Pumpkin Bread

Last week, we had a dip in the temperature which left me craving autumny goodness. It wasn't until after the weather warmed a bit that I've gotten a chance to actually bake something. I decided to make pumpkin bread - which I've never made before - so I started looking around for recipes. So often, I go straight to the internet, ignoring the great cookbooks I've got here at home. I found multiple recipes and decided to go with one from The Taste of Home Cookbook because I found it intriguing. It calls for the use of vanilla cook and serve pudding. As it's using something common in a not-so-common way, I really wanted to try it.



Pumpkin Bread
(from Linda Burnett, pg 432-433, The Taste of Home Cookbook)

• 5 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 packages (total 6 oz) cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325. Grease/butter/spray 2 standard loaf pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, then add the oil and pumpkin. Beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add slowly to pumpkin mix. Pour into the greased pans.

Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to .. cool it completely.


So.. after 55 minutes, I did the whole skewer thing and it came out clean. Good thing because one loaf's edges were browning! BUT when I went to slice it up (at work no less) The middle of the loaf was supermoist. It's edible, but a weird texture.

Biscuits and Gravy

Today, my friends, I share with you the best breakfast ever. The best part of going to my grandma's house was that she always made me biscuits and gravy. (Really, she made it for my family, but my childish heart was convinced she made it just for me). Is everyone familiar with ,bisuits and gravy? Fluffy biscuits of deliciousness drenched (never drizzled) with creamy flour gravy, so simple yet so divine? B&G doesn't have to be homemade; some of the best comes from run-down truck stops along the interstate. Small, hometown diners usually have some mean B&G. In a fix, even i-hop will do!


My grandma taught my mom how to make gravy, and she in turn taught me. You won't find any (white) gravy from a packet in Mama Sarah's Kitchen. Nuh uh! This recipe is more of a guideline, and I'm afraid a bare one at that. But so much of the gravy-making process is done by sight and taste and feel.

My grandma always made homemade bisuits, and one day I aspire to that. For now, I find frozen ones work well, definitely better than the pillsbury canned kind. Use whichever biscuits you love the most. Or have in the kitchen.

White Gravy:
fat (bacon or sausage fat, or you can use vegetable oil, though it's not gonna be nearly as tasty)
flour
milk
salt
pepper
water

So, I started out frying some bacon on a low-medium heat. I had about 7 pieces of bacon and used the fat rendered from those. A couple days ago, I planned on making b&g, but ran out of time, so I saved the fat from that as well. In all, you'll need about a 1/4 of cup warmed fat. When you cook the bacon (or sausage) you'll end up with little bits of meat in the bottom; these are GOOD. Keep them! They add flavor.

Next your going to add the flour to the fat. You need to have equal parts of each, so about 1/4 cup flour to match your 1/4 cup fat. When stirring, USE A SLOTTED SPOON! As you add the flour, stir like a fiend. Now at this point, the flour is going to absorb the fat and you're going to think holymoly how am I going to get a good amount of gravy out of that?? Have no fear! Just keep it moving and try to get it all in the same place in your skillet (middle works well).

Once your gravy is starting to brown a bit (light brown, not dark; we aren't making a roux here), you're going to stir in milk. I added a bit at a time, starting with 1/4 to 1/2 cup additions, then adding slowly from there. As you add the milk, STIR LIKE CRAZY, or, like my mama says "it will be lumpy and there isn't a cure for that." How much milk you add decides how much gravy you end up with. I'd say all in all, I added about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups milk.

The gravy will be a bit too thick at this point. You have to add water to thin it some. But before I do that, I like to season it with salt and pepper. I have no idea as to these amounts as it's all to taste. Start small, then make little additions until it's where you like.

Add water, again stirring like crazy. I'd say I added about 1/4 cup water until it reached the right consistency. Again, personal preference. Taste it again and add salt and pepper as needed.

TADA! You've got gravy!

Spoon liberally over biscuits.


(Disclaimer: the picture above is a false representation of the manner in which Mama Sarah eats her b&g. She first tears apart her biscuits into bite size bits, then pours the gravy on top. It just isn't nearly as presentable)

(Disclaimer 2: gravy is difficult and it is very likely you'll mess up your first time.. or your second.. or your third. It's okay to screw up; just don't let that prevent you from trying again!)

Duck Fat Potatoes

So in my researching of roasting duck, I came across this one site that swore by duck fat potatoes. I did save the duck fat, because I want to try doing a duck confit, but that takes quite a few fat renderings. In the meanwhile, I decided to try these potatoes, regardless of the blatant unhealthiness. And I don't regret it.


There isn't really much of a recipe for this; cube some potatoes, melt some duck fat in a skillet, dump the potatoes into oil and let 'em fry. Woohoo. Once they're crispy golden, remove them to a paper towel lined plate to let them drain a bit and sprinkle generously with salt.

Now, without doing a side by side comparison, I can't really tell that much of a different between these potatoes and ones that are made with butter or olive oil. Shame on me, I guess. Don't get me wrong; they were delish, but they weren't the best potatoey goodness that I've had.

Mustard Salmon

At the store yesterday, I noticed the meat counter had salmon. Yum yum. It has been quite some time since we've had any. I've been dying to try duck fat potatoes (more on that later) and I thought salmon might be a nice companion. I also picked up some pre-made stuffed mushrooms that I adore. All in all, a tasty meal.

At first, I wasn't sure what exactly to do with the salmon. I came across this recipe for a simple mustard sauce and decided to give it a try. (By the way, I hate! when a blog only has the recipe on a video. I don't want to watch a video if it's a super simple technique).


Mustard Salmon:

• 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp loose brown sugar (I added this to sweeten it up)
• salmon (I had 3 small fillets)

Turn your oven on to broil. Place a piece of foil over a baking sheet. Place fillets on the sheet.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Brush or pour the sauce over the fillets, spreading evenly.

Broil 6-10 minutes or until meat is flaky.

Duck with cranberry sauce

Monday was hubby's birthday (as previously mentioned), and Tuesday we had his birthday dinner of duck with cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole. Yum yum. I have VERY little experiencing roasting things; hubby always takes care of the Thanksgiving turkey. But roasting is easy enough. Salt and pepper, tuck in the legs and wings, and pop in the oven. Oh yes, and there's the wonderful removal of the gizzards, which in our duck weren't enclosed in a package. FUN times, I tell ya. One thing to remember with a duck: you need to poke it alot with a knife or fork so the fat can release during the cooking process.

Roast Duck

• a duck
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion, quartered
• garlic cloves

Remove gizzards and whatever else they've decided to put in your duck's cavity. Rinse well (including the cavity) and pat dry. With a knife or fork, poke the bird.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff onions and garlic (and anything else you might like) in the cavity.

Tuck the legs into the skin around the tail. Tuck the wings close to the body. Place breast up in a roasting pan.

Cook at 350F for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.



With the duck, we had a cranberry sauce, which hubby picked out from a selection I presented to him. We had a mixed reaction to this East-West described sauce, and I doubt I will ever make it again. When it first touches the tongue, it is sour, but sweetens. Honestly, the best way to eat it is to get a bite of meat and one of the cranberries. Together, it's ok. I definitely wouldn't bast a meat with this sauce and most most definitely wouldn't serve it alone.

East-West Cranberry Sauce

• 1/4 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
• 1/4 dry oloroso sherry (I could not find a sherry that was both dry and oloroso; I went with dry)
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cranberry juice (I added another 2 tbsp to sweeten it up)
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1/4 tsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar (forgot this, and honestly I don't think it would help that much)

Soak the cranberries in the sherry for awhile. Once they've plumped a bit, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat over low heat.



The perfect bite.

Custard

Today is hubby's birthday; HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUBBY! Because I had an 8:30 meeting and then class from noon until 3, we decided it'd be better to have the duck tomorrow so I have more time and less stress. I'm glad we made that decision, because if I had tried to do it today, I would have lost my marbles. Instead, I made his cake today (a simple Angel Food cake), some apple bars for the meeting (which did not bake thoroughly!!), and modified Marlboro Man sandwiches. Oh yes, and the custard since I had so many egg yolks left over after making the cake.

I used a recipe from Nigella's How to Be a Domestic Goddess, because honestly, where better to find an authentic custard recipe? I was a little anxious at first, due to the hot liquid that must be poured onto egg yolks, but things went well.


Custard:
How to Be a Domestic Goddess, p 134
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 1/4 cups light cream (I used whipping cream because light doesn't equate to any american cream... that I know of. Please correct me if you can)
5 large egg yolks
1 tbsp sugar (I added an additional 1/2 tbsp)

If you're using the vanilla bean, heat it in a pan with the cream until almost boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let seep for 20 minutes, then heat until warm. If you're using vanilla extract, combine the cream and vanilla extract in a pan and heat.

In a large bowl, beat together the yolks and sugar. Slowly pour the vanilla cream into the sweet yolks, beating the ENTIRE time.

Wash and dry your pan, then pour the mixture back into it. Cook over medium heat until it has thickened (about 10 minutes). Stir constantly!

Once the custard has thickened, plunge it into cold water and whisk for an additional minute or two. Eat then or store for a later time.

To reheat, pour it into a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water.

Delicious.

Moroccan Pork Chop Marinade

We have a special post today, as dearest hubby is the one who cooked. Last week when I managed to drag him to the grocery store with me, he spied some pork chops that he had to have. He got them on the condition that HE would cook them. Today he did. We were trying to figure out something new to do with pork chops, so I of course searched online for pork marinades. Peering over my shoulder, hubby saw one he liked and tada, moroccan marinade. Now I'm not sure how legitimately Moroccan this marinade is, but we both enjoyed its tastiness. Though lately, I've been craving lots of veggies and not so much meat. But that's neither here nor there.


Moroccan Marinade:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• juice of 2 lemons (approximately 6 tbsp of lemon juice)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (hubby used dried parsley instead because that's what we had)
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp crumbled bay leaves
• 2 tsp paprika (didn't have it, so hubby used about 1 tsp red pepper)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Combine. Pour over pork chops and let marinate. The suggested time was 6 hours.. we only did for about 2 hours. Oh well.

Hubby also made cottage fried potatoes. Instead of our usual way, he diced up the onion and used Chacheres instead of salt and pepper. He also used new potatoes, and they were some of the best new potatoes ever. So, I'll admit, I had a bit of pork chop and ALOT of potatoes for dinner.

So glad I have a hubby who can cook!

Smothered Chicken

Today we had my mom's smothered chicken. I loved this as a kid, though I generally ignored the chicken and just ate the rice drenched in sauce. What can I say? I wasn't fond of meat as a child. All that changed with a steak... but that's a story for another time.

I debated putting up the picture; it isn't all that appealing. But, 1) it's a chicken breast and how attractive can it really be, and 2) sometimes there just isn't time for snazzing up a meal. We know this; let's embrace it.

I've decided from here on out, I'm going to use chicken tenders more than chicken breasts, or I'm going to stab the bejesus out of the breasts before cooking. The ones I get here are so HUGE that it's just about impossible to get tasty flavorfulness into the entirety of the meat. They are just too large. Grr.


Smothered Chicken:

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can soup (Mom uses cream of chicken; I decided to spice it up with some Nacho Cheese soup I accidentally bought eons ago)
Salt & Pepper

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet (one with a lid). Saute the onions until clear. Remove from the pan.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add a bit more oil to the skillet, then brown the chicken. Remove the chicken from the pan.

Stir up the soup a bit, then add it to the pan. Pour in some water; I used about 1/2 a cans worth. Stir until well combined and return the chicken and onions to the pan. You want enough liquid to come up around the meat, but don't dilute the soup too much.

Let simmer for at least an hour.

Best served with rice.

Soon Soon

Alright folks, cooking rut is over. It has to be, or I'll start going crazy. The only thing is balancing it with my work and school schedules. Because of the new schedule, hubby will be taking up some of the cooking responsibilities and some meals will just have to be quick and easy. As you might have discovered, I generally don't go for too quick and easy, so my stockpile of recipes is a bit less helpful. So recipe hunting is in order; also, I'll soon be using some of my mom's recipes from when I was growing up - smothered chicken breasts tomorrow.
I've also got a good little group of coworkers who I would really like to bake for; we're a group of 6 working our midnight shift (plus a supervisor or two), so we all work to keep each other awake. My contribution shall be sugar! I made smores bars for Sunday morning, which went over VERY well.
AND hubby's birthday is on the 8th, and he has requested duck. DUCK! I've never prepared a duck and I've only eaten it once before at a restaurant. So there's that to look forward to, and I'm excited. A duck! This all came about as we were grocery shopping and he happened to notice frozen game birds in the freezer section. And thus, he wants duck for his birthday. Perhaps we'll have goose for christmas? Anyhoo, a birthday meal is in order.
Today, for labor day, we had tasty tasty sirloin prepared by dearest hubby as he is our steak man. Mmmm steak.