Countdown to 2020. Five days until we step into a new decade. If nothing else the 2010’s have been for me about what I can’t control. That’s terribly uncomfortable on so many levels but, as I understand, it’s called Life.
PAIN d’ÉPICE, a French classic, is a hearty, deeply spiced loaf (think, gingerbread) that I always bake during the holidays.
In the coming year I’ve promised myself to end each day with a “Well Done, You.” That’s a tired, overused phrase but translates to ‘glass half full.’ Take it easy. Just make every day count for something. Stay in the present.
Christmas Day, 2019
Emma (L), Clara (R)
Psychologist Robert Holden, considered Britain’s foremost expert on happiness, says “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
The Place Family
I got a jump start on that when spending Christmas week with my family in Bishop. Among the things we celebrated was my October 22nd (major) Birthday. Last Monday afternoon, Melissa said, “Mom, sit down, the girls want to give you your birthday present.”
Happy Birthday
Clara handed me a copper canister which held 75 snippets of paper, each one expressing Why They Love Grandma. For the next two hours as I read each one aloud, it was 17-years of emotional. Without a doubt this was one of the best gifts ever. Each of us are well aware of our faults and foibles but here were 75 well-considered ways in which “Well Done, You” works every time. It’s such a lovely gift to receive.
Why there are no pictures of me with the Girls.
Was it Marcel Proust who suggested we ‘be grateful to people who make us happy’ since ‘they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom?’
Maybe that’s a thought to live by when welcoming this new Decade.
Since some of my Henderson friends were leaving for the holidays just as I arrived, my Anthem Country Club friend and buddy-in-all-adventures, Ardyth, hosted a lovely brunch for me.
My friends Kathy Callahan and her beloved (by all of us) mother, Trudy, are spending the holidays in Germany. Trudy was born in Germany and grew up during the Hitler era before meeting a handsome GI named George and coming to America.
EAT YOUR VEGGIES
There is no clever way to segue from Proust to this week’s CooktheBookFridays recipe. Let me just say…..If Marcel Proust were alive he would love SWEET & SMOKY ROASTED CARROTS.
Pour the spice syrup over the carrots and turn them until each carrot is covered.
The secret to Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook book’s success is it’s all about ‘easy, comfortable cooking’ based on what can be found in your grocery store, fridge or pantry with ‘plenty of tolerance for substitutions,’ as the author herself puts it.
My Bad that I had no parchment paper but these carrots are on their way to a perfect “char.”
This vegetable recipe could be the poster child for this cookbook. If you find carrots with their tops intact, just cut off the feathery tops leaving only an inch or two. Do the same for the taproots. That makes for pretty.
This makes for a nice presentation. Ellen Silverman photo
I don’t particularly like this presentation but it’s an option.
Serve the dish hot or cold, with the yogurt sauce poured over them, under, as its cushion or with the sauce in a pitcher for passing. I preferred the taste of smoky and sweetness without the sauce.
Any leftovers can be mashed or pureed and topped with yogurt. Yummy.
Happy New Year and Thank You for Your Loyalty, Readers
SWEET & SMOKY ROASTED CARROTS by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (see headnote)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey (I added another TBS)
2 pounds carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and patted dry
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or a double layer of parchment paper.
Whisk the cider vinegar, paprika, salt, cumin and cayenne together. When the spices are dissolved, whisk in the oil and honey and taste for cayenne.
Arrange the carrots on the baking sheet, pour over about 1⁄3 cup of the spice syrup you just made and turn the carrots until they’re evenly coated. Set the remaining syrup aside.
Roast the carrots for 20 minutes, then flip them over, rotate the baking sheet and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes or until they are tender and browned. They will be a tad charred here and there (that’s good) and probably a bit wrinkled (this is the one time wrinkles are fine).
Pull the sheet from the oven. The carrots can be made ahead to this point and kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours.
YOGURT SAUCE DIRECTIONS:
Stir a tablespoon of the leftover syrup into the yogurt. Taste and add more if desired. the yogurt sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
To serve the carrots, first being the yogurt sauce to room temperature. Serve the carrots HOT with yogurt sauce spooned over them or spread or pooled under them (as pictured). You can also just pass a pitcher of yogurt sauce to accompany the carrots.
STORING: Leftover carrots can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
My Las Vegas home away from home for the next 6 weeks.
This post follows my progress cooking each recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie cookbook along with those participating in our virtual cooking group , COOKTHEBOOKFRIDAYS. As a policy, we do not publish recipes unless they are already on the Web. Many of you have already brought the book. We thank you and encourage others to do the same. Join in the fun by linking here.
Scrumptious Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream, Salsa, & Avocado Mash
Here’s the thing about this week’s blog. I need to step back from gingerbread, cheese balls, eggnog and other seasonal-related flavors For.Just. One. Meal. While you won’t find an ounce of Grinch- nor Scrooge-ness in me and realizing resistance may be futile, I’m on a mission. With a nod to those surprisingly quick Flash Mobs, let’s call this a Flash Meal.
Mix-and-Match Shrimp Tacos by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie cookbook
Dorie’s SCRUMPTIOUS SHRIMP TACOS with Chipotle Cream, Salsa and Avocado Mash sounds delicious but involved, doesn’t it? Too much work? Too many ingredients? No. Just, no.
The past few weeks this little guy with the gorgeous bushy tail hung out in my parking lot.
I scooted out of Aspen earlier this week, just beating an ongoing 2 to 3-feet of snowfall. I am driving to California for the holidays. As usual, for the next two months I’ll stay in Henderson, Nevada, where we once lived. Tonight I am in Richfield, Utah where I relished my annual Half Rack of BBQ Ribs dinner ($15.99) at the R & R Frontier Village Restaurant. Since the Frontier had 3 holiday parties booked, to find a table was dicey. But I had driven 350 miles for those ribs. They welcomed me.
Chipotle Cream is very versatile, can be made up to 2 days ahead and is useful as a shot of heat.
Now let’s get back to those tacos. To clean out my fridge and pantry, this recipe was the perfect choice and provided me three days of meals. I had most the ingredients on hand, needing just a yellow bell pepper, canned pineapple and limes. I made the cream and salsa a day ahead. The last minute mash, tortillas and shrimp took 20 minutes. Since I first spotted this recipe in the Washington Post, I can provide it below. Jingle All the Way…
Just before the snow flies every year, The Gant receives an order of 100 cords of wood. A cord is 4 ft long, by 4 feet tall, by 8 feet wide. Each cord is chopped into firewood and the logs are stacked on each balcony. (There are 144 balconies.) All hands on deck, literally, it’s quite a job. Because of air quality controls, we have a fireplace use schedule.
SCRUMPTIOUS SHRIMP TACOS by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook
SERVES 4-6
Dorie’s Tips, Advice and Suggestions are worth noting.
CHIPOTLE CREAM
You can make the cream two days early. Whisk the mayo, yogurt and chipotle together in a bowl. Depending on how much heat you can tolerate, add the chipotle gradually. Season with salt. Whisk in the lime juice before serving. The leftover Cream is versatile. Use as a dipping sauce, a salad dressing or sandwich and burger spread.
SALSA
Because I had a jar of salsa in the fridge, I used that and added the red onion, yellow bell pepper and pineapple to the prepared mixture. Add the cilantro and lime juice just before serving.
AVOCADO MASH
This is best made while cooking the shrimp. Cover the leftover mash with plastic wrap, refrigerate and use as a sandwich spread.
SHRIMP
Directions are below. Refrigerate the leftover shrimp.
TORTILLAS
Use either corn or flour tortillas. Heat directly over a gas flame or toast them in a dry skillet. Wrap the shrimp mixture in lettuce leaves if you prefer.
INGREDIENTS:
CHIPOTLE CREAM
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 canned chipotle in adobe sauce, minced
fine sea salt
freshly squeezed lime juice
SALSA
1/4 pound ripe tomatoes (plum, ripe or grape) 1/2 cup diced or finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup seeded, diced or finely chopped red or yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh pineapple (I used canned.)
1/4 seeded jalapeño pepper, minced or long strips, or more as needed
Freshly squeezed lime juice (1 to 2 limes), or more as needed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more as needed
Hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
AVOCADO MASH
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime, or more as needed
Fine sea salt
1/4-inch sliced seeded jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)
Flesh of 2 ripe avocados
SHRIMP
1 pound medium or large raw shrimp (defrosted if frozen), peeled, deveined and patted dry 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil Pinch of Old Bay Seasoning or chili powder, more as needed Pinch fine sea salt, more as needed Squirt fresh lime juice, more as needed
TO SERVE
There are no rules. Let everyone build their own taco, mixing/matching the components as they wish.
Use Corn or Flour Tortillas or Romaine Lettuce Leaves (for wraps)
Shredded lettuce (romaine or iceberg; may substitute shredded cabbage)
Hot sauce
This Non Sequitur cartoon by Wiley Miller
This post follows my progress cooking each recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie cookbook along with those participating in our virtual cooking group , COOKTHEBOOKFRIDAYS. As a policy, we do not publish recipes unless they are already on the Web. Many of you have already brought the book. We thank you and encourage others to do the same. Join in the fun by linking here.
Let’s just put it out there … one week. Thanksgiving. Followed closely by our December holidays nipping at its heels.
APPLE CUSTARD CRISP by DORIE GREENSPAN
Light-bulb moment: Promise yourself, right now and out loud, to embrace these next few weeks with joy and gratitude. (I can’t hear you.)
A SOFT LANDING, Aspen Meadows
Still skeptical? Why not dig deeper to pull up your kick-ass determination gene to seal the deal. (Yes, you have one.)
HOLIDAY READING: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (Bookclub); First Tracks by Catherine O’Connell, (Good Friend and Terrific Writer); Women on Food by Charlotte Druckman, (Rec from Dorie Greenspan); The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Library Hot Picks and Patchett Fan)
GRRRRRATITUDE
.With apologies for snitching a few “R”s from Tony the Tiger, that’s the word I’m clinging to, holding tight right now.
Recently I met blogging friend Liz Berg (This Skinny Chick Can Bake) who flew to Denver from Indianapolis to help her sister, Maddy, with her annual holiday open house and sale. Maddy and Melissa (my daughter) went to high school together.
Throughout Maddy’s historic home and her art studio which is next door, there was nourishment. Her friend, Greer, baked that fabulous cake and Liz added all those ‘Skinny Chick” touches she displays on her blog.
She identifies Gratitude so perfectly. With her every sentence and phrase I can reach back in my Life’s memory bank and pull up an example that make it so.
While in Denver I saw the Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature, exhibit featuring 120 artworks from 65 different cities across 5 continents. Among other exhibits at the Denver Art Museum was Jonathan Saiz’s installation #WhatisUtopia comprised of this column covered with 10,000 tiny drawings, paintings, and sculptures. Too much to absorb.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected intoperfect timing, and mistakes into important events. It can turn an existence into a real life, and disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
Lucas Samaras’ “Corridor #2,” from 1970, is a 50-foot-long walk-though a hall of mirrors which was part of DAM’s Light Show exhibit. Just A 50′ stroll but a bit disorienting.
AND, IF YOU AREN’T CONVINCED ABOUT JOIE DE VIVRE …
Journalist Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor for CNN, insists that “Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic.”
These women brought me joy and were inspiring. The Monet exhibit was long and tiring. Watching them, one in a wheelchair, the other two carrying little stools, move from art work to art work, getting situated and then discussing each picture brought smiles from all of us in each room.
COOK THE BOOK FRIDAYS: APPLE CUSTARD CRISP
This recipe is already on the Internet so I am able to post it here.
No one, absolutely no one, does Apple Crisp better that my Mom did. So color me skeptical when Dorie Greenspan’s Apple Custard Crisp was our CooktheBookFridays recipe choice for this week. The thing is, Dorie’s crisp is custard-based, more tart than crisp, and the recipe does NOT include Quaker Oats Old Fashioned 100% Whole Grain Oats. There is no apples-to-apples, so to speak, comparison. It is sweet, delicious and family or party worthy. It’s best, however, for breakfast, served straight from the fridge!
Dorie always suggests that we use a variety of apples in a recipe. It’s a great idea It’s become a habit. The apples here are Granny Smith, Fuji and Honey Crisp.
APPLE CUSTARD CRISP by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook
INGREDIENTS
TOPPING
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
5-1/2 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
½ tsp. vanilla extract
FILLING
1-1/2 lbs. baking apples
Zest and juice of one lemon
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup brown sugar
Pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom
1 large egg yolk
1 large egg
1 Tbs. apple brandy or dark rum (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
— after pouring the custard over the sliced apples
DIRECTIONS:
To make the topping, mix together in a bowl the dry ingredients. Add the cubes of cold butter and work them with your fingers until a dough is formed. Sprinkle on the vanilla and work a little more to incorporate it. Refrigerate the dough at least an hour before using. (If using a mixture, fix it with a paddle attachment and mix on medium-low speed 5-10 minutes until the ingredients form moist, clumpy crumbs.) Refrigerate in a covered container for at least an hour or up to 5 days. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.3.
To make the apple-custard base, start with a deep 9-inch pie pan or cake pan.
Peel and core the apples, cut them into large chunks and put them in the pan.
Mix in the lemon juice and zest.
In a small bowl, mix together the cream, brown sugar, cinnamon (or other spice), egg yolk, egg, apple brandy or rum and vanilla extract. Pour the custard mixture over the apples. Add the topping to the top of the apple-custard mixture and press the topping into the base to help it adhere.
Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, baking parchment, or a silicon mat for any overflows.
Bake 50-60 minutes until the apples are soft and the crisp topping is golden. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving, warm or at room temperature, with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain.
For someone who doesn’t like to cook, my friend, Deb Overeynder, certainly knows the way around her kitchen. Whatever she makes, she goes big, at least doubling the recipe. That’s why I often get a text, “Mary, do you feel like chicken enchiladas tonight?” or “I mixed up a big batch of soup. Want some?” and “I baked challah today.”
ROASTED PEAR and BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP and GRILLED CHEESE STRANGEWICH
Her Roasted Pear & Butternut Squash which she made recently tastes better than best. That’s why I’m sharing. I’ve also suggested variations for simple adaptions that won’t compromise its flavor.
I constantly suggest to Deb (as I’m picking up my dinner) that it appears she really does like cooking. Her quick firm reply, “No, I don’t,“ always shuts me down. What she does realize is that cooking from scratch, minimizing the amount of processed or pre-cooked food on the table, is healthier for her family.
APPLE CIDER PROSECCO APEROL SPRITZ
I also make most of my meals. But, Loyal Readers, meal planning, grocery shopping, maintaining a well-stocked cupboard and preparation swallow up huge amounts of time. In today’s world, who has enough of that? I always try to offer and simplify recipes for you so they’re not time busters. That’s what this week’s post of four recipes is all about.
On the day of our first major, snow-stays-on-the-ground snowfall, I received this holiday wreath from my daughter, Melissa.
COOK-THE-BOOK-FRIDAYS – MISO-GLAZED SALMON
What sets this salmon recipe apart from all others? MISO.
The marinated salmon fillets (miso, lemon juice, soy sauce and honey) are ready for the oven.
With a tablespoon or two of store-bought miso paste made from fermented soybeans, you can transform any dish into something delicious. Light white or red in color, miso can be stored in the refrigerator forever. The best description I’ve heard about this wonder paste is from Dorie, herself. “Miso is the poster child for umami, the fifth flavor that includes sweet, salty, bitter and sour.”
This recipe is a no-brainer, salmon can be marinated in the fridge overnight if you wish (I did) and makes a great dinner the next day. I brushed 4 5-oz salmon fillets with a mixture of 3 Tbsp. miso paste (either color), 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce. After lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, I put it in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Voila, love is a protein.
When the fillets are done, they will still be pinkish in the middle.
APPLE CIDER PROSECCO APEROL SPRITZ
While you may be familiar with the summertime Classic Aperol Spritz (Prosecco, Aperol, Club Soda and orange slice), why not improvise with a Thanksgiving twist on the Classic by including apple cider. In Colorado I picked up a gallon of Big Bob’s at his orchard in Hotchkiss. Pick your favorite cider and enjoy.
With thanks to Jessica Merchant, How Sweet Eats
Serves One:
2 to 3 ounces apple cider
1 ounce Aperol
2 to 3 ounces Prosecco
Splash of soda
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Apple wedges and cinnamon stick for garnish
Fill a glass with ice and stir together the Apple Cider and Aperol. Add the Prosecco and the club soda, along with a sprinkle of cinnamon and garnishes. Mmmmmm
PERFECTLY CRISPY GRILLED CHEESE STRANGEWICH
Some of my favorite recipes are from the backs of name-brand boxes, bottles, cans and jars. My favorites include Quaker Oats Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies, Famous Chocolate Wafer Roll, Kellogg’s Best Bran Muffins and Kraft’s Fantasy Fudge.
After stumbling on to Hellmann’s® grilled sandwich recipe I went way out on a limb, giving it a Go. As promised, the crust was golden brown and extra crispy. Honestly, Readers, I know my grilled cheeses. This was darn tasty.
This is not your normal grilled cheese sandwich . It’s with mayo.
1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 slices crusty country bread, sliced
2 ounces sliced white cheddar cheese or your choice
Spread one slice of bread with Mayonnaise. Place bread Mayonnaise-side-down onto hot skillet. Add cheese. Spread other slice of bread with Mayonnaise and place Mayonnaise-side-up on top of cheese. When bottom bread browns nicely, flip it over and brown other side until done.
I love jigsaw puzzles. A French Fridays with Dorie colleague, Tricia, sent me a puzzle of the cookbook, Around my French Table, that we cooked through together. What a nifty gift.
ROASTED PEAR and BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
by Deb Overeynder and Beth Carter with adaptions by Mary Hirsch
The soup I served above with the sandwich is chunkier than this because I pureed it less. Smooth or chunky, to your taste.
INGREDIENTS
4 firm but ripe pears, cored, quartered and peeled
4 lbs. butternut squash, about 2 medium squash, cut in half with seeds removed (Note: A 2 lb. butternut squash yields about 3 cups)
1/1/2-2 quarts chicken broth
2 Cups + a few Tbsp. heavy cream (Deb used 1/2 & 1/2)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Chicken Bouillon, 1 cube or 1 Tbsp. (optional)
Grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Serves 8-12
Preheat the oven to 375
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
Rinse the outside of your squash, carefully cut it in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds.
Brush the inside of both pieces of squash with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Place the squash on the prepared pan, cut side down. Roast for 40-50 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a fork or the tip of a knife.
While the squash is roasting, peel, quarter and core the pear. Brush lightly with olive oil.
After the squash has baked for 20 minutes, add the pears to the pan.
When they are both easily pieced, remove and let cool.
Scoop out the squash and put the squash and pears (divide batch in thirds) with 2 cups of broth in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Do the same with every batch and broth. Transfer to a large soup pot.*
Add cream, syrup and chicken bouillon (optional) to pot, bring to a soft boil, lower burner to medium heat and cook for at least 10 minutes. Season according to taste.
Serve with a tsp. of cream and dust with nutmeg. Or, if desired, just sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. of blue cheese on top.
(*Tip: Since I am comfortable using an immersion blender, at Direction #8 I just put the 3 batches, one at a time, in the soup pot and pureed them. If you don’t have either, an electric mixer works also.)
As requested, a quiet celebration with a lovely dinner.
Last Sunday afternoon Paul, a bellmen here at The Gant, came up to the condo to help me move furniture. During our conversation he mentioned making dinner for friends the night before. “What did you serve?” I asked.
“I made two Tri Tips,” he replied, rather nonchalantly, “and had mashed potatoes with truffle butter and broccolini as side dishes.”
My assistance with the furniture-lifting operation came to a Full Stop. “You what?” I was shocked.
He repeated the menu, explaining it had been his birthday so he decided to cook for friends. Knowing that employee housing is limited in its kitchen capacity and having only the bare equipment essentials, I considered this quite an accomplishment. (Thanks to a sale at Macy’s, he added, he bought his own pots and pans.)
Although Paul was on-the-clock, we traded tips and suggestions on ingredients, high altitude adjustments and truffle butter as we finished up our chores. I still smile, thinking about the moment he dropped that “two Tri Tips” on me. Do you get that it’s not that I thought he couldn’t, I just didn’t realize he did.
Even more surprising was a knock on my door recently. It was Josh, a young man who works at the front desk. “You’re always bringing us food so I thought I’d bring you these chocolate chip cookies to try,” he said. “I don’t know how good they are.”
He had previously told me he’d found an apartment with a kitchen and was teaching himself to bake. I just didn’t know I’d be receiving delicious samples.
Life is full of possibilities.
FOOD MAKES MEMORIES, FOOD IS MEMORIES
Look at this treasure trove of spices, speciality foods and wine, thanks to generous friends who successfully avoided the peril of customs agents this summer and brought me back these goodies. Anxious to try this maple syrup (Quebec), saffron (Spain), vanilla and red pepper (Madagascar), dukkah spice (Serengeti Tented Camp), Piment d’Espelette (Paris) and the plumpest capers I’ve even seen (Italy).
Spice, food and wine gifts – quite a summer cache
COOK the BOOK FRIDAYS
Admit it. In times like these that try men’s and women’s souls, wouldn’t you just like to pound something? A chicken cutlet, perhaps? The thinner, the better. This Chicken and Salad Milanese Style is as delicious and tantalizing as it is plate-pretty. It comes together in a flash after you’ve assembled and prepped the ingredients.
CHICKEN and SALAD MILANESE STYLE by Dorie Greenspan, EVERYDAY DORIE, THE WAY I COOK
SERVINGS: 4
INGREDIENTS:
SALAD
1 to 2 celery stalks, with leaves, thinly sliced 1/2 English (halved lengthwise) or 1 mini (Persian) cucumber, peeled (or not) and thinly sliced (TIP: I like unpeeled. Looks better. More texture.) 1/2 bell pepper, finely diced or chopped (TIP: I preferred long, thin 4” strips. Simpler.) 1 tablespoon minced mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill and cilantro, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil (TIP: I used only parsley which I had on hand.) 1 handful baby greens
DRESSING
(TIP: Use this tangy, easy-to-mix-together dressing for other salads 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar 1 pinch fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
CHICKEN
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (trimmed; tenders, if any, removed), each 4 to 5 ounces (Although I recommend using cutlets as suggested, I used chicken breast tenderloins because I already had them in my freezer. Each tender weighed 2 ounces so I put two on each plate.) 1 cup to 2 cups fine dry bread crumbs 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more if needed 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more if needed 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
DIRECTIONS:
Bowls of crumbs and eggs for breading.
SALAD and CHICKEN
1.SALAD: Toss the celery, cucumber, bell pepper, herbs and greens into a bowl. 2. Pour the oil, lemon juice and vinegar into a small jar, season with salt and pepper and shake to blend. 3. Cover and refrigerate the salad and vinaigrette until needed. 4. CHICKEN: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 300°F, to keep the first batch of cutlets warm while you cook the rest. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a double layer of paper towels. Have another baking sheet lined with parchment or a rack to hold the breaded cutlets. 5. Sandwich the cutlets between sheets of parchment or wax paper and pound them with the bottom of a skillet or a meat tenderizer mallet. 6. Set out three shallow bowls or soup plates. Put about 1⁄2 cup of bread crumbs in each of two bowls and crack the eggs into the third bowl. Put the egg bowl between the other two. Season the crumbs and eggs with salt and pepper and lightly beat the eggs to break them up. 7. One by one, dredge the cutlets in the first bowl of crumbs, run them through the eggs and then coat them in the second bowl of crumbs, placing the breaded cutlets on the lined baking sheet or the rack. Replenish the bread crumbs as you go, if needed. 8. If you have time, chill the cutlets, uncovered. A chill gives the coating time to firm and dry a bit, so you get a crisper cutlet. The breaded cutlets can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours. 9. Set a large skillet—nonstick is great here—over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and when the butter is melted and the bubbling has subsided, slip in 2 cutlets, or as many as fit comfortably in the pan. 10. Sauté until the breading is golden on the underside—adjust the heat and tilt the pan as needed so that the chicken, not the butter, browns—then carefully turn the cutlets over to cook and brown the other side. You’ll need about 2-3 minutes on each side, but this will vary according to thickness. 11. When the cutlets are golden and cooked through, transfer them to the second lined baking sheet to keep warm in the oven but serve immediately when all cutlets are cooked.
CooktheBookFridays is an international group of food bloggers who are cooking virtually through Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook by Dorie Greenspan. We can only post recipes if they have already been posted on line. Join us, if you wish by clicking here. Or, just cook along with us and send us photos of your efforts.
So much to share this week. Let’s go…..My California granddaughters, Clara (L) and Emma, are 16 and 18. For nine years of their lives, Michael and I lived nearby, seeing them often. After he died and I moved home to Aspen, everything changed. My one hesitancy about moving 900 miles back to Colorado was just that – not being present for every birthday, holiday, and school activity. I shed tears over that, lotsa tears, with Melissa promising, “We’ll figure it out, Mom. We will.”
Two of the Aspen Junior Environmentalists who spearheaded the local climate march are Freshmen Isabella and Willow Poschman (Twins, Carrying White Signs). Their proud father, a Pitkin County Commissioner, told me jokingly that they were ‘out of control.’ We both agreed that was a good thing. (I apologize for not identifying the other two students. I tried) Deb Overeynder photo.
And, she did. Melissa decided every week the girls, 12 and 10 at the time, would each write me an e-mail. The e-mail was to be 3 paragraphs, each graph a different subject. I can just imagine the eye rolls, groaning and sisterly discussions over Mom’s new rule. And while Missy never threatens, I have been told there were bribes.
I, in turn, wrote them, utilizing every imaginative ounce of creativity I could muster to remain relevant and involved in their lives. Once, after seeing Common (an American Rapper) at the Aspen Institute, I even “rapped” my e-mail to them. Impressed, they “rapped” back!
https://marchforscience.org/
During the past 6 years, having received about 300 e-mail letters from each of them, I feel I’ve earned a graduate degree in understanding, on some level, Post-Millennial life (kids born in 1997 to present day). What I know for sure is my world is enhanced and invigorated by these younger generations, Millennials (born 1981-1996, 22-37 years old) and P-M’s.
Naturalist (and, Millennial) Adam McCurdy who heads up the Forestry Program at ACES led 4 different hikes through the burn zones of the Lake Christine Fire. Planning to do only one excursion, he just kept adding hikes until he exhausted the Wait List.
I’m not so eager to judge them against our generational standards. They are not Us, born of the three previous generations. Even more important, they don’t want to be Us. My activities the past few weeks revolved around two of their leading concerns, climate/environment and agricultural/food issues. I share those concerns also so I climbed aboard for the ride.
A Border Collie, a handler and Sheep. Let the Games begin. The sheep with red collars need to be separated from the others in timed events.
2019 NATIONAL SHEEPDOG FINALS
The gal holding the scorecard added a little flair to the event.
I just attended the 2019 National SheepdogFinals at the 460-acre Strang Ranch located near Carbondale. This 50-year old ranch, with an easement secured by the Aspen Valley Land Trust and held in perpetuity, will remain rooted in agriculture for future generations. The county fair-like atmosphere (there were funnel cakes and bar-b-que’ed pork sandwiches) in combination with remarkable performances by the Border Collies and their handlers will be a repeatable experience for me.
LAKE CHRISTINE FIRE HIKE
You can see a reason for the hard hats in extremely distressed areas. You never know when a tree will fall.
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies sponsored a day-long hike through the 12,000 acres of forest burned by the 2018 Lake Christine Fire near Basalt. Led by Naturalist Adam McCurdy, we hiked through the burn zones and observed the regeneration/recovery of the forest ecosystems that were affected.
This is an elaborate wasp paper nest that was constructed this year. Look closely and you will see the bald-faced hornets who live in the nest.
Adam is just ready to lead the group into the fire area.
GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE
Mayor Torre expected to speak to the climate crowd inside City Hall but we were too many. Instead everyone was invited to walk through the building, were greeted by employees, went out the back door and congregated in a nearby park. Most of these kids had never been in City Hall.
Last Friday many locals joined 401 school students during their coordinated march with the Global Climate Strike. Starting at the high school, picking up kids at the middle and grade schools, it ended at City Hall with a rally led by students and the Mayor.
Councilman Ward Hauenstein was the first speaker. Aspen has committed to a 2020 goal of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
COOK the BOOK FRIDAYS
While Dorie’s World Peace cookies are my all-time favorites, these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies loaded with crunch are truly taste-worthy. The are-you-sure-about-this ingredient is one cup of rolled oats. Thus, the crunch. “I can’t imagine a time when I won’t be creating a new chocolate chip cookie,” she says.
If you love chocolate, you’ll love these cookies. Here I am in the process of chopping up semi- and bittersweet chocolate bars.
CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES by DORIE GREENSPAN, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook
Makes 35 Cookies
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (I always use High Altitude Flour in the mountains.) 1 cup rolled oats (not instant) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup to 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or 3⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks; 7 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and still warm 3/4 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into irregular bits
DIRECTIONS 1. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 2. Whisk together the flour, oats and baking soda. 3. Working in a large bowl with a flexible spatula, stir together both sugars, the salt and cinnamon. Drop in the eggs one at a time and beat with the spatula to blend, then stir in the vanilla. Pour in the melted butter—do this in two or three additions—and stir until you have a smooth, shiny mixture. 4. Add the flour and oats all at once and stir gently until they’re almost incorporated. Add the chocolate bits and stir until the dry ingredients are fully blended into the dough. (You can wrap the dough and refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.) 5. Portion out the dough using a medium cookie scoop (one with a capacity of 11⁄2 tablespoons), or use rounded tablespoons of dough, and place about 2 inches apart on the sheets—these are spreaders. 6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from front to back and top to bottom, until the cookies are golden and somewhat firm around the edges but still soft in the center — they’ll set as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about 3 minutes before carefully transferring them to racks to cool to just warm or room temperature. 7. Repeat with the remaining dough, always using a cool baking sheet.
STORING: The cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
WORKING AHEAD: The dough can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’d like, freeze scoops of dough and then bake directly from the freezer, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
