Frankman Eating

Swedish Spritz

2010-01-05T10:30:00.003-05:00

This recipe is passed down from Grandma Frankman, and is a traditional Christmas treat made in the Frankman household.

Directions:

1 cup butter (at room temperature) creamed with
3/4 cup sugar

then add:

3 egg yoks
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and then add:

1/4 tsp salt sifted together with
13.5 oz (~ 2 1/2 cups sifted) flour

Put dough in cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets (we prefer to use a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet). Make cookies in shapes of candy canes, wreaths and christmas trees. Decorate with red and green sprinkles and red hots. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until tips are just turning golden brown.

Breakfast Sausage

2009-12-03T12:59:00.005-05:00

* Warning: the following post may cause readers to embrace vegetarianism *

Dave loves to make his own sausage! It takes some of the mystery out of the mystery meat when you see what goes in it, and makes it much more enjoyable to eat!

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork butt (2 1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound fat back, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

White Chili

2009-10-28T15:58:00.005-04:00

A fall favorite around our house! It smells delicious as it is cooking, and is a fun alternative to traditional chili. And truth be told, it did win third place at the Slate Canyon Ward 2007 Chili Cookoff (although, yes, Dave did happen to be on the panel of three judges ...)

Directions:

Add oil to an electric skillet and then add onions and garlics, cook until onions are translucent.

1 T. oil
2 medium onions (diced)
2 garlic cloves (diced)

Add:

2 cups cubed chicken

Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add the following:

3 cups chikcen broth
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. diced cilantro
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. diced oregano
1/4 tsp. tobasco sauce
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
11 oz. California & Washington frozen white sweet corn
16 oz. great northern beans (canned, with juices)
16 oz. baby butter beans (canned, with juices)

Simmer for about 1 hour in electric skillet. Enjoy

Scalloped Potatoes

2009-10-28T15:56:00.004-04:00

This is our favorite companion to a delicious Ham dinner.

Directions:

Peel and slice evenly potatoes (we use a mandolin slicer). Grease a 9x13 pan and put a layer of potatoes on bottom. Sprinkle lightly with flour and dot with butter or bacon grease. Sprinkle diced onions on layer, then add another layer of potatoes. Once again sprinkle lightly with flour and dot with butter or bacon grease. This time sprinkle bacon on layer, then add another layer of potatoes. Repeat until pan is full, alternating layers with bacon and onions.

Heat the following in a bowl in the microwave:

2 1/2 cups milk or cream
2 1/2 tsp. salt (less, if you use lots of bacon or bacon grease)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried mustard

Bake at 350 degrees for 1-2 hours, until potatoes are soft. If potatoes aren't cooking fast enough, it may be necessary to cover with tinfoil to prevent top layer of potatoes from getting too hard.

Shishkabobs

2009-08-26T12:07:00.001-04:00

Shishkabobs Alton Brown style - great for a backyard bbq:

This way, everyone can form their own shishkabobs and cook them to their desired wellness. Recommended to put only meat or only vegetables on your shishkabob, not only to prevent contamination from raw meat, but also to facilitate more even cooking.

Dilled Potato Salad

2009-08-26T09:57:00.003-04:00

This potato salad is a favorite summer treat around our house - nothing beats the smell of fresh dill!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs new potatoes
3 Tbl. low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
3 Tbl. low-fat mayonnaise
1 Tbl. dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 Tbl chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried, we recommend fresh)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel and dice potatoes. Cook in salted water until tender. Drain and spread out on a cookie sheet to speed-up the cooling process (can also place in the fridge). In large bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Add celery, dill and potatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir gently to combine.

Cheese Blintz and Raspberry-Honey Syrup

2009-08-26T09:39:00.004-04:00

We can't have a White family reunion without Ruth's famous Cheese Blintzes. An alteration on a traditional cheese blintz, these are super easy to make, relatively healthy (before all the toppings that is) and a fan favorite.

Cheese Blintzes

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
1 cup flour

Directions:

In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Add cottage cheese and yogurt, blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix until belended. Cook like pancakes, center should remain cheesey.

* And, to be perfectly honest, i just dump everything in the bowl and mix it all at once, and it always turns out fine :-)

Raspberry-Honey Syrup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 10 ounce package frozen raspberries (can substitute other berries as well) thawed or 1 pint fresh cleaned and sliced

Directions:

Melt butter and berries in microwave, mix with a fork and add honey to taste.

Congo Bars

2009-08-26T09:32:00.005-04:00

A Tippets family tradition that we have adopted because they are SO DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

2/3 cups butter
3 eggs
1 lb. light brown sugar (~2 cups)
2 and 3/4 c. flour
2 and 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. choc chips
1 t. vanilla

Directions:

Melt butter and add sugar, mix well. Add eggs one at a time while mixing. Stir in dry ingredients. Stir in vanilla and choc. chips. Spread in 9x 13 pan and Bake at 350 for ~25 minutes or until golden brown.

Sausage Pasta

2009-08-26T09:08:00.005-04:00

This is a delicious almost-one-pot meal. It warms up great for leftovers too! We usually use Dave's homemade sausage (recipe to come later) but it works great with store-bought sausage too!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves
28 oz can italian diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb bowtie pasta
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and pepper flkaes. Cook until sausage is no longer pink (~7 minutes). Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook until onion is tender and sausage is light brown (~7 minutes). Add tomatoes, cream and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly (~4 minutes)

Cook pasta until tender. Drain. Add pasta to sauce, sprinkle with parsley and fresh Parmesan.

Dual Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2009-08-25T10:04:00.002-04:00

This is a recipe that I made for Dave to try and entice him into dating me. It worked ... it just took a little longer and A LOT more batches than I anticipated ...

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups oatmeal (ground)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups flour
white chocolate chips
milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again. Grind up 2 1/2 cups oatmeal until fine in the blender and then add. While mixing, add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 1-2 cups flour. Add chocolate chips to desired chocolate-y-ness. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Swedish Pancakes

2009-07-05T23:48:00.000-04:00

This recipe comes from Grandma Frankman, who got it from her mother, a native to Sweden. I first started making these when I was 7 years old. Along the way I have learned a few things. I find that I like thin ones better (better sugar to pancake ratio). Increasing the amount of milk makes the batter and thus the pancakes thinner. The nutmeg is a new discovery that I added to the recipe.

Ingredients:

3 c Milk + extra for correct consistency
3 c Flour
6 Eggs
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 T Sugar
1/8 t Salt
1 t Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and blend them together. I use my kitchen aid. Don't mix the batter too quickly or too long or the batter will become too frothy. It is better to have a few small lumps than to have frothy (and gluten filled) pancakes.

I take a cube of frozen butter from the freezer and rub it on a non-stick frying pan over medium to medium high heat (after removing most of the wrapper on the butter). Then I pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan while I rotate the pan to make the pancake as thin as possible. When the pancake is nearly dry on the top, I use a spatula to flip it and I butter the cooked side.

They can be served with a little (or a lot) sugar. My favorite is either brown sugar or powdered sugar with lemon juice. Others insist on whipped cream and strawberries.

Who Needs Krispy Kremes?

2009-07-05T21:23:00.004-04:00

We love this recipe for doughnuts. Although be warned, don't be stingy and try to save them for later, once they're cooked they must be eaten, because they are no good the next day. We traditionally make these every year (two years running) for Halloween. So, if you're in the neighborhood on October 31st be sure to drop in. And, fresh doughnuts are so good that we can be convinced to make them on other occasions as well. :-)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening, approximately 1/3 cup
2 packages instant yeast
1/3 cup warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
23 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying (1 to 1/2 gallons, depending on fryer

Directions:

Place the milk in the microwave and heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or pastry ring and using a 7/8-inch ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oil in a Dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Glaze and Enjoy!

Glaze:

1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Combine milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until warm. Sift confectioners' sugar into milk mixture. Whisk slowly, until well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat and set over a bowl of warm water. Dip doughnuts into the glaze and enjoy!

Chocolate Glaze:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

Grandma White's Pretzel Jello Salad

2009-07-05T20:41:00.006-04:00

A favorite summer treat (and perfect for a BBQ) is Grandma White's pretzel jello salad. These pictures do not do it justice and next time I make it I should take better pictures, because this is a must have. It's rich and delicious, but still feels light. The crunchy salty sweet pretzel crust and the tangy raspberries, separated by a gooey layer of cream cheese whipped with cool whip = a perfection of opposites. And I don't even like cool whip, but on this, it's perfect.

Crust:

2 c. crushed pretzel sticks
3/4 c. melted butter
3 tbsp. sugar

Mix ingredients and press in bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees (metal pan) or 325 degrees (glass pan) 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip

Beat 1 cup sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled pretzel crust. Make sure that cream cheese mixture is completely covering the pretzel crust and touches the sides of the pan, to prevent jello from going underneath filling mixture and making the crust soggy.

Jello:

1 (6 oz.) pkg. Raspberry Jello
2 c. boiling water
10 oz pkg. frozen raspberries

Mix Jello and water until dissolved. Add raspberries. Stir into Jello, then set aside for 20 minutes, or until it starts to thicken slightly. Pour over cheese mixture. Chill. Once Jello has solidified, spread Cool Whip over the top.

Tapioca Pudding

2009-05-16T23:48:00.002-04:00

This recipe is amazing, and is no comparison to instant tapioca pudding. In fact, we rarely wait for it to chill before it's devoured. Dave used to make this for me when we were dating ... perhaps that was why I fell in love with him ...

Ingredients:

3 1/2 ounces small pearl tapioca
2 cups cold water
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
Pinch salt

Directions:

Place tapioca in a medium mixing bowl along with the water, cover, and let stand overnight.

Drain water from tapioca. Place the tapioca into a slow cooker along with the milk, heavy cream, and salt. Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar. Temper small amounts of the tapioca into the egg mixture until you have added at least 1 cup. Then add this back into the remaining tapioca in the slow cooker. Add the lemon zest and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring at least once. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

40 Cloves and a Chicken

2009-05-12T00:14:00.005-04:00

This is a delicious meal with very little preparation, and very well priced (chicken quarters can be found for quite cheap). It is a juicy, succulent way to enjoy chicken.

Ingredients:

4 chicken leg quarters (or one whole chicken if you prefer)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 sprigs fresh thyme
40 peeled cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Loaf of french bread

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with a 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove chicken from oven
Turn oven onto broil. Slice french bread and lay out on cookie sheet. Baste olive oil from chicken pan on french bread and broil until brown.
Garlic cloves can then be spread (like butter) onto broiled french bread. It sounds scary, but it is delicious!

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

Pop-Eye Eggs (German Pancakes)

2009-05-12T00:02:00.004-04:00

Growing up, this was the traditional "kid" breakfast at the White House, the ones that the kids could make all by themselves. And, slathered in syrup and powdered sugar, it's pretty kid-friendly :-).

Ingredients:

3-6 Tablespoons Butter
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place butter in a 9x13 pan and put in oven while it is preheating to 425 F. While oven is preheating, mix eggs, flour, milk and salt. Once butter is melted, spread butter around the bottom of the pan. Whip air into batter and then immediately pour into pan. Cook 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Serve immediately with syrup and/or powdered sugar.

Great-Great-Grandma's Secret Fudge Recipe

2009-05-07T08:20:00.011-04:00

When Allyson and I first started to date, my future mother-in-law made some fudge for me to take home. Not realizing that this fudge was the best, I reserved it for a time when I did not have so many Christmas goodies around. When I did eat the fudge, I was completely amazed.

But alas, doubts ensued and we broke up. Teeth were clenched, fists shaken and a blood oath was taken: "You shall never know the secret fudge recipe". Fortunately, hearts were softened and I was forgiven. I did at length (after the temple sealing was official) receive the recipe with a charge only to give it to our closest friends and family. Actually, I am not sure if I can share this recipe or not. Perhaps all you have to do to get the recipe is avoid breaking up with Allyson. Either way, normally I will share the recipes we make, but I still want to enjoy my future Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays...

The recipe starts on the cook top, a mixture of bakers chocolate, sugar and milk. One must be very careful during this step. Once the pot boils, the spoon shall not touch the sides again. When the fudge reaches the correct consistency in a cold water bath, it is poured out on a slab of cold marble to cool with pats of butter.

When the fudge is cooled slightly, vanilla is dribbled on top.

Once it is sufficiently cooled, the paddling begins. I had to make my own fudge paddles, as they can no longer be purchased in stores. I often think of Return of the Jedi when I think about it. After all, the Jedi's skill is only complete when he or she constructs his or her own light saber (or fudge paddles). Anyway, paddling for a while, and voila - Fudge that is hardening so fast that it is unlikely that you can get it into tinfoil before it is too late. We add a variety of mix-ins - the traditional pecan, and some of our own creation: toffee, marshmallow, candy cane, coconut, or whatever your heart desires.

The final delicious product:

Yogurt Chicken

2009-05-07T08:01:00.003-04:00

Another old standby from Allyson's childhood. It's quite easy and a huge hit because the chicken stays so moist.

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed Ritz cracker crumbs
3 Tbl parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic salt and any other herbs (we put an italian blend in)
8 boned skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter (I usually skip the butter over the top, just to make it a little more healthy)

Directions:

Combine Ritz crackers, parmesan cheese and garlic salt/herbs. Pat chicken dry with paper towells (just to help the yogurt stick), coat each chicken breast with yogurt then coat with cracker mixture. Arrange in a greased 9x13 baking dish and drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 F, and then remove from oven (carryover heat will take the chicken the rest of the way to 165 for safe consumption). We usually serve with wild rice and fresh green beans.

Spaghetti alla Carabonara

2009-05-05T00:17:00.005-04:00

Spaghetti all Carabonara was a favorite of Allyson's at Italian restaurants in Europe. Once Dave was introduced, he became a huge fan and now it's one of his favorite dinners.

Ingredients:

12 oz. Spaghetti
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 oz. pancetta or bacon, diced
1 garlic clove chopped
3 medium eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh basil to garnish

Directions:

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the frying pan adn fry the onion and bacon over low heat for 10 minutes or until bacon is nearly done. Stir in the garlic and fry, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Beat eggs in bowl and stir in cream, parmesan and salt & pepper. When the pasta is almost ready, stir the cream mixture into the onion/bacon and cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly until heated through. Do NOT allow eggs to scramble and do NOT overcook - it will make the dish grainy. Drain the pasta and turn it into a large warmed serving bowl. Pour over the sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh basil.

Cheese Souffle

2009-05-04T23:58:00.006-04:00

This is an exciting thing to have for breakfast on a Saturday morning (it will be kind of a late breakfast). The basic strategy of this recipe is to make a bechamel sauce, combine it with egg yolks and fold that after cooling into the whipped egg whites. We did use medium cheddar rather than sharp. We learned that Alton likes his cheese strong in his mac and cheese recipe.

The texture of this recipe is superb with a fluffy yet granular texture that is quite pleasing on the palate. We enjoy ours with a glass of OJ.

Ingredients:

Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cups milk, hot
4 large egg yolks (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar
5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water (5 1/2 ounces by weight plus 1/2 ounce water)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out. In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently. Pour the mixture into the souffle. Fill the souffle to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

Breakfast Pizza

2009-05-04T23:46:00.003-04:00

A hearty breakfast and a favorite from Allyson's childhood: Breakfast pizza.

Ingredients:

1/4 Sheet Pan
Crust (we use the breadstick recipe to make the crust, but any bread will do)
1/2 Onion
1/2 Bell Pepper
Southern Style Hashbrowns
Salt & Pepper
4-6 oz of Bacon (chopped into small pieces)
Cheddar cheese
7 eggs (beaten)

This is pretty simple. Roll out the crust. Cook the bacon bits, while the bacon is cooking, drain off some of the fat and sweat the onions and peppers. Spread the onions and peppers on the bottom of the crust, then the hashbrowns, salt & pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese and pour the eggs over the top. Cook at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes (until eggs are cooked in the center). Serve immediately, we love it topped with Louisiana Hot Sauce.

Breadsticks

2009-05-04T23:30:00.007-04:00

A Sunday dinner staple at the White House.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbl. yeast
1 Tbl. honey
1 Tbl. malted milk
1 tsp. salt
Italian seasoning
4 cups flour

Mix warm water and yeast in a mixer, let sit until yeast starts foaming (3-4 minutes). Add other ingredients, ending with the flour, adding the flour slowly. Knead for 10-15 minutes. Allow to double. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out into snakes. Brush with butter and sprinkle freshly grated parmesean cheese and allow to rise again. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Sometimes we cook them for 10 minutes and then broil them for a few minutes to brown the top.

Marshmallows

2009-05-04T23:03:00.008-04:00

Sugar in a delightfully light, chewy and sticky form. These are great plain, in icecream (rocky road style) and make the BEST homemade s'mores (with a little Lindt chocolate, you can't go wrong).

Ingredients:

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Directions:

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce

2009-05-03T23:54:00.002-04:00

After craving Ambrosia Greek Food for the past 2 1/2 years (courtesy of intermittent trips to Missoula, Montana) we finally broke down and made our own fresh gyro. And we're here to tell you that once you make your own, there's no going back. Fabulous.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce (recipe below), chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

Tzatziki Sauce:

12 ounces Greek yogurt (or 16 oz strained American yogurt)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
Pinch kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, Foodnetwork.com

Eat-a-Pita (or five)

2009-05-03T23:07:00.000-04:00

Store bought is no competition for these fresh out of the oven babies. They are very versatile, delicious with anything from gyro meat to honey butter.

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting [Make sure you use BREAD flour, it makes a huge difference in the taste]
1 teaspoon olive oil

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend. Let the yeast stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough gathers into a ball. Turn the mixing speed up to medium or medium high and knead until smooth and elastic (if you stretch it, you should see a "baker's window"). Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a large pizza stone on the lower oven rack, preheat the oven (and stone) to 500 degrees F.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle that is about 8-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure the circle is totally smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly. Cover the disks as you roll them out, but do not stack them up. Put 2 pita rounds at a time on the hot pizza stone and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence, Foodnetwork.com

Why Start a Food Blog?

2009-05-03T00:24:00.000-04:00

I have many interests: I like to garden, keep bees, keep fish, see the outdoors, ride horses, build things, fix things and many many more. Passions, however, I only have 4.

1 - Allyson
2 - Fishing
3 - Engineering
4 - Food

Allyson is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Enough said.

There is not much I would rather do than fish, but for some reason I can't think that anyone would want to hear about how I catch fish and I am not sure I would want to tell anyone anyway.

Engineering is a very demanding mistress and I would rather leave that one at work. Furthermore, if the talent of the unprofitable servant was engineering, he would have been praised for keeping it buried. No one wants to see the solving of a partial differential equation at the ward talent show.

FOOD. Food is something we all have in common . . . except perhaps Gandhi. We all crave it and we would prefer that it taste good to simply providing nutrients. So that will be the subject of this blog.