My Favorite Spring Sandwich: Grilled Cheese and Asparagus

Who doesn't love grilled cheese sandwiches? If you don't, then I don't think we can be friends - - kidding! Of course we can still be friends if you are a hater of grilled cheese. After all, that just means all the more for me!

It's my favorite time of the year when our local farmer's market and several farm stands are selling these fresh picked spears. This is just your basic grilled cheese sandwich, but add leftover grilled, roasted, blanched, or microwaved-cooked asparagus. These spears of green goodness are best in a sandwich if there is still a nice crunch - not soggy or overcooked.

Okay, so you know the routine. Here is what you need. Bread, cheese, butter, and of course the asparagus. 

When it comes to what type of cheese, do what I do - rummage through your cheese drawer and choose whatever cheese you have on hand. Select those cheeses that are best for melting, like I used Muenster. I also added shreds of cheddar, as shredded cheese will melt faster and more consistent, than just a slice of cheddar. 

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Generously spread softened REAL butter on one side of both slices of bread.  I chose a Brioche bread - an eggy butter-rich bread with a light yellow color and a sweeter taste than plain white. No softened butter handy and you don't wait around for the butter to soften? No problem. Spread the slices with a thin spread of mayonnaise. Yes. Mayonnaise. Don't question it. Just read this. Bon Appetit magazine says so, and so do I. 

Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add slices of cheese. When building the sandwich, alternate the ends of the asparagus so you won't just get bites of ends in one half of the sandwich. Top with more cheese. Add second slice of buttered bread and place butter-side up. Grill until lightly browned and flip over. Sometimes the aid of a toothpick helps to anchor the spears. Continue grilling until all the cheese is melted. 

Ooey, gooey, melty, and cooked to pure golden toasty bliss with a nice semi-crunch of asparagus. 

Pretty Posy Smudge Sticks

It's the perfect time of year to make these pretties since everything is in bloom. All you need are some posies, twine, a little patience and you have, not only a smudge stick, but something pretty to lay on a old vintage platter or tray. A collection of these would be quite calming and pleasing to the eye to keep around, and they smell good, too.

Make several for gifts, especially for the hostess or open house.

So what is a smudge stick? It is generally a bundle of dried herbs, usually bound with string. The herbs are later burned as part of a ritual or ceremony to rid of the "un-welcomed." Plants that are often used include sage, lavender, and cedar. Many people are now "smudging" their new homes to rid of any negativity; or for just a calming presence - like a spa. Smudging has been a tradition for centuries among indigenous people, especially our Native Americans.

As you notice in the video, each flower or herb used has its own special meaning. You may not believe in spirits, but hey... what can it hurt? And they look and smell so pretty.

Wander and Ponder: Elegance, Jelly Jars, and Cozies

This is the week where I have been drawn to politics like a moth to a flame. I-must-stop-and start writing about pleasant things... 

The other day I wrote about "An Elegant Life."  I pointed out ideas to add a touch of elegance to your life. A reader gave me some good things to ponder about "elegance." She suggested that "elegance is more than a collection of objects, but a state of mind, confidence, and a sense of peace... and how you interact with the world around you."

She is correct. I had thought earlier around the same lines while I was writing the original post. I had thought about "elegance" being a gentle spirit and always acting in kindness, and mindful of others and our surroundings.  What stopped me from continuing that chain of thought is I am an imperfect person. I have a lot of work to do with my own "spirit," before I start suggesting to others to get their "spirit" in check. Giving myself a break, I do think the older I get, I think I improve. To sum it up, as I wrote in the article, I think "elegance" is a state of mind. Be aware. Be conscious. Treat your own self with kindness, and I think it becomes easier to treat others the same. Also, don't forget to reach into the china cabinet that never gets open and take that beautiful French crystal wine glass Aunt Bessie gave you from its perch and use that beautiful glass to drink your morning juice from instead of that old Ninja Turtle jelly jar. And speaking of jelly jars...

Jelly Jars: Am I the only one who saves the jelly jars from Bonne Maman fruit preserves and jellies? I even save the caps just in case I want to seal the contents such as: whole spices, bouquets of posies, refrigerator pickles, candle holders, string or button storage, hard candies, and even use them for picnics to store food or use as glasses. Also the perfect wine glass for that Italian themed spaghetti dinner party. 

If David Lebovitz, author of dessert cookbooks and Parisian life can save his jelly and mustard jars, then so can I. 

Cozy Mysteries: So I have been reading this genre of books, downloading numerous on my Kindle, and even dabbled a few words to write my own; but it wasn't until this week at a writer's support group did I learn that what I have been reading has a name. 

Just in case you are behind like I am, what is a "Cozy Mystery?" It is also referred to as "cozies." They are a sub-genre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. Typically the heroine of the crime fiction is not a detective nor any type of a law authoritative figure, but often an owner of a bakery, bed and breakfast, cupcake shop, antique shop, flower shop... any shop owned by a woman and especially in a small intimate community. Many cozies will also come in series. 

Why am I reading "cozies" of all things? They are fun, mindless, and quick. They are also affordable to download on Kindle, especially through book clubs like BookBub and Bargain Booksey. They are sweet forms of entertainment during a time when the news is depressing. It's a nice way to escape. 

Hope you escape somewhere this weekend, if only inside a book. 

An Elegant Life

The tag line to my blog is "The simple trimmings for an elegant life™... "

First of all, it is important to note I do not live an elegant life, especially if you are thinking as in the rich and famous. I have never lived an elegant life. I do tend to use the dictionary - a lot. I always have, and use words literally - - in this case it lists a variety of synonyms under the word "elegance" such as: stylish, graceful, tasteful, classic, smart, simple, clever... 

I like to keep in touch with the trends in home and personal decor, whether I use the trends or not. Mostly, I do not. I seem to stick with the old classics. In my personal dress, I go basics and spend my money on good shoes, purses, sweaters, and accessories. My basic wear of pants and shirts is often neutral and black. I rarely spend much on the basics, especially now that I work from home - - and often basics in black. Why black? I always have. When they make a darker color other than black, I will buy it. 

How to practice "elegance?" 

• It's the difference between going out grocery shopping with a timeless leather handbag that you will have forever,  instead of a soiled trendy canvas bag with spilled coffee and baby poop on it. 
• Knowing it is okay to wear a pair of basic black pants and tee from Target, but accessorizing with a fabulous pair of Tiffany or Gucci sunglasses.
• Instead of a beat-up wooden coffee table in the living room, spray paint it a flat-black or do a quick sanding and brush it with an off-white chalk paint and "shabby-chic" it up a bit. 
• Want a BMW or a Mercedes but can't afford one?  Buy a "well loved" one - - a classic. They cost less. Just drive it "in season." You and the car will be memorable. 
• Can't afford diamonds, emeralds, and rubies? Get your Boho-chic on and enjoy the colors of semi-precious stones such as amethysts, rose-colored crystals, and marcasites. 
• The beautiful old crystal and china that Aunt Polly gave you? Don't dust it. Don't keep it in storage. Use it. Use it for your morning cup of tea and toast. If you don't, many years later someone else will. So what if you break a piece here or there? If you don't, many years later someone else will. 
• Lit candles in the evening can make a difference in a room - even around the bathtub. 
• French soaps are very affordable and bring an "elegant" frame of mind instead of the old commercial deodorant soap. 
• Cooking with butter and wine. Well, actually cooking from scratch can be "elegant" instead of ripping open a box and tossing it in the microwave. 

Elegance is a state of mind. It is often the little things in life that makes a difference. It doesn't have to cost a lot to have that state of mind. 

Wander and Ponder: May, Lilacs, Cheese, and Flying

Happy May! 

I cannot explain it, but there is always something exciting about the first week of May. Perhaps it goes back to my childhood and how much I looked forward to the ritual of May Day. In grade school we would dance around the Maypole winding colorful streamers of crepe paper around the pole. 

Our teachers would encourage us to make paper doily cones or woven heart-shaped "baskets" out of colored construction paper to hold the bundle of flowers for a lucky recipient to find on their door. I would often "surprise" my mother with a knock on the front door, hang the flowers on the door knob, and then run away. Bless her. She would play along and when I would nonchalantly walk in the back door from school, she would act all surprised showing me what she found at the front door. 

Let's not let May Day be a forgotten tradition. 

An Ode to Lilacs: They are in bloom! I miss my old lilac trees I use to have growing at a former house. They bloomed in colors of white, a rare pink, and of course many shades of lavender and purple. I think I took those old trees for granted - that they would always be there for me that first week of May. The fragrance is one of the best smells on earth. 

Cheese: If you ever see a wedge or a round of White Stilton with Mango and Ginger, buy it. You won't be sorry. The sharp tang from the White Stilton, a protected designation of origin English cheese, and the sweetness of the fruit and spice is a pleasure on the tongue. It makes a fine cheese to enjoy after dinner and especially in the morning on a croissant. 

Take a Chance: Whether it is a change of career, retirement, a new home, a smaller home, a new and bold paint color for your front door, or even the possibility of finding love. Go ahead. Pluck one. Pluck a chance. They are yours for the offering. Sometimes it's okay to fly through parts of your life by the seat of your pants. 

Do Millennials Eat White Sauce?

Yes! Yes they do eat white sauce and sometimes even make it, but possibly they do not know they are eating "white sauce." It's just that it's not often referred to as "white sauce." Now days it is much cooler to refer to white sauce as "bechamel."

No, I am not picking on the Millennials, so save the cards and letters... as Oprah use to say. The facts are it was discovered that Millennials, or members of Generation Y, are less likely to strongly identify with the generational terms when compared to Generation X or to the Baby Boomers. 

For the most part Baby Boomers were of the "white sauce" era due to the convenient cookbooks such as the popular Betty Crocker’s 1956 Picture Cook Book. While Julia Child tried her best to sway our parents, and even the Baby Boomers with her two-volume French cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, published in 1961 (Volume 1) and 1970 (Volume 2). It took Julia at least 30 good years to get us to pay attention that French cooking could be just as simple as most recipes in our American cookbooks. 

The basic recipe: 

2. 
   
3. 2 tablespoons butter
4. 2 tablespoons flour
5. 1 1/4 cups milk, heated
6. Salt
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. And sometimes a hint of nutmeg. 
9. 
   

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown — about 2 minutes. This step is basically making what is referred to as a "roux." (Often in Cajun cooking, the roux is cooked longer until it is the desired brown color)

Add the warm milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. You can also add more milk to thin the sauce, if needed. 

There you go! You have your basic bechamel which now can be used or other ingredients can be added to it - - such as cheese! 

In fact, speaking of white sauce and Betty Crocker, the 1950's housewife often made white sauce. My mother made white sauce to "enhance" the top of salmon patties. These little fish patties were made exactly the same as crab cakes, but with canned or leftover salmon. Like who had leftover salmon hanging around? Fresh salmon wasn't all that available at the time, especially if you lived in the middle of a farming town. My folks had many friends and co-workers who would visit Alaska for salmon fishing. They often brought back their catch canned at the local fish canneries. They would drop by a can or two. Sometimes peas were put into the sauce. And speaking of white sauce and peas, who remembers in the spring eating "new potatoes and peas in white sauce?"

My dad made white sauce for the beloved SOS in our household. SOS was a white sauce with chipped beef in it and served on a piece of toast or biscuit. Dad would shake his head at us kids with every bite we put into our mouths. He would always say, "If that is all you had to eat for days, you probably wouldn't enjoy it like you do now." Oh, and the meaning of SOS? "Shit on a Shingle" was the term used in the armed forces. 

One of the more "elegant" uses for white sauce was a favorite among my mother and her "young housewives" club luncheons - - Eggs ala Goldenrod over fresh asparagus. Think of it as a vegetarian version of Eggs Benedict, but with asparagus and bechamel sauce instead of hollandaise. Mom often cut the crust off of the toast to make it look "fancier." Eggs ala Goldenrod was the perfect way to use up those hard-boiled eggs during Easter brunch, especially if asparagus was in season. Frankly, I would crumble bacon on top. 

Giving bechamel (aka white sauce) a lot of thought, it is the tasty base for many popular and even international foods that we enjoy today. It's the base for gourmet mac and cheese, and if it isn't topped over croque monsieur or croque madame, then you would have ordinary ham and cheese sandwiches.  Bechamel is  the glue that holds potato and vegetable gratins together, and between the layers of Greek moussaka or Italian baked rigatoni. Chicken pot pie isn't a good pot pie without bechamel. It's the base of all good creamy or cheesy soups like broccoli, or even clam chowder. Chile con queso gets some added creaminess for dipping with the start of a good white sauce - - aka bechamel. 

It's also a regional thing when you consider good ol' biscuits and sausage gravy. That specialty gravy starts with a flour and butter roux. Would it be referred to as a white sauce since it originated in the south? Whether you refer to it as bechamel or white sauce, it is just as delicious. 

Wander and Ponder on Friday, April 28, 2017

What! It's Friday already? It's been a busy week, but I am feeling rather accomplished. And speaking of accomplished... 

The Graphics Fairy: is on my list as one of my favorite blogs and websites. The Graphics Fairy is a great resource for DIY, craft projects, and ideas. There are tutorials on painting techniques, transfers, and other "bling" additions from photos to furniture. Sign up for the weekly email that you will receive every Friday. Artist and owner, Karen posts vintage images almost every day and the page is filled with thousands of stock images, and even typography that you can use for your craft projects. 

Pickled Red Onions: I am going to make these next week. A local brasserie serves pickled red onions on the side with their croque monsieur and croque madames. I will often just eat pickled onion as is without even putting them on top of my sandwich. The ingredients are simple - - and only five ingredients that you have around the house - - other than maybe the red onions. Find the recipe here at Fox Valley Foodie. You try it. I'll try it. Then let's compare notes. 

Baking Half Pans: They are tough to keep looking shiny and new, and unless you are a professional baker or someone who bakes cookies several times a week, do you really need expensive baking pans and cookie sheets? I keep reading all of these handy hints on how to make your baking pans look like new with non-toxic cleaners, such as vinegar, blah, blah, and blah. After using too much elbow grease, I threw all of those ugly old stained pans away. And then... 

I went to the Dollar Store and bought a couple of new baking half pans - - you guessed it for $1.00 each. And when those start looking ugly, I will toss or recycle for another use such as: place tools or paint buckets on old pans instead of potentially ruining a surface. Also, use them as part of your potting shed or work table - again to keep surfaces clean. 

Talk about good timing, just yesterday Bon Appetit sent an email listing the three most important kitchen tools that Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa cannot do without. She cannot do without sharp knives, a zester - - and you guessed it - - plenty of baking half pans. I use mine for more than baking, but for roasting vegetables and making my own "baked" French fries from fresh cut potatoes. 

Life is too short to be scrubbing pans. So, go out this weekend and have a wonderful time. 

About My Recipes and Dieting

Last week I did a "survey" about this blog. I have to say all of the responses gave me excellent feed back - - all of them. This blog isn't just a foodie blog, but a "lifestyle" blog - my lifestyle. It's about things that I enjoy that I want to share. It's about things that I have enjoyed, but been so busy in life that I forgot to enjoy these simple things. 

In the survey one of the suggestions brought up that the older recipes could be updated in healthier ways. I love that idea! Regarding my recipes, many are old school and some I have updated to the 21st century and some I have left as is. Some of the recipes can be adjusted and modified to each individual diets. Sure, and some are decadent. For those recipes may I suggest smaller servings? 

Through the years I have added touches of "healthier" ingredients in my own cooking, such as I often use skim milk instead of whole, and often turkey burger instead of beef. Sometimes I even use olive oil in place of butter or regular vegetable oil. I will also swap out sugar when it comes to baking, and use apple sauce instead. It all varies depending on the needs and of course making a recipe with success.  

Believe it or not, but I use to follow a strict vegan diet before it was "cool." That was in the old days of my "hippie" years, so I am familiar with many of the alternatives for vegan cooking. In fact I even took a series of cooking classes designed for the vegan. We didn't even cook with processed sugar. We only used natural fruits. It was harder to be a vegan 40-years ago, as we had limited resources and not a lot of commercial products designed for the vegan cook and consumer. Forty-years ago whole wheat or vegetable based pasta was awful! Today, whole wheat pasta is delicious! 

There are some things I do not use, such as soy products as I personally have a severe intolerance and the majority of the vegan egg substitutes leave an after-taste that I do not care for, especially in baking. And speaking of after-taste, why would anyone want to substitute fake margarine instead of butter - the real thing? Most of the "alternative butter" is made from chemicals or over processed. However, if you are keeping kosher or a vegan, I understand you use what you can.  In the example of Marcella's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter - - well, I don't know how to grasp that one. Without the butter it wouldn't be Marcella's sauce. If you cannot use butter, then don't make the recipe. How can you screw with perfection? Heh. 

Today there are so many diets such as gluten-fee, nut-free, vegan, vegetarian, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, fruitarian, flexitarian (my diet), pescetarian, shell fish allergies, and even religious food restrictions... I can no longer keep track - nor should I. I am not a dietitian, and I am not in food service. I am just sharing my favorite home recipes. 

Here is an example of some of the more health conscious recipes: Korean-style Beef Bowl- use brown rice, and instead of beef use chicken, turkey, or just add more vegetables and no meat. Eliminate the sugar in the sauce and use agave or honey, instead. Minestrone Soup is an easy fix to make it with less calories. Eliminate the meat and make it all vegetarian. If you are gluten-free, then use gluten-free pasta or rice in the tomato-based soup. Only you know what you can eat and what you can tolerate. Here is an example what we face if we are just sharing recipes - - again, I am not a dietitian. There is a low-cal "meat-less" ball, but it is made with pecan meal, so those with a nut allergy... see where I am going? I cannot keep everyone happy when it comes to the choice of recipes I post.

My Tabbouleh recipe is about as healthy as one can get -- but not if you are gluten-free. So leave out the bulgur wheat and add quinoa, but you already knew that - - right? Again, there is no recipe that will meet the needs of everyone. 

As far as desserts go, there are a few suggestions - - again, depending on what diet you are keeping. Affogato is an easy dessert and can be swapped out for light ice cream, non-dairy tofu or rice-based "ice cream." Let's say you don't want to use caffeine after dinner, then look at decaffeinated coffee for your cup of affogato - duh. The Forgiving Fruit Galette should be no surprise to anyone who is on a gluten-free diet. Make your favorite version of a gluten-free crust. Use agave, honey, or a fruit puree (or apple sauce) as a substitute if you want to eliminate sugar. The recipe will still be "forgiving" and easy. 

This rant is inspired from a few stories from professional cooks that I know. Thinking about healthier cooking also got me to thinking about some of the frustrations that professional cooks often run into. One of the recent stories was how a consumer went to management to complain about a salad she ate at a work-related buffet. The salad wasn't marked gluten free, but a pasta-based salad should have been the gluten intolerant person's first clue. Since the majority of the population is NOT gluten-free, typically foods that are gluten-free friendly are the ones that are marked and designated - not the other way around.  If we are going to attach our selves to a diet, then we have to be accountable, educated, and even find alternatives regarding what we put in our mouths.

If you have taken any of these recipes and modified them to your individual diet and the results have been met with great success - - do let me know so we can share them. As I have said with the majority of my recipes - they are often just a springboard towards another recipe - your own recipe. 

Wander and Ponder on Friday, April 21, 2017

This week I have not had a lot on my mind. Perhaps it is the clouds and rain that bring on somewhat of a malaise. I had great hopes to get a lot of things done, and here I am - feeling very unaccomplished. But there is hope! There is always hope. There is always a new Monday. 

One of the things that just tickled my fancy this week, I discovered something that was a lovely part of my childhood. I discovered on YouTube all of the old episodes of a Mickey Mouse Club series called "Annette."  

Annette: was a 10 minute 19-episode black and white series featuring "America's Sweetheart" Annette Funicello. The series was the story of a young girl who goes to live with her aunt and uncle. She attends a new high school, makes new friends, goes to formal dances, drinks malts at the soda shop, and has a crush on the neighborhood boy. I was about 10-years old when I first saw the series. In fact the Mickey Mouse Club were reruns by the time I got to see them, and Annette was no longer a child. She was in her early twenties making teen-age "Beach Party" movies.

My love for Annette has never left. 

During that era, we didn't have such things as DVR's, DVD's, and Demand. We were on the mercy of three major television stations and their affiliates. When we missed our favorite shows, we hoped for reruns. 

The "Annette" series may have been the start of my writing. I kept a stenographer's notebook that I would write stories and draw pictures in. After the "Annette" series ended and there was no hope for reruns, I continued with my own "series" by writing my own version. In my version, Annette spent more time in the soda shop enjoying hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes; and less time in school. What do you expect from a 10-year old?

Noodles: You know those thick toothy egg noodles that you buy in the freezer section at your favorite market? I have been pondering them. Okay, the truth is I have been craving them. There is so much you can do: chicken noodle, soups, beef stroganoff, vegetable Alfredo, beef noodle... Are there freezer noodles in my future for this weekend?

Home Decor: I love to look at it. It's one of my favorite things to do. However, I rarely buy it anymore, but I keep looking at it. Sometimes I want to change things up and buy new pillows, new lamps, chairs, wall art, and tables - - but I don't. I don't need to. I will forever be the old lady with the old and outdated Victorian "grandma funeral parlor" furniture. 

The other day I opened the drawer to my dining room buffet and noticed all of my doilies that I stopped decorating my tables with. Talk about "old" grandma stuff - - but in defiance, I may just bring back the doilies! They are lovely - every single stitch of them. 

My doily drawer

But hey - - I may not buy new decor, but at least I buy new jar candles - - and often! 

Here's to a productive, but fun weekend! 

Are You a Francophile?

Fran·co·phile (ˈfraNGkəˌfīl/) noun - a person who is fond of or greatly admires France or the French.

This weekend I read an article in the New York Times about how in Harlem New York there is a new French renaissance exploding with French restaurants, along with many French expats making Harlem their home. In fact, while I was writing this I received my daily email from Food & Wine magazine, and it just happened to be solely about French hors d'oeuvres, French main courses, French "fast food," and French desserts. 

So what is this obsession we have with the French? I think the romantic side of France has always been with us since the prolific writing days of authors Hemingway and Fitzgerald. 

We are now bringing it into our homes "French-style artisanal" breads and croissants, besides pastry sweets from eclairs to macarons. These delicious items are from local markets selling their own version of French-style baked goods. We perk up when a plate of imported French cheeses, from Brie to Raclette, is brought to our attention. 

Fleur de sel, Herbs de Provence, and Le Creuset cookware is a big part of our kitchen. Boeuf bourguignon, Coq au Vin, pommes frites, and the simple Croque Monsieur (aka grilled ham and cheese) is no longer a mystery to cook - or to eat. Cook and lover of all things French, Julia Child kept telling us how easy it was to cook like the French, and thirty years later we are just now believing her. 

Many large wine regions in America are celebrating grapes with origins from France. The French-style of wine making is often shown in many local wines from California, Washington, and Oregon. I will not hide my love of pretty pink wines from Provence, and in an effort to support my local wine industry, I seek out American produced rosés that resemble the style from southern France.  They have taken over my wine collection. 

Deep "French" roast coffee beans that produce French-style café au lait, and mochas are often made with a French Press - - make that a Le Creuset French Press. 

A few years back we became enamored with home decor that featured pillows and baubles adorned with the Eiffel Tower. "Shabby Chic," a style reminiscent of old French furniture, linens, and decor that was worn and weathered, is now purposely and willfully produced.

And who doesn't get all starry-eyed over the thought of old buildings with the shutters and doors the color of the nearby lavender fields?

Nothing better on a Sunday than to cozy up to a French-themed movie: Midnight in Paris, Chocolat, Amelie, A Good Year, The Sisters of Belleville, GiGi, and Julie and Julia. And speaking of Sundays... 

The difference between our American habits and the French, is that the French take the time to have coffee or a glass of wine in the middle of the day while we are still working to make the corporate boss happy so he can afford a plane ticket to France. In France they actually enjoy their Sundays off from work - or so I keep reading. 

So where am I going with this? Why the Francophiles? I believe it is a quest to a much simpler time in life and enjoying the simple, but finer things. Finer things do not have to be expensive. When we look at the French life-style, it is not as grand as we prop it up to be. Boeuf bourguignon may sound "fancy," but after all it is a simple aromatic beef stew. It is not canned beef stew, but a stew that is slowly and methodically made with fresh ingredients. 

Let's just not copy the French in their cooking and decor, but let's learn from the French and not super-size our drinks and dine on fast food. Let's take the time to stop and "drink" the rosés. This rant is just as much of a reminder for me, as it is for you. I am slowly learning... 

With apologies to Omar Khayyam, "A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread - and Thou beside me singing in the wilderness... "  

Make that a jug of French wine, and a loaf of French bread... 

Wander and Ponder on Friday, April 14, 2017

This week has brought me many memories: from learning some of the basics about Kosher cooking and how to make the perfect matzo ball, to being a youngster and the thrill of receiving the pastel-laden colored (mostly pink) Easter baskets waiting on the dining room table on many early Easter mornings. 

This morning of Good Friday got me to thinking about Easter bonnets, white patent leather shoes, and white gloves. It was the outfit many of us wore to church on Easter Sundays. 

It's time to bring out the Easter bonnets. 

Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts, especially when it is home made. My grandmother had one of the best recipes, as it called for crushed pineapple. I get very excited about a carrot cake when I see little miniature orange "carrots" made from extra frosting adorning the top of the cake. It just means extra frosting! 

The internet was out for about six hours the other day. It turns out road construction inadvertently cut a fiber-optic cable in a nearby community. The internet is something that many of us take for granted. It certainly cut my day short. It was my day to send a few invoices, to pay a few invoices, do my banking, as well as some research. I use the internet for many things from playing music and downloading and streaming my favorite television programs.  And speaking of internet... 

Pinterest. Follow me there. You will find I have many recipe boards,  and also designs, decor, vintage, favorite faces, and some boards with no reason at all other than "I just liked the photos."  

Have a wonderful Passover and Easter holiday weekend. 

Cooking is Cheaper than Therapy: Matzo Ball Soup

You may be thinking, "Earlier this week you published photos of Easter eggs and bunnies, and today you have photos of Passover Matzo Ball Soup. What gives?" 

Monday was the first day of Passover. Think of me as an equal opportunity religious holiday celebrator. A few moons ago I was the guest at a large Seder in Bondi Junction, a suburb of Sydney, Australia; and it was a wonderful experience I will never forget. I also spent a couple of weeks learning about Kosher cooking. I have been cooking some of my favorite Passover recipes ever since. And yes - - there is a small cut of brisket in my refrigerator waiting for the oven. 

Matzo isn't just for Passover anymore. About 20 years ago I didn't see a lot of matzo on our local grocery store shelves, and today it is a staple in my house. I use it for wine tasting when I want to cleanse the palate, as well as it serves as a great neutral vehicle to hold appetizing spreads like olive tapenade, hummus, or baba ghanoush (eggplant dip). My sister makes a wonderful Matzo Toffee Crunch during Passover, and especially for the December holidays. 

This is one of my favorite soups that I make all year round. I can make it as easy or as extensive as I want. Extensive means boiling a whole chicken to make my own stock or as easy as using pre-made stock. If you are not a kosher-keeper, you can use can or boxed stock or "cheat" by poaching boneless chicken breasts in liquid made of water, aromatic veggies (onions, celery stalks and leaves, and carrots) and herbs such as sage and thyme. You can even add packaged stock, chicken bouillon for richness and white wine to the poaching liquid. If you are going to enjoy this soup with a glass of white wine, I would recommend to use the same wine to poach with. 

Floaters! 

Matzo Ball Soup

½ cup Matzo Meal (Streits or Manischewitz brand), or make your own fine meal in the food processor from sheets of matzo.
2 Tbsp vegetable oil or if you want to keep authentic, use “schmaltz” (chicken fat)
2 eggs

1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
(Optional: sprinkle of onion powder, garlic powder, and/or ground black pepper to taste)

1½ - 2 quarts of chicken broth/stock (home made or packaged)
2-3 carrots (sliced)

½ cup onion or shallots - finely chopped
1 finely chopped clove of garlic

1 sage leaf and/or thyme

cooked chicken meat (optional)

Lightly saute chopped onion and garlic (don't let it brown) with a bit of oil in a 2-3 quart soup pot. Add chicken broth, sliced carrots, and herbs. Bring to boil and let simmer. This is the broth that you will be cooking the matzo balls in. You may make it just before you are ready to drop the matzos into the soup or make it ahead of time. Some recipes call for to cook their matzo balls in water and add to broth before serving, but it all depends on what your Yiddish Bubbe did.

Make matzo balls: in a mixing bowl, blend vegetable oil and eggs together. Add salt (or adjust to taste or add above spices) to matzo meal. Add matzo meal and salt mixture to egg and vegetable oil mixture and blend well. If too thick, add a few drops or 1-2 teaspoons of water or stock to mixture. 

Cover mixing bowl and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Sometimes I make the matzo ball mixture the night before or in the morning before I plan on serving for dinner. Form the chilled matzo dough into 8-12 walnut size balls. Oil hands before rolling the dough and also the less you handle it the lighter the matzo balls will be. 

Heat chicken broth if needed. Reduce heat and into the slightly boiling broth drop the matzo balls. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. While cooking matzo balls should have floated to the top (unless you prefer "sinkers", but I like the light and fluffy "floaters"). When serving - about 2-3 matzo balls per person. 

Matzo meal can be used for breading fish and poultry. Also makes a good filler for meatloaf and meat balls. It won't go to waste. Enjoy these yummy Jewish dumplings!