The Idle Hours...Barbecued Oven Braised Brisket

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Although I should be posting a recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers, I thought you might be feeling the same way we feel in this house by now.  Anything but!

In spite of the fact that Madame Mere's apartment IS FINISHED, I still spend my days waiting for FEDEX, UPS, or some other delivery service delivering merchandise she has ordered through the various catalogues

A corner of the great room where she sits in my daughter's big chair is now her designated office. Mail, new issues of Hola, Veranda and House and Garden, with dog eared pages of ideas for the future decor of her rooms, sit in neat stacks on a tv table.  Then there are the catalogues, including Ballards, which she insists on pronouncing "Ballarde" in spite of my corrections, to no avail.  At the bottom of the pile are her insurance statements and claims, her bills and checkbooks.  The world stops for her when her favorite telenovela, India, is rerun on Telemundo from 12 to 2 while she has lunch and her lady in waiting hems her curtains.  We should all be so lucky.

She has now roped me into watching this popular soap opera but I do so, upstairs in my study, while I check my emails, work on the blog and get dressed.   Three o'clock is the magic hour when I  get in the car and go, anywhere, to see what real people do with their lives.  Sometimes I take her with me to shop for her things; others I just wander, aimlessly.

Today we are waiting for her rug from "Ballarde" which is to be delivered between 11:30 and 3:30, another wasted day.  She has already announced we are going to get our nails done after that. but we don't.  The rug arrived, we both hated it and I spent the rest of the afternoon arranging to have it picked up and ordering a new one.

I have been using the idle hours to make something that needs to be in the oven for a long time and these days are perfect for that.  I can't stand to waste time and braising a piece of meat for three hours is my idea of justifying the time. This oven braised beef brisket was posted on My Kitchen By The Lake blog a long time ago and I have made it a couple of times to rave reviews from the family.  I think it is time it appears on Lindaraxa.

Brisket is a large flat cut that comes from the chest of a steer, just below the chuck.  Its a tough fatty piece that when cured in a brine is called corned beef.  Because it is impossible to overcook, brisket is a favorite of home cooks, particularly for Sunday family dinners.

What is known as the first cut, thin cut or flat cut is leaner than the less expensive second cut aka the point cut.  This is what is preferred for this recipe because its more flavorful, and succulent.

You don't need to be a great cook to make this, just lots of time on your hands or a Madame Mere in your life.  Mashed potatoes and my aunt's Caramelized Baked Apples will make you look like  a real Betty Crocker.
  

Barbecued Oven Braised Brisket

Ingredients

1.4 lbs beef brisket, preferably second cut
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 TB vegetable oil
1 large onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced.
1 cup beef stock
1 cut tomato sauce or tomato juice
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
parchment paper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Pat brisket dry and rub salt and pepper all over it.

In a hot skillet add brisket and brown on each side.

Place brisket in 13 in x 9 in baking dish.

Add onion to skillet and stir frequently until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add beef stock, bring to a boil and deglace pan scraping bits for 1 minute.  Stir in remaining ingredients  and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over brisket ,cover with sheet of parchment paper and cover tightly with foil.  Braise in the oven , turning meat once, until fork tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 20 minutes and slice across the grain.  Spoon sauce over it before serving.

The brisket is best if made the day before and up to 4 days before.  Reheat in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Photos Lindaraxa

A Tale Of Two Turkeys...Stuffed Turkey Breast With Chestnuts And Prunes

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On weekday mornings I usually get up fairly early, get a strong cup of coffee and turn on CNBC for the usual dribble on Greece, Italy,  gold and everything bad that is going on in the world economies.  This morning the news was all about "Mario's gaffe" last night. Mario? what Mario? a new Prime Minister for Italy? Did Berlusconi finally throw in the towel? Nothing doing, this was none other than our friend Mario Batali, the well known cookbook author, chef and owner of several restaurants in New York, most of which none of us can afford.

Apparently last night at a Time magazine event promoting its Person of the Year issue,  our culinary friend nominated the food writer Michael Pollan, then went on to say:

"But I would have to say that who has had the largest effect on the whole planet without us really paying attention is the entire banking industry, and their disregard for the people that they're supposed to be working for."He added: "The way the bankers have toppled the way money is distributed – and taken most of it into their own hands – is as good as Stalin or Hitler and the evil guys."

Well!

The reaction from Wall Street was swift and merciless. Bankers took to their Blackberries and Bloomberg terminals to sound off and organise a boycott. This message was sent out across trading floors:

"Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Says Bankers As Bad As Hitler, Stalin … a list of his restaurants – *B&B Ristorante *Osteria Mozza *Babbo *Otto *Bar Jamon *Pizzeria Mozza *Carnevino Italian Steakhouse *Tarry Lodge *Casa Mono *Tarry Market *Del Posto *Mozza2Go *Esca *Manzo *Lupa – cancel all reservations … pass the word."

On Twitter, the reaction was also fast and furious.

"Wow. Mario Batali pisses off the only people who can afford to eat at Del Posto," wrote one.

Later Batali took to Twitter to "clarify" his views.

"To remove any ambiguity about my appearance at yesterday's Time Person of the Year panel, I want to apologise for my remarks," he wrote. "It was never my intention to equate our banking industry with Hitler and Stalin, two of the most evil, brutal dictators in modern history."

Mario, Mario, Mario...what where you thinking?! Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

So, if you are not a banker and have always wanted to eat at one of his restaurants, this might be your only chance.  But don't tell them who sent you. I still have some "Nazi" friends who might not return my phone calls if they find out and who knows when I may need them.

So talking about turkeys, here's a great recipe for a Sunday family dinner or Thanksgiving for a small crowd.  Enjoy!

Tacchino Ripieno...Stuffed Turkey Breast With Chestnuts and Prunes

Serves 10-12 people
Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) whole turkey breast, removed from the bone, halved and butterflied by your butcher
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1/4 cup
• 1/2 pound pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork shoulder
• 10 Italian prunes, pits removed, cut into quarters
• 12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled, and halved

• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoons each chopped fresh rosemary and sage
• 2 cups dry white wine plus 1 cup

1/2 cup brown chicken stock, recipe follows

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BROWN CHICKEN STOCK:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 pounds chicken wings, backs, and bones
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped

• 4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 bunch parsley stems

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pancetta pieces and cook until golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook until starting to brown in its own fat, stirring regularly. Drain all but 4 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, then add the prunes and chestnut, and continue cooking for 8 minutes, until the prunes start to really soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 20 minutes.

Add the bread crumbs, the Parmigiano, the eggs, the pepper, nutmeg, and herbs and just bring together, stirring with your hand. Over-mixing here can result in a lead torpedo for a stuffing, so don't.

Place the 2 turkey pieces on a cutting board and divide the stuffing between them.

Roll each of the breasts like a jelly roll and tie them firmly with butchers twine.

Place the 2 breasts, skin side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour 2 cups wine over them.

Season with salt and pepper, and place into preheated oven and cook uncovered until dark golden brown outside and a meat thermometer reads 165 at the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour, plus or minus 10 minutes.

Remove and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Add remaining 1 cup of wine to the roasting pan and deglaze, scraping with a wooden spoon. Add chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

Carve turkey into 1-inch slices and serve with pan sauce.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve.

Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned.

Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley.

Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat.

Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids.

Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts

Mario Batali recipe

Pork Chops Shepherd Style

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When you get to be an old timer in the kitchen like me, you can tell by osmosis who is who in the world of food blogging.  Yes, there are beautiful sites with gorgeous pictures but,  frankly, they are more for show than substance.  On the other hand, there are some where the photos may not be as professional (who wants the food to get cold!) but where you know the recipe they are sharing will be great.  Most of them, like me, have a good nose for good recipes from other sources.  They may tweak here and there but why fool around with perfection.

To name a few of my favorite real cooks, there is Martha's Lines From Linderhof, Penny's Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen and Carolyn's A Southener's Notebook.  Both Carolyn and Penny are friends of Lindaraxa's country blog My Kitchen By The Lake.  Martha is a friend of both and her baking is to die for!

Last week I noticed that Carolyn had posted a recipe from one of my favorite Italian cooks, Lidia Bastianich.  When I lived in New York,  I used to go to her restaurant, Felidia's,  for one of the best Italian meals in town.  Later on she started her own show on PBS and I was just transfixed.  Everything I tried was not only good, it was spectacular.

This recipe is probably one of the best pork chop recipes I have ever tasted.  The three of us, including my daughter and my favorite neighbor,  were just in awe of what we were eating.  No words can express how good this recipe was.  Like Carolyn, I served them with artisanal egg noodles made in Tuscany, something I have been keeping for a special occasion, and a simple Italian salad.  Tiramisu for dessert. I am still marvelling at the combination.

Don't make any substitutions.  I went to the local deli and asked them to cut the provolone in 1/8 in slices which I lay on top of the chops.

This is nirvana.  A simple, no fuss dish that is out of this world and perfect for a Sunday family dinner;  but do get the right ingredients and make no substitutions.  By the way, as there were only three of us, I halved the recipe.

Carolyn, I owe you one.  In the meantime, you might want to try the recipe she cooked for the Pope when he came to this country...Goulash

Pork Chops Shepherd-Style

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 1 inch thick, 6 to 8 ounces each

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

3 plump garlic cloves, sliced

6-ounce chunk provola or provolone, preferably imported from Italy

1 cup white wine

1/3 cup grated pecorino

Recommended Equipment: A heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet or saute' pan, 12-inch diameter or wider.


Method

Trim excess fat from the pork chops, leaving only a thin layer on the edges. Season both sides of the chops with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Spread the flour on a plate, and dredge the chops, lightly coating both sides.

Meanwhile, pour the olive oil in the skillet, and set it over medium heat. Shake excess flour from the chops, and lay them all in the skillet in one layer (depending on the size of your pan, you may have to snuggle them in). Gently brown the pork on the first side, about 4 minutes; turn the chops over and brown the second side, another 4 minutes. Remove the chops to a plate and keep warm.

Scatter the onions and garlic in the skillet, stir them around the pan, season with the remaining salt, and cover. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, and scraping the pan bottom to mix the crusty browned bits with the onion juices.

Meanwhile, if you'll be finishing the dish right away, set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 400*. Slice the provola in 6 or more thick slices about the size of the pork chops.

After the onions have cooked for 15 minutes or so, and are quite tender and colored with the pan scrapings, uncover, and push them all to one side of the skillet. Lay the pork chops back in, one at a time, spooning a layer of soft onions on the top of each chop. When they're all in the pan, lay the provola slices over the onions.

Raise the heat, and when the meat is sizzling again, pour the wine into the skillet (in the spaces between the chops, not over them). Swirl the pan so the wine flows all through it, and bring to a boil. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of pecorino on each chop, then carefully move the skillet from the stove to the oven.

Bake the chops for 10 minutes or so, until the cheese toppings are bubbly and crusty. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven, and let the chops rest in it for a few minutes. To serve, lift out each chop with a spatula, keeping the cheese topping intact, set it on a dinner plate, and spoon some of the skillet juices and onions around it.

Grilled Beer Bratwust And Warm Potato Salad

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Tonight, while I sat at the kitchen counter savoring my "light" Sunday evening fare, I couldn't stop thinking of all the occasions I could serve these at.  Here at the lake I would serve them on Friday night, arrival time for weekend guests.  How about for a tailgate picnic or a steeplechase?  Football night with the boys? Saturday lunch with hubby after golf game? Saturday evening's poker game? Dinner at the sky house? I could go on forever, but it is getting late and I want to get back to my book,  Queen of the Desert...Gertrude Bell...have you read about her? you don't know what you are missing!) 

Contrary to what you may think, this was not a heavy meal.  At least I haven't reached for the Pepto Bismol yet.  It is going down rather nice.....

Like cooking with wine, you don’t want to use the cheapest beer here, but don’t use your nice one either — just something good that you’d want to drink, preferably German and dark. The handy thing about cooking the bratwurst this way is that if you’re having a big crowd, you can grill the brats a bit ahead of time and put them back in the warm beer for awhile until you’re ready to serve them.  By the way, the brown sugar is my idea so omit if you want.

Warm Potato Salad

1 1/2 lbs. red bliss potatoes

1 cup leeks, sliced

2 TBs olive oil

3 TB.s chopped white onion

2 TBS. chives

2 mashed and chopped garlic cloves

1 TB apple cider vinegar

2 TB white wine

2 TB Dijon style mustard

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Boil potatoes until tender depending on size.  In the meantime. to a skillet add the 2 tbs. oil and leeks and sautee until soft.  Remove to a bowl.  Add the mustard, chives, vinegar, garlic, wine and the 1/2 cup olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are done, let them cool a bit.  Slice them in 1/2 inch and toss with the dressing, being careful not to over toss and break the potatoes.  They can be served mildly hot or room temperature.

You can add the wurst to the potato salad or serve separately.

For the bratwurst or knockwurst

Ingredients

12 bratwurst (or more, depending on how many people you’re serving or how many sausages per person you want to serve)

1 onion, peeled and halved

1 or 2 cans/bottles of beer (enough to cover the bratwurst)

2 to 3 TBS. dark sugar (optional)

Saurkraut (optional) *

toasted hot dog buns or pumpernickel bread to serve

Directions

Prick each bratwurst a few times with a fork. Place them in a large pot or saucepan with the sliced onion.  Cover with the beer, add the brown sugar and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the bratwurst are cooked through. Remove the brats from the beer and grill them on a hot BBQ for about 5 minutes, turning to make sure they’re golden brown on all sides. Boil down the beer, brown sugar, onion sauce and sauerkraut (if using) and return brat to skillet.  They can stay warm on top of the oven. Serve on lightly toasted hot dog buns or brown bread.



All photos Lindaraxa

on 2/15/14 I added sauerkraut* Next day cooked the leftovers on Naan for a delicious German pizza. Preheat oven 425.  Bake the naan until it puffs up a bit. remove from the oven.  Top with leftover sauerkraut, brats and potatoes.  Back in the oven for about 10 minutes until nam is crisp.

Cuban Style Chicken Fricassee...Fricase de Pollo

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You can take the girl out of the country but you cant take the country out of the girl...

Just about once a month, I have to have my dosage of good homemade Cuban food.  Although it's only been a week since I had the mandatory black beans for Christmas (and threw a bucketful of water out the back door for good luck on New Year's Eve), tonight was the night to go native with one of the quintessential of Cuban dishes.  I got the inspiration at the last minute and since it really only takes a few staples that I always keep in my pantry, dinner was done in no time.

This fricassee is different from the ones you have probably had in the past.  It is reminiscent of the bittersweet flavors found in the cooking of Andalucia and is typical of the Moorish influence in Spanish cuisine. 

Now, some people add pimento stuffed olives and others add petit pois or small green peas.  Although the olives are more traditional, I prefer the latter and it's the way it was always served in my house; but either one will be a good choice. Just don't add both.  And don't skip the potatoes, it's what gives the wonderful consistency to the sauce!

This is a terrific and fairly quick comfort food style meal and most appropriate for a family Sunday lunch or dinner. If I'm serving it for guests, I sometimes add the slivered almonds (slightly toasted) at the last minute for a nice presentation.  It's a great dish for a dinner or lunch party, Cuban or not.

If you are not Cuban you owe it to yourself to try this at least once in your life.  You will be converted!

Serves 4-6


Ingredients

3 TB olive oil

1 TB butter

4 lbs chicken fryer cut in 8 pieces (or chicken thighs)

6 garlic cloves, mashed cut up

1/2 cup sour orange juice (or mix half-half lime and orange)*

1 lg onion chopped

1/2 lg bell pepper chopped

1 bay leaf

3/4  small can tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small can Petit Pois (English Peas)
   OR1/4 cup sliced pimiento filled olives

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups of water

1 lb potatoes, peeled and quartered

Slivered almonds (optional)


Directions:


Marinade chicken pieces in garlic cloves, citrus juice, onion and bell pepper for at least one hour. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet and brown chicken (do not overbrown). Add garlic, onion, pepper and citrus juice from the marinade. Add wine and boil down for about a minute or two.  Add tomato paste,salt & pepper. Add water to cover the chicken halfway. Add the potato pieces  cover and cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are done.  If the sauce starts to get too thick just add some more water (half a cup at a time). Add the raisins and cook another 5 minutes.  Add the can of small peas (or the olives) just before serving.

Wonderful over fluffy white rice.

*plain orange juice will do just as well

Photos:  Lindaraxa

Sunday Family Dinner...Turkey A La King And Four Others!

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When I was growing up, I could always count on having Turkey A la King,  Turkey Croquettes or Turkey Tetrazzini within a couple of days of the big turkey dinner.  Nowadays, kids look forward to either Turkey Chili or Turkey Enchiladas with the same anticipation.   Well, guess what? I've got all bases covered between this blog and the country blog so enjoy an easy day tomorrow!

This is really my recipe for Chicken A La King with turkey substituted.  Those of you who, like me, are of a certain age will remember it well.  Enjoy!

Yield: Makes 6 servings


Ingredients


3/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 lb cooked turkey meat, both white and dark or skinless boneless chicken breast halves

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 green bell peppers, cut into small pieces

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/4 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

3 large egg yolks

1 small can red pimientos dices

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons dry Sherry, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon paprika (not hot)

6 puff pastry shells

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 4- to 5-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook peppers, stirring, until softened (do not brown), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Add onion and remaining 3 tablespoons butter to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and reduce heat to low, then cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in 3/4 cup broth, then all of cream and mushrooms, and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, lemon juice, Sherry, and paprika in a small bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup sauce, then stir yolk mixture back into sauce remaining in pot. Cook over low heat, stirring (do not simmer, or sauce will curdle), until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Cut turkey crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and add along with peppers to sauce, then cook over low heat (do not simmer, or sauce will curdle), stirring occasionally, until turkey and peppers are just heated through. Add more broth to thin if desired.

Spoon turkey à la king over shells or toast on 6 plates, then sprinkle with parsley.

You may also want to look at these four and substitute with leftover turkey:

Turkey Chili
Turkey Croquettes
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey Enchiladas


Photo: Google

An Early Fall BBQ Under The Trees... Honey Barbecued Chicken -

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If I had to entertain, this would be the optimal time of the year to do it.  The days are warm but the nights are cool and bright and the chances of rain are slim.  Nothing like an early Fall dinner barbecue under the trees.  Serve the Mushroom Bruschetta to start.  Succotash and saffron or brown rice would go well with it. I would serve the End Of Summer Peach Crumble Pie for dessert!

This whole grill-roasted chicken is rubbed with an intense spice paste and then basted with a tangy honey glaze on the grill for a double dose of flavor. It's easy to double for an early Fall BBQ party.


Printable Recipe

Serves four.

Ingredients

 2 Tbs. olive oil

2-1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian

1 tsp. light brown sugar

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1 clove garlic, minced

4-lb. chicken, butterflied, patted dry

1 recipe Honey Glaze


Directions

Season the Chicken:

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, thyme, black pepper, chipotle powder, and garlic. Rub all over the chicken and between the breast meat and skin. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the honey glaze for drizzling over the cooked chicken.

Cooking

Whether you are using charcoal or a gas grill, you want to prepare two zones, a hot and a medium one.  You are going to brown the chicken on the hot side of grill for 5-10 minutes and then move to the cooler side and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, covered.  Baste with the honey glaze every five minutes and turn frequently.

Honey Barbecue Glaze

Yields about 1/2 cup.

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. ketchup

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1/2 to 1 tsp. Asian chile paste, like Srirach

Directions

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients. Set aside 1/4 cup of the glaze for drizzling over the cooked chicken.

Make Ahead Tips

The glaze may be made up to 3 days ahead.
The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled

 Adapted from Tony Rosenfeld Fine Cooking

This Weekend's Family Dinner...Beer Braised Beef With Onions

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I remember my mother making this recipe when I was a teenager.  It was one of our favorite meals. Since in those days we sat down to dinner as a family every night, we didn't consider this meal anything special...it was just another weeknight dinner at home.  Well, times have changed, and the family meal is fast disappearing, altogether...and so are table manners and social graces, never mind the art of carrying on an articulate conversation.  Well, I'm not here to preach, just to share recipes and entertaining ideas, but it's a shame where we are headed as a society.  It's a shame how much children will be handicapped when they are adults and get invited to a restaurant or dinner party and just don't know how to handle themselves.  It all starts at home, folks, and the family table is a good place to start.

You will love this, and so will the rest of the family, young and old.  It has a German tone to it because of the beer so spaetzle, noodles or boiled potatoes will go nicely with it.

Menu

Beer Braised Beef With Onions

Buttered Noodles or Spaetzle

My Aunt's Caramelized Baked Apples

Have fun!

This Weekend's Family Dinner - The Perfect Roast Chicken!

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This weekend's family dinner is roast chicken with new potatoes and carrots.  It's a one dish meal so cleaning up is a breeze.  I am also enclosing the post on How To Carve A Chicken the way it's done at Daniel, the famous restaurant in New York City.

Menu 2/23/10

Roast Chicken With Herbes de Provence Garlic & Lemon

Roasted New Potatoes and Carrots

Brownies with Coffee Ice Cream

This Weekend's Family Dinner...Meatloaf

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This weekend's family dinner is Meatloaf, one of my family's favorites.  The whole meal can be prepared early in the day and heated or baked just before serving.  The combination of the baked yams with the meatloaf is out of this world, so try not to substitute!

Menu

Lipton's Meatloaf With a Twist

Baked Yams
Creamed Spinach

Caramelized Baked Apples

Leftovers

Meatloaf Sandwiches

The yams are baked at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done.  When done, cut a slit across the top and place 1 TB of butter and salt.  The baked apples can be made early in the morning.

This Weekend's Family Menu 2/11/10

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For those who work outside the house, particularly working moms, weekends are the only time to go to the store and prepare a homemade meal.  It is also the only time to experiment with new recipes.

Every Thursday I am going to post suggestions for a simple and economical  meal to enjoy with your family at the end of the week.  It's not only a good time to eat well and enjoy some quality time with each other but also an inconspicious way to  check out those table manners.  Have you seen kid's table manners these days?!

If you are a novice cook, this is a good way to start. If there's only one or two of you, cook and freeze for the rest of the week.  When appropriate, I will also include suggestions for leftovers.  Past recipes will be posted on the fray for previous weeks.  Some recipes are from this blog, others from my country blog My Kitchen By The Lake and the rest from other sources with a direct link. 

Weekend Menu 2/11/10

Turkey Breast With Apples Onions & Sage

Mashed Potatoes

Double Chocolate Pudding

Leftovers

Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Croquettes*

*leftover turkey meat can be frozen for a later use

Help is On the Way!...Weekend Family Meals

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For most families nowadays, the week end is the only time to get together and have a nice meal as a family, particularly if Mom works.  It is also the only time available to go to the store and get your shopping done.  I know, I remember it well...boy,  how I hated Saturday mornings. One of the most common lines I get on the comments or on Twitter is "Great recipe, I think I'll try it this weekend!"

I was lucky enough to grow up at a time when there was a Dad who went to work and a Mom who stayed at home and took care of the kids.  She also cooked and baked cookies and wonderful casseroles.  There were no Barefoot Contessas or Giadas or Food TV and Gourmet magazine was only for the serious cook.  Our Moms cut recipes from Good Housekeeping,  Better Homes & Gardens and followed the Joy of Cooking almost as closely as Dr. Spock.  They also guarded those recipes with their lives.  Recipes didn't have great names then like Chicken Kielbasa with a Tomatillo Sauce on a Bed of Arugula & Goat Cheese.  They were simply Mrs. SoAndSo's Baked  Ham (we called everyone, Mr. & Mrs. in those days, never Mike, I'm your waiter tonight!).  Then came Julia and Martha and the Silver Palate.  Oh my, that first book of Martha's, Entertaining...  Most of the recipes didn't work, but who cared! we all wanted to be Martha, just like today we all want to be Ina and have a husband like Jeffrey.

Starting today, I am going to try to help working couples and Moms by posting a menu of past recipes that I think will work well in this context and which I think will be fun to share with your family at the end of the week.  This is your time to shine! It will be done according to the seasons so you can take advantage of what is in the grocery store and the farmers market. We'll play along with it but your feedback will be very helpful.  So, what do you think?

This weekend's recipe is Yankee Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes (what else!) and apple crisp for dessert! They are both easy and go well together.  Wait til you get a whiff of the aromas emanating from this dish, rum, horseradish..By the time this baby finishes cooking you will have gone stark mad!  It is a wonderful start  to this series and a great recipe to have in your repertoire.

Above is Ina Garten's new kitchen/dining for inspiration.

Photo:  Google

Beer Braised Beef with Onions

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Have you noticed when you rent a place in Europe how small their kitchens and refrigerators are? That's because they go to the market every day and only buy what's fresh and in season. No wonder their food is so good. Now that things are so expensive at the market, I have begun to do the same thing, only buying what is fresh and on sale. The result has been a resurrection of old recipes and a new and exciting dimension to my repertoire. Yesterday, when I went to Costco the chuck roasts were absolutely beautiful and inexpensive. So I dug up this recipe from the old days and plan to make one tomorrow and freeze the other for a later date.

Oven 350

3 lbs onions
1 5lbs. chuck roast tied
2 TB vegetable oil
2 Bay leaves
2 12 oz cans of pilsner or budweiser beer
2 TB red wine vinegar.
Salt and pepper

In a dutch oven or large skillet cook onions in oil for 25 minutes until caramelized. Set aside. Brown beef. Return onions to pan add bay leaf, vinegar, beer, salt and pepper. Set in the oven covered for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. It should almost fall apart when pierced with a fork.

Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta.