tasting memories

My stepmother Carolina was not a very good cook. Her cooking was my first introduction to American food when I was twelve and new in this country. Overcooked broccoli and meatloaf where regularly served. Although I came to love broccoli in my later life (steamed until bright green), I still stay away from meatloaf. One thing she made that I absolutely loved was baked macaroni and cheese. This all-American dish came to signify comfort and home in the otherwise unfriendly and cold suburbian Webster, NY.

After my father passed away, I emailed Carolina and asked her for the recipe as I craved some comfort during those difficult days. Her recipe comes straight from the back of the Mueller's Elbow Macaroni box, but she adds a wonderful breadcrumb crust that I absolutely love.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan combine cornstarch, salt, and dry mustard. Stir in milk until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Stirring constantly, bringing to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in 1 3/4 cups cheese until melted. Add cooked pasta. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole.

3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium frying pan and stir in the breadcrumbs until fully incorporated. Remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on the macaroni and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings.

During this time of year, avid gardeners like Dorthy, my mother-in-law, find themselves with an excess of zucchini. Of the many preparations for this summer squash, her zucchini bread is my favorite. It's moist and flavorful with a wonderful crust that speaks of home.

This recipe is very easy to prepare. If you have alot of zucchini, make an extra batch and freeze it. This bread keeps very well in the freezer for up to a month as long as you double-wrap it in plastic wrap. Her original recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar. I have reduced this to 1 1/4 cups, since I always add chocolate chips that add an extra amount of sweet to the bread. Chocolate chips are optional in this recipe, but it's an absolute requirement in our family!

Dorthy's Zucchini Bread
(High Altitude Version - 5000ft)
3 large eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a large loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon and set aside.

2. Beat eggs until light and foamy. Add oil, zucchini, sugar and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture, one cup at a time and mix until blended. Fold in optional chocolate chips.

3. Pour batter into greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.

Makes 1 loaf of zucchini bread.

Angelica grew up around the kitchen. As a toddler she would empty all my cupboards of containers, pots and pans to play while I cooked. As a little girl I would pull up a chair and she would stand on it to help me measure, stir and taste when we made cookies. As she got older, she would read recipes and follow along with me as her assistant. Now, as a teenager we gather around the kitchen much too seldom, but once in a while we get together to honor this mother-daughter tradition. Yesterday we took the afternoon to make cookies. It was great. And the cookies were pretty good too!

This triple chocolate cookie recipe from epicurious is originally for ice cream sandwiches, but these delicacies are wonderful with or without ice cream. Using good bittersweet chocolate such as Callebaut gives these cookies a densely chocolaty bite. Not too sweet and super soft and chewy. They are delicate and dense like a fluffy version of a brownie. I could not ask for a better chocolate cookie.

Triple Chocolate Cookies
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir chopped chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth; remove from over water. Cool melted chocolate 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in another medium bowl until crumbly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until mixture is light, pale, and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add lukewarm melted chocolate and vanilla and beat just until blended. Fold in dry ingredients, then chocolate chips.

3. Drop chocolate cookie batter by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until tops are evenly cracked but cookies are not yet firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies completely.

Note: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to two weeks (if they last that long!)

Makes 36 cookies.

This recipe was inspired by an epicurious recipe: Catfish in Spicy Tomato Sauce. I found this sauce delicious, easy to make and versatile. It would be a wonderful base for vegetables, fish, poultry, or pork. In my opinion, the flavor of the catfish did not go well with this particular sauce, but lighter flavored fish like tilapia and haddock would work well. The original recipe calls for canned tomatoes, but i find the fresh stuff is so much better. Serve it with corn tortillas, tamales or even polenta. Even though this is not a true mole (which is an art form and takes hours to make), the flavors are reminiscent of mole.

Quick Mole
6 tomatoes, blanched, de-seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1. Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, spices, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add chopped fresh tomatoes; coarsely crush tomatoes with fork or potato masher. Add sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12 minutes.

Makes 2 cups.

If you want to impress, and love steak, this is the dish for you. It is simple, made of simple ingredients and prepared simply - simple, but packed with flavor. Scott delighted us with steak on Friday night. I was so impressed. The steak was wonderfully buttery, paired with a simple and light tomato sauce and served with rustic bread.

The original recipe comes from epicurious: Grilled New York Steaks with San Marzano Sauce. Scott used fresh yellow plum tomatoes instead of the San Marzanos. Grilling becomes an issue here in New York City so Scott pan fried the steaks and toasted the bread in the oven. Even though pan frying is no substitute for grilling, I thought everything about this meal was just perfect.

Grilled New York Steaks with Fresh Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, de-seeded and coarsely chopped
6 large fresh basil sprigs plus additional for garnish
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
3 10- to 11-ounce New York steaks (preferably prime; 1 1/4 inches thick)
3 slices of your favorite rustic bread or ciabatta

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add chopped fresh tomatoes; coarsely crush tomatoes with potato masher. Add 6 basil sprigs and dried crushed red pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is reduced to thick sauce consistency (about 3 cups), stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season sauce to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush steaks and bread slices with olive oil. Sprinkle steaks with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. Grill bread slices until golden and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side.

3. Spoon some of warm sauce onto 3 plates, then top each with 1 steak. Serve with bread.

Makes 3 servings.