This blog is Day 6 of sharing art and recipes from my Cooking with Friends calendars. The recipes I've selected are those you might make during the holidays - one from each of the 10 years of calendars. Cooking with Friends, 2014![]() What's a holiday party without chips and salsa? Our family doesn't think that's possible. Michelle Hooper has this fabulous salsa recipe that she brings to most gatherings at our home and she usually brings extra so we'll have some to enjoy later. I LOVE her salsa! The extra touch of roasting veggies gives it a special depth of flavors. It's fun that MIchelle and our son-in-law Marc Hess have this little salsa competition going on. Marc's never shared his recipe with me which is okay because I prefer that he just make it! Both versions are truly extra special. The painting is inspired by Mexican celebrations in S California where Michelle grew up and in S Texas where I spent my first 14 years. Always time for a Fiesta! Cinco de Mayo by Claudia True available in print My Sister's Salsa by Michelle HooperINGREDIENTS
Roast whole tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, serrano and garlic on stop top until black and tomatoes are soft and ready to fall apart (about 20 minutes on high turning.) Cut the tops off all peppers. Add tablespoon of salt and pepper. Let cool in fridge overnight. Put in Ninja blender, add onion, cilantro, lime juice and another tablespoon of salt and pepper to taste. Blend and enjoy! 2014 is the only year we had a theme - "Appetizers and Desserts." Most of these recipes were new to me and many are now in my "favorite" file! Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays! Claudia True Welcome to the 5th installment of 10 days of art and recipes! Each day I'm sharing a recipe that I think you'll enjoy during the holiday season - one from each of the 10 Cooking with Friends calendars. Cooking with Friends, 2013![]() Five years of calendars! I was pretty proud of myself by now and was getting the hang of doing these colorful collections of my friends' recipes and the art they inspired. This recipe is something light and healthy that would be a good break from all the heavy holiday feeding frenzy. It's a little time consuming but oh so worth it. While doing this calendar project, I've expanded both my cooking and painting skills. I even got some stackable bamboo steamers to make this salmon dish. This was my first attempt at writing Chinese. I love the look, the "message" is simple ("salmon"). I took it to a server at our favorite Chinese restaurant to be sure I hadn't written anything obscene. I think the script added a nice design touch to the fish painting. If you don't read Chinese, you might even think it says something profound. Cute, huh. Cathy's Salmon by Claudia True available in print of various sizes Chinese Steamed Salmon by Cathy Bennett4 pieces of salmon filet (single serving sized pieces)
A: Slice the Serrano chile into very thin matchstick shreds, and combine in a microwave safe bowl with approximately 2 T of cilantro leaves, the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, 1 ½ T wine, and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside. B: Cut 4 green onions into 2” thin matchstick shreds and slice 2” of ginger into very thin matchstick shreds. Combine in a small bowl, and set aside. C: Roughly chop the remaining cilantro (including stems), slice the remaining 2” of ginger into thin coins, and slice the remaining green onions lengthwise, then into 2” lengths. Cut a parchment paper circle to fit your Chinese bamboo steamer or stainless steel steamer basket. Spread “C” evenly over the parchment. Place the fish filets over the vegetables, and pour approximately 1 ½ T wine over the filets. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Put approx. 2” of water in your wok or other large pot. When it boils, place the steamer basket over the pot. Steam till just barely done—it cooks fast—approximately 10 minutes per 1” thickness. When done, remove the fish from the steamer, and arrange on a platter. DO NOT remove any of the steaming vegetables—discard them. Meanwhile, microwave “A” for about 30 seconds, until hot. Pour A over the hot fish. In a small skillet, or a wok, heat the peanut oil till nearly smoking and stir fry B for about 10 or 20 seconds, then pour it—sizzling!—over the hot fish. Serve immediately with steamed rice. Serves 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Chinese bamboo steamer? You can use a stainless steel veggie steamer, if you have one, and it is big enough to hold the fish. Otherwise, use a heatproof plate that will fit into your wok (or other large pan that has a domed lid) to create a makeshift steamer. Use an inverted, small, shallow bowl to support the plate over the simmering water, making sure the lid will still cover. You do not need to use parchment if you use a plate. Check out the front and back covers of the 2013 Cooking with Friends calendar. My calendar partner and graphic design partner Holly Bikakis has done the layouts for all 10 calendars. She makes us look "mahvelous!' Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays!
Claudia True Please forward to someone who might enjoy a good recipe for steamed salmon Chinese style, or a high quality colorful print of a colorful Chinese salmon. Or a new Cooking with Friends calendar! Welcome to the 4th installment of 10 days of art and recipes! Each day I'm sharing a recipe that I think you'll enjoy during the holiday season - one from each of the 10 Cooking with Friends calendars. Cooking with Friends, 2012![]() My crazy friend Chuck Kiven shared his family recipe for Chicken Liver Paté in the 4th calendar. This recipe made me happy because my Dad loved patés and would occasionally make this at Christmas. Maybe it's one of those "mid-century" dishes. One reason I selected this is to show how my art has been influenced by painting recipes. Chuck's from Rhode Island and when researching how to paint chicken liver paté, I discovered that the state bird of Rhode Island is the Rhode Island Red Chicken. Ta da! That's what I decided to paint! I'd never painted a fancy chicken like this so it was a challenge - it's become one of my most popular prints. He's pretty elegant, don't you think? Rhode Island Chicken- Claudia True acrylic on canvas (original) - available in print Chicken Liver Paté by Chuck Kiven INGREDIENTS
Defrost chicken livers if necessary. In large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add chicken livers and onions. Sauté until the livers are cooked all the way through and can be broken up with a wooden spoon and the onions are transparent. Add more butter if you want while cooking. Add wine towards the end of cooking. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor Combine cooked livers, onions, hard boiled egg, thyme in a food processor - chop using the pulse setting until you have a coarse texture. Add maybe a tablespoon or more of mayonnaise and mustard, pulse the processor again to mix. Taste, add salt and pepper, more mustard or mayonnaise if you want. The more often you pulse the food processor, the more paste-like the paté will be. Remove paté from processor and chill in refrigerator. Serve wth crackers or small bread squares. Check out the front and back covers from 2012 Cooking with Friends calendar. Hope you saved your calendars for the recipes and art! Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays!
Please forward to someone who might enjoy a good recipe for chicken liver paté, or a high quality colorful print of a Rhode Island Rooster. This print would make a unique holiday gift. Welcome to the 3rd installment of 10 days of art and recipes! Each day I'm sharing a recipe that I think you'll enjoy during the holiday season - one from each of the 10 calendars. Still need your new calendar? Click here to order Cooking with Friends 2018. Cooking with Friends, 2011![]() In 2011, the 3rd year of calendars, I made another change in how I gathered recipes. And it's all because I broke my ankle. Seriously! In June I had a clumsy fall in our living room and broke all 3 bones in my ankle - that slowed me down! I had lots of time to think about the calendar project and had this crazy idea: wouldn't it be fun if I featured my friends' special recipes. So I asked if they'd share, and was thrilled when they said yes! That's when we changed the name to "Cooking with Friends." The recipe I've included today is from Judy Witt Camp. Oh what memories I had when I got her recipe for Pralines, a Christmas tradition in the tiny South Texas town of Bishop where we grew up. She lived in Santa Fe in 2011, and this painting is influenced by the New Mexico missions and luminarias common in Texas and New Mexico "Christmas Mission" by Claudia True available in prints of various sizes Judy's Traditional Christmas PralinesINGREDIENTS
Mix together 2 cps sugar and remaining ingredients, cook over a medium fire. While this is cooking, add 1 cup sugar in a heavy skillet (cast iron works great). Cook until caramelized (liquid will be the color of a penny). Add this to the first mixture slowly, stirring constantly, cook until it reaches soft ball stage on candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat until firm (watch for the shine to turn to satin). Using 2 teaspoons, drop candy onto wax paper. Store in air-tight container. Here are the front and back covers of our 3rd calendar - the first to feature recipes by my friends. Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays!
Please forward to someone who might enjoy a good recipe for Pralines, or a painting of a Spanish mission with luminarias for Christmas. Wow - 10 years of art and food calendars - something to celebrate! Over the next few days I'll be sharing a recipe and it's art from each of the 10 calendars. The selection includes dishes I'd like to have during this holiday season. I think you'd enjoy them, too. Want to get the 10th calendar in the series? Click here to order Cooking with Friends 2018 So let's get started! ![]() The Art of Cooking, 2009 The first 2 years of calendars were called "The Art of Cooking." I was new in Kansas City and didn't know anyone and I was bored - I needed a project. My passions are painting and cooking so I got this idea to get some good recipes and paint them, and put them together in a calendar format. Holly Bikakis is my friend and graphic design partner and I convinced her to join the fun. She and I gathered recipes this first year. This painting is for Pear Salad. It's an oil painting - my normal medium is acrylics. I thought a way to meet people, especially other artists, was to take painting classes. This pear painting was done while working with Carol McCall and her husband Bill, two great oil painters in this area. So many changes in my life - even my paint medium! (Well - that didn't last but it was a fun adventure.) Three Pears and a Pot - Claudia True oil on canvas - available in print Here's the recipe. Thought you might enjoy some "lighter food" to offset all the heavy duty holiday eating. PEAR SALAD |
Claudia TrueI'm an artist living in Kansas City with my hubby and cats. My passions: colorful paintings, yummy food, and sharing my love of art and cooking with others. Archives
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