Springspiration by Teri Hiben April 8, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Here we are in April! Together we’ve walked through winter with all of its challenges. We all had our ways of managing, but I know that over the past months I’ve made a lot of bread, simmered, then savored many different soups and stews, and tried my hand at some new culinary skills. All of those efforts, whatever they have been, nourished and comforted us. But now, with birdsong out my window, buds on the trees and enjoying the greening of the neighborhood, I’m looking for some new idea to match. There’s a desire for freshness, spring green vegetables, something a bit lighter to jumpstart our meals. Can you relate? I’ve decided to freshen up by finding some new sources for ideas. Actually, some of them aren’t “new”, simply revisited. I recently revisited the Marcel’s website, full of recipes from my co-workers over the past 10 years. Many of them are from our free Tuesday demos which means they are easy, tasty and tested. I was reminded of one of my all-time favorites: Janie’s Penne with Beef and Arugula (try it!). Then there are some of the cookbooks in my kitchen that I already use, but maybe haven’t looked at with new eyes, like Alison Roman’s Dining In. Her lemon tart isn’t complicated but certainly fills the desire for a fresh (and lovely) spring dessert. At Marcel’s we’re offering a richly varied collection of new cookbooks. There are 4 different sheet pan cookbooks for easy and healthy all-on-one-pan meals (think ideas like salmon, potatoes, asparagus – dinner is done!). Or Simply Julia for easy, simple and healthy meal ideas. My current obsession is Mandy’s Gourmet Salads from a restaurant in Quebec. I know, a salad is a pretty easy thing to throw together and I’ve done my share of throwing, but mine were getting tired and boring. After looking through it at the store a few times, I had to have it and at home since then, we’ve been pleased to enjoy the fresh flavors of the growing variety of fresh produce I’m finding in the grocery stores, all with an easy twist. Come in to take a look at some of these cookbooks and freshen up your spring meals! Mandy's Shanghai Salad 2021-04-08 12:35:28 Print Ingredients 2 cups chopped romaine 2 cups spinach or mesclun 1/2 avocado, diced 1/4 cups drained mandarine orange slices 1/4 cups halved cherry tomatoes 1/4 cups shredded lettuce 1/2 cups crisped ramen noodles (saute in oil) 2 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds Left over chicken, shrimp or salmon Sweet Sesame Dressing (or one of the tasty similar ones at Marcel’s) 1 cup sunflower (or light) oil 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 cup Sweet Sesame Syrup (see below) Sweet Sesame Syrup 3/4 cup agave syrup 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce Instructions Sweet Sesame Dressing: Mix together all ingredients for dressing in a jar and shake until homogenized. Combine and toss with salad ingredients. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
The Double Yolk Egg by Niki Ludington February 18, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Like many folks, I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen cooking with family during the pandemic. This past summer my son and I took turns making eggs – scrambled, fried, hard-boiled – for breakfasts, lunches, and brunches several times a week. One morning I opened a fresh carton of eggs to make a scramble for us. As we talked and shared plans for the day, I cracked the first egg into the bowl – business as usual. Then, I cracked the second egg into the bowl and it was a double yolk. I had never seen a double yolk egg before and was pretty excited! The third egg was a double yolk….and so was the fourth….and the fifth. I can be a little superstitious at times and had the idea that a double yolk egg was a sign of good luck. But, I had to know for sure, so I Googled double yolk eggs and confirmed they are indeed a sign of good luck! But, four double yolk eggs? My son and I couldn’t imagine what might be in store for us, the year being 2020 and all. Over a very yolky scramble, we laughed and talked about what it might mean. Later that week we got an offer on our home that had been listed for sale. We felt pretty lucky! Could the double yolk eggs have been a sign of our good fortune? Double yolk eggs are considered to be rare, with just 1 out of every 1000 having two yolks. A double yolk occurs when a chicken releases two yolks into the same shell, and is most likely produced by a very young or an older chicken. Eggs with double yolks are perfectly safe to eat. Baking with double yolk eggs can be tricky as they do affect ratios. If your baking recipe calls for egg yolks only, pay attention to yolk size. Sometimes double yolkers will have half-size yolks, so two would count as one. If you don’t want to risk using a double yolker in a baking recipe, get creative with rustic scrambles and frittatas. I’m sharing one of my favorite frittata recipes – it’s an easy and delicious one-pan meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a crowd-pleaser in my home. Wishing you many delicious meals, happy times in your kitchen, and the luck of the double yolk egg! Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Frittata 2021-02-17 00:38:16 Print Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup diced onion 2 links cooked chicken sausage, diced ½ cup diced peppers 1 cup spinach coarsely chopped ¼ shredded Italian cheese 8 large eggs ½ cup milk ¾ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper Instructions Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. Heat olive oil in a 10” oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until slightly browned. Add onions and peppers and cook until softened. Cover mixture with spinach and allow spinach to slightly wilt. Pour egg mixture into skillet, stir, and sprinkle with cheese. Cook until edges start to pull away from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Bake at 350 F until set, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly, cut into wedges, and serve. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Cozy Childhood Memories by Jenny Lorish November 5, 2020 by Jenny Chang 2 Comments It’s that time of year… the fall season is ending, leaves are falling from the trees and a frigid chill is in the air. The days get colder and the nights get longer. Soon the snow will be upon us. There is a lot to think about to prepare for winter. Just like the squirrels gather nuts and make their nests, we need to get out the winter clothing and stock up the pantry. I love to cook cozy comfort food on a cold winter evening. Light a candle, build a fire in the fireplace and wrap myself in a warm and comfy blanket. It only gets better with a bowl of something warm and tasty that says “Winter, bring it on!” Nothing is better than a meal that brings back childhood memories. One of my favorite childhood memories is coming home to our warm home after a long day of skiing. The smell of a delicious meal in the oven which undoubtedly meant mom has been cooking all day. The anticipation for that meal to fill our hungry bellies and give us the nourishment felt like forever. We would run to the kitchen table when heard mom holler “Dinner! Come and eat.” It was a table filled with stories and laughter from our adventures on the ski hills. Any dutch oven by Le Crueset, like this Deep Teal color, is the perfect vessel to make that lovely cold day warmth giver. The enameled iron and perfect fitting lid not only looks beautiful but, does the job you need. This recipe brings me back to those good old days. The pantry items and winter veggie is the perfect combination. Give it a try… And may it create new memories for you and yours. Cozy White Bean and Kale Stew 2020-11-05 13:17:04 Print Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28-ounce) can whole diced tomatoes 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Handful fresh thyme sprigs 2 rosemary sprigs Sea salt and pepper, to taste 3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 bunch kale, washed, stemmed, and chopped Instructions Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 1 minute, or until softened. Add the tomatoes into the pot. Stir in the vegetable broth. Use kitchen twine to tie the thyme and rosemary together into one bundle. Add the herb bundle to the pot along the with sea salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the soup to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use tongs to carefully retrieve and discard the herb bundle. Then, stir in the beans and kale, and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the kale begins to soften and wilt. Serve with crusty, warm bread. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Fall Decorating by Didi Foth October 19, 2020 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Fall is definitely here – the leaves are changing, nights are cold and the bright colored summer flowers are replaced by the rich jewel tones of mums and cabbage. It is also the time of year that many of us fill our homes with fall decorations. My daughter has a November 1st birthday and when she was younger, my house was filled with Halloween decorations to help us get ready for Halloween themed birthday parties which were an annual event at our house. Witches, ghosts and jack-o-lanterns were in every room. Now that she is older I may take out a few of our favorite ghouls, but I tend to decorate for the fall with pumpkins, gourds and prettier items. I love seeing the inside of my home reflect the colors and feel of the season. When I started working at Marcels, I was fortunate to be introduced to one of my favorite things – Plush Pumpkins. These handmade, velvet pumpkins with real pumpkin and gourd stems are beautiful and make stunning displays on a tablescape or tucked in a corner of a shelf. The new Plush Pumpkins have arrived in the store and the colors are beautiful. Stop in to see them and all the other fall decorations we have – from whimsical Halloween items to beautiful Simon Pearce pumpkins. And don’t forget to take advantage of our Simon Pearce Gift With Purchase promotion (through November 16th). When you make a purchase of $225 or more in Simon Pearce glassware, we will give you a Small Twist Glass Pumpkin as our gift to you (while supplies last). How’s that for fall inspiration?! Happy decorating!
Birthday Cake? Nope, Birthday Pie Instead by Denise Stano September 17, 2020 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment For most families, birthday celebrations typically involve presents and cake for the guest of honor. It is difficult to comprehend that prior to March 2020 and our COVID-19 quarantine, we actually encouraged the birthday person to BLOW directly onto the cake to make a wish. What were we thinking??? My family loves cake as much as the next, but when it comes to our private birthday celebrations, ours will most likely involve a birthday pie. We have tried them all…fruit, cream, frozen, graham cracker crust, cookie crust, etc., etc. A favorite at the moment is a Peach Blueberry that I recently made for my son’s 31st birthday. It was full of flavorful Michigan peaches and Michigan blueberries and a streusel topping of brown sugar, pecans and butter. How can you go wrong with that ingredient list? And because of all the yummy juices, it needs to be eaten quickly … so be sure to go back for seconds! Peach Blueberry Pie with Pecan Streusel Topping 2020-09-16 20:05:27 Print Ingredients 3 cups fresh peaches peeled, pitted, and sliced 2 cups fresh blueberries 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 single pie crust 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons cold butter 1/2 cup chopped pecans Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine peaches and blueberries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and gently mix to combine. Combine cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch mixture over fruit and gently toss to coat. Place crust in 9” pie pan. Crimp edges if desired. Pour fruit into pie crust - I use a slotted spoon to minimize juice Streusel Topping Combine flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in butter. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping over fruit filling. Loosely cover pie edges with foil and place on a cookie sheet so you don't mess up your oven. Bake for 1 hour or until nice and bubbly. Remove the foil about 10-15 minutes before pie is finished baking. Let cool slightly before serving. Notes Recipe by Mom on Timeout Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/