Perfect Boiled Eggs
Place up to 18 large eggs into a big, wide (not tall) pot. Fill pot with water until level is about 1 1/2 inches above the eggs. Over medium heat, bring water to a nice, rolling boil. Turn off heat. Remove pot from the burner and let sit 11 (Eleven!) minutes.
Cool boiled eggs immediately. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath. If your icemaker is broken (like ours!), transfer to a bowl of cool water placed in the sink. Run additional cool water over boiled eggs for one minute.
Crack with a table knife along circumference of egg. Peel under running water. Dry with a paper towel. Store in fridge. Yolks should be moist, bright yellow, and creamy. (Not chalky & green. Yuck!)
Family Recipe Sharing
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Chocolate Malt Milkshake (Two Versions)
Classic Chocolate Malt
source: Mom
1/2 cup of whatever milk is in the fridge
Deluxe Chocolate Malt
1/2 cup whole milk (or mostly 1% with a splash of cream)
4 tablespoons chocolate sauce (Robynn's recipe here is delish!)
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon malted milk powder
2 cups good vanilla ice cream
Blend all ingredients. Enjoy! Don't even think about symptoms of lactose intolerance.
source: Mom
1/2 cup of whatever milk is in the fridge
4 tablespoons Chocolate Malt flavored Ovaltine (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 Oreo cookies (if you're feeling really crazy)
2 cups good vanilla ice cream (even the cheap stuff is good though)
2 cups good vanilla ice cream (even the cheap stuff is good though)
Blend all ingredients.
Deluxe Chocolate Malt
1/2 cup whole milk (or mostly 1% with a splash of cream)
4 tablespoons chocolate sauce (Robynn's recipe here is delish!)
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon malted milk powder
2 cups good vanilla ice cream
Blend all ingredients. Enjoy! Don't even think about symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am cookie challenged. I don't know if it's high-altitude issues or what, but I never seemed to have a problem with cookie textures before moving to Utah. I had basically given up on ever getting a moist, chewy cookie that held its structure instead of falling flat until one day in fall 2004. I was at a soccer game (Ya was a budding superstar!), and it was another mom's day for team treats. She brought milk and these oversized cookies. I was immediately struck by the size and structure, then the cookie's tender chewiness. I begged for the recipe, and she was sweet enough to share. Success at last!
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
(source: Christy Nemelka)
This recipe is exactly as she gave it to me. I've had to make it my own with a little experimentation. Pull these out of the oven before you think they're done--just barely starting to brown. Test with one or two cookies first. Size-wise I make these a little bigger than normal (using 2- to 2.5-ounce scoops) but not as big as the originals, which were huge. I think the best cookies are made with room temperature dough. These are great the next day!
2 cups butter (4 cubes), at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 to 1 1/2 12-ounce bags chocolate chips (I use closer to 1 bag)
Preheat oven to 375˚.* Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture slowly to creamed mixture. It will be a very thick dough. If necessary, add a little milk to adjust dough consistency. (I've never had to do this.) Cookie dough should be somewhat dry to the touch. Add chocolate chips.
Using an ice cream scoop to form these fun, oversized cookies. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 2-ounce scoops about 8 minutes; bake 2.5-ounce scoops about 10 minues. Pull cookie sheet out of the oven when barely starting to brown. Place sheet on cooking rack. Leave cookies on the hot sheet for a minute or two to set, then transfer to cooling rack. If they spread too much, add up to 1/4 cup additional flour.
*I once read that baking cookies at a higher temperature (375˚ vs 350˚) speeds up the cooking process so that water doesn't evaporate and concentrate the sugars, which results in leaving the cookies hard.
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
(source: Christy Nemelka)
This recipe is exactly as she gave it to me. I've had to make it my own with a little experimentation. Pull these out of the oven before you think they're done--just barely starting to brown. Test with one or two cookies first. Size-wise I make these a little bigger than normal (using 2- to 2.5-ounce scoops) but not as big as the originals, which were huge. I think the best cookies are made with room temperature dough. These are great the next day!
2 cups butter (4 cubes), at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 to 1 1/2 12-ounce bags chocolate chips (I use closer to 1 bag)
Preheat oven to 375˚.* Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture slowly to creamed mixture. It will be a very thick dough. If necessary, add a little milk to adjust dough consistency. (I've never had to do this.) Cookie dough should be somewhat dry to the touch. Add chocolate chips.
Using an ice cream scoop to form these fun, oversized cookies. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 2-ounce scoops about 8 minutes; bake 2.5-ounce scoops about 10 minues. Pull cookie sheet out of the oven when barely starting to brown. Place sheet on cooking rack. Leave cookies on the hot sheet for a minute or two to set, then transfer to cooling rack. If they spread too much, add up to 1/4 cup additional flour.
*I once read that baking cookies at a higher temperature (375˚ vs 350˚) speeds up the cooking process so that water doesn't evaporate and concentrate the sugars, which results in leaving the cookies hard.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Romaine Mandarin Salad
Mom made this before the super salads of today. It was fresh, crisp, and sweet, and set off a flank steak dinner perfectly. I often watched her make the sugared almonds and was mesmerized by the process of sugar magically liquefying in the pan. I recently made this again and found I wasn't crazy about the dressing after all these years. (Could have been because I poured it on each serving and didn't mix it in entirely as the recipe instructs. I'll have to try it again.) I substituted a poppy seed vinaigrette to pour on individual portions, and it worked perfectly. (We have a family member who is sensitive to soggy salads so I'm overly cautious about dressings.) I've included both dressing recipes.
Safe to double salad for a crowd. If doubling the salad and using the Sweet & Sour Dressing, double it. No need to double Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing.
Romaine Mandarin Salad
adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1981
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 bunch Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium stalks celery, medium chopped (about 1 cup)
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
Sweet & Sour Dressing
1 can (11 ounce) mandarin orange segments, drained
Heat skillet to medium high. Add almonds and sugar and stir constantly over medium to high heat, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Cool and break apart. Store at room temperature.
Assemble salad just before serving if using S&S dressing. Place lettuces in plastic bag; add celery and onions. Pour Sweet & Sour Dressing into bag; add orange segments. Close bag tightly and shake until salad greens and orange segments are well coated. Add almonds and shake again.
Sweet & Sour Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
dash red pepper sauce
Shake all ingredients in a tightly covered jar; refrigerate.
Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing
also great with Spinach Bacon salads
2/3 cup white rice vinegar (plain, not seasoned)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt (1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds (did that once--big mistake). Stir in poppy seeds. Serve or chill until ready to serve.
Safe to double salad for a crowd. If doubling the salad and using the Sweet & Sour Dressing, double it. No need to double Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing.
Romaine Mandarin Salad
adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1981
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 bunch Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium stalks celery, medium chopped (about 1 cup)
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
Sweet & Sour Dressing
1 can (11 ounce) mandarin orange segments, drained
Heat skillet to medium high. Add almonds and sugar and stir constantly over medium to high heat, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Cool and break apart. Store at room temperature.
Assemble salad just before serving if using S&S dressing. Place lettuces in plastic bag; add celery and onions. Pour Sweet & Sour Dressing into bag; add orange segments. Close bag tightly and shake until salad greens and orange segments are well coated. Add almonds and shake again.
Sweet & Sour Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
dash red pepper sauce
Shake all ingredients in a tightly covered jar; refrigerate.
Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing
also great with Spinach Bacon salads
2/3 cup white rice vinegar (plain, not seasoned)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt (1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds (did that once--big mistake). Stir in poppy seeds. Serve or chill until ready to serve.
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
So easy, so delicious.
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
source: Cooking Light, September 2001
40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400˚.
Prep tip: Pick up one asparagus spear and snap it. Line up this spear with the rest and cut to that length.
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender.
In a small skillet over medium heat, cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Watch carefully; do not burn butter. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. (Careful! The sauce bubbles up ferociously. I always quickly place a splatter screen over the skillet. Learned this the hard way.)
Drizzle sauce over the asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately.
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
source: Cooking Light, September 2001
40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400˚.
Prep tip: Pick up one asparagus spear and snap it. Line up this spear with the rest and cut to that length.
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender.
In a small skillet over medium heat, cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Watch carefully; do not burn butter. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. (Careful! The sauce bubbles up ferociously. I always quickly place a splatter screen over the skillet. Learned this the hard way.)
Drizzle sauce over the asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Grilled Thai Beef & Greens Salad
Meili craves this ... always.
Grilled Thai Beef Green Salad
1 pound flank steak or top-round London Broil (I've used a pack of petite sirloin steaks), about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided into 1 and 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup) + more for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
Rinse and pat meat dry. Place in a plastic bag or glass dish.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, all the soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat 4-24 hours, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture in the fridge to dress the salad.
Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, 135-140˚, about 5 minutes per side. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.
Combine lettuce, green onions, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Garnish servings with extra green onions.
Grilled Thai Beef Green Salad
1 pound flank steak or top-round London Broil (I've used a pack of petite sirloin steaks), about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided into 1 and 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup) + more for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
Rinse and pat meat dry. Place in a plastic bag or glass dish.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, all the soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat 4-24 hours, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture in the fridge to dress the salad.
Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, 135-140˚, about 5 minutes per side. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.
Combine lettuce, green onions, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Garnish servings with extra green onions.
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