Or scalloped potatoes, I don't which is which. But let's just say this dish is made with potatoes, onions, heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese. It's easy and so very, very good.
I have a mandolin (a gadget that slices the potatoes very thin). I use five potatoes for a 9x12 casserole/baking dish.
Oven is set at 350 degrees, and I cook this for 1-1/2 hours.
INGREDIENTS:
5 medium sized potatoes (Yukon golds are the best, but use your own favorite)
1 large onion, sliced into thin slices
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream (you can use skim milk if you prefer, or half and half or regular milk, but heavy cream works best)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1 stick of butter
Slice up five potatoes (I leave the skins on) into very thin slices.
Put 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, 1/3 of the sliced onions, add 1/4 cup heavy cream, and 1/4 stick of butter, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Repeat this two more times. You will have extra butter and extra cheese and extra cream on the last repeat. You can use them or not. I used the extra cheese on the top layer and it makes a nice cheesy crust.
This dish is so easy and it is so delicious. Rave reviews from the eaters, and no left overs.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Roast pork with cranberry wine reduction sauce
I'm not about to get into the "sauce"/"gravy" wars rhetoric here, but the "sauce" for this roast (some would call it gravy) is to die for, or so I've been told many times.
Yesterday, Alan's brother David, and his wife, Libby, came for an overnight stay and I thought I'd make something that I do well, and from which we really enjoy any leftovers -- pork loin roast. I had my shopper get one at the Kroger Butcher shop. It was four pound roast. Pretty big.
I marinated for about 4 hours in a concoction of seasoned salt (1 tablespoon), garlic salt (1 tablespoon), 1/2 cup huckleberry vinegar (you can use raspberry vinegar instead), and 1/4 cup olive oil.
When I thought it was time to put it in the oven (I allowed 2 hours for the roast at 350 degrees) I first braised it on all sides. I set that pan aside for the cranberry wine reduction.
I put the roast in a pan over one bulb of garlic halved. I didn't do anything else but just cut the bulb in half cross-wise, not between the cloves. And I placed the roast on top of this. This was to make the "gravy" more tasty.
After 1-1/2 hours I poured 1 cup of water over the roast to add to the pan drippings. Then after two hours I removed the roast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before cutting into it.
NOW FOR THE SAUCE: I used the pan drippings from when I braised the roast and poured a whole bottle of cranberry wine in this pan and added one pat of butter, then I simmered it for the two hours while the roast cook. It was reduced by about one-half, and it was delicious instead of "gravy."
However, I also made gravy from the pan drippings that the roast in the oven made. Remember I had poured one cup of water over the roast? Well I added another cup of water to that, and brought that to a boil. I used a whisk to get any roast remnants from the pan. Then I added cornstarch to thicken it.
When I use cornstarch to thicken I used equal parts cornstarch and water which is stirred to mix and no lumps, whisk the mixture in, slowly, and when it starts to thicken, I stop pouring the cornstarch and water. I usually use 1/2 cup water, but rarely use the whole 1/2 cup of the mixture. I guess I waste a bit of cornstarch, but hey, it's cheap, and I'd rather than too much thickener than not enough.
That's how you make my favorite pork roast.
We had no leftovers, but if we had, I would have make pork roast soup, which is the same as my vegetable soup, but I use pork instead of beef. Good stuff.
Yesterday, Alan's brother David, and his wife, Libby, came for an overnight stay and I thought I'd make something that I do well, and from which we really enjoy any leftovers -- pork loin roast. I had my shopper get one at the Kroger Butcher shop. It was four pound roast. Pretty big.
I marinated for about 4 hours in a concoction of seasoned salt (1 tablespoon), garlic salt (1 tablespoon), 1/2 cup huckleberry vinegar (you can use raspberry vinegar instead), and 1/4 cup olive oil.
When I thought it was time to put it in the oven (I allowed 2 hours for the roast at 350 degrees) I first braised it on all sides. I set that pan aside for the cranberry wine reduction.
I put the roast in a pan over one bulb of garlic halved. I didn't do anything else but just cut the bulb in half cross-wise, not between the cloves. And I placed the roast on top of this. This was to make the "gravy" more tasty.
After 1-1/2 hours I poured 1 cup of water over the roast to add to the pan drippings. Then after two hours I removed the roast from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before cutting into it.
NOW FOR THE SAUCE: I used the pan drippings from when I braised the roast and poured a whole bottle of cranberry wine in this pan and added one pat of butter, then I simmered it for the two hours while the roast cook. It was reduced by about one-half, and it was delicious instead of "gravy."
However, I also made gravy from the pan drippings that the roast in the oven made. Remember I had poured one cup of water over the roast? Well I added another cup of water to that, and brought that to a boil. I used a whisk to get any roast remnants from the pan. Then I added cornstarch to thicken it.
When I use cornstarch to thicken I used equal parts cornstarch and water which is stirred to mix and no lumps, whisk the mixture in, slowly, and when it starts to thicken, I stop pouring the cornstarch and water. I usually use 1/2 cup water, but rarely use the whole 1/2 cup of the mixture. I guess I waste a bit of cornstarch, but hey, it's cheap, and I'd rather than too much thickener than not enough.
That's how you make my favorite pork roast.
We had no leftovers, but if we had, I would have make pork roast soup, which is the same as my vegetable soup, but I use pork instead of beef. Good stuff.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Corn on the cob
Several weeks ago I got out my "corn" pot. And I was using it regularly. The clean up was a hassle though. It's so big it barely fits in my sink and I have to use the spray attachment to get the inside rinsed out properly.
Then I got to thinking. Duh! Why do I have that pot out -- it was sitting on my stove for weeks because I didn't want to put it away and have to dig it out every time I wanted fresh corn on the cob.
This is how I started making c-o-t-c several years ago and it's so simple, but being old and forgetful, I well, I forgot this easier way for making corn.
I cut off a nice strip of aluminum foil and put up to three ears on it. Then I slather the corn with butter, salt, and pepper, and sprinkle some rosemary. I then wrap the foil around the ears so that the melted butter doesn leak out all over my oven. I cook it in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour, while other things are cooking. It's very, very good, and the clean up is, well, you'll see when you try it this way.
ttfn
Then I got to thinking. Duh! Why do I have that pot out -- it was sitting on my stove for weeks because I didn't want to put it away and have to dig it out every time I wanted fresh corn on the cob.
This is how I started making c-o-t-c several years ago and it's so simple, but being old and forgetful, I well, I forgot this easier way for making corn.
I cut off a nice strip of aluminum foil and put up to three ears on it. Then I slather the corn with butter, salt, and pepper, and sprinkle some rosemary. I then wrap the foil around the ears so that the melted butter doesn leak out all over my oven. I cook it in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour, while other things are cooking. It's very, very good, and the clean up is, well, you'll see when you try it this way.
ttfn
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Just plain hamburgers
My mom made just plain hamburgers (beef burgers). She didn't do anything fancy to the ground beef, she just made the ground round into patties and slapped them into her iron pan and cooked them. We seemed to enjoy them, at least that's what I remember.
Dad liked to make burgers, too. Only he juiced them up a bit. And I have to admit that I really didn't like his burgers until .... until MacDonald's copied it.
His burger was topped with mustard, ketchup, a dill pickle. He left off the onions, but I always put them on.
My favorite burger was made by a teen hangout called Haines. It was down on the Del-Sea Drive on the way to Glassboro. It was a favorite place to stop on the way home from school (college) for lunch, or supper, depending on the time of day we commuters finally decided it was time to head home.
You could get a most delicious burger there for only 35 cents -- that was a cheese burger. If you wanted fried onions, hot peppers, tomato, pickle, etc., that was free. And fries were a dime. So for 50 cents you could get a nice supper, including tip. I know 5 cents isn't much of a tip, but it was better than nothing, and because we were just to lazy to wait around for our change, that was what the waitress usually got. Rarely, one or the other of us commuters would put an extra quarter on the table, making the entire table tip, 50 cents.
So, I made burgers tonight. Just plain burgers -- the way Alan and I like them.
ttfn
Dad liked to make burgers, too. Only he juiced them up a bit. And I have to admit that I really didn't like his burgers until .... until MacDonald's copied it.
His burger was topped with mustard, ketchup, a dill pickle. He left off the onions, but I always put them on.
My favorite burger was made by a teen hangout called Haines. It was down on the Del-Sea Drive on the way to Glassboro. It was a favorite place to stop on the way home from school (college) for lunch, or supper, depending on the time of day we commuters finally decided it was time to head home.
You could get a most delicious burger there for only 35 cents -- that was a cheese burger. If you wanted fried onions, hot peppers, tomato, pickle, etc., that was free. And fries were a dime. So for 50 cents you could get a nice supper, including tip. I know 5 cents isn't much of a tip, but it was better than nothing, and because we were just to lazy to wait around for our change, that was what the waitress usually got. Rarely, one or the other of us commuters would put an extra quarter on the table, making the entire table tip, 50 cents.
So, I made burgers tonight. Just plain burgers -- the way Alan and I like them.
ttfn
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Gazpacho
Today I was watching the Food Channel and one of the cooks was making gazpacho -- not the way I learned to make it -- but it looked good if you like a very, very, thick soup. To me it was more like a loosely blended salad. Gazpacho is really a cold soup and it should be a little moist and, well, soupy.
My mom didn't teach me to make gazpacho, but one time when she was visiting me and Alan when we were living in the married student housing at Rutgers I made this dish. Both she and Alan (and I) loved it.
I have tasted a lot of gazpacho in the last 43 years, and I still like the version I make the best. And it's definitely a summer dish -- unless your on a cruise. I've never been on a cruise where gazpacho isn't offered as a soup course.
What you need:
6 nice-sized FRESH PICKED tomatoes. The choice of farm fresh tomatoes is important for a well-flavored gazpacho.
1 cucumber -- seeds removed, then finely chopped
1 yellow pepper -- finely chopped
1 stalk celery -- finely chopped
1 clove garlic -- finely chopped
2 scallions -- finely chopped
6 finely chopped black olives
All the finely chopped veggies shouldn't be mushy, just nicely chopped into small pieces.
Cut the tomatoes into large sized chunks, getting rid of the stem piece. Then put these cut up pieces into either a blender or food processor. Blend until the tomatoes are liquid. Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Then add the veggies. Add as much of each veggie that you think you will like. Just remember this is a soup and should be soupy. Remember to season (add salt and pepper) to taste. I would do this to the tomato soup portion before adding the vegetables.
If you wish you can put the strained tomato juice back into the blender and add the chopped vegetables and pulse or blend for about five seconds. This will chop the vegetables further and blend the flavors more.
Put this into an air-tight container and put in refrigerator to "marinate" overnight. It will be really good the next day, and good and cold, which is how it should be eaten. I serve it with toasted garlic bread.
It makes a nice lunch.
ttfn
My mom didn't teach me to make gazpacho, but one time when she was visiting me and Alan when we were living in the married student housing at Rutgers I made this dish. Both she and Alan (and I) loved it.
I have tasted a lot of gazpacho in the last 43 years, and I still like the version I make the best. And it's definitely a summer dish -- unless your on a cruise. I've never been on a cruise where gazpacho isn't offered as a soup course.
What you need:
6 nice-sized FRESH PICKED tomatoes. The choice of farm fresh tomatoes is important for a well-flavored gazpacho.
1 cucumber -- seeds removed, then finely chopped
1 yellow pepper -- finely chopped
1 stalk celery -- finely chopped
1 clove garlic -- finely chopped
2 scallions -- finely chopped
6 finely chopped black olives
All the finely chopped veggies shouldn't be mushy, just nicely chopped into small pieces.
Cut the tomatoes into large sized chunks, getting rid of the stem piece. Then put these cut up pieces into either a blender or food processor. Blend until the tomatoes are liquid. Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Then add the veggies. Add as much of each veggie that you think you will like. Just remember this is a soup and should be soupy. Remember to season (add salt and pepper) to taste. I would do this to the tomato soup portion before adding the vegetables.
If you wish you can put the strained tomato juice back into the blender and add the chopped vegetables and pulse or blend for about five seconds. This will chop the vegetables further and blend the flavors more.
Put this into an air-tight container and put in refrigerator to "marinate" overnight. It will be really good the next day, and good and cold, which is how it should be eaten. I serve it with toasted garlic bread.
It makes a nice lunch.
ttfn
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