Easter Dinner At Our House

The Pansy in bloom. The perfect sign of Spring. And in the Springtime, we also have Easter. Our traditional Easter dinner is lamb. I do remember the lamb dinners my Mom made when I was growing up. Scrumptious! Lamb, not mutton! There is a big difference ... It's a matter of time. So, here is what our dinner will look like this year. Do enjoy and do try the recipes. Here is a link to the Easter Dinner Wines. Cheers!

Easter Dinner 2011

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb
with
Mint Sauce


Green Salad


Creamy Cauliflower Purée


Minted Carrots


Easter Ricotta Tart (Torta di Pasqua)

(We'll find a wine to go with this dinner! We did. Easter Dinner Wines.
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OK. So there's the menu. Here are some of the recipes. Enjoy!

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Ingredients:
1 8lbs Leg of Lamb

Marinade:
½ c Pomegranate Vinegar
⅓ c Olive Oil
¼ c Molasses
½ c Mint, fresh, stems removed and chopped
½ t Pepper
¼ t Kosher Salt

Mix all together and pour over lamb roast. Marinate 4-6 hours refrigerated. Roast lamb at 350 ºF until internal temperature is 150 ºF. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Mint Sauce:
10 sprigs Mint, fresh
1 sm Shallot, chopped
2 sm clove Garlic, minced
4 T Cider Vinegar
5 T Olive Oil
2 t Sugar
½ t Kosher Salt

Puree all in a Cuisinart until smooth. Makes 2/3 cup.

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Creamy Cauliflower Purée

Source: The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle, 2009, Mary Dan Eades, MD and Michael R. Eades, MD ISBN 978-0-307-45071-5

Ingredients:
1 lg head Cauliflower
2 T Butter, melted
½ Boursin Cheese with Herbs and Garlic, at room temperature – about 5 oz
2 T Heavy Cream
1/4 t Salt
¼ t Pepper

Directions:
Wash and trim the cauliflower. Slice in ½ and slice in ½ again to make four pieces. Cut each piece into ½” pieces.

Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat on high for 6 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 3 minutes. Allow to cool, slightly.

Place the cooked cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor. Add the melted butter, cheese, 1 T cream and salt and pepper. Process pulses to start then on high until smooth. Add more cream if necessary until purée holds its shape.

Adjust seasonings and serve warm. Should stay warm covered for about 30 minutes.

Alley Tomatoes

There is an old song called Homegrown Tomatoes by Guy Clark. These tomatoes are some of our Alley Tomatoes and they are soooo good! But even more than that, there is a line - the chorus - in the song that says,

"Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes,
What'd life be without home grown Tomatoes,
There's only two things that money can't buy:
True love and home grown tomatoes."

And just for kicks, here are the rest of the lyrics.

"1. There's nothin' in the world that I like better than
Bacon, lettuce and home grown tomatoes
Up in the morning and out in the garden
Pick you a ripe one, don't get a hard 'un.
Plant 'em in the springtime eat 'em in the summer,
All winter without 'em's a culinary bummer.
I forget all about the sweatin and the diggin
Every time I go out and pick me a big'un.

CHORUS

2.
You can go out and eat'em that's for sure,
But there's nothin a home grown tomato won't cure
You can put em in a salad, put em in a stew
You can make your own, your very own tomato juice
You can eat em with eggs, you can eat em with gravy
You can eat em with beans, pinto or navy
Put em on the side, put em on the middle
Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

CHORUS

3.
If I could change this life I lead,
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
I know what this country needs,
It's home grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don't bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Where I could be pushin up those home grown tomatoes.

CHORUS
Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes,
What'd life be without home grown Tomatoes,
There's only two things that money can't buy:
True love and home grown tomatoes."

And I feel so very lucky! I've got both!!! And if you look hard, you can probably find a copy of the song. Neat song and so appropriate! Cheers.

Cinco de Mayo - Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos

Cinco de Mayo (5 May) is right around the corner. And what a better way to celebrate than to make some beef cheeks (barbacoa). Here is a recipe that is pretty easy to make, but it takes some time. Enjoy these. Cheers!

Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos

The marinade turns into a thick, rich almost mole-like sauce ... delicious!
Serves 6-8

Pickled Onions:
1 Red Onion
1 T Salt
2 T Sugar
1 Beet, cut into ¼
1 bunch Cilantro
⅓ c Water
⅔ c Cider Vinegar

Directions:
Slice the onions very thinly and put them in a microwaveable container. Add the beet, cilantro, salt and sugar. Cover everything with the water/vinegar mix. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for another minute. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. The beet will turn it a really pretty hot pink color.

Barbacoa Beef Cheeks:
2½ lbs Beef Cheeks
4 lg Garlic cloves
1 T unsweetened Cocoa powder
1 T Peanut Butter
1 Ancho Chili
1 t instant Espresso
2 T Olive Oil (plus 2 more for cooking)
1 T Honey
2 t Cumin
1 t smoked Sweet Paprika
1 bunch fresh Cilantro
1 t Salt
1 c Beef Stock
3 Limes
1 Avocado
Corn Tortillas
fresh Cilantro

Directions:
Clean and trim the cheeks. Put them in a container that you can marinate them in.
Remove the stem and seeds from the ancho, cut it up into chunks and rehydrate in a little water (You can stick it in a ramekin and microwave for 30 seconds)

Peel and chop the garlic. Put everything from the garlic to the salt in the food processor (including the water from the chili) and blend into a paste. Toss the paste with the cheeks and marinate for several hours or better yet over night.

When it is time to cook, heat the oven to 275ºF, and heat 2 T olive oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the cheeks on both sides. Use the stock to rinse the rest of the marinade into the Dutch oven, then squeeze the juice of 3 limes in.

Bake at 275ºF for 3½ hours - turn the cheeks over once or twice while they cook and if the liquid dries up add a bit more stock.

When the cheeks are fall-apart tender, take the pan out of the oven. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart in the pan so that it mixes in with all of that fatty juicy goodness.

To serve - heat 2 tortillas. Fill with barbacoa (beef cheeks), a slice of avocado, some of pickled onions and fresh cilantro. Serve and enjoy!!! Join us on Facebook in the group Here's What's Cookin!

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Artichoke and Potato Salad

Here is a recipe that Robin found and then we have altered it, somewhat. It is really a good variation on the standard potato salad. Give it a try. Cheers!

Artichoke and Potato Salad

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 lbs New Red Potatoes
¾ c Artichoke hearts in oil and course chopped
¼ c Ham, diced
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
½ c Sunflower sprouts
¼ c Pine nuts, dry roasted
dash Cayenne pepper
1 T Tarragon leaves, crushed
3 T Stone Ground Mustard, Plochman's
¼ c Oil from artichokes
¼ c White Wine vinegar
3 T Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil, diced

Directions:
Cook the whole potatoes until just done, you don't want them soft. Cool.

Place the ham, artichoke hearts, cayenne, pine nuts, sunflower sprouts and tarragon in a bowl. Gently mix. Quarter cut the potatoes and place in the bowl. Gently mix.

Place the artichoke oil, garlic from the potatoes, mustard, sun dried tomatoes and white wine vinegar in a bowl. Using a submersible blender, emulsify. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Pour the dressing over the bowl of potatoes and toss gently.

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That's it! It is really that easy to do. I also would dice maybe 2 hard cooked eggs and put them in with this. Have fun.

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Sourdough Bread

Now this is how a Sourdough Bread should look like. Your goal? The same as mine - make a loaf of sourdough that looks like this. There are 100's, if not more, variations for a good sourdough. This one is my take on this traditional bread. The difference? I don't use sugar, as such. I replaced the sugar with honey. If I could find Tupelo Honey, I'd use it. The closest that I can find is from WinCo's bulk honey - an orange honey that is pretty good and has that Tupelo blossom flavor. Well, sort of. It's close. Give this recipe a try. I hope you like it. Enjoy!

King Arthur’s Sourdough Bread
Rustic Sourdough Bread

Source: Bob Young adapted from Rustic Sourdough Bread: King Arthur Flour. The photo is from Baker's Banter.

This chewy loaf, with its deep-brown crust, can be made in two versions: with rich, deep, flavor, and very mild tang; or with assertive sour flavor, typical of a San Francisco sourdough loaf. Read our blog about this bread, with additional photos, at Bakers Banter Blog. This recipe was adapted by me from the King Arthur Flour web page and Bakers Banter Blog.

Ingredients:
1 c "fed" sourdough starter (See Note)
1½ c lukewarm Water, 100ºF
2 t instant Yeast
2 T Honey
2½ t Salt
5 c King Arthur's Unbleached All Purpose Flour

Directions:
1) Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough.
2) Allow the dough to rise, in a covered bowl, until it's doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
3) Gently divide the dough in half; it'll deflate somewhat.
4) Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
5) Spray the loaves with lukewarm water.
6) Make two fairly deep horizontal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife, wielded firmly, works well here.
7) Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it's a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Note - To feed a sourdough starter:
Remove 1 cup of your starter and either give it away and let a friend start their own or make pancakes or waffles.
Add –
½ c 100°F Water
1 c King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose flour
Stir to completely blend and let sit 12 hours before using.

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Guacamole

A couple of weeks ago, Robin came up with this variation of guacamole that is really awesome. And for someone like me that thinks avocado is like eating tasteless mush, that's really saying something. I ate the better part of the bowl full. If it is not spicy enough for you, add either more jalapeno or more of the seeds and ribs of the pepper. Cheers!

Guacamole

Author: Bob and Robin Young
Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com/rnrcontents.htm
Comments: This is a really good guacamole with a twist.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 24

Ingredients:
1 can White Canelli Beans, drained
1 c Onion, chopped
¼ bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, juiced
1 sm Jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
1 med Avocado, ripe and pitted, peeled
1 lg Tomato, diced

Directions:
1.) In a food processor, combine the beans, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and salt and pepper to taste. Process until mostly smooth. Pour into a bowl.

2.) Mash the avocado and add to the bean mixture. Dice the tomato and add to the bean mixture. Fold all together to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to cool and blend the flavors.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Here is a Printable Recipe

Irish Soda Bread

Nope! I'm not done yet! It is springtime warm outside and my BBQ is saying, "Pulled Pork!". (Is that a gauntlet Mr Joe?) But that will have to wait, and I have been working on that too this morning. But today is St Patrick's Day and here to go with your Corned Beef and Cabbage, Green Wine, Guinness Stout and some good Scotch Whisky, is my rendition of an Irish Soda Bread.

Irish Soda Bread

Author: Bob and Robin Young
Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Oven Temperature: 375°F
Servings: 20

Ingredients:
3 c All-Purpose flour
1 c Whole wheat flour
1 t Baking Soda
1 T Baking Powder
4 T Honey, use a light, floral honey. Tupelo is good.
½ t Salt
½ c Butter, room temperature
1 c Butter milk
1 Egg
¼ c Butter, melted
¼ c Buttermilk

Directions:
1.) Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2.) In a large bowl, mix together the flour, honey, baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter. Stir in 1 cup Buttermilk and egg.
3.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Form dough into a round and place on a prepared baking sheet.
4.) In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with ¼ cup of buttermilk; brush the loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife and cut an "X" into the top of the loaf.
5.) Bake in a pre heated oven for 40 - 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the loaf comes out clean (190°F). You can continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes

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Do enjoy the day!!

"Corned Beef" - Where Did It Come From?

History of Corned Beef & Cabbage
Origin of Traditional Irish American St Patrick's Day Recipe

Mar 3, 2009 Stephanie Jolly , Source: Suite101.com

While many North Americans associate corned beef and cabbage with Ireland, this popular St Patrick's Day meal has roots in America, and is not traditional Irish food.


Corned beef, a salt-cured brisket, was traditionally packed and stored in barrels with coarse grains, or "corns" of salt. One of the earliest references to corned beef appears in the 12th century Gaelic poem Aislinge Meic Conglinne, where it references a dainty, gluttonous indulgence. By the 17th century, salting beef had become a major industry for Irish port cities of Cork and Dublin, where Irish beef was cured and exported to France, England and later to America.

Traditional Irish Recipes Contain Salt Pork Instead of Corned Beef
With the majority of Irish beef being exported, beef was an expensive source of protein and unavailable to the majority of Irish citizens. Cows, if owned at all, were raised predominately for their dairy products, from which butter, cheese and cream could be obtained, and were only slaughtered when they were no longer good for milking. Sheep were raised as a source of wool and hogs and pigs were one of the only livestock species raised by the peasantry for consumption.
Salt pork and bacon, therefore, became the commonly consumed meat protein of Irish tables. In Feast and Famine, Leslie Clarkson writes that "fat from bacon supplemented the lack of fat in the farmhouse diet" and Sir Charles Cameron states that he does "not know of any country in the world where so much bacon and cabbage is eaten." Even today corned beef and cabbage appears infrequently in Irish pubs and restaurants, except for those in heavily touristed areas, and is much more likely to be replaced its traditional counterpart - an Irish stew with cabbage, leeks, and a bacon joint.

Corned Beef & Cabbage Eaten by Irish Immigrants After Arriving in America
After the Irish potato blight, or Great Famine, of the mid-19th century brought hundreds of Irish emigrants to the shores of America, the newly immigrated Irish Americans found corned beef to be both more accessible and more affordable than it was in Ireland. Both corned beef and cabbage were ingredients of the lower working class, and their popularity among the Irish population likely had little to do with similarities to the food of Ireland and more to due with the relatively inexpensive nature of salt cured beef and green cabbage.
For several decades following the Irish immigration, St Patrick's Day was celebrated with music, crafts and revelry but banquets, while lavish, contained a scarcity of traditional Irish cuisine. However by the 1920s, corned beef and cabbage came to have an association with Irish American cooking, according to Hasia Diner in Hungering for America: Italian, Irish and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration and joined Irish bacon and greens as a food reminiscent of Ireland.

Corned Beef's Association with St Patrick's Day Has Irish American Origins
While both salted beef and green cabbage have historic connections with Ireland, the ritual of serving corned beef and cabbage for St Patrick's Day is exclusively an Irish American tradition. The scarcity and high price of beef in Ireland prevented it from being consumed by the majority of the Irish peasantry until arriving in America, where corned brisket and cabbage were cheap and readily available to the poor. As the stigma of eating working class food faded and the celebration of Irish ancestry grew in popularity, corned

And from Foodtimeline.com, we have:

“Corned beef
While the process of preserving meat with salt is ancient, food historians tell us corned beef (preserving beef with "corns" or large grains of salt) originated in Medieval Europe. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the word corn, meaning "small hard particle, a grain, as of sand or salt," in print to 888. The term "corned beef" dates to 1621.
"Emphasizing its long history in the Irish diet, Regina Sexton...points out that a similar product is mentioned in the 11th-century Irish text Aislinge meic Con Glinne many wonderful provisions, pieces of every palatable food...full without fault, perpetual joints of corned beef'. She adds that corned beef has a particular regional association with Cork City. From the late 17th century until 1825, the beef-curing industry was the biggest and most important asset to the city. In this period Cork exported vast quantities of cured beef to Britain, Europe, America, Newfoundland, and the W. Indies. During the Napoleonic wars the British army was supplied principally with corned beef which was cured in and exported from the port of Cork."
---Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson, [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (page 218)

Corned beef was very popular in colonial America because it was an economical and effective way to preserve meat. The following corning directions are from The Virginia House-Wife by Mary Randolph, 1824, pages 22-23:
"To corn beef in hot weather
Take a piece of thin brisket or plate, cut out the ribs nicely, rub it on both sides well with two large spoonsful of pounded salt-petre; pour on it a gill of molasses and a quart of salt; rub them both in; put it in a vessel just large enough to hold it, but not tight, for the bloody brine must run off as it makes, or the meat will spoil. Let it be well covered top, bottom, and sides, with the molasses and salt. In four days you may boil it, tied up in a cloth, with the salt, &c. about it: when done, take the skin off nicely, and serve it up. If you have an ice-house or refrigerator, it will be best to keep it there.--A fillet or breast of veal, and a leg or rack of mutton, are excellent done in the same way." “Some people wonder about the shared culinary/cultural heritage of the Irish and Jewish peoples when it comes to corned beef. The practice of curing meat for preservation purposes certainly dates back to ancient times. The use of salt was adopted/adapted by many peoples and cultures, and was widely used during the Middle Ages. Evidence suggests that both Irish and Jewish cooks were making corned (salt) beef independently, long before they met in New York.

"Corned beef comes in two versions: The Jewish special on rye, or the traditional Irish boiled dinner, aka New England boiled dinner. Tonight should be the big night for the Irish version."
---Boiled dinner, The Boston Globe, March 15, 1990 (p.3)

Ahi Sushi Bar, Eagle, Idaho

So on Fridays, we have been teaching in Eagle for the "Eagle Arts School". And for lunch, almost 1 1/2 hours between these two classes, we've been doing some culinary exploring. "Seasons", "Rembrandt's" and now the "Ahi Sushi Bar". We like all three for different reasons. All are very relaxed. The "Rembrandt'" and "Seasons" are bistro style. And the "Ahi Sushi Bar" is not a bistro, but a sushi bar. It's exciting to watch the Chef's prepping the sushi and creating the dishes. Look at these slides and you will see. Cheers!

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Fasnacht's Are Ready!

After two days and two rises, here is what we end up with. Photos starting at the 2nd rise, day #2.

Here we are at the 2nd day. The 4 eggs and 1/2 cup of lard have been added and the flour mixed in.

After a 2 hour rise, we roll the dough out and cut the Fasnachts. (I can taste them now!!)

Deep fry them at 325 degrees F until they are golden brown. Take them out and roll them in .... almost anything.

It's munch time!! Take an extra cholesterol pill. You'll probably need it. No one said they were healthy; Just good!

Well, now it's your turn, Joe and Diane! Enjoy, they are hearty. Cheers! The recipe is elsewhere on this blog.
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Fasnacht

Fasnacht

Makes 50 Fasnacht

Ingredients:
¼ cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
2½ cups lukewarm milk
4½ cups flour
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup lard, melted
1 cup sugar
dash of salt
5 ½ cups flour

Directions:
1). Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2). Mix next three ingredients together, then add to yeast mixture. Set in warm place and let rise overnight.
3). In the morning add next four ingredients. Add last batch of flour slowly; it may not all be needed. Dough should be sticky but able to be handled.
4). Let rise until doubled, approximately 2 hours.
5). Roll out and cut with biscuit or doughnut cutter, with or without a center hole. Let rise 1 hour.
6). Deep fry in hot oil at 375 degrees for several minutes, turning until brown on both sides.

Among the PA Germans, Shrove Tuesday (day before Ash Wedsnesday) is known as Fassnacht Day (night before the fast). In a symbolic effort to rid their homes of leavening agents and to feast before Lent, many PA Germans cooks spend part of their day making Fassnachts. The cakes are made of yeast dough, and tradition requires that they be shaped in squares or rectangles, with slits cut in them.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins.
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Daily Erotica

No, this is not a XXX posting!! On 06 February, there was a book signing for "Daily Erotica - 366 Poems of Passion" at the Seasons Bistro in Eagle, Idaho. The food was great; The wine was great; The company was great! What else can one ask for? Here are some photos of the party! Happy Valentines Day coming up!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

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Cheers! And don't forget the chocolate!!
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Pod-Cast Interview with "Behind The Menu"

It was our pleasure a while back to go to lunch with Michael Boss of Behind The Menu. He is on Facebook. Here is that interview. Enjoy!

Forever Young(s) from Michael Boss on Vimeo.

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Deep Dish Apple Pie

When you have some apples just laying around the kitchen and Buddy has had his fill and the fruit flies have not yet started to swarm and invade and there are really fresh apples at the store, it's time to make something from them. How about this Deep Dish Apple Pie?




And then after about 50 minutes in a 350 degree oven, one ends up with this gastronomic treat!! Great apple flavor (Granny Smith, Winesap and a variety of red ones) and the sweetness of the brown sugar and cinnamon. YUM-O!! Add to that a piece of Washington cheddar, aged for 2 years, Natural Cougar Gold - from the Washington State University Cougars via Jerri and Roger Nelson - and you have a delicious blend of flavors!


Then after eating that scrumptious piece of pie and cheese, you can sit back in your easy chair and play "Find Waldo" in this crowd!! Thanks Rex for showing Marnie where this photo was and Marnie for bringing it to us. I just heard that there's a new BSU shirt out that says, "We Messed With Texas". I'll have to find one. Cheers!! Look out Virginia Tech, here we come!

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Hogmanay - New Years Eve in Scotland

Hogmanay - New Years Eve in Scotland
By Elaine Lemm, About.com Guide

What is Hogmanay?
Hogmanay is a Scottish celebration, it is the celebration of New Years Eve and can last for days. No-one celebrates the eve quite like the Scots. It is believed the Scots inherited the celebration of Hogmanay from the Vikings and their celebration of the shortest day but many believe that as Christmas was virtually banned and not celebrated in Scotland from the end of the 17th century until the 1950’s, New Years Eve was a good excuse for some revelry and the excuse to drink whisky and eat good food. Hogmanay involves parties and festivals across Scotland with the largest and most famous public party in Edinburgh.

Hogmanay Customs:
As midnight strikes the strains of Auld Lang Syne, Robert Burn's version of this traditional Scottish air, can be heard everywhere, followed by a toast to health, wealth and happiness for the coming year and the custom of First Footing.

First Footing:
First-Footing – the visiting of friends and family immediately after midnight sees the Scots rushing from house to house to welcome in the New Year. The First-Foot in the house traditionally is a dark, handsome male carrying a piece of coal, whisky, Scottish shortbread and black bun - a rich dark fruitcake encased in pastry. The visitor in return is given a small glass of whisky.

Customs in the Rest of the UK:
Many of the Scottish customs have infiltrated into the rest of Britain. Though First Footing is less common south of the Scottish border, the singing and toasting - sometimes followed by fireworks - can be heard throughout the British Isles.

The Foods of Hogmanay and New Years Eve:
Food at Hogmanay must include the traditional foods of Scotland.

Shortbread is always eaten at Hogmanay and sometimes served with cheese.

All the First Footing on a cold night means food must be warm and comforting a casserole or a hearty Venison Pie with a side dish of Rumbledethumps and of course Haggis will most certainly make an appearance.

And to Drink....?:
It has to be Whisky in Scotland. Scotch Whisky is world renowned and what better time to drink it than Hogmanay. Nobody knows exactly when the art of distilling was first practised in Scotland but it is believed it was the Ancient Celts who first practiced the art. Uisge Beatha - the water of life - as the Celts call it evolved into Scotch, a drink made only in Scotland, but enjoyed around the world.

The Words to Auld Lang Syne:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

The Translation
Should old acquaintances be forgotten
And never be remembered?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten
and days long ago.
Chorus:
For days long ago, my dear,
For days long ago
We'll drink a cup of kindness yet
For days long ago!

A hearty casserole is ideal for the main course - lamb stew topped with a crust of best Scottish black pudding is perfect food to warm diners up. To line the stomachs further, a dish of Rumbledethumps, made from wholesome potatoes, turnips (called 'swede' south of the Scottish border) and kale is delicious and comforting.

Pudding must be over-the-top as we Scots have such a sweet tooth, so a steamed pudding served with hot butterscotch sauce will end your Hogmanay dinner with panache.

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Lamb Stew with Stornoway Black Pudding crust

By Sue Lawrence

Description:
Stornoway is my favourite black pudding, with its rich yet non-greasy flavour and good crumbly texture.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
25g/1oz butter
800g/1lb 12oz lamb shoulder, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 heaped tbsp flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bushy sprigs fresh rosemary
150ml/5fl oz red wine
150ml/5fl oz lamb stock
200g/7oz Stornoway black pudding, skin removed, thinly sliced (chill well before slicing)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil with the butter in an ovenproof casserole until hot.
3. Place the lamb into a large bowl, sprinkle over the seasoned flour and mix well. Tip half of the lamb pieces into the casserole and cook, stirring frequently, until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat, then remove the second batch of meat to a plate.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the casserole and gently fry the onion, leeks and garlic until softened.
5. Return the meat to the casserole along with the rosemary, wine and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for about an hour, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven and discard the rosemary sprigs. Increase the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
7. Place the black pudding slices on top of the stew, overlapping slightly. Brush the slices with a little olive oil, then return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the stew is bubbling and the topping is crisp.
8. Serve at once with Rumbledethumps and a green vegetable.

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Seven-cup Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Serves 6
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time over 2 hours

By Sue Lawrence

Description:
Non-Scots might eat this with some custard or cream, but I would inundate it with custard, cream - and (don't forget that sweet tooth of ours!) a scoop of best-quality ice-cream.

Ingredients:
For the pudding (use a regular 300ml/10fl oz coffee mug for the measurements)
1 mug raisins
1 mug sultanas
1 mug self-raising flour
1 mug shredded suet
1 mug fresh breadcrumbs
1 mug light muscovado sugar
1 level tsp ground cinnamon
1 heaped tsp ground mixed spice
1 mug whole milk
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
butter, for greasing
For the butterscotch sauce
75g/2¾oz light muscovado sugar
50g/2oz butter
150ml/5fl oz double cream
few drops vanilla extract
crème fraîche, to serve

Method:
1. For the pudding, place the first six mugfuls of ingredients into a bowl with the spices and mix well.
2. Add the milk and beaten egg and mix well.
3. Grease a 1 litre/1¾ pint pudding basin with butter, then pour the pudding mixture into the basin.
4. Cover with baking paper or foil, then place into a steamer set over a pan of simmering water and cook for about 2½ hours, or until cooked through.
5. For the butterscotch sauce, place all the sauce ingredients (not the crème fraîche) into a pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil for three minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened and smooth.
6. To serve, turn the pudding out onto a serving plate and serve with the butterscotch sauce and crème fraîche.

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So there you have a different custom. My Mom would be proud! I'll tip a glass for you, Pop! Cheers! (There's a hot link for some information at the title.)

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Christmas In Boise, 2009

"The Day" has come and essentially gone. Long day. Awesome time. Good dinner. What else can I say. Oh yes, Thank-You to all who made this day so great: Robin, Marnie, Mac, Chris, Mattie and Buddy and Gus. Here are your photos!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Merry Christmas!

Mattie and Chris
24 Dec 2009

Oh, my! Now what do we have here? Have you ever seen such a "twinkle" in Chris' eye?
Cute. Very cute!

Mac's Onion Soup
24 Dec 2009

Mac made his awesome French Onion Soup for dinner along with a Roast of Beef. He can make that any time he wishes. It's a "pretty" soup - but not as pretty as the above photo! Cheers! And Merry Christmas!!

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Happy Thanksgiving From Our House To Yours!

Yes, it was a wonderful day starting at 10:00am when Chris - our Grandson - arrived to start making bread. He made the "Dilly Bread"; Sophia made the "Green Bean Casserole", Jerri, of "Jerri's Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery" made the awesomely , sinful "Chocolate Truffle Pie"; Le Cafe de Paris surprised us yesterday with an "Apple Torte"; Robin and Marnie had the table all set and the dining room beautiful and Mac was here for moral support. Not much for me to do but sit back and enjoy the day ...... and I did. We hope that everyone who reads this had a great day and I will think about you at "Black Friday". I will be checking my eyelids for holes! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanksgiving In Boise

Several people have asked what we are making for Thanksgiving Dinner. Folks from Idaho, Michigan, California and South Africa. And no, that is not our house. It is one across the street from us and this is about the first year that they have gone so "all out". I just thought it would be nice to have it here to "introduce" the Holiday Season! It certainly does light up the neighborhood. Here is our Thanksgiving menu (The pie was just delivered and it says "Keep Refrigerated", so I guess I can not sample it. You know, The Queens Taster?) Enjoy - we will!

Wine Opener:

Ogni Giorno Lambrusco Amabile

Dinner Wine:

2005 Westerland Gewurztraminer (South African)

Spatchcocked 70 Minute Turkey
(Recipe found on the Boise Foodie Blog)
with
Madeira Turkey Gravy


Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Reduction

Dried Corn

Dilly Casserole Bread

Dessert Wine:

2006 Bitner Vineyards Reserve Red Dessert Wine

Chocolate Truffle Pie
(Jerri's Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery - Listed on this blog)

We do hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, has a wonderful holiday. Cheers!

Brussdels Sprouts For Thanksgiving

So, what do you do with Brussels Sprouts? Boil 'em. Steam 'em. There's gotta be more and there is.
1) You can take about 12 of the sprouts and boil until tender. Reduce 6 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar to one-half. Place the drained sprouts in the reduction. Stir and add salt. Serve hot. Serves 2.

2). Or take 12 medium sprouts and cut in half - see photo. Then take the juice of 1 lemon and add about 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir until emulsified. Place sprouts in a large bowl. Add the lemon mixture. Let sit for about 30 minutes stirring about every 10 minutes to coat the sprouts. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sprouts on a lipped cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir sprouts and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle lightly with gray salt - Celtic Salt. Serve hot. Serves 2.

We had these sprouts as a trial for Thanksgiving and we were surprised. They are good! No more of that "cabbage" taste, bitterness or smell. The black leaves can be removed - they do keep the flavors into the sprout. Dinner was a succulent braised Pork Chop with Orange Sauce, Applesauce, Chard Stems with Garlic, Raisins and Roasted Pine Nuts and the Roasted Brussels Sprouts. For liquid refreshment - you always have to have liquid refreshment - we had a 2007 Cinder Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Blend that went very well with the menu.

So there you are. Another Thanksgiving suggestion. Cheers!