Zucchini Custard Pie

Guest Chef:  Michael Orensteen

                                                                                                                                           
Even with it nearing midnight, I am sipping on some hot hot coffee, for I am also savoring a little slice of heaven..  Michael is a man of many aspirations and talents.  A pilot by trade, owner of MinneHaHa's Comedy Club, stand-up comedian, world-renowned fisherman, and now - proud owner of the Top Chef award at work! Following, is the pie that won Michael kudos.  I recently made it and found it to be quick and easy to prepare.  It's nice that the recipe makes two pies - so you can leave one home, and take the pretty one to work!  My daughter, not realizing this, sneaked a piece from the pretty one!  It still went to work and received rave reviews.  It is a rather sweet pie, so make certain you have a nice hot cup of coffee or tea when you partake.  The baking aroma intoxicates the very scent of life. Close your eyes and let the pie melt in your mouth like a delicate snowflake on a child's breath ...

                                                                     

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups zucchini, peeled, seeded, cooked,  drained
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons melted butter                                                          
• 2 cups sugar                                                                                                 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 pie shells (homemade or frozen store bought                          
• 
  

Directions:

1. 
   
   Peel and slice zucchini and place in boiling water. When tender (abt. 5 min.), remove and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking and for easy handling.
2. 2
   Pull out seeds so only the flesh of the zucchini is left. Squeeze out excess water with paper towel.
3. 3
   Put all the ingredients into a large blender.
4. 4
   Blend until well mixed.
5. 5
   Pour into unbaked pie shells.
6. 6
   Sprinkle well with cinnamon and nutmeg.
7. 7
   Bake at 425 degrees for 10minutes then 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
8. 8
   Let cool on the counter for approximately 1 hour.
9. 9
   Refrigerate well and serve.
10. 10
    Its always best topped with whipped cream.
    
    
    
    
    
                                                                     
    
    
    Pie Crust:
    
    
    2 cups all-purpose flour

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    2/3 cup    very cold butter

    

    4 to 5 tablespoons    cold water                                                         Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap 1 ball in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Now, if by chance you don't work with people you like and care to break bread with, you may prefer to take part in pie throwing.  Beware though, there is an art to this.  Skill is needed:  Technical prowess verging on art.  There is the crucial secret ingredient:  Too runny and the pies won't fly; too sticky and they won't slide off the victims' faces with sufficiently comic timing. 
    
    
    
                                                                                                     

Don't forget your apron, 

and if it's Friday night -

your heels.






M

Crostini

The other week I had to quickly come up with a unique and above-standards appetizer to share with a Wino and Foodie group I had recently been accepted into.  If one is to call themselves a wino, well, they need to drink lots of wine.  If one is to call themselves a foodie, that is another level of food appreciation and preparation that one must posses. Quickly, I searched through my top recipe domains-I can tell pretty quickly if something is worthy of cooking and sharing.  I needed something that was quick (group was meeting in 1 1/2 hrs. and I would have to grocery shop yet), something that could be served at room temperature, and hopefully something that would not be duplicated - I already went to that dance that had another gal wearing the same dress.  :)  Ahha! Crostini!  But what is a crostini you ask?  Similar to Bruschetta, yet more versatile and esthetically interesting. 

Crostini means "little toasts" in Italian, and consists of small slices of toasted bread with toppings.  Toppings include a variety of different cheeses, meats, and vegetables.  More simply - brush with olive oil and herbs.  It is often served with wine and will keep well in an airtight container for a week.





Ingredients:

Baguette, sliced into 1/4 in. thick slices
Olive Oil
Fresh garlic or powder

Preparation:

Place sliced baguettes on shallow baking pan                                                                           
Brush both sides with olive oil (for extra flavor, use a garlic or herb-infused oil)
Season lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Bake at 350 for 20 min. until golden, turning once.

Toppings:


                                                   




                                                            Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatos


                                                                     Spread crostini with soft goat cheese

Season with salt and pepper
Top with oil-packed sun-dried tomatos

                        Salami-Ricotta                                     


                       Spread Crostini with part-skim Ricotta cheese
                       Top with Genoa Salami

                                            Tomato-Basil

Combine 1 pint of chopped cherry tomatos, 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. red - wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper.
Top Crostini with topping.




 Be creative, the toppings one can use are endless ...
 Figs, honey and goat cheese.
 Salsa, refried black beans and chedddar.
 Capicolla ham, Genoa salami and grainy dijon.
 Pepper Jack cheese, pickled jalepenos and green onion.
 Cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and dill.
 Corned beef, horseradish mayo and Swiss cheese.

Spoon on your topping and watch them disappear!


Wine Pairing:
Me'doc
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon

Yes, I do wear aprons.

      Mangia!

Taste Of Scandinavia

To go along with the theme of my Danish Pork Chops, is a lovely little gem of a restaurant, privately owned, that I came across while doing work in Home Care several years ago.  Actually located inside of a Festival Food-Market in Bloomington, MN - I hear they have distinctive breakfasts and pastries, although I used to frequent it for lunch.  My sincere favorite on the menu is the Norwegian Chicken Lefse Melt.  Delightfully made of grilled chicken, red pepper, spinach, mushroom, asiago, swiss and mozzarella wrapped and grilled in a large round of lefse.  Incredible really, it always left me convinced that I had ordered the right thing. 

Lefse,

                                                                                                                   on the righta

Made from scratch - shortbread, filled with the finest raspberry jam,

                                                                                         
and finished with their signature lemon icing ...

                                                   Raspberry Lemonade Cookies.

European Scones, served with butter and jams ...

A wonderfully traditional Vienna style bread, topped with a flavorful crunchy rise based topping

perfect for sandwiches or spreads ...

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                    

Traditional meatballs and mashed potatoes with creamy gravy,

 and lingonberries on the side ...

                                                

 On their catering menu is Baked Brie with fresh fruit and carmel sauce ...

                                                                 

                                                                                    

and ...

                                                                                           European bread baskets


TASTE OF SCANDINAVIAN BAKERY
401 WEST 98TH ST
BLOOMINGTON, MN
                                                                                  
                                                                                            Oh, and don't forget about
                                                                                          the Dutch Shoe Company, they
                                                                                        have biodegradable sneekers,
                                                                                                 seeded with life.
                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                          :o)                                                                                                    

Danish Pork Chops

It's from a cookbook with 794 pages.  Over 4400 recipes.  I attempted to use it 25 years ago, and kept finding mistake after mistake in the recipes.  "Tablespoons" were replaced with "cups" ; "2 servings", when they meant "12" ; "Cook at 525 degrees", when they must have meant "425".  It was the oddest thing really, and perhaps it was that darn cookbook that did my marriage in!  Nonetheless, in my attempts to please, I did find one recipe that was honorable, with a little tweaking, and to this day it brings moans - of pleasure.  I think it's the manliness of pork chops that do it, the sweetness of the unexpected apple, and the saltiness of the bacon ... they can tell - you mean business, and we're hoping, when they're finished, they will too.  :) 

                                                                                                                         

Ingredients


Two lbs. pork chops

One lb. lean bacon (if he's the sensitive type)           
One tsp. Curry
Three tart apples
Two yellow onions
One cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
Paprika powder
One tsp. butter


The Efforts

1.  Cut bacon, onions, and apples in wide strips
2.  Saute' in butter over low heat
3.  Sprinkle chops with curry, and brown in butter
4.  Pour on the yogurt/sour cream, cover and fry the chops slowly       for 5 min., or until done
5.  Distribute the fried bacon, onions, and apples on the chops. Sprinkle with paprika powder. 


A Little Somethin' Somethin' on the side

Rice                                                                                                          
Green Salad









Pairing:

                          Sauvignon Blanc - A crisp, dry, refreshing white wine
                          Beaujolais - A light-bodied red wine

                                              Dessert:

 The cold draft bursts into the house,
It freezes, winter bangs on the doors,
A single tear hangs on the eyelash,
Like the yearning - of mine and yours…

If you are hopeful and trusting,
Your soul is full of passion…
But somewhere whines the dog,
Somewhere vanish constellations.

The hope never dies, the hope
Is our glamour and our sweetness,
Your tear resembles the yearning,
That seeks its nest in the heavens.

A hungry man darns his dreams,
He has to support his kids,
But his wife thinks of the guy,
Who’ll turn her grief into bliss…

But the kids – the heavenly gifts,
By their warbling put out the fire…
The cat grieves at the fireplace,
Reading the woman’s desires.

But no! She remains a faithful wife,
She must help her spouse. She must!
The cat resembles a tax collector,
Eyeing ashes with a hidden lust.

                           Janri Gogeshvili                                       



Chicken Cacciatore

Inspired by Filipo's Italian Restaurant, reviewed below, and the musings of Italian men, I have created a Chicken Cacciatore that will bring any worth-while man to his knees - begging you to stop before he cries out, "Mangia!"

                                                                                                                                   

Ingredients:

3- to 3 1/2-lbs of your favorite chicken parts (thighs are my favorite) 

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium green bell pepper

2 medium onions

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, or canned. 

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped                                                                                                

Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

Preparation:

• Coat chicken with flour, heat oil over med-high heat, cook chicken 20 min to brown.  Drain.
• Stir chopped bell pepper and onions, and remaining ingredients except cheese into skillet with chicken.
• Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 min. or until thickest part of chicken is no longer pink.  Serve with cheese.

                                                                          

                                                                            

Easy:  Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6 - 8 hrs., or on high for 4 hrs.

On the Side:  Italian bread, with Whipped butter

Wine Pairing:  Pinot Grigio, Merlot.

Spankings: Biscotti and a glass of Vin Santo.  Vin Santo is a mildly sweet dessert wine.

                                                                                                                                                      

 In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Pablo Neruda

I haven't been to Filippo's for 20 years, but whenever I went in the past, I always ordered their Chicken Cacciatore.  It was just that good.  Not a fancy atmosphere by any means, just a simple, family-owned restaurant with incredible food for a reasonable price. 

Italian food means romance, soft lighting, soul-filling food, and wine that warms you from the bottom to the top.  It gets the synapse firing, the heart racing, and the charm gets wicked.

Italians have an edge up on us Americans when it comes to romance.  They seem to have the whole package...suaveness, delicious wines, tantalizing food, sizzling fashion, sexual confidence.  They seem to feel as though being the "world's greatest lovers" is part of their civic duty.  When it comes to the mating dance, the Italian woman is still following man's lead.  An Italian man sees himself as the hunter and the woman, the hunted. (I think the women are really the ones doing the hunting, but they let men think that it's the other way around.)  It's that aggression and confidence that coined the phrase, "Latin Lover."                                                                                                                                            

Men in Italy are much more free with admiration than those in other parts of the world. Men will compliment your appearance a great deal, and they can be very "touchy."  Above all, they are chivalrous - opening doors for you, pay for things, etc.  Males might even ask if it is okay for them to kiss you.

In Italy, they have an illness called, "I love loving." 

So get loving, with some delicious Italian cuisine.  

Tino's  makes a Cacciatore sandwich that is messy, but make that part of the fun.  :)

Filippo's Italian Restaurant    

414-321-4040

6915 W Lincoln Ave Milwaukee, WI 53219

 

Lovers above:  Tim and Lori Prosser.