Summer Corn Soup with Salsa

Ended up at home today with an allergy attack and needed something warm for dinner.  Casual Cooking to the rescue:

3 fresh ears of corn
4 cups water
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 or 2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
Gray sea salt
Salsa

Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and place the cobs in the water with the onion, celery, and bay leaf.  Bring the water to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove the cobs and discard.  Add the kernels and simmer for 5 minutes.  Transfer in batches to a blender and blend thoroughly (I blended twice).   Strain through a sieve placed over a clean saucepan.  Push on the solids to extract all the liquid.

Add the cream to the soup and heat gently.  Garnish with snipped chives and Salsa.  Serve immediately. Serves 4 as a first course.

Amazing Strawberries

From Casual Cooking these strawberries are amazing!  You will read the recipe and think it is crazy - trust me and try it.

Strawberries - rinsed and hulled (cut into large slices if necessary)
1/8 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Gray sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cream cheese, softened

Mix the sugar, vinegar, and a pinch each of the sea salt and pepper.  Stir well and pour over the strawberries.  Let it sit for about 15 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of the cream cheese.

Michael's recipe called for using mascarpone cheese, but I didn't have any.  It also suggested serving the strawberries with a biscotti, but I didn't have one.

This recipe made enough for 3.  DH didn't think it was a good idea to use balsamic vinegar with strawberries - silly man - so I had to eat all of them!  It was fantastic!

New Cookbook

It has been awhile since I wrote.  Guess I was waiting for inspiration. . .and I found it!  While at a friend's house I started looking through  Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking.  The more I looked the more intrigued I became.  Now I want to make most of the recipes in there and talk about them.  No, this is not going to be another Julie and Julia.  It will be more like my take on Casual Cooking.  Here is my first attempt - but I forgot to take a picture!

Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon Salt

3 chicken quarters
1 teaspoon (or a little more) grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon (or a little more) chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon gray sea salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (or 425 if you are using a convection oven).

Rub the chicken down inside the skin and out with olive oil.  Cut the lemon just zested into rounds.  Oil a roasting pan and lay the lemon slices on the bottom of the pan.

Mix the zest, rosemary and sea salt together.  Rub on the chicken under the skin and on the outside of the skin.  Place on top of the lemon slices.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 425 (or 400 if convection) and continue roasting until the juices run clear.  (Check after 15 minutes, then adjust time accordingly).

This was amazing.  The recipe called for a whole chicken but I didn't have one.  That is why these recipes will continue to be my take on Michael's ideas!

New Little Kitchen Gadget

A couple of things are going on here. Last time I wrote about a kitchen gadget it was the pressure cooker which I still love. Yesterday DH went back to work at Williams-Sonoma - Happy Holidays!! He brought home these two things. On the right is the fabulous wonderful WS holiday cleaning gift box - counter top spray, dish soap, hand soap and lotion - all on sale! Hurry because WS won't have this for long.

Next on the left we have the best little gadget ever. It is a measuring spoon that is all in one - 1/2 teaspoon all the way to 1 tablespoon. You know you hate to get 4 spoons out when you are cooking - now you don't have to! The black part slides to the correct measure. Oh, I can hardly wait to use this. Thank you for hiring DH!

Best appetizer ever

DH made this for our Thanksgiving before the turkey appetizer. Whoa it is good! A friend gave us the recipe and here goes:

1 cup roma tomatoes, chopped 1/4 inch
3 cup yellow onions, chopped 1/4 inch
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1/2 Tablespoon jalapeno pepper (no seeds or ribs) chopped fine
6 Tablespoons avocado, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
3/4 cup Heinz ketchup
2 teaspoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 tablespoon red tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon green tabasco sauce
3/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon Cajun Chef hot sauce
1/2 cup cold water.

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and chill (overnight is fine). For each serving:

6 oz. cocktail sauce (above)
15 to 20 small to medium shrimp, peeled, boiled, and chilled
1 teaspoon blackening spice - add to desired flavor
1 lime wedge
1/2 ounce tequila (optional)
tortilla chips for dipping
2 sprigs cilantro, no stems

Place the sauce, shrimp blackening spice and tequila in a bartender's metal tumbler. Squeeze the juice from the lime wedge in the tumbler and cover with a tight fitting lid. Shake like you are making a real martini. Pour into serving glass. Place the glass on a plate, surround with chips and serve with cilantro sprigs for a garnish. Yum yum.

Graham Cracker Pralines

Since graham crackers were on sale at Tom Thumb. . .DD and I couldn't resist making these for the dinner party tonight. Enjoy!

24 graham crackers placed in a jelly roll flat and side by side
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
chopped pecans

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add brown sugar and stir well. Remove from heat and add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if desired. Spoon over the graham crackers and spread as best you can - it will be thin. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and cool for 10 minutes. Break apart and enjoy!

Orange Jello Salad

It is hot hot outside. What can we add to our tables that is cool and quick:

Orange Salad

1 6 ounce package orange flavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 i oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup nuts, chopped, optional
1 8 ounce can mandarin oranges
1 cup dairy sour cream

Add the gelatin and sugar to the boiling water and stir until dissolved (off the heat). Add the pineapple, nuts, oranges, and sour cream. Pour into a lightly greased 6 cup mold, and chill until firm.

Enjoy!