tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28899443988940511522024-02-20T13:53:17.072-05:00Nana's Fabulous LifeMy Nana was fabulous just like yours!Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-68350261607284468192012-04-23T12:58:00.001-04:002012-04-23T12:58:55.148-04:00Herbed Quinoa Tomato SoupIt is a rainy Monday--the perfect day for a huge bowl of soup and a good book.<br />
<br />
Lunchtime soups can be tricky--I need to turn around a midday meal fast--often in 10 minutes or less.
I am not a fan of canned soup with one exception: canned tomato soup.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZokgR_FM6F6ZiVhH_ODJyoQiBxDrhEzstUFJEXdF7mBrigQI2_0wngOKSogqH1HFd40xyE3l8VJO2QO-Skc62Y3PrkkuDxSnmdtAiCJlQ_YZADtKBt0w6CvvP-xXjEup75a1ZjEwkdAY/s1600/photo-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZokgR_FM6F6ZiVhH_ODJyoQiBxDrhEzstUFJEXdF7mBrigQI2_0wngOKSogqH1HFd40xyE3l8VJO2QO-Skc62Y3PrkkuDxSnmdtAiCJlQ_YZADtKBt0w6CvvP-xXjEup75a1ZjEwkdAY/s320/photo-9.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
I've dabbled making homemade tomato soup and it is good--but never as good as a can of Campbell's tomato soup.<br />
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I love to dress up canned tomato soup with simple add-ins. A sprinkle of Tabasco and some cheddar cheese is amazing; as is leftover Mexican rice. My new favorite variation: fresh herbs and quinoa.<br />
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I have a plethora of perennial herbs going strong in my garden; plus some basil and parsley in my kitchen window. Quinoa is a new favorite staple around here--yummier and more nutritious than a side of rice.
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This recipe takes less than 10 minutes, provided you have leftover quinoa in the fridge. If you don't add about 15 minutes.<br />
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<b>The ingredients: </b><br />
One 10 3/4 ounce can tomato soup<br />
One cup Pre-cooked quinoa<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (your pick, I used a combo of oregano, basil, parsley and mint)<br />
Tabasco sauce (a couple drops)<br />
Good quality olive oil, just a little for a drizzle<br />
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<b>To make:</b><br />
<br />
Prepare tomato soup, according to package directions. Stir in pre-made quinoa, fresh herbs and Tabasco (or other hot sauce) to taste. Ladle into bowls and drizzle a little olive oil on top, to float.<br />
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<br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-63064178547630641792011-10-19T15:05:00.000-04:002011-10-19T15:05:19.402-04:00Super Soup, Super Fast: Tortellini Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPO3eTESl5FETfhAeiGrKKzEWpcXrvKgV-_yOSMuBH6zYOROna4kxUdxJK8f_y0GcNlep3inGKh_QLk0CUPME20LxJKi1YTMIqISFCzU2j-uhZkUjODLBwi22P4nVgGWCSwn4ECjQKVUf/s1600/tortsoup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPO3eTESl5FETfhAeiGrKKzEWpcXrvKgV-_yOSMuBH6zYOROna4kxUdxJK8f_y0GcNlep3inGKh_QLk0CUPME20LxJKi1YTMIqISFCzU2j-uhZkUjODLBwi22P4nVgGWCSwn4ECjQKVUf/s320/tortsoup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It has been a rainy Fall here in SNJ. And today, as the rain poured down and my sweet girls battled a cold, we had to have homemade soup.<br />
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This soup is so quick and easy. I usually keep the ingredients on hand to whip up whenever the skies pour and the coughing begins.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul><li>1 medium yellow onion, chopped</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>Premade Tortellini (I used a bag of frozen tricolor stuffed with cheese; but you can use dried or fresh, filled with whatever you like!)</li>
<li>4 cups chicken broth</li>
<li>2 cups fresh baby spinach (or frozen, if you use frozen, let it thaw for 20 minutes on the counter)</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Make it:</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<ol><li>In a dutch oven or large soup pot, warm olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped onion, stir until softened about 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Turn heat to low, put a lid on the pot. Let the onions cook further, about 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Add broth. Bring to a boil</li>
<li>Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions. </li>
<li>Chop fresh baby spinach into chunky pieces. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup to the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the hot soup on top. Season with salt/pepper. </li>
</ol>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-80809152580247045492011-09-06T12:14:00.000-04:002011-09-06T12:14:05.390-04:00Favorite Things: Back to School GoodiesI love Back-to-School shopping. Even during the years when no one in our house was going to school, I've used this time of year as an excuse to shop (and buy!). <br />
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This year, Lily is starting Kindergarten--the big time. She has been in Pre-K for two years, but this year feels different.<br />
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Here are my favorite finds for back to school organization and of course, fabulous-ness (is this a word?!). Please share your favorites in the comments section! <br />
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<b>1. The Lunch Cube <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-630285/Klip-It-Storage-Containers;jsessionid=8678313AFD94E4D676F9E3336F8E8E6A">(by Klip It, available at Sur La Table)</a></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj4M-jfHfFD_xEjBYHYYfpWk-FEJMRYCT91P3dmW3MvwM38yvyoR02BQ6DUq02eI6OURFqps2e8gAjVPi77d_KAa1e_ZKzknNgD39YN8CAl7QKUhMVxeh-gyO0xNVUS7RN52S_Q7JYXhyphenhyphen/s1600/klipit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj4M-jfHfFD_xEjBYHYYfpWk-FEJMRYCT91P3dmW3MvwM38yvyoR02BQ6DUq02eI6OURFqps2e8gAjVPi77d_KAa1e_ZKzknNgD39YN8CAl7QKUhMVxeh-gyO0xNVUS7RN52S_Q7JYXhyphenhyphen/s200/klipit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lunch Cube, middle right</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The Lunch Cube, retailing for just $6, is a great Bento-style lunch box solution. The top compartment is perfect for a sandwich and the bottom has two sections for sides. And the best part: it fits right inside of most lunch boxes--so your kids don't have to sacrifice their style (Lily would die if she could not carry her Tinkerbelle lunch box to school everyday). I also grabbed the 6.7 oz size for snack time ($3) and the 11.8 oz split size (one side for yogurt and the other for granola). It is all eco-friendly and wallet friendly.<br />
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</b><br />
<b>2. FooDoodler</b><br />
This might be the last year that Lily is not embarrassed by love notes in her lunch box--so I am taking advantage. The FooDoodler markers are adorable and perfect for writing on sandwiches, crackers, bagels and cookies. Plus, my kids love them. The Food Doodlers actually write like regular markers--making them fun for an afternoon food craft. I grabbed my pack at Sur la Table, but they are also available from Amazon.com. Prices vary $7-$10. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYczN7tWDTYOgF3fcBT-NClgOuyTyEAroNQWCRc7rPUD7kgNd97YKIXHy0xIQ1sFrp7aRr9rIi1P6ktdiVhNnFHNQEdhOyiDMwvsyOvjn72Ig4g9Tff6uEiS6AxIFW5dqaajbmq4uMRyG/s1600/8pk_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYczN7tWDTYOgF3fcBT-NClgOuyTyEAroNQWCRc7rPUD7kgNd97YKIXHy0xIQ1sFrp7aRr9rIi1P6ktdiVhNnFHNQEdhOyiDMwvsyOvjn72Ig4g9Tff6uEiS6AxIFW5dqaajbmq4uMRyG/s200/8pk_large.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edible love notes. <b><br />
</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>3. Cold Packs from Pottery Barn Kids</b><br />
I grabbed a couple of these cold packs at the PBK store for $2 each during the Labor Day sale. They are just the right size to slip in Lily's lunch bag and well, they are cute to look at. Bonus: the cold packs work great on bumps and bruises too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZFcJD-CuWj33eEo1s9AKK8-NH82b4qAMBUlZe1FzA8F3M064bpEFty05PLCNl4bYohH24aC9PDf-sj84Ls__nOFflaK-oYCxJjbZbvVLiqBBxUft-zj5MCUdrSBJxNbDuwA8COkv2vC/s1600/img17m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZFcJD-CuWj33eEo1s9AKK8-NH82b4qAMBUlZe1FzA8F3M064bpEFty05PLCNl4bYohH24aC9PDf-sj84Ls__nOFflaK-oYCxJjbZbvVLiqBBxUft-zj5MCUdrSBJxNbDuwA8COkv2vC/s200/img17m.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/girls-cold-packs/?pkey=e%7Ccold%2Bpack%7C3%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C3&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Available at PBK</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>4. Retro Barrette Craft--from <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/weave-a-barrette-825018/">Disney Family Fun</a></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvQRRbb564Vzp0Drwl_SFENh7InVynL9Y2upBsYGNyYzutlkK5dEQXsJBnet5uZRQ3otWbHd4CEcv3FC6qDFN77JrlRMuxJZ2Uknacu-cqlIJiGdsVyDJk0R6MsunMHXApNWYj4xitOlB/s1600/IMG_8675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvQRRbb564Vzp0Drwl_SFENh7InVynL9Y2upBsYGNyYzutlkK5dEQXsJBnet5uZRQ3otWbHd4CEcv3FC6qDFN77JrlRMuxJZ2Uknacu-cqlIJiGdsVyDJk0R6MsunMHXApNWYj4xitOlB/s200/IMG_8675.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love re-living my childhood in hair!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Remember these fabulous braided barrettes? Since Lily has to wear a uniform everyday--the hair is where we have fun. This craft is super easy (and cheap--a 6 pack of barrettes was $3 and ribbon was 50-cent a spool at JoAnn fabric). We've already made a bunch in a rainbow of colors.<br />
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<a href="http://mysigg.com/store/collections/kids/sigg-hello-kitty-rainbow.html"><b>5. Little Kids Sigg Water Bottle</b></a><br />
We are Sigg fans in our house and love the Little Kids Water bottle (we have Paddington Bear on ours). These water bottles never leak, ever. And they last forever--without getting grimy. You can find Siggs at Whole Foods or online for about $17.99 (or less).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaEtx_TdDHBdZ-aTgmfqJzIHDXesS5OdFZq6w6BS5eKpkSYZL2oVlArcMQepgT15AbMJ__Rrfu8cSh4Bll8dOS1-ORqVMYbwLeWiDT7Kzm2fz5NC67Pb46htMO8J45rwOkdS8gngdt4eN/s1600/8238_30_hello_kitty_rainbow_RGB_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaEtx_TdDHBdZ-aTgmfqJzIHDXesS5OdFZq6w6BS5eKpkSYZL2oVlArcMQepgT15AbMJ__Rrfu8cSh4Bll8dOS1-ORqVMYbwLeWiDT7Kzm2fz5NC67Pb46htMO8J45rwOkdS8gngdt4eN/s1600/8238_30_hello_kitty_rainbow_RGB_3.jpg" /></a></div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-40833371259339303152011-08-09T11:33:00.000-04:002011-08-09T11:33:58.177-04:00Jersey No-Cook Pasta SauceAll summer long, I've been covering the Blackwood Farmer's Market for the <a href="http://gloucestertownship.patch.com/search?keywords=Farmers+Market+Trish+Adkins">Gloucester Township Patch</a>. It has been pretty much a dream, combining two of my favorite things: food and writing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-akl11f0bkoFpoub6x_yH_LjOsDdqpPG3pOqBE6DK9WkKtA397zhQo09hKH9CSmviFFMv0LMplqAVzZMNwk6NO-F0xUVKrb2y_HjwwrgX76tPzm1H8xo0KbpFQR63ugDr-DF4eeKMCXJY/s1600/tomato.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-akl11f0bkoFpoub6x_yH_LjOsDdqpPG3pOqBE6DK9WkKtA397zhQo09hKH9CSmviFFMv0LMplqAVzZMNwk6NO-F0xUVKrb2y_HjwwrgX76tPzm1H8xo0KbpFQR63ugDr-DF4eeKMCXJY/s320/tomato.JPG" width="240" /></a>One of my favorite things is finding out everyone's favorite recipes. One of the weekly vendors, Dave Monteleon Farms, is always bursting with tomatoes, fairy tale eggplant, beets, corn, peppers, peaches, basil and everything under the Jersey Summer Sun. Doris Monteleon shared her favorite summer pasta recipe.<br />
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The recipe uses Juliet tomatoes, which sort of look like mini-plum tomatoes. You can truly use any tomato you like--I used Juliets plus a few tomatoes from our own backyard garden. To my recipe, I tossed in a few cloves of fresh garlic (Doris did not include this ingredient in her original recipe).<br />
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This sauce is bursting with garden goodness--you can taste the sunshine and the rain in every bite. It sort of makes you believe that miracles do happen--after all those tomatoes just started with a tiny seed in a green house way back in the dark days of winter.<br />
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The leftovers (if you have any) are great cold. I am eating some right now. ( :<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2J-AJua92fSlIm86EpTzmrLKviX56U11fw-XPG1tO4AT5B_e-unphd0EdtWzF4X3I06NYjcH1BMHoECUWRajpXiB7mQUxaKVqh_qVRcMNFUy_hZHdrDw4UvO-rb_BpuNf4J5Vr8VVtB8/s1600/tomatosauce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2J-AJua92fSlIm86EpTzmrLKviX56U11fw-XPG1tO4AT5B_e-unphd0EdtWzF4X3I06NYjcH1BMHoECUWRajpXiB7mQUxaKVqh_qVRcMNFUy_hZHdrDw4UvO-rb_BpuNf4J5Vr8VVtB8/s320/tomatosauce.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>The goodies:</b><br />
1 pint Juliet tomatoes, plus 2 or 3 medium tomatoes<br />
3 cloves garlic<br />
handful of fresh basil<br />
3 T. olive oil<br />
salt/pepper<br />
1 pound curly pasta noodle, such rigatoni or cellentani<br />
1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced <br />
<br />
<b> The work:</b><br />
1. Quarter the smaller Juliet tomatoes and coarsely chop the larger tomatoes. Place in a large bowl.<br />
2. Grate or mince garlic. Coarsely chop fresh basil. Combine garlic, basil, tomatoes, olive and salt/pepper.<br />
3. While the tomatoes mixture is sitting, cook pasta according to package instructions.<br />
4. Drain cooked pasta. Add mozzarella to tomato mixture. Top the pasta with the cheese/tomato mixture. The cheese melts, the tomatoes release a little juice and the basil sings.<br />
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It is THAT good!<br />
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Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-48397379600206350092011-07-14T15:14:00.001-04:002011-07-14T15:15:15.135-04:00Lily and Chloe's Fabulous Life: Glitter Play Dough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUohih1muWLzk9At1T4P6NUPTuVEJpkpV8fPM9Zx1WZeqyWeicmRFsTI_qZXQW8dmrqpR_s3l6aLsfl801zwb_NEmgPNNyz_IajfyjF9HQZeg_8dYfWGTjRCk674736mHHFdumZmXRbMB/s1600/IMG_7278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUohih1muWLzk9At1T4P6NUPTuVEJpkpV8fPM9Zx1WZeqyWeicmRFsTI_qZXQW8dmrqpR_s3l6aLsfl801zwb_NEmgPNNyz_IajfyjF9HQZeg_8dYfWGTjRCk674736mHHFdumZmXRbMB/s400/IMG_7278.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>When I was a kid, my mom and I tried to make play dough with lackluster results. The end product just was not fun. Or particularly colorful.<br />
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Once (or more likely a dozen times), I attempted homemade play dough with my best girl Jessie Del Mar (we are the original, albeit overlooked, creators of the Hot Pocket, but I digress). I believe our recipe was baby powder and water. (we made it in the bathroom to avoid detection). As you can imagine, the results were just, well, a disaster.<br />
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Lily, Chloe and I have been experimenting with various concoctions for a while. Edible play dough, while intriguing, is just revolting (reminiscent of sweaty peanut butter). Some recipes required exotic ingredients that I had to Google. But the best ones required a little cooking to get that-bought-from-Target level of fabulousness.<br />
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I have no idea where this recipe came from, it was just scribbled on a scrap of paper in my to-do pile. Lily (with Chloe in agreement) insisted we use the "good" gel food coloring from Wilton and of course, glitter was required.<br />
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The dough keeps great in an airtight container and is truly a fab summer activity. We plan to add a couple colors to our stash each week.<br />
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</b><br />
<b>The Dough-stuff:</b><br />
1 cup flour<br />
1 tablespoon vegetable oil<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/2 cup salt<br />
2 teaspoons cream of tartar<br />
Food coloring gel<br />
Glitter <br />
<br />
Mix all ingredients with the exception of the glitter in a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a ball (sounds cryptic, but you will know when it happens). Remove from heat, but dough ball in a large bowl. Add the glitter and knead until smooth and uniform. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadTrish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-14938111259948882272011-07-11T15:09:00.000-04:002011-07-11T15:09:09.420-04:00Cooking with the Kiddos: Kale-tastic Kale Chips<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJ27hnOxoo1Ld5vW-1Ej3L5kXUDSYdvH6LmOq0LZ8SUF5JCSw-hBvwDm94uumIsCiE6_lxLN9AukQRcrzgYupUZv3-dI3mBsTDjx5N0gF1jneGO-QBhrIlzStwxn2SqfUn2mgMt8mJQRO/s1600/kale1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJ27hnOxoo1Ld5vW-1Ej3L5kXUDSYdvH6LmOq0LZ8SUF5JCSw-hBvwDm94uumIsCiE6_lxLN9AukQRcrzgYupUZv3-dI3mBsTDjx5N0gF1jneGO-QBhrIlzStwxn2SqfUn2mgMt8mJQRO/s320/kale1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale-tastic Lily.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
The first time I made kale chips the results were interesting. . .<br />
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And relatively disgusting. Some chips were crisp, others were mushy, some were burnt and then the rubbery kale, well, that is just gross. <br />
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But, I really wanted to like kale chips, so we experimented. And it really is easy, but took a little finessing.<br />
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Lily loves these chips (and she eats nothing). Chloe, not so much. But both girls had fun helping. And it was nice to have them by my side.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkmFKK-QOaEfaQKl_hJJxMqfu5zZjyu7Dy-jE_LlJoE7jApi3scX4RS2r31FtK62VYME6uUJ4ZQNXMIsyWtgfXmhkrWGW_n4IPMApkU2qLfgqNdit6WHCbXrn0M0da_wIpolRU-5UrT64/s1600/kale2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkmFKK-QOaEfaQKl_hJJxMqfu5zZjyu7Dy-jE_LlJoE7jApi3scX4RS2r31FtK62VYME6uUJ4ZQNXMIsyWtgfXmhkrWGW_n4IPMApkU2qLfgqNdit6WHCbXrn0M0da_wIpolRU-5UrT64/s320/kale2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale before.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 bunch kale<br />
Olive oil<br />
Balsamic vinegar<br />
Kosher salt<br />
<br />
<b>Steps:</b><br />
1. Wash and dry kale (super critical, the kale should be totally dry before baking)<br />
<br />
2. Preheat oven to 300F.<br />
<br />
3. Cut the kale. Remove tough stems, cutting away the leafy parts. The tough stems get enou tougher and are completely yucky when baked. So, save the stems to make vegetable broth.<br />
<br />
4. Cut all leafy parts into uniformly sized pieces. (ensures even cooking!)<br />
<br />
5. Toss the leafy pieces in a large bowl with olive oil. I eyeballed it--every bunch of kale will vary in size, slightly. The idea is to coat each piece of kale with olive oil. Start with a tablespoon and add more as needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbwk3VOiu9apBvAkCtWtpErqn-LAvexiqVPgwRmB26NkMpEZOf96COiHPGDO-cm1k79hGRp-lYp8wT6MuNGgp7YvTcpuPsX2qo5oL6_UtCCwSMJm7hZiJY7j2e1BAx3-wdCvUby5xkJBn/s1600/kale3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbwk3VOiu9apBvAkCtWtpErqn-LAvexiqVPgwRmB26NkMpEZOf96COiHPGDO-cm1k79hGRp-lYp8wT6MuNGgp7YvTcpuPsX2qo5oL6_UtCCwSMJm7hZiJY7j2e1BAx3-wdCvUby5xkJBn/s320/kale3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect crispy kale. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>6. Now add in balsamic vinegar. I used about 1 tablespoon and tossed it with the olive oil coated kale.<br />
<br />
7. Line a baking sheet with either a sil-pat mat or parchment paper. Evenly distribute kale on cookie sheet.<br />
<br />
8. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, until Kale changes from bright green to a deep olive color. Kale should be crisp to the point of breaking.<br />
<br />
9. Remove from oven and salt to your liking.<br />
<br />
10. Storage: if you have kale leftover, let it cool completely before storing in an air tight container. If it is stored warm, it will loose its crispness.Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-1989537359230553872011-07-05T19:46:00.000-04:002011-07-05T19:46:44.207-04:00South West Jersey No-Tortilla Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhZLEFXjOTz4fZ5dbsltuUa3tiAYgUe8DaM-ri5_jAy6RWeF_Jr9F9qEgrYEoATsu2l_OEATuk_dkAWOwrXFWnWxpVq8ZDqxVs1tGX5szPdEzC2fAG_zZikqThO_EQMokpFAsaDFXley8/s1600/tortillasoup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhZLEFXjOTz4fZ5dbsltuUa3tiAYgUe8DaM-ri5_jAy6RWeF_Jr9F9qEgrYEoATsu2l_OEATuk_dkAWOwrXFWnWxpVq8ZDqxVs1tGX5szPdEzC2fAG_zZikqThO_EQMokpFAsaDFXley8/s400/tortillasoup.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This soup is heavenly.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My biggest complaint about tortilla soup: often the chicken on top is an after thought. It is either leftovers (I am not really a fan) or rotisserie chicken. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been been dreaming of sweet, juicy, pristine shreds of chicken on top of a spicy, veggie filled soup forever.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And finally, my South West Jersey No-Tortilla Soup. As the name implies, there are no tortillas (although feel free to add). And I used lots of local fresh ingredients--local white onion, a prehistorically gigantic zucchini (courtesy of Miranda), fresh Jersey corn, backyard garden cilantro, a Duffield's jalapeno, local honey from <a href="http://gloucestertownship.patch.com/articles/a-family-that-yogas-together-stays-together">High Trail Honey</a> and Jersey Fresh canned crushed tomatoes (a pantry staple around here). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The poached chicken is juicy and tender. Use leftovers (i can dig these leftovers) the next day for chicken salad or a wrap. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It all comes together in under an hour (I swear, and in my hour, I had a dog and a 5 year old, helping).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And not to get too Next Food Network Star, but MGD Lemonade is the perfect beer pairing for this unconventional summer soup.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>For the soup:</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>Honey and Lime Poached Chicken, shredded, broth reserved(recipe below)</li>
<li>2 T. olive oil</li>
<li>2 carrots, chopped</li>
<li>1 white or yellow onion, chopped</li>
<li>3 cloves garlic, chopped</li>
<li>1 jalapeño, diced</li>
<li>1/2 red bell pepper, diced</li>
<li>1 small zucchini, diced</li>
<li>28 oz can crushed tomatoes</li>
<li>5 cups (approx) reserved stock from poached chicken</li>
<li>Salt/pepper </li>
<li>2 ears of grilled corn, cut from cobs (if you don't have it grilled, just use cooked)</li>
<li>Handful of cilantro</li>
<li>1 avocado sliced</li>
<li>zest of one lime</li>
<li>1 green onion, sliced</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Prepare poached chicken. Reserve stock.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Add veggies in layers. First carrots, for about 3 minutes, then onion, garlic and peppers. Last, add zucchini. Cook together until soft, about 7 minutes.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Add tomatoes, stock and salt/pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Stir in corn.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Serve it up: top with avocado, shredded chicken, cilantro, green onion and a little sprinkle of lime zest. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Honey and Lime Poached Chicken</b></div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>4 cups chicken broth</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>3 tsp. dried cilantro (or 3 T. fresh, chopped)</li>
<li>Zest of one lime</li>
<li>Juice of one lime</li>
<li>1 clove garlic, minced</li>
<li>2 T. honey</li>
<li>1 lb thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Whisk all ingredients (except for the chicken breasts) together in a large pot. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Bring to a boil; add chicken.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Reduce heat, poach until chicken is cooked through 4 minutes.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Use tongs to remove chicken. Reserve poaching liquid. Shred chicken.</div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-86912547088548897412011-05-06T17:00:00.001-04:002011-05-06T17:24:13.709-04:00Breakfast Tostada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZPBqXRe9uZflZ_Qfqdfw8IWBdl_PQHueQ55yjFuDfRjK1MtFFD3otlBaITW_Ok1ETv4b_Z7F2aSx9yFObjA9EkD1yk_1UQzb94uZJ4Hx81Hf2WxnDpPYAvuL-CKKjK0neNy2Rjj7Cd-b/s1600/tostada.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZPBqXRe9uZflZ_Qfqdfw8IWBdl_PQHueQ55yjFuDfRjK1MtFFD3otlBaITW_Ok1ETv4b_Z7F2aSx9yFObjA9EkD1yk_1UQzb94uZJ4Hx81Hf2WxnDpPYAvuL-CKKjK0neNy2Rjj7Cd-b/s400/tostada.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Tostada means "toasted" in Spanish. For this breakfast tostada, you toast a flour tortilla with some gooey cheese in a skillet and then top it with eggs, black beans, avocado and other delights.<br />
<br />
This recipe is the perfect solution to a fun breakfast-for-dinner night or a perfect Sunday Brunch. The recipe below makes 4 tostadas. It can easily be halved (or quartered!) or doubled. I sprinkled some chopped red pepper, sweet onion and romaine on the side. If you don't have these in your produce draw--don't fret. Use what you have.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
4 flour tortillas<br />
1 cup of Cheddar-Jack shredded cheese<br />
Non-stick cooking spray <br />
8 eggs<br />
1 T. Olive Oil<br />
salt/pepper<br />
1 cup canned black beans (I love Ortega brand with jalapenos-grab a can in the Mexican aisle)<br />
1/2 cup of diced vegetables--red pepper and onion (or whatever you have)<br />
1/4 cup lettuce shreds (any variety, even spinach!)<br />
Your favorite tomato salsa<br />
1 avocado, halved, peeled, sliced <br />
4 black olives<br />
<br />
<b>The work:</b><br />
1. Heat a medium sized skillet over high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place flour tortilla in skillet, cover and turn heat to low. Give it five minutes or until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas, in between making the eggs.<br />
2. Heat 1 T. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Beat eggs until fluffy and light yellow. Season with salt and pepper. Add to skillet with 1 cup of black beans.<br />
3. Cook eggs (scramble with a spatula as you go) until firm. Remove from heat.<br />
4. Assemble your tostadas: place egg/bean, mixture on top of melted cheese, then add avocado slices, a spoonful of salsa and a black olive. Sprinkle peppers, onions and lettuce on the outside edge of the tostada.Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-6712010637883396482011-05-06T16:49:00.000-04:002011-05-06T16:49:21.633-04:00Room Service French Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Og1AY0O1c8sclahm8OLvj1WInAhJ3Ps0QHHYt7aJOdFXFzo1oo60Yn-Z5PoS13nLzfUOzCOd3FuBXaFDxk4PK4GeZfPfX75ZjoZbJI3fTLPESIuaRI343nG9bXZNW76Zv1Qp-LUf7saI/s1600/fenchtoast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Og1AY0O1c8sclahm8OLvj1WInAhJ3Ps0QHHYt7aJOdFXFzo1oo60Yn-Z5PoS13nLzfUOzCOd3FuBXaFDxk4PK4GeZfPfX75ZjoZbJI3fTLPESIuaRI343nG9bXZNW76Zv1Qp-LUf7saI/s320/fenchtoast.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This french toast recipe is better than Room Service and infused with oranges that will delight your taste buds. The recipe can be made with a fresh baguette or one that is stale, making it a great way to use up fresh bread (and it is way yummier than croutons). It can also be frozen and warmed up on a cookie sheet--making it a make ahead go-to recipe for special occasions or for the everyday.<br />
<br />
Top it with your favorite jam (or whatever you have on hand). Apricot jam is my favorite topper. <br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>The stuff:</b><br />
1 french baguette, sliced to about 1/4”<br />
1 1/2 cups milk<br />
3 eggs, beaten until frothy<br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg<br />
1 orange--the juice, plus zest<br />
Vegetable oil for frying<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in large skillet on medium-high heat</li>
<li>Combine milk, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, orange juice and zest in dish.</li>
<li>Dip the baguette slices in the egg mixture. Allow excess egg to dip off slices.</li>
<li>Fry baguette slices on both sides until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes.</li>
<li>Top with your favorite jam. </li>
</ol>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-71172593178052894772011-04-26T12:50:00.000-04:002011-04-26T12:50:21.063-04:00Grilled Asparagus Soup with Brie Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoa5zIm4YlaW6BH_oGtq1xRmkxnlvdgXuwUCTARHSPcJBhl_BytWdP717WuNoXas7fspSIxvFkSJVAynFIxOwEZXVKPm2oQavtzZ-xaY6F7XUQ45wB83Xtx-VKhpoSUg5FYI7nIObbs-2/s1600/asparagus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoa5zIm4YlaW6BH_oGtq1xRmkxnlvdgXuwUCTARHSPcJBhl_BytWdP717WuNoXas7fspSIxvFkSJVAynFIxOwEZXVKPm2oQavtzZ-xaY6F7XUQ45wB83Xtx-VKhpoSUg5FYI7nIObbs-2/s320/asparagus.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiL1hiWvbuy4MKXUWBcp2P3Ngrof1NKbM042gCkDx1n4HFkhCd1k6hMcCLxHKi8Ws7pUp6FHPdJFqETWOwHf5WBpRQX9HZo1IEVA0gcpP2oqHTEQfnqUjPIZ3xhF_nBXnNOlCoBP5fZOCh/s1600/asparagus+soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiL1hiWvbuy4MKXUWBcp2P3Ngrof1NKbM042gCkDx1n4HFkhCd1k6hMcCLxHKi8Ws7pUp6FHPdJFqETWOwHf5WBpRQX9HZo1IEVA0gcpP2oqHTEQfnqUjPIZ3xhF_nBXnNOlCoBP5fZOCh/s320/asparagus+soup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Asparagus is my favorite vegetable.<br />
<br />
When I was a kid, we never, ever had asparagus on our table. My father grew up next to an asparagus farmer during the Great Depression (my Dad is nearly 91). According to my Pop, he had asparagus for breakfast, lunch and dinner all Spring long--and well, he hasn't had a spear in 60 years.<br />
<br />
I, on the other hand, love Asparagus--on its own in, in a salad and of course, in soup! Jersey asparagus is in-season now. I found some at Duffields last week. It is so great grilled--and you can grill one enormous batch and use it in recipes all week long. Eat on the side, pop it on a pizza and use some to make this yummy Spring soup, perfect for rainy days.<br />
<br />
I started with a <a href="http://nanasfablife.blogspot.com/2010/09/broth-making-homemade-vegetable-broth.html">homemade veggie broth base</a>--this time around it included leek tops, asparagus bottoms, leftover sliced tomatoes, red onion garlic, parsley stems, salt pepper, bay leaves zucchini ends and other odds and ends from my produce drawer. You can use any store bought veggie broth or even chicken broth. I would just stay away from any broth that is tomato based--I think it messes with the natural asparagus flavor. <br />
<br />
<b>The stuff:</b><br />
2 leeks, just the light green and white parts, quartered and sliced thin<br />
1 shallot diced<br />
2 cloves garlic diced<br />
3 T. butter<br />
1 T. olive<br />
1-2 lbs of grilled asparagus, tips cut off and reserved. Stems, diced.<br />
6 cups broth of your choice<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>For the brie toast:</b><br />
Six 1/2 slices from a fresh baguette<br />
Six 1/4 inch slices of brie<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Get to work:</b><br />
<br />
1. Butter 3 T butter into 1 T olive oil<br />
2. Add shallot and garlic, cook until soft over medium heat, about 5 minutes.<br />
3. Add bottoms from grilled asparagus. Cook 1 minute, until warmed through<br />
4. Add broth. Bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes.<br />
5. While soup is simmering, preheat your broiler.<br />
6. Place baguette, with one piece of brie on each slice under broiler. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until cheese melts and edges of bread are browned. <br />
7. Season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in heavy cream.<br />
6. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.<br />
8. Stir in reserved asparagus tips.<br />
9. Serve immediately with brie toast on top. Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-51095881174637170892011-02-06T14:21:00.001-05:002011-02-06T14:21:41.671-05:00Only here for the food: Asian Inspired Super Bowl Menu <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/02/06/2186.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/02/06/s_2186.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />I am not so much an NFL fan--in fact, I did not even know which teams were in the Super Bowl until church this morning and Reverend Bill's children's message.<br /><br />However, I love mini food--appetizers, sliders, small bites of this and that--it is all novel and absolutely delicious. And I love any opportunity to cook and eat mini bites.<br /><br />Lily helped me with this last minute Super Bowl Sunday menu. We don't have big plans; just the four of us hanging out. I expect oodles of leftovers--perfect for mid week snacking and delicious left overs. The Asian inspiration just sort of happened and I love the idea of having a theme--Lily says it makes it fancy!<br /><br />Click on the links for the recipes!<br /><br /><b><ins>Our Menu</ins></b><br /><br /><b>Honey Mustard Chicken Wings and Drumsticks</b><br /><i>I love Rachael Ray's recipe--it is slightly sweet and slightly spicy. Plus it way healthier than the traditional hot wings. Instead of serving with celery and carrot sticks, slice up some cucumber. The recipe is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/honey-mustard-chicken-wings/print/">here</a></i>.<br /><br /><b>Lily's Mango Salsa</b><br /><i>Lily and I learned this easy and kid friendly version of mango salsa at a Wegman's cooking class. It is so simple, chop the following: 1 mango, 1/2 red pepper, 1 shallot and a couple leaves of fresh mint. Mix together with 2 tablespoons of apricot jam and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Serve with multigrain chips. </i><br /><br /><b>Mini Salmon Burgers</b><br /><i>I adore a good burger. Try this recipe for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tasting-napa/soy-glazed-salmon-burgers-with-ginger-lime-aiolisutter-home-build-a-better-burger-contest-winner-recipe/index.html">soy glazed salmon burgers</a> and make the patties mini. Serve on buns or go naked (I vote go naked leaves more room for other stuff.)</i> <br /><br /><b>Black Bean Wontons with Green Salsa</b><br /><i>Black Bean Wontons rock and they freeze great! Snag a pack of wonton wrappers, 1 cup of prepared black beans (homemade or from a can), and some feta. Mash up the beans. Then, put 1 teaspoon of black beans and a sprinkle of feta in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Follow the directions on the wonton package to fold. Then fry or bake until golden. Serve with either jarred green salsa or my favorite Green Salsa from the fabulous <a target="_blank" href="http://beekman1802.com/food-and-wine/tomatillo-salsa-verde.html">Beekman Boys</a> </i>.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-84619278181435808232011-01-18T14:07:00.001-05:002011-01-18T14:07:04.449-05:00My Nana was not Italian Wedding Soup<br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/18/1681.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/18/s_1681.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />My Nana was Danish. And despite living in South Jersey for at least 40 years, did not really cook Italian. I honestly cannot remember one lasagna or one spaghetti and meatball meal at her table. And her recipe boxes, while filled with food from around the world, make no mention of anything remotely close to marinara. <br /><br />However, I grew up completely fascinated by all things Italian. My father would share stories of his travels to Venice and Sicily during World War II. I would gaze endlessly at photos of Roman architecture, planning someday to write or build or create something Roman. Once a week we had spaghetti and meatballs--homemade slow cooked red sauce with homemade meatballs. And Mike and I honeymooned in Rome, savoring the food, the wine, the architecture, the churches and the leather. I love Italian!<br /><br />Italian Wedding Soup is a classic and so many of my friends, whose Nana's were actually Italian, shared their tips and tricks for this recipe. My recipe is like a wedding of all that heritage and knowledge and culinary genius.<br /><br />Some notes: I had a big bag of baby spinach, so I used it in place of escarole. I also used orzo, but as Mike's Aunt Lydia suggested, those tiny little ball pastas, Acici de Pepe, would be excellent in place of the orzo. One old school addition is to drop a couple eggs beaten with Parmesan cheese into the hot soup and stir with a spoon until thin strands appear. I did not do this for my recipe, but think I will try the next go around.<br /><br />The stuff:<br />Olive oil<br />3 large carrots, chopped<br />3 cloves garlic, chopped<br />1 small onion, chopped<br />8 cups chicken stock<br />2 cups orzo, cooked as per package<br />4 cups baby spinach<br /><br />For the meatballs:<br />1 lb ground beef<br />2 large eggs, lightly beaten<br />1 clove of garlic, grated<br />1/2 Italian seasoned bread crumbs<br />1/2 grated locatelli or parmesan cheese<br />Salt and pepper<br />2 T. Olive oil<br /><br />Grated locatelli or Parmesan cheese for serving<br /><br />1. In a large soup pot, heat about 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, garlic and onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened and garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes.<br /><br />2. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.<br /><br />3. Meanwhile, make meatballs. Combine beef, eggs, garlic, breadcrumbs and cheese in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Form mixture into small meatballs (1/4 - 1/2 inch in diameter). <br /><br />4. In a large frying pan, over medium heat, warm 2 T. of olive oil. Gently add meatballs to frying pan and brown on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove meatballs from frying pan to simmering broth. <br /><br />5. Heat meatballs in broth until cooked through about 10-15 minutes.<br /><br />6. Stir in orzo and baby spinach. Stirring to wilt spinach. Top with a sprinkle of locatelli cheese.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-41261679670913048282011-01-16T22:59:00.001-05:002011-01-16T22:59:42.276-05:00Sunday Dinner: Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots<br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/16/3663.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/16/s_3663.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />The first time I made a whole roast chicken, it was a massive disaster. First, I think my chicken may have been partially frozen. Second, I was following some complicated French recipe that appeared to be written in Franglais--a hybrid of French and English that was impossible to decipher. And finally, I was in a rush and charred the outside beyond recognition. The result: a charred, raw, inedible bird. I still feel bad for the chicken gave who gave his life for that complete catastrophe.<br /><br />However, the kitchen is a forgiving place and luckily, my oven easily forgets. After much obsessing and planning, I finally made this juicy, savory, lemony roast chicken which may be worthy of place on a French country table. The recipe is simple, but does have oodles of steps--which is why this is a meal ideally prepared on a Sunday. <br /><br />On the side roasted potatoes infused with lemon and carrots, plus a yummy green salad with pan fried croutons and dijon vinaigrette. Grab a bottle of French wine and you will send all you will send all your dinner guests swooning.<br /><br />Dedicate some time to this recipe and savor a nice, slow meal with all your favorite people next Sunday!<br /><br /><b>The Stuff</b><br />One 4-4 1/2 lb chicken, giblets removed<br />4 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks<br />1 whole lemon<br />6 cloves garlic, peeled<br />Zest of one lemon<br />2 T. Unsalted butter, softened<br />1 T. dried Rosemary; plus 1 T. <br />1 T. Honey; plus 2 T.<br />Salt/pepper<br />1 t. dried thyme<br />1 cup baby carrots<br /><br /><b>The Work</b><br />1. Preheat oven to 375<br />2. Salt and pepper inside and outside of chicken. Let rest at room temperature.<br />3. Boil 8 cups of water in a large pot. Add potatoes, whole lemon and whole garlic cloves. Boil for ten minutes.<br />4. While potatoes are cooking, prepare an herb butter. Mix butter, lemon zest, 1 T. Rosemary and 1 t. Honey.<br />5. Rub herb butter underneath chicken skin, loosening as you go.<br />6. Drain potatoes. Remove lemon and garlic. (set potatoes aside) Poke holes in lemon with a fork and stuff inside chicken cavity, along with garlic, 1 T. Rosemary and 1 t. thyme.<br />7. Cover outside of chicken with remaining 2 T. of honey.<br />8. Place chicken and 1 cup baby carrots in a roasting pan. Cook 45 minutes.<br />9. After 45 minutes, add potatoes to the roasting pan and spoon juices over top. Roast an additional 45 minutes or until potatoes are golden and chicken is cooked through.<br />10. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. <br /><br />Serve with a simple greens salad and pan fried croutons. (recipe coming soon!)<br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-28732434364546920472011-01-12T23:13:00.001-05:002011-01-12T23:13:04.086-05:00Grocery Store Tourism: Houston<br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/12/3321.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/12/s_3321.jpg' border='0' width='211' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />While to some, grocery shopping while on vacation may seem completely contradictory to the very concept of vacation, for me it a much anticipated piece of my itinerary. I've brought pasta from Italy, spices from Greece, deli meat from New York, deep dish pizza from Chicago and tortillas from Texas. I love foraging the spice aisles for items I've never seen and perusing the bakery to see what fresh breads I can grab.<br /><br />There is no better way to get to know the locals than to check out what they eat at home. From local wines to fresh bread, prepared specialities and local, super fresh produce, the local grocery store and farmers market are both prime tourist spots for the aspiring ecotourism interested in getting to know everything through the eyes of those who live there.<br /><br />One of my favorite grocery destinations is Houston. We lived there for a summer when Lily was a proton radiation patient at MD Anderson. My mother in law, Olga, was the perfect tour guide, introducing me to all the many amazing Tex- Mex delights. There are barbecue sauces and rubs, a plethora of hot sauces, a multitude of Mexican seasonings and my favorite: fresh made <a target="_blank" href="www.heb.com">HEB</a> tortillas. <br /><br />HEB, which stands for "Here Everthing's Better," is a stellar combination of Whole Foods and for those of you blessed to be in the north east, Wegmans. There are amazing prepared foods, beautiful, local produce, great meal ideas and of course, my beloved Tortillas. For a little over $3, you can snag a 20- pack of warm, tender, flakily melt in your mouth tortillas. Olga also have a stack waiting for me-- and I can eat these beauties straight out of the bag. And I always bring back a supply, to keep me remembering all that delicious Texas food.<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-18938624209446224732010-12-27T15:14:00.001-05:002010-12-27T16:57:35.076-05:00Snowed-in: Macaroni and Cheese <br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/27/2757.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/27/s_2757.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /> I absolutely adore a good <a target="_blank" href="http://2yoke.blogspot.com/2010/02/snow.html">snowstorm.</a> Snowstorms are the perfect opportunity to pause and be home. <br />Unfortunately, the latest snowstorm hit as we were about to depart for a week in Texas; stranding us at home with relatively empty cupboards.<br />Okay, so there is always something to toss together or grab from the freezer in my house--but, another fab thing about snowstorms is the opportunity to cook something comforting and hearty.<br /><br />I gathered the ingredients for this creamy, italian-esque macaroni and cheese from my pantry and some odds and ends in the refrigerator. Perfect for a snowy day or any day when you want to pretend to be snowed in and hide out at home.<br /><br /><b>The Goods</b><br /><br />1 lb of penne (or whatever pasta shape you've got)<br />1 can cream of mushroom soup<br />1 1/2 canfuls of water<br />2 cups mozzarella cheese shreds<br />1 cup cheddar cheese shreds<br />1 tablespoon dried garlic seasoning (I used Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic)<br />Non-stick cooking spray<br />Italian seasoned breadcrumbs<br /><br />For the topping:<br />1 cup chopped grape tomatoes OR small can of chopped tomatoes, drained<br />4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (I always have a basil plant on my kitchen windowsill--it is a life saver!)<br />2 tablespoons red wine vinegar<br />3 tablespoons olive oil<br />Salt/pepper<br /><br />Grated locatelli or parmesan cheese<br /><br /><b>The Work</b><br /><br />Preheat oven to 350F<br /><br />Boil water and prepare pasta according to package instructions. While pasta is cooking make cheese sauce by mixing mushroom soup, water (use the can to measure water), cheese and garlic in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until cheese melts.<br /><br />Spray a 9x12 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Drain and add cooked pasta. Pour in cheese sauce and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a thin dusting of breadcrumbs. Then, spray the top with cooking spray.<br /><br />Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.<br /><br />While it is baking, prepare the topping. Mix tomatoes, garlic, basil, vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Top finished macaroni and cheese with tomato mixture and a heaping spoonful of locatelli cheese.<br /><br /><br />Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-2168632612293211152010-12-27T13:48:00.000-05:002010-12-27T13:48:16.806-05:00Nana's Back!Nana is back after a holiday hiatus! Stay tuned for a fab 2011--big things are planned including new guest bloggers, vegetable garden planning, amazing recipes, the return of quiche-tactic Monday and much, much more.<br />
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Wishing you all a fabulous 2011!Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-20449751609441560492010-11-23T13:23:00.000-05:002010-11-23T13:23:34.472-05:00Uncle Allan and Aunt Ginny's Mushroom Pie<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu045aM0FweC_agDzaD5u6BlZ1MJ3sZp1zustTvWjjeehBpTEfRdn-P4gArQ-_oe5HRjcAGE-R9FEWI64YVAbH5TPEK6LrEMlKV1IYNzw7ecTBzfHTdKyGNCdPGI-Fvqr9Bcyc4WVfjLCD/s1600/tik6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu045aM0FweC_agDzaD5u6BlZ1MJ3sZp1zustTvWjjeehBpTEfRdn-P4gArQ-_oe5HRjcAGE-R9FEWI64YVAbH5TPEK6LrEMlKV1IYNzw7ecTBzfHTdKyGNCdPGI-Fvqr9Bcyc4WVfjLCD/s320/tik6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Ginny, Uncle Alan, Nana and Granddad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I love mushrooms and often, I wonder if this love is somehow genetic, as most of my family shares my love affair. In the Fall, I find mushrooms to be so seasonal--the rustic, forest-y flavors are a perfect compliment to hearty dishes like stews and roasts.<br />
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My Uncle Allan and Aunt Ginny make this mushroom pie every Thanksgiving and apparently, my Nana (mother to Uncle Allan) loved it and had seconds! I will be bringing this to the Thanksgiving feast at my Mom's house this year.<br />
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Uncle Allan says he typically makes it the day before and then warms it up after the Turkey is finished and resting. It is a great dish to make for your own feast or to bring along to a potluck.<br />
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<div style="font: 18.0px Brush Script MT; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mushroom Pie</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Makes eight servings</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Filling:</span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 cups chopped onions</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 t. dried thyme leaves</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 t. salt</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup light cream cheese</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Crust:</span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 1/4 cup all purpose flour (reserve 1 tablespoon to roll crust</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 t. salt</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 t. baking powder</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup margarine</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup nonfat sour cream</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 T. low fat milk</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preheat</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> oven to 400ºF. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To prepare filling</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: Spray large non stick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, 4-5 min</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> until tender. Stir in mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, 2 min</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with thyme and salt, cook, stirring frequently, 4-5 min</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> until mixture is tender. Add cream cheese; stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To prepare crust</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; blend. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add sour cream, stir until mixture forms a soft dough.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sprinkle clean work surface</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> with reserved 1T of flour; roll </span><span style="font: 9.0px Century Schoolbook;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2/3</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> of dough into a 12” circle. Fit dough into a 9” pie plate. Transfer filling to crust-lined pie plate.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Roll remaining dough</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> into a 10”x7” rectangle about ¼” thick. Cut into 10”x1” strips. Weave into lattice over filling; pinch edges of crust and lattice together; flute rim. Brush lattice topping and crust rim evenly with milk; bake 30-40 min</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> until crust is golden brown. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Century Schoolbook; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let stand 10 minutes</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> before cutting.</span></div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-26118079884193855862010-11-23T11:32:00.000-05:002010-11-23T11:32:12.953-05:00Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Dill<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_pfMfJlqKX4aQnBz1rGdFt2gTsd5hlZ1foCQHjmPI7jYryYid6SvRFj5hCxgXDfkpF8MZ0FvrRD0y4NlVtMCY2zAHjueE0-XmAW18cz1zy2JIQPEvdD48WMBCh-U5onzWqdeYC0yA8Tc/s1600/Me_and_Oscar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_pfMfJlqKX4aQnBz1rGdFt2gTsd5hlZ1foCQHjmPI7jYryYid6SvRFj5hCxgXDfkpF8MZ0FvrRD0y4NlVtMCY2zAHjueE0-XmAW18cz1zy2JIQPEvdD48WMBCh-U5onzWqdeYC0yA8Tc/s320/Me_and_Oscar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristine, with Oscar, my nephew and muse. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">This recipe is from my dear and crazy friend Kristine. We used to work together at CBRE in the marketing department. I think we ate lunch together every day for at least a year--enjoying all the fantastic food that Center City has to offer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">I love this side--especially the beautiful Fall colors of the carrots and parsnips. Pop these in the oven about 15 minutes before your Turkey is finished. The dish will cook while your turkey rests and waits for carving!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>The good:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 pounds carrots, unpeeled</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">4 pounds parsnips, peeled</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">6 Tbsps. good olive oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 Tbsps. Melted butter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 Tbsps. kosher salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 tsps. freshly ground black pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">4 Tbsps. minced fresh dill (you can use more or less, depending upon your love of dill)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Directions:</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If the parsnips and carrots are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each diagonally in 1-inch-thick slices. The vegetables will shrink while cooking, so don't make the pieces too small. Place the cut vegetables on a roasting pan. Add the olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper and toss well. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the largest piece is fork-tender, tossing occasionally. Sprinkle with dill and serve hot. (yields 8 servings)</span></div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-45641652700841525122010-11-23T11:08:00.000-05:002010-11-23T11:08:46.514-05:00Nana's Fabulous Stuffing<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaE0YS9lexsfM8ENpvkVVzCh7KUVsGoOXyS-ZFotmVp7Bg5o86UE2nhRXROQKg2tOPzKjIlVLYYkV1jayo6ufp2rrGjuIHxfSX6J3hJ25lbD-BuSer4CIQO3eab85ZwbGfScT-Mi8g0fH/s1600/tuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaE0YS9lexsfM8ENpvkVVzCh7KUVsGoOXyS-ZFotmVp7Bg5o86UE2nhRXROQKg2tOPzKjIlVLYYkV1jayo6ufp2rrGjuIHxfSX6J3hJ25lbD-BuSer4CIQO3eab85ZwbGfScT-Mi8g0fH/s320/tuk.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original recipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
My Aunt Ginny reminded me that I come from a heritage of Thanksgiving stuffing. While I still believe there is absolutely no shame in Stove Top (or canned cranberry sauce or pre-made gourmet side dishes); my heart yearns to make homemade, moist and carb-tastic stuffing. The best part of this recipe is that is so easy and with a little dramatic flair, you can make it spectacular!<br />
<br />
Every year I make this recipe--straight from my Nana's recipe box. There are four different variations that I have made:<br />
1. The recipe, straight up<br />
2. The recipe plus mushrooms to make: Wild Mushroom Stuffing<br />
3. The recipe plus sausage to make: Sweet and Savory Sausage Stuffing<br />
4. The recipe plus bacon and oysters to make: Oyster Stuffing<br />
<br />
Pick your favorite or come up with another addition--it is so yummy, you might just make it year round!<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Nana's Fabulous Stuffing-the straight up version</span></b><br />
1/2 lb of butter (Nana's says or margarine, but I feel margarine is criminal)<br />
1/2 cup minced onion<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc_9TDaZ4t5024t5cBPOtJ3rRdSNfdGRtkowE_2xKUM8r2ItE_Sr1Fecq8rF0D1YKQ5BQoIo4DytyBcpKLxYJwPmt9nYQCOlTmjIBn6gdX9058YZjlVPq2rOjaOVFidvXV_LCoG6qGmch/s1600/tuk9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc_9TDaZ4t5024t5cBPOtJ3rRdSNfdGRtkowE_2xKUM8r2ItE_Sr1Fecq8rF0D1YKQ5BQoIo4DytyBcpKLxYJwPmt9nYQCOlTmjIBn6gdX9058YZjlVPq2rOjaOVFidvXV_LCoG6qGmch/s320/tuk9.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my Nana, November 1977</td></tr>
</tbody></table>12 cups cubes of bread (you have two options: grab a loaf of italian bread and cut it up the night before. or buy a bag of bread cubes in the stuffing aisle)<br />
1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp poultry seasoning<br />
1 cup celery diced<br />
4-6 Tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley<br />
1/2 tsp black pepper<br />
1 cup of milk (my favorite) or stock-turkey/chicken<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
Melt butter. Add onion & simmer until it is partly cooked. Add chopped celery and cook until nearly tender. Add salt, pepper, parsley and poultry seasoning. Blend well and add bread cubes.<br />
Beat egg into milk or stock. Add egg/liquid mixture to stuffing. Stuff your turkey and/or spread into a buttered casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes (covered) and an additional 30 minutes uncovered, until heated through.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Variations</span></b><br />
<b><i>For Wild Mushroom Stuffing:</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Stir in 2 cups of sliced, mixed mushrooms (white, shitake, oyster, whatever you love) with onions. Follow the rest of the recipe</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><i>For Sweet and Savory Sausage Stuffing: </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Brown 12 oz of bulk sausage. Drain, but reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in pan. Melt butter in drippings and follow recipe. Before adding the egg/liquid mixture, stir in browned sausage. Bake as directed. </span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br />
</span><br />
<b><i>For Oyster Stuffing: </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Brown 1/2 pound of chopped bacon. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in pan. Melt butter in drippings and follow recipe. Before adding the egg/liquid mixture, stir in 1/2 cup chopped oysters. Bake as directed. </span></b>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-27259846881564142742010-11-18T12:16:00.001-05:002010-11-23T11:21:00.695-05:00Jessie's Fab Rum + Pecan Sweet Potatoes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, this is so yummy! Try this great pecan-topped sweet potato casserole from my friend Jessie. I've known Jessie for 25 years--since Kindergarten. She is a fabulous cook and comes from a cooking family. Enjoy this delicious rum and pecan sweet potato casserole--a very grown up version of the marshmallow topped sweet potato concoction. </span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think this would be great with either clear rum or a yummy spiced rum like Captain Morgan's. </span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6Uw9sHDE2IPELp95bWvoWMBi6ardYYoJrIKY-Y2TGHNHPEgrsYlktpURvP1ruijYuXtlKHnbzwq-y5fE0T0DDnrfcnDPQY9JSwRkiVO8xVdx0Ak02jL4gDVO57qARIj2oP5Ia2AKMO46/s1600/Thanksgiving2005_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6Uw9sHDE2IPELp95bWvoWMBi6ardYYoJrIKY-Y2TGHNHPEgrsYlktpURvP1ruijYuXtlKHnbzwq-y5fE0T0DDnrfcnDPQY9JSwRkiVO8xVdx0Ak02jL4gDVO57qARIj2oP5Ia2AKMO46/s320/Thanksgiving2005_11.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessie's Mamie cooking for Thanksgiving</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rum + Pecan Sweet Potatoes</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
4 large sweet potatoes (to equal 3 cups when mashed)<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup butter (room temperature/softened, if needed, so it will blend well)<br />
1/2 tsp lemon juice<br />
1/4 cup rum<br />
1/4 cup raisins<br />
1/2 tsp ginger<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/3 cup milk<br />
1/4 tsp allspice<br />
<br />
Cook potatoes until tender. Peel and mash potatoes. Combine with all other ingredients.<br />
Put in buttered-casserole dish (or similar - we use a rectangular glass pan).<br />
<br />
Melt the following ingredients for topping.<br />
First melt 1/3 cup butter,<br />
then add 3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp flour<br />
1 cup chopped pecans<br />
<br />
Pour topping over casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.<br />
<br />
Serves 10 people.<br />
<br />
Allergy notes: Can be made with non-dairy butter + any non-dairy milk (we've used soy, rice, and coconut) + any non-wheat flour. Tastes the same. Same cooking time.</span></span></div></div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-84641498450013798092010-11-18T00:11:00.000-05:002010-11-18T00:11:10.884-05:00Brine it, baste it, behold it: My Favorite Turkey-Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXfo4xjHGMqN1fpH9roI43aSE80aJRKDYFeitv8vGEbXhiUug89oxgHurnTy2-jFmYQ_vrO331VF-PWhJYRklhZtPOpGPgQsaP6QIIvFrIWGiUOQP5vpaU6nzjxhkF2941gYwsvdGNJC_/s1600/thanksgivingturkeycheesecloth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXfo4xjHGMqN1fpH9roI43aSE80aJRKDYFeitv8vGEbXhiUug89oxgHurnTy2-jFmYQ_vrO331VF-PWhJYRklhZtPOpGPgQsaP6QIIvFrIWGiUOQP5vpaU6nzjxhkF2941gYwsvdGNJC_/s320/thanksgivingturkeycheesecloth.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Okay, so if you've <a href="http://nanasfablife.blogspot.com/2010/11/brine-it-baste-it-behold-it-my-favorite.html">brined your Turkey</a>, you are so ready for Part 2. If you choose not to brine, you can still follow this portion of the recipe.<br />
<br />
The morning of Thanksgiving, remove your turkey from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels and let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours. My Mother, the public health nut, always panics when the turkey is sitting out and I have to restrict her access to the kitchen; but trust me, the 2 hours is okay. The turkey skin dries a little, the turkey warms up and it all plays into the fabulous end result.<br />
<br />
With "drying", cooking and post cooking standing time, you will need to allow 6 1/2 hours to get your bird ready to eat.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
Brined Turkey<br />
2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted<br />
1/4 cup of butter, softened<br />
1 cup of white wine, I typically use a pinot grigio<br />
Stuffing--if you stuff your bird OR if you prefer stuffing separate, one onion, halved<br />
Large piece or two of cheesecloth<br />
<br />
1. After your bird warms for 2 hours, preheat your oven to 425F.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoojNvOmLAr4oHjZ4XmPzLhsdaobaT5VGI-SfJOFfVSeamJwDRUBHGF3iF6eumE_7NjhrSTDnN_ckBYMVDi0mrLtv2dietCWTSk5hS-JtrDRc38s49QIi6pNO8WQvoporAmMumze0KPc9T/s1600/thanksgivingfinishedturkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoojNvOmLAr4oHjZ4XmPzLhsdaobaT5VGI-SfJOFfVSeamJwDRUBHGF3iF6eumE_7NjhrSTDnN_ckBYMVDi0mrLtv2dietCWTSk5hS-JtrDRc38s49QIi6pNO8WQvoporAmMumze0KPc9T/s320/thanksgivingfinishedturkey.JPG" width="240" /></a>2. Stir together melted butter and wine in a large bowl. Fold cheesecloth so that it is big enough to cover most of your turkey. Immerse the cheese cloth in butter mixture and soak it for a few minutes.<br />
3. Place the turkey, breast side up on rack set in a roasting pan. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff with your stuffing OR onion. Tie the legs together with twine. Fold neck flap under and then rub the turkey with softened butter. Season the outside with salt and pepper.<br />
4. Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture and wring out. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Reserve butter mixture.<br />
5. Place turkey, legs first in oven. Roast 30 minutes and baste the cheesecloth with reserved wine and butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350F<br />
6. Roast and brushing every 30 minutes for another 2 1/2 hours.<br />
7. Remove cheesecloth and baste with pan juices until a temperature reads 180F, about an hour.<br />
8. Transfer to a plate or cutting board. Let turkey stand at least 30 minutes before carving.Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-90417682622858728792010-11-17T23:53:00.003-05:002010-11-23T11:21:39.000-05:00Brine it, baste it, behold it: My Favorite Turkey-Part 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoojNvOmLAr4oHjZ4XmPzLhsdaobaT5VGI-SfJOFfVSeamJwDRUBHGF3iF6eumE_7NjhrSTDnN_ckBYMVDi0mrLtv2dietCWTSk5hS-JtrDRc38s49QIi6pNO8WQvoporAmMumze0KPc9T/s1600/thanksgivingfinishedturkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoojNvOmLAr4oHjZ4XmPzLhsdaobaT5VGI-SfJOFfVSeamJwDRUBHGF3iF6eumE_7NjhrSTDnN_ckBYMVDi0mrLtv2dietCWTSk5hS-JtrDRc38s49QIi6pNO8WQvoporAmMumze0KPc9T/s320/thanksgivingfinishedturkey.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This my favorite roast Turkey recipe. It has its roots in Martha Stewart (who I think should adopt me) and in my own brand of cooking alchemy. This year will be my sixth year roasting this juicy, golden yummy piece of Thanksgiving heaven.<br />
<br />
The brine has simple ingredients. The turkey is basted in butter and wine as it roasts--it is picture perfect and tastes beautifully as well.<br />
<br />
Plan on ordering a fresh turkey from a local farm in early November. Or picking up your frozen turkey from the grocery store a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Pickings can be slim in the days right before the big day. A good rule of thumb is to provide 1 1/2 -2 pounds of turkey per person. If your turkey is frozen, start defrosting it early and allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.<br />
<br />
Some things you need before you dive in--a brining bag or a super large stock pot that your turkey plus brine can fit in; space in your fridge for stock pot; cheese cloth; a roasting pan with a raised rack; a silicon oven safe brush and a meat thermometer.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Brine it</span></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXVM4mN87IUlmwlT166FVkk1OuSoPd4OPSWC4pTdrK3rSFoAvarktoT5IQciIfF_XEqSjuG_L3OInTtAPiwfbX0aZqR2k5gpjbURqhcwed9R5Os1aDzVzw7lO2HBbENsbZsK7u4rMa5X-/s1600/turkey-brine-wet.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXVM4mN87IUlmwlT166FVkk1OuSoPd4OPSWC4pTdrK3rSFoAvarktoT5IQciIfF_XEqSjuG_L3OInTtAPiwfbX0aZqR2k5gpjbURqhcwed9R5Os1aDzVzw7lO2HBbENsbZsK7u4rMa5X-/s320/turkey-brine-wet.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brine it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Brining results in moist, flavorful meat. It works, apparently, through reverse osmosis and diffusion. I could pretend to fully understand this (this is why Nana needed Granddad and my Uncle Allan--for these techie issues), but I just know it works and the meat is tender, juicy and yummy. <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/howto/ND01_ISBriningbasics.pdf">Cooks Illustrated</a> has a fabulous explanation; just don't get caught up in the fears of non-crispy skin--we will get to that later.<br />
<br />
You will make the brine on Wednesday morning, let it cool, and then put the turkey in the brine and refrigerate until Thanksgiving morning.<br />
<br />
Here's what you need:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Your turkey--I usually get a 15-18 pounder. This recipe will work for more or less weight.; remove the giblets, save if you are into that and keep the tag from the turkey that lists the weight</li>
<li>3 cups coarse salt</li>
<li>5 cups sugar</li>
<li>2 medium onions, skins on, washed and coarsely chopped</li>
<li>2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped</li>
<li>2 celery stalks, leaves on, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>3 bay leaves</li>
<li>Couple sprigs fresh thyme</li>
<li>Handful of fresh parsley</li>
<li>1 tablespoon whole peppercorns</li>
</ul><div>Grab your enormous stock pot and put all ingredients (EXCEPT FOR THE TURKEY) in with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat, let the brine cool completely. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Grab your bird and place the turkey breast first into the stock pot (or toss the whole caboodle in a brining bag) with the brine and cover (use the lid or plastic wrap). Place everything in the fridge for up to 24 hours. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Next up: <a href="http://nanasfablife.blogspot.com/2010/11/brine-it-baste-it-behold-it-my-favorite_18.html">Part 2--Baste it and behold it! </a></div>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-2702445154098819152010-11-17T22:03:00.001-05:002010-11-23T11:21:14.388-05:00Take a Time Out!: Thanksgiving Place Mat<div>So, I love this from the new Blog, <a href="http://takeatimeoutmom.blogspot.com/">Take a Time Out</a>! A great craft if you have a bunch of little one's to keep busy on Thanksgiving. Adorable! </div><div><br />
</div><a href="http://takeatimeoutmom.blogspot.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-place-mat.html?spref=bl">Take a Time Out!: Thanksgiving Place Mat</a>: "Looking for something to occupy an hour or so of your child's time? Here is a great Thanksgiving craft idea that helps show your child all ..."Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-48779730937322863812010-11-17T12:18:00.001-05:002010-11-23T11:19:42.583-05:00Ain't no shame in Stove Top: Eight simple steps to a fabulous Thanksgiving!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V7Wr4GbR1eMJHRoLuii-ngaYXFm1PnrdDcWYZ-hhJvjAmiLXQ7GJffmjZPDrZyiKZEufmS8hi089JvWjGioz-_O4Yq0oZ31jY6PVEhO3aHYNzKP84-JNQcGvBL88aM3SrKB7sjU8kWRc/s1600/thanksgivingchloesleep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V7Wr4GbR1eMJHRoLuii-ngaYXFm1PnrdDcWYZ-hhJvjAmiLXQ7GJffmjZPDrZyiKZEufmS8hi089JvWjGioz-_O4Yq0oZ31jY6PVEhO3aHYNzKP84-JNQcGvBL88aM3SrKB7sjU8kWRc/s320/thanksgivingchloesleep.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chloe's first Thanksgiving in 2009-my little sleeping Turkey. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anyone who knows me that I am both disorganized and highly creative--a toxic, yet super fun mix. Cooking and feasting and celebrating, however, bring out my inner-organizational diva (even if she is wearing mismatched socks). Whether at my house or my parent's home, I cook the Thanksgiving feast every year with the help of anyone who isn't scared of being bossed around and who won't comment on my unique sock choice.<br />
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Try these eight simple steps to a fabulous and organized Thanksgiving and you have plenty of energy for Black Friday shopping!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">1. Brainstorm your menu</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></span></b><br />
Gather a stack of cookbooks, magazines, recipe boxes, entries from your favorite websites and blogs and of course, all the yummy food on Nana's Fabulous Life! Ask yourself--who are your guests? What dietary restrictions am I up against? How many are coming? What foods are must-haves? Make a list. Be sure to include appetizers, beverages, main entrees, sides, bread, dessert and even ideas for using leftovers. Make your list big--later you can pare it down.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">2. Turkey or Tofu?</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCMQf3ZvczEoDcbqeGgFLcAUp6eK7A0qyVll5WyAceJeErP5JmS7RuRc0kMPhXtDJYshUSIYg-OfQb4whpadOEY_GNf3Ulv-8R9TQwRRxljrN9h_fvagQ926A_AIprU32n-T6EnC4nIVX/s1600/thanksgivinglily+chilling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCMQf3ZvczEoDcbqeGgFLcAUp6eK7A0qyVll5WyAceJeErP5JmS7RuRc0kMPhXtDJYshUSIYg-OfQb4whpadOEY_GNf3Ulv-8R9TQwRRxljrN9h_fvagQ926A_AIprU32n-T6EnC4nIVX/s320/thanksgivinglily+chilling.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lily, Thanksgiving 2008, feet up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A big roast turkey is the obvious choice for a main dish--but maybe something else suits your guests or you just don't like or want to prepare an entire turkey or you want some variety or you are a vegetarian. Other fabulous Thanksgiving options include: fried turkey, the scary and fascinating Turducken, ham, tofu turkey, baked ziti, macaroni and cheese, turkey breast, turkey london broil or even something totally different. The options are endless--pick what appeals and serves you--not what is traditional.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">3. Ain't no shame in Stove Top</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Take a critical eye to your list and turn it from brainstorm to menu. Decide what items you will cook, what you will ask guests to bring and what items you will buy pre-cooked or nearly pre-cooked. There are so many great and simple options--like Stove Top. Who cares whether you chopped up the stale bread for stuffing or opened a box and added water--it is good. And don't be afraid to ask guests to bring something for the meal--your Great Aunt's famous sweet potatoes will make the meal a family meal and save you valuable time. </div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">4. Raid your pantry</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now you've made a list. raid your pantry--see what you already have on-hand and can incorporate into a menu. Check your freezer, refrigerator and spice cabinet, you will be surprised at what inspiration and ingredients you already have. As you go, feel free to edit your menu a little--maybe you have a boat load of string beans and can swap out the roasted carrots. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Also check your china cabinet and kitchen for serving platters and the necessary cooking gear. If you are missing something critical--like say, a roasting pan, add it to your shopping list. If you plan to have a formal table setting, check on your cloth napkins, silverware and dishes--make sure you have enough for all your guests. </div><b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnCFEp7yoGFJ1AgMhyOun95o4-68JCwTdgVMefZieuzDTr-EE_KPEh_kjryX-r80G_xQ-zMCalrNkOrqaCjNTq1OJLJKh6VdNnxagv4zrAGzbCkiz5BzcIBBsx_u9jMjHNMNHcHt5SJ8p/s1600/thanksgivingpjs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnCFEp7yoGFJ1AgMhyOun95o4-68JCwTdgVMefZieuzDTr-EE_KPEh_kjryX-r80G_xQ-zMCalrNkOrqaCjNTq1OJLJKh6VdNnxagv4zrAGzbCkiz5BzcIBBsx_u9jMjHNMNHcHt5SJ8p/s320/thanksgivingpjs.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking in my PJS. No socks this year. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">5. Plan your time</span></b><br />
Look at your menu and your shopping list and make a timeline of shopping and preparation. Don't leave everything until Thanksgiving eve or morning or 1 hour before dinner. Work cleaning and catastrophe into your timeline--you need a clean kitchen to function and a cushion for when you accidently light something on fire or the dog steals the turkey, etc.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">6. Prep for leftovers</span></b><br />
I know this sounds overwhelming--but really it saves a load of hassle and Black Friday grocery shopping. When planning your Thanksgiving shopping list, make sure to add plastic food storage containers (great for you and great for guests to take away leftovers) and any special ingredients you may need to make your leftovers work for you. I always make Turkey Clubs for lunch the next day, so I make sure I have bacon, bread, lettuce and tomato. If you plan to make broth from the turkey bones, grab what you need to make the stock and the soup. Think through your leftovers and make it part of the plan.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">7. Let go of your "Darlings"</span></b><br />
My favorite college professor, Dr. Marra, always told me that I needed to let go of my "darlings." He was talking about those fine little details and lovely little bits that I had trouble editing out of my writing. For Thanksgiving, let go of all your "darlings-" let go of the expectation that everything will be perfect, let go of last minute and maybe unnecessary items on your shopping list, let go of everything homemade and embrace the Stove Top. It will all be okay and much more fun.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">8. Give Thanks</span></b><br />
Cooking, organizing and cleaning are really time consuming and exhausting and can be stress inducing--but you have a meal to cook, a menu to organize and a house clean. So many others don't. Give thanks, first, last and everywhere in between. And laugh. Really, if life was a sitcom, a towel on fire and a dog who consumed an entire 23 lb turkey would be really, really, really funny. And you will be thankful for the chance to laugh.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="http://nanasfablife.blogspot.com/search/label/Thanksgiving">Check out all of Nana's Fabulous Life Thanksgiving recipes, tips and crafts! Click Here</a></b></span>Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2889944398894051152.post-1489900899430785202010-10-20T22:34:00.001-04:002010-10-21T07:57:56.942-04:00Kitchen Quickie: Key West BLT<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTZRzepwfk9XQ5J4_Qf9g5Bqg4q9ERwT54QLM19NPtC7gw3D1hPJ8RDzLbLnaWC0ba5ebu4oF8cxQmDr7CfMnjM4QVYoL1FMEyozQ8WEZQ87uiX0RR_ik1qJAJ7TG04TFFKM1NsbsMigJ/s1600/Key+West+Dawn+&+James+00000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTZRzepwfk9XQ5J4_Qf9g5Bqg4q9ERwT54QLM19NPtC7gw3D1hPJ8RDzLbLnaWC0ba5ebu4oF8cxQmDr7CfMnjM4QVYoL1FMEyozQ8WEZQ87uiX0RR_ik1qJAJ7TG04TFFKM1NsbsMigJ/s320/Key+West+Dawn+&+James+00000.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lily, 13 months old in Key West (not in a bar).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When Lily was a baby, Mike and I went to Key West. I clearly remember our first meal--in a bar on Duval Street with, well, our baby. It was ridiculous. But we were hungry after a long day of travel and bar food fit our appetites. I ordered this amazing Shrimp BLT--it was perfect--a Key West spin on a classic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0lEv4rHNP-Mxulnm8BMeFQ4k656YNVqv7nN0rbV_CXZ34FoT-JhElslXotKvHazceakWchFBj6ylTNDLAJX0f3qbeGr4M7ydtwKz9HPVmgmOQfPJeZC5VJRrq7JWQPlk7k8KR-_J9CWI/s1600/shrimpblt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0lEv4rHNP-Mxulnm8BMeFQ4k656YNVqv7nN0rbV_CXZ34FoT-JhElslXotKvHazceakWchFBj6ylTNDLAJX0f3qbeGr4M7ydtwKz9HPVmgmOQfPJeZC5VJRrq7JWQPlk7k8KR-_J9CWI/s320/shrimpblt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>This makes a great lunch and takes just a few minutes to pull together. Since I am a bit of a food diva, I love that this meal is a little extra special--who wants a plain jane sandwich?! I always seem to have some shrimp in my freezer that I can defrost under cold running water quickly.<br />
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The recipe makes one sandwich--you can up size it to accommodate your crowd!<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
Crusty bread (try sour dough or something else fun)<br />
6 medium shrimp, defrosted, peeled and tails removed<br />
1/2 of one lime<br />
Kosher salt<br />
Black pepper<br />
2 slices of uncured turkey bacon<br />
3 thick slices of beefsteak tomato or other slicing tomato (I used an heirloom yellow beefsteak)<br />
4 leaves of romaine or leafy green lettuce<br />
Mayo<br />
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<b>Put it together:</b><br />
<b>1. </b>In a grill pan or skillet, cook bacon. Crack some black pepper over top of bacon (makes it yummy!)<br />
<b>2. </b>Toss raw shrimp with the juice of the lime, kosher salt and pepper. Grill/sauteed shrimp along side bacon, about 3 minutes a side, until cooked through.<br />
<b>3. </b>Toast the bread. Smear each slice of bread with mayo, top with a slice of lettuce, tomato slices (sprinkle with kosher salt), pile on shrimp and bacon.<br />
<b> 4. </b>Cut in half. Grab a beer. And enjoy!Trish Adkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613256543211365542noreply@blogger.com0