Grandma's Kitchen Table

GFGF: Ukrainian Cuisine

       Good Friends Good Food has made a thematic swing to selecting a country once a month and cooking whatever you wish from that country’s cuisine.  The second country chosen was the Ukraine. If you look at cooking endeavors on the internet this month, there are people cooking for the Ukraine for various causes hoping to raise awareness of their current political situation. Ulrike suggested that we make recipes from the Ukraine this month, so we were all off doing a search of the cuisine of the Ukraine and learning about the people and their culture, especially their culinary culture. Throughout the month I made recipes to fit in with our meals here and we enjoyed all the recipes very much.  

 
       For the Salad Course:  Leek Salad with Apples and Carrots and the recipe can be found here.  The ingredients:  leeks, carrots, apple, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. This is a fast recipe and it instructed me to serve immediately but I parked it in the refrigerator for an hour to serve as a side with a meal and it was just fine, very light and refreshing, we enjoyed the combination of flavors and light dressing. Since there are just two of us here most days for meals, I always make pared down versions of recipes, which often leaves me with little bits and pieces like a half a leek or a carrot or half an apple (if I eat half an apple for lunch), etc. so it was nice to find a recipe that I could just morph these pared down ingredients into and have it seem all fresh and new.

 
       For Another Salad: Olivier Salad (Also known as Russian Potato Salad and very common in the Ukraine (called Olivye Salad in the Ukraine), you can research Ukrainian History to learn about the connections with Russia), and the recipe can be found here. The ingredients: ham, potatoes, carrots, boiled eggs, dill pickles, onion, peas, cucumber, mayonnaise, fresh dill, salt, pepper, and sugar (optional). This is so good, I knew I’d like it from the list of ingredients, and although I usually have a very strict rule about “not too many things touching each other” on my plate, there are some exceptions, if one can just sort of pick at it one ingredient at a time.  This is one of those exceptions, probably because it is served cold. It works well in a lettuce wrap as well.

       For the Main Course: Easy, Creamy Ground Pork Stroganoff and the recipe can be found here.  The ingredients: egg noodles, ground pork (or beef or chicken), oil, butter, mushrooms, onion, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, paprika, flour, chicken broth, half-and-half (or cream or whole milk), cream, fresh dill, and fresh parsley. There is a video on the site which makes everything very clear and shows how easily this recipe goes together.  It’s different than a regular Stroganoff recipe in that it uses ground meat, has grated carrots in it, and doesn’t use sour cream like I’m accustomed to using in a Stroganoff.  That said, it’s a very good dish, simple, easy, delicious, and fairly easy on the budget. (You know, it kind of reminded me of a fresh take in a hamburger-helper kind of way, good or bad, there you have it.)

 
       For a Side Dish: Ukrainian Dill Potatoes and the recipe can be found here. The ingredients: small young potatoes, salt, sunflower oil, garlic cloves, and freshly chopped dill. I saw a lot of recipes that used dill so I’m assuming that the Ukrainian people love dill, as do we, so I was happy to add this to the little potatoes. Recipes like this are quick and tasty, making a nice side dish to any main meal.  Mark loves potatoes, possibly more than another food item, so he is always happy with any sort of potato recipe, the dill added a very nice touch.

 
       For Dessert: Syrnyk - Sweet Ukrainian Easter Cheese and the recipe can be found here. The ingredients: cottage cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  (I saw several versions of this recipe and some added lemon, so I added lemon zest as I’m never one to pass up an opportunity to put lemon into a recipe. This took no time at all to assemble and baked for an hour, cooled for an hour, and then went into the refrigerator to chill.  It’s sort of like a crustless cheesecake, and since I added the lemon, we were very happy with the idea of a lemon crustless cheesecake. I drizzled a little thinned blackberry jam over the slices just for fun, a suggestion I found on a similar recipe. She says that the Ukrainian people serve this at Easter.  I’m thinking that’s a great idea and may become a new Easter tradition here as well.  

 
       For Dessert: Honey Babka Cake and the recipe can be found here. The ingredients: flour, eggs, sugar, honey, sour cream, baking soda, white vinegar, and salt for the cake and cream cheese, whipped cream, and powdered sugar for the topping.  I made a quarter size of this cake and it was lovely, just light and flavorful (the honey is such a nice flavor in this cake), with that little surprise topping treat with the cream cheese and whipped cream. She cut hers into 1" squares and things like that are half a laugh when cooking for guys...guys don't really appreciate tiny small food as one would imagine, so this is a 2" square, not as cute, but definitely more guy-sized. Mine also did not get the deep color that she got in the photo of her recipe, so maybe I need to bake it longer, it was testing done and I didn't want to risk going too much over the recommended time, but next time, I might try to bake it longer.  I will make this one again.  

         It was all a lot of fun, and for April we are going to be making Middle Eastern Cuisine. You are welcome to come along, blogging is not required if you would just like to cook along with us.  Ulrike has blogged several Ukrainian recipes this month and you can find them at her blog here.  Margaret also blogged her Ukrainian recipes and you can find them at her blog here .

Eating with Ellie: Crispy Crushed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

       The 109th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Crispy Crushed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on page 59.  

       Ingredients: potatoes, broccoli, olive oil, salt, peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and scallion.

       It’s always good to find some side dishes that aren’t so run-of-the-mill to serve with something fairly common, which this week happened to be a grilled pork chop. Potatoes and Broccoli are always welcome here, so finding a nice little sauce to drizzle over them seemed like a treat.  It goes together in just a couple of minutes so it’s waiting to drizzle over the vegetables when they come out of the oven hot and sizzling. The peanut flavor on both the potato and the broccoli is surprisingly really wonderful.  Definitely a repeat from time to time. 

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Spinach Soup with Lemon and Tahini

        My 173rd recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Spinach Soup with Lemon and Tahini.  The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 176. 

        Ingredients: olive oil, onions, chicken stock, spinach, parsley, coriander leaves, mint leaves, tahini, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, sumac, and cumin.  

        Since I had a big bunch of spinach, a big bunch of parsley, and some mint leaves, when I was looking for a recipe this week, this one jumped right out at me. I confess, cilantro and I are not friends (it tastes like soap to me) so I left those leaves out and just threw in a little extra parsley.  

        The recipe goes together very quickly, I didn’t even bother getting everything in line beforehand, I just went at it the way she described and by the time one part was ready, I had the next ready to go and so on until about fifteen minutes into it, it was ready to blend and serve. Seriously, just that quick.  The primary flavor was lemon and tahini, the greens just tasted green and weren’t as prevalent as one would think looking at it. I can’t say enough about how good this was, just a great little lunch on any given day.  I made a small batch (1/3) as I knew that my lunching partner wasn’t probably going to partake…his loss and I’m delighted to have some left for tomorrow’s lunch. Definitely a repeat. 

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Dorie's Cookies - Classic Brownies

        The Dorie's Cookies group has a rewind this week…make any recipe you missed along the way. This week I chose to make Classic Brownies (pages 33-34) in Dorie’s Cookies cookbook. I chose this recipe as I have a husband who loves chocolate and brownies seem to be one of the quickest way to accommodate him in that regard. 
        Ingredients: butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, flour, walnuts, and optional chopped chocolate.   

        The recipe is quick and easy with ingredients you probably already have on hand so in no time at all you can have a nice homemade dessert or treat.  Since I don’t eat chocolate, I have to rely on Mark’s comments…the first one being a moan of happiness, I think that pretty much sums it up. He said they were moist inside which is how he likes them. It’s on the repeat list. 

       The Tuesdays with Dorie group is baking from Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts are the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.  I don’t publish copyrighted recipes, so if you’d like to bake along, buy the book, it’s well worth it. 

TWD: Dorie's Cookies - Cocoa-Almond Uglies

       The Dorie's Cookies group has a rewind this week…make any recipe you missed along the way. This week I chose to make Cocoa-Almond Uglies (page 140) in Dorie’s Cookies cookbook. The name of the recipe intrigued me…well, as a non-chocolate lover, I tend to think all chocolate cookies are ugly, but to have someone else think so and name a cookie for that, piqued my curiosity.  
        Ingredients: confectioner’s sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, egg whites, vanilla, slivered almonds, and bittersweet chocolate.    

        The recipe takes hardly any time at all to put together and bake. The longest bits are toasting the almonds and waiting for the cookies to cool when they finish baking as Mark likes to sample cookies right out of the oven most of the time. He liked them just fine, but they don’t appear to be a particular favorite, so I’m not sure I would make them again, but they were appreciated and there aren’t any left, so I’m thinking that’s always a good sign.

       The Tuesdays with Dorie group is baking from Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts are the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.  I don’t publish copyrighted recipes, so if you’d like to bake along, buy the book, it’s well worth it. 

Cook the Book Fridays: Beef and Beer Stew/Beef Carbonnade Chock Full of Vegetables

       The fifth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Beef and Beer Stew/Beef Carbonnade Chock Full of Vegetables, it can be found on pages 146-147.

       Ingredients: allspice, cloves, flour, salt, pepper, beef chuck stew meat, canola oil, bacon, butter, onions, garlic, Belgian ale, beef broth, brown sugar, cider vinegar, grainy mustard, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and noodles for serving. I also added carrots as suggested in the Beef Carbonnade Chock Full of Vegetables version, and dollop of sour cream. 

      Stew and Roast Season at our place is coming to an end soon as once the weather turns nice enough, we enter Grill Season and don’t look back until at least November. I’m happy to get this recipe in while it is still a bit temperate in temperature as there is nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of beef stew in the winter months. This recipe has a bit of fussing here and there (the amount of onions particularly as it took mine over 50 minutes to fully caramelize), but once that is all accomplished, it takes care of itself while it is cooking. We liked it well enough, we would have liked it much better without the addition of the brown sugar.  Overall, it was too sweet for us, which is why we included a dollop of sour cream to try to combat that sweetness a bit. And in all fairness, the carrots I added also contributed to the sweetness, emphasized by the brown sugar. The onions are caramelized and they impart quite a sweet flavor, so the addition of the brown sugar, in my mind, was not necessary, unless you like your savory dishes with a bit of sweetness. Another time I will skip the addition of brown sugar.  But that’s just us…you do you.  Definitely worthy of repeating. 

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Eating with Ellie: Potato Swiss Chard Frittata

      The 108th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Potato Swiss Chard Frittata, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, page 11.  

       Ingredients: Swiss chard, olive oil, Yukon gold potatoes, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and eggs.

       Another easy lunch or dinner recipe for Lent on Fridays (or anytime), this recipe uses things you mostly have on hand and can assemble and cook quickly, say for instance, like you need to get back to watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  I made a fourth of the recipe in the little 6” cast iron skillet (thank you again, Margaret, for the gift) and that was just perfect for lunch for the two of us with a small side salad.  I will make this again, Swiss Chard is just such a nice ingredient…remember to cook the stems for a bit before you add the leaves as they take longer to soften than the leaves, but not too long, only a couple minutes. If you are accustomed to spinach and kale, you really should try subbing in Swiss Chard to see what a beautiful green it is to use and eat. Definitely a repeat worthy recipe.

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Chicken, Chorizo, and Potato Tray Bake

        My 172nd recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Chicken, Chorizo, and Potato Tray Bake.  The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 38. 

        Ingredients: potatoes, red onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, chicken thighs, chorizo, fresh oregano, maple syrup, and kale.  

        Gaye made this recipe last week and liked it (click here) and it looked good to me, so I thought I would make it this week as it is from the new cookbook that I have been cooking out of since January. Chicken thighs, potatoes, and sausages are some of Mark’s favorites so I knew it would be a hit for him.  

     
       The recipe goes together on one sheet pan and it all cooks at the same time if you pre-boil the potatoes, which I did to speed things up a bit.  The flavors are good, nothing too spicy with the smoked paprika, but nicely flavorful.  It took 20 minutes in my oven and we had enough for another meal and then probably some…no complaints from Mark as we decided we would eat it again on Thursday when the NCAA Sweet 16 games begin.  We will just re-warm it (I will probably drizzle on some balsamic glaze) and then whatever is left at that point will become soup for over the weekend.  Yes, we liked it…definitely a nice repeat recipe.

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - Glenorchy Flapjacks

       The eleventh recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Glenorchy Flapjacks and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 211. 

       Ingredients:  oats, coconut, crystallized ginger, dried cranberries, salt, butter, brown sugar, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, and sesame seeds.  

       Until now, I had never heard of these, when I saw the name of the recipe, I thought they were some sort of pancake, but not so…they are a British treat Dorie discovered in New Zealand, a cross between a bar cookie and an energy bar.  The recipe goes together quickly and easily without a lot of fussing around and bakes for less than a half hour, so if you are looking for something along those lines, with the great flavor of toasty oats, coconut, cranberries, and ginger bound together with that caramel flavor, this one is for you.  And for us…we liked these very much.  Definitely worthy of a repeat.

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  Currently there are two groups baking at this website:  this one, Baking with Dorie (BWD), and one that is in its final year, Dorie’s Cookies (DC), which uses recipes from that book.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them all at your fingertips, what a deal! 

Cook the Book Fridays: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

       The fourth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, it can be found on page 246.

       Ingredients:  flour, rolled oats, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, eggs, vanilla, butter, and chocolate.   

       The photo above is my husband’s favorite view of any day…he loves to see cookies cooling on the racks and usually helps himself to a couple straight out of the oven, no cooling needed. This is a nice recipe, it goes together quickly, I did park the formed cookie balls in the refrigerator for a couple of hours as she suggested, and baked them off during the break between the first two NCAA games today. Mark liked the cinnamon/oats/chocolate combination.  I made a half batch as I have others things to bake for him to eat this week, hopefully these will last until I can get to the other baking this week. Definitely a repeat worthy recipe.

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Oven-Charred Tomato-Stuffed Peppers

      The third recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Oven-Charred Tomato-Stuffed Peppers, it can be found on page 39.

       Ingredients: olive oil, garlic, thyme/rosemary/mint/parsley (I used parsley), basil leaves, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, anchovies (I left these out), lemon, cayenne, red or yellow bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.   

       This was a nice little side dish that doesn’t take long to make and is a great use for tomatoes in the off season as somehow the process of heating them in the oven makes the tomato flavor stand out whereas eaten out of hand this time of year is so disappointing. All in all we liked the recipe very much. I left out the anchovies straight away as neither of us cares for those. I will change the bread crumb ingredient next time as I am not the biggest fan of wet bread and when you slice into these peppers, it is obvious that there is wet bread inside.  Not a fan of that part, but the rest is delicious and worthy of a repeat.

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Ricotta Spoonable

       The second recipe I made for the Cooking the Book group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Ricotta Spoonable, it can be found on page 22.

       Ingredients: ricotta cheese, lemon, shallots, scallions, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh herbs (I used dill, parsley, and basil).  

       This was a nice little snack we enjoyed while watching the first round NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament games. The recipe suggested drizzling a little olive oil on top but we felt this seemed complete without the additional oil. Ricotta on its own is so mild, it was nice to have the flavors of the other ingredients to jazz it all up. We served it on small toasted baguette slices. Very light and refreshing. A recipe worth repeating.

      To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

French Fridays with Dorie: Mushroom and Shallot Quiche

      The 40th recipe I made this week for French Fridays with Dorie from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, is Mushroom and Shallot Quiche, found on page 162.  

      Ingredients: butter, shallots, mushrooms, thyme, salt, pepper, cream, eggs, scallions, and Gruyère cheese for the tart filling; flour, salt, sugar, butter, egg, and water for the tart crust.

      Looking for another recipe for a Friday in Lent (meatless), I came across this one and knew it would be just great as we both love mushrooms.  The recipe is simple, easy, and quick, especially if you make the dough for the crust ahead and have it parked in the refrigerator ready to go. It takes the longest bit of time to sauté the mushrooms for the filling, but nothing difficult or too time consuming. I made a third size recipe in a 6” tart pan as that’s about enough for 3 people, meaning the 2 of us and a leftover piece for lunch another day. Absolutely delicious and repeat worthy.

      Recipes owned by their authors are not published here in honor of their work. However, many recipe authors have been very generous, their recipes can be found online with a quick search. 

 

 

Eating with Ellie: Ancho Black Bean Chili with Orange Essence

       The 107th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Ancho Black Bean Chili with Orange Essence, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on pages 27.  

       Ingredients: olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, cayenne pepper, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, orange zest, orange juice, honey, Greek yogurt, and cilantro leaves (I used parsley). 

       How many chili recipes can one have is always a good question here.  Mark loves chili (it’s one of three recipes he knew how to make in college), especially in basketball season, so I try different recipes whenever I come across them.  This one doesn’t have meat, so I did put ground beef into the recipe (replacing half the black beans with ground beef) as I knew this was going to be around for March Madness and it is nice to have a good full-meal deal in a bowl ready to go so I don’t need to be cooking and missing too much of any of the games, that’s how we roll here.  

       Another thing that makes this chili different from any other chili I have ever had, is the addition of orange zest and orange juice.  This seemed so odd to me when I read the name of the recipe and looked at the ingredients.  I have never once thought orange and chili go together like this, but you know what? I may always add a bit of orange zest to my chili from now on.  Mark wasn’t particularly sold on this, although he did like it just fine, but the citrus-lover that I am, I liked it a whole lot.  From now on, I’m grating a little orange zest and stirring it into my bowl of chili. The rest of the recipe is pretty much standard chili making procedure.  Definitely repeat worthy.

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

 

Baking Rose's Breads: Quintessential Corn Muffins

       The fifth recipe I made from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Bernabaum was Quintessential Corn Muffins (pages 112-114).  We love a good cornbread muffin, and this is one of the best I’ve had or made.

        Ingredients: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, sour cream, and melted butter. 

        This is an easy and quick recipe full of flavor, it stands on it’s own well, not a lot of fancy add-ins.  The sour cream makes it so tender and light, just really lovely.  The recipe called for (optional) a sprinkling of cornmeal on the top of the muffins before baking, I had never seen that before so I was eager to see the results of that, we were both very pleased with the little crunch it gives the tops of the muffins. Definitely doing that from now on. I have made the same cornbread recipe for years and years because we love it, but this one might be a contender for new favorite, it’s that good.

        If you would like to bake along with us, leave a comment.  You will need access to The Bread Bible recipes and you can blog it or not as you wish.  I don’t publish recipes that belong to cookbook authors out of respect for their work but sometimes you can search for and find the recipe online if you don’t have access to the book. We’d love to have you join us.

       

 

 

Wednesdays with Donna Hay: All-in-One Crispy Baked Tacos

        My 171st recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is All-in-One Crispy Baked Tacos.  The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 122.

        Ingredients:  tortillas, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, red onions, black beans, chipotle in adobo sauce, corn, salt, pepper, avocado, lime zest, lime juice, yogurt, garlic, cilantro (I used parsley).  

        This recipe is rather like a taco bowl that you order at Mexican restaurants (I know as it is the only thing I order at Mexican restaurants)…baking the tortilla in the oven crisps it and forms it into a nice little bowl shape if you put it in a baking dish just so. There aren’t any new ingredients to me, other than the lime, which I loved…anything citrus is a hit here, so the lime was most welcome. You can easily change up the ingredients to have ones that you enjoy.  Definitely a repeat and I’m making that lime sauce from now on.

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

 

French Fridays with Dorie: Quiche Maraîchere

      The 39th recipe I made this week for French Fridays with Dorie from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, is Quiche Maraîchère, found on page 158.  

      Ingredients: butter, celery, leeks, carrots, red bell pepper, salt, pepper, cream, egg, and Gruyère cheese for the tart filling; flour, salt, sugar, butter, egg, and water for the tart crust.

      Looking for a recipe for a Friday in Lent (meatless), I came across this one and knew it would be just the thing served with a small lettuce salad.  The recipe is simple, easy, and quick.  There isn’t anything too difficult in the preparation, and it doesn’t take very long, especially if you make the dough for the crust ahead and have it parked in the refrigerator ready to go. I made a little third size recipe in a 6” tart pan as that’s about enough for 3 people, meaning the 2 of us and a leftover piece for lunch another day for one of us…a full size tart would be way too much of a commitment around here.

 
    The taste is so creamy and delicious, just what you want from a quiche, and the vegetables give it enough of a flavor kick that you feel like you are having a main meal and not something borrowed from a breakfast menu.  Definitely worthy of repeat status, and not just for Lent.

 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Carrot-and-Mustard Rillettes

       Back in October 2018, a group of friends from my years with Tuesdays with Dorie group began cooking/blogging from the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan.  While I intended to join with them at the time, it just didn’t happen.  However, I do have the book, and have not done it justice, making only ONE recipe from it in the past three-plus years. It has been sitting on the shelf just staring at me. So this week I reached for it, thumbed through it, and came to the conclusion that we were missing out. I mean, I cook something for us to eat every single day, so I could be using this book. (I am gifted with a husband who likes most things food and is an adventurous eater, so if I want to make new things every week, he’s all for it always.) The variety in meals here is much better when I’m cooking in blog groups. So here we go…I have some ground to catch up on, but for now I’ll start where the group is currently and sprinkle in the already-made recipes as I go along and can fit them in.

       The recipe I made this week for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Carrot-and-Mustard Rillettes, and can be found on page 10.

       Ingredients: carrots, salt, pepper, cumin, caraway seeds, cheese, Dijon mustard, olive oil, mustard seeds, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and bread.

       Actually, when I saw that the recipe was a rillette, my first thought was that I’d start with the next recipe as a traditional rillette is cooked meat covered in animal fat to preserve it and I’m not all that fond of things like that, it ranks right down there with things in aspic…however, as I read through the recipe I saw that this rillette was something entirely different, made with chopped vegetables and spread onto a toasted piece of bread.  This I knew would be just fine.  And it was, we enjoyed eating it while watching the opening games of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament. The preparation is fairly easy and quick, I toasted the bread in the oven when I had other things going on in there so that it was ready to go when we needed it.  Mark’s favorite vegetables are carrots, so this was very much appreciated and enjoyed.  Worthy of repeat status.

       To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Eating with Ellie: Butternut Squash Soup with Tahini and Crispy Chickpeas

        The 106th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Butternut Squash Soup with Tahini and Crispy Chickpeas, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on pages 36-37.  

       Ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, butternut squash, chickpeas, salt, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cayenne pepper, chicken broth, honey, tahini, and crispy chickpeas for garnish. 

       Margaret, Nancy, and I were discussing “soup season” and Margaret is definitely in the camp that there is a Soup Season as she lives in Louisiana and doesn’t make soup in the summer.  Nancy and I are definitely in the camp that Soup Season is all year long. That being said, it is true that once the grill comes out, the soup pot isn’t in use as much as when the grill is tucked away for winter storage.  It’s nearing the time that the grill can come out and play again. Before grilling season truly gets here, and coinciding with March Madness and all the basketball game watching that happens here this time of year, soup is a fine thing to have on hand. 

       Ellie has great soup recipes, I have never made a soup recipe of hers that wasn’t just full of flavor.  She has a way of making the ingredients sing together in perfect harmony.  This soup is no exception, it is creamy without cream, and the spices are just enough to make it interesting and give it all a bit of a nice kick. It all tastes so deliciously fresh. Those little crispy chickpeas floating around are tasty and fun. Definitely worthy of a repeat.  

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

 

 

        The 106th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Butternut Squash Soup with Tahini and Crispy Chickpeas, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on pages 36-37.  

       Ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, butternut squash, chickpeas, salt, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cayenne pepper, chicken broth, honey, tahini, and crispy chickpeas for garnish. 

       Margaret, Nancy, and I were discussing “soup season” and Margaret is definitely in the camp that there is a Soup Season as she lives in Louisiana and doesn’t make soup in the summer.  Nancy and I are definitely in the camp that Soup Season is all year long. That being said, it is true that once the grill comes out, the soup pot isn’t in use as much as when the grill is tucked away for winter storage.  It’s nearing the time that the grill can come out and play again. Before grilling season truly gets here, and coinciding with March Madness and all the basketball game watching that happens here this time of year, soup is a fine thing to have on hand. 

       Ellie has great soup recipes, I have never made a soup recipe of hers that wasn’t just full of flavor.  She has a way of making the ingredients sing together in perfect harmony.  This soup is no exception, it is creamy without cream, and the spices are just enough to make it interesting and give it all a bit of a nice kick. It all tastes so deliciously fresh. Those little crispy chickpeas floating around are tasty and fun. Definitely worthy of a repeat.  

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Roasted Pumpkin (Butternut Squash) and Chorizo Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Feta

       My 170th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Roasted Pumpkin and Chorizo Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Feta.  The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 32. 

        Ingredients:  butternut squash, chickpeas, sage, chorizo sausage, sherry vinegar, kale, feta, parsley, lemon wedges, honey, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. 

        Mark loves sausages of any kind so when I saw this recipe in the book, I knew the sausages, kale, and butternut squash would all be pleasing to him, the chickpeas, not so much.  That said, I happen to like chickpeas and the thought of having them roasted sounded like a fine idea…and he could just not include those on his plate, simple solution.  

        The sausage, squash, and chickpeas are roasted with the marinade and all get a bit of caramelization on them while toasting the oven, which imparts a lovely flavor and when tossed on top of a bed of kale, seems just perfect.  I made a half recipe and used luncheon sized plates, even so this amount of roasted tray vegetables would easily make four of these salads as I had enough left over for another round for another day, a happy occurrence because it was all delicious. Definitely a repeat.

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

 

TWD: Baking with Dorie - Swirled, Spiced Sour Cream Bundt Cake

       The tenth recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Swirled, Spiced Sour Cream Bundt Cake and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on pages 105-107. 

       Ingredients:  sugar, chocolate chips, nuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, confectioner’s sugar, and milk.    

       First off, I know I can’t hide this because the photos shows what it shows, so I’ll be upfront and come clean that there is no chocolate in my version of this recipe. Shocker that I would do this, I know. I was so excited when I read the name of the recipe and no mention of chocolate was made, so I thought I was home free.  Not so…when you read the fine print (known as the ingredients list), you find out quickly that chocolate makes an appearance, well, two appearances. I made it before Lent as I give up desserts for Lent (Mark, however, does not so I can continue to bake for him throughout the season), and I wanted to have one last dessert, as it were, before Ash Wednesday, so this is the No-Chocolate-Was-Harmed-In-The-Execution-Of-This-Dessert version.  I left out the cocoa powder completely and switched out the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips, which were very tasty in there as it turns out. Otherwise, everything else remained the same, and this was a wonderful bundt cake, worthy of repeat status for sure…and maybe chocolate will never be featured in future Swirled, Spiced Sour Cream Bundt Cakes from here.  You all do you.  This one was for me. 

       If you would like to join in, just make it, bake it, and leave a link to your post at the Tuesdays with Dorie website:  click here.  At the website you will find the postings for the current recipe, the list of recipes chosen each month, and some baking chit chat that is definitely helpful as well as fun.  Currently there are two groups baking at this website:  this one, Baking with Dorie (BWD), and one that is in its final year, Dorie’s Cookies (DC), which uses recipes from that book.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them all at your fingertips, what a deal! 

French Fridays with Dorie: Sugar-Crusted French Toast

      The recipe I made this week for French Fridays with Dorie from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, is Sugar-Crusted French Toast, found on page 418.  

      Ingredients: eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, salt, Challah bread, butter, and confectioner’s sugar for dusting, if desired.

      We make French Toast occasionally.  When I was growing up we abstained from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent. Wednesdays were always called Batter Night as my mother would serve something made with batter…pancakes, waffles, French Toast, etc.  I’ve always loved French Toast, plain and simple, with, as Dorie suggested just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  Mark eats his with butter and sugar, we are not syrup people. So, when I saw this recipe and I knew I would have Challah at hand (I made it for another blog recipe earlier in the week), I marked it for just the thing to make. I am so sorry I did that…I will never be able to look at plain French Toast again in the same way, I will always want THIS French Toast. 

      The recipe is simple, easy, and quick.  There isn’t anything too different in the batter, but the way it is cooked is everything.  The instructions say to melt butter in the pan, sprinkle some sugar on it, put your batter soaked bread onto the pan, cook until nice and toasty, sprinkle sugar on the top of the pieces, flip them, cooking them until nice and toasty, and plating them.  Simple, but oh my goodness the sugar gets caramelized in the pan and it has a deep nutty buttery crunchy flavor that makes this the best French Toast.  We didn’t even add anything to the top, it didn’t need a thing as it was perfect as it was when it came out of the pan.  Mark had a side of bacon with his and pronounced it wonderful.  I was originally going to make this for Ash Wednesday but it seemed a little too decadent and Mark suggested having it when it could be accompanied by the bacon, of course.  He thinks Batter Night is a good idea but that it should not be in Lent as it needs some bacon or sausage on the side.  This French Toast recipe didn’t need a single thing in my mind, it is absolutely delicious. 

 

 

Eating with Ellie: Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef and Pine Nuts

        The 105th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef and Pine Nuts, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on pages 167-168.  

       Ingredients: pine nuts, olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, ground beef, hummus, grape tomatoes, parsley, and olive oil.  (For the hummus: garlic, salt, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil...you can use store-bought if you don’t want to make your own.) 

       It’s Big Ten Basketball Season here and sometimes it’s nice to just to have a nice light lunch or supper while watching the games, something to share and enjoy while cheering on the Hoosiers. Or the Hawkeyes. This is a Hoo-Hawk kind of house, with the emphasis on the Hoos, of course, but a close second on the Hawks.  I digress…this is a great little recipe that is easy, delicious, and fun. It will resurface again during March Madness, I’m sure. Go Hoosiers, Go Hawkeyes!

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Pan-Baked Tomato and Parmesan Feta

          My 169th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Pan-Baked Tomato and Parmesan Feta.  The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 88. 

 
        Ingredients:  olive oil, red onions, garlic, kale, cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper, parmesan, thyme, feta, basil, and pasta. 

        Lent is upon us, we try to stay meatless on Fridays so I’m always looking for a nice recipe that we can have sans the meat option.  She recommends serving this with either bread or pasta so I went the pasta route so Mark would think of it more as a meal.  

        The recipe goes together quickly and afterward I just scooped it all onto a plate for serving, such an easy dinner option so we can get right to the main event this week before the Big Ten Basketball Tournament…watching all the games leading up to it each evening. The whole thing is tasty and filling, I can see it making another appearance or two during this Lenten Season. (For sake of the proper perspective in the photos, the plate used is a salad plate size and the iron skillet used is a 6" size that was gifted to me by Margaret years ago, I have treasured it and used it countless times ever since.)

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

Baking Rose's Breads: Traditional Challah

       The fourth recipe I made from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Bernabaum was Traditional Challah (pages 516-521).  I had made Challah once before in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice group and remember the bread was good but my shaping left quite a bit to be desired so I was happy when Laurie suggested making it as it would give me a chance to try shaping it a bit better, and we could use the bread for French Toast on Ash Wednesday this week.

        Ingredients: flour, yeast, water, honey, eggs, salt, corn oil, and cider vinegar, 

        The recipe does not require a lot of hands-on time, but the different times for rising required a lot of patience. It’s good for me to practice patience. The starter required a short time to mix up and an overnight rest in the refrigerator. The next morning it was gloriously bubbly and active. I was so excited that this would mean shorter rising times for the next steps.  Wrong. The first rise took about 4.5 hours to double. The second rise took 3.5 hours and still was not doubled so I parked it in the refrigerator (she gives this as an option) and hoped that somehow overnight it would be ready to go by morning…after all, three days to make a bread??? Sure enough, by morning it was nicely doubled and I set about shaping the loaf and letting it rise for the last rise before the oven, which, as the recipe said, did take an hour. It baked 30 minutes total in the oven and I had one very pleasing loaf of Challah.

       I followed her recipe ingredients and all the steps for making the bread, making only one change, and that was that I made a half recipe for a smaller loaf as there are just two of us here and a huge loaf of Challah wasn't needed. The smaller loaf was a very nice size, and it was so cute...I'm all about the cute in food, so I'm happy that I made that change. I did read that if you decrease the yeast by half (for a half recipe) that the rising times can be longer, so that could account for the longer rising times for my loaf than the ones she gave in the book.

       Mark is always happy to see homemade bread sitting on the counter, and even happier with the lovely taste. The taste was superior to any Challah I’ve ever had before, so maybe my patience will need some more practicing and I can pull together more loaves in the future. I’m really looking forward to a piece of French Toast with it tomorrow night.

        If you would like to bake along with us, leave a comment.  You will need access to The Bread Bible recipes and you can blog it or not as you wish.  I don’t publish recipes that belong to cookbook authors out of respect for their work but sometimes you can search for and find the recipe online if you don’t have access to the book. We’d love to have you join us.

       

TWD: Dorie's Cookies - Cocoa-Cayenne Cookies

       The Dorie's Cookies group recipes for March are Leckerli (page 56) and Cocoa-Cayenne Cookies (page 450).  This week I chose to make the Cocoa-Cayenne Cookies. 
        Ingredients:  flour, cocoa, cayenne, butter, salt, confectioner’s sugar, sugar, egg yolk, and flake salt.  

        These little cookies come from the Cocktail Cookies section of the book and are not your typical dessert cookie. The dough goes together very quickly, and the hands-on time isn’t very much, so you can whip these up in no time if say, for instance, you completely forgot that this was the day that you were supposed to be posting a TWD DC cookie. You know, if you know anyone like that, for instance and have a friend like Gaye who keeps you accountable by her early posts, or at least tries to most of the time. Cocoa and Cayenne…not my favorite ingredients, but Mark loved them and he’s the one I bake cookies for, so these are a hit and I would make them again upon request.  

        The Tuesdays with Dorie group is baking from Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts are the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.  I don’t publish copyrighted recipes, so if you’d like to bake along, buy the book, it’s well worth it.