Possibilities of Polenta -- Polenta Spoons with Caramelized Mushrooms

     Taste of Home’s 2011 Christmas Cookbook arrived in the mail this last week. Since I had not placed an order, I was suspicious! Consequently, I carefully opened the letter that was stuck on the box and discovered that it wasn’t a gimmick after all, but a complimentary copy! Seems that my recipe was selected from inclusion and this was my “prize”.

     Frankly, I didn’t even remember submitting a recipe so I searched my trusty computer files. Yes, I had sent a recipe on May 18^th.

     The final version of the recipe in the book (p. 7 with a photo on both that page and on p. 5) is titled, Polentna Mushroom Appetizers. Below is the actual recipe I submitted for consideration.

     Last year’s entry was Mini Cheese Balls. Both editions of the book are filled with easy-to-make recipes that use ordinary ingredients; the books also offers some unique ideas for presentation.

Recipe Title: Polenta Spoons with Caramelized Mushrooms  

Recipe Description: Spoons are a trendy way to serve hor d’ oeuvres and I came up with this recipe for an upscale cocktail party that I was catering. I’ve also varied the recipe—Baked Polenta w/ Caramelized Mushrooms becomes a first course plated appetizer. Serve the basic recipe as a vegetarian entrée or as an accompaniment to grilled steak. Both recipe variations are included below.

Ingredients:

Polenta

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup polenta  (coarse-ground cornmeal)

1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced

Finely ground salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 to 2 tablespoons dry white wine, optional

Directions:

Polenta:  Cook the polenta: In a medium-size heavy pot, over high heat, bring the milk, stock, and salt to a boil. Add the polenta gradually, whisking constantly. 

When the mixture thickens, switch to a wooden spoon and adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick, smooth, and creamy, about 15 minutes; the polenta will also begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Add the Parmesan and stir. Keep the polenta warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the polenta gets dry as it sits, stir in about additional stock or milk.


Mushrooms: In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sprinkle in the mushrooms in a single layer. Don't stir them! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them once and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to cook without stirring for about 5 minutes or until moisture is absorbed. Add the butter and cook until it begins to brown, then add the garlic and thyme and cook just until the garlic begins to soften. Add the lemon juice and wine and cook until the liquid evaporates.

TO assemble & SERVE:  Place or pipe about 1 tablespoon of warm polenta onto a soup or tablespoon. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the mushroom on top of the polenta. Arrange spoons on a tray and garnish with additional grated Parmesan and thyme leaves if desired.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 40 to 50 spoons.

Variations:

For a first course, plated appetizer . . . with make ahead polenta shapes: Prepare polenta ahead following directions above. Press the polenta into a small parchment paper-lined pan, to the desired thickness and chill in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Remove polenta from pan and cut into triangles, squares or use a cookie cup shape of your choice. Arrange them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool.  Top with caramelized mushroom before serving and arrange on serving trays.

For an entrée or side dish serving: Spoon creamy polenta onto a serving plate, top with a generous spoonful of caramelized mushrooms and top with 1 or 2 slices of crisp bacon.

Terri’s Prize Winning “Sugar & Spice” Gingersnaps

     After baking a batch of these cookies last night, the sweet smell of sugar and spice is still lingering in the air! Autumn weather means pulling out recipes that remind me of the season. And, it just wouldn’t be fall without Terri Switer Heitschmidt‘s cookies.   
    Her prize winning recipe has quite a history. While a student at Abilene Middle School, she entered her Gingersnaps in a cookie contest through Seventeen magazine. They won 2^nd prize; she was awarded $50.00 and the recipe was included in the magazine’s Christmas edition. The Abilene Reflector-Chronicle announced her accomplishment and included the winning recipe in the paper.

     Every year my catering students at Abilene High School made her Gingersnaps for the Honor Society induction. Later I made “umpteen” batches when I was the catering manager for the Kirby House Restaurant. Terri also allowed me to include the recipe in The Kirby House Cookbook.

     Old habits are hard to break. When I taught school and during my years of catering, I would adapt recipes so that I could make them in steps or stages. We’d make cookie dough one day, refrigerate it overnight and then bake the cookies the next day. Even though I now have time to complete all of the steps in one afternoon, yesterday I still intended to divide the tasks over a two day period. However, I could not overcome the temptation to bake part of the dough immediately . . . so we had warm ginger cookies and slices of crisp apple slices for dessert last night . . . it was pure bliss! 

Molasses Tip: To avoid a sticky
mess in my cabinets, I store the
bottle of molasses in a plastic bag.

Gingersnaps     Yield:  about 4 to 5 dozen cookies

3/4 cup shortening (Crisco®)

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup molasses (I prefer dark or full-flavor)

1 large egg

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

About ¼ cup  granulated sugar for rolling

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.  Grease or spray (with pan release) cookie sheets (or line cookie sheets with parchment paper).

2.  Cream together (using an electric mixer) the first 4 ingredients—shortening, brown sugar, molasses, egg. 

3.  Add dry ingredients to molasses mixture and blend—flour, soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves. At this point I often cover the mixed dough and refrigerate. When ready to bake, I let the dough come to room temperature.

4.  Form into small balls  -- I use a cookie dipper. Roll in granulated sugar.

5.  Place 2” apart on prepared cookie sheet. 

      Using my fingers, I flatten them just slightly.

6.  Bake about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake! Additional sugar may also be sprinkled on the warm cookies.

Lentil Stoup (somewhere between a stew and a soup)

     According to Cuisine a tHome magazine (Issue 83, October 2010), “These humble, little legumes have been around for nearly 10,000 years for a reason — they’re not only good but good-for-you!

     Lentils are literally nutritional powerhouses – full of protein, fiber, and a good source of vitamins and minerals (see Lentil Lore that follows the recipe).

    They fall into the category of food called “Pulses”, which includes dried beans and peas as well. Available in several varieties (Lot of Lentils below), lentils are thin-skinned and therefore require no presoaking like other dried beans and peas.

     Because lentils swell to nearly three times their original volume, generally a 3:1 liquid to lentil ratio is used. Like their cousins, lentils should be simmered in unsalted liquids (salt toughens their skins preventing softening).

     Lentils are often an addition to soups and stews as in the recipe that follows. However, they may be cooked separately and then stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Lentil & Vegetable-Barley Stoup (somewhere between a stew & a soup)    Makes 4 serving

1 tablespoon+ olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

6 to 8 cups chicken broth  – start with 4 cups and add more as the stoup cooks (or use vegetable broth for a truly vegetarian version)

¾ to 1 cup dry brown lentils

¼ cup dry pearl barley*

1 tablespoon+ Roasted Chili, Cumin & Garlic Blend (if you can’t find this blend, just use a combination of these individual spices)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional

Pinch salt

1.  In a saucepan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onions. Sauté for about 1 minute and add celery and carrots. Sauté for about 2 minutes.

2.  Add broth, lentils, barley, spice blend and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cooking the stoup for 40 minutes to an hour—until the lentils are softened and barley is expanded and soft and the stew is thick (add more broth if it gets too thick).

3.  Add salt near the end of the cooking period as needed.

Variations:  Add sliced mushrooms or peppers (or other vegetables of your choice); sauté them with the other veggies.

Nutrition Per Serving: Total calories: 319; 
Protein: 18 g; 
Carbohydrates: 45 g; 
Fat: 8 g/ Calories from fat: 24%/ Saturated fat: 3g/ Cholesterol: 12 mg.; Sodium: 525 mg.;
 Fiber: 19 g


*Types of Barley:  Hulled barley is the most nutritious, since only the tough outer hulls are polished off. Pearl barley is polished some more, so that the outer bran layer is also scrubbed off. It's a little less nutritious, but more popular since it's not as chewy as hulled barley and it cooks faster.  Quick-cooking or rolled barley flakes are steamed and then rolled so they cook even faster and may be used in place of oatmeal.

Lots of Lentils

·   Brown:  Usually found in most grocery stores, this is the most common variety and, quite inexpensive. Their tougher skins require 30 to 45 minutes cooking to soften; they retain their shape as they cook.

·   Green or Lentils du Puy: French green lentils are smaller and rounder than brown lentils; they contain less starch than other varieties so they’re firmer when cooked.

·   Red: Referred to as Red Chief or simply red, they are actually more salmon-colored. These lentils are split, so they cook very quickly – in just 10 to 15 minutes, but they don’t hold their shape, making their ideal for puréed soups.

·   Golden: Rounder in shape than the others, this variety holds up to cooking if not  overcooked – just 25 minutes at the most.

Lentil Lore – Nutritional Benefits

·  Made up of 25% protein, lentils have one of the highest protein contents of any vegetable, other than soybeans.

·   Lentils are cholesterol free, virtually fat free, and are low in calories – a cup of cooked lentils weights in at just 210 calories.

·   Like all beans, lentils are a very good source of dietary fiber — 1 cup cooked lentils contain 16 grams of fiber, nearly two-thirds of the 25 grams women need daily. The fiber helps fight the battle of the bulge by making you feel fuller longer. Fiber also helps regulate blood-sugar levels after meals.

·  Lentils are a good source of iron, which helps increase energy. When served with foods rich in vitamin C, that iron is absorbed more easily and efficiently.

·   An excellent source of folate (an essential nutrient, especially important for women of child-bearing age), lentils contain more naturally occurring folate than any other non-fortified food. One cup of cooked lentils provides 90% of the RDA of folic acid. Since human bodies don’t naturally make folate, it must come for food or nutritional supplements.

Information adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine (Issue 83, October 2010).

Savory Appetizer -- Blue Cheese, Bacon & Onion Cheesecake

     Created by The Culinary Center of Kansas City, this is one of their "best" recipes. On CCKC's blog and in  their cookbook, “Best Recipes", they state, "This recipe blow’s ‘em away every time. It is rich and sinful and guests can’t get enough of it. We serve it often at catered special events and have received so many requests for this dish that we now offer the recipe for your own collection. They freeze well, too! You can’t go wrong with this one."

     The recipe is made in a large (10") springform pan so it feeds a crowd. However, once you cut into a large cheesecake, it immediately begins to have a somewhat "messy" appearance. When I was catering, I purchased small springform pans and would divide the mixture among four 4.5" pans. That way, as guests finish one cheesecake, a fresh one can be exchanged. 

     And, for small dinner parties, I simply cut the recipe in fourth and fill one small springform pan.
     Serving: Provide crackers and a spreader and let guests dive in. Or, I've also cut it into wedges, plated it (with a few crackers) and served it at the table as a first course.

Blue Cheese, Bacon & Onion Cheesecake     Makes 20 to 25 servings. 

Crust

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

2 pounds cream cheese, softened

4 eggs

1/2 cup cream

1/2 pound bacon, cooked & crumbled

1 onion, diced & sautéed in 2 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 to 4 drops hot pepper sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (green onions), for garnish, or use chopped chives

1.  Preheat oven to 325°. 

2.  For the crusts, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a 10” springform pan.

I use the bottom of a glass to press the crumbs into the pan.

3.  For the filling — In a large bowl thoroughly mix cream cheese, eggs and cream. Stir in bacon, onion, blue cheese, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Scrape into springform pan.  (I set the springform pan on a flat pan in case of leakage.)

Cheesecake is ready to go into the oven.

4.   Bake 45 to 60 minutes (40 to 45 minutes for small pans), until puffed and golden. Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to sit in oven until cool.  

5.   Refrigerate overnight (or for several hours) before removing from pan.  

When cheesecake has cooled, release the lock on the side of the pan.

Use a metal spatula to detach the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan.

6.  Serve at room temperature, garnished with the scallions. 

Homemade Ranch-style Dressing -- Creamy Herb

     Still lots of garden herbs so decided to combine them with mayo and buttermilk to create a creamy dressing to pour our Romaine lettuce and chopped tomatoes. It was quite refreshing and very tasty . . . and it’s a homemade version of Ranch-style dressing.

Creamy Herb Dressing

¼ cup chopped chives

¼ to 1/3 cup chopped basil leaves, lightly packed

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ to ½ cup buttermilk (be sure to shake the container before pouring)

1.     Place the chives, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds to make a smooth mixture.

2.     Add the mayonnaise and ¼ cup buttermilk; blend until smooth, adding additional buttermilk to achieve desired dressing thickness. Refrigerate to meld flavors. Keeps 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge -- this is based on the shelf life of the buttermilk.

Supper is Ready – Marinated Green Beans, Ham & Potato Salad

     This is our favorite supper (or lunchtime) salad; it has been on our summer menu since the 1970s. Every time I make it, I am reminded of my sister, Marlys Newell Gardner, who served it in the second story apartment (in Salina) where she and her husband Richard lived shortly after they were married.

     A light marinade infuses lightly steamed veggies to create an unforgettable combination of flavors. Add some meat (or leave it out) and top with crisp, thinly-sliced radishes. Serve with a slice of really good bread . . . and supper is ready.

Marinated Green Bean, Ham & Potato Salad     Serves 4

Dressing / Marinade

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup oil (vegetable or olive)

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Whisk first 3 ingredients in a bowl to mix; add oil in a thin stream, blending well; add chopped parsley.

Salad

5 medium new potatoes, cooked and sliced -- be careful not to overcook potatoes (we’ve used new potatoes, either red or white or Yukon Gold work too)

1 lb. green beans, stemmed, lightly salted and steamed until just tender-crisp (taste to determine doneness) – be sure to leave lid of cooking pot for the first few minutes of cooking time to preserve the bright green color*

½ of a thinly sliced red onion

2 cups slivered or chopped ham, chicken, turkey or crumbled bacon (or use a

combination of meats)

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes, optional

Lettuce for serving, optional

1.  In bowl, layer warm potato slices, green beans, onion slices and dressing; cover and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

2.  Just before serving, add meat and radishes. Toss to mix and serve on lettuce.

Selecting Green Beans 

High quality green beans are crisp and tender without scars. Well-shaped pods with small seeds are desirable. Length is unimportant. Green beans should feel pliable and velvety, not hard or tough.
 

*Cooking Green Beans

For best color, flavor, and nutrient retention: 
 

·    Bring a small amount (a couple of inches) of salted water to boil in the bottom of a pan for one pound of green beans.

·    Add green beans and cook uncovered for the first few minutes to let some of the volatile acids escape in the steam. This will preserve the bright green color.

·    Cover and cook until just tender crisp. One pound of crosscut green beans will be ready to serve in 10 to 15 minutes.

In a Shell: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Style

Lasagna cooked in
squash shell.

The idea for this “lasagna” came from an online recipe that layered cooked spaghetti squash with tomatoes and cheese, using the shell of the squash as the baking container. Thought it looked intriguing so I adapted it using leftover meat & tomato sauce combined with cottage and mozzarella cheese that I layered with the cooked spaghetti squash. Since squash vary in size, I am providing a general guide rather than specifics in the recipe that follows. For us, this was a ‘double batch” recipe and while I used one of the squash shells for last night’s recipe, I layered the second half in a baking dish for freezing.  

After recently receiving three spaghetti squash, I began a quest to find the best cooking method and promised in my first post to eventually provide the results of my findings. Here they are . . .

Recipe #1: Saucy Spaghetti Squash

Method: Squash was pricked and baked whole in the oven for an hour.

Advantages: Squash was ready to bake in a matter of minutes and the baked shell was easy to cut through. Taste and texture were fine. Cooked squash was acceptable.

Disadvantages: Seeds were difficult to remove as they mixed in with the cooked strands of squash.

Recipe #2: Pepper Chicken over Spaghetti Squash

Method: Squash was pricked and baked whole in the slow cooker all day.

Advantages: Squash was ready for the slow cooker in a matter of minutes. No further tending was needed as the squash cooked throughout the day.

Disadvantages: Seeds were difficult to remove as they mixed in with the cooked strands of squash. Color of all-day cooked squash was darker than that in recipe #1 and there was a hint of an over-cooked taste.

Recipe #3: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Style (recipe follows)

Method: Squash was cut in half, seeds removed and then halves were baked about  35 minutes (or until squash strands can easily be removed with a fork) in a 400° oven; add a little water to the tray (it steams and tenderizes the squash). In our estimation, this was the BEST COOKING METHOD!

Advantages: Easy to scoop out the seeds before baking and it was the only method that yielded seed-free cooked “spaghetti”. Short cooking yielded the BEST flavor and texture!

Disadvantages: Squash preparation took longer than other two methods and it was somewhat difficult to cut through the shell of the uncooked squash.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Style   4 servings

1 spaghetti squash

1½ to 2 cups meaty spaghetti sauce (I made a double batch when preparing the sauce for Saucy Spaghetti Squash)

1 to 1½ cups cottage cheese mixed with 1 egg

About 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking spray.

2.  Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and fibrous strands surrounding seeds.

3.  Place squash halves cut side down on the baking sheet and add a little water to the tray (helps to steam and tenderize squash). Bake 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife can be easily inserted. Remove from oven, and cool.

4.  Use the tines of a kitchen fork to gently scrap out the “spaghetti”.  Press out excess liquid. Save the empty shells to use as baking dishes.

5.   Layer each shell with; squash, meat sauce, cottage cheese and egg mixture; mozzarella cheese; repeat.

6.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in a 350° oven. 

Click here for info about Spaghetti Squash Buying & Storage.