[blindcooks] Re: Just had to share some recent successes
- From: "Jan Bailey" <jlb021951@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 16:19:05 -0600
Wow! that foods sounds great! I might try that chicken dish!
Jan
From: blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jon Rawlings
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 10:27 AM
To: Blind Cooks List
Subject: [blindcooks] Just had to share some recent successes
Hello everyone:
First of all, Valerie, Heather has been sleeping quite well the past
few nights, but she does seem to cutting in some new teeth. Even so, I've
managed to catch up on my sleep the past few days to some degree. But as
for the subject of my post; I have had some great successes in the kitchen
the last week or so that I had to share. It started last Thursday when I
attempted to make Hassleback potatoes for the first time. My brother-in-law
showed me how they are made when we were up there for Christmas, so I
already knew the basics. The version I made were excellent, and will become
a major part of our menu from now on. I sliced the potatoes across from end
to end, going almost all the way through, then baked them for about a half
hour so the slices could open and fan out a bit. While they baked, I melted
some butter and added in a few cloves of chopped garlic, salt and pepper,
and about two tablespoons of chopped fresh sage. I brushed some of this
butter over the potatoes, then put them back in to bake for another 15
minutes. I did this twice more, and used all the butter that was left when
I brushed them the last time. The result was that all the butter and
garlic and herbs got down in between each of the slices and the skins were
very crispy. We both wanted more. The next smashing success came with the
red sweet potato curry I made for dinner Sunday night. Unfortunately, I had
forgotten I had run out of red curry paste some time back, so I had to use
the yellow paste in stead. The base of the curry was the curry paste of
course, as well as some tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and coconut milk,
then cubed sweet potatoes and carrots were added and cooked until tender. I
was supposed to add some shallots toward the end, but didn't have them on
hand. The result was outstanding and very flavorful. The recipe came from
either the November or December issue of "Bon Apettit Magazine" as a Vegan
alternative for family members who might not like all the turkey and ham.
But the best of all came last night. There was a recipe in the
October/November issue of "Cooks' Country for chicken pieces served with
sauteed radishes, spinach, and bacon. First, cook several slices of bacon
until crisp. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain, but leave the fat
in the pan. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, then sear,
skin side down, in the bacon fat until brown, roughly 5 minutes. Turn the
pieces over and finish the chicken in a 450-degree F. oven for about 20
minutes longer. When the chicken is done, remove it to a platter and pour
off most of the fat in the pan, then add the quartered radishes along with a
bit of salt, and cook until just tender, about two minutes. Then, add some
chopped garlic, allow to cook for 15 or 20 seconds, then add the spinach,
using tongs to drag the leaves through the pan drippings as they wilt.
Finish with the crumbled bacon and a squeeze of lemon juice and serve along
side the chicken. I also made mashed potatoes to go with this as well.
Even Emily, who is used to my cooking and is not easily impressed any more,
proclaimed it delicious several times over. The bacon permiates everything,
including the crispy skin on the chicken. That recipe will definitely go
into my book of tried and true recipes worth making again. And, I still
have one more new recipe to go. I'll be making red beans and r ice in the
slow cooker some time before the end of the week. I have high hopes for
this one as well. But tonight, there is enough left over in the fridge that
I don't have to cook tonight. Even those of us who love to cook need a
break now and then.
Jon
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