Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

29 Thursday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Main Dish, Photos, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

So what does one do in Boise on a cold, “looks like snow” day? We could go to Manleys for Biscuits and Gravy. Oh …. I forgot. Manleys closed about 10 or 12 years ago. Boo Hoo! 4 of their biscuits would fill a pie plate and they were probably 2″ or so high. So, maybe I should make my own. No Bisquick? No problem!!

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Yield: 12 Biscuits, or so

1¼ c Cake flour
¾ c All-Purpose flour
1½ t Baking Powder
½ t Baking Soda
½ t Salt
¼ lbs Butter, cut into small chunks
¾ c Buttermilk

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 500° F
2. Prepare ingredients: Cut butter into small chunks, place in a bowl and return to fridge. Measure out buttermilk and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and biscuit cutter. Have biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy
3. Mix dough: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until very well blended. Add butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together in a ball.
4. Knead dough and cut biscuits: Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, ¾ – 1 inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Form the dough scraps into an extra biscuit-like shape instead of re-rolling the dough. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.
5. Bake biscuits: place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 500° F oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

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OK, so now I have the biscuits. (I really need to cut them to 1″ thick before baking. They would be higher.) How about an old stand-by: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy? Sounds good to me. Just break up some sausage links, or use ground sausage – I would not use an Italian sausage for this – some butter and flour for a roux, salt and pepper, some nutmeg and whole milk. Mix all together with the sausage until it thickens and serve on the biscuits you just made. A hearty cup of El Pico coffee and you are set!!! What a delightful way to spend this gloomy day (even Buddy is gloomy!). Make some fresh and homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for my blushing Bride!! Yup! That’ll work. Cheers!

British Apple Day

27 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Trivia, Party Time, Recipes

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Today is British Apple Day! I’ve never heard of this – but then, I’m not British. This information and the recipe comes from Elaine Lemm, About.com.

Today is British Apple Day – Celebrate
Wednesday October 21, 2009

Today is British Apple Day, a day to celebrate that simplest and most delicious of British food, the apple. It is a day to celebrate our 1200 native British apples because if we don’t cherish and support them, they may not be around much longer. The Romans first brought the apple to the Britain and how hard it is to imagine our landscape without apple trees but the arrival of cheap, imported, supermarket fruits – polished impostors with their EU imposed shape and size – has led to a rapid decline of many orchards with the loss of old apple varieties.

British apples have enchanting names like Acklam Russets, Barnack Beauty, Nutmeg Pippin, Knobby Russet…and many more and Apple Day is a celebration of these wonderful fruits, so in support I shall be cooking with them and I also have a lovely polished apple from the tree in my garden which I am about to eat for my morning snack. Yum.

Apple Mousse

This easy recipe for apple mousse is a wonderful way to use cooking apples or sharp-flavored eating apples. It is a light yet delicious dessert and also useful for lunchboxes or picnics.
Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :20

Ingredients:
3 medium sized cooking apples or Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered and cored
3 ½ fl oz/100ml water
½ oz/15g white sugar
Dash of lemon juice
10 fl oz/300ml scrumpy (farmhouse cider) or dry cider
3 gelatine leaves softened in a little cold water, or 1 ½tsp powdered gelatin
½ pt/300 ml whipping cream

Preparation:
1). Place the apples in a saucepan, add the water, sugar and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes until the apples are tender and just starting to break up.tender. Liquidize and then push through a fine sieve to create a fine sauce.
2). Place the cider into another saucepan, boil until reduced to about 5tbsp. Remove from the heat then add the softened gelatin leaves or sprinkle over the powdered gelatin, stir until dissolved and leave to cool.
3).Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and fold in the apple purée and cider. Divide between 4, 3 ½ “/9 cm ramekins, smooth the surface and leave to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Serve immediately garnished with a sprig of fresh mint.

Where to buy lamb in Boise

27 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Lamb, Local Farmers Markets, Main Dish, Things To Do

≈ 2 Comments

I have had some questions on where to buy lamb in Boise. There are several sources: (1) WinCo, (2) Albertsons and (3) Costco – which I think has the better selection of most meats of the three listed. Costco, I think, has the best selection and quality.
There is a group of us that get a lamb a year from a 4-H source that we have. Then they have the lamb butchered, cut and frozen at Custom Butcher & Smokehouse. We – Robin and I – have always been greatly satisfied with the lamb that we get from there. You may want to contact Custom Butcher & Smokehouse and see if they have any “in stock”.
So, if you know of a 4-H source, you may want to start placing an order. I will check with our source and see if it is OK to publicize their information here. I like using the 4-H group because it really is Idaho produced, and I like to buy local! Anyway, there is a start. Cheers!

Beef and Lamb Stew

26 Monday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do, Wine and Food

≈ 1 Comment

So it is a cold and blustery day here in Boise. Heavy snows are forecast for the 5000 foot level in the mountains, rain and high winds here in the valley. What a good day for a stew!! A good hardy stew – full of vegies, beef and lamb. So, I guess I’d best list the recipe. It calls for a combination of beef and lamb, but, if you don’t like lamb you can add more beef. And if you want a straight lamb stew, just add more lamb.

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Beef and Lamb Stew

Ingredients:
1 T Orange infused oil
2 T Garlic infused oil
. . Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lg Onion, cut into chunks
2 lg Leeks, cut into ¼” rounds
2 lg Carrots, cut into ¼” thick rounds
¾ lbs Mushrooms, thick sliced
1 lg Parsnip. cut into ¼” thick rounds
1 Rutabaga, sliced and cut into ¼” thick pieces
½ c Celery, diced
1 Turnip, sliced and cut into ¼” pieces
1 lbs Lamb Stew meat
¾ lbs Beef Stew meat
32 oz Chicken stock
32 oz Beef stock
½ c Red wine
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T Kitchen Bouquet
6 sprigs Thyme, fresh
1 T Sage, fresh and chopped
3 T Parsley, fresh and chopped
2 T Cornstarch
½ c Red Wine

Directions:
1). Add the oil and salt and pepper to a large stock pot. Heat until hot. Add the onion and leeks and sauté until translucent.

2). Add the meats and sauté until browned.

3). Add the beef stock, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet and wine. Bring up to a low simmer. Add the thyme, sage and parsley. Mix to combine. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours or longer. Taste and adjust as necessary.

4). 15 minutes before serving, mix 2 T cornstarch and ½ cup of red wine. Add to the pot to thicken the sauce into a gravy. Serve piping hot.

Cooking Times:

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Inactive Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

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So there you have it. If you want a better copy of the recipe, either click on the page title above or Click Here.

Sunday Lamb Dinner

25 Sunday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Lamb

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So this is not your everyday, Sunday “Old Peoples” Sunday Dinner – Chicken (usually fried), Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and Peas. Instead, we just got a lamb for the freezer and we just had to try it. So, Lamb in Garlic Infused Oil, Brussels Sprouts finished in Balsamic Vinegar and Orange Infused Oil and Polenta with Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic lightly fried in Orange Infused Oil. Then to finish it off, a wine and garlic reduction to go over the lamb. YUM-O!!! And to go with the dinner, a great 2007 Cinder Cabernet Sauvignon (63%) and Merlot (37%) blend that went so very well with the dinner. And of course, the wine was from the Snake River AVA – Idaho. You did very well, Melanie. Now for the 2009 Tempranillo!!

For the infused oils, check out the previous post. The oils are fantastic!! Cheers!

New Products, Great Comments!

25 Sunday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Classics, Condiments, Food, Local Markets, Oils

≈ 5 Comments

In this mornings email – after I finally figured out that some of our clocks are on the “George Bush Time Manipulation Scheme” – I received this note from Rudy’s. We do appreciate the kind words:

Hi Bob & Robin,
I just found your blog and noticed your mention of Rudy’s.
Thanks! I’ve also put a link in our email newsletter about you.
Cheers!

Susan Ettesvold, CEPC

If you look in the sidebar, you will find a link to Rudy’s and, if you are ever in Twin Falls, please do stop in and say “Hello” to them and tell them you found their information on this blog. No, we don’t get a monetary “prize” for listing them, or any of the locations listed for that matter!

And since I am on this particular train of thought, Robin and I went to the Boise COOP – that could be trouble – yesterday to look for raw vinegar to start some White Wine Vinegar. And we came upon Extravaganzo Gourmet
Foods sample table. Oh my! Some really awesome infused olive oil/grapeseed oil blends. You can check out their web site by clicking Here and find some really interesting products and locations, other than via the web, where their products are sold. The owner, Tom Stephens, who we met at the COOP, is pleasant and very helpful

The first of two products that we sampled and are excited about is pictured here, a Blood Orange Infused Oil that would be great with chicken or seafood. Or maybe in some Chinese or Japanese foods. A delightfully intense essence of orange permeates throughout the oil. A little oil will go a long way!

And, if you really know us, you know if it has garlic in it, we’ll probably try some – ice cream, fried, oil infused – and this Garlic Infused Oil is terrific! But again, a little will go a long way. And I’m thinking pasta, lamb or paella.

We do encourage you to try these oils. Being a “Foodie”, you owe it to the mindset. Go to their web page and check them out. Cheers!

A Super Day In The Life Of ……

23 Friday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Classic Sauces, Food, Party Time, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

Today really was a super day for us. We had an audition for teaching a dance program at Arts West School in Eagle, Idaho, a private school dedicated to the arts. They evidently liked our abilities and dance/teaching skills, because there will be a contract issued next week. The contract will run from January 2010 through May 2010. But then there was dinner. Wanted to celebrate in some small way. Thought about taking Robin out for Halibut Beurre Blanc,
but Andrae’s closed about a year ago, so I’m not sure anyone in Boise can make it now. Except ………ME!! And if you look left, you can see the results. (Just should have let it thicken a little more) But it really was good and the vegetable medley went well with it. The Chardonnay we had to go with it was “over the hill”, a 1998 Ravenswood. It is now in the vinegar jar. (We have a wine vinegar going) Oh well, can’t have everything. Cheers! Oh, But wait! Here is the recipe for the Beurre Blanc, Jerri. It’s really one of the classic sauces and one you should have. But just remember, this classic sauce is not for the “faint of heart” to prepare, it does take some practice. Temperatures are extremely important. Just keep that in mind.

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Beurre Blanc

Yield: ~1 cup
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young

Ingredients:
½ c White wine
½ c White wine vinegar
1 lg Shallot diced
4 Cloves, whole
1 Garlic clove, chopped
4 T French Tarragon, fresh and coarsely chopped
3 T Cream
¼ lbs Butter, cold

Procedure:
1). In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine vinegar, wine, shallots, cloves, garlic and tarragon leaves to make an infusion. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture is reduced to about ½ cup.
2). Add the cream and continue to simmer until reduced again to about ½ cup. Cream is added to make the sauce more stable and less likely to separate.
3). Strain to remove large pieces of the herbs. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the chunks of butter in small batches. The butter should melt without the sauce getting too hot, producing a creamy emulsified sauce. Do not let the sauce go over 130°F, where it will separate. If the sauce starts to break, remove from heat, add 2 ice cubes and whisk until it cools down and comes back together.
4).Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Keep covered in a warm place for a few hours, if needed.

Serve warm with fish or vegetables, halibut and asparagus goes great with a Beurre Blanc.

Peanut Butter Cups

21 Wednesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Dessert, Recipe By: Robin Young

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One of our favorite Halloween Treats – here is a Trick to make them at home…
3/4 Cup Peanut Butter – we like extra crunchy Jif – but if you want to go natural … Adams is great – if you prefer no sugar added … or buy the bulk make it yourself almond or peanut butter
and stir to blend over medium low heat in a 3 quart pot with
1/2 Cup butter [ or butter substitute ]
3/4 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
Spoon into paper or tin foil baking cups in a regular muffin pan to make 12 individual ‘cups’.

Topping:
Melt 1 Cup chocolate chips – [milk, dark, white or carob, if you prefer] in a small pot with
1/4 C milk [or rice milk if on a non -dairy regimen] stir til smooth.
Pour over Peanut butter mixture – spread to the sides of cups with a spatula.
Optional – 1/4 Cup chopped peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans or brazil nuts sprinkled on top.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving or eating —- YUMMMO … only one seems to satisfy the craving for a PB Cup … keep refrigerated or freeze for when unexpected guests drop in.

Smoked Salmon Dip and Pâté

20 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Food Prep, Party Time, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

“Ask and ye shall receive”. Yea Silver City Jerri! I found two recipes in our files for Smoked Salmon. One for a dip and the other for a Pâté, which is a lot more involved. Enjoy! Here we go …………..

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients:
½ lb Smoked Salmon
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 T light Mayonnaise
1 T Lemon Juice
¼ c Green Onions, chopped
1 T fresh Dill, chopped
¼ t Pepper

Directions:
In food processor, puree salmon, cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth. Mix in onions, dill and pepper. Serve smoked salmon dip with pumpernickel bread or crackers, or on cucumber slices. Garnish with fresh dill or green onions.

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Smoked Salmon Pâté

Ingredients:
1 sl White Bread.
1 T unsalted Butter.
½ c diced Onion.
½ c dry White Wine.
4 Eggs.
3 Egg Whites.
½ lb Whitefish.
1¼ lb Smoked Salmon.
1 t Salt.
1 t ground White Pepper.
1 t ground Coriander.
¼ t ground Nutmeg.
½ c Whipping Cream.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Remove and discard the crust from the bread. Tear the bread into pieces and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat on the stove, add the onions and cook, stirring for five minutes or until softened. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Add the bread and cook, stirring for five minutes. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.
4. Roughly cut the whitefish and salmon into one-inch pieces and add to the bread in the mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, coriander and nutmeg and mix. Place the mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and place bowl over a pan of ice water. Add the eggs and the whites and mix well. Slowly add the cream.
5. Pack the mixture into a 9”x5”x3” inch glass, ceramic or metal loaf pan. Tap the pan on a counter to firmly pack. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil.
6. Place loaf pan in a larger pan and fill with boiling water until it rises halfway to the top of the loaf pan. Place in the oven for an hour.
7. Remove Pâté from oven and its water bath. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet. Cool for an hour then refrigerate for three hours.
8. To remove the Pâté, run a knife around edges of the pate. Dip loaf pan in hot water for a minute. Turn out onto a plate.
9. Serve the Pâté with crackers or toast.

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So there you have it. The dip, I know, was presented to the Treasure Valley Wine Society several years ago. The Pâté was presented to them too, but I don’t remember when. At any rate, do enjoy them and Cheers!

Filet Mignon Dinner Treat

20 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do

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Last week, Robin said she wanted to got to the Outback Steak House for a steak and some fresh root vegetables. Normally, that would be a real treat. But it has been a while since I have done a steak dinner. So, not to be out
done by our friends to the west, I went to our local butcher and had him cut me two nice, fresh Filet Mignon steaks, about 1″ thick. Nice! Then I found some pretty good fresh vegetables – summer squash, Chinese peas, broccoli, carrots and onion. Just a simple matter of cutting the veggies into pieces and steaming them over a bath of Herbs de Provence (our own blend) and salt and pepper until tender. The beef was bacon wrapped and grilled over low heat on the stove. A simple salad of shredded lettuce and applesauce. It has been rainy and somewhat cool here in Boise today – a little gloomy. So this dinner seemed to be a “comfort” meal that drove the blahs away. If nothing else, the plate tends to have some nice color in it that aids in the presentation. We eat with our eyes first. It was fun to make. Cheers!