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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23428679470567179952014-12-18T04:42:58.792-08:00Sprigs of RosemaryRosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-91944510790420720452014-12-11T08:08:00.000-08:002014-12-11T08:08:54.933-08:00Battuto | Evan Funke's Secret Weapon Is Now Mine!

Every year for Christmas, my sister wraps up a tin of anchovies for me. And while I do like them – a lot – I'm the lone ranger around here. I'll dress up a salad once in a while or I'll sneak a couple into a sauce, but I still have a nice tall stack of pretty colored anchovy tins in my pantry.

<o:p></o:p>

Then another sister suggested I try making the battuto she'd just read about on Tasting Table. Chef Evan Funke of Bucato in Los Angeles uses anchovies for his battuto, which combines the chile-infused olio santo of southern Italy with the warm garlic and anchovy bagna cauda dip of the north.<o:p></o:p>

Technically, battuto is a flavor base often used in Italian cooking that usually contains some kind of pork fat, onions and garlic. <o:p></o:p>

Funke swapped anchovies for the pork and spiced things up with red chiles. The result is a wonderfully versatile condiment that is – to me – a lot like Worcestershire sauce (which also contains anchovies) that adds just a little extra something that transforms the ho-hum into something special.<o:p></o:p>

Although Funke uses fresh anchovies – what a treat that must be! – in the boonies, only canned anchovies are available. And my pantry needs to be trimmed a little anyhow. Tasting Table recommended using the Cento brand, which I happen to have. (Thank you, Rita.) Rinsing them and soaking in fresh olive oil for an hour improves the canned chovies. <o:p></o:p>

Funke uses his unique battuto in a variety of ways:<o:p></o:p>

He makes what he calls "a more genteel version" of puttanesca by adding two tablespoons of the mixture into two cups of tomato sauce.

To make an easy Caesar salad dressing, whisk together three tablespoons of battuto, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. –

As a marinade for beef, lamb or firm fish, add one tablespoon of red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice to ½ cup battuto, then rub it all over your protein of choice. Let it marinate at room temperature for thirty minutes before cooking.

-For antipasti, toss hunks of cheese, olives, or sliced carrots and peppers with a light dressing of battuto, and let them sit for 15 minutes before serving. "It adds a subtle garlicky and salty aspect to anything savory," Funke says.

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I've been adding this battuto to hamburgers, meatloaf, salad dressings, and spaghetti sauce without a whimper from my unsuspecting Mr. Rosemary. Just a "This is good." Enough said. <o:p></o:p>

Battuto<o:p></o:p>

From Chef Evan Funke,<o:p></o:p>

Bucato, Los Angeles<o:p></o:p>

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided<o:p></o:p>

6 white anchovy filets<o:p></o:p>

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped<o:p></o:p>

1 red jalapeño, seeded*<o:p></o:p>

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes<o:p></o:p>

Salt, to taste<o:p></o:p>

Combine half the olive oil, anchovies, garlic, jalapeño and red pepper flakes in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add the remaining oil and season (carefully) with salt. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to a week. <o:p></o:p>

* I successfully substituted dry red chiles.<o:p></o:p>
Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-40993070012331198992014-11-10T04:05:00.000-08:002014-11-10T04:05:42.986-08:00DIY Velveeta | Better Than the "Real" Thing

With all due apologies to Kraft, I never liked Velveeta. As a child, I never remember having Velveeta in the house. Once when I visited a friend's house and watched her mother make macaroni and cheese with this rubbery block of orange stuff, I was less than impressed. But when I tasted the finished dish, I certainly was. It was rich, smooth, creamy and cheesy. All good.

When I went home and shared the story with my mother, she was less than impressed. She just said something like, "Oh, honey, that's not real cheese."

But every once in a while, I'd eat something and find out that it had Velveeta in it and decided I should be a little more open-minded, less snobbish about my cheese preferences - although I've never met a cheese I didn't like.

And while I certainly enjoyed whatever cheesy something I was tasting, a part of me still harbored some kind of mistrust about a cheese you can pick up off a shelf, not from a refrigerated case.

That's why I was so delighted to happen upon this "how to" from Pittsburgh blogger The Brown Eyed Baker.  When I scanned the list of ingredients, I thought to myself, "Hmmm . . . . cheese jello."

What intrigued me even more was that TV food celebrity Michael Symon apparently developed the recipe after there was a rumored shortage of Velveeta in the northeast earlier this year. Imagine! A world without Velveeta ;)

If you'd like to read all about how "cheese food" is made, read this piece.

But I could not resist trying it. And it worked and it works in recipes like this from Brown Eyed Baker. Always a crowd pleaser. And isn't that why we cook after all?

DIY Velveeta Cheese
from The Brown Eyed Baker
¼-ounce packet unflavored gelatin
6 tablespoons dry milk powder
1 cup boiling water
16 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap, covering all sides and leaving excess to hang over the sides.
Place the unflavored gelatin and dry milk powder in a blender or food processor. Pour the boiling water over top and immediately pulse to combine. Add the cheddar cheese and puree the mixture until smooth.
Immediately pour and scrape the cheese mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula. Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cheese, pressing it against the surface of the cheese, ensuring that it is completely covered. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, until set. The cheese will keep in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month.
(Recipe from Michael Symon)

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-34905233712098094892014-10-22T04:15:00.002-07:002014-10-22T04:15:50.118-07:00It's Only Bread . . . But I Like It!

I know I'm not alone when I say yeast intimidates me. After all my years of cooking and baking, making bread -- good bread, the kind that makes my husband swoon and say, "Honey, if only you could make bread like this!" -- still scares me. As careful as I am to measure, to test, to watch and wait, I still hold my breath when I open the oven door and wonder, "Is it going to be okay? Is it going to be another doorstop?"

I'm envious of all those who tell me it's so easy. (I suspect they're the same ones who say the same thing about pie dough. Call me suspicious.) And I've had a good share of encouragement. After I donated my bread machine to Goodwill in despair, Mr. Rosemary bought me a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a dough hook. My neighbor took me into her kitchen and performed breadmaking alchemy in front of my very eyes.

Even my brother can whip up a mean loaf of challah. Spurred by that sibling rivalry, I decided I'd make it myself. I did. It was lovely. But I rested on my laurels too long, and didn't repeat the feat.

I've other other confrontations with yeast and fared pretty well. I can make pizza dough, and I've made focaccia with modest success, but I still lack a good track record. Hit and miss successes are all I can rack up.

I've decided to accept the gauntlet again -- this time, it's because of my 9 year-old cooking student. He wants to make bread badly. I've tried to reason with the boy. I tell him we really don't have time for that rising, and shaping and re-rising during our after school sessions. So we've made some quick breads and had a ball making soft pretzels.

Still . . . . it's BREAD he wants to make. So the teacher has to learn before she can teach. And what better source than King Arthur Flour?

I read and watched and listened and I did it. And even though I held my breath when I opened the oven, it was with a smile this time.

An old dog can learn new tricks. Thanks for the hand-holding, KAF.

The bread baking saga will continue . . .

Basic Bread
King Arthur's Classic White Sandwich Bread

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 heaping tablespoon honey
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons soft butter
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk granules

Mix all of the ingredients in the order listed, and mix and knead — by hand, or using a stand mixer — to make a smooth dough. It won't be particularly soft nor stiff; it should be smooth and feel bouncy and elastic under your hands.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container. Cover it, and let it rise at room temperature until it's very puffy, 1 to 2 hours.
Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a fat 9" log. Place it in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's crowned 1" to 1 1/2" over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, till it's golden brown. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read 195°F to 200°F.
Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.
Yield: 1 large loaf, about 18 servings.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-42612172148640629722014-08-23T06:17:00.001-07:002014-08-23T06:17:29.190-07:00Massaged Kale Salad with Watermelon and Feta

Every year at Christmas, my sister gives me a can of anchovies. It's always prettily wrapped, although it used to be just stuffed in my stocking. After several years, I have a pretty respectable stack of the tins accumulated in my pantry.

I use the anchovies -- I do -- but I have to admit, as much as I like them, only occasionally, as I'm certainly the only one in this household who does. Eating a whole tin myself seems a little too much of a good thing.

And the people I cook for aren't likely anchovy candidates. I have not told them how I slipped anchovies into the filling for the cannelloni they all like. And I haven't told them that anchovies are a key ingredient in the Worcestershire sauce so liberally sprinkled on their burgers.

What is it about anchovies that turns so many people off? I know they're salty, a little bit fishy, and -- sometimes -- they do have little hairy spokes, but I think they're just great. (Which is why, of course, I get my annual pantry contribution.)

All this is a roundabout way of telling you how I put together this kale salad.

I've made kale salad a number of times and I use kale whenever I can instead of spinach in dishes I cook. But the combination of a great abundance of kale in our garden and the growing stack of anchovy tins taking up valuable real estate in my little pantry led me to a little exploring.

The first time I made massaged kale salad I used a recipe from Aarti Sequeria. I substituted the available nectarines for the mangoes she recommended and loved the dressing.

But always searching for another way of making something, I found an article from Eating Well, that described a dressing for kale salad using -- ta-da! -- anchovies! Perfect!

The pungency of the garlic and the subtle (really!) flavor of the anchovies was the ticket to solving my overabundance problems. The addition of the watermelon chunks was a refreshing balance to those flavors.

I like mixing things with my hands. Meatballs. Meatloaf. Pizza dough. Probably why I like this salad. It's a pleasurable feeling to massage the greens until they soften. Like my husband's shoulders.

If you really can't stand anchovies, you can leave them out, but if you haven't tried massaging kale into a fresh salad, I think you'll be surprised.

I write a monthly food column, "Good Food Matters," for a local newspaper and my most recent article I titled "Let Them Eat Kale!", a title I copied from a new cookbook by Julia Mueller. I'll have to get that book because I can't just eat massaged salad, kale chips or a kaled version of my spinach rice. It may not be a hit with a lot of my small town readers, but I hope I can convince a few more people about this great way to get a lot of good in your body.

I bet you're wondering what I did with the rest of the anchovies, aren't you?

Massaged Kale Salad with Watermelon and Feta
inspired by Eating Well and Aarti Sequeria
Serves 6

2 bunches kale
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 minced anchovy fillet or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional, maybe)
2 cups watermelon cut in 1/2 to 1 inch chunks
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Strip leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add oil, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, anchovy (if using), pepper and salt. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to work in the flavoring. Stop when the volume of greens is reduced by about half. The greens should look a little darker and somewhat shiny. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce if you want. Add the watermelon chunks and the feta and enjoy.Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-28592296461157810702014-07-09T11:08:00.000-07:002014-07-09T11:08:26.331-07:00A Summer Surprise Salad | Lemony Macaroni Salad with Peas and Bacon

No one was more surprised than I was that this light and lemony macaroni salad was well received when I took it to a Fourth of July party last week. I knew that I would like it, but when people started asking for the recipe, I was pleasantly surprised, even though I was counting on taking home leftovers to feed us over the rest of weekend.

When I make a traditional macaroni salad, it's loaded with eggs, sour cream and mayonnaise. This version is still creamy but it has a distinct lemony flavor that makes it light and tangy.

There's a lot of lemon in the dressing --1/4 cup of juice and I 1/2 tablespoons of lemon zest. That's about two lemons. And except for grating the zest and squeezing the juice, this was very easy to put together.

The original recipe, from The Cozy Apron<o:p></o:p>, called for pancetta and fresh thyme. But I had to substitute bacon and dried thyme. If I liked it so well with the substitutions, I can only imagine how I'll like it with fresh thyme.

This is a very pleasant change from typical pasta and macaroni salads. I hope you try it.

Lemony Macaroni Salad with Peas and Bacon
 from The Cozy Apron<o:p></o:p>
 Serves about 6
 12 ounces ditalini pasta, cooked al dente and cooled<o:p></o:p>
  1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed<o:p></o:p>
  4 slices bacon, diced and crisped bacon<o:p></o:p>
 For the dressing:
<o:p>
¾ cup mayo

 1/3 cup olive oil

 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest

 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar

 1 ½ teaspoons salt

 1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard

 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

 ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
</o:p> Put the cooked and cooled macaroni to a large bowl, and add the thawed peas and the bacon If you're serving right away, toss with the dressing. If you're making it ahead of time, keep the pasta, peas and bacon separate and toss together with the dressing right before serving.
 To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture is thick and creamy. Store in the fridge until you're ready to serve the salad

<o:p> </o:p>
 Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-36739363374451561092014-05-09T08:03:00.000-07:002014-05-09T08:03:25.999-07:00"World's Best Tzatziki" -- Amen to That!

While the rest of the world was making chicken mole and perfecting guacamole earlier this week for Cinco de Mayo, I was going Greek with "The World's Best Tzatziki" courtesy of Kalyn's Kitchen.

I first made this tasty condiment a few years ago, when Kalyn first posted it. Usually I make it with dill, as Kalyn originally posted it -- and dill is the most traditional herb used in tzatziki.

But I had a mint plant sitting on my kitchen window sill that was dying a slow death and a couple of cucumbers likewise languishing in the fridge. The reason my stewardship of food was slacking was the god awful cold that kept me and Mr. Rosemary down for nearly a week, each unable to comfort or nurse the other very well.

Still, my awareness of the state of the mint and cucumbers (and my deep-seated frugality) spurred me to gather what little energy I had and make this tzatziki. (Great name, isn't it? If only you could pronounce it!)

  tsætˈsɪkɪ

Kalyn is quick to credit her Greek friend Georgette for introducing her to this version of tzatziki. Basically, tzatziki is a mixture of yogurt and cucumber, flavored with dill, lemon and garlic. It's the usual condiment for gyros and is a great companion for lamb (or any grilled meat or fish.) It makes a great dip for crudites and I even used it as a salad dressing, a refreshing replacement for the ubiquitous ranch.

It takes a little time to make -- mostly because the cucumbers need to be drained so you don't end up with a watery sauce. Other than that, the food processor does the work. Just like my hummus.

"The World's Best Tzatziki"

only slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen.

2 medium cucumbers, seeded, drained and diced

3 cups plain Greek Yogurt (or regular plain yogurt, strained) as described above)
juice of one lemon (about 3 T)
1 garlic clove, chopped
about 1 T kosher salt -- for salting and draining the cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh mint (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. Slice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

Pllace the cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper in the food processor, fitted with the steel blade.. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

* You can peel the cucumbers. I didn't; just washed them well. I liked the additional color and texture.
Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-55237791326015968432014-04-24T12:54:00.000-07:002014-04-25T09:49:38.699-07:00The Yin and Yang of Hummus | Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Hummus

There are a few ready-made foods I will buy at the store -- and hummus is one of them. It's a quick and easy snack to have on hand for impromptu company -- except if it's my brother-in-law Bob. Although I was sure that there was no food on earth that Bob wouldn't like, he can't stand hummus. He must have had a bad first experience.

I tried to convince Bob that the real deal -- made from scratch with dried chickpeas, fresh garlic, and roasted red peppers -- was infinitely better. Although he gamely tried it, he still made a horrible face and was proud that at least he tried it.

Don't worry, Bob, I take no personal offense ; )

And even though homemade hummus using canned chickpeas is still much better than store-bought, taking the extra time to soak and cook dried chickpeas makes a world of difference. And my brand-new food processor (Thanks, Amy!) makes it a snap to make. You can keep some nice little chunks of chickpeas in the mixture.

My only problem is finding tahini locally. (Thanks, Amazon.)

My next biggest problem is choosing what kind to make. I hate to make a whole batch of just one flavor, since I am the only one at home who likes it. (Mr. Rosemary is in the same anti-hummus camp as Bob. The only food he thinks is worse is tofu, fondly referred to as toad food around here.)

So I divide up my basic garlic hummus and add jarred roasted red peppers to it. I suppose if I was totally true to my "homemade is better" credo, I'd roast the peppers myself, too, but I have to draw the line somewhere for this self-indulgent treat.

I'll spread hummus on my morning toast or spread a layer on a tortilla when making a quick wrap for lunch.

So buy yourself some dried chickpeas and tahini and make this.

And if you're really ambitious, the perfect dipper would be homemade pita chips. (Yes, I bought these.)

By the way, I love Mark Bittman's book, How to Cook Everything. I even have the app for my iPhone, and use it especially for things like checking times for roasting eggplant or making stir fry. I don't really consult it for recipes, but for reminders about cooking basics.

Basic Hummus
from How to Cook Everything

2 cups drained well-cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic (although I usually use at least 3!)
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, about 1/4 teaspoon each

Whir everything together in the food processor until you have it as smooth as you want it.
Add a little water a little at a time if it's too thick.

To make roasted pepper hummus, add two roasted peppers to the food processor. To make my "yin and yang" version, I usually halve the hummus before adding any water and add the red peppers to the remaining hummus in the bowl. The peppers retain some moisture so they really don't need any more. To the "plain" hummus I then just stir in some water.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-6285487243956613612014-03-27T06:01:00.000-07:002014-03-27T06:02:58.482-07:00Spring Is Late? Have Some Stuffed Pepper Soup

There's no use complaining about the weather, is there? Still, we do.

After living in western Pennsylvania for most of my life, I should be used to long and cold winters. And I guess I am.

Usually, come February, I ache to be able to mow the yard or weed the garden. (Let's see if I remember that in June.)

And now it's the end of March, and we're still mucking frozen horse sh*t in the barn every morning and pounding frozen water out of the drinking buckets.

Enough is enough. It has been one, l-o-o-o-n-g winter. And so, we complain. Mr. Rosemary said:

 "We just have two seasons: winter and non-winter."
Let's just suck it up and remind ourselves that spring will come. Or maybe we'll just go straight into summer.

At any rate, these cold days are great excuses to make hearty, comforting soups -- like this stuffed pepper soup.

I have to admit, I'd never made stuffed pepper soup before, mostly because Mr. Rosemary isn't a fan of stuffed peppers in the first place. I reasoned, though, if he likes chili, he's got to like this, too.

He loved it. And while it was good, I thought it needed a little something more. I've been advised, though, not to change a thing.

And so I won't.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
adapted from All Recipes
makes about 8 servings

2 pounds ground beef (or turkey; I used a mix of ground beef and venison)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce }I used the equivalent of my own
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice }tomato sauce which is pretty chunky!
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 cups cooked white rice
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, brown the meat over medium heat for about 5 minutes and drain off any fat.

Add the chopped pepper and onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the they're softened. Add all the remaining ingredients -- except the rice -- and simmer, covered for at least 20 or 30 minutes. Then add the cooked rice and heat through. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese.Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-76532203136885846572014-02-17T05:39:00.000-08:002014-02-25T09:56:59.794-08:00Green Soup for a Post Valentine's Day Cure

If you were looking for any kind of chocolate, red velvet, caramel-ly, sugary, sweet something on the internet these past couple weeks, you sure didn't have to go very far. The world has been having one major love affair with Valentine's treats.

I'm still doing battle with the love handles my Christmas indulgences fed!

I had my share of sweet treats this past weekend, so now it's back to a more healthy routine. Although I'm not exactly saintly about it, I am going to the gym at least three days a week and eating more mindfully.

Still, it's taking more effort than it used to. No one ever warned me about the toll a slowing metabolism would have on my waistline. The experts recommend an hour of exercise a day for a woman my age just to maintain weight. I still want to shed a few!

Losing weight is always a problem for someone like me who likes to cook -- and who likes to eat! This metabolism thing is pretty aggravating.

So as a public service, I'm offering you this gem of a green soup as a great way to -- yes, get your greens -- get filled up and still have the satisfaction of cooking and stirring and concocting great food.

I have to admit I was surprised how much I really, really like this soup. It's more than good for you. It really does taste good. And it's fun to make. And that's important to a cook.

Slowly caramelizing the onions is key to the soup.

The secret is the slow preparation of the onions which, aside from the greens themselves and a handful of rice, are the only thing that add bulk to the soup. That, plus the zing of a bit of cayenne and a splash of lemon juice, makes it special.

I was a slow convert to this green soup. My sister convinced me. She's a great cook and I trust her instincts -- and taste.

After one trial, I was hooked. I'm usually a little slow at joining popular food trends. By the time I'm catching on, the fad is passe.

I know that green smoothies are very popular, for instance. But they have no appeal to me because I'm more of a soup lover. Warm it up and I'll have it. Eating cold, pureed greens -- even sweetened with fruit -- just isn't for me.

The green soup pre-puree!

This green soup, however, is one that's going to be a new classic in my kitchen. (Note that I have not included Mr. Rosemary as a new fan.)

You do need an immersion blender to simplify the making of this soup. You can use a regular blender, but that really complicates things and makes too many dishes to clean up for just a soup. Get an immersion blender, please.

Anna Thomas created the recipe and says that you should get the soup perfectly smooth. I've never been able to get it perfectly smooth.I also tried to make a picture of my soup garnished with olive oil, as in the picture below. But my drizzle ended up looking like a silly smiley face, so I nixed it.The only substitution I made was using kale instead of chard. I do imagine that any kind of green, or mix of greens, would be great.

Did I mention that there's only 99 calories for a 1 1/2 cup serving? You're welcome.

Now, off to the gym . . . .

photo from Eating Well

Basic Green Soup
slightly adapted from Eating Well
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons plus 3 cups water, divided
1/4 1 big bunch kale, about 1 pound, thick stalks trimmed
14 cups gently packed baby spinach (about a 12 ounce bag)
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup arborio rice
Big pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more, if you like

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chopped onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot. Add the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, add the trimmed kale greens. Return to a simmer,; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions have caramelized, add them to the rice, along with the spinach, broth and cayenne pepper. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.
Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender, or in a regular blender in batches. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice if you'd like. Garnish each serving of soup with a drizzle of olive oil

Makes about 8 servings, 1 1/2 cups eachRosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-31696276232201279632014-01-31T04:53:00.000-08:002014-01-31T06:35:37.421-08:00Cosmic Snow Rollers | Quick Chicken Chili

When we looked out into the yard last Monday morning, we were astounded by the sight of "snow rollers," although at the time we didn't know what they were. The entire yard, all our fields, were dotted with balls of snow of all sizes. We theorized as we walked to and from the barn to feed the horses (in the sub-zero temperatures) that "That sure must have been some wind last night" and "Look how this one just rolled down the hill!"

As we learned during the day, this was indeed a rare phenomenon, one that occurs only when all the perfect meteorological conditions exist at the same time. As I drove into town later that morning, it was absolutely breathtaking to see that the entire area had been sprinkled with these ethereal looking snow masses.

Some people likened them to rolls of toilet paper, or bales of hay. I thought they looked like cannoli, ready to be filled with sweetened ricotta and speckled with chocolate. I read that this has only happened once before in Pennsylvania, and that was 10 years ago. (I must have been sleeping.)

It has been one weird and terribly frigid January -- the coldest in a century, I read -- and I for one will be anxious to hear the groundhog's report this weekend. Spring can't be soon enough.

The good thing about this kind of weather is that it demands comfort food and I had a craving for chicken chili. I've made a version of this several times, but I wanted to hurry things along. So I found a quick version in a back issue of Cooking Light. (I'm in the midst of whittling my "I'm sure I'll use them some day" pile of cooking magazines down. It's a slow but very enjoyable task. This could take a while.)

With a few changes made possible by my pantry contributions, I had this chili ready in less than 20 minutes.
And then I carried my bowl into the living room and sat by the fire. Winter can be good.

Quick Chicken Chili
adapted from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can creamed corn
1 cup water
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1 whole fresh jalapeno, chopped (ribs, seeds, and all!)
1 14-ounce can chicken broth

Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add oil.

Add chicken and saute about 4 minutes.

Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano and red pepper; saute 3 minutes.

Add 1 can of the beans, the can of creamed corn, the water, 1 can of the chilies, the fresh jalapeno and the broth.

Bring to a boil.

Mash the second can of beans with the second can of chilies in a bowl with a fork. (Or puree in a food processor.) Add to the soup and simmer 5 minutes.

Makes about 6 servingsRosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-88513374913412925422014-01-22T06:55:00.000-08:002014-01-22T06:55:34.896-08:00Cold Cauliflower Nivernais Salad (and Benson & Hedges)

Although promotional cookbooks still exist, none can compare in quality and class to those produced by the masters: Benson & Hedges. Their marketing people were geniuses. They managed to commandeer the cooking prowess of the likes of James Beard to partner with them in creating honestly great cookbooks!

For those non-smokers (or youngsters!), Benson & Hedges is a brand of cigarette originally produced in Great Britain. When Philip Morris bought the brand in the 1960's and extended the length of the cigarette to 100 millimeters and put their marketing machine to work, a bold marketing campaign was unleashed and we benefited from these cookbooks!

The cookbook I got this cauliflower recipe from, "Recipes from Great American Country Inns," was part of a pile of cookbooks my sister gave me. Another cookbook collector, my sister was dividing her spoils with me after a friend of hers (another addict, to be sure) cleaned house.

I picked this recipe because the page was dog-eared. I figured someone else must have liked it. While it was good, it wasn't a bell-ringer, just a nice mild accompaniment to a spicy dish.I would like to try the Peanut Soup from the Wayside Inn, in Middletown, Virginia. Or maybe the Braised Lamb Shanks, from The Golden Lamb in Lebanon, Ohio.

So how does my version compare with the pro's?

By the way, "Nivernais," for the French-challenged like myself (despite four years of study) is a former province of France. I'm not sure what makes it "Nivernais" or even French. Is it the mustard? The cream? I know I have difficulty trying to name something I've created. A geographic appellation is often used but I can't imagine naming anything I've created "a la Fisher," my little village!

Cold Cauliflower Salad Nivernais
from Three Village Inn, Long Island, New York
via Benson & Hedges "Recipes from Great American Country Inns"
Makes 6 servings
4 cups cauliflowerets (1 medium head)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Lettuce -- your choice
Pimiento or red pepper strip and chopped parsley for garnish

Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, cream , lemon juice and salt. Toss with cauliflower and chill.
To serve, toss with torn lettuce leaves and garnish with the pepper and parsley.Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-81587240495890326142013-12-23T06:38:00.000-08:002013-12-23T06:38:04.948-08:00Merry Christmas Cranberry Salad

I have never been much of a cranberry fan. Or a Jello fan either. I must harbor strange childhood memories:

A family holiday tradition was making a cranberry relish that had only three ingredients -- freshly ground whole cranberries and whole oranges, sweetened by as much sugar as you wanted (or not.) The grinding was fun, but I really didn't like the texture of the relish. My adult senses are wiser.

I distrusted any food that you could see through. Or that jiggled. I didn't think it was fun food; it just reminds me of bad school cafeteria fare. Although cafeteria food has much improved, I do believe Jello is still a staple. I would eat it only to strengthen my nails.

This salad was different. It has been the regular contribution of a family to our annual church Christmas dinner. Last year I was so bold as to ask the man (who I didn't know too well) for the recipe. He immediately began rattling off the precise measurements.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, Dave," I said. "Let me get a pen!" I was really surprised that the recipe had Jello in it; although I wondered as I was writing things down, if plain gelatin and fruit juice would be a good way to make this. But first, try it as written. I did . . . and I still liked it.

After I thanked him and started walking away, Dave, the retired accountant, said, "You know, it's not a cheap salad to make." and then he began itemizing the cost of each ingredient. Even the math-challenged me recognized that it wasn't a bargain. But it is Christmas, after all, and generosity prevails.

When I asked what his family called it, he just shrugged and said, "We always just called it Christmas salad."

So that's what we'll call it here.

Christmas Cranberry Salad
3 cups whole cranberries
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 large package raspberry Jello (any red flavor will do)
1 cup grapes, seeded and halved
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained

Cook the cranberries over medium heat until they have popped. Add the sugar and Jello and stir until dissolved. Remove from stove-top and cool until the mixture starts to thicken; then add the grapes, walnuts and pineapple. Chill until ready to serve.

Merry Christmas to you and yours . . and best wishes for a happy new year!Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-1375945120931845042013-11-16T06:35:00.002-08:002013-11-16T06:35:53.377-08:00Pickled Brussels Sprouts and Pantry Envy

If I was upset that the blight spoiled the garden's tomato crop this year, the Brussels sprouts more than compensated for it by nearly over-achieving. We had a small forest of mini-palm trees growing well into October, though they might have lasted through a couple frosts, if we hadn't been so eager to get "winter-ready."

I've grown to love Brussels sprouts, even though as a kid the mushy, smelly little cabbage heads had no appeal for me. (Little sister Rita, however, has always loved them; I happily gave her my share.)

I thought it was just the fact that my taste had matured that changed my outlook on Brussels sprouts. But I learned that there's a scientific reason that Brussels sprouts have become more fashionable: Breeding research conducted in the Netherlands about 30 years ago resulted in less bitterness and improved health benefits. This led to increased cultivation and a surge in the vegetable's popularity.

If you'd like to read more about Brussels sprouts, try a nice article about Brussels sprouts that called them "The Unexpected Culinary Swan."

Discovering different ways of preparing Brussels sprouts has to account for its increased popularity, too. It used to be that boiling or steaming them was the only way we knew to prepare them. Now, since they are less bitter, sauteing and roasting, even raw in salads, have become increasingly popular, and infinitely tastier, ways of cooking Brussels sprouts. My favorite way to cook sprouts is roasting, although this recipe is darn good.)

Although I love the sprouts fresh, I'm not too fond of them frozen. I did freeze a few quarts this year, but despite the fact I blanched them briefly, put them in an ice water bath, and drained them well before vacuum sealing them they're just not as good as fresh.

Since I had this bumper crop then, I had to come up with another way to preserve some of this bounty. The answer: Pickling!

My neighbor Dude (Yes, it's the real name of my 70 something neighbor; has been since he was 8 years old!) cans quite a lot. Fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, soups, stews, just lots of stuff. I knew he did because we swap garden stories all spring and summer.

But it wasn't until he took me to visit his pantry that I realized just how much he did can. Just take a look at this . . . .

And this . . . .

I always get a sweet sense of satisfaction when I go to my basement and see my little jars of garden treasures, glistening like jewels under the light. But my little store pales by comparison to Dude's mother lode! See why I have a twinge of pantry envy?

Do I dare take a jar of my pickled Brussels sprouts to Dude? Will he laugh?

Pickled Brussels Sprouts
from Edible Wisconsin
makes 3 pints
This is a small batch but worth it. These sprouts have a tang with a hit of hot. A nice addition to a relish tray . . . or maybe a Bloody Mary! they're best used whole, but you can halve large ones.

! 1/2 pounds Brussels, sprouts (about 6 cups)
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
3 garlic cloves, sliced

Sterilize 3 pint-sized canning jars and lids

Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch Brussels sprouts for about 2 minutes. Immediately drain and submerge in ice water to cool.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, water, salt and suagr in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Turn down heat and boil for about 3 minutes, stirring until salt and saugar are dissolved. Turn off heat.

Drain Brussels sprouts and pack evenly among the three jars. EVenly distibute the spices andgarlic among the jars, too.

Carefully pour the brine in the jars to 1/2 inch below the top of the jars. Screw on lids.

For refrigerator pickles, let cool to room temeprature then put in fridge. Wait a few days before opening (if you can.) Should keep about one month in the fridge.

For canned pickles, process the jars in a boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool. Wait a few days before opening. Will keep indefinitely.Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-74306388712431515172013-10-27T11:06:00.000-07:002013-10-27T11:06:09.444-07:00Pumpkin Spice Crunch Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling -- A Mouthful of a Story!

Some of us are bakers and some of us are cooks. Few of us are really good at both. (Although I know quite a few who are!) And then there are some -- like me -- who refuse to admit that it doesn't make any sense that a good cook can't be a good baker -- so I continue to bake, mistake after mistake, failure after failure.

And once in a blue moon a mistake blooms into a roaring success! Case in point: these cupcakes.

It's a long story; I'll (try to) keep it short. Since cheesecake is one dessert I can bake successfully time after time, I planned to make one for my sister-in-law's birthday party. A maple walnut cheesecake, to be precise. (It was scrumptious.)

But even cutting it into 16 pieces wouldn't be enough for the expected crowd, so I planned to make cupcakes, too. Not ordinary cupcakes, mind you. The "creative" baker in me was going to experiment. In cooking, that's not something I'm unaccustomed to doing. Baking? Another story.

I had some canned pumpkin pie filling lurking in the pantry. (A mistake purchase; meant to grab plain ol' pumpkin. Got the "filling" instead in a blind reach.) Found a cake recipe that called for using pumpkin pie filling. So far, so good. But to make it special, to put my imprint on it, I decided to fill the cupcakes with cream cheese, a method I'd used several times making these pumpkin cream cheese muffins.

I made a couple other additions, subtractions, deletions to the original recipe, and popped these babies in the oven.

Testing for doneness was a little tricky for me, because of the creamy filling and the crunchy topping. So I trusted my own experience with my oven and took them out two minutes early. I let them cool just a bit. Still warm, I tore one apart to test. "Hmmm," I say to self, "still too gooey. Either they're not done, or just still warm."

Although panic had not yet set in -- the gathering was still a few hours away -- I was stymied for Plan B. Just then, the phone rang. It was my friend Susie suggesting that she bake something extra for the birthday. Was she psychic? Had she eavesdropped on my near-panic? What a godsend! Hallelujahs all over the place! Bless you, Susie! I did not tell her my tale of baking woe and simply said, "Great idea!"

Later that evening, everyone was delighted with both my cheesecake and Susie's spice cake. The next day, my daughter was visiting and casually asked about the cupcakes she spied.

"Oh, those, " I said, "I'm afraid they 're a mistake. I tried to get creative and it they didn't turn out so swell. Wanna try one?"

Amy pronounced them delicious and I had to try myself then. They were delicious! They just needed a little cooling, time to set up.

So a basic cooking lesson I learned long ago was reinforced. Never make something brand new for a special occasion. If you do, have a good friend as a back-up.

Pumpkin Spice Crunch Cupcakes
with Cream Cheese Filling
adapted from verybestbaking.com
makes 24 cupcakes

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 package spice cake mix, divided
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cup pumpkin pie filling
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons butter, softened

About two hours before baking, mix the cream cheese and sugar well. waxed paper, form a log about 12 inches long. Using the waxed paper to help, roll the log into a tube. Wrap again with foil, and pop in the freezer for at least two hours until firm.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin pans by lining with paper cups, or using non-stick spray.

Combine 3 cups only of the cake mix (saving the rest for the topping), eggs pumpkin pie mix and the spices in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until moistened. t\Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.place about one tablespoon of batter into prepared muffin pans. Take the chilled cream cheese log from the freezer and cut into 24 slices. Place one slice in each cup. Then pour the rest of the batter evenly among the muffin
pans.

Combine the reserved cake mix, coconut and nuts in small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender and sprinkle over batter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack.Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-23237051812377250762013-09-06T04:34:00.000-07:002013-09-06T04:34:09.750-07:00Blueberry Crumb Bars, Blueberry Crumb Bars | Well Worth Repeating

I've been holding out on you -- I've been making these Blueberry Crumb Bars all summer, ever since our first blueberries ripened in late June. Every. Single. Week. Mr. Rosemary likes them that much. (So do I.) And I have enough in the freezer to make, oh, I'd say enough for a weekly batch through January!

And I took a pan of these to the family's annual Labor Day get together, an appropriate official end to summer. And everyone loved them there, too. Even my brother (who boned up on reading my blog before our get together said I should put these up on the blog: "You haven't been posting there much lately," he said.)

And when my eight year old cooking student took them to a friend's home for dinner he got a thank you note and a request for the recipe!

I have found this recipe in a lot of places, so whoever first created it gets no credit! I first found these via the Brown Eyed Baker. She attributed them to Smitten Kitchen, who wrote that she first got the recipe from all recipes.com. I liked Smitten Kitchen's the best, because it used all butter as the shortening and included a good touch of lemon, both in the blueberry mixture and the crust. So that's the one I used. (And used and used and used.)

Maybe you'll become a blueberry crumb bar junkie, too, after you try these. They're pretty simple, oh-so-good, and can be a great dessert, a nice snack, or a complement to a breakfast spread.

But Mr. Rosemary will suggest that you warm these up a little and add a dollop of Cool Whip. And I might add, Cool Whip might do in a pinch but real whipped cream is so much better!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: I cut these into 36 smallish rectangles

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-412001466480129592013-07-27T04:52:00.001-07:002013-07-27T04:52:25.266-07:00Love Knots | Soft Hot Buttered Pretzels

If you had to choose between an Alton Brown recipe and a King Arthur Flour recipe for soft pretzels, what would you do?

Tough choice.After all, Alton Brown is almost as exhaustive as Christopher Kimball when it comes to figuring out the very best way to make something.

On the other hand, when you're baking, what better authority than the royalty of King Arthur Flour?

Although nearly a toss-up, in the end I chose the King Arthur Flour recipe because it seemed just a tad simpler and, since this was to be a lesson with my little 8 year old cooking student, simpler was the way to go.

With school out for the summer, Wyatt and I had plans to make "bread" things since we had more time than during the school year.

We started with a quick bread. Then moved on to sweet rolls. But to make things interesting (and educational) we conducted our own little experiment.

We made a "quick sweet roll," a recipe that used just baking powder instead of yeast. His job was to take both versions homes and test them out. I was surprised that the "quick" sweet roll -- an America's Test Kitchen recipe -- beat out the traditional yeast rolls. (And I forgot to get pictures before Wyatt took them all home!)

So we moved on to these pretzels -- if I knew that they were this easy -- and fun -- to make, I would have made them a long time ago.

With this success under our belt, we may move on to regular, real bread!

Soft Hot Buttered Pretzels

From King Arthur Flour

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

7/8 to 1 cup warm water*

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons baking soda

coarse, kosher or pretzel salt, optional

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

*Note from KAF Bakers: Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft dough.<o:p></o:p>

To make dough by hand, or with a mixer: Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl, and beat until well-combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it's soft, smooth, and quite slack. Flour the dough and place it in a bag, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the topping: Combine the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally (or almost totally) dissolved. Set the mixture aside to cool to lukewarm (or cooler).

Preheat your oven to 475°F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with vegetable oil spray, or lining it with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces (about 70g, or 2 1/2 ounces, each).

Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour the baking soda/water into a inch square pan.

8) Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28" to 30" long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them in the pan with the baking soda/water, spooning the water over their tops; leave them in the water for 2 minutes before placing them on the baking sheet. This baking soda "bath" will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color.

Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt, if desired. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. (We sprinkled half of our pretzels with cinnamon sugar, half with salt. Sugar for Wyatt, salt for me.)

Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

Makes 8 large pretzels.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-31633742424926779992013-06-28T12:10:00.001-07:002013-06-28T12:10:54.085-07:00Bake Sale Lemon Bars

I was on the docket to make cookies for the social hour after church last Sunday. I'd signed up weeks before and carefully picked the date, considering what I knew we had going on. We'd be back from our fishing trip, hay making should be over, no company visiting, no parties to attend. Perfect. No stress timing.

Trouble was, we were right smack dab in the middle of making hay. We had lots of volunteer helpers who needed food and drink. And granddaughter Emma wanted to come visit and help with hay. So, I got up extra early Saturday morning and started baking these lemon bars.

I chose the lemon bars because a new magazine, Taste of Home, had just come, and these just grabbed me. I love lemony things; Mr. Rosemary doesn't. He's a chocolate, peanut butter and nuts fan. I like those, too, but I also crave something lighter and tangy once in a while. The church social is a great excuse to get to make something I want to sample.

But something about the date kept nagging at me. Maybe it was next Sunday, I worried, not tomorrow! I checked the calendar on my iPhone. (I'm really surprised at how much I really use the phone for more than phone calls and games!)

Yep. Said it was next Sunday all right. But still I don't trust myself. Maybe I entered it wrong. So I called a woman from church who assured me it was indeed the following Sunday.

So I had lots of extra cookies to share. My volunteer farmhands were happy. And I think I'm going to be making these again. On the right Sunday.

.
Bake Sale Lemon Bars
from Taste of Home, June-July 2013
contributed by Mildred Keller, Rockford IL 1996

3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Additional confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cup flour. Press into bottom of greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Bake 18- 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile,, in a small bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice and remaining flour until frothy. Pour over hot crust and Bake 20-25 minutes or until topping is set and lightly browned.
Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.
Makes 4 dozen (if you cut them that small!)Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-22175463164223722382013-06-17T04:13:00.000-07:002013-06-17T04:13:33.059-07:00Better than Average Broccoli Salad -- and a Blog-cation

Broccoli salads have become pretty standard fare at summer picnics and parties, sharing the classic rung with the likewise ubiquitous macaroni, pasta and potato salads. And there's nothing wrong with the classics . . . but every once in a while, I itch for just a little twist that makes people go, "Hmmmm . . . . what's in here?"

I was inspired to break out of my broccoli-salad-comfort-zone by "The Meaning of Pie," one of my favorite food blogs. Kelly Yandell has a knack for making ordinary things special . . . and photographs everything so well. Please pay a visit.

Often, you'll find broccoli salads swimming in a creamy mayonnaise dressing and laden with cheese and bacon. (Who doesn't love bacon?) This version has bacon but a more spare coating of dressing,.a tang from fruit juice, crunch from nuts and onion, and a touch of sweet from cranberries.

The salad that inspired Kelly, she shares, came from her Aunt Jane, who used yogurt in the dressing, but Kelly opted for sour cream because that's what she had on hand. I love a recipe, and the cook, that is flexible enough to take advantage of what's in the refrigerator and pantry.

Better-than-Average Broccoli Salad
only slightly adapted from The Meaning of Pie

4 cups fresh broccoli florets, stems copped and florets cut into tiny pieces
6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 stalks of green onion, chopped fine
1 cup dried cranberries

For the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
3 tablespoons apple juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Cut the broccoli into small pieces, using both the florets and the the stems.

Combine the broccoli, almonds, cranberries and onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, combining well. Pour over the salad and mix. Keep refrigerated .

Makes about 6 servings. (Easily doubled!)

* * * * * * * * * * *

Now -- about the blog-cation. I didn't plan to be absent, just happened. We've been busy remodeling. (See the barn wood in my pictures? It's from our old barn and is now siding our fireplace wall. And my kitchen is now painted a beautiful red, outfitted with new appliances. Lots going on; and not quite done.) And then there was the 10-day fishing trip to Canada. And then there was . . . well, you get the idea. Plus, I was feeling I had nothing interesting to write about and, in the midst of remodeling, couldn't find my stuff! Anyhow, I'm calmer now and back in the saddle. Thanks for visiting. Come back again soon!

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-44661464061494996482013-05-02T13:21:00.001-07:002013-05-02T13:21:07.201-07:00Split Pea Soup for a Rainy Spring DaySpring is incurably fickle. She teases us into believing she's really arrived, with a few days of sunshine, a pop or two of daffodils and tulips, then, WHAM! A blast of cold air, a cloudburst, and gloomy, gray skies.

But my silver lining in a rainy spring day is that it begs for soup to be made. I never need an excuse for soup, though. Any day of the year, any season, I'm soup ready. I (humbly) pride myself on being quite good at reprising just about any leftover into a great soup. (Maybe a frittata.)

So when fickle spring handed out yet another dose of wet and windy, I turned on the stove to make split pea soup. Split pea soup happens to be one soup that is not really made from leftovers, though, except for a ham bone saved from Easter, perhaps. But it's rich and hearty and oh-so-warming.

Not a very pretty soup, though, which is probably why this Martha Stewart version includes homemade croutons as an accessory. I declined to accessorize this soup. It's a classic that only needs a spoon.

But if my lilacs are spoiled by another cry for soup, I'll be having a few words with Mother Nature.

Split Pea Soup

from Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped medium onion

4 carrots, thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

1 bag (16 ounces) green split peas, picked over and rinsed

Ham bone plus 2 cups reserved ham cut into 1/2-inch cubes

In a Dutch oven or 5-quart heavy pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.

Remove and discard bone from soup.

Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup. leave some chunks. (Or, working in batches, puree only 1/2 the soup in a blender and return to pot.)

Add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt and pepper to taste. (But you won't need much salt!)

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-34467884439357408022013-04-03T05:01:00.000-07:002013-04-03T05:01:19.553-07:00Hooray for Challah!

Yep, I did it. I said I was going to and I did. And making challah wasn't as difficult as I imagined. I read and re-read the recipe. I never hardly left the kitchen. After I got the three ropes ready (I was just going for the basic three rope braid. We can save the six rope braid for another, bolder day.) and made my braid, it looked so pretty.

I have to admit that, all in all, it was just the satisfying experience I thought it would be. I wasn't disappointed at all. (although it did feel kind of heavy.)

The only thing I wonder now is whether I should feel guilty for letting my mixer do all the kneading work. Is that cheating? Is it like using Miracle-Gro and not telling anyone you really don't have a green thumb?
Just wondering.

I think I'll get off my bread kick now. Every once in a while, we're supposed to get out of our comfort zone and try something new, right? I did and I feel good about it.

Time for a nice savory stew. Since it's April 2 and it's still snowing.

I made my bread from a recipe I found on Food52, a site I love to visit now and again. After I used this recipe, I remembered that I have a copy of the Bread Bible, so I really didn't have to go to the internet at all. I had my own library as a resource. Getting lazy . . . . and now that I've "re-found" my book, maybe this bread phase isn't over yet. When spring finally comes, then I'll stop.

 Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-61216169571097659042013-03-28T04:27:00.000-07:002013-03-28T04:27:52.309-07:00A Virgin Voyage with Focaccia

There has to be a first time for everything and I just made my first focaccia. Buoyed by my conquest of pizza dough, I was even more determined to overcome my fear of yeast and move on to bread. If there was a Scoville scale for bread, I'm thinking focaccia would be on the next rung up.

When I pulled my first focaccia out of the oven, it looked like the surface of Mars. Oh, but the aroma! The piney fragrance of the rosemary, the richness of the olive oil. The smell of bread baking -- any kind of bread -- is just heart-warming. No wonder it's so highly recommended for home sellers.

I was so proud. I had to boast to Mr. Rosemary.

"Smells good," says he. "What's so special about it?"

Nothing, really. Except for the fact that I made it.

His innocent question made me want to research it a little more. And I found a lot of information, although I found it curious that many of the sources I read wove their way back to Wikipedia. (What did we do before Wikipedia? It took hours to do what we can now do in mere minutes, that's what.)

Here's what I learned:

Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread that may be topped with other ingredients.

It is similar is style and texture to pizza dough, consisting of flour, water, salt, oil and yeast.

It is typically rolled or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven . . . or on a pizza stone.

The first focaccia is thought to have been made prior to the Roman Empire by the Etruscans in North Central Italy, or by the ancient Greeks.

It takes its names from the Roman phrase "panis foacacius" meaning a flat loaf of bread cooked under the ashes of a fire or upon a hearth.

And there are just as many recipes for focaccia as there are for, well . . . . bread. The recipe I chose was probably the most complicated, but only because it called for three rises. It was worth it, although I think I'll go for a simpler one next time. I don't think that's the way the Etruscans made it.

But this recipe from Simply Recipes was perfect, although lengthy! The bread was great for sandwiches or snacking. I confess it was my breakfast for several mornings. And it does freeze well.

So, now I have pizza dough and focaccia under my belt. Can challah be far behind?

This recipe makes enough for 2 good-sized loaves. You can make it all in free-form loaves that look like puffy pizzas, or shape them into casseroles or cake pans – there are no absolutes on the shape of this bread. The bread takes on the flavor of the olive oil so be sure to use a good quality one.

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary

From Simply Recipes

1 package dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water, about 100 degrees

2 1/4 cups tepid water

2 Tbsp good quality olive oil, plus more for the pan and to paint on top of the bread

3 cups bread flour

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp salt, plus coarse salt (fleur de sel if you have it, otherwise Kosher salt) for sprinkling over the top

2-3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

Stir the yeast into the 1/3 cup of slightly warm-to-the-touch water and let it rest for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, pour in 2 1/4 cups of tepid water and 2 tablespoons olive oil. After the yeast has rested for 10 minutes and has begun to froth, pour it into the water-oil mixture.

Whisk in 2 cups of flour (either the bread flour or the all purpose; at this stage it doesn't matter which) and the tablespoon of salt. Add the rosemary. Then, cup by cup, whisk in the rest of the flour (both the bread flour and all purpose). As the mixture goes from a batter to a thick dough, you'll want to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon. By the time you get to the last cup of flour, you will be able to work the dough with your hands. Begin to knead it in the bowl – try to incorporate all the flour stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl as you begin kneading.

Once the bowl is pretty clean, turn the dough out onto a board and knead it well for 8 minutes. You might need some extra flour if the dough is sticky.

I used my stand mixer for the mixing and kneading of the bread dough. After adding all the flour, cup by cup, I switched to the dough hook and let the machine knead the bread for 8 minutes.

In a large clean bowl, pour in about a tablespoon of oil and put the dough on top of it. Spread the oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for an hour and a half. It should just about double in size.

Spread a little olive oil in your baking pan or baking sheet (will make it easier to remove the bread). Place the dough in your baking pans or form it into free-form rounds on a baking sheet. This recipe will do two nice-sized loaves or one big one and a little one. Cover the breads and set aside for another 30 minutes.

Dimple the breads with your thumb. Push in to about the end of your thumbnail, roughly 1/2-inch. Cover again and leave it to rise for its final rise, about 2 hours.

With 30 minutes to go before the rise finishes, preheat your oven to 400°F. If you have a pizza stone put it in.

Once the dough has done its final rise, gently paint the top with olive oil – as much as you want. Then sprinkle the coarse salt on top from about a foot over the bread; this lets the salt spread out better on its way down and helps reduce clumps of salt.

Put the bread in the oven. If you are doing free-form breads, put it right on the pizza stone. Bake for a total of 20-25 minutes. If you have a water spritzer bottle, spritz a little water in the oven right before you put the bread in to create steam, and then a couple of times while the bread is baking.

When the bread comes out of the oven, turn it out onto a rack within 3-5 minutes; this way you'll keep the bottom of the bread crispy. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before eating.

Makes a large loaf and a small loaf of 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-90414503021514844262013-03-16T11:35:00.000-07:002013-03-16T11:35:30.903-07:00Greek Pizza Reprisal | What's in a Name?

I read a blog a few weeks ago about naming foods and it really struck a chord with me. The writer (forgive me, please, that I really can't remember whose blog it was) went on a minor rant about how we -- that would be bloggers and anyone else who writes about food, creates recipes, writes menus, etc., etc. -- have a tendency to assign a dish a nationality just because of one ingredient, maybe two.

For instance, if it has basil and tomatoes, it's Italian. Feta and olives? Greek. Cilantro and cumin? Mexican. You get the idea.

Guilty. When I was planning to make a white pizza for a girls night in, I told them my friends we were having a Greek pizza, because (here, I *blush*) I was using feta and olives with tomatoes and spinach. Oh, and oregano.

But what else would I call it? I know that one ingredient does not a dish make. Soy sauce doesn't make it Chinese Tarragon doesn't immediately mean French.

I know all this, and, still, I didn't know how else to identify what kind of pizza I was making that other people would readily understand. It's a whole lot simpler to say "Greek pizza" than to spell out "a pizza with no tomato sauce, no mozzarella or provolone, but spinach, tomatoes, olives and feta." And I knew that's what my guests would understand.

Maybe that's why we cavalierly assign names that really aren't authentic It's like using cliches; they're handy shortcuts, universally understood.

So we had a Greek pizza. And the next night, Mr. Rosemary and I had the pasta dish pictured at the top. It wasn't "Greek" because it didn't have feta. But I did have extra spinach and olives from the pizza, so I tossed those in with the warm pasta, fresh tomatoes, and added Parmesan. What would you call that dish? Besides quick, easy and good?

Back to the pizza . . . . I was sure that I'd made a big step towards overcoming my fear of yeast since I now successfully make my own dough often, even weekly.

But my sister introduced me to a new yeast that Fleischmann's makes called Pizza Crust Yeast and I have to admit, it was very easy, very quick and very good. That's a trio of adjectives I like, no matter how much I like to spend time in the kitchen.

The beauty of this yeast is that it requires no rising. So you can mix up the dough and make the pizza right away. No waiting for anything. It still needs to be kneaded (don't we all) but there's no waiting.

Problem is I only had one packet of the yeast. Now I need to find more. It's not readily available everywhere yet, so I'll have to keep my eye open for it and buy buckets of it when I do.

I'll still make regular pizza dough, but it's nice to know I have a handy alternative.

There's only one teeny, tiny little problem with the yeast: It makes only 1 12-inch pizza, which Mr. Rosemary could handily eat by himself.

No Rise Pizza Dough
from Fleischmann's
1 3/4 - 2 1/4 cup flour
1 envelope pizza yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (120 - 130 degrees F.)
3 tablespoons oil

Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add water and oil.
Mix together until well-blended, about 1 minute
Add 1/2 cup flour gradually until dough forms a ball. Add additional flour if needed, to handle
Spoon dough out of bowl and onto floured surface. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Knead on floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.
Press out dough to fill a greased pizza pan. Or, if you're like me, and need a rolling pin, roll dough to a 12 inch circle and transfer to a greased pan.
Top as you want with sauce, cheese and toppings.
Bake on bottom oven rack at 425 F or 12 to 15 minutes until cheese on top is bubbly and crust is brown.

Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-41961144351418300092013-02-26T04:48:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:43:06.266-08:00Going "Publix" with a Vegetarian Feast | Quinoa Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

If you've never taken a cooking class, you really should. I'm not talking about the department store demo. I mean the put-on-your-apron, get-your-knife-chopping cooking class. Just a lot of fun. And even if you're a veteran in the kitchen, you're bound to learn something.

I recently visited my daughter who lives in Tampa. It had been months since I'd seen her and it was a very sunny break from a gray winter for this Pennsylvania born and bred soul. (I think that the groundhog lied.)

One of the things we planned to do was to go to a cooking class. Our original plan was to cash in on a Groupon Amy had found for a sushi class. But our timing was bad for that so we looked elsewhere and found that the Publix supermarket offered cooking classes at one of its stores.

Grilled vegetables (eggplant, portobella mushroom, zucchini) and provolone
 got stacked between two slices of ciabbatta bread and grilled.
 (The balsamic glace kinda looks like a treble clef!)

Before I go any further, I have to tell you that my daughter did not catch any kind of cooking bug from me. When she was little she did like to make play dough with me and mix inedible things with flour and water, but she outgrew any visions of mastering anything culinary. Where did I go wrong!

So signing us up for a cooking class together was generous on her part, just to please her mother. (Amy would have preferred the Taco Tuesday class the previous night -- booked! -- to the vegetarian class we attended. "Mom," she said, "I like meat!")

But we were very impressed with the vegetarian feast our co-chef teachers coached us through. We made a tabouleh-like quinoa salad, a grilled vegetable panini, vegetable lo mein with tofu, and for the finale, orange creme brulee, the only dish I didn't get a picture of!

The vegetable lo mein featured colorful, crisp veggies and tofu,
wonderfully fragranced with fresh ginger,

 all topped with toasted sesame seeds.

And then we sat down and ate our little feast, accompanied by our choice of wine. My carnivore daughter was impressed that the meal was hearty without meat. I liked it all, but the creme brulee was the most fun to make. And I didn't get a picture! Too bad I was too busy running my little torch to perfect my burnt sugar crust! ("You don't have one of those, do you, Mom?" says my daughter. I know what my next present will be!)

My favorite dish was the quinoa salad. Colorful, full of texture and fresh citrus flavor. Just a lot of chopping! Great do ahead salad. It was while making this that I learned my favorite new tip about juicing a lemon: use your tongs! Just nestle a lemon (or lime) half between the arms of the tongs and squeeze. You don't get lemon juice on your hands and, you don't have to dirty another tool! Clever!

I wish I could take more classes there . . . until next Florida visit! Now, without further ado . . . the salad:

Incan Quinoa Salad with Citrus Thyme Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Courtesy of Publix
1 cup raw Incan quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
3 limes, zested
4 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 bunch scallions,thinly sliced
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, finely diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
For the dressing:
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 ounces grapeseed oil
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Place quinoa and vegetable stock in a 3-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. When done, the grain will appear soft and translucent and the germ ring will be visible along the outside of the grain. Chill immediately Meanwhile, chop the vegetables, prepare the juice and zest.

Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the citrus juices, garlic and thyme and then slowly drizzle in the oil while constantly whisking. Taste for seasoning.

Toss the vinaigrette with the quinoa mixture to coat evenly. Allow at least 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-64632509696029039152013-02-08T07:12:00.000-08:002013-02-13T07:56:23.176-08:00A Secret -- and Cannelloni

I've been keeping a secret for a few months . . . . not a really big secret (Like my book is coming out next month! -- I wish!)

It's just a little secret . . . . I've been teaching a neighbor boy how to cook. He just turned 8, but he was 7 when we started last summer. Every two weeks, he comes to my house after school and we cook together for a couple hours in my little kitchen. And we have a ball.

At first, we were both a little tentative, but before long we were acting every bit the grandmother and grandkid we looked like together. We joke some, I nod approvingly when he measures correctly, he teases. We cook good stuff and we have good fun.

Wyatt loves to bake. And although baking's not my strongest suit in the kitchen, I can definitely handle the basics. (We won't be making puff pastry anytime soon.) The biggest plus about baking with a child, for me anyhow, is that, for the most part, knives aren't involved Soon enough for that. For now, if we need to chop something -- like onions for meatballs -- we use my mini-chopper.

We have made a variety of great food -- cupcakes, cookies, meatballs, breaded chicken, pizza, Oreo truffles. Our goal is usually to make something he can take home for dinner that he made as well as a dessert or a treat he can share with friends at school the next day. And something that's manageable in under two hours.

The breaded chicken was different to me. I learned his mother was gluten-free and we tried something she steered me to: using crushed rice Chex cereal as the coating. It was great!

We've had a couple minor accidents: He dropped an egg on the floor; I dropped a tray of just baked cookies. Once, while cleaning up, he pretty much sprayed my window above the sink as much as the dishes.

I wasn't looking for a cooking student. It was his mother's idea. She knew I had been a teacher, that I wrote a food column for the local paper, and that I had this blog. And I was nearby.

And her son likes to cook. She reasoned that her older son was taking music lessons and golf lessons. Why not find a teacher for what her middle son liked to do? Makes perfect sense. Although she herself likes to cook, she has a job, two other kids and this little arrangement provides her son something that's just for him. I'm impressed by her original thinking.

One of the main dishes we made was stuffed shells. We stuffed the shells with a sausage and cheese fiilling using a recipe from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy.

There was plenty of filling for two dozen stuffed shells. And we didn't scrimp on stuffing them either. So I was left with filling and no shells. So the next day, I made crepes and we had cannelloni instead. Same filling, different container.

Sausage and Cheese Cannelloni
adapted from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy

1 dozen crepes* (click here for my recipe)

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed<o:p></o:p>

2 tablespoons olive oil<o:p></o:p>

16-ounces whole milk ricotta<o:p></o:p>

2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided<o:p></o:p>

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided<o:p></o:p>

2 large eggs, lightly beaten<o:p></o:p>

2 tablespoons minced, fresh, flat-leaf parsley<o:p></o:p>

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

4 cups prepared marinara sauce, homemade or jarred<o:p></o:p>

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and fry until lightly browned. Using a wooden spoon, break the meat into small bits as it cooks. <o:p></o:p>

Combine cooked sausage, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper together in a large bowl and mix well.<o:p></o:p>

Pour enough marinara sauce in a 9×13 baking dish to cover the bottom of the dish, about 1 1/2 cups. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling down the middle of each crepe. Fold the side over and place, seam side down, on top of the sauce. Ladle the rest of the marinara on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan, cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is gooey and melted and begins to brown. Remove and let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

* Crepes are time consuming and are a definite "do-ahead" in my book. You can make them the day before, keep them separated by squares of waxed paper, and place in the fridge. Or you can stack them and store them (again, separated by waxed paper) in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw some before using.
Rosemary Wolberthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342867947056717995.post-85443459881277347762013-01-25T07:48:00.000-08:002013-01-26T04:14:49.120-08:00Discovering the Versatile Fennel | Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

I go through food phases once in a while. Or maybe they're kicks. I don't know. I just know that every once in a while, I latch onto one particular food and cook the death out of it. There was the bean phase -- cannelini, black, pintos, garbanzos. And then peppers: jalapenos, poblanos, serranos, up and down the Scoville scale. And we can't forget the squash phase.

Now it's fennel's turn in the hopper. I've cooked with fennel a lot, the seeds at least. They are a standard when I cook with sausage (which is often, since Mr. Rosemary thinks it's a food group unto its own.) And I add it to stews and soups. But the whole thing? Nope. Never.

The reason is that it's usually not readily available around here. Until lately. Now, I seem to find it every time I shop. It's partly the season; partly due to the speed of commercial transit in this country.

It all started at Christmas time. I was planning on serving simple roasted vegetables -- broccoli and cauliflower -- to go along with the fussier pork Wellington. (A post for another day.) I happened upon a couple bulbs of fennel and spontaneously decided that roasted fennel would go on the menu, too, as I was expecting other enthusiastic taste tasters for dinner.

"What's that?," asked granddaughter Emma.

"You've had that before," answered Uncle Dan. "It's fennel."

"Hmm, . . . . looks different," she said.

It was probably because I'd sliced it vertically instead of chopped. But if I was serving a different vegetable, I was looking for some "Ta-da" drama!

It was a surprising success at dinner. I delighted in it, everyone at least sampled it along with all our other goodies, and Emma had seconds.

Since then, I've purchased fennel a number of times and have added it to stews, soups and casseroles chopped it into salads, and roasted it some more.

Fennel has a unique taste. Some say it tastes like licorice, but I think it's more of a cross between celery and onion, with a slightly sweet cast. I read an article on Culinate that described fennel as "a wispy, aristocratic" vegetable. Pretty poetic. The fronds of the fennel bulb resemble dill and can be used chopped finely like dill in just about anything you use dill in.

It is remarkably versatile and I found another article in which the cook/author outlines "Twelve Ways to Cook Fennel, " a very helpful resource. And just today I found a blog post on Stacey Snacks with a recipe for a fennel gratin, the next thing on my fennel crusade.

If you haven't tried it yet, you'll be surprised, especially roasted.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan
only slightly adapted from Giada Di Laurentis
(I sliced it vertically; her recipe said to slice it horizontally!)

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. (I lightly sprayed foil with olive oil.) Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel.Rosemary Wolberthttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
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[Photo Credit: Print Shop Art Gallery]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Best Bookshelves Have This In Common
Deep blue, pale blue, denim blue...whatever the shade, it gives bookshelves depth and glamour. See the rooms that do it so right.
By Amy Preiser
Navy Blue
By painting the paneled walls and cabinets of the library in a Charlotte, North Carolina house, a deep blue, designer Lindsey Coral Harper gave a sliver of a room impact.


text:
|Name: _________________________
|Period: ___________________
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What type of instrument does Iannis want to play when he grows up?
(a) Bouzouki.
(b) Trumpet.
(c) Cello.
(d) Guitar.
2. What does Corelli tell Pelagia as he embraces her?
(a) He will not see her again.
(b) He wants to marry her.
(c) He wants her to run away with him.
(d) He will be back after the war.
3. Who is the young girl who knows where to get the items in #97?
(a) Lisette.
(b) Lemoni.
(c) Leeann.
(d) Limie.
4. What does Pelagia say when she realizes what she has done to Corelli?
(a) Says that she loves him.
(b) Says that he had a certified letter.
(c) Says she thought he was her father.
(d) Says that she is tired of him being in their house.
5. What surprising event does Alekos witness one day?
(a) Corelli and Pelagia kissing at the beach.
(b) A lunar eclipse.
(c) A British spy parachute from a plane.
(d) People escapting from an insane asylum.
6. Who is Alekos?
(a) A bartender.
(b) A street sweeper.
(c) A carpenter.
(d) A goatherd.
7. Who emerges as the local leader of the village after the earthquake?
(a) Dr. Iannis.
(b) Pelagia.
(c) Velisarios.
(d) Lucente.
8. What does Corelli do when Weber tells him he tried to stop the execution?
(a) He shakes his hand.
(b) He runs.
(c) He screams.
(d) He slaps him.
9. What items does Carlo give to Dr. Iannis for safekeeping?
(a) Manuscripts and letters.
(b) Photographs and letters.
(c) Photographs and a journal.
(d) Manuscripts and a will.
10. How do the Germans try to get rid of the dead bodies?
(a) They bury them at sea.
(b) They set fire to them.
(c) They bury them in a mass grave.
(d) They order the villagers to bury them.
11. What has the German soldier, Gunter Weber, been ordered to do?
(a) Execute the Italian soldiers.
(b) Take the villagers as prisoners.
(c) Train recruits on the island.
(d) Return to Berlin.
12. What does Corelli do to seem more like a Greek man?
(a) Dances Greek dances.
(b) Learns to speak Greek.
(c) Grows a beard.
(d) Drinks a lot of ouzo.
13. Who accompanies the priest on his traveling mission?
(a) An assistant priest.
(b) His secretary.
(c) His brother.
(d) His dog.
14. Corelli and the other Italian officers are frustrated with the General because _________________________.
(a) he has denied all three-day passes for his men.
(b) he lets his men march in old boots.
(c) he shows no leadership in anticipating potential conflict with the Germans.
(d) he has not tried to get better food for his men.
15. Why do Hector's men stay with him?
(a) He has a great vision.
(b) He has threatened to kill them if they do not.
(c) He gives them three meals a day.
(d) He pays them well.
Short Answer Questions
1. Who is decapitated by a piece of flying metal in Chapter 43?
2. Gunter leaves a photograph of ___________________ for Pelagia.
3. How does Corelli leave the island?
4. What happens when Corelli and Pelagia get separated from the others in the forest?
5. What kind of meat are Hector and his men roasting over a fire in Chapter 36?
This section contains 511 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page)


text:
Thursday Three
Find a Conversation
|Thu, 07-18-2013 - 9:15am
Manicured or could you care less what your yard looks like?
What kind of dresser are you - classy, trendy, bold or combination/no one particular style?
Cook in/grill out or go out on a scorching hot day?
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 5:46pm

jamblessedthree wrote:

springfever2013 wrote:
<p><span style="font-size:13px; text-align:left">My brother only has an MBA and he works hard for every bit of that six, close to seven figures he makes... Wait.. That's different. Lol. </span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:13px; text-align:left">Of course that is different, silly you. Most people I know who have a masters degree make MUCH more than I do.</span></strong></p>

Thank you for getting what I meant. His work is different, yes but that doesn't dismiss the fact that many(most?) people with advanced degrees are doing a lot more than what people write about here.

Well, what's written about here is only a snippet of people's lives, so you really can't make any conclusions about the use of one's degree -- or really about much of anything.

I can. {Snort!} I have several advanced degrees. More enlightening to me on this subject is the beloved man I'm married to. He has many advanced degrees and even puts the Masters to good use. But he's a genius and didn't get one of those one-year MBAs. ;) So, very much like Jamblessed's brother I'm sure. She knows of what she speaks...
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 5:53pm

springfever2013 wrote:

No, in the boy's section. I was just sharing an anecdote that you don't have to be built like a boy to shop in the boy's section.

Isn't your son a teenager? A teenage BOY. You DO realize the cut is different for boys clothes, right? Wow.

You're right, boys clothes are cut differently than girls too. Not rocket science nor does it refute my statement about a boyish figure.

A little brag about how particular boys clothes are meant to be. My little bitty boy goes to camp and today, after camp, I watched his private lesson in his crisp tennis whites. And there's just nothing like it! He looked adorable, the other boys on other courts in their whites are just as adorable as boys should be! Like your own dd's riding clothes I'm sure, the tennis whites for my own sweet dds are just different. But again, crisp and clean and nothing any woman would consider wearing. Women's tennis tops and skirts are totally different!
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 6:03pm
Yes, there are one year MBA programs. Interesting you call those "fluff", I never thought of it that way but I think you're right.
And if someone can make 6 or 7 figures with a one-year MBA, more power to them!!
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 6:29pm
<snip>If I had a masters degree . . . </snip>
Good news! You don't have to worry your pretty little head about what you would do if you had a master's degree, because you aren't in any danger of earning one.
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 6:42pm

jamblessedthree wrote:
Yes, there are one year MBA programs. Interesting you call those "fluff", I never thought of it that way but I think you're right.

And if someone can make 6 or 7 figures with a one-year MBA, more power to them!!

My brother went to a different school for his two year masters degree. Went on to do great things, Yes...
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 6:47pm
Yes, but you work for the best company on LI. My friend (a single mom) works there too so I hear a lot. (Check your email for her name.)
Thanks and I'll check my email.
|Thu, 07-25-2013 - 6:51pm
1. If you would be unhappy with your salary, okay. I'm not unhappy with mine.
Well then you don't strive for very much. What a waste of time to go to so much college.
2. You really don't want to get into a TVC with me about th perks of exercise classes (you seem to be insinuating that yours is "better" than others').
Ummm...I never said that. I said that was a PERK of my job now. Not many companies, IME offer free classes on premises.
3. There are many non-financial perks of my job that I haven't even begun to talk about. (i.e. the bottle of wine and box of truffles I received two weeks ago. yum!)
That is great. We get things all year long too but we are not supposed to be comparing.


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need help! Question about kennywoodgoing to kennywood and need help figuring out if any rides will cause me problems.
From Jessica nonameHey, I am going to kennywood amusment park in pennsylvania, and I am fairly overweight. I weigh like 245 lbs, but I only look like i'm around 200 lbs if you had to guess. I mean my abdomen is fairly decent size and I've got a larger chest proportion than most average girls. I was wondering if anybody could tell me if I would have trouble with most rides, or which rides? Thanks for any help! :)
Posted July 10, 2007 at 6:09 PM
Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.
From Adrienne McDonaldWell I think, as I often say, if you don't have a tryout seat available by the que line then I always get inline anyway, try to get in, if I can't then just move on to another ride but since I'm really not familiar w/the park, you may want advice from someone else who is. I think you can probably fit on Thunderbolt & Jack Rabbit, maybe Phantom as far as coasters are concerned. Take a look at the ride list & if there are photos available, make an educated guess. Usually if you look at the ride, you can pretty much tell if you'll fit or not. I'm large too & usually only have trouble on wood coasters but only certain ones though. Have fun!
Posted July 10, 2007 at 9:02 PM
From gina scardanellohey i was wondering the same thing. what rides are "fluffy" friendly at kennywood? im supposed to go this saturday so i would appreciate any info ASAP just send me a message. what rides are ok for bigger people. i myself am bigger, but carry my weight fairly well, so what rides are good for me and what ones should i avoid all together??? thanks hope to hear from someone soon!!!
Posted June 7, 2010 at 12:26 PM
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Phone (866) 498-3002
Price $450
Age Suitability All Ages
Teen - Adult Modeling
Thursday, Feb 14, 2013 6:00p to 8:00p
Legion Road Professional Plaza Hope Mills, NC
SR Models & Talent introduces the fundamentals of modeling, which includes but is not limited to: runway and stage training, public speaking, personal styling and building a healthy lifestyle. Students will learn various aspects of the modeling world through sixteen detailed classes.
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Saturday 2-4 PM.
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Legion Road Professional Plaza
3620 Legion Rd.
Hope Mills, NC 28348
3620 Legion Rd.
Hope Mills, NC 28348
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