Eating Dinner With My Family

I like this sandwich. Heck I loved it. Is is an OMG? No, but it is a very tasty way to have an easy dinner.  The inside out grilled cheese is a better way to cook the sandwich, (and a better sandwich too) but the fillings were good. Grilled Gruyère and Sweet Onion Sandwiches 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups) Salt and freshly ground pepper Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of whole-grain bread Dijon mustard 8 ounces imported Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced 2 half-sour pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise In a deep skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes longer. Add water to the skillet as necessary, 1/4 cup at a time, to prevent the ...

School is out and I decided to make a labor intensive breakfast I don't usually have the time or inclination to do. I opted for homemade waffles. (No mixes!). Turns out they aren't that hard to make and in the time I had before I was planning to wake them up, I made whipped cream and a strawberry syrup and waffles became a Waffle Bar.   I put out the traditional maple syrup, honey and softened butter as well as fresh blueberries.  It was fun to make each quarter of out waffles in to new and different combinations.   The strawberry syrup was a big hit. (Totally made it up and it was almost all fruit.) Basic Waffle 4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup 4 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1 cup 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 3 whole eggs, beaten 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted 16 ounces buttermilk, room temperature Vegetable spray, for waffle iron Preheat waffle...

Having had 2 successful one pan pasta dishes, I decided to try another.  It was great too!  I actually have made this twice now that I am writing the post.  The second time for meatless Monday, I used mushroom broth and I liked it even better.  (I think)  I also did drizzle a little truffle oil on mine, so...  Totally a dish to add to the repertoire!  Perfect for new cooks (or college kids) Creamy Garlic Pasta 2 tsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp butter ¼  tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 3 cups chicken stock ½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta 1 cup grated parmesan cheese ¾ cup heavy cream 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley   Recipe and Instructions here http://thecheesepusher.tumblr.com/post/2719857351/creamy-garlic-pasta

It was meatless Monday and St. Patrick's day and I thought this soup and bread combo would fit the bill for dinner.  I am not a bread maker, but this bread  was really easy to make and turned out a decent loaf of bread.  It is very heavy and filling and can totally see this sustaining a hardworking peasant. :)  The soup was great too.  It made me think of warm vichyssoise.   Irish Potato and Leek Soup 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 cups leeks, chopped 2 stalks celery, diced 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 medium potatoes, coarsely chopped 4 cups vegetable stock or 4 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 1/2 cups light cream 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped 1 In large pan, heat the oil and add the leeks, celery, onion and garlic. 2 Saute over medium heat, until the vegetables are s...

The boys were not expecting anything from this dish.  The strikes against it in their eyes were many. (meatless, cabbage, mushrooms were the big 3)  This little dish surprised us all!  The smoky cheese was a nice touch.  I personally would have liked more tomatoes, but I did go a little light on the cabbage because it was all I had.   Still sorry about the short posts, but if I ever catch up, I will have more insight, humor or at the very least words ;) in my posts. Alpine Mushroom Pasta 8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine 6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, (about 1 small head) 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, thinly sliced 1 small onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup dry white wine 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1 cup diced smoked cheese, such as smoked mozzarella, Cheddar or gouda 2 teaspo...

As you may know, I really like having breakfast for dinner.  Not every day, mind you, but every now and then, I love to have the kind of breakfast that isn't really practical for a regular weekday morning.  Today's installment of  breakfast for dinner was pancakes.  I got this recipe from the pioneer woman via pinterest.  I have to insist that you serve it with real butter and real maple syrup.  I wanted fluffy whipped butter, and salted butter at that, but I only had unsalted sticks, so I poured some heavy whipping cream in a jar with a good bit of salt and set the kids to shaking.  While it isn't proper butter, it tasted a lot like it and was the perfect light fluffy consistency of whipped butter.  And truth be told, it was easy enough for morning time too.  I made the whole batch and froze the extras in plastic bags with wax paper between them.  I have reheated them with the toaster oven and the microwave.  They aren't pe...

After the successful one pan pasta "Spicy Sausage Pasta" I decided to take the plunge and try another. And while this one did have some of the issues I was worried about technique wise, it was a really great meal it was fast, easy and yummy; in short it is a great dish to have in your weeknight rotation.  Next time I would add a bit more basil or a lot of spinach ( oh or arugula) if I felt like upping the veggie content, and I did cook it a bit longer than called for so the sauce wouldn't bee too watery, but all in all the recipe works One-Pan Pasta 12 ounces linguine 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 4 1/2 cups water Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving  Step ...

I decided to try this soup because ti was cold out and my parents ere coming in town and I knew black beans are always a crowdpleaser.  I have made black beans many times, but never a black bean soup.  This was good and fast and liked by everyone.  I am really slacking on the blog and phoning it in when I actually work on it, but I have a plan.  I am deciding on new parameters on posting.  Until now, I was posting ever night.  (you know to keep on track with not repeating etc...)  I think now I will post only one or two a week.  So until I know just what the heck I'm doing and I have caught up with the unfinished posts, expect me to be a slacker and mostly just have a recipe:).  And I totally forgot to take a picture, but I think it doesn't tax the imagination too much to imagine a bowl of black bean soup ;). Black Bean Soup with Sherry 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 1 medium green be...

This pizza is one of my family's favorites.   Pizza is always easy, and fast, and popular with the kiddies. The pesto is nice and my son likes it on just regular cheese pizza too.  I use a potato masher to smush up the tomatoes a bit, that way there aren't the possibility of  little tomato explosions waiting to happen on your pizza.   It looks like I am giving another gift to the family, a lot of repeats :).  Maybe in the new year, we will have more that one a week.  Oh one more thing, I make this as one large pizza not a bunch of  small ones. Pizza with Charred Tomatoes and Pesto 3/4 lb cherry tomatoes 1/4 c  panko (Japanese bread crumbs) 2    garlic cloves,thinly sliced 1    shallot,thinly sliced 5    basil leaves,torn 2 T  extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 lb Pizza Dough 3/4 c  coarsely grated aged Gouda (3 ounces) 6 T...

My daughter asked for Mac n Cheese tonight. Please don't hate me but it's not a favorite of mine.  I thought this one might be just different enough that I may really like it. And I did.  (A bit). Everyone else really liked it. Now bigger confession time, I'm writing this post weeks after the fact. It's the season to be extra busy and therefore it's the season for extra slacking opportunities. Sorry. I'm always torn between anecdotal posts and a short and sweet rundown on the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of the making of the recipe. We'll fate (and laziness) has decreed the latter until I get caught up;).  Creamy 4 Cheese Brie and Buttery Ritz Cracker Mac and Cheese 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 clove garlic, minced or grated 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers 1 pound elbow pasta 1/4 cup flour 3 cups warm milk 1 1/4 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded 1 1/4 cups havarti chees...

For meatless Monday, I thought I would try this dish.  It sounded like my kind of dish.  The result, was alright, but not a stellar dish.  That is to say, my family didn't dislike it, but they weren't wowed and they expect to be wowed.  It was super easy, so that is a plus, but it isn't a company dish ;) Penne With Spinach Sauce 1 Lb whole wheat or multi grain penne 3 garlic cloves 2 ounces goat cheese 1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese 3/4 Tsp salt 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper 6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves 2 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside. Meanwhile, ...

I guess I had something to prove, because I set out to make meatless Monday's dinner another soufflé. Making this so close to the quasi failure of my last one can only be attributed to my wanting redemption.  The original recipe called for cheddar, but I had swiss on hand and it was great.  I'm sure any cheese would be good so long as you like it.   I still don't know why (well except the last tasty mess, I guess I kind of know) soufflés are considered so difficult to make.  They are not that hard, they are economical and they are good!  I also don't consider this a repeat even though  I have made a cheese soufflé before.  (4 I think) Each one was different, different cheeses and one even had a slightly different technique.  Cheese Souffle Butter room temperature, for greasing the souffe pan 2 Tbl grated Parmesan 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter 3 Tbl flour 1 Tsp dry mustard 1/2 Tsp garlic powder 1/8 Tsp kosher salt 1 1/3 Cup m...

I wanted to clean up a bit and I had been wanting papusas, and since papusas are one of those dishes that are perfect for leftovers, it was perfect timing.  Yes you need a "specality" ingredient.  I put that in quotes because it is available at my local supermarket, but I still consider it a specality ingredient since it is not a staple in most homes.  It keeps and isn't expensive so you shouldn't worry about adding it to your pantry.  (besides it makes more than just papusas;)  I based the papusa off a food and wine recipe, but everything else was just lying around the kitchen waiting to go bad ;).  Pantry Papusas 2 Cup masa harina (see Note) 1 3/4 Cup very warm tap water Kosher salt vegetable oil for frying 1 c finely shredded jack and a bit of cheddar. 5 cloves of roasted garlic minced  In a medium bowl, using your hands, mix the masa harina with the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wr...

Well I have good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad. I have had my first soufflé disaster. (This is the 4th one I have made). The picture I'm displaying is pre removal from the pan. We turned it out and it was not nearly done. So it went back in the pan and cooked for about 20 more minutes at 350. In the end it was the consistency of fluffy scrambled eggs. The good news?  It was still fantastic. My husband still rated it a five with the consistency issues. I also didn't spring for the fancier versions if the cheese. Plain ole Publix blue cheese and deli cheddar, so it wasn't that pricey, and not hard to procure any ingredients. It was fine with thses "lesser" ingredients.  Perhaps next time  try it, I will not try to follow the adding the "dollop" of cream.  I fear that may have fooled with the consistency and perhaps it was done just wet??  It will be made again, and we will love it, even if I mess it up again:). Double Baked Stilton And...

I have improvised a white pizza before, but I thought I would follow an actual recipe this time for Meatless Monday.  It was pretty good!.  I think I would have liked some greens in there somewhere.  Adding cooked spinach to the white sauce, or finely shredding some for on top to just wilt with the heat of the pizza would make it more to my liking, but the boys liked it as is, and so to did the baby girl.  I didn't bother with making the dough, and I didn't go to the local NY style pizza place to get their dough, I went to the Publix bakery because it is the easiest for me.  If you are feeling like making the effort, please do make your dough from scratch! New York-Style White Pizza   1 New York-Style Pizza Dough ball 12 ounces (recipe follows, or buy one) Unbleached high-gluten or bread flour cornmeal, or semolina flour for dusting 1 1/2 Cup ricotta cheese 1/4 Tsp salt 1/4 Tsp dried or chopped fresh thyme 1/8 Tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1...

After enjoying the kimchi quesadillas, I thought kimchi Mac & cheese would be fantastic. I did really like it too, but I made a few adjustments that I think really improved the recipe over the one printed below. First of all, I needed a bit more milk to turn the roux in to a sauce creamy enough for the pasta. I also added a bit more cheese but only because I had grated a little over the cup called for. But by far the most important change I made was I minced up some kimchi (raw) and garnished the pasta with about 1/2-1 tbsp. if not for that, I think the kimchi flavor would have been mostly lost. The raw garnish took it from a meh, to good!  I do think there are still some tweaks I would make next time I make this. It is bland without the garnish, good with, and could be great.  I am not sure just what other tweaks I would make, but I still think of this as fixable since I needed to make some adjustments in the original recipe. Kimchi Mac N’ Cheese   1 1/4 Cup k...

I had been wanting to try this dish for a while now.  I have seen it show up several times on various food articles I had been reading.  I think this particular recipe was off of pinterest.  It was quick and easy, and my only complaint, which we all shared, was there was too much sauce to egg.  I would add at least 2 more eggs to the amount of sauce.  We all had too much sauce to egg ratio and we didn't even use all the sauce.  I cooked the eggs at a little lower temperature and covered them to prevent spattering.  I also splurged and bought the Muir Glen tomatoes that rated the best taste from the Splendid Table and are BPA free!  They were worth it.  (for BPA free alone) I also thought they weren't too fiery so I added some hot sauce.  They yogurt was great in it and really made the dish.  Harissa is a Tuninsan hot sauce.  It really is unique and I suggest you don't substitute another hot sauce.  I can be made or bought...

So I am still cleaning out my food stores. I was looking through all the recipes I have in my to try file and this recipe sounded yummy and I had everything I needed for it.  It was outstanding!  I loved it.  It was fairly easy too.  I didn't bother with the croutons, instead, I just added all the garlic to the soup and then gave everybody hunks of baguette.  Easier, less oil and still really delicious!  This is going to be a favorite of mine!  It was pretty spicy with the 1/4 tsp of cayenne, next time, I will most likely reduce this amount a bit and let the everyone spice up the soup to the heat level they prefer.  The person who really couldn't take it was the 3 year old.  Really amazing.  I am full but I want more now! Spicy Onion-Garlic Soup With Poached Eggs 3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 3 large garlic cloves minced 1 medium sweet onion cut into 1/8-inch dice 1/2 Tsp sweet paprika 6 Cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth 1/4 Ts...

I have had moments of madness before where I decide to clean out the bursting larders I have, but this time I am making a serious effort!.  I refuse to go to the store unless there is a crucial item we don't have.  (you know like milk or wine;)  I am not pinning these recipe, and I felt like I shouldn't even post them, but my husband said why not, so here I am with nothing to say about an all right meal.  I am kind of afraid of tomorrows meal!  I threw a bunch of freezer items (chicken legs, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, chipotle chilies) in the crock pot and we will be having "tacos" tomorrow.  I am making refried beans just in case!  I do think this combination of items could make a really great dish, but this was me kind of just rummaging through the fridge and pantry and tossing in things that had no other use and needed to be used. Pdoma Pasta 4 ounces of goat cheese (room temp and cut in 1/4 is best) 8 ounces of dried pasta 4 sun-drie...

My husband has been wanting me to try making Chicken and Waffles.  I would love to, but I haven't had them before and I'm not sure just what they should taste like.  Today is meatless Monday, and I saw this recipe, so I figure it would be a great place to start.  I really liked this.  If I were to complain about anything, it would be that I think it needed more of a sauce.  Perhaps I reduced the cream a bit too much.  With the mushroom 'sauce' as I made it and the runny yolk, it was just a tad dry.  I had another revelation, waffles are super filling!  I think I am going to be making savory waffles often! They are a quick and easy bread to make for a variety of open faced sandwiches. Savory Waffles With Cremini Mushrooms And Poached Eggs   Waffles 2 Cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbl sugar 2 Tsp baking powder 1/2 Tsp salt 1/4 Tsp freshly ground pepper 4 Tbl unsalted butter melted 1/4 Cup minced shallots or red onion 1 Tbl finely chopp...