Food for Thought - Dancing While We Can

We have the best Commercial Appeal delivery person in the city!  Her name is Judy and she gets the paper right in front of my door every morning.  I'm an early riser, so sometimes I'm standing on the steps waiting for her and we chat for a minute.  She's an amazing person. 

She also delivers the Sunday New York Times to us.  When we go out of town, as we did for Thanksgiving, I stop the paper delivery.  We didn't buy one at the Exxon in BR this time, so no Sunday Times for Suzanne!  However, on Monday when I picked up the CA, Judy had written me a note on the blue wrapper, in black magic marker: "I saved a Times for you.  I'll bring it back by 7:30."  Is that great or what?

I got around to reading the Sunday Times this morning and wanted to share this essay with you, We Should Dance While We Can.  It's beautifully written, in fact it makes me want to read her entire memoir.  And the message is always timely.

I'm thankful that Judy saved me a paper.

Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a great time in BR with Walter's family.  Walter and I arrived on Tuesday to get everything ready.  Remember the table we bought on our last trip?  It was delivered and we got it set up in the eating area.  Here it is set up for Thanksgiving Day:

And here's a closeup of the centerpiece.  I took the Garden District trough and filled it with rhododendron leaves,  blackberry branches, fresh fruit, and flowers.  Sarah arranged the flowers and did an excellent job - thanks, Sarah!

I cleaned out my Memphis freezer before we left and took packages of chili and spaghetti sauce with me.  Tuesday night Walter and I had the chili.  Wednesday evening our guests arrived in three waves - two from Atlanta, two from Ft. Pierce, FL and four from Jacksonville, FL.  As they arrived and got settled, I dished up spaghetti and cornbread.

Thursday was the big day, of course.  For breakfast we had pastries that I bought at Stick Boy Bread in Boone.  This was our Thanksgiving Dinner menu:

Smoked Turkey (sorry, no recipe.  Walter did this ad hoc and it was delicious!)
Squash and Cheese Casserole
Sweet Potato Souffle
Szechuan Green Beans
Cornbread Dressing
Gravy from Bogies (in Memphis)
Cranberry Sauce from Bogies
Yeast Rolls from Stick Boy (in Boone)
Carrot Cake from Bogies
Pumpkin Cheesecake from Stick Boy
Pecan Pie (purchased at the BR Farmers' Market)

Yum, yum, yum!  It's funny about the dressing.  We ordered some from Bogies, Walter picked everything up on Monday evening, we packed everything into a cooler for travel, unloaded the cooler in BR, started getting organized on Thanksgiving and said, "Where's the dressing?"  No dressing...it wasn't in the order we picked up!  Then I remembered that I had leftover cornbread from the spaghetti dinner the night before, so I went to the trusty internet, found a recipe that a lot of people had said was good, and made it at the last minute.  It was delicious!  Saved by the internet - again!

Walter's sister, Kathy, and her husband, Mike

Friday morning we had a super Breakfast Casserole from my main man, Emeril.  Those of you who've had the Cooking Light breakfast casserole...well, this one is way better!  What's not to like about pork sausage?  Friday night Walter's nephew made a crockpot barbeque that was out of this world and his niece made an ultimate comfort food shells and cheese and broccoli dish.  I'll post the recipes as soon as they send them to me.

After this meal the kitchen closed.  Two groups left Saturday morning and the rest of us ate leftovers for lunch and went to Ristro Boca for dinner. 

Saturday morning we all went out to Bolick Pottery and watched the annual opening of their wood-fired kiln.  The Bolicks have been potters for generations and the extended family lives in a little valley outside of Blowing Rock.  The kiln opening is a big thing, with a mad dash for one of a kind pieces.  Our niece Shelby snagged a great Santa face jug for me!  Wish I had a picture of it!  Here's the Bolick mailboxes:

Bolick mailboxes

And here's niece Sidney playing with a very friendly Bolick beagle!

Sunday morning was departure time for everyone.

A good time was had by all.  Thanks for making the trip, guys!

Sunday morning sunrise, 11/28/10, Blue Ridge Parkway, mile marker 302

Emeril's Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casserole

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

6 eggs

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Salt and pepper

Butter to grease pan

6 slices of Texas Toast (thick cut, crusty white bread)

1 pound spicy pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until they loosen up. Add the half and half, and the green onions. Mix well, highly season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Butter a 12 by 10-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the bread, cutting and rearranging, if needed. Sprinkle the bread with the cooked sausage and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the entire pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

I doubled this recipe and used a 11x18” casserole dish.  It still took 6 slices of bread and it took about 50 minutes to cook.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Tue Nov 30 2010

© 2010 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Szechuan Green Beans

Szechuan Green Beans

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, peeled

2 quarter-sized slices ginger

2 scallions, cut into 2” lengths

1 T vegetable oil

1 t crushed red pepper

1 T soy sauce

1 T rice wine vinegar

1 lb green beans, trimmed

Instructions

Process garlic, ginger, and scallions in a food processor until finely chopped.  Remove to a 14/11” dish.  Add oil and pepper flakes.  Cook in microwave, uncovered, at 100% for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave and stir in remaining ingredients, tossing gently to coat green beans.  Cook, uncovered, at 100% for 10-15 minutes, stirring 4-5 times. 

Serve hot or cold.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients

2 cups cooked sweet potatoes

¾ stick butter, melted

½ t cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup milk

1 ¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Mix all ingredients and pour into a buttered casserole dish.  Bate at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Proceed with topping:

Topping

¾ cup crushed corn flakes

½ cup nuts

1/3 cup brown sugar

¾ stick butter, melted

Mix and spread over potatoes in casserole.  Bake another 10 minutes.

Squash & Cheese Casserole

Squash & Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

1-2 lbs summer squash

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 Tb sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3 Tb butter

1 t sage

Salt & pepper to taste

Paprika

Instructions

Cook squash & onion in a small amount of water until tender.  Drain well.  Mix other ingredients except half of cheese and paprika.  Pour into a buttered casserole dish.  Place remaining cheese on top, sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Cornbread Dressing

Grandma's Corn Bread Dressing  

Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Submitted By: Amy Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package dry cornbread mix  (I used leftover Homesteader's Cornbread)

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 small onion

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons dried sage

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the dry corn bread mix according to package directions. Cool and crumble.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking dish.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion until soft.

4. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, 3 cups crumbled corn bread, eggs, chicken stock, sage and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.

5. Place into prepared dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/25/2010

Food for Thought: Whiskey River

Most mornings I have a fairly set routine.  I get up, read the paper, eat a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, and go to my exercise class.  When I get home from exercise, I get a cup of coffee and sit down to gather my thoughts for the day.  I always check for new posts on my son Cort's blog, FixMemphis, 'cause it's the best way I have to keep up with him!  By the way, "FixMemphis" refers to the type of bike that Cort rides - a fixed gear bike - rather than to any attempt to improve the City of Memphis.  Then I read the posts for the day at Smart City Memphis to get my adrenaline flowing.  This one does have to do
with ways to improve the City of Memphis!

I know, I'm pretty boring.

Lastly, I read Whiskey River (the intoxication of being swept along with the current.)  I use it as my meditation for the day.  I encourage you to bookmark it and check it occasionally.  What hits me may not necessarily hit you and vice versa.  In the meantime, here are the posts from the past couple of days:

For Equilibrium, a Blessing

Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.

As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity be lightened by grace.

Like the freedom of the monastery bell,
May clarity of mind make your eyes smile.

As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.

As silence smiles on the other side of what's said,
May your sense of irony bring perspective.

As time remains free of all that it frames,
May your mind stay clear of all it names.

May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of God.
- John O'Donohue
To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Invocations and Blessings

__________________________________________________________

"The wonder of a moment in which there is nothing but an upwelling of simple happiness is utterly awesome. Gratitude is so close to the bone of life, pure and true, that it instantly stops the rational mind, and all its planning and plotting. That kind of let go is fiercely threatening. I mean, where might such gratitude end?"
- Regina Sara Ryan
Praying Dangerously
__________________________________________________________

Don't you love the line about the water?

My driveway, November 2010

Food for Thought: Walt Whitman on Thanksgiving

From The Writers' Almanac for Thanksgiving Day, 2010:

On Thanksgiving Day of 1884, Walt Whitman published a piece in The Philadelphia Press, writing about himself in the third person. He wrote:

"Scene.— A large family supper party, a night or two ago, with voices and laughter of the young, mellow faces of the old, and a by-and-by pause in the general joviality. 'Now, Mr. Whitman,' spoke up one of the girls, 'what have you to say about Thanksgiving? Won't you give us a sermon in advance, to sober us down?' The sage nodded smilingly, look'd a moment at the blaze of the great wood fire, ran his forefinger right and left through the heavy white mustache that might have otherwise impeded his voice, and began: 'Thanksgiving goes probably far deeper than you folks suppose. I am not sure but it is the source of the highest poetry. [...] We Americans devote an official day to it every year; yet I sometimes fear the real article is almost dead or dying in our self-sufficient, independent Republic. Gratitude, anyhow, has never been made half enough of by the moralists; it is indispensable to a complete character, man's or woman's — the disposition to be appreciative, thankful. That is the main matter, the element, inclination — what geologists call the 'trend.' Of my own life and writings I estimate the giving thanks part, with what it infers, as essentially the best item. I should say the quality of gratitude rounds the whole emotional nature; I should say love and faith would quite lack vitality without it.'"

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner

Walter and I are going to BR for Thanksgiving, so we had our Memphis boys and their girlfriends over for dinner Sunday night.  I made Emeril's Jambalaya, coleslaw, and German Chocolate Cake.



Getting ready to bake a cake

One of my BR neighbors, Loy McGill, gave me the recipe for the German Chocolate Cake.  She is a terrific cook and hostess.  She had the neighborhood over for dinner for Labor Day and served this cake; Walter went into raptures and she was kind enough to send me the recipe. 



Cooling the layers



The finished product!

The kids liked everything.  The cake was awesome - thank you, Loy! - so very rich.  Jambalaya and cake leftovers went home with the boys and girls; the rest of the cake is going to Walter's office today so that we won't eat anymore. 

Look at this great centerpiece.  I bought this trough at Garden District last year.  Dotsie did a centerpiece for a luncheon and cut stuff from our yards, added fresh fruit and flowers.  I borrowed from hers and added some nandina berries.  Very fall and festive.  I'm taking the trough to BR to use for my Thanksgiving centerpiece there and will use local flora.

Before



After

  Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!



German Chocolate Cake

Loy McGill gave me this recipe - she's a fabulous cook!

German Sweet Chocolate Cake Original recipe from 1960s

1 pkg (4 oz.) Baker's German sweet chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 C butter
2 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk

Melt chocolate in boiling water. Cool. Cream butter and sugar until creamy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Blend in vanilla and chocolate. Sift flour with soda and salt; add alternately with butermilk to chocolate mixture, beat well after each till smooth (don't overbeat). Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into three 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottom with wax paper - greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minures. (My oven runs hot, so I set the timer for 29 minutes and it was done perfectly.  I also rearranged the pans halfway through.)  Cool. Frost tops only.  I frosted the entire cake by making making 2 times the frosting.Frosting

Combine in saucepan over medium heat:

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups Angel flake coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cook and stir until thickened, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans.  Cool until thick enough to spread, beating occasionally.

Old Fashioned Cole Slaw

Old-Fashioned Cole Slaw

This is from Jennifer Chandler's book, Simply Salads. 

1 bag (16 ox) 3-Color Deli Cole Slaw

1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
2 T mayannaise
2 T sour cream
1 Shallot, minced
1/2 t cider vinegar
1/4 t Dijon mustard
1 t granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermild, mayannaise, sour cream, shallot, vinegar mustard, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large bowl, toss dressing with cole slaw mix.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Emeril's Chicken, Andouille, and Shrimp Jambalaya

Emeril’s Chicken, Andouille, And Shrimp Jambalaya

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 (3-1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning, plus more for seasoning chicken and shrimp
1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 moons
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 medium ribs celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, tops separated from bottoms, both chopped
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste
5 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 cups long grain rice
1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a very large, heavy Dutch oven or stovetop casserole, heat the oil over high heat. Season the chicken with the Creole Seasoning on all sides. Add the chicken pieces to the hot pan, in batches if necessary, and sauté until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside. Add the sausage to the drippings in the pan, reduce the heat to medium high, and sauté, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl with the chicken. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, chopped scallion bottoms, and garlic and sauté over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan, along with the 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning, tomato paste, canned chiles, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, hot sauce, stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring well to mix. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and the broth has absorbed the flavors of the sausage and seasonings.

Increase the heat to high and add the rice and chopped green onion tops. Stir well and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.

Season the shrimp with Creole Seasoning. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and gently stir in the seasoned shrimp and parsley. Let stand for 15 minutes, covered, before serving.


Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Broad Street on Saturday

After my needlepoint class yesterday, I went by Broad Street to see how the street event was coming along.  I couldn't believe all the people walking and biking and shopping and eating!  It looked like a success to me.  I ran into Jim and Lucia Gilliland (so you'll know I wasn't the only older person there!) who were bowled over by the response. 

Here's some of my handiwork from Friday's work day.  These plywood sheets covered the sewer grates in the bike lanes so that bike wheels wouldn't get caught.

And here's a picture of Emily handing out information and selling memberships to the Brooks:

















And here's a neat bike rack:

The whole thing was so neat!  What can we do in East Memphis that's hip like this?

Week of November 14-20

Last week the Commercial Appeal had an article about slow cookers that included several recipes.  I love my crockpot!  A couple of them sounded good and I had a weeknight things to do this week, so I clipped them out to try.

Tuesday night was my Search class (this week was Homer's The Iliad - good stuff!) and I made African-Style Braised Chicken in Peanut Sauce.  Delicious!  But the chicken literally falls off the bone, so you have to be careful eating - little bones were everywhere. 

Wednesday I made Beef and Wine Stew.  Again, the meat was fork tender.  However, I didn't think it had much taste.  Maybe more seasonings next time?  I used red wine, but the recipe also suggested a dark stout beer and maybe that would be better. 

Thursday night I had a Grants Review meeting for the Women's Foundation, so Walter was on his own.  He had leftover beef stew (shock) and said it was better than the night before.  I haven't tried it as leftovers, so I can't say.

Friday I went over to Broad Street and spent a few hours helping them set up for their New Face for an Old Broad event this weekend.  I worked like a dog!  Got home about 4, then Becky picked me up and we hit the Potters's Guild Show and Sale at the Botanic Garden, then the Holiday Bazaar at Memphis College of Art.  I got a very nice casserole dish by David James Johnson at the pottery sale; unfortunately, I was on a beeline to a couple of paintings by Michele Pinstein at the Bazaar only to have them snatched them out from under my nose.  But I bought a "whimsical" candy dish and some really neat notecards.  Here's a picture:

We went on to meet our cute boys at Cafe 1912 for dinner.  I'm sorry to say that our service was less than stellar and it was so noisy I could hardly hear Becky, who was sitting on my right.  And I had to decline my onion soup because it was burned and way too salty.  But my crabcake was wonderful, Becky loved her grouper, Barney had a huge, and I mean huge, plate of mussels that he scoffed up, so all was ok in the end.

Today I want to get back over to Broad Street to see it in action.  Very exciting stuff!  It's so wonderful to see a neighborhood pull together to try to improve their area.  Would that every neighborhood would take that initiative.

Oh, one other thing I did on Friday.  The Poplar-White Station Library has been driving me nuts with the weeds and trash all around it.  So Friday morning I went over and picked up all the trash, then emailed Keenan McCloy, the Library Director, to ask her to send Public Works over to trim the weeds.  I also offered to meet with her to come up with better landscaping.  No reply as of yet.  Mark this date, folks.  We'll see how long it takes...

Beef and Wine Stew

I think this needs more seasonings, so just experiment.  Walter said it was better the next day.

Beef and Wine Stew

1 lb. bacon, cut into pieces

3 lbs. boneless beef roast, cut into 1-inch cubes or 3 lbs. beef short ribs (see note)

1/2 cup flour, lightly seasoned with salt and black pepper (see note)

1 cup sliced shallots

2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, wiped clean, cut in half if large

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 1/2 cups full-bodied red wine or 12 oz. stout beer

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp. water

Cooked noodles or rice or garlic mashed potatoes, optional for serving

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until just crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces, leaving the drippings in the skillet and keep heated over medium heat. Reserve the bacon pieces for another use. Place the beef cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoned flour. Toss to coat the beef cubes lightly with the flour.

Working in batches, brown the beef cubes on all sides in the bacon drippings. Remove to the slow cooker. In the same skillet, sauté the shallots, celery, carrots, mushrooms and garlic until just lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stir. Cover and cook for 7 to 9 hours on the low setting (or 4 hours on the high setting).

The meat should be falling-apart tender. About 30 minutes before serving, if the sauce needs thickening, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cover and continue cooking until thickened. Remove the bay leaf, and serve the stew with some sauce, over cooked noodles, cooked rice or mashed potatoes. Serves 8.

Note: If using short ribs, omit flour. Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides before adding to the slow cooker.

Source: Jonathan John, tested by Susan M. Selasky in the Free Press Test Kitchen

African-Style Braised Chicken in Peanut Sauce

African-Style Braised Chicken in Peanut Sauce

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 lbs. chicken pieces, washed, patted dry; skin-on breast, skinless legs and thighs

2 onions, peeled, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1/2 to 1 long red or green chile pepper, minced

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns

1/2 cup condensed chicken broth, undiluted

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp. sherry or lemon juice

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

Hot cooked rice (about 3/4 cup per serving)

In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring until softened. Add the garlic, chile pepper, curry powder, oregano, salt and peppercorns. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, tomato sauce and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

In a bowl, combine the peanut butter and sherry. Add a little cooking liquid and stir to blend. Add to slow cooker along with the red bell pepper. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, until the pepper is tender.

Discard the bay leaf and serve the chicken over hot white rice. Serves 6.

Food for Thought: The Sky

whiskey river: "'You are standing in the sky. When we think of the sky, we tend to look up, but the sky actually begins at the earth. We walk through it, yell into it, rake leaves, wash the dog, and drive cars in it. We breathe it deep within us. With every breath, we inhale millions of molecules of sky, heat them briefly, and then exhale them back into the world.'
- Diane Ackerman"

Monday in the garden

Monday I worked ALL DAY LONG in the yard at Chase's house.  I ordered some stacking stones and they were delivered Monday morning.  I just wanted to do a little border around a Japanese maple and I asked the folks at Barden Stone how many linear feet would one of those containers do.  They weren't sure, but said maybe 40 linear feet stacked two high.  So I got one container.  It was 3200 pounds.  The border is done and you can't even tell that we used any of the stone.  I may have over-ordered. 

When we first installed the vegetable garden two years ago, we bordered it with that composite edging that you see at Home Depot and Lowe's.  Big mistake.  It flopped over, it warped, it looked horrible.  So I bit the bullet and bought the green steel stuff.  It looks so much better.

I need seven wooden pallets to build this neat three-bin compost system.  Anyone know where I can get some?  Oh, yes, the stone was delivered on a pallet, but who knows when we'll get down to it?

Needless to say, I was beat up Monday night, so I fell back on another family favorite, Szechwan Beef Stir-Fry.

Szechwan Beef Stir-Fry

Szechwan Beef Stir-Fry

1 lb beef flank steak

2 T soy sauce

4 t dark roasted sesame oil, divided

1 ½ t sugar

1 t cornstarch

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T fresh ginger, minced

½ t crushed red pepper

1 red bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces

1 10 oz pkg frozen corn

¼ lb snow peas, julienned

1.  Cut steak into 2 pieces lengthwise.  Slice across grain into 1/8” strips

2.  Combine soy sauce, 2 t sesame oil, sugar & cornstarch; stir into strips

3.  Heat remaining 2 t sesame oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic,

         ginger & pepper; cook approx 30 sec.

4.  Add bell pepper, snow peas & corn; stir-fry until heated.

5.  Remove vegetables.  Stir-fry beef strips (1/2 at a time) until browned

6.  Return vegetables and beef to skillet and heat through.

Serve over rice.  Four (4) generous servings

Dinner with friends

Or, as one of them termed it:  Dinner in Allentown!

Sunday night we had a few friends over for a chili supper.  We had the best time!  Becky & Barney brouhgt nacho fixings; Pam and Steve brought margarita makings (which they had to do after he bragged in New Orleans about how good his margaritas are!  But I guess it's not bragging if it's true, right?)  Joyce and Richard brought a fabulous chocolate cheesecake.  I made the chili and some cornbread and Walter contributed tamales.  He wanted to get some from a joint at Perkins and Knight Arnold, but ran out of time.  These were from Schnuck's and they were ok.

Becky shared her new favorite song, Sugarland's Stuck Like Glue, with me...
...and I shared my new favorite song with her.

Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are

Homesteader Cornbread

HOMESTEADER CORNBREAD

Submitted by: Patricia Bergstrom

Rated: 5 out of 5 by 715 members    

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes          

Ready In: 50 Minutes

Yields: 15 servings

"A moist, sweet corn bread with a crisp crust is the goal, fully realized with this recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 1/2 cups milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder  1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.         Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2.         In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.         Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

This recipe appears in the Allrecipes "Tried & True Favorites" cookbook. Buy it online at http://www.shopallrecipes.com/

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2007 Allrecipes.com         Printed from Allrecipes.com 9/4/2007

Week of November 8-13

You already know about Sunday the 8th and Monday the 9th.  Here's what I did the rest of the week.

Tuesday, November 10

Spicy Pork and Spinach Salad

Wednesday, November 11

Oh, boy, did I get good wife points for this one!  Walter almost fainted when he walked in the door and saw this being dished up.

Chicken and Dumplings

Thursday, November 13

I had a Master Gardeners meeting tonight, so I ate leftover chicken and dumplings before I left for the meeting.  Walter worked late (he actually got home after I did, which was about 8:00) and he got a pizza from Memphis Pizza Cafe.  I was a nominee for a spot on the Board of Directors, but didn't get elected - maybe next year!  But as I always say when I'm practicing before the mirror:  I want to thank the members of the Academy - it's an honor to be nominated!

Friday, November 14

International Date Night.  We went to Andrew Michael (I LOVE that place) then to the movies to see Morning Glory.  The meal was great and the movie was cute.  A fun way to wrap up the week.

Saturday, November 15

We were going to ride bikes this morning (now that the Peddler folks have repaired all flat tires) but just as we pedaled down the driveway it started to rain.  Bummer.  We were hoping to get a ride in before the rain hit. 

I MUST start using meals that I have put in the freezer!  For tonight I'm pulling out some crab stuffing that I made earlier this year, putting it into large pasta shells and covering with a good quality marinara sauce that I'll get today at the grocery store.  A quick salad and some good bread and we'll be set for a quiet evening at home.

Have a great weekend!

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

Serve 6 to 8

Don't use low-fat or fat-free milk in this recipe. Start the dumpling dough only when you're ready to top the stew with the dumplings.

Ingredients

Stew

• 5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 4 carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 ribs celery , sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 large onion , minced
• 6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Dumplings

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)

Instructions

• 1. For the Stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.
• 2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.
• 3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.
• 4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.
• 5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Following the photos below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Spicy Pork & Spinach Salad

I cobbled this together from several recipes.

Spicy Pork & Spinach Salad

1 (1pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1-2 T Paprika Spice Blend (below)
1 bag baby spinach
Toasted pecans or walnuts
Crumbled goat cheese
1 red ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
Pomegranate dressing (below)

Preheat oven to 500.
Rub spice blend over port.  Place pork in a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil (you'll be glad you did) an sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 500 for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155.

Let pork rest for 10 minutes, then slice into 1/4" slices.  Place spinach onto serving plates, top with several slices of pork, pecans, goat cheese and pear slices.  Add dressing to taste.

Paprika Spice Blend

1/4 cup paprika
2 T salt
2 T ground cumin
2 T brown sugar
2 T chili powder
2 T ground black pepper
1 T garlic powder

Combine all ingredients; store in an airgight container.  Yields about 1 cup.

Pomegranate Dressing

2 T cider vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
1 1/2 t brown sugar
1 t minced garlic
1/2 t thyme
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Combine vinegar through thyme and set aside.  Heat 2 T olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook until soft and slightly browned.  Add pomegranate juice and cook until reduced to about 4 tablespoons.  Reduce heat to medium low and add vinegar mixture.  Cook one minute.  Gradually whisk in 2 T oil, salt and pepper.  Cover and keep warm until ready to use.

Home Again!

As much as I enjoy traveling, I love coming home again more.  We got up early Monday morning and drove back to Memphis, getting in around 12:30.  Walter went to work and I went to the grocery store!  Monday night we ate comfort food:  spaghetti and salad and ice cream.  Soooo good!

Speaking of ice cream, or rather, frozen yogurt, we had some Pinkberry's in New Orleans.  This is real frozen yogurt, not fake ice ream.  It has that tangy yogurt taste.  I did a little web search and came up with a recipe.  I'll let you know if it compares.

More from the street parade on Saturday:

A street parade for some unknown reason

The Vice-President (of the United States) was in town on Sunday.  The Secret Service made Pam and me detour around the block where he was doing whatever he was doing - we look so dangerous...  So no picture of Mr. Biden.

Sunday we went to the New Orleans Museum of Art where a very mean lady at the reception desk told us that the Brooks Museum was not reciprocal.  Pam checked online with the Brooks and it's not, but she didn't have to be so mean about it.  It's a pretty good museum, but we like the Brooks better.  This Kandinsky was donated to the museum by the owner of Longe Vue:

Emeril's Spaghetti

EMERIL’S SPAGHETTI SAUCE

I love this because it's so easy and it makes so much.

2 small onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb Italian sausage

2 lbs ground chuck

2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 12 oz cans tomato paste

4 c water

¼ c sugar

1 T salt

1 T dried basil

2 t black pepper

1 t crushed red pepper

1.  Put onions, garlic, sausage, and chuck into a large pot.  Brown, breaking up meats

          into small pieces, then drain

2.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer

          approximately 2 hours

Makes 12 cups – can divide and freeze

Saturday in New Orleans

Odgen Museum of Art



Ascension - Benny Andrews


A street parade  





Longue View House & Gardens


In the Pan Garden




Longue View House

A gorgeous day here!  Lunch at the Gumbo Shop and dinner at Irene's.  Here's Pam:

 p.s. - we shopped.

Week of October 31 - November 6

Believe it or not, I didn't cook this week!  We traditionally get takeout on the day we drive back from Blowing Rock and Monday was no exception.  Tuesday night was my Search class at Rhodes and Walter worked late, so it was takeout again.  Wednesday we had dinner at Circa with our friends Bill and Megan who were in town from Wilmington, NC visiting his sister.  Thursday was a full day so I just went by Lucchesi's and got lasagna and salad.  So that's that.

Friday morning we got up at dark-thirty and drove to Vicksburg, MS, so that Walter could inspect a shopping center he's appraising.  Then it was on to New Orleans!  More about that later...

But I must at least tell you about our hotel, the Windsor Court.  We're staying here because Walty doesn't like staying in convention hotels with 2000 rooms. (We're here for the National Association of Realtors convention - NARdigras.)  So one of our friends recommended this place and it's very nice, aka expensive.  When we arrived at 4:30, our room was not ready, so they sent us to the bar and gave us a drink on the house, which was nice.  Then we got to our room, billed as a "junior suite."  Room 711.  First red flag, it was next to the elevator.  That's bad.  Second clue:

Can you even begin to guess what this is?  Yes, it's the television!  There's a button on the nightstand and the tv rises slowly from the top, like a stripper popping out of a cake in slow motion.

Talk about bad feng shui.

Note the unpacked suitcase.





Third, Walter had specifically requested a room on an upper floor and seven is not so great in a 28 floor hotel.  We had a great view of the hotel air conditioners.  Then our friends Steve and Pam called to tell us they were in the hotel.  Room 1710.  That was it.  Walter went to the desk, was his usual calm and patient self (I didn't go with him) and we were moved to room 1814, with an upgrade to a full suite.  The only bad thing is that we have two double beds instead of a king, but hey.  I can still hear Walter snoring, so I'm at home.

Here's the view from our new, better, balcony:

The 18th floor is better!