Pots and Pins

Korean Hotdogs...

It was bound to happen, me posting Korean recipes.  I've tried a few recipes lately, some good, some better than good, like this one, which is worth every calorie and I don't even like hotdogs!  I need to thank one of my readers, Susan, for telling me about these.  She sent me the link to the recipe and has now made me a hotdog fan for life!  I'm told these hotdogs are sold on the streets in Korea, grab and go food, and these are definitely worth grabbing.  They have a special ingredient in them too, and it's not seaweed or eel or octopus or burn-your-behind-spices!  I'll get to that in a minute, let me first wish you a Happy Halloween from The Slaughterhouse.  Mother Nature is giving us lots of sunshine today and more importantly, NO rain tonight!  I am hoping we will have some trick-or-treaters stop by to see what the boy has created in the front yard...super scary creatures that I detest, but I no longer have any say when it comes to Halloween.  I just dress up and stand where I'm told!

You can use cheddar cheese or mozzarella, which is what I used.  Cut chunks and slide onto a skewer with pieces of hotdog.  The skewers I used where too long so I cut them to be about 8-inches in length so they would fit in my pan.

The skewered hotdogs are then "dipped" into a really sticky and thick batter, so thick that you end up having to spread it over them.  But it's not a big deal, I promise.  Then the battered dogs are rolled in panko crumbs and are ready to deep fry until they are crispy, dark and golden and the batter is fully cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes is all.  About the secret ingredient...it's sugar.  Yes!  Sugar!  Sweet and salty hotdogs, just another reason to love Koreans and their food!

Korean Hotdogs - Adapted slightly from Kirbie's Cravings

6 wooden skewers, about 6 to 8-inches long, whatever size will fit in your pan (wooden chopsticks work great)

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

oil for frying

granulated sugar for coating  The secret ingredient!!! 

ketchup, mustard, hotdog condiments for serving

For the batter:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

Cut skewers to length to fit your pan.  Cut hotdogs and cheese into chunks and alternate onto skewers.  Pat the hotdogs and cheese dry with paper towels.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Add in milk and egg and whisk until smooth.  The batter should be very thick and sticky; when you lift the whisk the batter should not run off of it.  Pour oil into a pan for frying.  You want to add enough oil so that it is deep enough to cover the entire hot dog.  Heat oil to 350 degrees.  

Dip skewered hotdogs into batter, making sure every bit is coated.  Dip coated hotdogs into panko breadcrumbs, using hands to lightly press crumbs into batter.  Work quickly to coat all hotdogs, you should have enough to do all 6.  When oil is ready, add 2 to 3 hotdogs at a time and cook on both sides, until batter is dark golden brown and fully cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes total.  Remove hotdogs to plate and sprinkle all over with sugar.  Drizzle condiments of your choice over top and serve hot.  

In the K-drama Prison Playbook one of the prisoners explained how he made his noodles that his cellmates loved so much:  he cooked them in Sprite instead of water or broth.  So that's what I did...I loved them, they had a nice sweetness.  However, as you might imagine, the mister hated them.  I have wondered lately if he might have Covid as he really has no sense of taste whatsoever and isn't that one of the symptoms?  Loss of taste???  Can I have him quarantined for that?  

 

Caramel Apple Rice Pudding...

Before Pumpkin Season takes hold (it officially begins October 1st in my humble opinion), let's celebrate Apple Season to the hilt with this amazing caramel apple rice pudding.  This is what Fall is all about, and since the first day of Fall is tomorrow, you need to make this today!!

 

You can use any white rice, I prefer Jasmine.  You can use any apple, too, but I like Fuji.  And here's the beauty of this rice pudding, you can cook it until the rice is chewy or soft and the apple can still have a bit of a bite to them or they can be almost mushy - you get to choose!

This is serious comfort food and it really hits the spot on a cold, rainy Northwest day - or whatever kind of day you're having.  One bite of this will remind you of home and grandma and picking apples off the tree and everything you're missing.  Trust me, this one's a keeper.

 

Caramel Apple Rice Pudding - Pots and Pins

2 cups water

1 cup white rice

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup whole milk

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 egg

pinch of salt

1 large apple, chopped, Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon sprinkle to garnish

In medium size saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice, bring back to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan combine brown sugar, milk, butter, egg, and salt and whisk together over medium heat until butter and sugar are completely melted.  Stir in chopped apple, cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 minutes.  When rice is done, remove from heat and stir into sauce, stirring until mixed well, and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until apples and rice are as tender as you like.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve hot or warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, if desired.

Mexican Street Corn Flatbread...

You know what's great about Mexican street corn?  Everything.  Until everything ends up in your lap.  All of that wonderful corn and spicy goodness, the onions, lime juice and queso fresco eventually drips down onto your white tee-shirt or your linen pants.  Truth.  I know of what I speak!  So how does one get the experience, the taste, the unbridled joy of Mexican street corn without drip humiliation and dry cleaner fees?  One makes Mexican street corn flatbread. 

I don't know who the first person was to come up with this recipe but they should win some sort of badge and they should wear it with pride.  Mexican street corn flatbread has sort of become our quarantine meal.  It's so easy to make, and it reheats great - the perfect thing to grab in between episodes of The Crown.  That's our latest TV binge and we are loving it.  Thank Heavens for Netflix!!!  Can you imagine what kind of state we would all be in if Rona had arrived say in 1990???  No cell phones, no computers (at least not in our house) and nothing but network TV and basic cable.  OH THE HORROR!!  We have so much to be thankful for - and I'm thankful for computers and Netflix and wifi and Mexican street corn flatbread!

So let me tell you just how easy this is - you buy the Naan, the flatbread, at your local grocery store.  It is an essential item.  And you use canned corn.  Oh sure, go ahead and laugh but when time is of the essence and the clock is ticking, you have to be quick!  One doesn't have time to roast fresh corn and then let it cool and then cut it off the cob.  One doesn't have time to thaw frozen corn either.  One only has time to let the dog out, go potty, assemble ingredients on top of flatbread and put in oven to bake so one can rush back to watch the preview of the upcoming episode.  Timing, as they say, is everything.   

Just feast your eyes upon that for a moment.  Dang delicious.  And it really is easy.  You can make it for lunch, for your afternoon snack, for dinner, for your after-dinner snack...it's perfect for any time of the day, including breakfast!  Reheat a slice and top it with a fried egg and you've got yourself a designer breakfast as the mister said!  

 

You can spice this up as much or as little as you want.  I tend to like it more spicy than the mister so I make one flat bread that is spicy and one that is not.  If you don't like cilantro, then don't add it, but definitely give it a squeeze of lime before you take your first bite - it's the clincher!

Mexican Street Corn Flatbread - Adapted From Midwest Foodie Blog

2 flat breads (store bought Naan or pita)

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)

pinch of cayenne pepper or to taste

1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained

4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese

1/3 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco'

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder, optional

 

For serving:

Fresh chopped cilantro

lime wedges

crumbled cotija

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, zest, juice of 1 lime, cayenne pepper and a couple of large pinches of kosher salt.  Place flat breads on a baking sheet.  Divide sauce between the two, spreading it in an even layer, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce for topping the flat breads after baking.  Divide shredded cheese evenly between the flat breads, spreading in an even layer.  Divide corn evenly between the flat breads.  Top both flat breads with crumbled cotija or queso fresco.  Sprinkle with chili powder and another couple of pinches of kosher salt.  Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.  Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and is beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining sauce, garnish with chopped cilantro and more crumbled cotija.  Cut into slices (or serve whole, who's counting calories these days?!?)  Serves 2.

 

Tequila Lime Chicken...

Whether you Cinco de Mayo or not, this chicken should be on your menu/grill soon!  The mister is not a fan of the grill, he will turn it on, sometimes clean it, but he loathes doing anything else that involves grilling, like the fun stuff of opening the lid and flipping whatever needs flipping.  He'd rather be positioned in front of the TV in case there is breaking news, or watching M*A*S*H, his latest obsession.  No time for flipping chicken if Hot Lips Houlihan is on TV!  

The mister, as you know, loves all things military, even pretend things, like Hollywood's version of the Korean War.  So nightly, he watches at least two episodes of M*A*S*H, actually that's incorrect, he doesn't just watch, he participates...he thinks it's an interactive TV show and that Hawkeye, Radar and the gang can hear him...so they talk, he talks, and he loves to tell them how it really was in Korea...except that he wasn't in Korea, he was in Vietnam, but I guess it's all the same to him.  It's all great fun for me for about 30 seconds and then I have to leave the room so my head doesn't explode!

Just thought you'd like to know what we do around here of an evening...now let's talk Tequila Lime Chicken, shall we?  It's so easy.  Make the marinade, pour over chicken, let sit overnight or for at least 6 hours and then grill.  What's that?  You don't like Tequila?  Well really, who does?  Certainly not the worm!  But alcohol is a great tenderizer and that's what the tequila does in this recipe, it tenderizes the chicken and it gives it a nice zesty flavor.  The alcohol is burned off so no worries about feeding it to the littles or anyone else.  

The marinade is so flavorful - tequila, lime, orange juice, jalapeno and garlic - those are the kick-starters - with just enough kick to blast this chicken, over the wall (!) South of the Border! 

Gratuitous Princess-Angel-Baby-Dog shot...Rosie Ann Marie loves it when we grill, even though she may not look like it in this picture, she's one happy little girl.

 

Tequila Lime Chicken - Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa

1/2 cup tequila (I used 2 mini bottles, which is just about 1/2 cup. Mini bottles are the way to go if you don't want to invest in an entire bottle.)

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeno pepper, divided (1 large pepper seeded)

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts  (I used what I had on hand, boneless/skinless, but skin on would be great and chicken thighs are awesome) 

Optional toppings:  cilantro, green onion, sliced avocado, black olives, jalapeno

In a large measuring cup combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, 1 tablespoon of the diced jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt and pepper.  Put chicken in a large Zip-lock style plastic bag, pour marinade over chicken, seal bag and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.  (Longer is better for the best flavor.)  When ready to grill, oil the grill grates and heat grill to about 400 degrees.  Place chicken on the grill for about 5 minutes, lower heat to about 350 (if you can) until nicely browned.  Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through.  Remove from the grill to a plate, cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle reserved 1/2 tablespoon jalapenos over chicken and other toppings, if using.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves 4.  

This is perfect and ready to serve just as it is...but is excellent sliced really thin and used in tacos!  I like to serve it with a side of freshly cooked black beans, slices of avocado, mango and jicama...and maybe a Strawberry Mojito Mocktail if I'm really feeling it! 

For more great Cinco De Mayo recipes, scroll down on the right side and click on Mexican Mania...it's got some chalupalicious recipes just waiting for you!  Happy Cinco De Mayo! 

Spring Pea, Orzo and Ham Bake...

If your tribe is like ours, then you are currently eating up leftover Easter ham for every meal.  Mid week it will really get to be boring!  But I've got a great recipe for you, one that will get everyone back to the table with smiles on their faces!  Even the mister, who as you know hates most everything, loved this.  And he actually requested I make it again!  Something he rarely does! 

The first time I made this I cut up the ham into chunks, which made it really easy and guaranteed a bite of ham in every bite.  The mister said I was feeding him baby food..."Why is everything all chopped to pieces?  Is it too much to ast that I get a slab of ham for dinner?"  Yes, a slab.   And ast...he can't say ask with a k, he says it with a t...his grasp of the English language has always brought me great joy! 

Since I make this casserole with leftover ham, slabs are hard to come by!  I use whatever is left and line the bottom of the pan with it - but sometimes I ignore his caveman tendencies and cut it all into bite-sized pieces...which I prefer, it suits my lady-like demeanor - so you do whichever way you like or maybe even don't add ham at all!  It's dang good either way! 

I think you can see why this is so good...Parmesan cheese, which is mixed in with the orzo and peas and then more is sprinkled on top.  Maybe what you can't see is the lemon-y flavor the orzo has - it's bright and refreshing making this the perfect week-night meal for this time of year...or anytime really!

Inside the cheese is ooey-gooey, outside it's a bit crispy, my favorite part!  Try this one, I'm pretty sure your family will love it as much as mine.

Spring Pea, Orzo and Ham Bake - Pots and Pins

1 lb. dry orzo pasta (two cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 lemon, zested

juice of half a lemon

6 to 8 slices ham or 2 cups diced

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

2/3's cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided in half

salt and pepper to taste

Spray an 8 x 10-inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large pot, bring chicken broth to boil, add orzo, garlic and thyme.  Cover with lid and turn down to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta has absorbed the broth and is tender.  Remove lid and add lemon zest, lemon juice, and peas and stir until combined.  Stir in 1/3 cup of the grated Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (If you're using diced ham, add it now to the pot and stir to combined.)

Place ham slices in bottom of prepared dish, overlapping and allowing to go up the sides a bit.  Spoon orzo mixture over ham, smooth with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese over top.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.  Serves 6. 

This dish can be made ahead of time; kept in refrigerator until ready to bake.  Bake for 40 minutes or until heated through.  This dish can also be frozen, put in oven directly from freezer, cover with foil and bake for one hour or until heated through.  

Crispy Spaghetti Pie...

Most days when I wake up and I can always find something to laugh about.  Today, not so much.  My little dog, Rosie Ann Marie, left me a little "present" in the family room, not funny.  The mister decided to have a late night snack and left all of the food out on the counter over night, not funny.  The boy decided to do his laundry so he piled it in the laundry room and left for work, not funny.  And to top it all off...my jeans don't fit, SO not funny.  I cleaned up Rosie's gift, cleaned up the mister's mess, started on the boy's laundry and said a prayer of thanks for yoga pants, jeans -schmeans! 

 

Crispy Spaghetti Pie could possibly be one of the reasons why my jeans don't fit...I enjoyed this so very much, one hand-held-wedge-at-a-time, dipping it into sauce, biting through the crispy outside into the creamy, chewy inside...served hot or room temperature, it's party food with or without the party.

I saw this in the New York Times Cooking section; they called it Pasta Tahdig.  Tahdig usually refers to crispy/scorched rice, a Persian dish that sounds equally as good to me as Pasta Tahdig.  But I renamed the NYT recipes because I'm never going to remember the word Tahdig, while I'll never forget Pie!!  I also added eggs to this recipe, because it needed help sticking together - I didn't want to have to enjoy this with a fork, although I did, because it's so much more fun to just pick up a slice and eat it like pizza, without folding it, of course!

 

In the picture above I'm trying to show you the hot oil bubbling up around the sides of the pan because you need the sides of this pie to be crispy, too, so don't be afraid to add more oil to the pan, it all will get taken care with paper towels before you dig in!

It occurs to me that this pie would make the perfect picnic food!  Picnics are fun - so is this pie.  You'll notice I didn't do such a good job of sopping up the excess oil, I was too busy eating.

This pie holds it shape beautifully and you really don't need sauce because this is good enough to eat just as it is but dipping it into sauce, well, who could blame us?  It just seemed right.  Use whatever your favorite jarred sauce is, marinara works great, it doesn't take anything away from the pie itself.  Spaghetti purists like the mister will not be amused, they'll want spaghetti served the usual way but even the mister,  "Why can't a guy just get a regular plate of spaghetti?!!?"  Yes, even the mister, after a good 5 minutes of winching, came around, they all will, because this is dang different and dang good.

Crispy Spaghetti Pie - Adapted From The New York Times Cooking, by Samin Nosrat

1 lb. regular or thin spaghetti

extra-virgin olive oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 jar of favorite marinara/spaghetti sauce for dipping, optional

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, just until al dente, firm to the bite.  Drain but don't rinse.  Return pasta to the pot.  In a small bowl, combine eggs and red pepper flakes, beat with a fork.  Pour egg mixture over hot pasta and using tongs, mix to incorporate eggs.  Add Parmesan cheese and toss with tongs to mix well.  In a large cast-iron skillet, add about 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium heat until it is hot.  Pile in the pasta and pat it down evenly into the pan.  It will look like it won't fit but continue to push it down and it will condense as it cooks.  Turn heat down to medium-low and continue cooking, adding a little oil as needed until you can see it gently bubbling up the sides of the pan, which will ensure that the edges are brown.  Cook about 10 to 12 minutes and then using a spatula lift up the pie to see if it's browned and crispy enough.  If not, give it more time.  If it's evenly browned, carefully flip the pan out onto a plate then slide the pie back into the pan and cook the other side until crispy and browned, about another 10 minutes.   When done, remove to a plate, wipe up any excess oil with a paper towel.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6 to 8.

Sweet and Sour Chicken...

We woke to snow again this morning.  Snow is Seattle is rare...like the mister being in a good mood.  He winched about the weather all morning, how sick he is of the cold and gray and how he needs a vacation.  Thinking this was somehow an invitation to suggest going someplace sunny and warm, I did, "How about we fly to San Diego for the weekend?"  Silly me, how could I have known those would be fighting words?!?  The mister responded with, "Are you crazy?  I've got our taxes to finish, do you think they will finish themselves???  Do you have any idea how much YOUR medical bills were last year?  It took me three hours just to go through all the receipts!"  Oy vey.  One day I will learn...the mister is the master at bait and switch.  You see, the mister baits me with something, today it was his weather complaints.  Then I respond, as in I offered up a solution but the minute I did, he flipped his switch!  That's what bait and switch means around here!  The only thing we have agreed on lately has been this Sweet and Sour Chicken.  The recipe is from our friend Erik, who got the recipe when he was in Taiwan.  It has everything you want in a sweet and sour dish...pineapple-sugar sweetness pared with onions and peppers in a rich vinegar-sugary sauce - you'll be lickin' your lips with every bite. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a Chinese Cooking night a while back and this was one of the dishes we made, along with spring rolls and steamed pork buns.  At our class, not only were we lucky to have great things to eat, but we had a wonderful show-and-tell with Aileen Slawson.  Aileen is from Beijing and she brought so many interesting things for us to see, smell and taste...weird-to-us fruits and veggies available in Asian markets.  If I had been smart I would have written everything down.  But we've already established I'm not and I didn't.  We tasted everything from dragonfruit to mushrooms to radishes, lychees, rambutans and longans!  All very good, in an interesting-but-I'll-never-buy-them kind of way.  Except for dragonfruit, I'll buy that again - so good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken - Adapted slightly from Erik Lustig

(Erik’s original recipe did not include garlic or onion.  Also, Eric’s recipe called for water in the sauce, pineapple juice was substituted and while Erik’s recipe didn’t specify what type of vinegar, rice wine vinegar was used.)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons corn starch

3 large carrots, cut into thin rounds

2 red bell peppers, cut into bite-size pieces

2 green bell peppers, cut into bite-size pieces

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits (reserve the juice)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

For the Sauce:

½ cup rice wine vinegar

½ cup sugar

½ cup of the reserved pineapple juice

½ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon corn starch (this is optional but will make sauce thicker)

Salt and pepper to taste

Make the sauce:  In a medium bowl combine rice wine vinegar, sugar, reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, cornstarch if using.  Mix well, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

In a zip-lock style bag, combine soy sauce and egg yolks.  Add chicken pieces and mix well to coat.  Open bag, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornstarch over chicken pieces, seal bag and mix until combined. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat ¼ cup vegetable oil.  When oil is hot add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until done, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Add carrots, bell peppers and onion to the hot oil (add more oil if necessary) and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and pineapple pieces, mix to combine and cook for additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.   When vegetables are done, pour sauce over all and add chicken back into skillet.  Toss to coat.  Bring mixture to a full boil, so sauce will thicken, and cook until heated through.  Remove from heat and serve over rice.  Serves 6 to 8.

Pretty colors and delicious taste - make this one, it's worth the time and calories and your family will love it!  Thank you Erik for sharing your recipe with us! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beet Rosti...

Rosti is a common Swiss dish, usually served at breakfast and it is very much like our American hash browns.  Beet Rosti and has same texture as hash browns, same fried goodness, just made with grated beets and not potatoes.  Yes, it's January and I said Fried.  I'm not on the Diet Train yet...I'm still making and enjoying all the recipes I didn't get a chance to make during the holidays!  I should be through with my holiday baking sometime in March so I'll start my annual New Year's diet then, or April or May.  We'll just have to see how it goes!   

 

 

 

 

 

After eating a slice of Beet Rosti, and enjoying every forkful, I went about my business, cleaning up, waiting on the mister, you know, my usual nightly routine.  Later that evening as I was getting ready for bed, donning my peignoir (are you old enough to even know what that is?!  Allow me...a peignoir, pronounced pen-wah, is like a robe, it's usually made of sheer fabric, like chiffon...my peignoir is made of flannel...sigh...) I went into the bathroom to finish my nightly ritual and without going into too many details...I walked out of the bathroom and told the mister something serious was wrong with me.  He pointed to the TV, looked exasperated that I would talk DURING his show but replied, "And you couldn't have had this happen last week before the end of the year?!?!"  You know, it's all about deductibles!  I told him I had blood in my urine - a lot of blood.  He asked me what that meant - well duh, obviously I was dying of kidney cancer!  How could it mean anything else?!?!?  Everyone knows red urine is cause for alarm!!!  The mister, so supportive and concerned said, "Great, right outta the gate you're running up the operating ratio!"  I ignored his tender words and said kiss my arse you freak.  I picked up the iPad and typed what does blood in the urine mean?  Blood in the urine is always a symptom of something serious...get to the doctor...update the will, plan the funeral, buy the plot or the vase, yes go with cremation because who visits graves any more, especially in winter...UNLESS ONE HAS EATEN BEETS!!  And just like that I went from dying of kidney cancer to perfect health! 

 

 

When beets are boiled in water, as they usually are when they are cooked, the water turns dark red as the beets lose some color.  When beets are grated and fried, not cooked in water, they retain all of their color which is why after eating them, you might think you're dying of kidney cancer...think of this as a Public Service Announcement - I just wanted you to be aware it's a possibility!  But please don't let this stop you from making this dish!!!  It's perfect for breakfast - shred some potatoes in with the beets - then call it Beet Hash Browns!  It's perfect for lunch with a mix of fresh greens on top - Beet Rosti Salad!  It's perfect with dinner served with a dollop of sour cream and a bowl of soup or salad...it's versatile, so easy to make, looks impressive and it is a very pretty color! 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks like a big pancake, no?  And really, that's what it is, a beet pancake - crunchy and caramelized on the outside, tender and sweet on the inside - just dang delicious.  IF there is any left the next day, it is mighty good eaten cold, straight from the fridge!  With just a hint of rosemary, salt, pepper and a little flour, plain ol' sugar beets become a really wonderful treat.  You can also use different colored beets...orange or yellow beets, heck, mix them altogether!  Think of all the different colors you can make your urine!

Beet Rosti - Adapted from The New York Times Recipe of the Day by Mark Bittman

 2 lbs. beets (3 very large or 4 to 6 medium)

2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons butter

fresh rosemary for garnish (optional)

Sour cream for serving, (optional)

Trim beets, and peel them as you would potatoes; grate them in a food processor or by hand.  Begin preheating a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.  

Toss grated beets in bowl with rosemary, salt and pepper.  Add about half the flour; toss well, add rest of flour, and toss again. 

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet, heat until it begins to turn nut-brown.  Scrape beet mixture into skillet and press with a spatula to form a round.  Over medium to medium-high heat, the pancake should sizzle.  Keep heat moderate so it doesn't cook too quickly and burn the sugary outside, leaving the inside raw.  Shake the pan occasionally and continue to cook until the bottom of pancake is nicely crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Slide pancake onto a plate, top with another plate and invert the two plates.  Add remaining tablespoon of butter to skillet, then return pancake to skillet.  Keep cooking, adjusting heat if necessary, until other side is browned and crisp, another 10 minutes or so.  Remove from skillet, garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary.  Cut into wedges, serve hot or at room temperature.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.  Serves 4 to 6.

 

 For Valentine's Day, how about making heart shaped Beet Rosti?  Either one big heart or use a cookie cutter to make smaller hearts - IF Cupid hits you with an arrow and you feel so compelled!

Welsh Rarebit...

No rabbits were used/harmed in the making of this delicious, toasty-cheese snack.   Rarebit is pronounced like a Northern Southerner would say rabbit and the word rarebit is often substituted for rabbit.  It's all a bit confusing when you consider this is not a meat dish, it's nothing more than a cheese sauce but a very delectable one at that!  Speaking of confusing...the mister asked me to be sure to let him know how much I earned this past year.  Beginning January 1st the mister is consumed with the state of our taxes.  He likes to think about them, talk about them but until April 15th he doesn't actually do anything about them - other than stew.  He's mastered Tax stewing, if only that were edible and deductible!  So when he asked me about my earnings, I wasn't sure how to respond, because while I do work for the mister, he doesn't pay me...well that's not entirely true, as I have confessed before, I have the same deal Donald Trump made with Ivana years ago; I get paid $1 a year and all the dresses I want.  You might think that's a pretty sweet deal but a buck just doesn't go as far as it used to and I don't wear dresses!  I asked the mister what JOB he thought I was working to provide earnings and he said, "You know, you're always off doing crap, taking dinner places, don't you get paid for that?"  Once again, I had to explain to the mister what a VOLUNTEER is...not a Tennessee Volunteer, a team with a losing streak, but a person who offers to help out and in return is paid with a smile.   How could he not know that??  I tell you, he is bucking for a Marital Section 8!  He mumbled something about having all kinds of deductions that he would now not be able to use because I was a volunteer - thankfully his knuckles didn't scratch the hardwood as he scurried off.  And people think I'm the dumb one.  Sheesh!

Okay, let's get to the making of this very simple yet sophisticated cheese toast.  (I was certain I had posted this recipe before, because I make this several times during the winter months, but I couldn't find hide nor hare of it!)  

 

Welsh Rarebit is a thick cheese sauce, like a Bechamel Sauce, and it's made with cheese, of course, and beer and spices.  It's spread quite thickly over crusty,  toasted bread and then placed under the broiler until it's bubbly hot...I'm telling you straight, it's dang good!  If you put an egg on top (which of course I wouldn't because I don't eat eggs) then it's called a Buck Rabbit or a Golden Buck and if you serve it with tomato soup it's called a Blushing Bunny!  You can read all about Welsh Rarebit on Wikipedia  - this traditional British dish has a very long and complicated history!

I've made just a few teensy-weensy changes to Mark Bittman's recipe - I use non-alcoholic beer because the beer flavor is not as intense (think beer-cheese soup like they serve in MinneSNOWta and Wisconsin, and you'll have an idea of why this is so loved!)  The darker the beer the stronger the flavor, so if you use a dark ale, like Bittman suggests, it will blow your taste bud's minds!

 

Welsh Rarebit also makes a great appetizer - just cut each toast into small pieces and serve.  Your guests will not be able to stop eating them so make a double batch.  You can see in the picture that I didn't stir the rarebit until it was completely smooth - I made an executive decision, one I don't regret, and decided to leave some larger pieces of cheese.  I recommend you do the same.

 

 

 

Welsh Rarebit -  Adapted From Mark Bittman, The New York Times

1 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

3/4 cup beer, or ale (or use near beer, like I do, it provides the beer flavor without the alcohol, an ale or dark beer will have a more pronounced flavor)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

1 pound Cheddar cheese (or other good semi-hard cheese, like Comte or Gruyere or a mixture of cheeses), grated

salt and pepper to taste

4 to 8 lightly toasted pieces of bread (use a good bread, French bread sliced thick works great)

Put butter in a saucepan over medium heat and, as it melts, stir in flour.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and very fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in mustard and cayenne, then whisk in beer and Worcestershire sauce.  When mixture is uniform, turn heat to low and stir in cheese, again stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and pour into a board contain (like a rimmed plate) to set.  At this point you can refrigerate for up to two days.  After mixture has set and cooled to room temperature, spread thickly on toast and put under broiler until bubbly and edges of toast are crisp.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4 to 8, as a side/snack, depending on how many pieces and how big the bread is sliced.  Served with a nice green salad or soup and this makes a great dinner!

 

 

 

Trail Mix Crusted Chicken...

Did you know there is a National Trial Mix Day?  It's right around the corner - August 31st!  Actually we are in the midst of Trail Mix season...summer is filled with people hiking, camping and lounging about at the beach and they usually pack some kind of Trail Mix to take along...nuts, oats, dried fruit, that sort of thing...unless you're me and then you pack chocolate, candy, dried fruit and one oat...to each his own!  I do love Trail Mix and we always have some in the pantry - not only is it a great late-night snack for me, it bakes up great in cookies!  Today though, I want to show you how to make a boring chicken dinner into a Trail Mix chicken dinner winner! 

I pulled out every different kind of nut I had in my pantry...pecans, hazelnuts, madacamia, pistachios, and almonds.  All great in Trail Mix.  Then I found some pepitas, dried pumpkin seeds - I love them on salads and as soup toppers but they are great in Trail Mix, too.  I also pulled out some dried fruit and instead of reaching for raisins or Craisins, I opted for dried dates and Goji berries...every had them?  They're a bit like dried cranberries, same color, same chewiness, just a little more sweet and they're supposed to be a superfood from the Himalayas!  Move over Yeti! 

My Trail Mix always has oats in them, don't ask me why, it just does.  I guess I like the way the oats stick to the dried fruit so I can eat oats and not really know about it.  Deception is key in my Trail Mix.

What isn't in this Trail Mix is chocolate or gummy bears or candy...all wonderful additions to Trail Mix but I just didn't think those things would work with chicken, call me crazy!

You can put all of the nuts and fruit into a food processor to chop into little bits but I decided to use a knife so I would have a rougher chop - some larger pieces, some small. 

This is really such an easy recipe and it comes together quick...set up your assembly line...chicken tenders, eggs, Trail Mix, then you're ready to dip!

 

They look so great, no?  The crunchiness from the nuts, which get roasted in the oven, provide so much flavor to the chicken...but wait, there's more!  The dried dates and the Goji berries provide a sweetness that just hits the spot...and if you're still not sold, these little beauties have their own dipping sauce - a honey mustard with a touch of horseradish - man-o-man-alive, these are dang good my friends!  They'll be a hit over the camp-fire, straight from the grill, or pulled from the oven - Trail Mix Chicken, circle the wagons and get out your nuts...this one is dang good!

 

Trail Mix Crusted Chicken - Pots and Pins

(All nuts must be shelled)

4 tablespoons Hazelnuts, finely chopped

4 tablespoons Macadamia nuts, finely chopped

4 tablespoons almonds, finely chopped

4 tablespoons pecans, finely chopped

4 tablespoons Pistachios, finely chopped

4 tablespoons Goji Berries, finely chopped

4 Tablespoons pitted dates, finely chopped

1/4 cup old-fashioned Oats

2 tablespoons flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 chicken tenders

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then spray with baking spray to prevent sticking.

Finely chop all nuts and dried fruit to desired size.  Add nuts and fruit to a medium bowl, stir in oats and flour. 

Break eggs into a shallow dish and mix well with a fork.  Stir in salt, and pepper.  Dip chicken tenders into egg mixture, coating well, then dip into Trail Mix, pressing mixture onto chicken.  Place chicken onto prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until all chicken is coated.  Press any remaining Trail mix on top of chicken.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes total, turning each piece over after 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve with Honey-Horse Dipping Sauce, recipe below.

 

If you're sitting around a camp-fire, feel free to eat these with your fingers, just dip them into the sauce and let it drip down your hand, then you can bite and chew and lick till your heart's content!

Honey-Horse Dipping Sauce - Pots and Pins

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, serve with Trail Mix Crusted Chicken...YUM!

Full disclosure:  Nuts.com asked me to participate in a Trail Mix contest...so this is my entry...and no matter what they think, this is definitely a winning recipe!!