This is the third part of the meal-for-three – a delicious Potage Parmentier to accompany the Brie Tarte, and Red Cabbage and Apples featured in the previous two posts..

Back in 2019, on May 28th, our post featured a potage with carrots, tomatoes, and celery. This variation on that theme uses potatoes. It’s a light soup, simple in nature, with a nice fancy-sounding French name! Once you start the base of the soup, improvise with vegetables you prefer. You really can’t miss with this one.

If you have a blender or a food processor, the preparation is a breeze. If not, use a potato masher to smash it all up as much as possible. It’ll still taste great!

Potage Parmentier

• ⅓ cup butter
• 2 cups chopped onions (I used red, but any kind will do.)
• 3 diced potatoes
• 14 ounces broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1-2 cups of cream or half and half
• Parsley garnish
• Optional croutons for garnish

Melt butter; sauté onions for 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, broth, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Pour half of the mixture into blender/processor and purée until smooth. Repeat with other half of the mixture. I left the second half of the mixture a little bit chunky to add some texture to the potage. Stir in the cream/half and half. Serve with garnish of choice, such as parsley or croutons, or both.

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Submitted by L: 🧅🥔

As promised, this is the side dish I served with the Brie Tarte from yesterday’s post. It has a sweet-tart flavor and would go well with pork tenderloin. I used a shortcut and purchased an 8-ounce bag of shredded red cabbage from Wegmans. If you are feeling ambitious, you can use a food processor or a sharp knife.

Red Cabbage and Apples

• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 8 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tart apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon salt & ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons white sugar
• 3 Tablespoons white vinegar

Stir-fry cabbage and onion until tender. Add apple, water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar; cook 6 more minutes.

Easy! Colorful! Delicious!

Submitted by L: 😋

The authentic French recipe is called “Tarte Fleur de Reblochon”, and can be found on the very creative site called “Chefclub”. Their videos often appear on YouTube and Facebook, and run in a condensed, speedy mode. They really make everything look super easy.

Well, for starters, Reblochon cheese is almost impossible to find in the USA. So, I substituted Brie, and, also bought a couple of Camembert wheels for variety, should I make this again. (Spoiler alert – I will.)

Secondly, the creators and demonstrators on this site are incredibly talented and uncannily nimble-fingered. Granted, it may have something to do with the magic of video editing, but I like to give kudos where kudos are due. My skill set in that department wouldn’t make the cut for this clever site, which brings me to “thirdly”.

Thirdly, the egg filling spilled out of the free-standing crust, so I nearly had a complete fail of the project. It was rescued when I decided to confine the crust, cheese wheels, egg, and other ingredients to a small round casserole. Kudos to my trusty Corning 6″casserole for saving the day!

To make 1/3 of the Chefclub original recipe, here’s the recipe…

Brie Tarte

• 1 Brie cheese wheel
• 1/2 raw pie crust
• 1 small potato, peeled, diced, cooked
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup cream
• 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used Morningstar veggie bacon)
• 1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
• Parsley
• Pepper
• Salt

Cut a circle out of the center of the cheese wheel; cube the circle and set aside. Make 4 even pieces of the rest of the wheel and place on the pie crust -about 1″ from the edge; fold up the edges of the crust; place in a parchment-lined 6” round casserole. Mix together the potato, bacon, egg, about half of the cubed center piece of cheese, cream, salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into the casserole in the center of the cheese quarters; top with red onion and parsley. (True confession time: we ate the unused cubes of cheese while the dish was baking.)

Bake @350° for 40 minutes or until center is set. Serve warm. 

Last comment: I served this as the main course for dinner for three, with “Potage Parmentier” and “Red Cabbage and Apple”as side dishes. Those recipes will be posted in the next couple of days.

This Brie Tarte was delicious, and we are anxious to share it with company when we are able to entertain freely again. Naturally, I’ll make the full 3-wheel recipe for that. My plan will be to use my 10″ porcelain quiche dish to keep all the ingredients in place. The Chefclub folks should have no fear of me stealing any of their jobs. 😉

Bon Appétit!

Submitted by L: 👩🏻‍🍳

My friend Amy Shaevel gave me this recipe several years ago, and I’ve made it numerous times. So, it’s high time I gave her credit for sharing this winning version of Challah Bread. You really don’t have to touch the batter until you are ready to form the braided loaf because all the work is done in a one gallon-sized plastic bag. Amy is absolutely right when she claims, “This recipe is officially foolproof.”

Challah in a Bag – recipe from my friend Amy Shaevel

Amy says, “This recipe is officially foolproof.”

INGREDIENTS (1 challah)

• 1 tbsp. yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 1/3 cup canola or olive oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup
• 1 egg for basting (optional for vegan challah, substitute olive oil)
• Sesame seeds for topping (optional) 

PREPARATION

In a one-gallon plastic ziplock bag, add the yeast, water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of flour.

Give the bag a little shake. Don’t work too hard- remember, it’s a lazy challah! Place the bag in a bowl of warm water for 30 mins.

Remove from bowl, shake, release air from bag, and place on the table for one hour. Flip bag every 20 minutes. The dough should be very wet. It will start to bubble and self-knead.

After the hour has passed, add 1/4 cup flour and give the bag another shake. This keeps the dough from sticking to the bag.

Leave the bag for 1 hour and 30 mins to rise. It should still be a wet dough. If it’s not rising, flip it over and knock it down. If the dough is wet, the recipe will turn out perfectly. 

Preheat oven to 300°.

On a well-floured surface, separate the dough into 3 equal sections and stretch out 3 strands. Braid the strands. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds, if desired. Let it rise for 15 mins before placing in the oven. Bake for 40 mins or until golden on top.

Shabbat shalom! Merci beaucoup, Amy!

Submitted by L 🥖

One of the most famous among the great lines from James Bond films is the MI6 agent’s drink order. The phrase, “A Vodka Martini, shaken, not stirred” first appears in Ian Fleming’s fourth James Bond novel Diamonds are Forever in 1956. Our play on this is “Baked, not fried.” Not as sexy or sophisticated, perhaps, but certainly a healthier option for Potato Pancakes. They tend to soak up quite a bit of oil in the frying process.

Potato Pancakes: Baked

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 Tablespoon grated onion
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar

Using a manual grater, or a food processor to grate the onion and the potatoes. Place them in a strainer and drain out as much moisture as possible. Squeeze the potato mixture with a few layers of paper towel; place in mixing bowl; add the remainder of the ingredients and mix gently.

Prepare a parchment-lined baking tray with a pan spray. Measure about ⅓ cup of potato mixture for each potato patty. Press into shape; bake @350° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the patties and bake for an additional 10 minutes -until golden.

Serve with applesauce or sour cream… or some of each!

So, in a gentler version of the quote from Goldfinger, “No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to dine…..on Potato Pancakes: Baked not Fried.” 😁

Submitted by L: 🍸

Quinoa with Vegetables

When one’s diet consists mainly of meatless fare, the frequently expressed concern centers around getting an adequate amount of protein. (To be clear, it’s most often the meat-eaters in my life that voice this worry.)

Enter, QUINOA!

One cup of this ancient grain, cooked, provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Unlike some plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need, but cannot make on their own. Quinoa has a nutty quality, is a more robust grain than rice, and the preparation is very simple.

The first step to perfect quinoa is toasting it, because just like nuts and grains, quinoa tastes better this way. Toast it in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until it turns a light golden color and smells nutty. 

After toasting, rinse it by placing the quinoa in fine mesh strainer and running it under cold water for a minute or two. Bring the cooking liquid of choice to a boil. Use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to grain. Add the toasted, rinsed quinoa and cook, uncovered, for about 12 minutes. A small word of caution, it will get gummy if overcooked. When the little ring pops out, it’s done. If all the liquid has not been absorbed, drain the quinoa in the fine mesh strainer and let it sit for about 15 minutes to remove any excess moisture.

Now, you have the base needed to create any number of dishes. Or, top it with warm aioli and fresh basil. How about some fresh berries and honey a for perfect breakfast. Add it to salads and soups. Or, as we will try today, add vegetables, herbs, butter, and a bit of parmesan cheese. It’s a tasty, healthy alternative to white rice.

• Follow these directions for cooking the quinoa: toast, rinse, simmer, drain. 
• This recipe uses 2 cups of vegetable bouillon and 1 cup of quinoa.
• Clean, cut, cook, and drain fresh beans, asparagus, and carrot circles, or veggies of choice. 
• Sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil; add a few sliced grape tomatoes and sauté for about 8 minutes longer.
• Stir in some Herbes de Provence, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Gently mix all the cooked vegetables and the onion, garlic, tomato, herb mixture into the quinoa.
• Top with a quick shake of parmesan cheese.
• Drizzle melted butter over the dish and serve.

This is a complete meal for me! Yum, yum, yum! 😋

Submitted by L: 👩🏻‍🍳

Chicken Pizzaiola is a fun, easy-to-make entrée that everyone will love! It’s made with the ever-versatile chicken as the main ingredient and flavored with pizza-inspired toppings – tomato sauce and Mozzarella cheese. This dish has its origins in ‘carne alla pizzaiola’ which is roughly translated from Italian as “meat in pizza style.” A good meatless version can be made using the ubiquitous vegan “chicken” products available from Quorn or Morningstar Farms.

Chicken Pizzaillo

• 4 chicken breasts, cut into 8 pieces (Quorn Chik’n Cutlets is a good vegetarian replacement)
• Flour
• ½ cup butter
• 1 pint spaghetti sauce
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup Chablis – white wine of choice
• 8 slices Mozzarella cheese

Dredge chick in flour; sauté in butter; put in casserole dish. Add the Chablis to the sauce and oregano; cook about 10 minutes. Put one slice of cheese on each piece of chicken, pour sauce over the chicken; bake @350° for 20-25 minutes.

Buon appetito!

-Submitted by L: 👩🏻‍🍳

If you like cinnamon, this is the treat for you! It’s definitely my favorite spice and a majority of my oft-used recipes feature plenty of it.

This recipe is a one-bowl quickie. I cut it in half and made only one loaf, and it was scrumptious.

Cinnamon Loaf

Mix and bake. Couldn’t be easier!

Batter for 2 loaves:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk or homemade buttermilk (2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:

• ⅔ cups sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Mix well. Pour a little less than ¼ of the batter into each of 2 greased loaf pans. In a separate bowl, mix the ⅔ cup of sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle ¾ of cinnamon mixture on top of the batter in each pan. Add remaining batter equally to each pan; sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing. Delicious served warm with whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Submitted by L: ☕️

By the end of summer, most home gardeners will agree that the supply of zucchini exceeds the actual need. Perhaps you have a basketful of this lovely squash variety and will welcome a simple new way to use them. With only one medium squash, this recipe gets a healthy boost from some fresh spinach, although any kind of leafy greens will work equally well. Try Swiss chard, kale, or endive, for example, keeping in mind that you will want to parcook and drain these alternates .

A food processor is a great time saver, but using manual kitchen utensils works just as well to do the prep work.

Zucchini & Spinach Gratin

• 1 medium zucchini
• 8-10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + extra to pour before baking
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• Persillade: 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 clove garlic; chopped together
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs

Spray a gratin dish. Sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent. 

Using a food processor or a hand grater, grate the zucchini; place in a strainer; sprinkle with salt to draw moisture; squeeze out as much water as possible; place in mixing bowl. Make the parsley persillade in processor or chop with sharp knife; add to bowl. Chop the spinach, using pulse mode of processor; add to bowl. Lightly beat the eggs; add to bowl with about 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and the sautéed onion. Mix all ingredients well. Pour into prepared gratin dish. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and dribble olive oil on surface in a crisscross patter.

Bake for 40 minutes @350°.

Suggestion: Mix and match various greens and cheeses. This is an excellent side for roasts, chicken, or fish.

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Let us know if you try any of our recipes. We love to hear from our followers, and invite new viewers, too.

Submitted by L: 👩🏻‍🍳

This recipe is a repeat of the Berry Crostada post from May 19, 2019, this time using peaches, since August is peach season in here Western New York. That date is also special to me, as it is the birthday of my maternal grandfather Francesco, born May 19, 1878 in Roccella Valdemone, Sicily. It’s a tiny, picturesque town with a view of Mount Etna.

I lived in the same house as Grampa until the age of eight, and learned things from him in an almost subliminal way. I credit him with my ear for languages, since he spoke Sicilian 95% of the time. He was a great bread maker, as I have mentioned in previous posts, and although my yeast-dough skills are meager, baking certainly figured prominently into our lives.

Grampa, who was a farmer in Sicily before emigrating to the U.S., had a garden to be proud of. On a rather small patch of soil nestled in our back yard, he planted and harvested beans, tomatoes, zucchini, Swiss chard, lettuce, garlic – and his famous figs. Yes! Figs in Western New York – known for our bone-chilling winters. He would bend the tree into the ground in the fall, cover it with leaves where it would rest until spring. He even fashioned a trellis across the entire width of the yard and grew grapes destined to become red wine.

What I learned about gardening with Grandpa was to use seasonal crops at the height of their ripeness. So, that brings me back to today’s post – Peach Crostada, using three extra-ripe peaches and a few add-ins. I think Grandpa would like it.

You will need a single pie crust circle. Place it on a parchment-covered tray and set aside.

Peel and slice the peaches; add ⅓ cup of sugar, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of instant tapioca and mix together gently.

Place the sweetened fruit onto the pastry to within about 1-2” from the edges. Cut 1 tablespoon of butter into small pieces and dot the peaches. Fold up the edges, pleating or folding the crust to cover some of the fruit, leaving the center open.

Brush the dough with the egg wash; sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar over the dough and the fruit.

Bake for 8 minutes @425°. Lower temperature to 375° and continue baking until the crust is browned; – approximately 35 minutes. Cool; serve warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

🍑🍑🍑 Submitted by L