I can't believe it is the last day of 2010! The year flew by and overall it was a good one for us. We took our first Winter getaway to Cancun and our first family fishing trip to Gananoque in Canada (which included amazing shore dinners and lovely accommodations). I also had the opportunity to host our Passover Seder and loved finally getting a chance to use our beautiful Seder plate after all these years.
I was fortunate enough to be able to celebrate a milestone birthday not only with a girl's only weekend back to Kansas City (my hometown), but also a fabulous trip to Las Vegas with a couple we introduced many years ago (and they beat us to getting married, too!) and we enjoyed incredible food at Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys.
December 31, 2010
December 28, 2010
The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Nancy Reagan's Monkey Bread)
About a month or so ago, I received a copy of a new cookbook. Normally, I'd have gone through it quickly and select a recipe or two to try and put a review together. This cookbook was different from any other I had received to review. The Essential New York Times Cookbook
is comparable to an encyclopedia of recipes that have been published in the New York Times over the last 150 years. Yes, this comprehensive book holds recipes that are testaments to the cooking of the past as well as the present.
Amanda Hesser took on the incredible task of selecting and testing these recipes over several years. You think that Julie Powell's Julie/Julia project was a monumental task, I think this one goes beyond that one. Amanda Hesser spent years pouring over these recipes to determine what recipes would be worthy of being included in this comprehensive homage to recipes submitted to the New York Times.
This is one of those cookbooks that you can sit down and peruse and read like a book. Each chapter has an introduction written by Amanda Hesser and her style shines through. If you have read and enjoyed any of her other books or compilations, you will find her voice in each page of this cookbook. This is why it took me some time to decide what to make and share here.
I had marked the Banana Tea Bread, but because I have made so many different banana breads here I decided I needed to look for something different. Something that might challenge me a bit more than another quickbread. When I saw the recipe for Nancy Reagan's Monkey Bread I was intriqued. Why? Because I have a good friend who makes Monkey Bread for her kids and they rave about it all the time. She uses frozen bread dough from the grocery, so I latched on to this "from scratch" version and gave it a try.
The recipe is a yeast bread and unlike what I had expected, it was not a sweet bread. As it turns out, there are two different types of Monkey Bread. According to Ms. Hesser, in the South they make it savory and serve it with fried chicken. It was easy enough to make and made me realize that I need to play around with bread baking more. I enjoyed kneading the dough and creating it from scratch. Something I have not attempted in quite some time. Now, I did follow the recipe to the letter and when I turned the pan over to put it on the rack, it partially fell apart. No matter, it was still a tasty bread, but not as pretty as I would have liked.
The taste was that of a nice yeast bread, nothing extraordinary. The texture was a little crisp on the outside with soft, chewy goodness inside. I would venture to say dipping it in a bit of seasoned olive oil would be a very nice way to enjoy the bite-size pieces. Or even serving it along side a nice pasta dish covered in a rich tomato sauce. This bread would sop up the sauce perfectly.
Note: I received a review copy of the cookbook. I was not compensated for this review in any way and have provided my honest opinions in this post.
Now that I've made this version of Monkey Bread I am going to have to try others so I know what all the fuss is about. Here are some that I think may get tested sometime soon.
Pillsbury Grands Monkey Bread
Classic Monkey Bread from Baking Bites
There's also this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen (PW's recipe sharing site) that looks like a good possibility.
Nancy Reagan's Monkey Bread
Source: The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm whole milk
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 tablespoons unslated butter, melted
Directions
Butter and flour a 4-cup or larger ring mold or tube pan. Whisk the yeast with the milk in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 of the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, salt, and 4 cups of flour, switching to a wooden spoon when the dough gets stiff. Stir in the softened butter and knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together in a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until it forms an elastic ball, sprinkling with and working in up to 1 cup of flour to keep dough from getting sticky. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Pour the melted butter into a small bowl. punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. roll the dough into a log and cut into 28 equal pieces. shape each piece into a ball, dip in melted butter and place in the prepared pan, staggering the pieces in 2 layers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the remaining egg and lightly brush over the top of the bread. Bake until the top is nicely browned and dough is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Test by turning out the loaf onto a rack; the bottom and sides should be nicely browned. Turn upright on another rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
is comparable to an encyclopedia of recipes that have been published in the New York Times over the last 150 years. Yes, this comprehensive book holds recipes that are testaments to the cooking of the past as well as the present.Amanda Hesser took on the incredible task of selecting and testing these recipes over several years. You think that Julie Powell's Julie/Julia project was a monumental task, I think this one goes beyond that one. Amanda Hesser spent years pouring over these recipes to determine what recipes would be worthy of being included in this comprehensive homage to recipes submitted to the New York Times.
This is one of those cookbooks that you can sit down and peruse and read like a book. Each chapter has an introduction written by Amanda Hesser and her style shines through. If you have read and enjoyed any of her other books or compilations, you will find her voice in each page of this cookbook. This is why it took me some time to decide what to make and share here.
I had marked the Banana Tea Bread, but because I have made so many different banana breads here I decided I needed to look for something different. Something that might challenge me a bit more than another quickbread. When I saw the recipe for Nancy Reagan's Monkey Bread I was intriqued. Why? Because I have a good friend who makes Monkey Bread for her kids and they rave about it all the time. She uses frozen bread dough from the grocery, so I latched on to this "from scratch" version and gave it a try.
The recipe is a yeast bread and unlike what I had expected, it was not a sweet bread. As it turns out, there are two different types of Monkey Bread. According to Ms. Hesser, in the South they make it savory and serve it with fried chicken. It was easy enough to make and made me realize that I need to play around with bread baking more. I enjoyed kneading the dough and creating it from scratch. Something I have not attempted in quite some time. Now, I did follow the recipe to the letter and when I turned the pan over to put it on the rack, it partially fell apart. No matter, it was still a tasty bread, but not as pretty as I would have liked.
The taste was that of a nice yeast bread, nothing extraordinary. The texture was a little crisp on the outside with soft, chewy goodness inside. I would venture to say dipping it in a bit of seasoned olive oil would be a very nice way to enjoy the bite-size pieces. Or even serving it along side a nice pasta dish covered in a rich tomato sauce. This bread would sop up the sauce perfectly.
Note: I received a review copy of the cookbook. I was not compensated for this review in any way and have provided my honest opinions in this post.
Now that I've made this version of Monkey Bread I am going to have to try others so I know what all the fuss is about. Here are some that I think may get tested sometime soon.
Pillsbury Grands Monkey Bread
Classic Monkey Bread from Baking Bites
There's also this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen (PW's recipe sharing site) that looks like a good possibility.
Nancy Reagan's Monkey Bread
Source: The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm whole milk
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 tablespoons unslated butter, melted
Directions
Butter and flour a 4-cup or larger ring mold or tube pan. Whisk the yeast with the milk in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 of the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, salt, and 4 cups of flour, switching to a wooden spoon when the dough gets stiff. Stir in the softened butter and knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together in a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until it forms an elastic ball, sprinkling with and working in up to 1 cup of flour to keep dough from getting sticky. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Pour the melted butter into a small bowl. punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. roll the dough into a log and cut into 28 equal pieces. shape each piece into a ball, dip in melted butter and place in the prepared pan, staggering the pieces in 2 layers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the remaining egg and lightly brush over the top of the bread. Bake until the top is nicely browned and dough is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Test by turning out the loaf onto a rack; the bottom and sides should be nicely browned. Turn upright on another rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
December 26, 2010
A Light Meal to Offset the Holiday Eating: Rigatoni with Creamy Sausage Sauce
Now that the bulk of the heavy eating holidays are done, I thought it might be a good time to share a recipe I made recently. It's not heavy even though the sauce definitely has a creaminess to it. I decided to use the ShopRite Imported Roasted Red Peppers that were sent to me as part of the ShopRite Blogger Panel box of goodies for December.
I loved that the peppers were still whole and had that nice char to them. I've found some jarred roasted red peppers don't have that and the flavor is just not there. The dish I added them to comes from Weight Watchers and is filled with lots of good for you ingredients. You could amp-up the nutrition by using whole wheat pasta, but I opted not to do that as I was serving the whole family and they have not totally accepted the whole wheat pasta just yet. Occasionally, I can get it past them but not always.
I added some fresh baby spinach, because I had it on hand and it just sounded good. One of the great things about a dish like this is that you can add just about anything to it and it will work perfectly. I left out the frozen green peas since my family doesn't care for them in pasta dishes, but I don't think it hurt the dish at all. It was full of color and was very simple to make - on the table in about 30 minutes.
Just about everyone enjoyed it... as I have mentioned before, My Oldest is going through a picky phase (yes, that can still happen at nearly 9 years old it seems), so he picked out what he liked and left the rest. I still stand by making only one meal for the family and either you eat it or you don't. No special meals here. Eventually, he'll come back around, I think for him it's more of declaring some kind of independence right now. I'm not worried because he does eat a pretty varied diet in general.
So, this is a tasty recipe that won't immediately go to your hips and may offset some of the indulging you've done recently. Check the fridge and add what you have and if you have access to a ShopRite store, pick up a bottle of their imported roasted red peppers. I am sure you'll be pleased with the quality.
Rigatoni with Creamy Sausage Sauce
Adapted from: Weight Watchers
8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces raw turkey sausage, casings removed (I used about 3 links of sweet turkey sausage)
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (use whatever variety you prefer)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon back pepper, freshly ground
Directions
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In a large non-stick skillet, cook sausage stirring and breaking it into chunks as it cooks. Once browned - about 3 minutes - remove sausage to a bowl. Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until until lightly browned and softened. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
In a measuring cup, whisk together flour and milk until smooth; stir into skillet with roasted red peppers, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer until thickened - about 3 minutes. Stir in the sausage and spinach. Remove from heat and allow the spinach to wilt.
Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir until pasta is coated with sauce and the ingredients are thoroughly tossed together.
About 2 cups per serving with a Points Plus value of 11.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
I loved that the peppers were still whole and had that nice char to them. I've found some jarred roasted red peppers don't have that and the flavor is just not there. The dish I added them to comes from Weight Watchers and is filled with lots of good for you ingredients. You could amp-up the nutrition by using whole wheat pasta, but I opted not to do that as I was serving the whole family and they have not totally accepted the whole wheat pasta just yet. Occasionally, I can get it past them but not always.
Just about everyone enjoyed it... as I have mentioned before, My Oldest is going through a picky phase (yes, that can still happen at nearly 9 years old it seems), so he picked out what he liked and left the rest. I still stand by making only one meal for the family and either you eat it or you don't. No special meals here. Eventually, he'll come back around, I think for him it's more of declaring some kind of independence right now. I'm not worried because he does eat a pretty varied diet in general.
So, this is a tasty recipe that won't immediately go to your hips and may offset some of the indulging you've done recently. Check the fridge and add what you have and if you have access to a ShopRite store, pick up a bottle of their imported roasted red peppers. I am sure you'll be pleased with the quality.
Rigatoni with Creamy Sausage Sauce
Adapted from: Weight Watchers
8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces raw turkey sausage, casings removed (I used about 3 links of sweet turkey sausage)
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (use whatever variety you prefer)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon back pepper, freshly ground
Directions
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In a large non-stick skillet, cook sausage stirring and breaking it into chunks as it cooks. Once browned - about 3 minutes - remove sausage to a bowl. Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until until lightly browned and softened. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
In a measuring cup, whisk together flour and milk until smooth; stir into skillet with roasted red peppers, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer until thickened - about 3 minutes. Stir in the sausage and spinach. Remove from heat and allow the spinach to wilt.
Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir until pasta is coated with sauce and the ingredients are thoroughly tossed together.
About 2 cups per serving with a Points Plus value of 11.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
December 22, 2010
Happy Holidays
So, the holiday season is nearly over and we'll be starting a new year before we know it. The month has really gotten away from me and I haven't had the time to post and share much lately. One thing I really wanted to share before more time passed is to wish everyone who takes the time to stop by and visit Family, Friend and Food a Very Happy Holiday season and may 2011 be a truly delicious year filled with plenty of time spent with your own family and friends.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of this time of year, I hope that you each take the time to appreciate those you have in your lives - family and friends.
With the start of a new year coming so very quickly, I'm already thinking about the things I want to do in 2011... and hope to share more recipes and other types of posts throughout the year. I do plan to get a few more posts in for 2010, so do come back and see what else I'm sharing over the next week.
Happy Holidays!
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
With the start of a new year coming so very quickly, I'm already thinking about the things I want to do in 2011... and hope to share more recipes and other types of posts throughout the year. I do plan to get a few more posts in for 2010, so do come back and see what else I'm sharing over the next week.
Happy Holidays!
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
December 13, 2010
Lots of Giggles (Oreo Milkshakes) - The Family Dish
I was contacted by the PR folks at Unilever and asked if I would like to do a post to get the family into the kitchen together as part of their Family Dish program, I was happy to say "yes"! Obviously, if you have read posts here you know that feeding my family is what I'm all about. So, when I received their recipe booklet, Fun Family Cooking, I took some time looking through it for ideas on how to use the products that were sent to me.
Last weekend was one of those rare weekends where we didn't have plans each and every moment of the day, so rather than make it a big gathering we kept it simple and it was just us. I look forward to those meals on the weekends where it is just us and we can kick back and enjoy ourselves at our own pace.
We started with the Skillet Pasta & Beef Dinner. This is a quick and easy meal to throw together, and it is seriously on the table within 30 minutes. My only complaint about the dish itself is that it really needs more seasoning. The recipe calls for Ragu pasta sauce, which is not one of our favorites and can use a bit of doctoring up to make it more flavorful. The dish itself has potential and I will tinker with it a bit next time I serve it. My Youngest gave it a big thumb's up so, I will have to give it a try again.
For dessert I couldn't resist making the Oreo Milkshakes. I know it's freezing cold outside, but in our house there is never a bad time for ice cream or a milkshake! Holy cow, these were beyond fantastic! My Boys loved them so much they ended up in fits of giggles while enjoying them... not totally sure what got them laughing, but the sound was nothing short of pure happiness. Can't beat that!
How do you get your family into the kitchen? What do you enjoy making together?
Note: The PR folks at Unilever sent me a gift card to purchase ingredients as well as several products that are produced by Unilever for review. I was not compensated for this post and have provided my honest opinion in this post.
Oreo Milkshake
Source: Fun Family Cooking (Unilever)
Ingredients
4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
8 Oreo Cookies, divided
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 cups Breyer's All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
Directions
Spoon 1 teaspoon of syrup into each of 4 glasses. Roll to coat bottom and sides. Finely chop 4 cookies; set aside.
Quarter remaining cookies; place in blender. Add milk and ice cream; blend until smooth.
Pour into prepared glasses; top with chopped cookies. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
Last weekend was one of those rare weekends where we didn't have plans each and every moment of the day, so rather than make it a big gathering we kept it simple and it was just us. I look forward to those meals on the weekends where it is just us and we can kick back and enjoy ourselves at our own pace.
We started with the Skillet Pasta & Beef Dinner. This is a quick and easy meal to throw together, and it is seriously on the table within 30 minutes. My only complaint about the dish itself is that it really needs more seasoning. The recipe calls for Ragu pasta sauce, which is not one of our favorites and can use a bit of doctoring up to make it more flavorful. The dish itself has potential and I will tinker with it a bit next time I serve it. My Youngest gave it a big thumb's up so, I will have to give it a try again.
How do you get your family into the kitchen? What do you enjoy making together?
Note: The PR folks at Unilever sent me a gift card to purchase ingredients as well as several products that are produced by Unilever for review. I was not compensated for this post and have provided my honest opinion in this post.
Oreo Milkshake
Source: Fun Family Cooking (Unilever)
Ingredients
4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
8 Oreo Cookies, divided
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 cups Breyer's All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
Directions
Spoon 1 teaspoon of syrup into each of 4 glasses. Roll to coat bottom and sides. Finely chop 4 cookies; set aside.
Quarter remaining cookies; place in blender. Add milk and ice cream; blend until smooth.
Pour into prepared glasses; top with chopped cookies. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.
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