Mac n' Pimento Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Several years ago, I used some leftover pimento cheese topping in a mac n' cheese I was making for a family lunch. The addition proved to be so popular, that it has become part of the recipe I use when I make the casserole for them. These days, whenever I make the pimento cheese I use as a topping, I double the recipe so I have enough to make our special mac n' cheese. My family prefers the creamy variety, so I serve ours directly from the pot. If you prefer a crustier, cheese topped mac n' cheese, you'll find directions for that in the recipe below. While any pimento cheese spread could be used in this recipe, I love the way my version is flavored. You can see my recipe HERE. I hope you'll give this version of mac n' cheese a try. It really is delicious. Here is how it's made.

Thomas Keller's Near Perfect Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I came across this recipe years ago. We had been gifted with gorgeous grassfed steaks and I wanted a simple salad to accompany them. I let my fingers do the walking, and while searching I came across The Paupered Chef, a blog that has since become inactive. They were featuring a salad and dressing that was included in Thomas Keller's book Bouchon. With a pedigree like that, I knew my steaks would be in good company, so the salad and dressing became part of our meal. With just 3 ingredients, the dressing is the epitome of simplicity, though I must admit I mix it up a bit and use 2 parts canola oil to 1 part extra virgin olive oil to add some additional flavor. You'll notice that the dressing has no salt, sugar or herbs added to it. That's because Keller adds them to his salads rather than their dressing. This is a creamy sauce that flows easily and coats a spoon. It is not thick, and for that reason it is important to add only a third of the oil to the blender. Adding more at that time would turn the emulsion into a thick mayonnaise that cannot be poured. It's thought that Keller uses canola oil because it is bland and does not interfere with other flavors. I think most of you will enjoy the freshness of this dressing, but do remember it is unseasoned and you are expected to season the greens before tossing the salad. Do give this a try. It will keep for 2-1/2 weeks in the refrigerator, and should it separate, simply give it another whirl in the blender. Here is how the dressing and Keller's Bibb lettuce salad are made.

Julia's Potato Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been at least thirty years since I made these pancakes. My children loved potato pancakes, and while they were still at home we sampled versions made in various countries around the world. I was taken aback when I found a recipe for them in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As you might suspect, her version was a bit more complicated than most, but I'll try almost anything once, so they ended up on my table. As it turned out, my family really liked them, and, for a period of time, hers were our pancake of choice. As often happens with foods that we enjoy, but have so often we tire of them, Julia's recipe was retired when our last child went off to school. I've been going through magazines and cookbooks selecting those that will be donated and given a new home at our library's next used book sale. When I came to MAFC I stopped what I was doing and began to page through its well-worn pages. I came to the potato pancake recipe and knew they would be part of our dinner tonight. You must be forewarned, these are not a dieter's delight. If you are watching your weight, run to the nearest exit. If you allow yourself to fall from grace occasionally, do give these pancakes a try. I have a few cautions to share with you. You'll be much happier with the pancakes if you grate the potatoes on a box grater rather than in a food processor. I've altered the recipe to include carrots along with the potatoes. If you prefer not to use them, simply add another cup of potatoes to the mixture and you'll be fine. Prior to cooking, taste the batter carefully for a final addition of salt and pepper, and, as with all pancakes, do not attempt to turn them until they have browned at the edges. As it turned out, the potato pancakes ended up being dinner rather part of it. I poached eggs to put on top of them, and along with a salad, the pancakes made a great light supper. I'm always surprised by how few of Julia's early recipes are actually on the internet. I was not able to find this elsewhere, so I thought you might want to add it as a footnote to your collection of her recipes. Here is how her potato pancakes are made.

Quinoa Spring Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've only recently begun to experiment with the grains that have become popular in restaurants and are featured on some of the more health oriented blog sites. Quinoa, usually in salad form, appears on the menus of most restaurants in my area. We've had a week of heavy, high caloric eating, and I thought today would be a good day to begin to work with some recipes for quinoa salads I've been saving. To be honest, I chose this one as ground zero because I had all of the ingredients on hand. The salad is simple to assemble, and I'm delighted to tell you that the Silver Fox, a committed carnivore, actually ate and liked it. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and made no changes to there ingredients list. If you like salads with a hint of lemon lurking in the background, I know you will like this one. It is easy and inexpensive to make and I've added it to my semi-permanent recipe rotation. Do give it a try. Here is how it's made.

Curried Lentil Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I stumbled on this recipe and have kept it close at hand since I first tried this rice and lentil combination. I am not a vegetarian, but with each passing year I find that I eat less and less meat. Dishes like this one make it possible to alter long term eating habits. It takes less than 15 minutes to make this dish and it is surprisingly tasty. I am not a brand ambassador for Patak products, nor have I received any remuneration for this post. It's just that I've found their curry paste works best when making this dish. They have two types, a mild and a hot. Regular readers of One Perfect Bite know that I am not a fire eater and prefer to keep the heat in my dishes to a minimum. The Patak's Mild Curry Paste works well for my purposes, but if you are a dragon and like to breathe fire, try their hot paste instead. The original recipe called for canned lentils, and they are fine if you can find them at the market. If not, you can use your own and the results will be the same. This dish works well as a side or a main dish. It is especially good with plain grilled meat or chicken and that makes it possible for those in mixed marriages, the ones where vegetarians have married carnivores, to sit at the same table and share a meal together. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how this rice and lentil dish is made.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves Brussels sprouts and each Thanksgiving I try to find a new way to prepare them for him. Tonight's feature is this year's attempt to tickle his palate and expand my recipe collection. They are not difficult to prepare and they are very tasty - as you would expect anything that uses a half pound of bacon to be. He loved them, but he made an unusual request. This year, he'd like his sprouts to be simply steamed and served only with butter. I'm more than happy to comply, despite this lovely recipe. My delight is of course based on the fact the the steamed sprouts can go from the pot to the table without last minute fussing or an extra pan. Space in our retirement kitchen is limited and anything that can be prepared with using extra pans is a clear winner in my universe. However, for those who have the space and a bit of kitchen help these sprouts are a winner. Here is how they are made.

Fruit Salad with Mixed Greens and Red Wine Vinaigrette

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Like many of you, the Thanksgiving salads of my childhood were sweet gelatinous affairs. My reaction to them was so negative, that once the kitchen became my domain, I refused to serve salad with our holiday meal. At one point, however, I became more aware of texture and began to search for salads that would add some crunch and color to an otherwise beige and soft meal. I have several of them now in my collection and I rotate them from one year to the next. This year I'm going to serve this apple and pear concoction with a red wine vinaigrette. It is very easy to make, and while the pears and apples must be sliced just before serving, it does not unduly burden the cook. If you are looking for a new salad to serve with this year's feast, you might want to give this one a try. Here is how it's made.

Chinese Pimento Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While on our last adventure, there came an evening when I promised the Silver Fox he would not have to eat rice for a month once we returned home. He was trying to negotiate a year, but I have standards and held my ground. The contract was for one rice free month. I want those who witnessed that negotiation to know I'm not reneging on my promise. This recipe was made, photographed and tested long before we left for the mountain kingdoms and I planned to use it while I caught my breath and life here returned to normal. Today was a catch my breath day kind of day and I thought it would be a great time to share this simple flavorful rice with you. While it is Chinese in origin, it is one of those ethnic dishes that go well with almost everything, particularly pork roasts and chops. The recipe needs no set up or explanation and I can unequivocally recommend the rice to you. Try it, you'll like it! Here is how it is made.

Chinese Pimento Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked rice
2 tablespoons pimento, diced
1 minced scallion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
1) Prepare rice per box instructions.
2) Add diced pimento, minced scallion, sugar, oil and soy sauce to rice. Mix well to blend and heat through. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

                    

                                      Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                    Two Years Ago Today:

                 Chili Garlic Mushrooms                                                  Glazed Cranberry Scones

              Three Years Ago Today:                                                    Four Years Ago Today: 

         Pumpkin Refrigerator Cheese Cake                                        Buttermilk Squash Curry

Honey and Soy Glazed Carrots

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I rarely eat sweetened or glazed vegetables, but with the holidays coming, I thought it prudent to test at least a few recipes of this type to use as potential fillers for our holiday table. I also had promised to share a low-cost holiday dish with a group whose meetings I occasionally sit in on, and these carrots allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. The group, originally sponsored by a local church, has become more informal over the eight years since it was formed, but the gals still get together 3 or 4 times a year to share low-cost recipes and cooking techniques. I thought this inexpensive side dish would break the unremitting beige of the Thanksgiving holiday table and add some much needed color without breaking the bank. The source recipe for my version of these carrots came from Food and Wine magazine. I liked the ingredients they were using, but thought the dish ended up being too salty for my taste. I played with the recipe a bit and came up with the version you see below. Tamari is a thicker, lower salt version of soy sauce that is used in Japanese cooking. I find it more robust and use it to season dishes that require soy sauce for flavor. It is more expensive than regular soy sauce, so I've recommended low-sodium soy sauce for use by anyone for who has to watch their food budget. If you are looking for something fast, colorful and inexpensive you might want to give this recipe a try. Here is how the carrots are made.

Honey and Soy Glazed Carrots...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoons honey or real maple syrup

Instructions:
1) Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
2) Melt butter in a large skillet. Stir in carrots and Tamari and cook over high heat until carrots are browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Stir in honey and cook until carrots are glazed, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

                    

                                      Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                    Two Years Ago Today:

           Cream Cheese and Cherry Loaf Cake                                Menu for Week of 11-03-2013

              Three Years Ago Today:                                                    Four Years Ago Today: 

     Apple, Sage and Sausage Dressing                                      Poulet au Vinaigre de Romarin

Risotto Milanese

Photo Courtesy of The Cellar Door

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must be honest with you. I am not a fan of classically prepared risotto. When I make it for my family, I cook it until the rice grains show no trace of resistance and there is only a trace amount of liquid left in the bottom of the pan. My risotto of preference becomes a well-flavored pilaf and I am content. That, however, creates a problem when I entertain guests who know how the stuff should really be prepared. Food bloggers should not serve risotto that looks like pilaf, so, ego demands I cave and make the real thing, at least on these occasions when there are visitors at the table. This recently has become my recipe of choice. It was developed by Anne Burrell and it is the recipe I turn to when I have to make s "real" risotto. It makes a nice rice, but I'll have to ready myself for the "it's not done" protests of the Silver Fox and his scion. Here is how Anne's lovely rice is made.

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another salad designed to feed a crowd. Like the green bean salad that was featured yesterday, this one uses the rag-tag ends of summer produce to make a salad whose savory and sweet elements are combined to make an unusual salad that will be new to many. It's a personal favorite of mine. The combination of watermelon and crunchy cucumbers provides a sweetness and texture that I love. It takes about 15 minutes to make this almost effortless salad, but I do have one caution to share with you. Don't assemble this salad too far ahead of serving time. Think of this as a goop alert. For maximum flavor, all salad ingredients should be icy cold before they are combined, and if you want your salad to look as good as it tastes, don't let it sit for more than 2 hours once the ingredients have been combined. This is a dish that can be made by young cooks, so if you are lucky enough to have one eager to help in the kitchen let them chop away. This salad is always well received and, fortunately, I've never had to worry about handling leftovers. If you have never tried this salad I urge you to do so. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the flavor punch this unusual combination of ingredients packs. Here is how the salad is made.

Fresh Green Bean Salad for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...For many, this weekend marks the end of summer and the start of a new school year. When I was in grammar school this was an exciting time. I'd spend the weekend checking my pencil box to make sure it complied with regulations and carefully walk around the house with heavy socks over my new school shoes. The object was to break them in without scratching the leather, so that on the first day of school my appearance would be unblemished.  French braids would replace the wild mane of summer and a carefully chosen outfit that smelled store new was neatly hung and hooked over the door knob where it could be easily reached. Accessories on that first day of school would include color coordinated ribbons and socks, the fanciest barrettes my allowance could buy and, my pride and joy, a Lone Ranger lunch box that predated the unisex movement by decades. Years later, I'd watch my own children go through a similar ritual, all of us excited that the summer was coming to an end and almost grateful that routine would again direct our days. Labor Day weekend, then and now, was a busy time for us and while we'd have a barbecue it was not elaborate. I know that many of you will have company this weekend. I wanted to share some simple salad recipes with you. The recipes are scaled to feed a gang and take advantage of the rag-tag late summer produce that's now in markets. The first is a tasty bean salad that's paired with tomatoes and cheese and so colorful that it will please the eyes as well as the palate. It's super simple to make and it will feed 16. Here is how it is made.

Italian-Style Potato Wedges

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We're still at the lake, and since this our last night with friends, a special dinner seemed to be in order. The guys, who were suppose to be fishing, came back from ye old fishing hole with grass fed T-bone steaks instead of salmon. I can't help but wonder what kind of bait they used. At any rate, since the steaks would be grilled, that left the TWO burner range and small oven for preparation of what was suppose to be a special meal. These potatoes wedges are perfect to serve with plain grilled meat or poultry and they are simple to make. The potatoes, along with fresh sweet corn and a Caesar salad, could all be prepared in the small kitchen without straining the kitchen or the cooks and left time enough to make a blackberry shortcake for dessert. It was a lovely meal and the company was great, but now that the smoke is clearing from the valley, it is time for us to head home with grateful thoughts of friends who took in orphans of the storm. I do hope you'll give these gutsy potatoes a try. The recipe comes from a blog called Creme de la Crumb, which you can find here. I think you'll love them for their flavor and ease of preparation. They are especially good when served with a remoulade or green goddess-type dressing for dipping. Here is how they are made.

Potato Curry

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I stumbled on this recipe several months ago while looking for vegan dishes I could serve to a visiting friend. The recipe was created by Jennifer Harmon and I found this potato curry on her blog Peppers and Peaches. We have had it several times since then, and while he will not eat it as a main course, even the Silver Fox likes it as a side dish when it is served with plain grilled meat or poultry. The dish is easy to make and relatively inexpensive to prepare, so it is great to serve on a busy day or those times when the numbers at your table expand without warning and you need to extend a small entree with a hearty side dish. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare the ingredients for the curry and another 20 to 25 minutes for it to cook, so you can have it on the table within 30 minutes. The dish pulls elements from the Thai Mussaman curry and an Indian potato and pea curry that is called Aloo Matar. The coconut milk adds a smooth and lovely richness to the dish that makes it seem far more extravagant than it actually is. Chances are you'll have some extra sauce left over even if you use the full compliment of potatoes. I save it and serve it over rice noodles the following day, so nothing goes to waste. Those of you who try this will be both pleased and surprised. The potatoes are delicious and may even become a favorite of yours. Here is how this vegan and gluten-free dish is made.

Zucchini Corn Cakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've carefully controlled my purchases at farm stands and green markets this summer. Last year, our farm share was too large for the two of us, and it led to waste, with much of the produce becoming fodder for the compost pile. This year, I've been very careful. Sensible planning, coupled with the reality of a smaller refrigerator have made it easier to keep purchases under control. I no longer buy flats of berries or lugs of tomatoes, and I generally limit myself to what we can consume within a week. I do get thrown off balance every now and then, usually because friends who still garden remember me from the days when I was feeding the immediate world. I ended up with 4 pounds of zucchini this weekend because of gifts we received from friends who like to share the bounty of their gardens. So, I spent today making pickles, quick bread and these lovely zucchini corn cakes. The pancakes are one of my favorite ways to use zucchini. I serve these as a side dish for the Silver Fox, but when he is traveling they serve as a main course for me. They are packed with flavor and quite easy and inexpensive to make. The recipe is straightforward and I do hope those of you who are dealing with extra zucchini will give it a try. Here is how these tasty cakes are made.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...About five days into a family visit, my refrigerator starts to look overstuffed and leftovers in small portions develop an attitude as they claim real estate needed by other things. I have dabs of gravy, mounds of rice and, best of all, mashed potatoes that are ready to erupt as those from Sunday meet those from Tuesday and have no where to go. Fortunately, the younger members of the family are better with leftovers than their parents, who I am ashamed to say I raised. When it comes to leftovers, I've found that breakfast is the best time to use them. To that end, we've had fried rice and sausage with gravy and, of course, pancakes made with those ever growing mounds of potatoes. Tonight's feature is neither a glamorous or gourmet offering, but it is a fine way to use up pesky potatoes and the kids can help prepare them. There are no tricks to making these pancakes, but I have one hint that I want to share with you. Make sure the downside has crusted before you attempt to turn them. They will fall apart if you rush this step. The kids who eat eggs like to have them on top of the pancakes and while the original recipe calls for sour cream, I serve them with  applesauce for the anti-egg crew. If you end up with a quantity of leftover potatoes, you might want to give this recipe a try. Here is how the pancakes are made.

Crunchy Classic Coleslaw

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a delicious old-fashioned coleslaw that is quite easy to make. My recipe is inspired by one I found on Leite's Culinara and while I've made a few changes to the original recipe, I've left their version basically intact. While I have replace freshly shredded cabbage with a finely cut bagged variety and mixed it with shredded lettuce to vary the texture a bit, the buttermilk dressing, which makes this slaw a standout, has not been changed. To keep it from becoming waterlogged, I add the shredded lettuce to slaw just before it is served. This is a wonderful addition to a barbecue or picnic and I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the slaw is made.

Lettuce Slaw - Like Roy Rogers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Years ago, Roy Rogers, now defunct, was a popular fast food franchise. I remember it only for the coleslaw it served with its barbecue sandwiches. The slaw was different than most, because it was made with chopped lettuce, rather than cabbage, and it was less acidic than that served by other fast food chains. I can't tell you that tonight's feature is a "copykat" recipe. I've never been able to find a version of the original on the internet, so I've had to create my own from taste memory and lots of trial and error. I keep this slaw at a bare bones level and use only lettuce and cabbage in its construction. If you are so inclined, chopped carrots or sweet peppers could also be added to the mix, and if you like a wet slaw you might want to double the dressing ingredients included with the recipe below.  Because the slaw is lettuce based, it will brown if it sits for too long a time before serving. I generally mix and chill the slaw about 2 hours before it will be needed. That gives the flavors time to meld, but the lettuce will retain its color and remain crisp. This nice slaw is similar to the one that was served at the Roy Rogers restaurant chains. Here is how my version of their old standby is made.

Mixed Rice with Celery and Dried Cherries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are looking for a new side dish to serve with plain roast meat or chicken, you might want to keep this recipe in mind. It comes from Saveur magazine and I think you'll find it has the potential to be a nice addition to your table. While I'm posting the recipe exactly as it appeared in the magazine, I have several suggestions that I think will make a nice recipe into something really special. With that in mind, use the directions that come with your rice mix rather than those in the recipe below. I'd also like to suggest you make the rice base  the day before you plan to serve it. I really like the way the flavors meld in this rice, but I found that cooking the rice as instructed will produce a damp and gummy product. The next time I make this, I'm going to use the same technique that I use for making fried rice. I'm confident that it will produces a more toothsome and enjoyable version of this dish. I hope you'll keep this recipe in mind. It really has the potential to be something special. Here is how the original version of this rice is made.

Hungarian-Style Red Pepper Bisque

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love soups that are made with roasted red or yellow peppers. They are a wonderful way to spruce up a sandwich lunch and they pack a flavor punch that is hard to beat. I don't make them often because the soups require a lot of peppers and the red and yellow varieties are usually quite expensive. Usually! I made an early stop at the grocers on Easter Sunday to buy greens for our holiday salad. While I was in the produce aisle I literally tripped over a large box of red peppers that were being sold 4 for a dollar. I grabbed a large bag and picked the best peppers in the box and took them home with me. The following day I roasted them for use in soup and kept the rest to use as part of antipasto platter. This is the easiest of my pepper soups to make and it is one that I really enjoy. I usually double the recipe when I make it and freeze the extra batch to serve on one of our gray and rainy days. I chose this recipe because we were going to have Welsh rarebit and the version I make is spooned over a seeded rye bread. I thought the paprika and caraway seed used in this Hungarian-style recipe would be a better match for the rarebit than a Spanish variety might. If you are skilled with a knife or have a food processor, you can have this soup on the table in less than an hour. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days, and it can be frozen for up to three months. The soup contains no cream and potatoes, rather than flour, are used to thicken it. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here is how the soup is made.