Our Valentine's Day Steakhouse Dinner

We decided to stay at home for Valentine's Day this year, mostly because we failed to make reservations and our other plans fell through. Plus, I knew I could cook a really nice dinner for a fraction of the price we'd pay at a nice restaurant. Here's our dinner:

I. Steak - purchase steak that has been aged, if possible (aging improves flavor and tenderness). And if you're buying conventional beef, go with something that grades choice.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Season steak with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper; place in skillet:
Turn after steak has seared 3-5 minutes. Tip: if meat sticks to skillet, it is not ready to be turned. When the surface of the meat has been caramelized appropriately, it will turn relatively easily:After searing on both sides, place entire skillet in a 350 degree oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or to desired doneness. Remove from oven. Allow steaks to rest 5 minutes before serving.

II. Rock Salt Potatoes - Before starting the steaks, make rock salt potatoes. Haven't tried rock salt potatoes? What are you waiting for? They are slightly crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy inside - absolutely perfect. And not salty . . . unless you don't brush off the salt and you eat the skin. To make rock salt potatoes:
Wash potatoes, dry and rub lightly with oil, then puncture several times with a knife. Place a layer of rock salt (find it near the ice cream makers and ingredients) on the bottom of a baking dish. Place potatoes on top of salt and cover entirely with rock salt. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Be careful when removing the potatoes - the salt gets hot! Brush off salt before serving. Rock salt potatoes, ready to be covered, before baking:
These cherries have nothing to do with a steakhouse dinner . . . I just found them at the grocery store yesterday. "Cherries with romance!" AND a heart-shaped container? I couldn't resist . . .I served roasted asparagus and a french baguette with our steak and potatoes . . . Overall, a very nice meal - with no crowds, no going out in the cold, no worries.

Thanksgiving Menus from Food Magazines, part 3

Bon Appetit

The November Bon Appetit contains a complete "Thanksgiving Almanac." Bon Appetit reached back in time in hopes of capturing the true spirit of Thanksgiving, including traditional/heirloom American foods. The Thanksgiving feature is divided into sections:

1. Menu for a Heritage Feast:

• Crudites with green goddess dip
  
• Dungeness crab and heirloom bean brandade
  
• Roast heritage turkey with bacon-herb butter and cider gravy
  
• Bacon, apple, and fennel stuffing
  
• Wild rice with butternut squash, leeks, and corn
  
• Shaved brussels sprouts with currants and chestnuts
  
• Garnet yams with maple syrup and maple-sugar streusel
  
• Cranberry and tart-cherry compote
  
• Pear cobbler with dried blueberries and stone-ground corn biscuits
  
• Caramelized apple and pecan pie
  

2. Turkey (Salt It, Don't Brine It):

• Salted roast turkey with herbs and shallot dijon gravy
  
• Salted roast turkey with orange, fall spices, and sherry gravy
  
• Salted roast turkey with chipotle glaze and caramelized onion gravy
  

3. Stuffing (One Recipe, Four Ways):

• Herb and onion stuffing
  
• Sausage stuffing with fennel and roasted squash
  
• Dried cranberry, apricot, and fig stuffing
  
• Wild mushroom and spinach stuffing
  

4. Sides (Make Ahead Makes It Easy):

• Monday: Cranberry relish with grapefruit and mint; cranberry, pomegranate, and meyer lemon relish
  
• Tuesday: Glazed pearl onions in port with bay leaves
  
• Wednesday: Citrus-glazed carrots; green beans with pickled onion relish; cauliflower and brussels sprout gratin with pine nut breadcrumb topping; roasted winter squash and parsnips with maple syrup glaze and marcona almonds; creamy corn and chestnut pudding; sweet potato and apple puree; and potato, zucchini, and tomato gratin
  
• Thursday: Scalloped yukon gold and sweet potato gratin with fresh herbs; yukon gold and fennel puree with rosemary butter
  

5. Dessert (Purely Pumpkin):

• Pumpkin butterscotch pie
  
• Pumpkin and brown-sugar creme brulee
  
• Pumpkin ice cream pie with chocolate-almond bark and toffee sauce
  
• Pumpkin spice layer cake with caramel and cream cheese frosting
  
• Pumpkin cheesecake with marshmallow-sour cream topping and gingersnap crust
  

Bonus: turkey carving guide; keeping food hot; other menu ideas based on the included recipes

Also: Fall fruit and vegetable guide; buttermilk biscuits with green onions, black pepper, and sea salt; pomegranates; and RSVP - readers' favorite restaurant recipes (one of my favorite sections of Bon Appetit).

My summary: I love Bon Appetit's simple approach to Thanksgiving. The feature has a nice layout, and the photos convey a sense of peace and calmness (they were shot on location in a Shaker village). There are some "gourmet" ingredients, but Bon Appetit does a good job of making the recipes approachable, and gives explanation of the less common ingredients. Lots of the dishes look delicious, but a few I am unsure of, for example: cooked pearl onions . . . yes, that is an entire dish. Maybe I'm missing out on something great, but I don't think it sounds good at all. Bon Appetit is one of my favorite food magazines; it has a nice mix of recipes and articles, most of which are reader friendly and not snobbish. My parents have been Bon Appetit readers since the 1970s; some of our family favorites are BA recipes from the late 70s and early 80s . . . I think the contents of the new issues are timely - but obviously many of their recipes are timeless as well. The November issue is a good one to add to your collection.
(No, I'm not a Bon Appetit spokesperson . . . I wish!)

Everyday with Rachael Ray

First, my disclaimer: I am not a fan of RR's 30-Minute Meals television show. I do sometimes like her magazine though, and I'd heard the Nov. issue had good ideas, so I picked it up to see for myself. In classic Rachael Ray style, this magazine promises to "Get the big meal on the table in 60 minutes (no joke!)." Yes, it actually says "no joke." Hmm . . . kind of makes me want to challenge it to see if it really can be done by the average home cook. Here is the Thanksgiving in 60 Minutes menu:

• Early bird turkey (turkey breasts and thighs, not a whole bird)
  
• Apple and date stuffing
• Green bean casserole
• Golden potato mash
• Spiced pumpkin mousse trifle
• Bonus: 101 Ways to Make Thanksgiving Easier - lots of random tips, some should be common sense . . . but some could be helpful: Clean out your fridge - purge shelves and inner doors of almost-empty jars and bottles and leftover takeout; and [Turkey] size matters - One pound raw weight per person is the rule of thumb, but when in doubt, buy up. Keep in mind larger birds have a higher proportion of dark meat, so if your family loves only white meat, consider an average-size turkey and roast a couple of extra turkey breasts on the side.
• Also: election night parties; several twists on stuffed mushrooms; Italian lessons; Thanksgiving travel ideas; 30-minute meals; and a tear out weekly menu + planner.
  

My summary: It seems like this magazine actually contains Rachael Ray's energy . . . there is a lot going on, not only on the cover but inside the magazine as well. The 60-minute Thanksgiving meal doesn't have much appeal for me . . . you're supposed to cook all day (or all week) for T-Day, right? If you would answer "no" to that question, this menu could be a good fit. I could see this menu, the recipes, and the planner working for a group of college or grad students who aren't able to go home for the holiday, but want a semi-traditional holiday meal without all the work. I haven't tested any of the recipes from this issue yet, but there are several I've got flagged to try - if I can get past all the [annoying] inserts and tear out sections, that is.

Fine Cooking

Fine Cooking's All-Star Thanksgiving was created by notable chefs from NYC, San Francisco, and Seattle. The Ultimate Thanksgiving menu includes:

• Roasted Turkey with Juniper-Ginger Butter & Pan Gravy
• Rustic Bread Stuffing with Dried Cranberries, Hazelnuts, and Oyster Mushrooms
• Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots
• Maple-Tangerine Cranberry Sauce
• Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage and Hazelnuts
• Green Beans with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Parmesan Breadcrumbs
• Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Pie with Brandied Ginger Cream
• Bonus: "The Whys of Pie" - troubleshooting common pie problems
• Also: Testing stockpots; steak au poivre; features on squash, rosemary, and caramel

My summary: Fine Cooking's menu looks very versatile - as if it would satisfy everyone from the foodie to the picky eater. Fine Cooking is a little bit like Cook's Illustrated; it focuses on recipes, ingredients, and equipment (like Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country), but it does include advertising and doesn't seem to be quite as obsessive when it comes to testing recipes. The T-day menu nicely balances traditional and new tastes - perfect for those who need a new spin on their traditional holiday staples. (Ahem . . . Dad . . . are you reading this???)
Like Bon Appetit, a good addition to the food magazine collection.

Whew . . . This wraps up my series of food magazine Thanksgiving menu reviews. Good thing, too, because I'm really, REALLY hungry for turkey now!

See my other Thanksgiving menu reviews here and here.

Thanksgiving Menus from Food Magazines, part 2

Saveur, with mincemeat pie on the cover, features a New Orleans-inspired menu, which includes: oyster stew; roasted turkey; gateau de sirop (Acadian syrup cake); and spiced pecans.

Side dishes include: roasted cranberry sauce; sweet potato casserole (half sweet, half savory); green beans with pancetta and mint; whipped mashed potatoes with celery root; and oyster stuffing.

Also in this issue: Missouri wines (including Adam Puchta - my favorite); mincemeat pie (the business I work for is listed as the supplier for suet); Laos; France; and homemade pizza.

My summary: In my opinion, Saveur is a little more food literature than recipes or cooking information (not to say that their recipes aren't good, but for some reason it just strikes me as a magazine you read but do not necessarily cook from). That said, the Thanksgiving recipes look tasty and the ingredients and preparation seem reasonable. There is also a recipe for truffade (skillet cooked potatoes and cheese) that looks like seriously indulgent comfort food. It is a good issue, but I probably wouldn't pay the $5 cover price for it.

Food & Wine

Food & Wine magazine has organized their Ultimate Thanksgiving Planner with 3 menus into a convenient grid, allowing you to see all components of all menus at the same time.

1. Grilled butterflied turkey and caraway ancho gravy with: ham and cheddar sourdough stuffing; smoky seafood cocktails; creamed spinach and parsnips; grill-roasted vegetables with pine nut pesto; and pumpkin-gingersnap tiramisu
   
2. Apricot-glazed turkey and fresh herb gravy with: fennel, red onion and focaccia stuffing; cauliflower soup with chorizo bread crumbs; celery salad with walnuts, dates and pecorino; cranberry-pomegranate sauce; and a pear tart with pecan crust
   
3. Either turkey option (grilled or apricot-glazed) with: corn bread dressing with brussels sprouts; goat cheese edamame dip with spiced pepitas; mashed potatoes with creme fraiche and chives; crunchy baked fennel; and caramel cream pie with crispy rice topping

Bonus: wine suggestions; dishes also have color-coded icons indicating to use the freezer, use the refrigerator, use the grill, use the stovetop, or use the oven - which helps with planning.

Also in this issue: Yogurt - the new superfood; testing skillets; homemade ricotta; features on Atlanta, Georgia and Boise, Idaho; cooking club; and "upcycling" - using portions of ingredients that ususally end up in the trash (mushroom stems, potato peels, etc.).

My summary: I like the variety of cooking methods - grill, oven, stovetop, etc. I'm especially intrigued with grilling the Thanksgiving turkey (although I probably wouldn't actually do it, unless we moved Thanksgiving to one of the Southern - i.e. warmer - states). There is a nice mix of recipes, some simple, some more advanced, and the majority of ingredients should be widely available. Definitely not your boring, standard holiday recipes, but not too crazy either. Overall, the November issue of Food & Wine seems like a good addition to my food magazine collection.

Cook's Country
Cook's Country takes a more subtle approach to promoting its Thanksgiving menu than most. No crazy, too-good-to-be-true claims (the BEST! the EASIEST! Whatever!) and no turkey picture on the front cover. Their recipes appear to be the type to stand on their own merit, without wordy exclamations. The Thanksgiving selections include:

• Old-fashioned roast turkey with gravy
  

• Bread stuffing outside the bird


• Skillet roasted carrots and parsnips


• Make ahead green bean casserole


• Easy crescent rolls


• Garlic mashed potatoes
  
• Butternut squash soup


• Bonus: Leftover turkey recipes (that look so good it makes me want to cook a turkey just for the leftovers)

Also: 30 minute supper recipe cards; great tips, reviews, and illustrated instructions; guide to getting to know nuts; and chocolate shadow cake.

My summary: You can never go wrong with any publications or recipes from Cook's Illustrated. Although not necessarily trendy or gourmet, you can count on Cook's Country's recipes to turn out well (they test everything to perfection) - and their well-written instructions and helpful illustrations make cooking practically foolproof. Their classic Thanksgiving menu is perfect for anyone who wants to cook really good food, but isn't necessarily a gourmet cook, doesn't have the desire to use exotic ingredients, or doesn't want to risk a new-recipe failure on Thanksgiving. If you are considering buying this issue of Cook's Country (or a subscription), focus on the quality of the recipes and the tips they offer, not the quantity of pages in the magazine. The magazine seems thin, but because there is no advertising (which is so nice), 100% of the content is recipes, reviews, and helpful tips, making it a good buy.

Update: For more, check out Part 1 and Part 3.

Thanksgiving Menus from Food Magazines, part 1

Unless you're totally overwhelmed by the ridiculous amount of political advertising right now, you've probably noticed that the November issues of most of the food magazines have arrived on newsstands, complete with Thanksgiving menus. If you're looking for inspiration to help plan your menu for the biggest food day in the US, there are lots of options. Since I'm a food magazine addict enthusiast, I decided to help you decide which magazine has the best menu for you by summarizing the offerings of each. (Note: this will be a 2 3-part series of posts)

Everyday Food's November feature is "The Easiest Feast Ever;" the menu has a "Downhome Tradition" theme, including:

• Roast turkey with brown-sugar and mustard glaze
  
• Bourbon gravy
  
• Pecan cornbread dressing
  
• Stewed green beans with bacon



• Sweet potato casserole
  
• Basic cranberry sauce
  
• Also included is a basic pie crust recipe, plus recipes for pumpkin cream pie, chocolate pecan pie, cheddar-crusted apple pie, and coconut custard pie
  
• Bonus: a preparation schedule, beginning 3 days before Thanksgiving

My summary: the menu has a relaxed family-style appeal, with classic recipes which have been "kicked up a notch," but shouldn't push anyone outside the traditional Thanksgiving menu comfort zone. I love the compact size of Everyday Food, and that the focus is primarily recipes, with clear instructions, pictures, and small bits of relevant information dispersed throughout. The November issue has several down-to-earth recipes that look good, including a feature on Flat Iron steaks.

The cover of Cooking Light features a pecan pie and advertises "112 festive, fabulous recipes . . . and more in our holiday cookbook." The extensive holiday cookbook section includes:

Appetizers, drinks, and salads: spinach salad with gorgonzola, pistachios, and pepper jelly viniagrette, roasted cauliflower soup with hazelnut oil, arugula salad with goat cheese, bacon, and balsamic-fig dressing, gingered pear and brandy cocktail, pink grapefruit and lychee cocktail, spicy baked pita chips, orange chipotle-spiced pecans, shrimp skewers with coconut, jalapeno, and cilantro dipping sauce, traditional hummus (with three flavor options), caramelized sweet onion dip, and white hot spiced chocolate

Main dishes:

• Spice-brined turkey with cider pan gravy
  
• Roast turkey with onion and cranberry chutney
  
• Shallot and sage-roasted turkey with shallot gravy
  
• Red currant-glazed cornish hens and pearl onions
  
• Turkey cutlets with pancetta sage sauce
  
• Mixed peppercorn beef tenderloin with shallot-port reduction
  
• Beef tenderloin with roasted tomato salsa
  
• Marinated beef tenderloin with caramelized onion and mushroom ragout
  
• Seared beef tenderloin with dijon and herbs
  
• Braised lamb shanks with parsley-mint gremolata
  
• Classic bouillabaisse with rouille-topped croutons
  
• Maple-sage roasted pork tenderloin
  
• Parmesan and root vegetable lasagna

Side dishes: several varieties of mashed potatoes, gratin of cauliflower with gruyere, and soft polenta with wild mushroom saute
Desserts: cranberry oatmeal bars (with variations), pear pie with streusel topping and caramel sauce, old-fashioned gingerbread, chocolate roulade, and yellow butter cake with vanilla meringue frosting
Extras: fig-walnut sticky buns, beer-cheese bread (with variations), buttermilk biscuits, apricot mustard sauce, saffron aioli, chunky chai applesauce, classic cranberry sauce, pistachio-cranberry scones, bakery dinner rolls
Bonus: "Gifts from the kitchen," with suggestions and recipes for homemade Christmas gifts and a "Holiday meal strategies" section with lots of tips

My summary: The holiday cookbook section is comprehensive and should have something to please everyone. However, if you're indecisive and/or unwilling to make a glaze, reduction, or chutney, this may not be the perfect Thanksgiving menu for you. Cooking Light always does a great job of making delicious food a little lighter, and this issue is no exception. Outside the holiday section, there are several more recipes, a travel feature (this month it is North Carolina), and lifestyle and health articles (mostly geared toward women).

Gourmet magazine has the requisite perfect turkey on the cover. Inside the magazine, editor Ruth Reichl reveals Gourmet's plan to take your Thanksgiving dinner "Over the Top." The menu includes:

• Foie gras toasts with sauternes gelee
  
• Pecan and goat cheese marbles
  
• Smoked-sable tartare with beets and watercress
  
• Roast turkey with black truffle butter and white wine gravy
  
• Chestnut, leek and apple stuffing
  
• Cranberry, quince, and pearl onion compote
  
• Parsnip puree with sauteed brussels sprouts leaves
  
• Roasted sweet potato rounds with garlic oil and fried sage
  
• Wild mushroom bundles
  
• Celery apple granitas
  
• Seckel pear tart with poire william cream
  
• Spiced pumpkin souffles with bourbon molasses sauce
  
• Bonus: wine advice and a 3-day "game plan"

If the "Over the Top" menu sounds a bit over the top for you, Gourmet has more menu options:

1. A menu incorporating Latino flavors, which includes: chipotle meatballs; mango pomegranate guacamole; plantain chips; clementine jicama salad; adobo turkey with red chile gravy; cornbread and chorizo stuffing; cranberry pineapple salsa; roasted chayotes with garlic; sweet potato coconut puree; poblano potato gratin; lattice apple pie with Mexican brown sugar; rum ice cream; and chocolate cinnamon cream pie.
   
2. A "Four Hour Feast," including: carrot fennel soup; extra-moist roast turkey with pan gravy; sage stuffing; cranberry tangerine conserve; haricots verts with bacon and chestnuts; roasted potatoes and shallots; cider poached apples with candied walnuts, rum ice cream, and cider syrup.
   
3. A "Vegetarian Feast" with the following recipes: marinated olives; sliced fresh fennel; cheese plate with crackers; artichokes braised in lemon and olive oil; mushroom and farro pie; parmesan-roasted butternut squash; cranberry sauce with dates and orange; moscatel-glazed parsnips; smashed potatoes with roasted garlic gravy; sauteed broccoli rabe; kohlrabi and mache salad; prune, apricot, and cherry frangipane tart; pumpkin tart with anise seed crust; and roasted chestnuts.

My summary: Unless you are a real foodie (or someone in your family has a gourmet catering business), Gourmet's Thanksgiving menus may be a little overwhelming. The "four hour feast" is by far the most reasonable for the everyday cook - it utilizes some ingredients you may not be used to but should probably be able to find without a huge struggle. I will probably never make 95% of the recipes in Gourmet, but I have a feeling the other 5% will be absolutely amazing and will make my subscription worthwhile.

Magazines featured in the next post: Bon Appetit, Cook's Country, Saveur, Everyday with Rachael Ray, and whatever else shows up in my mailbox. (Note: I don't subscribe to or buy all these magazines - some are borrowed . . . seriously!)

Update: Find more Thanksgiving menus here and here.

tastes from a 3 day weekend

Fourth of July dinner on our deck . . .
pork chops or flat iron steaks, fettucine, French bread, and salad - not too exciting, but good . . .
thank goodness for salad, giving some much needed color to the plate!













Strawberry Panzanella (with cherries and blueberries, too) for dessert . . .
add real whipped cream - you absolutely cannot beat this!







And a pan of egg (muffins? omelets? souffles?) with cheddar, pancetta, and green peppers for quick breakfasts this week . . .


These [egg things] turned out okay - but the texture on the bottom is a little weird, kind of spongy. They're also hard to peel out of the paper liner. For 12 [muffins], I used 10 eggs, about 1/2 cup milk, and a little bit of shredded cheese, pancetta, and green bell peppers. I baked them at 350 for 25 minutes. Any suggestions about the texture issue? Should I have added flour/beaten egg whites to make it more like a souffle?

mocha sweetheart pictures, part two

Mmm . . . Chocolate mocha sweethearts . . .
Happy Valentine's Day!

Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween! For me, this holiday has a routine all its own. I clean the house, decorate with orange and black, strategically place pumpkins around the house, move the "Sit a Spell" chair to the front porch, put the treats in a bowl, and turn on all the lights so people know we welcome trick or treaters. And I wait. And wait. And wait. Until I finally realize that we're probably not going to have trick or treaters. Fast forward one year and repeat. However, this year I did have a break in the routine. One little lion came to visit right before the sun went down. Piper, in her "tricks for treats" shirt, was quite excited to see the little lion and gave him a big lick (which resulted in her being sent back into the house, even though she was being very nice about it) to go with the goldfish crackers.

Fully knowing the Halloween routine, I made some special treats so I wouldn't be tempted to eat goldfish crackers and butterfingers all evening while I wait. Fortunately, there was a new post on Orangette this week for Chewy Cocoa Cookies, which Orangette's author, Molly, describes as "kind of low-fat." Perfect.

And perfect they are. The Orangette version look a little nicer than mine, so I decided some powdered sugar would help. I also made a few adaptations to the recipe (I used vanilla yogurt and kosher salt . . . this recipe isn't the best candidate for kosher salt, unless you really like salt).

Yesterday, I got a little pre-Halloween treat from Ken's Aunt Marie. She gave me three plates that belonged to Ken's grandma . . . just in time to use them to show off my cookies. And my mom made me a little care package, which included the ghost towels in the picture. When you are blessed with great family and you have a plate full of perfect chocolate cookies, who needs trick or treaters anyway?