Why I married an Italian

dooooood. quite possibly my favorite dish growing up.

Turkey Tetrazzini Pasta

Why It Works
Microwaving or reheating leftover turkey in the oven often dries it out. To keep the meat moist for our Turkey Tetrazzini Pasta, we placed slices of leftover turkey in a steamer basket set in a pot of simmering water, then covered the pot and checked it every few minutes. The turkey heated quickly and stayed juicy. We used leftover Thanksgiving turkey here, but at other times of the year we found we could substitute the meat of one rotisserie chicken.

Serves 4 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin Salt and pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 pound spaghetti 3 cups cooked turkey meat, cut into bited-sized pieces (see tip above) 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Preparation

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cream and sherry and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan. Cover and keep warm.
2. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, drain pasta, and return to pot. Add mushroom sauce, turkey, and peas, and ½ cup reserved pasta water to pot and toss to combine, adding additional reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Crisp, tangy, light

Brussels Sprout Salad with Cheddar, Hazelnuts, and Apple

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

Instead of roasted Brussels sprouts, we wanted a light, bright, raw preparation that was just as delicious. Shredding the Brussels sprouts super-thin is key, and letting them sit in the dressing for at least 30 minutes softens them fully and seasons them deeply. To flavor the salad, we chose a simple lemon vinaigrette, rounded out with shallot and mustard. Sweet fruit, crunchy nuts, and creamy cheese are the finishing touches.

Serves 8 

Slice the sprouts as thin as possible. Shred the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

1 small shallot, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

Salt and pepper 

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and sliced very thin 

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) 

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped

Instructions

1. Whisk lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until incorporated. Toss Brussels sprouts with vinaigrette, and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
2. Fold in cheddar, apple, and hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

How to Slice Brussels Sprouts
You can use the slicing disk of your food processor or slice the sprouts with a chef’s knife. Follow these steps to do the latter safely and quickly.

1. Trim: Trim the stem end of each sprout and then cut each sprout in half through the cut end.

2. Slice: With the flat surface on the cutting board, thinly slice each half.

It's great pumpkin bread, Charlie Brown

Pumpkin Bread

From America's Test Kitchen 

Why this recipe works:

Canned pumpkin puree often lends a raw, metallic flavor to pumpkin bread. We cook down the puree to eliminate those off-putting flavors. Instead of dirtying more dishes, we mix the quick bread right in the pot, adding cream cheese and buttermilk for their tangy flavor. A quick-to-assemble topping adds texture and keeps the loaf from getting soggy the next day.

Makes 2 loaves 

The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes early.

Ingredients

Topping  

5 tablespoons packed (2 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar  

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour  

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened  

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Bread2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour  
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg  
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves  
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar  
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar  
1/2 cup vegetable oil  
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces  
4 large eggs  
1/4 cup buttermilk  
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine 
 

Instructions 

1. For the topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside. 
2. For the bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
3. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove breads from pans and let cool for at least 1½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Breakfast fit for a rancher

Huevos Rancheros

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

This spicy dish of eggs, charred chiles, and tortillas makes for an eye-opening breakfast but is often hard to put together for four people. For maximum flavor with little effort, we roasted diced tomatoes with brown sugar, lime juice, green chiles, chili powder, and garlic that we bloomed in oil in the microwave. We spread that flavorful mixture in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, made divots in the mixture to hold our eggs (eight divots in all), sprinkled cheese over the divots, added our eggs, and baked the eggs for about 15 minutes, until just set. Topped with avocado, scallion, and cilantro and served with warm corn tortillas, huevos rancheros will get your day started with a bang.

Serves 4 

Use a heavyweight rimmed baking sheet; flimsy sheets will warp. Our winning sheet is the Wear-Ever Half Size Heavy Duty Sheet Pan (13 gauge) by Vollrath. Serve with refried beans and hot sauce.

Ingredients

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped canned green chiles 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons chili powder 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin Salt and pepper 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (1 cup) 8 large eggs 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and diced 3 scallions, sliced thin 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

 

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain tomatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing with rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve 1 3/4 cups tomato juice and discard remainder. Whisk sugar and lime juice into reserved tomato juice and set aside.
2. In separate bowl, combine onion, chiles, oil, chili powder, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and drained tomatoes. Transfer tomato mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread in even layer to edges of sheet. Roast until charred in spots, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring and redistributing into even layer halfway through baking. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
3. Transfer roasted tomato mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and stir in tomato juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then spread into even layer. Sprinkle pepper Jack over tomato mixture. Using spoon, hollow out 8 holes in tomato mixture in 2 rows. Crack 1 egg into each hole. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
4. Bake until whites are just beginning to set but still have some movement when dish is shaken, 13 to 16 minutes. Transfer dish to wire rack, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes. Spoon avocado over top, then sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas. 

 

TO MAKE AHEAD: The sauce can be made 24 hours in advance. Microwave until hot, about 2 minutes (stirring halfway), before transferring to baking dish and proceeding with recipe.

 

Roast the Vegetables; Bake the Eggs

To evoke the charred flavors in traditional huevos rancheros, we roast vegetables in a hot oven before layering them into a baking dish with cheese sprinkled over. Cracking eggs into wells in the mixture allows us to bake eight servings at once—no more standing at the stove frying egg after egg for an impatient crowd.

Piping loaves of meats on blustery days

Turkey Meatloaf

so, i threw this together last night after reading several meatloaf recipes online (largely using ina garten's for flavor profile). all amounts approximated.

4 hearty servings

somebody else's rando turkey meatloaf, but mine looked pretty similar, though cut into a wedge, not a slice.

Ingredients
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
< 1/4 of an onion, chopped (i used purple, but i think yellow would be even better)
c. 1+ t garlic powder
c. 1+ t onion powder
large pinch dried thyme (fresh would kill)
salt (the more mustard/soy/worcestershire/spices you have, the less salt you'll need; play it by ear)
freshly ground pepper
1 T dijon mustard (i sometimes use stone-ground)
soy sauce (worcestershire would be even better, i think)
1/4+ c ketchup, divided
1 egg, whisked
c. 1 c bread crumbs (i had plain, but i think italian would be fun)
1ish t extra-virgin olive oil 

Additional Optional Add-Ins
chopped olive tapenade–type thing (i just happened to have this on hand and thought it was really fun; by no means necessary; or try other savory spreads here. how about pickled veg? chopped artichoke spread?)
chopped fresh parsley (this is the husband's suggestion, and i agree it would be killer)
large-dice hard-boiled egg (also his addition, which i think is brilliant. growing up i knew a family that used to bake whole hard-boiled eggs into their meatloaf, which i think is amazing. and would make for a killer '50s-era-looking cross-section, no? i will do this one day.)
ooked, chopped -- so it's not stringy to the bite -- well-seasoned (key!) spinach (be sure all the extra water is squeezed out, or it will eff with your loaf, man)


Preparation

1. preheat the oven to 325^F.
2. in a large mixing bowl, gently combine the turkey, chopped onion, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, maybe 1ish t salt, as many cracks of pepper as appeal, dijon mustard, a few good glugs of soy sauce, 2ish T ketchup, and whisked egg. (if you are adding in additional ingredients -- like the suggested tapenade, fresh parsley, and hard-boiled egg -- now's your cue.) 
3. once the mixture is just barely combined, with a fair distribution of the ingredients, mix in the bread crumbs, using an easy hand. you don't want to overwork the mixture. combine until it feels solid enough to hold together without becoming tough or dry feeling. you may need to add additional bread crumbs 'til you get the right feel (see notes about wet vs. dry ingredients below). just experiment.
4. oil the bottom of a square 8" x 8" cake pan (or really any oven-safe vessel that will give your meat goodness room to breathe -- i say this because if you use the traditional loaf pan i can't be sure how the temp and times will change). place the meat mixture into it, patting it into an even circle (or, really, whatever damned shape you fancy). spread another 2ish T ketchup on the top of the loaf.
5. bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes. you want the meat to hold together nicely without any pink remaining, but you don't want to overcook, or it will become dry and tough. i don't have a meat thermometer and so just cut the whole thing in half when i suspected it was done to check it; imperfect but effective.
6. serve with something super nummy like mashed potatoes and a simple salad. note that this loaf is tasty hot out of the oven, at room temperature, or even cold (especially in a sandwich). vee obliging, this turkey meatloaf.

A Word On Breadcrumbs
the more dry ingredients you have -- any grated cheeses, chopped eggs, abundant spices and herbs, etc. -- the less breadcrumb you'll need; the more wet ingredients -- soy/worcestershire, mustard, egg, etc. -- the more breadcrumb you'll need.

Sweetest

Mrs. Cochran's Perfect Pecan Pie, Courtesy of Sweetie-licious

Note: To make this a chocolate pecan pie, add 1/2ish cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to bottom of pie before pouring in filling? Yes? Dark chocolate? Other? —dj

Ingredients
3 eggs
½ C. sugar
½ C. dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
¾ C. dark corn syrup
1 Tbsp. flour
1 C. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. brandy
2 C. pecan, chopped or whole

Eggnog ice cream, to serve
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugars, butter, corn syrup, flour, and cream. Stir in the vanilla, brandy, and pecans. Pour into an unbaked frozen pie shell. 
2. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool.  Serve with eggnog ice cream . . . and enjoy!

A starchy must

Tyler Florence's Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

serves 4 to 6
 

Ingredients

6 to 8 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon salt
4 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Preparation

1. Put the cut potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add salt and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well and remove the bay leaves. 
2. Meanwhile, in a small pot heat the cream, butter, garlic, thyme, and remaining bay leaves. While the potatoes are still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a mixing bowl. Add the warm cream, straining out the solids, a bit at a time until the potatoes are fluffy. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir in the chives. Serve immediately.

Mulling over my menu

Tyler Florence's Test Kitchen Stuffing

Makes enough to stuff one turkey.
 

Ingredients
4 cups Sourdough Bread (torn into 1" pieces, without the crusts)
2 tablespoons Grapeseed or Vegetable oil
1/2 pound Sage Breakfast Sausage (crumbled)
1/2 cup Diced Carrots
1/2 cup Diced Celery
1/2 cup Diced Onion
5 Sage Leaves
3 Thyme Sprigs
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2/3 cup Chicken Stock
1 Egg
Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the Bread on a sheet pan in the oven for about 15 minutes until crisp and golden.
2. Heat the Oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan then add the Sausage and let it brown. After it's nice and golden on one side, stir to get color all over. Add the Carrots, Celery, and Onion, followed by the Sage and Thyme. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, to keep the cooking even. Season with Salt and Pepper. When the vegetables are aromatic and tender, add a splash of Water if necessary to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Toasted Bread and the Chicken Stock and mix.
3. Remove the Thyme Sprigs and pull the Leaves off. Add the Leaves back to the stuffing and then transfer the stuffing to a food processor. Process until fairly smooth, adding the Egg while pureeing (if you're doubling the recipe for extra stuffing, puree only half the stuffing; the rest you can bake as directed below).
4. Transfer the stuffing to a piping bag (or a large zip top bag with a comer snipped off).
5. If you would like to have the stuffing as a stand-alone dish, skip the pureeing. Transfer the stuffing mixture to a greased baking dish and cook in a 350°F oven until the top is golden brown.

Cool-weather breakfast

noting this recipe so i can try it myself . . .

recipe and photograph from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/whole-wheat-zucchini-pancakes/

Whole Wheat Zucchini Pancakes

Yield: About 12 pancakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
Maple syrup and butter, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugars.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the zucchini.
3. Heat a griddle or pan to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour about a 1/2 cup of batter onto heated skillet. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, about 3 minutes. Flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on the underside. Continue making pancakes until the batter is gone. Serve pancakes with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Note from the recipe's originator -- We use white whole wheat flour, but you can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour. These pancakes freeze well. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Perhaps worth this if . . .

 

 

 

1. They come standard with a gold-foil liner 
2. They can calculate tax
3. Kate Middleton wore this exact pair while giving birth to Prince George
4. These pants made the Moon Landing -- without NASA assistance

More soup with my vodka, please

Fisherman-Style Ukha (Fish Soup)
recipe courtesy of Irina Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey
Note: Ukha is pronounced ooh-CHAH.

yield 4–6 servings

Ingredients
First fish: 1 lb cheap, small, bony, preferably freshwater fish (e.g., smelt, sardines, herring)
Second fish: 1 lb moderately fatty, larger, preferably freshwater fish (e.g., bone-in catfish, cut into 1 1/2–2-inch chunks)
1 onion, peeled and trimmed
3 yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes
Third fish: 1 lb top-quality, fatty, preferably freshwater fish (e.g., bone-in sturgeon, salmon, halibut, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks)
2–3 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
1 shot (50 ml) vodka, plus more for serving
a stick of your favorite wood (use a bunch of bamboo skewers in a pinch), for a smoky flavor
small handful of chopped dill (optional

Preparation

1. Place the first fish in a medium stockpot, cover with 8 c cold water, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam if needed, reduce heat, and simmer 20 m.
2. Remove first fish from broth, and discard; strain broth if needed. Add the second fish and the onion to the broth, bring back to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 m. Carefully remove and reserve second fish.
3. Add potatoes and third fish, bay leaves, and peppercorns to broth. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 m or 'til potatoes are done. Remove and discard onion.
4. Return reserved second fish to pt. Season soup with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
5. Now comes the fun part: Light your stick of wood on fire, and let it burn until a good part of it is charred. Extinguish the wood by submerging it in the pot of soup. After a few minutes, remove any charred pieces of wood that may be floating in the soup. Add the vodka and dill (if using), cover, and let soup stand 5–10 m before serving.
6. Serve with black bread and more vodka.

Light, savory, and comforting

Matzo Ball Soup
recipe adapted from Lyudmila Abelis and Manischewitz matzo meal, courtesy of Irina Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey

yield: 6–8 servings

Ingredients
For the soup
lean parts of one whole chicken (back, breast, and wings)
1 onion, peeled and trimmed
2 carrots
2 celery ribs
1 parsnip
1 T kosher salt
5–6 stems dill, chopped

For matzo balls
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c schmalz (recipe below) or oil
1 c matzo meal
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 c broth or water

Preparation

1. Place chicken in medium stockpot, and cover with 8 c cold water. Bring to a boil, and skim off foam.
2. Add vegetables (chop carrots, celery, and parsnip in half, if needed, to fit in pot) and salt, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for about 45 m. Add dill, and cook another 5 m. Remove from heat. Remove and reserve vegetables and chicken from broth. Taste broth, and add more salt if needed.
3. In a small bowl, beat eggs and schmaltz or oil lightly with a fork. Stir in matzo meal and salt just until combined, then stir in the broth or water. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 m. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. With wet hands, roll matzo ball mixture into walnut-sized balls, and drop into boiling water. Reduce heat to simmer, cover tightly, and cook 40 m.
4. To serve, ladle broth into bowls, and add a couple of matzo balls per bowl. Also add vegetables and/or chicken used to make broth if desired.

Homemade Schmaltz and Gribenes
recipe by Lyudmila Abelis and Irina Vodonos, courtesy of Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey
Note: Gribenes is Yiddish for cracklings, the rendered solids of an animal fat. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 t oil
fat (and a bit of fatty skin) trimmed from one whole chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 t kosher salt
1/2 onion, diced

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom skillet on medium heat. Add chicken fat and salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and browned, about 15–20 m (reduce heat to low if browning too fast or if rendered fat begins to smoke). Remove cracklings with a slotted spoon, and reserve. Add onion to skillet with rendered fat, and cook on low to medium-low until caramelized, about 15 m. When done, remove from heat, and stir in cracklings. Pour into a glass jar, and store in refrigerator.
2. Schmaltz and gribenes are delicious when spread on black bread and sprinkled with coarse salt. They also make a good topping for mashed or baked potatoes and a tasty stir-in for cooked buckwheat groats.

More borscht!

Ukrainian-Style Hot Borscht (Beet Soup) with Beef
recipe courtesy of Irina Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey

yield: 6–8 servings

Ingredient
1–2 lb meaty cut of bone-in beef (e.g., cross-cut shank, chuck roast, or chuck steak)
2 T sunflower or other oil
1/4 onion, diced
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1 small beet, peeled and coarsely grated
1 medium tomato, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces or 1 T tomato paste (optional)
3–4 yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cabbage, shredded or chopped into 1/2-inc pieces
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3-inch piece of salted pork fatback (or salted pork belly or bacon—fatty part only) mashed or grated into a paste
2–3 bay leaves
sugar, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
sour cream, for garnish
chopped fresh dill and/or parsley, for garnish

Preparation

1. Place the meat in a pot, cover with 8 c cold water, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 'til tender. Depending on cut of meat, this can take 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat, remove meat from broth, and set aside. When meat is cool enough to handle, cut it off the bone, chop into 1-inch pieces, and return it to broth.
2. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion, and sauté on medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned and translucent, about 5 m. Add the carrot, and cook another 1–2 m. Add the beets, and cook 1–2 m. If using fresh tomatoes or tomato paste, add them now, and cook another 1–2 m. Season with a bit of salt, sugar, and ground black pepper.
3. Add the sautéed vegetable mix, cabbage, and potatoes to the broth, and bring mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, until potatoes and cabbage are almost tender, about 15 m. Add bay leaf, and cook another 5 m or until potatoes and cabbage are done. Turn off heat.
4. In a small bowl, combine garlic and pork fatback, and mix well. Stir the mixture into the soup. Season with salt, sugar, lemon juice, and ground black pepper to taste. (Borscht should taste savory, with a noticeable tang and just a hint of sweetness.)
5. Let borscht sit overnight if possible before serving. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and herbs if desired.

Eastern European yum

wrong season, i know, summer buddies, but still worth posting, really, any time.

Shchi (Cabbage Soup) with Sauerkraut
recipe courtesy of Irina Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey
Note: Shchi is pronounced shee.

yield: 6–8 servings

Ingredients
3 yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 c homemade Russian-style sauerkraut (recipe below), drained, lightly packed
1/2 onion, trimmed and peeled
1 small parsnip and/or a 3–4-inch piece of celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, coarsely grated (optional)
2 Roma tomatoes, quartered or coarsely chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 small bunch dill, minced
2–3 bay leaves
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
sugar, to taste (optional)

Preparation

1. Place potatoes, sauerkraut, onion, parsnips/celery root, and carrot (if using) into a pot with 8 c cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer, add tomatoes, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 m. Add garlic, dill, and bay leaves, and simmer another 5 m.
3. Season with a few grinds of black pepper. Taste, and add salt if needed, as well as a bit of sugar if deseried to balance out the taste. (The soup should taste tangy and salty, not sweet.) Remove and discard the onion and bay leaves before serving.

Russian-Style Sauerkraut
recipe courtesy of Sergey Kushnareve and Irina Vodonos from Vodonos's class on European winter soups at The Pantry at Delancey

yield: about 1 1/4 quarts

Ingredients
1 head firm green cabbage, shredded or chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
carrot, coarsely grated
1 1/2 to 2 T kosher salt

Preparation

1. In a large, deep glass or enamel bowl or stockpot, combine cabbage, carrots, and 1 1/2 T kosher salt, and massage thoroughly with clean hands, rubbing the salt into the cabbage. Taste, and add more salt if needed; mixture should taste saltier than a typical salad but not so salty that it is unpalatable. Pack down tightly, and top with a clean plate that fits inside the bowl or stockpot and is large enough to cover most of the exposed surface of the cabbage. (Alternately, pack into a clean glass jar, and cover with a small saucer that fits inside the jar, or a cabbage leaf.) Place a clean, heavy weight (e.g., a large jar filled with water) on top of the plate, and press down carefully. The cabbage should release a small amount of juice; if it does not, remove weight and plate, and continue massaging the cabbage until it does.
2. Let cabbage sit at room temperature, away from direct light and heat. Once a day, remove weight and plate, and use a long, clean stick to poke holes in the cabbage all the way through to the bottom of the container to release trapped gases. When done, replace the plate and weight on top. Cabbage will release more juice with each day of fermentation; remove and discard extra juice if it starts flowing over the top of the container.
3. Taste after 3 days, and continue tasting until done. Sauerkraut should taste fermented and tangy when ready. Pack finished sauerkraut into clean glass jars. Cover and store refrigerated for 2–3 months, or freeze for extended storage.
4. Use sauerkraut in soups such as shchi (above) or borscht, or serve in place of salad or condiment with meat or fish. Sauerkraut can be served plain or dressed with one or more of the following: sunflower, olive, or other oil; a bit of sugar; diced onion; diced or grated apple; cranberries (also try adding these to cabbage before fermentation; grapes; and raisins.

"I'm on like three antidepressents; in the summer I just go down to one."

after almost a week of perfect weather -- cool but not cold, fully sunny, picturesque -- today The Sad Rain is back.

this is how i feel.



love you, PNW.

The nieces and the rest of us?

so, my sweet little ten-year-old niece and i were talking about dress clothes, and she said that she sometimes really doesn't like the options available kids her age. she feels they are too silly and confining and that she can't just be a kid in them. she said she likes a lot more adult dress-up clothes than kid stuff, so today i recommended we virtually shop for an outfit she could wear out to a fancy event -- say, the theater -- that would be appropriate to the occasion and still comfortable enough for her. together we chose the following:

J. Crew's girls' glitz-collar cashmere cardigan in venetian green

 

J. C. Penney Joe Fresh cropped velvet leggings in black

J. Crew girls' petite Belle ballet flat in black

J. Crew girls' Maan Desir tweed coat in tweed green

 

Burberry Giant Icon Check cashmere scarf in Damson magenta

 

naturally, the seven-year-old wanted to get into the fun. she was a lot less opinionated and more willing to be steered by her older sister. who agreed with me that in the following she would absolutely explode the world with her cuteness. and, bonus, it would coordinate SO well with her sister's look.

J. Crew's girls' crinkle chiffon rosette dress in newport navy

 

 J. Crew girls' cashmere cardigan in neon amethyst

 

J. Crew girls' solid tights in ivory

J. Crew girls' classic cap toe ballet flats in pinot noir

 

Rothschild girls' Rosette wool-look dress coat in pink

(if i could find a coat with a little less gray in it, i'd be happy tia.)

Ralph Lauren floral chiffon scarf in black multi

FYI

i call this "Veiny Bro-Stance."

That trench-belt combo in 2016!!

i am refusing to acknowledge that these are palazzo pants.

Break out the tortilla chips

 White Bean Chicken Chili

 gracias to roo for this very simple, very yummy chili recipe i've been using for years now.

Ingredients:
1 48oz jar “Randalls” Great Northern Beans (i use navy beans and their canning liquid. —dj)
1 16 oz jar salsa
2 t cumin
2 16-oz cans diced tomato (any style)
1 16oz can low salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cup shredded or cubed chicken
8 oz of Monterey Jack cheese (shredded or small cubes)

Garnishes:
radishes, thin sliced
lime wedges
cole slaw
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream
fresh tomatoes, diced
tortilla chips

Preparation:

1. Dump everything but the cheese into a crock pot, and leave it for as long as you want, or heat it on the stove (I like the crock pot better for flavor melding). 
2. Add the cubed cheese about 30 minutes before your ready to eat.

Notes: to make this closer to a white chili, i often omit the cans of tomatoes and double up on the beans and broth. 

Crabby snacks and homemades

jak's homemade pot pie is the best pot pie, and i have known this for  years. it's about time i exorcised the selfish and shared it with all  y'all.

enjoy!



Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
 1 package (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots
1/3 c margarine or butter (can use 3 T for low-fat option)
1/3 c flour
1/3 c chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3/4 c chicken broth (15 oz can)
2/3 c milk (skim, low-fat, or whole)
2 1/2 to 3 c shredded cooked chicken or turkey (a little over 1 lb raw boneless cooked at 350^F for 20 min.)
Pastry for 9" two-crust pie [jak usually uses two frozen single pie crusts, and once recently she made "Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie" with the filling served alongside buttermilk biscuits. we teased her that all that was missing was a foam finish of some sort. the carrots, maybe?]

Preparation:

1. Rinse frozen peas and carrots in cold water to separate. Drain. 
2. Melt about half the margarine or butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Lightly brown the onion. Add the rest of the butter and melt. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly and flour is cooked but not browned. Remove from heat. 
3. Stir in broth and milk. [I usually mix the milk and broth together and heat them in the microwave before adding; seems to work better for making this white sauce. —jak] Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 3–4 minutes, until thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, and carrots; remove from heat. 
4. Heat oven to 425^F. Line pie pan or 9"x9" square pan with one pie pastry. Pour in filling. Roll out second pastry, and cut shapes with knife or cookie cutter to vent. Top pie with pastry. Bake about 35 minutes or until crust is browned.
   

For a lighter pie, decrease margarine to 3 T and use skim milk.

(and isn't this just the most DELIGHTFUL HACK?? i looooooove mini-foods.)