Monthly Archives: October 2012

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

These twice baked potatoes are called marbled because they also contain sweet potato that is mixed with the baked russet potatoes.  They make a colorful addition to any meal.  I prepared them to go along with the smoked tuna I described yesterday.  I have long known how to make them and don’t really have a recipe,  but this is the way I usually prepare them.

MARBLED STUFFED POTATOES

SERVINGS:   4        To make more just adjust the ingredients accordingly.  For every 4 russets use 1 sweet potato.

  • 4 large russet potatoes
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar chees
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce each potato in several places and place directly on the oven rack.  Bake for 1 hour, or until tender.  Let cool slightly.

2.  Peel the sweet potato.  Transfer to a bowl and mash lightly with a fork until almost smooth.

Cut a slice off the top of each russet potato, lengthwise.  Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving the shell intact.  To the white potato, add the sour cream and butter and mix in.  Add the scallions, 1/2 cup cheese , nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

Gently fold in the sweet potato.

3.  Season the potato shells with salt and pepper.  Generously fill with the potato mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

4.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Place the stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet or baking dish and bake until they are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 25 – 30 minutes.

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

MMMMM….mmmmmm!  These are so good !   Give them a try real soon.  I’m sure you will like them.

Kohala Tuna Steaks

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vacations are long anticipated, and over too quickly.  We are now home again refreshed, renewed and ready to pick up where we left off. I had so made food-related adventures that I’m anxious to tell you about, that I don’t know where to start.  I guess the logical place is at the beginning.

Our destination was the eastern shore of North Carolina, where I have family.  On the day of our arrival our host was out deep-sea fishing with friends.  When he came home he brought a selection of fish he and the guys had caught, one of which was tuna.  The next day we cooked it, grilling it in a smoker.       This was my first experience with cooking in a smoker.   We searched through several books on smoker cooking and decided to try this recipe for a mildly flavored marinade so as not to overwhelm the tuna.  It was a good choice.  The butter and sesame oil kept the fish moist and buttery and the acidic flavors of lemon and  rice vinegar and the bite of ginger kept it all in balance.  The flavor of the fish was incredible;  slightly smoky, and falling apart tender.

KOHALA TUNA STEAKS

YIELD:  4 servings

KOHALA MARINADE

  • 6 Tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted, melted
  • 6 Tablespoons Asian-style sesame oil
  • 6 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh gingeer
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 crushed tiny hot red chile (optional)

4 tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick

1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt

soy sauce for serving

DIRECTIONS

1.   Soak wood chips of your choice for about an hour prior to smoking.   We used apple wood chips.

2.  Prepare smoker for barbecuing, bringing temperature to 180 to 200 degrees.

3.  In a shallow pan or baking dish, mix the marinade ingredients.

Place the tuna steaks in the dish and turn to coat both sides with the marinade.  Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 -30 minutes, turning the steaks several times.

4.  Heat a skillet over high heat and sprinkle in the salt.  Drain the tuna steaks.  Sear the steaks quickly on both sides.  Before you smoke meaty fish steaks, such as tuna or swordfish, it helps to sear them quickly over high heat to seal in their juices and add a light crust.

5.  Transfer the steaks to the smoker.  Cook the tuna to desired doneness, 20 – 25 minutes for medium-rare.  Avoid over cooking the tuna. Serve hot with soy sauce.

Suggested go withs:  Mix up a salad of thinly sliced snow peas, carrots, water chestnuts, and napa cabbage or bok choy tossed with a vinaigrette made with Asian-style sesame oil and rice vinegar;  we served this with twice-baked potatoes also.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post.

Wine go-withs include pinot gris, chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc, crisp whites or a fruity reisling.

SOURCE:    Smoke and Spice,   by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

Chicken Provencal Revisited

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,

Chicken Provencal

I made this dish recently to share with a friend of ours who had undergone surgery, and was recuperating at home with no-one to cook for him.  I chose to make this because the recipe makes a large quantity and could easily be split for him and for us.  Its one of my favorites to make whenever I’m called upon to help out in this way.  Everyone who has it always comments on how flavorful it is with its mixture of vegetables and chicken.  Leftovers seem to taste as good if not better the second time around.

I first wrote about this recipe back in April when I was new to writing this blog, and less experienced with my photography.  Having tweaked the recipe a bit since then I thought it was worth presenting again for those of you who may not have seen it.

CHICKEN PROVENCAL

SERVINGS:   6         Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  • 1 broiler-fryer chicken, cut up; or chicken parts to equal 3-4 pounds.
  • 1 scant Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large ribs celery, sliced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 can (29 ounces) tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 cans ( 15 1/2 ounces each) beans, rinsed and drained.  These may be black beans, or any white beans.  My preference is to use 1 can white beans and 1 can black.
  • 1 Tablespoon instant chicken boullion
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1.  In a large skillet drizzle the olive oil and heat to very hot, add the chicken skin side down and cook just to brown, turn over and continue browning. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Saute the raw vegetables in pan drippings.

2.  In the pan drippings, sauté onion, garlic and celery until tender.  Stir in carrots and continue to sauté for another minute.

Add remaining ingredients.

Ready for the oven.

3.  Spoon into a 3-quart baking dish; arrange the chicken pieces on top.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 65 – 75 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

I have served this entree at a dinner party to rave reviews.  What I like about it is the amount of time you have to serve appetizers and visit with your guests while it bakes.  Have a salad made in advance and maybe a loaf of crusty bread to go with it and you will be a hero without a whole lot of effort.

SOURCE:   Taste of Home magazine

Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Brunch, Quick Meals, Sandwichs and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Apple Sandwich

Are you ever at the point where you just crave something really simple but oh, so good?  That happened to me not long ago.  We had been out doing Saturday morning errands and  it was rainy, windy  and chilly.  When I got home I just wanted something hot, and satisfying.  My husband suggested Grilled cheese sandwiches, which I thought was a good idea, but as I got started preparing them one thing led to another and I ended up creating these sandwiches that were oooey, gooey good with the addition of crisp bacon and thinly sliced apples with the cheese.  These have now become my new go-to sandwich for when I need some comfort at lunch time.

GRILLED CHEESE WITH BACON AND APPLES

YIELD:  makes 2 sandwiches.  Scale ingredients up to make  more.

  • 4 slices bacon

    Maple Syrup, Apples and Cheese, Yum!

  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 4 slices whole-grain bread
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese
  • 1 apple, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
  • soft butter

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush each side of bacon slice with maple syrup.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Turn over, and continue baking for another 8 minutes.  Since bacon slices will vary, times are approximate.  Watch closely that it does not become too crisp or burned.

2.  To assemble the sandwich, butter one side to each slice of bread. Lay two bread slices buttered side down, top with a slice of cheese.  Lay 2 bacon strips on top, then some sliced apple, another slice of cheese, and then the last piece of bread, buttered side up.

Building the Sandwich

3.  Place sandwiches, buttered side down, in a hot skillet or grill pan, and cook until cheese is melted, turning over about half way through.  Sandwich should be golden and melty.

Ooey, Gooey, Good!

This Old Table

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Antique Baker’s Table

This old table is an antique baker’s table.  I imagine it once stood in a farmhouse kitchen where the lady of the house used it exactly as intended as the center of her baking activities.  I found it several years ago at an antique show, and since my kitchen at the time lacked a center island,  I purchased it to serve that purpose.

Now it stands in the center of my kitchen where it gets constant use as a way-station for things that are coming or going.  Its where I unpack groceries to put away, deposit foods removed from the refrigerator, place hot foods just removed from the oven, pack up Mr. D’s lunch ready for him to carry off to work, etc.   But I am also proud to say that I use it also for its intended purpose as the center for my baking.

I love and particularly treasure things that are old, and I have a number of antiques.  Especially dear to me are the items that have been in my family for 2-3 generations, because I can associate them with the people who used them. Like my cast-iron frying pans and bean pot that belonged to my paternal grandmother.  When I use them I think of her home fries and her baked beans.  Likewise when I roll out pastry or cookie dough I use a wooden rolling pin that was once used by my maternal grandmother and I remember her wonderful breads and pastries.

Let me take you on a tour of my baking table/baking center. The table is made from cherry wood except for the top.  I don’t know what the wood of the top is, but it has had a lot of use and it shows.  It was, after all, a work surface.  Viewed from the front (see photo above) you will see two drawers with handles.  The upper one is quite shallow, and in it I keep a roll of parchment paper, cookie cutters, tubes of food coloring, muffin cups, bench knife, pizza cutter, anything small related to baking that will fit.

Side view showing large storage bins for dry goods.

The lower drawer is very large, deep and rounded, with a division in the center that creates two bins.  It was meant to hold flour and sugar in large quantities.

Lower drawer open to show the divider in the center creating two bins

As these ingredients were needed, the baker scooped out the required amounts.  I use those bins for storage of bags of specialty flours, brown sugar, confectionery sugar, chocolate and other kinds of chips; and also larger baking tools like my rolling pin, sifter, nut grinder, grater, etc.

Removable pastry board.

Centered above the two drawers is a pull-out pastry board  (note small white knob) that comes completely out of the table and can be placed on top for kneading, rolling, and cutting dough.  I use this board a lot for all my pie making, cookie cutting, shaping of dough, just about anything where I need a large surface.  It is as smooth as satin from all the use it has had;  that’s why I love it.

Antique rolling pin, canister, cookie cutters and sifter.

In this final picture you can see my beloved rolling pin.  It was carved from one piece of wood, I think it’s maple, and it, too, is very smooth;  the wood grain of it is beautiful.  Along with it is pictured one of two old canisters I own and some vintage cookie cutters that belonged to my mother.    I love these old things and when I use them I feel a connection to the people who used them before me.

It has been my pleasure to give you a look into my kitchen, which holds so many things that are special to me.  I hope you have enjoyed it.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers and tagged with , , , ,

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Are you a Starbucks person?  Is that your first stop every morning for a grande, a latte, machiatto, or whatever?   Not me.  No, I prefer to brew my favorite blend at home.  However, at this time of year they feature a flavored coffee that I particularly like because it contains, you guessed it, pumpkin!

Pumpkin Spice Latte:  hot, spicy, so good;  but I’m concerned about the amount of sweetener in it, and after I’ve downed about half the cup, I begin to think it’s just too over-the-top spicy.  So to remedy the situation I experimented with making it at home and I think I’ve come up with an acceptable alternative.  In my version, the sugar is on a sliding scale, so you can adjust to your sweetness level, and although the flavors of pumpkin and spice are there, they are not overpowering.  With this recipe I can make a special cup whenever I want it, and not have to wait for it to be “in season”.

Another reason to like this recipe:  it uses up small amounts of pumpkin from another recipe. Don’t you just hate it when you’re left with a 1/4 cup of this or that?  Now what am I supposed to do with this?  In most cases it gets lost somewhere in the refrigerator, until the day comes when I find it and then MUST throw it out.  EEEEEUWH!     The pumpkin in this case was the perfect amount left over from when I made the Pumpkin Doughnuts.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

YIELD:  2 servings

  • 2 cups milk, or half and half
  • 2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 – 3 Tablespoons sugar (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
  • 1 cup strong, hot coffee
  • whipped cream

1.  Into a medium saucepan put the milk, pumpkin and sugar.  Heat over medium heat until hot, but do not boil.

2.  Remove from heat and add vanilla, pumpkin spice and coffee.

3.  Pour into two large mugs, and garnish with whipped cream, and an extra pinch of pie spice.  Add a cinnamon stick if you wish.

This tastes like “the real thing”!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

SOURCE:  adapted from “Almost Real”,  the Food Network

Oatmeal Pear Scones

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bread, Rolls, Breakfast, Brunch, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

I went to the orchard recently to get some fresh apples and pears.  While there I noticed some recipes that were available using some of the products they were selling.  On looking through them I came upon this one for scones that included chopped fresh pears. Unusual, I thought, and worth trying out.  The recipe also called for ground ginger, but I knew immediately that I would put in some crystalized ginger, because pears need something with a little zing to enhance their flavor, and also just because I love candied ginger and use it whenever I can work it in. The recipes were free for the taking, so—I came home and soon began to bake these scones.  There is no rolling of dough or cutting involved.  They are simply dropped by the 1/4 cupful onto a baking sheet.  Quick. Easy.  Try them!

OATMEAL PEAR SCONES

YIELD:  Makes 10 dropped-style scones

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped crystalized ginger (optional, my addition)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup unpeeled, finely chopped pear

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, i.e. flour through salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3.  In a small bowl, combine yogurt, egg and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients all at once.  Mix until dry ingredients are moistened.  Gently stir in pear.

4.  Place  10  1/4 -cups of dough on the baking sheet, 2 inches apart.

5.  Bake for 17 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Adding the crystalized ginger worked out very well.  It added an occasional sharp little bite to a very nice, not too sweet accompaniment  to coffee.  I’m so glad to have found this recipe.  I think you will enjoy it, too.

SOURCE:  Courtesy of Belltown Hill Orchards

Scaciatta, a Sicilian Family Heirloom

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Travel & Restaurants and tagged with , , ,

Scaciatta?  What’s that?  You are quite justified in asking that question, because unless you are of Sicilian heritage  or grew up in Middletown, Ct, you most likely are unfamiliar with this ethnic food.

I associate this food  with the city of Middletown as that is where I first knew of it, and where it was baked and served in many of the small family owned bakeries and restaurants.  In the early 1900’s four families from Sicily  settled in Middletown.  Thereafter, other families followed, and soon the population of Middletown was two thirds Italian American.   Scacciatas seem to have originated with those families.  So even though the exact origin of this dish is unclear I call it a family heirloom.  If you were to travel away from this locale,  not many people know what scaciatta ( ska-cha-ta) is.

Basically scaciatta can be likened to a stuffed pizza or calzone.  Essentially it is a pizza dough filled with all sorts of savory things like crumbled sausage, sauce, garlicy broccoli, spinach, potato, and mozzarella cheese. The combinations are many, but the primary ingredients in most are the sausage, sauce and cheese with the vegetables varied.

Everyone who loved this delicious Italian specialty, and depended on having it for Easter and Christmas Holidays have not been able to find it because so many of the well-known Middletown bakeries and restaurants are no longer in business. That was true up until recently, that is.  I discovered it again just last week.  Not too far from where I live is a farm market called Gotta’s Farm, where I stopped to buy some fresh vegetables.  As I entered the store an over powering aroma of something wonderful baking caught my attention.  There in the farm market bakery, scaiattas were just being taken from the oven. Warm, flaky and tender dough enveloping all those fantastic ingredients, and oozing with melted cheese.  Who could resist?  Certainly not me.  I bought several pieces to bring home.  Oh, heaven!  The lost is now found and folks from all over the area are finding their way to Gotta’s to savor once again the wonderful flavors of scaciatta.

Scaciatta with Spinach and Potato

Quick Fall Minestrone

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Soups and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Fall Minetsrone Soup with Cheese Quesadillas

Hit the Road, Jack!  Yep, that’s us. We’re hitting the road, going on a little vacation, going south, going to visit family, going, going, almost gone.  But before I go, I need to clean out the refrigerator, use up all the bits of veggies that are in there.  So what I’m making is a minestrone soup.  This easy soup  is made up of fresh fall vegetables, some orzo and a can of beans, making it hearty and filling.  I plan to freeze what we don’t eat so we will have it waiting for us when we get back home.  I know that after a long day on the road we will be happy to have a warming, nourishing soup to  return to.

While I’m away, posts that I have already written will be published, but I will not be available to respond to your comments for a while.  I hope you enjoy reading what I’ve prepared for the next week or so.  When I get back I hope to have some new sights, foods, and dining experiences to tell you about.

QUICK FALL MINESTRONE  (alias, Clean- out -the- refrigerator- before -I -go -on- vacation soup)

YIELD:  8  servings

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

    My ingredients differ slightly from the recipe, because of what I had to use up.

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash ( I only had about half that amount so I added about 1 cup of cauliflower florettes)
  • 2 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
  • 1 cup cut-up green beans, about 1/4 pound
  • 1/2 cup sliced carrot ( I used fennel instead)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups chopped greens, such as kale, spinach, broccoli rabe
  • 1/2 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
  • 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
  • grated fresh Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

1.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic, sauté  2 1/2 minutes or until tender.  Please excuse me,  I got so caught up in this step, I forgot to photograph it.  But I’m sure you know what sautéing onions and garlic look like. 🙂

Broth and seasonings added to the sautéed vegetables.

2.  Add the broth and the next 7 ingredients (broth through salt); bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes.

Greens added; in my version I used broccoli rabe.

3.  Add greens, orzo, and beans;  cook 7 – 10 minutes or until orzo is done and vegetables are tender.

Ready for the soup bowls.

4.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese to serve.

My version of Fall Minestrone served with Cheese Quesadillas

To go along with the soup I made Cheese Quesadillas:  6 – inch flour tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese in the middle, warmed in a skillet till cheese melted.

Corn Chowder

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Soups and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Yesterday was a day that I definitely wanted to stay indoors.  Outside we had torrential rain and strong gusty winds.  Even though the air was humid and warm it put me in the mood for a hot soup for dinner.  Remembering the corn I had cut from cobs and froze, I decided to make a corn chowder.

Corn Chowder

There are any number of recipes out there for corn chowder, and I have tried several, but the one I keep coming back to is this one which includes bacon.  I like the smokiness it adds, and the bits of color in the finished soup.  This version also includes potatoes, and they make it a bit more hearty, especially  if served for a dinner meal.  This could easily become a vegetarian meal by omitting the bacon and using a vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

CORN CHOWDER

YIELD:   about 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 slices thick bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced

    Ingredients for Chowder. One can of chicken broth, not two.

  • 3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped red or green pepper
  • 1 can chicken broth (approx. 2 cups)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 medium potatoes, cup into small chunks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • chopped parsley, optional

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a large saucepan, cook bacon till crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Reserve bacon drippings in pan.

2.  Add onion, celery and pepper to saucepan. Sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  (I didn’t have any peppers so I added some roasted red pepper at the end with the corn).

Add broth, water and potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer covered 10-15 minutes or just until potato is tender.

3.  Stir in  milk, corn,  and bacon;  return to a simmer, stirring occasionally and cook just to warm through.  Do not allow to boil.  Prior to serving sprinkle in chopped parsley if using.

Corn Chowder and Rustic Whole Grain Bread: True Comfort Food.

When I haven’t made this chowder in a while I forget how good it is, but one taste is all it takes to make me know how much I love it, and why this is the one recipe I make over and over.  I’m so happy to share it with you.  You must make it on a damp chilly day and serve it with a hearty loaf of rustic bread.  True comfort food!

SOURCE:  This clipping has been in my recipe box for ages.  I don’t know it’s origins.