Happy Birthday, Sam

I should be baking a Red Velvet Cake today because it was Sam's all time most requested favorite birthday cake. Sunday, August 26 should be Sam's birthday, he would be 62.

Birthdays have always been a big deal to me. I love the celebration, the cake, buying and wrapping the presents, taking the pictures, the surprise and the wonder of it all. Celebrating the great gift of the birthday person in my life is the very best part.

During my growing up years, birthday cake was always a frosted, decorated angel food cake, lovingly made by my Mom. After all, we had chickens on our farm therefore there were plenty of eggs, so Angel Food cake was just the ticket. She always cut a cardboard circle from the empty powdered sugar box to cover the hole in the middle of the cake.  We always ate the cake for dessert after a delicious supper with the menu chosen by the birthday celebrant. This is an epic photo of, I think, my 8th birthday and that's my cute little sister, Karla in the high chair and most likely we had fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy.

So, this year we have to somehow celebrate the gift of having had Sam in our lives even though the empty space in our family will be huge.

Back to the Red Velvet . . . 

The first time I asked Sam what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday he promptly answered, "Red Velvet." Wonderful! I had a recipe for this cake and I liked it, too! I first made it when I was in high school and during my college years my mom had copied the recipe and mailed it to me when I had asked for it. So, way back in the mid 70's I pulled out this recipe and first made it for Sam.

I am so very glad to have this recipe written in my mom's handwriting. You can see it has been used many times!

Once in a while we deviated from the Red Velvet but not often. I sometimes got a wild idea and Sam gave me permission to make something different. 

He was seemed happy with my version of this Watermelon Cake. Actually, he was happy to have his cute little girls on his lap. I think this was the year Sam turned 41. 

This next photo was one of Sam's birthday cakes, too, but made by Rachel in 2009. She decided she wanted to dabble with fondant. Researcher that she is, she found a recipe, read reviews and called on our favorite professional cake baker to come give her a little help. Here's what she came up with . . . very cool, huh?

Rachel's happy birthday White Cake

It wasn't Red Velvet, but Sam loved it!

Back to the Red Velvet once again . . .

Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt

1 c. buttermilk

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vinegar

2 oz. red food coloring

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring and add to above. Mix salt and vanilla with milk. Add alternately with flour. Mix soda and vinegar. Fold into mixture; do not beat. bake in 2 round 9 inch pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Icing

5 Tbsp. flour

1 c. milk

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour and milk to stiff paste. Let cool completely. Cream butter, sugar, & vanilla. Add dto paste and beat until it looks like whipped cream.

There you have it! The original recipe and directions, but here's a few notes from the teacher in me . . .

Before you begin, preheat the oven and prep the pans. My favorite method is to cut a circle of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan by penciling around the pan and cutting just inside the line. Lightly spray the top of the paper, just a little. Pans are ready!

Cream -- Put these ingredients in your mixer and beat the dickens out of it, till it is light and fluffy.

Use cake flour for the very best results, but I have also done this with all purpose and with a mixture of the two and all make a good cake. Just be sure to sift the flour! I usually sift the salt with the flour instead of mixing it with the milk. That just makes more sense to me.

Add alternately -- Gently stir or mix in about 1/3 of the sifted flour (just eye ball it), then gently stir in about 1/2 of the milk/vanilla. Repeat, then end with the last 1/3 of the flour. Just remember, start and end with flour, mixing as little as possible.

Fold -- Use rubber spatula and a gentle down across the bottom and up and over motion. Turn the bowl and repeat until you can't see streaks of the soda and vinegar. Just remember, gently!

Cake is done when you poke the center with a toothpick and it comes out with just a few crumbs of cake. It might come out clean, shouldn't have any wet batter.

Let the cake sit in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove cakes from pans by running a knife around the edge to loosen then put another rack on top of cake and flip the whole business over upside down. Gently lift off the pan and don't move the cake until it is cool. 

When you get ready to layer the cakes, slice the top dome shape off of the bottom layer to keep it flat. I will let you figure out what to do with that piece you cut off. You can imagine what I always did with it and it did not involve the waste basket!

Do not judge the frosting by the ingredients! Just remember, this is sometimes food, not every day food. I can not imagine who dreamed up this recipe and thought it might taste good, but it does! I don't think a slice or two of this cake at birthday time can clog one's arteries in an instant. Moderation is key!

Stir constantly while cooking the flour and milk. Using a whisk will prevent lumps, but you will get a blob in the center of your whisk. Start with the whisk and part way through trade it for a wooden spoon. Let this cool to room temperature before proceeding.

Beat the butter and sugar till very light and fluffy before adding the paste then beat it till you think it is done, then beat it some more. You want this so light that you can't feel the grains of sugar at all. You want silky smooth, not gritty.

When you get this cake done, have a party, call some friends, share it. DO NOT EAT IT ALL YOURSELF!

Sam's Red Velvet birthday cake 2010, his 60th birthday.

We celebrated Sam's 61st birthday, last year, about a week early, before Rachel left for her last year at Knox. Sam was able to request crab legs and steak along with the Red Velvet and that's what we had. Sam and I left for our first trip to Duke University's brain tumor center two days before his birthday, on the first day of school my first year of retirement. Sam was very sick. On his birthday he received the chemo treatment that brought him nearly instant relief and later that same day we flew home. It wasn't the easiest travel with 3 flights on chemo day but we were being chased by the hurricane Irene. 

He continued to improve in the days and weeks to come. This treatment bought him enough time that we really had some great months together. I have considered that trip to Duke to be one of the best birthday gifts of Sam's life. It was a miracle. I wish it could have lasted longer, but it was a blessing, indeed!

I will celebrate Sam's life with Abby, Rachel and Kyle. We plan to enjoy a meal (always!) and a visit to a cupcake shop where we can each choose our own "birthday cupcake". We might also play some mini golf; Sam would love that!

We continue to adjust and heal as we continue to miss Sam. Writing about Sam is healing for me, so thanks for reading. 

Isaiah 41:13 ~ For I the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Do not fear, I will help you."  

Hoity Toity Fish? Not Really!

The back story . . .

Last week a friend of mine suggested we cook some fish. We began our discussion of how to cook said fish and she mentioned that she had once used parchment paper pouches to cook fish with good results. This got my attention, to say the least! 

Now, I am a huge fan of using parchment paper for baking, but I have always been a bit intimidated by the use of parchment paper in cooking other foods. My reluctance, I believe, comes from the proper name of this cooking method, which is "En Papillote".  In my mind, anything with a French name like that must be terribly difficult or time consuming or super expensive or at the very least doused in butter or cream!

My friend is one of those gutsy individuals who is willing to dive head first into any challenge, yet tells me she could use some help with her cooking skills. So, if she has tried this I ought to as well! I decided right then and there, that it was time to climb up on that horse and RIDE! Let me say, this turned out to be a very tame ride, indeed! 

So, here we go . . .

I assembled my ingredients and cut my veggies. I really like veggies, so I chose summer squash, carrots and red pepper. These are cut in julienne strips. Fish cooks quickly, so veggies need to be in small pieces otherwise they will not be cooked when the fish is done. The green stuff is fresh dill. You could use dried dill, just not as much. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. A hot oven is needed to create some steam to cook the fish and the vegetables.

Looks good already!

Tear off a piece of parchment paper approximately square. You will need one piece per fish fillet. Fold it in half and open it back up. Lay the vegetables on the bottom half of the paper and sprinkle on some salt and pepper, just a bit. Lay the fish, I used cod, on top of that and drizzle on a teaspoon or so of olive oil, a touch more salt and pepper, the lemon slices and finally the dill.

How's this for a stack of beauty???

Fold the top half of the paper over and starting at one corner fold a little triangle and fold it over again. Move over just a bit and make another little triangle fold, overlapping with your previous folded section. Don't think too much about this, just do it. Keep folding little sections and overlapping them, just sort of zoop zoop and you are over to the other side before you know it. Look at my picture and you will see it isn't a pretty package, but the idea is to seal the edges, keeping the steam and cooking juices in the package. Put the package on a baking sheet, one that has a rim just in case a bit of juice leaks out.

Crimp the edges to seal in the moisture.

If you have several packages use a larger pan, or use two. Consider having each person in the family make their own package. Use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand or skip the vegetables all together, but if you do, make a salad or roast your veggies separately. Just make sure you enjoy some vegetables at every meal. 

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your fish fillets. Mine was small, about 4 ounces and relatively thin so I cooked it for 10 minutes.

When it is done, take it out, and carefully open the package. Discard the lemon and dill. Carefully lift it out onto a plate with a spatula. Spoon or pour some of the juice over the fish if you want. 

I really do like vegetables!

Cod is a very mild tasting fish, so the lemon and dill were great accents . Orange roughy, salmon, halibut or lots of other choices would work well, too. A fresh sprig of dill would have made a nice garnish on this plate, fancying up the fish a bit.

Okay! I got on the horse and rode like a pro! It wasn't the rodeo ride I expected or even a trail ride to the bottom of the canyon, but more like a gentle mosey down a shady trail, one I am willing and anxious to do all over again. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Julia!

A few days back I read that today, August 15, 2012 would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. Oh, happy birthday to you, Julia! My, how you changed us and paved the way for many of us to learn more and more about good food.

Julia, was in her 30's when she decided she wanted to learn to cook. She and her new husband, Paul found themselves living in Paris when Julia took her first cooking class. This unleashed a passion in her that she pursued the rest of her life. 

A few years back I found myself in Washington, D.C. with my sister-in-law. We were beyond delight when we found Julia's kitchen in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. It is the very kitchen from her Cambridge, MA home where her TV shows were taped. It is a rather ordinary looking room, but it was built for her, with higher than normal counters to accommodate her height, ovens that will hold 2 large turkeys, and a peg board wall full of copper pans.

To this day I enjoy watching her bake or cook on her Saturday morning PBS show. I find wisdom, entertainment and inspiration every time I watch her or read something she has written.

So, how will I celebrate her life today? I am baking bread and later today I will go cook a great meal with good friends, some halibut in parchment packages, a mix of garden vegetables, some fruit and of course, my bread. I think Julia would approve.

I have always enjoyed and chuckled over quotes by Julia. Here's one of my all time favorites. "Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."  Oh, boy! Isn't that a choice piece of advice!?! For me, one of those passions is cooking, but there are others for me, too. For Sam, it was golf and the great out doors. What about you?

In celebration of Julia's 100th birthday, I lost myself for a while in some of her great quotes, some of which I know you will enjoy. Here goes . . .

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."  I won't lie, that one made me cry a little bit.

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."
Look out! Learning to cook will change your life! Bring it on!

"You learn to cook so that you don't have to be a slave to recipes. You get what's in season and you know what to do with it." 

"If you're afraid of butter, use cream."  Tehehehe!

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."  

". . . small helpings, no seconds, no snacking and a little bit of everything." Great philosophy for healthy eating if you ask me! Remember, she lived well into her 90's!

"Ye gods! But you're not standing around holding it by the hand all this time. No, the dough takes care of itself. While you cannot speed up the process, you can slow it down at any point by setting the dough in a cooler place. Then continue where you left off, when you are ready to do so. In other words, you are the boss of that dough."  Now, imagine that being said in that throaty full Julia Child voice!

And last by not least . . . "Bon Appetit!" 
 

Supper or Dinner?

After a day of errands, shopping, and a bike ride I was ready for an easy, but delicious little supper.

 

Problem Solving ~

I had not planned ahead. My chicken breast was frozen solid. I put my single chicken breast in a plastic ziplock bag, ran my sink full of cold water, and put the chicken bag in the cold water. About 30 minutes later the chicken was thawed. If it hadn't been, I would have changed the water, filling the sink once again with cold water. The trick here, is to use cold water to keep everything safe, allowing no bacteria to grow and multiply. You can easily thaw a pound of ground beef the same way.

Veggies ~

I had familiar vegetables in my fridge, zucchini, red onion, and a variety of peppers. These veggies are readily available right now. Every garden in the area is producing zucchini, so use what you have and what you like. I diced and sliced and had a bowl full of plain veggies. I added about a teaspoon of oil and lightly tossed to coat the vegetables. Now it was time to season. Tonight I used a bit of lemon pepper and a sprinkle of Cavender's Greek seasoning. By now my grill was hot and my grill basket was ready for the vegetables. Simply add the vegetables to the grill basket (mine actually looks like a skillet with holes in the bottom) and shake it to even out the layer. 

I lightly pounded the thick part of the chicken breast, just so it will cook more evenly. I use the flat side of my meat mallet, but for years I used a heavy cast iron skillet since I didn't have a meat mallet. Pound only on the thick part. The goal is to even out the thickness so the thin end isn't overcooked making it dry and tough.

 Chicken ~

I seasoned the chicken with a chile-lime rub that I splurged on at a kitchen store. A little lemon or lime juice with some cumin, ceyenne, salt and pepper mixed in would be similarly tasty. Once the veggies were starting to cook, I added the chicken to the grill. Let it cook until the edges begin to turn light instead of pink. Turn the chicken over and cook until it begins to feel firm. You can use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness, 165 degrees. At this point the chicken will be done, juicy and delicious. Some grapes and iced tea completed my dinner.

What is it?

I realize I have used both the terms supper and dinner in describing this meal. Which is it? I don't know. I grew up eating breakfast, dinner and supper on the farm, but here in town we have lunch midway through the day. I seem somewhat perplexed about the name of the evening meal. I usually call it supper, but what do you call it? And what is the difference? No matter what you call it, enjoy it!

Recipes Are Guidelines

I come from a family of foodies. We enjoy cooking, eating, and sharing what we like. A couple of years ago one of my favorite sisters (I have two and both are favorites) sent me a recipe which I promptly made, loved, and tweaked. I have made many variations and all are worth repeating! There is orzo, a small pasta shaped sort of like rice. There is a nice variety of vegetables. There is cheese and there is a delightful light dressing which brings it all together. I have shared this recipe with many and now with a few more. 

Spring Celebration Orzo

8 oz. uncooked orzo
1 pound asparagus spears,  cut into 2” pieces 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
1⁄2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 basil leaves, torn
Optional thing I sometimes like to add:
cherry tomatoes, cut in half
a handful of fresh spinach
a little more parmesan

1. Cook orzo according to direction. When 3 minutes of cooking time remain, add asparagus. Cook 1 minute. Add peas and cook the final 2 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, grate cheese and set aside.
3. Combine salt, lemon juice, and oil. Stir into pasta and vegetables along with torn basil leaves. Stir in grated cheese and tomatoes and spinach. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Remember, a recipe is a guideline!

If I don't have orzo on hand, I sometimes use another pasta. Penne, bow ties, and rotini have all been successful. The orzo looks tiny, but beware, it grows a bit when you cook it. Eight ounces makes a big bowl full.

When asparagus is out of season or beyond my budget expensive, broccoli is good, instead.

Frozen peas thaw very quickly. I buy them in a bag, measure them out onto a plate when I start cooking and they are good to go when I need them.

My other favorite sister says, "You can never have too much parmesan cheese!" So, use more if you want. Use the big triangle chunk and grate it yourself for the very best.

One evening I found myself without a lemon. Guess what, lime juice tasted good, too.

If I don't have fresh basil I might sprinkle on just a touch of dried or you can skip it altogether if you have kids or picky eaters.

I almost always use the fresh spinach and cherry (or grape) tomatoes. They add color, flavor, and fiber. Tear up the spinach just a little and put it in the bottom of the serving bowl along with the tomatoes. When you add the hot pasta and veggies to the bowl it will warm and slightly cook the spinach and tomatoes just enough to wilt, but not enough get watery.

This is yummy along with some grilled chicken, pork chops, steak or fish. Sometimes I add cooked shrimp at the very end of cooking, for a meal in itself. Or get creative and add strips of cooked meat of your choice. 

Just remember, it's a guideline. Let me know if you like it and let me know about your variations! 

Here are a few of mine ~

Orzo made with asparagus, peas, tomatoes

Orzo with asparagus, peas, tomatoes and shrimp

Orzo with broccoli, tomatoes, and peas

Who, What, Why

I have always loved to cook and bake. I am fascinated with food and I am at home in the kitchen. I am the mother of two grown daughters. A year ago I retired from my work as a Family and Consumer Science teacher in our local high school where I taught Food and Nutrition classes. I loved watching my students develop their confidence in the kitchen.  

I have come to realize there are many people yearning to cook beautiful food which is also nutritious and delicious, but they are unsure how to go about it. So, my goal here is to give my readers a little peek into my kitchen and see what I am cooking. I will give directions and offer advice along the way. 

I was home by myself and faced the task of making my dinner for one. I hadn't thought too far ahead, but I try to always have ingredients on hand from which I can make a variety of meals. I put some frozen shrimp in a colander and set it in the sink to thaw. If you want to thaw the shrimp quickly, set the colander in a bowl of cold water.

 I perused the fridge for veggies. Here's what I chose:

• half a green pepper 
• half an onion
• one each of red, yellow and orange mini peppers from their bag
• half a zucchini
• a fresh picked red ripe tomato

Tada! It all became this ~

Here's how ~

I cut all the peppers into thin strips. These are called julienne strips.
I put the onion half (cut from top to bottom) flat on my cutting board and cut it into thin strips.
I cut the zucchini into thin slices.
I minced a clove of garlic. You could also use a little minced garlic out of a jar.

I took the tails off the shrimp and put into a small bowl. I juiced half a lime over it and sprinkled on some oregano and cumin.

I put a teaspoon of olive oil into a skillet and heated it over medium low heat. When the oil was hot I added the veggies and a couple of grinds of salt and pepper. I let it cook a few minutes before stirring. Let it cook till the veggies are beginning to get limp. Stir it a few times, but not constantly. I also added a bit of cumin and oregano to the vegetables in the skillet. I can hear you asking, "How much?" I don't honestly know, but I suppose around a 1/2 teaspoon of each. Maybe more cumin; I love that stuff!

While those vegetables are cooking I cut a tomato in half and thin sliced it into wedges.

Once the veggies are limp but still just a bit crisp I added the shrimp and a bit more lime juice before dropping in the tomato. Cook about a minute, just to heat the tomato and shrimp.

I put it on a plate and ate the entire thing. It was wonderful! It would also be good wrapped in a tortilla with a bit of salsa. YumYum!