The Swedish Chef?

I am slowly getting back into the kitchen.....although I have not prepared anything from scratch....I am still using food that was made and frozen before my surgery. Last night was Swedish Meatballs. My swedish meatballs puts Ikea's to shame and I used to love Ikea's. I found Alton Brown's recipe the best although I have revised the preparation of them. Since I make a double recipe and cook the meatballs to freeze in bags of 50, I prefer it my way. I revised the recipe a tad more since mom is watching what she eats...so I didnt make the sauce with heavy cream as I normally do. It was rich and thick and just as yummy without the fat heavy cream will add. Served over a cup of whole wheat noodles- 8 meatballs ( 4oz ) came to a WW new Point total of 9.

Swedish Meatballs by Alton Brown as revised by Chef Michele Lessard
Ingredients:
2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
1 tbs butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For sauce

3 tbs butter

3 tbs flour
2 cups beef broth

Tear up bread and put into bowl. Add milk. Let sit. In saute pan - use 1 tbs butter and add onions to sweat. Add a pinch of salt. Set aside and let cool. In a mixing bowl, add meat, eggs, spices and onions. Mix well. You can use a mixer for this or mix by hand. Add soaked bread. Combine. Using a scale or a 1oz icecream scoop...roll out 1oz meatballs...after cooking they will weigh less. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 min. Until nicely browned. Let cool and freeze until ready to use.

To make the sauce- take the 3 tbs of butter and melt in saute pan. Add 3 tbs flour and mix well. This is your roux. Let it cook while consistently stirring or whisking for about 3min. You want to cook the raw flour out. Slowly add the beef stock while whisking and sauce will thicken. Let sauce come to a simmer and add meatballs when you have reached desired consistency. ( you can always take another tbs of flour and butter and make a little dough out of it and add to the sauce to thicken. ) Heat meatballs through and serve over Noodles.

Back to basics

Hello Foodies.....its been a little longer than I had hoped. Recovery is going well although I would like to be further down that road. They tell me my progress is fabulous and I am way ahead of most people. I keep forgetting that having both hips replaced slows down the rehabilitation quite a bit. I am still on limited activity, but have slowly been working my way back to the kitchen. The days Mom isnt working she cooks, and the days she is working its either food that has been made and frozen or something her husband can throw together for the two of them. I have given Mom some basic help in the kitchen even though Mom is a great cook, ....things like what seasonings to use on the tuna steaks,  how to make my coleslaw dressing, and what to make with the protein she has chosen. I am so looking forward to going back to my regular menu planning, shopping and preparation of our meals.......AND baking! It really is funny, how we take for granted the little things in life, like being able to prepare a meal. I am restricted from bending and reaching very low or very high, thus making working in the kitchen difficult. Standing and not being as stable on my own legs is frustrating at times, but I am working hard to get to the point I no longer need a walker, and can do more things on my own. Depending on people is not easy for me to do. So maybe this new found appreciation and gratitude will make my cooking just that much more special.....having to go back to basics and starting over in a sense will only add to the LOVE I put into my cooking!

My last supper.....

Tommorow will be my last supper at home for a week or so. I am calling it my last supper for two reasons. First because I wont be cooking for a few weeks. Being as prepared and organized as I am, I have filled the freezer with some home cooking. I have cooked, packed, labeled and frozen as much as space would allow. We have 4 kinds of soup- Split Pea and Ham, Mushroom Barley, Minestrone base ( chicken, pasta and beans can be added to it ) and Vegetable......We have Turkey Sausage and Peppers, Chicken Divan, Turkey Chili, Grilled chicken, Roasted veggies, and Swedish meatballs. I even froze some homemade brownies and some Davids Cookies Crumbcakes. The second reason for calling tommorows dinner my last supper is because I asked if we could have chinese food before I went into the hospital....thinking one nite last week we could get some. Mom wants me to relax tommorow and not have to cook or worry about dinner so we are getting Take out. So since I am getting what I asked for it seems to be like my last supper before walking that green mile...( in my case getting wheeled on a stretcher )...so to speak. Maybe I will lose a few pounds while enjoying my stay at Stonybrook University Hospital Medical Center.....because even though there is a Starbucks in the main lobby...I doubt I will be hobbling down to get me some. I have packed some Fiber One chocolate caramel pretzel bars just in case I need that little snack. LOL So I am going to enjoy my Superbowl Sunday Last Supper as much as I can......and look forward to coming home and getting back to the kitchen! Remember, Life is full of tasty morsels......

Directions and Dreams

It's been quite a while since I last posted here on my blog. It seems like Facebook has taken priority of my writings. I have a group on FB for Michele's Morsels and usually just post pictures and recipes there. I need to change that. I need to post here on my blog and share it on FB. The start of 2012 has brought some big changes into my life.....I am still slowly losing weight- 30lbs total at this point - slowly but surely......It has been about 21 months of NO Smoking for me  ( YAY ) and I have decided I needed to have my hip replacement surgery. I won't bore you with details of the daily pain and struggles but the pain has exceeded the fear and surgery has been scheduled. I am always the " boy scout " when it comes to preparation of all things in my life. My hospital bag is packed, over 1 dozen dinners have been cooked, frozen and labeled for my return home post op, the house has been cleaned, bills paid, cards written out and stamped for mailing and all furniture moved and prepared for my imminent return.  So of course trying to be the optimist in addition, I have bee thinking about my future. My future as a Chef. I miss cooking for people and getting paid for it. Oh I cook plenty at home, but I want to be OUT of the house doing what I love. I have been thinking about where I can take my Culinary skills and talents and be happy.  I have several ideas and am hoping that during my recovery I can set a plan in action to aquire my dreams and goals. I went to Culinary school at 40, why not change directions at 50? One of my favorite quotes of all time is " Go confidently in the direction of your drams. Live the life you have imagined. " by Henry David Thoreau.......who says we cant change our direction or our dreams at any given time!

Easter Bread

I know its been a while since my last blog....what can I say? I have been busy. Lifestyle changes and some medical issues took precedence. I am glad to be back. I will be leaving for Texas this coming Saturday ( 5 days ) for the month of April. I will be staying at my brother and sis-in-laws house and taking care of the kids, pets, house and cars for a couple of weeks while they celebrate their anniversary in Europe! I am happy to do it. I love spending time with all of them. So the past few weeks, I have been preparing for a lengthy vacation. Clothes, Spring Cleaning, Food preparation for my mom while I am gone, etc..... Today I am making my Easter Bread....the only time I havent made it is when I was living in FL for one Easter.  I decided I didnt want to leave my family without it so I am making it ahead of time and freezing it for them to enjoy on the holiday. My son usually gets his own loaf and wouldnt want to disappoint him. My mother started making this recipe when I was a child and when it became difficult for her to mix the dough by hand, I took over. It is a family tradition and its most delicious. I refuse to revise this recipe and make any changes, it may not be Healthy but its too good and we only eat it once a year. I will be making it in TX this yr as well for my brother Scott and his family...my neice Cassie will help me and maybe carry on our tradition in TX. I serve this bread on Easter morning for breakfast with our colored eggs and fresh fruit. It is a sweet bread and more like a dessert than a dinner bread, but we Lessard's eat it with dinner too!

Easter Bread

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 lukewarm water

1 cup milk ( scalded )

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 1/2 - 5 cups sifted flour

2 eggs

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Sugar glaze

Soften yeast in the lukewarm water. Combine milk, sugar, butter and salt and let cool to lukewarm. Add in about 2 cups flour and mix well.***. Add eggs and continue mixing. Add softened yeast and lemon zest. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough. ( I usually use about 4 1/2 cups of flour depending on the humidity ). Let rest 10 minutes.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl in warm place covered until doubled ( about 1 1/2 hours ). Punch down. Let rise until double again ( about 1 hr ). Punch down and divide into 2 balls. Let rest covered about 10 minutes.

for each loaf;

Divide each ball into 4 equal parts. shape 3 of those parts into strands 12 inches long tapering ends. Line up strands 1 inch apart and braid loosely without stretching dough. Diving remaining fourth into 3 strands and make strands 8 inches long and braid. Place small braid on top of large braid, tucking ends of small braid into large braid. Cover and rise until double. Bake loaves at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes . While warm spread with sugar glaze.

Makes 2 loaves.

*** Note: I use my Kitchen aid stand mixer with dough hook attachment!

Sugar Glaze:

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar with 1/4 cup hot water and 1 tsp butter..mix well until a drippy consistency and drizzle over warm breads.

Resolutions or Banana Bread?

After several weeks of not paying close attention to my diet, unable to exercise due to pain, new pains arising, and the holidays....I started off the New Year vowing to myself I would do better! I know I can lose weight - because I have. I know I can like exercising - because I have.  I know I can do it because I have to. The holiday decorations are packed away, the house is back to normal.....and I will cook and eat only healthy foods. I can lose 25lbs before I go to Texas in April and I can get my blood sugar under control and maybe even come off the medication I was put on. Unfortunately these are words and not actions. Stress causes spikes in blood sugar and seems like stress is my middle name. I need to take action and beat this stress before I can beat the battle of the bulge? Mom cooked dinner tonite- a Vegetarian chili and it was very good. Mine went over some left over brown rice and broccol....odd combo but an added vegetable is a Good Thing. About an hour later she came into my room and said to me " what was I thinking.....we have no dessert".....I laughed since when I cook I try to include something for later. I showed her a recipe for Chocolate Banana Bread I had just printed out....and decided to make it. First of all- I substituted whole wheat flour for half of the flour called for, and I used granulated splenda instead of sugar. I thought these were healthier choices and the only way I can do things from now on. As a Chef and a lover of food, there is no way I can give up the things I love most but I can make them better for me!

Chocolate Banana Bread:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup dutch process cocao powder ( I used a mix of Valrhona and imported Dominican Cocao )
1 cup granulated splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs beaten

1/2 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter

3 ripe bananas mashed

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 white or dark chocolate chips ( semi sweet are fine )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter and let cool

Spray Loaf pan with Baking Pam or spray and flour.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocao, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In medium bowl combine mashed bananas, eggs, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Batter will be thick and chunky. Add nuts and chocolate chips mix in. ( I sprinkled the nuts on top instead ). Sprinkle the top with coarse brown or raw sugar if desired. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until toothpick comes out of center clean. Cool and remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Totally worth making! The Banana makes it sweet, the chocolate gives some added flavor and its NOT sweet at all. YUMMY!!!  Now the Chef and foodie in me wants another peice...but the Healthy woman inside me is saying - Tommorow! Thats my Banana Bread Resolution! I CAN have both! Remember - Life is full of Tasty Morsels!

Canadian eh?

Michele Renee Cecile Lessard, a little French eh? Since I am a child, I have always added the Canadian to the word French. I am not just French, I am French Canadian! Proud of my Canadian roots, my family, my name, the country and especially the food. Maple butter ( map-o-spread ), Crunchie bars,maple leaf cookies, maple syrup, Tortiere, Sugar pie, and snow candy as we called it,  just to name a few of my favorites. Another one of my favs I have been eating ever since I can remember, is a dish called Pate Chinois. I was told it meant chinese pie but didnt understand why. Noone ever gave me an answer when I was a kid. I didnt really have to know anyway. It was delicious and I couldnt wait for my Grandmother or my aunt to make it. Of course, I then started preparing it. I have made it for my brothers, neices and nephews and my own son. We all seem to love it! I googled it and came up with these possible reasonings for the name.....The first possible explanation for the 'Chinese' reference is that it was introduced to Chinese railway workers by Canadian cooks during the building of the North American railroads in the late 19th century. These cooks made it under instruction from the English  bosses as an easily-prepared, inexpensive version of the popular shephards pie, with the sauce in the can of creamed-corn serving as a substitute for the gravy. The French Canadian railway workers became fond of it and brought the recipe back with them to their home communities.  Another more probable explanation for the name was traced by Lionel Guimont, a student of linguistics at Laval University, who shared his idea with Quebec language historian Claude Poirier. Mr. Poirier later published an article to this effect. Mr. Guimont had met an old native of Maine who was visiting Canada for the first time and had heard the man call the dish "China pie". Based on the fact that "pâté chinois" would normally translate in "Chinese pie", referring to the country (like in "French fries" as opposed to "*France fries"), Mr. Guimont wondered why the old man said "China pie", which in English refers to a city or a region (like in "Boston cream pie" as opposed to "*Bostonese cream pie"). He then found that two towns in the state of Maine, called China and South China, had been a favorite destination for Québécois forest workers, who came down from la Beauce along the Kennebec river by the turn of the century. Even today, a vast portion of the population of the China region is from Québécois descent and still bear French names so Mr. Guimont concluded that the name "pâté chinois" had not come down to Maine from B.C. via Québec (and become "Chinese pie") but rather went the other way. "China pie" must have been a common dish in lumbering camps and in mills kitchens around China. It had been (wrongly) translated later by the workers returning to Québec into "pâté chinois" because of the awkwardness of "pâté de Chine" in the French language. In parts of Maine, "pâté chinois" is referred to as "Chinese Party" -- phonetically more similar to the French term. How the dish was named is still a mystery to me but it is one of many reasons I love my Canadian heritage. So here is the Roi/Lessard version of Pate Chinois as made by my Grandmother Cecile Roi Lessard. Merci Beaucoup Grand-mere!

Pate Chinois
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef....browned
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp olive oil
4 cans corn or creamed corn
Mashed potatoes to cover top of casserole
1.cook the onions in the oil until translucent. Add ground beef and brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Layer meat and onions into casserole dish ( approximately 2in layer )
2. Layer corn ( if using reg corn- drain liquid , if creamed use all of the can) on top of ground beef
3. Layer mashed potatoes on top of corn approximate 2 inch layer
4. Bake in oven at 375 until inside is hot and potatoes are golden brown on top.
It is delicious and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Rappelez-vous, la vie est pleine de délicieuses bouchées!!