Category: Cooking and Eating

Share Your Stained Pages

Stained Page News is the best name for a newsletter all about cookbooks. You can click the link to learn more about SPN but I subscribed when my friend Joanne told me about her daughter’s friend , Paula Forbes, writing all about cookbooks. She’s had a lot of experience critiquing cookbooks.

I love cookbooks. Reading them. Thinking about what you can cook or bake. Trying something new. I probably have too many of them. My sister sends me funny ones. Now we Google snd search online but it’s wonderful to have a cookbook in hand poring over the possibilities. Favorite recipes cooked often show signs of the cooking right on the page.

Hence Stained Page News.

I was baking from a favorite recipe today (spoiler alert cousin Chris) and saw this stained page. it’s that time of year -I thought it might be interesting to see other contributions of your stained page. Email me your favorite stained page and anything you want us to know about the recipe. Rutheh (at) gmail (dot)com and I’ll post a gallery.

I’m compiling family recipes as a Pandemic project snd hope to make a little book.

Swedish Limpa Bread recipe must have met up with some molasses. One of my favorite things to eat with extra sharp cheddar cheese.

In the meantime head over to Stained Page News .

This Ginger Snaps Recipe just in from Pam in Massachusetts. An excellent Stained Page. know they taste good too. Thanks Pam for the first contribution to the gallery. “
Pamela Hinckley: This was written out for me by my grandmother nearly 50 years ago”
“This is the kids’ favorite banana bread recipe. Everyone has asked for it after they left hone” from Linda in Massachusetts
hi Ruth, This is my Mom’s delicious creamy chocolate sauce that she always had in a double boiler on the stove when we showed up for a visit. It was generously poured over french vanilla ice cream. Joe and Ann still talk about it. Her unique handwriting was known by all. Love, Tookie

From Donna D,

Here are a couple of my stained pages.
1. This stained page is my recipe for making a gingerbread house. I’ve been making this recipe and pattern since the little girl in the photo was 4. I think I only missed one year. The recipe is faded and stained and I might need to re-type it. But I just sent a photocopy and the pattern pieces to my daughter, who is the little one in the photo. She is now 36 and it’s time for her to start making it with her own little ones.
2. Not sure if this qualified for a “stained page” but this is one of the first cookbooks (1973 ediiton) I bought in order to learn to cook. First lesson: don’t put your cookbook on the stove when following a recipe. Same goes for cutting

“Not sure if this qualified for a “stained page” but this is one of the first cookbooks (1973 edition) I bought in order to learn to cook.

First lesson: don’t put your cookbook on the stove when following a recipe.

Same goes for cutting board” from Joanne in Florida

Ann’s mother’s Chocolate Mousse Pie
Thanks Janet.
by Categories: Cooking and Eating, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 11 Comments

Two Longtime Friends Cook Modern Comfort Food Guest Blog

Watercolor by Joanne -Applesauce Cake with Bourbon Raisins baked by Colleen

Joanne writes from Florida:

So …. one day last month I was on the phone catching up with my friend Colleen who lives in Nova Scotia.  As we were talking about her new cookbook purchase, Ina Garten’s “Modern Comfort Food“, my doorbell rang and a package was delivered.  I opened it while talking and it was a copy of the same book!  What are the odds?  My dear friend Ruth had sent it as a surprise.  Colleen and I decided we would each pick some recipes to try out and share our results.  Here are the photos of our month-long project.  Fun and nice way to keep in touch.  Overall we both agree that Ina Garten’s recipes are easy to prepare and almost always turn out looking exactly like her descriptions and photos. 

We’re looking forward to trying out another cookbook author soon.”

Colleen cooked:
Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spaghetti Squash with Arrabbiata Sauce
Seared Salmon with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli
Applesauce Cake with Bourbon Raisins

Applesauce Cake with Bourbon Raisins
Joanne cooked:
Brussels Sprouts Pizza Carbonara

Brussels Sprouts Pizza Carbonara
Fresh Zucchini with Lemon and Mint
Roasted Sausages, Peppers and Onions
Joanne has been featured with Tea Bag Art and recently the zucchini as cucumber confused produce sign
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Apple Butter Season

Apple butter. No butter involved. My sister’s idea. First time making it. Three kinds of apples. Ten hours in the slow cooker. House smelled great.
Recipe– reduce sugar called for

Immersion blender smoothed it out. All those apples cooked down to four jars.

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Summer Supper

The recipe from my Clarion PA neighbor, Nell Miller, was called Poor Man Meatballs.

No meat was involved.

Take 3 zucchini and grate or use food processor. Tip bowl to let moisture run off and discard. Get zucchini as dry as you can.

Add an egg

and about 3/4 c Italian Bread crumbs. Add a minced garlic clove or two

Salt and pepper let sit a few minutes. Form in patties.

Sauté in olive oil ‘til brown on both sides. Cast iron skillet works wonderfully. Freshly grated Parmesan is always welcome

A little heavy on the crumbs this batch. Zucchini can be so wet, drain off what liquid you can.
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Chef Sam Teaches Us to Make Pasta

Tuesday at the Senior Center, Stephen Foster Community Center, in Lawrenceville. Pasta Making Class taught by Chef Sam , some hand cut and some hand cranked through Pasta Machine. Three different sauces, all delicious.

 

Selfie on timer- Here I am sporting pasta apron my friend Vincie bought in Italy.

It was so much fun today . Thanks Chef Sam.

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Vegetable Ratatouille Moussaka by Chef Sam

Last week’s cooking class by Chef Sam.

He makes the most delicious dishes. In addition to the oven roasted vegetables he prepared a fresh tomato sauce and a béchamel sauce and added Parmesan cheese then baked hot 45 minutes with shredded mozzarella on top.

I was watching and missed photographing a few steps. Stay tuned for this week’s class with a complete photographic essay.

Bruschetta toasted with sundried tomatoes and butter on a sliced Sourdough loaf was served alongside the main dish.

You might have seen Chef Sam on the blog in May making Lentil  cheeseburgers and Caesar salad https://rutheh.com/2019/05/16/chef-sam-cooks/

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Ceiling Twinkle Lights in Spoons

Ceiling twinkle lights captured in the spoons. There were four of us at lunch.  Even though the waitress brought plenty of spoons, the other three diners demurred and I ate this flan solo.

Two Sisters Vietnamese Restaurant on North Highland Avenue.

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Summer Squash Sauce, Arugula and Parmesan

A couple of yellow squash and a zucchini sautéed in olive oil with onion and garlic- sprinkled with fresh Parmesan on top of a bed of arugula and pasta.  Olives, sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella on the side .

The tastes of summer.

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