Au Gratin Potatoes - Easier than You Think

You'll never want to make a boxed version again.

I served these last night for our next door neighbor and his 5th grade daughter.  She was the first to finish.

This will be an easy crowd pleaser for holiday get-togethers.  Mom serves homemade au gratin potatoes every Christmas, so I know this will go very well with an Easter ham.

They also were a great accompaniment to our crock pot BBQ ribs last night.

This recipe can be done economically or you can be really decadent and use artisan cheeses.  The cheese sauce is the same as when I make homemade macaroni and cheese.

My special ingredient is cream cheese, or goat cheese when I can afford to splurge.  I have found that they bring the same creaminess as using whole milk or cream but adds more flavor and dimension ; therefore, more delicious and addictive.


Prep Time:  approx. 20-30 minutes.  Cook time: 1 1/2 hours  Makes approx. 6-8 servings  (you or your guests will WANT leftovers)

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dry rosemary, or 3 teaspoons fresh (I used 2 teaspoons of powdered rosemary from Penzey's Spices - online ordering possible if no retail stores are around)
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

2 cups of shredded or finely diced cheese.  (I used a cup of extra sharp cheddar and a cup of sliced swiss chopped into tiny squares)
4 ounces of cream cheese (half of a standard package) or 4 ounces of goat cheese

6 cups of yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly slices (about 6-7 medium potatoes)

3/4 cup of white or yellow onion, finely diced (about one medium)

1 large or two small cloves garlic, minced

Non stick cooking spray


Preheat oven to 350

Peel and slice onions as thin as possible.  Use a mandolin if available and use most narrowest blade.  Keep the slices submerged in a bowl of cold water so they don't turn gray by the time you need them.

Dice onion and garlic and set aside

In a large saucepan, melt butter and add oil on low heat 

Sprinkle in flour and mix until all is smooth

Add milk slowly while mixing to retain smoothness

Add salt, pepper, rosemary and parmesan

Turn stove to medium heat and add the rest of the cheese.  Stir until melted and smooth.  

Turn stove onto high and stir until sauce starts to bubble up.  Remove from heat.

Add onion and garlic, drain potatoes from the water and add.  Stir well.

Pour into a casserole dish or individual gratin bakers that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Cover with foil.

Bake one hour.  Uncover.  Bake 30 minutes until fork tender and until desired browning.

Enjoy.

Easiest Way to Make Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Making tasty, fresh mozzarella cheese is easier than you think, especially with this 30 minute method.

 I tried two other 'traditional' methods I found online.  I can see where these methods were necessary in the process and most likely had spectacular results for the seasoned at-home cheese maker with a double boiler, curd cutting knife, etc.  This newbie came upon humorous, lumpy and tasteless results.

This method was the easiest and tastiest.   All you need is milk, distilled water, citric acid and rennet.  Citric acid can most likely be found in the section of canning materials at most local groceries and even big box stores.  Or, you can buy it online along with your tablet or liquid rennet, which may be the only place you will find rennet to buy.

You will also need a cooking thermometer and thick dishwashing gloves.  

Don't skimp on the salt.  Without salt, any cheese will only taste like hard milk.  

Hey, that sounds like a cool band name: Hard Milk.  That now ranks up there with the other name for my fantasy rock band, The Meaty Bits, inspired by our cats' favorite canned food.

Whole milk of course works best.  2% will be a bit more like string cheese; just a bit.

DO NOT use ultra pasteurized milk for ANY cheese you try to make.

Distilled water IS the best, for this and any cheese you try to make, especially at the beginner stage like me.

Here is the link to my favorite, easiest mozz recipe.  I divided it by half and came up with the photo you see.

Enjoy, and a BIG THANKS TO THE CREATOR OF THIS EVERYMAN METHOD.

http://www.simplebites.net/the-best-party-trick-ever-how-to-make-thirty-minute-mozzarella/

Chile Pasilla and Garlic Soup - a Healthy Fiesta for Your Taste Buds

My three favorite things about visiting Cozumel, Mexico are diving, eating and grocery shopping to bring a bit of this beautiful island and country into my own cocina.  

I just came home from another delightful journey to Cozumel.  I can still feel the power of Nature's currents pushing us along fantastic drift dives.  I can still taste the tacos I had with a group of nine at Los Otates, where the entire bill for nine with dinner, water and beer cost us $77 US dollars.   I bought a heap of chiles I don't usually find in the international markets, or even in the local mercados, especially for the price I paid.

Today I tried a delicious soup from my new package of Pasilla Chiles.  Before trying, I've read that they are a lower to medium-hot pepper with a sweet, but smoky flavor with hints of cocoa, excellent for salsas, stews and soup.  These are sometimes used for mole sauces.  I also read that ancho peppers are mistaken for pasillas up here in the States, but are a good substitute if the real deal is not available.

This soup is wonderful for so many reasons.  It's vegan (without the sour cream), vegetarian, low carb, low fat and healthy.  Just guessing with the said ingredients, it's probably low-calorie and vitamin-packed.  It is also not too hot or spicy for those who prefer things that way.  It's savory, earthy and perfect comfort food in the colder months.

I found an easy, low-cost way to do this soup on the Food and Wine website.  I tried the recipe exactly, but found the soup slightly bland.  I know in my Mexican travels and recipes that not all Mexican cuisine needs to be spicy; however, I did need a bit more depth to remind me of the savory but not spicy flavors I was enjoying a week ago in soups and stews.

So, this is my altered recipe adapted from the Food and Wine recipe I found here.

I opted not to make my own croutons, and did not have an avocado on hand for the toppings.  I did not use crème fraîche, as the original recipe calls for.  I am just guessing that the average Mexican home cook on a budget tighter than ours use sour cream instead.


You will need:
large saucepan 
your favorite way to puree - food processor, stick blender, regular blender, etc.

1. 3 large dried pasilla chiles
2. 1 quart hot water, boiled
3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
4. 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
5. 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
6. 1 large tomato, cut into 1-inch dice
7. 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
8. 1 teaspoon powdered cumin
9. 1/2 Tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste, or 1 Tablespoon of regular
10. Salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon, go from there)
11. 1/2 of a lime
12. 1/4 cup sour cream
13. 1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice (optional)
14. 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

In a large bowl, cover the chiles with the boiled water; set plate over the chiles to keep them submerged. Let soak until softened, about 20 minutes.






  

Strain and reserve the soaking liquid. Do this by taking out the chilies first, in what now should be finger-friendly warm water.  Squeeze gently to get more of the flavorful liquid and seeds out before straining. Stem (if necessary), seed and coarsely chop the chiles.

 
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped chiles and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato, oregano, a pinch of salt and the strained chile soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Cover the soup and simmer gently over low heat for 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, processor or your stick blender. Return the soup to the saucepan, bring to a simmer and season with salt to taste, tomato paste, cumin and squirt in the lime.  Simmer low and uncovered for 20-30 minutes to slightly reduce, thicken and marry the new additions.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with sour cream, avocado, cilantro leaves, croutons and serve.

Makes about four 1 cup servings.  (One cup for me, three for my husband)

Muy delicioso!

(Very delicious)!

Thank you for reading!

Greek Potatoes

Two of my best high school friends are Greek.  I spent my teens and early 20s savoring their mother's cooking until they moved back to Crete.  I've visited them twice and have enjoyed these in kitchens and restaurants across the island.  This is the best recipe I've found that brings that Mediterranean taste home.

You can find this recipe here.

This is all about the moist absorption of flavor.  The potatoes are almost sure to soak up whatever you've got.  

You can keep them the oven longer to get them as brown or as crispy as you want them.  I enjoy them well done; however, this is the way that I was used to growing up and visiting Crete, with just slight browning on all of the edges.

It's super-easy to make but difficult to clean.  All of that liquid will reduce, browning the sides and bottom.  The caramelized garlic bits will stick like glue.  I saved myself much clean-up time and frustration by using a disposable but recyclable aluminum pan.  It was worth the .99 cents.

Orzo with Spinach and Goat Cheese

When I first read food blogger Auntie Chatter's post for Orzo with Spinach and Goat Cheese I knew I had to try it as soon as possible.  It looked so tempting and easy to make.

My husband and I have devoured almost an entire recipe for four.  He looks forward to lunch tomorrow.

The goat cheese makes this distinctive. It was heavenly creamy.  What a tasty, well balanced one dish meal or an impressive side.  I plan on making this again with salmon once we break out the grill.

This dish is perfect for your next dinner party.  You can prep the veggies and orzo before hand and then saute and toss in a few minutes.  It's filling and vegetarian.  Though, the goat cheese is the star of the show here, you can plate a vegan friend's dish before you mix it in.  It's so delicious, this is sure to create a big WOW factor with your guests.

Thank you, Auntie Chatter!

Hungarian Onion Soup

This soup has been known in my family as " 'Bray'-zlee' Soup."  Unfortunately, my mother, uncle, brother and I were not taught Hungarian.   With the elder generations of our heritage gone, I do not know the proper spelling of this soup.  All I know is that it's a delicious peppery, creamy soup loved by my family for generations.

What makes this soup so distinctive are the grated noodles.

The delightful little nuggets boast a slightly chewy texture and they do a wonderful job of absorbing the soup's flavors.  Grandma and Great Grandma would make a large ball of egg pasta dough and, instead of taking the extra steps to roll and cut it, they simply took the ball to the box grater and produced tiny-sized dumplings or spaetzels.  This must have been a time-saver back in the day before ready-made pasta and import stores.  Today, it's considered extra work.  Thank goodness for import stores and online ordering.  However, it's a goal of mine to someday make the noodles on my own.

Locally, Clevelanders can find these at the import store in the corner of the West Side Market.

If the grated noodles aren't available, try the small squares or the Csiga (Chee'-gah) noodles, which are also distinctively Hungarian.

Someday soon I plan on writing a separate post on Ciga noodles, showcasing my great-grandmother's Ciga maker, and possibly making my own.

If you are a seasoned pro at making your own egg pasta dough, the extra steps shouldn't be too difficult.

This soup had been done with plain water with my grandparents and great grandparents.  They were defined by the peasant recipes of their old country as well as the Depression.  Plus, this was a family tradition on meatless Lenten Fridays.

While it was always good, Mom has updated the recipe to give it a bit more flavor and depth.

I'll never forget the time Mom came over to our new house to help me make my first version of the soup.  She and I have both discovered that my husband loves almost any kind of soup.  This is now one of his favorites.

There is great pleasure in sharing something from your family history and having it accepted by the one you love.   It's as if in one bite you have the opportunity to share an entire childhood book of memories.
I have felt this in my husband's family as well when they share their favorites.

This is a simple soup with few ingredients.  Paprika is the key, and, you need to add a lot to give it the distinctive flavor; therefore, sweet Hungarian paprika is recommended, so you can add a lot without it getting too hot and spicy.  When I made this with my husband's 98 year old grandmother, she swore that in all of her years, she has never seen so much paprika go into one recipe.  Do yourself a favor and invest in some GOOD and FRESH paprika.  Our favorite paprikas are from Penzey's.  I remember Mom and Grandma filling out their mail-order catalog forms in the 80s and calling in the orders during the 90s.

Listen to some Hungarian music to put you in the mood!

***

This is the recipe that my Mom and I created

Makes 2-4 servings

5 min prep
30 minutes cook time

1/4 stick butter
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups diced onions
1 small clove minced garlic
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika (4 tablespoons if you're daring)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 bag (4.4 oz) of small Hungarian egg noodles, preferably grated  (If none can be found, orzo pasta can be used)

Cook the diced onions and garlic in the butter and oil on medium heat until translucent and tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Don't cook at a higher temp to save time.  You don't want the onions to overcook, plus you don't want to cook away the fats as they will add flavor and body to the soup.

Add the paprika, stir.

Add the broth, stir, bring to a boil.

Turn down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Temper the sour cream.  You need to do this carefully with small doses of the hot soup into the cool sour cream, or else it will curdle.

Place the sour cream in a large mixing bowl and slowly pour one large spoonful or small ladle of soup into the sour cream.  Stir until blended.  Repeat several times (4-5) until you get a thick liquid.

Pour back into the pot and turn on high to boil.  Add half a bag of noodles.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Cover, turn down to low and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until the noodles are tender but slightly chewy.

These little nugget noodles will soak up a lot of broth.  Serve immediately as it will thicken while it cools.

How to Make Grandma's Potato Pancakes

There's nothing like cooking with those you love.  My friend Jessica and I had a blast together while making my family's recipe for potato pancakes.

I have probably eaten thousands of these since I was a child, yet, I never tire of them.

Grandma and Mom always made these because they were inexpensive. Plus, it was often requested for Lenten Friday dinners. It takes a little work and time to grate the potatoes (less if you have a food processor with a grater attachment, and/or a good friend), but it is worth it. It is SO worth it.

We have always used Russet potatoes for this recipe, so I have no experience the texture or tenderness others may provide.

This recipe has never been written down before, it has always been done as we go - a little of this, a little of that until the consistency is right.

For a reference, consider that a medium-sized Russet will make two medium pancakes.  One to two are filling for a side dish, three to four are a meal for myself, but my husband and other hungry guys may prefer more.

We ended up making 20 for five of us with eight potatoes, two of them large.

This recipe is for about a dozen pancakes:

6 medium or 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and shredded

2 small or 1 medium onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika (or paprika of your choice)

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup all-purpose flour  (I guess whole wheat or any flour could be used, too - for those who would prefer)

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Salt and pepper to taste after frying


After shredding the potatoes squeeze out the excess liquid, ESPECIALLY if you grate them by hand.  I grew up helping Mom and Grandma on box graters.  For some reason, the potatoes are not as soggy when I've grated them in a food processor.  You want them moist, but not soggy and wet.

Once the potatoes are drained, add the rest of the ingredients.

You want a consistency that looks like your potatoes are coated in a pancake batter.

If it's too thick, let it rest for 5 minutes, then stir.  If still too thick, you can drizzle a little water or milk in a tablespoon at a time.  Don't let it get too thin.  After frying your first few pancakes you will see that more liquid from the potatoes will be released and the batter will eventually be thinner.  You can always add a bit more flour to thicken it up if necessary.

Have a pan on medium high (8) heated with a light flavored, medium to high heat capacity oil like canola or vegetable oil coated on the bottom.  Do this even if you have non-stick, and especially if you have not made this before.  In order to do this 'traditionally,' you need to bind this mixture quickly at high heat.  I have tried this with no oil in a non-stick pan, and it did not turn out the same.  I wound up making hash browns.  Tasty? yes. Pancakes, no.

Sometimes making something quickly at high heat is difficult.  Not for Jessica.

She's been around the kitchen before.  She knew her way around a fry pan.  And, as a vegetarian for over 15 years, she knows a bit about 'taters, too.  I made the first couple of pancakes, then she took over, making the rest of the batch.  The batter did get thinner at the end.  But, if the pan and the oil are hot enough, it should be fine. You can always add a little more flour if necessary.

Fry about 2 minutes on both sides.  You can flip again until they are brown and firm when lightly pressed with a spatula.

You will want a crispy outside and a moist inside.

Serve with ketchup, sour cream, or traditional applesauce.

You can also customize your pancakes by adding a teaspoon or two of your favorite herb.  Jessica brainstormed using all kinds of herbs such as dill or rosemary.

Enjoy!