Dreaming

traditional kitchen design by boston interior designer Marie Newton, Closets Redefined

Morning crepes

2 large eggs
1 c milk
1/3 c water
1 cup all purpose flour (preferably bleached)
2 Tbl sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbl melted butter plus 2-3 teaspoons for coating the pan

In blender or food processor blend all ingredients (minus butter for pan) until smooth. Let sit covered in fridge for at least 1 hour (longer if you can)

Gently stir batter if separated. Heat a 6-7" non-stick crepe pan over medium high heat until hot. Wipe pan gently with butter coating the surface. Pour in 2-3 Tbl of batter and tilt/roll the pan to distribute batter into a thin circle. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly brown on edges- about 1 minute. Loosen edges with a spatula and flip over. Cook other side for about 15-30 seconds until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter.

You can have these for breakfast with fresh fruit or as a dessert with ice cream or other sweet filling...

You can slip into ziplock and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Summers bounty... Nectarine Sorbet

We found a great farm stand that sells lugs of peaches and fresh fruit for $5 per box and so I have had to go through mounds of recipes to use up all the yummy fruit we bought. This great nectarine sorbet was one of our favorites...

6 ripe nectarines (about 2 lbs)
2/3 c. water
3/4 c suga
1 tsp Kirsch (or substitute equal amount of cherry syrup from canned cherries) or 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

Slice nectarines in half and remove pits. Cut un-peeled nectarines into small chunks and cook them with the water in a medium non-reactive sauce pan, covered. stir occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary during cooking process.

Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Once cool- blend in food processor or blender until smooth. Stir in Kirsch or lemon juice.

Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze in ice cream maker according to directions.

SB Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beat together:
1 lb butter (or 1/2 butter, 1/2 butter flavored shortening)
2 c brown sugar
1-1/2 c white sugar

Beat in:
2 Tablespoon vanilla
3 eggs

Add in:
about 5-1/2 c flour
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

After mixed add in 1 bag (4c) chocolate chips of choice

Refrigerate dough 1-2 hours or overnight (seem to cook better chilled). Drop 1 small ice cream scoop of dough on cookie sheet. Bake 325 for about 12-15 minutes. I like to take them out just as they start turning brown. They might not look like they are completely done but they will firm up as cooled down. If they have spread too much use your spatula to shape them into circles as soon as they come out of oven.

Enjoy

“Angle” Sugar Cookies

Tortilla Soup

A really good tortilla soup that I found in The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog. I would have a picture but we ate it all. Simple and delicious and not as fattening as some of her other recipes - especially for us that are not working a cattle ranch.

Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 Hour30 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

Ingredients
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
2 cans Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
Garnishes:
Sour Cream
Diced Avocado
Diced Red Onion
Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Cranberry Pound Cake

This recipe I dazzled my mother-in-law and east coast family with when I first met them... delicious and moist.

2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
8 oz package cream cheese
3 eggs
1 egg white
3 c flour
2 c cranberries or blueberries
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8oz) lemon yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c powdered sugar
8 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Beat first 3 ingredients, add eggs one at a time.
Combine 2 Tbl flour + 2 Tbl sugar in separate bowl and coat berries.
Combine remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix into eggs and butter mixture alternating with yogurt- beginning and ending with flour. Fold in berries and vanilla.

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. remove from pan.

Mix lemon juice and powder sugar. Drizzle over warm cake and serve

Honeybun Cake

A great Sunday morning treat!

1 box mix yellow cake
4 whole eggs
1 c sour cream
3/4 c vegetable oil

1 c light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

2 c powdered sugar
6 Tbl milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat oven 325 degrees. By hand mix first 4 ingredients, mixture will be pale yellow and it is ok if there are lumps. Set aside.
In separate bowl mix cinnamon and brown sugar, set aside.

Pour half of the cake mixture into a greased, 9x13 glass pan. Spread an even thin layer. Add half of the brown sugar mixture- spread with knife across top of batter. Pour remaining batter, spread as evenly as possible. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture. With knife- swirl the batter to create a beautiful masterpiece!
Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick in middle comes out clean.
While cake is baking make glaze. In a bowl mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until it is the desired consistency. When the cake comes out- pour glaze immediately onto it, tilt cake to spread if necessary. Let sit until glaze sets.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

PAD THAI

This is a great Pad Thai recipe- very easy and very very tasty

1/4 c white sugar
1/4 distilled white vinegar
2 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl tamarind pulp (found at whole foods)

1 box Pad Thai noodles (also found at whole foods, wheat and gluten free is what I use)

1/4 c vegetable oil
3/4 tsp minced garlic
2 eggs
2-1/4 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c ground peanuts
3/4 tsp wasabi powder
1/4 c chopped chives
1-1/2 tsp paprika
1 c fresh bean sprouts
1/2 lime cut into wedges
1/2 c chopped cilantro and mint (mixed together)

In medium saucepan over medium heat, blend first 4 ingredients

Cook noodles according to package (cooks like pasta but much faster)

In large skillet or wok cook over medium heat. Warm oil, add garlic and eggs. Scramble the eggs. Add noodles and stir until cooked. Stir in sauce, 1-1/4 tsp sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, stir in peanuts and wasabi powder.

Remove from heat and garnish with bean sprouts, lime and paprika.

If you feel adventurous, add a little oriental chili paste to the sauce for some heat.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

This tradition is always done at the O'Dell house and has now flocked out to friends and family who love the fun...

In this photo- Jamie, Megan, Jenn and Great Grandma Serzow

Red Apples
Toothpicks
Mini Marshmallows
Raisins
Whatever else you want to use for decorations...
2009 had many creative additions; carrot feet, broccoli tail feathers- some turkeys looked like they ate a little too much moldy grain :)

Post your turkey photos too!

Rice Pilav

This recipe comes from one of Grandma Schneider's long time Armenian family friend. She joked about wrapping lid in towel and placing it on top of the cooked pot after rice is done. Asked if important she said "no but it looks impressive!"

1/4 pd butter
1 coil vermicelli
1 c rice (Uncle Ben's is best)
2-1/2 c liquid (half chicken broth, half water)

Melt butter in pot- break up coil of vermicelli into it and brown. Add rice, liquid and salt.
Cover and simmer till all liquid is absorbed

note- when recipe is doubled or increased do not use more butter. Simply use enough to brown vermicelli.

Rusonik... aka "Tanya Serzows White Turkey Soup"

This recipe has not set quantities- it has been passed down verbally from generation to generation...

Turkey wings
Celery
Chicken broth

Cook above ingredients in chicken broth.

Shred turkey, discard celery, drain and strain- To large pot, add leftover juice, chopped celery and rice. Needs to be thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until done. Serve with cold chopped dill pickles.