What I love, What I do, (from the Kitchen): April 2010

Friday, April 9, 2010

Dungeness Crab

Aloha

One of the treasures from the Pacific Ocean, particularly the Pacific Northwest, is Dungeness Crab. Here in Honolulu we found that in Chinatown they have tanks of live Dungeness crabs. So we decided that it sounded good and rode the bus to get a fresh one.

It has been a long time since we cooked a live crab.

It's funny after "Gourmet Guy" put him in the boiling water I thought of the scene from "Julie and Julia" where she puts the lobster into the boiling water and screams when the lid comes flying off of the pan. I couldn't watch!

It quickly turns the bright red color that you see in restaurants or stores. (This is the point where we usually buy it. We have crab for Christmas dinner as a family and by the crab from Costco because it is cooked and frozen before shipping. Our favorite thing is to buy it along the Oregon Coastline.)

"Gourmet Guy" pulled the crab out and then proceeded to clean it and get it ready to crack and eat.

The crab is so sweet and with melted butter it is delectable.

A gourmet meal for a lot less cost

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Corn Bread just got better!

Corn Bread

1 c. melted butter or margarine
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 eggs
(combine and mix well)

2 c. buttermilk
1 t. soda
(add to the above mixture)

2 c. cornmeal
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
(add the dry ingredients to the total mixture)

Bake in greased 9x13 pan in 350 oven for 35 mins.

This is such a good recipe it has been one of my favorites for years. I even make it in a mix to store. I use the powdered buttermilk and love it. For Easter we had a ham and have lot's of leftovers since it was just my "Gourmet Guy" and me so I made Ham and Beans (already posted) with the ham bone and some of the ham, yum! I love to serve Corn Bread with this and as I proceeded to do so once again realized I miss my well stocked kitchen at home... and once again had to catch the bus and head to the store to purchase baking powder and a few other fresh items. I started to make a half batch and realized I should have checked the sugar in the cupboard before I left, when I measured it out there was only a half a cup and no buttermilk So I punted, I put some vinegar in milk to substitute for the buttermilk and added a little brown sugar to the granulated and mixed it together hoping it would turn out. After placing in a baking pan I realized that I had forgot to put the salt in, oops. After cutting into the bread and taking a bite it was so good, perhaps the best Corn Bread I have ever made personally.

So here is my adapted recipe, it could have been a failure but luckily it turned out great.

1/2 c. butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1-2 T. brown sugar

1 c. milk, with 1 t. cider vinegar added

1 t. soda

1 c. flour

1 c. corn meal

Combine all ingredients and bake in a greased 9 x 9 x 2 baking pan at 350 for 35 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup or honey (alas I didn't have honey in my cupboard either!)

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The Pantry

The pantry can be a life saver if it is well stocked and can help when you just don't know what to fix for dinner.

As I have made meals over the years I have stocked up on things that are common in my recipes so all I have to do is shop from my shelves. It is easy to come up with things quickly when you have supplies on hand. It may seem like a lot to have on hand but these are some of my pantry/storage staples and if you build slowly it isn't oppresive to purchase. Watch the ads and sales in your local stores.

Canned/Storage:
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
chicken broth
beef broth
tuna
chicken
corn
olives
beans- kidney. canellini, black, refried
dried beans, red, white, pinto, split peas
creamed soups, mushroom. chicken. celery
tomato soup
bean with bacon soup
rice
flour
sugar
favorite spices
variety of pasta's
peanut butter

Freezer:
chicken breasts
bone in hams
chuck roasts pork roasts
pork chops
lean ground beef
ground turkey
Itailian sausage
vegetables

Refrigerator:
milk
eggs
butter
Tillamook cheddar cheese
Lowfat mozerella cheese
sour cream
cream cheese
mayonnaise
miracle whip
ketchup
mustard
half and half
cucumber
lettuce
celery
carrots
apples
limes

Pantry Shelf:
onions
avocados
tomatoes
garlic
potatoes, red and Idaho russet

Home Canned Items: (I love to can!)
tomatoes
chicken breasts
green beans
salsa
chile sauce

Favorite From the Pantry Recipes

Lauri's Italian Sauce

3 bottles whole tomatoes (4cans approx. 1 lb size)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 8 oz. cans mushrooms

3 T. dried Oregano
3 T. dried Marjoram
3 T. dried Basil
1 ½ T. dried Thyme
T. Fennel (optional)
dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic sauté them in olive oil until transparent and then add the remaining ingredients)

Combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer on low heat until thickened. (I usually simmer it for several hours)

Meat Sauce

4 lbs, lean ground beef
2 chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add to the marinara sauce and simmer.

Sour Cream Enchilladas

Mix
4 lb. hamburger
2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, grated or chopped
1 or 2 green pepper chopped
2 T. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt

Brown beef and drain, add prepared vegetables. Cook until tender and drain, cool.*

Add to hamburger mixture
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 oz. can green chili's chopped (more if you want a little more spice)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. milk
Monterey jack and cheddar cheese grated (to your taste)
corn tortillas

Fill corn tortillas with meat mixture. Place seam down in a 9x13 baking pan. Layer with sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 mins. This can also be served lasagna style in a casserole dish. This saves time rolling the enchiladas. It just depends on how you want the dish to look on the plates.

*This meat mixture is great to use for other things as well, it can be used to make sloppy joes, tacos, or with other ground beef recipes. It is a great way to add more vegetables to meals with out children or picky eaters even knowing. Just freeze into portions in a zippered bag and thaw when you need a quick meal.

Tips

Always fill your sink with hot soapy water and wash as you go. This helps to keep the mess under control. (I love to cook to I really hate to clean up after!)

When you fix rice for a meal make extra and freeze some of it in a zipper bag. With this premeasured rice it is easy to do a quick thaw and serve or add to other ingredients for a quick and easy meal.

Post a shopping list where you can find it, when you run out of something simply write it down and teach your family to do the same. You are less likely to be caught off guard when you are making your favorite dish.

Make a menu and include your shopping list. You spend less time in the store when you have a plan. When you make more trips to the store you simply spend more money. Having worked with a large grocery chain I learned some of the tricks used to get you to buy more. Be prepared when you go!

Shop the Ads. Make your menu out with the ad and use the shopping list. Most people don't have time to run from store to store getting the best deal on just a few things. When you compare and find the best prices it saves you time, money, and gas.

When making dishes like lasagna, manicotti, chicken pot pie, and many casseroles make two at the same time and freeze the second one for rainy day or a sick friend. It takes little effort to make the extra and it can be a big bonus in your freezer.

Tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator but on your counter top. The cold causes them to break down and turn mushy.

If you need to ripen your avacados faster place them in a small paper bag with a banana or apple. The gas that they put off causes the avacado to ripen faster.

Don't store onion and garlic together because the garlic goes bad faster from the gas emitted from the onions,

Applesauce Spice Cake

2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 c. thick unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 t. cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 t. salt
8 t. baking powder (that's right)
3 c. flour
1 c. nuts chopped (optional)

Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs. Mix dry ingredients and combine both mixes. Spread on to a sheet cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

½ c. plus 2 T. butter
5 c. powdered sugar
2½ t. Mapleline flavoring
3 T. milk

Soften butter and combine with remaining ingredients, spread on top of cake.

This is good to take to Pot Luck dinners or large gatherings. I would also freeze leftover cake in individual servings for my kids after school or when they needed a quick, small snack.

Zucchini Blues

Took it for granted
When it was planted
That I had just enough

Now during my days
I'm trying new ways
To use up all this stuff

My basement is crammed
It's been jellied and jammed
Make into bread and cake

It's been chopped and sliced
And grated and diced...
There's nothing else to make!

I've baked it and planned it
Boiled and canned it
And frozen all I need

I have had my fill
There's too much... and still
It's growing like a weed.

(After going away for a week I came home to find six zucchini that were bat size in the garden. Seems like the kids didn't look as hard as they said they did! So I thought of this poem. Anyone need some Zucchini?)