Fun with Fondue!

Cheese Fondue

When you’re not really in the mood for a meal, it’s time for “fondue!”  I love the stuff – all different kinds.  Several years ago, Gary bought me and electric fondue pot for Christmas.  It has become one of my favorite gifts ever.

When I do fondue at home, I usually buy cheese fondue in the refrigerated section of the grocery store (Alphenhaus is a good brand.)  Rub the inside of the pot with a garlic clove, then add a little wine and the package of fondue.  Stir, stir, stir until melted and delicious.  (If too stiff, just add more wine or whatever liquid you prefer.)  I generally cut up apples, toast bread pieces and serve bite size fresh vegetables to dip with.  (Be creative.  Good choices include:  broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, carrots, apples, pears, sauted shrimp or chicken, crusty French bread, sour dough, rye, wheat, pumpernickel or focaccia.)  Serve with wine and Enjoy!  Great fun for a get together with friends.

  

My grandkids love to have fondue.  What kid doesn’t like cheese and eating with their hands!  Fun for a stay in movie night.  Also, a good way to get them to eat fresh vegy’s!

If you’re feeling adventurous, get a fondue cookbook.  The possibilities are endless! 

Gary and I have been to “Simply Fondue” and “The Melting Pot,” both in Dallas, several times.  Always a great time.  If you’ve never had fondue, check out both these restaurants.  (Their menus are available on the internet.)

They serve the entire meal – fondue style.  Cheese fondue as the appetizer.  You can pick from a variety of kinds … swiss cheese with garlic and wine, cheddar with beer, etc.  Served with a variety of fresh vegy’s and breads.  Next course would be the choosing the meat or fish.  Again, many combinations such as … filet, shrimp, chicken, etc.  There are several styles of cooking, deep frying or poaching.  They serve a variety of dipping sauces and coatings (tempura … )  Saving the best for last, desert!  You just can’t beat the chocolate fondue, served with a variety of fruits, marshmallows, angel food cake, etc.  YUM, YUM!  Run and go as fast as you can.

Spaghetti Nests – Italian Night with Mario and Luigi!

I found saw this on Giada De Laurentis cooking show.  It looks like fun, so I tried it.  It was surprisingly easy, and a big hit!

Ingredients:  Butter, for greasing pans; Pasta:  Kosher salt, 1/2 box spaghetti (about 8 ounces), 2 packed cups finely chopped spinach leaves, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

To Assemble:  1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 2 TBS whole milk, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 large egg, olive oil (for drizzling), 2 cups warmed marinara sauce, 12 small fresh mozzarella balls (such as ciliegine or bocconcini)

Special Equipment:  4 4-inch springform pans.

Directions:  Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter the bottom and sides of four 4-inch-diameter springform pans.

For the Pasta:  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl.  Add the spinach, cheese, oil and 1/2 tsp salt.  Toss well until the spinach is wilted.  Set aside to cool.

For Assembly:  Beat the Parmesan, milk, salt and egg together in a large bowl until smooth.  Pour the sauce over the spaghetti mixture until well combined.  Twirl 1/2 cupfuls of the spaghetti mixture around tongs or a large fork and transfer to the prepared pans.  Make an indentation in the middle of each nest of pasta and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake 15 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before removing the sides from the pans.  Remove the bottoms of the pans from the nests using a thin metal spatula.

Spoon 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on each of 4 serving plates.  Place the spaghetti nests on the sauce.  Place 3 balls of the mozzarella in each nest and serve.

Toast to your Health!

Here are a few of the Mario and Luigi Italian Restaurant photos (aka, Garrett and Matthew at Memaw’s!)  They had a blast. 

The food was really good.  Next time, I think I’ll use my homemade sauce with meat.  Or maybe, I’ll make meatballs to put in the nests.  Sky’s the limit.

“Fab-u-loso!”

Rebecca Cooks

Rebecca loves food … buying, making and eating.  Doesn’t much matter if it’s real or plastic!

Introducing the New Diet Food … “Plastic”

Cooking Real Food requires an Oven

Becca’s Kitchen

“C” Pies – Chocolate and Coconut

Gary’s two favorite pies, coconut and chocolate.  Matthew (13), my grandson, helped me make Papa a surprise for dinner tonight.  After a long week, everyone needs a taste of the “sweet”.

I got these recipe’s from the Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook, Celebrating the Promise (Limited Edition.)  Gary says it’s the best he ever had!

Coconut Pie

Ingredients:  1 recipe Baked Pastry Shell (I used frozen Marie Callender shells), 4 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 1/2 cups half-and-half (light cream, or milk), 1 TBS butter or margarine, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 recipe Four Egg White Meringue.

 

Directions:  Prepare baked pastry shell.  Separate egg yolks from whites.  Set aside yolks for filling and whites for four egg white meringue.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

For filling, in a medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch.  Gradually stir in half-and-half.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat.  (It’s better to use a whisk than a wooden spoon.)  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Slightly beat egg yolks with a fork.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks.  Add egg yolk mixture to saucepan.  Bring to a gently boil; reduce heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  Keep filling warm (this is important).  Prepare four egg white meringue.

Pour warm filling into baked pastry shell.  Spread meringue over warm filling; seal to edge (important).  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack 1 hour.  Chill for 3 to 6 hours before serving; cover for longer storage.

Variations:  Coconut Cream Pie:  Prepare as above, except stir in 1 cup flaked coconut with butter and vanilla.  Sprinkle another 1/3 cup flaked coconut over meringue before baking.

Chocolate Cream Pie:  Prepare as above, except increase the sugar to 1 cup.  Stir in 3 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate with the half-and-half.

 

 Meringue for Pie:

Ingredients:  4 egg whites, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 cup sugar.

Directions:  Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In a large mixing bowl combine egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar, 1 TBS at a time, beating on high speed about 4 minutes more or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves (rub a small amount between two fingers; it should feel completely smooth).

Immediately spread meringue over hot pie filling, carefully sealing to edge of pastry to prevent shrinkage (this is important).  Bake as directed above.

TIPS:  The Facts on Fluff.  Making Meringue – for perfect results, follow these need-to-know tips:

Volume Control:  Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to produce a meringue with volume.

Lather Up:  Clean all your bowls and utensils with hot soapy water and carefully dry them before you begin.  Even a little oil or grease residue will make a meringue flat and unusable.  (Use the bowl size called for in the recipe.  Copper, stainless-steel or glass bowls work best.)

Perfect Peaks:  Once all the sugar has been added to the meringue, continue beating until stiff peaks form and the sugar is completely dissolved. Underbeating may cause shrinkage during baking.  (Take a small amount of meringue and rub between fingers to make sure the sugar is dissolved.)

Moisture Maintenance:  Prevent beading — the small beads of moisture that seep from the surface of the meringue — by not over-baking the meringue.

No Tears:  Prevent weeping — the watery layer that forms between the meringue and filling layers — by spooning the meringue onto the filling while the filling is still hot.  This helps the bottom of the meringue cook at the same rate as the top.

 

Matthew’s Favorite Pie – Chocolate!

Tidbits on Meringue – Topped Pies

After removing a meringue-topped pie from the oven, let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour.  After cooling, chill the pie, uncovered, for 3 to 6 hours before serving.

For longer storage, insert several toothpicks into the meringue halfway between the center and edge of the pie.  Drape plastic wrap over the toothpicks and chill for up to 2 days.  Whipped cream-topped pies can be stored for up to 4 hours.

Before cutting each slice from a meringue-topped pie, dip the knife in water and do not dry it off.  This will prevent meringue from sticking to the knife.

Gracey’s Blueberry Muffins

  

Gracey came to spend the night with Memaw, so we had to make some blueberry muffins.  They turned out really good.  Moist and cakey.

  

Ingredients:  1/2 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature), 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup milk and 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen).

For Topping:  1 TBS granulated sugar, mixed with 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease muffin cups or use paper inserts.  In bowl, mix butter until creamy.  Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.  Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt.  With spoon, fold in half of flour then half of milk into batter; repeat.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon into muffin cups and sprinkle topping onto each muffin.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.

I like to use frozen berries so they don’t break up and bleed into the batter.  This will increase the time it takes to bake, a little.

Fredia’s Chicken Tetrazzini – Lake Food

This is soooo good.  When it’s Fred’s turn to cook, we always request her Tetrazzini.  She got this recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.  (It’s also great made with turkey.)  She makes it from scratch, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use a pre-roasted chicken from the store, as a short cut.  She also doubles the sauce, so it’s not so dry.  This is really wonderful.

Chicken or Turkey Tetrazzini:

Ingredients:  4 cups cooked spaghetti (about 1/2 a pound), 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 3 TBS dry sherry, salt to taste, 2 recipes Veloute Sauce (below), 2 TBS butter, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 8 or more slices cooked chicken or turkey and 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Directions:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish and spread the cooked spaghetti in it.  Stir the nutmeg, sherry and salt into the warm veloute sauce and set aside.  Melt the butter in a skillet, add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring until soft.  Spoon half the sauce over the spaghetti.  Place the chicken or turkey slices and mushrooms on top, and spoon on the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Veloute Sauce:   Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:  2 TBS butter, 3 TBS flour, 1 cup hot chicken broth, 1/3 cup heavy cream and salt to taste.

Directions:  Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan.  Stir in the flour and blend over moderate heat until smooth.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook 2 minutes more.  Pour in the cream, add slat and heat thoroughly.  YUM!

Festival Foods

Grandchildren:  Garrett (7) and Gracie (4) accompanied us to the Richardson Wild Flower Festival.  Here’s a few of their favorite foods!  No big surprises here.

Garrett posing as Santa

Gracie and Me

Corn Dogs are the BEST!

Becca’s Cupcakes – with a Twist

Becca’s Kitchen

Rebecca is my 8-year-old grand-daughter.  She was spending the night, so we decided to make pizza and cupcakes.  Always fun cooking with the kids.  When my son-in-law, Matt, came to pick her up; he was greeted with a cupcake.  As we all do, he smiled and told her how wonderful it was.  Later, he came to me and asked what kind of cupcake it was.  I couldn’t figure out why he asked until I saw what she was decorating with.  Instead of green colored sugar sprinkles, she had used oregano!  It was so funny.  Mario Batalli would be proud, Italian flavored cupcakes!  ha

Eva’s Plastic Food

Eva at 10 months. Corn Good!

Eva’s teething!  Plastic corn rocks!  No mess, no fuss.  Or is that a banana?

No More Babyfood for Chi Chi

Hungry Girl

Cheyanne is totally happy with “real food”.  Can’t fill her up.  Loves everything.  2 years old and growing.