Cooking School

20 Thursday Aug 2009

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If you have any interest in cooking what so ever, you will enjoy the Nora Ephron movie “Julie & Julia”.  The new movie, for those not familiar with the title, is a story about Julia Child and Julie Powell and how their love of cooking impacted their lives.  Meryl Streep plays Julia Child and Amy Adams plays Julie.  Truly, you don’t even have to like cooking to love this movie.  It’s fun and funny and touching all at the same time. In any event, after my husband and I saw this  movie he suggested that I should make Julia’s Beef Bourguignon.

Over 30 years ago, when I was still a newly wed, I knew I wanted to improve my skills as a cook.  I had, up until then, made plenty of attempts at meal preparation but many were not very tasty and some were downright failures (like the time I attempted to steam fresh green beans and the enamel pan I was cooking with stuck to the electric burner because the heat was too high).  Fortunately, my husband encouraged me to take cooking lessons and reassured me that, with practice, I could get better at this.  I now realize that his reasoning may have been just a little selfish since I was to do most of the meal preparation in our relationship and he probably felt cooking lessons would benefit all concerned.

I took a series of French cooking lessons which included several recipes from Julia Child’s amazing book, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”.  When attempting any of her recipes I was always delighted at how patiently she walked the reader through the many steps involved in cooking something.  Beef Bourguignon was one of the first true success stories from that book and after the watching the movie I agreed to give it a try once again.

More to follow…

Hydrangeas

12 Wednesday Aug 2009

Posted by in Flowers, Gardening

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Most gardening experts agree that you really should not attempt planting new plants in the month of August.  I even abide by this rule, at least most of the time.  However, our local warehouse store had 2-gallon hydrangeas available for only $9.99 and I decided some time ago that I wanted to plant hydrangeas around the outer perimeter of our knot garden, so I bought 3 of the plants home.  I love hydrangeas and have seen pictures of a variety of colors and species (available in various regions of the country).  The hydrangeas I purchased had burgundy colored blooms and the plants looked very healthy.  If  these work out I’ll buy more when I find them.

I read on the internet the best way to plant them and when.  The first site I viewed strongly advised that you not plant hydrangea in summer, best to plant in spring or fall but sometimes you have to strike when the iron or weather is hot.  If you live in Southern California, Zone 10, you should plant your hydrangea in well-draining soil.  The plant likes some sun but not full sun (6-8 hours).  That said, if they are in full-shade they will not bloom.  Fertilize them once or twice during the summer months with 10-10-10 fertilizer.  A slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote is a good choice.  Don’t spread the fertilizer too close to the trunk and always water thoroughly after applied.

There are a variety of hydrangeas and I am planting the  ‘Mophead’ variety.  I have an Oakleaf Hydrangea and it is very pretty with its elongated blossoms and large maple-leaf like leaves.  I hope to find an ‘Annabelle’ (large round, white blossoms) to plant sometime next spring.  There are pages of facts on hydrangea available online if you want or need more information.  Just Google the word ‘hydrangea’l and you’ll find sites with color pictures and detailed descriptions outlining the care and feeding of the plant.  Wish me luck.

Planting Culinary Herbs

31 Friday Jul 2009

Posted by in Gardening

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You don’t have to be an avid gardener to have the desire to grow your own herbs.  After all, while you can purchase fresh herbs from the most basic market, you will pay anywhere from $2-3 dollars for them and it’s a one or two-time use of the herb.  By growing your own you can have the reassurance that when you need herbs for a recipe, fresh rosemary or parsley will be a few steps from your back door or a short reach to the window planter to obtain any amount needed for the current recipe.  A few of my favorite herbs, maybe because they are pretty much fool proof, are basil, thyme, parsley (flat leaf and curly leaf), oregano and rosemary.  Aside from the basil and parsley, these will grow year round if your growing area is near the coastal region of Southern California and you don’t get frost in winter.

There are a variety of basil to choose from.  I’ve seen lemon, blue basil and your standard ‘sweet’ basil offered at most nurseries.  Trader Joe’s (a Western region market) even sells 6″ post of basil.  I prefer to buy 2″ or 4″ pots to plant.  Basil, when planted in the spring, grows like a weed and can get 2′ to 3′ in height.  The blue basil, while not as flavorful as sweet basil (in my opinion) grows very large and really looks like a perennial flowering plant.  Talk about dual purpose planting!  I grew a blue basil for 2 years and it never died back in the winter.  However, as I mentioned, I don’t think the blue basil has the same great flavor that the ‘sweet’ basil has.

Thyme is so wonderfully pungent and it enhances the flavors in so many different dishes that I consider this a ‘must have’ staple. The little thyme plant creeps, so plant it where you don’t mind it spreading a bit.  There are also flowers that grown on thyme but try to keep them trimmed off so that the herb continues to add new growth.

Parsley is delicious no matter whether you prefer the curly leaf variety or the flat leaf, sometimes called Italian parsley.  I can’t keep it healthy year- round, the winter months are too cool for it to grow at my house, but it is well worth the $3 you might pay for a 4″ pot.  Plant it in early spring and it will reward you all spring, summer and early fall with beautiful fresh leaves.

Oregano is always easy to grow and while I don’t use it as often as the other herbs I’ve mentioned, I do love the flavor of fresh as opposed to dried oregano.

Finally, Rosemary is probably the easiest plant to grown and can be used anywere in the garden as an addition to the perennial flowe bed.  The upright Rosemary will become quite large over time, but you can cut it back by half and it won’t mind.  There is a low growing variety that makes a nice border along a planting bed and serves as herbs for great grilled dishes as well as an easy to care for border plant.

All of these herbs can be grown indoors in a sunny window.  I would recommend taking them outside for a bath occassionally.  Be sure to lightly fertilize your plants if they are indoors, DON’T fertilize the outdoor herb garden, it makes the herbs less flavorful. Do plant in well-draining, sunny soil and don’t overwater.  If you decide to plant mint, another easy-to-grow herb, be sure to put it in a clay pot.  It will quickly take over the flower bed and you will end up with mint everywhere, including the grass.

July in the Garden

14 Tuesday Jul 2009

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I once read that the only ‘duty’ in the garden in August is water, water, water.  I believe that summer can be hot any time Mother Nature decides she wants to warm things up.  With most of California experiencing ongoing drought and possible water rationing, I thought I’d do a posting on what water conservation measures have worked in my garden.

We live within 6 miles of the ocean (as the crow flies).  There is a range of hills between us and the sea that makes our climate just slightly warmer than ‘living at the beach’.  However, we do experience Mother Nature’s natural air conditioning (the ocean breezes) most of the time.  Since it is 6-8 degrees warmer in my yeard than the temps along the coast I find I have to water at least 3 times a week.  Potted plants need more than that.  There are a few things I do that help keep the plants cool and safe from intense heat.

One of the simplest things to do is to keep your soil well cultivated.  I’m not talking about a deep cultivation rather a shallow 1-2″ cultivation of the top soil.  This will allow water to soak into the soil.  If your soil develops a hard, cracked surface you’ll have more run-off when you water, wasting the water and your time.  I cultivate on a rotation basis since it takes a bit of time but I enjoy not only the weed control it allows, but the way the garden looks once I’m  finished.

The second thing you can do is to mulch around the base of your plants.  I purchase organic compost to mulch with that way I am adding nutrients to the soil when I spread the mixture.  Be careful when you do this, especially around annuals and vegetables.  You don’t want mulch too close to these plants and you want to keep an even spread of the mulch to 1/2″ to 3/4″ thickness.  If you have clay soil this will work wonders on breaking up the clay over time.  You will have to do it annually to see results but it will be well worth it.

With the exception of California native plants and well established drought-resistant plants, all  plants need regular watering this time of year.  Soil should be allowed to dry out a bit between watering.  Water between 4:00 AM and no later than 4:00 PM to avoid mildew on roses.  You should not water during the warmest times of the day as you will loose some of the moisture to evaporation.  Sometimes I water both morning and evening on the same day, watering for a shorter amount of time, and find it soaks in better than a longer period of watering once a day.  Experiment with your yard and see how your plants respond.

For additional tips on working in the garden I recommend Pat Welch’s “Southern California Gardening” book, available at Amazon.com.

Independence Day Dinner

07 Tuesday Jul 2009

Posted by in Entertaining, Food

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I wanted to serve a meal that would be easy and fun for my 4th of July barbecue.  I decided on a couple of tried but true recipes that I’ve used for many years now with great ease and success.  Mexican Black Beans & Rice is a dish that can be prepared in advance, always a preference for me when entertaining, and it pairs beautifully with the Green Chili and Herb-Stuffed Chicken recipe.   I urge you to use fresh ingredients, canned chilies and dried herbs will not give you the same great flavors you will enjoy if you use fresh ingredients.  Fresh herbs and produce are easy to find this time of year and they are worth the visit to the market.

I’ve included the recipes, if you have any questions feel free to leave me your Comments, along with your email and I’ll respond.

Mexican Black Beans & Rice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup yellow pepper, chopped

2 cups cooked long grain rice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried, ground coriander

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup tomato, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Add onion and yellow pepper and saute until tender. Stir in cooked rice and next 3 ingredients; saute 3 minutes more.  Add beans and chopped tomato, saute 3 minutes more or until heated through.  May be prepared ahead at this point, place in oven proof dish and cover with foil.  Reheat, covered, for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees  and serve.

Green Chili and Herb-Stuffed Chicken

Bon Appetit Magazine

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, divided

1/4 cup fresh parsley

8 jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced

4 teaspoons salt

12 half chicken breasts, boneless (best with skin left on if possible, however I prepare this dish with skinless breasts and it is still delicious)

2/3 cup dry vermouth

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Marinade for the chicken:

Mix 1/3 cup lemon juice, parsley, chilies, rosemary, thyme, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in medium bowl.  Slide fingers between chicken skin and meat to loosen slightly and form pockets.  (If using skinless, place all ingredients in the baking dish, place chicken breasts in marinade and turn once half way through marinating time).  Spread herb mixture in pockets under skin.  Arrange chicken in single layer in large baking pan.  Sprinkle with vermouth, remaining 1/3 cup of lemon juice, lemon peel, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper to taste.  Turn chicken to coat.  Chill overnight, turning once.

Grill chicken over medium coals until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these recipes, they are two of my favorite Backyard BBQ recipes for summer.

4th of July Entertaining

05 Sunday Jul 2009

Posted by in Entertaining, Food

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Since 4th of July landed on a Saturday this year, we decided to host a small party of friends for the celebration.  Each couple brought some part of the meal and a bottle of wine. Thankfully pot luck style has become a standard practice within my group of friends.  I’m not sure if it’s my age or simply the fact that it makes entertaining so much easier, but I love it.  It gives me more time to be creative with the table setting and other details.  Once I knew I was going to have this party I decided I wanted some festive cloth napkins for the dinner table. It was challenging to find napkins that were suitably simple and ‘patriotic’ in appearance.  So after an unsuccessful search of local stores, I decided I’d attempt to find the fabric online and make the napkins.  I searched online for discount fabric sites and found Warehouse Fabrics.  They have a wide variety of fabrics and the price was very reasonable.  I ordered 3 yards of a crimson red cotton with white stars. The fabric was $6 a yard and it afforded me 8 napkins, not bad for $18 + tax.  I hand stitched the hems, mostly because I was too lazy to get the sewing machine out.  The napkins added to my table setting.

To be continued…