Thursday, April 28, 2011

Friday Potluck #31 & Giveaway!

Each passing week simply amazes me that yet another Potluck has gone so well! I'm so happy to have everyone participating!

This has been a fantastic week of cooking in our household! I'm pleased to announce two truly incredible dishes - Sauteed Salmon with Orange and Dill and French Onion Soup.
 
Both great recipes are courtesy of Warren Caterson's Table for Two Cookbook. Even better, Warren has agreed to participate in a cookbook giveaway! Click here to see the giveaway post and enter to win!


Now on to the Friday Potluck!

grab the code!





As always, there are just a few rules, but they're super duper simple!

1. Please link directly to your recipe (not your main blog).
2. Please only one recipe per blog each week.
3. Be sure, in the linked blog post, to link back here to Friday Potluck @ EKat's Kitchen using the button above or text.
4. Have fun, do some visiting and enjoy!


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Table For Two Cookbook Review AND Giveaway!!! {Closed}

There's one thing you should know about me.

I collect recipes. I know this comes as a BIG shocker to all of you.

Once you've digested that, I have another revelation:

I love cookbooks. There's something about perusing the pages (which, the longer I own them are covered with aromatic splashes), and salivating at the chef's inventive ideas and thinking about how I'm going to surprise my husband with great new dishes.

However, with two of us, and when K is in the field often just one, it's hard to make just the right amount of food... for less than 20, let alone 1 or 2. In our house, we're good about eating leftovers once or twice, but often after that, they get shoved to the back of the fridge and forgotten.


Late last year, I discovered Warren Caterson's Table for Two. Warren combines the creativity that I love with appropriate recipe portions. What an amazing concept! I love all of his dishes; and have cooked some amazing things from his cookbook. If you haven't read my posts on these recipes, you have the opportunity to do so below!



If not, please check them out by clicking on the links above! Not only are they incredibly flavorful and delicious, but they are made perfectly for two (or one with a perfect sized leftover)! His instructions are really easy to follow and you are nearly guaranteed to have a fantastic meal. This is perfect for newlyweds, couples, empty-nesters, and those just looking for a lovely dinner for two!

Warren and I have become bloggy friends and I asked him if he would partner with me on a giveaway of his fantastic cookbook. He agreed!

I'm pleased to announce that all of you who are U.S. residents are eligible to enter into this giveaway!

There are two Mandatory Entries. To win, you must leave a comment for EACH Mandatory Entry.

1. You must be a follower of EKat's Kitchen, this blog by email, GFC or Networked Blogs.
2. You must be a follower of Warren's blog, Table For Two Cookbooks - by email, GFC, or Networked Blogs.

You can also get more chances to win by these Optional Entries. Again, leave a comment for each entry!
1. Like EKat's Kitchen on Facebook or follow on Twitter. (Two entries possible.)
2. Like Table for Two Cookbooks on Facebook or follow on Twitter. (Two entries possible.)
3. Post about the giveaway on Facebook using a link back to this page. (One entry per day)
4. Post about the giveaway on Twitter- Win a Table for Two Cookbook (link) @ekatskitchen @warrencaterson. (One entry per day)

Congratulations and good luck to all!!!
The giveaway will be open from Wednesday, April 27 thru Wednesday May 4!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

French Onion Soup - Table For Two

 
Glacier Valley CSA has been particularly wonderful the last few weeks; as spring gears up and leaps into summer, I can't wait for more and more locally grown foods!

We've had a plethora of spectacularly gorgeous onions lately.I wasn't sure what to do with them, until thumbing through Warren Caterson's Table For Two Cookbook, when I chanced upon an fabulous recipe for French Onion Soup... for two! I was very very excited about the possibilities for not needing a gazillion onions and making one of my  most favorite soups!

And how delicious it was!

I encourage you all to try Warren's recipe. Just be sure to give yourselves plenty of time; the recipe takes about 2 hours from start to finish.... well worth it, but not something to make if you're planning to eat within half an hour of cooking!

Super thinly sliced onions!
Getting ready to saute.

Whew - achieved translucence!
Settling in for the caramelization!
I've learned that I have a very short attention span. This means that if I'm cooking something that requires consistent supervision (30 minutes of stirring), it's better to settle down in the kitchen with a glass of wine and magazine, and pulling up a bar chair.

I do have this fantastic kitchen mat, filled with lovely wine imagery to help with long periods of kitchen standing, but sitting with a glass of wine is always preferable!

Caramelizing...

Caramelized!!!!

Adding the wine to deglaze.
Evaporating wine.

Adding the broth and spices.

Beautiful soup.
Almost ready to eat!
making toast!
Lovely toast!
In the mugs!
Croutons!
Comte Cheese for the croutons.
Ready to eat!
I love love love love love French Onion Soup! This was so filling and well worth the time. We devoured the soup and were stuffed. This is a perfect meal for two!

It is with great pleasure that I share this soup project with you, and that I announce that tomorrow afternoon I'll be opening a giveaway of Warren's cookbook! He has graciously agreed to sponsor a giveaway to a U.S. resident. Please be sure to check back tomorrow for the giveaway!

I'll be linking this post up to Sooper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen, hosted by the lovely Deb.
SouperSundays
Also, please visit these other great linkies for awesome food ideas you'll love



Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Sauteed Salmon with Orange and Dill - Table for Two

A while back, I met a fellow blogger, Warren Caterson, who has a fantastic cookbook called Table for Two.

Why is this momentous? I'm notorious for cooking enough food to feed a small army. I just can't stop. I love Warren's concept of cooking to feed just two. And his recipes are wonderful! With the abundance of onions in our cabinet, I've got my eye on his French Onion Soup next.

However, since moving to Alaska, I don't think we'd yet had salmon. It was high time!

Sauteed Salmon with Orange and Dill
 (page 49)
Warren has this to say: "Dill lends a lightness to fish but you must use fresh to truly experience it."

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 (4-6 oz) salmon filets, skin removed
2-1/2 cups orange juice
3 sprigs fresh dill weed

I must start this off with a confession that I didn't follow the recipe exactly. It's not my fault though, I swear! Our orange juice was expired (long ago), and I opted for fresh squeezed, but didn't have enough to get 2 1/2 full cups, only having 1 1/2 cups available. Sorry, Warren!

Heat the olive oil int a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add salmon filets.

Pour orange juice over salmon.

Arrange fresh dill sprigs around the salmon.

Cook, turning occasionally for about 15 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork. Remove to a warm dish and cover.
*note* be very careful when flipping if you don't want to wear hot orange juice. The technique I discovered to work best involved flipping the salmon filets on top of one another and then scootching the top one back into the sauce... thus avoiding the big splashes.

Reduce heat and continue cooking the orange juice until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour over salmon to serve.

We served with grilled rainbow chard and carrots. More on the grilling exploits of K soon.

In the meantime, I urge you to check out Warren's cookbook! Stay tuned for his recipe on French Onion Soup and a giveaway of his cookbook --- coming this week!

I'm pleased to link this recipe to




Hearth and Soul Hop at Fit Foodista


Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop at A Moderate Life Lark's Country Heart

Saturday, April 23, 2011

White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese


A while back, I posted about one of my favorite macaroni and cheese recipes created by Rachael Ray. This is possibly my husband's favorite dish, and he's been hinting about it for a while. In the original post, I didn't quite understand the value of beautiful pictures yet, so when I made this for hubby earlier this week, I decided to immortalize the recipe in photos.

Pre-cook bacon... or pre-chop jalapenos or whatever your add-in of choice may be.

 Pre-grate your white cheddar.

Melt the olive oil and butter together, then add the flour, stirring until slightly browned and most of the liquid is gone.

Add in the milk

 Whisk the milk and flour together until smooth. Allow to boil slightly and thicken.

Stir in the cheese, a handful at a time. Stir until smooth.

Add in the cayenne and nutmeg.

Stir in the bacon (or your add-in) and allow flavor to mix in with the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles and stir together.

Pour the noodle and sauce mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Smooth out the mixture.

 Top with remaining cheese and place in the oven under the broiler at 500 degrees.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Dish up and ENJOY!

We typically serve with a salad to get something green and a little healthier to offset the fantastic macaroni and cheese!

I'm linking this up to Miranda @ Mangoes & Chutney -- her mac n cheese blog hop and her

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