Christmas treats and spirits

Over Christmas I visited my family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While I was there I made a few fires in my Grandparents fireplace. I also made cocktails with my uncle, and I received a chocolate and confections cookbook. 

Every night I made a fire with my grandpa and on the last night I made a extra big fire to roast some marshmallows. My papa said that the marshmallow I roasted for him was the best marshmallow he had every had. The outside was finished with a lovely honey color.

Also on the last night I made a really yummy cock-tail with my Uncle Paul. The grownups said it was amazing. It was called an Elderflower Martini, made with St. Germaine Liquore. 

My Aunt Jen got me a really cool cookbook named Chocolates And Confections from the Culinary Institute of America. For New Years Eve my mom and I are going to make a dessert from the book that has chocolate Fondant covered with a mint filling. This dessert is named Mint Patties. We will post the recipe and pictures after we make it.

Mint Patties

Some of the mint patties

For New Years Eve dinner my mom and me made a dessert that was named (Mint Patties). The recipe is from the cookbook Chocolates and Confections. It was our first attempt at making candy. Here's the recipe:

12 oz Fondant
20 mint leaves
1/8 tsp mint extract
12 oz Dark Chocolate, melted, tempered, or dark compound coating, melted


1. Combine the fondant and mint leaves in a food processor and process until the fondant is nearly a uniform green, 3 to 4 minutes
2. Put the fondant in a bowl and place over a hot water bath. Heat the fondant until it reaches 160 degrees fearenhight. Stir in the extract if you want a stronger flavor than the leaves alone provide.
3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Warm a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Pour the fondant into the warm cup.
4. Pour the hot fondant out of the cup onto parchment paper in small disks,about one and a half inches in diameter.
5. Allow the fondant disks to set about 15 minutes.
6. Release from the parchment. If they are left uncoated, they should be stored in a airtight container.
7. If desired, coat the patties in the chocolate or compound coating.

Christmas treats and spirits

Another pick of my studying my uncle

A Marshmellow that I roasted over one of the fires I made

Time to study how my uncle pours a
yummy cocktail for the grownups

One of the fires I made at my grandparents house

Over Christmas I visited my family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While I was there I made a few fires in my Grandparents fireplace. I also made cocktails with my uncle, and I received a chocolate and confections cookbook.

Every night I made a fire with my grandpa and on the last night I made a extra big fire to roast some marshmallows. My papa said that the marshmallow I roasted for him was the best marshmallow he had every had. The outside was finished with a lovely honey color.

Also on the last night I made a really yummy cock-tail with my Uncle Paul. The grownups said it was amazing. It was called an Elderflower Martini, made with St. Germaine Liquore.

My Aunt Jen got me a really cool cookbook named Chocolates And Confections from the Culinary Institute of America. For New Years Eve my mom and I are going to make a dessert from the book that has chocolate Fondant covered with a mint filling. This dessert is named Mint Patties. We will post the recipe and pictures after we make it.

As 2010 was coming to an end I got interested in making candy and chocolate. With this new cookbook I got this year I will be able to post more about candy making and chocolate molds.

Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe

While my family was in town for Thanksgiving my uncle made a really yummy apple tarte tatin. I've been having trouble attaching the link so just go to the blog Smitten Kitchen then search for the recipe molly's apple tarte tatin. Good Luck. Hope you find it. It's worth the search!

Piet's Favorite Cookbooks

I thought I would post about some cookbooks I really like which are family friendly. Here they are:

1. Ice Cream & Sorbet (Lou Seibert Pappas)Chronicle Books.
2. Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book byBen Cohen & Jerry Greenfiled with Nancy J.Steven; Workman Books
3. The Kids Cookbook - Williams Sonoma; Oxmoor House
4. The Family Kitchen by Debra Ponzek; Potter Books
5. The Best of Chef At Home by Chef Michael Smith; Whitecap Books
6. Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunch Melt-In- Your Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich; Artisan books
7. Weber's Big Book of Grilling by McRae Purviance; Chronicle Books.
8. The Kids' Kitchen by Amanda Grant; Mitchell Beazley

Holiday party 2010

Yesterday my dad hosted a holiday party for his staff from work. I thought I would post some pictures of all of the yummy food we had with my dad's friends. One of my dad's friends brought a healthy serving of pigs in a blanket - they are some mini hot dogs wrapped in dough then baked to perfection. It was one of the favorite things served at the party. My dad made a Porketta and my mom made a really yummy Squash and Mushroom Lasagna. The Porketta was so tender, it melted in your mouth. We also had many varieties of desserts. One of the desserts was called Oreoballs. Here are some pictures of some of the things we had.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

The day of Thanksgiving my family was in town from New Jersey. My uncle Peter made some very good cocktails that I had heard about. My dad made the most amazing turkey so that all of the meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned. He also made an unbelievable stuffing - both inside the turkey and a batch that was baked in a casserole dish. Uncle Peter also made some of the best - whipped mash potatoes I have ever had. We even had a delicious chocolate and caramel pie with cinnamon ice cream, that my Uncle Peter also made. In addition, he and my mom worked together and made a fantastic apple tartin. My mom made some whip cream to go along with the pie's for dessert. My family and cousins, aunt and uncle enjoyed eating this memorable feast.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

The day of Thanksgiving my family was in town from New Jersey. My uncle Peter made some very good cocktails that I had heard about. My dad made the most amazing turkey so that all of the meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned. He also made an unbelievable stuffing - both inside the turkey and a batch that was baked in a casserole dish. Uncle Peter also made some of the best - whipped mash potatoes I have ever had. We even had a delicious chocolate and caramel pie with cinnamon ice cream, that my Uncle Peter also made. In addition, he and my mom worked together and made a fantastic apple tartin. My mom made some whip cream to go along with the pie's for dessert. My family and cousins, aunt and uncle enjoyed eating this memorable feast.

Michael Smith's Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

On November 14, 2010 me and my mom made a really good beef stew from a cook book named The Best of Chef At Home, by Michael Smith. My dad got brought home this book for me and we decided to make the stew.because yesterday there was a really big snow storm. It seemed like just the right dish to make.

2 lb of stewing beef
A sprinkle or two of sea salt and freashly ground pepper
A splash of any vegetable oil
A few carrots,peeled and roughly chopped
A few stalks of celery, roughly chopped
A few potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
A few parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
A few onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
1/2 bottle or so of hearty red wine
3 to 4 of homemade or canned beef broth
a few bay leaves
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 jar of pickled baby white onions
a few handfuls of frozen peas
another sprinkle or two of salt and pepper



Preheat a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat the beef dry with a clean towel and then cut it into large cubes and season it with the salt and pepper. Add a splash of oil to the pot-enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer- and toss in enough meat to form a single sizzling layer. Sear the meat on every side until it's evenly browned.
Once the meat is done, discard the remaining oil but keep all the browned bits in the pan; they'll add lot's of flavour to the stew. Add half of the vegetables-reserving the other half- and all the meat back into the pot. Add the tomatoes and enough wine and beef broth to barely cover the works. Add the bay leaves and rosemary and bring the pot to a simmer.
Continue cooking until the meat is almost tender, about 1 hour, then, then add the remaining vegetables and the baby onions. Adding the vegetables in 2 batches allows the first batch to dissolve into the stew while the second remains its shape, colour and texture. Continue simmering until the meat and veggies are tender, another 30 minutes or so. When the stew is tender, add the frozen peas and cook until heated throgh. Taste it and seasonas you like with salt and pepper.

makes 6 to 8 servings

Grandma's flavorfully chicken soup

When my grandma was here for a visit she made some really good chicken noodle soup. It had turnips, onions, carrots, leeks, and chicken. We made it on the Thursday of MEA weekend. My brother and I had it for lunch with a plain bagel to dip. Whenever I have her chicken noodle soup I think of the middle of winter.

Clancy's marinated lamb chops

I had these really amazing marinated lamb chops. I grilled the lamb chops because my grand-parents came from Florida.The chops where marinated with oregano and lemon. I grilled them for about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. To finish it off we had some cherry pie from Kowalskis with some cookies and cream ice cream.

Fall Harvest at Earth Dance Farm

On October 2,2010 me and my family went to Earth Dance Farm for the fall harvest. The fall harvest is when as many as people can come to the farm have a chance to meet the interns and the other members of the farm at the harvest. At the harvest they have chili,coffe,apple cider, hot water,and some hot chocolate. They had a fire that kept us warm. There was also horse activites in the horse coral. After we ate we went on a hay ride up to the pumpkin patch to pick some pumpkins.

At the farm it felt like it was the beginning of Fall. There was a small breeze and the corn and potatoes where dug out of the ground. When I saw the acorn squash I thought of Fall, when my mom makes squash soup for really cold days.

State Fair Fare

Today I went to the Minnesota State Fair with my family. When we where there we got some really good food. Today was called the "Last Chance Day" because it was the last day of the fair. One of the really good things I shared with my dad was a boneless rib sandwich with fried onions on it. I also had some fried cheese curds the cheese in the curds was so gooey and melted. The outer fried shell had just the right amount of saltiness. I also had a Pronto Pup. That is is a corn dog but it has a healthier kind of batter on it. It's a tradition for my brother and I to get a Pronto Pup at the Fair. I also had a chocolate ice cream shake that I shared with my family. We usually end the Fair sipping one of these as we leave the Fairgrounds. The only disappointing thing we shared was some Garlic Fries. My family did not agree about how good they were. I thought they where good but all of Garlic would fell off in the little paper tray. My mom and dad tossed most of them away because they thought they were too disappointing. I am looking forward to next year at the Fair. Hopefully we taste some more good Fair food.

Earth Dance Farms

My family has been participating members of a CSA farm for the last 3 years. Each summer the Farmer of Earth Dance Farms organizes a camping weekend where you can go to the the farm and camp on his property. My family went this weekend. We camped over night Saturday and left on Sunday.

The farm is full of crops and there are dogs, cats, chickens, and horses roaming around. While we were there my brother and I had so much fun feeding the chickens, and grooming and feeding the horses. We even had the chance to ride one of the horses right at sunset. He was an Icelandic Horse named Oddie.

Another highlight for me was having the opportunity to roam around the crops and see what the Farmer was about to harvest. My brother got to pick raspberries with someone we met this weekend. We also saw corn, butternut squash, pumpkins, melons, beets, herbs and tomatoes all almost ready to be harvested. I can't believe that these crops will be arriving in our boxes during the next few weeks.

Saturday night ended with the group making Hobo Dinners over the fire. We put cut up vegetables that grew on the farm and hamburger meat, along with herbs, salt, and pepper into the foil packets. Our dinner was so yummy!! The fresh corn that was harvested that day topped off the meal.

My favorite part of the weekend was when my brother and I had the opportunity to ride the tractor with the Farmer. It was so nice of him to take us out for a "spin." He even let me tumble the compost. I'll never forget being able to do this just before we left the farm.

Each week during the months of June through November, my family loves picking up our box of produce from the Earth Dance Farm delivery. We enjoy making meals with the fresh ingredients. Many of my postings this summer have been made with ingredients from the farm.

Norm and Lori thanks for such a great weekend!!!

Tagliatelle with fresh corn pesto

Me and my mom have been getting so much corn, yummy corn this summer so she thought she would make a corn pesto. I thought it was so good I had to post it on my blog. This is a must before summer ends!




Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn Pesto
4 bacon slices, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 large ears)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces tagliatelle or fettuccine
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add corn, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn kernels to small bowl and reserve. Scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and pine nuts. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves and reserved bacon. Serve pasta, passing additional grated Parmesan alongside.

"Mama Roth's, no wait, Uncle Will's Baby Back Ribs"

My friend Kerry served these ribs at a neighborhood gathering. I thought they were amazing.

1. Get leanest looking slab of baby back ribs.
2. Line cookie sheet with foil, set oven at 375.
3. Sprinkle Stubb's original rub all over front and back of slabs, then put in oven for a couple of hours. Just watch them carefully, then brush Stubbs original sauce on front for the last 10 minutes in the oven. Take them out and brush more sauce on them.

Farming

I want you guys to know that I have started a little farm in my friend's backyard. We started planting in April and now we are harvesting the crops. Yesterday was the first day of harvesting. We harvested some sweet corn, tomatoes, and a Minnesota Midget melon. Here is a picture of the produce we picked.

Aunt Heidi's fullproof Caesar Dressing

My Aunt Heidi is a fabulous chef. She made some Caesar dressing for me with a salad to go with my blue cheese burger. I thought since I love Caesar salad I would post her recipe for the dressing:

2 Large crushed garlic cloves
Half a cup graded parmasean cheese
3 heaping tablespoons Mayo
1 Tsp hot sauce
1 Tsp anchovy paste
juice from half a lemon
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk in half cup olive oil

Black Raspberries

I have some black Raspberry bushes growing on the side of the my house and one night my neighbors made a black Raspberry and rhoubarb pie. It was so good. My neighbors really enjoy picking them and eating them. So do I.

A kick off to summer

Recently I have been making some great meals with families and friends. About a week ago I had some of my dad's friends over and we grilled some Lamb Sirloin Steaks and my mom made a Cous Cous Salad. For Fathers Day we made Pork Roulade which had some pesto in it. We bought it from Clancy's. I plain on grilling with my family in Michigan. I cannot wait to tell you all about it.

Farro, Radicchio, and Roasted Beet salad

Farro, Radicchio, and Roasted Beet Salad
8 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter beets, tops trimmed to 1 inch
Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups semi-pearled farro or wheat berries
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups (packed) thinly sliced quartered radicchio (from about 1 medium head)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange beets in single layer in 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Cover with foil and roast until beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Trim beets; peel. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Cook farro in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and garlic into hot farro. Cool to room temperature.

Cut each beet into 6 to 8 wedges. Add beets, radicchio, onion, and parsley to farro; toss to incorporate evenly. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over salad. Add feta cheese; toss to coat.

Test-kitchen tip:
Any type of beet (red, golden, red-and-white-striped Chioggia) would be great in this salad. To avoid stained hands, wear plastic gloves when peeling dark-colored beets.


Ingredient tip:
This recipe calls for semipearled farro, a version of the grain that doesn’t require soaking before being cooked. If you're using regular farro, be sure to plan ahead. It will need to soak overnight. Farro is available at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and Italian markets.

Fabulous Pesto

Hi Guys-

A couple nights ago I had some really good pesto. My brother's teacher's husband made it. It was so good. It had the right amount of olive oil in it. I wonder if it will be the best pesto I have this summer. Thank you, Mark!

Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza

My mom and dad really liked this pizza. It is a good meal for grownups!

Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza

By TasteFood, posted 4 months ago

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Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda & Merrill's Notes:

This is simply one of the best white pizzas we've ever tasted. The crust is crisp and rich with olive oil, and gently perfumed throughout with garlic. The mozzarella creates an ultra creamy base in lieu of sauce. Applying incredible attention to detail throughout, TasteFood blanches the broccoli rabe before sautéing it to get rid of excess bitterness; the crushed red pepper and garlic strike just the right balance of heat and pungency. Cooking the potato slices beforehand allows them to almost melt into the rest of the pizza, and a shower of rosemary, pecorino, and finally black pepper round out the symphony of complementary flavors. - A&M

This is a variation of a white (no sauce) pizza where the classic triumvarite of potatoes, garlic and rosemary is embellished with earthy and assertive broccoli rabe. The pizza dough is a recipe I have used and tweaked from Alice Waters over the years. Feel free to use your own favorite recipe. - TasteFood

Serves 2 10" Pizzas or 4 mini-pizzas

Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza:

• 2 uncooked pizza crusts (recipe below)
• 1 large yukon gold potato, very thinly sliced
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound broccoli rabe, washed, ends trimmed
• 1 large garlic clove, minced, plus 2 garlic cloves lightly smashed but still intact
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Rosemary sprigs for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange potatoes in one layer on a baking tray. Bake until edges begin to turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Increase oven temperature to 475 F.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add broccoli rabe and blanch 30 seconds; drain. Plunge broccoli rabe into a bowl of ice water. Cool and drain again. Lay in one layer on a kitchen towel to thoroughly dry. Cut in 2" pieces.
4. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté briefly, 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
5. Assemble pizzas: Lightly brush pizza crusts with olive oil. Rub all over with smashed garlic cloves.
6. Arrange one layer mozzarella cheese over crusts. Top with one layer of potatoes and broccoli rabe. Sprinkle one tablespoon rosemary over each crust. Top with grated Pecorino cheese.
7. Bake on pizza stone or on tray on lowest rack in oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.
8. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I had this one night with some Garlic Bread and it was so yummy yummy yummy in my tummy. The best meatballs my mom has made!

Spaghetti and Meatballs All'American
Meatballs:
6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
2/3 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coarsely grated onion
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), cut crosswise into thin strips
1 tablespoon (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups finely chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

Pasta:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For meatballs:
Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

For sauce:
Puree tomatoes with juice and garlic in batches in blender until smooth.

Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp; transfer bacon to plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pot and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions and crushed red pepper to pot.

Sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by half, stirring up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and marjoram. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix bacon into sauce. Add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

For pasta:
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and marjoram, adding more oil to moisten, if desired. Divide spaghetti among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

* Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Kowalskis soup

A couple days ago I bought some soup from Kowalskis. It had italian sausage in it and some fennel seeds with some tortellini in it. It was a little spicy but not to much. It was like a stew but it was a thick soup. When I ate it on my porch I had some mashed potatoes with it. It was a dark- rich color color. When I took my first bite I said oh my gosh this is so good.

Clancey's Lamb chops

A couple of days ago I had some grilled Lamb chops from Clancey's meat and fish deli. These chops were so soft and chewy. After my dad marinated them with garlic and thyme,What I did I put them on the grill for about 5-7 minutes on each side than I took them off. I enjoyed the chops with some grilled red pepper. I also had a nice springtime salad and with that I had some rice pilaf to finish it off.

I'm back!

I'm back from a break. I've been having some really nice meals and one is a sandwich from Clancey's meat and fish market. It was the best sandwich I have had in my life. You have to go to Clancey's and ask for a corned beef sandwich and it will be ready in a flash. It had some mayo, hot peppers, thinly sliced onions, and lettuce on a crunchy baguette.

My Dad has been cooking a bit lately. He has made some really good meals. A few of his best dishes are a chicken pot pie, a porketta, and a fritatta.

My mom made a great roasted eggplant pizza the other night.

Mom's birthday dinner

We made this fondue for my mom's birthday dinner. We dipped steak, cauliflower, pears, apples, and bread. It was so yummy. I would like to try dipping sausage next time along with steak.

Gruyère Fondue with Caramelized Shallots

enlarge image

yield: Makes 4 servings

The slightly sweet sautéed shallots add a twist to the classic Swiss cheese fondue. In addition to the bread, boiled red-skinned baby potatoes... more ›

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/4 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (or more) dry white wine

• 14 ounces grated Gruyere cheese (about 3 1/2 cups packed)
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• Generous pinch of ground nutmeg

• 1 sourdough baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add thinly sliced shallots and sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle shallots with sugar, salt and pepper. Sauté until shallots are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Transfer shallots to small bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups wine to skillet; boil 1 minute.

Pour wine into heavy medium saucepan; set over medium-low heat. Toss cheese with flour in medium bowl to coat. Add half of caramelized shallots to wine; add cheese mixture by handfuls, stirring until cheese melts and is smooth before adding more. Thin with more wine if mixture is too thick. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Set pot over candle or canned heat burner. Top fondue with remaining caramelized shallots. Serve with bread cubes.

Texas Sheet Cake - Summer Tradition

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cocoa Mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup margarine
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons mill
1 pound sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nutmeats

Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. In a pan melt margarine, water and cocoa. Bring to a boil, pour over the mixture in bowl. Beat 2 eggs well. Add soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat well and add to mix in bowl. Mix. Pour into greased and floured jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 5 minutes before cake is done - melt margarine, cocoa and milk over low heat (do not boil). Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and nut meats. Mix well and pour over warm cake.

Nana makes this for our summer family vacations. She makes a huge tray each time and it does not take long for it to be devoured by our family. I'll have to ask her what nutmeats are!

Ice Cream Dessie

20 Oreo cookies 1/c gallon peppermint stick ice cream
1/3 cup margarine

Crush cookies and add melted margarine; press into 9x13-inch pan and freeze for a short time. Spread ice cream over cookie base and return to freezer while making topping.

Topping:

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon margarine

Combine and cook until thick; cool. Spread over ice cream and return to freezer.
Serve when well frozen.


This dessert is one of my favorites at Christmas. My Nana makes it for us each year. We can't wait to eat it when we visit my grandparents for the holidays. It truly melts in your mouth when you eat it.

Bishop

My Uncle Paul prepared this drink for the adults. The smell of the roasted oranges filled up the house. The drink was a crowd pleaser for a cold winter's night.


Ingredients

• 1 navel orange
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Ruby Port

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Stud orange with cloves and roast in a small shallow ceramic or glass baking dish until browned and soft, about 1 1/2 hours.

Carefully quarter orange, then bring orange quarters and Port just to a simmer in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Christmas Treats

My Christmas was so good. I went to Grand Rapids, Michigan. We had tons of ice cream and sweets. My Grandma made all of the good sweets. It was one of the best Chrisstmas's I had ever had. My Grandma made a dessert that my dad and his brother call "Ice cream dessie". The bottom layer has oreo crumbs, then there is a layer of peppermint stick ice cream, with a top layer of the most delicious chocolate fudge.

My Grandma also makes some candy cane cookies that are so good. It has some chopped peppermint, some food coloring, and a touch of sugar. My dad's brother eats them all because they are so good. He can't help himself.

Twins cities best of 2009

For New Year's Eve dinner my family and I went to Bar La Grassa. In Saturday's paper, The Star Tribune awarded 2009's best Twin Cities restaurant to Bar La Grassa. My parents took us there, because me and my brother's friend is the head chef. His name is Eric Sather and we know him from Clancey's Market in Linden Hills. It was the best restaurant I have ever been to! The baby back ribs cooked by Eric were so good. They were the best ribs I have ever had. The meat just fell of the bone. . The ravioli had some Alaskan King Crab in it. It was the tastiest ravioli I have had in my life. The pork tender loin was a little spicy but not too spicy for me and my brother. For dessert we had some Izzy's ice cream. The flavor was Salted Caramel. The dining room was so nice and comfortable. We sat at a table super close to the open kitchen. I loved watching the line. I cannot wait to have my next meal at Bar La Grassa.