Deadly Vanilla and Sunshine

Orzo with Spinach Gouda Sauce

2011-01-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

You may notice two cream based recipes back to back. This is because cream goes bad quickly and I had a full pint to use; needless to say I haven't just been cooking for myself. This one is a little lighter and probably simpler.

In the Amsterdam airport they have this little deli place where you can buy cheeses, meats, etc. I had euros left over and the exchange kiosk had a ridiculous commission so I decided to load up. I got several kinds of gouda, some of which I left with my parents. I used the aged goat gouda in this one and it came out wonderfully.

You will need:

Salted water
1/2 package orzo
1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 pint heavy cream
1 1/2 cup milk
3 cups fresh baby spinach or 2 cups frozen, already heated and drained
2 oz aged goat gouda, shredded finely
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
Salt to taste

Set the water to boil, add the orzo and olive oil and stir to prevent sticking. You'll want to cook this for 8-10 minutes.

Heat up the cream and milk over medium, add the spinach and chili flakes once hot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the gouda and stir until melted. Taste it and determine how much salt you want to use, then use it. Turn off the heat and allow it to thicken for a few minutes.

I just mix the orzo with the sauce while it's still hot. You can garnish it with a sprig of basil if you're feeling fancy.

Gorgonzola Fettucine Alfredo with Seared Artichoke Hearts

2011-01-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

This recipe is loosely based on a ridiculously overpriced dish I had at a restaurant in Helsinki. Granted, the food was good, especially the tortellini in pasta sauce. But due to some linguistic misunderstandings I wound up getting a lot more food and paying a lot more money that night. Since I've been home I've been cooking up a storm -- I hardly got to cook at all abroad since I was so busy with everything else. Anywho, this is my modification of the gorgonzola pasta dish. Be forewarned, it's quite heavy but lighter than most recipes I've found for alfredo sauce.

You will need:

1/2 lb dry Fettucine pasta
Water, salted to taste, for boiling
2 tbsp olive oil

Equivalent of 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (there are sharper and sweeter versions, I went with the sweeter one)
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, zested or chopped finely
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup wine (if desired)

Start off by boiling the pasta, putting the olive oil in the water and stirring to prevent sticking. You'll want to cook this for 10-12 minutes, give or take.

Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and gorgonzola once hot. Stir until there are few lumps and add salt. Set aside to thicken.

Take a skillet, ideally cast iron, and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, put in the olive oil and add the salt. Use a spatula to coat the entire skillet and add the artichoke hearts and spices. After stirring to coat each piece thoroughly, add the white wine and mix quickly. Continue to cook until the sides of the hearts begin to brown and set aside.

I like to mix my sauce with the pasta but a lot of people think it's prettier to serve the sauce drizzled over it. Whatever works. Top it with the seared artichoke and serve with hot, crusty bread.

Ring in the New Year with Collard Greens Soup

2011-01-01T05:42:00.001-08:00

I'm reporting to you from Finland, so while it is evening here many of you in the States are probably just awakening from a champagne induced stupor. Here's a recipe I meant to publish awhile back but preparing to go abroad wound up eating up a lot of time. If you don't have the time or energy to do a traditional black eyed peas, greens and cornbread dinner, here's a one pot dish to keep warm with.

You will need:

I lb fresh collard greens
1 quart chicken broth
3-4 whole, uncut cloves of garlic
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch mung bean threads, uncooked (you could use rice noodles but I like the texture of the bean threads better, these are also known as cellophane noodles)
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
2/3 cup water

Rinse the collard greens well and lay them flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut out the stem and fold in half. Roll from the bottom up and slice into segments, this will give you fine long pieces of greens. Bring the chicken broth and water to a strong simmer and throw in the garlic and greens. Cook for about 45 minutes, checking every now and then to make sure the liquid doesn't boil off. If you're running low, add a bit more chicken broth or salt water.

After 45 minutes add the oil, tamari, chili flakes and mung bean threads. Cook for about 5 more minutes and remove from the heat. Serve it hot, ideally with some crusty bread to soak up the potliquor.

Mexican Lasagna

2010-11-06T12:08:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not a racist for calling it Mexican lasagna -- you can never be racist against lasagna. If I wanted to be more politically correct I could call it Enchilada Lasagna but it's more than that. It incorporates many of the staple foods of the central American region like corn, potatoes and beans; although my ingredients inevitably come out of a bag or jar, even if it's a produce bag, this is pretty much as authentic as you can get whilst striving to be fancy. There's not much Americanized about this except the fact that it's made in...gasp...a CASSEROLE DISH! I have recently realized that I could be the goddess of casseroles, but that's another entry and you probably knew that already if you've read the rest of my blog.

I wanted to make a few notes here about ingredients. Don't ever subject yourself to corn tortillas that do not resemble something made out of corn -- it should look like a big round raw corn chip rather than a stiff version of a white tortilla. The latter have no flavor, no fiber and simply are wrong, wrong, wrong. Also, I use Frontera enchilada sauce because it's the best and my attempts haven't come close. However, feel free to use any sauce you like, just keep the sugar far, far away. It amazes me how many "real" Mexican restaurants around here put sugar in their enchilada sauce. It's gross and that's why I make things like this at home instead.

Alas, the beans. I've taken a liking to dried beans, although they're much trickier to work with. They're cheap too. The night before you want to make this, take a cup of dried black beans and pick through them to remove any that are split, broken or shriveled. Sometimes there are little stones in there so be vigilant. Rinse them off then soak them in a big bowl of cold water overnight. If you don't feel like all that, use a 16 oz can of black beans rinsed well.

You will need:

1 cup dry black beans, soaked overnight OR 1 can black beans, rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, uncut
1 1/2 tbsp taco/burrito seasoning (some variation of paprika, red chili flakes, cumin, etc.)
4-5 small potatoes like fingerlings, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
2 cups enchilada sauce
2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

Take the black beans and mix with the stock, garlic, taco seaoning, salt and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium- low heat in a medium saucepan for about an hour -- you want the beans to retain a firmness but not be crunchy either. Keep checking on them and stirring. In the meantime, take a skillet that's slightly larger than your tortillas and heat about half an inch of oil over medium heat in it. Once it's reached the right temperature, slide the tortillas into it and allow to fry for a few seconds. This may take some practice if you've never done it before, you want to fry just enough to make them pliable, so that's usually about 5 seconds. Much more and you'll just get really stiff, crunchy tortillas and those are harder to work with. Place them on a plate and allow to cool, this can take up to half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 415. Using a casserole dish, press 2-3 of the tortillas into the bottom and sides. Pluck the cloves of garlic from the beans (or mash them up and put them back in) and put about a quarter of the beans over the tortillas. Use 1/4 cup of the queso fresco over the beans, then enough enchilada sauce to cover topped with 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat until you're out of tortillas, you don't have to put everything in exact order or use as much cheese as I did but you do want to make sure you've got the right amount of each ingredient. Leave the queso fresco off the top layer and finish it with enchilada sauce and some of the jack cheese. Let it bake for about half an hour, but keep checking to make sure the edges aren't burning. Take it out once the top gets bubbly and slightly browned.

Allow to cool for at least 30 more minutes. It's a little less runny than regular lasagna but not by much. Some people like a dollop of sour cream on the side. This also makes for great leftovers and holds its shape pretty well.

How To Make Your Own Apple Cider (It's Not Hard)

2010-11-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

This doesn't need a reason, apple cider is awesome and that's all the justification I need to make it. And it's cheaper/healthier to make it at home than to buy the premade stuff at the store.

You will need:

apx 6 apples, peeled and quartered with the seeds cut out
6 quarts water
1 cup honey
1 tbsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
dash of cardamom
2 tbsp (at least) fresh grated ginger
1 cup sugar

Boil the water in a large pot and reduce to a simmer, then put in the apples. Add the spices, sugar and honey and allow to simmer, covered, for at least 4 hours. You can either lift the apple slices out of the cider and mash them for applesauce or mush them up a bit and allow to simmer longer to get a thicker cider. I opted for the latter.

Beans and Rice, My Way

2010-11-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

No food is more familiar to me from my childhood than red beans and rice. At least once a week my mom would concoct kidney beans and kielbasa to serve over buttered rice, which was ironically one of my least favorite dishes. Now that I know stuff about nutrition and have to cook on a budget, beans and rice and I have become friends. I found a way to make it right for me. Maybe it will be right for you too.

NOTE: You could use canned beans for this if you must, but I prefer the dried so that's how I'm listing it. You'll want to soak them for about 8 hours in cold water.

you will need:

2/3 cup dried black beans, soaked and rinsed
2-3 whole cloves of garlic
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Mexican seasoning (some people have their own mixtures, I buy mine premixed)
5-6 small potatoes, like French fingerlings
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp butter
1 cup monterrey jack cheese
1 onion, chopped into small strips when separated
oil for frying

Simmer the black beans and potatoes over low heat with the whole garlic cloves, spices and chicken broth. Cook the jasmine rice with the combination of water and chicken broth provided. Heat the oil over medium and once it reaches its full temperature, put in the onion. Allow to cook until barely browned and crispy then set aside. Stir the beans occasionally and set the rice aside once it's done, the beans should cook for 40-60 minutes. Add more broth if they start getting dry or if you're low on gravy. Combine the rice with the butter once it's finished while it's still hot, throw in a pinch of salt if you want. Serve the beans over a bed of rice, topped with the monterrey jack and fried onion.

Creamy Dill Potatoes

2010-10-14T12:04:00.001-07:00

This is the quintessential Swedish comfort food -- dilled potatoes. I fancied it up some by baking with bread crumbs but you don't have to do that if you're crunched for time or want to keep things simple. You will need:

1 lb Swedish or Russian fingerling potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tbsp slightly salted butter
about a tsp of salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Boil the potatoes until you can easily stick a fork through them, usually about 30 minutes. Drain the water off and mash them roughly with the butter, salt, dill, pepper and sour cream -- you want it to remain chunky, not like regular mashed potatoes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the potatoes into a baking pan and top with the bread crumbs, bake for about 12 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Allow to set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Fall Fruit Salad (with a twist)

2010-10-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe if you're anything like me -- usually on the go, but wanting something fresh and healthy to take wherever it is you're going to. I work evenings and nights these days so it's important not to succumb to the fast food, pizza and soda so prevalent at my office. That's why I love keeping a container of something like this in the fridge, I can nosh on it without even having to reheat. Since it's dairy free, you don't have to worry nearly as much about keeping it out at your desk, although it's definitely better chilled.

You will need:

1 lb fresh figs
2-3 apples, I used Jonagold
1 large cucumber
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Slice the tops off the figs and quarter them. Cut the apples into bite sized pieces, making sure to discard the seeds and core. You can either leave the cucumber peeled or unpeeled, but I do recommend scooping out the seeds after slicing it in half -- goes much better with the texture of the salad. Add the lemon juice as soon as you add the apples and finish with the spice and sugar, tossing well. Chill and eat!

Food Trends Summer 2010: Spicy Summer Cocktails

2010-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

So according to Susan Russo at foodblogga, the new "in" drinks are spicy rather than sweet and syrupy. It's high time! I've never been the biggest bloody mary fan since I'd rather eat spicy tomatoes than drink them, but contrary to layman's logic, spicy food cools you down. So give this one a try the next unbearably hot day, which will hopefully begin to fade more and more.

Ginger Lemonade with Basil

1 large regular cucumber, peeled
2 cups ice
1-2 cups carbonated water
1/2 heaping cup of sugar
juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp grated ginger, more or less depending on level of spice desired
6 shots Russki Standart vodka (use nothing less!:)
3-4 sprigs fresh basil

Blend together everything but the basil until smooth, if it's too thick you can always add more mineral water. Serve with sprigs of basil as garnishes.

Russki Style Potato Salad

2010-09-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so freaking easy. It's also very flavorful and generally well received, somewhat to my surprise as I tend to use vinegar more than the average bear. Anywho, here ya go.

You will need:

about 1 lb Russian Fingerling potatoes, cooked until tender
1 white onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup fresh dill, de-stemmed but you don't have to chop it if you don't want to
3 tbsp herbed vinegar (look in the kosher section of the grocery store, it's in a green bottle)
2/3 cup sour cream
salt to taste, about 1 1/2 tsp

Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces. Mix the ingredients together and chill for about half an hour. Voila, done!

Butternut Squash Cyr Stew with Potatisklimp

2010-09-17T06:54:00.001-07:00

How's that for a recipe title?! Don't be frightened, this Swedish-Russian fusion dish is worth the pronunciation and more. Potatisklimp are Swedish potato dumplings and operate quite a bit like matzo balls. Cyr is the Russian word for cheese, and here's why I chose it.

If you're lucky enough to live somewhere where they carry Northern European cheeses, look for Leipäjuusto. Also known as bread cheese here in the US, this does not melt the way most regular cheeses do. It's also got grill marks which impart a nice texture and flavor that I found went well with the butternut squash soup. I was first introduced to this cheese when I was in Russia, although there let's just say it wasn't made from cow's milk. Anywho, in this recipe you could also use a good Halloumi, but you'd want to add it when the soup was slightly cooler.

Here's what you need:

2 medium butternut squash, sliced in half and de-seeded
3 quarts chicken broth
1 white onion, sliced
4 medium carrots, diced
4 tbsp butter
salt to taste

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs or matzo meal
1/2 cup peeled and mashed Russian Fingerling potatoes
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 lb Leipäjuusto or bread cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash cut side down on a baking pan or cookie sheet and bake for an hour. Remove and allow to cool.

Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium until melted and add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions begin to brown and add a few cups of broth. Add a cup or two of squash then more broth and mix, continue to do this until all the squash and broth is mixed uniformly in the pot. Add the salt and bring to a strong simmer.

Mix the egg yolks and butter; add the mashed potatoes and stir well. Add the spices and bread crumbs and mix until uniform, you definitely don't want any lumps. Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold into the potato/egg mixture until even, but strive to not kill the fluffiness of the egg whites.

Take teaspoons of the potato mixture and roll gently into balls with your hands and drop into the simmering soup. Do so repeatedly until you're out of potato dumpling mixture and allow to cook for 5-10 minutes uncovered. Cover and cook another 10. Remove from the heat and add the bread cheese, stirring gently as to not break up the dumplings. This soup is most definitely enjoyed hot and fresh.

La Fin Du Monde Roasted Chicken with Fig Chutney

2010-09-17T06:43:00.001-07:00

This was a recipe made under duress. As Till Lindemann would say, you can't have art without pain but art exists for compensating pain. The name of the beer was merely ironic, although the taste it imparted was far from ironic.

You will need:

1 3.5 lb chicken
16 oz can whole coconut milk (please, please don't use the stuff in the soy milk sector)
1 bottle La Fin Du Monde beer
1 tbsp kosher salt

1 lb fresh figs, chopped into quarters
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/3 cup sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and set the chicken spine up in a roasting pan. Sprinkle the salt over it and pour the beer over the chicken, then pour the coconut milk. Bake for about 80-90 minutes, basting about every 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside 2 cups of the drippings.

In a saucepan, heat the figs and tamari sauce together. Add the spices and cook until the figs start to become soft from the heat; add the sugar and gradually add the drippings. Stir and keep adding and reducing the broth. Keep cooking and stirring until it begins to thicken and the sugar begins to form bubbles in the sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Divide the chicken into whatever portions you desire and serve the chutney on the side -- it is a bit spicy, so some may want more or less of it than others.

Heirloom Squash Risotto

2010-09-17T06:22:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the lateness of this seasonal recipe, but summer squash is still coming in so it's versatile enough to make while the zucchini is cheap. I made this with a friend of mine using a few different varieties of squash, namely some heirloom patty pan varieties and good old zucchini. This is also a very easy recipe to keep vegan, just disregard the feta.

We used three heirlooms and a zucchini cubed into bite sized pieces, so the measurement on the squash is estimated. This isn't baking so it doesn't have to be exact. I estimate we had about four cups cubed, but it was also a large batch.

You will need:

4 cups cubed various squash
1 bowl cold salted water
3 quarts mock chicken broth (obviously you can use regular chicken broth, but this is what we used to keep it veg)
1/2 lb arborio rice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/3 cup chopped red basil
1 tsp lemon juice OR 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 lb sheep's feta (optional)

Begin by slicing the squash into bite sized cubes. Be careful and use a sharp knife, especially when working with larger squash. Put the cubes in the salt water and begin heating the stock in a large pot over medium-low.

Preheat another large pot to medium, ideally with the stock on the back burner and the new pot on the front to prevent mess. Throw in the olive oil and onions and stir frequently until they become translucent and floppy, for lack of a better word. Add the rice and continue to stir until the rice just barely begins to brown, then step back and add the wine. Often there will be a loud hiss or spatter when the wine hits the pot so you don't want to be facing down into it while you do this.

Stir quickly and as soon as most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add about half a cup of broth and stir. Some people believe constant stirring is absolutely crucial, but I have not found that to be the case. However, you definitely want to give it a good stir every 30 to 60 seconds. Continue adding broth, stirring until thick and adding more until you're about halfway through the broth. Drain the squash and add to the risotto along with another half cup of broth and the red chili flakes. Now for this part you want to stir continuously. Continue adding broth slowly...surely the idea is beginning to sink in now.

When you're about three cups of broth from the finish line throw in the basil and lemon. Finish it off, and the only way to do this is by taste. Take a fork and lift a few grains -- they should be al dente. If it's crunchy, heat up more broth and keep adding gradually until it hits the point of al dente (you can also use salted water if you're out). If it's overcooked it's not the end of the world, but you want to strive for that point of firmness with the grain of the arborio.

Turn off the heat and cover the pot, allow to set for about five to ten minutes. Serve with crumbled sheep's feta on top. This recipe serves about 8 people.

Cucumber Feta Hodgepodge

2010-08-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I went into this wanting to make macaroni and cheese. I was low on ingredients, but the stuff I did have I wanted to use up. The result was surprisingly delicious -- if you wanted, you could add some shredded chicken and that would add a nice texture as well.

You will need:

3 tbsp salted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 oz pepper jack cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 lb pasta, already cooked (we used penne)
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 large cucumber, sliced thinly
3 oz crumbed sheep's feta
2 bread slices -- toasted brown and crumbled into crumbs
4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded

Preheat the oven to 450. Heat the butter over medium until melted, add the flour and mix quickly. Add the vegetable broth gradually until there are no lumps and the sauce begins to thicken. Add the salt and jack cheese, continually stir until the cheese is completely melted. Feel free to adjust the amount of salt depending on your taste.

Mix together the pasta, vegetable butter sauce, peas, cucumber and feta until uniformly coated. Put into a casserole dish and top with the bread crumbs and cheddar. Bake for 12 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

2010-08-29T18:24:00.001-07:00

So this is an easy one. All it is is caprese salad made with heirloom tomatoes but believe me, the difference is unbelievable. This will take your tastebuds to a new level when it comes to our lycopene-infused friends, the heirloom tomatoes. I also like that the color varies using different varieties, I used one large pale yellow tomato, a few small red ones mottled with purplish spots and a few solid, brightly colored breeds. I don't know the names of the exact varieties, but you don't need to know the name to know it's good.

You will need:

3 lbs mixed heirloom tomatoes
2 balls fresh mozzarella, about 1 lb
1/3 cup whole fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, zested
1 tsp sea salt
a few grounds of black pepper, 1/8 tsp

Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and chop them into bite sized pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is uniformly coated in the oil/vinegar dressing. Serve cold and enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini

2010-08-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe inspired by Kayotic's famous stuffed zucchini recipe. It's heavy on dairy so the creamy, savory stuffing combines especially well with the slightly crispy, fresh zucchini boat. This is good to make if you're serving an even number of people, as you can vary the servings depending on how many zucchinis you're working with -- I used 2 for this recipe.

You will need:

2 zucchinis
1/4 cup cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Italian seasoning OR mixed oregano/basil/thyme
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp salted butter
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 oz monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the ends off the zucchinis, cut them each in half and use a spoon to scoop the innards out, the shell should remain at least 1/4 inch thick. Put the zucchini guts into a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, cream, salt and butter and stir until uniform. Add the herbs, red chili flakes and chives and mix in, follow with the bread crumbs and finish with the jack cheese. You don't want to add the cheese too early, as those little pockets of melted goodness are best achieved with a roughly shredded cheese.

Use a spoon to scoop the stuffing into the boats; don't be afraid to heap it on, but keep in mind that some will most likely overflow a bit. If this isn't to your aesthetic, use 3 zucchinis instead of 2 and you'll use less filling in each boat.

Bake for about 20 minutes and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Turkey Ragoux

2010-08-29T18:01:00.001-07:00

This is essentially a robust marinara sauce with the addition of meat, but I suppose that's the definition of a proper ragoux. I decided to use turkey because of the lower fat content and the fact that I'm a bit more experienced with it. Hopefully you'll enjoy this recipe as much as my friends and I did!

You will need:

1 lb ground turkey
2 16 oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1/2 cup fresh whole basil leaves
3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped finely
1 tsp red chili flakes
3 cloves of garlic, zested
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning OR 1/2 tbsp dried oregano/ 1/2 tbsp dried thyme

Pour the tomatoes into a medium pot. Add the dried herbs, salt and red chili flakes and heat over medium. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium and brown the turkey. As the turkey cooks (make sure to come back and "turn" it often) add the olive oil and fresh herbs. Finish by adding the cooked turkey WITH the fat and juices. Remember that if you're making a ragu with a different type of meat the fat content may be too high so you'll want to drain that off when cooking with beef or lamb; for turkey, the small amount of fat and juice adds a ton of flavor. Simmer gently for another 15-30 minutes and serve over pasta. This sauce should be significantly thicker than regular marinara, so it does best with a strong pasta like fettuccine or fusilli.

Cucumber Lemonade

2010-08-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a refreshing treat to whip up on the most stiflingly sticky hot days of summer -- if you don't feel like dragging out the blender, just thinly slice the cucumbers into the lemonade and refrigerate. Don't you love when the things in season are the things you want the most for the weather?

You'll need:

1 medium cucumber, peeled
2-3 lemons, depending on how sour you like it
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup ice
3 cups water

Cut the cucumber into chunks and slice each lemon in half. Juice the lemons and remove any seeds. Throw all of the ingredients into the blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth and uniform, it shouldn't be too thick. Nothing else to it, just drink and enjoy!

Potatoes Au Gratin

2010-07-04T08:17:00.001-07:00

Potatoes and squash au gratin is a recipe I grew up eating but until recently never thought of recreating. I suppose I didn't realize the comforting powers of potatoes, cheese and bread crumbs until recently, oops. Either way, I used a mixture of cheeses for my version and you could vary it up as you like -- if you don't like swiss or brie, cheddar and cream cheese would work too. The sauce with Icelandic brie, which is much less ammoniac and strong as French brie, on top of the buttery yellow slices of Yukon potatoes gives this version an almost sweet taste. It's creamy and delicate as opposed to the results of using a robust Irish cheddar. Anywho.

You will need:

2 1/2 lbs golden Yukon potatoes
6 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
4 oz Icelandic brie, wax removed
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Salt to taste
2 stale slices of bread, dry and toasted (I like sourdough)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully slice the potatoes thinly -- "1/4 or smaller, dropping each slice into a bowl of salt water so they don't oxidize. Once all the potatoes are cut, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together with the flour and add about 1/3 cup of the milk, stirring until most of the lumps are gone. Once the sauce becomes hot add the brie and Swiss cheese, stir together until melted. Taste the sauce at this point and salt it to your liking. Remove from the heat.

Put several tablespoons of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish and put a layer of potatoes over it. Repeat, and shred one of the slices of bread over the second potato layer. Keep doing this until you've used all the potatoes, pour the remainder of the sauce on top. Follow with the shredded cheddar and crumble the second slice of bread on top as well. Cover dish with tin foil and bake for an hour; after an hour, remove the tin foil and cook for 30 more minutes or until browned. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving, it's like molten lava!

Goat Cheese and Basil Borek

2010-06-10T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling guilty lately -- I haven't been keeping up my blog the way I used to, or the way I should. Despite that I have few readers, I like remembering how and when I first made a recipe when I find it. My great-great grandmother, a native of the Lapplands in a small village near Kiruna, Sweden recorded her recipes in a small leather journal. My grandmother recently unearthed it and gave it to my mom for safekeeping. As my Swedish is rather limited we only managed to decipher a few of the recipes, although my mother recognized the names of quite a few from eating them as a child. My great grandmother kept all of her recipes in a small green box, especially in her later years. My grandmother did the same, and now my mother has her own. It's a hybrid of everyone's recipes, from my great grandmother and namesake to a few of mine. In the internet age it may not be as romantically antique but I enjoy being able to have these all at my disposal and be able to share them with just a few clicks.

Back to the food! I finally found a fellow blogger (who has clearly had much more experience) with a wealth of northern European recipes, as well as gorgeous photography -- Dutch Girl. Pop on over to her blog sometime, as it's where I got the inspiration for this dish. It dates back to the Ottoman Empire and has since spread throughout the region. Here's what you need:

36 strips phyllo dough, about 3-4 inches wide and 14 inches wide, thawed
4 oz olive oil
8 oz goat cheese, plain
1 cup fresh basil leaves, whole
3 tbsp pine nuts
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 heaping cup parboiled or quick braised asparagus, chopped into very small pieces (think edamame sized)

Chop the pine nuts and basil leaves finely and combine with the lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the goat cheese and mix until mostly even, follow with the asparagus. Combine until the asparagus is evenly distributed and there are no pockets of spices.

Preheat the oven to 400. As I've mentioned before, phyllo dough can be tricky. Make sure your hands are dry before you begin to handle it. Take one sheet and using a pastry brush, put a light coat of olive oil over it. Place another sheet on top of it and do the same thing. Do this until you have 3 layers of phyllo. In the center of the far left side of the phyllo place about 2 tablespoons of filling. Fold the bottom corner up, forming the beginnings of a triangle. You want to fold it like a flag -- flip the corner over and repeat until you're to the other end of the dough. I got good results dabbing the top with olive oil; use a sharp knife to cut off any raggedy edges. Do this until you're out of phyllo, I've adjusted the recipe so there's no dough or filling left over.

Brush some olive oil onto a large baking sheet. Place the triangles at least an inch apart from one another and bake for 7 minutes; flip onto the other side then bake again for 8 minutes. Definitely allow these to cool for a few minutes before serving, the filling is HOT!

Irish Macaroni and Cheese

2010-05-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot about cheese lately, which is an interesting and disgusting but oh-so-delicious topic. Macaroni and cheese, a distinctively American dish, was based on somewhat similar European counterparts but was not made as we know it until the last few centuries. My tried and true recipe relies on sharp cheddar, but when you tread into Irish cheddar territory, it's a whole other ballgame.

I'd been experimenting with my regular recipe -- what pasta shapes work best, what cheese combinations? This one is definitely a winner. A greasy, artery clogging winner guaranteed to be a success at any potluck or family gathering.

1 1/2 cups milk
4 tbsp flour
3 tbsp European style butter
6-8 oz Irish cheddar, cubed
1 lb dry penne rigate
salt to taste
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar

Preheat the oven to 450 and set a pot of water to boil. In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium low until melted, and mix with the flour until even. Add half a cup of the milk and mix until even. Once the water boils, add the pasta and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add the rest of the milk to the sauce mixture and stir until hot; add the cubed cheddar. Stir until melted and add the salt. Set aside to thicken.

Drain the pasta and combine well with the sauce. Put into a baking pan and top with the mild cheddar. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is bubbly; allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Parmesan

2010-05-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Chicken parm, the Americanized version of eggplant parmigiana, is a recipe I only started making in the last few months. It's my male acquaintance's favorite dish that I make so far -- however, after repeated testing, I've determined that for it to be good versus excellent chicken parm, the quality of ingredients is vital. For that purpose I am being strangely specific with this recipe. It's time and labor intensive but worth the work if you want to impress someone. This recipe serves 3.

3 kosher, organic chicken breasts, thawed (don't use large, mass produced varieties, they don't have near the flavor of naturally raised chicken meat)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
dash of salt
1 cup bread crumbs
3 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, chopped finely

Heat a large skillet over medium. Whisk together the milk, eggs, salt and red pepper flakes. Put the butter and garlic in the pan and using a spatula, whisk together. Dip the cutlets into the egg mixture then toss in the bread crumbs and place into the skillet individually. Once one side is browned, flip and repeat until they're all done. Set them on a small baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining garlic butter, set aside.

1 can fire roasted tomatoes, crushed
1 can regular tomatoes, crushed
1/2 cup basil leaves whole, or 3 tbsp chopped finely
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1 lb cooked rigatoni pasta or 1 box dry
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
3 tbsp finely shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the above ingredients except the pasta in a large saucepan over medium low heat and simmer for at least half an hour. In this time, cook and drain the pasta. Put a small amount of mozzarella in the bottom of a baking pan, follow with the pasta, then the sauce and then the rest of the mozzarella. Bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes. Put the chicken breasts on the bottom oven rack and bake along with it. Remove from the oven, transfer the chicken onto the pasta and serve.

Strawberry Morozhenoe (Russian-style Ice Cream)

2010-05-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

For the life of me I can't seem to find morozhenoe in my city -- maybe it's the lack of a large Russian population, but what makes it different from regular ice cream is the texture. Unlike American ice cream, which tends to be very dense and heavy, morozhenoe is rich yet lightweight. It's meant to be served slightly soft; the high fat content allows this to happen without the ice cream melting all over. I used vine ripened strawberries for this and it turned out great.

You need:

1 liter heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 1/2 pints fresh strawberries
3/4 cup sugar

Put a large metal bowl in the freezer. Quarter the strawberries and heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the strawberries and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the berries are soft and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Set aside to cool.

Once the sauce is cooled take the bowl out of the freezer, and pour in the heavy whipping cream. Using an electric mixer begin whipping at medium speed; when the mixture begins to thicken, add the remainder of the sugar and whip at a higher speed. Make sure not to overmix so the cream doesn't separate. Gently fold in the milk and strawberry syrup. In a large bowl freeze for 2 hours, come back and stir, then freeze for 8 more. This is best served within a day or two of making, otherwise the ice crystals stiffen the signature texture.

White Zucchini Parmesan

2010-05-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I made for a group of people during a get together at the house; it's assembled from various odds and ends I had in the kitchen but came together amazingly well. The Torog cheese is a fresh farmers' cheese that can be found in most Russian markets; if you absolutely cannot find it, substitute regular farmer's cheese or ricotta.

Step 1: Parming the Zucchini

2 large zucchini, sliced fairly thin
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp whole milk
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
dash of salt
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
olive oil for frying

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and chili flakes. Put a skillet over medium heat. Dip the zucchini slices in the egg mixture and follow by tossing in bread crumbs, set aside. Once several of these are completed add about 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and arrange the slices. Once they're browned on the bottom, flip them. Remove onto a paper towel or piece of parchment and repeat until you've used up all the zucchini. You may have leftover egg and bread crumbs; if you want, you can combine these and fry them to make hush puppies.

Step 2: Sauce and Assembly

1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 oz Torog cheese
4 oz Irish cheddar, chopped into cubes
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
salt to taste
2 large cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 450. Heat the butter over medium-low until melted, quickly whisk in the flour. Add half a cup of milk and stir until uniform in texture, then turn the heat up to medium and add the rest of the milk. Once the mixture becomes hot add the Torog and cheddar, stirring until melted and incorporated. Add the salt and garlic and remove from the heat.

Put a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and arrange the zucchini slices in one layer over it. Top with half of the mozzarella, more sauce and continue to layer the zucchini. Finish with the rest of the mozzarella on top and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 and serve.

Lobster and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

2010-03-08T20:12:00.001-08:00

This is a recipe modeled after a similar one at one of the restaurants here in Richmond. It's easy enough and definitely worth making if you want to impress a party.

You will need:

3 tbsp salted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb lobster meat
2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 tsp dried dill weed
8 oz neufchatel cheese

Over medium heat melt the butter and add the garlic. Add the lobster and cook for several minutes, stirring often with a spatula, until done. Make sure to watch so the butter doesn't burn. Halfway through add the red peppers. In a blender or countertop mixer, put the neufchatel and dill weed. Take the lobster off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding to the neufchatel mixture. Blend until almost all chunks are gone. This makes about a cup, serve with pita chips or flatbread.

Baked Casarecce

2010-03-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

This is a dish I've found myself making a lot lately, probably because it's so easy and you can vary the content. I keep mine simple with sauce and vegetables but you could include anything, such as meatballs or even roasted nuts.

I'm posting the recipe I use which serves 2 people, maybe 3. Increase as you see fit.

You will need:

1 cup dry casarecce pasta
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup either provolone or mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli, spinach or asparagus

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil the pasta and vegetables for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Strain and set aside. Mix together the salt, marinara and ricotta and add the pasta. Put into a baking dish and cover with the remaining cheeses. Bake for about 10 minutes, then broil until the top becomes bubbly and begins to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

A Quick Note About Meat

2010-03-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

I figure it deserves an explanation, my increasing inclusion of meat in my recipes. Due to some health issues I've had to start cooking it for myself; before I only made it for dinner parties per request. There will be more recipes including poultry and certain types of seafood appearing in the future, but I plan to post plenty of vegetarian or veggie-based dishes as I always have. If you do choose to eat meat, I highly recommend getting the organic, cage free, antibiotic-free variety. A happy chicken is a tasty chicken :)

Roast Chakhokhbili: Roasted Georgian Chicken

2010-03-08T17:41:00.000-08:00

Making this dish was an adventure in and of itself; eating it was another. Chakhokhbili is a Georgian chicken stew infused with lots of spices and vegetables; instead of making a stew, I decided to roast the chicken whole to give my guests their desired selection of meat. This was the hands-down favorite at my last dinner party. Georgian cuisine is very flavorful and based on ingredients native to the region; one cannot categorize it as Middle Eastern, Indian or Russian, it is an entity in and of itself. The Georgian people are fiercely proud of the culinary bounty provided by their native land, which is clear from the first bite.

The recipe is based on Clarissa Hyman's chakhokhbili recipe published in The Jewish Kitchen, one of my favorite cookbooks. I had to adjust a few ingredients and the cooking time, as always, but I stuck fairly close to the original recipe. However, the sauce came out a little too chunky for my taste, so I'm describing each step separately.

For the sauce:

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 lb peeled and boiled potatoes
15 oz can plain tomato sauce
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp hot paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
1 cup Shiraz or other red wine

Put the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent and slightly browned; remove from the heat. Combine all sauce ingredients and mash together, not all lumps need to be gone but the potatoes should be mashed enough to contribute to the texture of the sauce. Heat for about 10 minutes.

For the chicken:

1 medium chicken
1 large roasting pan, lined with foil
1 cup chicken broth
several tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the broth into the roasting pan and after salting and rinsing, add the chicken. Top the chicken with a cup to a cup and a half of the sauce and bake for an hour and a half. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 400. Using a wooden spoon, gently clear some of the sauce from the top of the chicken -- this will allow the outside to become crispy. Put it back in the oven and cook until the outside is brown and crispy; using a meat thermometer, check to make sure the meat on the thigh hits at least 165 degrees before removing for good. You can either serve this whole and allow people to sauce it as they desire or you can divide it into about 8 sections, toss and coat with the remainder of the sauce and finally, top with the fresh mint.

I Artichoke You: How to Prepare, Steam and Serve an Artichoke and Hollandaise

2010-03-08T17:29:00.000-08:00

So I'll start this off with a nod to Susan Russo of Foodblogga. She has an absolutely fabulous guide to selecting and preparing fresh artichokes so I can't take complete credit for the guidelines on how to do those things. However, I've repeated her method several times and it always works. What never fails to escape me is which poor sap initially thought this strange vegetable would be good to eat.

Whoever they were, they took one for the team -- the combination of sweet artichoke with the spicy, lemony, creamy goodness of Hollandaise sauce is alarmingly decadent. However, I consider this something every good cook should know how to make, so I'm sharing my methods.

To prepare the artichoke:

Using a large sharp knife, cut off the base stem and top 1/5 of the artichoke. Pull off any dead or bruised leaves and use kitchen shears to trim the tips off of the leaves on the sides. Very carefully pull the sides of the artichoke open until the purple flower of the choke is visible. I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this, but a regular spoon works fine -- pluck out the flower and scrape out the fuzz in the bottom of the choke. Working quickly, rub the surface with a sliced lemon and squeeze some juice into the cavern where the flower once was, lest you want a brown and oxidized artichoke.

For this recipe, you will need:

2-3 artichokes
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
a few dashes of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup melted butter

In a large covered pot, heat the artichokes in about 2 inches of water over medium heat with a dash of salt and lemon juice. Allow to simmer and steam for about half an hour. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, being careful to not let them fall apart.

Using either a blender or a countertop mixer with a whisk setting, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and pepper flakes. Heat the butter in a small saucepan until very hot, but watch it to make sure it doesn't burn. With the blender or whisk on high speed, pour the butter in a very thin stream into the yolk mixture. It will end up thickening almost immediately, so there's no need to continue mixing after the butter is all incorporated.

I like to serve the artichoke with a bit of Hollandaise put into the center of the cavern, but others prefer to serve it on the side. Pluck a leaf off, dip into the sauce and using your bottom teeth, scrape the meat off of the fibrous outer leaf. As you progress to the center the leaves will get more tender, eventually ending with the coup de grace: the heart. Smother it in Hollandaise and smile.

Raspberry Vanilla Creme Tart

2010-03-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I actually scrounged from random things I had around before grocery shopping -- phyllo dough, raspberries, vanilla butter, etc. Despite the riskiness of the dough, it was a success.

Phyllo dough is like the grizzly bear of the food world, it can smell fear and will react accordingly. For first timers this is a good recipe to try for getting used to working with it; the sheets don't have to be perfect and you can utilize small pieces that were torn off. So face this bravely and you'll tame the wild phyllo monster...plus you'll have an awesome tart.

To make vanilla butter, bring a liter or two of water to a rolling boil and throw in 2 sticks of butter. Follow with 2-3 vanilla bean pods and turn the heat to a quick simmer, allow to cook for 30 minutes to an hour. Strain the mixture and set in a cool place for a few hours. The butter will rise to the top and solidify, leaving the liquid in the bottom to easily drain out. If you don't have this kind of time, regular butter will work fine as well.

You will need (for the crust):

12 inch round cake pan
1/2 - 1 cup melted vanilla butter
1/2 lb phyllo dough

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the bottom and sides of the cake pan with a few tablespoons of butter and stick a sheet of phyllo to it. Repeat the process of brushing with butter and wallpapering the phyllo down. Make sure to get the sides and bottom evenly and do this until you run out of dough. Bake for 5 minutes or until it turns a golden puffy brown, remove from the oven and set aside.

For the pastry creme:

2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
4 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup cane sugar
4 tablespoons flour

Heat the milk, 1/4 cup sugar and the vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat until it simmers. Whisk the remainder of the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl, when they become light and fluffy add the flour. Remove the milk from the heat and slowly mix a thin stream of it into the yolks; after about half is added, switch your method and start adding the milk-yolk from the bowl to the rest of the milk in the saucepan, keeping it over medium-low heat. Stir quickly as it heats and once it thickens, remove from the stovetop. Set aside.

For the raspberry filling, you will need 1- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries and 3-4 tbsp cane sugar. Heat these in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 or 15 minutes, stirring often.

Take the raspberry syrup and drizzle into the phyllo crust. Follow with the pastry cream, smoothing the top with a spatula. Chill until ready to serve.

Italian Ricotta Pie

2010-02-22T19:07:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe from Foodblogga that I've been wanting to try for a long time but never had the audience. I followed her recipe fairly closely, which is a bit unusual for me but I'm glad I did. It turned out fluffy, sweet and delicious.

You will need for the crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 stick salted butter
2 eggs

For the filling:

1 lb whole ricotta cheese, drained
1 cup light cream
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 eggs
10 oz crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Using a pastry cutter or food processor with a metal blade, combine the dry ingredients for the crust. Cut in the butter, then add the eggs, being careful not to overmix. Form a ball with the dough once combined and wrap in plastic; refrigerate while you mix the filling or for up to 2 days.

For the filling, combine the ricotta, cream, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Add the eggs and finish by adding the pineapple. Set aside and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll the dough out until the radius is about 10 inches. Grease a 9 inch pie pan and press the dough into it. Pour in the filling and top with a dusting of cinnamon. Bake for 20 minutes at 425, then 30-60 more at 350. Check every ten minutes and once the center is firm, not jiggly, it's ready to come out. Allow to cool and chill before serving.

Lobster Bisque

2010-02-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

This is a quick, relatively easy recipe for lobster bisque. It calls for a lb of chunk lobster meat, which you can either harvest yourself or buy in the seafood section of more upscale grocers. This recipe serves 3.

You will need:

2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp flour
1/3 white onion
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb lobster meat
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Heat the milk, salt, broth, peppers and onion over medium heat and allow to simmer. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the lobster. Stir with a spatula every few minutes for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Take the broth mixture off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Using a blender or food processor, combine the lobster meat (as well as drippings/butter from the pan) with the broth and onion until finely mixed. Put back on the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce and flour, whisk well. Keep hot several minutes (to thicken) or until ready to serve.

Manicotti Formaggio al Spinaci

2010-02-13T15:59:00.001-08:00

Manicotti formaggio: possibly my favorite Italian dish, yet it has taken me numerous times and lots of testing to get it remotely correct. The issue isn't usually in the ingredients, it's in the execution. One mistake and you're left with a soggy mess or crunchy, thick pasta outside runny ricotta. I had tried everything -- hand rolled pasta, egg roll wrappers, different flours, you name it. I finally broke down and just got the pre-rolled pasta sheets at Whole Foods.

With as many failures as I've experienced, this recipe is the closest that I've been able to get to that oh-so-elusive perfection attained by an Italian grandmother. The result is still a bit flimsy to handle so I'm adjusting the cooking time accordingly. The taste is still fabulous. This recipe serves about 2 so adjust it if need be. I also call for small amounts of several different cheeses; if this puts a dent in your budget either money or time-wise, use Parmesan and ricotta in the filling and mozzarella instead of provolone on top.

You will need:

4 oz ricotta cheese
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
1 oz non-smoked provolone, grated
2 tbsp grated parmesan
2 eggs
1 cup lightly steamed spinach, drained
a pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
5-4"-6" flat pieces of fresh pasta to wrap
1-1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the ricotta, spinach, egg and salt. Add the red pepper flakes and spinach, finishing by adding the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Put a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a baking pan. Wrap a few tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach mixture in the pasta, forming long filled tubes. Set side by side in the baking pan and top with the rest of the marinara, then with the parmesan. Bake for 20-30 minutes, broiling for 2-3 if the top is not browned. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes, ideally. Make a small incision in the middle of one of the center manicottis after the cooling time to ensure that the filling is not runny (if so, bake another 10 minutes -- better to be safe than sorry!) I've found that they require a different baking time each time, but working with fresh pasta does change the game a bit. Once it's cooled enough to serve, it's wonderful alongside garlic bread.

Swedish Black Forest Cake

2010-01-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe I feel I should put a disclaimer on -- this stuff is rich. However, just by looking at it you know that. This dish serves about 8 and is based on kladdkaka, a Swedish recipe for what is basically a very rich, sticky chocolate cake. I had wanted to make a black forest cake, but seeing as my ingredients and time was limited I opted to make this instead and got Scandinavian on the traditional black forest recipe.

You will need:

9 inch round cake pan
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, 2 tbsp set aside
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup melted salted European style butter
4 oz lingonberry sauce
1 tube marzipan
2 tbsp butter
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 300 and grease the cake pan. Combine the eggs and sugar and the dry ingredients separately. Mix the two until just combined then slowly add the vanilla and butter. Mix well and pour into cake pan, bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool at least an hour.

Take the 2 tbsp of butter and grease a smooth surface, rolling pin and set aside the rest for your hands in preparation to handle the marzipan. Remove from the packaging and knead into a ball, then roll it out until it's approximately 9 inches in diameter.

Using a spatula, spread the lingonberry sauce over the top of the kladdkaka. Put the marzipan sheet over it and use a knife to trim any extra off the edges. Using an electric mixer, beat the whipped cream and 1/3 cup of sugar until fluffy. Spread over the cake like icing. Using a sifter, sprinkle some cocoa powder over the top. Store in the refrigerator until it is to be served.

Brie, Apple and Hazelnut Schmear

2010-01-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

This was the first thing people went for at the party after being given the overview of what was being served -- it also got the most feedback. I kept the hazelnuts whole to add interest but most of the guests found them too distracting but loved the rest of the dip. So if you're not a fan of crunchy things in dip or don't like hazelnuts, just leave 'em out. It'll still be good.

You need:

1 shredded granny smith apple
8 oz softened brie cheese (I just bought a "3-"4 wedge)
4 oz neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped finely

Combine and serve. Easy!

Spicy Vodka Sauce

2010-01-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

I love vodka sauce but I rarely make it because it involves cream, which is heavy in calories and vodka, which is heavy in cost. However, this recipe made it worth it. It's simple and mostly involves simmering time, which will make your kitchen smell amazing.

You need:

a large pot
15 oz can cubed tomatoes
28 oz tomato sauce or puree, plain
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1/2 cup vodka (the higher quality the better the sauce will be)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp salt

Heat all ingredients except the vodka and cream over medium heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the vodka and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the cream. Keep hot while serving and refrigerate once you're done -- the dairy makes this sauce a bit more perishable than regular marinara.

Gibanica - Serbian Feta Cabbage Pie

2010-01-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

This was a recipe I'd been wanting to try for awhile but it makes so much there was no way I could eat it myself -- I needed some help. Hence how it wound up on the smorgasbord menu.

As something of a disclaimer, this recipe is not for the calorie conscious or vegans. It's full of dairy and is fairly high in fat; however, by cooking this dish using authentic ingredients, one is less likely to go overboard. I found that one piece the size of a playing card was all I needed. Besides, the recipe also makes so much of it that the ingredients called for look a lot worse than they actually are. Anywho, I figured this was a dish that deserved a disclaimer, lest I start getting snarky comments about promoting obesity or heart disease. Besides, that's what gyms are for.

I did lighten the original recipe though; cost was the main reason, although the added nutrients and fiber definitely make a difference. The original recipe called for 2 lbs of feta -- instead, I used 1 lb and one medium-large shredded cabbage.

You will need:

1/2 lb phyllo dough, thawed
1 cup sour cream
6-10 tbsp butter, melted
6 eggs
1 lb feta cheese
1/2 cup flour
1 cabbage, shredded and boiled for about 10-15 minutes
large baking or roasting pan -- the biggest one you have

Preheat the oven to 325. Beat the eggs together and add the flour and salt. Add the crumbled feta, sour cream and cabbage. Put about a tablespoon of butter or two in the pan, enough to grease it. Place 2-3 phyllo sheets in. Follow with about 1/6 of the cheese and cabbage mixture. Top with another 2-3 sheets and add another tablespoon of butter, brushing it over the phyllo as evenly as possible. Again, layer the cabbage and cheese. Do this until you're left with 2-3 phyllo sheets. Use up the remaining cabbage mixture and top with the phyllo and any leftover butter. Bake for around an hour to an hour and a half, or until the center seems set. Allow to cool and cut into squares. This went especially well with vodka sauce but is also delicious on its own.

Potato Gruyere Souffle

2010-01-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

I recently held a smorgasbord at my home -- an entire day devoted to cooking and a night devoted to eating for a constantly rotating group of people. It was a lofty undertaking but ultimately, a success. Especially with one cook. Many of these are dishes I would never make for myself, mostly because they're too rich or simply not my taste. I'm trying to expand my culinary horizons, however, so this was a great opportunity to test recipes I otherwise wouldn't have made. These potato gruyere souffles will definitely grace my table again though.

I found the original recipe for these to be a little fussy, and it called for bleu cheese rather than gruyere. I already had a gibanica involving feta so I figured two brined cheeses might be too much. These were a favorite and actually pretty easy once I simplified the method. It may not be a true souffle but it's still worth a try.

You will need:

12-count muffin pan
apx 1 1/3 stick of butter, melted altogether
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 lbs of peeled potatoes
2/3 cup whole milk, room temp
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb gruyere, cubed
3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350. Using a brush, grease the inside of the muffin tins with butter. Dust with the bread crumbs. Boil the potatoes until tender then quickly peel. While they're still hot, use a fork to scrape away at the potato to produce crumbs -- you can also use a ricer or food mill for this. Throw them into a large bowl and beat with 1/4 cup of butter, the milk, salt and eggs.

Fill the muffin tins halfway with the potato mash. Evenly divide the cubes of gruyere between the 12 tins. Use the rest of the mixture to fill them completely. Brush a little butter over the tops and bake in the middle or lower rack for 15 minutes, then 450 for 5 more minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the tins.

Vegan Spiced Vanilla Kasha

2010-01-03T18:41:00.001-08:00

Kasha was a dish I got very familiar with in Russia -- it's a hot cereal made from roasted buckwheat, usually cooked in milk. As someone excessively averse to sausages and other breakfast meats, this became my first meal of the day nearly every day for the second portion of the trip.

What was served, however, is not exactly this. This recipe is a professionalized version of what I mixed myself every morning in the cafeteria. The kasha served was bland and not quite salty, not quite sweet so I bought lot of vanilla sugar and cinnamon at the store and used them to add some flair.

I made mine in a rice cooker, but the same method would apply if you were using a large covered pot over medium-low heat.

Ingredients:

14 oz can regular coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup rinsed buckwheat grains
6 oz water

Set all ingredients to cook for 45 minutes on the stove top or however long specified by your rice cooker. With the exception of a dash of sugar, it shouldn't need anything else before serving.

Potato and Celery Root Hummus with Avocado

2010-01-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

One of the primary ideas behind the slow foods movement is that live food is good food -- there are compounds in fresh produce that aren't found in imported fruits and vegetables. Hence why I stopped in my tracks when I saw something still actually growing on the refrigerated shelves of the Whole Foods produce section.

Upon closer inspection, it was clearly a celery root. Bright tiny celery stalks were emerging from its top as it stood alone on the shelf. No price, no code, but I bagged it anyway. It was just too interesting to pass up, plus it was an ingredient I'd never worked with before.

Celery root reminds me of the baby in that Czech film, Little Otik. A bit creepy, but once the root is cleaned up and peeled it looks like any other root vegetable. To prepare it for boiling, cut off the top and any roots at the bottom. Using a vegetable peeler, get the rest of the skin off. Using a large sharp knife, chop into small cubes.

You will need:

1 cubed celery root
4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium avocado
4 tbsp butter or olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
dash of chili powder

Boil the potatoes and celery root for approximately 40 minutes. Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mash -- I recommend using a mixer if you can because it takes awhile to smooth out. When storing, use plastic wrap to put directly over the surface to avoid discoloration. This is especially good served with brown rice or warmed pita squares.

Pirozhki - Lamb (or Boca) Filled Rolls

2009-12-30T22:22:00.000-08:00

Pirozhki are a staple of Russian street food -- whether you're in a cafe, literally walking home from the metro station or at one of the many historic sights, there will be someone selling pirozhki. If I were preparing these for my friends I would use Boca Burger crumbles; if you want to make them authentic style, as my stepdad prefers, use lamb. Don't use beef or you won't get the real flavor.

If you do choose to use Boca crumbles, add 3-4 tbsp of oil to the pan before cooking the crumbles and 1/3 cup of mock chicken or beef broth to the mixture after the onions cook and before the cabbage goes in.

Ingredients for filling:

3/4 lb thawed Boca Burger crumbles or ground lamb
1 onion, finely chopped
2 small cabbages (size of softballs) or 1 large one, finely shredded
3 tbsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp dried dill

Dough and cooking:

1 packet yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4-5 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 quart of oil

To begin, start with the dough. Dissolve the yeast into the water and set aside until frothy, about ten minutes. In this time, take a large skillet or pot and begin to cook the meat aspect. Once cooked, throw in the onions and seasonings. Get back to the dough and whisk in the liquid ingredients. Add the sugar and salt then the dry ingredients. Knead until smooth and elastic and set aside in an oiled bowl in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.

Once the dough is kneaded the onions should be thoroughly cooked. Add the cabbage and broth if necessary. Cover and allow to simmer for around half an hour, coming back frequently to stir so one side doesn't get burnt. Once the cabbage is tender, set aside to cool.

Once the filling is cooled the dough should be ready. Set the oil to heat to 375 degrees in a large pot. Flattening small handfuls at a time, wrap the dough around about 2 tablespoons of filling per roll and pinch the ends back together. They will want to pull apart once they hit the hot oil, so make sure you pinch thoroughly and reinforce any weak spots. Set aside on an oiled cookie sheet and repeat until all are done, or the first batch has been resting for approximately ten minutes. Slide them into the oil and cook until light golden brown, remove onto paper towels or another device to drain any excess grease. Repeat until they're all done. As with the pierogies, these can be frozen before frying for later cooking.

These are best served hot and on their own. Enjoy!

Vereniki (Non-Meat Pierogies)

2009-12-30T21:59:00.000-08:00

My stepfather grew up with two nationalities -- German and Polish. His grandfather on the German side was a baker, but every time he mentions a dish he wants my mother and I to attempt it's something from his Polish grandmother's repertoire. The famed cheesecake recipe is coming soon!

Anywho, his birthday runs dangerously close to Christmas day, so my mother and I typically plan a larger celebration on the birthday than on Christmas. This year we went totally Polish and because we made several things, I'm adding that as a tag on my recipe collection. My stepfather's primary request was pierogies -- or vereniki in Russian -- which are essentially wheat pasta pockets filled with some variation of mushrooms, mashed potato, onions and cheese. The following recipe includes the ingredients for all of the aforementioned fillings.

These can be prepared several ways. A lot of people boil their pierogies, but this detracts from the flavor in my experience, as well as causing the homemade variety to fray apart and become pierogie soup. Therefore I recommend a method quite similar to cooking potstickers, which begins with steaming and ends with a short pan fry.

Ingredients for dough:

2-3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp full fat sour cream
1 egg
1/3 c warm water

This is easy -- knead the dough together until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed. Roll into a ball and place under an upside down bowl for an hour.

Filling:

2/3 c mushrooms, chopped finely (you may want to use a food processor for this)
4 tbsp chopped leeks
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb boiled potatoes
3-4 tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely cubed cheese of choice (fontina works well)
2 containers, 1/2 cup water in each
4 tbsp butter
large skillet with cover

Boil the potatoes until tender. Mash with the salt and cream until all but the smallest lumps are gone. Heat the oil, mushrooms and leeks over medium heat with a dash of salt and continue to cook until well browned, then set aside. Roll the dough out in small handfuls to about "1/8 and using a "3 cookie cutter, cut pieces of dough and set them aside. Heat the skillet over medium high.

Set to work on filling the pierogies -- we found it easiest and the most fun to mix and match fillings, since all the flavors were compatible. To do this takes practice with the dough but I will attempt to describe how I did it: taking the round of dough in my hand, I smooshed it down one last time to eliminate any large lumps and held it flat in my left hand. Using the right, I put fillings off center and rolled the unfilled end over. I pinched the sides together to get a small half moon. Repeat, setting the raw pierogies on an oiled cookie sheet once completed.

When you've assembled all the pierogies, it's time to cook them. Put 2 tbsp of butter in the pan and once melted, assemble approximately half the pierogies in the pan. Put in half a cup of water along with a dash of salt and cover for three minutes. After this, take off the cover and allow to cook until the water has evaporated. At this point, the side on the pan should be barely browning. Flip the pierogies and allow them to brown more completely on the other side, anywhere from three to seven minutes depending on your stove, so keep checking them.

Chances are with this recipe you'll wind up doing two batches in the pan. If you don't have a large party to serve or want to save some for later, they can be frozen before being fried for at least a month.

Once cooked, serve hot with sour cream on the side. Za zdarovy!

Tangy Wild Rice with Ricotta Eggs

2009-12-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Don't skip over this one -- the title sounds like some terrible 70's diet cookbook dish, but this is honestly delicious and also quite healthy. I've noticed that in most culinary traditions there's a strong emphasis on mixing grains with protein and this is no exception. The ricotta makes the eggs fluffy and soft instead of rubbery and the rice adds a nice bite, along with the tanginess of the sauce. This is a great meal for when you have a long day ahead and needs something that sticks with you without too many calories. You could separate the eggs and leave out the yolks, the resulting texture would be more or less the same. Anywho, here's how you do it:

Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice
3 cups water
dash of salt
3 tbsp tamari sauce
1 tsp lime juice
2 eggs
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup ricotta cheese

Bring the water and salt to a boil, add the rice. Cover and cook for around 45 minutes.

Toss the cooked rice with the tamari and lime juice and set aside. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet. Beat the eggs with salt and put them into the skillet as well. Scoop the ricotta into a heap in the middle and start scrambling the eggs and mixing it together. Continue to cook for several minutes; you can cook them for a shorter period to get a creamier result but I like mine well done so they get slightly crumbly. Serve over the rice. Easy!

As Irish As You Can Get: Potato Guiness Soup with Dubliner Cheddar

2009-12-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

For those chilly days and nights there's nothing better than a nice, thick, filling soup or stew. Unfortunately, many of these winter stews involve red meat and aren't quite worth the calories they're cooked in, at least as far as I'm concerned. But this dish is a keeper -- it's simple, filling and rich with a deep savory flavor. Although the alcohol evaporates away during cooking this is a dish for adult tastes (although there's nothing wrong with giving some to the tykes in your household). So send the kids to bed, throw this soup together and curl up near the fire with any leftover Guiness.

You will need:

12 oz Guiness beer
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces
3/4 lb Dubliner cheddar
2 tbsp flour
6 tbsp butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
salt to taste

Boil the potatoes until a fork goes into them with no problem, usually between twenty and forty minutes. Mash the potatoes in the pot with a masher or in a separate bowl using a mixer; you don't want all the lumps gone, but you want to make a major dent in it. Return pot and potatoes to medium heat and add the Guiness; whisk together until even, expect to whisk through a bit of foam for several minutes. In the meantime, in a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add the onions. Cook them down as you cook down the potato mixture, probably about 10 minutes or until the butter turns a deeper golden and the onions are fully cooked. Add the onions and as much of the melted butter as you can get to the potatoes. Whisk in the flour. By this point the soup should be getting gradually smoother, and you can add the cheddar chopped into small cubes. Whisk constantly until all of it is melted and incorporated into the soup, probably five to ten minutes. After this, allow the soup to boil down a bit more and thicken up -- another five to ten minutes. Lastly, taste a very small spoonful to make sure it's salted to your taste, chances are you will have to add 2-3 tsp to the whole pot to get it where it needs to be. Serve hot, ideally with some bread for dipping.

Chicken Soup: A Vegetarian's Experience

2009-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned that I am a vegetarian, which is the basis of this blog. I also admit to cooking for large numbers of people on a fairly regular basis, and especially when you're away from home you need something to take you back. One night in particular several guys from our student group in Moscow came to our dorm to attempt blini (Russian buckwheat pancakes). I had a whole chicken and some odds and ends around the kitchen and seeing as the blini weren't going as planned, I decided to try something new that would cure them of their homesickness.

What you need:

1 whole chicken, no innards, thawed
about a gallon of water
1 large onion, diced
4 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
3 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp dried basil
3 bay leaves
3-5 tbsp salt, depending on taste
a few grinds of black pepper
1 lb spaghetti, broken into "2-3 inch pieces
3 cups shredded cabbage (optional)
sour cream

I never touched the raw chicken. It freaks me out. I don't even want to know what flesh feels like in that state. I will eat things made with broth but as far as the actual meat is concerned I usually pawn it off on someone else. I know, I'm weird. Anyway, I put a large stock pot with the gallon of water on to boil and stick the chicken in whole (after rinsing very well, of course). Add the salt, set the pot to simmer and put the lid on -- then just let that sucker cook for two to four hours. When you come back to it, lift the chicken out and allow it to cool for a few moments. Put the onions, spices, pasta and cabbage (if you're using it) into the pot and bring to a low boil. Pull bite sized pieces from the chicken and place in a bowl, adding them all once the chicken is bare. Put the lid back over it and boil for approximately 10-12 minutes. Take off the heat and pour into bowls. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and a shot of ice cold Russki Standart to get the authentic experience.

Potato Gnocchi Caprese

2009-12-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

Seemingly out of the blue, I found myself with a craving for gnocchi a few weeks ago. Maybe it was the stress of final exams pushing me to consume nothing but carbs or that calm, nearly sedated feeling that arrives shortly after doing so. Either way I got to googling on how to make light-as-air gnocchi without a potato ricer or mill. Turns out there is a method using a fork, which I will detail in the instruction portion of the recipe. I reduced the flour a bit from the original since that's the key to keeping them light and fluffy. They didn't shape nearly as pretty as what you buy in the store, but they were much cheaper to make and tasted better.

As far as the caprese bit, it's a dish that's always befuddled me -- maybe that's because raw tomatoes skeeze me out. I don't know what it is, but something about the smell and texture of raw tomatoes drives me away almost as fast as green peppers. I had to make a dish for a class potluck and wanted to go with a balsamic salad of some sort and caprese was easy to make and transport. However, when I make something for a group, I don't scrimp. I cook to impress. So I got to thinking, how can I turn a caprese salad into something remarkable?

When I make a salad designed for sustenance, sometimes I put some hot pasta over the top to wilt the lettuce a bit and add some protein and carbs (whole wheat pasta has improved remarkably in the last few years, I must admit). That's where the thought of the gnocchi came in. The rest seemed to follow suit and the dish was a major hit at the potluck. Even if you've never made gnocchi before, with the right touch it can be done well the first time.

To make gnocchi:

2 lbs potatoes
2 eggs
dash of salt
3/4c whole wheat flour

Boil the potatoes until tender. Using gloves or some sort of protection from the heat, peel the potatoes while they're still hot. Take a fork and holding the potato in your left hand (if you're right handed) use your right to score the side of the potato. It should result in what I can only describe as soft crumbles; it should resemble streusel to an extent. Once you finish crumbing all of the potatoes, add the eggs and remaining ingredients. Mix gently until the dough is nonsticky enough to be handled, try not to overmix. Take small handfuls, roll them into snakes and chop into "1 sections. Set them aside and repeat until you don't have any potato dough left. Boil a large pot of water and add about a teaspoon of salt, throw in the gnocchis 10 or so at a time and let them cook for 2-3 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside. One thing I can't emphasize enough is not to overcook, otherwise you'll just have mushy potato water.

For the caprese:

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil
3 or 4 whole sundried tomatoes, preserved in olive oil and finely chopped(don't use dried)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 cup crumbled sheep's feta
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (to toss with gnocchi)
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 cups fresh greens salad

Put the salad in a large bowl or plate and drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and top the salad with the crumbled sheep's feta. Add the rest of the ingredients to the gnocchi and toss gently, making sure to coat each dumpling evenly. Scoop the gnocchi mixture on top of the salad and serve warm.

Latkes: There Can Never Be Too Little, Too Late

2009-12-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

Scrolling through my posts I realized I hadn't included one of the cheapest, easiest and oldest recipes in my repertoire: latkes. The pancakes themselves are composed of three to five ingredients, depending on just how good of a chef you are. This is a dish traditionally eaten during Hanukkah although it can be enjoyed any time of the year. Still, this is a wintery food to me, maybe because the potatoes and onions are sometimes all you've got to work with this time of year.

Despite my mother's near-neurotic insistence that potatoes are NOT truly Russian/Jewish/Ashekenazi fare, I'm classifying latkes under all three. She is correct, technically: potatoes were cultivated in the Americas and weren't brought to Europe until around the 18th century. Peter the Great can be credited with bringing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables into the Russian tradition, with potatoes becoming a staple due to their ability to grow in the harsh climate. Before potatoes, however, turnips and other similar root vegetables were used not only in Russian cuisine but in Western Europe as well. So while turnips have been substituted with potatoes, the dishes themselves and the methods used date much further back.

One word of advice before I bestow my recipe: if you're not familiar with using a grater, this will take you much longer than it should. I'm normally a do-it-by-hand girl but seeing as I have injured said hands on cheese graters way too many times in my earlier days, I recommend using a food processor with a shredder feature if you have one. If not, grab a cheese grater and start at it. With some practice you'll be safely shredding by hand in no time but don't rush things, lest the thought of grated knuckle in your potatoes is appealing.

You will need:

2 lbs potatoes, shredded (I leave the skin on, they're easier to grip while grating and add some nutrition)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, grated (this is harder to grate than the potatoes so leave one end intact to grip)
1/4 c flour
"1.5 of oil in a shallow pan

Shred the onion first -- its juices will stop the reaction that causes potatoes to turn pink when cut. Follow with the potatoes and mix well. Mix in the eggs and salt, then finally the flour. Heat the oil over the medium setting and, forming a round about the size of your palm and placing it on a spatula, slide it into the oil. I can usually cook 2-3 latkes at a time but remember that they will cook faster the fewer you attempt each round. Cook each side until browned and place on paper to absorb any excess grease. Keep adding, flipping and setting aside the rounds until you're out of potato -- there should be liquid left over. Don't be alarmed if you see it start to pool soon after mixing all of the ingredients. I just get rid of it once I'm done.

There are a number of condiments to serve these with; the traditional Hanukkah way is with applesauce, but that's not to everyone's taste, especially year-round. My personal favorite is sour cream and chopped pickles. Ketchup or pepper, salt and vinegar tend to be popular as well.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Hawaiian Almonds and Herb Cream Sauce

2009-12-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

Whenever I come home my mom and I usually bring out the pasta maker and allow ourselves to get creative. Sometimes we have additional help from friends who join us in our cooking ventures. This was one of those incidents where I took a well known favorite -- butternut ravioli with cream sauce -- and kicked it up with a few of my own ideas. We served this alongside lemon herb chicken and greens with garlic and olive oil. What really comes in handy is a hunk of sourdough to mop up the extra cream sauce, but that's just me and my family and our questionable way of thinking.

Instead of giving three different detailed recipes for the ingredients involved in this process, I will summarize my own methods and highly recommend that you get comfortable with them before you try to serve this as more than a test. The first method is one I've mentioned before, getting the puree out of a squash or gourd. You want to slice it in half, remove the seeds and guts, place the halves cut side down in a large roasting pan with about an inch of water. Bake for around an hour at 350, remove from the oven and carefully scoop out the puree into a bowl. Mash it and you're set on that end.

As far as the pasta goes, I like to use a mix of bread flour and semolina -- 2 cups of each, 6 eggs, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a dash of salt. This yeilds enough to feed 6-8 people. You combine the two flours and salt, form a cavern in the middle of the flour and pour the eggs and oil into it. Mix it from the inside working outwards until the dough is an even consistency. Stick it into the fridge for anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, I always mix the dough before starting the rest of the recipe. When you're ready to work with the dough, take small handfuls at a time and knead them first. Once they're stretchy and able to withstand rolling out, either put them through a pasta mill to the next to thinnest setting or use a rolling pin to get the sheet as thin as possible. If this is too much or if you're crunched for time, many high end grocers sell prerolled sheets of pasta -- the only restriction is that it absolutely must be fresh pasta, otherwise the ravioli can't stay intact.

For the filling, you will need:

3 cups butternut squash puree
2/3 cup toasted Hawaiian almonds (cashews also work well), crushed finely
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sage
dash of chili powder
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and set aside, try to make it as smooth as possible.

Herb Cream Sauce:

1/2 quart half and half
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1 tsp dried thyme
2 springs fresh rosemary, leaves crushed and separated
2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter over medium in a saucepan until liquefied; add the flour and mix into a paste with a whisk extremely quickly. Add a cup of the half and half and, again, whisk extremely quickly to incorporate the flour-butter mixture into the liquid. Add the rest of the half and half once you've eliminated most lumps and add the salt/pepper. Keep an eye on it and whisk often, after the sauce starts to get hot youll notice it thicken a bit. Add the herbs at that point. Keep whisking until the sauce reaches the consistency of yogurt -- not as thick as pudding. Take off the heat and set aside.

You should have several sheets of pasta ready to work with. Take about a tablespoon of the filling and place it near an edge. Slice a square or circle around the filling, leaving about a half inch on each side for attachment. Slice out another piece the same size and put it over the filling on the first, fold the edges together. Square ravioli tends to make the best use of your pasta dough and is easiest to fold by far but with some practice, circular ravioli can offer a different aesthetic to the meal you're preparing.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and set aside a large plate or bowl for the ravioli. Putting about 8 in at a time, boil the raviolis for 2-3 minutes and scoop out with a slotted spoon. Do this repeatedly until they're all cooked. At this point you can arrange them on the plate and top with the cream sauce. Some people like this with a bit of shredded fontina, but when done right, the cream sauce provides plenty of flavor.

The Long Drive Home: Pumpkin Risotto

2009-12-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

Whenever I have to drive somewhere over two hours away, I listen to audiobooks in the car. I realize that this is highly unusual behavior for a 23 year old, yet it is genetic seeing as my mother is the one who got me hooked on the habit. She can also be credited in part for my love of cooking and ever-increasing mastery of my own kitchen. It was inevitable that one of these days the book Julie & Julia would wind up in my queue amongst the historical fiction and political jabber.

Despite my rather spotty use of my blog, I think this book resonates with anyone whose started and attempted to maintain a cooking blog. We do this for relief from everyday stress, as something to break the monotony of our lives or just for the hell of it. Keeping this blog is one thing that has pushed me to cook things I never would have thought of in the past. So not only is it a blog for my friends and relatives to check in on to see what's going on in my kitchen, it's my way of preserving recipes that I hope will become a part of the family tradition. Listening to Julie Powell's story reminded me of why I started this blog a few years ago and inspired me to update it with several recipes I've tried lately.

I know I've written about risotto before -- the lemon chicken version with lots of white wine and herbs. A relatively light choice when the cheese is limited, but true Italian food doesn't abide by the rules of caloric dieting. However, its methods are simple and archaic at times and the food can be light yet flavorful or hearty and rich enough to bring about a post-dinner coma. Risotto can go in either direction, although the recipe I'm about to share would fit more appropriately into the latter category.

Pumpkin is seasonal, and while I won't hold it against the most practical cooks to use canned pumpkin pulp in place of the freshly made stuff, it does make a difference in my experience. So this is perfect for when those little soccer ball sized pie pumpkins go on sale in autumn.

To make your own puree, a pie pumpkin should provide somewhere close to the right amount. I tend to make a large pot of risotto at a time so I just add the entire contents of the pumpkin -- this is definitely a dish to be shared with guests! Anywho, you will need a small pumpkin, big sharp knife, large spoon, large deep roasting pan and a big bowl to put all the innards in. Some people save their seeds and roast them, but that's another entry and I'm no expert. Fill the roasting pan with an inch or so of water and preheat the oven to 350. Slice the top off the pumpkin, clean out the fibers and seeds and cut it in half. Make sure there are no dangling fibers before putting the pumpkins, rounded (skinned) side up in the pan. Bake for around an hour. Take them out and let them cool for about 15 minutes, then using a towel or potholder, hold the pumpkin in one hand while using a large spoon to scoop out the puree into a mixing bowl. Using either a mixer or pastry cutter, mash it until most of the lumps are gone. Set aside.

Once you have the pumpkin pureed, you will need the following:

3 cups of arborio rice
3-4 quarts chicken stock (I used mock chicken stock for this and it turned out just fine)
1/2-3/4 cup room temp lager (I used Baltika 7, a Russian beer)
3 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp allspice
3-4 tbsp oil or butter
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups roasted macadamia nuts, loosely crunched
Shredded parmesan cheese (1/2 cup to 2 cups is a typical range, it just depends on what you like and how many are being served)

Heat the stock in a pot until it reaches a slow simmer, you want it to remain quite hot but not necessarily boil -- otherwise it will reduce and you may wind up having to add salted water midway through the process. I like to put the stock pot on the back burner and the risotto on the front, which keeps the mess from repeated ladeling minimal. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium to medium high heat, depending on your stove.

Once the oil is hot add the onions and stir, cook them until the edges begin to brown slightly. I like to use a wooden spoon for this, as it helps agitate the arborio rice without breaking the grains. Add the rice and stir again, making sure to coat it evenly with the oil and mix well with the onion. Stir constantly until the rice begins to look slightly translucent, usually around three minutes. Take the beer and add it, if the pot is hot enough you will get a surge of steam and a hiss so stand back -- it shouldn't be so hot that the beer explodes on impact nor should it be so cold that it goes off without a hitch. Stir this concoction until the beer reduces and the rice appears to be creamier, usually 2-3 minutes. Using a ladle or heatproof measuring cup, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup hot stock and stir into the rice for a few minutes, until the liquid is gone and the rice appears creamy, about the consistency of a pudding. After youve done this two or three times add a cup of pumpkin puree instead of broth. Alternate the two until you have no more pumpkin left. Add your spices and stir very well. At this point you should use a fork to lift a few grains out of the pot and taste -- expect that they will have softened but will still be hard in the middle. Keep adding broth and stirring, tasting often to make sure it doesn't get overcooked. Once the rice is cooked all the way through but still firm, stop adding stock and give it one good last stir.

This is where I and most other people who make risotto differ -- they make smaller batches and add the cheese directly to the batch while I make a large pot and let guests put the desired level of cheese over their own serving. If you want to be authentic about it you take the pot off the heat, mix in the cheese and throw half a stick of butter over it and cover for ten minutes. If you're like me, you let it rest for a few moments before serving. Top each plate with the roasted macadamia nuts and you're ready to chow down! Just make sure you have a place to take a nap when you're done eating :)

Draniki

2009-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

This is a Russian potato-mushroom pancake, essentially. I had them as my first real meal in St. Petersburg and made it a point to get to biz-nes-lench (funny cognate!) on time when possible. They're definitely best served with sour cream and a bit of salt.

What you need:

about 4 large potatoes, lightly boiled and shredded
1c white mushrooms, chopped (I don't remember the actual name but you know the ones I'm talking about)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/3c flour
3 tbsp vegetable oil

This is an easy one. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high and whisk the potatoes together with the eggs, add the flour and salt and stir until well mixed. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir until even. Spoon the batter into the skillet and let it cook until the surface browns -- this can go from three to ten minutes depending on the temperament of your stovetop. Flip, as with any pancake, and serve after it browns on both sides :)

Lemon Chicken Risotto

2009-08-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Russia and it has been amazing! Not only did I learn a huge amount about another language and culture but I picked up some little known recipes and cooking methods. Part of the challenge was the lack of an oven or toaster; we had 3-6 burners to work with and a limited number of pots and pans. Similarly, when it came to finding ingredients I was left to improvise quite a bit. I wasn't always sure what I was coming home with. But with the ingredients that became available I made it into an interesting culinary and life experience.

About the chicken bit of this recipe -- I've been vegetarian for around 13 years now, more for preference and health reasons than anything else. However, I was cooking for more than one person most of the time and most people want a little meat in their diet. The produkti near our dorms in Moscow carried whole chickens for not a whole lot of cash and this recipe came about. I will admit that I had to have someone else cut up the raw meat and such but the broth added a lot. If you want to skip the chicken just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and you can leave out the actual meat -- a lot of people like squash or pumpkin as a filler.

What you need:

a large bottomed, shallowish pot
a small stockpot or very large regular pot
4-6 oz ladel
medium frying pan
apx. 2c arborio rice (gotta be arborio)
3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 1/3c white wine
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
2 tbsp oregano
1-2 large chicken breast(s)
1 large lemon
1 1/2c grated parmesan cheese
apx. 3 qt water
4 tbsp salt, or to taste
2 vegetable bouillon cubes

Bring the water in the stock pot to boil; add the salt and bouillon cubes. Cut bite sized pieces off of the chicken breasts, set aside and put the remains (bones with some meat still on them in the stockpot). Let it boil for at least an hour, two or three is ideal but keep an eye on it so it doesn't bubble over.

When the broth tastes right and turns a golden color, turn it to simmer and heat the vegetable oil in the shallow pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent; if they begin to brown immediately after hitting the oil it's too hot. Add the arborio rice and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until it begins to look translucent -- about three minutes. Add 3/4 of the white wine and stir quickly, it will evaporate fast so once the rice looks "creamy" get your ladel and stock ready.

Add one ladel of stock to the rice mixture and stir -- continue stirring gently until most of the liquid is gone and the rice appears creamy rather than soupy. Continue to do this three or four times.

Around the fourth ladel, start preparing the chicken. Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cut the lemon into quarters, remove the seeds and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Throw the rinds in with it. Add the herbs and about a teaspoon of salt, stir with a spatula and cover the skillet with a tight lid. After about five minutes add the remaining white wine and cover again. Get back to the risotto.

Add another ladel of broth -- the rice is done when it's al dente, which takes about 6-8 ladels for this recipe. The only way to really know is to taste it though; it shouldn't be mushy but it also shouldn't be crunchy, good risotto takes about 20-35 minutes total. Just continue adding stock and stirring, stirring, stirring. Check on the chicken and once it's done to your liking remove the lemons, add to the risotto and mix. Ideally, add the chicken before the last ladel of broth goes in.

When all is said and done, serve it hot with parmesan cheese over the top. Some people say to put the cheese over the risotto in the pot and cover for a few minutes but I've found that different people prefer different amounts. It's a long recipe but this has been a crowd pleaser and it's pretty easy to get right!

From Russia, With Love

2009-06-27T02:15:00.000-07:00

I'll begin with a long overdue apology for not updating this blog in a few months. On top of the typical student life I've had some other issues to deal with, nothing too dire, just busy. As of right now I'm in St. Petersburg, Russia and am going to Moscow for the next five weeks. Needless to say this has been an experience in culture, of which food is a major component. I'm going to be returning with tons of recipes and new concepts that I hope will bring just a tiny piece of Russia into both of our kitchens. Za zdarovy!

Tahitian Blinis

2009-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

Tahitian blinis -- it's a contradiction in and of itself. Blinis, also known as blin or blintzes, are a traditional Russian food often seen in Jewish cooking as well. Pineapple and vanilla don't need an explanation, but when combined they create a taste that is way beyond the sum of its parts. I like to put a little vanilla extract in the syrup pineapple comes stored in, it adds a hint of luxuriousness to an otherwise simple and sunny fruit. Blinis are often filled with everything from meat and cream cheese to various regional fruits.

This recipe took a bit of practice; without going into detail I'll just say that the initial first attempt at the filling was an utter failure. The blinis themselves took some handling but I got the hang of it by the second or third one. The batter is supposed to be very thin, and a large nonstick skillet without tapered sides is your best bet (i.e. the flat portion at the bottom of the skillet is large versus curving inward like a wok). This gives the batter plenty of surface area to spread out and create the characteristic thinness. You could also use a crepe maker, as the dishes are quite similar. This recipe makes around 20 blin, but they store very well in a freezer bag in the fridge for a couple of days. I found them much easier to work with the second day.

Ingredients for blinis:

4 eggs
1 1/2c whole milk
1 1/2c flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the salt and sugar and continue to whisk. Finally, add the flour and whisk until the batter is smooth. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, I used a tiny bit of butter before each blin to make them easier to handle after cooking. Using a 1/4c measuring cup, put one scoop of batter in the skillet. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sides begin to curl up and you can shimmy a spatula under the blin. Flip and allow the other side to cook for about 30 seconds, then take the pan and flip the blin onto a plate. Do this until you're out of batter.

Filling:

*This makes enough filling for all the blinis, adjust accordingly if you're making fewer and don't want leftovers. This goes nicely on bagels as well.*

1 1/2c finely chopped and shredded pineapple (if you're getting it from a can, strain all the syrup out first and reduce the sugar by 2-3 tsp)
12 oz cream cheese
8 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature and cream it with the sugar and vanilla extract. Mix in the pineapple until the consistency is about even and there are no chunks of cream cheese left.

Taking the blini, put a tablespoon or two of filling into the center. The way you roll these is very similar to the egg roll method; bring the right edge over, tuck the top edge down and the bottom edge up and roll from the folded side. Once all of these are done you can either serve them as is or fry them.

Some people choose to fry these, especially on Hanukkah when frying is a religious observance. To do this, heat about an inch of vegetable oil over medium heat in a skillet. Very carefully place the blinis seam side up in the pan; you will probably have to hover by them and use a spatula or tongs to keep the seams from falling apart. After a few minutes flip to the other side with tongs. Allow to brown for another minute or so and transfer to a paper towel. Do the same with the rest of the blinis; fit as many as you can into the pan without crowding them and giving yourself ample space for flipping. Serve and enjoy!

Candied Carrots and Beets in Red Currant Sauce

2009-02-13T18:51:00.000-08:00

As I've said, I'm a sucker for a bargain. What I haven't said is that I'm a sucker for unique berries. I've always been a fan of huckleberries and boysenberries since I picked them from the bushes at my grandmother's house. I saw these small, ruby red berries on special and saw that they were red currants. I immediately thought of black currants and threw them in my cart.

When I got home I tasted them and was unprepared for the tart flavor. It wasn't as bad as a raw cranberry, but still sour. I also had these beautiful beets and carrots waiting to be used, and thought it might be a good alternative to the sour flavor of lemon in a more sweet dish. Thus, this was born.

Ingredients:

2 large beets, about the size of a softball each
6 small carrots or 4 medium ones, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/3c sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 box red currants, about 6 oz

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tops off the beets and slice them into quarters. Allow to boil for about 20 minutes, then add the carrots to the boiling water. Boil for 15-20 minutes longer. Drain and allow to cool. Running under cold water, pull the skin off the beets. Slice them into bite sized pieces as well.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pull the currants off of their stems and rinse well. Combine with the sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat until it becomes syrupy, toss with the beets and carrots in a casserole dish. Bake for around 20 minutes or until it bubbles. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve with chilled sour cream.

Veggie Enchiladas

2009-02-07T10:35:00.001-08:00

I love enchiladas, and I tend to be a purist when it comes to what I enjoy -- a slightly spicy sauce, melted cheese with beans and maybe some onion wrapped in a fresh corn tortilla served piping hot. However, I know most people prefer a bit more punch to theirs so in this recipe I've added some more vegetables, feel free to omit them or add your own. I should also add that this is one of the few recipes that has turned out phenomenal on the first try; it is traditional but it's also hard to go wrong.

It's interesting to note that this is essentially one of the oldest foods in existence in the Western hemisphere. Way before the colonization and eventual invasion of North, South and Central America by the Europeans one of the staple crops was maize. They also heavily utilized various potatoes in regions of South America, but that's another entry. Corn has a complex nutritional structure and needs to be crushed to "activate" these -- the minerals the Native Americans (referring to all 3 Americas) in the stones used to do the crushing couldn't have hurt either. The practice of wrapping corn tortillas around fish originated in Mexico; the recipe for enchiladas also appeared in the first Mexican cookbook: El cocinero mexicano ("The Mexican Chef"). With basic staple ingredients and simple preparation, this traditional food has undergone very few changes since its invention centuries ago.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/3c finely chopped mushrooms
1c enchilada sauce (you can make your own or get it from a jar, I get mine from the jar. Frontero mild to be exact!)
~1 1/2 c shredded monterrey jack cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, put a corn tortilla in and allow to heat for 2-3 seconds, then flip. Move to a paper towel and do the same with the rest of the tortillas. Mop up any extra grease with a paper towel. Do not turn off the heat.

Put the chili powder, mushrooms and onions in the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the surfaces begin to brown (5-10 minutes). Take off the heat and set aside.

Holding a tortilla in your hand, put some of the cheese and veggie mixture in the center of it. Fold one side 3/4 of the way over and roll it up. After a few tries this will come naturally. Transfer to a baking dish, repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with leftover cheese, if desired. Bake at 450 degrees until the cheese melts, around 5-10 minutes. Serve hot!

Golden Winter Root Veggies

2009-01-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

I can't for the life of me think of a decent name for this recipe. It was born out of necessity, as so many great things are. The short backstory: I cannot pass up a bargain on produce. Okay, so maybe I won't be buying 3 for $2 bell peppers anytime soon but as long as it's something I like or would like to learn how to use. Hence my discovery of the rutabaga.

My mom recommended them after I raved about the beet salad a friend brought to our house. She says "it's kinda like a beet, kinda like a turnip and kinda like a potato". When I saw them in the produce aisle with their dark, rubbery skin I was dubious but picked up a few anyway.

I've been roasting lots lately, mainly because it's such a good way to combine the flavor of vegetables with spices in a way completely unrelated to boring ol' boiled dinners or something out of a can. These rutabagas roast beautifully, and the golden beets added a nice difference to the texture (although the rutabagas are quite mild themselves). This dish is a bit time consuming but not labor intensive, so if you have an evening to get work done at home this is a great dish to try out.

Ingredients:
1 large rutabaga
3 small golden beets
3 tsp juice from preserved lemons
1/2 white onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4c olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
~1/2c grated parmesan

Put a large pot of water on to boil and slice the tops off of the beets and rutabaga. Scrub them well and allow to boil 20-40 minutes or until a fork easily penetrates the rutabaga. Remove from the boiling water and allow to cool.

Peel the roots (the skins of the beets should come off by hand, you'll need a peeler for the rutabaga). Dice into bite sized pieces and toss with all ingredients except the parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, toss again and bake for another 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Panettone French Toast

2009-01-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

January is a magical month -- namely, magical in the sense of post-Christmas sales. Everything from winter coats to holiday food staples are redlined, put under clearance signs and left to fend for themselves in the masses of holiday crazed bargain hunters. After a few weeks, the remnants of the holidays are all but gone, the last of which to go are the grocery store items. All the cans of pumpkin have been reshelved, the boxes of dark brown sugar safely nestled with other forms of glucose rather than being precariously stacked in the produce aisle.

It was amid these skeletons of the festivities of 2008 that I came across Panettone on sale at Whole Foods. Especially for Italians, this bread is the very symbol of the holidays and joins the ranks of other seasonal superstars like the latke and Christmas cookies. It's a very soft, almost cakelike bread with raisins, candied orange zest, citron and other things I'm surely forgetting that's been allowed to proof for over 30 hours. In it's regular form it's the perfect complement to a cup of coffee or tea, a jovial breakfast loaf to be enjoyed for the days of recuperation in early January.

So, what exactly is my not-at-all-Italian self doing with such an "inside" staple? I can't take complete credit for this masterpiece; Foodblogga posted a lovely recipe for this dish, along with the suggestion on the box. Not all French toast is created equal, even if it's made with Italian bread. My verdict on the dish itself? PHENOMENAL! The best French toast I've ever eaten -- it's creamy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside and packed with a symphony of flavors. It was almost a little too sweet, but that may have been thanks to my generosity with the maple syrup.

Ingredients for 3 large servings:

3 slices of panettone, apx "1 in thickness
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4c whole milk
maple syrup
butter for the skillet

Combine the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Whisk together until uniform. Place each slice of the panettone into the custard and let it soak for exactly 30 seconds; flip and do the same for the other side. Heat a skillet over medium low and melt some butter to prevent sticking. Very carefully place the slices of bread in the skillet (they will be really fragile). After 3-5 minutes, or when the bread is browned when you peek under it, flip and brown the other side. Serve hot with a bit of maple syrup or confectioner's sugar.

Roasted Kohlrabi with Garlic Curry Sauce

2009-01-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

A spice that I've recently looked into is yellow curry -- I remember my first year of college having some tofu in curry cream sauce, and since then I haven't had the chance to replicate it. Well, at least until this evening. The roasting of root vegetables causes them to caramelize, releasing their inner sweetness. Combined with the spicy creamy sauce, this makes for a celebration of flavors. Let's hear it for new improvised recipes!

3-4 small to medium kohlrabi bulbs
3 oz cream cheese (try neufchatel for a lower fat version)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp juice from preserved lemons
1 tsp yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Bring a pot of water to a boil, chop the leaves off the kohlrabi bulbs and drop them in. Boil for around 20 minutes, or until it's easy enough to poke them with a fork. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 425. Peel the kohlrabis and chop into bite sized pieces, place them in a ceramic casserole dish or cast iron skillet. Add the spices and lemon juice, toss with the kohlrabi pieces until evenly coated. Drop the cream cheese into the casserole dish and allow to bake, covered, for about 10 minutes or until the cream cheese melts. Remove from the oven and toss to coat the veggies for a second time, put them back in uncovered and bake for 5-10 more minutes or until bubbly.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Cream Sauce

2009-01-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

I think winter is officially my favorite season -- fall is nice in many areas of the country but around here, the weather doesn't drop below 50 before November. I love the clothing, the cold wind on my cheeks and the celebration of the holidays. Recently, I discovered something else about winter that I like: the seasonal produce.

But Rasta, you may ask, what's seasonal in the middle of winter? Among many other things, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, mushrooms and brussels sprouts top the charts (for the complete list, click here.) Depending on your area it may be local or it may be shipped across state lines, but buying seasonal is a great way to get both cheaper and fresher produce.

This is another recipe that utilizes the preserved lemons mentioned in the beet salad entry. The measurements are a bit rough, but this isn't a dish where everything has to be exact. Feel free to experiment with different spices or cheeses.

Ingredients:
~1 lb brussels sprouts, cleaned and quartered
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-4 slices of preserved lemon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4c heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
salt to taste
cheese to sprinkle over the top (parmesan is good, but I used manouri and it was fabulous as well!)

Steam your brussels sprouts until they're slightly soft and still green, maybe 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450. In a large baking dish, combine all the ingredients except for the cheese and toss until evenly coated. The butter will still be in a chunk, that's okay. Top with cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove and allow to cool.

Limoncello Ricotta Drops

2009-01-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

These were in Foodblogga's Eat Christmas Cookies event, thanks to MyGourmetConnection. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I made these, but the result was unique and appreciated by all. I didn't use actual Limoncello, so following the instructions for the non-alcoholic version I increased the lemon extract to 1 tsp and 2 tsp of milk for the dough, along with using lemon juice for the glaze. Milk could be used too.

Dough:

2c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2c softened butter
1c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1c ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp lemon zest

Glaze:
3/4c confectioners sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and mix until creamy. Add the ricotta, vanilla, lemon extract and zest. Add the dry ingredients gradually; again, don't overmix or the cookies will lose structure.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove and drop cookies onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes and allow to cool completely.

In a bowl mix the glaze ingredients together. When the cookies are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over them. You can top with a sprinkle of lemon zest for an extra kick. Make sure to keep these in the refridgerator between snacks!

Italian Christmas Cookies

2009-01-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

I will begin by saying one thing; nobody beats the Italians when it comes to Christmas cookies. These in conjunction with the lemon ricotta drops, which I'll elaborate on later, impressed me in a way that cookies normally don't :) Not only is it a creative and aesthetically pleasing recipe, but they have a unique flavor without being overly sweet.

I will also confess that I'm not a fan of anise or anything licorice-ey. The recipe said that the anise extract could be substituted with vanilla, lemon or whatever else you desire. I have a good bit of rosewater waiting in my cabinet and decided to put it to use here. It added an extra "something" to these cookies, but I should have used more to make the flavor really come out. This recipe makes quite a few cookies, so I'll include my modifications. Just remember that if you're not using rosewater, only use 2 tsp of your chosen extract.

A last note: I know that I'm super against shortening and hydrogenated oils and considered omitting this recipe for that reason. However, because the recipe makes so many cookies and the amount of shortening is so small I went ahead and made it with no substitutions. It seems important to the texture of the cookie, but if you have any ideas for a better substitution I'd love to hear them!

Cookies:

1/2c butter
1/4c shortening
3/4c sugar
4 eggs
3c flour
5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp rosewater

Glaze:
2c confectioners sugar
2-4tbsp milk
sprinkles or sugar

Preheat the oven to 375. Melt the butter and shortening together and add the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the rosewater then gradually add the dry ingredients. The dough should be soft but firm enough to roll into balls with your hands, if it's too sticky add a bit of flour. Roll them into small balls, about an inch in diameter -- they puff up a lot when they bake! Bake for about 8-10 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Combine the confectioners sugar and milk and dip the tops of the cookies into it. Sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles when it's wet and allow to harden, about an hour. Repeat with each cookie. These ship and present beautifully when dry!

Buttery Jam Cookies

2009-01-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

Another winner from Castsugar! I needed an easy "filler" recipe, and seeing as I had just enough lingonberry jam to use up it seemed perfect. Mine didn't come out nearly as pretty as Nemmie's, but I think I overthunk it -- they would have been lovely as fork-scored rounds, similar to peanut butter cookies. Instead I just had to get all fancy and attempt to pipe them out of a freezer bag. They looked more like squished pretzels than cookies, but they still tasted great.

2c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, at room temperature
2/3c sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 fruit jam (I used lingonberry, but anything would work)

Preheat the oven to 375. Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then add the egg and beat for about a minute. Add the milk and vanilla and beat for 30 more seconds, finish by adding the jam and beating for about one more minute. Add the dry ingredients and blend until they're just mixed in. Drop spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for around 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

2009-01-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe from Nemmie's blog, and was the hands-down favorite from the slew of holiday cookies. It's a little labor intensive, but compared to real cinnamon rolls it's a cinch. You see, I was going to make cinnamon rolls but between finals and preparing for the holidays time managed to slip away from me. I still wanted to include a spicy, cinnamony cookie in the packages when I found this recipe.

The cookies were a bit crumbly after the rolling process and I had to be really careful putting the log into the freezer. I think this problem would be solved by wetting the dough slightly before sprinkling the cinnamon sugar over it, so I'll add that step to this recipe. I also omitted the 1/2 tsp powdered egg whites, primarily because I couldn't find them anywhere. I'm sure it works great either way!

Cinnamon Sugar:

2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2c white sugar

Cookie dough:
3c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1c room temperature butter
zest of 1/2 orange
1c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1c confectioners sugar
1/4c warm water or milk

Cream the butter, orange zest and brown sugar in a bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Combine the dry ingredients for the cookie dough and add it to the wet ingredients gradually. Make sure not to overmix so the dough doesn't lose structure.

Line a 16 x 9 inch pan with wax paper and roll the dough out. Brush the surface with a tiny bit of milk and coat with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar. Roll it into a long log and dust the outside with the remainder of the cinnamon sugar, brushing with milk if needed. Wrap in plastic and chill for 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds and arrange on a greased baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes and allow to cool. When the cookies are completely cooled, combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle it over them. Let the glaze dry until hardened, usually about an hour.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pinwheels

2009-01-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

This year I went all out on holiday cookies -- although I have plenty of cook books and reliable recipes at my disposal, I wanted to make some new recipes. Needless to say, when I found FoodBlogga's Eat Christmas Cookies project the possibilities for my beautifully packaged perfect cookie boxes. I was sure they would be an effortless hit, with such detailed instructions and a few days of baking time.

I'm not one to back down from a challenge, but this is a spin on the traditional pinwheel cookies (no pun intended!) which turned out to be a lot harder than everyone else had said. The dough didn't want to roll out and certainly didn't want to turn into adorable pinwheels. In frustration I made snakes out of the dough, mashed them together and wound up with marble cookies. They tasted great, but technically weren't pinwheels -- so if you're not a fan of roll-out cookie dough, feel free to arrange these however you please.

While these weren't the favorite, they were a solid hit and kept especially well. The recipe makes a lot, so make sure you have plenty of friends to give them to!

Cream Cheese dough:

2 1/4c flour
1 egg yolk
1c white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1c butter
3 oz cream cheese (this is one where you shouldn't use low fat, just get the regular stuff)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the butter and sugar, add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and chill the dough for at least 8 hours before use, otherwise it will be too soft to work with.

Chocolate dough:
2 1/2 c flour
7 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2c butter
1c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Follow the same procedure as you did with the cream cheese dough -- cream the butter and sugar together, blend in the other wet ingredients and then add the dry gradually. Put this dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes before using, but it will not be nearly as soft as the cream cheese dough.

Roll out the chocolate dough using a "1 deep cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Do the same with the cream cheese dough. Brush the top of the chocolate layer with a tiny bit of milk and stack the cream cheese one on top. Roll the stack so the longest side ends up as the length of the roll -- for example, if you've rolled your dough into an approximately 9 x 13 rectangle, your log should be "13 rather than "9 in length.

Place in the freezer for thirty minutes to an hour. Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the log(s) from the freezer and using a sharp knife, slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide rounds. Place them about 1/2 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes -- don't worry if you don't see browning, they will be done all the way through if they're sliced thin enough. Allow to cool and eat!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2008-12-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

Castsugar included this recipe in her blog, and having epically (EPICALLY) failed my previous attempt at whoopie pies I was leery. I had gotten a recipe for something similar, chocolate whoopie pies with pumpkin filling. But I digress, I should probably explain what a whoopie pie is before I say how to make one.

I'd seen these things in the little bakeries and general stores in the town where my mom loves, I'd always wanted to get one but they seemed sort of intimidating. What I was seeing were these huge pies with a dubious looking white filling -- probably something shortening based, which I am staunchly against. Whoopie pies are an Amish dish, especially popular in that Western VA/Pennsylvania area. The original dish are two crumbly chocolate cookies with marshmallow fluff on the inside. So how could someone mess that up?

Apparently I can! My first attempt resulted in misshappen, almost bitter cakey cookies and runny, chunky filling. It was a nightmare. Then I found this recipe, which calls for pumpkin cookies and a regular icing filling. Sure enough, it worked out fine and these babies were a hit among each final exam study group.

Cookies:

3c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1c sugar
1c dark brown sugar (I took 3/4c white sugar and combined with 1/4c molasses, shhh)
1c oil
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs. Follow with your spices and dry ingredients. Carefully spoon 1 tbsp gobs onto a greased baking sheet, you want them to be around "2-"3 in diameter and not too flat or too tall. Bake for 10-12 minutes, the cookies will be very soft and cakey so just let them cool completely.

Filling:
3c confectioner's sugar
1 stick butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp maple syrup

Using an electric mixer, cream all of the ingredients together until light and fluffy. I just used a rubber spatula to spread it onto one side of the cookie, but a lot of people like to use a piping bag because it looks a little more sophisticated. Just sandwich them up, and you've got whoopies! I kept mine in freezer bags in the fridge because of their moist consistency, I would definitely recommend storing them this way.

Beet Salad

2008-12-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

As a part of a dinner party at my parents' house one of their friends brought this dish and I was heartily impressed. I'm not too familiar with beets but after trying this at home I'm definitely going to have to use them more often. It's a bit labor intensive with the boiling, peeling and pickling but it's worth it -- just trust me on this one. This is a great pre-workout meal because it gives a nice burst of energy without being heavy or greasy.

The key to this dish are the preserved lemons, without which it might taste pretty boring. They take from 3 to 7 days to make and last up to a year in your fridge; I will be including more recipes containing them since I have a jar waiting for me!

Lastly, this recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting soy cheese or nuts for the feta. The primary effect is textural so feel free to experiment.

To preserve lemons:
6-10 medium lemons
kosher salt (just buy a can of it, you won't need the whole thing but you need a lot)
a quart mason jar or tupperware

Slice the ends off the lemons and juice them into the jar, there's no need to pickle them. Slice the lemons thinly and create a layer then a layer of salt (a few tablespoons). Do this until you've used up all the lemons. Some people might add vinegar but I think they're fine without it, fill the jar with just enough water to cover the lemons. Let them chill in the fridge for three to seven days, shaking every few days to dissolve the salt.

Salad:
3 medium sized beets
2 bartlett pears
around 1/2-3/4c crumbled feta or cubed ricotta salata

Chop the the tops off the beets and boil for twenty to thirty minutes. Remove from the water and allow to cool. Peel them over a sink, this can get messy so I suggest using gloves. Follow up by julienning the beets, or slicing into long, thin strips. Chop the pears in a similar fashion, I don't peel mine. Add the cheese and then bring out your preserved lemons. The membrane and rind aren't needed so free up the pulp, similar to a relish. Add to the pears and beets and toss -- everything will turn red, but it will taste delicious :)

Rolled Sugar Cookies

2008-11-29T08:29:00.000-08:00

Everyone can recognize a sugar cookie -- paler than a snickerdoodle and usually sparkling with some colored sugar or decorated with frosting. Most of us have been eating the storebought kind since we were kids; I was having a craving but given my aversion to shortening and lord knows what else they put in those things I decided to give rolled sugar cookies a try for myself.

I was out of waxed paper, so I just used plastic wrap and I don't think it made too much of a difference. The waxed paper is surely easier to handle though, so I recommend that. Not paying attention to the proportions, this recipe made a LOT of cookies. I wound up having to take the majority of them to my classes to share; the plus side is that I got a lot of feedback, and all of it was great. People really like these cute little cookies.

You can decorate these any way you want, I just used colored sugar. For something like sugar or sprinkles you brush a bit of water over the cookie and sprinkle it before you put them in the oven. For frosting, wait until they've cooked and cooled to decorate.

Ingredients:

3 sticks salted butter (1.5c)
2c vanilla sugar
5c bread flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
colored sugar for decorating

Whip the butter and sugar together, once it's creamy add the vanilla and eggs. This recipe is so large that you'll want to add the dry ingredients gradually, otherwise it will be impossible to mix (and a total mess if you're using a countertop mixer!) Once the dough is blended, spoon it onto a piece of waxed paper and roll to about "3-"4 in diameter. Freeze for around an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut the cookies into 1/2 inch rounds with a sharp knife. Bake for 6-10 minutes. My oven is notoriously slow, but for these the time on the original recipe was correct so don't overbake! If the bottoms of the cookies are getting brown, they're done. The bottoms will remain pale after they're fully cooked...just trust me on this one :)

Rasta's Famous Cookies

2008-11-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

After some unexpected praise for my "magic cookies" from my sisters at Allure, I figured posting the recipe would be the ONLY fair way to compensate :) Truthfully, most cookie recipes do follow a certain formula so the differences tend to lie in how the batter is prepared. If you like chewier cookies, try using bread flour and refridgerating the dough for about an hour before you spoon it out and bake it. If you like thinner, crispier cookies, you can use cake flour and melted butter. I really could go on and on about the mechanical differences between cookie recipes...point is, every batch can be a little bit different even with the exact same ingredients. This is a great basic recipe with a can't-go-wrong twist (chocolate toffee) so feel free to experiment. I've added dried cherries to this recipe, macadamia nuts, even cocoa powder. The toffee ones seem to be the favorites of all these.

One last note -- I've started using salted butter in my baking mainly because of its versatility and the fact that it tends to last a bit longer. It's an economic decision but if you prefer to use unsalted butter, about a teaspoon of kosher salt will do the trick for this recipe. Whatever you do, don't add salt AND salted butter! It only took me one try for that lesson to hit home ;)

Ingredients:

2 1/4c flour
2 sticks (one cup) salted butter
3/4c granulated white sugar
3/4c light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 oz milk chocolate chips
1c toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine your butter and sugars until uniform and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add your dry ingredients and once those are mixed in, add the chocolate chips and toffee. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven.

Pomegranate Flan

2008-11-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

I've already extolled on my love of pomegranates; now it's time to wax about the wonders of flan. It's a traditional custard dish like creme brulee, except in the Spanish version there's a layer of liquid caramel instead of a caramel crust. It's one of those dishes that seems like it should be difficult to prepare, but I actually only spent around 20 minutes assembling the ingredients. The only special thing you would want to buy would be pomegranate juice, aside from that all ingredients should be found in any basically stocked kitchen.

There's a little trick I like to use with my sugar, and this seems the appropriate time to share it. I got the idea from Alton Brown, bless him. I had some sealed madagascar vanilla beans chillin' around my kitchen for several months; I wasn't quite sure what I could do with them, but I do appreciate the smell. If you keep your sugar in an airtight container (which I think everyone should do) you can add the beans and voila -- within 48 hours, you will have vanilla sugar. It doesn't make a huge difference in the taste of any dish I've made but it smells lovely and can't hurt :)

Back to the flan. The original recipe, from the POM website, lists several unitaskers in its instructions and seems to make the process more complicated than it actually is. So I'm going ahead and posting my method with a few notes from the original recipe.

Pomegranate syrup:

1c pomegranate juice
3/4c sugar

Put these in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until you're left with about 2/3c of syrup. Set aside for later.

Flan:
4 eggs
2 1/4c whole milk
1/2c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325, and place a large cake pan with about an inch of water in to preheat as well. I used a cupcake pan for my flans, so make sure that the pan can fit into the water-holding one. You want the water to be very hot when the flans go in the oven.

Whisk the eggs together and add your additional ingredients. Scoop the flan liquid into the cups, about 2/3 full. Very carefully place the cupcake pan in the water-holding pan; this lets a more gentle, even heat cook the bottom of the flans similar to a double boiler method.

The original recipe dictates 30-35 minutes of cooking time; mine took well over an hour. They're done when you insert a knife near the center and it emerges clean. Fortunately this isn't a dish you have to worry about "falling", so check frequently if your oven is as slow as mine!

Once the flans are done, remove them and let them cool for at least half an hour before putting them in the fridge. Refridgerate for 3 hours. I cheated, and I only chilled mine for an hour because I had to see how they tasted. Spoon about 1tbsp of the pomegranate syrup over the tops of the flans and put them back in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can garnish with pomegranate seeds or orange slices; I used raspberries. Once the flans are fully chilled, loosen them from the cups with a butter knife and gently scoop them out.

Pomegranate-Ginger Muffins

2008-11-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite, favorite FAVORITE items of the season is the pomegranate. Some people snack on popcorn or trail mix, I prefer to nom on pomegranate seeds. Not only does it taste delicious but it packs a huge antioxidant punch. I remember the first time I tried one...I was on a hike with my parents, around age 7, and they brought out this weird fruit with pretty little red berries. After my first try I knew this was a fruit I could truly love. Sadly, I didn't taste pomegranates again until the antioxidant craze kicked in during my first years of college. I suppose I got a bad apple (or pom, if you will) because it was tart, pale pink and nothing like the food I remembered loving so much that day. For the next few years I forgot about them.

While at my health food store a few weeks ago I noticed poms had just come into season. I was running low on fruit with the season's harvest ebbing away, so I decided to give them one more chance. Cracking open the fist-sized red fruit was a mess but worthwhile. The arils (seeds) were bright red, juicy and sweet. I was reunited and my passion for pommies was reawakened.

I'm normally an all-natural kinda gal and would never snub organic produce, but I've found that the giant poms from the POM company at my local Kroger are actually better than the ones for over twice the price at the health food store. They're bigger, redder and sweeter -- never bad things! So for this recipe I used those. Anywho. Enough about my love of pommies...here's how to make them so everyone in the family will enjoy. I got the idea for this recipe from the POM website, but I made several alterations given what I had on hand. I'm sure they're just as good either way -- I especially love these muffins with honey.

Ingredients:

1/2c arils from 1 large pomegranate, approximately
2c flour
2/3c sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
~2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp orange zest
1c milk
1 egg
1/3 c melted salted butter

Score the pomegranate with one cut, just breaking through the skin. Run a sink of cold water and submerge the pomegranate. Using both hands break it open and free the seeds -- they will sink while the extra stuff will float to the top of the water. Refridgerate any leftovers.

Preheat the oven to 400 and prepare 12 muffin cups.

Mix your dry ingredients and add the arils, orange zest and ginger. Make a well in the center of the bowl.

Whisk together the wet ingredients and pour them into the bowl. Whisk until batter is moist and there are no flourey lumps left. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, top with sugar if you like. Bake for 15-20 minutes (my oven always takes longer), let them cool for about 10 before serving.

Roasted Veggies in Asiago Pepper Sauce

2008-11-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

Although I'm working hard at obtaining my degree in Russian and International Relations, it doesn't mean I don't have time for some down home classics. I was going through my pantry trying to find a mix of ingredients that went well together when inspiration struck.

For my birthday a few weeks ago a friend and I visited a tapas bar downtown, Europa. Of the many delicious (!) things we ordered, the roasted asparagus in manchego sauce was one of the favorites (don't worry spicy eggplant Parmesan, you're next!) I found a block of asiago in the fridge along with several seasonal vegetables and got to work.

Any veggies will work, I used dutch fingerling potatoes, sweet corn, edamame and broccoli. If you don't have a cast iron skillet on hand, roast these babies in a large cake pan.

Ingredients:

for the veggies:

3-4 fingerling potatoes
1 bunch (~ 1c) fresh broccoli
1c frozen corn
3/4c frozen edamame
1 tbsp dried onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp oregano
salt
pinch of garlic powder
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
dash of tamari sauce

For the sauce:

1c milk
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2c finely shredded asiago cheese
dash of black pepper
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the vegetables, oil and spices together in a large cast iron skillet. When all pieces are thoroughly coated, put in the oven for around 30 minutes, tossing the veggies once midway through. Take them out of the oven but do not turn it off!

While the roasting is going on, put the milk and butter over medium heat. When it gets hot whisk in the flour until all the lumps are gone. Proceed with 1/2c of cheese, pepper, and salt, and turn down the heat. Whisk until the sauce cools and thickens.

Pour the sauce over the veggies and top with the rest of the cheese. Put it back into the oven and bake until it begins to bubble and brown slightly. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and serve.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

2008-10-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

I came up with these from the chiffon cake recipe posted earlier this month. They're delish! I include the recipe for whipped cream, but canned is just as good in this particular dish. Enjoy :)

3/4c cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp kosher salt
5 large eggs, separated
1/2 c sugar with 3 tbsp separated
1/4c water
1/4c instant cappucino powder
1/4c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
5/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2c heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp confectioners sugar
2 tbsp kahlua

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix your egg yolks, oil, sugar, cappucino powder and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until they're at the ribbon stage. Add your dry ingredients and beat well.

Whip your egg yolks with an electric mixer and add the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form and gently fold into your batter. Scoop into cupcake pans with liners, about 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes *remember, DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN!*

Whip your cream and confectioners sugar until creamy -- don't overbeat unless you want butter. When you take the cupcakes out of the oven drizzle with the kahlua. When they cool completely frost the top with whipped cream. Chill for an hour before serving.

Seasonal Lentil Stew

2008-09-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

Good news -- I recently found the farmer's market in my new city. Even better, it's a block from my house! Last Thursday I decided to check it out to get some ingredients for a veggie stew; I had a few pounds of lentils chillin' around my kitchen and figured that was a good use for them. This stew was a product of things I had lying around and what I thought might taste nice, so ingredients are estimated. For the broth I used diluted some very smooth marinara sauce but it's very close to tomato broth with garlic added, so that would be the easiest method. One of the great things about lentils is that they get better the more they're reheated so this is ideal for leftovers!

You will need:

1 large onion, diced
2 1/2 quarts tomato broth
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2c green beans chopped into 1-inch sections
~2c dried green lentils
2c fresh cut sweet corn
1c diced carrot
1/2c diced celery
1/2tsp chili powder

Bring the broth to a boil and add the lentils. Cook for 20-30 minutes over medium heat, then add your veggies and spices. Cook for at least another half hour. Serve hot or keep refridgerated for up to a week.

Vanilla Chiffon Cake

2008-09-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Aside from my love-hate relationship with Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown is the TV cook of my heart. I make it a point to take breaks in my homework to catch his show, Good Eats, every weeknight -- it gives me ideas of how to better my already existing recipes, even if he's making something I'd never eat like pork BBQ. But I digress. As soon as I saw it was the cupcake episode, I was completely fascinated.

The recipe he uses for cupcakes is a chiffon cake batter, which is exquisitely light and very different from a traditional cake. It uses oil instead of butter and lots of eggs. You could compare this cake to angel food but it just wouldn't do it justice. The only problem I had was that mine tasted a *wee* bit salty, so I've cut the salt in half for this recipe. Try this next time you feel like making a cake, I guarantee it will be a pleasant surprise!

You will need:

3/4c cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp kosher salt
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 c sugar with 3 tbsp separated
1/4c water
1/4c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
5/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2c heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a 9 x 11 pan and set aside. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks, sugar, and oil until it is smooth and forms "ribbons". Add the vanilla and water. Add your dry ingredients and set aside.

Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a separate bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer until it becomes foamy, then add the 3 tbsp of sugar gradually. Whip until stiff peaks form.

Very gently fold the egg white mixture into the yellow batter 1/3 at a time. Pour into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remember not to take this cake out early or open the oven door for the first 30 minutes or it will fall -- a chiffon cake is characterized by a very light, fluffy texture. Once removed, allow to cool completely.

While this cools whip your cream and confectioners sugar together. Be sure not to overwhip so you don't wind up with sweet butter! Coat the top of the cake with this as if it were icing and serve. Keep any leftovers refridgerated so the cream doesn't go funky :)

Real Fruit Smoothie

2008-09-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

Fruit smoothies have gotten a bad rap with all of the syrupy, chunky gunky drinks being churned out by chain restaurants and smoothie stands. Or they've been labeled as tasteless and bland by those who have been browbeaten into drinking the watery slush handed to them. I was looking at a load of seasonal fruits my mom sent me home with and decided to do something different and this creation was born. It is positively delicious and takes about 15 minutes to throw together.

You will need:

3 small or 2 medium apples, cored and chopped but not peeled
2 medium pears, chopped into chunks but again, not peeled
1 asian pear, chopped and not peeled
1/3c grape juice
1/4c agave nectar

The first step is to refridgerate your fruit and juice, this way you don't have to use ice and don't wind up with a watery smoothie. Put everything in a blender and pulse until the chunks of fruit have been broken up, then puree until smooth. It's important to keep the skins on the fruit so you get all that nutrition and fiber, make sure you blend well. Pour into a glass and enjoy :)

The Complete Salad

2008-09-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

I've had one heck of a time figuring out some healthy lunch options since the new semester started. I must admit -- my brain and body function much better when I've filled up on a nutritious meal than when I'm gulping down frappucinos for 8 hours :) One night last week I made the decision to create something organic, healthy and that could fill almost every one of my food groups for half the day. A daunting task indeed! But I have succeeded and am here to share my creation with all of you. This salad packs everything -- taste, nutrition, portability and ease. Stock up on a few of these quality ingredients at your local health food store and break out the tupperware, because this just might ease its way into your lunchtime rotation.

You will need:

2-3c fresh baby spinach greens
1/4c dried cranberries
3 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
apx 1/4c crumbled feta cheese
1/3 c steamed edamame beans (no shells)
1/4c sweet peas
greek vinagrette dressing of your choice (recipes to come soon)
1/2c cooked whole wheat pasta shells

Assembling a salad doesn't require too much of an instruction manual but I like to use the dressing with the pasta, cheese, seeds, cranberries and peas and use that to top the spinach and edamame.

Swedish Caramelized Pears

2008-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I used in a fall banquet last year. We won, heehee! Pears are beginning to come into season, so for the more fortunate farmers out there we have to find new and interesting ways to use them. This is a really versatile dish; it can go as a side dish or dessert depending on what you serve it with. It can be made savory or sweet. Keep in mind that these are slightly spicy, but the flavor works perfectly! Look for juniper berries in the bulk section of your local healthfood store..or on the bushes in your backyard.

4-6 pears, sliced lengthwise and cored
1/2c honey
1/4tsp chili powder
6-10 juniper berries
1 tbsp cinnamon
dash of clove powder
sour cream or whipped cream
1/2 c water

Heat the honey and spices over medium heat in a large skillet. Once the honey begins to bubble, place the pears face-down and cover. Allow to brown for around 7 minutes. Flip them over and add the water, then cover. If the honey starts to burn add a bit more water or just shift the pears around in the pan; a little bit of burning is critical to the flavor. Remove pears and separate the sauce, add the sour cream or whipped cream and drizzle the remaining sauce over the dish.

10-Minute Marinara

2008-08-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

My post of Classic Marinara is indeed a winner, but most women don't have hours to spare marinating and firing tomatoes. I decided to include this recipe because it requires minimal effort and is cheap, cheap CHEAP to make. It also tastes great! Prep time is about 10 minutes, cooking time is 45 but doesn't require much of a watchful eye.

10 Minute Marinara:

28 oz can of diced tomatoes
5-6 large basil leaves (or 1tbsp dried)
1.5tbsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
dash of chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil

Squish the tomatoes well with your fingers, throwing out stems. Add the spices and oil and simmer for 45 minutes or until most of the moisture has evaporated. I prefer to keep mine a bit runny so the grease doesn't take over. Serve and enjoy!

Shahi Paneer

2008-08-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Now that you've made the paneer in my last post, I bet you're wondering what to do with it. This is my favorite Indian dish (aside from gulab jamun, but that's for another day) -- I order it almost every time I eat out. It's mildly spicy but the different flavors don't cancel each other out, it also tastes a lot more rich than it actually is. Most people prefer to serve this over basmati rice, I can't argue with that but it also goes well with naan (again, a future post). Give it a chance and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Shahi sauce:

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1.5 inches finely grated ginger (about 2-3tbsp fresh)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 serrano peppers, chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala (check the spices section of ethnic grocers)
1 tsp cumin
salt to taste
1/2c plain yogurt

Saute the onion, ginger, peppers and garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook until "soggy". You can either put this mix through a blender or mash it manually; manual mashing is quicker but the blender produces smoother results. It's all about preference here.

Put the tomato mash back in the pan. Add chili powder, masala, cumin and salt with a touch of oil. Combine and finish by adding the yogurt. There's your sauce!

Take the paneer and chop it into large cubes. Fry it up in a tablespoon or two of oil. Mix with the sauce and serve over rice or with naan on the side -- you definitely want a starch with this dish. Enjoy!

Paneer Cheese: A How-To

2008-08-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Vidya is always full of hilarious stories and intelligent insights. One evening I decided I wanted to make shahi paneer; I had a gallon of whole milk and a few hours to work with. She coached me on how to make this unfermented Indian staple and after a bit of damage control, I came out with a disc of fresh paneer. You can fry it up or add it to saag paneer (a spiced spinach dish). This is a must-try for the bored, adventurous cook :)

Ingredients and supplies needed:

1 gallon whole milk
large pot
2-3 lemons
cheesecloth

Heat the milk to a rolling boil. Make sure to keep an eye on it, otherwise the froth will boil over the top of the pot!

Squeeze the juice from 2 lemons into the boiling milk and turn the heat down. You should see the whey separate from the curds, if not add more lemon juice until you see the magic happen.

Strain the curds out using the cheesecloth, you can save the whey to cook rice in but I poured mine down the drain. One project at a time :)

Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth and press it between some towels and books to flatten, you can also hang the cheesecloth over the sink to create a round paneer. Wait a few hours and move to the next step of your dish preparation.

Fake Chicken Salad

2008-08-20T11:10:00.001-07:00

This is an oldie but a goody. My mom came up with this when I went through my hardcore vegan phase in high school -- that only lasted a few months, but I still make this years later. I dare you to serve this to your meat loving, vegetarian hating friends..I haven't had any complaints yet! I'm including the tofu but this recipe is fine without it, I think it adds a more interesting texture to have a mix of tofu and tempeh.

Fake Chicken Salad:

1.5c cubed tempeh (I use 5-grain)
1c cubed extra firm tofu
3/4c veganaise
1/3c diced celery
1 tbsp mustard
1/4tsp black pepper
1 avocado, cubed (optional)

Combine the veganaise, mustard and pepper. Add the tempeh then the tofu. Drop the avocado bits on top, roll into a tortilla or sandwich and enjoy!

Cheese Bread

2008-08-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

Do I even have to say it anymore? Castsugar rescued me in the throes of bake sale-dom yet again. This time with cheese bread -- it's a molten cheddar center encased in sweet fluffy yeast bread. It's also relatively fast. When selling it I suggested that the buyer throw it into a 350 degree oven for 10 or 15 minutes before serving -- this stuff is best hot and fresh! I also omitted the jalapenos from the original recipe, but if you want spicy bread add 2 tbsp of them chopped to the dough.

Cheese Bread:

2c warm water
1/4c sugar
1 packet yeast
1.5 tsp salt
1/4c vegetable oil
6c bread flour
2-3c cubed cheddar cheese

Combine the yeast, water and sugar and allow to proof for 10 minutes. Add the oil and salt, add the flour one cup at a time until dough is elastic. Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes, covered.

Grease 2 LARGE loaf pans. Splice the risen dough into 2 pieces and flatten each one. Place 1/2 of the cubed cheese over each dough disc and roll up, tucking the ends under. Allow to rise in the pans for 30 more minutes. Make absolutely sure the dough doesn't rise over the loaf pans, otherwise you'll get cheddar overflow in the oven! Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before serving.

At-Home Pesto Sauce with Fettucine

2008-08-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm finally moved into my new house and back in the kitchen! As I've written about, I'm experimenting with new recipes that I can incorporate into a healthy diet. Pesto sauce is delicious and contains healthy fats from olive oil and pine nuts. It adds flavor to plain pasta and bruschetta without taking over. I'm posting my blender-free method because hand chopping allows the separate flavors to sing rather than being, well, blended into each other. The pieces aren't uniform and the sauce is a bit "chunkier". The hand chopping is totally worth the extra effort and saves lots on cleanup. So let's get started!

Pesto:
2-3 c loose fresh basil leaves (I buy the live basil, it tastes much better this way)
1/4c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Fettucine:
2 tbsp salt
1 box fettucine
1/2 c finely shredded asiago cheese
1 tbsp olive oil

Using a mezzeluna, pizza cutter or sharp knife cut 1/3 of the basil until very fine and almost paste-y. Place into a mixing bowl and move onto the next 1/3. You want to do this in batches to avoid bruising and pulverizing the leaves.

Once your basil is chopped, do the same with the pine nuts and garlic. Slice until very fine and incorporate into the basil. Add the salt and olive oil, set aside.

Boil a pot of water and add the olive oil and salt. Add your fettucine and cook until al dente. Immediately after straining add the pesto and toss until all the pasta is evenly coated. Top with asiago and serve!

Spicy Chocolate Gingerbread

2008-06-24T13:38:00.001-07:00

I ran across this recipe in Castsugar's blog -- my mom is a fan of gingerbread so I had originally planned on making it for her birthday. I wound up doing a "test batch" for the bake sale, and WOW. This is possibly one of the better things that has come out of my kitchen.

It literally warms your throat when you eat it, but isn't sharp or spicy like so many recipes that call for chili powder. You can taste each ingredient when you take a bite, which is rare for recipes that call for so many complex flavors in one dish. I was skeptical of Castsugar's raves about this cake but I'm a true believer now. If you bake nothing else from this blog, try this recipe. It will blow you away. This one is going in the green box -- the old tin box where all of my great grandmother's favorite recipes are kept. This is where I turn when I need something utterly original and delicious that no one was expecting but everyone loves. You simply gotta try it!

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3/4 c. light syrup
3/4 c. molasses
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp warm water
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 325 and line 3 loaf pans with tin foil.

Meld the sugars, syrups, and butter together over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add your spices and allow to cool very slightly.

Combine the milk and eggs together. Mix the water with the baking soda and add to the egg mixture. Add the syrup mixture and stir well. Finish by adding the flour and cocoa. Finish by adding the chocolate chunks.

Pour into loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes. This will still appear liquidy on top; allow it to cool completely, as this creates a very moist cake. I find that this is just as good, if not better after a day or two of maturation time. You could add a glaze or frosting, but I find it to be perfect plain.

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

2008-06-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

I had been looking forward to making these ever since I found the recipe -- cheesecake, cherry, AND brownie?! All of my favorite things! While these did turn out well and I'm sure would be a hit at any bake sale or party, it seemed that it was almost too much of a good thing. There were so many flavors going on that none of them could really sing; I would have preferred the cheesecake and cherries over a plain ol' chocolate crumb crust. But these are worth a try!

Cheesecake:
16 oz cream cheese
1/2c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Brownie:
1c unsalted butter
6 oz baking chocolate
2c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/4c AP flour
21 oz. cherry pie filling + 1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Melt the baking chocolate in a double broiler. Cream together the butter and sugar for the brownie layer, then add the eggs. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and mix well. Stir in flour and salt and pour into the baking pan.

For the cheesecake layer, beat all ingredients together until smooth. Drop it by the tablespoon over the brownie layer, and follow by dropping tablespoons of the cherry mixture over it. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers, but do not mix them together. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges of the brownie begin to pull away and the edges of the cheesecake begin to turn slightly brown. Keep in mind that this brownie will still seem gooey when you first take it out of the oven, let it cool completely and chill for at least 4 hours (I let mine go overnight and am glad I did). Try serving these in cupcake liners, they're super gooey!

No-Bake White Chocolate Key Lime Cheesecake

2008-06-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

How's THAT for a title? These bars are surprisingly simple to make and require zero oven time. Since I had all burners blazing at the time, this was a relief. This is another gem from Castsugar, although she calls them bars I consider this a cheesecake. They're perfect for summer and I would imagine they'd be the first thing to go had the bake sale not been rained out. You must try these for your next barbeque or summer celebration!

Crust:

30 Oreo cookies
2 oz white chocolate

Filling:

6 oz white chocolate
1 pint whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp key lime zest
1/3c confectioners sugar

I recommend using an aluminum cake pan instead of a traditional one for this recipe. If you don't have access to this, line a 8x8 pan with foil.

Melt all the white chocolate in a double broiler. Crush your oreos by hand or in a food processor, and combine them with 2-4 tbsp of the melted chocolate. Press into the bottom of the pan to form a crust.

Beat 1/2c whipping cream until peaks begin to form. Add cream cheese, lime, zest and sugar to a separate bowl, and beat well. Beat in remaining white chocolate. Fold in gently with the whipped cream and spread mixture over the crust. In a clean bowl, pour the remaining whipping cream and confectioners sugar and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Make sure to not overbeat or you'll wind up with sweetened butter! Spread the whipping cream over the lime layer, and voila! No bake cheesecake! Allow it to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

2008-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

For the last week I've been working on a major bake sale, so I'd been keeping my eyes out for anything unique to contribute. I found that I need not go any further than Castsugar. True to form, these peanut butter and jelly bars are different from anything I could have found in my current collection of cookbooks. It's a very rich shortbread crust with a smear of jelly in the center; imagine a PB&J sandwich cookie, only as a brownie.

I made a few changes to the recipe, but these are still very rich and very sweet. I couldn't eat a whole bar by myself, which speaks a lot after all the spicy chocolate gingerbread I've scarfed! But more on that later. I used more peanut butter and less real butter, I also used the chunky variety. Instead of full octane jam I used a reduced sugar version. I would not recommend using anything containing a sugar substitute though; aside from messing up the perfect taste, the lack of real sugars would prevent the jelly from setting. Anyways, here's my recipe, with pics soon to come:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2c sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4c chunky peanut butter
3c AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
18 oz jam (I used blackberry)

Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Cream together the sugar, butter and PB. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt in small additions, mixing well in between. You should be left with a crumbly but malleable dough. Spread 2/3 of it on the bottom of the pan.

Spread the jam on top of the first layer. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbles on top, taking care to not mix them with the jam too much. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before cutting into chunks, otherwise you'll get a gooey mess instead of a bar. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pie

2008-06-02T08:27:00.001-07:00

This is a classic Southern recipe for buttermilk pie. Most people who haven't tasted it before will give you strange looks when you combine the words "buttermilk" and "pie". It's actually quite delicious and goes over well especially on holidays.

This recipe comes from Natalie Moore at NPR. Growing up, one of my neighborhood friends' mothers made this and Natalie's recipe comes the closest to hers (although that South Carolina touch can't be replicated). There are many variations of this recipe; it's similar to chess pie, creme brulee and a South African dish called "melktert".

I used a chocolate graham cracker crust since I couldn't find regular pie crust. After my adventure with the apple pie, I wasn't quite ready to dive back into those waters. While the graham crust made it really interesting, it was a bit sweet. I'm posting the reduced-sugar version of the filling for that reason. Also remember to let this pie cool for at least twenty or thirty minutes before serving, it gets VERY HOT!

Buttermilk Pie:

1 graham pie crust

4 eggs

1c sugar

2 tbsp flour

1/2c melted butter

1 1/2c buttermilk

1tsp vanilla extract (I tend to go heavy on this, so you can use up to 1 tbsp)

Beat the eggs with sugar. Add flour and beat well. Add buttermilk and vanilla. The filling will be liquidy, so carefully pour it into the crust and load it into the oven. Bake at 400 for the first 10 minutes and reduce to 325 for 50 more minutes.

Allow to cool, serve either slightly warm or at room temperature.

Ugly Apple Pie

2008-06-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

No pain, no gain, right? This pie was definitely one of the worst aesthetic disasters to come out of my kitchen in a long time ;] However, I think you have to know just as much about what doesn't work as you know what does to be a successful cook. Besides, the thing TASTED great! I present, for your viewing pleasure, how to make a very ugly but very tasty apple pie.

Crust:

2c flour (I used cake flour)

1tsp salt

1tbsp sugar

6tbsp butter

6tbsp shortening

6-8tbsp very cold water

Filling:

5 tart apples, peeled and chopped

1c sugar

2tbsp flour

1tbsp cinnamon

1/2tsp clove powder

1/4tsp salt

2tbsp vinegar

1tbsp lemon juice

Combine the dry ingredients for the crust in a large bowl. You're supposed to use a pastry cutter to combine the butter and shortening, which I didn't do. I used the whisk on my countertop mixer -- instead of the crumbly, dry mixture you want for a pie crust, I wound up with a creamy schmaltzy yellow mixture. Either way, let it chill in the fridge for 10-45 minutes.

As you're working on the crust, if your apples are pre-sliced and peeled, let them rest in water combined with the lemon juice so they don't discolor. Drain them when the time comes to make filling. Most people don't cook theirs beforehand; I didn't think it was necessary, and I was right. Anywho. Mix the filling ingredients and set aside.

I brought my crust mixture out of the fridge and it was nowhere near wanting to roll out. So I scooped some in my hand and smeared it all around the bottom of the pan and up the sides, about an inch thick. Put the apple filling into the crust. I still had some left over for the top though, so I decided to attempt a streusel. To do a streusel, you pinch sugar and flour into butter until it turns into crumbs. Instead, after about 1/2c of sugar and 1c flour, I wound up with a mixture that was roll-able. I flattened it and draped it over the apple mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

My primary issue was the crust -- while it tasted heavenly and turned out quite nicely when cooked, the bottom layer was way too soft to work with. Definitely combine your crust using a pastry cutter, you want something crumbly that will stick together when rolled out.

The top was a bit too sweet. Since it was basically a sheet of streusel, this is to be expected. Again, this problem can be avoided by making the crust right ;]

Although this pie was delicious, it's incredibly rich. When I come by a recipe that works and has that magic to it I'll make sure to post it. Otherwise, I'll need to find someone who doesn't mind ugly pies to eat the test batch!

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

2008-06-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

These were more of a challenge than you'd think -- mash the dough together, roll it out and bake, right? It turns out there's a big difference between a biscuit (a hard piece of salty bread) and a true Southern buttermilk biscuit. I'd had some buttermilk left over from the pie so I decided to give these a whirl. While they didn't turn out terribly, they definitely could have come out better. For that reason I'm leaving an "improved" recipe and method, along with some helpful information about ingredients.

White Lily flour is touted as the best for making biscuits; it's made from soft winter wheat and has a low protein content. Thanks to Pinch My Salt, I have some good info on different flours and what they do:

The less protein a flour has, the better it is for "quick" breads like biscuits and pizza crusts. A higher protein flour, which also tends to produce more gluten, is better for risen and yeast breads. Hence, bread flour has the most protein while cake flour has the least. I tend to keep cake flour, all purpose flour, self-rising and bread flour in my kitchen along with a little wheat gluten. You can add some of this to all purpose flour to create bread flour, check the box for exact measurements. Long story short, low protein flour creates a light and fluffy bread while high protein flour assists in rising. Here are exact protein percentages:

Cake flours (Swans Down, Softasilk):7.5 to 8.5% proteinBleached southern all-purpose (White Lily, Martha White, Gladiola, Red Band):7.5 to 9.5% protein
National brand self-rising (Gold Medal, Pillsbury):9 to 10% protein
National brand bleached all-purpose (Gold Medal, Pillsbury): 10 to 12% protein
Northern all-purpose (Robin Hood, Hecker’s):11 to 12% protein
Northern unbleached all-purpose (King Arthur):11.7% protein
Bread Flour:11.5 to 12.5% protein

Pinch My Salt suggests using a combination of cake and all purpose flour if you don't have White Lily; this is what I did and it seemed to work.

Pinch My Salt's Buttermilk Biscuits

1-1/4c cake flour

3/4c all-purpose flour

1 1/2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp baking soda

1/2tsp salt

1/4c butter

3/4c buttermilk

Grease a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 450. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using a dough cutter (a handle with several U-shaped wires), cut the butter into the dry ingredients. It should look like crumbs. Add your buttermilk and shape into a ball.

Knead the dough a few times on a floured surface and roll out. I rolled mine too thin, about 1/2 an inch, I suggest making them about an inch thick. Make sure to coat the surface and rolling pin with flour so there's no sticking. Once your dough is flat, use either a cookie cutter or the top of a drinking glass to cut the biscuits out. Shape the remaining dough into biscuit shapes and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Here are a few tips from Salt on how to make the best biscuits:

Make sure your baking powder, baking soda, and/or self-rising flour are fresh!

Start preheating the oven as soon as you start thinking about making the biscuits! You want the oven to be completely preheated before the biscuits go in.

Prepare your ingredients and tools in advance so that once you get started, you can work quickly and efficiently: cut your butter in small pieces and put it back in the fridge, measure out the buttermilk, flour the counter, get out the biscuit cutter and baking sheet.

Use very cold butter, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready for it. Work the butter quickly into the flour so that it doesn’t have a chance to even think about melting!

When you add the buttermilk, stir lightly! This can be done simply with a fork. You just want to get the dough to a point where the flour is all clumped together, not a smooth dough!

Knead lightly and minimally. You aren’t kneading this like bread dough, you are simply finishing the mixing process with your hands. You only want to knead a couple of times to finish dispersing the liquid through the dough. The more you knead, the denser your biscuits will be!

Even if you use self-rising flour in the dough, dust the counter and dough with all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour can give the outside of the biscuits a bitter taste, due to the leavening it contains.
Don’t pat the dough out too thin. If you want high biscuits, don’t roll the dough any thinner than 3/4 - 1 inch.

When cutting biscuits, use a sharp cutter and press straight down and up. Don’t twist! This was the hardest tip for me to adapt. I have always twisted the biscuit cutter. But guess what, it makes a difference!

Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that they are touching. Again, this is something I have never done. But I found that the biscuits do rise well and I really enjoy the texture of the soft-sided biscuits!

Don’t re-roll the scraps. Since it is best to work the dough as little as possible, instead of gathering the scraps, re-rolling and cutting into biscuits, just form the scraps into biscuit shapes by hand. I usually end up with scraps to form two extra biscuits. They might look a little funny, but they rise as well as the others and they taste just as good!

Home Baked Pizza

2008-06-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

I made this when I was having a pizza craving but didn't want to order delivery -- it's heavenly with homemade marinara!

3.5c bread flour

1c warm water

2tbsp yeast

1/4c olive oil

1tsp salt

4 oz fresh mozarella

1/2c marinara sauce

1/3c shredded asiago cheese

Combine the warm water and yeast. Add half the olive oil, salt, and flour; let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Once dough has risen, roll out either by hand or with a pin. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the crust and brush thoroughly.

Spoon the marinara onto the crust and top with cheeses (plus other toppings if you want them).

Bake until the crust is browned and the pizza bubbles; this should take around 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and slice.

Matzo Ball Soup

2008-05-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe for a basic matzo ball spiced up a little. In addition to the vegetables, some unexpected ingredients are used in the stock to enhance the flavor. This is the Jewish take on chicken dumpling soup; perfect for cold or sick days.

Matzo balls:

3/4c matzo meal

dash pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

2 eggs

2 tbsp veg oil

Soup:

1 small cabbage head, chopped

2 1/2 quarts imitation chicken broth

2 carrots, diced

3-4 celery stalks, diced

1/4tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp vinegar

Heat the soup ingredients in a large pot.

Combine the matzo ball ingredients and allow to chill for 15-30 minutes. Form into small balls and drop into boiling soup.

Cover tightly and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Famous Egg Rolls

2008-05-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'll begin this one with a disclaimer: this isn't a light dish. It's vegetarian and only uses vegetable oil, but through trial and many errors I've found there are few ways to successfully make an egg roll, and only one way to make a great egg roll. Deep frying is required, although you can make do by pan frying. Still, deep frying is easier and preserves better.

Aside from being fried these are phenomenal. One recipe tends to make a lot so they're good for bringing to parties or for an especially big dinner crowd. I like to serve them with tamari, but any kind of dipping sauce works.

Veggie Egg Rolls:

1 package (15 count) egg roll wraps

1 quart veg oil, for frying

1 beaten egg

Filling:

1/2 cabbage, shredded (I used a mix of red and green cabbage)

1 nest cooked sai fun

1/2lb cubed tofu

1 shredded carrot

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1 tbsp kosher salt

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Put a few tablespoons of filling into the center of the wrap.

Fold the right corner of the wrap over to the left, the top and bottom corners to the center, and roll toward the furthest left edge. Use a little egg as a glue to hold the edges together. Finish the rest of the egg rolls.

Place a fryer into the oil and slide one of the egg rolls in. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip to the other side to brown. Remove from oil onto paper towels. Repeat for each egg roll.

Allow to cool for a few moments and serve.

Six Strand Bread

2008-05-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

I love braided breads; being able to put artistry back in the kitchen is a passion of mine. I've done three strand loaves for awhile, but chose to tackle something decidedly more challenging this week. I made mine with the regular sourdough, but any type of dough will work. Another fun thing to do is brush filling with cinnamon or cheese between the strands, but that's for another time.

The best resource on this bread is a video I found on YouTube, so thank you MayaSophia! She gives a great visual as to how to braid these loaves, otherwise my explanations would just be confusing.

The first step for me was to sponge the bread. I took a photo to show what sourdough sponge should look like:

The next step was to mix the dough and let it rise. I then divided it into six parts and rolled each into a snake, pinching them together at the top:

Then comes the braiding, which is demonstrated in the video:

Continue to braid until the entire loaf is finished, then pinch and tuck each end over. Set it on your floured peel and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Brush the loaf either with egg or olive oil (used here) and allow to bake at 400 for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown. These loaves typically take longer since they're more dense. What I love about braided breads is that you can break them apart and dip the little sections in oil or sauce, so this is pictured next to spinach dip (see Spinach Artichoke Dip Rediscovered for recipe).

Kitchen Must-Haves

2008-05-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

Since my entries are so full of little items that I love, I decided to post exactly what these are and where you could procure them. Everyone has a preference, and whatever gives you the best results is what you should stick with. These are all things that help me keep my kitchen organized and accessible; I'm rarely left up a creek when I have my versatile equipment on hand! With that said, here is the hall of fame:

KitchenAid Countertop Mixer:

This is the centerpiece of my baking world. As you can see, there are three attachments, which I've waxed on about in my "Fun with Sourdough" entry. It's a lot like a good boyfriend -- steady, non-reactive, and can handle heavy work without complaint :] It's not 100% necessary to own one of these to be a great baker, but if you already have one it's time to use it! You can seek them out used, but because it comes with a lifetime guarantee, it's probably wise to get a new one if you plan on using it a lot. I've seen them sold at Williams-Sonoma in a million different colors and even different sizes, they range from $250 to $600.

Bamboo Cooking Utensils:

Bamboo is an extremely eco-friendly product; since it's technically a grass, you're sparing some lucky trees too! They also perform incredibly well. Dishwasher safe, lightweight yet strong, these also do not scratch cookware. Ideal for any kitchen, they're also a bargain at a few bucks per utensil.

Silicone Cookie Sheet:

This thing is perfect for baking cookies -- it completely eliminates your need for evil cooking spray! It keeps your baking sheets clean so you don't have to wash them nearly as much. It requires minimal maintenance in and of itself, just a rinse with some hot soapy water after use. My only caution is to not use it in temperatures over 450, or you'll wind up with a crunchy plastic sheet.

Snapware Containers:

These containers are absolutely central to the organization of my kitchen. They're airtight, so almost anything can be stored in them. You know how there's always a sprinkling of flour or sugar that falls out when you're measuring ingredients from the bag? That's not an issue with these. I label them and use them to store different kinds of flour and sugar. I'm sure my kitchen would be a much messier place without these guys to help me keep things in order.

Oxo Good Grip Knife Set:These knives are like none I've ever used. They're sharp as a razor, but because of the soft grip they have a safety aspect as well. The set contains 14 knives so you don't have to worry about buying anything else. Worth every penny, these should last forever if you take care of them.

Microplane Zester Grater:

This item completely lives up to its reputation -- lightweight, dishwasher safe, it grates through hardest cheeses like butter. You can usually come by them for under $10 at kitchen supply stores. This is absolutely essential if you grate your own cheese; it leaves piles of feather light shavings instead of chunky slices like a traditional grater. It doesn't work particularly well on soft cheeses, but that's what regular graters are for.

Baked Garlic Dip

2008-05-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite thing to serve alongside the Italian sourdough -- a creamy, garlic-ey dip that tastes a lot more fattening than it is. I read the basis of the recipe in the Herb Companion and made a few changes. For example, the original recipe calls for scallions while I chose to substitute with more garlic -- ripe garlic cloves tend to eminate a richer scent and flavor. Try baking this in a cast iron or stoneware dish so it stays hot and perfect.

Baked Garlic Dip

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2c cooked spinach
3-5 artichoke hearts, chopped
~2tsp fresh oregano, chopped finely
7 oz fage (Greek low fat yogurt, use plain regular yogurt otherwise)
3/4c light mayonnaise
1c shredded cheddar
1/4c shredded parmesean
salt to taste

Heat the mayonnaise and fage in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Preheat oven to 450. Add garlic, oregano and artichoke hearts; stir occasionally until simmering. Add cheddar and stir until melted, add spinach and salt. Pour into a baking pan or small casserole dish and sprinkle parmesean over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until bubbling and beginning to brown. Allow several minutes to cool before serving.

Mom's Oatmeal Cookies

2008-05-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

My mom has always taken a lot of pride in her oatmeal cookies; rather than being dense and crumbly, these are chewy and surprisingly light. She prefers to include nuts and raisins, but many people like chocolate chips or just plain oatmeal. Experiment to figure out what you prefer, and don't forget to have fun!

Oatmeal Cookies:
1/2c room temp butter
1/2c white sugar
1/4c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2c quick cooking oats
1 c raisins, nuts or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together, add egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients (no oats) and combine with creamed mixture. Add oats and raisins. Pour into a greased baking pan, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars or squares.

Southwest Salsa

2008-05-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite salsa recipes because it's easy, the ingredients can be found in any grocery store, and it contains enough different flavors to put plain tomato salsa to shame. I encourage everyone to use as fresh of ingredients as they can find, but the only place where it really makes a difference is in the cilantro and tomatoes. Since I can't stand tomato seeds I pit mine beforehand, but if you don't mind them it doesn't make much of a difference. Enjoy!

Southwest Black Bean Salsa:
15 oz kidney beans
15 oz black beans
15 oz fresh or canned corn
1/2c chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped jalapenos
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1tsp vinegar
1 chipotle pepper, very finely chopped (one can usually contains 4-5 peppers)
15 oz diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp salt

Combine all ingredients. Allow to chill overnight. Who knew it could be this easy?!

Honey Braided Challah

2008-05-20T08:08:00.001-07:00

This is a great holiday bread and doubles as a nice breakfast loaf. It's sweet without being demanding and is perfect with cream cheese or honey butter. Many traditions include seeds or certain herbs sprinkled over the top; sesame seeds work well for this particular loaf.

Honey Cinnamon Challah:

7c bread flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2c agave nectar (low glycemic sweetener, check health food stores or well stocked grocers)
2 packets of yeast dissolved in 1/3c warm water
1/2c veg oil
2 tbsp apple pie spice
4 eggs
1c boiling water
1/2c cold water
1 egg + 2 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp water (set aside)

Beat eggs in a bowl. In separate large bowl mix oil, nectar, spices, salt and add boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved. Add cold water, stir, and add yeast water -- keep in mind that the mixture should be warm, not hot, before the addition of yeast. Add eggs to the large bowl. Combine flour 1/2-1c at a time, as certain climates require more or less of it. If you're kneading by hand, knead for about 15 minutes or until smooth and elastic; if you're using a bread hook it takes around five to ten minutes. Place loaf into a greased bowl and let rise, covered, in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.

Before punching the dough down, remove from the bowl and slice into thirds with a sharp knife. Knead each round for 2-5 minutes and use the sharp knife to divide each into thirds again. Roll each section into a "snake" about 1-2 inches in diameter. Pinch the top ends together and braid down the loaf, then pinch the bottom ends and tuck under. Repeat this with the 2 remaining rounds and let each rise on a greased baking sheet for 30-45 minutes. Right before the loaves are ready to go in the oven, take a pastry brush and coat each with the egg and honey mixture. Make sure to cover all exposed areas of the loaf except for the bottom. Sprinkle seeds if desired.

Preheat the oven to 450 with your baking stone, and reduce to 350 for the actual baking time. If you're operating with a baking sheet only, flour with cornmeal or semolina and allow it to preheat. Place the loaf on a greased large plate or a floured peel and slide it onto the baking stone or sheet. Allow to bake for 20-30 minutes or until loaf is a deep golden brown.

White Peach Breakfast Tart

2008-05-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is a specifically modified version of the original breakfast tart, which is usually made with a combination of apples and jellies or jams. White peaches are especially popular in Japan for their light, delicate taste and aroma. This is another recipe where I add rosewater; if you don't like the effect this brings feel free to leave it out or replace with vanilla extract. The olfactory taste of roses combined with fruit is especially decadent; soft and sweet without a hint of tartness. The yogurt takes the place of richer alternatives like whipped cream.

Tart crust:
~2 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/8tsp kosher salt
1/2c flour
1/2c milk
2tbsp sugar

Grease cake pan with butter. Combine remaining butter with other ingredients, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Filling:
4 oz container vanilla yogurt
4 oz can white peaches (check Asian markets)
2 tbsp peach preserves
a few drops rosewater if desired, use sparingly
1-2 tbsp confectioners sugar

Heat peaches, rosewater and preserves over medium-low heat. Spread vanilla yogurt over tart crust. Once fruit begins to simmer, remove from heat and pour evenly over yogurt layer. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and either serve hot or chill until ready to eat.