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By Helen S. Fletcher, on May 17th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 I love this time of year. The cool mornings and warm afternoons are ideal for gardening and I have taken full advantage of them. My yard has very little constant sunshine so it is difficult for me to plant vegetables. That and the squirrels that own the neighborhood and eat everything.
One year I decided I just had to have a vegetable garden. So I enlisted the help of my husband who rented a roto-tiller to plow up the yard – THE FRONT YARD! By the time we were done, the pile of earth next to my garden looked like we had buried somebody. The neighbors, while tolerant, thought me a few cents short of a dollar in the brain department. But I had my garden of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, peas, assorted lettuces, potatoes and I can’t remember what else. I remember having so much lettuce I freely gave it away to the neighbors – it was their reward for putting up with all the stakes and veggies growing tall and beautiful. I was so proud! When I was little, I used to spend a month on a farm every year. I always looked forward to it. This was my ode to the farm, minus the cows, dogs, and peaceful tranquility of the country. Continue reading Herbs, Flowers and all things Garden
By Helen S. Fletcher, on May 10th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 This recipe was given to me by my friend, Laura Peacock, more years ago than either of us would want to remember. It is one of the best uses of brisket I have ever tasted and to make it even better it is easy to make.
The brisket is the front portion of the beef breast that lies between the front legs. There are two cuts of brisket so when you buy it you want to make sure you get the flat cut as seen below. It will most likely have a lean side and a fat cap on the other side. While some people leave this on, I generally cut most of it away as it makes the drippings really fatty. If the meat is not trimmed well, it is easy to do. I am always amazed at the ratio of meat to fat when it is sold. I recently bought a brisket flat from Sam’s and it weighed 7.32 pounds raw and cost $3.96 per pound or $28.99. After trimming I had 5 2/3 pounds of meat. The fat trimmed from it came to 1.71 pounds. After baking it for a total of 6 hours, it came to 3 1/3 pounds of finished meat at a cost of $8.70 per pound. Still a good price for all edible meat with no waste. Am I the only one who is fascinated by all of this weighing and pricing out stuff? I’m sure it is a carry over from my years in business when cost and portion control was key to making a profit. Continue reading Barbecued Beef Brisket
By Helen S. Fletcher, on May 3rd, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
I tried to think of a really sexy title but what can you do with a bunch of pots and pans, knives and miscellaneous cooking items? Because I am in the kitchen constantly cooking for pleasure and business, I designed my kitchen many years ago to make it as easy as possible to use.
When we remodeled our small kitchen years ago, I wanted an island which gave me a lot of prep room, but had the effect of making it smaller. I wanted to keep my work areas as of free of clutter as possible. That goes for under and over the counter storage as well as drawers. When we were ready to remodel, we gutted the kitchen and everything went. All of my small utensils were put in a box and stored in the basement. I also had a box that held questionable utensils. These were items that seemed like a good idea when I bought them, but didn’t seem to get much use. I decided if I didn’t use any any of these for six months, they would go out. I kept one. The others I gave away to Goodwill. Hopefully, someone enjoyed them.
I don’t think anyone ever has enough storage. I certainly don’t. To help solve the problem I looked at any flat area we had and basically used kitchen gear in various forms as decorative pieces. I covered walls with pegboard, hung racks and designed a knife rack to keep my knives out of a drawer and accessible. The outcome was a kitchen where I never have to take more than three or four steps to get anything I want to use. Small definitely has its advantages.
Here are some photos to inspire you if you decide a remodel is in your future or if you simply need additional storage space.
The pegboards were finished with moulding to give them depth and make them decorative as well as useful. Continue reading Food Equipment Storage
By Helen S. Fletcher, on April 26th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 In keeping with my “don’t tell them it’s good for them or they won’t like it” mantra, I have to admit by removing the crust and substituting low fat cottage cheese and low fat yogurt for the heavy cream, you have a fast, healthy entrée that just happens to be delicious.
Many years ago, when we made savory items as well as sweet at my bakery, I developed this quiche base as a low fat alternative to the cream. Interestingly, when we tested side-by-side versions of the original quiche filling with cream and this one, we were most surprised. The low fat version had much more taste to it. Not happy with the fact it tasted better, I wanted to know why. It turns out the cream coats the taste buds so whatever cheese, vegetables or meat you have added to your quiche cannot be fully appreciated. With the low fat variety, there is no coating of the taste buds so, consequently, the other flavors are free to come through much stronger.
I am going to give you the base recipe that substitutes for the cream and the amount of additives you need to turn it into your very own quiche. I am also giving you one of my favorites to get you started. The combination of spinach, artichoke and red pepper is one you will find is a theme in my cooking. So much so that, when I open my take out shop, it was suggested I name it the Artichoke and Red Pepper Cafe. Continue reading Crustless Quiche (that’s good for you)
By Helen S. Fletcher, on April 19th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Originally used as a medicine, perfume and in sacred rituals of a long ago tribe of Totonac Indians in Mexico, vanilla only came into its own as a flavoring in 1602. After the Aztec’s conquered the Totonac Indians, they controlled the wild orchid that had been so jealously guarded by the conquered Indians where it grew on the edge of the forest. Legend tells us that when Hernando Cortez came to Central America in the 16th century, he was given the drink chocolatl by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, which consisted of ground cocoa beans and vanilla. Cortez took both the cocoa beans and the vanilla beans back to Spain where they were to be enjoyed only by the rich and famous for many years to come. The Spaniards set up factories to manufacture vanilla flavored chocolate. Not chocolate as we know it, but a start.
The Vanilla planifolia flower is an orchid that produces a fruit in the form of the vanilla bean. Of the 35,000 species of orchids, this is the only one that produces an edible fruit. It grows on a vine that winds itself around a tree or pole – anything to support it. It will grow as tall as the tree or the support. Until the middle of the 19th century, vanilla beans were only grown in Mexico. The problem with growing them in other tropical areas was pollination. There exists in Mexico a unique bee, the Melipone that pollinates the orchid so it can produce the vanilla bean. The orchid contains both male (anther) and female organ (stigma) but they are separated by a membrane and only this special bee was able to pollinate them naturally which is why most of the vanilla came from Central America for centuries. In order for vanilla beans to be grown in other areas another means of pollination had to be found. To complicate matters, the flower only blooms for a few hours. After repeated attempts, in 1841 a Bourbon planter Bellier-Beaumont found two flowers growing on a single vine. One of his slaves, Edmond, discovered a method of hand pollination by folding back the membrane with a bamboo shoot so the flower can self-pollinate. This method is used to this day.
The vines are only allowed to grow to where they can be reached. By folding them down they produce more floweris making the plants more productive. You can imagine the frenzy as the orchids begin to bloom and as many as possible must by hand pollinated. Is it any wonder the beans are so expensive? After a few weeks, a long green bean measuring anywhere from 6 to 12 inches will start to grow where it is left for 9 months to develop its flavor. When the bean is finally harvested, it has no fragrance or flavor until it is dried. After the beans are picked, they must be dried to prevent them from fermenting making them useless. They can be blanched in hot water or heated in an oven after which the beans are dried in the sun for months where they shrivel up and turn black as we know them. After the initial drying, they are placed in boxes to sweat out 80% of their moisture. It is at this point they take on the characteristics of the vanilla bean. The best beans are covered with a white crystallization which is natural vanillan. This entire process takes over a year.
If the weather is bad and the crop is small, the price of the beans becomes more expensive as there are fewer resulting in higher prices for every type of vanilla. This occurred in 1970 and 2000 when typhoons struck many of the islands producing vanilla beans and wiped out much of the crops.
Although native to Mexico, there are 3 other areas that produce the majority of vanilla sold on the open market. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla comes from the Indian Ocean Islands of Madagascar, Comoros, and Reunion, formerly the lle Bourbon producing over 60% of the vanilla sold and is known for its high quality, taste and consistency. These are the thinnest beans grown.
The second largest producer is Indonesia, which is not considered as sweet and has been considered less desirable. However, recently they have adopted some of the practices of the finest vanilla producers with an eye towards upgrading their product.
About 10 percent of the vanilla sold comes from Mexico and Tahiti. Mexican vanilla production has suffered as other crops have been planted where vanilla plants previously grew. There is some confusion about authentic Mexican vanilla as tourist markets around Mexico sometimes sell a product made from Tonka beans that smells and tastes like vanilla cut contain coumarin which is banned in Europe and the FDA in the United States. Coumarin has been shown to cause liver and/or kidney damage in lab animals. It is difficult to tell if the product is authentic as some bottles sold are marked coumarin free but have been found not to be.
Tahitian vanilla is a mutant variety of Vanilla planifolia and is considered a separate species, Vanilla tahitensis They are usually shorter and plumper and boast a quite different flavor from the Bourbon and Mexican species because they are produced in much smaller amounts. They are the most expensive beans and are favored by many professionals for their floral and fruity notes.
Vanilla is graded by its appearance:
Fine Vanilla – black beans frosted with vanillan, very fragrant. 8 to 12 inches long.
Woody Vanilla – dull surface appearance with no vanillan. 5 to 8 inches long.
Vanillon – partly opened beans are brown and soft, thick and flat with no vanillin or very little. Slightly bitter smell. 4 to 5 inches long.
There are a number of vanilla products. Vanilla extract is made by chopping the vanilla beans and steeping them in ethyl alcohol and water solution. Some companies add sugar at this stage. The FDA requires pure vanilla extract to contain 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans to one gallon of liquid and contain 35% alcohol. This is referred to as one fold in the industry, which is single strength and available to consumers. Double and triple fold vanillas called essences are very strong and are available to professionals. They use twice or three times as much vanilla bean to the same amount of liquid, depending upon the fold. While most companies immerse the beans in heated liquid to speed the process, Lochhead Vanilla Co., www.lochheadvanilla.com uses a cold distillation method to prevent loss of flavor. Vanilla extract are best added to mixtures that are not being heated as some of the flavor can evaporate. Add to the liquid after it is off the heat and cooled for a few minutes.
Whole vanilla beans are sold to consumers in glass tubes.  While they can be added to hot liquids and allowed to steep whole, they are usually split and the seeds are scraped out.  Dishes which feature the vanilla seeds will have little black specs in them. The remaining pod can be reused again either by steeping or adding to granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar. This can be used in baking or in coffee, tea or hot cocoa as a flavor boost. About one half vanilla bean will replace 1 teaspoon of extract.
Vanilla sugar, as mentioned above can be made or bought premade.
Ground vanilla bean powder consists of freshly ground vanilla beans and are excellent in any product not requiring the vanilla to dissolve. The general rule is to use about one third the amount of extract.
Vanilla Paste is actually a thick liquid and not what one would consider paste. It is a blend of concentrated vanilla extract and ground vanilla beans. It is good to use wherever one wants the look of the seeds as in crème brulee, a vanilla pound cake, ice cream, etc.
Storing vanilla beans depends upon the climate in which you live. They will keep indefinitely stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight container. If they were bought in a glass tube, return them to the tube after using (make sure they are rinsed and dried if they were immersed in a liquid). They should never be refrigerated as this can cause them to harden and crystallize. In a humid areas they should be wrapped in waxed paper and stored in an airtight tin or a glass jar. Do not wrap them in plastic wrap as they might sweat and mildew if temperatures go to 80 degrees or more, at which point you have to throw them out. In less humid, cooler climates, they can be wrapped in film and stored in a glass jar or plastic box. According to Patricia Rains, the Vanilla Queen, www.vanilla.com stored “bourbon beans may develop a white frosting of natural vanillin crystals if you keep them for a while. The crystals indicate the beans are high in natural vanillin and are of very good quality. These crystals are quite edible and very flavorful. If you are uncertain the beans are covered with crystals or mildewed, take them into the sunlight. The crystals are similar to mineral crystals and will reflect the sun’s rays, creating the colors of the rainbow. Mildew, on the other hand, will be dull and flat in the light, and may also smell bad. If the bean is mildewed, throw it away as the mildew will spread to uninfected beans.” If the beans dry out, soaking them will often plump them back up. They can also be ground up and used to flavor sugar, coffee, dessert, etc.
Vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world. While imitation vanillas are available, because of the large number of components occurring naturally, it is difficult to reproduce a good imitation. Vanillan, which naturally occurs on vanilla beans can be chemically reproduced and is often used in imitation vanilla.
In closing, here are a few vanilla facts you might find interesting:
The US consumes approximately 1,200 tons of vanilla per year.
The word vanilla comes from the Spanish workd vainilla, which means little sheath, referring to the pods long, thin shape.
The flavor of the vanilla bean is highly dependant upon the climate and the soil in which it is grown, much like coffee and cocoa beans.
Vanilla is used to flavor chocolate, just as it was in the days of the Aztecs.
Vanilla has over 250 organic components that comprise its flavor and fragrance.
Vanilla is said to calm nerves and and soothe the spirit. Heliotropin, a major
component in vanilla is used to help counter the claustrophobia caused by MRI’s.
Thomas Jefferson has been credited with bringing vanilla to America from France in the late 1700’s. He learned of the vanilla bean when he was Ambassador to France. His recipe for vanilla ice cream is housed in the Library of Congress.
More about vanilla:
Vanilla, The Cultural History of the World’s Favorite Flavor, by Patricia Rains
www.vanilla.com
www.joyofbaking.com
www.associatemelody.com/watkins-products-vanilla
www.lochheadvanilla.com
www.nielsenmassey.com
By Helen S. Fletcher, on April 12th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 If you close your eyes and let your mind wander, this dinner will take you to an island where the temperature is about 75 degrees, there is a gentle breeze coming from slowly swaying palm trees, water laps steadily on the shore then retreats only to repeat this motion over and over and the moon hovers so close to earth you think you can reach up and touch it. So gather the ingredients and get ready for an easy to make dinner for two.
Scallopine, paillard or pounded meat are all the same, depending upon where you come from. In this case, a chicken breast is placed between two pieces of plastic film and pounded thinly, breaded, and quickly sautéed on both sides. It is one of my favorite ways to enjoy chicken. It is important not to overcook the chicken and dry it out. Due to the fact it is so thin, it will cook quickly.
One of the most delicious nuts, the macadamia, was originally used as an ornamental tree and comes from Australia although it now grows in Hawaii, the largest of exporter of macadamia,s as well as California. The shell is extremely hard so it is sold shelled. As with most nuts, toasting brings out its flavor. It is often sold in the snack aisle with other nuts and comes salted. These are perfectly fine to use. If they are not toasted or roasted, put them in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 12 minutes. I chop them by hand to keep the pieces about the same size. A processor pulverizes them too much and the flavor can be lost.
Panko crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs. They yield a very crunchy coating. If they are not available, use regular, plain breadcrumbs. The amount of salt and pepper used in the flour for breading may seem excessive, but very little is picked up in the breading procedure.
The coconut milk used in the rice should not be confused with coconut cream. These are two different coconut products. The coconut milk consists of combining equal parts of water and shredded coconut which are cooked until foamy. The mixture is wrapped in cheesecloth and as much liquid as possible is squeezed from it. It may be diluted with additional water and in the case of the brand I used guar gum is used as a stabalizer. When the can is opened the solids are usually at the top with the liquid at the bottom. It is necessary to pour it out and whisk it together so it becomes one. Continue reading Island Dinner for Two
By Helen S. Fletcher, on April 5th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Many years ago a friend of mine gave me the recipe for this pound cake. I remember thinking this couldn’t possibly work – as bakers we have been trained to preheat the oven. This started in a cold oven. But because she was such a good cook I decided to give it a try exactly as it was given to me. Wow! was I wrong. This is a fantastic, easy pound cake. The only caveat is to make sure the butter is really soft or it won’t blend together with the large amount of sugar. I find it fascinating that is rises as it does without the benefit of any kind of leavener. It is a dense cake, as pound cakes are, but it has a moistness and flavor that is unbelievable. It literally lasts for days under a cake cover and freezes well.
Don’t be tempted to use all sweetener in the sauce to reduce the calories. The sugar, or at least some part of it is important to draw out the juices from the strawberries.
Rather than put lemon rind in the cake batter to flavor it, I thought a sauce with strawberries would be a good addition.
Every time I make this I think of my friend, now gone, and what a wonderful gift she gave me. Continue reading Creamy Pound Cake with Strawberry Lemon Sauce
By Helen S. Fletcher, on March 29th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 All the favorite flavors of Greek cuisine are front and center in this easy to prepare but hard to forget dinner. Lemon, oregano, crisp vegetables, olives and feta combine to make a unique chopped salad. Finish this off with marinated shrimp and soft pita bread for a quick, anytime dinner. The key to the salad is to dice the vegetables finely – about 1/4 inch – so they easily blend together in a mouthful.
For information on shrimp, sizing and deveining, see Shrimp.
Continue reading Greek Chopped Salad with Lemon Shrimp and Pita Bread
By Helen S. Fletcher, on March 22nd, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 This is the reason Italian cuisine is so popular. This Italian casserole consists of two sauces – one, a quick marinara sauce that is good with all types of pasta. It is light, fresh tasting, quick to make and really low in fat and calories. The second one is a white wine sauce highlighted with mushrooms and fontina cheese. When combined with linguine there is a virtual explosion of flavors in your mouth.
The quick marinara is highly seasoned with garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano and a touch of vinegar and sugar. Three kinds of tomatoes are used for a deep flavor without hours of cooking and reducing.
The white wine sauce is a simple béchamel to which white wine, mushrooms and Italian fontina cheese are added. There are several kinds of fontina cheese but the one used here is Italian. It has a brownish red casing that needs to be removed before grating.
The mushrooms should be thickly cut so they retain their shape. I should mention here that I cook with 2% milk and have since my children were put on it as babies (a very long time ago!). You can use whole milk if desired but I probably would not go to skim milk.
Finishing the casserole is cooked linguine topped with a mixture of provolone and mozzeralla cheese. Continue reading Linguine with Two Sauces
By Helen S. Fletcher, on March 15th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 After hours of research on Sticky Puddings, I have found out that it comes from various parts of England, it is steamed, it isn’t steamed (at least not anymore), it has spices, oh no it doesn’t, it can be soaked in toffee sauce but doesn’t have to be, it is served hot but can be served cold (if you are a boor) it is accompanied by whipped cream, no make that ice cream. According to Wikipedia, it is a modern English classic along with Jam Roly Poly and Spotted Dick, another sort of pudding – I think. The two things everyone agrees on it is made with dates that are softened in hot or boiling water and it is served with toffee sauce accompanied by whipped cream, crème anglaise, or ice cream – take your pick. Or just the toffee sauce in some recipes.
Since I am a firm believer that no one should eat anything the same way all the time, I have made a few changes. What did you expect? I have flavored the pudding itself with orange zest and Kahlua. In an effort to let no part of this updated recipe go untouched, I have added dark rum to the toffee sauce.
Soft, pitted dates, such as medjool dates are perfect.
This dessert lends itself particularly well to individual servings as each portion can be heated as needed. All kidding aside, this is a very rich, wonderfully moist, pudding/cake thanks to soaking it in the toffee sauce which is the sticky part. It is easy to put together and tastes as though you have been killing yourself in the kitchen. It should be served warm with the sauce and an optional dollop of whipped cream. Continue reading Traditional Sticky Pudding with Toffee Sauce (sort of)
By Helen S. Fletcher, on March 8th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 What bad could be said about two crisp chocolate chip cookies sandwiched together with a rich chocolate ganache highlighted with a bit cayenne pepper to add a pleasant warmth? This is a fun treatment to one of America’s most popular treats ever.
I’ve always had an aversion to chocolate chip cookies that had a few chips and lots of dough. So I fixed that problem with this easy to make treat that is actually a little dough holding together a lot of chips and nuts. The makeup of the chips and nuts is personal.
The ganache should be made first and refrigerated to allow to set it up quickly. I have added cayenne pepper to the ganache to give the cookies an additional “pop” in your mouth. Add a little at a time, but it is important to taste it in the ganache or it will not be evident in the sandwiched cookies. I use enough to give a gentle warmth in the back of your throat after the bite has been swallowed. I definitely don’t want a “set our mouth on fire” hot. Microwave it in very short bursts, stirring each time to get it to the spreadable stage but not make it runny. If you don’t have a microwave, place it over a double boiler.
At my shop, these were the sister cookie to the Cookie Pops about which I blogged earlier. Both were hugely popular not only with children but with adults as well. What a neat surprise for a cookie lover to come home to! Sandwiches are among the most popular foods and Chocolate Chipwiches are an extension of the category. So soften your butter, measure your ingredients, heat up the oven and get ready for a very special treat.
Continue reading Chocolate Chipwiches
By Helen S. Fletcher, on March 1st, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Italy has given the world so much in good food and here is another great example. Ribollita, which means twice boiled, is a hearty soup filled with flavor that, when eaten with bread, makes a complete meal – well, maybe a bit of dessert! This is one of those recipes, where everyone seems to have refined it to their taste, so there seems to be no definitive recipe. This is a very thick soup highlighted with red wine. While traditionally served with a piece of bread placed on the bottom of the bowl and covered with the soup, this recipe differs in that the bread is as important as the soup and stands alone in it’s own right.
The Sweet and Hot Red Pepper Rolls are my contribution to this meal. If you haven’t noticed so far, I love red peppers and incorporate them wherever I can. This bread is one I developed twenty years or so ago. The red peppers give it a sweetness and the olives add a twang along with the hot pepper flakes that make this a perfect accompaniment to this marvelous soup.
So without further adieu, get your stock pots out and start that yeast dissolving for a special meal you will want to serve again – and with the amount it makes, you will be able to! Continue reading Ribollita with Sweet and Hot Red Pepper Rolls
By Helen S. Fletcher, on February 23rd, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 When was the last time you made a pie? Never or I can’t remember is your answer? It was the pie crust wasn’t it? Don’t feel alone. Many a great cook or baker is still intimidated by a pie crust. Trying to wrangle a few ingredients into a flaky crust that will bake beautifully without sliding down the pan or hold a juicy filling without getting soggy is a challenge and with good reason. Helping you understand the process will insure you will be on your way to a no fail pie crust.
Several years ago, Midwest Living magazine asked me to provide a “no fail pie crust”. The results elicited this comment from the food editor: “We share a test kitchen with Better Homes and Gardens, Traditional Home, Successful Farming, Diabetic Living and more. The staff is educated in food science or through a culinary school. We used your crust for all the pies and they were blown away with the recipe. Not only does it taste great, it was easy to work with. You became a sensation! One of the staffers refuses to make any other crust at home and she’s been on staff for almost 20 years. I hope you feel the love!” I think you will too after making this melt in your mouth crust. Continue reading American Pie Crust
By Helen S. Fletcher, on February 16th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 This is one of my favorite turkey dishes. For those loving turkey as I do, this is a great alternative to the usual ground turkey. Strips of turkey are dredged in flour and sauteed with sunset colored bell peppers highlighted with garlic and ginger. This is an assertive dish with lots of flavor. The sauce echos the flavors of the turkey but is tempered by the apricot preserves. My store carries turkey breast already thinly sliced for scallopine which is what I use. However, if you can’t find this, buy a piece of turkey breast and cut it.
By finishing the rice in the oven, it comes out perfectly every time without dragging out a bulky rice cooker or having gluey rice from cooking it on the top of the oven. It cooks evenly in the oven with no attention…..my type of cooking! Basmati rice is used for its full flavor. Any type can be used.
The green beans round out this flavor filled dinner. When I had my retail take out shop, my chef told me that only the stem end of the bean should be cut off, known as tipping the green bean. He was right, the end of the grown bean is very attractive and I have done mine this way ever since. By immediately plunging the cooked beans in ice water it stops the cooking and sets the bright green color. Toasting sesame seed enhance their flavor and a touch of sesame oil balanced with a hint of lemon makes this the perfect accompaniment. Continue reading Turkey Scaloppine with Apricot Ginger Sauce and Sesame Green Beans
By Helen S. Fletcher, on February 9th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Gorgeous, sophisticated, stunningly flavorful and easy – what more could you want in a Valentines dessert? When I had my bakery, we made so many of these both for Valentines day in these adorable tart shells and during the year when we made them in 12” European tarts it was amazing. What’s “so many” you ask. What about 1500 pieces which amounted to 125 tarts for banquet desserts usually with only a few days notice? If you can’t find 4 1/4” heart shaped tart pans, use 4 1/4” round ones – the dessert will be just as gorgeous, sophisticated, stunningly flavorful and easy!
Because these tarts are very short, there is only a small amount of “crust” on the bottom to anchor the filling. The majority of the filling is poured over the bottoms and allowed to set up in the cooler. The remainder is heated just to loosen it and combined with whipped cream for a third layer of chocolate. The finish I have used here is the one we used at the shop. The rosette is piped on with a bit of buttercream which we always had around. I have included a chocolate ganache if buttercream is not to be had.
It is best to put the top layer on as soon as the bottom layer has set, then freeze them in their pans overnight or until ready to decorate.
Using a blow dryer to heat the rim of the tart pans heats them enough to slide the edge off. We would place the pans on a can and slide the side down. Slide a small, straight spatula between the bottom of the tart and the bottom of the pan.
This recipe makes 8 tarts. Continue reading Triple Chocolate Heart Tarts
By Helen S. Fletcher, on February 2nd, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Growing up, we ate a lot of pork – not the pork of today for sure – but I loved it. That love of pork has carried on and with the ability not to cook it to death it is still one of my favorite foods. This week’s offering is the perfect meal for a cold winter’s day. It is hearty and warming with the flavors of the best German cooking down to the caraway seeds in the cabbage.
I like thick, boneless pork chops for easy eating. I know more flavor is supposed if you leave the bone in, but maybe I have just become lazy as time goes by. I also like browning them in a hot pan and then transferring them to the oven to finish cooking so they stay nice and juicy. The key to searing well is to get the pan and oil really hot but not smoking. This also keeps the meat from sticking to the pan. By searing off in a really hot pan, the pork not only gets an inviting brown on it, but it absorbs less oil. Because the pan is going to be heated really hot, I use an uncoated pan as non-stick pans cannot take really, really hot temperatures without harming their finish.
The mustard dill sauce is the perfect finish for the pork. The use of dill pickles in the sauce is an unusual ingredient that adds great depth of flavor. Continue reading Pork Chops with Mustard Dill Sauce, Braised Cabbage and Cinnamon Apples
By Helen S. Fletcher, on January 26th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Super Bowl Sunday has become an American institution for many. While I generally don’t even know who is playing, I love the food associated with it. Hand pies are ideal for this event since no one seems to want to look at what they are eating lest they miss THE PLAY!!!
Calzones fit perfectly into this category. Easily picked up, packed with flavor and do ahead ability make this a must have. This recipe makes a lot. It can easily be halved if you don’t want a bunch. Or make and freeze them to enjoy whenever the mood strikes. To freeze them, make them all the way through the last step before baking. Freeze them on a sheet pan, then individually wrap them in foil and store in a freezer proof bag. Bake from the frozen state.
One of the things I like so much about this recipe is that it does not use a yeast dough for the crust. That eliminates a lot of waiting time. This crust is so full of flavor and is very easy to use and to make. After the initial roll out of the crusts, I trim them into perfect 8″ circles by using an 8″ cardboard circle. This isn’t because I am seeking perfection but because it is easier to enclose the filling if the circles are relatively perfect.
These hearty Italian Calzones are perfect for anytime, and Super Bowl Sunday seems just about perfect. Continue reading Italian Calzones
By Helen S. Fletcher, on January 19th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 When I had my retail shop this was a huge hit. It is super easy, super tasty and the vibrant colors make you want to dive right in. Serve it with a grilled or roasted chicken breast or salmon fillet for a complete meal. Toasting the couscous first insures it will not clump together when it is finished. It’s easily done while you cut up the veggies.
Do not confuse the North African couscous which is a yellow semolina pasta that looks like grains of sand with the larger Israeli couscous which is also made from semolina with the addition of wheat flour and is about three times as large as regular couscous. The Israeli couscous is sometimes known as pearl couscous. It is also toasted rather than dried. Continue reading Southwestern Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Southwestern Chicken Strips
By Helen S. Fletcher, on January 12th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Like most Americans, I grew up eating lasagna. Although my mother made lasagna, the red sauce was nowhere near this version which I adapted from Pat Bruno Jr’s recipe. Mr. Bruno is a food writer and a food critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. His expertise in the field of Italian cooking is enormous as he once owned and operated an Italian cooking school in Chicago and has written several cook books. While I dinked a little here and a little there, increasing this a bit, reducing that a tad, this is without a doubt the sauce I have searched for near and far. Its thickness comes from long slow cooking so you have to plan to be doing something else in the kitchen. The sauce goes together quickly but needs to be stirred very frequently and as it nears the end, it is good to stir it every four to five minutes. But the reward is worth every turn around the pot as the sauce reduces to red gold. Continue reading Lasagna al Forno
By Helen S. Fletcher, on January 9th, 2012
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 Can you tell I love alliteration? Well, I finally feel like a real writer. It is 12:40 and the night is dark and cold. After going to bed early, as tomorrow is a 4:00 a.m. wakeup, I awoke 2 hours later unable to go back to sleep. Rather than toss and turn for another hour, I went downstairs, made a cup of coffee (decaf of course), loaded it up with creamer and sweetner and am up in my office ready to commit everything I know about lemons to paper – computer actually. Normally a tea drinker, I felt coffee more in keeping with the writer thing. Afterwhich, I hope to be sufficiently tired enough to sleep for another couple of hours.
My office rather looks like a lemon – all yellow and white, bright and zesty. When the sun shines in, the room looks as though a thousand watts are lighting it up. It is my favorite room in the house, save the kitchen.
Throughout the ages, lemons have been used in medicines, as bleach, invisible ink and in witchcraft according to “Food Lover’s Companion”. Lemons are one of my favorite things to cook/bake with. They can liven up a flat dish and add excitement to an okay one. Equally at home in both savory and sweet cooking, both the outer skin (the rind or zest) and the juice are useful. With the price of lemons (as well as everything else) on the rise, I was appalled recently when I found lemons were a dollar a piece. While there was a day I would use the zest or the juice and toss the rest away, I don’t do that anymore. I have become both resentful and frugal as the years go on – which is the crux of this blog. Continue reading Lovely Lemons Liven Up Life!
By Helen S. Fletcher, on December 26th, 2011
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 This particular recipe came as quite a surprise to me. After we had photographed the Chocolate Cherry Boule blog, it was late and we weren’t in the mood to eat anything else for the evening. I wrapped it and put it on the counter where, for some unknown reason, it was forgotten. About five days later, I saw it sitting there. A whole loaf! It was unthinkable to throw it away so I let it sit there a few more days while I figured out what to do.
Often, after sleeping on a problem the answer is there in the morning, waiting like a gift. And so it was when I thought of this. I love bread pudding and although I think they have been overdone in restaurants, along with crème brulee, (I joke about writing a book titled 560 Bread Puddings and 780 Creme Brulees) I make one every so often as a treat. Continue reading Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding
By Helen S. Fletcher, on December 20th, 2011
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
I will be posting next week’s blog CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD PUDDING ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 26TH as I think it makes a great New Year’s Eve dessert and needs some prep ahead of time. It accidentally went up today by mistake before the error was caught. I hope this didn’t cause too much confusion.
 I have come to the conclusion that Beef Strogonoff is one of my favorite beef dishes. I have done it in a crepe, in a Portobello mushroom and now in a soup. This soup takes all the components of this entrée and turns them into a delicious, easy to make soup.
As the beef tenderloin used in the entrée would be a waste in the soup, I have substituted beef stew meat, well trimmed. The mushrooms and onions are here as well as the brandy. Each person stirs in their own sour cream.
My husband cheered every time I made this. He will eat anything I make and always tells me it’s good – even if I have reservations. Keep in mind not everything works perfectly the first time – so re-do’s are necessary. However, he was really vocal and enthusiastic about this soup going back to get seconds. Continue reading Beef Strogonoff Soup with Wine and Cheese Baguette
By Helen S. Fletcher, on December 15th, 2011
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 I love bread – any kind of bread. It goes way back to my childhood when I came home from school. Walking from the gate to the back yard up the steps to the screened in door, I could smell the fresh baked bread my mother made. She would cut thick slices and sprinkle it with sugar (sugar made everything better – so much for bacon!!) and we would sit together and eat it. As the pickiest of eaters, Mom was happy to get anything down me – hence the sugar! While I no longer put sugar on my bread, I now love making bread.
My first recollection of Chocolate Cherry Bread was from the Corner Bakery in Chicago. A bakery client of mine wanted to back me to expand into bread baking. I visited the Corner Bakery, Buckhead Bakery in Atlanta where I worked in the kitchen and La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles where I spent some time talking with Nancy Silverton as she was putting bread on the map! All of this only increased my fascination with bread. Although I eventually felt this project would interfere too much with my main focus of supplying upscale desserts to hotels, restaurants and caterers, my interest in bread never peaked. In the ensuing blogs, you will see more breads coming your way.
I never understood the lack of confidence people have when it comes to bread. It is the easiest of bakery items to make, taking little time to assemble and mix the ingredients and it is one of the few baked items that can be adjusted or “fixed”. If the dough is too dry – add a bit more liquid, too wet – add a bit more flour. Very accommodating! There is a wait as the bread rises and then a little time shaping the bread, more time rising, then into the oven while you wait for your house to smell unbelievably wonderful. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool! Tips on how to speed it up or slow it down are given when appropriate. However, remember the taste of the bread is significantly improved with slow rises as opposed to forced rises. However, my kitchen in the winter can be quite cold so I often use my improvised proofer (aka, my oven) to ensure a proper rise. Continue reading Chocolate Cherry Boule
By Helen S. Fletcher, on December 8th, 2011
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 In an earlier post, I mentioned my love affair with cranberries. Here is another example to keep them in my life all year long. Canning is a time honored method of putting aside food for months when it isn’t available fresh. It is an easy process, not particularly difficult, but it is important to follow the steps.
Many fruits require pectin because they don’t have enough on their own to jell the mixture. Cranberries are full of pectin and quite easily jell on their own. The addition of strawberries cuts the natural tartness of the cranberries and deepens the flavor. Continue reading Cranberry Strawberry Jam
By Helen S. Fletcher, on December 1st, 2011
Copyright, Helen S. Fletcher, 2010. All rights reserved.
All photos by T. Mike Fletcher, unless otherwise noted.
 What would the holidays be without cookies? I can’t imagine. While I no longer make the huge variety I used to, we have to have some. While I love to make cookies to hang on the tree (see European Holiday Cookies 1 and European Holiday Cookies 2 for more cookies), these bites are among my favorite for enjoying and giving. Because there are only two of us now (that is not a complaint!), I sometimes make a smaller amount so we don’t end up rolling into the New Year. I have included the ingredients for an 8×8 inch square pan and a 9×13 inch pan of the Apricot Streusel Triangles.
Apricots are one of my favorite flavors for desserts and these never fail to satisfy. The apricots I used in this recipe are definitely dried apricots as opposed to the ones I suggested for the Wild Rice stuffing for the Rock Cornish Hens a few weeks ago. Those are very plump and not very dry and they are also rather expensive. This recipe was originally made with dried apricots and I have maintained that ingredient. When plumping the apricots it is important to leave the lid off pan. This will allow the sulfur used in the drying process to evaporate so there is a cleaner apricot taste to the finished cookie. The use of two flours in the Streusel makes a more tender crumb. If you follow the order in which I wrote this, you won’t have to wash the processor in between. That in itself is worth the recipe!
The almond paste called for in the Almond Macaroons can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. These can be served half dipped in chocolate or plain and were a customer favorite. The number of cookies you get out of a recipe is determined by how large you pipe the cookies. We used to make them very small and sandwich two together with chocolate – we also made them rather large and half dipped them as shown. Anything in between works well too. The baking time may need to be adjusted if you change the size – you want them to be a golden brown when finished. That will yield a crisp outside and soft inside.
Both of these cookies are easy to prepare and have tremendous flavor to them. They would make perfect gifts to some lucky recipients. So join me in the kitchen for some holiday cookies that won’t stress you out and may just become new traditions. Continue reading Holiday Cookies for 2011
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