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Tag Archives: Foodies

New E-Book!

10 / 6 / 2310 / 11 / 23

Try some new recipes this fall!

Included in the ebook are recipes such as Tomato Sauce, Ketchup, How to peel fruit the easy way and much more.

Just $8.00

click the Buy Now Button & your ebook you will receive the book via download. I’m available for questions via email, [email protected]




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Spaghettini at Home

6 / 29 / 23

Where’s Chef Debbi?

 

My latest project has been working with Chef Victor and the great team at Spaghettini Restaurant as recipe editor for their new ‘cookbook’, ‘Spaghettini at Home’. It’s actually more than a cookbook, it’s loaded with 35 years of Spaghettini classic recipes. ‘Spaghettini at Home’ also showcases the best of the best jazz artists. Each artist picks their favorite food, cocktails, wine and more. Read the stories from each artist and click on the QR code to download their music. Why not host your own ‘Spaghettini at Home’ dinner party? Invite your friends and loved ones to cook your favorite Spaghettini recipes and combine with great cocktails, wine and music.
Spaghettini at Home is available at Spaghettini Restaurant in Seal Beach or order from their website, Spaghettini.

Photography:
Eric Hameister, Hameister Photo
Spaghettini At Home
Art direction and design:
Dave Gath, Gath Design
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Growing Corn

5 / 26 / 23

It’s time to start late spring and summer flowers & veggie’s

 


Photo: Farmers Almanac

 

Corn can be fickle, it likes warm weather and the bugs and four-legged critters may eat all of yours before you can get to it. Native Americans planted corn with beans and once the beans sprout they planted squash at the base of the corn. The beans will use the corn stalk as a trellis and the squash leaves will protect the base of the corn which grows very shallow. This is called The Three Sisters or Companion Planting.
Plant corn directly in the garden where it will receive at least 6 hours of sun, water well and help the pollen to reach the tassels. Each tassel that gets pollinated turns into a kernel. To make sure the plant is getting pollinated, shake the tassels so the pollen falls onto them, nature will take it from there. 
The ears are ready to harvest when the silks turn from light yellow to dark brown.

To cook, grill, steam or pop in the microwave. Leave the husk on the corn if you microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes (for two ears), add an extra minute with more ears. Let them slightly cool and peel the husk and silk off the corn.

NOW Booking for Vegetable & Flower Garden consult & Design

[email protected]
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Spring IS Coming!

3 / 7 / 23

It’s time to start late winter/early spring flowers & veggie’s

You still have time in zones 9/10 to get another round of onions, carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, and radish in. Don’t forget to plant more lettuce, kale etc. Need a salad garden design? Email me

[email protected]

Plant your early spring flowering seeds and bulbs, Dahlias (tubers or seeds), sweet peas, tulips, narcissus, & ranunculus,
visit the bulb shop at your local nursery.

Even though you can pick up some tomato plants I’m waiting a week or two to start mine, it’s pretty cold out there right now, even if they go in later this month or next they’ll easily catch up to plants that go in now.

When the soil is too cool the roots just sit there until they get warmer weather.

If you’re shopping for tomato plants remember to choose plants that have thick stalks (like the size of a pencil) with no fruit or flowers. When you first plant them you want the roots to grow and grow to get big & strong to support heavy loads of super juicy fruit! Be sure to stake or tie up early.

More Organic Edible Gardening & Flower Classes coming in 2023
Starting tomatoes from seed soon

For vegetables and fruits to plant now and mid-month visit

Debs Kitchen
and for more reading click below
Edible Gardening

NOW Booking for Vegetable & Flower Garden consult & Design

[email protected]

Ojai Pixie Tangerines

For now,  citrus picking has been going strong when it dries out for a little while. They won’t pick when the trees are wet and can’t get into the muddy fields. Our tangerine  favorites this time of year are the Ojai Pixie tangerines and the trees are loaded with fruit & should be readily available at your supermarket or from Melissa’s Produce! New crop just picked.

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Cheese Education & Demo Class

2 / 16 / 233 / 13 / 23

New Cheese Education & Demo Class with lunch

Take home a free copy of my book, A Little Book of Cheese

and a cool Chefs gift bag

Sat. March 25th 12-3
$125.00, BYOB

Menu:

Charcuterie Board

Spring Salad

Cheese Stuffed Shells

Ojai Pixie Tangerine Cheesecake

We’ll be serving one glass of wine with lunch as well but you’re welcome to bring your own!

Cheese and Charcuterie

Individually they are fantastic, but together they are even better! This exciting and informative class will teach you the principles of pairing the finest cured specialties with an incredible array of artisan cheeses to create a perfect match that’s all your own. There’s a delicious and tasty education coming your way

Class will be presented in a beautiful professional kitchen
Ethos Culinary
Carlsbad, Ca.

Address given with payment

Sponsored by Melissa’s Produce




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Farm, Food & Wine Tour 2023

2 / 10 / 232 / 28 / 23

Farm, Food & Wine Tours are Back!!

 

Join us for a long weekend of farm tours, wine tasting, vinegar tasting, a guided tour of olive oils and more.

Fri, Oct 27 – Sun, Oct 29

Stay at the beautiful Cambria Pines Lodge

Friday Night Dinner Party with Chef Debbi & The Debettes

Sat. travel with Coy from

The Wine Wrangler to Hambley Farms Lavender Fields,

Owner led farm tour, lavender picking (if lavender is still in bloom)

Picnic lunch.

Next we’ll visit a bio-dynamic farm and winery,
AmByth Winery 
Owner led vineyard, winery tour & tasting

Sunday

We’ll visit the lovely ladies at

The Groves on 41

for an olive oil immersion from education to tasting, with a walk in the groves

Picnic Lunch

Sponsored by

Melissa’s Produce

 

Limited Reservations  (12 people)

Full Price $949.00

Deposit $400

Final Payment due Aug 1 $549.00


Tour



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Happy Valentine’s Day

2 / 9 / 232 / 10 / 23

Why fight the crowds in a restaurant? Here are a few fool-proof recipes to create on your own!

House Salad

 

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

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I created this recipe to mimic the fabulous salad served at The Sea Chest restaurant in Cambria, Ca.

  • 2-3 baby beets, use a variety of beets (red, striped, gold)*
  • 1 cup baby greens
  • ½ cup snow peas, cut in half on the diagonal
  • 1 small carrot, sliced or grated
  • 1 small Persian cucumber, sliced
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • ½ shallot, minced
  • ¼ cup good balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Wrap each beet in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle generously with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper.

Place the beets on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 90 minutes, or until soft and fork-tender, the size of the beet will determine the cooking time.

While the beets are cooking, make the vinaigrette.

Mix together the minced shallot, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard, shake or whisk to mix well. While still whisking slowly pour in the oil until the mixture slightly emulsifies. Set aside while you finish the beets and create the salad, shake again just before serving.

Remove the beets from the oven, loosen the foil, and set aside to cool. When they are cool to the touch, peel the skins using a paper towel and just rubbing the skin off.

Let the beets cool and chill them in the fridge until ready to use.

Slice the beets into ¼-inch-thick rounds or if they’re small, use whole or half. Assemble the salad with the greens, beets, snow peas, carrot, cucumber, walnuts, cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Season with flaky sea salt and pepper and serve.

Baby beets may be hard to find. Trader Joe’s usually have some in a box in the produce section, they have already been cleaned & steamed so they’re easy to use. If you can’t find them, check out melissas.com, they carry them as well.

 

 

 

The Best Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

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  • 2 tablespoon olive oil, or more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or more if needed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 pounds tenderloin steak, sliced into thin strips
  • ½ cup flour
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ cups beef stock
  • ½ cup creme fraiche, or more to taste
  • ½ pound egg noodles, prepared according to box directions

Heat a large sauté pan and add oil and butter. Sauté onions until

translucent but not brown. Set aside. Add more oil and butter if needed;

sauté mushrooms until lightly browned and set aside with onions.

Dredge the meat in the flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Shake off

excess flour and brown the meat in small batches. Don't overcrowd the pan

or the meat will steam and not brown. Set meat aside with onions and

season with salt and pepper.

Deglaze the pan by adding the wine and scraping the bits from the bottom

of the pan, called fond. Reduce slightly and add the mustard,

Worcestershire sauce and stock. Return onions, mushrooms and steak to the

pan and simmer until slightly thickened.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the creme fraiche, re-season with salt and

pepper, heat until warmed through and serve over egg noodles.

 

Here’s a recipe that some recipe tasters were able to enjoy recently. Make some for this Valentine’s Day!


Chocolate Amaretti Tortes

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  • Makes 4
  • Tortes
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 12 1 1/2-inch-diameter amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons), about 2.6 ounces total
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • Topping
  • 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 amaretti cookies, crumbled

Tortes:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Line bottom of cups with parchment paper rounds. Place on rimmed baking sheet.

Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Using on/off turns, blend almonds, amaretti, cinnamon, and salt in processor until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl.

Add butter, sugar, and eggs to processor; mix until blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Add cookie mixture and melted chocolate. Using on/off turns, process just until blended.

Divide batter among custard cups. Bake until tops of tortes are dry and puffed and tester inserted into centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer cups to rack; cool 15 minutes. Run small knife around edges of cups to release tortes. Turn tortes out onto rack and turn right side up; cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)

Topping:

Beat together cream, sugar, and almond extract in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; refrigerate.)

Serve

Place 1 torte on each of 4 plates. Top with dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti, and serve.

Amaretti cookies are available in most Italian deli’s and come in two sizes. The larger ones (used in this recipe) are bundled in pairs in colorful wrappers, while slightly smaller ones are packaged and unwrapped in sealed plastic bags. If using the smaller cookies, measure by weight (2.6 ounces total), not count.

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How To Use Meyer Lemons

2 / 8 / 232 / 9 / 23

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The bright star of the season, Meyer Lemons are the sweetest lemons to use in cooking. Thin-skinned, juicy and brightly colored you can use every part of the lemon, well, except maybe the seeds! In season now you can find them in all markets and at your local farmers market. If you have your own tree about now you might be wondering what to do with all those lemons. If you have trouble finding them you can call our friends at Melissa’s Produce and they can fill up your pantry!

Below you’ll find a few of my favorite recipes.

 

Meyer lemons

 How to choose, store and use beautiful Meyer

Lemons

Meyer Lemon Season (Commercial) Nov-May

Home Tree will fruit late Summer-April/May

Choose, Store and Use Meyer Lemons:

Pick lemons that have a smooth, yellow skin with no signs of bruises or cuts. Lemons that are heavy will have more juice in

them; unfortunately, Meyer lemons also contain many seeds. Easily seeded if cut in half, most of the seeds are centered in the middle of the fruit.

Store lemons in a bowl on the counter in a cool place with no direct contact with the sun. If the lemons begin to become soft, refrigerate and use within a few days. If using refrigerated lemons, let them come to room temperature if possible. Roll all lemons around on the counter to help free up the juice.

Extra lemon juice can be poured into ice cube trays, frozen and then placed into a freezer bag and used within 6 months.

Grow:Citrus_lemon

Meyer lemon trees grow well in pots in So. California, use a fast draining soil. They are hungry fellows so feed with an organic citrus fertilizer according to directions. They love the So. California sunshine but not so much our sometimes-windy weather. Meyer lemons like to be moist but not wet, deep infrequent watering and don’t let water sit in the liner or pot. If the weather threatens to freeze, water well and cover with a blanket or row cover at night, be very careful not to know off the fruit or flowers on the tree. Feed with an organic citrus food as directed and keep a close watch for citrus pests. Fruit will hold a long time on the tree, make sure they are nice and yellow before picking and after fruiting a little light pruning, if necessary will keep them compact and tidy.

 

 

 

 

Lemon Roasted Chicken

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  • Serves 4
  • 1 whole chicken -- rinsed, drained and dried
  • 1 medium onion -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 baby carrots -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 celery stalks -- cut into chunks
  • 1 lemon -- zested and juiced; preferably Meyer lemon
  • 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley -- minced
  • 1 bunch fresh sage -- minced
  • 1/2 bunch fresh thyme -- minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter -- room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lemon olive oil, butter or regular olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons chicken demi glace -- optional for sauce

Preheat oven to 400°.

Wash and dry chicken inside and out then dry well. Fit chicken into a roasting pan (you want no more than 1" of space on any side of the chicken otherwise the juices will burn).

Mix together onion, carrot, celery, lemon zest, and 1/2 of the minced herbs. Loosely stuff cavity with some of the ingredients, place the remainder on the bottom of the roasting pan and place chicken on top of the aromatic vegetables.

Mix remaining minced herbs with butter. Gently separate the chicken skin from the breast meat and carefully rub herb butter on breast under the skin.

Rub the chicken with lemon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over chicken and place rind into cavity. Insert probe thermometer into thigh and set for 165 degrees. Pour half of the wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and place, uncovered in hot oven.

Baste after 1/2 hour, if you don't have enough juice in pan use some chicken stock. Do not cover bird until browned and then loosely place foil over breast. If wings start to brown to early wrap with foil.

Remove chicken to a warm plate and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Remove some of the fat in the pan by using a paper towel or ice cubes. (Dredge the paper towel through the juices to pull out some of the fat or pour off the juices into a heat proof measuring cup. Add a few ice cubes; the fat will stick to the cold cube, discard cube. You may have to do this several times).

Put the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat and bring a boil, add remaining wine and stock scraping the fond (the yummy pieces stuck to the pan) from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half, add demi-glace if using and serve with chicken.

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker

French Yogurt Cake

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I love this bright lemony cake so much I adapted it slightly from Dorie Greenspan by adding these super sweet little strawberries, Alpine strawberries.

  • 1 1/2   cup all-purpose flour
  • 2         teaspoons baking powder
  •            Pinch of salt
  • 1         cup sugar
  • 1         lemon, grated and zest
  • 1/2      cup plain yogurt
  • 3         eggs
  • 1/4      teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2      cup citrus olive oil
  • 1         cup Alpine strawberries, whole or halved

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8 1/2-x-41/2-inch loaf pan and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and, with your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the yogurt, eggs and vanilla and whisking vigorously until the mixture is very well blended.

Still whisking, add the dry ingredients, then switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in the oil and then the strawberries. You'll have a thick, smooth batter with a slight sheen. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan; it should be golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold, and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

Glaze (optional)

½ cup lemon marmalade mixed with 1 teaspoon water

To Make the Glaze:

Put the marmalade in a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl, stir in the teaspoon of the water and heat until the jelly is hot and liquefied. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cake with the glaze.

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

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You can make this cake with any flavored or un-flavored olive oil that you like. Instead of poppy seeds try adding some dried cranberries or cherries. For serving dust with powdered sugar or make a citrus glaze with orange or lemon juice mixed with some powdered sugar and drizzle over the top of the cake, I like serving this with fresh raspberries on the side and a dollop of freshly whipped cream wouldn’t hurt either!
I’ve used cake pans, bundt cake pans and small Mason jars for this cake, just be aware of your baking time, test by inserting a clean toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out dry.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ½ cup Orange olive oil, or any flavored olive oil
  • 1 orange, zested
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisk in the eggs, milk, olive oil, zest and vanilla. 


Add the almonds and poppyseeds to the batter, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. 


Pour the batter into a greased Bundt cake pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden on top. Cool the cake, invert on a plate and dust with confectioners sugar if you like.

If using Mason jars, spray the inside of the jar with oil spray and fill only 2/3 of the jar with batter. Place jar on a baking sheet and when all jars are done place the sheetpan into the oven and bake accordingly. Check the cakes at 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Thanksgiving Feast

11 / 20 / 2211 / 20 / 22

These are my family favorites for the Thanksgiving Holiday, these recipes will serve 6-8 people. Many of the recipes can be made ahead of time making it easier to pull together the entire meal on one day. Make ahead the stock, gravy (add pan drippings later), mashed potatoes, dressing (I don’t stuff my turkey any longer and because I don’t I can cook a large bird in about 2 hours), green beans and of course the apple pie! I hope you enjoy and have a safe and tasty holiday!

Debbi & The Debettes (Sue & Barbara)

Watch my YouTube videos with Christina Peters on making Turkey/Chicken Stock and how to make successful gravy! Click here to watch!

 

Both recipes can also be found in my book, ‘What’s In Your Pantry’ pages 43, 44 and in the video’s.

Order my book here, next day shipping!

 

Click here to order

Citrus Cranberry Sauce, Instant Pot

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  • 2 (12-ounce) packages fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 medium orange, zester and juiced
  • 1 small cinnamon stick

Place cranberries, sugars, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon and cloves into a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Stir until well combined.

Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 4 minutes. When finished cooking, naturally release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions, about 20-30 minutes.

Remove orange zest and cinnamon. Using a potato masher, mash cranberry mixture until desired consistency is reached.

Let cool completely.

My Best Dressing for Thanksgiving

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Old fashioned stuffing recipe but I cook it as a ‘dressing’ rather than stuffing a turkey. For one reason it’s safer (temperature-wise) and the turkey cooks faster if it’s not stuffed. If you stuff a turkey the stuffing needs to reach 165° to kill any bacteria, but that means the turkey is well past 185°, overcooked and dry. The spice that makes this dressing the bomb is Penzy’s Poultry seasoning, penzys.com, it’s definitely my go to herb blend!

  • 1 loaf (1 pound) day-old crusty sourdough bread
  • 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 leeks, halved, thinly sliced, and rinsed well
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced (I like to use the celery hearts for this)
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons poultry seasoning
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 1½ chicken stock, maybe up to 2 cups
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

The day before you make the dressing tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and place on a baking sheet, set atop your stove for the bread to dry out slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallots, celery, salt, and pepper, and sauté until tender and translucent.

Place the bread into a large bowl and pour the vegetable mixture onto the bread cubes, add the poultry seasoning and parsley and toss lightly until coated. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock & toss again, the bread cubes should be fairly wet, if not add more stock and mix well until it is wet.

Before you add the eggs, taste the dressing, and adjust any seasoning. Then add the eggs and mix in well. *For a heartier dressing add Melissa's Steamed and Peeled Chestnuts (chop them into bite sized pieces and mix in). See link below.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake, covered, for 30 minutes, uncover the dish and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes to crisp the top a bit.

Dried Herbs or ‘Poultry Seasoning’ from Penzy’s Spices

Melissa’s Steamed & Peeled Chestnuts

*Recipe for Chestnut Dressing can be found on page 120 in ‘What’s In Your Pantry’

Green Beans with Smoked Bacon & Caramelized Shallots

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These are similar to my Grandmother’s Famous Green Beans but I replace her garlic with Caramelized Shallots.

  • 2 pounds haricots verts (thin green beans), trimmed, blanched and dried well*
  • ½ pound applewood smoked bacon
  • 3 large shallots, quartered
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.

Add olive oil to the pan with the bacon drippings then add the quartered shallots and sauté until browned. Add the vinegar, stir well, then add the green beans and toss until coated with oil, cook for another minute then season with salt and pepper and toss with bacon, serve hot.

To blanch green beans: Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water leaving room for green beans. Bring a large saucepan full of water to a boil and add green beans and a good helping of salt, cook for 1-2 minutes, drain the beans and plunge them into the bowl of ice water. Let them cool, drain and dry well.

Do Ahead Mashed Potatoes

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  • 3 lb. medium Melissa’s Dutch Yellow Potato*, scrubbed and cut in half
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cut the potatoes into like sized pieces so they all cook at the same rate. Cook the potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until they are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and return to the dry pot. Shake over low heat for about 1 minute. This helps make the potatoes fluffy as it whisks off excess moisture.

Mash the potatoes until there are no lumps

Heat cream, milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium until just about to simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to add to potatoes.

(If you have a potato ricer or mill, pass the potatoes through into a bowl. If you don’t have a food mill you can mash the potatoes with a potato masher), slowly add cream mixture while tossing gently, season with sea salt and pepper and mix in sour cream.

Take the potatoes out of the refrigerator about 3 1/2 hours before serving time. Stir the potato mixture well. Remove the potatoes from the dish and place it in a 4- or 5-quart crockpot. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice.

add more melted butter, sour cream or milk if you want a softer consistency. The potatoes can be held in the slow cooker an additional 30 minutes or more on low. Or turn the crockpot to "keep warm" for another hour or two.

*Melissa’s Dutch Yellow Potatoes can be found at Gelsons, Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres or order from their website (link below).

Herb Roasted Turkey

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  • 10 -12pounds free range or organic turkey, Diestal is my favorite and available at Gelsons
  • 2 medium onion, quartered with peel on
  • 6 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh sage
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • ½ bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 Meyer lemon
  • ¼ cup butter, room temperature
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • 1 cup dry white wine, Sauvignon Blanc is my go to
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey stock

Preheat oven to 425°

Remove turkey from refrigerator and let rest for 1 hour before cooking. Carefully rinse and dry turkey inside and out, dry well. Select a roasting pan where the turkey will fit snugly but doesn’t hang over the side. Place ½ of the herbs into the pan as a bed for the turkey, roughly chop the remainder of the herbs and stuff inside the turkey. Squeeze the lemons over the turkey and place the rinds into the pan with the herbs.

Place the turkey inside the pan and rub with butter, season with sea salt and pepper.

Insert probe thermometer and set for 165°. The turkey will cook for approximately 2 hours. Pour wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and place, uncovered in hot oven.

Baste after 1/2 hour, if you don't have enough juice in pan use some stock. Do not cover bird until browned and then loosely place foil over breast. If wings start to brown to early wrap with foil. If the breast starts to brown too much, loosely cover with foil and turn oven down to 400°.

Let turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.

*Pick up a probe digital thermometer here

To make sure your oven is the correct temperature use an oven thermometer

Dutch Apple Pie

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  • Pâte Brisée, (Pie Crust)
  • 1 ¼ cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 2-4 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar, optional (for Pâte Sucrée, sweet pie dough)
  • For the Dutch Apple Pie:
  • 1 pie crust
  • 2 ¼ pounds of baking apples, about 6 medium
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 stick)
  • 3 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • For the Crumb Topping:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon*
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Add flour and salt (sugar also if making Pâte Sucrée) into the bowl of a food processor; pulse a few times to incorporate all the ingredients.

Add the butter and process until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is pea size.

Place the mixture into a wide bowl and add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. Don’t overwork the dough or it will be tough, not flaky. Once the dough comes together in a ball flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Dough can be wrapped well at this point and frozen for up to three months. Let the dough defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Roll chilled disk out on a floured counter or rolling mat, lifting and moving the dough every few rolls to help prevent sticking. Add only enough flour to the counter to keep the dough from sticking.

Place your pan on top of the dough to make sure it is the correct size, it should be slightly larger than the pan, then roll the dough onto your rolling pin and unroll over your pan. Gently lift and lay the dough to fit the pan, never pull the dough to stretch it. Lightly press the dough into the pan, roll your rolling pin over the top edge of the tart or pie pan and remove excess pastry, or pinch the edges to your liking.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or while you prepare filling.

Your pie crust should be rolled out into the pie pan and be resting in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place your rack in the center of the oven.

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples to about 1/4” thickness. You should have 7 cups of sliced apples. Place them in a mixing bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in water and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering for 3 minutes, whisking frequently. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices. Pour apples over bottom crust.

To Make the Crumb Topping, stir together dry ingredients: flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and work it into the mixture with our hands until pea-size crumbs form throughout the mixture. Spread the crumb topping evenly over your apples, place pie onto a baking sheet and bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until the center of the pie registers 175˚F. If topping is browning too much, cover with a sheet of foil. Remove from oven and cool 1 hour to allow the filling to set so it’s easier to slice.

*Cinnamon, I like using Penzey’s Spices ‘Baking Spices’ instead of just cinnamon.

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Farm, Food & Wine Tour 2022

4 / 29 / 225 / 15 / 22

 

 

Farm, Food & Wine Tours are Back!!

Join us this fall for our first tour in a few years

Fri, Oct 14th – Sun, Oct 16th

Two Nights at Cambria Pines Lodge

with Hot Buffet Breakfast

Fri Evening

Welcome Dinner

Local Vinegar Tasting & Demo

Sat Tour

Wine Wrangler Tour

Mighty Cap Mushroom Farm

Visit a high end mushroom farm that grows artisanal gourmet mushrooms organically
(above photo is one of their ‘pink’ varieties)

Rangeland Winery

Wine tasting & BBQ lunch
(Local Grass-Fed Burgers)

Jack Creek Cellars 

Wine Tasting

Jack Creek Pumpkin Farm

Sun Tour

Groves on 41 Olive Oil tasting & Demo


Picnic Lunch by Debs Kitchen

Don’t miss the Cambria Scarecrow Contest
Scarecrows displayed all over town!

Elephant Seal Rookery

Walks on the Beach &
Fabulous Sunsets

Make your reservation now, limited occupancy
Not included, travel to and from Cambria
Saturday Evening Dinner

$849.75 per person
$400.00 deposit required
Refund cancellations until Aug. 15th
Click below to make a deposit or venmo me @ debbidubbs

Tour Payments



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Osso Buco

1 / 7 / 22

 

I was in Lazy Acres meat department picking up an order when I notice the beautiful veal shanks in the case. This time of year, I love any kind of braised meat, beef, or chicken and one of my favorites is Osso Bucco. I’m not sure why you don’t see it on restaurant menu’s very often, perhaps the cost of veal would choke you, but you can also make it with beef shanks which aren’t quite as expensive.
Although this dish takes a fair amount of time to cook, hands-on cooking time is very little. Instead of cooking the dish in an oven for up to 3 hours, a slow cooker or maybe even an instant-pot would do.
A braise is a dish that used two kinds of cooking techniques, one is searing, and the other is moist heat cooking (in liquid). Wine, broth, and tomatoes are used to ‘stew’ this rather tough cut of meat into fall apart deliciousness. Typically served with Risotto Milanese but you could substitute mashed potatoes or pasta.

6          1-1/4-inch-thick veal (or beef) shanks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2      cup all-purpose flour for dredging

1/4      cup extra-virgin olive oil, reserve 1 tablespoon

1          tablespoon unsalted butter

1          large yellow onion, diced

2          stalks  celery, finely diced

1          medium carrot, diced

1          teaspoon dried oregano

3/4      cup dry white wine

2           tablespoon tomato paste 1

1          28-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped, juices reserved

1          cup low-salt chicken broth, more if needed

1          large sprig thyme

1          bay leaf

1          Tbs. arrowroot mixed with 2 tsp. broth or water

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Wrap string around the shanks to hold them together.  Put the flour onto a paper plate, Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Dredge the shanks lightly in flour, shake off the excess.

Use a large Le Creuset or the like, one that you can fit all the shanks in laying flat.

Heat pan and add oil, when hot add ½ the shanks and brown well on both sides. Remove and repeat with remaining shanks, set aside.

Pour or scoop excess oil out of the pan leaving the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add the butter and reserved 1 Tbs. of oil.

When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, carrot, oregano, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned and translucent. Add the wine, and increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon, until the wine is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes Stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the broth, thyme, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the shanks back to the pan, cover and cook in the oven until tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, checking the liquid occasionally.

If it has cooked down, add enough broth to keep the level about halfway up the shanks. To check for doneness, pierce a shank with a fork. The meat should pull apart easily.

Strain the pan juices through a medium-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on the solids with a spatula to extract as much sauce as you can. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture and cook briefly to thicken.

To cook in a slow cooker, after browning the meat and deglazing the pot, add the shanks to a slow cooker and pour all the juices over them. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

Recipe edited from Fine Cooking

 

 

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New Classes 2022

1 / 3 / 22

Happy New Year to all!

Unfortunately, we are still dealing with a pandemic and since infections & hospitalizations are on the rise Cal State Fullerton’s Arboretum has decided not to host indoor classes at this time. We are trying to arrange ‘al fresco’ cooking classes but for comfort (weather-wise) they won’t be offered until a little later in the spring. But we WILL be back, patience for good food!

In the meantime, I’ve been falling back on my other love, Edible Gardening. Most of you know I’ve been gardening for over 20 years. Last year I was asked by a local (Oceanside) college to teach online Zoom classes in vegetable gardening. They are going so well we decided to add more Edible Gardening classes this winter/spring. I will add those to my website when registration is live. I’ve also added extra classes to my own company, Debs Kitchen, classes are 2-2 ½ hours in length with the last half hour dedicated to sharing a recipe. I hope you’ll join me.

Farm Tours Update

YES! Spring tours will be back! Mary & I are in the process of setting up some new, local, So. Cal farm tours & educational seminars & tastings. Send us an email on what you’d like to see, do, taste!

Debs Kitchen Winter Classes

On Line Classes begin Jan 29

Registration is live!  For the moment, all classes will be Zoom classes

Register Here for all Classes

Questions? Send me an email, Debbi

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