Challah

Another yummy bread recipe from The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups white flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 TB butter
• 1-2 egg yolks
• Sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Directions:

• Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of water and add sugar.
• Sift 4 cups of flour together with the salt into a large mixing bowl and add the 2 eggs, the melted butter, and the rest of the water, as well as the yeast mixture.
• Stir until all is well-blended.
• Dust a flat surface with about 1/2 cup of flour and turn the dough out to knead.
• Knead in as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a smooth, elastic, non-sticky dough.
• Grease a large bowl and put the dough into it.
• Cover and leave it to rise in a fairly warm place for about 1 hour.
• Punch it down and let it rise again until doubled in bulk.
• On a lightly floured surface, shape the Challah:
• First divide the dough into 2 parts--one slightly larger than the other.
• Then cut the larger part into three equal pieces. Roll thepieces into strips and form a fat, even braid.
• Place it in the middle of a buttered bakingsheet.
• Now repeat this procedure with the smaller piece of dough, and place the second braid on top of the first.
• Cover with a light tea towel and let rise for about 1/2 hour.
• Brush the loaf heavily with the egg yolk and sprinkle it generously with poppy or sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Pecan Fingers

I whipped up three quick batches of cookies yesterday morning as a thank you to the team that works under me for all their help in achieving a positive district walk through. One of the other managers loved these and asked for the recipe, so here it is. This is from an old Betty Crocker cookbook that I was very excited to find on my vacation. This is the 1976 version of my Mom's cookbook that I grew up learning to cook out of.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 TB flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream shortening and confectioners' sugar.
• Blend in flour. Press evenly in bottom of ungreased baking pan, 13x9x2 inches.
• Bake for 12 t0 15 minutes.
• Mix remaining ingredients, spread over hot baked layer and bake 20 minutes longer.
• Cool, cut into bars, about 3 x 1 inch.

Sesame Ring

This is a recipe from a book (The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas) that my friend Michelle strongly recommended when we were out shopping last week. This was the first recipe that caught my eye while I was leafing through it at the store.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tb melted butter or oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 tb sesame seeds

Directions:

• Dissolve the yeast in the water and put aside for a few minutes.
• Pour 4 cups of white flour into a large mixing bowl.
• Add to it he egg, yeast and water, and butter (or oil)
• Stir vigorously until the dough is smooth and somewhat elastic.
• Add a little more flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is very elastic and smooth.
• Form the dough into a ball and put it into an oiled bowl, turning it over once so all the surface is lightly oiled.
• Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set it aside to rise for about an hour; it should double in size.
• Punch down the dough, knead it a few more turns, then form it into as smooth a ball as possible.
• With your fingers, poke a hole through the center of the ball.
• Pull apart the dough carefully into a donut shape, making it even and pulling up dough from the sides into a tightly pinched seam.
• Place the ring in a buttered pan, cover with a tea towel, and leave it to rise until nearly double.
• Brush the top with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle a dense layer of sesame seeds over the entire visible surface of the loaf.
• Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Quiche Lorraine with Provolone Cheese

Pie Crust Pastry (makes enough for 2 pie shells, or one covered pie)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

• Sift flour with salt.
• Cut the shortening in with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  
• Sprinkle 4 TB ice water, one tablespoon at a time, over the flour mixture and blend it in with a fork.
• Wrap the dough in waxed paper and chill it for at least 15 minutes.
• Chilled dough will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Quiche

Ingredients:

• 5 slices bacon
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 TB flour
• Ground nutmeg
• Cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Cut bacon slices in half, fry until crisp, drain, cool and crumble.
• Line pie plate with unbaked pie shell.
• Overlap bacon crumbles and cheese slices to cover the bottom of the crust.
• Combine the eggs, cream, flour, a pinch of nutmeg, a few grains of cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
• Beat well.
• Strain and pour over bacon and cheese slices.
• Bake in hot oven for 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

Hungarian Goulash a la Betty Crocker

We went flea marketing and to the library book sale on Friday and I found lots of wonderful old kitschy cookbooks from the 50s and 60s, including the Betty Crocker cookbook that I grew up with in my Mom's house. I found a recipe in there for Hungarian goulash that called for a large quantity of ketchup--and since Mom and I had just made all that home-made ketchup I knew I had to make it.

My friend Michelle had recently given us some venison, so I used it instead of beef. Boy, Patty Dog was going crazy while I was cooking this up.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 LB beef cuck or round, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB brown sugar (if you use the home-made ketchup recipe, I suggest leaving this out as the ketchup is already pretty sweet)
• 2 Tsp salt
• 2 Tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 TB flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups hot cooked noodles.

Directions:

• Melt shortening in a large skillet.
• Add beef, onion and garlic; cook until meat is brown and tneder.
• Stir in ketchup, Worcestshire sauce, sugar, salt, paprika, mustard, cayenne and 1 1/2 cups water.
• Cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Blend flour and 1/4 cup water, stir gradually into meat mixture.
• Heat to boiling, stirring constantly for one minute.
• Serve over noodles.

Also try:

Slow Cooker Italian Goulash Soup

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Breakfast Panini with Eggs, Bacon, and Pecans

I found this panini recipe while looking for something to make for breakfast using my pecans. I changed it up a little bit. I didn't have sausage so I chopped up 4 slices of bacon. I also cut the pecans, wanting to use them in a support, rather than starring role. I think 1/2 a cup would have been a little bit much.

Pasta with Pecans and Broiled Red Pepper

Ingredients:

• 1/2 LB spaghetti, cooked
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup ground pecans
• 1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• A small handful of basil leafs
• Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions:

• While cooking the pasta, broil the red pepper until it gets a little black around the edges.
• Saute garlic until fragrant.
• Add pasta, bread crumbs, ground pecans, red pepper, and basil leaf.
• Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Serve when pasta and bread crumb mixture are well combined.
• Serve with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Pecans

I received two gallon size ziplocs of pecans when I stopped by a friend's house yesterday. He'd been saving them for me since fall. They are straight from a tree in his yard. How's that for loca! I have a feeling these are going to keep me busy this week.

Tomato, Bread, and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 LB old bread (or grilled in the broiler, or best of all old and broiled)
• 3 large, ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 smal cucumber sliced into small rounds
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced
• 10 to 15 basil leaves,shredded
• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 TB red-wine vinegar

Directions:

• Combine bread, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil in a large bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the oil and vinegar and mix well to combine.
• Chill the salad for about an hour before serving.

Sunday Brunch--Oatmeal Pancakes with Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup pinhead oatmeal
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 8 strips of bacon (we prefer applewood smoked)

Directions:

• Mix the flour, oatmeal, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat in the eggs and add enough buttermilk to make a creamy batter of the same consistency as ordinary pancakes.
• Thoroughly heat a griddle or cast-iron frying pan over medium heat.
• When very hot, grease with butter or oil.
• Pour in the batter, about a ladleful at a time.
• Tilt the pan around to spread evenly and cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until set and browned.
• Turn over and cook for 1 minute until browned.
• Roll the pancakes with 2 strips of bacon and serve with honey
  

Okra-Meditteranean Style

I've finally been getting enough okra from the garden to make some dishes.

Ingredients to serve 2 people:

• 4 oz canned or peeled fresh tomatoes
• 4 oz fresh okra
• 3 TB olive oil
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 2 tsp coriander seeds crushed
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Trim stalk from okra and keep whole
• Heat oil in a saute pan nd saute the onions and the coriander 3-4 minutes, until the onions begin to color.
• Add the okra and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
• Gently stir the tomatoes and sugar and simmer for about twenty minutes, until the okra is tender.
• Stir in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Learning from Mom--Dill Pickles and Ketchup

Mom and I had a wonderful day in the kitchen yesterday. She traveled about an hour from her house to mine here in North Little Rock, bringing canning equipment with her. We went to the farmer's market to eat an early lunch and grab a few things we needed: locally grown dill and garlic from my dollar lady and some locally grown tomatoes. We also stopped at Whole Foods to pick up some celery seed in bulk. And then the rest of the day was spent in a really steamy kitchen and dining room!

As one of the oldest of twelve children in a not terribly affluent family, canning was serious business for my Mom growing up. As we were working Mom recalled canning beets, tomatoes, and cucumbers as a child. They also froze a lot of corn and green beans and had a cellar where they kept onions, potatoes, and carrots--I think she said they kept the carrots in a large bin filled with sand and hung the onions. She also recalled that they grew their own dill. Each child had a long row of cucumbers that they took care of and sold at the end of the season for spending money.

So yesterday I learned to can from my Mom, who learned to can from her Mom, who learned to can from her Mother-in-law Hazel Caldie Marlow, who I wrote about at Mother's day.


Mom sitting in my Great-Grandma Hazel Caldie Marlow's Lap, My Aunt Vickie to the left (who also spent a lot of time in that steamy kitchen), and My Grandma Lorraine Thibodeau Marlow sitting on top of the picnic table.

Pickling Cucumbers

We messed around and combined two different recipes to come up with pickles mostly based on a Jewish recipe that used the spices we could locate between whole foods and my spice boxes!

Equipment:

• A canner
• Large canning tongs to pull the hot jars out of the water.
• 15 pint size canning jars and lids
• Cheesecloth
• Kitchen twine

Ingredients:

• 8 LB cucumbers--smaller ones are better, according to Mom, who should know since she sold them as a child for spending money! Mine were huge, so we cut them into spears and sandwich pickles. We had a couple small ones we stuck in whole.
• 30 cloves of garlic
• 15 small red chilis
• Freshly ground black pepper

For pickling spice:

• 5 or 6 broken up bay leaves
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp of cloves
• 15 Dill heads

For pickling liquid:

• 6 cups of vinegar
• 6 cups of water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup kosher salt

Directions:

• Fill canner with water to cover the jars by two inches and put on to boil. This will take a while as it is a large amount of water. We did this first and the water ended up being ready exactly when we needed it.
• Fill a teapot with water and bring it to a boil. Put the lids in a bowl or or pot large enough to hold them and pour the boiling water over to sterilize.

• Run the jars through a hot dishwasher to sterilize.
• Wrap your pickling spices in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine.

• Pour the water and vinegar into a stock pot and add the sachet of pickling spices. Bring to a boil, add sugar and salt, stir to dissolve the sugar and salt, turn heat down and simmer for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile scrub cucumbers and if you have big ones slice into desired shapes.
• When the jars are ready fill each jar with cucumbers leaving a half an inch or so empty at the top.

• Add 2 cloves of garlic, one red chili pepper, a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, and a head of dill at the top.

• Using a ladle add pickling liquid to 1/4 of inch below the top of the jar.

• Screw the lids on tight and make sure no dill, etc. is hanging out over the lids.
• If the water is ready start by putting one jar in the center of the "thingie" (what is this thing called?) that holds the jars, and put the rest around it. Gently drop the "thingie" down to where the jars were covered with the boiling water.

• When the water comes back to a good roiling boil, cover and let boil for 15 minutes.
• Pull the "thingie" up after 15 minutes (Mom and I worked together taking a side, because it is HOT) and use the large tongs to place the jars on the counter on a towel.

• Listen closely to make sure that the lids make a popping sound, and/or eyeball them to make sure that none are domed, the lid should be sort of sucked down. Mom said if any aren't then you can add them back to boiling water for another 15 minutes, or else make sure you use them within a couple of weeks.

• Store the jars, with nothing on top of them, in a cool dark place (I used the back of my pantry cupboard) for two weeks or so to let all the flavors meld together.
  

• 
  

I know you're looking at my Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lisa, who used to be really cute, but look at all those jars on the counter that Grandma, Mom, and Aunt Vickie canned.


Our results today.

Making Ketchup


Mom in the kitchen back then

Ingredients:

• 10 big tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1/4 of a red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 cinammon stick
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TB paprika
• 3/4 cup vinegar

Directions:

• Combine and cook the chopped tomatoes, onion, and red pepper for about 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.

• Puree ingredients in a food mill or a food processor

• Return ingredients to pot and cook on very high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is reduced by half.

• Combine cinnamon, cloves, mustard seed, and celery seed in a cheesecloth sachet and add to the mixture.

• Also add sugar, salt, and paprika
• Cook for 25 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly

• Add 3/4 cup vinegar, continue cooking and stirring until mixture is at the desired thickness.

• Process for 10 minutes in a canner if you don't plan on using it right away. It should make about two pints and since Mom and I each took a pint, we decided not to process it, since we should use it pretty quickly.

Mom's blog post of our day

The Literal Fruits of my Labor

The Great BBQ Adventure of 2009--Our Third Outing

So, little did we know that the next time we would have BBQ comparable to our favorite, Whole Hog Cafe, that it wouldn't be a restaurant at all, but a friend's backyard. Look at the smoke ring on this guy!



At this point I'm just going to cut and paste what Michelle had to say about smoking pork for pulled pork sandwiches:

"So, here is the info about the pulled pork, and I did change the recipe a bit!

North Carolina Pulled Pork from Steven Raichlen's How To Grill:

I had a 5lb Boston butt roast and I covered it with Steven's basic Barbeque rub (brown sugar, sweet paprika, black pepper, coarse salt, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seeds and cayenne...but you can use your favorite rub). Make sure to massage that rub into the meat! I like to let mine sit for 24 hours...you can grill it right away, but it is so much better it you let it cure in the fridge.

About an hour before you are ready to start, take your roast out of the fridge and let it come to room temp and get your wood chips soaking in water. A lot of people like hickory chips, but being from Texas, I love my mesquite chips and hickory just tastes off to me! Once the chips are soaking, get your mop sauce ready. The mop sauce contains: apple cider vinegar, thinly sliced onion and jalapeno, coarse salt, brown sugar, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Now you can start your coals...I use a chimney starter (no lighter fluid for me! Mel knows why!) It will take about 30 minutes for the coals to get to a medium low heat. You want them to be glowing orange and ashen around the edges. Once they are ready, set up the grill for indirect cooking. Place an aluminum pan in the center that the roast will sit above; this catches the fat that drips off, keeps you from getting flame-ups and keeps the heat away from the roast, which is important for slow cooking. The coals will go to the left and the right of the pan and at this time you will add 1 cup of wood chips to each side. Place your roast on the grill, fat side up and make sure to slightly open the bottom and top vents. Close the lid and walk away.

Now the hard part is over. From this point on all you have to do is check the roast every hour. When you check it, add 12 new coals to each side and top them with 1/2 cup soaked wood chips. You also want to 'mop' your sauce onto the roast every time that you check it. Repeat this until the roast reaches an internal temp of 195 degrees. My 5 pound roast took about 4 hours. When it is ready, I like to take it off the grill and let it rest before pulling...or you can get the tough and hungry guys at your cook out to pulled the pork apart so you don't burn you hands!

This is were I deviate from Steven's recipe. He has a vinegar sauce to add to the pork but it is just too much for me. Instead I double the mop sauce recipe and add it to the shredded pork in a pan and bring it to a simmer on the stove...this allows the pork to soak up all of the sauce's goodness and cook the onion and jalapeno a bit. Serve immediately and you must have a yummy slaw to put ON your sandwich...it is absolutely the best way to eat this sandwich!"

Jerzy and Richard did an excellent job pulling apart the hot pork--I helped a little in between snapping pics.



Our hostess, grilling brats because she was afraid there wouldn't be enough pork. She cooked enough food for a small army. She also made slaw, baked beans, and potato salad from scratch. We though we'd died and gone to heaven. And then we had the peach cobbler that Aga brought. We left with very full and very happy bellies.



Thanks Michelle!!!! And I have finally come around to eating coleslaw on top of my sandwich. Miche is right, it is absolutely the best way to eat a pulled pork sandwich. And here is one of the best compliments I can give on BBQ--I didn't add any sauce to my sandwich, the meat was so smokey and well-seasoned that it really wasn't necessary.