Tasty Skillet Kielbasa and Cabbage

I love all kinds of sausage and I love cabbage. This easy dish is so satisfying, real comfort food.

Kielbasa & Cabbage Skillet

2# kielbasa, cut lengthwise, then into 2" pieces
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet onion, cut into large pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp grainy mustard

Cook kielbasa in oil without stirring 1-2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

In same pan, add cabbage, onion, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook approximately 10 minutes, tossing/stirring, until golden.

Mix vinegar and mustard together and add to cabbage. Add sausage, cook until heated through. Adjust seasoning.

Can serve as is or over mashed potatoes.

Variation

Potatoes and/or rutabaga can also be added. Cut into bite-sized cubes, salt and pepper to taste, and sauté or roast in olive oil at 425° for approximately 1/2 hour, till tender and golden. Add to cabbage and onion mix; you'll need more vinegar and mustard.

You can substitute Italian sausage (or any sausage you like for that matter) for the kielbasa.

Dribbling Oil into the Bowl of a Food Processor

Okay, ha ha, sounds like a silly post. However, do you like to make homemade mayonnaise, or a really good salad dressing that needs to thicken?

My dear hubby Matthew solved my problem SO easily. He's brilliant!

Matthew took the insert cup for my food processor and drilled a tiny hole into the bottom of it. I can now close up the top of the processor, insert the cup, and add the oil and it will DRIP DRIP DRIP into the the liquid beneath making a perfect emulsion!

You're welcome ; )

Tapenade

I first tasted this during a couple weeks in Provence, 13 years ago. It's so easy to make these days as we can get so many fresh ingredients we could never get then. One thing that's more difficult and that I highly recommend is finding tuna canned in oil rather than water (I can actually get it now in my supermarket, but in the imported aisle). The flavor really contributes to the end product. I love this the most on crudites, but you can use it in stuffed veg, hard-boiled eggs or tossed with pasta.

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/4 cup imported green olives, pitted
4 anchovy fillets (in oil or salt cured)
1 garlic clove
2 Tblsp capers, drained
2 Tblsp oil-packed tuna, drained
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup best-quality extra virgin olive oil

Combine black and green olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, tuna, lemon juice and basil in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process till smooth.
With the motor running, dribble in the oil * to make a thick, fluffy sauce.
Tapenade will keep refrigerated for at least a week. It also lends itself to freezing.
This recipe doubles well.

*Check out my next entry regarding dribbling oil into the bowl of a food processor!

Half-Sour Pickles

1 - 1 1/2 lb pickling cucumbers
1 Tblsp pickling salt + 2 cups warm water
1 wide-mouth quart canning jar
2 grape leaves or 1 tea bag
1 small carrot, cut into sticks
2 small garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp dill seed
a flowering dill head
several sprigs fresh dill weed
small ziploc bag

I like to use Kirby cukes for pickling, but you can use any young, smallish cuke. You can also use regular salt. Grape leaves or a tea bag add tannins to the mix (no flavor) which are supposed to contribute to keeping the half-sours crunchy. Carrot is supposed to do the same thing. Some recipes add cumin and peppercorns and/or red pepper flakes to the mix; feel free to experiment. If you can't get fresh dill, you can try substituting dried.

Scrub cukes and place in a bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes. This supposedly helps with crunchiness.
Prepare brine. Dissolve salt in warm water. Salt should completely dissolve and leave the brine clear. Let cool before adding to jars.
Place grape leaves or tea bag in bottom of canning jar. Add dill seed.
Scrape any residue from the blossom end of each cuke before adding jar. The residue supposedly thwarts the fermentation process. Pack cukes into jar, interspersing dill heads, dill leaves, garlic and carrots. Pour brine over cukes, leaving about 3/4 inch head space. Pour remaining brine into ziploc bag, seal it and press it into top of jar. This should keep the cukes submerged.
Place the jar on a plate (it will bubble over the edge) and place in a sunny spot (this discourages the growth of nasty bacteria). Let ferment 4 - 7 days. Brine will bubble and become cloudy, that's fermentation! Skim any scum from the top of the brine daily. When pickles have reached desired sourness, remove ziploc bag, cover jar and refrigerate; they'll keep around 2 months. Rinse before eating.

Chicken Pot Pies

You will need 4 small oven proof bowls to serve this up.

6  chicken thighs (or 4 breasts if you prefer), skinned and boned
3 cups chicken stock (I make my own, but you can purchase decent stock - I like Kitchen Basics)

2 Tblsp canola oil
1 onion, sliced thin
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4" rounds
2 celery ribs, sliced into 1/4" pieces
4 large crimini mushrooms, halved, then each half sliced into 1/4" pieces
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
stock reserved from cooking chicken
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme (or more to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry, thawed, cut into quarters

Chicken
Trim the fat off the chicken, then gently simmer in the stock until just done, 10 minutes or so. Thighs will be more tender than breasts, just sayin'.  When done, remove chicken, and cut into bite sized pieces. Strain and save stock.

Veggies
While chicken is cooking, heat canola oil, then add onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Saute gently, don't let them brown, about 10 minutes. Add peas, parsley, salt and pepper, and lemon juice, and saute a minute or so more. Add chicken. Cover and keep warm.

Gravy
Melt butter in saucepan. Whisk in flour and let it cook over low heat without browning for several minutes. With heat on medium-low, slowly add stock, in small increments, whisking and keeping the mixture smooth. Next slowly add milk, again whisking constantly. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer gently 10 minutes or so until thickened and there is no floury taste. Adjust seasonings. Add to chicken/veggie mixture.

Assembly
Ladle chicken/veggie/gravy mix into 4 medium-sized oven safe bowls. Place a quarter of the Puff Pastry atop the bowl and fold edges under itself, around the bowl rim. Cut a slit into the center of the crust.

Bake
Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. It should start bubbling underneath the crust and the crust should be golden.

Ridiculously Easy Candy Treats

Corn Flake Peanut Butter Treats

3 cups corn flakes
3 Tblsp peanut butter
6 oz chocolate chips

Melt chips and peanut butter together, slowly and stirring, in a large pot. Once melted add corn flakes. Mix together gently with a spatula. Don't worry about corn flake breakage!!!
Drop by tablespoons on a cookie sheet and refrigerate till firm.
They keep well. And they are ridiculously tasty for something so easy!

Delicious Easy Fresh Tasting Cranberry Sauce

Triple Cranberry Sauce

1 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
1-12 oz package fresh cranberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp minced orange zest
2 Tblsp orange juice
3 Tblsp orange marmalade
1/4 tsp allspice

Combine cranberry concentrate and sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring till sugar dissolves.
Add fresh and dried cranberries. Simmer till dried berries begin to soften and fresh berries begin to pop, stirring often, 7 - 10 minutes. It's fine if all the berries don't disintegrate.
Remove from heat, add orange zest, orange juice, marmalade and allspice. Mix well.
Cool completely, Cover and chill till cold. Will keep for a week.

Easy and Delicious Cold Weather Bean Soup.

White Bean Soup with Pasta and Rosemary Oil

The Rosemary Oil *
1/3 cup really good virgin olive oil
2 Tblsp finely chopped fresh rosemary or 2 Tblsp dried
2 garlic cloves, sliced

The Soup
4 cans (I usually end up using 6) white beans (cannellini, navy, or a combination; I also use garbanzo, but not alone)
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp chopped fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
1 celery rib, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned, with juice
3 quarts water/vegetable stock/chicken stock **
salt and freshly ground pepper

Parmesan rind (optional)***

1 cup small pasta, your choice

Thin shavings of or freshly grated Parmesan

The Rosemary Oil
Slowly warm the extra virgin olive oil with 2 Tblsp rosemary and 2 garlic cloves until the garlic begins to color, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside till needed. Let it steep awhile, then when ready to use, strain.
*This oil is fabulous added to many dishes. It's also perfect to use for dipping good bread.

The Soup
Drain and rinse beans. Heat the oil with 1 Tblsp rosemary in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook till the onion is softened and starting to color, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and parsley and cook for a few minutes more. Add 4 cans beans to pot along with tomatoes and 3 quarts **water/vegetable stock/chicken stock (as the grandchild of the Great Depression, we used H20; however, great flavor can be achieved by using stock, alone or in combination with H20). Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer briskly for about 30 minutes.
Puree half to all of the soup, depending upon how thick you want it, with an immersion blender or a standing blender.
Return to heat.
***I am a big fan of adding a piece of Parmesan rind to bean and veg soups. When you purchase Parm to grind or shave, save the rind, you can even freeze it. Throw it into your soup, it will burst with flavor! Remove rind (if it hasn't dissolved) before serving.
Add 2 tsp or so salt. Continue to simmer briskly another 30 minutes. If you pureed it so that most of the beans are gone, now is the time to add more beans, then simmer very gently while you cook your pasta.

Pasta
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till al dente, then drain.

Finally
Ladle soup into bowls, add some pasta to each. Drizzle some of the Rosemary Oil over each bowl and add pepper to taste. Cover with thin shavings of Parmesan.

Serve
YUM!

German Potato Dumplings, perfect for Sauerbraten or any roast or stew

Kartoffelklöesse

3 large Russet potatoes

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2/3 c flour

1/8 c cornstarch

1 large egg

2 slices sourdough bread (or Italian/French, just make it good bread)

1 Tblsp butter

1 Tblsp canola oil

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil. Trim crusts off bread. Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Scatter in skillet and sauté till golden brown. Transfer to paper towel to drain.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt liberally and add unpeeled potatoes. Cook till tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces. Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes.

Mash with a potato ricer (my fave) or fork in a large bowl. Stir in salt and nutmeg. Add 1/2 cup of the flour and all the cornstarch. Using your hands, knead mixture in bowl until smooth. Add a bit more flour if dough is sticky. Whisk in egg with a fork.

Using about 1/3-1/2 c mixture for each in the palm of your hand, add a bread cube and roll dough into a ball around it.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Reduce to a simmer, add 4-5 dumplings and simmer gently till they rise to the surface, approximately 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and keep covered with a damp towel in a warm oven as you cook the remainder of the dumplings.

Two Sauces for Fish

Sauce Gribiche

1 large hard boiled egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 cornichon
10 small capers, drained
1/4 c parsley
salt
freshly ground pepper

In a medium-sized bowl, mash the egg yolk with the mustard until smooth. Dribble in the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion. Whisk in vinegar.
Dice the egg white and cornichon. Add to sauce along with capers.
Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Add vinegar if needed.
Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Serve at room temperature. Also good over hard-boiled eggs or asparagus.


Beurre Blanc

1 to 2 shallots, minced
8 oz dry white wine
2 oz lemon juice
1 Tblsp heavy cream
12 Tblsp COLD unsalted butter, cubed
salt and white pepper, to taste

Combine shallots, wine and lemon juice in a saucepan over high heat; reduce to 2 Tblsp.
Add cream to the reduction. Once liquid bubbles, reduce heat to low. Add butter, one cube at a time, whisking first on the heat, then off the heat.
Continue whisking butter into the reduction until mixture is fully emulsified and is a rich sauce consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. If not using immediately, store in a thermos (otherwise, it will separate).

Gingerbread and Lemon Curd Trifle with Blackberry Sauce

You really do need a clear glass trifle bowl for this. It's very pretty!

Gingerbread Cake:

3 c all-purpose flour

2 Tblsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tblsp minced crystallized ginger

10 Tblsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c packed golden brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 c molasses

1 c boiling water

2 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

Lemon Curd (see previous post for Easy Lemon Curd)

Lemon Curd Filling (recipe follows)

Blackberry Sauce (recipe follows)

Whipped Cream Topping (whipped cream left over from Lemon Curd Filling)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°. Grease a half-sheet cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper and grease the paper.

Sift flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix in crystallized ginger.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, till well blended. Gradually beat in molasses, followed by 1 cup boiling water. Mix in grated lemon peel. Gradually mix in dry ingredients.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan sides. Turn out onto a rack and peel off paper. Cool and cut into 1-inch cubes. You will have more cake than you might want to use.

Lemon Curd Filling

1 recipe (see previous January post) Lemon Curd

2 c heavy cream, sweetened to taste with sugar and vanilla, beaten to soft peaks

Gently fold 1/2 of the whipped cream into the lemon curd until just combined. Reserve the other 1/2 to top the trifle. Refrigerate till ready to use.

Blackberry Sauce

2 pints fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries, thawed

1/4 c sugar

pinch salt

2 Tblsp framboise (raspberry liqueur)

1 Tblsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Place blackberries, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and cook until berries are soft and the sugar has melted. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into a bowl to remove seeds. Stir in framboise and lemon juice.

Assembly

Using a trifle bowl, start with an even layer of gingerbread cubes, top with 1/3 of the lemon curd mixture, then 1/3 of the blackberry sauce. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

One of our favorite vegetable soups. Make it truly vegetarian by using veg stock and omitting bacon fat and ham hock.

White Bean and Cabbage Soup

1 1/2 c dried white beans (Great Northern or Navy) or 3 c canned white beans, rinsed

4 T bacon fat, salted butter, or extra-virgin olive oil

1 c coarsely chopped yellow onions

3 leeks, white part only, thoroughly cleaned and thinly sliced

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

8 c chicken or vegetable stock

3 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 ham hock

1/2 white cabbage, shredded (about 2 c)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1/2 c chopped Italian parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Note: the above measurements aren't written in stone. More or less of any of the vegetables, or additions of your own is your choice; just adjust seasoning if needed. Add more stock or water if more liquid is needed.

If using dried beans, sort through them, discarding any pebbles you find. Soak overnight in water covering them by 3 inches. Alternatively, prepare the beans more quickly in a pressure cooker if you have one, following the cooker directions. Drain before using.

If using canned beans, rinse in a colander.

Melt the bacon fat or butter, or heat the oil in a heavy soup pot. Add onions, leeks, celery and carrots. Cook, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the thyme, bay leaf and a grinding of black pepper, then pour in the stock. Add parsnips, ham hock and drained soaked beans; if using canned beans, do not add at this point. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender, about 40 minutes. Canned beans can be added approximately 20 minutes into the simmering time, so they don't turn to mush.

Remove ham hock and allow to cool slightly. Cut meat off the bone, cut into chunks and return meat to pot.

Add cabbage, garlic and parsley and simmer another 10 minutes. Correct seasoning and add salt if needed. Parmesan cheese and/or a drizzle of a good extra-virgin olive oil can be used as a garnish for individual bowls.

Easy Lemon Curd - I used this in a Christmas Trifle after adding homemade whipped cream. So light and fluffy. But also great on its own.

Lemon Curd

5 egg yolks (save the whites and add to scrambled eggs)

1 c sugar

4 lemons, zested (have you gotten a Microplane yet?) and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Set up a double boiler; or, if you don't have one, add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal or Pyrex bowl (necessary if you don't have a double boiler) and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure lemon juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup (I had more juice than that and used it anyway). Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth.

Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and either pour egg mixture into the top of the double boiler or place the bowl on top of the saucepan (bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water, but small enough so that it will fit slightly into the pot and heat the eggs). Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a pat at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next.

Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this keeps a skin from forming).

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Easy and Inexpensive Vegetarian Dish!

Bow Tie Pasta with Cauliflower and Butter

1 cauliflower, cut into tiny florets

4 Tblsp unsalted butter (I'm going to try a really good extra-virgin olive oil next time or a mixture of the two)

1/2 c finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (or several Tblsp dried)

2 tsp coarse prepared mustard (or more to taste)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb Bow Tie pasta

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan, pecorino Romano, or a mixture of the two

1/2 - 1 c pitted Kalamata olives (optional)

1/2 c fresh bread crumbs, toasted till golden (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt generously. Add cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop cauliflower into a large pasta bowl. Add butter, parsley, mustard, pepper flakes and cayenne. Tent to keep warm or place in a low oven.

Add pasta to the boiling water; cook till al dente. Drain in a mesh colander; I don't shake it a lot till the pasta is absolutely dry, I prefer it with a bit of the water clinging to the noodle. Add olives if you desire, grind a generous amount of black pepper over all. Toss with cheese and the crumbs (if desired). Taste for salt.

Serve immediately with a green salad.

Very easy, very delicious steak! Buy a really good cut of meat.

Rib-eye Steak au poivre with Balsamic Reduction Serves 4

2 Tblsp whole peppercorns

4 (3/4" thick) bonesless rib-eye steaks

1 Tblsp canola oil

2 T unsalted butter

1/2 c balsamic vinegar

Coarsely smash peppercorns with a mortar & pestle. If you don't have one, try making a packet of peppercorns in waxed paper or such, and smashing with a rolling pin. Pat steaks dry and coat both sides with peppercorns. Season generously with salt.

Heat oil with 1 Tblsp butter in skillet over moderately high heat. Reduce to moderate and cook steaks approximately 4 minutes/side for medium-rare. Transfer to platter.

Add vinegar and deglaze (scrape up all the delicious brown bits in the pan) over high heat. Simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 1 Tblsp butter. Season with salt if needed and drizzle over steaks.

This mushroom barley soup is from Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, MI.

Mushroom Barley Soup

2 Tblsp dried porcini mushrooms

2 Tblsp butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 ribs celery with leaves, diced

1/4 c chopped Italian parsley

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb fresh mushrooms (you can use any type you wish, or a mix), sliced

1 Tblsp flour

2 quarts beef stock or vegetable stock, heated

1 cup quick (10 minute) barley

1-2 tsp salt

Soak dried mushrooms in hot water to cover for half an hour. Strain through cheesecloth, reserving the water. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Sauté onion, celery, parsley, carrot, garlic and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.

Lower heat and add flour, stirring vigorously. Simmer gently, stirring, about 5 minutes. Slowly add heated stock stirring constantly. Turn heat to high, add reserved mushroom water and porcini mushrooms. Add salt to taste. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes. Add barley and continue simmering, stirring frequently, another 30 minutes or until barley is tender and soup is thickened. Adjust seasonings.

Two types of pickled garlic. Pickled garlic, you ask? Well, it's great to munch as is and add to other dishes; save the brine for salad dressing.

Pickled Garlic with Sweet Red Pepper

1/2 lb garlic, peeled (you can buy them peeled or peel your own*)

1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups white vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp celery seed

cheesecloth

Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Large cloves can be cut in half. Mix in the red pepper.

Mix together the vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Wrap the dry mustard and celery seed in cheesecloth and tie off. Add spice packet to vinegar mixture. Bring to a boil, then boil 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and red pepper. Continue boiling 5 minutes. Discard spice packet.

Place garlic and peppers in sanitized canning jars** (boil jars in a large pot for 5 minutes or the highest hot setting on your dishwasher) to within 1 inch of the top. Fill with remaining liquid to within 1/4 inch from the top.

Cover and store in the refrigerator approximately 3 weeks before serving***.

* I peel my own fresh garlic, but it is an onerous task. You can buy peeled garlic, but I always question it's freshness/potency.

**Canning jars are cheap and available at most grocery stores or hardware stores. How many you need depends on how much you pickle : ) I generally sterilize 4 pints of jars or 2 pints and 4 1/2 pints so I'm covered for whatever I'm cooking up. I often double up the recipes above and below.

***Brine can be added to salad dressings.

French Pickled Garlic

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup dry white wine (remember, good wine makes good flavor, don't use crappy wine, ever)

1 small dried chile pepper

1 small thyme sprig

1 small rosemary sprig

1 small bay leaf

10 black peppercorns

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pickling salt*

1 cup peeled fresh garlic cloves

Put all ingredients except garlic into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then gently boil for 5 minutes.

Add garlic, return to a boil, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil again, then transfer to a sanitized canning jar.

Seal and store in the refrigerator 1 week to one year.

*no iodine or anti-caking agents (so keeps the liquid clear) added, find it next to regular salt

Pork Chops and gravy...one of my boys' favorites.

Braised Pork Chops Serves 6

6 loin pork chops, 1 inch thick (make as many or few as you need, but don't skimp on the gravy)

3 Tblsp canola oil or bacon fat (c'mon...you know which I'd use)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp flour (add more if gravy doesn't thicken enough)

1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

freshly ground pepper

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 cup beef stock, heated (can substitute partially with white wine or vermouth if desired)

2 Tblsp chopped pickle/pickle relish (I like the sweet type)

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of fat, add chops and brown on both sides. Remove from pan.

Heat remaining fat in pan, add the onion and sauté 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper and mustard till well blended, being sure to scrape up all the brown bits in the skillet, then gradually add heated stock (deglazing). Stir in chopped pickle or pickle relish and simmer 5 minutes.

Return the chops to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Cover and simmer very slowly until the chops are tender, about 30 minutes.

Delicious and easy home-cured Corned Beef, great for a dinner, a sandwich or for a charcuterie board.

Brine and Brisket

1 gallon water
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp pink salt *
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tblsp Pickling Spice (homemade** or store bought)
One 5 lb (appx) well-marbled beef brisket

Combine brine ingredients in a pot large enough to hold the brisket comfortably. Bring to a simmer, stirring till the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate brine till it's completely chilled.

Place brisket in brine and weight it down with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days. Check every day to be sure it remains submerged. If your brisket is a bit larger, halve the recipe again, and leave it in the brine another day or two.

Remove brisket from brine and rinse it thoroughly under cool running water.

That's it! Now you can cook it as you would a packaged corned beef.


* What is pink salt? Pink salt (Insta Cure #1) is 93.75% sodium chloride (table salt) and 6.25% nitrite. Nitrites are found in green leafy vegetables, and in small quantities are not at all harmful, but in large quantities, are. Thus the curing mixture is dyed pink to prevent accidental consumption as pure table salt. Nitrite's positive contributions to meat: it changes the flavor, preserves the meat's red color, prevents fat from developing a rancid flavor, and prevents many bacteria from growing (think Clostridia botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism poisoning). I order mine from SausageMaker.com.


**Pickling Spice Recipe (or buy a store-bought mix; Penzeys.com is a great source for herbs/spices either way)

1 1/2 Tblsp black peppercorns
2 Tblsp mustard seeds
2 Tblsp coriander seeds
2 Tblsp hot red pepper flakes
2 Tblsp allspice berries
1 Tblsp ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
24 bay leaves, crumbled
2 Tblsp whole cloves
1 Tblsp ground ginger

Lightly toast peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry pan, then smash with the side of a knife just to crack them. Combine the cracked spices with the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Store in a tightly sealed container.


Cooking Corned Beef

Cured brisket
2 Tblsp Pickling Spice

Place the cured brisket in a pot just large enough to hold it and add water just to cover the meat. Add Pickling Spice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 3 hours, or till the brisket is fork-tender. Water should always cover brisket, so add more during cooking if necessary.

Remove the corned beef from cooking liquid (which can be used to moisten the meat and vegetables, if you're serving a dinner). Slice the beef and serve warm or cool, then wrap and refrigerate for up to one week.

Here's the Banana Cake featured on my FB wall. It is SO good!

Banana Cake

¼# (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated (you know, yolks in one cup, whites in another)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (fork ‘em, and don’t worry about a few lumps)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract (geez…use the real good stuff, please!)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe to follow)
2 firm, ripe banana sliced into discs
*optional: 1 ½ cup shelled (duh) chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease (use solid Crisco, not butter or oil) and flour two 9 inch layer cake pans.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks and beat well. Add mashed bananas, mixing thoroughly.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. STIR (don’t overdue it or you’ll have a brick, not a cake) until just combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks (don’t whine…the last time I made this cake I beat the whites by hand with a whisk and it was the best Banana Cake I ever made). Fold GENTLY into batter.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, till golden brown, and till cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool on rack for 2 hours.

When cooled, place one layer upside down on a serving plate and frost upside. Arrange slices of banana over frosting. Place second layer upside up and frost sides and top. Cover sides of cake with chopped nuts if desired, holding nuts in palm and pressing firmly to sides of cake.

Chill in refrigerator if frosting needs firming.






Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese (the real stuff please, not any LITE garbage), room temperature
6 Tblsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 – 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (I like my frosting less sweet, so taste as you add)
1 tsp vanilla extract
*optional: juice of ½ lemon

Cream together cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.

SLOWLY sift confectioners’ sugar (slowly and sifting keeps out lumps) into cream cheese mixture, while beating till fully incorporated. As above, keep tasting till it’s the right flavor for you.

Stir in vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.

Can refrigerate, covered, but beat before frosting cake. If frosting cake right after preparing frosting, cake will probably need to be refrigerated for a bit to firm it up.