Episode 110: Simple Dinner Party

A dinner party right in this moment in time looks very different than it did just two months ago. Yet we’re celebrating 110 episodes because of all you, dear listeners. Doing this podcast has always been a joy and sharing it, especially now, is a light for us. In order to properly celebrate we do have a cake! But no eggs, milk, or butter that sometimes is in short supply. We also have a light, pantry friendly chickpea flour pancake that can be dressed up for dinner or eaten in one hand watching TV. Plus, we’re finally putting Betsy’s celery salad in the spotlight. Trust us, you don’t want to wait as long as Kate did to make it. Whether you’re home or out doing the essential work we all need, thank you for listening. We’ll keep celebrating together as long as you’ll have us!

You can find all of the links to the recipes cooked and reviewed on this show on our website:
http://dinnersisters.com/2020/04/13/episode-110-simple-dinner-party/

Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
I think. 110 of the Dinner Sisters podcast for two sisters. Taking on the nightly challenge of dinner, I'm Heat Schultz, living and working in Rhode Island. A passionate cook and recipe collector always thinking about my next meal.

spk_1:   0:19
I'm Betsy Wallace. I live work and raise a family in Atlanta, Georgia. I loved in her time but can always use help planning and cooking for my family of five. I've got three kids. They are 58 and 10. We have a birthday coming up. Zoom, you're so yeah,

spk_0:   0:36
yeah, our goal. This podcast. We want to cook a little better, learn a little bit about food and, most importantly, figure out what the hat tech to have for dinner seven million times. Here's how this works. In Case even noticed, it's Episode 1 10 So it is a dinner party episode, which means we d'oh! Something a little different, with some recipes that kind of celebrate the fact that we made it. 10 more episodes and I've gotten those recipes from all over the Web and just here to share them with you. So we have the recipes, tips, smorgasbord and our shopping list always on the website at dinner sisters dot com, and you can get them sent directly to your inbox by subscribing to re newsletter. If you're the type of personal likes to, you know, check things out before you dig in. Okay,

spk_1:   1:22
Kate said. This week's recipes for our dinner party were soca from Jean Henshaw on Food 52 Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds and Parmesan from Bon Appetit and Wacky Cake With Cocoa. Coffee Glaze by Jenny Eats

spk_0:   1:37
Somebody I have to admit this is a challenge Oven episode to think about a dinner party in the midst, middle of a pandemic. How do we do this? I was torn between finding something that, like it was a big project, right? You could cook all day since we're whole home anyway. The fact you know, on the other hand, we really shouldn't be shopping. So I didn't want to do something that was like, He's unusual ingredients. I know. And maybe you're not home years is essential worker, and you're very busy. So I settled on a super simple main dish that could begin a dressed up or you can eat it, as is your famous salad. Now e mean It's your salad at this point and a cake that needs no dairy or eggs at all. Still, flour, though I e can't help you there,

spk_1:   2:21
Kate. I life the way you put this together, and I agree that it was just It's just kind of tough to think about because we're all in such different situations. Some of us are very busy. Some of us are on the opposite end of the spectrum and feeling just claustrophobic and stuck at home. No one really has the same kind of ingredients. It's just funny. So I thought this one worked really well, is a little bit flexible. And even if you don't have some, the ingredients maybe give me some ideas for when we're all out in about a little bit more.

spk_0:   2:53
Thank you. Okay, so the first recipe of the episode is soca or foreign Otta from Jean Henshaw on Food 52. And if you listen to one Episode 102 and heard us talk about beasts and Sheila or tomato omelet. This is actually really similar. It is just the French version or telling inversion of the same thing. So it's a thin, flat chickpea flour pancake. But instead of making on the stovetop, this version has you bake it in the oven. And apparently, if you go to certain parts of France and you could eat cooked outside on a copper pan, Betsy, she sounds amazing. It's like street food, though. You'll get a chunk of S E C. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it sounds fancy because it's like copper and French and everything, but it's definitely like a snack food, which I was like, That sounds really great. You know me. And I love a fancy thing, s so this is kind of trying to approximate that in the oven. And so, basically, you make this thin batter, then you bake it in a preheated pan. Uh, maybe a cast iron or something like that. And if you like, you can finish the top with the broiler. It's a toasty, nicely dense pancake with a creamy interior, and for toppings, you could do anything that your heart desires. So to make it all you have to do is the lend up one cup of chickpea flour, one cup of or so of water, some olive oil, salt and pepper, and you mix until it's a thick ish like pancake batter essentially, and you pour it into a preheated cast iron skillet. Bake it at 4 50 until it's nice and brown around the edges and then broil it for five minutes until it's nice and toasty on top. That's it. You can slice it up, and like I said, anything you want to put on top. I saw all of top knot. I saw cheeses, ham kind of savory things the most often. So let's see. How do you like this? Have this go? I

spk_1:   4:53
We really did like this. So you and I had to talk about it because we I don't have cast iron pans. And so I was wondering what the best way to a purchase was. And I ended up doing in my Dutch oven, and I thought it worked really well cause I could reheat it and then, uh, I preheated it took it out for the olive oil in it, like it said. And then at the end, it just kind of flipped out. I had no problems getting it out, which was great.

spk_0:   5:19
Oh, great. Yeah, well, concerned about that when you said it was like, ooh, boy.

spk_1:   5:23
Yeah, I didn't have any. Just, like, kind of came right out, which was really, really nice. I do think I overcooked mine a bit because it didn't have the creaminess in the interior. So if I make it again, which I probably well, I might err on the side of undercooking just based on the based on the instructions. That said, if you're not gonna broil it, which I wasn't going to because I had it in that big Dutch oven. Yeah, I'm leaving in for another five minutes, and I think I would have just taken it out a little bit earlier. But generally, I thought this was really was great. And we kind of I used a pizza cutter in, just just sliced it up into wedges, and I had a little like roasted fish that next I had it from the freezer. And then I had read, I think, actually, Megan Spawn from didn't I just feed you has a recipe on the kitchen for this also, because when I was yes, I was heading around, I was poking around looking to see if anyone had done this in a Dutch oven. Thio and she said that sometimes she f b this as like to her family as a snack with Cem drizzled honey and butter. So I did. Oh, try that. And they thought that was fantastic. So I mean, that sounds really good. Yeah. Would you What did you think about this?

spk_0:   6:42
I guess I just really love a chickpea pancake when it comes down to it. Yeah, like this is really good. You know, this is not a time to skimp on olive oil or salt. That's the only thing that seasoning this severe the type of person is like, maybe shouldn't put as much olive oil in it. Just just live your best life. You know, that is its other. It's gonna get super bland of the ways I had a plane with a salary salad on the side, which was delicious, so good. And then I had some extra. James wasn't super into it. So the next day I had it for lunch, and I kind of made like a grilled cheese out of it. Oh, yeah, that was good. Yeah, kind of toasted in the saute pan. She's in the middle like mozzarella cheese because it's I have the house, you know, and toasted on both sides. That was also really good. You know, it's like a pseudo carby comfort food with also giving. Sees some nutrition, which I like, you know, my go. Well, this is a great idea, honestly to you. I know ice have seen chickpea flour over regular wheat flour in the grocery store and online. So I used to Bob's Red Mill brand, which you can also sometimes find in the gluten free baking section of the store. Or you can order it online. I know that's one of those things. So this is really good. I liked it. I liked that it was flexible. Say five out of five for me. How about you?

spk_1:   8:10
Yeah, I'm leaving in a 45. I them I guess I would have to make it again because it did use that. Well, maybe I should not rated. I don't I didn't use the correct pan, but I just would caution anyone to not overcook it because they're not. I did end up kind of try. And so there you go. I mean, I don't know. Take from that what you will. All right, let's move on to The second recipe, which is salary cellos, dates almonds in her john from Food 50

spk_0:   8:39
two. The salad is exactly what the title says, so it is eight stocks of celery that are sliced diagonally into kind of finish pieces. Then you chop up six states and throw those in the bowl with a celery. Meanwhile, you're roasting 1/4 cup of almonds in the oven. You let him cool and then roughly choppy through before throwing them in the bowl with the restless salad. Sultan pepper the mix, and then you squeeze over that two tablespoons of lemon. Toss it gently and then next you just drizzle over 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and add in some shaved Parmesan. Toss it again, you know gently. See, didn't bring the Parmesan up too much, and that's it. It is this crunchy, fresh, a little bit of the dates for sweetness salad. But say you have been like the ambassador for the celery salad for weeks, and I, for some reason was not making it. I finally given, and I regret all the time I've lost so good. Zuber Crunchy, super fresh, you know, tell us. That's he. Tell us about your celery salad.

spk_1:   9:47
Yeah. This is for those things that I think I might have to back off soon because I'm thinking it so much we're gonna we're gonna overdo it. And I joked in the facebooker, but that my kids are going to say, Well, this is the salad that Mom made during covert 19. Stop making bad with dates. Yeah, I just love it because I almost always his salary in the fridge for things like ants on a log and just easy salads. And then I keep in my pantry. Almost have always have dates and then nuts. Some kind of nuts. So I have made this with, like, chopped want IDs. I've made it with smoked almonds. A couple weeks ago when I was cooking for the open table. We're sorry over relation. I made these smoked almond crackers for that. And so I got 1/2 a bag of smoked almonds. Look for that. And that's such a big kind of flavor that I don't put too many of them at all. Kind of chop them up and put this in the salad. I'll tell you a few times when we've had a heavy dinner. Right? And I have just had the celery salad for breakfast with some hot coffee. You told me that that's that's bold. It's a bold morning move. But you know what? In these times, sometimes you feel like you're not walking around a whole lot. Maybe, Yeah. Just make something that makes you feel like you had a crunchy, healthy, fresh start in the morning. Uh, and it kind of hits that with the sweet, sweet and salty and crunchy. It's delicious. Anyways, celery, sell it any time of day. I would recommend it. I have this recipe to everyone. I talk Thio. I love it. Yeah, yeah,

spk_0:   11:26
yeah. Like sometimes I feel a bit like a recipe, Billy and I feel like this is one of those times where I'm like, Yes, I understand. Betsy understands this. You find something that works so well and you're like, No guys, Everyone needs to make this. And I feel the same way this salad is going in my permanent rotation so good and it, like, so easy to make. And it just was, like, interesting to eat. I don't know how else to put it where you're just like, oh, kept in the fridge pretty well for me. You know, eight sticks of salaries is a lot of celery. And so it was a ton of veggies at once, and I just wanted to keep eating it. You know, when you're not I don't know. Sometimes it's hard to eat healthier foods right now, and it's a good one, you know, five out of five, But see, like triple gold stars, five out of five. Great call. Love it.

spk_1:   12:12
Yeah, thanks. And obviously, this is a five out of five stars for me, like All star recipe here. Okay, let's move on. Last recipe. The week is wacky cake with cocoa cocoa coffee glazed by Jenny Eats.

spk_0:   12:28
Yeah, So I wanted to find a dessert that left out many of the ingredients that maybe we're trying to conserve a little bit. At first I was trying to go flourless, but then added, I pivoted to egg Andy aerialists. And in my house, we're just going through those faster. So apologies, if that's not the case for you. Um, but this is a great one. If you're trying not to use something eggs for baking, but you mean you want to make scrambled eggs in the morning? Ah, this cake was invented in the Depression. So the story goes, So you're there trying not to use expensive ingredients like butter like eggs and that sort of thing. And it's wacky because doesn't use any of those ingredients. The writer of this particular recipe, founded in a cookbook called Favorite Recipes From Faith Lutheran Church Women in Akron, Ohio, date unknown, and it's better May Iran's Meet Ramsey's recipe. So better me. Thanks for the cake recipe. To make it you sift together cocoa powder, flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Poke three wells into the mixture like make little holes and fill one with vinegar, one with oil and one with vanilla. Pour water over the whole thing and mix until it's relatively smooth, poured into a greased baking pan and bake for about 1/2 number. The glaze, which is added on the cake is cool is a mix of coffee, powdered sugar, cocoa and a little bit of half and half. Just to make it horrible, you spread it all over the cake for fairly thick, please, and you let the glaze set and eat. That's it. You've got a chocolate cake. No eggs or butter. How did everyone like it? Betsy.

spk_1:   14:01
So I like this. Ryan liked it. The kids were not. They could pick up on that coffee taste. Uh, I'm not sure. They just saw me make it. I don't know. Sometimes it just they were and I don't know, less enthusiastic about it. But, I mean, I thought it was delicious and an easy cake, which was fun to make. And I like there's not using eggs because honestly exists. Um, eggs are something that I am having a little bit of an issue with. So, yeah, that was helpful for me. I still have. I made this cake yesterday because even though I have an infinite amount of time, I still seem t o uh, yeah. Say I'm not using my time wisely. I don't know. S o. I still have a lot left that. I'm gonna have some coffee this afternoon, I think.

spk_0:   14:53
Yeah. Um, yeah, I Yeah. I realized actually that I have made this cake before, and I didn't realize it is vegan. And in my joy of cooking from the nineties, they call this a vegan chocolate cake. So if you think about it in terms of just like making vegan baked goods, this is actually a completely unless you, you know, if you skip the glaze or maybe Atwater to the to the glaze, This is 100% vegan cake. So in addition to just saving eggs, this is something that you make for people with dietary restrictions and things like that. I love that it didn't use eggs because, like you, that's been a problem for us. Um, I really like this cake. Actually, I remember I had made it years ago, and I tasted again is like, Oh, I would say it has a texture pretty similar to a box cake, which I enjoy. You know, I love that. It's like definitely a cocoa flavored cake, which is nice. Um, it's not too sweet. I actually have to this cause in nine by 13. That's not a good idea, you know? Yeah. House. Yeah. You know, um, but it made a perfect eight by eight for me. If you just have the recipe right down, and it's very have a because it's like two cups of sugar. One cup of sugar. I found it worked out really well, and it's delicious. And I'm gonna take a little bit to a friend who is actually giving the eggs this afternoon. So, actually, Betsy, you Yeah, you could actually take the coffee out of a glaze if you know you've got kids that maybe, like, balk at the coffee flavor, you could just make a cocoa glaze. Yeah, I

spk_1:   16:26
thought about that. After I did it, I thought I should have I should have maybe adjusted this a little bit, but I was thinking, I don't know. I was being optimistic, I guess. I mean, even though you have done which I think is great also, it's this kind of nice to have these nine by 13 recipes. I think that is free, useful. And

spk_0:   16:48
for sure, I This is a cake. Yeah. I would make the full pan if I was bringing it to a party. And I knew people's had a few dietary restrictions, and it does not taste at all like something that you've taken ingredients out of. It's delicious.

spk_1:   17:04
Wrapping it up, K. What was your runner on the weak?

spk_0:   17:07
I mean, I've got to give it to you, Betsy. It's the celery salad. So good. How about you?

spk_1:   17:13
Yeah. I mean, I obviously like the celery salad, but everyone has heard me talk about that. So I am. I say it's the soca because I'm going to try that again. I liked the idea of a chickpea based sort of flat bread in my life. So

spk_0:   17:28
perfect. Well, if any of these rusty sound good to you, make sure to check out our show notes and grocery list at dinner. Sisters dot com There you find lists, all the recipes, any tips or techniques we talked about. And if you'd like to chat more with us, you can always ask to join our dinner. Sister's Facebook group were at dinner. Sisters podcast. You just look for us on Facebook and we'll let we'll have you joined the party. We've been talking about that salary salad for weeks. So if you're on the Facebook group and are wondering, Ah, yeah, this isn't This is the same cellar, so

spk_1:   18:01
we just haven't actually ever featured it before.

spk_0:   18:03
Yeah, we haven't feature. It was so good we had to feature it. So you may get the preview Some of the recipes on there.

spk_1:   18:10
Okay, Kate. So for this morning's for today, we are going to talk about our hits of the past 10 episodes in I will kick it off. My family hit my family Favorite hit this time was the chipotle a copycat chicken. We just No kidding. Yeah, And we I think because it was had, like, these excellent flavors made a ton. I find that to be so useful to have in the fridge, it was like for mounds of chicken. And then we just had burrito bowls, and K City is in a whole bunch of stuff all week with that, and it was just delicious. So I found that especially useful and delicious.

spk_0:   18:51
My surprise favorite actually was the beast on Sheila, which again, we're back to chick pea pancakes. But I was like, Oh, good recipes might be nice. And I was like, Whoa, this is delicious. And it is a dinner stable for sure. The flavors air. So goods got the you know, the spices in in a little bit of veg, which is nice. Sometimes I honestly vegetables or not my comfort food. So it's hard for me. Sometimes I'm not no good mood in the afternoon. The evening put him in there. And it's a good way for me. Kind of like it stink myself from some veggies. Uh, yeah. Be since Sheila or the tomato omelet. Super surprised, but very happy about it. How about you, Betsy?

spk_1:   19:30
Yeah, I will second that. Because that was really one of the best recipes. I think that came out of the past 10 episodes. I'm gonna go that comfort in an instant. The keen wah porridge out of there. Oh, then this surprising Thio Because I just never would have done that It almond milk keen wa. And then you top it with maple syrup and some nuts and maybe some dried fruit or fresh fruit if you like it. I mean, obviously, this is a breakfast meal. But you could really eat it any time of the day as we're doing these days. Yeah. No time has no meaning. Ah ha. And get well in the refrigerator. And it just made this, like, super healthy kind of protein packed, delicious, creamy porridge.

spk_0:   20:18
Nice. I'm gonna have to try to make that. That's got to go on my list. Okay. Now for our overall favorites. My favorite comes from an episode 103 which is a recipe you and I complained and complained about. We could not get ourselves going to remember what you know what I'm talking about right now?

spk_1:   20:34
Yeah, they make ahead pantry episode that we put together from like September of 2019 until finally aired Way we

spk_0:   20:44
drag our feet who were like, Ah, I can't believe it, which is hilarious to me. But we finally made those Japanese curry blocks and Episode 103 And let's see, I am thinking my past self. So much for these. I've made a couple Curries now, now that we're, you know, staying in the house, it is so flavorful and smells so good and is also comforting, and you can kind of do with you have with it, right? So I have made it with pork tenderloin. I made it with chicken breast. I made it with chicken thighs and just kind of adjusted. The cooking time for that I've used a random Japanese sweet potato I had in the pantry was a go. That's nice. It was delicious. Even use cauliflower eyes. Such a good recipe It's very flexible. I thought. It's just been nice to have in the fridge for when we're having lunch. Or, you know, quick dinner when you're just done with the day, so may not be an ideal recipe unless you got a lot of those spices in the house. But if you're up for a project and willing to wait for spices to be delivered, this could be a good one, and you will not regret it. Okay, what is your favorite but seem

spk_1:   21:54
yes, the easy garlic white bean soup from the engine lights. And that was Episode 101 I just thought this was so good. And right now I have more wiping in my pantry and a little soup and grilled cheese jobs delicious. And I need to make it again. I haven't really, um, but making too many suits. The weather has gotten a little bit nicer, but I was reminded that this just makes a comforting, easy, flavorful dinner. And it was just, I think, checked on my boxes. Such a great recipe so easy.

spk_0:   22:33
And that one's so quick about. See, I think it's like done in 15 minutes. Yeah, it's really quick So if you're looking for just like, I need to have something that's has some nutrients in it from the beans. Yeah. Yeah. It is a nice side with grilled cheese. Like this is a great idea. Especially if you got cancer. Means that you're wondering what to do with.

spk_1:   22:54
Right? Okay, so coming up next week, we have pantry pasta, and in here, you're gonna find some new ideas for all of us to use the pasta up that we bought.

spk_0:   23:05
Right? If you're like me, you panic bought pasta. This is the way to do it. We've got some salmon pasta that I'm really looking forward to.

spk_1:   23:13
Yeah, me too. There's a lot of things on here that I'm excited to try. All right, so that's what's for dinner this week. See you next time on the dinner, sisters. We'll save a spot at the table for you.

spk_0:   23:23
Would you like a little dinner? Your inbox every week subscribed to a newsletter by going to our website at dinner sisters dot com for show notes and other fun stuff and also dig through our archives and find some recipes that you might be surprised about if you've got some dinner ideas. You could always shoot us an email if dinner Sisters podcast at gmail dot com, or find us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message there. Lastly, as per usual. If you like what you're hearing, please review and subscribe. That's how people get to know us and maybe tell a friend I'm one of those virtual cocktail hours. We're all having thanks and happy eating.