What treats are you planning on lavishing upon your Mother on Mother’s Day?
Maybe a few nice bottles of wine or olive oil? Wrap them like this!
How about this beautiful cookbook?
You could bake her a cake?
Or make her laugh.
Happy Mother’s Day!
What treats are you planning on lavishing upon your Mother on Mother’s Day?
Maybe a few nice bottles of wine or olive oil? Wrap them like this!
How about this beautiful cookbook?
You could bake her a cake?
Or make her laugh.
Happy Mother’s Day!
When done correctly, it’s a thing of beauty.
Classic Margarita
For the Lime Simple Syrup:
Juice and zest of 10 Limes
1 cup Granulated Sugar
2 cups Water
Mix all the ingredients together in a sauce pan and heat over medium high on the stove top. Bring just to a boil and stir to melt the sugar. Take off the heat and set aside to steep the limes and infuse the syrup (about 15 minutes). Strain and store in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Margaritas:
Add ice to a tall glass
2 parts Tequila
3 parts Lime Simple Syrup
Add a pinch of sea salt, sprinkled over the drink to garnish.
My biggest peeve about chicken pot pie is that the crust to stew ratio is terribly disproportionate.
For the Stew:
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup Flour
4-5 cups Chicken Stock
Salt & Pepper
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
2 cups Mixed Vegetables
I used a combination of frozen (thawed) and fresh veggies I had left over.
4 cups cooked Shredded Chicken
You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or roast your own. I roasted 2 big chicken breasts then let them cool before I shredded.
In a large high sided pot over medium high, melt the butter. Add the flour and mix until a paste forms. Add the stock, whisking briskly. Turn the heat down a bit and continue to whisk until the sauce is thick. Add more stock if it’s too thick. Season with salt and pepper and the herbs de Provence.
Add the vegetables and shredded chicken. Stir to combine then heat through. You can set this aside off the heat and get started on your pastry crust.
For the Crust:
1 package Puff Pastry (I use Pillsbury)
Egg wash = 1 egg mixed very well with a bit of water
Salt & Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Defrost the puff pastry and unfold onto parchment lined baking sheets. Cut each pastry sheet into fourths and arrange so they are about an inch or so apart.
Now for each square, measure in at each side roughly half an inch in, and score a line with a knife. Don’t cut all the way through!
Use the egg wash on the outside border of the square. Try not to dribble on the sides or the square won’t puff.
Season with salt and pepper, and place in the over for 20 – 25 minutes.
When they are golden brown and puffy, set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled gently press down along the score line creating a little cup in the pastry.
Spoon the stew into the pastry crust and serve.
I’ve found a site that features videos from the ever amazing, always chic Ines de la Fressange. I’ve been glued to them for hours a while as Ines shows us all her favorite spots and treats in Paris.
C’est tellement génial! Aimez-la!
For most of us we are in limbo. The morning is cold and raining or (forbid) snowing, then the afternoon is sunny but we’re still hopping gingerly over puddles on the sidewalk. In lieu of moving to L.A., of which I glumly read it’s a wondrous 70+ degrees today, I offer my solution to the indecisive weather.
1. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
2. Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams
3. Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
4. Calculated In Death by J.D. Robb
How about you? Have you read anything good lately? Join me at Goodreads.
I made this last night from my cookbook “The Family Table” Now available for iPad!
Chicken Tikka Masala
I knew the moment I took a bite of this classic dish at Vama in London, I’d have to find a way to recreate it.
For the chicken and marinade:
2 ½ lbs. skinless, boneless Chicken Thighs
1 cup plain Yogurt
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon finely grated Ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground Cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground Coriander
¼ teaspoon ground Cardamom
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Pepper
In a large non-reactive (glass or ceramic) dish, combine everything above.
Add the chicken to the marinade, and coat well. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight if you can, or for at least an hour.
After the chicken is finished marinating, remove it and scrape off as much of the yogurt mixture as possible. Preheat your outdoor grill or oven broiler. Grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. No need to cook the chicken through, it will finish cooking in the sauce. Set aside and start the sauce.
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large Onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon grated fresh Ginger
2 ½ tablespoons Garam Masala
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon ground Coriander
1 tablespoon ground Cardamom
2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
¼ cup Almond Flour
(adjust the spices to your liking, we like aromatic but not blow your head off spicy)
1 tablespoon Butter
5 cups canned, crushed Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 ½ cup Heavy Cream
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add the spices and almond flour and butter, cook for about 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, sugar and chicken. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the cream and continue to simmer until thick.
Serve with naan bread and basmati rice.
P.S. Does any one have a proper Naan recipe?
P.P.S. I had quite a bit of sauce left so, I froze it for next week!
I served it with “The Best Pork Loin Ever!” but it would be very nice with roast chicken or grilled flat-iron steak.
Savory Bread Pudding
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
15 slices or about 8 cups Texas Toast
1 12oz. package Frozen Chopped Broccoli (thawed)
1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
6 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 rashers of Bacon
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
Cut the bread into roughly 2 inch chunks leaving the crust on and place in a very large mixing bowl. Add the thawed broccoli.
In a separate bowl mix together the milk, eggs, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper and chili flakes.
Pour over the bread and mix until the bread is well coated with the egg mixture.
Pour into a large buttered baking dish and top with the bacon.
Bake for 40-50 minutes. Cover with foil if the top browns too quickly.
Getting my younger son out the door with a bit of breakfast in him is a challenge. He’s not really a breakfast guy and would prefer to eat later in the morning at school, which is alright IF he does it.
So we talked about what he’d like me to have on hand for quick and easy eats in the morning. He suggested some of those frozen breakfast sandwiches. You know the brand, the one with the guy in that costume? Ahem.
So this morning I went to pop one in the microwave for him and this is what I found:
Please excuse my language but, ARE YOU SHITTING ME!?
I looked at the box and read the serving size is two of those.
For a 15-year-old boy.
Yeah um, no.
I must say that I’ve had limited experience with this kind of product, but I figured whatever to get the boy to eat right?
Again, uh…no. I felt a little insulted actually.
I know a lot of parents have had a literal belly full of processed packaged food, I read about it on-line all the time. I see lovely recipes on Pinterest for homemade healthy makeovers of fast or processed foods. It was all very interesting but I never thought I’d give it a go until this morning.
Breakfast Sandwiches (makes 4)
4 English Muffins
4 Large Eggs
Salt & Pepper
8 slices Canadian Bacon or Ham
4 slices Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese
Toast the English muffins under the broiler for 2 minutes then set aside.
Scramble the eggs one at a time over medium heat using egg rings or a single serving mini pan.
If your making a lot try using a muffin tin in a moderate oven stirring every minute or two.
Slide the eggs onto the English muffins, and then add the ham and cheese. Pop on the top. Allow the sandwiches to cool then wrap with cling film and place in the fridge.
To re-heat: Unwrap and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds.
BOOM!
So, it took me 30 minutes to make and assemble them. Even cooking the eggs one at a time in my twee little pan.
Yes I bought it because it’s cute. Wanna make something of it?
I guess the lesson I learned here is: If you want something done right, do it yourself.
Edit: I looked closer at the box yesterday and read that this was the “snack size” of this brand. So I do applogize for trash talking about the size of your buns Mr. Sunshine Costume guy.
PPS. They’re still too small!
A feast for the eyes and belly, Mimi Thorisson writes about her life in Medoc France with her photographer husband, children and dogs. I love going to her site for her wonderful recipes, that remind me of the things my Grandma Naomi used to cook. The photography, done by her husband, is really beautiful.
Kathleen Rear 