Apron of Grace‘s recipe and suggestions by me!

Mabel’s Potatoes

12 small potatoes

1/2 c. flour

seasonings to taste  (I used seasoning salt and parsley, but can add garlic powder, etc.)

lard/oil

Boil potatoes till the skin just starts splitting.  About 10 minutes or so (try this Michael Graves Kitchen Timer)! The potatoes do not need to be cooked thoroughly in the boil.

Take from the stove, drain and cool in cold water.

Gently peel the skin of the potatoes off. (Kenmore Stainless Steel Y-Peeler)

Mix the flour and seasonings and roll the potatoes one by one very gently.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a pot to deep frying stage at 325 degrees. (Or try this Waring Professional Deep Fryer from Crate & Barrel! It’s just under $50.00!

Drop the potatoes in very gently, I set mine on a spoon and lower them in.

When one side is browned, turn to the other side.

Drain on towel and serve warm.

Related posts:

1. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
2. Superfood Alert: Sweet Potatoes
3. How to Make Potato Gnocchi

Recipe below from 101 cookbooks with suggestions by me:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (try this Dean & Deluca Porcini Sea Salt for extra oomph!)
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)

a few pinches of smoked paprika
more olive oil to drizzle

Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas and water. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside (Vollrath Wear-Ever 64 Oz. Aluminum Transfer Ladle).

Cuisinart® SmartStick® Hand Blender

Crate & Barrel

$49.95

Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot (Cuisinart® SmartStick® Hand Blender) . Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree – you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika and a touch of lemon zest.

Serves 4 to 6.

Related posts:

1. Pea Soup with Williams-Sonoma Olio Santo
2. Butternut Squash Soup
3. Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Butternut Squash Soup With Brown Butter
1 3-to-3 1/2-pound butternut squash
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs sage
1 cup thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons honey
6 cups vegetable stock, more if needed
Bouquet Garni made of 8 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs Italian parsley,
2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, all wrapped in a
packet made of 2 green leek leaves
1/4 cup creme fraiche
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced chives
Extra-virgin olive oil.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the neck off the squash and set it aside. Cut the bulb in half and scoop [Rosle Ice Cream Scoop] out and discard seeds. Brush each half inside and out with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the canola oil. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and pepper and tuck a sprig of sage into each. Place cut-side-down on the baking sheet and roast until completely tender, about 1 hour. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool, then scoop out and reserve the flesh (discard sage).

2. Meanwhile, using a paring knife, peel away the skin from the neck of the squash until you reach the bright orange flesh. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups).

3. Put the remaining canola oil in a stockpot [Infinite Circulon 7 Qt. Covered Straining Stockpot]  over medium-high heat, add the leeks, carrots, shallots and onions and cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes. Add the diced squash, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook gently for 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to keep the garlic and squash from coloring. Stir in the honey and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.

4. Add the roasted squash and simmer gently for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Remove from the heat and discard the bouquet garni. Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches, and puree. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Place the creme fraiche in a small chilled bowl and stir in nutmeg to taste. Whisk until the creme fraiche holds a shape. Cover and refrigerate.

6. Gently reheat the soup until just hot. If it is too thick, add a little more vegetable stock. Heat a medium skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the butter and rotate the skillet over the heat as necessary to brown the butter evenly, scraping up any bits that settle in the bottom. As soon as the butter is a hazelnut brown, pour it into the pot of soup — keep a safe distance, it may sputter — then stir.

7. Ladle the soup into six serving bowls. Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche. Grind some black pepper over the top and sprinkle on the chives. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Serves 6.

Adapted from ”Bouchon,” by Thomas Keller.

Related posts:

1. Butternut Squash Soup
2. The Little Red House: Butternut Squash Orzo
3. Sweet Butternut Squash Recipe

Sheena Jibson’s wonderful recipe with suggestions by me!:

Butternut Squash Orzo
Serves 4

1 roasted chicken
1/2 butternut squash
1/2 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper and thyme
1/2c-3/4c chicken broth
1 cup orzo, fully cooked according to package directions
3 strips of bacon (I am not a bacon lover so this was just the right amount for me….if you love bacon, add a few more:)
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese

-Halve and clean squash
-Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme and s&p (Le Creuset® Silicone Basting Brush – White)
place squash (cut side up), onion, and garlic cloves on a lined baking sheet and roast at 425 until veggies are fork tender, about 30 minutes (onion and garlic will need to be removed before squash) Squash will easily scoop right out of peel when it is done roasting.
-Add all veggies to a food processor, along with 1/2c chicken broth and puree. (Cuisinart 9-cup Food Processor)
-Add a bit more broth if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste.
-Combine cooked orzo, chicken, crumbled bacon, and butternut sauce.
Top with parmesan. (Microplane Rotary Parmesan Cheese Grater)

Related posts:

1. Butternut Squash Soup
2. Butternut Squash Soup
3. Homemade Chicken Stock

Per Golubka’s instructions: “Take some familiar greens, or better yet, be adventurous and pick the brightest leaves with the strangest name. A bunch usually serves about three people. Add a banana per person, the riper the better. Stop here for a classic combination, or go on to add some kiwi, apple, grapes, mango, or berries for a more fruity flavour. Add about 1/2 cup of water per person and blend well until smooth and bubbly. Generally, this kind of smoothie tastes like fruit, but some greens overpower the sweetness. Those include collard greens, Swiss chard, and, the mightiest of all, arugula – nothing can mask its presence.”

Oster Classic Beehive Blender – Blue, Chrome, Copper, Red

Oster 14 Speed Blender

Magic Bullet Express

Related posts:

1. Cancer-fighting food
2. Feeding Picky Eaters
3. Superfood Alert: Strawberries

Enough of the whining. One thing I am so grateful for today is the KitchenAid Slow Cooker. If I didn’t have this, I would probably not have eaten a single thing.

KitchenAid Slow Cooker in Black

All I did this morning was cut up some veggies and some leftover chicken and threw it into some chicken stock. Chicken soup, voila! I didn’t really use a recipe, but I’ve attached a really beautiful one from a blog called “Tight Bod with a Pod.” Cheeky! Cook away, healthy friends!

Chicken Soup–surely for the soul!

• Place chicken stock in a large pot, over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.  Add carrots, and simmer until tender, about 6 – 8 minutes.  If you have the time to create your own homemade chicken broth, we suggest this recipe for its simplicity and taste by Emeril Lagasse.
• Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.  Cook noodles until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain noodles and add to the pot of stock.
• Continue by adding shredded chicken, zucchini, corn, salt, pepper and dill to the stock.  Cook all ingredients about 5 minutes, until zucchini is cooked.
• Pour in bowls and garnish with parsley.  (Smash up chicken and veggies for infants with low teeth count.)

Here are some other slow cookers for those nights you just want to curl up and stay out of the kitchen.

Cuisinart 3.5 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

Hamilton Stay or Go Plus Slow Cooker

Related posts:

1. Oval Shaped Slow Cookers Easier
2. Butternut Squash Soup
3. Butternut Squash Soup

OXO Corn Stripper

There are some different Corn Zippers that resemble vegetable peelers. Store your kernels in some sort of food storage set, ’cause you’re going to have a lot of kernels.

OXO® 10-Piece Pop Container Set.

Related posts:

1. Corn on the cob – this is how we do it
2. Tasty Corn Chowder
3. Spring Cleaning in the Kitchen!

My favorite dessert in the world are fruit tartes . When I eat pies or tartes I go straight for the crust! But instead of just using the tartes for dessert, I thought it would be a delicious alternative to eat tartes for lunch or dinner, made with the one and only Le Creuset Tarte Pan. The stainless steel spatula will be an important part of getting your polenta ready and this All-Clad Stainless Steel Flexible Spatula is perfect. The recipe and beautiful images are via Elizabeth from the Guilty Kitchen!

Zucchini Tarte Tatin with Polenta

Polenta method is adapted from Marcella Hazan

4 cups water or low sodium broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole grain cornmeal (medium to coarse grind)
2 small zucchini (approximately 6″ each)
1 tsp. veg oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. Chèvre
1/2 cup asiago, grated
1 Tbsp each of fresh thyme, chives and basil, chopped
1 egg, beaten (room temperature)

1. Bring water and salt to a boil, whisk in cornmeal a little at a time to avoid clumps.
2. Cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
3. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes. Stirring every 5-10 minutes for at least 1 minute.
4. Meanwhile, slice your zucchini into 1/4″ rounds.
5. Add oil to skillet and heat to medium high. Add zucchini and salt & pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes (or until slightly softened).
6. Grease an 8″ round baking dish . Arrange cooked zucchini in concentric circles around bottom of dish. When finished, crumble chèvre over zucchini. Preheat oven to 400°F.
7. After 45 minutes, remove polenta from heat & stir in cheese and herbs.
8. Let stand 15-20 minutes, add beaten egg and stir quickly to combine.
9. When polenta is ready, pour gently over zucchini. Spread evenly with spatula.
10. Bake for 40 minutes for a soft centre. Longer if you want it more set.
11. Take tarte out of oven and slide a knife or spatula around the edges to loosen. Place a large round plate on top of baking dish and flip everything over together to get the tarte out.

via The Guilty Kitchen

Related posts:

1. Zucchini Breakfast Muffins
2. Ratatouille with a Stainless Steel Commercial Mandoline and Natural Serving Platters
3. Martha Stewart Living: Chicken Tetrazzini

Thomas Keller’s Favorite Simple Roast Chicken with Marinade Injector

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

Unsalted butter
Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it’s a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it’s cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan (like this 3-qt. Mauviel Saute Pan with Lid ) or roasting pan (like this Le Creuset Roasting Pan ) and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don’t baste it, I don’t add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don’t want. Roast it until it’s done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I’m cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook’s rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You’ll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it’s so good.

Image and Recipe via Lawyer Loves Lunch

I’ve added a recipe for a simple Green Bean and Potato Salad that I think would go great with Thomas Keller’s Chicken Roast!

image and recipe via Weekof Menus

Green Bean Potato Salad
Serves 6-8

8 oz green beans, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 lbs small red or white skinned potatoes (I did the small round dutch yellow that you can get at Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Cook green beans in well-salted, boiling water.  Cook for 4 minutes.  Drain, rinse with cold water and pat dry.

Place cut potatoes in well salted water.  Bring to a boil.  Cook for 8-10 minutes until potatoes are just tender.  (Poke a fork to see as cooking time will ultimately vary based on size of potato.)  Drain and set aside.

Quickly mix together white vinegar, olive oil, shallot, parsley and mustard to make a dressing.  Pour over the still warm potatoes and toss well to coat. [Side note: with a salad with this many ingredients, these 8 piece glass prep bowls let me get cooking and eating quickly!]  Cool completely.  Once potatoes are cooled, add green beans.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve room temperature or cold.

Related posts:

1. No cook rotisserie chicken
2. Arugula, Potato and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing
3. Butternut Squash Soup

Fried egg with chorizo and sage pesto sandwich

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 4 mins
Serves: 1

Ingredients for the sandwich:

1 ciabatta roll
1 egg
5 hand cut slices chorizo  ( about 5mm or a little less than 1/4 inch thick)
A hand full of rocket
A little olive oil

For the pesto:

50g (2 ounces) sage leaves
50g (2 ounces) walnuts
150 ml (2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
50g (2 ounces) Parmesan
5 grams (1 tsp) salt

Method:

To make the pesto using the traditional method take a pestle and mortar and crush all the ingredient with the mortar gradually incorporating  the extra virgin olive oil, if you don’t have time for this throw everything in to a mini blender and pulse until a rough texture  is achieved. You will have enough to fill a small jar and you can keep this in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks or alternatively fill an ice cube tray and freeze, then you can pop a cube into pasta sauces or enrich soups etc…

To make your sandwich, fry the chorizo in a hot pan with a little oil, not too much as the chorizo will produce its own oil.

When the chorizo is starting to crisp up move to the side of the frying pan and fry your egg until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still runny.
Slice open a ciabatta roll and fill with the chorizo then the rocket and top with the egg, finishing with a drizzle of pesto.

via Design Sponge

Related posts:

1. Revamped Grilled Cheese Sandwich
2. Chorizo Makes Everything Better
3. Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies