This is the last post for this blog because I've redesigned it and am using a new blog host. I can now be found at http://hohcopelandwj.wordpress.com/
I've changed the blog to include a lot more information, a lot more humor, as well as pics, recipes, technique, etc. Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Flour Tortillas!!!
I grew up in the South West desert in Arizona. Go as far west as you can without going into California, and go as far south as you can without going into Mexico and that's where I grew up. We moved there when I was nine and I left for Washington DC when I was 28. It was a good place to grow up and I learned a lot about food there. Since leaving, I have NOT been able to find a truly good tortilla, corn or otherwise. I've been back to the area many times and have thrown myself face first into piles of tortillas (corn or otherwise), but have not been able to find a truly authentic tortilla until recently. I had to make it myself and, while it was fun, it was a project!
This recipe make one dozen flour tortillas. Heat the skillet while preparing the tortillas and it will be at the perfect temperature to cook your tortillas when they're ready. Double if you need more.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon lard (I used Crisco)
3/4 cup cold water
Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Cut in lard using your fingers to blend perfectly. The mix will look like corn meal when it's done. Add the water and mix until dough comes together. Place dough on a floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. The easiest way to do this is to divide the dough in half. The divide the dough in half again. Then divide each piece into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Roll each ball into a paper thin round tortilla using enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin. When each tortilla is rolled, shake the flour from it and place in hot skillet. Cook until bubbles start to form on surface, then flip. When bubbles form on surface again, remove from skillet to a cool plate. Form next tortilla, and repeat until all dough has been cooked. Cool completely, then store in a plastic bag.
When it's time to use these tortillas, heat them in a microwave or a hot skillet or griddle until browned and bubbles form. Use immediately after heating to make taco, burritos, or whatever you like! It's wonderful!
This recipe make one dozen flour tortillas. Heat the skillet while preparing the tortillas and it will be at the perfect temperature to cook your tortillas when they're ready. Double if you need more.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon lard (I used Crisco)
3/4 cup cold water
Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Cut in lard using your fingers to blend perfectly. The mix will look like corn meal when it's done. Add the water and mix until dough comes together. Place dough on a floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. The easiest way to do this is to divide the dough in half. The divide the dough in half again. Then divide each piece into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Roll each ball into a paper thin round tortilla using enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin. When each tortilla is rolled, shake the flour from it and place in hot skillet. Cook until bubbles start to form on surface, then flip. When bubbles form on surface again, remove from skillet to a cool plate. Form next tortilla, and repeat until all dough has been cooked. Cool completely, then store in a plastic bag.
When it's time to use these tortillas, heat them in a microwave or a hot skillet or griddle until browned and bubbles form. Use immediately after heating to make taco, burritos, or whatever you like! It's wonderful!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Bacon
This is an easy, filling, satisfying dish for a cold, rainy night. It's really good!
1/2 cup uncooked rigatoni per person
4 slices of bacon uncooked per person
1/2 can of chopped tomatoes per person
pinch of basil
Cook the rigatoni per package instructions to al dente. While pasta is cooking, chop the uncooked bacon into inch pieces. Fry the bacon in a deep flat skillet until crispy. Remove bacon to a bowl lined with paper towels, and drain the skillet. Reheat the skillet and put chopped bacon back into it. When bacon starts to sizzle again, add the tomatoes with their juice. Cook and stir until pasta is done. Add pinch of basil and stir. Drain pasta, and while it's still damp add to the skillet and stir. Continue heating for about another five minutes. Spoon pasta and sauce into bowls to serve. Garnish with grated cheese or chopped fresh parsley, if you like.
Trust me, this is good stuff.
1/2 cup uncooked rigatoni per person
4 slices of bacon uncooked per person
1/2 can of chopped tomatoes per person
pinch of basil
Cook the rigatoni per package instructions to al dente. While pasta is cooking, chop the uncooked bacon into inch pieces. Fry the bacon in a deep flat skillet until crispy. Remove bacon to a bowl lined with paper towels, and drain the skillet. Reheat the skillet and put chopped bacon back into it. When bacon starts to sizzle again, add the tomatoes with their juice. Cook and stir until pasta is done. Add pinch of basil and stir. Drain pasta, and while it's still damp add to the skillet and stir. Continue heating for about another five minutes. Spoon pasta and sauce into bowls to serve. Garnish with grated cheese or chopped fresh parsley, if you like.
Trust me, this is good stuff.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Chopped Asparagus Salad
I got the original idea from Anne Burrel on "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" on the Food Channel. After I'd made it once, I started doctoring it up to my taste and think I've improved it. I'll give the original recipe first, then what I did to it after. It's very simple, and very impressive. It's a great salad to take to a pot luck. The original takes only two ingredients.
Chopped Asparagus Salad
1 pound fresh asparagus (thin if possible, the size of a pencil)
1 medium red onion
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon good quality red wine vinegar
Trim the tough bottoms from the asparagus spears. Chop the asparagus so they are the size of peas. Place in a medium bowl. Chop the red onion fine, as close to the size of the asparagus as possible. Place in bowl with asparagus and toss with the olive oil and vinegar. Chill and serve.
Then I added:
1 small can sliced black olives
1 medium English cucumber, chopped to size of asparagus
2 tablespoons shredded romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried mint or basil
1 pinch salt
The cucumber adds a great freshness to the salad, and the olives add an element of smokiness. Cheese adds chewiness and flavor.
I suppose you could also add cold cooked shrimp, lobster, or crab, and turn it into a main course.
Enjoy!
Chopped Asparagus Salad
1 pound fresh asparagus (thin if possible, the size of a pencil)
1 medium red onion
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon good quality red wine vinegar
Trim the tough bottoms from the asparagus spears. Chop the asparagus so they are the size of peas. Place in a medium bowl. Chop the red onion fine, as close to the size of the asparagus as possible. Place in bowl with asparagus and toss with the olive oil and vinegar. Chill and serve.
Then I added:
1 small can sliced black olives
1 medium English cucumber, chopped to size of asparagus
2 tablespoons shredded romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried mint or basil
1 pinch salt
The cucumber adds a great freshness to the salad, and the olives add an element of smokiness. Cheese adds chewiness and flavor.
I suppose you could also add cold cooked shrimp, lobster, or crab, and turn it into a main course.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Barley Salad
This is also called a Farro Salad and is from the mediterranean area. It's basically cooked barley with loads of fresh vegetables and a vinaigrette. I'm providing a basic recipe, but you can play with the ingredients to your own liking.
Farro Salad
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked barley, cooled
Two Large Ripe Tomatoes roughly chopped
1 Large cucumber peeled and seeded then chopped
3 spring onion chopped
1/2 cup favorite cheese grated or chopped in very small chunks
1 cup favorite vinaigrette (I used a champagne vinaigrette)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least one hour for flavors to blend.
Enjoy!
Farro Salad
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked barley, cooled
Two Large Ripe Tomatoes roughly chopped
1 Large cucumber peeled and seeded then chopped
3 spring onion chopped
1/2 cup favorite cheese grated or chopped in very small chunks
1 cup favorite vinaigrette (I used a champagne vinaigrette)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least one hour for flavors to blend.
Enjoy!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Post # 10 - First Amendment Rights, part 2
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
In case anyone was asleep, the Supreme Court of the United States is adjudicating a case wherein the father of a fallen soldier is suing the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting at his son’s funeral. Without going into how vile and reprehensible it is to protest any funeral, much less the funeral of a soldier who fell defending our country, there are some things I need to prepare everyone for.
Once, I thought that the only conclusion to be reached in this case was for the church. They were exercising their right to freedom of speech, and the free exercise of their religion. But there’s another clause in the amendment that could cause the argument to go another direction.
Did they assemble peaceably? Or was their intent to provoke or incite to riot? In nearly every jurisdiction, the incitement to riot is not an excuse to actually riot, but that selfsame incitement is against the law. So, the question then becomes, what did they intend to do? What did this church hope to gain from this? Did they act peaceably? Did they act responsibly?
I could go into a huge discussion about how a church is “supposed” to act and what they’re “supposed” to believe and to preach. That just comes down to opinion and how I was raised versus how they were raised. It’s a no win discussion.
I’m going to follow this closely to see how it turns out.
UPDATE: HA! I posted this to the wrong blog! Sorry!
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
In case anyone was asleep, the Supreme Court of the United States is adjudicating a case wherein the father of a fallen soldier is suing the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting at his son’s funeral. Without going into how vile and reprehensible it is to protest any funeral, much less the funeral of a soldier who fell defending our country, there are some things I need to prepare everyone for.
Once, I thought that the only conclusion to be reached in this case was for the church. They were exercising their right to freedom of speech, and the free exercise of their religion. But there’s another clause in the amendment that could cause the argument to go another direction.
Did they assemble peaceably? Or was their intent to provoke or incite to riot? In nearly every jurisdiction, the incitement to riot is not an excuse to actually riot, but that selfsame incitement is against the law. So, the question then becomes, what did they intend to do? What did this church hope to gain from this? Did they act peaceably? Did they act responsibly?
I could go into a huge discussion about how a church is “supposed” to act and what they’re “supposed” to believe and to preach. That just comes down to opinion and how I was raised versus how they were raised. It’s a no win discussion.
I’m going to follow this closely to see how it turns out.
UPDATE: HA! I posted this to the wrong blog! Sorry!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Cider Braised Pork Chops
This recipe only works with very thick pork chops, or else with a LOT of thin pork chops, but I'd go with the thick ones. I learned of this recipe on the PBS show Test Kitchen and thought it sounded fantastic. Turned out, it was! When it was done, I served it with croissants and a sweet asian salad and the meal was amazing! This one takes a long time, so plan for that. Prep time is about 20-30 minutes, but cook time is about 90 minutes. I can see serving this with either rice or potatoes. I can also see adding fresh or frozen vegetables during the last half hour, but that's only if you want the apple flavor to be consistent through the entire meal. Your call. It may seem complicated at the start, but it's really very easy to do, and the results are fantastic. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you try this once as it's written so you know what you're dealing with, then start making modifications. Whenever I'm dealing with cider recipes, I do this. Enjoy!
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 pounds pork chops (cut thick or thin)
1 medium onion roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons apple butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup apple cider
1 sprig thyme
1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 (more) tablespoons apple butter
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a dutch oven, or a pan with a cover that is both oven safe and stove top safe, heat oil until almost smoking. Pat pork chops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry chops in oil to brown depending on thickness of chops 2-4 minutes each side. Remove chops to a plate and continue until all chops are done. Remove all oil from pan except 1 tablespoon trying to retain all pork solids for flavor. Cook onions over medium heat until soft, then add garlic, flour, and first 2 tablespoons of apple butter. Cook until aromatic. Add one cup of cider and herbs (thyme or sage/basil mix) and stir until smooth, scraping pan to release "flavor bits" in the pan. Put chops back into pan with any juices that have accumulated on the plate, cover, and put in oven. Bake thoroughly. This can take 2-3 hours, but the meat must reach the "falling off the bone" stage. When the meat is done, remove it to a platter being very careful not to shred it. Strain the juices left in the pan and return to the heated pan. Add the last two tablespoons of apple butter, and 1 tsp of apple cider and stir until thouroughly blended and completely heated. Serve each chop on a plate with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce over the top. Like I said, AMAZING!
Enjoy!
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 pounds pork chops (cut thick or thin)
1 medium onion roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons apple butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup apple cider
1 sprig thyme
1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 (more) tablespoons apple butter
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a dutch oven, or a pan with a cover that is both oven safe and stove top safe, heat oil until almost smoking. Pat pork chops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry chops in oil to brown depending on thickness of chops 2-4 minutes each side. Remove chops to a plate and continue until all chops are done. Remove all oil from pan except 1 tablespoon trying to retain all pork solids for flavor. Cook onions over medium heat until soft, then add garlic, flour, and first 2 tablespoons of apple butter. Cook until aromatic. Add one cup of cider and herbs (thyme or sage/basil mix) and stir until smooth, scraping pan to release "flavor bits" in the pan. Put chops back into pan with any juices that have accumulated on the plate, cover, and put in oven. Bake thoroughly. This can take 2-3 hours, but the meat must reach the "falling off the bone" stage. When the meat is done, remove it to a platter being very careful not to shred it. Strain the juices left in the pan and return to the heated pan. Add the last two tablespoons of apple butter, and 1 tsp of apple cider and stir until thouroughly blended and completely heated. Serve each chop on a plate with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce over the top. Like I said, AMAZING!
Enjoy!
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