Peel a Pound Soup ...p21

Once upon a time, I thought I could literally peel away the pounds on this soup and made way too much.  After weeks, it sat in the fridge, it filled up the freezer and it was a long time before I dared make this soup again.  But like all fears, they must eventually be faced, and blogging this cookbook has made me face mine:  the cabbage soup diet!

Well, I won't do the diet again, but I will continue to make this soup.  More delicious than I remembered and the nutrients contained therein are numerous!  Instead of onion soup mix, I added Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix - experiment with your own additions.

As a sidenote, a neat trick my mother-in-law taught me when making big batches of soup:  Fill your soup bowls with soup, fast freeze in the freezer until solid, then pop them out into zip-lock bags.  When you want a bowl of soup, just pop it back into your bowl and microwave.

Critic's opinion?  Eat your soup!  It's really yummy.

Hardy Appetit!

Bean Taco Dip ...p11

CATALINA DRESSING in a bean taco dip?  Hmmm.  Intriguing. 

At first dip, my husband said, "this looks like the sauce needs to be poured off."  We all looked at the bowl and thought, "wow!  maybe he's right - it looks too wet!"  This certainly doesn't interfere with the taste and dipping ability.  The combination's tasty and not the least mushy (though maybe pouring off a little of the liquid or cutting down the Catalina dressing to 1/2 cup might make it look more "dippable?").  Of the three dips I brought to our Steelers' play-off party, this went the fastest - that must say something.... 

Like the critic when she said, "I really like this!"

Hardy Appetit!

Seven Layer Dip ...p9

The richness of cream cheese in this dip caught my eye - usually seven layer dip is made with sour cream, and not cooked.  If you're looking for an alternative, or if you don't have sour cream but you do cream cheese, don't hesitate to make this recipe.  It's a winner.

One point of confusion for me, however, was "picante sauce."  By that, did the contributor mean something like Tapatio?  Because that is what I was about to layer on top of the guacamole, when my husband came along and asked, "are you sure they meant that and not salsa?"  Well, I wasn't.  I googled the term, but came away still unclear. 

For all you hispanics out there, or Mexican food lovers anywhere, what is the texture of picante?  How does it differ from salsa?  For Kimber-lala (and you know who you are), which do you use?  It's okay to name brands for us! 

I ended up using Pace salsa with a little bit of Tapatio mixed in. 

Great dip choice!  and the critic loved it. 

Hardy Appetit!

Armadillo Eggs ...p18

While reading the recipe instructions, I couldn't help wonder where in the world they came up with the name "armadillo eggs."  An armadillo may look like a reptile hiding beneath armored plates (it certainly doesn't look like a chicken!) wallowing to lay an egg somewhere, but we all know that it's not, so I certainly couldn't imagine how stuffed jalapenos could be compared to armadillo eggs.

That is, until I wrapped the jalapeno halves, looking pokey with sausage-laden cream cheese, with a whole piece of bacon.  After cooking, (and I do wish I had my pictures!) they looked like they had the armor of an armadillo! 

AMAZING!

And delicious!  I could make a meal out of these.  I cooked mine for a little less than an hour - their size must determine their degree of heat, as stated in the recipe, because these were not very spicy,  though I purposefully left a bit of the vein in these jalapenos, fearing they wouldn't be very hot.  They weren't.  Next time I'm going to choose smaller for more heat.

The critic says, "YUM" to armadillo eggs!

Hardy Appetit!

Spicy Artichoke Dip ...p10

You know what they say about digital photos:  never delete them from the camera until you're sure you've saved them (and backed them up!).  I regret that my next several appetizer recipes will be without photos as my computer bit the dust yesterday....after I downloaded pictures and deleted them from the camera.  Talk about grief!

update:  good news, my computer's hard drive is intact and I still have my pictures!  Hurray!  Here's the uncooked Spicy Artichoke Dip:

The spiciness of this dip should not cause anyone grief....  The heat is subtle and, if you're like the critic and me, you'll eventually switch from crackers to a spoon to gobble up more.  I think if you wanted it really spicy, you could use Rotel's "hot" recipe, but according to the critic, this dip is perfect as is.   

Hardy Appetit!
SPICY ARTICHOKE DIP

2 large cans artichokes (packed in water)
8 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese
12 oz. mayonnaise
12 oz. shredded parmesan cheese (divided)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chopped green chilies

Drain artichokes ad cut into small pieces; combine all ingredients and place in 9"x13" baking dish.  Save at least 1/2 bag of parmesan to sprinkle on top.
Bake at 375° for 35 min.  Serve with baguettes, crackers, or chips.

Zing, Zang, They Were Gone in a Flash....

Ok, so back on June 9, 2010,  I posted that we lost our zing when Bug 3 flew away....tonight I bittersweetly bemoan Bug 4's air departure to learn about kiwis ... and now I've lost my zang.  I'm thinking in my head of the song, "Splish, splash, I was taking a bath...", but hearing the words, "Zing, zang, they were gone in a flash...."

"I love you, bugs, wherever you may fly!"
















Coincidentally, we partied today - not because of Bug 4's departure - but to cheer the Steelers on to the Superbowl...way to go, Steelers!  That means appetizers!  Yeah!  Look for the critic's opinion on several of these over the course of the next few days.


Hardy Appetit!

Adding #33 to the Family History!

Added to the tree just yesterday, January 19th:

Ryleigh Noelle, weighing in at 8 lbs. 1 oz. 

She'll be cooking it up real soon! 

Congratulations to the happy parents and siblings! 

Easy Enchiladas ...p44

An excellent accompaniment to Easy Enchiladas is another Cooking Up Family History recipe:  Pico de Gallo, found on page 14.  Some recipes the family and the critic just don't agree on.  The men devoured these enchiladas, while the critic proclaimed them "just alright... kind of tasteless." 

Of course, the pico de gallo livened up the dish which we all felt made for a great combination. 

Spice it Up!  Serve with the Pico and some spicy carrots!

Without the pico, however, I don't think I'd recommend these enchiladas either.  I'd add more beef or diced onions and jalapenos to the beef to add more flavor...or just load the sour cream and pico on top as we did tonight. 

Hardy Appetit!

Pico de Gallo ...p14

Pico de Gallo, also known as "salsa fresca," plays a symphony on my tongue....the combination of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice shouts out refreshment, which, in my opinion, is the reason it is so suitably named "Rooster's Beak!" A twist on this recipe from other Pico de Gallo recipes was the addition of tomatillos which adds an extra tang. 

Quoting from Wikipedia,

One of the sources for the name “rooster’s beak” could be the beak-like shape and the red color of the chilis used to make it.  According to food writer Sharon Tyler Herbst, it is so called because originally it was eaten with the thumb and forefinger, and retrieving and eating the condiment resembled the actions of a pecking rooster.

Another suggested etymology is that pico is derived from the verb picar, which has two meanings:  1) to mince or chop, and 2) to bite, sting or peck.  The rooster, gallo, in Spanish, is a common metaphor for the hyper-masculine (“macho”) male in Mexican culture.  One example of such machismo is taking pride in withstanding the spicy burn of chilis. 

Well, I don't know about machismo and the heat, but I do know that when I took that first bite of this fresh pico de gallo, I puffed out my chest and crowed like a rooster!   As for the critic, she as well, crowed about it!

Hardy Appetit!

82 down, 168 to go

Well, here I sit at my kitchen table, not believing that it's been one year already since I began this blog.  What's even harder to believe is that I actually expected to have finished every recipe in the book by now.  At the current rate, I will be sitting here at my kitchen table in the year 2013 proclaiming the project complete!  Optimistically, I'm now projecting I will be finished next year at this time twentyTWELVE.  We'll see.

Problem is, I have a lot of cakes to bake and even more dips to assemble, so please, please tell me to bring a cake or appetizer to our next party!  Perhaps our reunion might be just the right time to knock off a few of these recipes.  

Bring it On!

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE PARTY.



The critic will be very happy.

Deep Fried Zucchini & Onion Rings ...p81

Wonderfully crisp, tasty onion rings, zucchini, and whatever vegetables you'd like deep-fried result from this recipe.  My sister used to fry up killer batches when we were neighbors in Arizona....I miss my sister and those days when our young kids used to keep us constantly amused or alarmed!  Now we are grandparents, still amused, a little less alarmed!

But as to onion rings and zucchini - make a big batch because they are sure to disappear quickly!

Hardy Appetit!

Crumb Topped Blueberry Cake ...p98

This morning, I awoke with a sweet tooth, you know, the one deprived since finishing off the last of our Christmas baking on New Year's Day....

I perused our "Cooking Up Family History" cookbook for a coffee cake.  I skipped over my favorite,  Wheat Germ Coffee Cake, because I wanted to try something new.  I found Crumb Topped Blueberry Cake under Cakes (as opposed to Breads where breakfast type cakes and breads are found) and decided it might make an excellent breakfast cake!  Super easy to prepare, this evoked "you need to call RE up and tell her how good this is!" from the critic, and led to a second piece for both mom and me!!!

before baking

after baking

Prior to dishing up that second piece, I asked mom if she wanted her coffee reheated, and, upon setting both our cups in the microwave, I discovered a 1/2 stick of butter still waiting to be melted and added to the cake batter!

"SHEESH!!!  That's RE's recipe!  What'd you do???"

What's gotten in to me?  I can't even follow a simple recipe these days that would allow me to accurately comment!  So, in the future I will update you on what differences adding that 1/2 stick of butter made to this cake.  Sans beurre, it was still delicious.....maybe it would make the texture more cake-like, as the texture "sans beurre" was very much like a coffee cake! Yes, it did satisfy my sweet tooth without being overly sweet, and, in this case, a lot less fattening (EUREKA!)

The recipe calls for chopped walnuts, and I just wanted to share my favorite way of chopping walnuts (apart from my Alaskan ULU knife and bowl!) - the handy dandy zip-lock bag way.

Which beckons me to ask you all to share with us YOUR favorite shortcuts.  Just email them to me at GENE-E and give me permission to print.

Hardy Appetit!

Chicken & Bean Burritos with Pineapple Salsa ...p59

The burrito expert in our family would be my 18 yr. old son who one might think taste tests the local burrito trailers for a living....  He proclaimed these chicken & bean burritos "delicious."

I, on the other hand, thought they were too wet.  Maybe I didn't let the tomato mixture cook down enough, or kept too much broth, but my taste preferences are drier.  Having said that, the corn/black bean filling and the pineapple salsa tasted great!  Since the critic doesn't care a whole lot for burritos, unless they're made a la cheese enchilada, I served the components separately to her on a bed of rice.  When I asked her what she thought of it, she said, "you don't see anything left on my plate, do you?"  I take that to mean wrapped up in a burrito, you all might be left with an even cleaner plate!

Pre-Cholula

Post-Cholula (decorates every burrito in our home!)

edible wrapping paper!

Hardy Appetit!

Italian Coconut Cake ...p93

If you're looking for a special cake to serve for a special someone's birthday, make Italian Coconut the one.  Unless, of course, he/she doesn't like coconut - something I can't imagine!   Be sure to invite a lot of people too as this rich cake can serve a crowd.

I tried something a little different this time - I sweetened my own shredded, unsweetened coconut by simmering it in sugar water for 15 minutes, then thoroughly draining (and saving) the coconut water.  The added benefit being a little coconut sweetener for my daily cappuccino addiction!  I also topped the cake with some of the shredded coconut, though next time I think I might toast the coconut first for the visual effect.

My mom the critic loves this cake and is certain that, if you're a coconut lover, you will too!

Hardy Appetit!

Pecan Squares ...p103

The last of my 2010 Christmas concoctions was Pecan Squares.  My daughter contributed this recipe and to quote her, "if you like pecan pie...oh my...these are to die for.  I can't even stand to think about these - they are that good!"

Well, after a couple nights' frenetic Christmas goody baking,  I decided I could assemble the bottom layer of this recipe one night and the rest the following day.  Great idea, but when I assembled the other layers, I forgot I hadn't baked the bottom layer.....  I couldn't quite figure out why the bottom layer was so doughy until I realized my mistake!  Not wanting to pitch all the expensive pecans, I opted to extend the baking time of all layers to what they would have equaled separately, fearing the filling may be pecan brittle or pralines when finished.  (Mmmm...bourbon and pralines!)  Alas, granted I'm not sure what the "accurately baked" recipe tastes like, this faux pas was still yummy and delectably acceptable to bring to our New Year's celebration where everyone exclaimed they loved it.

I'll have to try it again another time....after the holiday sugar rush has subsided long enough to consider baking once more!

unbaked....all layers!  be sure to bake the bottom FIRST.

After baking, crisp but still delicious!

Hardy Appetit!

Pink Ladies ...p117

Papére Making Pink Ladies

Pink Ladies were the celebratory toast of choice at my Grandpa Lou's & Grandma Alma's home on Christmas Eve (and sometimes New Year's) all the while I was growing up and has been ritualistically prepared and served up by a male annually at one of our homes since.

So shock it was this year when no male volunteered to take up this honored tradition of bartending the Pink Ladies....  turns out we decided no one really likes them, it's just something we continue with in order to connect with the Lous before us....  it is the process of watching the eldest gentleman concoct something unusual rather than the consuming of this pepto-bismol colored, sugary, frothy drink that we all like.

But when push came to shove, I couldn't let it go, and minutes before the New Year struck, I broke tradition and became the first female to concoct the libation.

The directions are somewhat vague, and my memory of how they did it, even vaguer, so it was a good thing only one person watched me (and that, a perfect stranger - thank you, Bucky, maybe you are meant to continue this!), and no pictures captured the comedy.  I am assuming when they say "mixer" they don't mean blender....  The blender worked fine until I added the Ginger Ale.  Well, you can imagine the mess I made....BUT I did successfully fill about 10 little glasses with the concoction, which the critic proclaimed almost perfect (ha! she wasn't in the kitchen!) - Vernor's Ginger Ale, which, like us, originated in Detroit, would have made them "perfect."  After finding about 9 half-full glasses remaining in the kitchen, my sister and I concluded that maybe, just maybe, some traditions are not meant to be carried on....

Sorry, Papére!  Peut-être l'année prochaine!  Somehow mom's words rang in my ears that night, "If Louie had been here...."  I would love for someone - male or female to comment with the correct preparation technique.


Hardy Appetit!