Kenzie's Kitchen

PQ's Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

2010-10-24T20:12:00.001-05:00

Now that it is truly beginning to feel like fall, it's time for pumpkin recipes. This year, I started pumpkin season with muffins; it was difficult to try to select a recipe, because there are so many out there. I finally decided on the Pastry Queen's pumpkin muffins (actually a bread recipe in her first cookbook, with alternative directions for muffins). The Pastry Queen (aka Rebecca Rather) has a bakery in Fredericksburg, Texas, called Rather Sweet. It is absolutely amazing, so I knew I couldn't go wrong with this recipe. The muffins were very moist and flavorful, and freeze and thaw well too. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup canola oil
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pecan pieces (above)

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 7-9 min., until golden and aromatic.

Line muffin tin with paper liners.

Whisk the oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and water and whisk until combined.
In another bowl whisk together flour, spices, and baking soda. Carefully mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Fill the muffin pans almost to the top with batter.

Stir together sugar, butter, cinnamon, and pecan pieces. Sprinkle liberally over tops of muffins before baking.Bake muffins 30-35 minutes.
Yield 36 muffins

Apple Cider & Maple Cream Tart

2010-10-04T21:26:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I almost automatically think "chocolate" when dessert is mentioned. Cheesecake? No thanks, unless it has a chocolate crust, filling, and topping. Creme brulee? Chocolate please. Birthday dessert? Hmm . . . chocolate cake or chocolate cookies . . . tough call. There are, of course, a few exceptions - like the best ice cream ever, and this.

Apple cider and maple cream make a perfect fall combination, and the flavors of this tart are somewhat subtle - not overwhelmingly apple and not decidedly maple either. Before you start baking, a few notes:
1. Maple sugar is hard (impossible?) to find in small towns. Next time you're in a city or ordering online (Amazon and King Arthur both carry it), buy some. It is worth it. Just splurge a little - you'll be glad you did.
2. The tart is actually pretty simple to make, but it does require a little planning (mostly due to letting components chill/cool). Don't start working on it an hour (or two) before you want to serve it. Like buying maple sugar, it will be worth the effort!

Apple Cider & Maple Cream Tart
Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced

Filling
1/2 gallon fresh apple cider or cold-pressed apple juice
1/2 cup maple sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3-4 drops maple extract (reduce to 2-3 drops if using imitation maple flavor)

Preparation

Crust
Blend flour, powdered sugar, and coarse salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter and blend until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Cover and chill crust at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake chilled crust uncovered 10 minutes. Using back of fork, press bottom of crust to flatten (do not pierce). Continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, pressing again if bottom of crust puffs, 16 to 18 minutes longer. Cool crust completely.

Filling
Bring apple cider or apple juice to rolling boil in large pot over high heat. Boil until bubbling thickly and reduced to generous 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool.
DO AHEAD - Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Grind maple sugar to powder in spice mill, blender, or mini processor. Transfer powdered maple sugar to 4-cup glass measuring cup; add cream, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, nutmeg, extract, and 3/4 cup cooled cider reduction and whisk to blend well.

Place tart pan with crust on baking sheet; set on rack in oven. Pour in filling. Bake tart until filling is puffed and cracked around edges and gently set in center, about 33 minutes. Transfer tart to rack and cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.

Push up pan bottom, releasing tart. Cut tart into wedges and serve with maple whipped cream, if desired.

Optional topping

Maple whipped cream - add 3-4 drops of maple extract (and sugar, to taste) to whipping cream - whisk to desired consistency - Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

Chickpea Sandwiches

2010-07-21T19:44:00.002-05:00

If you're having trouble imagining a chickpea sandwich, don't worry - you're not alone. There was a recipe in Cooking Light for chickpea sliders (yes, I'm sure they had a more creative name for the recipe) - which I totally overlooked. Being a "beef" person, I really couldn't imagine a chickpea sandwich. I envisioned a bland, dry burger substitute wanna-be. Fortunately, my mom made the slider version when I was home during the holidays last winter; I'm now able to use chickpeas for more than hummus. Don't misunderstand - this is no substitute for a burger! If you're a stubborn meat and potatoes person . . . this recipe probably isn't for you. I think it is a nice change of pace from the ordinary sandwich. Try it and let me know what you think . . .

Chickpea Sandwiches

1 (8-ounce) red potato

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Cool slightly. Coarsely chop, and place in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and garlic to bowl; mash potato mixture with a potato masher until slightly chunky. Remove 3 tablespoons chickpeas; place in a small bowl. Add remaining chickpeas to potato mixture; mash until well blended. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons whole chickpeas, parsley, and remaining ingredients. With moistened hands, divide mixture into 6 equal portions (about 1/3 cup mixture per portion), shaping each into a 3-inch patty.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until bottoms are golden and patties are set. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 patties.

3. Assemble sandwiches. I have been loving the sandwich thin-type buns lately - the filling of the sandwich doesn't get overpowered by a huge amount of bread. Add mixed greens and sliced red bell pepper - a perfect compliment of flavor and texture. Cucumber and/or radish would probably be a nice addition as well. I also mixed up a spread made of Greek yogurt and Gourmet Garden Mediterranean Blend (you can find this in the refrigerated section of HyVee in Quincy - near the salad and fresh herbs). I think the spread is essential - but if you can't find the little Gourmet Garden tubes, any type of flavored mayonnaise would work, or you can create your own using Greek yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, mayo, etc. - blended with oregano, basil, garlic, and peppers.

This recipe can also be made into sliders to serve as an appetizer. Adapted from Cooking Light.

Strawberry muffins

2010-05-31T12:25:00.002-05:00

The best thing about this time of year? It's not the weather or the longer days . . . it's the strawberries! We've had strawberry shortcake, strawberry smoothies, strawberries and ice cream, and of course, lots of strawberries eaten fresh with nothing added. I'm going to freeze some, but I also thought some muffins would be nice to have in the freezer for a quick breakfast. I also made strawberry shortcake cupcakes a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't get any pictures. I guess I'll have to make another batch - good thing I've got a gallon of fresh strawberries in the fridge!

Strawberry Muffins
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 heaping cups spelt flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour)
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

Cream butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer or in large bowl with handheld mixer. Add applesauce; mix well. Add egg; mix well.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries.

Spoon batter into muffin pans.Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins.

Dinner Salad

2010-05-09T22:55:00.000-05:00

There is a dinner salad . . . and then there is Dinner Salad. Two completely different things. This salad (or some variation) has been on my dinner menu a lot lately; I add almost any fruit, nut, and/or vegetable I have in the kitchen. It's not exactly what I would call comfort food, but it is a salad I actually look forward to eating - and it is quick and easy:

1. Start with mixed greens (I like the Earthbound Farms or Organic Girl varieties)
2. Toss with your favorite dressing (if you don't want to take time to make dressing, the T. Marzetti Berry Balsamic - it's in a jar, refrigerated near the salad mixes in stores - is pretty good)
3. Add your favorite toppings - this salad included:
apple, chopped
bell peppers, chopped
sliced almonds (toasted and sugared)
dried cranberries
chicken, cooked and cubed
terra sticks

Orange Muffins

2010-04-26T21:09:00.001-05:00

I purchased the Bob's Red Mill Baking Book a couple of years ago, during one of my "healthier" cooking kicks, but unfortunately convinced myself that the recipes were probably too healthful and not tasty. It sat in a box in my basement until Sunday night, when I was sorting through stuff to donate to garage sale fundraiser. I decided I should try at least one recipe before getting rid of the book . . . and I am so glad I did! These muffins are super easy to mix up and they bake very quickly as well. Don't be alarmed by the spelt flour - it is easy for me to find (in Quincy). However, if you can't find it easily, I think regular flour would work equally well - you might want to reduce the amount by one or two tablespoons. P.S.The muffins are delicious!

Orange Muffins
2 cups spelt flour (can substitute regular flour - might want to reduce it by 1-2 tbsp.)
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
zest of 1 orange
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
optional: 1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners (I like the If You Care brand baking cups).
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, orange zest, allspice, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat together orange juice, applesauce, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until well combined. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined (batter will be lumpy). Stir in dried cranberries, if using.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins rest 5 minutes, then transfer out of muffin pan onto a wire rack to cool.

Spring ham, asparagus, and potato soup

2010-04-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Do you have leftover ham from Easter? If so, and if you're already tired of ham sandwiches, consider this soup. Not only is is a great way to incorporate vegetables and fresh herbs into your diet, it is pretty tasty (even my husband, who "hates creamy soup" and eats vegetables sparingly, liked it). For me, the best part of this soup was using my immersion blender. It is one of the kitchen tools I love to use (maybe because it is destructive . . . but in a good way). Anyway, if you like asparagus and ham, you should give this a try!

Spring ham, asparagus and potato soup
1 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup onions, chopped
1 tbsp. flour
16 oz. vegetable broth (plus more, depending on desired consistency)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. minced chives
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 lb. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
3 to 4 small red potatoes, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)
3/4 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham
3/4 cup half-and-half (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/4 cup cream)
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
optional: 3 tbsp. shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
optional: fresh rosemary to garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Add flour, stir until blended. Gradually add broth, water, parsley, Italian seasoning, chives, celery seed, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; cook 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

2. Cut tips off asparagus and set aside. Cut stalks into 1/2 inch pieces; add to pan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Cool slightly.

3. With an immersion blender (or transfer to regular blender when slightly cooled), process soup until smooth (return to pan if regular blender was used). Stir in potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir in asparagus tips and ham and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in half-and-half; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately. Yield: 3-4 servings.
- Adapted from Taste of Home

Quinoa Salad with Avocado, etc.

2010-02-16T21:47:00.000-06:00

There are several reasons I try new recipes . . . but there was no major inspiration for this one - I simply had all the ingredients on hand (and needed to use up the avocado and scallions). I'm glad I came across the recipe, because I have been trying to use quinoa more regularly and I really liked this dish. If you're thinking avocados and raisins seem like a strange combination, I understand where you're coming from. However, both ingredients - and the almonds and scallions as well - are important for texture and flavor. And above all, don't forget to rinse the quinoa before cooking it - if you forget, you'll end up with gritty pieces, which are not a good contribution to the dish. Trust me!

Quinoa salad with avocado, almonds and raisins
3 tbsp. raisins (mix of dark and golden)
1 cup quinoa, RINSED WELL (important!)
sea salt
1 large lemon
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 medium firm-ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
2 to 3 tbsp. chopped or slivered toasted almonds
optional: freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, soak raisins in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring 2 cups quinoa, water, and salt to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender (about 15 minutes). Fluff quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool.

Finely grate the zest of the lemon and then squeeze 1 tbsp. lemon juice - whisk both together with olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika and 1/4 tsp. salt. In a large bowl, toss the vinaigrette with quinoa, raisins, avocado, scallions and almonds. Season with salt and pepper and serve. - Recipe from Fine Cooking

Beef Estofado with Polenta

2010-01-04T19:45:00.001-06:00

For Christmas, I received a copy of the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook . . . ironically, from my mother! She makes awesome short ribs served with polenta - she found both recipes in that book. Initially, when I thawed the stew meat, I did not intend to create a dish so similar to her short ribs and polenta, but as the beef estofado (southwest or Spanish beef stew) cooked, I realized polenta would be a perfect accompaniment. Since it was a last minute decision, I made a quick stovetop variation of the polenta she serves with short ribs. For the minimal effort involved, this was a pretty good dinner. It wasn't quite as good as Mom's short ribs, but then again . . . it's not my mother's slow cooker cookbook!

Beef Estofado with Polenta
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut in to 1-inch pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pint salsa
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
pinch of dried oregano or marjoram
pinch of cumin
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup dry red wine (I used red zinfandel)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a ziplock bag, toss beef with salt, pepper, and flour.

2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil to very hot. Add onion and cook,
stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion to slow cooker. Add beef to the
skillet and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes (may need to brown beef in two batches,
depending on skillet size). Transfer beef to slow cooker. Add salsa, vinegar, oregano,
cumin, and water to the slow cooker and stir.

3. Pour wine into skillet over medium heat; stir constantly to remove browned bits from
skillet. Wine may reduce a bit. Pour wine and browned bits into slow cooker and stir.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours, or until beef is very tender.

4. Immediately prior to serving, add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve over cheesy polenta*. Garnish with chopped parsley.

*To make cheesy polenta, follow instructions on polenta (also known as corn grits) package, stirring in a pat of butter and shredded parmesan to taste immediately prior to serving. The Bob's Red Mill brand is typically easy to find and works well for this recipe.
- Beef estofado adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Pecan Upside Down Cakes

2009-12-19T14:32:00.001-06:00

Pecan Upside Down Cakes

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup honey
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
Orange peel curls (optional)

1.    Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat 12 jumbo muffin cups with nonstick spray for baking; set aside.

2.    In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and honey. Cook and stir over medium heat or until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans and shredded orange peel; set aside.

3.    In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

4.    For batter, in a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is thick and lemon colored. Add oil, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed until smooth.

5.    Place 2 tbsp. of the pecan mixture in the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup of the batter into each cup. Place muffin pans on a foil-lined baking sheet.

6.    Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in muffin pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife or narrow metal spatula, loosen edges of cakes from sides of muffin cups. Invert cakes on to wire racks lined with wax paper. Spoon any pecan mixture remaining in the muffin cups on to cakes. If desired, garnish with orange peel. Serve warm or cool.

Pasta with Peas and Ham

2009-12-01T22:37:00.001-06:00

Instead of dealing with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, we came home with half a spiral-cut ham. (Yes, we did have turkey on Thanksgiving - but Ken and I ended up with the leftover ham instead.) As much as we like spiral-sliced ham, we got tired of eating it after a few meals and I had to find creative ways to use it. When I'm not feeling very creative and need recipe inspiration, I usually head to the Epicurious website, which is where I found the following recipe. I was immediately drawn to it because one of my favorite dishes at Tiramisu contains pasta, ham and peas. Although my pasta was pretty good, it didn't even compare to the Tiramisu dish . . . but that's okay. It wouldn't be such a treat to eat at Tiramisu if I could replicate their pasta at home!

Pasta with Peas and Ham

1 pound pasta

3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 cup shelled peas (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp. water

6 oz. cooked ham, cut into strips (chopped prosciutto would also work)

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic during last minute of cooking.

3. Add the peas and water to the pan and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the ham and cook 2 minutes. Add the cream; bring to a low simmer and cook 5 minutes.

4. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the cream mixture over low heat until melted. Stir in the cheese. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. - Adapted from Epicurious.com

Salted Oatmeal Cookies

2009-11-20T19:35:00.000-06:00

What do you associate with oatmeal cookies? The sad, lonely plate that nobody buys at a bake sale? Something old ladies have with tea? A dry, bland cookie with raisins? Somebody's attempt at making a "healthy cookie?" If those things come to mind when someone mentions oatmeal cookies, get out your mixing bowl and cookie sheets, because this recipe will break the oatmeal cookie stereotype.

I found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated when I was trying to replicate a cranberry-oatmeal cookie from a bakery. I was pleased with the outcome, but they didn't really stand out. At least not until I decided to add kosher salt. With that addition, the resulting cookies are both sweet and salty . . . or in other words, awesome. I took a batch to a gathering at my friend Amanda's last year and although I can't prove it, I think she may have actually clapped when I said I was leaving the whole plate with her at the end of the evening. Now, instead of a cake, she gets oatmeal cookies for her birthday. Next year I'll have to make sure to bake her batch to be the thicker/chewier variety (see below) so we can put candles in them!

Salted Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or extra coarse sea salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. With a wooden spoon, stir dry ingredients into butter/sugar/egg mix. Stir in oats.
5. For thinner, crispier cookies, bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes. For thicker, chewier cookies, refrigerate dough at least one hour and bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 23 minutes. For either baking method, use 2 tbsp. dough per cookie and space 2 inches apart when baking. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few moments, then transfer to wire racks to cool. (The thinner/crispier cookies are shown above)

Variations:
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (omit nutmeg) - mix in with oats
- 2 tbsp. orange zest and 1 cup dried cranberries and/or 1 cup toasted chopped almonds (omit nutmeg) - mix in with oats
- Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Butternut Squash

2009-11-15T22:18:00.000-06:00

I'm trying to share my bounty of butternut squash from the garden, but having trouble finding people to share with. I can understand the reluctance to take zucchini in the summer . . . but who would not want butternut squash? A couple of people have said "I don't know what to do with butternut squash." Of course, that could just be a polite way to decline, but maybe they're telling the truth. If so, here are some suggestions:

Butternut Squash Risotto
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Or you could toss roasted squash with Fettuccine Alfredo, fresh sage, and fresh thyme . . . and fried sage if you're really motivated! (I created this, so there is no real recipe - I'll try to post a recipe, or at least some guidelines, soon!)

More options:
Parmesan-Roasted Butternut Squash
Winter Squash Soup with Croutons
Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary, and Garlic Lasagna
Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Caramelized Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Muffins with Frosted Cream
Butternut Squash and Parmesan Bread Pudding

Planning for Thanksgiving

2009-11-15T20:35:00.000-06:00

Last year, I reviewed Thanksgiving menus from several food magazines (part one - part two - part three). It was fun, but I don't think I have time to do the same this year. However, I have been thinking about my contributions to our Thanksgiving meal. So far I have only settled on one thing - this salad:

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces mixed greens, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the mixed greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately. - Recipe adapted from Ina Garten, via the Food Network

Chicken with Bacon & White Wine

2009-09-30T21:13:00.001-05:00

If you have leftover wine and a few spare strips of bacon to use and you need a quick and tasty dinner, I highly recommend this:

Chicken with Bacon and White Wine (or Chicken Schnitzel)
1 tsp. garlic flavored oil
4 strips bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz. each), pounded thin
1/3 cup dry white wine

Add oil and bacon to a large skillet. Fry bacon until crisp. Place strips of bacon on a plate lined with paper towels; cover with a piece of foil (leave juices - aka grease - in skillet).

Fry chicken for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken to a serving plate. Pour wine into the skillet, allowing it to bubble up. Pour over chicken. Crumble bacon on top of chicken. - Original recipe from Nigella Express, by Nigella Lawson

Potato Gratin with Fresh Herbs

2009-09-14T22:10:00.005-05:00

When you find purple potatoes . . . drench them in herb-infused cream? Yep! Unless you're on a diet, it's a great idea! My first experience with this dish was last Thanksgiving, and when I found "all blue" potatoes at the Green City Market in Chicago, I knew I was going to drag them home just for this recipe. Serious comfort food . . .
4 pounds mixed baby potatoes, such as Red Bliss, Peruvian Purples, and Fingerlings
2 cups heavy cream, plus some to cover
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Halve the potatoes and toss them into a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, put the cream, butter, herbs, and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, to infuse the cream with flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the hot cream mixture over the potatoes; if there is not enough cream to go 3/4 of the way up the potatoes then pour some additional cream on top to make up the difference. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and top begins to brown. Top with additional fresh thyme and serve with additional fresh rosemary as a garnish. Serve immediately, or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray, via FoodNetwork.com

Tomatoes & Salsa

2009-09-14T19:24:00.000-05:00

I lost access to my blog for a little while . . . so I'm way behind on posts! Here are a few photos from my own personal tomato festival:

My first batch of salsa . . . I had never canned anything before and was pretty nervous that I might end up with tomato splattered all over the kitchen. It seemed like a lot of work for the amount of salsa I ended up with, but things actually went smoothly - thanks entirely to my friend Amanda, who was kind enough to chop tomatoes with me all afternoon and walk me through the canning process!

White Pizza with Arugula

2009-08-27T21:08:00.001-05:00

As much as I love to cook, I have to admit that yeast breads are not always my favorite project. Sometimes it seems like they require too much patience and planning, which can be difficult given the fast pace of life. This pizza dough, however, is one of the easier yeast bread recipes I have used - and the result is absolutely worth the effort!
Unless this is your first time reading my blog, you know that my husband is a meat & potatoes guy - and you can guess what his response is to a white pizza with arugula . . . and no meat! Despite the lack of meat, he gave the recipe his endorsement - "This pizza is really good, even without meat! The crust has a good flavor." (Husb tried it without the arugula)

Thanks to Andrea for selecting such a DELICIOUS recipe for Barefoot Bloggers!

White Pizza with Arugula

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
Good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the topping:
3 cups grated ~~Italian fontina cheese~~ (8 oz.) I used Raclette cheese because I had it on hand
1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 oz.) OR one 8 oz. pkg fresh mozzarella pearls (not grated)
~~11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet, crumbled~~

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby arugula
1 lemon, sliced

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Mix the dough - Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

Knead by hand - When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.

Let it rise - Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make garlic oil - Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)

Portion the dough - Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Stretch the dough - Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)

Top the dough - Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown. Top each pizza with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan.

Make the vinaigrette - Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Add the greens - When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza; add a slice of lemon and freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
- Adapted (ever so slightly!) from the Barefoot Contessa, via FoodNetwork.com

Vanilla-Orange Cream Popsicles

2009-08-25T20:55:00.004-05:00

I promise I make more than popsicles and ice cream . . . the real food just isn't as fun to blog about, I guess. Eating Well magazine had a small section featuring homemade "freezer pop" recipes in their July/August 2009 issue; so far I have tried 2 of the 5 pops and they have both turned out to be tasty and refreshing summer treats! I have had so much fun making freezer pops that I even bought a really cool set of silicone popsicle molds (see the swirl-cone effect?).

Vanilla-Orange Cream Pops (aka Orange Julius on a Stick)
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups low fat vanilla yogurt
1-2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl; divide mixture among freezer pop molds and freeze until completely firm, about 6 hours. Briefly run warm water over molds to release popsicles. Makes ten 3-oz. servings.

Per serving: 53 calories, 1 g fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 10 g carb, 2 g protein, 0 g fiber. 32% daily value of Vitamin C.
- Recipe and nutrition facts from Eating Well magazine

This might possibly be . . .

2009-08-23T20:56:00.004-05:00

The best ice cream EVER.
Yes, it is a bold statement . . . but I believe it to be true. I saw this recipe a year ago, on the blog of the very talented Emiline. It has been on my 101 list since then, and the combination of company last weekend and fresh peaches finally pushed it up on the priority list. This may not make sense, but it is so good that I both a) wish I had made it last summer and b) wish I had never made it at all. Why? Because all ice cream I make will now be compared to this, and honestly, I can't imagine what would top it. The flavors balance perfectly - it is sweet, tart, creamy, and occasionally crunchy and salty (when you get a walnut) all at once.

Buttermilk Frozen Custard with ~~Bourbon~~ Brandy Roasted Peaches and Brown Sugar Walnuts (Original recipe by Emiline; slightly adapted version below)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
6 large egg yolks
3 cups heavy cream or half-and-half (I used 1.5 cups of each)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
6 tablespoons brown sugar, divided use
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup coarsely chopped firm ripe peaches, peeled
2 tablespoons Brandy

Whisk together buttermilk and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk together cream and sugar, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, and bring mixture to a boil. Gradually whisk half of the hot cream into eggs, until well combined. Whisk egg mixture back into saucepan containing remaining cream. Heat mixture, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon.

Strain custard into a large mixing bowl, and whisk in vanilla.
Cool custard for 30 minutes; lightly cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the brown sugar walnuts, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons brown sugar, salt and walnuts, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, and walnuts are golden and fragrant. Pour into a small bowl and cool completely.

To make the peaches, melt the additional 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Stir in the additional 3 tablespoons brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add peaches and Bourbon, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender and syrupy. Pour into a small bowl and cool completely.

Pour custard into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions. In the last 5 minutes of processing, add walnuts and peaches, and allow to finish churning. Pour into a freezer-proof container and freeze for 2 hours, or until ready to serve.

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Visions of Sugar Plum, by Emiline - check it out, she has amazing treat recipes!

Mocha Ice Pops

2009-08-16T23:04:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite beverages is an iced mocha, so I was thrilled to find a simple recipe for Mocha Ice Pops in the July/Aug. issue of Eating Well. The recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare and the result is a low calorie, cold and refreshing treat . . . it is definitely more icy than creamy, and somehow manages to taste both light and rich. Highly recommended for coffee/mocha fans!

Mocha Ice Pops
2 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
5 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Whisk together coffee, sugar, and cocoa in a medium bowl until sugar has dissolved. Stir in half-and-half, vanilla and salt until combined.

Divide mixture among freezer-pop molds, insert sticks and freeze until completely firm, about 6 hours. Run mold under hot water briefly to remove ice pops from mold.

Makes 10 three-ounce popsicles. Per serving: 54 calories, 3 g fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 7 g carb, 1 g protein, 0 g fiber.
- Recipe from Eating Well magazine

Banana Mango Daiquiris

2009-08-13T22:28:00.000-05:00

For the first August Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Veronica chose Banana Mango Daiquiris. I halved the recipe below, because even though we probably could have consumed the whole recipe, it would not have been a good idea! If you use frozen mango and have a little bit left over, this recipe also makes a good smoothie when you leave out the rum. Strawberries are also a good addition, if you have some (fresh or frozen) you need to use.

Banana Mango Daiquiris

2 cups chopped ripe (or frozen) mango
1 ripe banana, chopped
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
1/4 cup sugar syrup*
1 1/4 cups dark rum
Mango slices, for serving

Place the mango, banana, lime juice, sugar syrup, and rum in a blender and process until smooth. Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick. Serve ice-cold in highball glasses with the mango slices.

*To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Chill.
- Recipe from Ina Garten

Wednesday Tomato Harvest

2009-08-12T20:46:00.003-05:00

A quick picture of the tomatoes I harvested tonight . . .

Tomatoes

2009-08-09T14:39:00.003-05:00

A little sample of the heirloom tomatoes from my garden . . .Beautiful and tasty . . .
I've got to start making salsa . . . or something!

Mojito ice cream

2009-08-08T19:44:00.000-05:00

A mojito isn't something I drink often, but while I was dreaming up ice cream flavors and trying to find a way to use some of the lime mint in my garden, it occurred to me that mojito ice cream might be a nice summer treat. I wasn't able to find a recipe so I used a basic ice cream formula and added mint, lime and rum. To be honest, the results have been mixed. My friend A. liked the ice cream, while B. wasn't crazy about it until she added chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Another A. also liked it, but L. wasn't so sure about it. (hmm . . . I see a trend here - if your name starts with "A" you will like this ice cream . . .). My opinion? Loved it! I think it is very refreshing, and the flavors of the mint and lime really shine through. The rum also keeps it from freezing too hard, which homemade ice cream sometimes does. If you're up for an adventure and are a fan of fresh mint, you should definitely give this ice cream a try!

Mojito ice cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup fresh lime mint leaves
4 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. lime zest
2 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
3 tbsp. rum

1. Warm the milk, sugar, and 1 cup of the cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mint leaves. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Strain the mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer on top.

3. Re-warm the mint-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and salt. Slowly pour the warm mint liquid into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

4. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath. Stir in lime zest, lime juice, and rum.

5. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator; then freeze in ice cream maker according to instructions. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze at least 4-6 hours before serving.

Peach Crumble

2009-07-31T20:05:00.003-05:00

It's a good thing there are plenty of ripe peaches for sale, because for the second July Barefoot Bloggers recipe Aggie chose Peach & Blueberry Crumbles, from The Barefoot Contessa at Home. As you can tell, I left out the blueberries. Great recipe - thanks, Aggie!
(pictures coming soon)

Peach Crumble

For the Fruit:
2 lbs firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
~~1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)~~

For the Crumble:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Peel peaches with piranha peeler - or if you don't have one:

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel.

3. Slice peeled peaches into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. ~~Gently mix in the blueberries.~~ Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.

4. For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it’s in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles int he refrigerator and bake before dinner. Serves 5 to 6.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2009-07-30T06:19:00.001-05:00

July's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe is Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (although I think that is a bad title, because it is really so much more!), chosen by Cat of Delta Whiskey. Check out Cat's blog - not only is she a fellow Barefoot Contessa fan & cook, she's also a proud military wife - so inspiring (and she shares my birthday!). While you're there, tell her she picked out a GREAT recipe - loved this with fresh Cherokee Purple tomatoes from my garden!

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta (I used brown rice pasta)
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
~~3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced~~
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Banana Ice Cream

2009-07-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago, bananas were on sale at our local grocery store, and I did what any banana loving person would do . . . bought not two or three - but four bunches. We ate bananas for breakfast and snacks, made two batches of banana bread to freeze and still had one bunch leftover. I also had cream left from making ice cream. Luckily, I stumbled across a recipe for banana ice cream that called for very (very, very!) ripe bananas and cream - and best of all, did not require cooking. Perfect!

The ice cream tastes exactly as you would expect it to - like bananas and cream. It has an unmistakable banana flavor - but when combined with toppings (like chocolate sauce and toffee peanuts) it's not overwhelming. To be absolutely honest, I'm not going to sneaking little bites of this ice cream from the freezer . . . but I think if a few more "banana split" toppings were added it would make a wonderful summer treat!

Banana Ice Cream
2 cups pureed very ripe bananas (4 medium)
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Stir together banana puree, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. Let stand for a few minutes; stir again to make sure sugar has dissolved. Chill mixture for 30 minutes. Freeze according to instructions for your ice cream machine. Transfer to an airtight, freezer proof container and freeze until ice cream is hard enough to scoop.
- Recipe adapted from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

Coming Soon

2009-07-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

A little preview of what I'm working on for Kenzie's Kitchen:

Chocolate cinnamon cake, rum cake, and rustic shortbread tart

Garden Chicken Salad

Potato Salad

Easy Grilled Chicken & Zucchini

Roasted Vegetable Fettuccine

PLUS
Mojito Ice Cream
Banana Ice Cream

Garden Burger

2009-06-27T21:08:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure if this was the best burger I have ever had . . . but it was definitely the best burger I have ever had at home! The texture of the burger was perfect (Ken did a great job grilling), and the toppings were full of flavor. It's that time of year where I'm constantly looking for ways to incorporate zucchini into our meals, so I decided to put some on top of my burger. I also had some really great Thai Basil Jack cheese from the farmers market . . . zucchini, basil . . . one topping led to another and I ended up with a garden burger.

Instructions:

Burger - 1 pkg. of ground beef (from our freezer; about 1 lb.) plus 1 egg, approximately 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and shape into patties. Make an indention in the center so patty is thicker on edges than in the middle (kind of like a doughnut but don't actually make a hole). Grill. Add cheese during last 1-2 minutes of grilling.

While burgers are grilling, saute zucchini in olive oil with salt and pepper. Remove zucchini to plate, add more olive oil and saute Swiss chard and finely chopped garlic in same skillet (1 to 2 minutes, just enough to wilt Swiss chard). Slice red pepper and cucumber. Toast bun.

To assemble: Bun - top with wilted Swiss chard - place burger on top of Swiss chard - place zucchini on top of burger - top with red pepper and cucumbers.

I considered adding guacamole, but ultimately decided against it because I was afraid its flavor would be overwhelming. Mayonnaise with fresh herbs might be a good addition - although this burger really did not need any extra moisture. I think I'm ready for a burger throwdown with Bobby Flay!

Gazpacho

2009-06-25T22:08:00.004-05:00

Did you know that gazpacho makes the perfect summer dinner? No, you didn't know that? Don't worry - I didn't know either, until I made it . . . and then ate it for dinner three consecutive nights in a row. It was easy the first night - chop vegetables, dump them in a food processor, whisk in a couple of additional ingredients . . . but nights 2 and 3 were even better - just take it out of the refrigerator and pour into a soup bowl. No cooking involved - which is great, considering the horrible heat and humidity!

If you haven't tried gazpacho, it is a cold tomato and vegetable soup. The best way I could describe it is that it's kind of like a cross between tomato soup and salsa. I made gazpacho this week because Meryl chose it for the second June Barefoot Bloggers recipe (Barefoot Bloggers are food bloggers who cook recipes from Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa). Anyway, if you haven't tried gazpacho, you should . . . it's a nice antidote to the summer heat.

Gazpacho
1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. ~~Put each vegetable separately~~ throw all the chopped vegetables and onion into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped - or until mixture reaches desired consistency.

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

First Vegetable Harvest

2009-06-21T20:42:00.005-05:00

I've been using the garden as an excuse not to cook (planting, mulching, pulling weeds . . . all takes time). However, now that I have vegetables ready to eat - I guess I'll have to cook! Tonight I picked the first two vegetables of the season (not counting lettuce and spinach) - one cucumber and one zucchini. When I bought the zucchini plants at a local garden center, I thought I was getting 8-ball zucchini - but clearly I did not! Oh well . . . I'm still excited for vegetable season to begin!

Curried Couscous

2009-06-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

Recipes with curry are like an annoying relative you have to endure once a year . . . kind of familiar, kind of strange, and dreaded just a little bit. Or maybe I just feel that way because I associate curry with a dreaded part of our Thanksgiving dinner. No, I don't dread seeing the relatives. It's a curried fruit dish that is always on the table . . . to be honest, I never even try it, choosing instead to roll my eyes as I pass it to the next person. Anyway . . .

The first Barefoot Bloggers recipe for the month of June was Curried Couscous, chosen by Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester. Despite my reluctance to purchase and use curry spice, I actually kind of liked this dish. The textures and flavors of all the add-ins help take the focus off the curry. Ken even ate it, despite saying that the "spices are weird" and "so is the texture." I think I will make this again, but I might tweak the spices and try some new additions. My only advice is NOT to skip the raisins (or currants, cranberries, whatever) - because that sweetness really balances the other flavors.

Curried Couscous

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Directions:
Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.
- Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa/Ina Garten, via foodnetwork.com

BB: Outrageous Brownies

2009-05-28T21:10:00.005-05:00

As strange as it may sound, given my love for chocolate, I did not love these brownies. Maybe I did something wrong . . . I have made brownies from The Barefoot Contessa's boxed brownie mix a couple of times, and I think the boxed mix turns out better than making the recipe from scratch. Specifically, I didn't enjoy biting into a piece of kosher salt in the middle of a fudgy brownie. Normally I think salty and sweet is about the best combination possible (and I love using kosher salt in some sweets, like oatmeal cookies), but to encounter crunchy salt in a fudgy brownie . . . just wasn't for me. Making this recipe was not a good use of my time - or the ingredients. Live and learn . . .

Outrageous Brownies
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour ~~a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan~~ two disposable 11 x 9 x 1 1/2 pans.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.
- Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa, via foodnetwork.com

Old-Time Doughnuts

2009-05-26T20:45:00.004-05:00

Want to be a hero? Just get an OLD Betty Crocker cookbook and try a recipe - like doughnuts.

I made these Old-Time Doughnuts on Memorial Day. We usually don't get to travel/go to the lake/visit friends and family/etc. over Memorial Day weekend thanks to corn and/or soybean planting . . . so I decide to make up for it by frying something. I know, it's weird - and BAD for us - but it's only once a year!

Last year I fried homemade onion rings, this year I chose doughnuts. My husband went crazy over these, claiming they were a perfect replica of the doughnuts his great-aunt used to make. She must have had the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook too!

Old-Time Doughnuts
(These seem like a cross between a cake dougnut and a glazed (yeast) doughnut)

Beat well: 2 eggs

Beat in: 1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. butter

Stir in: 3/4 cup buttermilk

Sift together and stir in: 3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Chill dough 2 hours. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/3-inch thick (this dough rolls out beautifully). Cut with a floured doughnut cutter (or cookie cutters if you don't have a doughnut cutter - and honestly, who does have one?). Heat fat/oil while rolling and cutting doughnuts . . . When oil reaches 390 degrees, use a wide metal spatula to transfer dough into oil. Fry as many at one time as you can easily turn. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface and begin to turn brown. Fry about 3 minutes total, or until each side is golden brown. Carefully remove doughnuts from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool for a moment. To coat with sugar, place one doughnut at a time in a paper bag with sugar - shake well. Serve immediately.
Yield: 2 dozen 3-inch doughnuts
- Recipe from Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook (1950)

My Kitchen Garden

2009-05-24T22:05:00.008-05:00

This is why I have been neglecting my blog: the garden.
My dad built these defined beds for me (I wanted to do this last year, but I guess I had to struggle through my first year of vegetable gardening without defined beds to prove that I was serious about it - probably a good idea, because this project was a lot of work!). I love this layout because it allows me to access each bed from both sides. It should be better for the plants, since I'm not compacting the soil by walking in the beds. Plus, I can easily keep certain groups of plants together (companion planting) or away from each other - and I can make adjustments to the soil for specific plants (which will be especially good for blueberries).
As you can see, I still have lots of work to do - more planting, more mulching, and (unfortunately) some weeding. I was pretty exhausted when I took these pictures, so they aren't the best, but hopefully will give you some idea of how the garden is set up. I'm probably forgetting a couple of things, but here is what I have planted so far:

Tomatoes (more than 30 plants [yes, I am crazy] - all heirloom):
Abe Lincoln
Big Rainbow Stripe
Brandywine
Cherokee Purple
Mr. Stripey
Old German
Radiator Charlie (Mortgage Lifter)
Red Cherry
San Marzano

Vegetables:
8-Ball Zucchini
Acorn Squash
Arugula
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Cucumbers
Mesclun Mix
Ruby Swiss Chard
Spinach
Sugar Loaf Delicata Squash
Sweet Bell Peppers (red, yellow, green, orange)
Sweet Potatoes

Herbs:
Basil (Sweet and Thai varieties)
Lavender
Lime Mint
Parsley
Pineapple Sage
Rosemary
Sage
Texas Tarragon
Thyme (regular and lemon varieties)

Plants in the permanent bed:
Asparagus
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries

Flowers (mostly for companion planting purposes, except the zinnias):
Geraniums
Marigolds
Nasturtiums
Zinnias

If you can believe it, I still have more things to plant - and some I wanted to plant but missed the opportunity because it got too late in the spring. If all goes well (and if I get enough tomato cages), I hope to have a "tomato festival" party in the late summer. Wish me luck!

BB: Lemon Cake

2009-05-21T21:27:00.001-05:00

This month, I got to pick the Barefoot Bloggers "bonus" recipe. It didn't take long to decide on lemon cake - spring is the perfect time for lemon . . . and it was also a co-worker's birthday, so it was a great opportunity for me to bake a cake.

To be honest, I liked this cake - but it wasn't the best cake I've ever baked. I think it was a little too tart (there I go again, criticizing something for having too much lemon - and I'm normally a lemon fan). I'm not opposed to making this cake again - next time, I'll cut down the amount of lemon zest in the batter.

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides. I grated a bit more lemon zest on top of the glaze.
- Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa, via Foodnetwork.com

BB: Cheese Danish FAIL

2009-05-20T20:30:00.000-05:00

For the first Barefoot Bloggers recipe of May, I decided to do a little Barefoot Backtracking and made Easy Cheese Danishes instead of Tuna Salad. I thought this would be a great decision - I mean, who wouldn't choose a cheese danish over tuna salad? However, if I had to do it over again (and if I could get fresh tuna), I might just skip the danish. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but it did not turn out well at all. The filling was too lemony for me (which is unusual because I love lemon), dry and almost gritty . . . and the puff pastry was chewy (I think it may have been thawed and frozen again . . . not good). It looked pretty, but looks can be deceiving . . .

History Worth Repeating

2009-05-17T21:38:00.005-05:00

a.k.a. Oatmeal Muffins

I recently acquired the 1950 edition of Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book from my Grandma Margaret. I have to admit, I wasn't convinced I needed this book at first . . . but after I took time to look through it, I'm so glad I have it! First, it is interesting to see how recipes were written and the types of things that were popular to cook in 1950. Second, she has certain recipes flagged and even notes written on some pages. For example, the recipe for Spritz cookies (one of my grandma's signatures) is boldly crossed out with the note "no good" written next to it - obviously that wasn't the recipe she always used! Ha!

As I looked through the recipes, I was surprised not only by how much has changed - but by how much has remained the same over the past 59 years. I added several of the recipes to my list of things to try, but these oatmeal muffins really jumped out at me. Maybe because the description says "They're marvelous. So moist at rich!" People just don't use 'marvelous' much any more . . .

I'm a big fan of almost anything oatmeal, so perhaps I'm biased - I think these muffins are marvelous! However, I can also think of several adaptations I would like to try (not all at the same time, of course):

Add more sweetner (maybe maple syrup) (these muffins are only subtly sweet)
Add cinnamon
Add chopped apples
Add cranberries and orange zest (and maybe white chocolate drizzle)
Top with maple syrup/powdered sugar glaze
Use coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Soak the oatmeal longer
Substitute spelt flour

Okay, enough ideas - here is the recipe:

Oatmeal Muffins

Soak together for one hour . . .
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk

Mix together thoroughly . . .
1/3 cup butter (it actually calls for shortening - no thanks)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Sift together . . .
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

and stir in alternately with rolled oats and buttermilk.

Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Yield: about 12 muffins

Strawberry Sherbet

2009-05-13T23:44:00.001-05:00

My favorite thing about late Spring is buying locally grown, super fresh strawberries. However, I'm not always patient enough to wait for that time to come, so when our grocery store had strawberries on sale for 99 cents/lb., I stocked up. Fortunately, this month's issue of Eating Well had several strawberry recipes, including the one below. This recipe came together very easily and the sherbet was delicious. However, once it is frozen solid, it takes quite a while for it to soften enough to scoop, so plan accordingly.

Strawberry Sherbet

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 10 ounces), divided
1/2 cup sugar (or your choice of honey, agave, rapadura, etc.)
2 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Combine 1 cup berries and sugar in a small bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally until the sugar has begun to dissolve, about 10 minutes. Transfer the berry mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth (my Magic Bullet worked beautifully and was just the right size for this amount of berries).

2. Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, half-and-half, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Press the strawberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl. Stir, cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

3. Whisk the sherbet mixture and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the remaining 1 cup chopped berries. If necessary, place the sherbet in the freezer to firm up before serving. (If the sherbet becomes very hard in the freezer, soften it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before scooping.)

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 112 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 94 mg sodium; 86 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value). 1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1/2 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other), 1/2 low-fat milk
Recipe and nutrition information from Eating Well magazine

Arugula, Prosciutto & Gruyere-Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Shallot Sauce

2009-05-13T20:34:00.007-05:00

Alternate post title: Why I am not a recipe writer!

This recipe has been on my "list" for quite a while, and now that I have fresh arugula from the garden, I thought it was time to try it. However, I didn't exactly follow the recipe and therefore am sharing two takes on this dish - my version and the original Cooking Light recipe. The biggest difference is that I left out a few sauce ingredients - I didn't want to use cornstarch and I didn't think tomato paste would really be a good addition. If anyone tries the original version with tomato, let me know how you like it (and sorry for the imprecision of my version of the recipe)!

Arugula, Prosciutto & Gruyere-Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Shallot Sauce - my way:

Pound out 2 chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness (I accomplish this by wrapping them in wax paper and beating with a rolling pin). Top half of each piece of chicken with a couple slices Gruyere cheese, a few arugula leaves, and a piece of prosciutto. Fold the other half of the piece of chicken over the "toppings" and attempt to press together the edges. Sprinkle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper over both sides of chicken. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to skillet. Brown approximately 5 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and place in preheated oven. Bake approximately 10 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Meanwhile, saute thinly sliced shallots in original skillet (add extra olive oil if necessary). When shallots have browned, pour in a little dry white wine (use something you'd actually drink, not the cheapest bottle you can find - I used Pinot Grigio), then add a little chicken stock. Boil until reduced by half. Pour onions/sauce over chicken breasts to serve.

The original recipe from Cooking Light:

Chicken:
6 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 (1/2-ounce) slices prosciutto
6 (1/2-ounce) slices Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce:
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the chicken, place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Discard plastic wrap. Top each chicken breast half with 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice cheese, and 1/4 cup arugula, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal; sprinkle with salt and pepper. (The chicken can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated at this point.)

Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until done. Keep warm.

To prepare sauce, add shallots to skillet; sauté 4 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 6 minutes). Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 8 minutes).

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Calories: 300; Fat: 9.8g (sat 4g,mono 4g,poly 0.9g); Protein: 29.7g; Carbohydrate: 9.7g; Fiber:
0.5g.

BB: Croque Monsieur

2009-04-30T21:16:00.000-05:00

The second Barefoot Bloggers recipe for the month of April is Croque Monsieur, chosen by Kathy of All Food Considered. I loved this recipe . . . it reminds me a little bit of fondue (must be the hint of nutmeg) . . . but unfortunately, I did not get a picture of it. I'm sure I'll make it again, so I'll try to remember to add a picture later. You can check out the blogs of other Barefoot Bloggers if you'd like to see the end result.

I cut the recipe down to approximately 1/4 of the original, using pretty imprecise measurements, and it still turned out well. Here is the original recipe:

Croque Monsieur
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere (OR Swiss), grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot. - Recipe from Ina Garten via Food Network

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

2009-04-23T22:29:00.003-05:00

Finally - something new to share! I love stir-fry recipes because they are usually quick and easy, plus a great way to get a couple servings of vegetables. The lemon makes this one particularly good for spring . . .

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

1 lemon
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Vegetables (mix & match 3-4 cups total of your favorites):
10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots (1/4 inch thick)
2 cups snow peas (6 ounces), stems and strings removed
1 cup bell pepper strips (any color pepper will work)
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup asparagus

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

3. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 225 calories; 6 g fat; 63 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 3 g fiber; 448 mg sodium; 796 mg potassium.
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat
- Recipe and nutrition information from eatingwell.com

BB: Chinese Chicken Salad (my pick!)

2009-04-09T06:45:00.000-05:00

It was my turn to pick a recipe for Barefoot Bloggers . . . after a quick scan through Barefoot Contessa Parties!, I knew exactly what my pick would be - Chinese Chicken Salad. I'm a fan of good chicken salad (there is a mango curry chicken salad I particularly love) -but I'd never tried a "Chinese" version until this one. I really liked it - but I have a few comments: a) I think it is best when the dressing very lightly coats the ingredients - too much dressing = too much of a peanut butter taste - I didn't use all the dressing; b) adding more red pepper strips can never be a bad thing; and c) based on comments, some people think there is too much kosher salt in the recipe - I don't think it's too salty (but then again, I like salt). To find out what the other Barefoot Bloggers thought, check out their posts here.

Chinese Chicken Salad
4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I reduced . . . probably used 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar (get Bragg's, Spectrum, or something locally produced - there is huge difference!)
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Tamari)
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil (I used toasted sesame oil)
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream

2009-04-06T20:56:00.005-05:00

I got an ice cream maker last summer, but until a few weeks ago I had only tried a few ice cream recipes. Now I'm making up for lost time, making about one batch a week (and sharing most of it!). I thought this ice cream was pretty delicious . . . but some people (not naming names, you know who you are) thought it was "too creamy." Isn't ice cream supposed to be creamy?

Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa (unsweetened)
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Warm 1 cup of the cream with cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to blend. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; add chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in remaining cream. Pour mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate meduim bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour warm milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly (sloooowly - you don't want to cook the eggs with the warm milk!). Scrape warmed egg yolk mixture back into saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in ice cream maker according to mfg. directions. Store in a tightly sealed freezer container.
- Recipe from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Coffee Cake Muffins

2009-04-01T21:36:00.004-05:00

I'm always looking for a reason to bake something, and last week I found a great excuse . . . actually two excuses. First, I had a morning meeting at work and second, my cousin Sarah and her husband Clayton were visiting and I wanted to leave breakfast for them when I left for work. Why I chose coffee cake muffins is a bit of a mystery . . . I'm not usually a fan of coffee cake (it always seems dry). However, I'm glad I did try it, because I thought the muffins turned out really well - tasty and not too dry. I'll definitely make them again.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake [Muffins]

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
(Next time I make this recipe, I will double the streusel - the portions above are the original portions)

For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
(Alternatively, you can pour batter into paper-lined muffin tins [follow the same streusel directions] and bake 20 to 30 minutes)

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon. - Recipe from Ina Garten via the Food Network.

BB: Tomato Goat Cheese Tart (+ another puff pastry treat)

2009-03-31T22:55:00.005-05:00

Another great Barefoot Bloggers recipe . . . this time chosen by Anne. I didn't think I'd love this one, but was pleasantly surprised to find out that I did love it . . . and so did everyone else! If you aren't comfortable with goat cheese . . . get over it . . . try this recipe!

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (1 large onion)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

My Directions: Unfold a sheet of puff pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Fold up the edges to make a border/rim. (Use the other sheet for something else - like strawberry shortcake - see below)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Prick the pastry inside the border with a fork and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan, staying inside the border.

Place the onion mixture on the pastry, again staying within the border. Crumble goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato on the tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter remaining Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or warm.
The original recipe - and original directions are on the Food Network's website.

Make strawberry shortcakes with leftover puf pastry. Cut puff pastry into strips - lightly brush with olive oil or butter - sprinkle turbinado sugar over top - roll up (think cinnamon roll) - pinch together edges - place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper - bake at 425 degrees until golden brown - top with sliced strawberries and homemade whipped cream. (Now fast for the next three days because you ate puff pastry twice in one night . . .)

I'm still cooking . . .

2009-03-30T21:20:00.005-05:00

I haven't been blogging much lately, but I have been cooking (a few things):

Chocolate Ice Cream Bruschetta salad
Coffee cake muffins

Recipes coming soon . . . I promise!

Helloooo Spring

2009-03-19T21:46:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but I'm totally ready for warmer weather! I definitely have spring fever - I'm ready to get out of the house and go somewhere . . . anywhere . . . and cooking hasn't been my biggest priority lately. I thought a few of my favorite warmer weather recipes might help me get back into the cooking spirit, so this week I made Pasta, Pesto and Peas and bread salad (panzanella).

The panzanella is pictured above (I was in a hurry and tossed it on the same plate I used for the picture, so please forgive the sloppy look). I had almost forgotten how much I love this panzanella recipe, which I first tried last summer. It starts with bread and kosher salt, toasted in olive oil (love bread and love salt too) - and if I can keep myself from eating the toasted salty bread by itself, I add chopped tomato, bell peppers, and basil. Normally I add cucumber, but an avocado caught my eye at the grocery store, so tonight it was avocado (which was a good addition). I top it off with viniagrette and capers, toss it together and enjoy. Tonight I actually made my own vinaigrette (normally I use Brianna's), and I was very pleased with how it turned out. Unfortunately, I tried to transfer the unused vinaigrette to a cute little bottle but ended up pouring 75% of it on the counter. Good thing it is easy to make more!

Barefoot Contessa's Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together.

P.S. Homemade chocolate ice cream is churning right now . . .

BB: Chicken Piccata

2009-03-12T20:41:00.003-05:00

The first March Barefoot Bloggers recipe was Chicken Piccata, chosen by Lindsay of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings. I have to admit, I was kind of dreading the whole process of cooking tonight, but this snapped me out of it quickly because it was quick, easy, and tasty! The process of coating the chicken reminded me a little bit of the Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Parmesan, which is one of our favorites. However, if you don't like lemon, you might want to stick with the Chicken Parmesan instead of Chicken Piccata . . . I love lemon, and I was even a little shocked at the zing of the first bite. It's important not to cut back on the butter or the salt, they are crucial to help balance the lemon.

Chicken Piccata
2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup ~~seasoned dry bread crumbs~~ Panko bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
~~Chopped~~ fresh ~~parsley~~ watercress, for serving
optional: capers

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast in a ziploc bag and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon, capers, and greens or herbs.

In addition, I need to post the last February Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Meringues Chantilly, which was chosen by BMK of Reservations Not Required. This was a fun recipe for me because I had never made meringues before. They turned out pretty well . . . and the berries and whipped cream were delicious! However, I had a little computer crash and lost the pictures . . . so you can't see the outcome. If you want to see what the other members of Barefoot Bloggers thought of the meringues and see their pictures, click here.

Meringues Chantilly
6 extra - large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Stewed berries, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass and a pencil, draw 6 (3 1/2-inch) circles on each piece of paper. Turn the paper face-down on the baking sheets.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy. Add 1 cup of the sugar and raise the speed to high until the egg whites form very stiff peaks. Whisk in the vanilla. Carefully fold the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into the meringue. With a large star - shaped pastry tip, pipe a disc of meringue inside each circle. Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.

Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp but not browned. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.

Spread some of the sauce from the stewed berries on each plate. Place a meringue on top and fill with whipped cream. Top with berries and serve.

Whipped Cream:

2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla and orange liqueur and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat!

Stewed berries:

1 half-pint fresh blueberries
3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons ~~framboise (raspberry brandy)~~ Orange Marnier

Combine the blueberries, one-half pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup water, the sugar and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. The juice will become a syrup and the berries will be slightly cooked. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the Orange Marnier. Set aside.

Spring Risotto

2009-03-07T20:17:00.005-06:00

The warm weather here in the Midwest has tricked me into thinking it is Spring . . . this risotto is a great way to transition to spring cooking, because it is hearty and filling . . . and the addition of peas and asparagus give it a definite Spring twist. If I would change one thing about this, I think I might try adding just a tiny bit of lemon juice at the end . . . or maybe basil instead of spinach. . . although it was good as is!

Spring Risotto
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
optional: 3 lightly packed cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 pound asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking (Ellie says this should take 18 minutes - it took about 35-40 for me).

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan and more broth if the risotto seems too thick. Serve immediately. - Recipe from Ellie Krieger

Farewell Winter Chicken Pot Pie

2009-03-05T19:31:00.000-06:00

Before giving up wheat for lent (yeah, I know - crazy), I had to have one more major dose of comfort food. I had leftover pie crust scraps and a decent assortment of vegetables on hand, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken and made chicken pot pies. The recipe is from The Pastry Queen (Rebecca Rather). We went to her bakery in Fredericksburg, Texas a few years ago (I would go back for the sole purpose of going to the bakery) and her cookbook has been a favorite of mine ever since. I have made these pot pies a few times, but have never taken time to post the recipe until now. Although I didn't use her crust recipe this time, I included it below because it is super easy. Whatever you do about the crust, I think it is fun to use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the scraps. As you can (kind of) tell, I used a palm tree because my crumbly crust looked like sand . . . and because it's nice to think of sand and palm trees in the winter . . .

Chicken Pot Pie

Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 8-oz. pkg sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 purchased cooked rotisserie chicken
8 ounces fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
1 (8-ounce) package frozen peas (optional)

Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Dash of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Pastry Queen Crust:
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounces chilled cream cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg

Filling: Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and potato; sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the crushed red pepper and add salt and pepper to taste.

While the vegetables are sautéing, skin the chicken, pull the meat off the bones, and shred or cut meat into bite-size pieces. Place the green beans in a microwave steaming bag and steam according to directions on bag. Stir the beans, peas, and chicken into the vegetable mixture. Set the filling aside.

Sauce: Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup. Add the cream, hot sauce, salt and white pepper to taste. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken filling and stir to combine. Fill individual 1 1/4-cup capacity oven-safe bowls (or disposable pot pie pans) three-quarters of the way to the top with the creamed chicken filling.

Crust, Assembly & Baking: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butter into 16 pieces. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the butter and flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt, and white pepper. Continue pulsing just until the dough forms a ball. Set the dough on a flat surface dusted with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Measure the diameter of the pot pie bowls and cut out dough rounds that are 1 1/2 inches larger in diameter. Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Lay the dough rounds on top of the pot pies, making sure the dough hangs evenly over each bowl. Brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Beef Bruschetta

2009-02-24T20:26:00.002-06:00

Hi! Finally, a new post . . . not a new recipe, though. I adapted this recipe to serve it to a huge group at an event a few years ago called the Shamrock Shindig . . . I won't get into too many details, but it did win an award. The prize for the award? A little statue of a leprechaun. Nice . . .

Regardless of the leprechaun situation, this is one of my favorite recipes - it's not complicated and people seem to love it. The picture shows the basic recipe, which I like to think of as the "winter version" of beef bruschetta. There is also an optional summer topping - best for when tomatoes and basil are at their peak.

All-Seasons Beef Bruschetta

10 to 12 ounces beef sirloin steak
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped (fresh or canned)
3 to 4 tablespoons basil pesto
16 arugula (or spinach) leaves, to garnish
1 loaf French Baguette bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices and toasted (16 pieces total)

1. Season both sides of sirloin steak with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; place the steak in the skillet and cook until medium-rare, turning steak once.
3. Remove steak from skillet; cover with foil and allow steak to rest.
4. Place feta cheese and sour cream in a food processor; process until smooth.
5. Slice steak very thinly, cutting against the grain.
6. Spread cheese mixture evenly over bread slices. Top each slice with basil pesto, arugula leaf, roasted red pepper, and one to two slices of steak. Serve immediately.

Optional summer topping:
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped and sauteed until caramelized
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Combine caramelized onion, tomato, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a medium bowl; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute evenly over top of beef slices on bruschetta. Substitute fresh basil for arugula.

Our Valentine's Day Steakhouse Dinner

2009-02-15T18:53:00.010-06:00

We decided to stay at home for Valentine's Day this year, mostly because we failed to make reservations and our other plans fell through. Plus, I knew I could cook a really nice dinner for a fraction of the price we'd pay at a nice restaurant. Here's our dinner:

I. Steak - purchase steak that has been aged, if possible (aging improves flavor and tenderness). And if you're buying conventional beef, go with something that grades choice.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Season steak with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper; place in skillet:
Turn after steak has seared 3-5 minutes. Tip: if meat sticks to skillet, it is not ready to be turned. When the surface of the meat has been caramelized appropriately, it will turn relatively easily:After searing on both sides, place entire skillet in a 350 degree oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or to desired doneness. Remove from oven. Allow steaks to rest 5 minutes before serving.

II. Rock Salt Potatoes - Before starting the steaks, make rock salt potatoes. Haven't tried rock salt potatoes? What are you waiting for? They are slightly crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy inside - absolutely perfect. And not salty . . . unless you don't brush off the salt and you eat the skin. To make rock salt potatoes:
Wash potatoes, dry and rub lightly with oil, then puncture several times with a knife. Place a layer of rock salt (find it near the ice cream makers and ingredients) on the bottom of a baking dish. Place potatoes on top of salt and cover entirely with rock salt. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Be careful when removing the potatoes - the salt gets hot! Brush off salt before serving. Rock salt potatoes, ready to be covered, before baking:
These cherries have nothing to do with a steakhouse dinner . . . I just found them at the grocery store yesterday. "Cherries with romance!" AND a heart-shaped container? I couldn't resist . . .I served roasted asparagus and a french baguette with our steak and potatoes . . . Overall, a very nice meal - with no crowds, no going out in the cold, no worries.

The Story of a Red Velvet Cupcake

2009-02-15T11:41:00.001-06:00

I made Red Velvet cupcakes, because that seemed like a logical thing to do in celebration of Valentine's Day. They looked okay, but I thought they were a little too dry/dense/bland . . .

So I turned them into Red Velvet Cupcake Pops!To make cupcake pops, mix cake (or leftover cupcakes) with cream cheese frosting. My approximate ratio was 12 cupcakes to 3/4 cup frosting. Scoop mixture into balls using an ice cream scoop; freeze until solid. Melt white chocolate (or almond bark) according to package directions . . . dip a lollipop stick in the melted white chocolate, then insert it into the frozen scoop of cupcake. Dip cupcake ball in melted white chocolate. Add sprinkles if desired. Keep pops upright while they dry (dry on wax paper if this isn't an option - they'll be just fine, but slightly flat on the back).

Cupcake pops are very sweet . . . think of those oreo and cream cheese "truffles!"

BB: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

2009-02-12T21:10:00.005-06:00

Real Meatballs & Spaghetti

meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning (Lawry's or similar)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten

sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, all-purpose seasoning, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
Bake meatballs 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and no pink remains.
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan.

This recipe was the first February Barefoot Bloggers selection - chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. Great selection, Rebecca! I don't normally like spaghetti and meatballs, but I really liked this recipe! I'll post more commentary later, but for now . . . the original recipe called for frying the meatballs; I baked them instead and it turned out to be a very good decision!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

2009-02-09T22:22:00.000-06:00

I took a little break from blogging - but I'm back now with a really good recipe to share. These triple chocolate cookies are kind of a cross between a cookie, a brownie, and fudge. They are sure to satisfy any chocolate craving, no matter how intense!
Triple Chocolate Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate, you could also use milk, semi-sweet or white)

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork; set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugars
until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips. Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheets with parchment paper or silpat liner. Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Continue process with remaining dough, or refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking remainder of cookies.
- adapted from The New Best Recipe (Cook's Illustrated)

And . . . way to go Mizzou Tigers!

Thai Beef & Broccoli Noodle Bowl

2009-01-28T21:48:00.002-06:00

Because they are convenient and "healthy," I used to eat a lot of Lean Cuisine and South Beach Diet frozen meals. Eventually, I found a few that didn't taste too bad . . . but the meat in those meals was always pretty scary. This recipe reminds me of one of the better frozen dinners - but the difference in this recipe is that the meat is the best part of the dish, not the worst. It's also very quick to prepare - not quite as quick as microwaving a frozen dinner, but considering the results, the few extra minutes and dishes are well worth it!

Thai Beef & Broccoli Noodle Bowl

1 pound beef sirloin steak
1/4 cup Tamari (soy sauce)
1 jumbo clove garlic, minced (or two regular garlic cloves)
2 tsp. grapeseed oil, divided use
1 lb. frozen stir-fry vegetables
2 cups cooked rice noodles
1/2 cup peanut sauce

Directions:

Cut steak in half (lengthwise), then slice into 1/4-inch thick strips. Combine soy sauce and garlic in a meduim bowl; add beef and toss to coat.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add half the beef; cook 1-2 minutes or until outside surface is no longer pink. Remove from skillet to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining beef.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add frozen vegetables; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until just tender, stirring occasionally. Add beef, noodles, and peanut sauce; cook until all ingredients are coated with sauce and heated through. (Adapted from The Healthy Beef Cookbook)

Pecan Blondies

2009-01-26T07:43:00.001-06:00

Last night I made dinner for my friend Amy, who is a few days away from the start of the annual convention she plans. From my own experience, I know that meals are sometimes low on the priority list in the days leading up to an annual convention. I made lasagna and got salad and bread to take with it - but I also wanted to include a dessert. I chose blondies for several reasons: 1) I had all the ingredients; 2) they were easy to prepare and quick to bake; and 3) I don't *love* blondies, so I knew I wouldn't eat too many!

For a non-blondie person, I was pretty pleased with the way this recipe turned out - I just wish I had added a bit more white chocolate (I adjusted the recipe below to reflect how much white chocolate I should have used). I also can't help but think about the blondie that used to be on the Applebee's menu - remember the one served with ice cream and that little cup of sweet, hot, buttery sauce? Mmmm . . . I should have tried to recreate that sauce. Or not!

Pecan Blondies
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with foil (leave overhang to lift bars out of pan) and spray again with nonstick spray.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Mix the melted butter and brown sugar together in a medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and nuts; turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing with a rubber spatula.
Bake until the top is shiny, cracked, and feels firm to the touch - about 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Using foil as handles, remove bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 2x2-inch bars.

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

2009-01-23T06:49:00.000-06:00

My husband's birthday was this week . . . great reason to bake a cake! There are several cake recipes in my "to try" file, but I needed something that would come together quickly (we've been at a basketball tournament every night this week), so I chose this recipe, which starts with a cake mix.

I found the recipe a few weeks ago at The Sisters' Cafe and shared it with Tressa and Sierra. Sierra entered a variation of this recipe into a "strangest ingredient" contest - she substituted grated spam for the oil (and used a strawberry cake mix, cheesecake pudding mix, and omitted the chocolate). She won the contest - and guess what? The cake was actually really good! Of course, I baked my cake without spam, but I'm still surprised at how good Sierra's spam cake tasted!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 devils food cake mix
1 pkg. instant pudding mix (the recipe calls for chocolate; I used vanilla)
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup warm water
½ cup oil (I used canola)
Optional: 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer 1 minute. Stir down sides. Continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips (if using). Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 20 minutes. Invert onto serving platter.

frosting
1 stick (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter (not margarine!)
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in cocoa and milk. Bring mixture just to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Beat in powdered sugar with electric mixer until thickened and smooth. Pour warm frosting over warm cake. Allow frosting to cool before serving or covering for storage.

BB: Easy Sticky Buns

2009-01-22T06:29:00.001-06:00

Sometimes it's really uncool to keep hungry people from a hot meal for the sake of just a few more photos (trust me!), so I apologize for the less than wonderful picture.

It was Melissa's turn to choose this week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe: Easy Sticky Buns. Indeed, this recipe is very easy - and the sticky buns are tasty - just make sure not to overbake them or you'll have Crispy Sticky Buns (trust me on this one too!).

The Barefoot Contessa's Easy Sticky Buns

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

for the filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
~~1 cup raisins~~

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 25 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes ~~only~~ max, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool ~~completely~~ a few minutes prior to serving.
- Recipe from the Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

Healthy Fast Food

2009-01-21T07:31:00.005-06:00

My friend Kelly the Kitchen Kop is hosting a Real Food Wednesday carnival to share recipes and ideas for healthy fast food (not fast food like you get from a drive-thru window . . . healthy food you can make - fast). I am so glad Kelly is hosting this carnival, because who couldn't use some ideas to help get healthy food on the table in a short amount of time?

The following "recipe" is one of my favorite quick-fix meals:Meat & Mashed Potato Wraps

Warm tortillas (Ezekiel brand or homemade) until soft and pliable.
Meanwhile, heat leftover mashed potatoes and shredded bbq beef (pieces of leftover steak, brisket, or roast also work well) on the stove in separate saucepans.
Spread a thin layer of mashed potatoes on each tortilla (spread to within 1 inch of edge).
Make a strip of shredded beef down the middle of the potatoes, then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over top of beef.
Optional: season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Wrap like a burrito, securing with a toothpick if necessary. Serve immediately.

Cowboy Butter - A Great Gift

2009-01-18T22:26:00.007-06:00

For Christmas, my friend Ashley gave me the most delicious gift - 3 types of cowboy butter: red chili; green chili with cilantro; and sun-dried tomato/garlic/herb. I'm pretty sure she got the inspiration, if not the recipes, from a Grady Spears cookbook.
My absolute favorite is the sun-dried tomato variety (bottom right on the plate). I've been eating it on bread, but think I'll try it on chicken this week.

Although I don't have Ashley's recipes, I have done a little research (just getting prepared for when I run out of the sun-dried tomato butter) and found the following tips on making compound (flavored) butters, from Bon Appetit:

"Compound butter, also known as seasoned butter, is butter with other ingredients added. It's easy to make, freezes well, and is a quick and easy way to top off fish, chicken, steaks, or chops. Stir seasoned butter into rice or pasta, or smear some under the skin of a chicken before roasting.

To make seasoned butter, mix softened butter with ingredients like minced capers, shallots, fresh herbs, olives, grated lemon zest, or a combination of such ingredients. Transfer the butter to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the butter into a log that's an inch or so in diameter, using the plastic to help mold. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and store in the freezer for up to 1 year.

When you're ready to use the compound butter, just pull the frozen log out and cut off slices as needed."

You could use almost any herb, spice, or seasoning you can think of to make compound butter, and not just for savory ingredients, either. I bet cranberry-orange butter would be good, and maybe strawberry-cherry-lime butter for summer . . . and of course you could add cinnamon, vanilla, honey, maple syrup, nuts, etc. Do you have any great inspirations for flavored butter?

Lemon Buttermilk Cookies

2009-01-16T16:51:00.000-06:00

It was cold outside . . .
I've had buttermilk and lemons in my refrigerator for quite a while . . .
& I thought my co-workers could use a little afternoon treat . . .
which is how I ended up with a batch of lemon buttermilk cookies.

I adapted this recipe from Molly, who adapted it from Gourmet magazine. Strange substitutions (such as mine) or not, these cookies are very light and tender. I added quite a bit more lemon to my version than Molly's or Gourmet's version suggests . . . I imagine the original recipe results in a very mild tasting cookie. Molly suggested serving them with lemonade, but I think they would also be nice with a cup of hot tea, especially during the sub-zero winter days here in the midwest.

Lemon Buttermilk Cookies
1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp. white spelt flour (or 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour)
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
5 tbsp. ghee (or unsalted butter), at room temperature
¾ cup sugar (or substitute of your choice)
1 large egg
1 tsp. limoncello (lemon flavored liquor)
1/3 cup buttermilk

Lemon Glaze
¾ cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 ½ Tbsp. well-shaken buttermilk
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. limoncello
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, zest, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl, if you’re using a handheld mixer), beat the ghee (or butter) briefly, until creamy. Add the sugar, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, and beat well to mix. Add the limoncello, and beat briefly again. Mix in the flour mixture and the buttermilk in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined.
Drop the dough (with a small scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 ½ inches between each cookie. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are puffed and their edges are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute; then transfer them to a wire rack.
For the glaze, whisk together the sifted confectioners sugar, buttermilk, limoncello, vanilla and lemon zest. The mixture should be very smooth, with no lumps of sugar visible. Brush or spoon the glaze onto the warm cookies. Allow cookies to sit on the rack until they are fully cooled and the glaze is set.

One out of control foodie

2009-01-15T19:54:00.001-06:00

It's not me . . .

It's our dog . . . Piper.

This was last Wednesday night:
I'm pretty sure we fed her. Feeding her is as much of a routine as feeding ourselves, so I know there was sfood in her bowl. Yet, for some reason she was apparently very hungry . . .

After dinner, I went into my office to blog about the Quail in White Wine . . . Piper normally hangs out on the couch while I'm blogging . . . she was quiet, so I thought she was on the couch. Until I heard a little crash in the kitchen . . . she had been stealing the leftover roasted asparagus off the counter. I chased her into my office, but it's hard to take away asparagus and take a picture at the same time:

I was not too pleased with her - she has a history of stealing things off the counter, but she had been doing much better lately.

Piper went back to hang out on the couch and I baked a batch of banana muffins (with spelt flour and honey) while I watched Top Chef. Ken returned from a meeting not too long after I took the muffins out of the oven and we spent a few moments working on plans for a scholarship fundraiser we're involved with. Once again, in my office (you know where this is going, don't you?). Normally when Ken and I are both in the same room, so is Piper. Not thinking about the recent asparagus incident, I was oblivious to the fact that she wasn't in my office and I couldn't see or hear her. Then it hit me, but only kind of. Our conversation was something like this:

Me: "Where is Piper?"

Ken: "Oh, I don't know, I think she's eating muffins." (he is dead serious, yet somehow also oblivious to the implications of this)

"Ha ha, funny. Really, is she on the couch or did she go get on the bed?"

"Umm . . . no, I don't know where she's been," (moving toward the kitchen) "Yep, I think she's been eating muffins."

(Now we're both in the kitchen)

Me: "Where are the wrappers?" (as if she could peel the wrappers off!)

Ken: "I guess she ate the wrappers."

"Oh my gosh, PIPERRRRRRR!"

"Well, she probably didn't get too many."

"Too many??? Look how many are gone!"

"Ohhh . . . was that pan full?"

Yes, yes it was. (at least they were only mini-muffins . . .)

Aromatic Braised Chicken

2009-01-13T19:55:00.000-06:00

Sunday evening I had the opportunity to use two great Christmas gifts - a Dutch oven (from my mom) and Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America (from my dad). The result? Aromatic Braised Chicken. Actually the name of the dish in the cookbook is Aromatic Chicken Braise - but that sounds weird to me, like the words are out of order. So now it is Aromatic Braised Chicken. Either way . . . it is good! Maybe not quite as aromatic as I had imagined, but very tasty, savory and a little sweet at the same time. I thought the green onions and orange peel might be a little much for Mr. Meat & Potatoes, but he actually really liked this recipe. It's something a little out of the ordinary, definitely worth trying!

Aromatic Braised Chicken

4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs (2 chicken breasts)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. peanut oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced green onion (white and green parts) (divided use)
1 one-inch-square piece orange zest
1 tsp. julienned orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or stock) (divided use)
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce (Tamari)
3 tbsp. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry wine
2 tsp. sugar (I omitted)
4 cups steamed rice

Trim chicken pieces of excess fat and skin, and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok (or Dutch oven) over (medium) high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, 2 tbsp. of the green onion, the square of orange zest, the cinnamon stick, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns. Cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and cook until light golden brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and the soy sauce, wine, and sugar and stir to combine. Bring to simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cover and cook gently until the chicken is opaque in the center but still tender, 25-30 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter with a slotted spoon, cover to keep warm, and return the pan to high heat. Add the remaining chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the sauce along with any juices on the platter. Heat thoroughly in the sauce and turn to coat evenly, about 2 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick and the zest square. Serve the chicken and sauce immediately over rice; garnish with remaining onions and orange zest.

Turkey Black-Eyed Pea Chili

2009-01-11T10:23:00.002-06:00

Cooking one dish that results in multiple meals can be very convenient, but it can also get boring. At least, that was my experience with this turkey chili. I made it last Sunday night (I should have posted the recipe then) and by Friday I was tired of eating it. It actually wasn't terribly exciting to begin with - it might have been because I used turkey instead of beef, or maybe the flavor just needed to be "kicked up" a little. Overall, I think this is a good base recipe, but next time I will use beef and some additional seasoning. The recipe below is adapted from Clean Eating magazine and represents the changes I made this time, not what I would change in the future:

Turkey Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
optional: 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced (I omitted)
3 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (either dry/soaked or canned)
1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 tbsp. tomato puree
2 1/2 to 3 cups water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
optional: hot sauce (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large ovenproof pot, heat half the olive oil over medium heat. Add turkey and brown for 5 minutes. Remove turkey from pot, set aside. Add remaining oil and saute carrot, onion, celery, garlic, peppers, chili powder, and cumin for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Return meat to pan and stir in black-eyed peas, tomatoes, tomato puree, and water. Bring to a simmer.
Remove pan from burner and place in preheated oven for 2 hours. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if using) to taste.

Here are my thoughts for future adaptations:

Use lean ground beef instead of turkey
Use shredded chicken instead of turkey
Add additional cumin
Use the jalapenos as directed or add cayenne pepper
Increase garlic
Increase the amount of tomato puree
Use chicken or beef stock in place of some of the water
Garnish with cheese, sour cream, and/or baked tortilla chips (especially when eating as leftover)

Anyone have suggestions on (healthfully) improving this chili or changing it up when eating it the second or third time?

Nourishing Resolutions

2009-01-09T07:09:00.003-06:00

I hope you're not tired of hearing about New Year's Resolutions already, because I have a few to share today. I'm actually posting this to keep myself accountable, not because I think anyone really wants to read it! Kimi, aka the Nourishing Gourmet, is hosting a Nourishing Resolutions Carnival today. I'm always checking out her blog for ideas, so I decided to participate in the carnival and share the link. She has some great tips for implementing goals/resolutions as well as great resources for people looking for healthful, nourishing recipes.

Overall, my main cooking goal is to include more whole, nutrient dense food in our diets - and less processed food. Here are my specific goals:

1. Convert 4 of our favorite recipes to more healthful, nutritious versions.

Pick 4 easy-enough-for-everyday recipes we enjoy.
Make ingredient substitutions (such as better fats, more wholesome sweetners, etc.) and alter preparation methods if necessary until we reach the balance of good tasting and good for us.

2. Freeze three days worth of healthy food to help reduce the temptation to go out to eat or cook a frozen pizza when I'm too busy to cook a real meal.

Choose 3 breakfast recipes, 3 lunch recipes, and 3 dinner recipes that freeze well.
Devote one Saturday to preparing/cooking and freezing these items.
Keep an "inventory" list of items on the side of the refrigerator so I will remember they are there to use when I need them.

3. Become more responsible regarding the purchase and utilization of food. Specifically:

Waste less food. As in eat it, freeze it, preserve it, something . . . so that it will not go bad and have to be thrown away. Keeping an "inventory" list on the fridge and freezer should help. I would also like to begin composting this spring so that even some of my food waste will not truly go to waste.
Purchase local products when possible.
Make better use of the produce from my garden. Base our summer meals around what I harvest. Learn to can vegetables and sauces (thank you for the pressure cooker/canner, mother-in-law) so we can utilize produce year-round. Donate or share all the produce that we do not eat (and enlist friends/family/neighbors to pick ripe produce if we're gone for a few days).

4. Work toward some of my random, more far-fetched goals (I have no real plan for accomplishing these, which is why they are "far-fetched"):

Keep a sourdough starter alive and learn to make sourdough bread.
Learn to make cultured coolers (like those from Three Stone Hearth we tried while in CA). What is a cultured cooler? According to Three Stone Hearth: [Cultured coolers are] made from filtered water, agave nectar, yogurt whey, a small amount of sea salt, and tasty herbs and flavors such as hibiscus, ginger, antique rose, lemon-lime, or others. These refreshing, tasty drinks are cultured for a period of days and so contain active enzymes and suspended mineral ions and electrolytes. And they are sooo good, especially the lemon flavor!
~~Force myself to~~ Eat seafood once a month.
Make homemade chicken stock and beef stock on a somewhat regular basis. Yes, the Swanson's stock people will miss me . . .
Braise something once a month (in the beautiful new Dutch -actually French - oven my mom got me!).
Prepare my lunch (main dish and fruits/veggies) for work the night before, instead of the morning of . . .
Take better pictures of food for my blog, so the food actually looks appetizing.
Make a bigger effort to invite friends over for dinner instead of meeting at a restaurant.
And . . . make homemade mozzarella!

BB: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

2009-01-08T06:40:00.001-06:00

The first Barefoot Bloggers recipe of the year is Banana Sour Cream Pancakes, which was chosen by Karen of Something Sweet by Karen. Let me tell you, I was excited to have an "excuse" to make pancakes, and this recipe yielded some of the best pancakes I've ever had. The bananas in the batter make it good, but I think the lemon peel is what makes it great. You can barely detect the lemony flavor, but it really helps balance the flavors in the recipe.

I froze a couple leftover pancakes and used them for a quick workweek breakfast three days later. It worked out well, so I think I'll make a big batch this weekend and freeze them for a future quick breakfast fix. See what other bloggers thought of the recipe here.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour (I used spelt)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (sea salt)
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (possibly more if batter is too thick)
2 extra-large eggs (large eggs)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter (I used ghee)
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Quail in White Wine

2009-01-07T19:27:00.004-06:00

Why is it so hard to get a decent picture of wild game? I'm sorry - I know this doesn't look especially appetizing. You'll have to just believe me when I say it tasted much better than it looks! I found this recipe last winter in The Silver Spoon . . . this recipe alone is worth the price of the book because it allows both of us to enjoy the quail Ken hunts. The recipe is very easy and the white wine, rosemary, and sage make the house smell fabulous! I served it with roasted asparagus and freezer biscuits. Here is the quail recipe:

Quail in White Wine

4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
8 tsp. fresh rosemary needles
8 fresh sage leaves
8 quail
2 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put half a garlic clove, 1 tsp. rosemary and a sage leaf in the cavity of each bird; season with salt and pepper. Put the quail in a pan with olive oil and cook, turning frequently, until browned all over. Season with salt, pour in wine, cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Panna Cotta

2009-01-06T19:14:00.000-06:00

Panna cotta was one of my contributions to our "local feast" on New Year's Eve. Despite a few bad decisions on my part, I was pleased with how this recipe turned out and will definitely make it again.

So what did I do wrong? [At least] 3 things: a) I took a new recipe to a party without trying it first; b) I waited until the last minute to make it; and c) I underestimated how difficult it would be to disassemble the cold water bath by myself (there wasn't enough size difference between the two bowls I used).

This is actually a pretty simple recipe (just make sure you don't make the mistakes I did!) which would be perfect with fresh berries in the summer.

Panna Cotta

1 cup whole milk
2 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
3 cups heavy cream
6 tbsp. sugar
pinch salt

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over milk. Let stand 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Combine cream, vanilla bean, and seeds in a large measuring cup and set aside.
Place eight 4-oz. ramekins on a baking sheet and set aside. Make a large bowl of ice water (about 4 cups water and 2 trays ice cubes).
Heat milk and gelatin over high heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved and the mixture registers 135 degrees (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat. Add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved (1 minute). Slowly add cream and vanilla mixture, stirring constantly.
Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; gently place this bowl into the bowl of ice water. Allow mixture to cool, stirring frequently, until it has thickened to the consistency of eggnog and reaches 50 degrees (10-20 minutes). Strain the mixture into a pitcher, then pour into ramekins.
Refrigerate until panna cotta is set - at least four hours but up to 5 days in advance of serving (make sure to cover well with plastic wrap).
Serve with lightly sweetened berries or berry coulis.
Note: I used milk and cream from Heartland Creamery.
- Adapted from The Best Make-Ahead Recipe, from Cook's Illustrated

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

2009-01-06T07:28:00.002-06:00

Last spring, on a morning television show (Today Show or Good Morning America), I caught a glimpse of what they were calling "the best chocolate cake EVER," but didn't hear the source of the recipe. After a quick Google search, I found it on the Epicurious website. I printed it, filed it and forgot about it . . . until recently, when I needed a chocolate cupcake recipe!

I'm sure the original recipe does make a fabulous cake, because the cupcakes were awesome! My only minor complaint is this: they were a bit too light and fluffy for cupcakes (translation: eat with a fork, not with your hands). However, this cake recipe does live up to the hype, so give it a try!

Chocolate cake (or cupcakes)

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper (or line muffin pans with paper liners).

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes - or - divide batter between muffin cups and bake until tester comes out clean (begin testing at 25 minutes).

Cool layers (or cupcakes) completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature (I froze the cupcakes for 2 weeks). - from Epicurious.com (see the original recipe here)

Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz pkg) cream cheese, room temperature
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you reach the consistency and sweetness you desire.

3. Spread or pipe on to cupcakes.

- Adapted from Simply Recipes

What's For Dinner?

2009-01-04T20:47:00.004-06:00

Our menu for the week of Jan. 5-10

Monday
Lunch: Turkey and Black-Eyed Pea Chili (from Clean Eating)
Dinner: Quail in White Wine (The Silver Spoon), roasted asparagus, salad

Tuesday
Lunch: hot dog, salad
Dinner: Turkey and Black-Eyed Pea Chili, celery

Wednesday
Lunch: hamburger, salad
Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Preserved Lemon (from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper), sweet potatoes

Thursday
Lunch: leftover chicken, celery
Dinner: beef stir-fry, rice

Friday
Lunch: more leftovers
Dinner: Baked Ziti, salad

Saturday
Dinner: Aromatic Chicken Braise (Culinary Institute of America's Cooking at Home)

Chicken Scampi

2009-01-03T22:35:00.002-06:00

When we go home for the holidays, my parents always ask if there is anything special we would like to eat while we're there. My dad's fresh pasta is always a special treat, so that was my top request for Christmas this year. Dad and I made a deal - he would make the pasta if I would make the sauce/topping. I decided on chicken scampi and found an Olive Garden recipe knockoff online. It doesn't look very colorful, but it tasted great! I will definitely make this again.

Here is the original recipe I found, with a few adaptations. I quadrupled the portions when I made this (and it made a huge amount of pasta), but I decided to post the 2-3 serving recipe:

Chicken Scampi
(2-3 servings)

WHITE SAUCE:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk; hot

SCAMPI SAUCE:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
optional: 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white sauce

REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
2 servings (fresh or dried) angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 red bell pepper - or - 1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained; thinly sliced
red onions; thinly sliced, to taste
10 cloves of garlic; roasted
2 chicken breasts; sliced
olive oil

For white sauce: Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in sauce pan, add 2 Tbsp. flour and cook for 2 minutes on med. heat. heat stirring constantly. slowly add 3/4 cup hot milk (hot so it won't get lumpy). Set aside. (Make sure that the white sauce is hot when adding to the scampi sauce)

For scampi sauce: Heat butter over low heat. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Add the wine and chicken broth, stir until combined. Add white sauce and cook until slightly thickened (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in olive until chicken is almost completely cooked. Add peppers and onions, saute until chicken is done. Add the sauce; saute until everything is warmed. Add roasted garlic cloves. Serve over pasta.

For roasted garlic: Separate head of garlic into individual cloves still in 'paper'. Toss in olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil or a small pint sized dish with a lid. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. When the garlic has cooled to the touch you should be able to squeeze it out of the 'paper' shell of the individual cloves.

Rustic Sweet Potato Fries

2009-01-02T06:58:00.001-06:00

Nothing says Happy New Year like sweet potato fries! This recipe, which comes from the Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook - Back to Basics - was featured at our locally-produced New Year's Eve feast. I had two sweet potatoes and one pound of ground beef leftover from the big feast, so last night I made mini-meatloaves and, for the second night in a row, sweet potato fries.

As you may remember from the spring and summer, in 2008 I planted a garden for the first time. Although the garden was part success and part disaster, my sweet potato crop turned out okay. One of my resolutions for 2009 is to manage my garden better - and plant my sweet potatoes earlier - so hopefully this year I'll have an even better sweet potato crop. When you make sweet potato fries two nights in a row, they go fast!

Rustic Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar OR maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into strips. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.
- Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Sugar and Spice Pecans

2008-12-22T17:42:00.000-06:00

If you think it's too late to make homemade Christmas gifts, think again! In less than 30 minutes (including preparation, baking, and cooling), you can have a batch of Sugar and Spice Pecans ready for gift giving. I started making these four years ago, and they are still one of our favorite Christmas treats. Yesterday I made two batches to share with our neighbors. I intended to make cookies and all kinds of other treats, but was too busy (cleaning to get ready for Christmas and our Alamo Bowl party).

Here is a quick semi-illustrated summary (full recipe at the end) -

First, melt 6 tbsp. unsalted butter:

Next, add 4 cups pecan halves to the butter and stir to coat pecans evenly: Then add 6 tbsp. worcestershire sauce, 3-4 tsp. sea salt, and 1 tsp. cayenne pepper; stir to coat. Finally, add all but a few teaspoons of 1/2 cup sugar (reserve some for sprinkling after the pecans come out of the oven). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, stirring once during baking:
Remove from oven and stir (to prevent clumping); dust with remaining sugar. Stir once more and/or transfer to wax paper to cool completely before serving or packaging:
Sugar and Spice Pecans

4 cups pecan halves
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
3-4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cayenne (red) pepper
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter; in a large bowl, combine pecans with butter, stir to coat evenly. Add worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper, stir to coat evenly. Add sugar, reserving 1-2 tsp., stir lightly.

Spread in a single layer on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet; bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir once during baking. When finished baking, stir at least once to prevent clumping; dust with remaining sugar. Transfer to wax paper to cool completely (or stir once or twice more if cooling on baking sheet). Store in an airtight container.
- Adapted from Southern Living

Honey Crunch Peanut Spread

2008-12-21T18:07:00.000-06:00

Peanut butter isn't something I use very often, aside from the occasional batch of peanut butter cookies. For everything except baking, I usually use almond butter. However, I had some extra peanut butter taking up room in our refrigerator, so I decided to make an old recipe from my childhood.

My dad used to make Honey Crunch Peanut Spread when I was a kid; I'm not sure where he found the recipe or why he decided to make it initially, maybe to try to get me to eat more apples and celery. If that is it, I guess it worked - this definitely makes celery worth eating!

Honey Crunch Peanut Spread
2/3 cup uncooked oats
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup honey

Toast oats in an ungreased rimmed baking sheet for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and combine with peanut butter and honey.

Serve with celery and apples, or on sandwiches. Store in the refrigerator.

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 2

2008-12-16T21:03:00.002-06:00

In the first part of my holiday gift guide, I gave you some ideas for gifts to give people who like to cook. However, I know there are lots of people who may not need another cookbook or kitchen gadget . . . so here are some great food/ingredient gift ideas:

Vital Choice Seafood - great gift options for seafood lovers
Grass-Fed Beef Gift Box - if you've never tried grass-fed beef, this is a good way to get started (yes, it tastes just as good as grain-fed, trust me)
Flower of the Ocean Sea Salt - this finishing salt is perfect for savory dishes - or for chocolate and caramel
Christopher Elbow artisinal chocolates - made in Missouri - beautiful and delicious chocolates
Mini lemon tree - grow your own lemons, even in the Midwest
Penzey's Spices - if you think you don't need new spices, you should smell Penzey's, then smell your current selection - you'll notice a huge difference
Anything from Zingerman's - their "of the month" clubs go way beyond fruit - try coffee, bread, bacon, olive oil, brownies, and more

No, it's not too late to have gifts shipped for Christmas - and when all else fails, sign up for a trial of Amazon Prime and get free 2-day or $3.99 overnight shipping on those last minute gifts!

Finally, you can't forget about food gifts for kids! I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to gifts for children, but if I had kids on my list, I would get them these toys:

Game of Tag

2008-12-15T22:00:00.000-06:00

I don't have anything exciting to blog about - we're still eating from the freezer. Tonight was a Kashi pizza topped with leftover roast beef. I did make Christmas cookies and treats Sunday, but I froze most of them and will finish that project this weekend.

However, Mandy, an awesome food blogger from the great state of Texas, tagged me in a little blog game. Mandy is getting ready to take the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) Exam, so stop by and wish her luck!

Here are 7 random things about me (that you probably don't care about):

I like to dip french fries (preferably McD's or Steak & Shake) in a chocolate Frosty (from Wendy's). I know . . . it is not only weird, but terrible for me as well. But once every three or four years can't be that bad, can it?
I hate fish. Actually I hate all seafood. Even shrimp and lobster. Even if it is breaded and fried. Even if it is dipped in a fr. . . just kidding, I've never tried to dip seafood in a Frosty. That would just be wrong.
I also hated tomatoes until a year or two ago. The tomato/mozzarella dish on the Ruby Tuesday salad bar converted me. Now I am obsessed with tomatoes. Black Krim tomatoes in particular.
I would like to learn how to can so I am able to make my own tomato sauce and salsa. I would also like to learn to make cheese.
Over the past year, I have tried a lot of new foods - organ meat sausages, pate, kombucha, raw milk, miso, ghee, and sprouted grain bread, to name a few. Most of them I really like, others I may develop a taste for over time.
I cannot cut onions - they make my eyes miserable. I use the frozen, diced kind 95% of the time.
Someday I would like to open a bakery. I hate it when restaurants use cheap, processed muffins/pastries/cookies/etc. Coffee shops are especially bad about this. Life is too short to eat junk that doesn't even taste good. Right?

Now, I'm tagging:
Lesley/The Meiers
Leah/My Favorite Things
Dana/It's A Wonderful Life
Jaime/Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Julie/A Cook in the Kitchen
Lane/Home Cooking is What I Like
Heather/Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

TGIF Sundae for Two

2008-12-12T17:15:00.000-06:00

As we continue to clean out our freezer, I continue to find random things I forgot I had. Today I found two puff pastry cups, leftover from our anniversary dinner. I decided to make a quick and easy version of a dessert I had once at the Garth Mansion (theirs is a banana wrapped in puff pastry with ice cream and chocolate - it is awesome). We were really happy with how it turned out - but then again - look at the ingredients . . . how this not make you happy?

TGIF Sundae for Two
2 frozen puff pastry cups
2 bananas (not too ripe), sliced
1 tbsp. butter
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar (or to taste)
vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

For chocolate ganache:
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1. Bake puff pastry cups according to package directions (in my case, 20-25 min. at 400 degrees).
2. Meanwhile (5-10 minutes into baking), melt butter in a small skillet, add bananas and sugar and cook until bananas are tender and begin to caramelize.
3. While bananas cook, heat cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not let cream boil. When bubbles begin to form at the edge, remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside. (Alternatively, you could use prepared chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce)
4. Allow pastry cups to cool for a few minutes after baking.
5. To serve: Fill each cup with 1/4 banana slices, top with a small scoop of ice cream, spoon 1/4 of bananas over ice cream, drizzle chocolate ganache over entire sundae and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Oh, and the final step . . .
6. Thank God for blessings such as chocolate, bananas, ice cream, puff pastry, and Friday!

BB: Coq Au Vin

2008-12-11T18:49:00.001-06:00

Bethany chose the first Barefoot Bloggers recipe for the month of December - Coq Au Vin. The recipe can be found on the Food Network website or in The Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics cookbook. Many of the Barefoot Bloggers recipes I either really look forward to or kind of dread, but this didn't fall into either category. I wanted to try it because it is a classic recipe, but at the same time . . . it's just chicken cooked in wine. That is the great thing about Barefoot Bloggers -it pushes me to make things I might normally skip over or put off until later (when I get a Dutch oven, when I don't already have so many dirty dishes in the sink).

So what was the outcome? I feel the same way I did before cooking Coq Au Vin. Kind of neutral. I think I made one major mistake: I used a bottle of red wine I found on our wine rack. It was a cheap bottle of red zinfandel (no offense to whomever is responsible for that - I say " found" because I know I have never bought a bottle of red zin). The recipe called for Burgundy . . . red zin is probably not a good substitute. There is a reason people advise against cooking with a wine you wouldn't drink.

Bad zinfandel flavor aside, we enjoyed the moist, tender (and yes, purple on the outside) chicken. My favorite part of making Coq Au Vin, however, was burning off the cognac. It almost melted our above-the-stove microwave, but it was exciting to see it flame up. (FYI - the recipe online doesn't include this step). I think I'll try this recipe again - with better wine and with the pot moved away from the appliances when I set it on fire!

See what the other members of Barefoot Bloggers thought of this recipe here.

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 1

2008-12-11T17:07:00.003-06:00

Great gifts for cooks, bakers, and people who like to eat

If you haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet and have any cooks on your list, I have a few suggestions to make your last-minute shopping easier:

Kitchen tools

BeaterBlade for KitchenAid Mixers - A built-in spatula/scraper for your mixer. I haven't tried this product, but it looks like a great idea!

Le Creuset Skillet - A groundbreaking product this is not; however, anyone who uses a skillet could benefit from having a Le Creuset. Cast iron skillets heat evenly and are a healthier option (both for people and for the planet) than using a nonstick skillet coated with Teflon.

Thermapen Professional Infrared Instant Read Ther mometer - Thermapen thermometers are recommended by the folks at Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen . . . think of it as an investment . . . the dividends will be perfectly cooked meat.

Stocking Stuffers:

Garlic Zoom - This is my favorite new gadget - yes, it looks silly . . . but it works! It chops garlic in a fraction of the time it would take to use a knife. And it is easy to clean (open at the seam in the middle and remove the blades - it's dishwasher safe). I actually look forward to recipes that call for fresh garlic because of the Garlic Zoom.

Kuhn Rikon Paring Knife - Nothing new here, but these are still must-have items. Not only are they cute, they also have a protective cover (great for brown bag lunches or picnics) and they cut - and release food - perfectly.

Microplane Zesters and Graters - The "must-have" of all "must-have" kitchen gadgets. Recipes calling for citrus zest, grated Parmesan, nutmeg, chocolate, etc. are instantly accessible with a Microplane. Like the Garlic Zoom, Microplanes are easy to clean. I know most serious cooks already have a Microplane (or two), but if yours doesn't - get them one. Now.

Cookbooks:
Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics - One of the hottest new releases this holiday season. Great for Ina Garten fans or anyone looking for something new - or a good version of a classic recipe. I just got this book, but I already have tabbed several recipes I want to try and I've always had good luck with Ina Garten's recipes.

Any books from the editors of Cook's Illustrated - In America's Test Kitchen, they test every recipe 30 to 70 times before publishing it, making it practically foolproof. All their books and recipes are awesome, but if I were forced to live with only one cookbook, I would pick The New Best Recipe.

The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper - If you read my blog regularly, you already know I'm a huge fan of How to Eat Supper. Check out some of the recipes I've sampled: fettuccine alfredo, flash chicken saute and roasted chicken with preserved lemon. I'm not always a fan of their food politics - but the good content and great recipes outweigh that aspect. This would be a great gift for anyone who enjoys cooking dinner and/or needs new weeknight recipes.

Magazine Subscriptions:
Magazine subscriptions are great gifts for people who love to cook because they give the recipient 12 months of fresh new recipes and inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites:

Bon Appetit

Everyday Food

Cooking Light

Watch for gifts of food and gifts for kids in part two of my holiday gift guide!

30 meals for $3 per serving

2008-12-10T07:38:00.000-06:00

Hy-Vee, my favorite grocery store in this area, has a new section on their website - 30 Meals for $3 per Serving. It includes recipes, shopping lists, and nutritional information for most of the main dishes. Here is one example:

Carribean Jerk Pork Tenderloin with baked sweet potatoes and applesauce

(Photo courtesy of Hyvee.com)

Even if you don't have a Hy-Vee nearby, I'm sure these recipes could be equally affordable using ingredients from your favorite local grocery store. What are your favorite low cost dinner ideas?

Cleaning the freezer + a recipe

2008-12-09T21:28:00.001-06:00

We're in "clean out the freezer" mode. We need to get it organized and clear out some space - we should have some new beef arriving (grass-fed Shorthorn beef from Dad) in January. I try to minimize the amount of food I waste (although I still have room for improvement), so I end up shoving lots of stuff in the freezer. Over-ripe bananas, for example. I made spelt banana muffins (the recipe was from the VitaSpelt bag - good but nothing special), which helped clear out 3 bananas. However, I froze half the muffins to have on hand for breakfast when I'm in a hurry. 3 bananas out = 10 muffins in . . .

Tonight I made "True Fettuccine Alfredo" because I had fresh pasta and cream on the verge of expiration. I also baked a thin crust spinach and garlic frozen pizza and cut it into breadstick-like slices to serve with the pasta (and I can take the leftovers to work tomorrow). One frozen pizza out of the way, one or two to go.

"True Fettuccine Alfredo" comes from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper cookbook. It is an excellent recipe, both easy and delicious. How to Eat Supper would be a good book for almost any cook you know. It has a nice mix of recipes, from basic to exotic, but none are overly complicated. It also has good stories, poems, quotes, and little bits of useful information. Since I got it this summer, it has become one of my go-to cookbooks - and I've given a copy to my mom and my dad as well. Anyway, on to the recipe:

The True Fettuccine Alfredo

5 quarts salted water
1 pound fettuccine (I like the "fresh" kind from the refrigerated section; the recipe actually calls for imported)
6 tbsp. butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
(My addition: a few tablespoons (chopped) of whatever fresh herbs are available - tonight I used thyme, rosemary, and Italian parsley)
(You could also add cooked chicken breast or shrimp)

Directions:
1. Bring pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the pasta and boil it, stirring often, for approximately 7 minutes or until the pasts is slightly undercooked. Immediately drain it into a colander.
2. As soon as the pasta goes in the water, put the butter in a straight-sided 12-inch saute pan/skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, taking care not to let it brown. Set the pan aside until the pasta is done.
3. Once the pasta is draining, reheat the butter over medium-high heat. Turn the pasta and cream into the saute pan, and toss to thoroughly coat the noodles. Continue to toss the pasta for 2-3 minutes, so the cream can permeate the pasta. There should be very little cream in the pan.
4. Finally toss in the cheese, starting with 1 1/2 cups and adding more to taste. Toss for 20 seconds. Season the pasta to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Add fresh herbs. Serve immediately. - Adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

P.S. If you get the book, you can read about the history of fettuccine alfredo and find out why this version is "The True Fettuccine Alfredo."

Candied Orange Peel

2008-12-08T20:56:00.000-06:00

I've always been intrigued by candied orange peel, maybe because I just couldn't imagine how an orange peel - something you normally throw away - could be transformed into edible candy.

I made this to garnish my orange-cranberry cake for Advent by Candlelight. To be honest, I printed out a recipe . . . and threw away the recipe when I was finished, because the piece of paper was sticky. Of course, now I can't find that recipe online, but if you're interested in trying candied orange peel, here are a few options: Use Real Butter and Epicurious.
My only tips are: a) make this ahead - not the same afternoon you need it; and b) beware any recipe that calls for paper towels . . . I saw one that called for drying the peel on paper towels after boiling in sugar water - my orange peels were sticky and would have been permanently coated in paper towel if I had done that!

Orange Cake with Cranberry Filling

2008-12-04T21:14:00.001-06:00

I found this recipe last winter in Paula Deen's Christmas magazine. It is a perfect holiday dessert - the cranberry filling, sweet orange icing, and light, airy cake are a great combination. I made this to take to our Advent by Candlelight at church last Sunday night. My neighbor Carolyn asked me to co-host a table with her and offered me the choice of putting together the table setting or making the dessert. I am so glad I chose the dessert because her table setting was absolutely beautiful - I wish I had taken a picture of it. The cake recipe follows (it is a little more time consuming than . . . using a cake mix . . . but it's well worth the effort!):

Orange Cake with Cranberry Filling

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 tsp orange extract

1 tsp orange zest

3 cups cake flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup whole buttermilk

5 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Orange Cranberry Filling (see below)

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.In a large bowl, beat at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in orange extract and orange zest.

In a small bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt, sift twice. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake 20-23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread 1/3 of cranberry filling between each cake layer. Spread Orange Cream Cheese Frosting on side and top of cake. Pipe remaining frosting around top of cake, if desired. Spread remaining cranberry filling over top of cake. Store in refrigerator.

Orange-Cranberry Filling

1 (16 oz) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur*

1 tbsp sugar

In a small saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, orange-flavored liqueur, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, 12 minutes or until thickened.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (make about 4 cups)

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur*

1 tbsp orange zest

6 cups confectioners' sugar

* Freshly squeezed orange juice can be substituted for if you do not have or do not wish to use orange liqueur.

Candied orange peel recipe coming soon!

Pheasant with Leek and Pecan Stuffing

2008-12-03T21:56:00.002-06:00

Last week, while I was baking pies and shopping for Black Friday bargains, my husband was pheasant hunting in Montana. He had a great trip and returned home with several birds, so I'm now searching for phesant recipes. Our first pheasant recipe of the winter (with exception to Ken's beer battered stuff) came from The Silver Palate cookbook. The photo in the cookbook shows two perfectly roasted pheasants, with beautiful golden stuffing. As you'll notice below, mine turned out slightly less picturesque.

Ken really enjoyed this recipe. Despite my phobia of eating wild game, I actually thought the pheasant was good. However, I thought the leeks overwhelmed the stuffing.

I originally planned to make this Sunday night, but we moved it up to Wednesday so we wouldn't have to freeze and thaw the birds. I think that was a mistake, because getting home from work and trying to get this on the table at a reasonable hour made me feel a little rushed. While I was cooking, I had to fight the urge to add lemon and garlic to the recipe. I probably should have given in - the citrus might have helped balance the leeks. I also felt compelled to add flour to the sauce to create gravy. It would have been smart to ignore that urge, because we ended up with lumpy sauce . . .

Pheasant with Leek and Pecan Stuffing
2 young pheasants, thoroughly defrosted if frozen
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
3 cups chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter
10 medium-size leeks, white part only, well rinsed and thinly sliced
6 cups crumbs from good-quality white bread
2 cups toasted pecans
1 cup finely chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
4 strips of pancetta (about 4 oz.) (I used prosciutto)
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Rinse pheasants thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Chop the neck, heart, and gizzard (save liver for another use).*

2. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brown the neck and giblets well in oil, turning frequently. Add the onion, carrot, and 1 tsp. marjoram. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

3. Uncover the pan, add thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and stock, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Strain the stock, discarding solids, and reserve.

4. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Stir in sliced leeks and cook, covered, until the leeks are very tender, about 30 minutes.

5. Toss the leeks, including their butter, with the bread, pecans, chopped parsley, and remaining 2 tbsp. marjoram. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Toss again. If the stuffing seems dry, add 1/4 cup of reserved broth.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff the pheasants loosely and drape the breasts with pancetta. Tie in place with kitchen twine and set the pheasants in a shallow roasting pan.

7. Set the roasting pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with any juices that accumulate (or with broth if no juices accumulate). Halfway through cooking, I added 2 strips of bacon to the top of each pheasant, because no fat or juices were accumulating from the pheasant or the prosciutto. The pheasants are done when the thighs, pricked with a fork at their thickest part, dribble clear yellow juices. Remove pheasants from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm.

8. Pour excess fat out of the roasting pan (wild pheasants are not likely to have excess fat . . . ). Pour reserved stock and heavy cream into the pan and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is reduced by about 1/3. Taste and add seasoning (salt/pepper) if necessary.

9. Carve the pheasants and arrange meat on a platter. Mound stuffing in the center and drizzle the meat and stuffing with a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Serve immediately, passing remaining sauce in a gravy boat.

* Ken had already removed the giblets, hearts and necks, so I skipped this step.
I think this recipe was created for farm-raised pheasant, because wild pheasant has very little, if any, fat - so I had no "accumulation" in the roasting pan. If you make this with wild pheasant, you might want to add some butter or olive oil to the pheasant.

Thanksgiving in Pictures

2008-12-03T19:47:00.000-06:00

This is a short photo essay of my Thanksgiving. I didn't take a picture of any entire meal, including the main T-day dinner (because everyone was ready to eat and I didn't think turning the table into a photo studio - and keeping people from their food even longer - was a good idea) . . . but here are some bits and pieces:

We started Wednesday night with Raclette (my mom had to have the grocery store special order Raclette cheese - it was worth it!) . . .

My dad made a tart - I'm not sure what it is called, but it is chocolate crust, marscapone cheese-based filling, and cranberry topping with crystallized ginger.

Mmmm . . . so good . . .This is the pie & wine table. I wanted to turn it into the grown-up kids table (who needs stuffing when you have a table full of pie and wine?) . . .

Dad and I taught Caleb how to make pie crust and apple pies; he did a great job with the crusts!

I made mini mincemeat pies for my uncle Gary - like our little holiday studio setup?These were labeled as blue fingerling potatoes - but the look a lot like Peruvian purples to me . . . either way, you have to agree this is a pretty potato . . .Of course, everything is pretty when it's covered in cream and Parmesan . . .
This, by the way, was a great potato recipe (but it doesn't make great leftovers, so eat it up right away).

Menu plan

2008-12-01T22:29:00.001-06:00

Monday - Baked mac & cheese with ham (leftover Eden Farms spiral sliced ham from Thanksgiving weekend)

Tuesday - Whatever soup is in the freezer - taco soup or Mexican chicken soup

Wednesday - Chicken forestiere with sauteed collard greens

Thursday - Hamburgers and baked fries (sweet potato fries???)

Friday - eating out

Saturday - @ football game party/holiday party

Sunday - Pheasant with leek and pecan stuffing, buttered sweet potato knots

BB: Mexican Chicken Soup and Roasted Onions

2008-11-30T21:40:00.004-06:00

I'm a little behind on posting my November Barefoot Bloggers recipes. November has gone by so fast - it feels like it should still be October to me. This month's recipes were Mexican Chicken Soup, chosen by Judy, and Herb Roasted Onions, chosen by Kelly. I liked both recipes - although neither turned out exactly as I expected. I didn't get a picture of the onions; they were actually pretty good (I'm not normally a huge fan of eating onions on their own) . . . but I still think they would make a better sandwich or burger topper than side dish. You can see what the other members of Barefoot Bloggers thought of these recipes here.

Mexican Chicken Soup

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (I used boneless/skinless)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed (I used tomatoes with green chiles)
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (omitted)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional (I used dried cilantro)
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips (I used shredded Mexican cheese - I didn't have avocado, sour cream, or chips on hand)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.
-Recipe from Ina Garten/FoodNetwork.com

Herb Roasted Onions

2 red onions
1 yellow onion
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Recipe from Ina Garten/FoodNetwork.com

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-11-18T16:55:00.003-06:00

"Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food." - Hippocrates

When Hippocrates wrote this quote, I'm not sure chicken noodle soup is what he had in mind . . . but when I get sick, it is my medicine of choice. I think canned chicken noodle soup is so gross - but fortunately, this version is easy and really tasty. I planned to make the full amount of stock, then half the soup (since I was pretty much only consuming the stock for 2 days) - but I went a little overboard with noodles (using up the rest of a package).

If you're not sick, just in need of a good bowl of soup - I recommend using the optional cream and Parmesan - it really adds a lot. However, if you've got the flu, it's best to skip the optional ingredients. Although it really stinks to be sick, I'm thankful for finding a chicken soup recipe that tastes good, whether you need it for medicine or just for supper.

The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup

Stock:
1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) fryer chicken, cut up - OR - 2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, breasts)
3 1/2 quarts water
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 chicken bouillon cubes (optional - but use lots of salt if you omit)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soup:
2 cups sliced carrots (I used baby carrots)
2 cups sliced celery
2 1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup cooking sherry
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty French bread, for serving

Directions
For the stock: add all ingredients to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion. You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin, and cartilage. Set chicken aside.

For the soup: bring stock back to a boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. When noodles are done, add chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry and rosemary. Add Parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding salt and pepper. Enjoy along with a nice hot crusty loaf of French bread.

P.S. I'm trying to rehabilitate the poor little rosemary plant I'd been neglecting this fall:

Chocolate Chess Pie

2008-11-16T17:40:00.007-06:00

Now that you know how to make pie crust, here is a very simple and very, very delicious pie recipe:Chocolate Chess Pie

4 heaping tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup pecans (halves or pieces)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened evaporated milk
optional: 1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour into 9-inch unbaked pie shell. Bake 30 minutes. Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

(Note to my friend B.: this would be a great way to use that pie crust I left in your freezer. It is very easy and wonderful . . . just get the pie crust out of the freezer about 30-45 minutes before you bake the pie.)

How to Make Flaky Pie Crust

2008-11-14T20:06:00.020-06:00

Confession: I used to think making pie dough was intimidating. My grandma and my dad both make good pie crust, and I was content to let them bake the pies . . . but then I moved away from home and realized if I wanted a pie with good crust, I'd have to learn to make my own. Trust me, it's not difficult - with a little practice, you'll be an expert before you know it.

Before we get started, I need to make one important point: this is a flaky pie crust, not a pretty pie crust. I'm sure there are experts out there capable of making flaky and pretty pie crust, but for the rest of us . . . we'll just focus on flaky pie crust.

Step 1: Gather all your equipment and ingredients, and get your counter top prepared.
Equipment note: I roll out my pie dough on a silpat (silicone baking mat), but there are lots of alternatives if you don't have one: wax paper, parchment paper, pastry cloth, etc. Which rolling pin to use? I like the plain, cheap, wooden French rolling pin
(I have three rolling pins - including a fancy nonstick silicone type - but the simple one is the best).

Step 2: Cut 1 cup butter and 1 cup Crisco into cubes; place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent melting, thus resulting in tender, flaky crust.
Step 3: Measure 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp. salt into a food processor (or bowl if you don't have a food processor). Add butter and Crisco; pulse until crumbly and pieces are slightly larger than peas. I press "pulse" 20-25 times, but it could vary. Equipment note: If you don't have a food processor, use a large mixing bowl and a pastry blender for this step. Step 4: Transfer to a large mixing bowl:
Step 5: Pour about 3/4 of the milk into the bowl. Toss with fingers until combined. Add remaining milk to moisten dry particles at the bottom of the bowl, if necessary. The amount of liquid you need varies, depending on the temperature, humidity, and whatever additional strange cosmic forces affect pie dough. Step 6: When all ingredients are combined, divide dough in half, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Step 7: Remove dough from the refrigerator; allow dough to stand at room temperature a few moments. Begin to shape it into a large disc:Step 8: Generously flour your work surface. Keep additional flour nearby for dusting dough, rolling pin, and work surface. Step 9: Roll dough out to desired thickness and size (be sure to flour rolling pin and top of dough, possibly several times). Keep pie plate nearby to help gauge size; you want dough to be about 2" (diameter) larger than your pie plate. Note: yes, there are chunks of fat in the dough - this is important - it creates the flakiness!Step 10: Pick up silpat (wax paper, etc.) and invert on top of pie plate, gently release dough from silpat. Gently press dough into pan; crimp edges with fingers. Note: sometimes it is helpful to place the pie pan full of dough into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before crimping the edges, especially on a hot day. Viola! A homemade pie crust, sure to bake up flaky and delicious!

Flaky Pie Crust
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 cup Crisco
2/3 cup milk

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening until they are in pieces about 1/2-inch square. Pour 3/4 of (2/3 cup) milk in and toss with fingers to combine. Add remaining milk to moisten dry particles at the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Makes 2 crusts.
- Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

What kind of pie are you going to make? Check out my Chocolate Chess Pie and Apple Pie!

P.S. Mom - now you have illustrated instructions!

California

2008-11-13T07:15:00.002-06:00

I'm back from my trip to the San Francisco area. The business I work for had an exhibit at the Weston A. Price Foundation's Wise Traditions conference.

The conference was great, but one of the highlights for me was finding heirloom tomatoes at Whole Foods (an amazingly big Whole Foods, by the way). Californians are so lucky to have a longer growing season than we do here in the Midwest. I also picked up samples of Celtic Sea Salt at the conference . . . good salt makes everything taste better! As an added bonus, Celtic Sea Salt is unrefined and contains minerals your body needs to maintain good health. This is great news for me, because I like salt!

In addition to sea salt samples, here are the other things I picked up at the conference:

Meals That Heal: A Nutritional Makeover (a cookbook to help transition to traditional/nourishing foods). I really want to learn to make some healthy beverages, such as lemon cooler (see below).
Chocolate Crispy Almond Cookies from Grindstone Bakery
A raw milk t-shirt
Raw milk and kombucha from Organic Pastures (we had fun getting to know the Organic Pastures staff; unfortunately, we couldn't bring their products home)
Lemon cooler from Three Stone Hearth (we were all sad we couldn't bring this home)
Rosemary salt and lavender salt
Salsa and relish from Zukay Live Foods

Update: I forgot about these things:

Ghee from Pure Indian Foods
Olive Oil from Chaffin Family Orchards (really, really nice people!)
Salmon Marinade from Vital Choice (also really, really nice people!)

I've got lots of things to cook and lots of things to post about, but I'm still catching up on rest, dishes, and laundry . . .

Blogging by Mail

2008-11-12T20:40:00.004-06:00

My Blogging by Mail package arrived! Look at all the awesome goodies Chef Barbie sent me:

More details coming soon (tonight is the season premiere of Top Chef!) . . . until then, a BIG thank you to Chef Barbie for my awesome package and to Stephanie for organizing Blogging by Mail!

Update:
My Blogging by Mail package contained:

Peppercot sauce (apricot/pepper)
3 Ghirardelli chocolate bars ("for baking or eating," according to Chef Barbie)
A pink potholder and matching towel
Watermelon print napkins
Recipe cards
Locally produced honey
Vanilla beans
A cupcake ornament - so cute!
A cute cupcake card, explaining why she can't live without all these things
And finally, my favorite part: little green Le Creuset pinch bowls ("for mise en place") - I love them! They match all my green stuff perfectly and will be great for getting spices and seasonings measured out and organized.

Again, thanks to Chef Barbie for the wonderful goodies and thanks to Stephanie for organizing Blogging by Mail!

My Halloween Tradition

2008-11-01T21:57:00.001-05:00

What we lacked in trick-or-treaters, we made up for in chocolate cookies! Last fall I found an awesome chocolate cookie recipe on Orangette (the recipe is originally from Alice Medrich) and made them on Halloween. They are so tasty and so easy - and not as bad for you as lots of chocolate cookies . . . so they have officially become my Halloween tradition. I also made a variation of this recipe with pumpkin. The variation recipe can be found here; I followed it exactly up to the point where I rolled the balls of dough in powdered sugar prior to baking.

Ken liked the pumpkin-chocolate cookies but I wasn't as crazy about them . . . I guess I am a purist when it comes to chocolate (I can't stand the thought of chocolate + raspberry or chocolate + orange . . . but pumpkin + chocolate doesn't seem quite as bad . . .). In celebration of Halloween and pure chocolate, here is the recipe:

Chewy Cocoa Cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
7 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup plain yogurt (sour cream may be substituted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips (or other mix-in)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave briefly, until just melted. Add the sugars, and sift in the cocoa. Stir to blend well. The mixture will be somewhat thick and pasty, like wet sand. Add the yogurt and vanilla and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the dry flour mixture, and stir to just combine. Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.

Drop the dough by generous tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. You should be able to fit about 8 or 9 cookies, nicely spaced, on a standard sheet pan. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies have crackled slightly and look set. Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack, and cool the cookies on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. - from Orangette, originally from Alice Medrich