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Party Time!

Don’t wait for summer.  Have a party now. Spring is a great time for a small party: no more than 10 people.  In fact, no more than you can fit either around your dining room table or on your living room floor.  I’m talking about dinner parties, specifically dinners with friends.   

With people you know reasonably well, a good party to have on the floor is a Moroccan Party. Here is the menu: 

Hummous tahini with pita bread 

Chicken, Lemon and Olives with Couscous

Orange Salad with Rosewater or Dried Fruits and Nuts

Mint Tea and Rose wine

Make a large enough space in your living room (you may have to move furniture) and  put down some towels or a blanket over a largish area.  Cover this with either a sheet, table cloth, bed spread or some material that looks cheery but isn’t an heirloom.  When dinner is served, guests can lounge around the perimeter with the dishes in the center.  If you are a strict purist,  you may not want to have plates or flatware but simply use the pita bread as your vehicle to propel the food to your mouth.  Otherwise, give your guests plates and forks and dig in.  Recipes for the hummous, chicken and orange salad are given below.  Follow package directions for making couscous, making sure not to use too much water or it will be mushy.  Instead of the orange salad, you might have a big tray or platter of various dried fruits and whole nuts.  It can be pretty messy but keeps everyone on the floor for quite a while.   If there is a middle-eastern grocery in your area, you can buy some sweet pastries to go with your dessert.  A word about wine: there is a Moroccan rose wine called ‘Gris de Boulouane’ but any reasonably dry rose with go well with this menu.   Don’t forget candles and music.                                                                      

Another possible floor party is the Indian Party:

Sabz Ghost (Lamb stew with Coconut Milk)

Makhani Dal and Cucumber Raita

Basmati Rice, Chutney and Naan bread

Coconut Sorbet

Beer and Black tea

Because this Indian meal can be served lukewarm or room temperature, there’s no rush to get to the table so consider something a little rousing for your guests before sitting down (or lounging if you’re really taken with that idea).  Take advantage of the evening light and have a croquet match or a badminton game before dinner.  If you have no outdoor space or it’s raining, consider an Indian parlor game.  I have read about some extraordinary ones such as Ticklin’ Feather (quite gentle) and British Bulldog (a bit rough).   Recipes follow for the lamb, dal, raita and ice cream.  I do have a recipe for naan but it is fairly easy to buy so, I won’t include it unless hounded to do so.  Chutney and lime pickle are also easily purchased. 

When making basmati rice, remember to rinse it first, and cook it in only 1 1/2 times the amount of (salted) water to rice for about ten minutes.  Leave it covered and fluff it before serving.

Don’t have a Brazilian Party on the floor.  Eat while dancing. 

Caipirinhas

Roast Pork and Sausages

Black Beans and Rice

Orange and Red Onion Salad

Heart of  Palm salad

Greens, Farofa and Hot Sauce

Caramel Flan

 There are a lot of elements to this dinner but it’s a good one for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike since the meats are cooked and served separately.  Farofa is ground manioc flour that is toasted and sprinkled over greens.  It is easy to prepare but not that easy to find unless you have some Brazilian source near you.  Nevertheless, I’m including the recipe because it is such a delicious accompaniment to the meal.  Be sure to play Brazilian music and warn the neighbors in advance. 

Now, these parties involve a little cooking but! It can all be done in advance.  Set it all up and when that doorbell rings, you’ll be there wearing something festive and primed to mingle.

The Moroccan Party:

 Hummous tahini

  • 1 can chickpeas                                                                                                                                                                                          
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons sesame tahini
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • Salt                                                                                                                                                                                                         
  • Olive oil

In a food processor or blender or with the back of a wooden spoon, mash the chickpeas with a little of their liquid.  Stir in the tahini with an equal amount of water. Add the garlic and lemon juice.  Season with salt and taste.  You may need more lemon, tahini and salt.  Taste until it is seasoned to your liking (but don’t stress about this – the flavors do develop with a little time).  Film the top with olive oil and serve with pita bread.

Chicken with Lemons and Olives                                                                                                                                              This dish has many variations but this particular one has a lot of shortcuts (using boneless chicken, for example).  Ras el hanout (which means ‘top of the shop’) is a spice mixture that can be bought or made.  Vann’s spice company makes a version of it.  I’ll include a simple recipe for it as well as for preserved lemons.  If you don’t want to make preserved lemons, you can substitute fresh lemons.  Use the best quality chicken you can find for this – it makes a difference. 

  • 5 pounds boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 3/4 cup chopped onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Salt                                                                                                                                                                                                             
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron   (more if you have it and want to part with it)
  • 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 cinnamon sticks                                                          
  • 2 preserved lemons  (or fresh – but if you have time, try to make the preserved ones)
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice   
  • 8 olives, pitted and chopped (such as Kalamata olives)

Put the chicken into a large pot.  Add 2/3 cup of the parsley, the garlic, onion, salt, spices, half of the butter and the cinnamon sticks.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer covered for about 40 minutes.  Chicken should be very tender.  Remove the chicken from the broth and remove the skin (if there is any).  Remove the cinnamon sticks from the broth.

Reduce the broth by boiling it to a thick rich sauce (about 2 cups).  Taste for seasoning.  Add the remaining parsley, olive, lemons, lemon juice, remaining butter and the chicken and cover and cook until just hot.  Can be made a day in advance and re-heated.

Preserved Lemons

  • 2 organic or untreated lemons
  • 1/3 cup coarse salt

Wash and dry the lemons and cut each into 8 wedges.  Toss with the coarse salt and squash the lemons into a pint jar, pressing them down to bring out the juice.  Pour in more fresh lemon juice to cover (a few tablespoons, usually) and seal with a non-metallic lid.  Leave at room temperature for 7 days, shaking the jar daily to distribute the salt and juice.  Add olive oil to cover, then refrigerate.  Keeps very well – about a month.  To use: rinse the sections well in water, otherwise they will be too salty.  Preserved lemon is delicious chopped up in couscous and on grilled vegetables or fish or tuna-fish salad.

Ras el Hanout

  • 1 tablespoon ground mace
  • 4 teaspoons each: nutmeg, ginger and salt                                                                          
  • 3 teaspoons allspice
  • 2 teaspoons each: aniseed, cinnamon, black pepper, clover, turmeric                                      
  • 1 teaspoon each: cardamom, cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients. Makes about 8 tablespoons.  Store in a small jar. 

Orange Salad with Rosewater                                                                                                                                                      Peel and slice into rounds one orange per person.  Sprinkle with rosewater and a little cinnamon and arrange on a large plate.

 

 

The Indian Party:

 

Sabz Ghost (Lamb in Coconut Milk)  

This dish can be made a day or two in advance and served hot or room temperature.  Be careful with the chilies: they do get hotter the longer they cook. 

  • 3 – 4 pounds lamb, cubed (use shoulder for a relatively inexpensive cut)
  • 1/4 cup  garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup raisins (golden or black)
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 small green chili pepper   
  • 1 small dried red pepper (remove seeds) 
  • 1 can unsweetened coconut milk        
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Marinate lamb in the garlic and ginger for 2 hours.  In a large pot, heat the oil and fry the almonds and raisins briefly until they are light brown.  Set aside.  Using the same oil, add the cardamom, cloves and the lamb.  Cook stirring over high heat until the meat is browned.  Mix in the salt and yogurt and cook slowly until the yogurt is absorbed. 

Stir in the red and green chili peppers and half of  the chopped cilantro.  Add the coconut milk and cook slowly, stirring from time to time for about forty-five minutes to an hour.  When the lamb is tender, add the almonds and raisins.  Cover the pan and simmer to reduce the sauce, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

Taste for seasoning, adding additional coconut milk if too spicy.  Garnish with the remaining chopped coriander and serve hot, with chutney, Naan bread and rice. 

Makhani Dal                                                                                                                                                                                  Almost every Indian dinner is accompanied by some form of dal.  Split peas, dried beans or lentils are the basis of dal which is then seasoned and spiced in a myriad of ways.  Canned lentils in this recipe work well and make this an extremely easy dish to prepare.  As with the lamb, this can be made ahead and served warm or room temperature.

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil             
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped          
  • 1 heaping teaspoon fresh ginger, grated                               
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 pounds canned lentils
  • 1 pound can of pureed tomatoes
  • 10 sprigs cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup cream

Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy pan and fry the garlic, ginger and chili powder for a few minutes.  Add the lentils and tomato puree, stirring well.  Separate the cilantro leaves from the stalks and chop each.  Add the chopped stalks to the lentils, season to taste with salt and pepper and leave to simmer over low heat about fifteen minutes.  Before serving, stir in the cream and the chopped cilantro leaves.

Cucumber Raita                                                                                                                                                                            Raita, a yogurt relish, cools down a hot Indian meal. 

  • 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups plain yogurt
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Combine the diced cucumber, onions and yogurt.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Sorbet                                                                                                                                                                              There are wonderful Indian desserts and I confess this is not one of them but it does fall into the easy make-ahead category.  That said, it is very sweet (a hallmark of many Indian recipes) and you may want to double this recipe because it is very tasty!

1 can of Coco Lopez (cream of coconut – it’s sweetened)

Using a whisk, combine the cream of coconut with 1 cup of ice-cold water.  Pour into a glass baking dish ( 11 x 7 inch or and 8 inch square).  Freeze until frozen, stirring every 30 minutes (about 3 hours).  This can be make 2 days in advance.  Cover and keep frozen.  Make 2 cups.

The Brazilian Party                                                                                                                                                                             A tip of the hat to Melissa Voorhees who grew up in Brazil and Nilma Ottoni who is Brazilian for sharing their recipes.  Both wonderful cooks! 

Caipirinha: the Brazilian  cocktail!  

For this cocktail, you’ll have to prowl around and find cacacha, Brazilian cane liquor.  You can subsitute rum, but then you’ll have mojitos which are a fine substitute.

Basically, you need 1 1/2 parts lime juice to 1 part alcohol and sugar to taste (about 1 tablespoon per drink).  Make up a pitcher of these in advance and when ready to serve, be sure to fill the glasses with ice.  This is a strong one!  

Pork Loin and Sausages

  • 1 pork loin, about 3 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 or 3 onions, chopped
  • 4 or 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 pounds Italian sausages, mild 

Pre-heat the oven to 325. Dry the pork with paper towels and season with salt and pepper all over. In a  large pot, heat the oil and brown the pork loin on all sides.  Set aside and wipe out the pan. Add the olive oil and stir in the onions and garlic and saute a few minutes.  Place the pork on top of the onions, cover the pan and bake for 2 hours.  About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, prick the sausages on all sides and add the pan.

Black Beans

Cook one pound of dry black beans and then flavor with garlic or use 2 to 3 cans of cooked beans, drain and season.

Rice

For a party of 6 to 10, you’ll need 2 to 3 cups of rice, long grain or Basmati.

Orange and Red Onion salad

 

  • 4 oranges, peeled  and sliced
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil

On a large plate, arrange the orange slices and top with the red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and crack fresh pepper over all.  The fruit and onions can be cut in advance and stored separately. 

Heart of Palm Salad

  • 2 cans heart of palm, sliced into spears or rounds
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Make a vinaigrette by mixing the mustard and vinegar and slowly adding the olive oil. Pour over the heart of palm at serving time.  Season with salt and pepper.

Brazilian style Greens

  • 2 pounds greens (kale, collard or mustard – I like kale best)
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic

Wash the greens. Strip off the stems.  Make a stack of several layers of the greens, roll up tightly and slice across the roll into very thin strips.  Repeat until all the greens are shredded.  Place them in a large mixing bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Drain the water.  Heat the garlic in the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the green.  Add the greens and toss until well coated and hot.  Check for tenderness and season with salt and pepper.  Do not overcook – the greens should keep a deep green color and be a bit crisp.

Farofa

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove finely chopped garlic
  • 1 cup manioc flour
  • 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, coarsely chopped

In a small pan, melt the butter and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not browned.  Add the manioc and stir continuously on medium heat until the manioc is very lightly browned.  Watch it carefully as it burns easily.  Add the olives and egg and remove from heat. Serve at room temperature – a few spoonfuls with the greens are heavenly.

Caramel Flan

  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 cups light cream

Measure sugar into an 8 inch cake pan.  Place the pan over direct heat and swirl constantly until sugar melts and turns a caramel color.  Remove pan immediately and place on a cool surface or it will burn (a cold wet cloth is good).  Let the caramel harden.  Put the eggs and yolks in a blender or food processor.  Add the almonds and brown sugar.  Add cream gradually.  Pour into the prepared pan and place in a larger pan with 1/2 inch hot water. 

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate overnight or several hours.

Write with any questions and have a great party!

xoxo, Mary

 


HOME COOKING I: A Hard Sell or a Sweet Deal?

Much as I like to cook, I’ve got to admit home cooking today is a hard sell.  With so many restaurants and take-out options, rattling those pots and pans in your own kitchen is way down on the list of options.  And did I mention clean up?  Despite all kinds of gloomy news about diet, health, and mass-produced foods, home cooking will not seem like a sweet deal unless it feels convenient and easy. 

So here are some Persuasive Tips:

  • Enjoy being the Boss of your table.  Cooking at home means you control the taste, the portions and the ingredients.  Even if you aren’t in love with your own cooking now, you know what you like to eat and with a little practice, that will translate into tasty meals.

Overheard: “I love pear, spinach and gorgonzola salad but I hate the candied pecans and cranberries”.   The Home Cook thinks: “Hmmm, make it at home with salty pecans, no cranberries and save about 6 bucks.”

  •  Avoid huge weekly shopping trips.  Buy less and you’ll have less to haul in the house, put away and feel guilty about when you throw it away 10 days later.  A young professional woman I know told me this: 

 “Almost by accident, I started picking up a few things for dinner on my way home from work.  It has become a habit because I found that I could put a meal together quickly and everything was so fresh.  And here’s a bonus: I do very little impulse shopping when I’m in a hurry to get home!” 

  • Keep some ingredients on hand and have a couple of ‘pantry’ recipes so you’re never stuck without something for a meal.  What should be ‘on hand’? One or two types of pasta, some rice, canned beans, tomatoes, tuna fish, some frozen vegetables – those are staples.  Also have a small stash of  the slightly exotic (you know what you like) such as: hearts of palm, olives, capers, pine nuts and Parmesan (these last two can be frozen).

  • Instead of no time … more time.  While you’re stirring the pot, the kids can do homework, set the table or take the dog for a walk.  The thirty minutes your meal is in the oven is time for you to read the mail, call a friend or watch the news.  All of which beats sitting at a table, waiting for the pizza to arrive.

“Alex hates eating out!” my daughter-in-law told me about her 12 year old.  Not all children feel that way but for many people, regular meals at restaurants are time-consuming, stressful and so, public. 

  • Save $…. for a really nice restaurant (or a vacation or lots of other stuff)  rather than twenty trips to the ‘family friendly’ joint down the street.  Bottom line: it’s cheaper to eat at home.

So, strap on an apron and try these fast ‘n easy menus.

The Roast Chicken Meal

The Pantry Pasta Meal

The Cozy Casserole Meal

The Roast Chicken Meal

Roasting a cut-up chicken takes half the time of a whole chicken and is just as juicy and crisp. Omit the mustard to make things even simpler.  Serve this with French bread (you can keep some in the freezer), a green salad or the following green bean salad.  A simple dessert: baked bananas.

Roasted Chicken

Serves 4, generously

4 chicken leg quarters or 1 cut-up chicken

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the over to 450 degrees.

Place the chicken in a  baking dish or roasting pan and smear each piece with a little mustard. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast for 30 minutes. The chicken skin will be well browned and crackly. Lightly salt the chicken, remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

Green Bean salad with Walnuts and Red Onion

When I cook vegetables like green beans or broccoli, I think it’s very important to test them as they cook rather than rely on specific timing.  I like beans well cooked but a lot of people like them crunchy.  Suit yourself!

1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen

2 tablespoons walnuts, broken up

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced  (or 2 Tablespoons minced shallot or regular onion)

Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

If using fresh green beans, wash them and snip off the tips.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the beans for about 6 minutes.  Fish one out and check for doneness.  When done, drain the beans in a colander and run cold water over them.  If using frozen beans, follow package instructions cooking for the least recommended time and let cool a few minutes.

Toast the walnuts quickly  in the microwave for about 40 seconds.

In a bowl large enough for the beans, make the vinaigrette by stirring the olive oil into the vinegar in a thin stream.  Add a couple of good sized pinches of salt and pepper.  Add the beans, walnuts and onion and toss to coat.  Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.

Baked Bananas

for each serving: (children and light eaters will eat 1/2 a banana)

1 banana

Brown sugar

Butter

Preheat oven to 375. Slice the bananas lengthwise and then cut each half crossways into one inch sections without going through the peel.  Arrange in a baking dish, sprinkle a little brown sugar (about 1 teaspoon) on each half and dot with a little butter.  Bake about 15 minutes or until the surfaces are bubbling.  The peel will turn black.   Serve the bananas in their peel with a spoon, pouring over any of the accumulated syrup.

The Pasta Pantry Meal

The challenge? A meal in 30 minutes with what you’ve got on hand.  Guess what?  It’s no sweat!  The menu: Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and dried fruit compote.

Pasta with Tomato Herb Sauce

This is about as simple as it gets but you end up with a tasty sauce.  Adding the extra olive oil at the end is very important for the flavor.   If you have an onion, sauté it for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes.  If you can unearth some Parmesan cheese, by all means, pass that around.

1 pound pasta (whatever you’ve got but spaghetti or linguine is a good choice)

Olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed or ½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 can tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried herbs: oregano, basil, rosemary or marjoram (or a few pinches of each)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and if using fresh garlic, sauté it for a minute and then add the tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a spoon.  Add the dried herbs of your choice and garlic powder if desired. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Cook the pasta according to package directions but be sure to taste it for doneness rather than rely slavishly on the instruction time.  Drain and put in a large bowl or on individual plates.

Add 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil to the sauce, stir and pour over the pasta.

Spinach

For a pantry meal, I always try to have some kind of frozen vegetable on hand and spinach is a favorite.  I cook it as little as possible, drain it and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of vinegar and a pinch of dry red pepper flakes.

Dried Fruit Compote

This can simmer alongside your tomato sauce and be ready in time for dessert.

2 cups dried fruits: apricots, apples, pears, prunes

1 fresh apple or pear (optional), peeled, cored and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans

A piece of cinnamon stick, orange peel or vanilla bean

Juice, wine or water

Put the fruits (a mix of your choice), the optional fresh fruit and flavorings in a saucepan.  Cover barely with water, juice (diluted by half with water) or wine.  Simmer gently until softened.  Serve warm or cold.  A dollop of ice cream or yogurt is good on top.

The Cozy Casserole Meal

It takes several minutes of sauteeing to put this together, but it’s still a speedy dinner.  Serve with a green salad and chocolate pudding.

Sausage Gratin*

A cozy winter or autumn meal.  This is another recipe can be adapted for what you have on hand. The mushrooms, leeks and apples give the dish a very smooth texture and good taste but you can substitute 2 onions for the leeks and omit the mushrooms if you wish.

Serves 4 

1 pound Italian sausages (pork or turkey)

¼ pound mushrooms, quartered

4 medium leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped roughly

½ cup grated cheese (Gruyère or Swiss are good choices) 

In a skillet, brown the sausages briefly and set aside.  Sauté mushrooms lightly in the same pan, adding a little olive oil if necessary. Set aside.

Wash off the leeks, cut off the green ends and slice the white and pale green parts into thin rounds.  Put the sliced leeks in a big bowl of water and stir them around with your hands. Let soak a minute or two so that any remaining sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Scoop the leeks up and out of the water.

Using the same pan as for the mushrooms and sausages,  heat the olive oil and cook the leeks covered on low/medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a baking or gratin dish, place a layer of cooked leeks followed by the sautéed mushrooms, the chopped apple, the sausages and the cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling.  

* French Lesson! ‘Gratin’ in French means crust.  A dish that is ‘au gratin’ often has melted cheese or breadcrumbs on top.  In English, we have an expression ‘the upper crust’ for rich people.  In French, it is similar: high society folks are referred to as the ‘gratin’. 

 Chocolate Pudding: Homemade and Speedy The famous chef, Michel Richard, has a recipe called ‘Happy Kid Pudding’ in his recent book Happy in the Kitchen and my recipe closely follows his.  It is simple and delicious.Serves 4 

2 cups milk

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup honey

4 ounces dark chocolate, cut in small pieces

In a big bowl (microwaveable), mix the milk, egg yolks, cornstarch and honey together, stirring with a whisk until well-blended.  Add the chocolate and microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Whisk up the mixture and microwave again for 2 minutes.  Stir again well and by now, the chocolate should be melted.  Microwave again for 2 minutes.

At this point, the mixture should be boiling and thick but if not, microwave again for about a minute.  Cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Enjoy your home-cooking and write with any questions!

Cheers, and xoxo, Mary

Hashing over the Holidays with some Festive Recipes

Okay, the holidays are over but I am still relishing the memories.  And the leftovers. 

My friend Bonny Wolf’s book Talking With My Mouth Full was about my favorite gift and it’s great reading.  Here’s a quote:

“We cook and eat for comfort, nurture and companionship.  We cook and eat to mark the seasons and celebrate important events.  We cook and eat to connect with family and friends and with ancestors we never knew.  And through this baking and breaking bread together, we come to know who we are and where we came from.”

My son-in-law JB’s sauerkraut balls, daughter Jessie’s walnut spread, the cut-out Christmas cookies produced by grandchildren aged 4 to 12 and my friend Katy’s Nuts and Bolts  all played a part in celebrating and connecting with our family and friends.  These recipes are not about healthy eating or fashion.  They are all about familiarity.  

Today, New Year’s Day, my husband Paul is making his father’s stew.  The house smells wonderful and we expect to have a fine time this afternoon with friends and family drifting in for a bowl of stew and a glass of wine.  Across town, my daughter Jessica is putting together her New Year’s black-eyed pea casserole.  Maybe tomorrow we’ll exchange leftovers.

Happy New Year!   

xoxo, Mary

JB’s Sauerkraut Balls

“Marrying a man who owns his own deep fat fryer is a leap of faith” said daughter Rachael recently as JB was preparing his famed sauerkraut balls.  A deep fat fryer does say something.  Something about commitment to the glory of crunch. You can fry these babies up in a heavy skillet as well. Just be sure to have enough oil, heat it up hot and don’t crowd the pan.

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage

1/4 cup onion, minced

16 oz sauerkraut, well drained

3 oz cream cheese (not low fat)

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup flour

2 cups breadcrumbs (panko Japanese crumbs are good)

Saute the sausage with the minced onion, breaking up the sausage so that there are no large lumps. Drain.

Chop the well-drained sauerkraut finely and mix with the sausage, cream cheese, parsley, crumbs, mustard and garlic salt. Chill for at least one hour or overnight.

Roll into small balls (a melon baller works well for this).  Dip each ball sucessively into the flour, the beaten egg and finally the bread crumbs. 

Heat oil in a deep fat fryer or a heavy skillet and fry the sauerkraut balls for about 2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Drain and eat right away.  They can be made in advance and reheated at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Serve with a dipping sauce of half mayonnaise and half mustard.

Makes about 2 dozen balls.

Jessie’s Walnut Spread (“Real Sweet Totally Nuts!”)

“I got a huge amount of walnuts from my brother’s tree, cracked them, ground them and made this spread.  It was a fun project to do with the kids; cost pennies and made great gifts.” 

Shell and grind walnuts either by chopping or in a food processor. Add honey (that’s runny) to cover. Pack into small jars. 

Note: one pound of walnuts in the shell equals about 2 cups of nuts.

Katy’s (and Margaret’s) Nuts and Bolts

Talk about an old chesnut! Back in the glory days of the cocktail hour, Nuts and Bolts was a favorite nibble alongside that icy Martini.  My friend Katy Bayless tells me she makes it every Christmas for her neighbors.  Her recipe is exactly like my grandmother’s friend Margaret Edmonds from Columbus, Ohio.  

1 cup Rice Chex

1 cup Wheat Chex

1 cup Cheerios

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 cups mixed nuts

1/2 pound butter

To taste: garlic or onion salt*, dash of Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and salt.

Melt butter in a large pan (an iron frying pan is good) and add the cereals, nuts and seasonings.  Mix thoroughly.

Put in a 250 degree oven and stir every 15 minutes for 1 hour. Cool down and store in air tight containers or plastic close-able bags.

*Katy omits the garlic and onion salts but adds several dashes of Worchestershire. She also doubles the cheerios because her husband is crazy about them.  Suit yourself. 

Grandfather Leo Allman’s Beef Stew  

More of a soup than a stew, this recipe is homespun comfort itself.  It is one of those hand-me-down family recipes that instantly takes you back to a wintry day at home watching a good movie, that party with your best pals, or a night at the kitchen table with your grandparents.

2 pounds stewing beef, cut in cubes

2 tablespoons oil

Beef stock or bouillon cubes in hot water – about 2 cups liquid

2 large cans whole tomatoes (or stewed tomatoes)

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

5 potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 stalks celery, peeled and sliced

3 cabbage leaves, whole

3 bay leaves

Salt, pepper, miscellaneous seasonings*

Pat dry the beef cubes with paper towels.  In a big stew pot, heat the oil and sear the meat a few pieces at a time.  As each batch lightly browns, remove to a plate.* Put all the meat back in the pot and cover by about 2 inches with beef broth or hot water with beef bouillon cubes dissolved in it.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add everything else and simmer very slowly for about 2 or 3 hours.  For seasoning, add about 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of sage or thyme and 1/2 teaspoon paprika.  Check for salt before serving.

Serve in bowls with french bread.

Serves 4 to 6

* A word about searing. This process is intended to quickly brown meat without cooking it through.  If the meat is wet, or the oil is not hot enough or too much is put into the pan, the result will be a lot of gray meat with a lot of juice pouring out.  It will still be good in the stew but it won’t be seared.  So: Dry meat. Hot pan with some hot oil. No crowding. 

Jessie’s Lucky New Year’s Casserole

In her own words…

You cook greens (collard, mustard, chard, etc.) in a pan with bacon and jalapenos and water and apple cider vinegar.  Cook rice with jalapenos and bacon (sounding like a theme?) and cook black-eyed peas with anything hot you can find (pepper flakes, jalapenos, etc.) plus garlic and …Bacon!  Layer: rice on the bottom, then greens, then black-eyed peas.  Top generously with pepper jack cheese.  I like a little extra vinegar on top.

It’s Lucky!!

Here are a few more details:

1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked the night before (or 2 cans black-eyed peas) 

1 bunch (about 1 pound) fresh greens, washed and chopped

1/2 pound bacon

1 cup rice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup (or more) apple cider vinegar

Jalapenos – fresh or pickled to taste

1 cup shredded jack cheese

If using dried peas, drain after soaking and cook in a large pan with about 2 inches of water to cover.  Add one jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes, the chopped garlic and 2 slices of bacon, chopped.  Cook until peas are tender.  For canned peas, add the seasonings and a little water and simmer about 15 minutes.

Saute a few slices of bacon in a pan, drain some of the fat and add the chopped greens, jalapeno, a little water and about 2 tablespoons of vinegar.  Cook until tender.

Saute another slice or two of bacon in a pot and drain off some of the fat. Add the rice, stir to coat and add 1 1/2 cups of water (for jasmine or basmati rice or 2 cups for long grain).  Add some jalapeno, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook rice for 15 to 20 minutes until done.

In a large casserole dish, make layers starting with the rice, the greens, the peas and finally the cheese.  Sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of the vinegar. 

Heat thoroughly in a 325 oven until bubbly.

Serves 6

The Cut-Out Sugar Cookie 

Christmas is over but Valentine’s Day, President’s weekend, and spring break are on the horizon which means, for some of you, a few days at home with the kids in not-so-great weather without a plan.  A seasonal and cozy activity might just help. 

Here’s the challenge: the cut-out sugar cookie. Children really like making cookies with cutters but they always seem like such a pain. How do you make dough that’s not a sticky mess? How do they get  onto the cookie sheet and still sort of resemble what was cut out? Making cookies once a year or once every two years, I always forgot just how awful that whole process was.  But finally, I’ve figured out how to do it without a lot of teeth gnashing.

  1.  Make the dough the night before.  Have the kids help with the stirring and measuring if you must but remember, what they really like is the decorating so I suggest you start them out fresh the following day with the dough all ready to go.
  2. Roll the dough out on lightly floured wax paper.  Be sure your rolling pin is floured and the surface of the dough is floured.  Don’t use a lot of flour but keep adding just a little to keep things smooth.  Don’t dawdle with the rolling.
  3. Cut out the cookies with the cutters and then put the whole sheet of paper in the freezer for about 5 or ten minutes.  Once they’ve firmed up, it’s a snap to peel them off the paper and onto the cookie sheet.
  4. Line the cookie sheet. Parchment or non-stick baking paper is the best thing to have happened to home bakers that I can think of.  You can use your sheet pans over and over without washing in between and there’s no more prying the cookies off the sheet. Don’t even consider baking without this marvellous stuff.
  5. Set up a decorating station.  I use my dining room table, covered with a sheet.  For unbaked cookies:  Put various colored sugars in small bowls (the shaker tops are just frustrating). For baked and cooled cookies: Make colored icing (kids 5 and up can do this) using confectioners sugar, food coloring and a few drops of water to a spreadable consistency.  Have toothpicks or small brushes for painting.  Each child needs a little elbow room for their creations and to cut down on the squabbling.     

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

This recipe can easily be doubled.  Once the first batch is started, you can get a kind of assembly line going and have the kids alternate cutting out cookies and decorating.  About decorating: colored sugar needs to be sprinkled on before baking.  Use icing after the cookies are baked and cooled.

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Wax paper

Various cutters

Sprinkles, colored sugar, silver balls

For colored icings: small bowls of confectioners’ sugar mixed with a tiny bit of water. Add food coloring.

Toothpicks or small kid’s brushes

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using an electric mixer until fluffy (this takes a few minutes).  Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat.  Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt and nutmeg and stir into the butter mixture.

Shape the dough into a large (1/2 inch) square and cut into 4 equal pieces.  Wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 hours).  Let soften about 10 minutes before rolling.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using once piece at a time, roll the dough on a floured piece of wax paper to about a 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out cookies with the cutters (if they stick, dip them in flour) and put the whole sheet of paper in the refrigerator to firm up. 

Pull away the dough surrounding the cookies. Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and space them about 1 inch apart.  Put the scraps together and refrigerate them to reroll later.  At this point, the cookies can be decorated with sprinkles and colored sugar.

Bake until light brown, about 10-12 minutes.  Cool.  Plain cookies can now be decorated with confectioners’ sugar icing using toothpicks or small brushes.

Continue rolling and baking the remaining dough.  Store the cookies in large tins or other airtight container. 

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Sunday Brunch

Awake, hungry and convivial.  It’s the weekend and I want brunch.

Brunches are a wonderful way to entertain because they’re relatively inexpensive, don’t take all day to prepare and there’s still daylight afterwards. Since most brunches start at 11 or even noon, you don’t have to arise at dawn to cook.

 

Serving buffet style makes for a comfortable casual occasion. When planning the menu, I try not to have too many items, which crowd the plate. I also try to balance the ‘good’ (fresh fruit) with the ‘yummy’ (bacon). Count out the platters, plates and flatware in advance to get an idea of how to set up the table.  When the brunch is ready, you won’t have to go searching for the right plate.  My daughter-in-law Trina Giese always has something ready when children arrive with cups and paper plates in easy reach.  This frees up space for adults and makes things a little more relaxed.

Make plenty of coffee and have tea as well but make it just as guests arrive so that it’s fresh.  Mimosas and bloody Marys are always popular at a brunch.  Mimosas are simpler since you can provide a pitcher of orange juice and then your guests can add their own champagne or sparkling wine.

Here are some uncomplicated menu and recipe suggestions for a Sunday brunch.    

#1 American! 

The French toast is put together the night before leaving just the fruit to cut up and the bacon and sausage to cook.

Fruit Salad

Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

Bacon and Vegetarian sausage

#2 Slightly Italian 

The frittata can be cooked in advance so you can spend your time arranging all that salami… 

Sudi’s Artichoke Frittata

Salami, Parma ham and Proscuitto

Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers

Basket of breads: (include something sweet here)  

#3 Deli Special

If you make the muffins a day ahead, you can read the newspaper before your guests arrive! It’s that easy!

A smoked fish platter

 (salmon, trout, herring, etc.)

Bagels, cream cheese and sliced red onions

Sliced oranges (or other seasonal fruit)

Pear Ginger Muffins

Baked Blueberry-Pecan French toast with Blueberry Syrup

This is a great recipe to make for a crowd and also to travel with – I’ve made it twice at a rented beach house and found the ingredients easy to pack and put together once you arrive.  You can use frozen blueberries in the winter months. The syrup only take a few minutes to make but plain maple syrup is fine on its own.

  • 1 baguette
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 1/2  cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup pecans, (3 oz)*
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups blueberries (about 12 oz)

For the syrup:

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Preparation:

Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Cut 20 – 24 slices (1″) from the baguette and arrange them in the dish in one layer. 

Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and 1/4 C brown sugar and pour evenly over bread.  Chill mixture covered at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. Flip all the pieces of bread in the pan once so all the liquid is evenly absorbed.

Toast pecans in a dry pan or microwave (about 30 seconds), checking constantly to avoid burning.

Pre-heat oven to 400. 

Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture.  Heat the butter with remaining brown sugar, stirring until butter is melted.  Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling. 

Syrup: Cook blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst- about 3 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve pressing on solids.  Stir in lemon juice. 

Serve French toast with warm syrup.  About 10 servings.

 

*Nut tip:  Store all nuts in the freezer well wrapped.  They go rancid fairly quickly on the shelf.

Sudi’s Artichoke Frittata

This recipe comes from my good friend Sudi Press, a natural and welcoming party giver par excellence.  She called these simply  ‘artichoke squares’ and served them, cut small, for cocktail hors d’oeuvres.  They are so good I’ve given the dish a fancier name and serve it in larger squares for brunch. 

  • 4 (6-oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper
  • 1 pound shredded cheese (Swiss or cheddar)
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped 

Drain marinade from 2 jars only of the artichoke hearts and discard.  Drain the marinade from the remaining jars and combine this liquid with the olive oil in a pan.  Heat and add the onion and garlic, cooking until soft. 

Combine eggs, crumbs, and seasonings.  Fold in cheese and parsley.  Chop artichokes and add them and the onions and garlic to the mixture.  Blend well. 

Pour into a greased large glass pan (13 by 9 inches).Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes.  The top will be browned and puffed slightly.  Cool a little before cutting into squares.   

Can be served hot or cold; can be prepared ahead and reheated 10 to 12 minutes. 

Pear Ginger Muffins

These very rich sweet muffins were baked at the Morrison Clark Inn in Washington, DC when I worked there.  

  • 12 tablespoons (6 oz) butter, melted
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • Big pinch salt
  • 1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 firm pears, peeled and chopped in small chunks (about 1 cup) 

Combine sugars, flour, baking powder and soda and salt.  Add the eggs, milk, vanilla and butter and stir just to combine.  Should not be smooth.Add gingers and pears.

Bake in greased muffin tins (or use paper liners) at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes about 1 dozen muffins.

Have a great brunch!

Mary