Anticlimatic

Well, the results are in and the Fluer de Sel Caramel wasn't the ice-cream orgasm I thought it would be (I finally found a secluded grocery where the public isn't up to speed), BUT, there's something else that took the trophy. Oh sure, it was caramel-y and chocolate-y and creamy-y in all the right places, but I'm a cinnamon girl at heart.

All you ice-cream divas, listen up! The new Haagen Dazs "Cinnamon Dulce de Leche" is the next Top Model as far as ice-cream is concerned. This stuff is literally crammed with creamy pockets of cinnamon caramel! I actually think the texture was CREAMIER than the Fluer de Sel and I could definitely see this loverliness being pals with a slice of apple pie over the winter holidays. Sigh.

Be still my heart.

To All My Pickle Peeps

O.k., I know pickle season is just over the horizon for all my northern friends, so I wanted to give you heads up on a fan-friggin-tastic pickle recipe. Think of me as your "pickle research department" each season, as we start our canning & preserving months ahead from the rest of the country.

I tried a new recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and it is OMG, delicious! In fact, I loved it so much that I sent hubby back to the cuke people to get more cukes JUST for this recipe! I knew 8 jars weren't going to last us for the rest of the year.

They're lemony and sweet, without being over-cloyingly brine-y. YUM! You must try this recipe this season, plus, they are fabulously beautiful to look at in their jars!

Lemon Cucumber Pickles
Recipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Makes 6-8 pint jars

14 cups sliced pickling cukes (chip size 1/2 inch thick)
4 red bell peppers, seeded & thinly sliced (I used 3)
2 tsp pickling salt
7-9 bay leaves, divided
1 T whole, black peppercorns
1 tsp allspice
1 1/3 cups white vinegar
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 lemon sliced
6-8 cloves garlic

Prepare jars and lids for canning. Tie one bay leaf, pepper corns, and allspice in a square of cheesecloth, or place inside a metal tea ball like I did. In a large, stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, lemon juice and spice bag. Bring to a boil over med-high and boil gently for 7 minutes or until spices have infused in the liquid.

Place 1 lemon slice, 1 clove of garlic, and one bay leaf in each jar. Pack jars with cuke slices and pepper. Ladle hot brine over vegetables, giving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a BWB for 10 minutes. Let pickles marinate for two weeks before eating. Try not to eat a whole jar in one sitting!

**Note: I always make double the amount of brine required, as it seems I always need more than the recipe calls for.

**Note: You can add Pickle Crisp to make the pickles crisper - 3/4 tsp per jar or 1 1/2 tsp per quart.

Curse That Lindsey!

I have nothing new to say today except curse that **Lindsey over at Lindsey's Luscious! Ever since she mentioned the new Haagen-Dazs Reserve "Fleur De Sel Caramel" ice-cream, I've been obsessed with wanting it! And I can't find it!

I've been to no less than 4 groceries looking for the stuff, and I'm greeted everytime with an empty ice-cream slot. I know the stores carry them; I see the label where it is SUPPOSED to be, but...le sigh. I guess everyone else has discovered it too!

No rest for the wicked or weary!

**Lindsey is really a lovely, talented, person with a good sense of humor. I would never wish anything negative on her!

The Martha Monday Challenge

While surfing around on some of my favorite foodie sites, I happened to come across the food blogging events page at Is My Blog Burning. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with a food blogging event, it is basically a group of people who agree to research a recipe, topic, or category of food, and then write about it by a specific deadline. This usually entails cooking something you’ve chosen (or chosen by someone else), and of course, eating!

This is fairly new to me; however, I guess I’ve been doing this informally on this blog since day one. But I couldn’t possibly turn down Mimi on the Move and her request (challenge?) to whip up something from Martha Stewart herself. So I am totally, like, bring it!

You’re So Farro Away

I’ve been around food…well all my life. My mother used to say that I was born at 11:48 a.m., just in time for lunch. So, when something new crosses my plate, it’s an exciting time for me.

The current issue of Martha Stewart Living is chock-a-block with the usual crafty, homekeeping fare, except something new caught me by surprise. Upon turning to the What’s for Dinner section, I spotted a recipe for Farro and Porcini Risotto. Now, I thought I was pretty hip with new food trends, but farro was something I’ve never heard of. I made a mental note to Google it as soon as possible.

From what I’ve learned, farro has a pretty glorious history as a “grain of the legions”. It was “the original grain from which all others derive” and was once as common as spaghetti is today. But, through the times, it has whittled its popularity down to primarily Italian dishes and the occasional French haute cuisine. The organic food movement has brought renewed interest in farro, and I was extremely curious to try it.
Of course, my regular grocery didn’t carry farro, in fact, no one knew what it was, so off we went to Whole Foods grocery. Even in this organic and raw food mecca, there were only 3 lonely 16 oz. bags of farro to be found. And we looked hard for those 3 bags! Martha’a recipe called for 2 cups of farro, so we purchased two 16 oz. bags…just in case. Next, were the dried porcini mushrooms, which ended costing a small mortgage, but again, we’re talking about Whole Foods grocery. The mushrooms weren’t easy to find either. So far, Martha’s recipe was scoring negative points for convenience and availability.

Once home, I easily made the pesto sauce called for in the recipe. I substituted pecans for walnuts because, well, I don’t like walnuts and we had pecans. I used fresh basil from my garden and parsley purchased from the store. I set the pesto aside and started on the main dish. So farro, so good!

I mixed the farro with some white wine, chicken broth, and the dried porcinis, brought it to a boil and waited. Now, I did notice one important thing missing in this recipe. The Standard Rule of Engagement for any risotto making process is to add warm/hot stock to the risotto while it’s cooking. The pasta needs to absorb the liquid slowly, and adding a cold stock results in hard, undercooked risotto. I figured the farro probably would react in the same way so, I heated up my chicken broth and added half a cup at a time. It worked like a charm. Once the farro had absorbed all the liquid, it was done. I added the pesto and then finished with a few gusty peels of Romano (not parmesan…my preference) cheese.

The farro tasted earthy and nutty, with a splash of green from the basil and parsley. It was chewy and creamy in all the right places. The porcinis added a smokey, woody flavor and the grated cheese gave it a salty depth. This dish is not meant for the light-hearted though; it’s hearty and rustic and would do best with any red meat, game, or harvest vegetables. It’s definitely not springtime fare.

Overall, we enjoyed this dish very much and I probably will make it again if I’m in the mood for something a little exotic. Its biggest fault is the availability and price for the ingredients. Not everyone can go to or even afford specialty markets, but then again, only the best for Martha!

Casa de Pickle

May is a very special time for us here at Just the Right Size. The month of May brings us fresher-than-fresh Kirby cucumbers and the sweetest Florida corn you’ve ever eaten. And every May, hubby and I make our annual trek out to the boonies in order to stock up on both: first for making pickles and the latter for freezing or making corn relish, soups, corn bread, corn pudding…well, you get the picture.

The farm we buy from is only open for the month of May; the rest of the year it is closed. It grows a large proportion of the early cukes for Big Pickle (i.e. Claussen) and they are just as gorgeous as can be. But every May, hubby and I always overestimate the amount of cukes we need and end up to our elbows in cukes or pickles. Usually both.


Last year, I tried to make a highly coveted pickle recipe from one of the Cooking Forum ladies, which called for fermenting the cukes for several days via pouring fresh boiling water over them every day, then proceeding with a brine soaking, then canning. In all, it takes about ten days total (at least it seemed).

Did I mention that May in Florida also brings temperatures in the 90s too? It seems that fermenting pickles in temperatures over 70 degrees is a bad idea. By the third day, I was greeted with a smell that can only be described as rotting cukes and road kill. And since I didn’t feel like turning up the AC to make my house a meat locker (and paying the subsequent electric bill), fermented pickles and sauerkraut will have to wait.

Ahem.

So, this year, we continued our tradition of getting way too many cukes and trying our hand at refrigerator pickles. Only this year, I am trying to copycat Boar’s Head Zesty Bread and Butter Chips. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these pickles! I could easily eat a whole jar in one day! The special ingredient that takes these pickles over the edge is the huge amount of horseradish. So far, we have a dozen quarts and a dozen pints made, but are running out of room (again).

Anyone want some fresh cukes?

Two Words: Shrimp Rangoon

If Asian cooking had a junk food category, I’m pretty sure Rangoon would be right up there with the goold ol' American Krispy Kreme doughnut. What else is there to say about handy, little deep fried pastry pockets filled with cream cheese (and a little meat with seasoning), then dipped into some sort of sweet sauce? Well, anything, really, that’s cooked with cream cheese gets extra points with me, but that’s another topic.

I always eye these when we go out for Chinese food, or really any Asian restaurant that carries them, but I know better. I could eat about a hundred of them, and that’s not a good thing. Either for me or my aerobics instructor.

But Cuisine At Home just HAPPENED to have a nifty little recipe for shrimp Rangoon right on the back cover of issue #69. How convenient. And naughty!

Instead of the traditional crab meat, they subbed for shrimp, which is a plus for the cost factor. Of course they’re fried, but what the heck…2 more hours on the stair master is nothing, right? Right?!

Shrimp Rangoon
Makes 30
Recipe Source: Cuisine at Home, #69

2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 T scallions, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
¾ lb cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced
30 wonton wrappers (you can find these in the freezer section, near the pie pastry)
Peanut oil

Pulse cilantro, scallions, ginger and sugar in a food processor until minced. Add cream cheese, lime juice, and salt; pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in shrimp.

Arrange a few wonton wrappers on a work surface. Place 2 tsp of shrimp mixture in the center of each wrapper, moisten edges of wonton with a finger dipped in water, and fold to form a half circle or triangle. Press edges to seal. Set aside, and repeat with remaining wrappers.

Heat 1 inch of the peanut oil in a dutch oven over med-high heat. Fry Rangoon in batches until golden on each side, about 1 minute total. Drain on paper towels. Serve with your choice of Asian dipping sauce (usually a sweet & sour sauce).

Wine a Bit; You'll Feel Better!

Going on vacation is a lot like having a fiery, passionate, love affair. In the beginning, you can’t get enough of each other. Everything is so much more interesting, better, and exciting than what you have back at home. The food is better; the air is cleaner; the birds are singing. Everything is perfect and new. You even have your very own special coffee place and favorite Thai restaurant. But after a while, you start to lose your patience and things don’t look so shiny anymore. You long for the familiar. Your own bed; your routines; things you can count on. When it all boils down, there’s no place like home and family.

Hubs and I just got back from a wonderful, 5 day get away to northern Virginia. Specifically the Virginia wine trail. We’ve wanted to do this for a while, but our schedules, money, work, and the weather all got in the way. In the past 5 days, we’ve had more wine, smelled more flowers, explored more civil war sites, took more pictures, and passed by more southern Baptist churches than you could shake a stick at (or a snake). It was perfect.

We also discovered the Monticello Wine and Food Festival was going on the same time we were up there, so we checked that out too. It wasn’t what we expected though. It was almost as if the prestigious Monticello wine community had to comply with northern Virginia county fair committee venue guidelines. This left us wine snobs paired with "Sho-nuff Barbeque", a 4 person band playing “Le Freak”, and wine glasses sponsored by the Battleship Automotive Group. We had fun though. A vacation makes people more lighthearted. So does a couple of glasses of wine!

The best wine we found, by far, was the Cru from Kluge Estate Vineyards, which was wayyy at the base of the mountains and in the boonies. The Cru is an aperitif (dessert) wine that is first fortified with brandy, and then aged in seasoned whiskey barrels. It sounds harsh, but it is as smooth as butter and simply divine. We loved it so much that we bought 4 bottles of it (albeit small ones) and plan to order more for gifts.

Kluge also had a very lovely dining café that serves yummy things like gourmet cheese plates with truffled olives and crusty bread. We had our lunch on the front patio, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the sound of migrating Canadian geese. Most of the roads up there were the narrow, snaking-two-lane-white-knuckle types, with no shoulders and a scary, yet beautiful scenery below. It was worth the climb. And if you go to Kluge, further down the road is a winery name Wintergreen Vineyards. You have to go there just for the Raspberry Dessert wine alone.

Plastic Tubes and Pots and Pans

No, I'm not dead. I've been painfully busy (again) lately, but like I mentioned earlier, I have been making wonderful things!

I've been learning how to make wine!

Every few years I recreate myself and dive head first into a new learning venture. Sometimes it pays off (like canning and preserving or making cakes) and sometimes it doesn't (like getting an advanced degree in something I'm not even sure I like...'nuther story!). But any way it goes, I am always amazed at what I am capable of learning and doing for myself, and this time it's a doozy!

A few weeks ago, I started a lovely Strawberry Wine recipe from an amazing home winemaker by the name of Jack Keller. Jack lives in Texas. Everything is big in Texas. Therefore, Jack is big in Texas, and everywhere else home winemakers reach out to learn and gather information. He has quite a reputation in the winemaking industry and is fiercly passionate about wine. I often wonder how Jack can go to work at a "regular" job each week and manage to keep so much under his hat.

But, as hobbies go, sometimes it's better if they stay just that...hobbies. The potential slippery slope to making a living from a hobby is that one day you realize it's WORK. And then it's not so fun.

Anyway, check out his site at the link above. Read his blog too; you'll never know what you'll learn.

Here is my wine when I first made it. It looks like strawberry milk doesn't it?

Here's what it looks like after about a month of fermenting, clearing, and racking. Pretty isn't it?

I'll put it in some pretty bottles in a few weeks with some snappy labels. Snap! After that I started a 3 gallon batch of Banana Wine. Yes, Banana Wine!

It has a slight banana nose (scent), but tastes like a full bodied Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. It's yummy! Stay tuned and we'll see how these turn out. They will need some time to age (anywhere from 3-12 months), so I won't even know if I'm good at this for some time! Patience grasshoppah! Some of you (and you know who you are) might even receive a bottle or two as gifts, but don't hate me if it tastes like rocket fuel!

Cheers!

I Loves Me Some Lima Beans!

There it sat. That lonely bag of dried lima beans; taunting me from the pantry. “Do right by me” they said. Well, I DID have all that leftover ham in the freezer, and I did have a pressure cooker after all, so I gave those purty little beans a welcome fit for a king.

I don’t know why I don’t cook dried lima beans more often. Oh yes I do; they’re a pain to cook when dried. All that soaking and simmering. Sometimes a girl has just gotta have it now! And when they’re perfect, they’re like plump little potatoes. Each bite is tender-soft, yet firm and full of flavor. Lima beans have personality.

The trick with any dried bean is to not overcook them or add too much salt and/or acidity. One technique causes the beans to split and turn into a mushy mess, and the other causes them to toughen (in my opinion). Some say it’s fine to add salt in the beginning, some say after the beans are done. I prefer to add afterwards, as it gives me more control over the entire saltiness factor. I was always taught to salt any dish after it’s done, never in the beginning or during the cooking process, as liquids condense and that can increase the salt levels. There’s nothing worse than an overly salty pot of beans. Adding any kind of acidic ingredient, such as tomatoes, should also be added at the end of cooking, as the acidity causes the beans to stop cooking. And then you’re stuck with an overly salty, tough pot of beans!

For my little darlings, I chopped up about 2 cups of precooked ham, 1 onion, 2 stalks of celery, 3 cloves of garlic. I sautéed the ham a little in my pressure cooker, added the vegetables and sautéed till soft. I added 4 cups of chicken broth, 4 cups of water, about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (This is important! Dried beans cooked without oil will cause a lot of foaming, which is a BAD thing for pressure cookers), and finally some general seasoning. Bring up to pressure, and cook for about 30 minutes, then depressurize naturally.

At the end, a few sprinkles of kosher or sea salt, and smack my booty. DAYYUM!

Food Blogger Feast

The Easter weekend, I made a wonderful meal comprising a little bit of this-and-that from some of my favorite foodie friends. Since we skipped the whole Corned Beef-n-Cabbage thing for St. Patty’s Day, we decided that it would be wonderful for Easter. Besides, we still have about 3 lbs. of ham in the freezer leftover from Christmas and believe it or not…I’ve never made Corned Beef-n-Cabbage. I know!

We had:

New England Boiled Dinner, courtesy of Simply Recipes
Cheesy Beer Bread, from the very talented Lindsey’s Luscious
Butterscotch Ice Cream, again from Lindsey’s Luscious (she had a good thing going!)
And a simple Dump Cake, which hubby even made, from the ever reliant Cooking Forum

The corned beef dinner was the bomb, as well as everything else. The bread was a little on the salty side for my tastes, plus there’s something about wheat flour that I don’t like when baking bread. It gives everything as sort of cardboardy, flat flavor. I did use fresh dill, and that was very yummy and it made a big difference with the herb taste. I think I’ll play around with the recipe and maybe substitute the wheat flour with more AP flour or even a baking mix. I’ll cut back on the salt, but Lindey’s Luscious was right; the bread would make awesome toast!

Mean Mrs. Mustard Part Deux

On that note, the corned beef cried for mustard. So, I pulled one of my little, neglected jars of Ginger Garlic mustard out of the refrigerator. What the heck, I was feeling adventurous! What a difference time makes! A few months ago, this stuff could dissolve paint, but now it’s nice and mellow, with a good flavor. I’ll have to revisit this again and this time I’ll let the mustard seeds soak a good 24 hours before I process them in the food processor.

To be continued…

A Letter from Big Wine

Dear Hyatt Vineyards Winery,

We recently discovered that you no longer ship your product to out-of-state customers. During these uncertain times, and in light of pending legislative action, we understand how difficult it must be to go that extra mile.

Thank you for making our job easier.

Sincerely,

Big Wine

The BEST Beef Enchiladas

Last night, I planned to make an enchilada recipe I found in a Cooks Illstrated "Best Of" issue. I made these, and let me tell you, these were the BEST enchiladas I've ever had! Hubby and I about licked our plates!

I cooked the meat for this in my pressure cooker, but I could easily see cooking the meat in a crockpot while you're at work or doing other things. It was a very easy recipe overall. You have to try these!

BTW, these reheat wonderfully!

The BEST Beef Enchiladas
Recipe source: Cooks Illustrated

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 chuck roast, trimmed of fat & cut into large cubes (your choice of size & how much meat you want. Mine was about 2-3 lbs)
Olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup of water
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup chopped pickled jalapeno, minced
2 cups Mexican blend cheese
6-12 flour tortillas, your choice in size

The original recipe called for simmering the meat in a pot till shreddable; however, I made mine in my pressure cooker! This was done in 20 minutes! Of course, you could also do this on the stove or in your crockpot.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt; set aside. Over med-high heat, brown the roast cubes in batches in the olive oil till lightly browned. Remove meat from pot and place on a plate. Add onions to pot and sauté till lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder mixture to onions and cook till fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, waterm and return meat with plate juices to pot. Bring to a simmer and cook till shreddable (about 1 ½ hours on stove, or you can do this in your crockpot). For my pressure cooker, I cooked this for 20 minutes.

When finished, remove meat from sauce with a slotted spoon. Reserve sauce. Shred meat and set aside in a bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cilantro, jalapeno, and 1 cup of the cheese with the meat.

In a casserole dish (your choice of size depending on how many enchiladas you want), spoon enough of the reserved tomato sauce over the bottom to cover well (about ¼ inch). Place a couple of spoonfuls of the meat mixture in one of the flour tortillas, and roll into enchiladas (be sure to fold up the sides while you’re rolling so the filling doesn’t fall out!). Place enchiladas on top of the sauce in casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat for as many you want (this made 6 large enchiladas for us).

Spoon 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until browned. Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, fresh avocado & extra tomato sauce. Your choice!

In Need of Inspiration

I’ve been slacking again, haven’t I? It’s not that I haven’t been busy, or haven’t made anything. I think I just haven’t been motivated to write or share anything exciting. Oh, I’ve been busy all right, and I’ve made w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l things, both in and out of the kitchen; I’ve just been in an inspirational slump.

So, this past weekend, I decided to make something to perk things up. Cuisine at Home had a wonderful looking tart recipe in their August 2006 issue that was just pining for some fresh Florida strawberries. And being that hubby has an incestuous attraction to tarts (no…not THOSE kind of tarts!), I decided to give it a try.

It’s a lovely custardy thing, with eggs and lemon curd, and milk, and honey. I especially liked the crust, which was more of a shortbread than a pie crust. The only thing I would change would be the jelly glaze used; I would have rather liked a citrus marmalade or jelly. I think the apple jelly didn’t do the lemon undertones justice. There’s always next time!

This is a wonderful tart to make in the dead of winter, or whenever you just need a little sunshine and inspiration!

Summer Fruit Tart with Honey-Lemon Cream and Fresh Berries
Recipe Source: Cuisine at Home, August 2006

Crust:
1 ¼ cups of all purp flour
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
1 stick of butter, cold & cubed (1/2 cup)
1 egg yolk (reserve the egg white)

Filling:
Reserved egg white from crust
½ cup lemon curd (you can buy this at any grocery…or make your own!)
3 eggs
¼ cup all purp flour
3 T of cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 cups of whole milk
1/3 cup of honey
2 T butter
Juice of ½ lemon

Glaze:
¼ cup of jelly (apple, orange marmalade, apricot)
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh assorted berries, about 2 cups

Crust:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9” tart pan with removable bottom with a nonstick spray. Process flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a food processor until combined (a few pulses). Add butter and pulse till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Dump mixture into a large bowl and blend in egg yolk with your hands (it’s easier this way). Mixture will still be very coarse/crumbly and will not clump together. Dump mixture into your tart pan and press into pan and up sides. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. When you remove the crust from oven, take a spoon and press down on the crust as it will puff up a little. Place tart crust on cooling rack.

Filling:
Whisk reserved egg white and lemon curd together; add eggs. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt together in separate bowl, then gradually add to lemon curd mixture. In a saucepan, bring milk and honey to a simmer over medium heat. Temper milk mixture with lemon curd mixture, then add all of lemon curd mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stir continuously. Be sure to allow the filling to boil/bubble for 1 full minute, as it will cook off the starchy flavor from the flour and cornstarch.

Take filling off heat and add butter and lemon juice. Mix well, then pour custard into cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill until set; about 4 hours or overnight.

Glaze:
Melt jelly and lemon juice over medium heat in a saucepan or a few seconds a microwave. Use a basting brush to brush glaze over the top of the tart. Add berries on top and brush with glaze. Enjoy!

Was It Worth It?

After all the effort of making Chicken Stock with chicken feet, I wanted to see if it was really worth all the effort. I decided a simple chicken stock focused soup would really be the litmus test, plus Cooks Illustrated printed a "Soups and Stews" issue that just happened to have a recipe to fit that order. Egg Drop Soup.
I’ve never made egg drop soup and they made it look very easy; soup in 20 minutes. So, away we goooooo…

I started with:

2 quarts chicken stock (I used 1 quart of "gelled" concentrated, chicken feet stock and added 1 quart of water)
1 inch of peeled and smashed fresh ginger
2 scallions, smashed lightly


Place the stock, ginger, and smashed scallions over med/high heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. The ginger and scallions really help build layers of flavor for the broth. This smelled wonderful.

Next, fish out the scallions and ginger.


Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, and salt to taste. Bring back to a simmer and thicken slightly. Then add 3 more minced scallions.


The cornstarch helps thicken the soup so the egg does not sink to the bottom. At first, I didn’t think I would need a thickener, but as the stock heated and thinned from its "gel" stage, it did need something extra.

Last, you will need 4 beaten eggs. Whisk the broth so that it is moving in a strong circle. Add the eggs in one slow, steady stream so that ribbons of coagulated egg form. Let eggs stand in broth WITHOUT mixing until they are set, about 1 minute, then break up with a fork.

If you add the eggs all at one time, you will end up with one big, eggy blob.


And here is the final result with an egg roll and noodles. This was lunch today. YUMMMY!!



Was it all worth it? For a soup like this, abso-friggin-lutely!

DH said the soup was very rich and smooth, and it did have a wonderful mouthfeel and flavor. He commented that he liked that it wasn't greasy like some egg drop soup orders you get in restaurants.

If I just needed a basic chicken stock for something that would really mask its flavor, like adding to a stuffing recipe or making a cream-based soup, I wouldn't use this chicken feet stock at all; I would use the basic stuff that I regularly make with chicken bones or carcasses.

Sigh.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

So you wouldn’t wack off its feet and make chicken stock!

This past week, I was surfing through a few of my favorite foodie bloggers and stumbled upon Elise’s site at Simply Recipes. Elise decided to make a big-ol’-batch of chicken stock using chicken feet. What?!! I must know more!

Apparently, back in the day, our grandmothers and maybe even some of our current family swear by chicken stock made with chicken feet. One of my friends over at the Cooking Forum mentioned that her grandma used “everything on the chicken except the cluck,” and from what I’ve read, chicken feet make the richest, most flavorful thing you’ve ever had in the way of chicken stock. So, of course I HAD to give this experiment a try.

After explaining to hubby just WHY I had to find some chicken feet, we were on a mission. Where do you buy chicken feet, you might ask? Well, we are lucky to have a diverse ethnic population here in the city beautiful known as Orlando. Most self-respecting Asian or Latin grocery will carry chicken feet. Apparently, they’ve known all about the wonders of feet for some time. I also love going to Asian groceries, as I can find the neatest things there. I got a bargain on some black rice vinegar and dark sesame oil, which will be used for something tasty in the future; I’m sure.

According to Elise, 2 pounds of feet was called for in her recipe, so 2 pounds we bought. First, though, you must have some fun with your food:

Little Birdy’s Dirty Feet

If in the proximity of a chicken foot, feel free to chase your spouse, children, pets, neighbors, etc. around the house while screaming “Yarrrr! Yarrr!” (clucking just doesn’t have the same effect).

Hey, did you know if you pull the little tendon thingie at the place were the foot was whacked, you can make the chicken foot “wave”? Fun times!



Down To Business

Next, you rinse the little pink things off and place them in a pot of water for an intial boil. Boil for 5 minutes, skimming any foam/scum off the top. Drain water and rinse feet under cold water till cool enough to handle.



Una Manicura

After their initial boil, the claws need to be chopped off. This allows the collagen in the feet/bones to seep into your stock, making it wonderfully rich and flavorful.



Hey, did you know chickens get callouses? These need to be sliced off too. I wonder if there are little chicken podiatrists out there?



After that, it all goes back into a pot of clean, cold water. Add enough water to cover about 2-3 inches. Add 2 quartered onions, 2 cut-up carrots, 2 cut-up celery stalks, 2 bay leaves, a tablespoon of peppercorns, and a tablespoon of dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then leave at a gentle simmer. Place a lid on the pot (leave a small gap for evaporation) and simmer for 4 hours.



Liquid Gold!

After 4 hours of simmering, remove lid and simmer for another hour to concentrate the stock. Strain stock, and refridgerate. This made 2 quarts, but it is very concentrated and luxuriously rich. I took a taste of it when it was still warm and it was like chicken flavored liquid butter (but without the fat).



After chilling, I have "chicken jello". This will be made into an awesome Egg Drop Soup later this week.

How to Use a Pressure Cooker: Sweet and Sour Chicken

I’ve really dug my pressure cooker lately, although it has been extremely finicky. It seems I have to twist and adjust the lid an annoying amount of times to get it to seal and come to pressure. I’ve also noticed it’s a lot easier to find that “sweet spot” once the lid/sealing ring has had a chance to heat up a bit. Sigh, nothing is as easy as it seems. It’s a Fagor Rapida and a pain in the behind.

On the other hand, once I do get it to come to pressure, I’ve loved the results. Last week, I made an awesome Sweet and Sour Chicken in 8 minutes! I found the recipe on the Presto website, and their pressure cookers are looking better and better everyday. I already have one of their pressure canners and have found it to be very easy to use. Hmmmm…

Anywho, this is a great tasting dish, and I’m sure it could be easily adapted for conventional cooking. It was great over white rice and reheats fabulously. The other thing I really liked about this recipe was the idea that I could add so many other vegetables besides the peppers and celery. Next time, I’ll try some baby corn and some water chestnuts. Yum!

Sweet 'n Sour Chicken
Recipe source: Presto website

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut up (I used about 4-5 frozen chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes)
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 green or red pepper, cut into chunks (I used 2)
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
1 cup reserved pineapple juice (add water if necessary)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon catsup
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Heat oil in a 4- or 6-quart pressure cooker. Brown chicken a few pieces at a time; set aside. Return all chicken to pressure cooker (or regular sauté/saucepan); add celery and green pepper. Combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, catsup, Worcestershire sauce, and ginger; pour over chicken. Close pressure cooker cover securely. Bring pressure cooker up to pressure. When at pressure, lower heat to low and cook for 8 minutes. If you are not using a pressure cooker and are making this in a sauté/saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes.

At the end of 8 minutes, remove pressure cooker from heating element and perform a quick pressure release. Remove chicken and vegetables to a warm platter (I didn’t bother to do this). Mix cornstarch with cold water and blend into hot liquid/sauce in the pressure cooker. Cook and stir over med-high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add pineapple chunks and heat. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve with rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Baker In The Midst

When I was younger, I once mistaken the movie title “Gorillas in The Mist” as “Gorillas in The Midst”, which left me pondering, “In the midst of WHAT?”

A teenager at the time, that kind of thinking kept my easily entertained brain busy for quite a while. Were they in the midst of a scientific breakthrough? Communication with aliens? Poo flinging turf wars? Why Coke Classic changed their formula? What could gorillas be in the midst of?

Deep thoughts; I haz them!

This past week, I almost witnessed a grown man cry over a brownie. As I mentioned earlier, I started a new job where no one knows who I am. I am a baker at heart. At my last job, they grieved me leaving not because they would miss ME, but my baked goods. Especially the cakes. So, I decided to try my new environment with a simple pan of blondie brownies. Nothing special, just flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips. The reaction I received was nothing short of remarkable. You would have thought these people had never seen a home-baked treat before.

Now I’m in like Flynn, especially with the IT bubbas.

Here Piggy, Piggy!

One of the things my husband and I have in common is our love for latin food. He's orignially from Key West, Florida, and I was born a bit north of that near Tampa, Florida. Both areas are rich in latin culture, which brings an an abundance of influence to the culinary scene. Both of us grew up with latin food in our lives as much as other kids did eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We are both very lucky to have had that kind of ethnic exposure.

His sister can make a flan that will bring tears to your eyes, and I, my friends, bring you a Spanish Roasted pork that will make you weep. It's not something to be rushed, but the end result is nothing short of ecstasy. For this, you will need:

Spanish Roasted Pork

1 Pork Shoulder Picnic (anywhere from 5-9 lbs, depending on how much you want)
1 - 2 heads of garlic, peeled (large cloves to be sliced in half length wise)
Sazon Spanish seasoning by Goya (found in the ethic section of the grocery store)
Adobo all purpose seasoning by Goya (again in the ethnic section)
4-6 T olive oil

Now, the first thing you want to do with your piggy is give it a good rinse off and pat dry. Grab a small knife, then make slits in the piggy for the garlic cloves. This little piggy was about 9 lbs., so we used about 1 1/2 heads of garlic cloves. A smaller piggy probably just needs one head worth of cloves.

Next, stick the garlic cloves in the slits you made. Be sure to do this ALL over the piggy, skin side too.

Once that is done, sprinkle anywhere from 3-5 packets of the Sazon seasoning total all over the piggy. Follow that with a LIGHT dusting of the Adobo seasoning. Be careful with the Adobo, as too much will make the piggy too salty. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place Mr. Piggy on a heavy bottomed roasting pan (not aluminum), skin side up. Add the olive oil to the bottom of the pan (or you can do that before you put Mr. Piggy in...'prolly easier). Cover Mr. Piggy and roasting pan completely with a large sheet of tin foil and roast 3-5 hours. One hour before finishing, remove the foil and continue roasting. Our piggy took the enitre 5 hours because he was so big.

Once Mr. Piggy is done, remove from the oven and slice off the top fatty skin and discard. Do not drain the grease from pan (I know this goes against everything that you've ever learned about healthy eating, but trust me...it's worth it!)

Use a fork and knife to slice/shred meat off Mr. Piggy. Discard bones.



Then toss the meat with the grease/juices, and all its porky goodness. Try not to moan too loud when you try this.


We ate ours with white rice and red beans...HEAVEN!

Under Pressure

Whew! What a week! Sorry I've been MIA, but I've been hit by a professional and physical trifecta this past week: new job, upper respiratory infection, and new thyroid meds, which make me want to climb the walls at 2 a.m. and do things like repave the driveway. Basically, I haven't slept since November.

I've worked at the same cushy government job for the past 4 years and was getting lazy. I knew I had backed myself into a professional niche, and it would be hard for me to get out of if I ever needed to find other work. Plus, hubby and I worked in the same office (yes, I KNOW...) and I'd be lying if it I didn't say it had some sort of effect on our personal life. I needed to find myself again. So I started a new job last week while trying to overcome a nasty virus (again) AND not sleep. The good thing about being over medicated on thyroid meds is not gaining an ounce over the holidays! Score!

Ur Doin' it Wrong, Or Keeping Your Lid on Tight

As I mentioned earlier, Santa brought me a new pressure cooker for Christmas and I've been all over it like Michael Jackson at a Boy Scout meeting! Turns out, I've been doing it wrong all along! The bloody user's manual sucked major green donkey weenies, and I couldn't figure out what the hell they were talking about. I thought the pressure cooker was broken because it wasn't coming up to pressure. I mean, after all, I WAS following the friggin' manual! Hey, guess what? It came with a bloody video too, and BLAM, I watched and learnt' it. I'm sooooo smrt! I wasn't putting the lid on entirely right, but now I'm back in business. Last night I made a kick-butt beef stew from a recipe I downloaded on Miss Vickie's Pressure Cooker website, and I'd share it with you, but I had to pay for it! Tough bea-yach she is!

It was worth it.

Free Books!

So Santa was pretty good to me this past holiday; he even brought me a new pressure cooker! I've never used a true pressure cooker outside of pressure canning, so you know what that means? More cook books!

I go down to my local Border's book store, and they didn't have what I wanted. Friendly advice from the Jedi Masters over at The Cooking Forum (I love that place!) told me to go with any pressure cooking cook book by Lorna Sass, peticularly "Pressure Perfect". So, Border's has this thing where they will order any book (within reason) and they will call you when it comes in. Piece of cake, right? I order "Pressure Perfect" and go home with dreams of pressure cooked sugarplums dancing in my head.

About week or so goes by and I hadn't heard from Border's about my book. I call, and it hasn't come in. Out of curiosity, I turn the little computer printed order form they gave me over, and notice this:

Now I put in those little pink arrows and underlines, but I want you to pay particular attention to the red outlined box labeled "Important". Notice that it says that you might qualify for a "7 days or it's free" offer? So, I do a quick read, and according to me, I'm elligible. Here's how the dialog with the Border's employee went over the phone:

Me: "So, it says here that I'm can get my book free, since I ordered on the 28th and today is the 7th!"

Them: "Well, um, is the back of the order form signed?"

Me: "No."

Them: "Well, it isn't good unless the back is signed by a Border's employee."

Me: "Who's responsibility is ensure it's signed?"

Them: "Well, we are."

Me: "Then how am I to know that?

At this point, I get transfered to about 3 other people, and finally dicker (heh, I like that word) it out with the manager. At first, they tried to tell me it was over a holiday, so I wasn't elligible, but the order disclaimer excludes Thanksgiving and Christmas only. Then they went back to the whole "it wasn't signed" bit, but it's their job to fill the order form out, not the customer's. They dropped the ball.

So in the end, I had them and they had to offer the book to me for free. So, my friends, if you ever special order a book from Border's, make sure the back of your computer printed order form is signed (where I have the pink arrows) and count your calendar. I'm off to experiement with my new pressure cooker and some kick-ass recipes!

It's All About The Pizza, Baby!

When people come to visit Florida from out-of-state (aka "Snowbirds"), they're often shocked to find that it actually does get cold down here! Granted, we don't get the snow and ice our Northern friends do; however, it does get pretty chilly at times.

This past week, we had weather down into the teens, which is enough to make a Florida Gardner (that's me too) cry. You see, one of the perks of being down here is the benefit of two growing seasons and gardening ALL YEAR. The downside is two growing seasons and gardening ALL YEAR. A girl can get pretty darn tired, and sometimes I wish I could just pack it all up at the end of the year! So, what do we do when the weather gets frigid and our little green babies are in peril? We do the "Bedsheet Boogie" and cover our little darlings with bedsheets, clothespins, and Christmas lights. A solid freeze can end up costing hundreds of dollars, not to mention watching something you've babied all year shrivel away to mush.

Anywho, I didn't come here to talk about the weather; I came here to talk about pizza baby! When the weather turns cold, I want cheesy, melty, crunchy, carb-loaded pizza. And since we're watching our pennies, I can make my own pizza darn it! Besides, there's no limit to what you can do with a pizza; I always like more sauce.

I present to you another wonderful recipe from The Cooking Forum! I've made this a few times and it's always wonderful. The crust is a little on the thick side, which I like; however, I feel that it could use some flavor. So feel free to add some spices (garlic powder, etc.) or even a little shredded cheese to the dough when you're mixing.

Also, the key to a good homemade pizza is to NOT OVERLOAD the pizza. That means go easy on the toppings that might make the dough soggy, for example tomatoes and mushrooms. The above example was a lovely tomato and basil combo and I sliced the tomatoes really thin.

This does take some time, but it is worth it. You will need a baking stone for this, and be sure to cut the parchment paper so it won't overlap your baking stone, or else it will catch fire. Trust me!

The BEST Pizza

DOUGH
2 –cups bread flour, plus more bread flour if the dough is too wet and for dusting the work surface
1 -teaspoon instant yeast
1 -teaspoon salt
1 –tablespoon olive oil, plus more olive oil, for brushing the dough
1 -cup warm water

PIZZA SAUCE (Makes enough for 2-3, 13x18 inch pizzas)
1 (28 -ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 – minced garlic cloves
2 -tablespoons olive oil
1 -teaspoon oregano
1 -teaspoon ground fennel
salt and pepper, to taste

ORDER OF INGREDIENTS
1 -full recipe pizza dough
1 -tablespoon olive oil
2 -teaspoons dried basil (or 8-10 leaves minced fresh) -
8 -ounces mozzarella cheese, slices (use the real stuff NOT pre-shredded crap!)
1 1/3 -up to 2 cups tomato sauce (depending on whether you want a thin or medium pizza)
1 -medium onion
1 -cup sausage (precooked and browned in a skillet) -
1 -cup shredded mozzarella cheese - (shred yourself)
1 -cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Instructions:

DOUGH: In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, pulse the flour, yeast, and salt to combine; about five 1-second pulses. With the machine running, slowly add the oil, then the water through the feed tube; continue to process until the dough forms a ball, about 15 seconds. Generously dust the work surface with flour. Using floured hands, transfer the dough to the work surface and knead lightly, shaping the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a 1-quart measuring cup with cooking spray, place the dough in the measuring cup and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside in a draft free place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 - 1/2 hours.
Note: I used my Kitchenaid mixer. The dough should be pliable, but not wet. If it cannot be handled or hand-kneaded, add more flour a little at a time.

PIZZA SAUCE: Mix this up while the dough is rising, giving the flavors some time to meld.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. This may take as long as 30 minutes, so allow enough time for the oven to get hot. Remove all racks except the one holding your baking stone, for easier positioning of pizza onto the stone.

BUILDING: When the dough has doubled, grease hands with olive oil and remove it from the measuring cup, placing into the middle of a lightly floured board. (A silpat placed on the work surface makes cleaning up easier.) Being careful not to deflate all the air in the dough, roll dough into a ball and set aside. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut parchment paper and set aside. Do NOT cut parchment larger than your pizza stone.

Oiling hands again, gently stretch the dough, shaping it into a large rectangle on the parchment paper. With palms, stretch and flatten the dough until it takes the shape you want it to have, keeping a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Dock the surface of the dough with your fingers to "texture" the surface and hold the toppings. Oil the dough before building the pizza. Place finely cut (or dried) basil across the top of the dough. Add Mozzarella cheese slices on top of the basil. Spread a thin, even layer of the pizza sauce, adding onions, pork sausage (or your choice of ingredients), shredded Mozzarella and mild cheddar over the top of the dough. You can really use any toppings you'd like.

BAKING: Position the baking stone on the bottom rack of your electric oven, or on the floor of your gas oven. Lift the parchment paper and slide onto the bottom of a sheet pan, then quickly slide pizza onto the baking stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned. Check the bottom of the pizza for doneness before removing from the oven. Using tongs, transfer pie onto oven rack and set aside to cool a few minutes. Cut with a pizza cutter and enjoy!