New England Fish Chowder

This is fish chowder, not a real clam chowder.  Still, it's hearty and delicious.  It takes a bit of time to make but it's worth it.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium-large onion cut into chunks
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use non-alcoholic Fre brand wine)
4 medium carrots pealed and sliced thick
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. clam juice
1 6.5 oz can chopped clams in clam juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika (or to taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (go easy)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs cod (or other firm white fish) fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp parsley

In a large stock pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add the wine, increase the temperature and cook for ten minutes uncovered.

Add the potatoes, carrots, clam juice, chicken stock, can of clams (with juice) and spices (except the parsley).  If the liquid does not cover the potatoes, add enough water to just cover them.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes covered.

Just before the 15 minutes is up, heat the cream in a separate pot.  Do not boil the cream.  When the potatoes are cooked, add the fish and the heated cream.  Bring it to a simmer (not a boil) and cook for ten minutes.  If you substitute anything for the heavy cream, you have to watch it carefully to make sure it does not curdle.  The heavy cream is more tolerant of heat, so even if it boils it shouldn't curdle.  But you have to keep an eye on it.

Remove from heat and add the parsley.  Stir and let it sit, covered for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and serve.  You'll have enough for four people, if not more.  It's very filling and extremely delicious.

Bon appétit!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I get a lot of requests to make this and it's one of the easiest desserts to make.  You only need a few things to make it and they are all pictured here:

This recipe uses a box cake mix.  If you would rather make a cake from scratch, that's fine too but it's not necessary.  I've found the box mixes taste good and very few people I know can tell the difference.  


The box mix uses three eggs, oil and water.  For the remainder of the cake you will need a jar of maraschino cherries, half a box (roughly) of brown sugar, a stick of butter and a can of pineapple rings in pineapple juice.  Do not use pineapple in heavy syrup.  Place the butter in a glass 13" x 9" baking pan.  It is very important to use a glass pan as it will make it easier to see the results when you invert the cake.  Put the pan in the oven while it's heating up and let the butter melt.  Keep an eye on it so the butter doesn't burn.

Drain the pineapple rings into a large measuring cup.  You will be using the juice in the cake mix.  Check the box to see how much water you need and add to the pineapple juice to equal that amount.  In this case I was able to strain a little over one cup and I needed 1 1/3 cups for the cake.  Add enough water to equal 1 1/3 cups.  If you have pineapple juice you can also add that.  If this is a cake for adults, you can also add whiskey or brandy.  Just realize that anything you add other than water will change the flavor of the cake.

 When the butter has melted, distribute the pineapple rings in the bottom of the pan and place a cherry in the center of each.

Then sprinkle the brown sugar over the rings.  This picture shows about half a box of brown sugar.  You can use more but I don't think it's necessary.  I don't have a better measurement of the amount as I don't measure it.  I know it uses about half a box.  Also, note that this is one of the few recipes where you don't have to firmly pack the brown sugar.  Just sprinkle it over the pineapple.

Prepare the cake using the instructions on the box but substitute the pineapple juice for some of the water.  This will give the cake a slight pineapple flavor that will go well with the topping.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Follow the baking times on the box for a 13" x 9" cake pan.  When the cake is done, test it by inserting a toothpick into the center.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  Place is on a wire rack and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Then take a rubber spatula and run it around the edge several times, each time going deeper into the dish.  You want to make sure the sides are loose but also get a little along the bottom.  


If you have a platter that is big enough to hold the cake, use that.  If you don't have one, you can also take an old cookie sheet and cover it with aluminum foil.  The one I used is barely big enough for this cake but it works.  Invert the covered cookie sheet (or platter) on top of the cake and hold it tightly by both ends.  You'll probably need to wear oven mitts for this.  Then, as quickly as you can, flip the entire thing over so the cake falls onto the prepared platter.


If you're using a glass pan you'll be able to see immediately if all of the topping comes out in one piece.  If it doesn't, don't sweat it.  Simply use a spoon or spatula to pick up the rings that stuck to the pan and place them back on the cake.  You'll easily see where they go.  Then use the spatula to scrape up any of the sugar that stuck.  It will still be in a liquid state so it scrapes up very easily.  Spread it on the bare spots of the cake and you're done.

Four of the rings on this cake stuck to the pan, as well as some of the topping.  Once you put it back and let the cake cool, no one will know.


Bon appetite!

Making a Crumble

If you've never had one, a Crumble is a type of dessert made with fruit and a crumbly topping.  They're easy to make and can be made with many different fruits, such as apricots, berries, peaches, apples, pears, etc.  This one is made with nectarines.


First, assemble your ingredients.  You will need:

Starting at the top and going clockwise: 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (brown sugar is ALWAYS firmly packed, which makes me wonder why it doesn't come that way from the store), 1/2 tsp. salt, generous 1/4 tsp. of both cinnamon and nutmeg, one stick of butter (at room temperature), 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 2 tsps. fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. flour, 1/3 cup sugar and 3/4 cup flour.  The flour is plain flour.  

Pit and chop the fruit.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Get a baking dish (no larger than 9 inches) and butter the inside. I just pick up the butter (with clean hands, of course) and butter the dish that way.

Mix together the 3/4 cup flour, the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Chop up the butter and scatter it across the top like the next picture.  Use a pastry cutter (in the lower left corner of the picture) to mix the butter in until it has a crumbly texture.  If you don't have a pastry cutter, get one.  Or you can use two knives but it's much easier with the cutter and they don't cost much.  Put it on your Christmas list, if you must.

The crumble should look like this:

Next, in a large bowl add the vanilla and lemon and then toss the chopped up fruit to coat.  Once it's evenly coated, add the 2 Tbsp. flour and the sugar and toss again until all pieces are evenly coated.

Place the fruit in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the crumble evenly on top.  It will look like this:

Toss it in the oven for 40 minutes.  When it's finished, it will look like this:

And it will taste fantastic!

Bon appétit!

The 12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day Two - Peanut Butter Kisses

These are the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey's Kiss in the center.  They are very easy to make and delicious when they're done.  The biggest part of the job is unwrapping all of the Kisses.  Don't wait until the cookies are baking to do this as you will need to have them ready as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.


Set the oven to 375 degrees and gather together the following ingredients:

Starting at the top and working clockwise we have one stick of butter at room temperature, 3/4 cup of creamy peanut butter (I have never tried this with chunky, only creamy), 1/3 cup of granulated (white) sugar, 1/3 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar, one egg, 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1/4 teaspoon salt.  In the center are 48 Hershey's Kisses.  The 12 ounce bag is plenty and you will have Kisses left over for munching on.

Mix the butter with the peanut butter in a large bowl (or use a mixer).  Add the sugars, egg, milk and vanilla, beating continually until all ingredients are well blended.  Mix the baking soda/salt in with the flour and add this mixture to the peanut butter mixture gradually.  I do this one large spoonful at a time.  Once the dough is all mixed together, separate it into four equal pieces.

Form each piece into a ball and cut the ball into twelve equal pieces as shown below:

Cutting like this will ensure that the cookies are all about the same size.  Or, you can weigh the large ball and divide it by 12, then weigh each ball that you make from the large ball, adding to it or subtracting from it as necessary but that seems like entirely too much work.  The finished balls should look something like this:

Roll the balls in granulated (white) sugar and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Note that in the picture below they're spaced rather far apart.  This isn't necessary as they don't spread very much when they're baking.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they're a golden brown.  Immediately upon removal from the oven, and while they're still on the cookie sheet, press a Kiss into the center of each cookie.  As soon as you've finished adding the Kisses, remove the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely,

The finished product will look something like this:

Bon appetit!

The 12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day One - Rugala

Rugala!  This might not be what you would think of as a Christmas cookie but I think it works.  This recipe is done in two steps; first we make the dough and then the filling.  For the dough you will need to gather the following:

Starting from the top we have 8 ounces of cream cheese, two sticks of butter (both of these ingredients at room temperature), 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 cups of flour.  Put all of these into a mixer and blend until a dough forms.  Place the dough on a floured surface and divide into four parts, as seen below.

Once the dough is divided, roll each quarter into a ball, like so:

Place a square of wax paper on the counter and lightly flour it.  Place one ball on the paper and lightly flour the ball as well.  Place a second piece of wax paper on the top and use a rolling pin to roll the ball into a ten-inch round.

I have been rolling out pie crusts for over 30 years and I have yet to achieve a form that I would consider round.  They start out round but after a few strokes they become a sort of a lozenge shape.  After that, they continue changing into what I can only describe as an amoeba shape.  Go with your strengths.  I'm making Amoeba-shaped Rugala.

When you have the four balls rolled, place them in the refrigerator for at least one full hour.  They can stay in longer but no less than one hour.  The dough must be sufficiently chilled or you will not be able to work with it.  DO NOT SKIMP ON THIS STEP.


While the dough is chilling, gather the ingredients for the filling.  You will need a 12 ounce jar of preserves.  The flavor is up to you.  You will also need one cup of ground nuts.  Again, the flavor is up to you but it should be something that goes with the preserves.  I used walnuts.  You will need one cup of currants.  For some reason, these are hard to come by in Los Angeles so I substituted raisins.  Rounding out the picture below are 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Mix these four ingredients together (do not mix in the preserves).  Divide into four portions.  Set aside.

After the dough is sufficiently chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and carefully peel off the top layer of wax paper.  Prepare a surface to work on and lightly flour the surface.  Turn the dough over on the prepared surface and remove the wax paper from the other side.  (Do not follow the picture below; leaving the dough on the wax paper made quite a mess.)  Spread 3 ounces of preserves on the dough.  Here I used raspberry preserves.

Pour 1/4th of the filling ingredients over the preserves and spread it evenly.  When finished, cut the dough down the center, then cut each half into quarters.  Finally, cut each quarter evenly so you will have eight cookies from each ball of dough.  My recipe calls for cutting into 12 pieces but I found that 8 was much easier to work with and came out better.

When you have them cut, roll them up starting at the pointed end (in the center) and rolling toward the wide end.  Place them on a greased cookie sheet with the seam side down.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 17 minutes. 

As soon as you remove them from the oven, place them on a rack to cool.  When they are baking some of the filling will ooze out onto the cookie sheet.  If you let them cool on the cookie sheet, they will stick to it from the part that oozed out.  Also, wash the cookie sheet immediately, even though it's still very hot or you will have a fruit-flavored cement to try to chip off afterwards.


Bon appétit!

Banana Nut Muffins

This is a fairly easy recipe and a great way to use up over-ripe bananas.  To make one dozen muffins you will need one cup of mashed banana, which amounts to about two regular sized bananas.  Set your oven for 400 degrees and assemble together the following:

In the center is a muffin tray filled with paper liners.  If you don't have paper liners, grease the bottom of each section.  ONLY GREASE THE BOTTOM.  If you grease the sides the muffins can't rise and you'll have a mess.


Starting at the top and following clockwise are the ingredients; 3/4 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, one egg, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tsps. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt, 1 cup mashed bananas and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pecans may be substituted).


Now begin making the batter:

Combine the milk, oil, egg and vanilla and mix well.  Then add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix ONLY UNTIL THE FLOUR IS MOISTENED.  The batter will be lumpy and this is how you want it.

Now add the banana and nuts and mix only until these are mixed in.  You should only use a few strokes for this.  Now let the batter sit for a few minutes before continuing.

After the batter sits for a few minutes, divide it evenly between the cups.  Now let it sit for another few minutes before putting it in the oven.  By letting the batter sit you will get better crowns on the muffins.  When it's finished sitting, bake it for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden.

When they're finished, remove them from the pan immediately (so they don't continue cooking) and set them on a wire rack to cool.


Bon appetit!

Beef Stew

This is a very basic recipe for beef stew.  It will give you all of the necessary ingredients but realize that you are free to experiment as your taste dictates.  If you think there are too many potatoes and not enough carrots, change the quantities.  If you like more celery, add more.  If you don't like celery, omit it.  Look through your spice rack and add any spices you desire.  This recipe should never be exactly the same each time you make it.  Keep changing it up!


To begin with, you will need the following:

Starting in the upper left corner we have shortening (you'll use one tablespoon), four carrots peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces, one pound of beef cut into one inch cubes (for this recipe, two pounds would have been better), three large potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size pieces, one stalk of celery (include the leaves) sliced thinly, one tablespoon parsley, one teaspoon basil, three tablespoons flour mixed with one teaspoon pepper and dusted with paprika, one onion cut into wedges.  In the center is one bay leaf.


One word on the meat.  In the market you can buy stewing beef which comes in a tray already cut up.  Don't buy this.  You don't have any way of knowing what the cut of meat is.  Mostly likely, it's just whatever was left over all chopped up and packaged.  Take the time to look through the beef section and see what they have.  I was able to find a five pound london broil on sale for $1.99 a pound that I cut up myself.  This way I get to remove all the fat before I cook it and I have leftovers for another meal.


Start with the meat.  Melt the shortening in a skillet.  Coat the meat with the flour mixture and cook in the shortening until the meat is browned on all sides, like this:

If your skillet is deep enough you can continue cooking in it.  If it's not, transfer the meat to your preferred cooking pot and continue.  Add three to four cups of water (depending on the size of your pot) and the spices.  Heat until the water comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer place the lid on and cook for one hour.  At the end of this time the meat should be cooked through and tender.

Add the vegetables.  If too much of them are out of the water you can add a little more water.  Replace the lid and cook an additional thirty minutes.  You will know the stew is done when the potatoes and carrots pierce easily with a fork.

The finished stew will look like this:

Bon appetit!