Everything's better with butter

I never met a poached egg that wouldn't benefit from a close relationship with a good Hollandaise Sauce.  Notice I said a 'good' Hollandaise Sauce.  Like other events in our lives, your first experience with Hollandaise Sauce will determine your future.  If you meet a good one, you'll love Hollandaise forever and always.  And, you'll be very picky about your sauce.  On the other hand, if your first experience is with a weak, gloppy, grainy mess you'll never ever be willing to give it a second chance.

Thankfully, my first experience with Hollandaise Sauce was a magical moment.  I've always loved the tart of lemon and who doesn't love BUTTER!!!

As has been mentioned before, I didn't grow up here.  I grew up in the tropics.  As a result of that happy experience, there are many different foods that I never have the opportunity to try or learn to like as a child.

Example:  We didn't have apples (except for very rare occasions when my parents were willing to part with more than their usual percentage of income  allotted to the food budget).  So, I never learned to like them.  Probably because by the time apples got to where we lived, they were well past their 'best by' date.  Or, more likely, because my first recollection of eating an apple was a disaster.

It was at a expatriate potluck gathering and around the time of my sixth birthday.  Mom splurged and bought some apples.  I remember it was evening (after dark) and we were eating 'al fresco'.  All of us kids were running around in the dark having a blast.  The women had done a beautiful job of decorating the tables and stringing lights in the trees.  It was one of those magical evenings.  Mom called me over and explained to me how special these apples were and told me how lucky I was to get this chance to eat one.  Expecting something really spectacular, I sank my teeth into it.  As I pulled the apple away from my mouth instead of leaving a piece of sweetness in my mouth, that apple took my first loose tooth.  Of course it hurt.  And, of course I started screaming and crying hysterically because my apple was all bloody.  It was like a Halloween horror movie.  Is it any wonder I'm still not a huge fan of apples, applesauce, apple juice, most anything with apple it in?

But, I digress.  Back to Hollandaise Sauce.  Sorry, got all distracted there for a minute.  You'll forgive me when you see that it helps to illustrate the point that your first experience is very important.  And, mine with Hollandaise Sauce was superb!

Post college days, at my first job, someone mentioned artichokes.  I didn't recall ever tasting one.  Being adventurous, I decided to try artichokes.  Having no idea what to do with them, I dragged out my trusty cookbook and looked them up.  (You notice and laugh that I mention my cookbook - singular - THOSE days are gone!)  Thankfully, my then lonely cookbook is very well illustrated.  The photo that went with the artichoke instructions was lovely.  And the sauce it mentioned to serve with the artichokes looked intriguing.  I decided to give it a whirl.  Thankfully, I didn't have any mishaps while preparing it and that sauce turned out blissfully delicious.  I've had a love thing goin' on with Hollandaise Sauce ever since.  But, boy am I picky!!!

Here's the recipe for the best Hollandaise Sauce I ever ate.  Keep in mind, this sauce is very finicky.  Too slow and it never comes together.  Too fast and you have scrambled eggs.  Patience, my friends, patience and luck.  And good eating!

Hollandaise Sauce

INGREDIENTS

3	large egg yolks
1	T lemon juice
½	c firm butter*

Directions

1. In a 1½ quart saucepan, vigorously stir egg yolks and lemon juice with wire whisk. Add 1/4 cup of the butter. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk, until butter is melted.

2. Add remaining 1/4 cup butter. Continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure butter melts slowly so eggs have time to cook and thicken sauce without curdling.) If the sauce curdles (mixture begins to separate), add about 1 tablespoon boiling water and beat vigorously with wire whisk or hand beater until it's smooth.

3. Serve immediately. Store covered in refrigerator. To serve refrigerated sauce, reheat over very low heat and stir in a small amount of water.

Makes about ¾ cup sauce.

Better than a poke in the eye

A hot summer day and an invitation to a backyard BBQ prompted a search for a refreshing dessert recipe.

My friend, Linda, is a fellow 'foodie' and often hosts large-ish groups at her home.  The fact that she lives in tiny little house doesn't even faze her.  (I use my small house as an excuse to avoid inviting people over.)  The fact that her home isn't perfectly spic-n-span doesn't bother her either.  (I use that excuse even more often than the 'small house' excuse.)  To top it all off, her kitchen is the size of match box.  Even that doesn't stop her from hosting groups of 15 or more.  We all bring a dish or two and she provides the main attraction.

On this particular day, I wanted to find an easy dessert that would keep us cool and be a little more interesting than a quart of ice cream.  Keeping in mind that I had a few limes and a white cake mix, I searched for recipes along that line.  I confess, I cheated.  I did use the cake mix AND I caved (due to the time constraints) to pre-made frosting.  That was my only mistake.  If I had it to do over again, I'd make my own frosting.  That pre-made stuff is overly sweet and had a strange consistency.

I found this recipe for Key Lime Poke Cake from the Betty Crocker® website.  Simple, easy, but with lots of POW factor!

I'm always amazed by kitchen chemistry.  The recipe has you mix lime juice into sweetened condensed milk.  Then you are to wait while it thickens.  I was like a kid at a circus side show.  Watching that dish and swishing it periodically to test its thickness (or not).  It really works!  I was almost giddy with food happiness when the magic happened.

Key Lime Pie Poke Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

1	box Betty Crocker SuperMoist® white cake mix
1¼	c water
1	T vegetable oil
4	eggs

Key Lime Filling:

1	can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
¾	cup whipping cream
½	cup key lime juice or regular lime juice
1	t grated lime jest
4	drops yellow food color
1	drop green food color

Frosting:

1	Container (12 oz) Betty Crocker ®  Whipped vanilla frosting
2	t grated lime peel

Garnish, if desired:

	fresh strawberries
	key lime slices
	lemon leaves

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F (325° F for dark or nonstick pan).  Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

2. In a large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour into pan.

3. Bake 27 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes. With handle of wooden spoon (¼ to ½ inch in diameter), poke holes almost to bottom of cake every ½ inch, wiping spoon handle occasionally to reduce sticking.

4. In medium bowl, stir together filling ingredients (mixture will thicken).  Pour over cake; spread evenly over surface, working back and forth to fill holes. (Some filling should remain on top of cake.)  Refrigerate 1 hour.

5. Spread frosting over cake; sprinkle with lime peel.  Garnish as desired.  Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

T'was the Night Before Easter

It started about two or three weeks before Easter.  I found a recipe in the newspaper and cut it out to give to my friend, Linda.  It kind of grew from there.  The recipe was for Lamb Chops with Parsley-Pistachio Pesto.  Then she found a recipe for Curried Carrots.  I offered to make couscous to go with the lamb.  And, she decided to add asparagus to the menu.  A little fresh crusty bread with some olive oil and fig-balsamic vinegar to dip it in and a cousin with a great desert recipe.  We were all set for our 'the night before Easter' dinner.

Stevie is the meat master so he was in charge of the lamb.  We decided to do a leg of lamb instead of the chops ('cause we are too cheap to feed that many people lamb chops).  Stevie did the 'set it and forget it' method, which turned out great!

You probably want to know why we decided on 'the night before Easter'.  I don't know what to say about that.  We were lazy?  We needed a full day to recover before going back to work on Monday?  It's more fun to party on Saturday night than Sunday morning?  Who knows!

Inspite of our choice of day and hour, it was a huge culinary success.  More about the details for the other recipes later.  This post is dedicated to the pesto.  Which, of course, was spectacularly yummy!

So, here's the whole recipe.  But keep in mind, I only made the pesto.

Lamb Chops with Parsley Pistachio Pesto

INGREDIENTS

For the pesto:

2	c fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves
1	clove garlic, peeled
⅓	c shelled pistachios
⅓	c olive oil
4	T shredded Parmesan cheese
	water as needed
	salt
	freshly ground black pepper

For the lamb:

8	lamb chops, about 1 to 1½ inches thick
	salt to taste
	black pepper to taste
1	T olive oil

Directions

1. To make the pesto:  In a food processor, combine the parsley leaves, garlic and pistachios; pulse to combine. With the motor on, add the olive oil and process until mixture is smooth. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. Add water as needed so the pesto has the consistency of thin, grainy mustard. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

2. To make the lamb:  Remove the lamb from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Trim any excess fat from the chops. Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towel. Season the lamb on both sides with salt and pepper or favorite all-purpose seasoning.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Working in batches, place 4 lamb chops in the skillet and cook until nicely browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side for a medium-rare that is more on the rare side. Remove lamb chops from the skillet and transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 4 chops. Serve with the pesto on the side or place a dollop on each chop.

I can cook, I just don't

It might be time to stop reading recipes and start cooking.  Maybe.

My husband doesn't understand the reading of recipes; the hunt through a stack of 'foodie' magazines for the perfect apple cake recipe, the sense of satisfaction one gets when an online recipe search proves that your trusty & battered Betty Crocker cookbook still has the best tasting hollandaise sauce, the delight one feels after discovering that there are sixteen different ways to crack an egg*.  Of course, his jaded view is colored by the fact that he wants to eat!

I can cook, I just don't.

That's what the sign in my kitchen says.  (A gift from the husband.)  To be fair, it's only partial true.  The truth is "I can cook, I just don't do it very often.  But when I do, IT'S FABULOUS...or at least I like to think so."  And people; it's fabulous BECAUSE I read all those recipes!  Think of it as an investment.  Research.  To steal a phrase from the boys scouts, I'm prepared.

My goal for this weekend is to reduce the bulk.  It dawned on me at 4:30 this morning.  (Yes, I know.  I WAS trying to sleep in on my one day to rest.  It just didn't work.)  As I was saying...at 4:30 this morning it hit me that I have been 'saving' my magazines to read on that magical (read non-existent) day when I had nothing else to do.  Hahahaha!  Oh, side-ache, side-ache!!!  Ouch, ouch, ouch!  Anyway, back to my epiphany...There is no reason on earth to 'save' a magazine to read later!  No wonder I feel like we are drowning in paper in this house.  Grief.  *Sigh*  Duh!  So, the plan is to reduce the bulk.

Looking for some inspiration, of course, I turned to the internet.  And a little later (well, maybe three hours) after some googling, the plan is gathering a list of criteria and my resolve is gathering some back-bone.  Did you know that people actually rip pages out of cookbooks!?!?  I'm kind of horrified and intrigued at the same time.  I've been ripping pages out of magazines for years (well, when I eventually get around to reading them).  But, a book seems too sacred to rip.  However, I read it on the internet so it MUST be true.  They're saying it is okay to rip your two favorite recipes out of that cookbook that you rarely use and toss the book.  Shocking, huh?!

So, today's the day.  I will rip and tear and reduce the bulk.  But, just in case I get overwhelmed, I have a backup plan.

I might cook.  Might.  If there's time.  Of course, I'll have to plow through all those clippings to find just the right recipe.  Or, perhaps I'll dig up an old favorite instead.  Like...'Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies'.  Thank you to America's Test Kitchen for this tried and true recipe!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1¾	c unbleached all-purpose flour (8 ¾ oz)
½	t baking soda
14	T unsalted butter (1 ¾ sticks)
½	c granulated sugar
¾	c packed dark brown sugar (5 ¼ oz) – see note
1	t table salt
2	t vanilla extract
1	lg egg
1	lg egg yolk
1 ¼	c semisweet chocolate chips or chunks – see note
¾	c chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°.  Line 2 large (18 x12 inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 T butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes.  Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heat proof bowl.  Stir in remaining 4 T butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla extract to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.  Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds.  Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.  Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4.  Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 T (or use #24 cookie scoop).  Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.  (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.

5.  Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.  Transfer to a wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
 
NOTES:

1.  Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned.  Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry.  This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.
2.  Melting a generous amount of butter before combining it with other ingredients gives the chewy texture. Browning a portion of it adds nutty flavor. Using a bit more brown sugar than white sugar enhanced chewiness, while a combination of one egg and one egg yolk gives supremely moist cookies. For the crisp edges and deep toffee flavor, allow the sugar to dissolve and rest in the melted butter.  Bake the cookies until golden brown and just set, but still soft in the center. The resulting cookies are crisp and chewy and gooey with chocolate, and can boast a complex medley of sweet, buttery, caramel, and toffee flavors.
3. In their taste testing, Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips distinct ‘wine,’ ‘fruit,’ and ‘smoke’ flavors made this ‘adult chocolate’ a clear winner.  Low sugar content allows the chocolate flavor to shine.  In cookies, the wider, flatter shape and high percentage of fat help the chips melt into thin layers for a pleasing balance of cookie and chocolate in every bite.


*There is a slight (very slight) chance that I may have exaggerated about the number of ways there are to crack an egg.  Very VERY slight.