My fabulous friend for such a long, long time Kate Gilbert — former knitwear designer extraordinaire (Clapotis, anyone? 23,400+ projects and counting) and creative director of Twist Collective, currently applying all that amazing creativity to baking as le gâtelier — is offering a pre-recorded video course with step-by-step instructions with everything from choosing the ingredients to making meringue mushrooms.
Meringue mushrooms!!
This is a limited pre-sale for only $50, and if you're interested in more info or signing up, here you go: Bûche de Noël pre-sale.
We've begun to jot down some ideas about our Christmas menu, too.
Joining Carole & friends for Three Things on Thursday…
I think we're all cooking a bit more, whether we want to or not. Here are three recipes that are high on the rotation list and that we really love… maybe you will, too! There's a little bit more involved than just opening cans (oh, that is a really great reward for opening cans!), but not much!
STEAK AND ONION PIE (inspo: videojug)
Special note: Thaw puff pastry according to package directions, usually about 40 minutes Serves: 4 Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Oven temp: Preheat to 400°
1.25-1.5 lbs. steak, diced (I used sirloin) 1 c. flour, seasoned with salt & pepper 6 T. vegetable oil 2 onions, peeled & chopped 1 T. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 T. tomato puree (or paste. I didn't have either, so used a squirt of ketchup) 3/4 c. beef stock (or bouillon) salt & pepper 1 pre-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten
Sprinkle the seasoned flour over the meat and mix in well. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the beef and onions. Stir well until meat is browned, about 5 minutes.
When meat is browned, add tomato puree/paste/ketchup and stock. Season with salt & pepper. Stir well, cover, and turn down heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley. Pour into an ovenproof dish and spread evenly. Unroll the pastry and lay it over the dish, pushing down the edges with your fingers. Cut away excess, if necessary. Brush the beaten egg over the pastry.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot!
I had a really good seal, apparently, and it came out of the oven looking a little bit like a roast turkey! Ha! It settled down after a few minutes… and it was delicious!
1 lime, halved & juiced 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings 1 clove garlic, minced 4 large portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4" slices (I recommend using more) 1/8 oz. fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped 2 scallions, trimmed & thinly sliced 1/4 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika 1-1/2 T. olive oil 6 corn tortillas (or flour, if you prefer) 3 T. mayonnaise 3 T. sour cream Slaw mix: 1-1/2 c. each shredded cabbage & shredded carrots (or whatever comes in the bag) 3 T. canola oil
Toss mushroom slices with coriander, cumin, paprika and olive oil, along with 3/4 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in oven until lightly browned and tender, 15 minutes.
Warm the tortillas. (Wrap in foil and put in oven, or however you prefer).
Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Add the slaw mix and scallions; toss to coat.
Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots in a single layer and fry without moving until crisp on the bottom, about 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking until crisp all over, about 2 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to remove shallots to a paper towel-lined plate.
To serve, top the tortillas with the roasted mushrooms, add the slaw, and top with crispy shallots.
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Italian Spinach and Tortellini Soup (inspo: Weight Watchers)
Special note: A one-bowl meal! Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
2 tsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 (or more) zucchini, halved lengthwise & sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1-1/2 tsp. dry Italian seasoning 3/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (if desired) 45 oz. reduced-sodium vegetable broth (or broth of choice) 1 or 2 14-1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes (I like fire-roasted) 1/2 c. water 1 9-oz. pkg. cheese tortellini (or more, if you like!) 4 c. loosely packed baby spinach, chopped if you like (I usually use a lot more) 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil 3 T. grated Parmesan cheese (or similar)
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften (about 3 minutes). Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp-tender (about 3 minutes). Add garlic and seasonings, stirring constantly until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in broth, tomatoes, and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted (about 1 minute). Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with the basil and cheese.
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I'd love to hear what you think if you make any of these! Bon appetit!
I finally finished the last panel on Wednesday, possibly definitely while procrastinating about another task. Whatever. I'm so happy to have that project done, and I love how it turned out!
The -10 lb milestone was indeed achieved this week! One of the things I've found helpful is the new Weight Watchers website and app and, in particular, the recipes I've found there. There hasn't been a dud among them! I'd run across a few "soup for one" and "soup in a jar" recipes that I'd wanted to try, and finally did that this week. This one is a mash-up of a couple because of what I had…
Chicken e Pasta e Fagiole Soup for One
2 tsp. reduced sodium chicken base 2 oz. cooked chicken breast 1/4 tsp. oregano 1/2 cup shredded carrots (uncooked) 1/4 cup cannellini beans, drained & rinsed 1/2 oz. fresh fettuccine, chopped
Layer ingredients in a pint-size mason jar. Close jar & refrigerate until ready to use.
Fill jar with boiling water (about 2 cups). Stir well, until soup base is dissolved. Close jar and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
That's a quick, make-ahead, 4 SP lunch! Actually the one you're looking at is more like 7 SP because I accidentally quadrupled the amount of pasta!! Ooops. It was hearty!
Look at THIS:
Spring is volatile in NE Wisconsin. According to Intellicast, the record high for the last half of the month is 81F on March 27th (2007), and the low is -5 on March 24th (1974). The average is about mid-40s and we've been well below that, but thankfully there's been some sunshine (not today… gigantic flakes of snow fell on me this morning).
Last but not least (definitely the cutest)…
After I finished sewing the curtain and going out for lunch, then finally buckling down to do the task I'd been avoiding, I spent an hour or so watching these two on Wednesday evening. Instant mood lifter!! That arm around Gin… killing me!! The emotional growth and awareness that Jun's been displaying… also killing me!! I can tell that he's starting to think about things — cause, effect, consequence — and modifying his behavior (trying, at least!).
One of the sweetest moments was just before I got ready to leave. Ali was changing Gin on the bed, Jun was there too, and Ali was talking to me about Gin's little rash. Jun rolls over, puts his hand on Gin's chest, and sweetly asks, "Does that hurt you, Gin? Does that hurt?"
And now killing you, too! Haha! Have a great weekend!
Who knew? How have I lived in Wisconsin for the better part of my life and not known about BEER BREAD?
Best extra-curricular use of beer, especially one you may not care for all that much to drink.
It could not be simpler. I used this recipe by Gerald Norman (summarized below). Sift the flour, people!
BEER BREAD
3 c. all-purpose flour (sifted) 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/4 c. sugar 12 oz. beer 1/4 c. melted butter
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease/butter a loaf pan. Sift & combine dry ingredients; mix in beer. Scrape dough into the prepared pan; pour melted butter over the top. Bake for 1 hour; cool in the pan on a rack for at least 15 minutes.
So yummy.
I used one of the two remaining New Belgium/Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ales that I had from Thanksgiving. I'll be adding a cup of chocolate chips to the loaf I make with the last bottle of that beer. And I will have to do some research to see how the flavor differs when using a different type of beer altogether.
The American Thanksgiving, a fantastic article in the New York Times. I watched every single video (each around 1 minute) and saved every single recipe, and I'm going to make room for at least one if not two on our Thanksgiving menu. Christmas? May be pretty flavorful around here!!
