Thanksgiving Dinner 2009 -- So good, so fun, so full!

This was probably the most organized Thanksgiving I've ever had and it was wonderful. I baked my buns off on Wednesday and wasn't even tired....unbelievable! And then Thanksgiving morning I did sleep in but I was still not late getting started.

Mr. Tastebuds's cooks the turkey and makes the dressing and he even cleans up his mess. Then I take over with all the side dishes, salads and breads. And then I clean up, watch a little football, serve dinner and dessert and then do the big clean up afterwards.

The dishwasher ran three times today and it was packed for every run. I ran out of room in our two refrigerators so just put the cleaned vegetables and salads out on the patio..heck outside was as cold as our refrigerator although I did have to dog-proof the area! Darn dogs think anything outside is far game!

All the new dishes and tweaks on old favorites turned out great! Loved the Oven Baked Mashed Potatoes and the Carrots with Dill were fabulous. But truly the hands down winners were the breads. The biscuits were melt-in-your-mouth fabulous and originally posted on Kim's blog Stirring the Pot! I can not describe how good the biscuits were!! And Judy of I Cook - He Cleans, posted her Outback Steakhouse Bread recipe and this week I made it not once but twice! It is delicious and so easy to make!

I posted all the recipes for the dishes on Monday and if you'd like the recipes for any of these dishes please click here or scroll to the very next post on this page.



Outback Steakhouse Bushman Bread
Recipe adapted from Judy of I Cook - He Cleans







Grandmother Walters's Biscuits
Recipe adapted from My New Orleans






Oven Mashed Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Sioux City cookbook "Cornsilk" published 1985






Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Salad with Cashews
Recipe adapted from my sister, Sherry






Quick Steamed Baby Carrots with Dill
Recipe adapted from @kittykim on twitter






I posted all the recipes for the dishes on Monday and if you'd like the recipes for any of these dishes please click here or scroll to the very next post on this page.

To find the recipe for the Outback Steakhouse Bushman Bread recipe please visit Judy of I Cook - He Cleans.




Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!









All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Thanksgiving Menu for Spend-a-Buck Farm

Since my blog is on hiatus until after Thanksgiving, I thought I would post my proposed menu. I can't make too many changes or else Mr. Tastebud's gets upset! Poor guy is still recovering from when I brined the turkey in a trash can last year so I can't push it too much. The brined turkey turned out gorgeous but Mr. Tastebuds was very nervous.

Of course I'm serving turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy, but I thought I'd try a few new things and tweak some of the old.


Mr. Tastebud's picked up the dill today on the way home from work. And he also picked up huge portobella mushrooms on sale 2@$1. Here's the recipe for the Stuffed Mushrooms.


Stuffed Mushrooms with Italian Sausage
Recipe adapted from Southern Food

20 large fresh mushrooms (I'm using 6 HUGE mushrooms)
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 TBL + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 TBL finely chopped parsley
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c water

Wash mushrooms well. Remove stems and chop finely. Remove outer casing from sausage and put in skillet with chopped mushroom stems, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook, breaking up sausage, until browned. Add 1 teaspoon of oil, parsley and the Parmesan cheese. Fill mushrooms with sausage mixture and put in shallow baking pan. Pour 1/4 cup water and remaining tablespoon of oil into bottom of the pan. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.
Serves 4.



I thought this year I would try the Pre-salting Method with the turkey. It's a very easy process and all you need is salt and big garbage bag. I do the the pre-salt all the time for roasted chicken but have never tried it with turkey.


Salt Brined Turkey
Recipe adapted from the Los Angeles Times

Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.

1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2-gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.




I have such a hard time getting the mashed potatoes on the table while they're still hot. So when I found the recipe for Oven Baked Mashed Potatoes on My Slice of Heaven I knew I had to try it.


Oven Mashed Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Sioux City cookbook "Cornsilk" published 1985

5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (I use red potatoes)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened (I use 2 oz cream cheese)
1 cup half and half
1 stick of butter, melted (4 TBL butter)
1 tsp. minced dry onions (fresh chives)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. seasoned salt (skip)
Paprika

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook potatoes until tender but firm, about 15 minutes; drain. In large bowl, mash potatoes with half of the melted butter and the half and half. With hand mixer, beat in softened cream cheese and seasonings. Beat until very fluffy. Pile in large casserole dish. Add rest of butter on top and a dash of paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Potatoes should be slightly browned on top when done. These can be made the night before and reheated the next day.



For our salad I make my sister's recipe, Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Salad with Cashews, which I make every year and we love it and it looks so pretty on the table. This year I am using Orange-flavored Cranberries.


Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Salad with Cashews
Recipe adapted from my sister, Sherry

DRESSING:

1 c. Mayonnaise
1/2 c. Sugar
1 TBL Vinegar

SALAD:

2 Bunches Fresh Broccoli cut into florets (I use a about 1/2 bag of florets cut in half)
1/2 lb cooked, crumbled bacon
3-4 Green Onions including tops, cut up into small pieces
1 c. cashews or more if you like (I like more)
About 3/4 c. Dried Cranberries or you can sub dried cherries

Combine all ingredients for salad and then toss with dressing.



Instead of Candied Yams I decided to try a totally different recipe. And I'm not sure if it will be accepted or not.


Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Recipe adapted from Epicurious

4 lb sweet potatoes (8; preferably long)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant in center when pierced with a sharp small knife, 25 to 30 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes with a sharp small knife and quarter lengthwise.

Prepare grill for cooking.

Whisk together lime juice, salt, and pepper and add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Whisk in cilantro.

When fire is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds), grill potatoes in 2 or 3 batches on lightly oiled grill rack (over coals if using a charcoal grill), uncovered, turning, until grill marks appear and potatoes are just tender, 3 to 6 minutes total.

Serve potatoes warm or at room temperature, drizzled with vinaigrette.


One of the vegetables I want to try is super easy!


Quick Steamed Baby Carrots with Dill
Recipe adapted from @kittykim on twitter

20 or so baby carrots
2 TBL butter
1 TBL minced fresh dill

Steam the carrots until just barely soft. Remove to bowl and add the butter and let it melt and toss. Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle with minced fresh Dill.



And to throw just one more change into the mix, I am making biscuits instead of rolls and I found the recipe on Kim's blog Stirring the Pot. I'm pretty sure this will not be a problem but who knows......


Grandmother Walters's Biscuits
Recipe adapted from My New Orleans

2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, preferable European style, diced (Definitely use salted butter**)
1 cup whole milk (I will use Buttermilk)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles cornmeal. Add the milk, stirring until the dough just comes together to form a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Gently pat the dough down with your hands and fold it over on itself. Pat the dough down and fold it over once or twice more. Loosely cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for a half hour or so.

Being careful not to overwork the dough, roll it out until it is 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut dough into biscuits using whatever cutter you like. Grandmother used an inverted juice glass, which was really an old preserves jar. For more biscuits, use a smaller glass.

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake until uniformly golden brown, 10-14 minutes.



Now for dessert, I have to make my Mom's Pumpkin Pie. I love it and I've not found a better recipe yet.


Mom's Pumpkin Pie
Recipe adapted from my Mom

2 eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. cream

Combine all ingredients and mix. My Mom always tasted it and then adjusted cinnamon by adding a shake. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes.


And it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Cheesecake and this recipe is the best!


Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipe from the back of a Libbys Canned Pumpkin label

12 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
1 TBL cornstarch
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. pumpkin
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1 TBL Dark Rum

Crust:
1 box of Zwieback Toast
4 TBL sugar
4 TBL melted butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust: In the food processor put about 1/2 the box of Zwieback Toast. Pulse until finely crushed but we careful it does not turn to mush. Place crumbs in small bowl and add sugar and cinnamon and then drizzle in melted butter.

Rub the sides and bottom of a 9" spring form pan with butter or Crisco. Press crumb mixture up against sides and bottom about 1/16" thick. Set aside.

Cake: With an electric mixer cream sugar and cream cheese. Add sour cream, eggs, cornstarch, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla and rum and mix until thoroughly blended.

Pour cream cheese mix into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and thoroughly cool before removing the cake from the pan. This cake is best if refrigerated over night and served cold.









Have a great Thanksgiving filled with good friends, family and fabulous food. See you on Friday!



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Waldorf Chicken Pita Pocket!

This is the final Tyler Florence Fridays and I am sorry to see it close. You see I've never made so many recipes from one chef before and I've come to really respect Tyler....he is absolutely tops in my book. I've posted 27 recipes by Tyler Florence and each of them was excellent. But I've made many more of his recipes that I just did not have time to post or the photos did not turn out or I was just plain too hungry to bother with setting up a photo. I still have a list of Tyler's recipes that I want to try and I will continue to make his recipes when I can.

This week for Tyler Florence Fridays I made Pita Bread which I've never made before. Tyler's recipe was so simple and it basically fell together with no problems at all. However, I did add 1 tsp Organic Barley Malt Syrup to enhance the rise and taste a little bit and I just love it. I will be using the Organic Barley Malt Syrup in many of breads from now on!

I also wanted to try Ellie Krieger's Waldorf Chicken Wraps so decided to make Tyler's Pita and fill them up with the Waldorf Chicken Salad and I must say it was an excellent combination! One of the reasons I wanted to try the Waldorf Chicken Salad is to see if it would also work with Turkey...always trying to find new ways to use up leftover holiday turkey! And I am happy to say, yes, the Waldorf Salad would work wonderfully with turkey as well!

I made the Walfdorf Chicken Wrap exactly as written except of course substituting Pita Bread for the Whole Wheat Wrap. And I also used both Green and Red Grapes basically because I like both red and green grapes and you can't beat the gorgeous color they add!








Pita Bread
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
11/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon olive oil

My additions: 1 tsp Organic Barley Malt Syrup

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend. Let the yeast stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough gathers into a ball; this should take about 4 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a large pizza stone on the lower oven rack, preheat the oven (and stone) to 500 degrees.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle that is about 8-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure the circle is totally smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly. Cover the disks as you roll them out, but do not stack them up. Put 2 pita rounds at a time on the hot pizza stone and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.



Waldorf Chicken Wraps
Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 c nonfat plain yogurt or 3/4 cups nonfat Greek-style yogurt
2 TBL mayonnaise
1 TBL lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp minced thyme
1 lb cooked, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c seedless grapes, sliced in 1/2 (I used red and green grapes)
1/4 c toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts
1 medium apple, cored and diced (about 3/4 cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
5 large leaves Romaine lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
5 whole-wheat wraps, about 8 inches in diameter (I used homemade Pita, recipe above)

If using regular yogurt place the yogurt in a strainer lined with a paper towel. Put the strainer over a bowl and place in the refrigerator to drain and thicken for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the thickened or Greek-style yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and thyme until smooth. Fold in chicken, grapes, walnuts and apples. Season with pepper.

Place 1 lettuce leaf on a wrap. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken filling onto wrap and roll wrap around filling.








Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.






All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Pink Saturday with some Smoke

This is my Smoke Bush (Cotinus Coggygria), isn't it gorgeous! It was terribly damaged during our awful '08-'09 winter and I was afraid it was not going to come back at all. After pruning out all the dead branches almost half the bush was gone. But here it is, albeit a little bit smaller, but still gorgeous all the same.












Every Saturday there's a little flea market in the next village and I try to attend whenever possible. Last week I took my camera and snapped a picture of this gorgeous Lilly.






And finally a delicious Fresh Strawberry Salad. The Strawberry Dressing is so good my first batch never saw a salad, I stood and ate all of it, spoonful by spoonful, straight out of the food processor! Please click here if you would like to print the recipe.







Thank you so much for visiting my blog for Pink Saturday and please visit Miss Beverly of How Sweet the Sound and see what the other Pinksters are up to!

And don't forget our Pink Saturday motto:

Get Pink !!!
It's not just a color, it's an attitude.




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Summer Strawberries!

Isn't summer fun! I love opening my refrigerator and seeing containers of fresh berries and it's so tempting to just grab a handful and snack! Berries are very versatile and everything tastes extra special when topped with fresh berries.

Even a simple salad comes alive with color and taste with the addition of berries, especially strawberries. I started making Fresh Strawberry Salad a few years ago and I have to admit that my first batch of Strawberry Dressing never saw a salad, I ate every delicious spoonful right out of the food processor!







Strawberry Basil Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe developed by Big Black Dog

2-3 handfuls of whole fresh strawberries
2/3 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 TBL lemon juice
1 tsp honey (add more if you'd like it sweeter)
6-8 fresh Basil leaves
1 TBL poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put everything sans salt in a food processor and blend until creamy. Taste if and if it needs a little salt add a shake. Keep refrigerated.

I usually serve this over a spinach and romaine lettuce salad topped with toasted sliced almonds and sliced fresh strawberries.







I served the Strawberry Salad with my new favorite summer wine, Sineann's Pinot Gris! I just love this wine and it's fairly inexpensive at $8.99 a bottle! And it has a very sleek glass cork which makes the wine so easy to open. And if you don't finish the bottle, the glass cork just pops back into the bottle with an airtight seal.







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF -- Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad

******Bad Breath Warning******

I am not much of a salad person but there are a few salads that I thoroughly enjoy and one is a good Caesar Salad. I know Tyler calls his salad Creamy Parmesan but it's really a darn good Caesar! And you will most definitely have some wicked breath after enjoying it. Just spread the goodness around and make sure that everyone at the table gets their fair share!

I made my own version of Chicken Paillard dredged in flour and Pecan meal and the recipe is below. When the chicken had cooled, I cut it into bite-sized pieces and then mixed the chicken into the salad.

And for the salad I used a bag of Spring Ready Mixed Salad Greens and added some chopped Green Onions and fresh minced Parsley. For the dressing I added some fresh minced Basil and Tarragon and substituted Anchovy Paste for the whole Anchovy Fillets. And I only used the juice of 1 lemon which yielded over 1/4 c. of fresh lemon juice which was plenty.






Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Pecan Meal
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

2 boneless chicken breasts
1 TBL butter
2-3 TBL EVOO
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. ground pecan meal
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Mix pecan meal, salt and pepper and flour. Dredge chicken breasts in pecan/flour mix until breast is completely coated.

Heat butter in heavy bottomed pan. When butter has melted, add EVOO and wait a minute until oil is thoroughly heated. Add chicken breast and saute over medium heat, turning once. Chicken breasts are done when juices run clear.



Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad
Recipe adapted by Tyler Florence

Chicken:

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 eggs, whipped slightly with splash milk
* 2 cups panko bread crumbs
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing:

* 2 anchovy fillets (I used rounded 1 tsp Anchovy Paste)
* 2 egg yolks*
* 2 clove garlic, smashed
* 2 lemons, juiced (I only used 1 lemon)
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Option: 4 minced fresh Basil leaves and 2 sprigs of fresh minced Tarragon

Salad:

* 1 cup organic grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 bag fresh baby arugala
* 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, boccancini, halved
* Shaved Parmesan, for garnish
* Lemon wedges, for garnish
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the chicken:

Begin by pounding out the chicken breast gently between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.

Prepare a breading station with flour, whisked eggs and milk, and panko crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Coat the breasts in flour, egg then panko. Lay the coated breasts out on a flat tray and refrigerate to let the crust dry out (about 10 minutes) this will ensure there is less moisture and less chance your coating will break when frying.

Shallow fry the paillard in hot oil for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on how thick the breasts are. Drain well, season with salt and set aside when done.

For the dressing:

Put the anchovies, egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, and water into a blender and process for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan, season with salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper; set aside. (Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.)

Prepare the salad by splitting the grape tomatoes in half through the middle lengthwise, mixing all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss the salad well.

To serve lay the warm, crispy chicken paillard on the base of the plate and top with the salad. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese, a wedge of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs

Due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.





While making the salad I did enjoy a glass of my new favorite Red Wine, De Bortoli Petite Sirah. It is so good and only $5.99 a bottle. Do you believe that price! I'm getting more on Saturday. It's not a wine I'd get for a special dinner party but for our family dinners, Sunday through Thursday, it's just great!








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Moroccan Orange-Walnut Salad

A few years ago I was involved in a Moroccan/North African dinner which presented me with a problem. I'm not much on spicy foods and neither is my family. But with a little research and luck I did manage to make a wonderful dinner. One very happy result was the Moroccan Orange-Walnut Salad. I only eat a few salads and this is one and I just love it! It is delicious and perfect with a heavy garlic chicken dish such as my Roasted Chicken. And no matter how much salad I make we eat all of it..every last bit!!

I do not veer from the original recipe except that I do not take the time to remove the membrane from the orange slices. I see no sense in taking an hour of my time to remove an extremely thin membrane that when drizzled with EVOO totally disappears any how. And I lightly toast the walnuts in about 1 TBL EVOO. Nuts burn quickly so we careful and as soon as they brown just a bit, remove and cool before adding to the salad.








Moroccan Orange-Walnut Salad
Recipe adapted from "The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest" by Mollie Katzen

6 lrg Oranges
1 tbl Honey
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 lb Mixed salad greens, clean,dry,chill
1/2 cup Thinly sliced red onion
1 cup Thinly sliced radishes
3 tbl Extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Toasted walnut halves (or chopped toasted walnuts)

1. At least one hour ahead, peel and section the oranges, using a serrated knife. First cut off the polar ends of the peel, then slice the peel off the sides. With a gentle sawing motion, cut in one side of the membrane, and out the other, releasing each orange section into a bowl. Squeeze all excess juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl as well, and pick out the seeds if necessary. Discard the membrane.

Drizzle honey if desired, and sprinkle cinnamon over the orange slices.

When you are finished drizzling and sprinkling, cover the bowl and let it stand at room temperature at least one hour.

2. Shortly before serving, toss the greens in a large bowl with the onion radishes and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

3. Just before serving, add the oranges with all their liquid, and toss well.

4. Serve topped with walnuts.






All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Tyler Florence Fridays -- Texas Cole Slaw

I really not sure why I chose the Texas Cole Slaw recipe this week. I filed it in my TODO file and had planned on making it when the weather warmed a bit. Well we had a mini blizzard earlier this week and we're now under a Winter Storm Watch so warmer weather is not on the horizon any time soon! But this week I've been planning our vegetable garden so summer was on my mind.


The recipe calls for Savoy cabbage, which I just love. But this week the Savoy cabbage was so small, it's just not the season for Savoy yet. My market had Broccoli Slaw on sale 3 bags @ $.99 and I've wanted to try this slaw for a while now and hey I'm not passing up a $.34 salad! I did go lightly with the Cayenne pepper and I skipped the sugar and cumin...cumin and I just do not get along at all. But other then these 4 changes, I made the recipe as written. But one thing I would do next time is zest the entire orange and add it to the dressing. The extra zing and color would go very nicely.

Tyler's Texas Slaw was YUMMY! The toasted pecans and Granny Smith Apples were perfect with the chili orange dressing. We ate all of it...there was not one shred left. I served the Texas Slaw with my Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Almond Bread Crumbs. It was a delicious summer dinner even though it was 5 degrees outside!




Texas Cole Slaw
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 head Napa or Savoy cabbage, shredded
4 carrots, shredded
2 Granny Smith apples, sliced thin
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves only, for garnish

Orange-chili dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon hot water
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 orange, juiced
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl add the cabbage, carrots, apples, onions, and pecans. Mix well and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the mustard and water. Whisk in the olive oil; add the sugar, cayenne, cumin, orange juice, and creme fraiche and blend well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat. Mound onto a platter and garnish with mint leaves.



Make sure to check out the other Tyler Fans at Tyler Florence Fridays.


All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog