Family Emergency

I will be off the net for a few days. Family emergency.

Check back for my next post. I am looking at a gorgeous blackberry galette that I just finished making. I took the photos and am ready to go, but alas no time to post it. I'm off to New Jersey.

The No Crab Cake and Cold Slaw

Yes, this crab cake is not made with crab. It is made with tilapia. And, yes, my title says "cold slaw", not coleslaw.

First, I love tilapia for its versatility: beer battered fish and chips, baked with lemon-pepper and Parmesan, Cajun style with bechamel/asiago sauce...the list can go on and on. (It's the new chicken. We aren't strict vegetarians, but we don't eat chicken, red meat or pork.) One evening I peeked into my freezer and realized I had a lot of tilapia. (It was on sale for a couple weeks and I bought it each time I went to the store.) On this particular evening I wanted to do something a little different. I decided to take a crab cake recipe and replace the crab with tilapia. I made a few minor adjustments and the results were a sandwich that we could all sink our teeth into and feel satisfied. But, it is also delicious sans bread.

Second, I absolutely loathe coleslaw with a mayonnaise sauce. I like coleslaw to be cool and refreshing. I call it "cold slaw" because I love it ice cold. It goes really well with the "no crab cakes" and any that is leftover I eat for lunch, by itself, the next day. It is perfect for a hot summer day.

No Crab Cakes

Ingredients

12 ounces tilapia fillets

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

1/3 cup scallions, minced

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon red pepper (or to taste)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

vegetable oil

1. Blanch the tilapia in boiling water for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.


2. In a large bowl mix together the parsley, scallions, onion, black pepper, garlic powder, red pepper, heavy cream and egg.


3. Once the tilapia is cool, shred and add to the egg mixture.


4. Add the flour until completely combined.


5. Form mixture into cakes about the size of a hamburger bun or to fit the bread you choose. (These can be made into bite size paddies for appetizers.)


6. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. When very hot carefully place the cakes in the oil, turning after about 3 minutes. If the cake sticks to the pan it may not be ready to turn. Use your judgement.


7. Cook on the opposite side about 3 minutes.


8. Remove from the oil and drain on cookie racks. If you drain on paper towels or cloth the fried item will become soggy.


9. Serve on roll or bread of your choice with baby romaine, tomato and tartar sauce or spicy mayonnaise. (For spicy mayonnaise: add your favorite hot sauce and/or spices to mayonnaise to taste.)


10. Or, serve without bread with a little lemon and tartar or spicy mayonnaise on a bed of baby romaine.

Cold Slaw

Ingredients

1 medium head green cabbage, sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1 red onion, sliced
2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil, extra-virgin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1. In a large bowl place the cabbage, pepper, onions and carrot. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the sugar into the bowl and toss. Set in the refrigerator.
   
2. In a small saucepan, bring to boil the remaining sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and mustard. Once it has come to a boil pour over the cabbage mixture.
   
3. Refrigerate until cold.

Template Indecision

I have been suffering from indecision. I cannot seem to settle on a template for my blog and until I figure out this mysterious language called "html" I am stuck with the templates offered on Blogger. I am beside myself because I'd like a little more control over my blog environment and I'm finding it very difficult to understand this new language.



I began blogging using the Minima template, but I wanted just a smidgen more. I decided to try the Rounders template. I "wore" it for a few days and then decided I felt like I was wearing my mothers plaid, polyester leisure suit for the 1970's. I stuck out like a sore thumb and I was itchy. Next, I tried the Scribe template. This was OK, but I wanted to change the background design. It began to get on my nerves because it just looked too busy. Each time I saw my blog images of a Victorian sitting room with too much stuff packed into it flashed in my brain. I felt cluttered.



So, here I am, back to Minima. I think this will have to do until I can learn this computer language. I can read a recipe, follow the directions to the letter. I can assemble furniture, toys, you name it, but reading directions about computers makes me feel as if my brain is going to explode. I'm a hands on type of person, so the whole virtual environment of the computer is tough for me. But, I will keep my nose to the grindstone. I have a stubborn streak that I hope will allow me to pull myself out of this quagmire of computer language.



You know how some people daydream about winning the lottery? They will say, "I'm going to get a maid (or a cook)". Well, if I ever win the lottery I'm going to get my own personal technology guru who will live in my home and be on call 24/7.

Sigara Böreği

My sister is a midwife who specializes in home births. Often, when making the home visits for pre-natal care the parents-to-be will prepare a meal for her. Many years ago she delivered a child to a couple who would make a particular dish from Turkey, the husband's homeland. My sister raved about this dish and looked forward to it each time she made a visit. She talked about it so much that I had to have the recipe. It became an immediate family favorite.

For years we massacred the name of this dish coming as close to a phonetic spelling as possible. We called it "Sagarra Boruga". I did a little research and discovered that this is a widely enjoyed meal in countries such as Turkey, Greece, Armenia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Albania just to name a few.

The actual spelling is Börek (Turkey) as well as Burek(Bosnia and Serbia) and Boereg (Armenia). No matter how it is pronounced it is basically the same thing: a filled pastry made with phyllo dough. They are often filled with feta, minced meat, potatoes or other vegetables.

Sigara böreği or"cigar börek," named so because of its shape is filled with feta cheese, potato, parsley and sometimes with minced meat or sausage. This is the Turkish version that we had been making only there was a huge difference: the dough. The common denominator for these Borek, Boereg, etc. is the phyllo dough. The recipe we have uses egg roll wrappers or won ton wrappers. I'm not sure if the American wife didn't like working with phyllo dough or she just liked to shake things up, but I'm glad that she did.

These make great little appetizers and can be served with black olives, hot peppers and cold, plain yogurt. However, we never make it far enough to serve properly. When I make these my family doesn't wait for me to finish cooking. They walk by the kitchen and pop them into their mouths, sometimes ignoring the warning that they just came out of the frying pan. The most recent batch I made disappeared before my eyes and I realized that I had to eat as I was making them otherwise I wasn't going to get any.

Here is the recipe as it was given to me by my sister:

Ingredients

1 package of egg roll wrappers (or the smaller won ton wrappers)

6-8 ounces feta cheese

12 oz mozzerella cheese, shredded

1 large onion, diced

3/4 cup fresh parsley, diced

2 tablespoons paprika

2 egg yolks

olive oil for frying

Mix all ingredients except egg yolks in a large bowl. Put the egg yolks into a small bowl, breaking with a fork. Press mixture into small football shaped patties. Place them onto the egg roll wrapper. Roll from corner to corner using the egg yolk to hold the center and ends in place. Fry quickly at high temperature. Drain and eat while hot.

Notes: If using the smaller won ton wraps: Fold in half corner to corner, making a triangle. (Before folding brush a tiny bit of egg yolk along two edges of the wrap.) Place a compact tablespoon of the mixture in the middle. Make the fold pressing firmly, but gently along the edges. Take the two bottom points and fold them down as if they were to touch each other.

Challah

When I first began making Challah for Shabbat on Friday nights I would have to start thinking about it on Thursday so that I wouldn't forget. Now it is second nature and as soon as I wake up on Friday I make the dough. I began making the Challah because I wanted to create a family tradition. We don't belong to a synagogue and it was important for me to set aside the time to recognize what I feel is our most important holiday, Shabbat. Friday night is a time for us to regroup as a family, have a meal together and discuss the weekend, which are often as busy as our weekdays. It is a pause, a breather, a time to reconnect with each other and our faith. The lighting of the Shabbat candles, the prayer over the wine and the bread remind us that we are a part of a bigger picture. A reminder that we can all use when we get too self absorbed in our daily lives.

We usually have a lot of Challah left over for the below recipe can be divided to make two small loaves, but we like to make a large one. We love the leftover bread for it makes the best French toast and is great toasted with butter and jam. My children have perfected panini making and love to use the Challah. My family also likes the bread a little dense. You can tweak the recipe to your liking over time.

Challah is basically a brioche. All brioche have the same core ingredients. Brioche is a sweet bread and we find the word brioche in a very famous saying, "S’ils n’ont plus de pain, qu’ils mangent de la brioche". "If they have no bread, let them eat cake". And, boy could I go off on a tangent about the historical facts behind that statement for which Marie -Antoinette is credited. (Just a little tidbit: She probably didn't say it and it probably wasn't as big a slight as we think since if refers to price regulation of bread.)

You don't have to be Jewish to make a Challah. You just have to love bread. Give it a try and I'm sure your family will devour this bread.

Ingredients

4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

¼ cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for proofing

1 ¼ cup warm water

1 tablespoon or 1 packet, active dry yeast

1 large egg plus one egg yolk for egg wash

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup honey

• Place the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and water in a small bowl and mix together. Let stand in a warm location letting the yeast proof. (Bubble until about double its volume)


• Sift together the flour, ¼ cup sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.


• In a small bowl whisk together the egg, vegetable oil and honey. (Quick tip: When measuring out the oil and honey first pour the oil in the ¼ measuring cup. Then, measure out the honey. The residual oil in the cup will allow the honey to slide out, taking with it the oil that was coating the side of the measuring cup.)


• When the yeast is finished proofing make a crater hole in the flour mixture.


• Pour in the yeast mixture and the egg mixture. Combine by using your dough attachment for your stand alone mixer or if you do no have one oil a sturdy mixing spoon and combine the ingredients until a sticky dough is formed.


• The dough will be very, sticky. Oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl.Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm location. (In the winter I put my stove on warm and place the bowl nearby or if I need to run my dishwasher I place the bowl on the counter above it.)


• Let the dough double in size. Then, with floured hands, on a floured surface, knead the dough a few times and place back into the bowl to rise again.


• After it doubles in size, again, place the dough on a heavily floured surface. Knead until the dough is not sticky and feels smooth. Then, cut the dough into 3 equal sizes. Roll each portion into a medium to long length for braiding.


• Once all three portions are ready, begin to braid ¼ down from the top, leaving the top alone for the moment. When you finish at the bottom pinch and tuck the end. Go back to the top and braid, pinching and tucking that end as well.


• Place the Challah on an oiled baking sheet. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.


• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl mix the egg yolk with a bit of water (If you don't keep kosher, mix the yolk with a little milk.) Brush the mixture over the Challah. Bake until golden brown.

Belly Up

My computer went belly up yesterday as I was about to add the photo to the previous post. I had a problem getting to my photos so I decided to publish the post just to get it out there. Then, my computer froze. I managed to get it running again, except it responds painfully slow to any command and although has good reception, will not connect to the Internet. It also makes this repetitive sound around the area of the hard drive. CLICK, click. CLICK, click.

I long for the days when you could take a piece of machinery, bang it a few times, and get it to work. Those days are long gone and I am informed, by my husband who has much more knowledge about these things, that my computer is dead. This weekend I'll get a new computer and my wonderful husband will transfer all my files. I'm kind of excited, but then again, I am emotionally attached to my current lap top.

I bought my lap top when my husband was in Iraq for a year. It was the first time I purchased any type of technology beyond a CD player. I was so proud of myself. I did the research and made a smart purchase. With a little help from friends I had set up a web cam and was online with my husband almost everyday for that year. It was a lifesaver. Even while I watched my husband's shelter shake from mortars and saw him duck for cover I felt lucky to have my little lap top. I was able to "be there" with him. So, it is with a pouty lip and a sad heart that I have to retire my little lap top. It served me well.

Needless to say, I'll be off the net for a few days, but check back. I have a few recipes and photos ready to go once my files are retrieved.

The Journey Starts Off, Slowly, but Surely

On May 28th I posted that I was going to begin my journey of self-education using the Culinary Intitute of America's book "The Professional Chef". I am having such a difficult time finding time for myself. My two children have schedules that can rival a CEO's schedule. It seems most of my free time is devoted to them. By the time I get to do something for myself I'm falling asleep. I can't even bring this book with me when I'm out with the children. It would be like lugging around a 20 pound child. Nevertheless, I've found some time to read through the first two chapters of "The Professional Chef."

I started off slowly because chapter one had a section regarding restaurant history. Of course, loving to read about history as I do, I became distracted. I began looking up certain key figures such as Caterina De Medici, Marie-Antoine Careme and Georges-Auguste Escoffier. There are so many things we don't give a thought to when we go out to eat. The development of the restaurant as we know it took hundreds of years to evolve.

Learning about restaurant history was fascinating. So, when I should have been reading chapter three I was still on chapter one because of the extra reading I did. It was a small set-back, but a very interesting one. I did manage to finish chapter two, which had to do with menus and recipe conversion. Nothing to distract me there. It was an easy, if not exciting chapter.

I have finally started chapter three, which covers nutrition and food science. This could cause a problem. I love to learn about food science. In fact, one of my favorite books concerning food is called "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee. This book describes the science behind the food. It is true kitchen chemistry. I am in dangerous waters here. I will really have to try to remain focused when reading chapter three, but all I hear in my head is "Danger Will Robinson! Danger!"

Blintz Soufflé

This weekend was typically busy, which is the norm when my oldest son has a swim meet. For anyone unfamiliar with swim meets let me explain: Swim meets are usually 2 days long and require about 4-6 hours spent at a pool, which is usually more than an hour away from home. And, if you have a distance swimmer you might even have to be there on a Friday night, too. (I saw a t-shirt on a parent: “I have no life. I have a swimmer.” How true!)

Add to that my younger child’s schedule. He plays on a travel soccer team. Need I say more? I have very little time when we have both a swim meet and soccer on the same weekend. A lot of families will eat out the whole weekend, but that can be both costly and bad for your health. I try to pack healthy food for when we are out, but when we come home at night the last thing I want to do is cook. So, I try to plan meals that I can prep in the morning and have ready upon our return.

Many of these meals, during the cooler weather require the crock pot. During the warmer weather I’ll prep a salad to be tossed together in the evening. But, one of our favorite meals for both cool and warm weather is a blintz soufflé. My family loves it hot, cold or room temperature. They’ll eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is simply the perfect meal to have on hand for an exhausted hungry family.



CHEESE BLINTZES

Crepes

1 ½ cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
1 ½ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (another 1 tablespoon, melted, to brush pan.)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and set aside. Combine the egg, milk, 3 tablespoons butter and vanilla in another bowl and mix until smooth.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, mixing on low. Blend until relatively smooth.
Chill the batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (The batter can be prepared and stored for up to 6 hours.)


Cheese Filling

4 cups small curd cottage cheese
6 ounces whole milk ricotta
4 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Puree, in a blender or food processor, cottage cheese and ricotta until smooth.
Place mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Refrigerate until batter is ready.


Making the Crepes and Assembling the Blintzes

Set up a work station so that you can move efficiently between the stove and your area of assemble. Your cheese filling, baking dish and a piece of parchment should be next to each other.

Heat a crepe pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with a little melted butter. Pour around ¼ cup batter into pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Cook, reducing heat if needed, until crepe is finished, not letting the sides get crisp.
Carefully remove the crepe from the pan and place on piece of parchment.
Add about 3 tablespoons (adjust to suit your crepe size) of mixture to the crepe. Fold the crepe (Fold into quarters or fold the sides into the center and roll up). Place the blintz into a buttered baking dish. (I use my lasagna dish).
Repeat until all batter and filling is finished.

Soufflé

1 ½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 large eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed.

Mix all ingredients until blended well.
Pour over the blintzes.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie/Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches

As you read this blog, over time you will find that I favor certain flavors. Although I do experiment, I have my personal favorites. One of my favorite flavors is coconut. I absolutely love coconut. It will go into almost anything and everything. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it never hurts to try.
A couple other favorites around my house are cookies and ice cream. What better time to make ice cream sandwiches than summer. Well, it isn’t officially summer, but with all the heat, humidity and thunderstorms in my neck of the woods it sure feels like summer. I decided it was high time for some ice cream sandwiches. I used my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, my children’s favorite, made coconut/chocolate crackle ice cream and assembled a dessert that is rapidly disappearing from my freezer.

A note about the chocolate chip cookie recipe: I am a purist when it comes to using butter. I never substitute because I figure if you are going to bake you might as well do it right. (I just don’t like to bake with margarine.) Also, I feel that if I am going to have a dessert I’d rather have a small piece and enjoy the real thing. But, I’ve found that my chocolate chip cookie recipe is much better with the butter flavored Crisco shortening. (Do not substitute margarine or butter even though they have less fat.)


Very Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
¾ brown sugar
¾ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
½ cup milk chocolate chunks

Note: I added ¾ cup shredded coconut into the cookies for the ice cream sandwiches.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
Cream together shortening, brown sugar and sugar until pale yellow.
Add vanilla and eggs until thoroughly blended.
Slowly add the flour mixture.
Blend in the chocolate chips and chocolate chunks (and coconut).
Roll the dough into 1 ½ balls. Bake until just a touch brown and still a bit gooey in the cracks (about 8-12 minutes.)

Coconut/Crackle Ice Cream

1 quart heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons of coconut syrup
1 cup shaved dark chocolate

Place heavy cream, vanilla, sugar and coconut syrup into ice cream maker. (Please read your manual for the specific directions of your ice cream maker.)
Directly after ice cream is made fold in the shaved chocolate. (I use my dough knife to do this ensuring the chocolate does not flake apart too much.)
Chill the ice cream keeping at a soft serve consistency.

Quick tip: Purchase coconut flavored ice cream, soften and add the shaved chocolate.




Assembling the Ice Cream Sandwiches

Set up:
Line a metal cookie sheet with parchment and chill in the freezer
2 cups of shredded coconut in a shallow dish or bowl
After the cookies are completely cool match them into pairs ensuring each sandwich has equal sides

Making the Sandwich:
Use a 1 ½ inch ice cream scoop to portion out the ice cream onto the cookie.
Place the top half onto the sandwich.
Roll in the coconut and place on metal cookie sheet.
Repeat until all sandwiches are complete. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Field Trip: Ingleside Plantation Winery

Staying at home all the time can be somewhat of a bore. Because I home school my children I try to get us out of the house for an occasional field trip about once or twice a month. Yesterday I took them to Ingleside Vineyards in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay region. Is going to a vineyard a valid field trip? Sure! We took a tour of the vineyard. We learned about the wine making process. We also had a history lesson for George Washington and Robert E. Lee were born nearby. We learned quite a bit and I learned even more when it came time for the wine tasting.

Oh, okay, you caught me. It was really a field trip for me. I never knew much about the wine making process and was very interested. Ingleside Vineyards was the perfect opportunity for me to get an introduction. Because it was a week day we were lucky enough to have a private tour. Not only were we able to ask many questions, but at wine tasting time I was able to have the full attention of the guide, who gave me thorough explanations and spent a little more time on detail.

I purchased two bottles of wine: Sweet Virginia Rose and October Harvest. They are both sweet dessert wines. I like them both, but October Harvest is heavenly, with a hint of peach. Of all their wines the two dessert wines were my favorite along with their Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 in which there is a decidedly pepper flavor. I didn’t purchase the cabernet, but then again, I do need a reason to return!

Visit Ingleside Vineyards: Inglesidevineyards.com

Ginger-Peach Opera Cake for Breakfast

We had opera cake for breakfast this morning. I made, for the first time, an opera cake and I finished it late last night. When showing it to my family, this morning, my husband said, at 8:00am, “Can I have a piece?” My children heard this and were in the kitchen in a flash. This is not a normal occurrence, I assure you. The sweets in my house are under lock and key, so to speak. But, I worked on this cake so diligently that I thought, well, why not?

I first saw this cake on the blog Cannelle et Vanille http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/and I was hooked. I loved her version of the cake and was inspired to make a cake with lighter flavoring for the warm weather. (Normally opera cake is flavored with coffee and chocolate.) I decided upon one of my favorite flavor combos: peach and ginger. The process for making this cake is detailed and as I’m tinkering away my father, who is visiting, states the obvious, “Shouldn't you have made the original recipe the first time you make something?” Yes, I probably should have went with the chocolate/coffee variety of opera cake, but that’s just not me. I like to tinker.

I think my tinkering paid off. I learned a few things while making this cake and will do things differently next time. I’m not completely pleased with it, but for a first I feel it went well. Eventually, I will post the recipe for my Ginger-Peach Opera Cake. I just need to make a few adjustments and fine tune the finished look, although no one complained this morning as they ate cake for breakfast.

Contents of the cake: Almond Cake, White Chocolate-Ginger Mousse, Peach Butter cream and Pomegranate Liquor flavored sugar syrup.