Neva's Yams

Neva's Yams

3 c. cooked mashed yams 

3/4 c. sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp of vanilla

1/2c. of soften butter

Topping

1/4-1/2 c of brown sugar

1/4-1/2 c flour

1/4-1/2 c butter

1/2-1 c pecans chopped

*Marshmallows

Combine and pour in a greased casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients together. Spread topping over the yams. Possibility of adding marshmallows also. Bake at 350 f for 30 minutes. 

Necessity: Immersion Blender

Not only do I want recipes on this blog... I also want kitchen secrets, favorites and essentials.  I've been thinking about certain things I absolutely love in my kitchen. The things I'm glad I have, and the things I am surprised I use a lot. I want to hear what everyone's goodies are too... I don't know who else reads this blog, but whoever you are.. I want to hear from you.

When I lived in France, you could buy a huge array of different kinds of soups in a box.  They were always lots of different kinds of vegetables that they'd blended together. They were called "Velouté" - meaning "velvety".  And that's exactly how they tasted.  I ate these soups ALL THE TIME.  When I moved in with my nanny family, I found out real French people scoff at these boxed soups because they've have an "industrial" flavor, but the way French people make and eat soups has completely changed my appreciation and creation of the "velouté".

One essential item in my kitchen is my immersion blender.  You cannot make velouté without an immersion blender.  I was able to get one with some gift cards left over from our wedding, and though it was a bit pricey, I do not regret it one bit. (The one pictured below is Cuisinart, and come with 2 different attachments, a blending container, AND a mini food processor. I have this one, and it's pretty amazing.)

Today, I made a potato-leek soup. Now, one thing to know about me is I hate measuring ingredients, and I love seeing what is in my fridge and figuring out what I can make with it.  I had about 5 potatoes, some leftover chicken broth (which by the way I got by boiling the rest of our Costco rotisserie chicken one night, and stuck it in the freezer), and some sautéed leeks (I could write a whole post how much I love leeks too...) that had been in my fridge for a couple of days.

I chopped the potatoes into small cubes, poured in the chicken broth (just enough to cover the potatoes, added my leeks (about 1 1/2 large leeks, sliced and sauteed in butter, salt and pepper), and let it sit at a low boil for about 25 minutes.

Next, once the potatoes were tender, I smashed some with a potato masher just to break them up a little bit.  Then, I took my immersion blender, immersed, and let it spin.  This is a magical moment when chunks of potatoes and slices of leeks come together in a perfect, velvety soup.  And at this point there isn't even any cream or cheese! It's amazing. You could stop here, add some seasoning (salt, pepper, parsley), and eat (if you're worried about calories).  I turn my heat low, add some milk (probably about 1/2 cup), and a heaping spoonful of sour cream (you could use real cream too, and I bet plain yogurt would work just as well) to make it just a little bit creamier.  And then... YOU'RE DONE.  You can serve with or without some shredded cheese on top, sprinkle little parsley for looks, and you're good. A delicious, velvety soup, à la française.  VOILA.

(this isn't a very good picture, but I promise, this soup is SO GOOD.)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

Cookie-cakes:
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    1 cup packed light brown sugar
    1/2 cup vegetable oil
    1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
    1 large egg
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Candied pecans:
    2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
    Pinch of salt
    1/2 tablespoon water
    1/2 cup pecans

Filling:
    6 ounces cream cheese, softened
    3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
    Pinch of salt
    1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
    1 tablespoon bourbon (optional; substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Preparation 

For cookie-cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Whisk together sugar, oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until well combined, then stir in flour mixture.

Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, drop a scant scoop's worth of batter or 2 scant tablespoons of batter onto a lined baking sheet to form 1 mound. Make 15 more mounds, arranging them 2 inches apart until baking sheet is full (you will have batter left over).

Bake until springy to the touch, 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookie-cakes to rack to cool.

Form and bake remaining batter on the other parchment-lined sheet. You should have a total of 32 cookie-cakes.

Leave oven on.

For candied pecans:
Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper.

Stir together sugar, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon water in a small saucepan. Heat over moderate heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Stir in pecans.

Spread mixture on lined sheet pan and bake until coating is bubbling and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cool completely on pan on a rack.

Coarsely chop candied pecans.

For filling:
While cookie-cakes are baking, beat cream cheese, butter, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and bourbon and mix on low speed until smooth.

Chill filling until firm enough to hold its shape when spread, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Assemble whoopie pies:
Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of filling each on flat side of half the cooled cookie-cakes, then top with other half of cookie-cakes. If necessary, chill whoopie pies just long enough to firm up filling again, about 30 minutes.

Gently press pecans onto filling around middle of each whoopie pie to help them adhere to filling.

Cooks' Notes:
•If you want perfectly round cakes, a 1-ounce ice cream scoop is a worthwhile investment, because you can use it for so many other baking projects, in addition to ice cream.
•Cookie-cakes can be baked 1 day ahead, and kept on racks at room temperature, covered with a kitchen towel.
•Filling can be made 1 day ahead, and chilled, covered.
•Pecans can be candied 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Big Thanks to Epicurious- http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Whoopie-Pies-369375

Hearty Lentil Soup

Ingredients

  1 onion, chopped

  1 Tbsp olive oil

  4 carrots, diced

  2 stalks celery, chopped

 4 cloves garlic, minced

 2 teaspoon dried oregano

 2 bay leaf

 1/8 Tsp of red pepper flakes

 1 teaspoon dried basil (or thyme- I didn't have Basil!)

 2  (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

 2 cups dry lentils (can mix it up and do a cup of red lentils and a cup of green)

4 cups water or broth (I prefer broth)

1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced (I used the green ends of leeks. I always have some in my fridge)

2 tablespoons vinegar (some people liked adding Basalmic vinegar. I preferred using 3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice and 3 Tbsp of red wine and skipped the vinegar)

salt to taste and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
 In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.

 Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.

*  You can also use a crockpot. I threw everything in my crockpot and let it cook on high for about 4 1/2 hours. I then blended some of the soup to thicken it up and mixed it back in.

* There are some great alterations you can make with this recipe by adding curry, cumin and ginger. Check out the reviews here for ideas- http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lentil-soup/

Red Wine-Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained 

*I used fresh garden tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti

1 (4-ounce) block mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Toppings: chopped fresh basil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Sauté garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute or until lightly browned. Carefully stir in wine and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until thickened.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir together hot pasta, mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in a large serving bowl, tossing to coat until cheeses start to melt. Pour tomato sauce over pasta mixture, and toss to combine. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Red Wine-Tomato-and-Steak Pasta: Prepare sauce as directed. Stir 2 cups thinly sliced cooked steak into tomato mixture before simmering. Simmer 20 minutes or until thickened. Substitute 12 ounces penne pasta for thin spaghetti.

White Wine-Tomato-and-Clam Pasta: Prepare sauce as directed, substituting dry white wine for red wine. Stir in 2 drained (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams to tomato mixture just before tossing with pasta mixture.

Debra McCorry, Ocala, Florida, Southern Living 
MAY 2005

Tomato Jam

The yield on this recipe varies from about 3 – 5 pints, depending on the tomatoes and how much you cook it down.

5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped

3 1/2 cups sugar

8 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring regularly, simmer the jam until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This will take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat.

When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove from heat and fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims, apply lids and twist on rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes.

When time is up, remove jars from water bath and allow them to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, test seals. Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

From Marisa McClellan, the writer and canner behind Food in Jars blog and the author of Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year Round.

Lonesome Woodsman Granola

*** The trick to this treat is lots of stirring

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups of Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 cups of brown sugar (heaping not packed)
• 1 ½ cups of wheat germ

*Mix the above ingredients really well. Break up the brown sugar and then add the following and stir well:

• 1 cup of coconut: wide unsweetened
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup raw cashew: unsalted
• 1/3 cup sunflower seed: shelled, unsalted

*Stir again well! Drizzle the following… ½ amounts at a time and stir after each addition:

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup of canola oil
• 2 Tbsp of vanilla

*Use the microwave and warm the following to a drizzle form. Add 1/2 amounts at a time and stir well after each:

• ½ cup of honey: measure after oil so it slides out
• ½ cup of peanut butter: use rubber scraper: can

After another stirring, add the following:

• 1 ½ cup of yellow raisins
• ½ cup of craisins
• ½ cup of currants or any other dried fruit: optional

*Any of the ingredients can be adjusted to taste. Mix well in your big bowl. Spread on 2 cookie sheets. This recipe makes 18 cups or 8-2 + cup bags. 

*Bake at 200 for 2 hours