Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Kitchen Bad Boy....



So how I cooked or baked before I got the Kitchen Aid is beyond me. I'd wanted one for years, but just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for a 'mixer'......

Then, funny story here, I got hired by a firm in Seattle, and so relocated there, and their name is Cobalt......

They laid me off, not once, mind you, but TWICE within six months of
hiring me! When they called me to ask me back after the first layoff, I thought,
"I must have gone up on the pecking list" so I said yes.....

They laid me off AGAIN 3 days before Christmas..... (They're a dot.com company
and subject to continued Venture Capitalist money so are forever laying off people
like me, Financial Analysts.... I mean Jesus, who needs those? LOL

Anyway, So despite the fact I was laid off, I happened to go into a Sears Store, and
looked at the 'mixers' and sure enough they were like $20 off.

I said, hmm, I'm laid off, so funds are at a premium....... but I will be OFF for a while,and it WOULD be nice to cook and bake.....

So I bought one, but here's the rub......they had ALL these colors....and I chose.....

(drumroll)

COBALT!!

After the name of the company that laid me off.....!


And my GOD, I love this machine.....I'll be showin' ya all it can do on my posts
here in the future......

Oh, and by the way.....Starbucks Headquarters in Seattle is two Blocks from Cobalt, and when I left Sears I went and put in an app at Starbucks....and have been there for FOUR years now!!!


True Story....

Merlin

My Short People - Number 1


Well, I have three children, whom I've always called my short people. The fact that all three of them are pretty much taller than me now doesn't dissuade me in the least.

First born: Merissa Lynn

Merissa is a recent Graduate Registered Nurse, is working at a hospital, and in addition flies for the National Guard as a Rescue Medic. How she does all this I have no idea.

Unfortunately, she is also being deployed to Iraq in January. No doubt you will hear more from me about this
later.







This is how you react when you did not die during Army Dunker Training. Strapped upside down, dropped underwater, and you have to find your way out. Oh yeah, and did I mention you're freaking BLINDFOLDED!




Her vehicle of choice.














WHY is she smiling? I'm not smiling....but this is her hat of choice apparently....She does love it, and I give her all the support I can....

She is simply amazing, and the best daughter a Dad could have.

Recipe - Balsamic Steak Sauce

The only sauce we use on steak for 15 years now. Delicious..........

When I say delicious, I mean the best ever! Please try this and
give me your feedback. Also great on pork and chicken.

30 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 2 -3
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (brown or white, I prefer brown)
  • 2 tablespoons shallots
  1. Mince shallots (3).
  2. Place butter in pan over medium heat and saute shallots until clear.
  3. Add sugar and balsamic vinegar.
  4. Bring to boil and stir until sauce thickens slightly and turn to very low.
  5. Immediately ladle over freshly grilled steaks.
OK, so that was easy wasn't it? A little light reduction sauce to put on steaks
right?

I could show you a photo of the sauce when done, but it's a dark looking sauce because
of the Balsamic Vinegar....still wanna see it? ok




Just a plain looking dark sauce....

But the taste of this when poured over a steak is just heavenly.....the shallots, the butter, the tang of the balsamic slightly offset by the sugar.....

Well there's only one way to portray it, this was dinner last night.
























I rest my case. Do try it, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Recipe - Fettucine with creamy tomato and sausage sauce






Ever get tired of plain tomato sauce??? Try this one.........A family favorite for 10 years. The cream adds a taste and texture that is delicious and perfectly blends all the flavors...Kids love it also.........

45 min | 25 min prep




SERVES 8

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 shallots, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 lb italian sweet sausage, casings removed
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans tomatoes seasoned with basil garlic & oregano, in juice
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
  • 3/4 lb fettuccine pasta
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add shallots and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add sausages and saute until no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add cream; simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Add tomatoes with juices, sage and crushed red pepper.
  6. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.
  8. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
  9. Return pasta to same pot; add sauce.
  10. Toss over medium heat until sauce is combined with pasta, adding reserved liquid in 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Transfer to bowl.
  13. Sprinkle with cheese.
  14. Serve.

Recipe - Grandma Pattersons Buttermilk Donuts

Bs

The Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
oil for frying




Meanwhile find a suitable pan and begin heating the oil to approximately 350 degrees....



Beat eggs and sugar together,

Add Buttermilk and melted butter and beat together....








Add the balance of the ingredients and mix together well....

The dough will be very sticky, roll out onto well floured board or counter....



Knead the flour into the dough for four or five times, i.e. fold a third of the dough into the middle and press down firmly with the heel of your hand. Rotate and repeat.











Roll out the dough until 1/2 inch thick gently with a rolling pin. (Rub flour on the pin to keep from sticking)











If your doughnut hole cutter looks like mine, the middle has been lost years ago. Or, in the absence of a cutter entirely, just use the rim of a glass (dip in flour to keep from sticking) and to get the holes, do as I did. See below....











A GoldSchlaeger shot glass works just as well....lol







Gently lower into hot oil.....and be careful. First of all it's hot! Secondly, it will only take a minute or two per side and then you must immediately turn or they will burn quickly. Cook one more minute and remove with slotted spoon to paper towels and let cool slightly.



See, I KNEW that shotglass would come in handy...... I suppose that's why I took it home that night....










Now, here's a little tidbit about Grandma's donuts, that as a kid just intrigued me to no end. Grandma wasn't given to caring what they looked like, in fact what I loved was, she made some real WEIRD looking and shaped donuts.....But Grandma would just cut and pull and throw in the oil.....No telling what they would look like. I do the same.







Although I love 'em plain, here's the bag of sugar and cinnamon....just shake around....













Or some Confectioner's sugar in a sieve....












As you can see, they are misshapen, some are overdone, some have no holes at all.....It DIDN'T matter! That's what I loved about Grandma Patterson's Donuts..... They are crunchy on the outside, and absolutely taste like no other donuts.... Try, please, and enjoy.











Here's to you Grandma Patterson....Thank you.