Chicken pot pie

The aftermath of Thanksgiving and the frigid weather left me craving something warm and hearty. I found a few basics in the fridge and didn't want to go to the store. I came across this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie and decided to make it because miraculously, I had everything I needed for it at home (except I used only chicken breast - no dark meat). It came together so quickly and easily I couldn't believe it. The Bisquick biscuit crust is actually really good. Mr. M said it was the best. I suppose he has to say that, but the way he hoovered it down suggests he was telling the truth.

Thanksgiving

(Skip this post if you are tired of Thanksgiving and don't care about Turkey-Day recipes.)

Like for many people, the holidays are really a special time for me. The holidays are all about things that I love the most - family, friends, and food.

This year, we traveled home to enjoy Thanksgiving at my sister's house. My sister is one of my favorite people period, but she is also definitely my favorite person with whom to enjoy two of my favorite activities - cooking and eating.

This year, she moved into a new house, complete with a beautiful, newly remodeled kitchen. I was looking forward to seeing it and cooking with her in it. We had a fantastic time, and the food was great.

Our Thanksgiving menu:

Roasted Turkey
Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing
Spinach Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potato Gratin
Brandied Cranberries

Cranberry-Almond Tart
Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipes or links follow:

Roasted Turkey: - my sister did the 12-14 hour brine, added veggies to the roasting pan and veggies and lemon to the cavity of the bird. From Cooks Illustrated.

Roasted Brined Turkey

We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.
Serves 10 to 22, depending on turkey size
Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted


1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.
2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.
3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird. Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.

Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing - the hands-down favorite dish this year. Depending how dry the bread is, a little more liquid than the recipe calls for may be needed - I added another cup or so of chicken broth.

Spinach Casserole - a very easy, back-of-the-box type of recipe, but a family favorite for Thanksgiving nevertheless. People who don't even like spinach like this casserole. We've had it every year for as long as I can remember.

3 packages frozen chopped spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
bread crumbs
butter
parmesan cheese

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain well, pressing the liquid out from the colander. Mix soup mix into sour cream, then mix into spinach. Spread mixture into 8x8 glass baking dish. Melt a few tablespoons of butter and mix with some breadcrumbs, about 1 cup. Mix in parmesan to taste, about 1/2 cup. Spread topping over spinach. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until warmed through and topping is brown.

Mashed Potatoes - Too simple for a recipe, but here we go. Definitely a Thanksgiving favorite, because it's only once a year that we add quite this much butter and cream. We also did not use the potato ricer this year but instead used (gasp!) our Kitchen Aid mixer to mash the potatoes. Sacrilegious, I know, but so much faster.

Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into chunks and boil until tender. Drain. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, adding salt and pepper, at least one stick of butter, and a very generous pour of heavy cream (or half-and-half, if you're feeling like being healthy). Adjust to taste.

Gravy - no recipe for this either. Use pan drippings from turkey; add flour and cook down in the roasting pan. Add turkey stock and white wine, scraping up pan drippings. Cook until thick; season to taste.

Sweet Potato Gratin - we used this recipe but used only sweet potatoes instead of the two kinds. Ours had a bit too much liquid, so I'd cut back or add more potatoes if I made this again. I'd also add some nutmeg, and maybe a bit of maple syrup for flavoring.

Brandied Cranberries - another long-time family favorite. Mr. M eats embarrassing quantities of this - he loves it! Also quite good with yogurt as dessert or a decadent breakfast. It's important to use good quality brandy - not top shelf necessarily, but something you would actually drink.

1 lb cranberries
2 c sugar
brandy to taste

Spread cranberries in a single layer in a foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover with another layer of foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool. Mix with brandy to taste. Store refrigerated.

Cranberry-Almond Tart - this recipe sounded great, but we were a little disappointed with it. It looked absolutely gorgeous when it was done, but it just wasn't sweet enough, so you may want to add a bit of sweetness to it somehow. Definitely serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way - This is the best pecan pie I've ever had. My mom loves pecan pie, but her frequent complaint is "not enough nuts". My sister ended up adding double or triple the amount of pecans originally called for in this recipe, but it ended up being absolutely fantastic.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake - I've never met a pumpkin cheesecake I didn't like. I've always made this recipe, but my sister made a different one this year. Still wonderful, still delicious, and still hanging onto my thighs... From Cooks Illustrated.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

11/2003

Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1 1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels. The cheesecake is good on its own, but the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (recipe follows) is a grand addition.
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12 to 16

Crust
5 ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

Filling
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (10 1/3 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
5 large eggs , left at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 cup heavy cream


1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse crackers, sugar, and spices in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and, using hand, spread crumbs into even layer. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom, then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.

2. FOR THE FILLING: Bring about 4 quarts water to simmer in stockpot. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in small bowl; set aside. To dry pumpkin (see illustrations below): Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in roughly even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet; discard towel.

3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add about one third of sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.

4. Set springform pan with cooled crust on 18-inch-square doubled layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set wrapped springform pan in roasting pan. Pour filling into springform pan and smooth surface; set roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see note). Set roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath, discard foil, and set on wire rack; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

5. TO SERVE: Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Thai chicken curry

I was in the mood today for curry and whipped up this fast and easy concoction. The recipe comes after reading about 10 different chicken curry recipes online and putting them all together while modifying for the contents of my refrigerator. Enjoy!

2 T vegetable oil
2-3 T curry paste, or to taste
1 red chili, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 14-oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in large chunks
8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped plus a few sprigs for garnish
3 sprigs basil, destemmed
juice of 1 lime
cooked jasmine rice


Saute curry paste and red chili in vegetable oil over med-high heat for one minute. Add a thinly sliced onion and a dollop of coconut milk and saute until tender. Add sliced chicken breast, browning on all sides. Add chicken broth, fish sauce, and brown sugar, along with the rest of the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. When chicken is almost done, add red bell pepper and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir in green onions, cilantro, basil, and lime juice. Remove from heat and serve over hot, steaming, fragrant jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro.

Onion soup and garlic bread

I had a plethora of yellow onions in my pantry that were just waiting to go bad while we leave to go home for Thanksgiving next week. I decided to try to make a quick and easy Onion Soup to use them up.

3 T olive oil
6 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 box beef broth
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c white wine
1 tsp dried thyme
shredded gruyere
sliced baguette

Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan (I used my Le Creuset stockpot that my sister gave me). After 15-20 minutes, they should be soft and sticky, and the bottom of the pot should be brown. Add the beef broth, chicken broth, and white wine while scraping up the bits at the bottom of the pot. Throw in the thyme and let it simmer for a bit. When ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with a baguette slice and a handful of gruyere, and place under the broiler until cheese is melty and brown.

I also recently stumbled across Heidi's dad's "recipe" for garlic bread which gave me a hankering for it. Since it's just Mr. M and I, I used half a loaf of French bread, which I then sliced in half lengthwise. I used half a stick of melted butter and half a head of garlic, minced and drowned in the butter. I slathered the mixture onto both sides, trying to keep it even. Half I wrapped in saran wrap and foil and put in the freezer. The other half I baked at 350 for 15 minutes, then broiled for a couple minutes until brown and crispy. A decadent yet perfect accompaniment for my onion soup! Warning: Do not attempt to come within 10 feet of anyone who has not also eaten garlic bread for the next 24 hours. :)

Baked Apples

Trying to make a (somewhat) healthier dessert for company the other night, I cored apples with a melon-baller thingy and placed them in a baking dish. I sprinkled them with lemon juice, then filled them with a mixture of brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped walnuts, raisins, and a little bit of butter cut into small pieces. I baked them at 350 for 20-30 minutes until the whole house smelled like Christmas.

I served them drizzled with the syrup at the bottom of the pan and a dollop of Boulder All-Natural Sweet Cream ice cream. YUM!

Pear Tart

We went to our friends' house for dinner last night. They had just moved into their new house last month, and we were their first guests. We brought them a bottle of yummy Veuve as a housewarming gift so they could celebrate. In their beautiful new gourmet kitchen, they cooked up a storm. First we snacked on a baked brie with apples and bread while sipping Gewurztraminer. We then moved on to a delicious meal of vegetable risotto, baked salmon, and a spinach salad, paired with a yummy, jammy La Crema Pinot Noir.

I had been staring at the dessert all night. My friend had baked a pear tart that had turned out beautifully, and it had been sitting on the counter since we arrived. When we finally finished our meal, I was stuffed, but I couldn't pass up the tart - it was so good. We cracked open a bottle of Muscat to go with.

The original Epicurious recipe called for hazelnuts, but when she couldn't find them in the store she substituted almonds. I think it turned out so well that I just might do the same!

Grappa with Frank

Mr. M and I went to Sushi Den Friday night for our weekly date. As the restaurant is usually packed, we showed up early (around 6 pm) so we wouldn't have to wait for a table. We ate the usual wonderful stuff while sipping green tea (me) and an Asahi (Mr. M) and catching up on the week. In our (continually failing) efforts to save money and calories, we ordered just enough to feel satisfied but not full (which is not our usual M.O. when we go out).

Since we ate so early, we contemplated what to do next, as neither one of us wanted to head home just yet. We felt virtuous after our relatively healthy meal and decided to splurge and go somewhere else for dessert. Remembering the tasty bread pudding we had at Osteria Marco last week, as well as wanting to support this new restaurant, we decided to head back there, grab a table at the bar, and have dessert.

We wandered around downtown a bit, poking in and out of some shops before finally arriving at the restaurant. We waved hello to Jacqueline Bonnano (chef's wife) on our way in, then grabbed a booth at the bar, fully intent on having just dessert. However, the menu arrived, and I was a goner. It started with Mr. M saying that he wanted to have a glass of wine. That sounded good, but of course you have to have something to nibble on while you drink it, and, somehow (I'm embarrassed to admit), I ended up ordering a couple of appetizers as well...

While we sipped our wine, we snacked on the housemade ricotta - fresh and creamy and delicious. We also tried the mozzarella en carozza, a gussied-up version of fried cheese which wasn't really my favorite but I'm sure kids would love. We still had loads of fun though, guiltily partaking of our second dinner.

I guess Jacqueline tipped off her husband to our presence in the bar, as all of a sudden we were graced with Frank's presence. We chatted for awhile, about mozzarella and ricotta, about the challenges he's faced (like building the panini bar with his own two hands) and is still facing (like wine education for his servers) with the opening of the new place. He's worked his butt off opening the restaurant and said he'd been on site for something like 49 days straight. Now that's dedication. (And his wife still loves him!) Anyway, it was really cool that he would stop by and say hello - I appreciated it.

We decided to skip dessert, astutely deducing that we had used up our calorie quota for the evening. The waiter brought the check, but before we could pay and get out of there, Frank reappeared with not only the butterscotch bread pudding we'd enjoyed so much the time before, but also with 3 glasses of grappa. We touched glasses and downed the stuff, he thanked us for coming in, then went back to the kitchen. Now. How cool is THAT.

I have to admit that we shoveled down that bread pudding as if we hadn't been fed in days, talking about how great it was what Frank did. I remembered the lackluster night I'd had at Fruition a few months ago, comparing it to the effort that had been put forth tonight just say thanks. It cost him a few minutes of his time, as well as maybe a few bucks for the dessert and grappa, and what a difference it made! He's effectively made us loyal regulars, so it was a smart move as well as just plain awesome.

So now, I'm the Osteria Marco evangelist. Everyone who lives here must visit soon. Or else.

My own version of miso soup

In the attempt to cook more at home and be a bit more healthy, I took a trip to the Asian grocery store this weekend. I like to wander around, poking in and out of each aisle, trying to decipher the contents of the mysterious cans, jars, and packages. I bought all sorts of things I can't find at Safeway. I bought some pea shoots and some leafy green vegetables that I don't know the name of. Last night, I stir-fried them (separately) with healthy doses of garlic - yum! My dinner was nothing but the veggies with brown rice, and it was great! Even Mr. M ate lots, and that's saying something.

Tonight, I made some bonito soup stock (from a powder) and added some baby bok choy, sliced shittake mushrooms, and cubed tofu. I boiled it for a few minutes, just until the bok choy was tender. I then turned off the heat and added some miso (soybean paste), stirring until it was fully incorporated. This all took about 10 minutes. While the soup had been cooking, I had boiled some soba noodles separately - they cook in about 5 minutes - and drained them. I also chopped up some green onions and rinsed some bean sprouts.

When the soup was done, I put some noodles, green onions, and bean sprouts in a bowl, then covered it with the hot miso soup. It was a healthy, fast, easy dinner that hit the spot on a chilly evening.

Every bit as good as I expected, only better...

I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Osteria Marco, the newest venture by Chef Frank Bonanno (of Mizuna and Luca d'Italia) in Larimer Square and the ode to his second son (Luca d'Italia being the ode to the first). I mentioned it briefly in my post about the cheese class I took in September - it's a more casual and affordable restaurant that still upholds some of his core values, like excellent food and wine. Who can argue with that?

Mr. M and I decided to hit it Friday evening, hot on the heels of a blurb in 5280's Table Talk as well as a mention in the Westword. I actually ran into the chef's wife, Jacqueline, at the door as we were coming in. (I had met her briefly at the cheese class and recognized her from there.) I congratulated her on her starring role in Jason Sheehan's Westword column:

"My wife, Jacqueline, fucking deserves all the fucking credit," Bonanno said when I got him on the phone the day after the very soft opening. Jacqueline did all the sourcing, all the design. She picked the colors, she found a guy who could turn a set of old bleachers into stained mahogany tabletops, and then, along with partner Ryan Gaudin and chef-partner Jean-Philippe Failyau, they'd built an entire panini bar.

Impressive, eh?

The space is below street level, so the hostess led us down the stairs into the dining room. Wine racks divide up some of the room and line the walls, while dark wood warms the space. The lighting is a bit dim, and the mood would be rather subdued but for the din produced by lively conversation and laughter from the surrounding patrons. How can a place be so pleasantly well-crafted and put-together yet so wonderfully relaxed all at the same time? They've struck this balance right on the money. And already, the place was almost full to capacity.

The menu is a bit more approachable and wallet-friendly than Bonanno's other establishments. A variety of salumi, house-made cheeses, appetizers, and salads are intriguing, as well as the pizzas and paninis. All quite simple yet well-thought-out.

We lubricated the menu-reading with a bottle of Scarpetta 2006 Tocai Friulano, made by none other than Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson of Frasca. Of course, it was excellent.

We started with some house-made burrata cheese, deliciously creamy in the center, served with grilled bread - fantastic. We also had an order of the red-wine cured bresaola, also quite good. We tried the artichoke fonduta, which was creamy, rich, and artery-clogging I'm sure, but it went down SO easy. We had some potato/parmesan/proscuitto crochettes as well - little bits of fried potato goodness. We ordered the spicy sopressata pizza with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and while the toppings were yummy, I almost couldn't get past the delicious crust - done to perfection. I couldn't ask for anything more. We were quite stuffed by that time, but Mr. M put us over the edge by ordering a fabulous butterscotch bread pudding to top off our meal.

Our bill came to $100, but half of that was the wine. I know, I said this place was supposed to be affordable, and actually you could come here and order one delicious pizza or panini and get out of here for $10. But me? I just can't do it. I start reading the menu, and automatically I want to order everything on it. I'll be back very soon. Bravo to the Bonannos!!

Cottage Cheese Muffins?

I know, I know, it sounds terrible. But I was intrigued after reading another blog post on 101 Cookbooks. And these were so easy-sounding that I just had to try them. Here is the recipe.

Basically, you mix cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, ground almonds, flour, baking powder, eggs, water, salt, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil in a bowl, fill up some muffin cups, and pop them in the oven. I bought grated parmesan, so the only prep work I did was whiz some almonds in my Cuisinart and chop some sun-dried tomatoes and basil. What could be easier than that? After about a half hour of delicious smells wafting from the oven (during which time Mr. M kept poking his head in and asking me what I was cooking and when it would be ready), they are beautifully golden-brown.

As mentioned in her post, these muffins have more of a quiche-like texture than a bready texture, but if you're prepared for that, you'll love them. The batter was a lot wetter than I thought it would be, but they tasted terrific! My only complaint was that too much of the "muffin" stuck to the paper muffin cups I used - I ended up trying to scrape every last bit off with my teeth (which was attractive, I'm sure - sorry, Mr. M!). She also gives some suggestions for other flavors besides sun-dried tomato and basil that I can't wait to try. But these are a quick and easy idea that would complement any meal.