BBM: Indulge Me

Well, here we go. Today begins the busiest two months most of us face all year. Holidays, shopping, cleaning, cooking, entertaining, wrapping, decorating, stop, breathe, do it all over again.

All gearing up to hand us a nice big package of stress.

And while we already know we should latch on to some of those self-help phrases like 'take time for me', it's not something that usually happens.

Am I right? Show of hands now: who here puts everyone & everything first, with your own well-being coming in somewhere between "clean gutters" & "buy stamps".

Fine. I'll go first.

Ehem. "I confess, taking care of me falls pretty low on my to-do list".

Anyone else?

Which is why it's so important we do stop, take a break, relax & so on.

And this time, you'll be getting a little help from your friends, because Blogging by Mail is back.

BBM, that wonderfully crazy idea from Nic of Baking Bites, where food-loving bloggers from around the globe swap care packages, has returned after a much-needed hiatus.

The concept is the same: you send a box of stuff to one person, someone else ships one to you.

And this time around, we're sharing our favorite indulgences.

Your five 'Calgon, take me away' items; be it a chocolate bar, tea, recipe (and important ingredients), book, movie..whatever you turn to when you need to de-stress.

Box it up & share it with a new friend.


So, want to join in?

Here's what you need to know:

1. Be absolutely sure you can commit to this. By signing up for Blogging by Mail, you're promising to send a package to someone out there, and they'll be waiting for it. My goal for this round is for EVERY BBM'er to receive a box.

2. Have, or contribute to, a blog. It is called Blogging by Mail, after all. I'm sorry, but if you don't have one, you can't join. It's kind of the point. On the bright side, it's pretty easy to start up a blog!

3. Agree to write a post about, including pictures of, any package you receive. Every one of us gets a kick out of seeing what's being sent, so posting is important!

4. Fill out the sign up form below, and send it to me at thehappysorceress at gmail dot com. If you want to be a part of this, add that address to your 'safe' list right away, or you could end up missing vital swap information! I will reply to your email with 48 hours, letting you know you're officially part of BBM.


Based on the last couple of BBM's, & the fact the holidays are coming, I'm limiting sign-ups to just two weeks. 100+ people takes this fun little event far away from the 'fun' side of things. So, if you'd like to join, do so quickly!




Match-ups will be made during the days after the sign-ups close; for the record, I do not do an A-to-B, B-to-A swap. You could be sending a box to England and getting one from Singapore!

In the days after sign-ups close, I will begin sending out your 'to send' information. If you haven't heard from me by the end of November, check your Spam/Junk mail folders. If you still don't see anything, send off an email to me immediately!


Sign-ups will be open until Saturday, 14 November.

Packages must be shipped by Saturday, 28 November.


***Double, and even triple, check your information before sending it to me. A missed number in a postal code, a typo in your street address, could be the reason you're left package-less!***


Official Blogging by Mail Form



Your Full Name (first and last)


Your Blog's Name

Your Blog's URL


Your Email Address

Your 'Real' Address (be sure to include postal/country codes)

Are You Willing to Ship Internationally?

Any Strong Dislikes, Likes, Allergies, Etc


If You've Participated in Past Rounds, if Possible Please Remind Me Who You've Been Paired With (to & from), So I Can Do My Best Not to Repeat!

Add any other information you deem pertinent, of course.



If you have any other questions, let me know. Now go on, start packing that box!

My Emerald Archer

Alex as Green Arrow, Oliver Queen.

More to come...including the one with 'Ollie' & his bevy of blond babes....

And here they are:

Souper Sundays: Chicken Soup with Jasmine Rice & Ginger

It's been a while.

But here's my contribution to Deb's Souper Sundays.

A surprisingly filling soup. A homemade chicken broth for Matt, vegetable for us.

Jasmine rice is simmered in water for a bit, then stock, salt, soy sauce (in place of fish sauce) & sugar are added, rice simmers a little longer.

Stir in the ginger, and...yep, tiny bit more.

Ladle into bowls, top with chicken & reserved ginger...and eat.

Warming, hearty & just generally good.

Be Very, Very, Quiet

Shhhh.

Don't tell anyone I was here. I'd hate to get their hopes up.

But I made these Cinnamon Rolls and thought they were too pretty not to share.

Best. Birthday Present. EVER.

(click for full detail)

Batman lithograph. Signed by BOB KANE himself.

BOB KANE!

HHDD#28: The Round-Up

Parmesan & Polenta Tofu




Parmesan & Polenta Chicken>


(so sorry for the delay)

Going to keep this nice & short, for the sake of finally getting this posted.



Zaira showed up with something a little different, Fried Polenta with Vegetables & Cheese





Suzie got the kids on the way to salad fandom with her rendition.





Silvermoon Dragon had a bit more trouble convincing her little ones to dig in, but so long as Mom's happy...






J returned to blogging & HHDD just in time to run into me!





And of course the lovely lady behind all this, Denise, was pleasantly surprised by the salad.



Seems everyone liked this dish, & due to it's relatively easy prep time I hope it'll show up on your tables again!

Product Review: New West Knife Works Super Bread Knife

Because he takes slicing bread very seriously...for reasons you'll soon learn..Matt has taken on this review




Growing up in a household where bread was baked up to three times a week, the bread knife was an important object. You used the bread knife to cut bread and nothing else. If you just cut bread, it remained fairly clean. If you got it dirty by cutting something else (say, cheese or roast beef), it had to go through a full cleaning cycle, during which there could be no bread. And not being able to slice bread properly was unacceptable. That's so deeply ingrained that, for me, the most disturbing scene in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill had nothing to do with blood, dismemberment, or even Uma Thurman. It was the scene towards the end of the second part where David Caradine sliced some bread and then stuck that same knife INTO A JAR OF MAYO! HOW'S HE GOING TO SLICE BREAD NOW? HE'LL CROSS-CONTAMINATE! MANIAC!

So I regard bread knives as serious business. For the past couple of years, we've alternated between a cheap, flimsy, and easily replaced nondescript bread knife and a bow-shaped knife (a left-handed version special-ordered for me years ago, as a gesture of resistance against the revanchist forces of the running-dog dextrist hegemony). The bow knife cuts well, but it cuts slices in a very narrow range of thickness. The cheap blade is more versatile, but doesn't cut nearly as well. So we had a strong interest in how the New West Knifeworks bread knife would do. The blades we got from them a few months ago have become my go-to knives (sharpness comparable to our ceramics but without the fear factor about dropping them), but that weird curvy blade...

Turns out it's absolutely brilliant. In fact, it cut so well that it took some getting used to. The blade bites very deeply with each stroke, practically sinking into the loaf. It gets through the bread with surprising, even alarming, speed, so it requires a touch which is different from any other knife we own. However, once you've adjusted to that, it's outstanding. I was able to cut through a baguette with a single pull of the blade, no back-and-forth sawing. I was able to cut nearly transparent, perfectly even slices from Pullman-style loaves without the slightest suggestion of a slant (and equally even thick slices). I sliced a fresh croissant in half the long way without crushing the outer layers or smashing the inside. Yes, it doesn't look like a standard bread knife, but it's much better than a standard bread knife. If you buy only one bread knife this year...well, you know the drill.

HHDD#28: Polenta of Choices

With the shock of hearing from Chez Us that I'd won last month's HHDD came the realization I'd be hosting this month's event!

(photo to come soon; camera issues!)



The search for my many Donna Hay cookbooks, as well as the never-have-enough magazine collection, lead to 30 or more dishes I remembered I wanted to make, but it wasn't until I spied the recipe for Parmesan and Polenta Chicken that I knew I had this month's challenge.

A gorgeous salad on it's own, and one that can be easily adapted to personal preferences.

The greens can be changed to a favorite, or what's in season.

The chicken can be swapped out for tofu, for the vegetarians (raises hand).

And if the corn isn't growing just now where you are, try frozen or baby corn.

Ingredients that cannot be swapped out: the corn itself, in some form, & the polenta coating.

Complete rules can be found here


To enter, make the recipe below, do the usual photograph/blog etc.

To me (thehappysorceress at gmail dot com), send the following:

The Name & URL of your blog
Your Name
Your Location
Name of your recipe
The URL or the permalink to your entry
And a photo if you have it!

Be sure your post links back here & to Chez Us


Entries are due 20 September.




Parmesan and Polenta Chicken

2 cobs corn, husks and silks removed
olive oil for brushing
2 x 200g (7oz) chicken breasts
flour for dusting
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/2 cup(100g/3 1/2 oz) polenta
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
100g (3 1/2 oz) baby spinach leaves
1/2 basil leaves
grated parmesan cheese, extra to serve
dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
sea salt and cracked black pepper




To make the dressing, place the mustard, lemon juice, garlic, oil, honey, salt & pepper in a bowl & whisk to combine. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F. Brush the corn with oil, place in a baking dish & roast for 25 minutes or until golden. Slice the kernels from the corn & set aside.
Slice the chicken in half horizontally, dust with the flour, dip into the egg & press into the combined parmesan & polenta to coat. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat & cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden & cooked through. Arrange the chicken, corn, spinach & basil on plates & spoon over the dressing & grated parmesan to serve. Serves 4

Party Food

The Primanti Brothers-esque Sandwich

Invitation to the Edible Word

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My eternally fabulous co-host of Cook the Books, Cath of A Blithe Palate, and I are co-hosting a new edition of The Edible Word, a foodie book club on September 5 and was hoping one of you would like to join us!
What's involved? Well, a little reading (it IS a book club), a lot of inspiration followed by some cooking or baking, and hopefully, a lot of fun.

We're reading “Confections of a Closet Master Baker” by Gesine Bullock-Prado, a former Hollywood executive who flees La La Land to become a baker in Vermont. The book traces her baking journey as it sustains her through various life trials — the Hollywood machine; her mother’s illness; the wonky life in a sweet, odd small town.

Event rules? Simple:

Pick a dish that she mentions in the book or an ingredient that she talks about.
Find a recipe or create a recipe for that dish, pastry or ingredient, and make it! (or if you like, make one of the yummy recipes she's included in the book)
Post an entry with a picture to your blog and share with us what compelled you to pick that particular dish, and any history about the recipe you created or are using to make that dish.

I have an extra book to share, so if you would like to join this food blogging event, please send me an email at thehappysorceress (AT) gmail (DOT) com with your snail mail address by six o'clock EST TODAY, August 5 and I’ll have one of the dogs randomly select one person to join us. If you don’t have a food blog but would like to participate, I’ll be happy to post your blog entry here.

Look for the event on September 5 and the round up on September 7!

HHDH#27: Sugar Snap Pea, Cucumber, Mint & Tofu Summer Salad

Reach for the smelling salts.

Not only have I quite possibly returned to blogging, but I have (dun dun dun!) entered a blogging event!!

It's ok. I can wait till you've recovered. Take your time.




I saw there was a new Hey Hey It's Donna Hay!, & since we've very nearly deified her in our house....it seemed as good a reason to do this again as any.



The current 'challenge' was given by Akshayapaatram in conjunction with Chez Us: a light, fresh summer salad.

This is very much how we've been eating around here, anyway.


Yes, we made some changes to the original recipe. A strong dislike of bean thread noodles (on my part) led to the substitution of rice noodles. Instead of green beans, there were sugar snap peas, one of my favorites vegetables of all time. Foul, dish soap-y cilantro got the heave-ho.Oh! Tofu. Added cubes of tofu. And instead of fish sauce in the dressing we used soy (2/3 vegetarians, remember) & put sriracha in there instead of chillies in the salad, itself.

Really good, & as it should be. Light & fresh & cool.

DIY Ginger Beer

Because you asked...



Run a small handful of ginger through a food processor (don't bother peeling it; you can, but it all gets filtered later). Put ginger, two cups of water, and two cups of sugar into a pot, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and allow to cool. It doesn't have to be room temperature, but you do need it cool enough that it won't kill the yeast. Pour the ginger syrup into an empty two-liter bottle through a sieve or cheesecloth to filter out the solids. Add a large pinch (about an eighth of a teaspoon) of yeast; bread yeast will work, but if you can get champagne yeast, that'll be better. You can also add a squirt of lemon or lime juice and/or a splash of vanilla. Top off the bottle with distilled water and close the bottle tightly. Let sit in a warm place and squeeze the bottle every 6-8 hours to check on the pressure. Initially, the pressure inside and outside the bottle will be equal, so you can easily make a dent in the flexible plastic with your finger. As the pressure from fermentation increases, the bottle will feel more rigid. When it gets to feeling really firm, briefly crack the bottle to release pressure and close it again. Depending on the kind of yeast you use and the ambient temperature, it can be ready to drink in as little as a day and a half. Store in the refrigerator.

Not Dead Yet

What's that? Right. Sorry. Yes, I have been away from here a while, haven't I?

Yeah...Dispensing Happiness is coming up on it's fifth birthday, and my other 'every day' blog, Standing here solidly on my own two hands and going crazy will mark it's seventh year around the same time. That's a lot of posting, a lot of pictures, a lot of writing, a lot of me.

A girl can go through some periods of 'meh' now & again. I guess this is one of them.

But to prove I'm still here, still capable of stringing letters together & forming words, I borrow this little Q & A from Erin.


All About Me (AV Edition)
I think the best shows on TV right now are
1. Chuck
2. Burn Notice
3. Leverage
4. The Closer


I think the best show(s) NOT on TV is (are)
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Eyes
3. Justice League Unlimited

Shows I think I would like but haven’t watched yet are

No idea.

The show I am most anticipating is

See above


My go-to movies for repeat viewings are
1. The Princess Bride
2. Sneakers
3. The Philadelphia Story
4. The Thin Man


I will watch any movie starring
1. Cary Grant
2. Doris Day
3. Jennifer Garner
4. Sandra Bullock


I will listen to any CD by
1. Fleetwood Mac
2. Jackson Browne
3. Artie Shaw
4. Bif Naked
5. Ookla the Mok
6. Dave Matthew Band


My favorite musical soundtracks are

Um...


My favorite Beatles song

Pick just about any from Rubber Soul or Revolver


My favorite Regina Spektor song

Whozat?

My favorite Weezer song

Island in the Sun (hip hip)

My favorite Simon and Garfunkel song

Cecilia


My favorite Britney Spears song

Such a thing does not exist


My favorite movie soundtracks
1. All three LotR
2. Sneakers
uh...

My favorite Disney movie
Sleeping Beauty


My favorite song from a Disney Movie

??


My favorite songs at this exact moment are
1. Say Hey (I Love You)- Michael Franti & Spearhead
2. I'm the Man Who Murdered Love- XTC
3. We Already Said Goodbye- The Lovemakers
4. You Wanted More- Tonic
5. Dawn-Bif Naked

Mirin Chicken with Ramen Noodles for Souper Sundays

From Noodle Fusion; a tasty little soup.

Chicken (or Quorn cutlets) is marinated with a reduction of mirin, soy sauce, (vegetable) broth, & sugar. Bring vegetarian dashi (sans bonito flakes) to boil, cook ramen for a couple minutes, drain, cover with foil, reserve broth.

The chicken or chicken-replacement-product is seared on each side, cooled & sliced.

Broth is boiled again, put noodles in bowls, pour broth over, top with chicken (or whatever), garnish...we used grated ginger & daikon matchsticks.

Skipped: black mushrooms

It's got some flavor, the noodles are fun, just a good soup.



Here you go, Deb! More soup for your Sunday.

Smoked Chicken & Tortellini in a Cream Sauce

It was one of those days...a Saturday, I believe...that just got away from us. We'd had a plan for dinner, but ended up too tired to bother.

Night wore on, realized we had to eat something. As always, I started suggesting things Matt might like. He was stuck on pasta, so I suggested he use up the cheese tortellini we'd gotten for something else.

He liked that idea.

I then brought up the remainder of the smoked chicken he still had in the refrigerator.

Also in favor of this.

And yes, we did have some cream left...so very quickly, what might have been a peanut butter sandwich kind of night resulted in...for him anyway...a pretty tasty & unexpected dinner.

Warm Potato Salad with Pancetta & Brown Butter Dressing

A little different than the usual mayo-yellow mustard coated potato salad.

Fingerling potatoes (we found this lovely trio of Yukons, reds & purple) are sliced & boiled just till tender, then tossed with a dressing of butter-cooked pancetta with shallots, a nice grainy mustard & sherry vinegar, & finally topped with chives.

Despite the amount of pork fat in this dish, the lack of mayonnaise makes this rather light compared to conventional potato salads. Oh, and quite tasty. (says Matt)

Batman: Year Seventy

Right, so it's no real secret I like comic books, heroes, and all the trappings associated with them. It's also fairly well-known the level of detail I will put into anything I am even mildly passionate about.

So don't tell me you're shocked to learn that I celebrated Batman's 70th 'birthday'; we both know you're sitting there...rolling your eyes and/or laughing...saying 'yeah, that's exactly the sort of thing she'd do'.

It was 70 years ago that the Caped Crusader made his first appearance in Detective Comics, and that's a heck of a milestone for anyone. The sort that demands celebration.

And there's really only one way I know how to celebrate: with food.





I have had conversations with both my foodie & comic book friends about this: what do heroes eat? It's not something that's ever shown, really; ok, if you're reading the Flash, for example, you may get a scene or two where he's shoveling in large quantities of food. But that's less 'what' he's eating & more 'gotta keep up with that super-charged metabolism'.

Yes, I have my favorites in the hero world, and Batman is at the top of that list. (Technically he's tied with Wonder Woman, but that's a different post for a different day.)

I've actually given this a lot of thought (No! Really?); what exactly would Bruce Wayne eat, as Batman? He's often depicted as being too busy to bother with whatever Alfred has prepared, but the guy has to eat eventually.

Alfred's a smart man. He'd be sure whatever was on the tray he set next to 'Master Bruce', close to the computer, would be hearty, flavorful, & good for him. And most importantly, it would be something that would keep: years & years of looking after Gotham City's self-proclaimed protector meant he knew the food had to be ready & edible whenever Bats got around to it.

That ruled out a lot of options. Nothing that had to be kept hot, or might get soggy.

It also had to be easy to eat; Bruce would be working on...oh, comparing bullets, researching links between suspicious characters, or analyzing DNA samples. Any food he bothered to pick up would have to be pick up-able.

A roasted tomato basil soup, delicious both hot or cold, served in a big mug. Pick up, take a swig, go back to work.

Sandwich with nutty, multi-grain bread, toasted & brushed with olive oil (mayo would go bad before Bruce got around to it), topped with slices of Gruyere, crisp bacon, roasted chicken breast & a good, crunchy lettuce.

Foods that can wait till the Batman realizes he's not eaten in more than twelve hours & had better keep up his strength, but won't slow him down in his quest to keep his city safe.

At least, that's what I like to think would happen.





And because no celebration should pass without a cake, I give you The Dark Knight Cake; a dense chocolate cake made with both cocoa & 88% dark chocolate, covered in dark chocolate ganache.

Oh, and yes...it may resemble a certain signal often seen in Gotham's night sky...

Happy Birthday, Batman.

Wartime Wednesdays: Honey Twist Bread

Common Causes of Inferior Bread
POOR FLOUR---A cheap flour may be an expensive flour because it makes a loaf inferior in texture, flavor and volume.
OLD YEAST---Dead yeast plants cannot leaven bread. Old compressed yeast cakes or dry yeast which has been stored away until many f the yeast plants are dead will act very slowly if it all and will not give good results.
TOO MUCH or TOO LITTLE KNEADING---Dough kneaded too much becomes sticky and will not rise well in the oven. Dough kneaded too little makes streaked bread, poor in texture, which sometimes contains lumps that might have been worked out in kneading.
TOO MUCH FLOUR---Too stiff a dough makes coarse-textured bread of small volume and dry crumb.
OVER-RISING---Too long rising gives a very porous loaf with little flavor, a pale crust and a porous crumb with broken, irregular texture. This bread crumbles badly. If the rising continues too long, the dough may become sour
UNDER RISING---Too little rising gives a loaf which is small and flat. It browns too quickly in the oven. The crumb is compact and dull.
TOO COOL AN OVEN---Bread will continue to rise too long if the oven temperature is too low. The result is bread that is very porous in the center and upper par of the loaf. The bread dries out before it begins to bake.
TOO HOT AN OVEN---The dough crusts over immediately and cannot continue to rise as it should the first ten or fifteen minutes it is in the oven. The crust becomes very brown before he crumb is baked.
ROPE IN BREAD---Rope may appear at any time but is most likely during hot, damp weather. It gives bread a ropy, stringy quality and a very disagreeable odor and makes it unfit for use. It is due to a type of bacillus which may be in any one or more of the ingredients used in bread.
If rope develops, all utensils used in making bread and containers in which bread is stored should be sterilized with boiling water and rinsed with water to which vinegar has been added. Since acid inhibits the growth of the bacillus, 1 tablespoon vinegar for each quart of liquid should be added to each subsequent batch of dough until all the materials in stock at the time of rope appeared are used up.
---The Victory Binding of the American Woman's Cook Book; Wartime Edition, published 1943


A nice bread with a honey-sweetened crust. Made a ridiculous amount, so I sliced up the remainder & turned it into French toast. Worked really well.

Cookbook Review: A Century of Flavors: Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

Spa Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

I've never really understood why the term 'vanilla' is commonly used to describe something that's safe or bland. Because in my experience, vanilla adds excitement & depth to just about anything.

When I received my copy of the book, and seeing the recipes offered by the folks at Nielsen-Massey, I knew the only real challenge would be my foodie OCD. Too many tempting dishes to choose from...and of course, I wanted to try them all.

It's a small but beautifully photographed book, with a good range & selection of recipes. Sweet & savory. Typically, it wasn't easy to whittle the down but I finally choose these three, starting with the Spa Salad.

The salad itself was light, as it's name suggests, with baby spinach, red onion, strawberries & sliced almonds.
It's the dressing, the vinaigrette, that really gave it some 'oomph'; mustard, maple syrup, vanilla & almond extracts, oil & rice vinegar.

The vanilla & almond went very well with the strawberries, which in turn pairs well with the spinach.

This was the only one of the three I tried in which the vanilla was present as a primary flavor, rather than an underlying enhancer.






Fillet Mignon with Vanilla Wine Sauce

This one...well, this one is going on the 'serve to company' short list.

A nice cut of beef gets seared & finished in the oven; that part's simple. But it's the Vanilla Wine Sauce that sends this over the top.

Beef stock, red wine, onion, marjoram, garlic, vanilla extract, tomato paste & brown sugar are simmered till reduced, then strained. Butter is whisked in till the sauce becomes glossy.

Thinly sliced mushrooms are sauteed in clarified butter till browned.

Steak, sauce, mushrooms...set it down in front of your guest & watch in amazement as it's literally inhaled before your eyes.

Matt made a lot of "mmmhmm" noises during this time. Eventually was able to tell me just how good it was.

Sauce was very smooth, very deep; complex but unobtrusive, so it went very well paired with a piece of meat you really want to emphasize.

And thanks to the advances in modern culinary sciences, I was able to produce both the original here & a veg version for Alex & me! (see below for Alex's plate!)

Using vegetable stock in lieu of beef, & half a recipe, even with faux beef strips this sauce was fantastic.







Vanilla Cashew Caramel Corn Crunch

Caramel corn; that's good stuff. But when you add some quality vanilla & perhaps some chopped cashews well...you can take your Cracker Jack & leave, thank you.

The smell alone makes you want to dive in, though it's best to wait till the caramel's cooled a bit...there's such a deep mix of flavors, a richness. Hard to stop eating it.


The book gives some basic ways to use vanilla, as well as some unexpected options. Whether showcasing or adding a layer of flavor, the Nielsen-Massey cookbook is a good one to have around.






Veg version, Morningstar Farms 'steak' strips replacing the actual steak.

Feel Better Soup

Last weekend, Matt came down with...something. I don't know if chicken soup really is the cure-all to end-all, but I'd recently made a smoked chicken stock (remains of a whole chicken Matt had smoked with many vegetables & herbs), so it seemed the culinary stars were in alignment.

The most fragrant broth I've ever come across, simmered with several slices of ginger & a few Kaffir lime leaves (later strained out), and at the last minute, some noodles tossed in.

Doesn't look like much, but according to Matt, it was amazing. And eaten with a limited-edition, numbered, Star Trek Spork, it may just have helped him Feel Better.

Seems the only one who can drag me out of semi-blogging retirement is Deb, & her Souper Sundays...so, here you go!

Smoky Tomato Soup with Gruyere Toasts

It has been ages since I joined Deb's Souper Sundays, so this past week I made this recipe for tomato soup.

Easy soup, few ingredients. Lots of tomatoes, some thyme & sweet smoked paprika as the heavy-hitters.

The flavor was most certainly diminished by out-of-season tomatoes. Trying again in two or three months would likely make this a heck of a lot tastier.

Finished with the tiniest amount of cream & blended & strained (I used an immersion blender instead), and served with baguette slices, toasted under a broiler, topped with shredded Gruyere and broiled again. Nice, light...not exactly dinner, but an excellent lunch.

Smoked Chicken, Apple, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad with Cheese Biscuits

Well, not really much to say about this.

Mix of baby lettuces & spinach, diced green apple, bleu cheese & toasted walnuts, tossed with a lemon-mustard vinaigrette.

Smoked chicken for Matt, Quorn cutlets for us.

Cheddar cheese biscuits. Dinner. Yum.

Because I'm Still Irish the Other 364 Days

Medallions of Beef with Port Sauce & Cashel Blue Cheese

Everyone was making their colcannon & stew & lamb for St. Patrick's day...only my second-favorite holiday of the year (go ahead, guess what took the #1 spot?).

Meanwhile...everyone in our house was sick. So, no celebrations on the 17th for us.

But seriously, I don't need a special day to celebrate Ireland or my Irish-ness. I'm about half-Irish, thought honestly I'm not sure which parts...

So, I went ahead & made something a week or so later. And because Ireland is not about green beer, I decided to celebrate the amazing culinary strides being made across the country.

For Matt, a gorgeous piece of beef, seared on both sides, put into a baking dish, topped with minced shallots, a Port reduction sauce, pine nuts, S&P, lemon juice & crumbled Cashel blue; place under the broiler till the cheese is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

(We also did this using Morningstar Farms 'steak' strips for the vegetarians, & it worked just as well.)

Was it good? Matt could barely talk; he practically inhaled that thing. So yeah, it was good. The Port reduction was amazing, even the non-meat version.

Boxy Potato Cake

Grated potatoes, mixed with some chopped & cooked bacon & scallions, an egg yolk, a little flour & S&P; mix till combined.

Using a biscuit cutter or crumpet mold, portion the mix & make rounds. Cover with plastic, chill at least an hour.

Heat first oil, then butter as well, in a frying pan, cook potatoes on each side till golden & warmed through. Top with slice of crisp pancetta.

What's there to say? Potatoes! Fried! Of course it was delicious. Stereotype or no, the Irish know their potatoes.

Cookbook Spotlight: Gale Gand's Brunch!

Sometimes, you just know when something's a good fit for you.

A style of jeans, a radio station, a restaurant...you realize 'this is it; what I've been waiting for'.

This can happen with people, as well.

When Cath & I first 'met', by way of Blog Party, I knew. And when I discovered her OCF (Obsessive-Compulsive Foodieness) during the first Brunch party, it was a done deal. I'd found my soul mate.
Friend, sister, cheer squad, sounding board...I'm lucky to get all that, because we both realized we 'fit'.

It can happen with chefs, too!

The first time I watched the now-defunct "Sweet Dreams" on television, I knew Gale Gand was a perfect fit for me, as well.

She looked like someone who actually ate the foods she made. She was sweet & funny & kind of dorky, which I can relate to.

And the food? Oh, yes, the food. All those pastries & candies. I was in love.

It wasn't until later that I learned about her restaurant, and her 'savory' side, if you will.

And I thought 'this just keeps getting better & better!'

Since then, I've bought & baked from her cookbooks. Loved everything I tried. She was still a good 'fit' for me.

So when Cath suggested we dust off Cookbook Spotlight with Gale's new cookbook, I was all for it.

I mean...it's a cookbook about brunch by Gale Gand. Falls under the heading of 'no brainer'.

And that was more or less the response I got from those I asked to join Cookbook Spotlight.



Deb was not the first one to lament the unreasonable task of choosing just one recipe to test.
But she managed to narrow down her options & baked up these beautiful Cranberry Angel-Food Muffins.
According to Deb, they were light, sweet & deceptively good. Perhaps the name should be changed to 'Devil's Food'!




Ashley had mixed results, despite trying out two recipes.
Admitting her preference for cooking versus baking, Ashley made both Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake Muffins & Corn & Parmesan Fritters. The muffin tops were a hit, but the base not as much. The fritters, apparently, were 'OK', but she's not sold on them.



Erin scratched an item off her culinary to-do list as she baked up scones for the very first time.
With the help of her trusty Kitchenaid, she tried out the Ginger Scones with Peaches & Cream. Knowing her as I do, it was no great surprise to learn she loved them. Girl loves her ginger.



Judith didn't let Cookbook Spotlight falling in the middle of Passover stop her from making something tasty; turns out Gale included a very good recipe for Fried Motzah.
Despite insisting it's not the most photogenic dish, her Matzoh Brei looks good to me.



Abby was very excited to test this book; seems she's as big a fan as I am!
Going with the Basic Waffles, because how can that be wrong, she was very happy with the finished product.



barbie2be invited a few friends over, to help her try out the book. Selecting the Asparagus with Poached Eggs & Parmesan (as well as the Bacon Scallion Scones), it was declared a success, even by a nine year old! High praise, indeed.



Bellini Valli echoed a common response among those asked to join Cookbook Spoltight...overwhelming enthusiasm.
And like most of us, she struggled to pick just one recipe to make, finally settling on Spiced Apple-Raisin Turnovers. Let's just say...she's loving this book!



Melody was just one more enthusiastic tester, and I recognized those all-too familiar sticky tabs blooming a-top her copy.
Proving how easy it is to use, she was able to whip up these Caramelized Apple Crepes with ingredients she had on hand.
And yes, she really really loved them.



girlichef overcame obstacles of almost-comedic proportions to join in, but it all worked out in the end. And her reward? A steaming hot cup of White Hot Chocolate! Much better than devouring the book...



Natashya, like everyone else, wondered what one dish to make...but made an excellent choice in the Cucurumao; a baked egg dish. Yes, she loved it. And yes, she's hanging on to that book.

Someone smack me! How could I forget about my own book winner?


Pam couldn't help herself; she tried out three different recipes. And every one was good. Strawberry Lemonade, Frittata & Hand-Formed Pear & Almond Tartlets made for an excellent dinner! Hey, we do breakfast for dinner, why not brunch?



Ok...I couldn't do it. I couldn't make just one recipe. Because...see? It's me. Cath knows this!

So for Easter, I made Brunch!

I made too much food, as is customary in this house, but every single thing was a hit.




Peanut Butter & Jelly Turnovers

Crunchy, flaky outside, the peanut butter & jelly worked very well, & the thin glaze on top gave it enough sweetness to be a dessert without being overly so.







Cheddar, Pancetta & Spinach Frittata

Just enough prosciutto to make itself known without overwhelming the other flavors, & substantial without being heavy.







Ginger Scones

Mmmmm....Ginger. Scones.



Basic Waffles

Light & flavorful.



Goat Cheese & Chive Hash Browns

Excellent crunch, lots of flavor. The goat cheese is unexpected, but goes surprisingly well with the latkes.

So, my take on Brunch! It rocks. It's great. It's heavily sticky-tabbed. I'll use it again & again, because even here I had to limit myself to what I could make in a few hours.

Everything is easy to make, nothing too complex. It's a book anyone can use, and should. Wide range of recipes, so if you can't find something here to make, I'm afraid the fault lies with you.

Be sure to visit Cath to read about the other half of the Cookbook Spotlight reviews.

Wonton Noodles with Chicken & Thai Peanut Sauce

Oh hey...look! Another Asian noodle dish. What are the odds...

This is a recipe that called for spaghetti (heck, it's in the name), but I have issues with thin pastas so we opted to use a wonton noodle instead.

Turns out, it wouldn't have mattered. The way the dish is prepared, still got soggy noodles.

Anyway...chicken (or Quorn) gets briefly marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice, oil, garlic & ginger.

Meanwhile, more soy sauce & lime juice, peanut butter, broth (we used veg), sugar, salt & pepper flakes simmer.

Grill the chicken (recipe says about 5 minutes per side; it took a lot longer when we did it); let it rest, then slice.

Cook & drain noodles, toss with sauce, chicken (which...uh...we forgot to do), & scallions (which...uh...we neglected to use); top with chopped peanuts.

Matt liked it. Alex inhaled it. I, of course, had noodle-texture issues, so Matt very sweetly dumped mine into a skillet & gave it a quick fry.

Strongest flavors were peanut & soy, so if you like that sort of thing & can handle very soggy noodles, go for it. Otherwise...maybe not worth your time.

Vegetarian Pad Thai

And yes, I mean it. Vegetarian. That would be 'faux' shrimp in the photo!

Mmm...BurnedMeat Flavor

We have a new Asian grocer in town; one that is very much like a 99 Ranch Market...something we've missed rather terribly since leaving California.

Well, it's like a 99 Ranch, except it's clean. And organized. And has less of that overwhelming fish smell...but otherwise, exactly like a 99 Ranch.

I had great fun roaming the aisles, grabbing various things, whether to restock, try or get simply because it looked interesting.

But when I came upon this, I had to pull out the camera. I don't feel I need to explain the 'why'.

Vietnamese Steak Sandwich

It was a sandwich. Southeast Asian flavors. Matt & I thought it just 'ok', but Alex loved it.

We love how much Alex goes for Asian flavors.

He & I, of course, were eating a vege-fied version of the recipe; using Morningstar Farms Meal Starters 'steak strips' in lieu of actual beef.

Really not much else to say...









This month, Blog Party's a little bit naughty as we indulge in our most favorite, uttermost cravings...for April, we're giving in to Devil's Food!

You have till Friday, 17 April to join; so go on...give in, you know you want to!

Spicy, Crisp Tofu on Mint-Avocado Salad

No deliberate attempt to 'eat healthy' or anything like that, but the weather (prior to these past two days) has been very spring-like & a craving for something light & fresh came a-knockin'.

As it happens, I had this salad recipe bookmarked; it seemed as good a reason as any to give it a try.

Tofu, pressed then dipped in chile sauce & dredged in panko, and fried till crispy (hang on, I know what you're about to say: but remember, if your oil is at the right temperature, very little oil is absorbed by the food).

Toss torn butter lettuce & whole mint leaves with a dressing of chile sauce, orange juice & zest, olive oil & salt.

Plate a large handful of salad, top with thinly sliced & fanned avocado, serve tofu on the side.


This was really quite good. Tasted like 'Spring'; although admittedly we were hungry a few hours later. Perhaps better suited as lunch dish than dinner.














This month, Blog Party's a little bit naughty as we indulge in our most favorite, uttermost cravings...for April, we're giving in to Devil's Food!

You have till Friday, 17 April to join; so go on...give in, you know you want to!

Blog Party#45: Devil's Food

No joke, it's time to announce the next Blog Party theme...where I play advocate.

Devil's Advocate, that is.

Because this month, we're being wicked & giving in to our most tempting dishes.

For April, it's all about Devil's Food; the things you love most & tell yourself you shouldn't have...but want desperately.

You know what I mean. Your 'forbidden fruit' foods. The ones, if given the chance & a magically shrinking waistline, you'd consume with glee & abandon.

For me, it's cheesecake. Hands down.

So, let's have a little fun this month..it's only one night. You know you want to...

Turn your most desired foods into miniature form, mix up your dangerous drinks, and join the party!

To RSVP, send your entries to thehappysorceress at gmail dot com no later than Friday, 17 April; I'll post the round-up as close to that Sunday as I possibly can, allowing enough time for a proper penance.

Questions about Blog Party? Visit our fact-packed info page.

And I hope to see you all there!!



Tagged with: Food and Drink + Blog Party + Events + Appetizers + Cocktails + Canapes + Parties + Finger Food + Mocktails + Temptation + Blogging

We Have a Winner!

A few days ago, I gave you a chance to win a copy of Gale Gand's Brunch!; then of course I got busy & completely forgot to post a winner. D'oh.

Big thanks to everyone who entered...but the winner is: (imagine drum roll here) Pam!

Your book is on it's way. Let me know when it arrives, and I look forward to seeing what you make.