Hill

Margie’s Mojo Mojito

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Dave says: We had some limes, and mojitos sounded fun. One problem: what is, in fact, the definition of a mojito? Generally speaking it’s a combo of rum, lime, soda water, sugar, and mint — but a Googling of the term turns up an amazing variety of blends and proportions thereof, including variations on the sugar (simple syrup? confectioner’s sugar? cane sugar syrup?) and what to do about the lime juice (everything from fresh-squeezed to Rose’s Lime Juice to lemons and lemon-lime soda). 

Here’s what we came up with that seemed to be a good combo. Noted for future reference: 

10-12 mint leaves (maybe fewer)
1 lime’s juice (1 oz.)
2 tbsp. simple syrup* (about the max sweet you want; you can use a bit less)

ice
2 oz. white rum
3-4 oz. club soda

  1. Put mint leaves, lime juice, simple syrup in a pint glass (highball). 
  2. Muddle the leaves (with a muddler, or else a spoon) until the are bruised and releasing mint flavor, but not shredded.
  3. Fill glass with ice.
  4. Pour in rum, club soda.
  5. Mix to get mint to the top of the glass, too.

Serve with a slice of lime or some sprigs or mint, if you want to get fancy.

*Simple syrup can be made easily (see any number of recipes online), or actually purchased by the bottle as a bar supply. If you make lots of mojitos, you can actually infuse some mint leaves into a special supply of simple syrup to simplify the first few steps.

French Toast a la Dave

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Dave the Hubby says:  Breakfasts on Saturday, growing up, were always something battered, a rotating menu of pancakes, waffles (both made via Bisquik) and french toast.  Years later, I did some research and cobbled together this recipe.  I always keep slowly ratcheting up the extra spices — which should be, of course, to taste, the point here being that there’s more to french toast than egg and milk batter.  Spice it up!

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs, whole and beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1½  tsp vanilla
  • 1½  tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 4 slices of bread

A note on bread:  Bread selection is important in French Toast. You want something that will soak up the batter quickly and thoroughly, but won’t get soggy and tear. Heavier breads seem to do better; thicker slices work, too, but may not soak through. Make sure that if the bread has a flavor, it complements the spices above and whatever toppings you’re putting on.  I prefer something on the soft side, but thin/sandwich cut.  Other people prefer a thick slice.  The bread should be soft enough to soak up the egg/milk mix, hearty enough to maintain its integrity when dredging and flipping, and of a taste not to conflict with the spices or topping.  White or buttermilk work great.

A note on toppings:  I’m a butter and maple syrup guy.  Never been much into the powdered sugar, or the fruit syrup, but your mileage may vary.  Whatever, make sure you have plenty on hand before starting the toast!

Directions:

  1. Blend all of the above in a bowl.  Pour into a 9×13 pan.
  2. Heat flat griddle on medium-low (about 1/3 of the way on our stove).
  3. Dredge pieces of bread through the mixture, getting them battered on both sides.  Let any excess drip off for a second, then put on the griddle.  Cook on both sides until a thin brown crust appears.  Toast should be crispy on the outside, still a bit tender (though not goopy) on the inside.
  4. Top with butter and syrup, or your favorite toppings (see above)

Serves:  Four pieces, or so my notes say.  I almost always double the recipe, and it goes further than 8 slices.  Most adults will eat 4, but poll your guests before starting.  The mix, being eggs and milk, probably won’t keep long.  You may be better off making as much toast as you can and freezing the leftovers for mid-week snacking.

Source:  Dave the Hubby

 

Mary’s Mom’s “Spaghetti”

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After extolling Aunt Elda’s Casserole, I have to add a word about Mary’s Mom’s Spaghetti. I remember being served this many years back at Mary’s Dad’s house, and being amazed how much like AEC it was. Well … yeah. Welcome to classic American casserole cooking. This one is a bit fancier (despite including catsup), but just as yummy.

Ingredients:

  • 1½ lbs. Ground Beef
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 2 large Onions, chopped
  • 8 oz. Rotini style pasta
  • 16 oz. Tomato Sauce
  • 16 oz. Water (use the tomato sauce can)
  • ½ c. Catsup
  • 1 tsp. Chili Powder
  • ½ tsp. Allspice
  • 1/3 tsp. Majoram
  • 1/3 tsp. Thyme
  • 1 dash Sugar
  • 1 c. Mexicorn
  • 1 can Mushrooms, Canned
  • ½ c. Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Directions:

  1. Brown beef, garlic, onion.
  2. Make pasta.
  3. Combine all in a casserole, top with cheese.
  4. Bake 45 minutes at 350-375°

Serves: The note indicates “a single batch is plenty.”

Note: Not really “spaghetti,” but the rotini give it some scoopable substance, and catch the sauce nicely. Could be done with any pasta (with slightly different results).

Source: MEO

Aunt Elda’s Casserole

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So things have been kind of slow here in the Kitchen for a while, so Dave the Hubby decided maybe he should rummage around for some stuff himself. He used to be a bit of a recipe-bound cook himself, albeit nothing quite as yummy or creative as Margie. Nevertheless, maybe it’s time to record some of those Old Standards / Comfort Foods from days gone by …

This recipe is no doubt from some sort of magazine article, but Dave’s family was introduced to it on a visit to Aunt Elda up in Sacramento. Hence it became known in the family as “Aunt Elda’s Casserole.” From that day, a long-time family standard.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Pasta (rotelle/rotini work well)
  • 1 lb. Ground Round
  • ¾ c. Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1 can Tomato Soup
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
  • 1 mdm Onion, chopped
  • 1 small can Mexicorn
  • 6 oz. Tomato Paste
  • 8 oz. Tomato Sauce

Directions:

  1. Boil the noodles and set aside.
  2. Brown the meat.
  3. Mix together the other ingredients (except meet and cheese) and cook for about 10 minutes.
  4. Put a layer of noodles at the bottom of a 9×13 casserole. Add a layer of meat mixture, then noodles, etc. Sprinkle top with cheese.
  5. Bake 30 minutes at 350°

Note: Can be microwaved, too. Easy to freeze and reheat. Like most pasta casseroles, better the next day.

Serves: However many family members can chow down a 9×13 casserole.

Prep time: Takes about an hour all told.

Source: Aunt Elda, of course!

 

Harvest Wines

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Margie and I spent a couple of weeks struggling through the horrors of taste-testing wines for the various courses of the Fancy Dinner. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.
(We actually brought the “rejects” along with us for hors d’oevres, which everyone enjoyed.)
The wines, per course:

  • Appetizer: Coppola Bianco ($8) – a full-bodied white, slightly fruity, that stood up well to the Supreme Sauce.
  • Soup: Conde de Valdemar Rioja 1997 ($13) – spicy, and a match for the tomato-pepper soup.
  • Dessert: I Vignaioli di S. Stefano Moscato d’Asti ($11) – flowery, slightly effervescent, and a fine complement to the various sweets.

As you can see, the prices were highly reasonable. While I’m sure that more expensive wines would have added greater subtlety and flavor, they were not, in fact, missed in what we presented.
For the eight people, we went through about a bottle and a half per course. The entree course was a nice Bordeaux provided by the host (two bottles worth). Had they not provided one, I would probably have suggested a Cab or a Zin for that installment.

Glög

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This recipe is a classic in Margie’s family, a mulled wine recipe put together by her Dad before she was born, based on old Swedish family recipes.
It’s such a family secret, I had to promise that only Kleerup family members who have been pre-cleared will be able to see the recipe here. Ready?
Ingredients:

ACCESS DENIED

Macaroni Monterey

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Another intensely easy, filling (and cheap) dish. You can serve it as a side or as a main dish.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz Macaroni
  • ½ lb Monterey Jack Cheese, cubed
  • 1 c Sour Cream
  • ¼ c Butter
  • ¾ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook and drain macaroni.
  2. Put macaroni and other ingredients into a greased 2 qt casserole. Mix well.
  3. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

You can also microwave the dish for however long it takes to get to that state.

The dish can easily be multiplied or expanded into other size dishes.

Other types of pasta can be used, of course. Ideally you want something that can hold the melted cheese and sour cream inside of it. Margie’s radical addition is substituting garlic salt for plain salt.

Prep time: 45 min.
Serves: 6
Source: Gloria Hill

Lasagna

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Make sure you use teaspoons, not tablespoons, of fennel, otherwise you’ll end up with “Dave’s Infamous Fennel Lasagna.”

Ingredients:
½ lb Lasagna Noodles, Cooked
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese, grated
¾ c Parmesan Cheese, grated

Meat Sauce
1 lb Italian Sausage
½ lb Ground Beef
2 c Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1½ tsp Basil
½ tsp Fennel Seed
¼ tsp Pepper
28 oz Tomatoes, canned
12 oz Tomato Paste
1/4 c red wine

Ricotta Mixture
1 Egg, beaten
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 tbsp Parsley Flakes
1 tsp Salt

Directions:

  1. Brown meat.
  2. Saute onions, garlic
  3. Combine Meat Sauce ingredients and simmer to taste.
  4. Mix up Ricotta Mixture.
  5. In a 9×13 baking pan, put a thin coat of meat sauce on the bottom, then layer 3x (i.e., use 1/3 of ingredients in each layer) the following:
    • Lasagna noodles
    • Meat Sauce
    • Ricotta Mixture
    • Mozzarella
    • Parmesan
  6. Cover with foil; bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
  7. Uncover, bake another 25 minutes.
  8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 2 hrs
Serves: 8
Source: “Mama Creamette” (modified)

Long Island Ice Tea

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The Long Island Iced Tea is a popular mixed drink that, despite its name, contains no tea. It is one of those mixed drinks that tastes good going down but can quickly sneak up on you. It’s best to take it easy with this one.  The ingredient list is long, but the recipe is very easy to remember: five white distilled spirits (including orange liqueur), a shot of sour mix, topped with cola and served over ice  Essentially, the majority of the bar’s well goes into the drink and some drinkers love it while others despise it. The problem with the Long Island is that it is often made too strong. Many bartenders (professional and amateur alike) will over-pour the liquors. This not only makes the drink stronger, it also knocks the taste out of balance and reaches that point of too much booze (yes, there is such a thing).  On the other hand, if this drink is treated with respect and the person pouring keeps in mind that taste is more important than potency, the Long Island Iced Tea is a good drink.

Ingredients:
½ oz Vodka
½ oz Rum
½ oz Tequila
½ oz Gin
½ oz Triple Sec
4 oz Sour Mix
2 oz Coke
Proportions of 5:8:4

Instructions: Mix ingredients in a large glass filled with cracked ice.

Note that the Coke is essentially to color the combination to a “tea” color. Note also that the first five ingredients can be mixed and stored together in an empty booze bottle.

Variations:

 

  • Long Beach Tea – Everything in the Long Island, but the ​Cola is replaced with cranberry juice.
  • Miami Iced Tea – Peach schnapps is added to the Long Beach, the tequila is dropped, and lemon-lime soda adds a bit of sparkle.
  • Hawaiian Iced Tea – Using the Long Island recipe, top this drink with pineapple juice and skip the cola.
  • Electric Cowboy Iced Tea – Blue curacao replaces the triple sec and the soda is switched out to lemon-lime soda. It’s a brilliant blue drink.
  • Texas Tea – Simply add bourbon to the Long Island for an even more potent mix.
  • Western Sunset –  Whidby Island Loganberry Liquor replaces Triple Sec and Cranberry Juice replaces Coke .
  • Golden Spike – The Rum becomes Spiced Rum and Coke is replaced by  Pineapple Juice; float coconut rum on top.
  • Tokyo Iced Tea  – Add 7-up instead of dark cola, and Midori (kiwi liqueur) instead of triple sec.
  • California Ice Tea – The cola is replaced with orange juice.
  • Beverly Hills Ice Tea – Add sparkling white wine to the glass in place of the cola.

Source: “Kins” (Andy March), The Spruce Eats and lots of fun research.

Chocolate Pecan Strata

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This is a truly faboo desert that everyone will enjoy. It’s also a very long one to make — do not wait until 8 p.m. the previous night to start making it, because the various layers have to set in the fridge at each step.
Ingredients:
1½ sticks Butter, melted
1½ c Flour
1 c Pecans, chopped
—
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 c Powdered Sugar
2 c Whipped Cream
—
6 oz Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
6 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
4 c Milk
…
Chocolate sprinkles, shavings, or chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips
You can substitute walnuts for pecans. You can also substitute Cool Whip for the whipped cream (but it’s not as good).
Instructions:

  • Crust: Mix butter, flour, nuts. Press into 9×13 baking pan. Bake 20 min. at 400°.
  • Layer 1: Fold together cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 c of whipped cream. Spoon over crust. Refrigerate until set.
  • Layer 2: Mix chocolate pudding mix with 2 c milk. Spoon onto cream cheese mix. Refrigerate until set.
  • Layer 3: As Layer 2, only with vanilla pudding mix.
  • Layer 4: Spread with 1 c whipped cream.
  • Top with chocolate doodads mentioned above (just before serving).

Source: Dave, via Gloria Hill.