Parsnips, Carrots and Leeks Gratin

My very good friend, Beej, made this for a Thanksgiving dinner we attended. It was soooooooo amazingly good - one of those things I couldn't stop eating despite my intolerance for dairy.

2 tablespoons butter (I add 2 T of olive oil too so the butter won't burn)
2 - 3 shallots, finely sliced (this is my own addition)
2 pounds leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lenthwise, rinsed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
1½ pounds large carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices
1½ pounds large parsnips, peeled, cut diagonally into ¼-inch slices
2½ cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

- Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and leeks and sauté until soft and beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
- Cook carrots and parsnips in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well; place in bowl with leeks.
- Whisk cream, sage, mustard, salt and pepper to blend in medium bowl. Pour cream mixture over vegetables and stir gently to combine.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over. Cover dish with foil. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)
- Bake gratin 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until vegetables are tender, top is golden brown and cream is thickened, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve hot.

The Most Homemadest Lasagna I've Ever Made

This is not to say that everything about this lasagna is homemade. The sausage is courtesy of Colosimo's and the noodle are Barilla's homestyle (read: flat) rustic noodles. I am typing this without the luxury of having tasted it, so I'm just guessing how that will turn out...but it smells pretty darn good! It is freaking FANTASTIC!!!

3 cloves garlic
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef (I used 91/9 lean:fat ratio)
1/2 lb Italian sausage (I use Colosimo's red wine sausage, remove casings - mmmmmm)
1/2 t. ground fennel
1/2 t. basil
salt & pepper
1 qt jar + 1 pint jar marinara sauce (Susan's Magic Sauce per previous post)
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb sliced mushrooms (I use button & cremini mix)
shredded mozzarella
shredded parmesan

- Soak the noodles in hot water while you do the rest (I usually use Barilla's rustic no cook noodles, if you use these, they do not need to be soaked).

- Saute garlic and onion until tender and translucent.  Add ground beef, sausage, fennel and basil (also some salt/pepper to taste) and cook until done.  Remember to constantly break up the chunks of meat...unless you like big chunks of tough meat. Add the marinara, let simmer for 20 minutes.

- While the marinara is simmering, mix ricotta with egg and Italian seasoning, a handful of mozerella and parmesan, set aside.

Assembly:
- meat sauce
- noodles
- ricotta mix ("painted on" is the phrase used from the Peanut Gallery)
- mushrooms
- mozerella/parmesan
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- meat sauce
- noodles
- ricotta mix
- mushrooms
- shredded mozzarella/parmesan
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- meat sausce
- noodles
- mushrooms
- meat sauce
- mozzarella/parmesan (lots of it - no...really, LOTS of it)

Baked at 350 for 40 minutes (with foil on), then another 15 minutes without to brown the cheese on top. Let's hope it's as good as this post makes it sound!  Really, it is that good!

Susan Sanderson's Marinara Sauce

This is an ALL DAY activity, so bring out a good book and send the kiddies to the neighbor's to play. Time consuming and messy (think Tomato Graffiti), but so very worth it! Padded shoes are in order...really, your feet will hurt!

12 qts. ground tomatoes - for all of you wondering how many fresh off the vine, peeled, pulverized tomatoes that is: LOTS. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS. Think in terms of bushels....and don't pick your own in 90+ degree weather.
- peel the tomatoes and puree them

- pour the pureed tomatoes into a LARGE (10 quarts or so) pot

- cook on medium heat, until the sauce has reduced by 1/4



7-10 onions (I use 7 large onions or 10 medium ones), pureed

10-12 cloves garlic, pressed

- add garlic and pureed onions to tomatoes

- let the sauce reduce again



2 c sugar

4 T salt

12 HEAPING (I mean it) T dried oregano

6 HEAPING T dried basil

3 HEAPING T dried thyme

6 bay leaves

- Add all the spices/herbs to the sauce

- let the sauce reduce again



3 twelve ounce cans of tomato paste

- let the sauce reduce again



To make the sauce smoother and less chunky, use an immersion blender to puree it further. Ladel in the prepared canning jars and seal

Shanghai Noodles

Summer is a great time! June - October, to be exact...FARMER'S MARKET!!! I went on Saturday and found some delicious treasures:

- fresh made shanghai noodles
- snap peas
- shiitake and beech mushrooms

Mmmmmmmm...I'm thinking stirfried shanghai noodles with prawns!!!! My own 'house special', if you will.

1 lb shanghai noodles, blanched

1 lb prawns (I use 15-20 count)

1 lb snap peas, blanched (they should still be crispy)

1 lb mushrooms (use your favorites, but know that some mushrooms - such as portabellas - are too strong in flavor to use in stirfry. I used a combination of shiitake and beech)

1/2 small head of cabbage, sliced (not too thinly)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 sliced onion
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1-2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoons sugar
Canola oil
Black pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix shrimp, cornstarch, coriander and sesame oil. Set aside. In a hot wok, coat with canola oil, and quickly scramble the eggs (note: I usually make thin egg crepes and slice them fine rather than scramble, but either method is fine). Remove eggs from heat and set aside. Stir-fry the shrimp for only 2 minutes keeping them rare. Set aside. In the same wok, add a little more oil and caramelize garlic, ginger and onions. Add cabbage, chicken stock and oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar - cook until softened. Add mushrooms. Add noodles, peas, eggs and shrimp. Toss to heat through. Season with black pepper (I like to garnish with cilantro sprigs). Serve!

Chicken Pesto with Penne

This one passes muster - have tried it twice...with success! Penne, linguine, fettucine...a good pasta that will hold the creamy pesto.

2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c pesto sauce (recipe from November 20, 2008) - you can add more if that's your preference
shredded roasted chicken (I use Costco - it can't be beat!)
1 lb penne (or your pasta of choice...just don't use angel hair, it's too light), cooked
shredded asiago and parmesan cheese, (about 3 T. each)
salt and pepper to taste

- Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add shredded chicken, pesto and cream and cook until heated through, add salt and pepper. Add pasta and toss to coat with the sauce, let it heat so the sauce thickens and absorbs in the pasta. Turn off heat and add the cheese - toss well to mix.

Turkey Sandwich Extraordinaire

Right....You're thinking "turkey sandwich"???? But this is really quite delicious, believe you me!

Bread - luscious, fluffy bread of choice
lettuce - my preference is butter or Boston lettuce
sliced tomatoes
sliced cucumbers (optional - but I like the crunch it offers)
Deli sliced turkey
lingonberry jam (no, not cranberry - but you can use cranberry or raspberry)
cream cheese spread (the "extraordinaire" part - recipe follows)

Assemble it. Here is my order of preference: cream cheese spread on bottom slice, turkey, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, lingonberry jam on top slice.

Cream Cheese Spread - beat together:
1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick)
kosher salt to taste
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of dried oregano
pinch of dried basil
pinch of ground coriander
1 t. garlic powder

Caramel (Cup)Cake with Mocha Buttercream Frosting

January is a very popular month for birthdays. Mine and 4 of my friends within 7 days of each other! So I made these as cupcakes to celebrate. This recipe is adapted from Shuna Fish Lydon's Bay Area Bites recipe. For the caramel sauce, I use the Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels I posted below (cooking to a 250 degree - 258 degree temperature will keep the consistency sauce-like) and the Outrageous Mocha Buttercream frosting is from the Essential Baker by Carol Bloom.

CARAMEL CAKE
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup caramel syrup (Golden Vanilla Bean Caramel)
2 each eggs, room temp
splash vanilla extract
2 cups ap flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1c milk, room temp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter one tall 9" cake pan.
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth.

2. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.

3. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl.

4. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

5. Sift flour and baking powder.

6. Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dries.

7. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time.

8. Add another third of the dries, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dries. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}

9. Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds. making sure batter is uniform.
Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it. Cake will keep for three days unrefrigerated.

Mocha Buttercream
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
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1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (opt)
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1 pound (2 cups, 4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
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6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped, melted over a double boiler and cooled to room temperature
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2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon water

In a small sauce pan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the 1 1/4 cups sugar, water and cream of tartar to a boil over medium-high heat. If any of the sugar crystals get onto the side of the pan, be sure to wipe them down with a wet clean pastry brush. The sugar needs to cook until it hits 242° F on the thermometer. This takes several minutes.

While that is boiling, place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and whip on medium speed until they are thick, pale in color and hold a ribbon when the beater is lifted. Once the sugar syrup has reached its temperature of 242° F, then slowly pour it into the bowl of whipped egg yolks while the beater is going on slow. Be sure to pour it along the bowl so that the hot syrup doesn’t hit the beater and splatter! Allow the eggs and sugar mixture to beat on medium high speed until the eggs have cooled, about 8 minutes.

Add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time.

The buttercream will go through a stage that looks soupy and curdled, but continue to add all of the butter and it will come together.

The finished buttercream will be smooth and silky.

Add a tablespoon of water to the espresso powder and dissolve.

Add the melted and cooled chocolate to the buttercream.

Mix to combine and decorate your cake. The buttercream will freeze if you have any left, wrapped really well in plastic. Just allow it to come bake to room temperature and whisk it on low speed to smooth it out.