Food Lush

One Last Recipe from My Grandma's Archives

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Nora

Writing for Food Lush was a such a gift, and one I will always cherish. Food gives sustenance, comfort, and joy, and most importantly, creates memories. So, I guess it's no surprise that my favorite posts are the ones that link food and experiences. The one I wrote about my childhood food memories from summers in Norway is definitely the one I most enjoyed writing and which was most personal for me. But I have to say that Caitlin's post about her Christmases on Beaver Lake not only made me feel like I was there with her family, but made me WANT to be part of her family.

***

Thus, my last post for Food Lush is simply a recipe that brings back memories for me, and which will forever remind me of my Grandma. Fettucine Alfredo---the real Italian version that uses butter and cheese (NO heavy cream). I still remember my Grandma pouring the hot pasta over the creamy mixture and the steam rising from the bowl, the sweet smell of basil and parmesan hitting my nose. I am giving you the recipe with the caveat that I have not yet been able to recreate it quite as perfectly as she was able to make it, and I don't know why. I follow the directions exactly, but still it's not the same. I think it's simply the fact that she's not here to make it for me anymore. But I hope that if you decide to make this recipe, it brings you as much comfort as it did for me at the time.

Nora's Grandma's Fettucine Alfredo

1 pkg fettucine

4 tbsp butter

3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg (optional)

1 tbsp sweet dried basil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Cook the noodles until almost tender. In a separate large serving bowl (big enough so you have lots of room to mix), beat the 1 egg* and after the pasta is cooked, add a ladle full of the hot pasta water to the egg.  In a separate sauce pan, melt butter and add garlic, basil, and parmesan. Add half of the butter/cheese mixture to the bowl with the egg and pasta water, and then pour the noodles over that. Pour the rest of the butter mixture over the noodles and mix all together until combined and creamy. Eat and savor.

*If you are uncomfortable using an egg in this recipe, you can leave it out. The hot pasta water cooks the egg to the point where it thickens but doesn't get hard, and it adds a richness to the pasta that I like. However, it will taste just as good without it.

Gettin' Real at the Whole Foods Salad Bar

By Nora

I generally don't shop at Whole Foods regularly (because omigod i'd be broke), but I am here to admit that I am completely, utterly OBSESSED with their salad bar. It's becoming a problem. But honestly, as far as salad bars go, it's a work of art. I have never seen a wilted lettuce leaf, or a cucumber in the tomato section, or so much as a crouton or a sunflower seed out of place. And I love that they have my "usuals" all the time (stuffed grape leaves, balsamic roasted vegetables, cous cous with cranberries and walnuts), but that there's almost always something new and delicious for me to discover too, like a new tofu dish or pasta salad. When I say it's like Christmas morning every time I go there, i'm not lying. And I thought that I was one of the few people who felt so strongly about the WF salad bar until I mentioned it to my friend Robin when we were having dinner one night and she FREAKED OUT about it, too.  So I figured there must be more of you out there. I'm going to give you a glimpse of what my salad looks like, and then perhaps you can get a glimpse of my soul, too.  Know my salad, know me.

 

Okay WF Salad Bar addicts, time to come out of the woodwork.  What is your favorite salad bar combo?

Homemade Doggie Treats for the Canine Love(s) of your Life

By Nora

Hey, do you guys like dogs? Because my family is kind of dog-obsessed (we would have rescued like 10 dogs by now if we didn’t have some restraint), and in fact, we consider our two dogs members of our family, which any self-respecting dog owner should. And as members of the family, shouldn’t they get special homemade treats once in a while, too? We bake cookies for our kids, so why shouldn’t we do the same for our dogs? Not ALL the time of course, but once in a while I think it’s a fun activity to whip up a batch of homemade dog treats for the pooches. There are all sorts of different recipes on the Internet, depending on how simple or complicated a recipe you’re looking for.  But the cool thing is that these treats are all-natural and unlike some name brand dog treats you can buy at the store, you know everything that goes into them (and you can even pronounce the ingredients!).  Another bonus is that my 2-year-old daughter, who just started developing an interest in helping me bake, LOVES making cookies just for the dogs.  So it’s a great activity to engage your kids, too. Heck, there's even a dog treat cookbook you can buy! And, if you’re lazy and don’t want to make them quite from scratch, there are a selection of mixes you can buy, like this one.  Valentine’s Day is coming up, so why not use it as an excuse to make some heart-shaped goodies for your pooch? 

I can’t resist this face.

 

(Personal photo)

Lunch on the Run: Bumblebee Tuna Salad Kits

By Nora

I just started a new job recently, and after working full-time from home for 4 years I now have to actually commute to an office 2 days a week and interact with other human beings (Boo-frickin-hoo, I know). Anyway, I realized pretty quickly that I was going to be very busy and that time for lunch would be limited on those days I was in the office. I am sometimes good at preparing my lunch the night before, but often, NOT (it's not that i'm lazy, I just like to spend my few toddler-free hours at night sitting on my butt watching bad TV and not moving).  But you know what? I found a really awesome solution to both my lack of desire to plan ahead and my lack of free time for lunch. 

I've actually known about these tuna kits for a while, but rediscovered them when I was cruising the grocery store aisles for lunch inspiration last week. Since I last had one of these, Bumblebee has actually made them a little more sophisticated by adding a fruit cup and a cookie (although you can buy the kit with just the tuna, mayo, relish and crackers). it's such an awesome, compact lunch option, and I can just throw it in my purse from the pantry and i'm all set. I'm not saying that I eat these every day, but on those days when I haven't planned ahead, they are an afternoon-saver for my rumbling tummy. 

(Photo from Bumblebee)

Last Minute Gifts for your Favorite Foodie

By Nora    

Guys, Christmas is less than a week away (I KNOW), and even thought I feel like i'm pretty much ready for it to be here, I always find myself scrambling on the 23rd looking for last minute gifts for people I may have forgotten about. So, I was thinking yesterday about possible last minute gifts ideas, specifically for people who love food and cooking, just in case I get to that point and need something thoughtful, FAST.  So, if you find yourself in the same position come this weekend, here's some ideas:

1) A gift card/certificate to a restaurant you KNOW they've always wanted to try (and possibly a night of babysitting if it's hard for them to get out to dinner)!  I can't think of a more thoughtful gift than giving a friend a reason to get out and enjoy themselves (without the kids!). It doesn't have to be for a lot of money either---I think just the gesture and the offer of your time so that they can have some time alone is very generous.

2) The promise of a cooked meal delivered to their house (written inside a holiday card). This is in line with the restaurant gift card, but perhaps it's during a time when that person really, really needs to be at home but doesn't have the time or energy to think about dinner. Maybe it's just a dish of baked ziti, some garlic bread, and a bottle of wine.  But I can't TELL you how much this would mean to me!

3) A box of chocolates paired with a chocolate-themed movie (Chocolat!) and a bottle of chocolate-appropriate wine. This will require you going out to buy these items, but you can probably do so fairly easily and it's a creative and fun gift that people will think you put a lot of thought into!

4) A pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. This will go over BIG. I just made 9 pans last night and stuck them in the fridge/freezer specifically for baking this weekend.

{Photo courtesy of ME! At midnight last night!}

I plan to deliver them warm so that people can dive right in, if they want. It took some effort to make them, certainly, but you can do it in a night and then bake them the next morning.

Still need other gift ideas? Don't forget to check out the Food Lush Gift Guide!

I wish you all a stress-free, happy holiday!!

Need Another Cookie to Add to Your Holiday Arsenal? Try Biscotti!

By Nora    

By now you're probaby either A) Freaking out that there's only 11 days left until Christmas; B) Sick of hearing about how there's only 11 days left until Christmas; or C) SO excited that there's only 11 days left until Christmas.  Regardless of your answer, I imagine that in the next 11 days you have a lot of items left on your to-do list, and if one of them is baking cookies, then I have a suggestion to make your life 10 times easier.  MAKE BISCOTTI. 

Seriously, every time I make biscotti I am surprised at how easy it is, and how many cookies I get out of the effort, and how it makes me seem like such a baking professional when I deliver them to my cookie recipients. I made Sesame Orange biscotti the other day, and it took me about 3 minutes to mix the ingredients and then about an hour total to cook them (including a 10 minute in-between cooling process before you cut them). And then if you want to fancy them up, dip them in chocolate (white or dark!)!  And if you want to get really crazy, after you dip them in chocolate, add some sprinkles! Or coconut! Or extra chocolate! (Sorry. There's 11 days left until Christmas. I'm a little loopy) I also once made Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti (example in photo) which was cool because it had the red/green element that made them extra Christmas-y.

{Photo courtesy of Kitchenartistry.com}

But here's my recipe for Sesame Orange Biscotti. And it is legitimately MY recipe, because I used a basic biscotti formula and added the sesame and the orange zest myself. 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs + 1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vanilla, eggs and orange zest and add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch-long roll, and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of the roll. Press lightly so they adhere. Put the roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or covered with parchment, and flatten roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes. Cut roll diagonally into 24 (1/2-inch) slices, and place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on wire rack.

The Great Egg Nog Debate

By Nora

I find that there are many food controversies out there, especially related to holiday food. Pumpkin or pecan pie? Should fruitcake be considered a cake? (NO. it should not even be considered.) Is it okay to cook the stuffing in the turkey? And then there's nog. People seem VERY divided on the issue of egg nog. Either they love it or despise it. I personally love it. However, I only love it in this form:

Straight from the carton. None of this homemade spiked stuff. I know lots of people like their nog with rum and freshly grated nutmeg, but I find it sort of revolting. Maybe it's not---dare I say it----artificial enough, but whatever it is, I much prefer the store bought kind to anything else. However, with the store bought kind, you apparently have an array of flavor choices. Did you know there's caramel egg nog? Cinammon? Pumpkin? SUGAR COOKIE? (barf)

What about you, Food Lushers? What's your opinion of nog? Is it part of your holiday tradition, or is it not allowed within 10 feet of your house?

Easy, Home-baked Holiday Gift Idea

By Nora

My daughter goes to a Quaker preschool where they don't really make a big deal out of the holidays, especially the commercialism surrounding it. As a result, the teachers request that the kids not give them gifts, but if they want to, make something home/hand-made for them. Since my daugher is only 2 and a half that limits what she can create herself, although lately she's been enthusiastic about helping me cook (which is thrilling me to no end!).  So, this gave me an inspired idea. Remember that No-Knead Bread recipe I wrote about a while back? Well, I figured that my kid could help me mix the dough, and then the morning of preschool we pop them in the oven and after it's baked we can wrap it in a cute dishtowel, like this:

{Photo from sayyestohoboken.com}

I bet you can buy super cheap towels at Marshalls or Kohl's, or you can get a few of these that Katie wrote about back in September, and which I am completely obsessed with. And who doesn't appreciate and LOVE fresh baked bread???

How Do You Cook YOUR Turkey?

By Nora

{Photo from foodnetwork.com}

Okay guys, we are approaching very dangerous territory as I know that there are many, many ways one can cook a turkey, and so many people have VERY strong opinions on just how it should be done. It's amazing, really, all of the methods that can be utlized to create the most succulent, flavorful bird.  Some folks swear by brining the turkey a day before in order to get maximum juiciness and taste. Then there are some people (close friends of mine included), that ONLY deep fry their turkey and swear that once you eat a deep fried turkey you'll never eat it any other way again. This method both terrifies and intrigues me, if i'm being honest. I've been a fan of the traditional roasting method for as long as i've been cooking turkey, but i've varied what I do to it. I've spread rosemary butter under the skin AND over the skin, i've stuffed it with citrus fruits, onions, apples, garlic, bay leaves, you name it. I've draped a cheesecloth soaked in melted butter over it (Martha's method), and i've basted it with cider every 15 minutes (exhausting). For the last few years i've also been cooking just the turkey breast (because no one in my family is a dark meat fan), so that's saved on tons of leftovers. And while every year it turns out tasty, but i've never had the turkey that's completely blown me away---the one that lives in infamy through every subsequent Thanksgiving.

This year, however, we may try something different. This summer we became the proud owners of a Weber Smoker, and my husband is determined to smoke everything and anything possible.  So, of course, the turkey is on the list.  I'm worried though that it will taste VERY smoky, and i'm not sure that's how I want my Thanksgiving turkey to taste. Has anyone out there smoked a turkey before? If so, can you tell me whether it's worth it?

Also, i'd love to hear how you Food Lushers do YOUR turkeys!  Do you go the traditional roasting route, or do you have another favorite cooking method?  Do you cook the stuffing separately, or in the bird? Tell me all your turkey secrets!!!

Agonizing over Thanksgiving Day Dessert

By Nora

Every year that I host Thanksgiving, I have the same dilemma. Every year I want to do something exciting and new for dessert, yet I am torn between wanting to experiment and going with the traditional Thanksgiving dessert items (apple and pumpkin pie) that I know everyone expects and will eat. One year I tried a pumpkin cheescake, which turned out great, but which wasn't a big hit with my family because it defied tradition.  So I had three-quarters of a cheesecake left which I ended up throwing out (and I ABHOR wasting food). While I love apple and pumpkin pie, and can do variations on them---for example, caramel apple pie with crumb topping---I just feel like I want to get a little more creative this year but not buck tradition altogether. 

Here's a few recipes I found on the web that I am considering, which are different than what I usually make and give a little twist on the traditional pies.

Mini Apple Pies from Mama's Gotta Bake 

I love this idea because it stays within tradition but mixes up the baking process and the serving style. And I doubt anyone at my table will be expecting their own pies!

Pumpkin Roll from My Baking Addiction

I honestly think it's important (if only to me) to have something pumpkin on the Thanksgiving Day dessert table. And instead of pumpkin pie, a pumpkin roll has all the deliciousness of a frosted cake but in a slightly simpler package. 

Sara Moulton's Pear and Cranberry Crostada

I really really love how this dessert encompasses two quintessential fall flavors. And while a crostada IS pie-like, it's diffferent enough to be new for my thankgiving table. And i'm already drooling imagining this served warm with a big scoop of french vanilla ice cream on top.

Or, I could just say screw tradition and make this absolutely ridiculously amazing Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake from Annie's Eats that A'Dell reviewed a year ago. I have dreams about this cake, seriously. 

{Photo courtesy of A'Dell, baker extraordinare}