Apple Pudding

Apple Pudding

unsure of the origin of this one:

½ cup melted butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

2 cups peeled apple, chopped (personal favorite for this is Granny Smith)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour melted butter into a casserole dish with high-ish sides* (similar to this). 

In a bowl, combine sugars, flour, and baking powder, then add milk and whisk until smooth. Pour into the casserole dish (with the melted butter) without mixing.

In a small saucepan, heat apples with cinnamon and nutmeg until slightly softened.

Pour apples into the center of the batter, again without mixing.

Bake in the preheated oven 30 - 40 minutes, or until golden.

Serve warm - drizzle the plate or bowl with with caramel sauce, then add a scoop of the pudding and top with whipped cream or ice cream.

* In a deep casserole dish, the batter rises to cover the apples. 

Roast Chestnut Soup

The directions below makes 6 to 8 servings - doubles well, and is better the next day.

1 pound chestnuts (we use these)

1/2 chopped medium onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 quarts low-sodium or homemade chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 cup half-and-half or cream

Dash of freshly grated nutmeg

In a good-sized, heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, saute onion and celery in butter until soft.

Add chestnuts, chicken broth and bay leaves and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until chestnuts are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

In a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree soup until smooth. If you have an immersion blender, use that. 

Return soup to pan; stir in half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Heat through over low heat. Serve hot.

Puttanesca Sauce

Linguine alla Puttanesca  (Linguine, “Whore Style”).

4  Tbs olive oil (extra virgin)

2  large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly

1  large fire-roasted red pepper (available bottled), seeded and sliced into thin strips

4  Oz olive-oil packed anchovies, drained and pounded to a paste (This is one small tin; I generally use about 3/4s of it – to taste.)

1  2-pound can of imported Italian peeled tomatoes, drained (but save some of the juice in case you need to thin the sauce later.)  

1  Cup pitted black olives, not from California, which will give the wrong flavor!  (I use pitted Kalamata olives – bottled – from Greece and halve them.)  

2  Tbs small capers (but some extra won’t hurt…)  

1  pound dried pasta

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the garlic and diced red peppers, and fry gently for 6 or 7 minutes until the garlic is softened. Add the pounded anchovies and cook until they dissolve, stirring until thoroughly blended.  

Cut the tomatoes coarsely and add to the pan along with the olives and capers. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and begins to take on a slightly brownish hue.  This generally takes about 30 minutes. It must not be watery, but not too thick either…  

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente – follow package directions – and drain in a colander. Serve in warmed pasta bowls with a generous ladle of sauce on each serving. Alternatively, you can pile all the pasta on a serving plate, spread the sauce on top, and toss it. 

The recipe doubles and triples reasonably well. 

Buon Appetito!

Historical note: Puttanesca sauce has been a Neapolitan classic for more than a century, its name deriving from an impolite Italian word for prostitute – la puttane. One finds several competing theories for the origin of the name, but no one really knows its real derivation. Here are the most popular suggestions:  

(1)  Because the ingredients are readily available, and it cooks quickly, it was easy for a woman of the night to prepare the dish as a pick-me-up between “assignments.”  

(2) Some of the ingredients - notably the olives, anchovies, and capers - are reputed to be aphrodisiacs.  

(3)  It can be made very salty, thus encouraging the puttane’s “clients” to drink more.  

Our guacamole recipe

All quantities are approximate - add more or less to taste: This mixture feeds 4 - 6 people as an appetizer.

You need:

3-4 ripe avocados cut into good sized chunks (they'll get somewhat smushed when you stir everything together, so start with chunks)

2 good-sized garlic cloves (or 1/2 Tablespoon chopped garlic from a jar)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 of a medium onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

1 finely chopped good-sized jalapeno, seeds and white pith removed

2 - 3 Tablespoons diced tomato (I cut grape tomatoes into quarters)

1 lime, juiced

Tortilla chips

Chop the avocado and set aside.

Grind together the salt, onion, cilantro, jalapeno and garlic if using the jarred chopped stuff. If using fresh garlic, squeeze it in using a press. Start grinding (or smearing) so that approximately 1/4 of this mixture is smushed and the remaining 3/4 is still in its chopped condition.

If at all possible, you should do this in a molcajete made of lava stone or unpolished granite - the rough interior is really good for grinding the ingredients together and you can serve in it. If you don't have one, use a shallow bowl and a small amount of coarse salt and smear everything together with a fork, or you can use a coffee/spice grinder and grind up approx 1/4 of the onion mixture.

Fold (gently) the chopped avocado and chopped tomatoes into this mixture. Squeeze lime juice over the whole thing.

That's it - serve with tortilla chips!

My easy quiche recipe

For those of you who asked:

All measurements are approximate - add as much bacon (chopped/cooked yourself and/or packages of bacon bits, as long as they're the real kind), onion, or veggies as you like, and if you like them or have them around, you could add finely chopped mushrooms andor leeks and/or red, orange or yellow sweet peppers (I think the flavor of green peppers would be too strong). I haven't made this with chopped spinach but I'm sure it'd be good - just made sure it's chopped fine and , if frozen, drained dry.

The amounts/types of cheese I mention below are my personal preference, after quite a bit of experimentation. I prefer quiche to taste like Swiss cheese; the provolone gives you a somewhat more complex flavor, and the Parmesan adds some nuttiness. You don't need fancy parm for this - I use the Safeway brand of mixed Parm/Romano, but use whatever cheese you like or have around.

The only quantities that are set in stone are the 8 large eggs and 2 cups of half and half. That amount of liquid, on top of the other ingredients, makes exactly enough to fill 2 deep dish frozen pie crusts to the brim. If you want to use smaller crusts, you may be able to make 3 quiches.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For 2 frozen deep-dish pie crusts:

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

~2 oz packaged real bacon bits (I use these)

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1/2 lb asparagus or broccoli (small cut so they cook through while the quiche bakes)

~8 oz shredded Swiss-style cheese (Swiss and/or Jarlsberg and/or Emmentaler and/er Gruyere)

~4 oz shredded Provolone 

~2 ounces grated Parmesan/Romano mixture cheese

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

Fresh nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook the chopped bacon until crisp, and drain on paper towels.

In a large bowl, mix both kinds of bacon, onions, veggies, and all of the cheeses. Stir it around to combine well and place half of this mixture in each pie crust, spreading it around evenly.

Pour the eggs and half-and-half into the now-empty bowl, and fresh-ground pepper to taste (I don't add salt, because with the cheese and bacon I find it salty enough, and you can always salt it at the table), grate some nutmeg over it (maybe 1 teaspoon if you're using the jarred stuff), and whisk thoroughly. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the cheese mixture that's sitting in the crusts, a little at a time so it gets down into the cheese - if you pour too quickly it will just spill over the top. I'll all fit - just go slowly.

Bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35 - 45 minutes (check after 30 minutes, then keep adding another 5 minutes at a time) until done, It'll be pretty brown, not lightly browned, by the time the eggs are set - they should no longer be jiggly in the middle.

Cool on a rack for 30 minutes before cutting.

This keeps in the fridge for several days, and freezes really well. When you want to reheat, microwave for 1 minute (1.5 if frozen) then place in a dry skillet oven medium heat for a few minutes - otherwise the crust will be somewhat soggy (but edible).

My massaman curry recipe (by request)

This is a non-spicy recipe, since I'm a wimp. If you aren't one, add some Sriracha (or something similar) at the same time you add the potatoes and coconut milk, or, if you have a normal people/wimp mix, just serve it at the table.

Massaman Curry

1/4 cup peanut (or vegetable) oil 

1/2 cup Massaman curry paste (there are a lot of curry pastes, and they probably all taste good, but I use this and I really like it)

2 Tbs fresh minced ginger

1 Tbs fresh minced garlic

1 chopped onion (optional)

2-1/2 pounds chicken breast - cubed

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup tamarind paste

1/3 cup peanut butter

6 cups cubed potatoes

2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes worth)

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in a pot big enough to hold everything. Stir in curry paste and minced ginger - cook and stir for 5 minutes or so. Stir in the chicken, and cook, stirring the pieces around for about 8 - 10 minutes until they start to turn white.

Stir in brown sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, peanut butter, potatoes, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat as low as it will go, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes - the longer the better. I frequently start this at night and leave it in either a very low oven (~220 degrees) or dump it into the crockpot overnight. There's an additional advantage to this - I don't have to try to find/create  refrigerator space.  Add the lime juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes before serving. 

I think this is usually served with white rice, although I use brown rice for everything: you can also just eat it as is. Serve with chopped (or unchopped) peanuts and hot sauce. It's better the next day.

Monday links

Today is the winter solstice, the first day of winter, and the shortest day of the year.

All the Stuff British Soldiers Have Carried in Battle, From the 11th Century to Today.

How The World Looked When Jesus Was Born, According to Roman Geographers.

Classic drunken fruitcake recipe: Check the whiskey. Pour 1 level cup and drink. Repeat.

A collection of downloadable templates for Star Wars snowflakes.

The 1914 Christmas truce.

Here’s what happens when a flamethrower does battle with a firehose.

ICYMI, Friday's links are here, and include lots of ugly Christmas sweaters (plus instructions for making your own), a Klingon Christmas Carol, why Japan is obsessed with Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas, poinsettia and mistletoe (which literally means "dung twig") science, and my personal favorite Christmas story: 'Twas the Overnight Before Christmas: The Merry Tale of How Air Cargo Deregulation Led To Amazon.

Classic Christmas drunken fruitcake recipe: Check the whiskey. Pour 1 level cup and drink. Repeat.

I actually know someone who likes fruitcake, but for most people it makes an excellent gag gift; the obvious advantage is that it can be re-gifted for years.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups dried fruit

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup nuts

1 gallon whiskey

1. Take a large bowl.

2. Check the whiskey to be sure that it is of the highest quality. Pour 1 level cup and drink. Repeat.

3. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat butter in large bowl.

4. Add sugar and beat again.

5. Check the whiskey again. Cry another tup. Or two.

6. Turn off the mixer. Break 2 legs and add to the bowl, along with the dried fruit.

7. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters, pry it loose with a drewscriver.

8. Sample the whiskey again to check for consisticity.

9. Sift the salt. Or something. Who cares.

10. Check the whiskey again.

11. Sift the lemon juice and strain the nuts. Add one tablespoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever.

12. Grease the oven.

13. Set the cake pan to 350 degrees.

14. Beat off the turner.

15. Throw the bowl out the window and finish what’s left of the whiskey.

Related: here are 15 Fun Facts About Fruitcake. And, no matter how this turns out, you can always save it for January 3, which is National Fruitcake Toss Day.

Friday links

It's that time of year again: beer and wine pairings for all those Girl Scout cookies you're buying.

Laika and Her Comrades: The Soviet Space Dogs Who Took Giant Leaps for Mankind.

100 Years Of National Geographic Maps: The Art And Science Of Where

Happy World Nutella Day! Here's a canonical list of Nutella recipes.

Why Google Maps tells Americans they're in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A roundup of links of animals getting drunk or high.

ICYMI, Monday's links are here, and include lots of Groundhog Day stuff, the history of snow removal, a map of every goat in the U.S., a tour of a 1964 fallout shelter home, and the problems involved with having real superpowers.

The best corn casserole (aka corn pudding) ever

I'm regularly asked to bring this to pot luck occasions (like the Super Bowl party I'm going to today), and also frequently asked for the recipe. Rather than continuing to send it out as an email attachment, I figured I'd post it and make it more easily accessible.

Works well for potlucks because it can be served at room temperature.

Corn Casserole

1 can cream style corn

1 can whole kernel corn

1 8-1/2 oz Jiffy (or whatever) corn muffin mix (or slightly over a cup from a larger box)

1 medium onion chopped

1 green or red pepper chopped

2 fresh chopped jalapeños (optional- I scrape out the seeds because I'm a wuss)

¾ cup chopped ham or turkey ham (optional)

8 oz sour cream (I use light)

2 eggs

Grated sharp cheddar cheese for top

Preheat oven to 375.

Saute ham, onion and pepper in about 2 Tablespoons of butter until the veggies are soft; cool slightly. (I make extra - this makes an excellent omelet filling. Add cheese when you make the omelet.)

Add sour cream and set aside.

Beat eggs, add cans of corn (liquid included) and stir, then add in corn muffin mix. Mix well and pour into buttered 8” x 8” casserole or 9” pie dish. Top with the sour cream mixture (drop spoonfuls all over the surface - you can't spread it). Finish with grated cheddar cheese (more cheese is always better).

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Notes: 

Doubles well, but the cooking time will be longer. Start at 30 minutes and keep checking, or bake in two 8” square pans.

To modify this for fresh corn - go by volume and mash up some of the kernels to replicate the creamed corn. The canned stuff is 14.75 ounces, or just under 2 cups, so a slight cup of whole kernels and a slight cup of mashed up kernels should work.