recipe 22 lobstah

Summer, lobster, need I say more...oh yes...yum! I had never made lobster at home before last summer. Dear family and I were on vacation at a favorite lake and decided to tackle the lobster. The kitchen was fully stocked with all the necessary equipment, which were so much fun to use. Now we have all seen Julie and Julia so I half expected the lobster to walk out of the pot and race across the kitchen floor, but nope all was quiet. I have since made lobster a number of times and will again tonight. Happy Father's Day.

 

Begin with fabulous fresh lobsters...

 

The fishmonger told us to put the lobster in head first.

He also said that a lobster is done when the antenna turn from brown to lobster pink/red.

Gorgeous...and delicious. The butter and lemon were not even touched as the lobster is sweet and succulent on its own. Enjoy!!!!

No book or recipe for this one....just do as above crack open and enjoy.

recipe 21 bar bq sauce

Yes, it's been a long time since I've written. However it has not been a long time since I have eaten, read about, experimented, played with, cooked, baked, served, shopped, photographed or otherwise enjoyed all the nuances associated with food. I am making pulled pork this weekend and decided it needed homemade Bar-B-Q sauce. I used to make it all the time, but haven't in a while. I'm not sure why I haven't , it's so easy and so good. Here's to more blogging in the near future! Enjoy.

The Blue Ribbon Cookbook is a great selection from the Blue Ribbon restaurant giants in New York City. It is a collection of recipes that the owners and authors really eat.

I modified the recipe a little. (Only because I don't usually have soda in the house but found an ancient can of Dr. Pepper....also I was out of cayenne pepper so I used ancho chili powder instead.)

 

Oh...and a jalapeno instead of a serrano.

I didn't chop up the jalapeno...just sliced it as I know it is going into the pulled pork anyway.      

 

Bubble bubble.

 

It's really a dark maroon potful of slow heat goodness. The peppers give it just the right amount of heat that fades away and doesn't burn you tongue.

A perfect summer hostess gift!

 

 

Recipe adapted from Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook, by Bruce Bromberg, Eric Bromberg and Melissa Clark

 

 

3cups ketchup

1 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup light beer (pale ale)

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 serrano chile  chopped

 

In a heavy non-reactive saucepan over medium high heat, mix together all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered about 1 and 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Strain and if not using right away refrigerate until ready to use. Stores in fridge for a few months.....if it lasts that long.

recipe 20...bread...just bread..yummmm

So the book club is back up and running. I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again....I love reading books chosen by people around the world. I'm sure I would never have picked up "The Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella if the book club didn't lead me to it. I enjoyed it, as much as I enjoy any other chick-lit, as it was an absolute girl book. After my Italian vacation I've been reading Italian fiction as well as cookbooks....(there are many soups in my future), so the trip to England via "TUG"was a nice change of pace.

The recipe that grabbed me most was for bread, plain and simple...bread. So I've been baking, and baking, and baking. We have spread butter, homemade nutella (yum by the way), cheese, and marinated tomatoes in oil and garlic (king of the show) on the bread. We have also grabbed hunks and eaten them right down. So easy, so simple, so delicious.

SPEEDY NO-KNEAD BREAD

by: Mark Bittman via The New York Times

ingredients:

3 cups bread flour

1 packet instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

oil as needed..(not kneaded...hee hee)

did I say simple?????

Step 1

Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add  water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Step 2

Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

Step 3


At least 30 minutes before dough is ready heat oven to 450. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready carefully remove hot pot from oven and slide dough into pot. (I didn't oil up the pot for my first batch and bread stuck to pot....used lots of butter and oil next time and bread popped out). Shake pan once or twice to distribute dough. (mine fell into place just fine)

Step 4

Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, remove lid and bake 15 to 30 minutes more, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on rack......or let slightly cool and pull apart and eat and dip and eat......so good!!!!