Meyer Lemon Spiked Salmon Spread and Giveaway Results

It's still Meyer lemon time around here.

Today I decided to use up some leftover cooked salmon and the juice and zest of a Meyer lemon to make a spread for bread or crackers or cucumber slices...I guess you could put it on top of baked potatoes, too, or use it as a filling for baked hand pies...lots of ways to use this one...or just eat it with a spoon! Just remember to be kind to your heart and go easy on the quantity eaten. The goodness of the fish oil can only offset the badness of the cream cheese just so much.

While I'm posting about the spread I'm happy to report that the three copies of Bless Your Heart, the great cookbook with a Southern sensibility, go to....tada...Tanna of My Kitchen in Half Cups the first commenter, Ammy Belle of The Crooked Bookshelf the fourth commenter, and Claire of Cooking is Medicine the fifth commenter. The were chosen in a random drawing and need to get me their e-mail addresses, if I don't already have them (Ammy Belle was smart and included hers with the comment) so that I can get their mailing address for the kind folks at Thomas Nelson Publishers so that they can mail out the books. My e-mail to use is elle(dot)lachman(at)gmail(dot)com.

Again, a huge thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishers for making these free copies available with no strings attached.



Meyer Lemon Spiked Salmon Spread
an original Elle recipe

one 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Juice and zest of 1/2 Meyer (or other type) lemon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
1 cup cooked salmon, flaked
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
salt to taste if needed

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or in a food processor bowl, place the cream cheese, yogurt , lemon juice and zest, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Beat to blend and to soften the mixture. Fold in the salmon flakes and parsley with a spatula and taste for seasoning. I like my spread to be pretty loose and creamy.

If you like a thick spread, try using half the yogurt and add additional a little at a time until it is the consistency you like before folding in the salmon and parsley.

Let the spread sit in the 'fridge for at least 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Taste again for seasoning. You may want to add more lemon juice or more cayenne pepper or even more parsley. Serve with thin slices of baguette or cucumber or with crackers or breadsticks.

Refrigerate, covered, if there are any leftovers.

Heartwarming Sweets and a Giveaway

One of the benefits of writing a food blog is that occasionally you are offered the opportunity to review cookbooks or try out new products and give your opinion. I don't accept every offer I receive but now and then I find one to be a good fit. I imagine they do the same thing before offering...take a look at the blog and see if they go well together.

Recently I received an e-mail from a publicist at Thomas Nelson, long time publisher of a variety of books. After checking out a few of the titles online I became enthused about trying out some recipes in their books.

The first book I've tried is Bless Your Heart, Saving the World Once Covered Dish at a Time with Recipes by Patsy Caldwell and Stories by Amy Lyles Wilson. It organizes recipes around gatherings like church suppers, tail gate parties, and bookclubs.

There is a pure Southern sensibility, particularly in the stories at the beginning of each chapter. These recipes are often created to be given as gifts of the heart so, although there are some recipes that are super healthy, many are comfort foods where no one is counting calories.

I belong to a women's scholarship group and we have luncheons twice a month. Many of the casseroles like Scalloped Potatoes with Country Ham and salads like Norma's Pretzel Salad with strawberry gelatin look very familiar even though we are far from the South. Quite a few recipes in Bless Your Heart are American classics like deviled eggs and peanut butter cookies and others are classics with a twist. There are lots of great photos of the recipe results, too (although all these photos are mine).


The first one I tried is a tea or quick bread familiar in that it is leavened with baking powder and baking soda and perked up with spices and nuts. The twist is that you grate pears to add to the batter and they add flavor, moisture and a subtle perfume. I used two firm but ripe red pears and followed the recipe with only two changes: I used half granulated sugar and half brown sugar instead of all white sugar and I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water instead of 3/4 cup oil. I'm a fan of brown sugar and have found in the past that I prefer a bread with less oil, particularly if there is fruit in it to keep it moist.

This sweet bread was really lovely. I like the moist but firm crumb, the understated spiciness and that it isn't too sweet. Sweetie isn't a big fan of pears but he really liked this bread. Some tea breads need embellishments like a glaze or powdered sugar but this one is perfect as is.

I made it on Tuesday and it was still delicious today at tea time so it seems like a good keeper, too. It's nice because it gets stirred up with a spoon in one bowl so the cleanup is quick, too. The next time I make it I'm going to double the recipe so that I can bake three large loaves because I bet it will freeze well, too. It's always nice to have something like Bebe's Pear Bread in the oven to serve to unexpected guest.

The next recipe I tried was old-fashioned peanut butter cookies. These couldn't be simpler and are always a hit with peanut lovers. The only change I made was to include 1/2 cup chopped peanuts since I like crunchy peanut butter and think that some crunch is great in cookies, too. For about half the batter I also added some dark chocolate chips. Peanut butter and chocolate are also a classic combo, so why not? I'm sure they are delightful without either mix-in, too.

A note on quantities: Since I didn't follow the recipes exactly that probably explains the differences, but I found that the Pear Bread only made one large and one tiny loaves, not two large ones. I also found that the Peanut Butter Cookies made closer to 4 dozen than 2 dozen. Since I was eyeballing the amount of dough instead of using a measure and because I added a full cup of additional mix-ins it's not too surprising...and extra cookies are a good thing, right?

In the spirit of full disclosure, I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I'm disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Now for the giveaway...Katherine R. at Thomas Nelson Publishers has generously offered to send copies of the book to up to three readers. All you have to do is comment on this post. I'll post the winners on March 29 from comments received up to noon PDST that day, after which time the winner will need to e-mail me their mailing address so that I can pass it on to the publisher. Winners outside of the U.S. can expect delivery to take up to six weeks.

You'll be glad you have this book the next time you need to bring a dish like Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie or Cabbage Slaw with Red and Green Apples to a family reunion or pot luck. You will also find recipes for dishes your family will enjoy for weekday meals and special occasions like Fresh from the Garden Tomato Pie or Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Topping.

You can order a copy for yourself at Amazon HERE or at your local bookstore, too. Here is the information on the book: Bless Your Heart, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nov. 2010, ISBN 978-1-4016-0052-5. (BTW - no kickback from Amazon, either, nor from local bookstores.)


BeBe's Pear Bread
Makes two medium loaves - Perfect for a bake sale or for tea

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup each granulated and brown sugar)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water)
2 cups grated pears (2 large pears)
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Set aside. In a large bowl add the flour, sugars, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the oil, water, pears, eggs and vanilla. Stir until just moistened. Pour into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 2 loaves or 24 servings.

Note: If you are making this recipe for yourself, it is wonderful served with cream cheese.


Peanut butter cookies are a childhood favorite, great in a bagged lunch or for an after school treat. This recipe is just right...tender, buttery, robustly peanutty and perfect with a glass of cold milk.



Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
makes at least 2 dozen medium cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large cookie sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl cream teh butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt together and add to the creamed mixture. Add the vanilla and mix well. If you are using chopped peanuts add them and mix well. You can add the chocolate chips instead of or in addition to the peanuts and can add them now or mix in later as I did.

Scoop the cookie dough 1 tablespoon at a time and roll into a ball. Place each cookie on the prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten with a fork or the bottom of a glass. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

Now where's that glass of milk?

Winners

Congratulations to Katie of Apple and Spice blog. She is the winner of the random drawing in celebration of Feeding My Enthusiasms 4th anniversary or birthday (which ever it is). Her package of cooking implements will be in the mail tomorrow. Use them in good health Katie! Thank you sincerely each of you who commented on that post! Here's to another year...or maybe 4 more.

Speaking of winners, there is and organization where the participants and the patrons are all winners. It's called Worth Our Weight and it's a culinary program for young people ages 15 - 24.

They operate a cafe' and I had the pleasure of having brunch there with a friend a few weeks ago.

When we were seated there was already a nice selection of mixed seasonal fruit and a delicious square of bread pudding at the table.

My friend chose a delectable scrambled eggs with pulled pork dish which came with black beans, tortillias and salsa. I chose the vegetarian frittata which was loaded with fresh vegetables suspended in a rich egg batter and the frittata had been cooked perfectly so that the interior was still moist and tender and the crust was beautifully browned.

It came with a nice salad and some fabulous gratine potatoes.

The cafe' is open for Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, the Apprentice Dinner - Third Friday each month at 6:00 pm -- reservations required, and they also have take-out ribs, chicken and tri-tip on second Fridays of each month, plus catering. Check the website for specifics.

The food and service were absolutely wonderful, but the real story is about these young people. Here is how they tell it on the website:

WOW is an organization that values young people, each of whom we believe is worth their weight in gold. Some of WOW’s apprentices are in the process of leaving foster care, while others are adrift without strong role models. All are looking for a safe haven, a place to grow and learn.

Many of these youth find a sense of purpose under the strong, loving guidance of Chef Evelyn Cheatham. WOW succeeds because she has the courage to lift up the lost, angry, and broken-hearted. She helps them by sharing the camaraderie of the kitchen stove and dinner table.

In the WOW kitchen and café, our apprentices learn to cook, work as a team, and practice self-discipline, respect, and care for others. As they work through the program, they in turn instruct the new apprentices, earning much deserved credibility from their peers. Evelyn has shared countless inspiring stories about rival gang members stirring spaghetti sauce together, or overhearing conversations among the interns discussing the merits of doing the right thing, or finding good jobs for youth who were previously unemployable.

WOW apprentices ... have faced major challenges in their lives, including commitment to the foster care system, difficulties with the law, homelessness, and significant family disruption. We provide tuition-free culinary and restaurant management training. WOW’s program invites these young people into the greater world of food—sustainable farming, professional cooking, and access to high-quality food prepared by chefs and food service professionals—as well as provide them with the skills to prepare quality food for themselves. Under the leadership of Executive Director Evelyn Cheatham, WOW employs team based learning and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and interdependence – skills that support success in any endeavor.

Through this program, apprentices acquire valuable, marketable skills in food preparation, professional-level cooking, catering, and small business management. We hold our apprentices to the highest standard of excellence and, for many, this is the first time such standards have been set. At Worth Our Weight, we truly believe that young people rise to meet our expectations.

Founded by Chef Evelyn Cheatham, Worth Our Weight supports underserved young people: economically disadvantaged youth who have faced major challenges in their lives, including commitment to the foster care system, difficulties with the law, homelessness or significant family disruption. Our vision is to invite these people into the greater world of food, including farming, professional cooking, restaurant management, and eating high quality food prepared by chefs and other food service professionals, as well as, food they have prepared with their own hands. Worth Our Weight provides a home for vocational aspirations, teaching young adults how to create a better life for themselves and their families.

A little about Evelyn Cheatham :
A Bay Area native, is the founder and executive director of Worth Our Weight. She is an instructor in the SRJC Culinary program and has worked in the high-end food industry for 25 years, including owning and managing several restaurants. An opportunity in 2000 to be a culinary instructor at the Sonoma County Probation Camp became a life-changing experience when she discovered the transformative power that growing, cooking and eating good food could have for troubled kids -- in this case, mostly gang affiliated. Since then Evelyn has dedicated herself to the development of programs to link kids with sustainable agriculture and culinary operations.

By the time I had finished eating, Evelyn and the apprentices had sat down to eat. She was kind enough to let me take a photo of these hard working individuals who certainly cooked up fabulous food and clearly are worth their weight in gold.

Two Dads and Fudge and a Birthday

My enthusiasm for writing and posting on this blog has risen and fallen and risen again over the years. I'm in a middle ground sort of place now...happy to blog but finding it harder to find the time. I guess that is not too surprising when you consider that today I have been doing this blog for FOUR YEARS!

To celebrate my four year blogoversery I'm doing my first giveaway ever! All you have to do is comment (c'mon, you know you want to!), making sure that there is another blog or an e-mail address attached to your comment. You can comment on the four years (or any post during that time) or you can comment...and I hope you do...on this post.

What am I giving away? Some goodies from Sur la Table, one of my favorite goodies and gadgets store for cooking and baking. I purchased these...no corporate gifts here, but it is a store I like to browse in and, occasionally, shop in. Here is a photo of what I'll be sending the lucky commenter. Included are a digital timer (which would be very useful for the following recipe), an instant read thermometer (not good for fudge but good for many other temperature measurements), and one of my favorite kitchen implements, a microplane grater, especially great for zesting citrus, but it does a good job on hard cheese and many other foods.


The drawing will be random and I'll contact the winner (and announce who it is...and their blog if they have one) to get their mailing address.

So that takes care of the birthday! What better way to celebrate than to have a guest blogger, especially when that blogger is NoHandle.

In my family the fudge maker was my Dad. Dad had a sweet tooth but was pretty picky about what he ate to appease that sweet tooth. Any kind of fruit pie was usually top of the list. He liked Coca Cola, especially on a hot day. When it came to candy, he liked fudge, especially black walnut fudge.

Maybe fudge making is a Dad kinda thing because it looks like NoHandle, who is also a Dad, makes awesome fudge. If you read this post carefully and follow his suggestions and instructions step by step, you will very likely make awesome fudge, too. If you are a Dad and don't know how to make fudge, it might be a good idea to try this. Your children will go on and on about it for decades if you do...especially if the fudge is good!

Aw, Fudge! , by NoHandle

As you may have seen, if you read the comments on this blog, I have a certain fame (notoriety?) for my fudge making ability. I come by this honestly as Dad loved to do this too. Fudge is easy to do badly, and only somewhat harder to get right. What I want in fudge is a creamy consistency, but not like peanut butter, it should have a bit of crystalline structure to it. I want a great chocolate taste, of course. I don’t tend to add a lot of other flavors; one kind of nut is about as far as I go, and Black Walnuts are a family favorite. Pecans are good too. This is the KISS principle at work. The recipe itself comes from a Hershey’s Cocoa box (Hershey calls it their most difficult), but the devil is in the details. Let me bedevil you.

The ingredients are simple; sugar, cocoa powder, whole milk, butter (not margarine), vanilla extract (again, the real stuff is so much better), and salt. Nuts are optional. I prefer Dutch Process cocoa, but the ordinary kind is OK too. I just got some from Penzey’s, so this will be a bit of an experiment; I usually use Hershey’s. I am talking here about a full batch, but I often just do a half batch. The only cooking change is a smaller pan.

The method is simple, but time and temperature (even more so) are critical. So is cleanliness and moisture control. Keep water away from chocolate when you cook. The first step is to mix the cocoa powder into the sugar, mixing it well enough that the mixture is evenly light brown. There will be extra bits of cocoa powder floating on the top, but that’s OK.


Next, stir in the milk. There will still be renegade chunks of cocoa powder. Now you can turn on the heat to medium.

A few words about equipment are appropriate here as things heat up. The pot needs to be squeaky clean and dry, and larger than you might originally expect. Fudge froths up a lot as it boils, so for a full batch I use a 4 quart sauce pan.

I always use a candy thermometer, but the first time I make fudge in a new situation, I only observe the temperature. I use the candy-maker’s “ball” measure for doneness. I’ll talk about that later in the post. I have mentioned that I live at altitude, and I will tell you that temperature for fudge making is less precise than the ball measure. At sea-level a soft ball is 234 to 240 degrees.

Early on, as the fudge comes to a boil, the froth will rise, then it will fall, losing about half of its extra height. That is the stage when you need to start paying closer attention. Throughout this stage, I recommend stirring occasionally, every few minutes, say five or so. When stirring, be sure the bottom of the pot stays clean or the mixture will burn. Also clean the sides as the froth falls, so that sugar crystals don’t form there. It doesn’t need to be perfectly clean, a thin layer is OK. Clumps are not.

Right about now, the mixture will take on a bubbly satin sheen. You will recognize it when you see it. If you have calibrated your candy thermometer, watch as it approaches the temperature. The last few degrees go very fast.

Now is the time to start testing for doneness. Take a small bowl or teacup of very cold (out of the tap, you don’t need ice cubes unless your tap water is warm) and drip a bit of the fudge mixture into it. It will either pool on the bottom (not ready yet), form a firm ball (when rolled with fingers), and with no “tail” (you’ve gone too far; try adding a half cup of milk and hope for the best), or a soft ball (again when rolled with fingers) and a bit of a tail (Goldilocks time; just right.

Firmer is better than too soft.

Note the temperature for your next attempt, and remove the pot from the heat. I like to put it on a trivet or folded towel so it doesn’t cool too quickly. You can remove the thermometer now if you want, or you can wait until it has cooled. I take it out.

Pour the vanilla extract on top of the fudge, and gently drop the butter on top of that. Do not stir or otherwise disturb the fudge.

As Alton Brown often says, “Just walk away.” Allow the fudge to rest for about 15-20 minutes, checking on how hot it is during the last 10 minutes or so. I use the “fever method” that is, I place my palm on the side of the pot at the level of the fudge. If it is too hot to keep contact, it’s still too warm. If it is running a mild fever, I may have waited too long, but stirring time will be short (but it may seize up). I am looking for a temperature somewhere around 110 degrees, but I’m not that precise about it. Warmer is safer, but more work.

While waiting for the fudge to cool, you should put a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet, and rub a thin layer of butter (salted or sweet, it doesn’t matter) on it, all over. If some stuck to the paper wrapper, use that, and use the end of the rest of the stick, leaving it wrapped. Then sprinkle salt lightly over the butter. Salt really brings out the chocolate flavor. After the salt, add chopped nuts if nuts are part of you plan. Many people mix them into the fudge, but I find that having a layer on the bottom works just as well, and is also easier to stir (well, beat really).

I guess the next step is obvious, it is also very important. You need to beat the now melted butter into the fudge mixture.

There will seem to be a lot of butter at first, but it goes quickly. In addition to distributing the butter, this will add a bit of air to the fudge, and will create that smoothness I mentioned at the start. It may take a while, up to 15 minutes, depending on the temperature when you start, the humidity, and how firm the ball was. Your patience will be rewarded. I use a fresh, long wooden spoon, and just beat as fast as the viscous liquid will permit. As with the boiling, there is a satin texture that develops before it starts to harden, and ribbons form. Watch for it. The whole mass will start to stiffen, and it is time to pour onto the prepared cookie sheet.

If you stop beating too soon, while it is a thin soup, the texture will suffer, and it will take a while to harden enough to eat. If you wait too long, the fudge will harden in the pot, and you will end up with rough, irregular chunks that look a bit like lava (the stone, not the soap). It will taste OK, but may have more grain to it, and be difficult to extract (use a chisel :-). In the middle, it may start to harden just as you pour. Just use your hands to flatten it on the cookie sheet, cover with wax paper if you like. If your timing is good, it should start to harden within minutes. This is a good time to cut it into pieces. I favor small squares (about three quarters of an inch) but you can go smaller or triangular if you choose.A pizza cutter is the tool of choice.

There is the possibility that it won’t harden, or stay sticky. This is nature’s way of telling you to have more patience, or use more muscle. It probably didn’t cook long enough. I had this problem early on. The best remedy is to re-heat it and use it as a chocolate sauce, then start over on your fudge journey.

Congratulate yourself, and share and enjoy! Don’t let the fudge clinging to the spoon or pot escape your attention. The crumbs on the cookie sheet are also your immediate reward for a job well done.

Here are the ingredients (available on the Hershey web site too):

3 Cups granulated sugar
.67 Cup cocoa powder
1.5 Cups whole milk
.125 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.25 Cup butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
.5 Cup chopped nuts