The Blueberry Duff that wasn't.

I give UP! 

 I have been working my butt off trying to replicate a childhood favorite of my husbands.  My late mother in law apparently never wrote the recipe down, so my journey has been tiring!  I have tried blueberry every which way people!  The dessert is called, "Blueberry Duff".  It is NOT the original European version.  Anyway in the wee small hours of the morning.........2:10 a.m. to be exact, this light shone down from heaven, the angels sang and I knew I had FOUND IT!  The PERFECT recipe that is exactly what my husband described, until I made it.  I realized I read the recipe wrong and since I had already mixed it all up, I had to go ahead and make it.  It turned out quite nice but in no way, shape or form was the infamous Blueberry Duff.

My marriage could be riding on recreating this recipe.  I have decided I will never find the correct recipe.  I am going to have to make it like my husband SWEARS she made it, and see if it works.  At this point, to just have him say...."really close, but not quite" would send me over the moon.  Instead I get....."This is nothing like it, but it is really good and you should make it again".  Grrrrrr......  I makes me get that wifely twitch, come on, you KNOW, you know what I am talking about.  The one you are sure is happening to avoid some hideous crime scene from being made, yea....that one.  So I share with you all.......my Blueberry Pudding Cake.  Enjoy and remember one thing...it is NOT blueberry DUFF!  *said with over the top amount of sarcasm*

Here is what you will need:

2 1/2 ups blueberries, frozen OR fresh
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp plus 1 tsp vanilla
1/3 plus 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted and cooled

Preheat your oven to 375.  Butter or spray with vegetable spray a 9X9 baking dish

In a small sauce pan combine, water, cornstarch, 1/3 cup of sugar,  and 2 cups of blueberries until cornstarch is dissolved.  Bring to a boil and immediately turn down to simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat, add 1/2 tsp vanilla and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. 
In another bowl combine wet ingredients, egg, milk, melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla.

Combine dry and wet ingredients together, combining thoroughly but not over mixing.  Take your leftover 1/2 cup of blueberries, toss them in 1 tsp flour and add to mixture.  

Put into greased baking dish, smooth batter and pour warm blueberry mixture over the top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let sit for 1 hour.  

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream!

I hope you enjoy this dessert!  You can use fresh or frozen berries, and depending on their tartness you may need to add a bit more sugar to the warm mixture.  

Let me know how it goes!!

Your blueberry duff deficient chefwannabe,
Chris

Tales of a starving pantry....

Think back........when you were young.  What did your mother keep in the pantry?  What were her "kichen neccesities"?  Maybe it was flour, sugar, salt, crackers, some canned items, pasta's....?  Think about your own pantry.  Is it running over with items you don't use or don't really need?  Or is it empty and you are not sure what should be in it?  

I can remember my mom having a wall unit of shelves in our basement.  It was always stocked with flour, sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, dried pasta, dried beans (gross), canned salmon (triple quadruple gross),  canned fruits and veggies and plenty of chicken noodle soup! hehe  My mom always used margarine, I assume because it was cheap and sometimes she would mix powdered milk and put it in the washed out gallon jug of milk to try and trick us when money was tight, or mix it, half and half.   With 10 kids, we always had cereal on the shelf and a few various items  little hands couldn't reach and would get pushed back further and further until one day someone found them all.  We had a huge garden so my mom canned tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, green beans, carrots, dill pickles, relish, tomato juice.  We froze corn and lots of other fruit.  It is funny how times have changed.  What we deem "necessary" and things we might not even think of that could make life easier.

This being said, it depends on your level of cooking ability and interest as to what is in your pantry.  What I keep in my pantry would not even be comparable to someone like.....well,  insert name of someone you know who rarely cooks.  I am going to give you what I think is my "necessities" list for the pantry.  It will not be the same as your list, or likely anyone elses list.  But it might help someone who is just starting out, or is just starting to learn to cook or bake.  It might not even be the same as what your spouse thinks is necessary but we all know the none cooking spouse gets little to no say.  Or wait, is that just in my world?!?! teehee

this totally reminds me of our basement pantry

Pantry

flour (all purpose)

sugar (granulated, powdered, brown)

salt

peppercorns

white vinegar

dried pastas

canned tomato products

rice

cake mix

baking mix (basic Bisquick type)

baking soda

baking powder

cornstarch

canned pineapple (I use this alot)

spices

vanilla

tin foil

saran wrap

baggies (qt size and gallon)

parchment paper

cocoa

olive oil

veg oil

non stick cooking spray

Mrs. Grasses Chicken Noodle Soup

Nutella

Peanut Butter

yeast

Stock (chicken and beef even thought I almost always make my own, keep 1 or 2 of each on hand in case)

This is a close and pretty complete list of what I ALWAYS have on hand at all times in the pantry.  OK so I omitted the Spaghettio's but dang it, I didn't want to face my Spaghettio haters!  With these items your cooking and baking options are endless. From breads to cakes, cookies, pasta's!  Use gallon size Ziploc bags for marinating or storing leftovers.  Parchment paper is my newest addition a couple of years ago, what in billy heck did I do before parchment paper?  

Now, let me know what YOU think is necessary in YOUR pantry.  Is there a specific item you NEVER allow yourself to run out of?  Share with us, it might be something we never thought of!  In the meantime, double check, and save yourself running to the neighbors for flour.  When its on sale, stock up!  

Your "time to stock your pantry for winter" chefwannabe

Chris

Beef and Barley Soup

I am ALIVE!  I don't feel much like I am still, but I needed some liquid love today.  My throat needed it and my tummy too!  I saw someone eating beef and barley soup on a show last night and I decided I had to have it.  I know, I know, I am sick but really, it took no more time than heating up a can of soup. *GASP*   Considering my husband is sick as well, I figured it was our best chance at gaining any nourishment tonight!  Seems this cruddy cold business is spread far and wide, seems so many people have it right now that I know.  Let this one pot wonderment warm you from the inside out!  

Here is what you will need:
2 qts beef stock 
1 medium onion
4 large carrots
3 ribs of celery
1 lb. (approx.) roast or steak cut into bite size pieces.
1 cup barley
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp butter
drizzle of olive oil

And here is what you will need to do with it when you have it gathered up!

Melt butter in soup pot and drizzle in some olive oil.  Chop carrots, celery, onion and beef and drop in pot.  Add salt and pepper.  Let cook on medium about 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Add 2 qts of beef stock.  Add in thyme and parsley.  Let simmer 15 minutes and then add barley.  Cook according to time on the package.  Cook with lid on.  Serve with crusty buttered bread!!

This is definitely a soup HIT in my kitchen.   Its going to get chilly soon, *I hope*.  I am SO ready for fall!  And you will need nice warm bowls of goodness to keep your loved ones toasty!  Add this to your easy peasy pots of soup!  The longer it simmers on your stove *with the lid on* the better it becomes.  Add as much or as little beef as you like, I wished I had added more, thus giving you a measurement larger than mine, but my husband usually like lots of meat in soup and so do I.  

Enjoy, stay well and keep warm!

Your coughing, hacking, chefwannabe

Chris

Homemade Chicken Stock........by request

Hello friends.  I am in between cough medicine coma's to bring you a recipe that was requested by a couple of people.  Tonight I got it as a request by one of chefwannabe's biggest fans.  It must happen, and it must happen now!  This is gonna be a quick one, so hold on tight and use this recipe soon!  You can freeze extra stock in quart containers and it is awesome to have on hand!  I get quart soup containers from my
favorite Chinese restaurant the round clear plastic ones.  Perfection.  

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
1 whole chicken or 3-4 lbs of chicken pieces
8 cups COLD water (It may take more or less depending on the size pot you are using.  Just make sure the chicken is completely covered in water!)
2 large onions quartered
4 stalks of celery, halved
4 large carrots, peeled and halved
1 tsp dried poultry seasoning
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp dried parsley
2 crushed cloves of garlic (optional) sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Get your chicken unwrapped and ready to go.  Remove gizzards and make sure to use the neck!  In your pot, put in 8 cups of COLD water. When your water is cold and the chicken and water heat up together, it draws more flavor from the bones as opposed to putting a cold chicken in boiling water.  Add your veggies and seasonings into the cold water and stir.  Add chicken and set your burner to medium, simmer for approx 3 hours on low to medium with a lid ON!

When chicken is fully cooked, remove into a bowl or plate.  Remove veggies and put in a bowl.  Put stock in the refrigerator to cool completely.  The fat will rise to the top and harden.  This process could take up to 4 hours. You can speed it up in the freezer if you like. Remove fat.  Take carrots, celery and onions, and process in your food processor until liquefied.  Add to stock. The flavor addition is amazing and I can sneak the veggies in and my husband has no idea!  It will give it a great rich color too!


At this point you can either use the stock right away or freeze it in containers or Ziploc bags. Stock can always be frozen in an ice cube tray as well if you may need small portions for gravy or sauces.

Remove your chicken from the bone and use or freeze as well.

Enjoy!!!

Your chicken noodle soup with homemade stock lovin' chefwannabe

Chris

Scapettes-Madonna Family Tradition

Hoping this finds you enjoying your evening.  Its Sunday evening but by the time you read this it could be Monday morning, or afternoon!  Regardless, I trust your weekend was full of fun and laughter!

This is going to need some explaining.  Well, I just really want to talk about how I got this recipe.  My husband's mother passed away 12 years ago.  We were fortunate to be blessed with a stepmother/mother in law who we adore.  (Good job dad).  Mary comes from an Italian family, and her mother Norma, was a first generation Italian, raised in South Philly. Norma made a soup dish called, "Scapettes" This soup was never to be served at the same meal pasta 

 was served at,  because it would be to many carbs in the meal.  OK, obviously I was never fortunate enough to meet Norma.  She would understand what a carb addicted fool her daughter got for a daughter in law.  I think it would make her proud!  Pasta amore!!!! Anyway, this was always served for their big  12 course holiday meals.  It was a family tradition as long as my mother in law can remember.  I am so thankful she made it that first big meal we had together!  I ask for it whenever we are going to be there which now that we live in Nebraska is never often enough.  She even brought me some when they visited last time!  

This is a crepe-like, very thin, somewhere between a crepe and pasta jewel that is loaded with cheese and parsley and rolled into a log, placed on the bottom of a soup bowl and drowning in chicken soup!  I will make some important notes at the bottom so don't stop reading at the recipes end!

Here is what you will need:
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp salt
Locatelli Cheese *can substitute pecorino romano, or for a WAY milder flavor, Parm*
Fresh, FINELY chopped parsley

Combine all ingredients except cheese and parsley in blender or food processor.  I did it by hand because I didn't want to clean the processor again and it worked out fine.  Just make sure to blend COMPLETELY until smooth.  
Use a small 6 inch (approx) skillet and pour in enough batter until circle is about 3 inches across.  Then take your skillet and tilt it around until batter is spread as much as it will spread.  When the bottom is cooked carefully flip over *I use mini rubber coated tongs* and cook the other side. This whole process should take about 30 seconds to 1 min.  I filled mine immediately after I took it out.  Sprinkle it with your cheese and some parsley and roll up like a log.  Place 2 or 3 in the bottom of a soup bowl and pour chicken soup over the top.  

Cheese and parsley is to taste.  I used probably 1 3/4 cup of cheese and 1/2 cup of parsley.

Mine are POSSIBLY a little thick since I didn't do the tilting thing the first handful of times but no matter, DELICIOUS!

For the chicken soup, as always I endorse making your own of everything.  However, if you don't have some homemade stock in your freezer *gasp* or time to boil a chicken for stock and meat, I am giving you the easy alternative.


Easy Chicken Soup for the top
10 cups good chicken stock
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 carrot grated and 1 stalk of celery chopped VERY fine  *I don't know if this is traditional but I did it to mine*
2 tbsp of finely chopped or grated onion
Put all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 30 min.  When chicken is done, remove and shred or chop and put back in soup.

This soup is delicious.  I have been intrigued by my inability to find anything about this soup online.  My mother in law says she has only seen it on a menu at one Italian restaurant in her whole life.  Not sure if its a regional soup of Naples or what.  All I know is its such an impressive soup to serve, heart and tummy warming to eat and a new tradition of my own family now.  

Thank you Norma, for your wonderful daughter, and thank you Mary for sharing your family recipe with me and allowing me to make it for my own family.  I wonder if your mom knew this recipe would spread so far and wide!  Grazie tanto!

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

That is the question for you ranch dressing lovers!  My husband and I love ranch dressing.  We dip in it, use it for salad sometimes, and I have even marinated in it.  You can use the dry packets of seasoning to mix in with breading, spice up chicken or roast or use to just make great dressing, now you can stop buying those packets and make your own!

Again, on my "make it myself" spree.  I decided to find a great dry mix recipe for ranch dressing.  Well I found one.  I usually like to write my own recipes.   I found one and decided to just try it, but to me it needed more of some things and less of some things.  I went to my local Dollar Tree and got a medium sized jar with a pop on lid to store it in.  You could use a regular jar but, what fun is that?!?!  Again, utilize your dollar store for SO many of these ingredients.  It may seem pricey but I am still working on the original batch I made 3 months ago.  Its not even half gone and for the first week after I made it my husband made ranch dip or dressing every single night!
I use this to sprinkle on chicken, I sprinkle it in breadcrumbs if I am breading something.  I have used it in turkey meatloaf, and dip for sour cream and onion chips!

Ranch Dressing Dry Mix Recipe

15 saltine crackers (squares)

2 1/2 cups dried parsley flakes

1/2 cup dried minced onions

3 tbsp dill weed

1/4 cup onion salt

1/4 cup garlic salt

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup garlic powder

2 tbsp black pepper

Put crackers in your food processor or blender and process until they are dust!  Add the rest of the ingredients in and give just a quick process or blend (about 5 seconds worth) and place mixture into an airtight container.

For salad dressing, combine, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup sour cream and 1-2 tbsp of the mixture. 

For dip, combine, 1 1/2 tbsp of mix in 1 cup sour cream.

FOR LOWER SODIUM: replace "salts" with "powders"! 

Remember, it is up to you how much you put in. Start with some and add more if you like! Make it how YOU like it!

You can't see in the photo but I have the directions written right on the jar with a sharpie marker.  

Your "dip it, drizzle it,dipping queen" Chefwannabe

Chris

Chai Hot Drink Mix

Chai (pronounced as a single syllable and rhymes with PIE) means, simply, "tea".  For most Americans who refer to ordinary tea as "tea", the word chai has come to imply "masala chai". Masala meaning "spiced"  It is Indian/South Asian in origin.

You can purchase many chai tea mixes in the store, and I am certain some people even make their own at home with tea, milk or cream, spices and a sweetener.  My sisters Cathy and Karen are chai tea addicts.  When pricing the premix in the store, which I am sure is mostly sugar, I decided to find a recipe online and see how it worked out for the dry mix.  For some reason, maybe its just me, but if I make the premix at home, and its full of sugar, its not nearly as bad as when you buy it in the store!  It is a nice mental mind-game I like to play with myself!  I don't have the conversion for sugar and sugar substitute mastered yet but you could make this sugar free and almost fat free.  

I had to trust the taste testing of my sister.  I do not drink this, I am a coffee girl from way back and do not enjoy any hot tea.  It sure makes the house smell cozy and very "fall".  I figured if you utilize your dollar store, it will cost you approximately, 10.00 initially.  Of course if you have unsweetened ice tea, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and white sugar or sugar substitute it will be cheaper.  My sister said she pays almost 5.00 for a container the size of a soda can.  This makes about 5 times that much (in my guess).  
If you are a chai tea contessuir, you will notice this recipe has no cardamom.  Don't like it, it was hugely expensive and took such a tiny amount, I am told, you can't even tell its not in there.   You can add it if you like, I will write the recipe and put it as OPTIONAL.  

Chai Tea-Dry Mix

1 cup nonfat dry milk

2 cups french vanilla non dairy creamer (powder)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant iced tea

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom (OPTIONAL)

 

Combine thoroughly in a large bowl.  To ensure no undissolved "stuff" at the bottom of your cup, put into food processor and process approx 1 minute to make a fine powder.

Add 1/4 cup of mixture into your cup of hot water.

Enjoy!

 

Excuse the clumping look on the sides, I had just washed my processor and obviously didn't get it dried completely!!