Henri's TasTee Dressing Clone

Some things are just plain meant to be.  This month for Blogger C.L.U.E. Society I was assigned A Palatable Pastime.  Unlike a lot of the bloggers in the group, I've not been well acquainted with Sue's blog.  So, it was a lot of fun to get to stalk her and figure out what'd go best with CELEBRATE!  Yes, the theme of our December posts is celebrate.  That left out SO many fabulous posts.   Baked Apple French Toast, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (sounds healthy!) Candied Walnut and Grape Salad, Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs...  Yes, several of these will find their way to our table when we're once again home often enough to really cook.  For now, we're into the easiest things we can figure out that don't involve calling Donatos...

We've had pretty much the perfect storm at the office.  First and foremost, our right hand assistant, Teresa is out thanks to a knee replacement.  That's about 24 hours a week that we've had to take back.  Into a week that stretches to seven days of work anyway.  Then, there's the fact that Social Security changed the rules of the road and I'm having to work my way back through a couple hundred plans.  Add in the fact that we've taken over the care for my aunt and uncle (ages 85 and 97.)  And, several dinner parties.  Including the entire Girls Night Out crew and their hubbys or significant others.  And, Christmas Eve for my family.  And, about 26 hours of continuing education that needs to be done by year end.  And, and, and.  I'm overwhelmed.  So, quite honestly, the idea of a major celebratory dinner was out of the question.  I was looking for something that was easy, a bit decadent, a bit festive and that would be wonderful while we decorate for Christmas.  Smoked salmon dip.  Perfect.  But, I didn't quit reading.  Then, I found homemade Henri's TasTee Dressing.  Did that ever bring back memories. 

Way back in the mid 70's I was a management trainee at Lincoln National Bank in Fort Wayne, IN.  Every year there was a gift exchange and pitch-in.  Marcie, the president's assistant, brought a dip that I absolutely swooned over.  I still have the recipe card where I wrote the recipe.  And, I still make it for parties when I can.  Oh, you know, here's the gift I got at that exchange.  It's sitting on the shelf right above the computer monitor where I'm typing this post.  The little blue and white china box. 

And, it still makes me smile to think of the good times I had back there.  Now, what I've not said is that Marcie's Dip calls for Henri's TasTee Dressing.  We can't always find it.  Needless to say I'm one unhappy camper when I can't find my Henri's.  Now, I don't have to.  I have Sue's re-creation.  Oh, yes. 

So, I made the dressing but I used it as a salad dressing since I didn't have the Buddig Chipped Beef to make the dip.  You see, I'd bought all the ingredients for the smoked salmon dip.  Now, typically I'd give you a link to the recipe on the blog but I can't find it again...  I've looked thru Sue's index and it's not listed that I can see...  So, thank goodness I printed it out!!!

Henri's TasTee Dressing Clone Ingredients

1 c sugar
1 T celery seed
1 t salt
1/4 t ground white pepper
1/4 c onion powder
1 1/2 t dry mustard
1 t turmeric
1/4 c vinegar
1-2 c mayonnaise

Whisk it all together.  This makes a fabulous coleslaw dressing.  Or, salad dressing.  Or smoosh it with 8 oz of cream cheese, a bag of Buddig chipped beef (finely diced,) some pickle relish and a bit of mustard and you've got a great dip!

So, with many thanks to Sue, I can now recreate one of my favorite dips whenever I want!!!  Here's a list of my friends from Blogger C.L.U.E. Society who also have some fabulous celebratory recipes!

• Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Kim from Liv Life
• Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Anna from annaDishes
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Sue from A Palatable Pastime

Five Spice Apple Pie

Finally.  The frost is on the pumpkin.  We've had the longest, latest Indian summer I remember.  And, now I'm finally ready for some fall foods.  Like pie.  That's the theme of our Blogger C.L.U.E. Society this month.  And I got assigned one of my all time favorite blogs.  By one of my favorite bloggers!  Deb and I got to be friends almost as soon as I started blogging.  She and her hubby are wonderfully adventurous eaters who love to travel and garden.  Two of our favorite things.  Her blog is named after her cat, Eliot.  Isn't that a purrfect name for a kitty?  For years I've poked around on her blog making yummy dishes.  Too many to count.   One of Deb's recipes that's on my list is her version of Bee's Knees.  It's a cocktail typically made with honey and either gin or vodka.  We've made some version eons ago and I can't remember which Connie used.  But, her version has lavender in the honey simple syrup.  I'm waiting for my lavender buds to dry a bit.  Keep checking the things weekly and they're just not cooperating.  Here's a link to the recipe in the event you've got lavender calling your name:  Bee's Knees.  I wish I'd listed recipes made by each blogger so I could give you a list of the recipes I've tried.  But, alas, they're part of a huge pile of recipes that I've printed, made and put in a pile to organize...  I've finally started a scanned file of recipes.  But, they too need to be organized.  The story of my life.  Too much information needing too much organization!

Speaking of cooperation...  Our local grocery just hasn't been cooperating.  They've been eliminating items that we regularly buy - like frozen chopped broccoli for Chicken Elegante.  And, it's been tougher to find things we don't buy regularly but we do on occasion.  Like Cornish Game Hens.  This time it's frozen sweet cherries.  They've not had them.  And, with our wacko crazy schedules heading out on a mission to find specialty items hasn't been possible.  So, I've changed menus or substituted.  This time, I had to totally change recipes.  You see, I had my heart set on Vanilla Cherry Pie with Almond Crumb Topping.  I know.  Doesn't the name alone make your mouth water?  Then, you read the recipe and swoon.  I so want some of that pie.  And, I've wanted it since the day I found out I was assigned Deb's blog and went pie hunting. 

No cherries meant I was on to a different pie recipe.  Connie was voting for the Frito Pies but I explained this was a pie for Thanksgiving dinner.  Evidently, he loves Frito Pie so much that he'd eat it for Thanksgiving dinner.  I really need to get those on the menu for some Sunday night football!  Then, there's onion pie.  Not quiche, Deb says, but true onion pie.  It's a bit like the famous French onion tart, pissaladiere.  There's one twist to it that I'm so going to try - mustard on the pie crust before you put the rest of the ingredients in.  Doesn't that sound fabulous!

But, I digress, Thanksgiving pie is the subject here.  There were several other choices:  wine and raspberry cream, stone fruit, nutella, pears and apples, and five spice apple.  Now, we've grown to love five spice powder.  It used to be one of those specialty spices rarely used.  Not these days.  I use it in all kinds of recipes.  So, I was intrigued.  And, I was running out of time...  Heading for a conference and my pie had to be made, photographed and blogged before I left town.  We had no time to bake over the weekend.  I thought I'd seen a box of pie crusts in the fridge.  It was a cold, rainy night and traffic was horrid.  So, I broke one of the cardinal rules of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  I changed the recipe.  The box of pie crusts wasn't.  I didn't have shortening.  One of the things I used up before we moved and have never replaced.  Hunting, hunting, hunting.  Ahhh, graham crackers.  Maybe stale, maybe not.  But, something to make a pie crust out of.  What about a topping???  I kept picturing that wonderful vanilla almond topping for the cherry pie.  What if I made one of those and put some more five spice in???  Let me tell you...  This was the BEST apple pie I've ever had. Who would have ever thought that replacing cinnamon with five spice would make such a difference?  But, that's the kind of cooking Deb does.  Creative, inventive, fun.  And, it tastes so darned good!  Here's the link to her recipe and some more photos of mine...  Five Spice Apple Pie.  Please remember to head to the cherry pie recipe for the topping...

Now, here are links to the rest of my friends: 

• Aunt Orlean's Pie Dough by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Bacon and Leek Quiche by Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Black Forest Fruit Pie by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Brownie Pecan Pie by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Cast Iron Apple Pie by Lisa from Suburban Gourmet
• Cauliflower and Leek Quiche by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Classic Pumpkin Pie by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Fig and Caramelized Onion Crostini by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Five Spice Apple Pie by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• French Silk Pie with Frangelico by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Lemon Almond Cake by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Lemon Icebox Pie by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies by Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Roasted Butternut Squash Dip by Anna from annaDishes
• Semisweet Chocolate Tart with Candied Pistachios by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Southern Buttermilk Pie by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Vegan Blueberry Cranberry Mini Cashew Icebox Cheesecakes by Kim from Liv Life

Cornish Game Hens with Citrus, Herb and Whiskey Glaze

Time is flying.  It's the second Wednesday of the month.  So that means it's time for Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  Each month we're assigned a fellow blogger.  Then, our task is to find a recipe from that blog that fits the theme of the month.  And, in my case, to NOT make a list of twenty other recipes to try...  I fail that one every time.  My fellow bloggers in the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society are a group of fabulous cooks.  I could pretty much cook my way through any of their blogs.  Lemons and Anchovies was no exception.  I mean, just take a look at her home page:  Lemons and Anchovies.  Don't you want to get up from your nice comfy chair in front of the computer and head to the kitchen and start cooking?  Me too!

This month's theme was grilling.  I finally narrowed my choices to Lemongrass Chicken Salad, Sun Dried Tomato Pizza and Cornish Game Hens with Citrus, Sage and Whiskey Glaze.  Back and forth.  To and fro.  All of them sounded wonderful.  So, you know what decided my choice?  Connie asked for fried sage leaves.  Game hens it was.  

These were so easy to put together and so fabulous!  Thank you Jean :-)  Since Connie's not a fan of polenta, I served these with some leftover white rice from Chinese carryout.  That sounds kind of blah, doesn't it?  Not if you kick it up a few notches with some of Amanda Cohen's herb flavor bombs.  It's a New York Times recipe I've had on my list for several weeks.  I thought it'd go well with the game hens and was right.  But, this post is about the game hens so let's chat about them and about Jean. 

First, Jean.  She live in the San Francisco Bay area.  Like me she collects cookbooks.  And, like me she started blogging to make a dent in her "recipes to try" list.  And, like Connie and me, she and her hubby love to travel.  I have a feeling we'd all have a delightful evening of great food, wine and conversation!  If only she lived a bit closer...  Now, here's a link to the recipe (and drool inducing photo!) on Jean's blog:  Cornish Game Hens with Whiskey Herb Citrus Glaze.

What did I do similarly and what did I do differently?  Let's start with the cooking method.  Jean roasted hers in a cast iron skillet.  I used the grill.  It was a bit too hot so I managed to burn the skin and had to cut the bird in half and cook it cut side down for the balance of the time.  Jean used tangerine jam but I had to settle for orange marmalade.  It looks, however, like we had similar outcomes - a fabulous Cornish game hen! 

 

 

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• Artichoke and Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Bourbon Baked Beans by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Classic Southern Potato Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Cornish Game Hens with Citrus, Herb and Whiskey Glaze by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Crinkle Sugar Cookies by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Crockpot Chili Dog Sauce by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Grilled Asian-Style Chicken by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Grilled Chicken Shish Tawookby Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Grilled Salmon with Mojo de Ajo by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Grilled Southwestern Chicken Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Grilled Zucchini with Sea Salt and Lemon Zest by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Lemintini by Anna from annaDishes
• Marinated Grilled Flank Steak by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Oklahoma Spicy Baked Beans by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Spatchcock BBQ Chicken by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Steak Kabobs by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• White Bean Tomato and Basil Salad by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Zesty Grilled Ham Steaks by Heather from girlichef

Tchertma - Zucchini and Eggs

Every once in a while someone comes into your life whose taste is so very similar to yours that it's almost eerie.  Connie is one of those people.  He says he knew he'd found the right one when he opened the meat drawer in my fridge and it was filled with about 20 kinds of cheese.  LOL, we do love our cheese.  Christiane from Taking On Magazines, aka The Mom Chef, is another of those.  Over the years I must have tried a dozen recipes from her blog.  Every last one has been wonderful.  Our very favorite (and one of our top five salads) is her cucumber/herb/feta salad.  In fact, as I type this all the ingredients are happily nestled in my fridge awaiting their preparation.  During the summer it's a wonderful way to use our cucumber harvest.  During the winter I can close my eyes and imagine summer!

Because I know our taste is so similar, I knew I'd have a terrible time choosing a recipe.  I did.  I decided that I'd go to family favorites first.  Christiane is of French and Armenian descent so I figured I'd find some fun Armenian recipes in her family recipes section.  I did.  But, I also found too many to count others that I wanted to try.  The old saying your eyes are bigger than your stomach?  Well, my file folder was bigger than my time or energy OR my stomach.  Such wonderful choices.  Lasagna D'Italia.  Made with béchamel the way I remember the best lasagna I've ever had.  Side note - it was at a pub in Cork, Ireland.  I know, last place you'd expect but it was magnificent.  Four chicken recipes called my name.  One with a juniper berry/gin/cream sauce.  My goodness but that sounded magnificent.  Cognac glazed.  Honey ginger glazed.  Hubby Doug's favorite chicken rolls - his mom's recipe.  Then, there was the moussaka.  Eggplant is one of our favorites so that was a strong contender.  Pickled beets with star anise.  I can taste that one!  Finally, I came down to two choices.  Spiced lentils with poached eggs and Tchertma
- zucchini and onions with an egg on top.  I'll admit I was hungry for an egg.  And, both of these recipes had eggs on top... 

What did we think?  Connie's exact word was unexpected.  I know.  Not a word you normally associate with tasting a dish for the first time.  At least I don't.  But, I felt the same way.  This is pure comfort food.  The zucchini is wonderfully soft.  The onions add a lovely subtle flavor.  And, the eggs are perfect.  This is the kind of dish that you get home from the office bone tired and wander out to the garden and pick a couple of zucchinis and dinner is ready in a few minutes.  Of course, this time of year the garden is not quite producing and a trip to the grocery is in order - lol. I think I need to go to Christiane's for about a week for Armenian cooking lessons! 

Now, along with the Tchertama, Connie decided we needed a cocktail.  An Armenian martini, no less:

Since it's once again time for the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society, that means all the wonderful bloggers below have hunted for other fabulous recipes on their assigned sites.  We're trying to do something with potatoes.  So, I served this with a lovely dish of rosemary potatoes:

Here's where you can see Christiane's blog:  Tchertma

And, here's how you make it

Ingredients:

1 T butter
1 small - medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 zucchinis, cut into coins
4 eggs

Directions:

Melt the butter in a medium skillet on medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until it's softened. 

Add the zucchini and cover it for about 15 minutes.

Crack the eggs on to the top of the zucchini. 

Cover and cook until your eggs are your preferred doneness. 

Here's a list of the other bloggers:

• Bacon Wrapped Potatoes w/ Sriracha Sauce by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Bacon-wrapped Smashed Redskin Puffs by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Basil Lime Gin Gimlet by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Cheddar Scallion Potato Buns by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Chicken Pot Pie by Heather from girlichef
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup by Kim from Liv Life
• Chocolate, Coconut, Butterscotch and Oatmeal Cake Cookies by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Daisy's Noisette Potatoes by Janet from Cupcakes to Caviar
• Honey Dijon Roasted Potato Salad by Ramona from Curry and Comfort
• Irish Brown Bread by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Irish Old Fashioned Cocktail by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Okie Peasant Potato Soup by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Potato and Celery Root Puree by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Potato and White Bean Soup with Sage by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Potato Rolls by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Potatoes O'Brien by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Pie by Anna from annaDishes
• Smoked Salmon Chowder by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Tchertma (Zucchini and Eggs) by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Thin Crispy French Fries by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Negroni for Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day a couple of days early!  This month our theme for the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society is red.  In honor of Valentine's Day, of course.  I had a lot of fun rummaging through my assigned blog, Confessions of a Culinary Diva.  It wasn't easy to find something red.  And, I was regularly distracted by posts of wonderful things that weren't red...  The pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe is first on my list.  Followed by spice crusted tuna, duck breasts with pomegranate and pumpkin and Italian sausage pasta.  Actually, truth be told, the sausage is already cooked for both of the pasta dishes...  And, I've got a can of pumpkin in my next week's stack of canned food to use up.  Broccoli rabe is on the grocery list.  So, I'm good to go!

Christy lives in Palm Desert, CA.  One of my favorite cities.  She's a banker and a blogger.  Kind of the numbers/creativity thing that I work with.  There is one funny story about her blog.  I saw a title with Downton in it.  Not being a tv watcher, I assumed there was a typo and it should have been Downtown.  Um, no, it's the tv show Downton Abbey.  So, thank you Christy for a fun and enjoyable time perusing your blog!

If you're wondering who the other Blogger C.L.U.E. members are and what they made, please take a look at the bottom of the blog.  Every month I pretty much cook my way through about half of the wonderful recipes!

Now, let's talk about this recipe.  Connie's made me a negroni before.  I wasn't terribly fond of it.  So, when I read Christy's post and found her suggestion to squeeze a bit of orange juice into the drink, I had to try it.  She also recommended using a better quality sweet vermouth.  That I could do if only my local liquor store stocked one...  Our joke is that we'll stop by Kahn's and see what they don't have...  Well, we finally made it north to Vine and Table on our way to the theatre.  A liquor store with inventory.  Shocking.  Good sweet vermouth and Campari were now ours.  Once home from the theatre, Connie unloaded the car from our Trader Joe's, Sam's, World Market and Vine and Table shopping extravaganza.  I put everything away.  Finally it was time to fix cocktails and relax.  Ahhhhh, lovely.  Christy was SO right about the squeeze of orange.  I actually added the juice of about half an orange.  Now, I have a Negroni I like!  Happy Valentines Day!

Negroni

Ingredients:

1 oz Campari
1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
juice of 1/2 orange (optional)
orange slice

Directions:

Mix and shake in a cocktail shaker.  Serve with a slice of orange.

adapted from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Participating Bloggers:

• Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Ramona from Curry and Comfort
• Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Kim from Liv Life
• Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Anna from Anna Dishes
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Heather from girlichef
• Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Janet from Cupcakes to Caviar

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Beef Barley Soup

I had a very happy and full belly at this afternoon.  You see, it's time for the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society and our theme for the month was something your grandmother would make.  I know my grandmother made a LOT of soups.  You see this stockpot?  That was in the stove at my grandmother's house.  I still use it ALL the time. 

So, who was the wonderful blogger responsible for my happy belly?  Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch.  She's a mom to two darling children and an attorney.  She's a busy lady who still finds time to cook some wonderful food.  I've been reading her blog and we've been friends for a long time on Facebook so I can attest her blog's delightful to read.  Please go visit:   Lawyer Loves Lunch.  My grandmother also loved to bake.  There were a couple of cakes calling my name.  And, there was a chicken stroganoff that sounded fabulous.  And, lots of other recipes that maybe my grandmother wouldn't have made.  Things that use ingredients that I could easily find.  But, Grammie?  Not so much.  So, beef and barley soup it was.  Here's how you visit Azmina's post:  Beef Barley Soup.

This was super easy to put together.  Brown the beef, add some of the other ingredients and let them brown a bit.  Then, add the rest of the ingredients and allow the soup to simmer away.  Azmina calls for cooking it down to almost stew-like consistency.  I did exactly that and it was fabulous.  Ok, so the confession here...  We had our soup for lunch today.  Connie and I both devoured it.  He dropped me off at the house and headed off to his bridge game.  Since he's not only my office manager but also my husband, we ride to work together.  There's also the issue of the fact that Annie the dog (who goes to the office with us every day) is not welcome to ride in my car.  Something about any other dog within her sight is NOT welcome and woofing and scratching of the car ensues.  So, Connie drops me off and I get busy.  Another load of laundry in.  More Christmas decorations up.  Time for a cocktail.  To the fridge for ice.  Notice the frozen peas.  ARGH!  I left the peas out!  Oh, well. The soup was fabulous without the peas.   LOL, I suppose we all do these things...

Since our theme is something that your grandmother would make, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our persimmon pudding.  Indiana persimmons are vastly different from the Japanese variety.  The majority of folks outside of southern Indiana have probably never heard of them.  We have a persimmon tree and I can guarantee the critters LOVE the things.  Last year I got several quarts of pulp.  That translated into pints of pulp.  This year, the squirrels got them before we did.  Despite the fact that I was diligent and headed to the tree every evening after work. You see, the persimmons are terribly tart if not allowed to fully ripen and fall from the tree.  Next year, you'll see a big diaper in the bottom branches of our tree!  This pudding is probably my first real food memory.  The recipe card below was written by my mother.  The actual recipe comes from my great-grandmother to my grandmother to my mother to me.  Here's a link to my post about persimmon pudding:  Persimmon Pudding.

We've got a wonderful group of bloggers in Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  Every month we receive the name of a blogging pal and a theme.  It's an opportunity to visit an old friend or make a new friend.  Such a great group of bloggers!  Please stop by and visit my other friends dishes.  The bloggers are all listed below the recipe.  Last month I made about half of the recipes...  My guess is this month will be the same!

Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients:

12 cups beef broth
1 lb beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
1 c chopped onions
1 c chopped carrots
1 c peas
1/2 c chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c pearled barley
1 c tomato sauce
3 T tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 T oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Toss the beef with salt and pepper to taste.  In a large stockpot, brown the beef cubes in the oil.  Be sure not to crowd them or they'll steam and not brown.  Then, add in the onions, carrots, celery and garlic.  Saute them for about 10 minutes.  Add in the balance of the ingredients and allow the soup to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  If you leave the lid off, it'll be thicker.  If you prefer a thinner soup, leave the lid on for the first hour at least.  About 10 minutes before it's done, add in the peas. 

adapted from Lawyer Loves Lunch

• Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Kate from Kate is Cooking
• Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Ramona from Curry and Comfort
• Janet from From Cupcakes to Caviar
• Christy from Culinary Diva
• Alice from A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Kim from Liv Life
• Susan from Create Amazing Meals
• Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Anna from Anna Dishes
• Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Wendy from A Day in the Life On a Farm
• Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

 

Lisa's Brussels Sprouts

This post was supposed to be about a shredded Brussels Sprout salad.  Well, it is.  But, it's also about Maple Bacon Braised Brussels sprouts.  I'd gone through over a year's worth of recipes on Lisa's blog and finally ran out of time.  I had a list of dishes I'd like to make.  Ok, let's be honest here.  Just open up her blog and start cooking.  Really.  It's that good.  I've visited her blog for several years now and have made maybe half a dozen recipes.  All of them have been wonderful.  I'd decided that the salad would be perfect since we have three gorgeous Brussels sprouts plants in the garden.  And, we've had a first frost so they should be just at the peak of perfection.  We'd been at the office all day and I'd printed the recipe out there.  I forgot to take it home.  Darn the luck.  Back to her blog to hunt.  So, one of the Brussels sprouts recipe that comes up is Maple Braised Brussels sprouts.  I HAD to try that too.  You know.  Just for scientific purposes.  LOL.  You believe me, don't you?

So, what did we think?  The Maple Bacon Braised Brussels Sprouts were a five on a scale of one to five.  We don't give fives out very often.  This one deserved every bit of that score.  Even if you think you don't like Brussels Sprouts, you owe it to yourself to try these.  Fabulous!

The salad was VERY good.  Still, when compared to the glazed sprouts it was a four.  Of course, you need to realize that NOTHING could compare to the glazed sprouts...  The salad was a great combination of crunchy, soft, sweet, salty, tart.  I'm going to toss some deli ham or rotisserie chicken into the leftovers and call it lunch...

Both of these recipes will be made again soon.  Thank you so much, Lisa!

Now, you're probably wondering who Lisa is.  She's the lovely blogger behind Authentic Suburban Gourmet.  Typically, she posts a Friday Night Bite once a week.  Those tend to be yummy appetizers.  Like the bourbon apricot meatballs we have started for later this week.  They were her Halloween post.  Then, if you're lucky, she'll post something else during the week.  Like the Brussels sprouts.  Lisa is from the San Francisco area.  She's an executive with a Bay area human capital firm.  I've been reading her blog since she started it in 2009.  She loves to cook and loves to entertain and loves wine.  Personally, I'd love to live next door to her!

And, you may be wondering what Blogger C.L.U.E. Society is...  We're a brand new group of bloggers.  All of us have been cooking and blogging for quite a while now so we've got some great recipes on our blogs.  Every month we'll have a different theme.  This month it's Thanksgiving side dishes.  For December it's going to be recipes your grandmother would make.  And, for January we'll be sparkling  -champagne, glitter - anything that sparkles.  All of my fellow bloggers are listed below.  I do hope you'll stop by their blogs and see what yummy creations they've come up with!

Ok, on to the recipes!

Maple Bacon Braised Brussels Sprouts
serves 4

Ingredients:

4  Brussels Sprouts, cut in half
6 strips Applewood smoked bacon, diced
3 T butter, cubed (I reduced this from six)
4 T real maple syrup (I used my beloved shagbark hickory syrup)
salt and pepper to taste (actually, we didn't think these needed any salt or pepper)

Directions:

In a medium skillet, brown the bacon until crisp.  Remove it from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain the bacon on paper towels.  Pour out all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat.  Add the butter to the bacon fat and melt it.  Over medium heat, add the Brussels Sprouts.  Cook each side until they're browned.  Add in the maple syrup and cook until it's a glaze.  Serve topped with the bacon bits.  Lisa's recipe called for adding the bacon when you add the maple syrup.  I didn't want to cook the bacon any more so left it until I served the dish. 

Here's how the finished dish looked:

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

for the salad:
1 1/2 lbs shredded Brussels sprouts
1 1/2 c orange segments (I used tangerines)
1/2 red onion, sliced VERY thinly
3/4 c walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
1 c Israeli couscous, cooked and rinsed
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/4 c port
1 c ricotta salada (or feta if you can't find the ricotta salada,) crumbled


for the dressing:
2 small shallots, finely minced
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves, finely minced
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T honey
6 T champagne vinegar
1 C extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

While you're prepping the rest of the salad ingredients, put the dried cranberries in a small saucepan with the port.  Simmer them until the port is absorbed and the cranberries are nice and plump.  Mix all the dressing ingredients with the exception of the olive oil.  Drizzle that in, whisking as you pour.  Set the dressing aside for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.  You can either serve the salad as a layered salad or tossed.  It looks beautiful either way.  Here's how mine went together:

Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Kate from Kate's Kitchen
Christiane from The Mom Chef
Debra from Eliots Eats
Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
Ramona from Curry and Comfort
Janet from From Cupcakes to Caviar
Christyfrom Culinary Diva
Alice from A Mama Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
Kelli from Kellis Kitchen
Kim from Liv Life
Susan from Create Amazing Meals
Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
Kathy from Bakeaway With Me
Anna from Anna Dishes
Stacy from Food Lust People Love