I made an effort, albeit a small one – to celebrate my favourite state-side holiday here in London. On the official Turkey Day I didn’t actually get home from work until 9 p.m. so my plan was to do something small over the weekend instead.
After a raucous weekend in Horsham, Sunday night found me stuffing a chicken (a turkey seemed a bit excessive for 3-4 people) mashing potatoes (a “lighter” recipe than my typical garlic cream and cheddar cheese ones), steaming broccoli and serving up a fresh batch of my world-famous brownies (yes they were once shipped to my brother in Finland where it was claimed that they were the “best brownies ever”).
Herein was a simple meal (perhaps one of my favourites) that I was making for some dear friends which yes, I am very thankful for. Like the brownies as well, the stuffing is an old family recipe. On paper it looks and sounds a bit strange. However, for one reason or another the stuffing is quite simply ridiculously good. It could arguably be the most revered and loved family recipe my clan posesses. I’ve even been jokingly accused of putting illegal substances in it which makes it addictive. While I can promise that I don’t – I do have to admit that technically I “smuggled” the main ingredient over from the States.
It’s important here to repeat – the recipe looks and sounds strange. You will wonder if I’ve left out half a dozen ingredients. You will think of jello molds, and dishes made in the 70s called tuna pea wiggle. I promise, if you approach with an open mind – you will love it. Everyone does (recent guests from Sunday night included).
C-B Family Stuffing
(This was enough for about 6 servings).
1 box of Ritz crackers (4 sachets)
1 large carrot
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ large onion
2 Tbsp butter
Put the crackers through a food processor until fine meal forms. Or in the instance that you don’t have a proper food processor, but like me have a "mini chopper" that looks like it should be sitting in my niece's doll-house, put the crackers in the mini chopper in 8 (Yes, EIGHT!) rotations to get them all ground up. Remove and place in a large bowl.
Add onion, garlic, and carrot and finely grind. Add to crackers.
Melt butter and add to crackers/onion mixture. Stir and add a little water, a tbsp at a time, if it is still dry. Note: sometimes I grind a bit more carrots and onions and add to the mix if it seems too “crackery”.
If you are making a whole chicken or turkey, stuff inside the bird and underneath the skin of the breasts. An easier, week-night variation would be to buy boneless chicken breasts, with the skin on -and place the stuffing under the skin on the meat.
Note: Here in London they sell boneless chicken breast with the skin on. In the States you’ll have to ask for it special. If you take a package of chicken breasts with the bone/skin to the butcher’s counter they’ll typically take the bones out for you.
The brownies that I made that night are also a family recipe. Whenever people who don’t know me ask if I eat store bought baked goods, I always tell them no – I much prefer homemade and why buy the pre-packaged store bought stuff when it’s just so insanely easy to make simple things from scratch? The recipe, more than any other in my permanent repertoire, exemplifies this.
A funny thing about these brownies though...at present there is a bit of a family debate over who whips these brownies up in the best and tastiest fashion. Originally a race between my mother and myself, my brother recently followed the straight-up easy to follow recipe and declared that his batch was the “best batch ever”.
Note to brother: Highly unlikely, and may I remind you that you once rang me (from another country) and asked me how to make a baked potato. I won’t even get into the story of when you also called me for instructions on how to make mashed potatoes. An individual who makes these types of calls can not be the current family brownie-making champion.
Now, every good girl needs a few secrets...and as such will hold on to this brownie recipe for the time being...it might yet be an idea to still bring it to the mass market. :-)
Monday 26 November 2007
Monday 19 November 2007
Getting my fix
Like a ten year old who’s had his sweets taken away or the world champion food-eating winner Joey Chestnut being told he can’t have any more hot dogs, it’s been a painful few weeks of having one of my favourite treats taken away. The plain and simple truth was that while I’d been having a fabulous time travelling around and entertaining overseas friends, I was also starting to slowly go through a somewhat painful withdrawal of not being in my kitchen. I needed a fix and I needed it bad. With my creative juices flowing, my cupboards no longer empty; last Sunday I scheduled an evening of Dana cooking time. Like any junkie, I knew it wouldn’t necessarily take much, and by the end of the evening I was most definitely back on track.
Definitely not to be eaten together - I ended up making two things that night. The first was a homemade granola and the second the most random lasagne. I'd like to say the most random one over, but there was that one time I made one with polenta instead of pasta...not something I'd recommend!
The first item was in an attempt to have a healthy and somewhat sweet snack hanging around my flat and the second was to try and make something that I could both enjoy for a few days and then freeze for later consumption on those “school” nights when I get home too late to cook much more than a bowl of Kellogg's Special K.
Maple Pecan Granola with Dried Cranberries:
- Nonstick oil spray
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F).
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Stir 1/2 cup sugar and maple syrup in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
Pour into large bowl; cool to lukewarm.
Whisk in egg whites, vanilla, and spices.
Add oats, pcans, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
Spread mixture in even layer on prepared sheet.
Bake 35 minutes.
Turn granola over (bottom will be brown). Bake 10 more minutes.
Sprinkle cranberries over; bake until dry, about 15 minutes more.
Cool granola completely in pan.
Granola stores well in tupperware (it's been over a week so far and it's still D-lish)!
Butternut Squash, Mushroom, and Spinach Lasagne:
1 onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
3 cups butternut squash, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 bag washed spinach
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk (I used semi-skimmed-2% and you could not tell the difference)
10-14 non-cook lasagne pieces
1/2 cup mascarpone
parmesan
Filling:
Cook chopped onion in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and butternut squash, 3 cloves garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
In a separate pan, sauté spinach with a bit of olive oil until cooked down. Set aside.
Béchamel:
Note: This might be a bit tastier made with whole milk and butter (instead of olive oil) and I'd recommend it if you don't have a love/hate relationship with dairy, like me. I was trying to be a bit healthier (for a change) and opted for the olive oil and semi-skim milk.
Cook remaining garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute.
Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes.
Add milk in a stream, whisking.
Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes.
Whisk in salt and white pepper and remove from heat.
Assembly required:
Preheat oven to 220C (425 F)
Spread 1/2 cup sauce in an olive oil greased baking dish, cover with 2-4 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets.
Spread with 2/3 cup sauce and one third of filling, then sprinkle with a 1/3 of the mascarpone and a bit of parmesan.
Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese.
Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake for about 25-35 minutes.
Remove foil and bake until golden-brown and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more (I always take it out after the corners are crispy....my favourite bit)!
Let lasagne stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
Definitely not to be eaten together - I ended up making two things that night. The first was a homemade granola and the second the most random lasagne. I'd like to say the most random one over, but there was that one time I made one with polenta instead of pasta...not something I'd recommend!
The first item was in an attempt to have a healthy and somewhat sweet snack hanging around my flat and the second was to try and make something that I could both enjoy for a few days and then freeze for later consumption on those “school” nights when I get home too late to cook much more than a bowl of Kellogg's Special K.
Maple Pecan Granola with Dried Cranberries:
- Nonstick oil spray
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F).
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Stir 1/2 cup sugar and maple syrup in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
Pour into large bowl; cool to lukewarm.
Whisk in egg whites, vanilla, and spices.
Add oats, pcans, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
Spread mixture in even layer on prepared sheet.
Bake 35 minutes.
Turn granola over (bottom will be brown). Bake 10 more minutes.
Sprinkle cranberries over; bake until dry, about 15 minutes more.
Cool granola completely in pan.
Granola stores well in tupperware (it's been over a week so far and it's still D-lish)!
Butternut Squash, Mushroom, and Spinach Lasagne:
1 onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
3 cups butternut squash, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 bag washed spinach
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk (I used semi-skimmed-2% and you could not tell the difference)
10-14 non-cook lasagne pieces
1/2 cup mascarpone
parmesan
Filling:
Cook chopped onion in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and butternut squash, 3 cloves garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
In a separate pan, sauté spinach with a bit of olive oil until cooked down. Set aside.
Béchamel:
Note: This might be a bit tastier made with whole milk and butter (instead of olive oil) and I'd recommend it if you don't have a love/hate relationship with dairy, like me. I was trying to be a bit healthier (for a change) and opted for the olive oil and semi-skim milk.
Cook remaining garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute.
Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes.
Add milk in a stream, whisking.
Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes.
Whisk in salt and white pepper and remove from heat.
Assembly required:
Preheat oven to 220C (425 F)
Spread 1/2 cup sauce in an olive oil greased baking dish, cover with 2-4 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets.
Spread with 2/3 cup sauce and one third of filling, then sprinkle with a 1/3 of the mascarpone and a bit of parmesan.
Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese.
Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake for about 25-35 minutes.
Remove foil and bake until golden-brown and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more (I always take it out after the corners are crispy....my favourite bit)!
Let lasagne stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
Thursday 1 November 2007
Having my cake, and eating it too
This past weekend marked the last few days of an insane, non-stop, go-go gadget month. Starting with a visitor from the States, Venice, my actual birthday, 2 weeks in South East Asia, and 369 actionable emails in my inbox upon my return - this Saturday also marked my 30th birthday party extravaganza. It was the last twirl on this month's Mad Tea Party ride (Note: without the motion sickness but a big massive grin across my face kinda way).
The party was held at a venue near Old Street called Sosho. Besides moments here and there ensuring friends who’d turned up on their own were mixing and mingling like peanuts and cashews in a jar of Planter’s Premium Nuts, it was a wicked night with my wonderful friends in London and a few surprise visitors from afar.
In between my hectic and insane week, SG arriving from LAX, and a 4 hour appt at Taylor Taylor that Saturday, I had managed to whip up a wee birthday cake for the night.
If you asked FM however, I’d not shut up all week (mentioning it at least twice a day) about how I needed to find time to make this cake. Getting up early or staying up late was fine, but I HAD to make it myself. There was no alternative. No, “just buy a cake” or “just skip a cake”. The venue wasn’t even letting me bring it with me because it would "make a mess" so it was going to be eaten at home anyway. So, it HAD to be home-made and it HAD to be made by me. It was quintessential OCD baking. I think I’ve patented the disorder. Strike that, my mother has patented the disorder. It’s simply genetic.
While the party started at 8:30, I had a few friends to Buckler Court for champagne and cake first. So what if it ended up being my dinner? Cake is as good a stomach coater as pasta, it’s scientifically proven. JO, SG, AW, TS, FM and I proceeded to cheers and eat, cheers and nibble some more. The combination of cake and champagne and being a generation of SITC watchers, made for some pretty lively pre-party banter. So much so that I’m fairly certain that TS, the one guy of the bunch was grinning and blushing from ear to ear listening to our chat. Always good fun.
It was a great way to start out the night and even though I ended up having 2/3 of the cake left over- I found a bunch of friends at work this week who were happy to gobble it up. Not one word of “constructive criticism” – unless you count – “Don’t bring anymore in, I’ll end up eating it all!”
Dana’s 30th Birthday Cake
The cake is from the following recipe (Note: I did not make it 4 layers but kept it as two):
The party was held at a venue near Old Street called Sosho. Besides moments here and there ensuring friends who’d turned up on their own were mixing and mingling like peanuts and cashews in a jar of Planter’s Premium Nuts, it was a wicked night with my wonderful friends in London and a few surprise visitors from afar.
In between my hectic and insane week, SG arriving from LAX, and a 4 hour appt at Taylor Taylor that Saturday, I had managed to whip up a wee birthday cake for the night.
If you asked FM however, I’d not shut up all week (mentioning it at least twice a day) about how I needed to find time to make this cake. Getting up early or staying up late was fine, but I HAD to make it myself. There was no alternative. No, “just buy a cake” or “just skip a cake”. The venue wasn’t even letting me bring it with me because it would "make a mess" so it was going to be eaten at home anyway. So, it HAD to be home-made and it HAD to be made by me. It was quintessential OCD baking. I think I’ve patented the disorder. Strike that, my mother has patented the disorder. It’s simply genetic.
While the party started at 8:30, I had a few friends to Buckler Court for champagne and cake first. So what if it ended up being my dinner? Cake is as good a stomach coater as pasta, it’s scientifically proven. JO, SG, AW, TS, FM and I proceeded to cheers and eat, cheers and nibble some more. The combination of cake and champagne and being a generation of SITC watchers, made for some pretty lively pre-party banter. So much so that I’m fairly certain that TS, the one guy of the bunch was grinning and blushing from ear to ear listening to our chat. Always good fun.
It was a great way to start out the night and even though I ended up having 2/3 of the cake left over- I found a bunch of friends at work this week who were happy to gobble it up. Not one word of “constructive criticism” – unless you count – “Don’t bring anymore in, I’ll end up eating it all!”
Dana’s 30th Birthday Cake
The cake is from the following recipe (Note: I did not make it 4 layers but kept it as two):
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/104539
The frosting was made from a recipe in my head - I stopped when it tasted "just right". Note: SG played an equal part in being a frosting taste-tester as well. Tough job, but someone had to help.
The frosting was made from a recipe in my head - I stopped when it tasted "just right". Note: SG played an equal part in being a frosting taste-tester as well. Tough job, but someone had to help.
1. Beat about 80g of butter with a bit of vanilla and confectionery sugar (about 3/4 cup)
2. Melt dark/milk/or semi-sweet chocolate (I started with 50g, then 100g - ended up using about 150g in total)
3. Add chocolate and 2 cups sour cream and then add this to the sugar and butter combo
4. Keep adding chocolate/sour cream/sugar in small doses until you get the consistency and taste that you like
Because anyone who knows me, knows I'm big on texture - I also toasted coconut and put it in the middle layer and on top of the cake. You could easily do something similar with toasted almonds or pecans.
Frosting Note: As stated above I started with 50 g of chocolate mixed with 2 cups of sour cream. If you use that much sour cream, definitely use more chocolate. Alternatively you can use less sour cream and more butter. In the case of this frosting recipe, it's the balance between the chocolate/sugar/sour cream/butter. Sort of like life. The finding balance bit, not the sugar/dairy product bit.
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