Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A group I belong to had a themed luncheon today. Our goal was to recreate an Easter dinner as it would have been served in the 1950's. Those of you who came of age in the 50's would view the meal as retro. The canned ham and pineapple upside-down cake would be dead giveaways. Those of you who were not yet born would consider the meal to be REALLY retro. By luck of the draw, my contribution ended up being the upside-down cake. I used a Better Homes and Gardens recipe, well-known to housewives and young cooks of the time, and because I had made it before I considered the cake to be easy duty. I did depart a bit from the standard presentation. The cake is usually made in a cast iron skillet. I passed on that because there were twelve of us and most skillet cakes can't feed that number of people. The recipe I used is scaled to feed a larger group and it uses a standard baking pan. However, when the finished cake is sliced, it looks like the "real" thing. For those of you who have never sampled this, a pineapple upside-down cake consists of a mosaic layer of caramelized pineapple that is topped with a single layer of yellow cake. When the cake is inverted, the caramelized fruit layer ends up on top. These skillet cakes were popularized in the 20's and 30's and they are still regularly served in some areas of the country. There are also families that make them part of their Easter dinner for nostalgia's sake. This is an easy cake to make, and, if you do not already have a recipe for one, you might want to add this version to your files. Here is how the cake is made.

Two Recipes for Greek-Style Easter Cookies - Koulourakia

 

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have been blogging for such a long time now, that it is getting harder to find new recipes, particularly ethnic recipes, for the holiday table. I decided to search out cookie recipes this year and one of the first I stumbled on was a Greek Easter cookie called Koulourakia. The only problem with that choice was selecting which of the staggering number of recipes for the cookie I wanted to use. In the end, I settled on two. Koulourakia is a barely sweet cookie that can be shaped according to the whim of the cook. Traditionally, however, the dough is twisted and sprinkled with sesame seeds before being baked. In theory, the cookies are wonderful when served with coffee or tea or nibbled while sipping a sweet liqueur. They, at least the ones created by my hands, are a bit like a soft biscotti or a madeleine. I thought the first batch I made, despite the addition of orange juice, was too mildly flavored and I would have enjoyed them more had some zest been worked into the cookie dough. Never easily deterred, and convinced that a million Greeks can't be wrong, I tried a second recipe that seemed more flavorful. I really liked the second batch of cookies. They were not overly sweet but they had a flavor that was more to my liking. While both cookies are buttery and would be perfect with coffee or tea, my personal preference is for the second cookie which was developed by the test kitchens of Imperial Sugar. I do hope you'll give one or both of these recipes a try. Here is how they are made.

Hollywood-Style Hot Cross Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There is no truth to the rumor that I'm on a quest to find the world's greatest Hot Cross Bun. It may, however,  be true that I'm infirm of purpose when I find a new recipe for them that looks better than my current favorite. I think that's what happened here. I was lured by a gorgeous photo and then roped and tied by the name, Hollywood's Hot Cross Buns. My first thought was California but I quickly learned I was way off base. As it turns out, Paul Hollywood is an English baker and celebrity chef, who best known for being a judge on the BBC One's The Great British Bake Off. Pictures of his Hot Cross Buns are all over the internet and while his buns, which require 3 rises, are more time consuming than most to make, I can tell you they are delicious and worth every second they take to assemble. They are my favorite, at least for this year. I'm not going to repeat the history of the buns tonight, but if you are curious, I included it in my first post about them and you can find that information, here. I hope you will give tonight's recipe a try. The buns have a decidedly fluffy texture and the dried fruit and spices give them a well-developed flavor. The dough is quite damp, so you will want to oil the surface on which you knead it to prevent sticking. Rest assured, if you keep at it, the dough will come together and you will have lovely fragrant buns to serve your family and friends. Here is how the buns are made.

Menu for the Week of March 29, 2015

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Color Me Pink - A Quick Strawberry Sauce + Strawberry Panna Cotta

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Buying strawberries at this time of year can be a crap shoot. They look gorgeous but often taste more like cardboard than the sweet juicy fruit of summer shortcake memory. I was happily surprised today when the Silver Fox brought home several quarts that actually tasted as they should. I think we all have special recipes that we keep to use when certain ingredients become available. Strawberries fall into that category for me, and my problem is deciding which of the many in my recipe cache I actually should use. I settled on these two for tonight's feature. The first recipe is making its debut appearance and the second has been brought back for an encore performance because it looks so pretty on a plate. Both recipes are easy to make and if you have a source for tasty berries I urge you to give them a try, perhaps for Easter Sunday. The effortless fresh strawberry sauce is wonderful on ice cream and the panna cotta is a perfect way to end a special meal. I urge you to try both recipes. You really will be pleased. So will your family and friends.

Table for Two - Sweet and Hot Pork Tenderloin with Apricots

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When we were very young, food played a special role in recovery from childhood ailments. A bit like birthdays, when special foods were the order of the day, sickies were plied with favorite foods in hopes that they would help comfort and speed recovery. For most kids, that meant chicken soup and Jello, but I was born a contrarian and eschewed soups and weak tea for club sandwiches and apricot nectar. That nectar was the start of my love affair with apricots. While I don't always have fresh apricots in my kitchen, my pantry is never without the dried variety which I use liberally in cooking. This recipe is one that I developed for a meal when there are just two or three people at the table, and it, of course, gets much of its flavor from dried apricots and the water they soak in. The Silver Fox likes sauces that combine hot and sweet flavors, so it would be an understatement to say he like this pork dish. It is really simple to make and I think you will enjoy it. While the recipe can be doubled, I suspect you will want to keep this an adult meal. Young children will find it too spicy for their tastes. If you are into fast, simple and delicious, I hope you will give this recipe a try. The pork is wonderful when served with rosti potatoes or rice. Here is how it is made.

Golden Butter Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Those of you who made the Daffodil cake that was featured earlier in the week, have six egg yolks taking up space in your refrigerator. I know I did in mine. I spent some time this afternoon searching for a single recipe that would use them all in a one-shot.  I finally found one for a yellow layer cake on the Joy of Baking site that was perfect for my purposes. The recipe is easy to follow and the cake is simple to make. This is not a fancy cake, but if you are looking for a large layer cake that your family will enjoy, this one will do nicely. For best results, be sure ingredients are at room temperature, sift both cake flour and confectioners' sugar before measuring and do not over-bake the cake. Mine was done in about 25 minutes and at that point it was still moist and had a lovely crumb. The rich chocolate icing is especially nice for a cake of this type. If you are a chocolate lover, I think this fudgy frosting will become a favorite of yours. It, too, is remarkably easy to make. So, if those leftover yolks are driving you crazy and you need a plan, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cake is made.

Table for Two - Cherry-Glazed Braised Chicken Thighs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The collection of recipes that I've personally created keeps growing and the Silver Fox thinks it's time I share at least some of them with you. I've been hesitant to do that because I suspect you already have a wealth of recipes and kitchen wisdom at your fingertips. While adding to that bounty has always struck me as overkill and a bit of a conceit, I need a place to save the recipes for my daughters and the blog is the safest and most logical place to do that. So, ready or not, once or twice a week, the recipes that I feature here will be my own creations. I'm putting the more difficult recipes aside, at least for the time being, and will be concentrating on those that are reasonably quick and simple to prepare. Many of them are designed for small family tables and I think those of you who have been following my Table for Two series will enjoy them. Tonight's recipe is simple in the extreme and it is perfect for a weeknight 30 minute meal. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try and let me know what you think of it. While I use boneless thighs to make this dish, boneless breasts can be substituted. Here is the recipe.

A Simple Microwave Lemon Curd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While I am not completely dependent on them, there are times I use shortcuts to make work in the kitchen easier. I love lemon curd and usually prepare it the traditional way, but I had just made scones today and wanted to serve them with lemon curd. This recipe, which I found on the King Arthur website, is one that I've used in the past when I need the curd quickly. Curd made in this manner is an acceptable substitute for the real thing. It is quite tart, not as sweet as other homemade or commercial varieties, and while it is thinner in consistency, it is tasty nonetheless. I'm using a variation of the photo that is shown on the King Arthur site because I ran into with a strange problem with the batch I made this morning. I've been using organic eggs that have intensely orange yolks of late, and it was a mistake to use them here because my curd was off color and decidedly not lemon colored. The flavor was fine, but the color was off-putting and in a range that was neither orange nor yellow. I lightened my batch with a bit of cream to make it presentable, but it lost that come-hither translucence that makes curd so appealing, and because this is so tasty I wanted you to see it at its best. This is a real time saver and I hope curiosity will tempt you to give the recipe a try. It's great on scones or muffins, and it takes gingerbread to a whole nother level. Here is how this quick and simple curd is made.

A "Remembered" Daffodil Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Junction City is a small Oregon community that's generally pretty quiet. Not so today. This small town welcomed Spring with its annual Daffodil Festival. The event includes nine miles of roadside daffodils, the small town version of a fair and an assortment of refreshments that includes buns in guises ranging from cinnamon to beefcake (more about this in a bit). Inspired by Lady Bird Johnson's call to beautify America, Faye Moffett planted a handful of extra daffodil bulbs along the road near her house in the 60's. She planted a few more each year and urged her neighbors to do the same. Motorists soon learned of the lovely daffodil-lined street and began to drive along it when the flowers bloomed in March. The Daffodil Festival began in 1972, when Mrs. Moffett and her friends invited the drivers to join them at the Long Tom Grange for some homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee. Bulbs planted by a single gardener evolved into an event that's a marvelous way to showcase the spirit of a town devoted to community and family. The Long Tom Grange - a fraternal organization - took over the festival several years ago when its popularity overwhelmed its founders. Initially, Mrs. Moffett and her friends baked the cinnamon rolls and buns themselves. Now, the Junction City High School "cinnamon specialists" bake the rolls and sticky buns and deliver them to the festival. There are no strangers here. Once in the Grange hall you're treated like a member of the family and you might find yourself sitting at a table with an an organic farmer, a doctor or a mechanic. Status doesn't count for much here. Folks share a pot of coffee and chat like old friends as they eat their buns. If you're lucky you may run into one of the now famous Calendar Guys from the Long Tom Grange. Several years ago this group raised a quarter of a million dollars from sales of their nude calendar. The calendar caused a dustup later in the year when organizers of the Scandinavian Festival refused to sponsor the calendar guys and some schools talked about refusing funds from calendar sales. It made for some lively town meetings, but turned out to be a non-event. Despite vocal moral outrage the money went to its designated targets but it did, however, put a damper on the calendar fun.

The Silver Fox and I never miss this event because it reminds us how wonderfully simple life can be. I usually make cinnamon rolls or sticky buns so we can enjoy the spirit of the celebration once we come home, but this year I decided to do something a bit different and opted to make an old-fashioned Daffodil cake. I have an ages old recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook that is nearly as old as I am. It was my bible the first year the Fox and I were married and it has become shamefully ragged and grease stained with time. While I have made a few minor changes to their recipe I have to credit the test kitchen at Better Homes and Gardens for tonight's Daffodil cake. This is basically an angel food cake, but half of the batter is enriched with egg yolks that give the finished cake sponge-like richness, color and added flavor. The cake is not hard to prepare, but it is important to follow directions and restrain your creativity when you undertake making it. The finished cake is light and moist and has pockets of daffodil yellow running throughout it. I know those of you who give the recipe a try will love the cake. It should should be refrigerated and I like to make it at least eight hours before I serve it. Here is how it is made.

Menu for the Week of March 22, 2015

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Moroccan Chicken and Onion Tagine - Djej Besla

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I haven't shared many Moroccan recipes with you since we returned from our last adventure. While Moroccan food is delicious, our meals while in-country were repetitive, and in some cases, quite involved to make. Tagines were served daily, and while their contents varied, it was difficult to get precise recipes for them because they were usually eaten in the home of Moroccan families. Morocco is a fascinating country and it seemed foolish to spend undo amounts of time rummaging in kitchens, when there was so much else to learn. So, I surrendered to the limitations of the day, bought cookbooks when I could and mingled rather than mixed. I still haven't gotten to those cookbooks, so, today's recipe comes from Saveur magazine. As soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I had to give it a try. It is for an extremely simple chicken tagine that can be made without purchasing special ingredients that you'll never use again. The word tagine describes a dish and the vessel that it is made in. They are basically stews that can be made with small amounts of well-seasoned chicken, lamb or beef and extended with simple readily available vegetables. They are served with an assortment of small-plate dishes that are collectively called Moroccan salad. Tagine is usually served with couscous or bread, but only one of them will be served at the same meal. I've made a few changes to the Saveur recipe. I blanched the lemon slices to keep the sauce that forms as the tagine cooks from becoming bitter. I used six chicken thighs instead of the combination of legs and thighs suggested in the original recipe. I also used a tangine, the cooking vessel, to make my version of this tagine and baked it rather than let it simmer on a surface burner. It is nearly effortless to make and it truly is delicious. While this may be an acquired taste, I'm happy to report it had my socks going up and down. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the tagine is made.

St. Joseph's Pasta for St. Joseph's Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect bite...Mrs. Salvino, Mama Rosa, lived in a bungalow across the street from the row house in which I was raised. She was a tall, raw boned woman whose severe appearance was intensified by the tightly coiled bun she pinned to the nape of her neck. If I allow my mind to wander, I can still see her standing at the stove stirring a miraculous pot of something or other, while wagging a finger at one of her five boys, who tried, but never quite got things right. I can also see her eight sisters, seemingly without homes of their own, squashed around the table in animated discussion that kept their hands as busy as their mouths as they solved the problems of the neighborhood. I also spy a small, very Irish-looking child, who freely wanders in and out of that kitchen to check what's going on. That of course is me. I was born at at a time and in a place when neighbors truly helped raise children. I loved them all and considered their homes mine. As I was pulled into their worlds some type of genetic magnet drew me to their kitchens and the food they ate. Mama Rosa's kitchen was one of my favorites and she, who was without daughters of her own, was happy to share it with me. That's how I learned about St. Joseph's table and how his holiday, always on the 19th of March, is celebrated in Sicilian homes.

St. Joseph is said to have spent time in Italy and was considered to be the patron saint of Sicily. During a period of devastating drought, the Sicilian people prayed to him for rain that was necessary to prevent a full-scale famine. When rain came, the people decorated altars and prepared a feast in his honor and welcomed all to the banquet table they had prepared. That table became known as St.Joseph's table and the food on it was meant for distribution to the poor. In addition to breads that were used for decoration, three foods became associated with his holiday. The first is the fava bean, which survived the drought and kept the people alive. The second is a pasta tossed with bread crumbs instead of cheese, and the third is a Neopolitan pastry, called a zeppole, which you can find here.

I want to share a simplified version of St. Joseph's pasta with you tonight. My classic version of Pasta con Sarde is more complicated, but if any of you are purists and would prefer to make something something more authentic, that recipe can be found here. For those of you who are short of time, but would still like to give the holiday a nod, why not try the recipe the recipe below.

Lemon Cheesecake Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tucked into my bag of garden tricks is the use of pansies to span the seasons. I plant them as soon as the fall mums fade and our window boxes are begging for spots of color to break the monotony of winter gray. I've done this for years and actually keep cardboard boxes to cover them when temperatures drop to freezing levels. We've lived lots of places and, except for areas of heavy ice and snow, I've found I can protect them from most of winter's vagaries. My goal is to keep them alive until my favorite red begonias become available for summer planting. As a child, I loved pansies. Their vibrant colors and soft velvet touch fascinated me. The moth-like imprint on their petals opened other doors for me as well and for a time I was a bug-brat with a pretty impressive collection of insects and spiders. I was the pansy person in the family and from the time I was four or so, I was responsible for their planting and general care. In those early years, I'm sure my stature was nearly dwarfed by the size of the watering can, but I refused to use the hose because it beat my beauties down. I was convinced they thrived because of the care I gave them. It never dawned on me that they were nearly to impossible to kill.

This cheesecake pie is not unlike my pansies. It is easy to make and it has a soft velvet texture that is hard to beat. However, I must be honest and tell you that if it weren't for those two qualities, I wouldn't bother making this cheesecake again. I found the cake on Pinterest and was charmed by its appearance. The original recipe came from the Real Simple site, so I was fairly certain the cake would be fine, if not top drawer. It uses a pre-baked pie crust and the filling can be made in 5 minutes if you have your ingredients at room temperature. The filling is quite tangy due to the lemon juice and cheeses that are used to make it, but I think the addition of lemon zest would have greatly improved the flavor. I also think you'll enjoy the cake more if you allow it to ripen for a full day before you serve it. I am keeping the recipe because the cake is so easy to make and I have been known to have days when time forces something less than ambrosia from my kitchen, There is nothing wrong with this cake, but it is not a standout. I let you decide for yourself. Here is the recipe.

It's St. Patrick's Day - Have a Laugh on Me

Two Irishmen, Patrick Murphy and Shawn O'Brian grew up together and were lifelong friends. But alas, Patrick developed cancer, and was dying. While on his deathbed, Patrick called to his buddy, Shawn, "O'Brian, come 'ere. I 'ave a request for ye." Shawn walked to his friend's bedside and kneels.

"Shawny ole boy, we've been friends all our lives, and now I'm leaving 'ere. I 'ave one last request fir ye to do."

O'Brian burst into tears, "Anything Patrick, anything ye wish. It's done."

"Well, under me bed is a box containing a bottle of the finest whiskey in all of Ireland. Bottled the year I was born it was. After I die, and they plant me in the ground, I want you to pour that fine whiskey over me grave so it might soak into me bones and I'll be able to enjoy it for all eternity."

O'Brian was overcome by the beauty and in the true Irish spirit of his friend's request, he asked, "Aye, tis a fine thing you ask of me, and I will pour the whiskey. But, might I strain it through me kidneys first?"

Three guys, one Irish, one English, and one Scottish, are out walking along the beach together one day. They come across a lantern and a Genie pops out of it. "I will give you each one wish, that's three wishes in total", says the Genie.

The Scottish guy says, "I am a fisherman, my Dad's a fisherman, his Dad was a fisherman and my son will be one too. I want all the oceans full of fish for all eternity." So, with a blink of the Genie's eye FOOM! the oceans were teaming with fish.

The Englishman was amazed, so he said, "I want a wall around England, protecting her, so that no one will get in for all eternity." Again, with a blink of the Genie's eye POOF! there was a huge wall around England.

The Irishman asks, "I'm very curious. Please tell me more about this wall." The Genie explains, "well, it's about 150 feet high, 50 feet thick, protecting England so that nothing can get in or out."

The Irishman says, "Fill it up with water."

An aging man lived alone in Ireland. His only son was in Long Kesh Prison, and he didn't know anyone who would spade up his potato garden. The old man wrote to his son about it, and received this reply, "For HEAVENS SAKE, don't dig up that garden, that's where I buried the GUNS!!!!!"

At 4 A.M. the next morning, a dozen British soldiers showed up and dug up the entire garden, but didn't find any guns. Confused, the man wrote to his son telling him what happened and asking him what to do next.

His son's reply was: "Just plant your potatoes."

A man stumbles up to the only other patron in a bar and asks if he could buy him a drink.
"Why of course," comes the reply.

The first man then asks: "Where are you from?"
"I'm from Ireland," replies the second man.

The first man responds: "You don't say, I'm from Ireland too! Let's have another round to Ireland."
"Of Course," replies the second man.

Curious, the first man then asks: "Where in Ireland are you from?"
"Dublin," comes the reply.
"I can't believe it," says the first man.
"I'm from Dublin too! Let's have another drink to Dublin."
"Of course," replies the second man.

Curiosity again strikes and the first man asks:
"What school did you go to?"
"Saint Mary's," replies the second man.
"I graduated in '62."
"This is unbelievable!" the first man says.
"I went to Saint Mary's and I graduated in '62, too!"

About that time in comes one of the regulars and sits down at the bar.
"What's been going on?" he asks the bartender.
"Nothing much," replies the bartender. "The O'Malley twins are drunk again."

Two Irishmen, Patrick and Michael, were adrift in a lifeboat following a dramatic escape from a burning freighter. While rummaging through the boat's provisions, Patrick stumbled across an old lamp. Secretly hoping that a genie would appear, he rubbed the lamp vigorously To the amazement of Patrick, a genie came forth. This particular genie, however, stated that he could only deliver one wish, not the standard three. Without giving much thought to the matter, Patrick blurted out, "Make the entire ocean into Guinness Beer!" The genie clapped his hands with a deafening crash, and immediately the entire sea turned into the finest brew ever sampled by mortals. Simultaneously, the genie vanished. Only the gentle lapping of Guinness on the hull broke the stillness as the two men considered their circumstances. Michael looked disgustedly at Patrick whose wish had been granted. After a long, tension-filled moment, he spoke: "Nice going Patrick! Now we're going to have to pee in the boat!

A Texan rancher comes to Ireland and meets a Kerry farmer.

The Texan says : "Takes me a whole day to drive from one side of my ranch to the other."

The Kerry farmer says: "Ah sure, I know, sir. We have tractors like that over here too."

An Irishman and an American were sitting in the bar at Shannon Airport.

"I've come to meet my brother," said the Irishman. "He's due to fly in from
America in an hour's time. It's his first trip home in forty years".

"Will you be able to recognize him?" asked the American.

"I'm sure I won't," said the Irishman, "after all, he's been away for a long time".

"I wonder if he'll recognize you?" said the American.

"Of course he will," said the Irishman. "Sure, an' I haven't been away at all".

His wife had been killed in an accident and the police were questioning Finnegan.
"Did she say anything before she died?" asked the sergeant.
"She spoke without interruption for about forty years," said the Irishman.

A young gentleman sitting at a bar with his pet pig asks for a couple of drinks. The confused bartender said no animals were allowed at the bar. The man proceeded to say "Ah, but this is a very special pig. Just last week there was a fire in the house and that pig came charging out of his pen into the house and woke us all up .Then a few days later my son fell into the pool and that pig was grazing out on the lawn, and he came running and jumped into the pool and saved my son. "Well " said the bartender "I guess this pig is very special so I'll get him a drink. By the way I noticed that he is missing one leg, what happened? " "Well said the young man, when you got a pig this good you don't eat him all at once !!!"

Mike lay dying on his bed when his wife Brigid came in to him and asked if there was anything he wanted.
Mike said "Brigid, what is that delicious smell coming from the kitchen?"
And Brigid replied "Oh Mike that is a ham I am baking ."
Mike thought, and said "Brigid, as my dying wish I would love to have some of that ham you're
cooking."
Then Brigid said "Oh Mike, I'm saving that for the wake !!"

Eyes Wide Shut Irish Cream and Cocoa Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've given this post its rather strange name because the recipe is so simple that you can make it with  your wide eyes shut. It has nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day, save for the fact that it is made with Bailey's Irish Cream, a liqueur that is relatively new to the world of Irish spirits. Irish cream was named after the Bailey Hotel and it was introduced in 1974 by the Gilbey Distillery, a Dublin company that was looking for a new product to introduce to world liqueur markets. While many find Irish Cream to be overly sweet, there is no denying how popular it has become. I use it more for cooking than I do for drinking and tonight's recipe is a perfect example of how it can be used. If you enjoy your brownies on the sweet side, I really think you'll enjoy these. They are easy to make and might make a nice addition to your St. Patrick's Day festivities. Here is how the brownies are made.

A Homemade Alternative to Commercial Chocolate Syrup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been working on recipes for syrups and sauces that will be used at an ice cream social that's on the calendar for next week. I didn't want to spend hours on this project and I was a bit flummoxed when the committee in charge of the social opted for homemade rather than commercial toppings. Fortunately, my job was just to search for usable recipes while others would actually be responsible for their preparation. I found great recipes for the caramel and strawberry sauces right off the bat, but  the chocolate sauce proved to be more  difficult. I wanted a deep, dark sauce that had an intensely chocolate flavor and it took a lot of testing to find the perfect recipe.  Alton Brown's was the clear winner. Not only is it easy to make, reduction makes it possible to use it either as a syrup or a sauce. The thicker version tastes like fudge and makes a wonderful hot fudge sundae. The thinner version is perfect as an ice cream topper or for making chocolate milk. The recipe below makes about four cups of syrup which can be refrigerated for at least a week before it becomes suspect. You can scale the recipe to make 2 cups or double it for 8. This is very easy to prepare and my only caution is to warn you that the syrup thickens as it sits. Don't reduce it to a fudge-like consistency while its on the stove or you'll end up with chocolate concrete when it has cooled. I hope you'll give this syrup a try. There is nothing here not to like.

Menu for the Week of March 15, 2015

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Never Fail Caramel Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a fast, easy and delicious recipe that just can't fail. The making of caramel sauce can be fraught with drama, but this simple recipe, developed by The Slow Roasted Italian will end all of that. Her recipe and gorgeous photographs can be found here. I can add nothing to it, but I did want to talk to you about cooking the sauce. I let it begin to steam before I set the timer for 5 minutes. My sauce also required an extra 3 minutes to thicken in the last step of the recipe. At that point it lightly napped a spoon. The sauce will not truly thicken until it is refrigerated and the butter sets it up, so don't be alarmed if your sauce looks runny at this point. Once made and brought to room temperature the sauce can be refrigerated and will keep for there for a week. You will love it. Here it is how it is made.

Pissaladiere

From the kitchen of One Perfect... I can't tell you how often I've made pissaladiere. It is a favorite of mine and it is one of the dishes I make when I'm on my own for dinner. This is often called a Provencal tart. That's a bit of a misnomer because the pie, which is layered with caramelized onions, anchovies and olives, contains no eggs. While I may not be right about this, I think of pissaladiere as a pizza that gets its name from the anchovies, or pissala, that are stirred into the onions to intensify their flavor. While the recipe I'm featuring tonight comes from Dorie Greenspan, I use Julia Child's recipe more frequently. The recipes are similar, but Julia's uses a pie crust as the pizza base. I suspect Dorie's recipe is more correct in its use of a pizza type dough, but I don't want you to get hung up on what you use as the base. I've used flat bread, and tubed pizza dough to hold the filling and because this pie is more about the filling than it is  about the crust, I have never been disappointed . It is simple to make and if you are adventurous and like strongly flavored foods, pissaladiere  just might become a favorite of yours. The onions can be made a day before you assemble the pie and once it is baked the pie can sit for several hours before it is served. Do try this. I don't think you'll be disappointed and it fits into Lenten menus. Here is how the pie is made.

Poor Boy Steak

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw this recipe on Kami's blog, "No Biggie", and I knew I had to give it a try. The recipe was created by her mother, Debbie Markle,  who won first place for it at a beef cook-off  while she was still in high school. Kami uses her mother's marinade for an upgraded version of the recipe which swaps tri-tip steak for the pot roast used in the original dish.  I probably should change the name of the recipe because poor boy's don't eat tri-tip steak in this area of the country, but because I'm featuring the recipe exactly as it appeared on No Biggie, it didn't feel right to play with her title. There are a couple of things I wanted to share with you. You know that horrid orange French dressing that we hate to use. Well, I used it here because that is what would have been available at the time of her mother competed in the beef cook-off. I also swapped Heinz 57 Sauce for the ketchup to add extra flavor to the marinade. If you decide to give this recipe a try, remember that it needs to marinate for 24 hours before it is grilled. While it is not inexpensive to make, it is very easy to prepare. I'll be making this again, but the next time it surfaces in my rotation, I think I'll use a pot roast so I can compare the two versions. I do hope you give this recipe a try. Here is how Poor Boy Steak is made.

Italian Sausage Bake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another simple recipe that is great for busy days or poorly equipped summer kitchens. The peppers in the dish provide all the liquid needed to cook the casserole and the high temperature at which it bakes is no accident. You need a hot, 400 degree oven, to assure all the ingredients properly cook. I do want to point out that the casserole requires 2 hours in the oven, so your dinner plans will have to take that into account. While I have seen the recipe on many blogs, I think it was originally posted on a site called Food Fanatic, which you can find here. This makes a nice family dinner and I think those of you who like hearty, well-flavored food will enjoy this simple casserole. Here is how it is made.

Table for Two - Cannellini Beans Over Garlic Toast

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Do you like a good pot of baked beans? If so, you can count my sister in your ranks. Years ago my brother and I would tease her unmercifully about the baked bean sandwiches she loved to make. I was sure her sandwich was an original creation and equally certain that civilized people didn't make baked bean sandwiches. We are very close in age, as a matter of fact we are Irish twins, so it is probably unnecessary to tell you that as kids we had our own version of yin and yang. I really got on my high horse about the bean sandwiches, which by the way she continued to eat, and it would be years, and an English breakfast, before I realized she was not alone. People around the world really do eat bean sandwiches and in Britain they are an extremely popular breakfast dish. As a matter of fact more cans of baked beans are eaten in Britain than in the rest of the world combined. We are talking millions of cans, not an odd case or two. Now I've never converted to beans for breakfast, but a chance sampling of a bean sandwich made by a French chef in Laos completely cured my aversion to beans on bread. I found the recipe for this open face bean sandwich in Fine Cooking magazine and it is so good that I wanted to share it with those of you who are adventurous eaters and still caught in the throes of winter. I've made substantial changes to their recipe, but you can find the original version here. This is good stick-to-the-ribs food and I know that those of you who try it will be pleased. Here is how the sandwiches are made.

Simply Scrumptious Cinnamon Scones

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you have houseguests coming for the holiday, or are just looking for something simple to make for Easter brunch, you might want to give these scones a try. They have the soft texture of a cream scone, but the sugar topping gives them enough crunch to make their texture interesting. These scones are not overly sweet, so the glaze, which might be excessively sweet in other recipes, is perfect here. I use the food processor to simplify their assembly and make clean-up easier. This is a very straightforward recipes that you can alter to your personal taste. Like nuts? Add them. Yearn for lemon? Give it a shot. This has become my go-to recipe when I'm harried, hurried or worried about creating a guest-worthy morning pastry. These scones take ten minutes to make and another ten to bake. While this is not my favorite recipe for scones, I use it more than any other because it is so easy. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here is how the scones are made.

Menu for the Week of March 8, 2015

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Israeli Couscous with Mushrooms and Mixed Vegetables

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We were given two beautiful tuna steaks today and I wanted to pair them them with something that would highlight, rather than mask, their flavor. We haven't had Israeli couscous in an age, and I thought this would be a great time to start working it back into our meals. I also had a bag of it in my pantry that had to be used before it became fodder for the compost pile. My first adventure with the grain was a sorry looking mess that tasted like a lumpy gruel and looked like BB pellets. The fault was entirely mine, and normally, I would have given myself credit for the old college try and moved on to something else. However, I was sick to death of rice and potatoes, so I decided to give the couscous one more try. I looked around but couldn't find a recipe that appealed to me, but the 2 cups of couscous sitting on my pantry shelf kept nagging at me. Sad to say that most most of my creations start as failures. For those of you not familiar with the product, Israeli couscous is a small, round semolina pasta. It's sometimes called pearl couscous or maftoul, and it resembles barley or very small, white peas. I wanted to give the couscous as much flavor as possible, so I decided to toast it and use spring vegetables to give it more flavor and take it to another level. I'm happy to report my fixes worked and the recipe has achieved "keeper" status in our household. While I highly recommended this dish, I do have a small caution to share with you. Not everyone likes the chewy texture or size of these pellets. Unfortunately, there is really nothing you can do about that, so do be forewarned and consider working with a smaller pasta. Here is how my version of Israeli couscous is made.

Smoked Sausage and Cabbage Skillet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I just saw a cartoon that inferred, nay actually said, "If it is fast, easy and cheap, it's not food." Hah! The food police can't scare me 'cause I carry a knife and have been in the kitchen for more years than they have been alive. I've developed formidable knife skills that more than match my attitude, so they generally stay clear of me. Chop enough onions and that is bound to happen. So, whilst they while away, I went ahead and made a fast, easy and cheap meal for our dinner just to spite them. I'm happy to report it's good enough to share with all of you tonight. While I've made a few changes, my recipe is based on one that was first posted on the blog Happy Living with Tina which you can find here. This dish has the added attribute of being easy to clean up after. Everything is mixed and cooked in one skillet, so even if you choose not to make this now, keep the recipe in mind for the barely adequate kitchens that are found in summer rental cottages. I do hope that at some point you will try this. Here is how the casserole is made.

Meatless Meals - Spicy Thai Noodles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Now that Lent is here, I'm on the lookout for untried meatless meals that promise to be delicious while remaining simple to make. These noodles met that criteria. I found a photo of them on Pinterest, and they looked so luscious that I tracked the recipe back to its source, a blog called A Small Snippet. The noodles are made with pantry items and they take about 20 minutes to prepare. I think you'll agree that meal preparation doesn't get much easier than that. I made these for myself on Sunday, and I've been enjoying them for lunch everyday since then. I did want to briefly talk to you about the heat levels in this recipe. Anyone who has been to Thailand knows that Americans and Thais have different ideas about what is hot. They have a much greater tolerance for heat and that is demonstrated in this recipe. Leana's recipe called for 2 tablespoons of crushed pepper flakes. That is hot enough to take out most taste buds in a single bite and it is meant for courageous dragons who need an infusion of gasoline to fan the flames. While one tablespoon is hot, it is not unbearable, but even that may be too much for many palates. I decided to get around this by listing the quantity of pepper flakes recommended in the recipe as a range that is measured in teaspoons to make it easier to control. The Silver Fox is out of his comfort zone when I use a tablespoon of crushed pepper, so, when I am making the noodles for the two of us, I only use 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the pepper flakes. I suspect you already know your family's tolerance for heat, so adjust accordingly. The noodles are delicious and I do hope you will try them. Here is how they are made.

Norwegian Apple Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple Norwegian cake is all about apples. It is a "remembered" cake from the files of Hege whose blog Repolished contains a number of Norwegian recipes that she enjoyed as a child.  I decided to add her recipe to my already large collection of apple desserts because of its peasant quality. I happen to love apple desserts. Apples are always available and they keep well. Quantity purchases are inexpensive and it is hard to find desserts that cost less than those made with apples.  I use Golden Delicious apples in almost all my apple desserts. They are sweet without being cloying and they manage to keep their shape as they cook. This is a homely dessert that I'm sure can be found in any Norwegian kitchen.  If I had done an exhaustive search, I suspect I would have found dozens more recipes for this cake, but I stopped because this one seemed very authentic and the directions were a bit old-fashioned. I liked this cake and will make it again. I think salt and a small amount of vanilla should be added to the ingredient list. I added them to the recipe below. My additions are in red. Here is the recipe.

Meatballs for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox had to bring a dish to an all-male get together this afternoon. I thought some all-male meatballs woulds be perfect for them and for me. As it happens, these meatballs, which are baked rather than fried, are easy to make and when napped with a flavorful gravy they are absolutely delicious. I sent them with sandwich rolls, but they are also great when paired with buttered noodles or creamy mashed potatoes. This is a straight foreward recipe that is quick to put together. The thing that sets this dish apart from others like it, is the wonderful onion gravy in which the meatballs are warmed. The recipe can be doubled to double or triple if you need to serve more than 12 people. I do hope you'll try this recipe. Here's how the meatballs and their gravy are made.

Ina's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made these for myself this weekend, because, as you know, butter cookies enriched with jelly and peanuts are just what you need after being sedentary for a month. I'm sure they moved directly to my hips, but not before I enjoyed every buttery morsel. These cookies are the adult version of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and while I can't promise for sure, I think they will make you feel like a kid again. The recipe for the cookies was developed by Ina Garten and while most folks who have made them like the cookies, others have found them to be dry and crumbly. I can't speak to what their problems might have been, but I can tell you we enjoyed the cookies and I would make them again. Because the bars are expensive to make, I want to share some tips with you. The measurement of flour can be tricky because of the way we scoop it. In a perfect world, we'd all weigh our flour and results would be consistent from one kitchen to another. That's not going to happen any time soon, so, I wanted to let those of you who decide to make these know how I measured mine. I have for years been a fluff, spoon and level gal and I suspect the quantity of flour that I use is a smidge less then that used by those who fluff and scoop. That distinction can sometimes be important and probably explains why some folks ended up with dry and crumbly cookie bars. It is equally important to let these sit for at least an hour before you cut them. This is the type of cookie that improves with age, so I made mine the day before I cut and served them. Our bars were very moist and we really enjoyed them. These are not an everyday cookie but if you are looking for an occasional treat, do give this recipe a try. Here is how the cookies are made.