Life: Idiotropic

Spain is good at slicing things thin.  I love the nearly see-through chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts that I buy.  They're amazing for stuffing and rolling or adhering Serrano ham to and dousing in herbs.  But, after buying nearly exclusively chicken for the last month, I needed something new.  The pork isn't quite as thin, but I can buy it in nice packs with perfectly sliced pieces all uniformly 1/4" thick.

I am not particularly good with pork.  A ham is easy.  You come up with a rub or sauce and baste it to death.  Thin little cutlets?  Scary.  But I looked up a recipe and found this on Yahoo Answers of all places and with a few tweaks of my own, the actually turned out really good and everyone liked it.  That alone is miraculous.

So... here it is with my tweaks.

Peppered Pork Cutlets with Onion Gravy

Ingredients
Combine well in a bowl or shallow dish.  The flour shouldn't be white nor speckled, but full enough of spice that it has color.:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 T+ paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Dredge 16 1/4" boneless pork cutlets lightly in the flour spice mixture, then cook at medium high heat in a preheated pan in a T of olive oil until lightly brown on each side.  Remove pork and set aside.


Add 1 cup thinly sliced onions to the hot pork pan and cook for 3 minutes.  Add 2 T flour and mix in.  


Stir in 1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup dry white wine or a mixture of the two and mix well.

Add the pork to the onion broth adding a little more broth as needed.  


Serve with a sturdy pasta and a nice green salad.

When we were stationed at Whiteman AFB we had monthly spouse "coffees" at the support group commanders house.  For our Christmas gathering I experience my first "cookie swap" where each lady baked 12 dozen cookies, then we all divided them up and went home with about 6 of each kind.  I have no idea what I baked.  These flew off our plate and I wanted more.  A light rounded cakey cookie, this is the cookie that my husband requests every year.  I tried freezing them to reduce temptation... sadly, they are just as delicious frozen.  Mmmm.  Can't have a autumn without them.  Time to go bake.



Heat oven to 375.

Mix:

• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups canned pumpkin (1 large can)
• 1 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 T. grated orange peel

Stir in:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 t. baking power
• 3 t. baking soda
• 3 t. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 t. salt

Stir in (optional - I've never added these):

• 1 1/2 c. raisins
• 1 1/2 c. chopped nuts

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool. Spread with Light Brown Glaze


Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan and cook stirring constantly until it's lightly browned.  Add 3 cups powdered sugar slowly and mix well.  It will get quite thick.  Add 1/2-1 t. vanilla extract and mix, then add just a t. of milk slowly until it's smooth, but not too runny.  Drizzle over the cookies and let set.  If it doesn't set up nicely, then you've added too much liquid.  If you have extra glaze, pour dots onto a cookie sheet of piece of wax paper and let it set up.  It's delicious!(Lightly brown butter in a saucepan.  Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little milk.  Drizzle over the cookies once they've cooled.).

Cookies freeze well. (The measurements are 3x the original recipe and is about as much as my kitchenaid can handle.)

An afternoon with our closest friends relaxing in the shade of the patio and feasting on the things we've brought together.  It's the best way to start the new school year and such a blessing, really, to have such great friends.  They girls played... all night.  We ended up taking two extras home with us for a sleepover.

My contributions were a hit and though the pie was a bit juicier than I'd hoped, there was not a bite left and requests for more.  So, here are the recipes I brought with my suggestions.

~T




Directions:
Notes:  I made a small round of Camembert and with fresh figs.  My brie was a very large round, so I doubled the topping and used dried instead of fresh figs.  Both turned out delicious and the use of dried figs didn't detract at all from the flavor.





The Crust:

Could it be that almost 5 of my daughter's formative years spent in countries that don't have flouride in their water supply have finally taken their toll?   Arianna had two tiny cavities filled today.

She squirmed a little, but remained quiet.  She wiggled her feet.  I could see her face changing.  I put out my hand and she squeezed it really tightly every time the dentist drilled.

Nothing was given for pain.  I asked if they would. 

     "No, it doesn't hurt.  She's just sensitive to the cold."

At the end, they drew a lovely little picture showing me how the drill only went into the enamel and enamel doesn't have nerve endings.  They didn't touch the dentin, so pain medicine wasn't necessary.  Arianna shook her head.  She knows what pain is.  Sigh.  So let's not have any more cavities, ok?


We came home to a flurry of activity to pull the house together and whip up a nice lunch for friends.  I'd made tiramisu the night before - my summer favorite requiring no oven and no heat.  I took pictures... recipe to follow.  Make, eat, enjoy... just brush your teeth really well afterwards, ok?  We don't want any more cavities.

In today's news, Arianna and Luci had their third piano lesson which are wildly successful because a) the girls really are talented and love the piano and b) we've managed to find a wonderful bilingual teacher who enjoys teaching them so much that he's asked if he can come 15 minutes early next week so he spend a bit more time with them.

Our piano is in our elongated dining room near the kitchen, so during these lessons, I find myself there as I am then close enough to listen and to be available if needed, but far enough away to allow space and prevent myself from being a distraction.

What to do in the kitchen?  Cook.

Today was Turkish.  So I pulled out my little stripey notebook that I keep in my purse... a notebook of much knowledge and goodness from trips and cooking with friends.  Frankly, I'm concerned that some day I'll loose little stripey, so it's time to get these recipes down... hence this post.  :)  Lucky you.




Ingredients:

• 1 onion, minced
• 1 cup rice, rinsed
• 3 t. dried mint +
• 1 t. black pepper +
• 2 1/2 t. dill
• 1 t. thyme
• 1 t. salt
• 2 T. tomatoe paste
• 1 cup ground beef or lamb
• 1/4 cup olive oil +

Instructions:

1. Mix onion and rice together.
2. Add the spices and salt.
3. Mix the tomato paste, meat, and oil in a separate bowl.
4. Combine rice and meat mixtures and blend well.
5. Boil 2 cups of water.
6. Add the meat mixture.  Return to boil.
7. Turn heat down to low and cover.  
8. Cook 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and rice is tender.
9. Serve alone, use as a stuffing, or serve with Kisir.

Notes:  Like many recipes that I learn from friends, I learn from watching.  Senay knows by the look, the feel, and the smell if she has enough mint of not.  She doesn't measure. She sprinkles or dumps, them may add a bit more.  It's all an estimation.  And so is this recipe.  I've put here what I have in my stripey notebook.  The first time I made this dolma stuffing, I followed it almost exactly and it was very good.  Now, I sprinkle or dump the spices.  I've learned that being heavy handed is good.  When it is all mixed together you should see a lot of green and you will smell a strong herb smell.  It is a good thing.  Tonight, I made a double batch, but did it in two separate batches.  The first, I followed this, may be adding a bit more mint.  The second, I also added about 1-2 T. of ground cumin.  Amazing.  The version with cumin is fabulous.  In future efforts, I'll omit the cumin for the part I use to stuff the zucchini, but will add cumin for any extra stuffing that gets cooked separately. 




Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bulgar or Cous Cous
• 3/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsely, chopped
• 1 cup iceburg lettuce, julienned
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. paprika paste
• 1 T. tomatoe paste
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 t. mint
• 1 t. cumin
• salt and pepper to taste 
• pomogranite juice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put the bulgar or cous cous in a large bowl and add 1 1/2 cup boiled water.  Let sit for three minutes.  Fluff, then cool.
2. Cool oil, paprika paste, and tomato paste together on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring often.
3. Add the lemon juice to the bulgar
4. Mix in spices and tomato mixture into the bulgar.
5. Mix in the onions, parsely, and lettuce
6. Sprinkle with pomogranite juice 
7. Serve

Notes:  Like most recipes, this changes according to who cooks it.  I had it first at Senay's home without the parsely or lettuce and with much fewer spices.  It was delicious then.  But then I went to Funda's home who also had a delicious version.  Her's has a few extra ingredients and so I follow hers, but always change it a bit depending on what I have in the fridge.

• Senay uses celery instead of parsely and lettuce.  She also adds thyme instead of mint and leaves out the cumin.  
• Paprika paste is a wonderful ingredient used in Hungarian and Turkish cooking, so it's worth finding; however, don't miss on this cool summer salad just because you don't have the paste.  Just double the tomato paste and if you want a bit of spice, sprinkle some dried paprika into the mixture and blend well.  Stir frequently while cooking.  Paprika burns quickly.

Ingredients:

• 2 T. Sea salt
• 3 T. Mint
• 1 T. Thyme
• 2 T. Oregano
• 1 t. Black Pepper
• 1 T. Lemon zest, chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts, thin fillets

Instructions:

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and mix together well.
2. Heat 2 t. olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
3. Sprinkle the herb mixture over each side of the chicken fillet and cook until lightly browned, 2 minutes on each side.  (Time depends on hot thick your chicken is.  I buy 1/4" fillets.)
4. Add 1-2 t. lemon juice with each batch of chicken as it cooks.  Add more olive oil as needed and continue to deglaze the pan with lemon juice as it dries.
5. Serve with tsaziki and the two Turkish dishes above.  ;) 

So, today... my girls play piano and I cook... a lot... these three plus a pasta sauce and tomorrow's tiramisu.   A hot, humid and sweaty, yet amazingly zen afternoon in my little kitchen.

Meal planning:  I decide on my nectarine wraps and a delicious chicken saltimbocca.  Tiara makes her linguine with lemon and cream and a salad.  Tiramisu for dessert.  We realize the day of that three of our dishes contain prosciutto.  Oops.  No need for worry though - it all turned out beautiful and absolutely delicious.  No photos for this one... can't take photos with new boss at the table.  But trust me, it looked just as delicious as it tasted.

1. Halve nectarines. (My nectarines don't come apart well, so I just cut them as best I can)
2. Grill the nectarines for about 5 minutes.
3. Cut into quarters.
4. Take one nectarine quarter and add one fresh basil leaf, one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, then wrap it up in thinly sliced prosciutto.
5. Drizzle balsamic vinegar lightly over the plate of wraps. (A balsalmic reduction is even better:  Put 1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir until reduced by half.  Watch it.  It burns quickly and turns to a tar-like substance.)

• 8 Thin chicken filletes or chicken breasts pounded with a mallet until they are  1/8 - 1/4" thick.  (Luckily, I can buy mine filleted already from the store so that one breast is sliced horizontally into 4-5 pieces.  It's a beautiful thin.  No pounding required)
• 16-24 thin slices of prosciutto  (I usually have more chicken and just use one piece of prosciutto per slice of chicken)
• 2 tablespoons rubbed sage
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 marsala (dry sherry works in a pinch)
• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Put the flour and sage in a bowl or dish long enough to dredge the chicken in and mix well.  Add a bit of pepper to taste.
2. Lay 1-3 slices of prosciutto on top of each slice of chicken gently pressing it onto the chicken so that it sticks. 
3. Carefully place the chicken with the prosciutto stuck to it into the flour mixture.  Turn to coat.  Set aside.
4. Heat 2T oil and 2T butter in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.  
5. Add half of the chicken (I usually just add 2-3 pieces at a time - what ever will fit in a single layer in my pan) and cook, turning once untl the prosciutto side is a bit crisp and the chicken side is lightly browned, about 1 minute per side.
6. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining pieces until it's finished.
7. Drain and discard the oil and butter from the skillet.  Place the skillet over high heat this time.  Add marsala.  Cook, scraping up browned bits, and reduce by half, 1-2 minutes.
8. Add broth and reduce by half - about 3 minutes.
9. Stir in remaining 4T butter and reduce the heat to medium.
10. Return the meat to pan.  Cook, turning occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 1-2 minutes.
11. Serve topped with a few leaves of fresh rucola and aside the lemon and cream linguine below.

Ingredients:

• 1 T. butter
• 8 slices prosciutto or ham cut crosswise into strips
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 t. lemon zest, minced
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. dry linguine
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• lemon zest for garnish

Directions:

• Saute prosciutto in melted butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.
• Add broth and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in cream, lemon juice, and zest.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, then season with pepper.  Keep the sauce covered and warm whil cooking the pasta.
• Prepare linguine according to package directions.  Drain; transfer to the pan with the sauce and stir over medium heat to incorporate.
• Off heat, stir in cheese.
• Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with additional lemon zest.

Add a nice green salad with a home made oil and vinegar dressing and a small bowl of green olives to munch on.  Tiramisu for dessert and voila!  Full, happy bellies, Italian style.

I would like to write something deeply moving and sentimental, but the whirrrr of the fan is putting me to sleep and the heat in my office has melted away any remaining shreds of creativity.  Add the high volume yelling downstairs between my evens and interruptions every five minutes and you have one worn out me.

Sad because I'd really like to convey just how absolutely amazing my now 15 year old really is.

We laugh as if we're sisters, we talk like two old friends, she 'gets me' like no other, and yet I have all the pride of a mom because I am her mom and I am proud of the incredible young woman she's become.

Today was her day.  And she required three things:  to sleep in, to watch the last game of the World Cup in Engish at home in her jammies, and to have candles on this cake.  Not difficult at all.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup butter (1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons water (1T)
• 2 (29 ounce) cans sliced peaches, drained  (I used fresh nectarines.  Apples would be great too)
• 12 (3/4 inch thick) slices day-old French bread
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk  (great with a bit of cream)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (any nut will do)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste

   NOTES:  I used the original portions for the caramel sauce, but it was entirely too much.  I would make this again, but half the caramel and experiment with different fruit/nut combinations and even change the extract.  This has real potential.

Enrique and Elisa are from a beautiful little village near Benidorm in the more beautiful southern part of the Valencian province and I have the pleasure of knowing them because our daughters are friends at school.  Today they came over to cook a paella for us and show us how it's done.  What an experience!  It was really fun to watch.  Like most American families, the art of BBQ is dominated by the men and quite frankly, I think most women (at least this one) is glad of this because it's one less area of the house for which we are ultimately responsible.  Let them grill!  Let's grill every night!  Means less dishes to clean.

In Spain the paella is cooked outside over a wood fire or on a specialized round grill and, like the US, it's done mostly by the men.  I remember our Spanish nights in Germany - men weren't allowed at our women's events, but they came to cook and serve the paella.   (Men are also responsible for cleaning the paella pan both before and after they use it, oiling it well to prevent rusting.)

Elisa told us how delicious her fideua are (a local noodle dish), but the paella... "Enrique does that."  The beautiful thing is, though, that while Enrique controlled the long handled spoons, the whole family was involved.  Elisa and her son ("little Enrique") prepared the vegetables and meats while Enrique prepared the paella pan.  Elisa stood there and visited with us, but also watched the paella and told him if she thought it needed a bit more salt or water or oil.  They made decisions together.  And little Enrique was the one who grabbed the morter and pestle to prepare the pate of garlic and rabbit liver. He was there the entire time watching, helping, and learning.  In about 20 years, it will be his job.


They are the ones that prepare the paella now when they go home for family events in Benidorm as well, but normally Elisa's mom is there to watch over the paella and tell them both if it needs more salt or a little more time.  This was the first time that they've ever cooked a paella without her mom standing there.  "But it's for American's," they joked to her mom, "they won't know the difference!"

We stood around our Spanish BBQ area talking while it cooked and little Enrique picked nísperos off of our tree.   I'd been too scared to try them.  He peeled the thin skin off of one with ease, broke it open to remove the two large brown seeds inside, then handed it to me.  Sweet, cool and watery, a bit tart - really refreshing.  A few minutes later and my girls were picking nísperos and eating them as quickly as they could peel them.


Such a nice day with friends.  For this, I'd cook paella every day.  It's not the dish itself (although this paella was absolutely delicious), it's the time spent together talking around the grill.  That relaxed "no stress" time that seems so hard to find these days.  I love it.  We served fruit salad and green salad with the paella.  Baked parmesan artichoke dip on baguettes for an appetizer.  Green Spanish olives.  American tortilla chips (because the kids love them).  Tiramisu for dessert which Elisa like so well that she says I must make it for Elise's birthday party in a couple days.  I will.

Dining on the patio.  Sitting, relaxing, talking, eating.  Sun and soothing nísperos.  The kids are off playing.  Life is good.


Tools:  (all significantly less expensive if you come to Spain to buy them!)

• 1 paella pan  (this is a nice gift set)
• 2 paella spoons 
• 1 paella grill

Ingredients:

• Vegetables:  Flat green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini, artichokes, carrots (any combination... we just used the beans and peppers)
• Broth
• Crushed tomatoes
• Short grain rice
• Garlic
• Salt
• Meats:  1 chicken, 1/2 rabbit, pork ribs

1:  Clean pan (obviously).  (photo 1:16pm)







2.  Heat pan, then add olive oil.  When the olive oil is heated, add the quartered red bell peppers and cook until slightly charred.  Remove them and set aside.  (photo 1:23pm)
3.  Put the meats into pan to brown - browned well - practically cooked through.  Salt the meat.  (photo 1:30pm)


4.  Remove the rabbit liver and mix it with two cloves of garlic and parsely with a morter and pestle.  Set aside.  (photo 1:38pm)










The meat will be browning well in the oil.   When it is brown like this, it's time to add the beans, then some crushed tomatoes.  (photo 1:42pm)



5.  Add green beans and other vegetables.  (photo 1:42pm)




6.  While the beans are mixed in, measure 1 demitasse cup of rice per person plus 1 for the pan.  That means, one more demitasse cup of rice than the number of people that you're serving.  (photo 1:44pm)
7.  When the beans are tender, add rice and stir well.  (photo 1:51pm)



8.  Add the rabbit liver mixture.  (photo 1:53pm)










 9.  Add water (about double the rice amount) and some chicken broth.  (photo 1:55pm)











10.  Add saffron or coloring and bring to a boil.  (photo 1:56pm)





11.  Boil and cook until the “caldo” is completely absorbed.  (photo 1:56pm)










Put peppers on top.  (photo 2:10pm)



Serve when the water has been completely absorbed into the rice.  (photo 2:27pm)

The traditional way to eat a paella is to gather around it each with a spoon and all eat from the same paella pan.  No plates needed.








Elise and Lola - the sweet little friendship that connected her parents with us and inspired another friendship and this delicious paella!

It is a testimony to the extreme edibility of these bars that there is no photo here.  You see, these bars put this trance over me so that even me, miss snap happy herself, can't think of anything else but grabbing another one.  It's camera amnesia.  Two pans now baked and gone and not a single photo to show for it.  :(

An old favorite.  I've made these for years.  Made them once for a group of Spanish friends in Germany.  They looked at them with curiosity and distrust as they did many things that I made.  It was the group, not the cooking.  Some are more adventurous than others, but I didn't mind.  Friends are friends and food is food.

Yesterday I had a few friends over to lunch on my balcony and enjoy the sun and the view.  We had pasta with pesto and stuffed chicken.  My friends brought things.  Eva made a salad with mango and foie grois.  For dessert, I served strawberries with whipped cream, fresh lemon curd, and these lemon bars that my friends here who are as adventurous as I am, not only tried once, but twice, three times...

With a few left over, I took them over to my favorite little coffee shop today explaining that they always make nice things for us, so that today, I'd like to share something "American" with them.

Watching them survey the little paper plate was like watching children at Christmas time.  This is a food family.  They bake, they cook.  They know and appreciate food.  When the mom heard, "limon," her eyes got wide and she took a bite.  Then she yelled for her other son, the pastry chef, to come from the kitchen to try them too.  So fun to watch.  Her and her two sons.  They ate them slowly and savored each bite.  The baker asked for the recipe.

Yes, I'll share it.  I'll translate it.  And then I'll ask him how to make his chocolate mousse.  ;)

The Recipe:  Lemon Bars
From Cuisine at Home, Feb 2005 issue

1.  Preheat oven to 350; line an 8" square baking pan with foil.

2.  Toast 1/2 cup sliced almonds in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes.  Set aside 3T. and chop the rest well to mix into the crust.

3.  Whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 t. almond extract and 1/4 t. table salt and chopped almonds.

4.  To above flour mixture, cut in 6 T. cold, cubed, unsalted butter until the mixture is dry and crumbly.  Press into the prepared pan.

5.  Sprinkle the crust with the reserved almonds.  Press them into the crust.  Bake until the edges are golden, 20-25 min.

WHILE THE CRUST IS BAKING, prepare the filling below.

1.  Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.

2.  Whisk in 3 eggs.

3.  Add 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-4 lemons depending on size) and 2 t. finely grated lemon zest.


WHEN THE CRUST IS LIGHTLY BROWNED (after the cooking time above) and STILL HOT, remove from oven, pour the lemon filling directly onto the hot crust and dust it with powdered sugar (this will make a nice light crust on top).

Return the crust to the oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until the filling no longer jiggles in the center.  Cool completely on rack.

When the bars are cool, remove from the pan by lifting out the foil by the edges.  Cut into squares and dust with more powdered sugar.

Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs.

Can be made ahead and refrigerated.  Best the same day.  Serve at room temperature.


Notes:  For a delicious twist, substitute coconut for the almonds and lime juice and zest for the lemon.  Made these this last week.   YUM!

Cold and windy here and spitting rain.  No one can seem to muster the motivation to go out, so it's time to find a bit of comfort in a plate of hot food.  Tiara felt inspired...


Paprika Rub Ribeye Steak
adapted from an Epicurious.com recipe by Tiara

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 3/4-inch-thick rib-eye steaks

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 tablespoons chilled butter

1. Mix oregano, cumin, and paprika in small bowl.
2. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, then sprinkle each side of each steak with generous 1 teaspoon spice mixture, pressing to adhere.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
5. Transfer to platter.
6. Combine broth, vinegar, honey, and remaining spice mixture in same skillet; boil until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat; whisk in butter. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over steaks and serve.

Lemon Risotto

I've begun to make a risotto of sorts using a Spanish pasta called piñones that end up just smaller than a pine nut when cooked.  Usually, I add a full cup of parmesan cheese, but today, cheeseless, I made a "lighter" lemony version.

I bring a 1/2 pot of water to boil, then add the full package of piñones and 3T. lemon juice - may be 3 cups water and 1 1/2 cups piñones.  I don't measure.

When the pasta has soaked up most of the water, I add a little chicken broth.  I continue to add a bit of lemon juice (to taste) and chicken broth stirring frequently until the pasta is done.  Stir in 1/4 cream.  Cook 2 more minutes.  Today I added a pit of parsely as well.  It was delicious.


Artichokes:
Guess what?  Small, young artichokes don't have the prickley fuzzy stuff protecting the heart.  It's amazing!  Same great taste, no work!  I've been disappointed when fresh piles of tiny young artichokes have been popping up at all the outdoor markets.  I wanted something big.  But, wow!  These are like no artichoke I've ever tasted with leaves so tender instead of scraping off the end of the leaves with your teeth, 1/2 the leaf comes off all soft tender.  Cut the tops off, then boil in water with a dash of lemon juice.  The girls eat theirs with melted butter, but these are so tender alone, it's really not even necessary.

Flavor means at least two of my girls won't eat it.  And the pasta noodles are delicious, but they have flavor, so, even my noodle girl looked at it oddly.  "What's the green stuff?  Ewww."

However, I like flavor and so if my girls are stuck with cereal for dinner on occasion because I decide to cook something that I like, well then, so be it.  They will live and my tastebuds will dance a lively jig.  Someone has to look out for the tastebuds.

The Recipe - from my favorite cooking mag all all time - Cuisine at  Home.  Issue 54.  December 2005.

Saltimbocca Chicken Breasts 
with Sage Sauce and Creamy Arugula Pasta

1.  Season 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6-8oz each) with ground black pepper.  In each, cut a slit in the center of the breast, insert a 1 oz stick of provelone cheese, then place the stuffed chicken on 2 overlapping slices of prociutto and wrap tightly.

2.  Preheat the oven to 400 and bring a pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
3.  Saute the chicken in 1 t. olive oil and 1 t. butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook, turning to brown on all sides, 6-8 min total.  Place the chicken on a rack set on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven for about 5 minutes to finish.  Remove and let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
5.  Drain the pasta, add it to the bowl with the cream mixture and toss to coat the pasta and wilt the greens.
6.   Saute 1 T. minced shallots in butter over medium-high heat using the same pan that  you cooked the chicken in.  Cook until the shallots are soft - 1 min.
7.  Deglaze the shallot pan with 1/4 cup dry white wine; simmer over high heat until nearly evaporated.  Add 1/3 cup chicken broth and the juice of 1/2 a lemon.  Simmer until reduced by half, 3 min.
8.  Finish the sauce with 2 T. softened butter and 1t. minced fresh sage leaves. 

Unlike the elaborate multicultural celebrations I enjoyed at GK, the little international women's club here is tiny and quiet.  Each month a different country hosts a coffee.  They provide food.  We sit and talk and eat.  No frills, but it's nice.  Sometimes the GK events got so loud, I couldn't hear the person next to me.  At these, it's a lot easier to connect with other cultures.

Today I sat with Greeks, an American, a Spanish lady, and a Turkish friend.  A nice mix!

The Portuguese were good enough to send out some of the recipes, so I'll copy them here as well.  Everything was very good.  I'll get the name of the cheese and wine.  Not pictured here is the large ball of yummy white cheese that they brought from Portugal.  Special, yes, but disappointing that I can't run out and buy it.  It was so good that the word "cheese" kept becoming audible from conversations all over the room and ladies kept going back to the ball of cheese for a little more.

There were too many flavors to try, so I didn't have everything.  They made a wonderful fish croquette that was amazing.  The small white candy cups in the front of the photo, I thought, had small candied oranges inside.  Instead, they were candied egg yolks with a half walnut resting on top of each.  The Greek ladies liked them.  I was too scared to try them.  The best part (aside from the cheese) was the cherry port that they poured into small chocolate cups for us.  Delicious even without the edible chocolate cups.

Chocolate Salami (They make this in Italy and Turkey too - very easy and quite good)
Ingredients:
• 300 grams of “Maria” biscuits (add some more for
coverage)
• 75 grams of cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of whisky
• 60 grams of almonds (add some more for coverage)
Preparation:
Crush the Maria biscuits on a kitchen cloth by hand or with a kitchen roll, and pour them into a bowl. Add the cocoa powder, the butter, the sugar, the eggs, the whisky and the previously coarsely crushed almonds. Knead everything well and pour the mixture on a sheet of parchment paper or aluminium sprinkled with crushed biscuits and chopped nuts. Shape dough into cylinder form and wrap carefully and set aside in the refrigerator to gain consistency.  (The Italians often roll into a long slender "salami" shape and then wrap and store it in foil.  It then gets a bit of a salami texture on the outside and looks very authentic coming out of that foil wrapper.  Freezes well!)  NOTE: You may substitute almonds for walnuts.


Queijadas de Sintra (a cheesecake)

Ingredients:
 2 shallow tablespoons of flour
12 portions small fresh white cheeses  (I'm assuming some sort of cream cheese)
 500 grams of sugar
24 egg yolks
For the dough:         
200 grams of flour
1 egg
75 grams of butter
salt to taste
water
Preparation:
     The dough:  Knead the flour with the butter, add the egg, a pinch of salt and a little water.
Continue kneading until the dough thickens, and is well mixed. Shape it into a
ball and let it stand for 30 minutes. With a rolling pin spread the dough so that
it becomes about 2 mm thick. Line the molds with the pastry dough to the level
of the edges. Place the molds on a tray and fill them with the cream. Bake
them for about 30 minutes.
     The cream:  Whisk the smashed white cheeses with the egg yolks and the sugar. Add flour
until it is consistent. Fill previously dough-lined molds with the cream to the brim.



Pão de Ló de Ovar  (This is a sponge cake)
Ingredients:
- 18 eggs (6 whole eggs and 12 yolks)
- 375 grams of sugar
- 120 grams of flour
Preparation:
Mix the eggs and the sugar for approximately 30 minutes. Add the flour and stir a little with a wooden spoon. Pour into a mold lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately one hour at 170 degrees. 

Bolo de maçã e nozes (apple and walnut cake)
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking Royal
- 2 cups chopped, diced apples
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Preparation:
Break the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and stir well. Then add the flour and the baking powder. When the mixture is well blended, add the apples and walnuts stirring slightly. Place into a mold previously buttered and sprinkled with flour. Bake it for half an hour at 180 degrees.

Bolo de Chocolate  (chocolate cake)
Ingredients:
- 5 eggs
- 1 and ½ cups sugar
- 1 and ½ cups cocoa powder
- ½ tea cup cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup boiling water
Preparation:
Begin by separating the egg whites from the yolks and beating the egg whites to form stiff white peaks. Next, mix the egg yolks and sugar, and add the cocoa powder and oil. Continue by mixing in the previously beaten egg whites, backing powder and flour to the mixture. When the mixture is well blended, add the boiling water. Pour the mixture into a mold that has been previously buttered and sprinkled with flour. Bake approximately 30 minutes at 180 degrees (Celsius).

Trouxas de Ovos  (egg rolls)
Ingredients:
- 1 Kg sugar
- 20 yolks
- 500 ml (2 cups) water
Preparation:
In a saucepan mix the sugar and the water heating it until you get a thicken boiling sugar syrup (try to make a path through with a spoon). With a wooden spoon add 8 lightly beaten yolks straining them through a sieve (in order to obtain egg threads). Note: If it makes too much foam try pouring a
few drops of cold water. After cooked put aside the obtained egg threads. With a wooden spoon pour the remaining 12 yolks previously beaten directly on the same sugar syrup. Let them spread as much as possible and make sure they absorb the syrup (turning them on both sides). Spread them on a work
surface, and then cut them into 6x6 cm pieces. After filling them with the egg threads roll them up. Spray them with the sugar syrup left over.