three hundred and nineteen

"Now that September is nigh, relief from the insanity of summer is in sight.  Kids go back to school, vacations cease, and life gets back to normal until the seemingly just around the corner winter holiday season.  Assuming you’re not Jewish, that is.  And if you are Jewish, getting the kids to school on time is the last thing on your mind, because you know that September is the beginning of what feels like a month of constant holidays..."

 Read the rest of the post "Homemade Challah" at Home Ec 101.

three hundred

"I’m not a fan of summer; it’s hot, sticky, and—for someone as pale as I—sunburny.  I spend most of the summer indoors, hoping for a cloudy day.  For reasons probably related to my aversion to summer, I long ago decided that August is, in fact, autumn.  And what does autumn mean?  Soup, of course!  Every year, I spend my late summer early autumn days making and consuming vats of soup.  In the first week of my imagined autumn, I have already jumped into preparing my favorite soup: French onion."

Read the rest of the post "French Onion Soup" at Home Ec 101.

P.S.  Holy guacamole!  300 posts!  I may need to reconsider my post naming system before I hit one thousand...

one hundred and thirty-two point five

No Bake Whipped Cheesecake

It looks better sliced.

Crust :

1 1/2 cups gingersnaps

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling :

2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia recommended)

2/3 cup white sugar

zest from one large orange

~1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from one large orange)

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350*.

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, allowing it to extend above the sides of the pan to create a "collar" (like for a souffle).

Pulverize the ginger snaps in a food processor.  Add brown sugar and pulse until all the lumps are gone.  Combine with the butter and press into the prepared pan.

Bake crust 12-15 minutes or until the edges have darkened slightly and the crust is no longer wet to the touch.  It may be bubbly from the butter when you remove it from the oven, but it will cool to a crunchy solid crust.  Cool completely before using.

Add cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if you're using a hand mixer).  Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until creamy, about 1 minute; scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Add the sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and whip an additional 2 minutes, or until fluffy and well combined; scrape down the sides.  At a low speed, mix the whipping cream and vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture.  

Gradually increase the speed to high, then beat until the filling is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Do not over-mix.  

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then spread into the cooled gingersnap crust.  Smooth or decorate the top, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Best topped with orange-cranberry sauce.

one hundred and thirty-one point five

Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Even people who swear they don't like cranberries love this sauce!  It's delicious as a side dish for turkey or as a dessert topping for, say, no-bake cheesecake.  It can be made several days ahead, and the flavor only gets better as it sits.  Can be served hot or cold, which makes it the perfect alternative to the canned stuff. 

2-12 oz. packages fresh cranberries, mushy berries and/or stems discarded

1 tbsp orange zest, finely grated

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup honey (I used cranberry blossom)

1 cinnamon stick, whole

a few grates of nutmeg, to taste

up to 1/4 cup of white sugar, to taste

In a medium pot over medium-low heat, combine the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, water, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes or until the berries have popped and the sauce has started to set.  

Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit, then check sweetness.  Fish out the cinnamon stick.  

Stir in up to 1/4 cup of the white sugar little by little until the sauce is sweetened to your liking.

Store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Reheat slightly covered in the microwave for about 2 minutes or on the stove top on low for about 10 minutes.

one hundred and thirty

Thanksgiving is four days away...  Are you ready?  I've shopped for the food, bought some new containers for leftovers, replaced my aging baking pans, finalized the menu changes, and, as of noon today, started my cooking by roasting some turkey necks for stock.  Since there are only two of us--and since I have years more Thanksgiving experience than most twenty-somethings--I am fairly confident that I have everything under control.  Cue unforeseeable holiday-ruining occurrence. Despite my cockiness, I still have a ton of work to do in order to pull off the feast which I'll break down by day, just in case anyone's in need of some inspiration (or a reminder or two).

Monday : triple check grocery list and cabinet contents; wash aprons, kitchen rags, napkins, etc.; roast turkey necks for stock; prepare turkey stock; share recipe for dressing.

Tuesday : make cranberry sauce; roast garlic for mashed potatoes; clean out refrigerator; clean oven; wash roasting pans and/or dust-covered special Thanksgiving serving dish; slice French bread for crostini, then freeze.

Wednesday : make dough for rolls, then shape in muffin tin, complete final rise overnight in the refrigerator; prepare dressing; make brine (double batch for a whole turkey), then brine turkey overnight; make cheesecake; make dip for appetizers.

Thursday : slice veggies for appetizers; bake mini-quiches and frozen crostini for appetizers; roast turkey, then make gravy; make mashed potatoes; make green beans; bake dressing and rolls; nom.

Andouille and Sage Dressing

This recipe is based on one that my mother discovered in Bon Appetit in the '90s.  It can be made with any sort of boxed stuffing mix (or with your own bread, dried, crumbled and seasoned--but who wants to do that kind of work?) but cornbread is the default.  Disclosure: I'm using the "chicken" flavored Stove Top that I got in bulk at a wholesale club.  No matter what, make sure that you use good, homemade stock rather than store bought.  Also, use the given amount of broth as an idea, rather than a rule; nothing's worse than dry dressing... except for soggy dressing.

4 tbsp butter

16 oz. Andouille sausage, sliced into coins

16 oz. pork and sage bulk sausage

2 cups onions, diced

2 cups celery, diced

1 tsp thyme, crumbled

14 - 16 oz. stuffing mix

1 1/2 - 2 cups turkey stock

In a large pan over medium-high heat cook the bulk sausage about 5 minutes, or until browned; drain and remove to paper towel-lined plate.  Add the sliced Andouille to the same pot, cooking an additional 5 minutes, or until browned on both sides; remove to paper-towel lined plate.  

Add butter to the pot.  Once butter has melted, add onions, celery, and thyme; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  

In a very large bowl, use your hands to thoroughly mix both of the sausages, the softened onions and celery, and the boxed stuffing.  Add one cup of the turkey stock and stir.  Little by little, add the rest of the stock until the dressing is moistened.  Refrigerate until an hour and a half before you're ready to bake and serve.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spoon the dressing into a large buttered glass or ceramic baking dish.  Cover with a buttered piece of foil, then bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil, stir the dressing, then return to the oven to bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until browned.

one hundred and twenty-five

Dear Internet,

I couldn't think of a blog post today because PSE&G keeps messing with my head with its random outages.  Since I'm not a total bum, I figured a recipe might be a good compromise.  Just for good measure, I'll even make it seasonal and Thanksgiving-y.  So, here's my recipe for beer brined bone-in turkey breast, complete with a punny title.

Love,
Michele

Baysted Bone-In Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy

Start with:

6-8 lb. bone-in turkey breast, thawed if frozen

Brine overnight in:

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1-12 oz. bottle ale (I used Magic Hat HIPA)

water to cover

When you're ready to roast, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly inside and out.  Pat dry.

Place the turkey breast side down on a large cutting board.  Using kitchen shears, cut along either side of the spine (your shears will cut through the ribs) until you encounter resistance.  Place one palm flat on the very top of the spine.  Using your free hand, grab the wing (or what's left of it, if your breast came wingless) and bend it towards the spine.  You know, like you're trying to break its shoulder, because that's precisely what you're attempting to do. 

Repeat the process on the other shoulder, then use your shears to finish removing the spine by cutting through the space between the shoulder and arm.  Don't throw away the spine or any scraps (except for the white tube-looking spinal cord because yuck).

Allow the turkey to rest at room temperature while you make...

Lazy Turkey Stock:

32 oz. homemade or store bought chicken stock

scraps from turkey

Combine stock and scraps in a medium pot.  Simmer covered over medium heat for 45 minutes, or until it smells sufficiently turkey-y.  

Meanwhile, start on...

Bay Butter:

8 Turkish bay leaves

12 tbsp salted butter

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Stir in the bay leaves, then infuse over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until fragrant.  Fish out the bay leaves and set them aside.

While the butter is infusing, gather...

The Rest of the Stuff:

1 onion, cut into eighths

2 ribs celery, cut into thirds

2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.

Once the butter and broth are done, place the turkey breast-up on a roasting pan.  Slide your hand under the skin to disconnect it from the meat.  Slightly lift the breast off of the pan and slide the onion, celery, and bay leaves (from the Bay Butter) into the hollow space under the rib cage.  Gently rest the turkey on top of the veggies, making sure nothing's poking out.

Coat the turkey with the bay butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast at 375 for 30 minutes.

Carefully pour two cups of the broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.  Baste the turkey with the juices and broth from the bottom of the pan.  Reduce the heat to 325 and roast an additional 1 1/2 hours, basting again at the one hour mark, and one last time at the one hour-thirty minute mark.  If the pan begins to dry out or the drippings begin to burn, add extra broth one cup at a time.

Remove from the oven once the temperature in the thickest part of the breast measures 165.  Allow to rest on the counter 20 minutes before carving.  Meanwhile, remove the veggies and bay leaves from the roasting pan and start on...

Pan Gravy:

pan drippings from roasted turkey (above)

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

1 cup turkey broth

chicken stock, as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small pot, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour to create a roux, cooking for about one minute or until it smells nutty.

Whisk in the pan drippings and turkey broth, adding chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.  Check seasoning, then...

Eat:

one hundred and sixteen

Monday's here, and you know what that means: the N family survived Kittenpocalypse, Shrubbery included.  The weekend was full of lots of cuddles (not all of them well received by the kittens), tons of yummy foods, and hours of playing on the floor.  Oh, and oodles photo opportunities, of course!

I so wanted to be on the ball and go back to normal kitten-free posting today, but for some odd reason, I'm up to my neck in chores that went neglected over the weekend.  I've decided that I'm going to cut myself some slack today and allow myself to the easy way out with this blog post.  You know what that means, right?

KITTEN!!! PICTURES!!!

(And for those of you who want something a little more substantial: scroll down for my "made it up as I went along" recipe for chili.  This is the Internet, though, so cute kitten pictures get top billing.  Sorry!)

Kitten high five!  (Forgive the unmade bed.)

This = our whole weekend.

Snuggling with D'ohnut.

Shrub and D'ohnut finally sharing the couch!

one hundred and eleven

Over the weekend my husband and I got some awesome news: soon there will be not one, but two new members of the N family!  Two more mouths to feed, twice the messes to clean up, and twice the fun.  Though we're excited, we are not entirely without concern; how Shrubbery J. Cat will react to them encroaching on his lap space?  Will he get as much attention as he currently does? Is it going to bother him when they decide that his toys are their toys?

Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I was talking about baby people?  Meet Bagel (left) and D'ohnut (right), five month old kittens and soon-to-be adoptive brothers of Shrubbery J. Cat.  We got to hang out with them (and their highly allergic caretaker) last night, and it looks like humans are about to be outnumbered by cats in the N house.  Their caretaker is coming by on Wednesday evening to help them settle into their new home--and to eat dinner, naturally--and then everything will be official.  Woohoo!

Yesterday morning, I knew that I had to find something to say "thank you" to our new friend for taking such good care of Bagel and D'ohnut for us despite her horrible allergies.  Since I'm lazy/a fan of multitasking (and because I'm an OMG-so-busy expectant kitty mommy now!!!!!!!) I figured that I'd use those cookies for a blog post today.  They even have cinnamon and nutmeg in them, so they're seasonally appropriate and everything!  I've said it once and I'll say it again: two birds, one stone.  I wonder if Amazon has a bulk deal on bird killin' stones?  I'm going to need them.

one hundred and eight

If you'll direct your eyes to the left sidebar on the blog (assuming you aren't using a reader), you'll see a new link: recipes!  On that page, I'll be listing and categorizing each and every recipe I post on my blog.  Please let me know If you catch a recipe that I posted on the blog and forgot to include!

Speaking of, it seems that many of the recipes are either modern reworks of classics, or are longtime family favorites courtesy of Mama or Gran.  From beef stroganoff to meatloaf to chicken pot pie, these are the sorts of recipes that give most Americans warm fuzzy memories of childhood dinners.  Note that I said "most".

I was vegetarian before that was the hip thing to do--not that I had a choice about it.  When I think back to the dinners my family ate, I remember oven baked eggplant Parmesan, barbecued tofu, and spaghetti with wheat balls.  My fairly rational mind can appreciate the fact that my parents tried to give me some semblance of traditional American foods like barbecue and spaghetti (I think I even remember tofu bacon).  Heck, I'm even grateful that they attempted to make vegetarian food taste good, rather than just serving lentil soup every day!  My not-always-rational heart, however, often feels a little bit left out when those around me start reminiscing about childhood favorites.

As soon as I was in charge of cooking for Mr. N and myself, I was prepared to dive headfirst into the world of comfort foods, but there was a problem.  Since I hadn't eaten much salt or processed foods as a child, I soon realized that simply don't like most of the recipes out there.  Even worse, many of the recipes called for Cream of Something Soup or disturbing quantities of Velveeta.  Undeterred, I realized that I would just have to do like good ol' Gran and start from scratch.  Many of my versions are merely approximations, but others (in my oh so humble opinion) are good enough to make you kick your Mom's recipes to the curb--like these meatballs.

one hundred and four

Fall is my second favorite season of the year, mainly because I can use "warming up the house" as a reason to cook things on the stove all day.  (Never mind that I have to keep the windows open in order for that excuse to fly.)  Something about starting dinner in the early afternoon makes me feel like Susie Homemaker, which in turn influences me to do normally boring chores and/or look for ways to make the already awesome smelling dinner taste even better.  The former tends include deep cleaning something or other (cupboards, appliances, etc.), while the latter usually involves bread in some way or another.  Since dough can be lazy this time of year, I've found that this is the perfect time to embrace quick breads, like my absolute favorite...

Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

 It seems that anyone and everyone who bakes (or eats!) cornbread has their own idea of what, exactly, cornbread is meant to be.  Some, like my mother in law, believe that it involves bits of fresh corn in a sweet, cake-like batter (I'm with her on that last part).  Others, like my grandmother, swear that a cast iron skillet must be involved, and that the bread is meant to be crumbly and almost sugar-free.  

Much to my family's chagrin, I'm in neither camp.  In fact, my own mother believes I should be banned from ever making cornbread!  Why?  Because the cornbread that I make is the sort that could almost be eaten for dessert.  Even if you're not usually a fan of sweet cornbread, I recommend you give this recipe a shot, if only because it's the moistest cornbread you'll ever have.

2 sticks butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar, then stir in the eggs one at a time.

 

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, then mix in the buttermilk.  Stir in the cornmeal, then mix until everything is combined.  Allow the batter to rest in the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Grease a 9x13" pan.  Pour the rested batter into the pan and place in the middle of the oven.  Immediately reduce the heat to 350°, then bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the bread has browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.