Phoebe's Kitchen

San Diego and the Night the Lights went out

Following my visit to Tuscon, I moved on to San Diego for a conference.  Upon landing and checking into my hotel, I had plans to spend the afternoon at the San Diego Zoo.   I was told that the weather in San Diego was always in the mid-70s and the dewpoint was around 50.  However, on this particular day the temperature was 97 and the dewpoint was over 70, so no zoo.                              

That evening I decided to walk to Little Italy and decided to  dine at Buon Appetito on India Street.  I have to say it was one of the best meals I have ever had.  I didn't see it on the menu, but I requested Veal Parmigiana and I have to said I have never had any better.  First, they served me warm Italian bread with a dipping sauce they was made with olive oil, fresh chopped tomatoes, fresh chopped basil, minced garlic and a dash of red pepper.  Soon after I was served a delicious plate of Veal Parmigiana.  Most of the meals I have had of veal are served with a marinara sauce, but not this one. On top of the most tender slices of veal was a sauce made from all fresh vegetables and herbs.  It was absolutely delicious.                                      

The next nght I walked to the waterfront and dined at Anthony's Fish Grotto on the bay.  This restaurant was recommended by the driver of the shuttle from the airport.  He said make sure I tried the  cole slaw with a creamy pineapple dressing.  I decided to have the Pacific Ling Cod served over a bed of citrus pilaf.   The roll was served with a butter mixture with garlic dried tomato paste. 

On Thursday, I was in the last session of the day and the speaker from Microsoft was about to begin his presentation when the lights went out.  Seems that a workman in Arizona cut a cable that turned off all the light from Phoenix to L.A. My friend from high school was on her way to have dinner with me.  She called at 4:55 p.m. and said she was 2 miles out and would arrive in 20 minutes.  She showed up at 7:00 p.m.  Traffic was in gridlock and nothing was moving.  Barb and I went off to fine something to eat but the health inspectors had shut down all the restaurants so we went back to the Hyatt.  They were making sandwiches and for $9.00 we had two slices of turkey on dry (no mayo or mustard) bread.  We sat on the curb of a planter.  The next day we learned that other area hotels provided food free to their guests.                                                         

I wanted to see more of the town so on my final afternoon in town, I took the San Diego Trolley Tour.  It was great!  You can get off and on at whatever tops you want.  In particular, I want to see the Del Coronado Hotel and this was the best way to get there.  I started the tour at Seaport Village.  The trolley then took us through the city and up over the Coronado Bay Bridge to the island of Coronado with the U.S. Navy's occupying  the north end of the island.  The tour took us through the town and along the beach which was listed as the second best beach in the World this year.  Of course, not to gloat, the winner was Siesta Key Beach  in Sarasota, FL. 

I got off to tour the Hotel Del Coronado.  Our tour guide said that the roof of the hotel has over two million red tiles. When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort hotel in the world and the first to use electrical lighting. The lumber for the hotel was floated over on a barge.  Over the last 120 years, the "Del" has hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities throughout the years. 

From the "Del," I got back on the trolley and continued the tour to Balboa Park and "Old Town."  Old Town is known as the Birthplace of California. In 1821, when Mexico gained independence from Spain, a small group of Mexican settlers began building homes at the foot of the hillside below the first mission and Presidio. Because wood was scarce at the time, sun-dried adobe bricks were used.

 For my last night in town, my friend and I went to the Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park.  The Prado  is located at the historic House of Hospitality in the center of San Diego’s famous Balboa Park.  It is a beautiful setting with some of the most amazing blown glass structures situated around the restuarant.  We both had a delicious seafood paella, but the piece de resistance was the dessert "Tres Leches".  It consists of a traditional "three milk" soaked sponge cake, baked pistachio meringue filled with caramel bananas, and vanilla bean ice cream.

 

Anthony's Cole Slaw with Creamy Pineapple Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, optional
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 8 - 10 cups coleslaw mix

1.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, pineapple, milk, ketchup, sugar, poppy seeds if desired and Worcestershire sauce.

2.  Place the coleslaw mix in a large bowl; add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Host of Golden Daffodils and A Daffodil Cake

Yesterday on April 11, 2011 the last bit of snow melted from my yard at the same time my first daffodil of the season bloomed.  It took me several hours to clean out my beds and 15 containers of leaves, etc were left for pick up.  Hopefully, this year will be not as hot as last and everything will bloom when it is suppose too. Winter did a number on my shrubs with one "Cornell Pink Azalea" being destroyed by snow coming off the roof. Have the remnants in a vase and am enjoying the blossoms  in the dining room.

Daffodil Cake

1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons of sugar                                                   
12 egg whites
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Lemon Glaze
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the cake flour and the 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.
2. In a large electric mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, ,beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt for about 60 seconds, until foamy. Add the 3/4 cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Gently fold the vanilla and lemon zest into the meringue.
3. In another electric mixer bowl, beat the egg yolks for about 5 minutes, until they are very thick and lemon colored. Set aside.
4. Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture, one quarter at a time, over the meringue, gently folding the flour in just until the dry ingredients disappear. Pour half the batter into the bowl with the whipped egg yolks, and fold gently together.
5. Get out an ungreased tube pan, about 10×4 inches. Spoon the yellow and white batters alternately into the pan, and gently cut through the batters with a knife to swirl.
6. Bake on the bottom shelf of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched with a finger. Invert the pan on its funnel and let the cake hang until it is completely cooled.
7. While the cake is cooling, it’s time to make the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the lemon zest. Add the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time to the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously until the mixture is smooth.  The mixture will thin very quickly as you add the juice so go slowly and stop when you get to your desired glaze consistency.
8. Carefully remove the cake from its pan and spoon the glaze over the top.  Enjoy!

Betty Crocker Cookbook

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

 

Christmas is now upon us and instead of 12 days it is now 8 days of Christmas Cookies.  These are a favorite of my neighbor Peter.

 

Canberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup  butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups old-fashioned Oatmeal

1 cup dried cranberries, soaked in

1 cup orange juice

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  In a medium-bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3.  In a large bowl cream butter and add sugar and brown sugar; combine well.

4.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

5.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; blend well.

6.  Fold in the oatmeal and cranberries. 

7.  Drop by rounded teaspoons on ungreased baking sheet.

8.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden.  Cool 1 minute on baking sheet for a few minutes; move to wire rack.

Yields:  4 dozen

 

 

Norwegian Kringle - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

Here we are on the Monday before Christmas with five days left and only 7 cookies so far - so instead of the 12 Days of Christmas, it is going to be more like the 8 Days of Christmas.  To put it mildly, I misjudged my time and all that needed to be done.  I'll do better next year.  Besides making all these cookies - dozens and dozens of them, the question became what to do with all the cookies.  I'm really becoming quite inventive.

Below is a recipe given to me by friends in Florida who got it from a friend from Norway.  They are delicious and last fairly well if kept in an air tight container.  I leave mine on the porch where the cold seems to keep them fresh.

Norwegian Kringle 

 1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon water

Blend together.  Press on a 10 x 14-inch baking sheet.  Dip your fingers in cold water to help you press the mixture in place.  It can be done, it takes time and patience.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat water and butter to the boiling point, remove from heat; add flour.  Stir until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add almond extract.  Spread on pie crust.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Mix together until smooth.  Spread on the cooled Kringle.  Cut into 1-inch squares.  This cookie is very rich!

 

Gingerbread Cookies - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

Aren't they the cutest.  My dear friend Berneice of Sugar D.L.s made them for me.  Fun to eat one appendage at a time.

Gingerbread Men Cookies 

1 cup butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup regular molasses

5 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1½ tablespoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 (16-ounce) package confectioners sugar

3 egg whites, whipped into a soft meringue or

  3 tablespoons meringue powder

6-8 tablespoons warm water

White sparkling sugar (optional)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed in a large mixing bowl with a mixer until fluffy.
3. Stir together ¼ cup water and soda until dissolved; stir in molasses.
4. Combine flour, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.
5. Add to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Shape mixture into a ball; cover and chill 1 hour.
6. Roll to ¼ -inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 4-inch gingerbread man or woman cookie cutter.
7. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
9. To make icing, combine confectioners sugar and water.  Fold in the soft meringue.  Spoon icing into a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag; pipe around edges of cookies. Sprinkle icing with sugar, if desired.

Note: Sparkling sugar can be found at cake decorating and kitchen shops or through King Arthur.  Meringue powder is also available through King Arthur.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

These are my all time favorite cookie.  Besides me, my neighbor Sean and my nephew Karl also rank them high on their list.  They are really double chocolate with a touch of orange juice.

The hardest part is coming up with the mint chocolate chip.  :Last year Nestle had them once again so I stocked up buying about 3 dozen bags.  This year I bought some at Targets, but when I went back they no loniger had any.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

2¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 ( 10-ounce) bag mint chocolate chips

1 (12-ounce) semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until soft and creamy.  Add granulated and brown sugar, combine thoroughly.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. 
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; add orange juice and combine.
5. Fold in bags of mint chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

 

Yields 4 to 5 dozen.

 

 

Rose Kennedy's Sugar Cookie - 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

 Sugar Cookies can be very versatile.  They can be rolled and cut into reindeer, Santas, Christmas Trees, Angels, Wreaths, and a many other symbols of the holiday season.

My dear friend, Berneice of Sugar D.L.'s made the cookies on the left for me.  She makes the most awesome cookies.  They can be found at Fresh Acres in Springfield, MA.

This recipe can be found in the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts.

Rose Kennedy’s Sugar Cookies

 ½ cup unsweetened butter                               

 ¼ cup sugar                                                     

 3 egg yolks                                                      

½ teaspoon vanilla                                           

1 tablespoon milk

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

 

1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees F.
2. Cream butter until light and gradually add sugar.
3. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk; beat thoroughly.
4. Sift dry ingredients and add to batter in batches.  Mix well, but do not overmix.
5. Place on unbuttered cookie sheets by teaspoons.  Press down using fingers.  If desired, sprinkle top with color sprinkle.
6. Bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes until edges are golden.

 Yields:  36 cookies

 

Almond Joy - Day 2 of 12 Days of Christmas Cookies

 Almond Joy Macaroon Bars 

 These tasty bites taste like the candy bar.  A marvelous combination of chocolate and coconut.  This delicious recipe can be found in the Taste and Tales of Coastal New England.

 

¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

½ teaspoon salt

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 (7-ounce) bag sweetened, flaked coconut

1½ cups semisweet chocolate bits

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut butter into ½-inch pieces.  Cut butter into flour until mixture begins to form pea size pieces.  Sprinkle in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and press evenly onto bottom.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
4. In a bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and vanilla until well combined. 
5. Blend in flour and coconut, mixing well.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot shortbread.  Let chips melt and spread evenly over shortbread.
6. Drop coconut mixture by teaspoons onto chocolate and spread evenly.
7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes.  Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

 

Yields:  24 bars

For Lovers of Coconut - Day 1

To my family, friends and fans, I am sorry to be starting my series a little late.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.  I will do my best to do one a day, but i might miss a day here and there.  In the spirit of the holidays, I look for your forgiveness.

I simply love macaroons and they are easy to make.

Coconut Macaroons

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg white, whipped

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 (14 ounce) package flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F.  Line cookie with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla extract, sea salt and coconut; mix well.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets; slightly flatten each mound with a spoon.
4. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Immediately remove from baking sheets (macaroons will stick if allowed to cool); cool on wire racks. Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

Yields: 2 dozen macaroons

Variations:  Melt chocolate chips and dip bottom of cooled macaroons in chocolate.  Place on wax paper until hardened.  Remove to container. 

Another idea would be to use almond, orange or lemon extract in place of vanilla.  

 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies

Beginning on Monday, December 6th, I will present a different cookie for the next twelve days.  Today, we'll look at the history of Christmas cookies.  Personally, I first began making cookies with my Mother and then continued each Christmas by making several types and giving them as gifts. 

Cookies go back over 10,000 years when Neolithic farmers combined grain and water to make a paste which they then cooked on hot stones.  Some cultures still make flat bread by this method today.  Over time this flat cookie changed with the addition of various spices and ingredients to become the cookie we know today.  It was during the Middle Ages that the cookie began to come into its own.  From the exploration of Marco Polo and others who ventured forth from Western Europe came cinnamon, ginger, almonds and many other ingredients. 

In 1703, the word "cookie" was first seen in print.  It is thought by food researchers that Lebkuchen or gingerbread was probably the first cake/cookie related to Christmas.  The name "Lebkuchen" comes either from the old German word "lebbe" (very sweet) or from the Latin word "libum" (cakes).  According to the website, German Food Guide, "'The history of the Lebkuchen begins with the Honigkuchen (Honey Cake). The Egyptians, around the year 1500 BC, baked these cakes to be placed in the graves of kings. The Egyptians believed that honey was a gift for the gods. The Romans called their honey cakes "panus mellitus" (sweet bread). They not only used honey as a sweetener in the dough, but they also glazed the cakes with honey." 

"The Lebkuchen that we know today was originally founded in Belgium. It was introduced into Germany through the city of Aachen, where it was then taken over by the Franconian (fränkishe) monastaries. It was the nuns that created the Lebkuchen shapes that are used today. As "Pfefferkuchen," the cookies were introduced to the city of Ulm in 1296. Later in 1395 they were discovered in the city of Nürnberg, where they were baked by the local monks. The cookies were first called "Lebkuchen" in 1409. 

By early 1500s, the making of Christmas cookies had spread across Western Europe. 

 

Lebkuchen

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup diced candied citron

1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

 

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey and molasses. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the citron and hazelnuts. Cover dough and chill overnight.
2. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. If icing becomes sugary while brushing cookies, re-heat slightly- adding a little water until crystals dissolve.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
4. Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ -inch thickness. Cut into small rectangles and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Brush the icing over the cookies while they are still hot and quickly remove them to wire cooling racks. Store in airtight container with a cup of orange or apple for a few days to mellow.

Yields:  5 dozen