GRANDMA'S BRAG BOOK---MY FOUR YOUNGEST GRANDCHILDREN

Yesterday they were babies.  Little pastel beanbags I put over my shoulder to calm then and burp them.  Now they are basketball and soccer players.  They know more than their parents know.  Just ask them.  I have been through this process before, but I still don't understand it.  How can time go so fast?  And where does time go?

 The "baby" of the family.

 The teenager!

 The North Carolina Duo, missed so much when they are not in Michigan.

STORING CARROTS, CELERY, PARSNIPS, AND CELERY ROOT--A GREAT TIP FROM A CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL GRADUATE

A months ago I was privilege to attend a dinner at a cooking school and store sponsored by Waddell-Reed.  I was invited by Financial Adviser Gerald Leffring and attended with some of his family.  The school, Cichetti in North Muskegon,  is run by Jill Hansen and I felt like I was in a candy or toy store.  What a fun night. 

 

Fireplace at Cichetti.

Jill sells salts from around the world.

Jill didn't give out recipes, but I took copious notes and have pretty much duplicated most of her different items and my copy-cat recipes will appear on this blog.  She did give some great helpful hints too.  One hint was for storing carrots and celery.  I expanded it to carrots, celery, parsnips, and celery root as that is what I bought at one of the last Farmer's Markets of the season to duplicate one of Jill's recipes.  After I purchased the vegetables I decided to go to Maine and didn't have time to cook them so I tried Jill's hint.

Jill said to store carrots and celery wrap them in aluminum foil and put them in the refrigerator.  I didn't have any celery, but I wrapped my other vegetables.

My aluminum wrapped vegetables.

 

 

 

 



After almost three months in the refrigerator, the vegetables look as fresh as when I bought them.

 

 

 

 



Look how beautiful these carrots look.

 

 

 



 These poor carrots are only a few weeks old.  They got lost in my refrigerator vegetable drawer.  They look pretty sad.  So thank you, Jill, for a wonderful hint that I will be using often.

 

 

DO NOT STORE POTATOES OR SWEET POTATOES IN THE REFRIGERATOR.  Both kinds of potatoes need to be stored in a cool, dry, dark area.  Do not store potatoes and onions together.

 

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP WITH LEEKS AND CABBAGE--A PLEASANTLY DELIGHTFUL FLAVORED SOUP--A MUST TRY!!!!

Here in Grand Haven, it is a cold, gray day with snow squalls sweeping in from the Lake periodically.  A good time for a big pot of soup with lots of vegetables.  Vegetables with all their vitamins and minerals really help to ward off all the colds and flu going around right now.  It would be hard to find another recipe which tastes so good and has all the different groups of vegetables in it.  From parsley to potatoes, from tomatoes to onions, from carrots to cabbage, this soup has them all. 

JOYCE'S VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP WITH LEEKS AND CABBAGE

My dear friend and neighbor, Joyce, gave me this recipe.  I was busy writing down her ingredients and instructions when as an ingredient she listed ketchup.  Ketchup?  I've never put ketchup in a soup.  Well there is always a first time.  To my delight, the ketchup gives the cabbage and vegetables the same mouth-watering appeal as it does French fried potatoes and cheeseburgers.  You spoon into your bowl of soup and wonder what is that a little spicy, a little sweet ingredient(s) that gives this soup its unique taste?  The wonderful uniqueness keeps you wondering until your soup bowl is empty and your are ready for more.




JOYCE'S VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP WITH LEEKS AND CABBAGE
This soup is so tasty and so nutritious.

2 lbs. lean ground hamburger
3 leeks, chopped
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 stick of butter, I used less
4-6 cups of water
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 (   )cans tomatoes with juice
2 big Spanish onions, coarsely chopped
1 lb. bag carrots, chopped
Little red new potatoes, amount to taste
1 small to medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c ketchup
1 bunch parsley, chopped
Black pepper, fresh ground, to taste
More water if needed

Ingredients:  Lean ground beef, beef bouillon, canned tomatoes, leeks, celery, butter, carrots, Spanish onions, cabbage, little red potatoes, parsley, ketchup and black pepper.


Heat a large skillet and brown beef a little at a time so the meat browns and doesn't steam.  Put cooked meat into a stock pot.  When meat is all browned, add butter to skillet and chopped leeks and celery.  Saute to soften.  Add to stock pot.  Into the stock pot, put the beef bouillon and 4 to 6 cups of water.  Turn on the stove and start heating the soup.  Meanwhile, add the canned tomatoes with the juice.  (I always squeeze the tomatoes with my hand to reduce their size.)  Add the coarsely chopped onions, and the chopped carrots.  It depends on the size of the red potatoes as how to slice them, I left some whole, chopped some in half and some in quarters.  Add potatoes to soup pot.  Potatoes are often thought of as just a source for starch but they are rich in vitamins and minerals especially when they are cooked with their skins on them.  Add coarsely chopped cabbage and finely chopped parsley.  Add more water to pot if needed.  Add the ketchup and ground black pepper to taste.  Stir well.  Cover stock pot, bring soup barely to a boil, reduce heat, and cook slowly until all the vegetables are cooked.  Season to taste.  With the ketchup in the soup, I didn't think the soup even needed salt.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. 

 

 

 



Cut celery lengthwise and then chop it crosswise.

 

 



 

Cut ends off leeks and remove old leaves.  Cut leeks crosswise into slices including the tender green part.  Leeks are very sandy.  I put the chopped leeks in a strainer.

 

 



I put the strainer with the leeks over the sink and spray the leeks well with the hose on my sink.  I use my hand to separate the rings of leeks and remove the dirt.

 

After the meat is browned and removed from skillet, add butter to skillet.  Add the leeks and celery to butter.  Saute until the vegetables are softened.  Add leeks and celery to the meat in stock pot.  

Coarsely chop onions and add to stock pot.

Chop carrots.

 

 

 

 



Leeks with celery, onions, and carrots in the stock pot.  Stir well.

 

 

 



Wash potatoes and cut them so they are all about the same size.

 

 

 



Add potatoes to stock pot.

 



 

Remove core from cabbage.  Rinse cabbage and parsley with cold water.

 

 

 

 



Coarsely chop cabbage.

 

 

 



Add cabbage to stock pot.

 

 

 

 



Finely chop parsley.  So dark green and full of vitamins.

 

 

 

 



Add ketchup to stock pot.

Grind black pepper into vegetable mixture.  Stir well.  Cover pot.  Bring soup just to a low boil.  Reduce temperature and cook soup until the vegetables are all tender.

 

 

 

 

Joyce would say, "Eet Smakelijk."

 

 



Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!



EGGS BENEDICT REMBRANDT'S WAY--HOW TO POACH A PERFECT EGG.

Lovely to look at, luscious and light, and delicious to taste describes the Eggs Benedict that my friend, Joyce, and I had at deBoer's Bakkerij and Dutch Brothers' Restaurant in Holland, MI. last week.  The name on the menu for this fantastic treat was Rembrandt's Way.  Joyce said to me, "Take a picture, this is so pretty it could be in a Rembrandt masterpiece."

Rembrandt's Way is a grilled 9-grain English muffin, roasted or grilled sliced tomatoes, a poached egg, steamed spinach with a light drizzle of Hollandaise sauce. 

 

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT POACHED EGG. 

One of the reasons I enjoy doing this blog is that I learn as I go along.  When I post something, I want to make sure I am accurate and up to date on my information.  For a poached egg, I have always used the freshest eggs possible, I used a wide skillet for easy removal of the finished egg, I broke the egg into a custard cup to make putting it into the water easier, and I put some vinegar in the poaching water to coagulate the egg white quickly.


I decided to check with my new Cook's Illustrated Cookbook for any new ideas for making poaching eggs easier.  I found a much easier way to figure out the cooking time for the eggs.  Cook's recommends putting the eggs in the water, cover the skillet, and turn off the heat.  Let the egg poach for 4 minutes for medium firm eggs. 

 

 


Fill a large skillet with water and bring to a boil.  I used the large pan on the back burner.  My friend, Bonnie, doesn't cook much so she says she has to dust her stove every week.  After looking at this picture, I need to ask Bonnie to "dust" mine.  It looks awful.

 

 

Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to boiling water and a teaspoon or so salt.

 



Crack egg into a custard cup.

 

 





Turn the heat off under the boiling water pan.  Slide egg from custard cup into water.  Cover.

 



Leave the eggs in the water for 4 minutes. 

 





 



Scoop each egg out of water with a slotted spoon.  Let drain through slots.

 

Beautiful poached eggs done to perfection. 

 

 

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

 

I only needed a little bit of Hollandaise sauce for myself so I used a package mix.  I then divided it by 1/4's.  I used 2-1/2 teaspoons of the mix, 1/4-cup of milk, and 1 pat of butter.

 

I made the sauce in my Oscuro sauce pot as the clay pot holds heat and keeps my sauce warm while I assembled my Eggs.  Wonderful Oscuro pots are available at Wealthy at Charles in Grand Rapids, MI. 

 

Combine sauce mix, milk and butter.  Stir well.  Cook until thicken while stirring constantly.

 

 

 

Sauce will keep warm, but cover with plastic wrap to prevent a "skin" from forming on the top.



If you are making sauce for more than one and want to make it ahead of time.  Heat a thermos with boiling water.  Drain.  Put Hollandaise sauce in the thermos until ready to use.

If you need a terrific thermos go to:

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1040294/

EGGS BENEDICT REMBRANDT'S WAY.

 

 

Ingredients:  Whole grain English muffins, eggs, spinach, tomatoes, Hollandaise sauce mix, milk, butter, salt and pepper.

 

 

 To prepare the tomatoes and eggs you need:  Olive oil, salt, and vinegar.

 

 



On my messy stove I set up a production line.  Large pan for the eggs, Oscuro sauce pan, grill, and pan of boiling water with sieve to steam the spinach.

 

 

On a grill put a little olive oil.

Lay sliced tomatoes on the oil and grill.

 



Put English muffin on grill to toast.

 

 

 

 

Steam spinach over boiling water.

 

 

 



Put grilled tomatoes on toasted muffins.

Top tomatoes with poached eggs and season eggs to taste with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

Top poached eggs with steamed spinach.

 

 

Lightly drizzle spinach with Hollandaise sauce.

 

 

 





Enjoy!

 

Enjoy, enjoy!!!!