HOMEMADE HOLIDAY GIFTS - FLAVORED SALTS.

Today was the holiday party for the cooking club I belong to.  It is the most fun event for me of all our luncheons!  We meet at a member's home and we all bring appetizers; a few members bring other things.  Today member Barb had a gift for each of us:  Lime Ginger Salt.  What a great idea for a holiday gift!  I asked for the recipe and she indicated that it could be found at the Country Living site.   Click on the hypertext to find that recipe, along with recipes for a number of other salts.   This is a great idea for hostess gifts or for gifts to your foodie friends.  I'm looking forward to trying out the Lime Ginger Salt on fish.

Thank you, Barb!

GRILLED BRINED & MARINATED CHICKEN WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE.

Greetings!  I hope all of you had a pleasant Memorial Day.  We did!  We had a party that included our best friends, all of whom brought along a food dish to share and a bottle of wine.  Nice, huh?  That left me with only the main entree, one appetizer to fill in, and the house setup.  Kevin teases me about how much I love to play house; a remnant from my childhood.  It means that I love to entertain and I love setting up the house and table(s) for a party.   It's all so fun!!

The main entree turned out well and I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

GRILLED, BRINED, MARINATED CHICKEN WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE.  This recipe came from "Bon Appetit."   The recipe shown here serves 4, although I easily revised the recipe to serve 18.
Chicken:
*  1/4 cup fine sea salt
*  2 teaspoons pickling spice
*  2 tablespoons honey
*  1 4-1/2 pound whole chicken, backbone removed and discarded, chicken quartered (OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which is what I used)
*  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*  1 large shallot, chopped
*  1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
*  1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
*  2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
*  2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
*  1 large garlic clove, peeled
Chimichurri Sauce
*  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
*  2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
*  2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
*  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
*  1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
*  1/2 garlic clove, peeled
*  Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
For the Chicken:
Bring 2 cups water, 1/4 cup salt, and pickling spice to boil in large saucepan, stirring until salt dissolves.  Remove from heat; add 6 cups water and honey.  Cool brine to room temperature.  Add chicken to brine; let soak 1 hour at room temperature.

Remove chicken from brine and rinse with cold water; discard brine.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Place chicken in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.  Combine 1/2 cup olive oil, shallot, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in processor.  Blend until herb mixture is finely chopped.  Rub herb mixture all over chicken; cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight (the longer the better!).
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
Place all ingredients in processor; puree until almost smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.  DO AHEAD:  Can be made 4 hours ahead.  Cover; chill.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat).  Rub excess marinade off chicken, leaving some marinade still clinging.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Grill chicken covered until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes.  Transfer chicken to platter.  Spoon some chimichurri over.  Pass remaining chimichurri.

COOKING CLUB HOLIDAY LUNCH & ORANGE-CHICKEN CUPS

One of the most fun lunches our cooking club has is the holiday lunch in December.  The theme is appetizers but we also included soup and  holiday cookies.  Sounds great, right?!

Here are some photos to get you hungry!

Hummus Dip & Pita Bread.

Filled Puff Pastry.

Spicy-Orange Chicken Cups.  Recipe below.

Mushroom & Goat Cheese in Phyllo Cups.

Leek Torte.

Baked olives.

Fruit & Mascarpone on puff pastry.

Hungry yet???

If you want the recipe for any of these appetizers, let me know.  I'm sure the cooking club members would be happy to accommodate your request.  Otherwise, here is the recipe for the Orange-Chicken Cups, shown above on the red plate.

SPICY ORANGE-CHICKEN CUPS.  Makes 16 appetizers.
Source.  Bake-off entry from Paula Naumann of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.
*  1 teaspoon sesame oil
*  1/2 pound skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4" pieces
*  4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
*  1/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
*  1 teaspoon soy sauce
*  1 teaspoon cooking sherry
*  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
*  1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes [I used 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper.]
*  1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (8 rolls)
*  1 teaspoon sesame seeds
     In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Lower heat to medium-low; stir in marmalade, soy sauce, sherry, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened and chicken is no longer pink in center.  Remove from heat.
     Meanwhile, unroll dough into 4 rectangles.  Cut each rectangle into quarters by making another diagonal cut to the perforation to make a total of 16 triangles.
     Heat oven to 375º.  Lightly spray 16 mini-muffin cups with no-stick cooking spray.
     Press largest part of each dough triangle in bottom and up side of muffin cup, leaving triangle points extended over cup.  Fill each cup with about 1 tablespoon chicken mixture.  For each cup, slightly stretch points of triangles to make longer; twist points together and place on top of filling.  Spray shaped rolls lightly with cooking spray; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
     Bake 11 to 19 minutes or until golden brown.  Carefully remove from pan to serving plate.  Cool 5 minutes before serving.  Serve warm.

RHUBARB CHUTNEY.

This weekend we'll be visiting friends at their place on the river, and we're in charge of bringing an appetizer to eat as we pontoon down the river.  I decided to bring a variety of crackers and a variety of toppings so that people could mix and match to their own liking.  With the abundance of rhubarb in my garden I made a chutney that can be combined with either cream cheese or goat cheese and/or proscuitto on crackers. 

RHUBARB CHUTNEY.
This recipe makes about 2 cups; and it will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.  Serving Ideas:  Spread cream cheese on a cracker, top with a dab of chutney.  Serve alongside grilled chicken or pork.
*  2 tablespoons olive oil
*  1 medium onion, finely chopped [I used a sweet videlia onion.]
*  1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
*  1/2 cup raisins
*  1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
*  1 tablespoon candied ginger
*  1 cinnamon stick
*  1/4 teaspoon garam masala
*  1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened.  Add the rhubarb, raisins, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon stick and garam masala.  Continue to cook, stirring over medium heat until the rhubarb begins to break down (about 6 to 7 minutes).  Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat.  Taste for balance.  For a sweeter chutney, add a little more sugar.  For additional tang, add a little more vinegar.  Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

DIM SUM

Our cooking group had a fabulous lunch today - Dim Sum.   What is dim sum?

–noun Chinese Cookery.   Small dumplings, usually steamed or fried and filled with meat, seafood, vegetables, condiments, etc.   Origin:   1948  from Cantonese dím sàm, equivalent to Chinese diǎnxīn, "appetizer" said to mean literally "touch the heart" ( diǎn dot, speck + xīn heart).

There is a lot of work that goes into a lunch of dim sum since these "appetizers" are all made piecemeal.   

Above is a photo of the spring rolls, which we ate with two sauces, a peanut sauce and a fish sauce.  I made chicken curry dumplings, shown below, which we ate with a hoison sauce.

Finally, a refreshing cucumber salad.  In addition to being very tasty, everything also seemed very healthy!  Not pictured here were a number of the other selections, including a dessert of Chinese pancake with peaches and peanuts.  Let me know if you'd like any of the recipes. 


Photos curtesy of Darlene Lewis.  Thanks, Darlene!

BOOK REVIEW - "The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry" by Kathleen Flinn

The book, The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry, by Kathleen Flinn ("Kat") isn't a literary piece but it is delightful reading for people like me who enjoy reading cookbooks in bed before going to sleep.   The author had been working as a journalist, principally in the food sector, prior to deciding in 2003 to pursue her dream of attending the venerable Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute in Paris.   The book is based on her 600 pages of personal notes, 120 hours of audio recordings, and selections from the 300-plus recipes in the Cordon Bleu program.  Her experiences at the school include demanding yet charming instructors, struggling classmates, and fascinating food ordeals and trivia.  Woven through the book is Kat's developing relationship with Mike, who follows her to Paris to set up a life together.  If that isn't enough fun reading, the book also contains mouth-watering recipes!  Following is one from the book.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH GARLIC AND HERBS.  Serves 8.  SEE NOTE BELOW.
* 1-1/2 pounds chicken pieces, skin removed
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 chopped onion
* 2 large chopped carrots
* 2 stalks chopped celery
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 5 quarts chicken stock (may substitute water for half)
* 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (may substitute thyme or mixed Italian herbs)
* 1/2 bunch parsley, 1/2 bunch thyme, 3 bay leaves - all tied together in a bunch
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 ounces wide noodles (or substitute per your preference)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus fresh pepper to taste
* 2 teaspoons minced parsley (optional)
Rinse the chicken under cold water; pat dry.  Trim any excess fat.  Set aside.  In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.  Add the white wine and stir the bottom to loosen any brown bits as it reduces by one half.  Add the stock and/or water.  Heat through.  Add the chicken.  Bring to a low boil, skimming fat and foam from the surface.  When it appears that no more skimming is necessary, drop the heat to a simmer and add the herbs.  Simmer partially covered for a half hour.  Add the garlic.  Simmer another half hour.  Remove the chicken from the soup with tongs.  Continue to simmer the liquid for a few moments while the chicken cools.  Remove the meat from the chicken and shred it into pieces and return to the pot.  Add the noodles and increase the heat to a gentle boil, then cook until soft.  Skim off any foam and check seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed.  Remove tied herbs.  Stir in the fresh parsley. 

NOTE:  When reading other cooks' reviews on various websites (e.g. Epicurious.com and Allrecipes.com) it is advisable to first assess the culinary credibility of the reviewer.  The same goes with this blog!  Although I haven't tested this recipe I trust Kathleen Flinn's culinary credibility and will definitely make this recipe.  It sounds perfect!

USING LEFT-OVERS.

Meal preparation can be a real time suck and, accordingly, it is important to find shortcuts.  One thing that I do is to always prepare much more than I will be using for a specific meal.  In fact, shopping at Costco necessitates cooking much more than I need since quantities are large and I don't want the food to go to waste. 

For example, you can steam a large pot of green beans, then use them in any number of ways:
(1) Fry up a little bacon, remove the bacon to a paper towel and pour out the grease; in the same pan, saute the green beans and finish with crumbled bacon.  Next day:
(2) Make a salad and use green beans as part of the salad.  Third day:
(3) Melt butter in a saute pan, toast up sliced or slivered almonds in the butter, add the green beans to heat through and blend flavors. 

Another example.  For SuperBowl Sunday I made Chicken Tandoori and Israeli Couscous.  On Monday I posted the recipe  for the Tandoori Chicken and reheated it for my lunch.  On Tuesday I cubed the cold chicken, added mayonnaise and a few other things I had on hand, and had a delicious Tandoori Chicken Salad for lunch.  For supper I roasted up rack of lamb and reheated the Israeli Couscous. 

See what I mean?  Cook once... eat often!

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Yesterday was SuperBowl Sunday and we had friends over for dinner and to watch the game.  This recipe fits as a tasty, casual main dish for entertaining.  It is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and make ahead.  Also, unlike similar dishes, the chicken doesn't dry out. 

TANDOORI CHICKEN.  Serves 8 to 10.
*  3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (sold at Costco; organic)
*  1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
*  1 cup plain yogurt (can be low-fat but I made with 1/2 low fat and 1/2 regular)
*  1 tablespoon grated ginger root
*  1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
*  3 garlic cloves, minced
*  1-1/4 teaspoons coriander
*  1-1/4 teaspoons cumin (I don't like cumin so I substituted 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.)
*  1-1/4 teaspoons curry powder
*  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
     Pat the chicken dry.  Rub with the lemon juice.
     Combine the yogurt, ginger root, paprika, garlic, coriander, cumin (thyme, oregano), curry powder and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix well.  Spoon into a shallow dish.  Place the chicken in the yogurt mixture, turning to coat.  Chill, covered, for 2 hours or longer, turning occasionally.
     Remove the chicken from the marinade.  Arrange skin side up in a buttered baking pan.  Bake at 400º for 15 minutes.  Turn the chicken and bake for 15 minutes longer.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350º.  Turn the chicken and bake for 15 minutes longer. 
     Place the chicken on a serving platter.   I served this with Israeli Couscous.
Source:  Always Superb - Recipes for Every Occasion by the Junior Leagues of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

RECIPE ARCHIVE

It is time to revamp my site somewhat.  Having a recipe archive doesn't work as well as simply posting the recipes on a regular basis.  Since I am now eliminating the archive, below are the recipes that had been in that tab.  See my new tabs above.  Click on the tabs to enter the new pages.

AFTERNOON PICK-ME-UP TEA. Serves 1. When your energy is low this is an easy "tea".  
Mix together a teaspoon each of grated fresh ginger, honey, and turmeric powder, then stir the mixture into a cup of hot water. Both ginger and turmeric are anti-inflammatory.

CHICKEN a' l'ORANGE. Serves 4. A simple weeknight dish. I served this with couscous into which I added chopped red pepper, onion and garlic. Would be good with wild rice.
* 2 oranges, peeled and sliced into 1/2" rounds
* 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
* 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, halved and boned
* 1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
* Salt & white pepper to taste
* Grated peel of 1/2 orange (1 to 2 tablespoons)
* Juice of 1 orange (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Heat oven to 350º. Sprinkle orange slices with liqueur; let sit at room temperature while chicken cooks. Rub chicken on all sides with curry powder, salt & pepper. Arrange chicken in baking pan. Combine orange peel, juice, honey and mustard. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. Top chicken with orange slices and cook 2 minutes longer.

CROSTINI WITH PECORINO, HONEY AND ORANGE ZEST.
Cut a baguette into 1/4" slices; brush with olive oil. Arrange on baking sheet and bake in 400ºF oven until crisp. Cut the pecorino into thin slices and arrange on the toasts. Drizzle a small amount of honey over the cheese, and top with fresh orange zest and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

PINK PEPPERCORN THYME SODA. Makes 8.  Served at Green Zebra Restaurant in Chicago.
* 8 whole star anise
* 2 tablespoons whole pink peppercorns plus additional for garnish
* 1 tablespoon whole cloves
* 3 cups water
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup fresh thyme sprigs plus 8 additional sprigs for garnish
* Ice cubes
* 4 cups chilled club soda
     Toast anise, 2 tablespoons peppercorns, and cloves in small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Wrap spices in triple layer of cheesecloth; tie shut. Pound with rolling pin to crush spices lightly. Bring 3 cups water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan. Add spices in cheesecloth. Remove from heat; cover and steep 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup thyme sprigs; cover and steep 10 minutes longer. Strain syrup into medium bowl. Chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
     Fill 8 tall glasses with ice. Divide syrup among glasses. Add 1/2 cup or more to taste soda to each glass. Garnish with thyme sprigs and peppercorns.

ZUCCHINI, CORN AND TOMATO SIDE DISH.   Serves 8.  No work, a lot of flavor, and healthy.
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
* 1 can corn, drained
* 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (or Mexican style if preferred)
* salt & pepper to taste
Heat oil in pan, add onion and saute until translucent but not browned. Add oregano and zucchini and continue to saute until zucchini begins to brown. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat to boiling; lower heat, then simmer about 15+ minutes until zucchini is tender. Serve.

GREEN GODDESS CHICKEN SALAD, GREEN GODDESS DRESSING, RHUBARB COBBLER

Yesterday, despite the cold and heavy rain, my friend Jeanne came over for a garden tour and lunch. Only the best of friends would be willing to take a long walk through a garden under the circumstances.

For lunch we had:

GREEN GODDESS CHICKEN SALAD. Serves 2.
* Green Goddess Dressing (recipe below)
* 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced (I used store-bought broasted chicken. Could also substitute cooked peeled shrimp or fresh crabmeat.)
* Mixed greens (I used mostly arugula, my favorite.)
* 1 ripe avocado, sliced
* Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
* Sliced almonds, toasted
* Garnish: edible flowers, tarragon sprigs, snipped chive, etc. (I used lovage for an added flavor boost.)
In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad greens with some of the dressing until well coated. Divide the greens among 2 dinner plates. Arrange the slices of chicken on top of the greens in a fan shape and fan the avocado slices beside the chicken. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes and almonds over all. Drizzle salads with additional dressing and garnish. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
* 1/4 cup (gently packed) fresh French tarragon leaves
* 1/4 cup (gently packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
* 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
* 2 anchovy fillets (I used anchovy paste.)
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* Dash of garlic salt
* 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt (whole or fat free)
* Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Puree the herbs, anchovies, lemon juice and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream. Scrape down the sides. Add the sour cream and pepper; process until smooth. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Now is the time to get out in your garden to pull rhubarb. I have two Chipman's Red Rhubarb plants which are sweeter than the more common varieties. The following recipe is from Penzeys Spices (THE best place to buy your herbs and spices!).

RHUBARB COBBLER. Serves 8-12
Preheat oven to 350º. In a mixing bowl, combine the following:
* 1 cup flour
* 3/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup melted butter
Mix well and press half of the mixture into an 8x8 baking pan for the crust.
In a saucepan, combine the following:
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup water
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cook over medium heat until very thick and transparent, stirring frequently, about 4-6 minutes. Add:
* 4 cups chopped rhubarb
Stir, then spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Bake at 350º for 1 hour.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Best eaten first day.