Archive for the ‘VMICA’ Tag

Velda’s Bruschetta   2 comments

Whoa.

It’s been nearly 3 years since I have posted a recipe on MowryJournal.com.

I’m sorry. Truly, truly sorry. Why? Because when I post a recipe, that means Velda’s been cooking. And when the Lady’s cooking, life is good.

Today is my birthday, and that makes me special enough that Velda decided to overcome a 3-year drought and cook something new. She even allowed me to take a picture or 3. So, without further ado, please consider Velda’s Bruschetta.

Some will disagree with how to say the name of this delight of an appetizer … but the Lady’s cooking, so she gets to tell us how to say it.

Say it with me now: [‘vel dəz bru’sket ə]

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Roma or very ripe tomato of choice
  • 2 – 3 tsp fresh minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 7 minced basil leaves
  • 1/2 small shallot, finely minced
  • salt to taste
  • Small, crusty sourdough baguette (you want 2″ rounds)

Directions

  1. Chop the tomatoes fine and drain in a colander.
  2. Place tomatoes in a large bowl.
  3. Mix all ingredients with tomatoes. Taste.
  4. Slice bread 1/4″ thick. Brush with butter or olive oil on both sides. Bake @ 375* 5-7 minutes until lightly toasted. Let cool.
  5. Top grilled bread with bruschetta mixture. Enjoy!

Posted July 15, 2018 by henrymowry in Recipes

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From The Shop: Just Like New   1 comment

Velda’s cutting board is nearly 2 years old … and it still looks just like new when it’s treated well. This is the 2nd resurfacing I have done on this board that gets daily, heavy use.

I spent 5 minutes sanding (only 5 minutes!) and then re-applied a few coats of mineral oil over 24 hours. As with all of my boards, Velda’s cutting board was then finished with a topcoat of Velda’s own Mrs M’s Board Butter, which is locally-harvested beeswax mixed with mineral oil.

Velda's Cutting Board. Goncalo Alves (Tigerwood), Black Walnut, Honey Locust, Jatoba & Cherry. Edge grain, and 2 years old as shown. 16" x 21" x 1-1/4".

Velda’s Cutting Board. Goncalo Alves (Tigerwood), Black Walnut, Honey Locust, Jatoba & Cherry. Edge grain, and 2 years old as shown. 16″ x 21″ x 1-1/4″.

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The Cutting Board (12/26/2013)

KNX’s Melinda Lee On Beeswax & Cutting Boards

Velda’s Spent Grain Burger Buns   1 comment

These buns made – my words – the perfect sandwich. I don’t use those words lightly in Velda’s kitchen, so, please, enjoy these buns!

Ingredients

  •  1 cup water, lukewarm
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbsp shortening
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp molasses or honey
  • 1 cup spent grain
  • 1 cup white flour
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp vital wheat gluten
  • 1 Tbsp yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten

Directions

  1. Combine melted shortening, butter, water, molasses and egg in a mixer bowl. Beat together, then add spent grain, white flour, vital wheat gluten, yeast and 1 cup of whole wheat flour. Mix.
  2. Add salt. Switch to dough hook, and add remaining whole wheat flour to form soft ball and knead for 10 minutes.
  3. Form into ball and let rise til double 75 to 90 minutes.
  4. Punch down and let rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Cut into 8 pieces. Roll each into smooth ball, then flatten to 3-4″ circle (should be about 1/2″ thick).
  6. Prepare baking sheet with non-stick spray and semolina. Place buns on baking sheet to rise til slightly puffy, about 15-20 minutes.
  7. Prepare oven to 375*. Brush tops with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle sesame seeds (or, King Arthur Flour Harvest Grains Blend makes a perfect topping!) on top.
  8. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is 198-200 degrees.

Posted August 19, 2015 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Fresh Strawberry Pie   Leave a comment

It’s a delicious summer treat!

The pie is “Fresh Strawberry Pie I” from Allrecipes.com submitted by Janice Papola. “Ruth’s Grandma’s Pie Crust” is also from Allrecipes.com, submitted by Barbara Castodio.

Pie Crust

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-3/4 cups shortening
  • 3 Tbsp white sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, shortening, sugar, and salt. Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
  2. In a small bowl, mix egg with water. Blend into flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
  3. Bake @ 425* for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 3x 9″ pie crusts.

Strawberry Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 (8″) pie shells, baked
  • 2-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
  2. Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position the largest, prettiest berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.
  3. Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Strawberry Pie

Posted June 25, 2015 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Sous Vide: Bourbon Glazed Tenderloin with Pea Pesto   Leave a comment

Here’s a collaborative meal delivered by MrsMowry and the Engineer. It seems like this cooking method is driven by the Engineer; he’s the one that provided the technology that enabled the crock pot to deliver the constant, low temperature necessary for this old, French cooking method.

Ingredients

For the Pork Tenderloin

  • 1-2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • salt & pepper, to taste

For the Bourbon Glaze

  • 1 cup bourbon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne chile powder
  • 1/4 tsp mustard powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the Pea Pesto

  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 cup packed fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 8-12 mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

To Assemble

  • Basil leaves
  • Carrot, cut into batons

Instructions

For the Pork Tenderloin

  1. At least 3 hours before serving, preheat a water bath to 140*.
  2. Mix together the spices in a bowl. Salt & pepper the pork then coat it with the spices.
  3. Place the pork in a sous vide bag and seal.
  4. Cook the pork for 3 to 6 hours.

For the Bourbon Glaze

  1. At least 40 minutes before serving, mix together all of the glaze ingredients in a pot.
  2. Place over medium high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  3. Cook for about 30 minutes, until it thickens. The glaze can be stored in the refrigerator overnight.

For the Pea Pesto

  1. At least 30 minutes before serving, put the peas, spinach, pecans, water, garlic and mint into a food processor or blender and process until well mixed.
  2. Add the olive oil and process until it is all incorporated.
  3. Stir in the parmesan cheese and season to taste.
  4. This is good to make in advance; the flavors do develop over time.

To Assemble

  1. Preheat a grill to high heat, or use the broiler in the oven.
  2. Remove the pork from the sous vide bag and pat dry.
  3. Brush the tenderloin with the glaze and sear it on one side for 2 minutes.
  4. Brush the glaze on the side facing up and turn the tenderloin.
  5. Repeat several times until it is coated with the glaze, cooking about 30 to 60 seconds per turn.
  6. Remove from the heat, brush once more wit the glaze, slice into 1″ rounds.
  7. Place a scoop of the pea puree on the plate. Add a round or two of the pork. Top with some of the bourbon glaze, carrot batons and the basil.

 

Posted June 6, 2015 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Velda’s Spent Grain Bread   Leave a comment

A great way to use your spent grain … you can also use room temperature beer as all or part of the liquid. This recipe has been good with a variety of flours and is lighter than many I’ve tried. And, it makes the best toast!

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup bread or all-purpose flour
  • 2-3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup spent grain
  • 1 Tablespoon instant yeast, or one package, bloomed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoon vital wheat gluten

Directions

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the water, butter and honey (this is if you’re using a stand mixer to mix it with the dough hook).
  2. When the dough comes away from the bowl without being too sticky, continue kneading with the dough hook until the dough ball is elastic and shiny, about 5-8 minutes.
  3. Transfer to an oil-coated bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a  warm place for about 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
  4. Shape into whatever shape you want – loaf, round, rolls – cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise about another 30-40 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, turn on the oven to 410*.
  6. When dough is ready, place in oven and immediately throw a large handful of ice into the bottom of the oven or pour hot water, 1/2 cup, into hot cast iron skillet in bottom of oven.
  7. Close the door immediately and turn oven down to 375 after a few minutes and bake for approximately 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaves or rolls.
  8. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Internal temp should be 200-205*.
  9. This bread will turn very brown and will have a chewy consistency when eaten. It will save for a couple of days in a sealed container, but will dry out quickly after that.
  10. You can use any combination of white or whole wheat flour. If use dark spent grains, substitute molasses or brown sugar for honey.

Posted June 5, 2015 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Chicken With Morels   6 comments

Ingredients

  • 1 oz morel mushrooms
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • plain flour for dredging
  • 1/4 cup clarified butter
  • 1/3 cup chopped shallot, about 2 large
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic, about 3 cloves
  • 1 cup Madeira wine
  • 1 cup (8 oz) creme fraiche of sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

  1. Soak dried morels for 30 minutes in 3 cups very hot water. If you are fortunate enough to have fresh morels, wash 3 or 4 of them and cut them in half.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375*.
  3. Lift the morels carefully from the hot water in order to leave any grit behind in the liquid. Rinse a few times to be sure all the grittiness is gone. Discard the liquid and dry the morels lightly with paper towels. Set aside.
  4. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour and shake off the excess.
  5. Heat half the clarified butter in a large saute pan and cook the chicken in two batches over medium-low heat until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to an ovenproof casserole.
  6. Add the rest of the clarified butter to the pan along with the shallots, drained morels and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing and stirring constantly.
  7. Pour the Madeira into the pan and reduce the liquid by half over high heat, 2 to 4 minutes.
  8. Add the creme fraiche, cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil until the mixture starts to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes.
  9. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 12 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through. To make ahead, refrigerate the chicken and sauce in the casserole and reheat slowly on top of the stove.

Source: The  Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

More

Hunting Mushrooms With Grandpa

Posted May 28, 2015 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Velda’s Kitchen: The Dark Side   5 comments

I’ve shouted from the rooftops about the quality of Velda’s cooking. She is a fabulous cook.

No food is safe from her.

Here is the love of my life celebrating Turkey Day in her own unique style.

But.

There’s a dark side.

Here’s a dialogue over our holiday weekend lunch, faithfully recorded for posterity. And you.

He said: The soup is, uh….

She said: I wish I could taste anything. I’m tired of this gunge. I haven’t been able to taste anything for 4 weeks.

He: Is this the last of this soup?

She: What do you mean? It was frozen.

He: It doesn’t have much texture. It’s like it was reheated.

She: No, it was frozen.

He: Oh. I’m happy for the onions that give it some crunch.

She: It has no meat in it. Do you have any ham?

He: I think so. But the pieces are really, really small.

She: I have no ham.

He: There’s a little piece. And there’s a little one.

She: No ham. But … here’s some chicken skin. How did that get in here?

He: Some what?

She: Chicken skin. See?

He: What are we eating? This isn’t some dog food or something that you froze and forgot about, is it?

She: No, this is ham and beans. I probably started it with some chicken stock.

He: Is it OK to eat?

She: Sure.

He: How did you know what it was? Was it labeled?

She: Well….

He: What?

She: It was labeled “French Bread Crumbs.”

He: WHAT?

She: That’s what the bag said. But it’s ham and beans.

He: Are you sure it’s OK to eat?

She: Of course.

He: So, there was a package labeled “French Bread Crumbs,” but it had ham and bean soup in it, but that soup had chicken skin in it. Is it safe to eat?

She: Sure. Maybe I used chicken stock.

He: Really?

She: Maybe I should label things better.

He: Ya think?

The lunch was filling, and the conversation was lively. That’s all I’ll commit to at this point.

 

Grandma Mowry’s Chocolate Pie   2 comments

From Left, Robert Mowry (my father), Juanita Boring Mowry (his mother, who gave us the recipe), Velda Chucalo Mowry (today's cook) and Christopher Mowry (her son). 1983. This isn't a photo of 4 generations ... because I was taking the photo.

From Left, Robert Mowry (my father), Juanita Boring Mowry (his mother, who gave us the recipe), Velda Chucalo Mowry (today’s cook) and Christopher Mowry (her son). 1983. This isn’t a photo of 4 generations … because I was taking the photo.

This is old-fashioned chocolatey goodness. This recipe was handed down from Juanita Boring Mowry, who never measured anything when she made this pie … she just poured the ingredients in her hand, and made it right. Every time. Velda convinced her to slow down long enough so she could transcribe the recipe.

You are welcome.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp Hershey’s Cocoa
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 cups Half & Half or Whole Milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pre-baked pie crust

Directions

Stir together cocoa, flour, salt and sugar in large sauce pan. Mix together Half & Half and egg yolk. Combine with dry ingredients.

Put over medium heat stirring constantly until bubbly and the mixture thickens. Take off heat. Add butter and vanilla. Stir until almost cool. Pour into crust.

Sit for several hours to thicken before cutting.

Top with whipped cream.

 

 

Posted December 28, 2014 by henrymowry in Recipes

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Everyone’s Favorite Sweet Potato Casserole   Leave a comment

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Not my best picture … but this is a *wonderful* side dish!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups sweet potato, cubed (4-5 large)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup Woodford Reserve Bourbon
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and bourbon. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  3. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

 

 

Posted December 21, 2014 by henrymowry in Recipes

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