Rosemary Nuts w/a Pinch of Sass

My friend Jenny walked in the door last night, and I began to babble on about the nuts ... did she bring the nuts? ... oh, I love those nuts ... they are nuts like no other nuts ... on and on. Did I take her coat, give her a holiday hug? I don't know. I can't recall. The presence of the special holiday nuts had captured me. I wait for them every year.

And Jenny has a special knack with them. Hers are perfect every time. I tend to try to overcook and overwork them. Here is the recipe so that you, too, may be addicted and mindless of all else except whether there are nuts ... when will you have the nuts again ... has anyone seen the nuts? 

Jenny's Special Rosemary Mixed Nuts

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp fresh, minced rosemary

1 1/2 tsp.  salt

1/2 tsp.  cayenne (the sass) to taste

3 cups mixed nuts (pecans, almonds are best; add in some hazelnuts and cashews if you like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt rosemary with butter, salt, and cayenne.  Spread nuts on cookie sheet and pour mixture over them, tossing to coat. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tips from me to you

• If you use salted butter or salted nuts, scale the salt w-a-a-a-y back. 
  
• They won't look done, but they are. If you overcook them, it won't  be pretty.
  
• You can TRY to make large batches of this, but it really works best in smaller ones.
  

"I Just Don't Want to Deal With That"

Okay, so I must not be a true gourmet. I stared at the emaciated carcass of Thanksgiving's darling in the refrigerator for three days, knowing I should make a delicious, homespun stock ... and putting it off. Finally, I bolted for a trash sack, flung the turkey bones into it, and rushed it out to the garage, muttering under my breath, "I just don't want to deal with that."

To make myself feel better about not maximizing my leftovers, I adapted Ina Garten's chicken pot pie recipe for turkey. (I say I "adapted." Read: turkey=chicken.) I am afraid of pie crust, and Cook's Illustrated rated Pillsbury pie crust (sold in rolls) as close to homemade. That's what I use. Here is the recipe:

Turkey Pot Pies

4-6 cups of cubed turkey meat

Kosher salt

Black pepper

5 cups chicken stock

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/2 sticks butter (ouch!)

2 chopped onions

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup half and half (it's just a quarter cup; don't stress)

2 cups medium-diced carrots

2 cups frozen peas

1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

4 Pillsbury pie crusts, cut to fit your dish or ramekins

Egg wash: 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water (whisk)

Preheat oven to 375. Heat stock and bouillon in small saucepan. In a large pot or Dutch oven,  melt butter and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add hot chicken stock to sauce. Simmer 1 minute until thick. Add 2 tsp salt, pepper and half and half. Add turkey, carrots, peas, onions, parsley. Mix well. 

Butter ramekins or oven-proof bowls. You could also just use a pie plate. Cut pie crusts to fit (big on bottom, only slightly bigger than container for top). Place bottom piece of dough in container. Fill with turkey mixture. Overlay with pie crust top. Crimp edges together. Brush with egg wash. Vent with fork. 

Place on baking sheet and bake for one hour or until top is golden brown and filling bubbles.

Gobble, gobble!

I have a chicken. Now what?

We got in late one Sunday afternoon, tired and hungry with little desire to go out, but even less desire to cook. I reviewed my one available main ingredient: rotisserie chicken. Now what?

I did a search on epicurious.com for "rotisserie chicken," and this little gem popped up. We just happened to have the other ingredients, so I gave it a try. The recipe sounds a little odd, and it is NOT lowfat (a whole bag of tortilla chips!), but it WAS very good. And easy.

Chicken and Chilaquiles and Salsa Verde

1 cup sour cream

3-4 Tbsp milk

1 3/4 cups Mexican salsa verde (green stuff, for those of you who will call me!)

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 oz)

2 1/2 to 3 cups coarsely shredded chicken (rotisserie fine)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips (not low-fat, baked, or flavored), plus broken chips remaining in bag (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Stir together sour cream and milk to get a thick, pourable consistency.

Bring salsa and broth to boil in a heavy pot over moderately high heat. Add chicken, salt and pepper and cook until chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes, then stir in 6 cups of crushed tortilla chips. Cook about one minute until chips are softened but not mushy. 

Transfer chilaquiles to plates. Sprinkle with feta, cilantro, and the 1 cup of broken chips. Drizzle with sour cream mixture. (Gourmet, 2005)

About the Recipe:

• Make sure not to stir the mixture too hard after you add the chips. It can turn to mush fast (tasty mush, though). 
  
• You really don't have to add the milk to the sour cream mixture if you don't want to. A dollop on top would be just as good. 
  
• I would layer the bottom of a serving bowl with tortilla chips and then serve the chilaquiles mixture on top of them. It looks pretty, and you can kind of scoop it like taco salad.
  
• You really do need all of the toppings to get the right flavor. I think cotija cheese would also be good instead of the feta. Feta was great, though.
  

Weekend O' Parties

This weekend was a non-stop party in my world. Yesterday, Melanie and I hosted a bridal shower at the pool for our friend Denise. We had a great time sipping mimosas, catching up and snacking poolside. (As I write this I'm trying to ignore that my back is ridiculously sunburned.) I tried my hand at making my favorite sandwich from Dean & DeLuca to share:

Smoked Turkey, Brie, and Apricot Mustard Sandwiches

Makes 10 small sammys

3/4 pound smoked turkey

1/4 cup aprictot preseves

1/4 cup any kind of Dijon mustard

1 small head Bibb lettuce

1 8 oz wedge of brie; scrape off white stuff and slice

2 small, ripe pears, sliced thinly

1 bag mini French rolls (I think I used Pepperidge Farms; but you can really use any white bread)

Whisk together apricot preserves and mustard. Paint top and bottom of each roll with mixture. Layer 2 slices of turkey, 1 slice of brie, one slice of pear, and one piece of lettuce. Enjoy!

We also celebrated Father's Day with both sides of the family. Today Dave and I hosted my side of the family at our house. We had simple plans to grill, since the family was following us back home from church, so there was no time to really prepare. Too bad the downpour was timed right when we needed the grill. Dave was a champion and got the job done, but definitely sacrificed comfort and outfit for our dining pleasure! Genny was reminiscing about past celebrations and asked for the following recipe:

Broiled Salmon and Mustard and Crisp Dilled Crust

serves 2

1 slice high-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed

1 oz plain, high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough 1/8-inch pieces, about 1/4 cup (thick-cut and kettle-cooked are best)

1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill leaves

2 skin-on salmon fillets, each about 8 oz. and 1 1/4-inches thick

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp table salt

Ground black pepper

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Adjust one oven rack to top position (three inches from heat source) and second rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees

Pulse bread in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until fairly even 1/4-inch pieces (about like Grape Nuts cereal; about 1/3 cup), about 10 one-second pulses. Spread crumbs evenly on rimmed baking sheet; toast on lower rack, shaking pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4 or 5 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, and dill in small bowl; set aside.

Increase oven setting to broil. Line baking sheet with foil and place salmon on foil. Rub each fillet evenly with 1/4 tsp oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon on upper rack until surface is spotty brown and outer 1/2 inch of thick end is opaque when gently flaked with paring knife, 7-9 minutes. Remove fish from oven, spread each fillet evenly with mustard, and press break crumb mixture onto fillets. Return to lower rack and continue broiling until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer. Use spatula to transfer salmon to serving plates, leaving skin behind on foil.

About the Recipe:

• Make extra of the crumb mixture and freeze it. It's so nice to just pull it out next time without any fuss. 
• Also, I often make this with a large fillet of salmon and cut it afterward. When I do this, I ask the butcher to take the skin off. 
• Watch the fish closely when you put it back in with the crumbs. It burns fast. If the worst happens, just brush the burned topping off and keep going!

Quick Grill on a Windy Night

I eyeballed some ridiculously expensive fish called Copper River salmon at the grocery store last weekend and bought it, much to the detriment of my grocery budget. It did not disappoint. 

The Copper River flows in the state of Alaska, and salmon that originate there are challenged by its length (300 miles) and its strong, cold rapids. As a result, Copper River salmon are strong and robust with a healthy store of natural oils and body fat, making them among the richest, tastiest fish in the world.

I used one of Ina Garten's recipes for an easy, tasty marinade and grilled the salmon up quickly right before the storm hit on Sunday night. 

Ina's Asian Salmon

One side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (three pounds)

Marinade:

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

6 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Light charcoal briquettes or turn gas grill on high. Brush grill rack with oil to prevent sticking. While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin-side down on a cutting board and cut crosswise into four equal pieces. Whisk together mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. 

Place the salmon skin-side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4-5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the middle, but will continue to cook as it sits. 

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin-side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes on the Recipe:

• Any dijon mustard will work great—even country style with the mustard granules. 
  
• I halved the recipe. 
  
• Keep an eye on your salmon if it's thin! 
  
• Do not confuse this with another Ina recipe called "Eli's Asian Salmon." I made it once, and it was a little strange.
  

Yahoo! Cowboy Caviar!

I can never keep Memorial Day and Labor Day straight, but I do know they are both weekends for making dips of all sorts. When offered an extra day to play, we tend to cram in parties and family get-togethers—perfect dip-making opportunities.

Last weekend, our friends Marci and Steve had a fabulous party ... casual, fun environment (that would be their house and patio), interesting, talkative people (that would be the host and hostess, their friends, Dave, and then me giving it a shot), and the very best weather KC has to offer. They fired up the grill, and we had amazing pork tenderloin and tilapia in a secret rub and a wide variety of side dishes and appetizers. Delicious. 

My contribution was Gretchen Ford's now famous "Cowboy Caviar," a tried and true crowd-pleaser, and once again a big hit. It makes a large batch, so you'll have enough to keep a little when you take it somewhere else—always important! 

Cowboy Caviar

2 avocados, cubed

2 tomatoes, cubed

1 8 oz. can white corn

1 8 oz. can yellow corn

1/4 cup cilantro

1 bunch green onions, white and light green sections chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced or run through a garlic press

1 t. cumin

3/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.

Notes on the Recipe:

• I truly just throw it all together in a big bowl and mix it up. No need to make the dressing separately unless you want to.
  
• Recipe is best if it has 30 minutes or so for the flavors to meld after assembly. Give the whole thing a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
  
• You can use petite diced tomatoes in a pinch, but fresh are better. 
  
• Use a knife to cut around your avocados from top to bottom. Give them a twist, and they come right apart. 
  
• Feel free to add other items to this base recipe.Black beans are also good, as are black-eyed peas. It just depends on what you like. 
  
• If you have leftovers, put them in a deep container with the least amount of surface on the top, then place saran wrap right on the surface of the dip, pressing down so there's no air. It's air that makes the avocados turn a darker color, so they'll stay fresh longer if you minimize exposure. (It still tastes good when the avocados are darker; it just doesn't LOOK as nice.)
  

Have a great holiday weekend (Memorial Day, Labor Day, whatever)!

Meatballs: Basic Building Blocks

When Dave and I were first married, I couldn't even make a hamburger. I didn't know how to pick a good recipe. I had no idea about substitutions or what I could get along without. I didn't know how to clean up as I went along or start more than one dish at a time. As a result, dinner was much more than fashionably late. The  kitchen was a shambles. I ran myself ragged back and forth to the grocery store ... and the results weren't even all that good.

This was not all in efforts to please my husband. Dave was as laid back as they come about all of it. He tried to eat the hamburger with the ketchup and mustard combined with the burger meat (bad recipe!). He even cleaned up much of the time. No, I was just frustrated. I am a reasonably smart person, I told myself, I should be able to do this.

Finally, one Saturday morning I showed up at the side door of my sister-in-law who is a fabulous cook. "Teach me, mold me, make me you," I moaned. "Give me your ten easiest and best recipes." She took pity on me, and this is one of the first successful meals I cooked. Ten years later, it still makes a weeknight appearance now and again. It's just good.

Meatball Sandwiches

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup bread crumbs (seasoned or unseasoned from the round containers, like Progresso)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (more if you like)

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together loosely and form golfball-sized meatballs. Place two inches apart on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Cook for 20 minutes (check for doneness).

While meatballs are cooking, heat a 16 oz can of tomato sauce with 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. basil, 1 bay leaf, and 1/2 tsp salt (less if the tomato sauce is not sodium free). Throw meatballs in with the sauce to cover.  

Toast hoagie buns under broiler and melt cheese (monterey jack or mozzarella) on the top-inside top of the bun. Place meatballs and sauce on buns and serve.

Notes on the Recipe:

You can use half of the meatballs for sandwiches, then serve the rest with spaghetti and sauce later in the week. They  also freeze well.