Archive for December, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Chicken Soup
(From the Soup Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Chicken Soup
It’s the flu and cold season and there is nothing that takes the edge off the aching feelings like a bowl of homemade chicken soup. All of us grew up with some form of chicken soup on those days when mom would bring a tray with soup and crackers to our room. Maybe it was the white and red can variety or maybe that somehow good, but strangely green-yellow soup with those thin noodles. Everyone of us can immediately identify that smell from memory.
I am here to tell you that there is real chicken soup, much better than those cans or packets and it is almost as easy to make. The broth should be darker brown, rich in taste and full of veggies. The color and flavor comes from browning the chicken parts, hopefully with skin on, before adding the vegetables and then the liquid. I use some chicken broth from cans to make this soup all that richer. Be careful to hold off on putting too much salt until just before the soup is finished. You will be reducing the stock while cooking it and any salt you add will be stronger in less broth at the end.
Soup’s on, enjoy!
Old Fashioned Chicken Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | Weekly 8 (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 3 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 5 | lb | chicken, whole, cut up |
| 2 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 2 | medium | onions, chopped |
| 1 | cup | carrots, diced |
| 4 | medium | celery ribs |
| 50 | oz | chicken broth |
| 70 | oz | water |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| 0.5 | recipe | spaetzle |
This recipe makes a lot of soup and you will have extra cooked chicken leftover for another use. Heat a large soup pot, add the olive oil, when it begins to shimmer add the cut up and dried chicken. Brown, don’t burn, the chicken on both sides. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and stir. Lightly brown the vegetables; add the broth and water and stir. Cook on a low boil for 20 -30 minutes; until the chicken is fork tender. Remove the chicken to a platter and taste the broth. Depending on the chicken, the broth may need to be reduced to concentrate the flavors. Cook on the boil until the broth is tasty. In the meantime, remove the chicken from the bones. Cut half the chicken into small pieces and add back to the soup pot. Once the soup is done adjust the salt and pepper to taste. (It is important to not add the salt prior to reducing; as the soup will become too salty)
Bring the soup back up to the boil. Drop the spaetzle batter into the boiling soup to form small dumplings.
Use the remaining chicken in chicken salad or tacos.
Add comment December 30, 2009
So Many Desserts – So Little Time
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Croissant Bread Pudding
One Christmas weekend down and one to go. We celebrated with some of the family last weekend and will travel to New Jersey on the 24th for further celebration with more of the family. I have almost 100 different dessert recipes on the website and so it makes sense that I make the dessert for the meals. Last weekend we had a cheesecake with cherries and the cranberry cake shown on a recent blog. For the Jersey trip I have solicited suggestions and requests from my brother-in-law. His list includes: Ada’s Butterscotch Pie, Brenda’s Favorite Lemon Tart, the flourless chocolate cake, and a carrot cake. My wife suggested Croissant Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce and I am leaning towards the Tiramisu.
Now that our blood sugar levels are up just from reading the list, it’s time to get serious and decide what I will take for the trip. We will have four big meals during the visit. I always like to have a couple desserts for people to have a choice so I think I will take about 4 desserts. I have the lemon tart cooling its heels in the freezer so now my list is down to three more. The bread pudding is easy and travels well so that will probably make the list. I guess you will have to check back next week to see what the finalists are?
Croissant Bread Pudding
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | New Neighbors (Share-a-Meal Plans) |
| 3 | large | egg |
| 8 | large | egg, yolks |
| 5 | cup | cream, half and half |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 1 | Tb | cinnamon. ground |
| 1.5 | tsp | vanilla |
| 1 | cup | raisins |
| 2 | oz | bourbon, Jack Daniels |
| 6 | large | croissants |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
Slice croissants and leave on counter overnight. Mix all remaining ingredients in large bowl. Dip croissants in mixture, place in large, greased, oven-proof pan, and pour remaining mixture over the top. Bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until lightly brown
Add comment December 17, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Cranberry Cake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Cranberry Cake
We had our “early” Christmas on Saturday. Some of us won’t be here for the real Christmas so we gathered together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. As usual the food highlighted the weekend. We had pan-roasted chicken, Caesar salads and pasta with four cheeses. Our finale was Steak Diane, twice baked potatoes, French Vinaigrette salad and homemade artisan bread.
I made my usual Christmasy dessert of cheesecake, this time with cherries on the side for that festive look. My wife made her always great Cranberry Cake. This buttery delight hits on all cylinders, sweet, tart, crunchy and moist. It goes together in a flash and can’t be beat for a wonderful company dessert or even a mid-week surprise for your family.
Cranberry Cake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 2 | cup | cranberries, fresh |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white, divided |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, halved |
| 2 | large | egg, lightly beaten |
| 1 | cup | flour |
| 0.75 | cup | butter, salted |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, powdered |
Place cranberries and nuts in a large bowl and pour 1/3 of the sugar over the top; mix. Mix the slightly beaten eggs, the remaining sugar, the flour and the melted butter together. Pour over the cranberries and mix. Spray PAM in a pie pan and add the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 60 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top just prior to serving.
1 comment December 15, 2009
Cookies Past and Present – A Look Back
My Mom's Sugar Cookies
It was about this time of the year, growing up in New Jersey, that my mother would make her buttery, sugar cookies. She had a can in the basement that held about 3 gallons, don’t know how many dozens that translates into, of these freshly cooked, crisp cookies. The patina on the can reflected all the years it was pushed into use to keep the cookies fresh throughout the Christmas season.
I found her recipe the other day and thought I would make some for the kids and the kids’ kids. I cut the recipe in half and still found that I really don’t have the patience to mix, roll, cut and bake all the cookies the recipe made. I don’t know how she stood there all day and rolled the cookies out and baked them. She must have made about 4 recipes to fill that old can.
I am glad I made them. For a short while my kitchen smelled just like hers a long, long time ago.
Find the recipe for these and many more at at emealsforyou.com.
Add comment December 10, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Nut Roll
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Nut Roll
Preparing for our early Christmas I suddenly realized that “Mr. Sweetooth” is coming home and I really didn’t have much in the way of goodies for him to eat. I remembered that my brother sent me his recipe, the old family recipe, for his nut roll. He makes it every Christmas but I have never given it a try. We had this at every house we visited during the holiday season growing up. You couldn’t pass up the Slovak treat of nut roll, by the end of the day you were so full you didn’t think you could eat any more, but then you did.
This is a very easy recipe, great for snacks around the holidays and especially nice to give away as gifts to friends and family. The nice thing is that it isn’t overly sweet, like the grocery store bakery makes. Give it a try and it may become a family tradition just like at my brother’s house.
David’s Nut Roll
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | package | yeast, dried |
| 4 | Tb | water |
| 4 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 1 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 1 | cup | milk, whole |
| 2 | lb | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
Cream butter and sugar, separate yolks and whites and reserve the egg whites. Add egg yolks and mix. Dissolve the yeast in warm (not hot) water; add to mixture. Add about 2 cups flour and mix; add the milk and then the rest of flour. You may have to add additional flour to make dough ball. Place dough ball in greases bowl. Put plastic wrap on top then dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm area until it doubles. Punch dough down and let rise again 1 hour
For the filling: Mix together the walnuts, melted butter and sugar.
To assemble: Roll dough on board ¼ – ½ inches thick. Spread nut mixture on dough and roll up. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 1 ½ hours. Brush top with reserved egg whites. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Makes about 5 rolls, may be frozen until needed.
Note: In a pinch for time, omit the first part of the recipe and use filo dough in place of the dough.
Add comment December 7, 2009
Table Talk – A Nostalgic Non-Rant
An Old Friend
We will be moving at the end of the month; not far, just down the street, but we will be making the move without an old friend. It’s time to make a change, our dining room table , with us since the early ’70′s will not be going with us. They say ” if walls could talk” but I am inclined to believe that dining room tables have the real stories.
This old pine table, purchased unfinished in Bordentown, NJ and squeezed into our first home, has made every move we have made. It’s been expanded to meet the growing needs of family and extended family. Used as a workbench; I once inadvertently drilled holes through my work piece and into the table top, I am still getting harassed over it. It has been dressed with tablecloths from Greece, Grandmother Story’s china, King Richard silverware and crystal from Tiffin, not to mention sippy cups and a few snoopy forks and spoons. We have dumped a Louisiana Crab Boil on top and served only the best Julia Child’s recipes during our recent “Julia weekend”. It has been used to celebrate births, promotions, and the lives of those no longer with us.
In its 35 years I remember lots of good meals, good company and good conversations; I can’t remember anyone ever leaving it in anger. Five generations have enjoyed sitting around it. As our family and extended family enjoy an early Christmas this year, we will once again raise our glasses and think about those who have graced us with their presence.
It is time to pass this table along to another family, to give someone else the benefit of its wisdom. Sitting there all those years, never commenting, just supporting family and friends.
Add comment December 3, 2009
