SWISS STEAK

Good morning.  Well it's that Fall feeling again.  I guess when the weather turns I just think of cooking different things.  And I will tell you it got plenty cold last night.  Who says California does not have Seasons?  Today I have a recipe that I am sure you have all had at one time or another.  My Grandmother and my Mother made this and it is truly one of the great all time comfort foods.  Swiss Steak with mashed potatoes, green beans and hot crusty bread.  Now who doesn't like that?  When my family all lived at home, they loved this dinner and I made it often.  Not only is it good but quite economical, and today being what it is financially for a lot of people, you can't miss with this meal.  Here is my Grandmother's and then my Mother's, and now my recipe.

SWISS STEAK

1 large round steak (as much as you need for your family) will feed four
flour
1 chopped green pepper
1 onion sliced
1 can chopped tomatoes

Cut the steak into serving sized pieces.  Salt and pepper each piece and then dredge in flour.  Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a chicken fryer or deep frying pan (that has a cover).  Brown the meat on both sides.  Add the tomatoes, onion, and green pepper.  Cover and cook on low heat until the meat is fork tender.
Make mashed potatoes and add 1/4 cup of Parmesan to them.  Cook the green beans till just crisp, dress with olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.  Spoon some of the juice from the meat over the potatoes.

I  have always liked this meal ever since I was a little girl.  My family always liked it too.  Try it soon.  It will be a hit with your family too.

That's it for today.
Ciao for now
Grayce

SWEET POTATO STUFFED ORANGES

AHA! Can you tell that I am in Fall mode?  Almost the end of October and my mind immediately shifts into a different mode as far as cooking goes. It's not too warm to turn on the oven, so you start to cook differently.  (even though it is going to be 86 degrees here in a day or two), but for now, I'm thinking Fall. Colored leaves, Pumpkins, crisp Apples, Apple Cider, lots of baked goodies, you get the drift.  Today I have a recipe for you that I always make for Thanksgiving, Oranges stuffed with Sweet Potatoes.  Can I tell you just how yummy they are?  You can make them anytime, they are so easy, but at our house they are a Thanksgiving staple, along with the Sweet Potato casserole that my daughter makes.  So, here is the recipe.

SWEET POTATO STUFFED ORANGES

You can bake your own Sweet Potatoes or use 1 of the large cans of Potatoes (drained).  That will make 4 to 6.

3 oranges cut in half (extra large Navel)*
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
heavy cream
butter
(3/4 stick melted)
1/4 cup brown sugar
Rum
Whip the potatoes as you would for mashed potatoes, add the spices and the melted butter and the brown sugar.  Then add enough cream just to make them smooth but not runny.  Add 3 tbls of Rum (not rum extract, Rum)
Hollow out the oranges and spoon the sweet potatoes into the halves, piling up high. Top with 1/2 Pecan piece.  Bake at 350 degrees until hot.
*My sister bakes them in little Pumpkins for variety

I guarantee that once you make these, you will make them again, and you may make them part of your Thanksgiving Dinner too.

They are definitely a crowd pleaser.


Well, until tomorrow,
Ciao for now
Grayce

PUMPKIN CAKE

PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS everywhere.  So now that it is almost Halloween and Pumpkins are plentiful,  it is time for a Pumpkin recipe. I love Fall and this time of year.  And I adore Halloween.  I love to decorate and make Treat bags for all the Trick or Treaters.  It was always a big day at our house.  This year I will go to my Daughter's house and go out with the two girls, Kate and Christina.  I have so many recipes using Pumpkin but this one is for a really good cake.  I have been making it since my Children were little.  It is just as good today as it was back then. I hope you will try it.

PUMPKIN CAKE

Sift together:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix in another bowl and beat:
4 eggs plus 2 cups granulated sugar, then add 1 cup Wesson oil and the flour mixture and beat well.  Add 2 cups of pumpkin (Libby's).
Pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2 baking pan
Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees
Let Cake cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING
1 stick of butter at room temp and 6 oz cream cheese.  Cream butter and cream cheese together then add 1 box powdered sugar.  Beat well.  Add 2 tsp vanilla and 1 cup broken pecans.  Frost cooled cake.
Keep any leftover in the refrigerator (leftover? :))

Make it for Halloween, your family will love it.

(someone inquired about my photo, it was taken this past August at a family Birthday dinner)

Thanks for stopping in today.
Ciao for now
Grayce

CREOLE JAMBALAYA

Good morning everyone.  Another hot day in Southern California.  And it is almost November.  But we have to admit we are enjoying it a lot.
Years ago when I first moved to California I had a neighbor who also loved to cook.  He shared some of his recipes with me.  The one I am bringing to you today came from him.  He had gotten it some time before that when he was in New Orleans.  He got it from a friend who worked in one of the famous restaurants there.  I promptly made it for the first time for a Christmas Open House for 25 people.  It was, true to his word, really delicious.  I still make it today.  This recipe serves 25 to 30 people but it is one of those things that you can easily adjust to suit the number of people in your family which is what I have done to bring it to you.  If anyone of you would like the proportions to serve 25 just let me know and I will publish it or send to you.  It is great for a large group.  One pot for the Jambalaya.

CREOLE JAMBALAYA

1 tbls olive oil
1 cup pork sausage cut into pieces
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tbls flour
3 cups cleaned cooked shrimp
3 cups diced tomatoes (save the juice)
4 cups tomato juice combined with water (no seeds) the juice from the tomatoes plus enough water to make 4 cups
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
2 tbls chopped parsley
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 tbls Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces.
1/2 cup dry White wine

In a large pot put the oil, cook the sausage, green pepper and onion stirring often for about 10 minutes until soft.  Stir in the flour and stir until smooth, then cook 2-3 minutes.  Add diced tomatoes, tomato juice water mixture, garlic and parsley.  Cook just to boiling point.  Stir in rice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme and red pepper. Add the White wine.  Cover and cook on low for 25 minutes or until rice is tender and almost all the liquid absorbed.  Add and stir in the shrimp and chicken.  Cover the pot and simmer for about 6 or 7 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
*If after adding the rice it begins to get too dry, add some tomato juice.

This is a good hearty meal served with a nice crisp salad and some hot bread.  Don't forget a glass of wine for the adults.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Ciao for now
Grayce

FILET OF SOLE

Hi everyone.  What a weekend! Well, to start off with, I don't know how many of you have known about my pineapple, but 2 1/2 years ago I took the top of a pineapple and planted it in a big pot.  For two years it grew and grew but no pineapple.  After 2 years I noticed something deep in the center and a little over six months later it had grown into an amazing big pineapple.  (pictured above)  This weekend I cut it off and took it to my daughters where we cut it open and ate it.  It was juicy and as sweet as sugar.  It was the most amazing pineapple I ever ate in my life.  But can you imagine?  It takes 2 1/2 years to grow 1 pineapple and each plant gives only one.  Sometimes it may give two.  Just think of the rotation they have in Hawaii to keep us in pineapples.  I can hardly believe it.  The best part of this whole experience was,  that no one thought it would grow.  My son Ed, works for Chiquita Fresh, and all the guys in the pineapple part of the Company said there was no way I could grow one.  Well they don't know me.  So if you have the patience, try twisting the top off of your next pineapple and give it a try.  It was very exciting to say the least. (Also my Yankees won the Pennant!) Just a footnote :-)

Well let's get to today's recipe.  It is so simple and I know that even someone who is not a fish eater will love this.

Filet of Sole
egg wash
lemon
White Wine
butter
 olive oil
salt and pepper

Beat an egg and put into a pie dish, salt and pepper the filets and dip into the egg wash on both sides.  Saute quickly in the mixture of  1/2 olive oil and 1/2 unsalted butter.  Remove from pan and cover with a piece of foil (just lay the foil over the top).  Add 1/4 stick of butter and 1/2 cup White wine and juice of 1 lemon to the drippings in the pan. Cook until it reduces and thickens a little, spoon quickly over the fish and sprinkle with slivered almonds.  Serve with Asparagus and roasted little red potatoes.

Cut the Asparagus into 2" pieces and saute quickly in a little olive oil and garlic.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast the Potatoes in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Put them into a shallow baking dish and toss with a little olive oil just to coat, salt and pepper, slivered garlic and some Herbs de Provence.
A meal fit for a King!  Delicious and healthy.

I am going to plant another Pineapple today.  Give it a try.  It was so worth the effort.

Ciao for now
Grayce

CHOCOLATE KICKS

YIPEE! YEA! HOORAY!  My blog site is working AND I found the Brownie recipe in with all my Christmas Cookie recipes.  To quote the author, "there's a recipe around for chocolate brownies: a dry, pale brown thing that really has no resemblance to this dark, fudgy, moist delight."  And she  (Edna McHugh) is absolutely right.  I have been making this recipe since 1971.  There is a little book called "Chocolate Kicks and other recipes for the Chocolate Addict."  The recipes all have Hippie Era names.  And of course, I am the biggest Hippie of them all.  The Sixties Rule!  Anyway, I digress.  I am also a "make it from scratch" person."  Even if you are a run around crazy Mom or a working Mom, you must try this Brownie recipe at least once.  Make it on the weekend.  And.....once you do, watch out, you will be doing it again.  Okay, enough of that, here then is the recipe.

CHOCOLATE KICKS

5 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 lb of butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tbls vanilla
1 cup sifted all purpose flour

Set oven at 325 degrees.  Grease a 9" square pan.  Melt chocolate butter and shortening together over hot water or on a very low flame.  Mix thoroughly, let cool slightly.  Beat eggs with salt till light.  Add sugar gradually and beat till creamy.  Add chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Fold in well.  Add flour all at once.  Beat till smooth.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or till done  (DO NOT OVER BAKE)  Cut into small squares while hot.

That's it.  The recipes in this book are all so awesome, Chocolate Joints, Chocolate Weeds, Chocolate Hippies, Chocolate Far Outs.  You get the drift.  I will be bringing you more of them as time goes by.  There are recipes for Cakes, Pies, and Misc. Jazz.  All of them noteworthy to say the least.

When you taste these Brownies, these moist, mouth watering chewy delights, I guarantee you will take the time to make them often.

PEACE!

Ciao
Grayce

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI

Good morning.  Well I am still looking for my Brownie recipe.  I want to get it to you all so you can try it on the weekend.  In the meantime I am going to give you a recipe that I first had in a Restaurant in Northern Italy a few years ago.  Pumpkin Ravioli.  I really did not have a recipe but when I came home I put one together with good results.  Since then I have had them at a couple of different restaurants in Los Angeles and have seen them being prepared on The Food Network by two or three different chefs.  I have not tried their recipes, because my family and myself included are happy with the way I make them.  So today I impart to you my recipe.  Very simple but so delicious they really do make your mouth water.  I am making them for dinner Friday night.

2 cups of cooked pumpkin (I used canned) or 2 cups of cooked squash (you can buy it already peeled and cubed at your local market.
6 tablespoons of cream
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 1/2 sticks of butter (unsalted)
6 sage leaves
pasta sheets or wonton wrappers or make your own pasta

Add the cream to the pumpkin (or squash puree'), cook in a saucepan over low heat to cook away some of the moisture.  Add the nutmeg and let cool.  If you use wontons*, (the small size) put about a tsp of the mixture in each, brushing the edges all around with water, fold over to make a triangle and press them down to seal.  If you make your own pasta dough (or use sheets from your specialty market) add a full tsp to each and cut with your ravioli cutter or a knife and then seal the edges pressing down with a fork.  To make your own pasta, 2 cups of flour, 1 egg and enough water to form the dough, knead it until shiny and elastic and roll into sheets.  Fill as directed above.  Drop into boiling water and cook just until they float to the top.  Cook a minute more.  In the meantime melt the butter until it just begins to brown, drop in the sage leaves and cook just for about 20 seconds or so.  Remove ravioli from the water, draining well, and toss them into the pan with the butter and sage.  Coat them evenly and serve immediately.

They are so amazing, I know your whole family will really love them.  Some specialty markets may carry Pumpkin Ravioli.  But they are so easy to make, especially if you buy the pasta or use the wontons, that it is more economical to do so.  And you know what you are getting.  I am a big proponent of "making your own".
*wanton raviolis cook in just a couple of minutes

Try them this weekend for something different.  Thanks for stoppping in today.
Ciao for now
Grayce