Stacey Ballis's Blog, page 21

Snacember 25

We all know what today is, don't we?

Yup....it is NATIONAL MOVIE AND CHINESE FOOD DAY!

Also?  Christmas.

And yes, my darling fiance (I may eventually tire of that word, but not this week) Charming Suitor and I will be headed out to celebrate the Yuletide with Officer K's lovely family, who have adopted me and ply me with ham.  But I do love the movie and Chinese food tradition of my people, and it is likely that later tonight there will be a DVD and some takeout.  So I thought I would give you a recipe that honors both!  A lovely appetizer to bring to your Xmas celebration, but in that American Chinese Food tradition.


thanks saveur.com
Chinese-Style Spare Ribs


1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 T honey
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons. sugar
1 T fresh grated ginger
3/4 teaspoon. red food coloring (opt)
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 2-pound slab spareribs, preferably St. Louis style, cut into individual ribs


Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Place ribs in a large ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and massage to coat ribs evenly.  Place in the refrigerator and marinate for one hour to overnight.

Remove ribs from the refrigerator   Preheat oven to 350.  Place the ribs on a rack over a roasting pan, with a little water in the bottom, reserving marinade. Cover with foil and cook at for 35 minutes. Baste ribs with reserved marinade; flip and baste again. Cover and continue to cook for 35 minutes more.

Baste with remaining marinade and up the heat to 500. Cook ribs uncovered until they are glazed and browned, about 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and serve.

Yours in Good Taste,
Fa La La La La
The Polymath

Snacember 24

For those of you who tuned in a couple of days ago, I reported that my Charming Suitor had popped the big question, to which I said yes, making him my Charming Fiance.  Except, as he has informed me this morning, that while he is delighted to be affianced to me and is looking forward to making me his wife very soon, he has every intention of continuing to woo me for the rest of our lives together, and therefore, Charming Suitor he shall remain here in print!

But make no mistake based on the semantics, the engagement is very on, we are all floaty and schmoopy, and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from everyone.  To all who commented with your good wishes, we both thank you most humbly.

Now, let me just take this moment to say to you all...

MERRY EVERYTHING AND HAPPY ALWAYS!

A little holiday message from me....

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope Santa brings you everything you want, that Aunt Martha doesn't get schnockered on the Nog and go all Truth Telling at dinner, and that the turkey is neither dry nor raw.

For those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you are either doing what I do, and glomming on to someone else's celebration, or simply enjoying a lovely winter's night.

Charming Suitor and I are off to bask in the glow of R&R's tree and hospitality.  There will be Swedish meatballs, and Amazing Goddaughter will open her presents, and Officer K and Charming Suitor will continue their ball-busting bromance, and all will be right with the world.

As a fun little holiday gift, the people at Bon Home sent us a couple of their toys, just in time for holiday entertaining.



The heat and dry dishrack is freaking amazing.  We set it up at Charming Suitor's house, where there is no dishwasher, and it works like a charm!  The dishes were ready to put away with no water spots in about 15 minutes.  He loves it!  Great large capacity, quiet, and most of the parts can go in the dishwasher.  Perfect for those endless wineglasses and good china this time of year.














And we are excited to have this heat lamp for keeping food warm on a buffet, as we have a gaggle coming over on New Year's Day, and the food needs to maintain for a few hours.









Whee!  New toys.  Check them out, I think you'll like them, and while you won't have them in time for Xmas, you might be able to sneak them in for New Year's celebrations if you jump on it now!

I hope all is right in your world as well.

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 23

Do you love your kitchen?  Or do you hate your kitchen? 

I have a love/hate relationship with my kitchen.

On the one hand, for an old building, my kitchen is a decent size, and even rarer, it has an awesome dishwasher.  Charming Suitor and I can cook easily in it together, even for dinner parties and the massive Thanksgiving feast we did this year.  And while the layout is a little weird, and there isn't enough storage (my fault for volume, not the kitchen's for size), and the counter space is limited...it mostly works for me. 

On the other hand, the stove is electric, not gas, the refrigerator is around the corner, and the limited counters are formica.  And the floor is ghasly 1976 linoleum in a harvest gold fake brick pattern that always looks a little dirty.  And don't get me started on the tiles.

I gave up a while back on making big cosmetic changes, and have focused on making functional changes.  I have been slowly reorganizing drawers, purging unused equipment, streamlining processes.  One of the projects I have wanted to do forever is to figure out how to work with the lower cabinets that flank the stove.  They are roomy, but very deep, turning them into a black hole for gear, and requiring that you pull everything out every time you need something.

Deadly black hole of Tupperware!
YIKES!


Seriously.

Then a rescue!  Shelves that Slide sent me shelves on rails that work like shallow drawers, so that the cabinets become a billion times more useful!  No more shoving everything in and pulling everything out every minute.

SHUT UP!  How pretty is this????
So much easier!


Ahhh.


Even better, they were really easy to install, and when I looked on their website, VERY reasonably priced. They work like a dream.  Makes me wish I had more cabinets so I could get more of them!  They are all custom made, so you will get the perfect thing for your cabinet, and they have a variety of styles.  Five stars!

What do you love about your kitchen?  What do you want to change?  What kitchen organization tool has made the biggest improvement? 

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 22

I interrupt this previously scheduled post for a quick announcement.

They say with momentous news, it is better to just get it out, no preliminaries, no qualifiers, like ripping off a band-aid.  And you all have been so lovely and supportive of me and my life, that I feel the need to be honest with you all.

I no longer have a Charming Suitor.

No one is more shocked than I, I can tell you that.  After all, we have been talking about the future together for so long, that I was pretty sure that 2011 was going to be the year he popped the question.

Apparently I was wrong.

He didn't want to wait that long.

I am beyond delighted to share with you all that while I may not have a Charming Suitor anymore, I do have a freshly minted Charming Fiance, who surprised me last night with the world's loveliest proposal, which I think I said YES to about every third word he got out of his mouth, poor man.  I know I share a lot, and I also know that you all will understand that I am keeping the specifics between he and I and the family....he signed on for me, not particularly for the whole public internet persona thing, and he has been a very good sport since the beginning.  But I know that he approves of my need to share the joy with you all!  Suffice it to say it was romantic, and exceeded all expectations, and I am floating on air and can't stop grinning.  Especially since along with him I also get the whole Charming Family!  As you all know, I adore my own family to to point of near delirium, and it has been one of the best things about CF to watch him fit in and build relationships and really fully embrace my family and be embraced by them.  And now I get to double my immediate family...HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!

I am about the luckiest girl on the planet.

And now that I have shared the news, I return you to your previously scheduled post, which may not be nearly as exciting as an engagement, but does include a recipe for fudge, so how bad could it be?

Remember when the airlines used to give you snacks, instead of asking you to cough up fourteen bucks for a stale cookie the size of your head or a tube of Lay's Fake Pringles?  Remember when the best thing they could give you were these cookies?





Spicy, sweet, not quite ginger snaps, not quite snickerdoodles, the Biscoff cookie of flights gone by is actually a version of a cookie called, somewhat ridiculously, a Speculoos.  A spice shortbread cookie, often made with a combination of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginver and white pepper, not to mention dark brown sugar, these crisp beauties are addictive.







But aren't you sick to death of cookie recipes by now?

Thought so.

A while back, I discovered that the people who make the fabulous cookies, also make this:



This is Speculoos paste, tastes just like the cookie, but has the texture of creamy peanut butter.  YUM!  So I thought, hey!  What if I took a yummy cookie flavor and made candy instead?  How about Speculoos Fudge! 

This is insanely easy, comes together in about 10 minutes, and will get you out of your cookie rut.  Perfect for gifting.

(If you can't find the paste, or just want to make it yourself, take a package of the cookies and whir in a processor till powdery. Add about 1/4 cup coconut oil, 3 T sugar, a dash of vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and drizzle in canola oil till you get the texture you want, you're looking for peanut butter texture here.)

You're welcome.

Speculoos Fudge


Butter, for greasing pan
1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz. high-quality white chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup Biscoff paste, room temperature
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Sea salt, approximately 1/2 tsp
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground white pepper
pinch ground clove
pinch ground cardamom

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides, to mke it easier to get the fudge out of the pan.



In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, chocolate chips, biscoff paste, and butter.

Make a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and thick, 5 to 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula. Mix the salt and spices toether, and sprinkle over the top of the fudge.  Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.  Cut into squares (I can get 64 out of this!) and serve.



Yours in Good And Deliriously Happy Affianced Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 21

Whose dumb idea was this Snack a Day December anyway?  Yeesh.  Even I am bored of me, and I LOVE ME.  Seriously.  I could spend hours with me.

It seemed like such a good idea back in November, when I was bathed in the afterglow of a delicious Thanksgiving.  But here I am, ten days to go, and lets be honest...pickin's are getting a little slim in the old idea file. 

So today, I give you, for no particular reason...

Literal Video Total Eclipse of the Heart

Because if you are working a normal job, this is the week you spend futzing around online pretending to work, and counting hours till you are released for the holiday weekend.

If you are not familiar with the Literal Video movement, it is videos of popular songs, many of them from the 80s, my favorite decade, redubbed with lyrics that describe the action in the video.  Literally. 

I dunno about you, but they make me laugh till I almost pee myself.  So I thought I would share my favorite.

What are your guilty pleasure YouTubes? Share with the class...

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 20

I don't know if it is cold where you are, but it is bitter here in Chicago!  And as we know, it stays this way for long stretches.  Like November thru May.

Chicagoans are proud of our ability to suffer the cold.  I am no exception.  I am one of those insane people who actually gears up to go to the Bears games in the winter...



I get this illness from my Dad, who has, as you can see, given it to my sister as well.



It is much more fun when they win, which they spectacularly did not on this occasion.  But I digress.

The thing about so much cold is that it requires a pretty serious repetoire of comforting stews and soups and such.  Because a warm bowl of comfort is much needed when one has done things like sit outside in 40 mile an hour winds and snow and ten below zero windchill to watch a team get spanked.

Hypothetically.

Eventually, you get a little tired of the standard chilis and ubiquitous beef stew.  And then you need something new.  Something fresh.

This is my twisty new take on an old French classic, Blanquette de Veau.  In the traditional Blanquette de Veau, a creamy veal stew, there is an abundance of mushrooms.


thanks twoyolks.org
As I have mentioned before, HERE, I don't like most mushrooms.  I especially don't like the white button mushrooms that this dish calls for.  However, I do like veal, and creamy oniony sauces that get sopped up by rice or noodles or potatoes, and I especially like that it is a more elegant and refined stew, which makes it lovely for dinner parties. 

So, I changed it.  I swapped out the mushrooms (GACK!) for parsnips, which add the necessary vegetable bulk, and a subtle sweetness that actually works very well!  Yay me!  (A lot of recipes call for carrots, which I think are too sweet, and I don't love the orange color in my soothing pale stew.  Try the parsnips, they are just, well, better!)

Give it a try and let me know what you think. 

Stacey's Almost Blanquette De Veau

6 cups chicken stock
3 pounds veal shoulder in cubes
1 medium onion, quartered
1 celery stalk, in 1-inch pieces
2 leeks (white part), chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 sprigs thyme
3 T chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and ground white pepper
10 ounces pearl onions, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream

In a 4-5 quart casserole place stock, veal, onion, celery, leeks, thyme and parsley sprigs, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming frequently.

Boil pearl onions for 3 minutes. Drain. Heat oil and cook parsnips and onions until lightly colored and tender. Set aside

When the veal is tender, drain it. Reserve 3 cups stock, discarding vegetables and herbs. Wipe out casserole and melt butter in it. Whisk in flour, cook for a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste . Whisk in stock, cook 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in cream. Add veal, parsnips and onions. Simmer 5 minutes and taste for seasoning. Serve over rice, buttered noodles, sauteed gnocchi, or with buttered new potatoes, garnished with chopped parsley.

Do you have any classic dishes that you have altered to suit your personal tastes?  Do share with the class!

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 19

This just makes me laugh.  Not at all holiday related, but a funny little snack all the same.  Enjoy!



Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 18

In a very strange twist, I have discovered that one of the best holiday side dishes, easy to make, excellent reheated, travels well, can be eaten room temp or hot, and goes beautifully with the traditional Christmas  proteins of ham and crown roast of pork and prime rib and turkey is....



Noodle kugel.

Yup.  That very traditional Jewish dish of egg noodles in a creamy slightly sweet custard, the centerpiece of the Yom Kippur breaking of the fast, and the Rosh Hashanah brisket playmate, it really is delicious with everything!  And I love the idea of incorporating dishes from other traditions in your holiday meals.

So here is my family's recipe.  I often double it and make two to bring to the buffet, since it is great for breakfast as well, and means the hosts don't have to get up early and fix something for themselves and any houseguests.  I also sometimes bake it in muffin tins for pretty individual servings.

Noodle Kugel


16 ounces broad egg noodles
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
16 oz.cottage cheese
16 oz.sour cream
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4-1/2 cup sugar

Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to package direction. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, mix the noodles with the melted butter, cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. In a separate bowl, mix the cornflakes, cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle the cornflake mixture on top of the noodle mixture. Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until the top is brown.

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 17

Favorite heart-warming kids tale ever....


The crazy Christmas house on my street...gets bigger every year!
A very good friend of the family, who is Jewish, was in the mall with her four-year-old.  He spotted Santa, and asked if he could go see him.  The line wasn't very long, so she said yes.  When her son got to the front of the line she saw him having a very serious conversation with Santa, who then motioned to his helper elf to hold the line.  Santa escorted her son back over to her.

"I'm a little curious about your son's request." Santa said.

"What did he ask for?"

"Well, I asked him what he wanted for his present, and he said he didn't need any presents, that his mommy and daddy and grandparents buy him lots of good presents.  So I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, and he said "We could really use some decorations!" "

She laughed and told Santa that they were Jewish, but the only ones on their block, so they are surrounded by twinkle lights and lawn displays!

It was almost three years ago, but that one cracks me up everytime.

My other favorite holiday kid moment was last Christmas eve, which I spent with my Amazing Goddaughter.  They are a "presents on the Eve" family, so I get the pleasure of watching her open her gifts.  Last year was particularly special because my Charming Suitor, then so new to my life, came as my date and, well, Charmed everyone, including AG, which made me all warm and fuzzy.  It was probably the moment I realized that not only did he and I seem to fit, but that he was going to be a good fit with the people I love.  We were watching AG open her huge pile of presents, half of which are from real people, and half of which are from "Santa".  She got to one of the "Santa" presents and tore into it.  It was a large stuffed lion.  (She was going through a major big cat phase.)

Her whole face lit up and she hugged it tight and said "Mommy!  Santa got my message!  I asked for a Tiger, but Santa knew I wanted a LION.  Santa is magic!".

CS, who had his arm around me, squeezed me tight as we were laughing and said "She's amazing." Which she is.  And so is he.  I can't wait for this Christmas Eve, to see what Santa brings her and how she reacts.  Even better, is that now she and CS really know each other.  She was talking to her mom last week, and was saying that one of the things she loves about her grandmother is that she is such a good cook.  "Like Chef Denise, and Stacey, and B."  Her mom looked at her and said, "Uncle B?" And she rolled her eyes, with the five-year-old version of "Oh Mom, you're so silly" and said "Um, NO, Stacey's BOYFRIEND."  Kid has exceptional taste.


The house all lit up.  I can't imagine what their electric bills are.
What about you?  What are your favorite holiday kid stories?  Best one gets aGlee Gummies Kit, so you and your kids can make your own Gummy Candy!  A perfect cold day activity.  Comment below with your kid story to enter before 11:59 PM CST Dec. 18, winner announced on the 19th.




Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath

Snacember 16

This is one of the most favorite holiday time pictures I have ever taken.


I love all the exuberant upstretched arms.  Whee!

Anyone with access to enough snow and some industrious youngsters?  Make a snowman.  Or four.  The rest of us will love you for it.

Yours in Good Taste,
The Polymath