Metis!

Kansas City's newest Music Sensation!

Alex Reynolds is a singing sensation! Alex is a STAR!

Last night at the Beaumont Club in Westport, the band called METIS, took part in the annual Battle of the Bands. Metis is a Greek word meaning "wit, skill, knowledge" and a good choice of a name for a band who's members are 4 University of Kansas students.

Just between you and me, if any other band had won, it would have been a crime! Metis was so much better than the other 8 bands! Not only do they sound amazing, but they write their own music and lyrics! And they are CUTE! Just look at them! The other bands were wearing grubby old stocking caps over long unkempt hair and thrown together "costumes" of down vests (wasn't it 75 degrees yesterday?) and God only knows what other unwashed items of clothing! Sure, I am being a very proud grandmother, but I am also an honest one!

Unfortunately, from my vantage point, I couldn't even see the drummer for Metis, but I heard those drums, and they were perfect! The bass guitar was magnificent and the lead guitarist, Miles was unbelievable! How do you get that much talent and ability before you are 20 years old? Musically speaking, those three young men performed beautifully together on each of the 5 songs.

Then there was Alex. What can I say....when he was 18 months old he would leap from one piece of furniture to the next, complete with vocals and air guitar. We should have known!

Alex has a clear voice that never misses a key. He can sing with gentleness and sincerity in one song, bringing tears to his Aunt Betsy's eyes, and then belt out the next, complete with raspy, throaty lyrics that get right in your face!

...I am almost speechless!

The boys will be competing in the finals on June 14th at the Beaumont Club to win the honor of opening for David Cook, Kansas City's own American Idol! I'll be there! Let me know if you want to go help me cheer on the men of METIS!

And when I go to the Grammy's to see the boys accept their entertainer of the year award, I'll take lots of photos and blog about it, too!

Arch Tucker and the Kentucky Derby


My late husband, Arch Tucker, was a lover of horse racing. On Derby Day, Arch was up early, ready to spend the day glued to the television for every bit of coverage he could find. He’d turn on theTV in the kitchen first, put on his pot of coffee (if you are wondering where his wife was at this point. On Derby Day the kitchen was his!) then he would start getting organized.

Mint Juleps were one of Arch’s favorites He would make the simple syrup with the mint leaves and put it in the refrigerator for later. He set up the bar with everything he needed, including fresh mint from my garden.
Brunch was next on his list…..Egg Foo Yong! What that had to do with the Kentucky Derby I will never know…but then a lot of things about my Colonel (not Kentucky’s) confused me! He had this strange tradition, Egg Foo Yong. It started years ago before he retired from the Air Force, and I was not about to question it, I just stayed out of the kitchen!
His recipe is simple….

Arch Tucker’s EGG FOO YONG

1/2 c. Chinese cabbage
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. beef bouillon
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. bean sprouts, drained & rinsed
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. cold water
3 eggs
1/2 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/8 tsp. pepper
Cooking oil for frying

In a 10 inch skillet cook finely chopped cabbage, onion and green pepper in 1 tablespoon hot cooking oil for 2 minutes; remove from heat and cool.
In a small saucepan combine cornstarch, beef bouillon and sugar. Stir in water and soy sauce. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes. Keep sauce warm.
In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, salt and pepper, add diced ham. Stir in the cooled cooked vegetables and the bean sprouts.
In the same skillet heat about 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Using 1/4 cup of the mixture for each patty, fry patties in hot oil about 1 minute per side or until golden. (Spread the mixture to cover egg as egg spreads slightly while cooking.) Keep warm. Repeat until all the mixture is used, stirring mixture in bowl each time before frying. Add more oil as needed. Serve with warm sauce. Makes 2 servings.


I suppose I should mention he was not drinking a Mint Julep with his Chinese brunch….that was for later. With his Egg Foo Yong he drank a Bloody Mary and Coffee. What a guy!
After brunch, he moved to the La-z-boy and got comfortable. Thank goodness some man invented the remote control! Arch tried to catch every bit of coverage coming from Churchill Downs. That meant Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, all of the ESPN stations and the weather channel! He would watch races all day long. The main event normally starts around 5:00pm, but there are races, both live and recorded, for hours preceding the actual Derby. God, he loved it!
Arch did know not to start on the bourbon until the cocktail hour, but an occasional beer was consumed during the earlier races. Lunch was not necessary, the egg stuff kept him going until dinner time.




Arch's Mint Julep
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Kentucky BourbonWhisky

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Kentucky BourbonWhisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.



Ahhh, dinner….right after the race it was time for Fried Chicken! Arch loved his fried chicken, and I do mean HIS. Once again, this was a Do Not Enter time in the Tucker Kitchen.
Do you know what “just a couple of tablespoons of flour” can do to a stove top and dark blue counter tops? When Arch fried chicken, my countertops were “baby blue”! And very greasy!

I miss Arch everyday, but there are certain days that it is really obvious he is gone. Right up there with our anniversary, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Thanksgiving. is Derby Day. So, on Saturday, I’ll make a Mint Julep and I'll toast Arch and the 2009 Derby winner while sitting in front of the TV in the La-z-boy. Hold the Egg Foo Yong.

My Original Blog is Back!


Breaking News From Jasper
Hen House Cooking Classes Have Arrived!

LEARN, SHOP & COOK!
Chef Jasper Mirabile”

“Join Chef Jasper Mirable for cooking classes at Hen House Markets”
Hen House and Jasper have teamed up to share food knowledge and simple recipes that
you can enjoy sharing with your friends and family using the finest ingredients available.
.
LEARN: Chef Jasper makes cooking a joy by sharing with you his time tested and inspired
recipes, essential kitchen skills, and even his first hand “secrets”. Chef Jasper will
demonstrate how to create and prepare delicious recipes to the class, answer food related
questions, and serve a sampling of dishes prepared.

SHOP: Chef Jasper will share his tips on shopping for the freshest ingredients, how to select quality products, how to store and prep your purchases along with money saving ideas

COOK: Chef Jasper’s recipes will go home to you in printed version so you create the
same dishes at home for your friends and family. Whether you’re simply interested in food as
a beginner cook, newlywed or advanced home chef you can be sure that you
will have fun, learn something new, and be able to create a delicious recipe!

Classes cost $15.00 due upon enrollment and are held once a month on Saturday 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
To enroll call 913.321.4223 online go to http://www.henhouse.com/ and fill out contact sheet or fill out
enrollment form on this brochure and take it to your nearest Hen House Market.
Reservations on a first come first serve basis – Seating is LIMITED!
Cancellation policy is 72 hour notice for ½ refund.

Summer 2009 Class Schedule

May 16, 2009
Spring Favorites Chicken 101
Hen House Market
6900 W. 135th Street & Metcalf
Overland Park, Kansas 66223
913.685.8400

June 20, 2009

Summertime! Summertime!
Grill's Gone Wild
Hen House Market
5900 Antioch
Merriam, KS 66202
913.831.3500

July 25, 2009
Buy Fresh! Buy Local!
Chef Jasper & Mark Mollentine cook local from
The Hen House Farmer's Market
Hen House Market
6950 Mission Rd.
Prairie Village, KS 66208
913.362.3556

August 15, 2009
School Days! Shool Days!
Class Is iN Session with Jasper & Chef K from Bistro Kids
Fun & Healthy Brown Bag Dishes for the lunchroom crowd.
Hen House Market
1015 NE Rice Rd.
Lee's Summit, MO 64086
816.525.5700

Monday, April 6, 2009

Chef Judy Witts Francini is here!

I am so looking forward to seeing her again! Judy was our guide and "Mother" during our trip to Sicily in the fall. She added so much to our trip.

Now, she is here in Kansas City, just for a few days, then back to Italy for Easter. Tonight at 6:30 she will be cooking up a storm and wonderful Italian food at Jasper's Restaurant in Watt's Mill, 103rd and State Line. I can hardly wait!

Art in the Vines

Plans are shaping up! The artists are lined up and looking forward to our picnic in the vines to discuss details. The vineyard is ready to pop with new buds and by June 13th the vines will be covered with clusters of grapes. The art will be hanging throughout the vineyard, using the posts at the end of each row.

This is the work by Artist Diane Boone. Diane will be joining us at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery for Art in the Vines. Her work, as seen here, is available now at ARTichokes Gallery, in the new Mission Farms area, 107th and Mission Road. The Gallery hours and information on other artists can be seen at http://www.artichokeskc,com/

To check on the activities at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, go to http://www.somersetridge.com/ . This Saturday, April 11th , winemaker Dennis Reynolds and his wife, Cindy, are releasing their new wines! You have to come to the vineyard that day! 2 new exciting wines from my favorite Winery! I'll be there from 1:00 to 5:00pm to make some food suggestions for pairing with our newest wines! Don't miss it!

Somerset Ridge Wines are Handcrafted*Award-Winning* and Made With A Passion!
We make a full range of hand-crafted wines at Somerset Ridge,from dry, delicate whites to full bodied reds and rich dessert wines.We believe great wines start in the vineyard. Our 8,000 grapevines are naturally and sustainably grown, without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and are pruned and harvested entirely by hand. The resulting wines are a true expression of our limestone soils and great Kansas sunlight.

White Wines:

Chardonel ... Chardonel is a dry, crisp white wine made from our estate grown Chardonel grapes. This wine has flavors of pear and green apple and is terrific with fish, chicken and salads. Jefferson Cup Invitational award winner and Doug Frost/Kansas City Star Grape Escape pick!$10.99

Traminette... Traminette is a rich, spicy dry white wine with a floral bouquet. Made from grapes grown in our hillside vineyard. Traminette is a close relative of the German/Alsastian grape Gewurtztraminer. Wonderful with cheese, fruit and Asian dishes.$10.99

Chardonnay... Terrific Chardonnay from Kansas! Our limestone hills and abundant sunshine result in a concentrated, multi-layered Chardonnay with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a long finish. Aged on American Oak. $11.99

Oktoberfest... A year round favorite! This German style, semi-sweet white wine is one of our best sellers. Riesling and Gewurtztraminer drinkers love this rich, fruity white wine.$10.99

Red Wines

Flyboy Red...This wine was introduced last year as a tribute to our longtime "Vice-President of Tasting," the late Lt. Col. Arch Tucker (USAF Ret.). Arch was one of the first jet fighter pilots in the U.S. Air Force and was a constant fixture at the winery. The label bears a photograph of him exiting his F-86 fighter jet after his 100th mission in Korea. The wine is a rich, soft dry red made from a selected blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin and Chancellor grapes. Terrific!$13.99

Ruby Red...Our signature red wine. A meritage blend of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Chancellor grapes. Aged in American Oak barrels for 18 months. Multiple gold medal winner and Jefferson Cup National Invitational finalist.$15.99

Buffalo Blush...This delicate rose' is slightly sweet with a crisp finish. It is real crowd pleaser and a favorite summer wine.$10.99

Buffalo Red...One of our most popular wines! This rich, smooth, semi-sweet red wine was winner of the "Best Red Wine" at the Kansas State Fair. Great with bar-b-cue and other savory & spicy meats. Also makes great "Somerset Sangria."$12.99

Concordia...This fruit-bomb will take you back to the flavors of your youth. Made from 100% all-American Concord grapes that we source from one of our partner vineyards. This wine is just plain fun!$9.99

Dessert Wines

Ambrosia...This sensuous, luscious wine is made from 100% late-harvest Traminette grapes grown in our hillside vineyard. Residual sugar 11%. Great with cheese and fresh fruit. Winner of "Best White Wine" at the Kansas State Fair and Jefferson Cup National Invitational "Great Wine" award winner.$12.99

Ruby Port...A traditional Ruby Port made by adding fine brandy during fermentation, then aged in American Oak barrels for 2 years. Multiple gold medal winner and Jefferson Cup "Great Wine" winner.$18.99

The German Beer Coffee Cake Challenge……
Only 7 of you tried the German Beer Coffee Cake recipe, and I certainly appreciate your efforts and responses.. Generally speaking, the coffee cake gets very high marks. The walnuts and the dates were the big hit, but then, why wouldn’t they be? Baked in a big warm cake of butter and brown sugar, ir reminded everyone of Christmas.
I must admit, I wondered if I would like it, not being a beer fan, but I was surprised at how well all the flavors blended.
I’m sorry I don’t have a photograph of my cake to share with you, but as you know, I have “camera issues”…if I can find my camera, I usually have a dead battery! Surely there is a camera out there that even I can use!
Back to the German Beer Coffee Cake, I think you would like it, go on and give it a try. It could become a new family tradition!

Many moons ago, I was a Camp Fire Girl. I loved everything about it. I spent hours designing my vest, sewing on beads as I earned them. And the long Indian dress with the leather fringe was so fun! But the best part of all was the camping out and cooking over an open fire. A friend recently asked me if I had any great ideas for feeding kids, they were all getting bored with the usual menus. That is when I started thinking about the cookouts. Remember the foil packets we would make and then lay in the coals to roast until they were crispy brown and delicious? You would open up the packet and the most wonderful aromas came wafting up. Why don’t you young mothers stock the refrigerator and pantry with ingredients that can be used in your packets…then let each child add what they want. So, instead of a big casserole for dinner when Susie doesn’t like the onions in it, Johnny doesn’t like that mushroom thing, etc., they have made their own dinner, just the way they want it. They layer their ingredients, season it with their favorites, seal up the packet and into the oven they go. Mom and Dad can do the same thing, adding some “more adult” items, like capers, Feta cheese, olives, artichoke hearts..

Here are several versions to get you started. Now that nice weather is POSSIBLY on its way, you can pop these in the oven or out on the grill! Easy cleanup, no mess! Just remember to have heavy duty foil on hand, or you can also use parchment paper for a more elegant presentation if you are cooking in the oven. No parchment over an open fire
Have fun!

Basic Packet Recipe
· 1 pound meat (hamburger, chicken, shrimp or beef tips/stew) Plan on ¼ pound minimum for each packet
· mixed fresh vegetables (potatoes, onion, broccoli, carrots, etc.)
· butter (if meat has no fat)
· salt and pepper, to taste
· heavy duty foil or foil pouches
Preparation:
Fire preparation is the first order of business. When the coals are hot, you're ready to cook. Test doneness on one pack before pulling them all off the heat. This recipe gets better with experience. Ingredient combinations can be modified each time to find everyone's favorite. Vegetable-hating kids can even make this with hamburger and cheese, place cheese between two thin patties and wrap tightly.Layout four foil sheets 12 inches in length, or open 4 foil pouches. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces, or shape hamburger into meat balls. Leave shrimp whole. Add a serving to center of each foil pack. Add chopped vegetables of choice to each. Broccoli cooks easily, so use whole florets. Potatoes and carrots are very hard, so slice into smaller than bite-size pieces. Add butter to chicken or shrimp to ensure the whole thing doesn't stick to the foil. Season and close the bag or fold foil with center seam and ends sealed well. Cook over fire. Can be done directly on coals, but you must turn more frequently. When you can smell them, they're done, about 20 minutes, rotating and turning often with tongs. Remove from heat and allow them to cool on the ground or other safe surface. Open carefully, steam may be hot. Eat from opened foil. All you need is a fork and beverage.
Servings: 4

Mexican Dinner in a Packet
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
6 medium potatoes, cubed
2 packets of any taco seasoning
1 cup salsa (I use Pace)
2 cans tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel, I suggest Mild if smaller children are involved!)
jalepenos, sliced
grated cheese
Place all ingredients into foil bag. A large heavy duty foil bag works best. Roll down the top of the bag and shake around, just barely, to mix ingredients. Place on fire grate. Cook for about 45 minutes, turning over half way. Top with your favorite Mexican toppings. Can be made individually, each person making his own as hot and spicy as he likes. Top with grated cheese, sour cream, or more salsa.
Servings:6

Mediterranean Chicken Packets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
4 artichoke hearts (from a 14-ounce can), quartered
12 Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
4 teaspoons capers
1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place four 12-inch squares of parchment paper or heavy-duty foil on a work surface. Place a chicken breast on one half of each square, leaving a 2-inch border; season with salt and pepper.
2. Dividing evenly, top chicken with tomatoes, artichokes, olives, capers, and feta. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and oil. Fold parchment over ingredients, and crimp edges to seal.
3. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until chicken is opaque throughout, 20 to 22 minutes.
Serves 4

Halibut in Packet
1 large russet potato, scrubbed and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 ounces baby spinach, well washed
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 6-ounce halibut fillets, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using two 12-by-17-inch sheets parchment paper, fold each sheet in half crosswise.
2. Place 1 sheet of parchment flat on a work surface. Place half of the potatoes, garlic, spinach, shallots, and 2 lemon slices on one side of the crease; season with salt and pepper. Place halibut on top of lemon slices, and season with salt and pepper. Fold parchment over ingredients. Make small overlapping folds along the edge to seal.
3. Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake until packets have puffed, and fish is cooked through, about 18 minutes. Transfer packets to individual plates. Serve immediately, opening packets at the table. Garnish with any remaining lemon slices.

Remember....Have Fun with Food! Oh...and don't forget the Marshmallows!

Wo-He-Lo, girls!

Dancing in the Rain

I had an email this morning from a high school friend...one of those emails that tries to make you feel good, be glad for what you have. It was sweet, but there was one line that really rang my bell....."'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.' Thank you , Bill.

Now I'm getting email asking where my blog is! Sorry, I have been a little preoccupied with cooking and painting. But, I'm back for more fun with stuff in the kitchen, the vineyard and the painting studio.

Art in the Vines

The Art in the Vines project is going well, I'm pretty excited! Thanks to Becky and Laurie at ARTichokes Gallery, the artists are lining up to enter. We are going to have some wonderful art work in our show at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery. The show date is Saturday, June 13th and we are all praying it is nice weather by then! We are expecting possible snow this weekend! Thank heavens the art event is still 2 months away.

Beautiful Blue Heron by Claudia True........................

The artists who have committed to the show so far, are Becky Pashia (painter), Kristin Goering (painter), Ernst Ulmer (painter), Ada Koch (painter), Claudia True (painter), Winnie Davis (painter), Vicki Johnston (painter), Diane Boone (painter), Mike Driggs (sculptor), and Amy Johnson, (jewelry). I am sure we will have more by this time next week. We are planning on 15 to 20 artists.

I'm still waiting to hear if the "Buffalo Painter of Western Kansas" will be joining us! I certainly hope he does, with Somerset Ridge Buffalo Red and Buffalo Blush wines, it's a natural!

Remember our challenge? Have you made the German Beer Coffee Cake yet? I want to know what you think of the recipe by tomorrow! Maybe you need Coffee Cake for Saturday morning breakfast! You can find the recipe on my blog for March 30th, below the Woman with power tools blog. Good Luck and let me hear how it turned out! I've already made it....let's compare notes!

Have a great weekend!

A Woman with Power Tools!

Today I bought a saw….not some pathetic hand operated saw…I bought an electric saw. I would imagine bets are being placed in Vegas as to how soon they will nickname me “Stubby Kay”! I really need this saw. I am painting like a wild woman and can’t afford to have a professional framer make a frame for each of my paintings, so, I have to learn to build my own. They can be as simple as lattice board cut to correct lengths, painted or stained, then nailed to the stretcher boards of the canvas. Or….I can get fancy with moldings and build some more intricate frames. I think I will stick to the former, basic frames until I know what I am doing! Even lattice boards are $5.00 each for 8’ length. The fancy molding is $12.00 to $30.00 each….Until my new saw and I become great friends, I’ll save my money!

Painting is going very well, and I am looking forward to joining the artists showing at our very own Art in the Vines at Somerset Ridge Vineyard on Saturday, June 13th! Hope you have marked your calendars!

Today I found a recipe for German Beer Coffee Cake. I emailed it to my good friend Inge Richter, who was born in Germany and is an excellent cook. I asked if she remembered her Mother using beer as a leavening agent when baking. She replied that she did not remember her Mom ever using beer in any cooking.

I thought about it and decided to ask you, my loyal followers, if you would give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it. I, too, am going to bake this coffee cake. If you will, please, try this recipe, then send me an email telling me about the experience and what you thought of the coffee cake. Could be fun…and the recipe does sound good, full of good things!

So, that’s the challenge….here is the recipe:

German Beer Coffee Cake
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped dates
2 cups beer

1. Combine brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl. Cream until smooth and well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Sift cinnamon, allspice, cloves, flour, baking soda, and salt together. Dust walnuts and dates with a small amount of this mixture.

3. Add remaining flour mixture alternately with beer to creamed mixture, blending well after each addition. Stir in walnuts and dates. Spoon batter into large, well-buttered and floured tube or Bundt pan.

4. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1-1/4 hours or until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes, invert onto a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and place on a serving plate.

Looking forward to hearing from you very soon…let’s say by Saturday..Have fun!

The snow and ice are melting! We are all praying this was our last winter storm; but, if it isn’t, we will plow ahead through whatever…people from the Midwest are pretty flexible!
I stayed in all day yesterday during the beautiful snow storm, it was gorgeous if you didn’t have to be out in it. I didn’t even walk to the mailbox. My mail mostly consists of renewal notices for magazines nowadays. I’ve decided to not renew any of the monthly publications I’ve taken for years. I found I was receiving so many that I didn’t get them all read before the next batch started to arrive! I do remember how anxiously I awaited my copies of Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Food and Wine. Now, all are on line and I read far more of each issue….of course, they are not posted as early as the printed copies are sent out, but most are not time sensitive, so it doesn’t matter. Bon Appetit and Gourmet are available on line at http://www.epicurious.com/ and Food and Wine is www.foodandwine.com . I do like to go to the bookstore and buy the Thanksgiving and Christmas issues just to keep. Great photography of food and table designs!
On line food and cooking pages are non-stop! New pages are popping up everyday. Many are pretty bad, but some are really good and have great archives storing many year’s worth of recipes. I particularly like the foreign sites that can be pulled up in English. I look at them for food ideas, but also as an educational tool for language and travel.
You can sign up for newsletters from some of the pages, then daily or weekly you will receive a newsletter via email. It is a great way to keep up with food trends at home and abroad.
Some of my favorites are:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/
http://www.marthawhite.com/

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Cooking%20by%20Country/Germany.htm
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/index
http://www.colincowie.com/recipes
http://www.about.com/food

Eureka! The About.com page is a fantastic site for regional American and foreign food sites. You can sign up for newsletters, my favorite being http://italianfood.about.com/ by Kyle Phillips, who lives in Italy.
As you see, I did list the Food Network link. I personally feel this network and web site has been bastardized. If you can get through the all of the ads and the junk programs like “Unwrapped” with that idiot Marc Summers as host, you can find excellent information and recipes from the world class chefs they have on their schedule. The problem with the Food Network is they over-do everything. We’ve had Emeril shoved down our throats for too long….One more “BAMM!” and I am going to go BERSERK! And Rachel Ray’s cutesy little cooking terms are wearing on my nerves also. I’m not a two year old, a sandwich is a sandwich, not a “Sammie”.
Okay, so maybe I am showing signs of cabin fever already…getting kind of bitchy! What would make me happy?.....Lets see, something from Colin Cowie is bound to do the trick!

Colin Cowie’s Tortilla Soup

Vegetable oil for deep-frying
8 6-inch flour tortillas, julienned (cut into thin strips)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion (from 1 1/2 to 2 medium onions)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
6 cups chicken stock
4 medium garlic cloves, crushed
4 cups chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 large ripe Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup shredded, aged cheddar
1/2 pint sour cream, for garnish
1. Fill a large pot to a depth of 3 to 4 inches with vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F. The temperature of the oil should not exceed 375 F, nor should it begin to smoke. Once the oil is hot enough, lower the heat to medium. Add the tortilla strips and fry until crisp and golden, about 1 minute. Remove the strips with a skimmer or slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low flame. Add the onion, cumin, paprika, cayenne, coriander, and half the tortilla chips. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the stock, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro. Season the chicken breast with 1/2 tablespoon of the salt. Add to the pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Remove the chicken and bay leaf with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken and set aside. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Purée 2 cups of the soup in a blender or food processor, taking care not to overload the bowl. Return the blended soup, to the pot and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes. (Or purée additional batches of soup, 2 cups at a time, depending upon your desired consistency - even purée all of it if you like.)

Oh yes, I'm feeling better just looking at the photo. It was taken from Cowie's webpage along with the recipe! Thank you Mr. Cowie!

Painting by Sue Haynes

I still have email coming in concerning the Pig 101 dinner! Thank you, everyone for your support and interest Here are a few comments from those emails….
From Jan in Colorado….I just read your blog describing the success of your Pig 101 night at Jasper's. I'm so proud of you! You're certainly making a name for yourself (and it's a good one!). Congratulations of the Smithfield offer--that'll be quite an experience for you. They obviously know a good thing when they see it! I'm sure Arch is smiling down. No, actually, Arch would be laughing his big, hearty laugh!
We're going to Williamsburg, Virginia, in early May. Maybe our paths will cross. I can't remember if you said when you'd be going to Smithfield.
The thanks part of the subject line is for the French bistro menu I made for company. It was a huge hit and our guests were effusive in their praise. I told them I'd pass it on to you!
You go, girl!

This one is from Donna, who attended the dinner…..

I know Bill sent an email out to your class regarding the Pig 101 event but I must tell you, it was a total WOW experience for us. We've never done anything like that before but it won't be the last.
My question for you is: Are these dinners really for just members of the Slow Food KC Chapter or is anyone invited? Do you ever do cooking classes/dinners at the Culinary Institute? I know Jasper does.
Again, thanks for a great evening. I never expected to be served that much food nor drink that much "good" wine from a local vineyard. We also had a fun time with Derek Donovan from the Star - hearing about his family, his work, his hobbies and his appreciation for good food and wine. Plus I get to see his face every morning in the paper; however, he's much cuter in person. Again, a totally WOW evening.
Great pictures of you and Jasper on your blog-
Donna

And finally, from Sam in Omaha…..
Kay, we love your blog and wish we were closer to attend some of your events. The Pig 101 dinner must have been a very special evening. Just reading your blog building up to the dinner had both Debbie and me anxiously awaiting the news about its success. Congratulations!
Will you ever come up to Omaha to teach and cook? We will be there if you do!

Thanks to all of you who have written , but now it is time for Spring Time Menus! Just because we are expecting up to 12" of snow doesn't mean it isn't Spring...I hope!

I know not all grills and smokers are made by Weber, but the care of a grill and the need for a new recipe for smoking are an important part of (God, I hate this term!) Spring Cleaning!

So, go to http://www.weber.com/ and check out their whole webpage. You can even order parts for your Weber grill. I have a Weber gas grill, wish it was charcoal, but live in a condo attached to other codos and we all have wooden decks....so, gas grills are the way to go for me. On Weber's page, check out their Grilling tips section...great grilling charts for meats.

Large Abstract Class is completed

What happened to our beautiful springtime weather? We’ve been threatened with this crud for several days, but the storm took its time getting here. I expected to wake up this morning to at least 6” of snow….but all it was doing was raining. It is now 2:20pm and it has finally begun to snow. They have backed off the 8 to 12” forecast, now saying 2-4”. Whatever! Just get on with it, get it over!
I was so worried about the vines at the vineyard, but Cindy reminded me that the vines do not bud out until the 2nd week in April…..how they know the date beats me! Anyway, the vines love this moisture, they will soak up all they can and be ready for bud break in 2 weeks. Hopefully the super cold weather will be long gone and our sunshine will be back!

Painting by Vicki Johnston

I am spending this cold wintery day in my pajamas with a paint brush in my hand. I decided to take advantage of a day at home and do at least one more canvas. I am painting 3 to 4 days a week now, which I love….just worried about running out of ideas.
Backy Pashia, co-owner and resident artist at ARTichokes in Leawood, has gotten me hooked on abstract design. I just completed her Large and Small Abstract class, and I loved it. I was pretty shaky in the beginning, but I am actually proud of my large abstract.
The entire class, all 8 of us, learned a lot about abstracts. At the beginning of our last class, we had a critique period before we completed our paintings, each telling what we liked about our painting, what was giving us trouble, etc then Becky spoke a moment on each painting. She is an amazing teacher and instructor. I use both terms because she can instruct you how to do it, then she can teach you why, the reasoning behind each brush stroke, each color on your palette. She will advise you on your painting, but she will not do your painting for you; that is another thing I admire about Becky.

Painting by Kay Tucker

Friday evenings at ARTichokes are always fun. It is “open studio” time, meaning you can go in and paint for a small studio fee. There is live music about every other week, wine, appetizers and some wonderful art to see. The gallery part of ARTichokes is a great place to see what artists from across the country are doing. An added advantage of coming to ARTichokes on Friday evening is the connection with Room 39, one of the excellent restaurants in Mission Farms. A doorway has been opened up through to the restaurant. Go in and put your name on the waiting list, then step through the doorway into the gallery. They will buzz you when your table is ready; what a concept!

Painting by Audrey Benskin

Here is a recipe just for all you ARTichoke painters and definitely for Becky. It is a very old recipe, one brought over from the old country. It can easily be called Italian immigrant cooking.

Carciofi Ritti also known as Stuffed Artichokes
6 large artichokes
2 ½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 large eggs
¾ cup grated Romano cheese
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1/8 cup minced garlic
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon pepper and salt to taste

Wash the artichokes well in a cold saltwater bath. Cut off the stems and slice off a thin layer from the bottom of each artichoke. Lightly cut each artichoke bottom crosswise. This allows the juices to penetrate the artichokes from the bottom of the pan. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut off the pointy tips around each artichoke, as well as the very top. Spread the leaves apart like a flower. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, ½ cup olive oil, pepper and salt. The stuffing should be crumbly, not sticky. Loosely stuff each artichoke up to the top with some of the stuffing, taking care not to overload them. The artichokes should still look like flowers, even with the leaves stuffed.
Fill a large pot with about an inch of water and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stand the artichokes in the pan, making sure you don’r get any water in the stuffing. Bring the water to a boil, cover tightly, then bring down to a simmer. Cooking time will vary from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on size and thickness of artichokes.. Pull a leaf off periodically to see if the artichokes are tender. Serve while hot as an appetizer or as a vegetable side dish.
Serves 4 to 6

One more recipe featuring Artichokes.....

Artichoke Pie, an appetizer

1 8-oz package frozen artichoke hearts, 8- to 9-ounce package
4 each eggs
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated cheese such as Fontina or Monterey Jack
1 each 9" pie shell

Cook artichokes, drain and cut. Beat eggs thoroughly and add all ingredients. Mix well and pour into 9" pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes. May be frozen after baked. Serve as part of antipasto or as a first course.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can keep all of the ingredients handy to throw this great appetizer together at the last minute! To make it even more convenient...bake several and freeze them. Remove from the freezer several hours before you want to serve them. I've even popped thawed pies into the a very low oven for 10 minutes, just to insure they are warm and delicious.

The Ogg Farm and Old Nell, plow horse extraordinaire!

The Ogg Farm……
I was going through some family photos the other day and saw some 50 plus year old pictures taken at the farm….there were my aunts and uncles standing outside the side door of the farm house. It was probably on a Sunday afternoon after consuming a huge lunch….everyone looks a little out of it! Anyway, among the photos were pictures of my 2 uncles, Clarence and Russell Ogg.
Uncle Clarence was accepted and enrolled at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, but at the last minute decided he didn’t need to go, he just wanted to be a farmer! He figured he didn’t need that degree to be a farmer, A farmer he became, complete with farmer’s tan.
Uncle Russell, on the other hand, became a nationally known photographer who lived in BelAir and Palm Springs, California after leaving the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.
The sons of Clyde and Florence Ogg were as different as night and day!
When they were just young boys, my Granddad, William Clyde Ogg, informed them one morning that the three of them were going to replace the fence that surrounded the entire farm. They started by scouring the woods on the farm for appropriate fence post material. They finally had enough cut to start the actual re-fencing, which ended up taking every Saturday for many months. I understand Russell, who loved to read, stuffed his bib overalls full of books, just in case he got a break!
Now, come back to the early 1990s. After my Aunt Zelma died, I would drive to Richmond, Missouri to visit Uncle Clarence. He would put me in his car and we would drive by the long section of fence along the embankment above the gravel road. It wasn’t until I was a 50 year old woman that my uncle told me about the “fence story”. I discovered the fence I had seen for many years was the same one Grandad, Clarence and Russell spent the summer building. Those posts, which always seemed so flimsy to me, had three rows of barbed wire strung between them and the overall impression I had was a small calf or a 25 mile an hour wind could have taken the entire fence down. I suppose that idea was one of a city girl! The fence had remained just the same, same posts, same wire for over 70 years! I would imagine if I drove down there today, it would still be wrapped around the “old Ogg homestead”. I have a photograph taken in the 50s that shows part of the fence surrounding the horse pasture, and there stands old Nell in her retirement. She had pulled a plow and my Granddad around the farm for years.
My Uncle Russell was the 4th of the Ogg siblings, my Mom being the 5th. She and Russell were a handful, I’m thinking. I’ve heard her tell the story of the two of them making doughnuts. They covered the entire farmhouse with a heavy dusting of flour by the time they had a plateful of rock hard doughnuts!
When my Grandmother made them, they were heavenly, as was everything she made. Her homemade noodles that she fixed with chicken were amazing. The slick texture, or I suppose the “no texture”, on today’s packaged noodles is so
disgusting! They are maybe 1/3rd the thickness of homemade and have a pale, sickly color to them….now Minnie Florence’s noodles were an experience to remember!
To make the best homemade noodles, go find yourself a country stand where they are selling fresh farm eggs. They will be the most glorious colors from blue to brown, with an occasional ivory colored one mixed in. The exciting thing about farm eggs is the yolk…like looking at a beautifully polished orb of gold. If you crack open a farm egg on to a flat surface, then crack a store egg next to it, you can immediately tell the difference. The yolk on the store egg is flat and pale yellow in color. Now, get down eye level with the eggs and you can see the farm yolk standing up tall and mighty, while next to it lies the poor, pathetic, wimpy store yolk.
So, you ask, what is the difference when you use them in pasta dough? Just try to picture chicken and noodles made with each….pale white chicken meat, pale white noodles made with wimpy pale eggs, or, glorious golden noodles wrapping themselves delicately about the perfectly cooked, succulent chicken, all snuggled in a rich, naturally thickened gravy. See what I mean? Food you can get excited about! I know you are going to make homemade noodles soon!


Minnie Florence Ogg’s Homemade Egg Noodles
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 egg yolks

1. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add egg yolks and mix until dry ingredients are moistened.

2. Press into a ball and cut in quarters. Roll out on floured surface 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; cut to desired width and length. Lay on linen dish towel or wooden dowel to dry.
Add to broth such as chicken or turkey and cook until done.

So, are you wondering what ever happened to Uncle Russell? As I said he graduated from MU, married a girl from Trenton, Missouri who he met in the Journalism school. Her name was Norma Lee Browning. You can Google both names and up will pop some pretty impressive information on them.
They traveled the world, she wrote about it, he photographed it.
After many years of being diabetic, Russell finally lost his eyesight. That is a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but when you are a photographer….
There is a book written about his experience as he lost his vision, written by my Aunt Norma. The title is “He Saw a Hummingbird”. It is an amazing and inspirational story.
Of course, I think the Ogg Farm Fence story is pretty amazing!

Things are looking bad….the sales are up on Ramen Noodles by 12 to 15%. A cup of Ramen Noodles will cost you about 50 cents.
That’s pretty cheap eating…..and what college student, past and present, doesn’t know about Ramen! I bet they aren’t as good as my Grandmother’s!

It has been 2 days since Pig 101….buying pork tomorrow!

Chefs Jasper Mirabile and Kay Tucker at Pig 101 Dinner

Pig 101 is over, Pig 102 is now in the works….and I thought I was going to rest a few days and then purge pork from my refrigerator for a day or two! Ha! Testing in the kitchen begins right away; there are stacks of cookbooks, reference books and my laptop all piled up and surrounding my chair in the living room. There are more cookbooks on the kitchen table!
The evening at Jasper’s was, in my estimation, a great success; I had a ball! I am in my element when I am surrounded by family, friends and food!
One of the things that made the evening so special was we celebrated my Grandson Alex’s 19th birthday. Another was, there were many attending the dinner that I shared the trip to Sicily with. Let’s see, reason #3 is Jasper’s mother’s pastry cream! OMG! The list goes on and on because there was not one reason for it to not be a perfect evening! Jasper was in fine form and his kitchen staff deserve medals for putting up with me for 2 weeks! It isn’t that I am demanding of them…I’m just used to doing everything myself. I needed to be hands-on with each course. They probably thought I was a pain in the butt! I am also shorter and wider than all the men in that kitchen, they tried so hard to not run over me and to be respectful to an elderly lady!
There was a reporter from the Kansas City Star there to take notes for an upcoming article. I’ll let you know, if I find out, when it will be printed.

Our menu was:
Receptione
Jasper Jr.’s Califlower & Crispy Pancetta Soup en Cappuccino

Antipasti
Chef Kay’s Pork Pate & Head Cheese
Crostini & Foccacia

Primi
Lensi Artisan Pasta alla Carbonara

Piatti del Giorno
Wild Boar & Soft Polenta
Archibald Sauce

Sicilian Mama’s Neck Bones & Sunday Sauce

Zampone & Cotechino
Zuppa de Lentiche

Brick Oven Roasted Pork Belly
Tuscan Beans

Doice
Nana Mirabile’s Olive Oil & Polenta Torta
With Pancetta Candy
(and Nana’s Pastry Cream!)

Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery
Oktoberfest Wine
Flyboy Red Wine
Ambrosia Dessert Wine

See what I mean….lots of food and wine!

I have to tell you one more thing…probably the most exciting thing for me….George Richter of Smithfield Foods was a guest at the dinner and he asked Jasper and I to go to Smithfield, Virginia and recreate this meal for them. I did not hesitate….YES! Don’t know when yet, but I am going! Thank you again, George, for the Farmland Pork we used for this dinner, it was perfect.
And I certainly thank you for the opportunity to cook for you in Virginia! When does the company jet pick us up?
So Cool! And for those of you that follow my family history and Ogg Farm posts... do you think my two grandmother's are smiling?

Another memory from the 1950s…….
Did your Mom used to make Salmon Croquettes for you when you were growing up? Mine did and I loved them! Of course, in land-locked Boone County, Missouri, canned salmon was our only choice. And she served creamed peas with them, made with canned peas! Maybe it was because I was a kid, maybe it was because I’d never eaten fresh from the garden peas and beautifully grilled fillet of Salmon, but to me, that particular menu was one of my favorites. In the late 1940s, my Dad went to work as a salesman for Birds-Eye Frozen Foods and we discovered the joys of frozen vegetables. Peas were one vegetable that changed dramatically with freezing. They are not bad in cream sauce either!
Salmon croquettes and crab cakes are so much better with the real thing. Salmon is available everywhere, and as for crab, you can check with your fish and seafood manager at your grocery store for availability of fresh or frozen crab meat.
Here is my recipe for the Salmon Croquettes….

2 ounces onion, small dice
3 ounces whole butter
3 ounces flour
8 ounces milk
1 pound salmon, poached and flaked
fresh dill, chopped, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
flour as needed for breading
egg wash as needed for breading
Panko bread crumbs as needed for breading

1. Sauté the onion in the butter until translucent.

2. Add the flour and cook to make a white roux.

3. Add the milk to make a heavy béchamel sauce. Cook the sauce until very thick, approximately 5 minutes.

. 4. Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the flaked salmon. Season the mixture with dill, salt, pepper and lemon juice and mix well.

. 5. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

. 6. Divide into 12 equal portions. Form each portion into a cone or patty shape. Bread the croquettes using the standard breading procedure, first in flour, then egg wash, followed by bread crumbs

. 7. Using the basket method, deep-fry the breaded croquettes until done, if possible. If not, use a deep saucepan with

Yield: 12 Croquettes

The traditional sides with Salmon Croquettes are Buttered New Potatoes and Creamed Peas, but in today’s world you might wish to go lighter. Whatever you choose as sides, I hope you enjoy the croquettes!

Back to my memories of the early 1950s

My Dad left Bird’s Eye Foods in 1951 and we moved from Columbia to Kansas City, Missouri. We moved into a three-story house at 3519 Campbell, right behind Central Presbyterian Church
at Armour and Campbell. The house was built many years before, around 1890, by the Swift family. They had just arrived in the Kansas City area having opened their packing plant here. It
was constructed with 18” thick stone walls. The fireplace in the living room was of green Italian marble with a stained glass window on each side above mantle. The crown molding in this
house was a minimum of 12”deep, very dark and heavy. There was an additional stained glass window in the entry hall. I loved that house! I could have lived there forever. Always cool in
the summer, warm in the winter…18” stone walls will do that for you! The front porch, all stone, was L shaped and huge. It was such a great place to sit and read. The house was surrounded by
giant trees and was situated on a street that was covered by a “tunnel” of trees.
You will never guess what happened to that house…when Central Presbyterian Church bought the house, they did so to have the land for a parking lot!....Yep, the house was demolished! So sad, a parking lot!
I haven’t driven to the old neighborhood in close to 25 years, but I am sure I would be saddened by what I would see. I wonder how many of those big beautiful houses have been torn down....

I don’t know anything about the church’s history since we moved from the neighborhood, not sure if the building is still home to the same congregation. I do know it was a beautiful sanctuary, rich woods, gorgeous windows, and a massive pipe organ. How I loved Christmas Eve Midnight service at Central Presbyterian! I’ve tried to find a church in my neighborhood that has the traditional services and music that I grew up with, but I can’t find one. They are all so contemporary in their style and thinking, I guess I’m just too old to change.

Don't you just love the smell of a cobbler baking in the oven? That aroma is so wonderful that it is hard to wait for it to cool down enough to eat!
Do you know the difference between
a Cobbler, a Crisp, a Crumble, a Brown Betty, a Buckle, a Grunt, or a Slump?

It is a heavy question!

Well, let me try to clarify this for you.

All of these desserts are simply baked fruit with a crust!

Some are under a crust of flaky pie crust, some under biscuits, some under a crumble mixture, I've even had some under crunchy buttered granola!

My recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler has a biscuit topping. I hope you enjoy it...and don't forget the vanilla ice cream! It is like unAmerican to eat warm cobbler without a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

FILLING:
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons orange rind
6 cups rhubarb, coarsely chopped
3 cups sliced strawberries
TOPPING:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons margarine, chilled
1 cup buttermilk

1. In large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and orange rind. Add rhubarb and strawberries; toss well. Spread mixture in 13 x 9 in. baking dish. Bake in 400F oven 10 minutes.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using fingers or two knives, cut in margarine until mixture resembles small peas. With fork, stir in buttermilk just until soft dough forms.
3. Drop by tablespoonfuls in 12 mounds on top of hot fruit filling. Bake in 400F (200C) oven 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and has risen.

Catching up……..

One week from tonight is the big Pig 101 dinner, which means the rest of this week I will be knee deep in pork! While Jasper is in Arizona, I will be stuffing the Zampone, making the Pork Pate and of course, babysitting with the marinating boar.
Reservations are filling up! I am so pleased to have some very dear friends coming to share the evening with me. It is going to be a great evening!

I am looking forward to moving away from pork as soon as the dinner is over….I think my next obsession will be over spring vegetables and seafood. I hope you love both! I know I have an evening with friends coming up and I have promised a big pot of cioppino. I also have a dinner for friends coming up on April Fool’s Day….have to think of something fun for that one! One of my guests is anxious to hear about Taormina, Sicily, so I suspect it will be a Sicilian menu.

Painting is still my ”high” for the week, I absolutely love it! Spending time at ARTichokes, surrounded by incredible paintings, and learning from the talented instructors is just what I need. I have a makeshift studio downstairs here at home, but I just don’t do well down there by myself. I need to have questions answered, I need to be encouraged…let’s face it, I need someone to coddle me, to praise me! I’m such a baby!
It has been years did I worked on Abstracts, I’m not sure I understood the process then, but with Becky Pashia’s help, by golly, I think I’m catching on!
I am painting Thursday nights, Friday nights and Saturday afternoons at ARTichokes this month. The open studio session on Friday nights is a favorite of mine. This last Friday evening there were canvases, oil paints, live music, wine and fellow painters. What more could I want?

The plans for the 1st Annual Art in the Vines are moving right along. I am pleased with the artists that have committed to the show. Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery is going to be a beautiful setting for the show. The buds are out, everything is beginning to turn green. By June, it will be a magical setting.

I scheduled my trip to Smith Mountain Lake today; bought my airline tickets on line. I’m not real thrilled with having to go through Washington, DC on the way to Roanoke, but I’m even less thrilled having to change planes in Chicago on the way home. Air travel is difficult at its best, but it is a two day drive each way and I am just not up to that by myself! I am looking forward to having the family all together again. The last time we were all at Smith Mountain Lake, the kitchen was a very busy place. We have, over the last few years, started new family traditions

with food, feeding 30 people gives you plenty of opportunities! Our first year there, we gave the teenagers meals they were responsible for. One morning two of them made German Pancakes and another day, 2 of them made Sloppy Joes for lunch. On the last evening, my nephew Neal and his son Josh fried all the fish that had been caught during the week. That was 4 years ago....just imagine what great cooks they will be this summer!

Cookies are always a big part of the cooking and baking at family reunions, and with the many hollow legs attached to teenage boys, they help stretch the time between meals. I think this is a cookie that everyone will enjoy.

Hazelnut-Nutella Sandwich Cookies

2/3 cup roasted and salted hazelnuts
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 pound) softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Nutella or another chocolate spread

1. In a food processor, finely grind hazelnuts. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the ground nuts, baking soda and salt. In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, or using a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla, scraping the side and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients at medium-low speed. Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a round, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out rounds as close together as possible. Arrange the rounds on large baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps and reroll, cutting out more cookies.
3. Bake the cookies in batches for about 20 minutes, until golden; shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
4. Sandwich the cooled cookies with Nutella or another chocolate spread.
5. Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before using. The baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or wrapped in plastic and foil and frozen for up to 1 month.

It’s crazy, I know. Here it is, the week of St Patrick’s Day, and I am thinking Mexican! How about Tamales? No, not corned beef tamales, but deliciously spicy pepper pork tamales. My sister, Ann, gave this recipe to me several years ago and they were a big hit with my kids and grandkids. So, overlook the timing, save the recipe until the corned beef and cabbage are all gone, then, steam a big batch of my favorite tamales.
Pepper Pork Tamales


26 to 28 tamales

Ingredients
· 12 ounces boneless pork sirloin roast cut into 2-inch chunks
· 1 medium onion, quartered
· 2 cloves garlic, sliced
· 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
· 2 dried ancho or poblano chile peppers
· 1 dried New Mexico or pasilla chile pepper
· 26 to 28 dried corn husks (about 8 inches long and 7 to 8 inches wide at the top)
· 1 clove garlic
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted*
· 4 cups Masa Harina (corn tortilla flour)
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 cup cooking oil
Directions
1. For filling: In a 4-quart Dutch oven, combine pork, onion quarters, sliced garlic, and cracked black pepper. Add enough water to cover (about 4 cups). Bring to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth. Let meat and broth cool slightly. Remove and discard any fat from pork; shred pork. Strain broth and reserve 2-1/2 cups broth for the dough (save remaining broth for another use). Cover and chill meat and broth separately until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, in a dry medium skillet, cook ancho and New Mexico peppers over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until they have a toasted aroma, turning frequently. Let cool..
3. Wearing disposable plastic gloves or small plastic bags, remove and discard pepper stems, seeds, and ribs. Tear peppers into pieces and place in a bowl. Cover peppers with boiling water; let stand for 30 to 60 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, soak corn husks in hot water about 30 minutes or until soft.
4. Place a fine sieve over a bowl; pour softened peppers into sieve. Drain well; reserve peppers and liquid. In a blender, combine the soaked peppers, the 1clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the cumin seeds. Add 1/2 cup of the pepper soaking liquid; cover and blend until nearly smooth.
5. Transfer blended pepper mixture to a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir shredded pork into hot pepper mixture in saucepan.
6. For dough: In a large bowl, stir together Masa Harina, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add cooking oil; beat with an electric mixer or a spoon until combined. Stir in enough of the strained pork broth to make a mixture that resembles a thick creamy paste. To prevent dough from drying out, cover with a damp paper towel while assembling tamales.
7. To assemble each tamale, drain a corn husk well; pat dry with paper towels. Starting about 1 inch from the top edge of the husk, spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough into a rectangle 3 inches wide and 4 inches long, spreading so one of the long sides is at the long edge of the husk. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pork filling down the center.
8. Fold the long edge of each husk over the filling so it overlaps dough slightly. Wrap husk around outside of filled dough. Tie ends with strips of corn husk or heavy kitchen string.
9. To steam tamales, in a very large Dutch oven, stand half of the tamales upright in a steamer basket. (Don't pack them in too tightly, but fill all the spaces.) Place at least 1-1/2 inches of water in the bottom. Bring to boiling. Cover Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium. Steam for 30 to 35 minutes or until tamales easily pull away from corn husks and dough is spongy.Makes 26 to 28 tamales.
Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare tamales as directed. Cool slightly. Wrap tamales in plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat refrigerated or frozen tamales, steam them as directed above, allowing 8 to 10 minutes for refrigerated tamales or about 15 minutes for frozen tamales or until heated through. Tamales can also be reheated in the microwave still wrapped in the husks. Cook each refrigerated tamale on 100 percent power (high) about 1 minute or until heated through. Cook each frozen tamale on 70 percent power (medium-high) for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

Dessert does not always mean Chocolate

While having a working lunch yesterday with Jasper, I had a few bites of creamy Ricotta Cheese with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, one of my two favorite ways of eating Ricotta. The other? Somerset Ridge Vineyard’s Port Mulled Cherries with Ricotta! It is so simple and so wonderful, right up there with sinful!

Somerset Ridge Vineyard’s Port-Mulled Cherries With Ricotta
2 cups Somerset Ridge Vineyard’s Ruby Red Port
1 1/2 cups pitted fresh cherries or one 10-ounce bag of thawed, drained frozen cherries
1 cup fresh ricotta

In a medium saucepan, simmer the port over moderately high heat until a thick syrup forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cherries. Scoop the ricotta into four bowls, spoon the cherries and syrup on top and serve.

I think the following cookie recipe is the perfect match for the Ricotta with Mulled Cherries….

Pine-Nut Cookies with Rosemary
3 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, plus more for topping cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks) softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely chop rosemary in a food processor. Add pine nuts; pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups flour, the baking soda, ginger, and salt; set aside.

. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture. Add cream; mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg, then remaining 1/4 cup flour.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with fingers, and top each with a pine nut. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 13 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on sheets on wire racks. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 3 days.

The big Pig 101 Dinner is just over a week away! Jasper and I have been working hard to bring to you some great ways to serve pork. I’m still playing around (in a very serious manner, of course) with pig trotters! It is going to be a fun evening and I am confident the food will be delicious…after all, we are holding this dinner at Jasper’s! If you are planning on attending and haven’t made your reservation yet, call the restaurant soon, reservations are cutting off at 45 guests! 816-941-6600.

My friend and the great chef from Tuscany, Judy Witts Francini, will be here in the Kansas City area for several events April 5-7th. I hope I see some of you at at least one of them. There will be a cooking class/book signing event at Jasper’s restaurant on April 6th and an event at a Thyme For Everything in downtown Lee’s Summit on the 7th. Check their webpage for information http://athymeforeverything.com/. I’ll post the information about the class at Jasper’s as soon as it is finalized.

In the meantime, check out Judy's blog. http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/

Port photogrph is property of Kay Tucker. All other photos from Fotosearch.com.