BUTTER COOKIES

These big 4" cookies are crispy, light as a feather and full of butter-y goodness. They are too fragile to ship through the mail, but straight out of the cookie jar, they are melt in your mouth perfection.

1 1/4 cups butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 egg YOLKS
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 TABLESPOON of vanilla extract

Cream the room temperature butter and granulated sugar with your stand mixer. Once smooth, add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well in between each addition; beat in the vanilla.

Mix the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar, and add this mixture to the butter mixture, one cup at a time. Mix well.

Cover and chill the dough for about 30  minutes.

Roll the dough into 1" balls and roll them in granulated sugar.  Place on an UNgreased cookie sheet (3" apart)and flatten slightly.

Bake in 350° preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden.  Recipe makes 3½ dozen cookies.

Rolling dough into 1" balls, will give you 4" cookies, so leave lots of room between each cookie ball on the cookie sheet.

 

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Cooking Out Of Doors

 It is a cold day here in Lucindaville.  And we are not alone, it is a cold day pretty much everywhere.  (Please do not email us and tell us that YOU are in Hawaii and it is 84 and balmy.  We are happy for you but really, keep it to yourself.)   The cold has prompted us to think about picnics!   So we pulled out a vintage charmer:  Cooking Out Of Doors by Molly Graham.  This 1960 British cookbook offers up a cavalcade of al fresco dining options.

But remember, it is the sixties, in fact the first sixty, so some of the ideas are a bit...  like these sandwich suggestions

Cream Cheese and Gherkin

Spread cream cheese on thickly and top with thinly sliced gherkins.

or

Ham and Crushed Pineapple

Chop up some ham or gammon and spread on bread with butter.  Add a layer of well-drained, tinned crushed pineapple.

Here's and idea for a caravan holiday:

Braised Tinned Tongues

large tin lamb tongues
vegetables
a little water
seasonings

Set the children to preparing any vegetables you have.  These should include a large onion and a large potato each for the family.  Open the tin of tongues and separate them.  Put the tongues into a casserole and put sliced vegetables on top.  Add a little water and salt and pepper.  Put into a moderate oven until the vegetables are cooked, about 1 hour.  

If very venturesome, make a sauce to go with dish.

 Correct me if I am wrong but if you are eating canned tongue you have probably crossed over into the "venturesome" category already!   Which led me to wonder -- Can one still buy canned lamb tongues?  The answer is yes, especially if one lives in New Zealand.

Fortunately there are several drink recipes.  One will be needing several drinks before the canned lamb tongue casserole.   Here is one beloved by the British Navy.

Pink Gin

Take a cocktail glass and into it a drop of Angostura Bitters.  Twist round so that this coats the glass then pour away and surplus.  Add a measure of gin.   the drink will be pale pink.

Well, I am heading home to hunker down by the fire...and picnic another day.

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Menus From History

With the Presidential Inauguration being fresh in our minds, we have been thinking a lot about historical menus.  A glance at the Obama menu juxtaposed against the menu served at Lincoln's second Inauguration say as much about the changes in our country as do shifting politics.  Lincoln had four types of beef, three of veal, four poultry dishes not counting the quail and pheasant served as game.  

Menus are a great way to view history.  Which brings us to Menus From History.  Janet Clarkson is a food historian of great breath.  Her blog, The Old Foodie, is a daily dissertation on all things culinary.  Menus From History is a two-volume work published by the very scholalrly Greenwood Press and has a bent toward libraries.  If you love food or culinary history it should find its way to your library.

Menus From History is an exhaustive compilation of menus and recipes for every day of the year.  September 23, 1387  is the Feast for King Richard II.  May 10,1806 is the dinner between Chief Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark.  There are Royal Dinners, Inaugurations, prison dinners, and Titanic dinners.  Bread is broken with the rich, the famous and the ordinary.  Pick a day -- any day and you will be transported.

Today, January 24 is the anniversary of the day the Gourmet Society "went Arctic."   In 1937 at Cavanagh's in New York, the Gourmet Society feasted on Eskimo Fare.   According to the New York Times, the members  "trifled" with Eskimo fare by eating reindeer loin,  noting that "blubber and vintage fish" appeared only in speeches.

The menu:

Lynnhaven Bay Oyster Cocktail

Hearts of Celery  Queen Olives

Bisque of Soft Clams

Broiled Loin of Alaska Reindeer

Current Jelly  Fresh Mushrooms

New String Beans, Julienne

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Green Vegetable Salad

Cavanagh Dressing

Apple Pudding

Hard and Brandy Sauce

Cafe, Demi-Tasse

(Two Wines)

If you have ever run across old menus, you will notice that while you might be given a listing of the food offered up, the menu does not include the recipes.  For every menu Janet Clarkson uncovered, recipes had to be matched up.  Clarkson goes to great lengths to keep the recipes as historically accurate as the menus.  For this menu, she chose an oyster cocktail from a collection of church recipes from 1900.

Oyster Cocktail

One dessertspoonful tomato sauce, one shake of tabasco, a sprinkle of horse radish, about half a dozen oysters, and the same on top.  Serve in small tumblers on a plate with pounded ice around them and with oyster biscuits.

The real problem with these two volumes is their totally addictive nature.  You can't just read one entry.  You just keep reading.   Each entry has history and bibliography.   The Gourmet Society's Candied Sweet Potatoes lead you to February 1, 1928 to the Broadway Association Dinner for the Dodge Brothers Electric Sign.  And the Dodge Brothers take us to the 1919 and the 50th Anniversary of the Heinz Company on December 20th where one finds a recipe for candied sweet potatoes.

If there is a single complaint about this work it is the prohibitive request for twice as much ephemera.  There are plenty of  black and white illustrations, but we are gluttons for more -- more photos, more menu card, more color!  (All of this would push Menus From History to three volumes and triple the price, but ...)  OK, maybe just one more thing...there are hundreds of texts referenced, but there is no full bibliography... so there are four volumes!

This is really a pitiful attempt to even encapsulate this work.  You will never look at a party the same way.   Tomorrow?  Burns Night.

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Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

I found this quick, easy, delightful recipe on the For the Love of Cooking web site. It makes one dozen super moist, super chocolate-y, super yummy cupcakes. This recipe is going into my "5 star file", that is for sure.

 

 

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup BOILING water

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.

Sift together all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla and beat together with an electric mixer until combined.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the boiling water, mix until just combined but smooth.

The batter will be very watery looking, so don't be alarmed.  Pour the batter evenly into the paper liners.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven and cool before frosting.

Do you have a craving for chocolate?

Give this a try, they are great.

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Ways With Food

If ever one was in Palm Beach from the 1950's on,  the person with the best "Ways With Food" was none other than Harriet Healy.  Healy taught the rich and famous a thing or two about food.  Her reputation as a cook with a flair for entertaining grew.  She was an American hostess who imparted a casual hand to entertaining that motivated generations of women.

Healy was the "go to" for fashionable feasts in Palm Beach.  Trained at the Cordon Bleu, her reputation grew out a series of cooking classes she offered at Au Bon Gout, her gourmet food and accessory shop.  Though Healy is a name that may not be familiar today, she was regularly mentioned with such culinary giants as Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey, Julia Child, and James Beard.   According to Craig Claiborne her kitchen was one of the most stylish and well equipped in Palm Beach.  For more info on that kitchen check out this post from The Peak of Chic.

Healy published sever spiral bound cookbooks based on her classes at Au Bon Gout and in the early 1060's she edited the Palm Beach Garden Cookbook, a collection of recipes from the Palm Beach Garden Club.  In 1982 she published Ways With Food.   The cookbook is a product of its time.  There is much Campbell's soup and lots of mayonnaise.  In fact, Healy advises that a cook not bother to use homemade stock when using curry powder.  Here is her recipe for a cold lemon soup.  It is like a Greek soup, she says but with no cooking!

Cold Lemon Soup

1 can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1 cup cream
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
Juice of 2 lemons

Strain soup, add the cream, chicken stock, finely chopped mint leaves and lemon juice.  Soup must be served ice-cold.

If you do not have chicken stock, the soup is still good thinned with cream and milk.  The soup must not be too thick.  Soup cups may be decorated with parsley -- this is more effective on glass cups.

I was very interested in recipe for Souffle Crackers, a recipe that called for soaking Uneeda Crackers in water for 8 minutes, then broiling them till brown.  Alas, Uneeda Crackers no longer exist!

While the recipes might seem a bit dated, one thin that is not is Healy's taste in kitchen ware. Au Bon Gout was the place to buy Dodie Thayer china with its unmistakable leafy patterns.  IT was a popular purchase for everyone from Jackie Kennedy to C.Z. Guest.  The late Brooke Astor had a collection of 218 pieces including  a tureen, cover and stand, a large salad bowl, a circular serving dish, a circular platter, four oval platters in three sizes, a trefoil condiment dish, forty-one dinner plates, thirty dessert plates, fourteen side plates, thirteen salad plates, eight shallow circular bowls, eight small bowls, a coffee pot and cover, a milk jug, a cream jug, nineteen coffee cups and saucers, four tall vases, six small bud vases, eight candlesticks, four salts and six small ladles, six pepper shakers and fifteen butter pads, impressed marks.   Estimated to sell between $ 9,000 and $15,000, the lot sold for a whopping $74,500.

C .Z. Guest's tables set with Dodie Thayer

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Not A Cookbook -- Inaugural Luncheon

Niagara Falls by Ferdinand Richardt

 Menu with Recipes and Wine

Menu

• First Course: Steamed Lobster with New England Clam Chowder Sauce
  • Lobster Tails
  • New England Clam Chowder Sauce
  • Sautéed Spinach
  • Sweet Potato Hay
• Second Course: Hickory Grilled Bison with Red Potato Horseradish Cake and Wild Huckleberry Reduction
  • Bison
  • Butternut Squash Purée
  • Baby Golden Beets and Green Beans
  • Red Potato Horseradish Cake
  • Strawberry Preserve and Red Cabbage
  • Wild Huckleberry Reduction
• Third Course: Hudson Valley Apple Pie with Sour Cream Ice Cream, Aged Cheese and Honey
  • Pie Dough
  • Cinnamon Crumble
  • Apples
  • Sour Cream Ice Cream
  • Maple Caramel Sauce
  • Garnish
  • Artisan Cheeses

Wine

• Tierce Finger Lakes Dry Riesling (2010)
• Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée California Champagne
• Bedell Cellars Merlot (2009)

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CINNAMON ROLL CAKE (5 STAR!!)

Oh my goodness, this cake is beyond perfect. It has that wonderful taste that you only find in the "center part" of a good cinnamon roll (does that make sense?). The first time I tried it, I was compelled to close my eyes and savor it in complete silence...it was THAT good.

The cake is quick and easy to make and it is one of those great recipes that tastes good (even better) on day two and three (if it lasts that long).It would be a big crowd-pleaser for ANY occasion.
 

 

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 TABLESPOON baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco (see note)

Put the above ingredients in the food processor and process until the mixture looks sort of like wet-ish sand. Remove from food processor and place in mixing bowl.

To the above mixture, add:

3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 whole large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix everything just until smooth, do not over mix. I did this with an electric mixer on low.

In a different small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, set aside.

Grease and flour a 9" x 13" GLASS baking dish. Put half of the cake batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle it with 2/3 of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture, then top with the other half of the cake batter. Gently swirl a small knife through the batter, making sure that you don't scrape the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle the top of the 2nd layer with the final 1/3 of the brown sugar-cinnamon.

 

 

 

Bake in a preheated 325° oven (yes, that is 325°) for 50 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean (don't over bake).

Remove from oven and let the cake sit for 15 minutes, then drizzle frosting glaze over the top of the hot cake (leave the cake in the pan).

GLAZE

2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whisk till smooth and drizzle over hot cake.

Keep this cake in the baking dish, just make sure you cover it tightly with plastic wrap AFTER it is completely cooled.

This cake is beyond moist and delicious on day two and three.

NOTE: The recipe calls for butter flavored Crisco; I have no idea how the batter/cake would turn out if you used something else, (sorry).

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TACO MEAT LOAF

This meat loaf is a lot of fun and it is a great way to perk up any week night. It has crushed corn chips, salsa and cheese in it and then its topped with refried beans and more cheese.

The "heat" of your salsa will determine how spicy this meatloaf is, so it is easy to adjust for younger kids (and us grandparents). I like to serve it with Spanish rice, refried beans and coleslaw. It is a great change of pace.

1 pound of LEAN ground beef (less than 10% fat)
½ cup of finely crushed corn chips
1 beaten egg
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ cup of (your favorite) thick and chunky salsa
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup of Mexican blend shredded cheese

TOPPING
1 cup of refried beans
¼ cup of your favorite salsa
1 cup of Mexican blend shredded cheese

In a bowl, mix the ground beef, corn chips, egg, chili powder, cumin, salsa, black pepper and ½ cup of shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly and form into an oval on the baking sheet (not in a loaf pan).

 You should have an oval meat loaf like this

In a small bowl, mix the refried beans with ¼ cup of salsa and frost the top of the uncooked meatloaf with it. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. The last few minutes of baking time, sprinkle the top of the meatloaf with one cup of shredded cheese and return to oven.

To serve, gently slide a thin spatula under the meatloaf to loosen it from the baking pan and lift it (all in one piece) to a nice serving dish.

NOTE: I do not add salt to this recipe because there is plenty of salt in the other ingredients.

NOTE: By baking this on a sheet pan (rather than a loaf pan) the grease will run out onto the pan and not "soak" your meatloaf.You shouldn't have much "grease" if you use 90% lean ground beef.

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PEANUT BUTTER SNACK CAKE

Are you old enough to remember the snack cake craze? Simple sweet cakes made for no special occasion, other than to just "snack on"; they were great. I don't  know when, or why, they faded from the scene, but I've decided to bring them back into my kitchen as a welcome change from the ever present cookie jar. Peanut butter cake, studded with mini-chocolate chips and frosted with a peanut butter and honey frosting...what's not to love?!

This cake is delicious and, if kept covered, stays moist for several days. The recipe ingredients listed here are for a 10" round cake, but you can double the ingredients and bake it in a 9"x13" pan as well.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the flour, sugar, peanut butter and butter until it is crumbly.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and mix on low speed until everything is well combined, then mix on med-high speed for three minutes.

Dust the mini-chocolate chips with a tablespoon of flour and then shake off the excess (this will keep them from sinking in the batter as they bake). Stir chips into the batter.

Bake in a greased and floured 10" round pan at 350° fir 35-40 minutes or until toothpick tests clean (my electric oven took 35 minutes).

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto serving plate.

FROST THIS CAKE WHILE STILL HOT!!

PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY FROSTING

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

4 to 5 tablespoons milk

Warm the peanut butter and honey in the microwave until it is soft but not melted. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  FROST CAKE WHILE STILL HOT.

NOTE:  If you double this recipe for a 9"x13" cake, 

make sure you double the frosting as well.



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CHEWY MOLASSES COOKIES

Warmly spiced, sweet and chewy; these cookies are perfect for ANY cookie exchange. Molasses cookies are the quintessential Christmas cookie.

 

3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the room temperature butter, brown sugar, egg and molasses; mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt and spices and mix well.  Cover and chill the dough for about an hour.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a small walnut and roll them in granulated sugar (important step). Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet (about 2" apart) and flatten them just a little (I use the flat end of a drinking glass dipped in sugar). 

Bake at 375° for 8 minutes (the tops will have a wonderful crackle look). Be careful not to over bake them. 

The cookie batter (inside of the crinkle/cracks of the baked cookie) will still look a little "wet" after 8 minutes in the oven, but they will be perfectly baked and chewy when they cool off.  If you like a crisp cookie instead of a chewy cookie, leave them in the oven for another minute or so.

To keep these cookies soft and chewy, store them in a Ziploc bag or any Tupperware that has a tight fitting lid. These cookies freeze (and ship) very well and they smell heavenly when you open the cookie jar!!!

 

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Fire In My Belly

It is no big surprise that I watch Top Chef.  Frankly, I find most of the chefs that compete, total tools.  OK, I do know that conflict makes for good television, so much of what we see is edited to make the contestants look as slimy as possible.   That being said, there have been really only a handful of contestants that I really, really loved.  Kevin Gillespie was one of them.   I was so glad to find out that his stint on Top Chef had landed him a cookbook deal.  Fire In My Belly has been on my wish list since it was first announced.

It did not disappoint.  The cookbook is what a real cookbook should be, an extension of the cook who put together the recipes.  Gillespie has stated that the cookbook is the most personal thing he has ever done.  In fact he has said he surprised even himself when he read through the book and realized how many personal stories he offered up.

Fire In My Belly offers up such chapter headings as "Foods that I thought I Hated" and "Food + Fire = Delicious."   While Gillespie's food is fun and inviting, it bears a truly authentic look at the South.  Not the precious, overly sentimentalized South, nor the reality television stupider-than-thou trend.  Giellespie recently articulated his position to Eater:

"There are so many people who think the entire South is Gone with the Wind, and the reality is that that's not true at all. My family is from the mountains, and that Appalachian culture is very, very different than the plantation culture of the Deep South. They're both Southerners, they both hold the right to claim themselves as such, but they're very different worlds, and I guess I felt it was time to showcase the other world a little bit more because it's more my personality, it's more of who I am."

The world of Kevin Gillespie is filled with family, history, and a really great meal.   Here is a favorite:

Woodfire Grill's Sage-Battered Mushrooms with Cheddar Fonduta

10 oz. of large cluster Oyster mushrooms

8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups heavy cream

white pepper, a couple grinds

Salt

Canola oil for frying

½ cup of Cornstarch

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 Tb. Of fresh sage leaves, chiffonade

1 tsp. of rubbed sage

1 cup of cold soda or seltzer water

1/3 cup Candied garlic syrup

1.     Trim the tough root ends from the mushrooms , leaving the clusters as intact as possible. Set aside.

2.     Cut the cheese into ½ inch chunks and place in microwave safe bowl. Loosely cover with wax paper or parchment paper and microwave on 50% power until the cheese softens but doesn’t completely melt, about 30 seconds.

3.     In a 2-quart saucepan bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cheese, a couple of grinds of white pepper and a small pinch of salt until everything looks smooth. Keep the fonduta warm until you’re ready to serve it. If you need to hold it for more than an hour, it keeps warm best in a double boiler.

4.     Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

5.     In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, fresh sage and dried sage. Add a few ice cubes to the club soda and swirl to chill. Remove the ice cubes and whisk the club soda into the cornstarch mixture to form a smooth batter, working with one mushroom cluster at a time, dip and swirl the cluster in the batter to completely coat the mushrooms. Let excess batter drip away, then drop the clusters, one by one, into the fryer and fry until crispy, about 2 minutes. Using a spider strainer or tongs, transfer the fried mushrooms to the rack and immediately sprinkle with salt.

6.     For each plate, spoon one-quarter of the fondue in the center, drizzle with the garlic syrup, then mound one-quarter of the fried mushrooms on top.

For candied garlic syrup: (makes 1 ¼ cup)

1 cup sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

3 whole heads of garlic, each clove peeled and trimmed (approx. 30 cloves total)

In small nonreactive saucepan, stir together the sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cut the heat down to low; cook until garlic is golden brown and soft, about 30 minutes. Store the garlic in the syrup mixture, covered, in the refrigerator.

As Eater noted, Gillespie recently left the Woodfire Grill to start his own restaurant from the ground up.  Gunshow is set to show off his rough and rustic Southern cuisine.  We can't wait.

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Not a Cookbook-- Pasta By Design

 

When is large tome about pasta NOT a cookbook?  When it is Pasta By Design.  I was a huge fan of the The Geometry of Pasta, so imagine my surprise when I got it for Christmas.   White The Geometry of Pasta was an actual cookbook, Pasta By Design is an architectural survey of the contours and construction of pasta.  It is pasta as object, delineated by the mathematical mind of an architect.

According the publisher Thames & Hudson:

"The pasta family tree reveals unexpected relationships between pasta shapes, their usage and common DNA. Architect George L. Legendre has profiled 92 different kinds of pasta, classifying them into types using ‘phylogeny’ (the study of relatedness among natural forms).
Each spread is devoted to a single pasta, and explains its geographical origin, its process of manufacture and its etymology – alongside suggestions for minute-perfect preparation.
Next the shape is rendered as an equation and as a diagram that shows every distinctive scrunch, ridge and crimp with loving precision. "

George L. Legendre is a London architect who obviously finds math and equations in everyday objects.   After seeing bowl after bowl of pasta, the forms and fractals proved to be just too interesting to merely eat.  The mathematical pursuit began.

Complemented by the photographs by Stefano Graziani, one can honestly say that you will never look at that bowl of ziti in the same way.

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COLD OVEN POUND CAKE

I've been making this cold oven pound cake for over 25 years and it has never failed me. It is a wonderful old recipe that you start baking in a COLD oven. An hour and five minutes later, you have perfection in taste, texture, sweetness, moisture and shape.

1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups, see note)

1/2 pound of butter (room temperature)

4 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour (see note)

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

This recipe calls for 1 pound of powdered sugar, but that was an inconvenient measurement for me, so I got out my new handy-dandy kitchen scale and (fluffed, scooped, leveled) it was exactly 4 cups.
DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN. Cream the room temperature butter and the powdered sugar together with electric mixer until it is very fluffy (this will take 2-3 minutes). Beat in egg's one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl between eggs (to make sure it gets mixed well).

In separate bowl, measure out 3 cups of flour and stir in the baking powder. NOTE: to measure each cup of flour, sift it into a cup and level off the top with a straight edge. If you just dip your measuring cup into the flour, you will be getting too much flour.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternately, with the warm water. I usually do this in thirds. Stir in extracts. The final flavor of the cake has a very mild lemon flavor, you won't really taste the coconut extract, but it really adds something to the overall flavor of the cake.
Pour cake batter into a well greased and floured 10" bundt pan (I use a cooking spray with flour in it).  Shake the pan just a little to eliminate any small air pockets in the batter.

Put pan into COLD oven. Turn the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove cake from oven and let it sit in the pan (on a rack) for 10 minutes, then turn it out.

Wrap the HOT cake tightly with plastic wrap (I do this to all of my cakes) and let it cool to room temperature before frosting.

This is the perfect cake for strawberry shortcake, petit fours, or just snacking!!

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The Meatball Shop Cookbook

Yes, Virginia, Christmas was a windfall of cookbooks.  So let us get started.


The Meatball Shop Cookbook was one of those titles that was featured everywhere.  We resisted it on numerous occasions.  After being bombarded with American Express commercials and and commenting every time one came on the television, "I don't have that cookbook," someone decided I needed it.  There it was under the Christmas tree.  Earlier in the year I received a grinder for my Kitchenaid mixer, so now there is nothing stopping me from making mounds of meatballs.

Meatballs abound -- pork, beef, lamb, and fish.  Fish meatballs?  There are tips for making the balls like scooping them with and ice cream scoop to keep them consistent.   (Really, is there a more useful kitchen tool that the lowly ice cream scoop?)

With all those meatballs floating around it is only fitting and proper that there be sauce.  Again, there are sauces for every meatball and the sauces prove to be quite interchangeable.

According to the authors, Daniel Holzman and Michael “Meatball Mike” Chernow, man does not live by meatballs alone.   There is a fair amount of veg included in this homage to round balls of mixed meat.  As you know, we are partial to our carrots.  We just love roasting our carrots with a fruit accompaniment.  It is also widely known that we do not eat nuts in our food.  So while we often roast carrots with prunes, we never use walnuts.   (Frankly, we are hoping that many of our diners do not view this post as they will inevitably raise the issue of nuts in food and demand walnuts in their carrots from now on...but I digress.)


 Here with a non-meatball recipe from The Meatball Shop Cookbook.

Honey-Roasted Carrots with  Prunes, Walnuts, and Mint

for the carrots

8 large carrots Cut into 3 X 1-inch pieces
(like thick-cut french fries)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey

for the topping

1/4 cup chopped pitted prunes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
squeeze of fresh lemon juice


 Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Toss the carrots with the olive oil in a large bowl, and coat thoroughly. Add the salt and toss to coat.

Combine the honey and 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Lay the carrots out on a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan so that they are evenly spaced and do not touch one another. Drizzle with the honey mixture and put the carrots in the oven to roast.

 Roast until all of the water has evaporated and the carrots are soft and beginning to brown, 35 to 40minutes.

While the carrots are roasting, prepare the topping. Mix the prunes and olive oil in a small bowl. Work the mixture so that the prunes are thoroughly coated and not sticking together. Add mint, walnuts, salt, and lemon juice and mix thoroughly to combine.

 Remove the carrots from the oven and arrange them on a serving dish. Spoon the topping over the carrots and serve.

I do so hate it when judgement is flawed.  Like meatballs themselves, this book is filled with fun and frolic and it should have graced our bookshelf long ago.   Now, thankfully, it does.

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BAKED MEATLOAF BURGERS

I love meatloaf, especially the top and end pieces that are coated with that sticky sweet glaze, don't you? As a matter of fact, picky-picky husband and I have been known to make leftover meatloaf sandwiches, using ONLY that outside saucy layer of meat.

With that in mind, I decided to try "baked meatloaf burgers" and they were a big hit; we ended up with the best part of the meatloaf in EVERY sandwich!!

1½ pounds lean ground beef (I use 90% lean)

1/2 cup chopped onion (chopped finely)

2 eggs lightly beaten

2/3 cup saltine crumbs (fine)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix above ingredients (don't over mix) and shape into patties. Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Brush liberally with glaze (really pile it on).

GLAZE

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground DRY mustard powder
healthy pinch of black pepper

few drops of liquid smoke

Mix Glaze and brush over the patties (use all of the glaze).

Bake patties in a preheated 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or until they are cooked through (cooking time depends on how thick you make your patties).

This recipe also makes wonderful sliders on little dinner rolls. Don't try to FRY these burgers (with the sauce on them) because it will scorch and burn quickly; the sauce really transforms magically in the oven, so it is worth the effort.

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HASHBROWN CRUST QUICHE

The beauty of this recipe, besides its "yummy-ness",is that it is ultimately consumer friendly. You can add (or subtract) your favorite veggies or meat to your liking...don't like mushrooms? Don't add them. REALLY like broccoli? Double the amount used. It all works and turns out great. The hashbrown crust is a nice, easy, and tasty change from the traditional quiche crust.

 3 cups UNcooked shredded hashbrown potatoes
1/3 cup melted butter (I use a little less)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup diced cooked breakfast meat
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (pepper jack is good too)
4 eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup broccoli pieces
½ cup diced red bell pepper
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Mix the melted butter with the uncooked shredded hashbrowns and press into a 9" pie plate (I use an 8"x8" pan) sprinkle with salt and pepper. I like to use "Simply Shred" potatoes that you find next to the eggs in the market (not frozen). If you use frozen hashbrowns, thaw completely and dry them between paper towels before using.

Bake in a pre-heated 425F oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes start to brown. Remove from oven.
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Top with the meat and veggies. I like to use thin cut Black Forest ham, but cooked breakfast sausage works well and of course you can't go wrong with crisp crumbled bacon!! I also saute the veggies just a little before putting them on top of the hashbrown crust; top with shredded cheddar (or cheese of your choice).
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Whisk the eggs, milk and ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper together and pour over everything. Don't be tempted to add extra eggs.
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Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden on top.

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APPLE CAKE

Many years ago, a older lady named Virginia Spreen gave me this wonderful recipe. It is one of those great old recipes that turns out perfect every time and even improves on day two and three. No electric mixer is used with this cake, just a sturdy spoon. It's down home flavor and texture reminds me of one of grandma's delicious cakes!!

4 cups peeled and diced Rome apples
1½ cups white sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
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Mix the above ingredients together and let stand at room temperature for an hour to extract some of the juice from the apples (juice goes into the recipe later)This is an important step, don't leave it out..

In large mixing bowl, combine (and set aside)

3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
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Add the following to the chopped apple-sugar mixture and mix well
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
2 beaten eggs
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Combine the dry ingredients to the apple mixture (extracted juice from apples and all) and mix with a large spoon (do not use electric mixer).
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Pour into a greased and floured bundt cake pan or an angel food pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. Make sure you use the toothpick test to see if it is done after one hour and 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then turn the cake out of the pan. Wrap hot cake in plastic wrap to cool.

People ask me why I wrap my cakes in plastic wrap while they are still very hot. The simple answer is that it not only keeps the cake extremely moist, but it enhances the flavor. I'm not sure "why" it works so well, but I use this method on EVERY cake I bake.

 NOTE: Grease and flour cake pan liberally. I use the vegetable spray that has flour already in it, and that works fine.
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NOTE: Store this cake covered, because the apples in the cake will continue to make this cake more moist (it is actually better on day two and three).

NOTE: Any apple will work with this recipe, but I find that Rome apples taste the best (Granny Smiths work too, but are a little tart). Dice the apples in a little less than ½" squares (the size of dice is not critical). Do not use food processor...it cuts them too small.

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French Farmhouse Cookbook

We have checked our log of cookbook entries and simply cannot believe that we have never featured Susan Loomis' French Farmhouse Cookbook.  What were we thinking?   Clearly, we were not thinking.  Over at Lucindaville we featured our favorite holiday planned-over, an after Christmas eggs Benedict that is made with leftover dressing, giblet gravy and a poached egg or if one is so inclined, our favorite confit de gésiers. 

J.W. wanted to know our recipe for gizzard confit and the one we love to use is from the French Farmhouse Cookbook.  This cookbook is often described as the French cookbook to buy if you are in the market a truly authentic French cookbook.  One that presents recipes that a French family would actually eat every day.  That seems to be the best description one could provide. 

This is a rather old-fashioned cookbook in the sense that is offers no photos of the food.  While there are lovely line drawings, the food is left up to one's own imagination.  Still, this is the go-to French cookbook on my shelves that house thousands of French cookbooks.

With out further ado...

Confit de Gésiers. 

2 pounds chicken gizzards, cleaned and well rinsed
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
10 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 imported bay leaves
4 pounds pork fat cut in 1-inch pieces or lard
2 small onions, each pierced with one whole clove
1 teaspoon allspice berries

1.  Place the gizzards in a large bowl.  Add the salt, half the thyme, and one of the bay leaves, and mix until well  combined and the salt is evenly distributed.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2.  Rinse the gizzards well by placing them in a bowl and filling the bowl with water.  Drain the gizzards, then repeat the procedure at least 4 times, to make sure you remove all the surface salt.  Pat gizzards dry.

3. Place the pork fat or lard in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  When it is two-thirds melted, add the gizzards, onions, remaining herbs, and allspice berries, stirring and pushing them down into the fat.  Lower the heat s the fat is simmering slowly.  Cook, uncovered, until the gizzards are tender, about 2 1/2 hours, stirring them occasionally and pushing any beneath the surface of fat so they cook evenly, adjusting the heat if necessary.

4. When the gizzards are cooked, remove the pan from the heat and let them cool in the fat until nearly congealed.  Transfer the gizzards and the fat  to a bowl or an earthenware or glass container and let them cool completely. Either eat them immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, covered with fat and aluminum foil.

5. Remove the gizzards from the fat and warm them gently in a saucepan over low heat.  Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan.

We are lucky enough to have several old cheese crocks that have hinged lids to lock in the gizzard goodness.   Also, we never use just plain aluminum foil on food products.  We used to use parchment lined foil that was designed for sandwich shops.  Now the good folks at Reynolds have introduced this parchment lined foil to the supermarket shelf.   Buy it --  it is wonderful.   If you are out there looking for a really good French cookbook that an actual French person in your exact shoes would cook from,  the French Farmhouse Cookbook is a safe bet.                                                                              
 

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