Nutty Indian Popcorn

Nutty Indian Popcorn

Happy New Year!  With a new year I find myself dreaming of the future and remembering all the blessings and memories we share with family and friends.  I sure do miss my Minnesota friends.  They are so dear to us and are never far from my thoughts.  Our friends Brent and Tammy are in in MN and they are both really good cooks.  Many of the memories we share, were shared while enjoying delightful foods with a bounty of special friends.  Years ago Brent made us Indian Popcorn.  He always has some fancy trick up his sleeve and we all just ooohh and ahhh and enjoy the love he puts into every morsel he creates for us.  This one is no different, it has a sweet and savory component to it, and the stick of butter doesn't hurt either, (insert evil laugh.)  It is so good you will want to make this for your Super Bowl Party.  Go Pack Go

Brent's Indian Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup popcorn, popped
• 1 cup Cashews
• 1 cup Peanuts
• 2/3 cup Almonds
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Curry Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 2/3 cup Golden Raisins

Directions:

• Melt butter and saute garlic 3 minutes
• Add Worcestershire Sauce, Curry and Chili powder to butter garlic mixture and stir
• Add Nuts and saute 5 minutes
• Add Raisins and stir
• Toss butter and nut mixture with popped popcorn and serve
• It is worth noting that I am a Penzey's gal, it runs in my family, we even discussed it during Christmas dinner.  We're a gang that likes to cook with great ingredients.
• Have napkins handy

Ducky Packages

When I worked at the Atrium, the Garde Manger (french pronunciation sounds like "garmage" rhymes with Auge) Chef's name was Hang. Hang was the best Garde Manger Chef I have ever met. A true Garde Manger has it all, including the ability to present beautiful plates and platters on an artistically arranged buffet accented with fruit, vegetable, tallow and ice carvings. I marveled at her creations and she giggled in delight when she saw the joy that erupted when she shared her samples with us. She and her team would make hundreds of these for all sorts of catered festivities. She always made it looks so easy. Knowing how much I loved Duck Packages, Hang explained to me how to make these at home. I miss Hang and I often wonder if she is still at IMS sharing her love of food with the masses.

Duck, onion, lingonberry mixture

Duck Packages


Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of duck breasts (approximately 1 pound)
• 1/3-1/2 Cup lingonberries (4 ounces)
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 pound butter, melted (you may not use it all)
• 1/2 package phyllo dough

Directions:

• To prepare duck: Rinse duck in cold water, pat dry. Score skin with sharp knife. Cook duck breasts by pan searing, skin side down. This will render the fat in the duck and crisp up the skin. You won't use the skin in this recipe. I reserve it for other uses aka....the cooks cuts. The crispy skin is great crumbled in a salad...crunchy unctuousness. My goal is to get the crispiest skin, but to not overcook the duck. Duck can be served (preferred) medium rare, so don't worry if you "under cook" it a bit. The duck will also cook more later when you bake the little guys. Quack quack.
• Once duck is cooked allow, to cool, remove skin and finely chop
• Saute finely chopped onions in 2 tablespoons butter
• Combine chopped duck, sauteed onions and lingonberries
• Layer 4 layers of phyllo, 1 at a time, brushing butter on top of each layer before adding the next layer
• Cut buttered phyllo into 6 - 8 squares
• Add 1 heaping tablespoon of duck mixture on top of each phyllo square
• Gather corners of each square and pinch to form a package
• Bake duck packages for 25 minutes in 350 oven until golden and crisp
• Serve warm, hot, room temp or cold...have it your way
• These freeze amazingly well

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Erick and I had the opportunity to go home to MN for Christmas.  It is always great to see family, even if it is a quick trip.  Trips home often entail a stop at the Klosters.  Lady Di has made cookies for years.  She is always sure to have something to please everyone.  This year she shared a plate of cookies AND her recipe for Chocolate Mint Cookies.  Lady Di was given the recipe by one of her church friends, Mary Nystuen.  Diane has told me heartwarming stories about Mrs. Nystuen, including that the Nystuens were the first family to invite Klosters over when they moved to Northfield.  This year for Christmas, Lady Di gave me Mary Nystuen's self published cookbook.  I am savoring every page...and a fresh batch of her cookies.  These cookies taste like the Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies....but even better than that, they remind me of how good Lady Di is to us.  I suppose you already guessed that Lady Di was the first person to invite me over when we moved to the neighborhood (circa Jill Jolly's B-day party in 1974.)  Pure love.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 6 ounce packages of Andes Candies

Directions:

• Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes
• Melt butter and while still hot, stir in chocolate chips until chips are half melted
• Add and stir in both the brown and white sugar
• Beat eggs in one at a time
• Mix in flour and soda
• Use small scoop or teaspoon and drop into balls onto cookie sheet
• Bake 8-10 minutes
• Remove from oven and place a half of a Andes Candy on top
• Allow candy to melt 2-3 minutes and spread melted candy on top of cookie

Wild Rice Soup with Ham

Wild rice soup with ham

Wow, can you believe it?  I am back!  Is anyone still out there?  I inadvertently let my domain expire and it took me a bit of time to figure out how to get it back.  I have been cooking and will post new recipes as I soon as I can.  I have got some good ones to share...stay tuned for Risotto with pancetta, roasted squash and sage.  In the meantime here is a good use for your holiday left overs.

Byerly's and Lunds is my very favorite Grocery Store, I often joke that they are reason enough to move back home to the Twin Cities.  At Byerly's they make a mean Wild Rice Soup with Ham, they say it is their #1 most popular recipe and I know why.  So will you after you taste this.  So next time you have left over ham, surprise everyone with a rocking meal, they won't even know it is leftovers.  I actually use all of my left over ham and make a big batch and freeze it for a quick meal later.

My Mom taught me how to make the best bone in ham..

Wild Rice Soup with Ham adapted from Byerly's and Lunds



Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 Cup flour
• 3 cups chicken broth or Liquid Gold
• 2 Cups Cooked Minnesota Wild Rice
• 1/3 Cup Diced Ham
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Half and Half
• 2 Tablespoons Sherry (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons Chopped Slivered Almonds (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Chives

Directions:

• In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. 
• Blend in flour; gradually add broth. 
• Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute. 
• Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. 
• Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature.
• Toast almonds, stir in soup or serve as garnish
• Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.

This soup reminds me of home.  When ever I want to feel my Minnesota roots, I cook up a batch of this timeless classic.  Enjoy!