Crab Dynamite

Crab Dynamite, everyone's favorite

We made Crab Dynamite for Marybeth.  Everyone and I mean everyone loves it! The recipe can be found on our blog of: Sep. 5, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Tom stopped by on his way home. It wasn't hard to convince him to join us,

Thanksgiving

Notice the Wire Trussing

Squash and Lentil Soup

Turkey served over orange flavored Noodles

Robert's Chocolate Cake

Thanksgiving dinner for our friends is an annual event at our house. We always make the Renaissance Turkey recipe. It is served over Orange Flavored Noodles. I always rotisserie the Turkey. This is a very unusual presentation of turkey and it is definitely a winner. Our friends expect it! You can find the recipe on our blog of: November 23, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe. We were happy that we were able to use for the first time our new dinner plates. It was a fitting introduction for them.

We worried about the correct size of turkey. We wanted enough turkey for 10 guests and with leftovers. Nate a McCall's Meat and Fish suggested a 12 pound turkey. It was the perfect size.

I figured out something good this year, that I will always use in the future. When the Turkey is spinning on the rotisserie sometimes the filling spills out. I could never adequately the openings at the front and rear of the turkey. This time I wired them shut! It worked like a champ. I will always do the same from now on.

Cathy made a new soup recipe: Puréed Winter Squash and Red Lentil Soup, we found it in the New York Times. It was excellent.

Robert baked an incredibly rich Chocolate Cake. It was the perfect ending to an indulgent meal.

Puréed Winter Squash and Red Lentil Soup

New York Times

Here the tawny hue of the cooked lentils blends well with the sweet yellow-orange winter squash. If you’re looking for Halloween colors for a dinner main dish or starter, look no further.

INGREDIENTS

2         tablespoons grapeseed oil

1         medium onion, minced

2         garlic cloves, minced

1         tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3         teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

2         teaspoons cumin seeds

½         teaspoon turmeric

1         medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and diced (about 5 cups diced squash)

1         cup red lentils, rinsed

Salt

Black pepper

2         teaspoons butter or ghee

Plain yogurt, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

1.   Heat oil over medium heat in large, heavy soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.

2.   Stir in turmeric, squash, red lentils and 2 quarts water. Turn up heat, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, skim off foam, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes, until squash and lentils are tender. Taste and adjust salt.

3.   Purée soup using an immersion blender or, working in batches, in a blender (pull a towel down over the top of blender to avoid hot splashes). Return to pot if using blender. Add black pepper, taste and adjust salt, and heat through.

4.   Just before serving, heat butter over medium heat in a small skillet or saucepan and add remaining 2 teaspoons mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until seeds are lightly colored and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir into soup.

5.   Serve with a generous dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of cilantro if desired.

Sausage and Polenta

We are talking hearty winter dinner. We love Sausage and Polenta. We always get the Fennel Sausage at McCall's Meat and Fish. The Mushrooms add a depth of taste that is amazing. This is a super cold weather dish. I love it. You get the recipe from our blog of: June 9, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe.

Thai Pork Fried Rice

Left over Pork. Thai Fried Rice. You have read about it many times on the Blog. Question: Have you tried this recipe? We make it often for a reason - it is delicious! You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 4, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe.

Braised Pork with Red Wine

Colder fall nights call for hearty dinners! We have been finding an amazing amount of new recipes for us in The New York Times. We are looking for easy dinners with lots of leftovers. Braised Pork with Red Wine was an excellent new dish for us. The more the meat cooked the thicker and richer the sauce became. Persimmons at this time of year are at their peak and this year they are especially sweet. They make a great Salad.

Braised Pork With Red Wine
Mark Bittman
New York Times

INGREDIENTS

2         pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks

Salt and pepper

2         cups fruity red wine, like Beaujolais or Burgundy (pinot noir)

1         cup good stock, or water

1         pound fat carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

10         cloves garlic, more or less, peeled

2         tablespoons butter

Cooked egg noodles for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

PREPARATION

1.   Combine pork, salt and pepper to taste, wine, stock, carrots and garlic in a saucepan, Dutch oven or slow cooker. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so that mixture simmers steadily but not vigorously. (If using a slow cooker, just turn it to ''high'' and let cook for at least three hours.)

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2.   Cook, stirring every half-hour or so, until meat is very tender and just about falling apart, at least an hour and most likely a bit longer. Use a slotted spoon to remove solid ingredients to a bowl, then turn heat to high. (If using a slow cooker, transfer liquid to a saucepan for this step.) Reduce to about a cup, or even less. Taste and adjust seasoning, then lower heat and stir in butter.

3.   Add solids to sauce and reheat. Serve over egg noodles, garnished with parsley

Steak!

Sparks from the Fire

Bone-in Ribeye

When we returned from Japan we were ready for a good old American Juicy Grilled Steak. We purchased two big Bone-in Ribeye Steaks at McCall's Meat and Fish. We knew we would have leftovers. There are two secrets to a great steak: excellent meat and dry Rub from the Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali. When you use the dry rub there is no need to spend the extra money for dry-aged steak because the dry rub will be the dominate seasoning. You can get the recipe from our blog of: August 10, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe.