Ham and Cheese with Chicken

The Question If there is anything in the world that you want me to cook, what would it be?  The Answer Chicken Cordon Bleu. And the obvious follow up question. Why? "Skeet's Mama made it one night, I was afraid I wouldn't like it...it sounds like a fancy meal. You know, it's really a ham and cheese sandwich but you use chicken instead of bread."

My husband has a knack for putting things into a harsh reality. He's right...it's just a ham and cheese sandwich with chicken instead of bread. I can no longer call this dish by it's French name. Chicken Cordon Bleu in my house is now the plain old American translation: Blue Ribbon Chicken. Taste great either way though.

Blue Ribbon Chicken with Wild Rice.

Blue Ribbon Chicken

4 chicken breast, butterflied and pounded
8 slices of proscuitto or ham
8 slices of Swiss cheese
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup herb bread crumbs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Prep and Roll
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take the chicken breast and butterfly it so that your chicken is longer and thinner. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper. Using the flat side of a meat mallet (or a wine bottle will do just don't whack it too hard), gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Lay 2 slices of prosciutto or ham on each breast then 2 slices of swiss cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch on all sides to help seal the roll. Using plastic wrap, tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal. Put immediately in the freezer. (If creating these rolls for dinner the next night, put in ice box over night. The goal is to get the chicken in it's shape so that it doesn't fall apart or come unrolled during cooking.)

Dredge and Dunk  
Bowl 1: season flour with salt and pepper.  
Bowl 2: Beat 2 eggs, with salt and pepper.  
Bowl 3: Mix together breadcrumbs, panko, thyme leaves, salt, pepper and melted butter.  The butter will help the outside turn brown. Take chicken out of icebox and dredge in flour, then dunk in the egg mixture and coat in the bread crumb mixture.

Cook and Serve
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken seam side down. Sear each side for 45 seconds, this step is for creating a golden crust only. Transfer to a baking sheet and stick in oven for 25 minutes. Test one roll to make sure it is cooked through. Cut into pinwheels before serving.

NOTE: Several times I have made this and after I slice it, the inside is not completely cooked! Don't Panic Instead of putting it back in the oven making the outside dry, go ahead and cut into pinwheels then give each piece a quick sear on both sides in a hot pan.

Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream

Green Beans Swimming in a Mushroom Bath

Just DON'T Call It a Casserole! Casserole sounds so unappealing doesn't it? And green bean casserole just reminds me of the pot luck for the athletic banquet in high school. Don't get me wrong, I LIKE green bean casserole, but the word itself, casserole, makes me think of mushy food that all tastes the same. I wanted to make a more appetizing version of green bean cass (oh yeah, just don't use the word). I'll call it Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream. Sounds better already! Main goal was to figure out how to substitute Mr. Campbell's all-purpose unifier of most one-dish meals.

Sidebar I thought that the green bean casserole must have originated somewhere in France with fresh ingredients then reinvented in the '50s when one-dish meals became popular. WRONG! The Green Bean Cass&*#$+ was created by Campbell's Soup in 1955. Dorcas Reilly was part of Campbell Soup Company's recipe development team and brought Cream of Mushroom Soup and green beans together (two of America's common pantry items).

I did a lot of research and found that Alton Brown (my go to recipe starter) has also discovered a way around the "cream of..." soups. Using fresh green beans and mushrooms and making your own sauce...with cream...makes a world of difference. Result...you can taste each ingredient and the combination of flavors is incredible. Campbell's knew what they were doing, for sure. Now that I have the sauce down, I can update a lot of the old favorites...watch out chicken and wild rice, your next!

NOTE: I'm not trying to knock Campbell's Soup. I use it often. In this instance, I needed to find a replacement. And as my Granddaddy always said, "Fanny, why are you making vegetable soup? It doesn't get any better than how Mr. Campbell makes it". He's right too!

Green Beans in a Mushroom Cream
From Alton Brown's Best Ever Green Bean Casserole Recipe

The topping:

3 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray

The Beans and Cream:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1-2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup chicken broth
1-1/4 cup half-and-half

Crunchy Topping Preheat the oven to 475ºF. Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss. Coat a pan with cooking spray and spread the onions evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes, but make sure to toss onions every 5 minutes so they won't burn (if they do, it's okay, they still taste good). Turn the oven down to 400ºF.

The Beans Bring a gallon of water and a few tablespoons of salt to a boil. Add the beans and until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes (they will cook longer in oven later). Drain beans and either dunk in an ice bath or immediately run cold water of the beans. This will keep the beans bright green, a big plus, people eat with their eyes first.

The Sauce  Melt butter in a big pan and add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, roughly  4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and let simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

The Final Touch Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly OR once you've put it all together, cover and place in ice box over night. That way, when you get home from work you can stick it right into the oven...20 minutes later, mmmmm, a little bite of goodness and reminder of how far you've come from that high school banquet.

Sausage Swirls for Breakfast OR Dinner

Breakfast or Dinner Sausage Swirls

First question...When's the last time you had a corn dog? This sausage delight reminds me of a New Orleans Lucky Dog...salty meat wrapped in buttery, puffy dough and dipped in yellow mustard. To me, that's just a little bit of heaven...at dinner time. And for breakfast (or brunch)...pair these with a bloody mary or a milk punch, again, just a little bit of heaven. Some foods are good for every meal and the Sausage Swirl fits into that category.  

Sausage Swirls

1 package mild sausage
1 package hot sausage
2 cans crescent rolls

Pop crescent roll cans and unroll the rectangle sections. Each can has 8 triangles or 4 rectangles, keep them in rectangles and squish the diagonal seam together so the rectangle is a whole section. Mix hot and mild sausage. Spoon sausage on the dough and pat it out to cover the dough. Roll up and smooth the seam at then end and pat the ends flush. Roll each individual roll in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer baggie and freeze.

To serve take the amount you want out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter until you can slice it. Slice and place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350° for about 20 minutes. Just watch them. You will know when they are done. The dough needs to be fully cooked.

My Godmother Christine McBee gave me this recipe that came from her mother Fae. The McBee family has this often when they are all together. All good recipes come from a few generations back, don't you think?

I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe. These will stay in the freezer for a while and you can pull them out at a moments notice. Second question...Do you need a bite with a cocktail or need to remember the lucky dog you ate in New Orleans? Which ever you choose, the Sausage Swirl fits both. Enjoy.

Christmas Candy

Christmas Candy

Nothing says Christmas like Christmas Candy. At least to me! My cousin Janice made this every Christmas and it was always my favorite during the holidays. I have to say, it's not great to look at, but when you taste it...you won't mind serving this to anyone. AND surprisingly, it's quick and easy.

24 oz. almond bark (vanilla flavoring chocolate bars)
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup toasted almond slices
1 cup rice krispies

So easy. Melt chocolate and peanut butter, add marshmallows (these do not melt, they stay whole), toasted almonds and rice krispies. Mix. Spoon bite size amounts on wax paper. Christmas Candy should harden in about 10 to 15 minutes. Put these out at a party and they'll be gone in no time!

What a Beurre Blanc Can Do...

Tilapia and Wild Rice with Ginger Soy Beurre Blanc

Mmmmm, White Butter. (That's the meaning of beurre blanc). Once you know how to make this, you can NEVER go back. I was preparing a normal meal last night–the passed over tilapia from last week with wild rice, but wanted to do something to make it different.  I had all the ingredients for a beurre blanc, so here's what I did...

Ginger Soy Beurre Blanc
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup cream or half and half
1 stick butter, at least (more is better)
3 dashes soy sauce

Heat wine, ginger and garlic in a saute pan until liquid is almost gone. Add cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter one pat at a time until completely incorporated. (Heat on low if butter is not melting). Add soy sauce, taste and be prepared for the most amazing flavor. It's creamy. It's velvety. It's one of the most amazing sauces I've had.
I seared the fish on both sides (about 4 minutes each), served on top of wild rice and topped with pistachios and the ginger soy beurre blanc. Very easy and very tasty.

Mrs. Paul Cooks Dinner Tonight

It was FFY (Fend for Yourself) night again. Rich had drinks with the boys, so I was on my own. Phew! I have been avoiding the grocery store for a while. It's just a few weeks to Christmas and I know my ice box will be FILLED with necessary ingredients for the upcoming feast, and I only want to shop once for that. So, I opened the freezer. Bananas, lots of them. Note to self: make banana bread. Salmon, had that last night, lamb, the night before. Tilapia, promising. Then in the WAY back I saw the green box, a warmth came over me. YES, Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks. Tilapia, you loose.

As a child there was that rare, rare occasion that my mother announced, "Mrs. Paul is cooking dinner tonight". OH THE JOY. This meant a few amazing things.

1. We could eat in the breakfast room, not the dining room.
2. No forks necessary. Fingers were completely acceptable.
3. Ketchup was allowed.

Fish Sticks before Christmas

This may not mean much to others, but to me it was such a treat. Who doesn't like finger food? And ketchup, this was never to be seen on our dining room table! NO LABELS ON THE TABLE. There are two meals that my mother actually approves of where ketchup is the accompanying sauce: Mrs. Paul's fish sticks and Salmon Croquettes (and it just hit me, that we NEVER ate those in the dining room!)

So last night I grabbed a paper plate (no dishes to wash), mixed ketchup, horseradish and lemon in a bowl, took 8 fish sticks out of the oven, sat cross-legged on my sofa and ate with my fingers. Mrs. Paul hasn't changed since I was 8. She is still a wonderful cook and brought back a wonderful mother/daughter memory. It was a good night.

A Tree of Rosemary

Festive Rosemary Tree

Best buy all season. Rosemary doubling as a Christmas Tree in my kitchen, how festive? I plan to plant it in the spring (if I haven't used all the rosemary by then).
Most recent Rosemary Recipe...A Compound Butter

5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Let butter stand at room temperature until soft. Mix all together. Wah-la. Fancy Butter. Put it on meat, fish or bread (I've done all three).

Rack of Lamb is EASY

Lamb with Wild Rice and Edamame

I wanted to try something different that looked gourmet, so I thought, what's fancier than rack of lamb. It just sounds upscale. When Rich came home to see what I was cooking, he set the dining room table. Even he knew this was special. And that is the story of the first rack of lamb I made. Tonight...4 or 5 rack of lambs later...Rich walks in, on the phone with his mother, kisses me, then Webb and tells his mother. "Alright, looks like I'm having rack of lamb tonight!" He hasn't fallen over himself to set the table...yet. Rich now knows, this is a pretty simple task once you get over the fact that it's "rack of lamb".

1 Rack of Lamb, 1 1/2 lbs, 8 bones
Salt and Pepper
2 to 3 cloves garlic
2-3 sprigs rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter

Seriously. DO NOT BE AFRAID. Yes, it cost a little bit more than you would normally pay for meat, but worth it. I went to Costco and got a 1.57lb rack of lamb for $21.27. And this will feed 4. I've never been one to go on about how cheap things are, but this is NOT an expensive meal. We're talking less than $6 per person.

Preparing the Meat  Score the fat (in diagonals) of lamb with sharp knife. Flip the rack over and remove the membrane. This is a light film that holds the bones together. Best way to take it off...use a spoon to get underneath then pull straight up with a paper towel. Believe me, this is the easiest way to do it. Generally coat lamb with salt, pepper and garlic and rub in with olive oil. Let sit out for at least two hours before cooking.

Cook the Rack Preheat oven to 400º. Place the lamb rack, bone side down (fat side up). This will keep the meat moist. You want the fat to drip through the meat, which gives it great flavor. Wrap the rib bones in foil so that they don’t burn. Who knew that's why they did that? Insert a meat thermometer into the CENTER of the meat. (I failed to do this last night, I missed center by an inch of so) Cook for 7 minutes on 400º then reduce heat to 300º and cook until internal temperature is 125º.

The Fix Since I placed the thermometer incorrectly, I saw that some of my meat was raw. I went ahead and cut my servings. Two bones a person. I then seared each side in a really hot oiled pan for about 30 seconds. DONE!
Simple, easy and delish. TRY IT, you will not be disappointed.

The Quick Sammich

FFY Sammich

Tonight was FFY (Fend for Yourself). Perfect.
I made an easy sandwich with a lot of taste. Prosciutto, Swiss and Apple.

2 slices whole wheat white bread
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons country Dijon mustard
2 slices swiss cheese
3 thin slices of prosciutto

Spread butter on 4 sides of bread. Heat skillet to medium high and toast one side of bread, about one minute. Flip bread and top both toasted side with Swiss cheese. Smear mustard evenly on both sides. lay proscuitto in pan to cook for about 15 seconds then add on top of mustard. Sliced apples go on top of proscuitto. Combine both sides until cheese is melted. Serve with apple slices and Zapps Crawtater Chips! Rich had Lucky Charms. Mine was better.

Six Cloves of Garlic Never Tasted so Subtle

Pasta, Chicken and Garlic.

Tired from 4 days at the beach and a lot of seafood, I've decided to get back to our routine
and do a little feel good, stay-at-home cooking.
It's raining out and there's nothing  better than making my house smell good with food...easiest way...garlic!

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Garlic Chicken and Pasta

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2 chicken breasts
6 cloves garlic
olive oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cup water
2 cups Campanelle pasta
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Season and Sear In a a small bowl, marinate oil with 2 cloves grated garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, tablespoons lemon juice and parsley. Set aside. Cut the chicken breasts into 6 to 8 pieces, I try to make them the same thickness so that they will cook evenly. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and sear chicken on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. I'm amazed at how this works, but if you REALLY leave the chicken ALONE for 3 to 4 minutes and not move it, it will get an amazing brown, true sear on the chicken. Flip chicken and sear the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat to a plate then cover with another plate (my version of tenting) and set skillet aside to cool for a minute or so.

Concentrate and Cook I'm not saying you have to pay extra attention now, I'm just expressing the fact that this is where a lot of the flavor comes into this dish. Once pan has cooled a bit add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat on medium-high heat, 5 cloves garlic and pepper flakes for about 3 minutes until garlic turns a tan color. Add wine and scrape up the brown parts left by cooked chicken with a wooden spoon and reduce liquid until almost gone. This is where the concentration part happens...make sure you cook the garlic and pepper flakes in the wine until the liquid is almost gone, the flavor in the end is amazing because of this step. Add water, chicken stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pasta. Pasta should simmer for about 15 minutes until liquid reduces and gets thick. 

Flavor and Flaunt Place chicken in pasta mixture and warm, about 1 to 2 minutes. Take off heat and add olive oil mixture marinating from step one. Flaunt your flavorful dish with a garnish of chopped parsley. 

The texture and flavor of the sauce will impress your taste buds. It actually looks like something from a restaurant. Six cloves of garlic never tasted so subtle.  

Recipe Ups and Downs

Okay, I have to admit, I have made this meal 4 times and finally I can write about it. The original recipe is from ATK Cooking for Two 2010 Skillet Shrimp Scampi with Campanelle Pasta. I made the ATK recipe to a tee the first round and it was delicious. I don't always have shrimp but I do have chicken, so round 2 I used chicken but realized I didn't cook the chicken at the right temperature or the pasta long enough...it was the right done-ness, but the sauce wasn't the correct thickness. Round three, also with chicken, I used WAY too many red pepper flakes and the whole dish ended up burning my mouth. The 4th round was a true success. I altered the original recipe by adding more wine, more chicken stock, less water and eliminating extra ingredient bowls. (there are only two bowls that are needed for the current recipe. Small bowl for marinating garlic in olive oil and a skillet for the pasta.) VERY little to clean up in the kitchen afterward.

Variations Since this is a one skillet dish, I was thinking about adding a 1/2 cup green peas at the end and possible a nut...maybe walnut? Just a thought.

5th Annual Playford Thanksgiving Shindig

Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, turkey and beer, right? Well, it is for me and Rich. Our tradition started in 2005 when Rich and I were dating. I invited him down to the beach to spend Thanksgiving with my family, but it wasn't just that...I also told him he was in charge of cooking the turkey. What an introduction to the whole family! To prepare Rich decided to have a trial run and use all of our friends as guinea pigs. The first year was a fried Turkey, a case of beer and a bag of Fritos. Five years later...1 smoked turkey, 2 fried turkeys, a ham and a Po'Man's tenderloin...with all the fixin's. We now invite everyone we know and their friends and open the dining room table up to all casseroles, sides, snacks and desserts. Each year something new is added, last year Potato Soup and Apple Cider...this year, a smoked turkey. 

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Just chillin'. Waiting on my smoke sauna.

The Smoked Turkey
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Living in Memphis and eating a LOT of Neely's wings and ribs, AND having a new smoker, we started with the Neely's Smoked Turkey Recipe then added a few things.

The Turkey 

21.8 Lb Turkey

The Brine

1 gallon water
2 cups salt
3 cups apple juice
1 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 cup brown sugar

Put the turkey in double lined garbage sack. Mix all ingredients until salt and sugar have dissolved then pour on top of the bird. Place the bird in a cooler with ice. Brine turkey over night and turn every three hours. Take him out in the morning, pat him dry and rub him down!

The Rub

2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sage
1 1/2 tablespoons thyme
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of Rich's Rub (recipe calls for Neelys' Rub, but since Rich makes his own, we use our stuff)
Coat turkey in olive oil (like suntan lotion, get all parts) and massage the mixture into the bird.

Light the fires and kick the tires.

The Smoking

4 cups wood chunks, we use a combination of of hickory and apple
1-2 bags of charcoal, depending on weather and cooking time, if you're a smoker, get two, you'll use it eventually
Apple juice in spray bottle
1 cup bourbon

Soak the wood chunks for about an hour. Light the charcoal in a chimney starter. When charcoal has ashed over, pour into smoker. Place wood chunks on top of coals. Put a tin pan on the smoker with water and bourbon. Place turkey on grill, breast up. Insert a probe thermometer in the fat part of the thigh. Now you're smokin'. A watchful eye is necessary. This gives Rich a reason to drink beer and stare at fire. It's a man thing, I guess. Keep coals hot and smoker temperature around 225ºF. Add coals and wood as needed to maintain temperature. Cover bird with foil when he gets golden (about 30 minutes). Cook 4 to 5 hours until thermometer reads 160ºF.
Let rest for 20 minutes and carve!

Fire started at 6:00, bird went on at 7:00 am. and done by noon.

Jump in the Mouth

Chicken Saltimbocca. I still haven't figured out how to pronounce this.. Salt em boo ka? Salt en bo ka? However, I do know what it means..."jump in the mouth" (it's Italian...and the only phrase I know besides Ciao!). Jump in the Mouth is the perfect description for this dish...truly amazing and easy to make with the right ingredients. Traditionally Saltimbocca is made with veal, this version is chicken.
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My Version of America's Test Kitchen Chicken Saltimbocca
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From the pages of Cooking for Two 2010

1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour

4 (3-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, 1/4 to 1/2" thick (cut a chicken breast in half and pound it flat or do like I did and buy chicken tenders and pound, much easier to manage)

Pepper

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage, plus 4 Large whole leaves 

4 thin slices prosciutto (about 3 ounces)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra as needed

1 small shallot, minced

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Salt

Dredge and Assemble. Spread 1/4 cup of the flour in a shallow dish. pat the cutlets dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Dredge cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess. Sprinkle the minced sage evenly over the top of the cutlets, top with a piece of the prosciutto, and press lightly on the prosciutto to help it adhere.

Prepare the Garnish. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the whole sage leaves and cook until the leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Remove leaves and rest on a paper towel.

Cook the Chicken. Carefully lay the chicken cutlets in skillet, prosciutto-side down, and cook until lightly browned on th first side, about 2 minutes. Flip the cutlets and continue to cook about 1 minutes longer. Transfer cutlets to a plate and tent with foil until ready to serve.

Make the Sauce. Pour off any excess oil, leaving just a table spoon, or add more to equal a tablespoon if necessary. Add teh shallot and cook over medium high heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of flour. Whisk in the broth and vermouth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is  slightly thickened and has reduced to 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes.

Heat to Serve. Return the chicken to the skillet, prosciutto side up, alon with any accumulated juice and simmer until heated through, about 30 seconds. Plate chicken.

Finish the Sauce. Off the heat, whisk the butter, parsley and lemon juice into the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets, garnish with whole sage leaves and serve.

Chicken Wine...La Vieille Ferme

Why Yes, I'll have some of The Old Farm this evening.

MAGNUM P.I. I'm not about to "review" a wine. I am in no way a connoisseur...more of an enthusiast...especially if I have a partner in crime (usually my husband or best girlfriends...Erica!!!!). I'm just going to strongly suggest that everyone try it. It is the current wine of Chez Playford....It's good. It's reasonable priced. And you can buy 'em big. Have recently moved from white to red due to the cooler weather...both  equally delicious.

 

What I learned about the red (Côtes du Ventoux):

Appearance : deep cherry red.
Nose : ripe fruit, rich and spicy.
Palate : good solid red wine with pleasant tannins.

And the white (Côtes du Luberon):

Appearance : bright pale yellow with hints of green.
Nose : green fruit, corn and hazel-nuts.
Palate : soft, balanced and deliciously aromatic.

Oh, and another interesting tidbit from the website...it was created in the best year...1974 (yes, I just told you my age, vintage.)

Cheers!

The Holidays Are Here

It's that time of year again. I have just made 4 Pretzel Salads. Yes, FOUR...one for my office potluck, one for Rich's office potluck, one for our Thanksgiving Blow Out and the other for Rich and I to snack on! This will not be the last of the Pretzel Salad, Christmas is right around the corner.

Raspberries, Butter, Whipped Cream Cheese with Sugar and Pretzels.

Pretzel Salad has been a Playford holiday tradition since 1981. The Playford's lived at Dyess Air Force Base (outside of Abilene, Texas) when Lin, my mother-in-law, got the recipe from a neighbor Lori Carson. It isn’t Thanksgiving or Christmas without this Pretzel Salad.

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1⅔ cup sugar
2⅔ cup small pieces of broken pretzels
1 cup melted butter
1 8 oz. cool whip
1 6 oz. package raspberry jello (large)
2 cups water
1 large package frozen raspberries without sugar

View full recipeFIRST: Make the Jello by using directions on the package and start to gel Jello. This is the longest part of the recipe, so make sure you do this FIRST!

SECOND: Grease a 9 x 13 casserole by using the butter wrappers, efficiency is key. Mix pretzels and butter in casserole and bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Cool until luke warm.

THIRD: While Pretzels are cooking, cream the cream cheese and sugar until the mixture is smooth and you can no longer tell there is sugar in it. (You’ll have to taste a lot to tell, oh the challenges of the cook!)

FOURTH: Spread cream cheese layer on top of pretzels. It’s best if you dollop the cream cheese then spread. (That will keep the pretzels from mixing with the cream cheese.) Refrigerate if you have time (and you will, the Jello hasn’t gelled yet). Add the layer of cool whip. Cool casserole. (I usually keep sticking it in the refrigerator.)

FIFTH: Once the Jello is a bit soupy and can hold the raspberries, stir raspberries into Jello. Pour over top of cool whip. Chill. The 9 x 13 Casserole will look like it will not hold the Jello, but it will, it will just be really full! Don’t worry. The more, the better.

Cooking for Two, 2010

Cooking for Two 2010

I must honor the masters that peaked my interest enough to try SO many fool-proof new recipes. American Test Kitchen Cookbook, Cooking for Two 2010.  I have been getting Cook's Illustrated (from America's Test Kitchen, ATK) for several years now, my Godmother gave it to me for Christmas and it's the one subscription I NEVER let expire. My Aunt from Houston also takes Cook's Illustrated and makes the BEST Curry dish...recipe from January/February Curry Demystified issue. I knew I couldn't go wrong with any cookbook published by ATK, Cooking for Two Cookbook...best money I've spent in a while! I've even put the 2009 Edition on my wish list for this Christmas. (I hope my husband reads this!!)

I've only made it about 1/3 of the way through, but so far, the past few weeks have put my taste buds in over drive. Recipes made from this cookbook to follow in the next few weeks.

Ginger Chicken with Garlic Wild Rice

Ginger-Soy Chicken with Garlic Wild Rich

I had Chinese take out the other night and it got me thinking...why can't I do this at home? I know, the point of take out is so you don't have to cook, but I'm strange in the way that I truly enjoy cooking.

I mistakenly bought chicken tenders (in bulk) instead of chicken breasts and wasn't sure what I was going to do with my mis-chosen meat. I also had a piece of ginger that was soon to be a shriveled root. I needed to use both, so here's what I did.

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Ginger Chicken with Garlic Wild Rice
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1 Package of Chicken Tenders (equal to two chicken breasts)
Soy Sauce
2 Clove Garlic
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

1 Teaspoon Ginger Root, grated
Red Pepper Flakes
1 4oz. Package Wild Rice
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter2 Cups Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup White Wine
8 Asparagus Spears, cut in 4 pieces

Marinate chicken tenders and asparagus in a zip lock bag with soy sauce, 1 grated garlic clove, lemon juice, grated ginger and red pepper flakes (up to you on how hot you like it).

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter with remaining grated garlic clove. Once the garlic starts to sizzle add rice and stir for a minute or two. Add chicken stock and wine, bring to a boil. Cut heat to a simmer for 1 hour or until there is no more liquid (check after 40 minutes to be sure, every stove is different when simmering).

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet. Once hot, add chicken and asparagus mixture. Cook on medium-high for 4 minutes (let the chicken stay in place so that you get good brown marks). Turn chicken, roll asparagus and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Plate food and add a few dashes of soy sauce on top of all. It's not exactly take out, but it doesn't taste all that bad either.

The Onion Addition: If you continue to read my blog, you will learn that my husband LOATHES onions, therefore, I am unable to cook with onions. IF you do not have an onion allergy or aversion, add onions, I'm sure it would be a great addition.

Possible Variation: Besides adding onions, I'd also like to try adding carrots, celery and peanuts in the marinated items.

The Salad

Grilled Salmon Spinach salad.

I believe "the salad" has always been my favorite part of a meal, even when I was younger. There's something about crisp, cold lettuce that burst in your mouth...especially if you have bacon and cheese with it. One of my standard meals out, as anyone who knows me can tell you, is a salad and french fries or a salad and an appetizer. There's just TOO much to choose from on a menu at a restaurant and I can never decide what to have. The method to my madness on dining out...I get my favorites right off (salad and a side) those are EASY to choose. Then I get a sampling of what everyone else at the table is having. This is one of my husbands pet peeves about me (although, now I think he thinks it's cute.)  and I get to have a bite of what everyone else is having, but I don't have to commit to that huge bowl of pasta or ginormous steak or that strange seafood surprise dish. I can simply sample them all.

Since salad is one of my favorites, I had to come up with a simple method for one at home. I have rules...no bought dressing. My father taught me how to make salad dressing and I've never looked back. (although mine is better). AND a good salad should have these three ingredients. Lettuce/greens (obviously) fruit, nut and cheese...throw in a protein, even better. Any combination will work, try them all! It's fun to see what will work. My go-to recipe....

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My Salad
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Spinach
Sliced Strawberries
Toasted Pecans
Goat Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Layer and Toss Salt and Pepper two handfuls of spinach per person in a salad bowl. Very lightly drizzle your favorite honey onto the spinach. Toast crushed pecans on low in a dry skillet, watch them closely, they will burn quickly if  not watched. Dump nuts on top of honey, slice a few strawberries on top then top with crumbled goat cheese. When meal is ready and it's time to serve. Drizzle red wine vinegar over all (about 3 seconds), then drizzle balsamic vinegar over all (about 3 seconds), next drizzle good extra virgin olive oil (4 seconds). Toss all with two spoons. Scoop and serve.

Variations
Once you get the basics, it's easy to try different things. Top it with grilled salmon, flank steak or grilled chicken. Substitute pear with strawberries and blue cheese with goat or almonds with walnuts. Add raisins or craisins. To make a creamier dressing add one dollop of prepared ranch dressing (ok, it's the only dressing I buy, you can use it for SO many things...but it's never used FULL ON with my salads) or mayonnaise will do too, even a tablespoon of buttermilk if you have it will work. Ham with Cheddar and grapes. The possibilities are endless.

Ah, The Scallop

Scallops

Scallops are my favorite seafood. Easy to cook. Easy to prepare and one of the best tastes you’ll ever encounter.
Perfect for a side or main dish and always a decadent addition to a meal. Flavor delicate, texture silky and smooth. It doesn’t get better than that.

I had never ordered scallops when I was eating out UNTIL...my 32nd birthday (and I didn't really order it then). My husband took me to The Hunt Phelan in Memphis for a to-die-for, 7-Course Tasting menu. Our favorite was scallops and corn (course #3). I’ve been hooked from that moment.

I immediately had to recreate that small plate that sent me to food heaven. I researched, I studied, I agonized over exactly how to cook the scallop. I usually tackle any cooking task that way—research and read different recipes, then take all of that information and come up with my own version.
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Seared Scallops and Shrimp with Corn and Bacon in Truffle Oil
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Scallops and Shrimp

1-2 Scallops for each person
2-3 Shrimp, peeled and deveined for each person

Corn and Bacon with Truffle Oil

4 ears of white corn (or 2 cans)
3 slices of bacon, cubed small
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
Salt and Pepper

The Corn and Bacon Shuck and clean corn. Cut kernels off the cob and put in a pot with boiling water and salt. Cook until done and drain water. Using scissors, (it’s easier) cut bacon into four long strips then snip strips into small cubes. Using a skillet large enough for the scallops, fry bacon on medium heat until crisp. Add bacon to drained corn leaving some grease in skillet. Add truffle oil to corn and bacon. Taste corn for seasoning and add salt, pepper and more truffle oil if necessary.

The Scallops and Shrimp Remove side muscle from scallops, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat skillet with bacon grease on medium-high heat. Place scallop with tongs into heated pan. DO NOT move the scallop once you have placed it in the pan. Sear scallops for 1-½ minutes on each side. Your scallops are DONE, and perfectly cooked. I PROMISE. Transfer from skillet to a plate. Tent with another plate until time to serve. 

Salt and Pepper shrimp and cook in same grease until done, about 3 minutes.

On large plate, place one scallop and two shrimp on one side with corn and bacon on the other. Anyone you serve this to will be impressed.

Salt Packed Red Snapper

Red Snapper caught in Alabama by Rich Playford.

Whole Fish...we're talking head, tail, eyes, teeth...everything. Rich decided to try cooking a whole fish packed in salt...something he heard from a coworker. I went all over town looking for a whole fish...no luck. All local grocery stores said to try an Asian market. BINGO. I sent my husband to market, Viet Hoa Food Market to be exact (40 N. Cleveland, Memphis).

Rich walked in with 2 red snapper both about 1.5 lbs. We stuffed the cavity with lemon slices (wished we had fresh thyme but didn't so that was omitted). Mixed 3 lbs. coarse sea salt with egg whites and a little water. Note about salt: It is most important that you use coarse salt. Using regular table salt will make your fish way too salty. Surprisingly this method does not taste over salty. Coarse sea salt  or kosher salt is best.

Scales and skin come right off!

Layer about a 1/2" of salt mixture on the bottom of a fish plate, gingerly place the snapper on top then coated with remaining salt in a slight mound, leaving the head and tail in sight. Poor thing looked like he had been rolled up into a snowball. The oven was preheated to 450ºF and the fish went in for 27 minutes. The goal is to create a hard outer crust that keeps all the juices where they are suppose to be...inside fish resulting in perfectly seasoned, succulent meat. Encrusting will ensure that the fish is cooked evenly without any dryness. This method is quick, easy and has quite the presentation.

Once cooked, take a hammer to your snowballed fish. The salt should crack off in chunks. The skin will easily slide off the meat of the fish with a butter knife. Take a spatula and run in on top of the back bone. Wah-la. A beautiful piece of perfectly cooked red snapper. Take the back bone out and get the remaining fish from the dish.

Red Snapper from Viet Hoa in Memphis

Can't go wrong with this method. We will do it again, VERY SOON.

Bucket 'o Fish from Alabama

THE UPDATE Attempt #2 at a whole fish. Rich, my amazing husband, went fishing off the Alabama coast during Thanksgiving and brought back loads of red fish. While at the beach, we cooked another round of incredible salt packed fish. This time we removed the whole fish from the salt and transferred him to a plate, that way when getting the fish off the bone, if it falls to the side, no dips in the coarse salt. We squeezed a generous amount of lemon juice on top of fish and added pepper. What a treat to have fresh fish for Thanksgiving. Not traditional, but possibly a Playford NEW tradition.

Webb's Big Day in Church

My son Webb is going to be Christened this Sunday. After the ceremony our family will join us for lunch, the menu closely resembles my niece's Baptismal Brunch.

The Ham was done by my father, Webb (my son's namesake). I asked for a recipe and as usual got two different ones. One from my father and one from my mother. My mother said pierce the meat. My father shaking his head no in the background and mouthing silently, "DO NOT DO THAT!" This argument went on for a while and I never really got the true recipe. I plan on making it for Thanksgiving, so I will post the recipe then.

My Godmother Christine made and brought the grits. She used the Paula Dean recipe. Any southerner knows you can trust Paula Dean with grits, especially the cheesy kind.


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Burch's Christening Spinach Madeline

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Elizabeth Burch Franklin, born October 15, 2001 was christened in Tunica and my sister-in-law, Penny, served Spinach Madeline that was delicious. I helped make it and squeezing the spinach of juice was definitely worth it.

3 pkgs frozen chopped spinach

1 1/2 stick margarine

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup Parmesean cheese

1 1/2 cup sour cream

1 can artichokes, cut in half

Cook and drain spinach. (Squeeze it if you have to get all the moisture out.) Saute onions in butter. Mix all ingredients together and bake 30 minutes at 350°.

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 Curried Fruit

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This is a classic in Greenwood for brunches. It’s a great warm fruit dish and goes well with a lot of different foods. Feeds a lot and is surprisingly good!

1 can pears

1 large can sliced peaches

1 large can pineapple chunks

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons curry powder (the good stuff, it makes a difference)

Drain fruit well. Melt butter, sugar and curry. Don’t cover. Bake at 325° for one hour.

Home for the Holidays

The other half and I hosted our first Christmas in 2009. For 35 years I have had the exact same meal on December 25th. My mother had that same meal 30 years prior. We call it the Lott Christmas Dinner. Being a new Playford, it was time to start another tradition and combine the Lott meal with a Playford twist. Prime Rib has been a standard for the Playford's and as my husband says...who wants a Turkey a month after Thanksgiving? After LOTS of research, we watched Alton Brown work his magic on a standing rib roast. We followed Alton’s cooking method and it was the best meat we have ever served. This may become the NEW Playford tradition. FYI: My father was VERY reluctant about the cooking time of this beef...he is more of a quick-fire grill meat cooker. Today, he says nothing about our cooking skills and proclaims it was the best meat he ever had.

NOTE: You must have a digital thermometer for this to turn out to complete perfection.

THE STANDING RIB ROAST

Alton Brown's Standing Rib Roast

1 10lb 4-bone-in standing rib roast from the loin end
Canola oil, to coat roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to cover entire roast
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
4 fresh sage leaves
2 pats butter

DRY AGING THE MEAT

Place the roast in tupperware with a kitchen towel underneath it to drain juices and a towel on top, this draws the moisture out and helps intensify the flavor of the meat. Keep meat in icebox for 3 days. Check towels to make sure they are not soaked, if so, replace them daily. Once meat has aged, trim off any hard parts.

COOKING THE ROAST

Once dry aged meat is trimmed, coat with oil and rub salt and pepper all over. Leave out for atleast 3 hours. The meat must be at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 250º on convection. Place a probe thermometer into the center of the roast and set for 118º. Turn the oven down to 200ºF and roast until internal temperature is achieved.

Remove the roast and turn oven up to 500ºF. Cover with heavy-duty foil. Allow the roast to rest until an internal temperature of 130ºF. is reached. Place the roast back into the preheated 500 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and transfer roast to a cutting board. Keep covered with foil until ready to serve.

Place the roasting pan over low heat and deglaze with 1 cup of water. Add the wine and reduce by half. Roll the sage leaves in between your fingers to release the flavors and aroma. Add to the sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add a few pats of butter to make it glossy, strain and serve on the side.

Can also serve with Sour Cream, Blue Cheese and Horseradish sauce.