Pudding

Pudding most often refers to a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish. In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.
In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, pudding refers to rich, fairly homogeneous starch- or dairy-based desserts such as rice pudding and Christmas pudding, or, informally, any sweet dish after the main course. The word pudding in this context is also used as a synonym for the dessert course. The word is also used for savory dishes such as Yorkshire pudding, black pudding, suet pudding and steak and kidney pudding.
The word pudding is believed to come from the French boudin, originally from the Latin botellus, meaning “small sausage,” referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings.

Keyhole Gardens

First made popular in Africa, keyhole gardens are catching on in Texas and other hot, dry places. Keyhole gardens hold moisture and nutrients due to an active compost pile placed in the center of a round bed. Although most helpful in hot and dry locations a keyhole garden will improve growing conditions in just about any climate.

From a bird’s eye view the garden is shaped as a keyhole. A notch is cut into a round garden bed, the notch makes for easy access to the center compost well. (Note the first diagram below; to see keyhole.)

16
Keyhole garden in Uganda by Send a Cow. This sustainable gardening method uses kitchen and garden waste and gray water (or wash water) as food for your garden. www.sendacow.org.uk
8 detail_keyhole
Keyhole garden scheme. Layering is proven to enhance soil health. Layering sugestions: wood on very bottom, next cardboard, next a bit of compost, next petroleum-free newspaper, manure, worms, wood ash, straw, topsoil. Repeat, compost, straw, topsoil or some such combination until you reach desired height. texascooppower.com
keyhole garden
When it rains or when you water your compost, the nutrients will seep into the surrounding bed. During rainy spells you might wish to cover the compost so the nutrients in the compost do not leach out too rapidly.

http://www.debtolman.com/FieldGuide.pdf

scones

Jackie and her scones are the main attraction at Casey’s Cosy Corner Cafe in the Assembly Rooms Lancaster.

In this film Jackie shares her secrets…it’s all in the hands.

Ingredients:
—————–
3lb Plain Flour
10oz Marg
3oz Baking powerder
12oz Caster sugar
9oz Fruit
1 1/2 pts Milk
3 Eggs
Salt

Filmed as part of What’s Cooking Grandmas of Lancaster.

Visit http://www.WhatsCookingGrandma.net for more…

Kitchen Nightmares

US
S01E01 – Peter’s – Babylon, NY  **closed**
S01E02 – Dillon’s – New York, NY   **renamed Purnima, closed**
S01E03 – Mixing Bowl – Bellmore, NY   **closed**
S01E04 – Seascape – Islip, NY   **sold**  **Closed**
S01E05 – Olde Stone Mill – Tuckahoe, NY **Sold**
S01E06 – Sebastian’s – Toluca Lake, CA  **closed**
S01E07 – Finn McCool’s – Westhampton, NY  **Sold**
S01E08 – Lela’s – Pomona, CA   **closed**
S01E09 – Campania – Fair Lawn, NJ  **sold, then closed** 3 years later
S01E10 – Secret Garden – Moorpark, CA

S02E01 – Handlebar – Mount Sinai, NY   **closed**
S02E02 – Giuseppe’s – Macomb Township, MI   **closed**
S02E03 – Trobiano’s – Great Neck, NY   **closed**
S02E04 – Black Pearl – New York, NY  **closed**
S02E05 – J Willy’s – South Bend, IN **closed**
S02E06 – Hannah & Mason’s – Cranbury, NJ   **closed**
S02E07 – Jack’s Waterfront – St. Clair Shores, MI   **closed**
S02E08 – Sabatiello’s – Stamford, CT   **closed**
S02E09 – Fiesta Sunrise – West Nyack, NY **closed**
S02E10 – Santé La Brea – Los Angeles, CA**closed**
S02E11 – Cafe 36 – La Grange, IL **closed**

S03E01 – Hot Potato Cafe – Philadelphia, PA   **closed**
S03E02 – Flamangos – Whitehouse Station, NJ   **renamed The Junction** **closed**
S03E03 – Bazzini – Ridgewood, NJ   **closed**
S03E04 – Mojito – Brooklyn, NY
S03E05 – Lido di Manhattan Beach – Manhattan Beach, CA
S03E06 – Le Bistro – Lighthouse Point, FL
S03E07 – Casa Roma – Lancaster, CA  **Closed**
S03E08 – Mama Rita’s – Newbury Park, CA   **closed**
S03E09 – Anna Vincenzo’s – Boca Raton, FL  **closed**
S03E10 – Fleming – Miami, FL **Closed**
S03E11 – Sushi-Ko – Thousand Oaks, CA   **closed**

S04E01 – Spanish Pavillion – Harrison, NJ
S04E02 – Classic American – West Babylon, NY
S04E03 – PJ’s Steakhouse – Queens, NY   **closed**
S04E04 – Grasshopper Also – Carlstadt, NJ
S04E05 – Davide – Boston, MA
S04E06 – Down City – Providence, RI  **Closed**
S04E07 – Cafe Tavolini – Bridgeport, CT **closed**
S04E08 – Kingston Cafe – Pasadena, CA
S04E09 – La Frite – Sherman Oaks, CA
S04E10 – Capri – Eagle Rock, CA
S04E11 – Zeke’s – Metairie, LA
S04E12 – Oceana – New Orleans, LA

S05E01 – Blackberrys – Plainfield, NJ
S05E02 – Leone’s – Montclair, NJ
S05E03 – Mike & Nellies – Oakhurst, NJ
S05E04 – Luigi’s – Anaheim, CA
S05E05&06 – Burger Kitchen – Los Angeles, CA **closed**
S05E07 – The Greek at the Harbor – Ventura, CA
S05E08 – Michon’s – College Park, GA
S05E09 – El Greco – Austin, TX **Closed**
S05E10 – Park’s Edge – Atlanta, GA
S05E11 – Spin-A-Yarn Steakhouse – Fremont, CA
S05E12 – Charlie’s – La Verne, CA
S05E13 – Cafe Hon – Baltimore, MD
S05E14 – Chiarella’s – Philadelphia, PA
S05E15 – Zocalo – Philadelphia, PA

UK
S01E01 – Bonapartes Restaurant – Silsden, England   **closed**
S01E02 – The Glass House – Ambleside, England
S01E03 – The Walnut Tree Inn – Llandewi Skirrid, Wales   **closed**
S01E04 – Moore Place – Esher, England   **sold, now Esteem**

S02E01 – La Lanterna – Letchworth, England   **closed**
S02E02 – D-Place – Chelmsford, England   **closed**
S02E03 – Momma Cherri’s Soul Food Shack – Brighton, England
S02E04 – La Riviera – Inverness, Scotland   **renamed to Abstract**

S03E01 – Oscar’s – Nantwich, England   **sold**
S03E02 – The Sandgate Hotel – Sandgate, England   **sold**
S03E03 – Clubway 41 – Blackpool, England   **closed**
S03E04 – La Gondola – Derby, England   **sold**

S04E01 – La Parra de Burriana – Nerja, Spain   **closed**
S04E02 – The Fenwick Arms – Claughton, England  **sold**
S04E03 – Rococo – King’s Lynn, England   **closed**
S04E04 – Morgans – Liverpool, England

S05E01 – Ruby Tate’s – Brighton, England   **closed**
S05E02 – Piccolo Teatro – Paris, France   **closed**
S05E05 – The Priory – Haywards Heath, England  **sold, now La Capilla, a tapas bar**
S05E06 – The Fish and Anchor – Lampeter, Wales
S05E07 – Curry Lounge – Nottingham, England
S05E08 – The Granary – Titchfield, England   **closed**

Great British Nightmare
S01E01 – The Dovecote Bistro – Devon, England
S01E02 – The Runaway Girl – Sheffield, England

Shepherd Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)
Ground Lamb or Beef (about 1.5 lbs)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
1 Large Onion (grated)
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
Minced Garlic (I used 4 cloves)
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)
Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)
Red Wine (several glugs)
Chicken Stock (not sure, but it looks like about 1/4 cup)

The Mash:

Golden Potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)
Heavy Cream ( 1/4 cup)
Butter (3 1/2 Tbsp)
Salt
Pepper
Egg Yolks (2)
Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, minimum)

Prep Work:

Dice the garlic
Separate your herbs from the stems
Separate your Egg Yolks
Peel and Slice your potatoes into even pieces
Open your wine if it’s not already
Open your can of Tomato Paste

Cooking the Potatoes:

This part is easy as pie (no pun intended), just boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 15 minutes – start on your filling. Upon the timer going off, take your potatoes out and strain the water off. Put potatoes back into the pan, or into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with their ingredients from above and keep warm (your filling should be about done by this point)
Cooking the Filling:

Pour Olive Oil into a hot, rather large pan, then add meat. Stir meat as if your life depends on it for a few minutes so it’s nice and brown, and broken into very small pieces. Add your Rosemary, Thyme, and Garlic, then stir some more. Quickly add your Carrot, and Onion, stir a little longer. The idea at this point is to get everything to a minced consistency.

Add Worcestershire Sauce, stir, add Tomato Puree, stir, add Red Wine and sweat down for a minute or two. Add chicken stock and cook for 3 more minutes. I made mine without the stock because I didn’t notice it the first time I watched the show. You can add it, or leave it out.
Final Instructions:

Scoop your meat mixture into a deep casserole or other oven safe dish and then spoon the mash over the top. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon and then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese over the top. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt! Oh I love Shepherd Pie!

Continue reading “Shepherd Pie”

home-cooked chicken

Mother’s Bistro chef Lisa Schroeder shares her professional, culinary skills in the making the quintessential home-made chicken soup. Not only does Schroeder offer easy recipes to follow (see link below), she provides shortcuts to save time and effort along the way, and delivers additional dishes for making so much more from the chicken soup stock, and a great way to create your own healthy fast-food alternatives.

Heston Blumenthal takes off his chef whites and steps into a domestic kitchen to show viewers how to inject some Heston-style magic into homemade cooking Note: Copyright Holder is Channel 4, UK.

Shepherd Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)
Ground Lamb or Beef (about 1.5 lbs)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
1 Large Onion (grated)
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Thyme
Minced Garlic (I used 4 cloves)
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)
Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)
Red Wine (several glugs)
Chicken Stock (not sure, but it looks like about 1/4 cup)

The Mash:

Golden Potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)
Heavy Cream ( 1/4 cup)
Butter (3 1/2 Tbsp)
Salt
Pepper
Egg Yolks (2)
Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, minimum)

Prep Work:

Dice the garlic
Separate your herbs from the stems
Separate your Egg Yolks
Peel and Slice your potatoes into even pieces
Open your wine if it’s not already
Open your can of Tomato Paste

Cooking the Potatoes:

This part is easy as pie (no pun intended), just boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 15 minutes – start on your filling. Upon the timer going off, take your potatoes out and strain the water off. Put potatoes back into the pan, or into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with their ingredients from above and keep warm (your filling should be about done by this point)
Cooking the Filling:

Pour Olive Oil into a hot, rather large pan, then add meat. Stir meat as if your life depends on it for a few minutes so it’s nice and brown, and broken into very small pieces. Add your Rosemary, Thyme, and Garlic, then stir some more. Quickly add your Carrot, and Onion, stir a little longer. The idea at this point is to get everything to a minced consistency.

Add Worcestershire Sauce, stir, add Tomato Puree, stir, add Red Wine and sweat down for a minute or two. Add chicken stock and cook for 3 more minutes. I made mine without the stock because I didn’t notice it the first time I watched the show. You can add it, or leave it out.
Final Instructions:

Scoop your meat mixture into a deep casserole or other oven safe dish and then spoon the mash over the top. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon and then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese over the top. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt! Oh I love Shepherd Pie!