Savoury Table - Home Decor and Food Blog

Best Reverse Flow Smoker

June 3, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

There is a different type of smoker that you can purchase. Small ones, large ones, gas smokers and even electrical smokers. But one of the smokers that you can consider for sure is the reverse flow smoker. This is a different type of smoker, but this is a smoker that is great for smoking different types of food.

The problem is that not many people know as much about the reverse flow smoker. This causes them not to consider this type of smoker. With all this information, you will know if this is a smoker that you can consider purchasing.

What is Making the Reverse Flow Smoker Different?

The main thing that is making the reverse flow smoker different, is the fact that the heat source and smoking has its own container that is connected to the smoker. There are many benefits to this type of smoker, and this is why this is one of the more popular smokers on the market at the moment.

One of the reasons why this smoker is different is that you have more space for adding your meat and food. You can add more food and it will all get smoked correctly. You can also add large pieces of meat and whole chickens into the smoker without any problems.

When is This Something That You Should Consider Purchasing?

The reverse flow smoker is something that you can consider when you are looking for a large smoker for a large family. Or, when you like to smoke large quantities of food at a time.

The smoker is easier to use and a lot better to add smoking chips when you are smoking for long hours. This is a great smoker for larger families. There are different types of these smokers available, so you will be able to find one that will be best for you and your family.

Things to Consider Before You Are Purchasing the Reverse Flow Smoker

It is important to know that there are a couple of things that you need to know before you can purchase the reverse flow smoker. Things that might let you decide that this isn’t the best smoker for you.

Many are choosing the smoker because of the size of the smoker and the fact that the smoker is a lot easier to use than other smokers. However, there is one thing that you need to know.

Because of the size of the smoker, you will need to have lots of space in your backyard before you can purchase the smoker. And, if you have bad weather conditions, it will be a lot harder to make use of the smoker. These are things that people don’t realize and they regret purchasing the smoker.

How to Use a Char Broil Smoker

Buying Guide to Purchasing the Best Smoker

With this buying guide, you will be able to find the best reverse flow smoker for you and your household. You will be able to make sure that you will not regret purchasing your smoker. These are the things you should consider before purchasing your reverse smoker.

Your available budget. This is something really important to know, because of the price of the smokers. Some of these smokers are expensive and you will need to have the right budget for it.
The size of the smoker. Even if the reverse flow smokers are large, there are still different sizes available. So, you need to make sure that you are choosing the right size for yourself.
The material that the smoker is made of. The stronger and more durable the smoker, the better it will be. It will be more durable and long-lasting.
You might want to look for a reverse smoker that has wheels. This is to make moving the smoker from one side to the next easier. Most of these smokers are heavy and hard to move around.

Some of the Best Reverse Flow Smokers You Can Purchase

It is a great idea to make sure that you are using the best reverse flow smoker you can purchase. This is to ensure that you have an idea about which smokers are recommended. You want to make sure that you are going to purchase the best smoker that is the most recommended by other buyers. These are some of the smokers you can choose from.

Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Offset Smoker
Char-Griller Smokin Pro + Firebox
Dyna-Glo Signature Series
Dyna-Glo Vertical Offset Smoker

The reverse flow smoker. A smoker that you need to make sure about. There are many different smokers, but you need to make sure that you are purchasing one that will work for you best.

With this guide, you will get to know everything there is to know about the reverse flow smoker. To ensure that you know what to purchase and so that you can know what to look for when you are purchasing your first reverse flow smoker.

How to Use a Char Broil Smoker

June 3, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

You might consider purchasing a char broil smoker, or you have one but you don’t know how to use it correctly. Don’t worry, you aren’t the only one that doesn’t know how to use a char broil correctly.

This is why you need to make sure that you are getting all the necessary information possible. To ensure that you know what a char broil smoker is and how you can use one correctly.

Now, you don’t need to worry anymore. This is making sure that you know everything there is to know about a char broil smoker and how you can use it correctly.

What is a Char Broil Smoker?

The first thing that you need to know is what a char broil smoker is in the first place. It is also known as a chargrill. This is an easy method of cooking or smoking. It’s making use of different grates and different fuel sources to smoke your meat and other food.

This is one of the most popular smokers at the moment, because of the different benefits that the smoker has to offer.

Benefits of Making Use of Char Broil Smokers

This is what is making the char broil smoker so popular. The benefits of the char broil smokers are making such a great smoker have. These are some of the benefits of why this is a recommended smoker to consider.

Smokers are easy to move. It is portable and that is making it easier to move. Great for taking it with you on camping trips or when you are going on holiday.
It is always flavoring meat and other food. You don’t need to add any smoking chips in order to get the right smoking flavor. This is especially true when you are making use of charcoal as the heat source.
These smokers are easy maintenance. Not really expensive to use, and easy to clean. Meaning that you can use it on a regular basis, and you will not need to spend hours cleaning the smoker after each use.
Not as expensive as some of the other smokers on the market. Making it more affordable for people that can’t afford normal smokers.

How to Use a Char Broil Smoker

It is important to know how to use your char broil smoker correctly. This is to ensure that you are getting the most out of your smoker. Not everyone knows how to use the smoker correctly, but with this guide, you will not have this problem anymore.

These are the steps in how to use the char broil smoker correctly.

Firstly, you need to prepare your meat, or food that you want to smoke. If you don’t know how to prepare your meat for smoking, there are many online recipes that you can download or use.
Adding the smoker chips to your smoker and then you need to light up your smoker. Heating it so that it will start to smoke.
When it reaches the right temperature, you can add your meat or food that you want to smoke into the smoker. You can now start smoking your meat.
Don’t open your smoker all the time, but you need to make sure that it stays smoking. Adding smoking chips if needed.
Halfway through the cooking process, you need to turn the food or meat so that it can get smoked on both sides.

Saucy Mama’s 2014 Recipe Contest and Giveaway: Honey Dijon Fried Chicken and Bacon Wafflewiches

Tips When You Are Using a Char Broil Smoker for the First Time

When you are using a char broil smoker for the first time, you might not be comfortable that you are using it correctly. There are a couple of things that you can do, to ensure that your meat and food are always smoked correctly. These are some tips to consider.

Using different types of smoking chips is a great idea. Different flavor chips are going to give you different flavored results. Then, you will know which one you can use that is giving you the best smoking taste that you are looking for.

The heat should always be correct on the smoker. If you have an electric smoker or one with adjustable heat settings then this won’t be a problem. So, this is a great feature to consider when purchasing your char broil smoker.

The last tip is that you might want to try different recipes for smoking before you decide which one you like the most. There are many different recipes that you can get online. Now, you know everything about the char broil smoker. From what this type of smoker is, to how to use it correctly.

The only thing that you always need to remember is that you need to purchase the right one that is highly recommended and that you can afford. Then, you will have the best time smoking different foods.

Happy National Coconut Cream Pie Day: Let’s Celebrate with Coconut Cream Fried Pies

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

Every year when the weather starts warming up and the kids are getting ready to get out of school my mind is flooded with fond memories of being young and free in the summertime. I started writing this post a few days ago with this in mind, and then this morning I discovered that it is National Coconut Cream Pie Day and I knew it was meant to be.

When I was a girl growing up in the southeast side of Houston, things were pretty lean for my parents. We didn’t belong to any country clubs or eat in expensive restaurants, so the simplest things were such a great treat for us.

When my sister and I were still pretty young we were left to take care of ourselves all day during summer vacation while our parents worked. In the morning before they left our mother and father would leave a few dollars on the counter and it was up to us as to how we wanted to spend it.

Our usual schedule would be to hang out at the community pool all morning before wrapping our towels around our wet, sunburned bodies, securing them with a firm tuck under our arms and walking down the street to the Chuc Wagun Drive-In for lunch before heading home.

The Chuc Wagun was one of those iconic, quintessentially American structures that are now only found in photographs. As I remember it, it was built to look like a covered wagon. It was brown on bottom with four large replicated spoked wagon wheels. On the top, its white stucco roof looked like canvas stretched over hooped supports. If you were tall enough to look inside through the small sliding glass window, you’d see an older scruffy looking man, most certainly named Cookie, busy taking orders, cooking and shooing away flies.

Not usually having enough money for cheeseburger, fries, drink and dessert each, my sister and I would often pool our resources sharing a burger and fries, but never dessert. Dessert at the Chuc Wagun was the best part of the meal because they not only had great ice cream; they had the best fried pies that I have eaten.

As I recall each day “Cookie” had a special offering. I loved most of them, especially the chocolate and cherry, and even though these were delicious, the jewel in the crown was their coconut cream. How I loved this creamy yellow custard mixed with plenty of soft angel flake coconut, wrapped in dough, deep fried to a crispy golden brown and lightly glazed while still warm.

When our number was called we would pay our tab, grab our brown paper bag and run home barefoot on pavement so hot you could fry an egg. Once home we could eat dessert first and watch every kid’s favorite soap opera, Dark Shadows. Life was really good.

It has been a long time since I have been in our old neighborhood, and I’m sure that the Chuc Wagun is either long gone or worse, turned into a nail salon. On the upside, I understand that Dark Shadows comes to theaters next week, with Johnny Depp as Barnabas no less. Yep, this summer is starting to look pretty good. Oh yeah, by the way, happy National Coconut Cream Pie Day!

Coconut Cream Fried Pies

There was no way for me to get the original recipe for the Chuc Wagun’s fried pies so I had to improvise, finally coming up with this delicious version. The vodka in the crust makes it super flaky and tender. These pies would be great for picnics or lunch boxes.

For the pastry:

1/8 cup water
1/8 cup vodka (kudos to America’s Test Kitchen for this delicious tip)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
Oil for frying

Combine the water and vodka in a small container and place in the freezer to chill.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse three times to combine. Add the chilled butter and process until the mixture looks like cornmeal (about 5 seconds).

Remove the water and vodka mixture from the freezer once it is cold. Turn the food processor on and add the water and vodka to the flour mixture while processing. Process until the mixture comes together to make a soft dough. Remove from the bowl, form into a 5” disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.

Divide the chilled dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a small ball. Place each ball on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 5” diameter circle with a lightly floured rolling pin. Dampen the edges with a small amount of water. Spoon 2 slightly heaping tablespoons of the Coconut Cream Filling (recipe follows) into the middle of each circle. Carefully fold the dough in half. Press edges together with your fingertips. If desired, press edges with the tines of a fork to decorate. Repeat with all of the dough and filling; set aside.

Pour enough oil into a medium size frying pan to come up 1/2″up the side. Heat pan over medium high heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Place as many pies as will comfortably fit into the pan without touching. Fry the pies until they are golden brown, approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Carefully turn them over and fry on the other side until they are browned. Remove the pies from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining pies. Glaze (recipe follows) while warm.

Coconut Cream Filling:

1 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup half and half
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon butter

Place coconut milk, sugar and salt in a medium size non-stick sauce pan that is set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.

While the coconut milk and sugar is heating, place the cornstarch in a small bowl. While whisking, gradually add the half and half. To this mixture add the egg and vanilla extract; set aside.

Once the coconut milk has come to a boil, gradually add 1/2 of it to the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper it. While whisking the coconut milk mixture add the tempered egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan. While stirring constantly, bring the contents of the saucepan back up to a simmer, stirring until it thickens. Boil for 1 – 2 minutes before removing from the heat and add the shredded coconut and butter. Cover and set aside to cool before filling pastry.

Glaze:

2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 – 2 teaspoons half and half

Place powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the half and half and stir well. Mixture should be thick yet still fluid. If needed add the remaining half and half just a few drops at a time to reach desired consistency.

Makes 6

Better Than Bouillon Tasting and Giveaway: Spanish-Style Toasted Pasta and Shrimp

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

I’ve talked before about how much I love my America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. At the risk of repeating myself, which has been pointed out by my children that I frequently do, I must say that I have never made a recipe from this book or the PBS show of the same name that hasn’t been really great.

The other day I happened to catch an episode of the TV show, and on this particular day they were preparing a recipe for Spanish-Style Toasted Pasta and Shrimp. This dish is a combination of toasted pasta (known as fideo in Spanish cooking), tomatoes, smoked paprika, and shrimp all cooked in a flavorful broth. Not only was it mouthwatering, but it so happened that this was just the type of recipe that I had been searching for.

You see a week or so ago the folks at Better Than Bouillon asked if I’d like to review a couple of their products and give some away to my readers. Having been fond of their premium and organic products for years now, I of course said yes, so the search was on for a brothy recipe to showcase their products.

Up until this communication with them, I thought that they made only chicken, beef, ham, and vegetable bases. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they make 26 soup bases in all with flavors like au jus, chili, mushroom, turkey, and fish, to name just a few. Many of these flavors are also available in vegan, organic, low-sodium, and kosher. To learn more about this line of products, click here to access their site.

When they asked me what flavors I’d like to try, I decided to step out of my box and cook with some of the ones I wouldn’t normally have in my pantry like the fish and no chicken. It is not that I don’t like fish, I just don’t like fishy fish and have been burned so many times that I am really quite shy, and if I’m being quite honest, I would probably never buy it. As for the no chicken, I was really anxious to just check out the flavor and report to my vegetarian friends that there is a new (to me) product that they can play with.

So this is where the ATK recipe comes in. This recipe claimed to have an easy preparation, just a few ingredients, rich Spanish flavors and almost 4 cups of broth. The original recipe calls for the broth to be made from shrimp shells cooked in chicken stock, but I’m letting the Better Than Bouillon fish base stand-in in its place because besides the fact I wanted to try it, I really didn’t want my house smelling like shrimp all night.

Well, preparing this recipe looked pretty fast and easy on television. In reality, it does take a little time to clean the shrimp and get them ready to go, but once that is done things do take shape pretty quickly. On the show they claimed that this would be a great Tuesday night dinner, which is true if you are an experienced and organized cook. Otherwise, save this one for a time when you aren’t tired from a day’s work and have a few extra minutes to spare, but do yourself a favor, make it, and make it soon because it is delicious.

As for the Better Than Bouillon, the fish base receives two enthusiastic thumbs up, even from a fish shy girl like me. It has a pleasant and subtle flavor that is really the perfect base for dishes like this or soups and chowders. I love it and will be keeping it on hand from now on. This just might be a whole new beginning for fish and me.

I’m sad to say that my jar of no chicken was a casualty of the United States Postal Service and a replacement didn’t make it in time for this post, but when it does arrive I’ll be sure and let you know what I think.

Spanish- Style Toasted Pasta and Shrimp (adapted from America’s Test Kitchen)

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced (1 tablespoon)
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined, shells reserved
2 3/4 cups water
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I used 3 teaspoons BTB fish base and 1 teaspoon chicken base since I wasn’t making stock from the shrimp shells)
1 bay leaf
8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths
1 onion, chopped fine1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped fine (I used petite diced)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (I omitted this)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I substituted chopped green onion tops)
Lemon wedges

Combine 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium size bowl. Add the shrimp, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

At this point I deviated from ATK and added 3 teaspoons BTB fish base and 1 teaspoon BTB chicken base to the water called for to steep the shrimp shells, with 1 large bay leaf. I brought this mixture to a simmer, covered and let it cook until I was ready to use it, removing the bay leaf before adding the broth to the pasta.

Toss spaghetti and 2 teaspoons oil in broiler-safe 12-inch skillet until spaghetti is evenly coated. Toast spaghetti over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and nutty in aroma (spaghetti should be color of peanut butter), 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer spaghetti to bowl. Wipe out skillet with paper towel.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and beginning to brown around edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, dry, and slightly darkened in color, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining garlic, and paprikas. Cook until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add spaghetti and stir to combine.

Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer (if boiling the shrimp shells, if not add the broth) into skillet. Add wine, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened and spaghetti is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Preheat broiler about halfway through cooking time.

Scatter shrimp over spaghetti and stir shrimp into spaghetti to partially submerge. Transfer skillet to oven and broil about 6 inches under broiler element until shrimp are opaque and surface of spaghetti is dry with crisped, browned spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

On the TV show, they served this with a homemade aioli which I plan on trying next time. In the print version they suggest serving it with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. I didn’t have either but found it to be great with some chopped green onion tops.

Serves 6

*To see America’s Test Kitchen’s original recipe and their simple technique for breaking spaghetti into spaghettini (or fideo), please click here.

And now for the giveaway. Better Than Bouillon will provide two of my lucky U.S. readers with four assorted jars each of their soup base. To be entered all you have to do is leave a comment stating what you’d make with a jar of their soup base. You can earn an extra entry by signing up to receive my posts by e-mail. To do this just type your address into the field at the top right hand corner of this page under the Foodgawker badge. Be sure to leave your contact information in your comment. My winning readers will have 48 hours after notification to respond or a new winner will be drawn. I will draw my lucky winners on Friday, March 15th around noon mountain time. Good luck!

**The folks at Better Than Bouillon provided me with samples of their products to review and give to two of my readers. No payment of any kind was received in return for this post and all opinions stated here are my own.

A Different Kind of French Franc: Applegate Hot Dog Review and Giveaway

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

I feel pretty safe to say that the majority of Americans will be grilling this 4th of July. While hamburgers, steaks, ribs and chicken will make a healthy showing, I’m willing to bet that many of us will also have some hot dogs sizzling on our grills too.

When I was a kid hot dogs were a staple in our house. My mom always made sure to leave an open package in the fridge so that we could have an instant cold lunch. I liked them better hot, but what’s an 8 year old girl to do when she’s starving and Dark Shadows is coming on?

Then one day my mom read somewhere that hot dogs were made from pigs’ hair, lips and rear ends, and the fun came to a screeching halt. She replaced our beloved hot dogs with celery sticks and apple slices, which while very good, just don’t cut the muster when you are looking for a quick protein fix. Oh sure we still had them on occasion, but the fun had been taken right out of eating them.

Years later when my own children were young, I would buy hot dogs every now and again, only after pouring over the labels trying to figure out which one might be the better out of the available options. After exhaustive research, I would finally just throw a package of the most expensive brand in my cart and pray that just a couple wouldn’t kill them.

This summer I won’t have to face that old dilemma thanks to Applegate. They offer a full line of all natural and organic hot dog products that even my mom would feel good about serving. Their “cleaner wieners” do not contain hormones or antibiotics and are free from any artificial ingredients, fillers, added nitrites and nitrates. Their products are produced from animals that are humanely raised, and all of their organic products are made from animals that are fed a completely vegetarian diet.

Applegate provided me with a generous selection of their hot dog products for sampling. It was a hard decision, but I couldn’t wait to try the Applegate all-natural, uncured Big Apple Hot Dogs that are a combination of pork and beef in natural lamb casings. They are everything I hoped they would be, with a just right smoky, savory flavor and a delicate little “snap” when you bite into them. Mmmmm, deeeelicious. I can’t wait to try the rest of them starting with maybe the organic chicken or turkey dogs. Either way my guests are getting lucky this 4th of July.

For more information about Applegate’s products, their Wienervention campaign, and how you can get a $2.00 off coupon, please visit their site by clicking here.

Since these are pretty special hot dogs I wanted to prepare them in a special way, so I called up a favorite food memory from many years ago. It was while on a trip to Paris with my family that I bought a hot dog from a vendor at the Eiffel Tower. The hot dog itself was pretty darned good, but it was the simple presentation that was so memorable to me.

The vendor cut a crusty, super fresh baguette in half, turned the cut end over a large wooden dowel and pushed it down over the dowel a couple of times to form a channel within the bread. He then squeezed a generous amount of mustard into the bread before then filling it with a steaming hot wiener. Had the unexpected heat of the French mustard not blown the top of my head off, it would have been the perfect dog.

Since then I have prepared my own version of this Parisian treat with a mellower mustard sauce poured inside on several occasions. Sometimes I also like to doll them up even further with a little dressed arugula, Boursin cheese and a sprinkling of grated Gruyere. These two hot dogs prove that an easy meal can also be a sophisticated treat.

Since I didn’t have a large dowel like that vendor at the Eiffel Tower, I used my well washed and dried knife sharpener from my knife set to form a channel in my bread. Be sure to stop short of the end of the bread, leaving it closed to hold in all of the sauce and goodness. You can also repeat this process with uncut bakery hot dog buns or hoagie rolls if you can’t find a baguette or French stick with a small diameter. To get just the right size, I baked my own bread using my favorite Artisan Bread in Five recipe.

Slightly Spicy French Inspired Hot Dog Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon hot prepared horseradish (or more or less according to your taste)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Transfer to a squeeze bottle if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Once ready to use, squeeze in to the channel of a prepared half baguette then top with a hot dog.

This sauce does get a bit stronger as it sits. If you are preparing it in advance and like a much milder sauce, I recommend reducing the horseradish by 1/3 to 1/2.

Frank-o-phile Hot Dogs

About 2 cups baby arugula
French vinaigrette (approximately 1/4 cup or to taste)
Boursin cheese (or any other soft spreadable cheese with herbs)
Butter, softened to room temperature (optional)
1 – 2 French baguettes (depending on the size of the bread)
6 grilled, boiled or steamed Applegate hot dogs
1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
Super thinly sliced red onion, cut into quarters (optional)

Toss arugula in vinaigrette, set aside.

Spread Boursin and butter on opposite sides of the inside of the bread. Place hot dogs inside of the bread. Top with equal amounts of the dressed arugula and grated cheese. Enjoy!

If you reside in the US and would like to be entered for a chance to win a gift pack identical to the one I received, please leave me a statement saying so in the comment section below. For additional entries, sign up to receive my posts by email by signing up in the field in the upper right hand corner of this page.

Leave a separate comment for each method of entry. Please make sure I have a valid e-mail address to contact you in the event you are my winner. You will have 48 hours to contact me after I announce my winner on Wednesday, June 26th (12 noon mountain time) or a new one will be chosen. Good luck!

*Applegate provided me with a gift pack free of charge, containing a generous assortment of their hot dogs, a butcher block, and a reusable tote for my review. They have also provided me with one to give away to one of my readers. I was not paid in any way for my review of their products. As usual, all opinions and statements that I have made here are my own.

Abby Dodge’s Bake Together Peasant Boule and My Italian Inspired Pull Apart Bread Variation

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

When I first joined in the monthly Bake Together I knew that Abby Dodge’s name rang a bell but I couldn’t put my finger on the exact reason. I knew that she has contributed to many cookbooks and magazines but it was something more than that. It gnawed at me and took me awhile to pin point it, but I finally realized that I have been cooking with her for quite some time now without even realizing it.

About 12 years back I was going through a pretty rough time. We had recently moved back from the UK and were just getting settled back into our lives with my family when my father was diagnosed with cancer. I was devastated to say the least. My stepmother, sister and I jumped in and banded together to accompany him to his treatments and doctors’ appointments. This included many long days driving back and forth to Houston and winding our way through M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

It seemed like I was always on the road which left my husband and children at home keeping things running on their own. At first I would come home feeling proactive and optimistic about his treatment and their results, and would cheerfully throw something together for supper or bring home something fun from Houston.

Sadly, as the months passed it became obvious that he was going to lose his battle and preparing meals became a chore instead of something I enjoyed doing for my family. Those were dark, sad days and putting on a happy face, much less being creative in the kitchen, became all but impossible.As in all good families when one member weakens the others take up the slack, so my husband and children took over cooking for me and began making our meals from a children’s cookbook that my daughter and I had purchased a few months earlier. Even on the saddest of days I couldn’t help but be uplifted by the pride on my children’s faces knowing that they had done something nice for me. These simple little meals and the delight that preparing them gave my children saved many days for us.

The little cookbook they cooked from was The Kid’s Cookbook written by Abby Dodge for Williams Sonoma. Even though my husband and children made many recipes from this book, without a doubt our favorites were Abby’s smashed potatoes and couscous salad which we still make to this day. So, here I find myself all these years later cooking with Abby again. Thank goodness it is now under much better circumstances.

This month’s #baketogether features a recipe for a peasant boule. As usual Abby encourages the participants to put their own twist on her recipe. I changed this recipe up by adding some herbs and Parmesan and using a method that I have seen many other bloggers use lately and made mine a pull apart bread. The bread is delicious and the shape turned out fun and easy to eat. Thanks for another great recipe Abby, and I just have to say that even though I have known your work for years, it is really nice to finally meet you.

For Abby’s original recipe, please click here.
My twist on Abby’s peasant boule is an Italian style buttery, cheesy, herbed pull apart bread. To achieve my results, just follow my easy variation as follows:

Prepare the original recipe as directed up to the point of the first rising.
After the first rising, punch dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface to an approximate 16″ x 16″ square. First I melted 3 tablespoons of salted butter and spread it evenly over the top of the dough. I then sprinkled mine with about 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese and 2 – 1/2 teaspoons of my favorite Italian seasoning. Gently press in the cheese and herbs with a quick rolling of the rolling pin.

With a pizza cutter, cut the dough in six equal size strips. Stack the strips one on top of the other and cut in 6 equal portions in the opposite direction making 36 squares.

Place the squares end to end in a greased loaf pan and let it rise for an additional 20 – 30 minutes. I used a standard 9″ loaf pan shown here. I do wish my loaf pan would have been a bit bigger or I would have had 2 smaller pans in which to divide the dough. Even though mine turned out just great, I imagine that it would have been a bit lighter with a bigger pan.

Bake bread in a preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. I misted my oven with water once when I put my bread in the oven and again after 5 minutes to make my bread a bit crustier. I love this but it is totally optional.

This bread turned out soft, fluffy and crusty. The pull apart (or I should say, peel apart) style of the bread made it something just a bit different and fun for our weeknight spaghetti supper.

Something From Nothing #12: Sausage Gravy

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

If you’ll recall, the last SFN recipe I posted was for sweet milk biscuits. This month I decided to follow up that recipe with another simple little mixture that together make one of my favorite meals in the world, biscuits and gravy.

Known in my friend circle in my 20’s as the perfect after party food, you can’t beat this combination of carbs and protein for its ability to sober you up and get you back on the right track at 3 am. Even if you’re not a drinker, you’re going to love this soul feeding concoction for its delicious taste and thriftiness. It can easily feed a family of four for just a few dollars.

Although this particular recipe is made with sausage, you can make it vegetarian by leaving out the sausage and using a couple of tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil for the fat you need to get started. Then leave out the bouillon altogether or swap it with Better Than Bouillon’s “No Chicken” or a vegetable soup base for extra flavor. If you prefer a dairy free gravy, just replace the milk with all water and stock. It will be more of a brown gravy, but that’s what you get for being a vegan.

I have shown it as a breakfast dish here, but replace the eggs with a side of collard greens and you have a delicious southern-style soul food supper.

Sausage Gravy

1/2 pound (8 ounces) bulk pork sausage meat
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon
Black pepper

Fry sausage meat in a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks.

When the sausage is browned and cooked through, sprinkle the flour over the top, stirring it in as you do. Mixture will be very dry at this point.

In a container with a spout, mix together the milk and the water. Gradually pour the mixture into the sausage and flour, whisking constantly and vigorously as you bring the mixture up to a boil. Add the bouillon and continue stirring. Add a healthy grinding of black pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

If before you serve it, the gravy continues to thicken, stir in small amounts of hot water to thin it back down.

Serves 4.

*I cut my Sweet Milk Biscuit recipe in half to make just 4 biscuits. Along with this recipe for gravy, you have the perfect size meal for 4.

Something From Nothing #25: Vanilla Ice Cream Snack Cake

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

I’ve heard of genius recipes before, but at the risk of making a bad pun, this one takes the cake. Somewhere, somehow, someone got the idea to mix melted ice cream with self-rising flour and BAM, a super simple cake recipe was born. I told you, GENIUS! And the genius about this recipe doesn’t stop there. Seems like you can easily change the flavor by using a different flavor of ice cream to change things up.

Now, just because I think this is a genius recipe doesn’t mean that I don’t think there is room for improvement. The first time I made this I didn’t let it cook quite long enough and it was a little gummy (even after baking in a deep dish pie pan for 35 minutes) and it really wasn’t quite sweet enough, so back to the test kitchen. I mean I REALLY wanted this recipe to succeed.

So after a couple of tries, I finally landed up with a decent little cake that is super easy, and even though my recipe calls for just a few more ingredients than two, it is still perfect for my Something From Nothing series. This cake is dense, super moist, and just a little bit gooey, very reminiscent of my favorite cream cheese pound cake. Serve it plain, with a little powdered sugar or add a little chocolate sauce and some berries and you have one great little dessert. Enjoy.

Vanilla Ice Cream Snack Cake

2 cups melted vanilla ice cream
1 cup self-rising flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir all ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Pour into a 1 quart baking dish that has been liberally sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Place in oven and bake for approximately 50 – 60 minutes or until it is golden brown and firm in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack and cooling to room temperature. Decorate or serve with suggested garnishes (chocolate sauce recipe follows).

Serves 8

Chocolate Sauce

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Return to microwave and heat in 30 second increments until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Cool to room temperature or serve slightly warm.

Makes 1 – 1/2 cups

Winter’s Back . . . For Now : Let’s Warm Up With Some Spaghetti Soup

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

What to have cooking on the inside . . .

when this is going on, on the outside.

With all the crazy weather going on around the country this past week, I have seen lots of friends on Facebook talk about how wild the weather is in their area. I hate to tell everyone, the weather is not just crazy where you live, it is crazy everywhere. Be it Texas, Colorado, Kansas or Nottingham, England, the weather is unpredictable all over the world, especially during the winter.

Where I usually make a mistake is thinking that the good weather days are typical winter days. No, those are flukes, the snowy, cold days are typical winter days and that’s what we should expect and not act surprised when we are hit with an ice storm. Here in Colorado we have a few beautiful days in the middle of January and I settle in, then complain about the cold and snow, in January, in Colorado.

Well, we had a few days of sunshine in the high 50’s earlier in the week, and now we have snow on the ground and more moving in. I’ve decided to try something new this time and settle in and enjoy the snow. I’ve promised myself that this time I’m going to watch the snowflakes fall gently to the ground while sipping an Irish coffee under a blanket while watching a good movie. I’m also going to put a pot of soup on to bubble away my winter blues, and it just so happens that I have the perfect recipe in mind, spaghetti soup.

This recipe for spaghetti soup is basically a lighter version of my family’s favorite meal of all time, spaghetti and meatballs. The slightly thick tomato broth is tangy and a little bit cheesy from the Parmesan that flavors the meatballs. This soup is both substantial and satisfying and just perfect for a cold winter day. All you need is a loaf of crusty bread, a roaring fire, and maybe a little Irish whiskey for your coffee, and you are all set.

Spaghetti Soup

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound ground turkey (ground beef and/or ground pork can be used as well)
1 slice of stale sandwich bread, crumbled into breadcrumbs (about 2/3 cup)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped and divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 slightly heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 – 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth (plus a little more if you like it thinner)
Splash of white or red wine (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 large clove garlic, crushed
5 ounces dried thin spaghetti, broken into thirds

Pour flour out onto a plate; set aside until ready to use.

Place the ground turkey in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, 1/2 of the onion, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and beaten egg. Gently mix together being careful not to overwork the meat which will make it tough. Measure out rounded tablespoons of the meat mixture. Roll between your palms to form meatballs. Roll the meatballs in the flour; set aside. This recipe makes approximately 18 meatballs.

Place vegetable oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet. Heat over medium high heat until the oil is hot and simmering. Place meatballs in the pan with the hot oil and brown on all sides. When they are golden brown and cooked through, transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.

In a large stockpot, pour in the tomatoes, the remaining onion, chicken broth, wine, sugar, Italian seasoning and garlic. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 30 minutes check the sauce to make sure that the onion is tender. Gently add the meatballs, replace the cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed.

*While the sauce is cooking, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.

To serve, divide the spaghetti equally between 4 – 6 bowls. Top the spaghetti with equal amounts of the soup and meatballs. Serve piping hot with grated Parmesan cheese and crush red pepper.

Yields 4 – 6 servings.

*I cook my spaghetti separately because I don’t like it to get too soft sitting in the sauce if there are any leftovers. If you prefer, the spaghetti can be cooked in the sauce, but I would advise adding an extra cup of chicken broth to make up for what the spaghetti will absorb and to counteract the thickening caused by the pasta starch. I would add it to the sauce shortly before the meatballs are added and cook until tender.

Something a Little Weird and Wonderful for Your Next BBQ: Pea and Pickle Salad

May 30, 2020 by Karen Leave a Comment

Some people complain about the summer heat, but I really don’t get it. I think it is such a small price to pay for such a wonderful time of year. No one really expects too much from you during the summer. It is like everything goes on hold so we can garden, travel, play and grill.

Our family grills year-round. My husband even keeps a snow shovel by the door so he can clear me a path to the grill in the dead of winter. The grill count on our side deck now numbers 3. We have a charcoal grill for steaks and chicken, a gas grill for browning and our newest acquisition, an electric smoker to smoke the meat we brown on the gas grill. I know what you are thinking, but don’t turn your nose up, it is really unbelievable what a great job our electric smoker does.

Believe it or not, this post is not about grilling or meat it is about the sides. I’ve made it clear that I am not crazy about traditional sides that go with barbeque. I do have a recipe for some dolled up baked beans that I really like, but they call for a dozen ingredients and is just a bit fussy. I also have a recipe for potato salad that I have perfected over the years and I love it too, but it is really best when made the day before. Most of the time I really prefer not to even turn the stove on our grilling nights. I’m mean that kind of defeats the purpose of an easy weeknight meal don’t you think?

In an effort to come up with some super easy barbeque sides, I have gone back into my family archives and revisited some of my mother and grandmother’s favorites. One I really like is a combination of thinly sliced cucumbers with some red onion and sour cream. I also LOVE the spicy corn salad I featured last year and that’s pretty darned easy too.

My newest addiction though is a pickle and pea salad (yes, you heard right) that I can’t stay out of when there is a bowl of it in the fridge. I’ve updated the ingredients a bit to kick up the flavors but the original old fashioned recipe is in there somewhere. I promise you that you will be addicted to this unusual concoction and if you aren’t, pack it in ice and ship it to me because I love the stuff.

Spicy Pea and Pickle Salad

Feel free to use fresh or frozen peas for this recipe but I prefer mine Texas church lady style with the gray/green ones out of the can, so shoot me.

1 – 15 ounce can peas, drained1 tablespoon finely diced yellow or red onion
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 slices bacon, fried to crispy and chopped
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (mild or sharp depending on your preference)
2 medium dill pickles, chopped (approximately 1/2 cup) plus 2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 small fresh or pickled (for a milder flavor) jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts (I love the spicy flavored ones)

Place drained peas in a medium size bowl. Add the onion, eggs, bacon, cheese, pickles, pickle juice, jalapeno, garlic, salt pepper and mayonnaise. Gently stir to combine being careful not to break up the peas and eggs too much. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes or until chilled through.

This can be made a day in advance and a couple of tablespoons of milk or pickle or jalapeno juice can be added if the mixture seems a bit stiff.

Sprinkle with peanuts just before serving.
Serve cold.
Serves 4 – 6 normal people.
Serves 1 at my house.