Creme Brulee with Orange Liqueur

by Ina Garten
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/creme-brulee-recipe.html

Creme brulee is probably my favorite dessert. The orange liqueur makes this recipe even more tasty and special.

Notes:
- cook longer than recipe says, at least in my oven
- use vanilla bean instead extract if possible

Sushi, California Rolls

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sushi-rice-masaharu-morimoto

My friends always ask me to make sushi for parties. So here are my notes.

4 cups of rice / 4 cups of water yield

~16 long rolls of sushi

- Tuna (1/4 lb) or 

- Salmon (1/3 lb)

- Carrots (2), precook for 10 minutes, so they are soft and still a little crunchy

- Cucumber

- Cream cheese, place in the freezer 1 hr before cooking for easy cutting

- Avocado (1-2)

- Sesame seeds, toast for stronger flavor. I sprinkle them inside of the roll

I always thought that you don't taste avocado in the rolls enough, and it was not a necessary item. I did not have avocado this time and I really missed it. Avocado adds more body and richness to the rolls. For the fish I always liked tuna for its strong flavor. I recently tried salmon (raw), and thought that it may not have enough flavor or be fishy like if you used smoked fish. I was surprised how nice and pleasant it tastes, and adds richness to the sushi from its fattiness. And it is a less expensive option than tuna. A good way to switch around for flavor variety. Above link has a great advise from Masaharu Morimoto how to season sushi rice.

Seaweed Comparison:

Somehow I ended up with a bunch of seaweed packages, so I decided to try them all out at once and compare. I layed them out in order from best on the left and then decreasing in quality. The #1 is clearly the best quality - it is strongest, thickest and has the most flavor. #2 and #3 were very similar, so I placed the #3 further as it had fewer sheets for the same package price and no substantial difference in quality. I was going place #4 to the 2nd place, but then one of the sheets tore and that happens very seldom when I make sushi. But overall very similar quality and I would use any of them when convenient.

Autumn Chicken Pot Pie

by Anne Burrell
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/autumn-chicken-pot-pie-recipe.html


Anne is my favorite chef for meat recipes. Very complete, hidg quality and always have a special twist to take it to the higher level. Chicken Pot Pie is kids' favorite. I tried this recipe several tims, and it always turns out great and delicious. The crus is very easy and fool proof. The rest is time consuming but well worth the work. I worried that the pumpkin would make it taste strange, but it blended in very well. I liked using the green beans as they stayed crunchy.

Special Ingredients:
- Cream cheese (for the crust)

Notes:
Can use less meat and more vegetables.

Apple and Onion Stuffing Muffins

These were delicious. They fell apart and were hard to handle taking out of the tin, but the flavor more than made up for that. Great spice with the punch of apple and celery to offset the breadiness.

Recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 stick softened butter

1 fresh bay leaf

4 ribs and greens chopped celery

1 medium chopped onion

3 Mcintosh chopped apples

2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and pepper

8 cups cubed stuffing mix ( recommended pepperidge farm)

2 to 3 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375.

Preheat a large skillet over a medium high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil to skillet and 4 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add vegetables as you chop them, celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle vegetables and apples with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples, then add parsley and stuffing cubes. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all the bread is soft but not wet.

Butter 12 muffin cups, 2 tins, liberally with butter. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Bake until set and crisp on to 10 to 15 min. Remove muffins and sender hot or room temperature.

Sweet Potatoes with Amaretto

I have never liked sweet potatoes, and i have tried different recipies, one with burbeon and walnuts, and always not my taste... and this one won me over. They were delicious! This was my best discovery recipe this Thanksgiving.

Recipe:

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup amaretto

Salt

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 325. Spread the sweet potatoes in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup and amaretto. Pour over sweet potatoes  stirring to coat. Sprinkle with salt and dot with butter. Bake covered for 45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are easily pierced with fork.

Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Bread Crumbs

Another favorite and a keeper from this Thanksgiving. We prepared it a night before and only had to put in the oven the day of.

Note:

If preparing a night before, take it out of the fridge in the morning to bring to the room temperature.

Recipe:

1 tablespoon butter

4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 13 by 9 baking dish with butter and set aside

Cook potatoes until tender in boiling salted water for about 15 min. Drain and mash. Mix in milk and melted butter. Mix in mozzarella and 3/4 cup parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to prepared dish. Stir in the crumbs and remaining parmesan in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered until typing is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Thanksgiving 2014

Chefs Alma and Laima - We made it!

Menu:

- turkey, rubbed with spices and butter a night before, cooked in a bag, 16lb (took about 1/2hr longer than directions)

- gravy from drippings and flour

- mashed potatoe casserole (very good)

- stuffing muffins (great)

- brussels sprouts with butter, garlic and other spices (that came in the same package, trader joe's)

- 7 layer salad

- beans with cider and omions (rachel rae recipe)

- sweet potatoes with amareto and maple syrup (my favorite recipe)

- dinner roles from Rolling Pin Bakery

- coleslaw (made by Ninel)

- cranberries (made by Ninel)

- fruit salad (made by Pat)

- ukrainian pyrozky (made by Pat)

- herring with pickles

Appetizers: sausages and cheeses from Bavaria (Madison, WI)

Thanksgiving Table

Tom&Jerries before desert

Eggplant Caponata, Sicilian

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Caponata-1000087189#comment-form

Special Ingredients:
- eggplant
- rasins
- chocolate
- basil

Modifications:
I used anchiovi instead of salt.
Substituted pine nuts with walnuts

Very rich and tasty caponata. I hav made caponata before but this one is far better.

Will I make it again? - yes