An Irish Wake for a Side Dish.

One of my earliest posts was about a Utah style side dish called Funeral Potatoes; named because it was a staple at after funeral get-togethers. While this dish tastes much better using freshly shredded potatoes, and when is fresh not best, but, depending on circumstances, a bag of frozen will just have to do. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming, making room in the freezer for the turkeys, yes turkeys as I have to roast more than one, I found bags of frozen potatoes and was going to make the Funeral Potatoes. "Was" was the operative word at the time.

Taking time to actually read the bags, I found they were O'Brien potatoes; diced potatoes mixed with diced onions and bell peppers. They're a very good mixture, but not exactly what I was hoping to use; until the light bulb went off and the cooking mad scientist came forth. By the way, I found I didn't have any sour cream in the refrigerator, so again I had to compensate in some way. There was heavy cream left over from the ganache I had made for the chocolate cheesecake. Oh yes, my mind was whirling with possibilities now. No regular cheddar cheese, but a block of extra sharp Vermont white cheddar; this was going to be good!

I didn't use the corn flake topping either; hubby and I have found that we simply don't care for it.  It tends to become soggy, and doesn't reheat very well either.  As you compare the recipe for funeral potatoes to the wake potatoes, you'll notice the differences I've incorporated.  Oh, the name Wake Potatoes; simply O'Brien is a good Irish name, and to keep with the idea of serving at an after funeral get-together, and the Irish do have some wonderful wakes; well there you have it, "Wake Potatoes".   You can also add some type of cooked meat or poultry to the recipe to make a complete meal instead of just a side dish.

Do you have to use frozen pototoes?  Of course not!  Just use the equivalent (6 1/2 cups), of parboiled diced potatoes; adding a half cup each of diced onion, green bell pepper and red bell pepper.

So let me introduce you to "Wake Potatoes".

 

Wake Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 (14.75) oz cans Cream of Chicken soup
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
1 (8 oz) bar extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 (26 oz) bags O’Brien potatoes; defrosted and drained

Preparation:

Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, medium-high heat, bring the soup, butter and milk to a low boil; whisk in the cheese, cream and black pepper until cheese is thoroughly melted and incorporated. Remove from heat.

Spread one bag of potatoes into the dish and evenly spread half the cheese sauce over them; repeat with second bag and remaining sauce. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

A half hour before needing to bake set the dish on the counter to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350F; remove plastic wrap and cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes before removing foil; bake an additional 15 minutes. Let casserole rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

*Option: mix 1 cup crumbled bacon, crumbled sausage, ground beef, diced ham or diced chicken to each layer of potatoes for a complete meal casserole. All proteins have been precooked before addition to potatoes.

Mary Cokenour

Refurbished Pizza Hut is still just so-so.

Pizza Hut (Store #027498)

265 S. Main
Moab, Utah, 84532

(435) 259-6345

Website: http://www.pizzahut.com/locations/utah/moab/027498

Several months ago a fire caused this Pizza Hut to close its doors and begin renovation.  Before then, we'd tried them several times and each experience was different; sometimes good, sometimes not so much.  Since renovating, we decided to try it out again and see how much had been changed, if anything at all.  While the interior looked much cleaner, the table we were seated at was uneven and rocking; seems the furniture didn't get changed after the fire.

 

Our waitress, Jaraka, was young and yet dour faced; we cracked a few jokes at her, but no smile, just a "Are you ready to order?"  After giving her our drink order, we began perusing the menu; I ended up ordering the Everyday Meal Deal for $6.99.   From column A, I chose the personal pan pizza with ground beef, red onions and diced tomatoes; from column B I chose the pepperoni rolls.

My husband ordered a hand tossed supreme and a side order of the boneless chicken wings.  He looked at the salad bar, but $3.49 for a one trip plate seemed a little too much to charge for what was offered. After receiving our drinks and meal items I began photographing; and that is when the waitress became much friendlier and smiled now; stopping by our table often to see how everything was, or if we needed anything.

My personal pan pizza was not bad; the crust was just browned, very bread like, but the toppings were good. My husband's pizza was more darkly browned and crisp; he liked the crust and all the toppings.

The boneless chicken wings were an absolute joke; they were buffalo seasoned chicken nuggets. In fact, when I went grocery shopping the next day, I showed my husband a bagged item in the frozen food section with the same photo of the nuggets on the package.




After the fire and renovating, we were looking for a Pizza Hut that had become better; we were disappointed in many aspects - interior, wait staff, and food quality. However, it is a popular chain restaurant in a busy tourist area, so they will probably do well in the long run.


Mary Cokenour

A Wonderful Buffet.

Wonderful Buffet

525 E. Broadway Avenue
Farmington, New Mexico, 87401

(505)436-2952

Website: N/A

Recently a new Asian cuisine buffet opened up in the Farmington, New Mexico area.  Cheerfully greeted by the hostess, you are lead to a table or booth and you immediately notice how open, airy and bright the interior of this restaurant is.

In the front dining area, the buffet consists of hot and cold salad items, including kimchi and steamed shrimp. Keep following this section around to the sushi items and eventually a dessert bar with fruits, cookies, cakes and ice cream.

The sushi items alone go as quickly as they are plated.

The inner dining area consists of the main buffet area; hot foods consist of a mixture of Asian specialities, as well as some American favorites such as roast beef and pizza. The beef, pork, seafood and chicken items were tender, bite sized pieces and the vegetables still retained their crispness, even under the heat lamps.

When you begin your trek down the buffet line, the beginning offers a hibachi area with fresh vegetables to choose from, as well as slices of beef, pork and chicken; and several items from the sea. The grill is hot and ready for your order to be cooked up in front of you by the grill master.

Save a bit of room on your plate for at the end of the line is the fried food area containing crispy wontons filled with cream cheese, spring rolls, and for those die hard must have American food diners, french fries and chicken fingers. There is also a soup station featuring egg drop or hot and sour soups.



The manager, Ken, is an extremely friendly and personable gentleman.  He takes great pride in this new restaurant, and it shows in his smile and in his answers to any questions you may have about the food items.   Wonderful Buffet offers party trays for holidays or any special occasion.  The buffets offered are lunch, dinner or weekend/holiday; there is also special pricing for "buffet to go" containers for those wanting take out.

If you are in the Farmington, New Mexico area, wanting something to eat, but can't decide on what; try out Wonderful Buffet and see if they can't satisfy those hunger pains.

Mary Cokenour 

Definitely Death by Chocolate.

I have admitted that I'm not a big fan of baking; I don't enjoy doing the precise measurements required for a perfectly baked item.  However, that doesn't mean I shy away from it altogether, and do find ways of experimenting.  One cake I love to play with is cheesecake; using different types of cookies for a crust, pureed fruits, candy pieces, various flavor combinations. It's almost as fun as making cookies, and there are hundreds of variations of those.

Now I have also admitted that I adore chocolate, so I hope you're seeing the path I'm about to travel on.  If not, well it's Chocolate Cheesecake; a completely decadent, all chocolate cheesecake: chocolate crust, chocolate cheesecake layer, topped with a chocolate ganache.  My version is not overly sweet, but the chocolate is so rich and flavorful, the extra sugar is not missed.  I have had adults and children try this cake recently at a party, and everyone loved it.  A normal slice of cheesecake has about a two inch width; but a one inch width slice will be about as much as you can eat of this cake.  Afterwards you will definitely want a nap as you experience blissful joy.  Eat anymore of it and death by chocolate might just occur as you lapse into a coma of complete nirvana.

Enough of the tease, lets get to the recipe.

 

Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers
5 Tbsp melted butter

For the Cake:

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 (8 oz) package mascarpone cheese (use regular cream cheese if not available)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 (4 oz) package Ghirardelli Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, melted and cooled

For the Ganache:

½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 (4 oz) package Ghirardelli Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces

Preparation:

Spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray; place a piece of parchment paper, cut to fit the bottom, inside the pan; spray also with baking spray.

Mix the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter; press onto bottom and halfway up sides of pan. Place in refrigerator for a half hour to set.  Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla extract on high until well blended. Add the eggs and melted chocolate; on low speed mix until well blended.

Take pan out of refrigerator, set on top of a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap foil up around the sides. Pour the cream cheese/chocolate mixture over the crust and smooth out with a spatula.

Place the pan inside a 3 quart baking dish, so that it sits flatly; pour cool water into the baking dish ¼ up the side of the pan. Be careful no water gets inside the aluminum foil. Place inside oven on center rack; bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is almost set. Turn off heat, prop open oven door and wait for 30 minutes before removing baking dish. Set pan on counter, run a knife around the rim of the cake to loosen sides; refrigerate for 4 hours.

To make the ganache, in a small saucepan, medium-high heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Add in the chocolate and quickly begin whisking until chocolate is melted, incorporated well and has a smooth, shiny texture.

Let cool slightly; remove cake from refrigerator and pour ganache over the top, smooth out with a spatula. Return cake to refrigerator for 4 more hours or overnight; depending on when it is planned to be served.

Carefully open springform pan; use a long, wide spatula to get between pan bottom and parchment paper. Carefully lift cake onto serving dish; cut into 16 slices.

*Makes 16 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Scampering Around with Shrimp

In many Italian homes and restaurants, Shrimp Scampi is often served as a main dish or an appetizer; basically depending upon whether or not it is served with pasta.  Now many will believe that the term "scampi" describes how the dish is prepared; the shrimp sauteed in a marriage of olive oil, butter, garlic and white wine.  However, this is not so; scampi actually refers to a type of small lobster known as the Norway Lobster; if you're in Norway, or the Dublin Prawn if you're in Ireland.  Langoustines also fall into this family of seafood.  Whether the seafood you are using is a lobster, prawn, langoustine or the simple shrimp; the overall preparation gives you a dish both rich in scent and flavor.

Shrimp Scampi is an excellent dish to serve as a romantic dinner for two.  It cooks up quickly, leaving plenty of time for the couple to have "we" time with each other.  A perfect holiday for this meal, you would think, is Valentine's Day; but many couples are alone together for the winter holidays such as Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve.  I did not mention Hanukkah as I believe that this recipe may not fall within the dietary rules of the Hebrew tradition.  Then there are the anniversaries or birthdays that need celebrating; with this recipe, any time can be a good excuse to serve it.

So let me introduce you to Shrimp Scampi; the recipe, not the sea creature.

 

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
4 Tbsp fresh, chopped parsley
1 Tbsp grated red bell pepper
4 Tbsp white wine
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
2 lbs medium to large shrimp; peeled and deveined
2 tsp flour
1 tsp lemon juice
1 lb cooked linguine, keep warm

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, melt the butter with the oil; sauté garlic, parsley and bell pepper for 2 minutes; stirring constantly to keep garlic from browning. Add wine, salt, black pepper and shrimp; cook for 3-5 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Stir in flour to thicken; add in lemon juice and linguine; toss to coat pasta and let cook 2 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Time to Cook the Pumpkins.

Now that the elections are over in the United States, it is time for us to get down to the important issues, namely the impending holidays.  With Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve or Samhain, traditional jack o'lantern pumpkins were hollowed out, craved with scary or funny faces, and a candle inserted to light them up in the dark.  Now while the seeds, once roasted and salted, make a yummy treat, the flesh is not that great for baking, since it tends to be stringy.

While living in Pennsylvania, my mom and I learned from Amish bakers that the best pumpkins to use were the crooknecks. Pumpkins are from the squash family, with this type the skin is easier to peel off, like with butternut squash, and the flesh will cook up easily for pureeing.   The crookneck pumpkin can grow to a large size; the largest we ever purchased was almost 30 pounds, and we got lots of breads and pies from it alone.


Now when making pumpkin bread or pie, you can always find a canister of premixed spice blend in the supermarket.  However, I recommend mixing your own up as you can never rely on how much of each spice is in the premix.  I and my family tend to like extra spiciness, so I can measure out the separate spices and get exactly the right flavoring for us.  Perhaps you like more cinnamon and dislike the flavor of cloves; mixing up your own blend gives you that priviledge.  Another option to making pumpkin bread especially is to add chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips or a combination.  They can be added into the batter or simply sprinkled on top before baking.  For pumpkin pie, consider adding crushed walnuts into your pie crust mixture for some extra, surprising flavor.

Go traditional or set your own trend; remember you're the artist...I mean baker.  Enjoy!

 

 

  Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pumpkin puree or 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and allspice
½ tsp ground cloves

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350; lightly butter and flour (or use baking spray) three loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together well the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add 1/3 of dry mixture into pumpkin mixture and mix well; repeat until all dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet mixture. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out cleanly. Let loaves cool before inverting and removing.

Makes 3 loaves.

Mary Cokenour

Election Day! Which Candidate are you Voting For? Frosted or Glazed!

Today, in the United States, it is Election Day; a day when we cast our vote to see which politicians will run our country. We hope they will run it wisely and in the best interest of the American people, not for their own egos or gain.

As Americans, it is our RIGHT to vote, to give our opinions freely. If one does not vote out of laziness or non caring, that person gives up any right they have to complain about the politicians. In other words, if one wants to be heard, then do it especially when it counts the most, at Election time.

So, in the spirit of the American freedom of voting, I ask you now which do you cast your vote for, Frosted or Glazed?

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115F)
2/3 cup sugar plus 1 tsp
1 cup warm milk
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
7 cups flour

Filling:

1 cup melted butter, divided in half
2 cups brown sugar, divided in half
3 ½ Tbsp cinnamon

Glaze:

2/3 cup melted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp hot water

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
3 tsp vanilla
6 cups confectioner's sugar
2 Tbsp warm milk
 
Preparation:

For the Dough:

In a small bowl, mix together yeast, warm water and one teaspoon sugar; set aside. Yeast will be ready when bubbles begin forming.

In a large bowl, beat together thoroughly 2/3 cup sugar, milk, butter, salt and eggs; mix yeast mixture. Add 4 cups of flour, beat until smooth; add in remaining flour one cup at a time, until dough is slightly stiff, but still sticky. Turn out onto a well-floured board; knead 5-10 minutes. Place in well-buttered glass or plastic bowl, cover with a clean linen towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes; roll out on floured board into a 15x20" rectangle.

For the Filling:

Spread dough with 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix together 1-1/2 cups brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Roll up jellyroll style, pinching edge together to seal. Cut into 16 slices. Brush bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking pan and a 9 inch square pan with remaining melted butter; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pans. Let rise in warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F; 25-30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown. Allow rolls to cool slightly before glazing or frosting.

For the Glaze:

In medium bowl, mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla; add hot water one tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired thickness.  Add more water if necessary.

For the Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat together all ingredients on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Makes 16 rolls.

Mary Cokenour