What's Cooking (Take Three!)

Whew. Double batch of egg nog made and resting in the fridge. A double batch consists of a dozen eggs, a pound of powdered sugar, 6 cups of cream, a quart of 80 proof liquor... and two spoons of vanilla!

Still amazes me that a concoction of raw eggs and sugar isn't totally death-dealing by the time it's poured, even with quite a lot of booze in it.

Annual? A once yearly celebration, and what a spread! What are you celebrating?

Celebrating life really. Peter just emerge from the den the other day and said he’d ordered some. Which seems to have become at least annual. Like the annual truffle and other delicious things we seem to have factored into our world. So, hey, why not, particularly as our ability to travel has become quite restricted we spend the money in other enjoyable ways.

And Jeff it was yummy, nothing leftover!

[Jenise]

Good for you, Barb; I get it. Keep celebrating!

I have some Meyer lemons that I will use to make Moroccan preserved lemons for tagine cooking this winter.

I'll be grilling barbecue-rubbed chicken thighs for dinner tonight.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Last night I made a vegan Chinese stir fry just to test the concept. It was delicious, and fresh shitake mushrooms were essential to the satisfaction factor. Other ingredients were bok choy, green onions, snow peas and celery.

Today I'm making lasagna rolls (individual lasagna noodles stuffed, rolled and baked). I'm going to make mine with ground veal, but the ultimate goal is to get a handle on the methodology in order to create a recipe for a lobster version for an Italian Christmas dinner.

Today I'm making lasagna rolls (individual lasagna noodles stuffed, rolled and baked). I'm going to make mine with ground veal, but the ultimate goal is to get a handle on the methodology in order to create a recipe for a lobster version for an Italian Christmas dinner.

In 2003 I attended a wedding and lasagna rolls were served as a course. It's the only time I had them, but was fascinated by the concept. I don't recall the stuffing ingredients, but there was no meat. I believe they were rolled up with ricotta cheese and something green (spinach? pesto?) and topped with a white (Alfredo?) sauce and served on end.

[Jenise]

In 2003 I attended a wedding and lasagna rolls were served as a course. It's the only time I had them, but was fascinated by the concept. I don't recall the stuffing ingredients, but there was no meat. I believe they were rolled up with ricotta cheese and something green (spinach? pesto?) and topped with a white (Alfredo?) sauce and served on end.

Howie, judging by what I saw online today, Giada de Laurentiis might be able to take credit for introducing a lot of America to this concept. Her recipe for just what you describe, ricotta + spinach napped in a tomato sauce, is all over the 'net. I'm sure it's wonderful. I want to use the same idea. Looks aside, I'll be serving 80, so it's a huge plus that we won't have to cut the individual portions, and the layers won't slide or unfurl.

Eggplant rollatini is an old dish. Isn't this just that made with a noodle?

2146 - Lemon Tarragon Chicken with Chanterelles.jpg

Chanterelles are in season here, and I make a pig out of myself when I find them. I made, out of my head, Lemon Tarragon Chicken with Chanterelles for supper tonight. and I didn't even think to take a photo before I started despoiling it. It was so good it didn't last very long, and the Heitz Cellar SB '17 didn't hurt a bit.

And Jeff it was yummy, nothing leftover!

Yeah, can't beat egg salad with rocket.

Jeff, the egg salad and rocket was nothing without the toast points. The rest hmm, not too bad.
Eggnog, this sounds like a thanksgiving thing? How did it go, says she sliding under the table thinking about it.

So we went, together, to a grocery stor we don’t go to often. And i find on our basket kangaroo burgers and a recipe card.
I can take a hint when it’s in my face LOL
Tonight it is Bloody Mary ‘roo burgers.

Eggnog, this sounds like a thanksgiving thing? How did it go, says she sliding under the table thinking about it.

Ho, ho, ho. This is eggnog for New Year's, and maybe Christmas as we are having UK guests this year. (Hence the doubling.)

Aging does good things to eggnog. I usually make it during the big Thanksgiving cook but I decided to give it a few extra weeks this year. And there's more liquor yet to come... to serve, you ladle up a glass of nog and spike it with your preferred tipple... more whiskey, brandy, Kahlua, Grand Marnier.

[Jenise]

2146 - Lemon Tarragon Chicken with Chanterelles.jpg

Chanterelles are in season here, and I make a pig out of myself when I find them. I made, out of my head, Lemon Tarragon Chicken with Chanterelles for supper tonight. and I didn't even think to take a photo before I started despoiling it. It was so good it didn't last very long, and the Heitz Cellar SB '17 didn't hurt a bit.

Great dish, John. I could eat chicken prepared that way just about every day of my life--some herbs, some mushrooms, a wine-y sauce... Do you forage the shrooms yourself?

No, Jenise, I buy them at Oliver's market. They don't have them every day, but when they do, I always figure out a way to use some!

[Jenise]

Yesterday I didn't cook dinner, but roasted roma tomatoes all day to take to a syrah tasting. Absolutely perfect food for Syrahs. Ten pounds filled two sheet pans edge to edge, and the result was one small plate full. The shrinkage is herrendous, but the flavor's so worth it!

[Jenise]

Not much cooking this weekend. On Friday, I made over 100 miniature cuban sandwiches for a wine tasting using lavash bread from Trader Joe's--tiled each with havarti cheese, then ham, then filled with smoked pulled pork and pickles, then rolled into a tight log, pan-smeared to get the cheese to melt and seal the envelope, if you will, and get a top crust, then took them to the event where I baked them at 400 for 20 minutes. Voila, slice and serve. A HUGE hit.

Not home yesterday. Today I'm making marinated mushrooms and a foie gras terrine to take to a Joe Wagner vs. Oregon pinot tasting in Seattle. Will roll the terrine in toasted hazelnuts to get that official Oregon feel.

...tiled each with havarti cheese, then ham, then filled with smoked pulled pork and pickles, then rolled into a tight log, pan-smeared to get the cheese to melt and seal the envelope, if you will, and get a top crust, then took them to the event where I baked them at 400 for 20 minutes. Voila, slice and serve. A HUGE hit.

Cubans, pinwheel style. I like the idea!

Will roll the terrine in toasted hazelnuts to get that official Oregon feel.

Lumpy? Uneven? Nuts everywhere you look? Not sure how to take this...

[Jenise]

Cubans, pinwheel style. I like the idea!

I'm proud of them. A true smash hit for parties, and my own creation. All the ingredients came from Costco, so in essence you HAVE to have a party to take them to because you have to buy so much of each ingredient. Our product cost for these was about $50, but we made 110 1" thick sandwiches for the party and we each kept a roll at home for another meal this week.

Re the terrine: hazelnut groves are all over the Willamette Valley. McMinneville used to be nothing but.

Tonight's dinner will be kheema methi aloo (curried ground lamb with fresh fenugreek and potatoes), along with kesari pullao (saffron rice pilaf).

Thanksgiving dinner will be coq au vin.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Sounds great, Paul. Btw, fresh methi is showing up around here. One of the local Kroger stores, of all things, has decided to up their game on Asian (and East Asian) produce and products. I'm so excited.


Our dinner tonight: a platter of finger food to gnosh on while watching movies. The star of the platter will be pieces of boneless/skinless chicken thighs marinated since last night in Maille mustard, white wine and tarragon which will get dredged in flour/corn meal mixture and oven baked crispy. Crunchy little sugar plum tomatoes and marinated battonets of cucumber will complete the platter.

Eggnog, this sounds like a thanksgiving thing? How did it go, says she sliding under the table thinking about it.

Ho, ho, ho. This is eggnog for New Year's, and maybe Christmas as we are having UK guests this year. (Hence the doubling.)

Aging does good things to eggnog. I usually make it during the big Thanksgiving cook but I decided to give it a few extra weeks this year. And there's more liquor yet to come... to serve, you ladle up a glass of nog and spike it with your preferred tipple... more whiskey, brandy, Kahlua, Grand Marnier.

If we are going to be around for New Year's, I always make some based on this recipe (scroll down to Dad's Eggnog). It isn't unsafe to drink, but it's lethal nonetheless. The first cocktail I ever aged, and the effect of air and time is dramatic. It doesn't seem to make a big difference what liquor is used; I have gone mostly bourbon, mostly rye, used navy-strength rum (adjusting the quantity for proof) and the result is always excellent. As printed, the mixture is so thick that it barely pours, so you can add a bit of milk to taste.

Pretty standard Thanksgiving menu here. I'm making a sweet potato casserole for the first time in a long while.

Polka Dot Sweet Potato Bake
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes or golden yams
A 1/4 c. Parkay margarine
1 cup mini marshmallows (1:10 ratio if using full-size)
A 3/4 tsp. iodized salt

Heat sweet potatoes, combine with margaine, and salt. Place in a greased 1-qt casserole. Bake uncovered at 350F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows, bake 10 minutes more until lightly browned.

From: https://studiogardenbungalow.blogspot.c ... abels.html

An actual vintage recipe for Kraft mini marshmallows. "For cooking, salads, and desserts". No need to continue, you had me at miniature marshmallows. Will use butter in place of margarine, I haven't voluntarily eaten it since I was a kid, except for dairy-free versions when cooking with/for the allergic. Plan to put a thin layer in a personal-size Staub cocotte for everyone so we all get plenty of topping.

One more aside, what is wrong with Whole Foods and marshmallows? A decade ago they were selling fish gelatin ones, which did not taste funny but I couldn't stomach the idea. Checked back in this year and the marshmallows are made out of tapioca. It's not any healthier, the food as a category is profoundly unhealthful.

Ooh, Walt, that does indeed look like embalming fluid with a little sugar.

Now that I check it, though, my recipe is about the same proportions (I end with more cream) though mixed up in a different order!

[Jenise]

We're dining with the Picky Eaters tonight, their home. I was tasked with bringing the potatoes and a pumpkin pie. They don't seem to be stuffing fans and wouldn't have voluntarily prepared any, so I made a sausage-laced separate bread-pudding style stuffing that I hope will win them over to the concept.