Sean's Scrapbook

[Dr. Sean Neville]

In the last couple of years, Sean chose to take up scrapbooking. Unlike his journals, he does this for fun, not from habit or to keep track of his days. It's a nice creative outlet.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Mama B's rugelach recipe




Yield
Makes about 44 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam
1 cup loosely packed golden raisins, chopped
1 1/4 cups walnuts (1/4 lb), finely chopped
Milk for brushing cookies
Special equipment: parchment paper; a small offset spatula



Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten (in wrap) into a roughly 7- by 5-inch rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of a 1- to 1 1/2-inch-deep large shallow baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out remaining piece into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment, then transfer to a tray and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray.

Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon.

Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 cup preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup raisins and a rounded 1/4 cup walnuts over jam, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar.

Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam side down, in lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Make 3 more logs in same manner and arrange 1 inch apart in pan. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make 3/4-inch-deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1-inch intervals. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firmer, 20 to 30 minutes.)

Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board and slice cookies all the way through.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Josh took this one morning while testing out his new cell phone.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Tickets from dates Josh and I went on over the years.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

If I ever buy a houseboat, I want one with a floor plan similar to this.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Simon and Garfunkel's Studio Albums Ranked


1. Bookends (1968)

2. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966)

3. Sounds of Silence (1966)

4. Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)

5. Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (1964)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Grilled Pimento Cheese Recipe (from scratch)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup shredded best-quality sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup real mayonnaise, plus more for grilling
1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimentos, drained
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
12 slices brioche bread, lightly toasted


Directions

Pulse the cheese, mayo, pimentos and cayenne in the food processor until just combined. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Spread some additional mayo on 1 side of each slice of toasted bread. Arrange 6 slices, mayo-side down, on a clean work surface. Place 2 heaping tablespoons pimento cheese evenly on the 6 slices of bread and top with the remaining 6 slices of bread, mayo-side facing up.

In a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, cook 3 sandwiches until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt, about 3 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining 3 sandwiches.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup with Chicken

SERVES 6-8 | ACTIVE TIME 25 Min | TOTAL TIME 25 Min

6 slices thick cut bacon
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground chile de arbol (to taste)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup beer, Belgian style wheat beer (Blue Moon)
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
chives
croutons

Warm an 8 quart pot over high heat. Using clean scissors; cut bacon into pot. Cook bacon until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite size pieces.

Remove bacon from pan and place on a plate. Add chicken into bacon grease to cook. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken onto plate with bacon.

Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to pan drippings. Whisk in flour and spices. Add beer, broth and half & half. Whisk to combine and bring to a bubble. Add cheese whisk to combine, stir until you have a smooth mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce, chicken and bacon. Stir to combine.

Allow to simmer until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with chives and croutons. Enjoy!

[Dr. Sean Neville]

A lazy morning in bed.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Apple Pie Recipe (For Josh)


PASTRY:

3/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
scant tsp salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon lard
4 Tablespoons Crisco shortening
large pinch Rumford Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon buttermilk powder OR:
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar ADDED TO:
5-7 Tablespoons ice water
one stick plus 1/3 stick butter, frozen in advance

FILLING:

10 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
sprinkle of mace (optional)
sprinkle of vanilla
lemon juice
Flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot for thickening

Preheat oven to 400°F, then reduce to 375°F after pie is in the oven.

Combine dry ingredients. Mix together Crisco and lard in metal bowl. Sprinkle with flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove butter from freezer and slice into 1/2 inch chunks. Add to bowl. Work butter and shortenings together into flour with fingers or a pastry blender, leaving large chunks, the size of walnuts. The purpose is to coat the butter particles with flour, but not to allow the butter or shortenings to melt. Do not overwork the mixture.

Add the lemon juice or vinegar to ice water and stir quickly into dry ingredients. Mix briefly, less than 45 seconds, leave large unincorporated pockets of butter and shortening. If mixture is beginning to melt, refrigerate briefly.

Gather mixture together into a flat disc, approximately 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or up to 2 days. Freeze if you want to reserve longer than 2 days. The half hour rest is necessary so that the dough will become easier to roll out. The buttermilk powder and/or lemon juice also helps relax the dough and prevent gluten, which can make for a tough crust.

NOTE: For a flakier pie crust, reserve 1/3 stick of butter and slice lengthwise, 1/8 inch thick. Place strips of butter onto dough and then fold into thirds before refrigerating for half hour resting period.

For the filling, use a combination of different types of apples. The best combination consists of mostly Granny Smith apples and a few Cortland types. The Granny Smith apples retain their shape when cooked and provide tartness and flavor. Meanwhile, the Cortland apples cook down into applesauce.

Mix the nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon with the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar with a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Work the butter and 2 Tablespoons flour or other thickener into the sugar. Slice the apples into thin wedges and place apples into pre-rolled out and fitted pie crust, packing apples in tightly, since they will cook down significantly. Mound apples higher in center. Sprinkle over the apples the juice of 1/2 lemon, then sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture over the apples evenly.

Roll out and place top crust, fluting edges to seal tightly and creating several vent holes to allow steam to escape.

Brush top of crust with a mixture of one egg white and one tablespoon of water or with a little cream. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Variation: One method of making a nice base for your apple pie is to peel a portion of the apples, placing the skins, cores, lemon peels, cinnamon sticks, and fresh grated ginger, into a saucepan with sugar and half cup of water or apple juice. Simmer over low heat for about an hour and strain, reserving the liquid. Thicken 1/2 cup of the strained liquid with 1-2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot and cool. Add 1/4 tsp vanilla, the sliced and peeled apples, and pour into the pie shell. This is a nice variation when you don't have cortland apples to mix in with the granny smiths because it keeps the pie from being too dry. The liquid is enough for one 10-inch pie about 4 inches tall at center. Adjust according to your pie size.

Bake about 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Josh's glasses don't look as good on me as they do on him.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Bernstein Noodle Kugel Recipe (Courtesy of Mama B)

Ingredients

1/2 pound wide kosher for Passover egg noodles
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 pound cottage cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Boil the noodles in salted water for about 4 minutes. Strain noodles from water. In a large mixing bowl, combine noodles with remaining ingredients and pour into a greased, approximately 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bake until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

This is the seder plate I had made for Josh's birthday and Passover a couple of years ago.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Brisket and Potatoes


Ingredients: for 8-10 hungry people plus leftovers

1 6-8 pound brisket, kosher and/or antibiotic, hormone free

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2-3 stalks celery with leaves, coarsely chopped

2-3 carrots, coarsely chopped

2-3 cloves peeled garlic, whole

2 bay leaves

2-3 branches of rosemary

2-3 stems of fresh thyme (if you have)

5-6 fresh basil leaves (if you have)

1/2 bottle wine (an oaked chardonnay or medium bodied red like chianti or whatever leftover wine you have in the kitchen)

1 28 oz. can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes

Homemade or store bought chicken broth (if needed for more liquid, or just more wine- you want brisket to be just about covered with liquid)

salt- about 2 very generous teaspoons

extra virgin olive oil

5 or 6 russet potatoes, quartered



The day or two before:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat a dutch oven over a medium flame. When hot add olive oil.

Put the brisket in on one side to brown a few minutes and then turn to brown on the other side. (One side will have a lot of fat and you are trying to brown the fat-less parts if any.)

Remove brisket and set aside.

If there is too much melted fat for your taste, remove a little before continuing.

Put in onions and cook until translucent.

Put the brisket back in fat side up.

Top with the carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, and basil.

The next step can get messy but its fun. If you prefer, use a knife or a neater system. Take out the tomatoes, one by one, and crush using your hand. Watch out for spurting juice. Pour in all juices from can.

Add wine (and broth if you feel necessary to mostly cover meat.)

Sprinkle generously with salt.

Cover well and stick in oven for 4-5 hours or longer at an even lower temperature.

Go take a walk and a nap.

When your brisket cuts itself with a fork, it is done.

Take out of oven and let sit to cool a bit.

Take brisket out of juices and let cool completely. When cool, refrigerate it covered.

In the meantime put the potatoes in the juice of the brisket in dutch oven and put on stove, covered, over medium flame, until potatoes are soft and cooked.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Save all brisket juices.



Next Day:

Once cold, use a knife to slice off all the fat from the brisket. Then slice the brisket against the grain into ¼ inch slices. Place “in order” in a casserole dish fit for the oven. Add potatoes if there is room or put potatoes in separate casserole dish.

If you think the brisket juices should be thicker, boil them down a bit on the stove. Then when cool, you can cover the meat and potatoes with the sauce.

Refrigerate until ready to use.



Day of:

When you are ready to serve, you can heat up the brisket in one of two ways.

Place potatoes and meat in casserole dishes and cover VERY well in heavy duty aluminum foil or double wrapped in regular foil, and bake on 350 for almost an hour until brisket and potatoes are well heated through. Place on serving platter, top with remaining juice and serve.

Keep everything in the dutch oven you baked it in and heat on stove on medium low or in the oven at 350 for one hour.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe




Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 pound Corned-Beef Brisket*, recipe follows
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 pound diced carrots, approximately 4 small
1/2 pound diced onions, approximately 2 small
1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped, approximately 3 medium
1/4 pound diced celery, approximately 2 stalks
1 small head cabbage, chopped, approximately 2 pounds
Corned Beef:
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons saltpeter
1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
12 whole juniper berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds ice
1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed
1 small onion, quartered
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped


Directions

*Cook's note: Brisket should be prepared through the brining stage, but not cooked.

Place the corned beef, pepper, allspice, bay leaves and salt into a large 8-quart pot along with 3-quarts of water. Cover and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low and cook, at a low simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours add the carrots, onions, potatoes and celery. Return to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add the cabbage and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately.
Corned Beef:

Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: approximately 3 hours

Inactive Prep Time: 10 days