New England Scalloped Blue Potatoes

I considered calling this 'home-style' blue scalloped potatoes, but really they're just MY HOME style, i.e. the way my mom makes 'em. Possibly New England is too broad perhaps "East Sandwich style Blue Scalloped potatoes" Regardless of the name, I love 'em.

4-5 medium potatoes - get the BLUE ones (N.B. Blue ones are usually a bit smaller so more like 6)
1 yellow onion
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese

1. preheat oven to 350
2. wash the potatoes well (I leave skins on) and slice them into 1/3in slices.
3. cut the onion up into rings
4. butter a 9x9 pan
5. layer potatoes, onion, potatoes, cheese until the pan is full or ingrediants are used up. I split the onion up into individual rings.
6. top with a little extra cheese and pour the milk over the top
7. bake at 350 until the potatoes are cooked and top is cheesy. (you can cover with tin foil to keep it from getting too brown.

P.S. the potatoes get less purple as you bake them, and they taste just like the white ones, but they look cool!

Irish soda bread

Happy St. Patty's day! whip up a quick batch of this:

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 Tbs sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup currants or raisins
4 Tbs butter
1 egg
1 3/4 cup buttermilk

0. preheat oven to 400
1. combine dry ingredients
2. cut in the butter with a knife or fingers as for pies. Mix in raisins or currants if desired
3. blend egg and buttermilk and add to the dry ingredients.
4. mix well and knead about 10 times to form a ball.
5. place in a greased cast iron pot and bake 35 min.

serve with an Irish coffee or Guinness.

quick and easy Salsa

I've fallen in love with this salsa recipie. It was on the library's DVD of the America's Test Kitchen season 3. What I find so impressive is it a fresh-tasting salsa yet comes from a can.

1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 lime
handful cilantro
1 tsp salt
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 jalepano - or to taste

0. Strain the tomatoes - wait as long as possible to get all the juice out by pressing them into a strainer and leting them sit a few minutes.
1. put the onion, cilantro, salt, chopped garlic and chopped jalepano and juice of a line in the food processor and pulse into small peices
2. add the tomatoes and pulse into bits.
3. if you have time you can drain the salsa again to get more water out.

Mocha filling

This is mocha filling for cake. Another version. I haven't actually tasted cake filled with it yet, but I need to write it down before I forget. Initially based on http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Chocolate-Filling-1

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp instant coffee powder
1 cup half & half
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Makes: About 1 1/2 cups of filling.


instructions
Mix the flour, salt, instant coffee and sugar in a saucepan and blend in a little of the cream. Place on medium heat and stir constantly. Add the rest of the cream and and continue stirring until the mixture reaches the consistency of medium cream sauce. Stir a little of the sauce into the egg yolks, then pour egg yolks into the sauce in pan. Cook for a few minutes on low heat until thickened. Remove from heat, add unsweetened chocolate to the mixture along with the vanilla and cool quickly. To prevent a skin from forming, brush with melted butter. Stir a little before using

Lentil Soup

I've been raving about this soup recently, so here it is. Listed as "My favorite lentil soup" in the Good Food Book by Jane Brody. For a household of 2 I typically make a 1/2 batch as the recipie makes more leftovers than I want otherwise.

3 Tbs olive oil
2 large onions chopped
3 carrots grated
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
7 cups broth
1 1/2 cups dried lentils*
salt
pepper
marjoram
thyme
6oz white wine (optional)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Heat the oil and saute onions, carrots and spices (I often use about 1 tsp of an italian mix of spices) for about 5 min over medium heat

2. Add broth, tomatoes, and lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer covered until lentils are soft (about 1 hour)

3. Add fresh parsley, wine and simmer a few more miutes. serve with grated cheese.

The wonder of this soup is that everyone seems to love it, it is very easy and very forgiving. Feel free to modify herbs. or omit entirely. White wine does add a nice touch and I always pour both the soup and myself a glass if I have it but more times than not I don't.

*Salt Lake grocery stores have decided that lentils are "mexican" and thus dried lentils are usualy found in a package near salsa and pinto beans. Certainly many other cultures use lentils but apparently none of them are close enough to the temple to be worth mentioning. Also if you use red lentils it tastes fine but cooks much faster and can become mushy- I prefer the normal grey-greenish lentils which take a bit longer but don't turn to mush if you let 'em simmer.

Donuts - turns out they don't come from a box

Yet another recipe gleaned from www.thepioeneerwoman.com She posted these last Monday and I couldn't resist - it was certainly an experience! Let's give the general run down:
Simple- no
Fast- no
quick clean up- no
low fat - no
delicious - yes!

The complete directions can be found at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/homemade-glazed-doughnuts/

A few tidbits to add - if you live at altitude, ignore the parts about making sure they rise enough and start cooking 'em after 45 min. I waited 1 hour and the first ones were perfect and the last ones had fallen by the time I got to them. Also nowhere in the directions does it mention that you kitchen will smell like frying oil for a full 24 hours even if you open the window. Do this in a WELL ventilated place and be prepared to smell donuts for a while. A few photos for your enjoyment:

Prepping the dough - note the shot glass to cut out the middles.


They sort-of look like cookies, don't they?



Now they look more donut-y let's put them in oil and see what happens:

Things they didn't say in the directions - those darn holes don't want to stay on the flip side, . .

Cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar glaze- yum, after you fry 'em, dunk them in one of these two!


Testing is encouraged - yum!


This is what happens if they over rise - they sorta get flat-ish rather than completely puffy. Still pretty tasty though


Final step- box 'em up and share.

Italian Drip Beef

This is not my recipie, but you must make it. It comes from www.thepioneerwoman.com
( http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/drip-beef-two-ways/)
Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 6 Hours Difficulty: Easy Servings: 10
Ingredients

* 1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds
* 1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
* 3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* ¼ cups Water
* ½ jars (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
* Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.

Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.

May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.