Sherry – Page 38 – Rosemary and the Goat

Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, and Linguini

A fond food memory of Italy.

What is it about remembering names and other things, like where did I put my phone, give me such a problem sometimes and then on the other hand I can think of a dish I had someplace and remember all the circumstances surrounding it.

For instance, it has been about eight years since we went to Italy but I will not forget one rainy night in Chinque la Terra going to dinner at Ristorante Miky (pronounced Mickey like my Michie). I started saving menus like my sister (she has some beautiful ones) and that rainy night there was one menu outside on a table and it was getting wet so I decided to rescue it from the rain and it now occupies a place along with my other menus. So I went back and took a look at the dish I had that night.

So, that rainy night the six of us were seated outside in a tented area and we had one of the nicest waiters and he talked us through everything on the menu and promised us a meal we would not soon forget. He even told us about his cousin who was a waiter over in Montecino and told us we should check out his restaurant while we were in that area the next week.

This was the first time I had ever had clams and mussels and I was a little hesitate in ordering it. It was delicious and will always be one of my fond food memories. I decided to add some shrimp to the dish the night I made this recipe.

I love looking back at old menus I have picked up during travels and recreating dishes that helped to make a great vacation. I have a journal full of great dinners from travels and love reading about what I thought of the meal.

When we were in Seattle for our anniversary trip back in August we had eaten so much fish in Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle that one night we just wanted some simple Italian food. I ended up ordering a dish similar to this Mussel, clams, linguine dish but it had the addition of tomatoes. So delicious and that brought up all the memories of our trip to Italy and the great food we had while there.

November 26, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ Salads

Roasted Beet Napoleons

Oh no, something red on the plate!

Beautiful except for the fact that the beets bled into my goat cheese.

My husband always says he doesn’t like beets because he doesn’t like red food on his place. Ya know, he does eat tomatoes, salsa, pasta sauces, red peppers etc. So, why is it he says he doesn’t like beets. Could it be because he hasn’t tried MY beets. Other than pickled beets I have to say I was never a fan. Never cared for borsht soup or even harvest beets. I have to admit I never tried harvest beets because i thought they would be too sweet.

Back in the summer I did dehydrate some thinly sliced beets and sprinkled them with some Herbs de Provence and they were delicious; just ask my friend, Linda, who has a really funny story about the after effects of eating too many beets.

This is the time of the year that really nice beets should start appearing in the markets. I can’t wait for my farmer’s market to have them because they promised the candy striped ones too along with the orange and red ones.

I found a couple of beet napoleon recipes; one on Pinterest from fifteenspatulas.com and I think she had gotten the idea from Saveur magazine and then saw a similar one on Foodnetworks website. I like the idea of cutting in wedges if you have really big beets. On Food Network they cut in wedges and and put three of the wedges together, pointed sides out and filled with micro greens or salad. For my salad I tried both ways, one in wedges with just one to a plate and then one of the stacks on a plate sprinkled with some greens and pistachios.

My only recommendation would be to have everything ready early but put together right before serving. I had mine all ready the night before I took the picture and thought if I refrigerated them overnight then the cheese would set up; not thinking that the red beets were going to turn the cheese purple. Oh well, I learned a lesson and won’t make that mistake again.

November 21, 2014 By Sherry

Cake/ Dessert

Amalgamation Cake

Just in time for the holidays.

The Purplish color comes from the blackberry jam.

Growing up I remember a special holiday cake my mother use to make and that was the Amalgamation Cake. I don’t know the history behind the recipe but according to Wikpedia, amalgamation is the process of combining or uniting multiple entities into one form.

Ok, that kind of describes this cake which is full of eggs, sugar, blackberry jam, raisins, nuts and coconut. What that description does not describe about this recipe is the love that my mother put into making it. Whether she was making this for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, she knew just the right time to start making it. Of course she always shelled her own pecans and after carefully measuring everything, mixing, baking, cooling then frosting with a delicious coconutty frosting she would wrap the cake in multiple layers of plastic wrap and then foil and then put into a closet to rest (or I suppose to ferment) until the big day which she would put it out just in time for dessert to be served. (Of course, this was Missouri so I’m sure the closets were a little cooler than here in Texas.)

This cake has a purplish color to it and is so rich and scrumptious that you only need a very thin piece to satisfy your sweet craving. I’m making this cake for our craft circle boutique and some lucky person will go home with a cake that they can put in the freezer until the holidays when they can pull it out and slice up for Christmas dinner.

November 16, 2014 By Sherry

Beef/Veal/ Entree

Osso Buco

What a great Fall dinner.

Are you ready to bid farewell to those long hot summer days? Well, I am and there’s nothing nicer than a cool fall day to get me thinking about a more comforting menu to serve to a group of friends who love good food and love to cook.

Nothing screams a Fall recipe, to me, more than a piece of meat with a bone in the middle and that recipe would be Osso Buco. I love cooking any kind of meat with bones and these veal shanks had a small bone in the middle filled with bone marrow and once it was braised and fall off the bone tender, that same bone marrow was delicious smeared on a piece of crusty bread. I knew I wanted to do this recipe since it was the time of the year for our “Fall” dinner and we are even having some cool temperatures to cooperate for the evening.

The evening started with a fig appetizer which was a halved fig topped with shaved parmesan and wrapped in a strip of proscuitto and put in the oven long enough to crisp up the proscuitto and then a drizzle of my Fish Creek, Wisconsin balsamic vinegar (they were on Shark Tank last week), a cocktail which consisted of gin, prosecco, orange juice, rosemary and basil. Next up were plates topped with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and those topped with saucy veal shank pieces that, after hours of cooking, turned into the most wonderful savory dish. Some sauteed haricot vert with peppers finished off the plate and of course some crusty bread to sop up all the juices from the veal and that delicious bone marrow.

We ended the meal with dessert which was this fantastic looking wine poached pear dessert with almond cream (will post soon) and some little wine jelly leaves for a garnish.

November 11, 2014 By Sherry

Dessert/ Desserts

Raspberry Ciabatta Bread Pudding

Any bread pudding lovers out there?

What better way to start Fall than with something to warm your tummy while you are sitting and watching what’s going on outside? Are you still having warm days as we are here in Texas or are you having some chill in the air and wanting a comforting dessert for the weekend. If you are having one of those days that you can’t get out of the house and you just happen to have some raspberries in the freezer (I have a freezer full) and some bread you threw in there for a rainy day, then you can whip up this dessert for supper.

Do you say supper? or dinner?. This dessert screams supper because I picture a dinner being something I have slaved over all day and supper is something I just throw together for the two of us. Unless of course it is our Sunday Night Suppers we do occasionally then I do like to go out of my comfort zone sometimes doing the menu of a couple of new things. This recipes falls into the supper (easy) category.

I have to honestly say I have never been a bread pudding lover until I made my Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce a few years ago and when I did it for a party, everyone loved it. So I’m venturing out again to try this Ciabatta Bread Pudding that I have added raspberries to; I think the raspberries will add some tartness to the dessert to balance the sweetness.

November 6, 2014 By Sherry

Bread

Pão De Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Thank you new neighbor, Valdez for giving me this recipe.

Several years ago my daughter, daughter-in-law and her mother had dinner at a Brazilian restaurant in Austin. I have to say, I do not remember the name of the restaurant or the main course I ordered but I will never forget the little cheesy bread puffs we were served. These are puffs are like little clouds filled with cheese.

Well, a couple of weeks ago our street had our yearly Neighborhood Watch block party at our neighbor, Maria’s, house. Maria is always the one responsible for putting these events together and notifying us of any information going on in the neighborhood that we need to keep a watch out for. This particular night we got to meet our new neighbors and guess where they are from — thats right Brazil. Remember the post a while back where I told you about my problem with saying “r’s” when I was a kid and in class calling Brazil – b-r-a-s-s-i-e-r and how embarrassing that was. Oh, well, hopefully I won’t be saying they are from Brassier !

Valdez told me that he loved to cook and has over 300 knives that he has collected from all over the world. I couldn’t resist asking him about the cheese bread balls I had and he immediately knew what I was talking about and said he had a recipe and would share it with me.

It was surprising to learn that this recipe did not have any wheat flour and is made from tapioca flour (he uses cassava flour – yucca) which makes this totally gluten free for any of you who have to maintain that lifestyle. These are made like gougères (cream puffs) but are so much better as a bready treat.

These are made similar to the gougères but mix up nothing like them. Similar but not. I have made profiteroles for years which is what a gougère is but with cheese. I have always mixed them by hand when mixing in the eggs; but this recipe has to be mixed in a mixer whether it is a hand or stand mixer you will need it to get those eggs and cheese mixed in. Believe me the recipe is as gelatinous and sticky as I had read about in other recipes. I tried by hand but quickly decided I’d better drag out the mixer.

November 1, 2014 By Sherry

Entree/ Sandwiches

The Ultimate Patty Melt

A Diner special…..

I feel like I have led a very sheltered life when it comes to sandwiches; bologna – yes, ham and cheese – yes, some great pulled pork – yes, reuben – yes, pimento cheese, tuna and the usual sandwich spreads; but I have never had a patty melt. So, it’s just a hamburger you say, well this so called burger wanna be was great. Every bite crunchy from the toasted rye bread and the cheese gooey because it was browned very slowly.

The Patty Melt is a sandwich that is probably on every diner’s menu and I read it originated in the 40’s-50’s from California restaurateur Tiny Naylor. He had, I think, one of the first drive-in diners. The sandwich isn’t a grilled cheese, it isn’t a burger or a reuben; it’s a mixture of all of those. American, cheddar or Swiss can be used or in this case, I’m using white cheddar and Swiss so I get a little more goo. You want an oval shaped patty also so it will fill all corners of your rye bread.

From everything I have read on the subject of Patty Melts a good light colored rye bread is a must and you want to have a big heaping pile of caramelized onions ready to top the patty. Some other tips I read about are make sure your patty is thin and “oval” in shape (mine wasn’t because I had this big pile of meat and wanted to use it), use mayonnaise instead of butter to spread on the “outside” of the bread before toasting because it has a higher smoke point (I’m using both), and the sandwich bread is grilled (not toasted).

I’m breaking with tradition and adding two strips of bacon. What more can I say about a hamburger crossing over to become this delicious sandwich. Serve this with some french fries (I did a salad) and sit back and enjoy this fantastic sandwich.

October 27, 2014 By Sherry

Cake/ Dessert/ Morning Foods

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

Have a cup of tea to go with this Blueberry Coffee Cake

I was looking on Pinterest one day for something to do with all these blueberries I still have in my freezer and came across this recipe from Cozy Country Living. I did add some lemon and lemon zest to the recipe just because I feel like lemon goes really well with blueberry recipes.

The picture of the coffee cake also looked delicious since it was baked in round pans instead of an oblong pan like most coffee cakes are baked in.

A hoarder of frozen berries I am. I have to admit I either pick a ton of the things or when they are on sale for $1/carton I buy like $40 worth and then vacuum seal them thinking I will use them for smoothies etc during the year and then all of a sudden it’s time for new berries to be picked and I still have some left from last season.

The only think I don’t like about using frozen blueberries in baked goods is that I end up with purple dough. Even though purple IS my favorite color I would rather my cakes/breads etc. be speckled with the fruit rather than take on the color and tint my dough. Whatever happens when it gets mixed and baked, it’s still delicious in the end.

King Arthur Flour offers a secret to baking with frozen berries. They say to rinse your frozen berries with cool water until the water runs clear and then pat dry with paper towels. They showed several examples on their website with the berries being used both ways and you can really tell the difference — I should never have purplish/green blueberry baked goods again.

I took these cakes to my craft circle on Tuesday to be shared with whoever can get to them first. Like I’ve said before, I love people trying the things I bake and if they like them, then I can persuade them to look at the blog.

October 22, 2014 By Sherry

Entree/ Fish/Seafood/ Side dish

Israeli Couscous with Tarragon

With or without the seafood you should try this.

Tarragon is one of those herbs that I never use. Besides putting it in chicken salad for sandwiches (which I’m not crazy about) I don’t really know what to do with it. We did add it to our herb garden this year but I have to admit I just watered it and looked how pretty it was growing but never got out and snipped a little for a dish. (*NOTE– big confession below.)

One night in Vancouver CA (hub) had that wonderful Green Pea Risotto with pan seared Halibut; I had scallops and tiger prawns with a chili citrus butter sauce and it was perched on top of Israeli couscous. Normally I feel like I can pick out all flavors in a dish. Every bite I took of this dish got better and better, and I could never identify the flavor that I was loving in this pile of tiny pearl shaped pasta. The pancetta was easy (it was listed on the menu) but I could not come up with that mystery ingredient. Finally I flagged down the waiter and he said he would ask the chef. Surenuf, it was tarragon. Both our plates had roasted golden beets, baby carrots (with green tops) standing up on the plate and mine had broccolini, which all really went well with the couscous.

When I was buying the ingredients for this, I bought a container of tarragon, totally forgetting we had planted it this year. Well, maybe after the tarragon I bought withers and gets thrown away I can find a new use for what I have growing outside.

Blue Crab Restaurant in Victoria was where we had both of these wonderful meals and what made it even better is that we were perched right on the water where we could watch all the ships and cute little water taxis come and go. So, another toast to our 45th anniversary.

Some info on couscous. It was voted as the third-favorite dish of French people in 2011. It is known as a North African dish and is made from two different sizes of husked and crushed semolina and is normally cooked by steaming but can also be cooked in a liquid. You know when it is done when it is tender, not al dente and not mushy. The grains should be separate and taste moist, not wet or dry. So, now that you have that information, venture out and try this recipe.

October 17, 2014 By Sherry

Egg Dishes/ Morning Foods/ Muffins

Spinach Bacon Egg Muffins

Skip the drive through today.

If I never hear the words “Egg McMuffin” it won’t be soon enough. All the years of driving and trying to find something for breakfast I have finally had enough of the golden arches egg dishes. The last trip we did to Asheville we stopped once for a chicken biscuit; and after a few bites I’m liking the chicken, of course, but not the biscuit. The finally on the trek home I decided to try the cinnamon roll. Of course, that is a lot higher in calories and sugar but at least it wasn’t another Egg McMuffin, or biscuit of some type.

I’ve made a version of this Spinach Bacon Egg Muffin before but never got around to posting it. So, when I came across this recipe, it was so pretty I just had to make it. And mine pretty much looked like Eat Drink Love’s version except I made my muffins in mini muffin pans.

This recipe is very versatile and you can make whatever adjustments you want. I changed her bacon to real bacon because I do not like anything that is suppose to taste like something else. Same with the cheese; I used normal cheddar cheese not reduced fat. For a change, try crumbled sausage and swiss and maybe some mushrooms. Some other ingredients I have in mind to try the next time will be sautéed bell peppers, green onions, asparagus with Swiss would be great. Bottom line, put whatever you want in with the eggs and give them a bake. You will enjoy them whatever you decide to put in yours.

October 12, 2014 By Sherry

Entree/ Poultry

Chicken Cacciatore

You don’t have to save this for a cold winter’s night.

This was one of the first classic Italian dishes I use to cook as a newlywed and that’s been over 45 years ago. The recipe I originally used came from my Betty Crocker Cook Book For Two and I use to serve it over some type of pasta. The other night when I made this for friends I did a whipped cauliflower dish that had some cream cheese, butter, parsnips and Parmesan cheese all mixed up to a delicious goodness.

Normally, I think of chicken cacciatore as a comforting winter dish but it IS Fall so why not cook something that fits the season. Here in Texas I can’t wait for a breathtaking cold day to make a dish like this because it may never come. When I think of comfort food I think of dishes like this that are slow braised and cooks leisurely in my purple Le Crueset Dutch oven. I decided to do some of the initial cooking on the stove top but wanted to finish it off slowly in the oven so the house fills with Italian aromas so good you think some Italian grandmother was standing right beside you making the dish telling you to add a pinch of this or that; and the biggest reason for finishing in the oven was I wanted to get my stovetop cleaned back up before company arrived.

The mushrooms in this dish are a new addition and I chose to use bone-in chicken thighs where I use to buy a whole cut-up chicken. I used half boneless thighs because of a friend who hates bones in anything even though I keep trying to convince him that anything cooked on a bone will have more flavor. So his thighs benefited from the bone-in thighs that cooked right along with all those boneless pieces of meat.

The rest of my meal consisted of my mashed cauliflower dish, Stephanie’s Magic Beans, and my Baby Blue Salad I posted a few days ago.

October 7, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Baby Blue Salad

All I can say is yum!

Baby blue eyes, baby blues? Or it could also be a color of paint or the color of the sky. But in this case, it is a Baby Blue Salad which will either make your baby blue eyes twinkle or make your baby blues go away.

All three of my kids have the bluest, blue eyes I have ever seen. Four out of our five grandsons, Milo, Charlie, Donovan and Thomas inherited those same sparkling blue eyes; and Oliver has eyes the color of chocolate with specks of hazelnuts and espresso and they sparkle just the same. And, what can I say about all these boys but they are the most special thing in our lives.

I love just about any kind of salad and I use to like salad a lot better in restaurants than when I would make them at home; but over the last several years I have ventured out and tried all different sorts of salads and dressings. I have quit buying bottled salad dressing and just whip up something quick with a flavored olive oil and a flavored balsamic vinegar. My new favorite oil which I just bought in Austin is a Mandarin Orange Olive Oil and a grapefruit white balsamic vinegar; the two mixed together with no other ingredients make a wonderful dressing.

This recipe is pretty simple and very colorful with all the fruit in it and the spiced pecans are an extra bonus. If you want to turn this into a main dish salad, add a grilled ribeye steak cut into strips; I then call this salad Black and Blue.

October 2, 2014 By Sherry

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