GIVEAWAY WINNER... AND ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF NOVEMBER 14, 2011

 THE WINNER OF THE STONEGABLE'S FRENCH BASKETEER GIVEAWAY IS...





Kathy Dwyer


Congratulations, Kathy! Please e-mail me so I  can get your  BEAUTIFUL FRENCH winnings right out to you.


A big thank you to everyone who participated. You are the best!!!!


And a BIG thank you to Andrea from  FENCH BASKETEER! 


ON THE MENU MONDAY


Are you preparing for Thanksgiving dinner yet? It's not too early! Any little thing you can do this week will help you feel more under control next week.


Here at StoneGable I am busy getting my home ready for Thanksgiving day and weekend.  This week I'm  buying all non perishable groceries and anything that I can freeze or refrigerate without spoiling. 


I will also be making some things ahead too. Pie dough is a great make-ahead  food. I am not the world's best pie dough maker. In the past I have used Martha Stewarts' pate'  brisee. It is almost no-fail and very delicious. Click HERE for  the recipe.


Although Martha's recipe is soooooo good, I prefer a "short crust". One that contains shortening. My friend, Mrs P from Faithfulness Farm highlighted a "foolproof pie dough" from Cooks' Illustrated. I was very intrigued by the addition of vodka in the recipe. I'll be making it this week and saving it for Thanksgiving Pies! 


Click HERE for the recipe and to visit Faithfulness Farm.


Now, here's what's ON THE MENU...

MONDAY
Oxtail Stew
Cheesy Polenta


Recipe: Oxtail Stew
Ooooooohhhhh~ I forgot how good this stew is! Ask your butcher to get oxtails if he does not usually carry them.
3 lbs oxtails, cut into 2 inch pieces
3 TBS flour
salt and pepper
1 TBS olive oil
2 large onion, chopped
8 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 celery ribs, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS tomato paste
2 1/2 cups good red wine
2 cups good beef broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
orange zest, 1 piece 3 inches long
2 turnips, peeled and quartered
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup fresh parsley


Wipe oxtail dry with a paper towel. Put flour, salt and pepper in a large shallow dish. Mix. Dredge oxtail through flour mixture.


In a large dutch oven, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add oxtail pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Don't crowd the pan. You may have to do this in batches.
Remove oxtails from skillet and set aside.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In the skillet saute the bacon, onion, celery and carrots until the vegetables are soft and bacon fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Do not rush this or use high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.


Add tomato paste, 2 cups of red wine, and 1 1/2 cups of beef broth. Return oxtail to dutch oven. Add thyme and orange zest. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 hours.


Add turnips, potatoes, the remaining wine and the remaining beef broth. Cover and bake an additonal 45 minutes until turnips are tender. Skim off any excess grease on the top of the stew. Stir in fresh parsley and serve.
Printable Recipe


Recipe: Cheesy Polenta
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1-2 tsp salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 TBS butter
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated


In a saucepan heat milk, water and salt and bring it to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta and cook covered over low heat for 20 minutes. Occasionally lift the lid and stir, so the polenta does not stick to the bottom of the saucepan.


Take polenta off the heat and stir in butter and cheese. Stir till melted and incorporated.
Printable Recipe


TUESDAY

Cheesy Cabbage Ham Soup
Crusty Bread

photo credit

Recipe: Cheesy Cabbage Ham Soup

If you like soup you will love this beautiful fall soup! It comes from my good blogging buddy Joni at Red Couch Recipes. Her blog reads like a favorite cookbook! Something wonderful is always cooking at Red Couch Recipes! Click HERE for the recipe.

WEDNESDAY
Flounder Stuffed With Crabmeat (from grocer's)
Sauteed Rice With Parsley
Garlic Sauteed Spinach With Rasins In Sherry


Recipe: Sauteed Rice With Parsley
I make this recipe so often. It is part of my heritage... my childhood. It is scrumptious!
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large rib celery, finely chopped
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS butter
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped


In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Cook until translucent and slightly browned, about 6 minutes.
Add butter and rice. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Add liquid and cook covered until rice is done, about 20 minutes.
Printable Recipe


Recipe: Garlic Sauteed Spinach With Rasins In Sherry
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 TBS cream sherry
1 TBS olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2-3 large bags of baby spinach
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts


In a very small saucepan heat raisins and sherry over a low heat. Gently simmer covered with lid for 30 minutes, until raisins are plump.  Take of heat and reserve.


In a large skillet. Heat oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and saute over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Toss.  Cover with lid and let the greens cook for 30-45 seconds, until slightly wilted. Toss. Return lid and cook for another 30-45 seconds, until wilted. Continue this process until all the spinach is wilted  but not totally collapsed. 


Pour raisins and sherry over spinach and season with pepper. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and toss. Serve immediately.
Printable Recipe


THURSDAY~ SLOW COOKER DAY
Ham Tetrazzini
Spaghetti
Broccoli


Recipe: Slow Cooker Ham Tetrazzini 
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup fully cooked ham, cubed (use a ham steak)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 TBS good white wine
pepper
1 tsp horseradish 
1 package spaghetti, cooked and drained
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


In a slow cooker, combine soup, ham, evaporated milk, wine, horseradish and pepper. Cook on low for 4 hours.


Prepare and drain spaghetti. Add spaghetti and cheese to the crock pot and mix. 
Printable Recipe




FRIDAY~ BREAKFAST FOR DINNER
Eggs Benedict StoneGable Style
Hash Browns
Orange Sections drizzled With A Honey Balsamic Reduction


Recipe: Eggs Benedict StoneGable Style
8 chicken sausage patties
4 English muffins
8 eggs
1 tsp vinegar
2 TBS butter

4 egg yolks
3 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS water
1 cup butter, melted
salt and pepper


Cook chicken sausages in a skillet. Keep warm.

For Hollandaise Sauce:

Put water in the bottom of a double boiler and simmer water. Add top saucepan.  Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce in the saucepan. Whisk, whisk, whisk. Add butter 1 TBS at a time and whisk to incorporate. If the sauce is too thick add a little water and whisk. Salt and pepper to taste. Whisk. Take off simmering water. Cover and set aside.

Poach 4 eggs in water with added vinegar.

Meanwhile toast English Muffins. Butter.

To assemble. Put the bottom English muffin on a plate. Add sausage patty. Top with a poached egg and pour Hollandaise sauce over poached egg. Do the same for the top of the English muffin. Serve both on a plate.

Printable Recipe

SATURDAY

Halupkies

Recipe: Halupkies

Halupkies are scrumptious peasant food! Filled with great flavors and lots of love. They are meant to feed a crowd on a budget. This is the essence of who I am...in a culinary way! My great grandmother taught my Nani and she taught me and my Mom! I'm sure my GGrandmother's mother taught her too.

I make Halupkies every fall when I can get big heads of cabbage. Look for this Hungarian favorite in an upcoming Foodie Friday.

SUNDAY
Smoked Beef Brisket On French Baguettes
Oven Baked Homemade Potato Chips
Arugula, Shaved Parmesan And Pine Nuts In A Lemon Vinaigrette 


Recipe: Smoked Beef Brisket On French Baguettes
This is an "it's not rocket science" recipe. Throw on what you like. I am using smoked beef brisket that is in the freezer but any yummy leftover beef would do (chuck roast would be fabulous!) A good roast beef from the deli could also work.  Here's what I'm putting on our gourmet-style dinner sandwiches.
smoked beef brisket, chopped
crusty baguettes
Parmesan sauce, follows
zucchini relish
coleslaw 
provolone cheese, sliced thin


In a medium bowl add 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp seasoning salt, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp onion powder. Mix. Use as a dip or a sandwich spread.


Preheat broiler.


Slice baguette horizontally. Spread baguettes with Parmesan sauce. Top with a generous helping of brisket.  Cover with a couple of sliices of Provolone cheese.


Put the baguettes  under the broiler until the cheese is melty. Be very careful, the cheese burns quickly.


Add the relish and coleslaw, put the sandwich together. Lower the oven rack and broil the top of the sandwich until it is browned and crisp. Again, watch it carefully. It will burn very fast! slice in half on the diagonal. 


Serve with homemade oven chips.
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Homemade Baked Potato Chips
2-3 large baking potatoes
olive oil
kosher salt


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice baking potatoes thin (I use a Mandoline). Put potato slices in ice water for 5 minutes.


Take potato slices from the ice water and pat dry. Put them in a large bowl. Toss with a TBS olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 


Lay the potatoes in a single layer on a couple of baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once until golden and crisp.
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Arugula, Shaved Parmesan And Pine Nuts In A Lemon Vinaigrette
1 bag baby Arugula
3 TBS toasted pine nuts
3-6 TBS  shaved parmasan  cheese
Lemon Vinagrette, recipe below

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss with dressing and serve immediately. Very YUMMY!

Lemon Vinaigrette:
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tsp mustard
dash of salt
Put all ingredients in a jar and shake.
Printable Recipe

ON THE MENU MONDAY

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