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Here are the tastingspoons players. I’m in the middle (Carolyn). Daughter Sara on the right, and daughter-in-law Karen on the left. I started the blog in 2007, as a way to share recipes with my family. I’m still doing 99% of the blogging and holding out hope that these two lovely and excellent cooks will participate. They both lead very busy lives, so we’ll see.

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BOOK READING (from Carolyn):

Music of Bees, Eileen Garvin. Absolutely charming book about a woman in midlife, lonely, who raises bees, also makes unlikely friends. Heart-warming and very interesting about beekeeping.

A Postcard from Paris, Alex Brown. Really cute story. Dual time line, 1940s and present day about renovating an old apartment in Paris, things discovered.

Time of the Child, Niall Williams. Oh such a good book. Very small village in Ireland, 1960s. A baby is left on the doorstep. The town all whispers and helps. I listened to an interview of the author, which made me like him and his books even more.

Sipsworth, Simon Van Booy. If you like animals you’ll swoon. An old woman who really wants to die finds a tiny mouse in her house and befriends it and finds a reason to live. Utterly charming book.

The Forger’s Spell, Edward Dolnick. True story. For seven years a no-account painter named Han van Meegeren managed to pass off his paintings as those of Johannes Vermeer.

If You Lived Here, You’d be Home by Now, Christopher Ingraham. Could hardly put it down – about a journalist who takes on a challenge to move to small town in Minnesota and write about it. He expects to hate it and the people and place, but he doesn’t. Absolutely wonderful true story.

The River We Remember, William Kent Kreuger. 1950s, Minnesota. A murder and the aftermath. Could hardly put it down. Kreuger has such a vivid imagination and writing style.

How the Lights Gets In, Joyce Maynard. An older woman returns to New Hampshire to help care for her brain-injured son. Siblings and family, lots of angst and resentments.

The Filling Station, Vanessa Miller. Every American should read this book. A novelized retelling of the Tulsa massacre in 1921. Absolutely riveting.

The Story She Left Behind, Patti Callahan Henry. Love this author. Based on a true story. A famous author simply vanishes, leaving her husband and daughter behind. She had invented a mystical language no one could translate. Present day, someone thinks he’s solved the riddle, contacts the family. Really interesting read.

The Girl from Berlin, Ronald Balson. Love anything about Tuscany. An elderly woman is being evicted from a villa there, with odd deed provenance. Two young folks go there to help unravel the mystery. Loved it.

The Island of the Colorblind, Oliver Sacks, M.D. Nonfiction. The dr is intrigued by a remote Pacific island where most of the inhabitants are colorblind. He also unravels a mystery on Guam of people born with a strange neurological problem. Medical mysteries unveiled. Very interesting.

The Bookbinder, Pip Williams. Post 1914 London. Two sisters work at a bookbindery. They’re told to not read the books. One does and one doesn’t. One has visions beyond her narrow world; the other does not. Eventually the one gets into Oxford. Lovely story.

The Paris Express, Emma Donoghue. 1895 on a train to Paris, a disaster happens. You’ll delve into the lives of many people who survived and died in the crash.

A Race to the Bottom of Crazy, Richard Grant. This is about Arizona. Author, wife and child move back to Arizona where they once lived. Part memoir, research, and reporting in a quest to understand what makes Arizona such a confounding and irresistible place.

The Scarlet Thread, Francine Rivers. A woman’s life turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh frontier conditions on the Oregon Trail.

A Place to Hide, Ronald Balson. 1939 Amsterdam, an ambassador has the ability to save the lives of many Jewish children. Heartwarming.

Homeseeking, Karissa Chen. Two young Chinese teens are deeply in love, but in China. Then their families are separated. Jump to current day and the two meet again in Los Angeles.

North River, Pete Hammill. He always writes such a good story. A doctor works diligently healing people from all walks of life. His wife and daughter left him years before. One day his 3-yr old grandson arrives on his doorstep.

A Very Typical Family, Sierra Godfrey. A very messed-up family. Three adult children are given a home in Santa Cruz, Calif, but only if the siblings meet up and live in the house together. A very untypical scenario but makes for lots of messes.

Three Days in June, Anne Tyler. The usual Anne Tyler grit. Family angst. This wasn’t one of my favorites, but it was entertaining and very short.

Saved, Benjamin Hall. Author is a veteran war reporter. Ukraine, 2022, he nearly loses his life to a Russian strike. Riveting story – he survives, barely.

Grey Wolf, Louise Penny. Another Inspector Gamache mystery in Quebec. She is such an incredible mystery writer.

All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each. Could hardly put it down.

Orbital, Samantha Harvey. Winner of 2024 Booker Prize. I don’t usually like those, but I heard the author interviewed and she hooked me. This is not a normal book with a beginning, a story and an end. It’s several chapters of the day in the life of various astronauts at the ISS (Int’l Space Station). All fictional. She’s been praised by several real astronauts for “getting it” about space station everyday life.

The Blue Hour, Paula Hawkins. An island off Scotland. Inaccessible except when the tide is out. Weird goings on. An artist. A present day mystery too.

Iron Lake, William Kent Krueger. A judge is murdered and a boy is missing. Riveting mystery.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home, Carol Ricks Brunt. 1980s. A 14-yr old girl loses her beloved uncle. Yet a new friendship arises, someone she never knew about.

Four Treasures of the Sky, Jenny Zhang. 1880s, a young girl is kidnapped in China and brought to the United States. She survives with many hurdles in the path.

The Boy Who Fell out of the Sky, Ken Dornstein. Memoir, 1988. The author’s brother died in the PanAm flight that went down in Lockerbie, Scotland. A decade later he tries to solve “the riddle of his older brother’s life.”

Worse Care Scenario, T.J. Newman. Oh my. Interesting analysis of what could/might happen if a jet crashed into a nuclear plant. Un-put-downable.

Song of the Lark, Willa Cather. Complicated weave of a story about a young woman in about 1900, who has a gifted voice (singing) and about her journey to success, not without its ups and downs.

Crow Talk, Eileen Garvin. Charming story which takes place at a remote lake in Washington State, about a few people who inhabit it, the friendships made, but also revolving around the rescue of a baby crow.

The Story Collector, Evie Woods. Sweet story about some dark secrets from an area in Ireland, a bit magical, faerie life, but solving a mystery too.

A Sea of Unspoken Things, Adrienne Young. A woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death. She goes to a small town in California to figure it out, to figure HIM out.

The King’s Messenger, Susanna Kearsley. 1600s England, King James. About one of his trusted “messengers,” and his relationship with a young woman also of “the court.” Lots of intrigue.

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier, Emily Matchar. Interesting mystery in/around the area of the famous resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Isola, Allegra Goodman. Hard to describe, survival story on an island in the 1600s.

Save the Date, Allison Raskin. Rom-com, witty, LOL funny. Clever.

The Sirens, Emilia Hart. Numerous time-lines, Australia. Mysteries abound, nightmares, abandoned baby, weird allergies.

Red Clay, Charles Fancher. LOVED this book. Mostly post-Civil War story about the lives of slaves in Alabama during Reconstruction.

Stars in an Italian Sky, Jill Santopolo. Dual time line, 1946 and recent time. Love stories and a mystery.

Battle Mountain, C.J. Box. Another one of Box’s riveting mysteries. Love his descriptions of the land.

Something Beautiful Happened, Yvette Corporon. A memoir of sorts in Greece, tiny island of Erikousa, where the locals hid Jews during WWII. All elusive stories told by the author’s grandmother.

The Jackal’s Mistress, Chris Bohjalian. 1860s Virginia, about a woman who saves the life of a Union soldier. Really good story.

Song of the Magpie, Louise Mayberry. Really interesting story about Australia back in the days when it was mostly a penal colony. Gritty strength of a woman trying to thrive with her farm.

The Boomerang, Robert Bailey. A thriller that will have you gripping the book. About a lot of secrets surrounding the president (fictional novel, remember) and his chief of staff and about cancer. A cure. Such a good story.

Care and Feeding, Laurie Woolever. Really interesting memoir of a woman driven to succeed in the restaurant business. She worked for Mario Batali and then Anthony Bourdain. Gritty stories.

Everything is Tuberculosis, John Green. Maybe not a book for everyone. A real deep dive into the deadly tuberculosis infection, its history. I heard the author interviewed and found the book very interesting.

The Book Lovers Library, Madeline Martin. Fascinating read about Boots’ drug stores’ lending library. And the people who worked in them.

The Arrivals, Meg Mitchell Moore. LOL funny, about a middle-aged couple whose children (and their various family members) return to the family home and the chaos that ensues.

My Life as a Silent Movie, Jesse Lee Kercheval. About grief. A big move to Paris, finding herself a new life with a new set of real blood family.

Escape, Carolyn Jessop. Another memoir about a woman really in bondage in Utah, Mormon plural marriage.

 

Tasting Spoons

My blog's namesake - small, old and some very dented engraved silver plated tea spoons that belonged to my mother-in-law, and I use them to taste my food as I'm cooking.

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Posted in Appetizers, on April 26th, 2024.

Really tasty stuff. It’s like that ubiquitous onion dip from a box, but made yourself and it tastes like it’s on onion steroids.

Having been invited to an 80th birthday party for Peter, my friend Kathy’s husband, I asked what could I bring? Kathy said, oh, you always make such good appetizers. Okay, will do. This dip stood out from my untried recipes. It came from Sunset magazine –  they call it just “spring onion dip,” but I’ve added the word shallot because those little bulbs are a significant part of the ingredients. Their recipe has you buy fried shallots. Having never seen them (or maybe I’ve just not noticed) I made my own, although they’re really just caramelized, not fried crispy exactly.

The recipe also calls for Kewpie mayo. I wrote up a post last year about that, for Japanese egg salad sandwiches. I’m now noticing Kewpie in my regular grocery stores. If you don’t have it, I truly don’t think it would matter if you used regular mayo (just don’t use Miracle Whip as it’s sweetened). Kewpie uses only egg yolks (not whole eggs) and it uses rice vinegar, so it has a bit of a different tanginess.

Depending on the size of the shallots you buy, you want just 1/2 cup of finished “fried” shallots, so for me that was about 5 of them. They need to be cooked, then cooled before they’re added to the dip mixture. For the dip you combine mayo, sour cream and a bunch of flavorings, then the shallots are added. When I made it, it was way too salty (for me, anyway) so I’ve reduced the amount of salt in the recipe below. Taste it to make sure – add more to suit your palate. The recipe calls for buttermilk to thin the dip if needed. I didn’t think it was needed.

Note that there is a substantial amount of green onions needed, and chives, so make sure you buy enough.

If you’re a potato chip aficionado, then you’ll appreciate that the recipe indicated to serve with Ruffles brand chips. That’s what you see in the photo above.

The dip was really delicious. VERY onion-y, or shallot-y, whatever  you want to call it. I made a double recipe and left the rest of it with my friend Kathy, along with the beloved Ruffles chips, which she said was their favorite brand anyway. As mentioned, the original recipe had more salt, so I thought it was overly salted, yet everyone ate it and no one else noticed. I do recall that the box-mixed onion dip was also very salty, so perhaps the recipe developer was trying to mimic that brand.

What’s GOOD; really tasty onion flavor. The shallots add a good umami taste, but it’s not distinguishable from the other onion flavors. I’d make it again, for sure. So much better than the box mix type.

What’s NOT: nothing, really, unless you hate to peel, chop and sauté shallots since there are a few in the recipe. Otherwise it’s just a matter of a bunch of chopping, mincing and stirring.

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Spring Onion Shallot Dip

Recipe: Adapted slightly from Sunset Mag
Servings: 8 (or more if you have other appetizers you’re serving)

5 whole shallots — about 1/2 cup, peeled sliced and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup Kewpie mayonnaise — or regular mayo
1 3/4 cups sour cream
2 large garlic cloves — microplaned or minced
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt — or more to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder — don’t use onion salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup green onion — thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh chives — thinly sliced (about one package)
1/4 cup buttermilk — may not be needed
salt and lemon juice to taste
1 large bag potato chips — Ruffles preferred

1. In a small skillet melt butter and add the sliced, chopped shallots. Cook over medium to med-low as shallots begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Do not let them burn. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, mustard, salt, onion powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, green onions, chives. Lastly add the shallots. If the mixture seems thick, add buttermilk by the tablespoon until it’s your desired consistency (I didn’t add any).
3. Whisk everything together until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice. Allow to chill for several hours to meld flavors. Serve with your favorite potato chips Ruffles are recommended.
Per Serving: 289 Calories (and yes that includes the potato chips); 28g Fat (89.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 70mg Cholesterol; 472mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 67mg Calcium; trace Iron; 123mg Potassium; 51mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Fish, on April 19th, 2024.

Really simple preparation – make the glaze ahead if you have time, then brush on top. 

Found an old-old recipe from the 1990s, from Cooking Light that I’d never made. So good. Pretty easy, although you do have to boil down the sauce to make a glaze. You start with a can of Kern’s apricot nectar. Add in some freshly grated ginger, 2 cinnamon sticks, a jot of soy sauce (I used low sodium). Simmer that for about 20 minutes at a fairly rapid bubble and it reduces way down. The recipe indicated you’d end up with 3/4 cup. I think I ended up with more like 1/2 cup, but it was relatively thick. Kind of like thinned out jam. Once it’s done you strain out the cinnamon sticks and the ginger pulp and it’s ready to use. Then I added about a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.

I used a silicone brush to slather the glaze on the salmon (placed on a parchment lined sheetpan). I roasted the salmon in a 400°F oven (I also added some oiled broccoli and cauliflower florets to the sheet pan – see in the rear of the photo). It took about 13-14 minutes, I’d say. Using an instant read thermometer was crucial here. I swear once salmon reaches 110° internal temperature it zooms to 125° in no time at all. My friend Linda told me recently that salmon should never be cooked to more than 125° which is lower than for most fish. Oh gosh, it was perfect. So moist.

Once out of the oven I brushed on some more of the glaze. Then I added some fresh herbs I had on hand and served it immediately. Definitely a keeper of a recipe.

What’s GOOD: so tender, delicious with the apricot flavored glaze on top. You could easily make more of this sauce to have it on hand in the freezer. Or it would be good on chicken too. The 12-ounce can of apricot nectar make enough for 4 servings. I had a guest, so made enough for two, and the rest of the sauce went into the freezer for another day.

What’s NOT: only that you need to have some Kern’s apricot nectar on hand. And fresh ginger.

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Roasted Salmon with Apricot Ginger Glaze

Recipe: Adapted from Cooking Light, June 1998
Servings: 4

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger — peeled, grated
2 cinnamon sticks — (3-inch)
12 ounces apricot nectar — Kern’s
1 pound salmon steaks — cut into portions
1 teaspoon sesame oil — toasted type
Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, chives and sliced green onions

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer mixture until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Strain the apricot mixture through a sieve over a bowl, and discard solids. Add the sesame oil to the apricot mixture and stir to combine.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line with parchment paper. If desired, add broccoli and cauliflower florets to the sheet pan to round out the dinner. Toss vegetables with oil, salt and pepper. Brush fish with about half of the apricot mixture. Roast salmon for 12-14 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to assure you don’t cook the fish higher than 125°. Remove from oven and brush more apricot glaze on the fish. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Per Serving: 202 Calories; 6g Fat (26.2% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 319mg Sodium; 11g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 37mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 581mg Potassium; 339mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Pork, Veggies/sides, on April 12th, 2024.

Such a quick meal but really delicious. 

Funny story. I was out running an errand and had a hankering for an In-N-Out burger. Glanced at my phone to see exactly where it was (I was out in the desert and knew I’d seen one in La Quinta). Thought I knew where . . . nope . . wasn’t where I thought it was. Should have stopped and done a search on my phone or the car GPS, but didn’t. Decided to just go back home and find something to make. I had cabbage. I had onion. I had one of those u-ring-shaped packages of smoked sausage. There it was. Lunch. But I added a bunch of other stuff too.

First I sauteed some onion and celery in a bit of olive oil, then added garlic powder, some herbs, then a few cups of chopped up cabbage. Poured in about 1/2 cup of white wine that was languishing in the refrigerator. Use vermouth if you don’t have any regular drinking wine. Dissolved some Dijon in the wine, stirred, added Italian seasoning, the smoked sausage cut up in diagonal coins, then at the last, added a bit of butter.

What I realized was how EASY this meal was to make. It couldn’t have taken me more than 20 minutes to throw it together. I could have added some carrots, which I had, or broccoli, but I wanted the typical German style with the sausage, cabbage and onions. The butter was the icing on the cake, so to speak. I could taste it, which gave the dish a lovely silkiness. You could probably use a bit less butter if you want to. This makes enough for two. I had the second portion the next day for lunch and enjoyed it every bit as much as I did the first time. If I’d wanted to be decadent I’d have served it with a side of creamy mashed potatoes. I had this dish in Germany a couple of times, and it was outstanding. That would add a lot of calories, but the flavors are really good.

What’s GOOD: loved the combo of flavors – the sausage, the slight crunch of the cabbage. The butter added a smooth finish. The herbs were super, and the wine added some nice flavor too. I’m absolutely buying another ring of sausage to have on hand for another one of these skillet dinners.

What’s NOT: only if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand.

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Easy Skillet Sausage and Cabbage

Recipe: My own concoction
Servings: 2

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion — sliced
1/2 cup celery — chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme — crushed between your palms
3 cups cabbage — sliced and cut crosswise
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
7 ounces smoked sausage — or Italian sausage, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter, or less (and optional)

1. In a large skillet add olive oil to pan and heat over medium. Add onion, then celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Reduce heat some then add cabbage, white wine. Scoop Dijon into center of pan and swirl to dissolve in the wine, then stir into everything.
2. Add sliced sausage and stir. Allow to sizzle a bit then cover with a lid and lower heat to a simmer. Add butter and stir through until melted. Cook for about 5 minutes until sausage and cabbage are cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately in a wide soup bowl.
Per Serving: 555 Calories; 43g Fat (74.7% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 97mg Cholesterol; 1345mg Sodium; 6g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 96mg Calcium; 3mg Iron; 575mg Potassium; 179mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Desserts, Miscellaneous, on April 5th, 2024.

Oh, I’m in love. Never again will I make it on the stovetop!

You’ve read it here before – I have a lovely Meyer lemon tree. It’s probably 30 or more years old, and it just keeps on producing the most wonderful lemons. The first crop each year, the biggest crop, is always the one that is in full fruit in about February each year. I get 3-4 crops/year on this tree. Just amazing. But none is as big as this one. I’ve probably got 60 lemons on it right now, and I’ve already used 15-20 already.

My friend Dianne, who is a home economist, happened to mention to me recently about making lemon curd in the Vitamix. I’m sure I looked askance at her. She said, yup, look it up. Sure enough. I read comments – there were a number. Knowing that Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular ones, I knew I’d need to reduce the sugar. Several people had commented they thought the recipe had too much sugar in it. Fine with me . . . and I needed to adjust the recipe to make a smaller amount. Their recipe makes something like 4 cups. This one makes 2 cups. With 4 cups,  I’d never use it up in time before it would spoil.

I have a second, smaller (Vitamix) container (than the standard that comes with the Vitamix) and so I adjusted the recipe some. So my recipe not only includes a bit more egg, but also reduces the amount of sugar by a lot. If you use a non-Meyer, you will need more sugar.

Into the blender container you place the zest, juice, eggs and sugar. Oh, and a bit of salt. What makes this unique is that the Vitamix blender heats when you blend on high speed. So after increasing the speed, you blend for 5 full minutes at high speed. That mixes the lemon curd completely AND heats it. Then you remove the plug in the lid and add butter – slowly, piece by piece while it’s running – and because the curd is hot, it melts instantly. You continue to blend for another 30 seconds, and the lemon curd is done. Hooray. Yippee! No standing over the stove stirring for awhile.

What’s GOOD: this lemon curd is every bit as good as any I’ve ever made. My previous favorite lemon curd was from America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve been making it that way since 2012. But now I have this one. New favorite. So easy to make.

What’s NOT: well, if you don’t have a Vitamix blender you can’t make it. Sorry about that.

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Lemon Curd in the Vitamix

Recipe: Adapted some from Vitamix website
Servings: 28

Zest of 3 Meyer lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice — from Meyer lemons
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar — heaping
1/2 teaspoon salt — optional
1/4 cup unsalted butter — cut into pieces

NOTE: This recipe varies slightly from the original on the Vitamix website. This one makes a smaller quantity, uses slightly more egg, and a lot less sugar because I used Meyer lemons.
1. Place lemon juice, eggs, sugar, salt and zest into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
2. Blend for 5 minutes.
3. Reduce speed to Variable 5 and remove the lid plug. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, through the lid plug opening incorporating butter completely between additions.
4. Replace the lid plug and increase speed to Variable 10. Blend for 30 seconds. Mixture may seem too thin, but it thickens as it chills.
5. Chill before serving or allow to cool slightly and serve at room temperature.
Per Serving: 50 Calories; 2g Fat (37.6% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 24mg Cholesterol; 49mg Sodium; 7g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 4mg Calcium; trace Iron; 10mg Potassium; 11mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Cookies, on March 29th, 2024.

What a revelation these cookies are. So tender and crispy. The texture is sublime.

Some months ago I put Claire Ptak’s baking cookbook, The Violet Bakery Cookbook, on my Christmas wish list and oh-happy-day, I received it as a gift. I don’t feel so guilty acquiring another cookbook if it’s a gift. Since there is no way that I need another cookbook. No way, Jose. Once Christmas was over with, I couldn’t wait to get into reading it. I do love reading cookbooks, but more than anything I enjoy reading the headnotes about the recipes. I keep a stack of those little plastic sticky-back flags nearby when I’m devouring a new cookbook. I have about 12 flags on the top edge of this cookbook. This is the first recipe I’ve tried. If this is any indication of what’s to come, I’m going to love a lot of the recipes.

What’s different about this recipe: (1) it uses only egg yolks; (2) it has a higher proportion of butter/fat in ratio; (3) you don’t overly mix the dough; (4) the dough must be frozen or refrigerated; and (4) I added walnuts, because I like them in chocolate chip cookies, always.

Also, I veered away from the original recipe – Ptak wants you to roll the batter/dough cookie balls and place them on cookie sheets, then freeze them for hours or overnight before baking. Well, no way do I have room in my freezer for trays of cookies. Instead of freezing them, I refrigerated the dough overnight (in the mixing bowl) and made the balls just before baking.

A caution: because of the amount of butter in this recipe, you can’t just remove the bowl from the refrigerator and begin scooping the dough into balls. Why? Because of the amount of butter in these and it’s not whipped-up butter as you don’t overly mix the butter and sugar as you do with lots of cookie doughs, the dough is just-about hard as a rock. You need to allow the bowl to sit out for about 30 minutes (or more) before you begin rolling the dough into balls. I used a kitchen knife to poke big slices into the dough to break it apart (not exactly easy).

The other change I made was to add some unsweetened cocoa powder to the dry ingredients (and removed an equal amount from the flour quantity). I doubled the recipe below, so I used 2 T of unsweetened cocoa powder. It didn’t change the flavor profile at all, but the cookies themselves are slightly darker in color.

For the bakery, she makes these into gigantic 4-5″ diameter cookies. I never do that, so these are more standard size, using balls that are about 1 to 1 1/4″ in diameter. My cookie scoop couldn’t cut through this dough, it was just too solid, so I used the knife to break apart pieces and formed them by hand into sort-of balls. The cookies are baked on parchment paper. Hers take 18 minutes, but mine took 14 minutes. In the recipe below I suggest 13-14. If  you want a softer center, remove them earlier. I love crispy crunchy, so I did the full 14 minutes.

What’s GOOD: oh my goodness, everything about these are wonderful. These may become my new favorite. Not sure until they are cooled, frozen, and I eat them from a frozen state. Do try them if you’re a fan of chocolate chip cookies. The texture is so different – you CAN tell they use egg yolks. It’s a lovely, rich dough and finished cookie.

What’s NOT: nothing that I can think of, unless you only like soft cookies; if so, these won’t be winner for you.

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Egg Yolk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe: Adapted slightly from Claire Ptak, Violet Bakery
Servings: 52

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour — less one tablespoon
1 tablespoon cocoa powder — unsweetened
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter — plus 2 tablespoons, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar — lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks — at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts — chopped

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars. Beat on medium-high until combined. You are not looking for light and fluffy, just until the dough is thoroughly mixed through, 1-2 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer to low and add the egg yolks, scraping down the bottom and sides. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined.
3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more, and beat on low for an additional 30 seconds. Increase the mixer to medium-low, add the chocolate chips and walnuts all at once, and beat until both are evenly distributed throughout, about 1 minute.
4. Chill the cookie dough for several hours or overnight. Remove bowl from refrigerator and allow to sit for 30 minutes before you begin scooping the dough (otherwise it’s almost impossible to scoop as the butter in the dough is rock-hard).
5. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Form dough into about 1″ or 1 1/4″ balls and place on prepared pans.
6. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 355°F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the cookie balls about 2″ apart on the prepared sheet pans.
6. Bake one pan at a time for 13-14 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough (or freeze it to bake later).
7. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Otherwise freeze them in freezer bags for up to two months.
Per Serving: 114 Calories; 7g Fat (53.5% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 21mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium; 6g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 14mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 42mg Potassium; 30mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Breads, Brunch, on March 22nd, 2024.

So very tasty. Sara makes the best scones!

Over the holidays we had extended family with us at the desert house. One morning Sara was inspired to make one of her favorite scones, this one with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Sara just loves to bake, and as her two children were growing up, on weekends, she’d almost always bake something, whether it was biscuits or scones, or some brownies, or cookies. Something sweet. Their two children are in their mid-twenties now. Sabrina is in her second year of medical school in South Carolina, and son John just graduated from Virginia Tech, is working but is still figuring out his next career step(s).

Over that period of time she developed her own favorite method for scones, and then varies the additions (so, raisins, or nuts, or other kinds of dried fruit). Her family loves white chocolate in just about anything, so it was an easy addition to make scones with dried cranberries and the white chocolate chips. With her now standard scone recipe.

What’s different about the scones is the GRATED BUTTER she uses. A full stick of butter – hard frozen – grated on the big box grater. What that method does is disburse the butter all through the dough and it stays frozen almost, until the scones hit the oven and then it does its magic, allowing for lovely light lift. She also uses buttermilk, to make the scones so-tender. And this recipe also calls for the zest of an orange too.

In the picture here, you can barely see some of the orange zest (adds such lovely flavor) and the dried cranberries.

Sara likes to make hers into a rough round shape, about 10″ in diameter, then she cuts the round into wedges. Those went onto a big baking sheet lined with parchment and into a 375°F oven they went, for 18-20 minutes. She used some heavy cream to brush on top of the scones, and sprinkled some coarse sugar (not sure that is visible in the photo) on top, too.

What’s GOOD: these scones are to die for. They were gone, gone. I think a couple of family members breezed by the kitchen and grabbed an extra one. This recipes makes 8 scones, but you could create more if you used a biscuit cutter.

What’s NOT: not a single thing. This recipe is a keeper.
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Cranberry White Chocolate Scones

Recipe: A Sara C original
Servings: 8

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter — FROZEN, grated
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
zest of one orange
2 tablespoons heavy cream — to brush on top
2 tablespoons coarse sugar — to sprinkle on top

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar together in a medium sized bowl.
2. Mix in the frozen, grated butter, then add the buttermilk all at once. Mix with fork until dough begins to hold together. Add cranberries and white chocolate chips and the orange zest.
3. Gently roll or press out into a round and cut into wedges (or cut into biscuit type rounds). Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush cream on top of each scone and sprinkle coarse sugar over all of them. Place tray of scones in the freezer while the oven heats up (20 minutes or so).
4. Heat oven to 375°F and bake scones for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve immediately with butter.
Per Serving: 386 Calories; 17g Fat (39.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 55g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 360mg Sodium; 30g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 156mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 97mg Potassium; 214mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Beef, on March 18th, 2024.


Such a nice, tender corned beef with a semi-sweet apricot glaze with mustard.

Change of subject here: It’s been a long time since I’ve talked (written) about grief. In another week or so it will be 10 years since my dear husband Dave died after having a stroke. I can’t believe it’s been that long . . . time sometimes dragged after it happened; every day was a misery, then as grief does, a day of less angst, then more of them, until eventually the days upon days of grieving were mostly in the past. It took about a year or more for that to happen. At first there were lots of business-y things to deal with, the trust attorneys, the special tax return to be filed. Money to be moved here and there. Some of that busy-ness kept me grounded, distracted from the grieving. It was always there in the background, though. Erupting in the evenings when I felt so alone. I still have moments, memories arise and cause a fall of my stomach, sometimes from seeing an old photo, or a fragment of a memory of old times.

Recently I’ve had some issues with my main house. I had a major leak and mold to deal with. Teams of people had to come in to fix, repair. It took weeks and weeks and weeks to get it repaired. Then a roof leak during the last heavy rains. Fortunately I was able to get someone to come and find the leak and repair it. Then I needed termite work done. Money has been pouring through my checking account. Dave would have been front and center making the phone calls, weighing the bids, watching the repairs. Since he’s been gone those things fall on me. Sometimes it’s a heavy load.

As I’ve mentioned before, grief is a fickle thing. It comes and goes. I feel it today – I’m writing this on Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day. I am out in the desert, a small condo Dave never knew since my daughter Sara, her husband John, and I bought it just a few years ago. Knowing St. Patrick’s Day was coming up, I decided to make a celebratory dinner. Celebratory. What was I celebrating, I asked myself? Just me. I bought a corned beef, had cabbage and onions on hand, a few carrots, and then I decided to make Irish Soda Bread.

As the day has progressed, the corned beef slowly simmered on the stove, soda bread was made, and vegetables prepared. And I suddenly felt very bereft. Lost. Sad. Alone. Dave would have loved the upcoming meal – he loved corned beef. At one point I weighed, did I really even want this dinner? Many holidays since Dave has been gone go unmarked, no special fanfare. And I’ve been fine with it. Not Christmas or Thanksgiving because I’m almost always with family then, but other holidays like July 4th, Easter, or this, St. Patrick’s Day. Tears began to form in my eyes, me feeling sorry for myself. I took a deep breath. Talked to myself. Pick yourself up, Carolyn, make it festive. Could I hear Dave’s voice saying, enjoy it, honey, wish I was there with you. Yes, I could imagine him saying that, though I didn’t really hear him. Can’t waste a perfectly good (and expensive) corned beef. Get a grip. And so I did.

The Irish Soda Bread is already on the blog – it’s Ina Garten’s, lightly flavored with orange zest. Wonderful as toast with butter and jam. The corned beef was made differently – although I like the recipe I’ve used in the past (more than one) I was interested in making one with a fruit glaze. Found one online that suggested orange marmalade as the base. Shopping at the store, they were OUT of marmalade, so I substituted Bonne Maman’s apricot fruit spread instead. Mixed with Dijon mustard and brown sugar.

The corned beef was simmered for hours, then put into a low baking dish, glazed and baked for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile I cooked the vegetables in the same pan I’d simmered the corned beef. Sliced a piece of the bread, still warm from the oven, spread with butter. A dinner made. The corned beef was great, but I wasn’t by that time, really in the mood. I ate. I washed a mound of dishes, watched TV and went to bed. Now I’m writing this on Monday morning, back home. Feeling fine today, not sad. That little grief spell is overwith now. Glad to see it go .. . meanwhile, do try the corned beef and especially the Irish soda bread.

What’s GOOD: I loved the corned beef, particularly with the kinda sweet/savory glaze (the savory coming from the mustard). I had a bit of the glaze with every bite. The veggies were okay. Loved the bread, especially the 2nd slice I had not just with butter, but some of the apricot fruit spread on top too.
What’s NOT: nothing really .. . all of it was good. And yes, I’d make it again with the apricot glaze.
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Apricot Glazed Corned Beef

Recipe: Adapted from a food.com recipe
Servings: 7

2 pounds corned beef brisket — flat cut
1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
VEGETABLE SIDES: cabbage wedges peeled potatoes (or sweet potatoes), peeled carrots, onion wedges

1. Remove corned beef from the brining package. Rinse off any herbs and spices.
2. Add corned beef to a large soup pot and cover amply with water.
3. Bring mixture to a slow simmer, cover, or cover partially, and cook for 3-4 hours until a fork probed into the meat seems tender. The water should not be fully boiling, just below that, at about 200°F.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Remove meat and place it in a casserole dish.
6. In a small bowl mix the apricot jam, Dijon and brown sugar until no streaks of mustard are visible. Use about half of the glaze to brush or spoon onto the top of the corned beef..
7. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove meat to a cutting board. Cut meat across the grain into about 1/2″ thick pieces. Shingle them onto a serving platter and serve the remaining glaze on the side.
8. VEGETABLES: If you want cabbage, onions, carrots and potatoes with the meal, prep them and add to the pot of simmering fluid you cooked the corned beef in. Pour out most of that liquid and simmer the vegetables in about 1″ of the water. Bring back to a simmer and allow vegetables to cook for about 20-25 minutes. Drain and serve alongside the corned beef.
Per Serving: 325 Calories; 20g Fat (54.2% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 70mg Cholesterol; 1636mg Sodium; 12g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 19mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 413mg Potassium; 157mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Chicken, Soups, on March 8th, 2024.

Can I just say – this chili is SO good. So easy to make. Very satisfying.

I started off with a recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen – she used ground turkey instead of chicken (and you could use either one – my daughter Sara happens to prefer ground chicken so I used that), and the sweet potatoes (no beans in this recipe). Since sweet potatoes are a resistant starch, I like including them in any potential recipe I make. Most of the seasonings are similar to Kalyn’s, but I made a few changes. I wanted more vegetables (just because) and I used some small pieces of cauliflower too which just melded into the soup (couldn’t see it or taste it). I’m not a fan of green peppers – never have been. I know they add a distinct flavor in some cuisines, but I just don’t like them. So in my recipe I used red. You could use yellow or orange, as well. Or a mixture.

The chili has a deep, dark color, which comes from using ancho chili powder. If you haven’t added this seasoning to your spice pantry, you should, as it has a wonderful deep flavor. It’s only been in recent years that you could buy it ground. Yes, you can use the whole, dried anchos – cut off the stems, remove the seeds, chop coarsely then run them through a spice grinder. I just buy the powder already ground.

I also use a spice mix from Penzey’s, called Chili 3000 (I also use the Chili 1000 too) but the 3000 was the one I used here. You don’t have to buy that unless you’d like to try it.

When I made this chili, I doubled the recipe. I was out at the desert house and I made it in our huge 12-inch “MadeIn” pot I bought for that house to use on our induction range. Sara and John were there, and we had it for dinner one night. It got rave reviews from all of us. I froze some of the portions, gave some to Sara to take home and I brought a few servings home with me too. Loved the toppings – we had yogurt, green onions, grated Cheddar and cilantro.

What’s GOOD: Gosh, so delicious. Loved the complex flavors (am sure it’s a combination of the ancho chili powder and the Penzey’s Chili 3000 mix). The ground chicken – don’t we know – doesn’t have a lot of flavor, but the protein is healthy for us – so the flavor here has to come from other things. Altogether fabulous. For me, this recipe is a real keeper.

What’s NOT: nothing, really. Make sure you buy the ancho chili powder.

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Ground Chicken Sweet Potato Chili

Recipe: Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Servings: 8

2 tablespoons olive oil — divided
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
2 red bell peppers — seeds and stem removed and chopped
1 large onion — chopped
2 stalks celery — minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ancho chiles — (or use more regular chili powder if you don’t have ancho)
1 tablespoon Penzey’s Chili 3000 seasoning — or other chili seasoning mix
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
8 ounces diced green chiles — not jalapenos
14 ounces diced tomatoes — canned, undrained
8 ounces tomato sauce
28 ounces low sodium beef broth
2 medium sweet potatoes — skinned and diced into cubes
1 cup cauliflower — cut into small dice
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
TOPPINGS: unflavored yogurt (or sour cream), grated cheese, diced green onions and chopped cilantro

1. In a large soup pot, heat half of the olive oil, add ground chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is well-browned and all liquid has evaporated. Break it apart with a spatula.
2. Spoon out the chicken into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the other amount of olive oil to the soup pot, add the chopped red pepper, chopped onion and celery, and sauté about 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, Ancho chile powder, and ground cumin and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken back into the soup pot. Then add the diced green chiles with juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth to the soup pot. Bring the chili to a simmer, then turn heat to low.
5. Dice the sweet potato into pieces about 3/4″ square and add to the chili along with the diced cauliflower and simmer about 45 minutes, adding a little water if it gets too thick.
6. Taste for seasoning and add hot sauce if desired, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve hot, with toppings of your choice: yogurt or sour cream, grated cheese, green onions and cilantro. The chili will keep in the fridge for about a week and it freezes well.
Per Serving: 239 Calories; 11g Fat (40.0% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 73mg Cholesterol; 328mg Sodium; 8g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 63mg Calcium; 3mg Iron; 1086mg Potassium; 239mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Salad Dressings, Salads, on March 1st, 2024.

Such a nice salad. Love the lightly sweetened cranberry juice salad dressing.

This recipe I’ve made a couple of times since Diane Phillips demonstrated it and served it at the December class she and Phillis Carey gave in early December. I made it the other day but decided not to do the fancy stuff with the pecans. Rather than coat them in a sweetened egg white mixture and roast them, I just toasted the pecans without. There are dried cranberries there (hard to see), and some nice chunks of goat cheese. And then the really delightful dressing.

I’d say the only down side to this salad is that you have to buy a bottle of cranberry juice cocktail. (Don’t use the diet type.) Didn’t they used to sell them in small cans? All I could get was as huge bottle of it. I’m glad I have family coming with little kids (my two great-grands) who will drink it up, I hope.

The dressing is easy-peasy to make. Just combine cranberry juice cocktail (not the diet type), sugar (I used part artificial sugar when I made it), rice vinegar (don’t use the seasoned type as that contains sugar), Dijon, salt, pepper and vegetable oil in a jar and shake. I used a mixture of field greens and arugula in the salad above. Ideally toss the salad with the dressing. If you’d like to, I think you could reduce the sugar just a little bit, to make it slightly less sweet. But not by much.

My friend Dianne and I were doing a fund-raising event for 10 people, so when I made it on this occasion, to save time about 10-15 minutes ahead we plated the greens, added the cranberries, pecans and goat cheese, then just before serving I drizzled the dressing on each plate of salad. The dressing should keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

What’s GOOD: love the dressing, slightly sweet. Make ahead. Very easy salad to put together. Easy to take to a party. Dressing will keep for a week or two.

What’s NOT: only that you’ll have to buy a bottle of cranberry juice cocktail. I don’t drink fruit juice anymore. Maybe around Thanksgiving or Christmas time they have it frozen in concentrate? Might have to look next fall. I’ll freeze a bit of the juice for the next time I want to make this.

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Field Green Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese

Recipe: Diane Phillips, cooking class 12/2023
Servings: 6

PECANS:
1 large egg white — about 2 T
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
6 tablespoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon seasoning salt — like Lawry’s
2 cups pecans — or walnuts, raw, or use combination
SALAD:
8 cups salad greens — (field or combination)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup goat cheese — crumbled
DRESSING:
1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail — (do not use diet juice)
1/4 cup rice vinegar — (do not use “seasoned” style)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil — might need up to 2/3 cup
salt and pepper to taste

1. NUTS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
2. Whisk together egg white, Tabasco, sugar, garlic salt and seasoning salt.
3. Add nuts and stir to coat well.
4. Spread pecans onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes for even toasting. Remove pan from oven and cool completely. Break up the pecans and store in airtight container. The pecans can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.
5. SALAD: Place greens in a large salad bowl.
6. In a small jar, combine cranberry juice, rice wine vinegar, sugar, mustard and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Taste for acidity and add more oil if needed.
7. Pour dressing over salad, plate the salads individually and garnish with dried cranberries, pecans and goat cheese.
Per Serving (this is a bit high because there is more dressing here than you will use): 616 Calories; 54g Fat (76.1% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 234mg Sodium; 21g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 146mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 224mg Potassium; 247mg Phosphorus.

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Cranberry Juice Vinaigrette

Recipe: Diane Phillips, cooking instructor, from a class, 12/2023
Servings: 8

1/4 cup cranberry juice — do not use diet
1/4 cup rice vinegar — do not use “seasoned”
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil — or a smidge more if needed
salt and pepper to taste

NOTE: This goes well with a field green salad (field greens mixed with some other lettuces, or arugula), then add some dried cranberries, toasted pecans and some little torn chunks of soft goat cheese (from the log).
1. In a jar, combine the cranberry juice, rice vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Taste for acidity and add more oil if needed.
2. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Shake well before using.
Yield: 1 cup
Per Serving: 149 Calories; 14g Fat (80.1% calories from fat); trace Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 42mg Sodium; 7g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 3mg Calcium; trace Iron; 12mg Potassium; 5mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Desserts, on February 25th, 2024.

That looks kinda odd, doesn’t it? That’s a bit of whipped cream (not quite whipped enough, actually) on top of tapioca pudding that has some flecks of vanilla bean in it.

Since we went through Covid, every once in awhile I crave some dessert comfort food. Seems like more than I used to. And rice pudding is one I turn to, also my mother’s apple crisp, and occasionally tapioca pudding. So I reviewed my options and tapioca pudding was the choice. Made with more half and half than milk, using a Cook’s Country recipe to start from. I improvised a bit with it, but it’s pretty darned good. Worth making.

The dairy (half and half and milk) is poured into a saucepan, then you add the tapioca, sugar, an egg and an egg yolk (mixed up before adding), a tad of light brown sugar and salt. Then you add the innards of the vanilla bean (cut with a knife lengthwise, carefully, then use the side of the knife to scrape out all that good paste). The bean pod is added while it’s cooking and removed afterwards. The mixture is left to sit a few minutes before you bring it to a boil and simmer, carefully stirring constantly at that point, for two minutes. The tapioca does its thing (thickening) as it cools – it’s still pretty thin when you pour it into a bowl, then it gels up later. Add a piece of plastic wrap (after 15 minutes or so) to the top of the pudding, so it doesn’t develop a crust. Allow it to cool, then refrigerate for two hours. I had a hard time waiting two hours . . . then an extra step is added that I’d not done before. You whip up 1/2 cup of heavy cream – I whisked it by hand rather than get out my hand mixer – with a tablespoon of sugar added. HALF of that whipped cream is added to the pudding and stirred in. The other half is garnished on the pudding.

For me, the pudding was very thick – too thick to my liking when I took it out of the refrigerator – even with the small amount of whipped cream added, so I added some extra milk to it and stirred it in until it was smooth, without clumps. Scoop out servings into small bowls and dollop the whipped cream on top. Serve. Divine.

What’s GOOD: well, rich and creamy. That’s the ticket. Absolutely delicious. A keeper of a recipe. The half and half (obviously) gives it a nice richness, and the whipped cream gently added in at the end gives it a nice texture. Really liked that part. After the first serving, I ate it without the whipped cream. It was plenty-rich, so if you don’t want to do that whipped cream topping, just add it all in when you stir it in at the end.

What’s NOT: nothing at all, unless you don’t have vanilla bean on hand. Or half and half!

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Creamy Rich Tapioca Pudding

Recipe: Adapted from Cook’s Country
Servings: 8

3/4 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cups half and half
1 large egg
1 egg yolk — lightly beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar — plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup tapioca — Minute type
1 whole vanilla bean
More milk to thin the pudding, if needed
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Combine half and half, milk, egg and yolk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and tapioca in a medium saucepan.
2. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and use a sharp knife to scrape the seeds into the mixture. Drop the scraped bean pod into the pan (it will be removed later), and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Remove the bean pod, and then pour the pudding mixture into a bowl. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the top of the pudding and allow to cool completely. Remove plastic wrap. Cover bowl tightly and chill for at least two hours. When ready to serve, stir the pudding – if it seems to be extra-thick, add some milk to it and stir well, to combine without big lumps.
4. Beat the heavy cream and remaining granulated sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding. Serve the remaining whipped cream dolloped on top of the pudding, along with fresh summer berries.
Per Serving: 195 Calories; 13g Fat (60.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 129mg Sodium; 11g Total Sugars; 1mcg Vitamin D; 100mg Calcium; trace Iron; 127mg Potassium; 99mg Phosphorus.

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