Grandma's Kitchen Table

CEiMB: Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Farah at Confessions of a Novice Baker and is Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables, found on pages 160-161.

 

Another hit of a recipe around here, enjoyed by all four of us.  Shrimp is a regular guest on our menus as we all like seafood and this was a fine way to showcase it. 

 

The recipe was easy:  make the linguine, meanwhile assemble the remaining ingredients and cook according to the directions, things like asparagus, garlic, shrimp, lemon juice, white wine, parsley, tomatoes, Parmigiano, salt & pepper.  As I was making the sauce, since it uses a cup of pasta water, I was thinking this sauce was going to be very watery and runny, even after reducing a bit.  The Whisk Chick in me wanted to secretly just add 2 teaspoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of cream at the end to thicken it up a bit and give it some depth of flavor, but I resisted. Twice.  Because, I really wanted to add that extra bit at the end.  You know what?  I am delighted that I resisted because the recipe is perfect as written. 

 

The sauce is absorbed further by the pasta, the tomatoes with their juice give the sauce a nice soft pinkish hue, the flavorings from the ingredients, spices, wine, and lemon juice are very refreshing and light and the whole dish turned out perfectly wonderful.  I wouldn't change a thing the next time I make it.  Guys all loved it just as it was, so am thinking this one is a definite keeper.   

 

Next week:  Carrot, Green Apple, and Mint Salad, page 131.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

Thanks to Pamela of Cookies with Boys for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick of Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies, found on pages 76-77 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Pamela bakes/cooks in a couple of different groups that I do and is also one of my favs on Twitter as she is just so sweet, so it was extra nice this week to get to bake a recipe she selected from the book.

 

Homemade cookies around here are always greatly appreciated.  These are particularly wonderful with the flavor of molasses and the slight taste of cinnamon in them.  The sugar on the top makes them sparkle!  

 

The cookies are easy to mix, they chill for a bit (I rolled mine in a log shape in clingwrap like I do for refrigerator cookies and that made it easy to divide and slice off the appropriate amount for each cookie before rolling it into a ball), you form them into balls, roll them in a little sugar, flatten slightly with the sugar dipped bottom of a glass, and bake for 14 minutes.  (They do spread a bit, so I only put eight cookies per sheet when I was baking them and that worked great.)  They come out all sparkly and flat and sort of chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges, just perfect.    

 

Drumroll please:  Matthew says that these are, without a doubt, no question about it, his favorite cookie!  And, this, is a boy who has had plenty of experience eating lots of cookies, so I would take this comment very seriously if you are considering whether or not to bake them. 

 

They were a big hit around here with all of us.  

 

Next week:  November is a bit of a free-for-all with the recipes and the weeks selected for posting as we have free choice in November to post the recipes for this month in any order that works for our baking schedule with Thanksgiving thrown in there.  This recipe is actually listed for November 17th, so if you want the recipe, you will need to visit Pamela's blog on November 17th to see it. 

 

TWD blogroll found here.

MSC Club: Halloween Cupcakes

It's time for another cupcake adventure this month from the Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book.  This one is a bonus selection, a free choice in cupcake flavor with a decorated Halloween theme. 

 

We all know how creative I am NOT.  I looked at probably a thousand different pictures of decorated cupcakes for Halloween and didn't feel moved to duplicate any of them.  Maybe I'm just not that into Halloween, not sure, could be.   

 

One of my fellow bakers said, "Just close your eyes and think of all the things you have seen and read lately and what is the most frightening thing you can think of for Halloween, like a costume or something?"  I closed my eyes and responded, "The most frightening costume I can think of would be Thomas Jefferson dressed up as a Federalist."  Groans from my friend, "Be serious."  "Okay, the only other thing that is coming to mind would be John C. Calhoun and John Quincy Adams having a good old boy embrace over cocktails in Braintree (Quincy)."  More groans.  I guess she didn't realize that all I have been reading and seeing lately are books on Jacksonian-era politics.  Maybe she had something different in mind, like maybe Andrew Jackson exiting the First National Bank with a big smile, checkbook in one hand, and free gifts for opening a new savings account in the other, maybe something along those lines.  

 

I have never liked the ghoulishness of the whole Halloween season, so I am not sure why I thought I would do this bonus recipe, except that it would give me a chance to make another of the cupcake recipes in the book.  Cathy has been raving about the One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes (p. 152) and since the guys did not get a chocolate dessert this week, I figured this would be a good time to try out the recipe.   

 

Results:  they loved the cupcakes and enjoyed the chocolate frosting (p. 302) with accompanying sprinkles.  Matt, for instance, returned home, saw a plate of three and said, "Are these for me?  Great, thanks!" He downed all three within three minutes.  Guess swim practice must have been tough tonight.  

 

Since I am not a chocolate fan (at all), I figured this chocolate/chocolate/chocolate concoction was frightening enough just as it was.  And then it hit me:  "This is IT! This is absolutely the most horrible, dark, sinister, unpleasant thing I could ever have thought of:  Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing and Chocolate Sprinkles!"  I did it...I came up with a scary theme for Halloween!  And it was there all the time, on pages 152 and 302!   

 

Okay, you aren't buying that (even though it is totally legit), so Cathy agreed to let me borrow her witches, straight out of the MSC book, see photo left.  While I was busy hemming and hawing about how to possibly decorate some Halloween cupcakes for the bonus blog along, Cathy (who is not a member of the group but who has baked a far greater number of the recipes in the book than anyone I know), got busy and created the little witch cupcakes shown in the book for her children and their friends.  She wasn't going to get a chance to blog them (I can't imagine why not since she is a full-time wife and mother, has three children ages 7 and under, is a lawyer, and runs marathons), and my blog was going to be pretty dull, so we worked out a deal where her witches could guest star over here and ghoul things up a bit.  Aren't they frighteningly cute?   

 

After you finish admiring Cathy's little witches, go check in with the other participants on the blogroll to see just what Halloween creativity is all about!      

Next month's pick is from Karen at Karen's Cookies, Cakes, & More, who chose Candied Sweet Potato Cupcakes, found on  243.   Blogroll and Schedule found here.

CEiMB: Pumpkin Pie Muffins

The recipe chosen this week for

CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Oddball Oven Mitt  and is Pumpkin Pie Muffins, found on page 21.  

 

Yep, they taste just like Pumpkin Pie, which is to say, they were an extra big hit with Mark as he is the Pumpkin Pie lover around here.  They disappeared very quickly, all dozen of them, as we thought they tasted wonderful. 

 

I had one straight from the oven and it was warm and moist and delicious.  That was the only one I had, so I can only go by the guys' recommendations that they were great room temperature also...my recommendation is to eat one straight out of the oven all warm and toasty.   

 

Muffins are a very popular item around here as they are what we refer to as "portable food," i.e. they can be taken in hand out the door on the way to swim practice, school, or work.  With teens that is sometimes the only kind of food that works on occasion. 

 

A great recipe, definitely a keeper, and you just need to buy this book and cook from it as it has such great recipes with a very nice selection and variety.   

 

 

Next week:  Linguini with Shrimp, found on pages 160-61.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Cherry Fudge Brownie Torte

Oh, no, I'm a slacker this week.  I meant to make the Cherry Fudge Brownie Torte yesterday, but one thing led to another, and it was all very important, and well, no TWD. I might get a chance to make it later in the week, but if not, see you next week! 

Friday's Favorites Fare

READING: Julie & Julia by Julie Powell.  I am probably the only person who has not seen this in movie version yet.  The book was interesting and a very fast read.  Daniel Webster is patiently waiting for me. 

LISTENING TO:  Moody Blues, every once in awhile I give them a twirl for old times sake

COOKING BYTES:  There is a French restaurant in Denver which bills itself as "affordable French food" and is called Le Central, you can click on the name and view their site, their menus, and other interesting tidbits.  Each month on the Third Tuesday, they host a Wine Dinner which is several courses, each paired with a wine, so that one can go and learn about both French food and French wine.  It's a great deal for $35 a person.  For the past three months, the Wine Dinner menus have been a salute to Julia Child's recipes and her book Mastering The Art of French Cooking.  I excitedly tune in each month when they post the new recipes to read what the menu is going to be, what the wine selection is going to be, and think which of those dishes I can make at home from the book.  It's almost November, so I am eager to see the new menu and see if the Julia recipes continue.  It's been fun following along.   

FAV NEW FIND:  Apples:  I bought an apple variety at the store that was new to me:  Honeycrisp.  I have never had them before but the description sounded nice, so I figured Mark would enjoy an apple pie (always a given).  They are crisp and juicy, and to me they have a little bit of a wine taste.  Very delicious for just eating out of hand.  I was a little worried when I saw how juicy they were that they would make the pie soggy, but they did not.  They tasted lovely in the pie. 

FAV THING TODAY:  Taking Matt to meet the bus for the retreat weekend.  The Knights of the Holy Temple have a retreat each fall for two days down in lovely Brown County at the CYO camp.  Gorgeous leaves, wonderful weather, just a fun time for them.  Matt is the President of the Indiana group this year so it was his responsibility to help get it all planned and executed.  He has been working for a couple of months on this and it was fun today to see him greeting the boys and directing how things were going to go, etc.  It was also great to see the other boys, many familiar faces, and chat with parents dropping their sons off.  Had a wonderful time seeing Marshall's mom, Lisa, a lovely friend, and we sat and chatted long after the boys and the bus had driven off. 

GOING TO:  It's been Fall Break, so we have had a nice time ambling about doing this and that and enjoying time together.  Matt had the retreat this weekend, Alex had to work at his job and a trip to the movies with friends.  Mark and I had things to attend to around the house, watching ballgames, etc.  Sunday more of the same, with museum factored in there for Mark and I. The leaves are absolutely gorgeous this weekend, today turned warmer and sunny...can't we have Autumn for 5 months and winter for 1 month?  Please???

PRAYING FOR:  All the High School boys at the retreat this weekend, please join me. 

CEiMB: Easy Chicken Quesadillas

The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave:  Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Marthe at Culinary Delights and is Easy Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas, found on the web, link here. 

 

These were delicious and a great place to use that leftover chicken from the Poulet Roti I made earlier this week.  Inside the whole wheat tortillas is a mixture of chicken breast, mushrooms, onions, spinach, salt & pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cheese.  It is quick to pull together, especially since the ingredients all fairly common players at our house. 

 

We loved it just the way it is, but of course the guys had to add sour cream and salsa, which the recipe recommended, to make it a complete success. The recipe is on the web, so there is really no excuse for you not to pop over there, get the recipe and make your own.  You won't be sorry! 

 

Next week:  Pumpkin Pie Muffins, page 21.

Whisk Wednesdays: Poulet Roti (Roast Chicken)

In case you didn't know, Whisk Wednesdays is changing a bit.  The group formed in June of 2008 after I saw a note on Shari's blog that she was cooking her way through the Basic Cuisine Course of Le Cordon Bleu with an online version of the curriculum.  She was more than halfway through the course at this point, and I sent her an email saying that I would love to join in, but I did not have the experience and didn't want to embarrass myself each week.  She had not had anyone else ask about joining her, so she encouraged me to just jump in and do what I wanted when I wanted.  We chit chatted back and forth and before we knew it, the group was formed and others joined us. 

 

This past month Shari completed ALL of the Basic Cuisine course and the question arose as to the future of Whisk Wednesdays.  (A few of us have grown quite close cooking and learning together, and we didn't want to see it end.)  That said, however, Shari is now actually enrolled in the Le Cordon Blue Cooking School in Ottawa and furthering her French cooking knowledge and skills there.

 

Due to limited time, she decided that she would continue Whisk Wednesdays and go forth with the Intermediate Cuisine course for us, but only twice a month.  So, for those two times a month, there will be a schedule we can follow doing the curriculum for Intermediate Cuisine. 

 

The remaining weeks of the month will be Free Choice by each member, selecting a recipe of their own choosing from Le Cordon Bleu at Home, the book we have been using for Whisk.  This way each person can choose a recipe that fits family tastes and family budgets for those weeks.  If you have been a reader here and thought you might like to join in, or own the book and want to actually start using it, now is the time, contact Shari at her site!  

 

For myself, I have decided that I am going to go back to the beginning of the book and start with Chapter 1, proceeding forward each week, to cook/bake the recipes that were not included in the Basic Cuisine Course we used, or ones for one reason or another, I did not get time to complete.  (Each week Shari would try to select a recipe from our book that matched one in the course, so as a result we skipped all over the book, beginning to end, leaving hundreds of recipes untouched.) 

 

This week I chose Poulet Roti (Roast Chicken) on pages 6-7 of the book.  The recipe was simple to follow and I found the technique interesting.  Instead of just sticking the trussed and seasoned chicken in the oven to bake, the chicken was first placed on one of its sides to cook 20 minutes, then on the other side to cook for 20 minutes, then on it's back to cook for 30 minutes.  Easy enough to do, and it results in a chicken that is browned nicely all over with a crispy skin.

 

After letting the chicken sit under a foil tent for 15 minutes so the juices could redistribute nicely, I carved it, immediately seeing how moist and tender the chicken was cooked this way.  Raves all around from the guys.  This is my new way to roast a chicken. 

 

There are wonderful directions and the ingredient list for the spicing, rubbing, etc. in the book.  I still need work on trussing a chicken, I thought I had the string nice and tight, but by the time I moved the chicken this way and that, it all started coming off and getting rearranged so by the end it wasn't tight at all.  Sigh.  I also need to figure out how to turn the chicken from its side so that the skin does not stick to the pan and pull off when turning (you can see this in the photo on the chicken legs).  All in all, however, I was very happy with my first attempt and I know I can practice as we love roast chicken and have it at least twice a month. 

 

I'm excited to start at the beginning and work my way through the book page by page as I have come to appreciate and love cooking from this book for the past 16 months.  I am also happy that I can choose recipes that will be seasonally available (or available at all at times), items that are on special of a week at the market, and recipes that I know my family will enjoy.  My affair with this book has just begun! 

 

If you would like to see how the other Whisk Wednesday members fared, click here, and then on the Whisk Wednesdays connect to individual bloggers, and as always, Shari has a lot of interesting and great recipes on her site.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Sweet Potato Biscuits

Thanks to Erin of Prudence Pennywise for her Tuesdays with Dorie pick this week of Sweet Potato Biscuits, found on page 26 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook. 

 

Homemade bread products around here are always greatly appreciated.  These are wonderfully flavored little dinner biscuits and the guys were popping them right and left before dinner even started.  With or without butter. 

 

I made them twice actually as the first time I wasn't happy with the rise (height) of the biscuit and I thought the little 2.5 inch size was much too small for the guys with such large hands.  The second time I made them, I got a new can of baking powder, hoping that would fix the problem with the low rise, but sadly, it did not, still much flatter than I would have liked to see.  Either way, the flavor was the same.  They were delightful in taste, but I have just not worked out the logistics of baking them more attractively yet. 

 

Next week:  April of Short + Rose picked Cherry-Fudge Brownie Torte, pages 284-285.  TWD blogroll found here.

Cooking Italy: Sliced Potatoes Baked with Porcini and Fresh Cultivated Mushrooms, Riviera Style

This recipe for the Cooking Italy group was Sliced Potatoes Baked with Porcini and Fresh Cultivated Mushrooms, Riviera Style, found on page 522 of the cookbook we are using:  Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. 

 

The recipe itself is quite easy:  peel and slice potatoes into quarter inch slices, slice mushrooms likewise, re-hydrate dried porcini mushrooms and cook in their liquid until liquid is absorbed, mince the garlic, chop fresh parsley, add salt & pepper, add olive oil, mix, place into baking dish, and bake. 

 

I have to say that it does not look as fancy as I would have liked, but it tasted marvelous.   The only thing I would change when I make it next time, is that I would use less oil.  The taste of the potatoes and mushrooms together is really great, but the oil is a little too much, so I would decrease that by two-thirds next time for my family's personal taste.  I like oil to be a subtle flavor, not a predominant one. 

 

We all liked the potatoes and mushrooms cooked together like this, so will definitely make it again sometime.