Pots and Pins

Woo-Hoo! It's Clean!!!!

After round the clock cleaning - and vats of sundry pain killers - I am here to proudly tell you that my workroom is finally clean!  Let me refresh your memory....here is the before...broken grids, overstuffed bins filled with who knows what?!  Just a depressing mess!

And now - here is the after....with closet doors removed to give me a bit more space - and a new Elfa Storage system....I finally have what I've always wanted....organization!  I also got a new "work station" on top of the shelves - it will be a great place to wrap presents!  I hauled out bags and bags and only kept the good stuff .  I am so happy its finally done - now I can get back to work!

I think I'm going to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate - and because I don't even think I could lift a pot to cook in!  Which reminds me.....my dear friend Joni told me the only exercise she gets is chewing!  Music to my ears - I must have the healthiest jaw in the world! 

Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic...

Long before The Soprano's were a household name - I dated a guy who had "ties" to the "mafia"...not that there is such a thing, mind you...He was nothing like anyone who ever showed up in an episode of The Soprano's...he was beautiful - I mean drop-dead gorgeous and he was polite and kind and rich - for our first date this guy had one of the best restaurants in the city closed down just so the two of us could have a private dinner!  And after our date he sent me roses - no one had ever done that!  At the time, I had no idea who he was - I just thought I'd found Mr. Right....

Our second date was very interesting....we went to a comedy club, which he mentioned that he owned and it was fun and different from my usual bowling dates.  Afterwards we were going to dinner but he said he needed to stop somewhere first, we drove into an area of town that I was not familiar with and stopped in front of a little Italian restaurant.  When I followed him through the door I was hit by a wall of garlic!  The smell was so strong - I LOVED it!!  He asked me to wait by the door - I watched him as he went over to a large table where 10 or 12 men were seated - all of them eating with napkins tucked in around their collars - he talked with them for a short time - I could not hear what they were saying - not that I cared - I was too busy taking in the aromas - I did think it strange that they were the only people in the restaurant....and then we left and had a nice dinner in town and he took me home.  I thought it was the perfect date except for the stop at the Italian restaurant which I could have done without.

What can I say?  I was young and stupid....it was not until my parents were out one night with friends that I learned who he really was!  Their friends asked how I was doing in front of another couple and my my mom told them that I had a new boyfriend and mentioned his name (which I don't dare mention because I don't know if he's in or out of the Federal Pen!) When this couple heard his name - the guy told my parents that they needed to get me as far away from my new boyfriend as possible...this guy worked for the FBI Task Force on Organized Crime and apparently knew things about my new boyfriend that I did not!  So that was the end of that!  At first I had a hard time believing what the FBI guy said....I mean, he was just so nice and so charming and he sent me roses!!!  But after reading a few back articles in the newspaper I realized he was telling the truth...Mr. Right was Mr. Wrong.  But all's well that ends well....I soon met Mr. Wrong, the mister, and he turned out to be Mr. Right.

This recipe reminds me of the smell of that Italian restaurant - so long ago...40 cloves of garlic might seem like overkill but it's not as over-powering as you might think...and you won't have to worry about vampires.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic - Cook's Illustrated, January 2008

Table salt

1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (4 breast pieces - cut them in two, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks) and trimmed of excess fat (I used boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs)

Ground black pepper

3 medium garlic heads (about 8 ounces), outer papery skins removed, cloves separated and unpeeled, you will get 40 plus cloves out of these 3 heads

2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered pole to pole

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs fresh Thyme

1 sprig fresh Rosemary

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine (I used white wine)

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (low sodium because of the brined chicken)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 2 quarts cold tap water in large container or bowl; submerge chicken pieces in brine and refrigerate 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, toss garlic and shallots with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in 9-inch pie plate; cover tightly with foil and roast until softened and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes, shaking pan once to toss contents after 15 minutes (foil can be left on during tossing).  Uncover, stir, and continue to roast, uncovered, until browned and fully tender, 10 minutes longer, stirring once or twice.  Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

After 30 minutes remove chicken from refrigerator, rinse pieces under running water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.  Season both side of chicken pieces with pepper. 

Using kitchen twine, tie together thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; set aside.  Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed oven safe skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; swirl to coat pan with oil.  Brown chicken pieces skin-side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown until golden on second side, about 4 minutes longer.  Transfer chicken to large plate and discard fat; off heat, add vermouth, chicken broth, and herbs, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.  Set skillet over medium heat, add garlic/shallot mixture to pan, then return chicken, skin-side up, to pan, nestling pieces on top of and between garlic cloves.

Place skillet in oven and roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers about 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.  If desired, increase heat to broil and broil to crisp skin, 3 to 5 minutes.  Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to serving dish.  Remove 10 to 12 garlic cloves to mesh sieve and reserve; using slotted spoon, scatter remaining garlic cloves and shallots around chicken and discard herbs.  With rubber spatula, push reserved garlic cloves through sieve and into bowl; discard skins.  Add garlic paste to skillet.  Bring liquid to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to incorporate garlic; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk in butter; pour sauce into sauceboat and serve.

(I know this seems like a lot of steps - but it is sooooo worth it! Aside from the 30 minutes of brine/garlic roasting time, the recipe really comes together quite quickly - trust me, it's worth the time!) 

   

                   "Kissing don't last; cookery do."  George Meredith

Cute Containers....

Isn't this adorable?  I found these little Zig-Zag Pots made of plastic at The Container Store - they are a creative way to package up some cookies or a small gift.  I gave up on trying to make the system work that I have for storing my  fabrics - my workroom is still a disaster!   I went there in hopes of finding something to help me get organized....they were having a great sale on Elfa Closet Organizers so I decided to get some....an early Valentine gift from the mister to me....now he won't have to stop at the gas station to buy me the usual plastic rose with fake water droplets! 

While I was waiting for them to gather up my order - I walked around and found a ton of cool things!  It's an amazing store - I haven't been there for a long time and I'd forgotten about all of the great things they have!  Now I just need to put the shelving thingys together!  They assured me it would be easy.....we shall see! 

Since I know myself well....I know what a slacker I can be....in order to prevent any untimely slacking today, I hired three 13 year old girls to come and help me sort through my fabric - they are so excited about it, too!  Who knew 13 year olds would do such a thing!?!  I put some sugar cookies in the containers for little thank you gifts for them ....to soften the blow when I hand them their payment!  Aren't they cute!?

Fon-Tuna Melts...

      

This is not your momma's tuna melt!  Not that there's anything wrong with the canned tuna and mayo thing - except that it's soooooo yesterday! 

I found this recipe in Every Day With Rachel Ray - and as she would say, "It is YUM-O!"  So get out your EVOO and whip this up for lunch one day soon - you'll thank me AND Rachel Ray!

It's fresh, light and full of flavor - with capers, green olives, fresh basil, sweet onion and celery....The original recipe calls for anchovy paste - but I just couldn't bring myself to do that - I have as much affinity for anchovies as I do influenza.  I really don't see why anyone would want their food to taste fishy - especially fish!  There's an oxymoron in there somewhere - or maybe just a moron. 

I almost liked this better sans bread - and since I'm watching my weight (go up) I may skip the bread altogether next time and stuff a tomato with the tuna mixture...

Fon-Tuna Melts - Adapted from Every Day With Rachel Ray, January 2008

2 (6 oz.) cans tuna in water, well-drained

Juice from one lemon

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil....you Rachel Rayers out there know this is called EVOO

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped Sicillian green olives (no pimentos allowed)

4 celery ribs, finely chopped (use the hearts)

2 tablespoons capers

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 lb. shredded Fontina or Swiss cheese

4 thick slices crusty Italian bread slices

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler.  In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and the EVOO.  Mix in tuna, celery, onion, basil, olives and capers; season with pepper.  Lightly toast both sides of the bread on a baking sheet under the broiler or in a toaster.  Rub one side of each slice with the garlic; cover with a quarter of the tuna salad.  Top with the cheese and melt under the broiler.

(If you really want to add the anchovy paste, just use 1 teaspoon - and give yourself a medal for being brave!)

                        "The waist is a terrible thing to mind."  Ziggy

Famous Chili...

There are all kinds of comfort foods...mac and cheese, beef stew, mom's casseroles, bananas foster...?....but at the top of my list has to be chili - it's what I want on a cold wintry day - or even a summer day!  I'm not that discriminatory when it comes to chili and the weather.  Several years ago when we lived in Houston, the Houston newspaper ran a story about the annual Texas Chili cook-off that was being held there.  I really wanted to go, had the mister all talked into it and then the girl got sick so we had to stay home.  But I was thrilled to find the winning recipes in the paper the next day....there were 4 winners - 3 runner-ups and the Grand Champion.  I made all 4 recipes over the next few weeks....two of them we absolutely hated!  We couldn't figure out what the judges were smokin' when they picked them!

 

 

 

 

 

We loved the other two recipes, the 1st runner up and the Grand Champion....and I wish I had clipped the recipe with the winners names on them but I didn't - back then I clipped recipes to fit on my 3" x 5" recipe cards - so trimming them to fit was very important!  Since we liked both recipes the same - and they were both just a little different - over the years I combined them into my all-time favorite chili - which I call Famous Chili.  Since I didn't lived in Houston long enough to reach "native status" I put beans in my chili - which a native Texan wouldn't do.  Hope you like it...and if you don't - let me know, I'm a big girl, I can handle it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Famous Chili - Pots and Pins

1 lb. sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (8 oz.) can tomato paste

2 cups V-8 juice

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, chopped

1 (12 oz.) can beer

1/4 cup chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cans (15 oz.) beans, I like to use 1 can dark red kidney beans, 1 can light red kidney beans and 1 can white beans. 

Sour cream (optional)

Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Sear meat in the oil until browned in a 5 quart iron pot or something similar.  Add onions to the meat and cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the beans, sour cream and Cheddar cheese.  Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, but leave the lid on as much as possible.  After 1 hour, add the beans and simmer 30 more minutes, stirring frequently.   Serve with sour cream and/or grated Cheddar cheese if desired.  Serves 10.

"Wish I had time for one more bowl of chili."  Kit Carson's supposed last words.

So Many New Finds....

On my way home today I happened by one of my very favorite antique shops - so many fun finds! 

 

The salt cellar is so pretty...and I needed a new one! The cup and saucer, glued together, will make a lovely soap dish for my mom - and what a cute idea to make with odd pieces of china!  The silver box is so beautiful - I think it's going to have a home on my nightstand.  I loved the white and red glass jar - it will now house my morning vitamins.  The little book - you know I have a thing for little old books - is called The Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics - it's filled with beautiful poems and sonnets - the perfect Valentine for me!  And while it's not old, the little porcelain candy box, which says candies on the top, is so cute and it has two little porcelain "candies" inside!     

The little Valentine doll came in her own box - she is very old - but in pristeen condition.  She is plastic but has moveable parts and her dress - well it's a thing of beauty!  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with her yet...but she's not going anywhere anytime soon....I also found this wonderful framed card advertising Peek, Frean and Co's Biscuits and Cakes - too cute to pass up - does anyone know anything about Peek, Frean and Company?!?  And lastly, I found a very sweet Valentine for my brother, pictured above....He really has no interest in Valentines and won't even notice that I gave him one or that it's an old one but it's all about the giving and I want him to have a nice Valentine from me this year - with maybe some heart-shaped sugar cookies....he's a dentist so I've got to be nice to him so he'll fill my cavities for free!  Kidding....not really....hey - dentists are expensive and he owes me - he beat me up all the time when I was a kid!

Another good hunting expedition...I am really feeling lucky!  I think it's time I went and bought some lottery tickets!  If I win I'll not ever post again as I doubt they'll have an internet connection in Tahiti...

  "The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again." Erma Bombeck

Chocolate Raspberry Tart With White Chocolate Cream...

Since I've broken my resolution not to buy magazines or cookbooks....I had no trouble purchasing The Best of Cooking Light 9 magabook...or bookazine...looks like a magazine but it's heftier like a book.  The picture on the cover made me pick it up to begin with - the Chocolate Raspberry Tart with White Chocolate Cream....it just looked like something I could and should make.

I quickly read over the recipe and it seemed simple enough and I had all of the ingredients on hand...all except the apple jelly so I substituted orange marmalade, sans the orange bits.  Once I decided to make that substitution I realized all of my favorite flavors were in this tart - all but one - coconut - so I decided to add that, too.

I loved the crust - ground up bittersweet chocolate with chocolate graham crackers and cocoa....it would be a great crust with chocolate cream pie or even banana cream pie....once I got going on the recipe I didn't think the amount of white chocolate was enough (is any amount ever enough?)  So instead of the 4 oz. the recipe called for I added the entire 10 oz. that I had.... 

Just look at those "action shots!"  One more change....the amount of Cool Whip that the original recipe called for seemed like a lot....oh not really - it's just that I only had half of the Cool Whip that it called for so that's what I used - I figured by this point that with all of the changes I'd made it might not work so a little less Cool Whip wouldn't matter. 

With all of these changes it occurred to me that IF this tart worked I would have my own original recipe...and IF I knew of a certain contest that required desserts I could enter this recipe....knowing that the mister doesn't eat chocolate desserts (what does that tell you?) and me unable to eat them (diabetic) I would have to make up sample plates to deliver to friends so I could get a "verdict" on whether this would be "contest worthy" or not.....by this point I was praying it would work....hoping that the addition of more than twice the amount of chocolate wouldn't ruin the entire thing...and with the teensy slice that I tried...I think it worked great...but the jury is still out.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart With White Chocolate Cream - Adapted from The Best of Cooking Light 9

You will need a springform tart pan for this recipe, but do not remove the bottom of the springform pan when you go to serve it, just place it on top of your serving plate.  Serves 12.

Crust:

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

6 chocolate graham cracker sheets

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

dash of salt

1 large egg white

cooking spray

Filling:

1 cup milk (obviously I changed the type of milk as Cooking Light called for fat-free milk - I prefer not to cook with blue water)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

10 oz. premium white baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup Cool Whip, thawed

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Topping:

1 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon lemon juice

chocolate curls (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  To prepare crust, place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until fine crumbs form.  Place 1 egg white in a small bowl, beat with a fork until frothy.  Add 3 tablespoons beaten egg white through food chute with food processor on; process just until combined.  Discard any remaining egg white.  Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch round removeble-bottom tart pan coated wtih cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, combine milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and egg yolks in a small saucepan.  Sprinkle gelatin evenly over milk mixture.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Do not have this over heat.  After 5 minutes, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until gelatin dissolves and mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; add white chocolate, stirring until chocolates melts and mixture is smooth.  Scrape white chocolate mixture into a medium bowl.  Place bowl in a larger ice-filled bowl until mixture cools and thickens (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly (do not allow gelatin mixture to set.)  Gently stir 1/2 whipped topping into white chocolate mixture.  Scrape into prepared crust using a rubber spatula, spread evenly to edge of crust.  Sprinkle coconut on top.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

To prepare topping, place raspberries in a large bowl.  Remove plastic wrap from tart pan, remove sides of tart pan.  Heat orange marmalade in a small sauce pan until melted, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour marmalade through strainer into a small bowl, to remove bits of orange.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Drizzle marmalade mixture over raspberries, tossing gently to coat.  Spoon raspberry mixture into the center of the tart, spreading out slightly.  Refrigerate, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Garnish with chocolate curls.  Serve immediately. 

As I said - the jury is still out - I delivered samples to two foodies and I'm anxiously awaiting their verdict.  I thought it was good but then I'm biased and easily pleased - as soon as I hear from them I'll let you know.

Baby Shower Treats....

My daughter, the mother of my soon-to-be-born grandson, was recently given a baby shower....(I'm trying really, really hard not to talk about this all of the time and I think I've been really good...so you'll forgive me if I just say that I can hardly stand it!!)  She is 7 months along ...it's really starting to sink in....and it's so exciting!  The baby shower was so much fun for her and me - she received a lot of beautiful little boy things - and since this is her first she needed everything.....rather than show you every single gift - which I did take pictures of - I just want to show you the treats that were served....food says is all, right?  Trust me when I say that everything was a good as it looks....hopefully they'll share the recipes with me and I can share them with you - because they were heavenly!

 

Home-made sugar cookies...the "C" on the "onesie" stands for Cash...my grandson's name...they are next to sweet little cupcakes with coconut frosting...yummy!  Thank you Lori and Kim!

 

Hand-made eclairs - what more can be said?  They were out of this world!  And these little beauties, meringues with lemon filling topped with a raspberry were truly, worth dying for, luckily it didn't come to that!  Thank you Roxanne and Megan!

The "spread"....it was something - these dear friends went to a lot of trouble and it was so very appreciated!  Ten weeks to go!

Miss Cupid Has Arrived.....

Move over Miss Valentine....there's a new girl in town!  Yessirreebob....Miss Valentine has some stiff competition with the arrival of Miss Cupid....if only this photo captured her radiance!  She looks a little washed out but her glittery personality still shines through!  She may not wear a crown but I assure you....she is every bit as regal as her predecessor!  I didn't think I would have time to finish her but thanks to the snow I did!  Now I'm set for Valentine's day...Notice the little "pacifier" hanging just off to the left?  It's made from two Life Savers and a Jelly Bean - cute, no?  My daughter was given a baby shower and these were used in one of the games - I suppose it will now have to hang where it is for the next few years - at least until the baby is old enough to ask for it!   

"It is not you, but your radiance."  Ralph Waldo Emerson  (Of course, he was referring to Miss Cupid!)

Valentine Cherub Wreath...

 

My antique Cherub found a nice little home - on my heart wreath!  He's waiting to greet you!  You may ask yourself....after reading a little further....while all the "out-put?"   Yes....I'm usually not this productive...but is SNOWED last night so my appointment was cancelled!  Snow days are simply the best - even though I don't have kids in school to worry about there's just something so freeing about a snow day....so stay tuned...I might even finish something else!