Buttery Creole Egg Salad

Happy Easter, my dear nieces and nephews.

Lately, I’ve been sorting through old family belongings. I found a quaint scrapbook, which belonged to my father when he was a toddler. Mumson (Grandmother Stuck) had clipped together cute, whimsical collages to delight her youngest. Mumson was a professional artist and it showed in her creation. Above is an Easter card from the collection. It dates to sometime around World War I.

In the same box as the scrapbook, was a little egg collection of mine. Dad bought the porcelain eggs  here and there. It was his way of delighting his little girl with cute, whimsical artifacts. I have to find a place to put all those eggs.

You, my dears, are probably wondering what to do with all those eggs leftover from your egg hunt. Well, your Auntie has a lovely egg salad for you. This is a bit unusual in that it is held together not with mayonnaise, but butter. Yes. You read write. Butter. Yummy, yummy butter. If you hesitate to use butter, cholesterol-lowering margarine (plain, not low-cal) may be substituted. Best of all, there are only three ingredients. What makes this egg salad special is the unique way it is made. Instead of packing the egg yolks by smashing, they are pressed through a sieve, giving a lighter texture. Creole seasoning rounds out the recipe with the perfect blend of flavors.

Buttery Creole Egg Salad in Mini-Ciabatta rolls

Buttery Creole Egg Salad

8 hard cooked eggs, shelled

1 teaspoon or more Creole seasoning (I prefer Tony Chachere’s)

½ cup melted butter

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Separate white from yolks. Set whites aside. Place the yolks into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Using a silicon spatula or back of a spoon, scrape the yolks through the strainer into the bowl. Scrape off the yolks from the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. Be careful not to mash them. 

To the yolks, add the melted butter and Creole seasoning. Mix lightly and thoroughly.

Chop whites finely. Add to yolks and toss to combine.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

To serve: Spread between bread slice or in rolls. For a particularly attractive presentation spread between one slice of white bread and one of egg bread, then cut off crusts. Sprinkle with additional Creole seasoning if desired.

Because of the butter, this will firm up when chilled. It is best to spread on bread before placing in refrigerator. Cover sandwiches tightly and chill.

The Good Dishes

Grandmother Stuck's demitasse cup and saucer sitting on
Mother's homework table, built by Grandfather Page

I’m the youngest grandchild on both sides of the family - and female. That can only mean one thing: I have five complete sets of fine china. There would have been six, but I gave one away.  I am heiress apparent of all things domestic.

Wedding china packed in
shredded divorce papers. Oh! The irony!

It took about eight 18”x18”x18” boxes, $75 in bubble wrap and the helping hands of several wonderful friends to transport them to my condo. Recently, I spent a week unwrapping, cleaning and putting away china.

Don’t bother telling me I can sell or donate them. I’ll pass them on someday, but for now, they are precious remembrances of family gone on to the glory feast in Heaven. I need their sweet memories to keep me company.

Neither am I going to turn the china into bird feeders, chandeliers, flower pots or anything else chicly shabby. I’ve had enough of junky craft projects that turn into half-finished clutter. What is the purpose of these re-purposing crafts? Supposedly it’s to find a way to make the china “useful.”  Well, my friends, china already has a purpose. It’s purpose is to party!!!



There are those who think fine china is stuffy and formal. Not so in my family. A table set with the good dishes meant we were about to enjoy delicious recipes handed down for generations. It meant a wonderful evening of witty banter, news of the day, current events and spirited opinions - rather like Facebook, only without quite so many cat videos.

If those five sets of china are sitting on a shelf gathering dust, that means I am too.  How many laughs, debates, discussions, inspiring stories have not rung through my home because I didn’t want to dirty the dishes? Sure, I could use paper plates, but doesn’t Mother Earth deserve the pleasure of our company rather than be covered in our refuse? 



It’s high time to get the china out for it’s intended purpose - to entertain. Getting out the fine china need not be for any reason more special than Tuesday lunch.

Folks today seem to think setting a table with fine china is too much work.  Yet, often the same people spend countless hours making useless nut frames. Nut frames. That’s bug food, people. Bug food. 



So, when are you going to set your table with the good dishes? What happy memories do you associate with your family’s fine china? Take a picture of your good dishes and post the link in the comments below.



UPDATE: Readers sent in their photos!


Jane Gau writes: "this was my Mom's. The Green Depression glass in the cabinet is my collection!"

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

After posting the recipe for Heidi’s Chocolate Oat Cookies, a reader asked:

Hey Sally,

Can you only use one cup of sugar?

Amber, who must watch the sugar in things, but who thinks these look really yummy and is glad SP is baking again!

Dear Amber,

Thank you for the kind words.

The sugar cannot be reduced, but here is a yummy, healthy breakfast treat with the same flavors. This, too, uses peanut butter, which has been shown to promote heart health and help prevent type 2 diabetes. You may substitute other nut butters, such as cashew or almond butter. For a treat, try substituting hazelnut-chocolate butter (such as Nutella).

Amounts are given for either one or four servings. Enjoy to you heart’s delight!

Tastefully yours,

Auntie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal. 
Embroidery & handmade lace by Grandmother Page

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

One Serving:
½ cup oats

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (or to taste)

1 ½ tablespoon peanut butter

1 ¼ cup skim milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla


Small pot (approximately one quart size)

Four Servings:
2 cups oats
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (or to taste)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut butter
5 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Large pot (approximately 2 ½ quart size)

Place the oats, cocoa and sugar in pot. Stir to mix. Add peanut butter and milk. Stir well.

Place pot on medium high heat. Stir the oatmeal with a spatula occasionally to prevent it from sticking on the bottom. Heat until it begins to boil. The single serve recipe will come to a boil in about five minutes. The four serving recipe will come to a boil in about 15 minutes. Let it cook until to desired thickness (about 5 minutes.)

Remove from heat. Add vanilla, stir and serve. May be topped with additional peanut butter, chocolate chips, brown sugar or cream. 

Handy Hints:

Different brands of peanut butter can alter the final outcome of a recipe. In recipes, try to use a peanut butter with no added salt or sugar. If that is not possible, taste the peanut butter first and adjust your recipes accordingly.

Dry ingredients mix in much better if you mix them before adding liquid ingredients.

Using natural peanut butter? Don’t like the mess of mixing back in the oil that has risen to the top? Try this. Before opening, turn the jar upside down for a day or two. The oil will mix itself back in! 

Mixing natural peanut butter is easier when it’s at room temperature. After mixing the oil back in, refrigerate.

If something begins to stick on the bottom of a pan, cover and take the pan off the heat. Let it rest a few minutes. The moisture will loosen the stuck bits. Don’t do this if the bottom is already scorched!

Heidi's Chocolate Oat Cookies

Well, my dear nieces and nephews. I’m long over due in giving you a recipe for something yummy. Time to change that.

The kitchen has been the center of much painting, unpacking, washing and organizing. Not a whole lot of cooking going on. However, in celebration of finding the baking sheets and pots, I whipped up a batch of Chocolate Oat Cookies. Actually, these are not cookies in the truest sense. They are more like fudge candies with oats added in. Whatever they are, they were immensely popular years ago. Now, my dear nieces and nephews can rediscover an easy-to-make retro treat.

This recipe was given to me by childhood friend, Heidi. In fact, I call them Heidi Cookies. Heidi and I were best friends in fifth grade. We had a terrible fight (probably over a boy. It always is.) We stopped being friends and have never seen each other since. Every time I make these cookies, I wish we could find each other again and rekindle our friendship. So, Heidi, I hope you are out there and I’m sorry.

Love,

Aunt Sally

Heidi's Chocolate Oat Cookies

CHOCOLATE OAT COOKIES

2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa (1 ounce)

1 stick butter (½ cup) (or cholesterol-lowering margarine)

½ cup milk

(½ cup peanut butter) (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups oats

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cocoa. Stir well to combine. Add butter and milk. Over medium heat, bring to soft boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Add peanut butter (if using) and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add oats.

Spoon out quickly onto wax paper, parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheets. Cookies will harden as they set.

Handy Hints:

I use skim milk and cholesterol-reducing margarine so I can at least believe they are healthy-ish. Don’t use lower calorie margarine, since it contains too much liquid.

Cholesterol-lowering spread

Use a buttered disher (ice cream scoop) to make even sized cookies. I used a number 100 size, available at restaurant supply stores. 

Since these do not bake, you can use waxed paper instead of parchment. Much cheaper!!

I prefer them without peanut butter, yet both option are quite good.  The peanut butter will not melt completely.

Peanut butter melted in

Whisk the sugar and cocoa together first. It helps the cocoa mix in better. 

Whisk Sugar & Cocoa

Vertigo, Vietnam and Transfiguration

Wouldn’t you know it? As soon I commited to writing in this blog regularly, I got whooped upside the head with vertigo. Round and round the room went spinning, a desperate Facebook status sent many friends calling to check and the paramedics raced to my aid. What my body decided to do is unfit for description in a food blog. I laid sick-tummy-side-up for a week, one wonderful friend after another coming to check on me. 


Then, my hard drive crashed. What happened next is also unfit for description. Somethings are just too horrifying to discuss (We’re talking over 90,000 files of hard drive horror.). Be careful where you click, my friends. Be careful where you click. 



Sigh.

I had planned to tell you, dear nieces and nephews, about a recently discovered Vietnamese restaurant. The memory of it’s homey comfort food haunted me. I was in dire need of comfort, after all. 



Vietnam Restaurant



An inner urban neighborhood in East Dallas. Old, charming buildings are being renovated. Some have fallen to disrepair. The occasional new condo complex stands.

On the corner of Bryan at Peak, a passenger gets on the 409 bus. It leaves and is followed by the 502. In front of Vietnam Restaurant, a man washes his car.

Karaoke night, anyone?

Vietnam Restaurant has all the quirky trappings of a hole in the wall. Waiters are cleaning up after the lunch buffet, their drink cups and spray cleaner bottles sitting about. They gossip in Vietnamese. The service is spotty but friendly.

The waitress greets me warmly and tells me to sit anywhere. I choose the room with seven flat screen tv’s. Five on. None watched.

She brings the menu. There are over 140 options with variations: crepes, egg rolls, soups, salad, stir fry, bubble tea. I chose Number 80, small; pho with “thin eyeround beef, meatball.” When it arrives, it is dropped, unceremoniously, on the table. A plate of garnishes accompanies: cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, lime, fresh jalapeno.

Pho. Wonderful, magical pho.

Then, transfiguration. The hole in the wall trappings have disappeared. I am now surrounded by mystery.



The scent of pho swirls around me like an aromatic, sweet perfume. What are those scents? Those flavors? Meaty. Savory. Floral. Spicy. Is that cinnamon? A faint hint of sweetness? The complexity makes the individual flavors almost indistinguishable. The broth is wonderfully light but rich. Noodles pick up the flavor of the broth. The meatballs are chewy and toothsome; almost an al dente texture. The beef slices are thin, cooked by the steaming broth. Red onion, green onion are sliced on top. As I sip, slurp and chew, I add one garnish after another, each changing the dish. A snippet of fresh basil, a torn cilantro leaf, a squeeze of lime. Each contributes and mutates the perfume. A slice of jalapeno steeps, making the dish spicier in each taste.

A waiter dashes behind the counter.
Lucky frog, lilies and sport trophy.

When I finish, I pay the bill at the front, a lucky frog smiling at me, his mouth full of money.

Driving home, a wave of scent and flavor wafts through my mouth and nose. Its lingering complexity surprises me, delights me. 

The memory of this pho haunts me in moments when comfort is needed. This is its healing secret.

Aunt Sally Is Back And Goes Downtown

There’s an old Southern tale that says what you do on New Year’s Day, you do all year long. Here’s hoping 2012 will find me in a more settled state in order to focus on this blog.

You see, when I started this blog, I had images of a quaint, mid-century house with a large vintage kitchen. Unfortunately (or providentially), I recently sold my cute mid-century house. Divorce takes its toll on one’s address.

For the past several months, I’ve been terribly overwhelmed with sorting, packing and moving. Overwhelming as well was the great sadness of leaving what I had thought would have been the little dream cottage where a family would be created and nurtured. I put a lot of work into that house, painting and decorating, all in the hopes of creating memories for the family that never came to be.

So, now, I find myself in a cosmopolitan condo. Highway sounds, not birds and frogs, lullaby me to sleep.

What about the new kitchen? To call it postage stamp size would be an insult to postage stamps.  I had been frustrated with my former kitchen, finding it too small for someone who enjoys cooking as much as I do. I had hoped to find a new home with an even larger kitchen. An old farmhouse with pantry enough to put up quart upon quart of peaches to last the entire year suited my fantasies.

Who am I fooling? I’m not an Amish farmer’s wife with fifteen children and a pressing need to put up enough food to see the family through a freezing winter. 

For that matter, who are any of us fooling? We build kitchens that look more formal than a palace, spend tens of thousands of dollars on them, only to eat out. In cleaning out the kitchen of a deceased relative, the pantry was full of canned goods, never used. There were layers of expired dates, much like an archeological site. Plush designer kitchens are filled with unused equipment and rotting food.

While I had hoped and planned to present Aunt Sally Good Food in a quaint, vintage kitchen, nasty ol’ reality has left me with precious little room. Discouraged, I almost abandoned this blog. Then, I realized, this is a golden opportunity! Who has giant, $100,000 kitchens anyway? Only networks and people who never use them.  Most people have to make do with teeny, tiny kitchens. This is my opportunity to discover new ways to do very much with very little. So, dear friends, follow me as I try to figure out where everything will go and how to cook while painting and unpacking.  Tag along and together we’ll discover downtown Dallas gourmet joints. Would your oh-so-cool auntie do anything less? After all, Aunt Sally Good Food is less about the food and more about the story the food tells. 

Thus begins a very urban chapter.

Jane has a Cooking Show!!

Hey Everybody!!

Check out my friend, Jane Sterling!! She has her own cooking show now!!

Scroll down the videos until you see Entertain With Jane! If you live in South Carolina, you can catch her on the FTC cable network. If not, check out her YouTube channel.

Sugarfree Hard Candy?

OK Sally as our resident professional chef person....I need a personal favor....a sugarfree [clove] hard candy recipe so I can make some...Can't find a recipe for hard candy without a ton of sugar....and my good ole diabetic life won't let me unless i load up on inaulin [sic]...Help Please!!!!

Jim

Dear Jim,

Well, I have bad news and good news.

The bad news is that hard candy cannot be made without some sort of sugar product. Blame science. 

Reminiscing about high school science class, you'll recall sugar is C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ or a combination of carbon and water. (OK.Reminiscing about high school science class probably doesn't make you recall the chemical composition of sugar. You probably recall that cute blond in the next row. Work with me, Jim.) When water evaporates from sugar, it becomes harder due to it's carbon content.  Get it? Carbon is hard, right?

Sugar is make of tiny crystals. When a sugar-water solution is cooked, the water evaporates. Eventually, these tiny sugar crystals come together to form larger crystals. While molten, these large crystals can be molded. Once cooled, they become large hard crystals. That, Jim, is what a piece of hard candy is; a very large sugar crystal.

Since candy making depends on sugar's structural foundation, most so-called sugar free candy contains a small amount of a sugar product, such as malitol, a sugar alcohol. You could make sugar-free hard candy from scratch from this recipe.     However, since malitol has the highest glycemic value of all sugar substitutes, this is something to run by your doctor.

Sorry, Jim. I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear.  However, hard candy is a pain to make.  Malitol is expensive. You probably would not save any money making it yourself.  Do yourself a favor and buy it already made.

I promised you some good news. Here it is. Sugar-free clove candy can be bought online - often for less money than it would take to make it.  Here's a couple of sources.

The Candy Emporium

Stained Glass Candy  

I hope that helps. If not, just remember you're sweet enough without sugar.

Tastefully,

Aunt Sally

Snow Ice Cream

Ben in North Carolina wrote back after trying the hot chocolate recipe. Now, he wants some snow ice cream to go with his hot chocolate. I can't blame him. What a great combination!

Dear Aunt Sally,

Absolutely Delicious! Made the recipe with the truffles. It is like dessert in a cup. Used mostly sugar free ingredients. Thank you, Aunt Sally. In the near future since Wilmington has between 4-6 inches of snow; how about a recipe for snow cream!

Ben in North Carolina 

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your kind compliment! I only wish I could see Wilmington in the snow. It's such a beautiful place.

A snow ice cream recipe is merely a suggestion. The exact amounts depend upon taste and the density of the snow. The one constant is the snow must be freshly fallen and clean.

This is the basic recipe. Adjust to your tastes. Low calorie sweetener may be substituted for the sugar. Adjust sweetener amounts according to package instructions.

Fondly,

Aunt Sally

Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place snow in large mixing bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the milk, sugar and vanilla.

Gently pour over the snow and stir to combine. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Variations
Follow the above recipe, but change the ingredients to one of the variations listed below. 

Dream Snow Ice Cream (tastes like a Dreamsicle)
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 - 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Maple Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup maple syrup

Fruity Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup fruit syrup (strawberry, peach, blueberry, lingonberry, etc.)

Chocolate Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

My yard: Snow on Cactus and Yucca

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Dear Aunt Sally, 

Do you have a recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate?

Ben in North Carolina


Dear Ben,

But of course!   First, we need some definitions.  Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder and is less rich. Hot chocolate is made with melted chocolate and is the sweetest, smoothest thing this side of heaven. For you, my dear friend, I will give you only the very best -- Hot Chocolate!

Hot chocolate is based on ganache. Ganache is nothing more than hot cream poured over chocolate, then stirred to blend. This simple mixture can be turned into frosting, glaze, pastry filling or chocolate truffles. You know that creamy center in boxed chocolates? That's ganache. 

To make hot chocolate, take two ounces ganache (or to taste) and place in a mug. Heat one cup milk over medium heat, being careful not to scorch. Pour hot milk over ganache, stir and enjoy.

Not in the mood to make ganache? No problem! Just pop over to the store and pick up chocolate truffles. This time of year, they can be found on sale just about anywhere, including drug stores and groceries. Take about two ounces of truffles (or to taste) and chop coarsely. Then, pour hot milk over, stir and enjoy.

To make a larger batch, heat milk on stove and add truffles to the milk in the pan. Increase amounts accordingly. 
 
Fondly, 

Aunt Sally

Sift Without a Sifter?

Dear Aunt Sally Good Food, 

I don't have a flour sifter. Is there a way to sift flour without one? Thank you! 


Lisa

Dear Lisa,

You're in luck! You don't need a sifter. Recent improvement in flour production have eliminated the need to pre-sift four.  Simply stir up the flour with a spoon, then gently pour it into your measuring cup. Do not pack. Level the surface and you're done!

If you need to sift several dry ingredients together, simply place all dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine. A wire whisk makes easy work of this.

Remember, the most important thing is to not pack it down.

Culinarily yours,

Aunt Sally

Fudging on Fudge?

Dear Aunt Sally Good Food,

Here is a question. This holiday season, I have tried some new fudge recipes. I follow the instructions but when I try to cut the fudge it is not solid enough to cut even when it sits over night in the refrigerator or put it in the freezer. What I am I doing wrong Aunt Sally? 

Frustrated dessert maker - Dallas


Dear Frustrated,

The culprit could be the recipes or you might not be following them as closely as you think.

A definition first.  Real fudge is not the candy made with marshmallow creme and chocolate.  That might be tasty, but it is not fudge. Real fudge is a form of fondant or crystalline candy. It is the formation of fine crystals that gives fudge its creamy texture. This is where science comes in.

Crystalline candy depends on perfect timing and exact ingredients.  Substituting, say, brown sugar for white sugar will add too much moisture, since brown sugar contains more water. Corn syrup acts as a crystal inhibitor, slowing down the crystallization process.  Leaving it out will upset the crystallization process. Adding too much alcohol can disturb the process, too. Beating the fudge before it cools, or beating with an electric mixer, will make large crystals resulting in grainy fudge that never sets. Use a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease instead. Check temperatures with a thermometer. For more detailed information, check out San Francisco's Exploratorium. 

Meanwhile, try the recipe for the prize winning fudge you see above. That picture was taken moments after winning a ribbon at The State Fair of Texas. The recipe is from the Joy of Cooking.

Tastefully yours,

Aunt Sally

Fudge Cockaigne (from Joy of Cooking)

Bring to a boil in a large heavy pan:

1 cup minus 1-tablespoon milk

Remove from heat and stir until dissolved:

2 cups sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 ounces grated unsweetened chocolate

Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the steam washes down from the sides of the pan any crystals which may have formed.

Uncover, reduce heat and cook without stirring to the soft-ball stage, 234º.

Remove from heat without jostling or stirring. Cool the candy to 110º. You may hasten this process by placing the hot pan in a larger pan of cold water until the bottom of the pan has cooled.

Add:

4 tablespoons butter

Beat fudge partially.  Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

Then beat until it begins to lose its sheen.

Pour the fudge into a buttered pan. Cut into squares before it hardens.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie?

Dear Aunt Sally Good Food,

I'm sure you're the right friend for this question!

Can I make pumpkin pie filling and just bake it in a pan like brownies instead of baking it in a crust? It's for a holiday party so I don't have time for a practice run... 

Erica

Dear Erica,

Sure. It's basically a pumpkin custard. Be sure to butter the inside of the pan so the pumpkin custard will come out.

It will cook more evenly if you put the pumpkin custard pan inside another pan. Fill the outer pan with hot water so that the water comes up to the height of the custard inside the inner pan. If it's not exactly the same height, it'll be fine, but get as close as possible. The hot water acts as a buffer, ensuring even heating of the custard. Follow your pie recipe for the time and temperature.


Have fun cooking!

Aunt Sally

Send Your Holiday Cooking Questions

Do you have holiday cooking questions? Send them my way and I'll answer them on the blog.

Next Food Network Star Audition - 2010

 

Yessiree. I'm auditioning again.

This very fruitcake won a ribbon at the Texas State Fair!

Common Threads, Labor and Watermelon Rind Preserves

Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves with quilting fabric

Waxahachie, TX

Labor Day last week was one of those early fall days when the sunshine sparkles and the wind cools. I spent it in Waxahachie, Texas, a charming small town just south of Dallas.

Downtown Waxahachie’s century old buildings house shops and restaurants. Just outside the town square is Common Threads Quilting, a store specializing in nineteenth century reproduction fabric.  I went to pick up some quilting supplies to make my first quilt.

Being in the play, Quilters, has made me think about how our great grandmothers lived. Their greatest capital was hard work. They took scraps of scraps and turned them into practical artistry.

Watermelon rind preserves are like that too. The pale green rind we throw away today was a treasure to our ancestors. Virtually tasteless, watermelon rind absorbs the flavor in which it is cooked. It becomes a blank canvas for creativity.

Last year, I won a ribbon at the State Fair of Texas for Watermelon Rind Preserves. Long a holiday tradition in our family, the recipe has been handed down for at least three generations. They were special because we knew how much labor was involved in the making. Watermelon rind preserves are tempting on ice cream, on freshly baked biscuits or straight from the jar.

I just won another ribbon for these preserves. This year, I made Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves. Chai spice blend is hard to describe, but never forgotten. The blend of cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cloves and cardamom is both exotic and familiar. 

After visiting the quilt shop, I took a stroll through Getzendaner Memorial Park. I brought a jar of preserves, hoping to find the right spot to photograph them.  A log had fallen conveniently into a ray of sunshine.  Perfect!

Fabric scraps, watermelon rind and a fallen dead log. Buried within all these seemingly worthless discards lies buried treasure. Labor is the key to unlock their practical artistry.  

Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves

Rind of watermelon

Alum

Water

For each pound rind:

1 cup water

1 pound sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

12 whole cloves, (or enough for two per jar)

6 green cardamon pods (or enough for one per jar)

6 cinnamon sticks (or enough for one per jar)

6 thin slices ginger, (or enough for one per jar)

6 black peppercorns, (or enough for one per jar)

Remove soft flesh and dark green skin from watermelon.  Chop watermelon rind into cubes. (One-half to one inch. Depending on your preference.)

Weigh rind.  Soak rind in alum water, using 2 teaspoons alum to one-quart water. Make enough alum water to cover rind. Soak one hour. 

Drain, cover in ice water. Soak another hour. Drain.

Place in large pot. Cover with fresh water. Boil 1½ hours. Drain again.

Place required amount of sugar and water in clean pot.  Cook 5 minutes to make a syrup.

Add melon rind, and cook until tender.  Add vanilla extract.

Pack into sterilized jars. Divide spices evenly among jars.  Process in hot water bath, 10 minutes for ½ pints, 15 minutes for pints.

My Oven Has A 'Tude

After searching for over a YEAR, I finally found a replacement coil for my oven!!! My very, very favoritest electrician, Chris Martinez, just installed it!! Woot! Woot!! Yeah, that's right. My oven is making a cool dude face cuz Mr. Oven is so hot! I see the future and there are cookies in it!!!

Shakespeare, Roosters and Prairie Womenfolk

Me backstage gettin' all Shakespeare-y

You caught me. I’ve been a bad girl. I haven’t been writing much, have I? Well, there’s a very good excuse. I’ve been cast in several plays back-to-back.

First, there was Shakespeare Dallas’ production of Cymbeline. I played Helen, lady in waiting to Princess Imogen (Jo Schellenberg). Me? Playing the part of a subservient lady in waiting? Now, THAT’S acting. Jo kept us well supplied with beef jerky backstage. It’s the perfect snack for actors; it’s high protein and doesn’t spill on our costumes.


Shakespeare Dallas is more of a family than an acting company. We had plenty of cast party suppers. Yeah. I know. I should have gotten recipes and taken pictures. My bad. Then again, the actors' recipes were probably closely guarded secrets. Chris Hury, who played Posthumous Leonatis, made wild boar empanadas and deer sausage for the cast parties.  There’s something about a man who hunts his own food that makes it a little intimidating to ask for a recipe. Intriguing, but intimidating.

Hat played by esteemed character actor, Brewster the Rooster

Then, in Art Centre Theatre’s production of Hello Dolly, I played blind-date-from-hell, Ernestina Money. Oh, the torture I inflicted on poor Horace Vandergelder (Doug Johnson). There are a lot of poultry references in the Harmonia Garden scene, so I made a rooster hat to wear.  Yep. A rooster hat.  Ladies of the Belle Epoche era put a lot of bird parts on their hats. Fashion. Humph. Go figure.  Brewster the Hat Rooster and the intoxicating scent of the nearby fried chicken restaurant left me craving chicken every night.

So, what on earth have I been cooking? Not much really. With such a busy schedule, I resorted to packaged pimento cheese spread. Don’t hate me. OK. OK. OK.  I promise I’ll do better next time. Off to the Dallas Farmers Market to stock up on produce.

Now, I’m in rehearsals for the musical, Quilters. It’s about living on the prairie in the 1800’s – from a female point of view. It’s made me curious to explore the food made by these strong, resourceful women. Perhaps a big pot of Cowboy Beans is in order. That’s how a food blogger should act.

What is this thing?

What is this thing? It was in the Easter candy section of CVS Pharmacy.  It must be something Easter-y, but what? The Blue Easter Earless Bunny Blob? The Easter Biomorphic Ooze?  The Easter Cushy Iceberg? The Easter Crazed Evil Eyed Godzilla?

Here's a closer view. The Easter Marshmallow Laura Palmer?

I bit the darn thing. It tasted kinda, sorta reminiscent of blueberry flavoring with extra chewy undertones.

Can you tell what it is?  Whatever it is, Happy Blue Bunny Biomorphic Oozy Iceberg Godzilla Day. May it be filled with extra chewiness.

Alder Smoked Golden Trout

Dear Auntie,  

I bet you do a mighty fine fish, what's your very favorite way to do fish?

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Ages ago, my friend, Shelley, came over for lunch. I took a golden trout, stuffed it with fennel, scallops, balsamic vinegar, then smoked it over alderwood. Nummers!

Enjoy!

Auntie

Alder Smoked Golden Trout

1 whole golden trout   
¼ cup fennel chopped fine
¼ cup shallot chopped fine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar, reduced 1 Tbsp*
1 tsp thyme   
¼ lb bay scallops   
salt & pepper to taste   

Debone fish, and butterfly. (You fishmonger can do this for you.)

Place vinegar in saucepan with the sprig of fresh thyme.  Reduce to 1 tablespoon.  Remove thyme.  Brush inside of fish with reduction. 

Mix fennel, shallot, scallops, salt and pepper.  Place in cavity of fish.  Skewer opening of fish and lace together with butcher’s twine.  Place fish in stove top smoker with alder chips.  Smoke according to manufacturer's directions until internal temperature reaches 140º. Remove from heat. Let rest 5 minutes (Carry over heat will raise the temperature to 145º.) 

Remove skewers and twine and serve.  Makes 2 -3 servings.