Firewater Friday . . . Margarita

The name I chose for 10^th grade Spanish class was Margarita . . . it’s interesting that the man I married just so happens to LOVE margaritas.  Just sayin’.

In its purest form the margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila mixed with triple sec and lime, often served with salt on the glass rim. It is usually served shaken with ice, on the rocks, blended with ice or without ice.   Margaritas fall into the cocktail classification of a sour; which consist of a Spirit, Cordial, and Juice.

A classic margarita is distinctly tart.  The American sweet tooth is used to a sweeter version and typically a simple syrup or powdered sugar is added to accommodate this preference.

Add strawberry or banana or other fruit and blend with ice for a delicious but bastardized version of the classic.

1 ½  ounces tequila

½ ounce Triple Sec

1 ounce of fresh lime juice

2 tsp powdered sugar – optional

Salt

Pour over crushed ice, stir. Rub the rim of a stem glass with rind of lemon or lime, spin in salt then choose your option:

On the rocks . . . pour over ice, drink.

Straight up . . . pour, drink

Frozen . . . blend with ice, pour drink

Czech It Out

My great grandmother immigrated to the United States from Czechoslovakia to escape Nazi persecution.   My Baba had a wonderful flower garden in her yard with winding paths to explore.  She always spoke loudly and had a heavy accent and, as a little girl, I often couldn’t understand her.  I have many memories of her pulling coins from her apron pocket and stuffing them into my little hand.   Her home was always welcoming and filled with yummy smells. 

One of the things she always had for us was Kolache.

Kolache is a traditional Slovak pastry that I grew up eating during holidays and family visits.  A Czech dictionary defines Kolache as "the national sweet bread."  It is simply a bread made with sweet yeast dough that is rolled out very thin, spread with a nut paste, then rolled up into a log, baked, and sliced crosswise.

Traditionally, Kolache recipes are handed down from generation to generation within families.  It took me a long time to find a recipe that resembled my Great Grandmother’s Kolache.  I found a good one . . . but not AS good.

Old-Fashioned Kolache Dough

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 package dry yeast

8 oz sour cream

1 tsp salt

4 eggs, beaten

5-6 cups of flour

Dissolve yeast in sour cream, set aside. Mix flour, sugar, salt and butter (as in a pie crust). Add yeast/sour cream mixture and eggs. Knead until smooth, adding more flour as necessary (dough should not be sticky).

Place in bowl and cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.

 Nut Filling

1 pound ground walnuts

1 stick margarine

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp maple syrup

1/4 cup warm milk

Mix together until well blended. Set aside and let cool.

Divide dough into 5 parts. Roll each into a rectangle shape, using 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup sugar (for all 5) so that the dough won't stick.

Spread each rectangle with 1/5 of the nut filling, almost to the edges.

Roll width-wise and seal with your fingers.

Sprinkle the tops lightly with sugar and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Wait until cool before cutting into slices.

 

NOM-dilly-cious!

You must be out of your gourd!

“Men are like pumpkins. It seems like all the good ones are either taken or they've had everything scraped out of their heads with a spoon.”

The air is crisp, the leaves are vibrant . . . fall is here! Soon there will be a ridiculously large pumpkin sitting atop my kitchen table to be sacrificed for Halloween. The guts will be scooped and scraped. The flesh will be stabbed and slashed. A brutal process for a quaint tradition.

Contained within the fibers of the stringy innards are the seeds . . . don’t throw them away. Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are flat, dark green seeds. Pumpkin seeds are chewy to the bite and nutty to the palate. Roasted pumpkin seeds make a yummy snack that is actually very good for you. Lightly roasted seeds provide better nutrition than dark ones, as excessive heat destroys some of their nutritive value.

After removing guts from the inside the pumpkin, prepare the seeds by removing excess pulp that may have stuck to them. It’s okay to leave some pulp on your seeds (it adds flavor) but try to get off as much of the bigger pieces as possible.

1. Soak the seeds overnight in salt water.


2. When you’re ready to roast them, dry them with a towel.


3. While it's O.K. to leave some strings and pulp on your seeds (it adds flavor), clean off any major chunks.


4. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.


5. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.


6. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

Optional Seasoning to Taste:
• Garlic Powder Or Garlic Salt
• Seasoning Salt
• Black Pepper
• Salt Free Seasoning Blend, Such As Mrs. Dash Brand
• Cayenne Pepper
• Seasoning Salt
• Cajun Seasoning Blend
• Chili Powder
• Mexican Style Chili Lime Seasoning
• Italian Seasoning Or Other Herbs
• Grated Hard Cheese Such As Parmesan




Besides nibbling on the toasted seeds as a snack, you can add them to sautéed vegetables, green salads, cookie dough, granola, and bread recipes.


Acorn and Butternut squash seeds are tasty also and can be toasted the same way as pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While they may stay edible for several months, they seem to lose their peak freshness after about one to two months.

Pillowy Clouds of Happiness

Gnocchi - pronounced N'YO-kee – literally translates to “lump”.  They are thought to be one of the oldest prepared foods in history . . . recorded as far back as cookbooks of the thirteenth century.   It is believed that gnocchi are the predecessor of pasta.

In its most basic form, gnocchi is a little dumpling formed from cheese, flour and egg yolks.  Boiled and served with grated cheese.

The most familiar form of gnocchi served today are made with potatoes.  They are dished up with many different types of sauces – tomato or pesto being favored but a simple sauce of butter and herbs brings out the flavor of the dumplings.

They are easy to make . . . easier than pasta by a long shot.  All you need is:

• 1 Cup Mashed Potatoes (see note below on cooking the potatoes)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
• 8 Teaspoons Butter, Clarified
• 1 Cup Romano Cheese, Grated
• 3 Cups Flour

-Combine potato with eggs and salt and whip until fluffy.

-Add ricotta cheese, butter, Romano cheese and flour.

-Knead until smooth.

-Shape into 1/2" rolls and cut into 1" lengths.

-Make impression with thumb in each piece, and then lightly dust with flour.

-Drop into boiling salted water and cook only until they rise to the surface.

-Drain and serve!

Cooking the potatoes:  Boil the potatoes whole with the skins on. Make sure they are completely cooked. After they are cooked, peel, cut in quarters and allow to cool before mashing. This will help remove excess moisture. When cool mash or whip with a mixer. Do not use butter or milk.

Note: Before cooking, gnocchi may be flash frozen on a cookie sheet, then placed in plastic bag in freezer.

Eggs ala Shteffers

When a good friend of mine gave me eggs fresh from her chickens I wanted to do something very special with them. 

I can’t think of any egg dish that is more amazing than Eggs Benedict.  Its like going to heaven one bite at a time.

The secret to eggcellent Eggs Benedict is the awesomesauce – if you’ve never had it . . . hollandaise is a rich buttery sauce that's an addiction in and of itself. 

Combined with a poached egg atop a thick slice of Canadian bacon atop a crisp toasted English muffin and you are well on your way to dining with the angels.

Seriously . . . it’s THAT good!

What you need:

• Water
• 1/4 Cup Distilled Vinegar, Divided
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 4 Slices Canadian Bacon
• 2 Plain English Muffins, Split and Toasted
• Hollandaise Sauce  (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1. Pour enough water into a large skillet to reach a depth of about 3 inches and add the vinegar. Bring the skillet to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Crack an egg into a cup and carefully slide it into the hot poaching liquid. Quickly repeat with all the eggs. Poach the eggs, turning them occasionally with a spoon, until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a kitchen towel. Lightly dab the eggs with the towel to remove any excess water.
4. While the eggs are poaching, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until heated through, about a minute on each side.
5. To serve, toast the English muffin halves and divide them among 2 warmed plates. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon, and set an egg on top. Spoon the hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.

How to make the most eggcellent awesomesauce ever . . .  Julia Childs’ Hollandaise

• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tablespoon Water
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice, If Needed (Or More)
• 6 -8 Ounces Very Soft Unsalted Butter
• 1 Dash Cayenne Pepper
• Salt, To Taste
• Fresh Ground White Pepper, To Taste

1. Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).
2. Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.
3. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).
4. As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.
5. By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.
6. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.

If you live in or near Connecticut and want farm fresh eggs, contact Stephanie for pricing and availability.

Good to the last lick!

Weekend Whimsy . . . Goat in a Coat

Seriously . . . does a goat really require a coat?  Who would want to buy such a thing?  

Okay . . . just in case your goat absolutely MUST have a coat, here's a pattern I found on http://kinne.net/goatcoat.htm  you can make one yourself:

Goat Coats
Maxine Kinne

Following anaesthesia to X-ray an injury in 1984, Chloe's temperature dropped dangerously. A sweatshirt wasn't enough to raise it because she was not producing heat internally. She needed a heating pad and a heat lamp for a few hours. That was the first time one of my goats had been anaesthetized, and I learned three things:
* Carefully monitor body temperature until the goat is completely normal following anaesthesia.
* You never know when you will need suitable goat clothing.
* Our clothing doesn't fit goats. And if you manage to get it on a goat, it won't stay put.

Late the next autumn, Smidgie began to lose hair at an alarming rate. How was I to keep her comfortably warm enough through the winter? Despite many different medical tests, her exact condition defied diagnosis for nearly 18 months. By then, her symptoms indicated adrenal gland cancer (Cushing's disease), which was confirmed at necropsy.

Numerous measurings, fittings and alterations were needed to perfect the design. I made several colorful coats so Smidgie was never uncovered while her soiled raiments were cast upon the waters of the Maytag. These goat coats have come in very handy through the years.

I've seen several designs and found them wanting because they are so much more complicated and expensive to make. They require trim sewn on all cut edges. Expense is driven up with wide nylon webbing and quick-release buckles or snap rings. These are fine if you want show coats - they can even be embellished with herd names or logos. But for pure utilitarian convenience, polar fleece is my fabric of choice. A single layer has great insulating qualities. The cut edges do not ravel, it is soft and easy on the skin yet wears like iron, and it launders beautifully. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns for flashy goat finery. One 28" to 30" remnant yields two adult Pygmy-size coats.

Custom measure (any size or breed): 1) Base of the neck to base of tail 2) Elbow-to-elbow over the back Cut the fabric to those measurements. Fitting around the neck and shoulders.Fold fabric on center back line. Cut a 4" V-shape from center neck to chest front. Measure 4" from center neck line for center lines of 1" darts. Taper 6"-long darts on both halves. Sew center front chest seam together. Ties are made from selvage edges of polar fleece or 1" bias tape folded and zigzagged together lengthwise. Sew the darts and front seam, then fit the coat inside-out on the goat. Mark tie locations just behind the front legs, in front of the hind legs and about halfway up the goat's side. Sew ties securely to the wrong side.

Leave the ties longer on one side to be able to hide the bows under the coat to thwart the wearer and envious herdmates who might nibble on and untie it. I always used a stanchion for fittings, and the side I was on dictated leaving longer ties on the side furthest from me. Tie them as securely as you would a child's shoelaces. I tie a large bow, then tie the bow together. During the final fitting, make sure that the rear ties are not tight enough to interfere with the udder or milk vein in late gestation and lactation. Do not tie the coat on snugly.

Without ties or a belly band sewn on underneath, the coat will be removed or wadded into an unsightly mess under the goat. Disheveled goats are unhappy and quite unfashionable. Even with ties, belts and associated security devices, the creative caprine finds ample opportunities to twist and mangle the attire into a mere shadow of its former sartorial splendor. Here's how to avoid this embarrassment. Hopefully.

Belly band.  To retain additional body heat, add a 10"-wide belt of the same fabric instead of one set of ties. Cut the band 8" to12" wide by 14" to16" long (for Pygmies). Sew it between the tie marks on the side furthest from where you will stand to tie it on. To tailor the belt to the paunch, sew a large dart at the edges closest to the chest and the udder. Add ties to the two corners of the band to correspond with the ties on the other side of the coat. The belly band is a good place to insert a heating pad. If it is necessary to use one, constantly monitor the goat due to the possibility of electrocution (biting the electrical cord) and to make sure the heating pad stays in place.

If your goat has real trouble keeping the coat on, it can be stabilized by sewing on a 12" tie at the center back at the neck to tie to a collar.

Masculine adjustment.  A coat with a belt is better for bucks and wethers than one with ties. The rear tie can rub on and irritate the penile sheath. Fit the coat on the male and mark a circle several inches in diameter around the end of his sheath. Remove the coat and cut this fabric away. This will let him urinate without completely soaking himself. After all, don't want him to end up with a "gunky dingle."