Time for Morels, the tasty Mushrooms more valuable than gold!

(picture from www.dcnr.state.pa.us)

I love morel mushrooms. I did not have a single morel mushroom last year but hope to this year. Feel free to send me a recipe( or morels ) of you have any.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Morels

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Cognac
1 1/4 pounds fresh morels, rinsed, drained, and patted dry, or 1/4 pound dried, soaked, drained, and patted dry
1fettuccine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus, if desired, additional as an accompaniment

Preparation

In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderately low heat, add the cream, the Cognac, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the morels, simmer them, covered, for 10 minutes, and keep the mixture warm. In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the porcini fettuccine and the scallion fettuccine for 3 minutes, or until it is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a large deep skillet melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over low heat. Drain the pasta, add it to the large skillet, and toss it with the butter, lifting the strands. Add the morel mixture, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and pepper to taste and toss the mixture well. (Alternatively, the 2 kinds of fettuccine may be cooked and sauced separately.) Serve the pasta on heated plates with the additional Parmesan.

On Saturday May 3, 2008, there is a Morel Mushroom Festival at Brown County State Park. There will be guided hunts, live cooking demonstrations, live music and much more. http://morelmushroomfestival.com/

Morel hunting and cooking video from NUVO on youtube.

What pie are you?

It seems like an easy enough question. A friend sent me a request to take a quiz by that name on Facebook. My mind raced as I waited for it to load. Surely I would be something good like French Silk, or Key Lime. A good old fashioned Apple pie or Boston Creme. Imagine my surprise when the answer was “You are Kalakukko”!

Kalakukko? Here is the text of the results:

You are Kalakukko: Found mostly in Finland, you’re prepared with Rye or Wheat flour, and stuffed with fish, bacon and pork. The fish used in this pie are usually vendace, European perch, or salmon. You’re normally accompanied by buttermilk, and many enjoy you either cold or heated. Delicious!

I had to look up the recipe for this pie since the all knowing quiz gods have proclaimed me to be Kalakukko Pie. I am not sure if I will make it but it was an interesting recipe.

Kalakukko

(from recipeland)

Ingredients

Filling

2 pounds fish, small
1 1/2 pounds pork, sliced into strips like bacon but about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
3 tablespoons salt
1 allspice, optional

Dough

2 1/2 cups water
3 1/4 cups rye flour, sifted
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, (sifted)
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 ounce yeast

Directions:

Clean the fish, removing fins, large scales and entrails. You may leave the heads if you dare to eat them.

Mix the flours and salt. Add the yeast to the water. When the yeast is fully dissolved, make a thick dough by pouring flour mixture into water and blending well. The ratio of flour to water depends on the nature of the flours. This ratio of 1:2 by volume works well in Finland with Finnish flours. Where flours contain more gluten you should use slightly less water.

Set aside about 4 T of dough to be used later. Roll out the remaining dough into a circular shape about 3/4 inch thick.

Assemble the meats into the dough: cover the inner half of the dough circle with half of the pork (the pork should cover a circle whose diameter is half the diameter of the rolled dough). Then put all of the fish over top of the pork, and add allspice and extra salt if you are using them. Finish with the second half of the pork.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Lift the edges of the dough all around the filling and glue together with a little water so that you have the filling surrounded from all directions with about 3/4-inch-thick dough. Put upside down (the seam downwards) on a baking sheet and let it rise about half an hour at room temperature.

Put the kalakukko in a 500 degree F. oven for long enough to brown the dough, which will seal it against moisture. Then lower the temperature to about 250 degrees F. and let it bake for 4 to 7 hours depending on the size of the fish (bigger fish need more cooking time). You can brush some melted
butter over the top of the dough just after lowering the temperature; this will give it a prettier appearance. If it starts to leak while baking, fill holes with the dough which was set aside.

Serve hot or cold

There you go, I am apparently a fish and sausage pie that needs to be cooked for up to 7 hours. I think I may go retake that test!

Read Across America, Seuss Style.

“Daddy it was Seuss day and you did not make my eggs!”

That was the first thing junior proclaimed when I picked him up today. In the past I have made him green eggs and ham for breakfast, not necessarily on this day, the Read Across America Day, but he had specifically asked me if I would do so this year since they had been talking about Dr. Seuss at school. Since I have been sick this past week and have been tired, I woke up late and made the fast breakfast of cereal, milk and juice.

Bad Daddy!

Now I will make it up to him soon, making one of his favorite breakfasts is always fun. He likes to describe how yucky it looks as he eats the green eggs. I once used a huge piece of ham, cutting two holes in it and frying the eggs in the holes. We called it the green eyed ham monster!

So here is the recipe straight from Seusville.

Green Eggs and Ham à la Sam-I-Am

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
4 slices of ham
8 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1-2 drops of green food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

What You’ll Need

Knife, medium-size mixing bowl, wire whisk or eggbeater, large frying pan, spatula, aluminum foil, serving plates

1. With an adult’s help, melt a teaspoon of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced ham and brown until edges are slightly crisp. Remove the ham from the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.

2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Beat with a whisk until frothy. Then add 1-2 drops of green food coloring until you reach the desired shade of green.

3. With an adult’s help, heat a tablespoon of butter or margarine in a large frying pan over medium heat until the butter begins to sizzle. Then add the egg mixture to the pan.

4. Stir the egg mixture with a spatula until the eggs are firm and not too runny.

5. Transfer the eggs to individual plates. Garnish with a sprig of parsley. Add the ham prepared earlier. Serve with toast or warm rolls.

Feeds 4 hungry green-egg lovers.

 

 

 

A drink for an old friend

Parrothead Punch

It has been kind of cold lately and I feel like something tropical. I found this recipe that friend gave me when he got back for Florida. I am not sure where he got it but it is nice and tasty on a hot day. So crank up your heat, turn on a sun lamp and put some Jimmy Buffett in the CD player. It is time to feel tropical! This is the non alcoholic recipe. Add some Malibu Rum to spice it up a bit.

Parrothead Punch

Ingredients

16 ounces orange juice

16 ounces cranberry juice

16 ounces pineapple juice

8 ounces peach nectar

Directions

1. Mix together well.
2. Serve over ice in your favorite tiki glass.
3. Garnish with pineapple wedge and umbrella.

Jimmy Buffett - Songs You Know By Heart: Jimmy Buffett’s Greatest Hits - Boat Drinks

How about some chocolate? How about some chili?

How about both?

A friend sent me an email with an interesting recipe that I am looking forward to making soon. It also reminded me of a local event here Bloomington called The Week of Chocolate. It is a week long celebration of chocolate that benefits a lot of great local agencies. What better way to help then with chocolate? From January 26th - February 2, there will be plenty of Options to enjoy chocolate.

Another fundraiser takes place tonight at the Indian Creek Fire Department, a chili supper. From 4:00 7:30, come out and enjoy chili, hot dogs, cole slaw, desserts and drinks. All donations from the fundraiser will be used to continue the operation of the volunteer fire department serving Indian Creek Township.

So what about the recipe in my email? A combination of Chocolate and Chili!

BUSH’S® Chocolate Lovers Chili

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds lean ground turkey 2 onions, chopped 2 zucchinis, diced 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 (28 ounce) cans diced unsalted tomatoes, with liquid 3 (15 ounce) cans BUSH’S® Black Beans, drained and rinsed 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate For Garnish: 1 cup sour cream 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese Diced jalapenos Baked tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large, heavy pot or a large enameled cast-iron casserole dish, set over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
2.	Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking the turkey with a wooden spoon and stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3.	Add the onions and zucchini to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
4.	Add the garlic, chili, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5.	Add the turkey, tomatoes with the liquid, beans and chocolate, stir until chocolate melts. Simmer the chili over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6.	Serve the garnishes in individual bowls as a toppings bar, or serve individually, topping each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of cheese and scallions. Kids can crumble tortilla chips on top.

Here is a map to the chili supper.

Currently listening to Gravity by John Mayer

and thinking of

Sweet Stuff

I have always loved rice pudding but have never tried to make it. I need something a little sweet so I will try it and let you know how it goes. I have eaten very little lately but rice and this sounded like a good variation. I have about 20 emails asking why I do not update my page more, sorry, I just get busy and forget. End of the year work stuff, kid stuff, every day stuff stuff, etc. I will try to post more recipes but please, feel free to send me a recipe to share with the world. I like recipes with a good story, if you want to be anonymous, that’s fine. If you have recipe requests, let me know. I love to share recipes! They are not secret, I will tell you how to make anything I make. This is not like my magic tricks where I will not tell you solution. Cooking is easy and fun. The most important thing is to just get into the kitchen and have fun.

For those that keep asking about White Chili, maybe we will have another fund raiser at work soon and i will make some more. For those who asked that I make some for your office, I will as soon as I can.

So here it is

Rice Pudding

2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1/3 cup of long or short grain white rice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins

1 In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, combine milk, rice and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

2 In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg and brown sugar until well mixed. Add a half cup of the rice mixture - a Tablespoon at a time - beating to incorporate.

3 Add egg mixture back into the saucepan of rice and milk and stir, on low heat, for 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Be careful not to have the mixture come to a boil at this point. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and cinnamon.

Serve warm or cold.

Sold Out and a Shout Out!

My chicken chili sold out first, I did not make enough and I assumed that I would have left over chili. Then the other soups started to run low. In a panic, I called Dats and asked if I could maybe buy something from him. I did not want any of our employees to miss out on lunch. He graciously donated 5 pounds of Bourbon Chicken and 5 pounds of rice. Awesome guy! The bourbon chicken was very popular and sold out quickly. Now I need to make more chicken chili for those that missed it. For those fellow employees that are reading this, thanks for all of the compliments. When I make some more I will share it with all who wants some.

Thanks Dats!

Click on the pic for a menu in pdf form.

211 South Grant
812-339-3090

White Chicken Chili for Courthouse Fundraiser

Here is the recipe for the white chili I made for our soup lunch. There are many variations including using ground pork, ground turkey or ground chicken. I prefer the chicken in chunks. It is a little spicy but I took it easy on my co-workers this time. I prefer it a little fiery!
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, washed and cubed
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 cans Great Northern beans (16 oz) drained and rinsed well
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, add onion and garlic; saute until onion begins to brown, Add cubed chicken and brown on all sides; add coriander, cumin, and beans.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes; add juice of one lime. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook chicken chili, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes longer; serve with sour cream, chopped red onion and chopped cilantro.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Getting ready for Thanksgiving? How about a tasty dessert recipe?

INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan. Whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and oil. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

4. To make cream cheese frosting: Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Currently listening to

After Hours - Yancey Special

by

PinetopPerkins -

White Chili

Chili. Make it with pork instead of beef, I like it thicker so I use this recipe but only use about 3 cups of broth. I like chicken and will add that recipe later.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ground pork
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook and drain the pork.
2. In a large stockpot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until transparent. Stir in the chilies, cumin, and oregano. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes more. Add broth, pork, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese until melted.

Currently listening to Lonesome Home Blues by Buddy Guy.

Cook it. Eat it.