Prudence Pennywise

Summer Tex Mex Vegetable Soup

2009-07-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Would I sound like a broken record if I told you that my sister just had a baby? Well, it's true. My youngest sister, the ever charming Mary Kate, just gave birth to a darling little baby boy. I don't have a single pregnant sister left, uh, that I'm aware of anyway; I'll keep you posted if I hear otherwise. I've been up in Salt Lake City with Mary Kate, trying to be a sisterly helper, since her husband had to be out of town for a few days on business. Only I think I failed. I really didn't help her with the baby at all. Her other son, the two year old Jakers, took such a liking to me that I was completely wrapped up with him. He slept on my pillow, followed me into the bathroom, brushed my hair, confiscated my bracelets and yellow flower sandals, made sure I watched INTENTLy all of his tricks including light saber fighting, ball kicking, piano playing and dancing, and generally delighted me in every way. I'm home now and I dearly miss my rough and tumble little buddy. What will I do without him?

I had planned to post this soup while I was away, but that same two year old Jakers has cheerfully plucked the W E R T S D V C H L K and : " and BACKSPACE keys clean off of my sister's laptop. I tried typing, really I did. I just couldn't remember how to type with the keys gone. My fingers knew where to go, but when they touched the little round bump where the key should be, I just couldn't help but stop and then have to readjust again. I couldn't even get the title of this soup out without typing the needed Es Rs Ts and Ss. Besides, who knows what little Jakers could have gotten into while I was typing this post? He reminds me a lot of Peter Rabbit, that mischievous little rabbit who broke into Mr. MacGregor's garden. And speaking of gardens, let's move onto my vegetable soup. I absolutely adore this one.

If the green beans are ready in your gardens, then this is the soup for you. If not, it would be worth it to pilfer a few from the vines of your neighbors, or even pay for a few at the farmer's market if necessary. I absolutely love the zesty whole some flavors and the thick broth. It's even better the next day, if you can manage to save a little aside. The secret to the hearty broth is a little bit of pureed brown rice. I honestly think I'll be making this one at least twice a week throughout the summer. Have a great weekend everybody!

Money Saving Tips:

I used granulated chicken bouillion in this highly flavored soup with good results. If you have garden tomatoes, peel and cook them in place of the canned. Cut the corn off cobs if you've grown your own. I used minute brown rice in the soup, but leftover cooked brown rice would be even cheaper. Use any beans in place of the kidney.

Summer Tex Mex Vegetable Soup

Estimated Cost: $5.00

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with jalapenos

about 5 cups chicken broth (or 5 cups water with 5 teaspoons granulated bouillion)

1/2 cup Minute Brown Rice

1 and 1/2 cups corn kernels

1 and 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Heat oil over medium high heat in large pot. Add garlic and onion and saute until softened,about eight minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook for thirty seconds. Add tomatoes, broth, and rice. Simmer for about ten minutes, or until rice is softened. Transfer mixture to blender, or use immersion blender, to puree mixture until almost smooth. You should have a slightly thick, slightly chunky broth. Add corn, green beans, and kidney beans. Simmer until green beans are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro.

Serve with tortilla strips. cheese, sour cream and more cilantro if desired.

Up Next:

Blackberry Raspberry Crisp

Katherine Hepburn Brownies

2009-07-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Maybe the reason that I love actresses of yesteryears so much is that I can tell them apart. Their looks were distinctive. They didn't have plastic surgery to fix their noses, their wrinkles, their lips. They didn't bleach their teeth, and while some of them certainly bleached their hair, they didn't all do it, and certainly not the same shade of platinum blond. They look like they even ate dinner once in a while, and didn't have liposuction to have it all sucked away. And they were gorgeous. Real human women-with flaws and all-are so much more beautiful then the false and brittle images that Hollywood promotes these days. Like Katherine Hepburn, for example. She's spectacular in Bringing Up Baby, divine in Philadelphia Story. She was a real woman; beautiful, talented, and imperfect. And Hepburn even had her own brownie recipe. A gooey, delicious, fudgy, deeply chocolaty brownie recipe. On second thought, maybe she was perfect after all.

Click here for the recipe that we baked as part of our online baking group, Tuesdays with Dorie. They'll cost you about $2.00 to bake on your own, and they're guaranteed to make you as gorgeous as Katherine Hepburn. Honest.)
Up Next:

Summer Tex Mex Vegetable Soup

Summer Submission

2009-07-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Good morning, fellow patriots.

I hope you are recovering from a fun and firecrackly, food filled holiday. Oh, the feast we had! Even my bathing suit is starting to feel tight- I thought these modern contraptions were supposed to stretch. Oh, to be a child again and be able to have a mile high stack of pancakes right before you jump into your swimsuit.
Notice the lack of inhibition when a small charge does this....

And this...

And this
And if there is any extra time, there is always this...
Why do I have the feeling that we're just about to fall headlong into the lazy days of summer? Be careful, young feller.
Excuse me while I eat seven pancakes and join in the feckless revelry.
I think I'll pretend I'm seven again and really enjoy my summer.

I think I'll enjoy it even more knowing I'm the one with the camera. No photographic evidence will ensue. Phew. Pass the pancakes.

Be back tomorrow with ...Katherine Hepburn Brownies

Blackened Corn Spicy Potato Salad and Patriotic Cookies

2009-07-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

When you get a minute, over the course of the weekend, I hope you'll read the Declaration of Independence. (Click here for a copy.) The second paragraph is the juiciest, containing the basic human rights on which this country was founded: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. (Jefferson borrowed some of these ideas from English political philosopher John Locke, who wrote earlier that the basic human rights were life, liberty, and property. ) Jefferson established that the purpose of government was to help human beings secure these rights. On these principles, the republic of the United States is established. We, the citizens, are the rulers, which is a hefty responsibility when you stop to think about it. For our republic to function, we citizens have to be well-informed and pro-active. The best route to becoming an educated citizen is to read the primary documents upon which this great country is founded. So take a minute this weekend to read that famous birthday announcement of our new nation, The Declaration of Independence. If you can, read it out loud to your family, just as it was done across the colonies in 1776, after we Americans first gained the rights and responsibilities of freedom. You may want to even take off your hat and shout a few huzzahs in between sparklers and piccolo petes.

And now, to assist you in your pursuit of happiness this weekend, I've got two great recipes to share. The first is a spicy potato salad, full of caramelized corn, cilantro, and spice. It's especially delicious with yesterday's Catalina Island cheeseburgers. Next, I'm re-sharing my patriotic M and M cookies from last year, since they're just such crowd pleasers. Now go forth and safely and happily enjoy your Fourth.

Blackened Corn Spicy Potato Salad:

Estimated Cost: $3.00

Notes: I always adjust the seasonings of starchy salads (such as potato, pasta, rice, quinoa) before serving. They tend to become more bland in the refrigerator.

3 lbs. russett potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups corn, thawed if frozen

1 large onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise (or use more sour cream)

juice of two limes

1/2 teaspoon cumin

a pinch or two of chipotle chili powder OR tabasco

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

Place whole potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are just tender when pricked with a fork, about 14-18 minutes. Remove from heat and drain in a colander; cut into bite sized pieces when cool enough to handle. Place same pot over medium high heat. Add oil and warm. Add onions and cook for five minutes. Crank the heat up to high and add corn and green chilies. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until corn is blackened in places, about 5 minutes. Place potatoes and corn mixture in a large bowl. Add sour cream, mayo, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Chill for at least two hours before serving. Adjust seasonings just before serving.

Patriotic M and M Cookies

Estimated Cost: $4.00

Notes: If you use all white flour, you may need to add a bit more flour to the dough. You want the dough to be soft and not too sticky, with a texture like playdough.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar (I use dark)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

about 2 cups M and Ms

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in powder, soda, and salt. Add flour, 1 cup at a time. Add about 1/3 of M and Ms to dough. Shape into scant 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheets. Bake until almost firm, about 8-10 minutes. Push remaining M and Ms into cookies immediately.
Next Up:

Blackberry-Raspberry Pie

Catalina Island Cheeseburgers

2009-07-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sailor and I just got home from volunteering at a community food bank. Together with my teenage sunday school class (young women, we call them), we shelved donated food items. I'm kicking myself for not having my camera on hand. You might have liked to have seen when I picked up the leeky jar of natural peanut butter. I believe we collectively unloaded five pallets, and by the end we knew right where to put the asparagus spears, baby food, salad dressing, and umpteen million tins of canned soup. Cream of Chicken, Cream of mushroom, tomato, tomato and basil, chicken and rice, chicken noodle-I've seen it all tonight. Amidst all of the reaching and packing, I had to remind myself of how fortunate we are to have a healthy abundance of good food available. We have a little garden, a modest closet full of food storage, and a weekly budget that allows us to nourish our bodies and enjoy all the pleasures of a varied diet. It's also good to have a little extra to share, especially during these trying economic times-yet another reason to be frugal. I'm anxious to get back to the food center with my own little family. Although the four of us won't be able to get five whole pallets unloaded, we could renew our feelings of gratitude by recognizing that what we have enough to share. Enough said.
Sheesh, I must be on the wrong holiday, because it surely isn't Thanksgiving. But Fourth of July makes me grateful too; not just grateful because I've got enough to eat, but grateful to be an American citizen. Maybe I'll write more about that tomorrow. For today, here's my latest and greatest cheeseburger. I named it after Catalina Island in California, where you can buy juicy burgers with roasted green chilies. My version has a southwest inspired Thousand Island dressing, plus a hefty pile of cilantro, red ripe tomatoes, and melting cheddar cheese. Plus the buns: I posted my homemade hamburger buns here last year, but I'm reposting them again today; they're just to good to be forgotten.
Money Saving Tips:
Every grocery store in town has ground beef on sale this week. Buy it in bulk and separate it at home to save some serious moolah. Make your own hamburger buns to save even further.
Catalina Cheeseburgers:
Estimated Cost: $8.00 for four
Notes: You can use fresh jalapenos here; just be sure to roast or blanch them first.
1 and 1/4 lb. ground sirloin or chuck
1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
1 egg
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced jarred or canned jalapenos
sliced sharp cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
sliced tomatoes
chopped cilantro
To form patties, combine the meat, chilies, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Shape into four patties and grill about 5-7 minutes per side for medium, adding cheese slices for last two minutes of cooking. In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, onion and jalapenos; season to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble burgers, spread both sides of buns with mayo mixture. Place tomatoes, burgers, and cilantro on bottom buns; place top bun over.

Homemade Hamburger Buns
Estimated Cost: $2.00 for 10
Notes: These buns will take your burger from so-so to unforgettable. Make them a couple days ahead and freeze them, or bake them up fresh. Use all purpose flour for a soft rich bun.
Tips: Buy professional quality yeast. My favorite is SAF. Ask your baker what brand he uses, and ask if you can buy some. A great place to let dough rise during the summer is inside a warm parked car.
1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for buttering bowl
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, yolk and white divided
2 and 1/4 teaspoon yeast (I use SAF)
3 cups flour
In a microwave safe small bowl, combine 1 cup milk, sugar and butter. Heat until butter just melts and mixture is warm but not hot. If it is hot, wait until it is lukewarm to proceed. In a large bowl, combine salt, egg white, yeast, and flour-one cup at a time, to form a soft dough. (In a separate small bowl, combine remaining egg yolk and tablespoon of milk). The dough will be sticky. Add a little extra flour if necessary to keep the dough sticky, but still workable. Knead dough briefly, about three minutes, to form a smooth elastic ball. Butter same bowl, replace dough, cover and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled. (At this point, you could punch the dough down and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, or until ready to proceed.) Shape dough into 10 separate round buns. You can roll them out and cut them with a biscuit cutter, or you can simply shape them into 10 round buns. Let rise on a greased baking sheet for about 45 minutes, or until light and risen. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush buns with egg yolk mixture. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Up Next:
Blackened Corn Potato Salad
Also...I'm still working on that perfect pound cake. I've got my latest version in the oven-it looks extremely promising....

Perfect Party Cake

2009-06-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

If you need a bunny-soft white party cake, which we all do from time to time, then look no further. And welcome to Tuesdays with Dorie, by the way, the day in which hundreds of blogging bakers re-create a predetermined recipe from the inimitable Dorie Greespan. I baked this one up for my dear little niece Annabelle on her fourth birthday, the day before we left for Nantucket. It was a little wonky and the craftsmanship was a bit shoddy, but dare I say it was delicious? The charges can take some of the credit (and part of the shame too) for our decoration job. And little four year old girls do not necessarily notice sliding towers, crooked marshmallow gargoyles or failing butresses. Thank heavens for little girls. Click here for the recipe.

My mind is still on Nantucket, especially as I look down at my Nantucket surf bracelet. It's basically a coil of white rope, twisted and braided in a complicated procedure that reminds me a little too much of algebra. Our resident bracelet expert is the Quiet Man's father, perhaps the gentlest human being on earth. Every other year, during our family reunions, "Opa" can be found weaving coils and coils of rope so that each and every one of us can have a new surf bracelet. Apparently this procedure is exhausting. Sorry to wear you out Opa, but I'm definitely going to want a new surf bracelet next time. Hang in there.

Here's a few pics of our visits to Sankaty and Brant Point lighthouses. Just us.... Some of the boy cousins...Boy in flight....Sailor and her cousin, hands linked....I'll be back tomorrow with my Fourth of July menu. And also, I'm working like mad to create the perfect pound cake. Making progress, but I'm not satisfied enough to post my recipe.

UP Next:

Fourth of July Menu

Catalina Island Cheeseburgers

Blackened Corn Potato Salad

Best Ever Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2009-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Home. Home Sweet Home. After nearly a week in the car with a passel of frisky (but suprisingly well behaved, considering the confinement) children, it's awfully nice to be home. Now that I'm back, I'm re-relishing every minute of my trip. Before I cast myself erelong into whatever comes next in my long line of projects, I want to share a little bit of the fun places we've seen.

Nantucket was the yearly vacation place of the Quiet Man's family. I confess that I hadn't even heard of it before I met him. Nantucket is a tiny island off the coast of Cape Cod, just a bit further east than Martha's Vineyard. In it's heyday, Nantucket was home to a booming whaling industry. Some savvy city planner was smart enough to insist on preserving the history and charm of the island, which retains the cobblestone streets and the Cape Cod style houses complete with the roof top widows-walks of yesteryears. I could wander the island for days on end, just staring at the houses. It's the painted doors that really make me flutter my lashes. There's not a color in the world that doesn't look purdy with salt stained shingles. Not to mention the quarterboards bearing the cottage names. A lovely tradition, don't you think? Here are a few of my favorites:Some are clever, like this "ALOFT"..."The Inn Between"

This one's on Union Street....And these two are on Fair Street...Some are just sweeter than apple pie....And some have classical references.....But this one is my favorite. If I ever become rich and famous, you'll know where to find me. You can't read the quarterboard because of the climbing plants, but it reads "The Fair Ever."I think it would be lovely to spend just about Fairever there. Sigh..... (But home is awfully nice too. And comfy. And my parents are across the street. I'll never leave.) And now I think I will share these fabulously delicious muffins with you. Once when the Quiet Man and I were on Nantucket we stayed at an adorable bed and breakfast. The first morning, they served muffins. They were quite good we thought, and so the next morning we were excited to go down to breakfast and see what they had next to offer. Muffins again. Still good. And the next morning? Muffins? Hmmm. And so it went all week. These muffins that I'm sharing are better than theirs, but still don't eat them all week, OK? Although you'll be tempted because they are just that good. They'd make an ideal Fourth of July breakfast, and speaking of which, I'll have a yummy Fourth of July menu right here all week long. So come on back. Lemon Blueberry Muffins (adapted from a few recipes)

Estimated Cost: $3.00 for a dozen

2/3 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of one lemon

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspooon salt

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, (frozen is fine)

For icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together with finger tips. Whisk in flour, powder, soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and melted butter until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and very gently toss to combine. Add berries. Bake in paperlined muffin tins for 18-20 minutes.
Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze. Drizzle over muffins.

Coming Up All Week:

Fourth of July

Spicy Blackened Corn Potato Salad

Catalina Island Cheeseburgers

Honey and Ginger Father's Day Ribs

2009-06-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Howdy Doody and Howdy Daddys. Sadly, I had no Internet yesterday on Nantucket Island when I desperately wanted to post this rib recipe. Then you might have gone to the market, marinated your ribs, and been able to eat these succulent babies for dinner with dad tonight. But just because they're especially good for Father's Day, don't let that stop you from eating them on any other nothing special day. Maybe dad will like them even better when he's not expecting them. The Quiet Man was swooning over the juicy ribs on this month's Bon Appetit cover, the inspiration for this recipe. The ingredients are slightly different, but the technique is the same. The Bon Appetit ribs called for no pre cooking, just 16 minutes on an open grill followed by 16 more minutes with the grill closed. Easy enough and so so so fantastic.

On this Father's Day, I'm in upstate New York with the charges, visiting the Quiet Man's parents. The Quiet Man himself flew straight home from Nantucket to put his noble nose back to the grindstone. On Monday, the Quiet Man's sister and her children (plus me and mine) will pile into her minivan and drive out west. (Her husband just finished medical school in Vermont and is starting a residency in Tucson.) We plan to survive on sour cream and onion Pringles, bottled water, Oreos, read-alouds of Harriet the Spy, my rubic's cube, the cousin's Star Wars DVDs, and lots of meaningful conversation. I think we can make it.

Give your dads a big hug and kiss today, and I'll send this one virtually to my Quiet Man. Happy Father's Day.

Money Saving Tips: Buy and freeze ribs when you can find them on sale. Most stores have rib sales right before summer holidays. (Albertson's does two for ones.) You can use fresh garlic, but it can get bitter on the grill if charred.

Honey and Ginger Ribs:

Estimated Cost: $8.00

Notes: Watch the grill closely in the last few minutes, or they might get a little too done, like one of ours.

1 rack baby back pork ribs, cut into 2 inch sections

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons garlic powder

juice of one lime

Cut the slippery silver fat from the ribs carefully. In a small bowl, combine honey, sugar, salt and pepper, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Rub onto ribs and place in zip top bag to marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight. Preheat grill for medium hot cooking. Grill ribs for 8 minutes per side with the grill open. Close grill and grill ribs for an additional 8 minutes per side (32 minutes total). Squeeze lime over ribs before serving.

Next Up:

Those Best Ever Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

Cheddar Cheese Bread

2009-06-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

At this very moment:
The Quiet Man is night fishing for sea bass with his brothers on Madaket Beach.
The girl cousins are tucked into sleeping bags watching "I love Lucy" and waiting for buttered popcorn.
The boy cousins are playing cops and robbers on the lawn with Nerf guns, with a little bit of wrestling and kick boxing thrown in for good measure.
I'm finishing up my fourth novel of the trip( a Poe biography, Morgan's Crossing, Breathing Lessons, and now Hurry Down Sunshine, plus I'm reading Johnny Tremain out loud to the charges) and wearing my new aqua blue Nantucket T-shirt that I found in a bargain bin for $6. The cheapest souveneir on the island, unless you count the seashells.
The yellow roses on the porch are straining in the wind and storm clouds are gathering, which might mean that my fisherman will be home sooner rather than later.
I'm stealing a moment from this very moment, to talk to you, dear readers. I may not get through my Father's Day menu if I don't borrow a little from this very moment. Today is cheddar cheese spread for sourdough bread. Mix it up, spread it on some sourdough bread, broil it and you'll be in cheesy bread heaven. The spread is also divine on baked potatoes, except to be honest, I seldom have any extra because I am overly smitten with the bread. But since you are less greedy and more prudent than I am, pop a couple of baked potatoes in the oven to savor with cheese spread. Mmm... Life is good. Hope you are all enjoying this very moment, wherever you are.
Money Saving Tips: When Tillamook cheddar cheese is on sale , I buy a couple loaves. (Albertson's regularly has it for $5 for 2 lbs.) It's the best for this spread, but any cheddar will work well. Swap the sourdough bread with any sturdy variety.
Cheddar Cheese Spread
Estimated Cost: $4.00
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients and beat until fluffy. Use for baked potatoes or spread generously on sourdough bread and broil until melted and bubbly. This will keep for one week in the fridge.
Up Next:
Honey and Ginger Ribs for Father's Day

2 Salads for Father's Day

2009-06-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that this is my sixth time on Nantucket Island. My first time was our July honeymoon. We stayed in the attic bedroom of the Martin House Inn, the cheapest room we could find on the island. I immediately loved the salt stained shingled houses, the cobblestone roads, the cleverly named cottages. And please don't get me started on the restaurants. I'm perfectly content to walk the island all day, stopping only for breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner, snacks. Wake up. Repeat. Sigh contentedly.

When we were expecting Charge #1, we hunted the map of Nantucket island for possible baby names. Vestal? Sconset? Folger? Brandt? Not exactly what you think of when you look down at a pink and rosy baby. We did find two inspiring possibilities: Madaket or Sailor. We chose the latter.

So if by some miracle, we find ourselves someday expecting a baby again, Madaket is still available. But so is Vestal, Sconset, and Folger.

Here's the promised salads for Father's Day. I'm itching to make them again tonight, with our lobster dinner. These salads MUST be eaten together for the full effect: one is soft and creamy, pungent with blue cheese; the other is sweet and tart with a hint of mustard and lots of crunch. And as good as they are together, they're even better with a toasty slice of sourdough slathered with cheese butter. Be back tomorrow with that recipe and the rest of the Father's Day Menu.
Money Saving Tips: Please don't be tempted to buy the blue cheese crumbles; ounce for ounce they are much more expensive.

Red Cabbage Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Estimated Cost: $3.00
1 small head read cabbage, finely cut

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup red wine or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine cabbage and salt and pepper in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, and sugar, stirring until combined. Toss vinegar mixture and oil with red cabbage. Can be made up to 2 hours before serving time.

Chopped Green Salad with Blue Cheese

Estimated Cost: $3.50

1 head ice berg lettuce

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Chop iceberg into bite sized pieces. Place in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a small jar, combine buttermilk, cream, corcestershire, lemon and garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the lid on the jar and shake until combined. Just before serving, toss dressing and blue cheese with lettuce.
Up Next:

Sourdough Bread with Cheddar Cheese Spread

Burnt Sugar Peach Ice Cream

2009-06-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Greetings, dear readers, from Nantucket Island. We spent the weekend in Boston following the red line of the Freedom Trail, then a day in Plymouth peering down at that famous old rock, then an afternoon in Concord, soaking up the literary legacy of Emerson, Alcott, and Thoreau. And now we are here on the "little gray lady of the sea," spending a week with the Quiet Man's family in a friend's cottage. The air is cool and breezy, salty and floral with June beach roses. The charges are tanned, relaxed, and grateful to be with cousins and away from math, violins, and parent-enforced routine. I'm sitting in my cherry pie-print pajamas, looking out onto the porch at the yellow roses that are climbing up the latticework, and thinking about walking to the Orange Street Bakery for a cranberry scone. The Quiet Man and his brothers are headed off in moments for a deep sea fishing excursion, which along with the $3 Boston Red Sox T-shirt I bought him should count very nicely as a Father's Day present.

I haven't forgotten that Father's Day is coming, no sir. I've got a Dad-pleasing menu that I put together a couple of weeks ago that goes something like this:

Honey and Ginger Ribs

Two Salads (Chopped Blue Cheese and Red Cabbage with Mustard Vinaigrette)

Two Vegetables ( Brown Sugar and Orange Glaze Carrots and Roasted Mixed Veggies)

Cheddar Cheese Spread for Sourdough bread

And Burnt Sugar Peach Ice Cream for Dessert

I'm cuckoo for the melting, surrendering texture of homemade ice cream. I've had my eye on Dorie Greenspan's burnt sugar ice cream for some time, and just couldn't put it off any longer. It's resplendent with a caramel and butterscotch richness. I've added a few chopped peaches, plus some extra peach wedges sauteed in butter and honey for serving. Ooh, la la. The men in your life are going to love it. I'll be posting the rest of my Father's Day recipes all week long, all the way from Nantucket island, so come on back!

Money Saving Tips:

Use frozen peach wedges if peaches are too pricey, or even if you can't find a nice one this early in the season. Save your egg whites for macaroons, white cake, or an omelet.
Burnt Sugar Peach Ice Cream

Estimated Cost: $3.50

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 egg yolks

pinch of salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 large peach, cut into small bits

Stir the sugar and water together in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and and cook until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil without sitrring, brushing down the sides of the bowl with a wet pastry brush once in a while. Cook until sugar is fragrant and the color of deep caramel. Add the milk and cream (mixture will bubble so stand back for a minute) and then continue to cook and stir until smooth. Combine yolks and salt in a medium bowl. Stir 1/3 of hot cream mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Add all of the cream mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour back into saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture registers at 170 degrees or thickens and coats a spoon. Cool completely. Pour into bowl of ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's direction.
Up Next:

Chopped Blue Cheese Salad and Red Cabbage Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Our Pint Sized Fencing Champ

2009-06-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is why we didn't leave for vacation on Wednesday. We wanted to be sure our West could make it to his last fencing class. He wakes up happy on Tuesdays, knowing that before nightfall, he will be lunging, thrusting, and bravely jabbing epees at his giant opponents. After years of light saber play, it's good to see him turn his boyish interest into a legitimate talent. Since there will be no more fencing class until September, I brought along my camera to catch my young Jedi in action. I've appreciated the patience and kindness of the other fencers, who call him buddy and tousle his hair, just like I do. He's the youngest in his class by at least five years, and by a few decades in some cases. He can be irksome, fidgety, and pesty, I know. But he can also be loveable, kind-hearted and incredibly focused, if only in spurts. So, imagine my surprise when West received a trophy for second place on the electrical equipment. He looked very noble and serious when he arose to receive the honor, followed by other fencers who also received trophies, ribbons, and certificates. At the end of the ceremony, there was still one tall trophy left on the table. The fencing master rose and explained that the last trophy was a special award presented to the most valuable fencer in class. I'm not sure who was the most shocked when our young charge's name was called. It's a tingly tie between me, the Quiet Man, and West himself. I don't really believe he deserved it. He's getting to be a good fencer; it's true, but it doesn't hurt that he's the smallest in the class. His fencing master told the others in his regal French accent, "You see thees boy? In three years, thees leettle boy will beat all of you!" I hope so, because that would mean in three years that he would still be fencing. Even if he didn't really deserve it, I'm awfully proud of him. In any case, West was flying high from all the hulaballoo and wanted to race home to tell his Grandpa all about it. If anything good ever happens for you, my dad is the guy you want to tell. He makes you feel like he already believed it about you anyway, that he was just waiting for everyone else to figure it out. Oh, the men in my life; how I love them!

The next morning, West reluctantly bid his trophies good-bye, and we caught a plane to Providence, Rhode Island. We've been bumping around the gorgeous steeple-lined city, and also Newport where we ambled along the stunning cliff paths on the Mansion Walk. We're spending the weekend in Boston (first stop, Pizzeria Regina). Pictures, recipes, stories, and irrelevant minutia to come. Have a great weekend everybody.

Next Up:

Best Ever Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Raspberry Tartlets

2009-06-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

Oh, baby. Look who showed up this past weekend, at not quite 36 weeks. Bed rest is officially over for my sister, for at least the next year, and possibly for the next 18. Since beautiful baby A is so tiny still, just like a bitty little baby doll, they're sticking around for another week, just to play it safe. And aren't we glad? We get to hold her, and admire her, and fawn over her, and put her on a majestic pink baby pedestal for a little bit longer. (Actually, just until tomorrow when we jump on an airplane and head to the east coast...typing one handed and throwing things in suitcases... details to come.) Two pregnant sisters down, one more to go. There are few (if any) pleasures in the world that I rank higher than being an Aunt. And did I mention that Baby A got my middle name? Prudence Penelope Pennywise, that's me. Well, that's actually only the name of my penny pinching alter ego; so far no namesakes for my alter ego, can't imagine why. My real middle name starts with an E. Can you guess it? It's also my daughter's middle name, one niece's first name, and now three of my nieces' middle names. And here's a hint: it's not Erminitrude. (That's the name of another of my alter egos, the prim and proper one that wouldn't ever in a million years measure for coffins at girls camp.)

In all the comings and goings of babies and pregnant ladies, and cousins, and just life in general, I've been looking forward to this very easy recipe from the inimitable Dorie Greenspan. It requires almost no forethought or planning, very little prep time, and the results are quite scrumptious. It reminds me, once again, of the importance of always making time for sweet things in life, edible and otherwise....and also to always keep a bit of puff pastry in the freezer.

Money Saving Tips:

It's cheapest to make your own puff pastry, but it's not exactly a time saver. Look for an all butter puff pastry if you can find one; if not buy some Pepperidge Farm in the freezer case. Use whatever fruit you've got on hand; the original recipe called for apples.

Raspberry Tartlets

Estimated Cost: $3.00

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (I defrost in micro, on 50 percent power for about 1 min)

raspberries, fresh or frozen

sugar

butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Spray lightly with no stick spray. Cut circles from the puff pastry with a drinking glass. Place on prepared pan. Cover the middle with a few raspberries, sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. sugar and put a pea-sized piece butter on top. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Next Up:

Best Ever Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2009-06-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

I mentioned that I spent a day at Girl's Camp at Zion's National Park this week. Somehow I managed to arrive just late enough to miss the five mile hike, which I regret since I could use a good, cleansing trudge up a mountain. But perhaps it was fortuitous; the five mile hike, as it turns out was a five miles UP kind of hike followed by a five miles DOWN kind of hike, with steep cliffs, sharp switchbacks, and oodles of strenuous teenage exertion. The poor girls hiked all day on apples and fruit snacks, since it was assumed that a piddly five mile hike that started at 7:30 AM would land them back in time for lunch. (Lunch didn't happen until 4.) Even though most of the girls were bone-tired, we moved forward with the evening's activities: rapelling, hot-tubbing, card games, bonfire testimony meeting, and snipe hunting. I'd forgotten how fun girl's camp is, even now, at thirty something. Especially at night, after the bearing of souls and secrets, when everyone is sitting around nibbling on hot tamales and plotting a little mayhem. It took me right back to the good ol' days of girl's camp with my own gang of buddies (Heidi, Tricia, Julie, Carry, and my sister Michelle.) Our favorite form of harmless torture we called "measuring for coffins," a rite of passage for the newest camp members, girls and leaders alike. The unsuspecting victim would somberly enter the cabin, where we would perform a mock measuring ritual with an old measuring tape. For the last measurement, the leg seam, the victim would have to lie down and put their leg into the air, at which point we would pour a cup of mountain-cold water right down into their pant leg. I was always amazed at how much one little cup of water could thoroughly soak the unsuspecting girl. It's a pretty harmless prank, with no lasting consequences. (Michelle and I actually performed the ceremony on her future mother-in-law; who knew?) Most people were pretty good sports about the whole affair, and after the initiation process would go on to become certified coffin measurers themselves. But one girl would have nothing to do with it and ran out of the cabin in a bit of a terror. I don't remember it at all, but later it would come back to bite me. Years later, after returning from a mission in South America, I moved into a college apartment with my little sister Heidi and some of her younger-than-me-by-a-couple-of-years friends. And one was this girl, Michal, who promptly became one of my best friends for life, after she realized that I was completely harmless and only measure for coffins as a side hobby at girl's camp. Who knew that the little frightened twelve year old would later be the kind and clever friend that completed crossword puzzles obsessively with me, would run into the November night to jump in the first snowstorm of the season, would make me die of laughter by dancing with a gigantic Mexican sombrero on her head, would stay up all night talking and listening away? Even though we are miles apart, Michal keeps a blog so I can still enjoy her wise and hilarious musings on life, motherhood (due with baby #5 in a few weeks), and this fantastic whole wheat bread. It's an amazing recipe, one that I could easily make on a weekly basis, especially considering that we (including visiting cousins) managed to polish off all four loaves in about a day. I wish I could make the bread with Michal, or at least watch her dance around in her sombrero someday soon, or at the very least.... finally get her measured for her coffin. Who knows, maybe our charges will end up at camp together some day, and the next generation can finish the job.

Money Saving Tips: Grind your own wheat for the best deal. Even if have to buy whole wheat flour, this will still be a lot cheaper than buying four loaves of fresh bakery whole wheat bread. My favorite whole wheat brands are King Arthur and Prarie Gold.
Michal's Mom's Whole Wheat Bread

Estimated Cost: $5.00 for four loaves
3 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup honey
scant Tablespoon coarse kosher salt or 1/2 t. fine salt
6 cups whole wheat flour

Mix ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, proof the yeast:
3/4 cup very warm water
3 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

When yeast is proofed, add to bread mixture along with:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white, all-purpose flourMix on low or medium to incorporate, then on high for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.Turn out into bowl sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise in a warm place for 25 minutes. Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and separate into four loaves. Shape loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise for 25 minutes more.Bake in 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and from pans immediately. Rub or brush tops of the loaves with butter. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack. Freeze what you're not going to use today or tomorrow.

Coming Tuesday:

Raspberry Parisian Tarts

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos

2009-06-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

My goodness, I had no idea so many of my dear readers were in the motherly way. It's hard to notice a bump in your belly from my angle, all the way over here behind my computer screen. For census purposes, if you are pregnant, please remain seated. Holy Toledo, there's more of you than I thought. Please get plenty of rest, drink water, read What to Expect When You Are Expecting obsessively, and avoid cinnamon cake at all costs. Unless you are 41 weeks pregnant, in which case, I offer you not only my deepest sympathy, but also a labor-inducing recipe below.

Oy, what a week I'm having. I've been substituting a few extra classes at the college for a colleague who had a son graduating from Princeton. Some people will use any mundane excuse for a day off. I've also been at girl's camp, where I'm no longer a girl, but a leader of girls, so I have mind my ps and qs. (I apparently left a questionable legacy in some parts of southern California for my behavior at girl's camp. This is why I had to marry someone as far removed as upstate NY.) But I still liked it. Besides, there are no safe pranks anymore, are there? This generation can't even crank call, for pete's sake. And a neighborhood boy almost got sent to juvy for ding dong ditch. Don't even try to raise a bra up a flagpole, or they'll call in the FBI.

So anyway, this has been a busy week. (I'm still waiting for a slow-moving, boring week.) Plus I've got my sister laid up on bedrest, and another sister visiting with her six children, and my own charges who yearn obsessively every moment that they are separated from their cousins. It's kind of handy. Still, I feel sorry for any relative who passes through town; they end up having to babysit for me and generally pick up some of the slack that perpetually overflows from my crammed full life. So by all means come for a visit, but don't say I didn't warn you.

On the bright side, my payback is edible. I'll reciprocate with dinner. Like this for example, that I made last week for a different visiting sister with her four kids. (Don't try to keep track of my mammoth family. One of these days I'm going to post a family tree instead of recipes.) I saw this southwest stunner years ago as a quick dinner party idea from Bon Appetit. I only read the recipe once so I have no idea how close mine is to their original recipe, but I'm surrendering credit just in case. Hubba hubba. I could eat this all summer, and if I do I won't have much left to blog about. It's so fast, you could be eating these babies yourself in about 35 minutes. And since so many of you are pregnant, that gives you plenty of time to make them before your real babies arrive. Have a fantastic weekend, everybody.

Money Saving Tips:

Look for a good deal on chicken breasts and stock them in your freezer. You can make extra spice rub to keep for about a month in the cupboard. Chop your own cabbage or lettuce in place of the bagged coleslaw. Hit up a gardening neighbor for free peppers and zuchinni, or better yet, plant some yourself.

Spiced Rubbed Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Tacos

Estimated Cost: $10.00

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

1 zuchinni, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 red bell pepper, halved, stemmed and seeded

10 to 12 corn tortillas

1 tablespoon butter

1 10 ounce package cole slaw mix

1 bunch cilantro

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons olive oil

shredded cheese, optional but yummy

Preheat grill for medium hot cooking. Combine spice mixture in small bowl. Brush chicken and vegetables lightly with a small amount of olive oil or coat them with olive oil cooking spray. Rub with spice mixture. Meanwhile, spread tortillas lightly with butter and wrap them in a foil bundle and place away from direct heat on the grill to warm.Grill vegetables until softened and tender, about 8 minutes for the zuchinni, 15 minutes for the bell pepper, and grill the chicken until no longer pink, about 8 minutes per side for chicken breasts. Slice veggies and chicken into strips. Combine cole slaw mix, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Up Next:

My friend Michal's Whole Wheat Bread

Cinnamon Cake and Premature Labor

2009-06-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

Among our throng of visitors for Memorial Day, was my little sister Catherine and her family of four. This was going to be Catherine's last visit for a little while, since she is almost 35 weeks pregnant and shouldn't make the 4 hour drive until after the baby arrives. I always love to have pregnant dinner guests; they are so appreciative of your every effort, so grateful to have a duty free evening, and best of all, so enamored of the food. (I am perpetually enamored of food, with or without pregnancy.) So I invited Catherine and her family plus my parents over for a simple dinner of grilled chicken, cheesy potatoes, and a lovely green salad. For dessert, we had cinnamon cake (for my Tuesdays with Dorie assignment) with my own browned butter glaze on top. To say that it was a hit, would be a gross understatement. I planned to plate a few squares for guests, and later photograph a lovely posed slice of cake, perhaps with a glass of milk by the side of the saucer. I was lucky to get this picture. Lucky because everyone, pregnant and 100% not pregnant, loved this cake. My little niece Annabelle, who has up until now been apathetic towards cakes, decided that she must have this cinnamon cake for her June birthday. Sigh. I love a good cooking compliment, especially from a child. What a lovely evening, full of sweet success.

Except.... in the middle of the night, Catherine's baby tried to make a premature entrance into the world. After a few long days and nights in the hospital, Catherine made her way to my parent's house across the street where she must stay on bed rest until the baby really arrives. And thank heavens the baby is developed enough to be quite safe, even if it arrives tomorrow. But in the meantime, all of her beautiful baby items are four hours north in her little house. And Catherine's two little children are wondering why it is that their mother has set up camp on the couch. (A mother doesn't have a lot of authority from the couch.) As a little pick me up, I invited Catherine's children over to make their mother a suprise batch of cinnamon cake. This time we made it into cupcakes, which were equally delicious. And when I thought about writing this post, I thought it would be about a lovely cinnamon cake for my poor sister on bed rest.

But then I had an uncomfortable thought: what if...could it be... is it possible... that cinnamon has anything to do with premature labor? Could my beautiful cinnamon cakes be the cause of this extended camp on the couch? Here's what a google source had to say about that: "Cinnamon, in large doses, has been known to trigger premature labor..."

Gulp. Is it getting warm in here? You know you can't trust everything you read on the Internet. And Dorie's recipe called for 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and I had only used 1 and 1/2 teaspoons, because I'm very prudent that way. And I didn't know so it's not my fault. And I'm sure Catherine is enjoying her hours and hours of rest and relaxation. Gulp again. Um, you might want to be careful who you share your Tuesday treats with. You just might be left wondering if Dorie's delicious cinnamon cake and extended bed rest have a causal relationship. Excuse me while I go whip up something chocolatey for the invalid. And then give her a pedicure. And a back massage. And read aloud from Anna Karenina. While I babysit.

Money Saving Tips: This is a great money saving treat, since there are no pricey ingredients like chocolate, nuts, or fruits. It could easily pass for a coffee cake, but it just as lovely as a simple dessert. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, milk works just fine. I've trimmed the butter in Dorie's recipe by a few tablespoons. But don't worry-you get them back in the frosting.
Cinnamon Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

Estimated Cost: $2.00

slightly adapted from Greenpan's original recipe

1 and 1/4 cup sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 and 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspooon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

For the glaze:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 or 1/3 cup milk or cream

1 cup powdered sugar, if desired
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with about 16 liners, or grease an 8 inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, flour, powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and lightly blend. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes for square pan, and about 20 minutes for cupcakes. To make glaze, melt butter in small saucepan. Watching closely, cook butter without stirring until browned. Stir in brown sugar to form thick mixture. For a glaze add the lesser amount of milk, for frosting add the greater. Add milk and stir until lump free. It's ready as a glaze. If you want it to be like frosting, add powdered sugar and beat until lumps are gone. Spoon over warm cake.

Up Next:

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken and Veggie Tacos

Jelly Donuts At Last

2009-05-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Quiet Man and I were ambling the streets of London last year when we spotted this pastry shop. I'm not a big fan of fussy desserts. I prefer straightforward American style treats, like brownies, chocolate chip cookies, lemon meringue pie, strawberry short cake, and donuts. At the edges of the case, almost wedged out by opera cakes dripping with ganache and flaky squares of millefeuille, was a plump and pillowy jelly donut. I plunked down my pounds and nibbled my way around Picadilly Circus with a dusting of powdered sugar as lipstick. It was phenomenal. We met up with my siblings in front of a theatre to see 39 steps and I shared what I could of my jelly donut. My brother raced back to the pastry shop to buy his own jelly donut, but they were all gone. Mine was the last. (Ha, ha, Roy. That serves you right for all the chocolate chip cookies you have snatched out of my hands in our childhood. ) After our trip, I thought a lot about the food we ate in Europe: the crackly loaves of French bread, the creamy soft fresh mozzarella, the chocolate chip gelato, the dandelion-yellow butter from the Isle of Guernsey. But most especially, I thought about that London jelly donut and I knew I had to make them mine. All mine.

I scouted out a few jelly donut recipes, but most of them called for a shocking amount of butter. Blame it on our modern fear of fats, but somehow it just seems wrong to fry up blocks of butter in hot oil. My friend Mary Anne over at Meet me in the Kitchen made some reasonably fattening buttermilk donuts recently so I thought I'd use her recipe and tinker around. I shaped the dough into holes with the top of and old perscription pill bottle. After the donut holes were fried, I used a medicine dropper to inject some warmed jelly into the center. Why, just look at all the multi-tasking you can do with your leftover medicinal supplies! Prudy's penny pinching pharmaceuticals!

A light snowing of powdered sugar over the tops and they were ready to share. Yummy, yummy, yummy. I had loads to share with the Memorial Day visitors at my house and the visitors over at my mom's also. And they didn't even have to head all the way to London to get one. Although I wouldn't mind heading back just for another jelly donut on Picadilly Circus. It'd be worth it. Especially if I could get the last one again.

Money Saving Tips:

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, measure 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the bottom of a 1 cup measure. Pour in milk to the top. The most expensive part of making the donuts is the frying oil, so be sure to get it on sale in a large quantity. You can reuse the oil to make french fries the next day, to ge the most for your money. But then again, it might be better just to save frying for a once in a while treat. You decide.

Jelly Donut Holes

Estimated Cost: $4.00

1 cup buttermilk

1 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sugar

2 and 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon (baking) soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pinch nutmeg

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry jelly, warmed
Combine buttermilk, eggs and sugar and blend well.
Beat in sifted dry ingredients.
Then stir in melted butter.
Roll or pat dough on floured board about 1/4 inch thick and cut with 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter. Fry in hot fat (canola oil) (375° F) till golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Use a medicine dropper of pastry bag fitted with a tip to inject jelly deep inside the donut. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes dozens of doughnut holes.

Coming First Light of Tuesday:

Dorie's Cinnamon Cake and Premature Labor

and then let's get some dinner going around here, for Pete's sake!

Across the Street....

2009-05-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

Every summer day, at some point, we head across the street to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We ride bikes along their bike path, swim in their pool, dive off their waterfall, jump on their trampoline, dig in their sandbox, swing on their play set, play croquet on their grass, and cavort with the approximately 95.3 cousins that are vising from out of town at any given time. Sounds like a wonderful life, right?

Everything was going swimmingly, until he showed up. Right in the wood chips. Slithered his way through my parent's little grove of fruit trees too. And even though the posse of neighborhood men threw him over the fence into the great beyond, I still imagine he is there. Even when I dive into the swimming pool. Or when I run alone down to the sandbox to retrieve a charge's pair of missing flipflops. Or when I'm sitting in a lounge chair, reading a novel, I can imagine him slithering silently up my leg. Ssssss........

Just out of curiosity, how long do you think it would take a 10 foot snake to shimmy up a wall and cross the street? Just wondering.

Chipster Topped Brownies

2009-05-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

This week's assignment for Tuesdays with Dorie's weekly baking club is a base layer brownie topped with a chocolate chip bar cookie. It's a naughty treat leapfrogging on top of another naughty treat, and it's no simpler than making the two on their own. To work fast, you will need two able bodied men. If none are available, seek out two pint size charges, preferably with clean hands and bored expressions. Have them mix up the batter side by side, while you dump in the ingredients; no sense in getting out the sugar twice. There, now that's done. After we had just poured the batters into the pan, my mother convinced us to run down to the high school and see the grad night decorations. The charges were game (as usual) even though I didn't really want to go (as usual), but my mother is awfully good at convincing me to come along (as usual).

The entire gym was decorated in a Night at the Museum theme.

It was so fun and fabulous that we had to call my Dad and the neighbor and the Quiet Man and convince them to come up and take a look too. (My mom did the convincing; she's much better at it than I am.) When we raced home to pick them up, our weekend guests (3 of my sister's families with a combined total of 10 kids under the age of 10) had already begun to arrive, so my mom convinced them to come up and see it too. Some of them even stayed for the kick off fireworks, but I went home to work on my chipster topped brownies. And then we very nearly gobbled them all up before I could snap a picture. This was all I got:They were declared extremely yummy by all. (Click here for the recipe.) I thought they were a wee bit much, myself. I'd rather take each element separately, in its classic form. Also, I made a half sized batch but I baked it in a full size baking pan, which was plenty thick enough and helped stretch the recipe enough to serve the multitude that I call my family. And speaking of that multitude, there were finally enough people around for me to justify making jelly donuts. That's next....

Hope you all had a safe and happy Memorial Day.

Super Easy Hot and Cheesy Potatoes and Smoky Orange and Honey Barbecue Sauce

2009-05-21T15:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! We have lots of family coming to soak up some sun, sit by my parent's pool (across the street from my house), and watch our little human tadpoles splash around. I'm planning on joining in the poolside revelry, which means food prep has to be kept to a lazy minimum. I'm happy spending the whole day in the kitchen on cold holidays, like Christmas and Thanksgiving, but on warm holidays it feels like indentured servitude to be slaving over a hot stove. So save yourself some work and some pennies and follow my lead to a delicious Memorial Day feast.

Here's what we're having:

Smoky Orange and Honey Barbecued Chicken

Hot and Cheesy Potatoes

Corn on the Cob

From our Garden Spinach Salad with Homemade Ranch

Lemonade

Ice Cream Cones

Buttermilk Brownies

It might seem counter intuitive to serve hot potatoes at the official summer kick off weekend, but they are always a huge hit. I kid you not, I've made these AND potato salad AND put out potato chips for barbecues, and these hot potatoes always go first. (And then there are people like me, who take a heaping scoop of all three, and then go back for seconds.) They couldn't be simpler to put together; no peeling, no pre-cooking, and they always come out perfect.

I'm also including a recipe for my Smoky Orange and Honey Barbecue Sauce that you can throw together and slather on some chicken. It's heavenly and miles above any bottled sauce. It's got tang, sweetness, spice, smoke, and overall fabulous balance. Have barrels of fun and be safe. Put on your sunscreen and eat your veggies and call your mother. See you after the weekend!

Super Easy Hot and Cheesy Potatoes

Estimated Cost: $4.00 to serve 6

Notes: Don't make these ahead of time or the potatoes will turn brown. Sometimes I make a double batch by using the same size of pan but making four layers of potatoes, then increasing the cooking time by 30 minutes.

about 6 medium potatoes, unpeeled, scubbed

1 onion

about 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

about 3/4 cup -1 cup half and half

Coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with no stick cooking spray. Thinly slice 3 of the potatoes and layer on the bottom of dish. Sprinkle with half of the onion and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, onions, and cheese. Pour in half and half at the corners to cover the bottom. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 for about 1 hour or a little longer until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with green onions for garnish, if desired.

Smoky Orange and Honey Barbecue Sauce

Estimated Cost: $2.00

Notes: Set aside half of the sauce to pass at the table. Always be careful to not dip any utensils in the sauce that have been in contact with raw meat juices. Just a little public service announcement. If you don't have a grill, you can dump all the sauce and a few chicken breasts into a crockpot. Yum!
3/4 ketchup

1/4 cup dijon

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup honey

2 tablesooons worcestershire

juice and zest of one orange

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in medium skillet. Simmer for fifteen minutes. Store in refrigerator for up to one month.

Up Next:

Chipster Topped Brownies

Ruby's Raspberry Fluff Cake

2009-05-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

This is my birthday girl. I don't like to admit it to myself, but she is now eight years old. That means I have roughly one decade left to tuck her into bed at night and listen to her practice violin and to make sure she at least tries the vegetables on her plate. It's like trying to hold tight to a handful of water; you can feel it slipping through your fingers before you get a solid grasp. I like to tell her that I will smash the clocks and throw away the calendars so she won't get any older, but she just rolls her eyes. She's old enough to know how ridiculous that is, even if her mother is silly enough to try it. (It almost worked for Frog and Toad.) Besides she was born old. And smart, too. It's tough to be in charge around here.

Three of my sisters have little May birthday girls too, and so it was decided to have a quadruple cousins birthday party with a Max and Ruby theme. Do you know Max and Ruby? It's the story of a bossy, yet caring, older bunny sister with an unpredictable and very silly little brother bunny. The only clear difference between Max and Ruby and my two charges is that Max and Ruby are rabbits. Other than that, the distinction is fuzzy.

In one story, Max and Ruby both decide to create something special for Grandma, so Ruby bakes a beautiful Raspberry Fluff Cake...while Max fashions a crude mud and worm cake. So for our quadruple cousins birthday party, we had Ruby's lovely cake...
And Max's yuckamucka cake.

Was I wrong to include that photo? Egads, it is unsightly. It didn't bother the under-12 year old party goers. They actually preferred Max's cake and specifically requested their own gummy worm. We won't dwell on that one. Let's dwell on this cake instead:This one is worth your time and attention. It's a fabulously light and fluffy buttermilk cake, filled with raspberries and cream and frosted with some pink tinted whipped cream. I wish I had a piece right now for breakfast. It so festive and purdy, just perfect for a special celebration. Make a wish, birthday girls! And don't bother wishing for time to slow down, because it doesn't work. Better just have another piece of cake and enjoy it all while you can!

Money Saving Tips: Cheat and use a cake mix here, pepped up with buttermilk and real butter. A cake mix on sale will cost roughly a dollar. Get your raspberries on sale or from Costco, or use frozen.

Raspberry Fluff Cake

1 white cake mix

eggs, at room temp

buttermilk, at room temp

butter, softened

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups raspberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

pastel sprinkles

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, substituting softened butter for the oil, and buttermilk for the water. Bake in 2 nine inch cake pans. Cool completely. Whip cream in mixer until just fluffy and gently add in powdered sugar and vanilla. (Put in a few drops of red food coloring for pink frosting.) Place one cake layer on stand. Frost with whipped cream and top with berries. Sprinkle berries with granulated sugar. Top with remaining layer cake. Frost entire cake with pink whipped cream. Add sprinkles if desired.

Up Next:

Super Easy Hot Cheesy Potatoes for Memorial Day

Miniature Mango Snack Cakes

2009-05-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Tuesday, the appointed day of my weekly baking club, wherein we create one of Dorie Greenspan's stellar recipes and report back. Today's assignment: Mango Bread.

I know I like zuchinni bread, pumpkin bread, carrot bread, and banana bread, so even though I hadn't tried mango bread, I was pretty sure it would be cute and loveable. Except, I have one little gripe with these moist quick breads: they seem like health food and yet they call for vast amounts of fat. Now, I'll make donuts and cookies and not bat an eye, but in those cases you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. But doggone it, if something seems good for you, then it ought to be. Since this week's mango bread called for 3/4 cup of oil, I thought I'd shake things up a little. I made a 1/3 batch into little miniature "snack cakes," since portion control is vital with my eat-it-till-it's gone MO. Plus, I swapped a little of the oil for buttermilk to trim some of the fat. I also used dried mangos, because my parents had some in their cupboard across the street. I borrowed them last night when they were out to dinner wiwth friends. By the way Mom, can I borrow your dried mangoes? OK, thanks. And now that I have them, I think I want some in a salad, so you may not get them back right away. Thanks again. These snack cakes were really yummy. The mango flavor wasn't pronounced, but present. They tasted like little gingerbread spice cakes with a touch of the tropics. They'd be lovely for breakfast, an afterschool snack, or for a casual dessert like we had last night. Come on back tomorrow for a Max and Ruby raspberry fluff birthday cake.

Money Saving Tips: Keep a big bag of dried mangoes on hand from Costco. They're great for snacking and baking. It's especially cheap if you can take them for free out of your parent's cupboard. Ahem, thanks again, Mom.

Miniature Mango Snack Cakes

Estimated Cost: $1.50 for 24

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup dried mangoes, chopped

1 egg

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour (I used half whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small microwaveable boil, bring orange juice to a boil. Add mangoes and let sit for ten minutes. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners and spray the top with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, powder, soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, sugar, and brown sugar; mix until well combined. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients; batter will be thick. Stir in mangoes and orange juice. Pour mixture into prepared muffin cups and bake for 12-18 minutes, or until puffed and brown. They may rise up and fall back down, and that's OK. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Coming Tomorrow:

Raspberry Fluff Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2009-05-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

There are so many events worth celebrating this time of year: weddings, baby showers, mom and dad's day, recitals, end of year parties, and of course graduations. And even though my little ones are learning at home, I've never been one to turn away an opportunity for a potential party. My sister Heidi suggested that we come for a weekend visit and have a mini homeschool graduation together for our pint-sized scholars. Decked out in black construction paper graduation hats with yarn tassels, the students solemnly marched forward to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. My Westy-boy gave a report on ancient civilizations focusing particularly on Ancient Egypt and China, followed by my Sailor-girl's study on World War II and post war communism. Heidi's little girl explained the importance of the -at family for reading words like cat, rat, bat, and even that, which is always good to remember so you won't get stuck when plowing through Dr. Seuss. And for a little comic relief, Heidi's little boy shared a collection of his favorite riddles. He has a strand of hilarity woven into his DNA from his dead-on witty dad, so it's good to know he is honing his skills to entertain us for the rest of our lives. After receiving their diplomas, rolled into a tube and tied with yellow ribbon which led West to falsely believe it was a pirate map, we gathered the group into the car and headed to an indoor bouncy warehouse. We saved treats for last, because speaking from experience, it is always better for everyone to bounce before eating treats. Because I said so, that's why.

And now, these treats will see you through all of your important events. They require less active prep time then a batch of cookies, but they have all the chewy appeal of a gooey chocolate chipper, plus a caramel- like richness from the brown sugar. They pack up perfectly, without any messy melted chocolate chips, and if you don't slice into them you can even make them a day ahead. Best of all, kids from one to 92, will find them inexpressably delicious. And that makes any kind of party a success.

Money Saving Tips:

This is one recipe that doesn't bake well in a half batch, so don't be tempted to halve it. You can freeze any extras, or better yet, wrap them up and take them to a neighbor or co-worker that could use a little pick me up. Leave out nuts on this one to make it more universally appealing at a party, plus it's cheaper that way. Look for butter on sale (or buy in bulk from a warehouse store) and be sure to stock up when you find it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Estimated Cost: $4.00

1 cup butter, softened

1 and 3/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup granulate sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with no stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream butters and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring well. Stir in powder, soda, and salt. Add flour and gently stir until just incorporated. Add chips and scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 38-42 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool before slicing...if you can wait.

Coming Tomorrow:

Miniature Mango Snack Cakes

Southwestern Tossed Salad

2009-05-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Among the pleasures of having a garden is watching your children plant seeds, monitor their progress, and marvel at their growth. But harvest is best of all because fussy young charges take a suprisingly active interest in what they are bringing in for dinner. I'm not quite ready to rename them Peter Cottontail or Mopsy, but they are surely beginning to appreciate the sweetness of soft baby spinaches and the zing of candy colored radishes. (And another big step is my Sailor girl is wearing her jeans! Only to garden, but still.) Not that they wouldn't prefer Mesquite Barbecue Chips or a cone of Baskin Robbin's mint chip, but I think we are taking a step in the right direction. And while, I'm a fan of chips and ice cream myself, I like this salad so much better. It's so fantastic that if I don't get off my current kick of eating it nightly, I'll soon have nothing else to post about. It could be Southwestern Tossed Salad all summer long. Then again, that mint chip ice cream cone sounded pretty good. Maybe I should plant some mint... Have a great weekend everyone!

Money Saving Tips:

Get some lettuce planted and you'll save yourself bundles and probably have loads to share with neighbors too. I love having spinach since I can pick enough for a few days at a time and it will stay nice and fresh in the fridge. It'll only cost you pennies! You may want to double the dressing recipe because it is terrifyingly addictive.

Southwest Tossed Salad

Estimated Cost: About $6.00

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup packed cilantro

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon honey

For Tortilla Strips

8-10 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips

2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For Salad

Spinach or other lettuce

radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

chopped tomatoes

rinsed and drained black beans

corn kernels, thawed if frozen

diced avocado

Blend dressing ingredients in blender until smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper. Fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crisp; drain on paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients in the bowl and toss.

Up Next:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The Laws of Harmony and Tartest Lemon Pie

2009-05-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today is an especially, especially special Tuesday. Tuesdays are always especially special, thanks to my weekly baking club, Tuesdays with Dorie. This week we've made tartest lemon pie, which is very much like a lemon bar in pie form with the added economy of using every bit of that lovely citrus fruit. (Except for that little green Sunkist tattoo that I sliced off.)Pucker up for yummy and click over here for the recipe. But what makes today especially, especially special is that I'm reviewing a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and found myself unable to put down. A few weeks ago, I received a copy of The Laws of Harmony by Judith Ryan Hendricks.It's one of those books that when you read the first page, you feel that you've gained access into a fully developed story. I think women authors are particularly adept at this thorough immersion. (Think Anne Tyler and Kate Jacobs.) This is the kind of story that is thoroughly engaging because of its richness of simple truths about perception, reality, self-discovery and acceptance. Thirty-something Sunny Cooper seems like she is on the verge of having the recipe for life come out just perfect: a gorgeous fiance, supportive best friend, success in her career, and a buttery Spanish pie in the oven to boot. But she can't ditch that sinking feeling that everything that seems perfect might actually be out of harmony. The rapid unraveling of Sunny's life creates a mysterious plotline full of suspense and intrigue, but more importantly, an immediate need for Sunny to finally understand what getting it together is really all about. Like all great books, you won't want to put this one down until you see Sunny through her journey. And when you finish, you'll wish you had a sequel right next to you.
Hendricks is one of those authors that has one foot in the library and the other in the bakery; her book is as crammed full of delectable writing as it is with luscious food descriptions, so please don't read hungry or you very soon will be tempted to nibble at the salty pages. Hendricks understands the symbolic nature of food-the preparing, the eating, the sharing, the serving. Sunny's gobbling of "giant, still warm chocolate chip cookies: with "caramelized edges and gooey chunks of chocolate" underscore the importance of cozy belonging, mothering, and home. You'll be ravenous when you're done reading, not just for Judith's food, but also for her other books. I've already ordered her other bestseller Bread Alone. This time I'll arm myself with something extravagently delicious before I dig in and read.

Click on over to learn more about Judith Hendricks or to get your own copy of The Laws of Harmony.

Next Up: Southwestern Tossed Salad

P.S. I still haven't forgotten those jelly donuts, but after scouting recipes that call for 2/3 a cup of butter(!!!) for the dough that is eventually going to be fried, I'm waiting till I have loads of company to split up the indulgence. That should happen next weekend.