Monthly Archives: May 2011

Asparagus Egg Bake for Two brings comfort to a cloudy, wet morning

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Large pans filled with a billowy mixture of oven-baked eggs, bread and vegetables is always a good choice for breakfast when you need to feed a crowd of hungry sleepyheads. But what about feeding just two people who love to sleep in on a cool, cloudy, drizzly no-work-day morning? Just have a couple of ramekins of Asparagus Egg Bake in the refrigerator.

While the water is heating for the French press and bacon is sizzling in a cast-iron skillet on the stove, two ramekins filled to the top with layers of chunks of English muffins, cheese, eggs, asparagus and chives can be baking in the oven. What a way to start the day.

Several spears of fresh asparagus that had been roasted to eat with grilled steaks were in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator when I decided to put together a couple of breakfast dishes to have on hand during the long holiday weekend. In the refrigerator, I knew they would be good for a few days, if necessary.

This morning was cool, dark and dreary — perfect for turning on the oven to heat up my chilly kitchen. I had thought about layering bits of crispy bacon into the egg-bakes, but decided against using the quality Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon I’d discovered at my local grocery store last week. I wanted to eat slices, fried to crispness, alongside my egg-bake.

According to the weather predictions, we can expect a cool, wet summer. I’ll be keeping this recipe handy. Any summer-fresh vegetables, slightly cooked, can be layered into this dish. Experiment with a variety of your favorite herbs and cheeses.

What looks like an awful morning — dark clouds, rain, and chill — can turn into something quite wonderful with Asparagus Egg Bake for Two. And then, back to bed for a little more sleep as the raindrops pitter-patter on the roof.

Asparagus Egg Bake for Two

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 English muffins, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 6 asparagus spears, cooked crisp-tender, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Lightly grease the inside of two (10- to 12-ounce) ramekins. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, butter and some salt and pepper.

Put 1/4 of the English muffin pieces into bottom of each ramekin. Layer with 2 tablespoons grated cheese in each, 1/2 of asparagus pieces in each one, 1 teaspoon of chives in each ramekin, and top with remaining pieces of English muffin. Slowly pour egg mixture over layers, using half of it for each ramekin. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove plastic wrap from ramekins. Place ramekins on a small baking sheet to catch any drips that my slip over the sides. You don’t want to start the day with a smoky kitchen. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until egg mixture is set. Serve hot. Makes 2 servings.

 

Cracked Pepper and Chives Bread Two Ways

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There is nothing quite as satisfying as eating a thick slice of warm homemade bread slathered with creamy butter. For me, the process of making and kneading  bread dough, normally a cool-weather activity in my kitchen, brings peace to my mind, reduces stress and releases me from all the small stuff I’m sweating about.

Cracked Pepper and Chives Bread began with a bread machine recipe I found in an old cookbook I bought at an antique shop a couple of years ago. I added fresh chives to the original recipe, a little honey and olive oil as the fat. I do have a bread machine that I dug out and made the first batch as the original recipe directed. The bread turned out just fine. There’s just something about the shape of loaves turned out of my machine that just doesn’t seem right. Especially when I know how rustic and earthy bread can look when it is formed into rounds and baked on a pizza stone in the oven.

Now, I mix and knead the dough by hand, form it into two round loaves and bake them.

Cracked Pepper and Chives Bread is soft. Bits of cracked black peppercorns add zest and finely chopped fresh chives add delicate onion-like flavor. The bread is wonderful with butter. I like it toasted to make a fried egg sandwich for breakfast.

The bread makes a delicious tuna salad sandwich layered with slices of creamy, ripe avocado and crisp leaves of romaine.

I’ve given directions for preparing the bread in a machine and for making two round loaves the old-fashioned way, using your own two hands.

Whichever way you decide to mix, knead and bake this bread, you’ll find it’s another delicious way to use up those bright green chives in your garden.

If you are lucky to have a healthy crop of chives in your garden, you may like to try the Chive and Cheddar scones I share in my column this week. Click here to get right to the recipe.

Cracked Pepper and Chives Bread

  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour (I use Gold ‘n’ White from Natural Way Mills, available at my local natural foods co-op)
  • 3/4 cup cracked wheat flour (I like to use organic 6-grain flour from Natural Way Mills)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons wheat germ
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil with a nice flavor. I used Italian Herb Blend that I purchased at Vinaigrette in Minneapolis.)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

To make in bread machine: Add all ingredients in the order suggested by your bread machine manual and process on the Basic bread cycle according to the manufacturer’s directions. Allow the loaf to cool before slicing. Makes 1 (1 1/2-pound) loaf.

To mix by hand:

Heat 1 1/2 cups water to 105 degrees to 110 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup into a 1-cup measure. Add sugar and yeast. Mix and allow to stand until it starts to bubble and grow.

While yeast is proofing, measure 1 cup bread flour, cracked wheat flour, sugar, wheat germ, cracked pepper and salt into large mixing bowl. When yeast has grown, add to dry mixture in bowl along with remaining 1 cup of warm water, 1 tablespoon plus plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil  and honey. A wooden spoon works well for mixing bread dough. Add chives and mix in. Continue to add bread flour until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl and follow the spoon. Turn dough out onto work surface that’s been sprinkled with a bit of the flour. Turn bowl upside down over dough. While dough is resting, use your fingers or a paper towel to swipe the inside of a large, clean bowl with some olive oil.

With floured hands, knead dough for about 8 minutes, until soft and smooth. Place dough into oiled bowl, then turn over so oiled side is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and turn onto work surface. Cut dough in half. Form each half into a round loaf. Place loaves on a peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. Place pizza stone on middle rack of oven. Place a shallow baking pan on lower shelf. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sprinkle tops of loaves with flour. Using a serrated knife, cut an “x” into the top of each loaf.

Transfer loaves of dough from peel to preheated stone in oven. Pour 1 cup hot water into baking pan. Bake loaves for about 25 minutes, until dark brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes 2 loaves.

 

Marathon Weekend: Power Up and Keep Rockin’ with Energy Bites

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It’s Marathon weekend in Fargo. My son, Dan, has diligently trained for the full marathon, getting his miles in, building his strength and managing a healthful eating plan. He’s ready.

As the firstborn, this is my son who I was determined would eat and drink healthfully from birth. Poor thing — he ate my homemade yogurt instead of candy. There was never a box of sugar-coated cereal in the cupboard. He loved zucchini muffins, cookies full of oats, and gingersnaps. Raisins or fresh fruit were a common snack. His mother-controlled low-sugar snacking, which he thought was normal, came to an end when he started school. Suddenly, his world opened up with visits to homes of his friends, snacks at school, birthday parties and sleepovers. But, I’m quite sure his first five years of life that were filled with fresh fruit, yogurt, oats, raisins and whole wheat built a strong foundation for the long-distance running he would finally challenge himself with years later.

I’ve been at the Fargo Marathon the last few years as a bystander, catching the excitement as I moved with my family from one spot on the route to another, cheering on both sons and a daughter-in-law as they ran by. It’s so much fun.

I’ll be missing all the running and rocking in Fargo on Saturday. I’ll miss Dan’s little grin at the end of his run that, without words, says “I did it. No sweat.”

I’ll be in Detroit Lakes listening to a presentation by Sarah Susanka. But, I’ll be packing a bag of Rockin’ Energy Bites that will go to Fargo with my husband, who will have to do the cheering for both of us this year.

I’ve loaded Rockin’ Energy Bites with food that fuels, including:

  1. Almonds are a great source of protein, fiber, and several minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc. They are also high in vitamin E, and contain smaller amounts of folic acid and vitamin B2. Almonds are a wise choice for a runner’s snack, helping to prevent achy muscles.
  2. Quinoa (KEEN-wah), an ancient grain from South America, is a complex carbohydrate that is a great energy source filled with fiber, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, all helpful to runners.
  3. All berries are good for you, but those with a blue hue are among the best of the bunch. Filled with vitamin C and potassium, blueberries can help the body repair itself after long, hard runs.
  4. Bananas are a perfect pre-workout or post-workout food. They are a great source of carbohydrates and potassium. No wonder there is always a load of bananas waiting at the end of a race.

So, if I could, I’d give that little big boy of mine a couple of Rockin’ Energy Bites and some low-fat Greek-style yogurt before the marathon on Saturday morning. Low-fat yogurt is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and Greek yogurt has less carbs and even more protein. Both are great sources of calcium, so important for runners to help prevent stress fractures.

And, at each place the family meets him along the route, an offer of wedges of juicy, vitamin C-packed oranges would be what a mother might think to do. Oranges are great for healing and helping absorb iron in the body which can help prevent fatigue and increase energy levels.

But, this mother is not a runner. This mother just knows about food that’s good for a little boy that has become a runner. A little boy that has become a big boy who is nearing 40 years old. But, mothers aren’t in charge of breakfast and snacks for their adult sons.

I’ll be packing extra Rockin’ Energy Bites for my cheering family members, too. Following a runner around the marathon route can be draining. These Bites will keep them rockin’.

Rockin’ Energy Bites

  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup oat bran
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/3 cup dried blueberries
  • 1/3 cup chopped dates
  • 1 banana, peeled, sliced
  • 1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Arrange almonds in a single layer on one small baking sheet. Spread quinoa on another baking sheet. To toast, bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Line a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place toasted almonds, toasted uncooked quinoa, rolled oats, oat bran, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries and dates into the work bowl of food processor. Pulse until mixed and slightly ground up.

Add sliced banana, peanut butter and honey to the mixture. Process until ingredients are blended and mixture is very thick.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan. With wet fingers, press mixture evenly into bottom of pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan.

When mixture is cool, pull the round out of the pan by holding the parchment paper. Set on work surface and cut into serving-size pieces.

I use a small 1 1/4-inch round cookie cutter to make pop-in-the-mouth-sized Bites. For a snack to nibble on for several miles in the car, I cut larger rounds.

Tips from the cook

  • Quinoa has a naturally occurring coating of bitter saponin. If the package does not indicate that the quinoa has been rinsed of the saponin, it is a good idea to put it in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool water. Shake well and then place on baking sheet to toast.
  • I use all organic products to make these Rockin’ Energy Bites, except for the dried blueberries and the honey. At this point, organic dried blueberries are not available in my local stores. The honey I use is local but not organic.
  • You can watch a short video of me preparing these Energy Bites on a segment of Lakeland Cooks. Click here.
  • You may also enjoy the Power Cookies I made for last year’s Marathon. Click here to get right to that post.

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Puffs Take the Cake

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Choux pastry is one of the most important kinds of pastry in French cooking. The translantion of the word “choux” is cabbages. Actually, “my little cabbage” is a term of endearment in France. With choux, you can make petite sweet pastries called profiteroles, and savory cheese puffs, gougeres. The basic dough is always made the same way with the same proportions — 1/4 pound butter, 1 cup water, 1 cup flour and 4 large eggs. This scientific formula will produce hollow puffs when baked, golden brown and crispy on the outside. With choux pastry, I make Cream Puffs.

My first taste of cream puffs came from a batch my mom made, filled with vanilla ice cream and doused with chocolate sauce. I liked them. A lot. I can understand why a fourth-grade class in Mukwonago, Wisconsin has convinced their Republican Senator, Mary Lazich, to introduce a bill to the legislature that would declare the oh-so-delicious cream puff the state’s official dessert. The young, social-media-savvy students have even developed a facebook page to generate support for the idea. I love it!

I think we should start a Facebook page that would generate support for making the cream puff the new cupcake. Just like those sweet little frosted cakes, light, chubby cream puffs can be picked up and eaten out of hand. And, what teacher wouldn’t appreciate the student who brought fist-sized cream puffs for their birthday treat to share with the class? None of those pesky cupcake crumbs all over the floor.

The luscious puffs I made yesterday are speckled with chopped hazelnuts, offering texture and flavor. I sandwiched generous scoops of White Chocolate Cream into the middle of each one, the same Cream I use when I make parfaits, layering fresh berries with swirls of the sweet, light Cream. What has always been a thick and sexy whipped dreamy Cream has recently gone over the top. I discovered Lindt White Coconut bars during a casual shopping trip through my local Target store.

Now, this is the only white chocolate bar I use when making my Cream.

If you’ve never made cream puffs, don’t be afraid to give them a try. Just be sure to use real butter and large eggs. Follow the directions precisely and you will have golden, light puffs ready to fill with any sweet thing you choose. The Vanilla Cream I use to layer in Hazelnut Torte is a delicious choice for Cream Puffs. Chocolate Mousse or homemade ice cream create decadent cream puffs. Lemon curd lightened with whipped cream along with some fresh berries tucked into a Puff is an elegant dessert. This choux recipe, with no sugar, would also be delicious filled with savory chicken salad.

One of my favorite Puffs, though, is not petite, but fist-sized, with toasted chopped hazelnuts folded into the choux. I spread my favorite Dark Chocolate Sauce over the bottom half of each hollow puff, then top it with a huge dollop of White Chocolate Cream. Place the top half of the puff over the Cream and give it a little squish so the cream just starts to ooze out of the golden puff. Then, just dust with powdered sugar.

Eat it with a fork. Mmmmmm. Amazing.

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Puffs

Puffs:

  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cold eggs
  • ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts, skins removed

White Chocolate Cream Filling:

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (8-ounce) tub mascarpone, room temperature
  • 1 (3.5 ounce) bar white chocolate, chopped

Dark Chocolate Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons water OR 3 tablespoons kahlua
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Arrange rack just below oven center. Preheat to 425 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Heat water, butter, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not let the mixture come up to a boil until the butter melts. When the butter has melted, increase the heat and let boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add flour all at once. Remove the pot from the heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour is blended. The more you beat the mixture, the higher it will rise in the oven. Put the pot back on low heat and stir until batter pulls away from sides of the pan and easily forms a ball, about 3 minutes. Turn mixture into bowl of an electric mixer. Break up by mixing briefly with the paddle. Mix on low speed until slightly cooled. With mixer at medium speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, blending completely after each addition. Using a spatula, fold in the hazelnuts.
Drop dough by rounded, heaping tablespoonfuls about 2-inches apart on prepared pan, making 12 mounds in all. Using wet fingers, shape into 2-inch rounds, leaving tops somewhat rough. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 25 minutes or until deeply golden. Stick the point of a small knife into tops of each puff. Turn off oven and open door. Cool puffs on oven rack for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Puffs can be made weeks ahead. (If making ahead, do not cut. Freeze in a heavy plastic bag. To restore crispness, reheat from frozen at 350 degrees, uncovered, on a cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffs feel dry & crisp.)

Make filling by melting white chocolate in a bowl in microwave oven set at 50% power, stirring after 2 minutes. Heat in microwave for another minute and stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

Whip cream, adding sugar a tablespoon at a time, until soft peaks form.

In another bowl, use electric mixer to beat mascarpone  with melted white chocolate. Add vanilla and blend. Add whipped cream and beat until mixture is thick and fluffy.

To make Dark Chocolate Sauce, combine whipping cream, dark corn syrup, butter and instant espresso powder in heavy saucepan over heat, stirring until butter melts. Add both chocolates and whisk until smooth. Mix in water or kahlua. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate sauce. Before serving, stir sauce over low heat just until warm.

To assemble Cream Puffs, slice puffs in half. Spread some of the Dark Chocolate Sauce over the inside of the bottom half. Spoon White Chocolate Cream over the chocolate, mounding it generously. Place the top half on the Puff. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Makes 12.

 

Tip from the cook

To remove the skins from hazelnuts, place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then rub in a clean dish towel. Don’t worry if all the brown skins don”t come off. You can watch me demonstrate this process on a short video by clicking here.

 

 

Weekend Baking with Martha and the Boss

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It took a trip to Dunn Bros for a triple shot of espresso and an in-and-out at the liquor store for a bottle of sweet Marsala. It took a search through all the supermarkets in Bemidji for ladyfingers, little finger-shaped sponge cakes. My friend, Kelly, went the extra mile — extra miles, really. She lives way out of town. She was determined to create tiramisu using a recipe from her idol, Buddy Valastro, the Cake Boss. I was one of the lucky people who had that heavenly Italian dessert melting in my mouth last night.

Kelly never did find ladyfingers. She discovered the small round spongecakes designed to hold fresh berries worked well as a substitute. (Gosh, Kelly, you could have made ladyfingers from scratch. Just kidding :) I’ve actually used Twinkies in Tiramisu. Please don’t tell anyone.

Imagine layers of spongecake dipped in sweetened espresso and coffee liqueur, Marsala-spiked creamy mascarpone and whipped cream, dusted with cocoa powder. Not too wet, not too dry, not too strong of alcohol, this tiramisu is the best I’ve ever eaten — a balanced and harmonious blend of decadence. Thanks for your determination to get this recipe right, Kelly. It was soooooooooo worth your efforts.

The Italian word tiramisu means “pick-me-up.”  One serving will definitely make you happy. I was ecstatic — until I tried to get to sleep last night. It must have been the espresso and the cocoa that kept me tossing and turning. But, eventually, I was dreaming of tiramisu.

This Friday the 13th is your lucky day. I am directing you to this very uncomplicated recipe for tiramisu from the Cake Boss. Just click here.

Kelly’s tiramisu was only a small part of our monthly potluck with food-loving friends. Our hostess proclaimed it an evening of food prepared with recipes from our favorite Food Network star. Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, is a star on TLC.

Ellen prepared the other dessert you see in the photo at the top of the page, Martha Stewart’s Simple Lemon Cake. It doesn’t sound all that simple to make, but then, everything is simple for Martha, right? Making the Lemon Cake requires slicing very thin rounds of fresh lemons and boiling them, then pureeing the mixture, which apparently intensifies the bright lemon flavor. Ellen served each slice with fresh berries and whipped cream.

We also enjoyed Bobby Flay’s Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette. It’s an awesome combination of spice, heat and sweet with plenty of cheese thick and gooey enough to hold a tortilla chip in place.

Ina Garten’s Chunky Blue Cheese and Yogurt Dip is healthful and so nice with blanched asparagus spears. The Barefoot Contessa rarely disappoints.

Ina’s Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, prepared with zucchini rather than eggplant, is a winner. It’s a salad that will will be a perfect go-together with anything off the grill this summer.

We also enjoyed Paula Deen’s Black-Eyed Pea Dip and Sara Moulton’s Turkey Meatballs with Pesto and Orzo from her “Everyday Family Dinners” cookbook. Sorry, no photos of these two dishes.

Happy Friday the 13th. May your weekend hold spoonfuls of tiramisu!

 

 

Doughnuts are nothing to brag about, but….

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I whirled through a Mother’s Day weekend of playing, cooking and baking. My 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter, Claire, was here with her mom and dad for 65 hours, give or take a few minutes. That included 3 nights of hugs and kisses from sweet Claire before bed and three early mornings of cuddling on the couch drinking juice and eating muffins or granola while watching recordings of Thomas the Tank Engine and his Friends. Oh, moments that a grandma treasures.

My daughter-in-law, Katie, brought a cookbook along that included a recipe she wanted us to make while she was here. Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts in “Family Meals: Creating Traditions in the Kitchen,” by Maria Helm Sinskey sounded very tempting and a little intimidating to my daughter-in-law. I’m far from an expert when it comes to making cake doughnuts, but between the two of us, the task seemed much less threatening.

It was before 7:00 on Saturday morning when I awoke to see two big blue eyes staring at me. Claire was anxious to get going on the doughnuts. Apparently, she decided she would be eating Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts for breakfast.

Still in my pajamas and with a big mug of dark coffee nearby, I measured out the wet ingredients while Katie measured all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Claire (still in her jammies, too) was right there with us standing on a stool, measuring and mixing flour.

Katie mixed the wet and dry ingredients together and formed a very dry, unappealing mass that we knew was not conducive to patting out onto a work surface. We added a couple more tablespoons of apple juice to the bowl. It did the trick. As oil heated in a deep cast iron pan over a gas flame, Katie patted out the dough and cut out doughnut shapes.

It took some testing in the hot oil before we finally came up with just the right thickness of dough to be sure the doughnuts were cooked through by the time they turned golden brown.

Claire decided she could just blow on the hot doughnut balls and presto, they were ready to eat. Claire seemed happy with the balls and the doughnuts.

Katie and I were disappointed with the dull flavor and the chewy texture. I just got an email note from her:

“I opened our suitcase full of dirty clothes this morning and they smelled of fried doughnuts.  I’m thinking if that’s going to happen again, we better enjoy them a bit more!! ;)   Hopefully our next attempt will be more successful.”

Maybe you’d like to try the doughnut recipe from “Family Meals” and let us know what kind of results you get. Click right here to get to that recipe. I must tell you that Katie has prepared at least a few recipes from that book and she has had good results with all of them. Maybe it was the early morning doughnut-making hour that tainted our results with this recipe. Really, though, it doesn’t matter much how the doughnuts turned out. It was such fun spending girl-time in the kitchen with Katie and Claire.

I might try that recipe again just to see if I get better results a second time. But, I would probably just stick to the recipe for Applesauce Doughnuts that I wrote about in my column a couple of years ago. I haven’t made them since publishing the recipe, but I do remember they were quite good. Maybe I’ll surprise Claire with Applesauce Doughnut Balls next time I see her. You can get to my recipe for the Applesauce Doughnuts by clicking right here.

So, our Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts were nothing to brag about, but…ask me about my grandchildren. (Smile)

Claire had such fun playing outside in the Bemidji sunshine. She and Gracie are still learning how to play with each other. Gracie needs her gentle leader to remind her not to jump on Claire. Gracie will have her first birthday on May 21st. She’s still all puppy. Claire will turn 3 in September, shortly after the birth or her new baby brother or sister.

Claire will love pushing her new little sibling in the stroller — she’s been practicing.

Soccer and tummy troubles made it impossible for my other three grandchildren to come for a visit, but here they are with our traditional lamb cake on Easter.

Okay, all done bragging!

 

 

 

It’s like fried rice, but it’s made with pasta

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As a young girl growing up in a northern suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, I had little exposure to ethnic foods other than the Hungarian and German foods prepared by my grandma, my mom and my aunts. But, there was a Chinese restaurant not far from our house that we sometimes went to for supper when my mom was too tired to make a meal after a long day of work as a business manager at a small manufacturing company.

It was the fried rice that was always my choice. It was brought to the table hidden under a bowl. When the bowl was lifted, there was the rice, a mound the shape of an upside-down bowl. The rice was brown with soy sauce and speckled with bits of scrambled eggs, onions and peas, maybe some sprouts, and small bits of either chicken or pork.

Years later, married with two young children and living in Fargo, North Dakota, I took a Chinese cooking class from Andrea Halgrimson. And, that is when I learned to make a mean bowl of fried rice that was pretty close to the rice I use to get at the Roseville restaurant.

After a recent meal of Baked Orzo with Vegetables (in my last blog post) and grilled Marinated Sesame Chicken Kabobs, there was some of each leftover. A couple of days later I turned it into Fried Orzo with Chicken. It was a quick and easy meal that was full of flavor. I used the Fried Rice recipe that I still have from Andrea’s class back in 1984. With a couple of embellishments, it was a wonderful way to turn leftovers into a brand new meal. It’s like fried rice, but it’s made with pasta.

Fried Orzo with Chicken

  • 3 to 4 cups Baked Orzo with Vegetables or plain cooked orzo
  • Leftover cooked chicken, onions and peppers from Marinated Sesame Chicken Kabobs, chopped
  • 1/2 cup frozen green peas
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  • soy sauce
  • pinch of sugar
  • salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Heat canola and sesame oils in wok or large saute pan over medium heat. Add beaten eggs and stir-fry until partially set. Turn out of pan onto a plate. Add a little more oil to pan and heat. Add chopped chicken, onion, pepper and peas to pan. Stir-fry until heated through. Add Baked Orzo with Vegetables and partially-cooked eggs and continue to stir-fry until hot. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Tip from the cook

To serve Fried Orzo molded, lightly spray a glass custard cup with non-stick vegetable spray. Pack Fried Orzo into the bowl. Invert bowl onto plate and remove bowl, leaving a perfectly molded serving of orzo on the plate.

 

 

Baked Orzo with Vegetables

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Last weekend my son and daughter-in-law prepared a delicious meal of grilled chicken and vegetable kabobs with sides of fresh fruit and a rice and vegetable dish. They used a rice recipe that I’ve been making for years. It’s a baked dish that takes all the guess-work out of how long to cook the rice. You don’t want it to turn to mush and crunchy rice is surely not appealing. Baked in broth and a bit of butter, the rice turns out perfectly every time. Last weekend, my son and daughter-in-law used fragrant jasmine rice and it was wonderful.

After spending a couple of weeks working on perfecting an orzo salad for my column, my mind started turning with thoughts of trying to use the small, flat, rice-shaped pasta as a replacement for rice in the baked side-dish that’s been a family favorite over the years.

Silly me — I thought for sure this weekend that brings us the month of May would definitely bring warm sunshine that would demand a meal from the grilling. I was so wrong.

The Grill Master in my house was a good sport as he went out in the rain to light the grill. During a short break in the rain, chicken kabobs cooked to perfection over the hot coals. With an outside temperature of 45 degrees, a little heat coming from the oven as the orzo baked was appreciated.

I used a little less broth for the orzo dish than I do when I make the dish with rice. It took less time to bake, too. The orzo absorbed the broth as it baked. It’s texture was creamy. It was the perfect go-along for chicken kabobs.

Since the vegetables are added raw and bake with the orzo for only 10 minutes, it’s important to mince them. The carrots will have an al dente texture.

When I’ve made this dish early in the day to serve with supper, I bake it for the required time, then take it out of the oven and stir in the vegetables. The vegetables will cook a bit as they sit in the hot pot with the orzo. At serving time, just transfer the baked orzo with vegetables to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it up for a few minutes in the microwave oven.

I’m optimistic that warm weather will soon arrive and stay for a while. Baked Orzo with Vegetables will stay on my list of sides to serve with anything grilled all through the sunny spring and summer season.

Baked Orzo with Vegetables

  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 1/2 cups boiling chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 tablespoons minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 6 tablespoons minced carrots
  • 6 tablespoons minced celery
  • 6 tablespoons minced green onions
  • 6 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange slivered almonds in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Place in oven as it preheats. Watch the almonds closely and remove from oven when they begin to turn light brown.

Melt butter in a 2-quart oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add uncooked orzo. Stir the orzo as it toasts in the butter for about 5 minutes. Carefully pour in the boiling chicken broth. Stir. Place top on pot. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 35 minutes.

Remove pot from oven. Stir orzo. Add vegetables. Place top on pot and return to oven. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven. Add toasted slivered almonds and parsley. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.