Saturday, April 3, 2010

GREEN VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Finally another original recipe.  Actually I just came up with this dish a couple of weeks ago because I had to use up some left over pieces of swiss cheese, not enough for a good traditional cheese fondue, but just right for a "fondue sauce".(new)

Since then I perfected the recipe and would like to share it with the lucky people who read my blog once in a while.  Serve it as a vegetarian dish or a side dish when your grill out.  The good thing is, you can prepare this dish 2-3 days ahead and keep refrigerated. Heat up slowly at 300 degree for 18 minutes prior your meal.

I call this dish "green vegetable casserole".  I only use green vegetable, no carrots, cauliflower or red cabbage because this veggies would over power the flavor of the mix.

I chose leek, asparagus, spinach, onion and peas. These veggies go incredible well together, but you could of course change this up and use others in the mix, like broccoli, celery or even mushroom.
In my recipe I added just a little fennel, because I like this tiny bit of anise flavor, beside, your guest can't figure this on out.

Aprox 1 lb leek cut and washed 
1 lb asparagus cut
6 oz baby spinach
1 medium onion sliced
15 oz can  peas drained
1 small Fennel cut


All vegetable (except peas) need to be blanched, (cooked in ligthly salted boiling water, shock with cold water and drain well) .



Mix all vegetables in a big bowl gently with black pepper and hacomat (optional).  Place them in a  baking dish, add the egg mix and bake for 45 minutes in 325 degree oven. (until firm to the touch)



Egg mix:
2 tbl flour
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 cup milk (3.5 dl)
6 whole eggs
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Mix flour, baking soda and milk then add the rest of the ingredients.
While this is baking fix the fondue sauce.


Fondue sauce:
6 oz grated swiss cheese
1.5 tsp cornstarch mixed with little bit of cold water
4 oz dry white wine
4 gloves garlic
fresh ground pepper to taste
6 oz heavy cream

Bring wine, garlic and pepper to a boil, add cheese and let come to a boil again, thicken with cornstarch and add cream.

Tip:   I always add a tiny bit of curry powder to any cream sauce to enhance the flavor, the same as cognac on the end enhances cream sauces for meats like stroganoff or steak Dianne.

Remove baked casserole from oven and cover entirely with fondue sauce, decorate and broil for  2 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, serve and enjoy.

I got lucky, it is delicious!


Wednesday, March 24, 2010

WHAT GLOBAL WARMING?


It looks like it is finally over and spring time is here. According to the local paper we had the coldest winter since 1932, 78 years ago. We had to handle over 60 straight days below 32 degree Fahrenheit and over 90 straight days below 55 degree Fahrenheit. So what happen to the dreadful global warming, the one lots of  people try to cash in at. You figure this out!

This was the main reason it took me so long to enter anything worthwhile in this blog. My main past time was watching the Olympics, play the Wii, cook some great food occasionally, spend hours on the Internet reading the Blick, e-mail, face book and stock market and spend some time with our grand children.

My Winter Olympic Team


Luke concentrating on his game

Great Shot

Try to come back




Windy is catching on quick
But spring time arrived about 3 weeks ago and on the first sunny day in 2010 Daniel, Eric, Mike and myself went for our first golf outing. It was great and the mood-swing started upward ever since!


Spring time arrived


Windy getting ready for a 80`s Party


 Even Teddy enjoys the sun


Of course we already had our first cook-out with some nice New York Steak and Salad.




To top off springtime, Brian, Eric, crew-chief Doug and myself traveled 700 miles to Bristol, Tennessee  to enjoy the Nascar sprint cup race weekend.

Just before leaving home


Traveling with nice weather
Arriving at the race track


Very impressive between the mountains


Our luxury Resort


We had some competitive corn-bag games


Brian whipped up some Talladega Steaks


and some delicious fresh biscuits with country gravy for breakfast


Sunday morning going to the Race


This picture shows on the upper left corner our camping place
about a mile from the race track


Waiting for the opening ceremony


The race starts with the pace car going off


Very exciting race for a change


Jimmy in the lead

Race ended with # 48 the winner, Yea!!


My Team!!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

FLOWN BY

Yes, 31 days in January 2010 are gone. Flown by so quick, you think nothing really happened, but it is not so, as you will see in this short recollection of mine. As you know we've been moving up in this world and bought us a Wii for Christmas and since we had only 1 day with sunshine this month and every day freezing weather we have enjoyed  this game on a daily basis. We are officially experts on the carnival mini golf and some games in the Wii sport resort. We definitively need much more practice with the Tiger Wood PGA Tour 10 Golf game.


January 10th we woke up to 3 inches of snow and Brian was busy with plowing and salting his clients streets and parking lots and a couple days later he ask me to help him clean his heavy machinery including snowplows, salt trucks, small 4weehlers with snowplows, Bobcats and backhoe.
 
  
  
  
 

 
It took us a good 7 hours and it showed me some things,   #1: I am totally out of shape   #2: I am not used to working for 8 hour straight anymore.    I was tired and sore on my entire body when I got home, but I enjoyed myself and was very satisfied with my accomplishment.

Wednesday January 20, Donna's Birthday, I was planing a nice gourmet Dinner just for the two of us here at home. I went shopping the the day before for all the ingredients and got my mise en place together. On Wednesday Donna had to work and we decided on going out for lunch together to a restaurant of her choice during her lunch break.  We ended up in the Macaroni Grill and it was delicious. Of course, after this super Italian lunch we decided to reschedule her birthday dinner for the next day.



Thursday night I fixed sashimi appetizer, Alaskan king crab legs, fillet mignon, Pomme souffler,
fresh grilled asparagus with hollandaise sauce, and hot berry with vanilla ice cream. Also, for a cocktail we had a Bacardi and coke, consumed some Pinot Grigio with the appetizer, enjoyed a California Merlot with the main course, ending up with a couple of Grand Marniers for dessert.
Overall a very enjoyable and festive birthday dinner.

Saturday night Daniel and Gina took us out for some Sushi for Donna's birthday,  following  with a  show at the Funny Bone and drinking and dancing at a Jazzbar, where we were joined by Karla and Eric.


Another superior night, but we physically payed for it.  It took us all Sunday to recuperate. I am thankful Donna's Birthday Month is finally over.

 The only sad thing is that Gina and Daniel`s Dog Jack seems to be quite sick.  It is very mysterious and nobody seems to know what it is. I hope he recuperates very soon.


Last Friday was grandparents day at Luke`s school. Donna and I  surprised him and showed up. He was very happy and Grandma enjoyed herself too.


Also, for the last two weeks the Australian Open was on TV, and I had to spend a lot of hours in front of the television. Believe me, it was all worth it.  Mr Roger Federer was giving all the other boys some Tennis lessons!!!




As before stated, no wonder this month flew by that fast.