Ok… I’m going Simple… as I said…

Today… the Grandkid‘s went home… after me making cinnamon rolls for them…

I straightened up the house…

Took down Christmas Tree…

Jill lays where it was… so sad… she misses it!…

I cooked a Simple lunch of traditional New Year‘s food…

Hoppin’ John… blackeyed peas… tomatoes… onions… chili peppers… Cooked in my new sauce pan…

I dcided on Reuben Sandwiches which had the typical Saur Kraut for a New Year’s meal…

Rye bread… Swiss Cheese… Bavarian Kraut… Corned beef…

Grilled in butter in my new skillet…

They turned out perfect…

Simple meal = YUMMY!

Met my son, wife and two of the kids for a tour of their new house they are buying…

Alas… no key… to get in… but, did get there with the directions given… and got to see the front/outside of the house… Very pretty… a dark red brick… with white trim… Hope to explore and have more photos soon…

My son and wife with two of their 3 children… It is on a hill with a walk out basement in the back with woods… brand new… so no grass as of yet… and will be about 30 days before they will be able to move… They love it!… and we are happy for them!

Arrived home… TV is too boring as my Granddaughter would say… so writing my second blog of the day…

Hope you have enjoyed your first day of 2013… I have!

Related articles

• Reuben Sandwich (betterspines.com)
• Skippin’ to My Lou for Hoppin’ John (tomstablescraps.wordpress.com)
• New Year Collards and Hoppin’ John (solefoodkitchen.com)
• eat your way into good fortune … Hoppin’ John (stresscake.wordpress.com)
• Foods for a Lucky ’13 (chefann.wordpress.com)

This week on the Steelers Huddle, Rania is making Smoked Turkey Reuben Sandwiches in the Heinz Red Zone!

Don’t forget to tune into the Steelers Huddle show each Saturday after the 11 p.m. news on KDKA-TV for more of Rania’s recipes!

STEELERS HUDDLE “Heinz Red Zone Recipe”: Smoked Turkey Reuben Sandwiches

Dressing:

• ¾ cup Heinz mayonnaise
• ½ cup Heinz chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons Heinz sweet relish

• 8 slices rye bread
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter – room temperature
• ½ pound shredded Swiss cheese
• ½ pound sliced smoked turkey
• 1 cup well-drained uncooked sauerkraut

Directions:

Dressing:
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, chili sauce and relish. Set aside while making the sandwiches.

Sandwiches:
Butter one side of each of the rye bread slices with the butter. Turn the bread slices over and spread each slice evenly with the dressing.

Sprinkle the Swiss cheese over four rye bread slices. Lay the turkey over the cheese, dividing evenly. Spread the sauerkraut over the turkey. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side out. Press down firmly.

Heat a non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Carefully transfer the sandwiches to the griddle and grill, occasionally pressing down gently. Grill until the underside is golden and then carefully turn the sandwiches to continue grilling on the other side until the golden and the cheese has melted. Flip the sandwiches and grill for just a couple of minutes longer.

Serve with Heinz dill pickles and Heinz spicy brown mustard

Every year at about this same time, I start remembering a lot of things about my family and all the good times we’ve had over the years. I think back on all the loved ones we’ve lost and all the new faces we’ve added to the family. It always brings a smile and a few tears as memories come wafting over me.

I usually get pretty excited, first. I think about the holidays and all the good food we’ve eaten over the winter months. My grandmother always made chicken and dumplings for family get-togethers at her house. It was just a favorite and it went so far. Plus, she was one of the best cooks around! Yes, I have that recipe, too. I make it at least once a year. For some reason, I can’t ever remember what we got her for Christmas. I’m sure mom took her shopping and bought her some new clothes or some powder or perfume that she liked. My grandpa, well, it was the same thing every year: peanut M & M’s, and some Pecan Sandies. I think those were from Keebler, but don’t quote me on that. We just knew to buy the Sandies. It never failed. They were simple folk who lived within their means. They didn’t have too much, just enough.

One year I got my parents a gift card to the local grocery store, the place where they got their oil changed, and a couple of other things I knew they could use. Dad said every single year, “I’ve got enough stuff to last me the rest of my life.” He was right. He could make anything last well beyond it’s use! He was the recycling king! We still have boxes of Nestle Quick out in the garage that must be 20 years old! Each one is labeled with the size of the nails that are in each one. We still bought him clothes, sometimes.

What did we always get my mom and my brother? Whatever we thought they were into that year. Now, I just give my bub a Barnes & Nobles gift card and my mom something quaint (and usually something tasty).

Now, I have in-laws. You know, when you grow up with people, you know them pretty well, but when you marry into a family, you have no idea what to do. As the economy crashes, it gets easier every year to say, “let’s not exchange gifts this year.” It takes the pressure off the holidays and just allows everyone to enjoy the company and the good food.

Every year I think the complete opposite thought of the year before. One year I want something that will keep and be worth the money paid for it and the next year I’ll want something that can be eaten and won’t be sitting around until the next year. (I currently still have 2 chocolate easter bunnies in the office just waiting to be opened! I don’t know that they’re as good as they were, um, how many months ago?) It goes back and forth. I’m also one of those people who if you can’t figure out what to get me, then you need to go to Starbucks. Gift card, cup o’ coffee, bag o’ beans, it doesn’t matter. Chocolate and coffee.

On to the food…we always had the same thing every year in some form or fashion. One year, though, we’d all had enough and we had Reuben sandwiches and potato salad. It was awesome. Paper plates and plastic cartons. That was the easiest holiday dinner EVER!!! Now we have a little bit of everything. We try to only do turkey and dressing on one of the two holidays.

I love Thanksgiving. Living in the south, however, you miss a LOT of the great things about fall, like the cool weather and the leaves changing color. That’s the great thing about the mountains and the upper midwest/Great Lakes regions – lots of changing leaves. Now I just enjoy them on the Weather Channel. One year I was in Wisconsin and it snowed on Thanksgiving Day. That was an awesome treat for this girl from the south. (One day I do want a yard that has trees that change color no matter how not-cold it gets around here!)

I miss our trips up into the Appalachians/Great Smokey Mountains. We went a few times when I was a kid. It was cold, the rivers were freezing, and the leaves were gorgeous. The best thing, however, was the time we spent together with family and close friends. Those were times when my dad wasn’t working so hard and driving an awful commute to work. We always had to get back to the grindstone, but for a week we could let our hair down and be free.

The national parks and state parks were always so much fun to stop at. They are so pristine and well-preserved. I’m glad we have some close by. It’s always great to get out into nature and just lose yourself for a while. We saw many a waterfall on our way into the mountains.

Christmas is always fun, too. We had a ritual around our house every year that I try to repeat. We would begin the Christmas season right after Thanksgiving Day lunch! We cleaned off the table and dad and I would crawl into the attic and begin hauling down boxes of ornaments, lights, junk to clutter up the house, and mom’s massive snowman collection! We would hang up the outside lights first, then we would start assembling our stale tree that smelled like the shed it had lived in for the previous 11 months. Ah, that old musty, dusty tree. We would watch the same movie every year while we put up the ornaments: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I would be putting ornaments on the tree and I would hear the same thing every year as Clark Griswald climbed the upside-down ladder: “Don’t climb up that ladder!” Then I would hear him laugh so hard as Clark’s ladder slides down on itself and he looks around to make sure none of the neighbors saw it happen. I love that memory. In all the years that have gone by, that has to be my favorite.

Well, it’s been six years since my dad has passed on and I try to continue that tradition even now. We put up lights last year and Beanster got so excited. We were standing out by the road doing a drumroll (for those who’ve seen the movie, you understand). Dada plugged in the lights and Beanster’s face lit up like daylight! He got so excited, his jaw dropped open, his eyes were wide. He nearly jumped out of my arms and ran toward the house, stopping about 6 feet away and just stared at the lights. I love the wonder and excitement of a child! He did the same thing when we plugged in the lights on the tree! Thanksgiving Day is so much fun around our house.

Well, as I plan my Christmas shopping list this year, which will be mostly food and things that can truly be used, I smile and look fondly back on all the good times that have been and look forward to all the ones to come. We got gourds and pumpkins in at work the other day and I know the holidays are that much closer! Now, if only we can get some snow this year!

Peace and love, everyone.

My dad, back in the day.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp. ketchup or chili sauce
• 2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
• 1 tbsp. fresh horseradish (comes in a jar in the refrigerator section of your store)
• prepared yellow mustard for spreading
• 8 slices rye bread (this time I used Pepperidge Farms Deli Swirl Rye and Pumpernickel Bread)
• 12 to 16 oz. of thinly sliced corned beef (you could substitute thinly sliced smoked turkey)
• 4 slices swiss cheese, thinly sliced or grated
• sauerkraut (comes in a bag in the meat area), rinsed and well drained

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard on one side, then layer with the corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut and mayonnaise mixture.

Grill either in a Panini maker, on top of the stove in a grill pan or you could even broil them in the oven.

I have also included a recipe using a coleslaw mix.   A different twist on the famous ‘Reuben’.

• 2-1/2 cups packaged coleslaw mix
• 1/4 cup honey dijon salad dressing
• 8 slices rye bread
• 8 slices of swiss cheese, thinly sliced
• 12 to 16 oz. corned beef, thinly sliced

Combine the coleslaw and dressing.  Place one piece of cheese on 4 slices of bread, then layer with corned beef, slaw mixture and another slice of swiss cheese.

I find when I use my Panini maker I do not need to brush oil or melted butter on the outside of the sandwich.

Before I close for now, let’s observe a moment of silence for the loss of a part of my childhood.  Unless you are living under a rock, I am sure that you heard about Davy Jones passing.  66 is way too young to die.  Rest in peace Davy, you have left us way too soon.

Our first batch, while good, had some “issues”. And Sam, our eldest, let me know about it. “The meat is too stringy” and “needs more sauce and kraut”. He thought the flavor was good but I lacked in execution. He was right. I did not cut the meat completely across the grain, and I discounted that Reubens are messy and a lot ends up on the plate. What makes the Reuben so good is the perfect bite; tangy rye bread, nutty swiss cheese, creamy sauce, tart and crunchy kraut and tender, salty beef. This version did not deliver the “complete” bite. Fail (small, but still a fail). But the good thing about making 5 pounds of corned beef, is that you have enough to try again.

And so we did. The second batch of Reubens was downright awesome. Only this good in New York awesome. I just gave up being a vegan awesome. You get the idea.  A few refinements made a ton of difference. Sam was very pleasantly surprised, ”this is great, Dad, you got it”. Even better, he voted with his feet, and finished the whole thing in 5 minutes. The changes were simple, cut the beef thin and directly across the grain and load up on the sauce and kraut.

As for the recipe, it has a twist. The sauce is our take on the famous Shake Shack burger sauce. It is similar to the traditional Thousand Island dressing, but with a lighter consistency and much, much deeper flavor. This is the sauce that makes the Shake Shack burger so good, so why not put it on a Reuben? Try it, and you will be converted. I will put our Reuben, with this sauce, up against anybody’s. And I mean anybody’s.

Reuben Sandwich:

(Makes 1 sandwich)

Notes Before You Start:

-       You can use your homemade corned beef or store-bought. But be sure to cut across the grain when slicing the meat.

-       You can also use Thousand Island dressing instead of our sauce. It will still be great.

-       Grill the sandwich using medium-low heat. It takes a little longer, but gives you more control and allows the cheese to melt without burning the bread.

What You Get: One of the best of the classic sandwiches. Reubens combine multiple flavors and textures better than almost any other sandwich.

What you need: No special equipment required.

How Long: 20-30 minutes to assemble. Making a Reuben is not hard but it requires some work across a few steps. It is worth it. But it is tough to try to make a Reuben at home if you are in a hurry.

Simple things combine for an awesome sandwich

Ingredients:

-       2 slices of good rye bread

-       1 tablespoon of butter

-       ½ pound of corned beef, thinly sliced across the grain (add more if you like)

-       2 slices of Swiss cheese (or gruyere, comte’ or emmentaler)

-       ½ cup of sauerkraut, drained of liquid

-       ¼ cup of Shake Shack sauce (see below for recipe) or Thousand Island Dressing

Assemble:

1. Heat a griddle, skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat.
2. Butter each slice of bread on one side. Place bread on griddle, butter-side down. Add cheese. Add corned beef to one piece of the bread.
3. Allow the cheese to melt on both pieces of bread. Then add the sauerkraut and sauce on top of the corned beef. Place other piece of bread on top.
4. Remove the sandwich from the griddle. Cut in half and serve. Serve with extra sauce, if you like.

Our Shake Shack Sauce:

(makes ¾ cup of sauce)

Ingredients:

-       1/2 cup mayonnaise

-       1 tablespoon ketchup

-       1 tablespoon yellow mustard

-       4 slices kosher dill pickle, chopped

-       ½ teaspoon kosher salt

-       1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

-       1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

-       Pinch cayenne pepper

-       Pinch of salt

Assemble:

1. Place all sauce ingredients into a food processor, blend until smooth (an immersion blender will also work).

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Well, let’s get right to it. Corned beef is worth doing at home. It is tender and tasty, and the pink color is fun as well. The salt and spices are very smooth and integrated with the brisket. Much better than any store-bought corned beef I’ve had. Making something like this at home sort of feels like alchemy, the creation of something special from average ingredients. Charcuterie, I am finding, is tasty alchemy at home.

As for the corned beef, we served it as traditional corned beef and cabbage. We had some long-time friends and their kids over for dinner and they were (relatively) willing test subjects. I usually hate testing new dishes on guests, preferring to subject family to such experiments….;-). In any event, we started with our treats from the farmers market, had a beer, ate the corned beef and cabbage and had the cake from Miette for dessert. The corned beef was a big success. Even the kids liked it. And the broth was very flavorful, sort of a meal unto itself. And we are making Reuben Sandwiches right now! (teaser image below)

Recipe soon...and you want this, you really do...

To be fair, the kids really liked the corned beef, but LOVED the cake. It was double chocolate with a thick layer of frosting. Sometimes, I just can’t compete.

The recipe we used for the corned beef and cabbage is a combination of Michael Ruhlman’s recipe for the corned beef and pickling spice and Alton Brown’s recipe for the actual dish. A key adaptation is that we do not add any salt to the cooking liquid at the beginning of cooking the corned beef and cabbage. Many recipes suggest this early seasoning, but the beef is salty by itself from the brine, so we wait and taste before adding any additional salt to the cooking liquid. We are glad we waited to taste for seasoning, as there was NO need for additional salt. But you should check seasoning during cooking and adjust to your taste.

One other note on making your pickling spice (if you make it yourself). Use your judgment on specific flavors. I don’t necessarily suggest adding anything to the recipe below, but you can certainly subtract, based on your tastes. Don’t like cloves, allspice? Take some out. The pickling spice mix is art, not science.

Corned Beef:

(Makes 5 pounds of corned beef)

Notes Before You Start:

-       Corned beef is relatively easy to make but requires time and fridge space. Keep the fridge space in mind.

-       You can use commercial pickling spice or make your own per the recipe below.

What You Get: High quality corned beef for corned beef and cabbage, reuben sandwiches and hash. If you have guests for a few days or over a weekend, corned beef would be a good dish you can use many times, but in vastly different applications.

What you need: Pink curing salt (see here). A large plastic container for brining, the container needs to fit a 5 pound brisket. Fridge space.

How Long? Total prep time of 30 minutes. 5 days to cure in brine. 3 hours of cooking. Corned beef takes some planning but requires limited active time.

Ingredients:

Brine:

-       1 gallon / 4 liters of water

-       2 cups / 450 grams of kosher salt

-       1 oz. / 25 grams of pink curing salt ( 5 teaspoons)

-       3 cloves of garlic, minced

-       2 tablespoons / 20 grams pickling spice (see below for recipe or store-bought)

Meat:

-       One 5 lb. beef brisket (with fat on if possible). First-cut brisket is preferred.

-       2 tablespoons / 20 grams pickling spice (see below for recipe or store-bought)

Assemble:

Brine:

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, combine water, kosher salt, pink curing salt, garlic and pickling spice. Bring to a simmer and stir until all salts dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Place brine in large plastic container and refrigerate until cold.
3. Once the brine is cold, add the brisket and weigh it down with plates so it is fully submerged. Keep in refrigerator for 5 days.

Cook:

1. Remove corned beef from brine. Discard brine (it cannot be reused). Rinse meat thoroughly. (see below for Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe)
2. Place meat in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add 2 tablespoons of pickling spice.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until corned beef is fork-tender.
4. When the corned beef is tender remove from the cooking liquid and serve warn or at room temperature. Reserve the cooking liquid, if you like. The corned beef, wrapped or in an airtight container will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Corned Beef and Cabbage:

(Serves 8-12 with leftovers)

Ingredients:

-       5 lbs. of corned beef, brined but not cooked. See recipe above and start from #4.

-       2 tablespoons pickling spice

-       1/2 pound diced carrots, approximately 4 small

-       1/2 pound diced onions, approximately 2 small

-       1 pound small potatoes red potatoes, cut in half

-       ¼ pound diced celery, approximately 2 stalks

-       1 small head cabbage, sliced into ½ inch wedges

-       Salt and pepper (if needed, for seasoning)

-       1 cup Italian Parsley

Assemble:

1. Place corned beef in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add enough water to cover meat by 1 inch. Add 2 tablespoons of pickling spice.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 2 ½  hours. Add water, as needed, to keep meat covered.
3. Add carrots, onion, celery and potatoes to pot. Stir.
4. After 15 minutes, add cabbage. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until tender. Taste broth and season if necessary.
5. Remove corned beef from broth, sliced the desired amount and serve in bowls with broth and vegetables. Garnish with parsley. Accompany with mustard or prepared horseradish, if you like.

Our Pickling Spice

Pickling Spice:

(makes about 1 cup of spice)

Ingredients:

-       2 tablespoons / 20 grams of black peppercorns

-       2 tablespoons / 20 grams mustard seeds

-       2 tablespoons / 20 grams coriander seeds

-       2 tablespoons / 12 grams het red pepper flakes

-       1 tablespoons / 8 grams allspice berries

-       1 tablespoon / 8 grams ground mace

-       2 small cinnamon (cassia) sicks, smashed or crumbled

-       12 bay leaves, crumbled

-       1 tablespoon / 3 grams whole cloves

-       1 tablespoon / 8 grams ground ginger

Assemble:

1. Toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry pan or skillet over medium-low heat. If you hear popping, its done. Remove spices from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Crack peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds using a heavy pan or in a spice grinder.
3. Combined cracked spices with all other ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

Today has pretty much been an extremely chill day. I haven’t gone to any museums. I just went to a place and ate lunch and then rode the subway to different stops. Last week, I read about this place that is a deli slash bar slash brunch place, Sulji’s in Itaewon. The selling point for me was the fact that they apparently sold the best Reuben sandwiches in the city, so I knew that I had to check it out. I haven’t had my most favorite sandwich of all time in about two years. So, I rode the subway, line 6, to Noksapyeon Station. It is next to a military base or what looks to be one and is part of Itaewon. If you take exit 5 and walk a bit (five minutes at the most) you’ll see the restaurant on your left side. It is next to a sign that welcomes you to Korea and basically says, “Here you are! In Itaewon!”

So, all by myself, I walked into the restaurant with a book in tow because I’ve found that if I feel incredibly awkward when alone in a place like that, I can resort to poking my nose into a flipping book. Anyways, I knew what I wanted but looked at the menu to see what else they offered. Their brunch looked amazing. Next time I go, I am ordering the pastrami. They also had Dr. Pepper, which is apparently becoming more and more popular here.

When my sandwich came, I was presented with deliciousness as well as a couple of homemade pickle slices, some wonderful potato salad and cabbage salad. The dressing to the cabbage salad was purple, and that turned me off a bit, but it ended up tasting great! I was in heaven. I could barely finish my sandwich because the dressing was so rich, but apparently the dressings and pickles are made in-house. So, it’s all incredibly fresh. The experience was delightful. The atmosphere was perfect.

So…I can’t remember if this was before or after the subway ride to Itaewon, but as I was walking to catch a train, an elderly man stopped me. Most people who know me can attest to the fact that I usually stop and accommodate the person even though in recent months, I’ve taken to averting eye contact to avoid being given any dumb flyers. (That’s a common occurrence here.) I’ve been told I’m too nice, and that gets me into trouble. Whatever!

Today was pleasant. The poor man had an illness and apparently had taken the time to translate a lot of Korean words and sentences into English. He asked for help with syntax. Many other foreigners had passed him; however, he singled me out and stopped to ask me. I read over the information and tried to present him with some simple sentences. I was even able to use the smattering of Korean I know to communicate rudimentarily with him. It was an experience that made me feel incredibly good. So, I’m not tooting my own horn or anything…and if you think that about me, then get a clue.

I’m one of the most self-deprecating people you’ll meet. I tried to help him with simple things. He had sclerosis; however, I think he was trying to say that he had multiple sclerosis and could not speak very well. He indicated that if he was in the company of other people he could potentially fall. I’m not sure why he needed all of this translated into English, and I cannot comment on the state of terminal illnesses and how they are treated here, but he  was a man who needed help, and as I have been taught by my mom and dad, you help a person who seems to need it. Call me stupid if you want to call me that.

So, after that was done, I was on my merry way to explore the underbelly of the city via the subway system. I intended to hit up one more museum today, but that didn’t happen. This trip was just a chance for me to take some alone time and think, not necessarily think about certain things or make any decisions, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that even though I’ve been here a year and a half, a love affair with Korea has begun. I may not have any significant other in my life nor do I foresee that in the near future (I cannot really say why because life is what it is.), but for now, Korea is my love interest. I have so many things I want to see and do here. So…I’m going to work on that list…tonight when I get home. First, gotta meet up with some friends.

**I posted the poem at the end of this blog in case you care or give a crap. Sometimes, poetry is what really gets my blood flowing. I find so many things in literature that I can identify with. In poetry, some things just get to me. This poem, when I read it signified some things I have been feeling lately.**

The Song of Wandering Aegnus by W.B. Yeats

It was a year ago this month that I started the Penarious Challenge. I’d have to say that the most interesting challenge was the attempt to recreate Heinz ketchup in the kitchen. I learned more about ketchup than I ever wanted to know and came pretty close, but not close enough. Heinz Tomato Ketchup recipe remains a secret.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Swedish Mazarinmuffins

Cherry Almond Oatmeal

Savory -

Gnocchi with Spinach Cream Sauce

Reubens

Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Here’s what you will need:

1 loaf dark rye bread

1 can sauerkraut

Swiss cheese

1/2 pound corned beef

Several TBSP melted butter

For the Russian dressing you will need:

1 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 TBSP sour cream

4 TBSP mayonnaise

Dash of pepper

1-2 tsp horseradish sauce if desired

Mix all the Russian dressing ingredients together using a whisk and set aside.

Oil a griddle or frying pan and heat.  Put the sandwiches together by placing a piece of buttered rye bread (butter side down on the hot surface).  Spread 1-2 TBSP Russian dressing on the bread, place several pieces of corned beef on the sandwich, then the swiss cheese, then the sauerkraut, and then more corned beef if desired.  Place another slice of rye on top with the buttered side up.  Toast the sandwich on both sides and serve.  I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Oh yum!

The glorious slow cooker!

It’s been busy lately!!

And, I have a small confession to make.

I’m obsessed.

Quite literally…

No, not with the slow cooker…

Okay, well kinda.

But I’m also obsessed with my latest cookbook addition.

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1979 edition.

Yep.  It’s almost as old as I am.

(gasp!!)

Mom got me cooking on it when we visited them over Thanksgiving.  She had heard about it from a friend when they visited a small book re-seller.

The interesting part?  The older editions of the cookbook are rumored to have better recipes (at least, that’s what I’ve heard).

How come?

Well, in the interest of cutting calories and fat, many of the newer recipes just didn’t quite taste as good…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m an advocate for healthy eating, but I also believe that many of the recipes from previous generations are incredibly delicious, more satiating (which also means we eat less), and overall, better quality.

My recommendation to you?  Go to your local, small business book re-seller and find your copy of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (circa 1979 edition).  Trust me, it will be money well-spent.

Reuben assembly and special sauce from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1979 edition.  (Thank you, Mom!!)

* 1 (3 to 5 lb) corned beef brisket

* 2 bottles beer (any kind)

* 2 Tbsp whole peppercorns

* 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme

* Several slices Swiss cheese

* Several slices dark rye or pumpernickel bread

* 4 Tbsp sauerkraut, drained

* 1/4 cup “special sauce,” Fannie calls it homemade Russian dressing

* 3 Tbsp butter

Place the corned beef brisket in your slow cooker, and pour in the beer.  Add the peppercorns and thyme (or the seasoning packet if your corned beef comes with it).  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, turning once, halfway through cooking.

Place the cooked corned beef on a cutting board; discard cooking liquid.  Slice the corned beef, removing the fat as you go, into 1/4-inch-thick slices/chunks.  Put 1 slice of corned beef and 2 slices Swiss cheese on a piece of bread (essentially covering the slice of bread).  Heap a bit of sauerkraut and ladle the special sauce over the top.  Put on a second slice of corned beef and a second slice of bread on top.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the sandwich to the skillet, and grill on each side until the cheese melts and the bread is golden brown and just-crisp.  Serve hot and with more “special sauce” for dipping.

Link to special sauce here.

Did this recipe make you Smile?  I would be honored if you’d become a Facebook fan of mine!  Click here (or copy and paste this link into your browser:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smiles-in-the-Kitchen/143789102327574).

Recipe of the Week: Reuben’s Sandwiches

1 pkg corned beef* (whatever size is suitable for your family)
5 cloves of garlic, peeled but not diced
1/2 medium onion, sliced thickly
sauerkraut
swiss cheese slices
mayonnaise and/or spicy brown mustard
rye bread (marble or dark or Russian seedless, etc.)

Directions:
1. Take the corned beef out of the package and drain off the red juice. Fill a dutch oven** half full with water. Turn on burner to medium. Put the meat in the pot. Open and add the little seed packet.
2. Add the whole garlic cloves and onion slices.
3. Cover, let boil for twenty minutes. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 4-5 hours.
4. When the meat is soft, remove from pot to a cutting surface. Scrape away all fat, then slice on the diagonal.
5. Spread the mayo and/or mustard on two slices of bread. Make your sandwiches with warm sauerkraut and slice of swiss cheese. Put the between the meat and the swiss cheese or it will make the bread soggy.
6. Serve with potato salad or scalloped potatoes and applesauce.

*When picking out a good corned beef, it needs to be at least two inches thick, and when you try to squeeze the ends of the package together, it should not feel stiff. If it is not pliable, then the meat has too much hard fat in it.
**You can also use a crockpot and cook on low all day.

Thought of the Week: We had another evening thundershower Tuesday. I love the rumbling, except when it is directly over my head. We are 14″ below normal rainfall for the year, so these little storms do not do much for the aquifer, but they sure sound and feel great…I had to buy new windshield wipers today; the old ones dried out from the sun beating on them all summer. The Advance Auto Parts guy put them on for me for free and said to water them down every week to keep them in good condition. I only bought the other ones last year.

Reuben sandwiches

Alone time

Wrapped up in a good book

Taking my son swinging at the park

]]> http://erskinestudio.com/2011/09/08/ideas-and-other-things-fermenting/ Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:47:27 +0000 nerskine http://erskinestudio.com/2011/09/08/ideas-and-other-things-fermenting/ http://thisdamecooks.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/pumpernickel-rye-bread-my-way/ Wed, 04 May 2011 19:40:38 +0000 JoAnn http://thisdamecooks.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/pumpernickel-rye-bread-my-way/ One of my favorite cookbooks is “Our Immigrant Ancestors” by The Frugal Gourmet, Jeff Smith.  Its an oldie but a goodie for simple and earthy bread recipes like this German dark rye.  A Reuben sandwich is simply scumptuous made with this savory bread which has no molasses or other sweeteners.  The crumb is dense yet light and well suited to grilling.  The recipe given was adapted for restaurant quality sandwiches but its so simple and easy to make that anyone who enjoys baking savory breads will add this to their repertoire of recipes.  My restaurant customers certainly enjoyed this bread and you will too.

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I was listening to a Francis Chan sermon recently and he made a statement that has been lingering in me these past few days. He said that the best things in our lives aren’t things planned by us. I’ve been thinking about it and doing little mental experiments as if to put his theory to the test. I began thinking… what are the best things in my life?

The first thing I thought of was my family. We’re far from perfect, but I have a great relationship with my family members. I had an amazing mother. I have a father that has never left the family. Next to my wife, my brother’s my best friend. My sister-in-law is a chef [that's not even her best trait]. They love me even though I’ve been a brat most of my childhood.

I get to follow after my passions and help people know Jesus better. Even though it’s a bit financially precarious, I didn’t have to save up $10 million in the bank before I embarked on it. From day 1, the needs of my family have always been met one way or another.

My wife is perfectly suited for me. Even though she drives me nuts sometimes, she makes me want to be a better man. There are parts of her that I never saw [and couldn't have] while we were dating but now see after 10 years of marriage. And I realize her passions and personality traits perfectly complement mine.

I wake up each day knowing that I’m embraced by God. I’m his son. He loves me and gets giddy when he thinks about me. And for what? I make tons of mistakes and I haven’t accomplished anything all that big. My best trait might be that I can make soup. And that’s not all that great.

None of this stuff I planned or spent years working for. I don’t possess any of these because of my competency or aptitude. In fact, they are present in my life in spite of who I am and what I do. The things I have accomplished are good and in many ways are very satisfying. But they aren’t necessarily the best things. They are things I could live without on most days.

In the end it puts a bit of perspective on what I can and can’t do. I’m reminded that everything doesn’t rest on my shoulders. And I don’t have to cheat today by worrying about tomorrow.

BTW, that Reuben sandwich you see. The absolute BEST Reuben I’ve ever had in my entire life. And I didn’t make it. Another proof that the theory is correct.