Grandma's Kitchen Table

Sunday's Snippets

 

 
READING:  Reading all the bits and pieces around here that have accumulated so that I can start a new thread when GCHS starts up again in a couple of weeks and I am working again, haven't decided exactly which direction I am going as I am torn between three at the moment, all historical in nature, no big surprise, I'm sure.  

LISTENING TO:  Puccini's Madame Butterfly, first show for the season in September, getting a head start on listening. 
SWIMMING NEWS:  Matt is swimming at Nationals this week in Palo Alto, California, his last swim meet before becoming a college swimmer...12 years completed to date, that's a lot of water.  (Top photo of him is at a fish restaurant with the swimmers. Daniel's parents, Kathy and Dan, treated Matt to a birthday dinner to help celebrate his birthday, complete with a little birthday cake! Such a nice thing for them to do for him on his special day.)

COOKING BYTES:  This blog is going to be changing a bit to accommodate our Empty Nest coming up in a couple of weeks when Matt heads off to college.  I see a lot of partial recipes, minis, and foregoing of certain items completely in his absence.  I also see a lot of cookie making to ship off to him at college.   Sunday's Snippets is replacing Friday's Favorites Fare here on the blog to fit in with all this better...at least that is the plan.

FAV NEW FIND:  Mark and I are practicing Empty Nest this week with Matt in California and the two of us home alone.  When he returns there will only be two weeks until he goes to IU.  It's easier than I thought it would be actually.  That said, I am really really going to miss him.

FAV THING THIS WEEK:  Matt's birthday is today...last night we went to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa at Matteo's and Reyn came along as well...a wonderful evening.  (Photo of them at restaurant with us above.)

WEEK IN REVIEW:  We are experiencing a lot of "lasts" this summer with Matt on the verge of leaving home for college.  We aren't taking the days left for granted, filling them with swimming, hanging out, and making plans for college living, planning dorm and college supplies, and hitting the sales putting it together. 

PRAYING FOR:  Bill and Jim, two great guys whose gals are depending on them to recover quickly.

 

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Penne ai Porri, Zucchine e Peperoni (Penne with Leeks, Zucchini, and Peppers)

      This week for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book with Glennis and whoever else wants to join us, I made Penne ai Porri, Zucchine e Peperoni (Penne with Leeks, Zucchini, and Peppers), on page 69. 

      Matt's entire plate was covered with this pasta, except where his grilled chicken took up space, and when he came up for air, there was not a bit of it left, he raved about how good this one is and definitely wants me to make it again.  It was easy, pretty, and delicious...definitely a repeat.

      The ingredient list:  leeks, red bell pepper, zucchini, butter, salt, black pepper, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and penne.

      What am I going to do when my pasta loving son goes off to college?  Here's the deal:  this book's recipes are very easy to divide to make smaller portions, so that's where we are headed for the future...except, of course, when the kid comes home from college, then a full recipe will be in the works.  

      If you like the looks and sounds of it, buy the book as I am a believer in encouraging people to support the authors who put together these fabulous books by buying a copy, so you won't find the recipes posted from this book here.  (Buy it, the recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to locate, it's not pricey, and there are photos of almost all the recipes.)

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Spaghettini alle Erbe (Spaghettini with Fresh Herbs)

      This week for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book with Glennis and whoever else wants to join us, I made Spaghettini alle Erbe (Spaghettini with Fresh Herbs), on page 48. 

      My herb pots are growing crazy wild and full this year, they must love the heat!  I was looking through the book for a simple pasta side dish that showcased the pasta without a lot of other ingredients and found this one with many fresh herbs, all of which were growing in pots on my deck:  perfect! 

      The ingredient list:  garlic, parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, olive oil, basil, breadcrumbs, and spaghettini.  

      The recipe is easy and quick...just saute the garlic and breadcrumbs with olive oil in a pan, toss in the herbs, and when the pasta has cooked, toss it all together.  It was a light side dish tasting of fresh herbs and toasty breadcrumbs.  Definitely a repeat.  

      If you like the looks and sounds of it, buy the book as I am a believer in encouraging people to support the authors who put together these fabulous books by buying a copy, so you won't find the recipes posted from this book here.  (Buy it, the recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to locate, it's not pricey, and there are photos of almost all the recipes.)

CEiMB: Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread

      The group at CEiMB has decided to post recipes only bi-weekly as everyone gets a bit busy in the week and we were finding that we didn't want to miss recipes, thinking every other week would be easier to manage.  I have to admit, I am a bit behind, so I thought what I might do to catch-up and make some of the ones I missed, is to post on the "off" weeks as well, using those opportunities to post rewinds. 

      Here's my first rewind, and I am a little embarrassed that I did not get this one made/posted as it was my choice for the group, shame on me.  Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread is found in Ellie Krieger's book So Easy on page 34.  And it was, sooooo easy!  Easy is always good, but even better is delicious, and it was that as well. 

      Ingredient list:  cinnamon raisin bread, walnuts, plain Greek-style yogurt, honey, fruit (peach, pear, apple, mango, etc.).  I also sprinkled a little cinnamon on it at the end for the photo as otherwise the pear just looked too boring. 

      The Honey-Walnut Spread can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days so this is really fast because all you need to do is toast the bread, apply the spread, slice some fresh fruit to top it off, and enjoy...it's even portable as you can tote it with you out the door if need be.  Wonderfully fast, easy, delicious, healthy, what more could you ask for in a breakfast food or snack?  Definitely a repeat.  

      Next week's assignment is Soba Noodle/Veggie Salad with Chicken Satay, chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily, and the recipe can be found in Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave on page 139.  You can find the CEiMB blogroll here.

Pippin (September 24, 2002 - July 15, 2011)

      Matt and Pippin (July 14, 2011) enjoying their last evening together.

      When we lost our cat Sophie in January, that was difficult as we had her with us for 16.5 years and she was just a wonderful addition to the family.  The two Tibetan Spaniels left here with us after her passing seemed to take notice but quickly adjusted to by, oh, let's say, by the end of the next day as they moved into her choice spots of napping and didn't need to take turns at the water bowl waiting patiently (or not) while she ever-so-slowly took her small gentle sips.   (Photo:  The Two Cohorts:  Vash and Pippin)

      When we discovered that Pippin had inoperable cancer last month, we were totally unprepared for the diagnosis and the fact that he would have such a short time left with us.  Pippin was young...he would only be 9 in September, how could we be facing the end of the road with him so soon?  (One very nice thing about Tibbies is that are rarely ill, until the end.)  Neither Pippin nor Vash had even a stumble along the way, each year visiting the vet and getting a big smile of "all clear, all looking great" report, we were feeling very good about those Tibbies.  Until last month.  The vet was as shocked as we were that the diagnosis came so swift and with no chance of intervention.
(Photo:  Pippin in front; Vash at the rear lounging on the deck and making the most of a beautiful summer day.)

      For the past month we have spent extra time enjoying every moment with Pippin (whose name on his fancy paperwork is Pippin Lord of the Rings) and with Pippin and Vash together.  This past week we could see the enjoyable times were coming to an end, his favorite things no longer holding his attention, one by one we noted their disappearance.  It was terribly hard and sad to watch. 

      Pippin had always been my little buddy, so smart, fun, gentle, and sweet, following me around daily, always at my feet when I was still.  Oh how I will miss all of that now. 

      Friday night we said goodbye to the little guy and although it was good to know that he was no longer in any pain, I have been tearful at every turn since.  Can't even begin to guess how long this is going to last.  The guys are missing him and we are all just taking a little extra care with one another trying to cope with the loss.  

      I think the hardest part might be that Vash (photo left) is walking around looking for his buddy, not understanding where he could be and who he can run around like a crazy guy with chasing chipmunks and birds and barking at anyone who even looks like they might step on our grass or touch the fence.  Somehow, it's just not the same and in his eyes there is a great sadness...it's very hard to see that from him, Vash, the original Good Time Dog.  Getting hugs and caresses from us is just not the same as having a brother to tear around and wrestle with, to steal snacks from, and to cuddle up next to for a nap.  Just not the same. 

      Matt posted on his Facebook page, "R.I.P. Pippin, you were the best dog a kid could have. You will be missed very much. :-(" and I don't think I can say it any better than that.  The Best.Dog.Ever.

Pippin, Lord of the Rings (September 24, 2002 - July 15, 2011)

MSC: Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam

      It's time for another cupcake adventure this month from the Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book.  This one, Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam, is found on pages 125 of the book, and was chosen by Jenny of Give Cupcakes.   

      I was looking for a way to distract myself this morning and Tracey thought she'd like to bake something, too, and then Margaret hopped onboard for a Twitterbake.  I remembered that today was posting day for the monthly cupcake at the MSC cupcake blog along, checked the recipe for the month, it had lemon in it, it wasn't chocolate, I had everything on hand, and that was pretty much the end of the decision making process. 

      Tracey and Margaret were all for joining in, so the three of us made these this morning, cooled them, and put the finishing touches on this afternoon.

      Ingredient list:  butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, yogurt, raspberry jam, and confectioner's sugar. 

      I stuck with the recipe (only change was that I possibly added a little more lemon zest than the recipe called for, I love lemon so I zested two lemons and tossed all of that into the batter).  The filling is raspberry preserves with a light dusting of powdered sugar on top was the perfect choice because these are pretty sweet and regular frosting might just have made them tooth-achingly sweet.  The cupcake itself was lemony, moist, and tender. 

      I will definitely make these again, they were easy and tasty.   We all loved them, definitely a repeat.  Soon.  Next month's recipe selection is Rhubarb Cupcakes with Whipped Cream on pages 32-33.   Blogroll and Schedule found here.

Indian Cuisine: Hussaini Kebabs (Skewered Barbecued Lamb/Chicken Kebabs), Saffron and Cream Sauce for Kebabs, Cucumber Raita

 

      We had another Indian Cuisine Twittercook this week, although it sort of got made at various times by various people.  We were set for Wednesday night, but only Margaret and Abby managed to stick to that schedule as Peggy had things come up, Leslie had to reschedule, Katie's dad treated her to dinner out, and I had doggie issues requiring a non-scheduled visit to the vet's office. 

      I started out hoping to make 5 recipes, but since I am still having doggie issues, I had to cut it back tonight to just the Kebabs, Sauce, and the Raita, the other two recipes will need to wait for another time.  I served it with rice and a little marinated fresh grape tomatoes sliced in half, just red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper on those.

      This week's recipes were ones that I had scouted out online and I have included links to them at the end of this post.  We agreed that we could all use our choice of protein to make into the kebabs if lamb did not suit our preference or budget this week.  The three of us chose chicken and the sauce was really great with the grilled chicken kebabs.  I will try it again when lamb is on sale as I think it would be wonderful with that as well. 

      I made half a recipe of all three of the recipes and that worked out well and fed the three of us generously with some left over.  I did make one other change besides subbing in chicken breast for the lamb, in the recipe...when I halved the ingredients, I forgot to half the spices, so I had full strength spicing, and it was wonderful, just perfect actually.  I made note of that on the recipes to do that again next time.  Delicious.

      All three recipes were a hit at our place, definitely repeats.  Mark especially loved the kebabs and sauce over rice saying that he would really like to have this again. 

      Here are the recipes online for you:  Hussaini Kebabs (Skewered Barbecued Lamb Kebabs) click here and that also has the Saffron and Cream Sauce for Kebabs Recipe.  For Madhur Jaffrey's Cucumber Raita click here (scroll down at the link until you see it).  If you want to join us as we explore Indian cuisine, just give us a shout, any and all are welcome.

 

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Spaghetti al Mascarpone e Proscuitto (Spaghetti with Mascarpone and Proscuitto)

      This week for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book with Glennis and whoever else wants to join us, I made Spaghetti al Mascarpone e Prosciutto (Spaghetti with Mascarpone and Prosciutto), on pages 132-133. 

      This recipe is a lot like Carbonara with a slightly different taste from the mascarpone which was very nice and creamy with a little more tang to it than the nuttiness of Parmigiano-Reggiano you find in Carbonara.  We liked it very much. 

      The ingredient list:  mascarpone, egg yolk, salt, proscuitto, spaghetti, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.  

      All the recipes in this book are easy and quick (hence the title 30 Minute Pasta), so it was nice to find another recipe that went together without a lot of fuss and bother.  Also, it was a nice way to use up the last part of the carton of mascarpone that I had in the frig as it only takes a half cup for a whole recipe (I made half a recipe as that was plenty to go around).  It made a nice side accompaniment to some grilled shimp and a small side salad of butter lettuce and grape tomatoes.  A perfect summer's evening meal, and one that will be repeated for sure.      

      If you like the looks and sounds of it, buy the book as I am a believer in encouraging people to support the authors who put together these fabulous books by buying a copy, so you won't find the recipes posted from this book here.  (Buy it, the recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to locate, it's not pricey, and there are photos of almost all the recipes.)

Tuesdays with Dorie: Cream Scones

 

      Thanks to Lynne, from Cafe LynnyLu, for her pick of   Cream Scones, found on page 27 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Click here for the recipe.  These were wonderful, Lynne, thanks for a lovely pick, melt-in-your-mouth goodness!

      Scones could not be easier...I'm just saying...you throw a few ingredients together, pat it in a circle, place it on a baking sheet, bake it for about 20 minutes, and you have nice hot scones fresh from the oven to enjoy for breakfast, about half an hour start to finish with very little clean-up. 
       It's a big plus that they taste so good, they were nice and moist inside with a tender crumb, absolutely delicious.  These have currants in them, some others had chocolate chips in them, both equally scarfed down with the "mmmm" accompaniments. 

      Blackberry Jam and Currants go amazingly well together, especially if their friend A Little Bit of Butter drops by.  Definitely a repeat and soon. 

        Next week:  Andrea from Andrea in the Kitchen has chosen Chestnut Scones, found on page 34. TWD blogroll found here.

French Fridays with Dorie: Salmon and Tomatoes en Papillote

 

      The twenty-seventh recipe I made for French Fridays with Dorie, from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, was  Salmon and Tomatoes en Papillote found on pages 302-303. 

      When the Whisk Chicks were doing Whisk Wednesdays (Le Cordon Bleu French cooking) I learned all about en Papillote and discovered how easy and satisfying this method of cooking can be, so I was very happy to see this recipe appear as one of the choices for the group.  It's just such fun to put these little packets together, shove them in the oven, and ten minutes later: dinner!  Best of all, they can be made several hours ahead, what's not to love about that, especially if you are going to serve them when you have dinner guests.
      Ingredient list:  salmon filets, grape tomatoes, lemon, olive oil, salt, white pepper, fresh basil leaves, and fresh thyme springs.  I know, I know, Dorie said to use foil to make the little packets but I just couldn't do it.  I always have parchment paper on hand, learned how to make the classic heart shape, how to fold the edges just so, and I love the look of it's little self when it is all finished.  Foil just doesn't give me the same pleasure.
      And truthfully, there is something about the way acid reacts with foil (from the tomatoes and the lemons) that always seems to impart a tin taste to me in the food cooked in it.  It's probably just me, but the foil thing was not happening. 

      Other than that, I stuck to the recipe as written and the results were excellent.  The salmon was nicely steamed, juicy, tender, cooked through, the herbs scented the packet and the salmon nicely, and the lemon gives just a nice little tang to the salmon, not to mention that the thin slices cook and are tender and sweet so you can eat them as well if you are a lemon lover like me.  The tomatoes were easy to roast a little in a saute pan before including in the packet, as Dorie recommends to bring out a roasted flavor in them...those were great and I will do that again as that made a huge difference in the enjoyment of the little tomatoes in the packet.  Nice to learn these new techniques, isn't it? 

      Will this be a repeat?  Absolutely...Dorie has all the right ingredients in all the right amounts and it couldn't be easier.  Delicious!  Definitely a repeat.

      If you would like to learn more about this group, you can click here. Enrollment is open, feel free to follow along officially or unofficially. The group posts weekly on Fridays.

French Fridays with Dorie: Cola and Jam Spareribs

 

      The twenty-sixth recipe I made for French Fridays with Dorie, from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, was  Cola and Jam Spareribs found on page 280. 

      All the ingredients in this recipe sounded interesting and for that alone, I figured it was worth a try.  I marinated the ribs for 9 hours, baked them in the oven, and basted them for about 2 hours. 

      The results were amazingly wonderful and delicious, just look at them, aren't they wonderful?  The ribs were tender, flavorful with a sweet apricot/citrus/spicy tang to them. 

      Mark and I think they are worth a repeat.  One of Matt's favorite things to eat are barbecued ribs, so he was "happy to have eaten these once, they are very good, but they won't replace my favorite barbecue ones, right?"  Enough said...we'll have these again sometime after Matt goes off to college, and in the meantime, I love Dorie's method so I am thinking I can use the same method with the barbecue recipe.  Definitely a repeat.

      Ingredient list:  apricot jam, orange juice, lemon juice, Chinese five-spice powder, ground ginger, salt, pepper, spareribs, and Coca-Cola. 

      If you would like to learn more about this group, you can click here. Enrollment is open, feel free to follow along officially or unofficially. The group posts weekly on Fridays.

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Spaghetti al Melone (Spaghetti with Melon)

      This week for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book with Glennis and whoever else wants to join us, I made Spaghetti al Melone (Spaghetti with Melon), on page 73.  If I had not decided to try to make as many of the 100 recipes in this book as I can, I would have undoubtedly skipped over this recipe and thought it sounded a little weird and maybe not even all that good. 

      The ingredient list:  cantaloupe, butter, salt, black pepper, spaghetti, tomato paste, freshly squeezed lemon juice, cream, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

      Spaghetti with cantaloupe which has been cooked?  Hmmm...nothing I thought that really rang any bells with me.  That said, I had all the ingredients on hand and it is a hot summer day, a little pasta and fruit for lunch sounded like a fine deal.  I was so surprised at how much I really liked this recipe...it is nice and creamy smooth with a little resistance to the cantaloupe which soften nicely and sweeten up a bit in the softening actually.  I couldn't taste the tomato paste in it as it was such a tiny amount, but the sauce was nicely flavored, so that must have contributed a little something special.  I could taste the little bit of saltiness which brought a deeper flavor to the cantaloupe. 

      It's very good, and I am thinking that on those days when a little protein would be a good thing, I am certain this would be lovely with shrimp or scallops in the mix as well.  Going there soon before cantaloupe season ends definitely.  Lesson:  sometimes really good things come from trying something outside your comfort zone...spaghetti and fruit, who knew?      

      If you like the looks and sounds of it, buy the book as I am a believer in encouraging people to support the authors who put together these fabulous books by buying a copy, so you won't find the recipes posted from this book here.  (Buy it, the recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to locate, it's not pricey, and there are photos of almost all the recipes.)

Indian Cuisine: No-Butter Chicken and Corn with Aromatic Seasonings

      With all this talk about Indian food being a healthy option for meals, I've been trying to incorporate more of it in our rotations.  Leslie and Margaret, both just wild about Indian cuisine, have been happy to help guide me along with recipes, suggestions, and advice while cooking. 

      This week we decided we would Twittercook a chicken recipe that Leslie had found that she wanted to try. I found a recipe for an accompanying vegetable (corn) for us and Peggy, Abby, and Katie jumped onboard.  We set a night (Tuesday) and a time to cook our Indian recipes together. 

      Katie is a vegetarian so she swapped out the chicken for some tofu and we all got to learn a bit about that.  Peggy has the dubious honor of being our first Twittercook/bake participant who cut herself, had to go to the ER, and got 4 stitches right in the midst of all her cooking.  She assures us she is okay. 

      Both recipes were a hit at our place, definitely repeats.  Here are the recipes online for you:  Bal's No-Butter Chicken click here and for Madhur Jaffrey's Corn with Aromatic Seasonings click here (scroll down until you see the corn recipe).  If you want to join us as we explore Indian cuisine, just give us a shout, any and all are welcome.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate Chunk Muffins

 

      Thanks to Bridget, from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, for her pick of   Chocolate Chunk Muffins, found on page 18 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours cookbook.  Click here for the recipe. 

      True to the nature of muffins, these went together quickly with just a bowl or two between the ingredients and the muffin wrappers, baked 18 minutes in my oven, and netted 18 muffins instead of 12 as I am beginning to figure out that my muffin pan may be just slightly smaller than the ones Dorie uses for I find that I always get more muffins/cupcakes than the recipe states.  No matter, there is never a problem getting the guys to eat the extras.
      The inside texture of these looked nice and moist and tender (I had to go by looks alone as you didn't really think I was going to taste their little chocolate selves, right?)  They were a hit, Matt thought they tasted more like cupcakes than muffins, but that could just be the chocolate factor as Matt dearly loves chocolate baked goods. 

        Next week:  Lynne from Cafe LynnyLu has chosen Cream Scones, found on page 27. TWD blogroll found here.

Twitter Chef Avatar Fun: Ina Garten Coconut Cupcakes

      We are having a bit of avatar fun over at Twitter, my baking/cooking pals and I, just to shake things up a bit and confuse everyone each month as to who is who and all.  Nancy came up with the great idea of each of us picking a different chef for each month, all of us making anything we each selected to make from that chef's recipes, taking a photo of our efforts, and using that photo as our avatar for that month. 

      July's avatar chef is Ina Garten, chosen by Phyl.  The recipe I chose was Ina's Coconut Cupcakes and you can find it in Ina's first cookbook:  The Barefoot Contessa or you can find it online here.  These are always a big hit for anyone who loves coconut.  Delicious!