mixing bowl, rose bowl, etc.

This morning was the Rose Parade and we traditionally watch it while enjoying home-made cinnamon rolls and coffee.  Can’t break with tradition – even if I have been in the kitchen a lot during this past week.  So…I rolled myself out of bed early, whipped out my mixing bowl and put together a batch of One Hour Cinnamon Rolls. They’re yummy.  Just ask my boys.

The recipe is in my Cookbook, but I’ll put it here for you, just in case you missed it.

beef fondue

What a great evening!  We entertained new friends, Mike & Tammy, with one of our ” infamous  ‘ fondues this evening.  As always it was a big hit.  Lots of fun, lots of great conversation and not nearly enough time.

We’ve been doing these dinners for most of our married life…thirty plus years, or so now!  So far there’s only been one couple that didn’t enjoy the whole idea and ultimately adopt it for themselves.  We won’t go into that right now….

When people hear “fondue” they usually think ‘stale bread dunked in gummy cheese sauce.’  Oh goody!’  But I promise you, after one evening around our fondue pot they’re hooked. Unless they’er vegan.  Then just forget it.

The first thing you’ll need is a good fondue set.  Ours is made by Cuisinart and we’ve used it for several years.  Don’t hesitate to make the investment because it also works wonderfully for homemade soups and stews because the ring that holds the forks is removable, turning it into an electric sauce pan.

The next thing you’ll need is about half a pound of top round steak per guest. Chill the steak and cut into cubes that will cook through in under a minute.  Add a thick slice of good sharp cheddar cheese, also cubed, to each guest’s plate.  Wrap a couple of pitted dry dates in half a slice of bacon for each plate, too. The sugar in the dates and the salty bacon season the oil and impart flavor to the beef as it cooks.  Encourage each guest to dip a date in the hot oil first, then begin cooking bites of steak.

Make a big green salad, using all the things you love to serve in salad. Warm slices of garlic bread or croissants to serve with the meal. Set out the salad dressings, some creamy horseradish sauce and spicy mustard for the beef, and beverages of your choice.

Fill the pot to within about two inches of the top and heat to 365 degrees F.  Set the table with one heaping steak and cheese plate per person, pass the salad and bread, and enjoy.  And enjoy. And enjoy.  It’s possible to eat and talk for a couple of  hous or more with one of these easy, comfortable dinners.

A great way to make friends, and keep ‘em.

tea for two

Here’s a treat we always enjoy – White Chocolate / Macadamia Nut Cookies.  I don’t make these very often. Usually stick with my FAMOUS Dark Chocolate Chip variety. But every once in a while I switch it up and use the more expensive ingredients in place of regular dark chocolate chips.

It’s pretty simple to do…

Make a batch of Nana’s regular recipe, following the steps exactly, up to adding the chocolate chips.  At that point chop 3 squares of Baker’s White Chocolate. Also chop enough Macadamia nuts to make 1/2 to 3/4 cup.  (I use a medium size chop for both ingredients, but you can adjust to suit yourself, and probably use white chocolate chips if that pleases your cookie eaters.)  Add both to the cookie dough and follow the baking instructions in the recipe.  Yummy.

Now here’s the best part.  I bake one pan to eat right away and freeze the rest to bake whenever we get a craving for hot cookies.  This is the very best idea for our

family of two.  Saves lots of $$. No stale cookies, ever.  Hot cookies in minutes anytime.  I do the same thing with my chocolate chip cookies and Mother’s Sugar Cookies  When the tray of little cookie balls are solid, I write the cooking Time and Temp on a freezer bag and throw ‘em in.  They’ll last about two months in the freezer.  Yeah, right!

better white bread

Well finally – homemade bread that meets all the requirements. Good for sandwiches.  Good for toast.  Good right out of the oven and good the next day.

We’ve been baking our own bread for awhile now. It is SO much better than what you can buy inexpensively, and in most cases is better for us. I mention “inexpensive” because, I’m sorry but, the rainbo or wonder breads advertised in such glowing terms have all the nutritional value and taste of paste as far as I’m concerned and it just tans my hide to pay $5 for a loaf of “artesian” bread.

Check out what’s cookin and you’ll see several recipes for white bread that we thought were going to make the grade but, in all honesty, did not.  We’ve tried sourdough – it was so so.  We’ve tried something I found online called the “perfect” sandwich bread – it wasn’t.  But I think we’ve finally found it – just like we finally found it with Grandma’s Rye Bread.

When I realized we were really looking for something that tastes, smells and feels like white bread from Grandma’s kitchen, I went and dug out Auntie’s cookbook from December 1910. I didn’t think of it before because I don’t like to handle this precious old book any more than necessary.  The scans will tell you why, but I guess if you want white bread with the qualities of old-fashioned bread, you need an OLD fashioned cookbook. Well, duh!

Alright…I know baking bread is SO out of style in today’s mad-rush world, and most young people are going to tell me, “I can’t bake my own bread.  It takes too much time.”  In 1910 it took too much time.  Auntie got up at dawn, set her bread to raise, made a fire in the wood and coal burning monster she considered a modern cook stove, milked, fed the chickens, worked in the garden and then got breakfast and washed the dishes…by hand.  By the time she finished those chores, her bread was ready to be punched down and set to raise the second time.  During that ninety minutes she cleaned the house, washed, ironed, and started lunch.  I can only imagine what stamina it took to keep a home for a family of modest means in 1910.  She didn’t have any of the things young women consider essential today; no microwave, no dishwasher, no stainless steel appliances, no granite counter tops, no once-a-week cleaning lady.  She did it all, all by herself, and she did it with grace, love and good humor.

With my amazing new kitchen range, my Artesian Mixer and D’s help, making bread is a snap!  So…here’s the recipe:

You can click to enlarge these scans or do it my way.

Milk Bread

Two Loaves:

1 cup scalded milk (90 seconds at full power in the microwave)
When you use milk to make bread it needs to be scalded.  That means heated to just below the boil, or the protease enzyme in it slows down the yeast production and causes breakdown of the protein in the flour making the dough sticky. This enzyme is deactivated by the heat.

While the milk is cooling to room temperature, drop
1 tablespoon of butter into the milk.
It will melt and be perfect for mixing.

Proof
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast and
1 teaspoon sugar in
1/2 cup baby-bath warm water

Measure the dry ingredients
3 cups all purpose white flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
into the mixer bowl and, using the dough hook, swirl them together.

When both liquids are baby-bath warm, or comfortable to the sensitive skin on the inside of your wrist, simply dump both into the flour mixture and begin to mix, using the dough hook.  (Be sure the liquids are not too warm or the heat will kill the yeast and your bread won’t rise.)

Slowly sprinkle about
1/2 to 3/4 cup of additional flour
over the dough as it kneads.
When it cleans the sides of the mixer bowl and begins to climb the hook it is ready to be placed in a warm place (70 to 90 degrees F.) to raise the first time. (we put it in the oven, with the light left on)

Turn it out on a lightly floured surface, knead by hand a few times to form a nice round ball, drizzle about a teaspoon of oil in a big bowl, turn the bread over to lightly oil the top, cover with a damp cloth and leave it alone for about 30 to 45  minutes. When the dough has doubled in bulk*, punch it down and knead it slightly, forming it back into a nice round ball, cover it and return to the warm place until it doubles in bulk a second time…usually another 30 to 45 minutes.

Now turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, divide it into two equal loaves and place them in buttered pans.  If you rub the tops with melted butter it will stay soft and brown evenly.

Return the loaves to the warm place and allow them to rise  until hey fill the pan and look like a “loaf of bread.”

When the loaves look right turn on the oven and heat it to between 360 and 400 degrees.  Bake your bread until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Enjoy!

*Note: rising times depend on a number of variables – temp and/or humidity, yeast age, and so forth. Watch your dough as it rises. If you allow it to wait too long after it reaches the “doubled in bulk” stage it will cause the whole batch of bread to “flop”…in other words it will not rise right and have a heavy unappealing texture.

perfect sandwich bread

D just came in from the studio and asked, “Can I have bread and butter?”

The smell finally overcame his will-power, and who can blame him.  This stuff fills the house with THE most tantalizing aroma ever.  And it’s so simple to do.  Time is the only ingredient you might be short on.  Luckily for us, retirement allows for abundant time to make bread, garden, and just enjoy in general. 

If time happens to be in short supply I have a bread machine recipe that’s pretty impressive too.  Check out my cookbook…

But…if the smell of fresh baked bread has your mouth watering…you can make this:

Basic Sandwich Bread

Proof:
2 1/4 Tsp. Dry Yeast
1 Tsp. Sugar
1/2 cup baby-bath warm water

Microwave for 45 seconds:
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbls. Butter

Whisk:
1 large egg

Mix all liquids together. Be sure milk is baby-bath warm before adding yeast and egg.

Stir together in mixer bowl:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tsp. Salt

Slowly incorporate liquid using the dough hook. When dough is thoroughly mixed, slowly add up to 1/2 cup flour in small increments until dough cleans the bowl and climbs the hook. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead to form a ball. Lightly oil the mixer bowl and place the ball of dough back inside…turning over to oil the top. Cover with damp cloth and let raise about an hour in a warm place – inside the oven with the light turned on – until doubled in bulk.

When ready the dough will retain the impression of your fingers without springing back.

Turn the dough out on the lightly floured surface and form into a uniform loaf. Heavily butter a large loaf pan. Place the loaf seam side down in the pan and rub the top with soft butter. Return to the warm oven to raise until the loaf pushes slightly over the top of the pan.

Turn the oven on to 370º and bake the bread until it browns thoroughly and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom of the loaf.

Finally, let it cool for a bit, then get the butter and honey.  Let me know if yours lasts longer than mine does.  It goes fast around here.

german rye bread

D has been working to perfect a recipe for his Grandma’s German Rye Bread ever since we started cooking together back in the late Seventies.  He has baked one version after another, one recipe after another, only to be disappointed in the flavor.  He’s tried adding molasses, brown sugar, whole caraway seeds, ground caraway seeds and so on and so forth.  Nothing measured up. Nothing ever tasted like Grandma’s.  Until recently…

Recently he hit the mark.  This is the perfect flavor!  It has a nice texture and is relatively simple to make.  What more could you ask for. 

Yesterday the weather turned back to winter, from a balmy 70° the first of the week to 48° with winter storm warnings for the mountains, so time in the garden was out of the question.  About mid-morning I looked up from what I was doing to find D making Grandma’s German Rye Bread.  It just seemed the perfect opportunity to add the recipe to my cookbook and show you how it’s done.

Grandma’s German Rye Bread

1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pkg granular yeast [2 1/2 teaspoons]

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.

This is known as "proofing" the yeast. It is important that the water is warm, but not over 100° F

3/4 cup water
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Mix these ingredients together in a sauce pan and heat gently, stirring continually, until the sugar is dissolved, the butter is melted and the liquid is just beginning to simmer. Cool to below 100° F before adding to the yeast mixture

The temperature is critical to the success of bread. Anything above 100° F will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.

Measure and combine in a separate bowl:
2 1/2 cups un-sifted dark rye flour
2 1/2 cups all purpose white flour

Put 2 cups of the combined flour mixture in the mixer bowl and using the dough hook slowly add the combined liquids. Beat together until smooth.

Slowly work in the remaining flour mixture, incorporating thoroughly after each addition. At this point the dough will be sticky.

Now sprinkle about 1/2 cup of white flour a little at a time over the dough, working it in until the dough ball begins to clean the sides of the bowl and climb the dough hook.

Turn the bread out on a lightly floured board and knead a few times, until the ball is smooth and elastic.

Lightly oil the clean mixer bowl, turn the smooth dough ball over to oil the top, cover the bowl and allow the bread to rise in a warm (not hot) place until double. We put it in the oven and turn on the oven light – it’s just warm enough.

Test dough by pressing two fingers gently into the top of the ball.  It’s ready when it holds the shape of your fingers.

Turn the risen dough out on a floured board and knead a few more times. Cut the dough ball in half and form into balls or loaves.

Thoroughly butter a cookies sheet OR two medium loaf pans. Form two balls OR two loaves…the balls should be placed on the buttered cookie sheet, allowing space so they won’t touch when they rise.  Allow the loaves to rise again in a cold oven until nearly tripled in size (about 2 hours). Turn the oven on to 375° and bake until the loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Cool on a rack.  The first loaf probably won’t last until it’s cold…but if you prove to have more restraint around fresh homemade bread than we have…this bread can be frozen.  It keeps well for up to a month.  To thaw, simply remove to the refrigerator several hours before serving time.

Enjoy…
e

sushi again

D made sushi again yesterday!  That’s twice in one month – quite an unusual treat.  But to be honest this treat was made for quite an unusual occasion.  We were entertaining a guest.

Our granddaughter, who is in her junior year at college, contacted D early last week and asked if she could visit on Friday.  How cool is that?  D told her, “Of course.  We’ll order a pizza or something.”  Plans were made and we settled back to wait for Friday.  Then I got thinking. Never being one to leave well enough alone, I asked him, “is a pizza delivery really the best we can come up with?”

Of course not!  This is so superior to a pizza delivery.  And a wonderful time was had by all.  Hopefully we will be able to squeeze in a few more visits  before life happens and this charming young woman moves on to study in Europe or pursue a career in New York City or Los Angeles.

super bowl sammies

Super Bowl tomorrow!  Yeah!!!

Unlike some of my friends…I’m a fan of football.  Thoroughly enjoy watching it all season long; August to February.  Been watching it for years and love the time D and I spend together in front of the tube.  Thank you NFL!

When we get to the Super Bowl I usually try to fix some special eats for the day. Since there’s just the two of us – and since we can’t over indulge in “junk” food without paying for it later (indigestion comes all too easily at our age) I’ve come up with a few things that meet our requirements nicely. 

Today I’m cooking the beef for our favorite:

Super Bowl Sammies

1 Beef Round Bone Roast – cut about 2.5 inches thick with bone in
1/4 cup butter
1 large sweet onion
3 cloves whole garlic
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons Coleman’s Dry Mustard
1 tablespoon dry Parsley Flakes

In a deep, heavy dutch-oven melt the butter, sprinkle the salt over the meat, then brown both sides.  Add the thickly sliced onion and continue cooking until they just begin to caramelize, then add the peeled and smashed garlic cloves, the mustard and parsley, stir together and cook another couple of minutes.  

Turn the heat down and add the liquids.  Cover and slow cook for about 5 or 6 hours, until the beef can be pulled apart with a fork.  Remove the beef from the liquid, cool enough to handle easily and shred it.  I use two forks, and remove all the extra fat and unappetizing bits as I go.  Return the beef to the liquid and refrigerate overnight in a non-reactive (glass or stainless) container.

To serve: Reheat the shredded beef and liquid just before serving. Using the best Hoagie Rolls you can find – butter and toast the cut side of the rolls.  Pile on a generous  helping of drained beef and a thin slice of your favorite cheese.  We like Mozzarella or Monterey Jack. (note: if the beef is not warm enough to melt the cheese I stick it under the broiler for a bit.)

Put the hot Sammie on a plate with a handful of chips and a bowl of the cooking liquid and a big pickle spear for garnish. We love this sandwich and it honestly presents just like the best restaurant French-Dip you ever tasted.

I divide what’s left-over in two serving portions in zip top freezer bags and serve ‘em again later.  They freeze great and make an easy meal next time we don’t feel like cooking dinner.

spring…clear ‘n cold

The sun has been bright and spring like all day.  It’s wonderful! Expected high – 60 degrees.  Hooray!  This shot says spring and I’m lovin’ it.  Problem though.  The early morning temp was frosty…33 degrees. 

As we drove to the market we noticed almonds in blossom.  Can the stone fruits be far behind?  Just hoping the frost doesn’t get all those blossoms that are thinking spring like I am.

We’ve spent the afternoon in the kitchen; beef stock, country sausage and a batch of my favorite Blue Cheese Dressing / Dip.  We also started a Corned Beef.  Tell you how that comes out in ten days. If it tastes as good as I think it will, I’ll share the how to with you. 

Gotta run now.  Going to join D in the porch and enjoy the rest of this glorious afternoon.

hugs,
e

i love u

Dinner tonight is going to be amazing!  D. is making sushi.

And California rolls.  And Miso soup.

I love it when he makes sushi.  It only happens when we are fortunate enough to find some fresh, top quality ahi tuna in the market.

It only happens when he feels up to spending hours in the kitchen slicing and dicing and so on and so on.  It doesn’t happen very often.

But when it does…Wow!

Delish!

Just one of the many ways this wonderful man says “I love you.”
Thanks babe.