Salsa

I adore pico de gallo in the summer months.  But in winter I adore a cooked salsa.  I picked up some roma tomatoes and a couple jalepenos at the store.  Here's my recipe.

8-9 roma tomatoes
1 large clove garlic sliced into coins
1/4 onion cut up
2 jalepenos
bunch of Cilantro
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre heat the broiler in your oven.  Quarter the tomatoes.  Cut the jalepenos in half lengthwise.  Leave the seeds.  Place the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and jalepenos on a cookie sheet (skin sides facing the broiler).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place under the broiler until the skins of the tomatoes and jalepenos start to blacken.

roasted tomato, onion, garlic, & jalapeño 

Place the vegetables in food processor and blend until pureed.  Add the juice of one lime and the cilantro.  Blend again.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

food processor adding cilantro

You can serve this warm or chilled with tortilla chips.

salsa and chips

Yesterday was 69 degrees and sunny.  Tonight we are supposed to get 6 - 8 inches of snow.  I am soooo ready for spring.  Warmth and sunshine.  Warmth and sunshine.  Warmth and sunshine.  (I'm clicking my heels together as I say this)

Bon Appetit  

Quinoa Salad and Garlic Shrimp

Mmmm.... Clean cooking.  Thats what I made tonight!  I found a great web site to help anyone along in learning how to cook clean and delicious.  The name of the site is The Gracious Pantry.  I found this quinoa recipe there and it was amazing so I am passing it along to you.  (I made minor changes because I have a difficult time following any recipe EXACTLY!)

Salad

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 C finely diced onion
1 C uncooked quinoa (I used a quinoa rice blend by the brand 'Della')
2 C water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 C fresh orange sections
1/4 C chopped pecans
2 tbsp chopped spring onion
1 bunch asparagus

Heat the olive oil in a skillet.  Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the quinoa/rice blend and let cook over heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.  Add the water and salt.  Bring to simmer and cover.  Cook 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes.

Meanwhile,  peel and section oranges, chop pecans and onion.  I grilled my asparagus.  I started by drizzling olive oil on the asparagus and then seasoned it with kosher salt and pepper.  I then grilled it.  After grilling it I chopped it into 1" pieces and let it set until I was ready to toss with the quinoa.

the salad before the toss

Quinoa Salad and Garlic Shrimp

When the quinoa is ready toss it along with the oranges, pecans, spring onion, and asparagus.   So good!

Shrimp

Ingredients:
1# bag raw deveined shrimp
1/4 stick salted butter
5 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

In skillet melt butter and add garlic and shrimp.  Saute until shrimp turn pink.  Add parsley and toss.  Serve with the quinoa salad.

Here's a shout out to my IG friends in Tawain, Japan, Australia, and France!  Thank you for following me.  You inspire me with your posts.  xo

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Pot Pie with Rosemary

A few nites ago I baked a chicken for dinner.  I had put some potatoes in with the chicken.  Today I saw the left overs in the fridge.... and I though chicken pot pie.  I began by taking the chicken and deboning it.  I cut/pulled/yanked all the meat off the carcass.  There were even 2 full potatoes with skin on so I used them as well.  I cubed the cooked potatoes.  Then I took two carrots, I peeled them, and coined them thinly.  I was going to add a 1/4 cup of frozen peas at the last minute....but I got side tracked putting clean linens on the beds and did not remember them until after I had the top crust on.....so tonite this chicken pot pie has no peas in it!  I put aside the chicken, potatoes, and carrots.  I then diced one A onion and cooked it with 6 tbsp of butter until it was soft.  I then added 1/3 cup flour to the onions along with 1/2 tsp salt, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1/2 cup milk.  I boiled this until it became thick.  No need to boil the flour taste out because you will cook it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. 

Onto the crust...  This seems to be intimidating to people and often they will purchase premade crusts....and really that just fine.  But making the crust will be so gratifying!!!  I have simplified the crust.  For every stick of butter you use...use one cup of flour.  Its really that easy.  I used 2 sticks of salted butter (ALWAYS salted butter) and 2 cups of flour with a pinch of salt.  Cut the butter into chunks ahead of time.  Its much easier to work into the flour if you cube it first.  At this time add dried rosemary.  Take a palmful and toss it into the flour and butter.  Using a pastry cutter cut the cold butter into flour until you have pea sized flour pieces.  You will add cold water sparingly.  Whatever sandy flour pieces the butter doesn't grab the water will grab.  But only a very small amount of water is to be used.  

flour, butter, salt, rosemary

Once the sandy part of the flour is gone grab the mixture with your hands.  It will stick together.  At this point cut the dough in half and pat into two flat disks.  Wrap each one in saran wrap and place both in fridge for 30 minutes.

the dough just coming together

pat dough into disks, wrap in saran, chill 30 minutes

 After the dough has chilled for 30 minutes roll each one out.  Place the bottom one into the casserole.  Add your potato, chicken, and carrots and then pour your gravy mixture over this.  Roll out the top crust and place it on top.  Pinch the edges all the way around.  This should look rustic...not perfect.  Cut a few slits in the top of the crust to let steam escape.  

bottom crust, filling, gravy, top crust

 Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 45 minutes et voila!  Perfect chicken pot pie with rosemary crust.

out of the oven

Bon Appetite!

Lasagna ~ noodles from scratch

If you have never had lasagna made from homemade noodles then you really must!  This is no doubt the best lasagna you will ever have.  Don't worry about how the noodles look.  Once you assemble the lasagna you will never care how irregular the noodles turned out, how wide, how skinny, how long your noodles turn out.   I have a hand crank pasta machine that was a gift to me from my mother in law.  

Pasta Queen pasta machine 

Here is the recipe for the pasta per the instruction book that came with my pasta machine:
4 eggs
3 C flour
water if needed
Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center.  Add the eggs.  Using a fork break the yolks and begin to stir bringing flour in each time you stir round.  Do this until the eggs and flour are well blended.  If it is too dry add water...but very small amounts at time.  Once well blended move mixture onto floured board and knead until smooth.  Wrap in towel and let rest 10 minutes.  Cut dough into slices 1/4" thick.  Begin working this dough through the pasta machine beginning with the widest setting and gradually reducing the thickness of the noodle by adjusting the regulator knob.  The instructions are easy to follow and anyone can do this.  It does get a little messy... there is usually flour all over the cupboard and floor and you will probably need to vacuum when your done making the noodles. 

Eggs and flour

Once I get a thin, wide noodle I lay it down on a clean towel while I make the rest of the dough into noodles.   Next, boil some salted water.  boil noodles until they float and bounce around in the water.  This will only take about 3 minutes.  Remove from water and place on greased cookie sheet.  Once all noodles are cooked you will assemble your lasagne using your favorite recipe.  I bake my lasagne at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Noodles 

Baked lasagna

Bon Appetite!

Banana Cream Pie

When I was a little girl we would make the long trek from Montana to Tennessee to see my grandparents.  The drive would take us 2 days over 1,800 miles from hot and dry Montana to humid and green Tennessee.  When we would arrive my Granny Sue would have a freshly made, still warm, homemade banana cream pie.  She made it because she knew it was my favorite and it made me feel so special.  My granny was and still is a fantastic cook.  Although this isn't her recipe....it is a an old recipe.  I found this recipe in a vintage cook book called 'The American Woman's Cook Book' published in 1947.  It was a wedding gift to me from my cousin Sherron as she knows how much I like anything vintage.  I always double the cream portion of the recipe....so I have already done that here for you.  I  use 4-6 bananas cut into coins and 1 box of Nilla Wafer cookies.  I layer them starting with the
Nilla Wafer's first then a layer of banana's followed by a layer of the warm cream.

layering the wafers, bananas, then the cream

Ingredients for the cream:
3 C milk                           2 tbsp butter
1/2 C sugar                      1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt                        2 egg yolks
6 tbsp flour                      (save the whites)

Scald 2 Cups of the milk.  In bowl mix sugar, salt, flour, and remaining 1 Cup milk.  Stir well with whisk.  Add this to the scalded milk and stir constantly over  low heat until thickened.  Once it boils continue to boil and stir for about 3-5 minutes.  You do not want it to taste floury.  Cook until the floury taste is gone.  Now you will need to add the egg yolks....but you want to temper the yolks so they don't turn into scrambled eggs when you add them to the hot mixture.  To temper the yolks take a large spoonful of the hot mixture and drizzle it into the egg yolks while stirring quickly.

tempering the eggs

Once you have tempered the eggs you can then add the eggs into the hot mixture stirring quickly while they are added.  Return the mixture to heat and cook for about one minute.  Remove from heat and add the butter (pre cut into small chunks) and vanilla.  You are now ready to layer your wafers, bananas, and cream.

The final touch to this pie is the meringue.  Use the 2 eggs whites you saved.  Whip them up into soft peaks with 3 tbsp sugar.  Place on top of the last layer of the pie (the cream).  Place under the broiler until golden brown et voila!

Enjoy warm or chilled.  Bon Appetite!!

Beef Bourguignon with homemade egg noodles and Fry Bread

I washed so many dishes today my polish is nearly gone!  The wind blew and the snow flew....and so I cooked up a storm in my kitchen.  I made Mousse aux eclats de chocolat (chocolate mousse) for my daughters 15 birthday on Tuesday.  I made chocolate cupcakes with a grapefruit curd in the center.   For dinner I made the beef bourguignon.  I never expected it to be so good!  I used the red wine i was drinking and made homemade egg noodles to go with it.  It really was spectacular.  The depth of flavor was impressive for 90 minutes of cooking.  Here's the recipe.

Beef Bourguignon

1 pound ground beef
4 tbsp butter
1/2 onion diced
2 carrots sliced into thin coins
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup wine
1 cup beef broth
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp parsley
1 tsp thyme

Cook the hamburger in a skillet.  When nearly done add the butter, onion, carrot, and garlic.  Cook until the onion begins to brown.  Add in the wine and broth and the bay, parsley, and thyme.  Stir.  Cover and place in oven at 350 degrees for one hour.
Meanwhile make the egg noodles.  Here is the recipe.

Egg Noodles

2 eggs
flour to make a non sticky dough
1 tsp salt

Beat the eggs and add the flour and salt.  You want to be able to work with the dough without it sticking to your hands.  Roll dough out thinly using a rolling pin.  Cut into strips about 1/4" wide.  Bring 6 cups of beef broth to boil.  Cook the noodles in batches in the broth.  The noodles will float to the top after a couple of minutes.  They are done at this time.  Scoop them out and place on plate while you cook up the rest.

After the beef has been cooking for one hour pull it out of the oven and add the freshly cooked noodles.  Stir well.  Place back in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes more.

I also made fry bread to go with this dish.  I dont make fried food very often.  But once in awhile I think theres nothing wrong with enjoying something fried.  The recipe is easy and does not contain yeast.  Here's the recipe.

Fry Bread

2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water

Combine all in a small bowl using a fork.  Dough should be very sticky.  Don't over stir!  Leave to sit 10 minutes while you heat the oil.
Using the fork pull off a chunk of the dough a little less than the size of an egg.  Toss it into a small bowl of flour.  Using your hand pat and pull until the dough is about the size of your hand.  Gently place in the hot oil and cook until golden.  Turn once to brown other side.  Place on plate and continue to cook the bread.  You should get about 10 to 12 pieces of fry bread.

This bread also goes well with beef stew, with honey on it, or alone!   Sooo good.
Bon appetite

Green Chili Enchiladas with Refried Black Beans

Bonne Annee!   Happy New Year to you all!!!  This past two weeks I have enjoyed having my family all together for the holidays.  My oldest daughter is home from college all the way from California.  So I have been cooking up a storm!   Yesterday I made green chili enchiladas with home made refried black beans.  I did use canned black beans.  I also used my 'new' old potato masher I picked up at an antique store in Livingston, Montana.  They were delicious.  So I will include my recipe for them as well.  

Enchiladas

10 corn tortillas

1 pound shredded pepper jack cheese

whole or diced chilies

tomatillo sauce or green enchilada sauce

Heat 1/4 cup canola oil in skillet.  When sizzling hot fry one corn tortilla at a time for about 30-45 seconds per side.  Pile up cooked tortillas on a plate.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Using a 9x13 casserole begin by placing shredded cheese on tortilla, followed by several spoonfuls of sauce, followed by a chili.  Roll up and place in casserole.  When all tortillas are rolled up and in casserole spoon more sauce over each tortilla.  Sprinkle pepper jack over that.  Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.  Meanwhile, shred some napa cabbage and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle a few tablespoons of vinegar (any kind) over the cabbage and toss.  Run a rough chop through some cilantro.  Thin out some sour cream with milk and whisk to make creamy.  Serve enchilada on bed of cabbage topped with cilantro and sour cream.

Refried Black Beans

One can of black beans rinsed and drained.  Place beans in pot with water just to cover.   Heat until beans are warm.  Mash beans and add salt to taste.  Meanwhile in a skillet heat 2 tablespoons canola oil,  1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin.  When aromatic add 1/2 an onion diced.  Cook until translucent.  Add two cloves of garlic and cook another minute longer.  Add this to the beans that you mashed earlier.  You may need to add some water to the beans to get them to the texture you prefer.  Right before serving add chopped spring onion and chopped cilantro.

Also, I attempted a new recipe from The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo.  It is a grapefruit curd in a biscuit base with an Italian meringue topping.  The each element of the dessert is easy.   Putting it all together takes some time.   It was tasty with the grapefruit curd being the easiest part of the dessert.  I used ramekins for my desserts as I had no cooking rings.  This worked just fine and looked lovely for presentation.  (Refer to Rachel Khoos' cookbook for this recipe)  Bon appetit!