone.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

(Cook's Illustrated)

The amount of sugar and tapioca you use is relative, depending on the fruit’s quality and your taste. If you prefer a less sweet pie or if the fruit is especially sweet, use the lower sugar amount. If you like your pie juices fairly thick, or if the fruit is really juicy, then opt for the higher amount of tapioca. If you are using frozen fruit, measure it frozen, but let it thaw before filling the pie. If not, you run the risk of partially cooked fruit and undissolved tapioca.

Makes one 9-inch pie, serving 6 to 8

Pie Dough

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

11 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch cubes

7 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled

1/3 cup water , chilled with ice, increasing up to 3/8 cup, if needed

Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling

3 cups fresh strawberries , hulled and sliced

3 cups fresh rhubarb , trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 - 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into small pieces

1. Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue to cut it in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon of remaining ice water if dough does not come together. Divide dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss fruit with sugar, lemon juice and orange zest, vanilla extract, and tapioca; let stand for 15 minutes.

4. Roll larger dough disk on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving dough that overhangs the lip in place. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into pie shell. Scatter butter pieces over fruit. Refrigerate until ready to top with remaining dough.

5. Roll smaller disk on lightly floured surface into 10-inch circle. Lay over fruit. Trim top and bottom dough edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough in your own fashion, or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top to allow steam to escape. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes before baking.

6. Place pie on baking sheet; bake until top crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

7. Transfer pie to wire rack; let cool to almost room temperature so juices have time to thicken, from 1 to 2 hours.