Cashew Chicken

So for lil' sis' encore performance we decided to work our way through Ms. Martha's cookbook which gives lots of options for the chicken eaters among us, especially those with minimal kitchen skills. I am particularly in love with the cashews in this, which give it a bit more of a dynamic texture when it could have fallen short.

Cashew Chicken

From: Everyday Food
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
fresh ground salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3/4 cup raw cashews, toasted

Toast Cashews: Spread them on a baking sheet, and cook in an oven heated to 350 degrees until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet along with the garlic and white parts of scallions. Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return first batch of chicken to pan. Add vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in scallion greens and cashews. Serve immediately over white rice, if desired.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling

Trick or Treat!! I had been thinking about making these pies again this fall, and almost let the season pass without them... That was, until me and the sis hit the mall yesterday and found a pumpkin shaped whoopie pie pan. Damn Crate and Barrel really gets you huh? These things are so good, I might have to make them again for Thanksgiving. But be forewarned, eating multiples happens before you know it.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling

From: Brown Eyed Baker

For the Whoopie Pies:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Or, if you're like me- bust out your brand spanking new whoopie pie pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.

To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving. **note: the whoopie pie pan made ginormous pies, so I cut them in half and put the filling in between instead of using two separate pies for the top and bottom.

Naked Tomato Sauce

When Smitten Kitchen posted this recipe a couple of months ago, I had just snagged a case of tomatoes from the farmers market and was looking for a way to dress up some pasta. Deb makes a case for shocking the tomatoes to skin them, but I roasted them and they came out beautifully. I leave it up to you, but DO NOT mess with the infused olive oil- it will change your life. It takes me right to Mr. Smith's favorite tomato pie joint in PA. Although the recipe looks a bit long, it is fairly easy, but a bit time consuming. Perfect for a weekend, but probably a bit much for a week night. Enjoy!

Naked Tomato Sauce
Adapted From: Smitten Kitchen

3 pound plum tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Small handful basil leaves, most left whole, a few slivered for garnish
1/4 cup olive oil
one box dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them cut side up in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until they are a bit wrinkled looking. Remove from oven and let them cool until you are able to work with them.

When they are cool enough, peel the skins off the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds with your fingertips into a small strainer set over a bowl. Ditch the seeds, reserve the juices. Crush the remaining tomato flesh with your hands and add them with the salt to a large saucepan (you’ll be adding the pasta to this later, so err on the big side) and turn the heat to medium-high.

Once the sauce has begun to boil, turn your heat down to medium-low and gently simmer your tomatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, mashing them more if needed. If they begin to look a little dry, add your strained and reserved tomato juices.

While the tomato sauce cooks, combine garlic, a few whole basil leaves, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small saucepan. Heat them slowly, over the lowest heat so that they take a long time to come to a simmer. Once it does, immediately remove it from the heat and strain the oil into a small dish.

When the tomato sauce has been simmering for about 25 minutes, pasta water to a boil with a healthy helping of salt. Once boiling rapidly, cook your spaghetti until it is al dente, i.e. it could use another minute of cooking time. Reserve a half-cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest.

Once your sauce is cooked to the consistency you like, stir in the reserved olive oil and adjust seasonings to taste. Add drained spaghetti and half the reserved pasta water to the simmering tomato sauce and cook them together for another minute or two. Add remaining pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in the butter, if using, and serve immediately with slivered basil for garnish.

Chicken Stir-fry Wraps

Soooo.... with the lil' sis' return to Beantown, the kitchen has become a bit of a laboratory. You see, the sis is not so lingual in all things culinary so we're taking the time to add some recipes to her repertoire. This one brings back memories of our mom and her stir fry's, can be whipped up in minutes, and includes delicious lettuce wraps.
Chicken Stir-fry Wraps
Adapted From: Everyday Food

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts chopped into half inch pieces

fresh ground salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 teaspoons grated, peeled, fresh ginger

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1.5 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

~12 lettuce leaves for wrapping the stir fry mixture in

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add half the chicken and cook through (about 4-5 minutes). Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat with remaining half of raw chicken.

When all the chicken has been cooked, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, along with the onion and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden and tender (about 4 minutes).

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (1 minute).

Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture and remove from the heat. Add the chicken back into the pan with any rendered juices and toss to coat.

Serve in the lettuce cups.

Apple Crisp

A couple of weeks ago I had a huge craving for apple crisp, and low and behold, it took me 5 cookbooks to find a recipe! What's up with that? So I'm keeping this goodie here, and sending lil' sis out for ice cream to top it off.

Apple Crisp
From: Heart of the Home

4-5 medium apples, peeled and sliced

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a small baking pan and place sliced apples in pan.

Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over the apples.

Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.

Serve topped with your favorite ice cream or heavy cream.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Now that the temperature has taken a dip below 70 here in Boston, I can turn my attention to my favorite season. Filled with pumpkin, squash, and apples, it almost makes me want to go back to school shopping, or maybe trick or treating..... whichever has more calories. This recipe has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years, and is usually made straight through until Memorial Day. Thanks for the recipe Annie!

Pumpkin Spice Granola
From: Annie's Eats
3 ½ cups rolled oats
2 ½ cups puffed rice cereal
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¾ tsp salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped nuts (walnuts)
1 cup dried fruit (cranberries)

Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine oats and puffed rice cereal. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until very smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated. Spread on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake for 30 minutes. Then turn over the granola using a large, wide spatula. Sprinkle the nuts onto the granola and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center may not be fully dried if your granola layer is thick, so if necessary remove the edges of the cooked granola and let the rest cook until done, 10-15 more minutes. (Until the granola is a bit dry. It will continue to dry our as it cools so be careful not to over bake.)
Break up granola as desired and toss with dried fruit. Store in an airtight container and serve with your favorite yogurt.

Val's Squash

We're always looking for new ways to use up summer squash here, and my sister has been raving about this recipe since our mom first made it for her. I had no idea what to expect, but was IN. LOVE. within 2 bites, and had a baguette in the oven within 4 bites (to soak up all of the veggie goodness). Now run to the farmers market and grab all the summer squash and zucchini you can, before the pumpkins take over!

Sauteed Summer Squash

From: Val's kitchen

2 tablespoon Olive oil

4 small squash, mix of summer and zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick (a mandolin may help)

2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 red onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4- 1/2 chili pepper, de-seeded and minced (I love spice so I go a bit heavier so I leave it up to you)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil over medium high heat and cook squash until tender (3-5 minutes). Add in tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, and chili pepper. Saute until everything is cooked through (5 minutes or so). Take off heat and add lime, cilantro, salt, pepper, and more cumin if needed.

Serve as a side dish, or heat up a baguette like I did and soak up all of the goodness!

Mignonette Sauce

So, the Fourth of July came around and Mrs. St.P decided to throw the bash. As you already may have already figured out, we are absolutely debaucherous when it comes to these things and had to order up a few dozen oysters to go with the lobsters. Thing is, it looks like I might have been the only one who knew how to wield a shucking knife.... Luckily, I managed to keep myself out of the ER and did my share of slurping down these lovelies with the mignonette I put together care of the Contessa.

Mignonette Sauce

From: Barefoot in Paris

2 shallots, minced

3/4 cup white wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh green herbs such as dill, parsley, and/ or chives

Place the shallots, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Cook uncovered for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the pepper and herbs and serve with raw oysters.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Hey All! Mr. Smith and I have been having some serious technical difficulty with our computer so I haven't been here in a bit. That mixed with some VERY bad recipes have not made for good postings. But never fear, baby sis and her trusty laptop have me back up and running with recipes that actually did work out. So without further delay, I present you with rhubarb crumb bars. I never quite knew what to do with these unappealing stalks at the farmers market, but I came across this recipe and figured I would give it a try. I now realize that the trick to making them pink, beautiful, and tasty is sugar, lots of it, which take the stalks from hard, green, couldn't possibly be good... to me eating a whole batch.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars
From: Everyday Food, May 2009

For the streusel:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room temperature butter for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

1/2 cup packed light- brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cake:

1/2 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon light- brown sugar

1 cup all- purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter an 8" square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.

Make streusel: whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make cake: in a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy: beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.

Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45- 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan and cut into bars.

Strawberry Summer Cake

As a kid, one of my favorite memories is "helping" my mother make ice cream with the old crank ice cream maker complete with dry ice. I sat on top of the thing and my mom would crank that handle for what seemed like days (to her it probably felt like a month). Strawberry was my favorite flavor of course and O.M.G.- this cake is going to be the death of me. I've already made it once and am waiting for the second one to come out of the oven. Eaten warm with the super sweet berries or late at night cold from the counter- either way your bound to want to go find Deb in NYC and kiss her for sending this recipe along.



Strawberry Summer Cake
From: Smitten Kitchen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform or cake pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered.

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

Hey there! I'm still here... doing a bit of rescheduling in our lives, but I hope to be back in the kitchen more often now. Now on to the good stuff...
The very first thing I ever baked was a batch of brownies for my Mofa many moons ago, so they hold quite a bit of nostalgia for me. But the melting chocolate, or worse yet- using the cocoa packets that have already softened, adds one too many pans for my patience. But low and behold- a recipe that is quick and amazing delicious. Browned butter adds a nice nutty component and keeps them soft and chewy. Enjoy!


Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts
From: Bon Appetit, February 2011
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies.
*Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Cinnamon- Oat Pancakes

So, with Mr. Smith and I's new schedule, we seem to be making a lot less dinner at home and a whole lot more breakfasts. Since we have also been doing a little bit of traveling, I have also neglected any and all grocery shopping over the last couple of months. So when we ran down to our last two eggs last week my mind jumped right to pancakes, but guess what... almost all of the recipes I have call for buttermilk, and if I don't groceries, I sure as hell don't have buttermilk. Seriously- who keeps that around? After checking out some magazines that my neighbor gifted me, I found this recipe that saved the day, and has become a favorite here as well.

Cinnamon- Oat Pancakes
From: Everyday Food, May 2009
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for skillet
In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and 1 cup oats and pulse a few times to coarsely grind oats. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and oil. Add dry ingredients and 1 cup oats and whisk just until moistened.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium. Lightly oil skillet. Using 2 to 3 tablespoons for each pancake, drop batter in skillet and cook until a few bubbles have burst, 1-2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until browned on undersides, 1-2 minutes more. Repeat with more oil and batter until all batter is used.
*To freeze, cool pancakes on a wire rack, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer pancakes to a resealable plastic bag and store in the freezer up to 3 months.

Wish you were here....

Snow days- Miami Style

So with all of the snow we've been getting here- I got outta dodge last week for some QT with the sis on the other end of Route 95. Now if only these pictures had enough heat to melt the snow banks in front of our house....

Cauliflower Gratin

After much needed practice, last night I was psyched to have one of my first dinner guests' in the new digs! My favorite photographer type person came over to catch up on gossip and enjoy some tasty morsels, and I was more than happy to oblige. I had just read all about cutting down on meat in our meals, but with homemade pizza, risotto and this side, it looks like I missed the boat on no carbs. Oh well... there's enough time in 2011 to catch up- right?


Cauliflower Gratin
From: Barefoot in Paris
1 (3 pound) head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
Salt- kosher or sea salt preferred
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all- purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Pre- heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-6 minute, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter- flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup Gruyere, and the Parmesan cheese.
Pour one-third of the sauce on the bottom of a 8x11x2 inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*This recipe is easily halved for a smaller party.
**This dish can also be made and assembled in advance (up to one day). Hold off on the topping until ready to cook.

Maple- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This past week had me thinking a lot about family and how much they mean to us here. We have a couple of people close to us that are not feeling 100% so I headed into the kitchen to whip up some meals for them so they can use all their time getting better and Mr. Smith headed out onto the ice to show one of our favorite little guys how to skate:

This soup is the perfect thing to warm your bones whether your just off the ice or resting up.

Maple- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
From: Cooking with Shelburne Farms

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 coarse kosher salt plus more to taste
2 tablespoons creme fraiche, or heavy cream
2-3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the squash lengthwise down the middle. Scoop out the seeds. An ice cream scoop or serrated grapefruit spoon works well for this task.
Place the squash halves, flesh side up, in a 9 by 13- inch baking dish. Put a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of maple syrup in each cavity. Sprinkle each half with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the squash is very soft. Cool just until the squash can be handled.
Carefully pour any liquid from the squash cavities into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a blender and then scoop all the flesh into the food processor. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, remaining tablespoon of maple syrup, remaining teaspoon of salt and creme fraiche (or heavy cream). Puree until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary.
Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan, whisk in about 2 cups stock to start, and heat through over medium heat. Thin with additional stock and adjust seasoning to taste. Swirl nutmeg and cinnamon into soup as needed.

Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

Back when Mr. Smith and I were working on getting hitched, we registered for all types of necessities. You know- wine glasses (check), sheets (check), towels (check)... and what do we have here? oh yeah... the fry daddy type thingy that Mr. Smith needed.

You know, since married life was certain to bring buffalo wings and french fries. Well, as you can see, I broke down in the blizzard this week and took that bad boy out. You can also see the glass of wine that helped coax that decision....
This was actually not as painful and messy as I thought, so I fear there will be more wing type challenges ahead.

Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce
From: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes- 2 *
1 cup Frank's cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine all ingredients except egg yolk, water, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and allow it to cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
While the sauce cools, vigorously whisk egg yolk with water in a medium bowl for 2 minutes or until color is pale yellow. Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved.
When cooled, drizzle the hot sauce mixture into the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream while rapidly whisking. Cover the sauce and chill until needed.
Cook 20-30 wings according to your fryers directions. Ours is 350 degrees for 12 minutes (cooked in batches). Put the cooked wings in a plastic container with a lid along with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sauce and give a good shake to cover chicken.
Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery/ carrot sticks.
Enjoy!
*Note: This book makes me laugh- they actually had to have two volumes of this? and they're so top secret that they sell it at TJMaxx? Killing me....

Italian Meatballs

I know several people who can jump into the kitchen and whip together a batch of meatballs in their sleep- no recipe, no problem. I, on the other hand, need the recipe, a tutorial, pictures, yada yada... I know there's an egg, meat, and breadcrumbs maybe? How big should they be? How long should I cook them?

Alice Waters to the rescue again! I love the way she writes a recipe- absolutely foolproof. This recipe rocks my world and produces gorgeous specimens that rival the best (sans Mrs. St.P's).

Italian Meatballs
From: The Art of Simple Food
Season:
1 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork shoulder*
with:
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
In a small bowl combine:
1 cup torn-up pieces of torn up, day old bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup milk
Set aside to soften. Grate, using the large holed side of a box grater:
1 small onion, peeled
This will make a sort of rough puree that will add moisture and flavor to the meatballs. Squeeze most of the milk out of the bread and put the bread in a large mixing bowl with the seasoned meat and the grated onion. Add:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
Fresh- ground black pepper
Combine the ingredients with your hands, gently but thoroughly. Overworking the mixture makes the meatballs tough. The mixture will be soft. Gently form the mixture into meatballs, either with your hands or a small ice cream scoop. If you make them Alice's size she recommends the size of ping pong balls and cook for about 6 minutes. I like them a bit bigger and cook them from 15- 20 minutes (I get about a dozen out of this recipe). Bake them on a rimmed baking sheet in a 450 degree oven**, or alternately in a frying pan on the stove top.

*If you don't have pork shoulder, alternately use 1 pound of meatball mix (ground veal, pork, and beef)
**I also add in a large can of whole tomatoes (and their juice), a couple fresh sprigs of rosemary, and 3 whole garlic cloves (peeled) over the balls before they go into the oven. It can sometimes save me from making a sauce, and helps impart a little extra flavor.

The Blue Moon

I hope the New Year is treating you all well!
I, on the other hand, am trying to get my mojo going here in our new digs. After trying to learn how to use a knife again I am going back to work on things I know like this and this. I have not, however, forgotten how to shake a cocktail, so I broke into a bottle of Creme Yvette that was gifted to me and has been calling my name.

The Blue Moon
Variation by Cooper Spirits
1 1/2 parts gin
3/4 part Creme Yvette
1/2 part fresh lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.