Thoughts and Quotes: Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountain, a torch flung to the trees. Faith Baldwin
CRISPY
CHICKEN CUTLETS
And Katie Sue and Jean took time to make a Halloween card for me, while I opted for ecards this year.
The Food
The Recipes
FLOATING ISLANDS DESSERT WITH BLUEBERRY SWIMMERS
Party Favors
I found cute sailing ship thermometers
Tasting: VECC met this week and Bev served a beautiful and scrumptious lunch.
VERY EXCLUSIVE
COOKING CLUB
October
25, 2018 at Bev’s
Table
MENU
Napa Cabbage Salad
Crispy Chicken Cutlets
Brown Rice Pilaf
Buttered Green Beans
Rhodes Artisan French Rolls
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Iced Tea
FOOD
THE
RECIPES
NAPA CABBAGE SALAD
1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3-5 green onions (depending on size), thinly sliced
1 pkg Ramen noodles, without flavor packet
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
Pound Ramen noodles to break apart. Brown them in the butter, then drain on paper
towels and let cool.
Mix dressing and set aside.
Mix cabbage with onions (and seeds, if using). Just before serving, toss with half the dressing. Add more dressing if desired.
Top with noodles and toss again.
3 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
2 tsps salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups panko
Vegetable oil for frying
For each cutlet: Place between two large pieces of plastic
wrap. Pound to 1/2” with a rubber mallet, rolling pin, or heavy skillet. Start
at the middle and work outward. Set aside.
Season each with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Beat eggs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a
shallow dish.
In a separate dish, mix panko, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp
pepper.
Dip each cutlet in egg (let the excess drip off); then
panko, pressing to adhere.
Fill a large heavy skillet with 1/2” of oil and heat over
medium high. Test that a pinch of panko sizzles immediately. Add two cutlets to
skillet and turning once, cook until golden brown and cooked through (about 3
minutes per side). Do not let oil get hot enough to smoke!
Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack and continue
cooking cutlets two at a time, adding oil to keep it at 1/2” depth.
Season with 1/2 tsp salt.
BROWN
RICE PILAF
1/2 cup uncooked brown
rice
2 tsps olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1 Tbs chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp minced fresh
rosemary
3/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Tossed slivered almonds
(optional)
Cook rice according to
package directions, omitting salt and fat.
While rice cooks, heat a
medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat.
Add onion, celery, and
carrot; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
Remove from heat and stir
in herbs and seasonings.
Add vegetable mixture to
rice and fluff with a fork. Garnish with almonds, if desired.
BREAD
PUDDING with WHISKEY SAUCE
1/2 loaf French bread
2 cups milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbs vanilla
2 tsps ground cinnamon
Whiskey Sauce (below)
Tear bread into small pieces (about 4 cups). Combine with
milk and walnuts and let stand, stirring often, 15 minutes or until bread is
softened.
Beat together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon;
stir into bread mixture until well blended.
Pour into a greased 8” square pan and bake 40-50 minutes
at 350°, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm
with sauce.
Whiskey Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs bourbon
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in water, then sugar and egg yolk.
Cook and stir over medium low heat for 5-6 minutes until
sugar dissolves and mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in bourbon.
PARTY
FAVORS
Time for Others: You must see Linda's Halloween cake she made for some group. She spends half her life in the kitchen, whipping up goodies for church, all kinds of groups, and friends' birthdays. Check out the full moon and bat on the lower left corner of the top. The black cats lined up on the sides are peeps. Who knew they existed?
And Katie Sue and Jean took time to make a Halloween card for me, while I opted for ecards this year.
Theme Dining: Remember the Sailing, sailing. . . dinner I've been working on so long it seems like my life's work?
Right after I posted the photos I'd taken so far, I decided to take a look on Craigslist. I know. I said I wouldn't go there anymore. I'm such a wimp. No will power. But look what I found!
8 dinner plates, 7 salad-dessert plates, 5 bowls, (no mugs) - $10
How could I refuse? But wait! There's more. I already have 4 mugs. I used them on the Beware the Jolly Roger tablescape.
What are the chances? I bought them at a thrift store, but they had only the mugs. So now that the table has more lighthouses than sailing ships, I'm changing the name to Coastal Cuisine.
Tasting: Steg and I had dinner at Texas Roadhouse this week. If you have one in your area, you must go. Order Roadkill with a baked potato and a Caesar salad. It comes with the softest rolls I've ever eaten. The Roadkill comes with onions, mushrooms, and Monterey Jack cheese, but I have them leave off the cheese. It's a steak place, so the hamburger patty is made with chopped steak, I'm sure. Are you ready for this? $10. That's cheaper than lunch most places. And I can only eat half, so it's basically $5 per meal. AND the kitties get tastes. Pepper likes the meat, Stormy likes the potato, and they both like the mushrooms.
Steg had a skewer of filet cutlets, mashed potatoes and green beans. Since I eat my meat well done, I always opt for the chopped beef. Steg said his meat was cooked to perfection and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Theme Dining: The redo of Sailing, sailing. . . now Coastal Cuisine.
The Invitation
The Table
The Food
The Recipes
NEW
ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
(Also called
Boston Clam Chowder)
1/4 lb lean salt pork,
diced (can use bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 6.5 oz cans minced clams
1 bottle clam juice
4 cups diced potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup whole (4%) milk
1-1/2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs flour (optional)
Fry pork in a large saucepan or kettle. Drain off all but
3 Tbs drippings.
Add onion and sauté five minutes.
Drain clams and measure liquid. Add enough clam juice for
2-1/4 cups.
Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and clam liquid to pan and
simmer until potatoes are tender.
Add clams, milk, cream, butter (mixed with flour, if
using), and reheat. DO NOT BOIL.
Serve with a few pieces of salt pork and a sprinkle of
paprika, if desired.
THOUSAND ISLAND
DRESSING
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbs white vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbs sweet pickle relish
1 Tbs minced onion
Whisk all ingredients
together and let chill at least one hour.
SALMON WITH RAINBOW SALSA
Bake the salmon with butter, salt and pepper. Serve with Rainbow Salsa
Rainbow Salsa
Finely chop whatever
fruits, herbs, and veggies you have in your refrigerator.
Be sure to add some zest
from a citrus fruit and salt.
Pictured is:
Cucumbers
Sweet Onions
Radishes
Oranges
Green Grapes
Parsley
Lemon Zest
Salt
RICE PILAF
1/4
cup butter
1/2
cup minced onion
1
cup raw rice
2
cups hot beef or chicken broth
Salt
and pepper
Toasted
sliced almonds for garnish, optional
Heat
butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add
onion and sauté until transparent.
Add
rice and toast briefly, stirring constantly.
Add
hot broth all at once.
Cover
and simmer over lowest heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally after first
ten minutes.
Garnish
with almonds.
Note: You may add
anything else you like: sautéed celery, mushrooms, herbs, etc.
COPYCAT RED
LOBSTER BISCUITS
2 cups
baking mix (I use Bisquick)
1/2 cup
shredded Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup
milk
1/4 cup
butter, melted
1/4 tsp
garlic powder
Minced
parsley, optional
Heat oven
to 450°.
Mix
Bisquick and cheese.
Add milk
and stir until a soft ball forms.
Turn out
on a floured surface and flip to cover both sides with flour.
Roll out to
about 1” thick and cut with desired size biscuit cutter.
Place on
ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.
OR simply
drop by large tablespoons onto baking sheet and bake.
Melt
butter and add garlic powder (and parsley if using). Brush tops of biscuits while
still on the baking sheet.
FLOATING ISLANDS DESSERT WITH BLUEBERRY SWIMMERS
Custard:
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups scalded milk
1 tsp vanilla
Islands:
4 egg whites
8 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups milk
In the top of a double boiler,
whisk the egg yolks and add the sugar gradually, whisking all the time. Slowly
whisk in the scalded milk.
Cook over simmering water,
stirring constantly. Continue cooking until the custard will coat the back of
your spoon without sliding off.
Remove from heat and stir in
the vanilla.
Put in serving dish(es) and
cover with plastic film to prevent a skin from forming.
Beat the egg whites until soft
peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat in
vanilla.
Heat the milk in a large
skillet over moderate-low heat until heated, but not simmering. Drop palm-sized
islands of meringue onto the milk and poach 3 minutes; with a large slotted
spoon turn and poach the other side 3 minutes.
Drain islands and refrigerate
until serving time. Float islands on custard.
Pictured is Floating Islands
Dessert with Blueberry Swimmers
SURF
WATER
4
Tbs water
4
Tbs sugar
24
oz lemon-lime soda (7-Up or Sprite)
1-1/4
tsps coconut extract
3/4
tsp pineapple extract
Blue
food coloring
Mix
sugar and water in a small microwave proof bowl. Heat 45-60 seconds to dissolve
sugar.
Mix
with soda in a pitcher.
Add
flavorings and color.
Chill
thoroughly and serve over ice.
Party Favors
I found cute sailing ship thermometers
And now I have only one more lunch to redo before my library talk next month.
When I get a chance, I'll make a new invitation with a lighthouse. Too busy right now.
Do you think I should change this to the ALL FOOD BLOG?
The Pepper and Pals Report: Nothing new here. Pepper got his feline distemper shot, and he'd gained a half pound. He's such a good kitty when we go to the vet. He doesn't let out a peep in the car. And he only hisses at the doctor when he thinks he's been poked and prodded enough.
Stormy continues the destruction of her new mousie. I still have to rescue her once in awhile if she scratches too long in the potty box, and Pepper corners her behind the toilet stool.
Time to start getting things ready for winter for the outdoor kitties. They're too big for the carriers this year, so will make their nests in plastic tubs and/or cardboard boxes. Thankfully, they're willing to come into the screened patio if I leave the door ajar. That way they have walls on two sides, half walls on two sides, and a roof. They're not totally exposed to the elements.
Speaking of kitties, it's time for the dinner.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
CALL A FRIEND
EAT YOUR APPLES
AND PEARS
UNHOOK YOUR HOSES
AND CLOSE YOUR VENTS
DON'T EAT TOO MUCH HALLOWEEN CANDY
THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE
My goodness what are the chances of finding all those pieces at the thrift shop for such a bargain price, making an amazing difference to the redo. Love the favours, just perfect.
ReplyDeleteTo me the most amazing part was that I found the dishes before I'd taken the table apart and put everything away, possibly disposing of some of the items. I call it Divine Order.
DeleteOh boy, I need that last piece of advice! Always a guessing game here...how much to buy. Don't want tons left but certainly don't want to be without either. Like the new coastal cuisine set up. And Texas Roadhouse has the best rolls, we have one up here but I haven't been in a while. Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI live in a subdivision which is set up so that you can do the whole thing without backtracking; even mom or dad following in the car, never has to turn around. So I get lots of little goblins, usually around 160-170. I bought 200 pieces, and if it's getting near time to shut down and I have candy left, I start giving two instead of one. Love seeing the costumes.Kitties won't be happy. Stormy is an escape artist and I don't want her to get out, panic with all the kids running around, and run in front of a car. They're going to be shut up in the guest room. It's at the front of the house, so maybe they'll enjoy watching out the window. I didn't turn my light on last year (when I got Stormy), and I missed seeing the kids.
DeleteAlways so nice to hear from you. Happy Halloween