~ Mary~

This salad has incredible textures and flavors. Another Asian delight sure to please the entire family!

Thai Beef Salad

Marinate 2-24 hours:
1 ½ -2 pounds Sirloin Steak or beef of choice
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Fresh minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Bring 3 qts of water to a boil.  Add:
1 Pound linguine pasta
cook for 10 min. or until desired softness.

Drain and cool.

While pasta is cooling grill or broil steak over medium high heat until desired doneness.

Let sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Once pasta has cooled combine with:
3 Tbsp Fish Sauce
3 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Garlic
1/3 Cup Julienned Red Onion
1/3 Cup Diced Red Peppers
1 Cup Shredded Carrots
½ Cup Chopped Cilantro
¼ Cup Chopped Peanuts

Serve sliced beef over bed of pasta salad.

~ Mary~

Full of fresh flavors that blend together for a lovely combination. It may seem like a lot of garlic and lime juice, but trust me, it’s amazing! Perfect for a quick dinner, and one of the most popular dishes when the store was running.

Garlic-Lime Adobo Chicken

In large zip to bag place:
2 pounds Chicken Tenders
¼ Cup Minced Garlic
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Pepper
½ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Seal massage and let marinade 2-3 hours.
Drain marinade and Oven Roast or Outdoor Grill:
Preheat oven to 450° Place on greased roasting rack and roast or grill for 5-7 minutes then turn over and grill or roast for another 5-7 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165°.

Serve fajita style in tortillas with cheese and a side of Spicy Corn:  Saute with a little olive oil or butter – Corn, Fresh Red Peppers, Crushed Red Pepper, Red Onions, garnish with chopped Cilantro. 

~ Mary ~

This refreshing salad has been sitting in my drafts for quite some time now.  It’s been waiting for quantities of all the ingredients, of which, I do not have.  It’s always been one of those care free salads you can throw together and adjust according to your taste.

Mango Jicima Salad

Jicima – julienned
Mango – peeled and sliced
Cucumbers – seeded and cut into half moons
Fresh Lime Juice
Cilantro – chopped
Sugar
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes

~ Katy~

Last weekend we had a great Easter dinner out in Winkerville.  As we were all chowing down and grunting about how delicious the food was, out of nowhere, Patty says, “You don’t get food like this in a nursing home!”  WHAT?!  There was a short pause as we took this in, then we guffawed for a good, long time.  It’s already one of our new catch-phrases.  

This week, Mick’s in town, and as it’s a short stay, we started with brunch at my house.  I set the time for 10:00, figuring the family, never noted for their timeliness, would arrive around 10:15, or (more likely) 10:30.  The first guests pulled in around 10:40, with Patty and Fred arriving at 11:00.  Oh, well.  So the quiche wasn’t exactly fresh by then, it was still decent.  This little appetizer number, though, was the perfect starter for brunch so the rest of us could nosh before the lagging guests arrived.  It’s from Mary’s friend, Culinary Cory’s site, which has a plethora of great recipes I’m going to have to try.  

Dessert consisted of Chicago Bacon that Mary and John gave us for Christmas.  Yes, bacon.  We Winkers prefer our food in pork form.  A lot of pork.  Thus the prosciutto, ham (in the quiche) and bacon for brunch.  

Proscuitto Wrapped Cantaloupe with Blackberries

I was going to make our standard quiche for brunch when I thought, “Why not try something new?”  I did, and it turned out pretty good.  This recipe came from Oprah Magazine, and it piqued my interest enough however many years back, to tear it out and throw it in the “I will try this someday” recipe abyss.  

This was an interesting quiche, and while JP preferred the use of sharp cheddar as opposed to our usual Swiss in this recipe, Mom and I thought that while this was a good quiche, the original is better.  I would like to try it with the perfect crust, as opposed to this cracker-crumb crust, but this was decent, if a bit salty.  I liked that the consistency of the batter was thickened by the cottage cheese.  There wasn’t a single drop on the floor of the stove, and the crust held up much better than I thought it would.  

Double Cheese and Ham Quiche
Ritz crackers, saltines or chip crumbs all work beautifully to make a buttery crust.

1 1/3 cups cracker or tortilla chip crumbs (about 1 sleeve of crackers)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 Tbsp. Dijon or honey mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (I would skip this, as there’s plenty of salt with the ham, cheese and saltines)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped ham
4 scallions, roughly chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, mix together crumbs and butter.  Press mixture into a standard 9″ pie pan to form the crust’s bottom and sides; bake 10 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cottage cheese, mustard, salt, pepper, and eggs.  Scatter 1/2 cup cheese over bottom of crust, then pour in egg mixture.  Toss remaining 1/2 cup cheese with ham and scallions, then scatter over eggs, pressing down gently.  Place a tray on the bottom rack of the oven to catch drips, then bake quiche on middle rack until eggs are set and top is golden, about 50 minutes.  

~ Mary ~

 Last month, my friend, Culinary Cory was in town to celebrate his birthday, and I baked him this show stopper!  It truly emulated a celebration, and what’s not to love about a cake that has; malted fudge sauce, burnt marshmallows and two layers dedicated to a malted milk crumb?! 

I usually won’t try new recipes out on company, but Cory is family, and gets just as excited about a new food/recipe/cookbook/gadget etc… as I do. He is the perfect person to try anything new with – always up to what’s hip/hop/happenin’ and welcomes the opportunity to participate. Thankfully his spouse and friends are just as accommodating!

This is from Christina Tosi’s (of Momofuku fame) new cookbook “Milk”.  It was quite the process, but worth every step.  While this was a much better than her Birthday Cake, there are a few things I would definitely do different next time, (yes, there will be a next time) and the recipes below reflect the how and the what.

Here is how you will assemble the layers of this cake, starting from the bottom, working your way up:
       Cake Layer
Fudge Sauce
Malted Milk Crumb
Another drizzle of Fudge Sauce
Toasted Marshmallow
Wrap a piece of 4″ high acetate around your layer then shove the next Cake Layer in there and continue on as before with the
                     Fudge Sauce
                     Malted Milk Crumb
                     Another drizzle of Fudge Sauce
                     Toasted Marshmallow
Wrap another piece of 4″ high acetate around your first piece, only high enough to envelope your final layer of everything:
Cake Layer
Fudge Sauce
Toasted Marshmallow
Wrap entire concoction with saran and freeze over-night (longer is fine too).  Make sure to remove cake, to the fridge, a minimum of three hours before your need to serve it.  It’s easiest to also remove the acetate while it’s frozen.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
This is not the original cake recipe, this is my perfect go-to chocolate cake recipe (the one in the Milk cookbook was a little dry, even though it had a lot of oil). 
Grease and flour THREE 9″ Round Cake pans

Whisk together wet ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Sour Cream

1 1/4 Cups Vegetable Oil

1 3/4 Cups Water

2 1/2 Tbsp White Vinegar

2 tsp Vanilla

3 Eggs

Whisk together Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Flour

3 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder

1 Tbsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and stir until smooth.

Makes approx. 4lbs 10oz (about 9 Cups of Batter) – portion out 3 cups per layer or weigh them out (1lb 8oz per pan) to be even.

Bake at 350 for 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely.
Just before assembling coat each layer with one third of this recipe:
Ovaltine Soak
Combine just before using:
½ Cup Whole Milk
¼ Cup Ovaltine – malt flavor
Whisk together until Ovaltine has dissolved, use immediately
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Malted Milk Crumb
Can be made up to a week in advance and stored in an air-tight container.
Combine and mix together:
1 Cup Milk Powder
½ Cup Flour
¼ Cup Corn Starch
¼ Cup Sugar
1 tsp Kosher Salt
Add and toss until the mixture comes together:
½ Cup Butter
Once the butter has cooled and clumps have formed toss with:
1 ½ Cups Malt Flavor Ovaltine
When crumbs are light brown toss with:
6 ounces melted White Chocolate
Continue tossing until crumbs are coated and become hard.
Set aside for assembly.
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Malt Fudge Sauce

May make this up to two weeks prior to use. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using – may even need to microwave it for a couple of seconds so it pours easily onto your cake layers.

Combine and set aside:
2 ounces 72% Chocolate –chopped
2 Cups Malt Flavor Ovaltine Powder
2 tsp Molasses
½ tsp Kosher Salt
In a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil:
½ Cup Glucose (may substitute 1/4c Corn Syrup)
¼ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Heavy Cream

The second it boils, pour it over the ovaltine mixture. Let sit for for a minute, then whisk slowly at first, working your way to a vigorous whisk, until it is glossy and smooth.

My advise is to pour your mixture into a liquid measuring cup, and figure that you only have one third of the sauce to pour onto each layer, but also that you are putting on that sauce twice in each layer. Do your ‘math’ before you use up all your sauce!
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Charred Marshmallows

6 Cups Mini Marshmallows

Spread out evenly on a silpat lined sheet pan and CHAR them under a broiler or with a blow torch. Transfer to fridge or freezer and for ten or so minutes to firm up before handling. Divide visually into thirds – leaving the largest third for the top of the cake.

~ Mary ~

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Happy Birthday Foodo!

I made this cake for Smidge’s (God Daughter) birthday, and thought what the hell, I’ll use it for a virtual birthday too.

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This is Christina Tosi’s ”Birthday Cake” of Momofuku fame. unfortunately the cake did not equal the sum of its parts. The cake was good, the frosting was delightful, the milk crumb interesting and the visual effects astounding! But, put it all together and I was underwhelmed, and almost put off by the crunch in between the layers. If you were thinking of making this, might I suggest that you just buy the cake mix and canned frosting and throw some rainbow sprinkles in.
With that in mind – I will not be putting the recipe here, because I would never make this again. But if you really wanted to – there are plenty of sites that have the recipe. – just Google it.

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Such a NUGGET!

The weather has been, thankfully, unseasonably warm this winter and spring, so when I got friends together at the beginning of March, I dusted off the grill, got in the mood for salsa, and used this Molly Birnbaum recipe that caught my eye in a recent Oprah magazine.  It is a great combination! 

The occasion was a dinner with college girlfriends and their husbands.  I’ve known these fabulous women for, oh, who’s counting?  A long, long time, now.  We have celebrated one another’s victories and Big Life Events together.  We’ve mourned one another’s losses together.  We’ve supported one another and laughed, cried and hurled profanities with and for one another.  Recently, we decided (we, meaning Mary, whose common sense and reason always prevail) that we HAD TO start getting together, come hell or high water, once a month.  What with all of the stuff of life, we’d not been able to figure this out for a number of years.  Now, here we are, figuring it out, and I , for one, am very grateful. 

The dinner was a success, and how could it not be with such exceptional, encouraging and non-judgmental guests?  We had a wonderful time, and the food was good, to boot!  We started with Artichoke Dip and ended with Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. 

This was a perfect, lighter entrée.

Salmon with Mango Salsa
 
2 mangoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
½ red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. salt, divided
1 and ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, divided
2 pounds salmon fillet, skin on
 
To make salsa:   Mix together mango, jalapeno, red onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, lime zest and juice, ½ tsp. salt, and ¾ tsp. pepper in a bowl.  Stir. Cover and refrigerate.

Note:  I grilled my salmon instead of doing the following.  If you have a favorite way you like to cook your salmon, simplify everything by using what’s familiar to you.  It’s the combination of the salmon and salsa flavors that really make this recipe a huge winner. 
Preheat broiler.  Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and cut into 4 equal pieces.  Sprinkle lightly with remaining ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Over medium-high heat, preheat a heavy-bottomed, oven safe skillet large enough to fit all the salmon, 3-4 minutes.  Place salmon in skillet, skin side down, making sure not to crowd.  Let cook, untouched, until flesh is opaque halfway up each fillet, about 6 minutes. (The salmon may sputter and smoke.)

~ Katy ~
Mom used to make popovers fairly often.  Every time she did, she’d tell us, in no uncertain terms, that we were not to 1) stomp around, 2) make loud noises, and 3) do anything to prevent the popover from popping over.  I didn’t understand why she continually went to the trouble of making these since they are, well, time-consuming and kind of pain in the ass to make.  Then, I’d take one bite of that eggy, buttery goodness and know.  Perfection in a bite.

I’ve had this recipe in the “Give This a Try” file since May of 2009.  I finally gave it a try, and while I’m looking to perfect the popping over part (I think I let the batter sit a touch too long), they were DELICIOUS!

Rick’s Perfect Popovers

Note:  This recipe must be prepared in advance.  To prepare clarified butter, cut unsalted butter into small pieces and melt in a saucepan over low heat, simmering undisturbed for 10-15 minutes but not allowing butter to sizzle, until fats separate.  Strain mixture, discarding white milk solids and retaining clear yellow clarified butter.  Refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass container for up to 1 month.

5 eggs plus one egg white
2 cups whole milk
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm to the touch
1 and ¾ cups flour
1 tsp. salt
6 tsp. clarified butter for pans (see note, above)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and egg white until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat milk in microwave (or saucepan over low heat) until it is just warm to the touch.  Add milk to eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
Add butter and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.  Reduce speed to low, add flour and salt and mix just until batter is consistency of heavy cream (a fe lumps may remain) and lightly bubbled, about 30 seconds.  Cover with plastic wrap and let batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place ½ tsp. clarified butter in each popover tin.  Loosely cover pan with aluminum foil. Place pan on a baking sheet and preheat pan for at least 15 minutes.

Transfer batter into a container with a spout.  When pans are hot, remove from oven, remove and discard aluminum foil and carefully pour batter into prepared cups, filling just under two-thirds full.

Return popover pan to oven (keep pan on baking sheet) and bake 25 minutes.  Without opening door, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake an additional 14 to 18 minutes until popovers are golden brown.

Remove from oven and let popovers rest 1 minute before gently lifting popovers from pans (some may require a little nudging with a dull-edged knife).  Serve immediately.

Asian Chicken Pizza

~ JP ~
The winter blahs have set in and we’re less interested in cooking dinner. Instead, we’ve been cooking a big batch of something on the weekends and using it through the week. We’ve done a series of soups, lasagna, and a giant pork loin. Dinner is easier when part of the meal is done – you only have to prep side dishes. So, we found this recipe for pizza dough that fits this approach. Make a big batch of dough, keep it in the fridge, and use it piecemeal during the week. I thought I’d try it, and the results were great.

Tess Grubbins in her new kitchen uniform.

Monday: Smoked Salmon & Vodka Sauce Pizza
Toppings:
smoked salmon – 1 ½ by 3” piece of fillet, shredded. It’s a strong flavor, so go easy.
cream cheese - ½ cup soft cream cheese (smooths out the salmon flavor)
vodka sauce – ¾ cup   (spaghetti sauce – nice, background flavor without overpowering salmon)
mozzarella – 1 cup (complements cream cheese, adds a texture)
broccoli – 5 chopped florets (for color)
Optional – dill (or artichoke hearts) something acidic to brighten the flavor.

Take ½ pound of the dough and shape it into a crust.
Par bake a thin crust, lightly brushed with olive oil, for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Add toppings – cheese first.
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

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Tuesday: Caramelized Onion & Sausage Pizza
Toppings:
caramelized onion – 3 large yellow onions
4 – 5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
sausage – ¾ lb sliced sausage (use hot Italian, or whatever you like)
white wine – ½ cup dry white wine
olive oil – ½ cup
mozzarella (or Fontina) 2 cups (about 10 oz)
parmesan cheese – 2 cups (about 8 oz)
optional: red sweet pepper - Julienne for garnish
optional: fresh parsley sprigs – garnish
salt & pepper to taste

Caramelize the onion:
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium head and add the onion (sliced thin) and stir to coat the onion. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and have just begun to color, about 30 minutes. Remove the lid, salt and pepper to taste, increase heat to medium, and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the onion is deep golden, about 25 minutes.

Add garlic and sausage slices to the onions. Place over high heat, stir in the wine (sweetens the mixture) and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is reduced but the mixture is still moist, (add optional parsley) about 3 minutes.

Roll out dough into a thin crust.  Brush with olive oil and par bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Add toppings – cheeses first (use half the parmesan), then onion mixture, and drizzle the edges of the crust with olive oil.

Place in the oven to bake at 400 degrees F. Remove when crust is golden brown (10-12 minutes) and add the remaining parmesan, red pepper garnish, and drizzle a little olive oil on top.

Wednesday: Previously posted on Foodo Barbecued Chicken Pizza

Sam might need a haircut.

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Thursday: Asian Chicken (Tess)
chicken – 1 large breast, cut into ½” chunks
⅓  cup sweet chili sauce (we use Mae Ploy brand)
cabbage – 1 ½ cup chopped cabbage
carrot – 1 carrot, grated
sweet chili sauce ⅓ cup (more can be added if desired)
green onion – 1
mozzarella cheese – 1 cup
crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seed – 2 Tbsp
sesame oil – ¼ cup
apple cider vinegar – ⅓ cup (or use hard cider)

Chop cabbage and saute over medium heat in the sesame oil. Once it has softened, add the vinegar and cook it down till its gone, but still moist. While it’s cooking, stir fry the chicken in another pan until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Take ½ pound of the dough and shape it into a crust.
Par bake a thin crust, lightly brushed with sesame oil, for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Add toppings – first, the cabbage, then chicken, cheese, and carrot. Sprinkle the chili sauce over the top, then the green onion and crushed peanuts.
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Friday: Pepperoni Pizza

Everybody likes pepperoni, and when you’re making your favorite pizza its easy to overdo it on the toppings. The key here, is to strike a balance between pepperoni, cheese, sauce and crust.

½ pound pizza dough
⅓ cup pizza sauce (see below)
3 oz pepperoni, thinly sliced
3 oz mozzarella, shredded
(makes a 12” pizza)

Tomato Sauce  (This could also be made once and used throughout the week.)
2 T olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
pinch red pepper flakes
dried oregano and basil to taste
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet, and saute the garlic until fragrant. Add the tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, a pinch of red pepper flakes and the dried herbs to taste. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the juice has evaporated (~15 minutes) and the sauce is nicely reduced. Add salt if desired.
Makes about 2 cups. Can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days, or frozen indefinitely.
Note: if you over-top the pizza, the crust will burn before your toppings are done. Balance is key.

And for more pizza ideas click here.