Category Archives: F & F Recipes

Friends and Family Recipes

5 Thanksgiving “Wish List” Recipes

Posted on by

While our menu is pretty much set for Thanksgiving, I thought I would take a few minutes to share my 5 “Wish List” recipes – all original, homemade and perfect for Thanksgiving. These recipes intrigue me and are going in the file for this winter, or maybe a last minute switcher-ooo come Thursday…

The recipes all come from fellow foodie bloggers and members of the Village Green Network, so props to these great home cooks and writers.

Butternut Squash Gratin in Baby Pumpkins from OhLardy!

  1. Butternut Squash Gratin from OhLardy!. The most gorg presentation – serve squash in baby pumpkins! Picture at right courtesy of OhLardy!
  2. Pissota: An Old World Olive Oil Cake from Nourishing Joy. The author was inspired by her sister who lives in Spain, but the recipe is classic Italian (near and dear to my own heart)
  3. Pumpkin Pie Meringue Candy by Ditch the Wheat. I am a sucker for anything meringue.
  4. Roasted Sage Squash with Honey by  Whole Green Love. Roasting squash and root vegetables make for a healthy and tasty side dish, and I like the honey + sage combo.
  5. Crockpot Caramelized onions from Empowered Sustenence. Caramelized onions are so simple and delicious.
Please post a comment below if you try any of these dishes, or share your own Thanksgiving menu “Wish List” items.

 

Toss the Canned Cranberry – 4 Ingredients you MUST buy for Thanksgiving

Posted on by

We are T minus 1 week until Turkey Time. And while the turkey won’t pass these lips, all the sides and condiments do. One of my favorites is homemade Fresh Cranberry Relish. The relish is the most beautiful ruby color you’ve ever seen.  Put the 4 ingredients below on your shopping list and plan on making this a day or 2 in advance.  I promise you, you will never buy canned or fresh store bought (for $10!!) ever again if you try this recipe.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Use Bonne Maman peach preserves and you won’t be sorry

  1. 1 package fresh cranberries
  2. 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (squeeze your own, or buy freshly squeezed)
  3. zest of 1 navel orange
  4. 1/2 jar peach preserves (I like Bonne Maman)

Rinse cranberries. Place in a pot with the orange juice, zest and preserves. Simmer, just until cranberries pop open, stirring occasionally. Should take 20 – 25 minutes.

Cool and serve, or store.  Serve in glass bowl for maximum effect at the dining table. Can be prepared 1- 2 days before Thanksgiving.

We picked up this recipe several years from our local supermarket Guido’s, in Great Barrington, and have been hooked ever since.

Please comment on what condiments, cranberry or otherwise, you serve at Thanksgiving.

My No-Knead Bread Needs Some Work

Posted on by

I finally attempted Mark Bittman and Jim Lahey’s much touted No-Knead Bread Recipe. I used the 4 ingredients as instructed in the recipe (flour, instant yeast, salt and water), letting the dough rise untouched on my countertop for about 14 hours (instructions advised 12 – 18 hours). The dough was really more of a batter when I turned it out on the work surface and it was with great difficulty that I turned the “blob” into itself. It would have been impossible to knead, even if I had wanted to do so. I had to wash and flour my hands several times to move the blob around the work surface.  Despite the loose batter, it did have a great yeast-y bread aroma and I was optimistic. I dutifully followed the instructions, letting it sit for another 15 minutes, then wrapping it in a towel for another 1-2 hours. I checked out Breadtopia’s site and modified recipe, too. Breadtopia suggested 1 1/2 cups water vs. Bittman’s 1 5/8 cups (which is a hard to measure quantity, to boot). I think my dough/batter had too much liquid.

No-Knead Bread fresh from the Oven

After the final rising period, I turned my still blob-like dough into the heated Le Creuset dutch oven and placed in the oven for 30 minutes covered. As an aside, my dutch oven does not get enough use, so I am always excited to put it to work (along with my biceps when lifting it in and out of the oven!) When I removed the cover, I was excited to see a bread-like loaf had indeed formed. Maybe this was going to work out after all…

I let it cool on a wire rack for several hours and then placed it in a paper bag overnight. The bread did have an attractive crust and color, and definitely looked homemade. But the uneven height concerned me. Had my dough risen sufficiently? What is wrong with this picture, I wondered?

No-Knead Bread or Focaccia??

We tested the bread for breakfast yesterday morning. It took a little work to cut into the super crusty exterior, even with a sharp serrated bread knife. Points for a crisp crust, I thought. The interior was airy, too, but there just wasn’t enough of it. The 1 1/2 – 2 inch height was more like that of focaccia, than a traditional boule. We ate a few slices plain, untoasted, and the bread had good bite and flavor, but as Hubs aptly noted, the crust:bread ratio was off. Mind you, this bread was still infinitely edible, and there were no complaints from baby Sam. A decent first attempt, but definitely not a fool-proof recipe. I look forward to trying again.

Have you tried this bread recipe before?

Wednesday Night and What’s for Dinner? Roasted Korean-style Cod

Posted on by
This is my second try for this easy and super-tasty recipe for Korean-style Roasted Cod. It is the umami flavors from the sauce that make this dish stand out – reminds me a little of the chili-lime dipping sauce I recommended for the delicata squash, but with more depth. You can make this meal in 20 minutes flat, if you have leftover rice, so perfect for a weeknight. The only caveat is that the original recipe calls for black cod, which can be very expensive, as well as hard to find. I suggest using regular cod as a substitute, which is easy to find in the northeast of the US, or any other dense, white-flesh fish. You can check here for substitutes.
The recipe hails from Weeknight Fresh & Fast cookbook by Kristine Kidd, which I have referenced before. The cookbook has really surprised me with the number of original, flavorful recipes it contains, all fast & fresh, as it’s title claims.  Sadly, I did not get any photos of this meal as it disappeared off the plate too fast. Ha!
Korean-style Roasted Cod Ingredients
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeno pepper, minced
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
4 black cod fillets (I used Chilean sea bass, but you could use any dense white-fleshed fish. Black cod is very hard to find)
2 Green Onions, white and green parts, sliced
Brown or white rice (optional)
Directions

  • I recommend serving on a bed of brown or white rice. Prepare rice according to directions, or use leftover rice.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallot, ginger, and chile, and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water, and simmer until the mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup (6 fl oz/ 180 ml), about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Set aside a small amount of the sauce for brushing.
  • Brush a small baking pan with olive oil, and place the fish, skin side down, in the pan. Brush the fish with the reserved sauce. Roast until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Scoop rice onto plates (if using), and transfer the fish to plates, sprinkle with green onions, and serve right away, passing the remaining sauce alongside.
  Fellow blogger Sofull Sista also wrote about her affection for this recipe.

The Best Form of Flattery…Ode to Dan’s Carrots

Posted on by

I love having a partner in crime and it is so fun when Dan jumps in a with a post on this blog. I thought Dan’s preparation of roasted carrots looked so interesting (not to mention his Elton John song title reference), I had to try it out for myself. Making the interesting out of the seemingly ordinary.

WSF Multi-hued Carrots ready for the oven

What I did: I washed and trimmed the WSF white and orange carrots, leaving the skin on for some rustic appeal (as Dan did). I tossed them in the pan with a hearty glug of olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt and a twist of fresh ground pepper. I am such a copycat, I even used the same cast iron pan as Dan. Baked for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, and then lowered the temp to 250 (per Dan’s instructions), and baked for another 20 minutes or so until they were nicely browned. I tested them with a fork and noticed that the larger carrots were still tough in the center, so removed the smaller carrots and returned the rest to the oven for another 15 minutes or so. Next time round, I’ll select all similar sized carrots for the pan.

The result:  savory and sweet, easy on the eyes, rich-tasting carrots. NOT your mama’s cooked carrots. A MUST TRY, taking preparation of an everyday vegetable to the next level.

Saturday Night’s Alright For Flyin’ (butterflying as in chicken, that is)

Posted on by

So the chicken was not from Wolfe Spring Farm. They were all out. Its no surprise because theirs was some of the best chicken I’d ever tasted (a close second to the free roaming grubandwhoknowswhatelse eating Rancho Margot birds we had in Costa Rica)  Otherwise, the meal was a celebration of WSF’s bounty.

Grille Roasted Brussel Sprouts, cauliflower and Broccoli melange. So delicious. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, put on grill until done. I had this for lunch during the week.

Grille Roasted Carrots. Look at how gorgeous they are. They tasted even better. Again, a very simple preparation: Olive oil, salt pepper.

Now for the weird part: Grilled turnip planks. We’d tried grilled potato planks but nothing else. This turnip was farmin’ huge so we gave it a shot. Slice thick, toss with salt, let rest in salt for 20 mins or so, rinse, nuke  on low for 10 mins to soften up a bit. Toss in olive oil salt and pepper, grill on medium heat, off direct flame until done. Sprinkle some coarse salt before serving warm. I bet even Hubs would like these!!

Cauliflower, sprouts and broccoli, Oh My!

I bet you monsters lead the most innnnnteresstin’ lives……

Warning! Pic not safe for work

Our grille is really not filthy, its just the flash……..
Note modesty skillet and turnip planks

You must try these: smoky, earthy surprising.

A most fabulous un-fabulous meal.

Hearty Fall Soup for Frosty Temps

Posted on by

Chopped leeks ready for some butter

Chopped leeks ready for some butter

The irony of this soup recipe is that I originally tried it back in May, and here it is in mid-October and I finally have all the ingredients available in my CSA basket. It took nearly 6 months and 2 seasons to reach the point where I can prepare the dish from local, seasonal ingredients. The recipe for Cabbage, Potato and Leek soup comes from Melissa Clark‘s NY Times column, “A Good Appetite.”

It is a deeply flavorful, thick and satisfying soup that in my opinion, is much more suited for the fall than early spring, so I’m glad I filed it away in the back of my mind for this season. I was excited to put my frosty leeks to work (truly nothing smells better than leeks sauteed in butter), use up some of that never-ending cabbage, and make some headway in our large stock of potatoes. What sounds like a rather bland and monochromatic soup actually turned out to be quite colorful during the prep stages. The soup was roundly praised by all. Baby Sam asked for thirds. Check out my modified recipe below:

Ingredients:

Sliced purple potatoes. Just because.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
8 cups shredded cabbage
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 small new potatoes (I used purple potatoes because I had them on hand) 
3 cups vegetable stock
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 thyme branches
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pecorino Romano rind, or parmiggiano rind (optional)
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to serve
Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, add the leeks and cook until soft and golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cabbage and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

Sauteed leeks

2. Stir in potatoes, stock, 4 or 5 cups water, salt, cheese rind (if using) and thyme. Bring soup to a simmer and cook, partly covered, until potatoes begin to fall apart, 45 to 50 minutes. Add more water, as needed, to reach the desired consistency. Use hand blender to partially puree and remove thyme stems. Season with black pepper and serve, topped with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings

 

Grilled Shrimp in Snowy Denver

Posted on by

It’s only early October, but that didn’t stop the snow from falling on Friday night in Denver, Colorado. The locals called it frost, but this East Coaster called it snowfall.

My super-organized sister-in-law Sara keeps a binder full of  favorite family recipes. It’s a system that works much better than cramming cut-out recipes into cookbook pages, as I tend to do. During our weekend visit, Sara prepared this yummy Orange Thyme Shrimp dish that was thoroughly enjoyed by kids of all ages. She marinated large shrimp in a mixture of orange juice, orange zest, minced garlic, fresh thyme and olive oil. Then threaded the shrimp on wooden skewers, ready for the grill.

Tails in a row: Orange Thyme Grilled Shrimp

Brother-in-law Mark grilled the shrimp to perfection. Note the engineer’s attention to detail in that all tails are pointing in the same direction. 2-3 minutes per side should do it (much internal debate on cooking time).

The grilled shrimp were served on a bed of orzo (or substitute your grain of choice, like Freekeh), with peas on the side to round out the meal. Thanks again to Sara and Mark for a fabulous visit!

Delicata Squash with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Posted on by

Must tell you about a simple and sumptuous recipe I tried on Monday night. I wanted to try a new preparation for my 2 small Delicata squash that I picked up on Saturday. I liked the late fall pasta recipe I made a few weeks ago, but wanted to prepare the Delicata as a side dish.  After some research, I picked this recipe from Smitten Kitchen that was originally made for acorn squash. It was delicious, and so easy because you don’t even need to peel Delicata. The Chile-lime vinaigrette was tasty enough to eat on its own. I wound up using the vinaigrette as a dipping sauce and would recommend it as delicious dipping sauce for any roasted vegetables, fish, bread, use your imagination.

Roasted Delicata Squash from Summer Tomato

Roasted Delicata Squash with Chile-Lime Vinaigrette
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Gourmet, October 2006

Ingredients:

2 small delicata squash, or 1 large
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends (no need to peel). Scoop out seeds and cut squash  into half moons 1/2-inch-wide slices. Toss squash with black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil on a baking sheet, then arrange in 1 layer. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 20- 25 minutes.

While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, jalapeno pepper (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined. Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette, or use as dipping sauce.

Yield: 2-4 servings as a side dish