clementine chicken

This one takes awhile, but it's worth it.

1 6lb. roasting chicken
6 clementines
6 sprigs of rosemary
4 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup honey
salt and pepper

Cut three of the clementines in half and stuff them inside the chicken, along with the rosemary and the garlic. Put the chicken in a roasting pan, or on a roasting rack, and rub with the olive oil. Cut the other three clementines and squeeze the juice over the top of the chicken, then put the oranges in the bottom of the roaster. Pour the wine over the top of the bird and then the honey; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a 425 degree oven for twenty minutes, then add

1/2 cup chicken stock

and cover, using either the lid to the roaster or aluminum foil. Lower the oven temperature to 375 and cook for 40 minutes. Add another

1/2 cup chicken stock

and cook for another 45-50 minutes, until you get a reading of 165 degrees with a meat thermometer stuck in the inner thigh. Put the chicken on a platter and let it rest 10-15 minutes. Remove the clementines and pour the pan juices into a clear measuring cup; skim off the fat and pour the juices into a large saute pan; turn on high heat and reduce by half. Cut the chicken and top with the pan sauce to serve.

I added some small red bliss potatoes (tossed in oil, salt, and pepper) when I added the last of the stock and let them finish cooking with the chicken. They were awesome. I got the basic idea for the recipe here.

Peace,
Milton

smokin' sweet potato pie

Finding a great sweet potato pie recipe is one of those "Holy Grail" kind of searches for me. Here is my latest discovery, and it's pretty good.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 prepared pie crust

Line a nine in pie plate with crust, crimping the edges. Line the bottom with foil and pie weights (I use pocket change) and bake for about ten minutes. Set aside to cool.

2 cups sweet potatoes (two medium sized potatoes)

Peel the potatoes and boil them until they are soft. Drain them and pour them into a food processor. While they are still hot, add

2 tablespoons butter

and blend. In a separate bowl, whisk together

3 large eggs, plus two yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

then add

3 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla

and finally whisk in

2/3 cup milk

Slowly add milk mixture to sweet potatoes in food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

in the bottom of the baked pie shell and then pour the sweet potato mixture on top. Bake for about forty-five minutes, until center jiggles only slightly when shaken. Cool at room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

spirited brown sugar pecan pie

I’ve tried a lot of pecan pie recipes and this is undoubtedly my favorite, first, for using brown sugar instead of corn syrup and, second, for the touch of Scotch in the mix. A little Scotch in a glass goes pretty well with the pie when you serve it, as well.
I must also give credit: I found the recipe here.

1 refrigerated pie crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line nine inch pie plate with dough and crimp the edges. Whisk together

2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Scotch whiskey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Then mix in

2 cups pecan halves

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake pie until filling is slightly puffed and set in center, about 40 minutes. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

blueberry pie

This recipe is adapted from one I found here.

1 package refrigerated pie crusts

Put one crust in the bottom of a nine inch pie plate; set the other aside.

5 cups blueberries (fresh, when in season; if using frozen, make sure they are thawed and drained well)
lemon juice

Sprinkle berries with lemon juice and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

and then add to blueberries. Pour the whole mixture into the prepared pie shell and dot with

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Put the second crust on top of the pie and seal the edges of the two crusts together, folding them over to make the rim and crimping it. Cut slits in the top of the crust to allow the steam to escape during baking.

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar

Brush the top of the pie with the egg and then sprinkle the sugar over it. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

Peace,
Milton

awesome pumpkin pie

One of my favorite recipe sites is Smitten Kitchen. This recipe is one I found at her site and changed a bit.

1 pie crust

I would love to tell you I make my own crust every time. This Thanksgiving (or Pie-a-palooza, as we call it at our house), I used the Pillsbury crusts, but if you are using your own, roll out dough on generously floured work surface to make a circle about 1/8-inch thick and big enough to leave at least 1-inch overhang all around pie plate. Press the dough into the bottom of the plate and then fold the overhang under to create the crust around the top. Work around the plate, crimping the crust with your fingers to give it the fluted look; refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or pennies and bake it on a rimmed baking sheet for fifteen minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake it another five minutes or so, until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove the plate and baking sheet from oven.

Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees.

While the pie shell is baking, whisk together

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (I used 2 cups of half and half instead of one cup each of cream and milk)
3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (it enhances the pumpkin taste)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon table salt

cook over medium heat until it begins to sputter, stirring consistently and mashing the yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, which will take ten or twelve minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream mixture slowly, until it is fully incorporated. I then take my Braun hand mixer and pureed the mixture until it was silky smooth. You could also use a food processor. When it is thoroughly mixed, transfer the it to warm pre-baked pie shell. Bake the pie (on a baking sheet) for ten minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and ontinue baking until the edges are set, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

pie crusts

This is one of those handed down recipes; it makes three crusts.

3 c flour
1 t salt
1 1/4 c butter (2 1/2 sticks), diced

Pulse the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor until it looks like small beads, then add

1 egg
6 T cold water
1 T white vinegar

Mix until a dough forms. Divide into three equal balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least thirty minutes. Roll out the dough when ready. Makes three crusts for a nine inch pie plate.

Peace,
Milton

strawberry shortcake

I know. I should have taken a picture.

For the Fourth, I made strawberry shortcake for dessert. The shortcakes were my great-grandmother's recipe, the strawberries from our farmer's market, and the basil-cinnamon whipped cream my own little addition. It was truly celebratory.

Let's start with the cream.

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 t cinnamon

Mix the ingredients and heat in a saucepan on medium heat until it begins to simmer; don't bring it to a boil. Let it steep until it is cool enough to touch and then transfer to a bowl and put in the refrigerator until it is cold. (It won't whip unless it's really cold). When you are ready to whip it, strain the liquid, put it in a mixer, add sugar and vanilla to taste and let it whip.

Note: heat the cream before you begin everything else; whip it just before serving.

And now the strawberries.

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 T orange or lemon juice

The process, called macerating the strawberries, is simple, though the word sounds far more violent than the process deserves. Again, do this ahead of time so the strawberries have time to do their thing in the sugar and vinegar.

Finally, the shortcakes.

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons sugar

Combine the dry ingredients and then cut in

1/2 cup butter (my great-grandmother used Crisco, I'm sure)

I use my food processor. When crumbly, add

3/4 cup milk

and mix until combined. Pour dough out on a floured surface and roll out just enough to make it about a half an inch thick. Cut into rounds (I use a biscuit cutter) and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

To serve, cut the shortcake in half. Put a small dollop of whipped cream on the plate; turn the top of the shortcake over and place on the whipped cream. Add more cream, strawberries, the other half of the shortcake (also inverted), and then more cream and berries.

Peace,
Milton

veggie egg casserole

I made this recipe for a house blessing party today, along with the brownies below, and thought it was worth passing along.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray or butter (your choice) and then layer with

4 slices of cubed bread

I used some leftover wheat hamburger rolls. You want a consistent single layer of bread across the bottom of the dish. Then sauté

2 cups of mushrooms
1 onion, cut in half and then sliced thin
2 zucchini, halved and sliced thin
olive oil
salt and pepper

I let the mixture cook for a good while. I used the veggies I had on hand. You could also add meat – sausage or bacon or chicken – if you wanted. When the veggies were done, I mixed in

1 cup of sundried tomatoes

and spread them evenly across the top of the bread layer. I then added a layer of

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

Again, use whatever cheese you like. In a bowl mix together

8 eggs, beaten
1 pint half and half
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
salt and pepper

Pour over the stuff in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out an hour or so before you want to cook it to let it warm up a bit and then cook it at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cheese is browned a bit, the eggs have puffed up, and the casserole is set in the middle.

Let it sit about twenty minutes before serving.

Peace,
Milton

my favorite brownies

I found my favorite brownie recipe last night, after having misplaced if for some time. Though I’m working on dropping some pounds these days, I made them for a friend’s house blessing party. I love these brownies because they are fudgy and rich.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9x9x2-inch metal pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang. Butter foil. (You don't have to butter the parchment.)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 12 ounce bag of semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Combine chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolates melt and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 bag Heath toffee bits (in the baking aisle)

Whisk in sugar, then eggs and flour. Whisk in toffee bits. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake brownies about forty-five minutes, or until a tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool brownies 15 minutes and then place in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Using foil overhang as aid, lift brownies from pan and them remove the foil. They work best if you cut them cold.

If you double this recipe, it fits well on a baking sheet.

Peace,
Milton

risotto with chicken and beet greens

The recipe was inspired by my trip to the Durham Farmers' Market this morning, where I got some heirloom beets that came with the greens still attached.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups beet greens, with stems
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 boneless chicken breast, diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups water or chicken stock*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the stems off the beet greens and cut them into a small dice. They will look like little pieces of celery. Stack the green leaves on top of each other and roll them up and then slice them thinly (a chiffonade) so you get long thin strands of greens.

Heat the oil in a deep-sided skillet and add the stems. Cook for about three minutes. Add chicken and cook until done. Add garlic and greens and cook for another two or three minutes, then add the rice. Stir a minute more and add the wine. When the wine has almost dissipated, add the water or stock one cup at a time, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more, which will take about fifteen or twenty minutes. Stir the rice frequently. When the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the rice is soft, stir in the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand about ten minutes before serving.

*If you are boiling the beets, save the water and use it for the risotto, which will give it a lovely pink color. If you do this, also substitute red wine for the white, which will intensify the color.

Peace,
Milton

pork for pasta

This recipe grew out of my trip to the Durham Farmers' Market today. And it was good.

1 pound ground pork or fresh sausage, uncased
2 onions, chopped
1 small eggplant, diced small
2 carrots, diced small
3 tomatoes, diced small
fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano0
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
parmesan cheese to garnish

In a large skillet or fry pan, cook the pork until it’s done. You may want to add a little bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Add onions and continue cooking over medium heat until the onions are translucent. (If you want a more caramelized taste, cook the onions separately to get some color on them and then add them to the pork.) Add the tomatoes, eggplant, and carrots and let them cook until most of the natural juices have been reduced. Add the herbs and about a half a cup of red wine. Stir well and let it continue cooking until the wine is almost cooked away. Add the chicken stock. Stir well and let it continue cooking until the sauce is thick and does not have a lot of liquid left. (If you want a creamier taste, you can add a half a cup of heavy cream and cook for a few minutes more.)

Serve over pasta. Top with cheese.

Peace,
Milton

crock pot roast

I haven't used my crock pot in a while, but decided to see what I could make of what I had available in my kitchen, and here's what I came up with. It was awesome.

1 3 lb. pot roast
flour
baby carrots
red potatoes (small)
green beans
dried ancho chilies
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can Guinness Stout
salt and pepper

Get a skillet good and hot. Cover the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Dredge the roast in flour and sear in the skillet until brown (about three minutes a side). Put the roast in the crock pot and add the other ingredients. Cover. Turn on low for about eight hours. Remove the roast and vegetables and heat the gravy on the stove top to reduce, if you wish.

Peace,
Milton

chickpea, garlic, and spinach soup

I started looking for soup recipes with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) because we had some on had at the restaurant. This is an adaptation of the one I liked best. Since I was making about three gallons of soup, these proportions are a bit of a guess, particularly with the spices.

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced small
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and stir in garlic and onion. As the onions begin to soften, add the cumin and coriander. Keep cooking until onions are translucent and tender. Add

1 quart vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and dice small

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let it simmer about ten minutes Add

1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

(Here's one of the places where I'm guessing as I scale down the recipe. You want about a 60-40 mix of chickpeas to potatoes.) Keep cooking until potatoes are done. In a separate bowl, whisk together

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons corn meal

and add to the soup. Finally, stir in

1/2 pound baby spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Stir the simmering soup until the spinach wilts and is heated through.

This was one of our best selling soups this week.

Peace,
Milton

mushroom and black bean soup

Start with a basic mirepoix:

1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
olive oil

Saute the vegetables in the soup pot until they are tender. I like to cover the pot to keep all the juices inside. Add

1 lb. sliced mushrooms (I like Baby Bellas)
2 dried ancho chiles

Stir well, cover, and let cook until mushrooms are soft. Add

4 cups vegetable stock
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper

Bring everything to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer. I puree the soup using my wand mixer; if you don't have one, do it in batches in your food processor. Once the soup is pureed, adjust the seasonings and serve.

Peace,
Milton