Vanilla Honey Butter

There's something perfect about a couple smooth scoops of vanilla ice cream after a light dinner.

An avid vanilla-fan, I was ignorant to the ways of Nielsen Massey Vanillas until I discovered their cookbook, A Century of Flavor, that Favorite Recipes Press helped produce. Apparently, this company has been creating amazing, really pure and intense vanilla flavors since 1907.

They released this cookbook to celebrate their centennial, and every single recipe sound amazing.

The Fresh Basil-Tomato Soup with Vanilla calls for their Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

The Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes calls for their Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract; Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade.

There is even a Delicious Vanilla Honey Butter. Holy cow.

Delicious Vanilla Honey Butter

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2 tablespoons sifted confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

1.) Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, honey and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric mixer until creamy.

2.) Use on pancakes, waffles, cornbread, biscuits, muffins, popovers or scones.
OR JUST EAT STRAIGHT OFF THE SPOON BECAUSE IT'S THAT GOOD.

Did you pass Home Ec?

It's ironic that high schools across the nation cut home ec classes, primarily during the '70s and '80s, presumably as a result of the women's lib. movement.

This situation is ironic because, while some argued these courses placed gender stereotypes on young women, I would argue that these courses taught principles and skills that students could carry with them into multi-billion dollar industries (fashion; textiles; interior design; the food industry; etc.).

Regardless, it looks like home ec courses are making a comeback - at least for grown-ups.

If you can't find a home ec course at a local community college, you can create your own at home with these classic cookbooks - Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers.

Back in the '60s, when home ec courses were in their prime, home ec teachers from across the nation submitted their favorite recipes to publishers, Favorite Recipes Press, to compile this series of books that includes Casseroles, Meats, Vegetables, Salads and Desserts. Each book has more than 2,000 recipes and each recipe cites the contributor, so you're likely to recognize your home town or little towns nearbye. Pretty neat-o.

You can get the entire set or singles from the set at The Cookbook Marketplace.

Like Change? Fight the Pumpkin Pie Status Quo this Thanksgiving

Sure, it’s a safe choice to serve the same old pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving.

But now that we’re a nation devoted to change, you should look at these exciting new options for serving your family delicious pumpkin desserts this Thanksgiving.

*Recipes from Something to Talk About: Occasions We Celebrate in South Louisiana, a community cookbook from the Junior League of Lafayette, LA.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
Ingredients
GINERSNAP CRUST
- 1 ½ cups gingersnap cookies, crushed
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 eggs

Directions
GINGERSNAP CRUST
- Combine the gingersnap crumbs, brown sugar and butter in a bowl and mix well. Press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the side of a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan.

FILLING
- Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the pumpkin. Add the cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice and mix well.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
- Bake for 1 ½ hours or until the center is set.
- Cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
- Chill for 8 to 10 hours before serving.


Easy Pumpkin Swirl
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup buttermilk baking mix
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- confectioners’ sugar
FILLING
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
CAKE
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the eggs and granulated sugar in a bowl and beat until fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Combine the baking mix, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg in a bowl and mix well.
- Add to the egg mixture and stir just until mixed. Stir in the nuts. Pour into a 10x15-inch baking pan lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cake tests done.
- Dust a clean kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar. Invert the cake onto the towel. Remove the waxed paper. Roll the warm cake in the towel as for a jelly roll from the short side and place on a wire rack to cool.
FILLING
- Cream the confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl.
- To assemble, unroll the cooled cake carefully and remove the towel. Spread the filling over the cake and reroll. Chill until serving time.



Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup wheat bran cereal
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until foamy. Add the pumpkin, oil and cereal and mix well. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until mixed.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Cool completely. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cake.

Cheap, healthy, delicious PORK!

In the spirit of crazy politics and a faltering economy, I'm on a big pork kick lately.
I figure since D.C. politics are into spending on pork projects, and I have so little money to spend, pork is the perfect protein to purchase at the grocery.

Toast to Tidewater, a beautiful community cookbook from the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia, has some really fab pork recipes. I'll share these two. They both highlight fall produce and would make wonderful meals on a rainy fall night or special weekend meal.

So here's to pork! Pig out!

Dijon-Maple Pork Tenderloin with Apples – pair with Rockbridge Vineyard Riesling
Ingredients
1 package of pork tenderloin (2 per package)
¼ cup Dijon-style mustard
6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into wedges

Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Mix Dijon-style mustard, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, rosemary, salt, and pepper to make a sauce.
- Cover tenderloin with sauce.
- Cook in roasting pan in preheated 325 degree oven for approximately 25-35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Cook Granny Smith apples in large skillet on high heat until brown.
- Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Serve with pork.


Autumn Pork Tenderloin – Pair with King Family Vineyards Michael Shaps Viognier
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin
½ teaspoon salt or more as needed
2 cups apple juice (or enough to cover the tenderloin in the baking dish)
1 cup apple butter
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions
- Prick pork tenderloin all over with a small knife.
- Sprinkle pork with salt; place in a 13 x 9 x 2” baking dish.
- Pour apple juice, to cover, over pork and let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to several hours.
- Mix apple butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and cloves in a separate bowl; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Drain apple juice from baking dish.
- Bake pork in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove pork from oven; brush with apple butter mixture.
- Return to oven; bake for additional 10 minutes.
- The internal temperature of the pork when done should be between 160-165 degrees; do not overcook.
- Let pork sit for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Nostalgic for Pot Roast

It was a ritual at our house to have pot roast on Sundays.

My wonderful family was like the many other American families that have always minded its grocery bill, recession or no.

Pot roast is delicious, feeds a whole family, and even leaves leftovers, all costing maybe $30 at the most.

So on Sundays, Mom would throw a mean chuck roast, lots of red potatoes, carrots, celery, any other vegetable that needed to be used, a lot of spices and tons of garlic into the crock pot and turn it on "low."

We'd roll off to Sunday School and church for a couple of hours. The house would smell and feel amazing when we'd get home and change out of our Sunday clothes. Mom and Dad would go about working on the house or in the yard. I'd help them, do homework, whatever - but we'd all busy ourselves until dinnertime - like we had to stay occupied because we couldn't wait to eat. The roast would slow-cook all day, the smell only getting better and richer throughout the house.

We rarely ate dinners together at the table. But on those Pot Roast Sundays, Mom would make garlic toast as the rest of us would fix our plates, and we'd all sit down together at the table to enjoy what we'd been waiting all day to eat.

It was a really simple thing - a pretty simple meal really - but a time we spent together, enjoyed together, and were thankful for. It's a little nostalgic memory that means a lot to me.

I found this recipe for "Slow-Cooker Pot Roast" in Recipes Worth Sharing, a new compilation cookbook that honors community cookbooks and is loaded with simple, delicious recipes that don't cost much to create.

For old-times sake, I enjoyed this recipe last Sunday and have actually been digging on the leftovers all week. It's a fabulously easy, inexpensive recipe that yields tender meat and tons of flavor. Start your own tradition.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 large garlic cloves, sliced - 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper - 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup olive oil - 8 small read potatoes, peeled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 cups red wine - 8 carrots, peeled and quartered
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce - 3 ribs celery, chopped

Directions
- Cut the roast into halves and make small slits in the top of each half. Insert a garlic slice into each slit. Coat the roast with a mixture of the flour, salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the roast on all sides in the hot oil. Place the roast in a 6-quart slow coooker and add the wine and onion. Mix the tomato sauce, brown sugar, oregano, prepared horseradish, prepared mustard and bay leaf in a bowl and pour over the roast. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery and cook, covered, on Low for 8 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Serves 6+++

Leftovers make great sandwiches or are delicious mixed as a sort of goulash with jasmine rice.

Taco Salad with a Twist

On the note of being conservative and getting as much as you can out of what you have (re-using, recycling, composting, etc.), I love recipes that call for ingredients you likely have on-hand and are flexible enough for improvisation.

All Holly Clegg's book and recipes follow this principle.

This recipe for Taco Salad with a Twist from the Assistance League of the Bay Area out of Houston, Texas, is the kind of recipe that calls for things that are already in the fridge, garden or cupboard. It's quick and easy to make, make adjustments to, as well as take to an impromptu dinner, BBQ, Quinceañera, whatever.

I really like how this taco salad recipe steps it up a notch and calls for some macaroni noodles too.

Taco Salad with a Twist

ingredients

- 2 cups macaroni

- 1 pound ground round

- 1 envelope taco seasoning

- 1/2 cup spice ranch or Catalina salad dressing
- 1/2 head lettuce
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into halves (or, just pull any type out of the garden - yum.)

- 1/2 cup chopped green onions

- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

- 1 small can sliced black olives, drained

- 1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained

- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

directions

- Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Rinse the macaroni with cold water and drain. Chill for at least 1 hour.

- Brown the ground round in a skillet, stirring until crumbly. Drain the grease.

- Stir in the taco seasoning mix and salad dressing.

- Let stand until cool.

- Combine the macaroni, ground round mixture and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix.

- Serve immediately.

- Guacamole, sour cream, and salsa are optional and preferable!

***Photo courtesy of http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/foodblog/2007/10/taco_salad.htm***

Tortilla and Mimosas

No one could make a tortilla like my Spanish mother, Pepa.

I've thought of this delectable treat often since I left Spain years ago.

When I found what looked like a pretty standard recipe for tortilla de papas y cebollas in the cookbook Sunny Days, Balmy Nights, from the Young Patronesses of the Opera in Miami, Fla., I wanted see if I've retained any of Pepa's cooking lessons.

In Spain, a tortilla is actually a mix of potatoes, onions, eggs, and copious amounts of olive oil. The only ways it compares to the flour tortillas we buy at the grocery is that both are flat, tasty and relatively cheap.

My potatoes were a little aged, but with some mad knife skills I pared the bad spots right out.

From what I remember and proved true in this cooking endeavor, the potatoes should be sliced rather small - close to the size of pineapple pieces when they are served on pizza. You have to saute/fry them in olive oil for quite a while, along with the onion, to soften them up, before putting them in the eggs and making the actual tortilla.

Cooking is always twice as nice with a little sweetness too. And, this man sooooo knows his way around a kitchen - his guidance and skills might as well be on my ingredient list (for all my endeavors, really).

This was the amazing sauce, or salsa, that I had nothing to do with. I had, however, planted the basil in the garden a month or two ago. We used it in this sauce and it was so reFRESHing.

A tricky part of making this tortilla is sliding it out of the pan and inverting it.

Note: I wasn't the one to do this maneuver.

This is what the finished product looks like....

...and this is how it's served: sliced, covered in the salsa, and preferably with a mimosa.


This whole experience was by far one of my favorite parts of the weekend!








Tortilla de Papas y Cebollas (Spanish Omelet)

ingredients
SAUCE
- 6 tomatoes (I cheated and used canned whole tomatoes - turned out great)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 3 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil
- Salt and pepper, freshly ground, to taste

OMELET
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch half-moon shapes (just cut 'em into small little wedges that will turn soft in 20 minutes or so upon frying...)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced into half-moon shapes
- 6 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste


directions
SAUCE
- To prepare sauce using canned tomatoes (NOTE: the book explains how to boil and then peel tomatoes...I am lame and took an easier route,). Slice the tomatoes to make wedges.
- Saute the onion, garlic and bell peppers in the olive oil in a saucepan until the onion is golden brown.
- Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper.
***To make sauce ahead, prepare as directed but do not stir in the basil until just before serving.)

OMELET
- To prepare the omelet, heat the olive oil in a 9-inch omelet pan. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown. Remove the garlic and discard (or use in garlic butter for other purposes - YUM).
- Add the potatoes to the pan and cook over medium heat for 5+ minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender, stirring constantly.
- Beat the eggs with a fork in a large bowl until slightly foamy. Add salt and pepper.
- Spoon the potato mixture with a slotted spoon into the eggs and mix well, leaving the drippings in the pan (***Make sure the potatoes have softened and aren't crunchy before you do this --- cook them as long as it takes, until they're soft.)
- Pour the egg mixture into the drippings in the omelet pan, adding additional oil if needed to prevent the eggs from sticking. (Didn't need extra oil....)
- Spread the egg mixture evenly in the pan and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan.
- Gently run a spatula around the edge of the omelet to loosen as the eggs begin to cook. Continue to cook until the eggs leave the side of the pan.
- Invert a plate over the pan and flip the omelet onto the plate.
- Slide the omelet back into the pan to brown the other side.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce.



***Pepa would always serve this tortilla cold, on white bread, as a sort of sandwich...also delicious!