Aunt Stella's Thumbprint Cookies

Another family favorite that should already be in your file. If not, here is a really good version. Surely the name says it all but here's a tip from Stella. After baking for 5 minutes pull cookies out and press your thumb in the center of the first cookie - they are officially thumb print cookies at this point. Since your thumb is now burned get a spoon to press a dimple into the rest.

COOKIES: 350º Oven (makes 2 dozen)

• 1/2 Cup Margarine or vegetable spread
• 1/4 Cup Brown sugar (dark or light)
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 Cup Sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Egg white
• 3/4 Cup Chopped pecans

FILLING:

• 1/3 Cup Butter cream icing, jam, compotes, preserves, or fruit curds for filling or 24 chocolate kisses

Mix margarine with brown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour and salt. Combine dry with wet ingredients and mix by hand or mixer on low speed until smooth. Roll dough into 1" balls and dip into beater egg white. Roll coated balls in pecans and place 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes and follow instruction above. Return dimpled cookies to the oven and bake another 7-10 minutes or until golden brown (oven temps vary, but you knew that already). Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack and then decorate with icing, chocolate kiss, or other treats.

Making it to the big table

This phrase rings true more with the younger siblings out there. The older brothers and sisters won't understand. Around holiday time when the invitations go out and the head count is finalized the seating shuffle begins. In smaller families, less than eight, there is no sense in reading any further, you won't understand. In my case when we gather the number exceeds 20 so there is a necessity for more than one table, sometimes two or more smaller tables and that is the point of this article. Who sits at the "big" table is typically reserved for the parents, grand-parents, aunts uncles and if there is room some older siblings in birth order.

When I was a teenager this was not a big deal, I was at the smaller, (don't call it the kids table) table with my sister, younger brother and sometimes a cousin or two. We didn't want to sit at the "big folks" table. We were more than happy to sit around card tables in the living room and enjoy our meal in relative peace. As long as the food remained on our plates and not on each other we were pretty much left alone.

Fast forward, grand-parents no longer on the scene, aunts and uncles now living out of town and still I am at the small table around the holidays. The reasons? In-laws. Yep, the brothers and sisters-in-law have taken the empty seats. The older siblings have plopped themselves at the big table and drug their spouses right alone with them. Don't get me started about grandchildren with high-chairs taking up table space.

Still, I am OK with the smaller table reservations. During my college years I was happy to eat my weight in home cooking and my table mates couldn't have mattered less. Nope, the smaller table was fine. I didn't want to answer the endless questions from the grown-ups anyway. (topic of choice: haircut, girlfriends, grades, clothing, music, etc.) The smaller table was still way cooler. And if there ever was something we didn't like on the menu we could pile on whatever we wanted on our plates and pass off anything we didn't want on the plates of the younger ones who had graduated from sitting under their momma's watchful eye. They were so happy to be "independent" they couldn't raise any stink about another helping of oyster stuffing.

Skip to this week, as the family counts off and my folks start rounding up more folding chairs I am going to be sharing the smaller table with my wife of 3 years and eleven months, trying to explain yet again why we aren't at the big table. She is an only child born in Europe and not accustomed to our very odd seating rituals, and only tolerant of some of our holiday recipes. No there seems only two ways I will make the big table at the holidays: attrition (not such a happy thought) and a change of venue, meaning hosting Thanksgiving. Both of these are not likely anytime soon, my mother has been hosting the feast of the beast for the last 50 plus years and there are no signs this will change. She does farm out some of the cooking to those of us who are able, and she has taught most of us on which side of the plate the knife is located. So I will happily spend this Thanksgiving at a folding table enjoying a loud and chaotic meal with my family and I will look forward to Christmas when I will again be at the small table.

George's Potatoes

When your Mother gives you a recipe she got from her Grandmother, you can rest assured this is one good recipe. This simple dish is loaded with flavor and memories. It came from a time when grocery choices were not as abundant and food had more purpose. It also came from a time when men wore hats, ladies wore gloves, and gas was rationed. In other words, the good old days.
George's potatoes got its name from its greatest supporter, my Great Uncle George. When a family meal was presented he carefully positioned both himself and these potatoes in very close proximity. Smart man my uncle George. He was also fortunate to have a buffer at family meals and that was his Ruth, my great aunt. She was not the fan of the potatoes as was George, thus saving another portion that could make its way onto his plate. He never needed to worry so much, my Mother always made sure there was enough for George and all the rest of the assembled clan. There are no instruction on how to store these because if made correctly there will be no leftovers.

GEORGE'S POTATOES (AKA: Pittsburgh Potatoes)

• 2 Cups potatoes, medium to small cubed
• 2 Tablespoons finely diced onion
• 2 Whole pimientos finely chopped (canned)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ Cups grated cheese (experiment with types)
• 1 Cup white sauce*

• 1/2 Cup dry bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tablespoons melted butter

*White Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Cup whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch white pepper

Mix butter and flour over low heat to make a blond roux, add spices and slowly pour in milk whisking to avoid lumps. Adjust flavor and use immediately.

PREPARATION:

Peel potatoes and dice, chop onion. Cook potatoes, onion and salt in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain. Put potatoes and onion in buttered baking dish. Make white sauce. Add pimientos, salt, and cheese to sauce and pour over potatoes. Sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over top and bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are soft and crumbs are lightly browned.

Note on back of this recipe. "This is an old favorite that Mother served with ham and green beans over 70 years ago".

Mrs. "G's" Cornbread Dressing

You have searched long and wide for this, and now your quest is at an end. Here is the best dressing recipe there is, period and Amen, if you don't believe me my Daddy will beat up your Daddy. A family birthright is presented here for the first time. My copy is hand written on a 3x5 index card that has a few stains but is still readable and is safely taped to the back of our spice cabinet. In all my years there hasn't been a Thanksgiving without several pans of this, and I do mean several. When our clan gathers we approach twenty in number and every plate has dressing (we don't even call it "cornbread" dressing, what's the point, there is no other dressing). Quick cooking lesson, dressing is very different from stuffing. Smothered with gravy this is a meal all by itself. And there can be no doubt it is always better the second day.

This formulation is my mother's and if it seems similar to others you have seen; it's not, if you think so, I suggest you leave now and avoid starting something you can't finish. My momma has been preparing meals for her family and for a time the well fed residents at a very nice retirement facility. She is a retired registered dietitian so her word is law regarding food, her word is law on other things, but I digress. You are here for the recipe.

• 2 Cups chopped celery
• ½ Cup chopped onion or more (according to taste, onion type)
• 1 ½ Sticks oleo 12 oz. (that's vegetable margarine for you young folks)
• ½ Cup Homemade chicken stock
• 6 Cups Souther style cornbread* crumbs (cast iron skillet, no sugar, buttermilk, etc.)
• 2 Cups white bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons rubbed sage (careful a little too much is disaster)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 Cups chicken stock

PREPARATION:

1. Simmer the oleo, celery, onion and ½ cup of stock for 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and at this point you may put this through the blender if you don’t like veggies this size.

3. Mix all the ingredients add more stock and spices adjusting for taste.

4. Pour into a 13x9 baking pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to and hour.

5. After 15 minutes remove and stir with a serving fork to loosen and redistribute, return to oven for last 30 minutes. This is called "raking" and it makes for a lighter dressing.

6. If edges are browning too fast cover with aluminum foil

7. Makes 21 ½ cup servings.

CORNBREAD:
Recipe to follow. Maybe.

The never ending quest - Barbeque Sauce

While the debate will surely never be resolved, it can be at least divided amongst major factions. While any list such as this one will surly leave out a few combatants, allow me to argue the following. With no apologies to Georges Auguste Escoffier, Paul Bocuse, or any other tuk wearing professionally trained chef, I would like to discuss what we, in America, refer to as one of our our Mother sauces: Barbecue Sauce (or at least in the South). These Mother sauces are for real barbecue, pork barbecue, the Midwest continues to promote beef brisket as real BBQ. Fiddle sticks. (Google barbecue and read about its Caribbean roots) Slowed cooked beef is delicious and I eat it when I go the St. Louis or Chicago or some parts of Texas, but it ain't BBQ. No this is Pork country. The children of this Mother include three varieties. Two are tomato based and one, a distant cousin, is mayonnaises based. They are: Vinegar based, Sweet or Molasses based, and White sauce barbecue sauces. Alabama is somewhere in the crossroads of the debate and all three are well represented. At most pits around here we it comes to the sauce the sweet molasses variety is the clear leader. Here is my interpretation of a classic sweet molasses BBQ sauce with a tangy lip lickin' zip that can handle most any pork presentation. And also in Heart of Dixie sauce is never applied to cooking pork, never.

• 3 Cups chopped onion ( I chop this very finely)
  
• 1 Cup sweet pepper, also finely chopped
  
• 1-2 Cloves garlic, made into a paste with coarse salt and the back of a knife
  
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil for sweating
  
• 1 Tablespoon season salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• 1/2 cup parsley, dried
• 1 Pinch of cumin
• 1 Bay leaf, and of course remove before serving
  
• 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup unsulphered molasses
  
• 1 Tablespoon Hoisin sauce (smoky Asian BBQ sauce)
  
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (good soy can be substituted)
  
• 1 cup good chicken stock
  
• 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke (great debate here, but it does add that something)
  
• 2 Cups tomato ketchup
• 1/2 Tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce

PREPARATION:

Add the oil to a skillet set on medium to medium low. Add the garlic paste (optional , omit if not a fan, but please don't use powered garlic, garlic salt, or processed garlic - only fresh here) and be very careful to not scorch the garlic. After a few seconds when incorporated, add the onions and peppers and "sweat" until translucent. Don't be in a hurry here and taking time will pay taste dividends. Transfer to a large pot with a lid adding the rest of the ingredients constantly stirring. Bring to a boil then reduce to low simmer, cover and let work for 2-3 hours. Taste occasionally and adjust, remove lid if sauce is too runny, add water or chicken stock if too thick. This recipe can be doubled, or multiplied but watch the balance of spices.

NOTES:
If this is your basting sauce thin with chicken stock and reduce sugar amount as it can char/burn (unless you like that), if this is your serving sauce the heat it up to serve warm, if this is your marinade sauce adjust the cayenne pepper and hot sauce amounts, they can be overpowering for some folks.

A great cup of Joe?

Ahhhh, is there a better way to start a day or end a meal than with a great cup of coffee fresh made and poured from a Chambord French Press? Yes. Hell yes. I hate coffee, but I have tremendous gadget envy over the billion dollar world that is coffee. They even have nicknames that are more popular than the original. I won't go into the history of the stuff, there are plenty of other blogs for that. What I have decided to do is to take them on at their own game. Sort of.

I was in one of my favorite kitchen gadget haunts recently and noticed the three aisles dedicated to the roasted bean. I walked slowly up and down the rows marveling and not only the inventiveness of the tools, but the price. Don't get me started on the size of coffee cups and the careful selection process one must navigate to select a suitable mug for the office. Its almost the same as a teenager selecting a t-shirt with just the proper slogan to identify and isolate them within their unique mass market demographic. Then I saw "the press", as those in the store refer to it. I still can't figure out why they wear aprons. The press comes in a boggling 17 different sizes and four finishes. I scratched my head and pondered. Simply put; coffee is hot water poured over processed plant material then strained through some medium(and here's a surprise so is tea). Sorry for being so technical. But its pretty stinking similar You can understand why I reached a state of Hēurēka. I am now the proud owner of a 3 cup Chambord French Press, retail price $19.99 plus tax.

I am wondering a bit here but as I have said before, this is my tiny slice of the internet and I am the alpha male here. My point is that I am a tea drinker, and if pressed, an emerging tea snob. About six generations ago folks with my DNA slipped out of Scotland just ahead of those who did not agree with our brand of something or another and slipped into Ireland. We hung out just long enough to drop a few descendants and catch a boat to America. This was pre-Continental Congress but slightly post-Mayflower. Tucked away in one of the pockets of of my 5th Great Grandfather was a well worn and well traveled tea strainer. Seriously, when your world is reduced to only what you can carry the possessions you select say quite a lot about you. George was a tea man. I have later discovered he was quite fond a single malt whisky, (yes that's the way you spell it) but I am still researching that subject.

I have already run on too much, there is a lot of ground to cover on the subject but what I wanted to share with all 7 of you who read this incredible blog is this... The French Press makes one hell of a great cup of Tea! I take a healthy (anti-oxidant loaded) pinch of some imported loose fermented cut tea leaves (usually called black tea, green tea is unfermented and it has nothing to do with color) and follow the instruction as if this were Kona select hand picked by virgins on a full moon and individually roasted, then ground on a microplaner to develop the perfect aroma.

Guess what? Great tea, bloody damn fine tea actually. Now I know I am not the first "savy savy" to come up this idea, but the world has changed for me just slightly. I am now able to wonder the coffee equipment aisle confidently.

SUMMARY:
Coffee: smells great - tastes like muddy water through a tube sock.
Tea: sublime and chocked full of goodness.
French Press Coffee Maker: one cool tea pot.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Ya Ya

Edit...

I was not born in Louisiana, but I have eaten there. This recipe is an amalgamation of several recipes that I use as the base from which to experiment. The amounts are not exact as this is not an exact science, more of an art and is to be cooked with passion and a nice cold beer. You can use red bell peppers for color. I try not to use prepared hot sauce because I want the chicken and sausage to be the star. And the choice of chicken seasonings and sausage is where you come in, its the personality of the Gumbo. The use of the pre-cooked chicken may be looked at sideways by those from the bayou, but this isn’t their blog.

• Whole chicken cut up 1 pound or better (I use the rotisserie baked ones (garlic flavor please) with great results, if so you can reduce the cooking time by de-boning and pulling apart into bite size chunks. Cubed raw chicken works fine just cook it longer and remove bones).
• Good Cajun sausage, amount equal to size of chicken (you can mix varieties for that extra hummm factor)
• Chicken broth to cover chicken, veggies and sausage
• Butter and flour for roux, and to thicken (you know what a roux is? right)
  
• 3 cups Trinity (diced full cup each of Onion, Bell pepper, Celery)
• Garlic cloves (number up to you)
• Handful finely chopped green onions and parsley or cilantro for garnish
• Salt, pepper, 3-4 bay leaves, filé powder and Cajun spice mix (there are as many out there as fish in the sea)

• Potluck Gumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Stove Top Gumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Cajun Gumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Chicken Gumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Low Sodium Gumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

1. Melt some butter in your heavy bottomed pot, Dutch oven or soup pot with a lid.
2. Sprinkle your raw or cooked chicken with flour. If your chicken is cooked this step is completely silly so don't do it - you can go directly to step 4.
3. Brown about 5-7 minutes then remove.
4. In a skillet, make your roux. (If you need help here, consider making chili instead). Once the roux has reached the dark chocolate stage, add the Trinity.
5. Add the garlic and spices cook while stirring over medium low heat don't let it burn.
6. Transfer everything into the large pot.
7. Start adding your heated broth slowly, stirring the whole time.
You will know when you have enough by how thick or thin your gravy is. If you want thinner gravy, more stock, if you want thicker gravy, less stock. Tricky huh?
8. Season with more salt, more pepper and the Cajun seasoning blend.
9. Bring just to a boil and lower heat to a simmer.
10. Add sausage. Here folks differ, some cook the sausage before adding it in, and others don’t.
11. Cook until the chicken has given up all it has to give.
12. Add a tablespoon of filé power near the end to thicken and give that extra kick making sure it doesn’t lump.
13. Sample the sausage to assure doneness, remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Now you can gracefully accept the praise of your friends and family, oh BTW please forward 10% of any cash awards won using this recipe to my attention.

$50.00 Cheesecake

No that's not what the ingredients will cost, it what you should charge anybody who asks you to bake one of these. There are a few tips for successful cheese-cakerie. One, use the best ingredients, duh, you already had that one. Two, Soften the cream cheese by sitting out at room temperature 3-4 hours to avoid lumps, you will be tempted to try and short cut this step or to zap the cheese in the microwave to warm it up, again not a good idea. Three, after adding the eggs do not over mix, too much air will cause the custard to rise too high, form cracks and not look worth fiddy cents. Three point two, stop the mixer and scrape down the side, again we are fighting the lumps here and this is the front line.

I have tried cooking in water baths and I have not been as successful, I stick with tradition dry oven with the rack in the very middle. Be sure and grease the sides of the spring-form pan so the cake will release while its cools. And about cooling 10 minutes on a wire rack, run a knife inside but do not remove spring-form. After one hour refrigerate for 3-4 hours uncovered. Wrap the entire thing in plastic film, tightly and return to the refrigerator for at least six, count them six hours.

350 Oven for cheesecake and topping

Crust

• 2 Cups cookie crumbs
• 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter

The crust: here is where some of the magic starts. Crush in a food processor a combination of ginger snaps and graham crackers. I will leave the ratio to your imagination. That way it becomes your recipe. After the crumbs are uniform in size slowly pour in the melted butter. Pulse exactly three more times and remove mixture to the cooking pan. Press lightly the mixture evenly across the bottom of your nicely greased 10" spring-form pan, I don't have to mention the bottom only, not up the sides, its a cheese cake, not an apple pie. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before filling.

Cake

• 40 ounces really good cream cheese at room temperature (consider other soft/ smooth cheeses once you have mastered this prime recipe)
• 1-3/4 Cups sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons quality vanilla extract (single strength)
• 4 Large fresh eggs (room temperature)
• 2 Egg yolks
• 1/3 Cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
  

With a wire whisk attachment on a heavy duty stand mixer beat cream cheese until creamy, its redundant but its my recipe. Did you remember to scrape down the sides? Slowly add sugar and flour (sift together to avoid lumps). Mix until fully incorporated, add vanilla. Slow mixer and add eggs and yolks one at a time allowing each to fully blend. Once the last egg is in allow color to slightly fade. Add in whipping cream and lemon/ orange zest. Before you (carefully) pour the mixture onto your cooled crust, drizzle the bottom with some orange juice, just a little to zing it up. Slowly pour mixture in the center and this time, don't scrape the sides, there will be some stuck but be careful, gently scrape. Bake 50-55 minutes or until the center is almost set. Rookies cook cheesecakes too long. Some like to cook in a water bath, if so add some time to the cooking. Don't stick anything in the cake to check for doneness. Use your eyes and watch the sides slowly rise and the top to get slightly dull. Remove from Oven and place on a wire rack. The cake will continue to cook from its own heat.

Topping

• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
  

Whisk together to fully combine and pour over fully cooled cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes to set.

After all this work you can top with all sorts of tart fruits, glazes, compotes or just grab a fork.

Honey I'm Sorry Brownies

Frodo’s Favorite Chocolate Brownies

Admittedly not a dump and bake recipe, but you weren't looking for that anyway. You already have the standard recipes for brownies, here is one that will push you beyond.

PRIME RECIPE
(one batch)

1 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped from block
1/3 cup sugar in the raw
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup best quality cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 large fresh eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (careful, too much is way too much)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (more or less depending on humidity)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Powdered sugar for dusting
2 cups chocolate covered caramel baking morsels (cut up caramels do not work, too stiff)

Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch square pan, butter and dust with flower and set aside. Adjust for the type and color of the pan, and your oven.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and bring it to just below a boil. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour in the hot butter and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until completely melted. Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder. Beat in the mascarpone, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. This can be done with an electric mixer. Gently fold the flour and salt into the batter, by hand. Add caramel morsels last and gently fold in. The batter should be stiff but not unworkable.
Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Winter White Chili

Its that time. Or if its still too warm crank the AC and pretend. We like to experiment with the spices and what's in the refrigerator, so use this as great base for your culinary creativity. We have heard this freezes well, but I have never had any left over.



4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
¾ cup diced celery
½ cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
4 minced garlic cloves
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon powdered clove
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chili power
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1-3 dashes celery seed (not celery salt)
1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup vegetable broth
¼ cup green chilies chopped fine
15 oz white beans (drained weight, from dried or canned beans.)
2 cups jalapeño jack cheese, grated (or your favorite melting cheese)

• In a 4 quart soup pan or Dutch oven combine and heat Chicken and Vegetable stock over medium heat, add bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Cube the chicken breast halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then sauté in olive oil until golden. Remove from skillet and reserve.
  
• Add a dash more olive oil to pan and Sauté onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic, until tender (translucent).
• Add the chicken back with the spices and toss for 15 seconds to combine.
• Transfer chicken and veggies into pan with heated stock add chilies.
• Simmer covered for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
  
• Stir in cooked beans and cheese until melted and well blended.
• Season to taste. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream.
• Great with Southern or Tex-Mex cornbread.