Hungry Yet?

Buttermilk Roasted Chicken

2012-02-11T22:52:00.001-05:00

Inspired by Smitten Kitchen's efforts with buttermilk chicken, I decided to try it, too. There's always leftover buttermilk, and I'm always up for new ideas on how to use it. I marinated a whole chicken in buttermilk with herbs and spices and things and then roasted it, minus the excess liquid, for the usual amount of time. And you know what? It's really good--even if you do only marinate it for a couple of hours. Ahem. Maybe if I did it a full day I'd be exclaiming even more. But really, roast chicken makes me happy almost any day of the week, and there are millions of tasty variations. I'm going to have to try this again, with different flavorings I think, and possibly even more time in the buttermilk, just to see what I can see.
It was a roast-everything night, with roasted butternut squash, carrots, and shallots with maple syrup
And roasted beets with oranges

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Cashew Chicken in Lettuce Cups

2012-02-04T23:05:00.001-05:00

I love rice, but I've realized that sometimes it's just a vehicle for what goes with it. So for this cashew chicken recipe, I served it with large lettuce leaves, which we used to make mini green burrito-like packages. The end result was spicy and crunchy, and it was finger food, which is always fun.

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Chocolate PB Rice Krispie Bars

2012-01-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

Theme and variation on the avalanche bars I made for the holidays. I used lots of semisweet chocolate chips, crunchy peanut butter, mini marshmallows, with extra peanuts on top. Yum.

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Hot Buttered Pretzels

2012-01-21T17:46:00.001-05:00

Really the name says it all: these are soft, chewy pretzels that are basted in butter when they come out of the oven. They're perfect with honey mustard and cold beer--if they last that long. These didn't, but I was asked to make them every week (we compromised at once a month).

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Seared Scallops with Multi-Grain Couscous

2012-01-14T20:37:00.001-05:00

The scallops were simply seared, a little olive oil and butter and salt and pepper. The couscous was the Giada recipe I've been loving but using Trader Joe's Harvest Grains blend, which combines pearl couscous with red and green orzo, tiny dried chickpeas, and red quinoa. Because I was impatient, the salad was served warm, which made it yummy, almost risotto-y.
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Beef Bourguignon

2012-01-07T13:06:00.001-05:00

Beef bourguignon is one of my favorite dishes to make. It's rich and meaty, full of wine, and requires very little effort on my part. For this, I browned some cubed sirloin, and then added in some shallots and carrots. Next, I poured in some chicken stock, a bottle of red wine, and some rosemary and thyme, and let it come to a boil. Then I turned it down to a simmer and let it cook for a couple of hours. At the end, I adjusted with salt and pepper, a little cornstarch slurry (for thickness and gloss), and the non-traditional-but-tasty-to-me spoonful of raspberry jam (currant would work too.)

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Happy 2012

2012-01-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

Key lime meringue pie is a great way to start the new year. After all butter and chocolate of the holidays, this tart pie with a cloud of toasted meringue on top cuts through all the richness.

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Gingerbread Layer Cake with Cranberries

2011-12-31T12:55:00.001-05:00

We had this for dessert on Christmas. Spicy with lots of added ginger, tart with a cup of fresh cranberries tossed in, and creamy with cream cheese frosting.

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Christmas Feast

2011-12-26T21:02:00.001-05:00

For Christmas this year, unlike with Thanksgiving, I did try not go overboard. Not sure if I succeeded, but either way, we ate very well. After a few nibbles of chocolate from our stockings, we had brunch with my Mom's Famous Christmas Bread (aka stollen), scrambled eggs, fresh berry salad, cheese, oven-baked bacon, and grapefruit.

For dinner we had shrimp scampi, roasted potato stacks, green beans, roasted butternut squash, and challah rolls.

And the vegetarians had roast beast:

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Christmasy Cookies

2011-12-20T21:57:00.001-05:00

Every year I say the same thing--that I'm not going to go overboard--and every year I end up making a ton of cookies. It's not that I don't like baking cookies--clearly--but there's only so many hours in a day, nor is there a need for bazillions of cookies and candies. This year my list kept growing and growing, but I was finally able to narrow it down to a mere 10 items. After I baked the first eight all in one day, and I had trouble locating not-uncommon ingredients for the last two, I decided it was a sign and called it a day. Starting at the bottom of this picture, there are triple peanut cookies with peanut m&ms, salty caramel oat caramelitas, chocolate-dipped toasted coconut macaroons, coal cookies with white chocolate chips, chewy ginger spice cookies (hiding at the very top), almond buttercrunch, and avalanche bars. Not pictured are the peanut butter-oat dog biscuits I made, but the dog has tested them and declared them very tasty. She didn't even bother trying to hide these--as is her usual with a treat--and just ate them right up.

Penne with Four Cheeses

2011-12-11T21:06:00.001-05:00

Comfort is ... pasta baked with four creamy cheeses (Vermont cheddar, Cambazola, smoked Gouda, and Leerdaamer.) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Avalanche Bars

2011-12-03T08:36:00.001-05:00

At first glance, these are just Rice Krispie treats with lots of marshmallows. But what they really are is Rice Krispies mixed with white chocolate, peanut butter, mini chocolate chips and lots of marshmallows. They're over-the-top, and not a little sweet--and regular Rice Krispie treats just don't seem the same anymore. Thanks to Cookies & Cups for the recipe.

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Thanksgiving Catch-Up

2011-11-30T21:52:00.001-05:00

I've now recovered sufficiently from Thanksgiving to say a little about the non-dessert foods we had. The thing with Thanksgiving foods, though, is that the menu is fairly predictable--which is both good and bad. I always have a long list of things to try, but I don't want to (or can't) take out one of the regulars, and there's already a lot of food. I'm not sure how people do different themes every year, though I appreciate the creativity. The turkey was about 14 lbs--more than enough for our group of 11, which included vegetarians. It's resting on a bed of cilantro, well, because why not? Plus, three of us each bought big bunches of it. Everything else is vegetarian-friendly, save for the gravy.

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Thanksgiving Just Desserts

2011-11-26T00:28:00.001-05:00

After the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and squash, there's not always a lot of room for dessert on Thanksgiving. Still, I usually make three or four pies and cakes so we can have choices. But this year, thinking more is better, and having more people over, I made seven desserts. Yes, seven--it's not like I made 19 pies or anything. From front to back, we had classic apple pie, raspberry key lime tart, pumpkin chiffon pie, carrot cake, chocolate-cranberry-pecan pie, apple crumble cake, and mocha buttercrunch pie. Possibly it was too much ... but I don't think so. One day later, and there's not too much left.
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Israeli Couscous with Cranberries, Apples and Almonds

2011-11-21T21:48:00.001-05:00

This recipe, from Giada, is one of my new favorites. Israeli, or pearl, couscous is mixed with dried cranberries, chopped up apple, and toasted almonds, all in an herby apple cider vinaigrette. It's good hot ... warm ... or just out of the fridge, if it lasts that long. I served this with apricot chicken, maple roasted butternut squash and carrots, and a big green salad.

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All-in-One-Thanksgiving Cake

2011-11-20T21:18:00.001-05:00

This recipe combines pumpkin, apples, pecans, and cranberries. Technically, I think it's called an all-in-one holiday cake, but to me it just says Thanksgiving. All that's missing is the turkey--but I don't want turkey in my cake. I was a little dubious with the combination--everything all in together?--but it's so good. It's not too sweet, and it disappeared very quickly. It was a great first use for my cool new cathedral Bundt pan.

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

2011-11-15T21:22:00.001-05:00

I love apple cider doughnuts--warm, sweet, crispy, and slightly apply. What's not to love? But I don't love frying, so I decided to make doughnut muffins instead. I used a doughnut muffin recipe from KAF and one of my new favorite products: boiled cider syrup. Once the muffins are brushed with butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, I don't know that they're any healthier than a regular doughnut. They are easier to make, though, and that makes a difference.

Sandwich Perfection

2011-11-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

This is not just a sandwich. This is apples, d'Affinois, bacon, and avocado. Crunchy, sweet, creamy, salty, and smooth. On challah, no less.

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Acorns and Candy Corn

2011-10-31T21:37:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween! These little acorns are super easy to make--which is good, because they disappear very quickly. A Hershey's kiss is topped with a mini peanut butter sandwich cookie, which is then topped with a mini chocolate chip. Done. The pizza below is meant to resemble candy corn, at least in appearance. I made wide stripes of Alfredo and tomato sauce, and then a combination of the two. Once the pizza baked and the cheese melted, the candy corn resemblance kinda faded. But having three sauces on one pizza was pretty tasty nonetheless.

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Apple Crumb Pie

2011-10-28T21:41:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that October is almost over, and this is my first apple pie of the season. There are so many kinds of apple pie (tarts, tortes, tatins), and I feel it's my duty to investigate them all. The things I do. I picked this recipe when I wanted pie and a voice chimed in for something cobblery (the sugary, crunchy topping, I think.). The base recipe is from Martha, but I added lots of ginger (to the topping and filling), used dried cranberries instead of raisins, and used a springform pan instead of a pie plate, which seems to have disappeared (and wouldn't have been deep enough anyhow.)

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Smashed Potatoes

2011-10-25T20:57:00.001-05:00

New potatoes are good boiled and they're good roasted. And this recipe combines both of those things. Plus, smashing the potatoes is fun. The potatoes are boiled in salted water til tender, drained, smashed, and then baked with a little olive oil til golden brown and crispy. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-10-20T21:05:00.001-05:00

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite things. These cookies have both chocolate and peanut butter in the dough and then again in the chips, in the form of the tiniest pb cups ever, from King Arthur Flour. Though micro-mini pb cups are hard to find and you might be tempted to use pb chips and chocolate chips instead, I can say from experience that the cookies will not taste the same, nor half as good. These pb cups don't melt into the dough, and they actually taste like peanut butter, which is not always the case. The recipe, also from KAF, can be found here.

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Apples n' Honey Challah

2011-10-10T22:54:00.001-05:00

Tis the season for apples and honey, but it's hard to find a better combination for challah. Except maybe some soft butter on top. The round shape represents the circle of life and the cycle of a new year.

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Pear and Almond Tart

2011-09-30T21:31:00.002-05:00

Isn't this pretty? Even better, it was tasty too. The pears were poached in honey, ginger and white wine, and then baked in a almond crust with an almondy filling. A little whipped cream on the side didn't hurt either. The recipe is here.

I just noticed this is my 500th post. Wow ... who knew I had so much to say (and bake!)?

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Fierce Shrimp Fra Diavolo

2011-09-26T21:01:00.001-05:00

Fra diavolo, or brother devil, refers to a spicy, garlicky sauce that's often paired with seafood. I had some big shrimp just lounging in the freezer, so I pulled them out. Once defrosted, I tossed the shrimp with red pepper flakes and salt and then sautéed the shrimp til just cooked, only couple of minutes. I set the shrimp aside and sautéed sliced onions in the pan, later adding fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, oregano and white wine. After this cooked down a bit, the shrimp were added back in, with basil and parsley, just to blend the flavors. I served this over linguine.

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English Muffin Bread

2011-09-20T18:21:00.001-05:00

I like making all kinds of fresh bread, but this one is special--it's best as toast. Which is not to say that it's bad warm right out of the oven, or even cold, but it gets all sorts of crunchy nooks and crannies when put in the toaster. Adding butter and strawberry jam doesn't hurt either.

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Mounds of Joy Brownies

2011-09-10T20:43:00.001-05:00

What happens when an Almond Joy, Mounds, and a brownie collide? Deliciousness, clearly. I always wanted the two candy bars to combine, with coconut covered in dark chocolate AND almonds. So when I recently found a recipe for Mounds-like brownies, adding a layer of toasted whole almonds on top of the coconut wasn't even a question. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Challah Twists

2011-09-08T17:41:00.000-05:00

Summer hasn't yet disappeared, but the cooler weather today reminded me that fall is getting closer. Dinner tonight was warming: roast chicken, glazed carrots, and these challah twists right out of the oven. I made my usual challah loaf with half the dough and then 15 good-sized twists with the other half.

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Gnocchi with a Fontina-Basil Sauce

2011-09-06T21:37:00.005-05:00

It's hard to tell from this picture just how delicious these gnocchi are. Gnocchi are very popular around here, and there are some--one, at least--who would say they're fine plain, too. I, however, wanted a little something more and found this simple sauce that tastes like you really had to slave over a hot stove to make.

Fontina Sauce
(enough for 1 lb gnocchi)

2 Tbs butter
2-3 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
6-8 oz Fontina, cubed
1/3 c heavy cream
3 Tbs parmesan
2-3 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
Black pepper

Sauté the shallots in the butter til tender. Then add the cream and let cook til the mixture is almost boiling. Stir in the parmesan, basil and pepper and pour over the cooked gnocchi.

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Grilled Shrimp Lollipops

2011-08-31T21:32:00.001-05:00

Between vacation, a fierce cold, and then losing power for several days, I have some catching up to do here. However, I do have a recipe I made tonight, and it was both different and tasty. The basis for this came from watching Ming Tsai last night, when he made a deep-fried version of these shrimp skewers as an appetizer. The two ingredients he highlighted were kaffir lime leaves, which I always have in the freezer, and shallots, my favorite member of the onion family. He made a paste of the shallots, lime leaves, Thai bird chilis, unsweetened coconut, and shrimp and then molded the shrimp around a skewer and rolled it in rice flour. For me, since I wasn't frying these, I brushed the shrimp lightly with oil just before grilling and then cooked them for just a few minutes on each side. I served the shrimp over jasmine rice with a ginger-lime sauce and Bibb lettuce salad. You could also wrap the dumplings in the lettuce leaves if you want to skip the rice. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Vacation Food

2011-08-19T23:57:00.001-05:00

Steamed:

Tiny:

Crunchy:

Huge:

Sweet:

Toasty:

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Peach Season

2011-07-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

There's a lot of fabulous peach recipes out there.

Blackberry-peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, for example.

But mostly I just like eating them, preferably standing over the sink. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Triple Almond Scones

2011-07-21T17:43:00.001-05:00

Weekend guests call for a little something extra for breakfast. I made this recipe, adapted from Dorie's Baking cookbook, which uses a coarse almond flour, slivered almonds and almond extract. The scones were satisfying and not too sweet (though I did sprinkle a little extra sugar on top for added flavor and crunch.) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Storm the Gates

2011-07-14T22:07:00.001-05:00

In salute to Bastille Day and the end of the French Revolution, I made crepes for dessert tonight. The crepes were filled with raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and peaches, and a dollop of cream. A few toasted almonds were sprinkled on top.

Before that we had quiche, along with a big green salad and cantaloupe. The quiche was made with eggs, milk, spinach and fontal, a semi-soft cheese. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Drunken Pizza

2011-07-11T21:38:00.002-05:00

This pizza is neither intoxicated nor intoxicating, but it is full of beer. The dough is made with beer instead of water, and the added flavor really comes through. It's not that the pizza tastes strongly of beer, but the hops add a bit more something to what's usually a pretty good, though bland, crust. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Very Berry Fourth

2011-07-04T22:33:00.002-05:00

Happy 4th of July! We celebrated the holiday with family, food, and fireworks--an excellent combination. The dessert above is a lemon cake filled and topped with whipped cream, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Patriotic--and so tasty.

We grilled out (chicken sausage and veggie burgers) and also had corn on the cob, green beans and both carrot and potato salads.

And SwimmerGirl made lime snowcones.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Fest

2011-06-27T21:51:00.002-05:00

It's late June and I have a freezer-full of cookies. We've had some sudden breaks in the high heat, and I feel almost compelled to bake--if only because I can without heating up the whole house. Cookies are always good, and they store well too. The cookies above are toffee-oatmeal-chocolate-chip, based on the recipe in Diane Mott Davidson's "Crunch Time". The cookies below were perhaps a cry for more caffeine: chewy coffee chip cookies (like coffee chip ice cream, not with coffee-flavored chips) and thin, crispy mocha-cocoa chip cookies.

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Grilled Corn Cakes

2011-06-19T08:52:00.002-05:00

These corn cakes made an easy and different weekend lunch. Usually lunch is a pickup affair, often leftovers or just a sandwich. For this recipe we used frozen corn, which is actually what was called for in the recipe, but I bet it's even better with fresh corn. The corn is put into the food processor to break it up a bit, and then it's mixed with smoked mozzarella, breadcrumbs, sour cream, chives, and other seasonings. After being shaped into burgers, they're chilled for thirty minutes, rolled in breadcrumbs and then grilled til golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Strawberry Fields

2011-06-11T13:11:00.005-05:00

SwimmerGirl and I went strawberry picking last weekend at a farm about an hour away. The weather wasn't beautiful--but it wasn't 9,000 degrees either, a nice change. In the end, and despite my plans to have less, we picked over 11 lbs of strawberries. They're just so sweet and perfectly ripe right now--it was hard stopping when we did. Surprisingly, 11 lbs of strawberries isn't that hard to use up. On that first day we made strawberry shortcakes for lunch, strawberry daiquiris to drink, and a big strawberry-lime pie for dinner (yes, that was dinner.) A couple of days later, I made a big strawberry-blueberry soufflé, which was light and creamy and very easy to make.

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Lemony Layer Cake

2011-06-03T23:03:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to make this cake for a long time, but somehow other cakes kept jumping the line. The opportunity finally presented itself, though, and I'm very happy I made it. As is my usual way, I didn't follow one particular recipe but combined parts of ones I liked, with a few twists. The two cake layers are filled with a tart, tangy lemon curd, which I also folded into the frosting.

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Maple-Dijon Bacon and Creamy Eggs over Asparagus

2011-05-28T10:02:00.002-05:00

Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite meals. I love breakfast foods--and rarely get the chance to eat them in the morning. I saw these recipes on "5 Ingredient Fix" as part of a larger brunch but didn't feel the need for more. The bacon is glazed with maple syrup and Dijon mustard, so it's sweet but not too, and it literally melts in your mouth when you eat it. Baking it in the oven makes it super easy.

The eggs are soft and creamy, fully cooked, though, and without using any cream. They're slow- and low-cooked, so the protein doesn't develop into large curds. I cooked the asparagus on the stove, vs in the oven per the recipe, but either way works just fine. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oven-Baked Parmesan Fries

2011-05-21T08:03:00.000-05:00

Potatoes and cheese go together like, well, peanut butter and chocolate. Making these fries took a little more effort than sticking a Hershey bar in a jar of Skippy, but they were definitely worth it. I soaked the potatoes in cold water to remove some of the starch, parboiled and dried them, and then baked them in a hot oven with just a drizzle of olive oil. When they started getting brown, I sprinkled them with Parmesan and let them bake a little longer. Once out of the oven, I tossed them with more cheese, a little sea salt and some Italian seasoning.

Let the Grilling Begin

2011-05-12T08:43:00.000-05:00

The grill is clean, the weather is nice, and the bugs aren't too bitey yet. Grilling season has begun. Burgers were, of course, first on the menu. And though we often eat them on their own, I made challah buns for these burgers. Might have to do that again--they were really good.

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Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-05T21:22:00.002-05:00

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I put together a taco bar for dinner tonight. Warm cornmeal tortillas were topped with pulled chicken, black beans, fresh guacamole, crumbled queso fresco, chipotle cream, grated carrots, cilantro, and peach-mango salsa. I also made a grilled corn-red cabbage slaw that added more crunch and flavor.

Dessert was fresh, local strawberries dipped in sour cream and then brown sugar. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spinach and Feta Mini Quiches in Phyllo

2011-05-04T18:17:00.002-05:00

Quiche is pretty straightforward--a few eggs, milk, seasonings and some kind of filling. Making the crust, however, takes a little more effort. Phyllo dough is a nice solution--and it's lighter as well. I layered four sheets of phyllo, lightly brushed with olive oil in between, and then sliced the stack into six pieces. Each sixth was pressed into a greased muffin tin cup, repeating with more phyllo as needed, and then filled with the custard mixture and baked.

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Challah, Two Ways

2011-04-28T21:56:00.002-05:00

Five-strand challah, using my new, favorite recipe. And one loaf just for slicing, since sandwiches and toast are good, too.

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Non-Traditional Easter

2011-04-27T21:51:00.002-05:00

We don't have any hard and fast Easter meal traditions, and this year we went even further from any kind of norm--in a very tasty way. For brunch, I made my version of a Spanish piperrada and patatas bravas with a smoked paprika aioli. For dinner, we had pizza three ways: BBQ chicken Cobb salad, basil-Alfredo, and cheese with peppers and fresh tomatoes and lots of basil. Dessert was a creamy key lime pie.

Piperrada: Grilled bread topped with crisped jambon, soft scrambled eggs, and sautéed onions, roasted peppers and garlic with a dash of sherry vinegar.

Patatas bravas: Crispy potatoes topped with a garlicky smoked paprika aioli.

Above - Alfredo sauce, fresh basil, and parmesan. Below: BBQ sauce topped with chicken, bacon, Cambazola, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocado (added after baking).

Just a slice of key lime pie: Creamy and tart with lots of fresh lime juice and zest.

And Forgotten Cookies, or meringues with lots of mini chocolate chips and pecans, because I had egg whites left over from the pie. They somehow came out perfectly despite the growing humidity of the day.

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Muffaletta

2011-04-27T20:56:00.002-05:00

It's been pretty warm here recently. And while we're nowhere near New Orleans, a no-cook muffaletta sandwich sounded like just the right thing tonight. On a loaf of ciabatta that had been split in half, I spread a mixture of ground olives, a little smoked paprika aioli, French jambon, muenster and mozzarella cheeses, and roasted red and yellow peppers. All of this was weighted down in the fridge for several hours, and then sliced up into several big, delicious wedges.

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Cranberry-Orange Streusel Muffins

2011-04-15T09:03:00.002-05:00

This recipe is adapted from a blueberry muffin recipe and then topped with the streusel from another. It's not too sweet, and I added fresh ginger to the streusel for a little kick.

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Happy Challah

2011-04-07T22:03:00.002-05:00

I'm just going to come right out and say it: this is the best challah I've ever made. And I've made a lot of challah. It's not that the other recipes were bad--it's just that this one is so much better, and so very soft and tender. The recipe, which can be found here, comes from the book "97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement," by Jane Ziegelman. It's a good reading cookbook, too. Changes I made to the recipe: all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, one more tsp of yeast, and half the amount of salt. And I baked the bread for about 27 min. instead of 45.

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Banana Cake with Pecans and Coffee Buttercream

2011-04-02T11:11:00.002-05:00

This recipe, from Saveur, is delicious though a little different. The cake isn't super sweet, but the bananas and pecans take on a kind of caramelly flavor. The buttercream is, of course, rich; however, the coffee flavor really comes through, too.

Just a slice

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Lemon Orzotto

2011-03-29T12:10:00.002-05:00

Orzotto is like risotto, but it uses orzo pasta instead of rice. Because of this, the dish is ready sooner, as orzo doesn't take very long to cook. I cooked this just like I would risotto--with onions, white wine, Parmesan, salt and pepper, and a little butter--though I subbed vegetable broth for my usual chicken. I added the liquid slowly at first, and then poured the rest in and put the lid on for about 8 min. This makes a nice side, or it could be a main dish with more vegetables or protein added in. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guinness-Braised Chicken with Shallots

2011-03-22T12:44:00.001-05:00

I made this last night, and I've been kicking myself for not making it earlier in the year, when it was actually cold. Fall is only just around the corner, right? The recipe is simple, and the results are super flavorful. I marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs in Guinness and crushed garlic for about an hour. Then I browned the chicken, removed it from the pot, and let about 1 cup of sliced shallots cook down. To those, I added the Guinness from the marinade, then some sliced carrots, chicken broth, thyme, and salt and pepper. Then I added the chicken back to the pot, stirred it around, and let it simmer, mostly covered, for about an hour. The end result was very tender and juicy chicken that almost shredded itself. I served this over polenta with cheese. And now Guinness Week is over. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Chocolate-Guinness Cake

2011-03-19T17:49:00.008-05:00

Continuing the Guinness theme, I made a chocolate cake with it for St. Patrick's Day. The cake was rich and moist but light at the same time. The frosting, not the one paired with the cake recipe, was incredibly dark and chocolatey. I actually added a bit more sugar because it was too dark at first. And because I didn't have a pot of gold handy, I caramelized some hazelnuts and added them as a simple decoration around the base of the cake.

Dinner was more like brunch, and it wasn't overwhelmingly Irish. It was good, though: baked tomatoes with breadcrumbs and herbs, soft scrambled eggs, and asparagus.

Mushrooms sautéed in Guinness

Cheesy baked hash browns

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Irish Muffin Bread

2011-03-17T21:07:00.002-05:00

Think of an English muffin. What comes to mind? Lots of nooks and crannies, fork split, and crunchy when toasted but soft on the inside, right? This bread is just like that, though it doesn't need splitting. I've named this Irish muffin bread because I used Guinness instead of water. The bread doesn't taste like beer, but it does have a slightly deeper, malty flavor. The base recipe is from King Arthur Flour.

Thick slices toasted up and spread with butter and strawberry jam.

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Chicken Pot Pi

2011-03-15T12:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was National Pi Day, and to celebrate, I made a chicken pot pie. While the days are slowly warming up here, the nights still have a bit of chill to them and something warm and comforting like pot pie was just right. The recipe is loosely based on the traditional one in Fine Cooking. I used chicken breasts, shallots, carrots, red peppers, potatoes, and asparagus (I didn't have any peas handy, but I've never loved them in pot pie.) The longest part of the process was waiting for the chicken to defrost in the microwave. But while waiting, I made the pastry in the food processor and then tossed it in the freezer while I assembled the rest. Once in the oven, the pot pie filled the house with the scent of roasting chicken, butter, and aromatic vegetables. I almost burned my tongue when I started to eat because it smelled and looked so good, and I didn't want to wait any longer. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spinach and Three-Cheese Soufflé

2011-03-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

I keep saying this because it's true: soufflés are a lot easier to make than they seem, and they're always a big hit. Even if your soufflé doesn't rise sky-high, if you put sufficient flavor in the base, it will still taste good. But you can protect against low rising by adding an extra egg white, giving the beaten whites just a little more volume. For this soufflé, I lightly steamed some baby spinach--and I could have used a lot more, but I only had about a cup or two raw--and then squeezed it dry and chopped it fine. For the cheeses, I grated Parmesan, Gouda, and a goat Brie--but you can use what you like.

Alongside this, we had steamed asparagus with toasted hazelnuts

And a mixed berry salad

Spinach and Three-Cheese Souffle

10 eggs, separated (you'll need 10 whites and 8 yolks)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 Tbs unsalted butter
6 Tbs flour
2 c hot milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 bag baby spinach (steamed, squeezed dry, and chopped fine, or you can use frozen)
2 c grated cheese (use whatever combination you like)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a large souffle dish well, and then coat with grated cheese (like you would with flour for a cake.)

1. Start by making the white sauce: melt the butter, then add in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the hot milk and whisk til it's smooth and thickened. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

2. Off the heat, add the egg yolks, one or two at a time, and whisking them in quickly so they don't scramble. Then add the chopped spinach and cheese and mix well. Pour this mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, starting slowly and working your way up to high speed. Beat til the egg whites are stiff but not dry.

4. Whisk about one quarter of the egg whites into the sauce mixture. Then, carefully fold the rest of the whites into that mixture, til it's well blended (a few little bits of white are ok, better to keep the volume.)

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish. Carefully put this into the oven, and turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Bake for 25-30 min.--and don't open the oven til it's about done, browned on top and not too jiggly. If it seems not quite ready, cook for a few minutes more, but it will continue cooking even out of the oven, too. Serve immediately.

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Sunday Brunch

2011-03-07T20:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was rainy--really rainy--but we were cozy inside with good friends and warm food. The night before I put together a big strata, with layers of bread, cheese, onions and peppers and then soaked in a mixture of milk and eggs. This was refrigerated and then popped into the oven about an hour before everyone arrived. It came out puffed up and golden, a savory, delicious sort of bread pudding.

I also made a coffee cake that included lots of fresh ginger and was swirled with crunchy pecans and brown sugar.

We also had a big berry salad--blueberries, raspberries and strawberries--a couple of different cheeses, and, of course, lots of coffee.

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Spicy Banana Curry with Lobster and Shrimp

2011-02-26T14:52:00.003-05:00

It's a rough world when you're looking to make a quick and tasty meal after a long week and you just happen to have lobster and shrimp waiting to be eaten. This dish is a further variation on a recipe from Fine Cooking: I used shrimp and lobster instead of halibut, twice as much curry paste plus a healthy dose of sriracha, and peanut butter in place of half the peanuts. Curry is super flexible, and there are endless variations. This one was delicious, and it was done by the time the rice was cooked.

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Raspberry-Apricot-Almond Danish

2011-02-20T23:21:00.002-05:00

I made this pastry for a brunch we had today. Because I had the dough already made, leftover from a previous experiment, it was pretty easy to put together before everyone arrived. I took the dough out of the freezer, went to pick up some bagels, came back and rolled it out, filled it with raspberry and apricot preserves and a ground almond mixture, closed the braid, let it rest for 30 min., and then baked it for 20 min. Relatively quick and extremely tasty, and there's now only a sliver of it left.

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Valentine's Macarons

2011-02-14T22:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! This year I decided to tackle a project I've been talking about for over a year, possibly two. Macarons are sweet, almond and meringuey cookies that are filled with any number of good things. I made two kinds: one pale pink filled with raspberry preserves and one creamy white filled with dark chocolate ganache. The thing about macarons is that they are a process to make and, with the almond flour, not cheap either. I knew this going in--and they lived up to that. I think I used every mixing bowl around as well as every surface. Also, the cookies are delicate, and breakage will occur. While I don't plan to make these again immediately, I still came away with plenty of cookies and even just the unfilled broken shells are good to munch on.

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Shrimp with Banana Curry

2011-02-11T17:03:00.002-05:00

This recipe is based on one in Fine Cooking. We didn't have the halibut called for, but shrimp worked perfectly. This is deceptively easy to make--and very impressive, too.

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Na-cho Nachos

2011-02-06T20:04:00.002-05:00

Game day food. The first half isn't even over, and the snacks have already been inhaled. These nachos have homemade cheese sauce, guacamole, spicy salsa, sour cream, and pickled jalapeños.

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Don't Forget the Hound

2011-01-29T11:42:00.002-05:00

Peanut butter-oatmeal treats for dogs, using a recipe from King Arthur Flour. Easy to make, no scary ingredients , and they are a HUGE hit.

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Snowy Day Treats

2011-01-27T20:32:00.002-05:00

Today was a snow day, and while I did work from home, I found some time later to bake up a few things. The brownies above are chocolate fudge with a peanut butter swirl. I also played around with a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, adding oatmeal and switching around the sugars and flour. The result is a very tasty chocolate chip-oatmeal-pecan cookie that is soft and chewy and buttery and nutty. And chocolatey too, of course.

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Cloudy with a Chance of ...

2011-01-23T19:36:00.002-05:00

Still in the cold-weather comfort food mode, I made meatballs the other day. First I mixed up some beef meatballs, and then I made a tofu version for the vegetarians. Both versions were cooked in a tomato-basil sauce and served over linguine. Leftovers were used on pizza last night, and there are still a few for sandwiches, too.

And now the tofu version

Mmm, pizza. There was also a margherita version and one with Alfredo sauce.

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Bonjour Croissants

2011-01-16T23:45:00.002-05:00

Long weekends are perfect for a project like croissants--because they are, indeed, a project. The yeast dough needs to be mixed and rest several hours or overnight; the butter is rolled in, in several steps; the croissants are shaped; and then they still need to rise for a few hours. After all that, they're baked, and luckily this part takes less than 20 min., though they do have to rest after that, too. Having said all that, I *like* this whole process (and making puff pastry too)--and the results are totally worth it. I made a half version of the recipe from "Baking With Julia," and actually only baked off half of that, so I still have some in the freezer to play with. These croissants are fairly small, maybe four or five inches, instead of the big ones you often see in bakeries.

Very light and flaky inside ...

Rise and Shine

2011-01-09T17:58:00.002-05:00

Blustery and cold Sunday mornings call for a little something extra. This morning, with the temperature in the 20s and the wind chill at least 10 degrees lower, I made a treat from "Baking With Julia." This Danish pastry is flaky, and the recipe includes three choices for one of the two fillings and two choices for the second. I used four-berry preserves and a ground almond mixture, but there are many, perhaps less traditional, substitutions too.

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Happy 2011

2011-01-02T10:58:00.002-05:00

Wishing everyone the best, brightest, and tastiest New Year.

Parmesan popovers

Chocolate soufflé

Roasted potatoes (and apples)

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Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-12-27T18:09:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas! Our holiday this year was cold but lovely and filled with family, friends, and good food. We kept it fairly simple--but not boring--and had for dinner a big, cheesy lasagna and salad. For dessert, we had a creamy peppermint bark cheesecake. The cake includes peppermint bark both inside and on top as well as peppermint whipped cream. The recipe is pretty simple. For the base cake, I made a variation on the Barefoot Contessa cheesecake (which, yes, makes a lot), but I used one less egg yolk, no lemon zest, and about 2 tsp of vanilla. I also added 8-10 oz of broken up peppermint bark (this is a guess--use enough so you can see it mixed in, though it will sink down when baking.) Once baked and chilled, I topped the cake with fresh whipped cream mixed with a few drops of peppermint extract (it's strong stuff, so go slowly ... I didn't want a ton of peppermint in the cream) and then decorated with crushed candy canes and more peppermint bark.

Just a slice ...

Just another slice ...

Christmas Cookies 2010

2010-12-15T18:54:00.008-05:00

The holidays are here, and I am done with my baking! Well, at least the immediate baking -- I've been told I missed a few key kinds of cookies and that we're at risk of running out. Not likely. This year I made, triple peanut butter cookies, gingersnaps, chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons, pecan divines, and almond buttercrunch, which is pictured above.

                                                                    Spicy gingersnaps

                                                           Chewy, nutty pecan divines

                                                    Chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons

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Triple PB Cookies

2010-12-09T21:46:00.001-05:00

The holiday baking has begun, and first up are these triple peanut butter cookies. I used chunky peanut butter, roasted peanuts, and peanut M&Ms. The cookies are baked til just golden, so they're chewy and crispy at the same time. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pasta with Shrimp, Mascarpone and Spinach

2010-12-05T12:04:00.001-05:00

The original recipe is for bruschetta, but in the days after Thanksgiving, when we all needed something different for dinner, pasta seemed like a good idea. I also used spinach instead of arugula and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead of fresh plum tomatoes, as that's what I had on hand.

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Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T10:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Our table was very full and happy this year, with lots of family, friends and food. The main meal is pretty traditional, including roast turkey, Mom's famous stuffing, mountains of mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash, and homemade cranberry-orange sauce. However, my focus was on making the desserts. We had four desserts this year--and sadly, now only slivers of these remain.

Cheddar-apple pie, with lots of cheddar cheese mixed into the crust

Salted caramel banana pudding tart

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Pumpkin chiffon pie

Cranberry Streusel Shortbread

2010-11-24T10:08:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I have several desserts in the works, but today I present one of my new favorite treats. I made this recipe for a dinner party last night, and the sweet and tangy combination of the shortbread and cranberries was delicious.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

2010-11-16T21:11:00.016-05:00

These biscuits really are as good as they look. I thought the sweet potato might weigh them down some, but they're super light and flaky ... and kinda hard to stop eating. So here's the recipe, with my changes in parentheses. Make these now.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

(from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours)

2 c flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
2 Tbs light brown sugar, packed (I used 1 Tbs)
6 Tbs cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 15-oz cans of sweet potatoes in syrup, drained and mashed (Dorie suggests that if you want to use leftover sweet potato, mash it up and measure out 3/4-1 c of it. I had about 1/2 c and made up the difference with milk. Not sure how the two cans equal one cup ... but it all worked out.)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon/nutmeg, and brown sugar.
3. Then cut in the butter (I use my hands, but you could use two forks) til the pieces are pea-sized or so.
4. Add in the mashed sweet potato (and milk, if it's too dry and/or you don't have enough sweet potato on hand), and mix quickly til it forms a soft (not sticky) dough.
5. On a floured counter, knead the dough briefly, maybe three or four turns, and then roll or pat out til it's about one-half inch thick. Using a 2 or 2.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Gather the scraps together and roll out again, cutting as many biscuits as possible.
6. Bake for 14-18 min., or til puffed up and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and enjoy.

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Pear Tatin

2010-11-09T18:03:00.002-05:00

It's hard to go wrong with this recipe--it looks good, tastes good, and it's easy. The basic recipe, Dorie Greenspan's tarte tatin, calls for butter, sugar, apples and the base dough. I substituted a mix of pears, as they were all over the market, and a sheet of puff pastry dough. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you're all set.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna

2010-11-07T11:04:00.003-05:00

This recipe has become one of my favorite versions of lasagna. Butternut squash is roasted til slightly crispy and caramelized. It's then layered between sheets of fresh pasta with béchamel and tomato sauces and lots of Parmesan cheese. When baked, the cheese on top melts, the exposed edges of the pasta toast, and the lasagna puffs up so it's big and beautiful and delicious, with bits of bright orange squash peeking through.

Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna

1 med. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
6 sheets fresh lasagna (or 1 box dried)
Bechamel sauce (1 stick of butter, 1/2-3/4 c flour, 5-6 c warm milk, salt and pepper)
Tomato sauce (I cheated this time and used one large jar of WF brand organic tomato-basil sauce)
1 - 1.5 c Parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, and olive oil

1. Put the cubed squash onto a cookie sheet lined with foil. Toss with salt, pepper and a little olive oil and roast at 400 degrees (425 if you're impatient) til the squash is tender and the edges are lightly browned/caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Cook the pasta according to the box or, if using fresh, parboil and rinse in cool water to stop the cooking.
3. To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a med. saucepan. Then add the flour and whisk well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, and then slowly whisk in the milk. Keep stirring til thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Assembling it all:
a. Spoon about 1/2 c of tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it around. This will help keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
b. Put down a layer of pasta, trimming it to fit, if nec. (with the sheets of pasta I use, I get about 3/4 of a sheet per layer, and then I combine the shorter pieces for middle layers.)
c. Then spoon in 1/2-3/4 c of the bechamel and spread it around. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the butternut squash cubes (or use 1/2 if you don't want to make as many layers.) Sprinkle with a little parmesan
d. Add another layer of pasta. Cover with 1/2 c or so of tomato sauce and then more bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan.
e. Repeat the layers of bechamel/squash and tomato/bechamel twice more (or once each if you're just doing two layers of squash)
f. Top with a last layer of pasta and spread a little more bechamel and parmesan on top.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 min. or so til hot and bubbling. Let sit for 10 min. or so before serving, so you can slice it a bit more easily.

Rugelach with All the Right Things

2010-11-05T11:48:00.002-05:00

The last time I made rugelach, I wasn't so impressed with the results. This time, however, I'm much happier. Growing up, I was never a big fan of rugelach, as they were usually pretty dry and filled some raisiny/figgy/apricoty mixture. The chocolate ones were good, but rare. This recipe uses raspberry jam, pecans, dried cranberries AND dark chocolate--a fairly perfect combination, I think, though of course you can switch it around for what like, too.

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Linguine Carbonara

2010-10-30T16:47:00.003-05:00

We had all sorts of grand plans for dinner last night--and watching cooking shows only added more ideas. However, it was a Friday evening, after a long week, and I had no desire to tackle a grocery store. When in doubt, pasta, right? Except that I didn't want plain pasta with things just added on top. The basic carbonara sauce isn't as heavy as some restaurants would have you think. There's no cream, and only two eggs for an entire pound of pasta. Bacon and cheese are featured, but it's all about balance, right? It's quick, easy, uses ingredients you probably already have, and, done right, is so very satisfying.
Pasta Carbonara
(four generous servings)

1 lb pasta (any shape works, but something that will hold the sauce is good)
1 c grated parmesan
2 eggs
12-16 oz bacon
olive oil (opt.)
freshly ground pepper
parsley

1. Bring a large, salted, pot of water to a rolling boil and cook til done. Just before the pasta is done, set aside up to a cup of the pasta water.
2. In the meantime, slice the bacon across the strips, so it's in fairly small pieces, and then saute in a large frying pan til crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. At this point you can, as I did, pour off a some of the bacon fat from the pan and add in some olive oil, or you can just go with all bacon fat.
3. Mix together the eggs and the parmesan in a small bowl. It will be very thick.
4. When the pasta is done, pull it out of the water and add it into the frying pan, tossing it to make sure it's thoroughly coated in oil. Then add the egg/cheese mixture and, working quickly so the egg doesn't scramble, mix everything together. Add the bacon back in to the pan, mix again, and season with pepper. If the pasta seems very dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Add some fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

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Challah

2010-10-29T05:55:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just need fresh challah. This recipe comes from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America.

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F+F: Focaccia and Fougasse

2010-10-23T15:21:00.002-05:00

Last night, SwimmerGirl and I mixed up some focaccia, using a variation of the recipe in "Baking With Julia." We made two loaves, topped with fresh rosemary, basil, mint, oregano,Parmesan, olive oil, and sea salt. The last piece of dough was turned into fougasse, which is shaped kind of like a ghost with slashes cut in to allow for more crunch. This we topped with more olive oil, rosemary, and basil, plus a little garlic and cilantro.

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Apple-y Apple Cake

2010-10-21T21:04:00.002-05:00

There are a lot of apple cake recipes out there, and pretty much everyone you ask says their recipe is the best. I found this recipe in a cooking forum where people were just falling all over themselves saying how good this is. And they were right -- it really is that good. I added a few more spices to the cake, but all the flavors really shine together. This cake is full of apples, but you taste the butter, pecans, and spices, too.

Apple Cake
(based on the recipe in Ronald Johnson's An American Table)

4 c apples peeled and cut into a small dice
1 c chopped pecans
1 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon (I used 1 tsp cinnamon, heaping 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice, big pinch of cloves, and 1-2 tsp chopped crystallized ginger)
2 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the vanilla and then the spices. Add the eggs one at a time.

Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the chopped apples and pecans. The batter will be very stiff.

Spoon into a thoroughly buttered Bundt pan (I used two mini Bundts and the six-inch heart above), and bake at 350 degrees for about one hour (til golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean ... smaller cakes will take less time.)

Cool briefly in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

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Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good

2010-10-15T21:06:00.002-05:00

This recipe comes straight from Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook, "Around My French Table." A baking pumpkin (vs a carving one) is filled with cubes of bread and cheese, bacon, scallions, herbs, and a little cream. Two hours in the oven and the pumpkin is soft and the stuffing is melty and gooey. I also made a vegetarian version with walnuts instead of bacon, and it could be lightened with chicken stock and/or cider instead of cream. Mushrooms would be tasty, too. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thousand Dollar Goodness

2010-10-08T15:48:00.002-05:00

This recipe is essentially for Twix bars--very rich ones, at that. Despite the layers, the recipe is fairly simple: shortbread, caramel, chocolate, and patience while it all sets up. And as you can see, I clearly skipped the last step--as demonstrated with my drippy, but homemade, caramel. The final bars are good, but I can't imagine dipping them in chocolate too, as suggested. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Tough Nut to Crack

2010-10-05T13:00:00.002-05:00

We got about a cup of coconut water when it drained And we perservered and cracked it open (without cracking anything else open in the meantime.) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Apple Pie Bars

2010-10-02T08:02:00.002-05:00

The idea behind this recipe is that a traditional round apple pie is hard to divide among groups of larger than, say, eight people. So this recipe is baked in a 9x13 pan, with top and bottom crusts and some breadcrumbs scattered on the bottom to absorb some of the juices. The bars can then be cut into 16 to 20 good-sized pieces. And they taste and slice even better the next day. When I make this again, I'll mix the apples and cinnamon sugar together before they go into the crust and will use fewer breadcrumbs. These bars are good for dessert, but they also make very good breakfasts on the go. Ahem. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Quick Apple Tart

2010-09-29T11:58:00.002-05:00

Leftover dough from a quiche, one apple, and a little sugar. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Not Your Basic Blintzes

2010-09-21T16:58:00.002-05:00

Crisp on the outside and soft inside, these cheese blintzes are delicious. They start with extra-thin crepes that are cooked on one side only. They are then filled with a mixture of soft cheeses (farmer, cottage, and cream) along with vanilla, egg yolks, and a little sugar. The blintzes are pan-fried, though you could bake them instead, and served warm. I topped them with cinnamon applesauce and sliced strawberries. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Apple Cider Challah

2010-09-17T21:38:00.002-05:00

What better way to celebrate the weekend than with fresh bread? Warm apple cider challah, lightly spread with butter. Yum. The recipe comes from a great new (to me) site, the Jew and the Carrot. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rosh Hoshanah

2010-09-12T09:09:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! This year, with a mid-week Rosh Hoshanah, I kept things fairly simple, though still very flavorful. We had chicken roasted with honey and wine, rosemary potatoes, and honey-glazed carrots. For dessert, I baked an apple layer cake -- I made it like a carrot cake but with apples and a slightly cinnamony cream cheese frosting. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tarte Tatin

2010-09-07T12:35:00.002-05:00

Continuing the French theme last night, I also made a tarte tatin. Even more so than the soufflé, this apple tart is super easy, requiring only four ingredients if you use puff pastry. Dorie Greenspan was right when she said that after you make a tarte tatin once, you won't need a recipe -- it's just that simple. In a 10-inch skillet melt one stick (4 oz) of butter, sprinkle in 3/4 c sugar, and let cook for about a minute. Then add four to five quartered apples (peeled and seeded baking apples), arranging them in the sugar-butter mixture and adding more slices of apple as needed to fill any gaps. Let cook for 20-30 min., til the sugar has caramelized -- you want a fairly deep color here. Then put one sheet of puff pastry over the top, tucking in any overhanging edges carefully -- the caramel is very hot. Put the pan into a 375 degree oven and bake for 25 min., til the dough is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Then invert the pan onto a platter, and serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Souffle au Fromage

2010-09-06T22:13:00.003-05:00

I think people are intimidated by souffles, but really they are very easy. Basically, you make a white sauce, a bechamel, then mix in egg yolks, and then fold in whipped egg whites and whatever filling, which was a mix of Jarlsberg and parmesan cheeses today. The end result is both flavorful and impressive. Butter, milk, cheese, and eggs are among the most basic, and tasty, ingredients out there. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cinnamon Bread

2010-09-02T20:12:00.001-05:00

You can't help but think of toast when you see cinnamon bread. Making this bread was a bit frustrating, though that was partly due to yeast that refused to rise. But the taste, both fresh and toasted, is delicious. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Grilled Vietnamese Meatballs with Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce

2010-08-25T21:56:00.003-05:00

I saw this recipe in the Boston Globe this morning and, when wandering, somewhat aimlessly around the grocery store, decided to try it tonight. The recipe calls for ground pork, but I'd planned to use chicken. Due to an apparent shortage or run on chicken today, however, I ended up using pork as directed. And it was good, really good. I also made tofu non-meatballs, using black soy instead of fish sauce, for the vegetarians. We wrapped all this up in lettuce leaves with thinly sliced carrots, cilantro and a fantastic ginger-lime sauce. I served this with rice, though I think the wraps themselves are filling enough on their own. ETA: I made this a few days later, by special teenage-request, as the leftover tofu meatballs made a good lunch the next day. This time I made the meatballs with ground chicken, a combination of breast and thigh meat, and they turned out very well, too. Golden and delicious grilled meatballs Flare-ups were not uncommon Tofu meatballs - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Vacation Food

2010-08-22T08:09:00.003-05:00

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Farfalle Carbonara

2010-08-06T19:19:00.001-05:00

Bacon sauteed til crispy, and then mixed with Parmesan and eggs til creamy and delicious. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Peach-Almond French Toast with Peachy Maple Syrup

2010-08-03T20:49:00.002-05:00

Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite things. This recipe, based on one from Bobby Flay, combines several of my favorite flavors: peach, almond, and maple. The soaking mixture for the bread--I used challah--included milk, cream, fresh peach purée, eggs, almond extract, and brown sugar. And the syrup combined pure maple syrup, thinly sliced peaches, and toasted almonds, with more peaches and more almonds for the topping. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Peach-Raspberry Pie

2010-07-29T09:48:00.002-05:00

Peach season is here, and one of my favorite ways to use them is in pie. This recipe is loosely based on a deep-dish cobbler from chef Rick Bayless. My filling uses about 3 lbs of fresh peaches and a generous handful of raspberries, along with sugar, ginger, and a little cornstarch to thicken. Just a slice ... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Universe of Pasta

2010-07-23T22:26:00.002-05:00

Last week I took a class on how to make pasta -- specifically, on how to make less-familiar shapes, such as garganelli, cavatelli, and corzetti. The class was taught by the wonderful guest chef Rosemary Hubbard at King Arthur Flour's education center in Vermont. With just four other students and two days to learn, Rosemary packed a lot into the class. And with each pasta we created, we also made an appropriate -- and tasty -- sauce. The first pasta we made was ricotta cavatelli, served with a garlicky roasted tomato and arugula sauce. Next, we made orecchiette, or little ears. This we dried overnight and then had for breakfast in the most elegant (and simple) carbonara sauce ever. No cream necessary. Our next project was gnocchi di patate, little fluffy pillows of potato pasta, served with a smoky pizzaiolo sauce. We also made buckwheat corzetti stampati. These little disks were rolled out and hand-stamped, and then served with an amazingly flavorful sauce of butter, marjoram and toasted pine nuts. Any extra dough was cut into fettuccine. One of the last pastas we made was garganelli, which looks somewhat like penne. The pasta was light and flavorful, and was tossed with a super simple crudaiola -- finely diced vegetables and herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper that were warmed in the sun. Our final project, for which there is no picture (yum!), was uova da raviolo. This was one large raviolo that was filled with a mixture of ricotta and spinach and then a sunny, fat egg yolk. We cut fresh egg pasta out with large hen cookie cutters. The hens were filled, sealed, carefully cooked, and served with a drizzle of melted butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone