Souffles are for Pansies

Cocky, yes, and perhaps it was a bit of beginners luck, but how hard is it to follow directions? The real challenge will come when I start experimenting - oh the possibilities!

I had a little problem with the egg whites, which I'm blaming on a hand mixer that kept falling apart on me and I had to fish out the beater many times with my fingers - that should probably not happen - delicate work. The egg whites had a little water left at the bottom of the bowl, which I left in the bowl, but I probably lost an egg white which kept them from getting more lift int he final product. And I'm surprised at how quickly they cool, er fall...

cheese souffle in the oven:


Right before eating:

Ginger Spiced Coffee

Shake some ground ginger in your coffee - gives a warm spice to your daily cup.

THANKSGIVING 2009

Holiday at the Hill House


Le Plate of Grup (Grup? Do I have a cold? Well, yes...)

Le Menu:

Butternut Squash Soup garnished with Duck Confit (store bought)
Beef Wellington


Mashed Potatoes (they'll be special, but due to having only one oven, there would be no way for me to keep another baked good warm and fresh with everything else) "Le Big Sigh"
Spicy Fried Brussels Sprouts
Smoked Cheddar Cheese Souffle
Caramelized Onion, Garlic and Parmesan Tart
Norwegian Style Pickled Beets
Pickled Carrots

Dessert
Spiced Apple and Pecan Pie Cups
Gingered Marscarpone Cups

Cheese plate

Shopping list and recipe lists are done and organized - I've got the majority of the list in the refrigerator and I've tested my souffle recipe. Now to get the produce.

The red wine sauce for the Wellington took nearly 9 hours from start to finish, but it was SOOOO worth it, and two days later, I used it as the gravy for a Shepard's Pie. It is the best sauce:

Red Wine Sauce (from the Beef Wellington recipe in Cooks Illustrated)
2 1/2	pounds beef oxtails , trimmed of excess fat
2	medium carrots , chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
2	medium ribs celery , chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
4	small onions , chopped coarse (about 3 cups)
1	large head garlic , broken into cloves, unpeeled
2	teaspoons tomato paste
1	bottle red wine (750ml)
4 - 6	large shallots , minced (about 1 cup)
1	bay leaf
10	sprigs fresh thyme
1	can low-sodium beef broth (14 1/2-ounces)
1	can low-sodium chicken broth (14 1/2-ounces)
1	teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6	parsley stems
1/4	cup ruby port
	4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into 4 pieces Red Wine Sauce 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine oxtails, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in large flameproof roasting pan; spray lightly with cooking spray and toss to combine. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until beef and vegetables are well-browned, 40 to 50 minutes, adding tomato paste to roasting pan after 30 minutes. 2. While oxtails and vegetables roast, bring wine, shallots, bay leaf, and thyme to simmer over medium heat in heavy-bottomed 8-quart stockpot or Dutch oven; reduce heat to low, and simmer slowly, uncovered, until reduced to about 11/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Set pot aside. 3. Place roasting pan over burner(s) set at high; add beef and chicken broths and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan with wooden spoon. 4. Transfer contents of roasting pan to stockpot with wine reduction. Add 7 cups water, peppercorns, and parsley stems, and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until richly flavored and full-bodied, 3 to 4 hours. Strain broth into large glass measuring cup or container (you should have about 2 cups), discarding solids in strainer. Cool to room temperature; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. 5. While beef Wellington bakes, skim hardened fat from surface of stock using soup spoon and discard. Transfer stock to small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add port; set aside off heat. 6. While beef Wellington rests, return broth to simmer over medium heat and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper and serve with beef Wellington.

the Norwegian Beet Pickles will be a staple in my fridge: (recipe will be up soon)

Instant Mashed Potatoes

You should be ashamed of yourself!

Steps to the easiest mashed potatoes:

1. Big pot of water (keeping up with me?)

2. Place potatoes in water - skin on - wash the dirt off ---you probably have eyes all over yours, so take those off and start using your produce in a more reasonable amount of time, loser.

3. Boil until done. Oh right, you probably don't know when they're done - if the knife (the thing you probably should just kill yourself with) slides through the potatoes without crunch or resistance, they're done. Or if you press on them a little and they start to crack open...

4. You have a couple of options (didn't know you had options with potatoes?). Here's where you start whining and bitching, but suck it up - you'll thank me:

a. you can just start mashing and adding liquid (milk or broth), butter or olive oil, salt and pepper

or

b. place the hot potato in a towel and literally wipe the skins off and add your liquid, fat and seasoning

Easy, healthier, tastier and REAL.

Know what's in your food! Make it yourself!!!

Posted with love albeit with a little frustration at seeing all the garbage in the grocery store.