Potato au Gratin/Scalloped Potato for Christmas

So I was going use Mom's Scalloped Potato Recipe with the Christmas Eve Ham, but when I started to juggle the oven schedule in my head, I realized I need to at least prep it earlier in the day. Unfortunately raw potatoes, like apples, oxidize and turn brown left open to the air. To the interwebs...after much furious googling there were a few options, but many commenters pointed out this is a dish that is often better the next day, and plan came together. I cooked it around lunch time, aiming for slightly under done and then slipped it in to warm with the stuffing. This is an adaption of a Patricia Wells recipe posted in a forum that was the starting point. Crunchy toasty cheese on top was well received.

Gratin Dauphinois

1 garlic clove, halved
2 pds. potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
8 oz. 'Gruyere' cheese grated
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream

preheat to 375

Rub inside of baking dish with garlic

Combine potatoes, 3/4 of cheese, milk, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Spoon into baking dish, , arranging potatoes in layers with cheese in between, then pouring liquid over potatoes. Cover with remaining cheese.

Place in oven and bake about 1 hr. 15 minutes.

What it became was...
2 lb. potato, peeled & sliced thin (Thank you food processor)
2 c. (ish) of sharp cheddar
2 t. chopped garlic
2 c. milk
1/2 c. cream
up to 1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. white pepper
salt (which I forgot)

Preheat to 375 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the milk, cream, chopped garlic, mustard, pepper, salt, 3/4 of the cheese. Add potato slices to the mixture. Then layer potato slices in a casserole (2.5 l corning works well) I then layer some of the cheese out of the mix and so forth. (I ended up with 3 or 4 layers of potato and about the way I will pour the milk mix up to the top layer) After layering finish pouring the milk in, top with the remaining cheese.

Cook for 1 hr. 15 min.

It is particularly tasty with ham and green beans.

Must...Start...New...ROUTINE

Farm Box Tuesday aka Taco Tuesday
well...Burritos this week, and dogger veggie-cicles. And yet not. A friend called and we went to try out a new pizza place in Newhall instead, and I didn't have so many leftovers to make dogger-cicles immediately. The farm box did bring corn & zucchini & summer squash so the Enchiladas are a go. I'm sure there will be a burrito related punt before the end of the week.

Wednesday
Curry & Rice
The kid has been into all things spicy lately and there have been more than a few Misawa Pizza Curry Green Pole Street stories lately which has given me a bit of a nostolgic craving.

Beach Thursday
Herb & Balsamic Kebabs (Thanks dinnerforayear.blogspot.com)

Pool Friday
Black Bean & Summer Veggies Enchiladas (again dinnerforayear.blogspot.com)

Saturday
Picnic @ Aquatic Center (Yay SCAAN!)

Sunday
Chicken Kabobs & Couscous

Discombobulated

So the switch to a mid week farm box pick up was successful. We seem to have recovered our weekends. The crowd is much smaller, so it is easy in, easy out, and quite friendly. However the menu plan has taken quite the hit, the change coinciding with the summer break was probably apt to derail the system anyway. So I am making a spicy green bean & mushroom stir fry with sushi rice for dinner Monday, and Burritos on Tuesday. Now that I think of it Burrito/Taco Night on Farm Box day is probably an excellent plan, easy prep, the ingredients are usually on hand and Vallarta is an easy stop in conjunction with Farm Box pick up. I'm making raw dog food on farm box day with the old veggies so definitely a easy meal is required.

Tonight was burgers with potato kabobs. I made a cannellini bean salad to have with pitas tomorrow for lunch and our favorite AB chocolate chip recipe is chilling in the fridge, "the chewy". I also have a sugar cookie recipe on deck to try, once I have inventoried the sprinkle situation

What's for Dinner 6/9-6-14

The problem with the long week menu plan is it inevitably gets derailed by a missing ingredient or unexpected activity. I have two meals planned but not yet prepared, and today doesn't look promising for following through. I lied about about tonight, by switching the steak to a salad ingredient, one meal plan stays on track. So easily distracted am I. Tonight I grocery list and tomorrow I shop, this new non-weekend farm box is going to take some getting used to.

Tuesday
Pepper Crusted Flank Steak Salad (normally I'd make couscous, but the pantry is deficient today) And yet fail...the flank steak was just old enough that I didn't trust it...and it was time for dinner from Vallarta.

Wednesday
Curry Chicken Pot Pie (previously thwarted by a lack of puff pasty...grrr)

Thursday
6th Grade Grad Party (commence eye rolling)
I am making two kinds of quiche & coffee cake for a post ceremony brunch/lunch, as inspired by Epicurious & Chowhound. I hope to post specifics later.

Friday
The Grands want to take the kid out to dinner for surviving half of his school years, fine, whatevs.

Saturday
Scallops & Mushroom Brochettes

Sunday
Ojai Wine Festival = Taco Night

Monday
Beach Day = Leftovers

What's for Dinner? 5/31-6/8/10

I know this week seems suspiciously long, but that is because it is. The lovely providers of the farm box have decided to offer a mid week delivery and I am embracing it. I'm hoping that it will free up the weekend from the grocery shopping that is the natural consequence of the farm box/menu planning routine. So these activities are moving to Tuesday/Wednesday, and I'll just plan enough to get there now.

Also mid week will be featuring the very lame, but with only two of us home and the arrival of the heat (although it isn't bad yet) has inspiration at a low ebb. I need to find a summer meal muse.

Monday
Grilled Chicken Caprese
French Country Potatoes & Green Beans

Tuesday
Burritos

Wednesday
Homemade Pizza

Thursday
Breakfast for Dinner

Friday
End of the Year Class Party

Saturday
Beach Day

Sunday
Grilled Hoisin Chicken & Sesame Noodles

Monday
Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Tuesday
Black Pepper Flank Steak

The Google-fu is Strong with This One.

I have been doing some Google-ing for random recipes; some to compare recipes I know with other versions looking for improvement ideas, others to find something new altogether. The Google has been very good to me. Last weekend I discovered www.ayearofdinners.blogspot.com It popped onto my links list. I am loving her style of cooking. It is very busy mom friendly.

Earlier this year I decided a new cake quest was in order. Like the Red Velvet Cake Quest, I have been meaning to gather up a selection of Yellow Cake recipes to try. Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting equals yum. Yesterday this search results in the discovery of www.smittenkitchen.com (cute name), so that will be added soon to the links. It looks very promising and I'd like one of everything in her mother's day brunch.

What's for Dinner? 5/23-28/10

Sunday
Potato-Leek Soup
Rolls

Monday
Spicy Shrimp, Sausage and Spinach Fetticcini

Tuesday
Marinated Beef Kebabs

Wednesday
Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Shallots
Green Salad

Thursday
Leftovers (School Event)

Friday
Pick up something quick. Pre party panic mode.

What's for Dinner? 5/15-21/10

So I discovered a new food blog last weekend during my search for Tuna Noodle Casserole recipes. www.dinnersforayear.blogspot.com It was very inspiring and so this week many of the meal ideas have been pulled from this website. For now, I'm just linking to the sources, but if we find some keepers I will post with comments.

Saturday
Creamy Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Potatoes

Sunday
Burgers
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Monday
Roasted Shrimp & Balsamic Spring Veggies

Tuesday
Broccoli Casserole

Wednesday
Carnitas

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Grilled Chicken Carprese

What's for Dinner 2/27-3/5

Saturday
IKEA Meatballs

Sunday
Tri-Tip
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Monday
Burritos

Tuesday
Very Veggie Beet Soup

Wednesday
AB's Mac & Cheese

Thursday
Shepherd's Pie

Friday
Leftovers

What's for Dinner? 2/20-27

A helpful hint for my local farm box friends; often there is some extra produce, if you get to the pick up early you can score bonus veggies. Today's extras oranges, kiwi, and lettuce.

So last week all the adults in the household were felled by an nasty cold. Strangely we had different symptoms while being equally miserable. As mine seems to be settling nicely into an ear infection, because apparently inside my head I am two, I am suspicious that mine was just a sinus infection all along. Two more days 'til I call for antibiotics...yay! The kid healthy as a very annoying horse. We stayed on dinner plan unusually well for everyone feeling lousy. The only casualty was the scallops experiment that will have to happen over the weekend. Sick and cooking is no time to be adventurous.

Saturday
Blue Cheese Burgers
Sweet Potato Fries

Sunday
Seared Scallops with Tarragon Butter Sauce (Take two)
Spinach
Rice

Monday
Burritos

Tuesday
Leak & Cabbage Soup with Smoked Sausage

Wednesday
Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes

Thursday
White Bean & Chard

Friday
Pizza (maybe I'll cook, maybe I'll order in) the Nerd Herd will be in effect.

What's for Dinner 2/14-2/19

So it is supposed to be warm this week...like 78, but my brain is still in Winter mode. I was contemplating Shepherd's Pie. So I'm kind of threading the needle with winter dishes (roasted chicken, soups) in lighter proteins (chicken, scallops). The scallop dish is an epicurious experiment. I will posted the recipe and review, if it successful, everything else is old favorites.

Sunday
Swedish Meatballs
Salad

Monday
Thomas Keller's Roasted Chicken
Spinach Salad

Tuesday
Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Corn Chowder

Wednesday
Seared Scallops with Tarragon-Butter Sauce
Wilted Spinach
Risotto if I'm feeling brave Brown Rice if I'm not
Butternut Squash with Pecans & Blue Cheese

Thursday
Navy Bean Soup

Friday
Breakfast for Dinner
Kind of Breakfast to be named later

Meatballs In Tomato Garlic Sauce

Meatballs
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 large green bell pepper, chopped fine
1/4 c. + 2 T. olive oil
2 lb. ground beef (not lean)
1/2 lb. ground pork (not lean)
2/3 c. fine dry bread crumbs
2 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley leaves

Sauce
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 (33 1/2 oz) can whole tomatoes, including juice
3/4 t. dried oregano, crumbled

In a 9" heavy well-seasoned skillet (perferably cast-iron) cook onion and bell pepper in 2 T. oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and cool mixture. In a large bowl combine well onion mixture, ground meat, bread crumbs, salt, nutmeg, and parsley. Form level tablespoons of mixture into balls (about 90). In skillet heat 1 T. oil over moderately high heat until hot, but not smokingand brown meatballs in batches (about 16 at a time), shaking skillet frequently so that meatballs maintain their shape and adding remaining 3 T. oil as necessary. Transfer meatballs with a slotted spoon as browned to a bowl.

In a heavy kettle (at least 6 qts.) cook garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 sec. Add tomatoes with juice and oregano and simmer, breaking up tomatoes.

Add meatballs and simmer, cover gently stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until meatballs are tender and sauce is thickened slightly. Transfer meatballs with slotted spoon to heated serving dish. If sauce seem thin, boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to desired consistency. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over meatballs. Meatballs and sauce may be maid 2 days ahead, cooled, uncovered and chilled covered. Reheat meatballs before serving.

We were on the crash course to the party. I short cut through this recipe by using some store bought meatballs and the combination was very good. In fact the kid enjoyed them for lunch the rest of the week.

Onion Tart with Mustard & Fennel

2 1/4 t. active dry yeast (a 1/4 oz package)
1/2 c. warm water (105-115 deg)
1 1/2-1 3/4c. all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/3 c. + 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 t. salt, divided
2 t. fennel seeds
3 lb. yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 T. Dijon
1/2 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)

Put 1 1/2 c. flour in a medium bowl, then make a well in center of flour and add yeast mixture to well. Stir together egg, 1 T. oil and 1 1/2 t. salt with a fork. Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or your fingertips, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead, working in additional flour (up to 1/4 c.) as necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While dough rises, heat remaining 1/3 c. oil in a 12" heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then saute fennel seeds until a shade darker, about 30 sec. Stir in onions, remaining 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover onions directly with a round of parchment paper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F with rack in the middle.

Knead dough gently on a floured surface with floured hands to deflate. Pat out dough on a large heavy baking sheet (preferably blue steel) into a 15 x 12" rectangle, turning up or crimping edge, then brush mustard evenly over dough,, leaving a 1/2" border around edge. Spread onions evenly over mustard, then sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Bake tart until crust is golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Cut into 2" squares or diamonds & warm or at room temperature.

Note: Onions can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

O.K. This one was well received. There were a few alterations and short cuts involved. I used Trader Joe's Pizza Dough in place of making my own crust. There were just too many other thing to do and yeast is just too unreliable for me in a trial run. If it is the only thing I am making, I'll give the dough a try with a pack of pizza dough in the fridge on stand by. The many comments online recommended more mustard and 15 x 12" seems like a lot of territory for a little ole tablespoon of mustard. So I spread it as thin as I could by back of spoon but enough that it made a definitely layer. I used easily 3-4 soup spoons of mustard. There were more than enough onions and I probably used extra cheese as well.

White Bean, Sun-dried Tomato & Feta Bites

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 (8.5 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped (reserve 2 T. of the oil)
1/3 c. pine nuts
2 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 t. fresh thyme, chopped (from about 10 sprigs)
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. fresh basil, coarsely chopped and loosely packed
1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (approx 1/4 c.)
3 1/2 oz Feta cheese, crumbled (approx 1/2 c.)
10 slices white sandwich bread each slice quartered
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven 350 deg.

In small saucepan over moderately low heat, heat 2 T. olive oil & tomato oil until hot, but not smoking. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring until mixture cools slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, basil, Parmesan and Feta. (Topping can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 6 hours, Before serving, bring to room temperature.

Arrange bread squares on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush on both sides with remaining 4 T. olive oil. toast, turning once, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Top squares with white bean topping and serve immediately. (Alternately, serve white bean, sun-dried tomato, and Feta mixture in a bowl, arrange toast along side.)

Yield: 40 hors d'oeurves

From epicurious.com by Katie Brown

So I bypassed the sandwich bread and went straight to thinly sliced baguette, brushed with oil and toasted in the oven. Trader Joe's had a nice jar of sun-dried tomato that was already julienned.

Trying Something New

So it has been quiet here at Food Whimsy, because I have been a little fixated on another food project. About a month ago, a harebrained scheme was hatched, a cocktail party, a proper adults only swanky party. It was the right time. We'd been in our house for a year, hadn't yet had a housewarming party. I was having a birthday of a round number that will remain nameless and it fell on a Saturday.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but then I start looking at appetizer and hors d'oeuvre recipes and just start twitching. Little bite size food, sooo fussy, and labor intensive, not my thing at all. This meant I spent all my time googling for party inspiration and not blogging our weekly menu plan and, oh yeah, procrastinating.

Enter Epicurious.com...I have found a few things there, but it was a godsend. There was an excellent cocktail party planning guide, for foods and drinks quantities, helpful suggestions like renting glassware, all sorts of good stuff to cover for complete inexperience. For a food menu, the timing wasn't perfect. There were old New Year Eve Party menus and new Super Bowl Party menus, a few Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year menus were starting to appear, but when push came to shove (better known as Friday night) there was a Katie Brown New Years Eve Party menu that we used most of, back filling with some uninspired but handy basics like a shrimp ring and a veggie tray. Gimlet Fest 2010 was on, folks seem to have a good time, and the food was good too.

So I will post the best of the party food this week and hopefully we will return to our regular scheduled recipe journal-ing this weekend.

What's for Dinner? 1/23-29

Saturday
Rosemary Chicken
Roasted Fingerling & Red Potatoes
Green Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Sunday
Chipotle

Monday
Quiche Lorraine
Tossed Green Salad

Tuesday
Stir Fry to be named later

Wednesday
Cabbage & Sausage Soup (after recipe search)

Thursday
Broccoli & Baked Potato
Mac & Cheese for the kid

Friday
Burritos by the kid, cause Dad is coming home.

What's for Dinner? 1/17-22

Yesterday was a lost cause with the kid's Floor Hockey Tournament two counties away. Silver medal. We did manage to snag the farm box, but then we were on the road, so I will report later on that. Still, we must eat and the question is what? Plus we are down a member of the party most of this week so it will be kind of uninspired and lots of leftovers.

Sunday
Alton Brown's Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Salad

Monday
Navy Bean Soup

Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday (Kid Cooks)
Pepperoni Pizza

Thursday
Burritos

Friday
Stir Fry

That is so boring it is nearly a school lunch menu. I have a bunch of lovely Broccoli, maybe I'll find some inspiration and update this more later.

What's for Dinner? 1/9-15

We're trying to skew towards weight loss this month, but are really more concerned with getting back on the exercise wagon at the moment. So most of the recipes will lean that way, but not all (cough, Swedish Meatballs, Chex Mix, cough).

Saturday
Swedish Meatballs
Brown Rice
Red Leaf salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Sunday
Spicy Turkey Black Bean Chili
Corn Bread
Possibly Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie*

The Kid Cooks Monday
Grilled Burgers
Oven Baked Fries

Tuesday
Chicken Tikka with Cucumber Raita
Naan

Wednesday
Leftovers

Thursday
Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes
Sesame Kale

Friday
Spinach, Artichoke & Olive Pizza*

Breakfast
Classic Scone*
Maple Pear Oatmeal Muffin

Lunch
Chicken & Napa Cabbage Salad

Snacks
Crock Pot Chex Mix

*=new recipe

Farm Box 1/9/10

Oooo first typing of the (20)10!

And the Farm Box is back to add structure, healthiness and yummy goodness to our food consumption week.

Cauliflower (the biggest one I have ever seen I think)
Green Onions
Red Leaf Lettuce
Carrots
Kale
Cabbage
Dill
Fuji Apples
Navel Oranges
Satsuma Mandarin

Now just what to do with it all.