The Laughing Matriarch

The Laughing Matriarch
ma·tri·arch/ˈ A woman who is the head of a family or tribe.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Take-Out Two

Book Club!

 Every three months six of our long-time friends meet for book club. This time it was Carolee's turn to impress us with her culinary skills and she didn't disappoint.

For three days she put us up in her home- the best unofficial B&B we've ever stayed in-and on the night of book club she outdid herself-and almost me! (I kid- she's awesome!)


So book club started at noon (with lunch) and we discussed three great books and by dinner we were yelling and laughing and crying over politics and unions and kids and books and everything else we could come up with until midnight when we started passing out.


So check out these impressive photos of Carolee's feeding frenzy and when you stop drooling you can make the yummy brownies she served at the end of the night before we stumbled off to bed.


 " Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." Benjamin Franklin


Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, chilled
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 cup walnut pieces

Preparation

  • Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
  • Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/02/cocoa_brownies_with_browned_butter_and_walnuts#ixzz1Epnlk73I

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Take-Out...

The Laughing Matriarch is on the road with The Husband. 

In San Diego we've been treated to some fantastic home-cooked meals. We were craving real Mexican food as we flew over the Cascades and BFF Julie from all the way back from Junior High School pulled out a pinata full of food.

Julie and I first started cooking together in Mr. Black's Home-Ec class and then progressed to Kraft Mac and Cheese and Dennison's Lime Beans. (Don't get me started.)


Julie served up beans and rice, chili rellanos, enchiladas, and with her hubby John's help, chicken and beef carne asada so good it made me want to cross the border. Well, maybe not.

 Enjoy the visuals (disclaimer: SOMEONE erased my photos before I could post so these are images from the net.) and I'll get back to you with one of Julie's recipes. Vaya con Dios...


 “If I moved away, I would definitely miss the Mexican food. Every region has its own Mexican food, and they're very chauvinistic -- they believe their food is the real Mexican food." Russ Parsons


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Best Booze...

..is usually free.

But sometimes it pays to umm, pay for a drink. While The Husband is searching The Google for the perfect cocktail to serve at our Super Bowl party, (It's only the two of us this year, but it will be a party!) I got to thinking about some memorable alcoholic beverages I have enjoyed in my life. (Not counting that crazy debacle with Julie in Tijuana!)

So here goes!

Best Beer; I don't drink beer, but in Amsterdam I sipped a tall, cold Heineken. And actually finished it! Asjeblyft!


The best glass of wine I ever tasted- and there have been hundreds, fine, maybe thousands-but I would have to say the overall experience would have to be sitting on the Champs Elysees under the shadow of the Arc de Triumph savoring a glass of rose.(Hey, I was just coming out of my White Zin period. Don't judge.)



But let's get back to the States.

Best Cocktail; Mai Tai served at the Bali Hai in San Diego. Let's just say I once had three of these and The Husband four on our anniversary. We slept in our van in the parking lot. I woke up naked- The Husband woke up fully clothed with his shoes on. Need I 'splain more?


Best Irish Coffee; Pleeeeze- hands down it's served up at the Buena Vista in San Francisco. We once had so many of these caffeine concoctions that that we couldn't pass out for days!



Best Dive Bar; it has to be the Silver Spigot Cocktail Lounge in San Diego. I once held in my possession a "Drink Free for Life" card there. Will not say how I obtained that card.



And the classiest joint I've ever bellied up to the bar was at the Ritz Carlton in Paris.
The Ritz has the distinction of being the last place Princess Diana ever knocked back a glass of wine, so there's that.  I went with pal Valerie and with The Husband on separate occasions. Not only does it serve the most expensive cocktail in Europe, but it has the best Ladies Room ever!







"Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!" The Dude


Buena Vista Irish Coffee Recipe (Courtesy of the Buena Vista in San Francisco)

Ingredients

  • some hot water
  • six ounces of hot, fresh brewed coffee
  • two cocktail sugar cubes
  • a jigger (or shot) of your favorite Irish whiskey
  • fresh (preferably homemade) whipped cream

Directions

To start off, you will need to fill your empty glass with the hot water to preheat the glass. After you fill it, let it preheat the glass for a few seconds and then proceed to dump the water out. Follow by pouring the freshly brewed coffee into the glass until it is about three quarters of the way filled. Then, place the two cocktail sugar cubes into the mix. Stir the mixture until the sugar cubes have dissolved. You can then add the shot or jigger of your favorite Irish whiskey into the coffee and sugar mix. Stir again. Then using a warm spoon, flip it over, and let the homemade whipped cream carefully slide over the spoon’s back and onto your Irish coffee mixture. You want to make sure that the whipped cream does not break into the Irish coffee’s surface.
Enjoy this Buena Vista Irish coffee recipe today!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

I Miss California...

..weather. Let me clarify that; I miss the California weather in winter. 

Well, for a couple months anyway. Other than that, I'm good. OK, and Mexican food. San Diego Mexican food such as Roberto's and Old Town cafes and Eden Gardens. I miss those. But that's IT! (I miss my Family/Friends- this goes without saying.)


So Saturday night I was getting a little frustrated with the Facebook postings about the perfect weather and The Husband was watching the golf tournament at Torrey Pines and the sunshine was blinding me and I was craving something...Californian, as only a native can do.


And then I thought about all the tri-tips we used to BBQ at our home in San Diego and I got a little verklempt. (A G.D.Vegan is now living in my ex-house. The horror!)

 My stomach began to growl and I  sucked it up and got to work creating a tri-tip almost as good as the best-tri-tip-I-ever-ate-in-San-Louis-Obispo-Oh-God-Julie-remember-how-good-that-was!


I marinated and chopped and bundled up and went out into the 20-something degree evening and this is what I created. So California- I'm good now. Ignore the crying phone calls.

California is a nice place to live - if you happen to be an Orange. (Dec 1945, American Magazine)   

Ingredients for California Tr-Tip

  • 2 to 2 1/2 lb beef tri-tip roast
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves crushed garlic

Preparation:

Combine the black pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub on to all surfaces of the tri-tip. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove and let sit out for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Add the Dijon, vinegar, vegetable oil, and crushed garlic to a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.

Prepare your charcoal or gas barbecue grill. Place the tri-tip on the grill and brush with the oil and vinegar mixture. Cocktail in hand, turn every 3-4 minutes, basting generously each time. Grill for 25-30 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp of 135 degrees F.). The outside of the roast will get very dark and develop a charred crust, this is desired and one of the signature characteristics of this barbecue recipe.

Remove the tri-tip from the grill to a large platter. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing in 1/4" thick pieces across the grain. Serve leftovers the next morning with two friend eggs and sourdough bread. And a Bloody Mary.