Evening Meals

Evening meals are served anytime from dusk until midnight.  It is usually the last meal of the day.  It can be a simple family meal to an elaborate special occasion.   More and more, in our busy society, dinner is grabbed on the run to an evening event, meeting or appointment.  Meals should be enjoyed for the food and the company and it takes time to savor and appreciate.  Home cooked meals are healthier and it you spend the time to prepare the meal, time should be set aside to enjoy it.

Dinner

     As mentioned last time, dinner is a heavier meal, usually hot.  It is served differently in different cultures.  In America, dinner usually consists of a protein dish of met or fish, one or two vegetable dishes, and a starch like potatoes or rice.  Sometimes bread or salad is included.  Dessert may be served at the end of the meal or later in the evening.  Dinner can be informal or formal. It may be served in one course, a few courses or many courses.  It may be served hot or cold depending on the season.

Supper

Supper is a lighter meal.  It could be a hearty soup or salad. It could be a cold plate of leftover meat or cheese and crackers. This is usually a family meal, but it could also be a late night snack. Often if a large meal is consume earlier in the day, a light meal is all that is wanted at the end of the day.  It can be a simple protein and vegetable side dish or salad.

This Week’s Challenge

            Cook a complete meal from scratch.  Plan the meal to have a protein, two side dishes and a starch.  You may add a dessert, if you like.  It can be simple, but stretch yourself by cooking something you have not cooked before.  It can be a new type of meat of fish.  It can be a new, unknown vegetable or starch.        Do your research. Be open at the grocery store and look for something new.

Tip for this Week – Timing

            Planning your meals so that all the dishes are complete and ready to serve together is a skill that comes with practice.  Look at your prep time and cooking time for each dish.  Things that need to be chilled for a length of time or can be done ahead of time should be done first.  Next those with the longer cooking time.  It helps to make a list of the menu and then make a chronological list of things that need to be done.  I like to plan shopping, errands and cleaning for the day before.  Then the day of the dinner plan and prepare the table and place setting and complete the cooking.  If you have difficulty with timing, try some of these suggestions. 

There will always be glitches no matter how much you plan, so be flexible.  Don’t panic.  Most mistakes can be fixed with a little ingenuity and adjustment to you plans.  Take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and let inspiration take over.

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Dry Rub for Roast

 

 

1 ½ T              Paprika                                  ½ t       Cayenne pepper

1 T                   Kosher salt                            ½ t       Dried oregano

1 t                    Garlic powder                       ½ t       Dried thyme

½ t                   Pepper                                   2 T       Olive oil

½ t                   Onion powder                       3 lb.     Roast

The ingredients

Coffee grinder used for spices only.
Clean after each use.

1.    Mix all the ingredients together and let set for 20 minutes.

Grind and blend

Measure seasonings and blend
 

 

2.    Pat dry the roast with a paper towel. 







Add caption

3.    Gently pat the spice blend into the surface of the roast with your hands.  Cover the entire roast. 

4.    The recipe called for a 3 pound roast but I used a 7.75 pound roast and it covered. 

5.    Set the roast in the refrigerator for two hours before roasting.  I did this for one hour and it was fine. 

6.    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

7.    Allow 20 minutes per pound of roast. 

High heat method:  If you are using a more tender cut of roast, like rib eye or loin you can roast the entire time at this temperature.   Cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees for the rest of the cooking time. Plan to roast for 15-20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature is

115-125 degrees for rare

            125-130 degrees for medium rare

            135-140 degrees for medium

Low heat method: If you are using a less tender cut like sirloin or tip, reduce the heat after 30 minutes to 350 degrees.  Roasting at a higher temperature sears the outside of the roast and keeps the moisture in, but it can make less tender cuts tougher.  The reduced temperature keeps the moisture in the roast and cooks it more evenly.  If you like the roast on the rarer side with a crunch outside, go for the higher heat.  Plan 20-30 minutes per pound cooking time.  Roast to the above internal temperatures for the preferred doneness.

Allow the roast to set 20 minutes before carving.  Remember also that the roast will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven for at least five minutes.     

Some essential tools.  Candy thermometer for candy making and canning jams and jelly.
A meat thermometer for all types of meat.  A digital thermometer for all other uses. 
I use this for cheese making.  And a scale that can measure  both pounds and grams. 
Measuring by weight is the most accurate method of measurement.

 

Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

 

1 lg.     Cauliflower, cut in flowerets

4 C      Water at a rolling boil

¼ C     Butter

2 T       Milk or cream

1 C      Cheese, finely grated. 

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

Any cheese will do, but I prefer a stronger cheese like Gouda or Jarlsberg in this recipe.

Cut the stem and leaves
from the base

From the base f the head, cut the
large flowerets.



Each floweret has a stem.



Continue cutting the flowerets from
the core of the head.



The crown is made of tiny flowerets.  Cut the crown in half or quarter,
so that the flowerets are uniform.

1.    In a large pot, bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add a little salt and the cauliflower. 

 

2.    Cook the cauliflower until very tender about 10-15 minutes.




Drain and work quickly so that
cauliflower does not cool.

 

3.    Drain the cauliflower in a colander.  Shake as much water off as you can and return the cauliflower to the pot.

4.    Add the butter and milk and puree with a stick blender.  Or it can be transfer to a regular blender or the cauliflower can be riced.



 

5.    Work quickly to keep the cauliflower hot.  Add the cheese and blend.  Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste.

6.    Blend well.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve this as a side dish with meats.  The dish can be garnished sliced green onions to make it a little fancier.  If you don't care for cauliflower, try this recipe.  Boiling the cauliflower results is a milder tasting cauliflower.

Spinach Rolls

 

Topped with grated Pecorina Romano

1 lb.     Spinach, fresh and well washed

2 T       Butter

4 C      Water at a rolling boil

1 T       Pecorino Romano, grated

            Salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste

 

The ingredients

1.    In a large pot, bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add a little salt and the cleaned spinach. 

 

2.    Stir the spinach so that all the leaves are immersed in the water.  Cook for 3-5 minutes and drain the spinach in a colander.  

3.    Spread a towel on a flat surface.  The spinach may stain the towel so use an old tea towel or bath towel.  Paper towels are not absorbent enough and the spinach will be hot. We want to remove as much water as we can from the spinach.


 

Place the drained spinach on the towel.



Role the towel around the spinach. 
Make sure the spinach forms a
roll in the center of the towel



 



 




Press to remove water making sure
the spinach roll is the desired
thickness and length.

Slice the roll in one inch sections and
arrange on a serving dish.





 



 

4.    Dump the spinach on the towel and spread into a rectangle. Begin to roll the towel, making sure the spinach is rolling into a solid cylinder shape.  After the spinach is rolled, press it wrapped in the towel to press out as much water as you can.

5.    With a serrated knife, cut the roll into one inch thick slices.  Place the slices in an oven proof dish.  A pie plate works well.

Rolls on an oven proof serving dish

 

6.    Season the rolls with the salt, pepper and granulated garlic. 

7.    Dot each roll with a little butter and grate some of the Romano over the rolls. 

Seasoned and buttered

Topped with grated Pecorina Romano

 

8.    Place the dish in a warm oven until the butter melts.

Serve this as a side dish with meats.  It can be made more elegant by using garlic butter and omitting the granulated garlic.  Each roll can be topped with a variety of things from different cheeses, crumbled bacon or hollandaise sauce.  Sometimes I just squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices.  It does take a lot of spinach.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

The crust

The ingredients

One    Package ginger snaps, crushed

¼ C     Sugar

¼ C     Butter, melted

 

1.    Crush the gingersnaps in a Ziploc bag or process in a food processor. 

The gingersnaps in the food processor

Process until the cookies are a fine
powder. Small chunks are okay.

 

2.    Place the crumbs in a small mixing bowl.  Add the sugar and stir to blend. 



Sugar added

3.    Add the melted butter and mix to combine. 

Melted butter added.

Blend to moisten the crumbs.

 

4.    Press into the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan and set aside. 

 

Press in place with your fingers making sure
the seem between the bottom and sides is
covered by the crumb crust.

The Cheesecake

 

The ingredients

24 oz. Cream cheese, use good quality

1 C      Sugar                      

¼ C     Sour cream

½ C     pumpkin, puree (I used canned pumpkin)

4-5      Eggs

1 T       Vanilla

1 t        Cinnamon, ground

½ t       Ginger, ground

¼ t       Cloves, ground

 

1.    With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and first sour cream together. 

Allow the cream cheese, sour cream, and
eggs to warm to room temperature

Beat the cream cheese and sour cream
until smooth.


 

2.    Add the sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spices and mix until smooth. 

First egg added.

Sugar added

 

3.    Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the each egg is well blended before adding the next egg.




Pumpkin, spices and vanilla added.



Both eggs blended.  It should be thin
about like pancake batter.

 







 

4.    Pour into the spring form pan. 

All blended and ready for the pan.

Ready for the oven.

 

5.    Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  The cheesecake should come out puffy and a knife comes out clean.  It will settle as it cools. 

 

Knife inserted in the center should
come out clean.

Allow to cool while you make the topping.

 

The Topping

 

The ingredients

2 C      Sour cream

½ C     Sugar

1 t        Vanilla

            Cinnamon sugar (optional)

 

1.    When the cheesecake has settled, mix the second sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

Blend together

 

2.    Pour over the cheesecake and return to the oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until set. 

Smooth the top and bake until set.

 

3.    Chill several hours before serving.

4.    Cinnamon sugar can be sprinkled lightly over the topping before serving.

 

This is a variation of my basic cheesecake recipe.

Happy Cooking!