Thursday, December 2, 2010
Starbucks Christmas Blend
My favorite time to visit Starbucks is when they have their delicious Christmas Blend on tap. Yum!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Lidia's Chocolate Pudding
I was watching Lidia's Italy the other day (one of my favorites), and she made this dessert...that got my mouth watering. It is a chocolate pudding, filled and mixed with crushed up cookies and nuts, and chilled into a solid mass so you can cut a slice of it.
Recipe:
* 2 large eggs
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup milk
* 1 1/2 cups coarsely hand-crumbled plain biscotti (I used graham crakers)
* 3 1/2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
* 1/2 cup toasted, skinned, finely chopped hazelnuts (I used walnuts)
* 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
Line a pie plate with plastic wrap, leaving some overhang around the edges. I used the recommended 9-inch pie plate and it worked well.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl followed by the cornstarch until the mixture is lump-free.
Over low heat, simmer the cream and milk in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring about 1 cup of the hot milk and cream into the egg bowl, whisking constantly. When blended, pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk-cream and continue to whisk constantly.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking steadily until the custard thickens. Make sure not to allow the custard to come to a boil although you should see some bubbling on the surface occasionally. It will take 7 to 8 minutes for the custard to get quite thick.
Remove the custard from the heat, stir in the crumbled biscotti, chopped chocolate, nuts and cocoa powder. Stir well to blend all the ingredients and until the chocolate has melted. Pour the mixture into the pie plate and cover in plastic wrap. Make sure that the plastic wrap lays directly on top of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
To serve, remove the plastic wrap, invert the pudding onto a serving plate, cut into wedges and serve with fresh fruit and/or whipped cream.
Recipe:
* 2 large eggs
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup milk
* 1 1/2 cups coarsely hand-crumbled plain biscotti (I used graham crakers)
* 3 1/2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
* 1/2 cup toasted, skinned, finely chopped hazelnuts (I used walnuts)
* 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
Line a pie plate with plastic wrap, leaving some overhang around the edges. I used the recommended 9-inch pie plate and it worked well.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl followed by the cornstarch until the mixture is lump-free.
Over low heat, simmer the cream and milk in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring about 1 cup of the hot milk and cream into the egg bowl, whisking constantly. When blended, pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk-cream and continue to whisk constantly.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking steadily until the custard thickens. Make sure not to allow the custard to come to a boil although you should see some bubbling on the surface occasionally. It will take 7 to 8 minutes for the custard to get quite thick.
Remove the custard from the heat, stir in the crumbled biscotti, chopped chocolate, nuts and cocoa powder. Stir well to blend all the ingredients and until the chocolate has melted. Pour the mixture into the pie plate and cover in plastic wrap. Make sure that the plastic wrap lays directly on top of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
To serve, remove the plastic wrap, invert the pudding onto a serving plate, cut into wedges and serve with fresh fruit and/or whipped cream.
{pictures via Lemons and Anchovies}
Monday, October 18, 2010
Buttermilk Biscuts
This week I have made a couple batches of these flaky and buttery biscuits. I cannot believe how easy they are! From start to finish, you can easily be done and eating warm biscuits slathered with sweet strawberry jam in under a half an hour.
I was able to whip these up with ingredients already in my cabinets - plus there is no need to pull out any fancy gadgets - just a bowl and your fingers. Though I haven't been successful at getting them to rise impressively, they are tasty nonetheless.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
by Peter Reinhart
Yields about ten 2-3/4-inch biscuits or eighteen 2-inch biscuits.
8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed for shaping the dough
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) very cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup very cold buttermilk
Mix the dough:
Heat the oven to 500°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Cut the butter into small bits and toss with the flour. With a sharp knife or a bench knife, cut the cold butter crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack 3 or 4 slices and cut them into three even strips. Rotate the stack a quarter turn and cut the strips in half. You should create 6 small bits of butter per slice. Toss the butter bits into the bowl with the flour mixture. Continue cutting all the butter in the same manner and adding it to the flour mixture.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
When all the butter is in the bowl with the flour, use your fingers to separate the butter bits (they tend to stick to each other), coat all the butter pieces with flour, and evenly distribute them throughout the flour mixture. Don’t rub the butter too hard with your fingertips or palms, as this will melt the butter. You’re just trying to break the butter pieces apart, not blend the butter into the flour.
When all the butter is evenly distributed, add the cold buttermilk and stir with a large spoon until all or most of the flour is absorbed by the buttermilk and the dough forms a coarse lump, about 1 minute.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Pat and fold the dough:
Dust a work surface with flour and dump the dough onto the floured surface, cleaning out the bowl with a spatula or a plastic bowl scraper. Dust the top of the dough and your hands with flour, and press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Sprinkle a small amount of additional flour on the top of the dough. Fold the dough over on itself in three sections, as if folding a letter (also called a tri-fold). With a bench knife or metal spatula, lift the dough off the counter and dust under it with flour to prevent sticking, if necessary. Dust the top with flour and press the dough out again into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and repeat the tri-fold. Repeat this procedure one more time (three times in all).
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Cut and bake the biscuits:
After the third tri-fold, dust under and on top of the dough, if needed, and roll or press the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick oval. Dip a 2-inch or 2-3/4-inch round biscuit cutter in flour and start cutting biscuits, dipping the cutter in flour between each biscuit. Press straight down to cut and lift straight up to remove; twisting the biscuit cutter will seal the sides and interfere with rising. Use a bench knife or spatula to transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet, placing them about 1/2 inch apart.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Gently gather any scraps of dough, pat and roll out again, and cut more biscuits from the remaining dough. You can gather and roll the scraps two times total and still get good results (the more times you roll out, the tougher the biscuits will be).
Put the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 450°F. Bake for 8 minutes; rotate the pan 180 degrees; continue baking until both the tops and bottoms of the biscuits are a rich golden brown and the biscuits have doubled in height, revealing flaky layers on the sides, 4 to 6 minutes more. It’s all right if some butter seeps from the biscuits. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack, leaving the biscuits on the pan. Cool the biscuits for at least 3 minutes and serve them hot or warm (they will stay warm for about 20 minutes).
nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on 18 buscuits; Calories (kcal): 400; Fat (g): 5; Fat Calories (kcal): 45; Saturated Fat (g): 3.5; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Carbohydrates (g): 10; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 125; Cholesterol (mg): 15; Fiber (g): 0;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 85, pp. 49
I was able to whip these up with ingredients already in my cabinets - plus there is no need to pull out any fancy gadgets - just a bowl and your fingers. Though I haven't been successful at getting them to rise impressively, they are tasty nonetheless.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
by Peter Reinhart
Yields about ten 2-3/4-inch biscuits or eighteen 2-inch biscuits.
8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed for shaping the dough
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) very cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup very cold buttermilk
Mix the dough:
Heat the oven to 500°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Cut the butter into small bits and toss with the flour. With a sharp knife or a bench knife, cut the cold butter crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack 3 or 4 slices and cut them into three even strips. Rotate the stack a quarter turn and cut the strips in half. You should create 6 small bits of butter per slice. Toss the butter bits into the bowl with the flour mixture. Continue cutting all the butter in the same manner and adding it to the flour mixture.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
When all the butter is in the bowl with the flour, use your fingers to separate the butter bits (they tend to stick to each other), coat all the butter pieces with flour, and evenly distribute them throughout the flour mixture. Don’t rub the butter too hard with your fingertips or palms, as this will melt the butter. You’re just trying to break the butter pieces apart, not blend the butter into the flour.
When all the butter is evenly distributed, add the cold buttermilk and stir with a large spoon until all or most of the flour is absorbed by the buttermilk and the dough forms a coarse lump, about 1 minute.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Pat and fold the dough:
Dust a work surface with flour and dump the dough onto the floured surface, cleaning out the bowl with a spatula or a plastic bowl scraper. Dust the top of the dough and your hands with flour, and press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Sprinkle a small amount of additional flour on the top of the dough. Fold the dough over on itself in three sections, as if folding a letter (also called a tri-fold). With a bench knife or metal spatula, lift the dough off the counter and dust under it with flour to prevent sticking, if necessary. Dust the top with flour and press the dough out again into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and repeat the tri-fold. Repeat this procedure one more time (three times in all).
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Cut and bake the biscuits:
After the third tri-fold, dust under and on top of the dough, if needed, and roll or press the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick oval. Dip a 2-inch or 2-3/4-inch round biscuit cutter in flour and start cutting biscuits, dipping the cutter in flour between each biscuit. Press straight down to cut and lift straight up to remove; twisting the biscuit cutter will seal the sides and interfere with rising. Use a bench knife or spatula to transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet, placing them about 1/2 inch apart.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Gently gather any scraps of dough, pat and roll out again, and cut more biscuits from the remaining dough. You can gather and roll the scraps two times total and still get good results (the more times you roll out, the tougher the biscuits will be).
Put the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 450°F. Bake for 8 minutes; rotate the pan 180 degrees; continue baking until both the tops and bottoms of the biscuits are a rich golden brown and the biscuits have doubled in height, revealing flaky layers on the sides, 4 to 6 minutes more. It’s all right if some butter seeps from the biscuits. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack, leaving the biscuits on the pan. Cool the biscuits for at least 3 minutes and serve them hot or warm (they will stay warm for about 20 minutes).
nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on 18 buscuits; Calories (kcal): 400; Fat (g): 5; Fat Calories (kcal): 45; Saturated Fat (g): 3.5; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Carbohydrates (g): 10; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 125; Cholesterol (mg): 15; Fiber (g): 0;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 85, pp. 49
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Banana Pancakes
Tonight we make breakfast for dinner - tasty banana pancakes. I always have a box of Trader Joe's Multigrain Pancake Mix on hand. It makes a great 'grown-up' pancake - that is still light and fluffy that any child would also love - plus it makes me feel a little better about eating pancakes if there are some grains in there. First we mixed an egg, a cup of milk, a tablespoon of oil, and two bananas mashed up. Then we mixed in one cup of the dry mix. Add a bit more milk to have a thinner pancake. Serve with warm maple syrup and sliced bananas.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Plum Cake
I also bought an overflowing basket of plums when I went to the orchard last week, and decided to make a traditional German Plum Cake. My ex-boyfriend's mother used to make this for the holidays and I always looked forward to it.
I got this recipe from 'A Year From Oak Cottage' . Though I modified it slightly, it turned out just how I always remembered it. The addition of lemon zest to the slightly tart plums was the perfect touch:
1 stick butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 TBS sour cream (or yogurt)
1 pinch salt
grated zest of one lemon
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups plums, pitted and sliced into wedges
For the topping:
6 TBS butter
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9 to 10 inch round or square cake pan, and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, vanilla, sour cream (or yogurt) and salt. Whisk the flour, baking powder together and then add it to the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Liberally spread the plums over top of the batter. I like to arrange them in a circular or linear pattern.
To make the topping whisk together the sugar, flour and spices. Rub in the butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle it evenly over the plums.
Bake in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, until the topping is nicely browned and the cake tests done. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes, cooling on a wire rack, before removing the sides of the pan.
This makes for a delicious dessert or breakfast!
I got this recipe from 'A Year From Oak Cottage' . Though I modified it slightly, it turned out just how I always remembered it. The addition of lemon zest to the slightly tart plums was the perfect touch:
1 stick butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 TBS sour cream (or yogurt)
1 pinch salt
grated zest of one lemon
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups plums, pitted and sliced into wedges
For the topping:
6 TBS butter
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9 to 10 inch round or square cake pan, and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, vanilla, sour cream (or yogurt) and salt. Whisk the flour, baking powder together and then add it to the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Liberally spread the plums over top of the batter. I like to arrange them in a circular or linear pattern.
To make the topping whisk together the sugar, flour and spices. Rub in the butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle it evenly over the plums.
Bake in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, until the topping is nicely browned and the cake tests done. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes, cooling on a wire rack, before removing the sides of the pan.
This makes for a delicious dessert or breakfast!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Apple Slices
What do you do with all those extra apples you have laying around from the orchard? Make apple slices!
I bought some frozen puff pastry, let it thaw on the counter for just under an hour, gently rolled it out a bit, cut it into squares, and brushed each square with a mixture of melted butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
I then took the peeled and sliced fresh apples (tossed in freshly squeezed lemon juice to keep them from browning) and fanned them out across the squares.
I brushed more of the spiced butter atop the apples and finished with a squeeze of agave (substitute honey).
I baked them in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes then cooled them on a wire rack.
Frozen puff pastry is one of the greatest things - and makes it so easy to throw together a quick dessert (or breakfast). Now you try!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Cream of Asparagus Soup
The other soup I made earlier this week was Cream of Asparagus. I found (though not really in season) a big beautiful bunch of pencil thin asparagus at the market this week. My boyfriend being sick gave me the perfect excuse to turn this green vegtable into a hearty and healthy soup for him to revive on.
Start with a one pound bunch of asparagus. After breaking off the woody ends, cut or break the remaining stalks into roughly 1.5" pieces - and wash.
Heat your soup pot up with a tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of flour. Wisk together and cook for a couple minutes until a nice pale brown.
Add approximately 4 cups of milk to the butter and flour mixture (the rue). Just when the milk hits a boil, add the asparagus to the pot. Season with dried thyme, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. Reduce heat and cook on the stove top for a few minutes. If you have a hand blender - it is the perfect tool to now blend everything together (be careful to remove the bay leaf before blending). If you do not have a hand blender, you can blend the soup in a stand blender as well. Yum.
Butternut Squash Soup
With the start of the weather becoming chilly, soup is the perfect comfort food! This morning I made a big batch of butternut squash soup. There are many varieties, but here is how I made mine:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Cut each of 2 fresh butterut squashes in half length-wise
-Scoop all of the seeds and goop out of the core
-Set face up on a cookie sheet
-Place one pad of butter and 2 or 3 T of maple syrup in the hollowed out core
-Roast for one hour (or until a fork easily slides out of the thickest part)
-When you remove the squash from the oven, cut slits both lenthwise and crosswise into the flesh and let sit for a half hour to cool slightly. These slits will absorb all the good juices that are now hot and bubbling!
(If you want to serve mashed squash as a side dish - like with a piece of grilled fish and sauteed green beans - this would be when you scrape the flesh out into a bowl, and season to your liking).
To turn this gorgeous roasted vegtable into soup, scrape out the flesh and place directly into a pot lined with a medium onion diced and sauteed. Add about 6 cups of chicken stock and/or water, a cup of apple sauce (or pealed roast or sauteed apple slices), a cup of milk, a dash of celery salt, salt and pepper to taste. Sage and nutmeg also work really well with squash. For a chucky texture, leave the soup as is and enjoy. For a smoother texture, use your hand blender to turn this soup into a rich and creamy treat.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Last night I made one of my favorite favorite recipes - chocolate chip banana bread. If you find yourself in possession a few old bananas - this is the perfect thing to whip up.
\So many loafs of banana bread are too dry or too dense. This is the perfect blend of rich banana flavors, crunchy texture from the walnuts, and smooth chocolate. It is good as a dessert, snack, or breakfast!
Recipe for Original Banana Bread (chocolate chip modification below):
AllRecipes.com / America's Test Kitchen
AllRecipes.com: "Why compromise the banana flavor? This banana bread is moist and delicious with loads of banana flavor! Friends and family love my recipe and say it's by far the best! It's wonderful toasted!! Enjoy!" America's Test Kitchen: "Properly ripened bananas, a bit of yogurt, and the right mixing method create a flavorful bread with a smooth, hearty crumb."
Ingredients
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter (6-8 tablespoons)
1/2 cup Brown sugar
2 Eggs, beaten lightly
3 Very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup Plain yogurt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt together in large bowl; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla until well-blended.
4. Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
6. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook's Notes
America's Test Kitchen:
"The Best Banana Bread
The Problem: Too many banana bread recipes turn out bland, flat, heavy, dry, and/or gritty loaves.
The Goal: A basic banana bread with deep banana flavor, plenty of moisture, and a nice, light texture.
The Solution: Use older, darkly speckled bananas, which are both sweeter and more moist than younger bananas; add yogurt for a nice tang and even more moisture; and use the 'muffin method' to mix the wet and dry ingredients for a delicate, golden brown loaf of decent height.
Greasing and flouring only the bottom of a regular loaf pan causes the bread to cling to the sides and rise higher. If using a nonstick loaf pan, on which the sides are very slick, grease and flour sides as well as the bottom."
AllRecipes.com:"If the bread seems dry and dense, chances are you stirred it too much, which is easy to do without even thinking about it. With sweet breads and muffins, you should always just stir to moisten. Never over-do it or else you will end up with a drier and denser bread or muffin."
Add 1.5 cups of grated dark chocolate. Subtract 9T of sugar.
\So many loafs of banana bread are too dry or too dense. This is the perfect blend of rich banana flavors, crunchy texture from the walnuts, and smooth chocolate. It is good as a dessert, snack, or breakfast!
Recipe for Original Banana Bread (chocolate chip modification below):
AllRecipes.com / America's Test Kitchen
AllRecipes.com: "Why compromise the banana flavor? This banana bread is moist and delicious with loads of banana flavor! Friends and family love my recipe and say it's by far the best! It's wonderful toasted!! Enjoy!" America's Test Kitchen: "Properly ripened bananas, a bit of yogurt, and the right mixing method create a flavorful bread with a smooth, hearty crumb."
Ingredients
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter (6-8 tablespoons)
1/2 cup Brown sugar
2 Eggs, beaten lightly
3 Very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup Plain yogurt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt together in large bowl; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla until well-blended.
4. Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
6. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook's Notes
America's Test Kitchen:
"The Best Banana Bread
The Problem: Too many banana bread recipes turn out bland, flat, heavy, dry, and/or gritty loaves.
The Goal: A basic banana bread with deep banana flavor, plenty of moisture, and a nice, light texture.
The Solution: Use older, darkly speckled bananas, which are both sweeter and more moist than younger bananas; add yogurt for a nice tang and even more moisture; and use the 'muffin method' to mix the wet and dry ingredients for a delicate, golden brown loaf of decent height.
Greasing and flouring only the bottom of a regular loaf pan causes the bread to cling to the sides and rise higher. If using a nonstick loaf pan, on which the sides are very slick, grease and flour sides as well as the bottom."
AllRecipes.com:"If the bread seems dry and dense, chances are you stirred it too much, which is easy to do without even thinking about it. With sweet breads and muffins, you should always just stir to moisten. Never over-do it or else you will end up with a drier and denser bread or muffin."
Add 1.5 cups of grated dark chocolate. Subtract 9T of sugar.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Baked Beans
Today for our friend Anton's birthday, we made a few sides to go with the pulled pork he was making for us. Sitting in his backyard enjoying each other's company and some good food seemed like the perfect way to enjoy one of the last days of summer. I decided to make some homemade baked beans and macaroni and cheese. The menu will be rounded out with fresh fruit, a crisp salad, and some delicious corn bread.
{via Whole Foods website}
The recipe I used is the Barefoot Contessa's (of course). I have read raving reviews of this sauce (a blend of brown sugar, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, bacon, and tomato ketchup), and I can't wait to taste it - the smell is intoxicating right now.
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 7 hr
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
* 1 pound dry red kidney beans
* 2 quarts water
* 1 large yellow onion, cut in eighths
* 1 bay leaf
* 6 whole black peppercorns
* 3/4 cup medium amber pure maple syrup
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1 tablespoon Chinese chili paste
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 5 ounces thick-cut smoked bacon, cubed
Directions
Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse the beans and then drain again.
Place the beans in large pot with 2 quarts water, the onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender. A good test is to scoop up several beans in a spoon and blow on them: if the skin starts to peel off, they're done. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, chili paste, ginger, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid, still reserving the remaining liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes.
Transfer the beans to a medium Dutch oven or a bean pot. Push half the bacon into the beans and place the rest on the top. Pour the maple syrup sauce over the beans. Place the lid on top and bake for 6 to 8 hours. Check occasionally; if the beans are too dry, add 1/2 cup more of the cooking liquid. If you like, you can remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot.
{via Whole Foods website}The recipe I used is the Barefoot Contessa's (of course). I have read raving reviews of this sauce (a blend of brown sugar, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, bacon, and tomato ketchup), and I can't wait to taste it - the smell is intoxicating right now.
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 7 hr
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
* 1 pound dry red kidney beans
* 2 quarts water
* 1 large yellow onion, cut in eighths
* 1 bay leaf
* 6 whole black peppercorns
* 3/4 cup medium amber pure maple syrup
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1 tablespoon Chinese chili paste
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 5 ounces thick-cut smoked bacon, cubed
Directions
Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse the beans and then drain again.
Place the beans in large pot with 2 quarts water, the onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender. A good test is to scoop up several beans in a spoon and blow on them: if the skin starts to peel off, they're done. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, chili paste, ginger, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid, still reserving the remaining liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes.
Transfer the beans to a medium Dutch oven or a bean pot. Push half the bacon into the beans and place the rest on the top. Pour the maple syrup sauce over the beans. Place the lid on top and bake for 6 to 8 hours. Check occasionally; if the beans are too dry, add 1/2 cup more of the cooking liquid. If you like, you can remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Coleslaw
This weekend I had two backyard bbq parties to go to - both of which I had to bring a side dish to share. I decided to make the same thing for both - to make life easier on myself. I settled on Ina Garten's Coleslaw. The crunchy carrots and fresh cabbage are the perfect compliment to all varieties of grilled meat! See below for the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound white cabbage (1/2 small head)
3/4 pound red cabbage (1/2 small head)
5 carrots
2 cups good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Fit a food processor with the thickest slicing blade. Cut the cabbages into small wedges and place horizontally into the feed tube. Process in batches. Next, fit the food processor with the grating blade. Cut the carrots in half and place in the feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches and mix in a bowl with the grated cabbages.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Pour enough of the dressing over the grated vegetables to moisten them. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Note: Placing the vegetables horizontally in the food processor ensures long shreds. The vegetables can be grated a day ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator. Keep the red cabbage separate, or it will turn the other vegetables pink.
Copyright, 1999 The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved
http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes/summer2009
Photo Courtesy - Melanie Acevedo
INGREDIENTS
1 pound white cabbage (1/2 small head)
3/4 pound red cabbage (1/2 small head)
5 carrots
2 cups good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Fit a food processor with the thickest slicing blade. Cut the cabbages into small wedges and place horizontally into the feed tube. Process in batches. Next, fit the food processor with the grating blade. Cut the carrots in half and place in the feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches and mix in a bowl with the grated cabbages.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Pour enough of the dressing over the grated vegetables to moisten them. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Note: Placing the vegetables horizontally in the food processor ensures long shreds. The vegetables can be grated a day ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator. Keep the red cabbage separate, or it will turn the other vegetables pink.
Copyright, 1999 The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved
http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes/summer2009
Photo Courtesy - Melanie Acevedo
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Mars Cheese Casle
I went up to a friend's lake house in Burlington, Wisconsin this past weekend. Looking back, one of my absolute favorite parts of the weekend was when fifteen of us stopped at the infamous Mars Cheese Castle on Sunday heading home to the city. We all took a seat at one of the bar stools circling the old wooden bar and ordered the best bloody mary I have ever had. Combine that with a brat or Reuben sandwich plus the ceramic crock full of cheese served with crackers and you are ready to take on the world. The bloody is served with a chaser of Spotted Cow beer (Wisconsin's own) which is the icing on the cake really.
This has definitely inspired me to start experimenting a bit with the classic brunch cocktail. Now if only we could have gotten him to reveal his secret ingredient...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Squash Blossom Pizza
This cover of Saveur Magazine's March issue got me so excited! What a gorgeous gorgeous picture by Penny De Los Santos. This preview does not do the glossy pages justice...you will just have to trust me.
With the loss of Gourmet Magazine, it is nice to see that there is still stunning food photography being published. This squash blossom pizza is from Los Angeles's Pizzaria Mozza. It is officially on my list of 'to-do's' for next time I am in LA. I cannot wait to taste the famous crust topped with tart yet sweet tomato sauce, earthy squash blossoms, and lusciously creamy burrata cheese (a new favorite of mine).
With the loss of Gourmet Magazine, it is nice to see that there is still stunning food photography being published. This squash blossom pizza is from Los Angeles's Pizzaria Mozza. It is officially on my list of 'to-do's' for next time I am in LA. I cannot wait to taste the famous crust topped with tart yet sweet tomato sauce, earthy squash blossoms, and lusciously creamy burrata cheese (a new favorite of mine).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Farm Fresh
{via Audrey Hepburn Complex}Sunday, July 11, 2010
Lula Cafe Brunch
This morning we went out to Chicago's Lula Cafe for brunch. I have long wanted to treat myself to this well regarded brunch (which was just voted best in the city by The Reader). This neighborhood spot's menu is heavily focused on local, organic, and vegetarian ingredients/dishes - all something to write home about.
Today we split the Moroccan chickpea sweet potato tagine finished with arugula, saigon cinnamon, and couscous (pictured above) as well as one of today's specials - savory corn pudding with grilled summer squash, avocado aioli, purslane, dill, and sunny side eggs. The food was light yet satisfying. It feels so good to eat out while still getting 'real' food. Two thumbs up!
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