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

GOT a MINUTE? GRAB a SEAT.

Mary+ by | Apr 9, 2020 | Uncategorized

During a recent 7am marketing trip, I unloaded groceries at my favorite clerk’s checkout counter. As my items, including Rhodes Anytime Cinnamon Rolls, M&M’s and black licorice, rolled along, Lisa gave me a glance. Those definitely weren’t usual purchases.

“I’m going to make Cinna-Bunnies,” I said rather sheepishly. “For my granddaughters. I always made Bunny cakes at Easter for my girls.”

“Ohhhhh,” Lisa remarked. That explained everything.

I failed to admit that my granddaughters, who are 16 and 18 live in California, 840 miles away.

Although I flew to the States from Paris three weeks ago, (story to follow) I only moved into my Gant condo last week. I had no food/staples in the condo so I spent this past week shopping early (7am) and often. I’m good with rations until June 30, could survive until August 1st and would be severely dieting after that!

Grocery shopping, I love it. However, these trips in anticipation of sheltering-in-place were different, task-driven and a bit wacky. For example I bought six cakes mixes. I don’t even make box cakes! After spotting Mrs. Richardson’s Caramel dessert sauce, Michael’s favorite ice cream topping, into the cart it went. I didn’t find Fritos, a comfort food, until my third try. I was beyond mildly perturbed that I had to settle for Keebler Graham Crackers rather than Nabisco, my other comfort food. And no Heinz Catchup, only Hunt’s. Now, Mary, seriously?

FROM PARIS to ASPEN, HOME AGAIN

My Melissa called me in Paris Thursday morning, March 12, at 5am to tell me about the president’s flight ban. I realized I couldn’t possibly navigate the bedlam at Charles De Gaulle airport to exchange my April 1 ticket and beat his deadline.

However, the next day, my Aspen friend Cathy O’Connell was very emphatic about my coming home ASAP. So on Saturday I planned to go to CDG and exchange my ticket. “If you go to the airport, Mom,” Melissa said, “take your bag.”

I packed Friday night and ordered an airport car for 5:30am. That evening Cathy called again, saying there were seats available on flights to Colorado.The next morning while on my way to the airport, Cathy called again with flight numbers. She stayed with me on the phone until I got to the counter, talked to the agent and exchanged my ticket for home. Two hours later I boarded a jam-packed airplane.

My seat mate for the 91/2 hour flight to Chicago was a student spending a semester in France. She cried all the way home. After the flight landed, 5 CDC, FBI, and Chicago police officers boarded to take a sick young man off first.

But it was the 3-31/2 hours waiting in line at Security that was a nightmare. Over 1,000 people at a time, arriving in waves from international flights, lined up throughout the day for two interviews and temperatures checks. Many missed connections. I made my Chicago-Aspen flight only because the incoming plane was several hours late. We reached Aspen 15 minutes before curfew. During that flight Gov. Polis shut down Colorado’s ski resorts. On the next day, Sunday, President Macron shut down France.

For the next two weeks at the direction of CDC I self-quarantined, taking my temp twice a day. I lived with a friend who said on the Saturday night I arrived,“You’ll stay here.” (I know, I know, who does that?) I wanted for nothing.

I had three opportunities to catch the virus, in Paris, on the flights and standing for hours with 1,000 travelers in a huge room. That’s the reason for the next two weeks I primarily worried about getting sick and passing it to my friend.

EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER

What I’ve found during ten years of writing this blog is that some of the feelings, challenges and thoughts I experience mirror those of you Reader’s. The difference being I have the ink, ability and willingness to write about it. My return trip to Aspen followed by two weeks in quarantine was traumatic but everything about it has been fortunate, positive and, to be sure, lucky.

Then Why? after ending well, is it only now I’ve begun struggling to feel hopeful, be happy and keep anxiety at bay? Just like all of you, Life has taken its share of whacks at me over the years but I’ve managed to get myself to the sunny side of the street quite quickly. Right now, I’m a big Fail at that. I do realize I’ve been holding on tight these past few weeks just waiting for shoes to drop. That they didn’t in my world doesn’t mean they haven’t in so many others.

That being said, I’m not accustomed to despair and unhappiness. It’s uncomfortable. I’m working hard to get to better days. But for those of you struggling a bit with all of this, you’re not alone.

To my Jewish friends celebrating Passover, Chag Pesach Sameach. And, to my fellow Christians, have a glorious Easter.

COOK THE BOOK FRIDAYS

ROLLED, STUDDED & HERBED BONELESS LEG OF LAMB by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 head garlic
1 boneless leg of lamb, 21/2-3 pounds, at room temperature, patted dry
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano
(Note: I used dried herbs.)
1 lemon
Salt and Pepper
1 medium onion, sliced in quarters
1/4 cup white wine
11/4 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. Center a oven rack and preheat to 450 degrees.
2. Remove 2 garlic cloves from the head, peel and slice into small slivers. Using a top of a paring knife, pierce the lamb all over and then stud it with the garlic, using the knife to help you push the slivers into the meat.
3. Separate the remaining cloves, peel and toss them into a Dutch oven.
4. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the mined herbs together in a small bowl. Grate the lemon zest over the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper and rub the seasoned oil over the lamb.
5. Thickly slice the lemon and add to the Dutch oven along with the onions. Pour over the remaining 2 tablespoons and white wine. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix well.
6. Center the lamb in the pot.
7. Roast the lamb for 15 minutes and then cover the pot and lower the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to cook until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 120(rare) or 135(medium-rare). The total cooking time will be between 45-60 minutes.
8. Remove the roast from the pan, tent with foil and let it rest while you make pan sauce.
9. Put the Dutch oven over high heat and bring the liquid in it to boil, crushing the garlic cloves as you do for two minutes. Add the broth and lower the heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and strain the sauce.
10. Slice the roast to serve and pour a small portion of sauce on the meat or pass the sauce at the table.

CINNA-BUNNIES, Rhodes Bake ’n Serve

Serves: 6

Cinna Bunnies

LAST-OF-THE-BUNCH BANANA BUNDT by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

https://food52.com/recipes/78084-last-of-the-bunch-banana-bundt

NOTRE DAME to DeVINCI

Mary+ by | Feb 21, 2020 | Uncategorized

When I arrived in Paris last Friday afternoon, I intended to unpack and then have dinner at Au Chai de l’Abbey, a small cafe located across the street. By the time I did get settled and get my technical world up and running, I was not up and running myself. Tired

Paris, Week #1

I had a bag of peanuts leftover from my flight. And after rummaging through my purse, found a stale Clif bar, probably left over from last year’s trip here. That, dear Readers, was dinner my first night in Paris. As I recall, Julia had sole meunière, Dover sole browned in a butter sauce, for her first meal. Julia for the Win.

NOTRE DAME
Sunday morning I walked over to Notre Dame. It was jarring. She is 850-years old and damaged. On my final day in Paris last year my blogging colleague, Patty Price, suggested after breakfast we stop by the cathedral. It was a cold, misty day and I was running short of time, I asked, “Why?”

“Because I love going there,” she said. As did I. That was my last and in hindsight very poignant visit to Our Lady of Paris.

The site is protected by a barricade fence. Hanging on the fence is informed signage and detailed photos explaining the April 2019 event and its resulting restoration. Visitors can circle the site to read it. This is not a pleasurable stop for anyone. It’s quiet, sad and disturbing.

LÉONARDO DE VINCI

While ND was the beginning bookend of my week, the Léonardo De Vinci retrospective at the Louvre was the other far happier one. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of his death, there are 140 of his works on display plus 11 paintings. It took ten years for the powers that be at the Louvre to pull this together. The show ends in 4 days so I was lucky to see it.

The CHEESE COURSE

Cher Rockwell, a blogging colleague, suggested when in Paris why not choose cheeses that are not available in the States. Great idea. This week I stopped by Laurent Dubois’ cheese shop which I’ve visited before on cheese & wine tours. Dubois is a Meilleur Ouvrier de France recognized for his skills as a master of cheese. The prestigious MOF is France’s highest honor for a craftsperson. Amélie helped me choose three cheeses, goat, cow and a bleu. A fun project.

AND, MORE …

It is a brisk and windy today (Friday.) It’s actually forecast to be warmer in Aspen. Whoops.

DESTINATION: PARIS

Mary+ by | Feb 13, 2020 | Uncategorized

As you’re reading this, I’m in Aspen about to board a flight to Paris. This week I drove back to snowy Colorado, dumped my belongings and grabbed a packed suitcase labeled France. Yep, the gypsy thing. Still living it. Note also, only one suitcase.

Before my upcoming journey, here’s a parting gift – a wonderfully delicious soup. It’s a cinch to throw together and takes just 30 minutes to make. Chupe de Quinoa (Peruvian Quinoa and Corn Chowder) is another Christopher Kimball creation. It’s from his Milk Street Tuesday Nights cookbook which won both the James Beard and IACP Awards for best general cookbook in 2019. Great for dinner but save a few cups for lunch the next and next days. All you need to know to pull this off is below.

TO MASK or NOT to MASK

Despite Coronavirus and a 46-day transportation strike (officially ended…maybe), it’s destination Paris for six weeks. While I’m adverse to risk (I purchased the last 3 masks available in Las Vegas), I’ve adjusted to tolerating discomfort.

Leading the life I want, making it happen, often requires stepping outside the comfort zone. To my mind, that’s not dreadful. Of course, I’d prefer lush-and-plush over lean-and-mean. My affordable bed-of-roses is sometimes lumpy. But I’m still blessed with good health. It’s a priceless gift and why I can keep “charging” forward.

Admittedly, aging has forced me to soften the edges of my absurdly independent self. I’ve learned that ‘help is the sunny side of control’ and value even more those who offer it.

I LOVE APPLE

If you need to jump start your social life, buy an iPhone 11 Pro Max and pitch a tent at your local Apple store. That’s what I did last month. From the minute their doors open each morning, it’s a frenzied happening. All ages can apply. Gold stars to Fili, Sid and Rachel, the instructors who adopted me as a group project. I took 7 classes to get up to photography speed before my trip. I also bonded with strangers I’ll never see again!

RANGER REUNION

Hugs are never in short supply when I return home. I actually think the kids at The Gant missed me. “You know, Mrs. Hirsch, when you leave, we starve,” is the best compliment ever.

When I had chores down valley Wednesday, Donna Grauer managed to pull together a luncheon for my Ranger colleagues and other friends who live nearby. Not only was it chance to see them, but also an opportunity to celebrate our friendship and birthdays I miss. Here are more photos from that.

AU REVOIR

It’s will be fun to share this journey with you all. Merci mille fois for coming along.

CHUPE de QUINOA (PERUVIAN QUINOA & CORN CHOWDER) by Christopher Kimball excerpted from MILK STREET: TUESDAY NIGHTS

SERVES: 4 (Frozen Corn works and is always a good substitute if fresh corn isn’t available.)
INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup ají amarillo paste or 1-2 minced jalapeños
3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
8 ounces sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (1½ cups)
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup quinoa, preferably red, rinsed and drained if necessary
1 1/4 quarts (5 cups) chicken broth (use low-sodium if you wish)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh mint, chopped
1-2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil until shimmering.
2. Stir in the sweet potato, corn, quinoa and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and quinoa are tender, 16 to 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. if needed.
3. Off heat, stir in the heavy cream.
4. Ladle into bowls, Sprinkle with mint. Serve with lime wedges and a simple salad of shredded cabbage, sliced avocado and crumbled queso fresco or mixed greens. 

TIPS:

1.Rinse the quinoa to remove the naturally-occurring toxic saponin that gives quinoa its bitter flavor. Be sure to check the packaging first, as some quinoa is sold pre-washed and won’t need to be rinsed.

2. Ají amarillo, an orange-yellow chili with a fruity yet earthy flavor, is ubiquitous in Peruvian cuisine. Ají amarillo paste, sold in jars, is available at well-stocked markets and specialty stores under the Goya brand. If you can’t find it, use 1 or 2 minced jalapeños instead.

PERFECT PASTA & PUDDING CHÔMEUR

Mary+ by | Jan 24, 2020 | Uncategorized

This post has it all. And, why not? I was happy writing it. I am even happier to share with you. True, we are bouncing from here to there to everywhere but ending with two fabulous recipes you can pull together this weekend.

SHINY NEW TOYS

Pudding Chômeur is a recipe from Christopher Kimball’s award-winning Milk Street Tuesday Nights cookbook which I recently received. It’s a fabulous bookend to Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, my CookTheBookFridays group’s latest project. These authors are masters of their trade which translates to 1) Learning, my favorite task; and 2) Cooking-the-Books with Pros.

It’s always during these slower winter months that I inject newness into Me. What seem like no-brainers for most are new mountains to climb for me by myself. Think about it, loyal Readers, jumping from a 2008 Lexus to a 2019 Subaru Outback overburden with bells & whistles is no walk in Central Park. My first 4,000-mile road trip has been, well, an experience.

And, just for good measure, why not upgrade from an iPhone 6s to an iPhone 11 Pro Max. More bells, whistles and cameras. If you’ll excuse the shadows and sometimes lame photos this week, I promise to nail down this book while attending 3 in-depth lessons at my local Apple store next week.

YEAR of the RAT

Overwhelming in its extravagant décor and elaborate displays, Chinese New Year 2020 in Las Vegas rivals the Christmas holidays with in-your face splendor. Every year Las Vegas is all in for the longest and most important festival in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Last weekend I spent a day on The Strip to catch an early peek at the decorations before the kickoff celebration on January 25th. In case you’re uninformed, this is the Year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac cycle. In this City, for now, all rats are gold and Sin City’s Strip is more gorgeous than glitzy.

As far as rats go, however, my heart still belongs to Ratatouille’s Remy.

A NATURE LESSON

What I know for sure is that when hiking on a trail, I step aside for bears, moose and tarantulas. When we lived in Nevada I was always on the alert for snakes and spiders. (According to CNN, snakes, the Chinese krait and the cobra, may be the original source of the newly discovered coronavirus.) Apparently I forgot that hiking rule when I almost stepped on this furry guy last week. We parted as friends and went our separate ways.

PASTA PERFECT & PUDDING CHÔMEUR

Nothing prods a chef to become more creative than being faced with hungry bellies. Whether famine, war, economic depressions or just hard times, the world’s cooks have always dished up what they could with what they had. Egg Drop Soup was actually a popular Depression-era Soup. Irish Soda Bread has been a mainstay since the 1830’s when Baking Soda was invented. Minestrone, Potage and Ribollita are still economical mainstays of the European diet.

Such it is with Pudding Chômeur, a French-Canadian pudding cake enhanced by maple syrup and cream. Originally called Pouding Chômeur, literally translated as unemployment pudding or poor man’s pudding, it’s a sponge-like vanilla cake. Someone suggested this Québécois classic tastes ‘as if you crossed sticky toffee pudding with pancakes and maple syrup.’ What is for certain is if you need a smidgen of sweetness at the end of your meal, this is the dessert to serve. Look below for step-to-step instructions.

Although Dorie Greenspan’s PASTA with CABBAGE, WINTER SQUASH AND WALNUTS was created from her fruitful, talented mind, it is a recipe born from fridge/pantry leftovers. This dish demonstrates how to pull together a recipe, kick it up a notch or two and make something special.

COOK the BOOK FRIDAYS

PASTA with CABBAGE, WINTER SQUASH AND WALNUTS by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound winter squash, such as Delicata, Kabocha, acorn or butternut, scrubbed or peeled, as you like
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 pinch fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

1/2 pound linguine or other long pasta

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 pound green cabbage, trimmed, cored and shredded (about 2 lightly packed cups)

1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted, if you’d like

1 handful freshly grated Parmesan, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
   Meanwhile, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and strings, discard the seeds and roast.Thinly slice or cut into cubes. You’ll have about 2 lightly packed cups.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large high-sided skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Toss in the squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until it is almost tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and cook until it is absorbed by the squash — this is quick. Add the honey and stir to coat, then scrape the squash into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. About a minute before the pasta is ready, toss the dried cranberries into the pot. When the pasta is cooked, scoop out 1/4 cup of the cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta, leaving a little water clinging to the strands.
4. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, toss in the cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Pour in the reserved pasta water and cook for a minute, then add the pasta and cranberries and stir it all around. Mix in the squash and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Taste for salt and pepper and see if you want to add a bit more oil.
5. Transfer to a warm bowl or leave the pasta in the skillet to serve, topped with the walnuts and Parmesan.
   STORING: The dish is really best served as soon as it’s made. If you have leftovers, wrap tightly and put in fridge. Add extra oil, if necessary, when re-heating.
   

PUDDING CHÔMEUR by Christopher Kimball, Milk Street Tuesday Nights

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

6 TBS (3/4 stick) salted butter, softened, plus more for ramekins
1 cup maple syrup
6 TBS heavy cream
2TBS cider vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp backing powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
7 TBS white sugar
1 large egg
Vanilla Ice Cream or Yogurt to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Generously butter 4 6-ounce ramekins and place on baking sheet. (Although I used high-rimmed ramekins, the lower-rimmed are much better, I think.)
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the maple syrup and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Take off the heat, whisk in vinegar and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. . Using an electric mixer in another medium bowl, beat the 6 Tablespoons of butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2-4 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the egg, 1 or 2 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated about 1 minute. The mixture will resemble sticky cookie dough. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Into each prepared ramekin, spoon 2 TBS of the maple mixture. Scoop the dough into the ramekins, dividing it evenly. Spoon another 2 TBS of the maple mixture over each.
6. Bake until puddings are deep golden brown and bubbling at the edges about 25 minutes. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
7. Serve warm, topped with ice cream or yogurt. Pour the remaining maple mixture over the topping as desired.

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 CookThe Book Fridays. We do not publish recipes unless they have already been on the Internet. We do encourage you to buy this truly innovative cookbook and, even better, cook along with us. And always remember, these recipes work so if you encounter difficulties, e-mail me at [email protected] We’ll figure it out.