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Monday, January 17, 2011

The New Blog!

Wondering where we've all gone to? We've started a new blog with even more cooks! Visit us at Reviving Cookery.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

New Website Coming Soon!

2010.52.3 is moving to a new website that should be going live sometime this week. So don't despair, loyal readers! We will be back soon with a modified format!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Jennifer's Week Fifty-Two Recipe: Make Ahead Minestrone

So, I ended the year on a good note in my drive to serve more meatless dishes to my carnivores. Chad and Erik approved of this soup! Chad declared that it be added to the rotation. Great Success!


Make-Ahead Minestrone

You can serve this meatless soup immediately, but chilling the soup allows the flavors to blend... which I did not do.

3-14 1/2 ounce cans beef broth
1-15 1/2 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1-14 1/2 ounce can low-sodium stewed tomatoes
1-11 1/2 ounce can vegetable juice (V8)
1-6 ounce can low-sodium tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 1/2 cups loose-pack frozen mixed vegetables (such as an Italian blend)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cut into strips
2 cups cooked pasta (1 cup uncooked), such as small shells or mostaccioli
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese


1. In a large kettle, combine beef broth, beans, stewed tomatoes, vegetable juice tomato paste, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boiling. Stir in the mixed vegetables. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; cool. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours. (Or, to serve immediately, stir in the spinach and cooked pasta. Heat through.)

2. To serve, reheat the soup over medium heat. Stir in the spinach and cooked pasta. Heat through. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 servings.


Success! ... if a bit late with the postings. I'm looking forward to 2011!

Jennifer's Week Fifty-One Recipe: Polenta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce

I did not forget! Ack! Really! Here I am! Traveling and sickness and forgetting to post the recipes (not forgetting to make them!) caused the delay. But here I am posting the recipes and ready for 2011. Those who follow this blog, keep posted for our new blog coming by the end of the month if all goes to plan.

My last two recipes (technically, there are 3!) come from Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Healthy Family Dinners, a $10 bargain book I purchased years ago and it was well worth the $10 investment!



Polenta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce

2 cups water
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Asaigo or Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
1 recipe Tomato-Mushroom Sauce (below!)


1. For polenta, in a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water to boiling. Combine the cornmeal, the 3/4 cup cold water and salt in a bowl. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling. (And for the love of all things holy, watch for splattering polenta! Ouch!) Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the 1/4 cup grated cheese.

2. Spread in an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish. Cool slightly. Cover and chill about 30 minutes or until firm. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven about 20 minutes or until heated through. Cut into 6 rectangles; cut each rectangle in half diagonally to form 12 triangles. Serve immediately with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce.

Tomato-Mushroom Sauce
In a medium saucepan cook 2 cups sliced mushrooms; 1 small onion, chopped; and 1 clove garlic, minced, in 1 teaspoon hot cooking oil until tender. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place one 16-ounce can whole Italian-style tomatoes in a blender container or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Stir blended tomatoes and 1 teaspoon sugar into mushroom mixture. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Stir in 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed; 1/8 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper.



This recipe was really underwhelming, both the polenta and the sauce. That's the problem with this cookbook: some recipes are awesome and others seemed to sacrifice flavor for fewer calories. Wasn't awful, but I doubt I'll make it again.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Tricia's Week 52 Recipe: Soda Bread

Wow.  A New Years Resolution I didn't break!  (To qualify, I made a second resolution in 2010 to make and eat more ice cream and failed miserably.)  I have made it, 52 recipes of things I have not made before.  Very proud of myself.  I realize, looking back, that there are things I lean on as my stand-bys, but some of these new recipes will start to fill in as standbys, I think.  It is fitting that my final recipe for this blog is something Irish, soda bread.  It is also fitting it is posted after the first of the year.  However, it is Still week 52... :P  Click here for source.


Sage and Pepper Soda Bread Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling


Ingredients
  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 2teaspoons baking powder
  • 2teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2teaspoon salt
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter, in small bits
  • 1teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1cup buttermilk.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl or processor. Blend in butter by machine or with fingertips for a mealy texture.  Mix in the sage and pepper, then lightly stir in the buttermilk until the mixture forms a soft dough, which can be gathered together. Knead it briefly, then shape it into a round about two inches high.  Put loaf on a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, cut a deep cross on top of the loaf, making the cuts nearly all the way across.  Put it in the oven and bake until nicely browned, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting.
Yield: 1 loaf.

I will make it again, but it suprised me.  It's moister than I imagined for soda bread, but the flavor is a bit weird.  I don't know what I did.  I guess I'll just have to keep experimenting.  It's not so weird that I won't share it w/ people, though, and I'm bringing it to share to work tomorrow.  I guess I've always made 'soda' bread w/ beer or soda rather than baking soda and buttermilk :P

Tricia's Week 51 Recipe: Fudge

I have never made a 'candy'.  Well, I guess if you count the sugar 'crystals' we grew in science, or the lollipops we made in chemistry class, I've made a few.  But never any in MY kitchen.  So, i decided to make fudge.  I picked up a 7 oz container of marshmallow fluff, some evaporated milk, and away I went.


Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 c. sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 stick butter or margarine
  • 1 5 oz. can evaporated milk (2/3 c.)
  • 1 Jar (7 1/2oz) Marshmallow Fluff
  • 3/4 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 12-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate pieces (I shaved 12 oz of Bakers chocolate instead of using morsels)
Directions:
Line a 9X9 baking pan with foil.  (I didn't have one, so I used 8X8 which makes VERY thick fudge...) Combine first four ingredients in a sauce pan and heat til boiling and about 230 degrees.  If, like me, you don't own a candy thermometer, this took about 5 minutes once a slight boil started.  Stir constantly. Remove from heat, add fluff, vanilla and chocolate.  Stir til smooth, pour into foil lined pan and chill til set. 

I have never made fudge before, and am not an expert on fudge, but everyone I talk to says this is very good fudge, so I must have done something right.  Now, to do something about the VERY large quantity it makes...I'll have to bring some to work.