Speaking of Traditons...

Finding Home Again through Traditions

There is an old recipe I came across earlier this year. It was hiding in plain sight, on the inside of the cover, in a really old/loved cookbook. This recipe book, that I boroughed from my mom, was published by a group of women in our Temples Sisterhood. In this book are most of my favorite traditional recipes that we use for everything from Hanukkah to Passover. I have the same cookbook in my collection, it had been my bubbe's copy. I don't know why I borrowed this same book from my mom, but I am so glad I did. In the inside of the ripped, torn, stained cover that is held together with a rubber band, I found riches for my soul. In lovely old fashioned hand writing was my Bubbe's chicken with allspice recipe. It was stained with age and wrinkled and torn, but too me it was like finding home again.

I grew up in two homes. One with my mom and dad and my brother Josh, full of gourmet food and toys, games and books. The other home was in my grandparent’s house across town. This home was full of traditions, books, movies, video games like Where in the World is Carmen Santiago and The Oregon Trail. Bubbe and Grandpa’s home wasn't filled with toys, just a few favorite oldies (like my old jumpy horse and fake sink with plastic pretend dishes to wash) but there were so many things to do at this house other than play.

 

Bubbe was always teaching me to sew, and cook and bake. I learned that 1 bottle of grape jelly and 1 bottle of ketchup could make awesome Swedish meatball sauce! They had a huge bolder in the back yard to climb on and watch grampa water the basil growing in huge barrels. There was always something new and awesome to do or learn.

They say that home is where you are loved and where you feel safe and where your heart is. Well, my heart has always been in my Bubbe and Grampa's home in Sanibel and in West Lafayette. I find myself visiting those wonderful old days in my dreams all the time. Finding this recipe is also like finding my way back home again. The funny thing is... I never liked this chicken as a child.

1 large onion, sliced
3 carrots, quartered
2 potatoes, quartered
3 to 4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon paprika
2 garlic cloves or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon whole allspice
Oil

In a large pan sauté 1 large onion in some oil until onions are soft and beginning to brown. Remove onions from the pan temporarily. Make a paste of oil, garlic (cut up 2 cloves or use 1/2 teaspoon powdered), paprika and salt. Dip pieces of chicken in this mixture. You can if desired marinate the chicken in the paprika and garlic. Add about 1 teaspoon of whole allspice (this is very important). Sauté the chicken until a nice color (no longer pale) about 1/2 hour. Quarter potatoes and cut up carrots, add the onions back into the pan. Cover. Cook covered about 1/2 hour or until the chicken's internal temperature hits 165˚. (This recipe can be changed for the amount of chicken or if you make thighs or drumsticks. Please check the temperature at the half way point and at 15 minutes of the remaining 1/2 hour. Enjoy!

Memorial Day BBQ

Memorial Day Barbecue!  We had a great meal and lots of fun!  My parents had about 15 friends over and my brother, Josh, and his dog Fenway!

Corn salad is always a crowd pleaser. The avocado takes it from delicious to sublime, the seasonings can be adjusted to the crowd's  preference. We like it packed  with punch, so we go heavy on the spices. Note: We hate to  give this dish up when the corn season ends, so we prepare it with 4 cans of drained shoepeg corn, a worthy substitute.






The Ultimate Corn Salad

serves 10 

12 ears fresh corn off the cob

2 cans black beans , drained and rinsed

1 red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped

1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Chop pieces for a salsa like presentation. Cut large pieces for a composed salad.

Dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon ground cumin + add extra

1 tablespoon chili powder + add extra

salt and pepper

Combine the first nine ingredients, and stir to distribute. Pour dressing over the salad and season to taste: it you prefer it hotter, add more jalapeno or spiced red pepper flakes: if you like it tarter, add more lime juice. The cumin and chili powder can be added to suit your palate.

Cupcake of the Year with Billy's Vanilla Buttercream Icing

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar, 1 added 2 additional tablespoons

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup special dark cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚ degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners, about 12. Whisk together coconut milk, sugar, oil and vanilla extract and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to wet ingredients and beat until no lumps remain. Pour into cupcake lines, about 1/4 cup of batter. Bale  18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

1 cup butter at room temperature

6-8 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and vanilla ( I like 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla) mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar.

The Pink Lady!

It started out almost 5 years ago. I have always loved watermelon and I have always wanted to make something very special out of it.  For years and years I have always "hacked" into a watermelon and gobbled up as much as I could eat, plus a few more bites. I can easily take down a whole watermelon. But that was it, nothing more, a messy treat and nothing more.

But, about 5 years ago when I was living in Indianapolis, I had a juicer. It made some very good juice, apple and carrot juice and lemon and orange and lime juice, anything you could imagine.  So the idea of watermelon juice came to me one day as I sat down to eat watermelon. The first few attempts were good, not great. But with the addition of some mint and lemon, I had a great juice. 

Jump ahead to present day, well... yesterday.  Dinner at mom and dad's house and I needed a great healthy dessert.  The pink lady.   These recipes I will give you can be used as you wish, but I will warn you, if you make this, you will be hooked!  

The Pink Lady

1 medium round watermelon, chunked

1 large handful of fresh mint leaves, about 1 cup

extra mint for garnish

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

Options: 

vodka

In a food processor add together mint leaves, watermelon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Process the watermelon until it is the consistency of watery applesauce.  You will have do this is batches so don't overload the food processor. 

Pour the mixture into a colander over a large soup pot.  Save the juice and toss out what is left in the colander.  Add the lemon juice and lemon zest into the watermelon juice. If the watermelon is very sweet do not add any more sugar, but if your watermelon needs a little more flavor add the 1/3 cup sugar or splenda.

Add medium-high heat, heat the watermelon juice for about 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Cool in the refrigerator.

This is were you have the option to make just juice or a cocktail or you could make popsicles or just a fruity icy desert.

For the juice:  Just refrigerate and serve with a sprig of mint and a slice of lemon.

For the popsicles: Pour the cooled juice into popsicle molds and freeze for 24 hours.

For the cocktail: Sugar the rim of each glass. Pour in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of chilled vodka with each glass of watermelon juice and top with a small slice of lemon and mint.

For the fruity ice dessert: Pour the watermelon juice into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and put it in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours. Every 30 minutes, scrape the ice that forms with a fork for a soft, icy mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap. This can be made 1 day ahead.  Serve in a parfait glass with mint.  Yum!