Ice Cream Social on the Coldest Day of the Year!

Today my friend Sue and I went to an ice cream party.  Usually ice cream parties are associated with summer and swimming and sunshine.  Well, we had the sunshine today, despite the fact that it might be the coldest day of the winter so far.

This was a special occasion, and what happier way to celebrate than with ice cream?  This party was planned to ring in a new year of hope and health for our friends Tricia and Mike.  Both in their forties, Mike was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year.  His wife Tricia and their three very young children had a lot to cope with.  Not long after getting the news, Tricia was diagnosed with uterine cancer, and this is on top of a dangerous and degenerative heart condition that was diagnosed during her first pregnancy.  Needless to say, these two have had enough to deal with.  So they decided to have a  party.  I didn't know what to expect as we walked in to the familiar surroundings of their warm and friendly home.  Mike greeted us with a huge smile on his face, a warm hug and kiss, and happiness in his eyes.  Tricia just wrapped her arms around each of us and held on, saying how good it was to see us.  We haven't visited in a while, party because we wanted to give them their space, and perhaps partly because we weren't sure what to do.  That's not the case any longer.  We won't stay away.  Sue and I both realized when we entered that house, so full of happy life,  that it's been too long, that we need to see them more, and often.  Sue and I always visit together; the kids think of us as "Sue and Jeannie."  The kids were happy to see us, too, and we vow not to wait so long to visit again.

On this frigid day, they had every kind of ice cream in open coolers.  Hot fudge filled a crock pot.  There was butterscotch, caramel, all kinds of sprinkles, and a cooler labeled in a child's printing, "wipped cream."  Each container had a hand-printed label, adorably made by either Aiden (1st grade) or Lindsey (3rd grade).  Kids and adults made their own individual sundaes.  All I could think of, as friends and relatives filled this house, is how beautifully happy and content this family is.  That is not to say that they don't have a lot to feel sad about, or to fear, or even to be bitter about, but that's not how they operate. These are two of the most positive people I've ever known, and today, they were joyful.  Happiness and gratitude exuded from both Mike and Tricia.  Their children were gleeful.  There was no sign of sickness or sadness.

I am so glad that we were invited to share in such a day of happiness.  And though I don't wear my religion on my sleeve,  I sincerely thank God that my friends are OK.  They're better than OK.  They are fantastic and looking forward, together.

Photo credit: http://friendsboston.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/ice-cream1.jpg

"Night Before" pancakes, light and fluffy, and just in time for the weekend!

The Night Before Pancake Batter

If you love home-made pancakes and want to try your hand at making your own without the help of the boxed mix, give these a try.  I researched a number of recipes and took the best from each.  An especially helpful tip:  I had heard that allowing the batter to sit overnight really improved the next morning's pancake, and it is because air bubbles are allowed to form over time. Careful scooping of the batter the next morning keeps those air bubbles intact, and the result is a light, fluffy pancake.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

•    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , or a combination of AP and whole wheat flour
•    1 tablespoon baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    ¼ cup granulated sugar
•    1 1/4 cups milk
•    1 egg
•    3 tablespoons butter, melted
•    1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

The night before serving:  In a large bowl, *sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth. 

*If you don’t have a sifter, shake the flour through a strainer.  This incorporates air and keeps the pancakes fluffy.

Important:  Cover bowl with wrap and let this mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight. This allows more air bubbles to form, insuring a light and fluffy pancake.

Next morning:  Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat, or spray a griddle pan with non-stick spray. Without stirring (which would deflate the air bubbles), scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.  (You can use a ¼ c. (or larger) measuring cup.  I use a levered ice cream scoop).  Brown on both sides and serve hot.

You can embellish these any way you like, by adding blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. to the pancake batter on the griddle, just before turning it over to brown on the second side. 

Photo credit: http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Brock/pancakes.jpg

You say goulash, I say Beef-A-Roni!

One of my mother's favorite meals to prepare was a goulash-like concoction that we called Beef-A-Roni, named for the commercial Chef-Boy-Ardee version that inspired her home-made recipe.  My mother used Muller's elbow macaroni, Ragu traditonal spaghetti sauce, ground beef, and a couple of bay leaves.  She browned the ground beef in a large skillet and broke it up finely with a wooden spoon.  Excess fat was drained off.  Spaghetti sauce and bay leaves were stirred in and allowed to simmer for a while, maybe twenty minutes, during which time the elbow macaroni was cooking.  I remember adding the  macaroni to the beef mixture.  I'd take my mother's slotted spoon and scoop out the macaroni, one spoonful at a time, letting it drain over the pot.  I'd artfully arrange the spoonfuls of macaroni in a pattern over the beef and sauce, and then carefully turn over the sauce with the macaroni until it was all incorporated.  That all  hung out over low heat for about another ten or fifteen minutes, and there we were:  dinner for nine from one large skillet!  With Italian bread and butter, and a salad of iceberg lettuce and Good Seasons Italian Dressing, it was a perfect meal!

If I were to make it today, I wouldn't change much.  I'd use a different sauce, maybe Bertoli, and add mushrooms, but I wouldn't want to make it too different.  There's something sacred about replicating Mom's recipes, especially when she didn't have many!  Change it up too much, and you have something entirely different.  I wouldn't want to do that!

Photo image: http://www.livingonadime.com/images/hamburgcass.jpg

Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings

With football comes hot wings, and we're right there, season-wise!  The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and people can't get enough of these savory, saucy treats.  Most are deep-fried, but not this recipe from Alton Brown.  Reviewers RAVED about this recipe (check out reviews at TFN site, linked below).

Alton Brown is the culinary scientist of The Food Network.  Sometimes his processes are more than the average cook or kitchen are equipped for, but reviews of these hot wings say they're easy - just take a little time.  The wings are steamed and then baked at a high heat for a while, and the result is a crispy wing that most would mistake for deep-fried.

I rarely eat wings - maybe once in a while out with my sisters, at Gaffney's in Saratoga Springs, or I'll make my own "mock" version with chicken tenders at home (quick and delish), but I love them.  A little celery and the cool creaminess of blue cheese dressing, and I'm a happy winger.  

Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

• 12 whole chicken wings (about 3 pounds)
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• Kosher salt

Directions

Place a 6-quart saucepan, with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Use kitchen shears or a knife to separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings in the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry.

Lay out the wings on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to dry, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the paper towels on the pan and replace with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven, about 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl with the garlic. Pour this along with the hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine. Remove the wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

Photograph by Con Poulos, credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/alton-browns-buffalo-wings-recipe/index.html

Giada DeLaurentis's Chicken Piccata

CHICKEN PICCATA

Chicken Piccata is one of those dishes I love to order out. I've had it at Pennell's in Saratoga Springs (the best) and even at Olive Garden (pretty good!).  I never make it at home because I don't keep capers in my pantry, and for some reason in the winter I don't always have lemons (though in the summer it seems I buy three at a time, every week).

This recipe is listed as "EASY" on The Food Network Web site. With capers, some chicken stock, and fresh lemons, you can transform that same old boneless chicken breast into something worth staying in for! Serve it with asparagus spears and some of those pretty little red potatoes with just the middle peeled, and you've just created a very elegant dinner!

Recipe courtesy of The Food Netowrk's Giada DeLaurentis
4 servings

Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Photo and original recipe found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_22319_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Mocha Mudslides Milkshake Cocktails (or mocktails)

I was looking through the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook that my friend Kristin so generously gave me last year (!) to find something a little less calorie-laden to offer you today.  Looking at cookbooks when you're hungry can be dangerous (though not as dangerous as grocery shopping when you're hungry). All I've had so far today is an egg sandwich, and I'm thinking "What would I go for right now?"  It's mid-afternoon as I write this, and I'm finding myself craving a good cold beverage with a little bit of oomph.  I found this Mocha Mudslide recipe right there on page 106.  It does contain alcohol in the form of Kahlua, so if you don't want to imbibe, substitute cold coffee for the liqueur. 




Mocha Mudslides

2 cups low-fat chocolate ice cream, softened
1/2 cup 1% low-fat chocolate milk
1/4 cup Kahlua (coffee flavored liqueur) (or cold coffee for alcohol-free)
1 tablespoon grated semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir with a wire whisk just until blended.  Serve immediately.  Makes four 1/2-cup servings or two once-cup servings.

Photo credit: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2681296990_3f7fea18a6_m.jpg

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins

Here's a muffin that can serve as an indulgent breakfast treat or dessert. My inspiration is a memory from a trip my ex-husband and I took to Rockport, Massachusetts to celebrate our anniversary. We stayed at a little sea-side bed-and-breakfast and as we were unpacking our car, the aroma of chocolate wafted from the B&B. When we checked in, I asked the innkeeper what that incredible aroma was. She said it was sour cream chocolate chip coffee cake for the next morning's breakfast.

So often after a divorce, good memories are put away and only the more difficult moments are remembered. Not so here. I have very happy memories of our time in Rockport. It is a beautiful place. The shops were lovely, and the restaurants were great. I remember bringing back lobster lollipops for the kids. Here's my recipe for Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins, a tribute to that happy time.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SOUR CREAM MUFFINS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F -makes 1 dozen regular-sized muffins

1/4 cup soft butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips tossed with 1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons additional sugar, mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon

Beat softened butter with sugar for five minutes (yes). Add vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add sour cream. Beat well.

Mix flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until very well mixed together. Fold in chocolate chips.

Line muffin cups with paper liners. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes or until centers are dry and spring back when lightly pressed.

Enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or no reason!!!

Photo credit:http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519E0J8BHEL._SL500_AA280_.jpg