The list - first update

I am working my way through my recent list of recipes to try (see the list here).

I have tried two so far:

Asian pear, persimmon, almond salad - FANTASTIC. Basic instructions are to add very thin slices of persimmon and Asian pear to greens, sprinkle with toasted almond slices, and dress with a lime and oil dressing that had a little salt and a little cayenne and a big spoonful of honey. Terrific flavors, and the colors of the persimmon against the green is very festive.

Coffee-braised spoon lamb - Not a hit. Not bad, not disliked, but we all agreed that we wanted to taste the lamb more than we could. And maybe my coffee was too strong, because it tasted a little heavy on the coffee to me. And coffee is not a taste I usually think there is too much of. This is the FIRST recipe I have tried in this cookbook that I do not want to make again.


Both of these recipes are from the Sunset Best Recipes 2010 magazine pictured above. It is not available from Amazon, but I link it so that you can know what it looks like; if you ever see it, I recommend it heartily.

Next up:
Bean and chicken taquitos (same cookbook)
Flank steak and red onion (unknown source)
Chicken in a pot: the garlic and lemon version (from Around My French Table)
Long and slow apples (from Around My French Table, too.)

Cornbread stuffing: the jewel in the Thanksgiving crown

Hallelujah! My friend Aimee sent me the recipe for my favorite Thanksgiving food. I made three copies of the recipe, plus I am posting it here, so I will never have to imagine going without cornbread/sausage/apple stuffing...ever again.

Martha Stewart's Cornbread Stuffing with a few changes

1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup brandy
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 1/2 cup chopped tart apples
1 cup chopped celery
Corn bread, cut into cubes and left overnight
1 can water chestnuts, sliced and diced
1/2 cup snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T dried sage leaves
2 t dried marjoram leaves
1 t dried thyme leaves
1/4 t ground cloves
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 t coarse kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs beaten


Soak the raisins in the brandy overnight. In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in the butter over medium heat until soft, about five about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and shallots, cook until sausage is brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the apples and celery; cook until soft,about 10 minutes. Drain. Combine corn bread cubes, raisin mixture, sausage mixture,and remaining ingredients except eggs. Toss; stir in eggs.

I do not stuff the turkey; I cook this on a baking sheet until it is slightly browned and a bit crunchy on top. Pack it tightly on the baking sheet...this allows for a crunchy layer on the top and a moist layer underneath. I will at least double this so we have plenty of leftovers. The mingling of the flavors makes leftovers extra yummy.

The new cooking list

My plans for cooking in the next few months include:

Bean and chicken taquitos (SBR)
Cheez-it-ish crackers (AMFT)

Asian pear, persimmon, almond salad (SBR)
Couscous salad (AMFT)

Cheese-topped onion soup (AMFT)
Provencal vegetable soup (AMFT)

Coffee-braised spoon lamb (SBR)
Shot-and-a-beer pork stew (SBR)
Flank steak and red onion (?)
Gratin Parmentier (from dear friend Marcia)
Spicy Thai noodles (from my recipe box)
Cousin Jack pasty (from Mom's recipe box)
Chicken in a pot: the garlic and lemon version (AMFT)
Chicken tangine with sweet potatoes and prunes (AMFT)


Pumpkin pancakes (Libby's label)
Oatmeal bran breakfast cookies (TBB)
Ginger shortbread (TBB)


Plum kuchen (from Mom's recipe box)
Long and slow apples (AMFT)
Chocolate peppermint cookies (MS)
Tuiles (MS)

Sources:

Around my French Table (AMFT)
The Breakfast Book by Marian Cunningham
Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies (MS) (I am using a current magazine that was at the grocery store, but I could not find an amazon link for it. Holiday cookies, pinkish red cover, in your grocery aisle most likely.)
Sunset Best Recipes 2010 (SBR) (FYI: By far the best choice I made for recipe inspiration this year.)

Pimm's No. 1

Pimm's No. 1

What is Pimm's No. 1?

Go here to find out:

The official Pimm's site: Pimm's
Molly Wizenberg's recipe for Pimm's success: Orangette

Now if I could just find Pimm's Winter in the states.