Mozarella di Bufala (Buffalo Mozarella) - UPDATE

Whether it is a weakening economy or a strengthening dollar, the price at COSTCO has fallen to $9.99!!! Another round of caprese salads on the house.

St. Louis, Dining Out & Pork Chops

I spent a three day weekend in St. Louis, and am happy to report we had some delicious meals. There are a lot of sources for reviews of fine dining in the St. Louis area, so I'll limit my comments to our Sunday brunch venue, the City Coffee House & Creperies in Clayton.

We asked a local for a brunch recommendation, and were told that brunch is not a popular meal in St. Louis. On our own we discovered the City Coffee House, and it was a wonderful surprise. There are not many places were you can go for a wide selection of crepes. The menu here is huge, if you can imagine it I'm convinced they can make it. There is a choice of traditional or buckwheat crepes. We started with savory buckwheat crepes, filled with vegetables and cheese. For dessert we ordered a more traditional crepe filled with nutella and strawberries. The crepes are huge and all made to order, so order a mug of coffee and be prepared to relax. If crepes are not your thing, the City Coffee House also offers waffles and sandwiches made on yummy looking baguettes.

After living the high life, and dining out all weekend, it was time for some home cooking. With the weather turning cold my thoughts turned to some warming comfort food: pork chops in a mustard onion gravy and mashed potatoes. I usually make low fat mashed potatoes, using a little of the cooking liquid to thin the potatoes instead of butter or cream. I had some heavy cream on hand, left over from a previous recipe, and couldn't resist adding it to the potatoes. There is a difference, and it was delicious!

Pork Chops with a Onion Mustard Gravy

2 large pork rib chops, approximately 3/4" thick.

1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 cup chicken stock
1 - 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. butter
2 - 3 tbsp. olive oil.

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in skillet. Add onion slices and saute until soft and translucent.
Remove onions from pan, add additional oil if necessary. Salt & pepper both sides of chops. Add to pan and brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan. Warm stock in microwave. Add to pan, scraping up bits of meat stuck to pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return onions to pan, add Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Return chops to pan, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes and a salad. Enjoy!

Lobster, the new - old everyman's food

In day's gone by, lobsters were not considered a delicacy, but rather a poor man's food. While the tables haven't turned quite that far, falling lobster prices, a result of both a large catch and the poor economy, have made this treat much more accessible.

When we are in the mood for lobster we usually drive to southern Maine for dinner at our favorite lobster pier, Chauncey Creek ( http://www.chaunceycreek.com/ ). Part of the fun of eating at Chauncey Creek is that it allows diners to bring in anything they don't sell. People bring tablecloths, candles, wine, appetizers, salad etc... The spreads are amazing, the scenery gorgeous, and the lobsters delicious! Best of all, the cooking is done by someone else.

This past weekend was my daughter's first home from college, and lobster is one of her favorite foods, but driving to Maine was not in the cards, and she really didn't want to go out to eat. One of the local supermarkets had fresh lobsters for $6.99 lb., but I had never cooked a lobster, and was worried the entire house would end-up smelling like steamed crusteaceans. Plus, I didn't have a pot large enough to steam three lobsters.

Well, for no extra charge the supermarket "steams" the lobsters. In a specially designed microwave, they can steam two lobsters in six minutes! But would they be any good? Would the microwave kill the texture? I'm happy to report the lobsters were delicious, and still steaming hot when I got them home. Accompanied by a home made salad, dessert, and bottle of wine, we had a tasty and festive deal with a minimum of work.

For those of you who want the experience of cooking your own lobster, or don't have access to a market that will do the steaming for you, visit the Lobster Insitute's web site for how-to instructions (http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=22).

Enjoy!

A Costco Adventure

For a long time I resisted joining a warehouse store. What was the point of driving twenty minutes to get a few bargains? Finally, at the urging of my children who tasted Costco goodies at the homes of friends, I relented. Now, after two years of occasional shopping, I can attest that there are some wonderful and tasty bargains at the big box stores. I've misplaced my receipt, so some of the following prices may be off, but I promise, they are bargains.

Carolina's top ten list of tasty Costco Bargains.

1) Buffalo Mozzarella - when I first started buying this it was $9.99 for a container of six balls. The price is now up to $13.99, but this is still a bargain. Be warned - fresh mozzarella has a relatively short shelf life, so be prepared to consume this quickly.

2) Mini, multi-colored sweet peppers. I occasionally see small packages of these peppers at Trader Joes at a much higher cost. Two pounds of these incredibly sweet and cute peppers will only set you back $6.99. Spray lightly with olive oil then toss on the grill for a few minutes.

3) Romaine Lettuce - sold in five packs for $3.99, my biggest challenge is fitting the package into my refrigerator. As an alternative to a tossed or Caesar salad, try cutting the heads in half lengthwise, spraying lightly with olive oil, then quickly grilling (cut side down). Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top, add a little grated Parmesan cheese and capers for an easy change from salad.

4) Curly's Baby Back Ribs - Though I love to grill, I've never had much success with "barbecue." We usually go to a local smokehouse. That is until I discovered these pre-cooked ribs. My local supermarket does not carry this brand, and I've been very disappointed in the brands that were available. Curly's ribs are very, very meaty. My teenage son, who typically polishes off an entire rack when we go out, rarely manages more than two-thirds of a Curly's rack. The leftovers don't last long. We cut the meat off the ribs, warm it quickly in the microwave, then throw it on a bun for a riblet sandwich. These racks are found in the refrigerator section for $14.99. They freeze well as packaged.

5) Fresh Berries - the bargains are seasonal, but large clam shells of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries are usually half the price of your local supermarket.

6) Frozen Ahi Tuna - fresh tuna at my supermarket is typically $18 to $20 per pound. Costco sells 3 pound bags of sashimi grade tuna. Each piece of tuna is flash frozen and individually vacuum packed. A bag typically contains six to eight pieces. Price: $17 to $18 per bag. I've had great success with these tuna steaks both on the grill and in the fry pan.

7) Nestle's chocolate chips. Well, depending on how much you like to bake these 4.5 pound bags may not be the best use of your storage space, but they are a bargain. They also have a ziploc seal to make them easier to use. If you get tired of chocolate chip cookies, these chips are also great for making chocolate dipped strawberries or a chocolate fondue.

8) Fresh Veal Loin Chops - Veal is so expensive, and my local Whole Foods rarely has these loin chops. The same cut as a porterhouse or T-bone steak, at $10.99 a pound these chops are a great treat. A little kosher salt and a few minutes on the grill makes me feel like I'm at a top notch steak house. Crimini mushrooms sauteed in olive oil with garlic make a great side.

9) Fresh Vegetables - the values change with the season, and everything is only available in large quantities, so make sure you really can use that three pounds of asparagus before you are seduced by the bargain. You'll recognize these brands from your local supermarket. My favorite buys: asparagus, baby carrots, mixed baby greens, and green beans.

10) Fresh seafood - my experience is limited and the results mixed. This week I bought fantastic looking scallops for $10.99 a pound. Unfortunately, they shrank considerably when cooked which indicates they had a lot of water added. I had better luck with the king crab legs. At $9.99 per pound, two legs made a fun addition to a mixed grill. The legs are cooked prior to freezing. They are sold thawed and are easily warmed in the oven or on the grill.

At Last, the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I've been looking for a knock-out chocolate chip cookie recipe for years. Not too sweet, not too fatty tasting, but chewy once cooled. I want my homemade chocolate chip cookies to provide the same satisfaction as Entemann's, only even better.

Well, though I've tried for years to tinker with recipes, replacing some sugar with honey or switching from granulated sugar to brown, nothing has worked. I wish I could take credit for the recipe I'm about to share with you, but I can't. Credit belongs to Cook's Illustrated. Their American Classics issue has the perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. My only change - ignoring their labor intensive suggestion for shaping the cookies. I just dropped spoonfuls of dough from a tablespoon. Enjoy!

Makes 18 large cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1 1/2 sticks butter, melt in microwave and let cool until just warm.

2 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend. Set aside

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine:

1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Add melted butter, and blend thoroughly on medium speed.

To sugar - butter mixture add:
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk

With mixer running on low, gradually add dry ingredients. When fully incorporated add

1.5 cups chocolate chips & blend.

Using a tablespoon, divide dough into 18 large balls arranged between the two cookie sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a light golden brown color and slightly hardened around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheets.

Stuffed French Toast that's Really Stuffed!

I can't tell you the number of times I've ordered stuffed french toast, only to be served two pieces of french toast with a topping piled between them. Call it layered, call it deconstructed, but don't call it stuffed!

Today was my chance to take a crack at making a real stuffed french toast. I had a delicious challah in the house, and it was practically begging to be turned into french toast. I cut the bread into very thick slices, about 1.5 inches, and then cut a pocket in the middle of each slice.The slices were then soaked in a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. While the bread was soaking it was time to prepare the stuffing. I quartered a banana and then coated each piece in brown sugar. The bananas were then sauteed in butter in a non-stick fry pan, creating a dark, caramel sauce, with the bananas heated through but still firm. The challah slices were transferred to the fry pan, and the pockets filled with the caramelized bananas, and then cooked until the toast was nicely browned on both sides.The pieces were then transferred to a buttered baking dish, dotted with butter, covered, and baked in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes. The result: a rich, sweet french toast, filled with a buttery hot banana filling. Definitely a do again recipe.


Recipe - makes 2 very generous servings

1 loaf challah or other rich egg bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk (skim is fine)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 ripe banana, halved lengthwise, and then widthwise
brown sugar
2 Tbsps. butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Cut 2 thick (1.5" to 2") slices from Challah. Cut a pocket in the middle of each slice.
Mix next five ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Soak bread for 30 minutes, turn over once.
Place 1/4 c. brown sugar in a shallow bowl and cover each banana quarter with sugar, turning and pressing sugar into each banana piece. Use more sugar if necessary. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a non-stick fry pan. Add banana quarters. Let cook 2 minutes on a side without moving until ready to turn the pieces. Sugar will melt and the bananas should be warmed through, but not mushy. Push the banana pieces of the edge of the pan, and add the soaked challah. Carefully insert a banana piece into each slice of challah. Cook challah until browned on each side. Transfer challah and remaining banana slices to a lightly buttered baking dish. Cover with foil and cook 20 minutes, or until each slice is cooked through. Garnish with chopped pecans and serve.

Turkey "Bracciola"

Inspiration comes from many places. Last night's inspiration was a NY Times Mark Bittman video on bracciola.

Bracciola is an Italian dish in which beef (flank steak) is rolled up like a jelly rolly with a filling of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, though, as in the case with Mark Bittman, it can also include vegetables.

I wanted something other than beef, and chose turkey breast cutlets. I split the cutlets, pounded them thin (about 1/4 inch), then placed a thin slice of prosciutto on each cutlet, and covered the prosciutto with a mixture of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sauted garlic and mushrooms. The cutlets were too narrow to roll up, so I folded them in half; they looked like a sandwich. Each cutlet was dredged in cornmeal, egg, then seasoned bread crumbs. After browning the "sandwiches" on each side in olive oil, they were put in a single layer into a glass casserole, covered with foil, then baked for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The result, a crispy outside with a moist flavorful inside. Enjoy!

Traditions

There is not a lot of variation in my menu for the Jewish High Holidays. Chicken soup and matzoh balls - always. Potato kugel - yes, unless my mother makes knishes, and, since my son has become a major carnivore, brisket.

Brisket has a long tradition as a comfort food in Jewish cooking. A long, slow cooking turns a flat brisket into a fork tender, moist and delicious entree. There are endless ways to season a brisket, but all recipes call for slow cooking at a temperature of 300 to 325 degrees.

Brisket for Rosh Hashana 5769

6 lb. flat cut brisket
2 large onions - sliced thin
3 - 4 Tbsps. brown sugar
1 package lipton powdered onion soup
1 can crushed tomatoes
kosher salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Place a large roasting pan over one or two stove top burners. Add onions and spray lightly with olive oil. Saute on medium high heat until onions start to sweat.

Salt and pepper both sides of the brisket. Place fat side-up on top of the onions. Cover with brown sugar, onion soup, and crushed tomatoes. Cover and seal tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 4 hours. Remove from oven and check brisket with a fork to see if tender. If not, recover tightly with foil, and return to the oven for an additional hour.

Let cool covered overnight in the refrigerator. Remove congealed fat and slice brisket thinly across the grain. Return brisket to the pan, cover, and re-heat in a 325 degree oven. Alternatively, after slicing the brisket can be covered with plastic wrap and foil, then frozen.

Enjoy!

P.S. - the chicken soup was delicious.

Chicken Soup for the Holidays

Frequently, the seemingly simplest foods are the toughest to get right. Chicken soup, a staple of every Jewish household, falls into this category.

Historically, chicken soup was not the rich, savory and satisfying comfort food we seek today. It was a means of extending a limited food supply. Take the least edible parts of the chicken, or perhaps a rooster whose time had come, add some root vegetables (whose time had also neared) and combine with water. The result was a very lightly flavored broth, usually dependent on salt for any discernible flavor. This was the soup my grandmother, a product of the shtetl, brought to the table on holidays and the sabbath.

As an adult, I've been on a mission to find the secret to a great chicken soup. I've made progress. Carrots and parsnips I've found are the key to sweetness. As for the chicken, I've tried whole birds, kosher birds, a collection of carcasses from roasted chickens, backs and legs, and this year, for the first time, wings. Two cooks, whose soups I've admired at recent holidays, both rely on wings to impart a rich, chicken taste.

I filled my stock pot two-thirds of the way with frozen wings, added the carrots, parsnips and onion, and covered everything with water. The soup simmered for four hours and now I'm waiting for it to cool so I can skim off the fat and season it with salt and pepper. Tomorrow I'll make the matzoh balls, and Monday night will be the day of reckoning. Stay tuned - I'll let you know if at long last I've found the key to success.

Parchmant Paper Tribute

You may be wondering "How does she get the dough for the grilled foccacia onto the grill?" "Parchment paper" is my solution to most kitchen dilemmas these days. Without parchment paper, many of my dishes would be a disaster.

In the case of the grilled foccacia (pizza), I roll the dough out on the paper, lightly oil the exposed side, then pick the dough up by the paper and let it fold in half (dough side facing out). This allows me to "roll" the dough onto the grill. Once down, I just peel off the paper, which is now facing up, and oil and season the newly exposed side while the bottom cooks.

I also use parchment when I am making a pizza on a pizza stone in my oven. I never mastered sliding the pizza from the peel onto the hot stone. It always ended-up a mess. I put a piece of parchment on top of my peel, and then roll and make the pizza . When it is time to put the pie in the oven, I just slide the parchment paper with pizza off the peel and onto the stone. The paper scorches around the edges, but stays intact. When the pizza is done the pie easily slides off the paper and onto the peel.

Finally, parchment paper has become my secret to making delicious buffalo wings. We like our wings crispy, not soggy. I line rimmed baking sheets with parchment, and place uncooked frozen wings onto the paper. The wings cook for about 30 minutes in a 425 degree oven (use the convection setting if you have it, if not cooking time will be longer). When the wings have reached the desired level of crispiness, I use tongs to put them into a large bowl where they are tossed with the buffalo sauce. If I skip the parchment paper, the wings never get as crisp. The parchment paper and any excess oil are thrown away, the baking sheets are lined with fresh paper, and the wings, now coated with buffalo sauce, are cooked for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. The parchment paper keeps the sauced wings from sticking to the pan.

Grilled Appetizers, focaccia and halloumi cheese

Yesterday I finally had the time and opportunity to cook. It was a beautiful evening to grill, so I started with what has become a stand-by for me, grilled focaccia. I typically have a bag or two of purchased pizza dough in my refrigerator, so this can be a spur of the moment choice. Last night I used a whole wheat dough, which I roll and stretch on a piece of parchment paper. I lightly spray the top side of the dough with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt and crushed garlic. Depending on how thinly I've rolled the dough, after grilling it either resembles a crispy pizza, a naan, or a more "bready" foccacia . I serve this warm foccacia with a variety of spreads, such as an olive tapenade, roasted red pepper, or baba ghanoush, and cheese.


Last night, for the first time, I grilled halloumi cheese to accompany the foccacia. It was an easy and a fun change. I lightly sprayed the cheese with olive oil, and grilled it for about two minutes per side. The outside of the cheese develops a thin, crunchy skin, and the inside is warm but still firm. The cheese is slightly salty, so the foccacia only needs a light salting before grilling. Next time I will try a squeeze of lemon juice on the cheese after grilling, and a garnsih of capers.

Old Friends and Homemade Pasta

We met some old friends this weekend in Groton, CT. Though not on most people's list of must see places, it has the benefit of being halfway between NYC and Boston. The major tourist attraction, the Historic Ship Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum, was also of interest to the military history buffs in our party.

A docent at the museum suggested we try Paul's Pasta Shop for lunch. Though Italian was not our first choice for lunch, Paul's deck overlooking the Thames River and the fact it served both beer and wine, convinced us to give it a try.

This small shop makes everything from scratch: the pasta, bread, and sauces. The menu was large and varied; hearty, not high brow, offering two sizes of most entrees. My husband's spaghetti pie was about four inches high, and filled with meatballs and sausages. My linguine with fresh chopped clams was delicious. The pasta had a little bite to it, and the clams were tender. All meals came with a basket of warm garlic bread. Though not worth a special trip, Paul's is definitely a must do if you're in the Groton area.

Stuff Happens

I shouldn't have been surprised that the unexpected happened two days in a row. After all, there's no reason my personal life shouldn't mirror the current state of the stock market.

At 6:00 pm, just as I was getting ready to start dinner, my teenage son limped in the door. "I broke my big toe and need to go to the emergency room." We've been through this drill before, so I quickly put the food back into the refrigerator and grabbed my car keys. Approximately 3 hours later (it was a slow night in the ER) he was the proud owner of a new walking cast and famished.

I wish I could say we headed straight home, where I effortlessly whipped up a meal capable of satisfying his appetite in less than 15 minutes. No, his comfort food of choice was KFC, and at 9:30, who was I to argue?

I don't claim to be the world's most discerning diner, so perhaps it's not shocking that at times I find a bucket from the colonel "finger lickin' good." It certainly excels at delivering salty fat when that's what your body is craving. Nor will I ever vote for KFC as the best fried chicken. However, there is a time and place for everything, and last night the colonel was a life saver.

Things Change

Sometimes life throws a monkey wrench in our meal plans. An unexpectedly, uncomfortable dentist appointment, forced a last minute switch to an easy to chew meal and my son’s request last night for macaroni and cheese.

In earlier times, that would have me reaching for a box of Annie’s or Kraft’s. Homemade macaroni and cheese was just too much work for a “kids” food. The need for two pots, one for the sauce and the other to cook the pasta, was the real deal killer. My sister-in-law whips-up a mean mac’n cheese: a white sauce from scratch with freshly grated cheese. I wanted that rich and creamy home cooked taste, with the convenience of a box.

I’ve succeeded in creating a one-pot recipe that delivers on both counts. The key is to follow the same steps you use with the box: Cook the pasta, drain and return to the pot, add butter, allow to melt, sprinkle flour over the buttered macaroni, mix, gradually add warmed milk, and then slowly add grated cheese (from a bag of course!) It takes a bit of stirring to get the cheese melted and incorporated, but the result is worth the minimal effort. Best of all, there was only one pot to clean.

For those of us with a fully functioning set of teeth, dinner was rounded out with a salad of tomato, hearts of palm, and cucumber, and chicken Italian sausages.

RECIPE FOR ONE POT MACARONI & CHEESE

1 box elbow pasta (usually 1 lb.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1.5 cups low fat milk, warmed in microwave (about 2 minutes on high)
2 cups grated cheddar ( equivalent to one small bag of pre-grated cheese)
salt & pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta. Return to pot. Over a low heat, add butter to the pasta. Stir to evenly coat pasta with the melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered pasta with the flour, stirring to coat evenly. Slowly add the warmed milk while stirring. Add the cheese by handfuls, stirring to fully melt between additions. Salt & pepper to taste. Sometimes I add a few dashes of hot sauce. If you want a runnier sauce add an additional 1/2 cup of warmed mile.

In the Beginning

I grew-up in a home with two women who loved to cook and entertain, my mother and my maternal grandmother. My grandmother arrived in the US from Russia when she was a young teen. Her specialties were the baked goods of the old country: kuchens, strudels, and sweet cakes.

My mother, on the other hand, was a thoroughly modern American cook. Jell-O, condensed cream of mushroom soup, bottles of Italian salad dressing, all of these wonderful convenience foods of the 60's had a central role in both her daily and special occasion repertoire. By the time I was in high school, though, her monthly gourmet club dinners were broadening her palate, techniques, and ingredient list.

Not surprisingly, with encouragement from my mother, one of my first purchases after graduating from college was an eleven-piece starter set of Le Creuset cookware. Thirty years later, that cookware is still the workhorse of my kitchen, and a link to memories of so many wonderful meals with family and friends.