supper on Christmas Day

We started with this marvelous pear-onion-gorgonzola tart - you can see the fresh thyme sprinkled on top.  Then an herb roasted beef tenderloin, creamy scalloped potatoes, spinach/pear/candied pecan salad, rolls, and molten chocolate cakes (garnished with whipped cream, raspberries, chocolate nibs, and edible silver glitter stars!) for dessert. 

holiday open house 2011

It was a horrible blizzardy evening and yet 3 dozen friends managed to stop by.  The menu included eggnog (add your own brandy/nutmeg), sparkling water, sparkling cider, hot mulled cider (add your own brandy), pate and jam sandwiches, tuna sushi salad with rice crackers and nori, shrimp with Russian dressing, Asian chicken wings, apricot-almond baked brie, sweet-hot pecans, and assorted holiday cookies.  Here are some photos as we set it all up, as well as a look at one of the thousands of luminarias that lit up our neighborhood on Christmas Eve. 

blackberry pie

I was able to get a couple of containers of fresh blackberries from Costco so I made some refrigerator jam and this lovely pie.  The crust was from a pre-made refrigerated pie crust.  The filling was 6 c. of berries, 3/4 c. sugar, 3 Tbs. cornstarch, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.  I just cut out stars from the second crust for the top and affixed them with an egg wash.  I froze the unbaked pie for an hour, more egg wash and sprinkled with sugar, then baked for 1 hour 20 minutes at 375 degrees.  It is best to bake this on a parchment lined baking sheet to catch any potential spills, and tent the pie with foil after about an hour in the oven if it looks like it will get too brown. 

shrimp dumplings

I followed the Har Gao recipe in a recent issue of Saveur magazine.  These are a bit time-intensive but wonderful  http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Har-Gao-Shrimp-Dumplings

made-up pasta for lunch

This sauce was the product of what was on hand.  While I was cooking a pound of short, tubular pasta I sauteed some onion, garlic, and prosciutto in olive oil in a large skillet.  Then I added a can of undrained, diced tomatoes and let it simmer to thicken.  I also added a touch of vodka.  At the end, as I was letting the pasta drain I added some cream and fresh basil to the sauce.  Then I stirred in the pasta to let it soak up some sauce for a moment.  Salt and pepper to taste and fresh grated Parmesan on top.  It was wonderful.  I think you could also throw in some fresh spinach to saute with the onion and garlic. 

almond pear tart

I made these about 5" across with store-bought puff pastry and folded up the rim to make an individual serving.  There is some almond filling spread on the bottom, then topped with beautiful slices from a red pear.  I baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, then glazed the top with a bit of melted apple jelly.

pinto bean-pine nut-green onion pilaf

This is one of my favorite side dishes.  I slightly saute the rice in oil, then cook it in chicken broth.  When the rice is done I fluff it up and add a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans - cover and let set a few minutes.  Before serving, stir in toasted pine nuts and chopped green onions.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

delicious banana tartes tatin

From Bon Appetit magazine:  http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2011/10/banana-tartes-tatin

These are simple, few ingredients, and divine.

chicken melt on a Christmas plate

The special holiday dishes are being put to use.  There are oven roasted potato slices on one side and a grilled chicken breast topped with a roasted poblano chile and melted jack cheese on the other side. 

an autumn skillet dinner - pork chops with butternut squash & escarole

I browned the pork chops, then took them out of the pan (deglazed the pan with a bit of chicken broth).  I then put cubes of butternut squash, chopped up head of escarole, and some shallot halves into the pan and roasted that all in a 400 degree oven until the squash was cooked.  Then the pork chops get nestled back into the mixture and baked until the chops are done and it is all garnished with toasted walnuts.

grilled lamb chops and potatoes lyonnaise

The lamb chops are marinated in a garlic-rosemary oil before grilling.  The potatoes are a fancy version of home fries that include richly browned onions (and a squeeze of lemon juice to finish).  I used some lovely flat-leaf Italian parsley from the front porch planter as a garnish.  The next night we dipped into the single digits and I now have very frozen parsley out there. 

lasagna roll-ups and a bacon-and-egg salad

For the roll-ups I softened some no-boil lasagna noodles, then spread them with a ricotta-spinach- parmesan filling.  Rolled them up, put in a pan with a marinara sauce on top, then baked until heated through.  The salad was arugula with a vinaigrette, topped with bacon crumbles and a softly fried egg. 

shrimp and napa cabbage

I stir fried some garlic and ginger in hot sesame oil, added shrimp and sliced napa cabbage until the shrimp was cooked through, and finished it with a cornstarch-chicken broth slurry to thicken. 

bananas foster parfait

This was a tasty saute of bananas in brown sugar and butter, but then served over Greek yogurt instead of ice cream, and topped with toasted pecans.  I love how the sweetness of the topping combines with the tangy yogurt.  Of course the no-fat yogurt helps to offset the calories.....

eating more lamb

I have tried to remember to put lamb on the menu more regularly.  These chops were marinated with some herbs, garlic and oil, then grilled and topped with some gorgonzola butter.  The accompanying salad had a refreshing ruby grapefruit vinaigrette and topped with sunflower seeds.  Red wine, of course, alongside. 

ricotta-raspberry-chocolate parfaits

I put a layer of sweetened raspberries on the bottom.  Then, for the topping, I pureed some fresh ricotta with a bit of cream and folded in some bittersweet chocolate bits, garnished with more chocolate curls.  It reminded us of a kind of cannoli filling. 

beer-braised onions top this cheeseburger

I mixed up some beer, mustard, and onions in a foil packet that braised/grilled while cooking the burgers (topped with Swiss cheese).  Rather than a bun this time, I went low carb by serving on lightly grilled romaine leaves. 

pasta with roasted vegetables

I roasted some cauliflower and carrots, tossed cooked orrechiette pasta with the veggies, some bacon, and grated Parmesan (thinned with some pasta cooking water) and served with more shaved Parmesan on top.  Alongside you see the warm, blue-cheese stuffed proscuitto-wrapped dates. 

Happy Thanksgiving

The table is set, menu planned, shopping done, cooking prepped.  Enjoy your day! 

fall dinner

This was a delicious meal of yogurt-marinated grilled chicken over a cucumber salad, along with an Israeli couscous salad.  I made the salad by cooking the couscous (after lightly toasting it in olive oil) in chicken broth.  Once done, I added kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions and toasted pine nuts.  Dressed lightly with a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette and topped with crumbled feta cheese.  I think serving it at room temperature really lets the flavors shine. 

upside-down pear pecan cake

This is a not-too-sweet batter, made with yogurt.  The 'topping' (placed in the bottom of the pan) is a caramely mixture with pecans, topped with sliced pears. 

quail hiding in plain sight

Every other day I take a bucket of seed out to the ground feeder in our arroyo.  Moments later a resident covey of about 40 Scale Quail show up for a feast.  Yesterday Henery the Hawk took off with one of them for breakfast right in front of me.  Ah well - the circle of life. 

cookbook published and available to buy

Well, it took a good 30 years but I finally did it! This first volume describes 31 times we entertained from 1985-1989 and includes the menus, over 100 recipes, grocery shopping lists, and preparation timelines. 

If you are interested, here is how you can purchase this 224-page paperback book:

 Buy on-line directly from the publisher ($25/book + shipping)

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/bjjones

 (or, just search on the LuLu.com site for the book title)

 

I understand that it probably will eventually be available on amazon.com but it can take 6-8 weeks for online booksellers to 'accept' and show new books as available. I advise buying it through the site above. I do not plan to issue it as an electronic book.

 

apple crostata

I don't like to make pie crusts from scratch so I use the pre-made refrigerated ones.  For this one I rolled out one crust to about a 15" circle, piled in sliced apples (mixed with sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon), folded up the edges, brushed the dough with egg and sprinkled with raw (turbinado) sugar.  It baked for an hour at 350 degrees and then I lightly glazed the apples with maple syrup.  Heavenly.  Best to have the baking sheet lined with parchment paper because this gets sticky. 

crab cakes

We are not close to any seaports here so I tend to resort to fresh pasterurized crab meat.  These had some egg, panko crumbs, and red bell pepper bits.  Pan-fried and nicely accompanied by a mustard/mayonnaise sauce. 

salted caramel-topped brownies

These little nuggets are chock full of flavor.  I baked a pan of brownies, topped with a caramel layer, then drizzled with bittersweet chocolate, and a light sprinkle of sea salt. 

ebelskiver breakfast

You need a special pan to make these - and it helps to have a Danish heritage too because these evoke family memories for me.  I can best describe ebelskiver as pancakes that have gone 3-D, like a tennis ball.  My pan is cast-iron and very well used.  Sometimes we use a filling of ham and cheese.  Mostly we make them plain to serve with applesauce and with syrup (Danish sausage too!).  The one photo shows them as they start cooking, the next is after I flip them so the underside can cook. 

amazing gnocchi

Finally!  Homemade gnocchi that were the right consistency - thanks to the Sept/Oct 2011 issue of "Cooks Illustrated" magazine.  It is easy to make the Gorgonzola Cream Sauce while bringing the pot of water to a boil for the gnocchi and the sauce is ready to coat these tasty potato pillows when they are cooked.  Sauce:  Bring 3/4 c. cream and 1/4 c. dry white wine to boil in large skillet.  Whisking constantly, gradually add 1 c. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and cook until melted and sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in 2 Tbs. minced fresh chives, salt and pepper to taste.

grilled eggplant salad

This is an eggplant version of caprese salad.  I just sliced up a small eggplant, brushed the slices with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  The eggplant slices were then grilled until tender.  When they cooled a bit I just layered them with some fresh mozzarella slices.  A little lemon juice/olive oil dressing and a sprinkle of fresh parsley on the top.

halloween hello

I hope you have a hauntingly great day!

salt-roasted potatoes

I love trying the recipes from Cook's Illustrated magazine - this was in their September/October 2011 issue and reminded us of the jacket potatoes we enjoyed in London a few years ago (an inexpensive and filling meal; they can be topped with anything that you like on your baked potatoes).  Nestle potatoes and a head of garlic on a bed of salt.  Cover with foil and roast 75 minutes at 450 degrees.  Uncover, remove garlic (make some roasted garlic butter with it for the potatoes), lightly coat potatoes with olive oil, crank oven up to 500 degrees and roast for another 15-20 minutes. 

cooler weather supper

I enjoyed making a wonderful roasted butternut squash soup (in the glass mug) to go with this open-face lamb 'sloppy joe'.  The bread is spread with goat cheese, topped with baby spinach leaves, and then smothered with a mixture of sauteed ground lamb, onion, garlic, tomato puree, rosemary and honey.  Honey and lamb are great partners with the sweetness of the honey marrying with the distinct taste of the lamb. 

butternut squash ravioli

I made a roasted garlic and butternut squash filling, then used wonton wrappers for the pasta.  These are topped with a hazelnut-oregano pesto and fried sage leaves. 

fast foccacia

I didn't have time to make my dough from scratch so I used a pre-made small pizza shell (such as Boboli brand).  Then I topped it with pesto, kalamata olive halves, cherry tomato halves, sliced red onion, and fresh grated Parmesan.  It was done after 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven, then I sprinkled it with fresh basil. 

october treats

Enjoyed memorable meals in L.A.:  The Border Grill on 4th in Santa Monica (Green Corn Tamales!) and Susan Feniger's Street on Highland in Los Angeles (Kaya Toast!).  I also love Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort.  I always treat myself to a marshmallow treat while in the parks. 

lamb chop dinner

These are spice-grilled lamb chops topped with rosemary crumbs, grilled skewers of squash & proscuitto with a mint dressing, and a crab-salad stuffed avocado.  Add in the zinfandel and it makes for a lovely evening!  

fresh tomato sauce

This is nice to make while the pasta cooks.  While bringing the pasta water to a boil, peel a pound of delicious tomatoes from your garden or the Farmers Market.  Crush them with your hands into a bowl.  I find that pound of tomatoes will sauce about 1/2 a pound of pasta.  While the pasta cooks, saute the tomato pulp in a Tbs. of olive oil with a chopped clove of garlic and a pinch of salt.  Once it is reduced to sauce-like consistency I add a few sliced fresh basil leaves, a tsp. of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of dried red pepper flakes.  Taste for salt.  Drain the cooked pasta and mix in with the sauce to heat for a couple of minutes.  Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan. 

fresh tomato soup

This is a spicy Asian-flavored fresh tomato soup that can be served either hot or cold.  Garnished with crab meat and pea tendrils (I can usually find pea tendrils at the local Asian market).  I wanted to keep using the wonderful tomatoes from the Farmers Market. 

my kitchen patron saint

San Pascual is is reported to be a shepard from Spain who was a lay brother in the Franciscan order in the late 1500's.  He is the patron of kitchens because legend has it that an angel attended to his kitchen duties while he prayed before the Eucharist.  I have several depictions of him hanging in the kitchen - some include the lovely phrase "panza llena, corazon contento" (after a good meal, the heart is content).

taco treat

Pretty plain, simple and delicious.  We like our tacos with a softly fried corn tortilla, seasoned ground beef, homemade salsa, shredded cheddar, and lettuce. 

balsamic berry salad

Just a touch of balsamic vinegar does wonders for the berries.  I like my fruit at room temperature so I make this up about an hour before serving and just let it set.  Mix a pint EACH of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.  Gently mix in 1/4 c. sugar and 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar.

homemade flour tortillas

Using a very old griddle, once in a while I treat us to fresh homemade flour tortillas to go with our New Mexican dinner.  They may look rustic, but the taste just can't be beat.  I have to have the right tools and ingredients - besides the antique griddle (we call it a 'comal'), I use a tiny little ancient rolling pin, and lard for the shortening.

garden tomatoes

The season will be ending soon.  No tomato worms this year!  We harvested just enough from this little plant to enjoy a few tasty salads and BLTs with garden ripe tomatoes.

nourish your soul this autumn

• Enjoy the fall foliage and flora.  These are photos of some asters and sunflowers that are great September bloomers.
• Take pleasure in the refreshing, cooler evenings and mornings.
• Benefit from investing in your community with your time, talent and treasure.  Consider philanthropic opportunities through your local United Way.
• Delight in friends and family.
• Appreciate life!