From Patty's Pantry -Food blog recipe ideas party tips etiquette simple recipes

Brining…How to Brine a Turkey

Nov 182007

About ten years ago was the first time I had heard about BRINING and Brining a Turkey. As Turkey time is here maybe this is something to try if you haven’t already. Brining is submerging a piece of meat or poultry in a bath of salted water for several hours. Brining ensures the meat is not dried out and tasteless but instead juicy and tender. Timing of brining depends on the size, but for a turkey overnight or up to 24 hours. Make sure that the temperature is cool preferably in a refrigerator if too warm the diffusion process will happen faster and will not be controllable. I hope everyone has Safe Travels and a Happy Thanksgiving.
Salt Ratio

1/4 Cup of Table Salt to 4 Cups of Water

Dissolve the salt with a 1/4 of water (hot) and then add the remaining water.

Brines can also be made Aromatic by adding different flavors to enhance the the overall outcome. Brown Sugar, Garlic, Ginger, Orange Zest, Maple Syrup, Peppercorns, and Red Pepper Flakes

Table Setting

Etiquette, Tips, Terms & Tools 1 Comment »

Nov 182007

When I was a child, I use to enter the County Fair. One of the categories I would enter in was Table Setting. I remember practicing my table at home and my mother telling me that I had my forks and knives backwards. I proceeded to be the precocious little girl I was sometimes and told her it was my vision and this is how I liked. Needless to say, the judges did not agree with me.

Table Setting can be fun and can tie everything together. This is also something that can be done in advance.

With the Holiday Season upon us here are a few helpful Reminders

Left
Forks on the Left and in order of use- farthest left first to use
Napkins on the Left and Left of the Fork or can be in the center where the plate will go.
Butter Plate- is on the top left of the plate with the butter knife across the top of the plate blade towards the user and handle on right. (Remember the trick B & D)

Right
Knives on the Right in order of use- farthest right first to use
Spoons are to the right of knives the right right of the knives.
Glasses – above the knives

Above the Plate
Dessert Spoon and Fork can be placed above the Plate. The Spoon facing left and the Fork facing right.
Place Cards – are either on the napkin if it is in the center or above the place plate.

Cauliflower Soup

Recipes, Tips, Terms & Tools 2 Comments »

Nov 082007

I did not really eat cauliflower as a child but over the years this vegetable has really intrigued me. Here are a fun few facts about cauliflower. Best quality of cauliflower is in the winter, one serving can provide the daily requirement of vitamin C. It is made up of flowers that began to form but stopped at the bud stage. Flavors that compliment cauliflower: Anchovy, butter, Chervil, Chives, Cream, Curry, Garlic, Ginger, Gruyere Cheese, Lemon, Mustard Seed, Olives, Parmesan Cheese, Thyme, and Turmeric. I of course went with the GARLIC to accompany this soup. The best part is this soup has a creamier consistency but pretty healthy.
Cauliflower Soup

1 Head of Cauliflower
2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Medium Sized Yellow Onion Chopped
1 Russet Potato (Peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 Bulb of Roasted Garlic
3 Tablespoons of Butter
6 Cups of either Vegetable or Chicken Stock
Garnish with Chopped Chives and Gruyere Cheese
Preheat Oven to 450
Separate the cauliflower and drizzle the Olive Oil over it and place in oven for twenty minutes. In a pot sautÃ© the butter and Chopped Onion for about 5 minutes until they have soften. Add Potato, Garlic Cloves from the bulb, Cauliflower and Stock. Let simmer on medium to low heat for about 40 minutes. Remove from stove and in a blender; blend the soup until smooth and creamy. The color of this soup is very bland that is why it should be garnished with some chopped chives and Gruyere Cheese. Salt and Pepper to taste.
*I Originally did not add enough stock and turns out this could make great baby food.

Roasting Garlic

Make Your Own, Recipes, Sides, Tips, Terms & Tools 2 Comments »

Nov 082007

Pretty much anything with Garlic, I love!

Roasted Garlic

1 Garlic Bulb
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Preheat Oven 400
Cut the top of the Garlic Bulb off and drizzle with Olive Oil and Salt and Pepper. Wrap the Garlic in tin foil so that it closes on the cut part. Place in oven for 1 hour.

Baked Apples

Fruit, Recipes, Sweets 1 Comment »

Oct 302007

My favorite time of the month is when Gourmet Magazine arrives in my mailbox. Last weekend I was inspired by the Vegetable Stew served in a baked Pumpkin in the November Issue.Â When I am inspired it usually means a dinner is coming soon.Â I had no idea what I was taking on exactly but definitely a large endeavor for my tiny little space.
If you try this stew I recommend making the stoock in advance and not making the entire stew in one day. As I was happy with the Vegetable Stew, I was most enamored by the Baked Apples and Calvados Ice Cream I had made for dessert.Â What was even more amazing about them was how simple and easy they were it was 6pm, people were arriving at 7, and I curlers in my hair and still had not started the Baked Apples. Because my beloved stew had taken so long to make!!

Baked Apples

8 Apples (I used Cortland)
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Raisins
1/3 Cup Dried Apricot
1/3 Cup Chopped Pecans
1 Tablespoons of Flour
5 tablespoons of Melted butter
Â¾ Cup Sparkling Apple Cider
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Â¼ Teaspoon of All Spice
Â½ Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Preheat 400

Using a melon Baller take out the core of each apple.
In a separate bowl mix together sugar, raisins, apricots, pecans, flour, cinnamon, and all spice. Add three table spoons of butter and vanilla. Stuff each of the apples with the sugar mixture and brush the remaining butter around the apples. Right before baking top off by pouring apple cider over the top of the apples.
Bake for 1 hour or until apples have softened.

Best Apples for Baking

Fruit, Tips, Terms & Tools No Comments »

Oct 302007

Have you ever had the experience of using an apple that is not good for baking? I can perfectly remember the time years ago, I had made an apple pie and used Fuji Apples. My father had been boasting all evening that I was this great cook/baker and then I was completely mortified when I delivered a juice-less pie for dessert. So next time you are in the market getting ready to buy some apples for baking here are some good ones to use!

-Granny Smith
-Golden Delicious
-McIntosh
-Rome
-Cortland

Calvados Ice Cream

Fruit, Recipes, Sweets No Comments »

Oct 302007

I have not talked about my ice cream maker. It is one of my FAVORITEÂ tools in the kitchen and one of my FAVORITE gifts to give. I got this idea to make calvados ice cream from always seeing liquored flavored whipped creams and thought why not do the same with ice cream but make and apple brandy flavor that could go with an apple dessert.
I have a tendency to try and rush things along when I am cooking â€“ with custards the base of the ice cream…Not a good idea. It will most likely lead to a curdled useless custard, which is what I did the first time.

Calvados Ice Cream
2 Cups of Heavy Cream
1 Â½ Cup of Milk
3 Egg Yolks
Â½ Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
1-2 Tablespoon of Calvados Brandy

In a pot bring to a boil the Cream, Milk, and Vanilla. In a separate bowl beat the egg Yolks, Sugar, and Corn Starch. Pour Â½ Cup of the boiling Cream into the egg mixture to temper,Â it so that it does not curdle. Proceed this way until all of the Cream has been well combined.Â Return the mixture to the stove and heat on low to medium heat- stirring until custard starts to bubble. To know it is done test is with a wooden spoon. If you dip the spoon and then make a line in the back of the spoon with your finger and the line holds shape then it is done. At this point add the 1 the Calvados. Remove and place into a separate bowl and refrigerate. Once cooled completely pour into Ice- Cream Maker.

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

Recipes, Sweets 4 Comments »

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

Recipes No Comments »

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!

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