Falling Back into Blogging: Thanksgiving Recipes, Rants & Raves

It's been almost a year since I have carved out time to blog. Why? Raising two children is exponentially more time consuming than one, especially in the early years. Work has kept me very busy. Like "what is this elusive do-nothing government employee I keep hearing about?" busy. I come across wonderful recipes, tips, restaurants and ideas, yet time to send them back out has eluded me. Also, many of the cool internet finds go on my Facebook "Smelling and Tasting Life" page. It also occurred to me that our home office/guest bedroom now hosts a child by night, so my evening inspirations were leading me straight to the kitchen. Or I fell asleep when possible!

So, what's new? My wheat allergy continues. That has changed how our family eats. My recipes that used wheat flour are now with premade store-bought mixes, usually from Aldi. Or, sometimes I can use oats, corn flakes or a small amount of corn starch. The other day I used kosher gelatin to thicken my gravy. I mention this because I will often make and take roundabout recipe decisions and food choices that people who can and want to eat wheat would not do. These don't usually translate by weight or measurement to wheat flour or bread crumbs, so make adjustments on your own or use the ideas or recipes and look for tested recipes using wheat flour as guides. This also means that almost any sweet or baked good I consume is coming from home, not the mean wheat-filled streets.

And if all that isn't enough, a disclaimer: I have fully adopted a "cook like a grandma; don't look like a grandma" philosophy. That means I don't measure anything unless it's for some huge, major event or a couple times during the holidays. So, treat my recipes as guideposts and inspirations and consult sources that tend to test well like America's Test Kitchen/Cooks' Illustrated/Cooks' Country, Gourmet (found at epicurious.com), bettycrocker.com (often not my first choice, but they do test recipes).

Still here? Great! So much is going on in our kitchen.

Before I launch into cooking, I need to say this one more time: Aldi is your friend. Anyone out here on the grind knows wages are flat. Adjusted for inflation, they are down. Down, I say! Why do I mention this? Saving money feels best when one doesn't feel it. Aside from my pride being bruised when I realized I was losing cash money by not giving Aldi a chance, I am pain-free. Here is a smattering of my favorite Aldi things:

Pesto-Red AKA sun-dried tomato, and Green AKA basil pesto. These sell for $1.29-$1.69 and are now my base for tomato pasta sauce. I use 1/3 of each pesto along with a large can of crushed tomatoes, a small can of diced tomatoes, and a small can of...

Secret Agent Ingredient: canned carrots
I put canned carrots in smoothies, soups, marinara sauce and stews. They are a great thickener and sneak in veggies when my kids (or I) am picky and peckish. The carrots are 65 cents at Aldi all day every day and also get puréed into carrot ginger soup and even baked goods.

*Fried apples are a seasonal gift from the heavens. Use them. Most importantly stock up! Make a Dutch Baby!!

A pint of heavy cream is $1.69. Just wrap your head around that. It's cheaper than butter. WOW.

Related recipe that sets you back like $1 per person when shopping at Aldi:
"French" Tomato Soup
NOM! We had an inspiration at work. Why should French onion soup have all the fun? What if we started making tomato soup like French onion soup, with the equivalent of an open grilled cheese sandwich on top?? Why haven't we done this before?!?!?! Make some homemade tomato soup (Stewed tomatoes, large 26-ounce can, small handful of washed fresh basil (or a spoonful each of red pesto and green pesto), 1/2 of a 15-ounce can of carrots, a dash of butter or olive oil (if not using pesto). Add 1/2 cup cream and a cup of chicken or vegetable stock. Purée with an immersion blender or in a traditional blender. Top with croutons or potato bread. Then top with sharp Cheddar cheese and broil in the oven until melted and bubbly.
me favorite recipes, musings, and food combinations:

Dutch Baby with *Fried Apples
What is a Dutch Baby? As far as I can tell, it's a lazy-ass crêpe. Instead of painstakingly using this recipe to make wonderful semi-transparent crêpes, dump this mixture over some bubbling hot fried apples from a can, courtesy of Aldi, that you have transferred to your skillet. If your conscience doesn't allow for this "one and done" approach, make sure everyone sees and hears you chopping an apple or two, which will also give everyone more apples and cut down on the overall sugar per serving. Turn down the heat to low and cover about 3-4 minutes, checking until the mixture no longer jiggles. Sprinkle with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar if you did not use the sweet fried apples.

Another Dutch Baby option is to fry some ham or turkey ham, add a generous teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the sizzling ham and dump the batter over that. Turn down the heat to low and cover about 3-4 minutes, checking until the mixture no longer jiggles. Top with Swiss cheese and some cracked black pepper and serve with a salad.

Native American Fry Bread as inspiration
So, it can be rather depressing to be wheat free when you want bread dripping with oil or butter. Funny, when I could eat bread, I didn't often want this. One night I made Aldi's gluten-free pizza dough mix crossed with equal amounts of Aldi's baking mix (about 3 cups total), plus one egg and just under a cup of milk. I fried it in a sauté pan with a healthy dose of coconut oil, flipping it to brown both sides. It was some kind of good!!

To try: Feta-Stuffed Hush Puppies from Cava Mezze
I had (although I wasn't supposed to) some Feta hush puppies at Cava Mezze over a month ago. They were savory, crunchy and had a sweet orange marmalade butter served alongside. I will try this with gluten-free cornbread mix at Aldi and see how it turns out.
(Inspired by Emeril's Cheddar Hush Puppies)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup bleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 ounces crumbled Feta cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup minced yellow onions
1 1/2 teaspoons minced jalapeños
1 1/2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

DIRECTIONS
-Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
-Add the cheese, onions, jalapeños, and hot sauce and mix well.
-Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well. If using gluten-free flours, rest batter 10-20 minutes.
-Pour enough oil to come halfway up the sides of a large heavy pot or electric deep fryer and heat over high heat to 360°F. In batches, without crowding, drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil.
-Deep-fry on all sides until the hush puppies rise to the surface and are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
-Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
--For the butter, mix equal parts orange marmalade and soft butter. Swoon!

Backyard Barbecue Beans From Cook's Country | June/July 2016
My kids and I eat this often on Saturdays after lessons, hopefully before our nap. I use turkey hot dogs instead of bratwurst and usually add--you guessed it--a can of carrots.

SERVES 12 TO 16
Be sure to use a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan or a roasting pan; the volume of the beans is too great for a 13 by 9-inch ceramic baking dish, and it will overflow. We found that Bush’s Original Recipe Baked Beans are the most consistent product

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 pounds bratwurst, casings removed (we use 4 to 6 turkey hot dogs, sliced)
2 onions, chopped
2 (28-ounce) cans baked beans
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
1 (10-ounce) can Ro-tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS
-Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk barbecue sauce, ketchup, water, mustard, vinegar, liquid smoke, granulated garlic, and cayenne together in large bowl; set aside.
-Cook bratwurst in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces with spoon, until fat begins to render, about 5 minutes.
-Transfer bratwurst mixture/hot dogs to bowl with sauce. Stir in baked beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, and tomatoes. Transfer bean mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking pan and place pan on rimmed baking sheet.
-Arrange bacon pieces in single layer over top of beans. Bake until beans are bubbling and bacon is rendered, about 1½ hours. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, beans can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Proceed with recipe from step 4, increasing baking time to 1¾ hours.


 Brownie Fudge Don't Know What This Good Thing Is
Half box (used Aldi gluten-free) brownie mix--1/2 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk--Dash cream--2 handfuls of chopped nuts of your choice--6 ounces (1/2 bag) semisweet chocolate chips. Mix in a glass 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pie pan. Bake 350 for 30 minutes. OMG!! So good.

Thanksgiving Click on "Thanksgiving" to see all prior Smelling and Tasting blog recipes that reference Thanksgiving!

Creamy No-Boil Mac 'n' Cheese
This recipe works PERFECTLY with gluten-free pasta. It solves the mushy "this is not really pasta but shaped glue" problem. Plus, it's lazy and tastes great. I plan to coach my oldest to make her mac 'n' cheese this way so she can have another recipe under her belt. This one is great for kids since they won't need to touch a hot stove or hot water to make this.

Teff Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Haven't tried this gluten-free carrot cake yet, but it's on my list to make!! Many mistakes can be masked by delicious frosting, so willing to try.

Sweet Potato Goodness
This sweet potato goodness is so delicious. Add an egg white or a heaping teaspoon ground flaxseed or corn starch instead of flour. I make this in the food processor. Lazy step 1: Bake sweet potatoes for 30 minutes when something else is cooking. Lazy step 2: I blend the peeled sweet potato, spices, salt, candied ginger and cream along with 1/4 cup oats. I then put a little streusel topping on the bottom, add the sweet potato mixture, then add the rest of the oat-coconut topping. Delish!! Even better, it's easy to "veganize" and hard to mess up.

What to do with leftover Turkey? Turkey Nachos
Combine chopped turkey, cranberry sauce, bbq sauce and slow cook on low heat in a pan on the stove for 15 minutes. On a ceramic or glass plate or metal pan, layer tortilla chips, brie or Cheddar cheese, white beans, sour cream. Bake 7 minutes at 375°F. Top with mango or pineapple salsa. You could also make open-face sandwiches with the turkey mixture, cheese and leftover rolls or cornbread.

Much Ado About Leftovers

I live for leftovers, especially simple foods that can become something new and different. So, naturally, I love raiding the fridge after Thanksgiving! Some results are just combining; others are recreations.

Turkey + stuffing= crunchy patties
I like greasing a cookie sheet and adding leftover chopped turkey, stuffing, balling them into patties. I spray with a little oil then bake at 375 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Sometimes I add almonds, onion or a little gravy to bind  the ingredients together. Once I added jerk seasoning and the additional kick was yummy.

Cranberry sauce + Italian dressing= sweet/tart vinaigrette
I make my own cranberry sauce but canned jelly works great with this, too. I just combine about 1/3 sauce or jelly to 2/3 dressing and blend until smooth and thickened. Awesome!

Cranberry sauce + Dijon mustard + mayo=kickin' sandwich spread
Add equal parts of each in a bowl and mix well. More cranberry sauce ideas throughout. It's so versatile!

Leftover veggies+cream= cream of (anything) soup
Sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, corn, squash--lots of veggies make a great creamy soup. Half and half will work in many cases if there is no acid like lemon/citrus juice, vinegar, etc. Cream cheese makes a great thickener. I use just over a tablespoon of cream per cup of veggies and add stock to thin out. This can be heated in a microwave then blended.

Turkey
Nachos, pot pie, quesadillas, samosas, chili, pulled turkey in bbq sauce, fried rice and Jamaican meat patties all come to mind when I want to recreate a dish with turkey. I also like mixing cranberry sauce with bbq sauce or salsa to create a nice condiment alongside as a dipping sauce.

Turkey +gravy +peas 'n' carrots+ mashed potatoes= shepherd's pie
Chop the Turkey and add a little gravy. Then layer the veggies, then mashed potatoes on top. I like to top with cheese right out of the oven.

Ham+ mashed potatoes+ corn =chowder
I like some chunks of potatoes and usually have some diced frozen potatoes-hash browns- to throw in. Ham hocks, smoked turkey necks can be thrown in for flavor. I make a regular soup with stock then add potatoes, then thicken with cream cheese thinned out with a spoon of water heated together in the microwave for 15 seconds. Doesn't separate with cream cheese, which is a plus.

Leftover bread=croutons, more stuffing, bread crumbs and/or bread pudding or French toast

Sweet potatoes can become pie. We usually make the second sweet enough  be a dessert. For every 2 or so cups, add an egg and 1/4 cup cream or evaporated milk. Puree in a food processor (but it may be too thick for a blender). Bake at 300 until glossy at the top and not jiggly, about 40 minutes.

Veggie tray becomes stir fry
Scrap the tomatoes and stir fry if you want a quick hot dish. You can also cut these veggies and add to soup.

Fruit tray becomes smoothies, sorbet or chutney/jam
I usually make the melons into smoothies or sorbet and turn the rest into a quick jam I keep in the refrigerator.

Wine+mulled cider= Glogg or sorbet
Cranberry juice, cider, wine can all be mulled-heated with a cinnamon stick, Orange peel and cloves. They all work interchangeably to make a new, delicious drink. You  can also run this through an ice cream maker for an unctuous sorbet. Guess what else you can add to the sorbet mixture? Cranberry sauce!

Scraps of dessert become ice cream. Mix well into vanilla or butter pecan ice cream and refreeze or make your own.

Any other ideas? Share in the comment section!

Food for thought: Lessons from a Lunch Lady

(Note: Due to all the recipes and links, I am updating this entry over time)

Just for you, I have channeled the lovely Jheri-curled, netted, red-aproned, orthopedic-shoed lunch lady of my youth. Thursday's turkey became Friday's turkey tetrazzini. Leftover bread became stuffing. Baked potatoes became mashed potatoes. I distinctly remember one episode when our county ran out of ketchup. In order to quell a revolution, the lunch ladies made their own. It was terrible, but they didn't back down from a challenge or believing that anything that came from a factory couldn't be made in a kitchen. Likewise, I am challenging people to pay more attention and throw away less. Before something goes bad, if you won't use it for its intended purpose, change it into something you will use. And yes, I have used every single lunch lady trick that follows!


Meat
Sausage--I skip the casing part and either make them into patties, compacting them in my hand and cooking in a pan or on a baking sheet in the oven; leave the mixture ground and using it like ground meat; or molding it around on a wooden skewer--this is also a great way to make chicken or pork satays.

Chicken Sausage with Apples and Sage

Makes twenty 5-inch links. Published March 1, 1996--Cooks Illustrated

You can serve this all-American country breakfast sausage with eggs or pancakes. However, it’s just as appropriate as a flavoring for bean or rice dishes or as part of a poultry stuffing. You can make 7 to 8 1/2 pound portions from the sausage as well.

Ingredients
1 cup apple cider
4 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 ounces dried apples , chopped fine
2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 1/2 feet sausage casing , thoroughly flushed with cold running water or soaked for 1/2 hour
Instructions
1. Boil down cider in nonreactive saucepan almost to syrup, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Let cool and set aside.


2. (See illustrations 1 - 4 below): Skin chicken thighs and set skin aside to be processed separately from meat. Debone chicken and dice into 1-inch pieces to yield about 3 1/2 pounds meat. Snip skin into 1-inch pieces. Freeze separately for 15 minutes.
3. (See illustrations 5 - 6 below): Process the meat in 1-pound batches into 3/8-inch pieces. Do not overprocess the meat. Remove and set aside in large bowl. Process the skin into 1/8-inch pieces (the fat should be fairly smooth). Pick through and discard any large pieces.

4. Add cider, skin, and remaining ingredients into large bowl containing processed chicken meat. Blend thoroughly but gently with hands. (Don’t overmix, or the fat will melt. There should be some particle definition when done.) Fry a small patty until done. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Divide sausage into 1/2-pound portions, wrap tightly in plastic or aluminum foil, and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Or, stuff sausage into casings, (see illustrations 7 - 11 below): Place sausage mixture into large pastry bag. Pull casing over the end of the bag, leaving 3-inches dangling. Knot dangling end closed. Squeeze meat into all but the last 3 or 4 inches of casing. Twist closed. Pinch casing between thumb and forefinger at 5-inch lengths and repeat along length of casing. Tie pinched areas with extra casing or kitchen twine. Carefully pierce each link with very slender pin to eliminate air bubbles. Cut in between links keeping a knot with each link. Sausage can be refrigerated 2 days or frozen several months.



Leftover bones? Try making stock!

Quick Homemade Chicken Stock

Makes about 2 quarts. Published January 1, 2004--Cooks Illustrated

This stock can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 4 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion , chopped medium
4 pounds whole chicken legs or backs and wingtips, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts water (boiling)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 bay leaves
Instructions

1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering; add onion and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl. Brown chicken in two batches, cooking on each side until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to bowl with onions. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Return onion and chicken to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer slowly until stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes, skimming foam off surface, if desired.

2. Strain broth and discard solids. Before using, defat stock. After stock has been refrigerated, the fat hardens on the surface and is very easy to remove with a spoon. To defat hot stock, we recommend using a ladle or fat separator.




Rich Chicken Stock for the Pressure Cooker

Makes about 3 quarts. Published February 1, 2005--Cooks Illustrated

We like to use whole chicken legs because they have great flavor and are cheap. Some smaller slow cookers can only accommodate 8 cups of water for this recipe.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion , chopped medium
6 pounds chicken leg quarters , separated into drumsticks and thighs
10 cups water
2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken legs, thighs, salt and pepper to taste, water, and bay leaves.

2. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat. Cook for exactly 45 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain high pressure.

3. Remove the pressure cooker from the heat. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid, allowing the steam to escape away from you. Strain the stock into a large container. Allow the broth to settle for 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface.

Wine

What do you do with leftover wine you don't want to drink? Add a little vinegar to start a tasty vinegar or add sugar and fruit and freeze for some "alcopops"


Vinegar-best with dry white wine--Add 1/4 cup vinegar into the wine bottle. Loosely cork the bottle and leave in a dark, dry place for two weeks.

Mimosa Granita
Serves 4. Published May 1, 1994--Cooks Illustrated

This recipe is typical of granitas made from liquids rather than purees. Fresh-squeezed juice and good quality sparkling wine will make all the difference in the final product.

Ingredients
3 large oranges , juiced to yield 1 cup juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups sparkling wine
1 lime , large, juiced to yield 1 tablespoon juice
Instructions


1. Whisk orange juice and sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves.

2. Stir in wine and lime juice and pour mixture into 2 ice cube trays

3. Freeze mixture until firm, at least 2 hours. (Can transfer frozen cubes to zipper-lock plastic bags and freeze up to 1 week.)

4. Just before serving, place a single layer of frozen cubes in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse 10 or 12 times or until no large chunks of ice remain. Scoop crystals into individual bowls. Repeat with remaining ice cubes and serve immediately.

Leftover Vegetables

Stock from corn cobs
Start off with 1 ear per cup and cook it on medium-high heat until water goes down to just under half. Add a little salt and garlic or onion for deeper flavor. Surprisingly good and worth the strange looks as you hoard corn cobs off your loved ones' plates at a cookout.

Cucumbers, carrots, onions, radish, beets--make pickles!

I don't know how people got so brainwashed into thinking pickles were hard to make. Save cucumbers from a salad. When we have a huge salad I always try to take out the cucumbers and tomatoes to keep the greens from getting soggy. This is a good afterlife for the cucumbers. The tomatoes may get roasted or thrown into a sauce.
DIY pickles--this recipe looks like a crowd-pleaser.

For Asian-inspired slightly sweet pickles, leave out the dill, slice some ginger, and use unsweetened rice vinegar instead of cider vinegar. Try adding some radishes for pretty, pink pickles.



Leftover Herbs? Try pesto.
Parsley, mint, basil and cilantro.

Leftover Bread

French toast or Bread Crumbs

Toasted Bread Crumbs

Makes 1 cup (4 to 6 servings). Published May 1, 1995--Cooks Illustrated

If you’re serving a complex dish like a saucy meat or vegetable pasta or an elaborately filled omelette, this basic recipe is the one to use.

Ingredients
1 baguette , bottom crust removed and bread sliced into 3/8-inch cubes to yield 1 cup (or follow alternative methods below)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix bread crumbs with oil and salt to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on small baking sheet. Bake crumbs, stirring once after 5 minutes, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Sprinkle warm crumbs over finished dish, allowing 2 to 3 tablespoons per person.

Other leftover bread uses include Bread pudding and bread salad aka panzanella.


Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Herbs, and Red Onions

Serves 4. Published September 1, 1995--Cooks Illustrated

Despite its most humble origins, this salad is delicious. The bread must be coarse peasant bread or any sturdy Italian-style bread. Other breads will not hold up to being dressed with oil and vinegar and combined with tomatoes, which are full of water. Also, don't use sweetened breads. If the tomatoes are ripe and the olive oil is particularly flavorful, you can omit the vinegar, moistening the bread with a tablespoon or two of water instead.

Ingredients
1 pound Italian peasant bread , day-old, crusts removed, cut or torn into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes or 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into medium dice
1/2 red onion , sliced paper-thin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves , or mint leaves
2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions

Place bread cubes in shallow bowl. Mix oil, vinegar, tomatoes, onion, and half of herbs in medium bowl. Let stand for flavors to develop, about 10 minutes, then add to bread, along with remaining herbs, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper or to taste. If bread still seems dry, sprinkle 1 or 2 tablespoons water to rehydrate it a bit. Serve. (If sturdy bread is used, salad can be covered and set aside up to 2 hours.)

Lots of eggs in the carton?
Try :Quiche, flan and frittata (a baked omelet).

Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyere Frittata for Two

Serves 2. Published April 23, 2007--Cooks Illustrated

An oven-safe nonstick 10-inch skillet is a must for this recipe. Because broilers vary so much in intensity, watch the frittata carefully as it cooks. This recipe makes two very generous portions; leftovers can be wrapped and refrigerated—they make a great sandwich filling.

Ingredients
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 pound asparagus , trimmed of tough ends, spears cut on the bias into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 ounces deli-style baked ham , 1/4-inch-thick, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Gruyère cheese , cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1/3 cup)
Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 5 inches from heating element; heat broiler. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until well combined, about 30 seconds. Set eggs aside.

2. Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick oven-safe skillet over medium heat until shimmering; add asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned
and almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and ham and cook until shallot softens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir Gruyère into eggs; add egg mixture to skillet and cook, using spatula to stir and scrape bottom of skillet, until large curds form and spatula begins to leave wake but eggs are still very wet, about 1 minute. Shake skillet to distribute eggs evenly; cook without stirring for 30 seconds to let bottom set.

3. Slide skillet under broiler and broil until frittata has risen and surface is puffed and spotty brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; when cut into with paring knife, eggs should be slightly wet and runny. Remove skillet from oven and let stand 2 to 3 minutes to finish cooking; using spatula, loosen frittata from skillet and slide onto platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

Leftover fruit and juice

If you have some ripe yet firm bananas, save them in the freezer for smoothies or make this delectable dessert



Berry Smoothies

Makes 4 1/2 cups, enough for 4 servings. Published May 1, 2002--Cooks Illustrated

Vary the amounts of sugar and lemon juice depending on the ripeness of the fruit.

Ingredients
1 medium banana (ripe, about 4 ounces), peeled and cut crosswise into eight pieces
3 1/2 cups berries (about 16 ounces)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup white cranberry juice or apple juice
pinch table salt
3 - 6 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 - 3 teaspoons lemon juice
3 ice cubes (about 1 1/2 ounces total)
Instructions
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; arrange banana and berries in single layer on baking sheet. Freeze fruit until very cold, but not frozen, about 10 minutes. In blender, puree cold fruit, milk, juice, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ice until uniformly smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. Taste for sugar and lemon; if desired, add more sugar or lemon and blend until combined, about 2 seconds longer. Serve immediately.

Variation: Melon Smoothies

Makes 4 1/2 cups, enough for 4 servings. Published May 1, 2002--Cooks Illustrated

Make sure the melon is absolutely ripe, if not overripe. Underripe melon yields bland smoothies that taste, if anything, like cardboard. Vary the amounts of sugar and lemon juice depending on the ripeness of the fruit.

Ingredients
1 medium banana (ripe, about 4 ounces), peeled and cut crosswise into eight pieces
3 1/2 cups watermelon , cantaloupe, or honeydew 1- to 2-inch cubes
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup white cranberry juice or apple juice
pinch table salt
3 - 6 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 - 3 teaspoons lemon juice
3 ice cubes (about 1 1/2 ounces total)


Jam or marmalade from leftover fruit is easier than you might think.
Try my Blueberry Goodness with the homemade ricotta. Achingly good!

Blueberry Goodness
1 1/2 cups frozen wild blueberries (Never used fresh. Probably because I would eat 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries)

1 lemon, seeded and diced, juice included

1 1/2 cups sugar

Heat all ingredients over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Then simmer all ingredients on low/low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, the heavier the better.

Other leftover fruit ideas: Sorbet, Cake, muffins and fruit crisps.


Got milk? Make some ricotta cheese before your milk goes bad. Delicious with blueberries and lemon marmalade or in lasagna and tube pastas.


Other ideas for lots of milk: Pudding and White sauce--Stop with white sauce for a great veggie sauce or make a velvety cheese sauce for some creamy mac 'n' cheese.

Kinda special dinner? Make mac 'n' cheese.

If you don't do dairy, use olive oil instead of butter, and use vegetarian broth or vegan bouillon cube (or use chicken) with 1 1/2 cups water for 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon flour. It won't be super thick, but I like it like that.

Cream sauce: First, make a roux. Use a 1:1 ratio. If you use 1 tablespoon of UNSALTED butter, use 1 tablespoon of flour. Put butter into a pan, and after it sizzles, bubbles and it's turning dark yellow, add your flour. If you want to add fresh garlic, put it in now. Using a wooden spoon, stir ingredients until they make a thick paste. The color should be light brown. If you want to add fresh herbs, put them in now. Stir a little. In terms of ration, the liquid will be about 1 cup per tablespoon flour. Add cream, evaporated milk, milk, soy milk, bouillon cube and liquid, a can of tomatoes, chopped veggies, etc. until the sauce bubbles and gets thick again. If you're adding cheese, use very small pieces, either grated, finely chopped, or small chunks in the food processor and--this is important--wait until you've turned off the heat. Dirty little secret: I use undiluted evaporated milk instead of cream quite often. Avoid lemon juice, vinegar, etc. if you're using this. Use lemon zest, lemon pepper or lemon extract, in a pinch.

What variation would I make? Anything goes, but I usually do cream (evaporated milk), diced tomatoes, some of the blackening mix, and lemon zest for blackened tuna.

This is also the sauce recipe for mac 'n' cheese. For 12-16 ounces of sauce (1 1/2- 2 cups), use about 1/3 cup of cheese. It doesn't take much. That's for basic cheese sauce.

For mac 'n' cheese with oven time, 1/3 cup cheese. Pour it over cooked noodles and sauce, then put it in the oven for 15 minutes. This is for 350 degrees. If you already have something in, let's say, at 425 degrees, reduce time to 9 minutes, etc. Remember, everything is cooked but the cheese; you just want people to think you struggled. I prefer to leave this uncovered in the oven.


Smoked salmon and cream cheese left over? Make these croquettes that have gotten rave reviews in our home.

Food for thought: Impress your friends and yourself, Part 1!

Don't you hate it when you've been hoodwinked, foiled again? Well, you'd better be siting down, because every time you buy ricotta cheese, you've been robbed of dollars and flavor by the factories.

Ricotta cheese has only three ingredients: milk, salt and lemon. There are plenty of ways to mess it up, including failure to stir constantly, the wrong (non-wooden) spoon, a thin pot, a non-nonstick pot. Unfortunately, I can vouch for all these mistakes! Click on the title for the original recipe I tested.

Here is a method that prevents scalding of milk for ricotta cheese. 2%, whole or any combination in between will work great. I have not tested this recipe for a low-fat version. I love to use organic milk for this for obvious reasons and especially since organic ricotta would cost a small fortune.
Yield: 1/4 of the amount of milk used (8 cups milk yields 2 cups ricotta)

Use a wide saucepan filled 1/3 with water and put a stockpot or tall pot you would cook spaghetti inside it (8 quarts and at least 12" high.) In the tall stockpot, pour 1/2 to 3/4 gallon milk. More runs the risk of spilling over. The effect will be like a double boiler, boiling water in a wider pot surrounding ingredients in a pot that fits inside.

Let the water reach a rolling boil, but keep checking and replenishing the water. Stir the milk often using a wooden spoon. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt, if desired, at any time. This process will take 20-25 minutes. The milk may look foamy or boil depending on the setup you have. That's fine. The milk should steam and look very hot. Keeping the stove one, squeeze the juice of 1 to 2 lemons--I only recommend using fresh lemons; the taste is superb and the acidity, just right. You will see the milk react by separating into blobs and the milk will have lumps and get closer to transparent, lighter than skim milk. In a colander or sieve, strain with cheesecloth, a couple layers of sturdy paper towels like Viva or a white woven kitchen towel, the kind that is like an apron, not fluffy terry cloth.
Enjoy! This is especially good with fresh fruit like blueberries and peaches with honey or used in a recipe like tiramisu and lasagne.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

Food for thought: Let's Jam! And chutntey!

As they say, I have champagne tastes on a beer wallet. I do, on occasion crack and buy those $4 or $5 gourmet jams to slather on a toasted croissant or even to blend with butter for chicken, turkey, pork, fish, shrimp and lamb.

But if I want chutney, that's where I draw the line. My cheap gene kicks in and I turn my head away from store-bought chutney. I make it myself, always. I also make jams, preserves with leftover fruit or sweet vegetables that I need to use or if I want a special experience for a meal.


I use a food processor, but when some things are really ripe, you can mash with a fork or chop. For me, the chunkier the better. I make something with a consistency between jam and preserves-some pureed and mashed fruit combined with chunks (see definitions below.)I never make jelly, so I don't have tips to make crystalline concoctions. I tend to make my spreads in a small saucepan and store them in the refrigerator in jars run through the dishwasher for short-term use. I make these because I'm capricious and cheap, not to use large batches to put on a shelf.

As for jelling--making sure they are wiggly, not syrupy--lemon juice and applesauce are my jelling agents. They contain pectin, the jelling agent. I have pectin but have never needed to use it thus far.


RECIPES--Note: I have not tested these. They are more like suggestions!

Sweet Mango chutney

1 1/2 cups mangoes, either 2 fresh mangoes--ripe but still firm, peeled and cubed
or you can use Trader Joe's mangoes 1/2 package. They are the ripest. I like to crush a few pieces for more spreadable consistency.

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom or 4 whole pods, intact. Remember not to eat!

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

Juice from 1 lime plus 1/3 cup water or 1/3 cup vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger (adjust to taste)

Ground black or dash red pepper flakes to taste

Heat all ingredients over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Then simmer all ingredients on low/low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes in a medium saucepan, the heavier the better.

Suggestions: Marries well with spicy Indian dish


Red Pepper Jelly (but technically conserves)

2 cups red, yellow and/or orange sweet peppers, seeded and roughly chopped. Mince if not using a food processor.

2 tsp. dried onion powder or flakes

1 1/2 cups sugar (have some more handy, to taste)

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper and/or dash cayenne pepper

pinch salt

Heat all ingredients over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Then simmer all ingredients on low/low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, the heavier the better.


Onion Confit
4 onions, quartered lengthwinse and cut into thin slices
1 1/2 cups sugar (have some more handy, to taste)

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper and/or dash cayenne pepper

Heat onions over medium-high heat, stirring regularly until onions become soft. This may take 5-10 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and simmer on low/low-medium heat for 1 hour, 10 minutes in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, the heavier the better.

Pineapple-Banana Conserves/Chutney
1 cup diced fresh or frozen pineapple. Use juice.
1 very ripe banana, sliced or chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 cup sugar
Dash nutmeg
Dash vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter, optional
chopped walnuts, optional

If making chutney:
replace nutmeg with garam masala
add some cayenne or hot pepper sauce to taste
Use 2 teaspoons lime juice
add handful of raisins (around 2 dozen), optional
Omit vanilla
Add a little salt

Heat all ingredients over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Then simmer all ingredients on low/low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, the heavier the better.

Suggestions: Eat with curried pork chops, toasted buttered bread, chicken biryani and yogurt

Blueberry Goodness
1 1/2 cups frozen wild blueberries (Never used fresh. Probably because I would eat 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries)

1 lemon, seeded and diced, juice included

1 1/2 cups sugar

Heat all ingredients over high heat until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Then simmer all ingredients on low/low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, the heavier the better.

Suggestions: Serve with scones, ice cream, pancakes, waffles & crepes, pound or angel food cake, as shortcake topping with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Now what's the difference?
Confit, which is the past participle form of the French verb "confire" or "to preserve", is most often applied to preservation of meats, especially poultry and pork, by cooking them in their own fat or oils and allowing the fats to set.[1] However the term can also refer to fruit or vegetables which have been seasoned and cooked with honey or sugar until it has reached a jam-like consistency.[2] Savory confits, such as ones made with garlic or tomatoes, may call for a savory oil such as virgin olive oil as the preserving agent. Source: wikipedia.org

Jelly: Jelly is simply sweetened and jelled fruit juice, a clear, bright product. It is generally made by cooking fruit juice and sugar with pectin as a jelling agent and lemon juice as an acid, to maintain a consistent texture. Jelly is firm and will hold its shape (it “shakes”). Generally, jelly contains no pieces of fruit, although specialty jellies, like pepper jelly, may include pieces of jalapeño or other pepper.

Jam: Jam is made from crushed or chopped fruit cooked with sugar, and often pectin and lemon juice. Jam can be a purée of fruit or have a soft pulp, but it does not contain chunks of fruit.

Preserve or Preserves: A preserve differs from jam in that large or whole pieces of fruit are cooked (with sugar) to the point where the fruit is suspended in a syrup base. The texture of preserves is not smooth like jelly or jam.

Marmalade: Marmalade is a soft jelly, often citrus-based, that includes the flesh and often the peel of the fruit suspended throughout the jelly base. The sweetness of the jelly is offset by the bitterness of the peel offsets. Some products that are called marmalade—onion and tomato marmalades, for example—are actually misnamed jams and preserves.

Conserve: Conserve is a generally mixture of more than one fruit, often with added nuts and raisins, that is cooked until it becomes thick. It is used as a spread for breads, pastries and meats, and in the latter use is closest to chutney. Other producers refer to a thickly-stewed preserve as a conserve.

Chutney: Chutney is a spiced condiment of Indian origin (chatni is the Hindi word for strongly spiced) made of fruit or vegetables. It is typically served as an accompaniment to food, not as a spread. The spice level can range from mild to hot, and the consistency from a fine relish to a preserve or conserve. Fruit chutney consists of chopped fruit, vinegar, spices and sugar cooked into a chunky sweet-tart-spicy mix: according to one explanation, it “blurs the Western distinction between preserves and pickles.”

Fruit Butter: Fruit Butter, such as apple butter or prune butter, is fruit purée or pulp combined with sugar, lemon juice and spices, slowly cooked down to a smooth consistency. The “butter” refers to its smooth consistency: there is no actual butter in the product.

Fruit Curd: Fruit Curd is a creamy spread made with sugar, eggs and butter, generally flavored with citrus juice and zest. Lemon curd is the classic variety, but lime curd and blood orange curd can be found, as can other fruit curds such as the strawberry. A citrus curd is refreshingly tart, as opposed to more sugary jams and preserves. Unlike lemon custard, for example, lemon curd contains more lemon juice and zest, which gives it a more piquant flavor. The butter creates a smoother and creamier texture than jam. Curd also can be used to fill tart shells, and as a garnish.

Fruit Spread: Fruit Spread is generally a reduced-calorie product made with fruit juice concentrate and low-calorie sweeteners replacing all or part of the sugar.
Source: lifted verbatim from thenibble.com

picture from Simon Law