April 2009 Giveaway

For the next two weeks (starting at 12:00 am April 8 and ending at 11:59 pm on April 22), I'll be running a giveaway. Two prizes will be awarded; each winner will receive a 2 lb. assortment of handmade chocolates. Here is a picture of one of the prizes. Assortment includes: hand dipped truffles (including plain, Bailey's, Grand Marnier, and Kahlua flavors), haystacks, turtles, chocolate covered cashews, and peanut butter cups.

Here's how you can win:

Prize 1: Just leave me a comment in this post! While I encourage you to post other comments on my blog, I will only be selecting the winner from those within this post. I will randomly draw one comment to be the winner!

Prize 2: Using Statcounter's "Came From" statistics, I will award the owner of the blog or website that generates the most visits to my blog during the contest period with the prize!

Sorry, based on postage and freshness issues, this giveaway is only open to those willing to have their prize shipped in the US. Obviously, I can't get the prize to you unless I have some method of contacting you (keep this in mind if you are an anonymous poster). I will announce the winners on April 23.

Thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you find something good to make.

Quick Fix Chili

I suppose there are some serious chili cooks out there that might take offense when I say that I'm not really sure why everyone seems to think that you can't make a good chili in a hurry. This chili takes less than an hour to make and the vast majority of that time it's just bubbling away, leaving you to do other things.

As an FYI, I may just have the wussiest tongue known to man. Since I got married, I have tried to expand my spice heat-tolerance, but not very successfully. This chili is quite mild, if you like yours to make you sweat, then add some jalapeno or cayenne. The chili peppers that I use in here are Anaheim peppers, which give good chili flavor without too much heat and are usually available in any grocery store. As for the chili powder, I just use the cheap grocery store type in the big jar. It's not hot, but adds great flavor.

Quick Fix Chili
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 TBS oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground meat (I usually use venison since it's what I have, but beef is great too)
1 16oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 c chopped fresh Anaheim chili pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
1 quart whole canned tomatoes (the large can, 28 oz, I think)
4 TBS chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Heat a stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil, onions, and garlic. Saute until slightly softened. Add ground meat and brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese or sour cream. Cornbread is also a great accompaniment.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Salish Smoked Salt - This coarse grained alder wood smoked sea salt is fabulous. I keep it in a pepper mill on a fairly coarse setting. The aroma always brings me to a great place and it adds a wonderful finish to so many things. I love using it on my freshly steamed vegetables the best. It gives such a nice subtle je ne sais quoi to my favorite, asparagus. While I always get my smoked salt from Marketspice in Seattle's Pike Place market, a similar salt is available on Amazon and may be in your specialty market.

Freezer Jam - There are certain fruits that were just never meant to be cooked. Strawberries and raspberries are two I can think of right away. Their flavor changes so much when they are cooked! If you've never had freezer jam, you are really missing out. I no longer make traditional strawberry and raspberry jam except to sell or give away (it can be hard to transport frozen jam). Not only is it soooooo much better, but it is a lot easier to make even. The only draw back is that it takes up freezer space to store it and you have to let it thaw before you eat it.

Whipped Cream Chargers - Being a whipped cream fanatic, I think the best gift I ever got was a whipped cream charger. No more getting the mixer out just to make fresh whipped cream to dollop on a pie or cake or ice cream or... you get the idea. I love that I can flavor it however I want and it lasts a long time in the fridge. Homemade whipped cream at the push of a button!

Powdered Whole Eggs - I know, this one seems weird. But I really like to make my own batter mixes to keep in the pantry. I have a pancake mix that is divine. As far as I'm concerned though, for a mix to be easier than making it from scratch each time, it has to involve the addition of two or less ingredients when making it. Powdered eggs allow this to happen. I get mine through Barry Foods (see my links).

Madeira - A fortified cooking wine that I use all the time. I love the smell, I love the flavor. It's great for soups, sauted vegetables, cream sauces, and chicken or beef. It's available in some grocery stores and should be in all liquor stores.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven - This may be one of my favorite cooking vessels. You haven't had a pot roast until you roast one in a Dutch oven. There is something about the heavy cast iron that makes a perfect roast every time. I also use it to make soups and stews and bake no-knead bread.

My Nose - I'm not sure if I could cook without my nose. Unlike most cooks, I rarely taste my food when cooking. I'll test to see if the salt level is OK, but for the most part, I trust my nose. In my experience, if it smells yummy, it's going to taste yummy.

Croque Madame (ou Monsieur)

I really love gravy and sauces. I'm not a big fan of condiments, but give me a creamy, thickened sauce and I think I'm in heaven. I'm one of the few people I know that absolutely worships the ground that creamed dried beef walks on. When I was a kid, my mom would make it for the family for breakfast and I would lick the plate clean. Literally! Now as an adult, I try to conform to social norms, but deep down inside, I still want to lick that plate. The same urge hits me when I eat pot roast with gravy or open faced roast beef sandwiches. Now I can add croque madame to the list.

This is a great sandwich. It's not light, that's for sure. It's one of those sandwiches that can get you through the day. It's basically a ham and egg sandwich covered with a creamy cheese sauce. While I'm not a hundred percent sure of the origin of the name, the French verb croquer means "to munch", so I suppose it's appropriate. The only difference between the madame and monsieur version is that croque madame has a fried egg on it.

Croque Madame (ou Monsieur)
Yield: 2 big sandwiches

2 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
2 cups very warm milk
dash salt, pepper, and nutmeg
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 slices toasted bread
2 fried eggs
4 thin slices of ham
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

In a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. With a whisk, add flour and stir to mix completely. Add very warm milk slowly, stirring continuously. Stir until sauce begins to thicken and then turn off heat. Stir in cheese and seasonings. Set aside until ready to assemble sandwich.

Turn broiler on and adjust oven so that the rack is on second highest level. Place bread in toaster. Fry the eggs in a skillet. Remove toast and put one slice on each oven-safe plate. Add one fried egg to each sandwich. Before turning skillet off, warm up ham in the skillet and then place on top of the egg. Put remaining slice of toast on top. Pour cheese sauce over sandwiches. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Place under the broiler until bubbly and brown, about 4-5 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTES: Any type of Swiss cheese works in this recipe, but my favorite is Gruyere. Also, to have a nice, creamy sauce, 2% or whole milk is best.

Scones

I guess you could say I'm something of a carb nut... which, come to think of it, may explain my inability to fit in those "thin jeans" in my closet. But I can't help it! I just love carbs: bread, pasta, potatoes, oh yeah... and scones.

I love these scones because they are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the sweet crust on the top. They are pleasantly eggy and are a wonderful excuse to eat jam. .. or honey; honey's good too. They are a very quick breakfast to make, and they stick with you through the morning.

While I use my food processor to make mine, you can also make them in a bowl with a pastry cutter to cut in the butter and a large spoon to mix. I often will make a half batch (measurements shown in parenthesis in the recipe) since it's the perfect amount for two people.

Perfect Scones

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 TBS)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder (1 1/4 tsp)
1 TBS sugar (1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt (1/4 tsp)

6 TBS cold butter, cut into small pieces (3 TBS)
2 eggs (1 egg)
1/3 cup milk (5 TBS milk)

Sanding sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to mix. Add cold, cubed butter. Pulse only until resembles coarse crumbs with pea sized chunks of butter still visible (see photo). Mix eggs and milk in a small bowl. Add all at once to processor. Pulse only until dough starts to come together and liquid is incorporated.

Grease a cookie sheet. Lightly flour the counter, pour dough out. Don't worry, you'll think it's wrong, but it is supposed to be wet, sticky, and lumpy looking. Lightly flour your hands and gently pat the dough together into a disk about 2 inches thick. Transfer disk to cookie sheet. Using a knife, cut eight wedges into dough (four if making a half batch, as in pictures). Sprinkle top with sanding sugar (or regular sugar), if desired. I really like the extra crunch this addition gives, but if you like yours scones less sweet, you can leave it off.

Bake until nicely puffed and browned (about 10 minutes for half batch and 15 for full recipe). The good news is that you can always tell when the scones are ready because they won't brown up well until they are fully cooked inside. Scones can be served immediately. Simply pull wedges apart to serve. They are best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an air tight container.

Hummus

My hummus has been evolving over time. I made a few small adjustments to the recipe to reflect those improvements. I changed from using the reserved juice in the cans to using water, added cumin, and made a few other very minor adjustments. I think this hummus is a lot tastier now! 3-14-15

There are all kinds of great dips out there, but one of my favorites is hummus, a thick dip made from chick peas (aka garbanzo beans). Commonly served in Mediterranean and middle eastern restaurants, it is easy to make at home. I like it with best with pita chips, baguette slices, and carrots.

The only special ingredient necessary for this dip is tahini, which is basically like peanut butter but made with sesame seeds. If you can find it, I like the Ziyad brand because it is cheaper and more liquid than many brands. Because it is more fluid, I find it easier to work with. To remix it before using (it separates like natural peanut butter does), all you have to do is shake the jar. With some other brands, you really need to work it to get it mixed back together. I, personally, am opposed to that if I can help it.

The other nice thing about hummus is that it is a blank slate. While it is perfectly delicious plain, it can be even better when you add a little something extra... perhaps some roasted garlic or roasted red peppers.

Hummus
Yield: 1 to 1-1/2 cups

1 15 oz can chick peas (drained and rinsed)
1 TBS lemon juice (fresh does make a difference here)
2 TBS tahini
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Put all ingredients into a food processor (except water). Pulse for 10-20 seconds. Remove lid and scrape down sides. Put the lid back on and start running the processor, slowly pouring the water into the feed tube. Add water until it gets to the consistency you like. This is mostly a matter of personal taste. If you add more water and run to processor longer, you can really get a smooth hummus. If you like it a bit more firm and "fluffy" then add less water to get it to mix the way you want. Hummus does firm up a bit in the refrigerator. Pour into a serving bowl or storage container. If serving immediately, you can drizzle with a little olive oil. Keeps in the fridge in an air tight container for about a week.

If you want to add a little extra flavor, before processing, add either 2 TBS of roasted garlic (I roast a whole bunch at one time, freeze in mini muffin tins, and then keep in the freezer for times like these) or 1/4 cup of roasted red peppers (fresh or canned).

Oil & Vinegar Cucumbers

I am really not a pickle person. I'm the gal that dreads my hamburger being delivered in the restaurant with a pickle on the plate because the juice always contaminates everything. But while I can't stand regular pickles, I do really love these cucumbers. Fresh and tart and so nice and crunchy. They're like refrigerator pickles but with a vinaigrette. During the summer when the cukes in the garden are getting ahead of me, this is a constant in the refrigerator. And in the winter and early spring, it's a nice reminder of things to come.

Oil & Vinegar Cucumbers

1-2 cucumbers, partly peeled, thinly sliced
3 TBS small diced sweet onions
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp dill
2 rounded TBS sugar
dash ground pepper

I make this in a wide-mouth mason jar but it can be made in any kind of bowl or what not. Simply put all ingredients together and mix thoroughly. I like making it a jar with a canning lid because I can simply shake the jar to mix it. I prefer using white pepper, but the only difference is that black pepper discolors the liquid. Adjust sugar and salt to taste as necessary. While it can be served immediately after being made, it's best to let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavors meld. It's best when consumed within a few days, as the cucumbers tend to lose their crunch. When cherry tomatoes are available, I often cut them in half and add them.

Wine Jelly

The nice thing about enjoying cooking is that it provides a great way to thank and gift those special people in your life.

I try to keep my jelly pantry well stocked so that any time I need a small gift, I have plenty of beautiful, tasty varieties to choose from! In this picture, I have raspberry, pineapple, strawberry, peach-rosemary, cranberry-orange, Bing cherry, Merlot, and blackberry.

The other bonus is that you get all the jam and jelly your household could want. I think I currently have five varieties open in my fridge. The hardest part of my day is deciding which one am I in the mood for!

While most of my jellies get put up in the summer when fresh fruit is abundant, some can be made any time of the year. A perfect example is wine jelly. Just as "in season" in the winter as the summer, it is the quickest and easiest jelly to make because there is no fruit processing required. I can make a batch in about half an hour. And the taste is divine! The vast majority of the alcohol burns off, so that isn't a concern. It's like grape jelly with the pizazz factor ramped up.

Canning simple jellies like this requires very little special equipment compared to a lot of canning, but there are a few things you will definitely want. While you don't need a huge canning kettle here, you will need a large stock pot (test fit jars before starting so you know how many jars you can fill). A canning funnel will make your life much easier and canning jars are a must since they are specifically made for this type of processing. Also, you cannot do without a jar lifter. If you're unsure what these things are, just looking under the "Canning & Preserving" section of my aStore for examples.

Before you start making the jelly, you want to have your water bath and jars ready. Fill your large pot with enough water so that when all your jars are submerged, their tops will be at least one inch under the water line. Bring the water to a low simmer. Add a splash of vinegar to keep water deposits from forming on your jars (not very attractive). Wash jars (no need to sanitize). Heat one cup of water to a boil and submerge flat canning lids until ready to use. Have screw caps, jar lifter, and canning funnel handy.

Wine Jelly
Yield: 4 cups

1 3/4 cup wine
3 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin (do not use the powdered for this recipe)

Stir wine and sugar over medium-high to high heat to dissolve sugar and burn off alcohol. Bring to a gentle boil and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Be careful of the steam; the strong alcohol vapors can make you a little tipsy!

Remove jelly from stove and immediately add pectin. Stir thoroughly and pour into jars, leaving 1/4 of an inch of "head space" at the top. Head space varies depending on the type of canning you are doing, but is required for a good vacuum to form.

Wipe rims of jars down to be sure there will be a clean seal. Carefully remove canning lids from the hot water and place over jar, using screw top to seal. You do not have to put the screw band on very tightly; hand tight is plenty. Using your jar lifter, gently place jars into the simmering water and place lid on pot. Turn heat up to bring water to a gentle boil. When water comes to a boil, begin processing time. Remove jars after ten minutes onto a towel lined counter. Let jars cool undisturbed. When completely cool, carefully remove screw bands and make sure jars are clean and dry. It is typically best to store them without the screw bands on unless you are very sure that the threads on the jars are completely clean and dry. Store jars in a cool, dark place. Canned jelly is best within the first year, but unless the seal breaks or you see other hints of contamination, they are good for two to three years.

Unlike most jelly recipes, this one doubles well. If you want to double it, just use a whole bottle (750 mL) of wine, twice the sugar, and two pouches of pectin. The type of wine you use is completely your choice! Merlot is my favorite, but I've made pinot noir (second favorite), white zinfandel (very pretty), and chardonnay (tastes good but not so pretty). Hmmm... I think I'll go have some toast.

Broiled Salmon

I have occasionally been intimidated by fish. No one wants to eat fish that makes you think you're eating a sponge. The good news is that not all fishes are equal. Having grown up in the clouds of the Pacific Northwest, I've come to know salmon quite well. It's relatively high fat content makes it less prone to becoming dry and tasteless. It's also full of heart-healty omega-3 fatty acids. It's a fish to put all other fish to shame.

Growing up, the only way I ever really ate it was smoked on a grill. While that way is fabulous (I'll post it sometime), I don't always feel like dragging out the grill when salmon starts to call me. Broiling salmon for dinner has to be the quickest, simplest, tastiest way to make dinner, ever. Cook for one, cook for ten, all in a smattering of minutes.

Broiled Salmon

Salmon filets (skin on or off)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Coarse ground pepper
Crushed dried rosmary

Turn on the broiler in your oven; raise the oven rack to the highest position. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place filet(s) on pan, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place under the broiler. While the cooking time will depend on the thickness of your filets, I find typically they are ready in about ten minutes. Salmon is easy to tell when it's done because it is such a flaky fish. To test, use a fork to try and pull apart the fish, if it comes apart easily, and the fish inside is opaque, you're good to go (be sure to test somewhere near the middle, as the edges will cook faster). While salmon tends to give you a little more leeway than other fish, for the best results, try not to let it stay under the broiler longer than necessary. Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately.

Salmon filets are much better, in my opinion, than salmon steaks (which cut completely through the fish). Filets rarely have bones, unlike steaks, and tend to be thinner and cook faster. While fresh salmon is great, I also use the portion sized, frozen salmon found in the grocery freezer section. And while I love a good wild-caught chinook, I enjoy Atlantic farm-raised too (just don't tell the Seattlites!).

Cheesecake Tarts

I've been trying very hard to not bake too much, since everything I bake, I have to eat and I'm trying to limit that somewhat. Summer is coming, after all. But I was experimenting with cheese making earlier this week and the result, which I had hoped might make a nice herbed cheese spread, came out more like a cream cheese, but fluffier and softer. Oh well. The only thing I could really think of to make to allow the cheese to fulfill its destiny was cheesecake. I decided to make individual cheesecake tarts, though, because they freeze well so I don't have to gorge myself on them all at once (which I would). I've written the recipe using fromage blanc, which is available in a lot of grocery stores these days. It would also work well with ricotta or cream cheese. And, just so you know, I'll get around to posting some cheesemaking posts before too long.

Cheesecake Tarts
Yield: 5 mini tarts

For the crust:
1 individually wrapped package of regular graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
4 TBS melted butter

Pulse crackers in food processor until broken down into crumbs, add sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until well mixed.

For the filling:
2 cups fromage blanc
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl until smooth.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 5 mini tart pans on a baking sheet. Spoon 3 TBS of crust mixture into each tart pan. Press down and up the sides a bit. Spoon filling into crust , almost filling to the top (filling will rise slightly while baking, but will fall back down when cool). You can leave them plain, or swirl some fruit in them. I took some raspberry freezer jam and spooned five small (less than 1/2 a teaspoon each) dollops around the top. Then I took a knife and gently swirled the jam through the filling. Don't worry about it looking weird. As long as you don't overdo it, it will look fabulous when baked. Bake for 30 minutes. Tarts may start to crack slightly and will not jiggle when shaken, but otherwise may not look very different than when you put them in. That's okay! Take them out and let them cool. Refrigerate in their pans until ready to serve. No adornment needed! If you want to freeze them, once they are thoroughly chilled, remove them from their tins, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set in freezer until frozen solid and then package in air tight containers for long term (yeah, right) storage.