Salt Free - But We Miss It So Much - Seasoning

 

Yes - we have tasty food on my cabinet (along with a bunch of fabric. Hmmm. Should have noticed that.) Both watermelon and tomatoes flavors are enhanced with a touch of salt - at least that's the way I see it.

Upteen years ago I knew a child who didn't like watermelon, with or without salt! And several people I know today see tomatoes only as acid carriers. To me, both of these little red guys were awesome with some salt. As the body ages, salt can become a problem. I was retaining too much fluid, so along with Furosemide tablets, my doctor (as much as possible) removed salt from my diet.

That changed a lot of what I enjoy when I eat!

Poached eggs, not even poached in their neat little pockets with salted butter! Now it's unsalted butter or simply moving hot water. Since Beloved Husband does almost all of the breakfast cooking and loves butter, too, we get them in butter. If I were poaching, it would be swirling hot water - faster and easier for me, but he loves to cook.

To make up for my lack of salt - which causes long beseeching looks as he salts his eggs - he and I came up with a mixture that helps eggs (especially egg whites) have some taste:

1/2 tablespooon black pepper

1/2 tablespoon red pepper

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 shakes of dried parsley

2 shakes of ground oregano

That is mixed in a small bowl, then funneled into a shaker and stays by my spot on the table. I use it on breakfast with eggs - usually poached but sometimes scrambled. Love it with a scrambled egg on a sandwich, and anything else that needs flavoring.

Beloved Husband does so much of the cooking, and it is part of his marvelous caregiving that I don't have to question what he fixes when it comes to following doctor's orders. A little salt is necessary, and we do get some in every prepared food we purchase. We just don't add any more.

Why I Love Bechamel Sauce

This file (Creamed Chipped Beef) is from Wikimedia 

and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

 I never thought much about how easy it was as a small child in the 1940's to make creamed beef over toast. For me it was the first of the comfort foods to come to mind. The chipped beef came - and still comes - in neat round, thin, slices in a small glass jar and were very salty. The sauce itself is simple:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions were just simple - melt the butter, add the flour (and a bit of salt), make a roux by mixing it so all the flour is incorporated with the butter - but on a low heat, do not brown, stir in the milk and watch the sauce begin to thicken, stiring to the thickness you desire. 

That is so simple - and can do so much. For us, one of the most loved is the creamed chipped beef. It is salty, though, but one small jar of chipped beef heated in Bechamel Sauce served over your favorite toasted bread is true comfort food.

In fact, Bechamel Sauce is the foundation for much of what we call 'comfort food.' How many casseroles contain a simple sauce - whether made in a sauce pan or combined to cook in the oven? The combination of butter, carb, milk, and salt combines in a lot of prepared foods, not justs the ones cooks love.

After the basic Bechamel comes the Morney - a basic Bechamel Sauce adding grated cheese, some  pepper and perhaps egg yolk - which earned it's own name. If Morney Sauce is used with fish dishes, it can be thinned with fish broth. The cheese is determined by the chef - Parmesan, Gruyere, alone or together, or other cheese the chef desires.

Think macaroni and cheese. Cheese alone doesn't change the pasta into a favored dish - it's the combination of butter, flour, milk, salt, pasta, and cheese combined into a dish every child desires, even if parents know it should be limited.  Look how Kraft turned that combination into profit!

Now, take time to make a Bechamel Sauce - then causually mention your French cooking to others as the occasions arise. You can focus on the smoothness that consistent whisking give; that whisking doesn't mean beating the sauce, but slow steady moving; mention how the sauce coats the back of the spoon as it begins to thicken, but don't mention how quickly that can occur. Then you can move into the Mornay Sauce and how home shredded cheese doesn't include the covering marketed cheese does, allowing the smooth melting into the base Bechamel.

Yes, cooking is chemistry, but we want it to be easy chemistry and not blow up in our faces. Take the accolades and smile.

Rivels - My Mother-in-Law's German Style

 

Okay, that's a screen capture I just did to show first that anything you want to know about RIVELS is available online. I got my lessons from my first mother-in-law, and put the info in my Pepperplate. Pepperplate holds so many of my recipes that I despise the thought of printing them all. I've worked on including family stories with each, such as:

Ruth Blickensderfer used to make rivels to add to soups, broths and pinto beans. She referred to one or two egg rivels -- with two you'll just make more by doubling the flour. Very much like spaetzle -- except it's all done by hand. An internet site gave instructions for egg noodles, similar ingredients. They didn't even add salt. 

I found more information by using Google's AI (I think it goes by Gemini now, but knowing that wasn't a requirement when I used it.) 

Rivels (or ribbles) are a classic Pennylvania Dutch comfort food staple, often described as small, rustic egg dumplings, or 'poor man noodles.' (Since Blickensderfer brothers showed up in Lancaster county PA in 1736 as followers of Simon Menno, I believe they certainly qualified for the Pennsylvania Dutch label.) Rivels were primarily used to thicken and add substance to soups - such as Chicken Corn Soup or Potato Soup. Classic potato sooup recipe, or quick method, was to bring four cups of broth with four cups of milk to a boil, then add chopped potatoes and one large chopped onion, and cook until the potatoes were tender. While that simmered, the cook prepared rivels to drop in (we'll get to that with Ruth's recipe a bit lower.)

Ruth made rivels to add to broth, soups, and pinto beans. She referred to one or two egg rivels - with two we also doubled the flour. These are very similar to German spaetzle, but Ruth's rivels were all done by hand.

Ingredients:

3/4  cup unbleached flour

       pinch of salt to taste

1     large egg

Definitely simple, right? So are the instructions:

Sift flour (either into a bowl or on a floured spot on the counter. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack an egg into that well. Mix with fingers to form a stiff dough. Ruth woiuld work until there were peas-sized crumbs, not a complete dough. She would grab a handful and drop them slowly into the simmering soup, repeating until all the dough was in the soup. When they float, they are done. She added any left over flour to thicken the soup, or discard what was left.

That is how simple it is. Works with any number of soups. If you need more, add another egg and another 3/4 cup of flour.

This works for a number of shapes, too.  I've seen it mixed to a dough stage and using a spoon, the cook pulls a small strip of dough - may even shape it as a gnocchi. Ruth also made homemade noodles in a similar fashion. I found a site that it explains - with photos - a bit better than I will here, and you might enjoy visiting Bigger Bolder Baking for specifics.

 Ruth would place her flour exactly as she would for rivels - spreading some flour on her cabinet first, then the amount she needed. Usually it would be a four-egg noodle with three cups flour. As with Rivels, Ruth worked the mix with her fingers, brining the flour from the side of the well she had the eggs in to the center, incorporating the eggs into the flour until it makes a dough that can be kneaded. When it can be formed into a ball, cover it and allow the dough to rest before rolling it out. Gives enough time to clean up and prepare to roll the dough. Separate the dough into easily handled balls and roll them into a thin sheet. Fold it several times so you only have to make short cuts - about a quarter-inch wide (or wider if you are making wider noodles), then separate the noodles, and dust with flour. 

At this point they need to dry a bit. If you can, drape them over wooden hangers.  If not, jumble them on a tray and complete the other balls. If you decide to work different shapes, justs Google pasta shapes. Ample opporunity to try many types!

So - now you know that Rivels are only one of many styles of egg/flour dough products that provide a wide range of comfort food at a reasonable price.  Ready to try your own? Oh - how many typos did you find? I have "trigger finger" - I won't say which one - but I would wager that there are extra 'i' several times on this page. I no longer type faster than I think - not even as fast as I think!!

 

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli and Orzo

 

As usual, I don't have a good photo. But if I don't get this shared, I might not have it the next time I switch phones. A good deal of my recipes are locked neatly away and I'm working on getting to them after switching from Apple to Pixel. I do like my Pixel better for a number of reasons - but updating my mind has its own problems?

However - back to food. This one is a one-dish meal, well close to it. I would suggest a salad along side, or the sweetness of green peas to had to the comfort food side, but this dish convinced me comfort food can be good for you.

I made the recipe from a few others. Looking for smooth creamy comfort food that doesn't overpower the good-for-you things got me to combining a trio that seemed odd, but turned out to be all the smooth creamy plus good protein, excellent vegetables, and cooked in a single 10" skillet. I did use an extra plate for the chicken to set out while cooking the remainder. 

From setting out the ingredients through cutting and cooking, it took right at 45 minutes from start to table:

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut bite-size
• Lawery’s season salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced - or a teaspoon in oil
• 1 cup orzo
• 2 cups chicken broth (we've used Better Than Broth-Chicken - does enhance flavor)
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese
• Two cups fresh broccoli florets (as much as another cup if you love broccoli)
• Milk as needed to thin broth (maybe, up to three tablespoons)

Instructions:

1. Used my cast iron skillet to melt the butter to heat with the olive oil on medium heat.
2. Once the thighs are cut, seasoned with Lawrey’s Seasoned Salt (our favorite) and pepper to our tastes. Tossed to cover all the chicken, and made one layer in the skillet.
3. One the bottom had browned, turned to cook all sides the same golden brown, then removed from the pan and set aside on a plate. No - they were not completely done.
4. Placed onion and garlic in the skillet to get some of the butter/oil, then added the orzo to get covered and browned a bit, too. Keep them stirred during this browning.
5. Added the chicken broth to the pan and brought it up to a simmer before adding the broccoli. Keep them stirred during simmer so orzo doesn’t clump or stick to the pan.
6. About five minutes of simmering, add the cream cheese a piece at a time. Continue stirring to help spread the melting cheese.
7. If the sauce appears too thick for your tastes, add a tiny bit of milk and stir.
8. Check the orzo for al dente. When it is just about right, return the chicken bites to the pan and gentle stir to coat them in sauce.
9. Let the orzo and the chicken finish in about three minutes, and serve hot.

The first time, I didn't quite have a cup of orzo, but I thought it close enough - and we did have a serving left over. This time there would be three of us, so I added another chicken thigh plus having enough for a full cup of orzo - and we still had a serving left over. After each of uis had a second serving spoonful just because it was so creamy. 

Orzo is good for one reheat, but that literally stretches it so far it's almost not recognizable as the nice al dente of the first serving. That last three minutes with a lid helps the broccoli become softer - the way Beloved Husband prefers it. Oh, I've never needed that extra milk. 

As for adapability - I haven't found any changes that make it any bettter. As comfort food, it really is better for us that our loved White Goulash for the earlier post. I can't really see orzo as a soup - but I can see this as a soup with a couple of adaptations. I'll post if we do a Chicken/Broccoli/Cheese soup.

Quickest Comfort Foods With Hamburger and Pasta

 Either one of these is great on a rainy day, a feeling sad day, a "quick in a hurry" day - or when you are just hungry and don't want to cook. You'll feel full and a bit sleepy when it's all over. We know because this has been used so often across decades and reaching toward the century mark. Even my better educated in food prep/consequences will pick up a bowl when they drop by. It's easy to keep the ingredients in the pantry - well, the meat in the freezer - for any emergency or laziness.

We call it Goulash if it's made with tomatoes, and White Goulash if it's with cream of chicken soup. Yes - you can make your own CoC soup - we do when our gluten-free/no-soy children are here.

Common ingredient is hamburger meat. We keep at least one 93/7 pound in our freezer. The less grease the better, but if you do use venison, add a bit of ground pork to get close to the 7 percent, but stay on the low side.

Goulash Ingredients:

1	pound lean ground hamburger - 93/7 preferred.
1	can diced tomatoes - flavored, personal choice.
1/3	cup catsup
	Italian seasoning - to taste
	Lawrey’s Seasoned Salt - to taste
	Garlic powder - to taste
	Amount of pasta is your choice - as well as type: spaghetti, elbow roni, shells

Now, to turn that into comforting White Goulash:

1	pound lean ground hamburger - 93/7 preferred.
1	can diced cream of chicken soup. We like Campbell's, with Herbs
1/3	milk
	Poultry seasoning - to taste
	Lawrey’s Seasoned Salt - to taste
	Garlic powder - to taste
	Amount of pasta is your choice - as well as type: spaghetti, elbow roni, shells

It is as simple as retaining one ingredient, and changing just a few others. Adapable recipes are the handiest gadgets for switching up menus.

Instructions for Goulash:

1.	Place water on to boil for pasta.
2.	Brown hamburger meat, adding seasoning as it is cooking.
3.	We use a small light blender to process the diced tomatoes into much smaller pieces.
4.	When the hamburger has no more red showing, add the diced tomatoes, rinsing the container with 1/4 cup water.
5.	Add the catsup, too, and stir well, mixing together.
6.	Simmer lightly until the pasta is cooked al dente, then drain and add hamburger mixture to pasta.
7.	Serve while hot. Changes to Instructions for White Goulash: We don't need lines 3 or 5, and #4 adds the chicken soup with milk. We've been known to add a bit of our favorite shredded cheese, which sometimes takes a bit more milk, too. Just adjust to your own likes and make these your own recipes! That's real adapability.

Let's Talk Maillard

 

From Commons.Wikipedia.org

Serious Eats introduces us to a close look at a chemical process and its role in cooking. by Eric Schulze:

"Maillard reaction is responsible for the browned, complex flavors that make bread taste toasty and malty, burgers taste charred, and coffee taste dark and robust. If you plan on cooking tonight, chances are you'll be using the Maillard reaction to transform your raw ingredients into a better sensory experience."

When thinking of ingredients, think of any recipe you have that you want to show complex flavors - meat, vegetables, bread. What you're after includes looks, aroma, and most definitely flavor.

Boiled down (but we're not even thinking of this food boiled) the Maillard reaction is the chemical reaction that occurs in the presence of heat between amino acids and reducing sugars that results in food browning thereby producing fresh aromas and flavours. And it can be done to vegetables, meats, bread - etc.

My wish here is to share the reason to use Maillard reaction to make my meals more tasty. There is an excellent description of Maillard reaction, along with a graphic, at BYJUS- it may be your cup of tea.

It takes the right amount of heat and time to produce those wonderful aromas (that may include seasonings, herbs, liquids) produced when food is sealed with flavors. I can tell you my family is very aware of the aroma of onions and/or garlic being "Maillarded" in my kitchen. Place them with steaks (pictured above) and the only questions I get are: "Are you taking mine off when it's (insert correct center desired)?"

Our meals include sensory perceptions with the eye and the nose before they get to the myriad of taste buds standing up with anticipation based on what is seen and smelled. Why not give them that beautiful aromatic browning that comes with the right amount of heat and time. Pay attention to actions and results - perhaps write them down on your recipe - when you get browning, aroma, and flavor just right.

A dear friend once told me cooking was a science. I found out recipes aren't, as I followed one she gve me and my results definitely were not the same as hers. It takes practice to learn the results you love when a recipe says to "brown," "sear," "cook," whether it is meat or vegetable or toasting different breads. Make notes on your recipe when it works - and make notes what didn't work. Spend your groceries wisely and get the best results for your time and attention.

Microwaved "Baked" Potatoes, and More

 

Beloved Husband and I have used these same numbers on two large russet potatoes as well as on three medium sized potatoes. They all came out completely done, fluffy when opened, and soaked up butter and sour cream beautifully! I’ve found that placing fork tines in a row down the top is almost an easy zip when busting the potato open by pushing ends and sides - but put additional fork pokes sides and bottom. No explosions encountered. While it is true that not all microwaves cook exactly the same way, I don't think you can go wrong starting with these numbers, and adjusting as you learn your microwave's responses.

Start with russet potatoes. Those and sweet potatoes are the best bakers as far we're concerned. As usual, adjust for your own personal tastes. I haven't tried microwaving the sweets, but if you do, please let me know the results. Those are best served with honey butter, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.

Bake to russets. Scrub the baking potatoes, checking for any bad spots. Pat dry them dry.

Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. Place in the microwave. We didn’t cover them in any way.

Cook as follows:

4 minutes in the microwave on full.

Turn potatoes over.

5 minutes more in the microwave.

2 minutes rest.

2 minutes more in the microwave.

Use a hot pad to place potatoes on the plate. Here's where Beloved Husband and I separate on how an opened baked potato should be dressed.  His idea is a goodly amount of butter, melted and mashed into the fluffy middle of the creamy whiteness.

Mine depends on what's in the fridge. Butter, of course. If we have some good cheddar cheese, that needs to be grated and added. Or some shredded cheese of your choice. A plop of sour cream is good, too. Every once in a while, we actually plan ahead. Not often.

If having guests, it's a good idea to have a variety of toppings - their favorites, if you've asked - in matching small dishes. That always makes guests think we know what we're doing. For us at home, we aren't nearly as formal.

Now, if you must oven bake your potatoes, here are some excellent links for tips:

https://www.thelist.com/215058/the-real-reason-british-baked-potatoes-taste-better/

https://cupofjo.com/2014/08/how-to-make-english-jacket-potatoes/

And I'll close with my personal Double Baked Potatoes:

• Bake the potatoes the way you like best.
• Slice a strip off the top of each potato and scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl being careful not to tear the shell, leaving enough to allow the potato to stand on its on.
• Add your favorite flavor enhancements to the bowl (most suggestions include some or all: butter, sour cream, milk, shredded cheese, salt/pepper.)
• Mix well and stuff mixture back into potato shell. Optional, too with cheese and bacon crumbles.
• Bake again for an additional 15 minutes. Plate potato and serve.

However you bake potatoes, enjoy them!