Ready for 'S More?

If you're like me, you're ready for a long break from kitchen duty about now... The holidays were great, but it's all I can do to plan another meal. After my daughter's wedding on Dec 19th, eighteen people staying here (off & on), Sinterklaas & Zwart Piet visiting my grandkids, two birthdays, Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas morning breakfast, and Christmas evening Waffle-Fest for fifty - I refuse to cook for a few days.



But my grandkids didn't care... because we made S'mores!



And the best part is they weren't sticky (other than the glue before it dried...)



The grandkids gave me a S'More kit - and we had a blast. Each little s'more person was a unique creation - just like the kids who made them. This one is supposed to resemble my eight-month-old grandson - only one marshmallow tall.



And this one was made by my two-year-old grandson... it strangely resembles Grandma after the past two weeks of holiday cheer. I'd show you my face next to it, but you wouldn't be able to tell us apart. I thought the hands in the air were a nice touch...

Hope your holidays were superb. Check back soon - I've saved up some great recipes.

Lebkuchan - four generations of cookie bliss...

Happy Holidays all! I'm on the verge of my daughter's wedding in the next few days - so posts will be few for a while. I wanted to share one of my all-time-favorite recipes before I take a few days off. If you try nothing else - I hope you try these.



These have been a family favorite for at least four generations - possibly more. We can’t find where the original recipe actually came from. I remember watching my mother make these while standing (probably a bit too close!) right under her elbow, getting bumped occasionally as she rolled them out.



Mom knew how to make a kid WANT a cookie... She insisted on “aging” the cookies in our cold storage room for almost three weeks - agony for all of us waiting since the day after Thanksgiving when she baked them.



My family refuses to wait for them to age, but it takes at least a day for them to soften and develop the soft, chewy texture that we love. As they stand for a few days the glaze hardens and turns white, reminding us of broken ice when we take the first bite.



Try these... You’ll never look at traditional Christmas cookies the same way again. Amongst all the plethora of decadent goodies out there - this one reigns supreme in our family. Not too sweet, with a light spicy flavor - we just can’t leave these alone. This is near the top of my top ten recipes. Merry Christmas!

For this recipe favorite, detailed photos, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Budget "Beef-aroni" - old fashioned comfort food...

Anyone out there remember “Beefaroni”? Maybe I’m the only one that old now - but seriously it was my favorite pasta-in-a-can. I’ve tried lots of recipes that try to duplicate it - but I think mine (of course!) is the real deal... And guess what? It’s still out there! Maybe you even remember the advertising jingle:

We’re having Beefaroni! It’s beef and macaroni! Beefaroni’s full of meat. Beefaroni’s fun to eat. Beefaroni’s really neat. Hooray! Whee! For Chef Boy-ar-dee!

This week I had a good amount of ground beef I needed to use, and meatloaf just didn’t sound good. It made me think of our favorite comfort soup. I usually make this family stand-by with crumbled ground beef and it’s wonderful - but this time I made it into meatballs.



I formed tiny meatballs (smaller than normal) and placed them in a heavy pan in a 350 degree oven. After watching them, and testing a few - I determined they were finished about an hour later. After taking most of the meatballs and packaging them to freeze, I had about 2 cups left.



Over the years, I’ve seen similar recipes, but they turn out too watery to resemble my favorite canned Beefaroni. The thing I liked about Chef Boy-ar-dee’s was the creamy, but not too thick sauce. Once I added a can of condensed tomato soup to the mix - it was perfect. I still like it to be a bit soupy, but not watery - so my recipe has evolved over years of making it.



And yes, kids love it - it DOES have macaroni you know... If you want it more “classy” - change the pasta to something fancy.

For the recipe - tweaks included - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Bakery Style French Bread - with the chewy crust you love...

A surprisingly simple recipe for what we have all learned to love in classic French Bread... My cherished 30(+) year old bread cookbook describes it this way: “a cracklingly crisp crust - as close as you can come to French bakeshop bread”. Enough said, this is a good example of “less is more.”



We have grown tired of rolls for Sunday dinner lately (yes, that is possible!) So a few days ago I developed a craving for crunchy, chewy, fragrant french bread - and not the ‘fancy’ kind either.
I flipped through my cookbook stash and found one I worshiped as a newlywed years ago. As you can see from the photo - it’s worn, discolored, and splattered from use - the sign of a good cookbook. It warmed my heart to run my fingers over those pages - I haven’t consulted it in years. I don’t even think it’s in print any longer. I’m sure this recipe is not a closely held family secret of anyone out there, but it’s a good one.



I tried two different methods of letting it rise. First - I immediately formed it, let it rise briefly, and baked it immediately (about 2 hours). Second - I followed the directions implicitly - but set it out in my (very chilly) garage so I wouldn’t have to bake it immediately (the refrigerator was full...) In essence - the second method was what I would call “refrigerator french bread”. My son liked this version - he said it just tasted better. I agree. Ample rising time is important for french bread to develop that great flavor.



One of my newly married couples came to dinner on Sunday, and my new daughter-in-law asked if I was going to “blog about the french bread”... So, Rachel - this one’s for you!

For the full recipe, photos, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

"Loaded" Creamy Potato Bake - it's ALL in here...

All those group Christmas parties are going on right now, and I needed to come up with something unusual for our Conference Center Shift Christmas Social tonight. We all love the common ‘funeral’ and ‘au-gratin’ potato varieties - and I was too weary to make twice baked today. So I decided to come up with a new combination using favorite baked potato toppings.

It was quite the experiment, but I think I will make it again. Everyone loved the little mashed potato rosettes brushed with butter and baked to a light brown. My Conference Center friends were making fun of me - calling these “Anne’s Designer Potatoes”...They better stop ridiculing me, or I’ll stop bringing my experiments!



Lately I've been discouraged by starchy, gluey mashed potatoes - so I cooked these differently. Until I get a potato “ricer” - I decided to boil the potatoes in their skins this time. Once tender, I peeled them and mashed them lightly with a potato masher. The other ingredients soaked right into the fluffy potatoes, and they whipped up nicely without turning into a glob of glue.



Once baked, it was fun taking the first scoop out of the dish - revealing the layers of chives, cheese, and bacon. I can’t wait to see if these are good “nuked” (as my sons describe the process of microwaving...)



For this newly created recipe, along with step-by-step photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Red Velvet Cheesecake - thou shalt not ENVY...

Just when you think cheesecake can’t get any better... Layers of moist red velvet cake and creamy cheesecake make this an over-the-top experience. The cream cheese frosting holds it all together with just enough sweetness, while not overpowering your taste buds.



At my son’s wedding a few months ago, this amazing cheesecake took a bow as their wedding cake. If we hadn’t been well-mannered people - it could have turned into a stampede to see who could get the first slice.



Yes - cheesecake this great can only be found at Cheesecake Factory - but this recipe yields a close second. I’ve been hunting for it for months now - and last week being my son’s birthday motivated me to step it up a bit.



I found variations of this recipe on about five different websites - and nobody ‘fessed up to where they found it. So - whoever is responsible for this making it’s way to the worldwide web - THANK YOU!



For the recipe for this fantastic dessert, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Gingered Lemon Chicken - try it with Pomegranate...

The origin of this recipe has been long forgotten, but it always comes to my mind when I want a fast-fix dinner idea for one or two. It can be on the table within about 30 minutes - and most of that time is waiting for the rice to cook completely. I also tried it with pomegranate juice instead of lemon, and it was fabulous.



This is great to use with the individually packaged Costco chicken breasts. If I’ve forgotten to thaw a 2-pack, I put it in a sink of warm water for about 5-10 minutes while I assemble the marinade and sauce ingredients. I discovered sesame oil in the Chinese section of the grocery store. It comes in a very small bottle, and anything you add a few drops to takes on an Asian flavor. We like this over rice or chinese noodles, but even Rice-A-Roni would be fine. If you have ‘purists’ in your family - serve the sauce on the side to dip the chicken into.



I decided to try the POM pomegranate juice I was sent by the POM company a few weeks ago. First I thickened it with a little Ultra-Gel and just used it as a drizzle over romaine, sliced grapes, and winter pears. Next time I would add a little sugar - it was a wee bit tart. Then I made the lemon sauce for the chicken again - this time substituting POM pomegranate juice for the 1/2 cup water and lemon juice. I wasn’t sure how the ginger would go with the juice, but it was tasty! This would be a nice holiday entree - and it couldn’t be easier! The juice is such an amazing red color - it’s appetizing just looking at it.



For this recipe, along with variations & photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Jamie's Cheese Soup - a definite keeper!

I love recipes like this one... Few steps with predictable results - it’s a keeper. It also makes enough to feed a substantial sized group. This would be easy to add other veggies to - and even leftover holiday ham. Jamie’s claims were true - it takes less than an hour and everyone loves it.



I stumbled upon this terrific recipe while browsing through my favorite food blogs. Jamie of jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com has a fun site with very practical, down-to-earth recipes that my family would love. I found this one the day after Thanksgiving and tried it with turkey sandwiches. Yum!



I did add a few more bouillon cubes (because I don’t like to have to hunt for the S&P shakers). But I DO need some advice... how in the world do you peel those miserable little wrappers off so MANY bouillon cubes?! By the time I peeled twelve I was ready to pull my hair out! Suggestions anyone?



I also added about a cup of diced celery for a little more interest, texture, and color. This recipe is similar to a Broccoli Cheese soup we have enjoyed for years - but I liked the fact that you didn’t add the cooking water with the vegetables. That makes the texture much more predictable! Thanks Jamie...

For my photos & Jamie's recipe that I adapted, go to:
www.changeabletable.com