Danish Wedding Cookies (AKA pecan puffs)

My mother in law use to make my favorite cookies for me every Christmas. I carry on the tradition. Here is her recipe. Couldn't be simpler, but oh so good!

Cream 1/2 lb unsalted butter with 4 T sugar
Add 2 cups lightly toasted ground pecans
Sift 2 cups flour wiht 1 t salt and add to butter/sugar/nut mixture
Roll into small balls and bake @ 300 degrees for about 20 minutes
Cool on a rack
Shake gently in a bag with confectioners sugar while still warm and again after they have cooled completely.
Gobble 'em up! Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2018 - Latkes

So the 2018 meal was a success....and I didn't kill myself trying out ten new recipes. I did make way more than we needed, but it was more of a gourmet type meal which I always enjoy....a little deviation from the norm, but reminiscent of the flavors of the season. The one new thing I made this year was latkes. I figured we have all had enough mashed potatoes....A little potato crunch on the side could be nice....When looking into the history of latkes this is what I found:

Although many Americans associate potato pancakes with Hanukkah, they have more broad origins. They originated in the eastern European countries of Germany Austria, Russia and Poland as a peasant food. Potatoes were cheap, plentiful and easy to store, making them a staple and necessitating inventive potato recipes.

Of course I would like it. I am a sucker for comfort food. Mac and Cheese, Pasta Fagioli, Spaghetti....all cultures have a go to peasant food. Latkes is another great one to embrace. The beauty of these is that you can make them ahead of time and pop them in the freezer and pull them out as you need them. Another plus when you have a million other things to fix. Crispy on the outside, creamy in the center. For peasant food it surprises me how specific you must get with the cooking instructions to keep them crispy, but done according to Cook's Illustrated's instructions they are delicious (and messy to make!). Another wonderful holiday and no other pictures to show of the food....Oh well, it disappears too fast! Bon appetit!

(Served alongside Avacado Dip, Herbed Roast Turkey and Gravy, Farro Succotash, Red Island Sea Peas, Arugula Salad with Oranges, Feta and Sugared Pistachios, Pureed Butternut Squash, Simple Cranberry Sauce, Bread Stuffing with Sage and Thyme, Pumpkin Rolls, Pumpkin Pie and Apple Crisp). 

Recipes for latkes and other recipes found below:

https://www.freep.com/story/life/food/recipes/2015/07/30/healthy-table-avocado-dip-nutrition/30901523/

http://www.saltandserenity.com/tag/cooks-illustrated-potato-latkes/

http://dinnerfordudes.blogspot.com/2017/11/herbed-roast-turkey-and-turkey-gravy.html

http://dinnerfordudes.blogspot.com/2017/12/christmas-2017-herb-crusted-beef.html

http://dinnerfordudes.blogspot.com/2016/02/snowy-night-and-turkey-chili-with.html

http://dinnerfordudes.blogspot.com/2016/10/succotash-with-farro-piccolo-la-anson.html

http://ansonmills.com/recipes/454

Brown Rice and Adzuki Bean Bowl

Made this little number tonight and it was delicious. Everything was so fresh and the Asian miso dressing was divine. I love adzuki beans and am always looking for new ways to use them. I loved the colors, the crunches and the healthy way I felt after eating this meal. Bon appetit!
The author's pictures certainly do it justice!!!!!

https://www.loveandlemons.com/brown-rice-and-adzuki-bean-bowls/

Kaddo Bourani

A wonderful Afghani meal, Kaddo Bourani fed my soul (and my soul sisters) last night. A good friend made it for me earlier this week with ground turkey which was something different. I made it with ground chuck which is what the recipe calls for, but both ways were awesome. Note that the pie pumpkins are VERY hard to cut so I did choose to use the butternut squash (the last from our garden) which was perfectly permissable. I love the Israeli spices, especially in the fall.

I even took it a step further this morning and made some delicious toast upon which I put two fried eggs and a bit of the meat sauce and yogurt mint sauce. Suffice it to say it was wonderful! I can imagine the meat sauce could be a great addtition to many different types of dishes.

Happy fall! Bon appetit!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/kaddo-bourani-50023120

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've made a zillion Mexican soups over the years, and never tire of them. This one is pretty on par with the black beans, corn, cilantro, chips, etc. I like the spices in this one. The family loves the spiciness. Spiced very Mexican...Very filling. Always a big hit, especially on a cold, wet rainy day. Bon appetit!

https://www.isabeleats.com/mexican-chicken-tortilla-soup/

Whiskey Brined Pork Chops with Tomato Plum Relish served atop Sweet Corn and Chive Polenta

With a hurricane upon us I must use up whatever I can in the frig in the event we lose power. The garden has produced some late summer things and I hate to waste food. Here goes...a recipe I found in the local newspaper. One thing I LOVE to do when cooking is to "layer" food... a good base layer, a protein, topped off with a beautiful flavorful medley. This recipe captured all my culinary requirements. Sweet corn polenta with fresh corn, whiskey (alcohol marinades always a good thing) brined pork chops and tomato plum relish with fresh garden tomatoes, the last of the season. YUM! Paired with a bottle of delicious CA wine, I am a happy camper. So we've been cooking for three hours...therein is the joy. My opinion...I would substitute grits for polenta (I'm not a huge polenta fan), warm up the relish versus serving it cold...Other than that, I think it is delicious and beautuiful. Bon appetit!!!!!!!

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-herald-sun/20180822/281801399813891

https://siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/celebrate-summer-with-fresh-corn-polenta-and-pork-chops-and/article_c5ace742-4411-5cde-a654-e2ac3eebf156.html

Spring Lamb Sliders

With just a few days left before the youngest returns to college, I am trying to feed this growing boy as much good home cooking as possible. It will be a while before his mother gets to cook for him again. (All this despite the fact that he is attending JMU in the fall which is ranked 7th in the nation for their dining facilities!). Tonight's fare is spring lamb sliders....something that all young men can sink their teeth into and tank up on after a busy weekend. Fuel in the way of rich succulent meat smothered in a tangy vinegar sauce with just a hint of mint....YUM! A big hit and one I will definitely make again due to the sheer simplicity of the dish. The biggest thing here is good farm raised lamb which I am lucky enough to be privy to in my area. Good meat makes for good meals.
Paired with a fresh tomato tart with homegrown tomatoes from our garden. Here's to all the boys and their mamas who love them!!!!!!! Bon appetit!!!!!!

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246667/spring-lamb-sliders/

Heirloom Tomato Tart

As the garden begins to overflow with tomatoes (my favorite homegrown item) we find ourselves working to eat them as fast as they ripen. Tonight we tried this delicious little twist on an Italian Tart with my favorite cheese, goat cheese. It was super yummy! I will be making this again soon.

Shakshuka

So when you are jet lagged and you get home from being gone for several days and there is no food in the refrigerator except the beautiful fresh eggs your daughter in law gave you from her farm, what do you make for dinner....???? Shakshuka with fresh bread, of course. Tunisian in origin, it is popular in Israel as a substantial breakfast or lunch. Eggs, in my opinion, are so underrated. Packed with protein and delicious I love any recipe that incorporates them. I even love putting a fried egg on top of a hamburger! But, I digress....In this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, the egg is the season variant for the summer and early autumn, but can be switched out to eggplant in the spring or potatoes in the winter. Any way you make it, the richness of the tomatoes and the spiciness of the harissa adds a real punch to this dish. Super simple, served with fresh warm bread, done in 30 minutes, only a handful of ingredients I normally keep in the pantry...what's not to love. Bon appetit!!!!!!!

https://food52.com/recipes/65845-yotam-ottolenghi-s-shakshuka

Lobster Corn Chowder

Lobster is certainly a treat and not everyday fare in these parts. Prices up to $25 per pound. But I couldn't resist this lovely lobster corn chowder from Williams Sonoma. All good stuff...lobster, wine, chicken broth, CREAM, corn, bacon, fresh herbs...what's not to love here?! Made a double batch and enjoyed sharing it with friends two nights in a row. Simple, but took some time. Served with fresh homemade bread. Everyone loved it. Of course, it's lobster....who wouldn't love it?!

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/lobster-and-corn-chowder.html

Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb...a memory from my childhood when my Great Grandmother, Gigi, would make the most delicious rhubarb strawberry pies. Now, I am not a huge pie maker, but I still remember the delicious tartness of the pies and when my sister in law hands me a pound of fresh cut rhubarb I wasted no time making a rhubarb compote. SUPER simple. I chose Jaime Oliver's recipe for the simplicity and the added orange and ginger side notes. Delicious! The first night I served it alongside grilled chicken. Second night, a small dish aside some cheese and delicious crackers at a party and tomorrow will see it at a picnic on top of homemade vanilla ice cream. Very versatile. A short lived and often overlooked "vegetable", but it adds a zest to so many things that I will continue to try to find uses for this easy side dish. Bon appetit!!!!!!!

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/stewed-rhubarb-and-vanilla-yoghurt/

Thailand Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato

I love this soup. Very fresh flavors melding together to make soup, one of the most nourishing comfort foods on the planet, and a bright finish to the flavor. Although it is summer in VA we still are enjoying soup! This particular soup is light, but filling. A perfect soup for this time of year as it is light and bright and the flavors just explode. It's beautiful as well and the crowd was impressed! The recipe calls for chicken, but shrimp would work well also. Bon appetit!

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spicy-curry-noodle-soup-with-chicken-and-sweet-potato

Julia Child's Provencal Beehive Cake

Only about four times in my life have I set out to make this cake, but it is one of my very favorites. The brioche dough is what I use to make cinnamon rolls, etc. and is a delightful French treat that is not sappy sweet and more of the consistency of a pastry than a cake.  Filled with amazing rum flavored butter cream and served with a side of fresh berries and a cup of tea/coffee you feel as elegant as if you were having high tea with Her Majesty. Published in Julia's original cookbook, The Way To Cook, you can find a miriad of uses for the dough. While delicious, a word of caution when making this....the ambient temperature can have a huge impact on the results. It is spring here in Virginia, and although not super hot, I found the butter (yes, there is a lot in this dough) began to ooze out and I had to turn on the air conditioning and keep it a bit cooler, despite the fact that I wanted the dough to rise. It is a complex, but rewarding balancing act of time and attention to get this one right. Julia makes it look so simple. And then there is the full time and attention you must devout to the butter cream filling...trying to get the sugar water to the perfect stage and then incorporate it into the eggs without precooking them, only to beat the heck out of them to insure they are cooked, but not overcooked....Not a recipe for the faint of heart.  The good news??????? How can so much butter and so many eggs be bad?????????? While there is a trick to every stage to get it just right, in the end, the amazing ingredients taste so awesome that I'm sure Julia would give you an A just for effort. I find that making 1/2 the dough is sufficient and feeds a large number of people. It is very filling. Bon appetit!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, Julia, for making it OK to eat so much butter!!!!

https://books.google.com/books?id=pzzHQdIXlPYC&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=julia+childs+beehive+cake+recipe&source=bl&ots=5yPI1w7OhQ&sig=c2y0i6-TJ6BqpcsTZwM3llyHudc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje9bbRxu_aAhWIMd8KHWfJDKcQ6AEIeDAO#v=onepage&q=julia%20childs%20beehive%20cake%20recipe&f=false

Pulled Pork BBQ

This recipe is so tangy and yummy. The guys all love it and beg me to make it whenever possible. Making pulled pork couldn't be any easier, (seriously?! If the guy who has the show 'How to Boil Water' can do it, anyone can) just rub it and cook it low and slow. Then just pull it and serve with sauce and homemade coleslaw.  The cider vinegar sauce is super tangy, but you can make any kind of sauce to serve with the pork. We just happen to like this one. Bon appetit, all my Southern friends!  (No pictures as they devoured it immediately).

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pulled-pork-barbecue-recipe-1953137

Thai Peanut Tofu or Chicken Noodles

So, I love Thai food and have been trying to learn how to make more dishes lately that will familiarize me with the spices of the region. I actually turned down a trip to Thailand in January due to scheduling conflicts, but it is on my list and may happen as soon as next year. In the meantime, here is a simple dish that one friend turned me on to that was super quick and simple. I did use tofu which is something I don't really ever cook with, but I gave it a try to see if it might pass the vegetarian daughter in law test. It did. I also opted for the udon noodles. I would make this again and think it would be great with chicken. I think it's a very Americanized version of a Thai dish, but still yummy. Bon appetit.

https://www.daringgourmet.com/thai-peanut-tofu-noodles/

Braised Oxtails with Fresh Pasta & Tomato Gremolata

Yumminess in new places. WHO KNEW about oxtails? Not me! Well, it was a first and super yummy. A little bit cumbersome to work around the bone, a little bit fatty (which I love) and super yummy done in the pressure cooker. Thanks to Will and Alex for coming over and being adventurous! LOVE LOVE to try new things with folks who love food as much as I do. Beautiful presentation with all the veges and the tomato Gremolata was a nice finishing touch. For the first experience with this new food I would say it was delicious. Turns out folks really use to use ox tails, but now the term refers to cow tails. Supposedly good for making soup or stew, I will have to give that a try sometime. Bon appetit!

Cooking note...we did not dredge the meat first. It was all just kind of put in the pressure cooker together and came out delicious. The Tomato Gremolata was just put on room temperature on top of the cooked dish. 

Gomashio

What is Gomashio????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gomashio

Wikipedia doesn't mention how delicious it is. Or how really amazingly good for you it is. It benefits digestion, the vascular system, acts as an antacid to help heal anemia,hypoglycemia, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory diseases associated with an acidic diet, improves energy as well as a number of other hemostatic properties.  Easy to make and delicious used in place of table salt this homemade condiment is an awesome addition to any diet. (I added a small amount of Nori and some dried Shitake mushrooms to mine).

Bon appetit (gochiso-sama)!