Dinner Music or anytime for that matter

Unified Jazz Ensemble released a new album over the summer.  I think it's perfect dinner music...or cooking music or anytime music.  Best heard with wine to be sure!

Photo by Kari Watts taken at 49 West, Annapolis, MD
 UNIFIED JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Substitutions - not a bad habit

This morning I made scones, (recipe below) and used half regular unbleached flour and half whole wheat flour.  It gives it a nice texture and adds some fiber.  I also could not find my pastry blender so I used a whisk to cut in the butter.

Scones (just like the Puyallup Fair)

Photo by Kari Watts 

My sister brought this recipe home from school in 1985 and I've been making this off and on ever since.  It is the closest recipe I've ever found to the authentic Puyallup fair scones.  It's very easy too! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening (sometimes I use butter)
• 2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400* 
Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in bowl.
Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal.
Add milk and mix (just until it holds together, do not over mix)
Knead gently using extra flour. 
Form into 3 balls and flatten to 3 5 inch circles with center slightly higher than outside.
Cut each circle into 3rds (instructions say 4ths but I think it makes them too small)
Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Add fresh berries and maybe even some whipped cream or split these apart to add jam Puyallup fair style. 

Homemade Pizza

Photo by Kari Watts

 Bread Machine PIzza Dough

Photo by Kari Watts

Came out beautiful.  I was trying a new recipe and it's a winner.  Oktoberfest beer!

Photo by Kari Watts

Anne gave it 5 stars.  George (Owen's buddy from up the street) gave it 4.5 stars and Owen was too busy eating it to give it anything.  I think I found a new staple!

Oatmeal Cookies

Photo by Kary Watts with Nikon d90

I've made these twice in the last week.  I think I'll make them every week because they are hearty and so good.  I leave out the raisins and use butter instead of shortening because shortening is full of trans fats.  They stay chewy all week on the covered cookie plate.

 Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Lemon Herb Chicken, Basil and Herb CousCous, Sauteed Snowpeas and Butternut Squash Soup

Owen inhaled the couscous, and gave the meal five stars.  Anne inhaled the chicken, did not finish the rest because  she became full.  The soup turned out the best I've made yet.  Sean inhaled that.  Now on to jazz and hip hop and the boys to hockey.

I make this with Butternut Squash but it can also be made with pumpkin

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter 
  
• 1  Medium sized yellow onion
  
• 3/4  teaspoon  dried sage
• 1/2  teaspoon  curry powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 3  (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
  
• 1 Small can tomato paste; I usually only use about 5 oz of the 6 oz can
  
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 4-5  cups  cubed peeled fresh squash or pumpkin
• 1  cup  chopped peeled apple (usually one normal sized apple
  
• 1 5oz can evaporated skim milk

Preparation

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add sage, curry powder, and nutmeg; cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour; cook 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato paste, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and apple; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Place mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven; add milk. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Creamy squash soup for Sean and lemon herb chicken fir the kids with pearled basil and herb couscous and sauteed snow peas!

I can't seem to get enough of these eggnog lattes.  Something about the experience of drinking one makes me feel so warm and toasty inside. I've had 4 this season so far I think.  I'll keep tabs on how many I have this year.  For sure I will break my record.

Steak and potatoes

I have to put off the chicken until tomorrow because I bought steak on Sunday.  Does anyone else do this?  Buy stuff and then forget you bought it and then it goes bad?  Well, it should be fine if I cook it tonight.  So it's steak, sauteed mushrooms, broccoli spears and red potatoes with butter and Parmesan.  Easy enough.  Then on to book club.

Pumpkin Centerpiece

Pumpkin Centerpiece; very festive with live calla lilies

Pumpkin Centerpieces

so the pumpkin centerpieces that I made on Friday are starting to rot. I guess that means I'll be hunting for some festive pots to salvage the calla lilies.

Decided on rigatoni tonight for the kids since Sean and I had chili and he has hockey tonight.

11/9/2010; Chocolate Chip Pancake recipe

Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast anyone?  I usually make this at least once on the weekend but Anne asked so nicely for them this morning.  I had some extra time so I whipped them up and then went into a food coma as Sean drove us into work. The rule is if I make them with chocolate chips that you cannot use syrup.  It's my way of cutting sugar out of the kids diets.

No coffee...too busy making pancakes.  The plan was to stop at Starbucks but no easy parking out front so now I drink gross La Rue coffee from the break room.

Can't wait to get home and see if those beans are finally the right amount of tenderness for the chili.  Kids probably won't eat it but Sean might.  Still sticking with the chicken plan for tonight.

2 cups flour
1/4 c sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup oil (i use olive oil)
2 eggs

whisk together dry ingredients, whisk together wet ingredients mix wet and try until somewhat smooth and well mixed (don't over mix)

pour 1/2 cup rounds onto griddle, sprinkle choc chips evenly (usually 7-9 chips depending on size) flip when bubbles appear.  Stack and eat!

tomorrow

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Roasted-Lemon-Herb-Chicken/Detail.aspx
with red potatoes quartered with butter and parmesan
broccoli spears

going with a true winner after tonight

Monday 11/8/2010, Tuna Rice Casserole

Not sure how to tell if this is done but the timer is beeping and it's time to eat.  I'll let you know how this one goes.

ok...the tuna casserole was just ok.  I thought it could use some real cheese and some broccoli or something more substantial.  The tuna made it kind of fishy so chicken would have been far better.  It was a decent starter for a casserole just needs many adjustments.  Owen would not eat it at all.  Sean seemed to choke it down on a couple of pieces of bread.  I ate two helpings.  I didn't think it was bad at all.

Anne gave it 3 stars but I think she was being nice.
Owen and I quote, "it's not bad, I just don't want to eat it."

Last Thursday, I began a quest to begin cooking meals for the family that are a little more thought out.  I started with Chicken Cordon Bleu.  It was a hit (except with Sean who doesn't eat meat)!  The thing I would do different is to not use the Canadian bacon from Costco.  It gave it a funky flavor that Owen didn't like.  Owen doesn't like much so that's not saying much.  Anne really liked it but I agreed that the Canadian Bacon was weird tasting in it.


The next night I made a good ol standby, my made up cheese enchilada recipe.  I should really write it down in case I should forget.  The kids really liked it, especially Owen  who doesn't like much at this age.  I made a kids version and a spicier version for Sean and myself.

Cheese Enchiladas
Recipe:
mozzarella cheese
sour cream
diced onions
crushed black olives
one teaspoon or a little more of ground cumin
optional fresh cilantro

mix the above together to a paste
roll into tortillas and lay into a lasagna pan
add a can or two of rotel, for the kid version add a can of diced tomatoes
smother with Mexican style cheese and bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly


Since Thursday I have made two batches of Oatmeal cookies.  The recipe is a keeper.  I left out the raisins because Anne says raisins are creepy.  Friday I made the pumpkin cookies and pumpkin seeds.  Finally got around to carving the pumpkins that I made into vases for centerpieces.  Too bad no one is coming for Thanksgiving.

Saturday I made potato soup.  I thought it was awesome but Anne only had a few bites.  It definitely fills you up.  I don't think I've been hungry since.  Owen ate a huge helping.  He likes his with crackers.  It got really thick after cooking for half the time it suggested (made most on stove and then transferred to slowcooker).  Next time I'll make it thinner if it's going to spend time in the slow cooker.  I also added a hint of nutmeg.

Sunday I made chili.  Used dry beans...needed to cook way longer.  Cooked for 5 hours and the beans still weren't all the way ready.  It was really good with a dollop of sour cream and cheese.  Sean didn't seem to enjoy the firm beans.  Will cook it up in the slow cooker tomorrow all day and it should be perfect for Tuesday night.  Anne didn't like the way it smelled.