Friday Night Salmon

This afternoon as I was deciding what to have for supper on this gorgeous early fall day, I remembered a salmon that I had on a cruise many years ago. It was a maple glazed salmon. In the years since I have made several different maple glazed salmon dishes that were good but still not quite what I had remembered. While watching Food Network this week I saw Anne Burrell making a chicken dish with a maple glaze, I noticed that she reduced her maple syrup. It was a light bulb moment. I knew that was the reason my maple glaze seemed thin and watery. So, tonight I recreated the recipe and it was on target, finally.

This time of year I am insistent on enjoying supper on the deck every possible evening. I know these times are slipping away and I don't want to miss any opportunity. So this late September Friday supper looked like this; can you tell I didn't work today?

Union Square Bar Nuts
Cabot's Seriously Sharp Cheddar
Toasted Pita Triangles with Smoked Salt and Pepper
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Chile)

Maple Glazed Grilled Salmon*
Romaine Lettuce Salad
Pesto Creamed Potatoes
Roasted Squash and Onions
Zenato Pinot Grigio 2008 (Italy)

Impossible Heath Bar Cheesecake*


Maple Glazed Salmon

2 medium salmon fillets
1- 1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Place maple syrup in a sauce pan and reduce over medium high heat to 3/4 cup.
Add soy sauce, pepper and garlic and continue to cook 1 minute. Let cool slightly, place fillets in glass skin side down and pour syrup mixture over top, reserving 1/4 cup for basting. Marinate in refrigerator as long as possible, overnight is great, but make sure you get at least 30 minutes. It will get a little sticky, but that is ok. Remove from refrigerate and let sit 30 minutes. Place on hot grill, skin side down, that has been well oiled (this is important) and baste with reserved maple syrup. Cook 6-10 minutes depending on thickness of fillets.
Remove from grill and baste once again.

Ronnie loves cheesecake and I love Heath Bars so I found this recipe several years ago in a magazine, don't remember which one as I just have the clipping. It is simple and sooooo good.
The recipe will remind you of the Impossible Coconut Pie that your Mother made back when Bisquick was a new product!

Impossible Heath Bar Cheesecake

1/4 cup half and half
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Original Bisquick
2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese - softened and cut in squares
4 Heath bars - crushed

In food processor crush Heath bars and set aside.

Combine half and half, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, Bisquick and cream cheese. Pulse 1 minute or until well combined. Add crushed Heath bars and pulse a couple of times to combine. Pour into a deep pie dish plate sprayed with Pam.

Bake 30-35 minutes at 325. The center should not be set, it will continue to cook after you remove from the oven.

So, Until Tomorrow............,
S~~~

Whirlwind of a Weekend

What happens to the weekends? They fly by so quickly.
Friday night Ronnie played at the marina so we were late, late getting home. Then Saturday we had to run some errands in Asheville, so here we are today with everything left to cram into one day.
We stopped by the WNC Farmers Market yesterday looking for mums, which I didn't find, another long story, but we did pick up a couple of pounds of late season greasy cut shorts. Probably our last fresh green beans of the season.
I have been craving tonight's lemon cake for a couple of weeks. It is my variation of an old Kraft favorite. This smaller version is perfect for the two of us.

Our supper tonight looks like this:

Baked Chicken
Fresh Green Beans
Turnips ( I love them, Ronnie hates them)
Corn Pudding
Cornbread
Warm Winter Lemon Cake*

Warm Winter Lemon Cake

1 -9 ounce package Jiffy yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cup milk
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant lemon pudding
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 350*.
Prepare cake mix using one egg and 1/2 cup milk, add vanilla. Pour batter into greased 8 inch pan.
Combine milk, dry pudding mix and sugar. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.
Pour over cake batter in prepared pan (do not stir) and place on baking sheet.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

So, until tomorrow........
S~~~

Pumpkin Crisis

Have you tried to buy canned pumpkin this year? It seems there is yet another shortage. We hear this every year about this time when last years crop runs out and this years crop is being processed and shipped. There always seems to be a few weeks of panic while everyone wonders if this years holiday table will be missing it's beloved pumpkin pie.
This year there does seem to be some relevance to the panic though. It appears that the excessively rainy spring and summer has caused many of the seeds to rot in the ground. That combined with a persistant rumor that there was a fire in the Libby's facility in Florida.
I did find some Laura Lynn brand pumpkin at the Ingles on Tunnel Road, they had just a few cans left. According to my research Libby's processes 90% of all the canned pumpkin sold in the US. My money says they process it for Laura Lynn, I sure hope so, now that I am the proud owner of 3 regular size cans and 3 jumbo size cans.

Lacy-Jay becomes very unhappy when I mess around with the Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe. She is a purist when it comes to her pumpkin pie. I can have pumpkin cream pies, pumpkin rolls or pumpkin squares but the traditional pumpkin pie must take center stage. One year I spread a tablespoon of maple syrup on top of each pie because I loved the way it made it look, all pretty and glossy, gee...... you would have thought I poured Draino over the top to hear her tell it.

Head on over to the store and grab you some pumpkin cause today I am posting everyones favorite pumpkin pie recipe as well as a couple of other winners!!

Oh, yeah, when you find your pumpkin be sure to post and let us know where you got it!!

Libby's Traditional Pumpkin

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.POUR into pie shell.BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. (Susan's note: whipped cream NOT optional).
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Libby's Pumpkin Roll

CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.)

Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.
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Pumpkin Fudge

2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped nuts - pecans
½ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Cook the sugar, pumpkin , cornstarch, evaporated milk and pumpkin pie spice until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water, or until reaches 236* on a candy thermometer. Add the butter, vanilla, and chopped nuts. Beat with a wooded spoon until the mixture is creamy. Pour into a buttered plate and allow to cool. Cut into small squares.

So, until tomorrow...............
S~~~

Grilling Again

In the waning days of summer I feel like we need to be outside as much as possible. I love to grill then sit out on the deck with the candles burning and the music playing. Sometimes we talk sometimes we just sit quietly for minutes at a time.

Supper tonight was:

Citrusy Chicken*

Parmesan Thyme Couscous

Corn Pudding

Green Beans

Honey Wheat Bread

Paula Deen's Creamy Pumpkin and Pecan Bars*

This chicken was so tender and moist. Great flavor too. I think I will mix several batches of the marinade and chicken in freezer bags to have ready for a handy freezer meal. Just take it out of the freezer and refrigerate in the morning and cook at 400* for about 45 - 60 minutes covered when I get home from work.

Citrusy Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon, juice of
1 lime, juice of
3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. agave syrup (may substitute 1 tsp. brown sugar)

Place the chicken in a plastic ziploc bag.
In a small bowl, combine juices, oil, herbs and spice.
Mix well.
Add to chicken in bag and turn to coat.
Marinade at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.
On a prepared grill, cook chicken over medium high heat until done.

NOTE: I hesitate to list a cooking time here. It depends on how high the heat is, how thick the chicken is, was it room heat or cold when placed on the grill.......

I always bring my meats to room temp before cooking, they cook much more evenly.

Usually chicken breasts take 7-8 minutes on the first side and 5-6 on the second side. This would be for regular thickness, not the thin and fancy ones, they are much too thin to grill well.

Paula Deen's Creamy Pumpkin and Pecan Squares

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter- melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese- softened

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (16 oz) box confectioners sugar

Whipped cream (optional)

Ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, butter, chopped pecans, and 1 egg. Press mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 3 eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth. Pour over prepared crust. Bake 35 minutes. Cut into squares to serve. Serve with whipped cream and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

This was decadent. A perfect fall dessert. The only change I made was add 2 tsp. of my homemade vanilla to the filling. In the future I might pre-bake the crust for about five minutes before spreading the filling and then continue baking.

I really think the sugar could be cut a bit also, a full box is a bit much. I think 2/3 of a box might be plenty.

So, until tomorrow.........

S~~~

Happy Mother's Day!!!

My first inclination was not to blog at all today. Then decided that I did not want to miss the opportunity to wish all the beautiful Mother's who read my blog a wonderful Mother's Day.

Being a Mother is the hardest yet most rewarding job on the planet.
While my relationship with my own Mother was very complicated I loved her dearly. She loved me too, in her own way. No two people could be more different than Mother and me, yet at times I find myself doing things just as she would. To use an old cliche "my Mother never understood me", but then I guess I never understood her either. In the end, we got past that and I learned to accept her as she was. What she was, was incredibly generous, very hard working, and talented beyond words. Mother's hand work was perfect. She knit, did needlepoint, crocheted, sewed, crafted and baked to perfection. I was always proud to wear the clothes she made for me.
Mother wasn't good at telling anyone that she loved them. Her way of showing love was to make sure we had everything our heart desired that was within her power to provide.

Our daughter is away in Pennsylvania now. Thankfully, through the use of cell phones and internet we stay in very close touch. We talk several times everyday, but still this Mother's arms long to hold her baby. Especially today. Circumstances will most likely bring them back to Raleigh in the next few months and that will make her Daddy and I very happy.

So, in honor of Mother's Day I am sharing my most treasured recipe. My Mother's chocolate fudge cake. It was my birthday cake every year for as long as I can remember, until 2002. I have had the recipe for years and never made the cake, I'm not sure I ever will. I'm afraid mine could never measure up to Mother's. I hope you make it and I know your family will enjoy it as much as our has over the years. It is without a doubt the very best cake I have ever had.

BETTY'S CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Sift together into mixer bowl:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Crisco

Add:
2/3 cup buttermilk and beat 2 minutes at medium speed.

Then add:
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 squares unsweetened chocolate - melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat an additional 2 minutes

Pour into 2 - 8 or 9 inch cake pans which have been prepared with shortening and flour.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

FROSTING

3 squares unsweetened chocolate - melted
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
6 Tbsp. Crisco
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. white corn syrup (Karo)
1/4 tsp. salt

Add ingredients to a heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and boil 2 minutes, stirring.

Add:
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and allow to cool to lukewarm.
Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is no longer glossy.

Spread between layers and over top and sides.

Note: Mother would never use anything but Red Band flour and Dixie Crystals sugar.
She also make sure all ingredients were room temperature before she started baking.

TGIF

This week has been 3 weeks long. January does this to me every year.

That said, I have had an interesting week. On Wednesday night our office was invited for dinner to a new Asheville restaurant called Scratch. Unbelievable !! The owner's (former 28806 partner, Eric Backer) concept and creativity was amazing, from the wonderful food and great service to the eclectic menu and 1917 building. The bartender even makes his own tonic water. If you find yourself hungry in downtown Asheville (Broadway) lunch or supper, give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

NEW PRODUCT ALERT......................
Ragan put me on to the new Scoops, with a hint of jalapeno. WOW, they are great. We had them tonight with supper.

Now onto supper this cold Friday night...............
I love to eat out on the weekends, end of discussion, but tonight that wasn't to be.
Remind me NEVER to bet with my own personal "Guitarman" (remember the Bread song from the early 70s') husband on music...........
In a moment of delusion I was sure that it was Gary and the Pacemakers, not Gerry (come on it's Jerry with a G, what do you expect?) and the Pacemakers that did "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" . I bet a restaurant meal of my choice against a home cooked meal of Ronnie's choice. I lost, I cooked, his choice.

Taco Salad
Chips and Queso
Toasted Angel Food Cake w/Cinnamon Sugar and Whipped Cream

I had never thought to toast angel food cake, even though I love it and common sense says it has to be better toasted with sugar on top.
Last summer Ragan and Eric took our uncle (Eudy) over to Bryson City to visit his son (Brently), grandson (Bryson) and daughter in law (Crystal) who were vacationing in Bryson City.
A friend of Brently's served it to Ragan and she shared how good it was. I hope you like it as well as we do. BTW, angel food cake is on sale at the Ingles for $1.99 this week.

1 - store bought Angel Food Cake
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Slice as many slices of eat as you want to serve. The proportions of butter and spices will cover
about 6 pieces.
Melt butter and brush over cake slices. Combine the sugar, cinnamom and nutmeg. Sprinkle over cake slices. Broil until golden brown and toasty. Watch carefully as it will burn quickly.

Enjoy.
Until Tomorrow.............
S~~~

National Pie Day

Can you believe it? Today is National Pie Day!!!! When I first saw that news item this morning I knew I needed to bake a pie!!I love pies of all kind. My great Grandmother and Mother used to make a sweet potato pie (really a cobbler, but they never called it that), with sliced sweet potatoes in a deep dish casserole. I didn't have a recipe, only a memory.
I improvised for sure as my great Grandmother never heard of and my Mother never used the refrigerated Pillsbury crust. So many sweet potato pies are similar in taste and texture to pumpkin, but this is completely different. Ronnie loves sweet potatoes so this pie was most definitely a hit.

What are your favorite pies? My list goes something like this, in no particular order:

Pumpkin
Coconut Cream
Lemon Cream
Butterscotch
Milk Chocolate Cream
Cherry Cobbler
Peach Cobbler
Egg Custard
Peanut Butter
Sweet Potato

Post your comments and your list, I would love to know what your favorites are.

To round out National Pie Day I decided homemade pizza (pie) was in order for supper tonight.

Pizza with Turkey Pepperoni, Brown Sugar Ham (on my half only), Onions, Green Peppers, Mushrooms and Extra Cheese

Sweet Potato Cobbler*

Sweet Potato Pie (Cobbler)
1 - pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
3 - medium sweet potatoes - peeled and sliced
3/4 - cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 - tsp. nutmeg
1 3/4 cups milk or cream (divided)
1/4 stick butter - slice into thin pieces

Peel sweet potatoes and slice in 1/4 inch slices. Place in a sauce pan and cover with water, adding a little salt, cook over medium high heat until slightly tender. Drain well. Using a deep pan cover bottom of pan with one crust. Cut to fit bottom only loosely. Mix together sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg. Layer one layer of sweet potatoes, 1/2 of the sugar mixture and 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 butter slices, and pieces of pie crust left over from where you trimmed the first crust. Make 2 layers. You may not have enough extra crust for both layers but that is ok. Cover with the second crust. Bake a 400 approximately 45 minutes or until golden on top. Remove from oven and immediately cut top crust into pie, add the remaining 3/4 cup milk. Let stand 15 minutes at least. Enjoy!

So, Until Tomorrow.........
S~~~

Celebrating Daddy's 83rd Birthday

Every little girl idolizes her daddy, at 52 I continue to idolize mine. Yesterday he turned 83 years young. He was born 3 years before the great depression swept our country. Daddy was born of hard working mountain stock. My grandfather was a logger and worked hard during the depression to make sure his family was provided for. My grandmother raised a garden big enough to feed her family. Surely these difficult times shaped the man who was to become my Daddy. Working hard came natural to him. After working 40 years at one company Daddy retired in 1984. Retirement is surely a state of mind, because slowing down hasn't been part of his retirement. He is healthy, active and is still one of the two smartest men I have ever met.

So, tonight our family celebrated the birthday of the man who in his own quiet yet strong way has selflessly loved and taken care of each one of us.

On our table tonight........

Maple Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Scallops Scampi (for the two that don't eat pork)

Butter Beans

Rice and Mushroom Pilaf

Mixed Green Salad with Cranberries and Goat Cheese

Parker House Rolls

Peggy's Butterscotch Pie*

Sweet Tea with a hint of Bergamont

Pomegranate Tea

My Mother's best friend, Peggy, made this pie often, it has always been one of our favorites.

Peggy's Butterscotch Pie

1 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup evaporated milk

4 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, milk, butter and cornstarch in a heavy sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat. Stir 1/2 cup of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, then add back to the brown sugar and cream mixture. Continue cooking, being sure to keep stirring until it return to a boil. Stir in vanilla.
Pour into a pre-baked pie crust.
Top with whipped cream or a meringue make from the reserved egg whites.

Until tomorrow...........

S~~