A new found respect for the lowly potato

It's been a pretty long time since I've posted anything in this blog, mostly because like most people, I have a tendency to make the same meals over and over again and that's dull reading.
Another reason was because blogging can be a very lonely prospect when you don't get feedback, it feels like you are talking to yourself.

So I just sort of abandoned the blog and have spent my time subjecting my Facebook friends to half a million photographs of birds and bugs.

Out of the blue a couple of months ago I received a very nice comment from a woman named Maria Blanco who said she had stumbled on the blog and kindly said she would look forward to future posts.

So, Maria, this one's for you.

Potatoes are not my favorite starch. I like them baked, I like them mashed and one of these posts includes Julia Child's recipe for Gratin Dauphinois.
My whole opinion was turned on its ear when I decided to try potato gnocchi. I don't even know how to describe them.. they are light, pillowy potato nuggets that melt right in your mouth.
Little bites of heaven.
When you combine them with this rich ragu, they are positively sinful.

Potato Gnocchi baked in Ragu Bolognese

Ragu Bolognese
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces smoked pork chops, minced.
1 cup of diced carrot, minced
1 cup of celery, minced
1 cup of diced onion, minced
1 1/4 pounds freshly ground  chuck
1/2 cup of dry vermouth
1 six-ounce can tomato paste, diluted in 10 oz can
 Campbell's Beef Broth - the double strength one
2 cups of half and half
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Saute the pork chops in a heavy 3 or 4 quart saucepan over medium
heat for 8 minutes. Stir in the diced vegetables and saute on medium low until the onions are translucent.
Raise the heat to medium and stir in the beef and cook until the meat is
medium brown and almost, but not quite crisp. (don't let it get hard)
Stir in the wine and diluted tomato paste and reduce the heat to low. It is
critical the the mixture reduce as slowly as possible. Cook partially
covered for 2 hours adding a tablespoon or two of cream at intervals
throughout the two hours. At the end of the two hours the cream should be
used up and the ragu only slightly liquid.
I have tried a number of ragu recipes and like this one the best. Note: this
is not heavy on tomato and has a wonderful flavor

Gnocchi
Ingredients:
 4 small russet potatoes (22 to 24 ounces total), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whipping cream
 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 1 1/2 cups (about) all purpose flour

Directions:
Steam potatoes over boiling water until tender, about 12 minutes. Working in batches, press warm potatoes through ricer into large bowl (or place warm potatoes in large bowl and mash finely with potato masher). Cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Add egg, cream, salt, and nutmeg and blend well. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix until soft and slightly sticky dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if too moist.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Divide into 6 equal portions. Gently roll 1 dough portion between hands and work surface to 3/4-inch-thick rope about 20 inches long. Cut into 3/4-inch-long pieces.
Roll each piece over wires of slender whisk or dinner fork to make grooves in gnocchi. Arrange gnocchi in single layer on floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 5 dough portions.
Cook 1/3 of gnocchi in large pot of boiling generously salted water until gnocchi rise to top and are cooked through and tender, about 5 minutes (check at 4 minutes). Using large strainer or slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large baking pan; arrange gnocchi in single layer. Cook remaining gnocchi in 2 batches. (Gnocchi can be prepared ahead. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.)
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook until heated through, tossing often, about 8 minutes.

Put the gnocchi in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Spread half the ragu from the recipe over the gnocchi and sprinkle generously with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool for five or 10 minutes before serving.

A second meal can be made with the other half of the ragu served over fresh tagliatelle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Hearty vegetable soup with fresh herbs

         Hearty Vegetable Soup

  Ingredients:

    15 oz can red kidney beans

      32 oz canned whole tomatoes, cut up

      15 oz canned great northern beans 

       15 oz garbanzo beans

       15 oz canned diced new potatoes

       2 c  water  

       2  ea onions, large, chopped

       3 ea green peppers, medium/large,  chopped   

       3  ea  celery stalks, sliced

       1 large Zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into inch long chunks

       3  carrots sliced in ¼ inch rounds

       3 ea Cloves garlic, minced

        Fresh herbs (chives, oregano, basil, rosemary, tarragon, sage and thyme.) 

        or 2 ts each dried basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon crushed   

        14 ounces Little Smokies, diced (optional)

        1/4 ts Pepper

        1 ea Bay leaf      

         ½ cup ditalini pasta      

Directions:   

  

Combine the undrained tomatoes, undrained beans, water, all of the vegetables, except for the zucchini 

in a 4-quart Dutch oven.  Bring to boil and add the sausage and reduce the heat to simmer. Mince the fresh herbs and garlic and add to the simmering soup.

Cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until vegetables. are tender.  

Uncover, add the zucchini and ditalini and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Buttermilk Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredient:

1 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

2  eggs

6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Have ready 12 greased and or paper-lined muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk and cornmeal; set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter; add the cornmeal mixture and mix well.

Add to the flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 cup full; bake 15 minutes.

Serve warm.

Sounds like a weird way to poach, but don't be a chicken and try it

crappy photo - something on the lens..

Plastic wrapped poached Chicken for Chicken Salad


Ingredients:
4 eight oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (or 2 pounds)
Salt
Black pepper
microwaveable plastic wrap
.
Directions

1 Trim all the fat from the chicken breasts and slice them in half,  lengthwise.
2 Bring a pot of water (2 1/2 quarts of water, 4 quart pot) to a simmer.


3 Roll out a long sheet of plastic wrap at least twice as long as the chicken breast slices. Place 1 chicken strip on the plastic wrap, sprinkle with salt and pepper, in the middle. Roll up the chicken in the plastic wrap tightly. Compress as much air out of the chicken as you can as you roll it. Once the chicken is rolled up, rotate it on your cutting board or counter several times to tighten the cylinder even more. Tie the loose ends of the plastic wrap together in a double knot. Repeat until all the chicken strips are wrapped.

4 Once the water has reached a simmer, turn the burner to the lowest setting - the water should be barely bubbling. Drop the rolled-up chicken cylinders in the pot. Cover the pot and let the chicken steep for 15 minutes.Turn the burner off and let the chicken sit in the hot water for an additional 15 minutes.

5 To make the chicken salad,  snip off the tied ends of the plastic wrap, and unwrap.




Note that there will be some juice inside the plastic wrap with the chicken, which has lots of flavor. So you might want to unwrap the chicken pieces over a bowl or something to catch the juice, which you can then pour over the chicken if you want. Or serve the chicken with a sauce of your choice.

 Rye Sandwich Rolls

Ingredients:
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1  cup scalded milk
1 cups rye flour
2 to 2-1/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
.
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups water

Directions:
1) Place yeast in a large bowl. Add water and stir to dissolve. Stir in corn syrup and let sit until yeast begins to foam, about 5 minutes. Add caraway seeds, salt, oil, scalded milk and rye flour. Beat well.
2) Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Let rest for 15 minutes. Turn dough onto a floured board and knead for 10 to 15 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Turn into a greased bowl and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3) Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat 400 degree F.
4) Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water. Bring remaining 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add dissolved cornstarch and cook until thickened. Set aside.
4) Divide dough into 6 equal-sized pieces. Shape into hamburger or hot dog-style rolls and place on baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Brush tops of buns with glaze; bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Yield: 6 large sandwich rolls.

Tip, if you add too much flour, the rolls will be tough and dry. The dough should be soft rather than stiff.

New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Glaze

The moral to this story is don't rush your cheesecake.

It's not hard to see the fissures I tried to mask with glaze, but I baked this cake for my birthday so the way it looked was no big deal. I know a lot of people preach about presentation and how we eat with our eyes first, but I think this is hooey. Speaking for myself, as long as what I am eating tastes good and is reasonably identifiable and doesn't look like something the cat hacked up, I'm satisfied.

In the spirit of full disclosure though, I have to admit that most of my cakes/desserts taste great but look better from a distance or with one eye shut.

A recently discovered relative in London, Christina Hilton, makes the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen: http://www.simplygawjuscreations.com/
This is obviously one gene we do not share.

I could have had a totally different post if Ihad only slowed down a bit and taken the time to make sure I had gotten the air bubbles from the batter before putting the cake in the oven.

Absolutely The Best New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (two wrapped packages from a 14 oz box)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

Cheesecake:

40 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature (five 8 oz pkgs)

1 1/2 cups sugar

16 ounces sour cream, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

8 oz. frozen strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. cornstarch

3 Tbs. water

Directions:

Make the crust by crumbling the grahm crackers in your food processor. Add the sugar and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times to mix thoroughly.
Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375. Put two inches of water in a baking pan large enough to hold your springform pan and let the pan and water warm in the preheating oven while you make the batter.

Prep a 9 or 10-inch springform pan by place two large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil on counter. Place the locked pan in center and raise up the foil to top rim. 

Using some firm butter, fill in the inside lower rim of pan, using your finger to form a smooth lining. (like caulking a bathtub). Place in freezer for 10 minutes then press the prepared graham cracker crumbs onto the bottom of the pan then put it back into the freezer while you make the cheesecake batter.

Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add sour cream, then eggs (one at a time).

Add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated (about three minutes), scraping down sides of bowl several times while mixing to prevent lumps).

Remove the springform pan from freezer. Place pan onto a dishcloth onto counter and pour batter into pan. (So it's not 'loud' when you temp it).

With your palms around the outside rim of the pan, GENTLY lift and drop down pan onto the towel. Rotate an inch or so and repeat a few times to raise and release air bubbles from batter. (this will help keep your cheesecake from cracking and obviously the step I screwed up).

Set the springform pan into a water bath. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. WITHOUT opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250 degrees for an additional two hours or until center of cake registers 150F with a digital thermometer.

 
Remove from oven, water bath, and outer foil. DO NOT unlock the springform pan! Place on cooling rack for 30 minutes.

Make the glaze:

Put the 1/2 cup of water, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil, mashing the berries with a wooden spoon to release their juice.. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Let cool slightly then strain the liquid from the strawberries. Press on the solids to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. return the liquid to the pan.

Bring the liquid back up to a simmer. Whisk 3 tablespoons of water into the cornstarch and then pour it into the simmering liquid.

Increase heat and whisk until the glaze comes to boil. Continue to whisk while the glaze boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool. Once the glaze has cooled down, place it in the refrigerator to chill.


Loosen cake from sides by going between the cake and the pan with the edge of a knife. Refrigerate for at MINIMUM of four hours but overnight is best. Cooled glaze can be poured onto the cake after it has been refrigerated for about 2 hours. If you want to get fancy, top the cheesecake with thinly slices fresh strawberries before applying the glaze.

 Unlock and remove the side of pan.

English Muffins!

It's gyro, rhymes with hero

Pita

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

11/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon salt

31/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend. Let the yeast stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough gathers into a ball; this should take about 4 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a large pizza stone on the lower oven rack, preheat the oven (and stone) to 500 degrees F.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle that is about 8-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure the circle is totally smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly. Cover the disks as you roll them out, but do not stack them up. Slide one pita round at a time on the hot pizza stone and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Gyro meat

Ingredients:

• 1  medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
• 2  pounds ground pork
• 1  tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1  tablespoon dried marjoram
• 1  tablespoon dried ground rosemary
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

Directions:

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:

Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Tabbouli

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup fine cracked wheat

1 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion

3 tomatoes, diced

2 cucumbers, peeled,seeded and diced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice, or to taste

1 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, pour the water over the cracked wheat and cover, let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the mix. Combine the oil, lemon juice, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wheat mixture and mix well. Chill. 

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mediterranean-style yogurt, (may substitute with conventional yogurt)
• 1 large English cucumber (peeled, shredded and drained)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon mint, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dill, chopped
• 1 ounces lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To Prepare the Yogurt: Line strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Bowl should support strainer so it does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Put the yogurt in the strainer loosely covered, and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.Discard the liquid and use the strained yogurt as directed.

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve with pita.

You have to shop the sales

The reason we ended up having a New York strip roast was because Felton's Market in Plant City had them for $2.99 a pound.
We spent about $37 for a 12-pound, whole boneless New York strip. We couldn't have gone out to dinner and had steak for what we paid for the couple of big roasts and several steaks I cut from it.

This is how I always shop, I read the advertisements we get in the mail or look for them online and buy what is on sale. It's a good way to stock up on items like this NY strip, that you can keep in the freezer for special occasions, or stock up things you use often, like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, when they are most affordable. This only works if you remember to use what's in your freezer though.

I think I have found a way to inspire myself to post at least once a week. I am going to go through the sales fliers and fix a meal from one of the better deals of the week and try to come up with a recipe I haven't posted before.

Most of these sales are good only through Tuesday, with the exception of the Save a Lot and Bravo stores'.
If all goes as planned, I'll try to post the ads and recipe on Thursday so there's time to take advantage of the sales.