tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10502429565214133832024-03-12T19:14:32.628-07:00The Crowded Kitchenzaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-47376570305452835012013-01-19T23:05:00.000-08:002013-01-19T23:13:16.353-08:00Cook The Books: Chicken, Apples, and Cream a la Normande and Lemon-Steamed SpinachSo this year I started a challenge called the <a href="http://growandresist.com/2012/12/28/cook-the-books-around-my-french-table-with-dorie-greenspan/" target="_blank">Cook The Books 2013 Cookbook Challenge</a> (follow the link for a more detailed description.) The gist of the challenge is to cook something, or several things, from a selected cookbook over the course of the month. There will be a new cookbook each month and this month's book is<u> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Around-My-French-Table-Recipes/dp/0618875530/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358660075&sr=8-2&keywords=around+my+french+table+by+dorie+greenspan" target="_blank">Around My French Table</a></u> by Dorie Greenspan.<br />
<br />
What a GREAT book! Nothing overly complicated, no weird ingredients, beautiful pictures, and a TON of recipes! The descriptions with each recipe are comprehensive and also gives serving suggestions for items to go with the recipe.<br />
<br />
Tonight was my first foray into the book and I was excited to choose something to make. I wanted to make something that involved ingredients that I had at home, for the most part. I chose Chicken, Apples, and Cream a la Normande. Seemed pretty straight forward and had some great flavors in the ingredients: chicken, butter, olive oil, apples, onion, mushrooms, cream, and Calvados. Can't miss with that list of ingredients!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LaMKpNK9oFs/UPuKfIhcM2I/AAAAAAAAACc/A8fvsvFfr0M/s1600/IMG_3774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LaMKpNK9oFs/UPuKfIhcM2I/AAAAAAAAACc/A8fvsvFfr0M/s320/IMG_3774.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was really hoping it would be an easy recipe because as excited as I was to do this, I wasn't feeling like preparing a big fancy meal. This did not disappoint. I love a recipe that comes together quickly and easily! The longest part of the preparation of this recipe was the prepping of the veggies beforehand and the reduction of the liquids at the end. <br />
<br />
I will say that I was kind of leery about adding the apple but the whole point of the recipe was the Calvados and the pieces of apple in the sauce. I was actually disappointed that there weren't more apples when all was said and done.<br />
<br />
I almost never follow a recipe exactly but wanted to make sure I got the true essence without messing around with ingredients. The only change I made was to double the sauce at the end because I was serving this with pasta and knew there would not be enough sauce for our family.<br />
<br />
The chicken was perfectly cooked and the vegetables/apple were tender and bathed in a delicious cream/apple brandy sauce.<br />
<br />
I couldn't have been happier with my first attempt to Cook the Books - except for my second recipe. Greenspan suggested serving this bit of deliciousness with Lemon-Steamed Spinach. I DETEST cooked spinach and can barely stand raw spinach but she promised that this was delicious and well seasoned and a good match for the richness of the cream. What the heck! I figured if it was horrible, we could eat green beans on the side.<br />
<br />
Again, the recipe was fast and straight-forward. Toss spinach with olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper and steam for 3 minutes. I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious it is and I will NEVER make it any other way again! So great!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8YGxSUamk-w/UPuWzdLKsPI/AAAAAAAAAC0/QOrjx-IhYJw/s1600/IMG_3783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8YGxSUamk-w/UPuWzdLKsPI/AAAAAAAAAC0/QOrjx-IhYJw/s320/IMG_3783.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I simply cannot wait to try more recipes from this book! I think next time I'll try a dessert. Hmmmm...maybe even tomorrow! </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-16660768840539639372013-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-22T15:01:36.980-08:00Mini Breakfast QuicheLately Faith has been rummaging through the freezer looking for frozen breakfast items. Apparently she's not enjoying the home-assembled instant oatmeal I put together. (More on that <a href="http://thecrowdedkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/thrifty-instant-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) She's been pulling things out of there that I'd put in there so long ago that I forgot they were there. In addition to eating the aforementioned oatmeal, I thought I'd throw in a little variation because nobody really likes a forced diet of something the don't enjoy.<br />
<br />
Enter the mini breakfast quiche. I had some egg whites in the fridge left from another recipe where I needed yolks and some bits and pieces of ingredients left over from other recipes that would have fallen into the black hole that is my fridge if I hadn't used them: fresh spinach, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, small pieces from a block of cheddar cheese.<br />
<br />
I was in the kitchen and didn't have my phone or computer in there with me so I decided to just wing it with the recipe. They really turned out great and both of the girls and I love them!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_9xZvFmDnqI/UPbs9QmKhLI/AAAAAAAAAB8/Hjfzl_e7la4/s1600/Mini+Frittatas+(9).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_9xZvFmDnqI/UPbs9QmKhLI/AAAAAAAAAB8/Hjfzl_e7la4/s320/Mini+Frittatas+(9).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(This isn't my quiche but looks like it.<br />
Photo courtesy of http://rindymae.blogspot.ca)</div>
<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray. (Be sure to spray well or the eggs will stick.)<br />
<br />
12 eggs<br />
1/4 cup milk <br />
2 oz Canadian bacon<br />
3 Tbsp finely chopped onion<br />
1 cup spinach, chopped<br />
5 or 6 sliced mushrooms<br />
Shredded Cheese <br />
<br />
Place eggs in bowl with milk and beat. Mix in spinach. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop into muffin tin but don't fill much more than half full. Add Canadian bacon, onion, mushrooms to each quiche. Top with cheese and bake for approximately 20 minutes. They will puff up tall then collapse as they cool. Store in the fridge. To serve, warm in microwave. Two quiches heated up nicely for 1 minute.zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-39190187048083528052013-01-16T13:57:00.003-08:002013-01-16T17:30:54.800-08:00Thrifty Instant OatmealAnother of my favorite Pinterest finds is a thrifty little "recipe" for how to make your own instant oatmeal. The girls eat A LOT of oatmeal, almost daily at times. We were blowing through a Costco-sized box of instant oatmeal in a few weeks. That's a bunch of oatmeal for two little girls to consume.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PP1SCqYw9v4/UPciSjwjSFI/AAAAAAAAACM/ofqpeYlvlrs/s1600/oatmeal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PP1SCqYw9v4/UPciSjwjSFI/AAAAAAAAACM/ofqpeYlvlrs/s1600/oatmeal.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Since I'm not working, I've been looking for ways to cut corners. While this isn't a HUGE corner to cut, the cost difference between a box of oatmeal is pretty dramatic. A box of instant Quaker Oats, 10 packets is approximately $4.00 for about 2.5 cups of oatmeal. The equivalent amount of oatmeal in homemade packets costs $1.10!<br />
<br />
1/2 cup quick oats – $.11<br />
2 T. brown sugar – $.04<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon – $.05<br />
pinch of salt ~.01<br />
<br />
These are so easy and fast to assemble.<br />
<br />
1/2 cup of quick cooking oats<br />
2T brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
a tiny pinch of kosher salt<br />
<br />
To prepare, dump in a bowl and add 1 cup of water. Microwave for a minute or so. This makes a thick oatmeal so the girls usually add some coconut milk to thin it some.<br />
<br />
Just LOVE the cost of these! I put them into snack sized zipper bags and we reuse the bags so there's no plastic waste going into the garbage from this every day.zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-91285683815792579482013-01-08T21:26:00.003-08:002013-01-08T21:26:56.601-08:00Mmmmmm...Bagels!!!As I was whiling away some time on Pinterest the other day, I bumped into a recipe for New York Style Bagels. I'm not normally interested in making yeast raised products due to the fact that I cannot seem to get a recipe to work. I can't tell you how many loaves of bread I've ruined! Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bagels you get at Safeway - crusty outside and chewy and soft inside. What's not to love with that and why on earth would I want to even bother doing this when I can get perfect bagels at the store?<br />
<br />
But for some reason, I felt the need to give this recipe a shot. Boy am I glad I did, too! Crusty, chewy, tender, great bread flavor. This are on the "definitely doing this again" list!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TfmwdDcpSHw/UOz_UaIdwJI/AAAAAAAAABs/Wzz18eQr4zM/s1600/New+York+Bagels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TfmwdDcpSHw/UOz_UaIdwJI/AAAAAAAAABs/Wzz18eQr4zM/s320/New+York+Bagels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 class="recipe-title">
<a href="http://www.redstaryeast.com/our-best-recipes/breads-rolls-and-more/new-york-bagels" target="_blank">New York Bagels </a></h2>
<div class="recipe-yield">
<h5>
This recipe makes 12 bagels</h5>
</div>
<h5>
Ingredients</h5>
<table class="ingredients">
<tbody>
<tr><td>Water</td><td><br /></td><td>1 cup</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>Salt</td><td><br /></td><td>1 tsp</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sugar</td><td><br /></td><td>2 TBSP</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bread Flour</td><td><br /></td><td>3 cups</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>Active Dry Yeast</td><td><br /></td><td>2+1/4 tsp</td><td><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h5>
Directions</h5>
<div class="\body_copy\">
Baker's Note: If an egg bagel is preferred, reduced water to 3/4 cup and add 1 egg at room temperature.</div>
<h5>
</h5>
Combine yeast, 1 cup flour, salt and sugar. Heat water to 120º to 130º F.
<br /><strong></strong>
<br />
<strong>Standard Mixer Method</strong><br />
Combine dry mixture and water in mixing bowl with paddle or beaters
for 4 minutes on medium speed. Gradually add remaining flour and knead
with dough hook(s) 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough
in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until
dough tests <a href="http://www.redstaryeast.com/lessons-yeast-baking/baking-steps-guide/proofing-ripe-test-second-rise" target="_blank">ripe</a>.<br />
<h5>
Rising, Shaping, and Baking</h5>
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air
bubbles. Divide dough into 4 parts and each part into 3 pieces. On
lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a smooth ball. Punch a
hole in the center with a finger. Pull dough gently to make a 1 to
2-inch hole. Heat 2 quarts water and 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling.
Place a few bagels at a time in boiling water. Simmer 3 minutes, turning
once. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a greased cookie sheets.
Brush tops with 1 slightly beaten egg white; sprinkle with poppy or
sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 375º F oven 20 to 25 minutes or until
golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets; cool.<br />
<br />
zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-71888866615887658642013-01-05T11:50:00.000-08:002013-01-05T11:50:03.917-08:00Patio Daddio's Orange ChickenSo we stopped at the store the other day to grab some things for the Monster cookies recipe and were haggling over what to make for dinner. I was so hungry for hamburgers but alas, they were not to be had. Steve wanted to make his make his Orange Chicken - a delicious recipe but decidedly not what I wanted that night. Because he said he would cook that night, I decided to capitulate and we could have burgers another night. <br />
<br />
I am so glad I didn't insist on burgers! The chicken was tender and flavorful and actually pretty darn healthy because he used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. To quote Steve, "...but how fun is that?" There really isn't a recipe, per se, but more of a list of ingredients and his written instructions on how to cook it. Without further ado:<br />
<br />
Orange Chicken, Patio Daddio style<br />
<br />
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />
Flour<br />
olive oil<br />
salt & pepper<br />
Chardonnay (or chicken broth if you don't want to use wine)<br />
half an onion, chopped<br />
couple handfuls of sliced mushrooms<br />
minced garlic - a tablespoon (it's a lot so you can always cut back if you prefer less)<br />
Thin sliced orange (I like mine super thin but you can slice as you'd like)<br />
<br />
"OK, for the healthy version use 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts....
but how fun is that? I brown them with flour coating in a hot pan with
olive oil.... salt and pepper the chicken.... brown them well on each
side. After they brown on each side, pour in about a 1/4 of a bottle of
chardonnay, add half an onion and a couple handfuls of sliced
mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, at least one half of an orange
thinly sliced (lay slices over chicken after adding everything else),
add teaspoon of course Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Cover and turn down to simmer for about 45 minutes. I cook fettuccine
and pour the sauce in the pan over the pasta. Works out pretty well!"<br />
<br />
Everyone LOVES this recipe. I have often thought that maybe once the chicken is done cooking, of removing it from the pan and stirring some orange marmalade into the sauce for some sweetness or, instead of mixing in marmalade, thickening the sauce with a little cornstarch slurry. I have never tampered with it though as I am perfectly happy to eat this awesomeness as is.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-20825163198063664772013-01-02T00:45:00.003-08:002013-01-02T00:45:48.590-08:00Homemade Smoked Goodness Pizza<div class="_38 direction_ltr">
I'm not sure what's gotten into us around here but we have decided that we need to make our own pizza. This just isn't something we usually do as we really enjoy a good Papa Murphy's Cowboy pizza, but something moved us and away we went.<br />
<br />
I headed to Pinterest to drum up a good crust recipe. An hour of searching led me to this one, a <a href="http://notwithoutsalt.com/2011/05/11/tarte-flambee/" target="_blank">Tarte Flambee. </a>After looking at the recipe and realizing that I had to let it sit overnight, I decided to just run to the store and grab something easy for dinner. <br />
<br />
When I got to the store, I decided to grab some yeast so I could make the dough eventually. I ran across a package of Fleischmanns Pizza Crust Yeast with no rising, etc. Sounded like a good deal to me! It was back on for dinner! I grabbed the things the girls wanted (pineapple, Canadian bacon, black olives) and what we wanted (heads of garlic, smoked cheddar cheese, mushrooms) and some sauce and mozzarella. <br />
<br />
The pizza itself is quick to bake and easy to assemble, but the prep work for the Smoked Goodness pizza was pretty darn time-consuming.<br />
<br />
On Christmas day, Steve smoked slabs of onions to go with dinner since he had the smoker going to make smoked salmon. Those bad boys had a date with my pizza!<br />
<br />
<br />
I used the recipe on the back of the yeast package
OR you could just use a Boboli crust if you're a cheater. I par-baked
the crust for about 8 minutes because we wanted a little bit crispy
crust.**<br />
<br />
Grab a whole head of garlic and cut off the top. Place in a
small baking dish, top with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 400
degrees for 30 minutes or so, until the cloves are soft when squeezed.
Let cool. When cooled, squeeze the cloves out of the head into a dish.
Mash with a fork and add olive oil, salt and pepper to season.<br />
<br />
Cook 5 slices of bacon (that's all I had or it would've been more) and cut into pieces.<br />
<br />
Slice up as many mushrooms as you want on your pizza.<br />
<br />
Shred up some mozzarella and smoked cheddar.<br />
<br />
Pizza sauce. You can make your own or you can pop open a jar of Ragu pizza sauce.<br />
<br />
Okay, now you're ready to assemble:<br />
Spread
mashed garlic onto par-baked crust. Top with a couple of tablespoons
of pizza sauce, or more, depending on what you're hungry for. I thought
it was a shame to cover all that amazing garlic goodness with tomato
sauce so I just did a little bit of sauce. <br />
Top with a layer of
cheese, then bacon, onion, and mushrooms. Top with a thin layer of
mozzarella then a layer of smoked cheddar.<br />
<br />
Bake for about 10 more minutes. I like my crust crispy and my cheese starting to brown.<br />
<br />
The
crust on the pack of yeast made at least a 14" pizza for Steve and I and the same for the girls,
although it was a pretty rustic looking thing. I baked it on my Pampered Chef pizza
stone, too, so it got good and done.<br />
<br />
The flavor combinations were AMAZING! The roasted garlic plus the smoked onion, smoky bacon, and smoked cheddar were SO good. <br />
<br />
Mangia!<br />
<br />
**NOTE<br />
I didn't like the quick crust. It was VERY easy but it was also pretty tasteless and not at all what we were looking for in a crust. I want some chew and a good bite. I don't want thick or gummy. Definitely going with the tarte flambee recipe next time. (Headed to the kitchen now to make the dough for tomorrow!)</div>
zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-70569566027298287632013-01-01T23:47:00.001-08:002013-01-01T23:48:10.977-08:00Monster Cookies<div class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
I've been baking a ton of cookies because of Christmas and I have been so hungry for these. I didn't make them because they didn't seem Christmas-y enough to me so I held off until now. There are a lot of ingredients in here and these babies are chewy and chocolatey and peanut buttery and all kinds of yummy. </div>
<div class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
They're quick to mix (recipe says 20 minutes - took me about 10) but they seemed to take forever to bake! In looking at the yield on the recipe just now, it says these should yield 5 dozen. I got just over 3 dozen. Hmmm...the baking time was longer because my cookies were, apparently, giant!</div>
<div class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
Baking time/yield aside, these were DELICIOUS! Even a smaller one is like a complete meal! </div>
<h1 class="title" style="margin-left: 30px;">
Monster Cookies</h1>
<div class="recipe-image">
</div>
<div class="ingredients" style="height: auto;">
<h2>
Ingredients</h2>
<ul>
<li>3 cups quick oats (not instant)</li>
<li>1/2 cup flour </li>
<li>2 teaspoons baking soda</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground</li>
<li>1 cup butter</li>
<li>1 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>1 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>2 teaspoons Spice Islands Vanilla Extract</li>
<li>1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips</li>
<li>1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces</li>
<li>1 cup raisins (optional)</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Directions</h2>
<span class="directions">Preheat oven to 350°F.<br /><br />Combine quick oats, flour, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. <br /><br />Cream
butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and mix
well. Mix in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in oat
mixture. Fold in chocolate chips, candies and raisins. Drop 1-1/2 inch
dough balls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Cool
slightly and remove from pans.</span>
</div>
<h2>
Quick Facts</h2>
<b>Prep Time</b><br />
20 minutes<br />
<b>Bake Time</b><br />
12 minutes<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Yields: 5 Dozen</b>zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-27082053075854228922012-12-10T12:21:00.000-08:002012-12-10T12:21:13.685-08:00Broccoli Cheddar Rice "Muffins"<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since I'm home in the morning with the girls and able to pack their lunches, I can make sure they have more nutritious lunches than what they can buy at school or what they might pack for themselves (<span style="font-size: small;">bread, </span>chips, and M&Ms are NOT a balanced lunch.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We get up earlier than we need to so there is no rush in the morning. That gives me time to make them hot items to go in their thermoses. A lot of the time they want leftovers or chicken noodle or tomato soup. They love turkey wraps, pretzel roll sandwiches, or the traditional PB & J. But if I want to really make their day, I start digging in the fridge for leftover rice and they know what's coming. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2h5o3B5gGBw/UMY_vdnWHTI/AAAAAAAAABY/OGCGickiPAc/s1600/Baked-Cheddar-Broccoli-Rice-Cups.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2h5o3B5gGBw/UMY_vdnWHTI/AAAAAAAAABY/OGCGickiPAc/s320/Baked-Cheddar-Broccoli-Rice-Cups.jpeg" width="239" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(photo and recipe courtesy of http://recipesquickandeasy.blogspot.com/2012/11/baked-cheddar-broccoli-rice-cups.html)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Throw together some chopped broccoli, shredded cheddar, rice, an egg or two, some ranch dressing, and a mini muffin tin and you have some tasty goodness. The mini muffins fit nicely in the thermoses and 4 muffins is perfect for an 11 or 9 year old. Throw in a Cutie orange, a water bottle, a few crackers and you have a good lunch that makes them happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not only are these good for lunch, but they're a great appetizer when you have friends over or if you're going to a potluck. Making them in a standard size muffin tin is perfect for a dinner, too. Just add a salad and you've got a complete meal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I always make as many of these as I can. The girls will gladly take them for lunch as many times a week as they can and I love them for breakfast!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Broccoli Cheddar Rice "Muffins"</span></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ingredients:</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup quick-cooking rice, like Minute Rice (can substitute about 2 cups regular, cooked rice and omit the 1 cup stock below. I always use leftover jasmine rice that I cook specifically for this purpose.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup chicken stock (not needed if you're using leftover rice)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 10-oz. box frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed and excess water squeezed out (I always use fresh or leftovers)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1/4 cup Homemade Ranch Dressing or store bought</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">2 eggs, lightly beaten</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Prepare
rice as directed on package, substituting stock for water. Place
cooked rice in a large bowl and let cool slightly. Add the remaining
ingredients, using only 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, and stir until
combined. Transfer mixture to eight well-greased muffin cups–I like to
use an ice cream scoop–and top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 25
minutes at 350 degrees or until tops are lightly browned and edges are
starting to get crispy.</span></span></div>
zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-75343907034174705132012-12-09T13:39:00.003-08:002012-12-10T09:17:10.559-08:00Comfort food at its finest!Last weekend I was pretty in need of some comfort food and hit Pinterest for some inspiration (you can find me<a href="http://pinterest.com/zanieness/" target="_blank"> at my pinterest page</a>). I knew I wanted something starchy, something cheesy, something different, a new variation on mac and cheese or grilled cheesy goodness. After searching high and low, I realized it was something potato that I was craving; And boy-howdy did I find it! Everyone, meet the Tartiflette:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlTb0H_EjM4/UMT3sK-brnI/AAAAAAAAABI/ye8KqymDmSI/s1600/Tartiflette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlTb0H_EjM4/UMT3sK-brnI/AAAAAAAAABI/ye8KqymDmSI/s1600/Tartiflette.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
chunks of tender potato, bacon, onion, cream, thyme, onion, white wine, and an almost impossible to find French cheese, Reblochon, a "stinky" washed-rind cheese from the region of France bordering Italy and Switzerland called the Rhone-Alpes.<br />
<br />
According to purists, this cannot be called a tartiflette unless it has the Reblochon cheese baked on it. I took that as a personal challenge to find this stupid cheese...that was until I found it at $45/lb in Seattle. Um...yeah...not going to happen. So what to substitute?<br />
<br />
After reading numerous message boards regarding possible substitutes, each with purists posting and admonishing that NO CHEESE CAN BE SUBSTITUTED, I found a place where there were several suggestions: Gruyere, Super Sharp Cheddar, Swiss. But I wanted a cheese that would melt into the potatoes and other complimentary ingredients rather than forming a crust on top. I took the characteristics of the Reblochon - minus the stinky part - and decided that Brie would be my choice.<br />
<br />
Call me odd, but after pondering a bit, I really wanted that stinky characteristic in there, too, for as close to authentic as possible. So now the search was on for something to augment the Brie for the stink factor.<br />
<br />
Further research on washed-rind cheeses led me to a page with many options, Raclette, Taleggio, Epoisses, Limburger, Muenster. Armed with a list of possible stinky alternatives, I headed to the store with the best possible cheese selection. Raclette? Nope. Taleggio? Nope. Epoisses? Nope. Limburger? Yes. Muenster? Yes. I picked up the Muenster and it just didn't seem right. Too firm and no smell at all. That left...Limburger. Are you like me and think of Pepe Le Pew and the Limburger cheese and its horrible stench? I picked up the package and put it to my nose and it did not disappoint. Standing in the store, I just started laughing, loud! I could smell that stuff through all of the packaging! The girls were with me and they both wanted a snort, too, and both swore it was GROSS!! Into the cart it went along with a wheel of baby Brie. A few other ingredients were tossed into the cart and we were on our way to some cheesy, oozy goodness!<br />
<br />
Preparation was uneventful until I got to the Limburger. (you saw that coming, right?) I peeled the package off and it was DEFINITELY smelly. I sliced a piece and tasted it and I'll be darned if it didn't taste like it smelled. (HA! Surprise, right?) I cut the cheese in half, thinking half would be good. After trimming the rind and smelling that stuff, I just couldn't put all of it in the dish with all the other amazing ingredients. I ended up using 1/4 of the piece and mixing it in with the Brie, hoping it would blend well and not stick out.<br />
<br />
Into the oven it went, steaks went onto the grill, and green beans were prepped for steaming. Dinner went onto plates and I overheard Faith and Lily arguing,<br />
Faith: Lily! Did you fart?<br />
Lily: NO!<br />
Faith: Yes you did! It stinks!<br />
Me: Girls, it's the cheese.<br />
Both: Oh... <br />
<br />
Good times in gastronomy!<br />
<br />
The steak was good but THE POTATOES! The amazing flavor of the cheese melted into the wine/bacon/onion goodness was beyond compare! Mopping up the melty goodness with some crusty sourdough bread was heaven! The steak was superfluous at this point. I would have been happy to eat potatoes, bread and possibly beans (just for the health aspect.) It was a thumbs up from everyone for dinner!<br />
<br />
The Limburger was so strong and I likely won't use it again, although I've paid for it and probably should find something to do with it, but you can GUARANTEE that we'll be eating this again very soon.<br />
<br />
The recipe (<a href="http://www.ferdakost.com/2011/10/tartiflette-eating-france.html" target="_blank">from this website</a>)<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tartiflette</span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <b>*Ingredients*</b></span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 50 ml olive oil</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 1 onion, finely chopped</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 100 g. lightly smoked bacon cut into matchsticks</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 125 ml dry white wine</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 6 waxy potatoes, such as desiree, cut into small cubes (leaving skin on)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 100 ml pouring cream</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 250 g. Reblochon or any other washed-rind cheese</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fresh thyme, for decoration (<i>optional</i>) </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in large deep-sided frying pan, add
onion and bacon and cook over low heat until onion is soft (5-10
minutes), add wine and cook until evaporated (2-3 minutes). Add potato
and cook until tender (10-15 minutes), then season to taste. Add cream,
cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
2.Lay half the potato mixture in an 8 cup-capacity casserole or two 4
cup-capacity baking dishes, scatter over half the cheese, then repeat
with remaining potato mixture and cheese. Bake until dish is golden and
bubbling and potato is tender (30-45 minutes). Serve immediately with
plenty of crusty bread. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-13747150809023781512012-12-09T12:33:00.002-08:002012-12-09T12:33:31.598-08:00Homecoming!Several weeks ago I got a call from my son asking if he could move back with us. He's been living with his dad across the country since 2006, so my immediate reaction was YES!!!<br />
<br />
He arrived on the 23rd and I of course let him pick his dinner of choice. It was a gorgeous day so grilling would have been perfect! steaks? chicken? ribs? Anything you want, bub! <br />
<br />
I should have known what his choice would be but was surprised when he answered "Goulash, Mom." <br />
<br />
YES!! That old family friend. Full of comfort and good memories of growing up and lots of carb-y, meaty goodness! Also did some fresh green beans, steamed (and seriously, WHY are fresh green beans $3/lb in JULY? Shouldn't they be in season?), and some Texas Toast garlic bread.<br />
<br />
It's always good to have my <strike>boy</strike> young man home again!<br />
<br />
I got a little over-zealous with the goulash, making enough for at least two entire meals for 5 people. In our house, that means one meal and many lunches/breakfasts/late night snacks.<br />
<br />
Goulash<br />
Serves~12<br />
<br />
1.5 lbs ground beef<br />
1 lb bag macaroni (I think it was only a lb but it said 11 servings) <br />
1 medium onion, small diced<br />
2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes<br />
2 cans of water <br />
3 Tbsp tomato paste<br />
Garlic salt and powder, to taste<br />
Pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Brown ground beef and onion in dutch oven. Season with garlics and pepper. Stir in macaroni, tomatoes and tomato paste and water. Let cook until macaroni is cooked to desired doneness.<br />
<br />
zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-2656363443665449132012-07-15T23:48:00.000-07:002012-07-15T23:48:23.202-07:00Family FavoritesToday we're celebrating Daddio's birthday (which is actually July 16th.) Around here, you get to pick your dinner on your day so he chose some good old standards that we've been eating for a while now:<br />
<a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beer_can_chicken/" target="_blank">Beer can chicken,</a><br />
roasted rosemary potatoes, and<br />
his grandma's <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/angel-lush-pineapple-74114.aspx" target="_blank">angel food/pineapple/Cool Whip deliciousness </a>as his birthday cake. <br />
<br />
In addition, he chose two salads that sounded good to him: a <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/313568/tomato-corn-and-avocado-salad?center=276948&gallery=275193&slide=262592" target="_blank">tomato, corn, avocado salad</a> and a <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/white-bean-salad-with-zucchini-and-parmesan?czone=food/dinner-tonight-center/dinner-tonight-side-dishes&center=276948&gallery=275193&slide=284284" target="_blank">white bean, zucchini salad</a>. We had tasty appetizers of <a href="http://anutritionisteats.com/goat-cheese-stuffed-bacon-wrapped-dates/" target="_blank">goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon</a> and a roasted vegetable filo tart that I whipped up from leftovers.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, we are all STUFFED at the end of this day! <br />
<br />zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-3290143607744945442012-07-12T11:02:00.001-07:002012-07-12T11:02:25.402-07:00New BeginningsSo...after June 29, I am no longer working for my former employer. It's a long, ugly story so I won't burden you with it but suffice to say: I am relieved and a lot of the stress has been lifted.<br />
<br />
That leaves me with A LOT of time on my hands. A dear friend of mine asked if I would bring food into her business to sell to staff and of course I snapped that right up. I'm developing a menu to take and hope to build a clientele through there.<br />
<br />
I've been applying for jobs but what I really want to do is work with food: catering business, lunch truck, food truck, personal cook, cafe, etc. I think this is my future, just not sure how to get from point A to point B. <br />
<br />
In filling my almost endless days, I've stumbled into baking. I've always said that I'm not the baker in the family. That has always fallen to Stef, our oldest daughter, but in digging through Pinterest, There are so many recipes that I want to try that I decided to jump in. Things I've baked in the past two weeks:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/06/26/peach-breakfast-bake/" target="_blank">Peach Breakfast Bake</a><br />
<a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/23/want-to-eat-an-entire-bowl-of-cookie-dough/" target="_blank">Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip</a> (okay, not really baking but still yummy)<br />
<a href="http://vegetablematter.blogspot.com/2010/04/strawberry-rhubarb-pie.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Rhubarb Pie</a><br />
<a href="http://www.framedcooks.com/2009/09/my-grandmas-molasses-cookies-2.html" target="_blank">Molasses Cookies</a><br />
<a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/homemade-cheese-its.html" target="_blank">Homemade Cheese Crackers</a> (two varieties)<br />
Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies - Just from a basic mix<br />
<a href="http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2011/02/gooseberry-patch-cookbook-giveaway-with_21.html" target="_blank">Brown Sugar Cookies with Brown Butter Icing</a> (On the link, you'll have to scroll down)<br />
Super Fudgy Brownies - from a mix but used applesauce instead of oil and it made them dense and delicious! <br />
<a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/mixes/" target="_blank">10-Grain Bread</a> - from a mix from Bob's Red Mill. <br />
<br />
Not a huge amount of baking...unless you're me.<br />
<br />
I've also done a TON of cooking...so many things that I'm struggling to recall them all so here are some highlights:<br />
<br />
Roasted veggie roll-ups (just threw these together on a whim)<br />
<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/filo-tomato-tart-10000001634806/" target="_blank">Filo Tomato Tart</a><br />
Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce - made this one up last night. Just sauteed mushrooms, olive oil and cream served over cavatipi pasta. YUMMMM!!<br />
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs-from a cookbook, can't find a link<br />
Grilled Baked Potatoes - idea from my good friend Janice who made them much better than I did<br />
<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Grated-Potato-Salad" target="_blank">Shredded Potato Salad</a> - I didn't make it as sweet as the recipe calls for<br />
<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Antipasto-Pasta-Salad-109525" target="_blank">Antipasto Pasta Salad</a> - for 40 people, no less. Made A LOT of salad!<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBF6bv4Oe4" target="_blank">Corn on the cob in the microwave </a>- no silk!<br />
Banana Walnut Pancakes<br />
<br />
I'll have much more time and energy to update my blog so hopefully I can update more often. Much more food in store to share.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-3227984826634534532012-01-22T14:57:00.000-08:002012-01-22T15:32:15.978-08:00Ch-ch-ch-changes....So the great reduction is in full swing. 2012 promises to be a year of changes, mostly in the eating and weight department. <br /><br />A group of friends and I have embarked on a weight loss adventure. Each of us is working to lose 100 lbs by the end of 2012. In order to accomplish this, I have had to drastically alter my food intake. Butter is a stranger to me now. My carbs, for the most part, come in the form of vegetables. I haven't eaten fast food since the beginning of the year (HUGE for me). Alcohol is a thing of the past. <br /><br />With this change comes new recipes. I haven't come up with any of note beyond some tilapia loins that make my mouth sing and some fabulous oven roasted Brussels sprouts. Here's the almost no-brainer cooking method for this fabulosity:<br /><br />Costco Tilapia loins, frozen<br />olive oil<br /><br />Heat sautee pan and add olive oil when hot. Add frozen loins (be ready because they will likely spatter) and cook for a few minutes on each side. Add seasoning of your choice ( I like Johnny's Salad Elegance). Add up to 1/4 cup of water and put lid on pan. Steam until done. Voila! Tasty, tasty, tasty!<br /><br />Oven roasted Brussels sprouts<br />Amount of sprouts that you want to eat, halved<br />olive oil<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br /><br />Preheat oven to 450. Add sprouts to bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet and roast until done. I like to cook mine until they are browned on one side. On occasion I like to toss with Parmesan when they're done. <br /><br />Hopefully I'll be able to post something a little more inspired/yummy in the future. Here's to a new year!zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-91364559487631967272011-03-11T12:36:00.000-08:002011-03-11T12:38:09.653-08:00Throw Together PastaLast night was one of those nights where I would rather have not eaten if it meant that I didn’t have to cook dinner. But Steve just got home from his trip and was looking for a home cooked meal. As a compromise, we agreed to get a rotisserie chicken from Costco and I would make the sides. Ugh – that means I still had to cook.<br /><br />What to make? Rice? Blah. Potatoes? Having them for steak dinner on Friday. Pasta? *sigh* There has to be something I can do with plain pasta. After scouring the fridge and pantry, I came up with this tasty goodness and let me tell you, it’s a keeper!<br /><br />In the fridge I found some pesto that needed to be used, an almost empty jar of roasted red peppers, some minced garlic, a small piece of parmesiano-reggiano cheese, and some ricotta cheese. In the pantry was a package of shell macaroni that the girls had requested the other day in our shopping spree. These few ingredients had to make something at least a little tasty, right?<br /><br />Here’s how I made it:<br /><em>Boil shell macaroni. While the macaroni is boiling, cut up roasted peppers and grate cheese. When pasta is done, drain, reserving a few tablespoons of water in the pan. Mix in all ingredients except the parmesan cheese plus the cooking water and add salt and pepper to taste. After serving, sprinkle with cheese.<br /></em><br />That’s it! Everyone enjoyed it and because I cooked 8 servings of pasta, we have enough for another dinner, too! Too bad I didn’t take a picture of it because it even looked pretty with the bits of red pepper mixed throughout.<br /><br />My estimation is that I used 3 teaspoons of garlic, one whole roasted red pepper, ¼ cup of pesto, and ½ cup of low fat ricotta cheese.<br /><br />Menu:<br />Rotisserie Chicken<br />Pesto/Ricotta Pasta<br />Steamed Green Beans with butter and roasted pine nuts<br />Woodbridge Chardonnayzaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-81769220085263260842011-03-08T20:18:00.000-08:002011-03-08T21:11:07.257-08:00Dinner Challenge This WeekAfter taking a cooking hiatus while Hubby was traveling for work last week, I decided that we MUST eat better AND eat at home. Unsure what the girls are actually going to eat at any given minute, I decided to circumvent the usual dinner drama and actually ask them what they wanted.<br /><br />Sitting in the parking lot at the grocery store, I told them to pick what they wanted to eat for dinner this week and I wrote a shopping list. They had to pick their protein, their side dishes and their veggies. They LOVED the idea and took the challenge to heart.<br /><br />The grocery list:<br />Country pork ribs<br />pasta<br />broccoli and cauliflower<br />Skinny cut steak (I interpreted this as Flat iron steak)<br />Chunky Sirloin Burger Soup<br />Rice (I got groans when I threw the brown rice in the cart - they get it anyway)<br />Salad and fixins' (radishes, croutons, carrots, romaine lettuce)<br />Potatoes<br />Microwave Monday(frozen meals to make life easier when I work on Monday nights(sorry Aunt Tracey))<br /><br />Yesterday was Microwave Monday. Easy peasy. Tonight I was craving pork so I baked off the country pork ribs with some steak seasoning for an hour at 350 degrees. When they were done, I warmed up leftover pasta and rather than chopping broccoli and cauliflower, I used leftover corn and served it all with bbq sauce on the side. They were happy as clams and ate without complaint.<br /><br />They got buy-in about what they wanted to eat; I got to pick the easiest way to prepare it. What could be better than that? Win-Win!!zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-50958277150160247572011-03-07T13:50:00.000-08:002011-03-07T14:10:01.112-08:00Goat ButterI have an addiction – okay, several addictions but we’re not talking about Coach Purses here. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Food Network, particularly the show Chopped. Chopped’s premise is simple: give four chef contestants a basket of unusual/rare/creepy unrelated ingredients and 30 minutes to create something edible with those ingredients (as well as any additional ingredients they may need from the stocked kitchen/pantry they are working in.) There are three rounds: appetizer, entrée and dessert, and after the first two rounds, one contestant per round is elminiated leaving two chefs to compete in the dessert round. The winner gets $10,000.<br /><br />In watching an untold amount of these shows, I’ve run across some really revolting ingredients that I would NEVER eat: durian, rattlesnake, sea urchin, liver, various other organ meats, blood sausage, head cheese, bottarga (compressed, cured fish roe)…I could continue but you get the drift. But last night there was an ingredient that was more unusual to me than revolting: goat butter.<br /><br />Huh. I spent several minutes trying to figure out what goat butter was: butter with goat meat in it? Butter with goat cheese in it? Then the DUH! meter went off. It’s butter made with goat milk.<br /><br />I’m not a fan of goat milk (<---understatement) but I enjoy some good chevre or feta now and then, so my curiousity was peaked. What do you do with goat butter? On Chopped, one contestant cooked some tortilla triangles in it to make chips. Seems like a fairly passive use of the ingredient. I was left wondering how much flavor had been passed on to the chips.<br /><br />So on to Google I went to find ways to use goat butter. I have to say I came up with some pretty tasty hits:<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/goat-butter-and-honey-caramels">Martha Stewart’s Goat Butter and Honey Caramels </a><br />• <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-beets-and-celery-root-with-goat-butter ">Roasted Beets with Celery Root and Goat Butter </a><br />• <a href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2010/08/17/goat-butter-biscuits">Goat Butter Biscuits </a><br /><br />AND I found this at www.thenibble.com<br /><br />“There are as many ways to use goat butter as cow butter: it makes spectacular fudge and you can have that recipe along with one for one of our favorite comfort foods, macaroni and cheese. But just for starters, think of: <br /><br /><strong>Basic Breads & Breakfast Foods </strong><br /><br />Bread and Toast: Add excitement to everyday breads, from plain toast, whole wheat and seven-grain bread and baguettes to bagels and rolls. <br /><br />Artisan Breads: Make luscious breads even more so by buttering up ciabatta, olive bread, walnut bread, semolina bread and other artisanal specialties. <br /><br />Scones and Muffins: Make them even more special with some delicate goat goodness. <br /><br />Eggs: Cook eggs in goat butter for added nuances of flavor. <br /><br />Cereal: Taste the delightful difference with a pat swirled into grits or other hot cereal. <br /><br />Pancakes and Waffles: Add a dab instead of cow’s milk butter. The subtle savory note is so interesting that we now prefer to eat our pancakes buttered, without syrup. <br /><br /><strong>Sandwiches, Snacks & Cocktails </strong><br /><br />Sandwiches: Transform simple sandwiches— add panache to tomato and watercress, grilled vegetables, Serrano or Parma ham (prosciutto), or smoked salmon. <br /><br />Popcorn: Make a batch of buttered popcorn more special with goat butter. <br /><br />Tea: Scones, muffins, tea sandwiches get a refreshing new point-of-view with goat butter. <br /><br />Canapés: Spread a round of bread with goat butter instead of mayonnaise, and add the topping of your choice—anything from roe or marinated vegetables to a thin slice of meat or seafood (scallop, smoked salmon, crab, lobster, shrimp, seared tuna). <br /><br /><strong>Mains & Sides </strong><br /><br />Soup: Serve the soup course with slices of baguette—fresh or toasted—buttered and drizzled with sea salt. <br /><br />Vegetables: Add a distinct difference to vegetables, rice and potatoes (a pat in a baked potato is sublime—snip on some fresh chives, too). And don’t forget corn on the cob. <br /><br />Filet Mignon or Steak: If you normally like a pat of butter on the top, go goat. <br /><br />Seafood: Try melted goat butter with lobster and crab legs for real flavor. <br /><br />Chicken: Tuck bits under the skin of chicken prior to roasting, along with fresh rosemary. <br /><br />Bread: Serve goat butter with the bread basket, of course!”<br /> <br />With so many different ways to utilize it, I think goat butter might just make it into my basket at the grocery store. But what if I can’t find goat butter? In another Google search, I’ve found you can get it at Whole Foods and I’m guessing other more natural stores. It can also be purchased online at several different locations including www.meyenberg.com and www.igourmet.com <br /><br />Lacking a Whole Foods in my general area and questioning the online purchase of butter (I’m sure it’s perfectly safe but it makes me twitchy anyway), I looked into how to make your own goat butter. The best article I found was from <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1975-05-01/How-To-Make-Butter-From-Goatmilk.aspx">Mother Earth News</a> Hmm…maybe I’ll try that ordering online thing after all.zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050242956521413383.post-65187535260789815662011-03-06T21:32:00.000-08:002011-03-07T18:15:01.633-08:00About The Crowded KitchenA little bit about The Crowded Kitchen. In combining our family, a his/hers/ours sort of deal, we spent a lot of time in the kitchen feeding the crew of 4 boys and 3 girls. Now that 5 of 7 of the kids are adults and one of the guys is now married, we like to have them over to eat approximately once a month. When everyone (or almost everyone) is over, the gathering place is in the kitchen where I am spending my time pouring my heart and soul into the food I'm going to stuff them with.<br /><br />It's usually fairly raucous, everyone talking over each other; catching up; laughing; the youngest two girls (9 & 7) trying to get their siblings' attention; wine flowing; corny jokes being told; appetizers being consumed like a plague of locust had moved through. Occasionally there are surrogate kids (aka young friends of the family) included but the cacophony is usually such that we could add 5 or 6 friends and the volume level likely wouldn't change much.<br /><br />Eventually, I shoo them out so I can get down to business and get dinner done (and sometimes because my head is killing me from the noise and I can't think straight :-). I always have someone wandering in to see if I need help, to sneak something out of the pan or beg for scraps or proclaim that they are starving to death and check when we'll be eating.<br /><br />While feeding this many people is a lot of work, I wouldn't change the gathering/laughing/craziness for the world. It's a memorable and important time for me and for the kids (and hubby, too) and there are so many good memories associated with this time in the kitchen. So important, in fact, that in choosing a name for my food blog, this is the first name that came to mind. I knew it was perfect immediately.<br /><br />A little sample of the craziness for you: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/doula_zanie/2975381681/#/">The Crowded Kitchen</a>zaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05013843160431063964noreply@blogger.com0