De Ma Cuisine

Thoughts Archive

Monday

7

May 2012

7

COMMENTS

Birthday Extravaganza

Written by , Posted in Contests, Thoughts

It is your birthday.

Actually, it is my birthday. Tomorrow.

Because I think presents are fun, I have a few things wrapped up for YOU! My birthday is a fun excuse to give some of my favorite things away. They’re all things I love and use at home.

Today’s Giveaway 

Bari Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

This olive oil is AMAZING! I want you to try it! 

(And, I’m choosing two winners!) 

(This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!)

The winners are Christy Durrance and Leigh-Ann Olsen!!

Congratulations, Christy and Leigh-Ann!

Please contact me with your mailing address and we’ll get your bottle of olive oil to you (demacuisine@racheloberg.com)!!

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

Additional entries:

1. Like De Ma Cuisine and Bari on Facebook, then come back here and leave one additional comment about it (no comment, no count:) ).

2. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway mentioning @De_Ma_Cuisine in the tweet. Then come back here and leave one additional comment about it (no comment, no count 🙂 ).

Giveaway ends Monday, May 14th at 9 am (PST).

2 winners will be chosen. Each winner will receive 1 bottle of Bari Olive Oil. Giveaway is limited to residents of the USA. Winners will be chosen using Random.org and winner’s names will be posted on this page. Winners will have 3 days to contact me to acknowledge the win and send their shipping address. After that time a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway sponsored by Bari Olive Oil Company!!!

There are more giveaways coming later in the week… starting tomorrow, on my actual BIRTHDAY. Here’s a hint about what’s to come… one has to do with a new cookbook I recently obtained, and the cookbook author I recently met. Another has to do with my favorite source of produce… I’m not telling you anything else. You’ll just have to wait patiently, just as I have been waiting to tell you.

Friday

4

May 2012

1

COMMENTS

Will’s Feast

Written by , Posted in Thoughts

My friend Christy‘s son, Will, is an aspiring cook. You may also remember Christy‘s daughter, Katy, who loves to cook too. It must run in the family! (By the way, I’ve had some of Christy’s mom’s Irish Soda Bread. She’s a wonderful cook too! Three generations of cooks in that family. Wow!)

Here’s Will!

Hi! I’m Will Durrance and I am 9.  I started cooking after watching cooking shows like Chopped and Cupcake Wars with my mom and sister.  I like cooking because it’s like making art with food that you can eat!

With normal mac and cheese you have to cook the noodles first and make a cheese sauce.  But we started calling this recipe “Magic” Mac and Cheese because you put everything in the pan and stir and it’s ready to go in the oven.  This mac and cheese recipe definitely beats the kind you can get at a restaurant.  Most kids could make this because it has four ingredients.  Maybe you could even make this for Mother’s Day for your mom and ask your dad to help!

“Magic” Mac and Cheese

Last modified on 2012-07-19 22:03:38 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

“Magic” Mac and Cheese
Recipe Type: Pasta, Dinner, Main
Author: Will Durrance
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6-8
A quick and easy Mac and Cheese. So simple it’s like magic!
Ingredients
  • 3 c. uncooked macaroni noodles
  • 2-3 c. shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, gouda, etc. or a combination)
  • 1 t. salt
  • 4 c. milk
  • Optional: peas, broccoli, tomatoes, sausage, chicken
Instructions
  1. Butter a 9×13 baking dish.
  2. Add all ingredients and stir gently.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set and lightly browned on top.
Notes

Serves 6-8 as a main dish, more as a side dish.

 

Wednesday

2

May 2012

1

COMMENTS

Inspired by Tarragon – Episode 21

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Inspired By, This Week's Feast, Thoughts

I’ve tried something new. French Tarragon. I’d heard of it, but had never used it before today. I’m so glad to have been introduced.

I perused The Flavor Bible to find out what from this week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box would compliment this herb. Well, there were quite a few things. In the dish that I came up with, the ingredients are meant to compliment the tarragon (so if you do any substituting, do so at your own risk – do your research first, there are a few things that shouldn’t be paired with tarragon, for example: oregano, rosemary, and sage).

This dish has things like: chard (“greens”), spring onion, garlic, beef, dijon mustard, rice, and parsley.

Want to know some other things that go well with tarragon?! Asparagus (in this week’s box), broccoli (in this week’s box), cream, olive oil, pepper, tomatoes, red wine, lentils, capers, fish, chicken, cauliflower, artichokes, lemon juice, lettuce, mushrooms, pasta, potatoes, pork, spinach… These are just a few!

Let’s get excited about FRENCH TARRAGON!

There’s another dish on this week’s menu (Saturday) that goes with tarragon: Tarragon Potatoes w/ Lemon Zest. After you’ve made these dishes, if you still have some left, try the Tarragon Vinegar that’s in the AHO newsletter. I think I’m going to. 🙂

Now one last thing before you’re dismissed. TX Bar Organics is doing a cool thing with beef. I’m not just talking about amazing organic beef. That’s pretty awesome. But, above and beyond that, TX Bar Organics started a Food for a Cause program, where they donate 1 lb of ground beef to local food banks for every 20 lbs of beef purchased. The idea is to provide quality nutrition to families hit hard by the recent economic downturn. I’ve been thinking recently about food that we donate, canned goods for example, and how we usually give the things that have been sitting in the back of the pantry for years, things we know we’ll never eat, or don’t like. Why not give things that we would like to eat? I think what TX Bar Organics is doing is super! I’m glad that families in need will also get to eat wonderful organic beef.

Chard Wraps with Beef and Tarragon

Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:20:39 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Chard Wraps with Beef and Tarragon
Recipe Type: Main, Dinner, Wrap
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 3-4
Inspired by French Tarragon, complimented by beef, and rice. Delicious, and easier that you’d think.
Ingredients
  • 4 large chard leaves
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 t fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 t French tarragon, chopped
  • 1 C tomato sauce
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • 1 green garlic, chopped
  • 2 C chicken stock
  • 1 T dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 C rice, cooked (I used leftovers)
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/4 t pepper
  • 4 toothpicks
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Boil water in a large oven safe pot. Add chard leaves and cook 1 minute. Remove from pot and set aside.
  2. Discard water (you could use it for a soup, or to water your plants – when it cools). Add beef to pot. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add tarragon, rice, tomato sauce, dijon, and parsley; cook 3-5 minutes.
  3. Taste. Add more salt if needed.
  4. Divide beef mixture in 4. Lay each piece of chard flat. Place 1 quarter of the mixture (more or less, depending on the size of the chard leaf) in the center. Wrap sides inward, then wrap top and bottom to overlap where sides folded in. Secure the stem with a toothpick.
  5. Pour stock into the same pan you’ve cooked the beef in. Carefully place the wraps in the pot. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

 

This meal can be found on Tuesday of this week’s menu!

Episode Sponsored By

Abundant Harvest Organics

TX Bar Organics

Molly Jenson

Monday

30

April 2012

2

COMMENTS

Dans Ma Jardin

Written by , Posted in Gardening, Thoughts

I discovered a love for gardening about 4 years ago. I find it fun, enjoyable, therapeutic, stress-relieving, rewarding. I’ve had many successes, and many failures. I’m not an expert. I don’t even know that I have a green thumb. I just try things, and sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Apparently my philosophy when it comes to cooking translates to the garden too.

Dans Ma Jardin, means In My Garden

I love to spend time there. I grow a few flowers, but most of my time is spent trying to coax things to grow in my apartment garden. This year I have: mint, basil, rosemary, chives, oregano, parsley, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, carrots, kale, and spinach. I had success with some of these last year, so thought I’d give them a try again this year. I’ve also tried: squash, watermelon, red peppers, lettuce, sage, and a few other things, without success. I don’t know why.

We used to live in a house, and had room for a real garden. Not anymore. That’s OK. It just takes a little more planning and patience to grow things on the patio. A few years ago, Husband built me some garden boxes (with the help of my brother and sister-in-law). I love them. When we moved, we couldn’t bring all 5, so we just brought one. I miss the others, but am so happy to have a space for a garden at all here in L.A., so I’m not complaining. 🙂

I’ve harvested a few beans (and eaten them all pretty much out of the garden – I think they taste best this way), some kale, spinach, and a bit of each kind of herb. With the mint, I’ve made mint tea (the way my mom used to make it).

With things like basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, and oregano, I add them to Tomato Sauce, Lasagna, Ham and Corn Chowder… and many other things. These are some of my favorite herbs.

 Â 

The tomatoes (if they produce – they didn’t last year) will go to Tomato Sauce (if there are lots), BLT Pizza, Sugar-Snap Pea Pasta, Tomato-Corn Salsa… this list could go on and on. 

The kale and spinach are great for Steak Salad, Wilted Spinach and Radicchio Salad, Lasagna,  a Mushroom Frittata…

The carrots, besides being great raw, will be yummy in Pasta in a Pinch, or a Lentil, Quinoa and Carrot Supper!

Mint Iced Tea

Last modified on 2012-05-23 01:37:00 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Mint Iced Tea
Recipe Type: Drink
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
A refreshing drink that tastes like summer.
Ingredients
  • approx. 1/2 to 1 C fresh mint, stems removed, bruised or chopped
  • approx. 6-8 C boiling water
Instructions
  1. Bruise mint using a mortar and pestle, the handle of a wooden spoon, or the back of a knife blade. Just smash it a little. You can also chop it if you’d like. If you’re in a rush, you can leave them whole.
  2. Place mint in a heat proof jug or tea kettle. Pour boiling water over.
  3. Let it cool.
  4. Place in the refrigerator, covered, so it doesn’t absorb refrigerator smells. (You can either strain leaves, or leave them, then strain when pouring into a glass.)
Notes

The quantities are not exact. I basically just take some mint and pour boiling water over it. If you like it strong, use more, for weaker tea, use less.
I don’t usually sweeten, but you could if you wanted, with honey or sugar. Just dissolve it when the water is still hot.
This tastes great with burgers and oven roasted fries. Mom used to make this all the time in the summer (without sweetening it). It tastes like my childhood.

 

Friday

27

April 2012

2

COMMENTS

Amazing Ribs by Uncle Jake

Written by , Posted in Thoughts

We grew up fairly close to family. We would often make the drive to the Niagara area and spend time with Oma and Opa, Uncle Jake, Aunt Sue, Jenny, and Jill. I spent many nights at Jenny and Jill’s. We always stayed up so late, giggling and talking. They used to live on a farm, so I learned to ride a horse, muck a stall, and toss hay bales. I remember once the farm dog (Ginger maybe??) barked at me. I went to the house and told Uncle Jake. He looked at me in shock and said that she’d never done that before. I was the first to get her to bark! I was pretty gullible. I’d never had a dog, so I didn’t know. 🙂

The past few visits to Ontario have been for both fun and sad occasions. We’ve been back for a wedding, a 90th birthday celebration, and two funerals. On two of those occasions, we were treated to ribs by Uncle Jake.

They. Are. Amazing.

I wanted the recipe for myself, but I also wanted it to share with you!! I think you should make this. And, hint hint, Mother’s Day is coming up. Maybe there’s a special mother in your life who would like to be treated by you, to some of these. (And if you’re a mother, and you want these ribs, forward this post to someone who can make these for you so you can have the day off!! :)) Oooh, I just had a great idea! Make the ribs for dinner (maybe with a nice potato salad, and some grilled veggies), and then have vanilla ice cream with Aunt Sue’s Chocolate Fudge Sauce for dessert! OK, enough from me…

Here’s Uncle Jake…

Over my years of barbecuing and cooking ribs I now have a rib sauce and cooking process I am happy with and serve at gatherings as they warrant a rib meal or side dish.

Uncle Jake’s Back Ribs

Last modified on 2013-08-28 22:14:15 GMT. 2 comments. Top.

 

Uncle Jake’s Back Ribs
Recipe Type: Ribs, Grilling, BBQ, Main
Author: Jake Pries
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours
Uncle Jake’s amazing ribs!
Ingredients
  • Ribs: I like to use 3-4 ribs if a side dish and a rack of 6-8 for main meal. What’s left over is great the second day for a snack or the evening munchies!!!!
  • Chicken broth
  • Rub: 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1 tsp paprika ( 2 if not using smoked paprika)
  • 1 tsp cayenne (2 if more heat wanted)
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sauce: ½ cup fancy molasses
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Calculate the amount of ribs. If they are sized well cut them into single ribs if smaller cut them into 2s.
  2. Get a roasting dish or 2 or 3 depending on the number of folks coming and lay them meaty side down.
  3. Lightly salt and pepper the bone side and then fill so that the ribs are covered mid point with a chicken broth. Then cover with a foil and place in the over at 275 degrees F for 3 hrs. Rotate ribs after 2 hrs and bake meaty side up for the last hr.
  4. Stir rub ingredients together. Put contents into an empty spice container with the larger holes and this will serve you well when applying the rub. I triple this recipe and then have this rub for the next rib meal. Also tastes good when barbecuing chicken as an added flavor. Mix sauce ingredients well in a bowl. Once again I triple this recipe and put it into a retired plastic ketchup bottle. This will work well when applying sauce.
  5. Once ribs have been braised over the 3 hrs. Drain remaining broth into a container. This is still good for future broth needs.
  6. Take out a baking pan and line it with your foil cover. Place ribs on pan side by side, meaty side down and apply rub. Rotate ribs to meaty side up and repeat.
  7. Set oven temp at 400 F and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
  8. The final touch has 2 options – barbecue or bake. Bake: Set oven to 425F. Baste ribs with sauce cook uncovered for 5 min-rotate ribs baste ribs and cook 5 min final rotate baste and cook for 5 min or till glazed. Barbecue: Set temp to med/high. Pay attention at this point not to blacken the ribs but just glaze them. The meat will be tender on the ribs at this point and can fall off the rib if it sticks to the grilling surface. Baste well and place on grill and rotate and baste again once glazed. I find starting with the meaty side up and last rotation meaty side down reduces the tendency for the meat to stick to the grill.
  9. Once done put in platter and enjoy.
  10. P.S. Don’t forget to give thanks.

 

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