Author: binner216@comcast.net

Reflections on Summer and Some Summer Favorites

What a long strange trip this has been. This is not the Summer that any of us were looking forward to. Instead of pools, beaches, and barbecues we’ve had social distancing, masks, and cautious outdoor dining. I know that I am not alone when I say, “Please let it be over!” While there is a faint light at the end of the tunnel, the bright light seems pretty far away. We are all trying to make the best of things and figuring out how to responsibly use the little bit of relaxed guidelines to our cautious advantage.

Family time is the best part of summer and we are happy to have more time  together. Since I live in the Kitchen of Love, food has been one of the great comforts. A few new things have been laid upon the table, but many of my Summer Favorites have come to the table like old uncles and aunts that you haven’t seen since last summer. I want to share a few of my favorites with you. They have graced the blog before, some of them on multiple occasions. These three are definitely worth repeating.

First up is a Corn Chowder that showcases fresh corn at its peak. The kernels simmer with onions and peppers in a corn broth that imparts layers of corn flavor and goodness.

Summer Corn Chowder
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Summer Corn Chowder
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Corn Broth
Chowder
Servings:
Instructions
Corn Broth
  1. Put the bare corn cobs and chopped onion in a soup pot. Add 5 cups water (or enough to cover) and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 1 hour. Turn off heat and allow to steep covered for another hour. Remove the cobs and onions and use in soup.
Chowder
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon, let it drain on paper towels and reserve. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pot.
  2. Add the onions, celery, jalapeno, and peppers to the pot and cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the corn kernels and cook another 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook 1 minute more.
  3. Add the half and half and corn broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add the shredded potatoes, green onions and thyme. cook 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and everything is happy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon and grated cheddar.
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Gazpacho is a classic summer dish. Fresh vegetables at their peak blended to your liking. This is a recipe that begs to be played with from the vegetables you use to how spicy (or not) you make it.

Gazpacho with Roasted Corn
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Gazpacho with Roasted Corn
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. Save cobs for Vegetable or Corn Stock.
  2. Chop the Cucumber, Tomatoes, Pepper, and onions into 1 inch chunks. Place in food processor bowl or a large deep bowl (if using an immersion blender).
  3. Roughly chop up the Garlic, Parsley, and Cilantro and add to whatever type of bowl you are using. Add the Vegetable Juice to the bowl as well.
  4. Add the Citrus Juice, Vinegar, Smoked Paprika and Cumin to your bowl. Process the veggies and juice until chopped to your liking. Check for seasonings and add more if needed. a little Salt & Pepper is good, too.
  5. Stir in the corn kernels and store covered in the refrigerator for several hours. Serve chilled.
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This is what could happen if you married a pasta salad with a lettuce salad and threw in a little chicken for good measure. The pasta and lettuce are co-stars with a supporting cast of fresh and pantry vegetables.

Italian Salad with Pasta and Chicken
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Pasta salad meets lettuce salad in an easy one dish meal. This serves two very generously. Use the cut whole wheat pasta of your choice. The same goes for the herbs you use in the dressing.
Servings
2
Servings
2
Italian Salad with Pasta and Chicken
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Pasta salad meets lettuce salad in an easy one dish meal. This serves two very generously. Use the cut whole wheat pasta of your choice. The same goes for the herbs you use in the dressing.
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Dressing
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse and put in a large bowl.
  2. Slice the onion lengthwise into narrow strips and add them to the pasta in the bowl.
  3. Slice the peppers into thin strips abut the same size as the onions and add them to the bowl.
  4. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on the size of the tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
  5. Add the garbanzo beans, drained artichoke hearts, chicken, and olives to the bowl and toss to combine everything.
  6. Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to blend everything. Pour over the salad ingredients and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
  7. When you are ready to serve, add the torn lettuce leaves and toss once more. Divide between two plates and sprinkle with the Romano cheese.
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Here’s hoping that this Summer like no other is filled with good food and lots of love.

Staying In and Re-Discovering Bisquick

As we try to adjust to the new normal of keeping our distance and staying at home, the kitchen has become even more my happy place. Since we are trying to limit our time away from home, visits to the grocery store are less frequent. There’s no running out for an ingredient and when the occasional necessary trip is in order, it is list specific and quickly completed. My grocery browsing days are over, for the time being. So, when Papa D had a craving for something sweet and baked the pantry was my only option.

I don’t bake a lot. Oh, I do bake at the holidays and for birthdays, but other than that my baking ingredients are somewhat limited the rest of the year. My pantry search yielded a box of Bisquick. Waffles or pancakes were not going to satisfy Papa’s craving. What else is there to do with Bisquick? Actually quite a bit. I remembered a Bisquick recipe book that I’ve had for years and surprisingly easily found it in my recipe stacks. Published in 1980, it had recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts and everything in between.Paging through the book I found many tasty sounding recipes. Based on ingredients I had available, the Streusel Pudding Coffee Cake looked like the best choice,though the Chocolate Swirl Coffeecake was a strong runner up. That lost out for lack of chocolate chipsAs with all Bisquick recipes it was quick and easy to make. My pudding of choice was Lemon mainly because it was the only one I had. It did add a little zest to the cake which came out of the oven with the typical bisquick color and crumb.I don’t want to step on anybody’s copyright toes so I am sharing a link to the recipe, sort of. When I searched for the recipe, it didn’t come up. Not anywhere. Not even on the Betty Crocker site. The link below is for Bisquick Coffeecakes and there are lots of them. Betty has been busy. Look through the choices, I know you will find something that sounds quick, easy, and tasty. 

https://www.bettycrocker.com/search?term=streusel%20pudding%20coffeecake&termDataSource=d6fb75f5-d19a-49cd-9ba0-c10a6e45afb2

Happy Staying In.

Meatloaf – The Italian One

Meatloaf is one of those foods that can be a mundane reminder of childhood or the warm memory of classic comfort food. In the Mid Twentieth Century it was a staple in almost every household. Some have pleasant memories, others would prefer to forget it. I have mixed feelings about my Mother’s Meatloaf. If it were on the table today, I would probably like it very much. Back then, for some reason, I had an aversion to vegetables chopped up and “hidden” in something. I would spend more time picking out the onions, bell peppers and whatever other plant matter it contained, leaving a plate of messy crumbs much to my mother’s chagrin.

I’ve grown up and that “hidden green matter” isn’t much of an issue anymore. With Winter here and comfort food being , well, so comforting, it was time to make some meatloaf. I confess, I do not have a standard meatloaf recipe. I further confess that I have shared meatloaf adventures before. I more or less create meatloaf with what is on hand and how I am feeling. Each one begins as a work in progress using my best guess as to what will work together and just how much of each ingredient is enough. This go round, I was feeling a touch of Italian nostalgia along with the desire to use up some of the partially used condiments in the refrigerator. I also went pantry diving and came out with some treasures.

The meats were about a pound of Ground Chuck and a couple of Hot Italian Sausage Links both of which were lurking in the freezer. I think that meat loaf tastes best when there are a variety of meats involved. To turn this into what I have named the “Italian One”, I used plenty of minced onion and garlic. I chose the dried version of each and reconstituted it with time and water. Note to self: Forget your childhood aversion and use the fresh stuff next time. I had some Sourdough bread cubes that I crushed up and added to the mix along with some finely grated Romano and a couple of eggs. Since I had a started jar of Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade on hand I threw that in as well. If the stars align,  and I have it on hand again, I would use more. Still the flavor it gave to the meatloaf was delightful if a bit subtle. (Another note to self…)

Once everything was mixed together, I let it chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. While that was happening, I made a a tomato sauce to  go on top. Let me tell you how much I love canned Italian Cherry Tomatoes. They are so sweet and tender and just bursting with flavor that they are the perfect addition to almost anything. Given a little time and some garlic, onion, and olive oil, they make a slightly chunky  and flavorful sauce that is anything’s crowning glory. Thankfully, they must be an up and coming new darling in the marketplace, because I can find them in more stores now and I always like to have a can or two on hand.

When it was time to assemble, I opted for making two loaves. One to serve two now, and another to freeze to serve two later. Off they went to the oven for 30 minutes or so. I topped them with my lovely Cherry Tomato Sauce and a little Asiago Cheese and let them bake for another 10 minutes or so.

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Meatloaf _ The Italian One
Course: Main Course
Ingredients
  • 1 Pound Ground Chuck
  • 2 Italian Sausage Links About 12 Ounces total.
  • 1/4 Cup Dried Onion 1/2 cup fresh
  • 1 Tbsp. Dried Garlic 3 Cloves if fresh
  • 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs I used Sourdough
  • 1/3 Cup Grated Romano Cheese
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3-1/2 Cup Roasted Pepper/Artichoke Tapenade Or other savory condiment
  • 1 Cup Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipe below
Cherry Tomato Sauce
  • 1 Can Italian Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic chopped
  • 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes Optional, to taste.
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions

  1. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the onions, Garlic, Bread Crumbs, Cheese, and Tapenade. Mix gently until everything seems blended.

  2. Lightly beat the eggs and add them to the bowl. Mix just until eggs are incorporated. Let mixture chill for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Make Sauce while the meat chills.

Cherry Tomato Sauce

  1. Heat Olive Oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic (and the pepper flakes if you are using them) and cook for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

  2. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to burst. Thirty minutes or more is perfectly fine. Set aside.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Form the meat into one large or two small loaves. Pack gently but firmly and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes depending on number of loaves.

  2. Top with the Cherry Tomato Sauce and a sprinkle of Asiago (or any Italian cheese). Return to the oven for another few minutes until the cheese is melted Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.

I served this with Linguine that I tossed with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Spinach then sprinkled with more romano cheese. Any side “Starchy” or otherwise would be wonderful, too. Make this meatloaf and as always make it your own…there are no rules here.

 

Sunday Gravy By Any Other Name

Over the years I have shared memories and recipes about and for Sunday Gravy. Some call it Sauce, some call it Gravy,it is by definition a Ragu (not referring to the stuff in the jar here). I am Italian through and through and when it comes to this delicious staple, whatever you call it, another little pinch is always good.

This adventure involves lamb, possibly my favorite meat. I grew up eating lamb almost every week. It was always in the form of Lamb Chops; not the dainty Loin morsels, but the shoulder and round bone ones that were boulder in flavor and texture. My Mother broiled them with just a sprinkle of garlic salt and served them with pride. My father and I ate them with gusto. Mom did, too.

Now, I eat lamb in many other forms, although, I still love those chops of my youth. I have been known to throw a butterflied leg of lamb on the grill on occasion and I am very happy that Lamb Burgers are having their day on many restaurant menus. I make them at home from time to time and have even gotten Papa D to enjoy them. So, why not use some ground lamb in a Ragu?

This ragu features Ground Lamb combined with an equal amount of Italian Sausage. The base was onions, garlic, and carrots (I don’t do celery, it’s personal). Some pancetta and red pepper flakes were in there as well. Tomato Paste was added and allowed to cook out. Then some dry red wine went in for deglazing and flavor. San Marzano Tomatoes were added after they were hand crushed (it is so satisfying).

This glorious mixture simmered for an hour or so, perfuming the house exquisitely. Fresh woody herbs were added with some salt and the simmering went on for another hour. Finally the tender and dried herbs came into play. A bit longer on the stove and it was ready to spend the night in the refrigerator. It is my belief that Sunday Gravy is always better on Monday. And it was.

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Lamb and Sausage Ragu

This meat based tomato sauce is the perfect partner for any cut or wide pasta. Gravy, Sauce, Ragu, whatever you call it, is delicious on Sunday or any other day of the week. It also freezes very well.

Servings: 8 or more
Author: Mama D
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Large Onion Chopped
  • 4-6 Cloves Garlic Finely chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Carrot
  • 2-3 Oz. Pancetta Chopped
  • 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes More or less to taste
  • 1 Pound Ground Lamb
  • 1 Pound Italian Sausage Hot or mild as you like it
  • 1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
  • 1 Cup Dry Red Wine
  • 2 Cans San Marzano Tomatoes 28 ounce size
  • 2-3 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Woody Herbs Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, etc.
  • 1 Tbsp. Dried Herbs An Italian blend works well
  • 1 Tsp. Salt More or less to taste
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the the onions, carrots, garlic, pancetta, and red pepper flakes. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes until everything begins to soften and become fragrant.

  2. Crumble the sausage and lamb into the pot and stir to combine it with the vegetables. Cook until the meat has lost its pink color. This takes 8-10 minutes

  3. Mix in the tomato paste and let it cook out for at least 5 minutes. Add the wine and stir to loosen any browned bits. Continue to cook until the wine is almost evaporated.

  4. Crush the tomatoes and add them to the meat mixture. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and allow to simmer partially covered for at least an 1 hour or so. You can add some stock if it seems to be getting too thick.

  5. Add the woody herbs and simmer for 30- 45 minutes. Add the salt and dry herbs and simmer for 30 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the chopped basil and cook for a few more minutes.

  6. If you can, refrigerate the ragu overnight.while it will be very tasty the day you make it, it will be even better the next day. Serve over a thick long pasta like tagliatelle or bucatini or a cut pasta like rigatoni.

Flatbread and Winery Dogs

This is going to be about my flatbread adventures but first, I want to share the recent winery adventure that inspired these tasty meals.

We recently spent some quality time in Springfield, Illinois. Our long weekend was filled with soaking up history, all things Lincoln, and discovering a Frank Lloyd Wright gem. All of this was very enjoyable but, midway through we decided we needed a break from all this wonderfully nerdy stuff.

We love wineries and the bottled fruits of their labors. We decided that the perfect way to wind down would be to head out in search of some wine and country air. Yes, there are wineries in Central Illinois and many of them are quite good. Danenberger Family Vineyard is an excellent example. We left Springfield for our afternoon in the country ready for adventure. And an adventure it was. Urban streets gave way to two lane blacktop and finally a mostly gravel road. Just when we thought we were lost, the dust cleared and we came upon a massive compound surrounded by corn fields. This was DFV.

There was something about this place that brought us back to our days in California. Driving up to wineries that were more like farms with the exception that their fields were vineyards. Friendly folks who were happy to share their wine with us. Then there were the dogs. They were always a part of the whole experience and a welcome diversion for our sons. Winery dogs are like no other group of canines. They reign as monarchs of their kingdom. Free to run, free to just curl up in a corner and wait for a visitor. Winery dogs don’t know what a stranger is. Every new visitor is a chance for some attention and they welcome you with a smile.

We entered the cozy tasting room and sampled some of the wines. They were very nice. Beyond the tasting room there was a restaurant, Sapori Italia. The restaurant had a long counter looking out on open airy seating. Its open kitchen was small but was equipped with a custom brick pizza oven and the menu board featured some very interesting flatbreads. This was the best cue for lunch, ever. What is lunch at a winery without wine? We had tasted several very nice ones and decided to have the 2018 edition of their “Stilettos in the Vineyard” Rose. We ordered our flatbreads, took our pager, and went out to find a shady table on the West Terrace. One of the winery dogs came with us, a Great Pyrenees pup named Sully. He made himself comfortable under our table. While we enjoyed our wine,And Sully and his buddy enjoyed our company.When our pager went off Sully got up and looked at us, checking to make sure we heard it. We all headed into the restaurant to retrieve our pizzas ( by this time we were officially a table for 4). We all returned, two of us ready to eat and two of us hoping the other ones were messy enough to drop something. Note: No begging occurred only camaraderie and a winsome glance or two. The flatbreads were wonderful. Our favorite was a Caprese with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fried Basil. These lovely pizzas were the inspiration for the recipes at the end of this post. Before we get there, I want to share the rest of this amazing place.

We experienced the wines, we ate the food, we enjoyed the dogs. We thought our afternoon was complete. Then we heard music. This wasn’t being piped in overhead, it was live and it was close by. We followed it back through the restaurant and through another door into what I can only describe as a large metal barn that had been transformed into a music venue. Yes, live music was also available here (and on a Saturday afternoon).There were tables, chairs, and sofas. Guitars and other musical memorabilia decorated some of the walls. One corner even sported a graffiti wall.Pretty amazing for a winery in the middle of a corn field, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of Illinois. Thank you Danenberger Family Vineyard, you and your wine rock.

Now for a few words about my inspired flatbreads. I used Nan for my base. It is sturdy enough to hold a lot of toppings (my guilty pleasure) and is easy to find. Even Aldi carries it. The first creation was a bit of a riff on the Caprese we had at DFV. I mixed pesto with ricotta for base. Once that was slathered on, I added some Chicken and Zucchini meatballs (another story, another time) and some chopped Roma tomatoes. My cheese of choice was a garlic and herb goat cheese. Once it was baked I topped it with chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Traditional but quick and very tasty.

The second creation was a bit more adventurous and more time consuming (worth every extra minute). I made a mustard aioli (which was really just grainy mustard and mayonnaise) for my base, I lightly caramelized some onions and did the same with  sliced portobellos. Grilled skirt steak joined in as well. Finally I added a few sun dried tomatoes and finished it off with blue cheese. Once it was baked, I sprinkled on some scallions. Wonderful once again.

These are my personal adventures. I hope they inspire you to create your own. I wrote up a general recipe to guide you through the process. Consider it an open ended blueprint.

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Flatbread

Nan Pizzas that you can top with whatever your imagination desires. Bake in the oven or on the grill. these are the basic components.

Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 Nan Bread
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or heat the grill to Medium High. Lightly toast the Nan for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oven/grill and top.

  2. Choose a spreadable topping. Sauces like tomato, salsa, pesto, ricotta, aioli all work...there are many more.

  3. Choose a Protein. Any cooked meat, fish, or poultry, sausage, prosciutto, mushrooms, breadfruit...again, anything goes.

  4. Choose other toppings. Vegetables such as onions, squash, mushrooms, woody herbs, another protein, or whatever you have on hand.

  5. Top with cheese. Fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, brie...the choice is your.

  6. Bake the pizza. Bake in the oven 10 minutes or so. You want the cheese to melt everything to be bubbly. Watch carefully as the edges burn quickly. If you are gilling the same rules apply and you will need to cover the grill.

  7. Gilt the Lily. Once the pizza is out of the oven, you can add anything else you would like. Soft herbs, olive oil, pepper flakes, grated cheese, greens tossed with a bit of olive oil and lemon. you can also choose to let it bask unadorned. Serve.