My Word with Douglas E. Welch

Recipes in Rotation is a series that allows me to highlight recipes that have made their way into “the book.” This book is the binder that contains recipes we make on a regular basis — at least monthly and in some cases, every two weeks. I keep them in this special binder for quick and easy access without sorting through a bunch of other recipes to speed things up when I need to get dinner on the table.

Today’s recipe is a Sugo Sciue Sciue

This is one of our typical “go to” pasta sauces for building a filling, comforting and tasty dinner is just about 30 minutes. For us, it also yields plenty of leftover for later in the week. I like this sauce both for its speed of assembly and also for the way the meat breaks up into small pieces and mingles so nicely with the pasta.

As the name implies, this is a quick ragu, not one that is designed to cook for hours and hours. This gives is a slightly fresher taste, especially if using who, fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. I like my pasta sauce smooth, so tomato sauce is my base of choice, perhaps with a small addition of Italian Tomato paste.

Sugo Sciue Sciue

(See this recipe on Bakespace.com)

Ingredients

2 Tbls olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tbls dried
8-10 fresh basil leaves or 1tsp dried
2 14oz cans tomato sauce, or 28oz chopped fresh tomatoes 
Salt and Pepper
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 lb pasta of your choice
Grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese for the table 

Instructions

Heat olive oil in large, tall-sided pot or skillet
Add chopped onion and garlic and cook slowly over low heat until soft
Add meat and sauté over high heat. Break up any large lumps
Add parsley and basil
Cook until meat is no longer pink
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper
Cook over medium-low heat until sauce comes together and thickens, approximately 30 minutes. There is no need to cook this for hours.
Cook pasta as directed, drain — reserving a bit of the pasta water
Add drained pasta to the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Add a bit of pasta water if the sauce is too thick
Serve while warm with Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese for topping 

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Cucina Rustica by Viana La Place and Evan Kleiman

More pasta recipes:

Previously in Recipes in Rotation:

• Fluffy Pancakes
• Black Bean Soup
• Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup
• Gnocchi alla Ciociaria
• Italian Wedding Soup (Zuppa di Matrimonio)
• Risotto Rosso with Sausage
• Spicy Turkey Burgers or Sliders
• Douglas’ Italian Red Sauce
• Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
• Douglas’ Secret Christmas Chili
• No Fuss Focaccia Bread 
• Turkey curry with potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Potato Soup with Add-ins
• Taco meat seasoning for ground turkey
• Mild Taco Sauce in the style of Taco Bell
• Gnocchi Au Gratin Orleans from Emeril Lagassé

Books on Hold is a blog series dedicated to books I have seen in passing and requested from my local library. See more in the series at the end of this blog post. — Douglas

Salty Snacks: Make Your Own Chips, Crisps, Crackers, Pretzels, Dips, and Other Savory Bites

From Amazon.com…

“This collection of 75 recipes for savory puffs, chips, crackers, breads, nuts, veggies and meats puts a fresh, crunchy spin on homemade snacks.

Are you ready to take your love of salty snacks to the next level?

This collection of seventy-five recipes for veggie chips, cheese straws, toasted nuts, pita chips, herb crackers, savory cookies, and snack mixes puts a fresh, crunchy spin on homemade nibbles.
So broaden your horizons beyond microwave popcorn and bagged chips to include inventive snacks like Roasted Chickpeas with Sumac, Coconut Crisps with Basil and Chiles, Salami Chips with Grainy Mustard Dip, Stilton and Walnut Pinwheels, and more.
Indeed, with all the excess sodium and hidden preservatives in prepackaged foods, it’s smart as well as delicious to make your own savory bites from scratch. Nutritious offerings like Parsnip and Carrot Chips, gluten-free recipes like Cumin Lentil Crackers, and the option to customize the amount of added salt (or alternative spices and sprinklings) will appeal to snackers of every stripe. Perfect for cocktail parties, after-school snack time, or anytime you need a nosh, this collection’s easy techniques and exotic flavors are sure to delight anyone with a “salty tooth.”

* Discovered via Baking Bites

Previously in Books on Hold:

• Pancake: A Global History
• Breakfast for Dinner: Recipes for Frittata Florentine, Huevos Rancheros, Sunny-Side-Up Burgers, and More!
• Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community by Joy Deangdeelert Cho
• Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes by Nigella Lawson
• Just Start: Take Action, Embrace Uncertainty, Create the Future
• Meatless: More Than 200 of the Very Best Vegetarian Recipes (Martha Stewart Living)
• How to Boil An Egg by Rose Carrarini
• Dirt Candy: A Cookbook: Flavor-Forward Food from the Upstart New York City Vegetarian Restaurant by Amanda Cohen
• See more Books on Hold here!

Recipes in Rotation is a series that allows me to highlight recipes that have made their way into “the book.” This book is the binder that contains recipes we make on a regular basis — at least monthly and in some cases, every two weeks. I keep them in this special binder for quick and easy access without sorting through a bunch of other recipes to speed things up when I need to get dinner on the table.

Today’s recipe is a Fluffy Pancakes

I have never been much of a pancake fan before, but lately I have been having cravings for them. I like my pancakes light and fluffy, so I went looking for a recipe with just those qualities. After looking at quite a few recipes, I developed my own recipe which combined a little of each. The secret of fluffy is to have enough leavening to make the pancakes pop. The “double-acting” baking powder used here develops fluffiness when mixed the the wet ingredients and agin when the pancakes are cooked.

This photo is an example of a fresh batch just off the cast iron griddle that always sits atop our stove — perfect for just such a meal. If you have a hankering for pancakes, this recipe works very well. It only makes about 6 average-sized pancakes, but the recipes is easily doubled or tripled if you want to make a larger batch. I do add a bit more milk than the recipe calls for, just to make them a little bit lighter. 

Fluffy Pancakes

(See this recipe on Bakespace.com)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp slat
1 egg
1 cup milk
Splash orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted 

Instructions

Heat griddle or pan to medium

Melt butter in microwave but do not brown. Set aside to cool a bit.
In small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Combine egg, milk, orange juice, vanilla and cooled butter in small bowl.Quickly whisk together with fork.
Stir wet ingredients into dry — mixing just enough to moisten. Do not over beat or they will be less fluffy. 

When griddle or pan is hot. (Drops of water on pan skitter about energetically)
Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle or pan for each pancake
Cook on each side until golden and fluffy. 

Serves 4

More pancake recipes:

  

Previously in Recipes in Rotation:

• Black Bean Soup
• Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup
• Gnocchi alla Ciociaria
• Italian Wedding Soup (Zuppa di Matrimonio)
• Risotto Rosso with Sausage
• Spicy Turkey Burgers or Sliders
• Douglas’ Italian Red Sauce
• Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
• Douglas’ Secret Christmas Chili
• No Fuss Focaccia Bread 
• Turkey curry with potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Potato Soup with Add-ins
• Taco meat seasoning for ground turkey
• Mild Taco Sauce in the style of Taco Bell
• Gnocchi Au Gratin Orleans from Emeril Lagassé

Recipes in Rotation is a series that allows me to highlight recipes that have made their way into “the book.” This book is the binder that contains recipes we make on a regular basis — at least monthly and in some cases, every two weeks. I keep them in this special binder for quick and easy access without sorting through a bunch of other recipes to speed things up when I need to get dinner on the table.

Today’s recipe is a Black Bean Soup. 

It is no surprise that we are soup fans here in the Welch household. Even in the heat of Summer we can be found over a bowl of hot soup, but Winter is when they really shine, of course. This soup is a great one for cold Winter nights as it is “stick to the ribs” hearty with black beans, smoked sausage, rice and a spicy stock.

Check out How to Make Black Bean Soup by Douglas Welch on Snapguide.

Black Bean Soup

(See this recipe on Bakespace.com)

Ingredients

1 large white onion
3-4 cloves garlic
Leftover broccoli or cauliflower stalks (optional) 
Olive Oil
2-3 quarts jam, chicken or vegetable stock
4-6 cans black beans
2 cups diced ham or smoked sausage
1 cup white rice
2-3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp creole seasoning mix like Zatarains
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pink red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper 

Instructions

Peel onion and garlic. Roughly chop broccoli or cauliflower stalks. Add to food chopper. Chop to a fairly fine chop, as we will not be blending this later. Add 2-3 Tbsps olive oil to heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until soft and translucent. Once vegetables are soft, add stock and bring to low boil. Add rice and brand (including liquid) and reduce to simmer. Add spices. Add meat, if using. Adjust heat to your own taste. Simmer until rice is done and soup has come together into thick balance of stock, beans, rice and meat.

Serve soup hot with a topping of sharp cheddar cheese or sour cream and chopped green onions. 

12 servings.

More Soup recipes:

   

Previously in Recipes in Rotation:

• Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup
• Gnocchi alla Ciociaria
• Italian Wedding Soup (Zuppa di Matrimonio)
• Risotto Rosso with Sausage
• Spicy Turkey Burgers or Sliders
• Douglas’ Italian Red Sauce
• Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
• Douglas’ Secret Christmas Chili
• No Fuss Focaccia Bread 
• Turkey curry with potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Potato Soup with Add-ins
• Taco meat seasoning for ground turkey
• Mild Taco Sauce in the style of Taco Bell
• Gnocchi Au Gratin Orleans from Emeril Lagassé

f you subscribe to my Pinterest page, my @douglaswelch Twitter account or my Google+ feed, you know that I am always finding recipes I want to try. This series, New Food, will highlight some of those finds as we make them for the first time in our own kitchen. Then, I’ll report back to you on the results — for better or worse! — Douglas

Radicchio Risotto

This New Food combines a bit of the old and a bit of the new. We make several different risottos already so when I saw a similar recipe I knew I could simply make our usual Risotto Milanese, sans the saffron, and ad the radicchio. Somehow I just knew that it would all work together even in this modified version and I was right. This is definitely a dish we will make again and it is gives us yet one more risotto variation to add to our Recipes in Rotation.

(View this recipe on Bakespace.com)

Radicchio Risotto

Ingredients

1 head radiccchio
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup white wine

1 quart meat or vegetable broth
1 medium onion
2 Tblsp Olive Oil
2 cups Arborio rice
Salt
Pepper
2 Tblsp butter
1/4 Parmesan cheese 

Instructions

In separate sauce pan, heat broth to steaming then turn to low
Finely chop the onion and add to large heavy-bottomed pan along with 2 Tbls of olive oil
Cook over medium-high heat until translucent and soft
Add rice, stir to coat in oil and butter and sauté for a short time (1 min)
Add first 1/2 cup ladle of warm stock to rice
Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
As the rice absorbs each ladle of stock, add 1/2 cup more.
Cook slowly to allow rice to develop a creaminess. 

Chop radicchio into strands. Heat 1Tbls olive oil in skillet
Add salt and pepper to taste
Toss with tongs until wilted
Add 1/2 cup white wine
Cook until wine is absorbed an evaporated.

Continue adding stock to risotto in 1/2 cup measures until rice is al dente, with the slightest bit of crunch.
Once rice is done to your taste, remove from heat, stir in butter and parmesan cheese.

Stir radicchio into risotto or simply use tongs to add to the top of plate or bowl. 

More risotto information

Want more food content? – Join me each Thursday for #KitchenParty live at 8pm EST/5pm PST.

Follow Douglas on Twitter
Circle Douglas on Google+

Previously on New Food:

• Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies
• Video: Making Sparking Fruit Juice
• Cornflake Crusted Chicken Tenders
• Chocolate Porter Cake
• Slow Cooker Jambalaya
• Lentil and Sausage Stew
• Slim Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
• Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken
• Parmesan Paprika Potatoes

Books on Hold is a blog series dedicated to books I have seen in passing and requested from my local library. See more in the series at the end of this blog post. — Douglas

How to Boil an Egg by Rose Carrarini

From Amazon.com…

“How to Boil an Egg is the new collection of recipes from the trend-setting Rose Bakery in Paris. Following Rose Carrarini’s critically acclaimed Breakfast, Lunch, Tea (Phaidon Press, 2006), this new cookbook features over 80 original recipies where the egg is the star — from simple omelets to savory treats, pastries, desserts and more.

How to Boil an Egg features nearly 40 specially-comissioned, full-page, original hand-drawn paintings of the finished dishes by award-winning botanical artist Fiona Strickland. The unique style and attention to detail that Rose Bakery prides itself on is captured in Strickland’s illustrations — which can take days to complete — making the book as much a treat for the eye as for the taste buds.

Carrarini opened Rose Bakery, a small Anglo-French bakery, shop, and restaurant, in Paris with her husband Jean-Charles in 2002, with the aim of serving fresh, simple, and healthy food. Rose’s philosophy and approach to food proved extremely popular and there are now branches of Rose Bakery in London, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, and Tel Aviv.”

Previously in Books on Hold:

• Dirt Candy: A Cookbook: Flavor-Forward Food from the Upstart New York City Vegetarian Restaurant by Amanda Cohen
• Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making by Alana Chernila
• To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel Pink
• Risk Intelligence: How to Live with Uncertainty by Dylan Evans
• Harnessed: How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape to Man by Mark Changizi
• The Naked Brewer: Fearless Homebrewing Tips, Tricks & Rule-breaking Recipes by Christina Perozzi, Hallie Beaune
• The Backyard Parables: Lessons on Gardening, and Life by Margaret Roach
• Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich
• The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated Cookbooks)
• Martha’s American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation’s Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast by Martha Stewart
• The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage 
• Home Made Winter by Yvette van Boven (Author), Oof Verschuren (Photographer)
• Come In, We’re Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World’s Best Restaurants

<a href=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/071486241X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=071486241X&linkCode=as2&tag=thewelchwritecom”><img border=”0″ src=”http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=071486241X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thewelchwritecom” ></a><img src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thewelchwritecom&l=as2&o=1&a=071486241X” width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”" style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” />

Here are some cookbooks mentioned by me and others on this week’s #KitchenParty Live.

You can watch all the past episodes of #KitchenParty on our YouTube Channel – BakespaceTV

Watch #KitchenParty each Thursday night at 8pm EST/5pm PST at http://bakespacetv.com

Recipes in Rotation is a series that allows me to highlight recipes that have made their way into “the book.” This book is the binder that contains recipes we make on a regular basis — at least monthly and in some cases, every two weeks. I keep them in this special binder for quick and easy access without sorting through a bunch of other recipes to speed things up when I need to get dinner on the table.

Today’s recipe is a Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup

This was one of the first soups I learned to make well, many years ago. What is funny, is that this is based on the Toscana Soup sold at Olive Garden restaurants all over the US. Of course, as usual, over the years we have modified this recipe almost out of any recognition. We don’t use heavy cream, for one and add more vegetables for another. This soup has become the base for almost all the chicken stock based soups we make.

Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup

(See this recipe on Bakespace.com)

Ingredients

1/2 pound Italian sausage links (removed from casing and crumbled)

3/4 cup diced onions

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

1 slice bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic

4 cups nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth

2 baking potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 cups kale or other greens, thinly sliced

Splash of milk

Salt

*Parmesan Rind (if available)

Instructions

Remove sausages from casing and brown in skillet. Set aside.

Place onions, carrot, celery and bacon in 3- to 4-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost transparent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add chicken broth, potatoes and parmesan rind. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add greens, sausage, milk and salt to taste. Simmer 5 minutes longer.

6 servings.

More Italian Soup recipes:

• Italian Soup Recipes from All Recipes
• Italian Wedding Soup Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis
• Italian Chicken Soup | The Pioneer Woman Cooks | Ree Drummond

  

Previously in Recipes in Rotation:

• Gnocchi alla Ciociaria
• Italian Wedding Soup (Zuppa di Matrimonio)
• Risotto Rosso with Sausage
• Spicy Turkey Burgers or Sliders
• Douglas’ Italian Red Sauce
• Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
• Douglas’ Secret Christmas Chili
• No Fuss Focaccia Bread 
• Turkey curry with potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Potato Soup with Add-ins
• Taco meat seasoning for ground turkey
• Mild Taco Sauce in the style of Taco Bell
• Gnocchi Au Gratin Orleans from Emeril Lagassé

f you subscribe to my Pinterest page, my @douglaswelch Twitter account or my Google+ feed, you know that I am always finding recipes I want to try. This series, New Food, will highlight some of those finds as we make them for the first time in our own kitchen. Then, I’ll report back to you on the results — for better or worse! — Douglas

Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

What better excuse do you need to try a new food than a school bake sale? That was the case this President’s Day (an American Monday holiday similar to Bank Holidays in the UK). Tomorrow is the Freshman Class fundraiser, so I looked back through my recent Pinterest pins and found these tasty-looking cookies. I like pumpkin and I like ginger and I like cookies so what could go wrong.

Nothing could go wrong it seems as these were GREAT! I don’t mind a crunchy cookie, but these have a great, soft, texture a wonderful gingersnap-like taste and they even look great. These are a great find that will probably make it into the rotation for my annual Christmas Cookie party and I am sure people will love them. 

Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

½ cup of butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
½ cup of pure pumpkin (I used Libby’s canned pumpkin)
¼ cup of molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mix until well combined.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.

3. When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well coated and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Want more food content? – Join me each Thursday for #KitchenParty live at 8pm EST/5pm PST.

Follow Douglas on Twitter
Circle Douglas on Google+

Previously on New Food:

• Video: Making Sparking Fruit Juice
• Cornflake Crusted Chicken Tenders
• Chocolate Porter Cake
• Slow Cooker Jambalaya
• Lentil and Sausage Stew
• Slim Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
• Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken
• Parmesan Paprika Potatoes

Valentine’s Day is less than 24 hours away! What are you doing to celebrate? For me, it’s my birthday, so I have an odd relationship with the holiday, but that doesn’t mean I can’t engage in a little Valentine’s Day celebration.

Over the next 12 hours I be posting info to help make your Valentine’s Day extra special. Join me and share the love with those who need a little bit more!

Source: michaels.com via Michaels Stores on Pinterest