| THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article: Make It
Snappy, and the Richer, the Better
> Wine Appreciation:
Di Majo Norante Sangiovese 2008
> Food Funnies: Proposed
New Food Holidays
S
E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* McDonald's
Chicken Sandwich
* Filet
Mignon with Green Peppercorn Cream Sauce
* Tomato-Herb
Chicken
* Orange
Baked Ham
* Smoked
Salmon Pizza
* Baked
Macaroni and Cheese
* Cold
Cure Soup
* Bread
and Butter Pudding
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Frozen
Peppermint Patties
Diabetic: Sesame
Chicken Salad
Low Fat: Rocky
Road Fudge Bars
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This Week's Cooking Tips
Leftover Food Tips:
* Cool leftover French toast, then
freeze it in single layers. Store
in self-sealing plastic bags.
Pop in your toaster to reheat.
* Combine leftover mashed potatoes
with chopped onion and shredded
cheese, then bake. Tastes
like twice-baked potatoes with less work!
* Leftover spaghetti noodles? Add
diced raw vegetables and enough
bottled Italian dressing
to coat for an easy and refreshing salad.
* Form balls of leftover mashed potatoes
around cubes of cheese, roll
in Parmesan cheese or crumbs
and broil until golden brown.
* To heat leftover tortillas, grease
a skillet lightly with oil and
place over medium heat. Dip
tortillas in water and quickly
steam-saute them on both
sides. More Cooking Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
This popular summer salad
originates from the Tuscany and Umbria
regions of Italy. It is a bread
salad, sometimes called the
"leftover" salad. What is its correct
name?
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Quote of the Week:
On Chinese food
and Chopsticks: "You do not sew with a fork,
and I see no reason
why you should eat with knitting needles."
- Miss Piggy, "Miss
Piggy's Guide to Life" (1981)
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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
February is: Berry Fresh in the Sunshine State Month
National Snack Food Month
Canned Food Month
North Carolina Sweet Potato Month
Great American Pies Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Cherry Month
National Potato Month
Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month
February 6 - National Frozen Yogurt Day
February 7 - National Fettucine Alfredo Day
February 8 - National Molasses Bar Day
February 9 - National Bagels and Lox Day
February 10 - National Cream Cheese Brownie Day
February 11 - National Peppermint Patty Day
February 12 - National Plum Pudding Day
February 13 - National Tortini Day
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Make It Snappy, and the Richer,
the Better
by Mark Bittman
If you think of crackers as little
bits of pie crust, or fast-
cooking bread, you quickly comprehend
why they’re so easy to make.
Which only makes it more befuddling
that no one does, since packaged
crackers are universally overpriced
and often contain ingredients
with which you’d never cook, starting
with artificial ones and
continuing with dough "conditioners"
and preservatives.
Crackers can be made with just flour
and water (as in water
crackers, or matzo), but like almost
everything else, they’re better
with richer ingredients. These,
typically, are butter, oil, and milk
or cheese or both, along with flavorings
like seeds, herbs and
spices. I like a simple, flakey,
buttery cracker, often with cheese.
This could stem from my childhood
addiction to Cheez-Its.
This is basically pastry dough rolled
out thinly. But it’s easier
in a way, because while you want
to keep a pie crust tender, and
therefore work the dough as little
as possible, here you can beat
it up a bit. You’re going for a
substantial bite, and developing the
gluten - the protein in the wheat
- will help you get that. Even
if you have to roll the dough out
more than once, even if you roll
it thrice, the crackers will only
become flakier.
Once you get the hang of it, which
will take exactly one try, play
around. You might skip the cheese
and add freshly chopped rosemary
or thyme to the dough. Swapping
pepper for salt as a topping makes
a difference. Or top with minced
garlic or onion, sesame or poppy
seeds, or whatever is on your favorite
commercial cracker. In every
case, you are going to make it better.
Parmesan Cream Crackers
1 cup all-purpose flour,
more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely grated
fresh Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half,
more as needed
Coarse salt, pepper,
sesame or poppy seeds, minced garlic or
whatever
you like for sprinkling (optional)
1. Heat oven to 400F. Line a baking
sheet with parchment paper or
lightly dust with flour.
Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in
bowl of a food processor.
Pulse until flour and butter are
combined. Add about
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half and let
machine run for a bit;
continue to add liquid a teaspoon at a
time, until mixture
holds together but is not sticky.
2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured
surface until 1/2-inch thick
or even thinner, adding
flour as needed. Transfer sheet of dough
to prepared baking
sheet (drape it over rolling pin to make it
easier). Score lightly
with a sharp knife, pizza cutter or a
pastry wheel if you
want to break crackers into squares or
rectangles later on.
Sprinkle with salt or other toppings.
3. Bake until lightly browned, about
10 minutes. Cool on a rack;
serve warm or at room
temperature or store in a tin.
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THE
E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY
ALL YOU NEED TO COOK IT RIGHT!
Discover The #1 Cookbook Collection
In The World!
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This Week's Wine Selection:
Di Majo Norante Sangiovese
2008 Price: $11
This Sangiovese exhibits a fresh
bouquet of violets, woodland
berries, spices and leather. Deliciously
smooth, plush and juicy on
the palate with loads of ripe fruit,
the wine offers terrific depth
and a long, polished finish. This
harmonious red is a knockout!
Serve With:
Rigatoni with Steak Sauce
4 tablespoons olive
oil
2 (12 oz.) rib-eye
steaks
Salt and pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and
thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 (26 oz.) jar marinara
sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 pound dried rigatoni
pasta
3 ounces Parmesan,
shaved
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy
large frying pan over high
heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt
and pepper. Cook the steaks until
they are brown but still rare in
the center, about 3 minutes per
side. Transfer the steaks to a plate
and set aside to cool. Add two
more tablespoons of olive oil to
the same pan. Saute the onions and
carrots until the onions are translucent,
about 8 minutes, with
additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the garlic and oregano, and
saute for 1 minute. Add the wine
and simmer for 1 minute. Add the
marinara sauce and broth. Cover
and simmer over medium-low heat to
allow the flavors to blend, about
10 minutes. Season the sauce, to
taste, with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, trim off any fat from
the steaks, then cut the steaks
into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted
water to a boil over high heat.
Add the rigatoni and boil until it is
tender but still firm to the bite,
stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Drain the rigatoni.
Toss the rigatoni and reserved steak
pieces and any accumulated
juices from the steaks with the
sauce to coat. Transfer the pasta to
bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan
cheese shavings and serve.
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FOOD FUNNIES: Proposed New
Food Holidays
9. January 2: Return to Eating Fast
Food Day
8. February 3: Groundhog Stew Day
7. (Seven Wednesdays before Easter):
Hash Wednesday
6. July 25: Airline/Hospital Meal
Exchange Day
5. April 13, 2009 (the Monday after
Easter): National Find-Every-
Recipe-That-Uses-Hard-Boiled-Eggs-That-You-Can
Day
4. March 21 and September 21: Zero
Calorie/Zero Carb Equinoxes
3. November 1: National Sugar Coma
Day
2. February 15: Eating Crow Day (observed
by forgetful men only)
... and the #1
Proposed New Food Holiday ...
1. March 2: Barbecue Anything Day
(aka Texas Independence Day)
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
McDonald's Chicken Sandwich
========================
1 egg
1 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose
flour
1/2 cup Golden Dipt
tempura mix
2 Tablespoons yellow
corn meal
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon msg (Accent)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic
powder
4 chicken breast filets
4 sesame seed hamburger
buns
1 cup chopped iceberg
lettuce
4 tomato slices
McChicken Sauce:
1/4 cup Kraft mayonnaise
1/16 teaspoon onion
powder
Stir together well, refrigerate
until needed.
Beat the egg and then combine it
with 1 cup water in a small shallow
bowl. Stir. Combine the flour, tempura
mix, salt, msg, pepper, onion
powder and garlic powder in a one
gallon size zip lock bag.
Pound each of the breast filets
with a mallet until about 1/4-inch
thick. Trim each breast filet until
it is round. Coat each filet with
the flour mixture by shaking in
the zip lock bag. Remove and dredge
each filet in the egg mixture, coating
well. Then return each filet
to the flour/seasoning mixture.
Shake to coat. Put filets, bag and all,
in the freezer for at least an hour.
Cover and refrigerate remaining
egg mixture.
After freezing, repeat the flouring
process. Get fryer ready.
Deep fry the chicken filets at 375F
for 10-12 minutes or until light
brown and crispy. While the chicken
is frying, toast 1 sesame seed bun
and place sauce on top bun. Follow
that with 1/4 cup freshly chopped
iceberg lettuce and tomato slices.
Then top with the cooked chicken
patty, and the bottom of the bun
(it will be upside-down).
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Filet Mignon with Green Peppercorn
Cream Sauce
=======================================
1 3/4 cups beef stock
or canned beef broth
3 tablespoons butter
4 (6 to 8 ounce) filet
mignon steaks (each about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons Cognac
or brandy
2 tablespoons drained
green peppercorns in brine
Boil stock in small saucepan until
reduced to 3/4 cup, about seven
minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter
in large skillet over medium-high
heat. Season steaks with salt and
pepper. Cook steaks to desired
doneness, about 4 minutes per side
for medium-rare. Transfer steaks
to plate (do not clean skillet).
Add chopped shallots to same skillet
and saute 2 minutes. Remove
from heat. Add reduced beef stock,
1 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons
Cognac and green peppercorns. Boil
until mixture thickens to sauce
consistency, about 6 minutes. Season
sauce to taste with pepper.
Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.
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Tomato-Herb Chicken
=================
2 tablespoons olive
oil
6 chicken thighs, skinless
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can
crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried
rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
Hot buttered rice
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh parsley leaves
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet
over medium-high heat. Pat chicken
dry with a paper towel and season
with salt and pepper. Brown the
chicken turning once, about 4 minutes
on each side. Transfer to a
plate to reserve.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of
oil from the pan. Add onion to the
pan and saute until tender, roughly
3 minutes. Add the stock and wine
and stir, scrapping any brown bits
off the bottom of the pan. Turn
heat to high and reduce by half,
about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed
tomatoes and add the dried herbs
and lemon pepper. Add the chicken
thighs back in. Cover and cook on
medium low for 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from liquid and serve
on hot buttered rice. Ladle the
sauce on top and garnish with fresh
chopped parsley.
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Orange Baked Ham
================
1 (14 to 16-pound)
fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham on the bone
6 garlic cloves
8 1/2 ounces orange
marmalade
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar,
packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed
orange juice
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place
the ham in a heavy roasting pan.
Mince the garlic in a food processor
fitted with the steel blade.
Add the marmalade, mustard, brown
sugar, orange zest, and orange
juice and process until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the ham and bake
for 1 hour, until the ham is fully
heated and the glaze is well
browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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Smoked Salmon Pizza
==================
8 ounces prepared pizza
dough
1 tablespoon olive
oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced
red onion
1/2 cup Dill Cream
6 ounces thinly sliced
smoked salmon
Dill Cream:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped
red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh
lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients in a
small bowl.
Preheat the oven to 500F. On a lightly
floured surface, roll the
dough out into a 10-inch round.
Transfer dough to a rimless baking
sheet; brush with olive oil. Scatter
sliced onion over the top. Bake
until crust is golden brown, 6 to
8 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
Spread the Dill Cream over the top
to within an inch of the edge.
Arrange the salmon to cover the
surface entirely. Use a pizza wheel
to slice into 6 pieces.
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Baked Macaroni and Cheese
=======================
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered
mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion,
finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar,
shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large
pot of boiling, salted water cook
the pasta to al dente. While the
pasta is cooking, in a separate pot,
melt the butter. Whisk in the flour
and mustard and keep it moving
for about five minutes. Make sure
it's free of lumps. Stir in the
milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika.
Simmer for ten minutes and remove
the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of
the cheese. Season with salt and
pepper. Fold the macaroni into the
mix and pour into a 2-quart
casserole dish. Top with remaining
cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and
toss the bread crumbs to coat.
Top the macaroni with the bread
crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove
from oven and rest for five minutes
before serving.
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Cold Cure Soup
=============
3 pounds chicken wings
1 carrot, peeled and
halved
1 onion, peeled and
halved
1 cinnamon stick
1 3-inch knob of ginger,
peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Zest (in strips) and
juice of 1 Seville orange (about 1/4 cup)
Chopped cilantro, for
garnish
1 small red chili pepper,
seeded and cut into fine rings,
for
garnish.
In a large saucepan, combine chicken,
carrot, onion, cinnamon,
ginger and salt. Add 3 quarts water,
orange zest and juice. Place
over high heat, and bring to a boil,
then reduce heat to low. Simmer,
uncovered, until liquid has reduced
to about half and chicken flavor
is strong, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer
into a bowl, and discard solids.
Allow broth to cool, then refrigerate
overnight. When ready to serve,
remove layer of solidified fat from
surface, and wipe surface of
congealed soup with a paper towel
to remove traces of grease. Soup
may be covered and refrigerated
for up to three days.
To serve, warm soup, ladle into
mugs or bowls, and garnish.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Bread and Butter Pudding
====================
1 baguette
1/2 stick (1/4 cup)
unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cut enough baguette into 1-inch
cubes to measure 4 cups and in a
shallow baking pan toast bread in
middle ofoven until crisp but not
golden, about 5 minutes. Melt butter
and in an 8-inch square baking
pan toss with bread.
In a bowl whisk together milk, cream,
eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a
pinch salt and pour over bread,
stirring to coat. Chill pudding,
covered, 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F. Bake pudding
in middle of oven until just set
but still trembles slightly, about
50 minutes. Serve pudding warm or
at room temperature.
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This Week's Culinary
Quiz Answer: Panzanella
These days, the base of this
simple salad is tomatoes and stale
bread. This is complimented by
basil with olive oil and vinegar.
Any array of fresh garden vegetables
can then be added to this.
I've used the term "these days"
in respect to tomatoes being used
in the recipe. The reason for this
is that the salad is an Italian
salad and was described in a poem
by Bronzino that dates back to
the early sixteenth century. There
is argument as to whether or not
tomatoes had been introduced to
Italy at that point in time.
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