The Glories of Spring Skiing & Decadent Mac & Cheese

My birthday falls in the first few days of March so when we get a big snowstorm in the last week of February, I take it personally. And even more so when the sun returns and shines on all that beautiful new snow. Six inches is lovely, more is wonderful but I don’t complain if it is only an inch or two. Fresh snow and sunshine on my birthday are all the proof I need to know that the snow gods are smiling down upon me. I’m not sure what I’ve done right but I sure hope I continue to do so.

Skiing in New England has always been a bit of catch-as-catch-can; particularly when you compare our slopes to the Alps or the Rockies. We start the season dreaming of a white Christmas. We end it with our fingers crossed and hoping for a white Easter. Sometimes we get both; sometimes, neither. It was even more precarious when I was a kid and few ski areas had snow making equipment.

Imagine my delight when I moved to Switzerland. Skiing in the Alps began well before Christmas in late November or early December. Forget holiday shopping, that’s was airport duty free was for. For many years, my family members were regularly treated to chocolate and SWATCHs under the tree. I don’t think it took them long to figure out why.

But back to skiing in the Alps; even early in the season, unlike New England, the skiing was pretty good. Instead of a measly few trails, a good portion of the mountain was open. Of course, most of the light was gone by two o’clock but you can’t have everything. Then again, I can’t imagine I had too many issues with starting the après ski festivities a little early. On the back end, spring skiing continued until the first of May, sometimes later. I remember one spectacular season when I didn’t hang up my skis until May 16th. How glorious!

For now, I am looking forward to some glorious spring skiing right here in New Hampshire. The days are getting longer. The sun is brighter and higher in the sky. You can leave the heavy parka and hand and toe warmers at home. Maybe (hopefully) even put them away for the season. Fashion-forward skiers will hit the slopes in bright and shiny miracle fiber jackets. As colorful as a bowl of jelly beans, they’ll light up the slopes in tangerine and hot pink. The not-so-fashion-forward will take us back in time and ski retro in ancient Nordic sweaters or faded windbreakers. Sun glasses are mandatory. Hats are not.

Spring skiing is our reward for weathering early winter’s blistering cold days as well as the wet and dreary January thaw. It’s payback for skiing through hurricane force winds and traversing over the sheets of ice which we shrug off as hard-packed-powder.

It’s a joy to be outside and on the mountain. Whether you ski ‘til you drop or spend most of the day working on your tan – enjoy the sunshine, bon ski and bon appétit!

Decadent Mac & Cheese
Hungry friends and family will love this rich and cheesy dish. America’s favorite comfort food, mac & cheese is a great après ski dinner for adults and kids alike. Enjoy!
Serves 8-12

Butter
8 ounces grated fontina cheese, shredded
8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup warm whole milk or half and half
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon or to taste hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pound pasta – cavatappi, medium shells, penne or elbow macaroni
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a large casserole.

Put the fontina, mozzarella and about 3/4 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano in a bowl, toss to combine and reserve.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onion, season with salt and pepper and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and reserve.

Put the breadcrumbs and herbs in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon melted butter and toss to combine. Add the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss again.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, season with salt and pepper and cooking, whisking, for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Put the cream cheese in a large bowl, slowly stir in the warm sauce and continue stirring until smooth. Add the sour cream, hot sauce and nutmeg and stir until smooth. Stir in the onions and garlic. Reserve.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, less 1 minute. Drain the pasta, saving a little of the pasta water.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. If the pasta seems dry add a little pasta water. Sprinkle the pasta with the cheese mix and toss again.

Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. (You can make ahead to this point, cover and refrigerate. Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking.) Bake the mac & cheese at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until piping hot and golden.

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One Year Ago – Seared Scallops with Roasted Pepper Sauce
Two Years Ago – Creole Shrimp & Cheesy Grits
Three Years Ago – White Bean Dip
Four Years Ago – Warm Chocolate Pudding
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What are your plans for Oscar night? Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

Fun with Fondue & Traditional Cheese Fondue

I’m not sure what the food fashion police have to say about fondue this winter. Is it reborn and hip again? Fondue is one of those dishes which always seems to be in the midst of a comeback. Of course it was all the rage back in the ‘70’s. From New England’s snowy peaks to Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers, a party was not a party without a gently bubbling pot of cheese and/or chocolate fondue.

When my sister tied the knot, she received four, maybe five fondue pots. Or at least a few more than she thought she needed or would ever need. The extra pots were consigned to the purgatory of my parents’ attic. Years later when I set up my first apartment, fondue was already passé but I magnanimously adopted one. I was moving to Vermont and fondue seemed like a natural. I think I might have served it on one or two cold winter nights but I can’t swear to it.

But fondue is not a fad in Switzerland. It doesn’t come and go on the whim of some fancy food fashionista. It’s been a favorite on Swiss tables since the late 1600’s. That’s when a hungry alpine cow-herder made supper of some stale bread and a bit of melted cheese on a cold and blustery winter night.

One of the first things l learned when I moved to Switzerland was that the Swiss take their fondue very seriously. As you would expect in a country where “everything which is not required, is forbidden,” certain rules apply when eating fondue.

1. Never eat fondue in the summer. Relaxing around a pot of piping hot cheese is a lovely way to spend a winter evening but steamy business in the middle of summer. Every year the Swiss celebrate the first cold, rainy days of autumn with a fondue.

2. Only drink white wine, preferably Fendant from the Valais region of Switzerland. For children or anyone who does not drink wine, hot tea is okay but never beer, water, juice or heaven forbid Coca-Cola. The practical explanation or urban myth for this rule is that these drinks will cause the cheese to come together into a hard, cold ball in the pit of your stomach. Every Swiss person knows someone who knows someone who knows someone whose uncle died from drinking a cold beer after a fondue.

3. It’s okay to skip dessert, but if you do indulge, fruit with a splash of kirsch is the traditional after-fondue sweet. While the idea of an all-fondue evening might sound intriguing, chocolate fondue is decidedly un-Swiss. Chocolate fondue was invented in New York about fifty years ago, albeit by a Swiss-born chef. Obviously, too much time in Manhattan led him astray. Ice cream is strictly frowned upon; see rule number 2.

Tourists, especially American tourists, are notorious for breaking these rules. Not many cafés serve fondue during the summer. If by chance, you venture by one that does; you’re sure to find a jolly group of tourists enjoying a fondue in the hot sunshine. More likely than not, they’ll be washing it down with a beer or icy cold Coke. Strangely enough, in spite of this terrible lapse, the sidewalks in front of these establishments are not littered with tourists writhing in pain and near death.

Now is the perfect time to venture into the attic and retrieve that old fondue pot. A lazy evening with friends around a pot of bubbling cheese and a bottle of wine is an excellent way to end a long day on the slopes.

Bon appétit!

Traditional Cheese Fondue
Fondue is the perfect après-ski meal. A mix of cheeses is best; Gruyere and Emmental are most common and easiest to find. If you can track some down, try adding Fribourg Vacherine or a combination of Tilsit and Appenzell. Enjoy!
Serves 6

1 clove garlic, halved
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 pounds cheese
Try: 1/2 Gruyere and 1/2 Emmental,
1/2 Gruyere and 1/2 Fribourg Vacherin or
1/2 Gruyere, 1/4 Tilsit and 1/4 Appenzell
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ounce Kirsch
Freshly ground pepper
Crusty country bread cut or torn into bite sized pieces

Special equipment: a fondue pot, stand for the pot, alcohol burner and long handled fondue forks

Grate the cheeses, sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to combine.

Rub the fondue pot with the garlic. Drop both halves in the bottom of the pot, add the wine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cheese in handfuls and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Stir in the kirsch and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Set the fondue pot on its stand over a low flame. Pierce a piece of bread with a fondue fork and swirl it through the cheese.

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One Year Ago – Flatbread with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions & Spinach
Two Years Ago – Tuscan White Bean Soup
Three Years Ago – Wild Mushroom Risotto
Four Years Ago – Swimming Pool Jello
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

When was the last time you had a fondue? Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

Twelve Wishes for Christmas & Baked French Toast

Throughout the holiday season I hum a lot of carols. When I’m walking, I tend to favor all the faster paced songs. They keep me moving on a cold day. So if you happen to see me on my walk around Pleasant Lake, there is a good chance that Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells or The Twelve Days of Christmas is running through my head.

When I was small, I think I was a bit envious of anyone who celebrated Christmas for twelve whole days. Although Santa was always quite generous, the idea of days and days of gifts, not to mention a true love, was certainly intriguing. That said; I must have assumed that my twelve days would be filled with Barbies, books and maybe a sweater or teddy bear. A cavalcade of livestock, leaping lords and dancing ladies were definitely not on my list to Santa.

Sure Mrs. Ferguson taught ball room dancing to most of the kids in town but pipe and drum corps marched in parades, not the living room. Although a small minority preferred cats, almost everyone in the neighborhood had a dog or two. Along with our two family dogs, my brother John was the proud owner of three turtles but no turtle doves. I’m guessing a few kids kept a gold fish or maybe a parakeet or canary. But French chickens or flocks of geese? Herds of cows and maids to milk them? Definitely not.

In the spirit of the twelve days of Christmas, here are twelve gifts I wish for you for the holiday season and beyond.

1. Good health.

2. A good laugh.

3. Peace of mind and peace in your heart.

4. Lots of reasons to smile and a smile for no reason at all.

5. Curiosity.

6. Creativity.

7. Courage.

8. Knowledge.

9. Wisdom.

10. Wonder.

11. Wanderlust and an open return ticket home.

12. Friends you love you like family and a family you love like friends.

My list is in no particular order and far from complete. What about you? What would yours look like?

Wishing you a joy-filled holiday and bon appétit!

Baked French Toast
A sweet and hearty breakfast treat for young and old! Prep the casserole in advance and pop it in the oven while you open your stockings. Enjoy!
Serves 6-8

3/4 cup raisins, currents or dried cranberries
About 1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 – 1 loaf country-style bread, cut in cubes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
8 eggs
3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cups half and half
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish.

Put the raisins in a small, microwave safe bowl and add enough orange juice to cover. Loosely cover the bowl and zap the raisins in the microwave on high for one minute. Let the raisins sit, covered, for 30 minutes to plump.

Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Cool the bread to room temperature.

In a large bowl whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk in the eggs and maple syrup. Add the milk and half and half and whisk until well combined.

Place the bread cubes in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the raisins and drizzle the soaking liquid in and around the bread cubes. Gently pour the egg mixture over the bread and raisins. Cover with plastic wrap and let soak overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning: remove the casserole from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the topping: melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the nuts.

Spoon the topping evenly over the bread and bake until the casserole is set, puffed and golden, 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

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One Year Ago – Braised Lamb with Artichokes and Mushrooms and Creamy Polenta
Two Years Ago – Mixed Greens with Roasted Grapes
Three Years Ago – Savory Bread Pudding
Four Years Ago – Triple Chocolate Parfait
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What would are your wishes for the holiday season and beyond? Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

My Mother’s Gift & Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart)

With Mothers’ Day approaching I’m feeling a little sentimental. I’ve been thinking about some of the gifts my mom has given me. Not the baby dolls or bicycles, the Fair Isle sweaters or even the bright red stew pot I still use today. I could dwell on the fact that she didn’t passed on her very long legs but I won’t.

Looking back, one of the best gifts my mother gave me was her enthusiasm for spirited conversation.

Dinner at our house served two critical purposes. It kept the family from starving and, more important, it brought us together every night. My mother was never particularly interested in cooking. I don’t remember her spending long hours in the kitchen. She gravitated toward quick and easy recipes and didn’t hesitate to throw a can of soup on a piece of chicken or into a pot of stew.

In spite of her indifference towards most things culinary, Mom was very keen about family dinner. For some of our neighbors, family dinner was a rare occasion, reserved for holidays or special occasions. Others raced through the evening meal and fled the table. Not so at my house, most evenings we hung out for a good hour, sometimes longer. The television was never on. Phone calls were only answered to take a message to call back later.

Every night we shared our news, victories, trials and tribulations. We discussed everything and anything. We talked about our day at school, our favorite books, celebrities and stars as well as the Boston Bruins and Red Sox. As we got older, political and social issues became key topics during our nightly conversations.

It was an exciting, turbulent time, a time of great change; kind of like now. We vigorously discussed the virtues and vices of the President and a whole host of politicians, public figures, crusaders and crooks. We deliberated over the war, civil rights, women’s rights and the environment. We shouted, we laughed, we jockeyed for position. We talked all at once, we interrupted each other in our excitement and enthusiasm. Somehow or other we managed to listen to each other (if only barely) and respect each other (if sometimes grudgingly).

Once in a blue moon, a subject was deemed off limits, inappropriate for my little brother’s young ears. Those times were few and far between. For the most part it was no holds barred. My sister and I were free to discuss, rant and rave with the passion and intensity of idealistic teenagers. Mom insisted that we never argued. In her words, we discussed enthusiastically.

Looking back, those dinners were tremendous confidence builders. I don’t ever remember my mother telling me I was wrong. From time to time she cautioned me that a particular opinion could be unpopular. She sometimes warned that a certain stand could put me on the outs with friends or neighbors. Even when she disagreed, she never discouraged my youthful dance with new ideas. Within our protective family circle, I was able to test new insights and changing opinions. I learned to listen and scrutinize an idea before accepting or rejecting it. Those dinners helped me develop the self-confidence to speak up, share my ideas and stories and listen to others. I am forever grateful.

How did I thank her? When we were little, my sister, brother and I took turns serving Mom an English muffin in bed on Mothers’ Day. Later I sent cards and flowers (when I remembered.) Now it’s a plant and I invite the family over for brunch or lunch. All in all, I definitely got the better half of the bargain.

Thank you Mom and Happy Mothers’ Day! Bon appétit!

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Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart)
This earthy French tart is perfect for brunch, lunch or a casual supper. Give it a try on Mothers’ Day and enjoy!
Serves 6-8
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4 slices thick cut bacon (about 1/4 pound), chopped (optional – substitute with olive oil)
About 1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds onions, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in thin wedges
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Savory Flakey Pastry (recipe follows)
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch nutmeg

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the skillet, drain on paper towels and reserve.

Add more or less butter to the bacon drippings to coat the skillet and melt. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and toss the onions with the bacon and thyme. Cool to room temperature.

While the onion is cooking and cooling, roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Line a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with the pastry leaving about 1/4-inch for shrinkage; crimp the edges. Cover the pastry and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven.

Put the eggs, sour cream, mustard and nutmeg in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the onions and bacon and toss to combine. Pour the onion mixture into the tart shell.

Put the tart in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Savory Flakey Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, cold, cut into small pieces
2-4 tablespoons ice water

Blend the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle with ice water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time and process until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

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One Year Ago – Honeyed Apricots with Creamy Yogurt
Two Years Ago – Black & White Brownies
Three Years Ago – Rhubarb Muffins
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What’s the best (or worse) place to kick you out?!? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

La Vendange & Croûtes au Fromage

I’ve been feeling a bit peevish lately. Maybe it’s the too-many rainy days but I find myself feeling a bit homesick for Geneva. It should come as no surprise that from time to time this nostalgia should creep in and darken my usually sunny mood. After all, I lived in and around Geneva for almost two decades.

Like New England, it is harvest time in Switzerland. Just minutes from downtown Geneva, farmers are piling up corn and turnips (or maybe they’re rutabagas) for the cows. Cabbages and cauliflowers are being plucked. Foragers are scouring the forest in search of wild mushrooms. And the hills are perfumed with the slightly sweet, slightly sour smell of fermenting grapes.

It is all hands on deck for la vendange (the grape harvest). Crews move up and down the rows of grapes, cutting big bunches of ripe fruit and tossing them into baskets. As soon as they are filled to overflowing, the pickers empty their baskets into the carts which noisy tractors pull through the vineyards. The tractors rumble over country lanes to the local chateau where the grapes are crushed and made into wine. Along the way a few grapes fall to the ground and are trampled. They bake in the warm autumn sun and fill the air with their vinegary scent. Like the smell of burning leaves from my childhood, the prickly perfume of crushed grapes will stay with me forever. It is a special reminder of the changing seasons and a wonderful time in my life.

I’m far from expert but, real or imagined, I had my favorite wines. I looked over the border to France and Italy for reds but bought local white wines. Sure I loved to walk through the vineyards behind Geneva and hike in the hills east of Lausanne. However when it came time to pour a glass, I preferred the dry white wines made from the grapes grown between these two cities. I could make some noises about other wines which were too astringent or flat. I could yammer on about hints of vanilla, lemon or herbs. I could but I’d feel silly and pretentious and wouldn’t know what I was talking about so I won’t.

As far as I can figure most if not every village up and down the coast of Lake Geneva makes its own wine. I can’t say for sure that all the wines are made in the charming old chateaux that dot the hills and lakeside but I like to think so. Each fall, at least some of these grand old chateaux open their doors to sell the previous year’s bounty. In the smallest villages, demand pretty much outweighs supply. Whether it is the fine quality of the wine or a sense of local pride, there are never enough bottles to go around. I lived in one such town for awhile. Loyal villagers lined up every fall to restock their cellars. Within a day, maybe two, the most recent vintage was sold out.

My sentimental choice will always be Mont-sur-Rolle. My introduction to Swiss wine was on a flower-filled terrace in Mont-sur-Rolle on a beautiful summer evening. While often tempted, I never lived in the charming hillside town. Still I always kept a few bottles of her wine in my makeshift cellar. I think I may still have one or two. It may be time to open one up for a nostalgic toast to fond memories, the change of seasons and a bountiful harvest.

Bon appétit!

Croûtes au Fromage
Delicious but hardly a light lunch this Swiss specialty is great after a vigorous walk, long bike ride or morning on the ski slopes. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after indulging. Instead, treat yourself to a snooze on the couch and dream about life en Suisse. Enjoy!
Serves 2

About 4 ounces gruyere or emmental cheese (or better yet a mix of both), grated

About 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
3-4 tablespoons dry white wine (Swiss if you have it!)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 thick slices country bread
Butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Put the cheese, garlic and wine in a bowl, season with pepper and toss to combine. Let the cheese and wine sit for a few minutes.

Butter one side of each slice of bread and lay them in a small casserole dish. oven-proof skillet or individual casserole dishes. The bread should just fit the pan.

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bread. Drizzle any wine that has settled in the bottom of the bowl over the cheese and bread.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

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One Year Ago – Tex-Mex Braised Beef
Two Years Ago – Spicy Chicken Stew
Three Years Ago – Chicken Chili

Do you have a favorite wine or harvest story? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new stories and recipes.

Want more? Feel free to visit my photoblog Susan Nye 365 or click here for more recipes and magazine articles or here to watch me cook! I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.   

© Susan W. Nye, 2011

In the Kitchen … Scrambling Eggs

I’m the chef at a private club in the summer and every Sunday morning I whip up a ginormous mound of scrambled eggs. Last weekend I cracked ten dozen, yes TEN DOZEN, eggs.

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Through trial and error I’ve figured out how many eggs and how much milk or half & half and butter I need to scramble eggs for a crowd. (Heaven forbid I should have to make an additional batch of eggs part way through brunch. I’ve got a beach and a book calling my name!)
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Here are my quick and easy formulas to make perfect scrambled eggs for a crowd:

Number of people x 2.5 = number of large eggs
Number of people ÷ 16 = cups of half & half
1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter per dozen eggs

So for 8 people, you will need:

20 eggs
1/2 cup half & half

Whisk them up in a big bowl and season with salt to taste.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick pan over low heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the eggs. Gently stir and fold the eggs with a rubber spatula until they start to form big clumps. Sprinkle with pepper to taste and continue stirring and folding until you reach the desired doneness. Serve hot.

What to do when a little piece of egg shell falls into the eggs? I’m sure it’s happened to you. With ten dozen eggs or more every weekend, I can assure you it happens to me at least once or twice every weekend. To remove the renegade piece of shell quickly and easily, use half of the egg shell as a scoop and remove the piece. It works much better than a spoon (or your finger)!

Bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite summer breakfast? Mine’s a muffin with big fat blueberries! Post your favorite in the comments section – I’d love to hear from you!  

©Susan W. Nye, 2011

Asparagus & Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart

Memorial Day has come and gone. June brings sunny days and warm nights. Lilacs, lupine and iris bloom. Beautiful brides put jitters aside and walk gracefully down the aisle. Students dread, cram and cram some more for final exams and then celebrate joyous graduations.
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And cooks, we do our own little happy dance. Fresh, local asparagus is in the market.

In case you are wondering what to do with early summer’s bounty …
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1. Wrap it in up. Roll up whole spears in sheets of buttery phyllo. Add a sprinkle of parmesan and you’ve got a wonderfully simple appetizer.

2. Steam it until it is tender-crisp. Whatever you do, don’t overcook. No one but no one likes soggy grey asparagus. Finish the bright green stalks with a drizzle of lemon butter. If you want to get a little fancy, dress it up with hollandaise.

3. Roast it. Before you slide it in the oven lightly coat with walnut oil and white wine vinegar and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

4. Grill it on high heat after a light toss in extra virgin olive oil. Hot off the grill, add a squirt of lemon and serve.

5. Put it in the blender and turn it into a smooth and creamy soup. Serve hot or cold.

6. Throw it in a salad. Raw, steamed, roasted or grilled, asparagus is a great addition to a summer salad. Try it with dandelion greens or a colorful mesclun mix. Top it off with a sprinkle of toasted walnuts or crumbled gorgonzola or both!

7. Toss it with pasta. A little extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped shallot, a touch of garlic and a squeeze of lemon turn asparagus and pasta into a heavenly feast. Sprinkle with grated lemon peel, chopped parsley and crumbled feta. Dinner is served.

8. Stir it into risotto. Who doesn’t love risotto? Add chopped asparagus about five maybe ten minutes before the risotto is al dente. A definite winner!

9. Stir fry it. Start with a little garlic, a little ginger and a touch of spicy hot pepper flakes. Add the asparagus and toss until it’s tender-crisp. Top it off with a splash of soy sauce and lime juice.

10. Bake it in a tart. Combine asparagus, tangy goat cheese and creamy custard in a flakey pastry shell and bake to golden perfection.

For big celebrations, simple family suppers or romantic picnics, June is the month for lots and lots of asparagus.

Bon appétit!

Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart
This versatile dish is great for brunch, lunch or a light supper. Enjoy!
Serves 6-8

Savory Flakey Pastry (recipe follows)
Olive oil
About 12 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
4 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup half & half
1 teaspoon Dijon
Pinch nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven.

Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Line a 9-10 inch pie or tart pan with the pastry leaving about 1/4-inch for shrinkage; crimp the edges. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and shallot and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes. Cool the veggies, sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. Put the vegetables in the pie shell. Sprinkle with the cheeses.

Whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the pie shell, adding just enough to come within 1/4-inch of the top of the shell.

Transfer the tart to the oven. Cook for 5 minutes and lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and quiche is golden brown. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Savory Flakey Pastry
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, cold, cut into small pieces
2-4 tablespoons ice water

Blend flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle with ice water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time and process until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic; chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

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One Year Ago – Not Your Ordinary Burger
Two Years Ago – Strawberry-Rhubarb Soup

Do you have a question? An idea, a few thoughts or an opinion you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

Bucket List & Strip Steak with Gorgonzola Sauce

Last week I celebrated another birthday. By some strange coincidence, a day or two before turning the page to another new year I received an email with the bold title Bucket List. While I am still much too young to worry about a Bucket List, I opened the email anyway. Inside, I was invited to review a long list and check off any and all items I had completed.

It was an interesting, if typical, Bucket List. There were exotic destinations (Australia and South America) as well as sporting accomplishments (skied in a foreign country) and youthful indiscretions (stolen a street sign) to tick off or not. A few were sad (cried yourself to sleep) and others nostalgic (written a letter to Santa). With a bit pride I discovered that I had accomplished roughly two-thirds of the list.

As with any list, there was a lot missing, some of which I’ve done, others not. For instance … skydive (no), bungee jump (yes), attend a Super Bowl (no) or an Olympic event (yes), see a Broadway (no) or West End (yes) play, learn to tap dance (no) or belly dance (just a few moves), meet an astronaut (does shaking hands with Wally Shirra at Logan Airport’s baggage claim count?) or flown in space (no) … the list can be endless.

It struck me that bucket lists tend to focus on big, audacious and let’s face it, often out-of-reach accomplishments. Sometimes it’s a question of talent, not everyone can win a Noble prize or Oscar. If you are of a certain age, your knees or back could betray you. Or it could be matter of cash, a trip into space falls outside most budgets. I began to wonder if I could come up with activities which were meaningful, fun and interesting but did not require a genius IQ, an Olympian’s body or cost more than $25. Hey, I’m a baby boomer; I visited Europe on $25 a Day, why not a $25 limit bucket list?

While I can’t claim that each and every one of my suggestion is unique, here are some alternatives to some of those out-of-reach adventures …

1. Instead of climbing Kilimanjaro … kiss your true love on top of Mount Kearsarge.
2. Instead of swimming with dolphins … help kids you love swim to the raft.
3. Instead of skiing in the Alps … learn to snowshoe on a public trail with a good friend.
4. Instead of drinking café au lait at a Parisian sidewalk café … bring a thermos of really good coffee to a public beach and drink it while watching the sun come up.
5. Instead of dinner in a Michelin three star restaurant … cook up your own special, night to remember. *
6. Instead of flying in a helicopter, hang glider or hot air balloon … fly a kite with joyful abandon.
7. Instead of visiting a volcano … dance around a bon fire with friends on Guy Fawkes Night.
8. Instead of visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras … get together with friends for an evening of jazz and jambalaya.*
9. Instead of flying to the moon … howl at the harvest moon.
10. Instead of jumping out of a plane … jump rope or on a trampoline or both.
11. Instead of running a marathon … walk a mile or three or five EVERY day.
12. Instead of caviar and champagne at the Ritz … invite all your favorite people for a lobster boil and beer in your own backyard.*
13. Instead of watching the Bolshoi … dance like no one is watching.
14. Instead of a cross-country motorcycle trip … help your child or grandchild lean to ride a bicycle.
15. Instead of winning the Noble Prize … raise money for a cause you believe in.
16. Instead of playing golf with Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh … go for a long walk and listen to the birds sing in the woods.
17. Instead of climbing the Great Wall of China … enjoy a good long chat with dear friends while you sip afternoon tea from your best china cups. Not once but every week.
18. Instead of walking the red carpet … rent a different Best Picture Oscar winner every week until you’ve seen them all. (Yes, the total will top $25 but, even if you have to buy some of the golden oldies, you’ll still average much less than $25 per week.)
19. Instead of attending the opera at La Scala in Milan … sit outside on a beautiful summer morning and listen to Andrea Bocelli sing Verdi. Sing along if you like.
20. Instead of driving a race car around a track at high speed … take a leisurely stroll up and down Main Street. Take a minute or two to stop and say hello or chat with everyone you know.
21. Instead of sailing around the world … teach a kid to sail a Sunfish or paddle a kayak.
22. Instead of gambling in Monte Carlo … stay in and watch To Catch a Thief with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. Don’t forget the popcorn.
23. Instead of sleeping in a castle … sleep under the stars.
24. Instead of running with the bulls … grill up really good burgers in the backyard with family and friends.*
25. Instead of worrying about lists … laugh, smile and hug someone you love every day.

Have a grand time and bon appétit!

* I’ve got three parties on my list and yes, depending on how many people you invite and unless it’s a pot luck, it’s pretty hard to throw a dinner for $25. However, you can certainly do it for $25 per person (and probably a lot less), especially if your guests offer to bring the wine or beer.

Grilled Steak with Gorgonzola Sauce

I first had this dish in one of my favorite cafés just outside of Geneva, Switzerland. The sauce is also great on prime rib and beef tenderloin. Make the sauce with imported Italian gorgonzola if you can find it. It’s worth the extra pennies. Enjoy!
Serves 6

2 1/2 – 3 pounds New York strip steaks (or the cut of your choice), cut about 1 1/2 inches thick
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Gorgonzola Sauce (recipe follows)

Drizzle the steak with a little olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be medium hot. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.) Grill the steak, about 2-3 minutes per side for rare and 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Make the sauce while the steaks are resting. Slice and serve with Gorgonzola Sauce.

Gorgonzola Sauce
Serves 6

1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cognac
8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup half & half
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat a little olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots; cook, stirring often, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the thyme, wine and mustard, season with salt and pepper to taste; cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the cognac, cook for 1 minute. While whisking, slowly add the half and half. Cook, whisking, for about 3 minutes; the sauce will thicken a bit. Gently stir in the Gorgonzola and continue to cook until the cheese is just warmed through, check for seasoning and serve.

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One Year Ago – Linguine with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Roasted Eggplant
Two Years Ago – Fondue

What’s on your Bucket List? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

You Know It’s Winter in New Hampshire When … & Tartiflette

Yes, we’ve heard all the jokes about living in New England and New Hampshire. There are countless references to the Patriots and the Red Sox. You know you are a New Englander if you named your dog Brady or Fenway. Or if you learned about the Curse of the Bambino in history class, right along with /instead of the Battle of Gettysburg.

A few have the audacity to malign our culinary expertise. You know you are from New Hampshire if you only have three spices in your cupboard: salt, pepper and ketchup. Or if you have not one but several recipes for moose in your repertoire. That’s moose as in the big animal with antlers not mousse as in chocolate.

But most jokes about New England focus on both the duration and intensity of our winters. You know you live in New Hampshire if your local Dairy Queen opens in May and shuts down in September. Or if you’ve taken your kids trick-or-treating in a blizzard, keep an ice scraper in your car year-round or consider six inches of snow nothing more than a dusting.

These jokes maligning our Yankee winter all seem to overlook the January Thaw. As in, you know you are in New Hampshire when you wake up one grey and misty January morning and it’s a balmy 40, maybe even 50 degrees. The January Thaw is not a figment of our collective imaginations but a well observed if unexplained phenomenon. The likes of the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory has studied it. The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the definitive source for all things New England and all things weather, has reported it.

What would life be like without the January Thaw? Well, you’d miss that mid-winter glimpse of your neighbor’s knees. Who else but a New Englander would don shorts as soon as the thermometer crept above freezing? Or ride around in a convertible with the top down to stay cool during a 40 degree heat wave? That’s 40 degrees Fahrenheit not Celsius.

Unfortunately, the Thaw is frequently accompanied by rain. So without the Thaw, you’d miss the excitement of ice dams and leaks in the attic, a flooded garage or damp basement. On the other hand, you would be spared the annoying moaning and groaning of your skier friends lamenting, “if only it was 5 degrees colder … we coulda had a foot of powder.”

The rain is invariably followed by a bone-chilling, blast of cold air. Without this duo of Thaw and arctic freeze, those same moaning and groaning skiers would be robbed of the thrills, chills and spills of traversing an ice covered mountain. Thank goodness, we are both a hardy and cheerful bunch. Who else but a New Englander would spend a day slipping and sliding over thick sheets of pearl-grey ice? And then shrug, smile and call it hard packed powder?

It would be nice to think that after New Year’s balmy temps and subsequent return to chilly normalcy, we’d be done with the Thaw. Unfortunately, more often than not, we have a rainy Thaw not once but twice (even, heaven forbid, three times) before the end of February. Once we get into March, we stop calling it a Thaw and start calling it Mud Season.

Until then, for skiers all over New Hampshire, please, let it snow. Bon appétit!

Tartiflette
I discovered tartiflette when I lived in Europe. This hearty French dish is great after a long day on the slopes battling the ice, wind and snow. If you can’t find Reblochon, try substituting Fontina, Port Salut or Raclette cheese. Enjoy!
Serves at least 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cleaned, cut in quarters and then sliced about 1/2-inch thick
8 ounces lean thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped
2 good size leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces reblochon cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Pinch ground nutmeg
3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large, oven proof casserole dish.

Sauté the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve. Pour off all but 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the leeks, onions and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes.

Put the potatoes, bacon, leeks, onions, garlic and cheese in the casserole. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme and nutmeg and toss. Add the sour cream and toss.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking until the potatoes are cooked through and top is brown, about 15 minutes more.

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One Year Ago – Four Cheese Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach
Two Years Ago – Curried Chicken and Lentil Soup

What’s your January Thaw story? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011.

Crispy, Creamy and Oozing with Comfort and Goodness – Grilled Cheese

We’re in the final countdown. Over at the high school, exams have been taken and graded, gowns have been donned and caps have been thrown in the air. At the middle school, end of year recitals have been recited and the cross-country team has run its last race. Elementary school students have emptied their desks and munched the last cupcake. Soon the final bell will ring and kids will pile out the doors to freedom. At least for a couple of months.

It’s tough to be cooped up in a stuffy classroom for eight or nine months of the year, especially when each day starts at the crack of dawn with a long bus ride. I grew up in suburbia with neighborhood schools. While everyone came together for junior high and high school, there were at least a dozen elementary schools. With a possible exception or two, from kindergarten through sixth grade, every kid lived within walking distance of school. And walk we did. Only a downpour would launch our carpool. Of course school was cancelled on snowy days but when the temperature dipped below zero we wore an extra sweater, snow pants and walked anyway. (At least that’s how I remember it!)

And we took a break at mid-day and went home for lunch. It was probably a holdover from the days when all moms were stay-at-home and families ate dinner at noon. It must have been a pain, this daily interruption but Mom never complained. She called us the “home for lunch bunch”. With a ten year spread from oldest to youngest, it took years for Mom to get an uninterrupted day.

Lunch at home was a nice break in the action. My sister Brenda and I would plop ourselves down at the kitchen table. Mom would ask us about our morning while she bustled around the kitchen. She juggled our baby brother and his bottle while fixing sandwiches or heating up spaghettiOs.

Grilled cheese sandwiches were hands down my favorite lunch. Bright orange cheese and Wonderbread went into a skillet with a little bit of butter. It came out golden brown, crunchy on the outside with warm, gooey cheese inside. I was a purist back then. No extras. No bacon. No tomatoes or onions.

It’s been a long time since I had a grilled cheese sandwich, years in fact. Until last Sunday when I didn’t want one, I needed one. It had been a long busy week. I’d been up early every morning, late to bed every night and all over the State. Sunday started out grey and drizzly and didn’t get much better.

In spite of the dreary weather, I took a walk around the lake in the late afternoon to get some much needed exercise. About a mile from home, I tried to figure out what leftovers were in the refrigerator and how to assemble them into supper. I needed something comfy and cozy. It had to be both delicious and effortless. I thought of pasta but was daunted by the thought of boiling water. (I said I was pooped!) Then that little light bulb went off in my head. Grilled cheese! The perfect solution!

Now I gave up Wonderbread and Kraft singles years ago and had absolutely no intention of revisiting that decision. Instead I assembled the most delicious grilled cheese sandwich in the history of my kitchen, possibly kitchens everywhere. The crispy sourdough bread was oozing with warm, wonderful mozzarella. I added oven roasted tomatoes for a touch of sweetness and spiced it up with a bit pistou and some Greek olives. Just thinking about that lovely little sandwich makes me hungry again.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy and bon appétit!

The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich in the History of my Kitchen
I used homemade pistou because it was in my refrigerator, you can use store bought pesto. Roast extra vegetables and serve them with grilled chicken or tossed with pasta on another night. Enjoy!

Grape tomatoes (about 5 per sandwich)
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Red onion, chopped (teaspoon or two per sandwich)
Red bell pepper, chopped (teaspoon or two per sandwich)
Garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Sourdough bread, sliced – 2 slices per sandwich
Butter
Fresh mozzarella pearls
Spicy Sundried Tomato-Basil Pistou (recipe follows)
Greek oil cured olives, pitted and chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the tomatoes in a 50/50 mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Use a light touch; don’t drown the tomatoes in oil and vinegar. Roast for 5-10 minutes while you chop the onion, pepper and garlic. Add the onion, pepper and garlic and continue roasting until the onion is translucent and the tomatoes are soft and a little bit shriveled, 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the mozzarella pearls in a little pistou.

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Set the bread in a skillet, top half the slices with mozzarella pearls. (A slice of good mozzarella will also work – use what you have in the refrigerator.) Top the remaining slices with the tomatoes, onion and pepper.

Cover the skillet and cook on medium low for 8-10 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is nice and gooey. Sprinkle with chopped olives, put the two sides together and serve.

Spicy Sundried Tomato-Basil Pistou
Traditional pistou is made from herbs, garlic, olive oil and a little salt. I’ve added a little sweetness and spice with the sundried tomatoes and jalapeño.
Makes about 1 cup

4 halves oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper or to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
About 1 cup fresh basil leaves
About 1 cup fresh parsley leaves

Put the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, jalapeno, salt, pepper and a little olive oil in the bowl of a small food processor; pulse to chop and combine. Add the herbs and more olive oil as needed. Process everything until you have a thick, creamy sauce.

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One Year Ago – Asian Slaw

Do you have a question? An idea, a few thoughts or an opinion you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010