If it wasn’t for the summers I spent working at a camp, ‘make hay while the sun shines’ would be just another one of those pat little phrases that adults throw out at kids who are lazy. But, I did work there. And I made hay, when the sun shone.

We hated hay days. And, since we knew they were coming well before they happened, there was plenty of time for a good ‘ole high school whine fest in the days before we headed out to the fields.

It would start with us all sitting around the tables at breakfast when the farm manager would walk in the dining hall. He’d grab his cup of coffee, put his gloves on the table and sit down with us. Then he’d casually mention that he was headed out to cut. We groaned. Our heads hung. There were a few coughs as some tried to will sickness into being.

Farm Guy headed out and did his job. And for three days, a few hundred people watched the skies and kept close tabs on the weather. A few miscreants hoped for the heavens to open, and may have even done a rain dance or two, but most of us kept our fingers and toes crossed, willing clouds to remain the fluffy Homer Simpson variety instead of brewing up into storms.

On day one, the hay was cut. Easy. One or two person job.

However, in order to keep it from getting moldy while in bales, it needed to dry, a several day process depending on the amount of dew every morning.

Farm Guy would speed things up a bit by ‘fluffing’ the hay, another easy job. Big tractor pulling a giant comb; done. The last step before actually baling the hay was to rake it into long piles that ran the length of the field.

Then it was our turn. While the baler circled the field, turning the dry hay into 50-pound cubes of horse feed, a truck pulling a flatbed went behind, with us either walking alongside it or standing on the bed. Those on the ground grabbed the bales and heaved them on the flatbed. Those on the bed stacked the bales carefully from back to front, going as high as seven rows up.

We left for the fields early in the morning, worked through lunch, then supper. Most of the time we were transferring the bales from the truck to the barn by spotlight late at night. Because once the hay was baled, it had to be put up. Same day.

It was a hard job, but satisfying and rewarding in a sore body kind of way. The horses ate because we made hay. But the sun had to shine.

I’ve been thinking about my haying experiences lately because the sun hasn’t been shining much. In fact, even though it is streaming through my window right now, it’s reflecting diamonds of light on the leaves of trees that are still wet from last night’s downpour. And it’s supposed to rain this afternoon.

You see, in the same way that we made hay when I was in high school, I like to grill now that I’m an adult. When the sun shines. Because grilling in the rain just isn’t very fun.

The Process

Call me a wimp if you like, but I just don’t like getting soaked when I’m cooking. So I waited for a break in the line of storms we’ve had lately to throw on some coals on the grill while I made the buttermilk sauce that was the marinade for the chicken and the dressing for the salad.

I am a fan of dishes that have more than one use for a component. In this case, the dressing, which is a simple mix of buttermilk, oil, thyme, lemon and salt and pepper, is used to marinade the chicken and serve as the salad dressing. What that also means is that if that component isn’t good, the meal won’t be good.

I made the dressing first so it could sit and the flavors could meld while I cut the chicken and made the salad. Then I poured half of the buttermilk mixture over the chicken cubes and let them sit and marinate while I heated the grill. I figure the chicken had a chance to absorb flavor for about twenty minutes before I put it on the skewers and grilled it.

The first thing I noticed was that the dressing was very watery. Adding almost a half cup of liquid (oil, and lemon juice) to buttermilk just makes it more runny.

Oh yeah, you’ll notice that there aren’t any grapes on my plate. We’re just not fans of grapes in salad so I didn’t even bother.

The Verdict

I’ve been cutting back on our salt for health reasons, so that may have played into our views on this, but we found this to be bland, especially the chicken. Adding more salt did punch up the flavor a bit, but I like it when a dish’s flavor can stand on its own merit instead of needing the extra sodium boost. It’s not bad, just bland.

Hubby thought so too and was pretty unimpressed. Dudette ate the chicken without comment, and got herself the bottle of ranch dressing from the fridge for her salad.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

I think the dressing should have been thicker. I’d whisk in a half cup or so of plain Greek yogurt.

Buttermilk Chicken Kebabs with Chopped Salad from Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

from Every Day With Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Grilling

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus 3 tbsp. juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 1 head romaine, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
2. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, EVOO, thyme, lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with half of the buttermilk mixture.
3. Thread chicken onto 8 skewers. Grill, turning frequently, until cooked through and browned in spots, 13 to 15 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the romaine, cucumber, onion and grapes. Drizzle with the remaining buttermilk mixture; season. Serve the salad with the kebabs.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

I think the dressing should have been thicker. I’d whisk in a half cup or so of plain Greek yogurt.

3.2.1596

We’re supposed to get more rain this afternoon, but once that’s moved through, the sun should shine for a few days before the next system comes in. That means you’ll probably see a bunch more grilling from me. Go buy a few bags of charcoal so you can join in.

The post Buttermilk Chicken Kebabs with Chopped Salad from Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

Gentlemen, if you blush easily, you may as well just scroll on down to the recipe and skip all this introductory stuff because we’re going to talk about boobies. Specifically, the conversation will deal with embracing childhood instead of wishing the next phase along, but generally it’s about boobies.

You see, Dudette is obsessed with them. If there are balloons in the house, they become boobies. Socks? Yup. Same with wads of paper, bubble wrap, tennis balls, stuffed animals, and anything else that’s small (or not so much so), light and can be stuffed under her shirt.

Once my seven year-old has arranged her, um, ‘enhancements,’ she prances around the house like Beyoncé, pronouncing ‘I’m a woman!’ to Hubby and me.

As my mother did with me, and equally without success, I plead and cajole Dudette to embrace her little girlness and not wish into existence boobies, or any of the other ‘things’ that come along in a female’s life as the years pass.

This poor kid who is wishing boobies upon herself today will probably be cursing them as they’re pancaked during her first mammogram. Ok, she’ll be cursing the person running the machine instead of her own body, but you get what I mean.

As for me, I’m well past the time of my life where I wish the marks of womanhood upon myself. I’ve crested that hill and am headed down the other side, the side that is marked by old people tests instead of young people developments.

In fact, I just hit the ‘Hey, you’re 50′ milestone test not too long ago. You know the one I mean, right? Since the results were clear and the news was good, I celebrated wildly as only a mature adult could.

I made a healthy, fiber-filled bulgur salad.

The Process

Fine Cooking has a fantastic spread in their June/July issue that focuses on herbs, all kinds of glorious, fragrant herbs. This salad is the first of four recipes and spotlights parsley, cilantro and mint.

As far as making it, I was surprised at how easy it was despite how long it seems to take. That’s because once the bulgur has been toasted, the onion and garlic cooked, then combined with the bulgur, apricots, salad and simmering water, it gets covered and put aside to sit for 30-40 minutes.

Fifteen minutes of prep, 40 minutes of resting. I like dishes like that.

The Verdict

Hands raised if you know how I feel about grain salads, bulgur in particular. If you’ve been around a while, you do know. If you don’t, head over here, find out, then come back.

I loved this. I know, I know; I’ve grown. I’ve matured. The herb combination with the vinaigrette is phenomenal with the bulgur. Adding in the chewy, sweet apricot and crunchy pistachio was a brilliant idea and delicious.  I could have eaten the entire bowl for lunch.

I did find that I liked it better after it had been refrigerated for a while instead of just at room temperature, which is pretty warm since it’s summer.

Dudette was home with me when I made this so I forced her to have a small bite. I guess it’s true that the apple, even if adopted, doesn’t fall far from the tree. She didn’t like this at all. But, at least she tried it, as she will next time I make it. Eventually, who knows.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

I’d love to mix up the herbs a bit. I think the mint needs to stay, but replacing the cilantro with thyme or oregano or even basil would be delicious. I will probably also include some chopped celery for a different kind of crunch.

Bulgur Salad with Herbs, Apricots and Pistachios from Fine Cooking Magazine, June/July 2013

 

Print

Prep time

50 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

from Fine Cooking Magazine, June/July 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups bulgur
• Kosher salt
• ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup minced yellow onion
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
• ½ cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a 12-inch skillet, toast the bulgur over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until aromatic and just a shade darker, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. In a 1- to 2-quart pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the bulgur, apricots, 1 teaspoon salt, and the simmering water. Cover the skillet and remove from the heat. Let stand until the bulgur is tender and has completely absorbed the liquid, 30 to 40 minutes. Gently fold in the parsley, cilantro, mint, and pistachios.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining cup olive oil in a slow stream.
4. Drizzle the salad with the dressing, season to taste with more salt and pepper, and serve.
5. The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours; return to cool room temperature before serving. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

I’d love to mix up the herbs a bit. I think the mint needs to stay, but replacing the cilantro with thyme or oregano or even basil would be delicious. I will probably also include some chopped celery for a different kind of crunch.

3.2.1596

Because this salad isn’t mayonnaise-based, it’s perfect to bring along to any outdoor gathering. Guests will love it and will probably never even realize that you’re throwing them a healthy curve.

The post Bulgur Salad with Herbs, Apricots and Pistachios from Fine Cooking Magazine, June/July 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

When I was a child, there was one ritual I adored. Every night before I went to bed, I waited for my dad. He’d come in and I’d immediately flip over on my stomach and lie with my head on the pillow and my arms up over both.

Dad would sit on the side of the bed and we’d have one last conversation before I ended my day.

While my rambling commentary jumped around between subjects like school work, what me and my best friend Sue had done at her house, the various trials and tribulations caused by ornery siblings, and the other critical issues that make up childhood, two things remained constant.

The first was that I had to recite the alphabet and count to ten. In French. That’s what happens when a kid grows up in a European household. Being bilingual is not optional. And I’m grateful for that because when Hubby and I traveled to Italy and swung through France for a few days, I was able to get us where we needed to go.

I may have inadvertently told the nice man in Avignon that his mustache smelled like bird feet, but most of the time I was pretty successful. (I could have definitely recited him the alphabet in French.)

The entire time that Dad and I were chatting, he would be scratching my back. That was the second constant in our end-of-the-day ritual. I loved having my back scratched back then and I still do today.

Whenever our conversation weaved its way around to boys, I would promise Dad two things. The first was that I would never marry someone he didn’t like. The second was that I wouldn’t marry someone who didn’t scratch my back.

I kept both promises.

Yesterday I made these burgers for the man who scratches my back now.  As we celebrated Father’s Day in our own way, I thought about how things have come full circle and how now I get to see the memories that Hubby will create with Dudette. And I smiled.

The Process

These burgers come thanks to Chef Bissonnette, head shed at Toro and Coppa in Boston and James Beard Award nominee.

There are really two recipes here, one for the spicy ketchup and one for the meatloaf-inspired burger. Both area easy to pull together, yet have very complex flavor profiles.

Because most sauces need time for the flavors to fully blend together, I made the sauce well in advance and let it sit in the fridge while the rest of the dinner preparations were made. It was a simple matter of stirring together the ingredients; ketchup, soy sauce, hoisin, lime juice and ancho chile powder.

Then came the mincing, which wasn’t near as much fun as the sauce-making. I’ll admit right here that I used my chopper for the red onion, pickles and garlic. In order for the burgers to hold together, the bits of vegetable had to be very, very small, something that would have taken three times as long if I had minced by hand.

Once all the burger ingredients were in the bowl, I mixed them together. In keeping with the new trend of using a light hand with ground beef, the burger meat was gently, yet thoroughly combined.

Form the patties, heat the grill, cook, construct, eat.

The Verdict

Three thumbs-up. Hubby thought these were excellent, which made it a successful Father’s Day celebration meal. He did mention that they didn’t hold together well, which I attribute to the ground beef I used. It was a bit more fatty than I would have liked. That didn’t stop either of us from eating these though. They’re delicious. The sauce is definitely spicy, but has an amazing amount of flavor. It would be perfect on meat loaf and will be what I will use next time I cook up a hot dog for lunch.

As you’d probably expect, I didn’t put the sauce on Dudette’s burger. Unfortunately, she did see me mixing the onions in with the beef and other ingredients, so she had it in her head that it would be spicy. That didn’t stop her from eating the whole thing, especially after I explained that the little bit of green she found wasn’t zucchini, but was instead pickle. She’s a goober.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

Not a thing.

Cheesy Burgers with Soy-Spiked Ketchup from Food & Wine Magazine, June 2013

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

from Food & Wine Magazine, June 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Grilling

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1½ pounds ground beef chuck, preferably 80 or 85 percent lean
• ½ cup shredded Colby cheese
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced kosher pickles
• 2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon Tabasco
• Canola oil, for brushing
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 potato hamburger buns, split and toasted
• Mayonnaise, lettuce and sliced red onion, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk ½ cup of the ketchup with the soy sauce, hoisin, lime juice and ancho chile powder.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the cheese, minced red onion, pickles, bread crumbs, garlic, Tabasco and the remaining 2 tablespoons of ketchup. Knead gently until thoroughly mixed. Form the meat into six 4-inch patties, about ½ inch thick.
3. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the burgers with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred outside and medium-rare within, about 3 minutes.
4. Spread the cut sides of the buns with mayonnaise. Place lettuce on the buns then top with the burgers. Spread some of the spiked ketchup on the patties and top with sliced onion. Close the burgers and serve, passing additional spiked ketchup at the table.

3.2.1596

Burgers are one of those foods that I get to craving and then have to eat until the itch goes away. I’m just warning you about that because you’ll be seeing several burger recipes this week. So, buy some beef and get your grill on with me.

The post Cheesy Burgers with Soy-Spiked Ketchup from Food & Wine Magazine, June 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

Good morning and Happy Fathers’ Day to all you men who have valiantly taken on the job of raising children. The Daddy in our house is over at our church, helping to get it set up for later, but as soon as he comes home he’ll be served a perfect cup of coffee and a Dudette-made breakfast. So, how about we settle ourselves on the back deck with our hot drinks for a few minutes while we wait for him?

Fathers’ Day

I don’t think anything describes the dad in our family better than this photo. He’s the kind of guy that allows others to be in the forefront, being happy to sit in the background and let them shine instead. He will jump in and help out wherever need, hence the fact that he’s at church on his special day instead of being waited on hand and foot in the comfort of his own home. He’s a devoted husband. You see that ring on his finger? Yeah, baby, that’s my claim on him. He’s mine. Under the red cross on the shirt he’s wearing, it says, “Loving God, Loving Others, Serving the World.” Yeah, that sums him up in a nutshell. Happy Father’s Day, Hubby.

Bunk Beds

The only ting worse than putting together a large piece of furniture (bunk beds), is getting help from a seven year-old while putting together a large piece of furniture. That being said, seeing her excitement as the beds came together was worth it. A birthday gift from my parents, these bunk beds will make having sleepovers so much easier, something we hope to have a lot around here this summer. Now we just need that second mattress.

Speaking of Bedrooms

Dudette has finally settled on a theme for her room. M&M’s. Unique, huh? I love the idea because it allows me to use bright, vibrant colors and some really cool characters. I’ll share updates as we re-decorate this summer.

The Storm

This is what happened to a house at the end of our street. The tree was massive and very, very old. It just snapped and fell. That happened a lot on Thursday afternoon when a line of storms rushed through. One of the scarier storms I’ve been through. Three days later some of my friends, as well as 10,000 other people in the area still don’t have power. I love storms, really do. This one; I could have done without.

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The Dish of the Week

The Curried Pork Salad Wraps win the title of dish of the week, but it’s mostly my choice, not a family vote this time. I think Hubby would have picked the stir-fry over this, but he didn’t get much of a chance to eat it. After we had it for dinner, I looked forward to enjoying it again for lunch every day until it was gone. Yeah, I loved these wraps and will make them again and again.

That’s it, my friends. I hope you had a great week, especially those, like me who tried to figure out what to do with their children all day now that school is out. Any ideas on at-home activities?

The post The Sunday Sip ~ Father’s Day, Bunk Beds, The Giveaway Winner, Storms, and the Dish of the Week appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

It’s called a derecho. I didn’t know that until yesterday, but now that I do, the term is stored away in that convoluted filing system I call a brain.

A derecho is a straight-line windstorm. It’s not a tornado, but it sure acts like one. And our area was introduced to just such a beastie yesterday, in a very up close and personal way.

I had just said good-bye to Dudette and waved as she got in a van and drove away with friends. As I walked back into the house, the wind hit. It wasn’t something that built up from a breeze. One second it was calm; the next winds topping 50-mph were tossing tree limbs around and knocking century-old oaks over like dominoes. The power went off within the first minute.

In the short span it took my friend to drive two blocks, the storm hit and trees fell, blocking the roads and forcing her to turn back. I know this because I was already on the phone with her, telling her to come back to my house to ride it out.

We sat in the family room, calming scared kids down and watching as lightning flashed around us and small branches littered the back yard. We could also hear plenty of thunder, accompanied by the sounds of trees crashing to the ground all around us, like this huge one in my neighbor’s yard.

Sound a little overly dramatic? Nah, it was really like that. One of the more scary storms I’ve been in, and I love storms and have been through a few hurricanes. The surprise, quickness and ferocity with which this one hit ranks it right up there with Hurricanes Bertha and Floyd.

The thing about the derecho, it leaves as quickly as it comes. This one blew through at over 50 miles per hour. What it leaves behind, however, will keep reminding us of it for a while.

Our power was out for just about four hours, long enough to be fun but not really inconvenient. Many others aren’t as fortunate as us and are still in the dark. And the trees. Oh, the trees. None of ours came down, but neighbors on both sides have behemoths to clean up, though their houses were spared.

Then there’s my friend, the one who rode out the storm with Dudette and me. She received a text from her neighbor while still at our house, letting her know that one of their trees had landed on her roof. At least it didn’t punch through into the house, but the roof is toast. And she still doesn’t have power.

As we sat in a candlelit room last night, I was glad that I had this curried pork salad in the fridge so not having power didn’t mean not having dinner.

The Process

Having had this as soon as it was made, then again as ‘leftovers,’ I recommend making it a day in advance and leaving it sit so the flavors can develop. It was good the first day, but the second….

Anyhow, before I get to the verdict, let’s finish the process. It’s simple enough. The pork curry is created by cooking chopped pork with curry powder and salt. It only takes a few minutes. After it’s done and cooled, the pork is mixed with chopped pistachios, raisins, yogurt and mayonnaise. Cooking Light calls for canola mayo, but I use olive oil mayo (Hellmann’s brand for those who are interested). With that, the salad’s done.

Making the wraps is just as easy. I put the flatbreads on a tray with sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves. I also added sliced red onion because I had a half of one left over from another dish and it just seemed to fit.

The Verdict

Love, love, love. Dudette’s sitter and I adored these. I liked them a lot the day I made the salad, but a day later they were even more fantastic. Getting a bite of sweet raisin every once in a while was perfect, as was the blend that made up the curry dressing. I thought it was delicious. Hubby like it but thought the pistachio flavor was a little strange. Dudette, the poor kid didn’t care for it at all, unfortunately. She ended up eating a wrap with lettuce and tomato in it.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

We all agreed that the wrap was much better with the sliced red onion than without. Next time I’ll include the onion with the tomato and lettuce.

Curried Pork Salad Wraps from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped unsalted, shelled, dry-roasted pistachios
• ¼ cup raisins
• 3 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
• 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
• 4 lavash flatbreads
• 8 butter lettuce leaves
• 12 (1/8-inch-thick) slices tomato

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork, curry, powder, and salt to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until pork is done. Let pork mixture cool slightly. Combine pork mixture, celery, pistachios, raisins, yogurt, and canola mayonnaise in a medium bowl.
2. Top each lavash with 2 lettuce leaves, 3 tomato slices, and about ¾ cup pork mixture, leaving a ½-inch border around edges. Roll up wraps, and cut in half diagonally.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

We all agreed that the wrap was much better with the sliced red onion than without. Next time I’ll include the onion with the tomato and lettuce.

3.2.1596

The biggest sound I hear this morning is the hum of chainsaws and the rumble of city trucks driving by as they pick up the limbs and sticks people are putting down by the side of the road. My friend with the tree on her roof will be here in a little while to store food in my fridge and freezer. With the sun shining and the sky a glorious shade of blue, we go on.

The post Curried Pork Salad Wraps from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

I often wonder about the people who first decided it would be fun to try some of the foods we eat. In my warped little mind, there are two types of ‘really?’ for their decision to be adventurous in this arena.

First is the poisonous plant. Take rhubarb, for instance. Somewhere, at some point, someone saw the large, fan-shaped leaf and thought it would make a delicious salad. That makes sense.

Though, what follows doesn’t. After watching the others around the fire go through convulsions and rounds of throwing up while watching others have difficulty breathing and drop into comas, this same cave person said to him/her self, ‘Ok, that didn’t work. Let’s try eating the pretty red stalks instead of the leaves.’ Really?

The second type of ‘really?’ defies definition. It’s the thing that would prompt someone to watch an oval drop out of a chicken’s backside, break it open, examine the slimy snot-looking stuff inside and then swallow it.

It’s the overwhelming curiosity that leads a person to see an oyster and eat it raw. Or to stand by a tidal pool and observe shrimp and lobsters waving their creepy eye stalks around while they skitter about on over a dozen legs, compare the creature to the air-breathing cockroach, then pull it out of the brine and pop it in a pot of water for dinner.

And don’t even get me started on escargot.

The Process

While I don’t understand why that person first tried eating shrimp, I’m sure glad they did. Even though we don’t eat it very often, it’s pretty high up there as a favorite food.

As with all stir-fry dinners, it’s incredibly important to have everything prepped and ready to go before heating the wok. Once the oil goes in, things move very quickly.

Which leads me to a discussion of cooking time versus hands-on and what the magazine says about the two. Cooking Light says that there’s 30 minutes of hands-on time and thirty minutes of total time. Since the cooking time is also hands-on, they’re letting you know that you’ll have an up-close and personal relationship with this dish for the entire preparation.

Since there’s a good amount of mincing, cutting and slicing to do, prep time weighs in at close to fifteen minutes, less if you use some kind of chopper instead of a knife. The actual stir-fry is done in increments ranging from one minute to four (the shrimp), and takes around eight minutes total.

Like I said, once it starts, it goes quickly.

The Verdict

Hubby and I both enjoyed this very, very much. For a quick meal it packs a powerful punch. The ingredient ratios are perfect, heat balanced by sweetness, salty tempered by spicy.  It was delicious.

As far as what Dudette thought, well, I’ll just let her tell you.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

Not a thing.

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

23 mins

 

from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2½ tablespoons canola oil, divided
• ¼ cup (1-inch) diagonally cut green onions
• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• ¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Instructions

1. Combine shrimp and cornstarch in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shrimp; stir-fry 4 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan; place in a medium bowl. Add 1½ teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic to pan; stir-fry 45 seconds. Add onion mixture to shrimp.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add broccoli; stir-fry 1½ minutes. Stir in shrimp mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done and broccoli is crisp-tender.

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Have you entered to win the Totally Bamboo cutting board that I’m giving away yet? Click here to head over, find out more about it, and get your name in the drawing. I’ll be choosing a winner on Sunday.  

The post Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry from Cooking Light Magazine, June 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

It might be time for another confession. These gorgeous locally-grown peaches made me think of it. So, please bear with me.

First, I need to set the stage. Close your eyes and think of the scenario that plays out any time a peach enters the scene in those books. You know; the ones with busty women trying to ‘become one’ with bare-chested, muscle-bound men. Even if you’ve never read them (uh huh, sure you haven’t), you’ve seen them on the shelves at the library or bookstore. They’re kind of impossible to miss.

As the scene unfolds, the peach, which holds multiple layers of symbolism that we will not even dare to touch upon in this very, very G-rated place, is lovingly picked up and caressed by the boobylicious one. The author waxes on about it’s silky skin and enticing aroma for a few paragraphs, then allows our heroine to take a bite.

While the besotted, um, ‘perky’ man does his best to keep his muscles fully tensed and breathe at the same time, he watches his woman-to-be’s pearly whites sink into the peach flesh. The sticky-sweet juice pours down her chin, makes rivulets on her neck and finally comes to rest in a pool between . . . well, you know.

Ok, so, now that the stage is set, it’s time for us all to pull our minds out of 18th century pulp romances and think about peaches again. Two things about peaches in particular.

First, that silky skin. To me, what books describe as silky more often than not its feel reminds me of the roughness of my cat’s tongue when she licks my hand. It kind of grosses me out and I am not a fan.

And that whole sticky-sweet juice thing? Yuck. Peaches, good peaches, are very messy to eat like apples. I figure that the people who created Super Glue got the idea after they ate a peach, got its goo all over their faces and hands, then tried to remove it with a napkin. They’re probably still picking off bits of paper.

So, there’s my confession. I love peaches but I don’t like eating them raw like apples. If you offer me one, please include a knife and plate because I’ll need to slice it first.

The Process

I’m fond of these little nuggets of recipes that are tucked in corners of Rachael’s magazines. This one, in the bottom left corner of page 26, is in simple paragraph form but is easy enough to follow, especially since it uses pancake mix.

The pancakes themselves are a combination of the mix, eggs, sour cream and lemonade concentrate. The batter ended up quite thick, but still pourable.

The peach topping was just as easy to make. I sliced my peaches and sautéed them in a little butter. After removing the skillet from the heat, I added brown sugar and a little more lemonade concentrate.

That was it.

The Verdict

Since it was Dudette’s first day of summer vacation, I made these for her breakfast. Because I know my girl so well, I split the batter in half before adding the lemonade concentrate and let her taste one of my lemon-infused peach pancakes. She didn’t like it (at all), so I made up a few ‘normal’ ones and she devoured three of them.

I loved these. The lemon that infused the pancakes was light, wonderful and didn’t do a thing to distract from the flavor of the peaches. It’s delicious and a bit addicting. I love the taste of peaches and that’s what this was all about.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

Not a thing.

Peach Pancakes from Every Day With Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013

 

Print

Prep time

7 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

12 mins

 

from Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 peaches, sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¼cup dark brown sugar
• ½cup lemonade concentrate
• 1½cups pancake mix
• 3 eggs
• 6 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions

1. In skillet over high, cook peaches in butter. Off heat, stir in sugar and 2 tbsp. lemonade. In bowl, combine pancake mix, eggs, sour cream and 6 tbsp. lemonade. In skillet, cook pancakes; top with peaches.

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Have you entered to win the Totally Bamboo cutting board that I’m giving away yet? Click here to head over, find out more about it, and get your name in the drawing. I’ll be choosing a winner on Sunday. 

The post Peach Pancakes from Every Day With Rachael Ray Magazine, July/August 2013 appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

Ah, plans. We all make them. They give structure to our days and methods to our madness. Plans help us mark the hours, fill our calendars and keep us on track.

Until they get derailed. Which we can plan to have happen as easily as we plan anything. Which is what happened to me yesterday.

My plan was simple; entertain Dudette until it was time to make dinner, make dinner so it would be ready when Hubby got home, eat with the family, then head out to a committee meeting I had scheduled. See, simple.

The wrench was thrown in my works as soon as Dudette got off the bus. She was wearing a medal and had what looked like a sheaf of papers in her hands. They were awards; awards for Outstanding Academic Achievement, Honor Roll, Citizenship, Technology, and Physical Education. Yeah, I’m more than a little proud of my girl.

Hubby was too. When he got home we decided to take Dudette out for ice cream in celebration. Since I still had to go to the meeting, we went out before eating supper, leaving the casserole sitting on the counter to cool down a little. We had our celebration dessert and came home for the main meal. Except me. I didn’t even go in the house, but slid into the driver’s seat and headed out.

So I didn’t see what happened at supper. I asked Hubby to take a few photos of the casserole and hoped for the best.

Apparently, there was a paparazzi moment. Why? I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t want anyone to see her slurping down her frosty with a straw. Maybe she’s just a goober. I’m betting on that one.

It seems that Dudette also served up the casserole, somewhat successfully. I’m assuming that was Hubby’s plateful since I can’t imagine she could eat that much after having a chocolate frosty minutes before.

How’s that for teamwork? My cooking. Their photos. A review of Pasta with Peas, Cheese and Ham. A total team effort.

The Process

The preparation for this is very easy. The only possibility for error comes with making the cream sauce, but as long as the burners are kept at medium to medium-low, there are no worries with that.

I did find that it took longer than 15 minutes for me to prep the dish for baking, especially since I had to dice my leftover ham before I started the sauce. It took about 25 minutes for me to prepare everything and then slide the skillet in the oven. If pre-diced ham was used, that would probably bring the timing closer to 15 minutes, but I’d still plan on 20-25.

The Verdict

Hubby thought this was good in a basic casserole way. It was the kind of food that filled his stomach but didn’t make the heavens part and angels sing with every bite. Dudette said she liked it, which surprised me a little bit because she’s usually not a big fan of leftovers or casseroles, liking the various elements of her food separate, not mushed together.

I thought it was good. Yes, it’s basic and a little bland, but for an easy supper dish that uses up leftover ham, it’s fantastic. It could have used a little flavor bump, but it was still tasty as is.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

I’d sauté some chopped onion in the butter before adding the flour. I would also add some herbs, maybe a teaspoon of sage or thyme.

Pasta with Peas, Cheese and Ham from All You Magazine’s Summer Fun 2013 Special Interest Publication

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

from All You Magazine’s Summer Fun 2013 Special Interest Issue

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Casserole

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Salt
• 12 ounces penne or farfalle
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 12 ounces mild low-fat Cheddar, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 1½ cups frozen peas
• 3 ounces diced smoked ham (about ¾ cup)
• 1½ cups crushed saltines (about 25)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour, mustard and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in cheese, a little at a time, until melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in peas, ham and pasta. Stir to coat with sauce.
3. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over top of pasta and dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

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The post Pasta with Peas, Cheese and Ham from All You Magazine’s Summer Fun 2013 Special Interest Publication appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

I’ve been working hard on your behalf and I wanted you to know that up front. I’ve been chopping, mincing and cutting my little heart out.

You see, not too long ago, I was contacted by Totally Bamboo and asked to test their cutting boards. I love cutting boards. Because my kitchen counters are made up of small tile, I use boards for everything, from the dicing and slicing to kneading dough and rolling pastry.

So, since boards are a major part of my cooking life, I headed over to Totally Bamboo’s site so I could learn more about them and decide if I wanted to give their equipment a try.

If you ever decided to have a bamboo patch in your yard, you already know what a mistake that was. It’s exotic, yes. It’s very cool looking, yes. But it takes over everything, and very quickly. For landscapers, that’s bad. For a sustainable product, it’s amazing.

In addition to being easy to grow and harvest, bamboo is also very strong. My friends, I have abused my boards. On purpose. I’ve been heavy-handed with my chopping. I’ve dropped them. I’ve let them soak in water. I’ve spilled tomato sauce on them, on purpose. I even let it dry on them, on purpose.

The sauce wiped right off. I didn’t even need to use the scrungy side. They were no worse for wear from being dropped, chopped and abused. Heck, I was half-tempted to drive the car over them just to see if I could make a dent.

The cutting boards have bamboo on one side for cutting fruits and vegetables and non-absorbing, stain resistant polyurethane, on the other for cutting meats, fish and poultry. Their slim, lightweight design makes them perfect to take along to barbecues, picnics, or the beach.

The boards are also excellent for slicing cucumbers and onions, which was a good thing today.

The Process

It doesn’t get much easier, folks. Grab a Poly-Boo cutting board and knife for slicing the onion and cucumber, a colander to drain the lightly salted cucumber, and a bowl to mix everything in. That’s it.

The Verdict

I believe there are two foods that cry out summer and freshness as soon as their cut into and release their aromas. The first is watermelon and the second is its cousin, cucumbers. I adore cucumber salads of all kinds, as does Dudette, so this salad was a winner from the start. It use of rice vinegar keeps the flavor focused on the cukes and dill, which is great. Dudette, who isn’t a fan of raw onions, has finally learned that they are a necessary ‘evil’ if a dish is going to taste the way she likes it, so she accepted the onions in her salad even though she picked them out. They flavored it without overpowering it.

Unfortunately, my dill isn’t big enough to harvest yet and the spot where it should have been in the grocery story was empty so I had to use dried dill (I used a teaspoon). It was still delicious.

What I’d Do Different Next Time

Nothing.

Cucumber Salad from All You’s Summer Fun Special 2013 Special Interest Issue

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

from All You’s Summer Fun Special 2013 Special Interest Issue

Author: Taking On Magazines One Recipe At A Time

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Instructions

1. Toss onion with 1 tablespoon vinegar; set aside. Place cucumbers in a colander and toss with ¼ teaspoons salt. Drain for 10 minutes. Pat dry.
2. Mix onion and cucumbers in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Add dill; season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

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The folks at Totally Bamboo have generously offered to make a cutting board available to you too. In addition to giving me a set to test, they’re willing give one to a winner of my next giveaway.

Be careful though. If you try a bamboo cutting board, you’ll be hooked on the stuff.  I am. I own cutting boards, bowls, utensils, and even kitchen clothes, all made of bamboo. But I want more and my wish list is long. I want the Pizza Peel. I want the large Euro Bowl.  I want the Puzzle Party Platters. Hubby, Christmas really isn’t that far away, you know (hint, hint).

If you’d like test a bamboo cutting board, all you have to do is enter to win. Simply use the Rafflecopter entry form below. This giveaway is a sweepstakes. Open to USA residents and to persons over age 18. Sweepstakes will end 6/15/13 at 11:59 pm EDT. Winner(s) will be chosen by random, announced here, and will be contacted by email. Winner(s) must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize otherwise an alternate winner will be chosen and the original winner will forfeit their winnings.  Good luck!

The post Cucumber Salad from All You’s Summer Fun Special 2013 Special Interest Issue appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.

Good morning! I know, I know, I’m late and I’m sorry. Yesterday was a very, very busy day that started out with a poor night’s sleep. Doesn’t that sort of thing always happen together? So, I took a little something to help me sleep (no, not a shot of tequila) and sleep I did. But I’m here and I have my coffee in hand . . . thanks Hubby. Care to join me on the back deck?

School’s Out For Summer . . . Almost

Only two more days left. Then I have Dudette’s company. All day. Every day. Shoot me now. Yeah, I’m kidding. Ok, no, I’m not. I love my Dudette but I have to admit that I’m also so very fond of my quiet, peaceful hours alone at home. For 76 days I’ll be trapped in the house with a category 3 tornado. Help?

Deja Vu (All Over Again)

When I was in first grade I was separated from my best friend when we moved overseas. I still remember Susie very well and wish we had had the opportunity to remain friends, though I wouldn’t have traded the time we had in Beirut for anything. Dudette found out last week that her best friend is moving to Arizona this summer. At least I’ll be able to empathize, but this is definitely an experience that I wish my girl didn’t have to go through.

It’s Kinda Like . . .

Herding cats.  Yes, they did eventually get all the kids to line up properly and smile at the camera for the end-of-school picnic photo, but it made me doubly realize that I’m SO glad I’m not a teacher.

Andrea

This is NASA’s view of Tropical Storm Andrea, which visited us a few days ago. Even prior to making landfall, she provided a lot of cloud cover and rain. Lots of rain. For days and days. I didn’t realize how much I missed the sun until it peeked out for the first time yesterday afternoon. The three lakes in our neighborhood are filled to the brim so I hope we get a few more cloudless days like this so we can dry out.

Karoun Dairies Giveaway Winner

First off, thanks to everyone who entered the Karoun Dairies giveaway. My friends, this stuff is amazing. I had the honey yogurt for breakfast the other day and ate the entire container. I didn’t expect to. Heck, I didn’t even want to. I just couldn’t stop. I’m glad they deliver since I live on the other side of the country, because I want more of everything.

But, for now, without further ado, drum roll please. The winner of the Karoun Dairies giveaway box is:

#123. Dana, who liked Taking On Magazines on Facebook

Congratulations, Dana! You need to send me your full name and address so I can pass them along to the company and they can get your box out.

Dish of the Week

The Brown Butter Pistachio Financiers from Food & Wine Magazine win this week. They were delicious and we had them for breakfast every day until they were gone. They definitely go well with Honey Greek Yogurt.

That’s it, my friends. My week in a nutshell. At least part of it. There were neighborhood picnics, Taekwondo and so many other activities, but these were some fun highlights. I hope your week was good too and that you’ve been able to relax as you gear up for the next one! I’ll do my best to do so today. Be good to each other!

The post The Sunday Sip ~ End of School, Giveaway Winner, Andrea and the Dish of the Week appeared first on Taking On Magazines One Recipe at a Time.