Ham and Fruit Empanadas

This week sucked. To be clear, when I was growing up, that was not a word used lightly, so short of really expressing how much the week sucked in the more colorful words the week richly deserves, let's leave it at that. Not all of the week was bad, but the work part was brutal, and having daily crises to contend with put a real hurt on my good dinner planning. Last night, my wife ended up cooking the ham steak I'd defrosted, and shared it with our girls for dinner as I plugged away at work, well past our collective bedtimes, on one of several problems that was still lingering. I had to rethink my plans for tonight to insure we didn't end up with a heaping pile of spoiled food going into the trash just in time for the weekend. I'm usually pretty careful in my planning and shopping, and having something take me off course late in the week can be a real problem.

I knew I wanted to make another kind of empanada after the fun I had making the spicy pork iteration back in the fall. My initial plan was something with pineapple, with the hamsteak on the side, but since the ham was cooked, I decided to try something a bit different. I used the Goya frozen empanada discos again, accepting my usual time constraints. The biggest spoilage worry I had was the fresh, whole (small-ish) pineapple I'd bought over the weekend, and I used my fun pineapple slicer gadget to get things started. If you can afford one (they're pretty cheap), have room for one, and like pineapple, I strongly suggest picking up one of these tools. They leave the core and the skin behind, and you get even slices to boot. I broke the slices into 1/2 cm bits, and mixed them with chopped dried apricot (around 12), craisins (a generous handful; for a bit of tartness), about 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, and about 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg and mustard powder.  I cubed up the ham into roughly 1/2 cm pieces, adding the yield of about a cup and a half to my mixture with a handful or so of shredded cheddar, and remixed the filling. I had more filling than I needed for the 10 pieces of dough, so I'll have to work the filling into something over the weekend. For the cooking, I fried them in a small bath of canola oil.

The verdict

My wife and I LOVED these little concoctions. It was like having a delicious personal fruit pie, and bit of a savory-smoky dinner all in one. The crisp shell with a not-at-all gooey middle was wonderful, and while I had some concerns about it, the modest bit of flavor from the added spices did not overpower the dish at all. My wife opened some chardonnay without me yesterday, and in the spirit of not wasting things or letting them spoil, we went ahead and enjoyed the rest with this meal. I will not hesitate to make these again, and hopefully soon.

This was a challenging week, and we capped off the work week with with a challenging meal for our older daughter. It has been a while since we had any substantial food/dinner drama, but tonight we got it full force. Our usual morning commute of 20-30 minutes to school/work extended beyond an hour and a half, following a tragic, fatal accident on Lake Shore Drive hours before we were even awake that resulted in part of the road closed until late into rush hour. Add to that some general exhaustion, and maybe a small bit of gloom added from the cold rain falling, and I am glad we were able to get her to eat any part of the meal.  When trying some tiny portion of the dinner, she began to cry, and when we asked her why she was crying, she replied that "[the food] tickles the polka dots on my pants!" Ticklish pants are usually a pretty good sign that it's bedtime. After a week of problems, headaches, and adjustments, having such a great dinner to close out the work week was just what I needed. And now, if you will excuse me - I think my own polka dots are starting to tickle...

Christmas Eve - Rib Roast

Well, Christmas Eve was the cooking day this year. We have decided to have Christmas morning at home with the girls, but also decided, at least for this year, to head to Indiana to visit with family around the middle of Christmas Day. I was torn between making a ham or a beef rib roast, and decided that the rib roast was the best plan. I haven’t put our relatively new oven through much of a workout since it’s arrival in the fall, mostly because we have been battling a string of illnesses in our house, and I have been completely off my game on meal preparations; mostly just phoning it in with staples that are nice, but hardly worth writing about (at least not around the holidays).

I found a great, and simple, guide for cooking a rib roast, and I'd love to meet this "Pops Fassett" some day. I've made a few roasts over the years, but am always looking for a simpler way to get the job done, and done predictably. Trust me, if you plan to make a nice standing rib roast, and you like it cooked perfectly pink with a delicious, crispy edge, this will not let you down. I kept my rub painfully simple. Just some garlic salt, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and a small bit of rosemary (under the ribs only). I'm not usually one to just follow directions, and I did tweak Pops' plan a tiny bit, but I didn't need to.

We invited a neighbor to join us, and it was a wonderful meal, with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli (for which I broke down and made a cheddar cheese sauce - of course, from scratch and with real cheddar), and to make it feel like a real holiday meal, our older daughter had her first time helping her mom roll out the crescent rolls from the tube. Some things are just fine from mass producers, and tubes of bread at holiday meals sure do save a great deal of hassle. 

The Verdict

My wife insisted on a Bordeaux with our meal, and I am glad she did. The one we served had a great peppery nose, and was a great partner for our meal. The meat was tender, cooked just the way I like it (and even met with approval from our older daughter!). It had just the right bit of saltiness, and I'm glad I decided against adding garlic gloves throughout the roast tonight. Simple was just what was needed. The potatoes met with the usual approval from both little ones. I served up a bit of bleu cheese to accentuate the meat, and it was a nice addition. It was a basic meal, but throwing all modesty aside, it was almost perfectly executed. The broccoli was neither too crisp, nor too soggy. The potatoes were a tiny bit heavier than I make most of the time, but I opted for half-and-half over the usual milk, and that made a good bit of difference on all fronts.

I think sticking with a simple, traditional meal and spending the time with a favorite neighbor and my immediate family had a particularly strong appeal for me this year. I've been pained thinking about the losses so many families faced in the wake of the school shooting in CT. I've been thinking of friends who have lost loved ones entirely too soon in life lately, and others coping with serious illnesses, living each day steeped in prayer for something far more basic and precious than gifts under a tree. I've also been acutely aware of the loss in my own life, as this is the first Christmas since my mom's passing. She is sorely missed, and would have been thrilled to enjoy that rib roast with us, I am sure. 

But with whatever melancholy may be swirling about, I am joyful in sharing my younger daughter's first Christmas with her, and especially excited that our older daughter is now at the age where the wonder and excitement come with an understanding of the special-ness of the holiday. Mom would have loved to see them, so in her honor, and with the heavy hearts of so many others in my thoughts, I will hug them tighter tomorrow, relish their joy that much more, and if it is even remotely possible, I will love my family - all my family near and far - that much more on this Christmas Day. 

(Also, look for a posting in a few weeks on beef barley soup. I saved the bones and some meat, and am really looking forward to making that in January).

A small victory and a basic meal

As I have mentioned here previously, we have been working to get our daughter, our three-year-old daughter, to expand her food horizons. We grew painfully tired of "Mickey Mouse Chicken" nuggets (at least they had a whole wheat breading substance on them) and whatever starch du jour tickled her fancy. We have been blessed by her affection for peas, but even on that front she was particular. Last week, we got her to try the grilled pork chops, much to my surprise and delight. And we even managed a small victory getting her to try a hot dog again (something she had and liked a while ago, but began to resist). 


Tonight, it was a hamburger. Our little one helped me make the patties, and I think that really primed her interest. We made perfect circles using a biscuit cutter, and I could not get over her simple joy in seeing the perfectly round burgers emerge after each cut. She even watched as I added some sliced cheddar as they finished up on the grill.  We also managed to get her to try (and like) some corn again. 


The verdict


There isn't really anything to say about the culinary endeavor. This was just a basic, simple meal after a supremely busy work day that started far too early. I reached the bottom of my jar of my Famous Dave's spicy pickles, finally. I'll miss them, and hope to find them again on another Costco run - at least that's where I think I found them last. I suppose I could order them online, too, but there are too many good pickles out there to feel the necessity, really.


The only real verdict here is that we are making progress, day by day, in helping our daughter grow beyond her comfort zone and try some new foods. I am finding a pleasant new challenge in balancing the things that I know my wife and I will enjoy with those that are still, well, "tame" enough for a young, sensitive palate. If a burger is a viable option, at least I know we'll have a pleasant summer. I just wonder how she'd feel about goat cheese next time?

Sliders

Tonight was a pretty simple night for dinner. While shopping last weekend, my wife spotted some slider buns, and we decided at some point during the week that would be our dinner. I was glad to oblige her craving, as it is a rare day that I pass up a chance to eat a burger. I did want to add a bit of zing to the meal, however. Blending shredded cheddar right into the burger is an old trick, and I was glad to use it. But that still left me with a pretty basic burger. I opted to make a quick garlic-heavy mayo to spread on the buns. Simple stuff - egg yolk, oil, etc., but we love our garlic in our house, so I did not hold back one bit. Besides, my arms were stiff, and the workout with the whisk did me some good.


I made a potato salad as well. They were selling modest-sized bags of small red & white potatoes this past week, and I am glad I grabbed some. The salad, too, was pretty basic. I've been using  Hellmann's olive oil mayonnaise lately, and simply love it.* A bit of yellow mustard, some chopped up dill pickle, salt and pepper... and our old standby - crumbled bacon. I've mentioned in a previous post that we keep a bag of Costco (Kirkland) brand  crumbled, pre-cooked bacon on hand at all times. It really added a nice touch to the salad. 


The verdict


Some plain old green beans on the side made this feel more like a summer cookout than a late-winter meal. The potato salad meet my wife's most important criterion for a good side dish - "not too mayo-ey." I loved the bacon in the mix. I don't make potato salad quite the same way every time, and I definitely don't always add the bacon.  


The burgers were juicy, perfectly cooked, and I swear, they were doing something unspeakable on the bun with that garlic mayo, because I felt just a bit naughty after I ate this meal, like I was some kind of voyeur to a culinary hook-up. The garlic is still dancing around on my palate, and I look forward to that hint of goodness the rest of the night. My only regret is that I made the darn burgers just a little thicker than I would have cared for. I was counting on more - uh - shrinkage, but the meat was leaner than I'd thought it would be.


The real bonus I sometimes get at dinner time, of course, is when I get my daughter to agree to help me cook. Tonight, she helped make the burgers, and put the potatoes into the pot (before they went onto the stove, of course). We haven't gotten her to eat a burger yet, but we did convince her yesterday that hot dogs were ok, so she did have one of those tonight. At least she was adding to the summer cookout vibe. It's been a challenge getting her to branch out. I convinced her to try a potato, and I think having her "help cook" them may have been key (although bribery helps). Of course, if what I thought helped her overcome her recent fussiness with eating, we would be past that stage already...


* - I might also note that I grew up eating only Hellmann's when I did eat mayo. As a kid, that was rare. There's a story behind why, but that's another day...

Ham and Potato Soup

Ham and Potato Soup


The day started out rainy, and it never really warmed up. When autumn arrives, so does soup. I was dreaming up the soup yesterday, knowing there were two ham bones (and plenty of frozen leftover ham, to boot) on deck. 


The morning was stock making time. Mirepoix, coarsely cut, received a quick saute, then bones, herbs and spices took the plunge for a long simmer. 


We pulled meat from the bones after lunch, then added in potatoes, additional meat, and a hint of milk (for mouth-feel; it's all about that mouth-feel sometimes). I was trying to split the difference between a creamy soup and a broth, and it worked out just that way. I hate overly-soggy veggies, so the first round was removed and new veggies (with some corn for fun) went back in. 


The ham had been really smokey, and the broth was as well.


Served up with a nice handful of shredded cheddar and some bacon cheddar muffins my wife made.


The Verdict


Comforting, stick-to-the ribs soup, gooey cheese, and fresh-baked muffins? How could it be bad?

Long Hiatus

I am terrible about keeping up with things sometimes. This blog qualifies as one of those things, and I'm not surprised. But I'm back, at least for now, and have something fun to write about.

We (my wife, daughter, and I) went apple picking last weekend, and have about 15 lbs. of the fruit on our counter. My wife does most of the baking in our house, and I'm OK with that. But I needed to do my part to help use up some of the goods.

My mind immediately went "duck" when I thought about what to cook with the apples (and no, this is not because of any humorous jabs taken at my wife; I was thinking of the fowl). We were lucky enough to find some bone-in duck legs at Gene's Sausage Shop. As an added bonus, they sell a double-smoked pork tenderloin as well, and I knew what I'd be concocting at that point quite clearly.

I decided to remove the meat from the bones on the duck legs in the interest of time. I'd have preferred to have roasted those instead, but there were other things to do (like nap for a change) this particular Sunday. I cooked out a good bit of the fat from the skin, removed the partially cooked duck, chopped it into small cubes, and returned it to the pan to cook a bit more.

Later in the day I cubed up about 4 apples and the pork. I sauteed these along with the now-cooled duck in some butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, a bit of honey, some raisins, and dried cherries. These went into a 9x9 casserole dish, topped with thin layer of shredded cheddar cheese, and then a nice layer of puff pastry (I try to keep some in the freezer at all times).

The Verdict

Yummy comfort food. If you want an opinion beyond that, ask my wife. Wish we'd had a nice bottle of Bordeaux tonight, however. Ah well...

Back to the Grill

I had a few days away; away from the blog and away from the grill. Mostly, I had a rough week at work, largely due to the erratic weather and power grid, and as a result, had little time to write, to cook, and on most days, no inclination to do anything because it was too blasted chilly for June.

I kept things simple for Sunday dinner, mostly because I have bigger plans for Monday, but also because the grill needed a good cleaning and that was time I could not spend on prep. Early in the afternoon, I cooked up some small red potatoes for a dill potato salad (with lots of chopped Claussen's and dill weed). I soaked some cheddar/jalapeño brats in some Goose Island ale, and left thing alone as I enjoyed time with the family.

The great treat was not the two items that took prep work. It was the asparagus that took almost no effort at all (not that any part of this meal was laborious). A quick pass through some butter, a shot of garlic salt and black pepper, and they went on the grill alongside the brats. The key to good asparagus, in my opinion, is to keep them from going completely limp. I find too many cooks want so badly to have beautiful grill marks on them, perhaps to prove they are grilled, that they overcook the poor veggies into a limp and bitter mess. I pull mine as soon as they begin to droop when lifted in the middle of the stalk with a pair of tongs. Another smattering of butter, garlic salt, and pepper (just in case any of them were missed, of course), and they were ready for the table.

Verdict

Not much more to say. The brats were good. I like sauerkraut on most any grilled sausage, so I added a bit, and it worked pretty well with the jalapeño. My wife can't stand the kraut, so she went without. The potatoes were predictably good. The star, as I mentioned, was that asparagus. Still just a bit firm, but fully cooked and warm throughout, just enough butter and seasoning - I am just sad that we didn't have more.

On a side note, our daughter has returned to eating fish at mealtimes again. She love smoked salmon, it seems, and ate it with some regularity until just around her second birthday. Now, after some time away, she's back. Maybe this means she will start trying other foods again, and maybe I can get her to eat more of what I cook instead of the usual fare she's settled on...

Bacon cheeseburgers

Continuing my "Costco rocks" thread, I have to give proper thanks to them for the Kirkland (store) brand real-crumbled-bacon-in-a-bag that they sell. I have long agreed with the notion that bacon makes most things better, and having it already cooked and ready to add to a dish is really handy. I also like when it incorporates as easily into a dish as it does when making burgers. If you know everyone will want bacon on the burger, why not put it in the burger?

So I did this past Wednesday when I decided to grill up some burgers and dogs.

I also flashed back to some burgers that I recall from my time living at my Uncle Billy's house many years ago. There was some delivery service that used to bring a variety of freezer items, if memory serves me, and among them were pre-made frozen burgers with cheese already mixed in. I loved the concept (and, frankly the burgers), but always felt like too much cheese melted out of such patties when place on the grill. They work fine in a skillet or on a flattop, but on the grill, the cheesy-goodness just tends to melt away.

For my burgers, I decided to make a nice pocket for a nice half-inch thick slice of cheddar, and sealed the burger, bacon included, around the cheese. I had mixed in a hint of barbecue sauce as well, and with a bit of garlic salt and pepper in hand, I cooked these up alongside a nice packet of Hebrew National hot dogs. (I like the casings on their dogs; they work well on the grill or off, and keep just the right amount of snap when you bite into them).

The verdict

A simple meal - burgers and dogs - but I thought is was a nice little twist. The burgers turned out juicy, and the cheese was just melted enough to let a hint break the surface before I removed them from the grill. They were amazingly tasty, simple, and satisfying, as a good burger should be. I had mine with a nice Goose Island ale. Can't wait to make them again.