That time Henry made dinner

Recipe Corner: Eggs Benedict

My first Hollandaise sauce and it turned out great!  In no small part because the folks at Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen are frickin' geniuses.  Darren liked it enough for seconds, Henry enjoyed it, and I thought it was pretty darn tasty, too.  My sauce didn't even split, which I believe is the worst thing about trying to make this dish.  This recipe feels so fool-proof that I will definitely make it any time it's requested.  Yay for sauces!  (Well, some sauces, let's not be too accommodating of sauces just yet, okay?)  

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter (one stick), softened
1/3 cup boiling water
salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tsp lemon juice

English muffins
eggs (enough for each muffin piece)
Canadian bacon, bacon, ham
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp table salt

Directions:
Combine four yolks and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan (use a double boiler if you have one) with simmering water.  Whisk together, slowly adding the boiling water.  Keep whisking until all butter has melted, the sauce thickens, and the temperature reaches 160º F, approximately 7 minutes.    Remove from heat.  Add salt, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice, stirring to combine, and set aside.

Bring water to a boil and turn off the heat, add vinegar and salt, and carefully distribute eggs around the pan, covering with a tight-fitting lid.  Cook eggs for 3 minutes.  If cooking for a larger crowd, have a second pan with heated water (150ºF) nearby.  Remove eggs from the first pan to the second pan and cover to keep them warm while you prepare another bunch of eggs.

Place English muffins on baking sheet cut-side up and place under the broiler (my rack was in the second from the top slot, about 6" from the top of the oven) and broil for 3-4 minutes, checking at 3 to prevent burning.  Remove from heat, add slices of Canadian bacon (or other meat), and return to oven for another minute.  

Don't forget to heat your plates!  Now construct the dish - English muffin, ham, egg, Hollandaise sauce.  

Eighty-fourth Wordless Wednesday requires an appetite

 

We bought a range!

Our old range broke and the repair and cleaning would have cost nearly as much as a new one so we bought a new one. She's clean and pretty and has a cool steam option for cleaning the oven. So the real question is what kind of pie do I want to try and make first?

Puy lentil and vegetable salad

In an effort to get out of the rut of serving the same meals over and over again, I've been exploring more options. This dish was suggested by Darren and even though no one in the family really enjoys eggplant, I made it for dinner. I haven't tried it yet but the house smells wonderful. Is there any better smell than roasting vegetables with cloves of garlic?
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/23/meera-sodhas-recipe-for-store-cupboard-lentil-salad

UPDATE: Hen wouldn't even try this dish. Darren didn't like the lemon juice. We both hated the eggplant (blech). Takeaways - I like lentils and I like roasted vegetables. But I won't like eggplants (ever, probably) and I do not expect I will make this recipe ever again. Yuck.

Kid cooks dinner

Hen feels inspired to cook in the kitchen when we watch a particularly fun episode of MasterChef Junior. Tonight, he made his papa a vegetable taco. He sautéed a variety of vegetables in olive oil, heated up a tortilla shell, wrapped it all up and served it with pride.

Personal growth in the kitchen

Note: This is a 'pat yourself on the back moment', brought to you by Christie. 

I am definitely getting more comfortable in the kitchen. (And just a shade over four decades, alright!) 

For example, this morning I went to the kitchen intending to make blueberry muffins for breakfast. I'm using Smitten Kitchen's recipe. 

The first hurtle I had to overcome* was the lack of plain yogurt or sour cream in my fridge. No problem, I'll just use vanilla yogurt. We normally have that on hand and the addition of vanilla can't hurt. 

Nuts. There is no vanilla yogurt. But we do have blueberry. We'll give that a try. 

Nuts. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup and I have about a 1/2 cup. But we do have buttermilk. We'll give that a try. 

Once all the ingredients were sorted out and substitutions made, I continued with the muffin baking experience. I totally winged it on the amount of buttermilk, pouring it in until I received what I hoped was the correct consistency, which S.K. says is "quite thick". I also adjusted my baking time down to 17 minutes from her original 25 to 30 minutes. My muffin tin is smaller than the standard size so I'm going to get around 15 muffins.

I'm typing all of this up as my first batch is baking. 

Approx. 7 minutes later…

Success! Hen says the muffins are "the best" and that I "would win if I made these muffins on MasterChef". 

*In the olden days this initial setback would have been enough to derail the project. 

Recipe Corner: White Beans with Chard

I took a basic bean and chard recipe online and tweaked it to fit the ingredients I had in the house. It goes great over a piece of toasted Ken's Artisan Bakery bread. Yummy!

Ingredients:

I bunch of Swiss chard

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 medium onion, small dice

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

freshly ground black pepper

salt

1-15oz can cannellini beans (or kidney beans), drained and rinsed

1/2 + cup turkey broth (or chicken broth or vegetable broth)

Directions:

Heat oil in pan until shimmering over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened (approx. 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add beans, chard, and broth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Add more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over a piece of toasted bread.

Recipe Corner: Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Some mornings you wake up and think, "Hey, it's Halloween. I should make pumpkin donuts." And you look online, find a recipe for which you have all the ingredients already, and give it a try.

These donuts are super easy to make, delightful to eat, and fun to share, although I plan on tweaking the recipe a bit next time I bake them. (I'd reduce the amount of sugar and substitute half the oil with plain yogurt or buttermilk to give them a bit more flavor. I'll also add a 1/8 teaspoon more of each of the spices. And I want to try them with the King Arthur flour to see if that makes any difference.) I sprinkled these with a sugar and cinnamon mixture but think they'd be very yummy with a powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk glaze.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil*
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (8 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease donut pan.

Combine the oil, eggs, sugar, canned pumpkin, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and stir just until smooth.

Using a scant 1/4 cup, fill the wells of the donut pan. Bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes (in my oven they were done in 15 min).

Remove donuts from the oven and let sit in pan for five minutes. Loosen the edges and transfer donuts to a rack. Once they are cool enough to handle, dip in the sugar cinnamon spice mixture (or try the glaze). Do not store in a tight container. They are extremely moist and this will make them soggy. Blech.



*I use canola oil instead of regular vegetable oil. I'm curious to try a baking olive oil to see how that'd turn out. 

Individual Chocolate Souffles

This will either be a light and fluffy delicious ramekin of deliciousness or a flat one that doesn't look so good but still probably has a great deal of chocolate deliciousness. Either way, it's a win, right?

School lunches, week 3

Left: Cheese sandwich, yogurt, olive oil chips, nectarine, cucumber and spinach, and a Z-Bar
Middle: Risotto with parmesan, fruit bar, lettuce, cucumber, and carrot salad, apple, chocolate cake, corn nuts
Right: Cheese and crackers, yogurt, plums, Asian pear, grapes, carrots, broccoli

Left: Barley with red bell pepper and zucchini, trail mix, chocolate treat, red bell peppers, grapes, and an Asian pear
Right: Buttermilk pancakes, endive and radishes, chocolate cake, nectarines, plums, and pluots, and a hard-boiled egg

School lunches, week 2

Left: Jasmine rice and roasted chickpeas, banana bread, cantaloupe and grapes, and edible flowers, cucumbers, radishes, and carrots.
Middle: Pizza with olives, pluots and plums, oatmeal cookie with dried cherries, chocolate, and sunflowers, cabbage, radishes, and bananas.
Right: Broiled salmon, banana bread, apple, vanilla yogurt, bulgar with mushrooms, and carrots.

Left: Black bean enchiladas, cucmbers and radishes, Z Bar (chocolate mint),  plums and grapes.
Right: Applesauce, latkes, cucumbers and radishes, pumpkin pie, and strawberries.

School lunches

As the start of a new school year begins I once again make the pledge to bring more variety to Hen's school lunches. This year I am actively working to see how long I can pack lunches without repeat main dishes. I expect to make it three weeks before the ease of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich wins out over my efforts to seek new food combinations.

Left: PB&J circles with barbecue chips, cucumbers, red cabbage and cauliflower, mango, pluots and a plum with a chocolate treat.
Middle: Cheese quesadilla, spinach, red bell pepper and pine nut salad, nectarines, pluots and grapes, trail mix with a chocolate pudding treat.
Right: Orzo pasta with butter and parmesan, hard-boiled egg, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and radishes (teeny ones from our garden!), raspberries, watermelon and a plum, sunflower seed snacks with a yogurt-covered pretzels treat.

Recipe Corner: Sugar Applesauce

Hen came up with this recipe all on his own. We were on our way home from school and the recipe just burst out of him. He told me I absolutely could not forget the recipe, and that we absolutely had to make it with the apples we had in the house. So this evening, that is what we did. He donned his apron, declared himself the chef, and used his papa and I to make this sugary mass of boiled apples come to life. I fully expect there to be a tremendous sugar crash after he eats it.

Ingredients
2 apples
2 cups water
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar

Directions
Peel and core the apples. Discard the peel and core. Cut the apples into thin slices.

Put all the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook the apples, stirring often, until the water is absorbed and the apples are mushy.

Cool and serve. Enjoy!

7:02 A.M. / RECIPE CORRECTION: After tasting the recipe Hen determined the ratio of sugar to apples was off and the result is that the sugar applesauce is too sweet. We are going to try the recipe again tonight but reduce the amount of sugar from a third of a cup to one teaspoon. This post will be updated with those results and any recipe modification after our next taste test.

Cabbage, it's what's for dinner

At the store yesterday Hen selected the ingredients for the dinner I'm making tonight. He chose two types of mushrooms (button and crimini - I gently steered him away from the $11.99 a pound shiitake), carrots, cabbage, and potatoes. The produce guy stocking oranges nearby was visibly impressed with Hen's produce palate and stopped what he was doing to commend Hen on his choices. I suggested we use beef. All the flavors are currently stewing away on the stove making the condo smell delicious.

Ready to make pie

Vodka, a.k.a. most important pie crust ingredient

Vegetables, vegetables, and more vegetables

We are consuming a lot of vegetables these days. Tonight's dinner had the following:

roasted potatoes
quinoa salad with edamame, corn, and tomatoes
sauteed zucchini
steamed cauliflower
poached asparagus
seared red cabbage wedges

I am full.

On a food note, we are absolutely loving Martha Rose Shulman's The Very Best of Recipes for Health cookbook. I initially borrowed the cookbook from the library but the recipes tried so far have been so amazing I went ahead and bought my own copy. I hope to make one of the meals in a bowl recipes soon. Yum!

Recipe Corner: AHA Barley, Squash, and Bell Pepper Medley

This is a great dish. Seriously. I did not have any dried thyme, I substituted it with an Italian mix. I also had regular barley not quick-cooking so I had to start the process about 45 minutes earlier. Hen liked it. Darr liked it. I liked it. It will definitely be a dish we prepare again and again. Yum.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley

1 tsp olive oil and 2 tsp olive oil, divided use

1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, chopped

1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/2 tsp dried thyme*, crumbled

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp pepper (coarsely ground preferred)

2 tbls snipped fresh parsley or basil

1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Prepare the barley using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colander.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the squash, bell pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes, and pepper, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the squash begins to brown on the edges, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Stir the barley, parsley, salt, and remaining 2 tsp oil into the squash mixture. 

Serves 4.

Recipe Corner: AHA Kale Crisps

These are delicious! And we will definitely make these again. I recommend not tossing the kale after you sprinkle the parmesan spice mixture over it as much of the tastiness fell onto the baking sheet. And that is not where you want the tastiness. Also, I'm not a vinegar fan so that ingredient became optional for this family. And by optional I mean we will never use it.

Ingredients
cooking spray
8 oz kale, heavy stems removed, chopped (about 5 cups)
1 tbls olive oil
1 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Directions
Place a rack on the lowest shelf of the oven and preheat the over to 350˚F. Lightly spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Thoroughly dry the kale in a salad spinner or by blotting with paper towels or dish towels. (Moisture will keep the kale from getting crisp.) Transfer the kale to a large bowl.

Add the oil and vinegar (if using) to the kale, stirring to coat. Spread the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top side of the kale with cooking spray.

Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan, garlic powder, and paprika. Sprinkle over the kale.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the desired crispness, turning with tongs every 5 minutes. As pieces get crisp, remove them from the baking sheet and continue cooking the remaining kale. Serve immediately for maximum crispness.

Recipe Corner: AHA Spinach Pasta Soup

This recipe had potential but failed to deliver. I wouldn't make this exact recipe again but I would try the spinach pasta mix in soup with a few changes. If anyone has suggestions on how to add some depth of flavor without adding salt, I'd appreciate it.

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tbls no-salt-added tomato paste
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup drained orzo or pastina
8 oz fresh spinach, chopped, or 1/2 10 oz package frozen and chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained*
2 medium green onions
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the broth, water, and tomato paste until smooth. Add the lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the spinach and green onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the salt and pepper.

*I ended up using all the spinach because, hey, why not. It's spinach.