Making Ina's Recipes at Home: How Easy is That?

[chessiegal]

I made the one with chuck roast - it was faaabulous!

[Lura]

I've made it.  The first time, for guests, I used filet mignon.  It was delicious, but expensive.  The next time, I used chuck.  It was really good and tender, and the beef had much more flavor.  Since then, I've only used chuck.  Definitely a five-star recipe IMHO.

[larapu2000]

I concur with the vote for chuck roast!  Also, I used a Rue de Perle Cote du Rhone red wine to make it, one that was about $15 at the supermarket.  That's a little higher than I normally spend on wine that I cook with, but I figured if wine is in the name of the dish, at least go slightly more upscale than normal, and it turned out great.  I've used the same label a few times now.  It's a well-balanced wine, not super dry or bold like a California red, which I would avoid for this recipe.  Something European-style is probably better.  Anyone else use a US wine that worked well?

[vera charles]

I have always used chuck, since that is the traditional choice. The whole purpose of the dish was to take a tough piece of meat and prepare it in a way that makes it tender. I wish I could remember what red wine I used the last time, because it turned out great. We don't normally drink red wine and got some as a gift. I looked it up and it retailed for about $10 - $12, so it wasn't super expensive.

[wallybear]

Thank you everyone for the input; I will make the chuck roast version! I thought it sounded like an impressive but easy recipe that I could make in the morning & heat up at dinner time. I was thinking of serving it with a salad & maybe garlic mashed potatoes.

 

I don't come here very often because I don't care for the set up of the boards here, so it is really nice to 'see' some old friends & get your advice. I will let you know how it goes- I know it has to be good, because it's Ina! Thanks again!

[chessiegal]

Good luck, wallybear. I didn't chime in on the wine, I'm sure I used whatever Pinot Noir that cost around $10-$12. Whatever it was, it worked.

[chessiegal]

I made Ina's roasted shrimp with feta for dinner tonight - definitely a keeper.

 

http://barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=702&S=0

 

Thanks for advice to not be concerned about the fennel. It did indeed add a sweet note in the background when cooked. I did not add the Pernod. I also didn't leave the tail shells on the shrimp, just shelled them completely and put them in the frying pan in a pin wheel fashion. I have to say it looked very pretty coming out of the oven - good enough for company.

[Lura]

Stewedsquash, that's a clever tip that I've never heard before.  Aren't you the smart one?  :)  I have written the instructions into my favorite chocolate frosting recipe so that I won't forget it.  It makes sense that whipping the butter would add lightness, but I wouldn't have thought of it on my own.  Thank you!

 

Last night we enjoyed Ina's Chicken Picatta,, always a favorite in our house.  It was interesting to me that I happened to catch an episode of "Pioneer Woman" yesterday, and Ree made Chicken Picatta.  In her version, she adds cream (or Half and Half) to the sauce at the end, making a cream-style gravy over the chicken when she added the capers.  It didn't appeal to me, possibly because I'm so accustomed to the more piquant lemon sauce.  I imagine the cream would smooth out the lemon somewhat and stretch the sauce to feed more people.  I'm sure it was good, but I couldn't latch on to the idea for us.

 

We also splurged on Ina's Chocolate Cake for dessert.  It was yummy, per usual.  That's such a moist cake, which I love about it, and the milk chocolate icing (my recipe) is superb.  I say "splurged" because we often don't eat dessert per se, opting for fruit instead, but this was a birthday dinner, and we felt entitled!  Both of us are trying to shed ten "winter pounds" that settled in during the less active months, making the cake a special occasion.

 

Annzeepark914, if I have my dates right, have a wonderful trip to Paris.  Unless Ina is back, maybe the two of you can wave at each other as you pass in the sky.

 

ETA:  To make this post extra long (LOL), I wanted to add that my best friend in NJ sent me a fun and very nice gift for my birthday.  It's the unofficial "Downton Abbey Cookbook."  There are no pictures, but the book is chock full of wonderful-sounding recipes, courtesy of the pretend family, and even a chapter added from the staff.  The recipes are serious, and any "Downton Abbey" fans are sure to enjoy it.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Lura

[tvchick]

I made a full recipe of Ina's black olive tapenade yesterday.  It had been awhile since I did that, but wow, it's just fabulous.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tapenade-recipe2.html

 

The only modifications were that I subbed a few squirts of anchovy paste for the whole anchovies and only added enough olive oil to get it to the desired consistency.  Really great!

[3pwood]

Yesterday, I tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter Globs recipe from the recently rerun Wedding Anniversary episode.  I thought they were OK but nothing special -- however, my guests unanimously raved about them (which they're not prone to do just to be polite).

 

I used all chocolate chips because I didn't have any unsweetened chocolate -- & I used large eggs instead of extra large -- & I used Trader Joe's peanut butter chips instead of Reese's (couldn't taste them at all).  I did spring almost $5 for a tiny jar of Medaglia d'Oro instant espresso powder (the only brand available at Safeway) because I figured that plain instant coffee would have to be at least doubled to get the same effect as espresso & was afraid that much might be gritty (in the end, I didn't think the chocolate flavor was strong enough, so the espresso doesn't seem to have enhanced that aspect much if at all).

 

The recipe says it yields 20-22 big cookies but I got 24 plus 6 little mini muffin cups (which some of the Food Network site comments suggested & I liked that method better than the big globby cookie approach).

 

All in all, a decent cookie that seems to be popular with most people. Might be good for a bake sale, since they're so big. 

 

[larapu2000]

Is anyone doing anything special next weekend for Mother's Day?  It coincides with my brother's birthday (he was actually born on Mother's Day, my poor mom), so I'm trying to think of things that will please both old ladies and a young man (who's an actual chef).  I'm thinking either roast chicken or fried chicken, and all the "fixings."  My grandmas are both farmgirls that like non-fussy things like fried chicken, and I know my mom just loves it too, but my brother might prefer the roasted.  For the fixings, I was thinking mashed potatoes or potato salad, cole slaw, maybe some green beans.  For dessert, we have a family tradition of a chocolate pound cake recipe for birthdays that's just great, but I was thinking it's starting to be the best time of the year for strawberry shortcakes.  We have to do lunch versus brunch, since my brother can't be there until after 12pm.  Is anyone else doing anything exciting that might inspire me?

[peacheslatour]

^^^^Oh come now, you can't rave about your wonderful pound cake recipe without sharing!

[BooksRule]

I have a great sour cream pound cake recipe that is the best I have ever made and the only one I ever make. I got it from a very old lady at church. When she was a younger lady, she got it from an old lady. So I guess it is an old lady recipe. Seriously, it is fool proof, moist, flavorful, the texture is perfect. I have never messed it up or had one have the sad streak. Nor is it crumbly on the crust. It is perfect for strawberry season.

 

If it's the same one that I've always used, it's great (I use the same recipe that my mom--and probably my grandmother--used).  It's the one I see in a lot of 'community/church' cookbooks.  Does yours have a good almond flavor to it?  I have to be careful so that mine doesn't get too strong of an almond flavor.

Edited May 3, 2015 by BooksRule

[Westiepeach]

^^^^Oh come now, you can't rave about your wonderful pound cake recipe without sharing!

 

Yes! Please share!

[annzeepark914]

@stewedsquash: thanks for the recipe!  I hope you get your Mother's Day wish :>)

 

Edited to add:  I like the provenance of this recipe (can just envision the little old ladies handing down this recipe to younger members of a church congregation).  

Edited May 4, 2015 by annzeepark914

[wallybear]

Thank you for sharing that pound cake recipe; I will try it!

 

larapu, Ina's oven fried chicken is fantastic; it comes out perfectly every time.

 

I made the beef bourgionne with the chuck roast, & it was fantastic. Rave reviews all around. Another easy masterpiece from Ina! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for the assistance with answering my questions.

[BooksRule]

stewedsquash, it's a little different than mine.  I love trying new pound cake recipes, so I'll have to give yours a whirl.  Here is the one I use:

 

3 c. sifted AP flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking soda

3 c. sugar

1 c. butter

6 eggs

2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond extract

1 c. sour cream

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.  Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in large bowl; set aside.  Cream sugar and butter until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Pour into prepared pan (batter will be very thick).  Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 30 minutes in pan. Turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.  (Top may crack during baking--this is okay.)

[BooksRule]

I'm gong to have to try Ina's oven-fried chicken.  It sounds good.  I've never been able to make good friend chicken (as a southerner who loves to cook I should be ashamed), but I know I can oven-fry.

[wallybear]

I was never able to make good fried chicken until I made Ina's oven fried chicken. It's really easy & the pieces get properly cooked in the oven without burning, something I was never able to master on top of the stove.

[larapu2000]

Thanks for the feedback, I think I'll do the oven fried chicken to make my life easier!

[BooksRule]

I never mastered good biscuits, either.   I usually just buy a bag of Pillsbury frozen Grands.  They taste pretty good.  Now I'm going to have to make Ina's oven-fried chicken this weekend and pair with some biscuits 'n butter (and honey?).

Edited May 7, 2015 by BooksRule

[MargeGunderson]

I think both are going on my list for this weekend too.

[larapu2000]

Freaking out a little, friends.  Is the batter for the chocolate cake runnier than a normal cake batter?  I measured everything perfectly.  I know this because I pre-measured the cocoa because I was afraid I didn't have enough, and then I re-measured the coffee (I set my Keurig to brew 8 oz, which is exactly one cup, which I verified).  I'm sure it will turn out, I looked at both the Food Network recipe and the Food & Wine recipe, and they're the same, but I would love some confirmation.  It's for my special ladies tomorrow, so it MUST be perfect.  lol.

[Iguessnot]

Sorry no one answered. I'm not much of a baker, but I do have one chocolate mocha cake that I've made and the batter was runny. Delicious as all heck.

[larapu2000]

It turned out fine!!! Super moist, too. I've made a note on the recipe so I don't forget it's like that!

[3pwood]

... my mother in law always used butternut flavoring in her pound cake so I add it. 

 

When I saw this post a couple of weeks ago, I went looking for the bottle of butternut flavoring that I bought in 1973(!) & was sure I still had -- couldn't find it then, but ran across it today while looking for something else on a different shelf.  My husband's grandma in Texas used it a lot in her excellent poundcakes, but I'd never seen it for sale where I lived -- then I saw it advertised in the back of a women's magazine while visiting a tiny town in New England & ordered it.  It worked well for me, but I must have forgotten I had it at some point -- there's about 3/4 of the bottle left & it smells wonderful, beautiful deep red color.  No expiration date on the label, so I'm not going to use it without checking about its safety (somehow), but I would love to make one of those great poundcakes again.  Its actual name is "The Original Imitation Vanilla, Butter and Nut Flavor", made by the Superior Products Co. of Charlotte, N.C., & my 8 oz. bottle cost $2 -- my husband & his grandma are gone now, but the butternut flavoring remains!

[chessiegal]

Question for those of you who have made the Roasted Rosemary Cashews. It says to serve them warm, but would they be okay at room temperature? Thanks.

[Bastet]

I generally heat any leftovers back up because I like the taste better that way, but they certainly don't taste bad at room temp.

[chessiegal]

Bastet, how do you reheat them? I'll be going to someone else's house. I could always take a small fry pan and warm them on the stove. They're not the main thing I'm planning on bringing, but y'all make them sound so good!

[larapu2000]

I think the cashews tasted fine at room temp, but were better just a little on the warm side.

[Bastet]

Bastet, how do you reheat them?

 

It depends on how much I'm heating up and how long I'm willing to wait -- sometimes the toaster oven, sometimes the microwave.

 

If you're serving these to guests, I strongly suggest warm over room temperature; they do taste better that way.  Since they're so quick to make, if you will have access to an oven at this person's house, I'd just make them there (have everything ready to go when you get there, then toast the nuts, melt the butter, and combine).  If not, make ahead and reheat in whatever way is available to you.

 

They're always a big hit.  I never have leftovers to reheat when I make them for guests; that's just when I make a half batch to snack on throughout the week.  I'm sure your set of guests will be just as happy. 

[Lura]

Heaven has arrived again!  I made Ina's luscious lemon bars yesterday!   While it isn't really true, sometimes I think that if Ina had never had a show of her own and had only been a guest on someone else's show, if she had made her Lemon Bars and her Outrageous Brownies, I could have lived happily ever after!

[3pwood]

A few years ago, I came across this internet recipe for "Flavor Tango" cookies -- I adapted it into what I call Citrus Chipotle cookies & make them with either lemon or lime.  Now I want to try making some ahead & freezing the dough in logs, to slice & bake later. The Barefoot Contessa recipe for Fruitcake Cookies chills a log for several hours, which I expect could be frozen -- it calls for about the same proportions of flour to butter to egg as my recipe does.  Has anyone here successfully frozen cookie dough from a recipe that doesn't expressly provide for that?  

[Quof]

Not sure if you are thinking of actually making Ina's recipe - they're awful. The freezing part was fine, the taste was awful.

[3pwood]

No, I'll be making the citrus chipotle cookies from the internet recipe I adapted -- just want to make it when I have time & freeze to slice & bake later, if that's feasible.

 

Surprised to hear that the fruitcake cookies aren't good, they certainly look beautiful & sound tasty. Thanks for the warning. 

[Lura]

A very good friend of ours lost his wife to cancer two weeks ago.  I decided to make Ina's brisket and send half of it over to him.  The brisket turned out very well, succulent and moist, and it tasted good, but I'm still not convinced that it's the best brisket recipe I've made.  I think that I'm still partial to my mom's recipe, which has no tomato in it but makes its own rich gravy.  They're two entirely different dishes.

It's nice to be able to switch from one to the other and enjoy both of them.

 

The situation made me smile to myself.  Wasn't it the brisket that Ina provided for Dwyer's dinner?  Our friend was having his grown son and his wife over for dinner and  remarked that he thought he'd just order something out.  When my husband took off to deliver the brisket and two other dishes, I felt like I was Ina for a night!

 

This little tale leads me to something else.  Another friend remarked that I must come from the South.  When I asked why,, she said, "Because people in the South are always taking food to people when someone dies or food is needed."  Well, I come from New England and the East, and people always did that there.  Is it true that the tradition is southern?  Anybody know?  Ohio, where I lived, is still rich in southern tradition, possibly because people using the Underground Railroad passed through Ohio (or stayed) on their way to Detroit.

[jcbrown]

I grew up in Indiana (Bloomington) and as far as I know, what you do when someone dies is take food to their family.

[Bastet]

That's a tradition I've never thought of as regional.  I don't know how common it is in other countries, as I've never been abroad at the time of someone's death, but it's SOP in every area of the U.S. of which I'm aware.

 

Was this friend who said that from the South herself?  This requires all sorts of qualifications to avoid being offensive, but some - here we go ... I do mean some, and there are some people from every other region who stereotype as well - southerners talk as if various neighborly behaviors only occur in their neck of the woods.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Bastet

[Quof]

I'm in Canada, we take food when somebody dies.

 

What I find weird is putting cash in the sympathy card, like your grandmother does for your 8th birthday.

[3pwood]

The custom of taking food to the bereaved may not be regional, but the food itself is.  I have no reason to believe that this funny book isn't completely accurate.

[chessiegal]

I grew up in Pennsylvania, and we always took food when there was a death or serious illness. I'm married to someone who grew up and lived in Alabama most of his life. We're visiting friends and family in Alabama right now. I think folks from the Northeast tend to be a little more "buttoned up" - for lack of a better term. I remembering discussing this with a high school teacher after visiting Arkansas, and he attributed it to our Pennsylvania Puritan roots. I've found Southerners to be more effusive and am really enjoying all the Southern hospitality I'm experiencing right now.

[autumnh]

A very good friend of ours lost his wife to cancer two weeks ago.  I decided to make Ina's brisket and send half of it over to him.  The brisket turned out very well, succulent and moist, and it tasted good, but I'm still not convinced that it's the best brisket recipe I've made.  I think that I'm still partial to my mom's recipe, which has no tomato in it but makes its own rich gravy.  They're two entirely different dishes.

It's nice to be able to switch from one to the other and enjoy both of them.

 

The situation made me smile to myself.  Wasn't it the brisket that Ina provided for Dwyer's dinner?  Our friend was having his grown son and his wife over for dinner and  remarked that he thought he'd just order something out.  When my husband took off to deliver the brisket and two other dishes, I felt like I was Ina for a night!

 

This little tale leads me to something else.  Another friend remarked that I must come from the South.  When I asked why,, she said, "Because people in the South are always taking food to people when someone dies or food is needed."  Well, I come from New England and the East, and people always did that there.  Is it true that the tradition is southern?  Anybody know?  Ohio, where I lived, is still rich in southern tradition, possibly because people using the Underground Railroad passed through Ohio (or stayed) on their way to Detroit.

 

 

Ina made "Company Pot Roast" for Dwyers dinner...and Dwyer brought her the Chinese take out.

[larapu2000]

I grew up in Indiana also, and we take food when someone dies or is gravely ill.

 

Although I've found the South to have good manners, I would say that it's not actually the friendliest place I've visited (New Orleans excepted), because whenever I open my mouth, I'm referred to as a "Yankee" and it makes me feel like a specimen, not a welcome visitor.  However, I do love the formal way I'm addressed in the south, especially by children.  I love being called Miss Lara.

[Sarcastico]

I've heard that green bean salad (green beans, mushroom soup & fried onions) is actually called "funeral beans" in Texas.  Any truth to that?  I remember how excited my mother was when she discovered it in the early 1980s.  You'd have thought she invented it herself, and we got it once a week, like it or not.  All she had to do was open 3 cans, dump the contents in a casserole, and put it on the table.  She never cooked when anyone died.  Hell, she barely cooked for us!

[3pwood]

... I do love the formal way I'm addressed in the south, especially by children.  I love being called Miss Lara.

 

My husband's family had recently moved from the south when he & I started dating.  I met his younger brothers a few months later, when I was 19 & they were starting high school.  They addressed me as "Ma'am", which I realized was a polite & respectful demonstration of the good manners they'd been taught by their mother & grandma, but I'd only ever heard that term directed at old ladies over 30 (teachers, my mom, etc.), so it took me aback.  Now, I appreciate the way they were raised (& they eventually came to feel that way too).

[Gam2]

As a southerner, this is typical in the South. However, I know it's also typical in other areas of the country. My grandmother, from Indiana, always did this too. I don't believe it's restricted to any one region. I think it's a matter of good manners and caring for other people. Back in the day, I used to joke that the first thing Southern women did after hearing of a death in the family, church or close friends was to go get her hair done and then hit the grocery store to buy the ingredients for her special "death dish" to take to the family. I'm just glad that we all care about other people and try to help out in times of sadness. 

[Spunkygal]

I've heard that green bean salad (green beans, mushroom soup & fried onions) is actually called "funeral beans" in Texas.  Any truth to that?  I remember how excited my mother was when she discovered it in the early 1980s.  You'd have thought she invented it herself, and we got it once a week, like it or not.  All she had to do was open 3 cans, dump the contents in a casserole, and put it on the table.  She never cooked when anyone died.  Hell, she barely cooked for us!

Life-long north Texan here and I've never heard of the green bean dish referred to as funeral beans. In fact, I never had the infamous green bean casserole until I was probably in my 40s. However, in my circle, I am familiar with a dish called funeral potatoes which would probably cause your funeral if you ate enough of it. It is something ridiculous like thawed hash browns, mushroom soup, tons of cheese, crushed potato chips and I think drizzled with melted butter. How anyone ever came up with the idea of that dish is beyond me....probably a cardiologist.

[autumnh]

I am 50 come January....I was widowed at age 23 in Brooklyn, NY...I am Irish Catholic and my late husband was jewish....everyone brought food...from Boars Head cold Cut trays with salads, breads..italian pastries, cookies...to the jewish knishes, matzo ball soup, matzo brei, challah, bagels & lox...you name....as sad as it is...funeral food is varied and well...even in mourning? delicious.

[vera charles]

I grew up in Western Maryland and both of my parents are from West Virginia. I think taking food to people after a death in the family is done all over the country, but especially in smaller towns where everybody knows each other. My mother has perfected a chocolate cake with ganache icing and the church ladies ask her to make one and bring it to any after-funeral luncheon that they serve. In our family, we call it Funeral Cake.

 

Also, I never heard of that green been casserole until they started advertising it on TV. I can honestly say I've never tasted it and I don't ever want to. The amount of salt in that thing? It makes me thirsty just thinking about it.

[Quof]

1.  VeraCharles, can I have that cake even if no one dies?

2.  Casseroles are icky, we received a whole lot of them when my father died.  I wasn't eating anything made with ingredients I couldn't identify. When a co-worker's father died, his huge family arrived from out of town.  Co-workers cooked whole turkeys, hams, etc, and delivered them to the house with bread, rolls, and other sandwich fixings.   Those who couldn't cook gave money to those who couldn't necessarily afford such a large expense, and they did the cooking.

3.  I've always heard the most practical thing to go take to a household with a recent death, and hosting a number of family members, is paper plates, garbage bags, and toilet paper.  They can always send out for food, but they often don't have these staples in large quantities.