Belated Birthday Donuts 05/30/2009
  Friday was my daughter Whitney's 24th birthday. A couple of days before, I called her and said she should stop by the house early. I would make her donuts for her birthday breakfast. Well, she did stop by. And she stopped by early. But I had gotten busy and never made the pizza dough, which is what I use to make donuts. I apologized... profusely, and told her that if she stopped by early on Saturday there would be donuts. Lucky for me, there were.   I use this pizza dough recipe and after the 2 hour rise, let the dough rest, covered in the refrigerator overnight. Roll it on a lightly floured surface. I think it helps to let it rest a bit during rolling. Cut with cookie cutters and place on a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper. I had about 3 to 4-inches of canola oil in a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven which I heated to medium high and then reduced slightly. Use the little donut holes to test the temperature. They will drop to the bottom, but should then immediately rise to the top. It is just a matter of seconds, really, before they are ready. They will start to brown quickly so watch closely. You just want them to start turning a golden color. If left too long the dough will be tough. Remove from the oil and place onto a cooling rack for just a minute. Drop, while still hot, into a bowl of cinnamon sugar. Enjoy immediately! FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER pan-barbecued shrimp 05/28/2009
 It was our turn to host "gourmet", the term we've all been using for the dinner that six of us partake in several times a year. Too chilly to be outdoors for more than our appetizers, we ate three courses in our dining room. I served the main course in my favorite bowls, made in Spain, that I hauled back from Aix-en-Provence last summer.  The shrimp almost seemed camouflaged within the marbleized red and yellow glazed swirls. Prepared in a spicy herb butter, we ate the unpeeled shrimp with our hands and soaked up the sauce with French breads.  This is a fantastic dish that does not involve much time and the results are hugely delicious! The shrimp were excellent... large and meaty. I figured 1/2-pound per person and that was really pushing our limit. From a Sunday New York Times magazine, "This Southern recipe, altho' called "barbecue", is actually prepared in a hot cast-iron skillet". PAN-BARBECUED SHRIMP • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, crushed • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 bay leaf • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 3 to 5 thyme sprigs, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme • Salt to taste, if desired • 2 pounds unshelled large shrimp, approximately 20 to 24, rinsed briefly in cold water • 1/2 cup bottled clam juice • 1/4 cup dry white wine 1. In a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter over high heat. Add all the remaining ingredients except the remaining eight tablespoons of butter, the shrimp, clam juice and wine. Stir well and add the shrimp. Cook about three minutes, stirring and shaking the pan. 2. Add the remaining eight tablespoons of butter, clam juice and wine. Cook, stirring and shaking the pan, until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from heat and serve immediately with the hot butter sauce from the pan and French bread or rice. YIELD: Four servings. Double Vanilla Biscotti 05/26/2009
 If I have to choose between chocolate and vanilla, I will always choose vanilla. These delicate little biscotti get a double dose from a vanilla bean and vanilla extract. The smell was intoxicating while the cookies were in my oven, and many disappeared before the second baking. We couldn't wait to get our hands on them! This recipe is from the New York Times magazine; a serving suggestion to the fruit and herb iced teas featured in the article. The dough was very sticky and working with it at room temperature was practically impossible. To remedy this, I spooned out the 3 logs onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and placed the sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes (no longer). At that point I was able to take a long metal spatula and press them into shape, easily. Chilled Tomato and Goat Cheese Soup 05/24/2009
 We're heading towards summer temps here in Minnesota. In fact, last week we shattered two records when we reached temperatures in the mid to upper 90's two days in a row. I lose my appetite and I lose any desire to cook when it gets that warm. And that's when I start thinking about food that will help cool me down. I made this Tomato and Goat Cheese Soup for the first time last week. I have been eating it chilled and, coupled with the tang of the goat cheese, this soup is very refreshing. I plan to make it often during the summer, for those hot days when I don't feel like spending too much time in my kitchen. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER--grilled citrus chicken 05/22/2009
 I have been making this marinated grilled chicken for years. Usually, we eat it plain, along with a salad or vegetable, but occasionally we will have it like this -- in a grilled bun spread with honey mustard, and a slice of fresh, grilled pineapple. However you choose to serve this chicken, it will become a favorite during this grilling season. I am always being asked for the recipe. Rhubarb Shortcakes with Caramel Sauce 05/21/2009
 If your garden is overflowing with rhubarb, as mine is, or if you're seeing rhubarb at the farmer's markets and wondering what to do with it, please, please make Rhubarb Shortcakes with Caramel Sauce. Another recipe I had tucked away for many years without ever trying, I pulled it out last weekend when we hosted a dinner at our house for two other couples.  The sweet caramel sauce compliments the glistening baked rhubarb beautifully. We should not have been hungry for dessert after appetizers, a salad that could have been a meal itself, and southern "barbecued" shrimp ( all of these recipes will be posted in the upcoming days ), but everyone cleaned up their bowls. This is a dessert I will be making again before the end of rhubarb season. RHUBARB SHORTCAKE with CARAMEL adapted from chef Harlan Peterson Rhubarb: • 3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 cup sugar • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest (preferably organic) Shortcakes: • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup light brown sugar • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg • 1 egg • 4 tablespoons heavy cream Caramel Sauce: • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/4 cup water • 3 tablespoons whipping cream • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature Whipped cream: 1 cup whipping cream, firmly whipped 1. Prepare rhubarb: In a baking dish combine rhubarb, sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Cover and bake in a preheated 350˚F oven about 20 minutes, or until rhubarb is just tender. Keep rhubarb chunks intact; do not break up by stirring. Remove from oven. 2. Make shortcakes: In a bowl, cut butter into flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine egg and cream and stir into flour mixture until dough just comes together. (I did all of this in my food processor). 3. Drop dough in six portions onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 400˚F oven about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. 4. Make caramel sauce: In a small saucepan combine sugar and water, cover, and bring to a boil. When sugar has melted, remove lid. Cook gently until liquid is deep golden brown. remove pan from heat and slowly whisk in cream and butter. If caramel is not smooth, return to heat. Set aside. 5. Prepare shortcakes: Split biscuits in half and place bottom halves in bowls. Spoon warm rhubarb sauce over biscuits. 6. Spoon dollop of whipped cream on top of rhubarb and replace top of biscuit. Pour about 2 tablespoons caramel saucer over the top biscuit. Serves 6 My Garden, 2009 05/19/2009
 Today I will finally show you pictures of my garden and you will see how I can easily spend 9 hours a day outdoors.  Every spring I rough-up the iron urn that is our fountain, with a wire brush and repaint the inside. By the end of the summer the interior will be very rusty again. We spent an afternoon in a hardware store assembling different bronze pipes, joints, and spouts to finally come up with our fountain's spigot.  Our French park chairs, that are the seating for our outdoor dining table, are eleven years old and were showing their age. I sanded the varnished wooden slats and repainted them with a gray weather-proof low-lustre enamel. Hopefully this will extend their life.  If there's a theme throughout my garden this year, it's red cabbage. I'm planting it everywhere.  Our tomato plants that we started from seed in March, have finally been planted in the garden. All of the plants are heirloom except for the Yellow Pear tomatoes. The heirlooms are Cherokee Purple (my absolute favorite), Aunt Ruby's German Green, Green Zebra, and Red Siberian. There is nothing more beautiful than combining all of these tomatoes, sliced, on a huge, white platter and drizzling with balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil.  More red cabbage in the front bed, along with Italian parsley. The center holds tarragon, sage and English thyme.  I have two concrete urns that hold my rosemary plants. They're surrounded by white and violet alyssum.  In this photo you get a glimpse on the left, of our twig fencing we use to protect our bush beans and beets from the rabbits that frequent our garden.  Late summer we'll be picking grapes from these vines.  My plan is to eventually sit in these chairs with a glass of wine and a stack of magazines. Before that, however, I need to finish planting the garden. It is finally warm enough to get my two packages of basil seeds into the ground. I use a lot of fresh basil in the summer, and along the way I combine the basil leaves with just enough extra-virgin olive oil to bind, in my food processor. I put this mixture into ice cube trays, freeze, and then store in a bag in my freezer. I highly recommend this as the best way to preserve basil for use in the winter. It will be like adding fresh, summer basil to your sauces, soups, etc. I'll show you more photos throughout the summer as my garden matures.  I've Returned and, I'm Rested ? 05/17/2009
 Well, here I am. I'm back and caught up, or maybe I should say, more caught up... and over the next several days I will be showing you photos of things I have done and recipes I have made. I spent my days visiting friends, sitting on the patio with friends, baking, cooking, and working in the garden (photos of the garden and patio will be posted this week along with an answer to Julia of Mélanger's question, "Wow, what were you doing for 9 hours?").  I celebrated my 56th birthday on Friday, and dined on the patio alone at noon (Really, it was fine... I don't mind being alone. I usually have a stack of magazines in hand and can spend hours pouring over the pages. And, I was later joined by two very close friends for a celebratory glass of wine.) It was a very tastey lunch. This is a recipe for a pasta salad I clipped from somewhere about 25 years ago. It makes a big bowlful, so consider this salad if you're feeding a lot of people (or, if you like eating the same meal over and over and over for several days). Don't be put off by all of the olive oil that is called for in this recipe. You will not use all of the vinaigrette. TORTELLINI SALAD with RED WINE VINAIGRETTE source...? Red Wine Vinaigrette: • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed Tortellini Salad: • 6 quarts water • 1 1/2 tablespoon salt • 1 1/2 pounds cheese-filled tortellini • 1/2 cup chopped red onion • 3/4 cup chopped Italian parsley • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 cup large black olives, sliced • 1/4 pound thinly sliced salami, julienned 1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil while whisking. Add the garlic and let vinaigrette stand at room temperature at least an hour. Remove the garlic, adjust seasoning, and whisk again before using. 2. To make the salad, bring the water to a boil. Stir in salt and tortellini and cook until tender. Pour into a colander to drain, shaking well to remove all of the water. 3. In a large bowl, combine hot tortellini, onion, parsley and 1 cup of the vinaigrette. When cool, add the additional ingredients and more vinaigrette if necessary. Toss before serving. TAKING a SHORT BREAK 05/12/2009
 It's just too much for me to manage... I spent 9 hours in the garden yesterday and there's more to do today. Needless to say, I haven't been anywhere near my kitchen. I'll be back on Monday with some new recipes... and maybe some pictures of the garden.  What a great salad this is! I will be making it often this summer when the green beans from my garden are ready. Be sure to use tuna that is canned in olive oil. Also, the recipe calls for orzo, but I substituted Acini Di Pepe. It's a tiny, tiny, tubular pasta. If you can find it (I purchased the DaVinci brand), use it in this recipe. |  Passions
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