Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes should have a bit of "structure" to them.
They should be "mashed" and not whipped or soupy.

Mashed potatoes don't have be boring and are easily flavored with a bit of dried onion and fresh garlic. I do not like “whipped” potatoes and will save that glop for my death-bed meal along with jarred applesauce that I sip through a straw.

• 2 large Idaho potatoes, about 2 lbs.
• 1-2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk or Half-and-Half or cream or any combo at room temperature or slightly nuked
• 6 T. Butter
• Salt and pepper

(Easily serves 4)

Peel potatoes. I no longer cut into "chunks" or fourths because they cook unevenly. Slice into 3/4-inch rounds, that way they are all uniform and cook evenly and faster.

Place in a medium pan of water and drain and then rinse. Fill pan with enough water to cover the potatoes by about an inch of water. Add the dried onion flakes and a few slices of the garlic clove depending on taste. A little goes a long way. Cover, bring to a boil and then lower heat a bit. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until a fork easily pierces them. Remove from heat, reduce burner to low.

Using the pan lid to hold the potatoes in, drain in a sink. Don’t worry if some of the dried onion and garlic escape; the potatoes have already absorbed their flavor. 

Place the pan back on the range to allow any water/moisture to dry up. Using a fork stir potatoes around a bit to begin breaking up.

You have several options to "mash" your potatoes. A ricer is the best. If you don't have that, use a simple potato masher. If you don't have that, use a pastry blender or wire whisk. I now usually use a wire pastry blender. Electric beaters can cause potatoes be become "gluey."

A pastry blender is a great way to mash potatoes!

Remove pan from heat. Add butter—several tablespoons, and begin mashing. Add warm milk or cream—a little at a time, whisking/mashing as you go, until you get a desired “mash" and thickness. 

Potatoes take a lot of salt, so use a good one, such as Kosher salt or a nice sea salt. Add freshly-ground pepper and even more butter. If desired, add some chopped, fresh parsley or chopped green onions.

Green onions take mashed potatoes to a higher level.

If you are not going to serve them at once, place in a buttered casserole dish. Dot with butter. Cover. To re-heat, place in a 350 degree oven until heated through and butter is melted.

Dive in!!!

Dutch Baby (Puffed Pancake)

Absolutely magnificent! And delicious!

A light, puffed pancake using the simplest of ingredients... and it's pretty easy to make, too! A great recipe to involve kids or guests.

This if often called a "German"(Deutsch) pancake. "Deutsch" was simplified to Dutch. Its origins go as far back as a hotel in Hawaii. Whatever it origin, it's a winner and should be in every kitchen's repertoire of easy meals that look "posh".

I'm always amazed when I make this recipe: amazed at the simple, inexpensive ingredients; amazed at how it puffs up like a space galaxy or emerging nebula; amazed at how "French" and professional it looks when done; and then amazed at how good it actually tastes.

Just be sure to have eggs and milk at room temperature. You can nuke the milk just a bit to get it there and put the whole eggs in their shells in some warm water for 5-10 minutes. Some people swear by 2% milk. 

I prefer the classic lemon-and-powdered sugar garnish--lots of powdered sugar. But I've also had it with stewed apples (and powdered sugar). It's also great with fresh berries served in the center and drizzled with honey or maple syrup.

This makes for a great Sunday breakfast or a light, evening meal. Spread it with some Boursin cheese or your favorite goat cheese and scatter it with some fresh tomato, onion and smoked salmon. Fill it with your favorite salad greens and some chopped ham--drizzle with your favorite dressing. The Internet is filled with great ideas. And, like I said, involve kids. They will be thrilled to watch it puff like magic. Even teens!

• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature 
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Confectioners' sugar
• Juice of fresh lemon
• Cast Iron Skillet, 10 or 12 inch

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the flour, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and lightly beat until blended but still slightly lumpy. I use an old-fashioned egg beater. A whisk works well, too. Or just use a blender.

An enamel-lined cast-iron skillet like this works well.

Place butter in skillet and put in oven. When butter is melted, pour in the batter and return to oven. Bake until pancake is billowing on the edges and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Note the raised, brown edges. No two pancakes will ever look the same!

Remove from pan and plate. The pancake will fall, so don't be alarmed. Squeeze on lemon juice and dust with powdered sugar. I say "dust" to be polite. Pile it on in drifts like a Midwest blizzard!

Here's how America Test Kitchen makes theirs: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/9643-german-pancake-for-two

Notes: If you don't have an iron skillet, you may sub a cake pan or pie dish, just alter the batter according to size. If you use a regular skillet, make sure the handle is heat-proof. If you don't have nutmeg, omit--or add a sprinkle of cinnamon. I've also used apple pie spice.

No-Cook, Fresh, Cranberry Relish Everyone Will Like

Even people who don't like cranberry relish gobble this up. At its best, it should be prepared a week or so ahead so the sugar "cooks" the relish. It lasts forever in the refrigerator and becomes better with age. I am just now finishing up the last bit I made from last winter. For whatever reason, fresh cranberries disappear from produce shelves way too early. So, plan ahead. Make triple recipes.

Please note: this is a relish. Not a sauce or a "jellied"sauce. To be honest, it is really a kind of "jam." When I first started to blog, it was my #1 recipe. Like I said, make a large batch. It isn't just for Thanksgiving.

I really owe the success of this recipe to being raised a Catholic. I attended Catholic school for 12 years. When I was in the seventh grade, we moved to a much smaller town than the one in which I was raised. My school shrunk into a four-room, two-story brick building constructed in 1900. It was considered "modern" for its time and housed a bell tower complete with attic. I loved that old school. Sadly, it was demolished to make room for an even more "modern" one. No comparison.

One Saturday in autumn, on my Schwin bicycle, I delivered several paper bags of  natural peat moss from a rotting log I had discovered in the woods to the convent to improve the soil for planting spring bulbs. Mind you, the "convent" was an old house. Vintage. The school was on one side. The convent, rectory and church were on the other. In between was a large, historic cemetery. For a kid, it was all pretty cool.

The back door was off of a porch/pantry. The doorbell was very old-fashioned. It was a real bell you turned or twisted from the outside.  I could hear laughter inside, but no one answered. After several turns of the bell (it was fun), finally, Sister Jerome showed up. She was the "principal" of the school. Wearing an apron I had never seen on any nun, she was all smiles and jovial. She explained she and the rest of the Sisters were attempting to make cranberry relish. When they put the berries in the mill to grind, they squirted all over them. Hence, the laughter. 

In a way, I felt kind of special to be included.  Great. Sister Jerome inspected what I had called "peat moss" and had me sprinkle it over the borders. It was a love/hate relationship with that nun. But, looking back, I think she was the one who had a love/hate relationship with herself. My understanding is that she left the convent. Probably. She was too gifted to be confined by a manual doorbell. And to be named after a male.

So, flash forward ... The first time I attempted to make cranberry relish was when I myself was a young teacher. I thought it would be easy and fun like the Sisters at my school. 

Wrong!

It was so horrible and bitter I dared not bring it home for Thanksgiving. But, I hated to throw it away since it took so much work to chop chop chop ... so I kept it in the fridge and just kind of added more sugar, day by day, tasting after each addition. Then, one day, a miracle happened. The heavens opened! It was ideal and just kind of turned into a lovely "jam." It was absolutely delicious without any bitterness. Hallelujah! Long story short,  I brought it home for Christmas and it was an instant hit and has become a family favorite and staple at our holiday table.

One holiday when I wasn't home for the holidays, I had to actually send a quart by express mail! 

I dare you not to make this. I double dare you not to make this. I triple dare you not to make this. Just do it. Heaven wants to shine on you and your family and your feast. Cmon. You can do it. Really. It's too easy not to ... 

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1-2 oranges
• White sugar. And lots of it. About 4 cups
• 
  

Carefully go over cranberries and remove old shriveled ones. Cut one orange into smaller sections (including the peel) and remove seeds if necessary. Place some berries and orange sections in food processor or mini prep and pulse/grind. Remember, this is a relish, so don't over grind into a puree. Remove to large bowl. Sometimes I add a bit more juice from another orange if mixture seems too dry. If the orange is bland, I sometimes add a bit more zest from the second orange. Add 1-2 cups of sugar. Cover and place in refrigerator.

For the next several days, add 1/2 cup sugar at a time and stir. In total, you will probably use about 2 pounds of sugar or 4 cups. By the fifth day or so the flavors will really begin to blend and you should be able to just taste a bit of orange. After about a week, it will have "jellied" and you are in cranberry Nirvana.

This is the perfect side to anything savory or bland. Of course, it's wonderful with stuffing. I love it with kreplach. Put in small jars, it makes for a much-appreciated gift.

Notes: Last year I just dumped all the sugar into a bowl with the processed berries and oranges and then stirred at least once a day for a week or so.  It was just fine! The thrill of dumping in a 4 pound bag of sugar is worth it! When allowed to sit, the sugar mingles and mellows the tart berries and orange peel. If made and served too soon, it will be way too sweet.

Daily Bread

When sliced supermarket bread began to hit the three-dollar mark, I hauled out my old bread recipe and began making my own loaves. A bag of bread flour is only four bucks. If I make only two loaves a week, that's a considerable savings. Artisan breads are even more expensive!

Rapid-rise yeast makes an easy go of the whole process and if you've never attempted to make bread, it's really not at all complicated and a great weekend project. It's also a great excuse to use all those nice bowls you have tucked away in the cabinet---oh, you know what I mean! You will need one good heavy one to allow the bread to rise. Sorry, but I don't do bread machines.

I've made many, many bread recipes through the years, and this is the one I've settled on. It makes a nice loaf that slices thin, so it's great for sandwiches, and it's particularly great for toast. The egg yolk gives a nice "crumb" and texture to this loaf.

Everyday Bread

Makes one loaf*

• 1 pkg. rapid, quick-rise yeast combined with 1/4 cup warm water and a pinch or two of white sugar
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2 tablespoons honey (or brown sugar)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour

(To make two loaves, increase yeast to 3 teaspoons with 1/2 cup warm water, increase water to 1.5 cups, double butter, and honey but be careful of the salt. Use about 7 cups of flour.)

Preheat oven to lowest temp. Turn off and keep door closed.

Measure out the flour in a separate bowl.

Combine the yeast mixture in a one-cup glass measuring cup. Stir to dissolve yeast and place in the warm oven. This is "proofing" the yeast. If it's "alive" it will begin to bubble and froth. When it reaches the one-cup mark, remove.

Meanwhile, microwave the one cup of water until hot. In a large bowl, add the butter, honey (or brown sugar) and salt. Pour in the hot water and stir until butter is melted. Set aside for it to cool a bit. You want a temperature of about 90 degrees. Taste. Saltiness should be in the foreground with a hint of honey in the background. When warm, whisk in the egg yolk. Now add the yeast mixture. Stir.

To the yeast mixture, whisk in about one to one-and-a-half cups of flour until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or towel and place in the warm oven until the mixture doubles in size and is bubbly. This is called making the "sponge." After about 30 minutes, it should look like this:

Now begin mixing in the rest of the flour one-half cup at a time and until the dough becomes difficult to mix in and flour begins to cling to the sides of the bowl. Scrape it out unto a floured surface and begin to knead. It will be sticky and you will have to flour it. The goal is to try and not to use any more of the 4.5 cups of flour that you originally measured in the bowl. 

Knead for a good 10-15 minutes. To knead dough: fold in half towards you and then knead/push with the bottom or heels of your hands. Give it a one-fourth turn, fold in half again towards you, and knead. Sprinkle with flour as needed and give another 1/4 turn. 

The dough will tell you when it no longer needs any flour because it will just begin to stop sticking and become elastic and firm and smooth. After about 10-15 minutes, it should look like this:

This is about two pounds and makes one loaf of bread.

Lightly grease a large, heavy bowl (I use olive oil). Place your dough ball in and then turn upside down so the greased side is now up. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap.

Place in the warm oven. If necessary, preheat the oven on warm while kneading the dough then turn off. Yeast needs a warm, not hot, environment to ferment. If too hot, the yeast will die.

After 30 minutes, the dough will have doubled. Gently, go around the bowl and fold the sides inward to deflate. If necessary, put a bit more oil on top. Cover and return to warm oven to double yet again. After 30 minutes is should be double and leave an indent when you fingers are pushed in it:

Meanwhile, grease your loaf pan. I used lard. It makes for the best crust:

I don't think anything should be "punched" and that includes dough. Many call for "punching" down the dough. Don't. You want those little air bubbles. Remove the dough to a floured surface. Gently begin forming into a rectangle, the width about as wide as the bottom of the pan you are using:

Fold one end to the center, and then the other:

Pinch the seams a bit and then begin to form into a roll by folding again and keeping to the size of the pan:

Pinch the side seams closed and place in your greased bread pan. Cover and place in warm oven until it doubles in size and is even with the top of your pan. Remove from oven and with a sharp knife or razor blade, make a 1/2 -inch slit down the center. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Place bread pan on center rack and bake for 30-35 minutes. The top will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. If not sure, remove the bread from the oven and  gently tilt out the bread. Using an instant-read thermometer, insert in the bottom of the bread (you want to keep the steam in the bread--poking a hole in the top allows the steam to escape). You want a reading of 200-210. If not done, simply re-insert bread and bake more as needed. 

Your loaf should go from this:

to this:

The loaf will continue to rise once it bakes in the oven.

Remove the loaf and place on it's side across the pan to cool:

As tempting as it is, DO NOT cut and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Cutting into a fresh loaf of hot bread allows the steam to escape and will create a dry texture. 

Once it has cooled, slice away and enjoy! When it is totally cooled, it will be easier to make thin slices.

Toasting enhances the yeast flavor. Here I've slathered it
with my homemade strawberry/kiwi/ginger jam.

For the time being, simply put the bread cut side down on a plate. Once it has completely cooled, store in plastic wrap. I just use an old plastic bread sleeve. 

When my grandmother retired, she took cooking lessons at this cooking school in downtown Chicago:

A few decades letter she gave the cookbook to me:

'To my Grandson Gary. From Grandma Dason
Love you & Love Your Bread.

It is from this cookbook that my mother makes a family tradition: "Oysters a la Rockefeller." But that's another recipe and another blog.

(c) Gary T. Czerwinski 2010

Click below to watch 93-year-old Clara make bread like they did from The Great Depression. It's an interesting recipe and technique:

YouTube - Great Depression Cooking - Fresh Bread (Peppers and Eggs part 2)