More from The Frustrated Foodie...

Being on a fixed income has its disadvantages, like having to shop for food once a month and miscalculating on things.  I didn't get enough bread to last.  The good news is, I love to bake.  Cookies, pies, biscuits, cakes, you name it.  The smell of Freshly Baked Bread brings back memories of my misspent youth when my Granny would bake bread.

Have you ever walked by a Bakery and begun drooling from the aroma of bread wafting from  the confines of the big non-descript building in your neighborhood? That smell is second only to warm Pumpkin Pie or freshly baked cookies and cinnamon rolls.  When I was in the Navy, my Berthing Space was directly below the  Ships Bakery and every time they baked bread, we would go up and scam a couple of loaves with a big chunk of butter and we'd blissfully pig out on the still warm bread. It was like eating a piece of home...

I usually  make a French Bread since it's easy  and doesn't need a bread pan, just a couple of baking sheets.  for the last few years I've been using the recipe that came with  my KitchenAid stand mixer and I'd like to share it with you all.

French Bread (for Kitchen Aid Mixers) Recipe #52289

This recipe came with my Kitchen Aid mixer, and makes two absolutely beautiful loaves of French Bread. I misplaced my recipe book and recently found it again, so am adding this recipe to Zaar for safe-keeping! Make sure you use a very, very sharp knife to make the diagonal slashes. This bread is delicious on its own, for sopping up stew or soup broth, and with your favorite cheeses or toppings. Prep time specified includes rising time.

by Lizzie-Babette

3 hours | 2½ hours prep

SERVES 30 , 15 slices per loaf

·         2 packages active dry yeast

·         2 1/2 cups water (105F to 115 F)

·         1 tablespoon salt

·         1 tablespoon melted margarine or butter

·         7 cups all-purpose flour

·         2 tablespoons cornmeal

·         1 egg white

·         1 tablespoon cold water

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl.
2. Add salt, butter, and flour.
3. Attach bowl& dough hook to mixer, turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended.
4. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
5. Dough will be sticky.
6. Put dough in large greased bowl, turning to coat.
7. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
8. Punch dough down and divide in half.
9. Roll each half into 12" x 15" rectangle.
10. Roll dough tightly, from longest side, tapering ends, if needed/wanted.
11. Put loaves on greased baking sheets that have been dusted with cornmeal.
12. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
13. With sharp knife, make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf.
14. Bake at 450F for 25 minutes, then remove from oven.
15. Beat egg white and water together and brush each loaf with this mix.
16. Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer.
17. Immediately remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
18. Serve with your favorite spread such as herbed butter, garlic bread topping, etc.

 Maybe next time I post about my Sour Dough rounds, dense, crusty and tangy!

The Rites of Spring... Another Frustrated Foodie Rant.

March.  What a busy month.  The last of the Winter storms and the first of the Spring rains, not to mention Spring itself with the Vernal Equinox and the ever EVIL onslaught of the DREADED DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!!  In spite of what they keep trying to feed us about DST being for increased leisure time, it's all about having more daylight for work. But I digress. March 17th.  Four days, (or five depending on where things  in the universe line up), before the Official start of Spring. Also known as Saint Patrick's Day, the one day when everyone is Irish.  Lots of parties and excuses for excessive drinking and wearing something green so you don't get pinched.

It is also the day for Corned Beef and Cabbage with  Carrots, a "Traditional" Irish feast for everyone but the Irish.  Although not a traditional Irish meal, it has been an integral part of Irish-American culture and is often related to Irish holidays such as Saint Patrick's Day. In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is Bacon and Cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham). Corned beef and cabbage became popular in America after Irish immigrants in the eastern Unites States used corned beef instead of pork in their traditional dish.


I loved Corned Beef.  It's great anytime of year, but St. Patrick's Day just lends something special to the flavor, but that might just be the Beer I add to my own version.  With luck, if I can stave off the ravening hoard I call family, I have enough leftovers to make sandwiches and Corned Beef Hash for breakfast by the 3rd day.  That's the main reason I usually buy 2 or 3 packages of corned beef once a year.  It's like having turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving, but in March.


It's really simple to make, always a plus, if you have a large slow cooker. You will need;


2-Corned Beefs weighing 3-3 1/2 pounds each.
I medium sized head of cabbage, quartered.
6-10 small red potatoes, washed.
2-carrots, cut diagonally in 1/2 inch pieces.
2-12oz. beers, any brand.  Get the cheap stuff, no need to waste good beer.
Water to just cover the meat.


Put the carrots at the bottom of the slow cooker and place the meat on top.
Add the beer then add water til it just covers the meat. Don't forget to add the contents of the pickling spice packets included in your corned beef(s)
Set cooker  to high and cover.  Set your favorite timer for 2 1/2 hours and walk away.


When the timer yells at you, add your spuds and cover again for 30-40 minutes.  Remember to reset your timer.
When it yells again, add your cabbage and cover again for 25-35 minutes. If you do it right, the cabbage will be firm yet  tender and full of flavor.


Serving is easy.  Put a piece of the cabbage quarter on a plate with 2 or 3 spuds and slice the Corned Beef across the grain in 1/4 inch thick pieces. Add a few of the carrot pieces and chow down.
Personally, I like a spicy brown mustard with mine to dip the meat into.

The Frustrated Foodie...

Those who know me know that I am a Foodie.  I really enjoy good food, especially if it is well prepared.  I've learned over the years how to make good food from minimal ingredients with Comfort Food being a specialty.  Things like Slow Cooked Pork Roasts with Sauerkraut, Pot Roasts, Soups, Stews, Biscuits and Gravy, Scratch made Pancakes and Waffles and Southern Fried Chicken. Those dishes along with the usual things like Steaks and Chops, burgers and Meatloaf help round out my menus.  I also bake breads and Bagels and Cornbread which goes great with pot of Beans with a hamhock for flavor.

Being on a fixed income, I only shop for food once a month and look for bargains in the meat and fresh Veggie aisles. This time out I found out that Prime Rib Roasts were on sale for $4.05/lb. so I grabbed a 3 Rib Standing Rib Roast for later this month. I LOVE Prime Rib.  Who doesn't?  In an upscale restaurant it would cost you a bundle for two people and face it, these days who can afford that unless you're a Politician or Bank CEO?  I watch Food Network to learn different recipes and techniques and I found a great recipe for Dry Aged Prime Rib on "Good Eats" with Alto  Brown and I use that for my once a year meat feast with all the trimmings.

Here's his Recipe;

Dry-Aged Standing Rib Roast with Sage Jus

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Prep Time:  35 min

Inactive Prep Time: 3 mins

Cook Time: 4 hours

Serves: 10

Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 (4-bone-in) standing rib roast, preferably from the loin end
• Canola oil, to coat roast
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper, to cover entire roast
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 fresh sage leaves

Directions

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast. Place the standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The rack is essential for drainage. Place dry towels loosely on top of the roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat. Place into a refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and 38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer. Change the towels daily for 3 days.

Place a 16-inch round azalea terra cotta planter into a cold oven. Invert the planter to become a lid over a pizza stone or the bottom of the planter. The oven should be cold to start, to avoid any cracking in the terra cotta pieces. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F.

Remove the roast from the refrigerator and rub with canola oil. Remember to rub the bones with oil, as well. Once the roast is completely coated with oil cover the roast with kosher salt, about half a teaspoon per bone. Next, rub with freshly ground pepper to coat the surface. Place the roast over a glass bake-ware dish slightly smaller than the length of the roast. This will catch the drippings needed for the sauce. Finally, place a probe thermometer into the center of the roast and set for 118 degrees. Put the roast and the bake-ware dish onto the pizza stone, cover with the terra cotta pot, and return to the oven. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees F and roast until internal temperature is achieved.

Remove the roast and turn oven up to 500 degrees F. Remove the terra cotta lid and recover with heavy-duty foil. Allow the roast to rest until an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. is reached. Place the roast back into the preheated 500 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until you've achieved your desired crust Remove and transfer roast to a cutting board. Keep covered with foil until ready to serve.

Degrease the juices in the glass pan. Place the pan over low heat and deglaze with 1 cup of water. Add the wine and reduce by half. Roll the sage leaves in between your fingers to release the flavors and aroma Add to the sauce and cook for 1 minute. Strain and serve on the side.

 Serve with a baked Potato and a green Veggie and Voila!  A feast fit for a King that you did yourself!  Along with the Jus Dipping Sauce, I make a  Sour Cream Horseradish sauce to give it a spicey tang.


Any leftovers can be thinly sliced for some of the BEST Roast Beef Sandwiches you EVER Tasted!!!

Bon Appetit,  y'all!

The MPAA Ratings System...

The MPAA Ratings System has to be one of the most screwed up things in the History of Cinema. At least in recent times.  I get the need for it, I really do. Parents need guidelines as to what their children should be allowed to watch, but when it first began there were four movie ratings, "G", "PG", "M" and "X".  All Pretty self explanatory.

"Midnight Cowboy" was the first "X" Rated film I ever saw shown on a wide release. It had Nudity and Adult Language and Sexual Situations.  One year later it was Downgraded to "M".  Now you have to realize that this was the time when full on graphic porn was being shown in Drive-Ins everywhere, not just the "Art Houses" of the day.  Sure, they had "X" ratings and Showed EVERYTHING, but they were trying to have an actual plot to go along with the sex.  God I miss the late 60's and Early 70's...

Along comes the 80's and 90's.  All those young people who would go to the drive-ins to watch those movies are now grown up and have kids of their own. It is now the time of the "Double Standard".  It was Ok for them to see naked body parts, but God Forbid their offspring have the same freedom of choice they enjoyed at the same age.  In steps the MPAA and the system gets revamped. We now have "G", "PG, "PG13", "R" and "NC17" and have changed the definitions of what THEY think we should be allowed to see. Who are THEY you ask?  PARENTS. That's right, PARENTS! This is a direct quote from the MPAA site, "Ratings are assigned by an independent board of parents with no past affiliation to the movie business. Their job is to rate each film as they believe a majority of American parents would rate it, considering relevant themes and content."


And why do they do this?  Again, a direct quote from the site;


"Movie ratings provide parents with advance information about the content of films, so they can determine what movies are appropriate for their young children to see. Movie ratings do not determine whether a film is "good" or "bad." They simply provide basic information to parents about the level of various elements in the film, such as sex, violence and language so that parents can decide what their children can and cannot see. By providing clear, concise information, movie ratings provide timely, relevant information to parents, and they help protect the freedom of expression of filmmakers and this dynamic American art form."


Dear Readers, our Cinematic Choices are being watered down to protect us from ourselves!  Good forbid that we see any VIOLENCE, SEX or NUDITY on the silver screen or hear any (gasp) PROFANITY that may offend our delicate sensibilities.


Now I'm not talking about Family type movies of the "G", "PG" or "PG13" variety, but the "R" rated films that the industry is struggling to get made AND approved by those stiff necked stuffed shirts who have control over what we see.


Action Films are getting "R" ratings for Violence!  You can see the same thing on any television set in America on any given night!  Pervasive Language is another thing they want to protect me from. They even list Smoking for cryin' out loud.  There are a lot of films out there that are  "R" rated that shouldn't be merely on the say so of this random group of parents who no longer have a connection to the real world.  They want us all to be uptight little drones that don't have the power of free will or the ability to think  for ourselves.


I  think it's time we got people with open minds on the MPAA Ratings board.