Cherry Chip Cookies in the Friday Cookie Jar

I had one problem with developing this recipe. 

I couldn't decide what to call it.

Like The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, recently wrote about on her blog, I too have a pet peeve about recipes with long names. These cookies are filled with dried cherries, white chocolate chips, and oatmeal. As much as I wanted to say all of that in the name, I thought Dried Cherry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies was a little over the top. So I settled for Cherry Chip Cookies instead, hoping the recipe would explain the rest.

The inspiration for these cookies came from a recent trip I took with Mom to the Dutch Bakery and Bulk Food Store in Tipton, Missouri. The place is filled with bulk food items all bagged and ready for purchase. On one aisle, I was attracted to a little bag filled with deep-red dried cherries, and when I saw a bag of mini white chocolate chips on the next aisle, I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to make.

 

These cookies are a lovely bedtime snack, along with an ice-cold glass of milk and a good book. Or perhaps you would like them for breakfast (after all, there is oatmeal in the recipe), with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee, or as an after-dinner dessert. (I’d choose all of the above!)

This morning I put a plate full of cookies out on the little table by the elevators down the hall from my apartment. By noontime, the cookies were all gone.

Yep, these cookies are good!

I created the Friday Cookie Jar as inspiration to spend time in the kitchen with family and friends (especially children, since they love to make cookies), or to make something to share with others. Cherry Chip Cookies are great for doing both.

 

Cherry Chip Cookies

Makes about 48 cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped dried cherries

1 cup mini white chocolate chips

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time until blended. Mix in the vanilla. Then slowly stir in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Add the cherries, chips and oatmeal, and mix to combine.

Roll spoonfuls of the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten the balls with your hands to 1/2-inch thick cookie rounds. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to stand for 2 minutes. Then remove the cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container. 

     

Parmesan and Herb Crackers for Ina Friday

I have always been a fan of the ploughman’s lunch, which is a plate of cheese, bread, and various other simple goodies served at many British pubs. I enjoyed it on my first trip to the United Kingdom and have made my own version at home in the years that followed. It is a basic but delicious way to enjoy a meal.

Ever since The Picky Eater passed away, I've found myself eating ploughman’s style for supper. Often I meet a friend or family member for lunch at a restaurant, so this light supper is perfect for a summer evening. I try out different cheese from the lovely cheese counter at my favorite grocery store, and I add veggies and bread from the farmer’s market. If I don’t have a nice bread on hand, I’ll use crackers.

When I saw this cracker recipe while looking for an Ina Garten appetizer for Ina Friday, I knew it would be perfect for my new way of eating. I’d never made crackers before and had to stop myself from comparing the dough to cookies since, even though this recipe is reminiscent of shortbread cookies, the dough is a bit dryer and wants to crumble.

Ina grates her Parmesan cheese by putting small chunks into a food processor with a steel blade and whizzing until it is finely ground. For her, the 4 ounces necessary for this dish made about 1 cup. I grated the cheese by hand, and got about 2 1/4 cups out of my 4 ounces. So I strongly recommend you measure the cheese with a food scale instead of by cup measurements. Ina also uses only fresh thyme in the recipe, but I decided to add some rosemary as well. I used dried herbs since that is what I typically have on hand.

These crackers are delicious served by themselves. They would make a great snack to share with friends enjoying a glass of wine or a cup of tea. The crackers also taste wonderful with veggies and cheese for a simple meal. (Olives would go well with them, too.)

Parmesan and Herb Crackers

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces grated Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon dried ground rosemary

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 to 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low, and then add the cheese, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Keeping the mixer on low, add the flour until the mixture becomes crumbly. To check the consistency, stop the mixer, take a handful of the mix and squeeze. If it holds together without being too crumbly, great! If not, add a teaspoon of water and try again.

Pour the dough onto the counter and form into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days. (The log may also be frozen for up to 6 months to use at a later date. Just thaw in the refrigerator before baking.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the log from the refrigerator and cut into 24 slices approximately 1/4-inch thick. Place the slices on the baking sheet. (They can be close together since the crackers will not spread out while baking.) Bake for 22 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through, until the crackers are lightly golden brown. Serve at room temperature and store in an air-tight container.  

Here are a few of my fellow bloggers who participate in Ina Friday. Some do not post every month, but their

blogs are worth checking out none the less!

Alyce @ More Time at the Table

Anna @ Cheese with Noodles

Ansh @  Spice Roots    

Barbara @ Moveable Feasts  

Bhavna @ Just a Girl From AAmchi Mumbai..

Chaya @  Bizzy Bakes

Linda,  @ Tumbleweed Contessa

Mary @ The Egg Farm

Minnie @ The Lady 8 Home

Mireya @ My Healthy Eating Habits

Patti @ Comfy Cuisine

Peggy@ Pantry Revisited

Rocky Mountain Woman @ Rocky Mountain Woman

Roz @ La Bella Vita Cucina

Veronica @ My Catholic Kitchen  

Iced Tea Sangria

Boy, it is hot here in Topeka!

Yes, I'm familiar with the cartoon that says the same thing, but I’m not trying to be funny here. It really is hot and headed to 100-plus degrees today. (BTW, I love that cartoon, but The Picky Eater, who was a Topeka native, didn't care for it at all.) 

It's the perfect weather for this Iced Tea Sangria.

I love this recipe because it pairs two of my favorite beverages—iced tea and wine. I saw a recipe for it floating around Facebook, but of course I had to play with it a bit.

Use whatever fruit you like. I went with oranges, since I like them in my iced tea, and summer fruits like peaches, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. You can use fresh fruit, but honestly I used frozen and the drink turned out great.

My wine choice was an un-oaked chardonnay I had in the fridge, but use whatever white wine you like. A rosé or red wine would work, too, but I picked white so I could also taste the tea.

Add sugar depending on how sweet you like your drink. Since I prefer unsweetened iced tea and dry wines, I only added a tablespoon of sugar. Add more if you like sweeter beverages, or just make a sweet tea to add to the recipe.

Cheers!

Iced Tea Sangria

4 cups brewed iced tea (I used a black tea.)

2 cups white wine

1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

Fresh or frozen fruit of choice

In a large container, add the tea and wine. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, and then add the fruit. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better. Serve over ice.

Margherita Pizza

When it comes to favorite foods, pizza is at the top of my list. It is also one of my favorite things to make at home. Seriously, homemade pizza is so easy, even if you make your own crust. Plus, it’s easy on the budget.

I get my love of pizza from Mom. She is a bigger pizza fiend than me. Frozen, homemade, or restaurant…the variety doesn't matter. Whenever we’re together, I know if I suggest getting pizza, she will agree almost before I finish speaking.

However, The Picky Eater was a different matter. He only liked certain pizzas from specific restaurants and was never one to experiment with something new. Frozen pizza could only be Red Baron supreme, and no matter how many times I tried, I could never get him to like homemade pizza. I think I was doomed from the beginning. The first time I made pizza for us, I goofed on the sauce by adding too much salt. From then on, it was a loosing battle. 

I've shared my favorite pizza sauce recipe before, but this pizza came about because I had a large tomato from the farmer’s market that was getting ripe fast and I didn't want it to go to waste. So instead of using sauce, I went for a Margherita-style pizza with sliced tomatoes and basil. (The name comes from Queen Margherita of Italy, who was said to like this style of pizza best on a visit to Naples in 1889.) The flavors are clean and simple…perfect for summer.

Margherita Pizza

Crust:

1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees, or just warm to the touch)

1 packet rapid rise yeast

2 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

Topping:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

12 to 14 fresh basil, thinly sliced and divided

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

To make the crust: Warm the bowl to your stand mixer by filling it with hot water and letting it set for about a minute. Pour the water out and dry.

Place the bowl onto the mixer stand. Add the warm water, and then sprinkle the yeast over the top. Next add 2 1/2 cups of flour, salt and olive oil. Mix with the dough hook for 2 minutes. If the dough is too dry (not coming together in a ball), add a few drops of water at a time until it clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. If it’s too wet (sticking to the bowl), add more all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.

Once the dough has come together, continue to knead with the dough-hook for 2 more minutes. (Or you can knead by hand if you wish.)

Smear the bottom of a large bowl with olive oil. Remove the dough from the mixer and shape into a ball. Place the dough into the greased bowl, turning it over to oil the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. (I place my dough in my oven that I preheated at 450 degrees for 1 minute, and then turned off.) When the dough has risen, punch it down and then shape into the pizza form on a well-greased baking sheet or on top of a piece of parchment paper.

To top the pizza: In a small dish, stir together the olive oil, garlic, and salt. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, and then brush the mixture onto the pizza dough. (You may not need all of it. I just used the oil, which had picked up the garlic flavor. If you like a stronger garlic taste, make sure some of the minced garlic is spread on the crust.) Sprinkle half of the basil over the pizza, and then top with both cheeses. Lay the tomatoes on top of the cheese and sprinkle just a bit of salt over each slice.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. (I often remove my pizza from the pan directly onto the oven rack after 10 minutes of baking so the bottom crust gets nice and brown.) Take out of the oven and sprinkle with the remaining basil. Cut and serve.

Minestrone to Sooth the Soul

I've never been one to stop eating when I’m under stress. In fact, I’m just the opposite. The more stress I feel, the more I want to eat. The only time I loose my appetite is when I’m sick, and I make up for the food I missed once it all starts to taste “right” again.

Then my husband died.

For the first time in my life, I didn't feel hunger. Didn't feel it at all! The only clue I had that I might be hungry was when Mom would say, “Linda, you need to eat something,” and when I did, I felt a bit better. I remember thinking, “Hum, I must have been hungry.”

Normally I decide what to eat by asking myself, “What are you hungry for today?” In those early days after The Picky Eater was gone, the answer was, “Nothing.” Actually, I didn't even ask the question. The only thing I remember eating that tasted somewhat enjoyable was Chinese food with Mom at a restaurant one evening, plus a donut from the box my neighbor, Jan, brought me. That was it. I know I ate more, but I don't remember what.

After about a week passed, I was looking through my freezer and saw a bag of diced zucchini from last

summer. That was when I experienced my first craving—for minestrone soup. In spite of it being summertime, minestrone fits the season for me since I like it made with lots of zucchini and summer squash.

I mixed up a big batch of the soup in the slow cooker and ate it every day for a week—sometimes twice a day. Each bowl, with Parmigiano Reggiano grated liberally over the top, not only gave me the nutrition I needed, but it also brought me a sense of comfort as I began my new “normal” life. It is soup to sooth the soul.

Minestrone Soup

Makes a lot! I ate a bowl or two every day for a week and still had enough for two containers in the freezer.

1 medium onion

2 ribs of celery, diced

1 large clove of garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

1 summer squash, cut in large dice

2 zucchinis, cut in large dice

2 cup shredded kale

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 15-ounce cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 15-ounce cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (I use McCormick.)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish

In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and celery until the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer the onion/celery/garlic mixture into a slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the ditalini and Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the carrots and other vegetables become just soft. The kale will always be a bit chewy. If you don’t like this, just omit it or choose a different greens variety, such as Swiss chard. If the tomatoes and broth don’t give you enough liquid in the pot, just add more broth or water.

Towards the end of the cooking time, heat a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add salt to the water, and then boil the ditalini until it is just al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the soup in the slow cooker. Let the soup continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and liberally grate Parmigiano Reggiano over the top.

Saying Goodbye to The Picky Eater

I want to thank all of you for the kind thoughts and wishes you have sent my way since The Picky Eater’s passing. They have brought me a great deal of comfort and helped to ease the sadness that has settled over my heart.

Please indulge me one more time as I share my sweetheart with you. As a writer, I feel compelled to put words on paper about how much Mike meant to me. By sharing those words with you, he will not only continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew him, but also out there in you who only knew him though my words.

The following is the piece I wrote for his memorial service this past Monday:

On November 11, 2010, at 4:30 p.m., I pulled into the North Topeka Dillons parking lot to meet a man named Michael Ditch. We connected on Match.com and this was my first date ever from an internet dating site. We had exchanged emails for a week and talked on the phone in the days leading up to the date, but I was still nervous about what to expect.

That chilly autumn afternoon, I met the love of my life.

The following June, Mike pulled into the same Dillons parking space and asked me to be his wife.

On December 24, 2011, I married my soul mate on a beautiful Christmas Eve morning surrounded by family and friends.

A few days ago, I was honored to be the person he reached for as he passed from this world into Heaven.

Mike Ditch was the most loving man I've ever known. Not only to me, but to many others as well. He made friends out of strangers, from waitresses in our favorite restaurants to the people we only saw for a moment each evening on his courier route. He was so trusting he would buy any sales pitch offered on an infomercial, and believed advertisers couldn't possibly be lying to him.

He gave money to people digging in dumpsters, even if it was the last $20 he had until payday. He would buy meals for people down on their luck. Every year, he adopted a single mom and child through the United Way of Greater Topeka’s Christmas Bureau, and instead of giving the standard $30 in gifts and $30 in food, he would take them to the store they requested and let them pick out the gifts and food themselves, often costing double what was expected.

In Mike’s final gift to others, he was an organ donor. I was told he could help up to 50 people, with 50 families thanking God for his gift.

Our time together was so short. Too short. Unbelievably short for the love we had for each other. I feel as though we were able to experience decades of love in the 3 years, 7 months, 4 hours, and 14 minutes we had together.

Many, many times, when I would say to him how lucky I felt to be his wife, he would reply, “Don’t you know? I’m your guardian angel.”

Now he truly is.

Hard to Say Goodbye

This is just a short post to let you know The Picky Eater, also known as my beloved husband, Michael Ditch, passed away early Thursday morning. His loving heart just wasn't strong enough to survive one more heart attack. Now I'm feeling a sadness that words can't describe.

Once I get through these crazy days of saying goodbye and return to my new normal, I will post again. Cooking can ease the soul. And thanks to my fellow bloggers who have sent messages of support and encouragement. 

Mint Double Chocolate Cookies in the Friday Cookie Jar

Don’t you just love it when one solution solves multiple problems? My first issue was what to do with an abundance of spearmint from the farmer’s market that was left over after making a strawberry mint soup for a newspaper article. The other dilemma was how to satisfy The Picky Eater’s need for treats without him buying packaged cookies.

The solution was these Mint Double Chocolate Cookies!

I was inspired by the mint white chocolate chip cookies I've made in the past. This recipe is basically a traditional chocolate chip cookie with cocoa powder and chopped spearmint added to the mix. If you don’t want to spend the time chopping the mint into tiny bits, do what I did and whiz it in the food processor with the granulated sugar. Easy!

The mint flavor is very subtle, with a fresh feeling that lingers on your tongue. If you’d like a stronger mint taste, just use more or add mint flavoring to the mix instead of vanilla.

The Picky Eater loved them! I was passing a few out to our neighbors in the apartment building when he said, “Don’t give them all away!”

I didn't. Hey, I liked them, too!

I created the Friday Cookie Jar as inspiration to spend time in the kitchen with family and friends (especially children, since they love to make cookies), or to make something to share with others. I post cookie recipes on Friday so you can plan ahead for the weekend. Imagine baking cookies with the kids on a Saturday morning. My intention was to post a recipe each Friday, but honestly, life got in the way. However, I'll do my best to keep your cookie jar full! 

Mint Double Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen

1 cup loosely packed mint leaves (I used spearmint, but any mint would work.)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s.)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli.)

1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I didn't use them, but I think walnuts or pecans would taste great!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add the mint leaves and granulated sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Whiz until the mint is finely chopped into the sugar. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a time or two to make sure all the mint is processed. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, brown sugar, mint sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Add the chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and mix for just a moment to combine.

Drop rounded teaspoons of the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the cookie sheets and swapping shelves halfway through baking. Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Then place them on racks to cool. Store in an air-tight container. 

     

Lasagna for Two

When it comes to meal preparation, I have two issues that must always be addressed. 

First is the size of the recipe. Dinner most evenings is just for two people.

Second, The Picky Eater is, well, selective about what he wants. Often that means I forgo recipes I would like because there would be enough leftovers to last a month.

So I was thrilled when the folks at America’s Test Kitchen sent me The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook. Last year I posted about how much I liked the 2013 edition, with two great recipes. This cookbook is a combination of all the previous yearly versions.

Inside I not only found many favorite recipes downsized for two, but there were also a lot of new ones to try. I love the idea of making brownies and cakes that are just big enough for two. Perfect for my middle-aged household. Plus, the front is full of shopping tips, kitchen supply suggestions, and food storage ideas, which would make this cookbook a terrific wedding gift idea.

Now I can make recipes that fit my tastes and dishes we both like without the fear of massive leftovers. 

This lasagna recipe was a big hit. Absolutely delicious! Who would have ever thought to make it in a loaf pan? Perfect! 

Since The Picky Eater has to watch his sodium intake, I used low-sodium diced tomatoes and sauce. Also, he doesn't like chunks of tomato in dishes, so I pureed the diced tomatoes to smooth out the sauce and just let it simmer a bit longer than the original recipe to thicken. The only other change I made was to use ground sirloin instead of the recommended meatloaf mix.

 

Yield: 2

Author: Linda Ditch

Lasagna for Two

Adapted from The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by the Editors at America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• Pinch of salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 (8-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons, grated
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 large egg
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 4 no-boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla)
• 1 cup grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Move an oven rack to the middle.
2. For the sauce: In a blender or food processor, puree the can of diced tomatoes until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and salt, and saute until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds, and then add the ground sirloin. Cook until browned. Stir in the cream and cook until it evaporates, which takes about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pureed diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow it to cook while you prepare the filling, about 15 minutes.
4. For the filling: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, and pepper.
5. To assemble: In the bottom of a loaf pan, spread 1/2 cup of the sauce. Lay one noodle on top, and then spread a third of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodle. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the grated mozzarella, and top with another 1/2 cup of sauce. Do this two more times. Lay the final noodle on top and cover with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
6. Spray a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray and use it to tightly cover the loaf pan. Set the loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any spillover, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles around the edges of the pan. Take the foil off the top and keep baking until the cheese has browned to your liking, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Ribs and Springtime

The season changed since my last post, and so has my life. These past few months have brought joy, sorrow, uncertainty, and hope. I've missed visiting with you and hope to be here more often in the future. For now, let me catch you up on what’s been happening…

First, the sad news—my dad lost his battle with cancer on March 26. It is still difficult to picture the world without him in it, but I know he’s still here in my heart. Mom did most of the cooking while I was growing up, but Dad was the one who truly loved to be in the kitchen. I have a special blog planned in his honor to post soon, including his recipe for peach cobbler. Yum!

Now, the joyful news—my sister-in-law, Lisa, and her husband Don, adopted four children from Ukraine. They had quite the adventure since the turmoil in that country kept them from coming back to the U.S. for a few weeks. (Their Kiev apartment was just a few blocks from all of the protests in Independence Square.) In March, they made it home safe and sound, and are now settling into their new life as a family. (You may have heard about their story since it made national news, but if not, you can read about it here.)

Springtime in Kansas means the burning of the prairie pastures to get rid of old growth and promote new. It is common to see smoke in the distance…

…flames spreading across the land (which always makes me think of the chapter in Little House on the Prairie when the fire approaches the Ingalls' home)…

…and the resulting black fields, which will soon be green with new growth.

Our next challenge is The Picky Eater’s heart. Most of you know he has heart issues. Well, he didn't feel well for a couple of weeks, so he went to get checked out. His blood pressure was so low they told him he couldn't drive, which meant no job since driving is important for being a courier.  After some tests, we learned that his four past heart attacks have scared the front wall of his heart, making it not viable (doctor said it was dead.) The rest of his heart muscle works, but that front wall is where a bypass would attach through, so that means he can't have bypass surgery. The plan is to place stents to open his many almost-blocked arteries. Since he doesn't have any symptoms now that he's not working, they plan to wait until the end of May, when the hospital will have a new heart pump that would keep him alive if the worst case scenario would happen during his procedure. The doctors and I fully expect him to come through this with flying colors and have a wonderful rest of his life.

 

Spring continues its march towards summer. The Topeka farmer’s market opened in April and with it the hope for wonderful produce in the months to come.  

I have done some cooking, including this recipe for barbecue ribs I developed for the Topeka Capital-Journal’s At Home Living section. I made them in the oven since our apartment doesn't have a place for an outside grill or smoker, but feel free to try them on the grill. I used my own rub and sauce recipe, which I posted a few years ago. The Picky Eater loved the results and hasn't stopped talking about them since!

Barbecue Ribs

1 rack of baby back ribs

Linda’s All-Purpose Rub

1/2 cup Linda’s Barbecue Sauce, at room temperature

Remove ribs from package, rinse, and pat dry. Remove the thin skin (membrane) from the back of ribs. (Make a slit through the skin in the middle of the ribs, grab a corner of the skin with a paper towel, and pull until it comes off. It is important to do this since the skin will become tough while cooking.)  Rub ribs liberally with KC rub and let stand for 30 to 60 minutes.

To smoke the ribs: Smoke according to the instructions that came with your smoker. If using a grill, soak wood chips for 30 minutes. Drain and place two handfuls on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold over and seal to form a small packet and poke holes in the top. Light one side of the grill and place the packet on top of the burners or charcoal so it can begin to smoke. Place the ribs on the other half of the grill and smoke over the low, indirect heat (225 to 250 degrees) for 4 to 6 hours. Turn ribs every hour, and make sure the wood packet is still smoking. Replace the wood packet with a new one if it stops smoking. The ribs are done when the meat pulls away from the bones and you call pull them apart with your fingers. Coat with barbecue sauce and continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to set the sauce. Serve.

To cook in the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place a large piece of foil on top of a baking sheet and spray it lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the ribs coated in rub on top of the foil. Cover with another piece of foil, also lightly sprayed with non-stick spray, and seal up the edges. Be sure to not poke any holes in the foil to help keep the meat moist. Place the ribs on the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone. Take the ribs out of the oven, uncover, and coat with the barbecue sauce. Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes to set the sauce. Serve.

  

Herb and Garlic Dinner Rolls

I’m doing a lot of writing…I mean A LOT of writing, which of course is a very good thing. Unfortunately it doesn't give me much time for blog writing. I’m cooking, just not blogging about it. Hopefully that will change soon.

In the meantime, here is a recipe I developed for the Topeka Capital-Journal’s At Home Living section. It’s based on the Shaker Squash Rolls I posted in November. 

The Picky Eater loves them! I've served them both with pot roast and Italian dishes, but they would work with just about any meal.

The recipe makes two 9-inch cake pans full of rolls. One pan is more than enough for The Picky Eater and me, so I popped the second one into the freezer before it went through its second rise. A few weeks later, I took the pan out of the freezer, let it thaw and rise, and then baked. They were perfect!

Update on the family: The doctors are doing what they can to keep my dad comfortable for now. Unfortunately it looks like cancer is going to win the day, but that doesn't mean we are not trying to enjoy whatever time is left. Keep the prayer and good thoughts coming.

Also, my sister-in-law and her husband have adopted the four children in the Ukraine. However, because of the uprising, they are stuck there as they wait for two more passports for the kids. So please send a prayer or two their way as well.

Herb and Garlic Dinner Rolls

Makes 24 rolls

1 envelope active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary

2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil

Melted butter

Heat the milk and butter either on a stove top or in the microwave until the butter is melted. Stir in the sugar and salt to dissolve. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool until it is just warm, about 110 degrees or just warm to the touch—not hot.

           

Pour the warm water (110 degrees) into the warm bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast and allow it to sand for 10 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to bubble.

           

Into the yeast mixture, mix in 2 cups of flour, plus eggs, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Mix on a low speed with the dough hook. Mix in the warm milk/butter mixture. Add 2 more cups of flour, and then add additional flour if necessary, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue to mix for an additional two minutes until dough is soft and smooth. It will still feel a little sticky.

           

Place dough into a bowl lightly greased with olive oil, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

           

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the rolls with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place the rolls into 2 lightly greased 9-inch round cake pans, 12 per pan, barely touching. Brush the tops of each roll lightly with olive oil. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until double in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

           

Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush the tops with melted butter and serve warm.

Herbed Chicken and Tomatoes

It is so nice to be back in the kitchen again! Not only am I enjoying making new dishes, but since The Picky Eater was warned by his doctors that he has to keep an eye on his sodium intake, this is the best way for me to make sure he’s getting tasty, low-sodium meals.

I saw the original recipe for this herbed chicken dish in the coupon section of our Sunday newspaper. It is from the folks at McCormick, whose spices I use all of the time. Of course, I tweaked it a little bit. (That’s what we food writers do, right?) I cut the amount of garlic powder and used a fresh garlic clove instead. The Picky Eater doesn't like strong garlic flavors, so I thought this would be the best way to go. I also used regular diced tomatoes instead of petite diced since that was what I had on hand.

The dish was delicious! Best of all, it got The Picky Eater’s seal of approval. His only suggestion was to use tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes, since he doesn't care for chunks of cooked tomatoes in dishes. (I told you he was picky! Thank goodness he’s also a sweetheart.)

This will now be a regular dish on our weeknight menu.

Herbed Chicken and Tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons flour, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons half-and-half

8 ounces spaghetti

In a shallow bowl or pie dish, mix together the dried basil leaves and crushed rosemary. Transfer 2 teaspoons to a small dish and set aside. Add the garlic powder and 2 tablespoons of the flour and mix together.

Heat 2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Dredge the chicken breasts into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side. Remove the chicken and place on plate. Cover with foil and set aside.

Set a large pot of water on the stove over high heat so it comes to a boil. Meanwhile, add the remaining oil to the skillet. Saute the onions until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, and then add the remaining flour to the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and remaining seasoning, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, add the chicken and heat through.

Boil the spaghetti to desired doneness. Drain and divide between 4 serving dishes. Place a piece of chicken on top of the spaghetti. Add the half and half to the remaining tomato mixture and spoon over the chicken. Ready to serve!

Happy New Year…I hope!

 

I thought it was time to check in since I haven’t posted anything in quite a while. Life has thrown me a few curve balls this past month that kept me on my toes but out of the kitchen. I didn't even make any of my traditional holiday treats. Hardly seemed like Christmas at all. (This cute flower arrangement was from The Picky Eater for our second wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve.)

My dad is doing okay. He had surgery to remove a tumor and part of his lung the week before Christmas. (Yes, it seems his cancer has spread.) He made it home before Christmas, but he’s still recovering. The family got together on the 29th to celebrate and it was wonderful to spend some time together. (My sister took this photo of our parents in front of a beautiful tree at the University of Missouri Hospital.)

I've also been dealing with my husband’s heart issues this past month. The Picky Eater is going through some tests in preparation for bypass surgery. Right now the doctors are trying to determine just how strong his heart is…four heart attacks have taken a toll on the poor thing. Hopefully we will know more by the end of this month.

I’m having kitchen withdrawal! I have stacks of new cookbooks just waiting for me to explore. Hopefully I’ll have some new posts for you very soon. Cooking has always brought me relaxation and comfort, both of which I could use right now. So stay tuned! (This set of nesting dolls was a gift from my sister-in-law after a trip to Ukraine!)