Chicken with Fig Sauce

Ingredients 

2 5 oz chicken breasts   

5 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons minced rosemary

1 minced shallot

2 Tablespoons fig jam

1 Tablespoons chicken stock

¼ cup water

1 Tablespoons butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pat chicken dry season with salt and pepper.  If the breast is large slice in half and lightly pound thin. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook until browned around 3-5 minutes per side.   Once cooked transfer to a cutting board and set aside.

Sauce:

In the same pan as the chicken over medium heat add shallot, chopped rosemary and a drizzle of oil.   Stir until softened about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in vinegar and jam.  Simmer until syrupy 30-60 seconds, add stock, and water.  Cook until thick and glossy 2-3 minute.  If too thick add a splash of water.   Turn off heat and stir in butter, season with salt and pepper.

After the chicken has rested cut crosswise into strips and transfer to serving plate.  Pour sauce evenly over the two chicken breasts.  

Happy Fathers Day

Uncle Steve & Dad (Peter John Bardessono)

Tomorrow is Fathers Day, come November it will be 19 years since Dad passed.  I miss him!   I miss his great laugh and sense of humor.  There are times I can still hear his laugh.  Dad could always make me feel that everything would be OK when times were difficult.   I miss the phone call on my birthday telling me the same story each year of how he split acid on a new pair of boots when he got the call that Mom was in labor and he needed to quickly get home.  As Dad was telling the story I could hear how excited he was that day.  He was not in the least worried about the loss of his new boots, he was excited about his second child about to come into this world. He was as a great Dad, he was our rock.  

Dad worked very hard, but he also made time to have fun.  There was no doubt about his love for his family.  He loved his wife and 5 children and would do anything for us and we knew it.  He also had a tremendous love for his sisters and brother and their children.  He seemed to be able to make time for us all and let each one know how much he love us.

Dad loved to Hunt and Fish, He took both of my children out to fish when they were little.  They both loved to fish with Papa.  The only thing they didn't like was afterward when he taught them how to clean the fish.  He had a special relationship with his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them and share his talents.  When we vacation in Tahoe and go fishing we always remember Dad and all the good times we shared with him there.  

Dad Fishing on the Truckee River

I have another special man in my life who has also been my rock.  Thom is a wonderful man.  He loves his family and he too would do anything for them.  He is compassionate, understanding, a great listener and always keeps me laughing.  We have shared many things in the 45 years we have been married.   Some struggles, but then who doesn't have some struggles in life.  Most of those 45 years have been filled with good times filled with love and laughter.  I feel very blessed to have him in my life.

He has shared his love of golf with both of his children. And I'm sure they both have some fun stories they could tell about their Dad.  One thing that I know for sure is that he is that same rock for them that my Dad was for me.  I am grateful for his faith in God and the example that he has been for so many.  If I could sum these two men up it might be to say "You can tell what wonderful people they are by the love that so many have for them.  They are both great examples to so many and I'm positive everyone that knows them would say that their lives are better because of them".

So to Dad and Thom, Happy Fathers Day.  I love you both!

Thom & Jennifer

Thom & Trevor

Sour Dough Bread

For now I'm just sharing a couple of pictures of one thing I've been doing during this COVID-19 home sheltering.  They smell and taste so good! I've wanted to try my hand at making sour dough bread for some time now, but I just didn't think I had the time to make a starter. Now that I've been working from home for the past 90 days, I felt like I could take a break a couple of times during the day to tend to some starter.  I was pretty proud of myself when the mixture of water and flour started to bubble.  I patiently waited to use it since it needed at least 14 days before I could bake with it.

On about the 16th day, I tried my hand at making a round loaf in my Dutch oven.  I've made Artisan bread before in the Dutch oven and it was great. I was a little familiar with that process.  I made two loaves since the recipe I used made quite a bit of dough.  Thom and I really enjoyed the fresh bread.  My next attempt was to make a baguette.  I read quite a few Pinterest posts to get an idea of how to handle the dough, how to form the baguette, the timing for each rise and of course how to bake to get that beautiful crust.

If I get too crazy with my baking, I'm going have to try and unload a few loaves on my friends.  So, watch out!

I just had a thought!!! I need to make a tag or something that says........

"From Bonnie's Kitchen - Baked with Love"  

Let me know if you have any ideas!!! 

Zucchini & Summer Squash

Today is the last day of spring and my friends are already giving away some of their squash!  The COVID-19 pandemic put a kink in my plans to plant a few things in my garden at least zucchini, summer squash and a tomato plant.  Thank goodness for wonderful friends who share their garden bounty!
One of the things that I miss from my home in Napa was the large area that I had for a garden. I loved getting my hands in the earth.  My garden area in Napa had the perfect sun exposure.  My Dad loved to plant a garden, he often came down the week before Easter to help me put in my garden and get the drip system set up.
Growing up his mom (Noni) would plant her garden on Good Friday. I remember as a little girl helping Dad and Noni plant her garden.   If you look at the Farmer's Almanac, I believe that's when there is a full moon.  Something about planting a garden in the spring when there is a full moon.
Finding different ways to cook the vegetables from your garden can be a challenge.  This recipe combines not only the squash from your garden but the sweet corn and wonderful tomatoes.  Topped with cheddar or jack cheese, it's a winner in our family.  I had this dish at a potluck the Delano Women Golf Association had one time.  I didn't get a written recipe just an informal put in this and that then top it with cheese, and you have it.  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

Ingredients:

4 Zucchini or Summer Squash (or a combination of both)
1 Tablespoon oil
1 large fresh tomato diced or 1 small can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 small onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, Monterey Jack or a combination
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a saucepan add the oil, sauté the onions and garlic.  Dice the squash and add to the onions, along with the diced tomato.  Cook until the zucchini is softened add in the corn, season with salt and pepper.   At this point you can transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded cheese.  Serve once the cheese has melted. This dish can be made ahead and finish cooking in the oven until bubbly, add the cheese just before serving.

Beef Enchiladas

 Mom's Enchiladas

I think my mom got this recipe from the Napa Register; oops I may be dating myself newspapers are a little out of date! haha

Every once in a while, I find great recipes in the Newspaper. I found a blue-ribbon apple-pie recipe published in the Napa Register.  Living in the central valley I was lucky enough to see the soup recipe from a local restaurant "Wool Growers" in the local paper.  The Wool Growers is one of our favorite places to eat.  When we moved down to Delano my mom and Dad would visit a few times a year and Dad always wanted to go to the Wool Growers for dinner. Dad loved Basque food!  But that is another story and another recipe that I will definitely have to share.  We have quite a few family memories at that restaurant.

Back to Enchiladas... this makes from 12 to 18 enchiladas; it all depends on how big/small your tortillas are and how full you make then.   If you don't like olives, then omit them by all means.

Ingredients:

Gravy or Enchilada sauce

2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons chili powder
3 cups water (more may be added to achieve the constancy you want)

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 cloves minced garlic
1 spring chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can olives (whole or cut into smaller pieces)
1 -2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 Tablespoons oil
12-18 corn tortillas

Gravy:  Heat a skillet and add the garlic, sauté for a minute or two being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add flour to the hot oil stir for a minute, add chili powder, tomato sauce and water.  Stir until gravy become thick.  If the gravy is thick add a little water until you have achieved the desired thickness.  The sauce should be thick enough to cling to the tortilla; you don't want it runny.

In another pan brown the ground beef, add onion and garlic and sauté until tender.  Add the spices, tomato sauce and olives and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.  Add olives and 1 cup of the grated cheese stirring until combined.

In a skillet heat a little oil and palace a corn tortilla in the hot oil.  The goal is to make the tortillas soft but not stiff, so they are easy to roll or fold.  Lay the softened tortilla on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  It will take a little practice.

When your tortillas are soft dip them in the sauce to coat them on both sides.   Lay the tortillas in the casserole dish and spoon in filling in the center of the tortilla. Grab one end and fold toward the center, grab the opposite side and fold towards the center.  The two sides will overlap slightly in the middle.  Repeat the process by laying another tortilla next to the last one, fill, fold and continue until the meat is gone.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake until bubbly about 20 minutes.  Serve with red rice and refried beans.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love a great big soft chewy oatmeal cookie.  But I have found that mine don't always turn out as chewy as I would like even when I follow the recipe using the exact measurements.  I normally use the recipe on the box of Quaker Rolled Oats, but lately mine have been on the dry side. I did a little hunting on the internet and read that using quick oats can leave your cookie on the dry side.  That was my answer! I always have quick oats on hand; I never considered that the quick oats would make any difference.

After making this last batch of cookies I'm convinced it's the type of oats that I used that made my cookies dry.  Now I know why I've seen some recipes call for 1/4 cup of water to be added to the batter.  It all makes sense; you have to compensate for the type of oats you might use.  Another trick for a chewy cookie is to soak the raisins for 10 minutes in hot water.  If your raisins are not fresh, they will also absorb moisture from the cookie leaving them dry.

One thing that I don't use, is the cinnamon in my oatmeal cookies.  I love the taste the vanilla flavoring, include cinnamon as an option in this recipe.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour 

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup soften unsalted butter (if using salted omit the 1/2 teaspoon salt)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs 

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

3 cups old fashion rolled oats

1 cup raisins (soak in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes, drain before adding to dough)

1 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line your cookie sheet.

Mix together, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon (if using) and set aside.  With an electric mixer cream together the softened butter, sugar until smooth then add the eggs and mix until combined.

Add flour mixture and mix until just combined then add in oats, walnuts and drained raisins. 

Using a cookie scoop place dough onto the lined cookie sheet and bake about 12 minutes until brown on the edges.  Let the cookies cool for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 

My search for a chewy moist oatmeal cookie has come to an end.  I have been looking for almost a year for a "Brown Butter Chewy Oatmeal Cookie" recipe and I finally found one based on "America's Test Kitchen".

Thom and I took a day trip to Cayucos last March to celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary. while there we came across the "Brown Butter Cookie Company", they have the BEST COOKIES.  The cookies were BIG, MOIST, CHEWY AND SOOO yummy.

I have to say that I did tweak the recipe just a little. The recipe called for 1 egg plus an egg yolk.  I found the dough in my first batch a little dry.  On my next batch I added two eggs which seemed to give me a dough that wasn't as crumbly.  I made sure my raisins were fresh and that the Oatmeal was Old Fashioned rolled Oats not the quick oats.  I found out that using quick oats makes for a drier cookie.  This recipe called for butter and vegetable oil which I have never used in a cookie before.  The combination of butter and oil did create a very moist chewy texture which I definitely love.

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I omit the cinnamon - my personal preference)

3/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup fresh raisins 

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick oats)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and position the oven rack to the middle.  Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.

Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat.  Swirl the pan occasionally until the butter foaming subsides.  Stir the butter scraping the bottom of the pan until the milk solids are golden brown 1-2 minutes.  Immediately transfer the butter to a large heat proof bowl. Using a spatula scrape all the butter into the bowl and add in sugar and oil, whisk until combined.  Add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula mix in the flour until combined. add oats and raisins.  Note- I didn't use a hand or standing mixer to avoid adding in air to the batter. 

Divide the dough into 20 portions, about 3 tablespoons or a small cookie scoop.   Arrange the dough on a cookie sheet ad press each round into a disk.  Bake until the edges of the cookie are lightly brown and the centers are still soft but not wet 8-10 minutes.   Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then using a wide metal spatula transfer to a cooling rack.   

Banana Bread

I was going up to my Mom's for a few days to help her after she had hip replacement surgery.  I had quite a few bananas that I took with me.  When I got to my Mom's she had just as many as I did.

After a few days the bananas were at that stage, you either tossed them out, freeze them for later or make banana bread.   I opted to make banana bread hoping they would tempt Mom.  Mom wasn't eating too much after her surgery and we were a little concerned.  As the aroma of fresh banana bread filled the house she couldn't wait to try some.  I had made a small loaf and a few muffins.  A few minutes after they emerged from the oven one muffin was on a plate for Mom to enjoy.  Boy did she enjoy them.  She ate some for breakfast the next morning and for snacks during the day.  It was so wonderful to find something that tasted so good that she asked for more. 

INGREDIENTS

Non Stick vegetable spray

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt or sour cream (I used vanilla yogurt)

1/4 cup soften unsalted butter

2 large eggs

4 large very ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat you oven to 350 degrees, prepare a loaf pan by spraying with vegetable spray and lining with parchment.  For muffins, spray tin our use paper liners.  

Whisk flour salt, and baking soda together and set aside.  With a electric mixer beat sugar, butter and eggs until fluffy, mix in flour mixture.  Add mashed bananas, nuts and chocolate if using,  fold until combined.

Pour into loaf pan or muffin cups, bake loaf about 60 minutes, and muffins about 25 minutes.  The bread will be done when the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

      

Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt or sour cream (I used vanilla yogurt)

1/4 cup soften unsalted butter

2 large eggs

4 large very ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with vegetable spray and lining with parchment.  For muffins, spray tin our use paper liners.  

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.  With a electric mixer beat sugar, butter, yogurt and eggs until fluffy. Mix in flour mixture stir until combined. Add mashed bananas and half of the chocolate chips reserving the rest to sprinkle on the top. Fold all ingredients until combined.

Pour into loaf pan or muffin cups, bake loaf about 60 minutes, and muffins about 25 minutes.  The bread will be done when the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.