Comfort experiment December 4, 2009
Posted by Toy Lady in Cooking, Food.add a comment
So, the week before Thanksgiving, one of our local supermarkets was running a sale on chuck roasts. Since there are tons of things to do with chuck, Toys got several of them towards the end of the week.
When I got home from work on Saturday totally exhausted, she suggested being lazy and making pot roast. Not our normal weekday pot roast. Nope, we were going to do it old school. All afternoon in the Dutch oven. And it was mighty good. We had a little bit of meat left and a bunch of potatoes carrots and parsnips left.
Along comes Sunday. We needed to get rid of as many of the containers in the fridge as we could, so we could make room for new containers of leftovers. And then the idea started.
We had vegetables. We had meat. We had gravy. And we had pasta sheets from work. Pot roast lasagna! It could be the ultimate in comfort food. And we could make it happen.
First thing was the meat.
There wasn’t enough left to use as meat in the lasagna. But we could use it to make the gravy beefier. In the food processor it goes to be shredded fine.
It then gets stirred into the gravy and left to come to a gentle simmer.
Next, in batches, the vegetables get a few pulses in the food processor, just to make sure that everything is about the same size and consistency.
The vegetables all go into a bowl along with a little fresh thyme from the garden, some salt and pepper, a little Parmesan cheese, an egg and some ricotta. Not a lot of cheese, just enough to hold everything together.
The pasta sheets get cut to the right size.
A pizza cutter is the perfect tool for the job, by the way.
We’re all set to assemble. In the bottom of a deep disposable foil pan, goes some of the gravy.
Then however many pasta sheets you need to cover the bottom of the pan go down.
Next is a layer of the vegetable cheese mixture. Followed by more gravy.
And repeat until you have no more filling left. We got three layers. Before the last pasta sheets went down, Toys had one more idea. The last of the scallions in the fridge got a quick chop and went on the last layer.
To finish it off, we made a bechamel sauce for the top. Lots of people do that for lasagna. And we couldn’t think of a reason we shouldn’t either.
The finished lasagna got covered in foil and put into the freezer. It weighs a lot. And sometime soon, we will be too lazy or too tired to make dinner. And all we’ll have to do is put the frozen lasagna in the oven to be able to enjoy what could be the next hot culinary thing, fusion comfort food.
It’s Pie. Grape Pie. December 3, 2009
Posted by Toy Lady in Cooking, Food, Holidays Countdown.1 comment so far
Having lived within 20 miles of Naples, New York for nearly 20 years, I have made a concord grape pie or two in my time. Now this should come as no surprise to anyone, does it? After all, I certainly made short work of the little basket of grapes I picked up at the farmers’ market last fall, didn’t I?
And since November is at the tail end of “harvest season,” well, it only makes sense that, along with the apple pie and (usually) pumpkin pie, a grape pie graces the Thanksgiving dessert table, doesn’t it? And since “pie” was my food assignment, well, we know where I’m going with this, don’t we?
Grape pie is usually a very basic, simple undertaking – grapes, some sugar, thicken it with a bit of corn starch, and dump it in the crust. But this year, I wanted to jazz it up a little. So I borrowed from Nero Wolfe – you can’t go wrong there, can you? One of our favorite recipes from the Nero Wolfe cookbook is grape-thyme jelly – since I don’t have the patience to strain it and make a proper jelly, I just make jam.
So I said to myself, “Self, if grapes and thyme work in jam, why not in pie too?”
So there you have it – grape-thyme pie. I started with a quart of grape pulp, added some sugar (about 1/2 cup, or to taste), a couple of sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped, a pinch of salt (always) and the zest and juice of a lemon.
In addition to the grapes, I also shredded one lone apple. Grapes are very liquidy and can use all the help they can get to thicken. Apples are high in natural pectin, which should help thicken the filling, and (in theory) lessen the amount of actual thickener I’d need.
Always thinking, that’s me.
Now, since I already had a package of tapioca flour, and since tapioca is an accepted pie-thickener (that’s what I used last summer when I tried Cook’s Illustrated’s blueberry pie) I added 2 Tablespoons of tapioca flour once the filling came up to a low boil.
Then I added another half tablespoon or so when that didn’t thicken it much.
As it turns out, I should have been a little more liberal with the tapioca – I was concerned about grape rubber, but I needn’t have been. Next time, I’d start with 3 or 4 Tablespoons of thickener and go from there.
Anyway, pour the filling into a prepared pie shell, then cover with the top crust.
Oh, and just so you know, it’s not a great idea to roll out your top crust, then step OVER the dog (who chooses that moment to decide to sit up and see what’s going on) to lay it on top of the freshly filled pie. I’m just saying. Just consider that a friendly tip.
Now this pie tasted delicious – all grape-y and thyme-y. A little firmer filling, and it will be perfect.
And a quart of grape pulp really is almost exactly the right amount for a pie. A quart of grape pulp plus an apple left me with about half a cup left over.
Just about the right amount for, oh, say, a small batch of grape muffins. Time to get the tapioca flour out and thicken a bit more, huh?
They Grow Up So Fast December 2, 2009
Posted by Toy Lady in Big Lug, Family, Home, random stuff.4 comments
It seems like just yesterday that our Big Lug was just a fuzzy little puppy, doesn’t it?
Believe it or not, it was a year and a half ago when we brought home our wee, 76-pound bundle of joy!
Back then, he could lie comfortably in the back seat of my Accord – trips to the beach, to my parents’ house, to swim class – there was Jarly, crashed out across the back of the car. It was the perfect fit for all of us!
Alas, as time went on, he grew and we noticed that he was getting restless – he’d try to shift around and find a comfortable spot.
Or he’d become impatient; 10 minutes into whatever ride we were taking, he’d start whining and barking and yipping. Right in our ears. Nice.
It became more and more obvious that we needed a bigger car. The question (the main question, anyway) was what kind of car?
There’s the concern about Jarly’s hips – I’m not sure he could jump up into an SUV, even if he wanted to. That, and the mileage? After the last several years of driving a Honda? Yeah, I’m not about to take the SUV kind of hit.
And I drew the line at driving a mini-van. Although it would probably be ideal for the dog – easy to get in and out of, plenty of floor space for lounging – I just can’t do it.
So what does that leave us? There’s the Honda Fit – but the inside seems to be actually smaller than the Accord- that’s not what I’m going for. Then there are the various “sport wagons“ – but honestly, I refuse to even consider a GM until the government gets its grubby hands out of the auto industry. That, and they aren’t much bigger than the Fit. I need something that will transport 110 pounds of whiny dog in comfort.
A station wagon, that’s what. Talk about a mom car. (I drove a station wagon back when Surly Boy was small – nearly 20 years ago!) You know, these days, the station wagon selection is pretty small. Basically, in the used market, you’ve got your Subaru and you’ve got your Volvo.
The dealer down the street from us had two Volvo wagons on his lot – so we stopped one afternoon and inquired.
And about a week later, we brought our new-to-us, all wheel drive Volvo wagon home.
It’s an automatic (I’m still trying to downshift!) with a leather interior and plenty of bells and whistles – and yes, this is what I drove to Vermont last week. And it is suh-weet!
Peeps is driving my Accord now, and his Accord will be turned over to the The Boy shortly.
We believe in recycling in our house, you know.
You know why Jarly’s looking so pleased with himself here? Not just because he’s got plenty of room to stretch out on the back seat (which he does), but because he can climb over the seat to get into the back seat.
Yeah, that’s not cool. And it’s not safe – it wasn’t safe when Surly Boy used to climb into the back, and it’s not safe when the dog is climbing out of the back!
So the next day, I ordered a pet barrier to keep him in the back.
It took him a while to get used to puppy jail.
About the only issue I have with the car (besides the Invisible Clutch, of course!) is that it came with a cassette player.
A cassette deck?! I don’t even know where my cassettes are – somewhere in the attic, I suppose! The dealer is to replace it with a CD player – he’s just got to find a stereo that will work with the navigation system.
I have no idea.
Maybe I’ll just get the cassette adapter and an i-pod. It’ll probably be easier in the long run, because I have a feeling I’m going to be driving this car for a good, long time.
After all, it’s Jarly Approved!
Cinnamon and Honey December 1, 2009
Posted by Toy Lady in Cooking, Food, Freezer Meals.1 comment so far
This is not your regular old chicken tenders – these little guys are crispy and sticky and sweet and buttery. . . and so easy to toss into the oven straight from the freezer!
I started with a few chicken breasts cut into “fingers” (and no, I know – chickens don’t actually have fingers). You can also just as easily use chicken tenders, but usually I find boneless skinless chicken breasts are cheaper than the chicken tenders, and honestly, that tendon running up the middle of the chicken tender is just gross. So just cut each breast into 4 or 5 finger-sized pieces.
Then you’re going to want to mix up a cinnamon-y breading for your chicken:
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. each nutmeg, black pepper and turmeric
Stir those together and set aside, then whisk together an egg with about 1/4 cup of milk in another bowl.
Then just do your basic dredging thing – dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, roll it around in the bread crumb mixture, then lay it out flat on a baking sheet.
Here’s the cool part – if you’re going to bake this right away, just spray the baking sheet, and you’re good to go. But if you’re going to freeze it for later (which I recommend!), don’t bother spraying the sheet – just line it with either waxed or parchment paper. Then, once the chicken is frozen, you can bundle it into a freezer bag, and you’re set.
Once you’ve got the chicken breaded and dealt with, make a quick cinnamon-honey sauce – in a microwavable container (or a small saucepan if you’re going Old School), combine:
- 1/4 c. butter
- ½ c. honey
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
And that’s it. Either nuke the sauce or gently heat it on the stovetop – or shove it in the freezer if that’s the way you’re going – the sauce also freezes just fine.
Now it’s time to get cooking – place your chicken tenders on a sprayed (maybe even lined with foil THEN sprayed) sheet pan, and stick them in a preheated 450° oven.
Meanwhile, heat the honey-butter mixture until the butter is melted. Let the chicken bake about 15 minutes, then take them out and pour the heated honey-butter sauce over the tenders – use all of it, even if it seems like too much.
Stick the tray back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes (depending on how big your “fingers” are and whether your chicken started out frozen) until the meat is done.
And that’s it. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. I’d suggest serving with Tater Tots and maybe a tossed salad, but that’s just me.
Here’s the cool thing – these chicken fingers taste almost like they’re coated with Cinnamon Life – you know, the cereal – only kind of a grown-up version.
Go ahead – give ‘em a try – the printable version is right here.
Monday Musings: 11.30.2009 November 30, 2009
Posted by Toy Lady in Musings, random stuff.add a comment
I trust everyone survived the Thanksgiving holiday in one piece. Because of those crazy bus and train schedules, Tuesday morning, I drove to The Place to bring Surly Boy home for the long weekend. I left the house at 8-ish, retrieved the boy, and we were home by 11:30.
Peeps was so thoughtful, though, to offer to take the return trip. Regardless of who’s driving, though, it’s an awful lot of car time.
So my Thanksgiving food assignment was “pie.” I decided to have a little fun with it. In addition to your basic apple pie (with a cheddar cheese crust) and, of course, concord grape pie (which I’ll tell you all about later this week), I went with a repeat of the peanut butter pie I tested earlier, as well as a chocolate custard pie.
Of course, since both custard pies were covered with meringues, I needed a quick, easy way to tell which was which. . . can you guess which pie was decorated with the little dog bones?
Sometimes it’s such fun to just amuse myself. . .
I’ve never been one for Black Friday shopping.
Let me put that a little differently. There is NOTHING I need so badly that I’m willing to get up in the middle of the night, stand in line outside a store in the cold and the dark, and brave the pushing, shoving crowds just to save a couple of bucks on a gift for someone who probably doesn’t need or appreciate it anyway. I’m just saying.
This year, though, I made an exception. Peeps and I moseyed out to a butcher shop round about 7:30 or so, stood in line for about an hour, and walked out with a standing rib roast for Christmas dinner with the family, several rib-eye steaks, and a whole strip loin.
OK, so maybe there are a few things worth standing in line for on Black Friday.
Since we scored so much meat Friday, and since we literally had no room in the freezer for any of it, it’s now time to make some stock. When we have stock bones, we like to just shove them in the freezer, since we prefer to do the stock in the colder weather. That way we can cook the stock all day, strain it, and stick it on the deck to chill overnight, then finish reducing it and pressure can it the following day.
Fortunately, although our days have been unseasonably mild lately, the nights have been frost-on-the-pumpkins cold. So Friday and Saturday saw us make a big batch of beef stock from the various smoked bones stashed in the freezer over the summer.
And once again, it’s time for the weekly menu plan. Since we traveled to the parents’ house for Thanksgiving, we don’t have the fabulous leftovers that nearly everyone else in the world has. . . except a bit of leftover grape pie. So anyway, we’re starting our week turkey-free!
Monday - Since Peeps is bound to be beyond exhausted after his marathon drive Sunday, we’re going to keep it simple – I put together a nice beef & barley soup using the rest of the beef stock that didn’t make it to the canner.
Tuesday - We ended up not having the corned beef that we’d planned last week – given the choice between corned beef and cabbage or grilled ribeye steaks, surprisingly, the steaks were the unanimous favorite! So. . . corned beef this week!
Wednesday – Swim class! We’ll be doing a crock pot dish – since we’re doing soup Monday, I’m going to put together a kind of Tex-Mex chicken-salsa-beans-corn thing. In fact, that’s actually pretty much all there is to it, just serve over rice. Simple, healthy and delicious – how can we go wrong?
Thursday – We’ll be doing parmesan-crusted pork chops, an old favorite around here. Seasoned and breaded with parmesan cheese (duh), lemon and panko bread crumbs – I’ll tell you all about it later on. We’d also planned on baked potatoes and Swiss chard with the chops, but I’ve ended up with a bunch of peeled and cut sweet potatoes in the fridge, so we may do something with those instead of the potato.
Friday – And, of course, it’s pizza night. We mixed it up a bit last week and had calzones, which, while just as delicious, aren’t quite as good left over for breakfast as pizza is. I’m just sayin’.
Be sure to click on over to The Organizing Junkie’s Monday Menu Plan post for loads and loads of other ideas.
