Teeny, Tiny Usefulness

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!  Looking forward to some good family time & good eating.

Likely, we will all be ready to get back to greens & kale soon!

Wanted to quickly share a teeny, tiny addition in my kitchen that I am using all the time.

It's a little shot glass measuring cup that measures up to 6 tsps or 2 Tbsps.  I love it!  I am one of these cooks that likes to measure out all my ingredients before I start cooking/baking.  I actually have two of these & they are so handy for that.  This is a perfect little gift/stocking stuffer.

One caveat: do not wash in the dishwasher if you use LemiShine or something similar.  You will soon have a whiskey shot glass instead of a measuring cup!  The writing will come off.  I actually contacted Anchor about this & they said that they are working on printing that can withstand the lemon -- interesting.  Anyway, I don't mind washing them for their usefulness!

Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie

With the cooler weather, Freddie & I have both been craving "comfort foods".  I had checked out this cookbook at the library (one of my favorite genres!) & found the Shepherd's Pie recipe.  I remember my mother making this often after Sundays when we had leftover mashed potatoes.  Believe it or not, when I was sick in my first trimester, this was my only dinner request from my mother-in-law.  So, we have fallen in love with this recipe & it's becoming a weekly dinner.  We have tried both lamb & beef.  Though we love lamb, we actually prefer the beef here.

Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6 to 8
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

TOPPING:
2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled & cubed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
Ground black pepper
2 large egg yolks

FILLING:
2 pounds ground lamb or beef
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onions, minced
2 carrots, peeled & cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas
Salt & ground black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING: Heat oven to 400F. Put potatoes & 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large pan & add water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer & cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Prepare filling while waiting.

Drain the potatoes well, return them to the pot over low heat & mash thoroughly with a potato masher. Off the heat, fold in the butter until melted, then stir in the warm milk & season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir in the yolks.

FOR THE FILLING: Cook the meat in a Dutch oven over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain through a strainer, discarding the juice & fat. Let sit.

Add the butter, onions & carrots to the Dutch oven & cook over medium heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic & thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour & tomato paste & cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth & Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits & smoothing out any lumps. Bring to a simmer & cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the drained meat & peas, season with salt & pepper to taste & smooth the filling into an even layer. Dollop the potato topping over the filling, then spread it into an even layer, covering the filling completely & anchoring the potatoes to the sides of the pot.

Bake until the top is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes (takes less time if all ingredients are hot). Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pssst.....

It's a BOY!

Maybe another little farmer...let the lettuce keep growing!



Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemons seem appropriate on this blog, although I'm not sure about lemon pie!

However, Joey of Moore Pigs at Fernandina Market gave us these wonderful lemons from his tree last week.  Pie was the first thing that popped into my mind.  Oh, how delicious!

My Favorite Pie Crust

~Makes about 3 crusts~

2 cups flour

1 cup butter Crisco

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon sugar

dash of salt

dash of baking powder

Whisk flour, sugar, salt & baking powder.  Cut in Crisco with a pastry blender.  Stir in water with rubber spatula.  Dough is extremely sticky.  Divide in half and wrap each half loosely in waxed paper.  Put in freezer to chill a bit.  Flour a pastry cloth generously (if you don't have a pastry cloth go buy one!! It makes pie crust 400% easier).  Roll out dough bigger than pie pan.  Picking up pastry cloth by two adjoining corners, fold crust in half.  Using the same method, fold again making the pastry a quarter size.  This transfers & unfolds easily in the pie pan.  Trim edge and flute.  Prick bottom & sides for this baked pie crust. Bake 475 F for about 8-10 minutes, until brown.  Cool on wire rack. This is one of those recipes where I wish I could 'demonstrate' instead of write down!

**** I cut the recipe in half for this pie.  It made one 9" pie crust and then I froze a little personal crust for Freddie for later -- he's happy! ****

Lemon Meringue Pie

(My Friend: Betty Crocker!)

Baked Pie Crust

3 large egg yolks

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1-1/2 cups water

3 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/2 cup lemon juice

Heat oven to 400 F. Beat egg yolks with fork in small bowl.  Mix sugar & cornstarch in saucepan.  Gradually stir in water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens & boils.  Boil & stir 1 minute.  Immediately stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks; stir back into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil & stir 1 minute; remove from heat.  Stir in butter, lemon peel & lemon juice.  Pour into pie crust.  Prepare Meringue (see below) & spoon onto pie filling, sealing edges firmly.  Use back of spoon to make peaks.  Bake 8-12 minutes or until meringue is light brown.  Cool.  Cover & refrigerate cooled pie until serving.

Meringue

3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 heaping tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites & cream of tartar in medium bowl with  electric mixer on high speed until foamy.  Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff & glossy.  Do not under beat.  Beat in vanilla.

*** Next time, I will 1-1/2 this recipe.  I think the pie would have been prettier with more meringue.***

Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa Salad

This is hands-down one of Freddie & my favorite dishes!

Our only complaint is that it is over so quickly!!

This recipe comes from www.iowagirleats.com with a few personal adaptions.

Jerk Seasoning Blend:

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon allspice

Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa:

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed very well

1-1/4 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 lb peeled & de-veined shrimp

1 recipe of Jerk Seasoning Blend (see above)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 to 1-1/2 cup of chopped fruit (see note below)

4 green onions, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Quinoa Dressing:

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons orange juice (or reserved pineapple juice)

Combine rinsed quinoa & broth in a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer covered on low heat until all the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Or use a rice cooker -- easy!)  Spread the quinoa out onto a big plate to cool.  (I usually do this step at lunch if I'm having it for supper.)

Combine cooled quinoa with chopped fruit, green onions & cilantro.  Whisk dressing & pour on top of the quinoa.  Toss & chill while preparing the shrimp.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.  Place in large bowl.  Add olive oil & Jerk Seasoning blend.  Toss to coat.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray with non-stick spray, then cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes a side, or until cooked through.  (Enjoy the aroma ~ it will draw the household to the kitchen!)

Serve plates with shrimp on top of the quinoa.

NOTE: I have used a variety of fruits, usually what I have on hand -- definitely involve citrus.  I always use mandarin oranges & pineapple.  However, I limit the pineapple because of the acid.  Strawberries are a beautiful addition when available.  Grapes are nice & I have used kiwi, as well.  Be creative - but don't forget the mandarin oranges & pineapple!