Monthly Cooking Thread - April 2021

[Jamestown1630]

When I was a kid, I was fascinated by miniatures – dollhouses, matchstick cars, all kinds of little models - and I still am. The thing I remember most from the Easter Baskets that my Grandparents gave us, were panoramic sugar eggs – eggs made of sugar, with peepholes and little scenes inside.

I looked recently to see if you can still buy these, and you can; most places may be out of stock by now, but try next year - lots of people offer them, including the Vermont Country Store, vendors on Etsy, etc.

However, if you want to try making your own, here are some instructions from Confectionery House (please note that these are not really intended to be eaten; but can be saved for years, properly stored.)

http://confectioneryhouse.com/blog/post/how-to-make-panoramic-sugar-eggs/

***********************************************

When I first saw a picture of 'Wool Roll Bread', I couldn't figure out how it was made - until I saw this YouTube from the Apron channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGw0GuSx3_c

********************************************

I've been sick the last few days, just sitting on the couch and watching TV. I've become enthralled with this beautiful little family in Alabama, who have a small family farm and a young daughter who is amazing. (I've been a bird aficionada all of my life; but at 67, I still don't know as much about birds as the pre-teen Mary Carl does, and I probably never will. Herewith, the Cog Hill Family Farm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtwRexhVy4w

[Jamestown1630]

Sparrows are easy.

[Jamestown1630]

We live in the Maryland suburbs just Northeast of DC. There’s a house we used to pass often, and once we saw a doe in the fenced yard of the house, apparently eating acorns from a tree there.

That animal had to cross railroad tracks and wander through a housing development, to get to that house and tree from anyplace nearby that deer might commonly hunker.

[lizma2]

Work with a millennial who was born in Egypt who never heard of Deviled Eggs.

Brought him one this week, using Julie Child’s butter suggestion recipe and he loved it.

I’ve got an egg slicer too. Haven’t used it years. But for old time sakes I keep it. Memories of time spent with my Gram.

Every noodle ever served in her house was made by hand. Chicken soup to die for.

[Jamestown1630]

I never heard of that Julia recipe with butter. Will have to look it up.

[lizma2]

Over the years a couple bears have ended up inside the Beltway!

[Jamestown1630]

Coyotes, too, I think.

(I mean the animal kind; we probably have had lots of the human kind for decades.)

[Liz]

Pie is to die for w/ a snickerdoodle cookie crust..... then cream cheese with
apple pie filling and crumb topping. The cinnamon cookie is perfect w/ apples,
a nice contrast to the cream cheese and pie filling. An easy, delicious Apple Pie.

SNICKERDOODLE CRUSTED / CREAM CHEESE APPLE PIE

Cream Cheese Layer---8 oz cr/cheese, 1/4 c sugar Tbl flour Tsp vanilla 1 egg
APPLES 1 1/4 cups canned apple pie filling, chopped 1/2 Tsp cinnamon

METHOD---Crust/Topping--Fork blend to crumbs pouch of cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter.
Press about 2 c crumbs into greased 9" glass pie pan on bottom up sides. Bake 30 deg 10 min.
TOPPING Add Tbl melted butter to rest crumbs, toss to combine.

ASSEMBLY Beat cr/cheese smooth, mix in sugar/flour. Add in vanilla/egg smoothly.
Spread onto bottom of cookie crust. Spoon over combined chopped apple
pie filling, 1/2 tea cinnamon. Use more apples and less thickened filling.
Sprinkle crumbs over evenly. Bake 35 min--top is golden. Let cool completely.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

[pugmama]

Since moving to the South, I have included many of these dishes for holiday meals. Jury is still out on the pineapple casserole....but it sure is popular!

https://www.southernliving.com/side-dishes/13x9-sides?did=620274-20210402&utm_campaign=sl-whats-cooking_newsletter&utm_source=southernliving.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=040221&cid=620274&mid=54422025025&slide=5c46915f-7dc0-4f03-8893-178abec2626e#5c46915f-7dc0-4f03-8893-178abec2626e

[Liz]

A great way to turn inexpensive cuts of meat into a delicious meal.

CUBE STEAK PARMIGIANA

ING 3 tbl flour 1/4 tsp salt dash pepper 1 egg 1-1/2 tb water 10 crushed saltines, 2-1/2 tb Parm 1/2 tsp dried basil.
2 beef cube steaks (or round steak) 3 tb oil 2/3 cup tomato sauce tsp sugar 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 slices shredded mozzarella 2-1/2 tbl shredded Parm.

PREP Oil or spray baking dish. Set aside.

BREADING STATIONS: (a) flour, salt, and pepper. (b) beaten egg and water. (c) cracker crumbs, grated Parm, and basil.

METHOD Coat steaks with flour mixture, then dip in egg mixture, and finally coat with crumbs. Brown steaks in oil 2-3 min per side til golden. Arrange steaks in oiled baking dish; bake uncovered 350 deg 20 - 25 min. While baking, combine tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, and gar/powder. Spoon over steaks after baking 20 - 25 min. Then bake 10 more min. Top w/ cheeses, oregano. Bake/melt 2-3 min.

SERVE w/ sides of spaghetti, steamed broccoli, a green salad, garlic bread.

CHEF'S NOTE: you could sprinkle steaks w/ red wine, then steep a bit before preparing (for extra flavor).

[bgill]

Yikes. Was sidetracked with the story of serial killer, Dorthea Puente, who ran a boarding house in CA and buried her tenants in the yard during the 80s. She wrote a cookbook.

Then got sidetracked some more and found this one. Think I'll pass on them both.

[Mr. K]

That reminds me of the American Spectator magazine.

Every time someone on death row was executed they would have a restaurant-style ‘review’ of their last meal.

I found it both disturbing and hilarious.

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t believe in Capital Punishment; but it might be interesting to know what those incarcerated dream of eating.

People are never more themselves than when choosing and eating their food.

I love to watch people in restaurants. I once sat near a young woman in an Indian restaurant, and she seemed absolutely orgasmic over every bite. (It was a very good Indian restaurant, and I probably would have appeared the same if I’d been alone with nobody engaging me in conversation.)

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks for posting that. My husband grew up with his mother’s baked pineapple every Easter, and wants it again tomorrow - but I’m not sure I have the recipe.

If I don’t, I’ll use this one:

http://www.southernliving.com/recipes/pineapple-casserole-recipe

[Liz]

[caww]

Rejoice!

[Liz]

Beautiful.

[Trillian]

These are the Italian eggs we got for Easter when we were kids. They were hollow chocolate eggs that had a toy in the egg or the cup on the bottom that held it up:

[Jamestown1630]

Those are pretty.

I wonder if all the regulations in the US still allow ‘toys’ inside of food...

[Liz]

This is actually a very popular Southern recipe w/ a French flair, easily made in one bowl
w/ seasonal fresh strawberries, bakes up with a custardy middle and crackly, sugary top.

FRENCH STRAWBERRY CAKE

ING stick unsalted butter softened 1 1/4 cup sugar divided 2 lge eggs tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour 1 1/4 tsp b/powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup sour cream 16 oz fresh strawberries sliced

METHOD W/ stand mixer, whip butter, cup sugar pale and fluffy, 5-7 min. Add eggs singly, beating in each well. Beat in vanilla.
SEPARATELY whisk flour, b/powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, begin-end with flour mixture,
beating just until combined after each addition. Fold in washed/dried strawberries. Spread batter in greased 9" cake pan.
Sprinkle top evenly w/ 1/4 cup sugar. Bake 350 deg in greased 9" cake pan (pick test), 35-40 min. Cool completely in pan.

SERVE and slice and serve the cake from the pan. add dollop of whipped cream, and whole berry garnish

Recipe Notes: Best w/ 9-inch, light silver metal cake pan and fresh, not frozen, strawberries.
Cake is "custard-like" in center, not "crumby" like traditional cake. Some baked it longer than 35-40 min.
Shininess of cake pans, size of strawberries, individual ovens, all factor into baking time.

[Jamestown1630]

I happened to look up something today which a Korean friend told me about long ago.


He said that the Korean equivalent of the homey Currier and Ives sort of Winter painting - which we usually associate with Christmas - is a picture of a traditional Korean house with Onggi in the yard, covered in snow.

The Onggi are the traditional clay pots that Kimchi and other fermented veggies are kept in.

This excellent website has an article about Onggi, and also includes recipes for Napa Cabbage Kimchi and Radish Kimchi, if you hunt around:

http://kimchigardens.com/why-you-should-ferment-in-onggi/