Seafood Boil

Tonight, I was inspired to try my first seafood boil for two reasons: Jersey corn's in season and I had my parents over for our weekly family meal.
Mom and I are currently waiting for the guys to get home since this meal takes less than 15 minutes to... well, boil. I have a large stock pot on a rolling boil waiting to get started.

I prepped the following ingredients for my boil for 4:
8 small potatoes, cleaners and quartered
4 large ears of NJ corn, shucked, cleaned and cut into 3 inches pieces
2 links of lite polish kielbasa
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (save yourself some time and stinky hands and get the cleaned and peel frozen shrimp)
1/2 lb bay scallops (start cooking in a fry pan and add to the pot the last 5 minutes)
15-20 LI middleneck clams
3 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning
6 cups of water (fill up a large stockpot 1/2 way)

1. Bring water to boil with Old Bay while prepping ingredients
2. When water comes to a boil, add the potatoes
3. After 5 minutes add corn, clams, shrimp
4. For last 5 minutes add scallops, kielbasa
5. Drain water and serve boil on a large cookie sheet if eating indoors or on the table lined with newspaper or butcher paper if eating outdoors.

Seasonal Baking

My dad loves rhubarb. It's in season now at one of the local farms near my job- Crane Farm, in Basking Ridge. For the 4th of July, I'm making him strawberry and rhubarb pie. The only shortcut I used was pre-made pie crust. 

Here's the recipe:
3 stalks of rhubarb, washed and ends trimmed
8 strawberries (fresh or frozen), washed, trimmed and quartered
1 cup of sugar (white, turbino, or 2\3 cup of agave)
2 tsp. of cornstarch or flour
2 pie crusts
1 egg white mixed with 2 tsp. water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 450°

1. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, cornstarch and sugar in a bowl
2. Place one pie crust at the bottom of a 9in. pie dish
3. Put fruit in the bottom of pie crust
4. Roll second pie crust out on clean, flat surface. Make sure it's cold. Cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Lay across in a criss-cross pattern over the top of the pie.
5. Brush top of pie crust with egg white wash.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown.
7. Cool on pie rack and serve with vanilla iced cream or fresh whipped cream.

Here are some pictures from ending to beginning, just in case you couldn't wait to see it bubbling right out of the oven! 

Cottage Pie

Here's my recipe for Cottage Pie:
1lb. of ground beef (or turkey)
4 large carrots
3 stalks of celery
1/2 medium onion (I used a white onion)
3 cloves of garlic ( I cook with Dorot frozen garlic- it's a very convenient shortcut when you don't want to prep an entire clove or get the smell on your hands)
1 bag of microwavable small potatoes (either new or red potatoes-there are 8 to 10 small potatoes per bag)
1/2 stick of salted butter softened in microwave for 30 sec.
1/4 c of half and half or milk at room temp (any %, the higher the fat the richer the mashed potatoes)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce *there was literally a segment airing on this ingredient on "How It's Made" as I wrote this post*
1/4 to 1/2 cup of beef broth (can use low sodium)
2 tablespoons of fresh or minced thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
9x12 Pryrex pan plus cooking oil spray
375° pre heated oven

1. Prep veggies so they're all the same size, about the size of a pinkie fingernail.
2. Put olive oil into a large pan on medium heat.
3. Once the oil is warmed add ground beef.
4. Halfway through cooking the beef add onions, then after combined, the garlic cloves. Let the onions and garlic sweat and then add the worcestershire sauce and stir. Then add 1/4 c. of beef broth, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to make sure all those flavor additions mix with what's already in the pan.
5. Add minced carrots and celery stalks and cook 5-8 minutes to soften vegetables and incorporate the layers of flavor you've added. Stir again and cook on warm while microwaving and mashing potatoes as described below.
6. Cook the microwavable potatoes using the bag's directions. Then empty into large bowl and begin mashing the potatoes with masher, hand blender or a large fork. I have a Mix 'n Chop tool from Pampered Chef and love using it for this task.
After your potatoes are half mashed, add butter and milk. I find I can quickly make evenly mashed and smooth potatoes if the butter is soft and the milk room temp.
7. Spray a Pyrex dish, 9x12 size, with cooking spray. If you're cooking for 2 people cut the recipie in half and cook in individual sized ceramic crocks. I made it as is to have leftovers for another meal for 2.
8. Slowly pour the meat mixture in the bottom of dish or ceramic bowl/crock. You should see some cooking liquid at the bottom, about 1/2 cup. If you see more than that, remove with a baster tool until 1/2 c. remains.
9. Evenly spread mashed potatoes over the meat.
10. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the edges of the potato layer start to brown.
My favorite part of the recipie was the scent of all the rich, savory elements coming together right before I pulled it out of the oven. My guy was very eager to have a second helping before I even finished my first!

Thanksgiving Plan Executed

My guy and I are laying low today on "Black Friday". I've spent the last five days prepping for Thanksgiving while having a hectic week at work. I spent 75% of my prep time on my turkey. I definitely OBSESSED about getting the turkey just right. My obsession even involved a call on Monday night to my friend in the Midwest whose guy is a trained chef. Even though my mom assured me the turkey would indeed defrost in time, I was really nervous 24 hours into the defrost process that it wouldn't be ready for seasoning by Tuesday night.

I called 1-800-CHEFRIEND (yes I know I'm 2 digits over a REAL #), to get advice. He recommended I run the bird under running water for 30 minutes. About 10 minutes in, I made a rookie mistake- I went to WASH my hair. When I came back another 10 minutes later, the SINK was overflowing! I should've run the water at half the rate I did and prop the bird up so it didn't cover the drain. After a lot of towels and a fresh floor, I had a softened bird.

Cue to the next day... around midnight on Tuesday, it was time to set up the brining bucket. I cleaned out the largest bucket that could fit in my fridge, then lined it with plastic to make it easier to pull the bird out later. I barely had enough salt to make it work (mental note: remember to actually have  two + cups of salt next time). Wednesday morning came quickly. I greeted my plumbed up bird, patted it dry and left it to drain in the fridge on a cookie sheet with cookie rack on top to hold the bird and allow drainage. At this point in the prep process, I would greet the bird like a little kiddo every time I opened the fridge: "Hi little turkey, love you," much to my husband's amusement. On Wednesday night, I made my herb butter with the help of a newly purchased mortar and and pestle (a quick shopping trip to Le Gourmet Chef always cheers me up!)

While my prep time was important, if the bird didn't act cook properly my uncertainty about getting the bird ready wouldn't matter. The BIG DAY started late morning yesterday with pre-heating a high oven.The last technique I was on the fence about putting the bird in a bag to cook. My two biggest worries about the bird could really be rolled up into one: dry bird. I wanted the bird to stay moist throughout its cooking time and I wanted fantastic skin on the bird.

One technique that executed VERY WELL for me (but not my arm) was flipping I mean rotating the bird during the first two hours. I was uncertain if simply having two large forks on either end of the bird could give me enough control to rotate the bird. At this moment, I went to my sometimes used kitchen tools drawer and pulled out a clean pair of white Playtex cleaning gloves. The last time I used them was when I badly cut my finger last year and needed to keep cooking. I wish my guy had taken a picture of my putting on these gloves and using it to rotate the bird. The only problem I encountered was getting too close to the pan with the back of my arm. OUCH! That was the sign it was time for a break. I gladly sat down with a ice pack and a Downton Abbey marathon on TV.

About 90 minutes before my guests  arrived, my bird was DONE. Opps I think that cooking at the higher temp in the beginning- to make a great skin- backfired since I now finished TOO EARLY. I was alone at this point as my guy was out picking up one of our guests. I quickly moved the bird to a smaller pan, turned down the oven to warm and tented it.

By the time my guests arrived and my mom and I got the rest of the side dishes warmed up (yes I also made five side dishes during the cooking process), I was honestly too exhausted to eat much! This is very typical for me when I cook a large meal for people. I focus so much energy in my execution that I rarely have the appetite to actually eat my own food! Friends have teased me about that tendency in the past but it really drove home for me yesterday afternoon when I couldn't wait to put my feet up!

Thanksgiving Prep Continues

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I began my Thanksgiving prep about a month ago making cranberry sauce one Saturday evening. The next step was beginning to work on my make ahead side dishes. This weekend, it's corn chowder. I wasn't sure what to expect. The last time I tried corn chowder was in Lancaster County during the corn harvest season this year. I tried it at a great local chain called Issac's Deli. Check it out if you're ever visiting the Harrisburg/Lancaster area. Besides their grilled sandwiches, they serve a dish of pickled veggies as well as a variety of pickles with your meal. I usually go through two servings- that's how yummy it is.

Anyhow, back to my chowder cooking experience. I pulled the recipe from Betty Crocker and only needed to pick up the corn and milk- I had the remaining ingredients in the house... or so I thought. At the checkout, instead of reviewing the ingredients on my phone, I ran into my friend who works at the store. He doesn't drive and it was a cold night so I gave him a ride home. Then, when I got home, and began prepping the veggies, I realized I forgot the bacon. Yes bacon lovers, I forget. However I carried on making the chowder without it. I substituted a 1/2 stick of unsalted butter and added garlic for flavor. The whole cooking process took 20 minutes to cook and 10 minutes of prep, which makes this a great quick meal to try during the week. But don't forget the bacon, I think that's where the version I photographed above is missing a depth of flavor.

The chowder now has a subtle flavor which I've enhanced with coriander and thyme. I love the smell of coriander and add it to a lot of my dishes. I don't know why I wasn't aware, until I found the hyperlinked article above, that cilantro and coriander are relatives. Once the coriander hits your dish, another level of flavor comes out and your dish is even more delightful. Try it this fall/winter season and let me know what you think.

Can Food REALLY Be Sexy? More Like Sticky

I just finished watching a cooking show on modern Irish cooking where the host referred to the dessert he made as "sexy". He wasn't using ingredients that are your traditional aphrodisiac ingredients: chocolate, figs or snails. According to my very brief search "There was not always agreement upon what foods were actually aphrodisiacs or "anaphrodisiacs" (decrease potency).   But the ancient list included Anise, basil, carrot, salvia, gladiolus root, orchid bulbs, pistachio nuts, rocket (arugula), sage, sea fennel, turnips, skink flesh (a type of lizard) and river snails." (Source: Gourmet Sleuth). 

Mmm lizards! I know that would make me feel more drawn to my guy!

Anyhow, I think what makes a dish romantic is cooking a dish that your love enjoys (and hopefully the cook does too). For my guy it's pork chops. A few weeks ago I got a good deal on thick chops which I know my husband likes to eat. Unfortunately I cannot stand pork chops so he gladly enjoyed both chops. I decided to follow a Weight Watchers recipe for pork chops with a cherry sauce. It was a reduction of cherry jam which was a lot of fun to make- I felt like I was challenging myself more than normal. I have a Calphalon  pot/pan set so the sauce did not stick to the pan and I could spoon the sauce nicely over the chops when I put them back in the pan. 

Speaking of jam, I wrote in my last post I would let you know how I make homemade jam. At its essence, jamming is a simple process. However, you have to keep an eye on the pot so it doesn't boil over. If like me, that happens to you, you'll spend part of your evening (if you cook after work and on the weekends like me) cleaning your entire cooktop. Enough about me complaining about cleaning. You only need a few cups of the fruit of your choice, pectin, sugar, and sometimes lemon juice, and your mason jars. This year I tried a gel-like pectin instead of the powder. I think that was part of the reason for the mess later yet I think it made my jam better than last year's batch. 

This year I made raspberry and peach jams. I left the peach pieces in chunkier pieces so it could be spread on pancakes or served with a meat that was complimented by a peach sauce. My raspberries broke down quickly in the cooking process. You may wonder, what kind of sugar should I use? I didn't have the budget to try Sugar in the Raw and didn't think of trying agave syrup or a stevia type sugar until after. However I think if you got the proportions right on the agave or stevia, you could definitely go au natural with your jam.   

Back into the kitchen once again

I'm excited to work on my cooking blog again! I guess I got pre-occupied by life and was spending a lot of time on the computer at work and didn't feel motivated to share on a blog what I've been up to in my culinary adventures. However,  I now work in communications for a living and I re-discovered I enjoy writing for fun.

The latest tools that've fueled my interest in writing about cooking again are Pinterest and public television cooking shows. Yes you read that, not the Cooking Channel or the Food Network but shows like America's Test Kitchen, Rick Bayless' cooking shows, even Lydia's Italy. I began my obsession with cooking shows when I was teenager. Sunday afternoons, when my family was resting after church, I'd quickly finished any leftover homework for Monday and tuned to our PBS station to watch shows hosted by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.

Let's cover my Pinterest board finds on this post. This week, I made two items from my cooking board: homemade vanilla extract and cookie mix in a mason jar.

Much to my surprise, the easiest thing to make was the vanilla extract. The most trouble was picking out the bottles I wanted to store the contents in. I found apothecary style bottles at A.C. Moore. I researched multiple examples of vanilla extract recipes on the boards, which is a tip I always encourage before trying out a new recipe.

There are two ingredients for vanilla extract: alcohol and vanilla beans. The ratio is 1 cup of liquor to 3 vanilla beans. I went to Trader Joe's and found moderately priced vodka for half my bottles and a well-known label dark rum for the others.

Then I went to a spice shop I adore, Savory Spice Shop , to pick up vanilla beans. For those who've used vanilla beans in baking/cooking before, you may know they can be price prohibitive. However, I let the store clerk know what I was made making (homemade gifts) so she understood I was on a budget. She recommended Moroccan Vanilla Beans. If I wasn't very eager to begin, as I am when I'm inspired to try out something new RIGHT NOW when it comes to cooking, I would've purchased them on Amazon as many of the boards recommended.

The next step was cutting the beans in half, putting them in the bottle and finally putting in the liquor using a funnel. You may ask: why didn't you use either vodka or rum? The answer is I wanted to see how strong the vanilla comes through with each flavor of liquor (or therelackof with the vodka). Now the beans are extracting out subtle flavor in their bottles. Based on what I've read, they should reach their optimal flavor in 8 weeks.

The last thing to note about making the extract is there was NOTHING to clean up! You can't beat that.

Now onto the messier part of my day: putting together cookie mixes in mason jars. The primary tip of note is remember what SIZE jar you've purchased when looking up recipes. I know- if you love math, this is not a big deal. For me, math is a challenge and not a pleasant one. I started measuring a QUART size amount of the layered dry ingredients into a PINT size mason jar and very soon realized my calculation error- yikes! Luckily I had only mixed the flour with the baking soda/powder so it was easy to pour back into my mixing bowl. Now back on track, I quickly made 6 PINTS and 2 QUARTS of cookie mix.

As you'll see with this post, there are 2 jars of jam. I intend to write a separate post on how easy but sticky it was to make those.
Until next time, have fun in the kitchen with these new ideas...