Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Death of a Master Chef by Jean-Luc Bannalec, a Review

 
I recently had the opportunity to read an absolutely delightful book, Death of a Master Chef by Jean-Luc Bannalec. I was surprised to learn that this book was ninth in the series of the “Brittany Mysteries,” as this was my first experience with this author. It’s rare that I pick up a book, sit down to read, and don’t get up again until the book is finished. That’s what happened to me with this one, much to the annoyance of Stanley the cat, who was quite miffed at not getting his usual snuggles. (I will admit to having 2 double espressos during the process, because I absolutely could not stand to allow Dupin to drink alone.)

 The book features Commissaire George Dupin, “a cantankerous Parisian-born caffeine junkie,” who recently relocated from Paris to the sleepy little town of Concarneau on the Breton coast where he continually feeds “…his extreme almost medically, indicated caffeine consumption.” There’s no question that Dupin is the star of the show here, but there are a lot of other wonderful characters in this novel that bring it to life, the least of which end up being victims in what proves to be a puzzling series of murders. That, coupled with the wonderful descriptions of the scenery, not to mention the toothsome sounding food, had me both salivating and ready to book a trip to France at the same time.

 The mystery is a good one. We learn, in the first couple of pages, that the first victim is Blanche Trouin, the Michelin starred chef of the region, who is stabbed to death by her own sister, competing restaurateur, Lucille. The stabbing was done publicly, so there’s no question as to the perpetrator, the big question is why she refuses to talk or provide any reasoning behind what seems like an unwarranted attack, despite their ongoing feud. Dupin, visiting the food stalls near where she was stabbed, appeasing himself due to the fact that he is reluctantly in the area to attend École du Police,  finds himself one of three commissaires working to solve this complex case.

 The descriptive writing here is beautiful. You will feel as though you are walking right alongside Dupin working to solve this baffling mystery. You will commiserate with him over his lost bag of gourmet cheeses, you will join him as he imbibes one café after another, and sample the complex taste of Rhum J.M. I had a great interest in knowing where all the action was taking place, so found myself referring quite often to a detailed map of France, feeling as though I had learned so much about this particular region.

I did not at all feel at a loss due to the fact that I had not read any other books in this series. Clearly this, and presumably the others, can be read as a standalone. Slated for publication April 30, 2024, I encourage you to pre-order this book, and then place an order for the other eight in the series. It is exceptionally good, you will fall in love with Dupin, and be booking tickets to Brittany, France. So, put your feet up and Taol da bouez’ ta*.

 *Cast off your worries. 

 Disclaimer: I would like to thank both NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book, in exchange for an honest review.

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Monday, March 18, 2024

Pineapple Sloppy Joes

 

In case you’re unaware, today is National Sloppy Joe Day. I decided to celebrate by trying something new. Recently, I found a chili recipe that called for pineapple. I thought that sounded really interesting, so decided that I was going to make sloppy joes and add pineapple to them. They turned out better than I had anticipated. They are intensely flavorful with the perfect amount of sweetness. I added about a half-teaspoon of hot sauce to give them extra zing. Add more cider vinegar if you prefer to cut the sweetness a bit. Do give these a try. My guess is that the family is going to love them.

Pineapple Sloppy Joes

 2 lbs. ground chuck

1 medium onion, chopped

1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic

 Hawaiian BBQ Sauce

 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple (in 100% juice), undrained

1 c. ketchup

1/4 c. molasses

2 T. packed brown sugar

2 T. low sodium soy sauce

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. cider vinegar

1 t. salt

½ t. EACH ground ginger, smoked paprika, pepper

¼ t. EACH cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano

Hot sauce to taste

 In a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat, brown ground chuck with onions, breaking up clumps. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

 In a small bowl, whisk together all of the barbecue sauce ingredients.

 Return drained beef to skillet and pour barbecue sauce over all. Stir well to combine, and simmer for 15 minutes.

 Serve on Hawaiian hamburger buns for additional sweetness; I preferred toasted brioche buns.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday, March 15, 2024

TikTok Chicken Cobbler

 
I’m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t expecting much that I liked this as well as I did, or if it’s just darned tasty. This is a recipe that I found on TikTok. As I pointed out last week with my refrigerator drawer salad bar, I am not on TikTok.  You may find that hard to believe since I have now featured two things from TikTok in the past couple of weeks, honestly, I just stumble upon them. This appealed to me because I liked the idea of a chicken cobbler. Essentially, it is a much easier version of chicken potpie without the bottom crust. I was also drawn in by the fact that it used that yummy Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, and I love those biscuits.
 
m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t expecting much that I liked this as well as I did, or if it’s just darn tasty. This is a recipe that I found on TikTok. As I pointed out last week with my refrigerator drawer salad bar, I am not on TikTok.  You may find that hard to believe since I have now featured two things from TikTok in the past couple of weeks, honestly, I just stumble upon them. This appealed to me because I liked the idea of a chicken cobbler. Essentially, it is a much easier version of chicken potpie without the bottom crust. I was also drawn in by the fact that it used that yummy Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, and I love those biscuits.

I changed this recipe up a good bit because as I was assembling it, I thought it needed a few tweaks. I have notated all of that below the recipe. The recipe that you see here, is the original one from TikTok. If you want to see what I did, be sure to read the notes below. I will say that I had second helpings of this. It was super simple to put together, and I would definitely make it again. It
isn't pretty, but it sure is good.

TikTok Chicken Cobbler

 ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 c. cooked and shredded chicken

1 12-oz. bag frozen peas and carrots

½ t. garlic powder

2 c. milk

2 c. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix

2 c. chicken stock

1 10.5-oz. can cream of chicken soup

 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

 Put butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish and place in oven to melt while oven preheats.

 Once butter has melted, remove pan from oven. Arrange chicken in an even layer over butter. Next, add peas and carrots over the top. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

 In a medium bowl, mix together milk and biscuit mix. Pour over chicken and vegetables but do not mix the layers together.

In the same (now empty) bowl, whisk together cream of chicken soup and chicken stock. Pour over biscuit layer, but again, do not mix layers together.

 Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes. Mixture will be runny, but will thicken to gravy consistency. Let sit 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 COOK’S NOTES:

1. I did not use a stick of butter, I used a half a stick (4 tablespoons). One stick just seemed like too much to me.

2. After I scattered the chicken in the bottom of the pan, I topped it with a generous sprinkling of Montreal chicken seasoning.

3. Instead of using a bag of frozen peas and carrots, I used a bag of frozen mixed vegetables that included corn and green beans in addition to the peas and carrots. I liked the greater variety of vegetables here.

4. I did not use the garlic powder, but I did use the seasoning mix that came in the packet of biscuits, and I used the entire amount of biscuit mix rather than measure out 2 cups.

5. I thought 2 cups of chicken stock seemed like too much, so I only used a cup and a half, and it was plenty moist.

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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Tablescape Ideas for St. Patrick's Day

It's time to get your Irish on and set yourself a beautiful table. I was stunned, quite frankly, by all of the tables that I have set for St. Patrick’s Day over the years, and got a kick put of revisiting them.  It you’re looking to create a St. Patrick's Day tablescape, here are some fine examples to inspire you. Just click on the name beneath the picture and it will take you right to the informative post.

Leprechaun Dance Tablescape

Springtime Table for St. Pat's

Leprechaun Lunch Table for Two

Wearing 'o the Green Tablescape

St. Patrick's Day Lunch


Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Dehydrated Potato Flakes, my newest culinary obsession.

Sometimes I am easily influenced, and by that I mean a lot of times, and what I really mean is always. As I mentioned last week, I have become quite enamored with Kevin Lee Jacob’s YouTube channel wherein, in his quiet and gentlemanly way, he shares recipes, household tips, and the lovely home and garden that he shares with his partner, “Mr. Fox.” Kevin recently, by way of his videos, turned me onto dehydrated potatoes. Make no mistake, they are not instant mashed potatoes; there are no added ingredients, simply dehydrated potato flakes. There’s a difference. Trust me, I know, and you have to look for them.  It appears that Kevin does most, if not all of the cooking in his household, and he makes good use of dehydrated potatoes to make mashed potatoes to serve with various dishes that he prepares.

The beauty of the dehydrated potatoes, of course, is that you can make small portions. I’m a fan of mashed potatoes, but I hate making them, because I hate all of the trouble involved for just one person, and I am terrible at gauging the amount. I do like the Bob Evans’ mashed potatoes available in the dairy case at the grocery store, but even the small container is too much for me. As a consequence, and influenced by KLJ, I started ferreting out dehydrated potato flakes, and I found some here


At the same time I discovered
these from Bob’s Red Mill, I learned that Bob Moore, founder of Bob's Red Mill and one of the most recognized figures in the natural foods industry, peacefully passed away at his home on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the age of 94. I was so sorry to hear this. Clearly, at the age of 94, with a successful business under his belt, Bob had a good run. He also changed the way a lot of us shop, but I’m wandering from my point. The point is that I ordered these hoping that Kevin didn’t let me down, and that I could make my life so much easier by making these. I thought they were quite pricey until I realized that I had mistakenly ordered a case of them, so I see a lot of mashed potatoes in my future.

 As it turned out,  they are every bit as good as they appear to be on Kevin’s YouTube channel. Will I stop making my own fresh mashed potatoes? No. But I will make these at least once a week to make my life so much simpler.

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Monday, March 11, 2024

Barbecued Sausage Bites

 
Are you as eager for the baseball season as I am? And when I say eager, what I really mean is a combination of excitement and nausea. If you have a favorite team, you know what I’m talking about. I don’t go to the stadium too much anymore, largely because most of the people with whom I used to attend baseball games are now attending baseball games in the sky. As a consequence, I make my own baseball snacks. I’m already plotting and planning for opening day, and I think these barbecued sausage bites are going to be on the list.  They are super simple to make because they’re baked. Spear yourself a small stack and enjoy.Barbecued Sausage Bites

Adapted from sweetteaandsprinkles.com

 2-3 lbsKielbasa

2 c. BBQ Sauce*

1 t. Liquid Smoke

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray the bottom of a 1.5-quart casserole with PAM.

Slice the kielbasa sausages into ½ inch round slices and places in the prepared dish. 

In a medium bowl combine BBQ sauce, liquid smoke, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour mixture over sausages, and sprinkle the brown sugar all over the top.

Bake for 20-15 minutes until bubbling and sticky and the sauce has caramelized. Broil for 2-3 minutes on high to get burnt ends.

*Use your favorite

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Friday, March 8, 2024

Restaurant Quality Salads at Home...with NO Effort

 
If you have been a reader of this blog for any length of time, then you are well aware that I have been a fan of, and have used, Melissa’s Produce for years. It excites me (more than I should probably admit) when they come out with something new. I was particularly excited to learn that they were coming out with a series of salad kits. 
 
Salad is one of my favorite things to eat, and one of my least favorites to make. All of that cleaning, shredding, and chopping takes a lot of the fun out of it for me. Thankfully, Melissas has come out with Greek, Asian, and Waldorf salad kits. I was expecting them to be good, knowing Melissa’s as I do, but these are beyond good, they are spectacular! Everything is vacuum-sealed (and I mean seriously vacuum-sealed), so that everything is at its absolute freshest. My salads were shipped to me from California over the course of a couple of days, and yet, when I opened them up and put them together, they were so fresh, crisp, and crunchy, it was as though the ingredients had only been prepped minutes before.  These are restaurant quality, but even better than that, it’s as though you have your own personal salad chef, making these up fresh just for you. Just a little PSA for all of you salad lovers out there.
 
From their website, here are the descriptions of each of the salads to clarify all that is included. I could have used a bit of feta or some Kalamata olives in the Greek Salad Essentials kit, but not enough to complain. So run, don’t walk, to your nearest grocery retailer, and pick up each one of these. If they are not available in your store, get in touch with your produce manager and request them. You won’t be sorry.

Melissa’s family-size Greek Essentials™ Salad Kit offers a convenient way for busy parents to provide a delicious serving of restaurant quality, prewashed vegetables without the time-consuming preparation and waste. Each kit comes with all the ingredients needed to make a complete salad inspired by the Mediterranean with a light mix of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and feta vinaigrette. Open, mix and serve right out of the convenient 36 oz. resealable tub to insure the freshness of a second serving.

Melissa’s family-size Asian Essentials™ Salad Kit offers a convenient way for busy parents to provide a delicious serving of restaurant quality, prewashed vegetables without the time-consuming preparation and waste. Each kit comes with all the ingredients needed to make a complete salad inspired by Asian components such as Napa cabbage, crunchy noodles and sweet sesame dressing that are tossed with red cabbage, carrots and green onions. Open, mix and serve right out of a convenient 24 oz. resealable tub to insure the freshness of a second serving.

Melissa’s family-size Waldorf Salad Kit offers a convenient way for busy parents to provide a delicious serving of restaurant quality, prewashed vegetables without the time-consuming preparation and waste. Each kit comes with all the ingredients needed to make this wonderful salad, first served at the elegant Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1893; apples, grapes, celery, walnuts and the famed Waldorf dressing. Open, mix and serve right out of a convenient 34 oz. resealable tub to insure the freshness of a second serving.