If any of you ever get around to visiting us in Portland (hint, hint), we may be obliged to take you to our favorite local German restaurant. Well, probably not, unless you're Mom and Dad, but we'll at least make our favorite thing from their menu...DILL PICKLE SOUP!! Before you turn your nose up at such a thought, you have to believe me when I say, "try it, you might like it. If you try it, you might like it!" So Mom and Dad, this one's for you. We're making it for dinner tonight, so I'll be sure to take pictures and post an update on the success.
Dill Pickle Soup
Yields 6-8 servings
3 T. butter
3 oz. onion cut into julienne strips then into thirds
1/2 C. white wine
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
4 C. water
1-1/2 C. marinade from pickles
4 large pickles cut into julienne strips, then into thirds
2 t. dried dill weed
1/2 C. whipping cream
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
salt/pepper, to taste
Melt butter in large pot.
Add onion and sauté until soft.
Add wine and continue cooking until almost all liquid evaporates.
Reduce heat and stir in flour, do not brown.
Combine water and pickle marinate.
Whisk into mixture all at once.
Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until soup thickens.
Add pickles and dill.
Stir in cream.
Add poultry seasoning and salt/pepper to taste.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Mexican Pork Pie
If someone has posted this before, I have two things to say to you. First, sorry for stealing your thunder, and second, THANK YOU! Both my computer and cupboards are bursting with recipes, the majority of which I have never tried. I can't remember where I saw this recipe, nor how long I've had it, but it came to my attention the other day and I thought I'd give it a try. Boy oh boy, am I glad that I did! I DESPISE chicken pot pie, or the like, but this is so different, and SO good. Oh, and easy too!
Mexican Pork Pie
Yields 6 servings
If you prefer, top the pie with corn bread batter instead of quick-cooking polenta. ***To make corn bread, in a bowl, stir together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 Tbs. sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir in 1 cup milk and 1 beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes longer in the final step below, or until golden brown.
***I whipped up a basic cornbread mix from the box, and used that instead. It was awesome.
2 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt, to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs. chili powder
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) crushed plum tomatoes
1 tsp. crumbled dried oregano
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
Generously season the pork with salt. In an ovenproof sauté pan over high heat, cook the pork, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the water has evaporated, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
Increase the heat under the sauté pan to medium-high, sprinkle the pork with the chili powder and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the broth, the tomatoes and the oregano and simmer until the flavors are blended, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Spoon the polenta over the top of the pork. Bake until the polenta is browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Mexican Pork Pie
Yields 6 servings
If you prefer, top the pie with corn bread batter instead of quick-cooking polenta. ***To make corn bread, in a bowl, stir together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 Tbs. sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir in 1 cup milk and 1 beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes longer in the final step below, or until golden brown.
***I whipped up a basic cornbread mix from the box, and used that instead. It was awesome.
2 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt, to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs. chili powder
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) crushed plum tomatoes
1 tsp. crumbled dried oregano
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
Generously season the pork with salt. In an ovenproof sauté pan over high heat, cook the pork, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the water has evaporated, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
Increase the heat under the sauté pan to medium-high, sprinkle the pork with the chili powder and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the broth, the tomatoes and the oregano and simmer until the flavors are blended, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Spoon the polenta over the top of the pork. Bake until the polenta is browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Bandeja paisa
If you ever get the chance to eat Bandeja paisa prepared by an actual Colombian, I'm sure it would taste much better than my attempt. Our dear friend Maria made this meal when she was last in Portland, and I've been bugging her husband for the recipe for months! Bandeja paisa is actually the full meal, but I'm just going to post some recipes that make up part of the feast.
This is traditionally made up of the beans, white rice, beef (carne en polvo), sausages, eggs, fried plantains, and avocados to garnish.
Frijoles Paisas
3 cups pinto beans
1/2 pound bacon
6 cups water
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 green plantain, cut into 1/4- inch pieces
GUISO:
1 tablespoon chopped onions
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1. Wash the beans and soak overnight in cold water. Drain the beans and place in a large pot and add the water and bacon. Over medium-high heat, bring the beans to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the beans to cook until almost tender, approximately 2 hours.
2. When the beans are cooking, prepare the guiso. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, add the tomatoes, onions, scallions, salt, garlic, cilantro and ground cumin and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. When the beans are almost tender, add the guiso, plantains, carrots and salt. Cover and cook for another hour or until the beans are fully cooked. (Add additional water as necessary). Serve with chorizo sausages, avocado, fried plantains and rice.
Fried sweet plantain (TAJADAS DE PLATANO)
Yields 6-8 servings
3 Large very ripe plantains
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1. Peel the plantains and cut diagonal into about 1/2 inch thick slices.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the plantain slices to the pan, keep in a single layer, and cook about 2 minutes on each side.
3. Remove the plantains with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve warm.
Rice with Caramelized Onions
Yields 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, thinly slice
2 cups long grain white rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, sugar and garlic and cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the rice, stir with a wooden spoon to coat well, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth and salt bring to a boil, stir and decrease the heat to low.
Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
This is traditionally made up of the beans, white rice, beef (carne en polvo), sausages, eggs, fried plantains, and avocados to garnish.
Frijoles Paisas
3 cups pinto beans
1/2 pound bacon
6 cups water
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 green plantain, cut into 1/4- inch pieces
GUISO:
1 tablespoon chopped onions
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1. Wash the beans and soak overnight in cold water. Drain the beans and place in a large pot and add the water and bacon. Over medium-high heat, bring the beans to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the beans to cook until almost tender, approximately 2 hours.
2. When the beans are cooking, prepare the guiso. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, add the tomatoes, onions, scallions, salt, garlic, cilantro and ground cumin and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. When the beans are almost tender, add the guiso, plantains, carrots and salt. Cover and cook for another hour or until the beans are fully cooked. (Add additional water as necessary). Serve with chorizo sausages, avocado, fried plantains and rice.
Fried sweet plantain (TAJADAS DE PLATANO)
Yields 6-8 servings
3 Large very ripe plantains
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1. Peel the plantains and cut diagonal into about 1/2 inch thick slices.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the plantain slices to the pan, keep in a single layer, and cook about 2 minutes on each side.
3. Remove the plantains with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve warm.
Rice with Caramelized Onions
Yields 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, thinly slice
2 cups long grain white rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, sugar and garlic and cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the rice, stir with a wooden spoon to coat well, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth and salt bring to a boil, stir and decrease the heat to low.
Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Christmas goodies
I have to admit that I am NOT ready for Christmas. I haven't done any baking, aside from a couple of things for my book club party this past Monday, and I especially haven't even though about what I'm going to do for our neighbors. But if I had to choose a small number of items to include on a plate of treats, here's what I'd pick off the top of my head - some of these are oldies but goodies...
Coconut bread
Cranberry bliss bars
Rhonda's Gianduia Snowballs
Ramona's holiday fudge
aside from that, maybe some gingersnaps? I just can't decide. Anywho - I know the recipe for coconut bread is in the family cookbook, and just in case you need it again, here's the next one on the list:
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
4 oz. white chocolate, cut into chunks
Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup diced dried cranberries
Drizzled Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 tsp vegetable shortening
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake is light brown on top. Allow cake to cool.
3. Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced dried cranberries over the frosting on the cake.
5. Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.
6. Cover the cake and let it chill out in the fridge for a couple of hours, then slice the cake lengthwise through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.
Makes 16 bars
Coconut bread
Cranberry bliss bars
Rhonda's Gianduia Snowballs
Ramona's holiday fudge
aside from that, maybe some gingersnaps? I just can't decide. Anywho - I know the recipe for coconut bread is in the family cookbook, and just in case you need it again, here's the next one on the list:
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
4 oz. white chocolate, cut into chunks
Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup diced dried cranberries
Drizzled Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 tsp vegetable shortening
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake is light brown on top. Allow cake to cool.
3. Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced dried cranberries over the frosting on the cake.
5. Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.
6. Cover the cake and let it chill out in the fridge for a couple of hours, then slice the cake lengthwise through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.
Makes 16 bars
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Christmas Cookies
I'm going to a cookie exchange next week so I thought I'd try out a couple recipes to help prepare my stomach for eating mass amounts of deliciousness. Plus, I have to decide what I'll be bringing. I know it's not a cookie, but we made rice-krispie treats with the gingerbread marshmallows and they were yummy!! Here's the first cookie recipe that I am definitely doing. They are FABULOUS, especially with the dark chocolate. I didn't have any nuts, so they weren't true to the intended flavor, but Bryce prefers it that way. Besides, they melt in your mouth better without nuts to choke on. (sorry Dad--I know it hurts you to hear this blasphemy, so I'll make them with nuts for the cookie exchange.)
Gianduia Snowballs
2 eggs
6 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 c. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans
Using a wire whisk or an electric mixer with a whip attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and light--about 6 minutes. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water in double boiler. Let cool completely, then stir into egg mixture. Add vanilla extract. In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to egg mixture and mix will. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Using a 1 3/4" schoop, form into rounded balls and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Do NOT flatten. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes or in refrigerator 2 hours to firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but still soft inside. Do NOT overbake. Remember your glass of cold milk to enjoy with these!!
The second one we tried today was good, but had a problem I want you to solve for me. The flavor is great, although a little sweeter than I expected it to be. I used pineapple-orange juice concentrate because I couldn't find any straight o.j. I love the basic recipe because of the orange/cranberry combination with cloves. It reminds me of Mom's russian refresher drink mix recipe. The smell is just amazing! The problem I had is that the cookies came out flat. I like my cookies to be a little fluffier. What do I need to change in this recipe to help prevent the flatness? Or could it have something to do with the amount of beating or something else? Let me know what your thoughts are.
Frosted Cranberry-Orange Cookies
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. grated orange zest
3 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pistachios or walnuts (again, we left these out)
Orange Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Add egg, orange zest, and o.j. concentrate and beat until blended. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, cloves, and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. To make icing, stir together all ingredients until smooth. Spread on cookies.
Gianduia Snowballs
2 eggs
6 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 c. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans
Using a wire whisk or an electric mixer with a whip attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and light--about 6 minutes. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water in double boiler. Let cool completely, then stir into egg mixture. Add vanilla extract. In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to egg mixture and mix will. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Using a 1 3/4" schoop, form into rounded balls and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Do NOT flatten. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes or in refrigerator 2 hours to firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but still soft inside. Do NOT overbake. Remember your glass of cold milk to enjoy with these!!
The second one we tried today was good, but had a problem I want you to solve for me. The flavor is great, although a little sweeter than I expected it to be. I used pineapple-orange juice concentrate because I couldn't find any straight o.j. I love the basic recipe because of the orange/cranberry combination with cloves. It reminds me of Mom's russian refresher drink mix recipe. The smell is just amazing! The problem I had is that the cookies came out flat. I like my cookies to be a little fluffier. What do I need to change in this recipe to help prevent the flatness? Or could it have something to do with the amount of beating or something else? Let me know what your thoughts are.
Frosted Cranberry-Orange Cookies
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. grated orange zest
3 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pistachios or walnuts (again, we left these out)
Orange Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Add egg, orange zest, and o.j. concentrate and beat until blended. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, cloves, and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. To make icing, stir together all ingredients until smooth. Spread on cookies.
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