Cooking and Recipes IV, Hosted by Oiseau

A super rich eggnog with cream and milk, with a bit of a kick from brandy and rum. An indulgence for the holiday season, or any time of the year for that matter. Why wait for Christmas?

INGREDIENTS:

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup brandy
1/3 cup dark rum

PREPARATION:
Chill everything before starting, for best results. Beat eggs until frothy, then beat in sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Slowly stir in brandy, rum, cream and milk. Chill again, and serve eggnog cold.

SIMPLE SOLUTION:
A few years ago I needed to bring my pumpkin bread pudding to a party, although I had hoped to bring something ravishing rather than a lumpy pudding in a cruddy lasagna pan. The kitchen muse struck and whispered "springform pan"—aha! I could then remove the ring and have a bread pudding cake! Topped with a mountain of mascarpone and candied pumpkin seeds—oh it was pretty. Since piling this with some type of over-caloric dairy is par for the course, I use milk instead of the more commonly used half and half for the custard. Using fresh pumpkin is divine, but using canned pumpkin makes this one of the world’s easiest desserts; you decide.

For the Bread Pudding

2 cups organic milk (or part half and half, if feeling naughty)
4 cups fresh pumpkin chunks, roasted, pureed and drained if very watery (or 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin)
1 cup maple sugar or Sucanat
2 large organic eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pinch of ground cloves
2 tablespoons bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 cups day-old bread cubes—challah, brioche, baguette, etc
1 cup (or more if you like) mascarpone (see hints) or fresh whipped cream

Maple-Candied Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk milk pumpkin, maple sugar, eggs, spices and bourbon or vanilla in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes.
3. Let stand 15 minutes, then put pudding mixture in a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Make the maple-candied seeds by tossing the seeds with maple syrup, grease a baking sheet with butter and spread seeds out in a single layer. Bake them with the bread pudding, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and caramelized. They should be on the dry side, but may still be sticky.
5. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
6. Let cool. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides. Remove ring from pan.
7. Top with thick swirls of mascarpone or whipped cream, and sprinkle with candied pumpkin seeds.

HELPFUL HINTS: Mascarpone is the creamy, heavenly Italian cheese that is used in tiramisu and many other desserts.

My bil is a gourmet cook. He has a way of reading a recipe and then adding or subtracting to make it something altogether different. He started us out the marinated fruits that are now added to every dressing.

I use sliced extra-sour sourdough bread, cutting off the crusts and cubing the bread. This is toasted dry in the oven. Several days before, I place ¼ c. each 5-6 different chopped dried fruits into a pint jar in which I fill ½ full with brandy and the rest with Southern Comfort. (Prunes, golden raisins, currants, blueberries, bing cherries, etc.) I also hull 1 cup of pistachio nuts and have on hand a cup of of pine nuts. to this is added the onion, grated carrot, celery, and usual spices traditional to a dressing. It is never the same and is always the Wow! at the table.

So sorry I haven't made the time to visit the kitchen lately, and after reading some of the latest posts of great recipes and conversation, I realize what a good time I have been missing.

DG thanks for Michael's recipe on the rib-eye mustard parmesan crusted steaks. I have to admit to being rather a "purist" when it comes to good steaks. Hope I used that word correctly. We don't have steaks often, but when we do, I prefer them seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled. I don't even want steak sauce as a side. I just love the taste of good tender beef. Sometimes I will use just a little dash of worchestershire sauce on my plate and just lightly dab my cut piece of steak in it.

I do the grilling here.....hubby tends to char high quality meats to the inedible stage.

I saw "bacon grease" mentioned in a few posts and my eyes lit up. LOL A few months back I burned my ankle badly with hot bacon grease. Went right through my sock I had on...course I immediately hollered to hubby to turn on the shower while I ripped off my sneaker and sock cause I know cold water is the best immediate thing.

Imagine my surprise when I stuck my foot in the shower to find it was hot water. He didn't hear me correctly apparently....guess he thought I suddenly decided to take a hot shower in the middle of making dinner and called him to fix it. Whoo hoo... how hot does he think he is?!! Guess he was surprised when I was fully clothed cept for my right foot. He might have heard me say,"Get that shower going while I get this stuff off" Guess he didn't hear my exclamations of pain.

Bobberr your Thanksgiving meal sounds delightful. I imagine we will be going to my Mom's. With some help she will still make the traditional meal, and even though it won't be stress-free, I will still go. We will laugh, stress and I imagine I will do the dishes, cause my dear Mom doesn't have a dishwasher. Well she does, but she's afraid to tell her landlord it doesn't work for fear her rent will go up.

Tis okay Thanksgiving is about being with family, but I think I might raise a stink this year, cause why should I do the dishes when I am the oldest and favorite? Guess that's why I am the favorite.

Just kidding there. But while going through some gift catalogues today I saw a t-shirt that said "Mom Loves me Best". I might just order it. I am not the favorite just the oldest. Oldest and wisest cause I live just far enough away...but still close. LOL

DG guess you wouldn't wear a t-shirt on Thanksgiving Day but if you would, I'd order you one too to wear to your Brother's house. ROFL

Oiseau, don't you be scouring any grill, and as long as your dear doesn't burn the meat, I'd leave well enough alone. If it ain't broke....don't fixit.

This Recipe is courtesy of Michael Chiarello...I seen him cook it on his cooking show on the food network and had to try it. It was easy and oh so delicious if your a meat eater :D

Prime Rib-eye Steaks with Mustard Parmesan Crust

Mustard Parmesan Coating:
20 cloves garlic,pelled
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh, roughly chopped thyme
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 thick rib-eye steaks(about2 to 2 1/2-inches)
salt and fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 cups fresh, finely grated Parmesan cheese

In a pre-heated saute pan over medium-low heat, pan roast the garlic in olive oil, tossing only once. Allow to brown for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the cloves through a strainer. Allow to cool before mashing roughly with fork. Add thyme to garlic paste and mash that in as well. When they are pasty but still chunky, mix in the Dijon mustard.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Preheat a grill to high.

Season steaks well with salt and pepper. Pound the seasonings in well. Drizzle steaks on both sides with olive oil. Place meat on grill to brown, about 5 minutes each side.

Remove steaks from grill, place on a large cookie sheet. Cover top generously with mustard Parmesan coating. Top with large piles of Parmesan, spreading out to edges carefully with fingers. Place steaks in oven for 8 or 9 minutes.

Now Micheal served it with a pasta dish and salad.

I on the otherhand served it with a Caesar salad/with homemade croutons.

Baked potatoes with sour cream,chives and butter.

Garlic bread

oh and almost forgot white corn on the cob roasted.

This is an impressive and delicious meal to serve to company too.

All ya need is a nice wine of your choice and YUM!

is that the turkey tastes so good! My husband does the cooking outside. He soaks some hickory chips and adds them to the coals to put a bit of smoke in the meat.

I'm having mouse problems and when I edited my post, it disappeared and then wouldn't let me back in!

Here is the menu so far:

Turkey cooked on the Weber kettle

Sourdough Dressing

Giblet gravy

Green beans with bacon

Ginger-lime sweet potatoes

Baked glazed parsnips

Glazed pearl onions with currants

Salad (to be determined)

Rich rolls

Pies (pecan, pumpkin, raisin, Dutch apple)

Everyone will contribute part of the meal so it doesn't all fall onto one person. The night before, we will have our annual Seafood Cioppino meal hosted by my gourmet BIL. We usually have it on Christmas Eve, but both my kids will be out of town then, so we moved it to Thanksgiving Eve.

I'm having a real houseful this year. My eldest nephew is coming along with his wife and 2 kids, Tyler and Ashley, both my sisters and their mates, my son, his wife and MIL, plus daughter, Sonoma, my daughter, her husband, and their two, Coel and Elsa. That is eleven adults and 5 kids!

Here is the menu so far:
Turkey cooked on the Weber Kettle
Sourdough dressing
Gravy
Green beans with bacon
Ginger-lime sweet potatoes
Baked glazed parsnips
Glazed pearl onions with currants
Rich rolls
Pies (pecan, pumpkin, raisin, pear, Dutch apple

No one in the kitchen lately? :-)

Angela Tyler/Arca max

Planning Thanksgiving dinner and preparing it can be very stressful, especially if you have a large family or are expecting a number of guests. In order to make Thanksgiving more enjoyable for yourself as well as your guests, some advance planning and preparation will work wonders. Use these tips to make your holiday a stress-free, memorable occasion:

10 Days before Thanksgiving:

A week to 10 days before Thanksgiving, make your guest list. If there are any friends or family members you have not yet contacted, do so now to give them and yourself plenty of time to prepare. If any of your guests will be bringing a special dish, add it to your menu.

If you will be cooking turkey, decide upon fresh, frozen, or smoked. Make sure you have room in your refrigerator and oven. You should plan on one to one 1/2 pounds per person and even a bit larger if you want plenty of leftovers.

Deciding upon your final menu should be completed at least a week before the big day. Consider the number of people you will be entertaining and if you have children on your guest list, try to plan a couple of special dishes or treats especially for them.

The Week of Thanksgiving:

The week of Thanksgiving is the time to stock up on necessary items from the grocery store. You can make certain items in advance such as bread or rolls and freeze them until Thanksgiving morning. Also make sure you have supplies such a napkins, cups, etc.

The Days before Thanksgiving:

A couple of days prior to Thanksgiving you can prepare a few items in advance to save time on the big day.

Things like cranberry sauce or relish can be stored in your refrigerator for a few days. You may want to cut up onions, celery, and any like items and store them in plastic ware to save time on Thanksgiving morning.

Make sure you have everything on your shopping list in your kitchen at least 2-3 days before Thanksgiving morning.

If you have children, involve them in the planning. They can help organize games for the younger guests, assist with decorations, and can even help out in the kitchen if you desire.

If you have purchased a frozen turkey, take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator 3 days prior to cooking to give it plenty of time to thaw. If you will need to iron linens, etc., do so a couple of days before Thanksgiving to cut down on the amount of work you will have to do the night before the big day.

Thanksgiving Morning:

On Thanksgiving morning, make sure you have your thawed turkey stuffed (if necessary) and ready to place in the oven. Side dishes should be ready to cook or place in your oven and it would be a good idea to have desserts prepared the night before to save time and frustration on Thanksgiving Day. Any items you have frozen should be taken out of the freezer the night before so they can be heated easily.

With some advance planning and preparation, Thanksgiving can be a stress-free (almost) occasion and you will have plenty of time to enjoy the company of friends and family.

Rhubarb Relish

Costs 46¢ April 1943

Makes 3 pints Woman Day Kitchen

4C finely diced rhubarb

4C. finely cut onions

2C. vinegar

1½C. brown sugar*

1½C. dark corn syrup

1t. salt

½t. allspice

1t. gr.cinnamon

½t. gr.cloves

½t. pepper

Combine all ingredients and boil until thickened, about 1¼ hours. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. This makes a good peppy relish to serve with meat dishes. Mrs.C. S. Tompkins, St. Paul, Minn.
*Or use 3C. brown sugar, omitting corn syrup.

or bacon grease. The latter was kept in the refrigerator. Old grease was poured into an old Crisco can to be saved for salvage. What they did with it, I have no idea. Everything was used and reused in 1943

Cabbage with Bread Sauce

Cost 21¢ (April 1943)

Serves 4 Woman's Day Kitchen

1T. fat drippings

6C. chopped cabbage

Salt and pepper

¾C. soft bread crumbs

1C. milk

2T. margarine or other fat

¼ salt

3T. lemon juice

1 egg, grade B, beaten

Paprika

2 slices toast

Heat fat in large skillet; add cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cabbage should retain some of its crispness. Cook bread crumbs in milk 5 minutes. Add margarine and salt. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and egg. Turn cabbage into serving dish, pour sauce on top and sprinkle with paprika. Cut toast into triangles to use as a garnish. From Mrs. Frank Conly, Denver CO.

You may like the next recipe better:

Macaroni, Mushrooms and Cabbage

Costs 23¢ (April 1943)

Serves 4 Woman's Day Kitchen

4C shredded cabbage

1C. sliced mushrooms

2T. fat drippings

2T. flour

1C. milk Salt and pepper

2C. cooked macaroni

Cook cabbage in ¾ C. boiling salted water for 5 minutes. There should be not more than ¼C water remaining. Brown mushrooms lightly in drippings. Remove half the mushrooms and add flour to those remaining in the skillet. Slowly add the milk; cook until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine undrained cabbage, mushroom sauce and macaroni; put in serving dish, top with remaining mushrooms. - Mrs. Helen Shanahan, Chicago, Ill. got the raves.

I was a month shy of my 7th birthday when this came out. We lived in the city of Chicago, and because of the supply problems, had many shortages. Karl, the butcher would save a pot roast for my Mom, since she had 4 growing girls to feed. She would roast it up on Sunday and then it would appear later in the week as stew or in a casserole. We ate a lot of Spam and cheese.

One way to stretch a meal was to use bread in the dish in some fashion. Here is one of the prize-winning recipes using bread:

Kidney Stuffing Loaf

Costs 32¢ (April 1943)

Serves 4 From the Woman's Day Kitchen

3 lamb kidneys, chopped

2C. mushrooms, coarsely chopped

3T. minced green pepper

4T. fat drippings

3¾C. crumbled soft bread

1½C. milk

2¼t. salt

¼ t. pepper

Cook kidneys, mushrooms and green pepper in drippings until lightly browned. Mix bread and milk; add with seasonings to kidney mixture. Mix well and bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven, 375° F. for 30 minutes.-Mrs. Margaret Picha, Cleveland Ohio won the prize.

In my Mom's art picture stash, I found a Woman's Day Magazine, dated May 1943!!!!

I will give you some recipes from that zine when I have more time.!

In the meantime, save your old bread and crumbs!

Bobbie