deb's pots

Roasting Pan Supper

Posted on April 29, 2016 by debspots

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I attribute a great deal of meaning and follow a number of rituals related to the behavior of birds. And I’m afraid I’ve passed this somewhat psychotic, but arguably charming affectation to my daughter. Here are some examples:

~A certain type of red-tail hawk sighting signifies the success of an upcoming trip. This is known as a “hawk blessing.”
~Other raptors, like bald eagles, give blessings on projects and life events.
~The safe arrival of phoebes in March means it is officially spring.
~Hearing the call of a barred owl means you run outside even if you are naked.
~When the goldfinches turn yellow, it is time to clean the grill.
~Brian’s birthday, May 2, brings hummingbirds to Warwick.
~A pair of Baltimore Orioles shows up on Four Corners Road on May 10; this is cause for loitering near a particular tree.
~Bob: “What kind of bird is that on top of the bluebird house”? This is clearly a Deep Existential Question or a Zen Koan. I plan to begin contemplating it when I stop laughing. It’s been 5 years; I need more time.

Megan is in Baltimore studying dolphins. And ducks. Visit her Facebook page to read a recent story about a family of mallards. She thinks deeply about all creatures, especially birds. It has yet to be determined whether this is a blessing or a curse.

My parents have become honorary birds, as has their cat, Socrates. Snowbirds. And as such, they have recently made the migration from their winter home in Florida, to their lake perch here in the Northeast, specifically New Jersey. Anticipating that they would be exhausted from all the flying, I cooked a meal for them, which was kindly delivered by Bob, who passes near their house on his way to work.

I don’t remember the origin of this dish; I have been making it for many years. It is the perfect thing for when you are feeding a crowd or you want something to reheat over the course of a few days. It is completely unfussy and utterly delicious

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Roasting Pan Supper

Do your best to source meat that is humanly raised, organic, and local. Likewise for the other ingredients, as much as possible.

This is gluten free. It’s paleo if you sub sweet potatoes.

Serves 8-10

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 ½ lbs sausage
2 lbs. tiny potatoes, halved*
1 very large or two small onions, peeled, cut in rough chunks
2 small bell peppers, peeled, cut in chunks (red, yellow, orange are best)
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
2 cups dry white wine
½ cup grated parm

optional: as many whole cloves of garlic as you feel like peeling.

*I like the tiny, new yukon golds. You may use any potato you like, including sweet potatoes. If you use large potatoes, cut then into bite size chunks.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place everything except the parm in a large roasting pan. Roast until the sausage just firms up and then cut it into chunks and return to the pan. Roast for 45 minutes or so, moving everything around from time to time. Add the parm and roast for another 10 minutes until everything is browned and the potatoes are cooked through. Serve with extra parm.

Posted in chicken, dinner, easy, entertaining, entree, family, gluten free, main, main course, main courses, main dish, one pot meals, paleo, party, poultry, roasted, simple recipes, supper, supper, main courses, Uncategorized, weeknight | Tagged chicken, easy, gluten free, make ahead, paleo, recipe, reheat, sausage, stew | 6 Comments

Deb’s Grilled Cobb Salad

Posted on April 22, 2016 by debspots

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The legend of the Cobb Salad involves a Hollywood chef who threw something together using leftovers and it became famous. Whether or not it’s an accurate story, I’ve always been a fan. Not because Hollywood or because popular, but because bacon, blue cheese, avocado and tomato! Seriously, what’s not to love? And…

The story itself is close to my heart. I think we are all at our most creative when we have a little puzzle to solve. Necessity being the mother of invention or invention being the necessity of mothers… or whatever. For years, I’ve played a little game with myself and tried to get away with making meals out of what was in the house instead of making a trip to the market. This is partly because of the creativity thing and partly because I hate putting on clothes.

When I was in college and procrastinating, I used to make great banquets out of nothing. My roommates used to tease me and say if I had a test coming up, I could make a meal out of an old shoe. That sort of praise made me happier than acing the test. What can I tell you?

So, the Cobb story always appealed to me. And when the kids were teenagers, and showed up with their ravenous friends, I had a lot of fun composing things on the spot just like that. During those years, things with bacon and cheese were very high on the list of things that started as a whim and became favorites.

I decided to compose my own version of the classic Cobb. Mine is different in a few ways. Since it’s spring, and we’ve stoked up the grill, it’s a grilled version. I love romaine with a light wilt and char from fire. And did you know you can grill bacon? The classic Cobb involves canned black olives, which are unacceptable. Period. I considered good, tasty olives, but felt that the cheese and bacon are so salty, I didn’t want another salty element. Since nutty, toasty is missing, and I love nuts on salad, I went with toasted walnuts. Try it, you’ll see how well it works. And most Cobbs are dressed with a simple vinaigrette, which is wonderful. But I like creamy blue with these flavors. It gilds the lily just a bit, but what’s wrong with a little gilding among friends?

Deb’s Grilled Cobb Salad

This will serve 2 very, very generously, 3 perfectly, and 4 if you serve something else like soup and/or bread.

Feel free to use the vinaigrette instead of the creamy blue, if you prefer.

1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, preferably free range, organic
½ lb. thick cut bacon, preferably humanely raised, no-nitrite
3 eggs, preferably organic, local
2 romaine hearts, cut in half lengthwise
2 tbs. olive oil
2 oz. blue cheese (I like Roquefort best)
2 medium, ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 ripe avocado, cubed
¼ cup toasted walnuts
½ cup creamy blue cheese dressing (recipe below)

Light or preheat a grill (you may use an indoor grill pan).

Cook the eggs until the yolks are just firm. If you haven’t tried the ATK method yet, you are going to thank me! Peel and cut each egg in half.

Put the bacon on a plate between two paper towels and microwave on high for a minute.

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Rub with 1 tbs. of the olive oil.

Season the lettuce with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining oil.

Grill the chicken for roughly 5 minutes per side or until it is cooked through. Cook to 160° at the thickest. Or nick and peek. Let cool for 5 minutes and then cut into chunks.

Grill the bacon. Watch carefully and move it around if there are flare-ups. Remove each piece as done. Let cool slightly and then rough chop.

Grill the lettuce for about 1 minute per side, just until the pieces get just a little char. Then cut each piece in half lengthwise.

Lay the lettuce quarters in alternating directions in a big, shallow bowl. Then arrange the other ingredients in rows on top. Serve with the dressing.

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Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

You may use lowfat mayo and sour cream, but don’t use nonfat.

¼ cup mayo
¼ cup sour cream
1 tsp grainy mustard
juice of 1 lemon
dash of Worcestershire Sauce
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste
a few tsps. milk to thin, if desired

Mix all ingredients, mashing the cheese a bit. Serve.

Posted in ceramics, dinner, dressing, low carb, lunch, main, main course, main courses, main dish, salad, supper, main courses, Uncategorized | Tagged avocado, blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, chicken, Cobb, dressing, eggs, gluten free, low carb, main course salads | 4 Comments

Goat Cheese Appetizer

Posted on April 15, 2016 by debspots

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On the night I met my husband, Bob, I had a blind date with a very tiny urologist named Howard. It was November, 1984. Bob was introduced to me by a friend with whom, previously, I’d had a brief, secret fling. The friend introduced us and suggested we go out for a beer. I said I would love to have a beer, but was expected across the highway in a few minutes to meet a man with whom I’d been fixed up by my gynecologist. The gynecologist had performed this clever bit of matchmaking WHILE he was examining me. Dr. Ginsberg, the yenta, failed to mention that Howard the Urologist was mind-numbingly boring and that it is not sexy to drive a Camaro if you can’t see over the dashboard.

The blind date was not a total loss because Howard introduced me to Ernie’s, a wonderful restaurant in Hackensack. And once I had the beer with nice, tall, fun, and interesting Bob McGrath two days later, we spent countless delicious evenings there. It was at Ernie’s that I first tasted the duck pasta dish that would become the inspiration for many of my subsequent flavor combinations. And, Ernie’s was the first place I tasted goat cheese. That’s right, millennials, we didn’t have goat cheese until I was your age! I had friends who were and still are alarmed and grossed out by its very slight barniness, but to this day, we love the stuff and can’t get enough.

While I remember where and how I met both my husband and cheese made from goat’s milk, I don’t remember how or when I developed this appetizer. It was probably a few years later when I found out that there are edible flowers.

Like so many “recipes,” this has endless variations. Use it as a springboard for your cheese imagination.

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Goat Cheese Appetizer

This is a perfect make-ahead for a pot-luck or holiday. It makes enough for 6-10 people to have for nibbles with a drink before dinner. And leftovers are a treasure.

8 oz soft goat cheese
4 oz cream cheese

Suggested fillings and toppings: minced olives, minced sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced scallions and/or chives, pesto, chopped cooked mushrooms, finely diced fresh tomato, chopped roasted red pepper, finely minced herbs (cilantro, basil, or dill), smoked salmon, nuts, edible flowers.

Bring ingredients to room temperature. Mix the cheeses well. You may do this by hand or use a food processor or standing mixer. I like the texture if you whip it a little in the food processor.

Choose one or more containers that look like the right size(s) and shape(s) to hold your creation(s). Remember that the finished cheeses will be inverted. Place a piece of plastic wrap into each container. Place a topping ingredient, like a flower or some herbs, in the bottom and carefully add a blob of cheese mixture to fill the container about halfway. Now, add your filling. Top with enough mixture to fill the rest of the container. Enclose with the wrap and press down to compact. Repeat as needed. Refrigerate for at least 90 minutes before unmolding.

To unmold, use the wrap to help pull the cheese out of the container. Serve with bread or crackers. For a wonderful, gluten free option, Mindfulness Bread is terrific!

Leftovers make a wonderful addition to salads or pasta. Stir some into sautéed, steamed or roasted veggies. Pop some under the skin of a chicken before roasting.

The moral of the story: The next time your gynecologist says, “Take my advice, marry a Jew,” don’t be offended. You might get a blog post out of it 32 years later.

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Posted in appetizer, art, brunch, easy, entertaining, gluten free, healthy, holiday, low carb, Uncategorized, vegetarian | Tagged cheese, cocktails, drinks, gluten free, goat cheese, make ahead, vegetarian | 11 Comments

One Minute Sticky Toffee Bowl Cake

Posted on April 8, 2016 by debspots

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It’s a good thing I quit drinking. It’s been 12 years since I’ve had a cocktail, but I gotta tell you, the other day I was considering mixing myself a big, fat, dirty martini!

I’m determined to get the Etsy store up and running. Lots of you have been asking me to buy pots for more than a year now, and we’re almost ready. If you’ve been following me here and/or on Insta, you know that Tech Angel Mary and I have had many setbacks, including her husband’s battle with leukemia (he is doing great and back to work), website management concerns, and kiln wiring problems. But we’ve made a huge amount of progress!

The pots are made, photographed, measured, and posted. We’ve worked out most of the details of packing and shipping. Sunday, I sat down to take care of registering as a tax entity with the State of New York. Yup. Sales tax. OK, I told myself, I can handle this. I got a little worried when I saw the 50 page pdf instruction manual!!!! Calm down, I admonished my inner child, this can’t be as scary as it looks. You’ve had a business for 26 years, how hard could this be?

Well. I won’t bore you with the details of how the on-line forms DON’T WORK. I decided to throw myself on the mercy of my accountant. I was very proud when I thought of that. I’m not a person who is good at asking for help. I decided to embrace this as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Then I looked at the calendar. Perfect. My timing is brilliant. This is simply the most ideal week of the entire year to ask an accountant a SALES TAX question!!!

I left the poor man a message. A member of his office staff called me the following day. I was surprised, astonished and delighted. Is it possible that they are so well organized that they are going to help me with my little sales tax problem NOW? Then she said the reason she was calling was to tell us our income tax forms are ready to be signed. That’s when I considered getting out the olives. But instead, I decided to make an Emergency Dessert.

Now. Let me be absolutely clear. I am not advocating eating, especially eating sweets, as a healthy way to deal with craving a drink. Changing your focus of attention, however, is an excellent coping strategy. And I am here to tell you that it only took 1 minute for me to forget all about the taxes and to make this delicious dessert, which I then shared with my skinny runner husband.

It’s easy to keep the ingredients for this quickie confection on hand. I know, some of these “mug cake” recipes are pale substitutes for “real” treats. But I promise, this version is terrific. The texture is somewhere between pudding and cake, it’s buttery and sweet, and toasty from the nuts. A little hit of salt brings out the depth of the caramel flavor. It’s best with an extra drizzle of syrup and a small scoop of ice cream.

One Minute Sticky Toffee Bowl Cake

This recipe calls for Cane Syrup, specifically Lyle’s Golden Syrup. If you can’t get it or don’t want to buy it, you may use an equal amount of honey, rice syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, or dark Karo Syrup. It’s equally good with pecans or walnuts.

Serves 1

1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbs butter
3 tbs date pieces
3 tbs sliced almonds, toasted
3 tbs cane syrup
2 tbs whole milk
generous pinch sea salt

Choose an all purpose bowl that will hold roughly a pint of liquid. Put the butter, syrup, and dates in the bowl and microwave on high for 20-30 seconds, until the butter is just melted. Add the remaining ingredients and microwave for 45 seconds or until the batter bubbles and puffs. Top with ice cream and serve. You might want an extra little drizzle of syrup and/or coarse salt.

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PS My parents, who are still down in West Palm Beach for the winter (as you can see, it’s still snowing here) have been catching up on blog posts. Loads of love, Mom and Dad, this one’s for you!

Posted in art, dessert, easy, sweets, treat, treats, vegetarian, weeknight | Tagged bowl, cake, individual desserts, microwave, mug cake, one minute recipes, pudding, single serving, toffee | 8 Comments

Flavor Bomb Kale Salad

Posted on April 1, 2016 by debspots

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It’s 3 am; a howling wind woke me and I remembered that I’d forgotten to put together the Mindfulness Bread before bed. Sadie and I shuffled sleepily downstairs to raid the mindfulness drawer (I know, so awesome!!) in the new pantry.

A few years ago, when I toddled down in the middle of the night, I’d often find a bunch of towering young men raiding the fridge. Few things in life have made me happier than taking to the stove to make my tall son and his buddies something special after a long night of partying or gaming. Brian’s best friend, Sam’s request for a recipe for my kale chips was the inspiration for my first-ever blog! So, in a way, I have him to thank for this whole, crazy endeavor!

One of the great pleasures of being a parent is getting to know the people your children bring into your life. Sam and Brian met in fourth grade. They often had sleepovers on Saturday nights, and since Sam’s dad, Scott, was the priest of the local Episcopal Church, Sam would get up for church on Sunday mornings. It became a ritual for me to bake scones for him and drive him into the village before everyone else awoke. I’d get to hear a bit of news about his incredible family or something funny Brian said in school.

This past Friday night, Sam drove from his current home in Omaha to Warwick to introduce his wonderful girlfriend, Catherine, to all his friends here. We loved her! I texted Brian in Washington to tell him what I was serving for dinner. He said he didn’t want to know because it made him jealous that they got to eat my cooking. I suspect it also made him jealous that we were meeting Catherine in person while so far he’s had to settle for Skype.

I made “squiggly pasta,” Sam’s name for spaezle. And I created this salad, a loaf of homemade sourdough, and Genius-ish Umami Cauliflower. And Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies with a chocolate, dulce de leche version of my no churn ice cream.

This is another one of those combinations that is greater than the sum of its parts. You know by now that I am a fan of hitting all of the flavor sensations humans perceive: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami; this salad does that, and then some. Bob says the tastes really “pop.” The earthiness of the kale, savory-saltiness of the cheese, and sweet zing of the fruit play perfectly with the toasty crisp walnuts. And then, of course, there’s the maple syrup! It was so good, I made it again for Easter dinner (below).

Have you tried Surprising Kale Salad yet? This one is similar, but distinct enough that I decided it deserved its own recipe. And. Because. Maple Syrup!!!

Flavor Bomb Kale Salad

serves 4

I like to use baby kale for salad, but if you prefer, tuscan kale is great, or you can use curly; just remove ribs and cut or tear the leaves into small pieces.

You may make this up to a day before serving. It’s great right away, but kale is one of the few salad greens that benefit from sitting in dressing for a while.

12 oz. baby kale
6 large or 8 small strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted*
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (Roquefort or Gorgonzola are my faves), divided
2 tbs maple syrup
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
3 tbs xv olive oil or walnut oil
flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper
optional: violets or other edible flowers; minced fresh chives

*I toast nuts in the microwave; it does a great job. No worrying about forgetting them in the oven or on the stove and having them burn on you. This amount of walnuts takes about 70 seconds on high.

Place the kale in the bowl of a standing mixer. Alternatively, you may massage it by hand, but if you have a mixer, I urge you to use it. Add half of the cheese, the maple syrup, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, and turn the mixer on low. Let it massage the kale for a minute or so. You want it wilted, but not pulverized.

Place the kale in a pretty serving bowl, like the wood fired one you see here. Top with the berries, walnuts, remaining cheese, and the flowers and chives, if you like. Add a little extra maple syrup if you are, like me, sweet on maple.

Variations: Raspberries hit the same notes as strawberries. You could also do this with black or blueberries, or mandarin orange slices or segments. Pecans are good instead of the walnuts. And honey is a terrific alternative to the syrup.

DebsPots news: Mary and I are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the Etsy store. We hope to have a Grand Opening in time for Mother’s Day gifting. Check back next week for more info!

Posted in appetizer, dressing, gluten free, healthy, low carb, salad, side dish, Uncategorized, vegetarian | Tagged blue cheese, kale, make ahead, pottery, spring, stawberries | 6 Comments

Maple Mindfulness Mini Muffins

Posted on March 24, 2016 by debspots

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I really wanted to make my own maple syrup last year. I thought about it, but that’s about as far as it got. As much as I am a die-hard do-it-yourselfer, last spring I was a little, um…shall we say distracted. And it’s a bit difficult to do a big, new, food-related project when you have no kitchen, no money, and your house is a construction site.

But, this year, I was good to go. You know, because creating an on-line pottery store, making pots, blogging, instagramming, fundraising, and being dr deb don’t keep me busy enough…

I did some reading, bought spiles and tubing, asked friends for containers (thanks Mary, Ruth, and Karen!), and a hotplate (thanks Tina and Andy!), and chose 5 trees. On the chosen day, the cordless drill failed. I ran to Wadeson’s to buy a plug-in drill, but they had none for sale. At the last minute, I spotted one for rent and ran extension cords to my trees. And my experiment with “sugaring” began!

I plugged the hotplate in on the deck; Sadie and I carefully monitored the first 2 gallons until we were down to a pint or so. Then I transferred my precious almost-syrup to the stove, momentarily lost track and promptly boiled away the proceeds, filling the house with smoke and making a huge mess of my favorite saucepan. I’d love to say I learned my lesson, but I made the same mistake with a later batch. Middle age onset ADD? Sap needs to be reduced 40 times to be syrup. It is a slow process, but when the sugar concentrates at the end; it’s a lot like making caramel. I have learned to practice mindfulness when making caramel and when making syrup!

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All told, I made about 3 cups of syrup and gave most of it away. Earlier batches were lighter in color and flavor, later ones were darker. Brian reported that it makes a lovely Old Fashioned.

I’ve been keeping a few little jars on the counter to admire them; it’s as if I’d made liquid gold. Some has been used in my beautiful supper salads. Bob is hoping for pancakes for supper soon. The other night, I woke up with the realization that Mindfulness Bread (you know, because mindfulness?) would taste great sweetened with my syrup; and decided mini muffins would be a terrific variation. They are slightly sweet, nutty, filling, hearty, moist, and dense. Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or to pack on a trip or a hike.

If you’re a Mindfulness Bread fan, you will adore these. If not, you will adore these.

Maple Mindfulness Mini Muffins

These are naturally vegan and gluten free. They freeze beautifully, just thaw in the microwave or oven.

Makes 24 mini muffins, 12 regular muffins, or 1 loaf. You may need to bake a bit longer if you’re making bigger muffins or a bread.

2 cups rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Extra Thick)
¼ cup ground flax seed
2 tbs millet
2 tbs chia seeds
2 tbs sesame seeds
2 tbs hemp seeds
2 tbs sunflower seeds
2 tbs pumpkin seeds
2 tbs raisins or dates
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups water
cooking oil spray, preferably organic

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Let stand at least 2 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 325°. Use a portion scoop or spoon to fill the little muffin cups, compacting and mounding very slightly.

Bake for 25 minutes until the muffins are firm to touch and slightly browned. Turn off the oven and let them stand for another 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.

These are great plain, but even better with a bit of almond butter or coconut oil.

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Posted in baked, baked goods, baking, bread, breakfast, brunch, ceramics, easy, gluten free, healthy, snack, snacks, trail food, travel food, treat, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian, whole grain | Tagged gluten free, lclob, life changing loaf of bread, mini muffin, muffin, my new roots, oats, vegan, vegetarian | 9 Comments

Life is Good, Fry Some Cheese!

Posted on March 17, 2016 by debspots

We first encountered fried cheese a couple of decades ago when George (may he rest) owned the eponymous G’s Restaurant here in Warwick. It didn’t matter how busy he was, if you ordered something Greek, G would come over and sit down, and talk about the food and his relatives, and memories of his childhood. Even if I hadn’t liked the hummus and baba ganoush, the pita, dolma and fried halloumi, I would have ordered the mezze platter just to visit with George.

We all adored this salty, semi-firm cheese. It has a high melting point, so can be grilled or broiled or fried and hold its shape. And, as we all know, cheese with a browned crust is always welcome! My kids have loved it since they were very little.

I drove down to DC this past weekend to visit, and we all had supper together at Zaytinya, a Jose Andres restaurant not far from Brian’s apartment. When we saw the halloumi salad on the menu, it was a no-brainer. We were all very happy.

The following day, I got to ride up to Baltimore with Meg in her new car, Dr. Oliver Sacks. I loved her new apartment in a neighborhood near Johns Hopkins. Her roommate Anna and musical partner, Elizabeth, were rehearsing for a gig and we got to enjoy a bit of their wonderful music after a bite of lunch. And guess what these clever young women made for lunch? You guessed right, fried halloumi!!

So, as you can see, the universe was speaking to me about halloumi, and I wanted, no needed to make it asap! I’ve occasionally found it at specialty stores, but I can’t get it here in Warwick. Last summer, ShopRite stocked something quite similar, and much less expensive. It was called “Grilling Cheese.” But I hadn’t seen any of that lately, either. When I got to the cheese counter, I asked a woman who was stocking the case. She said they haven’t had it in months, but that they’d just gotten a box, which she sliced open on the spot, and handed me a package. See? The universe, again!

So, you can make this with halloumi, if you can find it. Or with Grilling Cheese. Or paneer. And rumor has it that you can use full fat mozzarella, but I haven’t tried it yet.

When I first prepared this recipe for Bob, he took a few bites, and announced: Oh, my f*****g god!

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Life is Good, Fry Some Cheese

Serves 2; multiply as you wish

6 slices halloumi, grilling cheese, paneer, or full fat mozzarella
4 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. pomegranate molasses, thick aged balsamic, or balsamic glaze
¼ cup honey**
4 dates, pitted and sliced (medjool are best)
2 small oranges, peeled and sliced
¼ cup shelled, roasted pistachios
big handful of baby kale, baby arugula, or other greens
Coarse sea salt, to taste

**I used some comb honey I was given by a beekeeping friend. Any mild honey will be delicious. If you haven’t experimented with local honey, I hope you will!

Choose a heavy, nonstick skillet. Add 2 tbs. of the oil, and place over medium high heat for a minute or so. Add the cheese, making sure the pieces are not touching. Fry for 2 minutes or so, checking often; turn the slices when the bottoms are spotty brown. Repeat on second side, removing as browned to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Line a platter with the kale or arugula. Arrange the cheese, orange slices, and dates over the greens. Drizzle with the pom molasses or balsamic and the remaining olive oil, then the honey. Sprinkle over the pistachios and salt. Serve immediately.

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Alternative: These cheeses are equally good grilled. You may use either an indoor or outdoor grill, make sure the grates and the cheese are well oiled to discourage sticking. Watch carefully for doneness, cheese browns fast!

Variation: Fried or grilled cheeses are a great basis for a mezze platter. Some wonderful accompaniments: hummus, baba ganoush, cucumber, tomato, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), grilled veggies, and/or pita wedges.

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Posted in appetizer, brunch, ceramics, gluten free, low carb, salad, Uncategorized, vegetarian | Tagged cheese, dates, frying, gluten free, Greek, grilling, halloumi, low carb, recipe, vegetarian | 12 Comments

Avoziki

Posted on March 12, 2016 by debspots

I pretend to be very grown-up, self-sufficient and independent. In reality, I am desperate, needy and pathetic. Don’t tell anybody!

I am such a loser. Seriously! The most obvious manifestation of this is the way I behave whenever one of my kids sends me a text. I stop whatever I’m doing and get so happy that if there’s anyone nearby I’m sure they think I’ve started drinking again.

I was thrilled when Megan called to tell me she was making Frickin’ Chickasee for supper. An hour later, she sent me a photo with the caption: “OMG.” I felt that my entire life was worthwhile. I know. I don’t get out much.

So you can imagine my totally lame, but profound joy the other night when Brian sent me a picture of his supper. It was a pork chop completely covered with something that he described as “avocadziki.” His text: “Was looking for something to make pork more interesting and I think I invented something good”. He described how he made it (an avocado-enriched riff on tzatziki, a family favorite) and then added: “Ignore that it looks like cat puke. It’s worth a try.”

I know my son well enough to take his suggestion seriously, and I barely tweaked his recipe. He was right; it was worth not only a try, but also a meal and a blog post. I did omit a syllable in the name for the sake of simplicity.

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Avoziki

Brian’s version contains feta, mine adds cumin. Try it both ways and let me know what you think.

Serves 4-ish

1 cup greek yogurt
1 ripe avocado, small dice
1 hothouse or kirby cucumber, seeded, small dice
1 scallion, sliced
juice of 1 lemon
cumin, to taste
cayenne, to taste
salt and pepper

Place the cucumber in small strainer and salt it liberally. Let stand for 20 minutes and then place in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning. Adequate salt is essential; if there’s not enough, you won’t be able to taste the other flavors well.

Serve with vegetables to dip.

Variations: Try it with herbs. Dill, chives, parsley, mint, and/or cilantro are all good. Feta is a brilliant addition. Sub lime for the lemon. Or go further with the Mediterranean theme and add some tahini. Remembering the sheer brilliance of Hummole, add mashed chickpeas for a tri-hybrid.

Other serving ideas:

Take Brian’s suggestion and top a broiled or grilled pork chop.
Use as a dip for pita or chips.
Instead of tzatziki in a mezze platter, gyro, or souvlaki.
Topping or condiment with salmon.
Serve with grilled chicken, lamb, or shrimp.

Note: The gorgeous wooden spoon in these photos is from Polder’s Old World Market!

Posted in appetizer, condiment, dinner, dressing, easy, entertaining, family, gluten free, healthy, low carb, lunch, main, main course, salad, sauce, simple recipes, snack, snacks, Uncategorized | Tagged dip, gluten free, guacamile, healthy, low carb, make ahead, recipe, sauce, tzatziki, vegetarian | 5 Comments

Impossible Mushroom and Cheese Pie

Posted on March 3, 2016 by debspots

I always thought there was some connection between Betty Crocker and pottery. After all, “crocks” were really the first handmade pottery we owned when I was a child in the 60’s. Come to think of it, I don’t know if they were really handmade or if they just looked like it. Mom, always a bargain hunter, probably got her soup crocks at a flea market. We had a joke: “Don’t buy it at the store, Mom will get it for 3 cents at a flea market.” So, who knows? BTW, Mom will be 80 this spring, and she is still an avid thrifter!

Have I lost you already or are you wondering why I am talking about soup crocks in a post about savory pie? It turns out that the origins of this recipe are deeply rooted in the corporate icons that permeated the cooking culture of my youth: Betty Crocker. And Bisquick, which is apparently a brand created by General Mills. The name “Crocker” reportedly belonged to an actual man. Who was an executive of some sort. And here I grew up thinking that my first cookbook was written by a pottery loving woman, not by a huge multinational corporation. Which, of course, was what I was supposed to think. Well, maybe not the pottery part.

I first found a related (updated and more recent) recipe in Cook’s Country. Impossible Ham and Cheese Pie was purported to “let you get a crust without rolling out pie dough.” Oddly (everything about this is odd, right?), it is one of the few ATK recipes I’ve followed to the letter only to have it fail. It only failed in the sense that it didn’t really form a crust. But, it was great. And easy. And fun to make. And, of course, I had to make my own variation(s).

I thought it was called “impossible” because it was supposed to make its own crust. But, it seems that our pottery-loving friend Betty published a series of recipes using Bisquick that were “impossibly easy.” Betty may or may not have loved clay (um…), and she may or may not have been a real person (not), but the one thing we all know is that, above all else, she loved easy. And easy things that magically or impossibly formed other things were really popular with Betty. Even if it didn’t really work.

My current adaptation of this nostalgic, corporate infused (and confused) recipe, is indeed easy. It does not contain Bisquick. I am a real person. And I do love pottery. A big thank you to the editors at Cook’s Illustrated for teaching us how to make a somewhat less corporatized version of the impossible. While my version, like theirs, doesn’t really produce a crust, the addition of the flour and baking powder adds a really interesting and welcome texture somewhere between a quiche, a frittata, and a savory bread pudding. It’s easy, fun, nostalgic, savory, and kinda elegant. I think you’ll love it.

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Impossible Mushroom and Cheese Pie

We love this with some veggies and/or a salad for supper, but it would be great as an appetizer (bake in a square dish and cut into little squares), or for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. It reheats well, so make it ahead if you like.

This is a very flexible recipe. It can be modified to allow you to use up whatever is in your pantry or fridge, particularly all those little pieces of cheese in the dairy bin.

I use local farm eggs (these are from a local friend, thanks, Sally!) from free running happy chickens and organic ingredients and encourage you to do the same, if possible!

Serves 4-6

4 large eggs
2 tbs butter, softened
2 tbs finely grated parm
2 cups grated cheddar, gruyere, or swiss*
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup flour
¾ tsp baking powder
2 tsp dijon or country dijon mustard
10 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tbs neutral oil
1 tbs minced parsley (optional)**
salt and pepper to taste

*You may use any combination of soft or semi-hard cheeses. Blue and/or goat are great.
**Feel free to use other herbs. Chives or dill are especially good.

Preheat oven to 350°. Rub a 9 inch round or 8 inch square baking dish with the butter and sprinkle the bottom with the parm.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and when you see wisps of smoke, add the mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat (listen to them squeak) until they brown and shed their liquid and then the liquid evaporates. Move the mushrooms to a plate to cool.

In a big mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, flour, baking powder, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the cheese, and parsley, if using.

Place the mushrooms in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over and make sure all the ingredients are distributed fairly evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed, brown and just set. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Posted in appetizer, baked, baking, breakfast, brunch, entertaining, family, lunch, main, main course, main courses, main dish, picnic, supper, supper, main courses, Uncategorized, vegetarian | Tagged easy recipe, eggs, frittata, make ahead, mushroom, quiche, savory, savory pie | 13 Comments

Chicken Fricassee with Meatballs

Posted on February 25, 2016 by debspots

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“I think we need to call it ‘Frickin’ Chickassee’,” said my daughter. Meg and I were texting after a long phone confab in which we discussed, among many other things, this blog post.

With regard to Frickin’ Chickassee (I think it was my brother who first called it that), Megan is truly in line with her maternal heritage. This recipe is a family heirloom; our interest in its history is based in part in our shared love of evolution; but also on the fact that we love these flavors. Meat, especially poultry, cooked in oniony tomato sauce? There are few culinary experiences that make either of us happier.

I grew up eating what my mother called, simply, Chicken Fricassee. She made it often with chicken wings and beef meatballs; we ate it over steaming hot white, fluffy rice. She always used plenty of onions; it was for this dish that she looked for the biggest ones she could find. This was the dish that was served on Sundays, Uncle Eddie’s day. He’d show up in the morning with bagels and lox, then sit in the living room and work on the New York Times Crossword, and sip a scotch on the rocks. While we cleaned up dinner, he would pick the chicken bones clean of meat, and then use his back teeth to bite down on them, sucking out the marrow.

I got curious about the origins of this dish my mother learned to make from her mother, Sally (Uncle Eddie’s sister). If you Google “chicken fricassee,” what you find is a French recipe for a chicken stew in cream or a white sauce. And until my conversation with Megan yesterday, I never found reference to a version like ours.

But Megan, ever the researcher, thought to Google “Jewish Chicken Fricassee,” and “Ashkenazi Chicken Stew,” and she hit pay dirt. Several authors talk about a similar dish of Eastern European origin. Sara Moulton did some sleuthing on a chicken and meatball stew in her husband’s Jewish family. But she was unable to figure out the origin of the use of the word “fricassee,” and concluded “fricassee schmicazee,” it’s delicious anyway!

I agree! So, here is my updated version of my maternal grandmother’s stew, passed to me by my mother and renamed by my daughter: Frickin’ Chickassee: a Confusing Ashkenazi Chicken Stew with Meatballs.

Chicken Fricassee with Meatballs

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Frickin’ Chickassee: a Confusing Ashkenazi Chicken Stew with Meatballs

Wendy says: It’s much more than the sum of its parts. Fricassee is great on the day it is made, but even better reheated the next day.

Serves 4-6

1 huge or 2 small onions, sliced
3 lbs. boneless chicken thighs
1 tbs. neutral oil
1 ½ lbs. ground meat (I use turkey, but feel free to substitute beef or a combination)
1 egg
½ cup panko or unseasoned bread crumbs (gluten free is fine)
1/3 cup milk (whole or 2 %)
1/3 cup grated parm (not traditional, but good), optional
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the milk and egg in a bowl; add the panko and mix to combine. I like the make the meat mix in the stand mixer, but you may do it by hand if you prefer. Put the meat in the mixer bowl and add the milk mixture, the parsley, and the parm, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Take a teaspoonful and either fry or microwave to cook and check for seasoning. There is nothing worse than cooking a whole batch of meatballs only to find out they were underseasoned. Adjust as needed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and form meatballs about one inch in diameter. My meatballs always get bigger as I go along. It’s fine if the size varies a little, try not to let them get too big or there’s more risk of breakage later. Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes or until they firm up and just begin to brown.

While the meatballs are baking, start the chicken. Heat the oil in a big, heavy pot or Dutch oven; add the onions and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, stirring every few minutes, until the meatballs are finished baking. You want the onions to begin breaking down and the chicken to brown in spots.

Add the tomatoes to the pot and gently stir in the meatballs. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for ½ hour. Stir again, gently, and cook for another ½ hour with the cover off the pot. Sprinkle with additional parsley if you like.

Serve with fluffy white or brown rice, noodles, polenta, couscous, or greens.

PS Mary and I are hard at work getting the on-line pottery store up and running. The pots you see here are all from this week’s firing; I’m glazing another kiln load of pieces today. Mary is stocking packing supplies, and handling tech. We hope to have news of a grand opening within the next month!