Dinner guests last night

So we had a full dinner.  We had shrimp appetizer with beets and hard cooked egg with dressing on the side.

Shrimp A La Louis

serves 4-6

20 medium shrimp boiled & peeled

2 C. pickled, sliced beets

4 hard cooked eggs

Louis dressing

Louis dressing

1 C. Thousand Island dressing

1 Tb. horseradish

1 Tb. chili sauce

Thousand Island dressing

1 1/2 C, Mayo

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

1/2 C. chili sauce

1/2 C. catsup

1 Tb. minced onions

1/3 C sweet pickle relish

1-2 Tb. pimentos, chopped

The shrimp were boiled in Shrimp boil, not just water.

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 quarts chicken broth

3 ounces tomato paste

½ cup butter

Cucumber salad

  SCANDINAVIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

serves 4-6

2 cucumbers, peeled, sliced thin Salt cukes. Let stand 1 hour. Drain, 

2 tsp. salt squeeze dab dry with paper towel.

2 T. vinegar Mix all other ingredients. Add a few

1T. water strips pimento for color. Serve cold.

1tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/3 C. onions, minced

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1-2 T. fresh dill or chives, chopped

1C. sour cream, optional

Pimento as needed, optional

Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 pkt dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)

• 5 C bread flour - all purpose will do (unbleached) - You may need more or less

• 1/4 C sugar

• 2 tsp salt

• 1/2 /cup butter (or margarine) room temp

• 1 C hot water (120F) - optional pinch of saffron

• 3 large whole eggs

• 1 egg white

• 1 egg yolk (from the above egg) beaten, mixed with 2 Tbs sugar and 1 tsp cold water

• Optional - poppy seeds

Method:

Prepare a 1/2 sheet pan with a Silpat, parchment paper, or cooking spray.

If using the saffron (to add color to the dough), let it steep in the warm water until the water turns orange (about 10 minutes).

In a stand mixer bowl, combine the yeast, 2 C of flour, sugar, salt and butter (or margarine).

With mixer on medium speed, add the hot water and beat with the flat beater for about 2 minutes, scrape the bowl occasionally.

Add the eggs and the egg white (not the reserved yolk mixed with sugar and water).

The batter will be thick. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

Change to the dough hook.

Continue to add flour, adding about 1 C at a time until the dough is no longer sticky.

If the dough is still moist, add a little flour at a time until the dough cleans the sides of the mixer bowl.

Knead by hard or in mixer with dough hook for 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled - about 1 hour.

After it has doubled, punch down and hand knead out the bubbles.

Follow the braiding recipe and shape a 6 braid Challah.

Brush the shaped loaf with the egg yolk / sugar glaze. (If using the poppy seed, sprinkle on now).

Allow the loaf the rise, uncovered until doubled - about 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400F

Bake until the loaf is shiny brown, about 40 to 60 minutes.

Test with a toothpick. It should come out clean and dry. 

The loaf is fragile, so be careful and place on a cooling rack.

*This recipe is meant for 2 loaves but I made it into one. 

That loaf is 20" long and 6" to 8" high.

If you don't need one that big, make 2 smaller ones

__________________

Chuck Love

Pot Roast, pot roast gravy, roast potatoes, zuchinni

SLOTTSTECK

Norwegian Pot Roast

Serves 4-6

3 lbs. chuck or brisket, boneless In heavy dutch oven, heat butter and oil

2 T. veg. Oil until very hot but not browned and brown

2 T. butter meat on all sides-about 20 minutes.

1/2 C. onions, chopped Remove. Add vegs., stir until starting to

1/2 C. celery, chopped brown. Add flour. Cook a few minutes,

1/2 C. carrots, chopped + sugar, vinegar, stock, bouquet garni and

3 T. flour anchovy.  Boil, cover and put in 350 oven

1 T. dark brown sugar 2 1/2 hours.

1 T. cider vinegar Transfer meat to platter, strain broth,

6 anchovy fillets squeeze juices out of vegetables.

Salt & Pepper to taste Skim oil and reduce sauce.

2 C. beef stock

Bouquet garni (bay leaf, parsley sprigs, sprigs of thyme, wrapped in a leek leaf

Squash and Onions with Brown Sugar
serves 2

1 large yellow squash (or 2 medium)
2 small onions (or one medium)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

Slice the squash into 1/2-inch rounds, cutting large ones in half. You should end up with roughly 2 cups of cut squash. Cut the onions into similar-sized slices.

Add the butter to a wide sauce pan that has a lid and heat over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onions and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add squash, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir, then cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until squash is very soft.

Remove the cover and continue to cook for about 8 minutes, just to give the juices a chance to evaporate slightly. There will be some liquid in the pan, but it should be thicker than water, almost like a glaze. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve immediately.

Potatoes just slice in two, coated with veg. oil, salted and roasted in oven on try beside roast.

And Black Forest Cake

SCHWARTZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE

Black Forest Chocolate-Cherry Cake

Serves 6-8

1 8-inch chocolate cake 1 1/2-inch thick

3 Cups heavy cream or prepared topping

4 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate

1 C. Kirschwasser

1 1/2 C. red cherries, frizen or canned, drained or canned cherry pie filling- Syrup from     cherries can be uses with the liqueur to moisten cake.

Maraschino cherries as needed

8’ bottom layer of short-paste dough, baked golden brown

Shave chocolate into curls with vegetable peeler onto waxed paper and chill.

cut cake into 3 1/2-inch thick layers.  Melt 2 oz. chocolate in double boiler.  Cover baked short paste dough with 1 cup whipped cream mixed with the melted chocolate.

Place first layer of chocolate cake layers on top.  With a pastry brush, moisten cake with the cherry liqueur, spread whipped cream and half the cherries.  Repeat this step for next layer.  Top with the last layer and moisten with liqueur.

Spread whipped cream on sides and top, decorate with the chocolate curls and maraschino cherries with stem.  Press some chocolate curls  on side.  Cut onto 8 or 10 portions.

Short paste dough

Combine 2 cups flour with 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 cup butter. Mix thoroughly to form dough.  Refrigerate for 2 hours before using.  Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Smoker Brisket

It was raining this morning when I started the smoker.  Then it turned pretty cold and damp.  This may be the last time this year I'll use the smoker. I will probably still be using the grill even in the snow though.

BARBECUE RUB: 

2 cups sugar 

1/4 cup paprika 

2 teaspoons chili seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/2 cup salt 

2 teaspoon black pepper 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare brisket with heavy coating of rub. Don't trim fat (gives meat flavor and tenderness). Prepare Smoker.   When the smoker reaches 220 degrees, place your brisket inside and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 4 hours, or when brisket is almost black. Wrap the brisket in foil. Don't spritz the brisket with apple juice. Place the brisket back into the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, about 2 more hours. ***Cook meat around 1 1/2 hours per pound. (For a 4 pound flat, cook for about 6 hours). Let cool slightly and trim any fat. Then brush on room temperature BBQ sauce, slice and serve.

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ sauce (on line from Char-Broil) is the sauce I used this time.

I only smoked 2 1/2 lbs of brisket so 160º was reached in 2 hours.  180 in about 1 1/2 hours but I let ti cook to 190.

Martini Chicken, green beans, carrots and squash

Breast of Chicken, Martini-Style

This recipe for breast of chicken, martini-style, is from "Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen," the cookbook by chefs Pino Luongo and Mark Strausman.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4.

• Coarse salt

• 8 ounces green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

• 4 carrots, cut into thin strips, about 2 inches long

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), tendons removed

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 2 cups safflower or corn oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add carrots to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and set aside. Repeat process with green beans.

3. Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or the back of a skillet, pound chicken breasts until they are 3/8 inch thick.

4. Remove chicken from plastic wrap; season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and cheese each in separate large, shallow dishes. Coat each chicken breast half evenly with flour, shaking off any excess. Then di !p in egg, followed by cheese to coat.

5. Heat oil in a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, reduce heat to medium and, working in batches, add chicken. Cook chicken, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with remaining chicken, allowing oil to reheat between batches.

6. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add lemon juice and wine; stir to combine. Pour butter mixture into the bottom of a large baking dish. Arrange chicken in baking dish and top each with an equal amount of beans and carrots. Brush some of the butter mixture over the chicken and vegetables and transfer baking dish to oven. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

First published October 2007

Copyright 2007 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Squash seasoned with butter, salt, and maple syrup then cooked in microwave.

Served with Chardonnay wine.

Meat(loaf) and potatoes

Picture Posted Oct. 2017 to replace photo deleted by Photobucket. Photobucket people are slimeballs.

    4 slices white bread, crusts removed 

    2-3 Tbs. milk

    2 tblsp. olive oil 

    1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 

    1 rib celery, finely chopped 

    2 cloves garlic, minced  (3 or 4 cloves)

    1/2 large red bell pepper,  finely chopped

    1 lb. ground sirlion 

    2 1/2 hot bratwurst, skinned

    2 large eggs 

    1/4 c. roughly chopped parsley 

    2 tblsp. Dijon mustard  ( honey dijon_

    1 tblsp. coarse salt & more to taste 

    1/2 tblsp. freshly ground pepper & more to taste

    1/2 lb. thinly sliced smoked bacon 

    1 lb. of potatoes cut in 2-inch pieces, oiled, salted and peppered

    1/2 c. brown sugar, packed 

    1 tblsp. Coleman's yellow ground mustard 

    1 tsp. tomato paste  Or catsup, honey dijon mustard and brown sugar)

    Heat the oven to 375F. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and place in a large 

    bowl. Pour milk over it & set aside for 5 minutes. 

    Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery & garlic; cook until 

    soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. 

    To bread mixture, add  meat, eggs, parsley, Dijon, salt, & pepper,onion mixture. Combine well. 

    Place mixture in a large ungreased, foil lined baking dish or roasting pan. Shape into   a 5 X 12 inch loaf. Overlap bacon across the top, covering meat. Place potatoes

    around loaf. Season with salt & pepper. 

    In a small bowl, combine sugar, ground mustard & tomato paste to make a 

    glaze. Brush meatloaf all over with glaze. 

    Bake, until juices run clear when loaf is pierced with a 2 pronged fork & the bacon is    crisp, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with potatoes or mash them coarsely  and make peas and gravy. 

Apple Cream Pie

I used James Beards recipe for Marlborough Pie with apples from my sister's tree.  When it cools, it goes into the freezer until Thanksgiving.

3 C. finely chopped peeled cored apples
1 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1 C. evaporated milk
3/4 C. sugar
2 to 3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Unbaked pastry  for two pie crusts... Because I did a weave,  I needed three pie crusts.

Prepare apples, sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix all other ingredients, beating well and pour over apples. Place in bottom pie shell top with meringue, pie shell or leave open.  Bake 450º 15 minutes, lower oven to 325º about 30 minutes longer.  If pie is left with only bottom crust, meringue is added when cool and browned in the oven.

It was just one of those days???

Ever have one of those days where things just don't go the way you want? Today was sort of like that.

I had not cooked in a while but wanted to try a couple things I had never made before. One, I saw stuffed clams in the store and decided to make some from fresh clams. I also saw an iceberg wedge salad from Thomas Keller. The kids made suggestions for sides and the menu was set. And at the last minute I decided to try a different version of cheese biscuits.

I just realized I misspelled spinach. I was telling myself it was NOT spelled spinache and trying not to add the e but did anyway and left off the 'h'

After I made the stuffed clams, I realized there would not be enough for us so I got some frozen crab cakes and three more stuffed clams from the store. I am sorry to say the store bought ones were better than mine. But if those crab cakes are what they are supposed to taste like, then i can honestly say I don't care much for them. 

Here is the lettuce salad with bacon, semi dried tomatoes with herbs, home made buttermilk dressing with mint and lemon zest and bacon. It was good but next time I'll put the dressing and toppings on some torn romaine leaves. Also pictured is the spinach.




I made Touch of Grace biscuits with more flour than called for and added cheese. I did that so they would hold a shape better. It baked longer than it said to but still didn't get done. After this picture was taken it went back in the oven for a while longer.



Charlie wanted asparagus with Hollandaise sauce. I made the sauce from a mix. First and last time I'll do that.





Here is some of the crab and clam on a plate



And i forgot to serve the rice until we were almost done but here it is..

AND it turned out this was NOT the rice pilaf they had in mind when they asked me to make it.

It was a lot of work and planning and not a total success but I learned a few things about next time... and what there will be no next time for.

boston baked beans

This site is  apparently WAS not letting me post pictures. I hope this one goes, not that it is all that much to look at.  After the ham and beans became left overs with most of the ham gone, I made Boston Baked beans with the left overs. I chopped the left over ham, added molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard and paprika and some onion that had been softened with a little oil in a pan to the beans and baked it for an hour.  After overnight in the refrigerator they were ready.  This picture was taken before they went in the refrigerator.

Scallops and spinach salad

Cassie found some recipes and made dinner last night.  She pan seared some scallops with some sherry.  The recipe said to use Chardonnay but we had sherry and I honestly think it tasted better than it would have with chardonnay. We also had asparagus roasted with a little oil and butter, salt and pepper and grated parm.  She also made a nice salad withs spinach, black berries, apples and blue cheese.  I made a dessert with pecans and baked apples.   We got a lot of apples from my sisters tree last Sunday.