Christmas Ale Brown Bread

I’m really excited about this bread.  I hope this works out. 

For 2013, I am on a brown bread baking quest.  Something reminiscent of the great Irish brown bread, like the stuff we chomped on at the only open restaurant on Inisheer a couple years ago.  I pulled a promising recipe from Cooking Light, which I went to make this morning, but then realized that I had no eggs.  I only needed one, but we finished off the last of the eggs for breakfast (Mark's slow cooked eggs).  Mark, very economical in food consumption, looked at the seven eggs this morning and said, “Should I just scramble all seven or do you need one of these?” 

 “Nope, scramble all seven.”  I replied.

 No it’s really my fault, for not realizing I would need that egg for the awesome brown bread recipe.  I can take the heat.

 So, on to Plan B.  For years I’ve wanted to make this simple beer bread recipe from a cook book I got from my Mom a long time ago called “All American Comfort Food.”  It’s a simple, paperback cook book with no pictures, but a good read in my opinion.  For instance, the beer bread recipe’s preface reads:

Beer, honey, and bread are such a medieval combination you’ll have to pin up your hair with this one and throw chunks of it to the dogs under the table.  It also happens to be really good, and really good bread makes a lasting impression on anyone who eats it.

 Could it really be that good?  Really?  I mean, if this works out, it could be life changing.  A three ingredient bread?

 Here’s the recipe:

 3 cups self-rising flour

1 12-oz can beer (I used a bottle of Christmas Ale)
1 T honey

 Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.  In a large bowl combine the ingredients, mixing well.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until browned and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Turn out onto a wire rack and cool.  Makes 12 slices.

So far, so good.  Bread is baking and we are watching the Browns.  The season is over, and this is likely Shurmur’s last game (Hey Shurmer:  You can't take those time-outs with you), but they are making a game of it.  They even successfully faked a punt. 

Not a Frosting Fan

G is not a frosting fan.  He doesn't like it on cakes, cupcakes, and well anything else.  So for his birthday I wanted to make something other than the typical marble cake in a rectangle pan with no frosting.  Further, I am terrible at marble cakes.  It usually looks like a yellow cake where someone mistakenly added some chocolate to it.  And, I have a pretty footed cake plate that I wanted to use.

The solution was one round chocolate cake and one round yellow cake.  Use your favorite recipe or box.  I used the extra batter for cupcakes.  I baked each according to the package directions.  I am guessing I overfilled the pans a bit.  Let cool completely and then cut each in half so you have two round chocolate layers and two round yellow layers.

Now the glue.  I made some whipped cream with heavy whipping cream (now G is not opposed to whipped cream!) and confectioners sugar.  Can probably use your favorite store bought whipped topping.  Then I folded in a whole jar of red raspberry jam.  Smeared on between layers and on the top.  Didn't do the sides.

It was a hit!!!

Picture isn't the best, but you get the idea.

Last Chance Crab Cakes

A few weeks ago, I bought the good can of lump crab on sale (still around ten bucks), and thought I would give crab cakes at home one last chance.  These were good!    I then had a dream that I made crab cakes eggs benedict.  Problem is, I have never poached an egg.  This will be my goal for 2013.

1 lb lump crab meat (the good stuff), drained

Juice of one lemon
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Shallot, minced
2 ribs of celery, minced
Old Bay seasoning (about a tablespoon)
1 ½ T light mayo
2 eggs, lightly whisked
4 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted.
Canola Oil.

 Preheat oven to 200.  Cover a baking sheet with parchment.

Mix everything together in a big bowl, crab through eggs.  Make bread crumbs out of the toast.  Either place the toast in a large sealed bag and tear and pulverize (or crumb in a food processor).  Fold about half of the crumbs into the crab mixture.  Place the remaining crumbs on a large plate and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little more Old Bays.  Form the crab mixture into 8 balls.  Make cakes by pressing each ball into the crumbs on the plate, one side at a time, being careful to press everything together.  Place cakes on a plate and chill in the fridge.  When ready to cook, Heat a generous tablespoon of oil in non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Cook cakes two at a time, about 2 to 4 minutes each side.  Placing finished cakes on the baking sheet and keeping them warm in the oven. 

When all the cakes were finished, I left the finished cakes in the oven about a half-hour while we cocktailed.  Served with slaw. 

Risotto of the Week

When I served the steaming bowl of Risotto to Mark this Monday night after a long day at work, I said:  "I've always wanted to be the type of person who would go home after a long day at work, too late to grocery shop, and whip up something like this from what I found in the pantry and freezer."  He looked at me like I was a freak, then sipped his Scotch.  Maybe so, but this risotto was pretty good. 

Swirl of olive oil
1 onion, hastily diced
1 Cup Aborio Rice
Swish of chardonnay
Salt
1 box of chicken stock
1 pat of butter
Frozen Ohio sweet corn, thawed (About a cup, or whatever)
1/4 Cup (or so) of crumbled gorgonzola cheese
"Real" bacon bits

Make the risotto like you always do:  Heat the oil in a saute pan on slightly more than medium.  When it gets hot, sizzle the onions for a couple minutes.  Add the rice and toast it for a minute or two.  Throw in a pinch of salt.  When it starts to pop and most of the oil is absorbed, add a swish of wine, enough to cover the rice.  Once its mostly absorbed, add the stock a bit at a time, stirring, and adding more each time the little bubble forms.  Do this for about 20 minutes, or until the box is almost gone and the rice just starts to soften when you taste it.  Then, turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner.  Add the butter, cheese, corn and bacon bits.  Mix it up until it is creamy and excellent.  Eat!

Corn note:  This is Beth's corn thing, which she learned form Nancy, who is, by all accounts, the foremost authority on what to do with fresh late summer corn.  So, when you have an extra ear of boiled summer sweet corn, slice it off the cob into a bowl, then use the back of the knife to rub the juice out of the cob and add to the corn.  Throw it in a freezer bag and freeze it. 

Beth's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

According to Beth, they are real, and they're spectacular.  In her words:

Made them yesterday. Perfect size, perfect consistency, perfect flavor, perfect reviews from Greg. So what did I do? Well followed the directions on the whole wheat flour package. The only real difference is using whole wheat flour instead of normal.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
sift the three together and set aside

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter
Cream together

Add 1 egg to butter/sugar mixture. Then add 1 tsp of vanilla.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Then add in 1-2 cups of chocolate chips. Whatever is your pleasure.

Preheat oven at 375.

I used a stone sheet pan from pampered chef. Lined it with parchment paper for easy clean up. In my oven I baked the cookies for 12 minutes. Instead of the teaspoon method to drop cookies which I hate, I formed small balls and just set them on sheet. I pressed down every so slightly not to really lose the ball shape.

Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from sheet to cooling rack.

The only thing really different about the recipe is the flour.

Favorite New Lunch: German-Style Potato Salad

This is a take on Mark's Mom's famous hot German potato salad without all the bacon fat. 

1 container (about a dozen?) redskin potatoes, halved, then sliced into half-moon slices.
Salt
2 part olive oil
1 part cider vinegar
1 T sugar (or more to taste)
1 T celery seeds
Salt and Pepper
1/2 package of matchstick carrots
1 package smoked turkey kielbasa, sliced.
2 T honey mustard
splash of balsamic vinegar
splash of chicken stock (or water, wine, beer)
Real bacon bits, 1/2 bag

Cover potato slices with water in a big pot.  Add a handful of kosher salt.  Bring to boil on high, then boil for 10 minutes until slices are fork-tender.  Add the carrots during the last few minutes.  In the meantime, make dressing and glaze the kielbasa slices.  For the dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed and S&P.   For the kielbasa, heat up the mustard balsamic and stock in a non-stick skillet with the slices on about medium heat.  Let the liquid get bubbly and reduced, like a glaze.

Drain the potatoes and carrots.  Return to same pan and put back on the burner, but with the heat turned off.  Mix everything else in, including the excess glaze and bacon bits, and let stand for at least an hour before eating.

This makes enough for 6-7 lunch servings.   

Meatloaf for the Entire Firehouse

Beth had to make dinner for the enitre volunteer fire brigade, and it was a success.  In case she ever has to do this again, or one of us starts a catering business, I wanted to preserve her lessons learned in the Cloud.  Here is her report:

Just in case you ever need to cook 25 lbs of meatloaf...........

Was able to fit four of the 5lb ea meatloaves in my oven at once. Jacked up the heat to 375, I usually do 350. Put them in at 12:45 and by 3 a couple were done. I did rotate them one hour in. The loaves that started on the bottom were ready first. Then had time to put the fifth one in the oven.

Didn't want to use inlaws oven as they are all sick as dogs with stomach flu.

We let them rest a bit covered in foil and then sliced them and put them in the big roasters the fire house has and kept them nice and warm and not too dry.

What would I do different? Probably use more eggs to make more moist. That is about it!

Chicken and Dumplings

This was inspired by a recipe in this month's Cooking Light for old-fashioned chicken noodle soup.  This is thicker, more like the consistency of a pot pie, and served over toasted Sophie's potato dumplings.  I feel bad for the people who can't buy Sophie's at the grocery store (Beth).  Gnocchi or pierogies would be a good substitute.  We ate it last night -- a cold, January Sunday night -- and could not get over how good it was considering the simple indgredients.  Good thing we did, because today it's 55 and sunny.  Cleveland is crazy.

2 Chicken Breasts, bone-in, skin on

Italian dressing (any kind of dressing or viniagrette will do).

2 T flour

1 quart container of chicken stock in the box

1 C chopped onion

1 C sliced carrots (half-moons)

1 C sliced celery

2 T olive oil

1 t butter

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Potato dumplings, pre-cooked (about 20)

Cooking spray

Chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.  Rinse and dry chicken breasts.  Place in casserole dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper and Italian dressing to coat.  Bake in oven for one hour.  Let cool.  Remove skin and bones and slice breast meat.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Saute onions, seasoned with salt and pepper.  Add carrots and celery and continue to sauté, about 5 minutes.  Season with additional pinch of salt.  In a coffee cup, make a slurry by whisking about ¼ cup of stock into the flour.  Season.  Add to vegetables and cook down for a minute.  Add chicken and broth, just enough broth to cover the veggies and chicken.  Stir.  If it’s too thick, add more stock.  Reduce heat and simmer with cover slightly ajar.

Just before serving, toast the dumplings in a skillet coated with cooking spray on medium low heat.  Coat the dumplings with cooking spray, and shake and turn so the dumplings heat through and begin to brown.  Add spray if necessary to keep from sticking.

To serve, divide dumplings into warm pasta bowls and top with a cup or so of chicken mixture.  Sprinkle parsley over top.