A Few Basic Sauces

I thought I would post a few recipes for basic sauces.
These sauces can be the difference between an ordinary dish and a spectacular dish.
For example:
In my last post 911 Chicken Cannelloni I used a Bechamel sauce ...my dear friend from A Slice of Concentrated Love suggested I use a Mornay sauce next time-
which I think is a great idea and it would push my dish from yummy to spectacular.
So here are a few recipes that you should keep on hand- I think they are all fairly simple and the results are well worth it.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Béchamel Sauce

This common white sauce uses roux to thicken milk or cream. The roux is cooked for about 3 minutes to keep it "white." For lump free sauce, remove the roux from the heat before stirring in the milk. Warm the milk in the microwave before adding to the roux. This will spare the muscles in your hand, as you won't have to stir the sauce so long before it comes to a boil. Use a whisk to incorporate the milk into the roux and stir until it is lump free. Return to the heat source and bring to a boil.

Home cookbooks say to just boil the sauce for 1 minute to cook out the flour flavor. Professional cookbooks encourage you to reduce the heat after bringing the sauce to a boil, then continue to simmer the sauce for 15-30 minutes, stirring, to remove the flour taste. What you actually do will depend upon your time limit and personal tastes.

If your sauce is lumpy after your best efforts, you possibly didn't beat it enough before cooking, brought it to a boil too quickly, or didn't stir it enough during cooking so that it stuck to the pan bottom. To repair, pour it through a strainer or process the sauce in a blender. Return the strained or blended sauce to a clean pan and heat to the boiling point.

The recipe below makes white sauce of medium thickness. For a thinner sauce, use 1 tablespoon butter to 1 tablespoon flour. For a thicker sauce, use 3-4 tablespoons butter to 3-4 tablespoons flour. Bechamel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Béchamel (Basic White)
Makes 1 cup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk, warm

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. This is called a white roux. Remove from heat. Stir in warm milk and whisk until mixture is smooth and lump-free. Return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for at least one minute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Veloute Sauce
Veloute sauce is a thinner, lighter white sauce than béchamel because it uses chicken or fish stock instead of milk or cream. It is often referred to as a "blonde sauce." Ideally, the consistency of veloute should be thin enough to pour or a sauce that thinly coats the back of a spoon. Serve over chicken, fish, veal, or with rice.

Since it is so similar to béchamel, be sure to read the tips above to ensure a successful sauce. If you find that after cooking, your veloute is too thin, you possibly didn't use enough flour, added too much liquid, or didn't reduce (simmer) the sauce long enough. Either reduce the sauce further or thicken with butter. If your sauce is flavorless, what quality of stock did you use? Perhaps your sauce has not reduced enough for the flavors to concentrate. You can either perk up your sauce with a dash or two of lemon juice (or other seasonings) or reduce it further to bring out more flavor.

Store veloute in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Veloute
Makes 1 cup

2 cups chicken or fish stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Bring stock to a boil; set aside. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Create a roux by whisking in the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, for 2-3 minutes, until the roux is bubbly and begins to darken slightly. Remove from heat. Whisk in the stock until smooth. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set over a double boiler filled with warm water until ready to serve. If not serving right away, dab butter on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.

Variation: Supreme Sauce (to serve over chicken)
Stir 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms and 2 tablespoons heavy cream into heated veloute sauce. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Strain the sauce into a clean pan set over medium heat. Whisk or swirl in 1 tablespoon chilled butter, a teaspoon at a time. Remove from the heat. Add lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brown Sauce
For hearty meat entrees, noodles, and wild like bear or venison, brown sauce outshines other sauces. In addition, it is used to create more complex sauces. The technique to master here is the browning of the flour or the creation of a dark roux. By using clarified butter, you eliminate the possibility of the butter turning bitter or burning before the flour is browned. If you prefer to use regular butter, however, just watch it closely. To make a dark roux, melt the butter in the saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly or until the mixture becomes chestnut brown.

This sauce freezes well for up to 3 months.

Basic Brown Sauce
Makes 3 cups

3 tablespoons clarified butter
1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup flour
6 cups brown stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni
1/3 cup tomato puree

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables. Sauté until golden, but not brown. Dump in the flour and stir over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour and vegetables are well browned, but not burnt. Stir in stock. Add garlic, bouquet garni, and tomato puree. Simmer for 60 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to half, stirring occasionally. Strain. Cool, chill and skim off any fat before using.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hollandaise
Served warm over eggs, fish, or vegetables, hollandaise is considered a hot emulsified egg-yolk sauce. Mayonnaise would be a cold emulsified egg-yolk sauce, for a point of reference. While in mayonnaise egg yolks are whisked with other room temperature ingredients, in hollandaise, the yolks are whisked with liquid over heat. The trick is to cook the sauce ever so slightly without curdling the eggs. Water simmers in a double boiler where it should never be allowed to touch the bottom of the bowl in which the sauce is made. The temperature of the water should never rise above 150 F., either. You don't want the sauce to be too hot because it will coagulate the eggs and make it impossible for the butter to emulsify with the liquid.

If in spite of all your efforts to monitor the heat, your eggs and liquid cook too quickly, the sauce may separate. This can also happen if you add the butter too briskly. You don't have to throw out the sauce. Just start again, reserving the separated sauce for the clarified butter. Over low heat, in a double boiler, beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water until light. Remove from the heat and stream in the separated sauce mixture gradually while whisking. Be aware though that if your eggs have coagulated, your sauce is history. Toss it and begin again with much lower heat!

Perhaps your sauce is too thin after you've completed all the steps. You may have not reduced the initial liquid enough or perhaps you didn't add enough butter. To remedy, add more butter.

Hollandaise should be served warm. To keep it that way, place the sauce in a bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water (just barely over lukewarm), ensuring the bowl bottom doesn't touch the water. If hollandaise is spooned onto really hot food, the sauce may separate; for this reason, it is almost always served separately from the food it is to complement. Store any extra sauce in the refrigerator. You can use it as a sandwich spread. It should never be reheated.

Hollandaise becomes the basis for rich sauces like béarnaise sauce, which complements meats and salmon.

Hollandaise
Makes 3 cups

4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed
4 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted clarified butter, cooled to room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste

In a small pan, bring the water, vinegar, and peppercorns to a simmer over low heat. Continue simmering until the mixture reduces about a third, about 2-3 minutes. Strain the reduction into a glass or stainless steel bowl; cool.

Place the bowl over a pan of just-simmering water; add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is lemon colored, thickened, and smooth. Keep the heat low. Do not allow the mixture's temperature to rise above room temperature or the eggs may coagulate. Slowly pour in the cooled, clarified butter, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes thick and fluffy. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. When the whisk is lifted from the sauce, a ribbon of sauce should trail down from the whisk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bearnaise Sauce
This is a classic sauce that goes well over most grilled dishes. This is one of the most versatile sauces in the world.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, melted and hot
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry tarragon

Preparation:

Put onions, vinegar, tarragon and pepper in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to about 1-2 teaspoons of liquid. Stir constantly. Remove from stove and let cool. Put egg yolks and cooled mixture in a blender. Process for about 1 minute or until completely blended. Melt butter. Turn blender to high and slowly add the butter. Start out very slow. Serve immediately. This can be a tricky sauce so go slow and watch it very carefully. The sauce will get thick as you add the butter. Do not let it cool after it is mixed because it will separate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mornay sauce

Mornay sauce is a classic French sauce named after the Duke of Mornay in the late 16th or early 17th century.

The name itself is interesting, because Mornay is a mixture of melted cheese in a béchamel sauce, a cream sauce made from a roux.

Yet, béchamel sauce had not been invented when Mornay sauce was first made. Thus it’s commonly thought that some sort of cheese sauce predated béchamel and was called Mornay sauce, but was later improved upon by mixing cheese with béchamel.

The classic Mornay sauce is composed of a mixture of gruyere and parmesan cheese, usually in a half and half ratio to cooked béchamel. The cheese melts quickly providing a delicious, savory sauce. The French may use Mornay sauce to top steamed vegetables, or on seafood and poultry dishes. It can also be mixed in with pasta to make a variant of macaroni or alfredo. Some people use a Mornay sauce as part of the layers of lasagna.

You can certainly change the cheeses you add to Mornay sauce to get different flavors in the end result. White cheddar is a common substitution, resulting in a sauce that will make some of the best macaroni and cheese you’ve ever tasted. Children who are picky about vegetables may enjoy them more if they are topped with white cheddar Mornay sauce.

When making Mornay sauce, you must use hard or semi-hard cheeses. Cheese like brie, or blue cheese are not the best choices. You can get away with some jack cheeses, and also hard goat cheese. Just don’t try cream cheeses or fresh mozzarella as these won’t melt into that wonderful creamy consistency. Also the French tend to avoid any but white cheeses when making Mornay sauce. If you want to keep the sauce authentically French, don’t add orange or yellow cheddar cheese. On the other hand, some children may be bigger fans of an orange colored cheese sauce than they are of a white sauce.

Mornay sauce is not exactly a low fat sauce — a butter roux mixed with cream or whole milk, and whole milk cheese is going to pack some calories. You can lighten the calorie load a bit by using a low fat milk to add to the roux, and by using good low fat cheeses. Try a little bit less of the sauce than you might normally use, too, since this will lessen the overall calories. Sauces in France are used as accents to meals but not meant to obscure the flavors of good, fresh food.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup gruyere
  

• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add chopped onion. Cook over low heat until onion has softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Beat egg yolk in a small bowl; add about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid to it, stirring constantly. Pour egg yolk mixture into the hot liquid; stir until the sauce is smooth and hot. To reduce the risk of curdling, a double boiler can be used after the onions are cooked.

Susans 911 Chicken Canneloni

This recipe was created out of necessity.

It started as something else but sort of flopped!

The first thing I did was put a nice big chicken in my crock pot to cook.

My intention was to let it cool then shred it so that I could make some shredded chicken just like I made a few posts back with beef.

Everything was going as planned until it was time to cook my shredded chicken.

I diced and sauteed an onion, some red pepper, scallion and garlic. and

I added a small can of tomato sauce a bit of chicken broth so that once I add the chicken it can simmer gently.

I seasoned it with salt, pepper, parsley and cumin.

Well as I stirred this meat in the pan it began to fall apart and get mushy.

No that is no good for shredded meat -to be pulverized!

I also knew that if it didn’t look like shredded meat I would never get my husband and mother in law to eat it!

This is where plan B was born…

The meat concoction that I created tasted wonderful- so I had to present it to my family

a different way.

I took out a package of manicotti shells and boiled them until tender but not falling apart.

I made a béchamel sauce and also took out my package of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

I put a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of my pan and began stuffing my shells

with the meat.

Once they were all full and nestled into their place in the pan I poured more béchamel over them and sprinkled with mozzarella and parmesan. A

light sprinkle of paprika gave them some needed color.

They baked in a 350 degree oven until bubbly.

I served them with green beans and a baked potato.

It was delicious and no one knew that it was supposed to be something else!

Transcending: Words on Women and Strength by Kelly Corrigan

"Cooking with Alicia & Annie" Crock Pot Barbecue Beef

I made the BBQ Beef because I had a piece of beef in my fridge that I really wanted to use-

I have always loved shredded beef or pork but I thought making it myself would be very time consuming.
Let me tell you- the crock pot takes all the stress out of this recipe.
You literally set it and forget it.

I made a little more work for myself by moving it to a pan on the stove top to dry it up a bit-
I didn't want it saucy.
This was great and I'd make it again...next time I serve it on great big rolls!

Alicias Recipes Crock Pot Barbecue Beef

6 lbs. boneless beef (I used a chuck roast) 1 stalk celery, chopped 3 lg. onions, chopped (I also used 2 cloves of garlic) 1 green pepper, chopped( I used a red pepper) 1 sm. bottle ketchup 3 tbsp. BBQ sauce 3 tbsp. Vinegar 1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce 2 tbsp. chili powder Salt and pepper 1-1/2 c. water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. I served it with rice and salad. I'm sorry I didn't get a plated picture- everyone was in a hurry to eat and by the time I remembered it was all gone!

Let's side track for a moment...

I have to admit I have never been a fan of George W. Bush and I am very happy to have a well deserved breathe of fresh air coming to Washington...although I must say there have been some very entertaining moments in the last 8 years .
I came across a blog this morning and I wanted to share it with you.
Fiona from Comment By Fiona said it perfectly yesterday.

Bye Bye Bushisms

The 43rd President of the United States has given his final press conference to the White House Press Corps acknowledging that 'not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment'. Expired President George W Bush has just eight days left in his ever so memorable and tumultuous presidency. Like many US Presidents before him, there appears to be many people just waiting to push him out the door. Here's hoping the shining light that is Obama can lift us all from the financial and spirtual mess we're in.


I have to admit never liking the man and I certainly wouldn't have left him in charge of a vegetable plot, never mind a country. BUT he was a reliable source of entertainment over the last eight years providing us with a constant flow of laughable quotes, never mind the pretzel incident. So in recognition of all that here's what I think are some of the 43rd President's best 'Bushisms':


1. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Missouri., Sept. 6, 2004

2. "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, South Carolina., Jan. 11, 2000

3. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

4. "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tennesse, Sept. 17, 2002

5. "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill." Washington DC, 19 May, 2003

6. "This thaw -- took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." --George W. Bush, on liquidity in the markets, Alexandria, Louisiana, Oct. 20, 2008

7. "I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008

8. ''I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand -- but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, 'low gas.'" --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., July 15, 2008

9. "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

10. "We've got a lot of relations with countries in our neighborhood." --George W. Bush, Kranj, Slovenia, June 10, 2008

11."I understand small business growth. I was one." New York Daily News, 19 February, 2000

12. "We want people owning their home -- we want people owning a businesses." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008

13. "I thank the diplomatic corps, who is here as well." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

14. "Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency, it is the right decision now, and it will be the right decision ever." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

15. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.'' Townsend, Tennessee, 21 February, 2001

And what's the quote that best describes his exit from the Presidency??? ..... "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." Washington DC, 12 May, 2008

I certainly look forward to listening to a President who is a bit more skillful with words....
(photo from independent.co.uk)

Thank you Fiona I couldn't have said it better myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Susan's Kale Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Today was a snow day for us...we got a bit of snow and a bunch of what they called an "Icy Mix"...
sooooooo being stuck in the house I decided to play.
I usually get in this sort of mood when they weather is not so desirable and I have lots of time.
I was very lucky that I had gone shopping before the storm- this way I had an assortment of different ingredients in the house to pick from.

Kale was the ingredient I chose to play with today. We all enjoy it but I usually end up making it the same way all the time. foto courtesy of the web

If you are not familiar with Kale...

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available.

A non-heading member of the cabbage family (the Brassica family) a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phyto-nutrients. Kale has a mild, cabbage-flavor. Kale has long ruffled leaves that resemble large parsley sprigs with hues that vary from lavender to chartreuse. The variety most common in the US is deep green tinged with shades of blue or purple. Kale can grow in colder temperatures and withstand frost — which helps produce even sweeter leaves. "Kale" is a Scottish word derived from coles or caulis, terms used by the Greeks and Romans referring to many cabbage-like plants. It is easy to grow and can grow in colder temperatures where a light frost will produce especially sweet kale leaves.

Season: available year-round

How to select: Choose richly colored, relatively small bunches. Avoid limp or yellowed leaves.

How to store: Keep in the coldest part of the refrigerator 2-3 days, after that the flavor becomes very strong and the leaves limp.

How to prepare: Remove the tough center stalk before use.

Matches well with: bacon, cheese, cream, garlic, lemon, olive oil, onions, potatoes

Garlic 2 cloves diced

Onions 1-diced

Celery 1 stalk diced

Kale 1 cup

Parsley diced

Tomato sauce ¼ cup

Salt

Pepper

Parmigiano ¼ cup

Butterfly the pork: Place the roast on your work surface with one long side facing you. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut in the roast lengthwise one-third down from the top and all the way from end to end. Do not cut all the way through to the other side; cut only to within ½ inch of the other side. You have just created a flap like the cover of a book. Open that flap.

To make the next cut, press the flat side of your knife against the inside of that flap. Using the tip of the knife, make a 2-inch downward cut along the entire length of the roast. Now place your knife, blade down, into the cut you have just made. Create your second “book cover” by cutting back through the remaining thick part of the meat with a horizontal cut just like the first cut you made, to within ½ inch of the side. Open that flap. You should have one flat piece of meat about 1 inch thick.

Place plastic wrap or butcher paper over the meat and gently pound it with a meat pounder or other heavy object such as canned tomatoes, to a thickness of about ½ inch. The meat should be one relatively flat piece. If it does not lay flat, make small cuts in the thickest parts; this will help. Salt and pepper both sides of the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Prepare your stuffing mixture: In a in a saute pan add

olive oil and garlic, and celery and onion.. Set aside.

To prepare the kale: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the kale, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes (if it is sticking to the pan, add a little water). Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble: Place the roast on your work surface with one long side closest to you. Carefully spread the mixture over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border around

the roast.

Starting at the side of the meat closest to you, gently roll the meat away from you to enclose the filling. Using kitchen string, tie the roast about every 1½-inches to make sure it stays closed.

In an ovenproof sauté pan large enough to hold the meat,

warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the roast and, using tongs, turn constantly to brown it evenly on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes. Once the outside of the meat is light brown, transfer the pan to the oven. (you can add a bit of chicken broth to your pan if you like so making a gravy will be a bit easier later)

Cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until the meat measures between 148°F and 153°F on a meat thermometer and the meat feels firm but not stiff. Remove the meat from the oven, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

A Bit of Useful Info...

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS

I was reading some really great info this morning , and I realized that everyone might not know how to substitute in the kitchen when you run out or haven't purchased a needed ingredient... so I decided to share it with everyone as a sort of informative 1st blog of the New Year!
Some things you may already know and others I hope are new and informative for you.


HANDY COOKING TOOLS

Keep this posted on your refrigerator!
3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
4 Tablespoons = ¼ cup
5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
8 Tablespoons = ½ cup
16 Tablespoons = 1 cup
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces (½ pint)
4 cups = 32 fluid ounces (1 quart)
16 cups = 128 fluid ounces (1 gallon)


Missing an Ingredient?
Simple substitutions...

Almond extract
Use Amaretto

Brown sugar
For each cup: use 1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon molasses

Buttermilk
For each cup: Mix 1 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream mixed with ¼ cup skim milk (use only 1 cup of the mixture)

Cake flour
For each cup: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

Chili Sauce
For one cup: Combine 1 cup tomato sauce, ¼ brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice

Chives
Use green onion or scallion tops instead

Cornstarch (for thickening sauces)
For each Tablespoon: Use 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Corn syrup
Replace with honey

Cream of Tartar
For ½ teaspoon: Use 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice

Ground Red Pepper
For ¼ teaspoon: use 8 drops of Tabasco (or other hot pepper sauce)

Pumpkin Pie Spice
For 1 teaspoon: Combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Shallots
Use red onion

Sour cream
Use plain yogurt

Tomato Sauce
For a 15-oz can: Combine a small can of tomato paste with 1½ cups of water. Mix well!

Unsweetened Chocolate (melted)
For each ounce: Use 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa mixed with melted butter or margarine

Vanilla Extract
Use brandy

Whipped cream
Chill a 13 ounce can of evaporated milk for 12 hours. Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Whip until stiff

Wine
For ½ cup: Use ¼ cup of wine vinegar (red or white wine vinegar depending on what the recipe calls for) mixed with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and ¼ cup of water

Low-fat Ingredient Substitutions

Bacon
Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or lean ham

Butter
Reduced-calorie margarine or margarine made with safflower, soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil

Chocolate, unsweetened (1 oz)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon margarine

Cream Cheese
Nonfat or light process cream cheese, Neufchâtel cheese

Egg (per egg)
1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites

Fudge Sauce
lowfat chocolate syrup

Ground Beef
ground turkey

Ice Cream
Nonfat or lowfat frozen yogurt, sherbet or sorbet

Oil
safflower, soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil in reduced amount

Shortening
soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil in amount reduced by one-third

Sour Cream
yogurt

Whipped Cream
Whipped evaporated skimmed milk (chilled)

DO YOU HAVE ANY GREAT SUBSTITUTIONS OR HELPFUL HINTS THAT YOU CAN ADD TO THIS LIST? PLEASE SHARE THEM:

A special thank you to the WNEP TV food section...

New Years Eve Dinner

Well- I couldn't wait- I took the pictures...
and thought I'd hurry and post them.
Making all these fish dishes is a bit new for me...my father was the
seafood chef in our house and today...as I created Im sure he was watching over my shoulder and guiding me!

Now- again I have no recipes because I don't usually
use any.
I started things off with a little Shrimp Cocktail
(mainly to keep everyone busy while I got the rest of the food on the table.

I made baked stuffed shrimp- my stuffing was jam packed with scallops.
They really came yummy- this was the first time I tried this!




I stuffed the lobster with a delicious stuffing jam packed with shrimp.
Again I invented as I went along and it came delicious. The picture is not perfect because I sat down and started to eat and my MIL quickly reminded me that I forgot to take pictures!
Sorry!


Lastly I made Shrimp Scampi and I threw in a pound of scallops
just because we had them! It also came really good.
I served a salad too but everyone was so busy with their
lobster they forgot about the salad!




We finished the dinner with coffee and trays of Christmas cookies...we are stuffed and just think
we have to eat Lasagna tomorrow! I hope we survive!

HAPPY 2009 EVERYONE

SPECIAL WISHES FOR A HEALTHY
AND BLESSED NEW YEAR
TO ALL MY WONDERFUL BLOG FOLLOWERS
I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE NEW YEAR

I will post all my New Years Eve and New Years Day food creations when I return...

A Few of our Christmas Eve Goodies...

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE GOODIES I MADE FOR CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER-
I'M NOT ADDING RECIPES BECAUSE I DIDN'T USE ANY- THESE ARE MADE FROM MEMORY- IF YOU WANT ANY RECIPES LET ME KNOW AND I WILL GLADLY WRITE IT UP FOR YOU.

WE STARTED WITH A LITTLE SHRIMP COCKTAIL

I ALSO MADE SOME QUICK SALMON APPETIZERS



LINGUINI WITH CLAM SAUCE



CALAMARI (SQUID) AND OCTOPUS WITH ONIONS

STUFFED CALAMARI (SQUID)

SHRIMP SCAMPI
I NEGLECTED TO PHOTOGRAPH THE HUGH POT OF MUSSELS MARINARA
AND THE SCUNGILI SALAD

WHAT A WONDERFUL MEAL WE HAD
BEST OF ALL WE WERE ALL TOGETHER TO SHARE OUR TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE FISH DINNER.

TODAY-
I COOK AGAIN
I'LL POST THOSE PICTURES LATER...

For All Those Who stop here...

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah!

I'm wishing you all a very happy and blessed Holiday, filled with peace, love and joy.

Lenox Almond Biscotti

adapted from Baking From my Home to Yours
by Dorie Greenspan

1 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure almond extract
3/4 cup of sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched



1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal together. (If you are adding ground spices, add them to this mixture before combining.)

3. Beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy. Beat in the almond extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. You'll have a soft, stick-to-your-fingers dough that will ball up around the paddle or beaters. Scrape down the paddle and bowl, toss in the almonds and mix just to blend.

4. Scrape half the dough onto one side of the baking sheet. Using your fingers and a rubber spatula or scraper, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. The log will be more rectangular than domed, and bumpy, rough and uneven. Form a second log with the remaining dough on the other side of the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

6. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and, with a long serrated knife, trim the ends and cut the logs into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet, setting them again on the same sides as before and slide the sheet back into the oven.

7. Bake the biscotti at 350F for another 25 minutes, or until they are golden and firm. Transfer them to racks and cool to room temperature.



These biscotti are perfect- I have been so busy baking sweet treats that I really needed something not so sweet that would go just right with a cup of espresso...and this cookie really
is the perfect choice.

Double Chocolate Cookies

1/2 c. milk 1/2 c. cooking oil 2 c. Bisquick 2 (4 1/2 oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding 6 oz. chocolate chips

Instructions

Mix together. Drop spoonfuls on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. These cookies came really good- They are very moist . Perfect with a tall glass of ice cold milk or a cup of coffee! I am also entering this cookie in the Christmas Cookie Event. Check out all the wonderful cookies...

Baccala’ with Potatoes and Tomatoes

Cut your cleaned and soaked Baccala’(dried salted Cod) in small pieces.

Boil several cubed potatoes.

Some diced tomatoes with sauce.

Capers

Onion

Scallions

Green Pepper

Parsley

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Sauté thinly sliced onions, scallions and sliced green pepper.

Once they are tender add your diced boiled potatoes,

diced tomatoes, sauce, parsley and capers.

Once it is nicely combined add your cubed Baccala’.

Salt and Pepper to taste and

Slide the pan into the oven and

bake at 350* until your fish is tender (about 45 minutes).

I serve this with thick crusty Italian Bread to dip in the juices .

This is my entry for the Seven Fishes Feast hosted by

Joe of Italyville and Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita.

I have also entered this recipe in the Potato Ho Down
which is being hosted this month by Christie from The Fig and Cherry.
If you would like to take part in the festivities please rush right
over to her site and read how to enter and start cooking.

Grandmas All-Occasion Sugar Cookies- Dorie Greenspan

I have wanted to try these cookies for a long time. I have never been good at sugar cookies- they just never came out right -no matter how many time I tried. They were too fat or too thin- they would burn- they would taste like they had too much flour in them...something was always wrong. Well let me tell you - these cookies mixed up like a breeze. I was having some oven troubles so I decided to make a roll and slice them instead of rolling them out and using cookie cutters.
These cookies came so yummy! Just golden on the bottom...tender...and so tasty!
I will be making more of these this week and I may even try to use some of my many cookie cutters.

Excerpted from Baking: From My House to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). Copyright 2006 by Dorie Greenspan.

Makes about 50 2-inch cookies

These are my rendition of my grandmother's sugar cookies, the ones she used to make for us every week, sprinkling the tops of the cookies earmarked for my brother and me with cinnamon sugar and the tops of those meant for our parents with poppy seeds. Actually this recipe is a composite of grandmother recipes, from mine and my husband's (with an Aunt Bertha recipe tossed in for good measure), all of which were written on small recipe cards and fingerprint-stained long before they came to me.

The cookies are crisp, buttery (but not soft buttery, like their cousins in the shortbread family) and basic — literally, meaning they can be the base for several variations. You can stir zest into the dough or add chopped nuts, shredded coconut or grated chocolate. You can roll out the dough and cut it with cutters plain or fancy, or you can even turn it into the world's easiest cookie, the slice-and-bake. And the cookies take nicely to frosting, icing or glazing.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sugar or cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together.

1. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for a minute or so, until smooth. Beat in the sugar and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Add the egg and yolk and beat for another minute or two; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and steadily add the flour mixture, mixing only until it has been incorporated — because this dough is best when worked least, you might want to stop the mixer before all the flour is thoroughly blended into the dough and finish the job with a rubber spatula. When mixed, the dough will be soft, creamy and malleable.

2. Turn the dough out onto a counter and divide it in half. If you want to make roll-out cookies, shape each half into a disk and wrap in plastic. If you want to make slice-and-bake cookies, shape each half into a chubby sausage (the diameter is up to you — I usually like cookies that are about 2 inches in diameter) and wrap in plastic. Whether you're going to roll or slice the dough, it must be chilled for at least 2 hours. (Well wrapped, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

3. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

4. If you are making roll-out cookies, working with one packet of dough at a time, roll out the dough between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to a thickness of 1/4 inch, lifting the plastic or paper and turning the dough over often so that it rolls evenly. Lift off the top sheet of plastic or paper and cut out the cookies — I like a 2-inch round cookie cutter for these. Pull away the excess dough, saving the scraps for rerolling, and carefully lift the rounds onto the baking sheets with a spatula, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between the cookies. (This is a soft dough and you might have trouble peeling away the excess or lifting the cutouts; if so, cover the dough, chill it for about 15 minutes and try again.) After you've rolled and cut the second packet of dough, you can form the scraps into a disk, then chill, roll, cut and bake.

5. If you are making slice-and-bake cookies, use a sharp thin knife to slice the dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space between the cookies.

6. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheet at the midpoint. The cookies should feel firm, but they should not color much, if at all. Remove the pan from the oven and dust the cookies with sugar or cinnamon sugar, if you'd like. Let them rest for 1 minute before carefully lifting them onto a rack to cool to room temperature.

7. Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Storing: The cookies will keep at room temperature in a tin for up to 1 week. Wrapped well, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

I'm submitting this to Food Bloggas Eat Christmas Cookies blogging event. Check this link to participate in the event. Or check here to see the roundup (gets updated as entries come in).

**I baked another batch and made some cut outs...
these cookies are delicious!

Bake Along 1-Chocolate Crackles

I was so excited to join Nichi, Judy ,Natalie and Megan on this fun bake along. The cookie from Martha Stewart sounded like something my family will really enjoy. Megan was kind enough to send me the recipe and I thought it would be perfect....of course until it actually came time to bake the cookies.

My oven was acting up on Saturday and my husband tried to fix it on Sunday- I cooked dinner on Sunday night so I thought I was good to go. WRONG! I set it to preheat and went about my business of rolling my cookies and getting them on the cookie tray- when I went to put them in the oven...IT WAS COLD! Sooooooo I have taken a few pictures of where I am and I will post the final cookie once my resident oven repair man gets home from work and fixes my oven!

I was so excited to see Niche and Megan's completed cookies- they look so yummy!

I'll get there girls -just not as quickly as I had

planned!

Chocolate Crackles -

Martha Stewart

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 ¼ c. all purpose flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ c. butter, room temperature
1 ½ c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 c. whole milk

1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. confectioners sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over the top of a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle att

achment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and m

ilk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide each piece into sixteen 1” balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners sugar to coat. Space 2” apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at

room temperature up to 3 days.

*****UPDATE*****

My husband came home from work and fixed my stove (temporary of course-I need a new part! ) I got busy and in no time my Chocolate Crackles were done.

Of course the peanut gallery had to get their sticky fingers into them but the votes all around were positive . My son actually asked if I could make these cookies all the time ! Aside from my stove dilema these cookies were easy and taste really good!

Great choice girls! Thanks...

I'm submitting this to Food Bloggas Eat Christmas Cookies blogging event. Check this link to participate in the event. Or check here to see the roundup (gets updated as entries come in).