THANKSGIVING AT THE BEACH

This Thanksgiving Guy and I are thankful for friends. Our sons and other family members all live too far away to have Thanksgiving dinner with us, but for the past two years, our friends, Dale and Ed, have invited us to share their Thanksgiving dinner at their beachfront home on Topsail Island, NC, about 1-1/2 hours from our home in New Bern. The weather, which had been unseasonably cold, decided to bless us with a glorious day filled with sunshine and balmy temperatures, a little above 60 degrees. Who could ask for anything more?

Dale's daughter, Pam and friend, Robert, and son, Curt, and wife, Dee, were also with us. Pam's friend, Carol, stopped in for a while, too. As usual, we goofed by not taking enough photos, especially of the group. But at least we have some. Pam has a 4-month old Min-Pin (miniature Dobermann Pinscher), "Mr. Big." I said he's part kangaroo (because he hops), part Chihuahua (because of his big ears) and part pinscher because of his body lines. A real cutie, he's loaded with energy and he reminded me of why I no longer want to commit to a pet.

Dale only asked me to bring a pumpkin pie, as she was loaded with
food. Pam and Robert both hail from Washington, DC; and Curt and Dee live in Ohio, so everyone was staying at the beach house, except us, of course. Since it's Dale and Ed's second home, this was a casual get-together, my favorite kind. No fuss, no muss.

Dale cooked most of the meal, and she is a seasoned, experienced cook. Since Robert is a sous chef (in addition to his regular full-time job which requires him to travel constantly), he decided to make biscuits which were to die for. I didn't want to know what was in them -- they were too good. Dale's turkey was cooked to perfection, moist, tender and very flavorful. Dressing, gravy, roasted veggies, sweet potatoes with cranberries and pecans, marinated asparagus, onion-cheese casserole and cranberry sauce rounded out the meal. But that wasn't enough. Dale also made plum pudding -- a tradition in her family. I had never tasted plum pudding and was anxious to try it. She made hard sauce and warm lemon sauce to go with the pudding; and I tried both. Two thumbs up, way up for plum pudding. By the time we got to the pumpkin pie, no one had any room, but we stuffed down a sliver. I'll post my recipe asap. It's Cook's Illustrated, and the crust is amazing. The filling was just ok for me, I was disappointed, actually.

Robert's sister makes specialty marmalades and jams, and he gave everyone a jar to take home and try. I picked the Tangerine Marmalade, and can't wait to try it. Robert opened a jar of Blood Orange Marmalade and served it with his yummy biscuits. It was delicious -- we all raved over it.

Thanks, Curt, for carving the turkey -- good job.

Thanks, Dale for a great meal and good company.

Thanks, Robert for the marmalade and those great biscuits.

Thanks, Ed and Dee, just for being there and sharing the holiday with us.

Thanks, Pam, for bringing Mr. Big to entertain us.

We had a great Thanksgiving, and didn't feel so "orphaned," thanks to great friends and their wonderful family.

CORN & ONION BUTTERMILK MUFFINS

Here is a wonderfully moist and flavorful corn muffin recipe. I used Basic Corn Muffins, on allrecipes.com as my base recipe, and adapted it. The addition of onions and applesauce and the subbing of buttermilk for milk makes all the difference in these delicious muffins. But the whole-grain stone-ground cornmeal also adds flavor. Whole-grain cornmeal can be hard to find, and you will have to read labels, but it's, oh, so worth it. (Most of the cornmeal in grocery stores is degerminated, so read package ingredients carefully.)
According to what I read and hear, corn bread and corn muffins are best when baked in iron pans or molds. I've never invested in them, but wish I had, because I do love a good corn muffin. That being said, if you're like me with just regular old muffin tins, you'll be very happy with this recipe.

Corn & Onion Buttermilk Muffins
Adapted from Basic Corn Muffins, allrecipes.com
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. Smart Balance butter spread, or butter or oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners. (I used non-stick cooking spray.) Melt butter in 8" skillet and add onion. Cook over medium-low heat till onions are transparent, about 4-5 minutes; remove from heat and cool slightly.
Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk; set aside.
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl, mixing well. In smaller bowl, whisk egg, oil and applesauce till well combined. Add buttermilk mixture, whisking again till well combined. Stir in onions and dry ingredients with spatula, and only mix till barely combined, leaving lumps, if any.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup batter for each. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs.
(Note: Baking times are merely guides. You must carefully watch the muffins for signs of doneness. They could be done before 15 minutes, especially if your oven runs hot. There's nothing worse than a dry corn muffin.)

SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS WITH GRITS

This recipe is a spin-off of one I found on epicurious.com, where it's rated 4 forks (highest rating). The original recipe is served at Slightly North of Broad Restaurant on East Bay Street in Charleston, SC, and they call it "Maverick Grits." I adapted it for the ingredients I had on hand, meaning that the chorizo was left out and the fresh tomatoes were replaced by canned diced tomatoes. I thought the grits would taste good cooked in chicken broth instead of water, and they did; but if I make this again, I'll use water and cream as the recipe calls for to get a milder, creamier taste that I think will perfectly complement the tomato base. I really liked this dish and will make it again. Another note: while stone-ground grits take forever to cook, they are so worth it. Using instant or quick-cooking varieties is not an option for me.

Shrimp and Scallops with Grits

Adapted from Maverick Grits, Slightly North of Broad, Charleston, SC and epicurious.com

Rating: 8 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:

For Grits: 1 cup water

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1-1/2 tsp. unsalted butter, divided use

1/4 cup stone-ground grits

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

For Seafood Sauce: 1/4 cup chopped ham

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided use

4 medium sea scallops

6 large shrimp

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp. sliced scallions

1/4 tsp. finely chopped or grated garlic

pinch of cajun seasoning, such as Emeril's essence

2 Tbsp. water

Bring water, salt and 1/2 tsp. butter to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan. Add grits. Cook at a bare simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until grits are tender and thick, about 1 hour. Stir in cream and remaining teaspoon butter and remove from heat.

Make topping 15 minutes before grits are done: Cook ham in 1-1/2 tsp. butter in a 9" heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until ham is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer ham to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add 1/2 tsp. butter to skillet and heat until foam subsides. Cook scallops until golden on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with ham. Add remaining 1/2 tsp. butter to skillet and cook shrimp, turning, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in ham, scallops and remaining 1/2 tsp. butter, and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits in skillet, until heated through, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topping over grits. Yield: 1-1/2 servings (Original recipe serves 4 generously.)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EXPERIMENT #2: CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS WITH COCONUT FLOUR

For the second batch of coconut flour chocolate chippers, I wanted to see if I could get more of a cookie texture. So I used the Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, upped the flours, eliminated the extra egg yolk, cut the milk to 3 Tbsp. and just slightly upped the sugar. These are more of a cookie texture, but they're still very big and fat, and they're wonderful! I baked these at 350F, instead of 375F, and I think that contributed to a better texture also, although they don't brown quite as much. There are some men around here who are clamoring for more. If I use all the coconut flour to make nothing but these chocolate chippers, they will be quite happy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Experiment #2: Chocolate Chippers with Coconut Flour
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick (4 oz.) Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, melted, cooled
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar (I used 2 tsp. Stevia)
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. coffee brandy or strong coffee
3 Tbsp. milk (I used fat-free H&H)
1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
heaping 1/4 tsp. baking soda
heaping 1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used 20 Hershey Blisses, chopped)
1/3 cup toasted broken walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, beat the sugars with the somewhat cooled butter till well combined. Use a whisk, not an electric mixer. Mixing cookies by hand makes a better cookie. Add the egg and whisk again till well combined. Stir in flavorings and milk. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, chips and nuts and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir with a spatula till you can't see flour any more. Using an ice cream scoop (about 1/4 cup), drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing several inches apart.




















Bake for 12-15 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cookies will be soft and will not be browned, but take them out any way and let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Yield: 11 big fat cookies

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EXPERIMENT #1 -- CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS WITH COCONUT FLOUR

On our last trip to New Jersey, I bought some Bob's Red Mill organic coconut flour. And now I have to find ways to use it. The idea of adding fiber to my baked goods interested me since I'm always trying to come up with ways to make sweets more healthful. So I thought I'd start experimenting with chocolate chip cookies. I worked off of the Cook's Illustrated Chewy and Thick Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I made the cookies oversized -- about 4 oz. of dough for each, and they didn't spread. They came out scone-like, kind of like the Levain copycat cookies. And that's after I squashed the dough down with a fork. You can't stop these guys from rising. I like these about as much as I like the Levains, although they're not crispy on the edges. Instead, they're more like a -- well, scone, like I said. I think I accidentally made a chocolate-chip scone. And did I say I like them? I like them a lot. You might not want to invest in coconut flour, but you should know that it's very good for you: high in fiber and protein, it's also gluten free. It can be used in smoothies; and you should also know that the coconut flour is so mild, it's hardly detectable. That's because it's made from coconut that first has the oil extracted out. Since most of the coconut flavor is in the oil, the remaining "flour" is almost tasteless. We all need to find ways to eat healthier, so consider joining me in my coconut flour experiments. There will be more coming. But back to these cookies -- ahem -- they're all gone -- didn't last long at all.

Chocolate Chippers with Coconut Flour (Experiment #1)
Rating: 9 out of 10
INGREDIENTS:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, cooled
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar (I used 1-1/2 tsp. Stevia)
1 large egg + 1 large yolk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. coffee brandy or strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup milk
1-1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
heaping 1/4 tsp. baking soda
heaping 1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used 20 Hershey Blisses, chopped)
1/3 cup toasted broken walnuts

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat the sugar into the somewhat cooled butter till well combined. You can use a wire whisk for this. There is no need to get out your mixmaster, because the best cookies are made by hand, not by machine. Add the egg & yolk and continue to beat well for a minute or two. You need some exercise anyway, right? Now stir in the flavorings and milk. Combine the dry ingredients, chips and nuts in a separate bowl and mix them together well. Add them to the dry ingredients and mix lightly with a spatula till you can't see flour any more. But don't overmix, please.
Using an ice cream scoop (about 1/4 cup), drop balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. They won't seem done, but let the toothpick be your guide, because these are best when they are just a tad underdone, just like a scone, which is what they're like. Yield: 10 big fat cookies (or scones)
P. S. If you can't find organic coconut flour in your local stores, you can purchase it through Amazon using this link: Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour.

A NEW AND INTERESTING BLOG

Are you interested in dry-aging beef? My hubby is, and he's been researching it. I did some of my own research on dry aging and, in the process, came across a great blog, The Alcoholian. There are some great recipes on the site, and it's quite unique. I'm adding a link to this blog so others can find it when they visit me, and I'll be surfing over there myself often. You won't find a lot of desserts, but you will find some very nice recipes and techniques.

SIMPLE RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

This is a very simple, easy vinaigrette that goes especially well with a spinach salad, but could also be used for any greens. If you have any fresh or frozen raspberries to throw on top, it would be even better -- but don't worry, it's fine without them.

Simple Raspberry Vinaigrette

Source: Judy's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
3 Tbsp. raspberry balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (use the good stuff for this)
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Microwave the jam in a small microwaveable dish, just till barely heated, about 10 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and whisk well till smooth. If you have any frozen or fresh raspberries to throw on top, great. If not, don't worry, this dressing is fine by itself. Refrigerate leftover vinaigrette and bring to room temperature before using.