Inquiring Minds To Know... Giveaway

s.f. skyline @ twilight. 8.31.08

I've finished A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenburg (Orangette) and it was one of the few books that...

A.) I was mad when I finished it. I wanted it to last just a little longer. I even read slower but it didn't help. --sigh--

B.) I have picked up and re-read right away.

What I really liked was how it read like a blog. I'm sure some wouldn't take that as a compliment but it read like a well written supersized blog post with a recipe at the end of each chapter. Personally, I would love to see more cookbooks written this way.

So here's what I want to know...

Am I the only one who feels this way about Molly's book?

What do you look for in a cookbook? Do you look at or for---the writing, easy recipes, complicated recipes, book size, photos, cookbooks that inspire, price?
What would you like to see in a cookbook?

Do you like one subject cookbooks or do you like it with a little more variety?

Do you have cookbook pet peeves?

What's your favorite cookbook?

So in return for answering any or all of these questions. I'm giving away a $25 dollar gift card or (e-certificate) to one of the following places of your choice.

Amazon
or
Starbucks
or
Target
or
Sephora

I wish I could afford to give you $25 to each place but I think Rich would kill me and then who would entertain you day after day? Not like I do that anyways but you get my point.

The rules:

You can enter as many times as you wish but you have to at least answer one of the questions.

You have until April 3rd at 12:00 pm to answer. I will pick someone or I should say the random generator will pick someone that afternoon.

Good Luck and remember inquiring minds want to know.

lemon cake with candied lemon slices

Parts one & two

Part Three:

When we last left our heroine she had tested fate by putting an offer on a "the house" on Friday the Thirteenth. She then went to do battle with the innocent looking but in actuality a sadistic evil whore dental hygienist. (Our heroine lost the battle) When she and her husband came home there was package at the door.

---And now back to our regularly scheduled program---

"What did you buy? You know we're suppose to be saving money!" Rich asked but it wasn't really asked more like it stated in an accusatory tone.

"Dude, I didn't buy anything." I cringe because I actually did say dude. It's like the 80's valley girl in me WILL. NOT. DIE. It pops out in moments of extreme stress.

Rich and I stared at the box suspiciously with neither of us making the move to pick it up. I didn't order anything and he didn't order anything, where in the heck did this come from? I bent down to look at the tag and sure enough it was addressed to me.

"Great. He's never going to believe I didn't order something." I thought while picking up the box and bringing it inside.

When I sat the box on the table you would have thought it was Christmas morning in my kids eyes. "Open it, Mom... Open it."

Someone ran and got me an exacto knife to open the box.

"What is it?"

"Yeah, what is it?

Opening the big brown box revealed another box, a white box tied with a white satin ribbon. Tucked between the box and ribbon was a white card. When I opened the card it said

"Martha want you to have this cake stand
The sous chefs want you to fill it with all things wonderful
The {fill in the blank} sends her love and hope for the right house."

I gasped after I read those words out loud. I slowly pulled on one end of the ribbon to open the box. I knew there was a cake stand in there but I felt like Pandora. Was it bad luck to get the cake stand first or would this be a good luck charm albeit a rather large one?

I put the ribbon aside, lifted the top of the box and there it was... a cake stand. White, simple, perfect.



The boys were puzzled but the girls understood the symbolism immediately. Rich didn't understand why I was crying over a cake stand until Katie sat him down at the computer and forced him to read my post about finding a home and my wish for a cake stand. He was quite for a long while after reading it. He got up and wiped his eyes and said "Wow, this is a sign."

On Thursday, two days after the cake stand arrived and six days after we put in the offer our favorite realtor called and said we got the house.



Welcome home...

If everything goes well it should close on April 20th. Yup, that soon. I'm hyperventilating as I type.




Come on in...



and make yourself comfortable.



The dining room and a glimpse into the kitchen.



Every time I see the kitchen, I want to run around like a crazed chihuahua and yell "SQUEEE!"



That's no ordinary oven stove top it has a grill/griddle and a convection oven and Katie would say I would be remiss in telling you that the vent comes up from the stove top. There's a Sub Zero fridge. And on your left hand side, see that opening? That can hide a blender and Kitchen Aid mixer, or a small child. Rich will probably stuff me in there because I have not shut up about the kitchen.

"SQUEE!"



and a breakfast nook!!!

I don't want to bore you with more pictures of the bedrooms and whatnot. So we will leave it at this for now.



The first thing I baked was a Lemon Cake by Martha Stewart to go on my Martha Stewart cake stand. Would you have it any other way?

Lemon Cake w/ Candied Lemons: Martha Stewart

1 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 3 large egg whites
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.

Combine yogurt, vanilla, zest, and juice. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream mixture. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Transfer to pan, and smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out cake onto rack to cool completely. (Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.) Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar and place a candied lemon slice on top.

Candied Lemon Slices:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 large lemons, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon slices. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the peel is slightly translucent.

Remove from the heat and let the lemon slices cool in the syrup.

Save syrup for cocktails or iced tea.

Tasting Notes: "SQUEE!"

apple cinnamon chip scones

Read Part One here...

Part Two...

"All our hopes and dreams are tied up in notions about our house and yet it all comes down to dollars and mortgages and credit scores and way too much blind luck. And even when it turns out, it’s still harrowing." - an email sent to me.

On Friday the Thirteenth, we put a offer in on a home. The HOME. (say it like Oprah introducing Brad Pitt. See how much better it sounds?) The home that I wrote about that was just out of our reach. Yeah, that home. The home that had everything on our checklist. Now came the waiting. The sellers realtor was out of town for the weekend and another potential buyer was going to look at it. So it was going to be Monday or possibly Tuesday before we heard any news at all and it could be bad news at that.

On Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day, we still hadn't heard anything from the sellers. But I had something to keep my mind occupied though not in a good way. I had my six month dentist appointment complete with teeth cleaning!!! Whoo-hoo.

I might have a big mouth in the figurative way but in the literal sense of the word I do not have a big mouth and let's top my small mouth with a nice case of TMJ. You can imagine how fun teeth cleaning can be. My normal hygienist is pretty patient and gives me little breathers in between the scraping and flossing and if she's feeling in a particularly good mood a nice little jaw massage (that sounds disgusting but is really quite innocent). By the time I'm done I have a massive migraine and my teeth and jaws hurt for days afterward. Oh and did I mention I have to pre-med before all of this? I have to take a nice bout of antibiotics before I even enter the dentists office. So antibiotics, Imitrex and 4 Advils just to visit the dentist office. Fun, I tell you.



I didn't have my normal hygienist, I had a hygienist that looked like a nice white haired older gentlewoman who calls you my love and my dear. That's a subterfuge because....



...in reality she was more like this dude.

She was fucking sadistic evil whore.

It started out with my near drowning when she put the rinse/drool sucker thingy in my mouth and stuck it down my throat. (Sorry family for this next part of this sentence) but it was like being on the giving end of a really bad blow job that you wish would end. Then that evil whore used an ultrasonic teeth cleaning device instead of the metal hook. The ultrasonic teeth cleaning device sounds like a dentist drill but at a much higher pitch and it doesn't ever fucking stop until it gets every little speck of plaque in your mouth. I also forget to mention it shoots water everywhere! My glasses and face where speckled with plaque, drool, water, and whatever other foreign matter I had hiding in my mouth. Then, when she polishes my teeth the tooth polisher slips and tore up the roof of my mouth. Let's just say when she was done I jumped out of the chair and went home without so much as a thank you or goodbye.

When Rich and I came home from that abortion of a teeth cleaning (really, what else could you call it?) There was a package sitting on our doorstep.

To be concluded Friday.



Ah, scones! I finally found a scone recipe that even I couldn't screw up. Found in A Homemade Life By Molly Wizenburg or otherwise known as Orangette. What a beautifully written and slyly funny book.

Scottish Scones: Adapted from A Homemade Life page 174

2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons sugar
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped into tiny bite sized pieces
6 ounces of cinnamon chips
1/2 cup of half and half, plus more for glazing
1 large egg


Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture, squeezing and pinching with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal and there are no butter lumps bigger than a pea. Add sugar, apples and cinnamon chips and stir just enough to incorporate it all together.

Pour 1/2 cup of half-and-half into a small bowl or measuring cup and add the egg. Beat with a fork to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir gently to just combine. The dough will look dry and shaggy, and there may be some unincorporated flour at the bottom of the bowl. Using your hands, squeeze and press the dough into a rough mass. Turn the dough, and any excess flour, out onto a board or countertop, and press and gather and knead it until it just comes together. You don't want to overwork the dough; ideally, do not knead more than 12 times. There may be excess flour that is not absorbed, but it doesn't matter. As soon as the dough holds together, pat it into a rough circle about 1 inch thick. Cut the circle into 8 wedges.

Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Pour a splash of half-and-half into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the scones with a thin coat to glaze. Bake for 10 to 14 minuets, or until pale golden. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly, and serve warm, with butter, if you like.

Tasting Notes: To be honest at first the sous chefs and I were a little doubtful of the cinnamon chips. We thought that they were going to be little balls of waxy fake cinnamony badness but everyone was shocked when they turned out really good. I think we were all shocked that I didn't make scones that were a FAIL.

Soupe De Poireaux Et Pommes De Terre

True Story: Part One

"Your family has strange luck." -CM

When Katie told me her friend Catherine said this about us I understood it immediately. If you have ever had strange luck in your life you understand it too.

Let me explain...

Good luck is when you win the lottery and you have money in the bank.

Strange luck is when the transmission is going out on your car, you are about to spend your last twenty on groceries, payday isn't until next week and you win the lottery but only three thousand dollars... enough to pay for the transmission repairs and groceries. That's strange luck.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Our favorite realtor asked us.

"Why?"

"Tomorrow is Friday the Thirteenth."

"Sure. What can it hurt?" Rich said.

Which was a little shocking to me. Rich played baseball for a long time. Not in the pros or anything like that but enough baseball to be superstitious. And I know realtors and their clients can be superstitious too. Some people won't buy houses with the numbers 666 in them. When President Ronald Reagan purchased a house in Bel Air, CA, its address was 666 St. Cloud Road. Johnny Carson, the previous owner, had no problem with the number. The Reagan's asked that the number be changed. The town complied. The new address is 668. Our new address would have the number 44 in it. Forty four is a strong number. The number four stand for paying attention to detail and building a solid foundation for the future. A double 4 supposedly strengthens that effect. Obama is the 44th president, 44 years after segregation was outlawed. At Syracuse University the number 44 is retired for all sports. Twenty five players there have worn that number including Ernie Davis and Jim Brown. And then there's baseball... which thrills my husband to no end.

Willie McCovey (one of the three Will's or Willie's to player for the S.F. Giants. Will, our son, one of his many nicknames is Willie Mac after Willie McCovey)

Hank Aaron (hit homerun #715 two days before I was born)

Reggie Jackson (When I was a kid my mom drove a school bus. She always used to say "she drove 44, Reggie Jackson's number.")

A hitter's number. A good number according to my husband. A number maybe everyone is reading a little too much into... until I finished reading the papers we were signing, My birthday popped up as the day the sellers bank would give us a final answer.

Fate? Who knows but I can tell you the story gets a little more strange on St. Patrick's Day.

To be continued...



I think whomever came up with this soup had some strange luck too. Take two dirty and dirt poor vegetables, cook them up, and eat like king.

Soupe De Poireaux Et Pommes De Terre or Potato Leek Soup: Bouchon by Thomas Keller

Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds (about 3 large) leeks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
heaping 1/2 cup sliced (about 1/4 inch thick) shallots
1/3 cup sliced (1/4 inch thick) onions
salt and pepper
1/2 pound (about 1 large) russet potato, peeled
1 tablespoon minced garlic
sachet (recipe below)
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup of warmed heavy cream
1/2 cup minced chives
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Sachet or Bouquet Garni:

2 or 3 pieces dark green outer leek leaves (6 to 7 inches long)
8 thyme sprigs
2 Italian parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

To make sachet or bouquet garni: Lay out 1 leek green. Place herbs and peppercorns on top and wrap remaining leaf or leaves to form a circular bundle; tie securely with kitchen twine in at least three spots.

Or: Wrap ingredients in a 7-inch square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with kitchen twine.

Cut away and discard the dark green leaves and roots from the leeks, leaving only the white and palest green sections. Cut them lengthwise in half and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt between layers. Place the leeks cut side down on a cutting board and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. (You should have three cups.)

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, shallots, and onions, and season generously with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and sweat the vegetables, stirring often, for 3 to five minutes- the vegetables should wilt but not brown.



Meanwhile, cut the potatoes lengthwise into quarters, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups.)

Add garlic to the sauteing vegetables and cook for another minute, then add the sachet and potatoes and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer.

Add 5 1/2 cups chicken stock and adjust seasonings. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and let soup cool for about 15 minutes.

Remove the sachet. If you will be refrigerating the soup, prepare ice bath.

Transfer the soup, in batches, to a blender and puree, starting at low speed (to release the heat remaining in the soup), then slowly increasing the speed until the soup is smooth. Be careful not to overfill the blender, as hot liquid can spurt out from the top. For a more refined texture, strain the soup through a fine-meshed strainer.

To Complete: Return the soup to the rinsed out pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minuter. Remove from heat. If you are serving the soup hot, stir in the chives, reserving about 1 teaspoon per serving for garnish. If you are refrigerating the soup, pour into a container and place in the ice bath to cool. Reserve about 1 teaspoon of chives per bowl to garnish the soup and stir in remaining chives. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

To Serve: Sprinkle the soup with reserved chives, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and top each bowl with a grind of black pepper.

Tasting Notes: A Thomas Keller Recipe that doesn't require every dish in the house and tastes like heaven. That's called a win-win situation.

As The Potato Peels... The Western Episode

*editors note: This post will only work if A.) you play the above you tube video and B.) imagine all the narration in Sam Elliot's voice.

In 1849, between the cities of Davis and Stockton California there was a town called Green Valley. It was the last stop before the gold miners made their way up into them foothills looking for gold.

Gold fever was everywhere. All the men left town to see if they could get their fair share of gold leaving the women to fend for themselves.

The doctor's wife, Cathy and the sheriff's wife, Krysta got together and decided that while the cats away the mice will play and opened a brothel slash restaurant to showcase their lovely wares and food. All things potato to protect the good folks of Green Valley from hunger and lawlessness.

Meet Sparkey Marie, the Madame. The head potato ho. Sparkey Marie is in charge of all of her other potato ho's. Her special this month is...

Roasted Medley of Potatoes with Balsamic Glazed Onions.

“Potatoes so easy to make but done in minutes. Perfect for a weekday meal or fancy enough for a formal dinner.”

One day two sisters came riding into town looking for Sparkey Marie and Christina Shane. They dared to called themselves Madame. Sparkey Marie and Christina Shane thought that took guts and admired their moxie and let them join the Ho Down.



Big Sis called herself Madame Potato Ho Wolfie Lee and she brought with her, all the way from Dallas, a dish called Dilled Potato Pie. Wolfie Lee would tempt all the men with this unusual green dish combining potatoes and watercress flavored with herbs, garlic, onion and parmesan cheese.

Madame Potato Ho Wolfie Lee's lil' sis Madame Potato Ho Frosty Gay has her own little specialty of ham and potato pancakes. Frosty Gay is the the silent type and all she said was this is great appetizer for a St. Patrick’s Day Party.

Not to be outdone... Christina Shane, the potato ho with a quick temper and an even faster trigger finger made Soupe De Poireaux Et Pommes De Terre.

Fancy talk for Potato and Leek Soup. A little taste of France in the Wild West. (recipe coming soon)

This here is a photograph of The Daily Spud. She writes the daily Green Valley newspaper also called The Daily Spud. A lovely and much beloved Irish lass who fits right in at Sparkey Marie's brothel.

Miss Daily Spud had also decided to class up the joint by going French with these potato pancakes. Miss D.S. says, "Trust the French to come up with this recipe for fluffy, soufflé-like potato pancakes that would be a delight for brunch, or just about any other time when eating is required."

Meet Lulu. She's one tough broad. She's been known to get a little snooty from time to time when you don't mind your p&q's.

Even though this dish isn't technically a potato ho dish. Would you argue with a lady who's holding a gun? I thought so. Anyways, Miss Lulu swears the mashed potatoes are what makes this dish truly special.

Meet Ginger Jean, all the way from the East Coast. She and her husband are trying to strike it rich but he left her in Green Valley. At least she still has her camel, which makes her quite unique.



Speaking of unique... Ginger Jean has decided to make these beautiful pancakes for all the girls.

The miners have a hard time keeping their hands off Lola Lynde. She always gives them one perfect bite and leaves them wanting more.

Here's Lola's dish with some Spanish flare... Tortilla Espanola.

Look at how sweet Peewee Anne is. Dainty, petite and cute as a button.

But Peewee Anne is dreaming of making it big in vaudeville and her high falutin' dish of Clafoutis of Ratte Potatoes, Asparagus and Bleu D'Auvergne Cheese just might get her out of this stinkin' two bit town.

Here's a couple of sharp shooters... two of my favorite gals.

On the left is Trixie Belle.



Her gruyere stuffed new potatoes will hit the bulls eye every. single. time.



On the right is Pepper Michelle. Her golden potato bread bowls will leave you in awe.

The ravishing dove in gold is Yum Cha Cha Cha.

You know she is serving these lovely pan fried potatoes when she wears that sexy little number.

I know your thinking, "awww how sweet" but don't let Simba Ann fool you. She's got your damn answer right here.

It's her red neck, white trash, blue 'em away french toast.

Lollipop Anne is smokin' hot and always on the cutting edge.

Her baked mashed potatoes with smoked gouda and bacon keep the miners coming back for seconds.

Kartoshka is one multi-talented potato ho.

She definitely deserves her five star status in Green Valley with her cabbage rolls done two ways.

"Corned beef and cabbage with a modern twist and a bit of Asian flare. Vegetarian version features just the cabbage inside a potato roll."

Here we have quite the duo.



Chad and Denise cooked us up some mighty fine grub. Their sweet and spicy quesadillas with a citrus kick are a quick fix.

Here comes LouLou.

LouLou has a lassoed one in with her purple yam souffle.

"Simply beautiful to look at, simple to make, and delicious!"

Sloopy Anne with her creamy shoulders

and her creamy mashed potatoes. But like any good potato ho she has a few (low fat) tricks up her sleeve.



Meet Creamy Colcannon.

Not to be confused with his dish of creamy colcannon. Which is a variation of the traditional Irish Colcannon recipe, with a buttery twist.



And this is the end of another episode of As The Potato Peels. Many thanks to all.

Next month's Potato Ho Down will be hosted by Dyln on April 15th. We might all need comfort food on that day.

As always you can find all the details at the Potato Ho Down site and if you want to host all of us fine outstanding ladies you can contact either me at krysta{at}evilchefmom.com or Cathy at cathy{at}noblepig.com and we'll get you all set up.