Grandma's Kitchen Table

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Butter-Poached Corn with Egg Noodles

      The 23rd recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Butter-Poached Corn with Egg Noodles, it can be found on page 218.

       Ingredients:  fresh corn on the cob, butter, water, salt, egg noodles, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, freshly ground pepper, and chives.    

       It is the tail end of sweet corn season, mostly just the ones that were planted later, but it’s still grilling season here in Indiana where pork chops sort of reign supreme.  When I saw this recipe in the book and looked at the photo, I thought kinda maybe I wouldn’t make this one, but since Mark was grilling a big Indiana Pork Chop for us to share, I thought maybe I’d give this recipe a go because I had all the ingredients on hand. It calls for 4 ears of corn for 6 servings but that seemed a bit much so I cut the recipe into a fourth size and that was even very generous in portion size. It’s really easy to put together, and the taste is delicious, so now I’m wondering why I thought it looked strange and why it took me so long to make it.  Perfect with the pork chop and a side of sliced tomatoes from our farm co-op, also still in season.  Definitely I would make this again. 

       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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - Szarlotka

      The 16th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Szarlotka and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 254. 

       Ingredients:  flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, apples, brown sugar, golden raisins, lemon juice, and confectioner’s sugar.

       Most of the time these days, because there are just the two of us here on a daily basis, I make small portions of the desserts so that they get eaten before they begin to be past their prime. When Mark saw this recipe, however, he requested the whole version…probably not a surprise as his favorite dessert is apple pie.  I had never heard of this dessert before, Dorie tells us that it is of Polish descent.  Truly, it is an apple pie baked in a springform cake pan with pie dough grated on the top instead of a second crust. It goes together quite easily and bakes nicely. I skipped adding the confectioner's sugar on the top as it has sugar in the crust and sugar in the filling, and that seemed like quite enough sugar going on. The result is delicious, very apple-y.  I am, however, holding him to his request as after one small piece of pie, I’m usually finished with my commitment of helping him to see it through. He says, “No problem, I’ve got this.”  Definitely a repeat for him for sure.

 
     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.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

 

 

      The 16th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Szarlotka and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 254. 

       Ingredients:  flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, apples, brown sugar, golden raisins, lemon juice, and confectioner’s sugar.

       Most of the time these days, because there are just the two of us here on a daily basis, I make small portions of the desserts so that they get eaten before they begin to be past their prime. When Mark saw this recipe, however, he requested the whole version…probably not a surprise as his favorite dessert is apple pie.  I had never heard of this dessert before, Dorie tells us that it is of Polish descent.  Truly, it is an apple pie baked in a springform cake pan with pie dough grated on the top instead of a second crust. It goes together quite easily and bakes nicely. I skipped adding the confectioner's sugar on the top as it has sugar in the crust and sugar in the filling, and that seemed like quite enough sugar going on. The result is delicious, very apple-y.  I am, however, holding him to his request as after one small piece of pie, I’m usually finished with my commitment of helping him to see it through. He says, “No problem, I’ve got this.”  Definitely a repeat for him for sure.

 
     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.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Spring Avocado and Berry Salad

         The 22nd recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Spring Avocado and Berry Salad, it can be found on page 97.

       Ingredients:  grapefruit, limes, sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil, strawberries, avocado, jalapeño, pink peppercorns, cilantro, and basil leaves.    

       It’s not spring here but when you pass strawberries at the market that make you stop because the fragrance is just so strawberry, you look for ways to use them.  Oh, these were great strawberries, which is a good thing because the salad really celebrates them and it wouldn’t be fun to have a strawberry salad with so-so strawberries. It all comes together quickly and tasted delicious, I would happily eat this again.  I like to find salads that use different ingredients than what I usually use…avocado is a frequent guest on salads here, but not strawberries or grapefruit, fun to find new combinations. Next strawberry season, this is going to be repeated, probably more than once. 

       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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Tomato and Berry Gazpacho

        The 21st recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Tomato and Berry Gazpacho, it can be found on page 86.

       Ingredients:  tomatoes, strawberries, fresh ginger, scallions, mint leaves, basil leaves, lime, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, and hot sauce.   

       Gazpacho...basically salad in a blender, so easy to make…all you do is toss all the ingredients in a blender, give it a whirl, refrigerate it for a few hours, and you have a wonderful cold summer soup made with the freshest in-season ingredients. You can make it as spicy as you like, you can adorn it with any ingredients of your choice.  We loved this version with the strawberries. Definitely 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Tomato and Peach Panzanella

       The 20th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Tomato and Peach Panzanella, it can be found on page 99.

       Ingredients:  baguette, olive oil, salt, ground pepper, tomatoes, peaches, lemon, red onion, red wine vinegar, and fresh herbs.   

       Normally I avoid "wet bread," it’s a texture thing. When I saw this recipe I figured I could make it for Mark and just not put the toasted bread cubes in mine as the rest of the ingredients all sounded delicious.  It is definitely tomato an peach season here at the moment. So, that’s what I did, made it all up without the bread croutons and then I thought it looked like it was missing something (because it was, of course), so I tossed the croutons all in and gave it a good stir.  Then I quickly pulled out a portion for myself and took a photo before those croutons could get all soaked up, mushy, and wet bread-ish. In that amount of time, the bread didn’t get soggy, so it still retained the crunch of a crouton, which was a nice thing. The combination of peaches and tomatoes is delicious and fresh.  I hadn’t had that combination before but I am sure I will use it again.  We left out the red onion because we have reached the stage in life where raw onions just don’t particularly add an appealing touch to a recipe.  Definitely 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Grilled Dry-Rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks

        The 19th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Grilled Dry-Rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks, it can be found on page 145.

       Ingredients:  brown sugar, salt, chile powder, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Chinese five-spice powder, ground pepper, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper flakes, and ribeye steak.    

       The seasoning spice blend in this recipe is very good, it’s a bit different than our regular steak seasoning, and it won’t replace our favorite, but it was a really nice change now that it's toward the end of grilling season, so I was happy to have tried it today. The stand-out flavors for us were the sugar, Chinese five-spice, and cinnamon as we don’t normal pick steak seasonings with those ingredients. They gave the steak a sort of Asian taste.  It could be a repeat, we both enjoyed it.

       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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Basta Pasta Potato Salad

       The 18th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Basta Pasta Potato Salad, it can be found on page 225.

       Ingredients:  potatoes, salt, orange zest, orange juice, saffron, mayonnaise, saffron, capers, cucumbers, scallions, wasabi paste, salt, and pepper.    

       When I first saw the name of this recipe, I thought it involved some sort of pasta.  Wrong.  It is named for the potato salad served at a restaurant called Basta Pasta, no pasta involved.  When I read the ingredients, I thought it all sounded a bit strange…potato salad with saffron, orange, wasabi, and cucumbers?? When I tasted the results, I was hooked.  This is so good, so unexpectedly delicious, fresh and full of flavor, a step above your regular potato salad, which can be rather bland sometimes.  Mark has already asked for it again, quite the compliment for a potato salad. It’s refreshingly light, if you like citrus, you will love this recipe.  Definitely on 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Three-Pepper Burgers

       The 17th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Three-Pepper Burgers, it can be found on page 138.

       Ingredients:  roasted red bell pepper, peppadew peppers, jalapeño peppers, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and ground beef.    

       Not being the biggest fan of spicy food, I wasn’t sure about all these peppers in this recipe but I’m happy I just went with it as it was really good.  Mark is the person who grills here, he is wonderful on the grill and I could never come close to the magic he performs out there.  This burger went the Smashed Burger route which was just perfect with those charred crispy bits on the outside and the moist inside with all those peppers and the cheese. This recipe calls for one pound of ground beef for four burgers, which in hindsight, was too small of a portion for a medium size buns we had...next time I would either increase the ounces in the burger or get slightly smaller buns.  So much flavor, so delicious. Definitely on 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Pimento Cheese

       The 16th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Pimento Cheese, it can be found on page 24.

       Ingredients:  pimentos, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, salt, and cayenne pepper.    

       Photo of Ballgame Snacks for Two:  Pimento Cheese is a favorite here but I’ve never actually made it before, probably because it is just too easy to grab a tub from the deli when the urge surfaces.  This recipe is easy and quick, so those days of deli prepared pimento spread might well be over as the taste of homemade is far superior to any we’ve gotten from the deli or market. Everything tastes so fresh and vibrant, it’s nice to be able to control the amount of mayonnaise included. Definitely on 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Brown Sugar-Spice Cake

       The 15th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Brown Sugar-Spice Cake, it can be found on page 256.

       Ingredients:  flour, cornmeal, baking powder, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, eggs, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, oil, plums, honey, and whipped cream.    

       Spice cakes in the autumn and winter always just seem to add to the coziness of the season. While Mark is happy to eat most desserts that I make for him, he doesn’t particularly like a lot of icing on cakes, so these cakes that we can serve without a lot of extra sugar are always welcome. I made half a recipe in a 6” round cake pan.  It came together quickly and baked for 35 minutes. All the spices in the batter resulted in a full-of-flavor cake. There is a little bit of honey brushed on the top and the whipped cream added a nice touch. Definitely delicious. Definitely 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Last-of-the-Bunch Banana Bundt

       The 14th recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Last-of-the-Bunch Banana Bundt, it can be found on page 251.

       Ingredients:  flour, baking soda, nutmeg, butter, coconut oil, sugar, brown sugar, salt, eggs, rum, vanilla, bananas, yogurt, chocolate, and coconut.  I skipped the chocolate and used pecans instead.  

       It’s getting to feel like fall around here and with that comes baking with cozier flavors and a little heavier profile, things like this bundt cake that is dense, moist, and delicious, full of bananas, pecans (because I used those instead of the chocolate bits), coconut, and that little bit of rum warming things up as well.  This was easy to make, baked wonderfully well, and it didn’t last long. I made a half size recipe in a half size (6 cup) bundt pan.  It all seemed wonderful without icing so we skipped the glaze and toasted coconut on the top.  Since I knew I had plums and would be making a plum cake soon, I gifted half of this away to a home that needed just such a treat, treats are meant to be shared.  Definitely 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 the author has been generous and  you can find many of them online.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie - Banana Breakfast Squares

 
   The 15th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Banana Breakfast Squares and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 84. 

       Ingredients:  all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, instant espresso, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, brown sugar, butter, oil, eggs, vanilla, bananas, buttermilk, oats, nuts, raisins, and flax seeds.

       This recipe comes together quickly and easily. I made half a recipe in an 9x9” pan and sent half home with Mark’s brother as these are filling and a small piece is a nice size breakfast bar.  You could just as easily freeze them if Mark’s brother is happening by your place anytime soon.  They were delicious, a nice and easy breakfast. Repeat worthy, a good place to use those really ripe bananas just sitting around.

       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.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips. 

 

 

 
   The 15th recipe I made with the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Dorie group is Banana Breakfast Squares and can be found in the Baking with Dorie book on page 84. 

       Ingredients:  all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, instant espresso, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, brown sugar, butter, oil, eggs, vanilla, bananas, buttermilk, oats, nuts, raisins, and flax seeds.

       This recipe comes together quickly and easily. I made half a recipe in an 9x9” pan and sent half home with Mark’s brother as these are filling and a small piece is a nice size breakfast bar.  You could just as easily freeze them if Mark’s brother is happening by your place anytime soon.  They were delicious, a nice and easy breakfast. Repeat worthy, a good place to use those really ripe bananas just sitting around.

       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.  We don’t publish Dorie's recipes here, but you can buy the book and have them ALL at your fingertips.