Banana Split Dessert Hits the Spot

These hot summer days are the perfect time to whip up a no-bake dessert. Who wants to heat up the oven when its 90+ degrees and humid outside? Morgan’s blog, My Grandma’s Recipe Book, was kind enough to include my Banana Split Dessert for her readers to enjoy. Here’s a peek at the end result, but if you want to know how to assemble this step-by-step, pop over to Morgan’s site for instructions and photos. She includes other delicious dishes her Grandma used to make which I am certain you will enjoy as well.

What dish do you still make that your Gram used to prepare? I’d love to know.

A Better Way to Chop

A friend recently sent me a few new kitchen toys and man are they awesome! The best of the batch is called the Miracle Kitchen Plus and I am having a ball experimenting with it. I decided to start with something simple. I whipped up a quick batch of mango salsa to use on top of some fresh baked flounder. It really cut back on prep time. I also received a little tool for juicing citrus and an invincible knife. All three tools are from the collection of a television Chef named Vinni Villicano.

First, let me say that this is not a paid endorsement of any kind. My friend knew I recently started blogging about some of my cooking and she thought I would enjoy trying these products and blogging about them. She was right!

Here are my ingredients for the salsa, laid out next to the chopper. Two mangoes (which I peeled before adding), a half cucumber (peeled), a clove of garlic (peeled as well), a small bunch of fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, 1/4 jalapeño without the seeds, and the juice of one lime.

This handy little juicer worked great! It has a little filter inside which captures seeds. I simply squeezed the lime juice into the batch of salsa ingredients.

I added all of the individual ingredients, slapped on the lid, and turned the crank a few times round until the salsa had the consistency I desired. It took minutes!

The only thing I did notice was that the pieces are not shaped like little cubes as they are when you hand chop something and the consistency of size is not as precise as hand chopping. But honestly, for a salsa, it saved a ton of time.

Now, if you are accustomed to making everything in your electric food processor, then using this hand-powered tool may not be a revelation. But I hate pulling my big heavy food processor out of the pantry. And I hate cleaning it. This is lightweight, small, and easy to clean with either hot soapy water, or it can go in the dish washer.

Pie Crust and Two Kinds of Quiche

I know that Pillsbury makes a perfectly edible refrigerated pie crust, as do many other companies. But if you performed a side-by-side taste test between homemade pie dough and store-bought, the one made from scratch wins hands down!

Over the years I have made an occasional attempt to mix up my own pie crust, but it was never the right consistency. Strange, because my scones are always the perfect texture and the strategy is not that different.

This year, my New Year’s resolution was to learn to make edible pie crust. I am proud to say, I’m getting there! I practiced with a couple of quiches which were more than just edible. They were actually pretty damned tasty!

The beauty of quiche is that you can put whatever you want in one. The base for each was 6 eggs, a cup of milk, 2/3 cup light cream, salt, and pepper.

In version one I added sauteed broccoli, rendered diced speck (kind of like Italian bacon), and cheddar cheese.

For version two I sauteed yellow summer squash and added turkey sausage crumbles. (I took a shortcut and bought Jimmy Dean turkey sausage pre-cooked crumbles. They were easy and worked just fine.) I incorporated a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.

Start with the pie crust since it needs time to rest. These ingredient measurements are more of a guideline since the amount of water will depend on how it feels. Some folks swear by the food processor, but since my Gramma never used one, I decided to learn by hand.

Ingredients for Two Crusts

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt or so
2 sticks butter cut into pieces
ice water – start with about 5-6 Tbs and add slowly as needed.

Directions

Mix flour and salt. Add butter. Use pastry cutter and incorporate butter until you get a sandy texture. Add water slowly and mix until it comes together. Do not over handle. Do not add too much water or it will get soupy.

Take one half and place on floured surface. Roll out until it is big enough for your pie plate. Trim edges. Flute. Use a fork to poke holes all over. Repeat with second pie crust.

If you are making a two crust pie, then here is where instructions diverge. I pre-baked my crusts, but you would fill your crust, lay the top over the filling, and trim/crimp, egg wash, then bake.

Place pie plates in the freezer while you prepare your fillings. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Before you bake, cover each pie dough with tin foil and add pie weights. As you can see, I used dried garbanzo beans. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil, then bake 10-15 minutes longer. My edges ended up a bit dark, so next time I would leave tin foil around them for this last 10-15, or cover them when baking the filling.

Add your fillings and bake until the centers are set. This took about 35-40 minutes in my oven. Yours may differ.

Overall, my pie crusts were quite good. The best part came with the pie dough scraps which I rolled out, spread with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. I then rolled it up and baked until golden. My Gram always does this with pie scraps and it is delicious. She calls it Schnikerhausen. I call it yum!

What are your favorite quiche add-ins? Leave comments below so we can try different combinations!

Cookbook Recommendations by Brad Nierenberg

Every so often I like to curl up with a good book and a glass of single malt. This weekend, the books were from my overloaded stack of beloved cookbooks. I know I typically share a favorite recipe each week, but today I’m sharing a few old friends! I hope you will be inspired to share a bit about your favorite sources for recipes as well!

Mr. Food Cooks Pasta
Art Ginsburg
Copyright 1993 by Cogin, Inc.

I picked up my copy of “Mr. Food Cooks Pasta” back before Borders went out of business. It was tucked away on one of those bargain shelves. It’s been one of my go-to sources ever since. The writing style is easy to read and conversational. And though this little black and white book lacks any pretty photos, I still find myself using it on a regular basis.

Mr. Food, Art Ginsburg, provides a guide for pasta shapes, includes a simple chart for sauces and uses for each shape, and the opening chapter on pasta “particulars” includes a brief history and cooking instructions. Next, one of the best sections, is a quick pasta recipe chart for “meals in minutes.” The follow-on segments include pasta appetizers and side dishes, pasta soups and stews, pasta salads, pasta main courses, family favorites, and pasta sauces.

Since I love to cook and eat pasta, it’s great to have this guide to an easy and delicious meal! I think I’ve made almost every recipe in the book at least once. Many of the dog-eared corners are turned down to save the ones I like best.

Ginsburg is not Italian to my knowledge, but no matter, whether lemon linguine or chicorina soup, this cookbook is a winner in my book.

Barefoot Contessa at Home
Ina Garten
Copyright 2006 by Ina Garten

Quentin Bacon’s photography in Ina Garten’s fifth cookbook is true food porn! After the cook’s lengthy introduction (and to be honest, I’ve never read it) she leads right into chapters entitled soup and sandwich, salads, dinner, vegetables, dessert, and breakfast.

She includes a nice section of small places to visit in the Hamptons for food. These are places she mentions on her cooking show and would be fun to add to your traveling itinerary if vacationing in the area. The last section called menus takes all the recipes from the cookbook and puts them together into menus you can try at home. I think this is brilliant!

I have not come close to recreating all the yummy recipes in this extensive cookbook, but the ones I’ve made do not disappoint. Her Sunday Morning Oatmeal is a regular in my rotation and I have zero desire to ever try another recipe for coconut cake after falling in love with hers. Where I think she really shines though is in the dinner section. From cornish hens to Asian salmon, there are several delicious and doable recipes in this section.

Holiday Cookies
Martha Stewart
2006 Issue

Okay, so Martha Stewart’s annual holiday cookie magazine is not exactly a traditional cookbook, but if you could see the tattered pages you would know I use it often. It’s really the perfect cookie guide!

This 2006 version includes more than 100 cookie recipes and the breakdown is spot-on (as my British friends would say). The table of contents features a photo of each cookie and they are categorized as soft and chewy, crisp and crunchy, light and delicate, crumbly and sandy, cakey and tender, rich and dense, and finally, chunky and nutty. Likewise, the recipe index in the very back is alphabetized by cookie with a picture of each one for easy reference.

I wish I had the time (and calorie allowance) to make and test each and every cookie, but rest assure I have given it the old college try! It’s great to have one consolidated source to find a recipes for chocolate chip cookies identified as crisp, chewy, or cakey. After all, some days you prefer one type to another!

If you don’t own your own copy to savor, keep an eye out for this magazine next fall. A complete cookie guide is a must-have for every home baker!

What are your favorite cookbooks? I hope you’ll share the titles below!

Knife Love

I am a knife snob. In fact, the standing rule in my kitchen is that no one touches my good knives. If you want to help cook, you are stuck with the old crappy knives I got as gifts over the years! I also have one pan no one is permitted to use, but we’ll save that for another day!

A few years ago I took a knife skills class while in New York City for a few days. Some people visit the Statue of Liberty…I take a knife skills class! But it was life-changing. I came home and ordered my first “real” knives, practiced my cutting skills, butchered countless whole chickens into pieces, and started making my own stock. I’ve never turned back!

Here are a few nuggets from what I learned that day.

Did you know you only really need four knives? It’s true. You can do everything you need to do in the kitchen with a chef’s knife, serrated bread knife, paring knife, and boning knife.

When choosing a serrated knife, the chef who taught my class suggested you look for one with a belly. As you can see on mine, it has a slight curve along the bottom. I use this knife for more than just bread. It works beautifully on melons, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.

What’s the best knife or brand out there? It depends on the person. You need to pick up and try a variety of knives to see what feels best in your hand. My babies are Messermeister, carbon forged, carbon steel alloy.

Treat them with love!

I take very good care of my knives. They are washed by hand, never cut anything but food, are used on a wooden cutting board, and stored in protective knife guards. I also run them along a honing steel after every use and take them to a local butcher shop for professional sharpening once a year. I suspect I’ll have these knives for as long as I am cooking!

Slice, don’t chop.

One of the most astounding things I learned during knife skills class was that I had been cutting incorrectly my whole life! One does not “chop” with a knife. You slice through the food in a circular motion. It’s hard to explain. It took me a long time to get used to the appropriate method. Now I know why professional chefs are so quick. The slicing method is much more efficient!

So what is your favorite knife or brand? Are you as protective of them as me? Feel free to leave a comment below!

My Risotto Rocks!

I know that when you read the word “risotto,” your brain says, “I love it, but who has time for that?” Trust me, I know! All that stirring eats up a chunk of time and patience. But oh, it is so worth the trouble!

If you were hoping for a recipe with carefully measured ingredients, I am sorry to disappoint. I’ve never really used a recipe for risotto. Instead, I just make it by sight, texture, and taste. You can look up a basic recipe someplace else. But I bet if you let go of your measuring cups, it will be a lot more fun!

Ingredients:

Butter
Olive oil
Arborio rice
White wine or champagne
Chicken stock
Chicken boullion
Onion or shallot, finely chopped
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese

Whatever you want to mix in. I used mild Italian turkey sausage and diced red bell pepper. You could try anything. I also like sauteed mushrooms, roasted root vegetables, sausage and pear with Gorgonzola, leeks and peas, shrimp, asparagus…the possibilities are endless!

Preparation:

Start by warming your chicken stock. If you don’t have any on hand, now would be a good time to start a batch. I made this stock as I was prepping the risotto then just strained it as I used it.

Remove the casings from your sausage and saute, breaking up as you go, in a separate pan. Chop the bell pepper and add that to the sausage after it is browned. Cook long enough to take the crunch out of the pepper. (Tip: If you are using a different add-in, prepare it in a separate pan as well.)

In the meantime, dice some onion and saute it in a pan of equal parts melted butter and olive oil. I used roughly 2 Tbsp of each.

Add your rice and toast for a few minutes more. (Tip: I added 2 cups of rice.) Turn up your heat to medium high.

Add a splash of wine or champagne to the rice and onions, about 1/2 cup or so. Once that boils out a bit, start adding your warmed stock one ladle at a time. Cook each ladle-full down before adding the next.

I have no idea how much liquid you will add. It depends upon how done you like your rice. You will notice it start to get creamy and puff up. Taste it after about 15-20 minutes, then continue to taste often for doneness as you get near the end. I also added one Knorr chicken bouillon cube since the chicken stock is salt free.

Just before it is finished, add your mix-ins and fold them in. At this point I add about a quarter to half cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a splash of heavy cream. Some folks add a bit of butter too. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate it up, add more cheese, and serve immediately!

What do you like in your risotto? Please leave a comment below and share your favorite concoction!

Chicken Pot Pie – The Perfect One Pot Meal

Many of my friends abhor cooking. I think one of the reasons is that home cooking makes such a big mess in the kitchen. Perhaps another reason is that they know I’ll take pity on them and invite them to eat at my house! lol Whatever the reason, it’s nice to have a few dependable one pot meals up your sleeve to cut down on the mess. Chicken pot pie is also among my favorite comfort foods. I’ve ordered it off menus and restaurants try to jazz it up. But honestly, nothing tastes better than the traditional version. Oh, and kids like it too!

If your traditional version differs from mine, I hope you’ll leave a comment with a link to your own chicken pot pie!

Precook your chicken in the veggie remnants to add flavor before you use it in your pot pie.

Thyme, dijon mustard, and black pepper are the only seasonings you need! Well, you may need salt if your stock is homemade.

Chop up your veggies. Pictured is some chicken stock I made in advance. I always warm my stock before adding it to a roux to speed up the cooking process.

Saute your vegetables in butter for 4-5 minutes then sprinkle in your flour, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes more.

Slowly add your chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened. Then remove from heat and add the chicken, peas, thyme, pepper, dijon, and salt (if needed).

Roll out your dough and lay it over your chicken mixture. Cut small slices to vent. You may brush with an egg wash if desired.

Bake in a 250 degree oven for 30-4o minutes until crust is golden. Set, then serve.

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 potatoes peeled and cubed
1-2 medium onions, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 or so cups chicken stock (Hint: Make your own. As you will read below, you can even do it while you chop!) (Or use boxed stock, homemade from another day, or even some white wine and water!)
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt to taste – this will depend on whether you use your own chicken stock or boxed.
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 cups cubed cooked chicken (Hint: I used boneless skinless breast because I was in a hurry. Use whatever you like. Even a grocery store rotisserie chicken would work!)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Prepared pie crust, thawed (Hint: I have not yet mastered making my own pie crust, but you could use homemade, or even a sheet of puff pastry.)
1 egg, beaten (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Precook your chicken before you cut it. I boiled mine on the stove top and added my vegetable peelings and some extra celery, carrot, onion, and peppercorns as well. This flavors the chicken before you use it and provides the stock you will need!
When cooked through, remove from stock and let cool. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Chop your veggies. (Not the peas!)
Melt butter in an oven-proof skillet.
Add your chopped vegetables and saute for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over sauteed vegetables and stir for 2-3 minutes longer. Slowly add chicken broth and bring to a boil over low heat. Stir until thickened.
Remove from heat and fold in remaining ingredients (except for pie crust). (Hint: If you have fresh parsley on hand or other fresh herbs, this is the time to add it.)
Roll out one sheet of pie dough so that it fits over the contents in your skillet. Cover top of chicken mixture. Cut a few slices to vent the dough.
(Optional) Brush the dough with the beaten egg.
Bake at 350 until dough is golden brown. This takes about 30-40 minutes.
Let set a few minutes before serving.

Make sure you comment below and leave a note about your favorite recipe for chicken pot pie! I look forward to trying some variations.

Flashback to My Youth: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers were regular fare on the dinner table growing up. They’re one of those meals you can make on a budget and don’t take much time. You can freeze them too which is always a bonus!

I was craving them over the weekend after scoring a big bag of red bell peppers for just $4.99. I’m pretty sure this was a pricing error since individual peppers were selling for $1.99 each and there were seven of those beauties in the bag. I’m wondering now why I only grabbed one bag!

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (or beef)

2 cups rice (cooked – I used rice cooker)

5-6 bell peppers (cut off tops and clean out)

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup onion (diced)

1 egg, beaten

24 oz. can tomato sauce or puree

3 Tbs. brown sugar

3 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar

Directions

Clean out bell peppers. (Save insides and tops for future chicken stock.)

Cook rice and cool. Mix rice, ground turkey, onion, seasonings, water.

Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add 1/2-1 cup to meat and rice mixture and stir to incorporate.

Fill each pepper. Place right side up in baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over the top of each pepper.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour. (I usually uncover for last 10-15 minutes.)

What dish do you remember from your youth? Would love to get your feedback along with a link to the recipe. Or, if you have a different version of stuffed peppers, please share it!

Snowstorm Cooking Plan – Enjoy the “Comforts” of Home

Road salt, snow shovels, firewood, bread, and milk top the shopping lists of most people as they prepare for a winter storm. But not me! If I’m stuck at home for a few days, sustenance is where my brain goes. A thorough scan of the pantry and freezer helps me shape up a shopping list to feed my cabin fever with comfort food! (Forget what your grandmother told you about feed a cold and starve a fever. That does not apply to cabin fever!)

I listed my menu below. The veal stew and carnitas are both items that can cook slowly all day. Of course the loss of power could alter my plans a bit since hot meals would then require preparation on the gas grill. Just in case, I will add hamburgers and chicken to my shopping list!

Day 1

Breakfast: cappuccino, OJ, scones, medium cooked egg in an egg cup, cantaloupe

Lunch: grilled tuna sandwich with provolone, cottage cheese, carrot sticks

Dinner: mac & cheese, pork chops, apple sauce, baked acorn squash rings

Evening: hot cocoa with marshmallows and maybe a rewarmed scone ( Shoveling snow burns a lot of calories!)

Day 2

Breakfast: cappuccino, OJ, Amish baked oatmeal with bananas and blueberries drizzled with pure maple syrup

Lunch: grilled cheese, tomato soup (for dipping), side salad

Dinner: veal stew (see recipe below), home baked bread, roasted carrots

Evening: chocolate peanut butter mug cake (assuming I had to shovel for a few of my elderly neighbors!)

Veal Stew – an old family favorite

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. veal cubes
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1-2 chopped green bell pepper
1-2 pounds Italian sausage sliced into 1-inch pieces (I prefer sweet for this recipe since veal is so mild)
1 large can tomatoes
2 large cans tomato paste
water or stock to desired consistency. Could also add some red wine.
2 Tbs. oregano
1-2 Tbs. sugar
1 chopped onion
handful frozen peas
salt, pepper
1-2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
Brown veal cubes in hot oil. Remove. Brown sausage in same pan. Remove. Add onions and saute until softened. Then add garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and saute a minute more. Mix in veal and sausage.

Pour can of tomatoes into blender and blend briefly to break tomatoes down. Pour blended tomatoes, tomato paste, water or stock and wine, plus sugar into pot with meat. Simmer 2 hours on low. Add bell peppers and 1-2 tsp. baking soda. Simmer to cook peppers. Add peas. Simmer to heat through.

Serve in bowl with fresh bread. Should be soupy enough to eat with a spoon and dip your bread!

Day 3

Breakfast: cappuccino, OJ, ham and cheese omelet, rye toast, cantaloupe and blueberries

Lunch: rewarmed mac & cheese, raw veggies

Dinner: pork carnitas on tortillas, black beans, rice

Evening: warm chocolate chip cookies

What will you cook this winter while snowed in? Please share your favorite comfort foods with the rest of us! Leave a comment below.

Home Baked Bread – It’s The Yeast I Can Do!

My New Year’s Resolution in 2015 was to overcome my fear of yeast. I love to bake, but had avoided this one-celled nemesis my entire life. This basic recipe for French Bread was so simple to make, it quickly became one of my favorites, and even led me to experiment with sweet rolls from scratch, Easter breads, and pizza dough. I’ll get to those treats on another day, but for now, let me share the recipe that started it all: French Bread.

Ingredients

1 heaping Tbs. active dry yeast (or 2 packets)
(Tip: Do not get the kind for bread makers.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water
(Tip: 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit unless your packets say otherwise. I use a cooking thermometer to get it right. Too hot and the yeast will be burned alive. Too cold and they will refuse to do their work.)

5 1/2 – 6 cups flour
(Tip: I prefer King Arthur unbleached bread flour, but you can use whatever you like.)

2 tsp. salt

Directions

Mix yeast, sugar, and hot water in your electric stand mixer bowl. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, until bubbly. Add 2 cups of flour and 2 tsp. salt. Using the dough hook, mix until well blended. Slowly add 3 and 1/2 cups – 4 cups flour until good dough consistency. (Not too sticky.) Knead for 3-4 minutes on low setting of mixer.

Add a little oil to a clean bowl and rub it around with your hands. Transfer dough into the oiled bowl and roll it over to cover with oil.

Cover bowl with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. This is typically an hour.

Punch it down.

Split the dough into two equal halves.

Place one half on a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle.

Roll from wider side to form a loaf. Lay on ungreased baking sheet, seam side down. Tuck ends underneath. Repeat with second half of dough.

Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 diagonal slits across top of each loaf. Cover with the towel and leave in warm spot for another 30 minutes. Start preheating your oven to 350.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven. At this point you could butter the tops and sides if you prefer a softer crust. Cool completely before wrapping and storing. Best to eat while warm. Keeps for a day or two if you refrigerate.

If you have a home baked bread recipe you love, please share it in the comments below!

Brad Nierenberg the Home Chef

brad | the | gourmand

Category: Uncategorized

Banana Split Dessert Hits the Spot

A Better Way to Chop

Pie Crust and Two Kinds of Quiche

Cookbook Recommendations by Brad Nierenberg

Knife Love

My Risotto Rocks!

Chicken Pot Pie – The Perfect One Pot Meal

Flashback to My Youth: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Snowstorm Cooking Plan – Enjoy the “Comforts” of Home

Home Baked Bread – It’s The Yeast I Can Do!