Raspberry Pecan Shortbread Squares

  Yeah, these raspberry shortbread squares really don't fit into a new year's healthy plan, but if you need a to-die-for treat, this is a great go-to.  I don't know this recipe's origin, as I got it from a co-worker years ago,  but it never fails to make me go back for seconds. Okay, and no joke, thirds.

It's a super simple recipe, and I promise, you'll be asked to make it again.  As a raspberry lover, I've never substituted any other jam, but I would say use the flavor that you love best.  I would also try different nuts (almonds!).

Raspberry Pecan Shortbread Squares

Preheat oven to 350

2 1/4 C Flour
1 C Sugar
1 C Melted Butter
1 C Chopped Pecans
1 Egg
10-12 oz. Seedless Preserves

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl,  EXCEPT the preserves.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups of mixture

Grease an 8x8 pan (I spray mine)

Press mixture on  bottom of the pan, making sure to cover the corners

Spread preserves on top, within 1/2" of pan edge

Top with remaining mixture that was set aside.

Bake 40-50 mins, until bubbly and getting golden to the top.

Cool completely and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Enjoy the weekend, friends!!

My Best Chicken Stew Recipe

     Happy weekend, everybody!  A while back, I showed my Chicken Stew on Instagram, and a follower asked me to share my recipe.  I am so not a recipe-writer, so I can't promise anything, but I thought I'd give it a go!  I am an avid cook and love to entertain.  This stew is sure to warm your party of 6 or so.

6 Wilson Chicken Stew
Time: about and hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients:
6  white potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 boxes of Swanson organic or Whole Foods 365 Chicken Broth (only kinds I use, prefer Swanson)
1 rotisserie chicken ( a good size one), meat off the bone and torn into bite size chunks
Frozen peas
Frozen corn
Kosher salt
pepper
dried or fresh thyme
chili powder
celery seed
2 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 stick butter
5 tablespoons butter
Crusty Bread to serve with your stew
You will need your soup pot, plus another pot for boiling the carrots and potatoes in broth

Add the potatoes, carrots, 3 tsp dried thyme (if using fresh thyme, add more), 1 clove chopped garlic, 1 tsp celery seed,  salt and pepper to your pot filled with one box of chicken broth or stock.  I also add a piece or two of the chicken skin from the cooked chicken for extra flavor, but be sure to remove it later.  Of course, you can use homemade stock if you have it.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium heat until potatoes and carrots are fork tender.

While the vegetables boil, melt a pat or two of butter in your soup pot and brown you onions and garlic clove over medium to medium high heat.  When the onions start to brown, turn the heat down to medium and add in 6 tablespoons of butter to begin the roux.  Whisk the butter when it melts, and allow it to brown (this will give your stew a nice golden tone).  Now add in 5 heaping spoonfuls (I use my everyday soup spoon, but you can use a tablespoon) to the butter and quickly whisk with the butter and onions until it forms a paste.

Slowly add the second carton of stock to the roux, being careful to continually whisk the butter and flour paste (roux) so that the stock and roux combine smoothly.  It will look like the consistency of frosting until all the broth is added.  (If you don't do it slowly and keep whisking, you will end up with lumps in your broth).  Add in another tsp of thyme, a dash of chili powder, and a dash of celery seed.  Salt and pepper to taste.  If you desire more garlic, you can add a dash of garlic powder.   Whisk occasionally over medium heat for 5 minutes to make sure the flour taste cooks out.

Now add the chicken to the soup pot, and then add the carrots, potatoes and broth from the first pot.  Mix all together.  Add in the frozen peas, corn, or whatever vegetables you have on hand, to your desired thickness of the stew.  Make sure to taste test.  Under salting can be bland.

Let simmer 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Serve with crusty bread and enjoy ;-)

While I'm an avid cook, I don't often use recipes, and I tend to make up my own, like this one.  I don't know how my recipe-writing will translate to the finished product, so my fingers are crossed!  If you have any questions, ask me in the comments and I will help out.

Hope you enjoy it!! 

Pin it to remember it...

On the Side: Sorbet Cake

I don't know where my friend Karen got this recipe, or if she made it up herself, but check out this incredible cake she assembled in my kitchen last night (I had some designer/foodie friends over -- what a combo!)

Forgive the less than fabulous picture of this to-die-for dessert, but I took it outside on my candle-lit deck, and the lighting doesn't do it justice!  It's a towering, seven layers of refreshing summer heaven. 

To make it, Karen baked a simple yellow layer cake, and cut each round layer in half to end up with four thinner layers.  She then alternated the cake layers (starting with cake on the bottom), with three different flavored layers of sorbet.  (She had let the sorbet melt in the same round cake pans, lined with foil, making each into a 1/2" thick disc.  She kept them frozen right up until she assembled the cake.  I guess she must have 3 cake pans.  She made the sorbet layers ahead of time, naturally).  Also, ahead of time, she melted some peach preserves with a dash of water to make the finishing glaze.  Oh, and Karen used lemon, raspberry and mango sorbets, but you can use whatever you like.

After assembling the layers, she adorned the top with her favorite fruits, and then drizzled on the peach glaze.  Out of this world, people.  Really!  I can't wait to try this myself for a family cook-out next weekend.

Any questions?  Send me an email :)

Talk to you soon,
Carol

On the Side: World's Best Chocolate Cake

I promise you -- this is THE best basic chocolate cake.  EVER.   Make it.  Let me know if you agree.


 

I've had this book since I met my husband almost 20 years ago (how is that possible when I'm only 25? I mean really...).  Anyway, I've never been much of a baker, but in my desire to make my man a chocolate cake that many years ago, I opened this book, read to page 3, and made the Deep Dark Chocolate Cake.  I've never made any other chocolate cake since.

So, here's the recipe.  It is incredibly easy.  See all the cocoa love on these pages?

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

2 c sugar
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 c boiling water
One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting

Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2  baking pan.  In large mixer bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add eggs, mil, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool ten minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.  Frost with Butter Cream Frosting.

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting

6 tablespoons butter, softened (I use original Smartbalance for the lactose intolerant in my family)
2 2/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a small mixer bowl, beat butter.  Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed).  Blend in vanilla.

It's been a while since I've put the "Sage" (food) on the blog.  If time permitted, I would share so much more of my passion for cooking.  Oh well.  I'm not much of a baker, mainly because I don't like to follow recipes and if I do bake, I end up eating what I make.  But this recipe, a must-share.

I hope you try it.  Let me know what you think!

Talk to you soon,
Carol

On the Side...Butternut Squash and Crab Soup

As promised in yesterday's post Party Prep with My Pal,  here is my recipe for one of my favorite soups.

Butternut Squash and Crab Soup

5 c water
2 very large butternut squash, with an extra small one
Kosher salt
1 1/2 c light cream (or more, depending on your calorie count, just take some water out)
pinch of white pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp good sherry (not cooking sherry)
one small onion, chopped
1 lb. lump crabmeat (canned is what I use)
Small sage leaves for garnish


Peel and chunk the squash (I use pre-peeled from the market).  Cover it just to the top of the squash with the water in a large pot, add a good amount of salt, and if you need to add more squash to come to the top of the water, do so, or, take some water out.  Just don't use more than 5 c water.  Boil until it comes apart with a fork.  Meanwhile, saute the chopped onion in a bit of olive oil and a pat of butter.

When the squash is super soft, add the sauteed onion and puree in the pot with an immersion blender.  Blend until the squash, onion and water are silky smooth.  If you don't have an immersion blender, use your blender. Turn the heat down to low.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt to taste, dash of white pepper, dash of cayenne, and the sherry.  Stir well.  To add the cream to the hot soup, pour it into a bowl, and ladle some of the hot liquid into it to slowly bring the cream to the temp of the soup.  Then add back into the pot.

Now you need to do some taste testing.  The spices here are given in amounts that won't offend, but can easily be adjusted to your personal taste.  Strengthen the cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg one at a time, or not at all, depending on what you prefer.  Add enough salt, a bit at a time, to ensure that the soup is not flat tasting.   You can also add more sherry.  Just go slowly so you don't overdo anything.

To add the crab, first put it on a plate and pick through it a bit to make sure there are no pieces of shell.  Brake it up into flakes as you add it to the soup.

This makes a huge pot of soup.  I've never halved it, but I'm sure it would be great if you do.  As I've said in other posts, I am definitely not a recipe writer, so I apologize that I leave some of the final seasoning to you.  I am a cook by intuition, risk, and taste.  This is a soup, however, that's pretty hard to screw up, unless you add more than a dash of the pepper!  Enjoy!

If you have any questions, please comment or email, I'd love to help you!  If you make it, please leave a comment on how you tweaked it to make it your own.

For those of you new to this blog, "On the Side" is the occasional sharing of my passion for food and cooking.  Sofas & Sage is named for my love of  Tasteful Design and Tasty Food.  Like a sprinkling of herbs,  the "Sage" part comes in small doses :).

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Kitchen Dreaming and A Guest's Recipe

A friend asked the other day when he'll see more food on the blog.  "When I have time, which will be never at this rate," is what I wanted to say.  Instead, I said "coming soon."  Uh-huh.

In the meantime, I thought I'd find an image of a kitchen of my dreams, and share a little cooking day-dream.  I came up short, though.  I found images of kitchens I like, but not my ultimate this-is-where-I want-to-cook-every-second-of-my-life kitchen.  So, let's look at a few, where if certain elements collided, they would  perhaps come close to that elusive kitchen in my mind...

Better Homes and Gardens

I really love the warm brown in here and the texture of the brick around the pizza oven -- it makes you want to sit down and stay a while -- maybe with a hot slice of artichoke, pesto and white bean pizza with a nice glass of wine on a rainy afternoon.

Better Home and Gardens

Minus the corbels on the counter bar, this is talking some of my language, too.  Cream, glazed cabinetry is my favorite, and those floors...I want to kick my slippers off and walk barefoot there in the morning.  There's coffee in my hands at that table, the dog across my toes, and a warm blueberry scone on my stoneware plate.
But I digress....

Eliza Gatfield and architect Stuart Disston

The island in this one -- pa-lease....how much would I love that?  Not the color, really, but the mix of all the elements -- wood, paint, marble. 

Southern Accents

This is the kitchen, above, that I want on days when I want my house to feel super clean, no clutter, no mess. (This is a day-dream post, after all.)

Traditional Home

I love love love black countertops.   I'm seeing pie crust and flour on that island table.  Can't you just smell an apple pie in that kitchen?

Traditional Home

The floors, the beams, those tables -- they absolutely sing to me in this kitchen above.  My heart stops over it.  And you know what I'm serving from this kitchen, while I drink champagne out of Waterford flutes (because the cut crystal is such an elegant foil to that stone floor)?  I'm serving this, below, from my friend Abby at Abby & Her Boys .

Abby & Her Boys

And when I bring my silver tray of these into the living room to have them with my friends, this is the living room we'll be hanging out in, while the autumn wind whips leaves outside and a fire roars (courtesy of my pyromaniac husband :) in the fireplace...

Better Homes and Gardens

And when this day of dreaming is done, and someone else has cleaned my dreamy kitchen, I'm cozying up in this bedroom with my man by my side (this is so not his dreamy room!) and the dog at the foot of the bed.

Better Homes and Gardens

Back to reality for now, my friends!  Enjoy your day, and I hope it's filled with a day-dream or two of your own.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

On the Side...Pan Seared Pork Chops with Grilled Potatoes

Cooking for me is incredibly relaxing.   Tonight, wanting to unwind with a glass of red wine and a delicious meal with my man (that would be my patient, loving, loyal and kind husband Ian :)), I put together a simple plate of pork chops, potatoes, and local organic corn on the cob. This is a super easy, fast meal.   (Work with me here, I'm not a food photographer...)

First came the pork chops:

Pan Seared Pork Chops in Red Wine Reduction

(4) 1 1/2" thick bone-in pork chops, rinsed, patted dry and rubbed on both sides with Seasonello, room temp.

1 tsp Dried rosemary (fresh is better, use twice as much)

Full 1/2 cup good Cabernet, room temp

2 pats butter

2 tsps balsamic vinegar

Drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat large (or two small cast iron skillets), big enough to not crowd the chops, over med-high heat with drizzle of oil and a pat of butter in the pan.  When really hot (the oil starts to quiver and pull away from the sides), add chops.  Cook on each side 4-5 minutes until they are browned, but be careful not to do more than a good browning -- don't overcook.  Place in hot oven until internal temp reads about 145 degrees (maybe 10 minutes).  When at the preferred temp, take them out and place on a platter with edges or a shallow pasta bowl, and set aside to let them stand until the wine reduction is done.

To make the wine reduction, drain out most of the fat from the skillet, but not the burnt-on drippings.  Put the skillet back on a med-high heat and add the wine, vinegar, rosemary and pat of butter.  Scrape the pan drippings off the bottom of the pan as the wine reduces over a bit lower heat so that it maintains a bubbling.  When reduced by half, a few minutes later, use a spatula to get it all and pour over the chops.

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Red Wine Reduction

Just before I put the chops in the skillet to sear them, I turned on the grill for the potatoes (I had prepped them and sealed the foil packets). Right after I flipped the chops, I put the potatoes on the grill, cover closed. 

Grilled Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

 

6 medium to large all purpose potatoes, washed, dried and cut into 1/4" slices, skin on

3/4 stick butter, divided

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

garlic powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

aluminum foil

Preheat gas grill on medium heat to about 400 degrees.  Tear off  two sheets of foil (dividing the potatoes in 2 packages helps them cook faster).  Divide the potato slices into 2 piles, placing one pile on each of the foil sheets.  Sprinkle potatoes with slices of the butter, salt, pepper and garlic salt.  Seal the packets by bringing the two sides together and curling up the ends so that the butter doesn't drip out.  Grill about 15-20 minutes, checking part way through to gage the cooking time by the firmness of the potatoes.  When done, scape the slices directly off the foil and into a dish.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Grilled Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

(I forgot the fresh parsley at the market tonight and wasn't going back, so my photo is without it.  It doesn't make or break the potatoes.)

Any good red wine can be used for the reduction.  Tonight I happened to have a bottle of this California Cabernet in the wine rack -- great to drink and cook with, for about $14 a bottle.

In the pork chop recipe, I used Seasonello, a favorite of mine that I pick up in an Italian market.  If you can't find it, no worries -- it's a mixture of sea salt, rosemary, garlic, sage and black pepper.  You can make your own, just go heavy on the salt.  Here's what you're looking for:

I hope you enjoy these creations of mine.  Cooking should be fun, so don't stress it. 

Have a Happy Labor Day,

Talk to you soon,

Carol

On the Side -- Grilled Shrimp and Orzo Salad

I know I've been falling down on the "Sage" part of my blog -- my "On the Side" section at the end of my posts where my passion for food comes in.  Quite frankly, I haven't given it the time it needs because, well, I just haven't had enough time!  But when, in a conversation with my mother tonight, she mentioned she hasn't seen much about food, I thought I'd better get to it!  Don't want to let mom down (she is my most loyal reader, after all!)

So today I bring you my  Grilled Shrimp and Orzo Salad that I mentioned in the recent post Custom Window Treatments: Worth the Investment?  This can be a meal in itself (recipe for 4), or served as a hearty side.

Recipe and Photo:Carol Beck

The first step in preparing this dish is marinating and grilling the shrimp.  It adds an incredible layer of flavor that you don't want to omit.  The following recipe is one I adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Grilling, from their Kitchen Library series (Garlic-Skewered Shrimp).  I have used these grilled shrimp in arugula salads and cream sauces over pasta.  In other words, totally versatile!

2 lbs. jumbo shrimp (uncooked, frozen and deveined, then thawed and shells removed)

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup olive oil (the best you have)

1/4 cup pureed tomatoes

2 tblsp red wine vinegar (I also like balsamic here)

2 tblsp chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp dried

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayene pepper (you can also substitute chili powder and I throw these in something Tex-Mex; use cilantro instead of basil)

Mix together in bowl, add shrimp, cover and refrigerate for about 30 mins, tossing once or twice.  Oil grill rack, thread shrimp on skewers (don't forget to soak bamboo ones in water first), and cook 6-8 minutes, turning frequently and brushing with marinade a couple of times (make sure to stop brushing in last couple of minutes to make sure all is properly cooked).  Set aside for salad but keep chilled.

Now, the Orzo/salad part comes straight from my kitchen.  I don't measure anything when I cook,  and I do it to taste (which is why I've never given a thought to writing a cook book!!)  For those of you who are analytical cooks and can only go by measurements, I'll try to be accurate.  I just can't promise! This part can be done the day before so the whole dish doesn't seem overwhelming to prepare.

1 lb box Orzo pasta (I only use Barilla)

1 1/2 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced in 1/2 inch strips

1 small plastic container of grape or cherry tomatoes (I prefer grape), all sliced in half

1 large or 2 small viladalia onions, chopped

about 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

olive oil for dressing

white balsamic vinegar for dressing

1/2 fresh lemon

salt and pepper to taste.

Follow directions for making the Orzo (make sure to add lots of salt to the cooking water).  While water is heating, saute peppers in about 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat just until peppers become a little tender.  The point is to soften some of the crunch.  Take them out, set on cutting board and roughly chop.  When orzo has cooked al dente, strain and rinse in cold water.  Set aside.  

In large serving bowl, toss together onions, peppers and  shrimp.  Gently add tomatoes and then add as much orzo as you want, almost all of it, keeping watch to make sure that the ingredients seem well balanced (you don't want too much orzo so that the flavors are diluted).  Now add the following vinaigrette:

Mix 1 cup good olive oil, 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar, juice of 1/2 a small lemon, about 2 tsp dried basil (or more, depending on your taste), salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk together,  and pour about half of it over the salad.  Then add fresh basil and gently toss again with more vinaigrette as needed to give the salad a good coating, but not so that it is runny. It's best to set it in the fridge for a while before serving to let the flavors meld together.

I hope I didn't forget anything!  My passion for food happens in the creating, the serving and the eating, not so much in the education.  

Good luck and enjoy!

Talk to you soon,

Carol