Month: May 2010

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Sister dinner: Chicken Jubilee and Fresh Garden Asparagus

Dori, Richard, Aaron and Maralee. Glencoe, Illinois, 1962.

My sister Maralee was on my mind today. At Joe’s piano lesson, I was sure I smelled Chicken Jubilee coming from Mrs. Todd’s kitchen. Our mother prepared the legendary Chicken Jubilee for Maralee’s Bat Mitzvah dinner, cooking and freezing chickens weeks ahead of the event, so as to feed the congregation and invited guests. I was only three at the time and I don’t remember the chickens. My earliest memory of my older siblings was sitting (kneeling, actually, on a piano bench in our living room) for this photograph, which was taken the following year. I remember how ridiculous it was to pose with my hands on my brother’s shoulder.

Everyone should be lucky enough to have a big sister like mine. Maralee is generous and thoughtful. She brings me gifts like my very own box of See’s chocolates, big red mixing bowls for my little red kitchen, silver earrings from Israel, a colorful lizard-shaped door bell, and fresh asparagus from her garden. She is selfless, and loves me more than anything. And this week, when I was sick with a chest cold and didn’t want to think about food, Maralee made enough soup and lasagna to feed our family for three days. I so appreciate the loving gift of a meal, of a soup over-flowing with vegetables and a lasagna thick with spinach and cheese. Perhaps that’s why, today, my head imagined the aroma of her Bat Mitzvah dinner, which I then made for our dinner.

The last time I made this dish for my kids, they turned up their noses at chicken with cherries in the name. So tonight I called it barbecued chicken and it became delicious to them. It’s all in the advertising. But I was sure to tell them, “this was the chicken that Grandma made for Aunt Maralee’s Bat Mitzvah dinner.”

Chicken Jubilee, topped with cherries, raisins and onions, hot out of the oven.

We enjoyed asparagus fresh from Maralee’s garden.

Chicken Jubilee

  • 2 Chickens, cut up
  • 1 c. water
  • 2 med. onions, sliced
  • 1/2 c. raisins
  • 1 12-oz. jar chili sauce
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 c. sherry
  • 1 can bing cherries

Season the chicken, brown in a little oil. Combine all ingredients except for sherry and cherries, pour over chicken, and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Pour sherry and cherries over wine, bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

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Don’t throw out your back!

It's not haute cuisine, but there is no finer comfort than homemade chicken soup.

While my chicken was baking tonight I made this gorgeous little pot of chicken noodle soup, with enough for every one to have a bowl full. For a quick batch of soup, put the back of the chicken into a medium-sized pot, add an onion, a chopped carrot and celery stalk, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper, cover with water and let it simmer for a couple of hours. And if you’re not sick of rosemary yet, you can add a sprig, along with a handful of chopped parsley or some frozen peas if you have them. Right before you’re ready to eat pour in some tiny egg noodles.

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Mom’s Baked Chicken (with Matzo Meal), and Rosemary Potatoes

Mom’s baked chicken, served with rosemary potatoes, broccoli and strawberries.

Chicken and potatoes ready for the oven. Bake them together.

I just put this chicken and potatoes in the oven. It only took 5 minutes to prepare this crisp, flavorful and succulent chicken, and now I can sit back and wait for dinner. I’ll add some fresh steamed broccoli, and will enjoy a superb meal with less than 10 minutes of total prep time—does it get any easier than this?

If you’d enjoy the recipe, please visit the Apple iTunes store to download my app, iNosh. Here’s the link for that:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inosh/id777362589?ls=1&mt=8

I’m donating half of the proceeds to Mazon, A Jewish Response to Hunger.

And here’s a preview of some of the content on the app. For now, it’s only available for iPad users.

iNosh blog ad v2

 

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This is the best iced coffee you’ve ever tasted.

This tastes better if you drink it in a clear glass.

I’m serious. And now I’m going to share my formula for preparing a super-strong, rich and smooth glass of ice-cold coffee.

Follow these three very simple rules:

  1. Make the coffee double-strength. Instead of 1 scoop of coffee for every 2 cups of water, use 1 scoop of coffee for every 1 cup of water.
  2. Don’t dilute the coffee while it’s chilling.
  3. Use at LEAST 2% milk; whole milk is preferable.

I use a simple little drip coffee maker—if you can find a little drip maker like this then snatch it up. I got mine from my grandparents about 25 years ago. They found it, abandoned, in a cabinet of a condo they bought in North Miami. I’ve since purchased a second pot on e-bay. However,  you can make great iced coffee using any coffee maker, as long as you follow the three rules.

Iced Coffee (for 1 tall glass)

  • Brew 2 cups of double-strength coffee.
  • After the coffee has brewed, stir in 2-3 teaspoons of sugar. If you do this while the coffee is still hot the sugar will completely dissolve and you won’t find yourself chewing on little granules while you’re having your drink.
  • Cool the coffee completely before adding the milk. Use an ice-bath, or cool in the refrigerator.
  • Stir in milk. Use at least 2% milk. If you want really luxurious coffee then splurge and use whole milk.
  • Add the ice last. Since you’re adding the ice to an already cold drink your coffee will not get diluted and you’ll enjoy pure, intense coffee flavor.

This is my Wearever 2-cup drip coffee maker.

I fill this with grounds for 2 cups,

and I add water for 1 cup, thereby making the coffee double-strength.

This is important! While the coffee is still hot, stir in a couple of teaspoons of sugar, so that the sugar can dissolve. Use an ice bath (or, if you plan ahead, put it in the refrigerator to cool for a couple of hours) to cool down the coffee before adding milk.

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Waldorf Red Cake

I make this every year, and every year I wonder “why the food coloring?” But who am I to break with tradition, so I diligently squeeze out the 20 drops of red dye into my family’s cake. And, actually, it is a lovely rosy color and tastes the way you wish the most gorgeous cake would taste. This cake is light and moist, and the frosting, a cooked variety, is elegant. Some day I may try it without the food coloring, but not today.

Waldorf Red Cake

  • 1 Tbs. vinegar
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1-1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 20 drops red food coloring
  • 1 Tbs. cocoa
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2-1/4 c. flour

Mix vinegar and soda, and set aside. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat. Stir a paste made of the cocoa and red food coloring. Mix together the buttermilk, salt and vanilla, add alternately along with the flour to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in the soda and vinegar.

Grease and flour two 9″ square or round pans.

Bake 30 mins. at 350 degrees.

Cool in pan for 10 mins. then cool completely on rack. Frost tops only with Marshmallow Fluff Frosting.

Marshmallow Fluff Frosting

  • 5 Tbs. flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. butter
  • 1 c. confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour and milk until very thick, then let cool. Mix cooled mixture together with remaining ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy.

Refrigerate frosted cake. Serve cold.

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Birthday dinner by the book—a gift that keeps on giving

Red Beans and Rice, and Corn Bread.

Dorothy, my mother-in-law, is an inspiration to me in many different ways. She respects her son and his household, she is an amazing guest who claims to love ironing and laundry, and she is a doting and beloved grandmother who puts cat faces on every card she sends to the kids. Dorothy raised her three children alone, after losing her husband at a young age. She lived frugally on a military survivor’s pension, but spared nothing when it came to her kids’ welfare, education and health. She put her energy into her family, knitting them sweaters, being their den mother, and preparing them delicious food, made from scratch.

When my husband went away to college he asked for, and received, copies of favorite recipes. Hand written, and now laminated and placed in a notebook, we have Dorothy’s recipes for most all of Doug’s favorite childhood meals. Many of them have the name of a town (Quantico or Florissant or Hannibal) where she first tried the dish, along with that date (1962, 1950, 1973), and sometimes with a comment like, “Doug’s Birthday 1975, Very Good!”

This is the book that I go to when it’s Doug’s birthday, to get out the recipes for Red Beans and Rice, and Waldorf Red Cake (Louisiana, Mo, Aunt Margaret, 1961).

Happy Birthday, Doug!

Dorothy’s Red Beans and Rice (as copied from recipe book, below)

  • 1 lb. red beans

Bring to boil in 1-1/2 qts. water, set aside for hour or over nite is OK.

Add:

  • Ham hock — or bone — or several slices bacon
  • large onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/4 t. red pepper (or less taste)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 t. oregano
  • 1 can tomatoes (2 cups)

Bring all to boil and simmer for 2-3 hours.

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Just another Tuesday night at the Walker Cafe

Broiled Lemon Salmon served over Bow Tie Pasta with Pine Nuts

For the salmon (serves 3-4)

  • 3-4 1/2 pound portions of salmon
  • 1 lemon sliced very thin
  • garlic powder
  • dill weed

Place salmon skin side down on a lightly oiled baking pan. Sprinkle with garlic powder,  cover with lemon slices and sprinkle with dill weed. Broil for 10-15 minutes on a rack that is about 8″ below the broiler.

For the pasta

  • 1 pound bow tie pasta
  • 1/4 c. chopped parsley, or 1 kale or chard leaf, chopped
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt
  • 2/3 c. pine nuts

Toast the pine nuts by placing them in a non-greased pan over a medium heat. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until they are toasted. Remove from heat and pour into a ceramic bowl to cool.

Boil pasta until al dente, adding parsley or chopped greens to the water during the last minute. Drain. Add olive oil to pan along with garlic. Stir in pasta. Toss in the pine nuts. Salt to taste.

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Tomato Rosemary Soup

Tomato soup and quiche made a great dinner tonight. For a flavorful soup, splurge on some good quality Italian canned tomatoes. After all, you’d easily spend that on a couple of cans of prepared tomato soup, right?

Tomato Rosemary Soup (serves 4)

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dry, crumbled)
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery, bay leaf and cloves in the olive oil for about 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft. Add the tomatoes, stock and rosemary. Heat slowly for about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the bay leaf. Serve in a cheerful red bowl with a sprig of rosemary as a garnish.

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French Toast on a Warm Plate, Topped with Plum Jam

Challah french toast topped with homemade plum jam.

My dad  will carefully touch a finger to his plate to see if it’s been heated. He’s not a complainer, but give him a cold dinner plate and you’ll hear about it with a soft murmur of “not hot.” His caregivers each have their own method for warming the plate. They put it in the oven or the microwave, or run it under hot water, and our boldest nurse places it directly over an open flame on the stove top so that when the eggs hit the plate they sizzle and continue to cook.

This morning I decided to heat everyone’s plates. I wanted everyone to enjoy their french toast piping hot, and to sit down together to eat. I kept a platter going in the oven, and put the plates all around.

My grandmother, Mollye, taught me how to make plum jam. If you’re not lucky enough to have homemade, go out and buy some plum jam. It’s fantastic on french toast.

French Toast (serves 4)

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 c. milk
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • butter for the pan
  • 8 slices bread (I use left-over challah)

Whisk up the eggs, and mix in the remaining ingredients. Melt 1-2 Tbs. butter in a large pan. When the butter is very hot, dip each slice of bread, first one side and then the other, and place immediately into the hot pan. Brown well on each side. Keep warm in oven, cover with a clean kitchen towel if the platter will be in the oven more than 10 minutes. Serve with lightly warmed plum jam.

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A Simple Stir Fry for Two

For adults only tonight.

Something unusual happened tonight. The rest of the family had already eaten or was out of the house, and I wound up making dinner for just me and Doug. Dinner for two adults! I was free to prepare something that we would enjoy, without going through the list of food “dislikes” which looks roughly like this:

  • Molly loves mushrooms but the boys hate them so if I use them I have to cut them large so the boys can pick them out.
  • Joe and Max love potatoes but Molly doesn’t care for them.
  • Macey won’t eat spicy food.
  • Max loves raw broccoli but not cooked.
  • Molly likes cooked broccoli but not raw.
  • One of the kids likes asparagus but I’m not sure who.

You get the idea.

But tonight, with the absolute freedom to create a meal for just me and Doug, I happily used the gorgeous purpley asparagus, half a box of mushrooms, plenty of sliced onions, and just enough of some left over steak to add a bit of salty chew, and created a simple grown-up stir fry for two.

Asparagus-Mushroom Stir Fry (with steak, tofu or chicken)

Saute 1/2 onion, sliced, in 2 Tbs. olive oil. Stir in 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces, and 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, a dash of salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Heat for about 5 minutes and then stir in about 1/2 cut of thinly sliced cooked steak (or chicken or tofu). Cook just until the meat is heated, and serve.