IT’S TIME FOR TIAN

Mary+ by | Jun 25, 2020 | Uncategorized

Can you spare a few minutes for a Wow? Prepare to be amazed by this stunning Summer Vegetable Tian which is CooktheBookFriday’s recipe choice this week.

I dropped off a piece of this for my friend, Wendy. Here’s what she texted later, “What a treat! 1st that I had a great dinner without doing anything but heat it up. After working hard all day, it was a super treat. 2nd, it tasted delicious and very healthy. It also looked fabulous. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.“

I rest my case.

Besides this jolt of deliciousness from Dorie Greenspan’s latest cookbook, in today’s post there are also pictures of Mother Nature’s splendor. She’s been busy. With July approaching, it time for more books. Lots to learn about and like in today’s post. Let’s Go.

LEAVE THE ROADS, TAKE THE TRAILS Pythagoras

What a lifesaver to be in the mountains during these strange and disturbing days. Since its beginning in mid-March, and here I’m talking about the Quarantine, I’ve been a Fauci follower, disciple of our Governor’s Safer at Home order and have always worn a mask ( a law in Aspen now ). For me, it’s all about keeping my eye on the ball, seeing my California kids again.

I’ve always appreciated the power and constant grounding that my hikes in the wilderness provide whether they be healing, reflecting or stress reducing. But this year, more than any other, Time has become my companion as I’ve literally stopped to smell the (wild) roses. Maybe we humans have hit pause but life in the natural world is constantly unfolding around us.

READING—THE BEST STATE YET to KEEP LONELINESS at BAY William Styron

COOKTHEBOOKFRIDAYS – SUMMER VEGETABLE TIAN

A Tian is a plain round earthenware oven-to-table dish. It is also the name for a recipe of layered or overlapping vegetables slow-roasted in the oven and served as a main or side dish. Although this idea has been passed down from generation to generation in France, it was the renown Provençal chef Roger Verge who popularized this particular Tian recipe.

Don’t be chintzy with your olive oil, it’s the difference between bland and flavorful. Go big or go home with those fresh herbs. Be generous with salt, pepper and sliced garlic. Although in her recipe Ina sprinkles grated Gruyere cheese on top, No, just No. The only question should be how can something so simple be so amazing.

“The best Tians should have too much oil, enough salt and a long cooking. In other words, if your vegetables melt and border on jam, you’ve made a good tian.” Cookbook Author Lucinda Scala Quinn

SUMMER VEGETABLE TIAN by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS: 

5 to 9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

10 sprigs fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon and/or basil

3 pinches fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes

1/2 pound zucchini, green or yellow, scrubbed and trimmed

1/4 pound eggplant,washed and trimmed

1/4 pound red onion(s)

1 loaf of crusty, artisan bread for serving

NOTE: Use a 9-inch pie plate or any ovenproof casserole of a similar size. If you have a bigger or smaller pan, just multiply or divide the recipe.

DIRECTIONS:

1.Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 400° F.
2.Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the baking dish, tilting it so the oil coats the sides. Scatter over half the garlic and a little more than half of the herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3.Slice the vegetables about 1⁄4 inch thick. Ideally they should all be about the same size, so if any are particularly large, you might want to cut them in half the long way before slicing them. I used an Inexpensive OXO Hand Hold Mandoline slicer for all the vegetables but the eggplant. You can also easily use a sharp knife to slice all your vegetables.
4.Arrange the vegetables in the dish in tightly overlapping circles. Try to squeeze the eggplant between slices of tomato and get the zucchini and onions to cuddle up to one another. Keep the circles tight, since the vegetables will soften and shrink in the oven.
5.Season generously with salt and pepper. Tuck the remaining slivers of garlic in among the vegetables. Top with the remaining herbs and drizzle over as much of the remaining oil (3 to 7 tablespoons) as you’d like.
6.Place the tian on a baking sheet lined with foil, parchment or a silicone baking mat. Bake the tian for 70 to 90 minutes, until the vegetables are meltingly tender and the juices are bubbling.
7.Serve the tian a few minutes out of the oven or allow it to cool to room temperature. Either way, you’ll want bread…a lot of it.

This post follows my progress cooking each recipe from
Dorie Greenspan’s “Everyday Dorie” along with those participating 
in the online group www.CookTheBookFridays.Wordpress.com 

PART 2: READERS RESPOND

Mary+ by | Jun 11, 2020 | Uncategorized

Several days after posting my last blog, I received this text from a friend:
 
“Just took the last bite of Dorie’s Portuguese Cod & Beans. OMG FABULOUS. Thanks for blogging this amazing recipe this week, and fun to make. Hope you are well and staying safe!” Karen Bristol PS I am so “out of ideas” this was excellent.”

I’m pleased to hear from readers. Usually I would shoot back a thank you and return to watching Space Force . But there is nothing “usually” about these past three months of quarantine.

Why not Pay Karen’s text Forward, sending it to the lady who actually created the recipe. I don’t care how many cookbooks you’ve written or awards you’ve received, everyone likes to be acknowledged and thanked. That includes Dorie Greenspan.

Dorie wrote that the compliment I forwarded ‘lifted her spirits,’ also. I vowed to do more of the ‘spirit lifting’ thing when life returns to the new normal. In Part 1 of my last blog I wrote about responses from subscribers who I’d asked what they’ve done or not done, accomplished, hoped to accomplish or not during this time.

Here’s Part 2, compelling responses from long-time friends who’ve followed me for years. Some have lost jobs, need to reconfigure their businesses to fit the times and managed to create a family life under quarantine. Most, however, are retirees who stepped out of the professional world and into a life of volunteerism. Call us fortunate Americans. But what I’m hearing is we all have tweaked or enriched our lives in ways we hope to carry into our future.

You definitely don’t want to miss today’s recipe, one of the best dinners I’ve made while sheltering-in-place. Comfort food. For the resulting taste and flavor, this recipe couldn’t be less complicated. Vegetarians can grab an Impossible or Beyond Burger and make this sandwich happen! Don’t forget, Readers, if you make and like this dishes, Pay It Forward ….. to me!

PART 2: QUOTES from Readers

“This has definitely been a significant time. Our family is approaching it as a time of transformation—we are cocooning and transforming into someone new and better.”

“We bought E-Bikes and get up at 6:00 to ride because of the hot weather.” (NOTE: Many respondents said they’d purchased E-Bikes and Pelotons.)

“I have made bread and soft pretzels. Why? I don’t know. It just seemed like fun, and it was.” (Note: Axios/Ipsos poll found 45 percent of Americans said they were cooking more in April. Dietitians are seeing people developing healthier lifestyle habits, becoming more aware of where their food comes from.)

“Reconnecting our own backyards to our own tables, and to the tables of our friends and family, has been a passion of mine since I can remember.” says Rachel Kulchin, who graduated from UC Santa Cruz in Environmental Studies and is a graphic artist by profession. “Being under quarantine has helped me take the time to develop The Blue Heron Project (Link here) because I believe in the power of food, because I believe that linking our own backyards to our tables and to the tables of our friends and loved ones is one of the most powerful acts of connection and because I really enjoy eating good food.” ( I’ll be interviewing and devoting a post to The Blue Heron Project in an upcoming blog.)

“My goal was to maintain the discipline to make every day special. Getting up early, walking, hiking, having special meals planned, and I’ve also done daily online Mass and read the Bible a lot. Our book club book this month is This Tender Land.”

“Learning to write in cursive/calligraphy.” (Note: From a college freshman, one of many projects. Recently I’ve seen articles discussing the dearth of the younger generation’s ability to write cursive.”)

“First of all, I am now retired from retirement! Just think about that for a moment…we work all our lives so that when we retire, we can have time to do all the things we’ve wanted to do…like travel and expand our horizons. Well…now I have even retired from that and have all the time in the world to do…what? Hmmmm.” ( Note: She went on to list about ten activities on her plate.)

“I happily live in 600 square feet, so every spring I scrub and purge and organize — it’s like living on a boat! But during this shelter-at-home time, I took my time and listened to the informative, entertaining BBC Reith Lectures online (LINK here) as I worked through closets, cupboards, shelves and photo albums. I’ve enjoyed Hilary Mantel talking about writing history as fiction; Jonathan Sumption discussing law versus politics; Eliza Manningham-Buller lecturing on securing freedom; and the outrageous Grayson Perry explaining contemporary art and the ravenous art market.” (Note: #metoo)

“I have not done my gel manicures and shockingly  the world has not come crashing to an end. No in person meetings lightened much of the overhead of activities. Not having to drive someplace has added hours to my week.”

“I started doing yoga. To my total surprise and delight my husband even decided to join me!!!” (Many responders have begun Yoga.)

“I had been wanting to read more during Quarantine but studying and tests filled my time. I created a reading challenge for myself for 30 days. I wanted to read at least 20 minutes per day. I have now passed my 30 day mark and am continuing reading this summer.” ( Note: from a high school senior)

“Communication with my family and friends has broadened and multiplied. Instead of a quick “how are you doing” or being riddled with guilt because I don’t have time to call, there’s been Zooms at cocktail hour, FaceTimes with the grandchildren and long, warm and comfortable telephone conversations with many who might have thought I’d dropped off the earth.”

 “I know that when I go back to ‘working normally,’ I will not live the same way that I used to. I’ve learned an incredible amount… just by being still.” Chef Kristen Kish, Radio Cherry Bombe

COOK-THE-BOOK FRIDAYS

THREE-PEPPER BURGERS

Servings: 4

These burgers have lots of goodness packed inside, which helps to keep the meat juicy and flavorful. Cook these burgers on the grill, in a grill pan or in a cast-iron skillet. To help keep the burgers from sticking, heat the pan first and then add oil or Pam Sauté and Grill Spray.

Make Ahead: The burger mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day in advance. The uncooked patties can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 1 month.

INGREDIENTS:

BURGERS:

1/2 large home-roasted or store-bought roasted red bell pepper, patted dry (about 3 ounces)
6 sweet and/or hot jarred Peppadew peppers, patted dry ( 1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound lean (80/20) ground beef
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 soft hamburger buns, plain or toasted (I used brioche buns.)

CONDIMENTS:

Arugula or other lettuce leaves
Sweet and/or hot pickle slices finely chopped
Red or Vidalia onion slices
Tomato slices
2-3 Avocados, cubed and mashed
Lime (squirt on mashed avocados)
Mayonnaise
Grey Poupon mustard Country Dijon (mix into mayo, if desired)
Hot sauce (optional)
Ketchup (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Finely chop the roasted pepper, Peppadews, jalapeño, basil and cilantro and transfer to a large bowl. Add the salt, pepper, cheese and ground beef.
2. Use your clean hands to blend and lightly mix the ingredients until just incorporated. Don’t overdo it not knead the ingredients. Shape into 4 equal patties, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

3. When you’re ready to cook, heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat — cast-iron is great for this. Add the oil or Pam Grill and Sauté, swirling the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
4. Add the burgers. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook to the doneness you like. Four minutes per side over medium-high heat should give you medium-rare burgers. They’ll be seared to a crisp darkness on the top and bottom, and visibly juicy on the sides.
5. Build the burgers on the buns (toasted, if desired) with lettuce, avocado, mayonnaise with or without mustard, chopped pickles, sliced tomato and sliced onion.
6. Serve with a small green salad, cole slaw, french fries, potato salad or your choice.

This post follows my progress cooking each recipe from
Dorie Greenspan’s “Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook” along with those participating in the online group

PART ONE: COOK&COPE&CREATE

Mary+ by | May 29, 2020 | Uncategorized

For the 11 weeks of quarantining in residence, the social pinnacle of my week is a Wednesday 6am date with City Market grocery store. I don’t like shopping in general but I do like food shopping. These days I’m almost giddy when I walk over to the market.

Tomorrow night (Friday), however, I’m going to party, raising my absurdly low social bar to new heights. Who’s Invited: Me. What: Film Screening & Theme Dinner. Where: My Condo. When: 7pm. Dress Code: Festive & Fancy. 

Aspen Film, in collaboration with BOSQ Restaurant is streaming the documentary, Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy, about the 97-year old iconic chef regarded as the world’s expert on Mexican cuisine. I once took a cooking class from Ms. Kennedy and I remember being both frightened out of my mind and mesmerized by her brilliance and dedication to her craft. She is strict, saucy and exact. They broke the mold. 

Chef Barclay Dodge who with his wife Molly owns Bosq, my favorite Aspen restaurant, has put together a Diana Kennedy inspired take-out menu. I just happen to have some Tequila in the pantry and Margarita mix in the fridge to “pair” with the meal. A few of the many dishes, Chilled Shrimp & Carrot Aguachile w/ Wild Watercress,  Chicken Pibil Tacos w/ Pickled Red Onions and  Home-made Oaxacan Blue Corn Tortillas and Guajillo & Jalapeno Salsas, already have my table groaning in anticipation.

And that’s my answer to a question I’ve recently been asking others:

“After more than 11-12 weeks of quarantine, facing the unknown and sorrow every single day, what have you done, accomplished or surprised yourself by trying for the first time ever? How have you coped? What’s your new thing? What’s your takeaway?”

My next two or three blog posts will deal with the remarkable responses I’m receiving from others. Just common folk trying to discover an impossibly magic balance to help themselves, their family and friends cope with w-h-a-t-? We really don’t know. 

HERE’S WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING…

DAY DRINKING with MOLLY

Need laughter? Jump on Facebook anytime to watch Day Drinking with Authors hosted by award-winning author Molly Fader (O’Keefe) from her home in Toronto.  Molly, whose written more than 50 contemporary romance stories, is the daughter of one of my besties from childhood. She decided to provide a forum twice a week for her many author friends who have books in pre-publication but now have no way to publicize them. Spoiler Alert: There’s drinking involved. Ms. Molly entertains as well as she writes.

RO’s COOKBOOK

For the past ten years I’ve cooked virtually through many of Dorie Greenspan’s cookbooks with Ro Domenico and her daughter, Tricia. Ro, who generously shares her cooking expertise, and I have the daughter, grandchildren thing going on. Reason enough for our bonding. During the past pandemic months she’s put together a cookbook and has given one to each grandchild. Priceless.

ZOOM

Zoom has captured the world’s attention. In the early days of the pandemic, my friend, Deb Overeynder, challenged herself not only how to use the technology for Zoom Video Conferencing but also to help others (it’s taken hours). Our Senior Center Bookclub hasn’t missed a beat because of her. She’s also hosted birthday parties, family reunions and put together conversations with her international group of Peace Corp alums. For fun, she and her husband build nursery rhyme panoramas which they e-mail to their niece and nephew who must guess the rhyme. (I play along also. Old King Cole just arrived to my In Box.)

CLARA’s CORONA PROM

Although I’ll share more next week, my family and I have our own coping skill sets. Last week should have been Clara’s prom. Cancelled. Sister Emma, with Melissa’s support, decided Clara should have a prom with all the trimmings including her being crowned Prom Queen…on their back porch.  I received play-by-play videos. Luv that family.   

COOK the BOOK FRIDAYS

This week’s Cook the Book Fridays was blogger’s choice. This recipe for Portuguese-Style Cod and Beans En Papillote in Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, didn’t wow me. In the spirit of quarantine cuisine, however, I had all the ingredients but for cod. Check. I don’t often eat fish. I should. Check. Stuffing food into a tiny packet and tying a bow before cooking it is kid-friendly. Check. 

I picked up a 5-oz. cod fillet at Whole Foods, quickly pulled the dish together to steam in a parchment paper packet tied with a red/white string bow. Here’s the surprise, when I untied the cooked packet, its first puff of aroma was fabulous. As was my dinner.  This simple recipe will wow you. Guaranteed.        

PORTUGUESE-STYLE COD and BEANS EN PAPILLOTE by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

Serves: 1 (Multiply portions as you wish.)

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup cooked or canned cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1 garlic clove, slivered

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2-1 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet or hot)

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 lemon slices

3 slices from a medium tomato

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 scallion, white and light green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths, or 3 tablespoons chopped spring or white onion

One 5-ounce cod fillet, with or without skin, at or close to room temperature

1 tablespoon white wine

DIRECTIONS:

WORKING AHEAD: You can make the packets and refrigerate them for up to 8 hours ahead. Remove before you preheat the oven.

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil or a silicone baking mat. Cut a 15-inch (or close) square piece of parchment or foil, and have kitchen twine on hand.

2. Mix the beans, half of the garlic, the balsamic and ½ tablespoon of the olive oil together in a small bowl. Stir in a generous pinch of paprika and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more balsamic, paprika, salt and/or pepper, if needed.

3. Place the sheet of parchment or foil on the counter. Start building the dish in the center of the packet. Lay down a slice of lemon, top with 2 slices of tomato and a sprig of thyme. Season with salt/pepper. Spoon on the bean mixture and scatter over half of the scallion or onion. Rub the cod with some paprika, salt and pepper and nestle it into the beans. Scatter over the remaining garlic slivers and scallion or onion. Top with the remaining tomato, lemon and thyme and, once again, season with salt and pepper. Pour over the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the wine. 

4 Lift up the edges of the paper or foil to make a kind of hobo’s sack and tie it tightly at the “neck,” leaving a couple of inches between the ingredients and where you’re securing the bundle. Put the packet on the baking sheet. (Remember, the packet can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator; let it sit on the counter while you preheat the oven.)

5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque at the center. Peek in to poke it with a paring knife. If your fillet was under 5 ounces, check at 12 minutes; if it was heavier or cold, check at 15 — you might need a minute or two longer. Because you’re steaming the fish, the risk of overcooking is minimal.

6. Serve the packet immediately, paying attention when you open it — the initial puff of steam is wonderfully fragrant but very fragrant. STORING: There is no keeping this dish once it is cooked.

I’M FINE. AND, YOU?

Mary+ by | May 8, 2020 | Uncategorized

We’re bidding good-bye to quarantine week 7 as many of you begin the re-entry process to new-normal. What will that look like? No one knows. How do you recalibrate a World? Life is like sports, (I’m paraphrasing author Isabel Allende now ) “you train and train and train to develop the muscle that will allow you to play the game.”

On my return from Paris in mid-March, if you recall, I was required to quarantine for two weeks. When that ended, having no virus symptoms, I moved back home to The Gant. As the whole country was sheltering-in-place, I at least was sheltering in my own home. Closing in on my ninth week of self-isolation, here’s some food for thought and food, two 100%-guaranteed-to-please recipes.

FORCED SOLITUDE

Having always been comfortable with my own company even I wondered what this forced solitude would be like. Not a good feeling to watch Life spin out of control. Right? This is not the first time my Life’s taken a spin so I pulled up old coping tricks and added these new ones. Realizing that most of you have more responsibilities than I, hoping you can adjust them to work for you…

1. I can’t solve/control world problems nor America’s but it’s normal to be devastated by lives lost and so much more. As a news junkie and 24/7 social media follower, the constant barrage I inflicted on myself gave a negative twist to each day. So, Full Stop. Relying on NPR and PBS.

2. Many of us are stressed about our future. #MeToo. I anticipate lifestyle adjustments. What they will be? Who knows. But what they can be is another question. You may find this silly but it works.
   I am a visual learner. In the past I’ve developed ideas and made life-changing decisions based on vision boards I’ve created. To lower stress about the future, could I visualize the possibilities? It’s inspiring, empowering and helps me believe I have some control over what’s ahead.
   To create a vision board you need a table, supplies and oodles of magazines. Last week a friend dropped off a 6’ table which I wedged into my office corner. I pulled out boxes of my crafting materials from storage and friends are supplying magazines and magazines and magazines.

Of all the things I would be doing this summer, making a Vision Board wasn’t on the list.

3. My condo is 950 square feet. Since I’m my only amusement, I re-invented that 950′ space into a happier, user-friendly home. My dining room table is my Jigsaw Puzzle Station. A tiny second bathroom is Disinfectant Central. If your perfume-of-choice is not Clorox, don’t venture near. I’ve made my kitchen appliances more available by moving them onto the counter. Nothing says ‘Make Cookies’ like having your KitchenAid Mixer front and center. My Office now shares its space with an Arts & Crafts Station and a Yoga mat. Girl just gotta have fun.

4.There is great media entertainment available. Some of my favorites are: Documentaries: Losing Sight of Shore and How the Wild West was Won with Ray Means (Amazon) and Chasing Coral (Netflix); Books to Read in May: Women on Food , Grinnell and American Dirt; Podcasts: The Reith Lectures, BBC4 (begin with Hilary Mantel’s lectures and then, Jonathan Sumption). LINK below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1zHBdN6xckhrLzHSbRhP1nB/the-reith-lectures-podcasts

LET’S BAKE

SEA SALT CHOCOLATE CHIP/PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES

by Marisin McLain, adapted from Deb Perleman

Last year Charlotte McLain mentioned to me that her 12-year old granddaughter, Marisin, had just baked the best cookies she’d ever tasted. Char is no slouch in the kitchen herself so if she says “the best,” it’s a cookie worth meeting. Marisin, already a talented cook and baker, agreed to share.

These Sea Salt Chocolate/Peanut Butter Chip Cookies are adapted from a Deb Perelman recipe. I’ve baked these cookies twice and do agree with Marisin’s grandmother. What a great tasting cookie.

Deb first posted this recipe on her wildly successful Smitten Kitchen blog in 2015. It’s still popular, withstanding the test of time. After my first batch, I substituted 1/2 peanut butter chips instead of all chocolate. I still have white chocolate, creme de menthe and butterscotch chips in the pantry for future baking. Thank you, Marisin.

Yield: Approximately 18 to 24 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (aka Sugar in the Raw, you can use more brown or white if you don’t have this but the subtle crunch it adds is delightful)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (if in High Altitude use King Arthur’s or Hungarian High Altitude Flour)

1/2 pound semi- or bittersweet chocolate, cut into roughly 1/2-inch chunks with a serrated knife (or use 4 oz. of chocolate and 4 oz. of another flavor of your choice))

Flaky sea salt, to finish (My favorite is Maldon)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 360°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated, and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in salt fine sea or table salt and baking soda until combined, then the flour on a low speed until just mixed. The dough will look crumbly at this point.
3. With a spatula, fold/stir in the chocolate chunks.
4. Scoop cookies into 1 1/2 tablespoon (I used a #40 cookie/ice cream scoop) mounds, spacing them apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a few flakes of sea salt.
5. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes (WATCH CAREFULLY. MY COOKIES TOOK FROM 13-14 MINUTES. I ALSO FLIP THE COOKIE SHEET HALFWAY THROUGH BAKING.) until golden on the outside, firm to the soft touch, but still very gooey and soft inside. Out of the oven, let rest on baking sheet out of the for 5 minutes before transferring a cooling rack.

Extra dough can be formed into scoops and frozen on a sheet until solid, then transferred to a freezer bag. Baked right from the freezer with 1 minute more baking time. You could also form them into a 2-inch log, freeze it, and slice and bake the cookies off as desired. The only difference Deb noted between the cookies baked right away and those baked a day or more later is that the older cookie dough is less puffy when baked.

TIME to TRY RED LENTILS

TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP by Christopher Kimball, Milk Street Tuesday Nights cookbook

Yes, yes, I know it is hot, very warm in many parts of the country. This magical and robust soup is more rich risotto-y than soupy and could be served just warmed or at room temperature. Sprinkle mint leaves and croutons on top and serve with lemon wedges and yogurt on the side. Or add wilted spinach or arugula (Loved that.) and a dollop of yogurt with grated garlic. Or add crumbled cauliflower, chopped tomatoes, diced cook beets or crispy bits of bacon for a different flavor.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

(Note: The soup can be made vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter.)

3 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/2-inch dice (about one cup)
1 medium garlic clove, finely diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
11/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup red lentils (washed, if necessary)
2 tablespoons long-grain white rice
5 cups water
kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional: to add heat)
chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
lemon wedges, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter. Once it has stopped foaming, add the onion then sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
2. Add the tomato paste, paprika and cumin, then sauté for 1 minute. Add the lentils, rice, water and 2 teaspoons salt, then bring to a boil.
   Adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer, cover and cook until the lentils and rice are tender and broken down, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
3. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature after drizzling oil lightly over each bowl of soup.

Be Safe, Everyone.

MAID-RITES MADE RIGHT

Mary+ by | Apr 24, 2020 | Uncategorized

WE ARE THE WORLD

Let’s take Time Out to praise our food supply chains, paying homage to those who grow, harvest, haul to market, manufacture and sell the stuff that keeps our bellies full.

Leading that charge right now is the renown Chef José Andrés. He founded World Central Kitchen in 2010 to meet Haiti’s food emergency following its devastating earthquake. He quickly emerged as a worldwide leader in disaster relief efforts but it was in the wake of Puerto Rico’s 2017 Hurricane Maria that he turned miracle worker. In the first month following that hurricane, WCK cooked 2 million meals for our hungry fellow Americans. Last year he dished out food during 13 worldwide disasters. This year, with the Pandemic, it seems he and WCK, an NGO, are feeding the world.

The global hunger crisis is real, 821 million people, 1 in 9, are undernourished. Yesterday morning I saw that an Arizona friend had posted her e-mail address on her Facebook page and written that ‘if someone isn’t working and needs food, please email me. Confidential. No need to be embarrassed. I will never say a thing. Just tell me and I’ll drop off groceries to you.’

There are no words but a surprising recognition that generosity knows no bounds. We’ll follow her story here in my next post.

CHAIN E-MAILS

I received an e-mail and another and another and another all with the same message: “Going back to old times with a recipe exchange. Please send a recipe, quick, easy and without rare ingredients, to the person whose name is in position #1.”

I groaned, four times. No recipes popped into my mind.

My last invitation was from my friend Francine. I replied that I couldn’t accept her #QuarantineCooking recipe exchange invitation because I already had received three others. “I know what you mean,” she said, kindly. “I already received four myself but I thought it was nice to be asked.”

Now I felt guilty. I was turning down “nice,” wasn’t I?

“Okay,” I decided. “Game on.”

I chose two simple but nostalgic favorites, Iowa’s famous Maid-Rites, a divine loose meat sandwich that no Hawkeye believes wasn’t heaven-sent. And a Decadent Lemon Bundt Cake that doesn’t, ahem, taste like it’s from a boxed cake mix. As you may recall, I bought 6 boxed mixes just before sheltering-in-place. I don’t do mixes but this lemon-colored beauty reminds me I should. The recipes are both below. Make them. Let me know.

MAID-RITES, adapted from a number of Iowans
 Servings 4 -6

(In 1926 a Muscatine, Iowa restauranteur named Fred Angell created Maid-Rites. Although its popularity blossomed into many Maid-Rite franchises which have now disappeared, the sandwich remains a local cult favorite.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion minced or 1 small
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup beef broth
4 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced yellow onion and cook until tender and translucent, 3-5 minutes.
2. Add lean ground beef and break up into small pieces/crumbles while it cooks. Drain any oil remaining..Stir in beef broth. Add mustard, Worcestershire, Soy Sauce, salt and pepper.
3. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until liquid is mostly gone.
4. Spoon onto (warmed) bun. ALWAYS stick in one or two hamburger pickles. Serve.
5. Pass ketchup if desired.

DECADENT LEMON BUNDT CAKE from Liz Berg, That Skinny Chick Can Bake

(My food blogging colleague and friend Liz Berg who embellished this boxed cake mix, blogs at That Skinny Chick Can Bake. Liz was born and raised in Ames, Iowa. So in sticking with the Iowa theme for my chain e-mail recipes, enjoy.

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS:
CAKE:
 1 box yellow or butter cake mix (15.25 ounce)
1 small box instant lemon pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
OR
1 box of Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 small box instant lemon or vanilla instant pudding mix
 3/4 cup water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs (room temperature)

GLAZE:
 1 cup powdered sugar, SIFTED
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, DEFROSTED

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a standard 10-cup Bundt pan (or spray with Baker’s Joy). Set aside.
2. Combine all cake ingredients in a bowl and beat until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. When cake is almost finished baking, whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth.
5. When cake is removed from the oven, let cool for about 10 minutes. Then poke some holes over the bottom surface of the cake with a long pronged fork. Drizzle part of the glaze over the cake. Invert cake onto a cake plate. Poke the top surface of the cake with the fork and drizzle the rest of the glaze over the cake.
6. Let cool completely before serving. Lightly sprinkle confectionary sugar if desired.
   TIPS: ¼ cup of rum can be substituted for ¼ cup of the water if you’d like a lemon rum cake.

Readers, I hope that you, your family, loved ones and friends are safe and sheltering-in-place as able. And, to all those “essentials,” including my son-in-law, who are out on the front lines keeping our country going, be extra careful, thank you and bless your hearts. Mary