Focaccia

During our lockdown I spent a lot of time watching Netflix series I never had time to watch.  Salt Fat Acid Heat was one of them.  I think it was when Samin ventured to Italy that I really perked up.  My Mom had always spoken fondly of Italy and it made me feel connected to her food experience.  Samin also learns a pesto made by hand in this episode and I've made it that way and it is delicious. 

The thing I've made most often though is the Focaccia that she learned to make.  Samin's Italian, admitedly, isn't fluent and once she gets back home she has to interpret what she was taught and convert from a bit of this and 3 handfuls of that to actual measurements.  So knowing that going in, there is no exact way to make this recipe but just get to one that works. You'll need to make adjustments to your recipe til it works in your kitchen so keep good notes.  More than likely you'll have success right off the bat.  

The pan, it's crazy but the guy in the video uses a weird pan that looks older than the hills.  I happen to have a thick sided sheet pan that is it's own unique size and so I've made this recipe to fit that pan.  My sheet pan is larger than what I've wanted to make unless I am entertaining.  This pan allows for good straight vertical rising, I get a browned bottom and my dough seems to have plenty of holes and it just delicious.  I find the ultimate sucess is when I eat food while inspecting it after every bite.   

Knowing no Italian, I must have watched her episode 5 times with multiple pauses and rewinds with each watching to try to grasp the steps the Italian gentleman made.  Before I attempted it, I found just that bite of the episode on youtube watched it over and over.  With each time I've made it, it has turned out better and better.  

Focaccia is a perfect compliment to any meal.  It can even be an appetizer as you entertain your arriving guests served simply with an olive variety.  It certainly is a show stopper.  One thing for sure is that it's success is reliant partly on the quality of the Olive Oil so go big. 

To begin, make a quick yeast dough.  Stir together in a large bowl 1/4 Cup Warm Water (around 90 degrees)  with 2 tsp Yeast and let sit for 5 minutes til it begins to bubble.  If it's a really cold day, warm your bowl under warm water to remove the chill.  Dry the outside of the bowl and begin from there.  Next add 

Quick (and I mean Quick) Tasty Pasta Dish

My son loves to watch quick food TikTok's and came to me with this one a few weeks ago.  We are about to make it for a third time.  He's learning in particular about very affordable cooking that is made fresh, not from a can, that can feed a crowd or provide leftovers.  This checks all boxes!  We make this with Italian Sausage but you can substitute Shrimp, Cubed Chicken Breasts, or a variety of vegetables.  We altered it a bit to suit our taste but it's very quick to put together and is practical for Brunch, Lunch, Buffets, Dinner or late night eating after a night out.

I think it's wise to prep everything first because this goes together very quickly.  For entertaining, I would have the 5 Italian Sausage Links cooked and cut into slices in advance and even cook the pasta til al dente because it will be reheated in the large skillet just before serving. If using chicken, I would rinse and cut into 1/2" cubes just over 1 pound of breast meat.  After the garlic is softened, add chicken and let carmelize and cook til barely done.  Remember, this will continue cooking as you add the other things.  If using Shrimp add it right after the garlic is softened but be ready with all the other ingredients because over cooked shrimp will be tough.

But if you don't have time for the pre cooking, in a skillet begin cooking the sausage links first.  At the same time, begin heating  a large pot of water - enough to cook a 1 lb of Pasta- penne, rigatoni or what ever shape you like.  Once pasta is just about fully cooked, drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process if making in advance.  If you are in the process of making the dish, drain and add pasta to the large Sauteuse pan.  

Rinse and spin dry 2 Cups Fresh Spinach.  Cut in half 1 1/2 Cups Grape Tomatoes.  Have 3 Cloves of Garlic peeled and ready to press.  Dice 1/2 Colorful Pepper. 

Preheat a sauteuse pan (or large skillet) over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Olive Oil.  Press Garlic into the hot oil.  Add Pepper and cook for 2 minutes.  Add Tomatoes and Pre-cooked Sausage slices and cook for 1 minute.  Add cooked Pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add Spinach and Fresh Herbs and cook til spinach is wilted.  Finish with Balsamic Vinegar, Parmesan Cheese, Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes. Serve at one with warm crusty Bread and a Salad.  

NOTE: We found the Parmesan sticks to the pan and the spoon rather than the food itself.  Omit that step and grate Parmesan onto the plated pasta. 

For vegetarians and/or GF diets.  Prepare using the following Roasted Vegetables: Red Onion Wedges, Colorful Bell Peppers slices, cubed Eggplant and Zucchini, Grape Tomatoes cut in half.  Roast at 375 for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.  Set aside til ready to use.  Use a dried GF pasta.

Apple (Open Slab) Recipe Mash Up

When making Apple recipes, there's no better place than going to the source - Alsace.   So maybe it's taken me 30 years to make this again but I plan this time to Mash It Up with an apple checkerboard design I saw on Cloudy Kitchen in the Open Slab Dessert.  (NOTE I don't know Cloudy Kitchen's background but the photography and the presentations are always professional looking).  The blog format is similar to mine, in that you get a bit of background and you have to actually READ the recipe.  I chose a similar format because all of my kitchen mishaps over the years were due to not reading the recipe in full, twice is even better.  I'm not too crazy about Frangiane filling so that's where the Mash Up comes in.  I made an Alsatian Apple Tart from Food and Wine 1991, yep 29 years ago and loved it.  But I want the apple design and plan to use a small sheet pan instead of a tart pan that Cloudy Kitchen shows.  

So for Thanksgiving 2020, this Mash Up is one of my desserts.  I normally bake a deep dish Apple Pie so I'm changing it up, you know why not.  Everything else is changed up so why not my Thanksgiving dessert.

DOUGH- Ahead of time - a day or 2 ahead, knock out the dough.  You'll be glad you did.  Bake the dessert either on Wednesday or first thing Thursday morning if you have an extra oven.  I'm opting for making the dough on Tuesday and baking on Wednesday.  The dough takes all of 10 minutes.  I'm making 1 1/2 times the original recipe because I'm using a sheet pan not a tart pan and I want enough dough.

In a processor, measure just shy of 2 Cups of Flour, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1 1/2 TBL Sugar.  Pulse a few times.  Add 1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter cut into 1/2" cubes.  Pulse until it resembles course meal.  Sprinkle mixture with 4 1/2 TBL Cold Water and pluse until dough forms.  Use more water, 1 tsp at a time, if needed.  Don't over mix.  

Place dough on plastic wrap and press into a rectangular shape.  Wrap tightly and refrigerate.  

BAKING- Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes in advance of rolling.  My pan is 13" x 9" and has relatively straight sides.  It is very sturdy and won't twist when baking.  Roll into a large enough rectangle that it fits into the sheet pan with some over hang.  If it too big trim the excess but fold under the extra dough and crimp using you knuckles.  It's ok if some ares are slightly thicker than others.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly prick the bottom and sides of the dough and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden.   

Buy either Cortland or Golden Delicious Apples.  Prep Apples.  Peel and using a knife, cut the tops and bottome making a flat surface.  Cut downward along the core, cutting 2 apple domes, 1 from each side.  Lay the flat side downward on a board and cut apples into 1/8" slices.  Arrange each dome on the crust in a shingled fashion rotating each apple by 90 degrees to create a checkered-board pattern.  In a medium bowl, mix (2) 7oz Containers Cream Fraiche, 3/4 Cup Sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla and pour over the apples.  Sprinkle with Cinnamon and optional 2/3 finely Chopped Walnuts.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the filling is set and apples are cooked.  Serve warm or at room temperature with Freshly Whipped Cream or good quality Vanilla Ice Cream.

Three Mushroom Tart

I made this a few times after meeting my husband but I believe the last time may have been a distance birthday.  It was the weekend my husband met my parents at their NC home.  A few of us drove/flew there in order to attend a local symphony concert where my Dad, dressed in his tux, was to direct the symphony in Radetzky's March.  At the time, we didn't know what song so it was all a surprise to us when he appeared on stage at the end.  Back story is that earlier that year he attended a silent auction and won the bid to  conduct during an evening performance.  It was hilarious because during the piece, he stopped conducting and turned to face the audience and the audience roared with laughter as the symphony played on, not missing a beat.  It was all good fun.  That weekend is still a very fond memory of mine.  But that Sunday was my birthday and we had these tarts for a mid-day meal.  I recall that day as if it were yesterday.

This hails from April 1996 Gourmet Magazine, a well used issue of mine.  When I recently set out to make this, I couldn't recall where the recipe came from and looked for hours this past weekend until I found it.  I forgot I have a directory of all the recipes that I make (or would like to make) from my magazine collection.   But I was literally thumbing through the index of dozens and dozens of magazines scanning for it until I found it.  The directory is handy in that it is in alphabetical order and lists exactly where to find a recipe in my hundreds of magazines.  

So here's how you make this.  

Thaw a 1 Package of Puff Pastry or if you are talented make your own.  I have to admit, I've been watching The British Baking Show Master Class and plan to make my own soon.  That'll be for another day.

Read the recipe through and do all your prep in advance.  

Make sure you have a variety of 3 mushrooms.  You need at least one to have an appearance similar to enoki, or in my case Wegmans opened up nearby and I spied Beech (my new favorite).  

For the mushrooms -  8-10 Button, 8-10 Baby Bella (or Shitake), 6 oz Beech.  Pick out 4 of the best of the Button and Baby Bella that will be sliced for the top.  Take the rest and clean, trim the stems, and dice.  You should have about 3 Cups of diced Mushrooms total.  

To a skillet, add 2 TBL Unsalted Butter.  Add 1/2 Cup Minced Shallots and cook over medium heat to sweat, about 3 minutes.  Add diced Mushrooms, 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, Salt and Pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is evaporated.  Add 1/4 Cup Sherry with 1 TBL Balsamic Vinegar and cook until the liquid evaporates.  Place this mixture in a bowl to cool.  Can be made in advance up to this point.

Preheat oven to 425.  Roll Puff Pastry and place in a rectangular tart pan.  

In a measuring cup, combine 1/3 Cup Heavy Cream with 1 Egg.  Add this to the cooked mushroom mixture.  Pour this into the prepared tart pan.  Slice the Button and Bella mushrooms into 1/4" slices and arrange them in rows along the long sides of the tart pan.  Place the Beech mushrooms down the center.  Brush with the Juice of a Lemon.

Place in hot oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.  Don't open the oven door for the first 20 minutes.  Rotate the tart pan once and cook for final 5 minutes.  The pastry and filling should puff to a height taller than the tart pan.  Remove tart from oven and let rest for a few minutes before removing the rim.  Let rest another 5 mintutes and slice into 3-4 pieces.  Each tart will feed 3-4 depending on what else you serve.  A salad of some sort is highly recmmended.  

Scratch Made Marshmallow

I decided to finally give these a try!!  What a cool recipe.  I watched an episode years ago when Ina Garten made these for a hot chocolate gift she was making for friends.  I bought gelatin but never attempted the recipe.  Now, possibly 4-5 years later that I bought gelatin again and finally decided to make marshmallow in order to have a little fun using it.  I used Alton Brown's recipe only because making marshmallow seemed more like a chemistry experiment and he is all about the science.  It's a precise recipe as I looked up Ina and she uses the same ratios as Alton. 

NOTE:  This recipe is not for kids!! 

There are a few steps you should do in advance to minimize running around by being set up in advance.  Since this is candy making being a thermometer is involved, there isn't time later.  

First - Bloom the Gelatin.  To the bowl of your mixer, add 1/2 Cup Ice Cold Water.  Add 3 Packs fo Gelatin (3/4 oz).   Let that sit.  Have your wire whip ready.

Second - Prep a 9" x 13" pan.  Spray the bottom and sides lightly with spray Canola Oil.  Sift 1/4 C. Confections Sugar mixed with 1/4 C. Corn Starch.   Generously, add most of it to the bottom of the dish.  Cover with foil and shake excess to coat the sides.  If you need, more, repeat.  

This is a video after about 8-9 minutes.

To a small saucepan, add, 1 1/2 C. Sugar, 1 C. Corn Syrup, 1/2 C. Water and 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt.  Place over medium high heat, COVER, and cook for 3-4 minutes.  The sugar should be (mostly) dissolved.  Add a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook until it reaches 240.  I stirred a few times.  

With the mixer on low, and while it's running, slowly add the sugar mixture into the gelatin, pouring only down the side of the bowl.  Continue until it's all combined.  Turn the mixer to high and mix for 13 minutes.  Add 1 tsp of good Vanilla and mix for another minute but no more than 2.  

This is a video after vanilla was added.

Pour the sticky mixture straight into the prepared dish.  Dust the top with the Sugar/Corn Starch Mixture and let cool anywhere from 4 hours to overnight.    Turn out into parchment paper or cutting board for cutting.  

Have fun with what you do with it!  

Fougasse, First Crack!

I've seen this in the past and decided to make it while we were all holed up for the duration with Covid 19.  I'm just now posting a bunch of things I made.  I will make it a few more times because I have changes to make.  First thing is I need to figure out the exact kneeding times.  I need to get a better sense of what dough I am after.  Also, recipe I found rolled it out too thin.  It was a bit crunchier than I envisioned and I liked it better when I came across the thicker parts.  

Rachel Ray's Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Feta

I get stuck in a rut unless I continuously sharpen my blade when it comes new cooking ideas.  Fortunately, I can turn to Rachel Ray because she always comes through.  There is hardly an episode that I watch that I don't walk away with something I can make immediately with little to no effort on my part.  She makes food that is from scratch, using simple ingredients, and is satisying to all.  

Last week I was going through some of her recorded shows on my drive and she did a simple Greek inspired sheet pan dinner.  Last night, my son C had his friend K over and I decided to try it out.  One of the things I liked is that while it was in the oven, I cleaned up the mess I had made.  I made the sheet cake (found here on my blog) for dessert before this went in the oven so I really had a lot going on and my kitchen was a mess.

I began cooking around 5:30 and by 7:30ish we were eating.  Not too bad!

Honestly, this recipe had me at Lemon and Olive Oil and from there the decision was made to make this dish this week.  I have to admit, the baked feta looked interesting and I had some on hand.  I knew we would all like it and it turns out, K liked it, too.

To a pot, add 1/2 Cup of Olive Oil.  Add to it the cut up Cloves of 1 Bulb of Garlic.  Put this over medium low heat and cook for about 20 minutes until lightly browned and soft.  While that is cooking, rinse 8-10 Chicken Thighs and place in a bowl.  

Scrub and cut into quarters 4 Large New Potatoes.  Add to a pot of salted water and par-boil for about 5 minutes.  She used Fingerlings but as she said, any thin skinned potatoes will work.  

Preheat Oven to 425.  

Zest 2 Lemons and reserve the zest for garnish.  Juice a least 3 Lemon halves, possibly all 4, but I got plenty of juice from the 3.  

Once garlic is soft, mash it with a fork and pour over the chicken coating it all.  Add the lemon juice.    

Remove the thighs from the bowl leaving the oil mixure behind and place them on a sheet pan.  Add potatoes to the oil, coat them, and add them to the sheet pan.  I also added a 1/2 Large Red Onion cut into about 6 slices.  Coat them in the oil and add to the pan.  Next, using about 8oz of Feta, cut into chucks and add to the sheet pan.  Laddle the oil mixture over the chicken and potatoes.  Place the garlic pieces on the chicken.  (I forgot to do this - nestle the lemon 1/2's into the sleet pan maybe even cutting them in 1/2 again).  Season with Salt, Pepper and Oregano.  (She used fresh oregano and I didn't have any).

Place in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes - I baked for the full 60 minutes.  What I have learned is to help with browning certain foods, every 10-15 minutes I can open the oven door briefly to let the moisture escape.  I also spun the baking pan 180 degrees every 20-30 minues.  

She served a salad with her meal and I didn't, so I needed a vegetable.  I peeled and cut into large pieces, 4-5 Carrots.  I nestled these in the open spaces on the sheet pan with 40 minutes left to cook.  They were done perfectly.  

Remove the chicken and let it rest for about 7-9 minutes.  Garnish with Fresh Parsley and reserved lemon zest.  

I served a Baguette - or any crusty bread will do.  With the oven off, I added the bread to the oven for about 5 minutes then also let it rest before cutting.  It was delicious dipped in the lemony olive oil mixture.  

All in all, a simple (cost effective) meal that can serve a crowd.  

Banana and Nutella stuffed French Toast

I can't even recall where this idea came from.  I'm certain though I was watching something on tv or online and decided to make it the next day for breakfast.  Other than that, I don't know who to give the credit to.  I may have improvised something I saw, I'm not really sure.  I was going to dust it with powdered sugar or even drizzle Vermont Maple Syrup but it was sweet enough as is was, so we ate it plain.  

The proportions below will make 2 sandwiches.

To a flat bottom bowl (I use a pasta plate) mix 1 Egg, 2 Tbl Cream (1/2 & 1/2, milk, or even egg nog works fine), 1 Tbl Orange Juice, 1/4 tsp Vanilla, and 1/2 tsp Cinnamon.  

Slice 1/2 Banana.  Spread Nutella on 2 slices of bread.  NOTE: Pictured is sliced whole wheat bread but a nice loaf that you cut would be nicer cut in 1/2" slices.  Arrange banana on 1 slice of bread and sandwich with the other slice.  

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount to Cooking Spray.  Dip the banana sandwich in the egg mixture, quickly, turning it over in order to coat the second side.  Add to the hot pan.  Cook until golden brown, turning once.  Spread with a small amount of Butter.  Cut in 1/2 and serve at once.    

Quiche Lorraine

I always thought Quiche Lorraine was made with bacon and swiss cheese.  Turns out I'm incorrect.  It's a rich custard with only bacon and surprising, no cheese at all.  I've bought various quiches lately and am continually left thinking that they'd be better if I made the crust myself and filled them with what I want.  So when I set out to make a Quiche Lorriane, I referred to my 1000 Gourmet Recipes cookbook.  That's where I learned the truth about what it really is.  So I made my own crust but followed their recipe for the filling.

Make you favorite savory pie dough and let rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  

Preheat oven to 375.  Roll out dough and line a pie dish.  Lightly prick the bottom and sides, without going all the way through the dough to the dish, to prevent shinking.   Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown then let cool.  

While the crust is baking, preheat a skillet over medium heat.  Cut into batons, 1/2 pound Thick Slab Bacon, and cook until just done.  Place bacon on paper towel lined plate to cool.  (You can cook it first and then crumble but I think the results are better if you cut then cook).  

In a bowl, mix the following.  (I buy only large eggs because that's what recipes call for).  4 Eggs, 2 Egg Yolks, 2 Cups Heavy Cream, 1 Cup Whole Milk, 1 tsp Salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground Nutmeg.   Pour egg mixture into cooled pie crust.  Top with all the bacon and cook for 35-40 minutes until just set but still wobbly in the center.  It will firm up as it cools.  If crust looks as if it will get too dark, have ready foil and fashion a ring and add it to the exposed crust for the last 10 minutes in the oven.  

Serve with a salad, vegetable side, and muffin or roll.  This makes a nice brunch, lunch or light Sunday super.  

Cheese Soufflé

I haven't made a souffle in ages.  I haven't made this one in 39 years.  I remember making it at my Mom's request after returning home from college.  It comes from her McCall's Cookbook.  It's a really neat recipe and it's fairly flawless in my opinion.  Follow the steps and you'll be just fine.

Separate 4 Eggs and let the whites warm to room temperature, no more than 1 hour.  I used my Kitchenaid mixer for the whites.  

Preheat oven to 350.  Set up a 1 1/2 Quart Souffle dish in a pan with 1" of water.  You don't have to prepare the souffle dish, the mixture goes straight into the dish then right into the oven.

Pre-measure into a bowl, 3 TBL Flour, 1/2 tsp Salt, Sprinkle of each Cayenne Pepper and  Paprika.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt 2 TBL Butter over medium heat.  Remove from heat.  Add dry ingredients and stir til smooth.  Add 3/4 Cup Milk and place back on heat and cook until just boiling point.  Add 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese (or hard cheese of your choice) and stir until melted.  Remove from heat to allow to cool.  Slightly beat the 4 Eggs Yolks and add to mixture.  

While you wait for the cheese mixture to cool, beat egg whites and once they are foamy, add 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar.  Beat to stiff peaks but no more.  

By hand, using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/4 of the cheese mixture to the egg whites.  Continue adding and folding until it is all combined.  

Pour the mixture into the souffle dish and using the spatula, draw a circle in the mixture about 1/2" from the edge of the dish.  (The recipe called for 1" but I think it should've been closer to the edge than that.  This will give it a top hat effect as it rises.  Place in oven.  Bake for 50-55 minutes.  It will collapse some once you remove it from the oven.  Serve immediately by spooning souffle onto your plate.  Terrific with any grilled or roasted meats.

Smoothie Season

About 5 years ago we gave our son a Ninja.  What I love about it is how smooth the smoothies end up especially when using berries.  We've been on a kick of walking the dog then making a smoothies when we get back.  I had a ton of spinach so my son suggested we add some.  I have to admit, I like the texture (not to mention the healthy additive) and as he said, you can't taste it.  The Ninja is also nice because it comes with 3 cup sizes.  A single, a large single and a double which is perfect for 2 singles.  

These aren't ultra healthy type smoothies although you can certainly make them that way, these are just fun breakfast replacement smoothies with.  

I've grown to love them with Sherbet and buy Orange and Raspberry regularly.  Though it has sugar it makes the drink lactose free if that's a concern.  Another low sugar and lactose free option is to use nut milks.  

NOTE:  Do not overfill the cup because it will leak all over the base since you are adding air and the volumne will expand.   

I like to add ice the Ninja cup first because it's placed upside down on the base for mixing.  

Feel free to add what you like but right now Pineapples are $1.88 so that's certainly a good choice.  I always use Banana.  I have Strawberries and Fresh Spinach.  I also like Orange Juice.  I bought some Bacardi Pina Colada Mix, which I haven't used in ages, but one can made about 5 Double smoothies - each enough for (2) 12oz. smoothies.

Add the Ice, the Fruit, Spinach.  A scoop of Sherbet and a large dollop of Pina Colada Mix.  Add Juice or Milk or both.  Mix on the base until smooth.  Drink immediately. 

What to Do with the Kids

When my son, C, was younger he was bored in the summer because he was too young to find a job.  I was talking with a friend of mine at that time to see what she did with her kids.  She told me in the summers we do Bachelor School (obviously Bachlorette School) for girls. I thought what an awesome idea!  I bought certificate paper and awarded him a completion of the program at the end of summer.  We actually did this 2 summers in a row.  We had a lot of fun working together learning useful and handy tasks.  Build on the skills as time goes on.  

• Laundry - based on age, younger kids can fold, a little older can move clothes from washer to the dryer and learning how it works.  Responsibility for drying and folding.  For older kids, learning how to wash clothes from start to finish, loading and adding soap, learning about separating clothes.  For multiple kids, they each take responsibility for one step of the process.
• Ironing napkins, more advanced the iron clothing.
• Removing bedding, washing bedding, and then re-making the bed.  
• Pet care.  Feeding, walking, brushing, etc.
• Dusting, vacuuming, mopping and learning about the products and tools.
• Cleaning sinks and toilets, and learning about the products and tools.
• How to fill a ball or a bike tire (if you have a compressor or a hand pump).
• Review simple hand tools.  Learn their purpose.  
• Organizing a closet or drawer.  
• How to manage the household trash and recycling.
• How to load, start and unload a dishwasher. 
• Making pancakes from scratch.
• How to cut and section an Orange.
• How to arrange flowers.
• How to bake chicken.
• How to cook spaghetti.
• How to make a smoothie.
• How to make french toast.
• How to cook bacon.
• How to fry an egg.
• How set a table.
• How to make soup.
• How to make a stir-fry dish.
• How to bake muffins, biscuits and/or bread.  
• How to bake cookies.
• How to bake brownies.
• How to bake a tart.
• How to balance a check book.
• How to count back change.
• Arrange books and movies in alphabetical order.

These are just some of the ideas I've used in the past but you can come up with your own list.  I had about 12 things on the list each summer with objectives and a brief description and we worked through the list all summer.  I think when the routine changes and it forces us to find something fun, meaningful and useful to teach, and our kids will always remember the fun parts for life.

Coronavirus ideas for shopping

I've had to do my fair share of preparing for lengthy circummstances.  AKA, hunkering down for hurricanes as well as evacuating for them.  For Katrina, I learned to let your kid eat all the ice cream in the house before you go and don't leave chicken in the freezer.  When hunkering down, even with a generator for comfort, nothing removes the fear of hearing roaring winds far above the treetops for days on end, hoping your house will hold for all the gusts that batter it.  During those periods, I learned the refrigerated and freezer goods at the groceries are not touched.  It's canned goods, snacks, bread, batteries and water.  Pretty much no baking and cooking will go on unless you can access your grill or a crawfish set up for cooking.  Power most definitely will be out for most households.  It's hot, it's humid, and everyone is miserable.    

Being holed up to avoid contracting Coronavirus is different, but I think a lot of people didn't think about what they might need, they just went shopping for stuff.  I guess they invisioned cleaning their house, and not just cleaning, but sanitzing it, and doing laundry.  That, and apparently, going to the bathroom.   

I envisioned, games, books, watching movies, watching the stock market and listening to updates on the news.  And lots of cooking from scratch.

So week 1, the household stuff was gone.  And honestly I bought a 6 pack of toilet paper 3 weeks ago and haven't seen any since.  I can get through 3 weeks give or take with what we already had, so I'll worry about it later if this situation persists.  

Big box discount stores have the beauty of easily tracking a member's spending habits since we shop with a membership card.  They know exactly what we buy, how much we spend per trip,  and how frequently or seldomly we shop there.  By using data analytics, they can easily predict correctly our needs and have the foods we collectively buy when we need them.  So in knowing this data and knowing the incoming news, their systems should've caught buying habits outside that norm - on day one.  It should've rang bells at corporate level that a member who never buys wipes bought a pallet of them.  Or toilet paper purchases far out of their normal quantities   As soon as that flag goes up, they have the ability and repsonsibility to shut it down before is begins. That very next day, they could've blasted their members by way of email and very large signs at the door with limit standards.  Each card could've been tagged with limits per member, per month.  They can further limit by allowing 1 membership per name and address.  Needing a license to open an account stops a person from opening multiple memberships in their name using other people's adresses.  No PO Box allowed.  The Big Box revenues would've been the same, just more households would've been served.  

On the flipside, they also have data on who the hoarders are and who wants to exploit people's needs by reselling their goods at a marked up price in a different market.  In otherwords, they know exactly who you are.  I personally hope they reconsider renewing memberships for those individuals.  I equally hope they raise the bar on what they expect from their data analysts and giant computer systems and next time on day one they put these stops in place to create calm and disallow runs on any products.  

Week 2 was everything else and the kitchen sink.  Pasta aisles and canned goods, frozen vegetables, soup, etc, nothing was unscathed.  

I have a sister, S, who works for a delivery company so I knew in early March online models were going to soar and that she would be busy.  I put together a list of some basics so she could work her long hours and still feed her children with some advance shopping.

So here's what I came up with:

• Medicines, have on hand what you need.  Make sure you have a working thermometer.
• Pet food and their medicine.  Stay ahead of this curve so you don't need to go out for it.  
• We all know the smoke alarms might ring at the most inconvenient time, and probably will.  Either change all the 9v batteries now or have some on hand.
• If you are going to clean and organize, have what you need.  Have a method to compile your giveaway things.
• Libraries will close, get books now ahead of time.
• This is a big one - DON'T BUY WHAT YOU NOMALLY DON'T BUY but rather stock up on what you normally buy.
• Try to discuss with your kids that just cause they see 6 packs of cookies they can not plow through them in case there is an order to stay home.
• I focused on some larger meats that give me leftovers.  A Turkey Breast, Whole Chicken, a Ham, a rack of Ribs,  a Pork Loin.  I'll have leftovers and can make soup using from the turkey or chicken carcass.  
• Frozen Chicken Strips, Wings, Potstickers, Italian Sausages, Brats, Hotdogs, Frozen Pizza or ability to make pizza, Bacon, Chicken Breasts, Ground Beef, Boneless Skinless Thighs.  From these things, I can make all kinds of meals that can net leftovers. But if I become ill, everyone else can still eat.   
• Fruit - Use those fruits that perish first keeping the longer times for later use.  Lastly resort to Frozen and Canned Fruits.
• Short Shelf Life: Berries
• Medium Shelf Life: Fresh Pineapple, Grapes, Banana, Melons, Mango
• Long shelf time: Apples, Oranges, Grape Fruit, Lemons, Limes, Dried Fruit
• Once fruit is getting too ripe, make something with it.  Smoothies and muffins, pancakes and desserts.  
• Vegetables - Use those vegetables that perish first keeping the longer times for later use.  Lastly, resort to Frozen and Canned Vegetables
• Short Shelf Life: Bagged Ready Made Salad Mixes, Spring Mixes, Lettuce, Spinach, Tomatoes
• Medium Shelf Life: Iceberg Lettuce, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Beans, Pea Pods, Eggplant, Roma and Grape Tomatoes, Broccoli, Peppers, Asparagus, Fresh Beets.
• Long Shelf Life: Acorn and Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Avacado, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Shallots, Ginger.
• NOTE:  Once you are stocked, if you continue to have access to fresh foods, eat and replenish the fresh foods.  In otherwords, don't eat your frozen pizza unless you are replacing it.  Once you are self quarantining, then go to an eating cycle in order of most perishable first.  
• Breads - Buy a variety of things to keep it interesting and maximize options. 
• Bakery breads and rolls (use these first) Bagels, English Muffins, Sliced bread, Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns, Boxed Muffin, Cake or Brownie Mix, Pop-and-Fresh Bread Products, Frozen biscuits or breads like Sister Shubert's, Pita breads, Flour Tortillas, Puff Pastry.  
• Condiments - Have all your favorites on hand.  Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Soy,  Salad Dressing, Salsa, Vinegar, Peanut & Jelly, Honey, etc.
• Pantry and Raw Ingredients - These offer the most options for making food from scratch.  Flour, Sugar, Powerded Sugar, Brown Sugar, Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Syrup, Salt, Pepper, Seasonings, Oil, Vegetable Sprays, Olive Oil, Pasta in a variety of shapes, Rice, Tomato Products, Broths, Canned Beans, Vegetables and Fruit, Nuts, Soups and Ramen, Tuna.  Ingredients needed to Bake Muffins, Biscuits, Cookies, Desserts, Tarts or Quiches.  
• Dairy - Milk (you can freeze milk), Fresh Juices, 1/2 & 1/2, Nut Milks (have better shelf life), Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Ricotta, Variety of Cheeses both sliced and grated, Yogurt, Eggs (3 times the number you think), Buttermilk, Butter or Spreads.
• Vegetarian - Have on hand the specialty items needed to make your meals.  Tofu, Humus, Vegetable Broth, seasoning and sauces.
• Cereal, Snacks, Chips, Popcorn, Crackers, Cookies - Have these things on hand but again, don't allow the kids to bindge watch youtube and eat a full pack of cookies or bag of chips on day one.  Once these things are gone, make your own oven chips and make desserts from scratch.  Get them on board with the duration and the objective.  In order to keep adults healthy, they are not running to the store everyday and eventually not at all.
• Paper Products - Buy what you might need for 2-4 weeks without wasting it.  If no one in your house is leaving and no one has tested positive, there isn't a need to sanitize your counters with Lysol wipes outside of normal cleaning.  In other words,  you don't need 48 rolls of paper towels and 19 bottles of bleach.  
• Toiletries - What you might need for 2-4 weeks.  This gets tricky because if you are in my predicament, by the time I realized I may run out of bar soap in 2 weeks, I haven't found any.  I'm hoping the hoarders are broke and can't afford any more so when I go to the store again, there might be some.
• Office Supplies - Anything you might need for work or school.
• Misc - Coffee, Variety of Bottled Drinks, Soda, Mixers, Beer, Wine, and Booze.  I am aware that this line is likely the first on anyone's list after medicine and pet food, so here it is, I didn't forget about you!

To keep food from becoming low too quickly, if you get worried, eat twice a day - a very late breakfast and an early dinner.  Everyone is going to be sleeping more because the schedule is not as hectic.

Good luck!

Zucchini Lasagne (Inspired by Rachel Ray)

I always get a new dish idea each time I watch Rachel Ray.  Her cooking is a simple style to make and is always tasty!  I tape the show daily and when I have time, I scroll through the guest lists.  Tim Tibow was on recently.  He has been following a Keto diet for years and this dish falls into that category.  Simply put, he explained he eats meat and good fats but avoid carbs and sugar.  BTW, he looks awesome.  I'm not on the Keto diet, or any diet for that matter, but this dish looked perfect for me and my family.  It also looked perfect as a reheated leftover.  On days my son has to work directly from arriving home from school I love to have things like this in the refrigerator.  It affords him to a real meal before work since he works the dinner shift. 

I only saw the dish made and didn't pull up the recipe so it isn't Rachel's verbatim but close enough.  You can go to her show's website and see exactly what she did.  She didn't use Marinara in her meat and I added it because the acid of the tomato balances the fat.

This made 8 zucchini halves allowing 2 per person.  The ratios I selected worked perfectly.  If you feel you want some carbs warm crusy bread comes to mind.  For a Vegetarian version, roast in Olive Oil, Sliced Mushroom, Wedges of Red Onions, 1/2" Diced Bell Pepper, and 1" Cubed Eggplant for about 20-25 Minutes in a 350 degree oven tossing very 6-8 minutes - obviously omitting the meat.

I bought 4 Medium Zucchini on the plumb side.  Preheat oven to 350.  Rinse and cut off both ends and slice down the middle.  I used my melon baller to scoop out the seeds creating a well.  Don't go all the way to the ends so nothing can fall out.  Place on a sheet pan and brush with Olive Oil, sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and Roast for 15-20 min till sizzling.  Set aside when done.  

I used 1.25 lbs of Ground Chuck.  Add 1 TBL of Olive Oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.  Dice 1/2 small Onion.  Sweat the onion til it glistens - about 3 minutes.  Add meat and cook lightly, breaking it up but keep it chunky so it doesn't resemble bb's.  Because it is going into the oven, don't cook it throughly to prevent it drying out completely.  Season with Salt & Pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp Oregano and 1 TBL Fresh Parsley.  I had fresh made Marinara on hand.  Add about 1/2 Cup Marinara and stir to combine.  Turn off heat.  

This is the good part.  In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt 4 Oz Mascarpone in 1/4 Cup of Heavy Cream, stirring the entire time.  It will make a nice smooth sauce.  Remove from heat when smooth.  

Make sure the zucchini are close together.  Top each one til almost overflowing.  Top with the white sauce.  Using 8oz Mozarella Cheese, top each with cheese.  Then Dizzzle with a tiny bit of good Olive Oil and sprinke with Oregano.    

You can assemble up to this point.  You can even make ahead and refrigerate overnight.
If you do that, remove from refrierator while the oven is warming.  

So when ready, preheat oven to 375.  Add pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 min.  I wanted the mixture bubbly and the cheese browned so I switched to a convection broil for the last few minutes.  In any event, stay close by so you don't over cook this.  

The zucchini was still al dente while the filling was warm and bubbly.  This was a delicious meal.  I can see making it as a group for a large family gathering, it's very forgiving.  Like I said, it can be made in the morning or even the day before.  Perfect for a snowy winter dinner with warm bread and a glass of Chianti!  

Other options, you can make baby versions using baby zucchini and serve 1/2 as an appetizer or serve a platter of them on an hor's doeurve table. Want to reduce calories, use ground chicken.  An absolutlely perfect recipe!!

Brown Sugar Salmon

My son watches different food vloggers.  A few weeks ago he asked if we could have salmon made the way a gal he follows makes it.  I figured, sure why not. 

First have salmon fillets cut to the size each person wants.  I tend to buy mine with the skin in tact.  I use my Tupperware marinating container and if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one.  To the container, add 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce.  Add Sprigs of Fresh Dill.  Add Fresh Salmon and top with more dill.  

NOTE:  1/3 - 1/2 Lb per person is a nice size portion - center cut if you can get it.  If you buy the whole side that you plan to cut yourself, use the tail portion for whomever likes theirs more done.  Let the salmon marinate in the soy for about 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon of a foil lined sheet pan and top generously with Light Brown Sugar - at least a 1/4 Cup each.  You can get it ready of to this point if you are having company.  Place the sheet pan directly in the refrigerator.

Place in preheated oven for about 20 mintes for medium temperature.  For medium rare temerature, add those fillets after about 5 minutes into cooking so they are ready at the same time.  

Remove from the oven when the sugar has bubbled and formed a light crust.  If at the end you want it a bit more crustier, use your broiler for a minute.  Add the drizzle from the sheet pan directly on the fish or on one of the sides you plan to serve.  Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes before removing from the sheet pan.  

Interesting combination but tasty.  We actually made it a second time.  

Hor's Douevre Platters

I follow Cheese by Numbers on Instagram.  I know her posts look so simple but it's actually harder than it looks.  So while I practice one of my latest happy hour bite platters, I'll post them, mostly so I recall what I've done.  I bought this cool looking platter for about $15 and love the size and shape!  It can be dinner for 2 or a platter to serve many with drinks ahead of dinner. 

Below is a simple pre-dinner platter using a dinner plate.  We have a new media room and I made this one night while we enjoyed a cocktail.

Fruit Tarts

I had a hankering for individual fruit tarts that I made years ago for Christmas desert.  I searched my blog and didn't find a thing.  Then I searched my kitchen book (where I write menus of past events) and again came up empty.  After looking at a few cookbooks, I still couldn't find a recipe that I might have used.  After that, I decided to wing it a bit.  

I have 6 individual tart pans that are a perfect size.  

First I made the dough and baked the shells.  In a food processor, combine 1 Stick Unsalted Butter (cut into cubes) with 3 oz Cream Cheese.  These can both warm up for about 15 minutes so they are cool but not soft.  To this add 1 tsp Sugar and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Add 1 Cup Flour and blend until a ball is formed.  No not over mix. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Divide the dough into 6 pieces.  Give and take until they look about even.  With floured fingers, gently press dough into the tart pans so the dough along the sides is fairly even.  Know that the dough will stick into the corner so press there and up the sides.  It's pretty forgiving.  Pierce with a fork along the bottom.  Place into hot oven for about 18 minutes until golden brown (and fragrant).   Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the lemon curd, to a bowl, add 3 Egg Yolks and beat til pale yellow.  Add 3 TBL Fine Sugar and beat until ribblons form when removing the beaters.  Zest 2 Lemons straight into the bowl.  Juice the 2 Lemons and beat in 2 TBL of the juice (taste to see if you want more and add accordingly.)  Place the curd in a small pan and while stirring continually, heat over low heat until it warms through and is thick.  Once it's resembles smooth pudding, remove from heat and put the curd in a clean bowl to cool.  

NOTE: For fine sugar, beat granulated sugar in a food processor.  I prepared a 1 LB bag of Sugar for my various needs and I store it in the bag it came in.  You can buy Caster Sugar but it's very expensive. 

To this point, all of this can be made ahead.  Assemble when you are ready to serve.  Place a tart pan on a plate and top the shell with curd.  Add fruit of choice and serve at once.  It's a delicious dessert any time.

For GF use GF flour when making the shells.

Chirstmas Dinner Table

This is late as I just came across the picture on my desktop.  My son wanted to set the table for Christmas Dinner.  It was just the 3 of us so I thought, why not.  Though he stole stuff from around the house and, I think the results were awesome.  It was the first time we ate together in the dining room.  It's a lovely room!  

Simple Chicken Meatball Kabobs

I've been very busy with home renovations and sometimes I get something that I can put together midweek without much effort.  I require it has to cook quickly and taste good.  I was at Costco with my sister D and we sampled Aidells' products.  We decided to split a package of Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs.  26 meatballs came in each package..  

Last night I bought a 1 Green Bell Pepper and a 1 Fresh Pineapple (wow $1.50, that's the lowest I've ever seen!)  I already had 1 Small Red Onion.  I prepped the vegetables and put everything on skewers.  I had a 1/2 package of Rice Sticks that I cooked like pasta which made it very low calorie.  

Recipe: Preheat the oven to 375 while you boil the water.  While all that is happening, prep and put everything on skewers and place on a sheet pan.  Mix together, 1 TBL Honey, 1 TBL Soy Sauce, 1 TBL Rice Vinegar, drizzle in 1 TBL Olive Oil while stirring.  Add a shake of Red Pepper Flakes for some heat.  You can adjust these quantities to taste.  Glaze both sides of the vegetable/meatballs.  Place in hot oven for 15 minutes until hot throughout, browned lightly and bubbly.  Serve at once.  

Fresh Pineapple

Fresh Pineapple is in season!  I know you can get them all the time but they are particularly good beginning now and under $2 each if you shop around.  I bought this one at Walmart for $1.78.   Sometimes I spirialze them and occassionaly I like large chucks eaten by itself.  I could tell by looking at it that it would be good with a firm looking skin and dark, hydrated and healthy looking crown. This is the second one I bought in a week.  It was ready to eat immediately and seems to be at it's peek!  They are in season beginning now through July!