Monthly Cooking Thread - July 2022

[Jamestown1630]

There are many inventive recipes to celebrate our Independence Day, but I don’t think any are more expressive that the simple ‘Flag Cake’ that can be made with berries. This one from the blog ‘Cake is Love’ looks like it can be adapted very easily to using packaged brownie (or cake) mix and icing:

https://blogcakeislove.blogspot.com/2012/07/4th-of-july-american-flag-brownies.html

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Lucile Wright was a renowned caterer in Savannah, Georgia, who became even more well-known when she was featured in the book ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’, by John Berendt and in the film of the same name. She was especially famous for her tomato sandwiches.

I don’t think these would be very good unless you have good, big home-grown tomatoes; and then they’re wonderful:

From Mercados Life Lessons, Miss Lucile’s recipe:

https://mercadoslifelessons.blogspot.com/2013/08/miss-luciles-tomato-sandwich.html

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This recipe for a Pasta Primavera is something my husband frequently makes in the Spring when the asparagus in the stores is good:

Chicken Primavera

¼ Cup Butter

1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips

18 spears Asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces

2 Leeks, cleaned and trimmed, and the white part only cut into ½ inch slices

1 Cup sliced Mushrooms

1 red Bell Pepper, cut into strips

4 T. Vermouth, or dry white wine (I think it’s better with the wine)

½ Cup Whipping Cream

1 T. Dijon Mustard

¼ Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

½ tsp. Freshly ground Black Pepper

1 lb. Fettuccine or pasta of choice, cooked and drained

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Add Asparagus, Leeks, Mushrooms, Red Pepper, and 2 T. of Wine to the skillet; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Add Whipping Cream, remaining 2 T. of Wine, and the Mustard, to the skillet. Cook until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Add the Cheese, Black Pepper, and reserved Chicken and Vegetables.

Stir to combine, and taste for seasoning. Serve over the cooked Pasta.

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This pastry 'Sunflower' - or 'Tarte Soleil' - is visually beautiful, but not that difficult to make. You can do it with a wide variety of fillings, and sweet or savory.

Here’s a recipe from ‘Italian Food Forever’ using a spinach filling:

http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2016/07/sunflower-spinach-puff-pastry-tart

and from ‘Entertaining with Beth’, a video showing the technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIF-6CFsYxk

-JT

[mplsconservative]

That’s the one! I love some spice. :)

[Dawgreg]

Just thinly sliced cukes, butter, bread; but sometimes people use cream cheese instead of butter.

Thank you so much. I’ll try it both ways......;)

[Jamestown1630]

I didn’t realize at first that you meant you can buy the cornbread mix. I looked, and you can buy the Devil’s Spit, too - they have both at Walmart and on Amazon.

[Jamestown1630]

I think a lot of it, too, is that it’s not too ‘bread-y’ - very thinly sliced bread with the crusts cut off; basically a tea sandwich.

[sockmonkey]

flag cake

[Jamestown1630]

That’s nice!

[Dawgreg]

very thinly sliced bread with the crusts cut off; basically a tea sandwich.

That’s what I was thinking.....I’ll just have to try it for sure.......;)

[leaning conservative]

You will love them! I haven’t had one in forever, but now I’m going to get some good cukes at the farmer’s market Saturday.

I have always used mayo & salt & pepper on wonder bread. Heaven!

[leaning conservative]

I’m hungry & that sunflower dish looks amazingly delicious.😋😋😋

[Jamestown1630]

If you look around, you’ll find sweet versions to make, too.

[Dawgreg]

You will love them! I haven’t had one in forever, but now I’m going to get some good cukes at the farmer’s market Saturday.

I have always used mayo & salt & pepper on wonder bread. Heaven!

Well that settles it........I WILL get the ‘fixins’ and make some.......thanks!

[lizma2]

THX for the cake idea!

My Republican Women’s Club is having a 4th picnic and I’m in charge of desert.

Now I know what to bring.

(Think I’ll slice the strawberries though.)

[lizma2]

“It’s almost like a spicy dessert with a good slather of butter.”

I mix in a can of corn, a can of creamed corn and a bit of sugar

Yum.

[Jamestown1630]

That’s what I do. Looks better, and makes the go farther.

[mschalock]

I made one of those round twisted breads. It looked great and tasted pretty good. On another topic, does anyone have a tried-and-true cooked salsa recipe? We have tomatoes ripening fast and need to use a lot soon. Thanks.

[MomwithHope]

We are back at the low carb menu. Burgers on the grill, me with no bun. Just good ground beef with Montreal steak seasoning mixed in. I made a chimichurri sauce with garden greens. Fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, garlic - fresh picked. Green pepper, a banana pepper, a garlic scape, salt pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, good lemon juice, dried cayenne pepper from last year. Use my heavy stone mortar and pestle. Just topped my burger with some of that. It was amazing!

[Jamestown1630]

I haven’t made it, but here’s one for roasted tomato salsa:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24626/roasted-tomato-salsa-i/

Not what you wanted, but you reminded me of a recipe that one of the Freepers directed us to a while ago - roasted tomatillo sauce. I made this and it turned out really good:

It was originally in ‘Gourmet’ magazine, and then posted on Epicurious:

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

YIELD
Makes about 3 cups

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos or 3 (11-ounce) cans tomatillos

5 fresh serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1. Preheat broiler.

2. If using fresh tomatillos, remove husks and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness. If using canned tomatillos, drain and measure out 2 cups. Broil chiles, garlic, and fresh tomatillos (do not broil canned) on rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.

3. Peel garlic and pull off tops of chiles. Purée all ingredients in a blender.
• Salsa can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-tomatillo-salsa-102586

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

What a pretty Patriotic cake! Thanks! :)

[Jamestown1630]

Again, this is not ‘cooked’ but my husband makes a great ‘pico de gallo’, and he does it pretty much as Rick Bayliss does it in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRHtKBd9TVM

I like Bayliss’ videos - he explains why he does everything. He has a great one for two ways to do Chiles Rellenos - they’re very time- and work-intensive to make, but wonderful, and my favorite Mexican dish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55wc9ZnfyvE

(Be careful with peppers - even a single type can vary greatly in heat. The first time I chopped up a jalapeno, the oils got under my finger nails and burned for 24 hours. I’ve never had a bunch that was so hot again - usually they’re relatively mild.)