Potato Croquette's (Crocchetta di Patate)

I am not sure what it is exactly that can stir up excitement more than a potato and some mozzarella.  Is it that luscious, creamy, center that spills onto the plate? Is it the crispy shell?  Whatever it is, it's always delicious. 

Traditionally made in our home with leftover Mashed potato's or boiled potato's,  I decided this night to test,  a baked Russet potato.  My mother thought I was crazy. Why ruin a good thing? They were normally made in summer, as a side-dish to a cookout.

What a wonderful surprise.  There are several important factors to remember when make these croquettes.

1.  Remember to use a Russet potato.  A high starch content is key in helping this Croquette stay together.  It also will NOT absorb oil.  Your oil will remain on the outside of your Croquette.  Helping to create a warm, fluffy, Croquette with that surprise, moist center.

2.  Good quality frying oil. (Vegetable is best)

3. Temperature of your oil.  The best way to see this is to sprinkle a few grains of bread crumbs into your heated oil (Medium/high).  Lay your Croquettes in your oil one at a time. 

4. Be sure your oil covers your croquettes.  Yes, they must be submerged.   If they are bubbling to quickly, your heat is to high.  They will need to be frying at least 5 minutes or so, depending on the size of the Croquette's.

Ingredients: 9 large croquettes (You can make them in any size you wish.  Frying time will vary). About 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.

6 large Russet potato's

one Large egg plus a little more if need be

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

One cup plus extra if you like of  Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.  This is according to taste.

9 Bocconcini (Mini mozzarella balls) or 9 pieces of mozzarella about the size of a Bocconcino or more if you like. 

1 cup diced prosciutto (optional) or Ham diced

1/2 cup parmigiano

2 more eggs for coating before frying

2 cups of bread crumbs (Seasoned or plain

large bowl

foil

baking pan

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Method:  Wrap your potato's in foil tightly and poke some holes in them.   

Place in the oven for one hour until cooked

Unwrap and let cool 30 minutes before handling

Remove the foil, skin and place the meat of your potato's in a bowl.  They should be white and fluffy.

Add your egg, cheese, salt, pepper and combine.

Mix

Form your Croquettes by placing a palm full of mixture into your hands.  Shape and press a hole in the center. 

Shape

 

 

Pass the Croquettes in Breadcrumbs

 

Lay them on a baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator to set and firm.  I let them rest overnight and fried them the next day.

 

Right before you plan of frying them, heat your oil.  In the meantime, beat 2 eggs (add some extra Parmigiano cheese if you like)

Add some extra bread crumbs to a dish and spread

This helps to create a thick, crispy coat around your Croquettes

Fry in Vegetable oil

Drain on paper towels and let cool 10 minutes before serving.  They are so delicious.  How can you have just one?  Add some additional salt if necessary.

Buon Appetito!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review of How the Grinch Stole Christmas at CTC in Minneapolis

Quote of the Day:  Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot. But, the Grinch who lived just north of Who-ville, did not. from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, on stage now at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis through December 30, 2012.

All photos provided by The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis

 

Reed Sigmund who plays The Grinch with sinister delight has the look, the voice, the outfit, the evil plan, and the delightful dog.

 

Brandon Brooks rivals Snoopy as the most lovable dog on the block. He sings with the Whos, loves Christmas like the Whos, and tries to make his master happy, unlike the Whos, who are just a little bit afraid of him.

Even though shopping for the holidays is exhausting, the Whos still had enough energy to sing, sing, sing, sing! Which made the Grinch want to stop this whole Christmas thing!

 

Despite Max's affections and little Cindy Lou Who's sweet face and kind words, the Grinch still takes evil delight in stuffing all their gifts, decorations, and food up the chimney. Even the mouse squeaks her complaint that the crumb left behind was too small.

As the Grinch sits on top of Mt. Crumpit, balancing his loot, thinking that he's ruined Christmas for all the Whos down in Whoville, he hears them singing. He hears joy coming up over the mountain and ringing in his ears. He hears them coming together and he remembers how little Cindy Lou Who invited him to join them. Max, the dog, leans towards the music, and the Grinch falls to his knees with the pain of a new feeling, love.

The Grinch turns around. His heart grows two sizes, and he comes back to the village where he tries to wish the Whos a Merry... but he can't say it. "I wish you a Merry..." The kids in the audience are going crazy by this time. One little boys shouts out loud, "Merry Christmas!" I could hear them all squirming in their seats to hear the Grinch say it, to know that he feels it, and when he finally does, we get a little teary.

I attended this performance with my sister, my friend and her four kids, two boys age 13 & 11, and two girls age 5. They all said that they loved it. My sister thought the hair was hilarious. I couldn't stop giggling at the costumes, especially of J.P Who (Dan Beckmann). He cracked me up. All their bodies wiggled and bobbed. They were a jiggling bundle of energy. The songs were delightful. Loved hearing The Holly and The Ivy, and I was thrilled that they did You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. The little girls said that the best part was when they all sang at the end.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is marvelous, filled with tenderness and giggles, wisdom and wit. It's colorful, musical and fun. Go, if you can. It's a Christmas present the whole family can enjoy. Thanks, Children's Theatre Company. We loved unwrapping this gift and will enjoy it in our hearts all season long!

Go to The Children's Theatre Company for more details about showtimes and ticket prices. Remember, the theatre sets aside a certain amount of $10 tickets for each performance. You can try to purchase these by stopping by the box office or calling at noon on Sundays for performances for the upcoming week, 612-874-0400.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What's your favorite non-wrappable gift?

Parmesan-Cheddar Crackers with Poppy Seeds . . . You Can't Eat Just One!

There are two very big silver-maple trees in our backyard, one of which always holds onto its leaves for dear life, as if to let them go might be painful.

But the wind that swooshed in last week, compliments of Sandy, stripped most of them off within a day or two. The yard is now cushioned like a feather bed with its leaves. You can hardly spot a patch of grass anywhere.

I know winter is on its way when that stubborn tree is almost bare. The leaves on the ground are so dried out, and so thickly layered, they positively crunch underfoot. It's like walking on a field of  saltines, or maybe thousands of Wheat Thins.

Hey . . . did someone just mention crackers?

About this recipe . . .

Adapted from Gourmet, these babies are addictive. Once your cracker-loving friends and family get samples, they'll keep coming back for more, so anticipate the demand. Make a lot.

What aspects of the recipe did I change? The original formula called for 3 parts white flour and 1 part cornmeal, but I decided to use a combo of mostly white flour, a little rye flour for added flavor, and just a wee smidgen of cornmeal so that mealy aspect would be limited. I also used Parmigiano Reggiano cheese along with some sharp cheddar, instead of using all cheddar, and I added in a couple pinches of dried thyme, well crushed, as well as a dab of garlic powder. And, I upped the baking powder slightly because, gosh, the spirit moved me.

I decided, just for the heck of it, to cut mine out with a scalloped-edge cookie cutter, but feel free to simply cut your rolled-out dough with a pastry wheel if you like, leaving far fewer dough scraps. That would also allow you to avoid transferring your unbaked crackers to another surface, one by one, as I had to do. Bake them long enough, and they'll be quite crispy and dark golden brown around the edges, which is what you want if you're going for maximum crunch.

These crackers smell ferociously good when they're baking, just so you know. (Forewarned is forearmed, theoretically at least.)

Parmesan-Cheddar Crackers with Poppy Seeds

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

Yield: Makes approximately 6 dozen crackers

Ingredients:

3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rye flour
1 tablespoon well-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (I used Holland Blue poppy seeds from Penzey's.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup (half of one stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into very small chunks
1/2 cup well grated parmesan cheese (I used Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.)
1/2 cup well grated sharp or extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese
4 to 5 tablespoons very cold water

1 egg, large
1 tablespoon water
fine sea salt

In a big bowl, whisk together the white flour, rye flour, cornmeal, poppy seeds, and baking powder.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, or use your fingertips, until the mixture has lots of small coarse lumps. Add in all of the grated cheese, and mix with a fork. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the cold water evenly over the dry ingredients, and stir with the fork until well distributed. Add in the final tablespoon of water if it still seems really dry.

Dump your dough out onto a clean work surface, and smear the dough away from you a few times to distribute the fat. Now, use a scraper to gather all the dough together again and shape it into a ball. Cut the ball in half. Press each half into a disk about 1" thick, and wrap the halves in plastic wrap. Let them rest in the fridge for an hour or so.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Or roll your dough directly onto the paper or onto mats, if you're not using a cookie cutter. See "Or, alternately," in the instructions below).

On a floured piece of parchment or a rolling mat or a pastry cloth, roll out one of your dough disks using a floured rolling pin (leaving the other disk refrigerated while you work with the first disk). Try to roll the dough evenly, so it's no more than 1/8th of an inch thick all over. Cut the dough with small, simply-shaped, cookie cutters of your choice and place the pieces on your prepared baking surface, lifting them with a thin offset spatula. (Or, alternately, roll your dough disk out directly onto the parchment sheet or silicone sheet upon which it will bake, and use a pastry wheel or sharp knife to slice the crackers into rows in both directions.)

Pierce each unbaked cracker with the tines of a fork; this will help the crackers lay flat and keep their shape as they bake.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the 1 tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush, or even your index finger, to lightly coat each cracker. This egg wash will make the cracker tops nicely shiny and help them to brown. 

Take a pinch of fine sea salt and sprinkle a tiny bit on each cracker (remember, the cheese in the crackers is pretty salty too, so you don't need much added salt). 

Bake the crackers until they're deeply golden on the bottom and on the edges. This might take  12 to 15 minutes or more. If you want to help ensure crispness, turn the oven off when they're done and let the crackers sit in there for another minute or two. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheets, or if the crackers are on parchment, slide that off onto a cooling rack. Keep the cooled crackers in an airtight container.

(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, just click on the purple COMMENTS below.)

IWSG November 2012

Quote of the Day: Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. Galatians 6:4-5 The Message

Love this quote, and it seems like a good one to use on another round of the Insecure Writer's Support Group which happens on the first Wednesday of every month, created and supported by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Please, click over to his blog to connect with other insecure writers, or join the club. It's a chance to commiserate with other creatives.

 

 
While on our Wild West motorcycle ride this summer, I felt drawn to the dead trees. Big, old trees stand out, stark and bare, amongst the greenery. The smaller branches that held the leaves are gone, the bark stripped and the core polished smooth from the wind. The trunk still looks so strong and the branches angle out and around. Nothing hides its inner beauty. I mentioned this in a post in October, and my sister Joy wrote in her comments: In Tarot The Tower is sometimes an image of a tree burning. Clearing out the old, making way for the new.Everything about that trip was a new journey for me. In the past five years, I have let go of old, hurtful relationships and rebuilt my life.

When I started blogging three years ago, I wanted my blog to be a source of light and inspiration. There is so much garbage out there, way too much negativity. I wanted to lift up what is beautiful and good and gives others hope and encouragement. I wondered who was supporting the arts, and decided I can be that voice as well.

So, I made it a point to write about performances and artists in my area. I started getting invited to theatres in the metro. It felt good to be noticed for my reviews and support of the arts. Now, I'm not so sure I'm doing the right thing. I share my reviews on the website of our local paper, for free. When I asked if they could pay me for my reviews, they said, No, we don't have funds for an entertainment blog. And, that's it. Just No. Not, no, and thank you, or good job, or we appreciate having your reviews here. My reviews have been shared on the internet by the theatres in the metro. My words are quoted in their advertisements and credit given to the paper!

Okay, I can accept that newspapers don't have any money. They haven't figured out how to adjust to the digital age where everyone reads online. They, like the book publishing houses, can't afford to work with and pay new writers, so we have to come up with a new plan.

To add to my discouragement, I was at an event at the local college where I have attended and promoted their shows for several years. I have reviewed and encouraged people to attend plays. I talked to the head of the theatre department and he acted like he didn't even know who I was. My friend pointed out that I reviewed two of the plays he'd had there in the past few months. I mentioned having them on the website of the local newspaper, then he was like, "Oh, yes, I have seen those." Whatever. No Thank you. No invitations to shows. No connection that we could all work together in our community to support the arts.

Am I wasting my time doing all this reviewing? Should I be doing other work that leads to a more profitable future? Am I trying too hard to fit in?

There you go, my insecure post is filled with self-doubt.

Whatever your pursuit is today, may you be filled with courage and self-confidence. Jump into your art with a strong heart, believing that what you do does make a difference.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Have you ever stopped doing something because you thought it was a waste of time and no one appreciated it anyway?

Reflections on Life and the Movie Argo

Quote of the Day: If I'm going to make a fake movie, it's going to be a fake hit. from the movie Argo. Really, an excellent film. The moviemakers kept it suspenseful throughout, with some levity during the Hollywood scenes. I recommend it. I brought my three young, teenage boys, and didn't cringe at all about the R rating. Lots of f-bombs, including the most memorable line, which is "Argo [blank] yourself." And, of course, some intense scenes due to the content. This is a life and death situation. I felt an emotional connection to what was happening on the screen and happened in real life. I reflected on the value of human life. How some people don't seem to value it at all, while others risk everything to save another person. Really powerful film. The boys all agreed that it was a great film and they're glad that I brought them.

The movie was a sweet reward for all the work we've done the past two weeks to prepare for a couple big events. Middle son, Zach, had his Confirmation last Sunday, and my "little" sister Joy is coming to stay with us for a couple months. We had some work to do to tidy up the house, move Zach out of his room, so the boys could still have access to their "Boy Cave" in the basement.

He's 14 and already way taller. Somehow, I'm becoming the shortest one in the family!

 

I can already feel my creative energy picking up as I anticipate my sister arriving. We have plans to do some music and/or a show together while she's here. We're available for concerts. Also, if you've ever thought of having a few voice lessons, Joy is a gifted voice teacher and is especially skilled at helping a wounded vocal musician overcome their "choir" trauma. She knows how to help you find your unique voice and what songs are the best for you. Contact us at mary.aalgaard@yahoo.com.

 

My heart has been heavy lately with thoughts of people my age who have terminal illnesses. It makes you realize that life is precious and fragile and that waiting around for the "perfect" timing for anything might cause you to lose the opportunity to "Jump on the Bike." To read more on those thoughts, click on over to Ride off the Page.

 

Speaking of "perfect" and it's non-existence, I'll tell you a little story. As I was getting ready for church this morning, Charlie discovered that our toaster oven has gone kaputt. He decided to warm up his bagel in the microwave. Hoping to make it extra toasty, he set the time for 5 minutes! I walked downstairs to a room filled with smoke and two charred black halves of bagel. We left the windows open and went to church. All the way there, we still smelled the smoke. I got to church, set up my music, looked down, and noticed that I had two stains on my sweater that I had worn the night before to a baby shower, where I'd enjoyed a glass of red wine. So, there I was on "All Saints Sunday" smelling like a burnt bagel with wine stains on my sweater, and the Pastor's message was that we can come to the table in our tarnished clothes and tattered hearts and be in communion with one another. We are the fellowship of saints on earth, all our imperfections making us part of a community.

 

Go. Create. Inspire!

 

Journaling Prompt:  Ever had any major catastrophes in the kitchen? How do you get the smell of burnt bagel out of your house? Do you have any music or church trauma?

Chicken and Dumplings

On a cold day there is nothing more comforting to me than a bowl of warm soup.  I love making it, I love eating it, and I love the leftovers.  This year I decided to try chicken and dumplings rather than my traditional chicken noodle soup.  I have always avoided dumplings because I thought they were hard to make.  I was wrong, they were easy peasy to make!  As a result,  I instantly fell in love with the tender dumplings, flavorful chicken, and thick broth.

On top of easy to make, this recipe is super inexpensive; especially if you make your own chicken broth.  This meal has become one of my quick go to meals because it can be made in about 30 minutes.  I did cut down the portions of the dumpling recipe because I always ended up with too many dumplings, but you can easily increase them if you want a higher dumpling:chicken:broth ration.  ENJOY!

Chicken and Dumplings
Recipe Source: Eat At Home

about 2-3 cups cooked chicken
6-7 cups chicken broth
1 cup flour
1 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
about 1/2 cup of milk, (it may take a bit more or less)

In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.

While the broth is coming to a simmer, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is well incorporated.  You can use a fork, your hands, or a mixer for this step.

When the butter is well incorporated, stir in the milk.  Mix with a fork until the ingredients form a ball.

On a heavily floured work surface, shape the dough into a disc.  Roll it out about 1/8 in thick.  Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares about 2x2.  If they aren't perfect it is no biggie :)  At this point the dumplings can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator.  Flour a piece of waxed paper and place the dumplings on the wax paper.  Freeze them in a single layer then transfer to a baggie or store them in the refrigerator on the wax paper.

When the broth is at a simmer, drop the chicken in and raise the heat to boiling.  When the broth is at a full boil, drop the dumplings in.  Don't worry about the extra flour on them because this will help to thicken the broth.  Allow the dumplings to cook 12-15 minutes or until they are cooked through and don't taste like raw flour when you bite into them.

Of Muffins and Hurricanes . . . Morning-Glory Muffins (with Carrots, Raisins, & Sunflower Seeds)

I made these muffins yesterday morning while listening to NPR's coverage of Hurricane Sandy's damage. Every time I hear about that kind of storm, or of an earthquake or a massive flood, I thank my lucky stars that we live in Michigan. Here, natural disasters of that magnitude are virtually unheard of. We have the odd tornado now and then, and occasionally a big wild fire in the woodsy Upper Peninsula makes the news. Somehow, though, the Great Lakes have a way of shielding us, and that's comforting to know.

But, that reality doesn't stop us from worrying about family or friends who live elsewhere when these catastrophes occur. My only sister, for example, lives just a couple of miles from Long Island Sound in southern Connecticut. Despite her calm reassurance when we spoke by phone on Monday morning, as she was preparing to shelter-in-place, I was feeling pretty fretful. She's a tough cookie, and has always been the brave one. I don't think I could have been as calm in her shoes.

When I talked to her after the storm had passed and heard that she's just fine, I was relieved and grateful. Most of her small town, except for some houses on the beach, escaped the worst effects of the storm. She said everything there is eerily quiet now, and that people are still being asked to just stay inside. And, amazingly, the power is not out in the part of town where she lives.

Yes, I eventually ceased fretting. But as we know, when the going gets fretful the fretful get baking and it was my fretfulness that prompted the impromptu creation of these satisfying and tasty muffins. Maybe, now, I should call them Grateful Muffins.

About this recipe . . .

This is one heck of a muffin. Featuring dark-brown sugar and sour cream, it also contains a modest portion of shredded carrots, raisins, and roasted sunflower seeds, along with a little vanilla and cinnamon. It's sort of a morning-glory muffin, but without the entire kitchen-sink profusion of ingredients. Hearty without being hefty. This is an original Jane's Sweets recipe, unadapted from any other source.

Oh, before I forget . . . what do you think of those white "tulip" muffin papers? I used them for the first time and I really like them. Made of a relatively heavy grease-proof paper, they form a perfect square when unfolded. I like the way the tulip-shaped cup contains the muffin, as if it's in it's own little bag. These muffins all browned remarkably evenly, even on their bottoms--no burning. I've heard that you can bake in these papers without using a muffin pan, that they are that sturdy. I was hesitant to try that, but maybe next time I'll give it a whirl. I ordered some in brown and red as well, all from a company called Bakers Stock. Decent prices via this source, and the shipped items were securely packaged. I'd order from them again. (I keep wondering, though, if I could make wrappers like these myself at home, but I really think the paper they're made out of is not typical. It doesn't exactly feel to me like plain parchment or even silicone-coated parchment. I will have to do more investigating on that front.)

Brown Sugar & Sour Cream Morning-Glory Muffins, Simplified

Yield: About 16 standard size muffins, or about 10-12 larger muffins

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I whisked the flour a bit in its container before measuring.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt (I used fine sea salt.)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed (I think dark brown makes a noticeable flavor difference, but use light brown if that's all you have around.)
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I used paste.)
1/2 cup well-shredded carrots (lightly packed into the measuring cup)
1/3 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (salted or unsalted, as you prefer)
2 tablespoons of coarse sugar (turbinado or sanding) to sprinkle atop unbaked muffins

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line your muffin pan(s) with paper liners or spray liberally with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, stir together the dark brown sugar, canola oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until very well combined. Stir in the carrots, raisins, and sunflower seeds.

Make a well in the bowl of dry ingredients. Pour all of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no large streaks of flour remain; a few small streaks are okay.  (Avoid over-mixing in order to avoid producing tough muffins.) Portion the batter evenly into the muffin papers/cups. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sugar atop each unbaked muffin to add sparkle and crunch. (I used turbinado sugar--coarse, natural brown sugar--but you could use white sanding sugar or regular granulated sugar if you like.)

If you're making larger muffins, bake them for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then lower the temperature to 350 and keep baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, perhaps 10 minutes longer. If you're baking smaller muffins, turn the oven temperature down after no more than ten minutes. If your muffins appear to be browning too quickly on top, lightly cover them with a sheet of foil. Let the baked muffins cool for just a minute in their pan on a rack, then remove them from the pan to cool longer on the rack. (Or eat them warm, with butter!)

(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, please click on the purple COMMENTS below.)