Does Not Cook Well With Others

Recipe Swap: Gratin of Yukon Gold Potatoes

2012-02-09T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's finally starting to feel like winter in these parts. It's the perfect time for warm, delicious comfort food. When I received my latest swap recipe, Potato Gratin, from A Taste of Home Cooking, I knew it would be the perfect accompaniment to the pot roast in my freezer.

This gratin dish is rich and creamy and fattening and I could not stop eating it. The original recipe called for russet potatoes, but I had Yukon Gold on hand, and they worked well. I prefer to keep Yukon Gold in the house because they are a more versatile potato, good for both baking and boiling. I had forgotten to pick up the Pecorino cheese, which was optional anyway, but since I'll definitely be making this again, I'll try it next time.

Also, it really is worth it to use fresh nutmeg rather than ground. Ground nutmeg looses its warm spiciness rather quickly, so you'll get a lot more flavor out of fresh whole nutmeg. If fresh whole nutmeg is kept stored in a tightly-sealed jar in a cool dark place, it will last a very long time.

Gratin of Yukon Gold Potatoes
From A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients

2 large cloves garlic, one halved, one minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold, Russet, or other baking potato
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub a 2-quart ceramic baking dish with the cut sides of the garlic clove, then discard garlic. Coat the bottom and sides of the dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Peel the potatoes, then slice thinly using a grater, mandolin, or slicing blade of food processor.
In a large pot, combine the milk, cream, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, the nutmeg, and the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Stir well.
Add the potato slices, and over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and simmer for three minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the potato slices to the baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover the baking dish with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, buttered side down.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake an additional 20 minutes to allow top layer to crust.
Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Kale Tossed with Bacon

2012-01-31T13:55:00.000-08:00

The Minster and I have been getting tired of our kitchen staples. For a change from pork chops, I bought a pork tenderloin from Trader Joe's. One my favorite impressive, yet simple, main dishes is a stuffed tenderloin. And we decided to give kale a try — neither of us have ever tasted it before. I decided to make bacon a recurring element in the meal: a slice of bacon cooked on top of the pork, and crumbled bacon tossed with the kale.

I used garlic, dried rosemary and sage in my pork stuffing, but many combinations of herbs and spices would work well: coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, savory and thyme are some of the more common flavorings used on pork.

Kale is a form of cabbage, and used similarly to spinach. It is rich in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and lutein. I used frozen kale in my side dish, but fresh works just as well. Just remove the thick stems from the center before cooking.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Based on this recipe from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
¼ tsp rubbed sage
¼ tsp dried rosemary
¼ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 strip of bacon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan or baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place tenderloin on a cutting board. Carefully make a lengthwise slit about three-quarters of the way through tenderloin (do not cut all the way through); open so it lies flat. Cover with plastic wrap, and use a meat tenderizer or mallet to flatten to ¼-in. thickness; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about two minutes. Add garlic, and cook another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add to the bowl of bread crumbs, cheese and spices. Add enough of the beaten egg to moisten the ingredients.
Spread the stuffing over the tenderloin to within 1/4 in. of edges. Close meat and place the strip of bacon on top; tie with kitchen twine.
Cook, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 150 degrees F. Let stand for 5 minutes for carryover cooking before slicing.

Kale Tossed with Bacon

From TasteofHome.com

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh kale, stems removed, or 10 ounces frozen kale
8 slices bacon, cut in half
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Directions

If using frozen kale, cook according to package directions.
If using fresh kale, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the kale, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until tender.
Place bacon in a large skillet, then place over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tsp of bacon fat.
In the reserved fat, cook onion and garlic until onion is tender.
Toss together the kale, bacon, onion, and garlic, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Swap: Spicy Asian Chicken with Carrots and Brussel Sprouts

2012-01-24T18:59:00.000-08:00

I was very excited when I received my assigned recipe for the latest swap round, themed "Healthy Recipes." I was excited because the dish was inspired by the author's trip to one of my favorite Philadelphia restaurants, Buddakan. It's Asian fusion food in a chic setting. From the waterfall wall in the waiting area, to the two levels of seating, to the community table underneath a giant gold Buddha statue, this place is unique.

The dish was created by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations. Between prepping the meat and vegetables, and cooking, dinner was on the table in 30 minutes. It also has only about 200 calories, and 4.5 grams of fat per serving!

Her dish called for "chili garlic paste," which I could not find in stores, so I used fresh ground chili paste by Huy Fong Foods. I don't know how much it differs from chili garlic paste, so I'm not sure how substantially it altered the flavor of the dish. The dish as I made it was SPICY, but that's not unwelcome in this house! The Mister RAVED over this dish.

Spicy Asian Chicken with Carrots and Brussel Sprouts
Recipe from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 chicken breasts, pounded to ⅓-inch thickness and sliced into discs
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick discs
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp light brown sugar
20 brussel sprouts (about 1 lb), ends trimmed and cut into discs

Directions

Heat oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add carrots, onions, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes
Mix the broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, brown sugar, and ginger. Add to the pan, and bring to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the Brussel sprouts and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce

2012-01-21T17:31:00.000-08:00

When I turned 30 (and I'm not going to tell you how long ago — or not long ago — that was!), I made a list of "30 Things to Cook or Bake When I'm 30." I don't know what happened to that list, all I do know is that I didn't complete it. So, I'm revising it, and renaming it, "30 Things to Make in my '30s," and hoping that I'll actually finish it this time.

One of the items on my revised list is gnocchi. Potatoes, flour, an egg . . . I thought, "how hard can it be?"

Now I regret ever thinking that. Gnocchi is labor intensive. Muscle-killing work? No. But they do take awhile, and I'm not used to being on my feet for so long. And the resulting dish was only okay. The gnocchi themselves were light and melted in your mouth; the portobello mushroom sauce was disappointing. A blog fan recommended vodka sauce, or olive oil and garlic next time (and with 2 ½ pounds of dough left over, there will be a next time).

Gnocchi (sauce recipe below)
Mario Batali's recipe published on FoodNetwork.com
Serves 12

Ingredients

3 lbs russet potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
Pinch of salt

Directions

Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 45 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
While still warm, peel the potatoes, and pass through a food mill or potato ricer*. Make a well in the center of the mound, sprinkle all over with the 2 cups of flour, then add the egg and the salt to the well. Stir the egg into the flour (see this video). Once the egg is mixed in, gather the dough into a large ball and knead gently (as you would bread) just until the dough is dry to the touch.
Divide the dough into baseball-sized mounds. Roll one mound into a ¾-inch thick rope. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently press the tines of a fork onto one side of each piece (so the sauce will cling to the finished gnocchi). Repeat with remaining dough.
Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a boil. If not serving gnocchi immediately, prepare an ice bath of 6 cups water and 6 cups of ice. Drop gnocchi in batches into the boiling water, let boil for one minute (or until they float), then remove with a slotted spoon. If not serving immediately, drop cooked gnocchi into the ice bath to cool. Toss cooled gnocchi with ½-cup canola oil and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

* - if you don't have a food mill or potato ricer, grate the potatoes, then mash very well to remove all lumps.

Portobello Mushroom Sauce
Based on recipe by CDKitchen.com
Yield: enough to sauce four portions of gnocchi

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 splashes balsamic vingegar
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp dried thyme
1 cup chicken or beef broth, divided
1 tbsp flour
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms are tender, then add the thyme, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire, and cook for another minute. Add all but 2 tbsp of the broth. Puree mixture with an immersion blender**.
Combine the remaining 2 tbsp of broth with the flour, and mix into a thick paste. Add to the mushroom mixture, and bring to a boil. Boil for three minutes. Add heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

** - if you don't have an immersion blender, cool the sauce, then puree in a blender or food processor.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

2012-01-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

I'm finally starting to get back in the kitchen, in part because my son discovered the joy of afternoon naps, and in part because I discovered something wonderful called the Moby Wrap, which allows me to "wear" my son and still have both hands free to prep vegetables or throw together a marinade. Once the Mister gets home, I can hand the baby to him, and cook the meal.

With winter finally making an appearance in Southeastern Pennsylvania, what better meal to eat than a thick and hearty, yet nutritious soup? This butternut squash apple soup from Epicurious is creamy without actually adding any cream, thanks to the potatoes, so it's easy on the waistline — only 180 calories per serving, and 4.4 grams of fat. Bonus? More than 150% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin A, thanks to the butternut squash, which is also rich in beta carotene, iron, zinc, and calcium.

The sweet apples are a nice contrast to the savory bacon. The warmth of the cinnamon adds a subtle spice. And the bright color is a nice perk on a dull winter day.

And on a personal note, in honor of Branny's "Souper Bowl," this soup post is dedicated to Mutts. Mutts was not "my" dog, but I loved him as if he were my own. He was my foster dog from the Animal Care and Control shelter in Philadelphia. I don't know old he was. I don't know anything about his past. He wanted nothing more than to cuddle and play a little fetch.

But he was extremely dog-aggressive. He attacked my own dogs on three separate occasions. It broke my heart to do it, but I sent Mutts to Rainbow Bridge on March 9, 2010.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Recipe from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

6 slices bacon*, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
¾ lb boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped (such as Yukon Gold, white potatoes or purple potatoes)
2 medium Granny Smith apples (about ¾ lb)
1 ½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth*
1 cup apple cider
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Low-fat sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Place a 6-quart sauce pot over medium heat, and cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, and reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add vegetable oil if using lean bacon which doesn't yield enough fat.
Add the celery, carrot and onion to the reserved fat in the pot, and cook, covered on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, peel, core and roughly chop one of the apples.
Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the vegetables, and cook, uncovered for one minute.
Add the squash, potatoes, the chopped apple, broth, cider, water, salt and pepper to the vegetables in the pot. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
While soup is simmering, thinly slice the remaining apple into matchsticks. Place in a bowl, cover with water and a generous splash of lemon juice.
Puree soup in the pot using an immersion blender**, adding up to an additional ½-cup of water if soup is too thick. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Ladle 1 cup of soup into a bowl, and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream, some of the bacon, and a few apple matchsticks. Serve with crusty bread.

* - To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon, and cook the vegetables in garlic-infused olive oil, and sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

** - If you don't have an immersion blender, cool the vegetables and liquid to room temperature, and puree in a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary. Reheat in a clean sauce pot.

Piccata-style Whiting Fish with Cous Cous and Peas

2012-01-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Because I haven't buckled down and gotten into meal-planning, I often pull a protein out of the freezer to defrost for the next night's dinner without really knowing how I'm going to cook it. Take, for example, the whiting fish I pulled out last night. I didn't even know what whiting fish was (no, I wasn't the one who bought it).

Google told me that whiting fish is a delicate, flaky fish, similar to cod or tilapia. I wanted a delicate flavor for a delicate fish, and piccata came to mind. Piccata is an Italian word used to refer to the method of cooking meat, poultry or fish in lemon, broth, butter and parsley. Capers, shallots and garlic are common additions as well.

I decided to adapt the piccata recipe from Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy cookbook and substitute the whiting fish for the chicken that the recipe calls for. I served the fish over plain cous cous with peas. The fish stayed moist and had a buttery flavor. It didn't have a "fishy" taste at all. The plain cous cous and the peas were enhanced by the lemon-garlic pan sauce. I can't wait to try whiting fish in other dishes.

Piccata-style Whiting Fish with Cous Cous and Peas
Adapted from Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy Cookbook
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 whiting fish fillets
½ cup AP flour
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth or dry white wine
¼ cup lemon juice
4 cups prepared plain cous cous
1 (10-ounce pkg) frozen peas, cooked according to directions

Directions

In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat fish fillets in mixture, shaking off excess.
Melt butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fish, and cook until fish is no longer opaque, about two minutes per side. Remove to plate, and cover to keep warm.
Add broth or wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon juice, and increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes to reduce the sauce.
Plate the fish, cous cous and peas, spoon pan sauce over, and serve.

SOPA/PIPA

2012-01-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

If you are awake and surfing the Internet, chances are, you've noticed that you can't log on to Wikipedia or Craigslist. Or you've seen mentions of SOPA and PIPA on Facebook. In case you haven't heard an explanation yet, here it is:

SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act, a bill in the House of Representatives, and PIPA is the Protect IP Act, the sister bill to SOPA in the Senate. These bills are intended to reduce incidences of online piracy — people or sites making money of content that they stole from other people or sites.

Doesn't sound so bad, does it? Except that these bills go too far. These bills give the government the ability to shut down any website that is reported to be in violation of the act without notice or due process (meaning, the reported site will have no opportunity to defend itself against the charges).

Popular sites that are based on user content (Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Wikipedia, etc.) would be forced to censor everything that is posted or submitted. Blogs that reference other sites (such as Does Not Cook Well With Others) could be shut down. Meanwhile, sites that are in violation of these acts would likely not be impacted.

So please, contact your local Senators and Representative and tell them that you do not support the censorship of free speech on the Internet and ask them to oppose SOPA and PIPA.

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Take Action

Kitchen Essentials: Meat Thermometer

2012-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

I tend to be a little "gadget-crazy" when it comes to kitchen tools. However, I have a small kitchen in my apartment, and have had to pare down my collection. One tool that is essential in any kitchen is a meat thermometer. Using a meat thermometer prevents under- and over-cooked meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and other dishes. It can also be useful in baking, for example, to prevent eggs from coagulating in cooked custards (though for some applications, a candy thermometer is best).

So, what type of thermometer is best? There are three basic types:

Instant-read thermometers (least expensive)
Classic Instant-read thermometer
Photo: Amazon.com Digital Instant-read thermometer
Photo: Amazon.com
Oven-safe Probe thermometers (mid-range in price)
Oven-safe probe thermometer
Photo: Amazon.com
Infrared thermometers (most expensive)
Infrared (no contact) thermometer
Photo: Amazon.com

Personally, I use both an instant-read (digital) thermometer, and an oven-safe probe thermometer. The oven-safe probe is my "default" thermometer, and I use the instant-read digital when I am broiling. If the wire from the probe comes into contact with the broiler heating element, you'll fry your thermometer (not that I know from experience or anything . . . whoops).

The instant-read and probe thermometers are used in similar ways. You insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding any bones, and wait for the temperature to register. If using the instant-read, you must pull the meat out of the oven, insert the thermometer, and if the meat is not done, return the meat to the oven, and repeat the process. With the probe, the long cord allows you to insert the probe into the meat, and the thermometer portion remains on the counter, allowing you to monitor the meat's temperature as it cooks.

The infrared thermometer uses a laser to read the surface temperature of the meat. Depending on the thermometer, this can be done from a distance of up to 5 feet away.

What temperature are you looking for? This depends on what you're cooking. The following chart contains recommended temperatures from the USDA:

	*Temperature*
Poultry
Whole	165°
Parts	165°
Stuffed	165°
Ground	160°
Beef and Lamb
Ground	160°
Steak
Rare	125°*
Medium rare	145°
Medium	160°
Well done	170°
Pork
Medium rare	145°*
Medium	160°
Well done	170°
Ground	160°

* The USDA recommends cooking beef and pork to at least medium doneness.

Recipe Swap: Stuffed Peppers

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of photos with this post. I snapped a few, but I was so hungry that I sat down to eat before reviewing the photos, and none of them are post-worthy!

I really enjoyed this swap. This round did not have a theme, and we did not submit recipes. Rather, we each submitted our blog URL, and received one in return, and could choose any recipe to make.

I received the Cooking for Fun blog, and after scrolling through and jotting down a few recipes that sounded good, I decided on the recipe for stuffed peppers, because it was something I had never made before. The blogger notes that you can substitute French's friend onions for the rice; I think couscous or quinoa would also make delicious substitutions.

Assuming you use lean ground beef and brown rice/couscous/quinoa, this is a healthy, filling meal.

Stuffed Peppers
From Cooking for Fun
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp minced garlic
½ cup diced yellow onion
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 cup brown rice
1 can Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
4 green bell peppers

Directions

Cook the rice according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a jumbo muffin pan, or a square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown the beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. Once the meat is browned, add in half the can of diced tomatoes, then drain off the fat and excess tomato juice. Stir in half of the brown rice.
Slice the tops off of the peppers, and stuff one quarter of the beef mixture inside. Stand one pepper in each muffin cup, or place all four in the square baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, and spoon remaining diced tomatoes on top of the peppers. Replace foil cover, and continue baking 15 more minutes.
Remove and serve over remaining brown rice.

Recipe Swap: Potato Pancakes

2011-12-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. The newest addition to the family doesn't let me get much cooking done anymore. However, I have still been participating in the recipe swaps of the cooking board which I frequent.

The theme this time around was "special occasion" dishes (appetizers, main dishes, or sides). I submitted the spinach-stuffed mushroom recipe I made for Friendsgiving last year. In return, I received a recipe for potato pancakes (latkes), a traditional Hanukkah dish. I have never tasted nor made potato pancakes before, so this was a new adventure for me. The Mister had eaten them before, but never made them.

They were easy to prep (gave my arm muscles a workout, using the grater), and my only complaint was that I did not add enough salt and pepper to the dough before frying. While we don't celebrate Hanukkah, I would definitely make these again.

Please note that you need to bake the potatoes the day before you want to cook the latkes.

Potato Pancakes
From DeLish

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes
1 large shallot
Salt and pepper
1 egg
3 to 4 tablespoons of flour
Canola oil, for frying

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap each potato in foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
Shred each potato (skins on) using the large holes on a grater. Repeat with the shallot, using the medium or small holes.
Place potatoes and shallots in a large mixing bowl, and season generously with salt and pepper.
Add the egg, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently combine, and add one or two more tablespoons of flour as necessary to create a thick, lumpy dough.
Heat a quarter-inch of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, and add some of the potato pancakes (the number will depend on the size of your saute pan), and fry just until the edges begin to brown. Flip with a slotted spoon, and fry another two minutes.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and season with additional salt.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all pancakes are cooked.
Serve warm, with sour cream or applesauce.

Recipe Swap: Oatmeal Cookies

2011-12-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

It's that time again! This swap's theme was holiday cookies. After submitting the Spoon Cookies recipe I found in an old issue of Gourmet, I received a recipe for oatmeal cookies from The Imitation Chef. I grew up baking oatmeal cookies for my father, but only recently have come to like them myself. I've been a loyal Quaker Oatmeal Cookie baker (you know, the recipe under the lid of a jar of Old-Fashioned or Quick Cooking Oats?). So, I was looking forward to trying a different recipe.

I wasn't planning on adapting the recipe at all, save for adding some white chocolate chips, but the resulting dough was so dry and crumbly, I couldn't form any cookies - the dough just fell apart. So, I added some additional oil, and a second egg (the recipe below reflects my changes). During baking, however, my cookies did not spread - they remained in the same ball shape that I had formed as directed.

I was expecting to bite into a dense, rock-like cookie, however, they were still light and chewy. They had a pleasantly sweet flavor, so I'm unsure where I went wrong. Usually, I'd assume my baking powder was old, but I just recently bought it.

Oatmeal Cookies
From The Imitation Chef

Ingredients

½ cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
½ cup (4 ¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup canola oil
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (1 ¾ ounces) rolled oats
¼ cup (1 ½ ounces) raisins
¼ cup (1 ounce) craisins (dried cranberries)
6 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat and AP flours, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a separate bowl, beat the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour, and stir to combine.
Mix in the oats, raisins, craisins and white chocolate chips until combined.
Form balls of dough, 2 tbsp at a time, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 to 17 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-12-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Why is it that holiday "dinner" occurs in the early to late afternoon? My mother always has Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner ready between 2 and 4 p.m. Baffles me, but I've never asked.

Because "dinner" happens so early, lunch consists of various appetizers: cheese and crackers, cold shrimp, etc. Last year, I made these spinach-stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer before "Friendsgiving," a post-Thanksgiving dinner for friends. The stuffing was a bit loose, as I forgot to add the feta cheese, but tasty overall. Bonus for these difficult economic times? They are inexpensive to make.

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe from Whole Foods

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound whole baby bella or white mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
6 ounces Feta cheese*, crumbled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove stems from mushrooms, and chop finely. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet, and add mushrooms stems, onion, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes, until onions are soft.
Transfer stems and onions to a large mixing bowl. Add spinach, and toss to combine, then set aside to cool.
Arrange mushroom caps on baking sheet. Add feta cheese to cooled spinach mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
Divide spinach mixture and stuff into mushroom caps, mounding in the center. Drizzle stuffed caps with the remaining tbsp of olive oil. Bake about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

* If you don't like Feta cheese, substitute ricotta, haloumi, queso fresco, or any crumbly goat cheese. To make this recipe vegan, use a tofu-based cheese substitute.

Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Gingerbread Biscotti

2011-12-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Back in late October, Lindsay of the Love and Olive Oil blog posted on Twitter that it would be fun to do a food blogger cookie swap. With the help of Julie from The Little Kitchen blog, they put together an enormous, world-wide cookie swap. The story even made it into a Nashville newspaper artice!

So, the big question was, what cookie would I make to send? I had to work within listed allergy and taste preferences of my recipients. I didn't want to make something "common," like chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies. I finally settled on King Arthur Flour's Gingerbread biscotti — a festive, but sturdy cookie that would hold up well to shipping. Biscotti also stay fresh for about two weeks, so even after shipping time, my recipients would have several days to enjoy them.

In return, I received a dozen Chai Shortbread cookies from Dash of East, Butterscotch Birds Nests from My Year of Food, and Pinwheel Cookies from Forkful. All were delicious (but my favorite were the pinwheel cookies), and I'm delighted that I found some new blogs to read.

Interested in participating next year? Fill out this form to be notified when it's time to sign up! Also, "like" the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Facebook page.

Gingerbread Biscotti
Recipe from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

Ingredients

2 large eggs
⅔ cup (5 ounces) dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (8 ½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (6 ½ ounces) crystallized ginger, diced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the medium-sized bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla until thick and creamy.
In a second mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices, and crystallized ginger, then transfer to the stand mixer bowl, and gently beat with the egg mixture just until incorporated.
Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet, and with wet hands and/or bowl scraper, form into a log that is 14 inches long, 2 ½ inches wide, and ¾ inch thick.
Bake the log for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F (162 degrees C).
Lightly spritz the top of the log with water, wait another five minutes, then transfer the log to a cutting board and slice the log into ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Be sure to slice straight up and down. Slicing straight across the log will give you short biscotti; slicing on the bias will give you long biscotti.
Set the biscotti upright on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Stored in an airtight container, biscotti will keep for up to two weeks. They can also be wrapped in plastic and frozen.

Recipe Swap: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

2011-12-01T20:08:00.001-08:00

The theme of this round of swaps was Thanksgiving desserts. I always supply holiday desserts for my family, and this year, my mother requested an apple pie and a cheesecake. I intended to make my swap recipe, this No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake from The Wanna Be Cook to serve for dessert.

The little "bun in the oven," however, had other plans. I went into labor the evening of Sunday, November 20th, two weeks before my due date, and my son was born early the next morning. We got home from the hospital Wednesday evening. We opted for a quiet day at home, and my parents brought Thanksgiving dinner to us.

But this recipe turned out to be rather well-timed, as it was super quick and easy to "throw together," and I'll have something to offer guests who come to visit the baby this weekend. This cheesecake is not dense and rich like a baked cheesecake, but rather light and fluffy, but still creamy. The pumpkin flavor is also light, not overpowering. A winner all around!

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
From The Wanna Be Cook

Ingredients

8 ounce brick of cream cheese, softened
½ cup (4 ¾ ounces) pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup brown sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
One Keebler ReadyCrust

Directions

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add in the pumpkin, vanilla, spices and brown sugar, and beat until combined.
Add in the Cool Whip and beat until fully incorporated.
Scrape mixture into graham cracker crust, smooth with an offset spatula, and refrigerate until firm.

Sable Cookies

2011-11-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Sable cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie from France. "Sable" means "sandy," referring to the cookies' crumbly texture. These cookies are simple to make. The recipe below is Dorie Greenspan's recipe, as it appeared in the New York Times in 2004. The dough below is "basic," and can be flavored however you like (chocolate, almond, lemon, etc.).

The dough needs to chill at least two hours before baking, so if you are pressed for time, I recommend making the dough the day before you want to bake it.

Sable Cookies
Recipe by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter (preferably high-fat European-style, like Plugra), at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted before measuring
½ teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
2 large egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until smooth and very creamy. Add the sugars and the salt and continue beating until smooth, about a minute.
Reduce the mixer speed to low, and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, until well-blended.
Scrape down the bowl.
Pulse in the flour (should take 5 to 10 pulses). Continue stirring on low another 30 seconds.
Scrape the dough onto your work surface, and divide in half. Place each half on a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 9-inch long log. Wrap each log in the plastic, and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or as long as 3 days. (Alternately, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months. Place in the refrigerator the night before baking to thaw.)
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a paring knife, cut the dough into ½-inch rounds.
Place the rounds an inch apart on the baking sheet, and bake 17 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
Cool on the baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rock to cool completely.

Green Beans with Wild Mushrooms

2011-11-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

Here's another "oldie but goodie" (recipe I made in my pre-blogging days, hence no photo). I made this Epicurious recipe as a Thanksgiving side dish a few years ago, and it was delicious. This recipe can be made a day ahead of time, instructions for doing so are included in the directions.

Green Beans with Wild Mushrooms
From Epicurious.com

Ingredients

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, divided
½ cup minced shallots
1 pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), sliced
1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 ½-inch lengths

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the boiling water and the dried porcini mushrooms. Let stand at least 30 minutes.
Remove the porcini mushrooms, saving the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, and sauté about 2 minutes. Add in the fresh mushrooms and the porcini, and sauté about 10 minutes. Add in the porcini soaking water, leaving any sediment in the bowl. Gently stir with a wooden until juices evaporate. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and season with salt and pepper. If preparing ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander. If preparing ahead of time, submerge green beans in cold water, and drain again, then wrap in paper towels and seal in a plastic food storage bag.
On the day of serving, melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and mushrooms, gently toss together, and cook for 7 minutes or until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Side Dish: Pumpkin Sage Polenta

2011-11-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

If your family is up for experimenting with new dishes on Thanksgiving (unlike mine), this pumpkin sage polenta would make a seasonal substitution for traditional mashed potatoes.

I've been going back through my archives of recipes I made in my pre-blogging days. That's the reason there is no photo to accompany this recipe.

Pumpkin Sage Polenta
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients

2 ½ cups low- or reduced-fat milk
2 cups water
¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
1 ¼ cups instant dry polenta
¾ cup (3 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
¼ cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan, for garnish

Directions

Bring milk and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add pumpkin and salt; stir with a whisk.
Reduce heat to low, and gradually whisk in polenta; cook 1 min or until thick. Remove from heat.
Add ¾ cup grated Parmesan, mascarpone cheese, and sage; stir until cheeses melt.
Top with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Spinach Appetizer Balls

2011-11-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Gourmet? Hardly. Healthy? Not really. But holy crap, they are addictive! Baking in muffin tins keeps the balls from rolling around when placing them in the oven, but if you don't have one, slightly flatten the bottom of each ball, and bake on a baking sheet.

I don't claim this recipe to be "mine," but I don't remember where I first found this recipe to give attribution. If you know where it originally came from, please leave a comment, and I will cite the source in the post.

Spinach Appetizer Balls
Ingredients

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
2 cups crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray, or coat a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
Shape into walnut-size balls and place in muffin tins or on baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and heated through.

White Chocolate Ice Cream

2011-11-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

White technically not "chocolate," because it doesn't contain any cocoa solids, I love the taste of white chocolate. This ice cream recipe, from a chef at the culinary school I attended, is delicious on its own, but would also make a delicious base when swirled with add-ins like spiced pumpkin butter, chocolate fudge, pretzel bits, cookie dough — just about anything! This recipe makes quite a lot, so if you have a 2-quart or smaller ice cream maker, halve the recipe.

White Chocolate Ice Cream
Recipe from Chef John Gallagher

Ingredients

5 cups half-and-half
16 egg yolks
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
20 ounces high quality white chocolate (such as Callebaut, Valrhona, or Guittard)
2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Finely chop the white chocolate, and place in a large stainless mixing bowl.
In a large, heavy saucepan, scald the half-and-half, then remove from heat.
Quickly whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt.
Temper the hot half-and-half with the egg yolk mixture, and return to the pot.
Place back on medium heat, and while stirring, heat to approximately 175 degrees, or when the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Pour the custard over the white chocolate. Allow to sit for one minute, then stir until smooth. Then stir in the heavy cream.
Place bowl in ice bath until smooth (or cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate), then process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
Place churned ice cream in air-tight, freezer-safe containers for at least four hours, to harden.

Recipe Swap: Cranberry-Apple Chutney

2011-10-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe swap round was "Thanksgiving Side Dishes." While in the past, we have always submitted recipes that we've made in the past, that was not a requirement for this round. I submitted a recipe for French Onion Stuffed Potatoes from Food Network Magazine that sounded really delicious. In return, I received a recipe for Cranberry-Apple Chutney from Kate's Recipe Box. What is "chutney"? It's an Indian condiment, usually made of cooked fruits or vegetables, spices, and sugar.

Cranberry sauce is one dish that my family usually forgets on Thanksgiving. No one in my family particularly cares for it. However, The Mister really likes cranberry sauce, so I figured I'd make it for him.

I thought I'd pick up a package of turkey breast cutlets to have with the chutney. And I thought, if I'm making turkey and cranberry sauce, I might as well make stuffing to go with it. And if I'm going to make stuffing, why not go all out and have a mini Thanksgiving meal, with potatoes, a vegetable, biscuits and pumpkin pie? My son is due to arrive just a few days after Thanksgiving, so if he decides to arrive early, I may miss the real Thanksgiving!

Any other time, this probably would've been a great idea. At 9 months pregnant, not so much. My back is KILLING me. And I probably should've had this idea BEFORE 4 p.m., when I still needed to go grocery shopping for dinner ingredients. So, we didn't eat until 8:30 p.m. But it was delicious — all of it, even the chutney, the recipe for which is below.

Once made, the amount of chutney filled a 2 ½-quart serving dish, so adjust the ingredient amounts as necessary for your number of dinner guests. The deep red color looks gorgeous when served in a white dish. I enjoyed the sweet-tart flavor and the texture from the apple chunks.

Cranberry-Apple Chutney
From Kate's Recipe Box

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups water
½ cup sugar
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
2 large tart apples, like Granny Smith or Winesap, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over high heat, combine the water and sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered for 3 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, and carefully add to the saucepan, stirring to combine with sugar-water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

If your chutney has not thickened to your liking, combine 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, and add to the chutney. Bring to a boil, and let boil for one minute.
This chutney can be served warm or chilled.

Turkey Chili

2011-10-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

I received a request via the DNCWWO Facebook page for a beanless chili recipe. I made this turkey chili many years ago. I found the original recipe on AllRecipes.com. It is hearty and filling, and PACKED with vegetables! The original recipe has less 600 calories per serving. I substituted lower-fat options when possible.

Healthy Turkey Chili
From AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14 ½ ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
1 (7 ounce) can salsa
1 (14 ½ ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch green onions (scallions), chopped
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey in the pot, stirring occasionally. Season with taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, adjusting heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for 10 minutes.
While chili is still cooking, heat another tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili in the stock pot, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the zucchini to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. If chili is too thick, add some water.
Ladle chili into serving bowls. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

Recipe Swap: Chicken Pot Pie

2011-10-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

As the cooler weather approaches, what better time to have a "soup and stew" themed recipe swap? I submitted my very favorite soup, Cream of Pumpkin. In return, I received a recipe from JBean Cuisine for chicken pot pie. I love chicken pot pie, but have never made one from scratch.

Be warned: this is a time-consuming recipe. I recommend completing steps 1 through 3 the day before you plan to serve the pot pie. Cover everything in plastic wrap, or place in airtight containers and refrigerate overnight.

Having never made a chicken pot pie from scratch before, I didn't make many changes to the recipe. I didn't add enough salt during cooking, so the initial taste was a bit bland, but adding salt at the dinner table helped. Next time, I would like to make the sauce creamier.

Also, I used a 2 ½-quart casserole dish (the largest I had), and had enough filling for at least two pot pies. So, halve the recipe if you need to!

Chicken Pot Pie
From JBean Cuisine's recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil
7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
7 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 medium white or yellow onions, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
2 cups of carrots, diced
2 cups of green peas
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper
1 9-inch pie crust, or 1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg, slightly beaten (optional)

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and cook thoroughly, ensuring a nice golden crust on both sides (about 15 minutes).Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Place the pan back on the heat and add the cup of white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off and scrape the pan with the back of your wooden spoon – you definitely want all of those yummy bits of chicken flavor. Once the liquid has reduce by half, remove from heat and pour the juices in a measuring cup until you are ready to use.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, place the potatoes in the pot and cover with cold water. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat and cook until fork-tender (about five minutes once the water is boiling). Be careful to ensure you do not overcook the potatoes, or they will turn to mush in the pot pie. It’s better to undercook them than overcook them. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the heat and drain immediately. Place back in the pot and allow to cool.
In a large stock-pot or dutch-oven, heat the butter over medium heat until sizzling. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the flour and mustard powder to the onion, carrot and celery mixture. Stir well to ensure even distribution. Cook the flour mixture for 2 to 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to high and add 2 cups of the chicken stock to the flour/vegetable mixture, whisking constantly as you add it in. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and continue whisking until thickened.
Add the remaining stock, reserved pan juices, Tabasco sauce, bay leaves, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
At this point, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.While the sauce is simmering, dice your potatoes and cooked chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Once the sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves, then add the chicken, potatoes and peas to the pot. Stir well to incorporate. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Distribute the filling evenly among 6 bowls or alternatively, in one very large casserole dish. Top each serving bowl with pie dough, ensuring that you pinch the edges well. Slice an "X" in the top of each crust with a knife to allow steam to escape.Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes.
After about 15 minutes of baking, brush the top of each pie crust with egg wash, if using, to get a shiny, golden brown crust.

Peppers and Onion on Polenta

2011-10-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

Polenta is medium- to coarse-ground cornmeal, cooked in hot liquid. Some view it as an essential comfort food. It can be cooked on the stovetop, similarly to rice. It can also be baked, or fried. When cooked like rice, it "sets up" (congeals) quickly, so cook it just before you serve the meal.

Start the tomato sauce early in the morning, or even the day before. Or substitute a jar of store-bought, if you're short on time.

This vegan meal is filling without it, but if you have a meat-eater in the house who can't go without, cook some ground beef or bulk Italian sausage to add to the plate.

Peppers and Onion on Polenta
Adapted from DinnerTool.com
Serves 4

Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ Vidalia onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil OR 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried oregano OR 1 tablespoon fresh
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes (optional)

Remaining Ingredients

1 cup polenta
1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions

Early in the day, or they day prior, make the tomato sauce: Saute the onions in olive oil, when they have started cooking add the garlic. Stir often, the garlic will cook faster than the onions. The mixture will be ready when the onions are translucent.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices. You can add the sugar now too if you would like, but I like to wait until the sauce has simmered for a while to taste test it first.
Let the sauce simmer for a few hours. The longer it simmers the thicker it will get.
Finish making the meal: Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray, and saute the peppers and onions about three minutes. Add the tomato sauce, and let simmer for five minutes.
While the vegetables are simmering, prepare the polenta according to package directions.
When finished, divide the polenta among four plates. Top each with vegetables and sauce.

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Pie Dip

2011-10-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason I love participating in recipe swaps is that I am forced (for lack of a better word) to try recipes that I probably wouldn't have chosen myself. Admittedly, I wasn't quite looking forward to this one. Last fall, I had a bagel with pumpkin cream cheese, and it was really disgusting. Slimy, too much straightforward pumpkin flavor (imagine eating pumpkin puree straight out of the can).

Wow, was I pleasantly surprised with this! This recipe will definitely be making repeat appearances. It's sweet and spicy, and delicious! It made much more than the two people in my household would be able to eat (without getting a stomachache), so I brought the dip in to work with a box of vanilla wafers. It was quite popular! One box of vanilla wafers wasn't enough for the amount of dip this recipe makes.

Store this dip in the refrigerator. Feel free to adjust the spices listed according to your taste. And what better way to serve pumpkin dip than in a hollowed-out sugar pumpkin? The one pictured is 1.7 pounds, from Whole Foods.

Pumpkin Pie Dip
From The Cooking Nurse's blog

Ingredients

½ cup (4 ¾ oz) pumpkin puree
1 (8 oz) brick ⅓-less-fat cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups (8 oz) confectioners sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Place all ingredients in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until sugar is incorporated, then beat on medium until well-blended.

Serving Suggestions: Vanilla wafer cookies, gingersnap cookies, graham crackers, apple slices

Pumpkin Bread

2011-10-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have posted before about my Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl, but this time I wanted straight pumpkin bread. I looked at many recipes before deciding on the one from the blog So Tasty, So Yummy. Her bread seemed to have all the qualities I wanted: moist, sweet, and spicy. I was not disappointed!

She didn't specify a size for the loaf pans, so I bought the biggest foil loaf pans I could find, which were 2-lb capacity, measuring 8 ⅜ inches by 4 ⅛ inches. The recipe below filled three of those size pans. I wrapped two loaves in plastic and placed them in the refrigerator — I slice as needed, and warm it for 15 seconds in the microwave. I wrapped the third in a double layer of plastic wrap and froze it.

Pumpkin Bread
From So Tasty, So Yummy

Ingredients

3 ½ cups (14 ⅞ ounces) unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups (17 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ tsp ground cloves
4 eggs
½ cup canola oil
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
⅔ cup water
2 cups (19 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray loaf pans with non-stick spray.
Combine first seven ingredients (up to and including cloves) in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs lightly until combined. Add the remaining ingredients (oil, applesauce, water, and pumpkin) and mix well.
Pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients, and stir just until evenly mixed (do not over-mix, or bread will be tough).
Divide the mixture evenly among the pans. Place pans on a baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake 50 to 55 minutes.

Nutrition Info (assuming each loaf is divided into 8 slices)

Calories: 209; Fat: 5.7g (Sat.: .7g, Mono: 3g); Cholesterol: 30.8mg; Carbs: 37.2g (Sugar: 22.1g); Protein: 3.2g

Pork Chops with Mushroom Thyme Sauce

2011-10-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

I received an email late last week from a representative at DinnerTool.com, asking if I'd be interested in a link exchange. They would list my blog on their site, if I would place a link to theirs on my blog. Having never heard of the site, I went over to check it out. I really liked that you could browse recipes on their site, and add them to a weekly menu plan, which would then generate a shopping list. So, I agreed to the link exchange.

I started my own weekly menu, searching for recipes for proteins I already had in my freezer. I came across a recipe for Pork Chops with Mushroom Thyme Sauce, which was originally published on EatingWell.com. It sounded delicious, and with 298 calories per serving and 13 grams of fat (4 saturated, 6 monounsaturated), was healthy.

I substiuted chicken broth in place of the dry vermouth. The suggested substitutions for dry vermouth are white grape juice, white wine vinegar, or non-alcoholic white wine, but I didn't have any of those on hand. I also omitted the Dijon mustard.

Pork Chops with Mushroom Thyme Sauce
From EatingWell.com
Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 (5-ounce) boneless pork chops, trimmed of fat and pounded to ¼-inch thickness
salt
pepper
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 ½ cups (about 4 ounces) sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
½ cup dry vermouth, white grape juice, or chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Directions

Season the pork chops to taste with salt and pepper. Spray a non-stick saute pan with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Add the pork chops, and cook until browned on both sides and reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees (they will continue cooking a few more minutes after they are removed from the pan). Tent with foil to keep warm.
Add the olive oil to the pan, then add the shallots, and saute about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, and cook until they turn soft and brown, about two minutes. Add vermouth (or substitute) and cook about fifteen seconds. Stir in the thyme leaves and any juices from the pork. Cook another minute or two until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced.
Place pork chops on serving plates, spoon sauce over the chops, and serve.

Pumpkin Butter

2011-09-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a fellow member of a pet-related message board on which I post. This is so simple to make and so amazingly tasty. The batch below will yield about four cups of pumpkin butter.

It should be stored refrigerated for up to 6 weeks, but it can also be frozen for up to 3 months. If you're not sure how fast you'll go though it, I recommend portioning it out into 1-cup containers, refrigerating one, and freezing the rest.

It is incredibly easy to make — just put everything into a slow-cooker. As it cooks, it fills your whole house with the warm, spicy scents of fall.

This also makes a great homemade food gift. Just portion the butter out into decorative 1-cup glass jars, tie with festive autumn-themed ribbon and give as gifts.

Pumpkin Butter
From my friend Bridget A.
Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie mix)
1 ¼ cups (9 ⅜ oz) brown sugar (packed, if measuring by volume)
½ cup (6 ounces) mild honey
Juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¾ teaspoon apple pie spice (see note below)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot, and stir together until well blended. Do not worry about lumps of sugar — they will melt into the butter during cooking. Scrape down the sides of the pot.
Cover, and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
After two hours, turn off the heat, remove the cover, and allow the butter to cool to room temperature. Scrape with a spatula into jars or other air-tight containers and store refrigerated for up to 6 weeks or frozen for up to three months.

NOTE: Apple pie spice is a blend of spices commonly used when cooking or baking with apples. It is usually sold at grocery stores with the other cooking and baking spices. If you can't find it, you can make your own blend by combining 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, ½ tablespoon of ground allspice, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.

Recipe Swap: BBQ Chicken Dip

2011-09-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

In honor of the beginning of football season, this recipe swap's theme was appetizers/tailgate food. I'm not a fan of football — give me hockey! — but I am a fan of tailgate food. I received a recipe for BBQ chicken dip from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks.

I made very few changes to Hezzi's recipe. I used a spicy barbecue sauce rather than a sweet one, just my personal taste preference. I didn't worry too much about precise measurements, I just eyeballed most of the measurements. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it, and will definitely make this recipe again. I think it will be a big hit with my football-loving, tailgating family. The recipe can be made up to twelve hours ahead of time.

BBQ Chicken Dip
From Hezzi D's Books and Cooks

Ingredients

1 (12 ½ oz) can of chunk chicken, well-drained
1 cup BBQ sauce (I used Kraft Thick 'n Spicy), divided
1 (8oz) package of ⅓-less-fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup low fat ranch dressing
¼ cup light sour cream
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided
Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 3 tbsp of the barbecue sauce.
Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil. Gently spread the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of the pan.
In a small skillet, combine the chicken and the rest of the barbecue sauce, and heat over medium heat for about five minutes, until heated through. Spread evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken.
If baking later, cover the pan with tinfoil, and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the top layer of foil, and bake for fifteen minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Latte Crème Brûlée

2011-09-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Crème brûlée is French for "burnt cream." It is a rich custard, usually baked in a shallow ceramic dish, then sprinkled with sugar and torched or broiled, forming a crisp top coating. It makes for a nice contrast with the creamy custard.

You will need small oven-proof baking dishes (such as these) to make this recipe. You will also need one or two baking sheets at least one-inch deep. A kitchen torch is handy, but putting the dishes under the broiler will get the job done just as well.

This coffee-flavored brûlée recipe was originally published in the October 2005 issue of Food & Wine magazine. These are best when made a day ahead of time.

Latte Crème Brûlée
From Food & Wine magazine
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1 quart half-and-half
1 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
10 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt
1 cup strong-brewed coffee or espresso
Boiling water for water bath
¼ cup light brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, the sugar, and the vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a simmer.
In a medium bowl, beat the yolks and the salt. Remove the vanilla bean from the half-and-half. Temper the hot liquid with the yolks by slowly pouring one quarter of the liquid into the yolks, whisking constantly. Whisk for about ten seconds, then pour in the remaining liquid and continue whisking. Whisk in the espresso.
Arrange 8 ramekins on a lipped baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Carefully pour enough hot water into the baking sheet or roasting pan, making sure not to get any in the ramekins, to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Fill each ramekin with custard.
Carefully place the baking sheet or roasting pan in the oven. Bake the custards for one hour, or until set around the edges but still jiggly in the middle. Remove ramekins from the baking sheet and place in the refrigerator. Chill at least six hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, preheat broiler to high (unless you have a kitchen torch). Use a paper towel to gently blot any moisture the surface of each custard. Spread about 1 ½ teaspoons evenly across the entire surface of each custard. Broil about four inches from the heat for about twenty seconds (five to ten seconds if using a torch), or until browned and bubbly. Let sit a minute for sugar to harden, then serve.

In season: Apples!

2011-09-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit odd when it comes to certain foods. Peanuts for example — I could sit and eat a whole jar of peanut butter in one sitting, yet whole peanuts make me sick.

I love raw apples. Particularly Granny Smith and Honeycrisps. I love apples dipped in peanut butter, chocolate, or caramel. Cooked apples? I'll pass. I'll bake apple pies, or the apple "strudel" below, since I love the smell of baking apples, but I don't care for the taste.

I've made this recipe below (from Bo Friburg's The Professional Pastry Chef) many times, and it's always a hit. But I've never personally tasted it. My parents have each requested it on a number of occasions to bring to the office, as its suited for a crowd: easy to slice and serve.

The filling can be made a day or two ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator. Once assembled, this pastry freezes well. You can bake it straight from the freezer.

Apple "Strudel" Ingredients
From The Professional Pastry Chef

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold, if buying frozen
1 ½ pounds Granny Smith* apples
5 oz granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Egg wash (recipe below)
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Directions
Make the filling:

Peel and core the apples. Chop approximately two-thirds of the apples into ½-inch chunks.
Place the chopped apples in a saucepot with the water, sugar, and lemon juice. Adjust the amount of sugar according to the tartness of the apples and your taste. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the apples have broken down and the mixture starts to thicken.
Chop the remaining apples into ¼-inch pieces and add to the saucepot. Continue cooking the mixture until it has reached a jam-like consistency, adding a bit more water if necessary. Let cool at room temperature.

Prepare the pastry and assemble:

Roll the puff pastry dough out on a well-floured surface to 23 by 8 inches (will be about ⅛-inch thick).
Fold the dough in half over a 1-inch rod, so that the long edges meet and are closest to you. Using the blunt side of a knife, mark (but do not cut) a line 2 inches away from and parallel to the rod.
With the sharp edge of the knife, cut ¼-inch strips along the length of the dough up to the impression you just made, leaving the folded edge uncut.
Use the dowel to lift the pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Unfold the dough, and lay it flat, making sure the fringes are separated.
Spoon the apple filling down the uncut center of the pastry. Spread the filling evenly, but leave a ½-inch margin away from the fringe.
Fold the strips in a criss-cross pattern across the filling. Use the rod to press lightly in the center, to ensure the strips do not unfold in the oven. You want to leave an indentation, but not press the filling out.

If freezing to bake later, stop now, wrap the sheet pan in a double layer of plastic wrap, and place in freezer.

Baking:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap from sheet pan, if frozen.
Brush the pastry lightly with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if using. Bake pastry for 35 minutes (additional time will be needed if baking from frozen). If the top begins to brown before fully baked, cover the pastry with an additional sheet of parchment paper.
Can be served warm or room temperature.

* Granny Smith apples work best in this recipe, as they cook down most easily. Jonathan or Pippin apples can also be used. Avoid Red Delicious and Fuji apples for this recipe, as they are almost impossible to cook down to the consistency needed.

Egg Wash Recipe

1 egg
Pinch salt
Splash water

Directions

Beat all ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator. Keeps for one week.

Chicken Cheese Enchiladas

2011-09-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the arrival of the newest member of the DNCWWO household in early December, I'm compiling a list of recipes to freeze, as I'm sure I won't have much time for cooking once the baby arrives. I have a few favorites, but I wanted to test out some new recipes, too.

I also want to have a variety of flavors. I intend to try breast-feeding, and I know that what I eat will affect how my breastmilk tastes. The tomatillos in the recipe below were a new taste for me (I took all the seeds out of the serrano chile, so the sauce was sweet, rather than spicy). I was an extremely picky eater as a child, and I don't want my son to be the same way.

I got this recipe from Food Network's cookbook, Food Network Magazine Great Easy Meals.

If you're not a fan of chiles, substitute half a red bell pepper for the serrano chile. Also, the sliced rings of red onion are not cooked in this recipe, so soaking them in ice water takes out the raw bite.

To make this recipe freezer-friendly, make the sauce and freeze it, then assemble the enchiladas and place them in a foil-lined 13 x 9 baking dish (or place them in a disposable foil pan), cover with tin foil and freeze. The night before you want to cook them, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and proceed with step 7. The remaining half-cup of shredded cheese for topping can also be frozen, though the texture will be a bit crumbly.

Chicken Cheese Enchiladas
From Food Network Magazine Great Easy Meals

Ingredients

1 small red onion, halved horizontally
1 ½ lbs tomatillos, husked, rinsed
1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded*
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
Pinch of sugar
8 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese
⅓ cup fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup crumbled queso fresco**

Directions

Preheat the broiler.
Slice half of the red onion into thin rings, and place in a bowl of ice water to soak for ten minutes.
Place the other half of the red onion, the tomatillos, and the chile pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed.
Transfer the veggies and any liquid to a blender or food processor, add the chicken broth, and puree. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and a pinch of sugar.
Stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel, and microwave on high for a minute. Remove and keep wrapped.
Toss the chicken with 2 cups of the cheese. Remove one tortilla from the paper towel, and spoon some of the chicken mixture down the center. Add a few cilantro or parsley leaves and roll up. Repeat with remaining tortillas, and place them side by side in a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Brush the tortillas with olive oil, and broil for 3 minutes.
Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese, return to the oven and broil an additional 3 to 5 minutes more.
Serve the enchiladas topped with the sliced red onion rings, the queso fresco and any remaining cilantro.

* The "heat" in the serrano chile comes from the seeds. Leave two or three seeds in the pepper to give the sauce some extra heat.
** Queso fresco is a creamy, soft, mild unaged white cheese, most often made with cow's milk. The name is Spanish for "white cheese." If you can't find it, substitute feta.

Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls

2011-08-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Before I moved to a different neighborhood in Philadelphia, I lived just up the street from the New Wave Cafe. Though many items on their menu sounded delicious, I always ordered the same thing: their Philly Cheesesteak Spring Roll appetizer.

Being a Philly girl, born and raised, I love cheesesteaks. But they only come in two sizes: big, and bigger. And sometimes I just can't finish off a nearly-foot-long cheesesteak (and contrary to what the Significant Other thinks, they don't reheat well, nor do they taste good cold). So, these little spring rolls satisfied the cheesesteak craving.

Now that I've moved away, getting those spring rolls isn't as easy as walking down the street. So, I searched online, and found this copy of a recipe that appeared in Saveur magazine. Since I don't own a fryer, I included directions for frying in a pot. But if you do own a fryer, you can use that instead.

Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls with Spicy Ketchup
From Saveur Magazine

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds thin-sliced beef, such as Landis, or Steak-Umms
⅓ pound american cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ pound provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 spring roll wrappers, 9 ½-inches in size
6 egg yolks, beaten slightly
Canola oil

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced beef and cook, chopping with two spatulas to shred, until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Strain beef, discarding liquid, and return to skillet.
Reduce heat to medium-low, place cheese slices on top of beef, and allow to melt, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, toss beef and cheese to mix together and set aside to let cool.
Place 1 wrapper on a clean work surface, keeping other wrappers covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Brush entire surface of wrapper with egg yolk. Form one-quarter of the beef mixture into an 8-inch log along one edge of the wrapper. Roll up wrapper, leaving ends open. Place a second wrapper on the work surface with a corner facing you, brush the corners with egg yolk, and lay the first roll across the bottom corner of the second wrapper. Roll up wrapper, tightly folding the ends over halfway through. Press down slightly to seal and set aside. Repeat process with remaining wrappers and filling.
Pour canola oil into a heavy medium pot to a depth of 2-inches and heat over medium heat until temperature registers 350° F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry spring rolls in 2 batches, turning over halfway through, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Serve whole, or cut in half on a bias, with spicy ketchup dipping sauce (recipe below).

Some people like their cheesesteaks "wit," meaning, with fried onions. If you do like fried onions, feel free to sauté half a thinly-sliced small white onion along with the beef.

Spicy Ketchup Dipping Sauce
From Saveur Magazine

Ingredients

½ cup ketchup
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons honey
⅓ teaspoon cayenne

Directions

Combine the ketchup, mustard, honey, and cayenne in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.

Recipe Swap: Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

2011-08-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

I was excited to see a seafood recipe swap on the cooking message board on which I post. I've only relatively recently (about six years ago) begun to eat seafood, and I tend to stick to what I know I like (shrimp scampi, lemon dill salmon). So I was hoping this swap would expose me to new flavors. It did not disappoint!

The recipe that was sent to me was Blackened Mahi Mahi filets with Pineapple Salsa, from Lindsay's blog Peace, Love and French Fries. I'll be honest, it's probably not something I'd ever order from a restaurant menu. Up until recently, when I saw "blackened" meat on a menu, I thought they literally burnt the meat. Hey, I know people who like their meat that way!

I made some adaptations to the recipe. Obviously, I substituted mango for pineapple in my salsa. I also used frozen chunks of mahi mahi in my freezer that I happened to have from Trader Joe's, rather than filets, and I sautéed them in a pan on my stovetop, rather than grilling them.

The end result was incredibly tasty! A bit spicier than I thought it would be. I wish I had the read the recipe in its entirety rather than just the ingredient list (you'd think I'd have learned that lesson by now), and allowed more time for the salsa to chill in the refrigerator. However, the recipe made more than the two of us could finish, so we have leftovers!

First, the blackening seasoning recipe. This makes A LOT. If you're not sure you'll use it much, cut the recipe in half.

Blackening Seasoning
From About.com

Ingredients

2 tsp paprika
4 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp oregano
¾ tsp cumin
½ tsp nutmeg

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Mango Salsa
Adapted from Peace, Love and French Fries

Ingredients

¼ red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped ripe mango (about 1.5 medium-sized mangos)
½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about half a pint)
2 to 3 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp salt

Directions

Chop the onion, and place it in a bowl of cold water while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Drain the onion, combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients, and toss.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour.

Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa
From Peace, Love and French Fries

Ingredients

1 lb mahi mahi filets, or chunks
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 tbsp blackening seasoning
Mango salsa

Directions

Drizzle olive oil over fillets or fish chunks. Rub blackening seasoning into fillets, or toss chunks with seasoning.
Saute in a pan on medium-high heat until opaque.
I recommend serving over brown rice, topped with salsa, and a vegetable of your choice.

Spice Storage

2011-08-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my only used a handful of spices, so storage was never an issue. When I started cooking for myself, I discovered a world of new flavors, and bought a jar of just about every dried herb and spice on the market. I dedicated one whole shelf in my cabinet to those seasonings, stacking the little jars on top of each other. It made finding what I wanted a pain, and the stacks would fall over …

My rotating spice rack only held sixteen spices, and I owned way more than that. Plus, it took up precious space on my limited counters.

I don't even remember where I got the idea to store spices on the side of my refrigerator. I wish I knew who to credit. But here's what I did.

I bought a box of 2-ounce screw-top shallow metal containers from PaperMart.com. I also bought a package of plain white round label stickers, and two packages of 1-inch round heavy-duty magnets from a craft store.

I poured the contents of my spice jars into their own tins, labeled each one, and stuck them to the side of my fridge with the magnets. I did not glue the magnets onto the tins. If I need a spice, I pull the tin off the fridge, leaving the magnet behind. When I'm done, I just stick the tin back on the magnet.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

2011-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

In the new apartment, I have a TON more counterspace, and a full-sized fridge and freezer! I wouldn't call the fridge in my last place "mini," but once you put three packages of meat, and a few boxes of frozen veggies in there, it was full.

Well, this new freezer lets us stock up on meats and frozen veggies, and still leaves room for freezing the bowl for my ice cream maker (I have a Cuisinart ICE-20 1.5-quart ice cream maker — there's a newer model out now, but this works fine for me).

I was wondering what recipe I should try, and decided to look for a good chocolate recipe. I found one at JoyofBaking.com, and decided to add my own twist to it by adding chopped peanut butter cups.

The result? Delicious. But a warning: it's very rich. I'm normally one to eat an entire pint of Haagen-Dazs in one sitting, but a regular 1/2-cup serving of this ice cream was plenty for me.

Equipment needed:

Medium saucepan
Whisk
Mixing bowl
Hand mixer (optional)
Pot of simmering water
Wooden spoon
Ice cream maker

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Recipe
From JoyofBaking.com

Ingredients

2 cups half-and-half
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate
4 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
16 miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, roughly chopped

Directions

Pour the half-and-half into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder, and heat to scalding.
Remove from heat, and add chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.
In a stainless steel bowl, whip together the yolks and the sugar, beating at least two minutes until pale yellow and fluffy. Use a whisk or hand mixer.
Pour about a quarter of the half-and-half mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Gradually add the rest of the half-and-half mixture — this prevents the yolks from curdling. If this does happen, strain the mixture before proceeding.
Place the mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, and coats the back of the spoon (temperature should be 170 degrees F).
Remove the custard from heat, continuing to stir for another two minutes or so. Stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the ice cream maker bowl from the freezer, pour in the chilled custard, and process according to the directions that came with your ice cream maker. If the manual provides no guidelines for mix-ins, add the chopped peanut butter cups in the last five minutes.
Ice cream will be "soft-serve" consistency. If you want it harder, place ice cream in a plastic container and freeze for about an hour or two.

Recipe Swap: Chocolate Cheesecake

2011-07-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

I post on a cooking-themed message board from time to time, and I happened to see that they were doing a recipe swap. Fun! So, I submitted my Peach Blackberry Soup, and in return, received this recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake from the So Tasty, So Yummy blog. (The recipient of my soup recipe turned it into a sorbet! Read the review here.)

I made the recipe almost exactly as written (I omitted the sour cream topping -- had it before on other cheesecakes, not a fan). I neglected to take pictures, as my camera battery is dead, and I still haven't determined which moving box contains my battery charger. Sorry about that! If you'd like to see a photo, click the link back to the So Tasty, So Yummy blog.

As stated in the previous blogger's write-up, this cheesecake doesn't have an overwhelming chocolate flavor. Some like that, I happen to prefer a strong chocolate flavor. I added a touch of strong-brewed, cooled coffee to try and bring out some additional chocolate flavor. I also changed the baking instructions to account for the lack of sour cream topping, and baked it in a water bath (see Step 5 of baking instructions in this post for how to bake in a water bath).

Chocolate Cheesecake
From So Tasty, So Yummy

Ingredients
Crust

1½ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
⅓ Cup Sugar
⅓ Cup Melted Butter

Filling

2 - 8 oz pkgs Cream Cheese

1 Cup Sugar

½ Cup Cocoa

¼ Cup strongly-brewed coffee, cooled

1 Tsp Vanilla extract

2 Eggs

Directions

Combine crackers, sugar, butter and press into the bottom and half-way up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cream the cream cheese with the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Blend in eggs and cooled coffee. Pour onto crust and bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 250 degrees, and bake an additional 60 minutes.
Chill overnight.

Breakfast for Dinner

2011-07-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

My forgetful mind has a hard time remembering to defrost meat for dinner the next night. So what do you do when you forget (again) to take something out for dinner?

My solution is . . . breakfast for dinner!

I had visited the fantastic farmer's market in my old neighborhood, one last time before moving away (as if I'm not only a few minutes' ride away now instead of a few minutes' walk, lol). Among the fresh produce stands and the farmers selling locally-raised meat is a stand that sells fresh bread. Their selection varies from week to week, and that week, they had my favorite: brioche. If you've never had brioche, it's a rich, sweet, eggy bread. It's fantastic lightly toasted with some fruit preserves, but it also makes HEAVENLY French toast. I bought a loaf of that bread, and froze it.

So, when I forgot to take something out for dinner on Tuesday night, I knew just what I wanted. I came across a Brioche French Toast recipe on the Boston Magazine website. I used the recipe with no changes, and it was DELICIOUS. It had a thin, crisp crust, yet was soft on the inside. I used my electric countertop griddle, but you can also use a wide, shallow sauté pan or griddle pan. If you use a frozen loaf of brioche like I did, slice it while it's still frozen. The original recipe says it yields two servings, but I had enough custard mixture for four servings (8 slices of bread).

Brioche French Toast
Recipe from Boston Magazine

Ingredients

8 (1-inch-thick) slices of brioche loaf bread
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
Unsalted butter, for the griddle

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a sheet pan with foil, and lightly spritz with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the cream, half-and-half, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl, and whisk until combined.
One at a time, drop slices of brioche in the mixture, and let soak about 20 to 30 seconds on each side (if your bread is thinner, soak only 5 to 10 seconds on each side).
If using an electric griddle, set the heat to about 300 degrees. If using a sauté or griddle pan, set over medium heat. Melt about a teaspoon of butter, and coat the cooking surface.
Working in batches, sear each slice of brioche about a minute on each side (re-butter your cooking surface if necessary), then transfer to the baking sheet. When all slices have been seared, place baking sheet in the oven for three to five minutes.
Serve with berries, maple syrup and/or freshly whipped cream.

Never made your own fresh whipped cream? It's easy! A few minutes prior to whipping, place a clean metal bowl in your refrigerator.

When ready, place 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream in the chilled bowl, along with 1 tablespoon of confectioners' sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Using a stand mixer, hand mixer, immersion blender with whip attachment, whip on high until thick and medium-soft peaks form.

And the winner is . . .

2011-07-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

The winner of the $30 Penzey's gift card is . . . Jenna Z.! I'll get in touch with you shortly to arrange delivery of your gift card!

Easy Blog Giveaway!

2011-07-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

As an apology for my lack of posting, I offer a $30 Penzeys.com gift card!

Penzey's is a great resource for over 250 spices and seasonings. They have retail locations in 26 states, as well as a mail-order catalog, and online store.

How can you win this gift card? Simply leave a comment, telling me where you live. You can be as specific as naming your city, or as vague as naming the country in which you live. It's up to you!

And I promise to start posting again. We have successfully moved to our new apartment, with much more room to cook!

Edited at 8:08 p.m. ET to add: I guess it would be helpful to state when the winner will be chosen! Haha!

The winner will be chosen on Monday, July 11, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, using Random.org.

Wedding Cake Bites

2011-06-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'm making these wedding cake bites (based on Bakerella's Wedding Cake Pops) for a bridal shower tomorrow afternoon. I made a test batch last weekend, and my cakes kept sliding down the stick, so I decided to just leave them off the sticks, and serve them on miniature doilies, or possibly in cupcake liners.

To make these on your own, here's what you'll need:

1 box of cake mix (any flavor), or from-scratch recipe for a 13x9-inch sheet cake
1 (16 oz) can frosting, or 16 oz of homemade frosting
Candy melts, or coating chocolate (about 2 lbs)
1 recipe of Royal icing (see below)
Parchment or wax paper
Two round cutters, ½-inch difference in size (I used ¾-inch and 1 ¼-inch)
Miniature doilies or paper cupcake liners

Directions

Bake your 13x9 cake (according to package directions, or according to your homemade recipe). Allow to cool completely.
Break cake into chunks into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a food processor. If using stand mixer with the paddle attachment, stir on low until the cake becomes crumbs. If using a food processor, pulse several times until cake becomes crumbs (Note: if using food processor to make crumbs, I recommend pouring crumbs into stand mixer bowl before continuing).
Spoon about 3/4 of the frosting into the bowl, and using paddle attachment, mix until crumbs are coated in frosting. Add more frosting, a spoonful at a time, if needed.
Line a sheetpan with wax or parchment paper, and using a tablespoon measure, scoop balls of the cake mixture. Using your hands, roll these into smooth balls. Start with about fifteen large balls. Switch to the teaspoon measure, and scoop out fifteen smaller balls. Roll until smooth. Switch back to the tablespoon and make more balls, then switch back to the teaspoon and roll an equal number of smaller balls. Repeat until you've used up all your cake mixture (your total number of cake balls will vary depending on your ball size and cake recipe).
Refrigerate about fifteen minutes, until firm.
Take the larger of your round cutters, lightly mist the inside with nonstick cooking spray, and place it on a hard surface lined with parchment or wax paper. Place a large ball of cake inside, and press down so that the ball becomes a round shape with a flat top and bottom.
Pick up the cutter, and gently press down around the edges, forcing the cake out the bottom. Repeat with the large cake balls, misting the cutter with spray every three or four cake balls. Repeat with the smaller cutter and the smaller balls. Refrigerate until firm.
Place a small amount of royal icing or liquid candy melts in a parchment piping bag and snip a tiny opening. Pick up a small cake bite, pipe a thin line around the edge on the underside, and place it in the middle of a larger cake bite.
Repeat with the rest of your cake bites. Place in the freezer for about fifteen minutes.
While they are freezing, melt your coating chocolate or candy melts over a double boiler (this method is recommended over microwaving, because it is easier to re-melt if needed).
Now comes the dipping. Here is how I coated my mini cakes:

Place a coating rack inside a lipped sheet pan lined with parchment paper. I took two of the cakes from the freezer and placed them on the coating rack.
I placed one of the cakes on a fork, and used a large spoon to pour the chocolate over the cake. It took two or three spoonfuls to coat the cake on all sides. Do this quickly -- the cold cakes make the chocolate set fast.
Then I gently nudged the cake off the fork with the spoon onto the coating rack to set completely. You can scrape any drippings off of the parchment paper and back into the bowl of melted chocolate, if needed.
Repeat with each cake, taking two or three out of the freezer at a time.
After the coating has dried, you can decorate your mini cakes. I recommend keeping decorations simple. A thin line at the base where the two layers meet, or a simple Swiss dot pattern on each layer. Also, about a week ahead of time, pipe some tiny royal icing flowers and leave them out to dry. Use a dot of royal icing to "glue" them to the top of the mini cakes.

Royal Icing Recipe
From Wilton.com

Ingredients

3 tablespoons meringue powder (egg whites may also be used, but because they will not be cooked, I recommend against them, if the elderly, children, or pregnant women may be consuming your cake bites)
1 lb confectioners sugar
6 tablespoons warm water

Directions

Make sure your mixing bowl, paddle attachment, and all utensils are clean and grease-free.
Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks, about 7 to 10 minutes at low speed in a stand mixer. Do not mix on a higher speed -- you do not want to incorporate air into the icing.
Once mixed, keep covered by a damp paper towel or plastic wrap to prevent the icing from drying.

Peach Blackberry Soup

2011-05-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

When cooking with fruit, most people assume you mean baking a pie. But there's a lot more you can do with it. One of my favorite things is fruit soup. The culinary school that I attended has a restaurant that is open to the public. As pastry students, we were responsible for prepping the desserts that were offered. One summer, we offered a chilled berry soup. It was delicious! And sadly, I never copied down the recipe.

So, instead, I went in search of other fruit soup recipes, and found this Peach Blackberry Soup recipe in Cooking Light magazine.I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Peach Blackberry Soup
From Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

1 cup riesling or other dry white wine, or white grape juice
2 pounds fresh, underripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blackberries

Directions

Combine the riesling, peaches and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. If using a food processor or blender, cool to room temperature. If using an immersion blender, proceed to next step.
Puree the peach mixture, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Pour pureed portions into a large bowl. Stir in honey, lemon juice and vanilla. Chill for 1 hour.
To serve, ladle half a cup of soup into a bowl, and serve with a quarter cup of blackberries. Suggested garnishes: a sprig of fresh mint leaves or candied lemon zest.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

2011-04-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long delay in posting. Had a bit of a stomach bug lately.

But thankfully, I felt better just in time for Easter brunch. Having family dinner later tonight, so S/O and I had brunch for two this morning. Very small, nothing too fancy. Just this quiche and some Pillsbury cinnamon rolls.

I found the quiche recipe among the suggestions on FoodNetwork.com for Easter brunch. It's a Paula Deen recipe, and based on the reviews, I made a few tweaks. Below is the recipe as I made it.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Based on Paula Deen's recipe

Ingredients

1 store-bought refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
6 eggs
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (10-oz) box frozen cut leaf spinach, cooked and drained
½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Layer the spinach, bacon crumbles and cheese in the bottom of the pan. NOTE: I did not use the entire amount of each ingredient. I just eyeballed a thin layer.
Whisk together the eggs, the cream, and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the spinach, bacon and cheese.
Place pie pan on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and place in oven. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until set. Quiche will puff up, but will deflate after removed from oven.

If you choose to make this up to two days ahead, cover cooked quiche in plastic and refrigerate. To rewarm, heat oven to 325 degrees, remove plastic wrap and heat quiche for 20 minutes.

Bake Sale for Japan Follow-Up

2011-04-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well, the vegan brownies did not get made, thanks in part to a certain black-and-white pit bull who decided to help himself to a week's worth of food in one sitting, necessitating a trip to the emergency vet.

But really, how can you stay made at this face?

The cake pops, however, did get made! White cake with vanilla frosting, dipped in various pastel-colored Wilton candy melts. Of course, I didn't finish them until about midnight, and completely forgot to take photos. D'oh!

I did get an email from the organizers, thanking all of us for our donations of baked goods, and found out that they raised nearly $1,000! Fantastic news!

So, thanks so much to South Street Philly Bagels for organizing the bake sale.

Bake Sale for Japan

2011-03-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

On Friday, March 11th, Japan suffered a record 9.0 earthquake, which set off a tsunami, which devastated the country.

On Saturday, April 2nd, across the United States, several professional and amateur bakers are holding bake sales to benefit Japan. In Philadelphia, the bake sale is being organized by South Street Philly Bagels, located at 613 S. 3rd Street. They have asked for contributions of food to be sold, and I'll be donating cake pops and vegan brownies.

So, if you're in the area next Saturday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., please stop by.

Interested in finding participating locations (or starting your own)? Get more information at Bake Sale for Japan.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-03-26T12:16:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry I've been a slacker in keeping up with this blog (though I'm not sure if anybody reads it anymore, anyway!). My new job has me working so much overtime that my S/O is usually the one who does the cooking of late, and I've been too exhausted to post!

BUT, yesterday was my birthday (I'm . . . uh, 29, again?) and S/O got me three great baking-related presents! Two books:

Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans

The Pastry Chef's Companion by Glenn Rinsky

and finally, this:

A blade with rubber "wings" on the sides, eliminating the need to scrape down the bowl. I think I'm actually most excited about this gift.

Has anyone else used the beater blade? Does it work as well as it's supposed to?

Cake! Swiss Buttercream!

2011-02-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't typically been one to celebrate Valentine's Day for the last several years. It was one of the few times I hated going out to eat, and any gift even remotely romantic has its price jacked up because of the holiday.

This year, I decided (very last minute) to cook a "nicer than normal" Valentine's Day dinner. We'll start with Pear and Brie Quesadillas. Pears courtesy of Philadelphia's Italian Market (the nation's oldest and largest outdoor curb market). The brie cheese is from DiBruno Brothers, an Italian cheese shop that opened in the Italian Market in 1939. If you give them an idea of what you're looking for (a soft, mild cheese; a sharp, hard cheese), they'll give you at least 3 suggestions (with a taste), and the history of each cheese.

Then, Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Shallot Vinaigrette, courtesy of The Food Network. The lamb, fresh rosemary, shallots and potatoes are also from the Italian Market. The lamb is from Cannuli's Meats. We'll also have one of the boxes of frozen veggies from the grocery store. Or asparagus.

For dessert — cake. Rose Levy Berenbaum's All-Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake from her cookbook, The Cake Bible, iced in Swiss Meringue buttercream (the buttercream recipe came from a chef at the culinary school I attended). Both of these recipes are below.

Rose's cake recipe is my go-to when someone requests vanilla cake. It's moist, yet sturdy enough to handle buttercream icing (which is heavier than store-bought whipped frosting). I love her step-by-step, foolproof instructions.

Rose's All Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake
From The Cake Bible

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks (save the whites for the buttercream!)
1 cup whole milk, divided
2 ¼ tsp vanilla extract
10 ½ oz (3 cups by volume) sifted cake flour
10 ½ oz (1 ½ cups by volume) granulated sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
6 oz (12 tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line bottoms of pans with a sheet of parchment or wax paper cut to fit the bottoms of the pans, and spray with nonstick spray again. This will prevent sticking.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the yolks, ¼ cup of the milk, and all of the vanilla extract, and beat lightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter in chunks, and the remaining ¾ cup of milk. Mix on low speed until the batter is moist.
Increase mixer speed to medium (4 to 6 on KitchenAid) and beat for 1 minute 30 seconds. This beats air into the cake batter, and causes gluten to form, which makes up the structure of the cake. Turn the mixer off, and use a spatula to scrape the batter off the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Return to low speed, and add ⅓ of the egg mixture, then beat on low for a few seconds, then on medium for 20 seconds. Repeat with another ⅓ of the egg mixture, beating on low, then medium, and repeat with the last ⅓. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again.
Divide batter between the two pans, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or thin knife inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes on a cooling rack, then invert onto plates or cardboard cake rounds. Cool completely before frosting.

I love this buttercream, because unlike Italian Buttercream, it doesn't taste like you're eating a stick of butter, and unlike American Buttercream, it's not excessively sweet.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Recipe by The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
Makes enough frosting to fill and ice two 9-inch cakes

Ingredients

Medium saucepan with about an inch of simmering water
12 egg whites
1 lb 4 oz granulated sugar
2 lb unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into tbsp-sized chunks
Vanilla extract to taste
Shot of liqueur (optional, use less vanilla if you choose to use liqueur)

Directions

Place the whites and the sugar in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer. Place the mixing bowl over the simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not sit in the water). Continually whip the egg whites and sugar until heated and the sugar dissolves.
Remove bowl from the water and place on the mixer. Whip until doubled in volume.
Switch to the paddle attachment. Add the butter, 2 to 3 pieces at a time, whipping until fully incorporated before adding more. The time it takes to incorporate will get longer and longer as more butter is added.
After all the butter is added, add vanilla and liqueur (if using) and continue beating until the buttercream comes together and looks smooth and creamy.
Use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use. If using later, allow buttercream to come to room temperature, then beat again before using.

Taco Tuesday!

2011-02-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

It's Taco Tuesday! I like my tacos simple: seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, hot taco sauce (or jarred salsa), Mexican blend of cheese, and sour cream on a soft tortilla.

I made tacos about 2 months ago. I decided not to buy the taco kit, and instead bought the meat, tortillas, and salsa separately, since it was cheaper. Except, whoops! I didn't buy any taco seasoning! I thought we were going to have to resort to take-out, and postpone taco night by a day, when my boyfriend made the incredibly simple suggestion: mix our own taco seasoning. This is one of those all-too-frequent moments in my life where I think, "Why didn't I think of that?"

I love to cook, so I own just about every dried herb and spice on the grocery store shelves. We used this recipe from AllRecipes.com (tweaking a bit), and it's just as good, if not better, than the packaged taco seasoning you buy at the store.

Taco Seasoning
From AllRecipes.com
Makes enough to season 1 lb of ground meat/poultry

Ingredients

1 tbsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp onion powder
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk to distribute evenly. Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

Pan-Fried Tilapia

2011-02-06T16:46:00.001-08:00

I've been trying to be more diligent about my spending at the grocery store. I made a shopping list, checked the sale ads, planned meals based on what's on sale, and clipped coupons based on what I needed.

Tilapia was on sale for $4.99 a pound, and generic boxed frozen veggies were on sale, 10 for $10. The March issue of Food Network magazine also came in the mail on Saturday, and in the Weekday cooking section was a recipe for Tilapia Milanese. In keeping with my past, I failed to read the entire ingredient list before going food shopping, and realized as I was starting to cook, that I didn't have parsley or lemons to zest. So, I adapted the recipe to use ingredients I already had on hand.

The results weren't bad, though it could've used more salt.

Pan-Fried Tilapia
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Serves 2 (with leftovers)

Ingredients

1 lb tilapia fillets
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup AP flour
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp Mediterranean seafood seasoning* (I got mine from Whole Foods)
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
10 oz frozen spinach, cooked according to instructions, kept hot

Directions

Place fish in a wide, shallow bowl, and cover with milk and 2 cups ice cubes. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place flour, salt, and pepper in a pie pan or large plate, and mix.
Place panko, salt and seafood seasoning in another pie pan or large plate, and mix.
Crack eggs into a shallow bowl, and lightly beat.
One at a time, remove fish fillets from milk bath, dredge in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg, then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Place on a cutting board.
Line a baking sheet with tinfoil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour olive oil into saute pan, coating the bottom. Heat over medium-high heat. Add fillets (I have a 10-inch skillet, which fit one fillet at a time), and cook 2 minutes per side, then transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fillets, using more olive oil if needed.
Transfer fish to the oven and bake 8 minutes, until fully cooked.
Spoon spinach onto a plate, and top with fish fillet. Sprinkle lemon juice onto fish. Serve.

* Mediterranean seafood seasoning is a blend of sea salt, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Dilled Salmon

2011-02-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

At the age of 10, my family visited the New Jersey shore for vacation. One night, we went to a seafood restaurant for dinner. I felt sick to my stomach the moment we entered the restaurant. I felt better the moment we left. All I remember was a sickening "fishy" smell. I refused to touch ANY kind of seafood from that moment on.

Fast forward to age 23. My cousin was getting married. On the hottest day of July. She chose a beautiful church simply because it was the only one that had air conditioning. That day, it broke. By the time we got to the reception, I was starving. The only hors d'oeuvres served was shrimp. I broke down and tried some. Hmm. Not bad.

Fast forward to Christmas. My mother had been serving surf 'n turf at Christmas for years, since she hates turkey. All those years, I would forgo my lobster tail and eat only the filet mignon, leaving my dad and my brother to split what would've been my tail. Much to their chagrin, that year, I decided to taste the lobster tail. Hmmm. REALLY good!

Since then, I've tasted a lot more seafood. Swordfish. Flounder. Halibut. Mahi mahi. The only thing I still don't like is scallops.

One thing I do like — a lot — is salmon. It was on sale at the supermarket last week, so I picked up a pound. And I looked up some salmon recipes. I chose this one from AllRecipes.com for its simplicity. I altered a bit. The original had WAY too much onion powder and dill for my taste (though feel free to add more if you like it), and the cooking instructions would've resulted in a piece of orangey-pink rubber.

Dilled Salmon
From AllRecipes.com
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pound salmon fillet
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried dill
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the fish skin-side down on the baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and dill. Cut the butter into small squares, and space evenly over the fish.
Bake 10 minutes. Check for doneness (fish should be flaky and opaque), and cook an additional minute or two, if necessary.

Suggested accompaniment: Mix together mayo, lemon juice and fresh or dried dill and spread over the cooked fish.

Lobster (or Crab) Bisque

2011-01-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned on my Facebook page, it's National Soup Month! Perfect time of year, too. One of my favorite comfort foods is a creamy soup and a loaf of French bread. I found this lobster bisque recipe on Allrecipes.com, and with a few tweaks, found the perfect soup for a romantic, cold-weather night in for two. On a budget? Sub imitation lobster meat, or use crab meat (real or imitation).

This isn't as thick as most creamy soups. If that's the texture you prefer, you may want to thicken the soup with cornstarch at the end. Start with 1 tbsp of cornstarch and mix with ¼ cup liquid (clam juice, chicken broth, sherry or white wine, or water). Add to soup, and stir until soup thickens.

Lobster Bisque
From AllRecipes.com
Makes 4 main-course servings, or 6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
14 oz clam juice
¼ cup dry sherry (optional)
pinch salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups half-and-half
½-pound lump lobster meat

Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and celery, cook and stir until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and clam juice, season with salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, add half of the lobster meat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender (if you don't have an immersion blender, cool the mixture, then transfer to a blender or food processor, puree until smooth, then return to saucepan).
Return the pan to the cooktop, over low heat, and stir in the half-and-half, sherry (if using), and remaining lobster meat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Soup

2011-01-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

I thought I had blogged about this already, but apparently I haven't. I linked to the original recipe in my first Thanksgiving menu post back in '09, but I have since made some additions to the soup which make it even better! With the heavy cream, it's not exactly healthy, but one reviewer of the original recipe said she accidentally left the cream out, and did not miss it.

This is one of my most favorite soups ever. I could eat it every day in the winter. This is a great choice to make in large batches and freeze for later — I usually make at least a quadruple batch in my large (20-quart) soup pot that I inherited from my grandfather.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Adapted from AllRecipes.com
Makes 4 main course servings, or 6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped white onion (half of a medium onion)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 (14 ½ oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth to keep soup vegetarian)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground allspice
⅛ tsp ground pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat, and saute the chopped onion until tender (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add one of the cans of chicken broth, stir well, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat, and puree the onions and broth until smooth with an immersion blender. If you do not own an immersion blender, cool the broth to room temperature before transferring the broth (in batches, if necessary) to a blender and pureeing until smooth. Return the broth to the saucepan.
Add the remaining can of broth, and the pumpkin, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, cayenne, and brown sugar. Stir until all ingredients are blended. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, and reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minuets, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the heavy cream, and heat through (do not boil). Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top with thinly sliced scallions, and serve with crusty French bread, if desired.

TIPS AND HINTS

Make an effort to chop the onion as finely as you can. The more chopping you do now, the easier it will be to puree the soup in step 2.
If using an immersion blender (I have this one from Braun), use two pieces of plastic wrap to create a sort of cover over the saucepan. It can get messy!
If using a blender to puree the soup, it is important to cool the broth! If you blend hot liquids in a covered blender, it may make the glass blender explode!
If you like it extra spicy, feel free to increase the cayenne pepper -- using ½ tsp gives it quite a kick!
If you decide to freeze this soup to eat later, do not fill the plastic container to the brim. Liquids expand when they freeze, and will crack your plastic container.

Oven Baked French Fries

2011-01-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much. Been sick lately, and I've got a new (temp) job! Eight hours of work plus at least an hour commute each way, equals not much energy for cooking, let alone posting about it!

One night, after one of my first days of work, my boyfriend offered to make dinner for us. He made barbecue pork, microwaved some frozen vegetables, and made these fantastic oven-baked french fries, courtesy of AllRecipes.com. This recipe is only for one serving, so remember to double or triple (or more!) the recipe, depending on the amount of people you want to feed.

Oven Baked French Fries
From AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 large baking potato
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp onion powder

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the potato into thick strips (like steak fries). Spread the strips onto a tinfoil-covered baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
Mix the paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder in a small bowl and sprinkle over the fries. Toss to coat.
Bake for 40 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

2010-12-25T18:41:00.000-08:00

I just arrived back home from my first Christmas with my boyfriend's family. We were asked to bring a dessert, and he said that most of his family liked cheesecake. I was tired of my go-to recipe, "White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake." So, I decided to attempt a recipe that has intimidated me up until now: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. It's a recipe that someone gave to me years ago, but I've never tried to make it.

It was much less daunting than I thought. I thought it would be much harder to layer the different chocolate-flavored batters. But they're so thick, they lay on top of each other, rather than mixing together.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Recipe by Jack L.

Ingredients

18 Oreo cookies
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 (8 oz) bricks of cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¾ cups sugar
4 eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
4 oz milk chocolate bar, melted and cooled
4 oz white chocolate bar, melted and cooled
4 oz semisweet chocolate bar, melted and cooled
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz semisweet chocolate bar, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the Oreo cookies in a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag, and crush finely with a rolling pin. Pour in melted butter, and mix until crumbs are coated. Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in two layers of aluminum foil.
Beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Gradually beat in sugar. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated and scraping the bowl in between each addition. Beat in the cream.
Divide batter evenly among three bowls. Stir melted milk chocolate into the first bowl, white chocolate into the second, and semisweet chocolate into the third.
Pour milk chocolate batter onto the prepared crust and spread evenly. Carefully pour white chocolate batter on top, and spread evenly, being careful not to mix the batters. Repeat with the semisweet chocolate.
Place in a boiling water bath (see previous entries on cheesecakes for instructions) and bake for one hour. Check for doneness (see tips on how to know when your cheesecake is done). If necessary, continue baking until cheesecake is set, but still jiggles in the middle. When it reaches this point, turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour.
Cover in tin foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Prepare the glaze: Scald the heavy cream. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl, and pour hot cream over it. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Pour over the cheesecake, tilting to coat it evenly, then chill the cheesecake for fifteen minutes.

Easy Holiday Treat: White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

2010-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

In its December 2010 issue, Food Network Magazine has an article on customizable candy. Mix and Match to make your own chocolate bark! Choose from 3 types of chocolate (or use half bittersweet and half white), 15 crunchy toppings, 9 chewy toppings, and 5 spices, and you can make almost 130,000 flavor combinations!

Every year, my mother and her co-workers exchange homemade goodies rather than gifts in their office. Well, my mother . . . well, if it's not microwaveable, she doesn't cook/bake it. So, even though she rolled her eyes when I told her I was enrolling in Pastry School, she still comes to me every year and asks me to make the goodies for her.

So, this year, I'm including my go-to chocolate chip cookies (which you're probably tired of hearing about), roll-out sugar cookies (I do not remember where I found the recipe), Vanilla-Bean Shortbread Dipped in Bittersweet Chocolate, and White Chocolate Peppermint and Marshmallow Bark (recipe below).

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
From Food Network Magazine, December 2010 issue, page 186

Ingredients

1 lb high-quality white chocolate
½ cup chopped peppermint candies or candy canes
½ cup mini marshmallows

Directions

Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil, shiny side up. Smooth out any creases.
Melt ¾ of a pound of white chocolate using your method of choice (I prefer the double boiler, bu others prefer the microwave). Stir until smooth. Then, add in the reserved ¼ lb, stir vigorously until melted and shiny. A few small lumps may remain, don't worry about them.
pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet and use a rubber spatula to spread it into a circle, 10 inches or so in diameter, and about ¼-inch thick.
Press your chewy and crunchy toppings into the chocolate, making sure every bite will have some of each texture. Sprinkle spices, if using. Let the bark harden completely in a cool area (or freeze for a few minutes if your house is warm). Break the bark into pieces, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.

Decorated Gingerbread Cookies

2010-12-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

This Food & Wine recipe is my go-to for rolled-out gingerbread cookies. I usually go for simple Christmas shapes, like trees, snowmen, and candy canes. Intricate shapes, like snowflakes, don't hold their shape well when baked.

The original recipe used a simple confectioners sugar icing, but I prefer Royal Icing or Candy fondant (see bottom of post). Royal Icing dries matte, while Candy Fondant icing dries shiny. Both take color very well.

Gingerbread Cookies
From Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ oz vegetable shortening
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
⅔ cup molasses
1 large egg

Directions

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer), beat the butter with the shortening and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and egg to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
Lower the speed and beat in the sifted dry ingredients just until combined. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and pat it into a disk. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Cut the dough in half; work with one piece at a time while keeping the other refrigerated. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ¼-inch thick. Dip your cookie cutters in flour to discourage the dough from sticking. Stamp out cookies as close together as possible and transfer them to baking sheets. Gather the scraps, pat them into a disk and refrigerate until firm.
Bake the cookies for about 16 mins, or until the edges are lightly browned; rotate the pans (shift them from front to back and top to bottom) halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 10 mins, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and scraps.
Decorate the cooled cookies with Royal Icing or Dried Candy Fondant icing (see below), using a pastry bag with a small plain tip or using an offset spatula.

Royal Icing
From Wilton.com

Ingredients

1 pound confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp meringue powder
6 tbsp warm water
Splash clear vanilla extract

Directions

Beat all ingredients on low speed, 7 to 10 minutes.

Dried Candy Fondant Icing
From SugarCraft.com

Ingredients

10 parts dried candy fondant
1 part water
Splash clear vanilla extract

Directions

Stir together all ingredients until lumps disappear.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

2010-12-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Of the three types of chocolate (dark, milk, and white), I don't really have a favorite. I love them all. Each one has its place. I like using dark chocolate to coat cake balls. I love to eat milk chocolate on its own. And I love white chocolate cheesecake, sometimes with dark or milk chocolate curls shaved on top for garnish (see note below on how to make them).

White Chocolate Cheesecake
Based on recipe from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients
For the crust

1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup butter, melted

For the cheesecake

4 ounces white chocolate
3 (8-oz pkgs) cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan in two layers of tinfoil. Grease the inside of the pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the ingredients for the crust, and press into bottom of springform pan.
Place the cream cheese, sugar and flour in a mixing bowl, and cream until light and fluffy (at least five minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding the next.
Melt the white chocolate using your method of choice (double boiler or microwave). On low speed, mix melted white chocolate into cream cheese mixture. Keeping speed low, beat in vanill and heavy cream. Mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan.
Place cheesecake pan into a larger pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger pan, taking care not to let any splash into the cheesecake batter. Bake cheesecake in the water bath for 50 to 60 minutes, or until center of the cheesecake is just firm. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing the side of the pan.

To Make Chocolate CurlsChoose a large chocolate block of dark or milk chocolate. Warm it in the oven for 5 seconds. Using a cheese slicer, or peeler, using steady pressure, slowly draw the instrument over the block of chocolate. You can use your free hand to guide the chocolate into a curl.

Post-Thanksgiving Review

2010-11-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Apps:

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms - made these last year — SO good, so quick and easy to put together. I actually stuffed these early in the afternoon and put them in the refrigerator.
Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms - I didn't get to try one of these, but heard it was good. The stuffing was a bit loose (didn't hold together), but I forgot the feta, so maybe that would've helped bind it together.

Main course:

Cider-Brined Turkey Breast - I use this recipe every year. This year, I bought a 9-pound turkey breast only (instead of a whole turkey). I brined the breast for 6 hours, then roasted it for 2 hours and 45 minutes. I brushed with a cider glaze every 30 minutes. I did tent it with foil after an hour in the oven. It was sooo good. Very moist. I tried to make the gravy the first year I used the recipe, and didn't like it, so I never make the broth or the gravy, I just buy a jar of turkey gravy.
Farmhouse Sage Stuffing - I was originally going to make the Sausage and Sage variation, but ran out of time and didn't cook the sausage. I added the sage anyway, and it was REALLY good. I cooked all of it outside the turkey, in a 9x13 baking dish, so I used 1 ¾ cups chicken stock (store didn't have turkey stock). It wasn't as moist as I usually like it, but not too dry. The sautéed vegetables can be prepared up to a day ahead of time.
Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Mascarpone Cheese - these were really good. Will probably use a whole head of roasted garlic next time, instead of just 6 cloves. It didn't have a distinct roasted garlic flavor.
Creamed Spinach - This was the first time I've ever tasted creamed spinach. Not my cup of tea, but the others said it was good. This dish can be prepared a day ahead of time.
Oven-Roasted Vegetables - I've made this recipe several times. So easy. So tasty. And healthy!

Dessert:

Cake Balls - I used a Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mix and chocolate frosting. Dipped them in Valrhona white chocolate.

Sausage, Peppers and Onion

2010-11-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

Lately, The Mister and I have taken to wandering into whatever grocery store we happen to be near, and browsing the store to see what looks good for dinner.

I happened to wander into our local Whole Foods Market. They had a sirloin steak on sale, but I wasn't in the mood. The man behind the counter said he had a "plethora" (yes, he used that word) of sausages on sale.

So, I bought a pound of chicken chorizo sausage, knowing that both The Mister and I love spicy food. The only thing I could think to do with said sausage was Sausage, Peppers and Onions. So, I picked up a red and green bell pepper, a yellow onion, a box of bow-tie pasta, and a can of pasta sauce.

Not exactly, original, I know, but The Mister was RAVING over dinner.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

1 lb (about 4 links) chicken chorizo sausage
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ lb bow-tie pasta
25 oz pasta sauce

Directions

Cook bow-tie pasta according to package directions, until al dente.
Saute sausage links over medium heat, about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Remove from pan. Slice about ½ -inch thick.
Melt butter in pan. Add onions, and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add peppers, and sauté another three minutes. Add sausage slices back into pan. Warm through.
Heat pasta sauce through, add sausage, peppers and onions, and stir until sausage, peppers and onions are coated.
Plate pasta. Use tongs or a spoon to place sausage, peppers and onions on top of pasta. Spoon more pasta sauce on top, if desired.

Christmas Cookie Baking List

2010-11-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bypassing Thanksgiving. But I am starting to get excited for the holidays in general. Which means it's time to start thinking about my Christmas-cookie-baking Marathon! (and amassing containers in which to store them!)

So, the staples I make every year are:

Better-Than-Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal-Raisin-Craisin Cookies (from the inside of the lid of Quaker Oatmeal)
Chocolate-Peanut-Butter Chip Cookies (from the back of the Reese's Peanut Butter Chips)

And then I try to make new recipes. In the past, I've made:

White Chocolate Cookies with Raspberry Drizzle from Better Homes and Gardens (delicious, but didn't keep very well)
Merginue cookies
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Shortbread
Gingerbread cookies (not cut-outs)
Sugar cookies with Fondant Icing
Rum Balls

Thanksgiving Desserts

2010-11-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

So, it's official: I am not cooking Thanksgiving dinner. :-( Yes, I really am disappointed. Some people think it's a huge hassle, but I loved it. Yes, I got a little stressed the day-of, but I love preparing a menu, shopping for ingredients, and making the meal. But, with my new tiny apartment kitchen, and pub table with seating for two, it's just not going to happen.

So, I offered to bring dessert. Actually, desserts. Even though there will only be five of us at dinner, we always have at least two options (more like five when my grandmother was alive, lol).

My dad has requested a pumpkin pie. My brother likes apple pie. I want chocolate. OK, maybe we will have three desserts. Below are the three I am considering.

Pumpkin Pie
From Epicurious.com

Ingredients

1 recipe pie crust (or one store-bought pie crust)
15 oz pumpkin puree
¾ cup maple syrup (the pure stuff, not pancake syrup)
¾ cup whipping cream
3 large eggs
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt

Directions

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Press pie crust into 8- or 9-inch pie plate.
Whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth.
Pour into crust, and crimp edges decoratively, if desired.
Bake until filling is set, about an hour.
Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Double-Crusted Caramel Apple Pie
Source: The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
2 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
Doubled recipe for pie crust (or 2 store-bought pie crusts)
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp AP flour
sugar to taste
1 recipe caramel (see below)
1 egg
1 tbsp water
cinnamon sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Make the caramel: Cook sugar with a little water till caramel color. Remove from heat and slowly stream in heavy cream, stirring with wooden spoon. Stir in butter. Add vanilla. Let cool to room temp.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix apples with lemon zest, flour and sugar to taste. Place apples in unbaked pie shell. Drizzle caramel over the apples.
Brush edge of crust with water. Place other crust on top and seal shut with fork or crimp edges together.
Cut steam vents in top crust. Brush pie surface with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Refrigerate 10 mins before baking. Bake about one hour.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Source: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

½ cup water
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
18 oz high-quality chocolate (72% cacao)
1 cup unsalted butter
6 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease one 10-inch round cake pan and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter.
Mix in the hot sugar-water, and slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Place cake pan with batter inside a 12-inch (or larger) cake pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger cake pan, ensuring none splashes into the cake batter and that the boiling water comes halfway up the side of the smaller cake pan. This is called a "water bath."
Bake the cake in the water bath at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Remove the smaller pan from the water bath. Chill the cake overnight.
To remove the cake from the pan, dip the bottom of the cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds and invert onto serving plate.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter Sauce

2010-10-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you how much I LOVE having a farmer's market two blocks from my apartment? I get fresh, locally grown produce for much cheaper than the grocery stores. As well as meat, spices, flowers, etc. I got an ounce of ground cardamom today for less than a quarter of what it would cost me at my local supermarket.

Last weekend, I bought a butternut squash, with the intention of making butternut squash ravioli. Then I realized that I didn't own a pasta maker, but found out that I didn't need one, only a rolling pin, which I already own. However, I wasn't able to roll out the dough thin enough with the rolling pin, so I really do recommend using a pasta maker, if you have one.

I did learn today that I really need to start reading recipes BEFORE I start cooking (actually, I thought I had learned this already, as I have, on numerous occasions, started cooking or baking, only to realize I don't have all the necessary ingredients, but I guess the lesson never sank in). Oh well, maybe you will learn from my (repeated) mistakes. I at least read the part where the pasta dough has to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling. So, I had The Mister make the pasta dough, while I had to run out and work (I'm a pet-sitter, and had two weekend jobs to do).

So, I got home, and started rolling out the dough, and cooking the filling. Then I got to the part of the recipe where it says the filling has to cool completely. Oh. Whoops. I had to go back out again for another dog-walk at 9 p.m., so I had The Mister fill the raviolis (he wanted to do it anyway), and boil them while I was gone. I made the sauce when I got back.

I got the recipes (the roasted butternut squash puree, Tyler Florence's pasta dough, and Emeril LaGasse's ravioli) from Foodnetwork.com. I've combined all three below. This was definitely a fun adventure in cooking, and I had fun making it.

The recipe below uses only 1 cup of the puree. Want some ideas of what to make with the rest of it? Check out this blog entry from Our Good Food Life.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Makes 2 main-course servings, or 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients

For the puree:

one 3-lb butternut squash
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper

For the pasta dough:

2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the filling:

1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp minced shallots
1 cup butternut squash puree
Salt
White pepper
3 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
Pinch nutmeg

For egg wash:

1 large egg
1 tbsp water

For sauce:

8 tbsp unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves, cut in half

Directions:

Early in the day of serving, or the day before, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and seed the squash, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Spread in one layer on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil over the cubes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to food processor and puree. Transfer to plastic bag or tupperware container and refrigerate.
Also early in the day, or the day before: make the pasta. In a mixing bowl fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and the salt. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix. Drizzle in the olive oil, and continue to mix until the dough forms a ball. Take the dough out of the bowl. Lightly dust your counter with flour, and knead the dough for ten minutes, until elastic and smooth.
If using dough that day, brush surface of dough with olive oil, and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for thirty minutes. If making a day ahead of time, brush surface of dough with olive oil, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
Also day of, or day before: make filling: melt butter of medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Add minced shallots and sauté one minute. Add squash puree and continue to took another 3 minutes, or until slightly dry. Season with salt and white pepper, and add cream. Cook another 2 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and stir in cheese and nutmeg. Season again with salt and white pepper. Spread mixture onto plate or baking sheet and allow to cool completely.
Using either a rolling pin, or a pasta roller, roll dough into wide ribbon of maximum thickness of ¼-inch. Thinner is preferable. Cover with plastic wrap. Cut into 3-inch squares.
Just before cooking, make egg wash: beat egg with water in a small bowl. Also, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
When filling has cooled, scoop 2 tsp of filling onto each ravioli square. Brush edges of pasta squares with egg wash, and bring one corner of each square to meet the opposite corner. Seal the ravioli by pressing the edges together with a fork.
Add ravioli, a few at a time, to the pot, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until al dente. Remove from the water to a plate, and season with salt and white pepper. Tent with foil to keep warm.
In a large sauté pan, melt 8 tbsp butter. Add the sage leaves, and cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from heat.
Divide ravioli among plates (2 plates for main course, 4 for appetizers). Spoon butter sauce over pasta, and sprinkle additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

Pumpkin Profiteroles

2010-10-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Whenever one of my many cooking magazine subscriptions arrives in the mail, I try to take the time to read it then, partly because the recipes are seasonal, and partly because if I don't, they pile up quickly. I often print out the recipes that interest me, as I'm never able to remember which magazine or which issue contained that recipe.

One recipe that sparked my interest was in Bon Appetit's November 2007 issue: Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie. I doubt my family would be interested in trying it, because you don't mess with tradition. But I was hoping that someday, I'd have an opportunity to make it.

Last fall, I finally had that opportunity. Rather than make a pie, I made the pie filling, spooned it into a pastry bag and piped it into mini profiteroles (cream puffs). I brought them to a Halloween party, where they were a HUGE hit.

Pumpkin Profiteroles
Inspired by Bon Appetit's Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Profiterole Recipe Here

Filling Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
8 ounces mascarpone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat pumpkin and sugar until well-blended. Add eggs, lemon juice, spices, vanilla and salt. Beat until blended. Add mascarpone and beat until smooth.
Spread in an 8-inch square ceramic baking dish. Bake about 45 minutes, or until custard is set.
Allow to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a straight or star tip, and pipe custard into profiterole shells. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dust with powdered sugar, or dip in chocolate ganache before arranging on a tray and serving.

Restaurant Review: Le Bec-Fin

2010-09-25T06:38:00.001-07:00

For two weeks in the spring spring and again in the fall, Center City District in Philadelphia has "Restaurant Week" — participating restaurants offer limited 3-course menus at lunch for $20 and dinner for $35 (plus tax, alcohol and tip). I look forward to this event every year, as it means I get to try restaurants that I likely wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.

Like Le Bec-Fin. A Philadelphia icon for 40 years, it falls into the $$$$ category. Unfortunately, due to changes in the public's dining preferences (seemingly nobody wants to get dressed up and drop $150 or more on dinner for two), the restaurant will be closing in the spring.

I'm so very glad I got to eat there before that happens. I really enjoyed putting on a dress (a rare occasion in my life, as I have only had to "dress up" for one of the 4 jobs I've had since graduating from college), and going out for a fine dining experience.

We were seated immediately, and the sommelier offered us the wine menu. We chose a bottle of the Canyon Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon. I enjoyed the wine, it was not as acidic as other reds that I've had. The sommelier poured a small bit into my glass, allowed me to taste it, and after I approved, poured us each a glass. Throughout the night, the sommelier or his assistant would appear at our table and refill our glasses.

Servers walk about the room with large trays of 4 varieties of bread and offer you a piece. I had a buttermilk dinner roll. The roll was slightly salty itself, but even combined with a pat of salted butter, it was not overly salty. As we were eating our bread and drinking our wine, Georges Perrier himself (the owner) was walking around the dining room, greeting all of the customers.

I chose the butternut squash soup with pickled pumpkin seeds. Very smooth, not as thick as I'd thought it would be, with a very subtle spicy aftertaste. My dining companion had the escargot in hazelnut butter, and let me try a snail. Very tasty.

For the entree, we usually try not to order the same thing, but tonight we both wanted the flat iron steak with butternut squash puree and mirepoix brunoise, so we both got it. So very glad we did. We both LOVED it. The meat was so tender, the vegetables very flavorful. The entree was filling, but not oversized as to make you feel bloated if you cleaned your plate.

For dessert, I had the Gateau Le Bec Fin with vanilla ice cream, and he had the Key Lime Tart. My cake was moist and spongy, and it was topped with a perfectly tempered chocolate curl (there is a dedicated pastry and chocolate kitchen on the top floor of the building). I did not taste the key lime tart. We each had a cappuccino to finish off the meal.

I would love to eat there again, choosing from the full menu, before the restaurant closes in the Spring of 2011. I've heard there is an impressive "all you can eat" dessert cart. Restaurant Week Fall 2010 is over, and I'm not sure if Le Bec Fin will close before the Spring 2011 Week. So, if you find yourself with $150 or so to spare, this restaurant, with its food, its service and its atmosphere, is worth the money.

Tonight's dinner: Filet Mignon

2010-09-23T17:45:00.001-07:00

I'm really, really awful at remembering to take pictures of my food. So, just take my word that tonight's dinner looked really awesome!

I was wandering around the grocery store, because, AGAIN, I forgot to defrost something for dinner, and the filet mignon caught my eye. Bought two of them. Went home and googled "Filet Mignon recipes." One of the listings is a Food Network video.

Giada DeLaurentiis seasoned 6 filet mignons with salt and pepper, and seared them in a hot buttered skillet for about 3 minutes on each side (mine took about 4 minutes on the first, 3 on the second). Then placed them on a baking sheet, crumbed goat cheese on top, and put them under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese. I used feta cheese, since that's what I had in my refrigerator. Then, she made her own balsamic glaze (Combine 1.5 cups balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons sugar in a saucepot, and reduce for 18 minutes), and drizzled it over the steaks. I had bought a bottle of rosemary-infused balsamic glaze from DiBruno Brothers, and used that instead.

I also made pancetta-wrapped asparagus. I only bought one package of pancetta, which was enough to wrap only half of the one-pound bunch of asparagus that I bought. So, I tossed the unwrapped half in olive oil, salt and pepper.

I served the steaks over Ore-Ida Steam and Mash^® Garlic-Seasoned Potatoes.

A "Not Cooking Related" Post

2010-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hello readers. As you may or may not know, I am a vocal advocate for animal rescue. I have been a volunteer since February 2008 for the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, a no-kill rescue that pulls animals from the high-kill animal control facility here in the city.

On Saturday, October 30, the group is holding one of its biggest annual fundraisers, the Mutt Strut. PAWS supporters (and their dogs!) will walk 1.5 miles through Philadelphia's Franklin D. Roosevelt Park in an effort to raise funds and awareness for PAWS' efforts to save Philly's homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals.

I'm writing this post to ask for your support of my team, "I Shih Tzu Not." Please go to http://www.pawsmuttstrut.org/paws/participantpage.asp?fundid=205&uid=363&role=1 and make a donation. Any amount, big or small, makes a difference in the lives of these animals.

A Beverage Post! Spiced Apple Cider

2010-09-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Now, I'm not a huge fan of apples in any form, except sliced and smothered in peanut butter. MAYBE a caramel apple.

But apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, applesauce . . . not a fan.

However, I do make this Hot Spiced Cider, courtesy of AllRecipes.com, just to make my house smell good. And then I hope that other people will drink it. You can use either a coffee pot, or a slow cooker. Directions for both are provided. Note, though, that when I tried to double the recipe and make two quarts (8 cups) of cider, my 10-cup coffee maker overflowed, so use at least a 12-cup coffee maker (or use the slow cooker method) if doubling the recipe.

Hot Spiced Cider
Source: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon whole allspice
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ cinnamon stick
pinch salt
pinch ground nutmeg
½ orange, sectioned, peel intact
1 quart apple cider

Directions

If using a coffeemaker, place a filter in the basket, and fill with all ingredients except cider. If using a slow cooker, place a 6x6-inch square of cheesecloth on the counter, and place all ingredients except cider in the middle. Gather the corners, and tie the pouch with kitchen twine.
If using a coffeemaker, pour the cider into the coffee maker where the water usually goes. If using a slow cooker, pour the cider into the slow cooker. Place the cheesecloth pouch in the cider, with the end of the twine hanging over the side.
If using a coffeemaker, press the brew switch and wait for the cycle to finish. If using a slow cooker, turn cooker to low and let cider sit for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cumin Curried Hummus (Vegan)

2010-09-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love making this hummus. The cumin gives it a really distinct, warm flavor. I like to serve it with plain baked pita chips, so that there are no competing flavors.

Cumin-Curried Hummus
Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
31 ounces (two 15 ½-ounce cans) garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), rinsed and drained

Directions

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the curry and cumin, and cook another 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Place the contents of the skillet, as well as the remaining ingredients, into a food processor, and purée until smooth.
To store, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Peter Reinhart's Brioche

2010-09-04T15:55:00.001-07:00

I think Peter Reinhart is my personal god. So, Thursday night, I started his "Rich Man's Brioche," out of his book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice (the same book that has his recipe for focaccia). The recipe made 16 two-ounce petit brioche à tête, and 6 two-ounce rolls (having run out of brioche molds).

Like the focaccia, the recipe was EASY. The only mixer attachment used is the paddle. Combine bread flour and yeast and milk to make a sponge. Add eggs, more flour, sugar, salt and LOT of butter, spread on a baking pan and refrigerate. Separate into 2-ounce lumps, form, proof and bake! If you're not familiar with "bread baking" terms, this might sound a little intimidating, but Peter Reinhart really does write out step by step exactly what you need to do.

The end result is a very light, buttery, moist roll. Reinhart also offers two other variations: Middle-Class and Poor Man's Brioche. Middle-Class has half the butter of the Rich, and the Poor Man's has a quarter of the butter.

Peter Reinhart's Rich Man's Brioche
Source: The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Ingredients

½ cup (2 ¼ ounces) unbleached bread flour
1 tbsp instant yeast
½ cup whole milk, between 90 and 100 degrees F
5 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 ½ cups (8 ¼ ounces) unbleached bread flour
2 ½ tbsp (1 ¼ ounces) sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 cups (16 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, whisked until frothy, for egg wash

Directions

Make the sponge: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the ½ cup of bread flour and the yeast. Stir in the milk until all of the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
Make the dough: Add the eggs to the sponge all at once and beat on medium speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining flour, sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the dough and beat on low with the paddle for 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes.
Turn mixer to medium speed, and gradually add the butter, a quarter at a time, waiting until the dough becomes smooth before adding the next quarter. Continue mixing for another 6 minutes after all the butter is added. Scrape the bowl from time to time. The dough should be very smooth and soft.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and mist with spray oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and smooth with the bowl scraper. Make the dough form a rectangle, about 6 by 8 inches. Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough at least four hours, or overnight. (Note: I refrigerated the dough for two nights.)
Shape: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. The dough is easiest to shape while cold. If it warms up or softens, return it to the refrigerator. (Note: the following shaping, proofing and baking directions are for petit brioche à tête -- please see "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" for instructions regarding large brioche à tête or loaves.) Spray your brioche molds with spray oil and place the molds on a sheet pan. Divide the dough into 1 ½- to 2-ounce portions (depending on the size of your molds). Dust your hands with flour. Take a portion of dough, and roll it into a thick strand that is thicker at one end than the other. Take the thick end, and poke a hole through it, and loop the tapered end through that hole so that it pops out the other side so it forms a cap. Place the dough in the mold with the cap side up. Continue with each piece of dough.
Proof: After all the dough is shaped, mist with spray oil. Allow to proof for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Gently brush the tops with the egg wash, and allow to proof another 15 to 30 minutes. While the dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake: Bake the brioche for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the brioche from the molds as soon as they come out of the oven and place on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Pork Chops with Blackberry Port Sauce

2010-08-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm in my new neighborhood, I'm within walking distance of Philadelphia's Italian Market. In the mid- to late-1800s, several Italian immigrants opened stores on 9th Street, selling ethnic foods. Now, there are also Chinese, Vietnamese and Mexican stores as well. You can buy things like fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, cheese, and spices. Many prices are well below supermarket prices. For example, a few weeks ago, I bought a pound of center-cut, bone-in pork chops, a pound of butter steaks, 4 sausage links, and 5 ears of corn on the cob for less than $20.

So, I started looking around for a recipe for the pork chops. I'm not a huge fan of applesauce (the traditional accompaniment to pork), so when I came across Pork Chops with Blackberry Port Sauce on AllRecipes.com, I was intrigued. I made the recipe almost exactly as written (except substituting blueberry juice for blackberry juice, and using 2 bone-in pork chops instead of 6 boneless).

It is DELICIOUS. The sauce wasn't as thick as I thought it would be but that is my only complaint. It's not overly tangy. Really complements pork well. I served it with brown rice and roasted asparagus. I only made two pork chops (instead of the 6 called for), so I plan to use the leftover sauce on chicken breasts. And best of all, it's QUICK -- prep consists of mincing the shallots, and the dish cooks in about 30 minutes. The rice took 12 minutes and the asparagus roasted in 10 minutes.

Pork Chops with Blackberry Port Sauce

Ingredients

6 (4-oz) boneless pork chops
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil, divided
2 shallots, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup sweet port wine
3/4 cup blackberry or blueberry juice (I found blueberry juice at Whole Foods)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
2 cups blackberries

Directions

Pat the pork chops dry. Season both sides to taste with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the pork until light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches at least 15 degrees. Remove from pan and set aside. Tent with foil to keep warm.
Add another tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add shallots and thyme and sauté about a minute, until translucent. Pour in wine, juice, broth, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and the water into a paste, and stir into the sauce. Cook until thickened, about a minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and stir in blackberries. Simmer until berries are hot.
Return the pork chops to the skillet and turn to coat with sauce. Serve hot, spooning sauce over chops.

Giveaway!

2010-08-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

I hear very often that "I don't like to cook." I ask why, and eventually, the person admits to not knowing how to cook.

Now, I don't think I'm the best cook, either. I can't throw things into a pan and make it turn out tasty. I have to follow a recipe. Sometimes I tweak it here or there, substitute one ingredient for another. But I've never developed my own recipe.

It's helpful to know the HOW and WHY of cooking, which is how this entry ties into my giveaway.

There are three ways to enter:

Become a follower of this blog, and leave a comment introducing yourself.
Become a fan of this blog on Facebook, and leave a comment on the wall, introducing yourself.
If you're already a follower of the blog, or a fan on Facebook, leave a comment (either on the blog, or on the Facebook wall) telling me about a dish you'd love to learn how to cook or bake.

What will you win? A copy of On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, by Harold McGee. This book, called "the bible of food," won the 2005 IACP award for the Food Reference category, and is praised by respected chefs like James Pepin, and bakers like Rose Levy Berenbaum.

A winner will be chosen at random at 9 a.m. EST on Friday, September 3, 2010. Please make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you and get shipping information. Look forward to hearing from you!

Peter Reinhart's Focaccia

2010-08-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

I've been dying to make focaccia for several weeks now, but according to Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice, it's a 2-day process. I made focaccia in culinary school, and again at Baker Street Bread Company (I worked there for 3 months for an internship), and I love LOVE LOVE focaccia.

But with all the bread-making experience, I still don't fully understand the process, so I'm always nervous making bread.

This is one of the easiest yeast breads I've ever made. It's DELICIOUS! Crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, moist but not dripping with oil.

Peter Reinhart's Focaccia

Makes 1 12x17 focaccia

Ingredients

22.5 oz bread or high-gluten flour (5 cups)
1/2 oz kosher salt (2 tsp)
1/4 oz instant yeast (2 tsp) (I used SAF Instant Yeast*)
3 oz olive oil (6 tbsp)
16 oz room temperature water, 72 to 77 degrees (2 cups)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Herb Oil (see bottom of post)

Directions

Measure flour into mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer. Measure salt onto one side of flour, and yeast onto the other side (if the two touch now, the salt will kill the yeast). Mix on low speed with paddle attachment, adding the water and the olive oil, for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it comes together in a smooth, sticky dough.
Switch to the dough hook attachment, and knead on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until dough forms a smooth, sticky ball which clears the sides of the bowl, but sticks to the bottom. You may need to lighlty add additional flour to make the dough firm enough to form a ball, but it should be very soft and sticky.
Sprinkle a 6x6-inch square of flour on your countertop, and using a bowl scraper, remove the dough to the floured counter. Dust liberally with bread flour, and pat into a rectangle. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Coat your hands in flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size. Fold each end over itself, like folding a letter and give it a quarter turn (90-degree turn). Dust with flour, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat Step 3 two more times, the last time allowing the covered dough to ferment on the counter for 1 hour. The dough will swell, but not double in size.
Line a 17x12-inch sheet pan with parchment paper, and drizzle about 1/4 cup of olive oil onto the paper, and spread it around with your hands or a pastry brush. With oiled hands, gently lift the dough onto the parchment, maintaining the rectangular shape. Spoon half of your herb oil onto the dough.
Use your fingertips to simultaneously dimple the dough and spread it to fill the pan. Use ONLY your fingertips! Keep the thickness as uniform as possible, for even baking. If dough springs back too much, allow to rest for 15 minutes, then continue. Don't worry too much about filling the pan entirely — when the dough proofs, it will naturally fill out the pan. Use more herb oil as needed to cover the entire surface of the dough. Loosely cover the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or up to 3 days).
Remove the pan from the refrigerator 3 hours before baking. Drizzle additional herb oil over the dough surface and dimple it in. It will look like a lot of oil if you use the remainder of the 1/2 cup, but it will absorb into the bread during baking. Add any pre-proof toppings now^†. Cover with the pan with plastic again and proof the dough at room temperature for 3 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and place a rack on the middle shelf. Gently place any prebake toppings on the dough^†.
Place the pan in the oven. Lower the temperature to 450 and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the focaccia becomes a light golden brown. If you are using any during-bake toppings^†, sprinkle them on at this point and continue baking another 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the focaccia out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment from the bottom of the focaccia, if it sticks.
Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

NOTE: If you like a more crusty, chewier focaccia, reduce oven temp to 400 degrees, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer. This is the baking method that I used.

* I bought a one-pound bag of SAF Instant Yeast from King Arthur Flour. I keep it inside an airtight plastic jar in my freezer. You can add instant yeast directly to the dough straight from the freezer - no need to come to room temperature.

^† Pre-proof toppings: sun-dried tomatoes, olives, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, walnuts, pine nuts, sautéed mushrooms, red or green peppers, or onions; pre-bake toppings: blue or fresh mozzarella or feta cheese, cooked ground meat or meat strips, coarse salt; during-bake toppings: dry or semihard cheese like Parmesan, Romano, regular mozzarella, Jack, Cheddar, or Swiss.

Herb Oil

Makes 2 cups

Herb Oil can be stored, refrigerated, for 2 weeks

Ingredients

2 cups olive oil
Your choice of: 1 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, savory and/or sage); 1/3 cup dried herbs or herb blend such as herbes de Provence; combination of fresh and dried herbs
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
5 to 6 cloves pressed garlic

Warm olive oil to 100 degrees, then add whatever flavorings you choose, and allow them to steep in the oil. The flavors will infuse the oil.

Do you like spicy food?

2010-08-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

If so, I just had the Best. Chicken. EVER.

I apologize for being MIA. Having moved to a new neighborhood with TONS of restaurants and bars in walking distance, my stove has grown a layer of dust. But, my bank account and my weight have taken a hit, and I vow to cook more at home.

So, after an hour at the gym (OK, I only lasted 50 minutes on the elliptical, but I stretched for ten minutes afterward), I wanted something quick and easy for dinner. I had thin-sliced chicken breasts, instant whole grain rice, and "Healthy Vision" Green Giant frozen vegetables (mixed vegetables in rosemary sauce). Below is the recipe I found on AllRecipes.com for the chicken, just slightly revised.

Be warned. I love spicy food. And even I took a bite of this chicken, and said, "Holy S***!"

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken
Source: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried thyme
(the original recipe also called for ½ tsp dried parsley flakes, which I did not have on hand)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 breasts)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lime juice

Directions

Combine all the spices in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the chicken.
Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chicken until a nice crust forms on the first side (original recipe says 6 minutes, but my thin-sliced breasts took only about 3 minutes).
Flip the chicken over, sprinkle with lime juice and cook until thermometer reaches 160 degrees.*

*Yes, I know poultry should be cooked to 165, but if you leave the chicken IN THE PAN until it reaches 165, it will be over-cooked, because food continues cooking even after it leaves the pan. It's called "carry-over cooking."

Chorizo Quesadillas

2010-07-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

I promised him I wouldn't credit him, so I won't (at least by name), but The Mister made these for dinner tonight. If you have a spicy tooth (as opposed to a sweet tooth), I highly recommend these! I've written the recipe as he made it, with possible substitutions in parentheses. The recipe does make more filling than the tortillas can hold — leftovers!

Chorizo Quesadillas

Ingredients

1 medium green bell pepper (or your color of choice), diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
12 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
Adobo seasoning
Paprika
16 oz chorizo, cooked and crumbled
8 oz grated pepper jack cheese (or pre-shredded Mexican cheese blend)
4 ten-inch tortillas (we used Jalapeño Cheddar, but you can use whatever flavor you want)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season the bell pepper, onion and mushrooms to taste with Adobo seasoning and paprika. Spread vegetables on a baking sheet, and roast for 15 minutes.
Turn oven to broil on high. Lay open the tortillas on baking sheets (two tortillas per baking sheet), and layer the cooked chorizo, the cheese, and the roasted vegetables on one half of the tortilla. Fold the other half over top, and broil the quesadillas for one to two minutes. Remove from the oven, flip each quesadilla over, and broil another minute or two.
Transfer each quesadilla to a cutting board, and use a pizza cutter to slice into four pieces. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Banana Biscotti

2010-07-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Philadelphia area, and have no plans for this Saturday, July 10th, come to the Manayunk section of the city for the 4th Annual "PAWS in Manayunk"!

PAWS stands for Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, Philadelphia's only no-kill rescue. It's at Main and Levering Streets from noon to 5 p.m. and features adoptable dogs AND cats from various shelters and rescues in and around the city (not just from PAWS). There will be a pet parade led by Citizens for a No Kill Philadelphia, an agility demo by Opportunity Barks, a charity dog wash, and vendors selling pet-related items . . . including me, selling dog biscuits, training treats, and pupcakes! All human-grade ingredients, no preservatives. Does your dog have allergies to wheat, chicken, or corn? Not a problem. I have allergy-friendly options.

One of the treats I'll be offering at PAWS in Manayunk will be Banana Biscotti. If you aren't able to make it to the event, you can make them yourself at home! (And if your dog is anything like mine, he'll be glued to the oven until he gets a taste!)

Banana Biscotti

Ingredients

5 cups flour
¼ cup peanuts, chopped
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups very ripe banana, pureed
2 teaspoons vanilla
water

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.
Place dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in the center.
Blend egg, oil and banana together. Add into the dry ingredinets in well.
Start combining together. Add water, one teaspoon at a time as needed. Knead by hand on table until mixed thoroughly.
Form into logs approximately 2" - 2 ½" high. Flatten so that log is 6" - 7" wide by 1" high.
Place on non-stick baking sheets or lightly greased ones. Bake 30 - 40 minutes.
Remove and cool for 10 minutes. Slice into ½" - ¾" slices.
Place upright on baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool. Store in airtight container.


Classic Instant-read thermometer Photo: Amazon.com				Digital Instant-read thermometer Photo: Amazon.com