St. Pat's Party Place Setting

St. Pat's Party Place Setting
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

We had a St. Pat's party with a friend's Home Ec class a few weeks ago. Of course we explained the whole St. Pat's thing and how it's really more of an American holiday now. The Irish don't really do anything more for St. Pat's than for any other feast day.
But the traditional dishes we eat on that day are great for teaching students about stewing and braising and other food prep techniques.
They really enjoyed the cooking and all ate the food, even though none of them had had lamb or corned beef before. Here is the recipe for the Irish Stew with Lamb:
Irish Stew
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 lbs. boneless lamb stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes, or 3 lbs. lamb shoulder chops
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¾ teaspoons dried thyme
6 medium potatoes, peeled & slice 2 of them, halve the other 4*
3 cups chicken stock
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into ½ inch slices
¼ cup pearl barley
¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat butter and onions in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the meat, thyme and salt and pepper. Add potatoes, chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper liberally.
Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and add carrots, barley and heavy cream. Stir well to incorporate.
Cover and return to oven. Bake until the meat is fork-tender and barley is softened, 45 – 60 minutes more. Adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
*The potatoes are cut two different ways so that the sliced ones will break down and thicken the stew. The halved potatoes will remain intact for eating.


From “The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking,” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker. Scribner. 1997.

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The Story Behind No Food Left Behind

Boys and Girls Cookbook
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

I got started cooking the way most people did. I watched my mom. When I was about 9 or 10, I had a Girl Scout project assignment to cook an entire meal for my family. My mom and I sat down and decided on meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I can’t say for sure what recipe I used, but I’m willing to bet that it was the recipe from “Betty Crocker’s New Boys and Girls Cookbook.” I still have that cookbook. Most of the pages are falling out of it and the meat loaf page is very stained and worn.

The first few pages of the cookbook have all kinds of hints for preparing and eating a meal. That’s right … there is even a page covering “Setting the Table,” “Fun at Dinnertime” and “Good Manners at Mealtime.” Re-reading that page, I see that I follow a lot of their suggestions still today. We set the table and take care that it is set correctly, and we stress good manners at the table, unless it’s “elbows on the table night,” which we have sometimes.

When I was growing up, we moved around a bit. My Dad was in the Air Force, and we always lived quite far from my parents’ home state of Iowa. My Mom was the one in who family that kept us from going nuts with all the moving. Each time we moved, she treated it as a new adventure … another chance to learn about the customs and culture of our new location. One of the main ways she did that was through food. When my family and I moved to Indian Land from Minneapolis in 2002, our new friends would sometimes say “bet you don’t get too many grits up there in yankeeland, do you?” Well, the fact of the matter is, a frequent guest at our Saturday morning breakfasts at home was grits. My Dad would cook them up with fried eggs and bacon. I also ate red beans and rice a lot growing up. Along with moussaka (a Greek dish with eggplant), rolladen (a German beef roll) and other ethnic dishes.

I became a cook in my own right after my wedding in 1982. We had no money to speak of. We watched every penny and never did anything for entertainment that cost money. Except grocery shopping. Every other Friday night, my husband and I would go to the grocery store and buy groceries. We worked from a two-week menu and listed every single item, right down to the ketchup. If we were feeling flush, we would each get a “treat,” like a special jar of pickles or a box of brand-name cereal.

It was the menu writing that really got me to try new recipes. I cooked meals for four to six people, even though there were only two of us, because then we would have leftovers for lunches. We could not afford to buy our lunches. Each day I would come home and make a full meal of two or three items – usually a main dish and vegetable side, maybe a starch too. Every Sunday night we ate at my parent’s house. It saved money, and my Mom and I would cook together most of the time.

I still jot down a sketchy menu before I go to the grocery store. Now I go once a week so I can take advantage of any specials that are running and so my produce is fresher. From May to November, I also get a half-bushel of organic produce from Sammy Koenigsberg, a farmer in Wesley Chapel, NC. He grows a wide variety of veggies for some restaurants in Charlotte and also has about 24 of us “shareholders” that reap what he sows. I’m never quite sure what is going to show up in the box from farmer Sammy, although I can make fairly good predictions based upon the season. But it is this box of goodies that continues to stretch my culinary talents. It’s from the farmer that I learned how to roast garlic, make basil pesto, and sauté greens with olive oil and garlic, tossing them with hot spaghetti with for a magnificent lunch.

My philosophy on eating is that everything deserves to be tried at least once. And so my philosophy on cooking is that food should be prepared in such a way as to make people want to taste it. It’s always easier to taste food that is not intimidating or ugly.

And now for the bombshell. There is one food that I have left behind. It is lima beans. I’m telling you … no matter how many times I’ve tried them, I haven’t found any that I’ve liked. If there are a couple in my food, like in a stew or a pot pie, that’s one thing. But if there is a pile of limas on my plate, I’m likely to leave them behind. A friend of mine says I just haven’t had them prepared the right way yet. So if you have a lima bean recipe that you think I should try, send it on in to the newspaper. I’ll try it. I’ll try anything.

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Broccoli Raab Spaghetti

Broccoli Raab Spaghetti
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

12 oz thin spaghetti
2 or more cloves of garlic, chopped
red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups chopped broccoli raab
4-6 cups chicken stock or water
salt
parmesan cheese

Break the spaghetti into 2-4 inch lengths. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes in oil. As soon as the garlic turns translucent, add 1 cup of chicken stock or water. Add the spaghetti and salt to taste. Stir until all the pasta is well-coated with oil and water. It may take some time for the spaghetti to wilt enough to settle into the water.
When the spaghetti has become flexible, add the broccoli raab. As the mixture cooks, add more stock or water – 1/2 cup at a time – stirring constantly, to keep the pasta from sticking. Stop adding the liquid when the pasta is almost done. Continue stirring until all the remaining liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Adapted from a recipe by Edward Giobbi in Fine Gardening Magazine.

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Dried Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscotti

Coffee Cookie News
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
1 egg white
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped, or white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper, foil or a Silpat® baking sheet. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift or whisk to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, 2 eggs and almond extract in a large bowl until well-blended. Mix in flour mixture. Stop the mixer and stir in the dried cranberries.
Divide the dough in half. On the baking sheet, with room for some spreading, shape each half into logs approximately 2 1/2 inches wide, 9 1/2 inches long and 1 inch high. Whisk the remaining egg white until foamy; brush the egg white on the top and sides of each log.

Bake the logs until golden brown, about 35 minutes, until they crack and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The logs will spread a bit. Remove from oven, but keep the oven turned on. Cool logs on a rack for about 10 minutes. Using a serrated or electric knife, cut the logs on a diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes; turn biscotti over. Bake about 5 minutes longer, or until they are dry.
Stir the white chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. The biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for a week or frozen.
Makes about 28

From Bon Appetit magazine, posted on http://www.epicurious.com
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Pasta with Vegetable-Tomato Sauce

Pastatomatovegsauce
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes
1 1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 1/3 cup carrots, chopped
1 1/3 cup celery, with leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Pull the tomatoes from the cans and place them in a food processor or food mill. Add 1 cup of the juice from the cans. Puree until smooth.
Place the tomato puree in a large saucepan and add onions, carrots, celery, parsley, sugar and salt. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
When the vegetables are cooked, transfer the mixture to a food processor or food mill and puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
Add the olive oil and simmer over low heat an additional 15 minutes.
Adapted from “The Joy of Pasta.” By Joe Famularo and Louise Imperiale, Barron’s 1983.

Three-Egg Pasta
(5 to 6 servings, about 1 pound)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lukewarm water or milk
Put the flour on a flat surface or in a bowl and make a well in the center deep enough to hold all the other ingredients.
Break the eggs into the well and add the other ingredients. With a fork, whisk the wet ingredients together. Then begin knocking some of the flour into the egg mixture with the fork, a little at a time. Once a thick paste has formed, stop using the fork and start working the rest of the flour in with your fingers, until you get most of the flour incorporated into a ball of dough. You will have some residual flour and scraps left. They can be kneaded into the dough ball, but can be discarded.
Move the ball to a clean surface that has been freshly-dusted with flour. Knead the dough for 9-10 minutes, until the ball is smooth and satiny and not tough. Cover it with a bowl or tea towel and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Note: The basic rule is for every egg, use 3/4 cup of flour. If you use 1 egg, use 3/4 cup of flour; 1 1/2 cup flour for 2 eggs, and so on. One-egg pasta will yield about 1/2 pound, two-egg pasta will yield about 3/4 pound.

From “The Joy of Pasta” by Joe Famularo & Louise Imperiale, Barron’s 1983.
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Cauliflower Mac n Cheese

Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

8 cups water
6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
8 ounces uncooked small seashell pasta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400°.
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan; add cauliflower and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling water, and cook 4 minutes or until tender. Remove cauliflower with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid; set cauliflower aside. Bring cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Add pasta, and cook 7 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and milk in a saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheeses, onions, mustard, and pepper. Combine cauliflower, pasta, and cheese sauce in a large bowl. Spoon the cauliflower mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs with butter; sprinkle evenly over cauliflower mixture. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
From Cooking Light, January, 2000

I'd definitely make this again, mostly because it's so kid-friendly. However, it really needs to be more zippy. Some red pepper flakes, maybe some other seasoning.

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Jeff's Chili

Jeff's Chili
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

1 to 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
2 cans Rotelle® Tomatoes
1 sm can diced tomatoes
1-2 onions, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cans chili beans
Tomato juice-2 cups to 1 whole can
Salt & Pepper to taste
Brown the beef, onions and garlic in a 5 quart dutch oven. Add the Rotelle tomatoes, regular tomatoes, bouillon cubes and chili beans. Mix well. Start pouring the tomato juice into the pot until the chili is as soupy as you like. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture starts to simmer. Lower the heat to keep it to a simmer, cover and cook for as long as you like.
Garnish with green onions and grated cheese.
This is my family’s “best bowl of chili.” The recipe was developed by my brother-in-law, Jeff Buller.

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Homemade Crackers

Homemade Crackers
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

I'm glad I only made half a batch for the first attempt at these crackers. The batch calls for dividing the dough into 8 pieces and working with each piece, rolling it out and baking it, one at a time.
Well the first 3 balls I rolled out and baked tasted pretty much like twigs. But the last batch came out pretty good.
So I'll try another batch later and serve those for supper with chili.
I'll also try to find a recipe that calls for white flour.
This recipe came from the Food Network website. The only fault I find with it is that it doesn't tell you how thin to roll the dough. At the very least, they should have said something like "as thin as you can."

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
Optional toppings:
coarse salt
Grated Parmesan
Sesame seeds
Cumin seed

In a food processor, measure out the flour and salt. Process 10 seconds to mix thoroughly. Turn processor back on and add the water in a thin stream. After all the water is added, process another 10 seconds, until the dough forms into one large ball.
If the dough is very sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing each time. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Once the dough is all together and smooth, pull it out of the processor. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 30 seconds or so until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 seconds.
Start the oven at 500 degrees, with the racks in the center.
After the dough has rested, cut it into 8 pieces. Remove one piece and cover the rest again with wrap.
Roll out your ball of dough as thinly as you can. Move to a baking sheet. The crackers will brown from the bottom, so I did not put down silpat or parchment or even spray the bottom of the pan. They didn't stick, either.
Cut the crackers with a pizza cutter or knife. Sprinkle with your chosen topping. Spritz the top of the crackers lightly with water (I forgot to do this step. That will probably make a difference).
Bake 3 minutes. Check them. If they are started to brown a tiny bit on top, remove them. If they are not, leave them in, checking them at 30 second intervals.
I have to say my last batch, which is pictured here, was the thinnest and I still baked them for about 5 minutes.
Remember, they start browning on the bottom, but I found I need to see a bit of browning on top for them to be done.

Not-Quite-White Chili

Not-Quite-White Chili
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

This was a good recipe. I think I'd spice it up a bit more, though. Maybe a little more than a dash of cayenne. We ate it with homemade tortilla chips.

2 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth-or 3 cups homemade chicken stock, more or less
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilis with liquid
3 cans great northern beans
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
Tabasco to taste
cayenne to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used a 1.16 lb package of chicken tenderloins)

Place the chicken in a large pot and add water until just about covered. Turn heat to high and when it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Turn chicken over a couple of times until they are starting to look cooked, but not quite all the way through. Remove from the pan and toss out the water.

Pour a small amount of the chicken broth into the pot (approx 1/4 cup) and add onions and garlic. Simmer and stir until the onions are wilted and started to turn translucent. Add the chilis. Stir well.
Add the beans with liquid, cumin, oregano, Tabasco, remaining broth and cayenne.
Bring the pot to a boil and then turn the heat back to just a simmer. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add.
Cover the pot and allow to simmer at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
This chili gets spicier the longer is cooks.
Garnish with jalapeno peppers, green onions, shredded cheese...whatever you desire.

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

This recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine. I googled it to make for our Christmas Eve dinner. My husband's side of the family always has swedish meatballs and sausage on Christmas Eve.
This is a very tasty rendition, but I'm skeptical that it will taste authentic. For one, the recipe I usually use has cardamom on it and this on does not. Also, I do not usually have mushrooms and carrots. But...I forgot to bring the other recipe, and also the cardamom. Since cardamom is pretty expensive, this seemed like and easy way out.

1 pound ground round
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
4 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef consommé
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 cups hot cooked yolk-free wide egg noodles (about 10 ounces uncooked pasta)

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 30 (1-inch) meatballs. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add meatballs; cook for 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan.
Add mushrooms, carrot, and shallots to pan; sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Gradually add the consommé, stirring with a whisk; bring to a boil. Return meatballs to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Add water; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream and parsley. Serve over pasta.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 5 meatballs, about 1/2 cup mushroom mixture, and 1 cup pasta)

Old-Time Beef Stew

Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

This was an excellent stew and did not take all day. It cooked just long enough to sit down and rest and enjoy the smell. It's from "The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook" by Paula Deen

2 lbs stew beef
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika (I use half-sharp from Penzeys)
Dash of allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
4 red potatoes, quartered
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worchestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, papricka, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove (I actually chopped my garlic before putting it in and then left it in). Add carrots, potatoes and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until potatoes and carrots are tender.
Here's where I veered off: She says to thicken the gravy, you should remove 2 cups of the broth. Combine the cornstarch with 1/2 cup water, stirring until smooth. Mix it with the hot liquid and then return it to the pot.
Mix the cornstarch and water and drizzle it directly into the pot, stirring carefully so as to not break up the potatoes or mash the carrots. Simmer for a few more minutes to allow the cornstarch to cook a bit.

One more note: usually when I make beef stew, I use a pot roast because often I can find it on sale and it's cheaper and more tender than stewing beef. But this time I used stew beef because it was on special. It was very tender.

Turkey Gumbo Soup

Turkey Gumbo Soup
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

The bad thing about taking photos of your food is eventually you start realizing that you keep using the same bowls over and over. Maybe someone needs to give me more soup bowls for Christmas!
Anyway, this Turkey Gumbo I made was such a smash hit that everyone in the family ate several helpings of it and we were negotiating for leftovers. I think I ate the last bowl of it for breakfast one day.
This recipe is adapted from one by Emeril Lagasse. Emeril did it on Good Morning America in 2002 and I printed it off right away. The other day I tried to google it up on the Food Network site and found it gone. No matter. I pretty much veered off it right after the roux and "trinity" anyway.

3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup flour
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 or 4 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 pound smoked sausage (I use Carolina Pride), andouille or kielbasa, cut in half the long way and then chopped into bite-sized pieces the short way
Turkey broth from boiling the carcass
Okra
Leftover turkey
Some shrimp (maybe 12 ounces?)
Salt, to taste
Cayenne, to taste
2 Bay leaves
File powder
Cooked rice (I prefer Basmati)

Combine the oil and flour in the bottom of a 5 quart dutch oven. Cook on medium, stirring constantly, until it turns the color of a chocolate bar. Emeril says it should take as long as it takes to drink 2 beers. It's about 25 minutes.
Add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are coated with the roux and the onion starts to get translucent.
Add the sausage. Cook until the sausage starts to rend its' fat.
Add the okra and enough turkey broth to make the soup the consistency you want. You may wish to make it thinner than the final product, as you have to add the turkey and shrimp later. You can always add more broth at the end, though.
Drop in the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning. You may not need much salt, since the sausage pretty much takes care of that.
Bring it to a low boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover. Allow it to cook for a while. Maybe an hour. But if you are hungry now, just go 15 minutes.
About 10 minutes before you eat it, add the turkey and the shrimp. Adjust the broth amount and seasonings. Now is when I put in most of the final amount of cayenne.
Serve over rice and sprinkle each serving with File powder.

Now, you don't have to have okra in your gumbo. And you really could have some tomatoes in there. I like tomatoes in mine. I just didn't put them in this time because the broth was already fairly thin and I didn't want to thin it out more.

Dry-Brined Turkey

Turkey
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

12 lb turkey, giblets and neck removed (do not use a self-basted turkey)
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 medium onion, halved with skin on
sprigs of thyme and rosemary (optional)

The night before roasting, thoroughly rinse and dry the turkey. Place it on a rack in its roasting pan. Sprinkle the entire turkey, inside and out, with the kosher salt. Refrigerate overnight.

4 hours before serving, remove the turkey from the refrigerator, rinse and pat dry. Return it to the roaster, breast-side down on the rack. Place onion, thyme and rosemary into the neck cavity. Let the turkey rest on the counter for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3 hours before serving, begin roasting the turkey breast-side down. After 1 hour, remove it from the oven and turn the turkey breast-side up. Roast another 1 1/2 hours, or until the thigh registers 175 degrees.
Rest the turkey for 30 minutes before carving.

Adapted from “Fine Cooking Magazine,” November, 2005.

For The Lancaster News

Squash Rolls

Squash Rolls
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

3/4 cup sugar
1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Butternut squash
3 Tablespoons canola oil
5 cups flour
Pare squash and cut into uniform chunks. Place chunks in a microwavable dish with 1/4 cup water and cover. Microwave on HIGH 4 minutes. Stir. Cook another 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly. Mash chunks finely or put through a potato rice or food mill. Measure out 1 cup of the mashed squash.
In the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and dry milk. Stir to combine, using the beater attachment. Add water, the cup of mashed squash and oil. Beat on medium speed until well-combined. Change to dough hook on mixer and turn mixer to second-lowest setting. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough climbs the hook. Run the mixer another 10 minutes to knead the dough. The dough will be as thick as bread dough, but quite sticky.
Turn dough into a greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rest 1 hour.

Grease 2 12-cup muffin tins. Break pieces of dough off and roll each piece into a 1-inch ball. Place 3 balls into each muffin cup. Spray tops with cooking spray, or brush lightly with oil. Lay plastic wrap lightly over each full tin and let rest 1 hour.
After 30 minutes, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes.

Yield: 24 rolls

Cook’s notes: A lighter roll can be achieved by allowing the dough to rest before adding the last 3 cups of flour. Also, the rolls can be shaped any way you normally do dinner rolls. Do not be alarmed by how sticky the dough is, or if it doesn’t appear to raise much at each resting period. If desired, half the dough can be frozen in a zip-top bag for later use. Simply thaw at room temperature and shape into rolls, or shape them and freeze them in the muffin tin. This dough also makes excellent cinnamon rolls.

Recipe courtesy Mary Goetsch.

For The Lancaster News

Moussaka

Moussaka
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

Meat Sauce
1 1/2 lb ground beef
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon ketchup, diluted with 1 cup water
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 egg whites (save yolks for béchamel sauce)
Brown the hamburger in a large skillet. Drain and rinse the hamburger with warm water. Return to skillet and add butter and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Add wine and diluted ketchup, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add the breadcrumbs and the parmesan. Allow the mixture to cool completely and then stir in the egg whites.




Eggplant
2-3 eggplants

Preheat broiler.
Peel and slice eggplants the long way. Keep the slices fairly uniform in thickness, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Soak the eggplant slices in salted water for 10-15 minutes (this step can be skipped if you are using eggplants that are not as bitter –see cook’s notes at bottom of this recipe).
Drain the eggplant slices and pat them dry with paper towels. Brush them with olive oil, or spray them with cooking spray. Lay the slices in a single layer on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray, or on silicone cooking mats.
Place the eggplant slices under the broiler. Do Not Walk Away! Watch them as they turn golden brown under the broiler. Pull them out and turn them over. Brown the other side. Remove and hold at room temperature.

Béchamel Sauce
3 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons flour
3 cups milk, scalded
dash nutmeg
2 egg yolks (from the hamburger sauce recipe)
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until smooth. Gradually add the milk. Cook until fairly thick. Add the dash of nutmeg (take care that

the nutmeg does not overpower the sauce). Cool to room temperature. Add egg yolks, one at a time.

Assembling the Moussaka
Hamburger sauce
Béchamel sauce
Eggplant slices
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350.
Moussaka is essentially put together like lasagna. The eggplant slices take the place of the lasagna noodles, and the béchamel sauce is used instead of a tomato sauce.
Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Coat the bottom with 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs.
Begin building the moussaka by placing 1/2 of the eggplant slices, overlapping if necessary, to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the parmesan. Cover with 1/2 of the hamburger mixture. Spread 1/2 of the béchamel sauce on top. Layer the remaining eggplant on top, cover with the remaining hamburger mixture and spread on the remaining béchamel sauce. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until heated through (165 degrees) and golden brown on top. Serve with tomato slices
Serves 8-10


Cooks notes: Moussaka is a Greek dish that is traditionally made with ground lamb. This recipe came from a Greek cooking class taught by the Minnesota Extension Service. Seasoning may need to be changed if ground lamb is used.
The hamburger sauce can be made a day ahead and held in the refrigerator.

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Kale Potato Gratin

Kale Potato Gratin
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

1 bunch (about 1 pound) kale, washed and trimmed
1 1/4 pounds all purpose potatoes, sliced fairly thin
1 medium onion, chopped or sliced
1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
2 dashes nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Approximately 1 1/2 cups low fat milk
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Steam kale about 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Press out excess water and chop coarsely. In a greased 2 quart shallow dish, alternate layers of potatoes, onion, and kale, salting, peppering and sprinkling nutmeg on each layer and beginning and ending with potatoes.
Press down the ingredients, being sure it is distributed evenly. Pour milk over the mixture, stopping when the milk just begins to come up around the edges. Press down on the mixture again to release any air bubbles.

Sprinkle the top with cheese and dot with butter. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover and cook another 10 minutes, or until the top turns a golden brown.

Note: any greens will work in this dish. The more tender ones will not need steaming.

For The Lancaster News

Thanksgiving Ideas Wanted

The Lancaster News has asked me to write about Thanksgiving Dinner. I could certainly use some new, fresh ideas. Email me!

While you're at it, if you have any unusual but simple Christmas treat recipes, that would be cool, too.

Minestrone Soup

Usually my minestrone soup has pasta in it. But I read on Italian Food Forever that it can be thickened with potatoes or even bread, depending upon the chef or time of year. So I decided to put potatoes in mine this time. This was fantastic soup and the potatoes were an improvement over the pasta because they don't swell up and take over the entire pot the next day. When I do pasta, I have to keep it out of the soup and put spoonfuls in each serving.

Minestrone Soup
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
4 oz country ham trimmings, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 large or 3 medium carrots, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
3 ribs celery, diced
2 leeks or 1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and minced
4 C chicken stock –use low sodium, if canned
2 C water
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1-28 oz can whole tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 15.8 oz can great northern beans (or any bean of your choice), drained and rinsed
2 C potatoes, diced
2 C cabbage, chopped

Heat olive oil and country ham in a 5 or 6 quart pot over medium-high heat until the ham begins to brown. Add carrots, celery and leeks or onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook and stir for another minute. Add stock and water, rosemary, basil, pepper flakes and black pepper.

Salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.

Add tomatoes, beans, potatoes and cabbage. Bring back to a simmer and allow to cook another 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked to your liking.

For The Lancaster News

Empanada and Malta Polar

Empanada and Malta Polar
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

1/2 cup arepa flour (see note)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon oil, plus extra for cooking
Filling (see recipe below, or fill with your own recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, mix flours, sugar and salt. Add the water and mix with a spoon until the dough is incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about 5 minutes, moistening your hands and the board with water as you work. The dough should be smooth and not crack around the edges; moist and not sticky.
Pinch off about half of the dough. Roll out, on a floured surface, to a 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out circles about 3 inches in diameter. Gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough and roll out another batch. Repeat until you’ve used as much as you can.
Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle of pastry. Fold over the pastry and seal the edges. Let the empanadas rest for 30 minutes.
If baking: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. If deep frying, heat 3 inches of oil in a pot to 375 degrees and fry until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. (If you are deep-frying, you want to be absolutely sure they sealed tightly!)

Meat Filling:
Skirt Steak-trimmed of fat
3-4 cloves garlic, divided
1/2 small onion, halved
Pinch salt
1/2 bell pepper, halved
1 rib celery-cut in half
Beef bouillon (optional)
Water
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
Place the steak in a large pot. Smash 2 cloves of the garlic and add to the pot with half the onion, salt, half the pepper, and the rib of celery. Add beef bouillon, if using. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the steak is cooked through. Remove the meat from the broth and shred with 2 forks. Reserve the broth.
Mince more onion, peppers and garlic until you have 1 1/2 cups minced veggies. Place the veggies and shredded meat into a non-stick skillet with oil. Stir together and add tomato paste. Add some of the cooking water from boiling the meat. Cook, stirring, until all ingredients are combined and vegetables are cooked. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Cooks note: Arepa flour is a precooked corn flour. Do not confuse it with masa harina or cornmeal. Arepa flour is sold as masarepa, harina precocida or masa al instante. It can be found in Latin American groceries, such as the Food Bazaar on South Boulevard in Charlotte.
Recipe courtesy Zuleika Mendoza
For The Lancaster News

Creole Eggplant Gratin

EggplantGratin
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic.

I found this by googling eggplant + gratin. It was on a website called "Foodfest" (see link at the end of this post). This fellow named Tom Fitzmorris had it on there. He tells about eating it at Delmonico in New Orleans before Emeril LaGasse took over the business.
I made this for the family and served it with a green salad. We thought it was pretty good, but I know we won't repeat it. It took longer to put together than it did to bake it. And the kids really aren't eggplant fans.

2 eggplant, peeled and cut into large dice
2 Tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup small peeled shrimp (I could not find small uncooked shrimp, so used 1/2 lb of medium)
1/2 lb claw crabmeat
1 chopped tomato (they are not in season now, so I used canned)
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 dash Wocestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used prepared ones)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blanch cut eggplant in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and reserve.

Heat butter in a large skillet. Saute the onion, celery and shrimp just until the shrimp turns pink. Add all the other ingredients except the bread crumbs and eggplant and cook, stirring lightly, until everything is heated through.

Add the eggplant and gently blend with the other ingredients.

Pour mixture into a buttered 9 x13 pan. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are toasty.
Serves four to eight.

http://foodfest.neworleans.com.