Thanksgiving 2011

This year was probably the best Thanksgiving I've had in the last couple years. I did not take overtime at work and made an effort to put together the best holiday meal I think I've ever done. I planned my menu in advance and tried to mix in new with tradition.

This year was super special for many reasons. The first was my daughter. She is three and a half going on thirteen and insistent on helping mommy all the time now. I'm definitely not complaining and this year I gave her the opportunity to do the basting on our turkey. She has been burned before on a burner so she was quite aware of being steady and careful around the hot oven. She watched me diligently as I showed her what to do and she followed suit perfectly.

She means more to me than anything else in this world and it excites me to be passing on my love of cooking to her. She has genuine interest and the other night as I was making goulash using elbow macaroni, she recognized me boiling the noodles and asked me if she could help with the macaroni and cheese. Even though that's not what I was making it made me realize that she is retaining and has processed quite a bit of what I've showed her with my cooking. She did a lot of stirring for me today and did four hours worth of basting. She was super inquisitive when I was putting together my turkey rub/marinade and when I explained the purpose of it, she actually seemed to understand. When Gammy and Papa showed up for dinner, she woke from her nap and the first thing she told them was how she "wasted the turkey." Yes, you read that right. It was cute.

In addition, usually my parents come, eat, and leave. Today they came, we watched a movie (Red), ate, and then watched part of another movie. That was nice because we only ever see each other in passing as I am either dropping off or picking up my daughter on a daily basis before or after I go to work. My father also helped me set up my big Christmas tree. As I type this I am sitting in a living room lit only by the light of a candle, the tv, and two Christmas trees...one is a little one for my daughter, and our big one. I feel cozy, satisfied, and loved.

Third, I made a bunch of sweet potato pies for those in my life who have been extra special to me over the last couple months. I gave one to my second shift co-workers who I work all my overtime with. I passed one on to a wonderful woman who has helped me with watching my daughter at random times where I am hard pressed for a baby sitter. I gave the last one to a man who has slowly become a special part of my life. He met my parents tonight and that was a little worrisome for me since it was not planned. Things went well and I feel a sense of relief. Where he and I will be next Thanksgiving is beyond me at this point and in fate's hands. I am just going to ride the wave, take my time, and enjoy what has been given to me. The feedback from everyone regarding these pies has just confirmed for me that I am doing something right.

This year I can give thanks for so many things that it makes my heart feel full. Loving and supportive parents, great friends and awesome co-workers, a job that allows me to help others in need, a nice roof over my head, a special man, and the greatest daughter I could ever imagine. Whoever the higher power is who is holding my cards....thanks!

Beenie Weenies...my style

Well....tonight was tough. Both my daughter and I are fighting a week long illness with lots of meds and not feeling much better. I didn't feel like driving anywhere or ordering, so scraping together something easy in my kitchen was the only option. However, that was a bigger feat than I had anticipated. I had done my weekly cleanout of the fridge the other day so we had no leftovers. So...I resorted to scanning the cabinets and taking inventory of the few valuable ingredients I had left in the fridge. The result...my thrown together version of beenie weenies. It turned out surprisingly well. Here's how it went:

1 large can of baked beans...I had a store brand and it wasn't anything fancy
to this I added...2 sliced hotdogs
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 diced yellow onion
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard (I love mustard in lots of things and use it often!)
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon prepared minced garlic
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (I almost always have cooked bacon in my fridge...never know when you can use it for flavoring...awesome to have on hand.)

I cooked this combo together until it was boiling and then turned it down and let it simmer for 20 minutes on low so the flavors could blend and the onions could soften. Delicious...for beenie weenies that is.

Comfort food...stuffing

Generally I make stuffing with my roasts and I stuff the birds and then put the extra stuffing in a casserole dish. Since it's just my daughter and I, I have been buying the little fryer chickens, which usually amount to four or five pounds.

So I start with whatever vegetable I feel like adding. Usually it's celery, onion, and mushrooms. Quite a few people in my life do not like mushrooms so I will leave them out when cooking for others. But for myself, I love mushrooms and will add them to anything I can. So last night when putting together my stuffing, I diced a medium yellow onion, a package of button mushrooms, and a four sticks of celery.

I added a stick of butter (1/2 cup). Olive oil works well as an alternative.  To the mixture of veggies I added a teaspoon of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 Tablespoon parsley. 

I cooked this mixture until the onions were clear and the celery was soft. 

Now what I made last night was more than enough for stuffing so I took only half of this skillet and put it into a mixing bowl for the stuffing. The other half I refrigerated to use later in breakfast omelets.

Next for the stuffing I put together what I call my "stuffing marinade." I take two eggs and beat them, then add two cups of either chicken stock or vegetable stock. To that I add 1 teaspoon salt, a dash of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon ground sage. I mixed that together and added it to the sauteed veggies in the mixing bowl. Then I added a cup of milk. 

From there the bread needs to be added. You can buy already prepared bread "crumbs" for stuffing from the grocery store, but regular bread works just as well. To sop up this mixture it took about 20 pieces of white bread...which amounts to almost a whole loaf. 

Put the stuffing mixture into a greased casserole dish. Mine fit into an 8x8 Pyrex dish. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for an hour covered and then 15 minutes uncovered.

Comfort food...roast chicken

Everyone has a favorite food or a favorite meal. I could never pick just one growing up, especially when I started cooking. It used to be lasagna. As I've grown older it has turned into roast chicken with stuffing, creamed corn (my creamed corn that is), mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce (the jelly).

This is how I put together a yummy and moist roast chicken. I should mention that my methods work for turkey also.

Take your chicken or turkey and remove the giblets. I don't eat any of them except for the liver so I save that and cook it in the pan with the chicken. At Thanksgiving I cook all the giblets to use them for gravy.  Wash your chicken thoroughly and place it in your roast pan.

I have learned to stuff mine with fresh vegetables (celery, carrots, and onion...very fragrant) and I swear that's the key to keeping the bird moist. I also surround the bird with veggies and then I pour either vegetable stock or chicken stock in the roast pain so that it's about an inch high. Next comes my marinade. It changes every time...slightly. This time I started with a half cup of olive oil. I added 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground rosemary, 1 teaspoon of ground thyme, 1 teaspoon of ground sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and 1 Tablespoon of parsley. Stir it well and then pour it evenly over the top of the bird.

Roast the bird covered in a 325 degree oven for 15 minutes per pound. The last 15 minutes roast without the lid so that the skin can crisp up.

Comfort food...creamed corn

I HATE...absolutely despise canned cream corn. Here is an alternative that I have refined over the years and use when I make ham roasts and at Thanksgiving. I'll be making it in a couple weeks and will add pics then. It's very simple.

Drain two cans of yellow corn and then put one in a microwave safe dish. Add one package of 8oz cream cheese. Then add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) or margarine and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

Top this with the second can of drained yellow corn.

 Microwave the whole mixture until the shredded cheddar is melted (approx 5 minutes).

Take it out. Stir thoroughly so it is evenly mixed and creamy...should look like thick creamed corn. Microwave for another minute. Stir again and serve. Delicious!!

Comfort food...meatloaf

I was raised with a completely different meatloaf so the one in this blog today has been years in development and changes from time to time. I'll tell you how to make mine and then i'll describe the one I was raised with. Again, everybody is different. You may like it more sweet and wet. I like it more savory and dry. Savory and dry allows you to add yummy toppings without making it into meatloaf soup.

I start with one pound of ground beef and I try to get the lowest fat content possible since it is such a large lump of meat being cooked at once.
I dump that in a mixing bowl (raw) and add:
1 package of dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup French fried onions
2 eggs
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
a shake or two of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion diced and sauteed with 1 medium diced green pepper ( I saute the two in olive oil with a little salt, black pepper, and a shake or two of celery seed)

Mix all the ingredients with a spoon. I use my bare hands to get it mixed thoroughly. Add to a glass loaf pan that is at least 8 inches long.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for at least 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Check it at 45 minutes by sticking a knife in the middle. Pull the knife sideways a little to eyeball the meat. Make sure it isn't pink. If not, it's done.

Serving suggestions:
Beef gravy
Pickle relish!!!! Adds some sweet to the savory of the meat. Even better mixed with ketchup.
Ketchup.
Hotsauce
Grated Parmesan


The meatloaf that I was raised with...that my mother made, was made with lots of ketchup, just a touch of mustard, seasoned bread crumbs, and pickle relish mixed in. It made it very wet and sweet. Sometimes it's good to have that throwback. However you like it, enjoy!!

Comfort food...mac and cheese

Thinking of a concept for a cookbook and even a blog, isn't as easy as it seems. I was raised making comfort food and that seems to be what my friends and family like the most when I cook for them. So...it only seems natural that is what the majority of my recipes will be. I cook more on my two days off then the other five days out of the week. This past weekend I put together that chocolate Baked Alaska, but I also managed to come up with another variation for my savory meatloaf (next post) and improved on my mac and cheese. Here's how it went down:  (and yes Julie, this is mainly for you)

Please realize one of my downfalls is that I don't measure my ingredients so I am using best guesses for the majority of the mac and cheese. May need some refining or good judgment on your part.

You'll need:
8oz or 1/2 lb of uncooked elbow macaroni----boil that bad boy so it's a little underdone...it will finish cooking while baking in the oven
4 cups of shredded (2 bags) extra sharp cheddar
2 cups of some other kind of shredded cheese...I used a bag that had a mixture of mozzarella and parmesan for this recipe but I have used a variety of others before...tailor to your individual tastes (colby jack is also yummy...or you could use a pepper jack to give it a little kick)
1 stick of butter which amounts to 1/2 cup
approximately 1/3 cup flour
1 quart milk...give or take a pint
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
shake of salt here and there...taste test and add as needed...I'm not a salt fan but you may want more

Piece of advice...use a huge non-stick skillet to put this together...makes for easy cleanup.

First you start with making a roux. The roux is what makes the mac and cheese thick, melts the cheese, and binds everything together.

Melt the stick of butter in the skillet and when it is melted, spread the 1/3 cup of flour out around the pan. Add the group pepper, the nutmeg, and the dried mustard. It's going to look like a clumpy mess. Then go ahead and add your quart of milk. Stir well and break up the lumps of flour as your stir. If you cook it at medium heat and stay with it, it should start to bubble and thicken in no time.

When your roux looks like the picture above it's time to start adding the cheese. I added one of the bags of cheddar first, then the Italian mix, and then one cup of the second bag of cheddar. I reserved that last cup of shredded cheddar as topping. Mix all the cheeses thoroughly. If things seem too thick you can add a little more milk at a time to thin it out. There is no right and wrong as to how thick or thin you make it. It's how your preferences are. I like it thick so I had to add a little milk, but not too much...maybe about another cup and a half.

Next you will add your cooked macaroni and stir thoroughly. You may still add milk at this point if you find it necessary. 

Find a dish that will fit your mixture and butter it generously. Pour your mixture in and then top with the reserved cup of shredded cheddar.

I would advise covering with aluminum foul and then bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. When it comes out, it should look something like below. 

The macaroni and cheese is wonderful as it is, but I learned to like it with stewed tomatoes on top. I have a friend who was disappointed I didn't have hot sauce for him to put on. I think it would be good with a layer of seasoned bread crumbs or french-fried onions. Like I said, to each their own. 

One variation I know of...add a can of cream of mushroom soup. I had a friend who made it like that and it was yummy. You could also increase the amounts of nutmeg and dried mustard if you wish. Something else that would be yummy...use a Mexican or Taco blend of cheese and then serve with salsa. Yummo! You could also add chunks of leftover ham.

ENJOY!  Let me know yours turns out...

Chocolate heavenly goodness...aka my version of Chocolate Baked Alaska

For anyone who googles Baked Alaska, you will see that there are many ways that Baked Alaska can be adapted. I decided to attempt my own concoction and judging from the feedback from my co-workers, parents, and honey, it came out spectacularly. So, here is how the process went.

First...I had already made a devil's food cake weeks ago. It is one of my favorite cakes because it freezes well so I usually make a few at a time and save them for later use. I'm not an icing fan and icing does not go well with devil's food, so it's the perfect chocolate cake for me. This 9-inch cake became the base of my Alaska.

Second...the idea is to choose your favorite ice cream. I am addicted to chocolate so I just wanted to find the perfect half gallon to add. I was looking for a chocolate ice cream that had a cookie varigate in it...which means that I wanted areas of crushed cookies (chocolate), but not big pieces like chocolate chip cookie dough. I had found the perfect kind at Bottom Dollar the week before, but it was gone and I was not anywhere near a Bottom Dollar when I was shopping. So, I chose a generic brand of ice cream that was their version of a French Silk chocolate with bands of fudge mixed in...perfect.  To do the ice cream dome is simple. Take a mixing bowl that matches the size of your cake. I have an 8-inch bowl so that was close enough for me. I lined it with plastic wrap to make removal from the mixing bowl much easier and less messy...plus it holds the dome shape. So, I let the ice cream soften for the purpose of shaping. When it was soft enough, I delicately transferred the half gallon spoonful by spoonful.

Third...this is the part I was excited about when brainstorming. I love when ice cream cakes have the crunchy layer in between the ice cream, so I created my own crunchy layer. I bought generic Oreos and crushed about half a bag in a sandwich baggie. I just used my fingers. In the bag it wasn't messy and it didn't get the pieces too small. Then I added a half container of warmed hot fudge (warmed so it could be manipulated). I mixed the two together thoroughly and added it to the top of the ice cream mold. I then covered it all with plastic wrap and put it in my chest freezer (deep freeze) for a couple of hours to re-harden. FYI...if you are putting the ice cream mold into a regular freezer, give it the good portion of a day to harden. They are traditionally not as cold as a deep freeze (chest freezer).

Fourth...when you are ready to put together the finishing touches, you will first need to build the Alaska. Take your mold out, flip it upside down on the cake, make sure it is centered, and then remove the plastic wrap. I chose to build my Alaska inside a cheesecake pan because it will make for easier transferring in and out of the freezer to serve and for stability when cutting. If presentation is important, you can easily remove the sides of the cheesecake pan, and voila...you can see the whole Alaska.

Fifth and last comes the meringue. Most Baked Alaska has a plain or vanilla meringue. My idea was for a cocoa meringue and it flopped. I can tell you why it flopped. The key to a good meringue is to let your egg whites sit at room temperature. I was in a hurry and did not let them sit. It taught me a lesson. 

On my second try I had an audience...my honey, who looked like he didn't have too much faith in me...although he had eaten my first Alaska and loved it. Pressure was on but I accomplished my feat. I separated five egg whites from the yolk...in my hand of course. I let the whites sit for a half hour and then added a teaspoon of cream of tartar. Using a hand mixer I beat the whites and tartar on high for a couple minutes until they were stiff and could form a peak. I then took 2/3 cup of granulated sugar and added it in a steady stream while still running the mixer...this time at medium high. When the meringue looks shiny and still forms stiff peaks, it's done. 

I then spooned/dumped, the meringue on the top of the Alaska and spread it down the sides evenly. Don't waste any time doing this because it will start to liquefy after some time.

Now comes the tricky part. The oven. Some people flambe. I googled and for my purposes, putting it in the oven was the best option to harden the meringue. I warmed my oven to 500 degrees...as hot as it will go next to a broil. The meringue acts as an insulator for the ice cream so as long as you don't have it in there too long then your cake will not burn, your ice cream will not melt, and your meringue will not burn. I put the Baked Alaska in the oven for no more than five minutes and while it was in there I left the oven door open to monitor it. I turned it twice so there was an even brown on the meringue. The result is in the picture below. It turned out wonderfully.

So...the next picture is what it looked like once it was cut open. It turned out well. 

Who knows when I will make it again and what combination I will make. All in all, it's time consuming, but pretty easy to make. Taking orders!!

It's been a while...

When actually signing into the blog I realize how much a slacker I've become. I have made a bunch of things and actually taken pictures to go with, but not posted...so here's the first of a few blogs I'm going to attempt over the next few days to catch up. I apologize.

Essentially my weekends are when I cook the most. This past weekend was no exception. I made my own mac and cheese and tried a new variation of my own meatloaf. Both turned out well, coupled with fried cabbage and canned peas (kiddo loves 'em). The piece de resistance was a chocolate heaven version of Baked Alaska that came to me one night as I was trying to get a nap in before work. Honestly, that seems to be when most of my ideas come. I average about four hours of sleep a day...three right before I have to go into work at 11:30pm. I spend a good half hour of that trying to wind down and that's when I have my ideas for this blog and my ideas for dinners and new recipes. This Baked Alaska was one of the best ideas to date.

Baked Alaska is something I never had growing up, but my parents always spoke about how it was their favorite dessert. It was just never served at the restaurants we went to and my parents were never adventurous enough to think of attempting their own. So in comes someone special in my life who reminds me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and jokingly states that if I can conquer Baked Alaska, he will marry me. I was panicking a bit because Baked Alaska is a bit complicated to put together, but I managed and it actually turned out very well. Baked Alaska is comprised of layers. The first layer is a cake, traditionally a sponge cake, a thick layer of ice cream (usually a half gallon shaped in a dome, and then topped with a vanilla meringue. My first attempt was with a white layer cake, a half gallon of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, and the vanilla meringue. Was delicious...wish I had a picture to share. Although downfall...I'm not married yet. ;)

So, I promise to get caught up in the next couple blogs. Recipes and pics to come include the mac and cheese and meatloaf, the chocolatey Baked Alaska, and my first attempt at Broccoli alfredo. I also want to discuss my first failure in years...a PA Dutch breakfast cake that I used to make years back. Hang in there people (Jules)...recipes to come.