Cooking with Nostalgia by Heidi Kise May 27, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment There is something very beautiful about going into my Granny B’s old wooden recipe box and pulling out a handwritten note card to create a classic dish that was in her standard repertoire. I sometimes worry that the art of passing down these family gems will someday be yet another “thing of the past.” Our mothers and grandmothers cook traditional dishes for loved ones without looking online, consulting a cookbook, or inserting a flash drive into the oven. These celebrated cooks learned to cook using all of their senses, worrying less about the exact time it takes to make a dish and instead, knowing just how something should look, feel and smell before moving on to the next step. Each of them has their own unique spin on classic dishes too; cooking with a little of this, a pinch of that, filling a pot halfway with something or other … and magically a mouthwatering aroma fills their home and you know that soon you will be gathering around the table to share this meal with your family. Whenever I smell the aroma of onions sautéing in a kitchen it immediately transports me to my childhood home. My Mom, Ingrid, cooked most nights and is an excellent home cook. She was born and raised in Germany so naturally German dishes are her specialty as is feeding every guest who comes into our home. For our birthday celebration, my three siblings and I would each choose our favorite meal for our mom to create. Mine was undoubtedly always a German dish, either goulash or roladen with spätzle or nockel. Mom’s Goulash This week, I celebrated my birthday as did my 7 year old son and guess what he requested? Goulash! It puts a smile on my face that he, too, loves a dish that has been a family tradition for years. Even after extracting the recipe step by step from my mom, and making it side by side with her, the goulash never tastes quite as good as hers. While this may not seem like a spring dish, it is a soulful and satiating dish that will hopefully become a favorite of yours that you can pass down to your kids. Thanks Mom for passing down this dish and your love of cooking to me! Goulash 2015-05-26 09:36:47 Print Ingredients 2 T. olive oil Salt and pepper 2 lb. sirloin beef, cut into bite size pieces 4 T. butter, divided 1 large onion, diced 5 T. sweet paprika 8 cups water ¾ cup flour 1 cup water Egg noodles Instructions Season meat with salt and pepper. Place a dutch oven on the stove top over high heat. After pot is hot, add the oil. When oil begins to shimmer, brown meat in batches. Removing each batch to a plate. When meat is seared, drop heat to medium; add 2 Tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat, add paprika and stir until combined. Add meat and juices back to pot along with water. Simmer, never boil, until tender, at least 2 hours. (Simmering time will depend on size that you cut your meat) In a medium bowl whisk together flour and water until mixture is completely smooth. Stir flour mixture into simmering pot of meat and simmer another 15 minutes until sauce has thickened. Whisk in remaining 2 T. of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy over egg noodles. By Heidi Kise Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
S’more Brownie Bites May 26, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment S’more Brownie Bites 2015-05-26 10:42:48 Print Ingredients 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 t. pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup quinoa flour* 3/4 cup mini marshmallows 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 4 large graham crackers, finely crushed Instructions Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-count mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add 3/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour until the mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Using a small cookie scoop, fill each paper liner with about 2 heaping tablespoons of batter. Push 3 mini marshmallows halfway down into the center of the batter. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the graham cracker crumbs over the marshmallows. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and light golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes and serve. Notes *Quinoa flour is available at health food stores. By Judy Fitzgerald Adapted from Giada De Laurentis Adapted from Giada De Laurentis Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Baked Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes May 20, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Baked Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes 2015-05-20 09:47:08 Serves 4 Print Ingredients 1 T. butter 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 4 to 6 chicken pieces (thighs, breast, legs, etc.) salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 can (14-ounces) quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 bag (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach ½ cup vegetable broth Instructions Preheat oven to 425. Heat butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet that's safe for stovetop and oven. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and brown on both sides; about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and set it on the side, leaving oil in skillet. Add artichokes, onions, carrots and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring occasionally, Add chopped garlic and spinach; continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add broth and chicken. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Plate and ladle liquid and veggies over chicken pieces. By Kelly Montgomery Adapted from Diethood Adapted from Diethood Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Ribboned Asparagus Salad May 14, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Ribboned Asparagus Salad 2015-05-14 06:19:58 Print Ingredients 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted & cooled 1 pound asparagus, rinsed 1 lemon, halved Olive Oil Coarse Salt Fresh ground black pepper 1-2 ounces Parmesan Instructions Holding on to the tough end of asparagus, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. Gently pile ribbons on a medium sized serving platter. Squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently and then use your peeler to shave curls of Parmesan right off the block, over the asparagus. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. By Diane Sibon Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars May 14, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars 2015-05-14 06:09:44 Print Ingredients 1 cup (80 grams) rolled oats 3/4 cup (95 grams) plus up to 2 T. (15 grams) extra all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (95 grams) light brown sugar Heaped 1/4 t. table salt 6 T. (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted 1 t. cornstarch (optional, but helps firm up the filling) 1 T. (15 ml) lemon juice 1 T. (15 grams) granulated sugar, divided - add more depending on sweetness of strawberries 3/4 cup (95 grams) small-diced rhubarb 1 cup (155 grams) small-diced strawberries Instructions Heat oven to 375 degrees F. For easy removal, line bottom and two sides of 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Mix oats, 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar and salt in bowl. Pour in melted butter stir until clumps form. If the clumps feel soft or look overly damp, add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture. Press the rest of the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of pan. Spread half the fruit over the crust. Sprinkle it evenly with cornstarch, then lemon juice, and 1/2 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Spread remaining fruit over this, and top with second 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Scatter reserved crumbs over fruit and bake bars for 40 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and crisp portion is golden. Let cool in pan. Cut into squares. Store leftovers in fridge. Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/