NYC | From Patty's Pantry

Crepes- A simple recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner

Oct 182007

One might logically associate crepes with Paris and French Cuisine. For me I think of my childhood growing up in Tokyo, and my favorite thing in the world was the crepes stand in Omote Sando. I am in Tokyo now for vacation and my week is not yet done; I have already made two trips to the crepe stand- they are just as good as I remember. It is nice to know some things never change. The question is will I get a third and finally Crepe before I leave?

Now Crepes are very simple and wonderful to make, they can be either savory or sweet. I know one person that makes them a little sweeter and serves them instead of pancakes. One of my favorite dinners a crepe filled with ratatouille. I find that if I am out of practice when making crepes the first couple don’t turn out how I would like. Don’t be discouraged if that is the case when you are making them.

3/4 plus 2 tablespoons cups of milk ( add milk is consistency is too think)
2 eggs
½ cup of sugar (if making for dessert crepes)
1 cup of flour
A squirt of lemon
Optional 1 teaspoon of vanilla (If for dessert crepes)
Butter for cooking

Whisk eggs and milk together, slowly pouring in sugar. Once well combined stir flour in until well combined, followed by the lemon and vanilla.
Preheat pan, lightly greased with butter, once pan is heated pour 1/3- 1/2 cup of crepe mixture into pan, move the pan around in a circular motion to have batter spread out evenly. Cook for about 30 seconds and then flip crepe and cook the other side.
Great to serve with Nutella, Cinnamon Sugar, Fruits, Ham & Cheese, the possibilities are endless!

Meat Pie Recipe

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Oct 082007

MEAT PIE- I for the life of me have no idea why I thought it was shocking how much MEAT was used when making this meat pie.Â A good friend of mine is leaving NYC to go to Cambodia to continue working on a project for Engineers Without Borders. He is building a dam. You can visit the project website here.Â His favorite dish is MEAT PIE and for a going away I told him, I would make him, MEAT PIE.Â When making this I am tempted to add color to it with veggiesâ€¦I was forbidden to mess around with the recipe and absolutely no veggies were permitted in the pies. Needless to say I served three veggies on the side.
This is actually perfect for entertaining because it can be made in advance and heated up. Since this dinner was taking place on a Monday night. This meat pie recipe is a simple perfect solution for a late fall or winter night dinner.

Meat Pie Recipe
2 lbs Ground Beef
1 lb. Ground Pork
1 Large Onion (Chopped)
2 Â½ Teaspoons of poultry seasoning
2 Teaspoons of ground pepper
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Celery Salt
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Sage
1 Cup of Beef Stalk
3 Large Russet Potatoes
3 Tablespoons of Butter
2 Pie Crusts- (8- inch pies)
1 Egg Plus 1 Tablespoon of Wash ( to brush the top of the pies crusts)

Preheat Oven 425

In a large skillet combine beef, pork, and onion until fully cooked. Stir in poultry seasoning, pepper, salt, celery salt, sage, and beef stalk. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Peel and cook potatoes- in a separate bowl mash (keeping it a little on the clumpy side) the potatoes with 3 tablespoons of butter.Â Evenly distribute the meat into each pie shell. ( There will be juice leftÂ from the meat reserve 1/3 Cup for each pie.Â Now evenly top the meat with the potatoes and finish by covering with crust. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash.Â Bake for 15 minutes at 425 and reduce to 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Olive Oil Stains

Tips, Terms & Tools 3 Comments »

Oct 022007

I donâ€™t need a reason to get dressed up nor do I care if everyone is in a t-shirt & jeans and I have feathers in my hair. Recently, I was bringing over appetizersâ€™ to a friendâ€™s party. I had them all arranged on a serving tray and was going to hop into a cab. Well halfway between my apartment and my friend’s place, all of the appetizersâ€™ fell on top of me. I was wearing my new baby- (a skirt) and still had two curlers on top of my head. I was now covered in Olive Oil, and the taxi driver kicked me and my friend out of the cab (because I had spilled something.) Completely bewildered, I stood on a street cornerâ€¦I did think my world had come to an end or was about too (okay, I can be slightly dramatic), my friend who was with me helped me put it into perspective.

What did I learn from this BABY POWDER is the trick to oil stains. I came home and poured an entire bottle practically over the skirt, changed and tried to salvage the remains of my appetizersâ€¦

The following weekend my baby (the skirt) was worn, STAIN FREE. Click here for Red Wine Stains!

Trifle – Berry Trifle with Pound Cake

Fruit, Ideas, Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized 1 Comment »

Sep 242007

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I had mentioned I was working on a project with my pound cakes.Â I was making boxes for a wedding shower and thought I would cut the pound cake into the shape of R in honor of the shower recipient.Â I am pretty big on always trying to make things personnel. Needless to say I had tons of left over pound cake, actually three gallon zip lock bags full.Â I thought about making a bread pudding but that just seemed too sinful and then I was given the idea of a trifle. I have never made a trifle before but have always enjoyed eating them. Now, I will be honest my first attempt did not turn out like I would have liked so I just went back to the drawing board and found a simple solution to my problem.

I did not have an actual trifle dish so I just used a large Souffle dish I had (32 oz). I am always up for getting new products for my kitchen but I have to be honestâ€¦I just have no more space in my tiny little place and just have to think a little outside the box!

Berry Trifle

2 Â½ Cups of Pound Cake

Lemon Cream

Cooked Berries

Lemon Cream

Lemon Curd

3 Lemons

1 Lemon Zested

2/3 Cup of Sugar

2 Egg Yolks

4 Tablespoons of Butter

Mix together Lemon Juice, Zest, Sugar, and Egg Yolks. In a saucepan over medium heat adding butter and stirring for about 7-10 minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Strain it through a sieve and let cool. This will make about 1 Cup.

Whipped Cream

Â½ pint of heavy cream

2 Tablespoons of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

In mixing bowl whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks hold.Â Fold in a half a cup of Lemon Curd until well combined

Berries

Juice from 1 Lemon

3 Cups of Berries- I used Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries

2 Tablespoons of Sugar

In a large saucepan combine all of the ingredient and cook liquids begins to bubble about 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool completely before assembling the Trifle

On the bottom of 32 oz Dish place Â½ of the pound cake so that it is completely covering the bottom. Pieces fitting tightly next to one another. Evenly spread half of the berries over the pound cake followed by half of the cream. Repeat this process one more time. Finish my topping off the top of the trifle with some fresh berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 4-6

Corn Chowder

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Sep 132007

This summer I have definitely been obsessed with CORN- from Corn Muffins, Blue Corn Muffins, Corn Salad and now Corn Chowder. I think it is perfect timing as we are entering the transition period between summer and fall.Â Also I was just in Denver earlier this week and it was 45 degrees definitely would have enjoyed this chowder I had made over the weekend!

5 ears of Corn (corn cut off from ears)
1 Red Bell Pepper (chopped into Â¼ inch cubes)
2 medium Onions (chopped into Â¼ -1/2 inch cubes)
2 small Leeks (sliced thinly)
1 Cup of Chopped Celery
1 Russet Potato (Peeled and cubed in Â½ inch cubes)
6 Slices of Bacon
4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
2 Cups of Milk
3 Cups of Vegetable Stock
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a fying pan cook the bacon. Remove and pat bacon dry and chop. RemoveÂ 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the frying pan in place it in the pot and add two tablespoons of butter. SautÃ© the Onions, leeks, and celery for about five minutes.Â In two other separate pots cook the corn and potatoes- drain and set aside. Add Peppers to onions and sautÃ© for about two minutes, followed by the potatoes, corn, and bacon. Pour stalk and milk with thyme and let simmer on low heat for about 20-30 minutes. I think it taste best when you let it stand for a while to let all the flavors combined with one another.

Pound Cake Recipes- Classic and Chocolate

Recipes, Sweets 1 Comment »

Sep 062007

I have been working on a project involving pound cake. I got the cakes down. Now you will have to stay tuned to the next stage of this pound cake project and how it turns out.

Chocolate Pound Cake

2 Sticks of Unsalted butter, softened
3/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup of Sugar
6 oz. of Vanilla Yogurt
1/4 Cup of Whole Milk
3 Eggs
1 1/3 Cup of Flour
2/3 Cup of Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
3.5 Ounces of Melted Dark Chocolate

Preheat Oven to 350

Generously butter loaf pan – 9- by 5- by 3-inch metal loaf pan

Whisk together Flour, Cocoa Powder,Baking Powder, and Salt. In a separate bowl beat together butter and sugars with an electric mixerÂ until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest, vanilla, and yogurt. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milkÂ mixing until just incorporated. ( If you mux too much it will become moreÂ elastic the batter)

Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. About 60- 70 minutesÂ Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

Classic Pound Cake

This recipe I got from Gourmet and think is simply delicious.

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/3 Cup of Flour
3 large Eggs
1 teaspoon fresh Lemon zest
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk,
Preheat oven to 350
Generously butter loaf pan – 9- by 5- by 3-inch metal loaf pan

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

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Tomatoes – Roasted Tomatoes and 10 Fun Facts

Recipes, Sides, Top Ten 1 Comment »

Aug 292007

Having a fresh farm stand tomato is simply heaven. I am just so thrilled there is still more time in the season to enjoy them. It is hard to avoid them as they seem to be everywhere even in the New York Times â€œSo Many tomatoes to Stuff in a Weekâ€ by, Mellissa Clark. As a child I did not fancy tomatoes, I know, crazy. How much I missed out on. One of the simplest ways to prepare tomatoes is roasting them. This is perfect because it can be added to all kinds of dishes: Salads, Pastas, and Sandwiches. Past recipes to check out too is Gazpacho , Bruschetta and Peeling Tomatoes.

Roasted Tomatoes
4 Pounds of Beefsteak Tomatoes (cut in half)
1 Cup of Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Salt
11/2 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
5 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
2 Tablespoons of Thyme

Preheat Oven 350
Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet that has been lined with tin foil. Coat the sheet with Olive Oil about 2-3 Tablespoons. Sprinkle Sugar and Salt evenly over the tomatoes and let stand for about 5- minutes. The sprinkle Garlic and Thyme over the Tomatoes and finish by drizzling the Balsamic Vinegar and rest of the Olive Oil over the Tomatoes. Bake for 3 hours if they start to brown to quickly reduced the heat.

1. The tomato is the worldâ€™s most popular fruit
2. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C
3. What makes the tomato red- Lycopene research thinks it might prevent cancer
4. There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes
5. Donâ€™t store ripe tomatoes in the fridge, lessens the flavor. Instead store tem in a cool, dark place, stem-side down.
6. If you must refrigerate take is out an hour before and let return to room temperature.
7. A good serrated knife is far better than a flat-edged knife when slicing tomatoes
8. Cherry Tomatoes- scooped out make a great edible cup
9. Plum Tomatoes are best used for sauces
10. Herbs that goes well with Tomatoes- Basil, Oregano, Garlic, Thyme. Pepper, Chives, Tarragon, Bay Leaf, and Celery Seed. Basically EVERYTHING!

Plum Tart- House Warming Basket

Fruit, Ideas, Sweets No Comments »

Aug 212007

We have all had that horrid experience of moving. I think probably one of the worst experiences is moving in New York City. I realize being young and living in a transient environment people move often but it is not so often that people buy their first home. I thought instead of bringing over flowers, a bottle of champagne or a welcome mat I would bring dinner for the happy couple. So they did not have to worry about cooking or ordering among all the boxes and can enjoy the comforts of their new home.
The Menu
Roasted Chicken
Sundried Tomato Pasta
Mesclun Greens
Roasted Peppers and Eggplant
Plum Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream

Plum Tart
This tart is simple and delicious. Perfect for when you are in a rush and need to impress!
1 Sheet of Puff Pastry (approximately 8.6 oz cut into three pieces)
4 Plums
3 Tablespoons of Apricot Jam
1 Egg (for Egg Wash)
Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream
Preheat Oven 425
Slice Plums 1/8 inch slices and cut in half. (So that they are in a semi circle) Layer the plum slices on the puff pastry, leaving the edges of pastry uncovered. In a separate bowl beat the egg and a tablespoon of water.Â With a pastry brush the edges of the pastry. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.
In a sauce pan melt the apricot jam on low heat. Once the tarts have been taken out of the oven brush the top of the tart with the jam. This will give a little more taste and have that professional glossy finish.
Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream

Corn Salad

Recipes, Sides, Uncategorized 1 Comment »

Aug 092007

Fresh corn in the summer, is one of those great summer delights in my mind. This salad is simple and delicious. The taste of the cilantro will enhance over time. This corn recipe is light healthy and refreshing.

6 ears of corn

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Medium Red Onion

2 Tablespoons of Cilantro

1 Lime

1/3 Cup of Olive Oil

3 Teaspoons of White Wine Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper

Cut corn off from the ear of corn. (I find it easiest to hold corn standing up and cut kernels off from top down moving around the corn till all kernels are off) In pot of boiling water cook corn, drain and let cool.

Dice red pepper and onion and toss in with corn. Chop Cilantro and add to corn mixture.Â In a separate bowl mix together Olive Oil, Vinegar, Mustard, Lime juice, Salt and Pepper. (Taste to make sure you like the vinaigrette- if to mild add some vinegar or lime juice) Pour vinaigrette over corn and make sure evenly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. This is really perfect for any summer BBQ or Picnic!

In a Hurry?

Tips, Terms & Tools, Top Ten 1 Comment »

Aug 022007

Busy, Busy, Busy is how I feel a lot of the time. I guess that is why NYC has the nickname â€œthe city that never sleeps.â€Â Now I realize sometimes there is no time to cook or even make a restaurant reservation, so here is the solution.Â A good friend of mine is starting this business called SUNDAY where you can have a personnel assistant for only $29 a month allowing you 30 requests.Â They can provide anything from reservations, travel arrangements, wake-up calls with the weather as well as offering delivery services in the NYC area. (Sunday services are not limited to NYC and have customers throughout the US).Â You can even have them look up recipes for you and email them to your Blackberry while you are on the way to the store!Â If you can request it they can most likely figure a way to answer it.Â So if you are one of those people that donâ€™t even have enough time or don’t know where to begin in sending flowers, check Sunday out at http://www.asksunday.com

I was reading the New York Times and came across this great article by Mark Bittman, Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less.Â I definitely think worth checking out. I lately find myself making omelets.Â It is funny, I have a fully stocked pantry but nothing that is readily eatable so I am always snacking on the most random items.
Here are my Top 10 from the List:
1. Put three pounds of washed mussels in a pot with a half a cup of white wine, garlic cloves, basil leaves and chopped tomatoes. Steam until mussels open. Serve with bread.
2. Cut eggplant into half-inch slices. Broil with lots olive oil, turning once, until tender and browned. Top with crumbles goat or feta cheese and broil another 20 seconds
3. Upscale tuna salad: good canned tuna (packed in olive oil), capers, dill or parsley, lemon juice but no mayo. Use to stuff a tomato or two.
4. Frisee aux lardons: Cook chunks of bacon in skillet. Meanwhile, make six-minute or poached eggs and a frisee salad. Put eggs on top of salad along with bacon; deglaze pan with sherry vinegar and pour pan juices over all
5. Taco Salad: Toss together greens, chopped tomato, chopped red onion, sliced avocado, a small can of black beans and kernels from a couple of ears of corn. Toss with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Dress with olive oil, lime and chopped cilantro leaves.
6. Raita to the rescue: Broil any Fish. Serve with a sauce of drained yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber, minced onion and cayenne.
7. Grill or sautÃ© Italian sausage and serve over store-bought hummus, with lemon wedges.
8. Miso steak: Coat beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon) with a blend of miso and chili paste thinned with sake or white wine. Grill or broil about five minutes
9. Boil- and-eat shrimp, cooked in water with old bay seasoning or a mixture of thyme, garlic, paprika, chopped onion, celery, chili, salt and pepper
10. So-called Fettuccine Alfredo: Heat several tablespoons of butter and about a cup of cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to simmer. Add slightly undercooked fresh pasta to the skillet, along with plenty of grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta is tender and hot.

101_simple_meals_in_10_minutes_or_less.pdf

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