GCC: Menu 10 - Turkey a la King, Spinach Timbale and Kasha Pilaf

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I been so bad with my Gutsy Cook line up.  I totally missed most of the menus for November, which was really, really bad in my book.  But, I’m back!

This weeks menu comes to us compliments of Raymond from Your Just Desserts.  He totally choose a retro menu, as soon as I read it, it reminded me of a dinner a la 70’s.  Not bad.  The original recipe called for Turkey, and I totally see why he choose to this right after November - Even thought, he did write it as “Chicken a la King” which is one of the variations of the recipe.  I’m sure people may still be eating left over turkey and if not chicken is a good replacement.

I did not have left over turkey, but that is what the deli section at the supermarket is for so, I sent Tom off with a list and ask that he comes back with a block of cooked turkey breast.

Then it was time to cook this up. 

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HCB: Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake

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Rose writes on this recipe that this cake is “wondrously soft, light, and deeply chocolaty.

Check! Check! and Check!

This cake is all that.  Perfect because its easy to make, easy to decorate, easy to served and the most important easy of all? To eat.

Which was perfect for me, since I been sick with a nasty cold since Thursday, compliments of our wonderful temperamental weather here in Florida - for the past 4 days - we had 40, 30 and 80 degree weather all in one day.  Perfect situation to catch a cold and make life just a little bit hard.

So I was not looking forward to complicated baking.  In fact I was not looking forward to being in my kitchen period.

But, when you are sick you crave comfort food and for some inexplicable reason, I craved chocolate cake. So it was my luck that I could actually whipped this up in not time at all.

There is nothing complicated about making it.  I don’t remember if this is in the Quick and Easy section of the book - it may not be, because there is a complicated sidebar of instructions in of how to make the marzipan candle.

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Sweet Kitchen Tips 16

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Have you ever scorch a pan when using it for steaming something?  You totally walked away and easily let the pan run out of water, causing a very dangerous situation.  Here is a good tip to help you remember.  Before cooking, place a few glass marbles at the bottom of the pan, add the water and the steamer basket, cover and cook as usual.  When he water level drops too low, the marbles will begin to rattle around and the noise will remind you that it’s time to add more water to the pan.

How about if you want that pot of water to boil faster? Unless you have a new stove with the wonders of a quick boil burner, you are out of luck.  Specially if you are trying to bring a large pot of water to boil.  This one I learned from my nana.  She would add a spoon to the pot of water to be boil.  And by magic, the water would boil faster. I have tested this many times and the pot with the spoon in it will ALWAYS begin to boil faster.

So, it’s hot - but, now you want it to chill it faster?  Most of us make soups and stew and then would like to store it for the next day.  But, we need to bring it to room temperature before we can store it in the refrigerator.  How about a beverage bottle to your rescue? Yes, fill a beverage bottle with water, seal it and freeze it.  When you need to quick chill that soup/stew, use the frozen bottle to stir the soup or stew in the pot; the ice inside the bottle will cool down the soup/stew rapidly without diluting it.