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Oh dear Gods
Apr. 6th, 2008 12:57 pmThe Bookstore has been opened for an hour now and not a single customer has stepped inside.
Flash is completely despondent.
Flash is completely despondent.
Apr. 6th, 2008
Why I love cookbooks
Apr. 6th, 2008 02:53 pmHaving a lot of time on my hands today, given the rarity of customers, I've been looking through the cookbooks here with hope in my heart.
I'm not a very good cook, see. Decent baker, still have a lot to learn, though. Part of my problem cooking is that I'm allergic to a lot of the great basics (tomatoes, strawberries, oats) and hate a lot of the others (broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, etc.). I prefer my vegetables raw, if at all. Picky bitch, I guess. Though I've finally managed to fall in love with butternut squash soup - if its very smooth, with a dash of curry and ginger.
I tend to have certain dishes I'm known for making Great: Cesar Pasta Salad, Fascist Pasta Salad, Sweet Boneless Fried Chicken, Four Cheese Sausage & Penne, pesto pizza, Workin' Momma Enchiladas, Italian marinated chicken, smoked corn on the cob, etc. Once folks see me cook these great dishes, they tend to crack up at how easy they are to make. And I make some great soups: tortilla soup, carrot & sherry soup, ham & potato, etc. Always looking for more light soups to make. Very much a "meal in the bowl" kind of cook.
Yep, not a great chef. But I love food (notice the waistline) and I love folks who love food. I'm always looking for a few more biblically great dishes to serve at my house. I'll be throwing the new recipes up in hopes others could use them, too.
I'm not a very good cook, see. Decent baker, still have a lot to learn, though. Part of my problem cooking is that I'm allergic to a lot of the great basics (tomatoes, strawberries, oats) and hate a lot of the others (broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, etc.). I prefer my vegetables raw, if at all. Picky bitch, I guess. Though I've finally managed to fall in love with butternut squash soup - if its very smooth, with a dash of curry and ginger.
I tend to have certain dishes I'm known for making Great: Cesar Pasta Salad, Fascist Pasta Salad, Sweet Boneless Fried Chicken, Four Cheese Sausage & Penne, pesto pizza, Workin' Momma Enchiladas, Italian marinated chicken, smoked corn on the cob, etc. Once folks see me cook these great dishes, they tend to crack up at how easy they are to make. And I make some great soups: tortilla soup, carrot & sherry soup, ham & potato, etc. Always looking for more light soups to make. Very much a "meal in the bowl" kind of cook.
Yep, not a great chef. But I love food (notice the waistline) and I love folks who love food. I'm always looking for a few more biblically great dishes to serve at my house. I'll be throwing the new recipes up in hopes others could use them, too.
3 T butter
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
6 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup flour (as needed)
1. in 2 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring, until butter turns golden brown. Remove from heat and add sage, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, parsley and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Sprinkle flour over mixture and, with your hands, work mixture into soft, smooth dough. If dough is sticky, add more flour. Work dough just until flour is incorporated into cheese mixture; do not overwork.
3. Break off piece of dough; on a lightly floured surface, roll into 3/4 inch thick rope. Cut dough rope into 3/4 inch lengths. Place one pice of dough on inside curve of fork tines, gently pressing on dough with thumb as you roll along tines. Allow dough to drop off folk, slightly curling in on itself, forming an oval. One side of gnocchi will have ridges, the opposite will have an indentation. Repeat with remaining dough. Gnocchi can be made up to 4 hours ahead at this point. Arrange in floured, jelly-roll pan; cover and refrigerate.
4. in 5-quart saucepan, heat 4 quarts water to boiling. Add half of gnocchi and cook until gnocchi float to surface, 2 to 3 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to warm shallow serving bowl. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. To serve, top with sage butter.
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
6 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup flour (as needed)
1. in 2 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring, until butter turns golden brown. Remove from heat and add sage, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, parsley and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Sprinkle flour over mixture and, with your hands, work mixture into soft, smooth dough. If dough is sticky, add more flour. Work dough just until flour is incorporated into cheese mixture; do not overwork.
3. Break off piece of dough; on a lightly floured surface, roll into 3/4 inch thick rope. Cut dough rope into 3/4 inch lengths. Place one pice of dough on inside curve of fork tines, gently pressing on dough with thumb as you roll along tines. Allow dough to drop off folk, slightly curling in on itself, forming an oval. One side of gnocchi will have ridges, the opposite will have an indentation. Repeat with remaining dough. Gnocchi can be made up to 4 hours ahead at this point. Arrange in floured, jelly-roll pan; cover and refrigerate.
4. in 5-quart saucepan, heat 4 quarts water to boiling. Add half of gnocchi and cook until gnocchi float to surface, 2 to 3 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to warm shallow serving bowl. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. To serve, top with sage butter.
Harry Belafante is on the Tavis Smiley radio show!
*dies of rapture*
*dies of rapture*