What Ya' Got Cookin' 2014 Part 4 Sweet Summers' End

We had afternoon appetizers with our card game so the stir-fry will have to wait till tomorrow.LOL

May be a dish of ice cream later.

I could eat appetizers instead of dinner. Sometimes I do that even at a restaurant.

Ice cream is always a good idea.

LOL Jan, there used to be a Chi-Chi's in York, and it was usually packed. We would often sit in the large bar and order appetizers and most of the time by the time they called for our table we'd pass.
Holly and I often go to Chili's and do the same.
Oh, check out: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1311545/#new

I could LIVE on just appetizers! Love them....

Best wedding reception I ever attended was one of my Nieces' in NJ.
ALL the food was Hore-Deur's-- the best! Shrimp--mini Filet Mignons--
stuffed mushrooms--great food...

Aina and Mark's (my DD) wedding at Bordy Vineyards was the same--
plus all the wine you could drink.
I made the flower arrangements while there--I had all of 1/2 hour to do it.

Daddy-O paid the bill. Of course.... Gita

Ribs in the crock pot, Bush's maple beans, and baby Brussels sprouts for sup tonight.

Just got back from the state Landscape Architecture conference.

Welcomed by Roast Duck, creamed spinach, Rostkartoffeln, and a 2011 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman Vineyard (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County).

I guessed she missed me...

Yum and yum!!
I've got to go shopping before I know what's for dinner. It looks like comfort food is still the mode, but I'm craving more fresh crunchy vegetables these days.

Of course she missed you. Hehehe

Not sure, but think it will be ground beef in mushroom gravy with mashed taters and ?

I'm going to try this recipe for roasting a whole head of cauliflower!
http://www.purewow.com/entry_detail/recipe/8821/Forget-florets--roast-the-whole-damn-cauliflower.htm

With roast chicken and peas.

More yum and yum!!

Judy--that looks delicious! I sent it off to my Dd in Seattle.
She has vegetarian friends...and she likes to cook.

Did it taste like Cauliflower--or like something else?

I once made mashed Cauliflower---it was delicious--and I swear it
tasted like Mashed potatoes.

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MASHED CREAMY CAULIFLOWER
(Gita’s concocted version)

Ingredients:

One head fresh Cauliflower
4 oz of cream cheese
4 oz of sour cream (or sm. can evaporated milk—or ¼ cup heavy cream)
½ stick butter/margarine
½ packet of “Ranch Dip” powder
1 green onion (top and bottom)—finely chopped
½ tsp. Garlic Powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
(Some instant mashed potatoes, if needed, to thicken)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2-3 slices bacon—cooked and crumbled
Paprika, or dill weed, or chopped Parsley for garnish

To do:

Cut up the head of Cauliflower in very small pieces. (Do not include stems, they are too fibrous). Put in a microwave proof dish with a lid. Add 2Tbs. of water or chicken broth for moisture. Microwave on high for about 10-15 minutes or until fork-tender.

Put cooked Cauliflower in food processor (using a steel blade), add cream cheese, sour cream, butter/margarine, “Ranch Dip” powder, ½ of the cheddar cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Process until smooth. May need to do this in two batches! Mix in chopped Green Onion by hand.
**If you prefer a “chunkier” texture, use a hand mixer to blend everything.

At this point, if the mixture seems too “liquid” add a couple of Tbs. of instant mashed potatoes to thicken it.

Spoon mixture in a 9”x13” casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese, chopped bacon and your choice of garnish. (Can be frozen at this stage).

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Mashed sounds yummy too- but much of our fresh cauliflower goes right down as finger food before I can cook it.
We had what's become a semi regular, Scott's Sunday Quinoa. Onions, peppers, mushrooms, quinoa, can of black beans, can of chicken, cilantro if ya got it, brown rice to stretch it. It was based on a recipe but he's flexible.

Love roasted cauliflower, but have never done it as a whole head.

Roasted cauliflower sounds great, I saved the recipe, I'll make that for a trip to DD and the Grands house they're vegetarian. Giving them a new dish would be great.

Almost forgot, friends came for dinner last night, I made shrimp, crab dip, and chopped salad. Holly made lasagna.We had a good time in spite of the ice.

This message was edited Mar 2, 2015 11:11 AM

Ric---

I picked up a package of "Flat Iron Steak" at Safeway for a real bargain.
It is a "slab" about a foot long. 5" wide and 1"+ thick. Weighs 1.8lbs.

Can you give me some suggestions on the best way to fix this?

I asked the meat man--and he was raving about cutting it up--slathering it
with Pepper Jelly--and pan frying it. HMMMMMMMMMM????
What do you do?

Thanks. Gita

Gita, I never buy flat iron, the cut can be iffy. It's usually a on grain cut chuck steak. marinate it 2-3 hours in fridge and pan fry it or grill 4-5 mins per side, or done to your liking. Rest it a bit, 5 min. Filet on the diagonal or across the grain to help make it easier to chew.

Left over lasagna tonight, I swear it's better the second time.

anything from the chuck, I think would make great stew.
We had some awesome beef stew today, chuck from Aldi.

Thinking sloppy joes tonight or loaded potatoes. We are babysitting til Thursday. Yay!!!!

Jan--

what do you "load" your potatoes with? Are they then twice-baked?

Thanks

The kiddos like baked potatoes so I just made up a sloppy joe like mixture to put on top after cutting it up for them. Shredded cheese. Sour cream. Didn't 't do twice baked. Every time us different. Hehehe. Had cut veggies, too. They had a pumpkin muffin for dessert after I got them home. Their parents are in NH until Thursday. Sure hope they can make it home then. Very slippery going around the block to their house. Figured it would be better to have them sleep in their own beds.

They helped Jeff take out the nails in one large piece of drywall. Luke, the 8yr old loved it. Then they all pulled it off the wall. They were very impressed.

what fun!

I got Mark started on bean soup today then left for work. Came home to a really tasty pot of bean soup! With some really tasty baked (frozen) cheddar herb biscuits that we found at,( yup ) Walmart.
I'm getting them trained ...nyaa haa haa

OH, I LOVE bean soup!!!!

We used a ham bone, great northern beans, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, parsley, pepper, bay leaf. And a can of petite diced tomatoes. Mom used to make it 'white' but I like the tomatoes.

Tomorrow chicken curry
Thurs- leftovers

YUM!!!

Thinking pork chops with sweet potatoes and asparagus for tonight. I went to Aldi's and tanked up. Need to freeze some things.

mm should be asparagus season soon!

St. Patrick's Day fare today. Roasted corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes, with a few carrots added for my MIL. Dinner will include Irish soda bread, I should have made mine last night but forgot, Kerrygold butter and I made a crab bisque. Ice cream for dessert.

ERIN GO BRAGH

Went to a niece's on Sunday for corned beef and potatoes. Another niece-inlaw was to bring the cabbage, but they went to the circus instead. So we had a salad instead. Plus Irish soda bread.
Another niece made chocolate cupcakes with stout and the buttercream frosting had some Bailey's in it.

Turns out that the one niece has an extra ticket to a show in NYC on Sunday, so, I'll be heading in to the city. Fun!!!!

Tonight will be pork and sweet potatoes.

Stout and Bailey's, wonder why I never thought of that. LOL

I did used to make an Irish coffee for dessert.

Ric--
Here is a recipe for home made Irish Cream.

I have made it several times--it is like the real thing! Try it!

G.
***********************************************

Homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream – (You’ll Never Buy it Again)

Ingredients
• 1 cup light cream (like 1/2 and 1/2)--or heavy whipping cream
• 14oz. or 12 oz. (one can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1cup Irish Whiskey ("Jameson's”)—or more…to your taste
•( Irish whiskey is $$$. Some people use Tennessee Whiskey.) NOT the same.
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 2 tablespoons Hershey’s chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Shake before using!
3. Will keep for up to 2 months.

Note:

Start with the condensed milk and mix the whiskey into it. Makes it more liquidy.
Then--proceed with the rest of the ingredients.

*******************************************************
Cheers! Gita.

Ric, how do you roast the corned beef? I have used a slow cooker. I add carrots too for Mark.

Gita, that IS DEF a recipe I will keep and use!!!

I have that Irish Cream recipe, it is good and keeps well.

Sally, I pretty much do what you would do in a slow cooker. I put the brisket in the roaster with the pickling spices included and a little caraway, add an inch of water and bake for 3 hours @ 350*F. Then I add my quartered red skin potatoes, cabbage wedges, baby carrots, and a little more caraway and return to the oven for 45 mins. covered. Then I uncover and set for broil for 10-15 mins to brown a little. Remove the brisket and allow to rest for 15 mins. or so and slice on the bias. Serve as you like. One of the main reasons I use my roaster is that I prepare mass quantities of taters 2-3#, a whole head of cabbage, and a bag of baby carrots.

Holly said my quick crab bisque was so good I should post it. It's quick and easy.
I started with 2 cans of Campbell's tomato soup
1 pint of heavy cream
a couple tbs. of white wine
1-2 tbs of white truffle oil, start with 1 tbs. you can add the 2nd later if desired
1/2 tsp of Old Bay
fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to taste
1 cup of crab meat
Combine all in a sauce pan and low simmer for 15-20 mins.
I would serve with oyster crackers or pumpernickel toast, but I was out of both, but they still loved it.

thanks RIc!! we haven't had our corned beef yet- I hope I can buy one still, maybe even on sale.

And re that crab - well "you had me at heavy cream" LOL!

Ric--
I stopped in Safeway today--and all their Corned Beef packs
were almost 1/2 price. Lets say--seriously reduced---
They had loads and loads! Like candy after Halloween.
--Can Corned beef, as it is sold, be frozen?
--In those vacuum-packed bags it comes in--is it already seasoned?
I may want to buy one for some other dinner...

I have only made Corned beef and cabbage once in my life--and it was spectacular!
When the pot got too full--I ladled some of the juices out and made a tasty
"Sauce" to pour over the meat and taters and cabbage.
I mixed some Dijon Mustard into the juices and thickened it a bit.
Don't remember--I may have added some Ch. Cheese to it too...

All I know it was all divine!
.................................................................................

Thanks for posting these recipes. I have a couple of questions....

In the Bisque---

--White wine----what kind?
--What kind of crab meat do you use in the Crab Bisque?
Backfin? White mix? Claw? Steamed, or the unseasoned, sold in tubs?
If I bought a dozen steamed crabs and picked all the meat out of them,
would you use that in this Bisque? Would it be too spicy?
Sometimes in summer I buy Cold Crabs--I usually wash the crabs off.
Much cheaper than just steamed at full price...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LOVE that you use a lot of Caraway seed in your Corned Beef! I love those !
One of the most under-rated spices. It is a strong spice--use moderation...
I love it with potatoes, a touch in green beans--lots in my Sauerkraut Soup--YES!
Because of Caraway--I love seeded, Jewish Rye bread.
Try a pinch in the big Lima beans....:o)....yummm.

Thanks...Gita

Sorry for the delay Gita. I haven't been online much.
Yes you can freeze corned beef, I usually have at least 1 in the freezer, usually from an after St. Pats day sales.
As to crab meat, I just buy whats on sale, any will do. I usually have a chardonnay in the fridge just for cooking. Steamed crabs would be fine but you may want to omit the Old Bay.
Caraway is used for promoting good digestion. It is widely used in Europe with Brassica or cabbage family dishes to make them easier to digest. I love the taste and often add it to any breads I make, especially my Irish soda bread. I never thought about it but a few seeds added to tea might be good for an upset tummy.

Getting long let's go here to continue: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1389108/
Okay all fixed.

This message was edited Mar 24, 2015 11:14 AM