I’ll admit I don’t know too much about Irish cooking, but I do know the Irish can make incredibly flavorful and satisfying food from simple ingredients, and no one is better with potatoes.  Champ is so deceptively simple; you won’t believe the rich flavor.  Add this to any meal and it’s instantly a simple St. Patrick’s celebration.

Champ

Irish Mashed Potatoes with Green Onions

6 green onions (about 3 ounces)

2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large)

2 cups buttermilk

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

Salt

Melted butter for drizzling

Slice the white, light green and a small bit of the dark green part of the green onions very finely. Save the rest of the dark green part for garnish. Peel the potatoes and slice into chunks.  Place in a large pan and just cover with water.  Add half the sliced green onions.  Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and green onions in a colander, shaking out the water, then return to the pot.  Place a tea towel over the pot, the cover tightly with the lid.  Leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the buttermilk with the remaining green onions and the butter over low heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is warmed through.

Uncover the potatoes and begin mashing.  Pour in the buttermilk mixture and mash until smooth, adding salt to taste.  The mixture will be quite loose.  Scrape the potatoes into a small baking dish, smoothing the top. You can keep the potatoes covered for a few hours at this point, or just move on to the baking.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.  Let rest for 5- 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped green onion tops to serve.

Serves 4

When I was growing up in Memphis, there were really only two fancy, sit-down, white tablecloth, special occasion restaurants.  An old-school, white-jacketed waiter, New Orleans-style place and an elegant Chinese restaurant.  My Dad is a big fan of Chinese food, so it was his choice for special meals.  My brother and I loved the egg drop soup, which had tiny little carrots floating in it cut in the shapes of ducks and bunnies.  The owner told my mom that the chef carved the whole carrot into the shape and thinly sliced the whole into paper-thin floaters.  To this day, as my kitchen obsession grows, my mother frequently asks when I plan to learn to properly carve carrot bunnies.

I was probably twelve or thirteen before any other Chinese restaurant opened, and we ate there a lot.  Sesame Chicken, Egg Drop Soup, Fried Wontons, Lemon Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Mu Shu Pork.  The standard fare in this area, on the menus of the many subsequent Chinese restaurants to open.  When I went off to college in Connecticut, my friends and I ordered Chinese food from the local, college-friendly delivery joint.  This group of folks were all from the New England and they took over the ordering, choosing their standard choice of dishes.  When we laid it all out on the floor of the dorm room, I was flummoxed.  Everyone was digging in heartily and I didn’t recognize some of the dishes.  Sure beef and broccoli was there, but I’d never seen cold sesame noodles (now one of my favorites) or dumplings before.  It had never occurred to me that ethnic food could be regional not just in its country of origin but in its transplanted incarnation as well. 

Dumplings have made their way onto Chinese menus in Memphis as totally standard fare now.  My nieces are big fans.  It never crossed my mind that dumplings were something you might make at home until I stumbled across a magazine article about the process.  I didn’t save the article, but it stuck with me for weeks until I just had to try it for myself.  I use packaged dumpling wrappers and make a flavorful filling.  I like to make a big batch and freeze them to pull out and cook when I’m in the mood.  I have to say, I am rather impressed with myself for this accomplishment.

Chinese Dumplings

1 pound ground pork

1 medium carrot finely grated

4 green onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns (optional)

1 package wonton or dumpling wrappers

Place all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Your clean hands are the best tool for this.

I find it easiest here to set up a little assembly line. Place a small bowl of water in easy reach. Lay some of the wonton wrappers out on the counter, and place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.  Wet your finger with water and run it around the edge of the wrapper.  Fold the wrapper over the filling and press the edges together, pressing any air bubbles out and sealing completely.  Keep going until you have used up all the filling. You should end up with 35 – 40 dumplings.

Place the folded dumplings on a baking sheet or plates lined with waxed paper.  Place the dumplings in the freezer until solid, at least an hour, then transfer to a plastic freezer bag or container.  I like to divide into portions of six or seven dumplings in individual bags.

There are several ways to prepare these dumplings: 

For fried dumplings: Thaw the dumplings in the fridge. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the dumplings until crispy and golden. Remove the dumplings to a paper towel lined plate to drain and serve with soy or ponzu sauce to dip.

For pan-fried dumplings:  Thaw the dumplings or cook from frozen.  For each 6 – 7 dumplings, bring 1 ½ cups of chicken broth and one tablespoon of oil to a boil.  Add the dumplings and continue to cook until the broth has evaporated.  The dumplings will cook and brown on the bottom in the residual oil.

Makes 35- 40 dumplings

I love clementines.  They are the perfect, bright refreshing little sunshine snack.  They are so portable, you can just carry one around all day until you need a pick-me-up.  But I also find clementines annoying, largely because around here they are sold almost exclusively in five to seven pound bags.  I cannot eat five pounds of clementines before they start to shrivel and loose their juice.  So I am sometimes reluctant to buy them, because I know I will end up with uneaten fruit sitting forlornly on my counter.

This lovely bread is one of my excess clementine solutions.  It’s incredibly easy to whip up in the food processor and results in a sweet, citrus-y treat perfect for breakfast, tea or a great snack.  This recipe started its life as away to use tangerines, but I have found this clementine incarnation the most practical.

Sticky Clementine Quick Bread

This moist sticky bread will stay delicious for three days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.  It can also be frozen for up to a month.  Try making it in smaller loaf pans, even individual sizes, and share with your friends.

For the Quick Bread:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon clementine zest, from two to four clementines, depending on size

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons self-rising flour

Pinch of salt

4 Tablespoons milk

For the Glaze:

4 Tablespoons clementine juice, from two to four clementines, depending on size

½ cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  The butter must be soft and at room temperature.  If needed, microwave on half power in 15 second intervals until soft. Blend until the ingredients are just combined and smooth, about 1 – 2 minutes.  Do not over process.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, then tap the pans on the counter to spread out the batter.  Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes.  A tester inserted in each loaf should come out clean.

While the loaves are cooking, whisk together the juice from the clementines and the confectioner’s sugar until smooth.

When the loaf is cooked, run a knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen from the pan. Poke the top of the loaf several times with the skewer.  Drizzle the glaze over the loaf.  Do this slowly so the glaze absorbs into the loaves.  When the glaze is absorbed remove the loaf to a rack or a piece of waxed paper to finish cooling.

Let the loaf cool completely before serving.

Makes one loaf

This is an extra post this week, because to be honest, I am quite pleased with myself.  My recipe for Pastitsio is a finalist in the wonderful website Food52 contest for Best Baked Pasta dish.  When I saw the contest theme, I immediately remembered how much I enjoy this dish.  This Greek lamb casserole is as comforting and homey as any cheesy, meaty baked pasta, but with a unique twist of lamb, red wine, herbs and salty feta.  Served with a Greek salad and some crusty bread, this is a meal out of the ordinary with a familiar feel. 

Food52 is an amazing site to read and search for recipes.  They are holding weekly recipe contests with different themes and will publish a cookbook at the end of the project.  I know you’ll enjoy the site, maybe you’ll submit your own recipe.  And while your there, consider voting for The Runaway Spoon’s Pastitsio.

Pastitsio

Greek-Style Lamb Casserole

This can be made in one big family style casserole, or two smaller sizes.  Take one to a friend and have one for dinner.

1 pound dried penne or ziti pasta

1 Tablespoon butter

2 pounds ground lamb

2 medium onions, diced

1/2 cup red wine

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sumac (optional)

1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

2 cups water

6 ounces crumbled feta

For the cheese sauce:

6 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve.  Stir in the butter to prevent sticking.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the lamb until no longer pink, breaking it into pieces, about 8 minutes.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a colander and shake well to drain the fat.  Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, oregano, (sumac and mint if using) and 2 cups of water.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside to cool.

For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  In a slow steady stream, whisk in the milk until there are no lumps.  Cook, whisking often, until the mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 – 7 minutes.  Stir in the cayenne and the Parmesan.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the pasta to the lamb mixture and stir to combine.  Toss in the feta and combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased 9  x13 inch baking dish, or two 8 by 8 inch pans.   Spread the cheese sauce over the pasta mixture, smoothing the top with a spoon. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven then allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

This will keep assembled up to one day in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. To freeze, cool completely and wrap tightly in foil.  Thaw completely and reheat.

I am a born and raised Memphis girl, so I could not let this day pass without a mention.  January 8 is Elvis’s birthday, and this year he would have been 75. And when you grow up in Memphis, Elvis sort of permeates the atmosphere.

Here in Memphis, Elvis is generally commemorated more on the anniversary of his death, on August 16, than on his birthday. I am not sure why this is the case, but every year in August, Elvis fans from around the world converge on Memphis for Elvis Week, the culmination of which is the Candlelight Vigil. Fans of Elvis and fans of Elvis fans stand outside the gates of Graceland on Elvis Presley Boulevard for the Vigil, waiting their turn to file pass the gravesite.  My friends and I marked this for many years, either by attending the Vigil itself, a true sight to behold, or having our own party.  The location of the tribute party rotated around various backyards, and one memorable year it was held on a used car lot. 

I had my 25^th birthday party at Graceland, the party in the admission plaza across the street, with tours of the mansion.  In a perfect piece of timing, mine was the first party right before the kitchen was opened to the public, so we had a very early tour.  It is straight out of its day, pure 1970’s, with an early version of a microwave oven. When Elvis lived there, it ran all day and all night, with shifts of cooks.  Elvis was a night owl, but anytime he was awake, he wanted food available – and lots of it.

Elvis was an eater.  True, he may not have had the most adventurous palate, but he liked his food.  He preferred good, classic Southern dishes, like meatloaf, pork chops or country fried steak.  Hamburgers were his favorite food, and he was particularly fond of a Memphis classic, the hamburger with pimento cheese. He was not much of a one for vegetables, and he liked his food delivered to the table already cut up for him.  And he had a TV in the dining room, so he never had to miss his shows.   Graceland now has audio guides, but in the wonderful days of live people leading tours of the house, much time was spent pointing out the unobstructed view of the TV and the Noritake china Priscilla picked out in the blue, gold and smoked mirror lined dining room.

Perhaps the most enduring Elvis food legend is the peanut butter and banana sandwich, a treat created by his mother, always his favorite cook. He could eat these butter-fried gutbusters day or night, any number of them at one sitting.  Today, in the Graceland gift shops, you can buy refrigerator magnets, potholders and recipe cards printed with a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich recipe.  A few years ago, the fine folks at Reese’s created a limited Elvis addition banana and peanut butter cup, a surprisingly good invention.

Elvis clearly pre-dates the cupcake craze, and frankly I don’t imagine he’d think much of these.  Food in miniature was certainly not his style.  He could eat a whole cake by himself, not just a slice or two.  But I think it’s worth celebrating the birthday of the King by, in Elvis’s own words, “taking care of business” with a nostalgic twist.

The King’s Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 medium ripe bananas

Frosting:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 to 6 Tablespoons milk (you may need a bit more)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine thoroughly.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Using a fork, mash the bananas until smooth, then add to the batter, stirring to combine.

Scoop the batter into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 6 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, cream the peanut butter in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the sugar and vanilla.  Add enough milk during mixing to create a smooth, spreadable consistency,

When the cupcakes are cool, frost and enjoy!

Makes 18 cupcakes

This cake can also be made as a cake in a 13 x 9 inch pan. With no frosting, this makes an excellent breakfast treat.

Peppermint is the one flavor that transforms itself at the holidays.  Some of the traditional tastes, eggnog, fruitcake, even gingerbread, hardly make an appearance at any other time of the year.  But not peppermint. I eat peppermint candy all year.  The little hidey-hole in the arm on the door of my car is always filled with peppermints pilfered from bowls at restaurants and shops around town. I love peppermint ice cream in summer.  But somehow, around Christmas, peppermint seems so utterly of the season.  There are starlight mints stacked up on store shelves, even the major candy companies go wild with peppermint bark, candy cane kisses and peppermint hard candies in every shape and color.  The standard, plain candy suddenly becomes a classic symbol of the season when December begins.

So I try to incorporate peppermint in my holiday baking as much as I can, before it is once again relegated to the car door.  This is the perfect holiday recipe, because it is easy to make, with spectacular results.  And you can leave these little cakes simple and plainly adorned, or really go to town on decorating. Crushed up candy canes, mini mints, edible glitter.  I found the little round mints pictured above at the dollar store.

I very, very rarely made any kind of angel food cake from scratch, until I discovered liquid real egg whites for sale at the grocery.  Remove the step of separating loads of eggs and finding a use for the yolks, and angel cake and cupcakes are a breeze to make.

Peppermint Angels

This recipe makes a little more batter than needed for 12 cupcakes – about 1 cupcakes worth.  Feel free to make that extra cupcake, but I don’t usually bother.

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups liquid egg whites

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Few drops of red food coloring

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking liners.

Sift together the sugar, flour and salt and set aside.  In the large bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed to very low and gradually sprinkle in the sugar mixture.  When it has all been added, stop the mixer and fold by hand with a spatula to incorporate all the ingredients.  Gently fold in the peppermint extract.

Using a large spoon, spoon about half of the batter evenly among the prepared baking cups. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the remaining batter in the bowl and very gently fold it through to get an even pink tint.  Spoon the remaining batter over on top of the white in the baking cups, filling each cup to the top.  There will be more batter than needed.  Using a thin-bladed knife, gently swirl the batter in each cup.

Bake the cupcakes for 12 – 15 minutes until the tops are firm and a tester inserted in the center of a large cake comes out clean.  Remove the pan form the oven, and immediately use a small knife to loosen the tops of the cupcakes from the pan.  Turn the cupcakes quickly out onto a wire rack, then immediately return to the pan to cool.  Set the pan on the wire rack for cooling.  This step prevents the cooled cupcakes from sticking to the pan, which would make them impossible to remove.

When the cupcakes are cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Spread the glaze over the cooled cupcakes and leave to set.  If you want to add any decorations, do so while the glaze is still soft, then leave to set.

Makes 12 cupcakes

I do not do Black Friday, or Saturday or Sunday for that matter.  Nor do I do cyber Monday, though that would be easier, I suppose.  I cannot abide the thought of all the crowds jostling and pushing over mechanical hamsters and 52” flat screens.  Or spending 15 hours camped out in a freezing parking lot to save $100 on a gaming system.  This year, after the big Thanksgiving feast, I stayed at home, curled up reading new cookbooks I’d been saving for that weekend, diving into a good novel, watching old movies and getting creative with leftovers.

That is not to say that I’m a Scrooge.  I Christmas shop, and I am quite good at picking out the right present for the right person, if I may say so myself. I start early, for one thing. So now that December is officially here, I thought I’d share some of my festive favorites, in no particular order and with no motive other than the spirit of sharing.

In this mass-market, chain store saturated world we live I have become addicted to etsy.com.  If you haven’t discovered it, you should.  It’s like an online bazaar, where individual artisans and crafters sell their creations.  I have bought kitchen accessories, aprons, jewelry and lots of gifts.  You can pay by credit card or PayPal, so it’s secure, and my experiences have been flawless.  The items are totally unique and reasonably priced.  Just beware, it is a rabbit hole – once you get in you may find it hard to get out. 

And speaking of cookbooks, here are my favorites at the minute.  If you know kids who love to cook (and parent who like to do it with them) Jill O’Connor’s Sticky, Chewy, Messy Gooey Treats for Kids is a must.  Like her original Sticky Chewy book it is full of cool photographs and decadent recipes that will get everyone in the kitchen.  Any avid cook on your list may well have picked it up already, but Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back-to-Basics is a real treat, great for cooks of all levels. Now if you are really generous, any serious food lover on your list would love the gargantuan bible of cooking, now in English and updated, Larousse Gastronomique.  For something slightly less daunting, there is I Know How to Cook, an English version of a classic, household standard French cookbook.  And after all this holiday eating, get back on the healthy track without loosing any flavor with Ellie Krieger’s So Easy. And check out my Amazon store on the right side of the page for my favorite kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and foodie movies and books.

Foodie gifts are big on my list as well, and you can’t get more fun and personal than Blends for Friends Teas – specially blended teas to match the personality of your gift recipient, with a cleverly written label.  Check it out.  I also love Penzey’s Spices gift sets – you can build your own to personalize, say Paris seasoning, Indian curry powder and Krakow Nights for the world traveler, or buy the already packaged ones. They even do boxes with the mini bottles now.  I also love the adorable The Chef Set flags – post-it flags specifically for cookbooks.  And check out the site as well for funny gifts for all ages. And who wouldn’t love Zingerman’s Bacon of the Month Club! Or try Foodzie for lots of unique food gifts, including bacon jam! And for a taste of Memphis, send some Central Barbecue anywhere in the country.

So you know someone who is not a foodie (imagine that!)?  I love Liz Earle’s great gift sets.  She makes all natural, environmentally-friendly skin and body care.  She’s based out of England, so it’s likely to be a unique gift.  And I crave just about everything on iomoi.com, from Lucite trays to stationery to coasters and salt and pepper shakers, all uniquely personalized. The bread bowls form Potsalot Pottery in New Orleans are a favorite of mine and their other handmade pieces are truly unique.

But maybe the best gift of all is giving on behalf of someone you love to someone in need.  There are so many great organizations to give to that will create special cards you can wrap up for your recipient or have it sent directly to them.  Water.org provides clean water to people around the world.  They’ll even send an e-card for you.  And Heifer International is really cheeky.  Give a friend a goat, or a hive of bees, that will help a community sustain itself.  They have a gift catalog and make great cards for giving. And for all those peanut butter sandwiches you make during the year, make a gift of Plumpy Nut, a therapeutic nut paste feeding thousands of hungry children through UNICEF. And as we continue to read that 1 in 4 children in the United States are food insecure, Share Our Strength is working to combat that appalling statistic.  And don’t forget your local food bank.

I’d love to start a discussion on great gift ideas, so go to The Runaway Spoon on Facebook and let me know your thoughts.

 Above all, have a happy holiday season!

Tough Nut to Crack

Pecans, it seems to me, are thought of as a particularly Southern nut.  I cannot tell you anything about its growing condition or to what region or country the pecan is indigenous, but the trees proliferate around here.  And the nuts feature prominently in Southern cooking from classic pie to divinity candy to pecan cheese straws.

You rarely see pecan trees in residential areas.  But out in the country, they are everywhere.  Driving through the Delta, you’ll see the evidence. One lone tree in front of a farm house, or two long rows making an alley up to a site where there clearly used to be a house.  And often the plot of land between the house and the cotton fields or the bean fields will be a pecan orchard, dark and shady and inviting.

Pecan trees are beautiful, with an arching canopy and dense foliage.  But do they ever produce nuts.  That’s the point, I know, but these trees produce a lot of nuts.  I have oak trees in my yard and the acorns that drop from those trees is nothing compared to what a pecan tree produces.  And pecan nuts are hard. I was once beaned on the head by a falling nut and it really hurt! Woe to the unwitting person who parks the car under a pecan tree.  Not only could falling nuts ding the paint job, but any tree with that many nuts naturally attracts a lot of birds.

So even with one tree, the proud keeper of a pecan is likely to have an overwhelming supply of nuts.  Paying kids a nickel a nut to pick up all the fallen from the grass is a common ploy.  Those nuts are gathered and scooped into brown paper grocery sacks which tend to sit out in the laundry room or screened porch until someone figures out what to do with them.  Pecans are hard to shell.  The outer shell is tough and hard and the nutmeat really clings to the interior walls.  I think this may be why many Southern brides through the ages received nutcracker sets as a wedding gift.  A pretty silver nutcracker and a set of picks that look like decorative dental tools.  Shelling pecans is labor intensive, arduous and just plain frustrating.  Now, this being the South, and the folks being hospitable, the general method for riding oneself of the bounty is taking one of those grocery bags full of little brown devils to a neighbor or relative.  As the recipient of such blatant kindness, one can only be gracious and say “thank you” and “how sweet” and “ooh, I love pecans.”  But the truth is that the passing on of the pecan is an evil.  It is impossible to say no thank you or to complain, but nobody wants a big bag of unshelled pecans.  That’s why the giver brought them – to get rid of them.  And there is always that vague feeling that in return for the pecan pest sharing the bounty, you just have to shell a mess of them and make a pie or some cookies to return the favor.

Pecan season is gearing up here. Fortunately, there are enough farmstands selling shelled pecans that we don’t have to forego our favorite sweets, a classic pecan pie ranking at the top of my list.

Southern Pecan Pie

Lightly toasting the pecans enhances the nutty flavor of the pie.  I prefer dark corn syrup for a rich, deep pie, but there are those who prefer to use light.  The bourbon is theoretically optional, but really?  It seems to add to the Southern flavor.  And I will never tell if the crust did not originate in your kitchen.

For the crust:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 to 4 Tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 ½ cups pecan halves

4 large eggs

1 cup dark corn syrup

4 Tablespoons melted butter, cooled to room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons bourbon

For the crust: Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.  Drop in the small pieces of cold butter and pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly, but some minute pieces of butter are still visible.  Sprinkle the water over, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse to combine.  When the pastry just comes together, dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a disk about ¾ inch thick. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling. 

When ready to roll, place the disk on a lightly floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll out the pastry to a round about 14 inches in diameter, to fit a nine inch pie plate.  Carefully drape the pastry over the rolling pin and transfer to the pie dish.  Gently fit into the bottom and sides of the dish.  Trim any overhanging pastry and lightly dust the bottom of the prepared crust with flour. Set aside.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the pecan halves in a dry skillet and lightly toast over medium heat.  Watch carefully and move the pecans around the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon. You do not want to brown the pecans, just toast them gently until you can smell a nice, nutty aroma.  This will only take about five minutes.  Remove the pecans from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until thoroughly blended.  Add the pecans and stir to distribute evenly.  Pour the filling into the prepared crust, pushing the nuts into the filling to make an even layer.

Bake the pie for 40 – 50 minutes until the center is puffed up and no longer wobbly. I recommend that you shield the edges of the crust with foil or a crust shield before the pie goes in the oven. It is hard to do when the pie is hot.  Remove the cooked pie from the oven and leave to cool completely.  The pie will keep wrapped tightly for two days, or can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil and frozen for up to six months.

Serves 6 – 8

There are certain activities that anyone in any particular town, city, state or region is expected to have participated in.  Wouldn’t you be surprised by someone living in Hawaii who had never been to the beach?  Or shocked by a resident of Paris who had never even seen the Eiffel Tower?

Well, I have one of those surprising confessions.  I have never been to an SEC football game. You would not believe the looks of shock and horror that cross the faces of people who hear this tragic tale. I have only in fact been to one college football game, and that was freshman year at my small school in Connecticut, and to be honest, that’s not really the same thing.  It’s not that I have an issue or a problem with big-time college football, the opportunity has just never presented itself (and yes, I will be expecting some invitations after this).  As a point of fact, I have never been to a professional football game either.

In the past few weeks, a number of people have told me that I should write a post about tailgating.  Not just one person.  Several.  I smiled and said what a good idea that would be, knowing that it was highly unlikely.  I have never tailgated.  I don’t really know exactly what’s involved. 

The last person to suggest that I write about tailgating was my aunt, and she had some constructive advice.  She recently dug up one of my old standby recipes for a great fall appetizer and took it to an outdoor, all day party.  She told me it would make a perfect tailgating recipe. And I trust my aunt.  Of course, this is a great appetizer for any fall occasion, even if you are watching the game in front of the TV.

So here it goes, a hearty, fall appetizer that is often described as one men love.  I don’t know why particularly.  Or why that’s relevant.  Many of the rabid football followers I know are women.  But this dish holds well, just keep it covered tightly and transport the dish in a thermal carrier or wrapped in a towel for insulation. Its good at room temperature as well.

Glazed Kielbasa

Use a good quality kielbasa and your favorite mustard.  You can also replace the bourbon with Calvados or brandy.

1 pound kielbasa

1 cup white wine or vermouth

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard or coarse grain mustard

2 Tablespoons bourbon

Cut the kielbasa into ½ inch slices, then each slice into halves.  Arrange the kielbasa in one layer in a large skillet.  Pour over the wine and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook until the wine is almost all evaporated, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the wine is all but gone, stir in the brown sugar, mustard and bourbon. Cook for about three minutes longer, stirring constantly.  The kielbasa pieces should be coated with a syrupy glaze.

Transfer the kielbasa to a serving platter and serve with cocktail picks.

Serves 8 – 10