Culinary Barbie

Culinary Barbie has moved

2011-07-15T16:16:00.000-04:00

Hey gang! I'm excited to tell you that Culinary Barbie can now be found at Jenny Creates (http://www.jennycreates.com/). I hope you'll come visit me at my new home and "follow us" there!

For now, Jenny Creates is still "under construction." But soon you can expect to see these new things on Jenny Creates:

Easier site navigation
Better formatting and photos
Related/Similar recipes on each post
A recipe index to make it easy to choose a tasty dish

Hope to see you soon at http://www.jennycreates.com/!

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

2011-07-09T13:09:00.000-04:00

Our blueberry bushes are ripe for the pickin'! I figured I'd give this pie a try to use up some of that fresh goodness.

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie
BHG, June 2011

Crust
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup hazelnuts, skinned
2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Blueberry Sauce
3 cups blueberries, rinsed, well drained, and carefully picked over for damaged berries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
A few gratings of nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. water

Assemble and Serve

1 qt. homemade vanilla ice cream
3/4 cup of the Blueberry Sauce, chilled
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
Remaining Blueberry Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade combine almonds, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to bowl and stir in melted butter. Turn into 9-inch pie plate. With fingers press onto bottom and sides to form a firm, even layer.

2. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. "Don't overbrown or the crust will have an overpowering flavor," Scott says. Allow to completely cool on a rack. Transfer to freezer until ready to use (may be made up to a week in advance and frozen, tightly wrapped).

3. In large, wide, nonreactive skillet combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt, stirring well with a spoon to distribute the sugar and cornstarch. Add zest, lemon juice, water, and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg; stir again to blend.

4. Cook and stir over medium heat until blueberries begin to pop, give off juice, and come to a full simmer. Simmer, stirring gently for 1 additional minute until sauce is lightly thickened and cornstarch is well cooked.

5. Set aside to cool; refrigerate sauce until completely chilled before proceeding. "Otherwise you'll wind up with a blueberry milk shake," Scott says.

6. Transfer ice cream to a mixing bowl and let stand in the refrigerator 30 minutes or until just softened.

7. Spoon half into prepared crust. Spread in even layer and top with the chilled blueberry sauce. Spoon on remaining ice cream and spread to edges.

8. Cover surface of ice cream with plastic wrap and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight until firmly set.

9. To serve: In chilled mixing bowl, whisk crème fraiche, heavy cream, and sugar until just thickened to spreading consistency. Do not overbeat. "It is very easy to go from smooth to grainy," Scott says. Spread cream mixture over pie; top with blueberries. Serve with heated sauce on the side. Makes 10 servings.

Mexican Seasoning

2011-07-09T13:04:00.000-04:00

This is just the perfect blend of spices for my hypersensitive hubby!

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder

Combine and use on chicken, pork, or beef.

Smores Bars

2011-07-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

I made these when I had 3 kids and 4 dessert lovers over for dinner. They were a big hit!

S'mores Bars
Adaped from Southern Food

3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
18 whole graham crackers, crushed, about 3 cups
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 milk chocolate bars, approximately 1 1/2 ounces each
4 cups homemade marshmallow fluff

Heat oven to 350°. Combine butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, graham crackers, flour and salt in the bowl of a foo processor. Process until dough consistency. Reserve 1 cup of the graham cracker mixture and press remaining mixture over the bottom of a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Arrange 8 chocolate bars, in a single layer, over graham cracker crust mixture in the pan. Spread with marshmallow fluff. Top with remaining chocolate bars and dough. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into bars and cool completely.

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

2011-07-09T13:01:00.001-04:00

I had all the ingredients for s'mores except marshmallows, so I pulled out an old recipe that I had tucked in a binder. I have no idea where it originated, but I'm sure glad it did!

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff
(Makes approximately 10 cups)

3 egg whites
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites, corn syrup and salt, about 5 minutes until thick and fluffy. Slowly add in sugar beating on low speed until well blended. Add vanilla and mix until blended.
This recipe may be frozen for later use. Remove from freezer and stir until fluff is mixed.

It can be kept in the refrigerated for up to 1 week. Stir well with a spoon before serving.

You can use this in any recipe that calls for marshmallow creme/fluff.

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Gratin

2011-07-09T12:53:00.000-04:00

We've still got beets out the wazoo around here, so I'm still looking for tasty ways to cook them. This may be one of my favorite recipes yet!

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Gratin

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

about 4 beets
1 T butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 cup cooked couscous
chopped fresh thyme & sage

Coat beets with olive oil and roast in a 425 oven for about 45 minutes, turning often , until they are tender. Peel the beets, removing any blemishes, and then cut them into thin slices. Place them in a casserole dish, cover with the cheese and sprinkle with the bread crumbs, then broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Finish by sprinkling all with the thyme & sage.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

2011-07-09T12:45:00.001-04:00

A simple salsa which can be used on virtually any thing!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Adapted from Cooking Light: Way to Cook

1 can black beans
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Serve as you wish!

Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread

2011-07-09T12:41:00.000-04:00

This is my first bread from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. While I see the concept, I'm not sure I'm a fan of this method. To me, it too much MORE time to make bread than it would have had I just made a loaf from one of my other bread books. Good thing I saved the receipt, I'm thinking I'm gonna take this book back.

Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread

Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 tbsp. granulated yeast
2 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
1/8 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/8 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup vegetable oil
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water) for brushing the top crust
Raw sugar for sprinkling on top

Mixing and storing the dough:

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a 2 1/2 quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container. Add the liquid ingredients and mix with a spoon, without kneading. You might want to finish mixing with your hands to incorporate all of the flour.

Cover (not airtight) at room temperature for about 2 hours, until the dough rises and collapses (flattens on top). The dough can be used immediately after it rises, but it’s easier to handle when refrigerated. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use within 7 days.

On the day of baking:

Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the refrigerated dough with flour and pull it out of the container. Dust with more flour and quickly shape into a ball by stretching the dough around the bottom on each side, rotating as you go.

Pull the dough into an oval shape and put it into the loaf pan, it should fill about 3/4 of the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour 45 minutes (or 60 minutes if it was not refrigerated).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint on the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Put the loaf pan on the middle rack and bake for 45-50 minutes, until deep brown and firm. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Farro and Beets with a Citrus-Balsamic Vinaigrette

2011-06-26T20:57:00.000-04:00

The garden is still bursting with beets, so I'm still seeking out delicious ways to prepare them. This recipe was very tasty, but also very tangy.

Farro and Beets with a Citrus-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Original recipe from The Kitchenette

3 beets, washed and dried
handful of springs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups farro
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 ounces cold goat cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the beets and springs of thyme in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to coat beets in oil. Close aluminum foil around beets to create a packet. Place packet in a roasting dish and bake at 425 for 45 minutes to an hour. The beets are done when a knife is easily inserted to the middle of the beet with no resistance. (If your beets are different sizes, the smaller ones may be done before the larger ones.)

While the beets are roasting, add farro to medium stockpot. Cover with 3 cups of water. Bring to boil over high heat, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until cooked through – the grains should no longer be crunchy, but they shouldn’t be mushy, either. The farro should be chewy and al dente. Drain and set aside.

While the farro cooks, combine the orange juice and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and then cook over medium heat until reduced by half. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the beets are cooked through, remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes, and rub away beet skin using a kitchen towel or paper towel. (Beet juice does stain, so be careful with what you’re wearing.) Slice beets into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

To serve, combine farro, beets, and dressing in a serving bowl. Toss to coat. Crumble goat cheese on top of salad. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Whole Wheat Herb Dinner Muffins

2011-06-06T20:02:00.000-04:00

Whole Wheat Herb Dinner Muffins
Adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour or graham flour

2 Tbs. yellow cornmeal
3 Tbs. firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, or sesame oil or olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs. sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup macerated fresh herbs
Unsalted butter for serving

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease 12 standard muffin cups.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, butter, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture just until evenly moistened. Add in fresh herbs. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

In a clean bowl, using a mixer with spotlessly clean beaters on medium speed, or a balloon whisk, beat the egg whites just until they form soft peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter until blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one level with the rim of the cup. Sprinkle the muffins with the sesame seeds.

Bake the muffins until they are golden, dry and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins and serve warm or at room temperature, with butter.

Chocolate Ice Cream & Ice Cream Bowls

2011-06-06T19:57:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan on ice creams that can be made quickly and without eggs. This chocolate is very simple and super delish. It's like eating cold fudge! And the bowls were surprisingly easy to make, although they weren't a perfect rendition. I think with some practice they'll be a staple dessert recipe!

Chocolate Ice Cream (Philadelphia Style)

David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop

2 ¼ cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until it’s completely melted, then whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Ice Cream Cones

David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop
(Makes 6 cones)

2 eggs
7 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2/3 cup plain flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter

**I don't have a cone mold, so I used ramekins to make bowls. I only got 5 bowls out of the recipe and even those weren't truly big enough, although the portion size was more than enough. **

Preheat the oven to 350F. Melt the butter and put aside. In a medium sized bowl, stir the egg whites, sugar and vanilla together. Add the salt and half of the flour and beat in. Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Finally beat in the remaining flour. This batter will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put 2 level tablespoons of batter onto the paper and spread with a spatula/spoon/palette knife into a 6"cm circle. Try to keep it as level and smooth as possible. On the other side of the baking sheet, repeat so you have two circles. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven - mine took about 12. When done, they should be mainly a golden brown, often with some lighter spots.

When they're done quickly remove from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Use a thin (metal) spatula under one of the discs and flip it over. Immediately begin forming the disc around the mould (I used a large ramekin). Hold and press down onto the surface to ensure good form. Repeat the process until all cones are complete. When totally cool, put in an airtight container until you want to use them.

Beet Risotto

2011-06-02T10:28:00.000-04:00

I've already mentioned that the garden is overflowing with beets. Here's another way to use those delicious & nutritious veggies!

Beet Risotto

2-3 medium beets
4 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water, as needed
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt & pepper to taste
crumbled goat cheese, for topping

Wrap beets in aluminum foil and roast at 425 for 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly, peel, and chop.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and cook over medium-high heat for about one minute, stirring to coat with the butter. Add the white wine and stir until the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add the first addition of simmering stock, about 1cup. Stir until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add another addition of stock and stir until most of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the mixture is creamy and a bit loose; the rice should still have some chew to it. The process will take about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme. Sprinkle with the goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Barley & Roasted Beet Salad

2011-05-25T08:12:00.000-04:00

Our garden is overflowing with beets right now. We typically roast the beets and eat them cold on a salad sprinkled with goat cheese. Here is another delicious way to cook the beets.

Barley & Roasted Beet Salad
adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

Preheat oven to 400. Wrap 4 beets in foil and roast in oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Peel and cut into small wedges. Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper until emulsified. Combine 1 cup cooked barley, beets, 1/4 cup toasted almonds and dressing; toss gently. Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese and 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley.

New York–Style Cheesecake

2011-05-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

For Mother's Day dessert I served fresh picked organic strawberries with a delicious cheesecake.

New York–Style Cheesecake

Bon Appetit Desserts
For the crust
9 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the filling
Five 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I did a tbsp vanilla bean paste)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

Make the crust
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

2. Grind the graham crackers to coarse crumbs in a food processor or with a rolling pin and a resealable plastic bag. Add the butter and sugar and process or stir until the crumb mixture is well blended and begins to stick together.

3. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom (but not the sides) of a 9-inch-diameter spring-form pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake the crust until golden and firm to touch, about 25 minutes. Cool the crust in the pan on the rack. Wrap the outside of the pan with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Keep the oven at 325°F (163°C).

Make the filling

4. While the crust bakes, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until blended.

5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until just blended after each addition. Then add the egg yolk, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Sift the flour over the filling and beat on low speed just until blended. Scrape the filling over the cooled crumb crust.

6. Place the foil-wrapped cake pan in a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the oven rack, pulling the rack out slightly. Carefully add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake the cheesecake in the water bath, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the center is softly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven.

7. Let the cake pan stand in the water bath for 5 minutes. Remove the cake pan from the water bath and transfer it to a wire rack. Using a sharp, slender knife, work around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool completely at room temperature. Cover and—here’s the hard part—refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days prior to slicing.

Weeknight Bolognese

2011-05-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

One of my friend's has been raving about Barefoot Contessa's new book How Easy is That. I decided to give it a try when another friend came for dinner. This simple, fast bolognese didn't disappoint! I can't imagine I'll ever slave for hours over the stove again to make a hearty meat sauce!

I served this over homemade spinach egg pasta.

Weeknight Bolognese

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?

•2 TB good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
•1 pound ground bison
•1 TB dried oregano
•¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
•1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided
•1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
•2 TB tomato paste
•Kosher salt & black pepper
•¼ tsp ground nutmeg
•¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
•¼ cup heavy cream
•½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 TB of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tsp salt, and 1 ½ tsp pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

2011-04-10T15:08:00.000-04:00

One of my girlfriend's made this cake for me and I just knew Forrest would love it. I didn't have extra large eggs, so I had to modify the recipe. The cake rose very high and browned very quickly. I think a lower temperature for a litle bit longer would have been the best way to go.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

adapted from Ina Garten

1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 T honey
2 t pure vanilla extract
1 t lemon zest
2 c sifted cake flour
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest in a glass measureing cup but do not combine. Wit the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each eggg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatul and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack, and cool completely.

Bubbly Pear Cupcakes

2011-04-10T15:00:00.000-04:00

This was one of the recipes that I "auditioned" for a recent bridal shower that I hosted. The cupcakes were delicious- moist airy. However, they seemed to lack flavor- there wasn't a particular showing of pear or champagne. When making again, I'd add some cinnamon & maybe use brown sugar instead.

Bubbly Pear Cupcakes
Adapated from YumSugar

For cupcakes:
2 3/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 sticks of butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 firm-ish but ripe pears, peeled, cored and grated
1 cup champagne

For frosting:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
4 tbsp champagne
1.Preheat oven to 350F.
2.In a small bowl sift flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3.In mixer (or large bowl), cream butter and sugar until well mixed and airy.
4.Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is full incorporated before adding next.
5.Slowly add in flour mixture - I do it 1/3 at a time - making sure it is fully incorporated.
6.Stir in vanilla and champagne.
7.Stir in pears.
8.Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
9.Scoop an even amount of dough into each cup - I filled them to the top. You should have enough for about 24 cupcakes.
10.Bake for about 16 minutes. I started checking around 12 just to be safe. You want them to be golden in color.
11.While cupcakes are baking, make frosting. Mix cream cheese and butter together. Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth. You can add more powdered sugar if desired.
12.Remove cupcakes from oven and cool in tins for 2 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.
13.When cupcakes are completely cooled, top with frosting.

Tuesday Tips- Using a Slow Cooker

2011-04-05T10:14:00.000-04:00

Forrest cut a very helpful article out of Men's Fitness. Here are tips on using your slow cooker effectively.

* Never take the lid off unless you absolutely have to. Each time you lift it, you add 20 minutes to your meal's cooking time.

* More delicate vegetables, like tomatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms, should be dropped on top of your meat in the last 45 minutes of cooking.

* Never fill your slow cooker to past one-half to two-thirds full.

*Vinegar, wine, and orange juice will help meat become more tender.

* It's fine to use frozen ingredients. Just allow a couple additional hours of cooking time and add some warm liquid to keep the pot from cracking.

* Add fish, shrimp, and other seafood during the last hour of cooking.

* Add spices in the last 30 minutes of cooking, or they may become bitter and lose flavor.

* Buy a crock with a removable liner. Otherwise, cleanup really sucks.

* To prevent food from sticking, spray with a bit of Pam before adding ingredients.

* Cut excess fat off meat before cooking and remove the skin from chicken or your meal may end up tasting oily or slimy.

* Avoid putting milk, cheese, and sour cream in your pot until just before serving. You want them to melt--not curdle.

* Never store leftover food in the liner. It takes too long to chill in the fridge--and can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

* Layer dense root vegetables, like potatoes, onions, and carrots (they take the longest to cook), on the bottom of the crock with a bit of water to help them soften.

DC Cupcakes' Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

2011-03-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

Forrest and I recently spent a week in Washington DC. We made two visits to Georgetown and both times, we walked by Georgetown Cupcake to get a taste of the madness. Both times, there must have been 50 people in line. As much as I love cupcakes, I'm not standing in line all night for one!

It just so happens, that I was looking for a cupcake recipe that contained champagne for my future sister in law's bridal shower. Darned if those DC Cupcake girls weren't on Oprah with one!

While I've included the original recipe, I made these cupcakes to sample, so I made them the traditional way in a normal muffin pan with the buttercream frosting. I did not have additional strawberries, ganache, or sparklers. I used frozen organic strawberries and Barefoot Bubbly Rose. The cupcakes were worth the hype, but I found them a little on the sweet side. Perhaps a dark chocolate ganache helps cut that sweetness?

DC Cupcakes Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes

As seen on Oprah
Ingredients

Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes (36 mini cupcakes, 3 per Champagne flute)
•1/2 cup fresh strawberries , diced
•1/2 Tbsp. good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested) (*Although I used this measurement, I found it was a misprint and the original recipe calls for 1/2 CUP)
•2 1/2 cups flour , sifted
•1/2 tsp. baking powder , sifted
•1/4 Tsp. salt
•8 Tbsp. (4 ounces) unsalted butter
•1 3/4 cups sugar
•2 large eggs , at room temperature
•2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract + seeds from 1 vanilla bean (I used 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste)
•1 1/4 cups whole milk , at room temperature

Champagne Buttercream Frosting
•16 Tbsp. (8 ounces) unsalted butter
•4 cups confectioner's sugar , sifted
•1 tsp. whole milk
•1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
•1/8 tsp. salt
•1/2 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)

Strawberry Layer

•24 fresh strawberries
•1 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)

Chocolate Ganache

•2 cups high-quality semisweet chocolate chips
•1 cup heavy cream

Directions

For Serving:

12 glass Champagne flutes
12 long spoons
12 indoor-safe sparkler candles

Step 1: Baking the Mini Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 mini cupcake pans with 36 mini baking cups or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups.

Dice up 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries and soak in 1/2 cup of Champagne. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Combine the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

Gently fold in the diced Champagne-soaked strawberries, just until incorporated.

Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. If using paper baking cups, peel off all of the paper baking cups from the cupcakes at this time.

Step 2: Making the Champagne Buttercream Frosting

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the vanilla extract, milk, salt and Champagne, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Place frosting in a disposable piping bag with a large round tip.

Step 3: Preparing the Strawberries

Slice 24 strawberries lengthwise and soak in 1 cup of Champagne for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Making the Chocolate Ganache

Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or 2 of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium glass bowl over the saucepan and melt the chocolate chips. Stir occasionally until the chips are completely melted. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the saucepan. Pour the ganache into a plastic squeeze bottle. (If a squeeze bottle is not available, you can drizzle with a spoon.)

Step 5: Assembling Layers in Champagne Flutes

Line up 12 glass Champagne flutes. Insert 1 mini strawberry Champagne cupcake in the bottom of each glass. Next, pipe a swirl of Champagne buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Add several slices of Champagne-soaked strawberries, and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Repeat layers. Finally, place a third mini strawberry Champagne cupcake at the top of each glass, pipe with a final "Georgetown Cupcake signature swirl" of Champagne buttercream frosting, and top with a final drizzle of chocolate ganache.

Step 6: Serving

Insert 1 indoor-safe sparkler candle in the top of each glass. Light the candles at midnight, serve with spoons, and enjoy!This delicious DC Cupcakes recipe makes a dazzling addition to any holiday party.

Martha's Boston Cream Pie

2011-03-24T15:31:00.001-04:00

My baby brother requested Boston Cream Pie for his birthday this year. I'd previously made one, but I decided to try a new recipe. I turned to Martha, thinking she was ever reliable. The cake was wonderful and the custard was fantastic, however, it never fully thickened. Maybe I under cooked it?

Boston Cream Pie
The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

For Hot-Milk Sponge Cake:

unsalted butter for cake pan
1 cup sifted cake flour (not self rising, plus more for pan)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 vanilla bean, split, or 1 generous teaspoon vanilla extract

To Make the Cake:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9x2 inch round cake pan. Line with parchment (if you're anal), set aside.
2. Sift together the cake flour and the salt. Sift again, two more times; set aside. IN the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, ix the eggs and sugar until well combined. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water; whisk until the mixture is warm, about 110 F, and the sugar is dissolved, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; place bowl on mixer. Whisk the egg mixture on high speed until thickened and pale, about 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla bean or extract. Place over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let boil. Remove and discard vanilla bean, if using. With egg mixture beating, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Turn off mixer. Transfer to a medium bowl; fold in the flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

For the Custard-Cream Filling:
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To Make the Filling:
1. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture beings to bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against the filling to prevent a skin from forming; chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.

For the SHINY CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
4 ounces excellent quality semisweet chocolate, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup heavy cream
To Make the Glaze and Assemble the Cake:
1. Split the cake into two layers, by slicing through the cake very gently with a long serrated knife. Spread the bottom half with chilled filling. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. Wrap the remaining half of cake with plastic wrap; set aside.
2. In a medium size heat proof bowl, or top of double boiler, set over a pot of gently simmering water, combine the chocolate and the heavy cream. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool for 10 minutes. A bit whisking helps chocolate and cream combine more easily.
3. Remove cake from refrigerator; top with the reserved cake layer. Transfer cake to a serving plate; pour the chocolate glaze over the top. Allow to set 20 minutes before serving.

Coffee Black Bean Chili

2011-03-23T13:20:00.000-04:00

Coffee Black Bean Chili
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups brewed coffee
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup turbinado or brown sugar
One 3-inch cinnamon stick or 1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup dried black beans, washed and picked over
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For simplicity sake, I combined all ingredients in my electric pressure cooker, set the pressure on high for 45 minutes. The beans were a little firm, next time I'll do 60 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Sausage Minestrone

2011-02-25T15:45:00.000-05:00

Wikipedia defines Minestrone as "the big soup, the one with many ingredients." While no two minestrones are the same, what I've created here is a yummy variation of an easy, every day soup.

Minestrone

1 cup frozen green beans
4 cups vegetable broth
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans white kidney beans
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup water
2 links sausage of choice (I used Sweet Basil), casing removed, sliced

Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Let steam release naturally.

Tuesday Tips

2011-02-08T12:27:00.002-05:00

Williams Sonoma offers wonderful Technique Classes. Free and open to the public, these classes tend to be overflowing in our town. Some of my favorites have been Pie Crust, Thanksgiving Turkey, and Knife Skills. I've attached the scans from the Knife Skills class. While truly a class that aimed to sell fancy knives, we got a lot of helpful tips, like how to care for your knifes and how to hold them. Here are a few key pointers that every home cook should know:

Sharpen your knife every time you using it using a steel sharpening stick.
Wash your knives by hand, not in a dishwasher. Dry them immediately.
While a wood cutting board can hold bacteria if not properly cleaned, it is the best cutting surface for your knives.

Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream

2011-02-06T12:27:00.000-05:00

Forrest request homemade ice cream this week. That's a request I'll gladly grant! I also happened to have some Border's Rewards Bucks and a 40% off coupon, so I was able to pick up a new cookbook I'd been eyeing for some time.... The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. If you love ice cream as much as us, and honestly- who doesn't, run right out and grab this book. You won't be sorry.

Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream
adapted The Perfect Scoop

Ice cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Raspberry swirl
1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vodka

To make the ice cream:
Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan. pour the cream into a large bowl. Set a mesh strainer over the top.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks. set aside. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks. Scrape the warm egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture over medium heat until heated and the custard coats the back of your heatproof spatula.

Pour the warm custard through the strainer into the cream. Add your vanilla bean paste.
Cool over an ice bath. When cool, chill thoroughly in the fridge.

To make the raspberry swirl:

Mash the raspberries together with the sugar and the vodka. Use a strainer or food mill to remove seeds. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Churn the cooled custard in your ice cream maker for about 20-30 minutes. As you remove it from the machine, layer it in your container with spoonfuls of chilled raspberry swirl. Do not mix.

Freeze for several hours before serving.

Pepperoni Bread

2011-02-06T11:29:00.002-05:00

This is a favorite of a wonderful college friend. She serves it at all of her parties and there's never a bit left. Perfect game day food!

Kara's Pepperoni Bread

1 can Pillsbury French Loaf
Sliced deli pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten

Unroll the bread onto a cookie sheet. Layer pepperoni and cheese. Fold up dough and tuck the corners forming a loaf. Brush with egg. Bake at 325 until golden brown.

Beer Bread

2011-02-06T11:05:00.000-05:00

The Simple Gourmand gave me this delicious and simple recipe years ago and it's been a favorite ever since.

The Simple Gourmand's Beer Bread

3 C self-rising flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 (12 oz) can or bottle light beer
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated. Turn into a nonstick bread pan, and bake for 50 minutes. Melt butter and brush over the top of the bread. Turn the oven off and return bread to the oven for another 10 minutes.

S'Mores Ice Cream- Failure

2011-02-04T16:38:00.002-05:00

I love s'mores, but the weather doesn't always cooperate when I get a craving. So, I figured I'd head out on a limb and create s'mores ice cream. Unfortunately, the result was less than stellar. This is not a repeat recipe!

1/2 bag large marshmallows
1 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
pinch of salt
1/2 package graham crackers, smashed into pieces

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine marshmallows, milk, and 3/4 cup sugar. Stir until melted. Combine marshmallow mixture with melted chocolate, set at side to cool.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whisk eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar, continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Add cream, vanilla paste, and salt, whisk to blend. Add cooled chocolate marshmallow mixture to egg and cream mixture, whisk to combine. Refrigerate until cold. Transfer to ice cream maker and freeze following manufacturer's directions. Once ice cream is complete, fold in graham crackers. Freeze until solid.

Orange Popsicle Ice Cream

2011-02-03T17:17:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite childhood memories involves Flintstones push pops, to me there was no better way to kick off summer than with the orange cream pops!

This recipe not only does that memory justice, it blows it out of the water!

Orange Popsicle Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop

⅔ cup sugar
Grated zest of 3 oranges, preferably organic
1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from 4 or 5 large oranges)
1 cup french vanilla yogurt
½ cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons orange liqueur

1. In a blender, pulverize the sugar and orange zest until the zest is very fine. Add the orange juice, yogurt, half-and-half, and orange liqueur and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then process it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tuesday Tips

2011-02-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

I love everything about homemade bread. I often tell Forrest than freshly activated yeast is one of my favorite smells.

When cleaning out my recipe binder, I came across the manual that came with our original breadmaker. It's helpful tips apply to all sorts of baking, not just bread.

From Salton's Healthy Bread Recipes and Menu Planner

Tuesday Tips

2011-01-25T09:50:00.001-05:00

Shop for your own set

A recipe often calls for a "pinch" of this or a "dash" of that. If you're like me, you want to know just how much that is. Everyone's pinch is a little different right?! Here are the common measurements for when you're just not sure how much to add.

Dash-- 1/8 teaspoon
Pinch-- 1/16 teaspoon
Smidgen--1/32 of a teaspoon

Tuesday Tips

2011-01-18T09:58:00.000-05:00

Are you ever overwhelmed by the endless choices of rice on the shelf at the market? This helpful chart from Real Simple gives us definitions of rice varieties as well as proportions and cooking times!

Real Simple April 2009

Curried Lentil Stew

2011-01-04T07:59:00.001-05:00

In searching for lentil recipes, I came across the wonderful blog Kayotic Kitchen. Her recipes are intriguing and her pictures are beautiful!

Curried Lentil Stew
Adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 of a 6 oz. can tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
1 cup dried lentils
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add curry, cumin, ant tomato paste; saute 1 minute more. Add broth, potatoes, tomatoes, lentils, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Cinnamon-Stewed Chicken with Spicy Roasted Coriander Rice

2010-12-31T08:33:00.000-05:00

I came across this recipe in a magazine. We're big fans of anything cinnamon, so I thought it'd be worth a try. After making it, I wouldn't say that cinnamon is the primary flavor, but it's nonetheless a delicious and easy dish!

Cinnamon-Stewed Chicken with Spicy Roasted Coriander Rice
Adapted from McCormick

Makes 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind
3 pounds chicken breast, cut into pieces
2 cups water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Oregano Leaves, Mediterranean

Spicy Roasted Coriander Rice:
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Ground Ginger
1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Red Pepper, Crushed
2 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt

In a mixing bowl, combine roasted cinnamon, sea salt, pepper, water, tomato paste, and oregano. In a 9x13 baking dish, coat chicken evenly with mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, for the Rice, combine roasted coriander, roasted ginger, red pepper, rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer 45 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Serve chicken over rice with juices.

CORN, MILK AND HONEY CORN MUFFINS

2010-12-28T09:38:00.001-05:00

Virginia Beach received record snowfall over the weekend. In a city unequipped for even the slightest winter weather, this paralyzed the city and trapped us in the house. After a few weeks of holiday celebrations, I wasn't too unhappy with this! Forrest kept busy by building an igloo while I stayed warm inside playing with my Christmas gifts.

Thanks to my Dad, we had plenty of venison in the freezer to whip up a hearty soup. I made some delicious corn muffins to accompany it.

CORN, MILK AND HONEY CORN MUFFINS

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Packed with whole grains, tender and moist, just a bit an the crumbly side, but not overly sweet, this is a wonderful muffin recipe. You may use white whole wheat instead of whole wheat pastry flour; the muffins won't be quite as ethereal, but they'll also be a little less crumbly, too.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins
Baking Temperature: 400°F
Baking Time: 20 To 23 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces) honey
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (6 3/44 ounces) whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour
• 2 cups (9 3/4 ounces) whole yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with papers and coat the papers with nonstick spray.

Cream together the butter, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in the honey and the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk. Mix until the batter is smooth.

Scoop the batter by generous 1/2-cupfuls into the prepared pan. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1 Muffin, 104G); 36g whole grains, 291 cal, 14g fat, 7g protein, 29g complex carbohydrates, 8g sugar, 3g dietary fiber, 85mg cholesterol, 340mg sodium, 191mg potassium, 158RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 122mg calcium, 184mg phosphorus.

Don't Let Your Muffins Get Tough
Leaving muffins in their pan to cool causes moisture from inside the muffin to condense when it reaches the cooling metal. This causes the outer edges to steam, and consequently overcook and become tough. To keep your muffins tender, flip them out of the pan after 5 minutes of cooling and let them finish cooling on a rack.

Warm Cream-Cheese Brownies

2010-12-26T14:30:00.000-05:00

On a cold day, there's nothing like a warm sweet treat!

Warm Cream-Cheese Brownies - Martha Stewart Recipes

FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE BATTER:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BATTER:
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (7 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; set aside. Make the cream cheese batter: Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once. Add vanilla, and beat until combined. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the flour and chocolate chips.

2. Make the chocolate batter: Melt chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from heat, and let cool completely.

3. In a large bowl, using a handheld whisk, beat the eggs, gradually adding the sugar, until mixture is thick and pale. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla, and combine well.

4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and fold into the chocolate mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Measure out about 1/2 cup chocolate batter, and set aside. Spoon the rest of the batter into prepared baking pan, and spread cream cheese batter evenly over the top. Drop reserved chocolate batter in dollops on top. Run a knife or offset spatula all the way through the batters to create a swirling effect.

5. Bake until a cake tester inserted near the edges comes out clean, about 35 minutes. The center will still be fairly soft, but will continue to firm after being removed from the oven. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool in pan before cutting into squares and serving.

Pretzel Salad

2010-12-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

This is a staple on my family's holiday table. I think it falls into the category of dessert, but Mom and Grandma serve it as a side dish. Either way it's a yummy addition.

Pretzel Salad

1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cups melted butter
1 cup, 2 tbsp sugar

1 large container whipped topping
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 small packages strawberry jello
2 small packages frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
2 cups hot water

Combine pretzels, butter, and 2 tbsp sugar and press into 9x13 baking dish. Combine whipped topping, less 1 cup, cream cheese, and 1 cup sugar and pour over crust. Refrigerate.

Mix jello, strawberries, and water and let stand until thick and syrupy. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Spread remaining cup whipped topping over strawberry mixture. Refrigerate until firm.

Curried Lentil Soup

2010-12-20T14:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our annual Christmas celebration with my childhood best friends. Everyone brought a complimentary dish and I made soup and bread!

Curried Lentil Soup
Adapted from Bon Appetit

•3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
•1 medium carrot, finely chopped
•2 tablespoons curry powder *this was a little too spicy for Forrest, so I'll reduce the spice next time.
•1 cup French green lentils
•4 chicken broth
•1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook , stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a blender.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency.

DO AHEAD Soup can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing.

Milk Bread
The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook

1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 cups bread flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp gluten
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in the order listed. Program for basic cycle, crust to preference (I like light) and choose 2 lb. loaf. Press start and voila!

Italian Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread Cookies

2010-12-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

I thought these cookies would make an interesting addition to our annual cookie exchange. While the flavor was good, the presentation left much to be desired! I found the dough incredibly dry which made slicing the cookies according to the directions very challenging. I ended up cutting the cookies with cookie cutters, so I got much less than the expected 4 dozen.

Italian Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Bon Appétit

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; blend until finely chopped. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead just until dough comes together.
Divide dough in half. Press each half into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shortbread to rack; cool 2 minutes. Remove pan sides. Cut each shortbread round into 24 wedges. Cool completely.

Mocha Crinkles

2010-12-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas cookies is the Mocha Crinkle. It's a super simple, impressive cookie to take to any get together or cookie exchange.

Mocha Crinkles
1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsps instant espresso powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Beat brown sugar and oil in medium bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Set aside.

Mix flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, salt and pepper in another medium bowl.

Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture, mix well. Refrigerate dough until firm, 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Pour powdered sugar into shallow bowl, set aside. Using a small scoop, scoop cookies into balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 8-12 minutes or until tops of cookies are firm to touch. Be careful not to overbake. Cool completely on wire racks.

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts and Parsley

2010-12-01T16:26:00.015-05:00

I found this fantastic recipe on the back of Trader Joe's Israeli couscous box. We eat ALOT of couscous and this is a great way to transform it into a wonderful side dish.

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts and Parsley
Adapted from Trader Joes
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
1 pinch cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup parsley
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper

1.Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl.

2.Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add couscous, cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir often until couscous browns slightly. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, pine nuts and lemon zest. Season with black pepper to taste.

HERB & PEA ADAPTATION
Omit cinnamon. Before liquid has fully absorbed, add 1 cup frozen peas and continue cooking. Add 1/2 cup fresh herbs (sage & basil are a fav!) with the parsley and pine nuts.

French Toast

2010-11-26T14:59:00.000-05:00

During the holidays, we're always hosting meals with friends. This french toast recipe is a good one to have on hand for a special breakfast.

French Toast
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

6 to 8 slices bread, somewhat stale

5 egg whites
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream, heavy, whipping, or light
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir till smooth but not foamy. Pour the batter into a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold the bread snugly.

Refrigerate overnight, flipping occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350, bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm with favorite toppings.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

2010-11-16T16:25:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to use up items in my pantry. For some reason, despite this year's harvest of 100+ sweet potatoes, I had 2 cans of puree in the pantry. I found this recipe online and modified it to what I had on hand. We were pleasantly surprised with the warm earthy flavors. I served it with some crusty homemade bread.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup
Source: All Recipes

1/8 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 cans sweet potatoes puree
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Directions

1. In a large pot, mix in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrot, and continue to cook and stir about 5 minutes.

2.Pour wine and water into the saucepan, and season the mixture with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

3.Remove the soup mixture from heat. In a food processor or blender, blend the soup and peanut butter, return to heat and simmer until heated through.

Paula Deen's Apple Baked Bean Casserole

2010-11-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

I made this for the annual halloween party and it was a big hit!

Apple Baked Bean Casserole
Paula Deen

1 cup diced onion
2 (15-ounce) cans Boston-style baked beans
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 strips bacon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the bacon and mix well. Pour into the baking dish and lay the raw strips of bacon on top. Cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-11-07T15:55:00.001-05:00

A must make for Thanksgiving.

The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake
Source: RecipeZaar

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and 1 T sugar in a medium bowl.
Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter, but not so much as to turn the mixture into paste. Keep it crumbly.
Put foil partway up the outside part of an 8-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan. You don't want the crust to form all of the way up the back of each slice of cheesecake. Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you are ready to fill it.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 C sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The top will turn a bit darker at this point. Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool. When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator. When the cheesecake has chilled, remove the pan sides and cut the cake into 8 equal pieces. Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.

Glazed Apple Spice Cake

2010-09-30T15:35:00.000-04:00

When the weather starts cooling off, I start thinking of apples. Truly my favorite fruit, I can eat many in a day and never be satisfied. I've saved this recipe from Whole Living for a fall harvest.

New Toys

2010-09-28T13:07:00.000-04:00

I picked up a few new kitchen goodies during our vacation on the Outer Banks.

--I picked up this adorable notecard at a wonderful gift shop. I'm hoping to find a cute frame to hang it in the kitchen. You can find your own at Curly Girl Design.

--I've worn through the enamel of 2 beaters on my KitchenAid. I decided to bite the bullet and try the Beater Blade. I picked up a few pumpkins today so that I could put it to use baking!

--Behold the KitchenAid Fruit and Vegetable Strainer. I spent hours this summer grinding fresh tomatoes in my food mill. I can't wait to use this next summer to puree those babies. Too bad I purchased this after all the tomatoes had fallen.

Gingersnaps

2010-09-07T18:03:00.001-04:00

I made this cookie because I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and needed a recipe which called for only one egg. I didn't even know I liked gingersnaps until I tried this cookie! What a wonderful find!

Ginger Cookies
Adapted from More from Magnolia

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then cool complete on wire rack.

These cookies are delicious as is or topped with a powdered sugar icing.

Chocolate Decadence

2010-09-07T16:09:00.001-04:00

I've never met a molten cake that I didn't like.

Chocolate Decadence
Source: Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

Cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
8 teaspoons semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly coat 4 (2-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon sugar into each of the ramekins, shaking and turning to coat. Set prepared ramekins aside.

Combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the butter and 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool chocolate mixture 10 minutes.

Add flour, vanilla, salt, and egg white to chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each prepared ramekin, and top each with 2 teaspoons chocolate chips. Divide the remaining chocolate mixture evenly among ramekins, spreading to cover the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until barely set. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information
Calories:315 (31% from fat)
Fat:11g (sat 5.7g,mono 2.8g,poly 0.8g)
Protein:4.1g
Carbohydrate:52.1g
Fiber:1.6g
Cholesterol:13.4mg
Iron:2.2mg
Sodium:140mg
Calcium:27mg

Ghirardelli® Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies

2010-09-07T15:26:00.001-04:00

This recipe taunts me from the pages of my food magazines. It looks to be a chocoholics delight.

Ghirardelli® Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies
Source: Ghirardelli

2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1.Melt the bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

2.In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick; stir in the chocolate mixture.

3.In a small bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder; stir into the chocolate mixture. Gently mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

4.Using a sheet of plastic wrap, form the dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches long. Because the dough will be quite soft, use the plastic wrap to hold the dough in the log shape. Wrap tightly; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

5.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

6.Unwrap the dough. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 3/4-inch slices. Place the slices 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

7.Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until a shiny crust forms on top of the cookies but the interior is still soft. Let cool on the cookie sheet. Then remove from the cookie sheet with a metal spatula.

8.Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Blueberry Health Muffins

2010-09-07T14:50:00.001-04:00

I still have bags and bags of blueberries frozen from our summer harvest. Here's another way that I hope to use them.

Blueberry Health Muffins
Source: Whole Living, August 2010

3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of all purpose flour (white flour)
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of 2% milk
1/4 vegetable oil
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup blueberries
additional 2 tablespoons of toasted wheat germ
additional tablespoon of brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 375

Line muffin pan with paper liners (spray them with Pam for baking so they don't stick)

In a bowl whisk together the wheat flour, all purpose flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt and brown sugar

Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla.

Fold in the blueberries

Divide batter among the 12 cups

In a small bowl combine the additional wheat germ, brown sugar and rolled oats

Top each muffin with the mixture

Bake for 20-22 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean)

Let sit in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack

Per serving: 196 calories, 1g saturated fat, 5g unsaturated fat, 36mg cholesterol, 30g carb, 138mg sodium, 5g protein, 2g fiber

Raspberry Pistachio Crusted Chicken

2010-09-07T14:48:00.001-04:00

Raspberry Pistachio Crusted Chicken
Source: Women's Health, September 2010

1/2 cup wild rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fresh or (unsweetened) frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 1 pound
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
dash freshly ground white pepper
pinch sea salt
1 head kale (about 1 pound), leaves trimmed and washed
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Put the wild rice,water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 55 minutes.
2. While the rice is cooking, combine the raspberries, mustard, and lemon juice in a small food processor or blender. Process until smooth.Transfer to a shallow pan, cover, and set aside.
3. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thick. In another shallow pan, combine the bread crumbs, pistachios, parsley, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Dip each chicken breast in the sauce to coat both sides. Roll the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture to cover completely.
4. Steam the kale in a large covered sauce pan until tender. Set aside to keep warm.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the chicken breasts over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is slightly browned, 5 minutes on each side. Serve with the steamed kale and wild rice.

Almost Famous Cinnamon Buns

2010-09-07T14:15:00.001-04:00

My Mom's a sucker for a certain company's cinnamon buns. They've closed all the local locations so she only gets them when she travels. I came across this recipe in Food Network Magazine and have been hanging on to it to make for her when she's in need of a special treat.

New Year's Fortunte Cookies

2010-09-07T13:50:00.003-04:00

No, it's not New Year's Eve. You didn't sleep through the holidays. I'm just working on cleaning out my recipe files and posting those that I've made, tossing those that I have never made, and making those that I've always wanted to make!

I made this recipe for fortune cookies for a New Year's party a few years ago. I remember them being surprisingly simple and a big hit. Kind of makes you wonder why I haven't made them again, huh?! Unfortunately, I tore the recipe out of a book and I have no record of where it's from.

Chocolate Mint Wafers

2010-09-07T13:26:00.002-04:00

I love, love, love Thin Mint cookies and despite stocking up in February the never last more than a few days in the house. Fortunately, good ole' Martha has a copycat version that's a winning substitute.

Chocolate-Mint Wafers
Source: Everyday Food

1 cup all-purpose four
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter (room temp.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add egg and vanilla. Mixing on low, add in flour mixture. Form balls of dough (about 1 tsp) and place on baking sheets. Take a glass, dip the bottom in water, and press the balls into 1.5-inch rounds (about 1/4 inch thick).Bake until slightly firm, 8 – 10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

3.Make the chocolate coating: Place chocolate and peppermint extract in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 – 3 minutes; remove from heat.

4.Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Set each cookie across the tines of a fork, dunk in chocolate and tap the underside of the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess. Rrefrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

2010-09-03T10:13:00.002-04:00

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my all time favorite combinations. Put them together in ice cream and I believe I've gone straight to heaven. While the recipe below is delicious, and I never thought I'd say this, it's too rich. I think next time I'm make my basic chocolate recipe and add peanut butter to it.

This recipe takes a long time to fully freeze, so it's best made a day ahead.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Source: Joy the Baker

1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup smooth salted natural peanut butter
Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups, or quartered peanut butter cups

In a sauce pan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups whole milk, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat until the milk start to steam, but before it starts to boil.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of whole milk and the cornstarch. Stir until no lumps remain.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and chocolate mixture and bring to a low boil. Boil until thickened. The mixture will look the consistency of chocolate pudding. Remove from flame.

In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir the cream and chocolate mixture until incorporated.

Stir the cream and chocolate mixture into the cooling chocolate ice cream base. Place in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a lid, and put in the fridge until cool.

Once cool, follow the manufacturers instructions on the ice cream maker to churn ice cream. Once the mixture has chilled and thickened in the ice cream maker, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Don’t over mix. You want a nice ribbon of peanut butter running through the ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container and fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter and peanut butter cups. Cover and freeze overnight until solid.

White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Roasted Tomato-Basil Dressing

2010-09-03T10:08:00.001-04:00

Our garden produced a bounty of red peppers this summer, so I began looking for creative ways to use them. This salad is a tasty addition to any cookout. I served it cold, but I think it would also be excellent warmed.

White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Roasted Tomato-Basil Dressing
Kayln's Kitchen

2 cans (15 oz.) white beans, rinsed and drained well
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
sea salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Organic Tomatoes with liquid
generous 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
sea salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste

Thoroughly rinse beans until no foam appears, then let drain well. While beans are draining, combine tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt & pepper in blender. Puree until ingredients are well combined, then taste to see if you want to add another tablespoon of water. With motor running, mix olive oil into dressing.

Combine peppers, beans, and 1/2 cup dressing a bowl and stir to combine. Just before serving mix in fresh chopped basil, chopped oregano, and a bit more dressing. (You will not need all the dressing. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and serve.

The Baker's Apprentice Cappuccino Scones

2010-09-03T10:02:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading Judith Ryan Hendricks' The Baker's Apprentice, a pleasant novel about a bread baker. The book gives a few recipes for the reader to enjoy long after the book has been shelved. I decided to make this recipe for Cappuccino Scones. They were wonderful! I used a tablespoon of cinnamon instead of a teaspoon, but otherwise kept the recipe intact. With 2 tbsp espresso powder, we decided to have these as an afternoon snack rather than dessert.

Chocolate-Almond Torte

2010-09-03T09:55:00.001-04:00

I clipped this recipe from Food Network Magazine's December 2009 issue. I was excited to try something new using ground nuts instead of flour. Unfortunately, the texture of the finished dish was unpleasant. I won't be making this one again.

Chocolate-Almond Torte
Food Network Magazine

1 1/4 cups blanched, sliced almonds
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated, plus 3 egg yolks
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground, but not pasty.

Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat with the breadcrumbs, tapping out the excess.

Set aside 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Combine the 6 egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest, rum and salt, then beat in the melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in the ground almonds until just combined.

In a clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in the reserved 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on high speed until almost stiff. Stir one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the rest. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the top is firm and cracked (a toothpick inserted into the cake will be fudgy), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the ring. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

Caramel Candy Cake

2010-08-22T14:20:00.000-04:00

For his birthday Forrest requested a yellow cake with caramel filling and dark chocolate frosting. The cake and frosting turned out beautifully, but the caramel must have cooked a little too long because it turned into hard candy.

Yellow Cake
Source: BHG New Cookbook

3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/4 cups milk

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9 x 1-1/2-inch or 8 x 1-1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at time, beating on medium speed until well combined and scraping sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan(s).

3. Bake in a 375 degree F oven 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans; 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans; 25 to 30 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool layer cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layer cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks.

Caramel Filling
3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter. Mix all ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly pour into pan with butter. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and cook until the caramel registers 235° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat, cool until spreadable.

Hershey's "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (I used dark cocoa)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Molten Cake

2010-08-17T15:38:00.000-04:00

We all know that I can't get enough of chocolate and peanut butter. It's my favorite flavor combination. So, when I came across this recipe for a molten cake which combined the two, I knew I had to try it!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Molten Cake
Source: Kraft Foods

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
2 Egg yolks
6 Tbsp. Flour
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. Peanut butter
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Grease 1-qt. souffle dish or baking dish; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in powdered sugar. Blend in whole eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour; set aside. Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla until well blended.

POUR half of the chocolate batter into prepared dish; cover with peanut butter mixture. Top with remaining chocolate batter.

BAKE 20 min. or until edge is set but center is still slightly soft. Cool slightly. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Size-Wise--One serving, 1/2 cup, of this indulgent cake goes a long way on flavor!

Variation-- Prepare and layer batters as directed, substituting seven greased 3/4-cup custard cups for the souffle dish. Place filled custard cups on baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 14 min. or until edges are set but centers are still slightly soft. Continue as directed

Black Bean Soup

2010-08-11T17:18:00.001-04:00

Black Bean Soup
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

1-1/2 tablespoons canola or olive oil

2 medium red bell peppers, diced
1/2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoons allspice
3 cups black beans, cooked from dry, drained
4 cups chicken

For garnish:
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional minute.

Add the beans, stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

To thicken the soup, purée it briefly with a stick blender, transfer half through food mill or into a blender, or just mash it by hand. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. Adjust seasoning as necessary, garnish with cilantro and yogurt or sour cream. Serve immediately.

Bison Vegetable Meatloaf

2010-08-11T17:10:00.000-04:00

Bison Vegetable Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large zucchini, finely diced
2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 large carrots, finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs- thyme, margoram, basil, oregano
1 pound ground bison
1 pound ground organic beef
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan
1 cup tomato sauce, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, carrots, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined.

Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top loaf with remaining tomato sauce. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

2010-08-07T15:16:00.000-04:00

I love making and eating cheesecakes. I can't wait to try this one.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Source: RecipeLink

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
3- 8oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes) If using key limes or juice, use half as much.
3 eggs
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine crumbs, butter and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl. Stir well to to coat all crumbs. Keep it crumbly. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and half way up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake crust for 5 mins. and set aside.

In large bowl combine cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer till smooth. Add the lime juice and eggs and continue to beat till smooth and creamy. Pour filling into crust.

Bake for 60 to 70 mins. If top is turning light brown it's done. Remove from oven and allow to cool till room temperature. Put into fridge. When chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Mexican Brownies

2010-08-04T12:59:00.000-04:00

Forrest loves cinnamon, so I thought I'd give these a shot. He thought they were amazing!

Mexican Brownies
The Bon Appétit Cookbook

For brownies
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips (about 6 ounces)

For brown sugar topping
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract

Make brownies:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, extending foil over sides. Stir unsweetened chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Continue to whisk until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing surface. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

Make topping:
Whisk sugar, cream and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until mixture is smooth and comes to boil. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla. Cool 10 minutes. Whisk until thick enough to spread. Spread over brownie. Sprinkle with almonds. Let stand until topping sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Using foil as aid, life brownie from pan. Cut brownie into 16 squares. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake

2010-08-04T12:52:00.006-04:00

Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake

The Bon Appétit Cookbook

For crust
1 1/2 cups ground shortbread cookies (recipe follows)
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For filling
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise (or 2 Tbsp vanilla bean paste)
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
12 oz fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For topping

1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup blueberry jam

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind ground cookies, nuts and sugar in processor. Add butter and vanilla; process until moist crumbs form. Press onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Bake until crust is light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.

Make filling:
Scrape seeds from vanilla beans into heavy small saucepan; add beans. Add cream and bring to boil. Cool completely. Discard beans.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add vanilla-cream mixture, sour cream and vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
Gently mix blueberries and cornstarch in medium bowl. Pour 2/3 of filling into crust. Sprinkle berry mixture over. Pour remaining filling over berries to cover. Bake until cake is golden and begins to crack around edges but still moves slightly in center when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes (cake will fall).
Make topping:
Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl to blend.

Gently press down any raised edges of cake. Spoon topping evenly over cake. Bake 10 minutes. Cool cake on rack. Refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Melt jam in small saucepan over low heat. Brush some jam over top of cake. Arrange remaining berries atop cake. Gently brush berries with remaining jam. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.)

Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Serve cold.

Shortbread Cookies
The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz) sugar
2 cups (8 1/2 oz) flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, salt, and sugar. Add flour and mix into a dough. Turn out onto parchment paper, shape into a long log and roll up. Freeze 1 hour. Slice into 1/2 inch slices with a sharp knife. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Focaccia

2010-07-28T18:20:00.000-04:00

I think I like this new focaccia recipe better than the previous go-to.

Focaccia
Adapted from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book

1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2-4 1/4 cups bread flour
3 tbsp chopped rosemary
Coarse seal salt for sprinkling

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over 1/2 cup water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining water and sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the flour and beat on medium-low speed for 2 minutes. Add the rosemary. Switch to the dough hook. On low speed, add the flour 1 tbsp at a time until a shaggy dough forms. Dump dough on a well floured surface and knead, adding flour as necessary, until soft and slightly sticky, about 6 minutes. Cover with an oiled bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.

Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto the prepared sheet. With oiled fingers, press and flatten dough into an oval 1 inch thick. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

With your fingertips (or the pointed end of an oiled wooden spoon), make deep indentations 1 inch apart all over the surface of the dough. Drizzle the remaining oil. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place a baking stone on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 425. Sprinkle the bread lightly with salt. Slide the pan onto the stone and bake until the bread is lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

**If you have a rectangular baking stone, you should use this in place of the baking sheet.

Fantastically Improved Granola Bars

2010-07-27T16:35:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I made some Overly Chocolate Granola Bars. This weekend I attempted to improve them, and I came pretty close to perfection! Next time I will begin altering the amount of brown sugar.

Chewy Granola Bars

Adapted from KAF

1 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oat bran
1/4 cup milled flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup almond butter
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoon water

Line a 9x13 backing dish with parchment or aluminum foil. Spray well, these guys are sticky! Preheat oven to 350.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, agave, water and vanilla. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and mix well.

Press mixture into pan, leveling with your hands. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and slightly crispy. Carefully remove from pan, while keeping on the paper/foil. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars and store wrapped tightly.

Caramel White Chocolate Blondies

2010-07-22T16:02:00.001-04:00

Caramel White Chocolate Blondies

Adapted from How to Cook Everything

8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
10 Werther's Originals candies, melted
6 oz white chocolate chips
Butter an 8×8 pan.
Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in chips and caramel until just incorporated.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. Cool on rack before cutting them.

A Better Wheat Bread

2010-07-09T16:44:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for wheat bread recipes. While this one isn't whole wheat, we have fallen in love with it. Each time I've made it, it's turned out differently. Sometimes the kitchen is hot, sometimes cold, sometimes I use more wheat flour, sometimes I use bread flour. Regardless, the loaf has always turned out delicious.

Whole-Wheat Bread
Source: The Williams Sonoma Baking Book

1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
pinch of brown sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
3-4 cups bread flour

In a bowl, sprinkle yeast and brown sugar over water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, oil, salt, and 2 cups wheat flour. Beat on medium low speed until creamy, about 1 minutes. Beat in the yeast mixture and the remaining wheat flour and beat for 1 minute. Beat in the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed, adding bread flour 1 tbsp at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth but slightly sticky when pressed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a well oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1-1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease 2 9x5 pans. Divide dough into 2 loaves and place in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until about 1 inch above the rim of the pans, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, 34-40 minutes. Turn out onto racks and let cool completely.

Overly Chocolately Granola Bars

2010-07-09T16:22:00.002-04:00

In an attempt to use up some steel cut oats that I bought by accident, I decided to make a chewy granola bar. I love these as an anytime snack, but it'd be especially nice to create a recipe that's delicious and not as bad for you. They should be relatively healthy, otherwise you might as well have an oatmeal cookie!

This batch ended up with a few too many chocolate chips and not enough almond butter, so I'll adjust the recipe next time. I'll also try using all agave instead of brown sugar. However, the basic recipe may become a pantry staple!

Chewy Granola Bars
Adapted from KAF

1 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oat bran
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup almond butter
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon water

Line a 9x13 backing dish with parchment or aluminum foil. Spray well, these guys are sticky! Preheat oven to 350.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, agave, water and vanilla. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and mix well.

Press mixture into pan, leveling with your hands. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and slightly crispy. Carefully remove from pan, while keeping on the paper/foil. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars and store wrapped tightly.

Oatmeal Creme Pies

2010-07-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

Ever since I made the Hostess Cupcakes, I've been thinking about Oatmeal Creme Pies. These were a staple of my childhood and I still have a hard time turning them down from my grandparents' pantry.

While delicious, these cookies are similar but not quite the same. The batter spread too thinly, even though the cookies remained moist and chewy. The filling was also thinner, but it could have been my ratio of homemade marshmallow fluff. Regardless, these are a tasty substitution for the famous cookie who's first ingredient is corn syrup.

Oatmeal Creme Pies

Adapted from RecipeZaar

Cookie
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar. Add molasses, vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, scraping after each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Quickly mix in the oats.

Drop dough by TBSP on ungreased sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes,or until just starting to brown around the edges.

Creme Filling

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Add egg whites and sugar to the stainless steel mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Using whisk attachment, whisk on medium-high speed until sugar is incorporated and whites form soft peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in cream of tartar, vanilla and salt. Whisk on high speed for about a minute or so. Marshmallow fluff is done when it’s glossy and holding stiff peaks.

Add shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla mix on high until fluffy.

Spread filling on flat side of one cookie, press second cookie on top.

Roasted Tomato Soup

2010-07-09T15:48:00.001-04:00

The garden is kicking out some delicious tomatoes!! I made up a pretty quick and easy tomato soup for our lunches. It was so good that I'm thinking about making another batch for the weekend!

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Christmas Cookies in July

2010-07-07T13:36:00.003-04:00

I was cleaning out my recipes this week and came across some of the recipes from last year's cookie exchanges. Here are a few of my favorites:

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Pineapples

2010-07-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

These make an excellent accompaniment to any grilled summer meat.

20 oz can sliced pineapples in juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp ground ginger (ground ginger is much stronger and spicier than fresh ginger)
1 tsp soy sauce

Mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger, and soy; toss pineapple rings in glazes. Grill for 4 minutes per side, basting with glaze until caramelized.

Oven Dried Blueberries

2010-06-29T14:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Forrest harvested over a quart of blueberries from our bushes. In a wonderful twist of fate, this morning I came across an article in Whole Living on what to do with those fresh berries!

Oven Dried Blueberries
Source: Whole Living, July/August 2010

Makes 1/2 cup

Heat oven to 225 degrees F. Toss 1 cup blueberries with 1 tsp honey in a bowl. Bake berries on a parchment-lined baking sheet until shriveled but still supple, about 2 hours. Let cool. Berries will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Ice Cream Cones

2010-06-21T16:03:00.000-04:00

Yet another must try recipe, this one will be great for summer time!

Ice Cream Cones
Source: Joy of Baking

2 large eggs
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 - 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (50 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil and pastry brush

In a medium sized bowl whisk together (or use a hand mixer) the eggs and sugar until frothy. Whisk in the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter should be quite thin (like a crepe batter) so add more milk if the consistency is too thick.

Heat a 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) saute pan over medium heat until it is hot. Reduce the heat to medium low and brush the pan lightly with vegetable oil. Pour or ladle about 3-4 tablespoons of batter into the pan and immediately tilt or rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin 5-6 inch (13-15 cm) circle. Place pan back on the heat and cook until the batter is set and you can see the underside is golden brown (3-4 minutes). Slip a metal spatula under the crepe and gently flip it over. Cook until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and slide the crepe from the pan onto your work surface. While the crepe is still hot, quickly start at one edge and roll the crepe into a cone shape. Squeeze the tip of the cone to seal it so the ice cream won't drip out. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Continue making the rest of the cones, lightly brushing the pan with vegetable oil each time. These cones are best the day they are made. However, you can store leftover cones in a covered container. To re-crisp the cones preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Working with one cone at a time, unroll the cone until it is a circle again, place on a baking sheet and bake for about 3-5 minutes or until the crepe is hot and soft. Remove from oven and place the hot crepe on your work surface. Quickly reroll into a cone shape, again squeezing the tip of the cone so the ice cream won't drip out. Place on a wire rack to cool. Continue with the rest of the cones.

Makes about 8 ice cream cones.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

2010-06-21T10:13:00.000-04:00

I found a bag of frozen cranberries at the bottom of the freezer. These scones were a wonderful treat!

Cranberry-Orange Scones
adapted from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book

3 cups (15oz) all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
grated zest of 1 orange, or 1 tsp orange oil
10 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup (8 fl oz) cold buttermilk
1 cup (6 oz) frozen cranberries
3/4 cup (3 oz) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tbsp fresh orange juice, or as needed

Preheat oven to 425.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture all at once and stir until a sticky dough forms. Stir in the cranberries until evenly distributed.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, gently knead the dough 8-10 strokes, it will be very soft. Press the dough into a thick circle. Cut into 8 pieces.

Place the wedges, 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake until the scones are golden brown 14-18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks.

In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar with the orange juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little more juice, if needed; it should be thick but pourable. Using a pastry brush or squirt bottle, top warm scone with glaze. Let stand 10 minutes to set.

Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake

2010-06-21T09:59:00.001-04:00

Raspberries aren't quite in season in Tidewater yet, but this cake was too tempting to wait. It was a beautiful presentation and overall a great cake. The actual cake recipe was pretty basic and nothing extraordinary.

Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake
Source: Bon Appetit

Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Chocolate ganache and raspberry topping
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided
2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

Preparation

Cake

Position racks in top and bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; spray rounds. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl; whisk to blend and form well in center. Whisk 1 cup water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; whisk just to blend. Divide cake batter between prepared pans (about 2 cups each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (If cakes form domes, place kitchen towel atop hot cakes, then press gently with palm of hand to level.) Cool completely in pans on cooling racks. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cakes in pans and let stand at room temperature.

Chocolate ganache and raspberry topping

Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until ganache is melted and smooth. Transfer 1 1/4 cups ganache to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache stand at room temperature to cool until barely lukewarm.

Place rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Carefully run knife around pan edges to release cakes. Invert 1 cake layer onto cardboard round or bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Peel off parchment paper. Place cake layer on round on prepared rack. Spread 3 tablespoons jam over top. Spoon dollops of chilled ganache over, then spread evenly. Invert second cake layer onto another cardboard round or tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment paper. Carefully slide cake off round and onto frosted cake layer on rack. Spread remaining 3 tablespoons raspberry jam over top of second cake layer. Pour half of barely lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over sides to cover. Freeze until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing to drip down sides and spreading over sides if needed for even coverage and to smooth edges. Freeze to set ganache, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Corn

2010-06-21T09:52:00.000-04:00

The first truck of freshly cut corn pulled up at the farmer's market on Friday and brought one of my favorite summer dishes. I decided to try oven roasting the corn, to avoid the heat of the grill on a 95 degree day. It was delicious!

Roasted Corn
Martha Stewart's Cooking School

Slit husks and peel back to remove silk. Fold husks back around corn, tucking in a few springs of fresh thyme, oregano, & marjoram, a sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper and a pat of butter. Tie with kitchen twine to secure and roast in a baking pan at 450 until tender, about 20 minutes.

Roast Duck

2010-06-21T09:48:00.000-04:00

Despite the fattiness, I love duck. I found that BJs carries whole duck for a very reasonable price. Martha's recipe called for 4 hours of roasting time. After 3 hours, my duck was overdone. I also wasn't a fan of the sauce, but my dinner guests were.

Roast Duck
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cooking School

5 pound duck
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (recipe follows)
2 tbsp fresh orange juice

Heat oven to 300. Remove any extra pieces from the cavity and rinse thoroughly. Lightly score the duck breast skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the flesh. Season with salt and pepper inside and out.

Roast duck breast side up for 1 hour. Remove from oven and prick skin all over to ensure the fat is rendering. Turn the duck breast side down and roast another hour. Turn duck over again and prick any fatty spots that aren't rendering. Roast for 30 minutes, or until browned.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine honey, molasses, and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Increase temperature to 400, brush the duck with the glaze and roast 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp and brown. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Pomegranate Molasses
Source: Simply Recipes

4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a large, uncovered saucepan, heat pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice on medium high until the sugar has dissolved and the juice simmers. Reduce heat just enough to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about an hour and a half, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency, and has reduced to 1 to 1 1/4 cups.

Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake

2010-06-01T16:59:00.003-04:00

I am a huge fan of CakeLove, so when I was looking for ways to use a bag of frozen cherries, I knew Warren wouldn't let me down. Unfortunately, I didn't have the ingredients on hand for the matching butter cream, so I decided to try a bundt cake. Which, the chocolate chips sank to the bottom of and stuck to the pan. It was a mess, but it was delicious.
Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake
Adapted From CakeLove by Warren Brown

For the Chocolate Cherry Cake:
Dy:
5 oz or (1 cup) all purpose flour
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Liquid:
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup cherry puree (recipe to follow)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creaming Mixture:
3 oz. unsalted butter
1 ½ cups extra fine granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk

Make the Cherry puree first—see recipe below.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together flour and cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the baking soda and salt. Then add the dried cherries and chocolate chips and whisk to combine. Set aside.

3. In a large liquid measuring cup mix together the liquid ingredients until combined. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl using the paddle attachment (if you are using a stand mixer), add butter and beat until smooth. Then add the sugar and beat on medium low to incorporate. This may take 5 minutes so be patient. You want to get air in the mixture but you don’t want to beat all the air out of it…so don’t put this on high.

5. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, followed by the yolk.

6. Then add the dry and liquid mixtures by alternating between the two in 3-4 additions. Starting and ending with the dry mixture. You don’t have to wait for the wet or dry ingredients to be completely incorporated before adding the next. If you do that you will overwork the batter. This process should take you only a minute.

7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and make sure you don’t have any clumps at the bottom that haven’t been mixed in.

8. Thoroughly spray pan and bake about 30 minute or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cherry Puree
1 16 oz. bag of frozen cherries, pitted
½ cup superfine sugar

Defrost cherries, keeping the juices. Put in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a sauce pan and add the sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, do not boil, and let reduce by half (25 minutes). Remove from heat and cool completely.

Homemade Yogurt

2010-06-01T16:52:00.000-04:00

This is the first yogurt recipe that I have found that actually turns out like I'd hoped. I'm thinking I'll just use this as a base for the flavors I'd like to have.

Homemade Yogurt
Two Peas and Their Pod

42 ounces fresh milk
6 oz. plain yogurt

1. Pour milk into a high-sided saucepan. Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan. Heat the milk until 170 degrees. This will take about 1-2 minutes. The milk will start to climb the side of the pan.

2. Remove pan from heat and allow the milk to cool to lukewarm-110 degrees. To speed up the process you can place the pan in cold water.

3. In a bowl, add the yogurt and stir in some of the milk. Whisk well. Make sure the yogurt is dissolved. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the jars of the yogurt maker. Follow the yogurt maker’s instructions. It typically takes 10-12 hours, the longer it matures, the thicker it is.

5. When the yogurt is done resting, chill it in the fridge with the lids on the jars. The yogurt will stay good for 10 days.

Vanilla Bean & Bourbon Bundt Cake

2010-06-01T16:51:00.000-04:00

This cake was fantastic. Forrest has already requested a repeat appearance. The flavors seem to improve overnight, but the cake is fatastic served warm.

Vanilla Bean & Bourbon Bundt Cake
Adapted from Craving Chronicles & Bon Appetit, April 2010

3 tablespoons bourbon
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk

Glaze Ingredients

2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons skim milk
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray regular 10″ bundt pan with baking spray.

Measure bourbon into a small bowl. Slice vanilla bean in half and using the back of a knife, scrape out the seeds. Stir vanilla bean seeds into bourbon and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and milk. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Beat in bourbon vanilla mixture and optional vanilla extract, if using. Add half of the flour mixture, beating until combined, then add sour cream mixture. Once incorporated, add remaining half of flour mixture and mix just until combined.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and using a spatula, smooth top even. Bake at 325°F for 45-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. If needed, add milk in 1/4 teaspoon increments until glaze is thick but pourable. Drizzle glaze over cake and let stand at room temperate to set, about 15 minutes.

Store cake covered at room temperature. To serve, cut cake into wedges and serve topped with strawberries and fresh mint.

Vanilla Yogurt

2010-06-01T16:45:00.000-04:00

Since receiving a yogurt maker for Christmas, I've been searching for a go to recipe. This one is pretty close to what I'm looking for. This is great on top of granola with fresh fruit!

Vanilla Yogurt

4 cups milk
1/2 cup powdered dry milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt with active cultures

Set yogurt starter out to warm to room temperature.

Heat the milk to almost a boil- about 180 F. Remove from heat and cool the milk to 110 F. Add dry milk, vanilla and sugar; stir well. Stir in yogurt starter.
Pour yogurt into jars and incubate for 12 hours. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Sausage Making

2010-06-01T16:33:00.001-04:00

Last week I took another fantastic class at the Culinary Institute of Virginia's Casual Gourmet. The class was How to Make Mozzarella & Sausage. I was on the phone early the next morning in search of hog casings to make sausage for the holiday weekend. I lucked out and found 2 local meat packers that carry them in stock!

The recipes from the class can be found here.

The at home sausage making experience was shockingly simple, although messy. Make sure you have assistants, as you need a lot of hands to stuff the sausage using the KitchenAid attachment.

Jenny's Sausage

2 lbs pork butt, cut into 1 inch cubes
garden fresh herbs--marjoram, parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage
1 tsp chipotle powder
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
hog casings

Rinse casings in fresh water and soak for at least 30 minutes. This helps dilute the salt coating.

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using KitchenAid meat grinder, pass mixture through the large disk first, then the small disk. Let fall into a bowl surrounded by a bowl of ice. This keeps the mixture very cold and makes it easier to work with.

Slowly feed casing onto large KitchenAid sausage stuffer tube, minimizing air pockets. With KitchenAid running, slowly pass ground meat mixture into the tube, working quickly and efficiently to minimize air build up in the sausage. Allow sausage to lie on flat surface and section into ideal sizes.

Bake sausage in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 145. If needed, prick air pockets. Finish sausage on grill or open fire.

Important Notes

Keep meat cold! Do this by working quickly and keeping your bowl nestled in a bowl of ice. If you have a fine enough ice crusher, add crushed ice while you are grinding the meat. This adds moisture and keeps it super cold. Be careful, though, my fridge crushed ice was not fine enough.
Pricking the sausage is the last think you want to have to do. Minimize air pockets and do not use a fork to handle the sausages. Holes cause the juices to run out and the sausage to become dry.
Before feeding onto the tube, find the end of the casing and allow water to run into it. This helps untangle the casing.

The one disappointment of the class was that we didn't make our own curds for the mozzarella. I have unsuccessfully made mozzarella twice, so I was really hoping this class would help me. The Chef teacher said that I probably didn't let the milk sit long enough to fully curdle. So, I will be tackling the recipe again later this week.

"The Winning Hearts and Minds Cake" & A Homemade Life

2010-05-28T09:59:00.000-04:00

I just finished Molly Wizenberg's, a.k.a. Orangette, wonderful book A Homemade Life. I had read Orangette off and on for years, but I had never been fanatical. Well, folks, after reading her coming of age story, Molly has my undying devotion. She's a wonderful writer and storyteller and truly makes you fall in love with everyone she speaks of, especially her food. The recipes throughout the book called to me and it was all I could do not to put the book down after every chapter and whip up a batch of the described recipe! Fittingly, she finished the book with a recipe that she calls "The Winning Hearts and Minds Cake." Of course, being the chocoholics that we are, I knew this was the first recipe that I'd make from the book. And I knew that I had to do it ASAP.

Molly recommends making this cake and freezing it to improve the texture, letting it come to room temp. before serving. But, we couldn't wait that long. Perhaps I'll make a few just to keep in the freezer in case of emergency!

The Winning Hearts and Minds Cake
Borrowed from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

7 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate

1 3/4 stick (7 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 + 2 tbsp cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

***Because it's all that I had, I used semi-sweet chocolate and reduced the sugar to one cup.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too.

Finely chop or grate the chocolate and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition, and add the flour. The batter should be smooth & dark.

Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.

Serve in wedges at room temperature with a loose dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Totally Made Up Fruit Herbal Iced Tea

2010-05-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

I spent the day at my girlfriend's parent's beach house last week. I wanted to bring lunch, so I did my standard Chicken Salad- updated with slivered almonds and chopped hazelnuts, organic mayo, and a load of Herbes de Provence and a quick loaf of bread. I dug through the pantry and freezer to see what kind of tea I could concoct. What I came up with far exceeded my expectations. I only hope that I can recreate it again!

Fruit Herbal Iced Tea

Brew and steep 14 bags Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea in 3 qts of water with 1 cup sugar dissolved into hot tea.

1/2 bag frozen mango
1/2 bag frozen raspberries
1 cup oj

Defrost frozen fruit in microwave until juices start to form and fruit turns mushy. Pass through a food mill with the smallest disk . Strain fruit juice into hot tea. Add OJ and fill pitcher with ice.

Serve ice cold with a mint sprig.

Polenta Muffins with Fresh Herbs

2010-05-24T15:24:00.000-04:00

Polenta Muffins with Fresh Herbs
The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (6 1/2 oz) polenta
3/4 cup (3 oz) cake flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup olive oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup packed, chopped, fresh parsley
4 tbsp fresh herbs- I used sage, margoram, and thyme

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease 2 standard muffin pans.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flours, polenta, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and olive oil and process until a thick crumb forms. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and herbs. Process until combined.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup. Bake until golden, 15-20 minutes. Watch closely because the book recommends 25 minutes and mine were WAY overdone.

The Duck Experience

2010-05-24T15:16:00.000-04:00

My brother in law went to culinary school and worked as a cook for many years. Whenever he comes to town, I always chose a dish that he can assist me with and teach me how to properly execute.

Duck Breast with Orange Gastrique
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cooking School

1 pound duck breast
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 orange, peel sliced into julienne strips, and juice reserved
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Trim away excess skin from the duck, leaving ample enough to cover the breast. Score the fat, first cutting diagonally in one direction and then the other in a crosshatch manner. Cut all the way through the fat but avoid the flesh. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place in an unheated 10 inch skillet, fat side down.

Cook over medium-low heat until a small pool of fat forms in the pan. Use tongs to turn breast over and then cook the other side 1 minute. Turn breast over again and pour out fat into a glass jar, reserve for another use. Continue cooking duck until the skin is nicely browned and crisp, 10-12 minutes, spooning off and reserving excess fat as necessary. Turn duck once more and cook until an instant read thermometer registers 125 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Bring a small pot of water to boil, add orange zest and simmer for 2 minutes, then drain, saving zest. Heat sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat without stirring. Once the sugar has started to melt, swirl the pan and continue cooking until it is uniformly amber, about 5 minutes more. Pour in vinegar (watch your nose!) and stir with a wooden spoon to combine, then continue simmering and stirring until slightly reduced and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour in orange juice and add zest, simmer until reduced to a thick syrup and a foam forms on top, about 5 minutes longer.

Top sliced duck with gastrique and candied zest.

Three Grain Risotto
Adapted from Pure Flavor

5 cups Chicken Stock, low sodium or homemade
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 tbsp evoo
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 oz fresh goat's milk cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer and keep warm until ready to use.

In a large, heavy bottom 10 in or larger skillet, toast the barley over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until it smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Add evoo and Arborio rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed. Ladle 1 1/2-2 cups of hot stock over the rice. Stir frequently until all of the liquid is absorbed. Ladle in additional 1 1/2 cups stock and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add the orzo and continue adding stock un til the grains are al dente, about 30 minutes total.

Remove pot from heat and stir in the Parmesan until it is melted and completely incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately topped with a dollop of goat cheese.

Ryan Carr's Asparagus
from my brother in law

Slightly bend asparagus to snap the ends off. Fill a large pot with ice and water. Bring another pot of water to boil. Boil asparagus until bright green- about 45 seconds. Drain from hot water and drop into ice water for 1 minute. Heat oil (or in this case, duck fat), in a skillet over medium high heat. Add asparagus and saute about 2 minutes. Season with salt, freshly grated pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

2010-05-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to try Rhubarb for the past few springs, but I'm not a fan of fruit pies (except apple!). I finally came across a non-pie recipe! Rhubarb is interesting... stringy and shaped like celery, but tart. I certainly didn't fall in love with it, I'm not even sure if I liked it. But, it provided a nice balance to these bars and the family loved it!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars
Source: Pure Flavor

1 1/2 cups plus 4 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, skinned & stripped on strings, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350. In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Slowly pulse the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop 2 cups of the mixture into an 8 inch baking dish and press evenly into the dish. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 mins.

While crust in baking, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar and ground cloves. Stir in 4 tbsp flour, zest, and vanilla. Add the rhubarb and strawberries, mixing well to coat the fruit. Pour the mixture onto the hot crust, spreading to cover evenly. Sprinkle the remaining butter mixture over the fruit. Bake for 50 mins or until bubbling around the edges and light brown on top.

The book recommends serving the bars at room temperature, but we found them much more enjoyable served hot and topped with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Simple Bread Machine Rapid White Bread

2010-05-22T15:29:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe online in the Breadman Ultimate Manual. It worked great in my non-ultimate machine!

Rapid White Bread- 1.5 pound loaf

1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp dry milk powder
3 1/4 cup bread flour
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

In order list, place ingredients in bread pan. Select Basic Rapid, crust, and 1.5 pound loaf settings.

Oatmeal Molasses Bread

2010-05-19T15:34:00.000-04:00

You'll notice that I make a lot of oatmeal bread. It's Forrest's favorite and I've been searching for a go-to recipe for quite some time. This is a good bread, but I'm not sure it will be a favorite.

Oatmeal Molasses Bread
adapted from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book

4 tsp active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1/2 cup (4oz) warm water
2 cups (16oz) buttermilk, room temp.
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (5 1/2 oz) molasses
1 cup (5oz) whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (2oz) old fashioned oats
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) fine cornmeal
1/4 cup (1/2 oz) instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup (3/4 oz) toasted wheat germ
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) bread flour, extra as needed

In a bowl, sprinkle the year ans sugar over the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, butter, molasses, and wheat flour. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture, oats, cornmeal, potato flakes, wheat germ, and salt, and beat for 1 minute. Beat in the white wheat flour & bread flour, 1/2 (2 1/2 oz) cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed, adding bread flour 1 tbsp at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead for 1 minute longer. The dough should be smooth but slightly tacky when pressed.

Transfer the dough to an oiled deep bowl, turning to coat. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Lightly grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 (or one 10 x 5, 1 1/2 lb.) loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide in half (if making 2 loaves). Pat into a 8 x 12 inch rectangle. Beginning at the narrow end, tightly roll up each rectangle to make a loaf the length of the pan. Pinch the ends and long seam to seal. Place the loaves, seam side down, in the prepared pans. Cover loosely and let rise until about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, 1-1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake until the loaves pull away from the pan sides, 30-35 minutes. Turn out onto racks and let cool completely.

Wheat Cheese Muffins

2010-05-16T15:50:00.000-04:00

I ended up with 2 pans of these, so I froze a pan before baking it. When I was ready, I popped the frozen pan into the oven, turned it on to 350, and baked until golden! It took a bit longer, but the turned out perfectly!

Wheat Cheese Muffins
adapted from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book

4.5 oz all purpose flour
4.5 oz wheat flour
1 1/4 cups (5oz) shredded cheddar cheese (I used cheddar and mozzarella, because that's what I had)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup (8 oz) milk

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease 2 standard muffin pans.

In a bowl, stir together flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, and milk until blended. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add the milk mixture, and stir just until moistened. The batter will be lumpy.

Spoon the batter into each muffin fup. Bake the mufins until golden and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

2010-05-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

Labor intensive- yes! A painful cleanup- more than you know! Worth every minute- ABSOLUTELY! Take a few hours, make these. You will not regret it. And neither will your guests!

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
Source: Bake at 350

For the Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla exrtact
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Icing
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Place paper liners in muffin tin for about 20 cupcakes.

Prepare the cupcakes: Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Using a mixer, beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely. (They will sink in the middle...they'll puff up when filled later)

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium star tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). (It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache.) Spoon (I dipped) a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip (I used a plastic bag); pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store in the refrigerator.

Super Hazelnut Spread Ice Cream

2010-05-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

The flavors in the Chocolate Hazelnut spread seem to have developed even more overnight. While I love the "nuttiness" of it, I think this would have been lacking had we not topped it with strawberries and whipped cream.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a blender, combine the spread and sugar until smooth. Add the milk. Blend on low speed until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and the vanilla. Place in your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Place in container and freeze until desired consistency. Top with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream.

Good Luck Gnocchi

2010-05-12T17:49:00.003-04:00

When Forrest and I went to see the Celtics play, we ate at a fantastic Italian restaurant where I first tried Gnocchi. I thought I'd recreate the memory to bring the Celtics good luck Game 5. I'll take credit for their 32 point win!!

We had this as an entree with a delicious fresh picked garden salad, but it would make an excellent accompaniment to red meat.

Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage
adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

2 1/2 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
3 tbsp evoo
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter
pinch of freshly grated black pepper
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, egg, lemon, oil, flour, and 3/4 tsp salt. Using a wooden spoons (or even better, your hands) stir until incorporated and dough like. Pat dough into a 1.5 inch thick sheet and cut into thin strips. Cut each strip into 1 inch pieces. For best results, place on parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes. This makes the gnocchi easier to handle.

Cover a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Have ready a colander set over a bowl. Cook gnocchi in batches, until they float to the top, 2-3 mins. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi to the colander.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter. When the butter begins to brown, about 2 minutes, add the pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Add the gnocchi and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sage has wilted and gnocchi have browned, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parmesan.

Not-Nutella

2010-05-12T09:04:00.001-04:00

I'd never tried Nutella until a few years ago and ever since that first bite, I've been hooked. Of course, it's not a common ingredient around here because it's not exactly "healthy," "organic," or "natural" despite what those charming commercials would have you believe. Well, thanks to Jessica at Su Good Sweets*, I've found a homemade version that can at least count towards Michael Pollan's idea that you can “Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.” When Forrest got home and asked what I had made, I told him "this might be the best thing I've ever eaten, let alone made."

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

Su Good Sweets

Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)

2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
up to 1/4 cup vegetable or nut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.

2. Since the skin is bitter, you’ll want to discard them. Wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, and rub until most of the skins have come off. Don’t fret if you can’t get off all the skins.

3. Process nuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade, and it will seem like you only have a solid mass. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils, and you will get hazelnut butter!

4. When the nuts are liquified, add in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spreadable consistency. Since the mixture is warm, it will be more fluid now than at room temperature.

5. Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

*If you haven't checked out Jessica's blog, you don't know what you are missing. She's a fantastic writer, tremendously educated, and a girl after my own heart.

Cinco de Mayo at the Beach

2010-05-06T09:29:00.001-04:00

I picked up some fresh mahi at the fish market and made fish tacos. I thought the recipe was lacking, but Forrest enjoyed it.

Fish Tacos with Jicama-Mango Slaw
adapted from Coastal Living, April 2010

3 mahi mahi fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 8 inch corn tortillas

Heat oil in a grill pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and cook 3 minutes on each side until flaky. If needed, finish in 350 degree oven. Top with slaw and toppings of choice.

1 small jicama- peeled and cut into thin strips
1 medium mango- peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 red pepper- cut into thin strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Toss all ingredients in a bowl.

Passion Fruit Margaritas
adapted from Food Network Magazine, May 2010

1 cup white tequila
1 cup passion fruit nectar
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur
2 tsp super fine sugar

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and serve over ice. Garnish with a lime slice.

Adapted:
add 1 cup pineapple juice to dilute strength and increase flavor.

Improvised Lamb Sirloin Roast

2010-05-03T09:09:00.001-04:00

I made a journey to Whole Foods late last week in hopes of picking up some fresh bison steaks for our beach vacation. I learned from the butcher that bison shouldn't be kept more than 2 days without freezing. So, I picked up a lamb sirloin roast instead. The kitchen at Shenanigans is pretty minimalist, so I had to make up the technique as I went along. All in all, the lamb turned out beautifully.

Balsamic Sauce

1 cup balsamic
fresh herbs- I used oregano & rosemary
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Simmer balsamic and sugar over medium heat until reduced by half, stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium skillet until just smoking. Sear lamb on all sides, about 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with sauce. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes.

Slice and serve topped with additional sauce.

NYC Food Recap

2010-04-24T17:02:00.002-04:00

Forrest attended a training class in NYC and I was lucky enough to tag along. We turned our trip into a mini-food tour, hitting as many "foodie" hot spots as possible. Here's a brief recap of the delicious dishes we enjoyed.

Babbo by Mario Batali is located in a 19th Century Coach House in Greenwich Village. Reservations are hard to come by and only accepted a month in advance. However, as a party of two we were able to walk in at 5 on a Sunday and receive a seat immediately. Even though that seat was crammed between the front door and the bar, it was well worth the dining experience. Before our meal arrived, the bar area was full of diners waiting for tables.

Chianti Stained Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu-- While not the prettiest dish in the world- it was mostly various shades of brown, it was incredibly flavorful. The pappardelle had a perfect texture and the boar was fantastic. I've already searched online for the recipe to no avail.
Rabbit with Peas, Babbo Pancetta and Carrot Vinaigrette-- Beautifully presented and very tasty. The rabbit was perfectly prepared and I was truly impressed with the house-made pancetta.
Roasted Beet “Farrotto”-- Purple in color and slightly firm, this was the least favorite of our samplings. F had never had beets, though, and I think he's been convinced they are worth another try. Because this was my first taste of farro, I'm not sure if it is supposed to remain firm and slightly crunchy. Regardless, this dish was far from the risotto is was supposed to resemble.

Magnolia Bakery-- I visited this wonderful bakery on a girls trip last winter. Unfortunately, we had the bright idea to eat our precious cupcakes at 4 a.m. after arriving home from a night on the town. So, I have no memory of the actual flavor of the cakes. Lucky for me, I bought the Magnolia Bakery cookbook and have been making many of the recipes at home in the past year. This time, I made certain that I enjoyed and remembered every bite.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake- I'm a huge fan of Key Lime anything. I even have a Key Lime tree on my deck. This is absolutely the best Key Lime dessert I've ever had. Light yet flavor packed, this is heaven in every bite. I chose this both trips to the bakery on this visit.
Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting-- It's like all of the flavors of fall were packed into one cake to be savored. This cake was fantastic through and through. This is a must recreate!
Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting-- F chose this on visit #2. While the buttercream was to die for, I though the cake's crust was a little too heavy and thick.

Dean & Deluca-- I've loved the idea of Dean & Deluca since Felicity was hired there. While I visited twice for iced coffees, I only indulged in an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. But that one cookie was enough to keep me hooked. It was soft and chewy, just like a Grandma used to make.

Craft-- Tom Colicchio's Craft received the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant nationwide in 2002. As a huge fan of Top Chef, we knew this was a must try place.

'wichcraft-- Yet another delicious option from tom Colicchio, 'wichcraft offers delicious sandwiches, soups, and salads. I tried the grilled cheddar with smoked ham, pear & mustard on cranberry-pecan bread.

PB&J Co.-- A whole restaurant dedicated to peanut butter?! Count me in. I went out of my way to visit this tiny shop near Greenwich Village. I fell in love with the "Bees Knees"- a combo of Bee's Knees peanut butter, apple butter, and wheat germ.

Chelsea Market-- There are so many places to try in this culinary mall that I can't even begin to list them all. I stopped by twice- once without Forrest for browsing and once with for dinner. We got an assortment of offerings from the various vendors and enjoyed dinner at a table in the hallway. I enjoyed the people watching almost as much as the food. A few key nibbles came from: Amy's Bread, One Lucky Duck, Fat Witch Bakery, Hale & Hearty Soups, and the Nutbox.