Never-Fail Biscuits and Strawberry Freezer Jam

Jammin’ Biscuits

My grandmother was a canner. Growing up, I remember every summer she would can her tomatoes and the fresh peaches that she picked herself in Brentwood. She also made an incredible blackberry jam from the bramble I once fell into as a child. (No es bueno.) Alas, that recipe has been lost. I’ve looked for it everywhere, but I am starting to think that she didn’t have it written down—and made it from memory. Gam did it the old school way, too, with melted wax on top of the jam. So good…

I started canning about 8 years ago, mainly because the apricot tree in the backyard of our old house produced so many apricots one year that I had to do something. I just couldn’t bring myself to throw them out. I brought some here to the store to share, but even that didn’t put a dent in the quantity. So I made jam. Lots of it. I was hooked on canning.

In the following years, I kept making jam, but I also started making pickles and chutneys and also canning the tomatoes from my garden. When those crops were exceptionally big I made salsas and tomato sauces. It was work, but tasting the flavor of my summer tomatoes in January made the hard, hot work worth it.

This year, sadly, I won’t be doing much canning or preserving— at least not as much as in previous summers for two reasons. The first is I don’t have a garden. With the water restrictions, I decided it just wasn’t worth planting a big garden and fighting that battle. The second reason is I just don’t have time. For the next five weeks, there is something going on every weekend, sometimes more than one event. I barely know what day it is most of the time.

I can’t just not do anything, so I’m going the quick and easy route. Freezer jam is great and you can do it if you find a free hour. (For me, that’s midnight). We are crazy for strawberry jam in my house—especially when you spoon it on warm, fresh (and really quick!) biscuits. Yum…

Strawberry Freezer Jam
Makes about 5 (8 oz) half pints
Adapted from FreshPreserving.com, the Ball website Read more…

Singapore Sling

Travelin’ Man

I used to think that the people who got to travel overseas for work had it pretty good. Not only did they go to other countries and experience other cultures, they got to do it on the company dime. I had a very “Pan-Am” picture in my mind. I now realize international business travel is not as fun or glamorous as it sounds. Though I have not personally experienced it, my husband has, and does, and is currently in Asia. I get to experience it from the other side, and I think I like my side better.

I will admit that I do get a little jealous knowing that he is enjoying maid service and a quiet hotel room—while I am fighting to get the kids to take a shower while loading the dishwasher. And if he is enjoying a gourmet meal while I am dishing up some mac and cheese that’s cool ‘cause he’ll be ready to jump back in to the fray once he gets back, right?

For the next two weeks, my main squeeze will be traveling. During that time, he will be on six different flights and visit five different countries. While that may sound jet-setting, there will be very little down time (sightseeing and maybe jewelry shopping for his awesome wife). His days will be filled with meeting after meeting, and his nights with client dinners, drinking and the occasional Karaoke event. That kind of fun can wear on a guy. He will arrive home exhausted and wrung out with plenty of laundry. For a couple of days after his arrival, he will not be functioning normally—which is fantastic because that next morning, we have to be on the road early for a softball tournament.

Ah, the glamorous life…

Right now, he is in Singapore. Tomorrow it’s Hong Kong. For me? I think I’ll have one of these in his honor…

Singapore Sling

Amy’s Roast Chicken

Bird Is The Word

Most years I try to make an effort to put together a traditional dinner for Passover since my husband is technically Jewish—I say technically because while he may have been born into the Jewish faith, he does not practice it. I am more into it than he is; mainly because I love the food and the lore. For dinner I make foods that are in keeping with the traditions. We don’t do the whole Seder.

This year it’s going to be a struggle to do anything, but for a good reason. We’re heading on vacation for spring break. I like a keeping in touch with your roots as much as the next guy but frankly, sand, sun, and pool-side cocktails will trump that every time…so will the amount of laundry I have to get done in order to get everyone packed and ready.

This year’s Passover celebration will be simple. Very simple. I’m going with a roasted chicken. Roasting a chicken is one of the easiest things you can do for dinner, and you can roast multiple chickens on a basic sheet pan. (I always do two. One for dinner, and the other for sandwiches, tacos etc,) Of all the things I have taught my kids about cooking, this recipe is the most important one. As long as they can roast a chicken, they will be able to feed themselves.

I like to rub my chicken with olive oil and chopped fresh herbs, but you can do whatever you want. Rubbing your favorite spice blend all over the chicken is a no-brainer. Sometimes I put a lemon with the ends cut off into the cavity, other times I do the same with a head of garlic that has had the top cut off. The possibilities are limitless. Feel free to experiment as you see fit.

Amy’s Roast Chicken
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Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart

Bon Anniversaire
Last Sunday my mother turned 70. (She’s going to love that I published that.) Since this is one of those big birthdays we, of course, had to do something big to mark the occasion. So, as per usual in my family, we ate. We ate very well. And we drank. We drank very very well. (The French do know their way around fermented grape juice.)

Since I was hosting the soiree, I decided that it would be fun to do a “70 in Paris” theme so we had the Eiffel Tower centerpiece on the dining table and everything we ate and drank was French. We even tried to speak in French but, well, at least we tried…

There were a number of tasty items on the menu including gougeres (cheese puffs), a wonderful country pate (my son took it in his lunch as a sandwich the next day…um, okay?), a bacon, egg and asparagus salad (perfect for this time of year) and a few other bacon and butter laden offerings to round things out. Vive La France!

While it was all super tasty (yay me!) I think by far everyone’s favorite dish was the Crispy, Crackly Apple Almond Tart. I noticed more than one person sneaking back for a second slice, and not all of the thieves were under five feet tall.

I first made this was for our cookbook club last month. It was a big hit. It’s a little tricky if you aren’t accustomed to using filo dough, but I have to say that it was easier this time around. So easy in fact, that my 8 year-old daughter buttered and sugared all of the layers on her own. It’s spreading the almond cream that takes patience so that you don’t rip the filo.

Add a little scoop of ice cream (I recommend Talenti Salted Caramel gelato—it will make your mouth happy), and you have a simple, but oh-so-good, and definitely oh-so-French, dessert.

This Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart can be served warm or at room temperature. I like to serve it a room temperature so that I can make it ahead of time. It would be a perfect addition to any Spring brunch buffet table. And, it makes for a wonderful breakfast when paired with a cafe au lait…

Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
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