A joyous new year to all and peace to mankind! ...from kitchen! kitchen!

Remembering last year's blizzard and hoping for a friendlier winter!

A happy new year to all!

stuffed cabbage and ground turkey.......at kitchen! kitchen



 

Cabbage leaf blanched in hot water to make it work friendly.
About 2 tablespoons of turkey stuffing, rolled and wrap like
gift secured with a tooth pick.



Happily simmering in the pot.



Serve with some slivers of Montasio cheese
or grated parmigiano reggiano

It has been a while since I made stuffed cabbage and with so many versions of this dish, it is hard to pin down the best recipe...and to me all versions of the stuffed cabbage are good.
 So, I decided to make it with what I have on hand....so here goes......

8-10 cabbage leaves (bottom vein trimmed off) - blanch in hot water for a few minutes to soften and making it manageable to work with. Drain and let cool for a few minutes....
In a large bowl combine ground turkey (any ground meat you have will do). Add....and combine....
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 egg
2 tbsp. buttermilk
Place one leaf on a flat surface and put about 1-1/2  to 2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture and fold one end closest to you - then fold the 2 sides (just like wrapping a small package) and close by securing the ends with a toothpick. Set aside.
In large deep oven proof pan sautee with olive oil .......
2 roughly chopped garlic
1 small roughly chopped onion
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 can (15.oz) of tomato sauce
Season with salt and pepper
Add some sprinkling of dried oregano
Let it simmer for a few minutes then add all the prepared stuffed cabbages, cover and finished cooking in the preheated oven of 350F for 50 minutes until cooked. If you want to reduce the sauce, simmer on a stove top for another 15-20 minutes. Correct seasoning and serve with slivers of Montasio cheese or parmigiano reggiano.
You could also serve this over pasta....it is very satisfying and delicious -yet light..

"chicken barbecue" oven baked style.....at kitchen! kitchen!



Barbecue Sesame Chicken Oven Baked
to perfection!
On a bed of baby spinach and tomato salad




One of my "basic ingredients"
on my adventure to Korean dishes.

 I have been an avid follower of the "Kimchi Chronicles", a show on PBS hosted by Marja, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's wife. Part travelogue and part food fantasy of all Korean dishes that your mouth waters just watching all those wonderful dishes being whipped up on the small screen. I craved to be in Korean town in NYC that very moment and taste every single dish that I see on the screen. (impossible of course). Although the name of the dishes are a bit of a tongue twister, it did not stop me from buying the basics of Korean cooking. So, here I was with my "chicken barbecue" baked oven style with one of my basic ingredients for a taste of the "kimchi chronicles" in my own kitchen, my way.

1st adventure: Barbecue Sesame Chicken
2 large chicken thigh and legs (the pkg. comes with 4 pcs.)
6-8 cloves of minced garlic (the more the merrier)
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup of Korean barbecue sauce (available in any Asian food mart)
*Optional: 1 heaping tbsp. of korean chili paste stirred to the sauce* (for the more adventurous like myself).
1 tbsp. of toasted sesame seeds (for sprinkling on the barbecue later on)
Amazing dry rub (or salt and pepper)

Season the chicken with the dry rub inside out sparingly (the sauce is salty already), rub the minced garlic & ginger all over the chicken. Pour the1/2 cup of barbecue sauce all over the chicken and let sit for about 20-30 minutes.
Put in a baking sheet covering it with foil and bake in a 375 F preheated oven for 40 minutes (turn over after 20 minutes and pat the chicken with the juices); uncover after 40 minutes and continue baking for another 20 minutes and broil to brown. Pour over the leftover juices in the pan to the chicken and serve with rice and some kimchis  (if you are brave enough). Or simply nestle the chicken on a bed of your favorite salad. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

unfolding the cheddar cheese for "tarts & quiches"...at kitchen! kitchen!

Cheddar Cheese Wafer
With a spread of my friend Halina's homemade figs and cranberry chutney,
it is perfect for breakfast. Now, where's that coffee??

Cheddar Cheese Wafer
Special Order Only at kitchen! kitchen! for Tarts & Quiches.
contact: jaenwitt@aol.com








  As the holiday unfolds, it  is a good excuse to indulge myself  in baking all these wonderful cookies both savory and sweet. Thankfully, it only happens once a year. One christmas, I was just doing pistachio butter cookies;  I love anything with nuts in it. This season, I came across a recipe for cheddar cheese wafer. With a little tweaking of the recipe, I made it my own for "tarts & quiches". Savory  rather than sweet. I think of it as a small pause from all the sugar rush! Fantastic top with cheese (again!), marmalade, as a soup accompaniment or simply to munch as a snack!! Where have you been all my life, you wonderful cheddar wafer you!

pan seared salmon ..as simple as that! ... at kitchen! kitchen!

Pan Seared Salmon Steak
Nestled on a bed of greens with lemon-honey-mustard dressing,
and slices of toasted, buttered  multi-grain bread.



Sometimes you just had to make do with what you have at the moment.
I'm kind of good at that - a last minute thing coupled with a desire to
to rest after a day's work keeps my adrenaline going. It seems like
my hands are doing the thinking when this happens. 
or maybe it's just me.

Pan Seared Salmon Steak:
Salmon Steak  ( 5 to 6 oz.)
Season with salt and pepper and brush with a bit of olive oil.
Pan sear in a very hot pan with olive oil - skin down first for about 2-3 minutes on each side - longer if you want the salmon fully cooked. (I prefer my salmon a bit raw in the middle).
Serve with toasted multi-grain buttered slices or boiled baby potatoes and mix greens with honey mustard dressing. (See previous posting for honey mustard dressing).

You will be rewarded with a perfect dinner at the blink of an eye! honestly!

Refreshing cannellini salad and cucumbers.....at kitchen! kitchen!

Cannellini Salad With Cucumbers
This is the same salad as in my previous posting dated
Oct. 3, 2011 -"Pan Seared Steak with Cannellini Salad".
Make a can of cannellini as your blank canvas, add some sliced
 red onions, mozzarella, goat cheese, or maybe blue cheese for a bit of spunk;
a pint of yellow or red grape tomatoes, and basil for touches of color.
The result? A dish,  just like a painting to be enjoyed
and nourish the soul.

You may add an ingredient or two to your dish or take out one as long as the result is delicious and to be enjoyed by your family and friends. I added some diced english cucumbers to the salad and a squeeze of 1/2 a lime with extra virgin olive oil. Let the salad stand for a half hour for all the ingredients to absorb the lemon and olive oil. It is a great accompaniment to any meat dishes. It makes everything taste light and refreshing.

holiday gifts......at kitchen! kitchen! for tarts & quiches!



Barely a a week and half  'til Christmas and "tarts & quiches"
has been busily preparing for the holiday give aways of
cupcakes and mini loaves of cakes
for friends and love ones!
Happy Christmas indeed!



nutmeg .....a humble spice .......at kitchen! kitchen!

Nutmeg
This humble spice is not just one spice but two.
Mace is derived from the nutmeg fruit.
This wonderful spice works well in dessert and savory recipes
I use nutmeg in most of my dishes - it adds bit of a
"nice wonder" to the dish when used sparingly.



Nutmeg
With some of my old kitchen tools collection.
Collecting old and unsual kitchen tools
is a hobby of mine that I never tire of. I scour flea markets and
antiques for unsual pieces. Some I use and others
I display to remind me that these tools have
served a purpose once to a cook just like me.



A happy Christmas to all!! .... from kitchen! kitchen!

A Happy Christmas and a Joyous New Year
to all my friends, readers and co-bloggers!
May the new year bring
 blessings and peace
to all!

roasted goose, a holiday tribute......at kitchen! kitchen!



Roasted Goose
A tribute to the holiday table



My holiday table is never without a roasted goose as soon as Thanksgivng comes around. Growing up, home cured ham made by my aunt graced our holiday table. Then I got myself integrated in a household with a German ancestry and roasted goose became our staple. I actually prefer the goose than ham although as a tribute to my mother and my aunt who cures the wonderful succulent ham, it too graces my table on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Preserving some traditions that you grew with reminds us of where we came from and who we are.

13 lbs. of fresh young goose from your butcher only or Wholefoods
2 pkgs. of roasting herbs (a combination of rosemary, thyme and sage)
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium size onion quartered

Wash and remove the innards from the goose and dry thoroughly
Season generously with salt and black pepper inside out
Stuff the goose with the herbs, onion and garlic
Roast for 4 to 4-1/2 hrs. at 350F (or follow the instruction on the wrapping - usually 20-30 minutes per 1/2 lb.) *Or simply goggle on how to roast goose*
Garnish with your favorite vegetables